September 15, 2008

Dear Mom,

I'm happy you enjoyed the birthday card. I loved it so I guessed you would like it too. Perfectly described the Irvine home.

So sweet! Houston Spanish speaking! Which mission? I have an acquaintance from the Y that went over there to the South mission...he's a pretty cool guy named Chris Ah Sue. I knew him through a few people over there. Sweet! My Spanish is getting a bit rusty due to not a heavy use of it, but that comes with the territory. I still can speak better than most of the Spanish elders but it's frustrating when you feel you're losing a little. Even study can't really make up for the speaking...but oh well. Hopefully President will move me to Spanish soon. I really hope Mike will shape up and get it done because the further he pushes it the harder it is to go. Oh well. His call. Gotta get your priorities straight. This way I won't see him until two years after I get back.

Yeah, people told me that USC beat Ohio State, BYU crushed and humiliated UCLA (yes!) and Maryland squeaked by Cal. Another season missed...oh well. I'm saving souls out here!

This week went by super fast! We did go to the temple this week as our quarterly trips down to the LA temple and it was very peaceful and sublime. I love the temple. But, our workload went down a little, we could've done better. We just had to help some members out with stuff here and there. The usual. I got a parking ticket for 55 bucks so I had to pay that (the sign was hidden by a tree limb and a huge SUV...oh well). Frustrating. I was angry at my comp and myself and the other two that were in the car. But, you gotta obey the law. I went on exchanges this past Wednesday and it was a bit tiring and frustrating. We did find some less actives, they're on a long path to re-activation for sure. I met the ward mission leader in that area and I just wish that he was my WML. A dinner with a normal family (for once) and we had a blast over there. My districtmate Elder Decker made so much fun of the oldest daughter because the family was just teasing her about another youth in the ward...fun stuff. But, I was able to gauge the area a little and to help him realize that it may be hard, but it's worth it. Areas go through phases, you just have to work through it. They have a lot of work to find right now, poor guys.

So Thursday was our temple trip and we had a delicious and mouth-watering chili dinner. Followed by a super spiritual lesson with Betsy Miller, who is one of our golden less actives. We not only bore our testimonies of the Gospel, but we also committed her to continue to do what is right and come to church. All I can remember is the presence of the Spirit, of how it filled the room. I'm looking forward someday to go to her sealing between her and her really jovial and active sister Sister Tribble from a neighboring ward. Wow...such great blessings!

Our Friday was busy as heck too. We read the chapter 27 of 3rd Nephi with her, and it made sense to her. Just to strengthen her as she prepares for baptism. The following day we watched Finding Faith in Christ, and she really loved it. She was touched by her own testimony which was strengthened by the presence of the Spirit. I love the part in that movie when Martha looks at Jesus Christ, a grateful and humble gaze at her Savior for raising her brother from the dead. Just a great weekend. I conducted another baptismal interview for the zone leaders, one of many! Tallin M., with an Armenian last name I can't pronounce or spell. She's been investigating for a long time. Her mom is a member, her dad isn't. So she didn't start applying what she was learning until about a year ago...and as soon as I walked into her house to do the interview I felt, 'she's ready. Interview her. She's ready.' So we got it done, and I just enjoyed that enthusiasm she has. We joked around to start, just to make her feel comfortable and to trust me a little bit. Her testimony was simple, but that's how it should be. She bore her testimony of the Atonement, of how she didn't understand much of it before the missionaries came to teach her. She made the common point, how could Jesus do that for a complete stranger? Yes, he knew us before, but still. Incredible! She talked about other missionaries that came to teach her (an Elder Orme came all the way down from Ridgecrest, about 3 hours or more away, to baptize her) and of how she enjoyed their spirits and testimonies. We joked around a little and I was really uplifted by it. I love interviewing candidates because it reminds me of how precious the Gospel really is. Wow. So I was on a spiritual high.

Saturday was super busy and long. We went to the mission office to get some things done and got back in time to watch FFIC with Susan at 3. We helped Bruce Sayler, a really funny old man, dig the last stretch of his trench to reach the gas line hook-up. So we dig it and find out we didn't reach the hook-up at all, just a part of the old pipe. We were looking for the new pipe. So Woods ends up digging a little more under the asphalt of the driveway and found it. So McGahee and I took turns to pound the asphalt to break it up so we could hook it up at a later time. And, on top of that, we found a huge 'rock' in the middle of the trench. We were like...uh...that's a big rock. Woods dug some more...and more...then Bruce's son comes over (visiting from Oregon) and said, 'oh, that's an old concrete fencepost'. So Woods dug about a foot and a half to begin with, then dug about 3-4 feet more to get to the bottom of it. That concrete thing must've been there since the turn of the century. So McGahee had me help him lift it, but I couldn't get a grip so he basically dead lifted it. And we got some funny pictures out of it so I'll have to send you some of them later. Crazy work.

Sunday went well...except I still don't like the WML but whatever we're getting a new one soon. We went to Tallin's baptism and I really felt the Spirit there. A convert went up there and bore his testimony, of how an Elder Carter shared his testimony and he saw that light of Christ up there in his eyes...and it made him change. He said it was great for him. Off of that spiritual high, we go to a member's house to eat dinner and wow! The Spirit was there as we taught our short message, of not quenching the Spirit within us and continue to follow His guide. We passed by some less actives, the Togiola's and Luna's...and had not only a fun time but a spiritual moment. They both want to be sealed, so we're here to help them get there. Together Forever is a cheesy movie, but it really helped me remember how precious that gift is to be sealed for all time and eternity. Wow. Thanks Mom, thanks Dad for that gift. Just a great spiritual week.

That was my week, in short. But I love the work, and I love these people.

I hope all is 'swell' back home. I love you all.

Love,
Spencer