El Libro de Mormon

Hi all!

So I am pretty sure that this is my last week in this area. It brings bitter sweet emotions thinking that I will never be here again doing the exact same things that I am doing now. I know that if I ever do visit again it just won´t be the same. I guess that is were making the most of every moment comes in right? This coming week I will have P-Day on Wednesday Feb. 1 so don´t be alarmed when you don´t get an email on Monday!! :)

This past week really was a week of miracles where it seemed like all of our hard work for the past many months finally came together and we were able to reach many of the goals that we had set for the work. I have learned the goal setting really is an act of faith and that as always, when we have the faith to act and do something to reach these goals, that is when they become a reality.

I love to see the role of the Book of Mormon in the lives of the people that we teach and in my own life as I have come to use it as a daily tool. Cade sent me this quote from Pres. Benson that I love. "It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony or Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path. The scriptures are called "the words of life" (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance." (Book of Mormon- Keystone of our Religion, Nov 1986) This is the most correct book or any book that we have on earth, including the Bible. It was written by men of God and translated only once by a prophet of God so that we can have the FULNESS of His gospel to lead and guide us today. Joseph Smith said, "a man can draw closer to God by reading this book than any other book". I know that this is true, but it takes effort on our part. I once heard that if we want to talk to God we pray, but if we want God to talk to us, we read the scriptures. God is waiting do work miracles in our lives but we have to do our part first. Not only do we have to read and ponder, but we also have to pray with real intent. The intent that we are going to act on the answer that we get from God. That we are going to change our lives and do what He wants us to do. I know that the Book of Mormon changes lives and that it is the word of God and I promise you that you don´t have to take my word for it. You can read it and find out for yourself. And that is my invitation to all of you.

I am sorry that this is kind of short but I am out of time. As usual. I love you all tons!

I think about you often, pray for you always and love you forever!

Hna Scanlon

Guess What Tomorrow Brings...

Hey!

How are you all doing?!? I am really sorry but I don´t really have a
lot of time this week to write to you all because we had to go to
Capital to renew our visas and our documents for being here... Can you
believe that I got here 1 year ago tomorrow!!!!! Time goes by soooo
quickly! I renewed my paperwork today so I can stay here until January
2013... ¿Esta bien no? :)

I remembered a story this week that I forgot to tell you. The other
week we were walking down the road and we had to stop to talk about
where we were going to go next so my companion and I were talking with
the member that we were with and then I noticed that there was a
police officer stopped on the side of the road and he was motioning to
us to go over and talk to him. This really isn´t anything that is
abnormal so I went over to talk to the man and the woman cop that were
in the car. Ha ha when I got over there he asked me, "Hey are you the
chica that talked to us the other day on the side of the road?" (There
had been a bunch of cops on the side of the road a few days earlier
that I had given invitations to go to church on Sunday as we had
walked by). I replied that indeed I was the very same and he asked me,
"so what is this church about?". Then the lady that was sitting next
to him chimed in, "hey I´m a member of this church! My brother is the
stake president!" I was shocked. So we then had a nice discussion and
she shared her testimony about the church although she is inactive. I
then left a pamphlet with the officer to read and we headed on our
way. This really left me with a testimony that God works in very
mysterious ways because I have been praying for more opportunities to
have lessons with members of the church to help our investigators
progress. I didn´t think that I would find a member and an
investigator ready to talk about the church in a police car on the
side of the road but that is exactly what happend! I guess we need to
remember that we never need to be afraid to open our mouths!!! it
reminds me of the scripture in Romans 8:16. If we are willing and
ready, there are always people prepared to hear our message!

Also THANKS FOR YOUR PACKAGES!!!! I got the packages from Mom and Dad,
Beth, and Kyle and Carolyn! I love them all so much and it was such a
treat! Mom and Dad I do have to confess that I gave half of the
package to my comp because she didn´t get a package from her parents
and was pretty bummed so I told her that in fact you had sent this for
her as a Christmas present. So in photos etc if you see that one of
the skirts she is wearing was one you sent to me don´t feel bad ok!!!
I felt a super extra hug from home this week and it was deeply
appreciated. Like I said the Lord works in mysterious ways and ALWAYS
answers our prayers!

Hey has anything happened with my mission plaque for the wall? I want
to use the scripture in Alma 26: 12, 16, 36-37.

Did you email Hna Tucker´s family about housing? We need to get going on that!

Well I have to go! I think about you often, I pray for you always, and
I love you forever!

Hna Scanlon

La Obediencia Trae Bendiciones

Obedience Brings Blessings

¡Hola Mi Familia!

This week really was a week of miracles. As most of you already know it has been a little bit difficult for me to be in this area for so long. President has told us that in this way we can see what he calls "real growth" and I will have to be honest I had my doubts. I doubted that I could work effectively here for so long. That I would still have the desires to talk to everyone in the street and help the active and less active members with all my heart. The very week that I was having so many doubts, I received a dearelder from Louie Cibrian (the brother of the twins). He didn´t say much but he sent me this quote from C.S: Lewis "The work of devils & darkness is never more certain to be defeated than when men & women, not finding it easy or pleasant, but still determined to do the Father´s will, look out upon their lives from which it may seem every trace of God has vanished, and asking why they have been so forsaken, still bow their heads and obey." ha ha when I read that, or course I cried. But I knew that the key to being happy and finding success was obedience. After all the scriptures tell us that "when we obatin any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated". So for these past few weeks, I have been living by faith and not by sight. Not really sure as to why the Lord still needed me here... until this weekend.

I don´t know if you remember but in September one of our investigators named Juan got baptized. Well this weekend his neice also got baptized and Juan was able to baptize her. As I watched them both stand in the waters of baptism and I could remember seeing him in almost the same position as he was getting baptized just a few months ago, I realized why I am still here. It wasn´t something that the Lord still had something for me to do here, it was that he wanted to bless me by letting me participate in not only the conversion of Juan but of Milagros as well and so that I could really see the fruits of the spirit and of the growth of the church here. As I had an interview with my mission President he told me that he knew that this transfer would me hard for me but that I had a decision to make. I could decide if this would be a "special assignment" and just do it, or if I would really take it to heart and let it change me. I have been striving to do this and still am and I know that the Lord is blessing me for my efforts, because although they aren´t perfect, and I am trying my best.

This week the traveling assistants also came to our zone and it was such an incredible experience as we could learn by the spirit the things that we need to do better and have a sweet witness from the spirit that also we are doing what the Lord wants and needs us to do. I love the mission! It´s such a roller coaster of emotions!

In closing I just want to share a few things that I read in Preach My Gospel this morning about obedience. It said, "As you obey, you increase in faith, knowledge. wisdom, testimony, protection, and freedom". Wow so many blessings and all we have to do is be obedient! There is also a quote by Elder L. Tom Perry where he said, "the discipline contained in daily obedience and clean living and wholesome lives builds an armor around you of protection and safety from temptations that beset you as you proceed through mortality". I know that these things are true. As we live obediently to God´s commands we are protected and we are happier. Really this is one of the great tests of life. One of the tests that we can really learn how to overcome by the Savior. Even in the most painful moments of His life, He pleaded for the Father to "remove this cup" from Him. But shortly after He followed with the statement "neverless let thy will be done". Even in complete agony, an agony that in part we may experience sometimes, the Savior of the World was still completely obedient and willing to do the will of the Father.

I know that as we are obedient in our lives we will have an added measure of the spirit and will be happier and will feel the love of God more as we strive to do His will.

I have to go now BUT I think about you often, I pray for you always, and I love you forever!

Hna Scanlon

2011: The Most "Uncomfortable" Year Of My Life

¡Hola!

Can you believe that we are in 2012?!? Wow I really can´t! Everyone
here is talking about how it is the end of the world. I was relieved
to find out that at least the end is suppose to come on December 21st
so I will at least return to see you all! :)

It was interesting to sit yesterday and reflect back on the past year.
It has probably been the most interesting year of my life, that is for
sure. Ha ha also with the biggest changes and challenges, and
therefore the biggest growth. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who
is constantly guiding me and helping me to grow to be the person that
He knows I can become. I still think regularly about what Hna Daniels
told me my first day in Argentina´, "If you´re not uncomfortable, you
are not growing" so therefore I guess I could label this last year the
most uncomfortable year of my life right?! :) But definitely in the
best sense of the meaning of the word. :)

This morning I was reading in the book "Our Search for Happiness" with
my companion and I really loved this quote by Pte. Ballard. He said, "
...I am reminded that the most heroic act of all time was performed in
behalf of all mankind by the Son of God. In a very real sense, all of
humanity - past, present, and future- was trapped behind a wall of
flame that was fueled and fanned by our own faithlessness. Sin
separated mortals from God and would do so forever unless a way was
found to put out the fire of sin and rescue us from ourselves. The way
would not be easy, for it required the vicarious sacrifice of One who
was sinless and who was willing to pay the price of sin for all
humanity, now and forever." I like how it put it that Christ was sent
to rescue us from ourselves, because indeed that is really the case.
All that we experience in this life, we have the choice to choose
usually the oucome of our actions and always our attitude about the
things that happen in our lives. Only through our faith in Christ and
His atoning power can we have "the hope of a better world" and have
our "souls anchored" in truth to make us "certain and firm, abounding
in good works" (Ether 12:4) I know that our faith in Christ and His
power is what will make all the difference in our lives and what will
really save us from ourselves.

I also loved a quote that Cali sent to me today and I think it can
apply to all of us. "Joy is untouched by circumstance." I love it...
great words of wisdom for life.

Well I better let you all go!

I think about you often, I pray for you always, and I love you forever!

Hna Scanlon