Hey family and friends!! It is hard to believe how fast time is going, but how slow these first few months have been for me! Thank you all so much for you emails and thought and prayers. I had such amazing experiences this week that have really changed my attitude about my whole life. I know my emails are long and if you don't want to read them all you don't have too, but I promise that there is stuff in here that can help you become a better person. A lot of it is personal experiences from day to day. If you want to know anything else about my mission feel free to email me! I love emails!!
Week of August 17-23 of 2015
Monday:
Today was a really amazing and fun day! All around we were pretty happy and could feel the spirit the whole day! We went to the Fort Worth Water Gardens and went shopping, and I even got my haircut! We did a lot of things and best of all we got to email home!
After p-day ended at 6 we went to work! Our exchange was canceled because our member was to busy, but we still had people we could bike to and visit! We went contacting to this one apartment and a small dog kept following us and just barking, and it would not leave us alone! The funniest thing happened. Elder Schuhmacher took his Book of Mormon and pointed it at the dog, and the dog ran away with its tail between its legs. It is amazing the power of the Book of Mormon. We biked at taught Juana again, except this time we taught her about L3 El Evangelio De Jesucristo (the gospel of Jesus Christ). The lesson was going well until Juana got stung by a bee and then the lesson plummeted. We explained the importance of reading, praying and attending church to feel that spirit and peace that you can feel and talked about baptism. However, she didn't feel she could do all the things we talked about because she was so busy. I testified that I knew she could through the help of Christ and God.
So we ended there and began to pray where some people at the other side of the apartment building start yelling and fighting during our prayer. I could no longer feel that calm spirit or focus on what I was saying. We left that lesson feeling very down. I testify that fighting or arguing takes away that spirit, even hearing it takes it away. However, I also testify that praying brings it back. We went back to our apartment and prayed for help to finish our planning and I feel peace and calmness again.
I learned a lot today.
Tuesday:
So I don't know if I have ever explained how we do studies every morning so I will explain it really simply. We wake up at 630 and go and exercise at a park. We run and do some sit ups and crunches for about 15-20 min and then we bike home. We have an hour to both shower and eat and then our studies begin. We start with an hour of personal study, then we have 2 hours of comp study where I am still being trained and then we have language study after lunch. So we never get out of the house earlier that 1 or 2, unless we have a meeting or service project to go to for the district or Zone. So every Tuesday we go to a giant Food Bank and sort food into boxes and crates so they can be sent all over Texas!! It is way fun, but it takes up almost half the afternoon. We have to take 2 buses to get there and then we work for 3 hours there. So altogether probably 5 hours or so serving on just Tuesday's. It is so worth it and you get to meet some of the most caring people there. So after our service we went and taught our investigator Hennessy. I am sad, because she wants to be baptized, but she has a hard time focusing to our lessons. But on a better note her aunt who has been sitting in and listening trying not to be noticed is very interested. She is a member, but fell away hardcore and she is pretty much starting fresh. I loved teaching her, because she just thrives off of the words I say. She wants to read the Book of Mormon because she wants to know more when we are not there and she is really doing good. She actually came to church last week! I am happy to know that we were able to touch more than one life in that lesson!
After that, we went to dinner at Guadalupe's house for dinner and a lesson. The food was amazing rice and meatballs and then we taught her more about the plan of salvation again. The one thing I just loved that she said was, every time I learn I love that I learn something different than before.
Today was a really good day.
Wednesday:
So today i had the chance to have a personal study and a little bit of companionship study before we went to our District Meeting. I truly love my District so much! They are all over a year, but they help me to understand so much and realize how fast my mission really will go!
Here are my notes from District meeting. Also Elder Schuhmacher and I did a lesson role play in front of everyone in Spanish and it went pretty good!
Reunion De Districto August 19, 2015
Elder Siniscalchi:
Porque los miembros son importante en la obra misional:
Presidente Gordon B. Hinckley dijo, “Los misioneros de tiempo completo pueden encargarse de enseñarle, pero el miembro, siempre que sea posible, respalda la enseñanza al ofrecer su hogar para que este servicio misional se lleve a cabo. Dará un sincero testimonio de la divinidad de esta obra. Estará presente para contestar preguntas en ausencia de los misioneros y ofrecerá su amistad al converso mientras hace una transformación grande y con frecuencia difícil… [El proceso] de traer gente nueva a la Iglesia no es responsabilidad exclusiva de los misioneros. El éxito de los misioneros es mayor cuando los miembros se convierten en la fuente de recursos donde se encuentran nuevos investigadores” (véase “Apacienta mis ovejas”, Liahona,,julio de 1999, págs. 119–120).
Hay escrituras en Alma 8 y Alma 10 que explican más sobre la obra misional.
Also after the meetings I had the chance to play the piano. While I was playing there was another missionary, Elder Allison planing the piano in the room next door. He would play louder so then I would and here was a video of our piano battle!!!
Sorry it is all in Spanish! I know it is probably a pain to have to try and translate, but my goal is to go as much Spanish during the day as I can and it does help me a lot!
So today was an okay day. We were supposed to have a exchange with a member, but our member never showed up to give us a ride to our appointments, and we didn't have time to bike across town so we got only one simple lesson taught. However, we were biking home and a guy just started waving at us me so we stopped to talk to him.
He told us he had some missionaries teach him about 2 years ago and we asked him if he wanted more. And he wants them so bad because he loved them!
Also here is an idea of just how many words I have been studying so I can get this language. These cards all have back sides and I had to throw away a few that were just falling apart! And the bottom left one is a book of words to study as well.
(see attached picture)
Thursday:
So Thursday always end up being really good for me, but they always start out really slow because we have weekly planning every Thursday. So today we didn't have the chance to leave our apartment to start contacting until close to 3:45 in the afternoon. It never feels like forever long, but that is a lot of hours just studying and planning for the week. However, I love the weekly planning because I learn how to be a better missionary with the help of my companion. He teaches me new things and I teach him new things, and the best part about it is we can use the spirit to help us plan what is really needed, instead of planning what we want.
So after planning. We went contacting to some former Investigators who some time ago decided not to talk to the missionaries. We were contacting in a neighborhood a and found this lady and her young kids sitting on the porch, so we went and started talking to her, and come to find out, she was waiting for some missionaries to bring her a Book of Mormon!! She had English missionaries come before, but they didn't have any in Spanish, so the missionaries told her they would get ahold of us, but try never did. The lord truly wanted us to find her I believe. Her name is Yedith. So we taught her the first lesson and she loved it. She was just absorbing what we said. Also her questions were just the most solid questions like, how can I know if it is the spirit?. It was a really spiritual lesson and I hope everything will work out for her!!!
So after that we went and taught Hennessy again and she seems even more ready for baptism!! I am excited for her, but I am also very excited for her aunt that has been joining into the lessons. She opened up and today she told us she was moving into our ward because a house became available to her with no cost. She says it is the lord telling her it is time to quit smoking and get ready too be a member again. Today she cried as she told us about her struggles yesterday, but I promised her that she could do it with the help of the Lord. I realize that baptism is important, but I also rejoice in seeing a daughter of God come back into the fold from a dry pasture that has no hope.
Also to end the night, I have started to carry the phone to take off some stress from Elder Schuhmacher. So when it rings if it is in Spanish I give it to him, but tonight I answered it and had a full conversation without any troubles and I just felt so amazing!!! I love Spanish so much! Today was an amazing day!
Friday:
So today we had the opportunity to go and teach a work or salvation lesson. These are lessons we teach to members to get them excited about finding people that we can teach!! It went really well and the lady we taught is most likely going to invite her friend and daughters to a movie night we are holding at the church. We are going to watch Meet The Mormons.
So for lunch today I made a really big sandwich with chips, salsa and chocolate milk and it really reminded me of eating lunch at home with dad, so I took a picture!
(see attached picture)
We also had a chance to sit and visit with Hermano Peña while we were waiting for our ride to out dinner appointment and it was so much fun just getting to know him a little bit better. We went and ate dinner with Hermana Aviña a sweet old lady who never thinks she cooks good yet I can never get enough! She is also the all time world champ in my eyes for speaking the most Spanglish in the world. At it,se I can understand her, because that is how I learned at first. Then at other times I just stared and thought, how can you get your brain to switch that fast!! Haha it was funny and it was really fun hearing about what her life was like in the past. Old people are just so sweet!
After dinner we went to a baptism that the North Spanish Speaking elders had! It was really good and their convert was so happy and glowing. You could see how much it meant to him and I am just so excited for him and his new life he can have!!
I just know this gospel is hard. Yes we have to endure a lot, but so did Jesus Christ who established this church.
Saturday:
So today we were going to go and give service to the reactivating member Erica, but she text us and told us last second that her house wasn't quite ready today so we had to change all of our plans last second. I believe it was something that God wanted though, because as we were contacting people today we drove past this lady that was stopped on the side walk and not looking at us. I didn't think anything of her until I looked back to check for cars and saw her facing towards this tree with her head leaning against it like she was crying. I yelled up to Elder Schuhmacher and said to him, "I feel we need to go back and talk to her." We went back and as I got close I asked the lady, "are you okay mam?" She looked at us and just started to cry. She looked very sunburned and dehydrated. She was chocking for good air and just looked very sick. She explained that her husband went to jail last week and she has been living without money and an A/C unit since he left. She hadn't eaten for awhile and was just trying to find a better place than her garage to stay. She also explained she didn't believe in smoking or drugs and I believe she didn't, because she didn't smell or look like a drinker or druggy.( trust me you can tell pretty easy here in Texas) I gave her my whole bottle of water to keep and then gave her a card with LDS Family Services phone number to help her if they could. I also gave her a restoration pamphlet with a little bit of money that I didn't need. As we got ready to leave she looked at me and said, "how old are you?" I responded with my answer of, "only 18", and she started crying again." You are so young, but making such a difference in this world!," she said. As she left she gave both me and my companion a weird hug, because we were in like the no touch us zones, and she went on her way. I will never forget that feeling I had to go back and talk to her, or the feeling I had of helping her and feeling a love for her by wanting to help her in any way I could. I hope and pray she will get the real help that she needs, and that I can keep following that great spirit that knowers all things.
We also biked all over town today. Easily over 10 miles back and forth and had a few contacts, but just simple hellos and talking about God. All I can think about is this woman so this is all for today.
Sunday:
So today church was so amazing!! I am slowly catching on and every once in a while I think, " is this in English?" Then I realize, um not it not! Haha I love these people and am loving them even more as I learn this language more! Also after dinner we went to teach a lesson with a girl that is about 17 who lives in a pretty ghetto apartment complex where you don't want to be at night. We taught her about gods plan for her. The lesson was going really well until a drunk man who was her neighbor just came and started singing and laughing right by me. And when I mean close his leg was touching mine and he was breathing right into my face and telling me secrets. I was chocking for some good air haha. He was ruining our lesson big time so I asked him as polite as you can ask a drunk man, to go in his house and we would talk to him tomorrow when he isn't drunk. I was glad he listened, because our lesson went really well afterwards. She said she would be baptized if she felt it was right! So my day was pretty amazing today and tomorrow is already pday again!
Monday:
So I just wanted to share some of my personal study today.
I have been reading a lot of older talks by Elder Holland and by President Monson, and there are a few that I challenge you to read. One is Your Jericho Road from April 1977.
Another is Yellow Canaries with Gray on Their Wings from April 1973. And the last is The Bridge Builder from October 2003.
As I have read these and have felt such a difference in my outlook on my life!! I know my purpose and there is one poem from The Bridge Builder that I want to share.
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting strength with building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way-
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide--
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?
The builder lifted his old gray head,
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.”
This helps all of us to realize our purpose of this life, "once ye are converted, go and convert thy brethren." I testify that forgetting yourself and going to work with others through service is the most rewarding thing you can ever do, and in the process you become even more converted to the Lord. As you are asked why you serve here is the rest of the great poem to remember.
“You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide--
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?”
“There followeth after me today
A vast throng whose feet must pass this way,
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that great throng may a pitfall be.
They too must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for them.”
An lastly, remember who created the greatest bridge into eternal life. Our Master Bridge Builder our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May we strive you be like him everyday and build a bridge for someone other than yourself.
Thank you all again for the support you show me! I love you all so much, and miss you all so much!! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week to Aunt Sheri! I would love to hear from you! Have a great week. And to everyone else, I challenge you to find you favorite scripture and send me an email on how it helps you!
Through Christ we can do all things! (Alma 26:12)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
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