Snow, Snow and More Snow

March 3, 2014

Today is snowing like crazy, which is a big bummer because it's P-day and we can't go grocery shopping. We are lucky our apartment complex has computers we can use so we don't have to wait until tomorrow to email.

We have had yet another crazy week! As always.

At the beginning of the week, we had a really good lesson with Tara, our 16 year old. We helped her set up her new bunk bed and taught a lesson at the same time :) She is so great. She wanted us to come back and make us dinner.

Well Wednesday was crazy. Every Wednesday, we have lunch at our bishop's house. They are Peruvian, and they make the BEST food. But Peruvian food is so filling, and so much. We normally don't eat dinner Wednesday nights because we are so full.

Well, we went to see Yamilet, our investigator and her son, Kevin who is a recent convert.  We had a lesson with Kevin, because apparently he's been having anger issues, and needed a talk. Afterwards, Yamilet came out with an entire plate of food. AH! Luckily it was mostly fruit, but still lots of food.

Right after Yamilet, we went to see Hermana Garay, who is our investigator too. She made us each a bagel and a giant class of Abuelita, Latino Hot Chocolate.

After visiting her, we went to see Tara and she had prepared us a dinner too. A giant plate of pasta, pears, and chocolate cake. Needless to say, we went home that night with stomach aches and giant bellies!

We had another lesson with Tara the next day, and we talked about the story of Esther and courage. We read from the verse Esther 4:14 "who knoweth whether thou art come to thekingdom for such a time as this?" We testified that this is YOUR time. There is a reason we are all here on the earth, at this time. We have a purpose. And by our small decisions, we can affect nations of people. That night, Tara committed to a baptismal date of the 22nd!! :)

We are excited for her, but we warned her that Satan will try and take her off course. We told her to read the scriptures or say prayers whenever she feels discouraged.

Last night, when we got home, Tara called us crying. She said she was having a few family problems. She was at her dad's and forgot her scriptures. She asked us to read her the book of Mormon over the phone to help her feel better. After we finished a chapter she said "Could you may be read a little bit more?"

We were so touched that she called us, and she knows she can find peace in the gospel and through reading the scriptures. It was a good learning experience for me.

Sadly, Sara and Flor left for Peru this week. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them, but they sent us messages on Facebook to say thanks and goodbyes. Sara bore testimony that she knows she came to the US at this time to learn of the church. We are going to start teaching them skype lessons, we are excited! :) We also are going to teach a few other lds investigators in Honduras over Skype too.

Did I mention we get Ipads this week!?!? Finally. We have a running joke in our mission about us never actually getting Ipads because they keep pushing back the dates. But, for sure this Thursday.

Friday was my mission half-way mark. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?! 9 months already!? I still feel brand new.

I had a little miracle this week. I served with a few Elders in Sudley that had served here in Little River. Apparently there was this infamous Hermana in this area, that hated Sister missionaries. (Literally, everybody knows her at "Crazy Maria") She only let Eder’s in her home, but unfortunately there is no man in the house so the Eder’s aren't supposed to go in. President Riggs has been trying to send sisters over there for years, but she hasn't liked any of them.

I worked with one Elder that mentioned that she might like me. So at a fireside, he introduced me and my companion to her. She was very blunt in saying "I don't want you at my house" but she promised the Elders that if me or my companion ever got sent to Little River, she would let us in and give us a chance.

When I got sent here, I thought of her, but was way to chicken to try it out. She is a very blunt lady. I had seen her a few times at church and would smile at her, but never approach her.

Last Sunday, I was helping out in Primary (my piano skills are continually being abused). She was in there. At the end, she approached me and asked me if I was the Hermana that the Elders introduced to her. I thought she would have forgotten!!

She told me that, she has a small piece of paper on her fridge with my name, and my old companion's name. She had no idea, who put it there, or how it got there. But she has had my name on her fridge for months. We talked and had a good chat. I asked her when we could come see her, and she told me her schedule, but made me pinky promise to not tell anybody. She isn't somebody to like help or visitors.

This Saturday, we felt like we should take her up on her offer and go visit her. Apparently she had an operation 2 days ago and was in the need of help, but she refuses to call anybody. We left her with a spiritual message and promised to come back the next day with Ice Cream.

Last night, we went with Ice Cream and we were able to clean her kitchen, dishes and living room because she can barely even walk. She has 4 kids, so we were there entertaining them and chatting with her. I LOVE her. I was so humbled by the experience. I know that I was sent to this area at this time for a reason. I learned so much from her. Here I was thinking that there is no way she would remember me, or let me in her front door. I was too chicken to go try. But the Lord is merciful, and even when I am lacking in courage and Faith, he sends another way. I am so grateful we were able to go help her and get to know her. We love her and we are so excited to continue working with her.

I know that we are all here at this time for a reason. We are in the hastening of the work for a reason. The Lord needed US. He needed YOU! There is a purpose you were born to be here at this time. You have a divine purpose.

I love this work, I am grateful for the Love of our Heavenly Father. I love being his missionary and his great messenger.

I love being a part of this hastening!!

I love you all,

Hermana Spencer

Lessons I Have Learned

March 10, 2014

Dear Familia,

This has been another crazy and spiritual week!

 I am officially half-way through my mission and I have been pondering of the past, and setting goals for the future. Something I have learned is the importance of setting long-term goals and short-term goals to accomplish them.

 We have been focusing our teaching a lot this week on the Book of Mormon. We had zone conference last week and President Riggs expressed his concern about not using the scriptures enough, personally and in lessons. We need to know the scriptures. Read them, understand them, and love them. The Book of Mormon is a conversion tool on its own. We literally have had investigators be completely converted and know that the church is true by just reading the book alone.

 We also have been focusing on authority and prophets. Throughout my entire mission, that has been the hardest and easiest thing to explain. People ask us ALL the time "Why do I need to be baptized again?" or "My pastor has authority too, what makes your church different?"

Through the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we literally have the exact same authority that Jesus Christ gave to his 12 apostles.

 We have the priesthood and authority on the earth again, after it was lost for many years. All priesthood holders can trace their priesthood lineage back to our Savior, Jesus Christ, himself. That is something to rejoice about! We have the restored gospel on the earth!

We have had to explain latter-day prophets many times this week, and latter-day revelation/commandments. We have a living day prophet that receives revelation, directly from our Heavenly Father, for us in our day. That is miraculous. And yet, many of us still find excuses or look for ways to not follow his great counsel.

We spent a lot of time working with the member, Maria, again. She so lonely, but won't admit it. She had us come over and help her put together posters for primary. She ended up dragging us to Staples, Subway and then back for hamburgers and her house. She just loves the company. We are learning a lot from her, she is great :)

 So the big news is...We have IPad’s!!!!!

Thursday we got training and received IPad’s. They are so fun! We love them. We literally have nothing on them, except proselyting things, but they make the work a lot easier.

 All of our records are going to be used through technology now. Our area books and everything are through our IPad’s. I love the Gospel Library app, so we don't have to lug around sets of scriptures and DVD's. The only hold up is that our apartment doesn't have internet, so we can only use a few things when at home.

 This Saturday, we finally had MUNDIAL MORMON! It was a mission-wide event that was solely planned by my district. Me and Hermana Sorensen were in charge of the guided tours of the church and a few other things. We were at the church setting up the night before, and we were at the church for 13 hours on Saturday. We were so dead tired.

A LOT of people showed up to play soccer, which was awesome! We did have a few people complain and get in arguments, but nothing terrible. Sadly, it was like pulling teeth trying to get people to go do the tours. President Riggs showed up to see if the event was being productive and luckily was able to see one of the tours.

 The Talent show at the end was hilarious. We had a few people who refused to get off the stage and we had to literally close the curtain on them. I proposed the idea of using cups to make a beat to a song, and we ended up getting all the missionaries involved. It was super fun!

 Liz, is on date for baptism! She has been investigating for over 5 years, and has been on date many times. She is losing hope in actually being baptized, but we see it for her! Her only hold up has been getting to church. We don't want her to fall off the map after her baptism, so we made her a deal. She has to come 3 weeks in a row before her baptism. This week she almost didn't come, but she ended up coming for a half-hour in the foyer and leaving. Gah!  We have so much faith and hope in her though. We see her getting baptized very soon.

 Tara, is on date as well but we are nervous for her. Apparently, last minute, she moved out of her house and back in with her mom and dad (who are divorced?). Her dad does not like the idea of being baptized, at all,  but we are hoping for a miracle. She has such a sweet spirit and so ready for this step, we just have to get her there! :)

 Every Wednesday, we eat Peruvian food at our Bishop's house. This week, we had a nice big plate of Cow Heart. Yup "Corazon." It was actually pretty good! But it still grossed me out a bit when the Elders kept reminding us that it was pumping a few days before. Bleh!

I am officially on my 4th pair of boots as a missionary. I am not sure why I have the worst luck with boots! I have gotten cheap pairs, and nice expensive pairs. But they still seem to always find a different way to break on me. This week,  I had to go get a new pair of boots. Not my favorite way to spend money! But there is a running joke among missionaries, that how hard you worked is determined by how many shoes you have run through. Apparently I must be working oober hard. :) 

So many babies coming! I have gotten a few baby announcements in the mail from college friends, and 3 of my old roommates are getting married! So crazy. Being in the states on my mission, and having Facebook makes me still pretty connected with the world, which is both good and bad :)

 With the new technology, we know the work is hastening! D&C 88:73.

 I am jealous that you guys get to go on a  cruise soon! Sunny weather sounds fantastic right about now in cold Virginia :)

Also, I am convinced that Todd needs to date my cute friend Katie Bailey from BYU-Idaho. I have no idea how they would meet, but I am convinced it could happen :)

I am learning so much. The more I focus my actions outward, the closer I become to my Savior, and my Heavenly Father. That is why on the final days of his earthly ministry, the Savior gave us the new commandment to "Love one Another." Truly, by heeding his counsel and direction, we can become more like him.

 My long term goal is to be like God. To one day, return to his presence, have eternal Life and be like him.

I am willing to take every short-term goal, and every step to get there. I am far from my goal, but I know that is possible nonetheless. Our Heavenly Father has made it possible for each of us to get there!

 I love being a missionary! It brings so much satisfaction and joy to me! I hope that you are all doing well, and working hard in the vineyard as well. There are so many souls prepared for us to find them! :)

Con Amor,

Hermana Spencer