Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you so much for all of the thoughts, prayers, love and support!
I can feel it everyday! These weeks just keep going faster and faster
and it is so crazy! So yesterday I talked to a missionary whose
"mission dad" was the elder Leavitt I was supposed to say hi too! He
showed me a picture and it looks just like he is part of the family!
Also I had so many amazing experiences! I also received that my soccer
coach went through the temple again with all of his family! The
feeling that brings me is so crazy! I know that temples and the
priesthood can truly seal us for time and all eternity with our
families. And the amazing thing is that everyone is welcome to go to
the temple! All you have to do is simply read the repent, be baptized,
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and then do the simple steps of
following the commandments. I promise you can have this true never
ending happiness if you just try!
So my week in a nutshell!
Week November 2-8 2015
Monday:
I really am in love with my P-days, all except for how fast they fly
by! So today we had so much going on I just had a hard time finding
time to write letter, email and clean! However I did realize that the
day flew by because I was so busy! So today we were picked up by the
English elders and went shopping at a store called Aldis where
everything is an off brand and much cheaper, and there is a huge
produce section! After we finished shopping we went to the Stock yards
again and had a lot of fun looking in the old fashion shops! We also
went into a shop of a member and went into a back room to sign a
missionary wall where all of the missionaries for the past 3 years
have signed as they have gone to the shop! And now my name is on this
wall with all these missionaries and it will always be there!!! It is
a place I definitely want to visit again when I come back with my
parents! Also we went to the church to play games, but no one showed
up,so I shot some hoops and emailed the rest of pday which was good
with me! As we got home I receive a package from my friend Stefani
with some really awesome treats! Thanks Stafani!
Also we went straight to work on contacting a referral that we
received. As we knocked on the door they saw us and said, we don't
speak English. Haha we began laughing and yelled back that we spoke
Spanish and a sweet lady opened the door! We talked to her and asked
for her husband and she said my oh well he is working. So we told her
we would come back and I think she felt bad, so she told us he was
eating in the kitchen. It really hurt me. These people really don't
understand what we do and why we do it. The world would rather lie
than just tell us the truth. So my thoughts changed from asking them
questions and just testifying to them of the blessings of the gospel
in my life and from reading the Book of Mormon! So that is what we did
with the next person we saw! And something amazing is he said he
wanted to go to church this Sunday so we are going to get him there
somehow!! Really we had an amazing day and I just feel so boosted and
ready as I finish messaging my family and hearing about there
testimonies! Something I learned is that the Book of Mormon is
something very important to have a testimony of. If we believe in the
Book of Mormon is doesn't matter who our bishop is or what has
happened between people, because we don't believe in the people being
perfect, but we believe and know that the book is and that means that
we always go to church and do the right things! I challenge you this
week to strengthen your testimony in the Book of Mormon!
Tuesday:
I feel like I always start my journal of by saying wow today was a
great day, so I am going to change it up a bit! Holy cow, today was an
awesome day!
So today we had the awesome opportunity to go and serve at the food
bank! As we got there and we're waiting for the rest of the
missionaries to show up a man walked up to us and asked if we were
missionaries. We said yes, and he asked if we could say a prayer for
him. He just started a 2 year program for his addiction and he lives
inside of a addiction recovery facility and only comes out 2 days a
week for service in the food bank and he felt like he was on the
breaking point of drinking again. So I prayed and he was very grateful
and after we explained how we are on a two year life changing
adventure and talked to him about the Book of Mormon. He said he
wanted one, but sadly had to leave before we had one for him! I really
hope that he will look into how the gospel can help him! Also today
after our service we began an exchange with the north side elders,
elder Cervantes and Revelli. I got to go in my area with an amazing
missionary, elder Cervantez! He is a native speaker and has a lot of
good tips to help me! I really can't find a missionary I don't like!
So we had the opportunity to go and teach Martin and Hennessy and
Mesmerize! It was so good to see them and we set the date of the 14 of
this month for the baptism of Martin! Now we just need to help him get
there!! We also came back to the house and got picked up by Jhonny
Garcia to teach him a quick lesson about the plan of salvation and
help answer some questions! It was an amazing lesson and I felt
amazing being able to express my feeling and everything in Spanish!
Also on our ride home I sat in the back of his car and talked with his
two cute kids Micheal and Kimberly in Spanish, because that is all
they know, and I learned so much!! What a fast and eventful day!
Wednesday:
So today a lot of amazing things happened to us and it just amazes me
on how my mentality changes! So today we ended our exchange with Elder
Cervantes and Elder Revelli. I learned so much from Elder Cervantes
and I am so happy for the opportunity I had! Also we had our District
meeting today and I learned so much but I was also able to teach a
training on how the gospel blesses families. I felt like it went okay
and I learned a lot from it to! So today after our meetings and car
checks we went to San Luis to eat at 2 and then after we ate we
realized that we had a dinner tonight with the bishops wife who always
makes crazy amounts of food for us. As we went to the dinner we went
by this house of a member, but they weren't home, so we went to the
neighbors house and had great success! We taught an amazing lesson on
the Book of Mormon! The best part was she told us a time to come back
and then we went to dinner! At dinner the bishop Picon told us a lot
of good stories and we really found out some good theirs that we can
teach and do to get the members stronger! After our amazing dinner we
headed across town to teach Erica and her family, but come to find out
we got pulled over!! The lady officer told us the area has been full
of crime and she didn't want us to get hurt or our bikes stollen and
we were supposed to go home, because it was dark, and this was at like
6:30. So we decided to change plans and head home! We didn't know how
we were going to reach our goals and we just had the thought that it
was going to be okay. Well we got back to the other side of town and
just looked at our area book and found people that might be
interested. So we actually found 2 people and taught them lessons on
the door step and then I have an amazing story of what happened this
evening before we got home. So we were biking home tonight and passed
this guy sitting under a tree in the dark and he waved at us so I
waved at him and just said good evening in Spanish. As we were biking
away I just said, Elder we have to go back. He said, where? So I told
him about the guy and we went back and he thanked us so much for
coming back. He said he had been praying for us to come back and
listen and his prayer was answered! So we talked to him and came to
find out that he just got fired from his job and was trying to drink
away the pain. So we just talked to him about the church and so much
about life and we looked over and saw a lady at a store trying to take
out her garbage sand so I told him hold on and I went and helped her
with her trash and came back. Then he told us, okay I want to know
more! Some gave him a Book of Mormon, and it was just an amazing day!
I learned that when I don't feel like working, I need to work!
Thursday:
Wow today everything is just clicking for me! I am still having
problems with the the language, but today for some reason I was able
to just talk more smoothly and understand more of what was happening
in our lessons and visits! So today we had our weekly planning and
then went and found an investigator named Erik who was leaving his
house. At first he said he was in a hurry, but then we asked him a few
questions, and he stopped and sat down and we talked to him about
these things and he wants us to come tomorrow night to teach him and
his wife a little bit more! It is amazing how simple questions can
change a full contact! So after we contacted Erik Hermano Delgado, the
Elders Quorum President came and picked us up for a dinner with the
sweet old lady sister Aviña. So we ate with her and had a great
conversation, but for me, I learned a lot of new words to boost the
confidence of these older ladies. A lot of times they feel like they
aren't good for anything because their husbands have passed alway, but
the way Hermano Delgado showed his love was amazing. As we were
talking he just began to do her dishes because she fell today and was
really sore. And after he gave her an amazing blessing! After our
dinner we went to the church to have an activity with the young men.
We were planning on doing a lot of Rescue Visits, but barely anyone
showed up and they all showed up late, so at around 8:15 pm me and
Elder Revelli went with Hermano Delgado, who is just so dedicated to
the house of some young men. Sadly, as we knocked we got the same
normal missionary response of nothing. So he asked me, Elder what can
we do? It hit me hard. This member is not thinking of himself. One
doesn't answer, but someone else might! If I could say anything to
every ward in this world I would say, stop thinking of yourself, and
you will find yourself. You will become more like Christ and things
will work out! I know that is true, because I see it in this member.
If I could only get every member to understand this. So my commitment
to all of you is to forget about yourself for a day and see if you see
a difference in your attitude!
Friday:
So today was a day of adventures and miracles all around! So today
after our studies we went to the house of a less active family that
signed up to feed us and we ate lunch with them! As we were visiting
in the kitchen it really just hit me at how blessed I am. I was
listening to the sisters story of not having papers or license to be
here and the struggles they are having and looking around there house
at their makeshift counter tops and shelves when it just hit me at how
many things I take for granted. I was amazed at how happy they were,
because this is more than they have ever had before! So as the sister
left the room for a second and left me and my companion alone we were
looking at all the different things when we saw all these cockroaches
run out of the cooking utensils and a few from the beans we were going
to eat! Um I was not quite sure how I felt about being in the house
let alone eating the food that was prepared for us, but before we
could do anything the sister walked back in the room, and we didn't
want to make her feel bad by telling her about the cockroaches she
probably already knew about because of the stacked house. So she
served our food and I just couldn't look at what I was eating because
I knew I would see something I probably didn't want too. However the
food was really amazing and worth it! And the funny thing is I will
probably be getting used to it, because she signed up for us to go
over every Friday to eat! After our amazing, kind of nasty, meal we
asked the sister if she new anyone that needed the gospel near by and
she directed us to a less active member that moved in across the
street about 5 months ago and she was having a hard time going back to
church. So we went over and knocked and she, Hna. Juarez, opened the
door and right always got us chairs to sit outside because her
boyfriend was gone, and also got us cake. So we sat outside and got to
know this less active for about and hour and come to find out she has
gone through a lot and can't get a real job because she doesn't have
papers either, and she wants to quite her job so she doesn't work
Sunday's, but she doesn't know where or when she will find another one
without the need of papers. She was very nice and actually set up the
next appointment for us! She told us her goal is to finalize her
Divorce and get married within the next month and then later in the
temple!. It was awesome to see her drive, but now helping her find a
job will be the struggle. So after the random visit with her we went
to the church for elder Lickiss to plan district meeting while I
practiced the piano! It is so nice to have this time to just sit and
play and feel the spirit so strong on the chapel! After my spiritual
jam sesh we took the bus more south to the house of a member outside
of our area to have dinner! As we were biking down the street to the
house I saw to drunk guys siting in the bed of their truck and I told
them "Buenas Tardes." The only thing they could say to me was do you
want a beer, and i just said no, but I should have said, "well do you
want a picture of Jesus Christ and a Book of Mormon?" Sadly I am not
quite quick enough! So tonight we had an amazing dinner with the
family Dominguez. We talked about a lot of different things, but the
only thing that lingered the whole time was me living by the FLDS
people and their beliefs, so I had the opportunity to share what it
was like going to school with some of them and what it is like in good
old Hurricane! It was a really relaxing time for me, and I really
enjoyed their love for us! I think the biggest things I learned today
were that when you see cockroaches running out of you predished food
you just have to keep your eyes and mind focused on something else,
and that we will always be tempted in the littlest ways, but if we
know ahead of time how we will respond it is much easier! How will you
respond when someone tries to offer you so,etching that is against
your beliefs, or are they even beliefs for you!?
Saturday:
Holy Cow! Today has been a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions!
Meaning that there was so many things that happened today that I felt
stressed, spiritual, homesick/mission sick and love all in the same
day!! I know it sounds stupid, but I learned so much today! So we
started off the day going to Joshua Texas to give service helping the
American Red Cross install smoke detectors in random homes! It was a
really fun time and I really had an opportunity to get to know the
fire fighters of Joshua and of course I had a lot of questions! Also
during our service it was freezing cold, and I was in a rush this
morning and forgot my jacket, but as we knocked on this door an older
lady answered and said she was okay, but saw me in the back ground and
chewed me out for being outside without a jacket. I explained what
happened and told her I was alright and then we left with my pride a
little beat up. As we got to the road the lady opened her door and
said, "alright little brother, get over here! You can have my work
jacket and keep warm!" It was not the cleanest or best smelling, but
she would let me walk away until I put it on. As I walked away I just
had a change of heart with a lot of my thoughts of the majority of
people in the area! She was willing to give me her jacket that she was
wearing so that I could be warm, a random guy she just barely met.
Then my thoughts turned, what do I offer the people i randomly meet on
the streets!? Do I give enough? Do I show my love?
So all of that hit me and then we went to my first ever DLC meeting
with our Zone Leaders, elder Siniscalchi and Myer and the Sister
Training Leaders, sister Mangelson and Yingling. At first I was
confused at what it was, but it opened my eyes up to the whole process
of leadership and my mission! I am only e companion of the District
leader, but I was taking notes like there was no tomorrow! I had so
many ideas for the future and had an amazing time, but as we got close
to the end we ran into a wall on what to teach the zone, and I will
never forget the idea of sister Mangelson, "why don't we pray?" So we
did, and not even two minutes later had an agreement on something and
it was amazing. And with this Elder Siniscalchi had a spiritual
experience and bore testimony of the atonement and asked us to forgive
him, because he feels he needs to do more to help us. So it changed
all of our hearts to be more willing to do the will of the lord. Also
I feel it brought us so much closer as a leadership! So tonight we
also practice singing the song, Lead Kindly light, with the district,
because we are going to sing it in the Mission presidents fireside
tomorrow! It sounds so pretty and I am so excited!
So I am just sitting after an amazing day and really thinking things
through And just keep thinking back to a thing I saw Hna. Mangelson do
in the meeting. So as we finished praying she just sat there as if she
was still praying or just thinking, and it really got me to thinking,
there is an amazing spirit that is different about these sister
missionaries. They just have so much faith and love. They understand
their purpose and I learn from them each day. However I would say it
is a life thing. There is a reason that the mom is so important they
truly have an amazing spirit about them. How grateful I am for all of
the women influence I have had in my life, my mom, sisters, grandmas,
aunts, and friends. All have helped me learn so much and have changed
my life for the better! No I understand more the phrase this is my
better half. What an amazing day, and it will only get better as the
days go on!
Sunday:
Wow today was such a spiritual day! We had so much going on that it is
10:28 pm and I am just getting in the house and writing before we go
to bed! So today we had our missionary correlation meeting this
morning at 10 and a regional conference start at 11. During our
missionary correlation we had Hno. Ashton bare his testimony and it
was so strong! I love that man so much and the things he helps us with
every single day as we go through the the trials and the good times!
He is always there no matter what is happening with him! Also after
our amazing meeting we went in and watched the conference in Spanish,
and I didn't get to much out of the first talk, because the Spanish so
so fast and in a crazy weird accent that I couldn't quite understand.
The second one and the last one I understood the most, and my favorite
part was the importance of every member doing their part in the
missionary work. It is something we have told our ward for months, and
it is so nice having back up from the leaders of the church on this!
Also our investigator didn't come... And along with that me and elder
Lickiss were thinking and praying about what we should do with him and
his family, and we feel that they are missing a lot of the important
doctrine because of a lack of knowledge on the Spanish gospel words,
so we have prayed and will be handing over our investigator to some
English elders. It is hard to do, because we have taught him until
know where he is ready to be baptized and then we realized what we
were doing is not helping him like we thought it would. After the
conference we practice our song with the pianist, the wife of
President Petersen, who is the second counselor to President Ames.
They we so amazing and we really figured out what we were going to do!
So we got home long enough to go out and contact for around and hour
before we had dinner and got ready for the presidents fireside. So we
were walking down this street and saw a lady sitting on her porch! So
we walked up and just started to talk to her and come to find out she
loves going to church and learning, and she wanted to learn more! So
we told her we would be back tomorrow or the next to read with her in
the Book of Mormon and she was so excited. However before we met her
we just didn't know what to do. We were lost, because we could not
find anyone. As we sat thinking we said, "God let us come here for a
reason, now what or who do we need to find?" Well as you can see
everything happens for a reason and we can learn so much from God if
we just do what he says. Do try to know what the blessing is before
you do the thing or else the blessing won't feel as a blessing. I hope
you understand what I mean.
So tonight at the fireside we had the opportunity to sing in front of
a lot of people and it was such a good experience! I love to sing, and
I miss singing with my group! I hope when I return they will all want
to sing again! So with President Ames he talked to everyone about when
he was growing up in the mountain town in Utah and did cattle drives
all the time and this calf that always went astray because he was
blind. Well he tied this in with the calf being us and the horseman
being Heavenly Father! He helped me a lot and I love one scripture he
shared. Ecclesiastes 12:7 in this verse it says you will return to the
God who gave you life. RETURN, that means you were once there! And
there was some other great scriptures that helped me realize a lot! I
loved it so much and am so glad I have the opportunity to serve in
this mission! What a day!
Thank you all so much for the examples you are! And know that I pray
for each of you every single day! I challenge each of you whether you
are a member or not, struggling of doing just fine to read the Book of
Mormon for only 20 minutes a day and you will feel more peace and
happiness in your life and have a more open mind on the things you
need to do every day!! I know this church is true because I have had
the spirit testify that it is so many times. I know that God loves and
knows each of us individually and we can feel that love more
abundantly as we pray. I know that we can all return and live with God
as we us the atonement in our lives! The atonement is always there for
us, because it is a daily process! I love you all and know that this
is where I need to be. I stand by Joseph Smith when I say that this is
the true and living church and I will always stand by him! I invite
you all to come and join with me!
I hope all of you have a great week!
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove!
Monday, November 9, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
WEEK FOURTEEN
Dear Family and Friends,
Wow another week has passed, and it just keeps getting faster! Before
I know it I will be calling home for the first time and then be at my
year mark! What an adventure I have been on these past 5 months! I
have been learning 2 new languages and also learning who I am and who
my Heavenly Father is. I have learned so much and am so grateful for
you examples to me! Thank you all so much! So here is my week in
whole!
Week October 26-1 November 2015
Monday:
Today was such an amazing day! I always love Pdays! And today we
started off by going and getting my hair cut! It costs about 15
dollars, but it is worth the price to get a good hair cut and to get
head scratching after!! Also we hung out with the English elders and
went to a new store called Aldi! It is a cheap place to buy food,
however my grapes are already bad, so I am not to happy! Also we went
to the altamesa stake center to have out sports activities today and I
loved it! Also today we went to the Texas rehabilitation hospital to
have a birthday party with Hermano Peña. As we were visiting the
daughter of sister Peña had a few major seizures and it scared me so
bad I didn't know what to do! However she was all okay and finally got
back up! Also as we were leaving Sister Peña gave us presents from
Utah! She just got back this evening and she gave us these cool BYU
beanies! I hope you love the picture!
Also we took some goofy pictures of the funny glasses that my mom got
us!! Just prepping for the Halloween season!
(2 pics)
Tuesday:
Well today we had an amazing day! We had the opportunity to go to give
service for around 3 hours and it was so awesome! The sisters got an
investigator and the bishops wife to come to our service, and It was
so fun!! So today we had a surprise exchange that turned out really
good!! We had a really good time with our lessons and had the chance
to teach Guadalupe and her husband! We taught them about the
importance of obedience and reading and praying! It was very
spiritual! So tonight I am with Elder Sinaschalci, and it is so nice
to be able to talk to him! I feel like he is the same as me! We both
understand each other and he helps me feel confident in my Spanish! I
seriously love him so much. I keep telling that one day we are going
be companions, and I would seriously love to be his companion one day!
He is So we are up a little to late so we better get to bed!!
Wednesday:
So today was a very long day! I say it was a long day because we
didn't get to bed until 1130 because we were just talking about
everything! I have learned so much about him and I have learned just
to love Elder Sinascachi much! So we exchanged companions at the
church and then went to San Luis to celebrate our good time together.
So we went to the church and searched for around an hour on
Ldsjobs.org to find out if we wanted to start a job searching class
for the Hispanic investigators! However we are struggling to find a
lot of firm investigators and it is so hard sometimes. However we are
not going to give up! I never will give up on these amazing people!
Thursday:
With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible!
I have had this thought a lot on my mind today and really this week!
So we had our planning session today and we had a lot fm really good
ideas, but that is one I realized we are having a huge struggle on
finding people to teach! We have had some amazing people earlier, but
now no one is wanting to change and it is really hard!
That is really when that scripture really hit me! It is really hard to
find people sometimes, but as we trust in God and don't stop trying he
will bless us after many trials to find the people that we need! It is
hard to go everyday through these trials, but something I have noticed
is I have changed every day that I go through these trials and I have
seen such an amazing help from the lord as I go through my trials!
So today we had an amazing day giving service with our Leaders of the
Zone at the house of our Bishop! And as we were finishing cleaning the
yard the bishops wife walked out with a full meal for each of us to
take on the road! She is so sweet and loving to everyone and we are so
blessed to serve her and her husband! Also we had a dinner tonight
with Hna. Viera and it was so amazing hearing her stories and
testifying of so many things! She strengthened my testimony of the
members, because she showed a less active she was helping to come back
to church and it was such an amazing time learning from her! I promise
that if you want to see blessings in your life forget about yourself
and just go strait to work with the people around you and you will see
a mighty change in your heart!!
(1 pic)
Friday:
Today has been such a life changing day! So we woke up at 6:30 and
didn't have time to exercise because we had to get ready and go
straight to the bus stop to catch an hour long ride to our interviews
with President Ames! It rained so hard this morning while we were
walking it was like I didn't even have an umbrella and I was soaked by
the time I got to stop! So while at the interviews we did some
trainings as a district and I was asked earlier on to give a training
on the importance of consecration as a missionary and how that effects
members. It was an amazing lesson and I learned a lot from teaching it
to others, because in reality they taught me. Also my interview with
president Ames was so amazing! I had such a good talk with him about
the love of Jesus Christ for us. He really opened my eyes on how my
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see me! We were only supposed to have
15 minute interviews, but I just want to sit at his feet and learn all
day! The spirit was amazing, and I hope that one day I can be half the
man he is. So we had an amazing dinner tonight with Erica Layva and
her whole family, Jamillex, Gia, Nemesis, and Rudy. It is amazing to
see the happiness they have as they do the simple things! Also we
taught them about the temple and studying. Something I learned today
is that going to the temple is important, but the purpose we go is of
more importance! Think on that. Before we went and planned we went and
visited with Hno. And Hna. Peña! He finally was able to come home
today and he is so happy! So it is 10:12 pm and it is pouring outside!
We also got a flash flood warning on our phone until 1 am so it should
be an eventful evening! Well, I know the atonement is real and can
help us if we let it. If you have things burdening you down please go
talk to a priesthood leader! We can not look Christ right in the face
and fix our issues and that is why we talk to our leaders. I promise
you can find more peace and that the things you have done will not be
remembered by God anymore. I know that God loves me. Please find that
he loves you too!
Saturday:
Wow my second holiday away from home and it is definitely different,
but still just so much fun! So today we wore our ghost ties that Elder
Lickiss' sister made, and switched name tags to really scare people!;)
So today I was able to go and practice the piano for an hour while
Elder Lickiss fixed his front tire tube and plan for district meeting
next week! I feel like I am bad luck for my companions, because I
haven't had problems with my bike and they have popped tires left and
right. After my wonder time to practice the piano we headed home to
grab a sweater and go strait to work for 2 hours knocking some formers
on a street really close by named college! We were able to have a
great lesson with a man that was at first trying hard to push us away
and then slowly was more and more interested! Sadly, we are still just
struggling with finding these golden investigators and maybe we just
need to work even harder? So we got done knocking doors and had to go
to the church, because the mission rule is you can't knock doors past
5 on holidays like Halloween because people blame different things
like toilet papering on missionaries. So we stayed at the church for a
truck or treat party as a ward and then after went to the Peñas to
visit! We sat on their front porch with sister Peña and Julie, the
sister of Brother Peña who is not a member, and pretty much talked
about our beliefs! It was amazing and was just so nice to relax and
enjoy the members that we live with! We had such a fun night and man I
am so tired and ready to pass out, what a nice day! Here are some
pictures of me and elder Myers and Lickiss.
(3 pics) and
Sunday:
Wow today was a very long day for us if you know what I mean! So last
night we forgot to set our clocks back so we were awake at 5:30 saying
prayers when Elder Lickiss told me that we still had another hour to
sleep, and man was I grateful! I feel like as each week gets over I am
more and more tired, but with the help of the Lord I am able to never
give up or stop! He gives me the energy that I need to never stop. To
today we got to church for our missionary meeting and found out out
ward mission leader is still very sick. I felt really bad for him
because he had to just go home early because he was so sick. Also,
sadly our investigator Martin, that has 11 years, didn't come to
church today so he can't be baptized this Saturday. We keep praying
that he with Come! Also we are really struggling finding people who
are serious about learning, so if there are any good ideas we need
them! However, church today was amazing! I am able to understand more
or less what is being said, now it is just the expressing myself that
is a little harder! We actually sat by this man who had a name tag on
just like ours, and he could speak Spanish very fluent and French as
well! After the meeting I asked him and he is our new counselor of
President Ames! I feel so blessed to have a counselor that will
understand what I am going through with another language! He is really
an amazing guy! Also Elder Lickiss bore his testimony today and said
some really amazing things about me that made me not realize I am
amazing, but that we all are examples in the simplest things we do in
life. For instance, I gave a man, that didn't have food, 5 dollars to
be able eat at the restaurant we were at. That simple thing changed my
companions life! I am so glad I am with him, because together were are
learning so much! So after our church today we rushed home because
brother and sister Peña invited us to dinner at their house with them
and their sister Julie. We had an amazing visit and shared some
amazing experiences, however we had to stay and clean up the house,
because sister Peña had to take Julie to the airport to fly home right
after we finished eating, and Brother Peña just got home from his
recovery in the hospital, so he isn't supposed to do anything! The
sister of brother Peña isn't a member, but we managed to give her a
Book of Mormon and a picture of Jesus Christ! We really love her and
hope she will find the missionaries over there in California!
After dinner we had about three contact lessons that went alright at
their doors, but no one really seems to want it and I can't understand
why? However, I will never give up! What I learned from today is that
everything, wether big or small, is noticed. And that the people who
notice these things are changed for forever! I invite all of you to
start being the example in every situation to see the blessings that
can come!
Thank you all for your love and support in this life changing Journey.
Remember that being a member means we are on the path back to God, but
if we are not doing our part with the people around us, or not doing
the right things, we go back and not forward! However, with God all
things are possible! (Mark 10:27)
8 love you all and hope you have the most amazing week ever!
Do we love God? Because He loves us!
(1 John 4:19)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
Wow another week has passed, and it just keeps getting faster! Before
I know it I will be calling home for the first time and then be at my
year mark! What an adventure I have been on these past 5 months! I
have been learning 2 new languages and also learning who I am and who
my Heavenly Father is. I have learned so much and am so grateful for
you examples to me! Thank you all so much! So here is my week in
whole!
Week October 26-1 November 2015
Monday:
Today was such an amazing day! I always love Pdays! And today we
started off by going and getting my hair cut! It costs about 15
dollars, but it is worth the price to get a good hair cut and to get
head scratching after!! Also we hung out with the English elders and
went to a new store called Aldi! It is a cheap place to buy food,
however my grapes are already bad, so I am not to happy! Also we went
to the altamesa stake center to have out sports activities today and I
loved it! Also today we went to the Texas rehabilitation hospital to
have a birthday party with Hermano Peña. As we were visiting the
daughter of sister Peña had a few major seizures and it scared me so
bad I didn't know what to do! However she was all okay and finally got
back up! Also as we were leaving Sister Peña gave us presents from
Utah! She just got back this evening and she gave us these cool BYU
beanies! I hope you love the picture!
Also we took some goofy pictures of the funny glasses that my mom got
us!! Just prepping for the Halloween season!
(2 pics)
Tuesday:
Well today we had an amazing day! We had the opportunity to go to give
service for around 3 hours and it was so awesome! The sisters got an
investigator and the bishops wife to come to our service, and It was
so fun!! So today we had a surprise exchange that turned out really
good!! We had a really good time with our lessons and had the chance
to teach Guadalupe and her husband! We taught them about the
importance of obedience and reading and praying! It was very
spiritual! So tonight I am with Elder Sinaschalci, and it is so nice
to be able to talk to him! I feel like he is the same as me! We both
understand each other and he helps me feel confident in my Spanish! I
seriously love him so much. I keep telling that one day we are going
be companions, and I would seriously love to be his companion one day!
He is So we are up a little to late so we better get to bed!!
Wednesday:
So today was a very long day! I say it was a long day because we
didn't get to bed until 1130 because we were just talking about
everything! I have learned so much about him and I have learned just
to love Elder Sinascachi much! So we exchanged companions at the
church and then went to San Luis to celebrate our good time together.
So we went to the church and searched for around an hour on
Ldsjobs.org to find out if we wanted to start a job searching class
for the Hispanic investigators! However we are struggling to find a
lot of firm investigators and it is so hard sometimes. However we are
not going to give up! I never will give up on these amazing people!
Thursday:
With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible!
I have had this thought a lot on my mind today and really this week!
So we had our planning session today and we had a lot fm really good
ideas, but that is one I realized we are having a huge struggle on
finding people to teach! We have had some amazing people earlier, but
now no one is wanting to change and it is really hard!
That is really when that scripture really hit me! It is really hard to
find people sometimes, but as we trust in God and don't stop trying he
will bless us after many trials to find the people that we need! It is
hard to go everyday through these trials, but something I have noticed
is I have changed every day that I go through these trials and I have
seen such an amazing help from the lord as I go through my trials!
So today we had an amazing day giving service with our Leaders of the
Zone at the house of our Bishop! And as we were finishing cleaning the
yard the bishops wife walked out with a full meal for each of us to
take on the road! She is so sweet and loving to everyone and we are so
blessed to serve her and her husband! Also we had a dinner tonight
with Hna. Viera and it was so amazing hearing her stories and
testifying of so many things! She strengthened my testimony of the
members, because she showed a less active she was helping to come back
to church and it was such an amazing time learning from her! I promise
that if you want to see blessings in your life forget about yourself
and just go strait to work with the people around you and you will see
a mighty change in your heart!!
(1 pic)
Friday:
Today has been such a life changing day! So we woke up at 6:30 and
didn't have time to exercise because we had to get ready and go
straight to the bus stop to catch an hour long ride to our interviews
with President Ames! It rained so hard this morning while we were
walking it was like I didn't even have an umbrella and I was soaked by
the time I got to stop! So while at the interviews we did some
trainings as a district and I was asked earlier on to give a training
on the importance of consecration as a missionary and how that effects
members. It was an amazing lesson and I learned a lot from teaching it
to others, because in reality they taught me. Also my interview with
president Ames was so amazing! I had such a good talk with him about
the love of Jesus Christ for us. He really opened my eyes on how my
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see me! We were only supposed to have
15 minute interviews, but I just want to sit at his feet and learn all
day! The spirit was amazing, and I hope that one day I can be half the
man he is. So we had an amazing dinner tonight with Erica Layva and
her whole family, Jamillex, Gia, Nemesis, and Rudy. It is amazing to
see the happiness they have as they do the simple things! Also we
taught them about the temple and studying. Something I learned today
is that going to the temple is important, but the purpose we go is of
more importance! Think on that. Before we went and planned we went and
visited with Hno. And Hna. Peña! He finally was able to come home
today and he is so happy! So it is 10:12 pm and it is pouring outside!
We also got a flash flood warning on our phone until 1 am so it should
be an eventful evening! Well, I know the atonement is real and can
help us if we let it. If you have things burdening you down please go
talk to a priesthood leader! We can not look Christ right in the face
and fix our issues and that is why we talk to our leaders. I promise
you can find more peace and that the things you have done will not be
remembered by God anymore. I know that God loves me. Please find that
he loves you too!
Saturday:
Wow my second holiday away from home and it is definitely different,
but still just so much fun! So today we wore our ghost ties that Elder
Lickiss' sister made, and switched name tags to really scare people!;)
So today I was able to go and practice the piano for an hour while
Elder Lickiss fixed his front tire tube and plan for district meeting
next week! I feel like I am bad luck for my companions, because I
haven't had problems with my bike and they have popped tires left and
right. After my wonder time to practice the piano we headed home to
grab a sweater and go strait to work for 2 hours knocking some formers
on a street really close by named college! We were able to have a
great lesson with a man that was at first trying hard to push us away
and then slowly was more and more interested! Sadly, we are still just
struggling with finding these golden investigators and maybe we just
need to work even harder? So we got done knocking doors and had to go
to the church, because the mission rule is you can't knock doors past
5 on holidays like Halloween because people blame different things
like toilet papering on missionaries. So we stayed at the church for a
truck or treat party as a ward and then after went to the Peñas to
visit! We sat on their front porch with sister Peña and Julie, the
sister of Brother Peña who is not a member, and pretty much talked
about our beliefs! It was amazing and was just so nice to relax and
enjoy the members that we live with! We had such a fun night and man I
am so tired and ready to pass out, what a nice day! Here are some
pictures of me and elder Myers and Lickiss.
(3 pics) and
Sunday:
Wow today was a very long day for us if you know what I mean! So last
night we forgot to set our clocks back so we were awake at 5:30 saying
prayers when Elder Lickiss told me that we still had another hour to
sleep, and man was I grateful! I feel like as each week gets over I am
more and more tired, but with the help of the Lord I am able to never
give up or stop! He gives me the energy that I need to never stop. To
today we got to church for our missionary meeting and found out out
ward mission leader is still very sick. I felt really bad for him
because he had to just go home early because he was so sick. Also,
sadly our investigator Martin, that has 11 years, didn't come to
church today so he can't be baptized this Saturday. We keep praying
that he with Come! Also we are really struggling finding people who
are serious about learning, so if there are any good ideas we need
them! However, church today was amazing! I am able to understand more
or less what is being said, now it is just the expressing myself that
is a little harder! We actually sat by this man who had a name tag on
just like ours, and he could speak Spanish very fluent and French as
well! After the meeting I asked him and he is our new counselor of
President Ames! I feel so blessed to have a counselor that will
understand what I am going through with another language! He is really
an amazing guy! Also Elder Lickiss bore his testimony today and said
some really amazing things about me that made me not realize I am
amazing, but that we all are examples in the simplest things we do in
life. For instance, I gave a man, that didn't have food, 5 dollars to
be able eat at the restaurant we were at. That simple thing changed my
companions life! I am so glad I am with him, because together were are
learning so much! So after our church today we rushed home because
brother and sister Peña invited us to dinner at their house with them
and their sister Julie. We had an amazing visit and shared some
amazing experiences, however we had to stay and clean up the house,
because sister Peña had to take Julie to the airport to fly home right
after we finished eating, and Brother Peña just got home from his
recovery in the hospital, so he isn't supposed to do anything! The
sister of brother Peña isn't a member, but we managed to give her a
Book of Mormon and a picture of Jesus Christ! We really love her and
hope she will find the missionaries over there in California!
After dinner we had about three contact lessons that went alright at
their doors, but no one really seems to want it and I can't understand
why? However, I will never give up! What I learned from today is that
everything, wether big or small, is noticed. And that the people who
notice these things are changed for forever! I invite all of you to
start being the example in every situation to see the blessings that
can come!
Thank you all for your love and support in this life changing Journey.
Remember that being a member means we are on the path back to God, but
if we are not doing our part with the people around us, or not doing
the right things, we go back and not forward! However, with God all
things are possible! (Mark 10:27)
8 love you all and hope you have the most amazing week ever!
Do we love God? Because He loves us!
(1 John 4:19)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
WEEK THIRTEEN
Dear Family and Friends!!
What an amazing week I have had with a new companion! Yes I will miss
my old companion, Elder Schuhmacher, but I have loved being with my
new companion so much!
I hope you all had an amazing week last week, because I did!
Also I will have a lot of pictures this week and next week, so
hopefully you don't get tired of them!
Week of October 12-18 2015
Monday:
Today was a really good day today!! We had the opportunity to go to
the library and go shopping in the morning so we had a little time to
go to the altamesa stake center to say our good byes and also to play
one last time with a lot of the missionaries who are moving and
leaving to go home!! So many missionaries are leaving this week it is
crazy!! However, it just means I am one step up forward from where I
was! On Wednesday I will no longer be a greeny so I need to pick up my
language studies more than before and keep working hard!
Here are a few pictures of the day and also we went and visited the
hospital so elder Schuhmacher could say his good byes to the Peñas
before he goes this Wednesday!! We had a lot of pictures so here they
go! Also tonight we are staying up till around 11 or 1130 and we are
at the church, because our zone leader is loosing companion to a
bigger calling and needs a companion for tonight until Wednesday! So
he will be staying in our small box house for a while!! So we are
helping him with some reports at the church before bed!! Awesome day
tho!!!
Don't be scared! He is just a prankster with his faces.
Tuesday:
The past few days have been very weird! Elder Schuhmacher is leaving
me tomorrow and going to Lewisville I am getting my new companion,
Elder Lickiss. I am a little nervous for the whole change up, because
I have gotten so used to everything and how it works, and now it is
all going to change! However, I feel very excited for the change at
the same time! I feel like getting a new companion will teach me so
much, and also I will be the companion of the District Leader so it is
pretty much 6 week training of being a district leader which I am
pretty pumped about. I only hear good from others about Elder Lickiss
and I just pray we get along right from the beginning!!
Anyways, today elder Sinaschalci hung out with us all day and is
spending the night in our dinky house, because his companion had to
leave for his other position early to be trained! I love Elder
Sinaschalci so much! He knows how to have lots of fun while working
hard and that is how I want to be! I am so grateful for his example
for me as my Zone Leader!! We taught Hennessy and Mesmerize and Martin
today and then had no one else to teach, because elder Schuhmacher had
to pack! Best thing that helped us out today was that we had a car to
travel faster and that was the most amazing thing! I love technology
used correctly!
Wednesday:
Today was a long and nerve wracking day for me, but at the same time
it was such an amazing day! So today we woke up at 615 to get ready
and took Elder Schuhmacher the the mansion, or the elders of the north
side. They took him to transfers and I went back to my house with
Elder Siniscalchi. We waited until around 11 for our new companions
and they finally showed up. I don't know why I was so nervous for my
new companion, because he is so amazing! Elder Lickiss is from
Hermann, Utah and has been on his mission for 14 months! He is very
good at the language and has so,e amazing ideas on helping me to learn
the language fast! I think the hardest thing to get used to so far is
that we go all Spanish all the time, not just outside of the house so
I am working on more vocab!!! He has great ideas and he loves the work
more that anything! I haven't even been with him for more that 24
hours and I already love the man!
So today we did more than what was planned and I feel amazing about
our progress for only one day! I know we will get people ready for
baptisms and help them to love the gospel while we are here! We went
to the chapel for me to practice my songs for Sunday and then went and
contacted and found a few people for us to teach. We called like 10
different people and set appointments and then biked like 4 miles to a
dinner appointment where our ride fell through! After we biked back
Jhonny came to the church and we didn't have time to help him with his
family history so we are going to go tomorrow and help him find
families to take to the temple and be baptized for! So we got back the
the house and it is 10 and we just finished planning!! The time I know
will fly for these 6 weeks because we are so busy! However I could not
be happier with were I am and what I am doing! From my dinner
appointment tonight I learned one thing that hit me to the core and
made me tear up. Keep the sabbath day holy and your life will change.
However not just your, but you whole families. A sister member we
taught had less active kids that partied and drank and she didn't feel
like preaching to them would do anything, so she told us she would
just invite them to dinner every Sunday so they couldn't go to stores
or drink. As they were there she would have soft church music playing
and they would just spend time together. Over time her kids started to
miss being together and couldn't understand why so she explained what
she had been doing and they all are active and are so happy with how
their mom saved their lives from the dumps they were in!
Keep the sabbath day holy and make the Book of Mormon the center of your life!
Thursday:
I am just loving the mission!!! It is still difficult to love the work
when I am biking crazy far in the weather I am in, however once I find
the people that want to hear our message or once I remember my purpose
for doing what I am doing it becomes so much easier. So today we had
weekly planning and went way over our 3 hour planning time because we
both had crazy amazing ideas come to us to help us find more
investigators through the members! I really am getting along with
Elder Lickiss and realized how well I was getting along after teaching
Martin Lopez today. He likes to teach the same way I teach, and he
understands and just piggybacks off what I am saying to make sense of
everything! Also his Spanish is amazing and he is able to help me
understand why I am saying the weird phases I am saying! So after our
lesson today we had dinner waiting for us at the church. However, my
comps bike tire popped in the exact same spot that elder Schuhmacher's
bike tires always popped. I am starting to think I am just bad luck!
So today we got really good exercise walking all the way to the church
from our lesson for dinner. After we ate I loved what my companion
said, "why don't we go and get to know the members who are here so
they actually want to help us?" I was like, um wow okay vamos! Haha so
we are getting along great! Also we speak all day only in Spanish and
at times it is hard to express myself fully, but it makes me want to
find the words that I don't know so that I can learn them to express
myself! I want to challenge you all to stop before you even start your
day and find your purpose for the day. I promise if you do this
everyday you will accomplish and be more focused on the important
things of this life!
Friday:
Today was a very tiring day! Also for both of us it was a little
frustrating! So after our studies we went straight to work at getting
a new tire or some patches for Elder Lickiss' bike. we went to Walmart
and they had now tubes that were his size so we bought some cheaper
patches because that is all they had. Well sadly we had to try putting
them on 3 different times, but every time the patches failed. We went
a total of 3 times into Walmart to buy others things that could fix it
and there was nothing. So then we decided we were going to find
another store that had tires or patches. Well we found out that there
was none even close to us in our area and so we just decided we would
go home and try to heavy glue the tire back together. Well we missed
our bus and didn't get home till around 3 from trying to fix it and
finally gave up at 4. We finally called our zone leaders and they came
and picked us up and took us to a bike shop in their area pretty far
away. By the time we got the things we needed it was time for dinner
so we are at a restaurant called San Luis, a free restaurant for
missionaries, and hurried and fixed the tire.
After fixing the tire we went straight over to a lesson with Erica
Layva and all of her family. The lesson went great, and it is so cool
to see a change in their lives from them trying to live the gospel.
You can see that glow about their faces and they don't fight as much
anymore! I also received a new nick name, Elder Splenda. They are one
of the best families to teach, but they all have some major problems
that I pray I can help them overcome with the help of the lord. After
our lesson we got home a little after nine just ready to pass out from
such a busy day or just trying to fix a stinkin bike! What a day. I
learned from this day that not all days will be full of teaching
lessons to others, but some days will be full of others teaching the
important lessons in life. My challenge today it to let someone else
do the talking. Ask them what they think. I believe every person in
this world has something they could say that would change the life our
prophet for the better!
So the pictures today we of some things I saw! I saw a fire truck at
Walmart and I couldn't pass it up!
Also it is a picture of us eating at the amazing restaurant San Luis!!
My hair looks crazy, but it is only the light shining on it I promise!!
Saturday:
Wow today was a fast day and we still were going crazy with things!
Sadly however our numbers look horrible this week with getting a new
companion and trying to get this bike fixed that still is not working!
So today we tried to fix the tire of Elder Lickiss' bike again! After
we fixed it we went to the church so I could practice the piano for
the primary program tomorrow and practiced for a baptism tonight as
well. After that we went to check on Hno. Peña in the hospital! He is
doing lots better now and is planing on going to a rehab this Monday
to start recovering fully. I really love Hno. And Hna. Peña! They are
the best members to live with and get to know personally! They have
helped me understand my purpose more and helped me see the members
point of view a lot more in different situations. So after I
introduced my companion to them and we visited for a while we left for
about an hour of contacting! We found a few houses we were looking for
with no one interested in our message, but found a sweet little lady
stretching to pick pears out of her tree! She was way to short, so we
asked if we could help her! Come to find out she barely speaks English
and only speaks a type of Japanese! She was very sweet and gave us
both a bag of pears for helping her! She showed us pictures of ancient
temples in the her old town and so we showed her pictures of our
temples and she wants to see one! So we are going to take her one
soon!! After this we hurried to the church for two little girls
baptisms!! I played the piano and it went really well and then after
we had an amazing movie night with the ward and watched meet the
Mormons! It was hard for me to understand completely, but I was
getting the most part of it! Also I heard David Archaleta sing Gloria
in Spanish and now I really want all of his songs in Spanish!!! So
today was a great day and I am sure tomorrow will be even better.
Sunday:
Wow today was such a crazy day that I am just exhausted!
We had a great time at church and I am loving the things I am learning
from my companion Elder Lickiss! He listens to my ideas and actually
one that we used today was email the ward of the things that we did
through the week with pictures of the missionaries and their numbers
for the members! We also leave them a scripture and we are going to do
it ever Sunday!! It is going to really unify us I hope and pray! A lot
of things have been happening with our bishopric and they are just not
for the missionaries being apart right now? I pray we can some how
serve them in a way that will soften their hearts. Something I have
noticed is the first response to dislike is argue or fight, but as I
realize now that it won't solve anything and that we are all children
of God, I just feel the only way to help them understand our side of
things is to serve them! So I played the piano in the primary program
today, and I don't feel like I did to bad! I only had two days of
maybe 1 total to practice 8 songs with lots of sharps and flats in
them! I only had a week, because the Hna missionary that was supposed
to play got transferred on Wednesday. I had not even a full week to
learn them and I know that God helped me play how I did today! I
actually had a Hno come up to me and thank me for using my talents. He
told me he felt something as I played and it really helped me realize
we have talents for a reason!
Also this evening we were able to go and teach a few lessons with a
priest in our ward named Carlos Delgado! He is an awesome 17 year old
and I feel we think a lot alike! He is going to be a great missionary,
and his sister is in the independence Missouri mission and has the
same amount of time that I do!
We were able to contact a lot of people tonight, and I feel like I can
just speak to my companion and the people here so much easier, and I
am finally understanding people!!!! Now I get excited to really teach
people because I know how!! I love the mission and if I could invite
you to do anything it would be to serve your enemies even if that
means you pray for them. And don't be afraid to share your talents!
God will bless you. If I could say anything else it would be that one
of the highlights of my weeks, other than receiving emails from my
family is being able to read of my friends and family members going to
serve the lord! Yes some don't make it and have to come home, but let
that be there problem! Just remember that if we aren't there to help
those who fall, who will be? We are all on the Lord team, so let us
work as a team! Remember whose team you are on!
Sorry it is really long, but I just had so many experiences I can't
shorten it!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, and Ethan I tried sending
you a birthday email, but the email I got from my mom was incorrect. I
hope you had an amazing birthday and I love you!
I pray for you all and hope you have a great week!!
Do we love God? Because He loves us!
(1 John 4:19)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
What an amazing week I have had with a new companion! Yes I will miss
my old companion, Elder Schuhmacher, but I have loved being with my
new companion so much!
I hope you all had an amazing week last week, because I did!
Also I will have a lot of pictures this week and next week, so
hopefully you don't get tired of them!
Week of October 12-18 2015
Monday:
Today was a really good day today!! We had the opportunity to go to
the library and go shopping in the morning so we had a little time to
go to the altamesa stake center to say our good byes and also to play
one last time with a lot of the missionaries who are moving and
leaving to go home!! So many missionaries are leaving this week it is
crazy!! However, it just means I am one step up forward from where I
was! On Wednesday I will no longer be a greeny so I need to pick up my
language studies more than before and keep working hard!
Here are a few pictures of the day and also we went and visited the
hospital so elder Schuhmacher could say his good byes to the Peñas
before he goes this Wednesday!! We had a lot of pictures so here they
go! Also tonight we are staying up till around 11 or 1130 and we are
at the church, because our zone leader is loosing companion to a
bigger calling and needs a companion for tonight until Wednesday! So
he will be staying in our small box house for a while!! So we are
helping him with some reports at the church before bed!! Awesome day
tho!!!
Don't be scared! He is just a prankster with his faces.
Tuesday:
The past few days have been very weird! Elder Schuhmacher is leaving
me tomorrow and going to Lewisville I am getting my new companion,
Elder Lickiss. I am a little nervous for the whole change up, because
I have gotten so used to everything and how it works, and now it is
all going to change! However, I feel very excited for the change at
the same time! I feel like getting a new companion will teach me so
much, and also I will be the companion of the District Leader so it is
pretty much 6 week training of being a district leader which I am
pretty pumped about. I only hear good from others about Elder Lickiss
and I just pray we get along right from the beginning!!
Anyways, today elder Sinaschalci hung out with us all day and is
spending the night in our dinky house, because his companion had to
leave for his other position early to be trained! I love Elder
Sinaschalci so much! He knows how to have lots of fun while working
hard and that is how I want to be! I am so grateful for his example
for me as my Zone Leader!! We taught Hennessy and Mesmerize and Martin
today and then had no one else to teach, because elder Schuhmacher had
to pack! Best thing that helped us out today was that we had a car to
travel faster and that was the most amazing thing! I love technology
used correctly!
Wednesday:
Today was a long and nerve wracking day for me, but at the same time
it was such an amazing day! So today we woke up at 615 to get ready
and took Elder Schuhmacher the the mansion, or the elders of the north
side. They took him to transfers and I went back to my house with
Elder Siniscalchi. We waited until around 11 for our new companions
and they finally showed up. I don't know why I was so nervous for my
new companion, because he is so amazing! Elder Lickiss is from
Hermann, Utah and has been on his mission for 14 months! He is very
good at the language and has so,e amazing ideas on helping me to learn
the language fast! I think the hardest thing to get used to so far is
that we go all Spanish all the time, not just outside of the house so
I am working on more vocab!!! He has great ideas and he loves the work
more that anything! I haven't even been with him for more that 24
hours and I already love the man!
So today we did more than what was planned and I feel amazing about
our progress for only one day! I know we will get people ready for
baptisms and help them to love the gospel while we are here! We went
to the chapel for me to practice my songs for Sunday and then went and
contacted and found a few people for us to teach. We called like 10
different people and set appointments and then biked like 4 miles to a
dinner appointment where our ride fell through! After we biked back
Jhonny came to the church and we didn't have time to help him with his
family history so we are going to go tomorrow and help him find
families to take to the temple and be baptized for! So we got back the
the house and it is 10 and we just finished planning!! The time I know
will fly for these 6 weeks because we are so busy! However I could not
be happier with were I am and what I am doing! From my dinner
appointment tonight I learned one thing that hit me to the core and
made me tear up. Keep the sabbath day holy and your life will change.
However not just your, but you whole families. A sister member we
taught had less active kids that partied and drank and she didn't feel
like preaching to them would do anything, so she told us she would
just invite them to dinner every Sunday so they couldn't go to stores
or drink. As they were there she would have soft church music playing
and they would just spend time together. Over time her kids started to
miss being together and couldn't understand why so she explained what
she had been doing and they all are active and are so happy with how
their mom saved their lives from the dumps they were in!
Keep the sabbath day holy and make the Book of Mormon the center of your life!
Thursday:
I am just loving the mission!!! It is still difficult to love the work
when I am biking crazy far in the weather I am in, however once I find
the people that want to hear our message or once I remember my purpose
for doing what I am doing it becomes so much easier. So today we had
weekly planning and went way over our 3 hour planning time because we
both had crazy amazing ideas come to us to help us find more
investigators through the members! I really am getting along with
Elder Lickiss and realized how well I was getting along after teaching
Martin Lopez today. He likes to teach the same way I teach, and he
understands and just piggybacks off what I am saying to make sense of
everything! Also his Spanish is amazing and he is able to help me
understand why I am saying the weird phases I am saying! So after our
lesson today we had dinner waiting for us at the church. However, my
comps bike tire popped in the exact same spot that elder Schuhmacher's
bike tires always popped. I am starting to think I am just bad luck!
So today we got really good exercise walking all the way to the church
from our lesson for dinner. After we ate I loved what my companion
said, "why don't we go and get to know the members who are here so
they actually want to help us?" I was like, um wow okay vamos! Haha so
we are getting along great! Also we speak all day only in Spanish and
at times it is hard to express myself fully, but it makes me want to
find the words that I don't know so that I can learn them to express
myself! I want to challenge you all to stop before you even start your
day and find your purpose for the day. I promise if you do this
everyday you will accomplish and be more focused on the important
things of this life!
Friday:
Today was a very tiring day! Also for both of us it was a little
frustrating! So after our studies we went straight to work at getting
a new tire or some patches for Elder Lickiss' bike. we went to Walmart
and they had now tubes that were his size so we bought some cheaper
patches because that is all they had. Well sadly we had to try putting
them on 3 different times, but every time the patches failed. We went
a total of 3 times into Walmart to buy others things that could fix it
and there was nothing. So then we decided we were going to find
another store that had tires or patches. Well we found out that there
was none even close to us in our area and so we just decided we would
go home and try to heavy glue the tire back together. Well we missed
our bus and didn't get home till around 3 from trying to fix it and
finally gave up at 4. We finally called our zone leaders and they came
and picked us up and took us to a bike shop in their area pretty far
away. By the time we got the things we needed it was time for dinner
so we are at a restaurant called San Luis, a free restaurant for
missionaries, and hurried and fixed the tire.
After fixing the tire we went straight over to a lesson with Erica
Layva and all of her family. The lesson went great, and it is so cool
to see a change in their lives from them trying to live the gospel.
You can see that glow about their faces and they don't fight as much
anymore! I also received a new nick name, Elder Splenda. They are one
of the best families to teach, but they all have some major problems
that I pray I can help them overcome with the help of the lord. After
our lesson we got home a little after nine just ready to pass out from
such a busy day or just trying to fix a stinkin bike! What a day. I
learned from this day that not all days will be full of teaching
lessons to others, but some days will be full of others teaching the
important lessons in life. My challenge today it to let someone else
do the talking. Ask them what they think. I believe every person in
this world has something they could say that would change the life our
prophet for the better!
So the pictures today we of some things I saw! I saw a fire truck at
Walmart and I couldn't pass it up!
Also it is a picture of us eating at the amazing restaurant San Luis!!
My hair looks crazy, but it is only the light shining on it I promise!!
Saturday:
Wow today was a fast day and we still were going crazy with things!
Sadly however our numbers look horrible this week with getting a new
companion and trying to get this bike fixed that still is not working!
So today we tried to fix the tire of Elder Lickiss' bike again! After
we fixed it we went to the church so I could practice the piano for
the primary program tomorrow and practiced for a baptism tonight as
well. After that we went to check on Hno. Peña in the hospital! He is
doing lots better now and is planing on going to a rehab this Monday
to start recovering fully. I really love Hno. And Hna. Peña! They are
the best members to live with and get to know personally! They have
helped me understand my purpose more and helped me see the members
point of view a lot more in different situations. So after I
introduced my companion to them and we visited for a while we left for
about an hour of contacting! We found a few houses we were looking for
with no one interested in our message, but found a sweet little lady
stretching to pick pears out of her tree! She was way to short, so we
asked if we could help her! Come to find out she barely speaks English
and only speaks a type of Japanese! She was very sweet and gave us
both a bag of pears for helping her! She showed us pictures of ancient
temples in the her old town and so we showed her pictures of our
temples and she wants to see one! So we are going to take her one
soon!! After this we hurried to the church for two little girls
baptisms!! I played the piano and it went really well and then after
we had an amazing movie night with the ward and watched meet the
Mormons! It was hard for me to understand completely, but I was
getting the most part of it! Also I heard David Archaleta sing Gloria
in Spanish and now I really want all of his songs in Spanish!!! So
today was a great day and I am sure tomorrow will be even better.
Sunday:
Wow today was such a crazy day that I am just exhausted!
We had a great time at church and I am loving the things I am learning
from my companion Elder Lickiss! He listens to my ideas and actually
one that we used today was email the ward of the things that we did
through the week with pictures of the missionaries and their numbers
for the members! We also leave them a scripture and we are going to do
it ever Sunday!! It is going to really unify us I hope and pray! A lot
of things have been happening with our bishopric and they are just not
for the missionaries being apart right now? I pray we can some how
serve them in a way that will soften their hearts. Something I have
noticed is the first response to dislike is argue or fight, but as I
realize now that it won't solve anything and that we are all children
of God, I just feel the only way to help them understand our side of
things is to serve them! So I played the piano in the primary program
today, and I don't feel like I did to bad! I only had two days of
maybe 1 total to practice 8 songs with lots of sharps and flats in
them! I only had a week, because the Hna missionary that was supposed
to play got transferred on Wednesday. I had not even a full week to
learn them and I know that God helped me play how I did today! I
actually had a Hno come up to me and thank me for using my talents. He
told me he felt something as I played and it really helped me realize
we have talents for a reason!
Also this evening we were able to go and teach a few lessons with a
priest in our ward named Carlos Delgado! He is an awesome 17 year old
and I feel we think a lot alike! He is going to be a great missionary,
and his sister is in the independence Missouri mission and has the
same amount of time that I do!
We were able to contact a lot of people tonight, and I feel like I can
just speak to my companion and the people here so much easier, and I
am finally understanding people!!!! Now I get excited to really teach
people because I know how!! I love the mission and if I could invite
you to do anything it would be to serve your enemies even if that
means you pray for them. And don't be afraid to share your talents!
God will bless you. If I could say anything else it would be that one
of the highlights of my weeks, other than receiving emails from my
family is being able to read of my friends and family members going to
serve the lord! Yes some don't make it and have to come home, but let
that be there problem! Just remember that if we aren't there to help
those who fall, who will be? We are all on the Lord team, so let us
work as a team! Remember whose team you are on!
Sorry it is really long, but I just had so many experiences I can't
shorten it!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, and Ethan I tried sending
you a birthday email, but the email I got from my mom was incorrect. I
hope you had an amazing birthday and I love you!
I pray for you all and hope you have a great week!!
Do we love God? Because He loves us!
(1 John 4:19)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
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