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