Monday, July 11, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a very interesting week. Right after I emailed last week....our car started to die.....It was really bad timing....but when is it ever good timing. So we took it in and luckily President gave us permission to get dropped off by the Elders. After our first appointment we walked to our next one and it was great walking. Our area is so huge so we already knew it would be hard getting everywhere we needed to go.

The next day we had the temple at 6:30 in the morning....and its like 25 minutes away....so we got a ride. The temple was amazing. I always love going to the temple because we get to be in the temple and because we get to see the other sisters. The temple just makes me smile and I always feel better afterwards. This day was one of the best in the mission. We asked President Maynes to drop us off down town. On the way we talked about the English class that we will be organizing and teaching here. When he dropped us off...it was like getting dropped off as little kids at school. We talked to so many people that day. We didn't realize how heavy our bags were. We found some great people to teach that day. Heavenly Father really leads us to people who need the gospel and helps us avoid the rain. We would get on someones porch and start to teach and it would begin to rain. We would then say the closing prayer ...and it stopped. We were so blessed this day. I felt like a missionary and we were so happy all day long. We also ate some great food....they have some great Mexican food down town. We walked a lot that day and luckily got a ride home. We were trying to find a ride for the next morning to district meeting, but so many people don't have cars or they have a car and they work.

The next day we had to have the Elders get us again :) We were really worried about another day with out the car because we had so many people we needed to see. We got a ride to district meeting and it was fantastic. We took the bus the first time. I won't lie it took a while to get to down town (we went there because it dramatically increases the chances of finding people who speak Spanish). We got down there and the third house we knocked on was Alex. Alex is super cool. He is 19 and has a phobia of leaving his house. He hasn't really let a lot in the past 2 years. He wants so badly to get over this anxiety. Hopefully we will teach him again today. While we were teaching on the porch...it started to hail....luckily we were teaching. It was raining really hard...and of course we wouldn't have anything for the rain. We had to leave the appointment eventually so we decided to walk. We got soaked so fast. The street we were on apparently floods a lot. We ending up walking in water almost up to our knees. It would not stop raining (Colorado keeps stealing Texas's rain). Luckily some nice ladies let us into a school where we waiting out some of the rain and the flooding. We got some good pictures. One of the ladies gave us a ride to a members house. She then took us home and we got a car!

Here is the account from Hermana Coughlen which is way better than mine:
So our trusty car Jonas (or Jonah in English) died Tuesday morning. What are two little Spanish speaking missionaries supposed to do in an area so big with no car! I'll tell you what we do... we walk and take the bus! The work must go on :) We didn't have a lot of success Tuesday because we had to go to the mechanic and we spent our day in Aurora which is more suburb-y and harder to walk around since there aren't many Hispanics and all the members and people we visit live so far apart. Wednesday we got dropped off in downtown (we call the suburbs around Denver downtown since there is no residential in the real DT) by President and Sister Maynes. They looked at us with puzzled faces when we answered their question to "how are you going to get home?" with smiling faces "we will ask a member... or take the bus... or walk!" We hoofed it all day with what seemed like 20lb bags and got a great missionary tan. We talked with everyone on the streets which was really fun because usually we are in a car and can't do that. We got home dog tired... but then had to move the furniture for the carpet cleaners that we coming the next day! All we wanted to do was crash but we had to move my 1974 teachers desk which may be made from led into the kitchen and stack another desk, boxes, chairs and a fan on top! Breakfast next morning was exciting as I climbed the tower of Babel to get to our cereal. We took the bus into downtown that Thursday morning prep-ed for another day of walking and talking. It started out well, but you have heard the Denver stories, storms that seem to spawn from the clear blue sky! Out of nowhere a rail-ice-marble sized hail storm was in full vengeance against all the citizens of Denver! We tried to seek refuge under a porch (where we talked to the owner for a good time) but knew that we had to move on. A member didn't live too far away so we decided it wasn't a bad idea to book it for their apartment. Well, we were obviously not expecting for the historic streets and ancient drainage system to fail us so quickly because soon enough we were wading through knee high water in the middle of the crowned streets!! We found it more then entertaining and were very happy that neither of us chose to wear white that day ;) We were welcomed into a school by some lovely middle aged office ladies who yelled at us from their window to come in. We camped out there for an hour or so. We watched as the street turned into a river and soccer balls, large pieces of wood, trash cans and shoes floated town the street! A few cars stalled because the water too... that is bad new bears because the engine is most likely a goner! One of the lovely middle aged office ladies gave us a ride to Monica Ruiseco's house where we received a dry shirt and a warm dinner of chicken tacos and watermelon water. Excellent way to finish the night. She gave us a ride home which was much appreciated. We got home to our wet carpet and furniture-less apartment. We moved the beds... goodnight.

We have a car now. A little Corolla (Gold) which beeps at everything! If the seat belt is undone for more than 3 seconds, if the door is left open for more then 5 or if the doors get locked before the doors are closed. We call him our little whinny old man. He needs a name soon. Suggestions?

So what should we name our car....post on my blog and vote...Sam please send me the results :)

We still managed to teach 30 lessons this week! The work is going great here. We loved walking! I got to go to primary yesterday we some of our investigators. I loved it. We got to sing and eat cake! They announced me as a special guest and were so happy to sing I hope they call me on a mission lol. I was so glad I was there. Those kids have such great testimonies.

Today we are going shopping, and I hope I find something! I am super excited about my birthday and am still trying to figure out how to make it special! I know it will be special. We are praying for miracles here. We see the Lord's hand a lot. I know that He loves us more than we know. I hope you all know that I appreciate every prayer and every letter.

I love you all,
Hermana Spencer


I love you all!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been really crazy and good. I want to tell you how much I love being a missionary. I wish I could say that every day wasn't a struggle, but it still is changing me and allowing me to help others. We have two new people on date Juana and Armando! We are really excited about them. I want to tell you about Hermana Ruiseco...I have mentioned her before.

The other night we went over there to visit. She told us about a crazy story involving domestic violence. I can't describe the way I feel about her. I only want what is best for her. I want her to be happy. I told her that the other night and she said I know. She said, " I know you all are always here for me." Then me...being me said, "We are not always going to be here." She told us there is always the phone and always mail. She says every time that she sees us, she feels she can do it just a little longer. She always listens to the things we tell her to do. That woman has made me want to be better. I will be going to her house for my birthday :)

Maria Mercedes....The other night we went to visit her. Her husband is in jail and will probably be deported. She has no family here and she works cleaning hotels over 10 hours every day. She wants to be strong. The other night she sobbed in front of us. She doesn't want her kids to know, but they feel it. She just doesn't know what to do, the only thing she knows is she doesn't want to go back to Mexico. Sometimes we feel so inadequate to help these people....but the thing that I have learned is that the gospel can help anyone!

The 4th! I celebrated with a lot of people who are not citizens :) I loved it. The ward had an activity. They played soccer and ate :) Hna Salazar was making hand made tortillas in the park! The food was great like usual. I spent most of the day playing Frisbee with little kids. It was great. I loved it. We spent a lot of time there and then did the things we needed to do. We had to be in early so we only really went to dinner. Tomorrow we get to go to the temple and I am so excited. I love the temple so much.

So last Tuesday we stopped by a newer investigators house. They sell fruit and some veggies. We were sitting in the back yard and the lady comes out with some corn.....covered in mayo and cheese. It was so funny. We were already full from dinner. She didn't even ask us if we wanted it. Hna. Coughlen hates mayo.....They gave us some toilet paper because they didn't have any napkins...so we tried to wipe it off secretly. Her sister was also there. La Hermana made everyone eat that corn on the cob. I tried to take my time. I finished and then she came out with another one....I just said no! NO PUEDO! All of us said no...and we just ended up passing on this corn that no one wanted. It was so hilarious. They were all laughing. I will send some pictures soon!

My birthday is next week...in case you have forgotten :) Transfers are on the 26th. So if you are worried about anything getting here in time...send it to the mission office!



I love you all. Thank you for helping me to be a great missionary!

Love,
Hermana Spencer

P.S. I wasn't able to write anyone yesterday....sorry I hope this will tie you over :)

One Year!

Dear my favorite people!

This week was fantastic! I always forget what I want to tell everyone. I will first talk about funny things we see/hear.

One day we were knocking in an apartment complex. We knocked on a door and a family was walking by and the little girl said, "Mom we live here....mom we live here." I don't know if they knew we could understand them lol.

Another one! We were trying to contact a referral and we saw this women outside. So of course we talked to her. It went well. We asked her for her phone number and she said she didn't have one. Well as we were walking away...her phone went off....LOL.

These experiences are always so Funny! But are also very sad.....so many people lie to us...even people we thought we could trust! Esta bien!

So just to tell you more about this last week. On Wednesday we had such a hard day. We taught one person in the morning......and no one else was home.....we even had appointments. The day looked really promising. We would go to visit people and they just wouldn't be there. It was such a long day..... In the middle of it the bishop calls and wants to talk to me....WHAT? The bishop is always hard to understand because he mumbles and speaks in Spanish and on the phone it is almost impossible! I rarely talk on the phone because I am always driving. When he asked to talk to me he called me Hermana Kimball.....(lots of people think I am related to Spencer W. Kimball.....I know it makes no sense)....he didn't know my name?!?!?! He asked me to give a talk....about FHE. I was actually excited until I remembered it would be in Spanish.

So yes yesterday I gave a wonderful talk in Spanish. It went well mostly because Heavenly Father just really loves me. It really did go well....even though I felt like I would vomit. After my talk the bishop gets up to thank me for my talk and this is what he says, "I don't know if you all remember this, but when Hermana Spencer got here she couldn't speak any Spanish. Now look at her. We can all learn English!"

Now for more serious stuff:

Amalia got baptized! We were able to go to her baptism on Saturday. She was so happy. It was a weird baptism, because most of the people there couldn't speak Spanish and it was all in Spanish. She was just so excited!

On Saturday we went to visit a person that we have been trying to visit for weeks. Her name is Veronica and he sister in law is named Norma. We taught them the first lesson. I cannot even began to describe how much the Lord blessed us in that lesson. Questions came out of our mouth in Spanish that made sense. We were unified as a companionship. The lesson flowed and the spirit was there so much! While we were in the lesson, I felt prompted to ask them to be baptized. I have a really hard time asking this question. Not just because its a big question, but the Spanish always gets to me. Well I knew that I needed to do it. So I did....and they didn't understand the first time I said it...so I repeated. I just knew that I needed to. They said they needed to learn more. I felt really good about having asked them. I really really excited to go back with them on Tuesday!

This week is Zone Conference and everyone has been asked to give a 2 minute talk on faith. I am really thinking about using Elder Scott's talk from Oct Conference about Faith and Character! You all should read it! It was fantastic!

I love being a missionary. I only have one year left, yes I will be home on June 27, 2012. It doesn't feel like I have enough time, but I am so grateful that Heavenly Father had Patience with me.

Los Quiero,
Hermana Spencer

P.S. Don't forget its almost my birthday!