Turkey Week!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Hope you ate lot's of food for me.  Haha me and Elder Leal had our own thanksgiving feast but nothing as good as a real thanksgiving feast.  Haha we cooked up a tray of chicken nuggets and ate a whole bunch of cupcakes that we got from a member.  Haha it was pretty awesome but I for sure missed all the food and company. 

A Missionaries Thanksgiving Dinner!!!

Man that's a lot of Chicken Nuggets!

Good Week, Tough Week!!!!

So this week has been a good week but a tough week as well.  It was really slow we didn't have a whole lot going on this week and it's been tough cuz we have had to drop some of our investigators.  It's always hard and sad to drop investigators cuz you work so hard to teach them and everything and then they just reject you.  An older lady we have been teaching named Val has been doing pretty good but we stopped by here place on the weekend and she gave us the Book of Mormon and pamphlets back and she said she just wants to stick to her bible and went inside we didn't even have time to ask her any questions.  It was hard to let her go but right now is just not her time maybe it will be her time next month or next year or in the next life we don't know but we tried all we could do and that's all we are asked to do.  We also had to drop a few other investigators because they don't really want to meet with us.  We were sitting in our flat and we were thinking we have worked so hard to find people to teach and we have been teaching them and they have felt the spirit but none of them want to meet with us and we didn't know what to do.  We essentially had no one to teach.  But then we remembered that last Sunday we had gotten a referral from a member who was passing through so we rang up this man and he was super excited we called and were meeting with him today to talk with him.  We were so excited so that kept us going but then our main investigators we have right now M_____ and S_____ we hadn't met with for a couple weeks because they had been out of town so we stopped by there house on Saturday and talked to them on the porch but they said that they were gonna have to take a break for a little while because they said there lives are just to crazy right now and I wanted to tell them that the gospel can help them in  their lives but they wouldn't listen.  So we were frustrated.  But then Sunday rolled around and to make it worse we only had 7 people come to church.  But it was amazing my testimony of church and the sabbath day as grown so much since I have been out.  I look forward to Sunday's every week because I get to go to church.  The spirit is just always so strong there and we get to learn so much and grow.  It doesn't matter how many people there are there was only 7 people and the spirit was so strong.  We are so  blessed to be able to worship the way we choose I can not imagine what it would be like to not practice my beliefs we are so blessed.

Tracking!

 So after church we decided we would go tracting.  It's super hard because we don't get much success but that's really all we can do out here to stay busy.  We went down this one street and knocked on this one door.  A guy answered and so we did the normal door approach and he let us in his house.  :) This was the first time this has happened to me usually it's a door slam in the face or a not interested but he let us in and we talked to him for a little while about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith.  He was super interested and wanted to read the Book of Mormon so we gave him one and are gonna meet with him again later this week.  It is amazing to me that even when times get really tough and you feel like just giving up that, that is when the Lord blesses you immensely.  We are constantly receiving blessings and we will always constantly be receiving those blessings if we keep the commandments.  I always think of the hymn count your many blessings and that works perfect cuz this past week was thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for.  

This week has been really tough and I have been stressed out and worrying about little things and I wasn't able to feel the spirit or feel at peace.  I kept praying for strength and everything but I never felt it but I thought to myself I'll fast on Sunday.  So yesterday I fasted it was really hard because I got really hungry really quick and I wanted to eat something all day and I wanted some ice cream cuz it was so hot but I knew I could do it so at six right before dinner I knelt down and prayed to break my fast and right after that I felt that peace and the spirit is so strong.  It strengthened me to know that God does know me personally and knows what I am going through and if I am willing to do my part he will do the rest and I am so grateful for that.

Summer time in the Land Down Under!

I'll have to talk to Elder Ballard and see where in Glendora he is from and yep his companion Elder Johnson is from Sky View.  We graduated in the same class and everything. It's super cool to see another person from Cache Valley.  Haha it has been pretty hot here lately one day this past week it got to almost 40C which is like 104F so it's been super hot but I don't mind it you know me I like the heat cuz I'm always cold.:)  Ya we drink lot's of water every time we come back from somewhere I'll drink like 3 glasses of water so we're staying hydrated.  I sent a picture a few weeks ago of me and Elder Leal and we got some sweet hats that keep the sun off our face which is good. 

 Birds?

Haha ya the birds are super annoying here you kind of just have to get used to them.  There are so many different kinds and they make really weird noises.  Haha like when I first heard one I thought someone was dying but they just told me it was a bird.  It was probably a cockatoo they make really weird noises here. 

Need some Help.

So the devil is real and he tries to tempt us in anyways that he can and these past few weeks I keep having doubts in my mind sometimes of my family doesn't think I'm worthy.  I don't know why I think this but maybe you guys can help.  I know that I am worthy I have repented of everything that I have needed to repent and I have moved on and I am clean and worthy to be on a mission I have prayed and asked God if I am worthy and he reassured me that I am and so I don't know why I think this but maybe you guys know.

Wise Words for the Elder!!

This past week has been an up-and-down week but it has been a really good week.  I have grown so much and my faith has increased so much this past week.  I have challenged myself to read the whole Book of Mormon this transfer and so far I am doing pretty good but I have come to love the scriptures so much more on my mission I wish I would have read them more before I came out.  I go through trials and hardships on my mission and before I wanted to give up and come home to where I knew everything would be ok but now I go through trials and hard times and I know that I can get through them and that I will become a better person.  Ether 12:27 talks about our weaknesses and I have so many but God is starting to make my weaknesses into strengths.:)

                                                      Til next Week!!

Thanks for everything love you guys Grandma "Grapes":) I'm glad your keeping my dad company in watching sports and glad everything is going well.  Dani Caleb John Patrick Rotor I love you guys glad your all doin good.  Drink lot's of hot cocoa for me.:)  Rest of the family and friends I love all of you guys and would do anything for you keep holding to the rod.  Mum Dad thanks so much I love you guys talk to you next week.

Love Elder Stott