Bon Pasku & Bon Ano

Bon Pasku & Bon Ano!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Sister Scott and I are behind in our blogging, so lets catch you up a little on what our Mission activities have looked like....

Our changed coverage picture is Sister Scott and I with our YSA class.


OCTOBER

In Mid-October with the leadership efforts of Brother Ariza our Branch Mission Leader, we successfully placed 6 copies of the Book of Mormon in the largest library on the island. It can be read here in Dutch, Spanish and English here.

Click on this link... Book of Mormon introduced to Local Library


NOVEMBER

Early in November I received permission to leave the mission to travel to the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo to attend the temple. (I learned that an Area Seventy must give permission to any missionary leaving a mission for any reason.) Hermano Juan Stella our branch First Counselor attended the temple for his first time and asked that I travel with him. What an experience we had together for 3 days. Amazing to spend time with this good man. What a beautiful island. It is also Juan's homeland. We attended the temple several times, Juan visited with his father and other family members.

This is a nighttime view outside the MTC towards the temple. Housing is available here for visitors from all around the world who visit this temple. The room costs were $2 USD per night.

The Dominican Republic Temple

Touching the Temple

The MTC is adjacent to the temple. Our son Brad spent 4 weeks here as he prepared to serve in Puerto Rico 2004-2006

Juan insisted we visit 'Faro a Colon' the massive building credited to holding some of the remains of Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus discovered the island. I'm so pleased we saw this... Each country of the world holds an exhibit in this museum. This must be the largest building on the island or perhaps the Caribbean. Its massive!

Click on this link...  Faro a Colon in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The actual anchor from Columbus Ship the Santa Maria

Juan and I agreed that wireless connections are needed in the Dominica Republica

Prices can help you avoid sweets in Santo Domingo... Ha!
Ratio is 45 pesos to the US dollar or .78 cents USD

We enjoyed fresh cut sugar cane from a street vendor and fresh coconut water from the coconut itself.

Sister Scott stayed in Curacao to assist in the needed work there.
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Also in November we were visited by the BYU Baseball team. This was a treat for the island and the team as well. Every 4 years the collegiate rules allow the team to travel abroad and this cycle our country was the pick. It was held over the Thanksgiving holiday as the team can't miss school time or regular games. (Curacao does not recognize Thanksgiving)

BYU began the team visit by joining our branch with a mid-week fireside. Mission President Egbert presided at the meeting & 1st Counselor Elder Scott conduct the evening with broken Papiamento. The team sang 'The Armies of Helaman.' The team treated us to Cake and Ice Cream and signed team posters afterwards.

The national contest is called the Curacao Cup. This year the best of three games would determine the champions at Tio Daou Park. Game one went to BYU 12-1. Games 2 & 3 were rained out. The beginning of 'winter' in this part of the Caribbean is revealed by rain. This is the week it began.

BYU has the Outfield at Tio Daou Park, Curacao

The team also snorkeled at a wreck site called the TugBoat near caracasbaiiweg. They also toured the Hato Lava Caves.

Prior to their arrival, we helped organize an island service project - A cleanup effort at Ascension Beach where Sea Turtles come to migrate and lay eggs.

See this hyperlink... BYU Visits Curacao
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DECEMBER

We each live our life chapters of our mortality. Sometimes, we seem to flip page to page of our own our life book with little changing, but serving a mission in a foreign land introduces so many unique aspects particularly in culture, and we love this! We call this mission an entire chapter. So much is unique and different. Heres one for the journal. 'Sinterklaas' a Dutch Santa Claus. (Or San Nicolas) On December 5th, he will travel at night by horse. The custom is that if you leave some grass clippings on a pair of shoes along with a carrot on your front doorstep. In the night Sinterklass's horse will stop and eat the grass and the carrot and Sinterklaas will leave you gifts on your doorstep. The next day is called presents day. A day you receive presents.

   

San Nicolas and his Zwarte Piets

We were fortunate to have a Christmas dinner and watch a movie 'Miracle on 34th Street' with our missionaries in Aruba in December. Sister Scott and I flew there last month to spend 3 days with our work needs as we also moved 2 of our elders from one apartment to another near Oranjestad. We always enjoy a Sacrament meeting in the Oranjestad branch and then another in the San Nicolas branch when we visit Aruba. I delivered a Christmas message in spanish in Oranjestad, then english for San Nicolas. It was then my treat to deliver the same message in Papiamento the following week in Curacao. One talk, three languages. Another first in this books chapter.

Just before Christmas, we had our Curacao missionaries join us for a Sister Scott or 'Mom' Homemade Christmas dinner. For the one movie these missionaries may watch all year, they selected 'Its a Wonderful Life', also one of my all time seasonal favorites. We had our Christmas tree, stockings with treats and had a gingerbread house building contest. All winners!

L-R Elder Garcia, Sister Palmer, Sister Taylor,
Sister Robledo, Sister Johnston, and Elder Polanco

It was a fun family day much like we would each enjoy back home with our own families, but for now in our Mission Chapter of life, we were our own family of missionaries and it was a family gathering we won't soon forget.

Curacao Branch Christmas Party 2016

Cooler Winter Weather

Still and endless summertime in the ABC isles. Farmers, we can plant seeds and they will grow right now. Harvest when YOU want and not when the calendars dictates. We are seeing temps at 82 during the days a little less at night. We have used the air conditioning at home only in the early evening times when we arrive home. Sleep with a fan only.


Sand vs Snow

A comparison. I remember a few years ago while working with the young men in my Wapello ward back home, I was asked about the sand on the Caribbean beaches as Sister Scott and I have traveled here before. Many of the young men I know and love back home have never seen a beach, an ocean or played in the sand. They would speak of their desire to someday see a beach and feel the sand.

I also love the young men here in the islands. Contrastly, as we are asked to share experiences here, they tell me they have never seen or felt snow. They say they cannot comprehend it or even what real cold might feel like. These young men dream of being able to travel to feel snow someday.


Growth through Work.  Wherever you are, be there. While it is important to dream, ponder and to make plans for something different, its more important to live this day, live todays page of life right now where you are and to make a difference.  Ask yourself and the Lord, can I help improve and make a difference where I am right now for myself and for others around me?  Can I use my work for good? Can I use my work to improve who I am? Yes. We all can. Capitalize on your works to grow, to serve, to minister. Each of us can seek to discover how to grow through a problem, to overcome it, to be become bigger than the obstacle. We become our best when we accomplish, when we work, we strive and ultimately, when we push through difficulty. Just make the choice to do it. Work.

Ralph Waldo Emerson quote...

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.”

Snapshot in my day for my journal...Today, exercised, had studies. (Journal: My exercise was 30 pushups, walking fast 2 1/2 miles drenched in perspiration wearing gym shorts and a BYU - T shirt on a sunny 82 degree morning. Contrast to a reported windchill of -22 at home in Idaho. whoa!) On my way to ready and test the Satellite system for a Regional Caribbean Broadcast to be aired Sunday the 15th. A member of the 1st presidency or an apostle will preside. We are very anxious to be taught and learn from this broadcast. This afternoon, we have a 3:00pm Elders Quorum Pres Meeting and some training. Evening, we have airport assignments to pick-up missionaries from Aruba and Trinidad and place them to ready for the Lord's errand tomorrow.

We are happy waking up to a healthy list of needed 'to-do's'. This work is just fun to do. We can't be any more serious when we say it's fun. We sleep very well. We are more than half finished of this Mission Chapter already. There are moments when it feels as if we have been away from family, friends and home for so long, and there are moments when we feel as if we just arrived.

Our testimonies grow. We love the Lord. We love this work. We love you. We love this chapter of our life together and our marriage very much. We love and miss our family (especially the little ones aged 4 months to 10 years of age).

With Love,

Elder & Sister Scott

Missionary Work

Missionary Work

Bon dia from Curacao!

We say hello to our wonderful family and so many good friends.

This is the most fun work we have ever enjoyed!

Sister Scott and I continue our thrilling chapters of this adventure. Many of you ask what the people of the Caribbean are like. Along our way we have found such good and caring people of these islands. We love them. Like you, they strive to improve themselves and their circumstances all while being happy and thoughtful of others.  They share a capacity to endure and overcome daily challenges as each of us do wherever we call home. Half a planet away, we find people are just the same.

We remain quite busy with our schedule and we wouldn't change the pace at all. It improves our ability to serve and we like it.  Staying active stretches our capacities if we strive to be 'equal to our tasks' rather than asking to 'lessen our tasks'. We awake each day at 6:30 am excited about the scheduled work we have in our planner, knowing there shall be interruption work in the day.  We exercise, have study, then get to our schedule. We retire most days at 9-10:00pm tired but fulfilled.

We serve alongside with 6 younger full-time missionaries here in Curacao. As MLS missionaries (Member Leadership Support) we serve those in our mission at the direction of our Mission President and his good wife, the Egberts. We have various temporal assignments and spiritual ones.

Today we mark 6 months into this assignment, we can report that your mission will define you and shape you for good, if you are obedient, work hard, and seek for ways to serve others.

We attended a Missionary Leadership Council in Trinidad this last week. We worked with our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. What great leaders these young people are. They conducted the training, the teaching, the role plays.

Below are some pictures of our activities over the past several weeks.

Sister Egbert's P's as you strive for perfection

Farleisha 5 - teaches  to Pray

Elder Sheppard, Sisters Ramirez and Scott, Elder Burr and I head to the airport. The trunk is already stuffed.

Ahhhhh a Moment...

Some Big Iguanas on Curacao

Curacao branch building...This reminds of the Temple

President Greg Egbert gives Zone and Sister Leaders instruction in the Mission Home - MLC

Elder Thompson - We know his Grandparents Danny & Janice Thompson from Roseville, CA

Four Elders to the right are  Carillo, Jennings, Hunt & Sheppard

Trinidad, Port of Spain Office - Sister Stecker

Friendly Street Vendor makes us a 'Double Heavy' These were amazing and spicy! 

(Yes to my daughter Kari, I included the vendor name thinking of you!)

     

Sister Petersen

                         

AP's -  Elder Peterson from Canada and Elder Clayton from Jamaica

In the Early Americas the picture depicts 2060 Stripling Warriors - The Sons of Helaman. None were slain in a fierce battle.

An ABC (Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Islands) Video Conference

Hurricane Matthew!

Well, we met Matthew when he was just a tropical storm. A storm becomes  Hurricane 1 status when the winds reach 74 mph.  This occurred just above us about 100 miles north when it was traveling west. We had 3 cloudy days 2 windy days and a couple of rainy spots in one day. Some localized flooding, but no damage. The ABC's were spared unlike some other windward islands and now the east coast border of the USA.

May we close this blog by testifying to our family and friends what a blessing the Plan of Happiness can be in your life. Sister Scott and I are here to share and support the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We desire to serve in Curacao and throughout the ABC islands helping others find this happiness. 

When you reflect upon your mortality, doesn't the relationship with your family bring you the best feelings of good? For most of us, it does. The institution of family was created by Him whom created you and I. Family was God's unit for us to belong to and be a part of during our lifetime and beyond.  This family unit is where we find our greatest happiness. It can be a refuge from buffetings of the world when its tough. We find a closeness of family members who truly care for and love us. We make better decisions, and have happier lives because of it. The family can help us and support us when its good and when its not. 

The Bible and the Book of Mormon bear witness of this goodness of a Loving Father in Heaven as taught through His prophets. We learn of heavenly characteristics which we can practice. We in turn become better individuals, better family members and better people and societies. We experience this happiness when we do. We learn that we are truly in part, offspring of a loving Father in Heaven. When we study, then practice these characteristics like kindness, charity, hope, love, long-suffering, service and faith,...we change. We grow. We experience happiness.

We are grateful for our family and our friends. We truly have gained some lifetime friendships here.  

We miss our family and especially our newest member Emmie who is one week old. Welcome Emmie!

With Love,

Elder and Sister Scott

The Month of July 2016

Bon Nochi from Curacao!

Sister Scott and I are enjoying another month of our service here in the beautiful Caribbean isle of Curacao. We've had a busy month.

We thought we'd blog some activities this month that were a little departure of our routine. Here are some highlights...

We began July heading for youth conference in Aruba. 

On our way to the gateway. 

A short 20 minute flight is in store for our Curacao Youth

The ABC island youth enjoyed our conference on the island of Aruba this year. July 6-10th. What a great event! The 34 youth labored diligently all year earning the money needed for mainly the transportation to the conference.  A ward member donated their almost renovated home at the end of re-construction for our meetings. 

The first night, Sister Scott and I were invited speakers sharing our story of how we met and the importance of making correct choices when you are young. The choices we make when we are young create the framework for our entire mortal experience here on earth and thus the eternities. 

Sabrina Martina

Renactments of the Old Testament

 

District President and Sister Yuyes preside at the testimony portion of our last session of conference. The event highlight for sure.

Aruba Plates say it all!

Look who's here!!!

While we were preparing to leave for Aruba, Our daughter Arin and her husband Sean came to Curacao and then traveled to Aruba also for some fun of their own. We love these two kids! We very much enjoyed having some family visit us for a couple of short but terrific days!

                                                                          

Sean also just graduated! He is a Physician Assistant (PA). Shortly, he begins his career in Meridian Idaho. We are quite proud of him.

Back in Curacao... Sometimes it takes dealing with 2 people on 2 phones trying to work through some immigration visas for our missionaries

Sister Scott and I work with the Young Single Adults ages 18-30 in our branch. Last week as a class activity, we decided to climb the highest peak of the island. This view is from 1,127' atop Mt Cristoffel.  One of our favorite assignments of our mission is to work with these great young people. These are some of the views along the way...

The Top

My Exercise for the day

TV Cart Assembly completed with very few tools...

The Gospel of Jesus Christ invites us one and all to be happy. It teaches us of truths given by  prophets of old and also modern day that if studied, pondered and applied in our lives, can deliver us this happiness. We know that there is a God and that he lives and that He loves us. We have not been forsaken in this life of ours with no hope, no chance nor destiny. Quite the contrary. He knows us and desires us to have His blessings and enjoy this plan of happiness. 

Our part is to diligently seek Him. To study and to learn of Him. To have this happiness and joy in our lives we must live as righteously as we might. Do good deeds. Be of good works. Love one another. Be obedient and obey His commandments. He wants us to prepare ourselves now during this mortal existence for a reunion with our heavenly home from which we came. Sister Scott and I testify that we know of this creator and His son Jesus Christ. We further testify of an infinite atonement given us as the only means wherein we may return to our Father in Heaven if we will but repent.

We love this great work called a mission. How blessed we are to have been called to serve Him in the beautiful Caribbean.  We love our new found family here and desire to do all we may to serve these wonderful people. 

We miss our loved ones back home. Know that we love you and you are in our prayers.

Elder & Sister Scott