12/16/2013

 Hola Familia!                                                                                                                                      

I am overwhelmed with happiness right now.  I had quite the week. I didn't realize it, until now that my week was very eventful.

This week was literally impossible to get investigator lessons.  We tried and planned for investigator lessons every day this week, but we could never get in the door, or we kept missing people at home. We visited a TON of less actives and Recent Converts this week though.  I was feeling very discouraged because our numbers were extremely low this week for investigator lessons. Just as most missionaries, we want to feel proud of the numbers we accomplished for the week.

Last night I recognized what the Lord was trying to teach me.  I finally understood what it meant when everybody says "Numbers are not everything."  I have never found myself of somebody that is obsessive over numbers, but I was not recognizing the miracles we saw this week.

We were able to help MANY people this week come unto Christ. Our purpose is to simply invite others to come unto Christ by faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.  This week, we helped many of God's children come unto Christ, although it may not have been investigators and through baptism.  I truly learned this week to appreciate the little miracles this week.  I also learned to submit to the will of the Father, not Hermana Spencer's will. His will is much better. He needed us to feed his sheep this week, his less active and recent convert sheep.

It snowed pretty bad on Tuesday and we were told to not use our cars, but to walk.  Unfortunately, Hermana Argueta picked up my horrible cold and we had to stay inside most of the day.

This week, we visited Heidy quite a bit. We had some great lessons with her.  I want her SO badly to just get through the next few years and then move out and go to BYU-I or something (Although I just might be bias towards BYU-I :)).   She has SO much potential, but all day every day, she has a house full of family members telling her that she worth nothing and has no potential. It's hard helping her recognize her divine worth. That makes me so grateful for my family, and for Young Women's helping me see the potential in myself.

This Thursday, we had the Whole Mission Christmas Conference. THERE ARE SO MANY MISSIONARIES!  It was such a great conference. The first half was a talent show. I didn't sign up for anything (I get too chicken!), but then I got roped into accompanying.  I was so glad the accompaniment was fun to play and we nailed the song.  It had to have been one of the best songs.  I played for an Elder that I swear will be famous one day.

Afterwards, we had lunch and got to visit with other missionaries.  It is so fun.  I am not sure if I have mentioned quite how Hispanic my companion is.  She makes me laugh so much.  She had her very first Baked Potato this week.  I had to show her how to eat it :)  We had a good laugh.

After lunch, we got to hear all the testimonies of the departing missionaries this transfer.  It was great to hear some of their advice and their testimonies.  There were a few missionaries that gave some...odd testimonies.  It made me think about, "What am I going to say when I leave?  More importantly, Who will I have become when I leave?"

Also, I got some (stupid) news. Ever since my cold, I was getting some pain in my ribcage and sternum.  It was extremely painful to cough, or to sneeze.  Finally after 2 weeks of this, I called Sister Riggs and she had me call the doctor.He told me that I got Costochondritis.  He thinks that I must have gotten a virus in my sternum from my cold, which caused it to hurt.  So all I have to do is to be taking an anti-inflamatory 3 times a day for 2 weeks.  He said it might take 4-6 weeks to heal.  Luckily it's not too bad, I can still run, walk and do whatever.  Sneezing just hurts like crazy!

We saw a miracle yesterday. Our investigators, Jamie and Jennifer, who we haven't seen in weeks showed up at church yesterday.  Their dad came to us and told us that he talked to their mom and she said that it was their decision to be baptized!!!!  We are so happy.  We just have to explain a few more things, and we invited them last night to pray about baptism this week.

Because, it is most likely my last week in this area, we are saying a lot of goodbyes and hellos to people this week.  Tonight, for dinner, we are going out to eat with Jhoana, Esperanza, and (hopefully) our investigators, Adela and Mary-Lou (Their other sisters!).  We also have a Hermana in our Ward that does nails and wanted to do our nails as a goodbye/Christmas gift.  So we are going to do that today.  I am so spoiled on my mission!

Our Ward is really growing.  I am so proud of Sudley!  Our new Bishop is STELLAR.  Have I ever mentioned before that our Ward Mission Leader has been inactive?  He lives outside our area too, so we can't go see him.  Well, we are getting new one soon and getting 10 new ward missionaries.  We are so excited to see the hastening of the work!  We do have help from others as well, we have ministering angels helping us along!  When the Lord hastens his work, he hastens it on both sides of the veil!

Thank you all for everything.  I am excited to talk to you all on Christmas!  It is coming up! :)

Always remember the truth of this gospel.  Christ is the light and way to happiness . How could this gospel NOT be true?  There are over 80,000 missionaries right now proclaiming and preaching the gospel.  How could it not be true of over 80,000 immature and young adults have a testimony of the truth enough to go teach others about it?

I love being a missionary. I definitely miss home and family, but feel peace and joy in knowing that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and where I want to be.

I will keep you all posted if I get transferred!

Con amor,

Hermana Spencer

1. We made a ton of these to give our investigators, members, less-actives and Recent Converts!  Aren't they cute? We are giving them with a card and the "Joy to the World" DVD

2. Me and My old MTC roommate, Hermana Trunnell.  Unfortunately, she left for home this Saturday for knee surgery. She is coming back in 4 months though!

3. All of the Hermanas at the Christmas Devotional!

4. This is how desperate we were to get a lesson this week! I have had to hop that fence SO many times. This picture cracks me up!                                                                                                                             

November 4, 2013

Hola Familia,

Hope You all had a fantastic week and a good Halloween!

Our Halloween was fun. That morning we had a meeting, and at 5pm our whole zone got to get together and watch movies! We got to watch Monsters University and Monsters Inc. It was really fun to hang out with the other missionaries, eat popcorn and treats!

We had an interesting week this week. Lots of work. We sometimes lose contact with Esperanza. She now has a car so she leaves a lot, and the only way we can go see her is if she unlocks the gate to her door, and she rarely answers the phone. Needless to say, we have a hard time trying to visit her and Jose. This week, she calls us hysterical. I guess she and Jose were having some marital problems and she was very upset. We rushed over to see her and we had NO idea what we were going to say. (I'm not very experienced with the whole marriage thing yet). We were able to help her and calm her down. We left her with a prayer and invited her to ask Heavenly Father to give her the right words to say to Jose. Later that night we went over to follow-up and the elders came to give her a blessing. She mentioned that she really did feel Heavenly Father helping and was with her in her conversation with him. It was a very touching experience.

On Halloween we also had a very touching experience. One of the Elders in our district got a call from President Riggs. He called me, Hermana Argueta and his companion, Elder Creager into another room. Apparently, Elder Creager's aunt had an unexpected bad asthma attack and didn't make it. It was a very touching experience and he felt like us Hermanas needed to be a part of it so that we could help.  It was a very touching experience. Apparently his aunt was a single mom, and her oldest son had been out on his mission for 6 months. It made me very grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. It also made me grateful for the spirit, the comforter. It truly helped the Elder through the situation and helped all of us to be able to help as well.

We taught our progressing investigators this week, Christian and Kayla Arias. They are getting baptized in 2 weeks. We only get to see them once a week so we are hoping that all goes smoothly. They are sweet kids, they just have an attitude issue at times. But they love the church and they love the spirit they feel at church.

We also taught our other progressing investigators Jamie and Jennifer last night. They get baptized at the end of the month. They are SO excited. Jamie is super shy, but she is excited too and LOVES going to primary (She's 10). We taught them a super scattered lesson last night because they kept asking different questions. We taught them the word of wisdom, prophets, obedience, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost and making good decisions. It was a sweet lesson though. We love those girls! (Plus, in Jennifer's prayers she always said "thanks for sending these gorgeous girls to teach us" :))

This week I thought a lot about parents. I thought a lot about how important the lessons we learn in the home are. Parents have a HUGE impact. Some parents think "My kids are too young to know what is going on" but in reality they pick up a lot more than we think. It’s no wonder our Savior invites us to become as little children. They are innocent and submissive. They contain every Christ like attribute that we lack, even if they are unaware of their actions.

The home and how parents raise their children have a huge impact on the choices they make and who they become later in life. (Thanks mom and dad!)

My favorite quote from Jhoana this week was "Others try and tell me that this church is not true. It doesn't matter what they say, I know the truth. I am going to prove it to them by the way that I raise Jordan." 

I love you all so much. Thank you for the love and support. I know that this is the work of the Lord and I am honored to be one of his servants in the vineyard. Keep being great member missionaries!

Con Amor,

Hermana Spencer

October 28, 2013

Hola Familia! 

Thanks so much for the letters and updates! I love being up to date! 

That's so funny that it's such a small world. I totally know Alli Gillespie. She was at my apartment all the time, we had fun. Congrats to Brittany on the mission call! That is SO exciting. She will absolutely love being a missionary :) I didn't know Olivia was engaged yet! WOW! If you get a chance, tell her congrats for me and I want to see pictures!

Thats so fun that mama Lopez is visiting you! Tell her hi for me and love getting the emails each week!

WOW Dallin! I am impressed. You look like a stud in your pictures! When I come home, you will have to teach me the art of hunting.

This week was yet another good week. We started off the week with exchanges. I stayed in Sudley and Hermana Argueta left. I had Hermana Dopp, one of the sister training leaders come to me and work with me for a day. It was VERY helpful. I learned a ton. Hermana Dopp has been out for a very long time and she is very experienced. We started a bit of training and Hermana Dopp felt impressed to ask ME for some help with some trials. I was very touched. She just felt like I would be able to help her and give her good advice for some companionship problems.  

That night we went to go teach a few lessons that fell through. She said "well, might as well go knock some doors!" (bleh). The first door we knocked let us in. We had an amazing lesson with this entire family. It was a huge testimony builder for me. We taught them the first lesson and the one lady, Marta, had a lot of questions about prophets and the Book of Mormon. We aren't sure if anything will come of it, but regardless we had a really good lesson and I learned a lot. 

This Friday we had Sister's conference. All the sister missionaries met and we heard some great talks. Sister Riggs said she really felt like she needed to talk to us about the woman and the Priesthood. She talked a lot about priesthood power versus having Priesthood authority. It was very inspiring. She mentioned that we ALL need and have access to the priesthood in our lives. It made me very grateful for my dad and for other worthy priesthood holders in my life. They also talked about Dress, Manner, Distractions, and even self defense/being safe. It was very good. 

I think my favorite new quote from president Riggs is our DC South mission Three C's of no-no's. "I will Not complain, criticize, or compare." Something I definitely need to work on!
 

Friday night we had Trunk-or-treat in our branch. All the missionaries came and were able to meet some friends of members. Me and Hermana Argueta switched name tags and dressed up as each other. (Clever, huh?). We got candy and we were going to decorate our trunk, I was so bummed because they decided to just pass candy out in the building because it was too cold outside. Regardless it was fun and we might have a few new people to teach from it! 

We are completely out of miles for the month, so it looks like we are going to have do a lot of walking this week! We were so frustratedThursday night because we confirmed and everything, drove out to Warrenten (45 min drive) to teach our progressing investigators, and they weren't home. That was frustrating, but the rest of the night ended up good and we were able to work more with Jamie and Jennifer, two daughters of a member. 

This Sunday we taught a great lesson on the gospel of Jesus Christ, to Jamie and Jennifer and we both felt prompted to give them a baptismal date. They said "we just want to get baptized already!" after we brought up the idea. They are getting baptized at the end of November. We are very excited for them!

 

I had a really great interview with President Riggs this week too. He mentioned a lot about hastening the work. Each of us are called to be here at this time for a reason. We were chosen before the world was to take part in this work! 

OKAY. So, HUGE NEWS. Our mission is going to implementing Facebook, Ipods and Ipads! We are going to be using facebook in the next month, and we get Ipods and Ipads in December. Isn't that CRAZY!? We are going to be able to use facebook to teach friends and family on our facebook. We are going to be able to teach lessons over facebook and skype, and we can use friends and family as a member present lessons as well. Our Ipods and Ipads are going to replace our planners and area books. Everything will be electronic. We also are going to be able to use videos and other lesson materials on our Ipads in lessons.

I love you all so much!

Hermana Spencer

It's always a great week in the work of the Lord

October 21, 2013

Hola familia!

It has been yet another good week. A week of work, a week of fun, a week of learning and a week of teaching. 

We did a lot of work with less-actives this week, and our work paid off! We had 5 less actives come to church this week! We have been working with Rosi, a 28 year old woman who was baptized over 10 years ago and hasn't come to church in 10 years. We have been trying to get her at church for weeks and she always flakes out on us. We always joked that we were going to come and make pancakes for her and help her come to church. Well this Sunday, we made a huge plate of pancakes and stopped at her house before church. She was NOT planning on going, but I think the pancakes did it. She came a half hour late and left after sacrament meeting, but SHE CAME! And better than that, her YW leader from when she got baptized is in our branch. 

We invited and visited a lot of less actives this weeks and most of them came to church. We had the primary program this Sunday so it was a sweet and relaxed Sacrament meeting. 

Saturday was a very funny day. Earlier, I was telling Hermana Argueta about how I really hadn't had to eat any really bad or weird food yet. I spoke too soon....

We had a lunch appointment at a members house that lived a half hour away. We got there and while waiting for the food they had us watch their daughter's wedding video (very cute). Then they served us this Peruvian food called...Ceviche.   

It is this seafood dish that is soaked in lemon juice. It is an arrangement of raw fish with a few spices. It was HORRIBLE. We all ate it with a smile on our face and told them how good it was. Then they mentioned that nobody ever takes seconds or eats very much. Well nobody else was getting seconds, so I felt guilty and got more. I was so full and so grossed out. 

2 Hours later, and still completely full, we had a dinner appointment with some more members with all the missionaries from the branch. The second we walked in, we smelt it.....Ceviche. This time was worse. 

It was entirely raw fish, shrimp ( with legs!), octopus, some bug, and other strange meat I dared not to ask about. The octopus got me. I WAS EATING TENTACLES! It was so horrible. One of the elders snuck it into a napkin and put it in his pocket. I was jealous of his technique. I am officially scared to eat dinner at any Peruvian house. 

Other than horrible food, we had a good week with miracles. 

We got dropped a few weeks ago by this couple, Alex and Rosi. Hermana Argueta was heartbroken because she had a lot of hope in them. The other day, I felt impressed to go visit them, but I was nervous because I never met them. I asked Hermana Argueta if we should and she said "I was thinking about them this morning!" We decided to go. We get to the door and somebody is home. We knock, and somebody looks in the peep-hole, but nobody answers. I say a silent prayer and ask heavenly father to "please allow them to open this door and let us talk to them." Right then, Rosi opened the door. She let us in and admitted that she has missed us. 

We talked with her a bit and she admitted that she is stuck on the Book of Mormon, because it's not the bible. Hermana Argueta reads a scripture on faith from the BOM and I felt prompted to also share one from the bible that supports it. I shared James 1:5-6.  At closing prayer, I felt like we were really supposed to bless the home in the prayer, but Hermana Argueta was praying. Right before she closed her prayer, she blessed the family and the home. Right after that Rosi asked us to come back and read with her sometime. We were SO excited. The spirit was definitely guiding us and we felt very humbled by the experience. 

Something I learned this week was, how important it is to be grateful. Grateful to the Lord, and grateful for other people. Yesterday at church I got asked to do a lot to help with the music, ward council,  the class and with investigators. I realized that nobody thanked me besides the other missionaries. I realized, how little I thank my heavenly father for all that I have, and thank other people for helping me. We are so much more obliged to help when we feel appreciated. I think that's the same thing with our Heavenly Father. He wants to bless us, but why would he continue to bless us if we are ungrateful for the many blesses we already have? I've also noticed that the more we are grateful, the more we find things to be grateful for. 

My testimony is definitely growing. I am being refined and improved everyday. The reason I know that is because I am becoming more and more aware of my many imperfections. The second I think that "I'm good" I am in trouble. We always have room for improvement. There is something we can always be doing to become more like our savior. Whenever I make a mistake like "wow, I really shouldn't have said that" or "I could have handled that better" I take it as something I can use to do better the next time. 

I also learned something this morning in my personal study. I read an article in the Ensign (I love the ensign) about parenting. It mentioned how perfect parents are not the ones with perfect kids (that fits perfectly because my perfect parents have a far from perfect daughter :)), but perfect parents are the ones that teach their kids the gospel and try their hardest to love them and help them. It is the same thing with missionaries.  A perfect missionary is not the one that baptizes everybody or has the perfect investigators, the perfect missionary is the one that works hard, teaches with the spirit and does everything in their power to invite others to come to Christ. 

The spirit that we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ is unexplainable. We were invited to stop in help with Esperanza's son, Ryan's 1st birthday. She rented a place, ordered a cake, rented a DJ and had decorations everywhere (that was a little ridiculous) but regardless, we had fun. 

My favorite part was that almost all of Esperanza's family and Jose's family  was there, who are all non-members. We could feel their eyes ALL night. Jhoana and Esperanza told us later that everybody kept asking who we were. They notice something different in their family members who got baptized and they notice a difference in the missionaries.  There really is a light that each of have. It can only get brighter and brighter as we get a closer relationship with our heavenly father. 

Thank you for all the love and support. Keep working hard in the Lord's vineyard too. Every member a missionary :) 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Spencer

Mom: thanks so much for everything. I did get the package and I did get the DVD's. I already had one of them, but I haven't use the other yet. Thanks so much. Don't worry about other DVD's yet. I haven't asked President yet and I have a feeling he might say no. Anything thats online at LDS.org or Mormon.org is allowed, but I don't know if they put it DVD form yet. But if you happen to find a DVD of mormon messages (I know they make them, I just don't know where to get them) I would LOVE one. Most investigators don't have internet access yet, and we aren't cool enough to get Ipads yet in this mission. Maybe before I go home :) 

Oh how good our Heavenly Father is!

October 15, 2013

Hola Familia! 

Thank you so much for your letters. They are so uplifting to me! Right now I just filled with so much gratitude for how good our heavenly father is to us to give us the blessings of families and friends. The Lord truly loves us!

Sorry you didn't get to hear from me yesterday. It was a holiday so Libraries are closed. But, we go and email at our apartment office, which we assumed was closed, but wasn't closed yesterday. Bummer. Oh well. 

This week was a good week. But, of course :) 

Me and Hermana Argueta are really finding success. Not success as in baptisms left and right, but success in knowing that we are working hard and fulfilling our calling. 

We spent a lot of time this week doing service. There is a recent convert in our branch who needed help painting her living room. She has 3 young kids and a messy living room, so it took us 3 days. We had to cover up a lot of coloring on the walls. The walls also had a ton of peeling and a bad dry-wall, so I was proud to know what to do and be able to paint walls well. I really learned a lot and am grateful for our experience in fixing up the Bayberry house! I know so many skills I wouldn't know otherwise. I am a master painter :) Anyway, Leslie (the member) was very grateful and made us food everyday. That was a plus!

It rained ALL week this week. I was so glad that last P-day me and my companion took a trip to the mall and exchanged my other shoes for a pair of sturdy and cute boots. I've worn them all week!  

Me and Hermana Argueta also put Christian and Kayla Arias on date for November 16th! We are very excited for them. They live 45 min away from us so we only get to see them once a week. But, they just got here a month ago from Ecuador and are living with their Dad and his family who are all members. Kayla is 14 and is kind of snarky sometimes and laughs at my spanish, but has a good heart. Christian is 16 and kind of a punk, but he is really interested. He has been reading El Libro de Mormon and has been practicing his prayers in english.

We have really been focusing our teaching this week on the Book of Mormon. It literally can convert somebody on it's own. I'd encourage each of you to read the introduction to the BOM this week, we share it all the time. It points out that it's vital that we know the BOM is true. Because, if the BOM is true, than Joseph Smith was really a prophet and really translated it through the power of God. And, if Joseph Smith really was a prophet of God, than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints really is his church!

I am SO grateful for this gospel and being raised in a home that taught of Jesus Christ. The other night we were walking past a home and we hear a little girl screaming. Her dad was beating her and yelling. We got really close to calling the police, but got interrupted. It broke my heart to think of that little girl screaming. I am so grateful for a loving family and to be able to bring the gospel to other families. 

Hermana Wilde, my old companion leaves next week for Argentina so her companion is losing her. We aren't quite sure what's going to happen there, they might put us in a trio! But they also talked to me and Hermana Argueta about working with Jhoana, Esperanza and Heidy! SO I GET TO TEACH THEM AGAIN! :) I am very excited, but I also know that they are a LOT of work. None of them came to church this Sunday because they were lazy. Ugh. 

Yesterday, we went to Arlington and DC with the Elders and then met Hermana Simpson there! It was very fun. We went and saw the changing of the Guard, and walked Arlington cemetery, then walked across the Bridge over the Potomac to DC. We saw a few monuments, but because the government is shut down all the monuments are closed. But nobody was following that rule, there were plenty of tourists there yesterday. It was a very good day, but we all went home pooped because we walked over 3 miles! We rode the metro home and all fell asleep on it. 

I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I feel like I just got off the plane and here I am on my Second Trainee and only have 13.5  months left. I think I am going to be home in time for thanksgiving next year! That will be neat. 

I love you all! Keep up the faith. 

Siempre, 

Hermana Spencer

1. All of us at the Metro

2. Me at the Kennedy Gravesite

3. Me and my old Companions in front of the White house

Septemeber 30th

September 30, 2013

Hola Familia!

What a week it has been. It has been one of the longest but shortest weeks on my mission. I have been trying to learn my new area like crazy. We spent a long time driving all over the city of Manassas because I don't know where everything is yet. Hermana Argueta and her last companion just barely opened this area so they had no investigators; they literally have been knocking doors every day for the past month.

Well, I said...none of that!

I worked a lot with other missionaries and I was able to ask the elders in our area if we could look through their area book. We were able to pull out like almost 40 women former investigators; we have been going to visit these people and a lot of less actives. We had a few poopy days where we didn't see a single person, but all is well. We are trying to find investigators like crazy. I had a huge self-reevaluation. I realized that I didn't have my trainer to lean on anymore and I needed to take some initiative to be the best missionary that I can be and push myself, and now my companion, to have confidence.

Hermana Argueta is doing great. Her last companion helped her a lot with her confidence. She is fluent in Spanish, but she doesn't know how to read or write it very well, so we are helping each other.

This week we did a LOT of organizing. I got a whiteboard and drew a calendar. Then we organized all the potential investigators, formers, investigators, less actives and members and wrote their names on the board. We realized we had a lot more people we could go visit than we thought. It has already helped a ton.

We helped 2 different people move this week, both less active families. It's hard because the branch doesn't really come to help with service like this, everybody just calls the missionaries. We helped this one family, and me and Hermana Argueta helped the Mom clean out the empty rooms. I was very grateful that I was taught to properly clean so that I could be helpful. The families were so grateful for our help.

We had a LOT of meetings this week. On Friday we had half mission conference. President and Sister Riggs taught a lot about getting back to the basics and teaching simply from Preach my Gospel. It was very inspiring.

We didn't see a lot of people this week, but we did work hard. On Thursday we made a 40 min drive to meet with these members. The Dad is a convert from Ecuador and he just had two of his kids sent here to live with him and his new family. They only speak English and are very homesick, but we were able to teach them and commit them to read the BOM. The 16 year old boy was very stubborn, but I joked with him enough to not think we were entirely weird :)

Yesterday, we got 2 other lessons. We got asked to teach 2 daughters of a member. The daughters live with their mom during the week but have been going to church with their dad and step mom. They are SO golden. They love church and promised to read and pray. We had a SUPER good lesson with them, but I think it was because I got to teach in English. I love it when that happens.

We also met with a former investigator the last Hermanas dropped but I really felt like we needed to try teaching her again. We stopped by and had a really simple, sweet, lesson with Jackie. Her mom fed us El Salvadorian food and Hot Chocolate. It's so good to just get to know these people and their culture. They really are such wonderful people.

The bummer about my new area is that our apartment is a former Elder apartment, so it has nasty stained carpet and a strange smell. Also, the apartment complex doesn't give missionaries gym passes or even parking passes because we aren't on the lease. So, I am afraid of getting lazy about working out the colder it gets!

We are really close to everything in our location. It's really nice to be so close to our investigators, the church, and shopping. I also lucked out and have a queen size bed!! We do live in the more ghetto part of Virginia though. We here sirens every morning before 8am and then throughout the day, it's great :)

So the other day, we went to go check on some former investigators and couldn't find parking. We had to park at the church and walk to the home. Well we were walking through one of the sketchiest 

neighborhoods in Manassas. Luckily we were out during the middle of the day. We got a LOT of strange looks. Everybody is looking at us like "Girls, what do you think you are doing here? Are you nuts?!" but me and Hermana Argueta just smiled and walked and said Hola to everybody. We ended up walking in the wrong direction and got completely lost. We ended up walking for over 2 miles in that neighborhood. We ran into these sketchy boys and when we said Hola they were excited we spoke Spanish. We told them we were missionaries and just gave them a pass-along card. Then one of the boys looks at me and says "Porque eres tan bella?" (Why are you so beautiful?). We quickly said bye and walked away. It became a running joke though between me and Hermana Argueta, it was just a really funny experience.

 The Relief Society Broadcast was SO good. It just made me excited for conference! I just remember how strong I felt when Thomas S Monson started speaking. It reminded me of when I said the prophet in person at the MTC. I remember then and I felt it again on Saturday, that he IS called of God and that he is our living prophet. I love him and I want to follow his counsel.

Things are going well. This week I had a few discouraging moments when it comes to training, leading and learning the language. But the longer I am here the better I feel. I'm learning a LOT and I am getting pushed in ways I wasn't expecting. It's scary and exciting!

We have a BBQ today with President Riggs because our whole zone got 90% baptismal invites for the month. We have a lot more fun on the mission than I thought we would!

I love you all, keep up the good work and help those missionaries find people to teach! Sometimes we know the people we know because the Lord knows they are prepared for you to share the gospel with them.

Love you all!

Hermana Spencer

My new address is 10841 Gambril Dr #23 Manassas VA 20109

Conference Weekend

October 7, 2013

Hola Familia,

Every day I am learning something new about myself. And here I thought that I knew myself pretty well, but I'm still learning.

This week has been a week of work and some changes. We had transfers this week, but as predicted, me and Hermana Argueta stayed where we are. Hermana Simpson, my old companion, got transferred out and was called to be a new sister training leader. She is going to do fantastic! We lost and got a new elder in our Spanish District too.

Hermana Wilde got a new companion, BUT she just found out that her and few other missionaries got their Visas to Argentina. So we aren't quite sure what’s going to happen there.

I LOVE my little Spanish District. We have a great group of elders and Hermanas that have taught me a ton and we have had fun too.

This is officially my 3rd transfer out in the field and I have been out on my mission for 4 and a half months. It is crazy how fast time flies. I feel like I just got off the plane!

This Friday we spent a lot of our afternoon helping somebody in our Branch move. Unfortunately, nobody from our flaky branch showed up except a few Hermanas to pack. The poor Dad had 5 missionaries (including 2 wimpy Hermanas) to help move his entire house. We spent a long time taking apart furniture and moving things to the truck. It was a fun, but very tiring!

Me and Hermana Argueta got more lessons in this week which is awesome! We have 4 really neat investigators. We are teaching these two teenagers straight from Ecuador, Christian and Kayla. Their entire family is members and they only speak Spanish, they are very interested. Also we are teaching Jamie and Jennifer who's Dad and step-mom are members. They live with their Dad on Weekends so we teach them every Sunday. They are very excited and interested too.

We taught “El Plan de Salvacion" a lot this week. Looking at that plan makes me realize how lucky we are to have that knowledge. To know and look forward to the day that we can return to our Heavenly Father again and be with our families for eternity. It makes me excited for my future family and grateful for the fact that our loving Heavenly Father has made a path for ALL of his children to be able to return to him.

My companion Hermana Argueta is awesome. She was raised in a Spanish home but never learned grammar or to read in Spanish, so we are working on that together. She isn't very shy when we teach Spanish lessons, but she gets really nervous and shy in our English lessons. We have been doing a lot of practice teaching to improve both our Spanish and English teaching skills. It's been a great learning experience. We are also trying to eliminate all the "garbage words" such as "like", "um", and "ya."

Conference was SO wonderful. It kind of put a damper on some of our work this weekend, just because it was at an awkward time for us. We went to the church and watched it in the chapel. It was all missionaries there and a few members. I absolutely LOVED conference this year. I think that it's more powerful as a missionary, or maybe I just paid better attention.

Yesterday in between sessions, my district put together lunch at the church. We all combined our ingredients in our cupboards (reminded me of missionary mess!) and we made homemade mac & cheese, and chicken Alfredo. It was a fun little lunch!

I loved all the talks, but I loved Elder Holland’s and President Uchtdorf's talks. I love the conviction that all of these men have. By listening to their words and their testimonies, you know that they want SO badly for other people to just taste of the goodness that they have experience. They plea with each of us to come unto Christ. That is why the work is Hastening!

I noticed a few different themes this weekend in conference. Like; "our little decisions have and eternal impact," "NOW is the time to hasten the work," "The power and the blessing of the Priesthood in our lives is irreplaceable" and "Even during our trials, the Lord is mindful of each of us."

I agree and sustain the prophet, his apostles and what they said this weekend. The time is now. That is why I am a missionary. Our leaders push us every day to talk to more people, teach more lessons, get more people baptized and invite everyone to come unto Christ. These people are those that don't have the truth only because "they know not where to find it."

We are so incredibly blessed to have this everlasting truth in our lives. Our responsibility as those with the knowledge of the truth is to spread and share the gospel. Something President Riggs said is that we are not only to defend the truth, but to fight for the truth! Not only live as examples in what we know is right, but to fight for what we know is correct.

I urge you all to take the challenge that was given on Saturday. If each member shared the gospel with one person, millions would partake of this rich truth.

I love you all so much.

Estoy muy agradecido por la oportunidad ser una misionera en este obra. Yo se que este iglesia es la iglesia de Jesucristo en la tierra hoy. El Libro de mormón es la palabra de Dios. Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios. Yo se que por medio la expiación de Jesucristo podemos ser limpio otra vez. Se que podemos vivir con nuestro padre celestial otra vez y que somos hijos de Dios. Yo se que familias son eternas.

Los Amo Mucho.

-Hermana Spencer

Me and my district right before transfers.

Me and Sister Simpson one last time before she got transferred

Me and my new companion, Hermana Argueta

Naked Kids, Pink Food and Baseball Games!

A Hey and A Hidi Ho to you all too! :)

We have had quite the eventful week.

On Wednesday, we went to see an investigator Patricia Coca Cayo. We always have an adventure going to her house, it's quite crazy. She has 3 kids. Her Daughter Karol, age 8, has a disability and we have to have a lot of patience with her. She normally can't stop laughing or trying to touch us when we are there. But, we love her. Well, this week, Karol was being crazy so her mom sent her upstairs to get in her pajamas. Karol comes running down the stairs and up to us, pajamas in hand, but completely NAKED. Her mom starts chasing her around the living room and Karol is running around saying "Don't spank me! Don't spank me!" Me and my companions were doing everything we could to not laugh out loud. It took a bit of time and her mom eventually got her dressed. At the end of the night, their neighbor ended up spraying Hermana Simpson with a hose (We have no idea why). And Karol, chased us to our car and pressed her face against our window. It took us a while to finally get out of there. I don't think I could ever forget that night!

On Thursday, we went to dinner at Esperanza's. She fed us the Guatemalan version of Enchiladas. They are more like Tostadas. They had beets on them and so they were very pink! But so good.

Her Husband Jose is coming around. He has been very receptive and they have tried reading the scriptures together. He wanted to come to church this week but had to work. Bummer.

Friday, we had a really neat opportunity. All of the DC South and DC North missions got to go the Nationals baseball game! It was something that normally would never happen, so we were super grateful to go. We got to ride the Metro into DC and It was so fun to go and see over 500 missionaries there representing the church to kick off the National Day of Service. The best player on the team, Bryce Harper, is a Mormon, so it was good to go and support him too.

Yesterday, we got to go to the "Why I believe" Fireside, done by Senator Orrin Hatch. We sang in the Choir and sang, "My Dear Redeemer, Lord and King" and "I know that my Redeemer Lives." It was a great experience.

Church yesterday was an adventure as well. I play the organ every Sunday and just have to sight read the songs because nobody knows what they will be until that morning. But, before church the new ward chorister, a crazy Hermano, started talking to me about the music. He was saying something about changing a song and adjusting some notes and stuff, but I only understood half of him. In the middle of sacrament meeting, Hermana Simpson realized he was doing a musical number and wanted to play. I impromptu ran up and accompanied him to "I am a child of God." Half the congregation didn't realize it was a musical number so they started singing along. It was a pretty horrible, but funny.

We also had a ton of people at church! We had Jhoana and her son Jordan, Esperanza and her baby Ryan, Their 3 nieces, Heidy, and Patricia and her kids showed up for the first time! Everybody was very welcoming and we think that Patricia liked it!

Heidy gets baptized this Saturday! We are so excited. We were really worried for a little bit because she moved back in with her family in her grandma's house. She doesn't have a phone anymore so it's been hard to keep in contact with her. But we saw her this week and she told us she got a job and she has been praying and reading every night on her own. We almost cried tears of joy. She also came to church this Sunday on her own. We are so proud of her and it's been amazing to watch her grow and come closer to Christ. I love that girl. We just still are working on her taking out her stupid lip ring....

My advice to all that read this is the quote from Joseph Smith, "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."

We have been so blessed with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. Our numbers are few. But our faith is strong. When we return to our creator and we are visiting with friends and loved ones from our life on earth who did not have the gospel, how heartbreaking and tragic it would be if they approached us and said "You knew about this...and you didn't tell me?" Don't let your fear stop you! If you are scared, that's okay. I am too. You can pray and give it all to the Lord and he will guide you and tell you what to say. Even if others don't agree with you, bear your testimony. Others can argue doctrine and opinions, but they cannot argue your testimony and what YOU KNOW to be true. Bear it, and bear it often.

I love you all so much. Keep in touch. And keep the faith! This IS the true gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I know it.

Much Love,

Hermana Spencer

1. Me and my pink Enchilada

2. It's been a little colder and it rained this week. Tracting in the rain!

3.Me at the Nationals game

Another great week in the work of the Lord

September 9, 2013

Hello Familia!

It has been both a long and short week.

This Friday we had my first zone conference! It was so wonderful. We talked a lot about prayer and the importance of it in our own and other's conversions. We also talked about asking inspired questions. I have a huge testimony of inspired questions. We have had lessons go completely not as planned because of asking an inspired question.

It was so good to listen to President Riggs. I LOVE that man. He is extremely young, but SO wise. He seriously just...Gets it. President Riggs talked about all of his missionaries are his investigators and that he loves us all so much. I was filled with so much hope and love when he spoke. I am so excited I get to spend my whole mission with him as my president. He is so inspired.

Every zone conference they do car inspections. Me and my companions went and got a car wash, vacuumed and organized everything in the car. At the conference they gave out clean car awards, and we won first place (which is 100 extra miles). I am pretty sure EVERYBODY in our zone hated us at that moment because they had all seen our car all the other times. We have 3 girls in one car and tons of teaching material. It is far from first place material. It was pretty funny though.

On Saturday, We had "Launching Leaders." Which is a Seminar about developing ourselves. It is taught by a senior couple who have had an amazing life. He has been a mission president and they have served a few missions. He is dripping of wisdom and success. He talked to us about being on our "Peak Performance." When we are on our peak performance, we have the ability to be successful, we feel good about ourselves, and we are the last person to choke. He talked about how we must have balance in our lives in order to be a peak performer. It was something I had heard before, it just put it nicely into perspective about each of our potentials.  

We did a bit of finding this week. We were checking up on some potential investigators and formers, and we decided to knock on this door. We met this guy named Jairo from Guatemala. He has a great family. We taught him the restoration and he seemed really intrigued. He was very involved and he sounded like he was really going to study the BOM. We are excited to teach him again tonight!

Good news of the week....We are teaching Esperanza's husband Jose! He has always liked us, he just has always hid from us when we came over. But he said that at his wedding he felt like he was with family. He has noticed a difference in Esperanza. The other night, he came home from work and he joined us. He said that he is willing and wants to come to church, but he doesn't want to come to church and not change. Well, we promised him that he WOULD change and for the better. He and Esperanza read together that night from the BOM. We were so excited. Since they got married and since she got baptized, there is a difference in their relationship. It's more meaningful. We are so excited to keep teaching him. We know he will come around and Esperanza wants so badly to be sealed in the temple. She already has a testimony of forever families. It has made my testimony of families grow. We really can be together forever!

I am very excited that this Friday we are going to go to a Nationals Game! Our entire mission and the DC North mission are going for the day of service to go to the baseball game. We are all so excited and it should be super fun! Somebody teased me though and told me that they were playing the Red Sox. I got all excited...But they aren't. They are playing the Phillies!

Well, I know that this church is true. I love being here and bringing others to Christ. The gospel really is the way to true joy. I love you all and I am so grateful for your love and support. Don't be afraid to share the truth with others. It is the best news you could ever tell somebody!

Much Love,

Hermana Meagan Spencer

Hola Familia!

September 3, 2013

Well Hola Everybody!

As I am sure you guessed, the Library was closed on Labor Day, so I am emailing today :)

It has been quite a week! As always. I love being here in Northern Virginia. The more I am here, the more and more I realize that I am here for a reason. I am here meeting the people I am with, and working with, for a reason. I am learning SO much. I love being back on the East coast. Except for the fact that the drivers here are CRAZY! Hermana Simpson doesn't really like driving and Hermana Wilde can't drive because she is a visa waiter, so I have been doing most of the driving. We typically spend like 1-2 hours a day in the car and the Virginia drivers are nuts. It keeps us all on the edge of our seats.

Well, ESPERANZA GOT BAPTIZED!!! We are so happy for her. She got baptized on Saturday and confirmed at church on Sunday. It was quite an interesting baptism though. We went an hour before to fill the font and found a HUGE cockroach in the font. Hermana Simpson took a mop and pushed it down the drain. We didn't dare tell Esperanza because we were afraid she wouldn't get in the water! Almost nobody showed up for the baptism. There were 10 missionaries there, one family from the branch and her Sister Jhoana. It was a small sweet baptism, although we were bummed nobody showed up. She was so happy though! She definitely feels like family to me. I am so excited to keep in touch with her after my mission.

Sunday was crazy again. Jhoana had all the kids again. Yep, Sunday normally means babysitting for the missionaries. My crayons and coloring book,  Etch-a-sketch has been big hits, but there is normally screaming and crying over them. I have to play organ too, so sacrament meeting was an adventure. This week, Allison (in Hispanic homes pronounced: Al-ee-sone) wanted to bear her testimony, so she ran up there and 5 kids followed her. That was pretty embarrassing.

Yesterday we got to go to the temple. We were so excited. Hermana Ortega, from the branch, took us at 6am. We were tired, but very excited. After the temple, we did a ton of grocery shopping and then went to play Frisbee with the Elders in our district.

My new companion, Hermana Wilde is super cute. She is hilarious too. Secretly we hope she never gets her visa so she can stay in our mission! She has been a fun and great new addition to our companionship.

It's so crazy to think how much time has flown by. I have been out on my mission for over 3 months now. Only 15 left!

No crazy foods this week, only crazy Hispanics :) I love working with these people. It's so great. I definitely want to pick up their immense love. I love them so much. Spanish is getting better too. It's crazy how much you learn just by listening. 

Well, I don't know what else to write this week, but I will make sure to update you more next week. We hopefully have a baptism with our investigator Heidy in 3 weeks! She reminds me a TON of the teenage version of me (so of course, she is extremely difficult and stubborn). I am excited though!

I love teaching the restored gospel. It really is great news, and a wonderful message. I know that I am on the Lord's errand and I am simply a mouthpiece for him. I know that what we are teaching is true! I love you all so much,

Hermana Spencer

1. Me, Hna's Simpson and Wilde at the temple

2. I helped dye Hermana Wilde's hair yesterday!

3. The missionaries that taught Esperanza, at her baptism!

Another Great Week in the Work of the Lord

August 26. 2013

Hello Everybody!

As always, it was a great week in the work of the Lord. It was kind of a weird week, so we felt bad for our new companion who jumped right into the craziness of it all.

Well, Esperanza IS married! It turned out amazing!! We were expecting it to be a very simple and kind of lame wedding at the church. BUT the RS president took some initiative and made an excuse to have a Hispanic fiesta. She had the Elder's Quorum help decorate the gym. She had these beautiful decorations and a beautiful cake. She called members of the RS to come and bring food. There were plenty of all sorts of delicious, Hispanic food. I was in heaven. It was more than perfect. Me and Hermana Simpson were almost in tears from our gratitude.

A ton of Esperanza's family came to the wedding and loved it. They were all so grateful for us and the members. There was a ton of fellowshipping going on. There are a few family members in her family that are iffy about the missionaries, but after the wedding, we have a ton of potential in visiting them. Her now husband, Jose, was super grateful too. He has a hard time taking help, but he was SO HAPPY at the wedding. We know that they are going to end up getting sealed in the temple. It's just a matter of faith and time.

The Baptism went well too! It was a 5 person baptism! Our three kids got baptized, plus another English investigator and an 8 year old boy. It was very weird to be a back in an English ward. They are SO different from the Spanish program. They had everything planned and set up. It was wonderful though. The Dad of Kayo, was there and he is not a member and he really felt the spirit. My talk on the Holy Ghost went well (mostly because it was in English :) )

We had a musical fireside last night. I was beautiful and VERY spiritual. I sang in the missionary choir. We sang a few songs together and had a few quartets and solos. I sang in a quartet with other sisters in a song called "my kindness shall not depart from thee" It is SO beautiful. It's about the Lord talking to Joseph Smith in Liberty jail.

We also saw a miracle last night. A sister was supposed to do a solo that was like the best part of the program. But she has vocal nodes, meaning she isn't supposed to be able to sing. She got a blessing and sang the song beautifully. She had almost everybody, including me, in tears.

Our companionship is doing well! It's still a little weird adjusting to having 3 of us and two trainers but it's going well. We still need a bed for Hermana Wilde, so she is crashing on the couch for now. We are really excited for this transfer though, it feels like it's going to be a good one!

 Our one investigator, Heidy, is doing better too! She ACTUALLY came to church yesterday and liked it! She has been complaining that she doesn’t want to come because its "sooooo boring." She knows the church is true and really wants to get baptized; it has just been like pulling teeth getting her to read and go to church. She's extremely lazy (Apparently it’s "really hard" to turn the pages of a book). But we know she will get there. We are mostly trying to get her to take her stupid lip piercing out.......

So the food is amazing. Some homes give better food than others, but I am loving the variety of Hispanic food. EXCEPT the other day, we were teaching a girl that lives in the basement of members. The member gave us this drink. I thought it was coke with ice in it. NO. IT WASN'T. It was this horrible purple slime that had the consistently of really really thick cough syrup. And what I thought was ice? Nope. It was whole grapes and pineapple. It was atrocious. But of course, I forced the whole thing down my throat.

I love being here. I am seeing trials, but more joy from this great work. Sometimes I wonder, "Okay, why do I have this gospel? Out of all the people in the world, why was I blessed with the truth" and then I realize that my calling as a missionary is why I have the truth. I had the calling before the world was to have the truth and be one to share it with others. I know that this church is true and that this gospel is for every one of Heavenly father's children.

I love you all so much!

Hermana Spencer

1. Me, Hna Simpson, Esperanza, Jose, Baby Ryan, and Hna Wilde at the wedding! (I promise they were happy, they just refuse to smile in pictures)

2. Me, Kayo, Natasha, Pablo and Hna Simpson at the baptism

3. Hna Simpson, Esperanza and me

That Mormon Book is True

August 19, 2013

Hello Family!

This next week is going to be a crazy busy week! Yes, we have transfers on Thursday. Me and Hermana Simpson are hoping and praying that she gets to finish training me. I love her as my companion so much. She has been a huge tender mercy from the lord. We are nervous though that she might be getting transferred! But, we also might be getting moved if we do stay together, and possible on bike. We will see what happen.

 

This week we have a ton going on. This Friday is Hermana Simpson's birthday! That same day is Esperanza'a wedding. On Saturday we have a baptism.

 

We have been teaching 3 kids, 8, 9 and 9. Natasha, Pablo and Cayo. Cayo is their cousin and his mom is a convert. Natasha's and pablo's mom is a less active, but they all wanted their kids to get baptized. Their mom only speaks spanish, but the kids speak english, so they are getting baptized into the english ward. They are fun, but goofy kids. Our lessons are hard sometimes because they are hard to keep entertained. But, we have that baptism this Saturday. This will be my first!

 

And Esperanza IS getting married this Friday! This week we had to write up a check-list for her and give her deadlines. We were super worried about her getting a marriage license because they didn't have a ride and they are both super lazy. But it was a miracle that they got it and she went and got a dress (of sorts.....) and a little tux for her baby. The relief society is going to help bring some food and they are going to do a sweet short ceremony in the chapel with a few people. She is going to be only the second person in her family to get married. Wow! We are SO excited though. She is so ready for baptism and she is amazing. We just know that she is going to be an example to her husband and eventually he will come around too. She wants nothing more than to be sealed to her family.

 

Hispanics crack me up. I am loving them more and more, but I am also realizing things that I DO NOT want to pick up from them. They have such amazing and loving hearts, but they are so flaky sometimes. I am just VERY grateful for the life lessons, and common sense, that mom and dad taught me that a lot of people ever learned. We are literally teaching our investigators gospel lessons AND life lessons. (ie: you don't feed your 9 month year old Mcdonalds and Mac and Cheese)

 

My favorite though is everybody calls the BOM "The Mormon Book."  Even Esperanza has bore her testimony saying " I know that the Mormon book is true."  

 

Yesterday at church, the missionaries basically run the whole show. Our Branch President found out I can somewhat play the organ, so from now on, that's my job. I played the organ in sacrament meeting. Then me and hermana Simpson got asked to do a musical number. We did a song that I had, and we just translated it. She played the piano while I sang. The branch was very grateful for it. THEN (of course) the sunday school teacher didn't show up so me and Hermana Simpson taught Gospel Principles. It went okay, I mostly stood to the side nodding and occasionally bearing my testimony of what she was teaching. Spanish is still rough.

 

Every week, Esperanza and Jhoana have to bring their kids and their sister's kids. So Church is more of a babysitting experience for us. I spent the rest of the day with baby drool on my necklace and shirt :)

 

Okay, I mentioned this in my last email, but it was clarified this week. The mission can no longer forward mail to me. It has to be sent directly to my address. If I get transferred this week I will be able to let you know on Friday, but for now its: 14054 Lotus Lane #8110 Centreville VA 20120

 

Our one investigator Heidy is progressing but slowly. I LOVE Heidy so much. She is stubborn and kind of obnoxious sometimes, but she is so special. She just got her lip peirced (oh gosh) yet she knows its dumb. We taught her a really good lesson on the law of chastity though. It went super well. We read with her my favorite talk my Deiter F. Uchtdorf "Happily Ever After" and taught her of her true potential. I truly believe that our divine potential is not affected by our pasts. " It is our reaction to the adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how our story will unfold"

 

 

 1. Me and my companion being dorks

2. On the Metro on our way to DC!

3. Me and Hna Simpson in front of the Capital Building