Transfers have Come and Gone!

Dear Family and Friends,

What a wonderful week of change! I always struggle getting a new companion because it is a learning progress of having to learn about gem and how to get along with them, however, it is was makes us grow a lot as missionaries! I always joke with Elder Graham, my new companion, that it will be nice to have a wife that I won't have to ever change! Haha 

So this week we had a lot of success and we able to teach a lot of people! However, the number of people we teach I would say is not as important as the quality of the lessons. So this week we were able to visit and get to know a lot of people where we saw lots of Progress!

And personally my studies are getting a lot better and I am just loving learning side by side with Elder Graham!

Here is how my week went!

Week October 31st - November 6th 2016

Monday:

Happy Halloween!

Today was such a good day to have a Preparation day, because as y'all know it is Halloween day! So today we were able as a zone to have a Waffle party and just play games together. It was a really fun time and I really enjoy my zone, but we are losing a lot of missionaries because of transfers, and it is going to be so fun with who is coming in. So today after PDay, we went with Mario to his parents beautiful home for a Halloween dinner and then had such a fun time together as a district where we had two members come over and Mario taught a family home evening about our first time having the knowledge that God was real. As we taught he then included that Opposition was brought into our life as we came to realize that God is real. And then he taught how much power Satan has. So we had a great learning experience and then we had to get going home to get in the house on time! Today was a wonderful, and simple day! However, tomorrow will be crazy!

Tuesday:

Well today has definitely been one of the longest days for me! So today we started off our day by waking up and driving to pick up Elder Graham from Arlington, and it was a good drive. As we brought him back to the apartment we had just enough time to discuss a few matters, and the we headed straight to the mission office where we met the new Missionaries that had just arrived, we met 10 in total and 5 Spanish. They are super awesome and it was a great 5 hours with them getting to know them and learn more about them. As we went on we went and had an awesome dinner with Hna. Marquez and then off to the Ayala's home where we had a good visit! We were glad to get into those two homes before we made it back to the church in time to set up for transfers for tomorrow. We were there for close to 2 hours bringing in bags and bikes and setting up chairs and tables. It is always a exhausting process. However, I love serving to the point of exhaustion! I am so excited to work with Elder Graham and sad to see Elder Lopez go, but it is our time and I can't wait for new growth! I hope that this next transfer brings crazy success!

Wednesday: Day of Transfers!

Wow today was a packed day! So today I said goodbye to Elder Lopez, one of my companions that I probably learned the most from. It is crazy to think that we have already served together for 2 transfers and now he is heading out to Cleburne to train. He seemed to excited to train, but also very nervous! However, I know he will do a really good job. He is a super hard worker who is not afraid to talk to anyone or correct. And now I am super excited to get to work with Elder Graham. He is from Orem Utah and has 15 months in the mission. His mom is from Mexico City and his dad  is from Iowa. So he is a half Hispanic and he is super awesome! We get a long great and we're running around from about 8 am until around 1 pm making sure everyone got out of the church. Then we went and studied for a few lessons that we would have this evening. As we went by we had a wonderful lesson with the Barraza family where the son Michael was actually more willing to sit by us and talk instead of be in the other room just listening. As we had dinner we visited and then we finished teaching the restoration and then invited them to teach it to us, and it was powerful how they got so excited to study it and be able to teach us like their friends. We then went and contacted a lady named Isabel Vasquez who we found out is from El Salvador. As we visited she told us to come back. I felt comfortable talking openly with Elder Graham! Then we had a wonderful lesson with Manuel and we set time to go back two times next week and we are super excited! Today was such a tiring but great day!:)

Thursday: weekly planning/ Exchange meeting w/ Assistants

Planning for me is such a blessing and every week as I learn how to plan even more effectively I learn the way that God also planned spiritually before he made the world and everything else. So today Elder Graham and I were able to plan a lot, but we were not able to finish, because we had a meeting half way through at the office with the assistants for the exchanges in the weeks that are coming. However, we had a great meeting and were able to really get a lot done! Then as we finished there we went straight to the church where we had Hno. Giles waiting for us to go and teach Isaac Sanchez and Mario Bencomo. Isaac is in a lot of pain with back problems right now, and Mario is a stubborn 9 year old that will not to save his life say the prayer. However, I have see a lot of progress with him and he is retaining super well all that we teach him. Hno. Giles was a good pick to help Mario out to feel more comfortable with him. I really enjoy teaching with Elder Graham, because he knows how to teach simple and powerful and to end the night of lessons we went and taught a new family, Erika and Ismael Dominguez

Friday:

I love days where I can go to what we call MLC, or Mission Leadership Council. I especially was grateful for this one where I felt it was planned so well and inspired for sure. It am grateful for a mission president who trusts us and Assistants who are very smart and teach correct doctrine and let us govern ourselves and love us no matter what. So today I wanted to just share a few thoughts from MLC when they talked about the Atonement.

Elder Baker: "The Enabling Power of the Atonement"

What is the difference between Redeeming power and enabling power of the atonement. Redeeming: power to save. Enabling: give authority or make possible.

"When my body begs for rest I cry, Remember Him!" -Henry B. Eyring 

• "Why is this so hard? Why can't it go better? Why isn't it easier? Can't they see this? These are things all ask. Missionary work is not easy, because salvation was never easy. Why would we think it would be easy for us when it wasn't easy for him. We must know and feel somewhat of what he felt. You must be prepared to walk somewhat of the path he walked, shed one of the tears of sorrow that he shed. The living son of the living God said, "isn't there some other way?" When the missionaries struggle they stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest missionary who ever lived. Let them stand tall. When Christ was crucified he did not stop teaching. He then went to the Spirit world and worked onward. When you feel you have finished and more comes up always remember that!" -Jeffery R. Holland

-Isaiah 53 -John 7:5 -Luke 22:48 -Matt 26:56 -Matt 27:46 -Matt 27:12-14                     -Mark 14:37 -John 11:33-36 -John 19:26-27 -Mark 14:34-36 -D&C 88:6

He is Risen (Video) 

• Even in the pain he had on the cross feeling all alone, he forgave them for what they had done and asked God for him to forgive them as well. 
• He has risen and I can feel it!

Do we internalize what Jesus Christ did? Or apply it? Matt 28 I am with you always. 

"Perfect people don't need a Savior!" - (Ask Elder Baker)

Elder Bird: "Having the Faith to Act" "How we can use the Atonement"

Doctrine on faith to act: 3 Nephi 21->Jeremiah 18:1-6. "Manual of Institute for Bible Jeremiah 18:1-10" Marred:  Pliable: "Do not be prideful, but be pliable."

Unity in diversity (Video) Agents to Act

• Faith in the savior is a spiritual gift, not a trait. We first act, then the power comes.
• The gift given to us through the Atonement is Agency. 2 Nephi 2

"Are we going to sink or are we going to swim in the Lords work?" - Elder Bird

Today was a powerful day in this great work of the Lord, and we were able to go and share the gospel this evening with 3 families! We went and taught Hector Payro how to read a little bit, and then we went and found Alex Salazar, a recent convert who has 10 years! We haven't been able to find him for a while because he has been so busy, but now we have found him and he seems good about us passing by! Also we taught Pablo the Restoration just by reading the first chapter of first Nephi. He had good questions and we were able to help him a lot! What a forest day!

Saturday: 

To start off the day we helped give service for Hno. Giles and we had to fill in a hole he had dug under his garage, and it was huge! Let's just say I am now super sore and tired! But I love giving service and helping those in need! 

Today was such a great day for the both of us, where we were able to learn both during our lessons and then we also were able to learn at the feet of 2 Elders of the seventy. We had a Stake conference and they were able to teach some marvelous thoughts! 

President Hadley:

"Gods saves his toughest battles for his toughest warriors."

"Dios salva sus más fuertes batallas para sus soldados más fuertes!"

Elder Villarreal:

• "Being at this meeting is as important as the meeting itself."

It is a sign between you and God.

Just like the garment being here tonight is an outward commitment of following Christ.

• Many of times it is the people we are not expecting that will accept the Gospel.

We as members of the church are good at friend-shipping, but many can't invite.

• To be an effective missionary we must ask the father for us to be blessed, not let the missionaries be blessed. We must be the ones to act, not just the missionaries.
• Teach the lessons asking not if someone wants to be baptized, but teaching the lessons backwards helping them understand how!

Elder Curtis:

• Scripture projects. (Frases and chapters, Topics)
• God blesses us as we serve. You will always see the blessings Latter on.

How good are we of passing on the gospel from generation to generation? (Look in the scriptures) Mosiah 26:1-4

The most impressive: 4 Nephi 1:15-16, más 

Anti-Nephi-Lehi

As we move forward to the second coming how are we doing on passing on the gospel to the next generation? And what is it that we can to to pass the gospel on full strength with all the blessings of the gospel!?

People are agents not objects, and some will chose the agency to choose poorly.

What is it that we can do?

1. Example (Do your very best)
2. Take them to church (Help them meet people like you)

• Mini interviews with your kids!

1. What happens at home? (Pray in Gratitude in whatever situation, Family Home Evenings, Family Scripture study,

I know this church is true and I am grateful for leaders of he church who have trusted us to be the best we can be and who come and support us in our callings and our lives! I hope this can bless a life today!

Tonight I put my hands into the warm water of my sink to wash my face after a long day of service and lessons. As I put my hands in the water I had a pulled blister that was irritated and burned with the sensation of water. As that happened I had some thoughts come into my head. This pas week I have been studying and thinking a lot about Satan, the Natural man and some other thoughts, and then I realized with this simple experience that I began to focus on myself and nothing else because of the pain. As I kept thinking I then realized if I put medication or ointment on it it will heal faster and I won't have to think about it or myself any longer. Then my thoughts turned to my spiritual body and how when it gets hurt that is all we can think of as well. But as we repent and become healed we can then like Jesus Christ, focus on not ourselves, but those around us who struggle. God has given us opposition in all things and I realize that as he gave us a body that was imperfect we also gave us a chance to be healed.

Sunday:

Today was a blessing to be able to go back to Stake conference and watch as 2 Seventies come together in just a few days not knowing a soul and leaving having selected through the power of our Heavenly Father and revelation, 6 worthy men who will serve as new Stake presidencies! It was amazing to see the number of people gathered in the church. Probably the most I have seen gathered in most of my mission. Of course not more than we have at home, but a full gym full as well that they had to put some chairs on the stage! So we were able to hear the sweet testimonies of all the called brethren and then we also were able to hear from Elder Curtis and Elder Villarreal for the last time. As they spoke in the meeting I could feel the spirit so strongly and just kept thinking. "Man I want to sit at the feet of them everyday and see what more they can teach me!" It was a wonderful moment! Here are a few more of their comments! 

Elder Villarreal: 

• Stake presidents are not perfect and they were not expecting a call. However, they accept the call.
• Become, and Help others to become. 
• Are we active in our church but the church isn't active in our homes?
• Husbands and wives must help each other change bad habits, but we must not change personalities. It means a lot to her, it needs to mean a lot to me.
• "I help my wife fly her own kites." - Hinckley 
• "Do we just say yes because we try or is it etched into our heart?"
• For the Natural man is an enemy to god. But there is a spiritual man who is a friend to god. So which will we feed and which will we starve?
• We can't just feed the Natural man, but we must starve the Natural man!
• "Which wolf wins? Whichever wolf you feed the most."
• The temple is a place and the sabbath day is a time, but they have the same purpose if we let them.

The rest of the day was full of visiting members and investigators, and it was such a blessing. We were getting ready to go out finding and we actually knocked a door of a referral and he opened it in a wife beater tank top and looked pretty rough and then said, "well how are you doing brethren?" We were relieved and come to find out he had interest in learning more. We set up a time to go by again and he committed him to read the pamphlet. As we left we were so grateful that God had prepared him for a while and that he was ready to hear our message. I am grateful that Elder Graham is my companion! He is so fun!

I love you all and hope that this week for you is a good one! Know that I pray for you and your success and health! Never give up on life, because he who suffered all never gave up when he began to suffer your pains! You can do it! Just look for him for guidance and love!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth

¡Feliz Halloween!

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that y'all have had a great week and that you enjoy your day today! My week was great and I am so grateful for another week in the mission! Have a wonderful day and I hope you know I love and pray for you!

Week October 24th - October 30th 2016

Monday:

I always say that every Monday seems to be the same, but there was something that made this Monday so much better, and that was the amazing new of Kyler Blackmore being baptized! My mom emailed me that 'this morning, and I was just in shock and in tears thinking that he did! He was someone I always was thinking about and trying to figure out how to help him. He even emailed me today and thanked me for inviting him to go to church with me! I really don't know how to express the feelings I have other than joy! He even is preparing to serve a mission, and will be a great missionary! He is a great example to me! So today I was able to get me a little Texas gear and winter gear so I would be ready for the upcoming months, and it was fun!  Then as pray came to an end, I said my goodbyes to David Ayala, the young man we always went on exchanges with, as he is leaving tomorrow for his mission in Argentina! He is going to be a wonderful missionary as well, and is a little nervous! This gospel is true! However, this evening is where I enjoyed a lot as well! We went and taught the Zuniga family with AG and Samira, and had a wonderful time with them, and then went and had a lesson with the Gonzalez family in our ward! As we finished the lesson, Hna. Gonzalez made a drink called Atole, which is like a vanilla drink that was to die for! So that is something I have now fell in love with! I have found a great passion for this Spanish speakers and am so grateful that they except me in their ward family and culture! Today has just been amazing!

Tuesday:

The experiences that I had today were so very sacred to me! Recently I feel like God has just been blessing me to know what to say to investigators, and what scriptures would help them in their trials. And best of all is Rey came to family home evening and they got him started on Family Search! He still is nervous and not himself around the ward as much as he is with us, but he is getting better and loves to be apart! So today he showed up, and as we went about to the other side of the chapel he stopped us and thanked us for everything we do, and said, "you always do so much that I wanted to give you both your own Olive Garden card so that you have some place to eat." He gave each of us a 30 dollar gift card for Olive Garden. Who knows how long he worked to make that, but that he looks up to us that much is so sweet! So after a good time with him, we went over to the Soto/Martinez home and had a wonderful visit. The whole visit was good until we found coffee sweetener and a Corona Beer cap under the table. However, that isn't the important part. The important part was that the Hno. feels like it is to hard to stop. We shared some really good scriptures with them about being an example to all. And then we committed him and the family to do something more in this week and to quite something. He agreed to work on not drinking coffee or beer. He was a little twitchy about giving it up, but knows it is necessary. It was just amazing to see how the spirit was working on him! I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost and how it does all the teaching, we are just tools and helpers in the conversion process! Also David left today! Craziest thought ever to think he is starting the same journey that I am more than half way done with! I am happy for him too!

Wednesday:

Today was such a fun day for the both of us. It is so crazy to think that next week at this time I will be with a completely different companion! I am ready for change to be able to grow even more, but I am not ready to let Elder Lopez go! He has taught me a lot, but I know that what he has taught me I will use to keep progressing as a missionary! So today we had the opportunity of being to our Second District Meeting in this transfer, and I loved it so much! There was a wonderful training by Hna. Tibbets on how to enjoy weekly planning, and I was able to learn so much. The thing that stuck with me most is how to have "deep" blue lessons in our schedule, and it come by really thinking about the people we are going to teach instead of just setting appointments for the number! As we finished our District meeting Hna. Eyestone told me the coolest thing! She said, "recently I have been thinking about God and how he prompts us to talk to people. I have come to understand that those promptings are his referrals to us, and if we don't contact every single one, why would he give us more promptings?" That really was a cool thought to me and it made me think. We must also gain Gods trust by working hard and asking for ways that we can do more! So today our evening was full of lessons, and we focused on mostly less actives and part members families. As we taught them they showed more interest than I have seen in a while, and most of the less actives are not quite sure why they stopped going to church. As we visited it came to the point that they were just setting up their own barriers in their head of things that might happen if they go. While on my Mission I have learned that Hispanic people can either be the happiest people, or the most negative and pessimistic people! However, as I have served them I realize that all of them have that happy and loving side if you just show respect and love! To end the day we had a wonderful lesson with a part member family where the husband has been less active for many years and his wife is a non member who wants to learn more. As we taught her it was crazy to see that they had no historic background on Bible study and didn't even know what a prophet really was. But as we taught and testified the Hno. began to remember and he began to teach his wife too! It was a way fun day!

Thursday:

Today was a very busy day for the both of us. Not anything out of the ordinary happened, but we literally didn't eve have time to even do our weekly planning, so that kind of shows how busy we have been! So today we were able to go and help re Parajon family move almost completely out of their home, and it is just crazy their situation where they are struggling financially to be able to afford moving, by the lady they have rented from is super crazy, so they really have no choice! So after we finished helping her move we got super busy right into a lunch lesson and lessons after that. And the funny thing was we ate at every lesson! Our members think we never eat, so they always prepare something, and I am literally so tired of eating I am starting a 40 day fast!;) haha. So we were able to go and visit with Hector Payro, a member who is learning to read and he his learning because we read with him. And he doesn't understand a whole lot, because he can not study without being really able to read. However, he is a member who loves going to church. Is there every Sunday if he gets a ride, and he is always aware of our needs and messes with us a whole lot! As we finished a short visit at his house we were able to go and teach a family for the first time, and we were very focused on the son who is 9. He loves to watch movies and be on his phone, and every time we tell him we are going to do something he gets protective and tells us not to tell him what to do. So I went into uncle mode and just said, "well that's alright you don't have to sing, but I will sing louder than you and my muscles are stronger than yours!" Saying that fired him up and he listened to our whole lesson and participated more that I was expecting, and the best part was that his 14 year old sister taught him as much as we did and he actually said he wanted to be baptized!  The last appointment we had tonight was with the Nickel Family. They are a returning family who wasn't able to go a lot because of their recently born baby who was always sick or crying. Reminded me of Berkley! However, this baby got through it and is a very big chunk! So we talked to the about their missions and they shared their mission set of scriptures with us and they both met each other in their mission in California. To end our time there we taught them a really cool scripture in D&C 128:22-23. And then we invited them to present the family mission plan they had been working on. We were so impressed with what they are going to do, but they said to give them more time, because they hadn't set goals with the things yet! So I thought that we were going to get home on time tonight until we got a call from the office Elders and they asked us if we would go and help them set up for the New Leadership meeting tomorrow, and it took us until 10:30 to finish, so our nightly planning session wasn't the best, but we will get it in in the morning!

Friday:

So today we had the wonderful opportunity to give service with the Zone Leaders in our Zone, Elder Taylor and Elder Barber, loading trash into the back of our truck from our members house and taking it to the dump for them! It helped her a lot and she was so happy that she tried to make us food and everything! However, we got her to make us Agua de Piña, pineapple water, and it was so good! It would say this is probably my most favorite drink now! So today after our service we had the chance to be apart of a mission office meeting for our transfer review and talking about everything coming up, and it was a lot of fun! We were able to have a good visit and I love how powerful and directing President Whitney is! He does no short cuts, but takes the best and shortest routes! So I guess I can just say that my new companion will be a Elder Graham, the last elder I went on Exchange with! He is going to be a great companion, and I love being around him! He is funny and loves to Council! So we will have a good time here, and who knows how long we will be together! So this evening we stayed very busy with visits, however, we were also able to do our visits with an awesome member who returned 3 years ago from his mission, Hno. Giles! He served his mission in Honduras and loved it! So we had an awesome lesson with the Lopez family in our ward after a good dinner, and then the lesson I wanted to talk about was with Manuel Valdez! So we went by and had an okay lesson, and he said he felt that January would be a good time to get baptized as we kept talking and asking him what he feels he needs to know to be baptized I realized he felt he had to have a perfect knowledge and be able to defend his religion. I thought that was admirable, but all you need is that desire. Not once in the interview questions does it say do you know! So I talked to him about that and we invited him to be baptized on the 19 of November, and he accepted it! So now we are going to keep working with him for this day! I pray everything goes as planned for him!

Saturday:

Well today was a big crazy mess of a day, but it seemed to work out actually pretty good! So today we had a few service projects with members lined up, and every single one of them fell through and se we went and helped a member get ready for her Halloween party, and it was actually really fun! Hna. Lebron is such a sweet mom in the ward that always takes us in! So we helped her decorate for her party and then we went and had a few really good lessons that I want to share about! So this evening we were able to teach both Rey and another guy. As we pulled up to Rey's Apartment we noticed he was just getting off work and that he was just arriving, walking from work. He was so happy to see us and we had a great lesson on the plan of Salvation, and he had really good questions and answers that included some of his favorite scriptures found in theBook of Mormon! He is working on finding a new job and we hope he can do that every Sunday is off for him, because he will not be to church tomorrow, because no one would switch him shifts. So he is struggling with his job! As we finished there we went and contacted a man we were supposed to teach yesterday, but he never responded to our message, so we didn't go by. And as we knocked he opened ad let us in. He said he was waiting for us yesterday and was sad we didn't show up. He had been reading and we shared shortly what we believed more in depth and invited him to read another part of the Book of Mormon and he was excited for it. His name is Henry Hernandez, and we feel very good about him! The rest of the evening we went to a Halloween party of the Lebrons to get to know their friends, and it was a good turn out, but not the best opportunity to just sit and talk, however, it was super fun! Today was a really great day!

Sunday:

So today we were blessed with the opportunity to once again partake of the sacrament, and it was such a wonderful relief and peaceful day. So today was kind of a good bye day for elder Lopez, so there isn't much to say, but we were able to go and teach the Nickels one last time with elder Lopez, and then we ended our night off with teaching Maria and Johanna, recent convert mother and daughter, and they we so sad to see him go! We taught them the Restoration and then hey surprised Elder Lopez with Cake and A new Tie! It was so wonderful to see he didn't want to go! I love my area and today was a wonderful day!:)

Love y'all!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth

Board Day Is already Past!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a crazy and great one! I stayed more than busy, and it still amazes me how we get everything ready for the new transfer and decided where everyone goes! I am so grateful for a mission president who puts so much trust in us and is bold with us! I love my mission and I had a special experience this morning finding out that Kyler Blackmore got baptized! What a great week! Here is how my week went!

Week October 17th - 23rd 2016

Monday:

Well I am not going to write to much of what happened today because it was similar to most of my p-days, but here is a few things that really hit home for me. So we had the opportunity to go,this morning to put in a new washer and dryer in some sisters apartment, because come to find out, they were going down the complex a little ways every week to do laundry in the apartment of some Elders in their Zone. However, the part that caught me was the way the elders corrected. THEY DIDNT! So how can behavior change without correction or a knowing of doing wrong? That is one big thing I learned was to always be bold and brave to correct nicely and lovingly. But worse things happen when we lax on things like that. So today we had a wonderful preparation day full of activities to do and I got me a nice hair cut that I hope will last me a while! So we were able to teach Two sweet families this evening, and the one I want to talk about Is the Barraza family. So we went over, and come to find out, the Hna. Is a wonderful Acrylic painter who learned when going through depression. So can paint people and landscapes and even painted Jesus Christ walking on water that was gorgeous! Somas we taught them a lesson I asked them the question, "so,why do we need a prophet, why can't I just talk to a God by myself to know what to do?" That question I believe got both the husband and wife thinking to the point that both of them want to study with that question in mind. Finally it hit me. If you want to have good studies you must have good questions to ask yourself. If you study with them in mind, that is when the lord with bless you a wonderful and powerful answer! I invite you who read this to think of questions you may have, or others have about the church and study prayerfully until the Lord reveals a way to explain clearly an answer!

Tuesday:

Today was such a fun for me! Today we had the opportunity to start our last week of exchanges today in Fort Worth with Elder Parkin and Langi, and I was privileged to come back to my area and serve ye day with Elder Langi! It is a weird thought to think it was 2 transfers ago when I was with him last, and it is weird to see how much he and I have both grown from those two transfers! So our time together was great! We had the chance to go to eat lunch at Chipotle where we found a member, and his friend from work that we were able to sit by and get to know more, and it was super cool. Then we went and lended service to the Parajon family in our area that is moving houses because of a haunted house situation. So we went and moved them completely out and unloaded the whole thing into a storage unit until they can get heir new house bought in the next month! So elder Langi and I loaded a full length U-Haul  to its max, and unloaded it in about 3 hours and then had to run to our next lesson! As we left, the Hno. looked at us with gratefulness and said, "Hno.s thank you so much!" And we just kind of shrugged it off like missionaries do, and he stopped us and said, "no, Hno.s really, thank you!" I was a witness today of how service touches the heart of any person. So today we were able to teach a few people, and my favorite part of the day was when we were able to find our investigator that was progressing so well, Karla Hernandez, and come to find out a guy answered her door and was being all secretive and discreet on how she is and where she is. It is really sad, but we also taught him a small lesson about the Book of Mormon and were able to give him one. As we were driving home we went by another investigators house, Miguel Gonzalez and were able to teach him and his family a lesson, and as we finished they were so excited they asked, can you come back tomorrow? So that is exactly what we are going to do! Today was a wonderful day!

Wednesday:

Holy cow today was a crazy day and I am so glad I know how to plan hourly as well as daily, because we received calls today and went and did service and had lots of canceled appointments but I learned a lot on how to use my time better! So today I was blessed with the opportunity to pick up Elder Lopez and then go with him to start another exchange with the Arlington Zone Leaders, Elder Wolfert and Graham. I was able to come back again to my area with Elder Graham and we received a call right when we pulled in, if we could go with an Hno. to cut a lawn of a man whose wife just passed away at age 40, and was struggling. As we got there the Hno. said, "you brought a Book of Mormon? I want to write unit and give it to him when we finish." So we did that and it worked really well, and he is going to keep working with him and following up for the next few weeks! It was a great service! Also today we were able to pass by another members house to find another member there talking about and planning how she was going to find people for us to teach while writing down the address from a phone book and from LDS Tools! It was a really cool experience and I loved seeing it! So to end the night off we went and had a wonderful lesson with a less active family hat fed us named the family Tirado! As we finished there we got another call for service with the Parajon family! It was super fun and we were so grateful we could help them keep moving! I love my area and Elder Graham is awesome!

Thursday:

So today was a very different morning experience for me when we went back to exchange with Elder Wolfert and Lopez again. As we went back, we did a little bit of service and it was pretty much being a part of another churches services. As we were there it was more like a food pantry/supply building with a small falling apart chapel on the side. They were singing some really up beat sings and yelling hallelujah and praise the lord! As we were there they also asked us to sing, and we decided to sing "I need thee every hour" and the whole spirit of the meeting changed. Everyone was so peaceful and didn't understand why. It was so sad to see them so hungry but not know where to find the truth. They kept teaching that it doesn't matter where you go to church or what you believe. And they only had like 2 pictures of the savior in the giant building! I am so grateful to know that it is important which church you go to and how you worship. And there is a true church on the earth with loving, caring, imperfect people that try to be better not just Sundays, but everyday!

So Elder Lopez and I drove back fast, already low on our mile allowance, to make it to a District meeting in time in Hurst. And we were a little late, but it has been the first District meeting I have been to in this transfer that is almost over, because we have been so busy! So today as we taught a family in our ward, I said that Jesus was a Prophet and even more, he was the Son of God, first Born. However, they didn't like that. They told me that I should look at Jesus as higher than a prophet, and that is when I realized that first they didn't understand how important a prophet is, and two they didn't understand his ministry. Of course he was way more than a prophet. Having a perfect life with a body that could suffer every pain of the world, but not be killed by anyone. He freely payed for our sins and freely gave his life. No one can compare to that kind of love and sacrifice! However, he did set up an organization and call 12 apostles, and for a good amount of time was at the head of the church/organization receiving revelation from his father above to guide and teach those in his church. I came to a great conclusion that Prophet wasn't a good name for him by chance, but more like a God who was foreordained to set up the church!

I love when I learn so much and I am so grateful for  the many experiences I have! And to end off the night we had a cook out with the Martinez family where Hna. Soto kept calling me Gregorio from some funny Spanish Commercials!

Friday:

Board Day already here!? That is a crazy thought! It is so crazy to think that I am back to another transfer just around the corner, being the third one as a Spanish Training Leader, and I have been learning so much! I have so many things to work on and all the time I just think, "how am I going to do all of these things!?" So today we had the chance to go and sit down with President and the Assistants and discuss all of the missionaries and figure out where they would be best at, and which ones were either ready, or in a position of leadership. It was a lot longer meeting than normal because of a few different situations that had been happening and because of the lack of missionaries ina certain aspect, however, we worked out a way that will be wonderful, and the craziest thing is that Elder Lopez is already heading out on me, because he only has 2 transfers left! So I know his replacement, but I can't say it until later on! So as we finished in the meeting we had to do some map work for areas, and then we also helped the office staff with some things and headed back out! He were able to have a random lunch with a member, Hno. Giles, who I love a lot! And then we went and had some studies before we got busy with the day! So today we had a really cool experience! We were out finding and driving to different places when we drove by a house with a guy outside with some kids, and come to find out, it was the guy we were looking for, so as we were walking up I was thinking, "he will probably just tell us he is not interested, but that was the opposite effect! He was excited to see us and had some amazing questions and understood doctrine in the Bible more that a lot of other people we have worked with! It was super cool to visit with him, ad we were able to teach him who Joseph Smith was and that we don't worship him, and he wants to come to church to see what it is like! I walked away from that house with so much excitement and happiness knowing that people are still looking for God.

Saturday:

It is so crazy and funny to me how every single week I seem to say the same thing to elder Lopez and he agrees with me. I say, "wow Elder! It is already Sunday tomorrow! Time is flying." And without fail we say it to each other every single week! However, I have come to the conclusion that no matter what is going on, as long as I always find the good and am working hard that not only will time fly by, but I will have the most success! So today was such a blessing for us! We were able to have a wonderful coordination meeting with Mario Santiesteban and the missionaries, and a lot happened. We are working on having 13 baptisms more before the end of the year! And I have full faith that we can receive that and even go higher than that if we just keep working hard and doing what the lord wants! We also had a meeting for the ward missionaries, and Victor Hernandez, our solid member, was the only one there and he learned a lot and was so much more excited to go and teach with his wife! So throughout the day we had amazing contacts and one happened while at a small member owned shop called Coco Shrimp! We met a guy that works at Fedex, and we became his friends! He asked a lot of questions and almost was so into it he wanted to stay a little longer as his carry out order came! Also we had the chance to go and read a letter with Isaac and Ana Sanchez from our mission president for his baptism, and it was a great time to be there with them! I really love them a lot! This evening we had the experience of going to a ward party pretty out of town in a ranch, and it was so much fun and i was able to get to know the members even more, and I really love this ward a lot! I thing the reason I love it so much is because I have began to serve them! We were able to meet investigators there and taught some simple lessons and even more exciting is that were able to go by and teach Rey Castillo again, and he is so different and even looks different like he has been changed!! He seems even happier if that is even possible, and he said to us that he can feel the change. Before his baptism and confirmation he had feelings of stress and anxiety, and as he received the spirit he says that those feelings haven't come back to him. I know that God will and is blessing his life and that he will be of great help to those around him as he begins to open his mouth! I love Rey so much and I feel a huge connection to him because he know understands us as he spiritual brothers and we are just so happy for him! His hugs are the best, because they are sincere, and he just is so sincere with everything!!

Small side comment: So this evening in the ward party I also was able to see a member I worked with a lot in Fort Worth and I helped her decide to send missionaries to her good friend/boyfriend in California, and she told me some amazing news. He got baptized this past week!!! He is now going out with the missionaries a lot and his two kids, a son and daughter, along with a sister have interest in the church and are wanting to be baptized!! It made me want to cry and I am so grateful for this church!!!! Here is a picture of him and his kids!

Sunday:

Well today like every Sunday was really good, but I feel like this Sunday was even better, because I felt like the sacrament became more real to me, all because I decided to prepare the whole week for it! So today I was able to see Sergio come to church, and he was at church before any other of he boys, and he was so excited and did a great job doing it! He just fits in so well here in the ward! Also I learned a lot in my classes and was so happy to see everyone that came to church today! As the day went on I was washing the dishes in he kitchen after our ward dinner and I was just shocked when a sister from our ward came up and said, "elder, if I had a daughter she would be waiting for you, because you know how to clean dishes and you are willing to help!" Also I had another lady who said, "Elder, you are going to find you a really pretty wife because of this, so give me your Facebook so that 10 years from now I can tell you I told you so!!" It was super funny but I loved it! And I love my ward! They make me feel awkward sometimes. So this evening we had a few good lessons, but as we were finishing the night off we went to David Ayalas house for his farewell, because he leaves this Tuesday and he had his farewell party and we wanted to be there to support him, and he was so happy to see us! His parents are super sweet and didn't want us to go, and I am really going to miss him as he goes to Argentina! He is a great man and will be a great missionary!

I love y'all so much! I hope y'all have such a great week!:)

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth

Heart: A symbol of the mind and will of man; the figurative source of all emotions and feelings.

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been such a crazy and eventful week, and I can definitely say that I have been at the highs of highs and the lows of lows! However, the Gospel is true no matter what and it makes me so happy and grateful! I have been comforted and blessed as I serve with all my heart! By the way, speaking of heart, it is something I invite you do do. Ponder what it means to feel with your heart and how it can control you! It is something that really helped me in this week!

And Happy Birthday to Ethan! I love you and thank you for all that you do!

Take care of my sister!:)

Week October 10th - 16th 2016

Monday:

Today was quite the day and probably a day I will not forget at all!

So I guess to start it off we had a really fun and good day where we went shopping and then to the church to relax, and as we were there we were playing basketball and I was on the team of a big missionary named Elder Bott. As he went up for the lay up, I was under the hoop for the rebound, but he came down on me and he swung his arm which hit across my face making me go blind for a few seconds and I noticed I had some stuttered speech! I had a bit of a head ache for a while, and one of my eyes was very blood shot. So as I came out to keep playing volleyball I was super shaky and just dealt with it, but later in he evening I realized I was just super foggy minded. So as we were talking with some members and they noticed my eyes were very different sizes dilated I decided to call Sister Bergeson, the mission nurse, and she said it would be smart just for safety to get a check up, so we went to the ER last night at about 9 and they did a simple physical test on touching my nose and holding my hands up, and then I got a Cat Scan of my head. As I came out they said they could not see anything to crazy different and said that I just needed to go home and rest. Also the nurse, Whitney, said that I could have post symptoms of a concussion, meaning that the CAT scan didn't show anything, but I could start showing symptoms later, and I needed to be watched. So it is a god thing I have a companion! So other than that I don't know how to explain my day, except for I feel like a baby going to the ER without any issues apparently.

Tuesday:

Well I felt amazing today as I went on exchange with Elder Poll, a new missionary being trained by one of my companions, Elder Lewis. We had a very wonderful day where we started the day off busy with some wonderful studies, and then out to biking! We were able to bike a very long distance and we were also able to speak with everyone we saw! I think my favorite part of the whole day was two lessons we had! The first one was very focused on one of their investigators named Eduardo. We taught him L2, the plan of Salvation, and I loved it so much that it the end of the lesson he just looked with tears in his eyes and said, "Wow, that was amazing!"as we taught him we just were able to feel the spirit so strong and he both understand that we would invite him to be baptized and he also wants to come to church as well! Then as we were leaving he played his Ukulele for us! Then our other wonderful lesson was when we went wi a member of the bishopric, Hno. Dávila to teach a member who just moved here for work, and  we found out that the member had been doing a lot of missionary work within his family and he has 3 adult aunts that are wanting to come to church with him this Sunday! It was just a wonderful experience, but as we came in the house tonight I realized just how tired I was and even how sore I was! Man I love my mission, and Elder Poll is a very good missionary not afraid to work at all!

Wednesday: 

It is crazy how fast the day has gone, but man it was a really good and busy day! So we were able to finish our exchange and even go to a Zone Council in Fort Worth to see how everyone is doing, and it was a very good opportunity. As we were there everyone just seemed so down and like missionary work was hard and not worth doing. As they finished up they asked if there was anything that we wanted to add that was missed or any comments from the both of us, and I was able to talk to everyone and tell them how important enjoying their missions was, and as I did that everyone began to smile and just try to make the best of it. I think it is so sad when missionaries begin to endure the mission like it is hard, instead of enjoying the mission!

So as we finished at the meeting and headed home we got busy and went by to teach an active family at a dinner appointment, and in he process we found out that their 30 year old son is a member and living with them, but inactive, and all the missionaries that have gone by never let us know, so we were a little upset that missionaries were not passing on he information. Then our next lesson was with Hno. Pablo Martinez, where we just talked again about our purpose and told him we would invite him to be baptized, and as we did that he agreed and said that he would start working on that as a goal. I hope and pray that he does! Then to end the night we had a super powerful lesson with a man named Manuel Valdez, a husband of a member as well, and we taught him the rest of lesson one and tried to set a date with him, and he was super pushy about not setting a date, so we explained it is just a goal that we set to see what we need to teach you, and his whole thoughts changed about it, so we invited him to pray about it and come with an answer in Church on Sunday! It was a really cool lesson and made me super happy to know that he was willing!! Today was a wonderful day! 

Quote for the day, 

"Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion."-David A. Bednar

Thursday:

What an amazing day where I was blown away by the most simple Doctrine taught by a servant of the Lord. So today Elder Kim B. Clark from the Seventy came to our mission and taught us in the North Zones from 9 to 5, and it was the most powerful time I have had in quite a long time! He was the Dean at Harvard for a while, and is so very genuine and loving, but within all of that is very good at inviting all including me to repent! So today our main focus in our training was how we can be converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Gospel, and I feel that I learned so much that I now must apply! It teaches us in D&C 59:4 that as we are obedient then God gives us more Commandments/Assignments to strengthen us and help us to become like him. I also learned a lot about the Doctrine of Christ taught in many places, actually everywhere in the Church material! Many people feel like they are not cleaned from sins because they can still remember them, but God never tells us that we will forget them, but he tells us he will remember them no more. (D&C 58:42) The last comment that I loved a lot was by President Whitney who said, "Many of us are marvelous teachers of repentance, but we do not know how to repent ourselves!"

All of these simple quotes or thoughts are super important to me, because they are simple things I am working on to become a Convert of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that his church is true, because I saw the application of this meeting in a lesson tonight with members, and they were so spirit filled and had stories that they were crying through to tell.we have a prophet here today to guide us, and he has the priesthood of God. If you question any of this I invite you again to Read the Book of Mormon in Prayer, and I can promise you will receive a prompting from God through the spirit!

Friday:

This week has been a week full of meetings, and today I was blessed to learn so much in my Zone Council. It amazes me how I was in Mission Leadership Council where we discussed all of these amazing topics, and how I can come here and have another council with my zone that is very focused down onus specifically, and I received answers o how to help the people in my area to progress more. So I would say one of the main things I learned today was this,

"Planning is an Eternal Principle!"

"Even God created a plan! So why don't we plan?"

"If we loves those we teach why do we hate weekly planning?"

D&C 59:4

"They that are faithful and diligent before me shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with Commandments/Assignments not a few, and with revelations in their time." (Revised to my needs)

As I learned more about planning and really what I am doing, I grew a deeper desire to play and talk about my investigators openly with my companion. So today we had a wonderful chance to share a message after dinner with the Alonzo family, an older couple in the ward who has a 15 year old daughter named Abby. She is all about sports, and was fun to connect with! So we taught about how we need to always do good without ceasing, and the we had a lesson wit AG and Samira. As we taught them we came to the main concern of Samira, and it is that her parents are very forceful, and she is very confused because she felt something, but when she reads the Book of Mormon, and prays about it she doesn't feel anything. So she kind of felt attacked having us there, so we just bore our testimonies and invited her to again begin to read and pray about it for herself, and she didn't really want to do it for her, but to make us feel good. I felt so sad, because there is nothing I can do other than invite, and she just isn't acting accordingly. Agency is such a necessary part of this plan!

Saturday: 

A day of Elder Clark Mission Leadership Council/Baptism

So today we had the opportunity to having a second Mission Leadership Council in this month, but this time with Elder Clark, and it was amazing to have him there where for 3 and a half hours him and President Whitney did a question and answer session and everyone asked so many questions, and it amazed me to see that every question was answered with scripture! I learned even more that the Church is true, because everything can and is answered in Scripture! So I want to type out a few questions and answers that were very uplifting and to me even mind blowing!

• What is a pre-mortal Covenant- Moses 4:1-2

God always tells us what we need to do and we must accept it by our acting on an ordinance. So God laid out his plan, or covenant, and then asked, "whom shall I send?"

Satan didn't want to accept the terms of the covenant, but change it completely, and Christ accepted it and God chose him! Then a Great War in Heaven broke out where everyone was free to chose to make a covenant with God, or Follow Satan. The war was not easy at all and many were struggling spiritually to chose the right, but it says in Revelation 12:7-11 (Those who chose Christ overcame Satan by the Blood of the Lamb. And by word of Testimony.) The Atonement of Jesus Christ even played effect in the pre mortal realm, and even Testimony was necessary!

• What is the difference between Satan and the Natural man, and how was Satan tempted to go against God? 

In the Pre-Earth life there was not 2 plans. It was the fathers plan. "But if you study more heavily on the Natural man, I was say he followed it fully!" Even Satan worked with fear there and we had emotion. Then God set up this life for us with opposition already included with the Natural man, so having Satan fall didn't change much of the fact that there would be opposition. The Natural man would have been enough, but because Satan chose freely he was added to that plan. 

I wish I had time to type all the answers and questions, but these ones really hit me! I know that Elder Clark is called of God and I loved hearing him speak so clearly! 

So today after the meeting we had a few lessons that we went to the baptism of our wonderful investigator and friend Rey Castillo. He was there more than early and was just so excited and happy about his decision! It was so wonderful to see a son of God so happy to make this covenant, and even more amazing was seeing the support we had in our ward! The primary room had a good amount of members, and it turned out so wonderful. And to our surprise, right about the time it started, President and Sister Whitney showed up and sat down, and it really made me happy! They not only made my day, but they made the day of Rey and he felt so special. I love the Whitney's so much and am so glad I have them as my examples forever! I can testify that a baptism calms the soul and helps to bring you back to the true identity that you have. You are a son and daughter of God. You already committed to him once in the pre-earth life to live his Gospel, so being baptized just shows your striving to follow him even more! I didn't want to leave Rey's side, but the time came and he left until tomorrow! And we ended the night off by talking to a recent convert in the church that is really struggling in life with her daughter, work, housing, school and relationships. As we visited I was able to really see where my responsibility stopped and where he bishop came into play, and it made me so happy! Today was a day where I know there was a party in Heaven for this Great man who has such a great spirit! Rey Castillo really has changed my life!

Sunday:

So today was such a special day! Not only was Rey able to be confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Holy Ghost, but he was also ordained with the Aaronic Priesthood in he office of a Priest, and it was just a very spiritual day! As I sat with him all day Rey couldn't get his giant smile off his face, and it is more than contagious! And after receiving the Holy Ghost I remember him telling me as I was hugging him. "I am so happy!" However, the moment that touched me the most is when he said to me after being ordained the Priesthood, "Hno. today has been the best day of my life. I feel so much love from God!" And it hit me. He could feel God so much in his life! Even more importantly, he made such a big decision and that decision just changed his life completely in one day! As we were getting out of church I loved to see how the members just began to include him in everything they were doing and I know he feels life he has a family here, and it just touched me a lot! So this evening we didn't stop. We just kept passing by families and teaching lessons and the whole time went by so fast, because of how much I am coming to love the members and people here! I am a full believer in the phrase in PMG that says, "I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionaries works, he will get the spirit; if he gets the spirit, he will teach by the spirit; if he teaches by the spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, Work, Work-there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work." -Ezra Taft Benson

I am so grateful for y'all and hope that you loved my email! I love y'all so much! Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth