Another Transfer at an End!

Dear Family and Friends,

What an amazing week I have had and the change coming this Wednesday is what is going to help me grow the most! I am grateful for your love and support and hope you love how my week went!

Week February 27th - March 6th 2017

Monday: 

Today was such a wonderful day for us! I say that I love everyday, but what isn't to love when in the Lords service! He protects us, blesses us with health and strength and also with people to teach that are interested! All we have to do is "Act" instead of he acted upon! So today was such a cool experience! So recently I received a call from Elder Broberg, a wonderful friend who is the assistant of the mission and who is very talented, and he asked me if I would be willing to and work at being in a small quartet for a special mission gathering. I of course said yes and was amazed today by receiving the music to Joseph Smiths first Prayer but with the melody of Come thou Fount. We will be singing without Piano and the reason I didn't respond to many emails today is because we were practicing it for 2 hours today and the the next few Pdays until we perform in he middle of March! It is for sure someone Important, because we are practicing so much and we are having the whole mission be there. We tried to ask who, but Elder Broberg won't tell anyone! However, my Pday was amazing and in he evening it was an amazing experience to reach Rolando at home and find out he is still reading and praying, and also that he really wants to know the truth! We taught him a really good lesson and ever question he asked was answered just by reading more ahead! God blessed us to know what to say and where to look! Also it was super a,axing to go by and read the Book of Mormon with Pablo Martinez. I can still see small changes in him and it makes me happy to see, even if they are small! Faith requires much patience! I love so much the area I am in and never want to leave!

Tuesday: 

I love days full of service! To start off the day after a good time studying, we went for my first time in the mission to Cosco, where we helped a member buy a mattress and take it in our truck to his home. It was a simple thing, but meant the world to them! Also today we went and picked up Elder Lakey and Banks and went to the Food Pantry to give some service and had a good time mopping floors for 2 hours! But the great thing is that we are making friends with a lady there named Nora! She is an employee there, and is super nice and funny! So we are warming up to her! Also as we finished there we went home and changed quickly so we could go and teach Randall and his mom at the public library, after the which we went and had dinner and a lesson with Hector Payro Cazares. He is a wonderful member that is faithful, just has a lot to learn still to be ready to go to the temple, but wants to go so Bad! Then this evening a few people canceled on us, so we decided to go and have contact with Arturo and Dianna Ramón, and it was amazing to see that they were there and listened to a few things we taught. They have their own beliefs and were not afraid to say them, and so it is going to take a little bit of time to get everything explained to them as they feel the spirit! Also as we got home this evening we had a cool experience happen! 

Wednesday:

Interview with President Whitney + Amazing District Meeting!

 I am so very grateful for the day I have had and for Elder Lakey who prays and studies so diligent for me and for those in our district! I have learned a lot today for that meeting and from my interview with President Whitney. Here are just a few simple thoughts that I learned from District Meeting focused on The Role of he Holy Ghost in Conversion. 

• When we teach people we must not identify the spirit for them, but help them to identify for themselves using questions. If they can see on their own then the will learn more!
• What is Revelation? "Thoughts to the mind and feelings to the heart."
• We never could and never will be able to convince people of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the Spirit can change anyone's heart if it touches them!

Those were a few thoughts and impressions! Then as we waited for interviews, President walked in while I was reading in Spanish and said, "well Elder Spendlove, I don't know whether you are praying or what you are doing, but all I can say is, No Comprendo. Haha!" It was the funniest thing ever, and my interview with him was really good! I was able to get a lot of good ideas and help on different things and then I was even able to have a blessing of guidance and comfort as I try my hardest to focus my heart, might, mind and Strength on my last 3 months in the mission! It was a huge help and I pray that I can just do what god wants done and feel the spirit guide me! I loved his blessing which was simple. One thing he stated that I loved was, "I bless you with the power and ability to work and teach those around you with the desire that you have." For me that was a simple eye opener, I can do anything with a desire! It is me that has to change, no one else! So that is a new goal! FOCUS!!!! Today we had a wonderful evening teaching AG and Samira, and then we were able to go and see Mabel Bencomo and her mom and Dianna says she does want to go to the temple with Mabel one day, so We taught them the importance of keeping commitments and being in church and it was a wonderful visit with them! I really love them!

Thursday:

What just happened..... 

Today was a super wonderful day for me until something happened this evening, and then nerves kicked in! So today was an amazing day where we were able to go and help the sisters of the Saginaw area to move into new apartments and that took all Morning! So we were not able to do our weekly planning today, but it was a great time with them and the Office Elders! So also we were able to go and have dinner with the Barraza family and then the cool part of the night was being able to go to the church with Micheal Barraza and Rey Castillo, where Hna. Carmen Garza, a recent convert who has been addicted to it came and helped Rey! It was super amazing and powerful to see his tree just start filling up! Also while I was there, Micheal Barraza got his started! Then I met an older brother who happened to know Sister Hinton from our ward back home who's wife was the sister of sister Hinton's husband! Confusing, but he knows all about Hurricane and it made me feel good! Then to end the night we were able to make it and teach Pablo Martinez with his family. He is progressing slowly and he is finally asking really serious questions and is wanting to read, just needs reminders! So we read 1 Nefi 5 with him tonight and he loved it! And Hno. Zuniga, a member, came and taught with us and his conversion story is helping Pablo a lot! So this evening while traveling back home, Elder Lakey sent me a message saying, "Don't check the mail, just don't!" And right with that I already knew what was in the mail..... what you would call a trunky packet! An envelope that has your flight itinerary and everything on it to prepare you for going home, and it was the weirdest feeling to read! I just wanted to run away from it! It is crazy to think I have it, and I am trying my hardest to just focus the best I can so I can keep being the best missionary I can be. Ya, so there are a few crazy feelings from me for today!

Friday:

I am so grateful for this amazing chance I had today to sit and learn at our Mission Leadership Council! It is crazy to me to think I could be attending the last one before I get transferred and I may not be a Zone Leader anymore, meaning that I would no longer attend the meeting and that would make me very sad! However, I know that God has a plan for me and that as I go strong that he will provide everything I need to succeed where I serve and to get along with my companion whoever he may be. So today in MLC there was a huge focus on Planning and how to better our planning and it was a huge help in getting a little bit more info to help us as we do plan! Also we were blessed with the opportunity to receive a new Standards of Excellence from President Whitney that is so simple and very achievable! The best part about it is he wants to raise the bar when we all achieve it! Also we returned and reported our goals and actuales and then focused on this months goals and projected dates, and our goal was 100, double what it normally is. And our projected was at 86 or so, almost double what we have! And the coolest part of it all, was that tomorrow 22 of those dates are going to be baptized! So within the first week of March we would have achieved our normal Months Baptisms! It is a huge improvement! So as we finished our amazing MLC we dropped off Elder Lakey, who is my replacement, and went and contacted Melissa Lugo, a member, who's soon to be husband is not, but wants to be baptized after taking the pathways program and taking Institute classes on his own! So we were able to set up an appointment with them tomorrow to come and watch a baptism and then to be able to teach him the first part of the lessons and refer him to the Elders of River Trails! We are super pumped for him! This evening we also had the chance to eat dinner and share a message with the Tirado family who made us whole fish with rice and beans! It was good, but definitely not my favorite plate! Then to end the night we had a wonderful visit and lesson with Victor and Jackie Hernandez! They are a month away from being able to be sealed and they are so excited! They have been working hard and studying harder to understand everything that they need to and this week they start their temple prep classes! They are such spiritual giants who have really changed their lives around! I am going to miss them!

Saturday:

I am so happy for how our day went today, even though one of our lessons got a little out of control! Today was a really amazing day where we were able to be at the baptism of Nico Rodriguez, a 10 year old boy that Hna. Farnes and Hall were working with! It was an amazing story on how this family was found and I would like to share it. So a few months ago Hna. Hall and Eyestone were out contacting different people and had literally contacted every person they had on their list in Saginaw. They didn't have much luck that day and decided to park on the church parking lot that they were next too and pray. As they prayed they asked God to put them where they needed to be and to place people in their path where they would be ready to learn and change. As they finished praying they opened their eyes and Hna. Hall say a sticky note crumpled at the bottom of their car of a referral they had received without any name, just an address. As she saw it she realized they needed to contact this referral. They did so and no one was home, so they went to the neighbor next door and talked for about 20 minutes. As they visited they watched the owners of he house, a small family, pull up and walk in the house. They thought, maybe we will come back another day, when the spirit told them to go and talk to them. They went and knocked on the door and when the door opened they heard 3 young voices say, the missionaries! Come to find out it was a part Member family that was super in need of the missionaries and the young son and father were not baptized members. And Nico, the one baptized today was the son! Also to make the baptism even better, the father was there and he gave the closing pray and really enjoys our church and the members! We hope and pray he decides to be baptized as well! So today for us we were able to contact around and find one guy that was some what interested in learning more, but he was a talker. It was super hard to share a message! And to end the night we had a partial lesson with Jose Valencia, an investigator, but the father in law, who is a less active member got upset because Jose asks a lot of questions. He tried to bare his testimony and it just turned into a fight of words. So we just sat there not sure what to do. However, by the time we were done he understood our lesson and his sister was able to understand what a Book of Mormon was and she had interest in reading it! We hope and pray she does! Then they fed us dinner which was a food called Pambasos. Which is like a long bread cut and fried along with potatoes and meat on the inside! A traditional sand which in Mexico! Then to top that all off we had Tres Leches Cake! Which is the most rich cake in the world! It was so good!

Sunday:

How sad to know that this was my last Sunday in the Hurst 3rd ward! All day I tried to avoid letting everyone know, because it is easier to leave without them knowing than to make a huge deal about it and have everyone asking the same questions of how long left and then me just being sad I have to leave! This Ward has been a very special ward for me where I was excepted so well! I have made so many friendships and learned so many valuable things here that I will never forget! I literally am grateful I can say I know every person in the ward! I am so excited for the new journey that lays ahead and saying good bye for a short time was super hard! So today was Fast and Testimony Meeting and we had 3 investigators come to church! We had Rolando Aragon, Pablo Martinez and then we even had Jose Valencia, with his wife Gabriela who is a less active member! I am so grateful they made it and pray they keep attending! So this evening we were able to go and have dinner with the Bonilla family. A family that hasn't been to church because everyone has some sort of long term sickness.... it was sad, but they are all so positive and know the church is true! Also, we were able to be apart of and help with our Stake Mission Prep class at the Brother Johnsons home! It was fun, because I found out that Sister Johnson is a Sullivan and that she grew up in St. George and loves it down there and knows the Spendloves! She said she thought she knew my dad! It was really cool! Also I received my new area and address and I am super nervous! I have been assigned to labor in the Arlington YSA Ward as a Zone Leader with Elder Hooper, a missionary I have known all my mission and it will be a blast! That means I will be an English missionary, but the good thing is that both Elder Hooper and I are Spanish missionaries, so I won't loose my Spanish!:) Here is my new address! 2515 Villa Brook Ln. #702 Arlington TX 76017.  What a crazy day!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth