Dear Mom,
Sorry, just had to make fun of your accent. Sorry! Well, it's raining over here, as it has been the entire weekend. It's been a little miserable (understatement) riding around on bike in the driving rain. But, such is the life of a missionary. Didn't help my greenie was reminding me of why I need to be a better person by whining a lot. Gosh, I love him, but... the whining in the rain just ate away at my patience. How can I blame him? It rarely rains out in Utah, and it's rarely cold like it is here. And, we're on bike. It's a learning experience, step by step. He's doing really well, considering that he has had some killer headaches here and there due to a nagging astigmatism in his eyes. So, we'll have to see the eye doctor asap as well as for me. It was crazy because along the road where our apartment complex is, there's a constantly flowing river of sludge and water...and due to the rain it was covering most of the right lane...so it made life interesting to bike around. I was so afraid of people splashing me as I was riding...oh...not fun. We had some great lessons though, due to us just going out and working!
Thanks for the package, it is greatly appreciated. And I love the hoodie and shirt you sent me...it is so very warm!
So, the week!
Monday was fun! We got to play softball, and we mixed up the two zones that showed up. The downside of taking pictures is that you often get left out..oh well. I nearly got hit in the head by one of the sister missionaries (so now I know how she feels about me!), and I was playing catcher so I got run over several times tagging people out. Zonie Waite, who is a track star at Oregon, ran into me. A wiry but tall kid, so I felt enveloped by him as I tagged him out by a long shot. Then a kid named Smith (bald Mark Smith) was running, but the ball was relayed very fast by my greenie so I just walked up to tag him out- he drop kicked me to the ground! In a playful fashion, didn't hurt, but completely took me by surprise! Words can't describe how dumb I felt because I slowly saw him jump and I just stood there...duh...? It was hilarious! Then, I tried to extend a single to a double...wow. Dumb decision. Just dumb and aggressive. Mostly dumb. So I'm wearing shorts and I just see Smith about to get the ball to tag me out at second...I just slide! I was out by a long shot, but I just had to slide! I scraped up my leg a bit and it stung for a while due to the dirt. Oh man...it was just so goofy. I had to ask, 'am I out?' Smith said, 'I liked the effort, but you're still out.' It was funny! Just a good game overall!
Tuesday was just hilarious! Our Peruvian family was just funny as heck! We had a good lesson with them, since they're recent converts of a year, and then we had our English class. Oh gosh, Finch and I speak English like normal, which is so fast for them! I felt bad, but Finch said, 'now they know how I feel with Spanish', so we just kept...talking. We taught them how to sing 'In Our Lovely Deseret' in English, because I told them that the Spanish one was better so they got curious. It was just a lot of fun joking around and teaching English, as well as the Gospel. We found out a member's daughter is going to Chicago North mission in April. Do you know if Alfredo is in that mission? That was way exciting! She saved her money up since high school, when her family was very less active. She just knew and hoped the day would come. She'll be a great missionary.
Wednesday was a long day. We found out that our less active wasn't home in the morning, and I had an impression to visit a long-time media referral out in the far reaches of our area. I forgot our DVD they ordered so we went a few blocks home, got it, then went all the way out to deliver it. I got lost, not knowing for sure where the road they lived on was located, so we went in a circle, then finally found it. Phew! But, we were exhausted for sure. They weren't home, who is home these days? So we contacted some people and got home...so dead. We got home and just relaxed...ahh our feet! Then our buddy Mitchell turned the heater on because it was getting cold (pre-rain weather)...and we both just fell asleep on the couches. An hour passes and I wake up to see Mitchell back from an appointment an hour later! Ah! Just was so tired...didn't even think of setting an alarm for it! Oops. So we went out to knock doors, not much success, then we ate dinner with our bishop. Way cool guy and I love his family. He just sort of vented to me, I don't know why. Just because I show I love the ward I guess. Poor guy, dealing with all these money-grabbing people. I don't know how you do it Dad. We taught a media referral from Chile, an interesting accent, but he wasn't interested so we taught him, got his son really interested, and left for home.
Thursday it was good, but it began to rain. So, it was a bit wet. We got to our member's house just soaked, for a home evening. We then called our zonies for a ride to our dinner, and so we were about half an hour late because it was way wet and we didn't feel like biking all the way on the other side of our ward for dinner. And, eight of us were eating there because two pairs of elders knew this family from my first ward, Arleta. Way cool family... and I left that house satisfied! Woo...wow. Late to correlation and our ward mission leader reprimanded me for it. I deserved it, but it wasn't my fault that the other elder's delayed sharing the scripture at their member's house. Oh well, we got everything hammered out.
Friday was district meeting, and it was the shot in the arm I needed! Just so excited to go out and work, and I was comforted by the training- how to know you're a successful missionary. Not an easy area, but I have to move forward with faith and hope people will accept us, one day. And, considering that I'm the kid out of the cool elder group. It was just a great training and it was great for me. Weekly planning, then knocking doors in the driving rain and in darkness...oh not so fun. But I knew God was just testing our diligence, and we passed it. Lots of work for sure, and a lot of trials, but it was worth it. Our member, the Villanuevas, fed us a great beef and potato and rice dinner...and we had a great time with them. I love them so much! We shared one of Wirthlin's last talks and it just applied to them. I had no idea how, but it applied to them. The Spirit guided me to prepare to share this talk- be diligent, learn, and apply as well as be obedient to receive more blessings. A great evening indeed! All but one elder were in our apartment due to leadership calls, and to hang out. Problem was they all didn't leave until after curfew...I rarely get sleep the last weekend of the transfer!
Saturday was a long day because we went out to work, and got home. Then, it hailed. And rained a lot. I wasn't going to go out and get sick. Then, poor Finch got a bad headache and couldn't work, let alone stay awake. So I wrote in my journal while he got some much needed rest. We had a great lesson with Mario about his doubts and then we just laid it down- pray, try to recognize your answer, and do what the Lord tells you. Just a great lesson. Dinner with the Hidalgo's, and we just ended up spending the rest of the time there just relaxing...since no one likes us coming by at 8 pm. And I lost track of time. Whoops! Just a lovely family. I felt like I was home.
Sunday was good. The Villanueva's, the wife and her sister, gave great talks. Hna. Enriquez, the sister, just laid it down. Do missionary work because the elders can't do it alone. She has a gift for speech. It was incredible. Wow! Class was boring...we did some weekly planning post-church, and said good-bye to one of our members because she's going home to Peru. She wants me to visit her over there...hmm...we'll see about that. A great dinner with Hna. Reynaga, who is really poor but still feeds us. A testimony of how she listened to the Spirit, and wasn't harmed. Just amazing testimonies these members have. Then, we passed by another member, the Villedas, and shared some scriptures that I hope touched their hearts. Poor members...their children have all gone less active...I can't understand how they feel but...wow.
This week was long, but it was a good working week! I'm looking forward to another six with Finch! Woo! Thanks for rooting for me back home and for your prayers, because lately that's what has been helping me out as of late. I love you all, stay safe!
Love,
Spencer
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