Dear Mom,
Thanks for your support and love, because as time closes on the mission I need all the help I can get.
So it's a bit overcast over here and we're expecting rain soon. I'm going to be a bit wet the next few days, but it's what the Lord requires of me so I'll do it...not very willingly!
Life is great. I'm ready to find more investigators because right now...it's pretty rough. But, we must go forward. It's not easy right now. Trials will come though.
So the recap of the week!
Monday, way chill p-day. So relaxing...like today!
Tuesday, we had a fun appointment with our Peruvian member and she asked more details about the Word of Wisdom due to her status as a recent convert, she doesn't know much! We had a good dinner with a member I've never met before and it was good! We went on exchanges and had a good lesson with a member family that was a bit less active before but they're on a roll now! Their daughter is going on a mission to Chicago North mission. She's gonna freeze out there- she's a stick!
Wednesday was a bit of a downer. We did have a great lunch appointment with a Salvadoran member who fed us so many pupusas...so full, but her friend shared her conversion story which was great. I loved it. But, we found out our favorite less active family is having a bunch of trouble, so that was an awkwardly sad dinner appointment. But, we had a sweet plan to help them out the next night for our teaching appointment with them.
Thursday was good. Finally found a less active and invited her to church, but she still didn't come. It was so spiritual and yet it was unplanned at the same time. I really loved it. She cried, knowing she needs to go back and that all will be well...and that God still loves her and will help her during her trials. But, that stubbornness and the old habits...she still has a chance, I hope. But, we got to throw it down with the Lopez's, the favorite LA family. But, it went well. Just a listening session as they vented, of how their two oldest children are in trouble with the law and the stuff that comes with it. Oh man. Poor family, but we did our best with our lesson on adversity, of how even prophets overcame these family problems and their children even chose the right in the end. We did our best. And before that, we got Finch to eat Pico de Gallo sauce at our dinner...it's spicy and hot! Poor kid got a slice of an orange just covered and smothered with it...he was on fire! Ooh, I did likewise so I didn't wimp out. Man that was hot!
Friday...slow day. Got to meet with our LA's again, the Villalobos. Way cool, but they just have issues with money right now...poor people! But, they're firm and want to come back, they're just out of the habit. Oh yeah, Finch gave his first training ever in district meeting! Not bad, but it was good considering it was his first one!
Saturday was just way slow. My bike broke down and it was frustrating. But, such is life on bike. So we walked around everywhere and did our best, but no one was home. Oh well, we did our part, and we showed the Lord we wanted to receive more blessings. Sunday was likewise too.
Sorry it was so short, but I'm out of time. I hope all is well at home, and I love you all.
Love,
Spencer
Showing posts with label Mormon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mormon. Show all posts
Sunday, May 31, 2009
February 16, 2009
Dear Mom,
It was one of the most odd things to see a Maryland number on a California cell phone, and then to instantly recognize that it was you by the number. How odd was that! It was a bit ironic because last night my comp Finch called home to talk to his parents about sending glasses out here due to some constant headaches he has had as of late. Just killer migraines from about 10 am to the end of the day. But yet, he wants to work most, if not all the time, so we get the work done at a practical pace. And, the Lord has been blessing us with strength to go out and work even though the work is not so great right now.
About the rain, it's rough biking around in the rain. I have to squint even more so I can see what's ahead of me. And with the constant fear of just wiping out and getting even more soaked. But, the desert needs some rain desperately. We've been getting a lot lately. Last p-day it snowed...then became rain. So we're being blessed with water from the heavens!
Monday we chilled all day and watched movies. Way chill. So relaxing. I realized that The Incredibles is one of the greatest movies of all time! Just love it!
Tuesday, Finch wasn't feeling so great, so we went to an appointment, which canceled, and we came back and I let him just sleep. Just overwhelmed by headaches. Nothing really went right that day. But, we did have a good appointment with Anayansi and she's doing her best to set a day to be baptized. We came home for a quick dinner and went down to Sta. Clarita for the despedida! Got to see some elders go home, and it just reminded me of how I must use my time wisely so I'll have no regrets when my time does come. No regrets. Finch was so excited to go down...he wants to go everytime to see all his pals in the mission. Our investigator Mario Sanchez came with us, and he was having a good time. From what I could see, he was soaking it all in. It was just what he needed, as missionaries testified about prayer, about the Restoration, and about the Book of Mormon. Being with Finch going down brought up a lot of mission stories out of me...I told him a lot of them. Good times! Long night...home right before 10 pm and we had a quick planning then to bed!
Wednesday was almost the same. Got to see an eye doctor for Finch, and he just needs glasses. Headaches are coming from somewhere else! But, we went to a few appointments, and contacted the rest of the day. Finch's head was killing him so we stayed inside after dinner...poor guy. Our one appointment (the one that canceled on Tuesday) with our Peruvian member, was spectacular. She had a few concerns about the temple and we answered as best as we could. She wasn't digging deep either so it was good. We shared story after story about the temple, of blessings we have received there. An abundance of the Spirit!
Thursday went better. We ended up walking around so the other elders wouldn't have an excuse to not work (Cid is dying...literally). A sacrifice that got them to go out and work. We did find a less active family in the English ward, the Moores, who speak Spanish also. The wife is quite...adamant. Just stubborn. Daughter wants to come back though, she loved going to church at school in El Salvador. So, we have hope!
Friday! District meeting! We all were a bit down...just depressed and stressed. One of the sister snapped at us as we were trying to lighten the mood up. Oops...but the day went pretty well. We had a great time at dinner with an Argentine family and then a movie night at the church...good day. Saturday was the best by far.
I had a very pleasant surprise on Saturday evening. We were coming from a very long dinner appointment and we had just eaten pupusas. Not the greatest 'let's go and bike' food. So, we felt a bit sick on the way there. We get there, a bit wet from the puddles around the place and I just feel so sick. We knock on the door and we hear some muffled noises on the other side. We're like...well, what's taking them so long to open the door? Next thing I know, the door opens and I hear 'Happy Birthday'. Right now it just brings tears to my eyes because it was too nice of them to do that for me. I was very grateful and I really felt at home. I love the Villanueva family. I can't ever express how glad and happy I was to be welcomed to their home and to celebrate my birthday. Their kids made a hat for me, and we just had a great time. We shared a scripture, well I did because I was so humbled by it all, and I really couldn't express my gratitude. The past week was really rough, and to just finish with a birthday celebration just lifted my spirits! With my favorite family here, the Villanueva's! The Lord uses others to touch my life. There is no doubt that this is true, especially on Saturday. These are the memories I treasure most, of the kindness and love the members have for us, the missionaries. One of the most memorable birthday parties I've ever had!
Sunday was good too! The talks that the stake speakers gave were excellent. The stake YW speaker spoke of returning to virtue. I understood it all due to the language was English, and it really reminded me of how virtue fights vice. A good reminder in this muddled world. The high councilman gave a splendid talk, at least it seemed to be a typical talk at first. His Spanish was pretty good, and I knew he put a lot of preparation in it and a lot of love. He served in Villahermosa, Mexico back when he was younger. He shared Elder Wirthlin's last talk, and used Miguel Cervantes' life as an example of how we ought to persevere during trials to eventual;ly recieve a reward. I really liked it, until he put all his notes and books away. "I want to share a personal story with you, brothers and sisters," he began. Then, he shared how his first marriage failed, how he was deep in debt, and he even had to live in a noisy and dirty room in the place he worked because he could barely stay afloat. There, he said, he learned what it is to have faith and to endure to the end. He learned about the love of His Savior, and that he had to wait for promised blessings. 'Why me?' he asked. But, as time went on, he was blessed with another wife and another family and here he is today. What a testimony! Just shook the ward! Everyone was really appreciative of the talk, and I was too. I had to thank him for that moving talk he gave, and he humbly said he did his best and he tried his best with his Spanish. A humble man of the Lord. Church went well, classes were...classes. My favorite was our priesthood class. I felt moved to participate more, since usually us missionaries wait for others to contribute. But, I did and it ended up contributing a lot to the message on 'beware the bitter fruits of apostasy'. Thoughts came to mind and I contributed, and it became a great discussion. Thanks to the other members there, it was an edifying and learning experience for all. We got home, ate lunch, relaxed, napped, out to work! Found Michael Ruiz, finally, and set a tentative baptismal date for March 7th. We walked around and knocked doors, with little success, but we did get into a Jehovah's Witness house. Oh man, a weird feeling as my comp said. But, we talked about prophets to this old woman Maria de Jesus and she believed it. We bore witness of the Restoration, and she felt the Spirit. Yet, like all JW's, they deny it. Pity on her. She corrected Finch when he bore witness of the Restoration, saying, '...God is Jesus Christ.' No...God is the Father and Christ is His Son. Darn distorted doctrines of man! Oh well, we did our best. Went to support our fellow Stewart as he did a musical number singing in a trio with Cid on the guitar. A few mistakes, but what can you say? They had just practiced for about ten minutes prior. Good number though, and the service was very spiritual. Just loved it. Home, Finch called home, and we called it a night. I love the work!
The work is improving, I just have to do better with a lot of things as a missionary. My greenie is quite the foot soldier and doesn't complain, just deals with it now. Good kid. The Lord is just testing us right now...we have to be patient!
I really appreciated your letter Mom, it really helped me pick up my spirits and run with the work! It came at the right time, when all was looking down. And yes, Volk wrote me and I wrote him back. A great man, indeed. I hope all is well, I love you, I miss you, and I can't wait to talk to you again!
Love,
Spencer
It was one of the most odd things to see a Maryland number on a California cell phone, and then to instantly recognize that it was you by the number. How odd was that! It was a bit ironic because last night my comp Finch called home to talk to his parents about sending glasses out here due to some constant headaches he has had as of late. Just killer migraines from about 10 am to the end of the day. But yet, he wants to work most, if not all the time, so we get the work done at a practical pace. And, the Lord has been blessing us with strength to go out and work even though the work is not so great right now.
About the rain, it's rough biking around in the rain. I have to squint even more so I can see what's ahead of me. And with the constant fear of just wiping out and getting even more soaked. But, the desert needs some rain desperately. We've been getting a lot lately. Last p-day it snowed...then became rain. So we're being blessed with water from the heavens!
Monday we chilled all day and watched movies. Way chill. So relaxing. I realized that The Incredibles is one of the greatest movies of all time! Just love it!
Tuesday, Finch wasn't feeling so great, so we went to an appointment, which canceled, and we came back and I let him just sleep. Just overwhelmed by headaches. Nothing really went right that day. But, we did have a good appointment with Anayansi and she's doing her best to set a day to be baptized. We came home for a quick dinner and went down to Sta. Clarita for the despedida! Got to see some elders go home, and it just reminded me of how I must use my time wisely so I'll have no regrets when my time does come. No regrets. Finch was so excited to go down...he wants to go everytime to see all his pals in the mission. Our investigator Mario Sanchez came with us, and he was having a good time. From what I could see, he was soaking it all in. It was just what he needed, as missionaries testified about prayer, about the Restoration, and about the Book of Mormon. Being with Finch going down brought up a lot of mission stories out of me...I told him a lot of them. Good times! Long night...home right before 10 pm and we had a quick planning then to bed!
Wednesday was almost the same. Got to see an eye doctor for Finch, and he just needs glasses. Headaches are coming from somewhere else! But, we went to a few appointments, and contacted the rest of the day. Finch's head was killing him so we stayed inside after dinner...poor guy. Our one appointment (the one that canceled on Tuesday) with our Peruvian member, was spectacular. She had a few concerns about the temple and we answered as best as we could. She wasn't digging deep either so it was good. We shared story after story about the temple, of blessings we have received there. An abundance of the Spirit!
Thursday went better. We ended up walking around so the other elders wouldn't have an excuse to not work (Cid is dying...literally). A sacrifice that got them to go out and work. We did find a less active family in the English ward, the Moores, who speak Spanish also. The wife is quite...adamant. Just stubborn. Daughter wants to come back though, she loved going to church at school in El Salvador. So, we have hope!
Friday! District meeting! We all were a bit down...just depressed and stressed. One of the sister snapped at us as we were trying to lighten the mood up. Oops...but the day went pretty well. We had a great time at dinner with an Argentine family and then a movie night at the church...good day. Saturday was the best by far.
I had a very pleasant surprise on Saturday evening. We were coming from a very long dinner appointment and we had just eaten pupusas. Not the greatest 'let's go and bike' food. So, we felt a bit sick on the way there. We get there, a bit wet from the puddles around the place and I just feel so sick. We knock on the door and we hear some muffled noises on the other side. We're like...well, what's taking them so long to open the door? Next thing I know, the door opens and I hear 'Happy Birthday'. Right now it just brings tears to my eyes because it was too nice of them to do that for me. I was very grateful and I really felt at home. I love the Villanueva family. I can't ever express how glad and happy I was to be welcomed to their home and to celebrate my birthday. Their kids made a hat for me, and we just had a great time. We shared a scripture, well I did because I was so humbled by it all, and I really couldn't express my gratitude. The past week was really rough, and to just finish with a birthday celebration just lifted my spirits! With my favorite family here, the Villanueva's! The Lord uses others to touch my life. There is no doubt that this is true, especially on Saturday. These are the memories I treasure most, of the kindness and love the members have for us, the missionaries. One of the most memorable birthday parties I've ever had!
Sunday was good too! The talks that the stake speakers gave were excellent. The stake YW speaker spoke of returning to virtue. I understood it all due to the language was English, and it really reminded me of how virtue fights vice. A good reminder in this muddled world. The high councilman gave a splendid talk, at least it seemed to be a typical talk at first. His Spanish was pretty good, and I knew he put a lot of preparation in it and a lot of love. He served in Villahermosa, Mexico back when he was younger. He shared Elder Wirthlin's last talk, and used Miguel Cervantes' life as an example of how we ought to persevere during trials to eventual;ly recieve a reward. I really liked it, until he put all his notes and books away. "I want to share a personal story with you, brothers and sisters," he began. Then, he shared how his first marriage failed, how he was deep in debt, and he even had to live in a noisy and dirty room in the place he worked because he could barely stay afloat. There, he said, he learned what it is to have faith and to endure to the end. He learned about the love of His Savior, and that he had to wait for promised blessings. 'Why me?' he asked. But, as time went on, he was blessed with another wife and another family and here he is today. What a testimony! Just shook the ward! Everyone was really appreciative of the talk, and I was too. I had to thank him for that moving talk he gave, and he humbly said he did his best and he tried his best with his Spanish. A humble man of the Lord. Church went well, classes were...classes. My favorite was our priesthood class. I felt moved to participate more, since usually us missionaries wait for others to contribute. But, I did and it ended up contributing a lot to the message on 'beware the bitter fruits of apostasy'. Thoughts came to mind and I contributed, and it became a great discussion. Thanks to the other members there, it was an edifying and learning experience for all. We got home, ate lunch, relaxed, napped, out to work! Found Michael Ruiz, finally, and set a tentative baptismal date for March 7th. We walked around and knocked doors, with little success, but we did get into a Jehovah's Witness house. Oh man, a weird feeling as my comp said. But, we talked about prophets to this old woman Maria de Jesus and she believed it. We bore witness of the Restoration, and she felt the Spirit. Yet, like all JW's, they deny it. Pity on her. She corrected Finch when he bore witness of the Restoration, saying, '...God is Jesus Christ.' No...God is the Father and Christ is His Son. Darn distorted doctrines of man! Oh well, we did our best. Went to support our fellow Stewart as he did a musical number singing in a trio with Cid on the guitar. A few mistakes, but what can you say? They had just practiced for about ten minutes prior. Good number though, and the service was very spiritual. Just loved it. Home, Finch called home, and we called it a night. I love the work!
The work is improving, I just have to do better with a lot of things as a missionary. My greenie is quite the foot soldier and doesn't complain, just deals with it now. Good kid. The Lord is just testing us right now...we have to be patient!
I really appreciated your letter Mom, it really helped me pick up my spirits and run with the work! It came at the right time, when all was looking down. And yes, Volk wrote me and I wrote him back. A great man, indeed. I hope all is well, I love you, I miss you, and I can't wait to talk to you again!
Love,
Spencer
February 9, 2009
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
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
February 2, 2009
Mom,
About BYU, my registration is for April 10, 2009. So sometime soon. And thanks for the BYU gear, I love it! I'm sporting it for duo-zone baseball. Yeah boy! As for things I need, if you want to send me like granola bars or something sort of healthy for snacking on, and maybe some chips. Please? As for summer plans, I have no idea. I guess I'd better get a move on it, right? Maybe EFY counselor, that'd be fun! And yes, training is fun but is heavy. Finch's Spanish is superb considering the time he has out. I push him, and he pushes himself. We've found the balance for now. Good kid, and I know the Lord sent him to me so I could chill out a bit.
About the Lunas, Brother Luna couldn't stop laughing about you calling him. Good family. They really appreciated the call.
The week! Recap!
P-day was way chill. Fun though! Only problem was that the kids of a LA family just acted up and just drove away the Spirit. Their parents were so very sorry and apologetic, but their teenagers are just out of control! I love that family though!
Tuesday was fun, but long. Good old English class with the Peruvian family, and when I brought up Chile they got a bit incensed at the fact that they lost to Chile in their last war. I just mentioned that our Chilean companion just wanted to say that in his hometown of Concepcion, their boat, the Huascar, is okay. Oh man, I touched off a storm of resentment! I have never seen Peruvians so adamant about something. Oops...thank goodness that was post-lesson. Since they're both recent converts, they had a lot of questions about the plan of salvation, so we taught it and boy! They had me stumped sometimes. I just let them read Alma 40-42 to answer their doubts. I can't answer it all...it was way cool! They talk very fast!
Wednesday, Finch's tire went flat after an appointment, so we were stuck. But, we got a new tube so we were able to go and work thank goodness. Not much really happened.
Thursday was a good day. District meeting and we got trained on obedience. Hna. Quintanilla socked it to us. Be obedient, don't ask why, because the Lord knows all. Just do it. I need to be more diligent, but Finch keeps me on the straight and narrow. Later, we biked up the Lopez Run, and that was fun. Sort of. I was so dead at the end though! Oh man! Anayansi still didn't get her answer to baptism, and we found out when we could catch her dad at home to get him to come back to church. Raced down the hill, no hands! So fun! A good taco dinner, a great home evening taught by our ward missionary Hno. Figueroa, and a good correlation meeting. Late to an appointment, the Lopez's (LA ones), and found out that there was a drug bust or something along the way there. Man, I don't like being close to danger anymore. Crazy day! But good!
Friday was interviews! I'm probably going to stay. Poor Finch was in the interview for a long time, just some problems he's been having. It's not easy being on a mission. I'm happy I haven't really caused President headaches. A great appointment with the activated Villanueva family. Good dinner, even better lesson! Elder Wirthlin's last talk on the earth in this life- they soaked it up! Then we played a game and that was just hilarious. The kids were so afraid they didn't play, and we just had a great time. I know I was sent here to lighten things up a bit, and to find families to re-activate.
Saturday was service, then we had a sweet member present lesson about the Spirit with Mario, our prime investigator. He had questions about the Spirit, because he's been struggling lately. Our members just socked it to him, told him what it is, how we feel it, and his purpose. Now he'll know how to get an answer to his prayers. Then, a fast track to baptism! Hna. Hidalgo fed us a great fajita dinner...oh so full afterwards. And, then a sweet less active lesson which led to her coming to church! I love using general conference talks to motivate people to come back!
Sunday was good...but we got out and worked while people were watching the Super Bowl. Got updates all day though, that was cool. Came home early due to drunk potentials and the like. Not good to be out at dark post-Super Bowl. Two investigators, Anayansi and Mario, and a less active, Hna. Villalobos.
The work rocks! Woo! Exhausted, but it's so worth all the work we put in. I love being a missionary for sure! I hope all is well back home! Love you all!
Love,
Spencer
About BYU, my registration is for April 10, 2009. So sometime soon. And thanks for the BYU gear, I love it! I'm sporting it for duo-zone baseball. Yeah boy! As for things I need, if you want to send me like granola bars or something sort of healthy for snacking on, and maybe some chips. Please? As for summer plans, I have no idea. I guess I'd better get a move on it, right? Maybe EFY counselor, that'd be fun! And yes, training is fun but is heavy. Finch's Spanish is superb considering the time he has out. I push him, and he pushes himself. We've found the balance for now. Good kid, and I know the Lord sent him to me so I could chill out a bit.
About the Lunas, Brother Luna couldn't stop laughing about you calling him. Good family. They really appreciated the call.
The week! Recap!
P-day was way chill. Fun though! Only problem was that the kids of a LA family just acted up and just drove away the Spirit. Their parents were so very sorry and apologetic, but their teenagers are just out of control! I love that family though!
Tuesday was fun, but long. Good old English class with the Peruvian family, and when I brought up Chile they got a bit incensed at the fact that they lost to Chile in their last war. I just mentioned that our Chilean companion just wanted to say that in his hometown of Concepcion, their boat, the Huascar, is okay. Oh man, I touched off a storm of resentment! I have never seen Peruvians so adamant about something. Oops...thank goodness that was post-lesson. Since they're both recent converts, they had a lot of questions about the plan of salvation, so we taught it and boy! They had me stumped sometimes. I just let them read Alma 40-42 to answer their doubts. I can't answer it all...it was way cool! They talk very fast!
Wednesday, Finch's tire went flat after an appointment, so we were stuck. But, we got a new tube so we were able to go and work thank goodness. Not much really happened.
Thursday was a good day. District meeting and we got trained on obedience. Hna. Quintanilla socked it to us. Be obedient, don't ask why, because the Lord knows all. Just do it. I need to be more diligent, but Finch keeps me on the straight and narrow. Later, we biked up the Lopez Run, and that was fun. Sort of. I was so dead at the end though! Oh man! Anayansi still didn't get her answer to baptism, and we found out when we could catch her dad at home to get him to come back to church. Raced down the hill, no hands! So fun! A good taco dinner, a great home evening taught by our ward missionary Hno. Figueroa, and a good correlation meeting. Late to an appointment, the Lopez's (LA ones), and found out that there was a drug bust or something along the way there. Man, I don't like being close to danger anymore. Crazy day! But good!
Friday was interviews! I'm probably going to stay. Poor Finch was in the interview for a long time, just some problems he's been having. It's not easy being on a mission. I'm happy I haven't really caused President headaches. A great appointment with the activated Villanueva family. Good dinner, even better lesson! Elder Wirthlin's last talk on the earth in this life- they soaked it up! Then we played a game and that was just hilarious. The kids were so afraid they didn't play, and we just had a great time. I know I was sent here to lighten things up a bit, and to find families to re-activate.
Saturday was service, then we had a sweet member present lesson about the Spirit with Mario, our prime investigator. He had questions about the Spirit, because he's been struggling lately. Our members just socked it to him, told him what it is, how we feel it, and his purpose. Now he'll know how to get an answer to his prayers. Then, a fast track to baptism! Hna. Hidalgo fed us a great fajita dinner...oh so full afterwards. And, then a sweet less active lesson which led to her coming to church! I love using general conference talks to motivate people to come back!
Sunday was good...but we got out and worked while people were watching the Super Bowl. Got updates all day though, that was cool. Came home early due to drunk potentials and the like. Not good to be out at dark post-Super Bowl. Two investigators, Anayansi and Mario, and a less active, Hna. Villalobos.
The work rocks! Woo! Exhausted, but it's so worth all the work we put in. I love being a missionary for sure! I hope all is well back home! Love you all!
Love,
Spencer
January 26, 2009
Dear Mom,
I'm doing great out here in Palmdale. I love it here. The work is a bit rough right now, but I know the Lord is just testing us. We even fasted on Wednesday and nothing happened immediately. But, just little by little. Training is fun and I really love it. It's not easy though because my Spanish is significantly better than Finch's, but wow! Finch is catching up. He's done a great job so far and he's hard on himself, but he'll do just fine. I'll find out my fate here on Friday, so wish me luck! I hope to stay here...but President did mention that he might need me elsewhere. I'll go where the Lord wants me to go!
I'm so happy for Rod! Can you send me his address, either e-mail or snail mail, so I can get in touch with him? He's a great kid, I'm so happy he's going back!
Funny story about the whole Bro. Luna conversation. I actually called him the other night and asked his side of the story, since I called my comp Woods down in the Valley and he told me about it. He really appreciated the call and he said he thought it was a telemarketer at first, then he just answered it. It was great though because he said when you asked for Bro. Luna, he was like great someone from church! Haha, talking about throwing a curveball! He had no idea it was coming! It took him a second to realize that you are my mother. Hilarious! Cindy, his wife, apparently cracked up on hearing you talked to him and caught him off guard. Oh man, I miss that family so much!
I found out that the Jaimes family probably won't be ready to go to the temple by the time I go...sad...but the Cardenas are working on it so I'm pretty pumped about it all. Woo hoo!
Great quote by Pres. Hinckley, that's one to save for sure!
The week recap!
We had some great appointments with members this past week, since our pool is really small and hard to find. Our prime investigator moved and is impossible to get a hold of, and our other one put us on hold due to work, and our third one is postponing her baptism so her LA dad could get everything together but he's not doing his part...so craziness!
Monday was a fun p-day, rested and watched movies. Oh Princess Bride! I never realized how cheesy it is, but it was hilarious! We had a great FHE with our LA Lopez's and they actually calmed down and listened to our message! I think they appreciate us actually making the effort to have a lesson with them, even though they aren't the most reverent. It was great though.
Tuesday was zone conference! We were at an appointment earlier that day and raced back in time for zone conference! It was good, but it was long. Just half the time, but man it was rough. I learned a lot, especially when President asked how diligent have we been with our planning. I'm proud to say Finch has whipped me into shape and we're doing pretty well as it is. We had a great time with our Peruvian members and they asked us hard questions
I'm doing great out here in Palmdale. I love it here. The work is a bit rough right now, but I know the Lord is just testing us. We even fasted on Wednesday and nothing happened immediately. But, just little by little. Training is fun and I really love it. It's not easy though because my Spanish is significantly better than Finch's, but wow! Finch is catching up. He's done a great job so far and he's hard on himself, but he'll do just fine. I'll find out my fate here on Friday, so wish me luck! I hope to stay here...but President did mention that he might need me elsewhere. I'll go where the Lord wants me to go!
I'm so happy for Rod! Can you send me his address, either e-mail or snail mail, so I can get in touch with him? He's a great kid, I'm so happy he's going back!
Funny story about the whole Bro. Luna conversation. I actually called him the other night and asked his side of the story, since I called my comp Woods down in the Valley and he told me about it. He really appreciated the call and he said he thought it was a telemarketer at first, then he just answered it. It was great though because he said when you asked for Bro. Luna, he was like great someone from church! Haha, talking about throwing a curveball! He had no idea it was coming! It took him a second to realize that you are my mother. Hilarious! Cindy, his wife, apparently cracked up on hearing you talked to him and caught him off guard. Oh man, I miss that family so much!
I found out that the Jaimes family probably won't be ready to go to the temple by the time I go...sad...but the Cardenas are working on it so I'm pretty pumped about it all. Woo hoo!
Great quote by Pres. Hinckley, that's one to save for sure!
The week recap!
We had some great appointments with members this past week, since our pool is really small and hard to find. Our prime investigator moved and is impossible to get a hold of, and our other one put us on hold due to work, and our third one is postponing her baptism so her LA dad could get everything together but he's not doing his part...so craziness!
Monday was a fun p-day, rested and watched movies. Oh Princess Bride! I never realized how cheesy it is, but it was hilarious! We had a great FHE with our LA Lopez's and they actually calmed down and listened to our message! I think they appreciate us actually making the effort to have a lesson with them, even though they aren't the most reverent. It was great though.
Tuesday was zone conference! We were at an appointment earlier that day and raced back in time for zone conference! It was good, but it was long. Just half the time, but man it was rough. I learned a lot, especially when President asked how diligent have we been with our planning. I'm proud to say Finch has whipped me into shape and we're doing pretty well as it is. We had a great time with our Peruvian members and they asked us hard questions
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
January 5, 2009
Dear Mom,
Life is...interesting right now because we don't have bikes. So we've been walking around everywhere. Now I feel like a foreign missionary that doesn't have any sort of transportation. But, the office is going to send some out so I'll have a bike by tomorrow, I hope. I'm hoping for the best! My greenie is way cool and we're having loads of fun out here. I admit walking isn't that bad, only bad on your feet and I have bad shin splints. But, it's good time to get to know your comp better instead of chasing him around on a bike. It's been so fun so far! Just to see his bewildered face when people speak Spanish and ask him questions is priceless! He's a good kid. I love him so much. Elder Finch from Spanish Fork, Utah. Good kid. First missionary from his family. Solid missionary. He's making me so much more obedient with the little things.
Thanks so much for the package. I loved the huge journals you sent me. And the food! I really appreciate it so much!
I'm happy to hear that all is well. Rod's getting better, Grandma's doing well...all is well on the home front.
Recap of the week!
We had so much fun though...and we were in a lot of pain. Sometimes as we were walking I asked Finch how his feet were feeling, and he's like...I can't feel them...or...I'm numb...good kid. Loves to work and that's exactly what I needed! So P-day was pretty cool, but our zonie Lamb broke his ankle jumping to dunk a basketball. So, I found out when I was going to pick up Finch that he got sent home due to surgery. I didn't even get to say good-bye. We played the Office game that an elder bought out here in the mission. It was so fun to play and watch! Our dinner with the Molina's was way fun! Just made asian jokes all night because that family loves asian jokes. Great family. So we shared a thought about diligence and patience...and the mother was crying. The Spirit leads us to share the right things, so it was a great moment. I was able to go on exchanges for two days with Elder George from Burlington, Wyoming. Way laid back guy. I loved being with this guy! He's way calm and just relaxed.
Tuesday was a little slow since we walked everywhere. But, we had an interesting lesson with Mario. An argument over authority. He didn't believe that we were the only ones who have the authority. Everyone who reads the scriptures has the authority. Our WML nailed him on the question- so, do you have the authority to baptize? He froze, and we got him. He agreed to pray about it, and he was way friendly about it. A genuinely nice guy. We had a good time at our 2nd counselor's house for dinner, and Stewie got me to try a chile del arbol and I about died. If it weren't for the sugar and water that were available, I would've been a goner for sure.
Wednesday- pick up greenie day! That was about all. Work in the morning and then went down in a member's truck (four guys- three of us elders as trainers and the member in an old Ford pickup) to pick up our greenies. Woo! We got back, planned a bit, Finch unpacked, then we got a ride to dinner! The Lopez's. Finch had no idea what was going on at dinner. He was tired, he had woken up at 3:50 AM to get ready to go on his flight over here...he was dead tired. He was just tired. Bags under his eyes, confused, not knowing what's being said...priceless. Good kid. We watched movies the rest of the night and drank Martinelli's since it was New Year's Eve and it's approved. So fun! Rocket Man and Madagascar! We were dead tired so we just went to bet at curfew.
Thursday! Went knocking doors then weekly planning...then dinner in our place. We walked over to the church for correlation and it was canceled...so...we wasted our time. We stopped by the Hidalgo's to introduce Finch to them and they gave us apple cider...oh...so nice and warm. Just a tiring week!
Friday! District meeting. Poor Finch was overwhelmed when we went into Spanish mode for our own district meeting. But, he did adequately. Our best was when we went to a Peruvian's house and the girl speaks like 100 mph for real. Freaking fast! Finch was spacing out hardcore, but he stuck in there. We had a great dinner with a less active family and ended up getting a ride home from the bishop. We got to dinner so early, a half hour early. So we waited outside for almost half an hour. So cold.
Saturday was a great day. We had a spiritual lesson, our official first investigator lesson with Mario. We just testified of the Spirit to help him understand what is the Spirit. He still believes he hasn't received an answer yet, but we know he has. So we told him that, and it just was great! I loved it! We felt the Spirit. Finch didn't get much, here and there, and he even said he felt the Spirit. It was great! Super spiritual lesson. When one talks about the Spirit, it invites it! Sunday was a bit slow...just a lot of walking and stuff.
So that was our week! Way busy! Way fun! Lots of work!
I hope all is well! I'm loving it out here!
Love,
Spencer
Life is...interesting right now because we don't have bikes. So we've been walking around everywhere. Now I feel like a foreign missionary that doesn't have any sort of transportation. But, the office is going to send some out so I'll have a bike by tomorrow, I hope. I'm hoping for the best! My greenie is way cool and we're having loads of fun out here. I admit walking isn't that bad, only bad on your feet and I have bad shin splints. But, it's good time to get to know your comp better instead of chasing him around on a bike. It's been so fun so far! Just to see his bewildered face when people speak Spanish and ask him questions is priceless! He's a good kid. I love him so much. Elder Finch from Spanish Fork, Utah. Good kid. First missionary from his family. Solid missionary. He's making me so much more obedient with the little things.
Thanks so much for the package. I loved the huge journals you sent me. And the food! I really appreciate it so much!
I'm happy to hear that all is well. Rod's getting better, Grandma's doing well...all is well on the home front.
Recap of the week!
We had so much fun though...and we were in a lot of pain. Sometimes as we were walking I asked Finch how his feet were feeling, and he's like...I can't feel them...or...I'm numb...good kid. Loves to work and that's exactly what I needed! So P-day was pretty cool, but our zonie Lamb broke his ankle jumping to dunk a basketball. So, I found out when I was going to pick up Finch that he got sent home due to surgery. I didn't even get to say good-bye. We played the Office game that an elder bought out here in the mission. It was so fun to play and watch! Our dinner with the Molina's was way fun! Just made asian jokes all night because that family loves asian jokes. Great family. So we shared a thought about diligence and patience...and the mother was crying. The Spirit leads us to share the right things, so it was a great moment. I was able to go on exchanges for two days with Elder George from Burlington, Wyoming. Way laid back guy. I loved being with this guy! He's way calm and just relaxed.
Tuesday was a little slow since we walked everywhere. But, we had an interesting lesson with Mario. An argument over authority. He didn't believe that we were the only ones who have the authority. Everyone who reads the scriptures has the authority. Our WML nailed him on the question- so, do you have the authority to baptize? He froze, and we got him. He agreed to pray about it, and he was way friendly about it. A genuinely nice guy. We had a good time at our 2nd counselor's house for dinner, and Stewie got me to try a chile del arbol and I about died. If it weren't for the sugar and water that were available, I would've been a goner for sure.
Wednesday- pick up greenie day! That was about all. Work in the morning and then went down in a member's truck (four guys- three of us elders as trainers and the member in an old Ford pickup) to pick up our greenies. Woo! We got back, planned a bit, Finch unpacked, then we got a ride to dinner! The Lopez's. Finch had no idea what was going on at dinner. He was tired, he had woken up at 3:50 AM to get ready to go on his flight over here...he was dead tired. He was just tired. Bags under his eyes, confused, not knowing what's being said...priceless. Good kid. We watched movies the rest of the night and drank Martinelli's since it was New Year's Eve and it's approved. So fun! Rocket Man and Madagascar! We were dead tired so we just went to bet at curfew.
Thursday! Went knocking doors then weekly planning...then dinner in our place. We walked over to the church for correlation and it was canceled...so...we wasted our time. We stopped by the Hidalgo's to introduce Finch to them and they gave us apple cider...oh...so nice and warm. Just a tiring week!
Friday! District meeting. Poor Finch was overwhelmed when we went into Spanish mode for our own district meeting. But, he did adequately. Our best was when we went to a Peruvian's house and the girl speaks like 100 mph for real. Freaking fast! Finch was spacing out hardcore, but he stuck in there. We had a great dinner with a less active family and ended up getting a ride home from the bishop. We got to dinner so early, a half hour early. So we waited outside for almost half an hour. So cold.
Saturday was a great day. We had a spiritual lesson, our official first investigator lesson with Mario. We just testified of the Spirit to help him understand what is the Spirit. He still believes he hasn't received an answer yet, but we know he has. So we told him that, and it just was great! I loved it! We felt the Spirit. Finch didn't get much, here and there, and he even said he felt the Spirit. It was great! Super spiritual lesson. When one talks about the Spirit, it invites it! Sunday was a bit slow...just a lot of walking and stuff.
So that was our week! Way busy! Way fun! Lots of work!
I hope all is well! I'm loving it out here!
Love,
Spencer
Sunday, May 10, 2009
December 29, 2008
Dear Mom,
I enjoyed very much talking to you for a bit, to Dad, to Grandma who eventually ran away due to confusion, and Kristy as well as a long time with Steven. My Christmas was just great talking to you all. It was a bit hard to go out and work, no doubt, but we did have several great appointments and an enjoyable time with the members.
Guess what?
I'M TRAINING A GREENIE!
How crazy is that? That is absolutely...insane! I'm so pumped...his name is Elder Fitch, and I'm pumped to get him on Wednesday. Oh wow...I'm so excited!!!!
So the recap of the week....
Sunday was a bit hard because I was losing Giles, my companion. I really wish we had more time together, but it was the right time for him to leave. We went to church, and to several classes, and at the end he was saying good-bye to everyone and taking pictures with them. He loves the people. Of all the things I learned from him, it was to love the people and show that love by whatever way possible. Offering service, asking how they're really doing, and praying for them. A good man. We got home so he could pack and that was almost our day, until we got taken to dinner by a member, Hna. Vasquez, to celebrate her son Zeniff's birthday. He was so excited to see us there! Just made his day! Earlier, at church, she came to me and asked me to ordain Zeniff to a teacher. I was taken aback. I had never ordained someone before. His older brothers were sick or something so it fell to me, because we get along well. It was touching and nerve-wracking. I had the chance to ordain Zeniff Spencer Alvarez to the office of teacher, and I guess I did it alright in Spanish. We ate a Peruvian dish, talked about 80's music (man, these guys know a lot about the 80's), and shared D&C 6:22-23 about prayer and how we'll receive an answer. She testified of how she got an answer to her prayers, that as a temple worker her temple president gave her the answer she was looking for. He'd received that answer as he was in the temple that morning. She took Giles around, with us there too of course, to say good-bye to several families. A great member. Packed, and that was our day. Got to bed late because of packing and stuff. I miss Giles already.
Saturday. What can I say? Transfer calls! So let me recap Friday. District meeting, had a secret santa exchange, and ate a district lunch at Subway. Later that night, we get leadership calls. My name was on the list, but so was another roomie's so he called for the both of us. President's response to 'so would you like to talk to Elder Irvine?' was, 'well, Elder Irvine. He doesn't need to call me, but he won't sleep a wink tonight.' So I didn't call President as he desired, and as a result my mind was racing. Staying? Going? Change? I found out Saturday morning, after a sleepless night (well, got maybe six good hours) that I was going to stay, and train. I was freaking out. I was numb. No way, he won't let me train! But here I am! Training!
Thursday was Christmas Day! Not much happened. We had a great Christmas message that we shared with the Molinas, the recent convert family that lives in our apartment complex. They're being tested a lot, and it was great to see how resilient they are. I just feel at home with them. I love the families here! At the Herrera's, we got to hear some of his mission stories and the like. It was great!
Wednesday was pretty insane! Christmas Eve! Party day for Latinos! So we helped a less active make tamales. When you get the flour all mixed, and have the sauce ready, it's easy. The hard part is getting it to that point. But, Giles and I pumped them out like champions! Friday, after lunch, we went to her house (Leticia) and ate tamales that we had made. Good! But I had just eaten a footlong sub so I ate two and was full. Giles ate four. Wow! The best part was going to the Lopez's. The best family ever. A lot of fun, and they love us. We love them so much, and they're a bit weak right now but they're coming back stronger. We ate a whole lot of tamales, I ate at least seven. Then, we went to the Padilla's, and I ate one more there. Giles couldn't do it, so he took it home. They gave us ponche...oh my gosh it was the most delicious fruit drink I've ever had! I love it!
Tuesday is a complete blank. I can't remember what we did. But we did get a few lessons in, I just can't...oh yeah! We taught Mario Sanchez about prayer. He's working on it, and he's doing much better with how he prays. As he continues to come (as he has been and he came on Sunday), he'll get an answer. Good man. His progress is a testimony to me of how true missionary work is. I love it! Oh yeah, a member called me from Sta. Clarita and thanked me for sending a Christmas card to them! That was so nice of them!
Monday was a good p-day. Got to watch Elf! Man, I love that movie. 'I'm here with my dad...' 'I'm in a store, and I'm singing! I'm singing a song!' Love it! So, it was a great day! Relaxing and great! Ate dinner at the Vasquez's and on the way home, we got chased by a pitbull. Stewart was screaming and Giles was freaking out. I had no idea what was going on. Just thought it was a cute dog in the dark. But I did hear another big dog, so I figured to follow them instead of stopping. I had never biked so fast as I did then! Man those guys are fast!
That was Elder Irvine's week! I got to call some members to see how they're doing down in Sta. Clarita and Van Nuys. So that'd be the Lunas, who had a great Christmas, and the Cardenas and Jaimes. All are doing their best to get to the temple, it's just current circumstances are preventing them from doing so. The Lunas have to wait until stake conference for Bro. Luna to get the priesthood...which doesn't make sense but that stake down there is messed up so...I'll have to wait. The Cardenas have been visiting family in San Francisco, so they haven't gone to church in a week or two. At least he was honest with me. But, all is well. The Jaimes are doing well. So, life is great!
Life is rockin' up here! I'm so pumped for another transfer here! Woo!
Love,
Spencer
I enjoyed very much talking to you for a bit, to Dad, to Grandma who eventually ran away due to confusion, and Kristy as well as a long time with Steven. My Christmas was just great talking to you all. It was a bit hard to go out and work, no doubt, but we did have several great appointments and an enjoyable time with the members.
Guess what?
I'M TRAINING A GREENIE!
How crazy is that? That is absolutely...insane! I'm so pumped...his name is Elder Fitch, and I'm pumped to get him on Wednesday. Oh wow...I'm so excited!!!!
So the recap of the week....
Sunday was a bit hard because I was losing Giles, my companion. I really wish we had more time together, but it was the right time for him to leave. We went to church, and to several classes, and at the end he was saying good-bye to everyone and taking pictures with them. He loves the people. Of all the things I learned from him, it was to love the people and show that love by whatever way possible. Offering service, asking how they're really doing, and praying for them. A good man. We got home so he could pack and that was almost our day, until we got taken to dinner by a member, Hna. Vasquez, to celebrate her son Zeniff's birthday. He was so excited to see us there! Just made his day! Earlier, at church, she came to me and asked me to ordain Zeniff to a teacher. I was taken aback. I had never ordained someone before. His older brothers were sick or something so it fell to me, because we get along well. It was touching and nerve-wracking. I had the chance to ordain Zeniff Spencer Alvarez to the office of teacher, and I guess I did it alright in Spanish. We ate a Peruvian dish, talked about 80's music (man, these guys know a lot about the 80's), and shared D&C 6:22-23 about prayer and how we'll receive an answer. She testified of how she got an answer to her prayers, that as a temple worker her temple president gave her the answer she was looking for. He'd received that answer as he was in the temple that morning. She took Giles around, with us there too of course, to say good-bye to several families. A great member. Packed, and that was our day. Got to bed late because of packing and stuff. I miss Giles already.
Saturday. What can I say? Transfer calls! So let me recap Friday. District meeting, had a secret santa exchange, and ate a district lunch at Subway. Later that night, we get leadership calls. My name was on the list, but so was another roomie's so he called for the both of us. President's response to 'so would you like to talk to Elder Irvine?' was, 'well, Elder Irvine. He doesn't need to call me, but he won't sleep a wink tonight.' So I didn't call President as he desired, and as a result my mind was racing. Staying? Going? Change? I found out Saturday morning, after a sleepless night (well, got maybe six good hours) that I was going to stay, and train. I was freaking out. I was numb. No way, he won't let me train! But here I am! Training!
Thursday was Christmas Day! Not much happened. We had a great Christmas message that we shared with the Molinas, the recent convert family that lives in our apartment complex. They're being tested a lot, and it was great to see how resilient they are. I just feel at home with them. I love the families here! At the Herrera's, we got to hear some of his mission stories and the like. It was great!
Wednesday was pretty insane! Christmas Eve! Party day for Latinos! So we helped a less active make tamales. When you get the flour all mixed, and have the sauce ready, it's easy. The hard part is getting it to that point. But, Giles and I pumped them out like champions! Friday, after lunch, we went to her house (Leticia) and ate tamales that we had made. Good! But I had just eaten a footlong sub so I ate two and was full. Giles ate four. Wow! The best part was going to the Lopez's. The best family ever. A lot of fun, and they love us. We love them so much, and they're a bit weak right now but they're coming back stronger. We ate a whole lot of tamales, I ate at least seven. Then, we went to the Padilla's, and I ate one more there. Giles couldn't do it, so he took it home. They gave us ponche...oh my gosh it was the most delicious fruit drink I've ever had! I love it!
Tuesday is a complete blank. I can't remember what we did. But we did get a few lessons in, I just can't...oh yeah! We taught Mario Sanchez about prayer. He's working on it, and he's doing much better with how he prays. As he continues to come (as he has been and he came on Sunday), he'll get an answer. Good man. His progress is a testimony to me of how true missionary work is. I love it! Oh yeah, a member called me from Sta. Clarita and thanked me for sending a Christmas card to them! That was so nice of them!
Monday was a good p-day. Got to watch Elf! Man, I love that movie. 'I'm here with my dad...' 'I'm in a store, and I'm singing! I'm singing a song!' Love it! So, it was a great day! Relaxing and great! Ate dinner at the Vasquez's and on the way home, we got chased by a pitbull. Stewart was screaming and Giles was freaking out. I had no idea what was going on. Just thought it was a cute dog in the dark. But I did hear another big dog, so I figured to follow them instead of stopping. I had never biked so fast as I did then! Man those guys are fast!
That was Elder Irvine's week! I got to call some members to see how they're doing down in Sta. Clarita and Van Nuys. So that'd be the Lunas, who had a great Christmas, and the Cardenas and Jaimes. All are doing their best to get to the temple, it's just current circumstances are preventing them from doing so. The Lunas have to wait until stake conference for Bro. Luna to get the priesthood...which doesn't make sense but that stake down there is messed up so...I'll have to wait. The Cardenas have been visiting family in San Francisco, so they haven't gone to church in a week or two. At least he was honest with me. But, all is well. The Jaimes are doing well. So, life is great!
Life is rockin' up here! I'm so pumped for another transfer here! Woo!
Love,
Spencer
Thursday, May 7, 2009
December 8, 2008
Dear Mom,
Yeah, the work here really keeps us busy. But for sure, the work was super slow the first two weeks and my poor comp Giles was a bit frustrated to say the least. He was way less talkative and now he is really talkative, he's opening up a bit. His family sent me a Christmas stocking full of candy so if you could send him something...that'd be sweet! Haha, play on words! Candy...sweet? Just kidding. And yes, my butt still hurts and yes, I'm sick of bike for now. So sore every day, and I can't catch up to Giles!
So this week we picked up five new investigators, at least three of them are legitimate. We had quite a busy week too! Let's go over the week!
P-day was fun! We got to play Signs, a really fun EFY game I learned down in the Valley my last transfer there...and it was pretty fun at the end when we actually had someone that would run around. Made it very interesting.
Tuesday I was on exchanges with Austin, who I've had some issues with before. He's way cool, but when it comes to missionary work he isn't very practical. Oh well, no one's perfect, especially me. Giles is talking more and more if he should go and if so, where. I've been telling him to not get his hopes up because I went into a mini-depression when I found out I wasn't getting moved from Sta. Clarita after six months there. I learned a lesson, I really hope he won't receive the same deal I did. It stunk for sure. So we went about town, biking to and fro and we just had fun, and found some investigators. This one family we taught was taught once by Giles, twice by Giles' comp on exchanges and splits, and once by me on exchanges with Austin. So he doesn't know them at all, and they've been investigating for a bit. Kinda funny how things work out sometimes. We had to bike outside our ward boundaries, so far away from our following appointment, because a ward member signed up and she lives outside the boundaries due to a house renovation issue. Man, that was so far away! Just on the other side of our eastern-most boundary line...wow it was far. We rarely go to our boundary as it is. We got to teach some Christian Mexican guy and he was a bit focused on the Bible...we'll see how he pans out. Good guy though. Then we came home and said good-bye to one of our missionaries, Elder Sauceda, because he got emergency moved down to the Valley due to two greenies going home for undisclosed reasons. He was happy here, I feel bad for him to get moved halfway through a transfer. Things happen though, he's the man for the job.
Wednesday I was back with Giles! He's way cool, and his story-telling techniques just suck you in. Him and Danny got along great from what I understand cuz Danny is Danny. Giles is Giles. Picked up some investigators and taught an English class at a member's house, the Molina's. It was fun! Joking around, having them repeat words to us, and then answering questions. The best part was when we got Hna. Molina to ask about what could she ask for parent-teacher conferences the next day. Her daughter Danae was a bit mad to say the least, because she didn't want her mom to know a lot of how she was doing in school. It ended up being a good conference from what I understood. They got school off for that! Crazy! We biked up this huge hill to get to a part member home...I die on that hill everytime we go there. Oh, the Elder Stewart patented, LOPEZ RUN, since two Lopez families live along that route. Killer hills. As we were leaving to go to dinner, with the other Lopez family at the bottom of it all, we were booking it so fast. Oh man I was freezing with the wind slapping my face. Giles realized that we passed a less active that bishop wanted us to check on so we went up a little to find him and did find out that he still lives there. Good! No more! A crazy dinner with the Lopez's, who are just lazy to get up to get to church at 11 am, when next year it's going to be at 9 am. Have fun with that! I felt at home, we had fun, joked around, shared stories, made fun of everyone there, and it was so hard to share a thought because of it all. But, I did my best, and Hno. Lopez shared his testimony of the church. He knows he's lazy and he still has a testimony. He just feels unfellowshipped, what a lame excuse. He's the Elder's Quorum President for crying out loud! A good man, just a bit lazy I suppose. Later that night, on splits, we went to a less active member's house. We ended up teaching her cousin, who isn't a member. Really receptive, but he does have a drinking problem. And that house smells terrible and the kids are not the best. It's hard to concentrate and invite the Spirit for sure. But, it was a good chat and Hno. Herrera really socked it to Javier, the cousin.
Thursday went well- the district blitzed our area since we are lacking investigators big time. Austin thought it'd help unity as well as work-wise for the district since it's hard to find people up here in Palmdale, especially Spanish speakers. It did loads for us. We got four potentials out of it, which is better than nothing! Something I'm trying this transfer is to be more enthusiastic and personable in talking to people. Not just saying, 'well I'm a missionary...' spin but, 'how are you? how was your day?' conversation. People are more willing to listen and we've seen a difference. Picked up more investigators after a really hard two weeks to begin this transfer. Giles is really pushing me to bike faster, and he's just a great guy. And, I've been asking every street contact for referrals, which shows that we care about everyone. Nothing yet, but I know something will come with time. Still working on it, obviously. We had a great carne asada dinner with LA Orellana's and before that, had a super spiritual lesson with a potential and her son. I forgot to ask when we could come back at the end, and she asked me that. Oh, sure! We have time for you! Of course (how could I forget?)...everytime I share the First Vision, the Spirit testifies to all of its truth. It is truth. One can't doubt the Spirit without quenching that peaceful, 'tranquil' feeling as Maria told us. Wow! It was great!
Friday was interesting. We had district meeting, where a sister missionary basically had the spiritual thought. It ended up being a ranting, not-so-spiritual, almost bashing experience. As Giles said, 'well, that was really spiritually uplifting!' with much Irvine-ish sarcasm. But, Giles' training was more like a reiteration of the importance of talking to everyone. He went over the reasons why. It's a commandment. It's to save all mankind. It's so all can hear the Shepherd's voice. Why fear? Because we're human. It was great, I felt good afterwards, just a good encouragement of this principle of finding people. Afterwards we sung happy birthday to those who had their birthdays this week and split. We had a homemade pupusa lunch at a member's house. Oh my gosh, it was delicious...but very filling indeed! We did some weekly planning, and went out to find some people yet again for the rest of the day. We had a great dinner with the LA Villenueva's. The wife is active, the husband wasn't for six years but came to church a week ago. Totally took us by surprise. Giles is magic, the members love him so much! We share a lesson on hope, on how it can sustain us, and help us in our lives. Planning lessons is a blessing because we're on the same page and the Spirit works stronger as we set up for Him to enter into the room. We're getting good at this! The warmth of the Spirit is magical almost. It's real, but feels unreal. It's warm, but yet it doesn't burn someone. It is a great experience to strive for His influence daily. What a night!
Saturday was fun! We played football in the morning at a local park, and OH it was so cold! The ground was frozen too! It was good so we didn't get all soggy and wet. And, I could actually throw the football this time. The other team said I cheated because we'd line up and I'd immediately hike it without letting the other team get set. So, I'm cheap because I'm playing football like what we usually do? Didn't get me mad, just was a 'oh c'mon guys it's football this it how it is' moment. I threw a pick, a couple touchdowns, nothing fancy. It really helped that we didn't have sidelines...so people would be running way over in the middle of nowhere. But, it counts! Giles was going to catch a kickoff and he went up to get it and a sister missionary from Canada (super athletic for a sister) ran into him...he's like 'well it's not my fault I was catching the ball and she ran into me'. We give him a hard time. And, that girl could throw! Snap, she took us all by surprise. One time zonie Lamb (who is 6'4'') rushed me so I threw the ball high in the sky between his arms that were straight up and it got caught by good fortune. Man, it was cold! Giles burned me for four TD's. He's good, and I'm bad at being corner. Doesn't help he got a foot on me it seems. It's all good fun though, it was just hilarious to see people slip and slide, sister's screaming as they have the ball running it, and lateraling it at whatever moment in time...hilarious! So now to the actual day. Not much. All, well most, of our appointments fell through so that was our weekend to be honest. Here, there, everywhere! No one home, or no one we could teach at that moment in time. We got to teach Javier with his LA cousin, then another LA family came to visit them! So we got the dad Hno. Lopez (who has a testimony but he's lazy in getting up for church- good guy though!) to testify. It just reiterated the truthfulness of it all. And, they came in right before I was going over the First Vision. All the noise of the children and dogs and cats and chaos disappeared for a moment as I recited it. I felt the Spirit witness to me that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God who restored Christ's church again. He felt it, the Lopez's felt it, and it was a warm feeling indeed. I love the Gospel! I love the Church! I love the Spirit's warmth in this profound cold. What a day!
Sunday went well. I was having trouble focusing in the last class- I was tired! Testimony meeting went well, it was just a lot of older people up there. We really don't have many young couples here at all. More families! All our appointments fell through, as usual, and we ate two dinners. One in Austin's area, the other in ours. Both were way fun! The Molina's fed us last minute because we didn't know if the other sister in Austin's area was going to feed us (she ended up feeding us anyways). We showed pictures from home, some pictures on the mission, made fun of Giles and his gazillion girl friends (he got ten letters in a day! Nuts!), good times. And, Stewart set up their printer. Good times, and as I shared a scripture with them...it all calmed down and it was a precious moment in time for me. Talking about how angels are around us, how they as members are our angels, and they we have that gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us on our left and on our right (D&C 84:88 says something similar to it). As a rock song goes, 'may angels lead you in...' Steven would know that Jimmy Eat World song.
That's our week! The work is great! We get along great! I love and miss you all! I'm doing my best to work hard till the end, and yes, I'm afraid of what the end entails. I woke up on Sunday almost in a cold sweat. It's almost here, what am I to do? I shiver at the thought. Keep me in your prayers, so I won't get hit by cars up here. May God keep you all safe and happy!
Love,
Spencer
Yeah, the work here really keeps us busy. But for sure, the work was super slow the first two weeks and my poor comp Giles was a bit frustrated to say the least. He was way less talkative and now he is really talkative, he's opening up a bit. His family sent me a Christmas stocking full of candy so if you could send him something...that'd be sweet! Haha, play on words! Candy...sweet? Just kidding. And yes, my butt still hurts and yes, I'm sick of bike for now. So sore every day, and I can't catch up to Giles!
So this week we picked up five new investigators, at least three of them are legitimate. We had quite a busy week too! Let's go over the week!
P-day was fun! We got to play Signs, a really fun EFY game I learned down in the Valley my last transfer there...and it was pretty fun at the end when we actually had someone that would run around. Made it very interesting.
Tuesday I was on exchanges with Austin, who I've had some issues with before. He's way cool, but when it comes to missionary work he isn't very practical. Oh well, no one's perfect, especially me. Giles is talking more and more if he should go and if so, where. I've been telling him to not get his hopes up because I went into a mini-depression when I found out I wasn't getting moved from Sta. Clarita after six months there. I learned a lesson, I really hope he won't receive the same deal I did. It stunk for sure. So we went about town, biking to and fro and we just had fun, and found some investigators. This one family we taught was taught once by Giles, twice by Giles' comp on exchanges and splits, and once by me on exchanges with Austin. So he doesn't know them at all, and they've been investigating for a bit. Kinda funny how things work out sometimes. We had to bike outside our ward boundaries, so far away from our following appointment, because a ward member signed up and she lives outside the boundaries due to a house renovation issue. Man, that was so far away! Just on the other side of our eastern-most boundary line...wow it was far. We rarely go to our boundary as it is. We got to teach some Christian Mexican guy and he was a bit focused on the Bible...we'll see how he pans out. Good guy though. Then we came home and said good-bye to one of our missionaries, Elder Sauceda, because he got emergency moved down to the Valley due to two greenies going home for undisclosed reasons. He was happy here, I feel bad for him to get moved halfway through a transfer. Things happen though, he's the man for the job.
Wednesday I was back with Giles! He's way cool, and his story-telling techniques just suck you in. Him and Danny got along great from what I understand cuz Danny is Danny. Giles is Giles. Picked up some investigators and taught an English class at a member's house, the Molina's. It was fun! Joking around, having them repeat words to us, and then answering questions. The best part was when we got Hna. Molina to ask about what could she ask for parent-teacher conferences the next day. Her daughter Danae was a bit mad to say the least, because she didn't want her mom to know a lot of how she was doing in school. It ended up being a good conference from what I understood. They got school off for that! Crazy! We biked up this huge hill to get to a part member home...I die on that hill everytime we go there. Oh, the Elder Stewart patented, LOPEZ RUN, since two Lopez families live along that route. Killer hills. As we were leaving to go to dinner, with the other Lopez family at the bottom of it all, we were booking it so fast. Oh man I was freezing with the wind slapping my face. Giles realized that we passed a less active that bishop wanted us to check on so we went up a little to find him and did find out that he still lives there. Good! No more! A crazy dinner with the Lopez's, who are just lazy to get up to get to church at 11 am, when next year it's going to be at 9 am. Have fun with that! I felt at home, we had fun, joked around, shared stories, made fun of everyone there, and it was so hard to share a thought because of it all. But, I did my best, and Hno. Lopez shared his testimony of the church. He knows he's lazy and he still has a testimony. He just feels unfellowshipped, what a lame excuse. He's the Elder's Quorum President for crying out loud! A good man, just a bit lazy I suppose. Later that night, on splits, we went to a less active member's house. We ended up teaching her cousin, who isn't a member. Really receptive, but he does have a drinking problem. And that house smells terrible and the kids are not the best. It's hard to concentrate and invite the Spirit for sure. But, it was a good chat and Hno. Herrera really socked it to Javier, the cousin.
Thursday went well- the district blitzed our area since we are lacking investigators big time. Austin thought it'd help unity as well as work-wise for the district since it's hard to find people up here in Palmdale, especially Spanish speakers. It did loads for us. We got four potentials out of it, which is better than nothing! Something I'm trying this transfer is to be more enthusiastic and personable in talking to people. Not just saying, 'well I'm a missionary...' spin but, 'how are you? how was your day?' conversation. People are more willing to listen and we've seen a difference. Picked up more investigators after a really hard two weeks to begin this transfer. Giles is really pushing me to bike faster, and he's just a great guy. And, I've been asking every street contact for referrals, which shows that we care about everyone. Nothing yet, but I know something will come with time. Still working on it, obviously. We had a great carne asada dinner with LA Orellana's and before that, had a super spiritual lesson with a potential and her son. I forgot to ask when we could come back at the end, and she asked me that. Oh, sure! We have time for you! Of course (how could I forget?)...everytime I share the First Vision, the Spirit testifies to all of its truth. It is truth. One can't doubt the Spirit without quenching that peaceful, 'tranquil' feeling as Maria told us. Wow! It was great!
Friday was interesting. We had district meeting, where a sister missionary basically had the spiritual thought. It ended up being a ranting, not-so-spiritual, almost bashing experience. As Giles said, 'well, that was really spiritually uplifting!' with much Irvine-ish sarcasm. But, Giles' training was more like a reiteration of the importance of talking to everyone. He went over the reasons why. It's a commandment. It's to save all mankind. It's so all can hear the Shepherd's voice. Why fear? Because we're human. It was great, I felt good afterwards, just a good encouragement of this principle of finding people. Afterwards we sung happy birthday to those who had their birthdays this week and split. We had a homemade pupusa lunch at a member's house. Oh my gosh, it was delicious...but very filling indeed! We did some weekly planning, and went out to find some people yet again for the rest of the day. We had a great dinner with the LA Villenueva's. The wife is active, the husband wasn't for six years but came to church a week ago. Totally took us by surprise. Giles is magic, the members love him so much! We share a lesson on hope, on how it can sustain us, and help us in our lives. Planning lessons is a blessing because we're on the same page and the Spirit works stronger as we set up for Him to enter into the room. We're getting good at this! The warmth of the Spirit is magical almost. It's real, but feels unreal. It's warm, but yet it doesn't burn someone. It is a great experience to strive for His influence daily. What a night!
Saturday was fun! We played football in the morning at a local park, and OH it was so cold! The ground was frozen too! It was good so we didn't get all soggy and wet. And, I could actually throw the football this time. The other team said I cheated because we'd line up and I'd immediately hike it without letting the other team get set. So, I'm cheap because I'm playing football like what we usually do? Didn't get me mad, just was a 'oh c'mon guys it's football this it how it is' moment. I threw a pick, a couple touchdowns, nothing fancy. It really helped that we didn't have sidelines...so people would be running way over in the middle of nowhere. But, it counts! Giles was going to catch a kickoff and he went up to get it and a sister missionary from Canada (super athletic for a sister) ran into him...he's like 'well it's not my fault I was catching the ball and she ran into me'. We give him a hard time. And, that girl could throw! Snap, she took us all by surprise. One time zonie Lamb (who is 6'4'') rushed me so I threw the ball high in the sky between his arms that were straight up and it got caught by good fortune. Man, it was cold! Giles burned me for four TD's. He's good, and I'm bad at being corner. Doesn't help he got a foot on me it seems. It's all good fun though, it was just hilarious to see people slip and slide, sister's screaming as they have the ball running it, and lateraling it at whatever moment in time...hilarious! So now to the actual day. Not much. All, well most, of our appointments fell through so that was our weekend to be honest. Here, there, everywhere! No one home, or no one we could teach at that moment in time. We got to teach Javier with his LA cousin, then another LA family came to visit them! So we got the dad Hno. Lopez (who has a testimony but he's lazy in getting up for church- good guy though!) to testify. It just reiterated the truthfulness of it all. And, they came in right before I was going over the First Vision. All the noise of the children and dogs and cats and chaos disappeared for a moment as I recited it. I felt the Spirit witness to me that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God who restored Christ's church again. He felt it, the Lopez's felt it, and it was a warm feeling indeed. I love the Gospel! I love the Church! I love the Spirit's warmth in this profound cold. What a day!
Sunday went well. I was having trouble focusing in the last class- I was tired! Testimony meeting went well, it was just a lot of older people up there. We really don't have many young couples here at all. More families! All our appointments fell through, as usual, and we ate two dinners. One in Austin's area, the other in ours. Both were way fun! The Molina's fed us last minute because we didn't know if the other sister in Austin's area was going to feed us (she ended up feeding us anyways). We showed pictures from home, some pictures on the mission, made fun of Giles and his gazillion girl friends (he got ten letters in a day! Nuts!), good times. And, Stewart set up their printer. Good times, and as I shared a scripture with them...it all calmed down and it was a precious moment in time for me. Talking about how angels are around us, how they as members are our angels, and they we have that gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us on our left and on our right (D&C 84:88 says something similar to it). As a rock song goes, 'may angels lead you in...' Steven would know that Jimmy Eat World song.
That's our week! The work is great! We get along great! I love and miss you all! I'm doing my best to work hard till the end, and yes, I'm afraid of what the end entails. I woke up on Sunday almost in a cold sweat. It's almost here, what am I to do? I shiver at the thought. Keep me in your prayers, so I won't get hit by cars up here. May God keep you all safe and happy!
Love,
Spencer
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
December 1, 2008
Dear Mom,
This week went by so fast! Well, the first week really stunk. The second week started to pick up. The only downer is that we had a lot of lessons with recent converts and less actives, but not very much with actual investigators. They aren't home, don't keep appointments...not really easy to get a hold of. Welcome back to Spanish work! Palmdale is really nice, nice and slow, but that's also a downside. It's a bit interesting in trying to speak to ten random people in the streets when no one walks around up here in the desert. Instead, we do a lot of door knocking. I was starting to get away from that in my last area and the one before that, so I guess the Lord wants me to knock some doors up here. No problem, I'll do it. Not my favorite, but it works once in a while. The bike is doing alright, I'm getting used to it a little. My butt hurts a lot, feels like a rock at times, but it's going well so far.
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I ate a chile habanero. Holy snap it was freaking hot. I was burning up inside and I had trouble staying alert. I nearly passed out at one point. I sweated for an hour straight after that, and I had to take Imodium the next day so I wouldn't feel bad at church. We (myself, Austin, and my comp Giles) ate it as a part of our ward's talent show/Thanksgiving celebration. It was not a good experience.
Giles and I get along fine, but he's quite the quiet one to be honest. It was hard this week because he was obviously depressed and wouldn't tell me why. It was because we had absolutely no investigators up here so we knocked a lot of doors without much success the first half of the week. It was ironic because at district meeting for our stewardships we told the district we have no investigators at all and then at the end of the weekend we had at least three or four potentials. It really helped that I did the training on how to adjust teaching in contact situations, and we did a practice on a tracting situation. I did it to start, and it went pretty well. We got our zone leader Elder Chamberlain to do the second practice, and he just blew us all away. He did spectacular! I wanted to go through one more practice, but we were out of time. I was able, with the Lord's help, make that training exciting and enthusiastic, because it wasn't me that was speaking or teaching or testifying, it was the Spirit. I hadn't felt that happy in a while when I was training in front of the district. I hope the district learned from it. Enthusiasm! So that was something I've been trying to work on this past week, be upbeat, positive, and dig in there and work hard, and little by little we are seeing some fruits. Later, at our lunch appointment, we shared a thought on charity, and good Sister Hidalgo, who is a mother to me, absorbed it. I really feel at home when we visit her, and she really does her best to apply what she learns to her life.
But, this week we've spent a lot of time with members, active and less active. A lot of these LA's are just lazy and don't want to make commitments, so they're not going to be visited as much unless they sign up for dinner. Oh well, such is the missionary life. A lot of biking here and there all week, appointments fall through, we knocked doors, we visited less actives. That was our week basically. Until we get to Turkey Day! So we played football as a zone, and that was so fun! It was super muddy but it made it even more hilarious! Slipping and sliding in the mud, it was a sight to see! It was good, relaxing, and a little competitive too. I am so rusty at football, I need to play a lot more. And have cleats, that'd help a lot. One time I got an interception and no one was in my way so I ran it all the way back. Here's the funny part. So I'm running it back, and I start slowing down thinking, is this for real? This easy? Was there a penalty? So I slowed down and our roomie Elder Marshall runs up to me and is pushing me to keep going (which I was going to do) so I talk to him and he's telling me to go faster because I'm running backwards and that's how it ended. I ran into the end zone backwards talking to Marshall. Just a goofy thing. He was so excited because this was his first time doing an athletic activity since his longboarding accident. At the end, we took a picture, and then Marshall and his buddy Lopez slid in the mud together. They served together for six months and had a blast together, now they're split up. Then, Lopez jumped on the back of this one femmy Elder Rogers who began to scream because of the mud. It was hilarious! Just a good time and a great way to start Thanksgiving! We did have two meals, one with a member from the neighboring Spanish branch Little Rock, the Cantos' and then followed by a meal at the Bishop's. The Cantos can cook and bake! The mother baked several pies and cakes that were to die for, and made a turkey out of cream puff ball dessert things. It was so neat! Quite a day indeed! I had a blast. Recently I've gotten homesick, because of how slow it's been, but I know that the Lord wants me to finish strong so I'll stick to it. I kept that camel as a constant reminder for me.
My personal study has been pretty good as of late. I studied Elder Corbridge's "The Way" talk from last General Conference and it really struck me then as it did when I first listened and saw it. There really is no other way. It is foolish, as Elder Corbridge says. It is foolish to think that there is a shortcut, or a detour, or another path, to God and His Kingdom. As bold as he was, I loved it. It really was a re-emphasis of what we should preach. There is no other way, only through Christ and His Restored Gospel. That was a great start for the week. I then, the next day (Tuesday) studied Elder Oaks' talk on the sacrament followed by Elder Holland's talk on Jesus Christ's sacrifice. It really made an impression on me. I cried towards the end. He related seeing a missionary welcoming party at the Salt Lake airport. An anxious mother (I could totally see Mom), anxious family, and a stern and well-worn father that didn't seem as interested in it all, a bit aloof. As soon as that missionary walked out, the father ran to his son and gave a warm embrace. Time stood still to give reverence to this sacred moment in time. I miss you all so much, it's really not easy at all. But, I know God wills it this way, and I must obey, as Nephi concluded his writings.
Guess who took me out to dinner on Saturday? The Lunas! They came all the way up from the Valley to take Giles and I out to eat. We stopped by a local Mexican place and just talked and ate burritos. I didn't care for the meal, I missed them so much. I got to hear about how they're doing, how Cindy's classes are going as a Sunday School teacher, how Junior is progressing with the priesthood, how their family is doing as a whole. If there's one thing I learned, it is that love conquers all and that in the end, it's all that matters. One can tell if you love them, and they will not forget it. As a joke, they sent me two packages that had a scarf, a beanie, and a pair of gloves so I can deal with the desert. I believe the joke was the scarf, I'm pretty sure about that. I can't wait until they call me and say, "Guess what? We're going to the temple on such and such a date!" I could die then and there, happy as can be. Is this what the Lord promises those that serve Him? I don't deserve it!
Sunday I gave my first talk in Spanish, from what I can remember. Not a testimony, but an actual talk on missionary work. I wasn't nervous writing it up, but as soon as I got to church I was so nervous. I was shaking a bit before I got up there. Everyone afterwards said they liked my talk and were surprised at my Spanish (even though it is super rusty but I guess it's better than the others here). Let's see if they took Elder Ballard's suggestions (I used one of his talks as a base for my talk, I really liked it!). At the end of the day, we shared the story of charity by way of the Good Samaritan with the Molina family, members that live in our same complex. They loved it, and I really felt their spirits uplift ours. Doubt not because God is there for us! He asks us to be charitable, because he was charitable to us once upon a time in Israel. I've really learned a lot about charity this week.
All week we shared charity and faith with our less actives, and they really felt the spirit of the season. I really learned a lot about Moroni 7:47, the beginning part of it, Ether 3, and Ether 12, and about Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. All I could think of at the end of the week was the theme of hope that Pres. Utchdorf shared with us. As Doctrine and Covenants 6:33-34, 36 says:
33 aFear not to do bgood, my sons, for whatsoever ye csow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow dgood ye shall also reap good for your ereward.
34 The refore, fear not, little aflock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are bbuilt upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
35 aLook unto me in every bthought; cdoubt not, fear not.
I love missionary work. I admit I feel trunky, only because the work is rough. But, it'll go away, as it has in the past, as we find work. Don't worry, I'm going to make it and finish strong. I love the work, I miss you all, and I know this is just one other trial that the Lord sends my way.
I miss you all, and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Love,
Spencer
This week went by so fast! Well, the first week really stunk. The second week started to pick up. The only downer is that we had a lot of lessons with recent converts and less actives, but not very much with actual investigators. They aren't home, don't keep appointments...not really easy to get a hold of. Welcome back to Spanish work! Palmdale is really nice, nice and slow, but that's also a downside. It's a bit interesting in trying to speak to ten random people in the streets when no one walks around up here in the desert. Instead, we do a lot of door knocking. I was starting to get away from that in my last area and the one before that, so I guess the Lord wants me to knock some doors up here. No problem, I'll do it. Not my favorite, but it works once in a while. The bike is doing alright, I'm getting used to it a little. My butt hurts a lot, feels like a rock at times, but it's going well so far.
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I ate a chile habanero. Holy snap it was freaking hot. I was burning up inside and I had trouble staying alert. I nearly passed out at one point. I sweated for an hour straight after that, and I had to take Imodium the next day so I wouldn't feel bad at church. We (myself, Austin, and my comp Giles) ate it as a part of our ward's talent show/Thanksgiving celebration. It was not a good experience.
Giles and I get along fine, but he's quite the quiet one to be honest. It was hard this week because he was obviously depressed and wouldn't tell me why. It was because we had absolutely no investigators up here so we knocked a lot of doors without much success the first half of the week. It was ironic because at district meeting for our stewardships we told the district we have no investigators at all and then at the end of the weekend we had at least three or four potentials. It really helped that I did the training on how to adjust teaching in contact situations, and we did a practice on a tracting situation. I did it to start, and it went pretty well. We got our zone leader Elder Chamberlain to do the second practice, and he just blew us all away. He did spectacular! I wanted to go through one more practice, but we were out of time. I was able, with the Lord's help, make that training exciting and enthusiastic, because it wasn't me that was speaking or teaching or testifying, it was the Spirit. I hadn't felt that happy in a while when I was training in front of the district. I hope the district learned from it. Enthusiasm! So that was something I've been trying to work on this past week, be upbeat, positive, and dig in there and work hard, and little by little we are seeing some fruits. Later, at our lunch appointment, we shared a thought on charity, and good Sister Hidalgo, who is a mother to me, absorbed it. I really feel at home when we visit her, and she really does her best to apply what she learns to her life.
But, this week we've spent a lot of time with members, active and less active. A lot of these LA's are just lazy and don't want to make commitments, so they're not going to be visited as much unless they sign up for dinner. Oh well, such is the missionary life. A lot of biking here and there all week, appointments fall through, we knocked doors, we visited less actives. That was our week basically. Until we get to Turkey Day! So we played football as a zone, and that was so fun! It was super muddy but it made it even more hilarious! Slipping and sliding in the mud, it was a sight to see! It was good, relaxing, and a little competitive too. I am so rusty at football, I need to play a lot more. And have cleats, that'd help a lot. One time I got an interception and no one was in my way so I ran it all the way back. Here's the funny part. So I'm running it back, and I start slowing down thinking, is this for real? This easy? Was there a penalty? So I slowed down and our roomie Elder Marshall runs up to me and is pushing me to keep going (which I was going to do) so I talk to him and he's telling me to go faster because I'm running backwards and that's how it ended. I ran into the end zone backwards talking to Marshall. Just a goofy thing. He was so excited because this was his first time doing an athletic activity since his longboarding accident. At the end, we took a picture, and then Marshall and his buddy Lopez slid in the mud together. They served together for six months and had a blast together, now they're split up. Then, Lopez jumped on the back of this one femmy Elder Rogers who began to scream because of the mud. It was hilarious! Just a good time and a great way to start Thanksgiving! We did have two meals, one with a member from the neighboring Spanish branch Little Rock, the Cantos' and then followed by a meal at the Bishop's. The Cantos can cook and bake! The mother baked several pies and cakes that were to die for, and made a turkey out of cream puff ball dessert things. It was so neat! Quite a day indeed! I had a blast. Recently I've gotten homesick, because of how slow it's been, but I know that the Lord wants me to finish strong so I'll stick to it. I kept that camel as a constant reminder for me.
My personal study has been pretty good as of late. I studied Elder Corbridge's "The Way" talk from last General Conference and it really struck me then as it did when I first listened and saw it. There really is no other way. It is foolish, as Elder Corbridge says. It is foolish to think that there is a shortcut, or a detour, or another path, to God and His Kingdom. As bold as he was, I loved it. It really was a re-emphasis of what we should preach. There is no other way, only through Christ and His Restored Gospel. That was a great start for the week. I then, the next day (Tuesday) studied Elder Oaks' talk on the sacrament followed by Elder Holland's talk on Jesus Christ's sacrifice. It really made an impression on me. I cried towards the end. He related seeing a missionary welcoming party at the Salt Lake airport. An anxious mother (I could totally see Mom), anxious family, and a stern and well-worn father that didn't seem as interested in it all, a bit aloof. As soon as that missionary walked out, the father ran to his son and gave a warm embrace. Time stood still to give reverence to this sacred moment in time. I miss you all so much, it's really not easy at all. But, I know God wills it this way, and I must obey, as Nephi concluded his writings.
Guess who took me out to dinner on Saturday? The Lunas! They came all the way up from the Valley to take Giles and I out to eat. We stopped by a local Mexican place and just talked and ate burritos. I didn't care for the meal, I missed them so much. I got to hear about how they're doing, how Cindy's classes are going as a Sunday School teacher, how Junior is progressing with the priesthood, how their family is doing as a whole. If there's one thing I learned, it is that love conquers all and that in the end, it's all that matters. One can tell if you love them, and they will not forget it. As a joke, they sent me two packages that had a scarf, a beanie, and a pair of gloves so I can deal with the desert. I believe the joke was the scarf, I'm pretty sure about that. I can't wait until they call me and say, "Guess what? We're going to the temple on such and such a date!" I could die then and there, happy as can be. Is this what the Lord promises those that serve Him? I don't deserve it!
Sunday I gave my first talk in Spanish, from what I can remember. Not a testimony, but an actual talk on missionary work. I wasn't nervous writing it up, but as soon as I got to church I was so nervous. I was shaking a bit before I got up there. Everyone afterwards said they liked my talk and were surprised at my Spanish (even though it is super rusty but I guess it's better than the others here). Let's see if they took Elder Ballard's suggestions (I used one of his talks as a base for my talk, I really liked it!). At the end of the day, we shared the story of charity by way of the Good Samaritan with the Molina family, members that live in our same complex. They loved it, and I really felt their spirits uplift ours. Doubt not because God is there for us! He asks us to be charitable, because he was charitable to us once upon a time in Israel. I've really learned a lot about charity this week.
All week we shared charity and faith with our less actives, and they really felt the spirit of the season. I really learned a lot about Moroni 7:47, the beginning part of it, Ether 3, and Ether 12, and about Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. All I could think of at the end of the week was the theme of hope that Pres. Utchdorf shared with us. As Doctrine and Covenants 6:33-34, 36 says:
33 aFear not to do bgood, my sons, for whatsoever ye csow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow dgood ye shall also reap good for your ereward.
34 The refore, fear not, little aflock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are bbuilt upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
35 aLook unto me in every bthought; cdoubt not, fear not.
I love missionary work. I admit I feel trunky, only because the work is rough. But, it'll go away, as it has in the past, as we find work. Don't worry, I'm going to make it and finish strong. I love the work, I miss you all, and I know this is just one other trial that the Lord sends my way.
I miss you all, and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Love,
Spencer
Saturday, April 18, 2009
November 17, 2008
Dear Mom,
I hope Dad feels a bit better...I hope he didn't get some bad whiplash. Ouch. Well, no preference on a new car, you all know what's best. I hope Grandma feels better, but it isn't easy at all. Give her my best wishes and hopes, from her loving grandson in California. And no, the fires haven't come towards me, but they have left many members without homes.
Guess what? I'm getting transferred! To Palmdale, the desert! And also...I'm going to be on bike! In Spanish work! How weird is that? So, I don't have my new address yet, but I'll get it to you as soon as I can. I'm pretty pumped for that because I've been hoping for Spanish work to finish the mission. This could be my last area, but I don't want to think of it as that. Insane! Going up to the desert! I'm going to serve in all three valleys in the mission!
So I've been having some mixed emotions when I found out I was moving up to the desert. I love the Valley, but I really feel it's a time for a change of scenery. Woods is my favorite companion so far, and I'm looking forward to helping Elder Giles out with his Spanish up there. Bethke served up in the ward I'm going to, so he's pretty pumped about that. I might have to salvage the work up there because an infamous elder who is notorious in messing up areas was last there...he's going home! I'm sad, but excited to go.
Last night was the hardest. It didn't really hit until I went to say good-bye to some of the members last night. I'm gone, maybe to the last area of the mission I'm serving for the Lord. Heart-wrenching really. I'm still a bit numb from it all, the shock of going to an unfamiliar place. But, such is the mission. The Lunas made it really hard for me last night. So we go over there and have a lesson planned, sort of, because our weekend has been pretty hectic. We get there, chat a little as usual and then we delve into it. You could tell there's a solemn mood in the room, but we did our best. To our great surprise, Junior (the dad) shared a spiritual thought (we asked if he would do it but I wasn't sure if he was actually going to do it). He stayed home from church to take care of the smallest, Rachel. So, we get there and chat, then he shares a scripture after the prayer. Alma 32:31-34. Of all the scriptures to share on the Plan of Salvation, he chose that one. I joked around that I usually use it to chastise hardcore less active members, but they're so great that I didn't have to use it. More of a half truth. We went into the little lesson on what happens after death, asked questions and ended with a prayer...which I gave. My final prayer at the Luna's. We had some great yellow cake with chocolate frosting and joked around a bit. One of the funniest parts came when I was snapping pictures and I wanted to get little Stephanie in a picture, she refused several times by turning her head away. So Junior, seeing me struggle, says, 'Hey Stephanie! Look at this!' and she looks then I snap a picture to her surprise. He said, 'So blonde'. I about died with laughter. Then, time to go. Said our good-byes, and it tore me up a little to see Junior and then Cindy start crying...I was in shock so I didn't really have tears to shed. Gave them hugs and all, and I had to get out before I would eventually cry. Really emotional farewell. They even got me a framed photo of the LA temple to remember them by. I'll miss them so much. It was almost as bad when I left the Cardenas in Sta. Clarita. It hurt me even more to know little Stephanie and Rachel will expect me to come next week and will have to adjust to a new elder. But, I'll see them at the temple when they get sealed! I just got in the car and just thought a little bit. Wow, I'm going. It's really happening. This morning it hit me even harder. Wow, it's actually happening. I feel like I'm leaving my family behind. My second family, of course!
This week has been full of ups and downs, mostly because I was very uncertain of what lay ahead for transfers. But, we had some really great lessons! On Monday we got to help a young couple move some stuff into their apartment as they were in between rent agreements and were temporarily homeless. They asked us to pray for them to get the perfect place for their situation, so we did right then and there in Panorama City, with Latinos wondering why four gringos were praying there. They called us back a few days later and thanked us- they got the right place! Planted the seed, now we'll have to pass them on to other elders since they're most likely out of our area. That was really classy of them to call us back to thank us. It boosted my spirits!
Tuesday was the day of interviews with President Goodrich...oh man that made my week so nerve-wracking!
Wednesday we were in a trio for exchanges, with our greenie Elder Frei from St. George, UT. He was so nervous in our lesson with his investigator. It was one of the most impressive lessons I've ever been a part of. Jason, the non-member boyfriend of an active member, was really open. He grew up in Savannah, GA and didn't like the Southern Baptist church. Didn't like the angry preaching, that so-called passion of the Spirit. He said that if it's fine for them, that's great. But, he doesn't believe it's truly the Spirit. He's gone to church several times, and he loved General Conference. He admitted he loved Pres. Eyring's talk the most. He said it impressed him to see grown men cry, when moved upon by the Spirit. Talk about a great base to work with! We taught a shortened Restoration lesson, and he agreed with it all. We all felt the Spirit as his girlfriend (the name escapes me again) shared how her loyal father, who faithfully held the priesthood, gave her a blessing as a child and she was healed! Jason said, who can doubt that? A truly touching moment. He has great potential. He wants an eternal family, and deeply wants that subtle Spirit to be with him. We walked out of there on cloud nine! What an end to our day!
This past Friday, our big black man, Mike Price, told us of how hard this is getting, because he's seeing the protesters at our temple and how mean they are to us. But, he knows it's true and that he must endure through it all. He saw that it truly isn't easy to be a member, but I believe this will strengthen his resolve. Boy, I'll miss that guy!
Saturday was a bit crazy, due to the fires raging around the Valley. But, we got the work done. I got to say good-bye to Betsy, and we watched The Lamb of God DVD with her. Wow, I love that movie! I remember parts of it growing up at home, but it is very well done. Very powerful. It's great because I met the actor who portrayed Jesus Christ, Mark Deakins of the Encino ward. Now that man is one inspired man of the Lord. His testimony shakes one's very frame and foundation. I really felt Christ's persecutions, and His pains. It only strengthened my appreciation for His ultimate sacrifice.
Sunday was busy, saying good-byes. I'll miss these members, and they were really sad to see me go. At least that's how they appeared to feel. I'm just content knowing I made a difference, that the Lord had used me to reach others, help others reach baptism, and others come back to church. As Cindy said last night, it was just the right time. People are put in our lives at the right time. I would do anything for these members. I love them as my own family. I can't imagine Christ's love, if I feel this way.
I know Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He is the Way. The Light. The Living Water. The Bread of Life. The Messiah. The Lamb of God. There is no other way but through him. He has called Thomas S. Monson as His anointed prophet today, and He has restored His church again. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and I am indebted to his sacrifices. Christ is my Elder Brother, My Shepherd, and I love Him for His infinite Atonement. Referring to when he will pass on to the other world, Elder McConkie said, "I shall not know better then than I know now that he is God's Almighty Son". Amen.
I love you all. I hope the best for all of you. Stay safe. Until next time, I love you! XOXO!
Love,
Spencer
I hope Dad feels a bit better...I hope he didn't get some bad whiplash. Ouch. Well, no preference on a new car, you all know what's best. I hope Grandma feels better, but it isn't easy at all. Give her my best wishes and hopes, from her loving grandson in California. And no, the fires haven't come towards me, but they have left many members without homes.
Guess what? I'm getting transferred! To Palmdale, the desert! And also...I'm going to be on bike! In Spanish work! How weird is that? So, I don't have my new address yet, but I'll get it to you as soon as I can. I'm pretty pumped for that because I've been hoping for Spanish work to finish the mission. This could be my last area, but I don't want to think of it as that. Insane! Going up to the desert! I'm going to serve in all three valleys in the mission!
So I've been having some mixed emotions when I found out I was moving up to the desert. I love the Valley, but I really feel it's a time for a change of scenery. Woods is my favorite companion so far, and I'm looking forward to helping Elder Giles out with his Spanish up there. Bethke served up in the ward I'm going to, so he's pretty pumped about that. I might have to salvage the work up there because an infamous elder who is notorious in messing up areas was last there...he's going home! I'm sad, but excited to go.
Last night was the hardest. It didn't really hit until I went to say good-bye to some of the members last night. I'm gone, maybe to the last area of the mission I'm serving for the Lord. Heart-wrenching really. I'm still a bit numb from it all, the shock of going to an unfamiliar place. But, such is the mission. The Lunas made it really hard for me last night. So we go over there and have a lesson planned, sort of, because our weekend has been pretty hectic. We get there, chat a little as usual and then we delve into it. You could tell there's a solemn mood in the room, but we did our best. To our great surprise, Junior (the dad) shared a spiritual thought (we asked if he would do it but I wasn't sure if he was actually going to do it). He stayed home from church to take care of the smallest, Rachel. So, we get there and chat, then he shares a scripture after the prayer. Alma 32:31-34. Of all the scriptures to share on the Plan of Salvation, he chose that one. I joked around that I usually use it to chastise hardcore less active members, but they're so great that I didn't have to use it. More of a half truth. We went into the little lesson on what happens after death, asked questions and ended with a prayer...which I gave. My final prayer at the Luna's. We had some great yellow cake with chocolate frosting and joked around a bit. One of the funniest parts came when I was snapping pictures and I wanted to get little Stephanie in a picture, she refused several times by turning her head away. So Junior, seeing me struggle, says, 'Hey Stephanie! Look at this!' and she looks then I snap a picture to her surprise. He said, 'So blonde'. I about died with laughter. Then, time to go. Said our good-byes, and it tore me up a little to see Junior and then Cindy start crying...I was in shock so I didn't really have tears to shed. Gave them hugs and all, and I had to get out before I would eventually cry. Really emotional farewell. They even got me a framed photo of the LA temple to remember them by. I'll miss them so much. It was almost as bad when I left the Cardenas in Sta. Clarita. It hurt me even more to know little Stephanie and Rachel will expect me to come next week and will have to adjust to a new elder. But, I'll see them at the temple when they get sealed! I just got in the car and just thought a little bit. Wow, I'm going. It's really happening. This morning it hit me even harder. Wow, it's actually happening. I feel like I'm leaving my family behind. My second family, of course!
This week has been full of ups and downs, mostly because I was very uncertain of what lay ahead for transfers. But, we had some really great lessons! On Monday we got to help a young couple move some stuff into their apartment as they were in between rent agreements and were temporarily homeless. They asked us to pray for them to get the perfect place for their situation, so we did right then and there in Panorama City, with Latinos wondering why four gringos were praying there. They called us back a few days later and thanked us- they got the right place! Planted the seed, now we'll have to pass them on to other elders since they're most likely out of our area. That was really classy of them to call us back to thank us. It boosted my spirits!
Tuesday was the day of interviews with President Goodrich...oh man that made my week so nerve-wracking!
Wednesday we were in a trio for exchanges, with our greenie Elder Frei from St. George, UT. He was so nervous in our lesson with his investigator. It was one of the most impressive lessons I've ever been a part of. Jason, the non-member boyfriend of an active member, was really open. He grew up in Savannah, GA and didn't like the Southern Baptist church. Didn't like the angry preaching, that so-called passion of the Spirit. He said that if it's fine for them, that's great. But, he doesn't believe it's truly the Spirit. He's gone to church several times, and he loved General Conference. He admitted he loved Pres. Eyring's talk the most. He said it impressed him to see grown men cry, when moved upon by the Spirit. Talk about a great base to work with! We taught a shortened Restoration lesson, and he agreed with it all. We all felt the Spirit as his girlfriend (the name escapes me again) shared how her loyal father, who faithfully held the priesthood, gave her a blessing as a child and she was healed! Jason said, who can doubt that? A truly touching moment. He has great potential. He wants an eternal family, and deeply wants that subtle Spirit to be with him. We walked out of there on cloud nine! What an end to our day!
This past Friday, our big black man, Mike Price, told us of how hard this is getting, because he's seeing the protesters at our temple and how mean they are to us. But, he knows it's true and that he must endure through it all. He saw that it truly isn't easy to be a member, but I believe this will strengthen his resolve. Boy, I'll miss that guy!
Saturday was a bit crazy, due to the fires raging around the Valley. But, we got the work done. I got to say good-bye to Betsy, and we watched The Lamb of God DVD with her. Wow, I love that movie! I remember parts of it growing up at home, but it is very well done. Very powerful. It's great because I met the actor who portrayed Jesus Christ, Mark Deakins of the Encino ward. Now that man is one inspired man of the Lord. His testimony shakes one's very frame and foundation. I really felt Christ's persecutions, and His pains. It only strengthened my appreciation for His ultimate sacrifice.
Sunday was busy, saying good-byes. I'll miss these members, and they were really sad to see me go. At least that's how they appeared to feel. I'm just content knowing I made a difference, that the Lord had used me to reach others, help others reach baptism, and others come back to church. As Cindy said last night, it was just the right time. People are put in our lives at the right time. I would do anything for these members. I love them as my own family. I can't imagine Christ's love, if I feel this way.
I know Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He is the Way. The Light. The Living Water. The Bread of Life. The Messiah. The Lamb of God. There is no other way but through him. He has called Thomas S. Monson as His anointed prophet today, and He has restored His church again. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and I am indebted to his sacrifices. Christ is my Elder Brother, My Shepherd, and I love Him for His infinite Atonement. Referring to when he will pass on to the other world, Elder McConkie said, "I shall not know better then than I know now that he is God's Almighty Son". Amen.
I love you all. I hope the best for all of you. Stay safe. Until next time, I love you! XOXO!
Love,
Spencer
Friday, November 21, 2008
September 22, 2008
Dear Mom,
I'd use the Northridge address because he'll stay and I'll probably go. He'd love it though. He gets on my nerves sometimes, only because I'm really stressed and he's a voice of reason. Which irritates me, but it helps me become a better person.
Good ole' Houston mission. It's super hot down there...she'll just love that. Haha, almost as bad as going to Phillipines.
Well, Kristy went super sister missionary, but I hope Scott will stick around. Either way, it's not a disaster. As Elder Woods said, there's a lot more fishes in the sea. No biggie, I'm not worried at all.
Highlights of the week!
So I'm trying to think straight...I'll have to backtrack a bit. So today we helped a member in a neighboring ward paint his bedrooms because he has to move asap so we did that. I did it begrudgingly because it's my p-day and I can't recoup the time 'lost' of three hours. So there goes the rest of my p-day. I had to do it, but I didn't want to. Woods said, 'what would Jesus do?' and went onto lecture me about attitude and stuff. He told me to stop whining and I was going to punch his lights out. Thank goodness for patience, but I really feel he feels he's a superior person over me. I hate 'holier-than-thou' missionaries. He's a good guy though. I just was really irritated that the other missionaries were really pushing me to do something I really didn't want to do. I felt good when I got there, but I was a bit miffed because the other guys were pushing to spend even more time. So there goes three hours. Way to go. I hate being district leader and having to do stuff like that. It really wears out my patience.
So that's today. Yesterday was really busy. We went to church and stuff, then went home to eat lunch. We assumed that our zone leaders were having their baptism because they told us that it was going to happen. But, we get there and there is no one there! The font isn't filled up and the baptism is scheduled in forty-five minutes. Way to go zone leaders! Way to tell us that you canceled it! So they felt bad and came to help us out, and we got a local member to open it up and fill it for us. So the service started late and went alright considering the circumstances. One of the other elders that got us to paint told me, 'it was a bit disorganized.' Well, of course it is if you had to go through all this stuff on the day of the baptism. It was a great and spiritual service. Our members gave heart-warming and honest talks. They expressed so much gratitude for the gospel and how it's helped them in their lives. I was touched and really glad they could spend their time with us in that way. So I was happy leaving the baptism. We went to dinner, had a great time there. Then we went to the super amazing Luna family and watched the Restoration DVD with them. Oh man, I love the Church media! It is simple, and brings the Spirit in an instant. During the movie I was thinking, how could I show that faith that Joseph had? It's incredible to think a fourteen year old boy received so important an answer. I keep remembering the part in the movie where the narrator says something along the lines of, 'how many great gifts would our Father in Heaven give us if we only ask?' I can't help to think of Dad and of you, of all that you've sacrificed for me. A beautiful Sabbath day.
Saturday was...interesting. I ate (the night before) a dish that contained four habanero peppers...so I was in and out of the bathroom most of the morning. But we did go and try to talk to some people and find our investigators. No luck, but we had a blast at our ward's BBQ party later that evening. I'll have to send you pictures, because Woods and I got mummy wrapped by toilet paper, and we played wiffle ball. This pregnant member hit the ball so me, being the catcher, picked up the ball to relay it to first. We already gave her the free base (she's eight months pregnant!) but she started to walk quickly. I pick up the ball and look up and PLOP! She dropped to the ground so fast! We couldn't decide whether to laugh or feel bad...she rolls over and starts laughing out loud. That was the signal so we laughed even harder. We had a presentation to give at the BBQ and we did that, and went on our way. One of our members fed us dinner, even after the BBQ, and that filled us up way good. Sister Milner, Susan's fellowshipper. They gave us so much food, and sent even more home with us! But, we had an enjoyable time talking to her and her mother about their lives, their homeland (the Phillipines)...it was a very good dinner appointment. I couldn't move the rest of the evening though.
Friday was busy as heck. District meeting then BOOM BOOM BOOM running from appointment to appointment. Mike testified to us about how this message is so good, people are asking, 'is there a catch? is this for real?' It was pretty sweet to hear him testify of how great this message is. Pretty sweet, I could say. We did get to see Susan and prep the program for Sunday, and saw one of our other members, Bruce (the one we've helped with the pipeline). Really jolly old man. Never a serious moment around him. And we went to a member of a different ward that knew McGahee when he was here last and fed me 'devil's shrimp' which was super hot and spicy. Thus, it is the famous four habanero dish. A busy day indeed!
Thursday was another weekly planning day. Not much happened. We got stuck in an appointment teaching the Lunas and got to Betsy's late...only to find she invited her sister and her husband over too! The Luna girls, just to say, were sapped of energy because they just finished a soccer game. So it was a good lesson, but they were tired. The Restoration does have a lot of doctrine stuff...man I can see how it's hard to accept it all. But, being late made me feel even worse! But, we had an enjoyable dinner, and even better time just chatting and laughing and joking...our less actives are way cooler than our actives! Woods goes and shares a spiritual thought on charity, and I felt good because the Spirit was there, accompanying us along the way. We are too blessed, to be honest.
Wednesday was exchanges, and boy it was so fun! I was in Northridge and my zonie Boyce and I got along so well. He's awesome. We went contacting for several hours by CSUN, got free lunch at the Institute building and went contacting again. We get home and crash from exhaustion for an hour. Off again to teach people! Manny, who is having some commandments issues, was really enthusiastic BUT doesn't really get it the first time around. A fun-filled but spiritual lesson for sure. We zoomed around and eventually had dinner with the Kilgrows of Northridge 1st. Fun couple, and they invited another sister from the ward Georgia Reed. A fun group of older people. They are great! We have a good dinner, good steak and potatoes. Even better was our spiritual thought. We go into the family room and we start telling stories of how members found people to baptize. Not just people, but families to come to the church. Just incredible! The Spirit was there and filled the room as well as our hearts. I felt prompted to share some stories as well as my own testimony of member missionary work. The best story was shared by Boyce. One day, a couple was going out to eat dinner. The wife and husband were talking about missionary work and what the elders shared with them a few days before. The wife pipes up, 'let's go to ___ restaurant.' The husband, usually fixed on where they go for dinner, agrees and they turn around. They sit down and the waitress comes over. 'Do you know anything about the Mormon church?' was her question to this member couple. Coincidence? I know it wasn't. Eventually the members had the missionaries teach them, and they were baptized. Talk about a motivating story. I was excited after hearing that! It was amazing! We left on cloud nine, and Boyce put his fist out so we could do the famous 'pound'. 'Yeah, gimme some of that!' said Boyce. Lots of fun, and full of the Spirit. We talked to a referral at his work, and set up a different time to visit. Our last appointment fell through because the investigator (who was going to be baptized yesterday) couldn't make it- her grandma was in the hospital. So we taught their ward missionary and went home. Good day...but I'm so tired from this work.
Tuesday was another weekly planning day since we were so busy the week before. We ended up contacting and then going out to eat at TGI Friday's courtesty of Woods and member's money for dinner. Delicious fajitas...then we went to member's houses to check up on them. McGahee knows the area well, so we went to visit some of his old members in Northridge. That was our day.
So that's the week in a nutshell!
I love missionary work. I get super stressed, but also super relieved. It's a roller coaster ride sometimes because nothing goes according to plan. Never. And it causes stress because I don't like it that way...but it teaches me more patience, if I can bear it. I love being here, and I am just hoping to see what President will say tomorrow during interviews...and I'll let you know what he hints next week!
Who says you can't baptize in English work? I got one in three transfers! More than I got in my first four transfers in Spanish work! Psssh....the Lord blesses according to desire and attitude (as well as work ethic).
I'm learning a lot being a district leader, especially today. Don't stress...be patient, and sacrifice. I am not here to do my will, but my Father's. It's so frustrating sometimes, but it's learning to submit willfully and patiently to a higher power's will. What would Jesus do? Do service. What would He do? Be obedient. What would He do? Love all those around him. I admit I've grown somewhat, but patience is still coming. I have a lot to learn and to do.
Love you all...talk to you later!
Love,
Spencer
I'd use the Northridge address because he'll stay and I'll probably go. He'd love it though. He gets on my nerves sometimes, only because I'm really stressed and he's a voice of reason. Which irritates me, but it helps me become a better person.
Good ole' Houston mission. It's super hot down there...she'll just love that. Haha, almost as bad as going to Phillipines.
Well, Kristy went super sister missionary, but I hope Scott will stick around. Either way, it's not a disaster. As Elder Woods said, there's a lot more fishes in the sea. No biggie, I'm not worried at all.
Highlights of the week!
So I'm trying to think straight...I'll have to backtrack a bit. So today we helped a member in a neighboring ward paint his bedrooms because he has to move asap so we did that. I did it begrudgingly because it's my p-day and I can't recoup the time 'lost' of three hours. So there goes the rest of my p-day. I had to do it, but I didn't want to. Woods said, 'what would Jesus do?' and went onto lecture me about attitude and stuff. He told me to stop whining and I was going to punch his lights out. Thank goodness for patience, but I really feel he feels he's a superior person over me. I hate 'holier-than-thou' missionaries. He's a good guy though. I just was really irritated that the other missionaries were really pushing me to do something I really didn't want to do. I felt good when I got there, but I was a bit miffed because the other guys were pushing to spend even more time. So there goes three hours. Way to go. I hate being district leader and having to do stuff like that. It really wears out my patience.
So that's today. Yesterday was really busy. We went to church and stuff, then went home to eat lunch. We assumed that our zone leaders were having their baptism because they told us that it was going to happen. But, we get there and there is no one there! The font isn't filled up and the baptism is scheduled in forty-five minutes. Way to go zone leaders! Way to tell us that you canceled it! So they felt bad and came to help us out, and we got a local member to open it up and fill it for us. So the service started late and went alright considering the circumstances. One of the other elders that got us to paint told me, 'it was a bit disorganized.' Well, of course it is if you had to go through all this stuff on the day of the baptism. It was a great and spiritual service. Our members gave heart-warming and honest talks. They expressed so much gratitude for the gospel and how it's helped them in their lives. I was touched and really glad they could spend their time with us in that way. So I was happy leaving the baptism. We went to dinner, had a great time there. Then we went to the super amazing Luna family and watched the Restoration DVD with them. Oh man, I love the Church media! It is simple, and brings the Spirit in an instant. During the movie I was thinking, how could I show that faith that Joseph had? It's incredible to think a fourteen year old boy received so important an answer. I keep remembering the part in the movie where the narrator says something along the lines of, 'how many great gifts would our Father in Heaven give us if we only ask?' I can't help to think of Dad and of you, of all that you've sacrificed for me. A beautiful Sabbath day.
Saturday was...interesting. I ate (the night before) a dish that contained four habanero peppers...so I was in and out of the bathroom most of the morning. But we did go and try to talk to some people and find our investigators. No luck, but we had a blast at our ward's BBQ party later that evening. I'll have to send you pictures, because Woods and I got mummy wrapped by toilet paper, and we played wiffle ball. This pregnant member hit the ball so me, being the catcher, picked up the ball to relay it to first. We already gave her the free base (she's eight months pregnant!) but she started to walk quickly. I pick up the ball and look up and PLOP! She dropped to the ground so fast! We couldn't decide whether to laugh or feel bad...she rolls over and starts laughing out loud. That was the signal so we laughed even harder. We had a presentation to give at the BBQ and we did that, and went on our way. One of our members fed us dinner, even after the BBQ, and that filled us up way good. Sister Milner, Susan's fellowshipper. They gave us so much food, and sent even more home with us! But, we had an enjoyable time talking to her and her mother about their lives, their homeland (the Phillipines)...it was a very good dinner appointment. I couldn't move the rest of the evening though.
Friday was busy as heck. District meeting then BOOM BOOM BOOM running from appointment to appointment. Mike testified to us about how this message is so good, people are asking, 'is there a catch? is this for real?' It was pretty sweet to hear him testify of how great this message is. Pretty sweet, I could say. We did get to see Susan and prep the program for Sunday, and saw one of our other members, Bruce (the one we've helped with the pipeline). Really jolly old man. Never a serious moment around him. And we went to a member of a different ward that knew McGahee when he was here last and fed me 'devil's shrimp' which was super hot and spicy. Thus, it is the famous four habanero dish. A busy day indeed!
Thursday was another weekly planning day. Not much happened. We got stuck in an appointment teaching the Lunas and got to Betsy's late...only to find she invited her sister and her husband over too! The Luna girls, just to say, were sapped of energy because they just finished a soccer game. So it was a good lesson, but they were tired. The Restoration does have a lot of doctrine stuff...man I can see how it's hard to accept it all. But, being late made me feel even worse! But, we had an enjoyable dinner, and even better time just chatting and laughing and joking...our less actives are way cooler than our actives! Woods goes and shares a spiritual thought on charity, and I felt good because the Spirit was there, accompanying us along the way. We are too blessed, to be honest.
Wednesday was exchanges, and boy it was so fun! I was in Northridge and my zonie Boyce and I got along so well. He's awesome. We went contacting for several hours by CSUN, got free lunch at the Institute building and went contacting again. We get home and crash from exhaustion for an hour. Off again to teach people! Manny, who is having some commandments issues, was really enthusiastic BUT doesn't really get it the first time around. A fun-filled but spiritual lesson for sure. We zoomed around and eventually had dinner with the Kilgrows of Northridge 1st. Fun couple, and they invited another sister from the ward Georgia Reed. A fun group of older people. They are great! We have a good dinner, good steak and potatoes. Even better was our spiritual thought. We go into the family room and we start telling stories of how members found people to baptize. Not just people, but families to come to the church. Just incredible! The Spirit was there and filled the room as well as our hearts. I felt prompted to share some stories as well as my own testimony of member missionary work. The best story was shared by Boyce. One day, a couple was going out to eat dinner. The wife and husband were talking about missionary work and what the elders shared with them a few days before. The wife pipes up, 'let's go to ___ restaurant.' The husband, usually fixed on where they go for dinner, agrees and they turn around. They sit down and the waitress comes over. 'Do you know anything about the Mormon church?' was her question to this member couple. Coincidence? I know it wasn't. Eventually the members had the missionaries teach them, and they were baptized. Talk about a motivating story. I was excited after hearing that! It was amazing! We left on cloud nine, and Boyce put his fist out so we could do the famous 'pound'. 'Yeah, gimme some of that!' said Boyce. Lots of fun, and full of the Spirit. We talked to a referral at his work, and set up a different time to visit. Our last appointment fell through because the investigator (who was going to be baptized yesterday) couldn't make it- her grandma was in the hospital. So we taught their ward missionary and went home. Good day...but I'm so tired from this work.
Tuesday was another weekly planning day since we were so busy the week before. We ended up contacting and then going out to eat at TGI Friday's courtesty of Woods and member's money for dinner. Delicious fajitas...then we went to member's houses to check up on them. McGahee knows the area well, so we went to visit some of his old members in Northridge. That was our day.
So that's the week in a nutshell!
I love missionary work. I get super stressed, but also super relieved. It's a roller coaster ride sometimes because nothing goes according to plan. Never. And it causes stress because I don't like it that way...but it teaches me more patience, if I can bear it. I love being here, and I am just hoping to see what President will say tomorrow during interviews...and I'll let you know what he hints next week!
Who says you can't baptize in English work? I got one in three transfers! More than I got in my first four transfers in Spanish work! Psssh....the Lord blesses according to desire and attitude (as well as work ethic).
I'm learning a lot being a district leader, especially today. Don't stress...be patient, and sacrifice. I am not here to do my will, but my Father's. It's so frustrating sometimes, but it's learning to submit willfully and patiently to a higher power's will. What would Jesus do? Do service. What would He do? Be obedient. What would He do? Love all those around him. I admit I've grown somewhat, but patience is still coming. I have a lot to learn and to do.
Love you all...talk to you later!
Love,
Spencer
Sunday, September 21, 2008
August 18, 2008
Dear Mom,
I guess that I am getting used to this darn heat. The dryness...not so much. But I'll have to deal with it for at least ten more months. How strange is that? I will be going home in less than a year! I feel I just started...and time does truly fly after you hit your one year mark. I love being a missionary, and I know this is the best thing for me!
I'm happy to know you made it safe over there in Utah, the so-called Zion of the West. I feel that SoCal is Zion in the midst of Babylon, because there is so much stuff going on here it is truly saddening. The members have been asked to contribute financially and also with time to the new amendment, proposition 8, that is for protecting the sanctity of marriage. A member made a fuss about it in Elder's Quorum class and one of our other members, good Bro. Ballard, shut him up with scriptures and just common sense. It was the best thing ever! I loved it! As you can tell this member is just an attention hog BUT at least he got his voice heard...which annoyed me. But, we're hopefully going to see this through and see the gay community defeated. The members here, if they're active, they're really strong. I feel inadequate among such humble followers of Christ. I love the Filipino people, and I especially am glad for this chance I have to serve them. Talking about Filipinos, we got two referrals in Tagalog so we're going to visit them tomorrow with a member that speaks Tagalog. Two new investigators! We're going to have to rely on the gift of tongues to teach them! Isn't that nuts? Who would have thought? Tagalog? We ordered a book to learn Tagalog through the mission office, hopefully we'll get it soon or we'll be floundering.
We had a miracle! Seven investigators to church yesterday with two potential investigators, so a total of nine non-members. That was such a blessing. Miracles are in the works...I was sent here for a reason. Why does the Lord always bless his most inadequate servants with work? All Woods and I do is put our faith in Him, and he just blesses us immensely. We are very fortunate to be here. Our members are getting excited, the bishopric is glad we're bringing people to church...it's just going up! President Goodrich asked if I wanted to go or to stay, to which I said 'stay'. Too much is happening for me to leave here. But, if President needs me to go Spanish, I'll go. I'll want to finish in Spanish, but right now I need to help the people in Van Nuys 1st ward. Three teenagers came to church- Enrique, Crystal and Franky. They're siblings, and we feel that all will be baptized soon, probably in the next seven weeks. They're awesome! They loved church a lot, and are so excited to learn! Crystal was a bit taken aback when our high councilman was frank, saying a marriage is between a man and a woman. She was accepting of everyone, but I just reiterated that there's no gray area. She took it well I suppose. Mike came, again. Susan Lar finally came to sacrament meeting and sat by one of our Filipino members. Gye Choi, who is our English student, came to church. A potential named Hadi came too. Too bad our less actives didn't come, but there's always next time. So, we had a really busy church! Lots of investigators! The Young Men's and Young Women's people were so excited to see the three...it was really cool! I love the work! It was funny because I forgot to fill up the tank on Saturday so we had enough gas to get to church, get home, then go out to contact just down the road, and back home again. In the meantime we finally got to do our weekly planning...which wasn't done for the past three weeks because we have been very busy! That's awesome. We're so busy we couldn't get our weekly planning done...I never would've thought that in all my life as a missionary, especially in English work! Talking about goals, we decided to set a goal for twelve investigators to church next week, if we just get rides it'll be done! I'm super pumped for this last week of the transfer!
This week was a blur. Highlight reel!
Saturday we had a very spiritual lesson with our less active, Betsy Miller. She really loved our testimonies, and we all shared the Spirit's love in her home. Our Relief Society President Sister Ballard came with us, and we all got along. Betsy said she'll do her best to come to church, but I believe her work called her in (she's an accountant's assistant and they're going through several lawsuits right now- super busy!). But, we testified of how we have been blessed by obeying some of God's commandments that we went over with her...I can say that it was a blessed visit. I was very grateful to hear her tell me, 'I really liked your testimony, because I know it is sincere. I can tell you really mean it'. It's one of those...'Oh yeah...that's why I am here' moments. Truly a blessing. We went to Susan Lar and Woods straight up committed her to baptism. We started, prayed, and then he was talking about big steps and stuff then BAM! "Susan, will you be baptized by God's authority on September 7th?" She was like, huh? It was hilarious! But, she said she'll think about it, which we wanted to tell her to pray about it. She knows it's true, we just gotta ram it down her throat. She's one of those indecisive people...if you're bold she'll do it. So that's our new approach. She'll be baptized soon enough. We came home and I took a brief nap that turned into a longer than expected one. I am so dead tired...I couldn't operate without a nap. I know the Lord understands how stressed I have been and how tired I am. Sweet day!
Friday went well. Problem was at district meeting my district tuned out on my training...but it was my fault because I felt they needed a second training on commitments...so they tuned me out. But, our ward missionary came and she got to learn by teaching. It was good for that. We ended up spending an hour driving on a road to get to a place to switch our car...ours had scratches on it from a few months ago so they're repairing it. Traffic stinks down in the south part of the Valley...wow, never going that route again! But, Mike read his assignment and loved it. We testified that as he prayed he would receive an answer to his prayers, that it is our weapon. Elder Woods is a great teacher. Simple, blunt, to the point. Gye really enjoyed our English lesson. Heck, I learn something new everytime we teach her. She has really good questions. She's super open to us, we just have to find the right time to teach her the Gospel. I'm feeling that it'll come really soon. We had a sweet day though! No better call...no greater time in my life!
Thursday was super busy! Appointments, one after the other. Taught a member's daughter (he's divorced, his wife is less active so we're teaching his daughter so she'll get baptized). Then lunch. Then off to Van Nuys to find Shenice- not home, so we went contacting. Took the local bike elders to get something really quick at the local 99 cents store, then back to work! Dinner with a less active family, the Solis's, whose father is a jerk and just wants to fight the bishop over some hurt pride. Thank goodness he wasn't there...not good for the Spirit. But, as long as the bishop is bishop, they won't go back. Oh well, they're denying salvation and exaltation to themselves. We met with good ole' Bruce, who always is a load of fun and really teaches us something, that we must treasure the words of the Lord. He loves us, and we love him. A great jolly old man. I was surprised to find out he's almost seventy. He looks barely sixty.
Wednesday was my second ZDM meeting! I recommended some changes in my district, which I hope will happen for the sake of Encino ward. But, we had fun, shared jokes, some stories, but we got the job done. It was funy though! We got to stop by June, but he's really struggling to read the scriptures with his two little girls. The youngest is always sick...it's not good at all. But, I believe we'll get to him and teach him with boldness and power...he just needs help realizing how it applies to him. But, he'll get baptized, he just doesn't feel ready. We're going to commit him to baptism in the near future. We stopped by one of Woods' converts and went on our way. We had a bunch of success with our less actives going on splits, I went with the very loud Bro. Ludovico, a Filipino member who has nine kids, half of them are here, the rest are back in the Phillipines. Really cool member. Very outgoing. We got to meet a Filipino member who just had quadruple bypass surgery, and he's doing well it seems. Tagalog is super fast! Didn't understand a thing!
Tuesday was interviews, and Sister Goodrich told me to relax. I feel stressed with all this responsibility, but she reiterated I must relax, and realize it's just another bump in the road. And she mentioned, as did my ZL's Boyce and Wilcox (who is the new AP), that my stake president here, President Jex, really liked what I did when I taught an investigator at his house. So, she said that everyone trusts me, and especially President Goodrich. That was a morale booster! My life is great! I just needed a shot in the arm! Woohoo!!! Tuesday was pretty cool...I can't remember much from it. Except we did teach Enrique, and it went really well. I love being a missionary. We reviewed the Restoration with him, and his family really got interested in it. Especially Crystal. But, he loves to read and he really likes to pray. He's going to do very well in the next few weeks. I love this! I felt the Spirit testify to me, and to all, that there was a Great Apostasy, that Christ did truly die for us, and that His apostles were taken away, yet again. I felt that sorrow...how could God 'abandon' us? But, I felt that joy when we testified of the Restoration. They felt weird, they said. They felt good. They felt at peace. That's the Holy Ghost...what a great lesson indeed. We contacted afterwards, met a really interested man, and got to eat T-bone steak with the Albin's, a great member family. Bro. Albin was funny because he met his wife back home in Sacramento (he's a big Kings fan) and she was ready to go on a mission. He said he offered to help her study for the mission, and quickly mentioned, 'and soon it became make-out sessions' to which she said, 'James, don't say that!!!!' Absolutely hilarious! I loved it! We got along, had a good time, got to know them. They're a great family.
That's the week in a nutshell! Hope you enjoyed it!
I love you all, I'm so happy to know I have my family behind me cheering me on! I'll make you proud, like that song goes, 'do I make you proud?' I love my Lord, and I know without a doubt that He lives again. What joy does that bring to me? So much, I could someday collapse like Ammon meeting Alma by Zarahemla...I love this work!
May you stay safe. I love you all.
Love,
Spencer
I guess that I am getting used to this darn heat. The dryness...not so much. But I'll have to deal with it for at least ten more months. How strange is that? I will be going home in less than a year! I feel I just started...and time does truly fly after you hit your one year mark. I love being a missionary, and I know this is the best thing for me!
I'm happy to know you made it safe over there in Utah, the so-called Zion of the West. I feel that SoCal is Zion in the midst of Babylon, because there is so much stuff going on here it is truly saddening. The members have been asked to contribute financially and also with time to the new amendment, proposition 8, that is for protecting the sanctity of marriage. A member made a fuss about it in Elder's Quorum class and one of our other members, good Bro. Ballard, shut him up with scriptures and just common sense. It was the best thing ever! I loved it! As you can tell this member is just an attention hog BUT at least he got his voice heard...which annoyed me. But, we're hopefully going to see this through and see the gay community defeated. The members here, if they're active, they're really strong. I feel inadequate among such humble followers of Christ. I love the Filipino people, and I especially am glad for this chance I have to serve them. Talking about Filipinos, we got two referrals in Tagalog so we're going to visit them tomorrow with a member that speaks Tagalog. Two new investigators! We're going to have to rely on the gift of tongues to teach them! Isn't that nuts? Who would have thought? Tagalog? We ordered a book to learn Tagalog through the mission office, hopefully we'll get it soon or we'll be floundering.
We had a miracle! Seven investigators to church yesterday with two potential investigators, so a total of nine non-members. That was such a blessing. Miracles are in the works...I was sent here for a reason. Why does the Lord always bless his most inadequate servants with work? All Woods and I do is put our faith in Him, and he just blesses us immensely. We are very fortunate to be here. Our members are getting excited, the bishopric is glad we're bringing people to church...it's just going up! President Goodrich asked if I wanted to go or to stay, to which I said 'stay'. Too much is happening for me to leave here. But, if President needs me to go Spanish, I'll go. I'll want to finish in Spanish, but right now I need to help the people in Van Nuys 1st ward. Three teenagers came to church- Enrique, Crystal and Franky. They're siblings, and we feel that all will be baptized soon, probably in the next seven weeks. They're awesome! They loved church a lot, and are so excited to learn! Crystal was a bit taken aback when our high councilman was frank, saying a marriage is between a man and a woman. She was accepting of everyone, but I just reiterated that there's no gray area. She took it well I suppose. Mike came, again. Susan Lar finally came to sacrament meeting and sat by one of our Filipino members. Gye Choi, who is our English student, came to church. A potential named Hadi came too. Too bad our less actives didn't come, but there's always next time. So, we had a really busy church! Lots of investigators! The Young Men's and Young Women's people were so excited to see the three...it was really cool! I love the work! It was funny because I forgot to fill up the tank on Saturday so we had enough gas to get to church, get home, then go out to contact just down the road, and back home again. In the meantime we finally got to do our weekly planning...which wasn't done for the past three weeks because we have been very busy! That's awesome. We're so busy we couldn't get our weekly planning done...I never would've thought that in all my life as a missionary, especially in English work! Talking about goals, we decided to set a goal for twelve investigators to church next week, if we just get rides it'll be done! I'm super pumped for this last week of the transfer!
This week was a blur. Highlight reel!
Saturday we had a very spiritual lesson with our less active, Betsy Miller. She really loved our testimonies, and we all shared the Spirit's love in her home. Our Relief Society President Sister Ballard came with us, and we all got along. Betsy said she'll do her best to come to church, but I believe her work called her in (she's an accountant's assistant and they're going through several lawsuits right now- super busy!). But, we testified of how we have been blessed by obeying some of God's commandments that we went over with her...I can say that it was a blessed visit. I was very grateful to hear her tell me, 'I really liked your testimony, because I know it is sincere. I can tell you really mean it'. It's one of those...'Oh yeah...that's why I am here' moments. Truly a blessing. We went to Susan Lar and Woods straight up committed her to baptism. We started, prayed, and then he was talking about big steps and stuff then BAM! "Susan, will you be baptized by God's authority on September 7th?" She was like, huh? It was hilarious! But, she said she'll think about it, which we wanted to tell her to pray about it. She knows it's true, we just gotta ram it down her throat. She's one of those indecisive people...if you're bold she'll do it. So that's our new approach. She'll be baptized soon enough. We came home and I took a brief nap that turned into a longer than expected one. I am so dead tired...I couldn't operate without a nap. I know the Lord understands how stressed I have been and how tired I am. Sweet day!
Friday went well. Problem was at district meeting my district tuned out on my training...but it was my fault because I felt they needed a second training on commitments...so they tuned me out. But, our ward missionary came and she got to learn by teaching. It was good for that. We ended up spending an hour driving on a road to get to a place to switch our car...ours had scratches on it from a few months ago so they're repairing it. Traffic stinks down in the south part of the Valley...wow, never going that route again! But, Mike read his assignment and loved it. We testified that as he prayed he would receive an answer to his prayers, that it is our weapon. Elder Woods is a great teacher. Simple, blunt, to the point. Gye really enjoyed our English lesson. Heck, I learn something new everytime we teach her. She has really good questions. She's super open to us, we just have to find the right time to teach her the Gospel. I'm feeling that it'll come really soon. We had a sweet day though! No better call...no greater time in my life!
Thursday was super busy! Appointments, one after the other. Taught a member's daughter (he's divorced, his wife is less active so we're teaching his daughter so she'll get baptized). Then lunch. Then off to Van Nuys to find Shenice- not home, so we went contacting. Took the local bike elders to get something really quick at the local 99 cents store, then back to work! Dinner with a less active family, the Solis's, whose father is a jerk and just wants to fight the bishop over some hurt pride. Thank goodness he wasn't there...not good for the Spirit. But, as long as the bishop is bishop, they won't go back. Oh well, they're denying salvation and exaltation to themselves. We met with good ole' Bruce, who always is a load of fun and really teaches us something, that we must treasure the words of the Lord. He loves us, and we love him. A great jolly old man. I was surprised to find out he's almost seventy. He looks barely sixty.
Wednesday was my second ZDM meeting! I recommended some changes in my district, which I hope will happen for the sake of Encino ward. But, we had fun, shared jokes, some stories, but we got the job done. It was funy though! We got to stop by June, but he's really struggling to read the scriptures with his two little girls. The youngest is always sick...it's not good at all. But, I believe we'll get to him and teach him with boldness and power...he just needs help realizing how it applies to him. But, he'll get baptized, he just doesn't feel ready. We're going to commit him to baptism in the near future. We stopped by one of Woods' converts and went on our way. We had a bunch of success with our less actives going on splits, I went with the very loud Bro. Ludovico, a Filipino member who has nine kids, half of them are here, the rest are back in the Phillipines. Really cool member. Very outgoing. We got to meet a Filipino member who just had quadruple bypass surgery, and he's doing well it seems. Tagalog is super fast! Didn't understand a thing!
Tuesday was interviews, and Sister Goodrich told me to relax. I feel stressed with all this responsibility, but she reiterated I must relax, and realize it's just another bump in the road. And she mentioned, as did my ZL's Boyce and Wilcox (who is the new AP), that my stake president here, President Jex, really liked what I did when I taught an investigator at his house. So, she said that everyone trusts me, and especially President Goodrich. That was a morale booster! My life is great! I just needed a shot in the arm! Woohoo!!! Tuesday was pretty cool...I can't remember much from it. Except we did teach Enrique, and it went really well. I love being a missionary. We reviewed the Restoration with him, and his family really got interested in it. Especially Crystal. But, he loves to read and he really likes to pray. He's going to do very well in the next few weeks. I love this! I felt the Spirit testify to me, and to all, that there was a Great Apostasy, that Christ did truly die for us, and that His apostles were taken away, yet again. I felt that sorrow...how could God 'abandon' us? But, I felt that joy when we testified of the Restoration. They felt weird, they said. They felt good. They felt at peace. That's the Holy Ghost...what a great lesson indeed. We contacted afterwards, met a really interested man, and got to eat T-bone steak with the Albin's, a great member family. Bro. Albin was funny because he met his wife back home in Sacramento (he's a big Kings fan) and she was ready to go on a mission. He said he offered to help her study for the mission, and quickly mentioned, 'and soon it became make-out sessions' to which she said, 'James, don't say that!!!!' Absolutely hilarious! I loved it! We got along, had a good time, got to know them. They're a great family.
That's the week in a nutshell! Hope you enjoyed it!
I love you all, I'm so happy to know I have my family behind me cheering me on! I'll make you proud, like that song goes, 'do I make you proud?' I love my Lord, and I know without a doubt that He lives again. What joy does that bring to me? So much, I could someday collapse like Ammon meeting Alma by Zarahemla...I love this work!
May you stay safe. I love you all.
Love,
Spencer
Saturday, August 30, 2008
July 28, 2008
Dear Mom
I'm getting used to this district leader thing. I really like how I have to call my district every night and see how they're doing. It just makes me feel like I'm doing something, just making sure they're fulfilling their own goals and that they're on top of things. We got almost our entire district to help an investigator of another ward (that belongs to my district)move into a new apartment complex...that was pretty sweet! I really understand now why President Goodrich made me DL...so I'll stay on top of things and not get lazy as I have a tendency to do. Doesn't really hurt either that the ward is pushing me to use their ward missionaries, even though the ward mission leader is AWOL a lot. So basically we're the ward mission leader and we'll have to do all the dirty work. But, it's a learning experience.
My comp is the best thing for me. He's a bit strange, but he really wants to work. He pushes me when I'm dead tired and want to sleep. He just brings the best out of me and I really think we'll work miracles here. I can feel it. Our investigators are somewhat progressing, the ward members are opening up to us more, and I feel that baptisms will come in a matter of time. Mike Price came yesterday, again! He liked it, and he said he learned a lot from sacrament meeting. He'll have to talk to the bishop about his situation, but it's for the best because we can't help him anymore. We can only teach the Gospel, and he has to make the changes we ask him to. He's willing, but the bishop will help him in that regard. He's doing a great job!
Our part member family, the Hinehons, are doing well. June, the non-member husband, really gets along with us. All we have to do is just bring a member with us to our appointments. I really feel he'll get baptized if he has a friend, and the ward made an extra effort in welcoming him. I think his wife and his mother-in-law are very excited! We even got him a Tagalog Book of Mormon to read so he could understand it better.
Susan Lar didn't come, again, so we'll have to make her come. Bring a member and have that member give her a ride. But, she asked about a few things in our last visit. She asked, basically, who had the authority of God? What is the priesthood? Talk about a 'gimme' lesson. That was completely unplanned, but it went well. At first I was thinking 'oh man this is going to be rough' because we planned to teach something else. Then, we started defining authority and the priesthood to her. She understood it, then we showed why the authority is important. I love the ice cream man vs. policeman analogy. Policeman has the authority to give a ticket, not an ice cream man. We are the policemen, the others are the ice cream men. I love it! We shared scriptures from Acts and the Bible about authority, and boldly testified that no other church has it because of the Great Apostasy! Then we re-taught the Restoration through Joseph Smith. At the end, she was like...that makes sense I never knew what priesthood meant! She now knows, from our own testimonies and biblical evidence, that no other church has the authority of God. As Woods said, the best lessons are the ones planned by God! To start it off, she testified to us of the Book of Mormon. She can't sleep, she reads the book and feels peaceful. She knows it brings her joy. How golden is that? We just have to get her to church! It was funny because we set another appointment and she told us 'you'll see how pretty my daughter is' because her daughter will be in town- she's twenty-two years old. These investigators are so funny, always trying to impress us with their young daughters because we're faithful Christians. It's hilarious!
Our English class is going well with Gye Choi, an eternal Korean investigator. She asks the hardest questions about English grammar, and I'm stumped. Woods knows it all so I have nothing to worry about when he's teaching. I'm the fool out of the group. But, she's warming up to us and I think she'll eventually accept lessons from us. She comes to church though! That's a step!
Life is going well because we're doing our best. Every night we get home, plan, and I just relax. Then I sleep well...and I regret getting up in the morning. But, the Lord provides strength every day. We've had some great contacts on the streets, but too bad they're mostly in Spanish so we have to pass them off. We're referral machines! Pumpin' them out! With the Lord's blessings of course! Life is great...and I just love the work!
About the move, it was awesome! We went to play basketball in the morning and then went to the Sherman Oaks elders' place to relax before we moved their investigator. Sara and Tayler are so fun to be around, they're my favorite elders in the district! I know I can't have favorites, but they're hilarious. One is like 6'4'', the other (Sara) is 5'6'' like me. Sara is hyper, Tayler not. Tayler whines a little, Sara tells him to shut up. Fun duo. So we helped them move for a few hours, and it was alright. It was awkward trying to move a couch with Tayler. He lifts it halfway for him, but it's high for me. Awkward going down the stairs with it. But, Shirin really appreciated it (that's her name) and it was loads of fun. We even rearranged her new living room, playing musical couches and tables for ten to fifteen minutes. It was tiring, but I felt good doing it. Then we went to teach our less active, who fed us lunch. Betsy Miller is progressing! I know she'll come back to church soon! I know! She's changed so much, and she really wants to go to the temple when she's ready and going back to church. We taught the Gospel- faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. The room was full, almost oozing of the Spirit. We testified with power and with sincerity. Those are the moments I treasure...wow...I love it. Absolutely love teaching her. She wants to change, and is doing her best. She feels better all week, because she's living what she is re-learning. The Lord is blessing her because she's putting that faith forward, 'Lord, I want to change. Help me change, help me feel that I need to change.' It is great, seeing her progress.
My ZL's are awesome...they gave me a boost when they talked to the stake president lately. I think they were in a meeting and they asked how the lesson went. We taught a non-member, Kathy Pena, in his house with both him, his wife, and the investigator's family there. Her husband is an RM that's a local deputy. The ZL's told me that Pres. Jex really like how I taught, and he was happy I was there teaching Kathy instead of the previous district leader who created several interesting situations. Haha, it's funny thinking about it knowing the past DL. They know when to give me a boost, and I'm motivated to help them by helping out my district. I can see why they're excited...this stake is going to explode with baptisms! I can feel it!
Woods and me were talking about it before...we know God has prepared this ward for us, well, the missionaries. We have gold here, all we have to do is thrust in our sickles and reap the harvest. We talked about making a plan, which we did, of how to get the members involved in the work, get the ward missionaries excited and teaching them the lessons so they can teach them with us, and fellowshipping our investigators. The Lord's hand is here, just waiting to pour more blessings on us!
"The standard of truth has been erected, no hallowed hand can stop the work from progressing..." -our Beloved Prophet Joseph Smith
I know this place is for me. I love it, I love the work, I love the Lord. Please continue to pray for me so I can be made equal to my tasks and burdens.
I love you all, I love you Mom. I love you Dad, you are an example to me. Steven, I love you and I miss you a lot bro...how I miss home! I love you Grandma, I can't wait to see you again!
May God keep you safe.
Love,
Spencer
I'm getting used to this district leader thing. I really like how I have to call my district every night and see how they're doing. It just makes me feel like I'm doing something, just making sure they're fulfilling their own goals and that they're on top of things. We got almost our entire district to help an investigator of another ward (that belongs to my district)move into a new apartment complex...that was pretty sweet! I really understand now why President Goodrich made me DL...so I'll stay on top of things and not get lazy as I have a tendency to do. Doesn't really hurt either that the ward is pushing me to use their ward missionaries, even though the ward mission leader is AWOL a lot. So basically we're the ward mission leader and we'll have to do all the dirty work. But, it's a learning experience.
My comp is the best thing for me. He's a bit strange, but he really wants to work. He pushes me when I'm dead tired and want to sleep. He just brings the best out of me and I really think we'll work miracles here. I can feel it. Our investigators are somewhat progressing, the ward members are opening up to us more, and I feel that baptisms will come in a matter of time. Mike Price came yesterday, again! He liked it, and he said he learned a lot from sacrament meeting. He'll have to talk to the bishop about his situation, but it's for the best because we can't help him anymore. We can only teach the Gospel, and he has to make the changes we ask him to. He's willing, but the bishop will help him in that regard. He's doing a great job!
Our part member family, the Hinehons, are doing well. June, the non-member husband, really gets along with us. All we have to do is just bring a member with us to our appointments. I really feel he'll get baptized if he has a friend, and the ward made an extra effort in welcoming him. I think his wife and his mother-in-law are very excited! We even got him a Tagalog Book of Mormon to read so he could understand it better.
Susan Lar didn't come, again, so we'll have to make her come. Bring a member and have that member give her a ride. But, she asked about a few things in our last visit. She asked, basically, who had the authority of God? What is the priesthood? Talk about a 'gimme' lesson. That was completely unplanned, but it went well. At first I was thinking 'oh man this is going to be rough' because we planned to teach something else. Then, we started defining authority and the priesthood to her. She understood it, then we showed why the authority is important. I love the ice cream man vs. policeman analogy. Policeman has the authority to give a ticket, not an ice cream man. We are the policemen, the others are the ice cream men. I love it! We shared scriptures from Acts and the Bible about authority, and boldly testified that no other church has it because of the Great Apostasy! Then we re-taught the Restoration through Joseph Smith. At the end, she was like...that makes sense I never knew what priesthood meant! She now knows, from our own testimonies and biblical evidence, that no other church has the authority of God. As Woods said, the best lessons are the ones planned by God! To start it off, she testified to us of the Book of Mormon. She can't sleep, she reads the book and feels peaceful. She knows it brings her joy. How golden is that? We just have to get her to church! It was funny because we set another appointment and she told us 'you'll see how pretty my daughter is' because her daughter will be in town- she's twenty-two years old. These investigators are so funny, always trying to impress us with their young daughters because we're faithful Christians. It's hilarious!
Our English class is going well with Gye Choi, an eternal Korean investigator. She asks the hardest questions about English grammar, and I'm stumped. Woods knows it all so I have nothing to worry about when he's teaching. I'm the fool out of the group. But, she's warming up to us and I think she'll eventually accept lessons from us. She comes to church though! That's a step!
Life is going well because we're doing our best. Every night we get home, plan, and I just relax. Then I sleep well...and I regret getting up in the morning. But, the Lord provides strength every day. We've had some great contacts on the streets, but too bad they're mostly in Spanish so we have to pass them off. We're referral machines! Pumpin' them out! With the Lord's blessings of course! Life is great...and I just love the work!
About the move, it was awesome! We went to play basketball in the morning and then went to the Sherman Oaks elders' place to relax before we moved their investigator. Sara and Tayler are so fun to be around, they're my favorite elders in the district! I know I can't have favorites, but they're hilarious. One is like 6'4'', the other (Sara) is 5'6'' like me. Sara is hyper, Tayler not. Tayler whines a little, Sara tells him to shut up. Fun duo. So we helped them move for a few hours, and it was alright. It was awkward trying to move a couch with Tayler. He lifts it halfway for him, but it's high for me. Awkward going down the stairs with it. But, Shirin really appreciated it (that's her name) and it was loads of fun. We even rearranged her new living room, playing musical couches and tables for ten to fifteen minutes. It was tiring, but I felt good doing it. Then we went to teach our less active, who fed us lunch. Betsy Miller is progressing! I know she'll come back to church soon! I know! She's changed so much, and she really wants to go to the temple when she's ready and going back to church. We taught the Gospel- faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. The room was full, almost oozing of the Spirit. We testified with power and with sincerity. Those are the moments I treasure...wow...I love it. Absolutely love teaching her. She wants to change, and is doing her best. She feels better all week, because she's living what she is re-learning. The Lord is blessing her because she's putting that faith forward, 'Lord, I want to change. Help me change, help me feel that I need to change.' It is great, seeing her progress.
My ZL's are awesome...they gave me a boost when they talked to the stake president lately. I think they were in a meeting and they asked how the lesson went. We taught a non-member, Kathy Pena, in his house with both him, his wife, and the investigator's family there. Her husband is an RM that's a local deputy. The ZL's told me that Pres. Jex really like how I taught, and he was happy I was there teaching Kathy instead of the previous district leader who created several interesting situations. Haha, it's funny thinking about it knowing the past DL. They know when to give me a boost, and I'm motivated to help them by helping out my district. I can see why they're excited...this stake is going to explode with baptisms! I can feel it!
Woods and me were talking about it before...we know God has prepared this ward for us, well, the missionaries. We have gold here, all we have to do is thrust in our sickles and reap the harvest. We talked about making a plan, which we did, of how to get the members involved in the work, get the ward missionaries excited and teaching them the lessons so they can teach them with us, and fellowshipping our investigators. The Lord's hand is here, just waiting to pour more blessings on us!
"The standard of truth has been erected, no hallowed hand can stop the work from progressing..." -our Beloved Prophet Joseph Smith
I know this place is for me. I love it, I love the work, I love the Lord. Please continue to pray for me so I can be made equal to my tasks and burdens.
I love you all, I love you Mom. I love you Dad, you are an example to me. Steven, I love you and I miss you a lot bro...how I miss home! I love you Grandma, I can't wait to see you again!
May God keep you safe.
Love,
Spencer
Thursday, August 28, 2008
July 21, 2008
Dear Mom,
I was so happy to get the phone...but I was equally I'll talk to President Goodrich about all the details and what is really going on at the mission office. I'll ask him to see what his opinion is about sending my old phone home or whether I should keep it. We'll see what happens.
Sorry about that...I'm just so worn out I just type and I mess up on what keys I'm typing...oops sent!
So I was happy to see the phone, but dismayed when I talked to the mission office about my phone...they said to hold off on it so I'll call mission president about it. He knows all.
That's too bad about Mike, I hope he'll get it worked out! The mission is great! It'll do him some good, some great good!
This past week started slow, gained speed, then tailed off on the weekend as usual. But, it was a really great week and I am really enjoying my new companion, Elder Woods of Summerville, South Carolina (outside Charleston). It was very busy!
We had some really sweet days! My favorite had to have been Saturday. Just because we taught a less active, whose been inactive for who knows how long, and she really wants to change and come back to church. The past month she's really changed. Her name is Betsy Miller, and her sister apparently has been pushing her softly to think about going to the temple for years and years. It's finally made a breakthrough! We're re-teaching her the lessons and she is applying what we teach and ask to read to her own life. We go in there, she's like 'come on in guys!' and we talk a little so she'll get to know Woods. We asked who was going to pray to start and she volunteered (or decided). She gave the most honest and sincere prayer I've heard in a long time. Basically she said, 'enlighten me so I can learn and come back.' That really set the tone for our lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She asked us, 'how can people not accept the Gospel in the Spirit World?' My comp pulled through with Amulek's talk in Alma 34, that the same spirit in the earth will be the same spirit in the next life. Slowly and surely, she'll come back to church. We're just here to help her along. She wants to be sealed in the temple, at least to her sister. She said she can't imagine life without her sister, and we'll gladly oblige in teaching her to reach that goal.
I never realized how amazing this plan is from the Lord. We decided to go with this plan, knowing that many will fall by the wayside. But yet, we went through with it because we knew Jesus Christ will allow us the chance to return to His presence. Adam fell that men might be, that they might have joy. I love to think of the Fall this way. Adam was created, then Eve. Adam starts naming animals, 'Aardvark'. Eve says, 'Adam, we have to obey both commandments, but how are we to have children?' Adam says, 'I don't know, Beaver!' Later on, Eve again says to Adam, 'How are we to live both commandments if we don't have children?' Adam says, 'Kangaroo!' Then Eve comes again and says, 'Adam, I ate the fruit so I'm going to be kicked out...to live alone. Without me, we cannot have children.' Adam realizes and says, 'I see. ZEBRA!' and eats. See? Women are smarter! The Atonement separates us from others, on top of modern revelation. If everyone understood it, we'd be in Zion. All will receive resurrected bodies, that is a free gift for all that have lived here. And, we'll have the precious gift of eternal life if we live His laws. A truly celestial plan.
That was probably the highlight of my week, among other things. We picked up two new investigators, a member's non-member husband, June, and a former investigator Shenice Bryant. They're awesome! June used to have a baptismal goal set, but he backed out. Well, round two! He'll commit this time! We got him a Tagalog Book of Mormon because his English is still basic. As for Shenice, she used to investigate the church a little bit back but stopped. She has six children, including a month old baby. She's unmarried, and lives with her boyfriend...so we'll have to work on that. The bishop chuckled when I said, 'we'll worry about that a little later' in PEC yesterday. She readily accepted our message and she was all about reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it and about Joseph Smith. Sometimes people need time to let it sink in, so I hope it's her time.
We set a baptismal goal of three baptisms. In this area, it's possible. It's just a matter of getting people to commit to hear us and make time for us. It's almost impossible out here! But, we'll make it work somehow. I'm hoping for Susan, the always amazing Mike Price (he canceled this week because he was sick) and maybe June or Donna. We'll see what happens these next five weeks. I'm so excited!
Lately I've been sleep-deprived, more than usual. Just because I have more responsibilities as DL and I have to push the tempo. Not like I did before, but that added responsibility is making me a bit stressed...but it's meant to make me stretch. The Lord knows when we need to step it up, and I need to this transfer. We have great potential here, so we have to put it all to the test!
I always love going over to visit Bruce Saylor. He's a convert of two years and he's preparing for the temple. He couldn't last year because he got really sick and they took out his gall bladder. He thought it was an ache but it got infected and he nearly died. But as he said, 'I'm back!' Gosh I love him! He says when we come, we give him a boost. When we go there, we get a boost too! He's so funny, and he loves talking about the Book of Mormon with us. I love going to places and feeling the Spirit when you enter in that place or home. It's the best feeling ever!
Woods and I are going to love it here! I'm so excited! The Lord has something prepared here and I hope I'll see its fruition!
I miss you all...I miss y'all. I hope everything is going alright, and stay safe!
I'll drive carefully, believe me!
Love,
Spencer
P.S. I miss you Grandma! (-_-) ---me bowing to my loving grandma!
I was so happy to get the phone...but I was equally I'll talk to President Goodrich about all the details and what is really going on at the mission office. I'll ask him to see what his opinion is about sending my old phone home or whether I should keep it. We'll see what happens.
Sorry about that...I'm just so worn out I just type and I mess up on what keys I'm typing...oops sent!
So I was happy to see the phone, but dismayed when I talked to the mission office about my phone...they said to hold off on it so I'll call mission president about it. He knows all.
That's too bad about Mike, I hope he'll get it worked out! The mission is great! It'll do him some good, some great good!
This past week started slow, gained speed, then tailed off on the weekend as usual. But, it was a really great week and I am really enjoying my new companion, Elder Woods of Summerville, South Carolina (outside Charleston). It was very busy!
We had some really sweet days! My favorite had to have been Saturday. Just because we taught a less active, whose been inactive for who knows how long, and she really wants to change and come back to church. The past month she's really changed. Her name is Betsy Miller, and her sister apparently has been pushing her softly to think about going to the temple for years and years. It's finally made a breakthrough! We're re-teaching her the lessons and she is applying what we teach and ask to read to her own life. We go in there, she's like 'come on in guys!' and we talk a little so she'll get to know Woods. We asked who was going to pray to start and she volunteered (or decided). She gave the most honest and sincere prayer I've heard in a long time. Basically she said, 'enlighten me so I can learn and come back.' That really set the tone for our lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She asked us, 'how can people not accept the Gospel in the Spirit World?' My comp pulled through with Amulek's talk in Alma 34, that the same spirit in the earth will be the same spirit in the next life. Slowly and surely, she'll come back to church. We're just here to help her along. She wants to be sealed in the temple, at least to her sister. She said she can't imagine life without her sister, and we'll gladly oblige in teaching her to reach that goal.
I never realized how amazing this plan is from the Lord. We decided to go with this plan, knowing that many will fall by the wayside. But yet, we went through with it because we knew Jesus Christ will allow us the chance to return to His presence. Adam fell that men might be, that they might have joy. I love to think of the Fall this way. Adam was created, then Eve. Adam starts naming animals, 'Aardvark'. Eve says, 'Adam, we have to obey both commandments, but how are we to have children?' Adam says, 'I don't know, Beaver!' Later on, Eve again says to Adam, 'How are we to live both commandments if we don't have children?' Adam says, 'Kangaroo!' Then Eve comes again and says, 'Adam, I ate the fruit so I'm going to be kicked out...to live alone. Without me, we cannot have children.' Adam realizes and says, 'I see. ZEBRA!' and eats. See? Women are smarter! The Atonement separates us from others, on top of modern revelation. If everyone understood it, we'd be in Zion. All will receive resurrected bodies, that is a free gift for all that have lived here. And, we'll have the precious gift of eternal life if we live His laws. A truly celestial plan.
That was probably the highlight of my week, among other things. We picked up two new investigators, a member's non-member husband, June, and a former investigator Shenice Bryant. They're awesome! June used to have a baptismal goal set, but he backed out. Well, round two! He'll commit this time! We got him a Tagalog Book of Mormon because his English is still basic. As for Shenice, she used to investigate the church a little bit back but stopped. She has six children, including a month old baby. She's unmarried, and lives with her boyfriend...so we'll have to work on that. The bishop chuckled when I said, 'we'll worry about that a little later' in PEC yesterday. She readily accepted our message and she was all about reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it and about Joseph Smith. Sometimes people need time to let it sink in, so I hope it's her time.
We set a baptismal goal of three baptisms. In this area, it's possible. It's just a matter of getting people to commit to hear us and make time for us. It's almost impossible out here! But, we'll make it work somehow. I'm hoping for Susan, the always amazing Mike Price (he canceled this week because he was sick) and maybe June or Donna. We'll see what happens these next five weeks. I'm so excited!
Lately I've been sleep-deprived, more than usual. Just because I have more responsibilities as DL and I have to push the tempo. Not like I did before, but that added responsibility is making me a bit stressed...but it's meant to make me stretch. The Lord knows when we need to step it up, and I need to this transfer. We have great potential here, so we have to put it all to the test!
I always love going over to visit Bruce Saylor. He's a convert of two years and he's preparing for the temple. He couldn't last year because he got really sick and they took out his gall bladder. He thought it was an ache but it got infected and he nearly died. But as he said, 'I'm back!' Gosh I love him! He says when we come, we give him a boost. When we go there, we get a boost too! He's so funny, and he loves talking about the Book of Mormon with us. I love going to places and feeling the Spirit when you enter in that place or home. It's the best feeling ever!
Woods and I are going to love it here! I'm so excited! The Lord has something prepared here and I hope I'll see its fruition!
I miss you all...I miss y'all. I hope everything is going alright, and stay safe!
I'll drive carefully, believe me!
Love,
Spencer
P.S. I miss you Grandma! (-_-) ---me bowing to my loving grandma!
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