1-10-11 No water and no progressing investigators

Hi everyone,

Things are good hear in Pedregal, other than not having water these last couple of days. It has rained here a lot more than usual during this time of the year and that is messing up the water systems or something like that. So we have gone without showers for a couple of days and I'm out of clothes so I hope that it comes on tonight so I can wash my stuff. I got a package this last week but it wasn't from mom. It was from Mckenzi Christenson (THANKS MCKENZI). I was flipping stoked cuz I finally got a package. So that was awesome. The language is coming I guess, it's still hard for me to understand people here, but everyone says that it takes a while. Our investigators aren't really progressing so idk what we can do about that. We teach them and make another appointment, and then they aren't there and each time we pass by, they still aren't there. So me and my new comp are going to have to do work to find them. We are thinking that Elder Lopez is leaving this change so that will be sad to see him go. He is a pretty cool guy and is a very good teacher, he teaches way simply which is good. But I'm excited for a change and hope that my new comp is good and a hard worker. We went on divisions this last week and I liked the area I was in a ton cuz it was actually semi jungley. I got some sweet pics in the trees and stuff. Things are good. I really need to get a haircut this week though as its starting to get kinda shaggy. especially when I can't wash it I'm starting to look kinda sketchy. I have to email the president so I'm gonna end this. Thanks for your support and everything.

Elder Scrimsher

Jan 3 2011 - Holidays Over and now back to Work

It’s going good here. News years was good. It was just as crazy as Christmas Eve. No pots and pans but fireworks all day and music and people drinking in the streets. I wanted to watch them outside but i was on divisions with the ZL and he said no. Idk why not but whatever. This month, this thing called carnival starts. It’s kind of like mardi gras but here in panama. It gets bad in some areas with people with whips hitting people and masks and people throwing water at buses and stuff. So that should be interesting. Our numbers as a zone have been down for the last 2 weeks due to Christmas and New Years. Everyone is drinking and hung over so it’s hard to teach anyone. On New Year’s Day, there was no one at all in the streets or the stores because I think everyone was hung over. President gave us permission to stay at the stake center and chill till 4 cuz of that. We watched toy story 3. I hadn’t seen it before. When I was still home, I had heard people called that the movie that makes grown men cry. And that is totally true. I didn’t cry but I definitively had tears forming. I have lost control of my emotions since I’ve left. It was such a good movie. It was funny too. I'm getting used tot eh muggy days, no rashes or anything like that yet although I’m getting bit by something cuz I have these little red bumps on my arms. I’m starting to use bug spray now so hopefully that stops it. That’s good that everyone made it to Rexburg without any trouble. My Christmas package isn’t here but Elder Lopez was on divisions and was in the office and saw a package for me there so it must be yours. I will probably get it tomorrow. I kind of want my patriartical blessing in this next package too por favor. idk what else I need just send the essentials I guess. o and can you guys either email pics of me and the fam and me with my Jew fro cuz no one believes me that I had one. I can’t believe that a month has gone by. The first two weeks went by way slow but the next two flew. it’s true that if you just work, the time flies by. we placed a fecha intentada with this lady for the 29th of this month to be baptized. It probably won’t happen but its good to have a deadline so that they have something hurry their preparation. Things are good here, changes are next week. My comps going to be leaving so I hope that I get a good second comp. I promise to write more next week. I love you all and thanks for your support!! I love letters too!!
Elder Jett Scrimsher

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

Well to say that christmas down here is different than back home is a huge understatment. It is WAY different. everyone stays up to midnight on christmas eve and lights off a ton of fireworks. it was pretty legit to see but people were blaring really obnoxious and loud music the whole day too. but we had dinner with the family that we live with. it was way good cuz we actually had turkey and ham and not chicken for once. our mission christmas party was fun too. it was by the temple so i got some good pics by it. i havent recieved my package from mom yet but im hoping for sometime this week. i got a package at hte party though but it was from the mission and it had like some candy, some socks, a yo yo, and some other random stuff. but at least i got something. on christmas we had dinner at a families home and we were waiting for a taxi to take us back home. we waited forever and after a while, it started to rain. after getting soaked for a couple of minutes, elder lopez said, ¨Feliz navidad compa¨. for some reason i thought that was hilarious and lost it. but yesterday we had a baptism!! they were two baptisms but one of the kids is only eight so he counts as a ward baptism and not a mission one. but its still good that he got baptized and his older brother too. i hope that their parents start comimg to church because of it. their mom really wanted them to get baptized so she obviously thinks its important for them. but ya nothing else to report. It was good to be able to skype my family on christmas. i also called jared too and talked to him for like 15 minutes so that was cool. well i gotta go. Thanks for all your support and love.
From a very warm Panama;

Elder Scrimsher

Merry christmas from Pedregal!!

Theres going to be un Navidad blanca here in panama for me! i dont mean snow but i mean two people getting baptized on christmas! they are angel and ancarlos. they are ages 16 and 9 and their family is member but not that active but the mom wants them to be baptized. we are totally stoked cuz its on the 2nd and 3rd baptisms for my comp and the first for me. we really didnt have that much influence in it but we were over at their house a lot just reading hte scriptures with them and teaching them about reading as a family so we are way excited for them. this week has been pretty good. my comp is Dl so he had to go on divisions with the other elders so i was with elder reyes from hnduras for 1 day. he is a nice guy but is kinda weird and awkward, expecially when he started teaching about the law of chastity to this family that let us in. but he is cool. we are all stoked for the christmas party for the mission on thursday. we will all get the packgages for christmas from family and friends there and its nice to see everyone. we had a way good lesson yesterday and got some new investigators for this week. i guess im pretty blessed cuz elders whiting and voss in our zone havent been able to wash their clothes for two weeks cuz they havent had any water. so they showed up to our meeting today in shorts and t shirts. it was hilarious. weve had our days without water but they have it worse. its starting to get less rainy here and more hot. im not liking it expecially since it should be snowing cuz its christmas but whatev. i keep forgetting that its almost christmas cuz it doesnt look or feel like it outside. peoples houses are decorated but its not the same. we are trying to stress getting referals right now but its hard cuz the members never give us any and never have time to go teaching with us. but we are trying to change that. if zach has any ideas, i would dearly appreciate them. I think im getting better at understanding people here. im picking up more and more of what people say. so im excited about that. i was going to email some pics today but i forgot my cord so it will have to wait. i might end up buying another sd card here cuz im going to eventually run outta room on mine. but everything here is good. thanks for all the suppport from all of you. Merry christmas from Pedregal!!

elder scrimsher

My first 48 hours in Panama

Hola from Panama!

Wow these last two days have been a blur. WE got to the airport at 1230 am early Wednesday morning. President Ward was there to pick us up. He is a pretty legit mission president I think. Dad I gave Sister Ward your email address cuz they took pics of us and she wanted to send them to our parents. I think she has a blog too so you can check that out if you want to know more. My comp is Elder Lopez from El Salvador . Everyone says that he is a great missionary and works very hard. He doesn’t know that much English or at least he doesn’t speak it unless I really don’t understand him. Everyone here talks way fast so I'm having a hard time understanding everyone. But I’m sure with time I'll be able to pick it up. I’m in the Tocumen Zone, Pedregal Area. I’m about 30 min east of Panama City . Elder Whiting from my MTC district is in the same zone so we were together and we had a zone meeting today so I saw him there too. I’ve almost been hit by a car or in a car crash too many times already. Dad I think I’m going to just lock my debit card in my suitcase cuz president and out financial clerk said that we won’t need it and it’s just another incentive for someone to rob me. We get like 240 dollars a month so I think that will be enough. The area I’m in is good according to my comp. He was here a change before. He said that they had five really good investigators but lost all of them in the last two weeks. Two of them admitted that they were gay and wanted to stay that way, one´s mom made her stop, another just stopped, and I can’t remember the last one. Elder Lopez is a way nice companion though. He has been here for 13 months. The mission has a goal to baptize 1000 people this year, which has never been done and we only need 57 more to reach it this month. It rains like crazy here. WE spent 20 mins waiting in the rain yesterday for someone to get the key to the stake center in our area. I was soaked within minutes. My tie, my bright orange one, looks different now cuz it got so wet. Our "house" is a room connected to a member’s home. It is one room with a bathroom that has no lights so I can’t see if there is a spider or snake or other critter in the shower with me. I have no closet either so my stuff is hanging off the ceiling tile things. It’s humid here but not as bad as I thought. The buses are an adventure though. Being slammed up against a bunch of sweaty people and almost getting hit is legit ha-ha. My pday is on Monday, but everyone is emailing today cuz they didn’t have it this last Monday cuz of the changes. Well that’s about it. Idk what my address is yet, but ill try to figure it out. I got to go. Bye bye

Elder Scrimsher

TG from the MTC

Sorry this is coming a little late. The internet was down yesterday. We heard from Elder Holland today. He is such a powerful speaker. He talked about a lot of things and not wanting to be home cuz this is the best experiene we could ever ask for. It was legit. We leave Tuesday. We fly out of SLC at 9:45 am and get to Atlanta at 3:25. I will probably call you guys in Atlanta so it will be about 12:30 for you guys when I call. The plane leaves Atlanta at 5:30 and we get to Panama City at 9:30. I understand not getting anything on Christmas. Ok I gotta go. I love you guys. Have a great Thanksgiving. We are doing a huge service activity today and our district is part of the surpervising crew. It will be chaotic but fun. I love you guys. Next email will be from PANAMA!!

Week 6 at the MTC - live from the Laundry Room

Hola everyone,

Things here are good. Our streak of apostles at devos has ended. We heard from Elder pearson from the 70. He was really good. The weather here is weird. It's been raining a lot but hasn't snowed yet. I want it to snow so I can break out my boots. I probably will anyways even if it doesnt. Dad, you guys actually painted my room? I didn't think that was actually going to happen. It's going to look so wierd when i get back. Thats nice that you had Sis Gayda and Sis Lott over for dinner. That lasagna sure sounds good right now. That's cool about the special on panama that you guys watched. Yes, the temple looks legit. It's in the middle of the jungle and stands out very much. You and mom should visit. Maybe you can pick me up? I know the other elders from Panama are talking about their parents picking them up too so that would be fun. Some of us in the district are thinking of sneaking out on saturday to watch harry potter jk jk. It sounds like its going to be awesome though. At least I can just watch them back to back when I get back. Wow, I can't believe that we are going to be outta here in two weeks. We should get our travel plans on saturday so we are stoked for that. I got some mail this week so things have been good. We are teaching lesson 2 in spanish on friday so we are preparing for that. I think that we will do well. Well I gotta run, my laundry is almost done. I love you all!

From the MTC laundry room,

Elder Jett Scrimsher