I've made it! I'm in the CTM and ready for my first day! I´m honestly surprised at how ready I am to be out here. As soon as I got on the plane in Charlotte, I knew everything was as it should be, I'm out here to serve the Lord now, and serve the Lord I will! The only way to go now is forward!
The flight was amazing! I had no idea how exciting it was to fly! The take off nearly brought me to tears. Looking out the window and seeing that I´m soaring thousands of feet into the air is just an astonishing feeling! The clouds were beautiful from above. It´s always a joy to see Heavenly Father's creations from new angles.
Just to give a rundown of my day - after I left the airport. I sat next to a woman from Baton Rouge, LA. She had a little girl who was crying a lot and I felt so sorry for them. Long story short, I ended up giving the little girl my chocolate covered blueberries and she beamed! :D When we landed in Atlanta, I helped the mother move her bags off the plane and that was the last I saw of them. Beautiful family, and super glad I had a opportunity to serve so soon!
When I deplaned, Brother Jensen was there waiting for me. He asked if I was Elder Scarlett, I said Yeah, and we started running! If Brother Jensen had not been there, there would have been no way I would have made my flight to Brazil. I would have been to slow, lost and maybe even stuck in Atlanta right now. So him being there was a huge blessing! I know the keys to the ministering of angels are real, for I have witnessed one!
From Mom - I don't believe in coincidence rather, I know God puts things in motion for a purpose. Case in point - Elder John D. Scarlett has a friend, Juliette Jensen, from Indianapolis. Her father, whom we've never met, happened to be on a business trip and had a layover in the ATL airport this evening. This kind man found Elder Scarlett's arrival gate, met him as he came off the plane, literally ran him through the airport to make his connection, let Elder Scarlett use his cell phone to call me during the train ride between concourses, got him checked in for his flight to Brazil, then snapped and texted pictures to me with the message, "We made it, barely! He is excited and ready to go. He will be a great missionary!" Truly, this man was a tender mercy from the Lord in our lives today. Thank you does not say enough!
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| Brother Jensen and Elder Scarlett |
The rest of the story from Brother Jim Jensen: I was working quietly during a normal day when I had a clear and strong impression to ask my daughter if her friend would be in Atlanta and would possibly need help navigating the airport. This was the farthest thing from my thoughts until the impression. Juliette and Elder Scarlett's Mom went to work setting up the meeting and it turned out that we had to run to make his flight. When I made it on my flight, there was a nice older woman who asked why I was running. I told her all about Elder Scarlett and how excited he was to serve the Lord for two years. It never ceases to amaze me how Heavenly Father weaves a beautiful tapestry with his children when we follow simple promptings. I have a feeling Elder Scarlett will have many more experiences like this. After all, this was just the first day of his mission:)
Back to Elder Scarlett's trip to Brazil -
I got to the gate for the flight to Brazil and was right behind the two people who were in front of me at the gate in Charlotte! Apparently they´re high school teachers in Sao Palo at an international school! I thought that was so cool! They get a few LDS (Mormon) students visiting the country from time to time so they know a little about the missionary work.
I got on the plane to Brazil and BOOM! 6 missionaries in the first couple rows! I Said hey and shook their hands then headed back to my seat. There were 13 of us that flew down to the CTM! Sister Wheatly was sitting a few rows front of me! There was also an Elder there from the Lincolnton Ward (congregation), can´t quite remember his name, starts with a G maybe? There was also another sister missionary from Durham! She knows Logan but don´t quite remember her name either... But still!! it´s such a small world!
Anyways, I sit down and one more opportunity for service arises. A father and a little girl were sitting up front in the plane and the mother and brother were behind us. So we missionaries switched around a couple seats so they could all sit together in the plane as a family! Again, it´s so nice to help people. Seeing them able to sit together as a family was wonderful!
My companion's name is Elder Muscleman (Which always just makes me smile!) and he´s going to Porto Alegre Notre too so we´ll be seeing each other a lot over the next two years! He's a great guy and so is everyone else here! I feel at home and I'm already loving the people!
I love you all so much and am grateful to be serving the Lord and these people. All is Well in Brazil!
Elder Scarlett
john.scarlett@myldsmail.net
