Manuel got Baptized!! What a week!

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week has been so enjoyable for me, and it has also been one I am so grateful for! I hope and pray that this upcoming week of thanks and giving is one that brightens your life even more. Never forget about those who suffer on here days! Our purpose as members and as children of God is to help one another feel happy and loved!

Here is how my week went!

Week November 14th - 20th 2016

Monday:

"The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change"

- Dallin H. Oaks

So today I found this wonderful quote and was able to share it in a group message to many members and Investigators, and I have just found it to be so true as I have served the Lord. With a new United States President chosen and working his way in I feel this quote it a perfect help. We will begin to see changes in laws and the way the country runs, however, as we have these changes and as we rely on e Gospel of Jesus Christ we can see and become those celestial citizens that our Father in Heaven wants us to be! So today was a wonderful P-Day different from others, because we didn't go and play games at the church but just had some Companionship time and it was a lot of fun. Just stayed home after shopping and stuff until a little later and then we went with Elder Flake and Elder Taylor to their house and played some card games! They are wonderful Zone Leaders to have!

So today I learned that my sweet great Aunt Shirley passed away and I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that she is not far, but she is finally able to be free from her earthy trials and oh so happy! I look at my Uncle Lane and just admire him for how he showed so much love and kindness for so many years without complaining. He is a wonderful example of Enduring Love! So today we had a wonderful lesson with the Ramos family where the husband is struggling coming back to church and he was a tough nut to crack and kind of fights trying to be the one that is right always. However my favorite lesson was with AG!

Tuesday:

Wow, today was such an amazing day and I was so inspired and uplifted! So today was our privilege to have Zone Conference with President and Sister Whitney, and it started at 10 am and we were able to listen and learn from him and the Zone Leaders until 4 Pm. There was so many inspired topics to talk about, however, the ones that caught my attention the most were these two. Personal Revelation Through Prayer with Investigators. And the other was Questions and Answers from President Whitney, and they covered a god amount of topics with that. Here are a few things I learned. Pray for Conversion:

Mosiah 5:2-7

Why is prayer so important?

Video on Prayer: District 2 Helping investigators pray.

• Be persistent    - Kneeling.   - Help them overcome Doubts
• Loving and Bold. - Teach clearly the Doctrine of Prayer. - Let the Spirit Guide
• we can't do it for you. You must do it for yourself.

Prayer:

• Moroni 7:48.  
• "Conversion starts with a Prayer!"

President Whitney:

How did the church all start?

• A question. As he read he found an answer. So he went and prayed. And that is how it happened.
• So our investigators also will have questions. So they must pray. And as they pray they will have a real answer!

# as we teach the first lesson set the expectation that they will pray before we leave.

We must talk about it upfront! How can they get an answer if they don't start?

• Don't be afraid of silence. What do you think is going on in the investigators or less active members head?
• If we start out with an expectation and just don't cave in in the end they will take us more seriously and we will have more success.

I am grateful for a living Prophet today who guides our church and very grateful for the local leaders like my mission president who help me understand an live the gospel even better!

Wednesday:

Wow, today was a very wonderful day where I was able to learn a whole lot! Today I was able to have Elder Dinis, or as he says it, (Jinis) come on exchange with me in my area, and Elder Graham stayed in Cleburne with Elder Lopez. It was an amazing day with Elder Dinis, because he is from Brasil and actually was only baptized 2 years ago. As we got to know each other he began explain Brasil and I found out he lived 30 minutes from the mission of my brother Skyler and only 5 minutes or so from the Temple. He was able to speak a lot of Spanish and pretty much understand most of what was said. However, his Portugués shows through his speaking in both Spanish and English and it makes me miss the simple accent Skyler had when he came home from his mission! So today we were able to teach Hector, Isaac Sanchez, Barraza and, Erica and Ismael, and it was just such an enjoyable da to be in their homes. They each bring me so much joy and love. And I loved being able to touch them or have the touch my life in a certain way. For me I think that is what I have learned the most is just how much someone can thought your life. The one experience I will share is while we were with the Barraza family. They taught us as if random people on the street and the hermano began to cry as he talked about the restoration and Joseph Smith and I felt so much power come and I just know and can see the work progressing as they do these things! Today was a day I loved so much! Also Elder Dinis was so awesome!!

Thursday:

The days go by so fast, however, I just love being able to go on exchanges to get to know the Spanish missionaries even more! So today we were able to exchange back, Elder Lopez and Dinis, and we drove to Arlington and began an exchange with Elders Wolfert and Hooper. It was fun for me to finally be able to stay in Arlington with Elder Hooper where we had an eventful day. We helped a less active member paint a room in her house, and then we had dinner with them. As we had dinner a member came by the house and was able to be our exchange. His name was Hno. Garcia and come to find out he has only been a member for 2 years and loves being with the missionaries, and more than anything he thanks the missionaries in every lesson for what they did in bringing the gospel into his life. Something I love about Elder Hooper is his love for the Atonement! As we taught the lesson he shared a wonderful video about burying your trash and leaving it. And there was a scripture that was read that I love so much!

Alma 7:13-14

 "13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven;"

I know that whoever shall come to Christ and repent that he shall be forgiven. It doesn't matter where you might be in life, God can put you where you need to be!

It was such a wonderful exchange!

Friday:

The one thing I get so tired of hearing is, how long have you been out? Not that I don't want to answer, but I just get tired of thinking about time! So today we were able to go and have an exchange with Elder Langi and Elder Thompson in Lewisville, and to start off he Exchange we went and gave service in what is called CCA or Community Christian Action food pantry where we were able to give service mopping and just sorting things. As we got going we found out that more the workers speak Spanish, so that was fun! Also we were able to go by and do some finding, however, the weather went way south today and it got so cold! It was in the low 50s in the middle of the day and 40s at night! Also we were able to have a recent return missionary named Micheal come and do some visits with us and it was so great! He has been home for 2 months and just an amazing guy! I learned from my time with Micheal and Elder Thompson how much someone can change in their mission if they really focus and apply what the learn to the scriptures. It was such A wonderful day to be a missionary and learn on my exchange.

Saturday:

Wow, so today was another amazing day, but what made today great was being able to be apart and actually be the one to baptized Manuel Valdez! It was such a wonderful Baptismal Service, and it was so special to see his mom, who is not a member, come and support him and see her cry from joy! As I began to visit with her she said we could go over while teaching Manuel the lessons again and we could teach her the Restoration! Also she said she wanted to come and see what Church was like tomorrow as we confirmed Manuel, and I hope and pray she has a great experience. So the rest of the day we had an exchange with Elder Williams and Hanks in our District, and we went with them and gave service for Johanna and Maria by helping them move homes! It was a great service project and I am so happy for them to move into the area of the Hnas Eyestone and a Tibbets where they will be so much stronger and be able to be visited more regularly. As we finished there we were able to visit Roger Siliezar, a member we are working with, and then we were able to go and Read a mission Presidents letter with Rey Castillo for his baptism congrats. As we were their Rey began to ask us. How could I begin to talk to my friends about the Gospel? So we did role plays and just taught him according to his questions. I think the experience that I loved a lot this evening was having half an hour left before being home and finding someone in the area Book we decided we should contact. As we contacted this lady she was busy and it was late, so instead of bothering her I just did a 5 minute restoration lesson with the pamphlet, and she enjoyed it and said she would read! It made my day to see just a response from someone we just contacted! Today was a great day with Elder Williams who is about to go home at the end of this transfer!

Sunday:

Today was such a wonderful, but also tiring day! Both Elder Graham and I were able to be apart of the confirmation of Manuel Valdez, and I just loved being in church today and learning. Our sacrament meeting was focused on the Sacrament and how it is the most important ordinance to keep being apart of for ourselves ever week. As I listened and thought it became clear to me that my weeks are wonderful because I focus and learn at church after partaking of the sacrament. I never thought about the fact that every time I think of doing a wrong thing I think about how my process of repentance will be messed up and I won't be ready to partake of he sacrament and it helps me stay clean and safe from temptation! So after church we were able to go on double exchanges and visit families in the ward with the Elders Quorum, and it was such a blessing to visit 2 families and be with an elder from the ward who taught me a lot! He taught me to love the people even more and he taught me to share stories that are applicable to the people! I know it is long but I would like to share his story. "So one day a poor man walked up to a rich man and asked if he could borrow some money to get on his feet and that he would pay him back in 2 years. The rich man agreed and had the poor man sign a contact. As he had the money he began by buying a ranch and the necessary things to get the ranch running. As he worked and started to make money he decided that he didn't need to pay any money back yet and that he still had plenty of time. As he reach the 2 year mark he realized his time was up and the rich man found him. As the rich man asked for his money the poor man said, well I don't have it yet, can I pay you back in a few months? The rich man told him that he made a promise and it was necessary to pay consequences. So he took he poor man to court. As the judge realized the man was guilty the poor man pleaded, "I just need you to be merciful", and so the  judge agreed. Then the rich man said to the judge, "That isn't fair! You must be just as well." As the judge came to a rough conclusion a man came through the door in the back and said, "I will pay the debt of this man so he can be free from you, but he will then be in debt to me and pay me the due." At this point the Hno. I was with asked, in this moment if you were the poor man how would you have felt to have someone come and save the day in the exact moment of your sentencing? And so I ask you, how would you feel? Then he went on, "do you realize that the savior and redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ did this for each on of us!? He saves and saved us and all we are is in debt and always will be in debt to him! 

Today was a wonderful day to end my week on, or you could say, start my week on! 

I love you all so much and please know I pray for you! Have a wonderful ThanksGiving!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth