Dear Family and
Friends,
Thank you for such an
amazing week of letters and emails and thoughts! I hope you enjoy my long list
of thoughts for this week!!
Week of September
14-20
Monday:
What a crazy day it
has been! For us plays are probably the busiest and craziest days of the week
right next to Sunday's! However I love Pdays because it gives us a chance
to relax a little and get our thoughts put back together for the week! Also, I
get to talk with my family over email! So an experience that happened today was
me and my companion, and two other elders who have a car, went shopping. After
we finished shopping we went to grab a quick bite to eat at McDonalds, don't
worry we don't eat there all the time, and as we got up to order a younger man
walked up to the lady at the register and said, "I will be paying for
their meal". We all were a little shocked and come to find out this
younger man returned from a mission in California Carlsbad a few years prior
and said people helped him so he was going to help us and he knows how much
money we get and knew we could use the help! It really made me realize how
lucky we are to have that tie with the members of our religion! We are blessed
with not only a church, but a family that can help one another! So I also got a
haircut that I love so much for a Birthday Prep that I will take a picture of on
Thursday! I also received my birthday packages from my parents and my grandma
Spendlove! I loved the thought put into all of it and am so grateful for my
family! As I taught tonight I realized something! We teach about
baptism and for instance tonight a man said, " well all you want
to do is baptize you." Well yes we would love to baptize you, but after I
sat there for a while I said, "we want you to be baptized so that you can
live with your family forever!" Everyday I thank God for my family and
that I get to live with them forever! This week please reach out love your
family. If you are struggling to get along, serve them. And if they have become
your enemy, pray for them. I promise that family is the way of finding not only
happiness, but joy for eternity!
Tuesday:
This morning I watched
3 Mormon Messages that really touched me! They were called My Daily Bread. From
these videos I have had some time to really think about them. At the beginning
of my mission I would always pray to make the mission go fast. I didn't
understand the blessing that I got day by day being out here. As I watched
these videos I believe I received revelation for myself to not pray for a
miracle to happen, but to begin to pray for things by days. Pray to have a good
day and have the opportunity to talk to someone new. Pray for guidance as you
go throughout your day. I am beginning to realize that as I do this the mission
sometimes goes a little faster than I am ready for! Also I have noticed that
the way I study my scriptures has changed. Before the mission I didn't realize
how starving I was. I had deprived myself of so many spiritual experiences that
come from a personal scripture study, personal pray, and time for meditation. I
have noticed everything begin to change as I do like it says in Alma 60:23.
First clean the inner vessels. As I have been doing this I notice the outer
vessels have changed as well. Start with your thoughts, your feeling and things
you see and you will see a huge difference in your life. The easiest way to see
this difference is rely on the Lord to change you by study, prayer and
meditation.
So today we were able
to serve at the food bank and get a lot of food all sorted out! It was a very
tiring process, but always so rewarding! So after we finished and got home we
had no to,e to eat before we got over to our lesson with Hennessy! Well it
ended up that Hennessy could be taught tonight so we had a really
good visit with Hermana Fuentes! I was able to just sit with her and actually
have a full on conversation that felt so great! And we taught her and her
sister! After that we quickly stopped by Subway for my early Birthday Dinner on
Whitney and Adam, since there will be no time on Thursday! So I got Adam
and Whitneys package today with all the notes and pics from the family that
really helped me!!! I also just received my birthday letter from my dad! I feel
so blessed, because he rarely writes stuff and I feel honored to have him write
me for my birthday! One of the best presents I will ever receive from him will
be his letters!
Wednesday:
So today I received a
package from Shayli, Tyson, Shauni and Ethan. Also I received one from Sister
Williams and the Mia-maids! The packages just made my birthday "week"
so amazing! I loved the candy and the clothes and letters! However when I
opened my box from Shayli, Shauni, Tyson and Ethan I found lots of ants! They
somehow got into the bag of Jerky and were climbing all over my clothes and
stuff. However, they didn't stop my from taking out everything and trying it
on! I just killed them all and kept on going! So other than that we had weekly
planning today, because tomorrow we have zone conference with
President Ames all day! It is going to be such a good Birthday! Also I guess I
might just have a nephew born as a present as well! We had the opportunity to
go and teach Jhonny, a recent convert. We taught Jhonny about the temple and
the importance of the doing family history work as well. I love teaching him
because he loves to ask questions and is so interested in every word we say! I
pray that we can find more people like him every day! What a good day!
Thursday:
What a different, but
amazing way to spend a Birthday! First off I wake up to an email that I have a
new Nephew!!!!!!!! I am seriously in heaven thinking when I get home we will be
going out for birthday dates every year! Also he is so cute, just like his
already favorite uncle!( me) haha just joking! But he is one cute kid! So today
we woke up at 630 like usual and had a great Exercise running! As we got home I
made some corn muffins and put my candles in them, because that is all we
really had time for. Because right after studies we went straight to our Zone
Conference for and uplifting and edifying day with President Ames! I am
definitely on a spiritual high with the amazing things he said that I will add
in here!
September 17th 2015 Zone Conference
Reading assignment
prior to zone conference:
• 2 Nephi 31:4-21
• 3 Nephi 11:31-41
• 3
Nephi 27:13-22
D&C 20:27
• Pages 1-11 of Preach
My Gospel
Your Service
Responsibilities
1. Act according to
standards appropriate for servant of the Lord.
2. Always remain with
your companion.
3. Always wear your
missionary name tag and clothing appropriate.
4. keep your
priorities: Service during least productive times.
5. Be cheerful.
6. Be safe.
7. Show up
8. Be alert and look
for more service.
Get to 10 hours a
week!
Being A Full Purpose
Missionary(An Angel)- President Ames
D&C 105:31
-If we want to become
a full purpose missionary we need to repent and put off the natural man.
-We are 80 baptisms
behind from last year at this time. Why? Are we doing something wrong or are we
forgetting something!? We are forgetting to have member lessons. We need those
investigators to have friends at church and in life that can help them.
- You could try
showing the people you contact a picture of your bishop and his family!
4 keys to a Relationship:
1. Never Gossip
2. Express love in a
meaningful way.
3. Share feelings.
4. Feed the Fish (take
care of the relationship)
When we use this in
any relationship we will see more unity and strength.
Never treat members
like a gum all machine.
-Sometimes you put a
quarter in and a gum-ball doesn't come out.
(We ask for referrals
and they have none to give.)
So do we shake the
machine or kick it? No!
Actually help them
realize they can do it. Help them build their own fire to find people.
Our main purpose of
missionary work is the salvation of souls.
-However, there are
thousands of things we have to do in order for a person to get to that point
with our help.
-Sometimes we focus to
much of the things we need to do, when our biggest focus should be the end goal
of their salvation and the other things we have to do become muscle memory.
Let us have quality
exchanges with Members
-Meaning give them an
assignment in a lesson and make sure you give them plenty of notice.
When talking to our bishops
-Do not tell them how
the investigators are doing.
-Lay out what you need
by saying, "Bishop here are the things we need this week."
- If you don't have
anything for the week then ask the council for some ideas.
-Sometimes we don't
need to ask, we just need to go and do.
-The people you teach
and talk to are always watching you, even years down the road.
D&C 112:10 Be Thou
Humble
-We don't have to be
perfect, but we have to be perfectly trying.
-As you live you life
as a full purpose missionary you will always receive inspiration.
-Have a
notebook by your bed.
-It is not all about
the water...
-Our purpose in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ is about BECOMING.
3 Nephi 11:15
-The thing Jesus
taught the people when they yelled Hosanna was baptism and the sacrament.
3 Nephi 27:20
D&C 59:9
-The things of most
worth should be to get people baptized.
-We have a duty to
promise people blessings found in the Book of Mormon.
-No only means I don't
understand you yet.
-Baptism is not
repentance. We should have done that way before we enter the water.
-The restoration
taught is not important without promised blessings.
L1:The What of the
Gospel
L2:The Why of the
Gospel
L3:The How of the
Gospel
Church and the Sabbath
Day
-Going to church is a
huge start in the repentance process of Change.
Reasons to attend:
1) Sacrament- Renew
Covenant(s)
2) Feeling the
Spirit-receive revelation
3) A Friend
4) Hear Members
Testimonies
5) Understand the
Church
6) Nourished
Find , Teach, Baptize,
"Retain."
-In-actives are just
as important as investigators!
What scriptures could
we use to teach about Church Attendence?
-Moroni 6:5-6.
-3 Nephi 11
-D&C 8:2-3.
-Exodus 20
-3 Nephi 18:11-12.
-D&C 59:9-15
The importance of
church -1 Nephi 9:6
How can we teach
someone when we are not there?
-Leave something for
them to read or thing about.
-Text the a Scripture
-Testify
-Commit
-Follow up
-Send them a link to a
talk
-Pray for them
-Give them stories
-Teach them how to
pray or study
-Fellowship
-Teach with the spirit
-Have them keep a
journal of when they feel the spirit and why
-Share over text what
you are learning from personal study
-Service projects
-Sign them up for a
daily text on Lds.org
-Always set them up
for success, not failure.
Every missionary has a
tough day. Celebrate it! It is an opportunity to be a little more like our
Savior!
It takes some time on
your knees if you really want Spiritual edification.
We can seek the truth
in this life, but the path will not be easy. Has it ever been easy? (Pioneers)
- Member Missionary
Work-
¿Where does it begin?
The champion program-
a program set up to have people assigned to teach or help those struggling come
back to church. The bishop assigns a family or a person a family or two to
teach and help. In return hoping for more people being converted or coming back
from inactivity. This program sounds like it would be amazing to have right?
Well the funny thing
is, we do have it! It is called Home/Visiting Teaching! Are we taking it
seriously? Do we visit our assigned families? They need us more than we know.
Also something that has hit me is that members want to have similar experiences
of success in their missionary work, and they can have those if the keep
striving to teach and love those they are assigned.
Mark 10:27 With
God all things are possible.
However I am a little upset, because
I have the same birthday as my new nephew and all I have is two pictures of
him! A
I can definitely say that I have had an amazing birthday because of all of you and the people here!
Through Christ we can do all things! (Alma 26:12)
Friday:
So today was seriously a day I will
never forget! Fist off, Brother Peña had surgery today on his back that took 6
hours and he seems to be doing good! We are going to visit him tomorrow.
Also, I had an opportunity to go on an exchange with Elder Bigler from Salem
Hills Utah! He has been out for around a year and a half and was such a huge
help to my confidence and my language. He really helped me understand how to
just talk with people about their lives. We don't have to be robots when we talk
to the about the church. It was so amazing and we actually had an amazing
lesson with Hennessy and Mesmerize tonight! We had to change their baptism
date, because they missed a Sunday, but we have set a new one and pray
they will keep it! Prayers are what they need! Also Elder Bigler and I took and
awesome picture in the bus when we were on our way home after our awesome day
of finding people! He has been one the the most awesome missionaries that
just right away began to help me! What a great day I had.
Saturday:
So today we finished our exchange
with a good meal at a Restaurant called San Luis! A member owns it and the
missionaries are allowed to go like every two weeks and eat for free! It's
amazing food that was bien rico and just a place similar to Lupitas in
Hurricane! So here is a picture our the end of our exchange! It is me and my
companion and also my favorite SPIDLS ever! They have taught me so much!
Also today we went to
visit our landlord/member that we live by in the hospital. He had his surgery
yesterday and is in lots of pain today, however I still got him to smile and
giggle a little! After that we went with a recent convert Jhonny Garcia to
dinner at a buffet. I have never ever seen anyone eat as much as Jhonny did and
he doesn't gain anything! It was so fun to get to know him more as my Spanish
improves and I can understand more or less what he is saying! After dinner
elder Schuhmacher and I had no lessons, but had some people on our street to
contact, so we walked around for about 45 min and got two lessons. One lesson
with a lady named Maria who is a Jehovah's Witness for now. And the other with
a man named Hector. Wow Hector I feel is very interested, because the sisters
were teaching him before and I don't know why they stopped teaching them. He
has read the Book of Mormon a little and says he wants to go to the church,
because the Mormons seemed more focused in their beliefs than others. So we
invited him and his wife Norma to church tomorrow! It really was a night
or full day of just miracles for us! I know God helps us everyday!
Sunday:
What an amazing day!
We had such an amazing day at church today and had 5 people we are working with
come to church! Hennessy, Mesmerize, Hermana Fuentes, Erica and her daughter
Jamillex came! And we changed the date for Hennessy and Mesmerizes baptisms to
this weekend! Please pray that all will work out with them and that we can
teach everything and get everyone called to have the baptism so close!
We are so excited for
them, and I believe they are very excited as well! So today was a very long day
for me in church! I had a hard time keeping my eyes open so I had a hard time
understanding all that was being said! However, the members are finally
starting to open up to me a little bit more, so that is great! To this evening
we had some lessons planned out, but we got a text that President Ames wanted
to see all of us at his fireside with someone we are helping. So last minute we
talked with Jhonny, a recent convert, to see if he wanted to go! So we were
able to go with him and his two kids! The fireside was amazing and I learned
how simple our gospel really is! We should focus on the simple things and by
doing so we can help others to come unto Christ as well!
September 20th 2015
Presidents Fireside
President Ames:
Getting to know God is
a process. However, we are not learning new stuff. We are only refreshing and
remembering the stuff we once knew before this life. That is why it is all so
familiar to us.
When we talk about
returning to God we must realize that the word return means we were already
there once before. Romans 8:16
Act 8:12 you
can not buy the power of God.
Also I received an
email this evening that had an amazing quote by Trevor Williams.
"We are always
worthy to change!" 3 Nephi 9:13
The one question I
want to leave with you to let you think is What does the word RETURN mean to
you? It says it in the bible a lot that God wants us to return. If you have any
good scriptures or thoughts please email me or write me!! What a great day!
So I know it is crazy
long, but I have had some amazing experience! I hope you all enjoyed and I love
you all so much! God is real, and you are one of his many children, but don't
ever feel like you are not important, because he knows you personally and loves
you so much! Have a great week!
Through Christ we can
do all things! (Alma 26:12)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
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