What! Why Wednesday!!

Why not!

Hey Family and Friends! 

The reason for a Wednesday Pday is because of a Member of the Seventy, Elder Lawrence who came out our mission! It was so amazing!

This week has been super crazy! I love y'all 

 Week May 1st - 7th 2017

Monday:

Today kind of hit me hard as I began to truly plan out what I needed to get rid of and what stuff I truly would need to send home or take home with me! Goo thing It was a PDay, because it truly was something that I needed. I know that I never get a break as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, because people are always watching us, but today was a good rest from our normal actions as we were able to go as a zone and play some more kickball! However, this morning I was able to get through some more of MY PLAN where I learned about Dating and Temple Marriage, but they are actually closer that I was thinking that they are, and I am grateful that they give us the chance to kind of think more and plan out what we want that to truly look like! So today we were able to also practice our song as the Elders in our Zone for the Elder Lawrence Conference, and it was super amazing! We are singing "The Iron Rod", and I think they are finally realizing that they can actually sing and do a good job. At first they thought it was a joke and that either way they were going to look like goofs on the stand because they couldn't sing, but now they sound pretty good! I am grateful for my whole zone and the love and connection that we have. I feel as though sometimes I become the grumpy of the zone being the oldest, but then I realize and my companion helps me to realize I am not being grumpy, but I just see so much potential from each missionary! So now I am working on being more happy and trying my hardest to make the missionaries smile more often! After our amazing FHE activity as a YSA ward, playing Human Hungry Hippos, We went and began an exchange with Elders Hulse and Dyer. It was super amazing to be able to go with them, but let me share a simple detailed story that I don't want to forget! So as we drove into their complex to start our exchange we realized they lived in a very scary part of town, kind of like many parts of Texas that to us are good places. As we knocked on their door they opened it and we walked into their dim moist apartment to begin our exchange. As we sat for a moment we could feel the humidity as if we were outside. It was making us sweat and feel like we were sophacating and so we asked why they dont turn on their AC, and they said they do and it just doesnt work and the mangagement doenst do anything to fix it. The funny part was that I was the one who stayed the night and slept drenched in sweat all night sleeping on a mattress on the floor, because they didnt like their box springs. I am not complaining, because I know I am better off than most foreign missionaries, but more detailing my experience! And for exercises the next morning we did some crunches because their Gym was locked up until around 9am.

Tuesday:

I really enjoyed my exchange with Elder Hulse today! It was an amazing time to learn from him and the good and bad things that he did! One of my favorite things I have learned from my very many exchanges is that every missionary has something amazing that I always struggle with, and usually something that I don't want to do as well. Gladly I learned a few amazing things from Elder Hulse and one of those was the need I have to study and understand the Bible better! I thought I knew it alright until I started the Exchange and then he started asking me questions I couldn't answer, and her helped me see that I could find them as I study on my own. Even as a leader I feel I have the Privilege of learning the most! So today we were able to bike a lot and to knock a lot of doors! However, it was something I truly had needed after being in such a wonderful area. Not that their area isn't good, but it was very humbling to see that they were still in a slum and trying to get out! During the evening we had a cool experience happen as we went by to talk to 3 Golden Investigators named Fancy, Winter and T-Bone. As we were talking with them I began to see how difficult of a life they were truly living. Living in a Motel, being abused by Their father who now is out of the picture. Their mother Fancy has cancer and also has major bone deterioration. They get bullied at school and Winter the girl got attacked by a dog the day before and was torn up on the back of her legs. And through all of these things they were smiling, looking upward and outward and even studying the Book of Mormon and wanting to learn more. We gave Fancy a blessing that changed how she looked at the church. She was going through some major pain and sickness and began to have symptoms act up in front of us and was passing out when we gave her the blessing. As we did so I remember her just go calm and as we finished the blessing, she was in tears and as we asked her how she felt she said she instantly felt a change in her and a peace come over her. It was a miracle to see and be apart of such an event! There is no thing in the world that can overcome 

Wednesday:

Today was a powerful day where we focused heavily on the importance of finding people to teach and Enduring to the End! Today was a wonderful day to learn from that! I would like to share 2 amazing experiences that really hit me from today! One was with Jason Hammon, an investigator who really has interest. He had a date, and his date wasn't going to work for him, so we reset it and talked about what Baptism means for him, and it became even more important and meaningful all of the sudden and his new date is for the 3 of June! He truly has a testimony of the truthfulness of these things and I love that about him! Hen we had a very amazing experience at TCC! We had an amazing time there where we set up a table and had it for 2 hours with literally now success. As we kept going we saw interest and then rejection one after another. Literally everyone walked by. There was about 10 minutes left and I said, "Let's finish up early, no one is coming and we can go sign up for more days." How dumb of me! Elder Kochan corrected me and said, "No, we will endure to the end and see miracles." And as we did, we saw one! A young man walked up with questions, his name is Thierry Ngang and he told us he wanted to meet with us again soon! Well we set up a lesson with him for tomorrow and it was a huge miracle and blessing as we endured fully! Today I saw the truth of the gospel applied and taught to me by my companion and it all happened for me to see and understand!

Thursday:

One good weekly planning! The time is slowly closing in and weekly planning are slowly becoming more and more of a focus struggle for me! It has been amazing though to be able to plan long and hard for the baptisms of Aaron and Gabby! There is so much to go into one baptism and to make sure that they attend along with the whole programs! Having two was super crazy! We had an amazing time and I am so grateful for my companion Elder Kochan who is so willing and kind as we talk openly and with the spirit about each person and their needs. The past few weeks together in one area has really opened our eyes Spiritually to how much God really cares for us and his children. We went from nothing to talk about to not being able to stop talking about these people! God has helped us find a few new investigators, and we have a goal of seven and only have 3. As we ended our planning we prayed that God would help us to reach that Goal and went forward! We taught Gabby and feel a little bit of pressure finishing all of the Lesson 5 wit her by Saturday, but are going by faith! we also had a good lesson with a new investigator that the Sisters referred to us named Olivia! She is so amazing and Sweet and has lots of potential! I hope and pray she continues to come! She will be so much happier as she is here! We shared with her the plan of Salvation in our new found style and it really Intrigued her! And the sisters also were amazed! That isn't the purpose, but the fact the scriptures taught everything for us! To end the night off we went with Gabby to Institute and just sat in the back, because she has her friends! And it was another amazing lesson on John and how Jesus Christ changed Water to Wine! He truly loved and cared for his mother! I love being able to be in this position of view! Life is viewed at a new light here!

Friday: 

Today I was blessed with the opportunity to go on An exchange with Elder Flake, an assistant, while Elder Kochan stayed with Elder Broberg! So as I was with Elder Flake I was just so impressed with how simple and focused our day was! We studied in the Library of TCC where I really enjoyed it and we were able to teach quite a few people! We had set a goal of finding and getting 5 phone numbers while finding today and getting 2 return appointments and it was not to easy. We had everyone we needed but a phone number. And we both felt we wouldn't reach it, until we were able to go and knock a less actives door when a Spanish man from El Salvador opened his door. He was super kind and never heard of our church, but he was interested in learning more! So we got his NUMBER and a return appointment for the Spanish sisters and it was so cool to see God answer our prayers and the desires of our hearts! While going through the day I got a call from our second councilor of the mission Presidency, President Koufmen, who talked to me about my plans to go home. There aren't much, and so he told me to email home and get things set up. It was a bit frightening for me, but I know I have to prepare! I loved it a lot! Our day was so amazing and I just loved being with Elder Flake and learning from him and the power and understanding he has from the knowledge of the gospel and the Scriptures! We ended our exchange and it took a bit of time to do, because we were laughing so hard, but we learned a whole deal about setting goals as the desires of our hearts and how God will bless us with the completion or over achievement of them!

Saturday: 

Today is the day! And it was a wonderful day! We were able Finish teaching Gabby lesson 5 this morning and I want to focus on their baptism. So both Aaron and Gabby were baptized at 7 pm this evening. Aaron by Elder Kochan and Gabby by Bishop Kokenes. As the event began the Relief Society room was full of members both of the ward and of their families. They had major support! And they were both so happy as they came out of the Water! I was blessed to be able to speak to them simply on baptism and they both understood it well! It was a very powerful baptism and as it was closing Gabby got a call and was dumped by her boyfriend. However, she had hope and knew that as she did what was right she would be okay! As the baptism came to an end Gabby and Aaron both went to dinner together with the members in the ward, and both called us later that evening thanking us for the wonderful event. It was super kind of them and we are so grateful God gave us a chance to be a small pat in helping them be converted! 

Sunday:

What a great day to be a missionary. In all my mission, today was a day I felt full support from the members of our ward as Gabby and Aaron came and were confirmed members of the church and had full love and happiness, and also the other members struggling were taken in! We had a new investigator there who was full fellowshipped and so happy as she finished the church she had a huge smile on and had so many rallied around her happy to see her. We know she feels loved and happy and hope to be able to help her continue onward with that in mind of the love she has here. The rest of the day was full of good studies and then a wonderful dinner with Elan and Miranda. It was interesting trying to teach Elan, because he is Jewish and super kind, and has no belief that Jesus was the son of God. So we focused on getting to know his beliefs more. It was very different, but interesting to try and understand. He is a very kind guy! Also we had a wonderful stop by lesson with Gricelda and Kenneth, a couple getting married this Tuesday! They are happy for that and it is funny knowing she already knows these things are true because of dreams about the Golden plates before coming to know he Gospel, and she just has to act! It is crazy she just doesn't want to act without her family even knowing it is the truth! What a crazy week!

Con Amor,

Elder Spendlove

De la Misión de Texas Fort Worth