Elder Anthony Scott Lee

Elder Anthony Scott Lee

Tony can be reached at...

ELDER ANTHONY LEE
Portugal Lisbon Mission
Rua Jorge Barradas 14C
1500-370 Lisboa
Portugal


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Week 6 Letter

Monday, June 24, 3013

Well, not much time, but I will hurry!
 
I leave the MTC tomorrow! I report to the travel office at the MTC at 930 in the morning, and get to take the tracks, or the front runner, or whatever it's called to the airport! I have never been on a train before! However there will be plenty of public transportation ahead of me... Only one mission in portugal, all walking and public trans. There are a couple car areas but thats it. Oh, I also found out my mission does cover the Azore islands and madiera!! I want to go so bad, but wherever is perfect. Portucal is FULL of africans, I am so excited. And lots of brazilians too, Shane. I am so excited. It is going to be a long time traveling, but I am excited and will hopefully cross paths with some one on the journey who is ready to hear the gospel.
 
I am so excited. I dont even know what to say. I still have a lot to do before I leave tomorrow, and will be waking up at 430 to go to the temple, so I should be able to sleep okay on at least one of the plane rides. We'll see, I havent been sleeping well the last couple days because I have been so stoked.
 
Well, I love you all! All you little kids are so cool, everybody I show pictures to just loves our family. It is so neat. I hope you are all being good. Try to be better every day, kids. Set a goal for every month, and then think every night, what can I do better to accomplish that goal? and set a mini goal that night. So for instance, make a monthly goal to not get in any fights with your siblings. Then, every night, ask yourself how you did with that and decide how you will do better the next day. I learned how important that is on the mission. One of the apostles, I can't remember which said, "we are not meeting our full potential in life, and will one day look back at our lives with disappointment if we do not set goals"
 
Or at least he said something like that. Nao sei.
 
Anyways, I love you all, have a good week!!!!
 
Email you from Portugal!
 
Love,
 
Elder Lee

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Week 5 Letter

Tuesday June 18, 2013
Dad,
I'm sorry this is getting to you late.  Honestly, I almost forgot.  I thought Father's Day was next Sunday.  Time here is weird.  I can't believe I leave to Portugal in probably a week when you get this.  It's also hard to believe I have only been here 5 weeks.
Anyway Dad, I'm going to take a minute to sincerely thank you.  I think about and use the things that you have taught me every single day.  I have such an advantage on the mission because of you. I often help elders when they need support or advice with insights I have received from you.  So, not only have you given me so much, but in effect you are helping people all over the world.  You are such an amazing leader and teacher.  I love all of my instructors here at the MTC, but I think it would be awesome if they could be even a little more like you.  They're just kids though, so deserve some credit.
Everything I do well as a missionary comes from the things you and mom have taught me.  Even those things I learn from the Spirit, because you taught me over the years how to recognize the spirit and receive revelation as well as how to be worthy of it.  Thank you for being an example I pray I can even approach in some way at some point in my life.  I really hope that one day I can be a little more like you.
Love your son, Elder Lee

PS - Hope you like the tie.  I thought it was  pretty sheik and then when I saw it was Bingahti, I thought of you and that video with the epic choral music.  Vroom vroom!


FamLee!
I have like zero time to write, but something is better than nothing, right?  I leave in less than a week by the time you get this.  I'll fly from SLC to Fort Worth Texas (Chappy's Mission)!  I'll have a little less than an hour there to call you and then I fly straight to London (Dad's Mission).  I will be there for 4 hours and might call but I can't use a calling card there so it will just be quarters; not a long call.  And then I'll fly to Lisbon Portugal!
I am super sad to leave my district.  I might have to take a road trip to Utah after the mission to see Elder Zaccaria to meet his step-dad.  He's not a member and Elder Zaccaria had a dream where I was able to help the missionaries convert his dad.  He swore it was more than a dream.  I told him I'd meet his dad if he wasn't already baptized while Elder Zaccaria was on his mission.  Ahhh, there's just so much you can't understand if you're not on a mission.  Cameron, look forward to it and be ready and worthy for it.  There's nothing like it.
Did I tell you about the 23rd?  There is going to be a huge worldwide broadcast about missionary work this Sunday and I will be singing in the choir.  I think dad has to watch it, but it will be on BYU TV too I think.  Actually, I don't know.  But watch it and look for me in the choir!  we'll be just right there in front of the First Presidency and the 12.  I'm so excited!  We're doing our devotionals at the Marriot Center at BYU, just walking over.  It is pretty awesome!  I was at the first MTC devotional in the Marriot center ever, pretty historical!
Anyways, I will email you one more time from the MTC.  Love you all!
Elder Lee
PS - I found an Elder from Kiribati that knows Elder Simon!


 
My district was so nice to me on my birthday, so don't worry about that.
 
I have a terrible rash on my stomach, so I went in to the health clinic they have here and they diagnosed it as a rash that is somewhat rare, where they have no idea where it comes from and why people get it. Good news, I wont die. Good news, it will go away on its own. No bad news. Yay!




 
 
 This was my first mountain dew ever!!!!!
Yea, did not live up to expectation.  Boo.


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Week 4 and a half Handwritten Letter

FamLee!
How are you all?  I'm doing pretty well here, pushin forward, having fun.
Funny story for you.
I had just finished my first nap at the MTC, it was an hour or so, super nice.  We had gotten up at 5:20am to go to an early session at the Temple so we could get a jump on all of our p-day chores.  Anyway, we had finished emailing, laundry, and cleaned up, along with a couple of hours of study time, and had a couple of hours of free time before dinner.  So, some elders started taking naps, but I was up with Elder Scott just talking for a while, not really planning on a nap.  So, when the elder started trying to catch up on some sleep, I finally climbed into bed to take a go at catching some Z's.  It took me a while to get to sleep because it was kind of loud in the residence, but I managed to fade after throwing a pillow over my head.
Well, when I went to sleep I dreamt that I was back home with all of you.  It was so real.  I don't know if it was post or pre mission but dreams are weird so it doesn't matter.  It was a happy dream, we all just hung out together.  Things got weird when I went to bed in my dream at the end of my dream day.  In my dream I was dreaming, so my dream was my dream - dream.  Follow?
It was during this dream-dream that I woke up from my real dream and I was back in the real world.  However, I was totally 100% convinced I was still in my dream because I totally skipped a layer coming out of it.  It wasn't even a question in my mind.  I was totally still asleep, or so I thought.
I don't know if what followed would be considered maybe sleepwalking, maybe a nap hangover, I don't know, but in my mind I was still asleep.  However I was fully awake and conscious.  WEIRD.  I got out of bed, having no idea where I was.  I didn't recognize my companion in the bunk under me and didn't recognize the other 4 missionaries in the other bunks.  Nope.  I just walked out of our room into the residence looking for you.
I'm just walking down the hall whistling for you, trying to find where you all went.  You know, that "youhoo"  whistle.  I am super lucky nobody tried to talk to me because who knows what I would have said.  There I am walking around residence looking for you , mind you, without my companion.  Good thing I was lazy and I didn't go far...  After a few minutes of this I would walk into the bathroom, who knows why.  I was letting the dream, or whatever I thought the dream was, carry me.  It was in the bathroom that I had the biggest struggle back to reality I've ever experienced.  EVER.  I looked in the mirror, saw my tag, and then just fell into this debate with myself over whether I was awake or not.  And the part of me arguing that I was still asleep was winning!  I seriously got nauseous and bent over the sink thinking I might seriously vomit.  When I tasted the vomit in the back of my throat and splashed water on my face, I finally made the decision I was awake and on my mission.  My heart rate was seriously elevated, I was sweating, and I had a serious headache. 
Anyway, that's my story.  I'm still recovering.  I need to go eat something.  Ahhh...
Love you all so much!  Hope you are having a fun start to vacation.
Love,
Elder Lee

Week 4 Handwritten Letter

FamLee,
Como via minha familia?  How are you all?  I love getting all of your letters, send me more!  After a 17 hour day of good hard work I love opening letters and hearing from all of you; trust me, nothing is better. 
It's crazy, by the time you get this letter I'll probably only have 14 days left in the MTC.  And then I'll be on the longest plane ride of my life (literally of course, but you know what I mean).  I am really excited, but sad to think about leaving my district, my second family.  I can tell that the end of each six weeks is going to be hard for me.  I really don't like change a whole lot, so I guess that's something I'll have to get use to over the next 2 years.
I'm working hard.  Elder Kennedy and I have poured a lot of effort and time into our new calling.  We got 2 new districts last week and it's a lot of work but also my favorite part of the calling.  We get another new district this week which means more long days, but I've learned to look forward to them.  Our zone is going to be pretty big now which is great!
Here is an awesome story for you all.  One day a couple of weeks ago, or maybe one week, I don't really remember...  Anyway, I was super tired because I had been up late the night before helping an elder and praying.  It was after dinner and fatigue was taking it's toll.  We were coming back into the classroom after being in the TALL lab studying the language.  My companion and I were the first ones in, so I sat in my desk laying my head on the surface of it figuring I could take a rest.  My head laying sideways, I was looking at my scriptures beside me.  I was prompted to open them, so I did; just to a random page to a random verse - not highlighted mind you.  I read First Thessalonians 5:6.  This just testified to me that God is very aware of me and knows what I need and when I need it. 
Another quick story about that:  I was having a rough day, I mean it wasn't horrible, and nobody probably would have been able to guess, but I was feeling a little bit discouraged about some things.  Anyway, I was sitting underneath the bookshelf in the classroom studying and trying to find an answer to my rough time when Elder Bowden went to pull a backpack off the shelf over my head.  In so doing, he knocked a small piece of paper off the shelf and it deflected off of my head on the way down.  I asked if it was his as I picked it up, but he told me he had never seen it before.  I turned it over and read it to myself.  I'll send you a picture of the paper.


So here is a pic of a piece of paper my letter talks about, and a quick picture I drew on the chalkboard during lunch hour. I was pretty proud. The last one is a picture of our flag. We hung it in front of the window and it looked pretty sweet so I took a perspective shot,
 

 
 
That is my testimony to you this week.  God knows you and his every thought is about you, individually.  He cares.  He is so concerned for your salvation.  He will do everything He can without hurting your agency, and that takes a true kind of unselfish love.  So don't let Him down. 
 
That's it, that's all I've got for you for this letter.  Hoe it satisfies.  I love you all!
Elder Lee

Week 4 Letter

Tuesday, June 11, 2013
FamLee!!!
Como foi este semana? My week was pretty awesome, pretty busy. The MTC is pretty awesome, but I am starting to get really excited for the field. But then I rememeber, "Oh yeah, Portuguese... I don't speak that..." hahahaha...
No, the language is actually coming pretty good. We teach 10 lessons a week, and all in portuguese, so it is pretty cool. But as soon as I want to weave together a secular sentence that would barely pass for literature in a Portuguese Undestinguished Title-1 school, I'm sunk... Hahahaha, I have a feeling when I get to portugal I will be bearing a lot of testimony to my trainer...
I sent you another hand written letter yesterday, so I am trying to remember what I said in that, but it seems so long ago. Tanto fez, no big deal. There isnt a whole lot to tell, I mean a lot of study. I told some cool stories already in my letter. 
The temple on the mission is pretty cool, and really different. It will be sad to leave the MTC when it means leaving behind a temple, but it will be exciting in Portugal because I think we will be there for the ground breaking of the temple there. Ah, I am so excited to have my own investigators. I know I won't be able to say half of what I want to at first, but I've come to find that the spirit can make up for a lot in a lesson. Sometimes an investigator just needs to hear one more thing, and I hope maybe I can tell them that one thing.
I lost my tan, I feel like a stinking cave dweller here... hahaha, not a lot of time outside, and all the walkways are covered. We play a lot of volleyball for gym, our district is pretty boss, we take everybody. But we started playing outside so my tan is coming back which makes me feel more alive =) hahaha.
I'm kind of sad, because my finger is healing up rather nicely. I wanted a good scar but may not get it. Oh, I did end up getting my hair cut last week, and it looks pretty good. You'll see it in the pics I attatch. I dont take a lot of pictures, sorry mom, but there's not a whole lot of time and there aren't a lot of things to take pictures of...
Anyways, I am going to go do some more laundry. Yeah. Thats right. I'm doing laundry, all by myself.
However I think today I put something that should have gone in with the darks in with the lights, and well, I hope my stuff doesnt come out funky.
Anyways, love to you all, especially all my little man pals, that's right, Danny, Koli, Ryan, Levi, Jet. And Josh too if he wants to be included in that group of "little" men. I love you all so much! Tchau!
-Elder Lee



Okay, so in the one of just me, the guy who was taking the picture didn't even know it was my camera, he had like eight cameras. he just totally took one of just me. I dont even know the guy. It was really weird.

 I thought this was cool.
 
 I was laying on a bottom bunk bed and had my had reached up holding onto the bar across the bottom of the top bunk matress, and somebody jumped onto it and it just smashed a spring down into my finger. So it isnt really just, just smashed. Its really weird. I just have this deep little valley an inch long on my finger.


 
I am going to go switch laundry over and then come back to attach pics and give you my scripture. Hopefully you see these emails and wait on for me =)
 
 
Alright, well mom, looks like you arent going to get on for me... you have to dear elder me twice as much this week now.
 
My scripture for the plaque is Alma 26:36. vers 35 and 36 would be sweet but idk if it will fit. So definitely 36.
 
I need you to do me a big favor. I need chappy's address and soon because it was his bday on friday but I didnt have his address to send him a letter. But if we keep up the tradition we had last year, at graduation if you remember, I just have to get it to him by my birthday, not his. So you can go to yellowpages.com and search for people, and search the name "craig chapman" and there will be 2 if I remember right. His address is the one in newman lake. Or you could find an old valley stake directory. But if you could dear elder that to me today asap I could get it by tonight and mail his letter by tomorrow.
 
Love you all! Write me lots I am selfish!!
 
Elder Lee


Week 3 Handwritten Letter

FamLee,
My heart breaks every time I think of poor Addy and what she's going through.  I didn't get mail until Monday so I am fasting for her today again.
I hope nobody is blaming themselves because that just wouldn't make sense and Satan would just love to see someone beating themselves up about it, so don't give him the satisfaction.
We're praying for her as a district also.  I think she is going to be okay for sure.  I'm praying a ton for her comfort too because she is a mover and a goer and this won't be easy for her.  I want some pictures of her though.  I'm sad I can't be there for her.
Actually mom,
I'd love to fill up my photo album here, or at least get more pics.  I look at them every night but only have a few.  Also, a couple of wallet sizes would be nice so I can show people my fam when I am out and about.  But don't stress, it can wait.
I miss you all so much it's hard sometimes but staying focused is the key and I'm good at that when it comes to this work at least. 
I stepped on a scale the other day and came to fond I weigh the same. :<  I feel like if I can't gain weight here, eating what I do, I'll never gain weight.  If you hadn't heard, Chappy got his mission call.  He's going to the Texas Fort Worth mission and doesn't leave til September 4th.  Crazy.  I'm super stoked for him.
Anyway, I really should go.  I've got plenty to do.  I love ya'll and miss you, but it's time to get back on my head.
I pray for you all,
Elder Lee

Week 3 Letter

Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Famlee!
 
I dont have a ton of time to write, but I do have another handwritten letter I'll put in the mail today. I'm so good aren't I? Hahahaha
 
Poor little Addy. I love her so much. But I address that in the letter so I will move on.
 
Things here are awesome. The language is coming. Our district is strong. And the worst injury is this smashed/cut finger I will attach a picture of. Hopefully it'll be a good scar =)
 
I don't even know what to say. I was going to get a haircut today but that didn't happen for reasons I don't think I will disclose to you all... hahaha... My hair isn't bad yet though. I will get it cut next P-day I guess.
 
We commited another investigator to baptism which was way cool, and hopefully tomorrow we will get Bruno to stop being a punk and just say yes. Our investigators are just our teachers, but it is way cool, because Brother Chamberlain gets way into it. He never acknowledges that he is the investigator. When it is time for us to teach our progressing investigator he will tell us he has a meeting or something he's got to go to, and then go get dressed up and be the investigator. Never breaks character. He even acted drunk for the sister missionaries because the investigator he was playing was an alchoholic. No other teacher does it this good. I mean yesterday we went in and he had done something to his eyes because they were all red, and he had bad allergies. He was pretty tired and sick, so I asked him if he was ready to hear our message, and that we only wanted to teach him if he could listen well and be focused. So we ended up praying for him and leaving, so now we will teach him that lesson tomorrow unless the spirit says not to. Then we will "convite suave". Shane will tell you what that means, or at least translate it.
 
Anyways, I hope you are keeping the handwritten letters I send you too, because when I write you all it doesn't leave a lot of time for journal writing. Keep writing me a ton of letters they are just what I need after a really long day filled with hard work.
 
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I sing in the choir, it is super cool. And apparently june 23rd, 2 days before I leave, we are singing for some really special even that is a secret at the Mariott Center. I'm kind of excited to see what it is, and if I find out I will let you know and maybe it will be something that is broadcast on BYU TV so you can watch and see if I get some camera time ;) The camera loves me!
 
Or maybe just likes me as a friend.
 
Either way, I love you all so much! Summer is close kids, hang in and have an awesome time!!!

Well, I am over time so I have to go. I love you a ton mom have a good week, and dont stress to much!
 
Your little Elder,
 
Tony

Week 2 Handwritten Letter

Dad,
I don't have a lot of time, but I could use your help.  I remember a lesson in seminary; maybe not even a lesson, but a conversation.  I don't know.  But we were talking about a class' ability to feel the spirit together.  I remember you asking, "If one kid in a seminary class just doesn't participate, doesn't get out his scriptures, listens to music or uses his phone, does that affect the spirit that the rest of the class feels?"
Everyone said no (but me of course) and you taught the class something very important: that a class (or district in my case) and it's ability to feel the spirit can be affected by an individual unwilling to feel the spirit. (or in my case just one elder unwilling to be obedient)
I'm looking for good references in the scriptures to support that idea and have come up with D&C 88:117-126 and Moses 7:18.  I need to teach my district the principle that 1 disobedient companionship, or even one disobedient elder or sister, can affect the way we learn and feel the spirit and really just grow as a district.  How would you do it?  I have ideas but want it to be amazing and memorable like your lessons are so that they can remember and teach it (because I know they will all be leaders someday).  Thanks Dad, you are awesome.  You can just Dearelder me for convenience.  I love you!
Your son,
Elder Lee

Week 2.5 Letter
FamLee!
Sorry if this letter looks bad, I'm writing in the dark while watching a movie about the early saints, called The Legacy.  It's kind of old, and I think it was filmed at a high frame - rate so it's messing with me a little bit, but it's good.
Anyways, what's going on everybody?  Things here are pretty awesome.  The language is coming, you know, line upon line...
Funny story about the language para voces.  Last night we were praying as a district, we pray together a ton, but morning and night we call it family prayer.  Anyway, we were having family prayer and Elder Bowden was saying it.  He wanted to say "Please make us better but as Shane could tell you, "mulhor" means better.  However, poor Elder Bowben made the mistake of saying "mulher" which means woman.  So essentially, he tried to pray us into women...  Fortunately, by the time he said "Amen", none of us could agree with our amens because we burst with laughter we'd been struggling to hold in.  It was sooooo funny!
Anyway, we really are being good and working really hard.  Just today (Sunday), Elder Kennedy and I were called as zone leaders.  It's pretty excoting because we get 26 new missionaries into our zone this Wednesday.  Cazy!
I'm pretty tired.  We wake up at 6 every morning, which is wierd becaise most people wake up at 6:30.  We are at breakfast by that time.  We are suppose to be in bed by 10:30, but most nights it's not until 11:00.  I'm getting to bed after journal and prayers.  I can't help it, my prayers have changed so much on the mission.  That's okay, I figure sleep is like tithing.  If you do the work and then get the sleep you can without paying too much attention, you'll probably have enough and be provided for.  Still, sometimes it's hard to stay awake TALL (the language learning program on the computers we do for an hour a day).
Loved all your letters and pictures sibs!  It was perfect with the dino pics.  We have a big metal container outside our residence that reminds me of what they had the raptor in at the beginning of Jurassic Park.  So I have a joke going that an elder named Elder Vel (short for Velociraptor) who just so happens to be a dino lives in there.  So one of the pictures is on our door and is labeled "Elder Vel".
Elder Zaccaria is now district leader which is crazy because I all but prophesied he was going to be.  I was dong a senior companion interview with him and I felt prompted to tell him he would make a great leader, possibly district leader, and gave him some advice before he was even called.  It was crazy.  I knew 100% God wanted him!  It probably doesn't sound that special seeing as someone had to get called, but every one of our elders would be fantastic district leaders, so it was pretty special for me and him.
Well, I'm going to be in bed late again tonight so I gotta call it.  But first you have to tell me what this is from because I said it and then couldn't figure it out all day and was so happy when I got it.  Shauna should get it easy.  Here it is - "No thanks, you can keep it".  Good luck, love you all!
Elder Lee