Week Two

Holly cow it is crazy how fast time has been flying for me! So this

week a lot of things happened. To start off we were blessed with

another a/c unit for a box (aka our apartment) and it has been

freezing cold ever since. We study in temperatures of around 66 to 68

degrees. That sounds freezing, but you are in the 100 plus degree

weather all day tracting it is amazing to shiver a bit.

We also had pretty much a full day of service last week on Wednesday.

We went to the food bank and sorted foods for around three hours, but

to get there and back took around 2 hours by bike and bus, so the time

really added up. It felt amazing to work with other churches for one

simple purpose of helping other people. That night we went to

Guadalupe's house for dinner and a lesson, and she made the best

Mexican food I have ever had! I say this because I usually am not a

fan of fish, but her fish was to die for!! So after dinner we taught

her the restoration again, and it was amazing to see how she started

to open up and share experiences and her testimony. I know she will be

a great asset to her ward if she keeps doing those simple steps of

reading, pondering, and praying. All of us can become stronger member

through these 3 steps. We all have a simple purpose in life. We are

all missionaries and missionaries teach investigators. Start with

yourself as the investigator and be converted first unto the lord, and

I promise you will strive and want to share what you have with every

person you see. So I try to stay as positive as I can in my letters,

because I really am loving it. But I received a letter that said to

please share about the hard times and the good times. So this week for

me the hard times happened everyday. Missions are not easy. I struggle

a lot with the language and a lot of people slam the door in our

faces, our appointments fall through and people drive by and say some

vulgar things all the time. So why do am I serving? I am serving

because I love the lord, because I know that everyone is a child of

God they just don't realize it yet. Jesus Christ did not give up on us

and still loved and wanted the best for those who crucified him. I

will probably not be crucified, but I am challenged, but through

Christ example and attributes I can find the good in every person I

see. So as I was having struggles this week I had a friend send me a

package and in this package there were 2 quotes that I needed so

badly. One of them states, You are loved more than you will ever know

by someone who died to know you. -Romans 5:8

And the second one said, those who move forward with a Happy Spirit

will find that things always work out. - President Hinkley

These I put to use this week and I found so much for happiness through

living them.

I also received a package from my parents and letters and snacks that

really boosted my energy and confidence. My companion loves his new

tie mom and dad, and I love everything you got me!! The BYU shirt is

something I was definitely missing.

The next day we taught a younger girl named Hennessy and she committed

to be baptized on the 15 of August so our goal now is to get her to

come to church and keep her commitments so that she can be baptized on

that date. So Sunday my companion gave me an opportunity to talk about

one of our investigators in ward mission correlation meeting, and I

was scared out of my mind, because it is in Spanish. I did great and

learned so much, and then I was asked to play the piano for the

primary kids to practice songs for their program next week and what an

experience that was! I am slowly learning the language, and I can

slowly start to understand more of what people say. It really was an

amazing week.

I hope this covers a lot of what you all wanted to hear? Please keep

sending me the emails and letters, they help me so much. I love

hearing about the family things and things going on. Yes I get a

little homesick, but then I realize that 22 months from now I will get

to do all those things with you all!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños! To my cute little niece Berkeyboo, I hope you have

an amazing day and eat lots of Doug-nos(doughnuts). Also happy

birthday to Adam on the 5th and Jaden on the 6th, and Annie James on

the 7th. I hope you all have amazing birthdays!!

I love you all so much!!! Please read, ponder, and pray daily for

personal revelation that you desperately need each day. I promise the

Lord will bless you as you do theses things.

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove