Hello all!

So it has been an amazing week. But, I am getting transferred! Hermana Day is staying and training. It looks like I am going to Denver! So it should be good. I think (because I am the only one who is getting transferred out of the Hermanas and two are going home) that I will be with Hermana Coughlen, or Hermana Coffee because people can't say her name. We shall see though tomorrow. I am so sad to be leaving I won't even lie. I cried.

We just got back from hiking and it is so windy.

I am attaching some lovely photos! We hiked near the monuments with another set of sisters and a member. It was a lot of fun.

I have to tell you about all of the miracles we have seen...especially in the past three days!

We have been teaching this family since my first week here, the Fraustos. They are a lot of them. Last week we met with two of the daughters and read the Book of Mormon with them. They really enjoyed it! At the end of the lesson, I asked them if they would be baptized when they knew it was true (in broken spanish) and they said yes! It was wonderful. Then on Saturday we met with pretty much the whole family. We sang a song at the beginning and the spirit was there so strong. The youngest girl, 13, had a dream about the church. She saw a church with lots of kids and heard a voice that said that it was true. The mom also knew that the Book of Mormon was true and that the church had to be true because of the way that we dress. Both of us understood why we dressed the way we did to represent Jesus Christ. She recognized us by the way that we looked and also the spirit that we had. Yesterday at church they were supposed to come. I prayed so hard that they would be there. I just had a good feeling that they would come. The sacrament was passed and they still weren't there. The first talk began and they still weren't there. Finally we gave them a call again and we looked out the window and there were 10 people. We had a total of 13 investigators at church.

Also Sonia is getting baptized this Saturday. I am so sad that will not be here. The greenie gets a baptism her first week :)

I have been reading in the Book of Mormon a lot this week. (My computer just got restarted randomly - I love that gmail saves it!) I am near the end of the Book of Mormon. I have been reading alot about the prophecies about the lamanites. Yesterday night we were meeting with Irineo, who is actually Myan. He is a recent convert. But I realized while we were meeting with him that we were part of the prophecy of the Book of Mormon being fulfilled. He speaks 3 different dialects of Myan, Spanish and is learning English. He is an amazing example. Hermana Day also spoke of how he would be a great instrument in bringing many of his people to the truth. I never thought that I would be part of something like this.

 

I am really sad to be leaving the great people here. They really have changed my heart. Every time that I told someone that I am leaving they said why lol - most missionaries stay along time in the branch. I really hope that I get to come back here.

I am not going to have any time to write today because of packing and saying good bye and hiking (that we already did). So I apologize! I am excited to be able to see Denver and Hermana Thomas. I love all of you - please send your mail to the mission home. They forward it really fast!

I love all of you and can't wait to tell you more!

Enjoy the pictures (that makes up for mail right?)

Love,

Hermana Spencer

The last week of my first transfer!

Dear Familia y Amigos,

Como estan? I hope all is well where ever you are! We are really busy out here in Colorado. We had a very good week. Nothing super significant happened, but it has been good.

So some information about the Branch! I love the branch. I was looking around yesterday and realized that I pretty much had met with everyone this last week or we have an appointment  with them this week! So I love it. I particularly love a new family we have, la familia Quijano! Hermana Quijano is so amazing. She is going to change our ward. She went out with us this week and she just is such a great example to me. She always goes and talks to people. She is always smiling. So many of our investigators, less actives, and members feel more welcomed because of her. She always talks to as many people as she can. It is evident that she is the kind of person the Lord can use. I love her and I can't wait to see how the branch changes because of her.

Ohh I almost forgot.....you all will be so proud of me! I translated most of Relief Society yesterday! It was a miracle. So the stake RS presidency came yesterday. Since they couldn't speak any Spanish, our RS president asked me to translate for them. And I think I did OK. They didn't get all the details, but they got the jist of what the lesson was on. I am grateful that the Lord helped me with all of that. I have really been struggling with Spanish lately. There have been so many times when I wanted to help people and I just couldn't because I didn't have the words. I know that it continues to get better, but sometimes I just want to give up because it never seems like I will be able to understand and communicate my personality and my thoughts. I know that these are lies....duh. Some people are starting to notice more, how little I understand at times :( But it does get better every day! So yes a miracle occurred in the Grand Junction Mt. Garfield Branch Relief Society!

So we are reading the Book of Mormon as a mission. I am in 3rd Nephi right now. I am so amazed at how simple the gospel is. I read Ch 11 this morning when Christ is talking about baptism and also His doctrine. I was so amazed by the love that our Father showed and also the love that Christ showed to the people. I am just falling in love more and more with the Book of Mormon.

So Grand Junction is having amazing weather. I didn't wear tights for the first time yesterday! It was so amazing. I felt so free! So its time to put away my winter clothing. I am just fine with that. Next week we are planning on going hiking. That should be alot of fun! Yay! Also transfers are coming up. We get the calls on Wednesday about training and then Saturday for everyone else. So we will see if I am going to staying and who my companion will be. I really hope that I get to stay. I really love the people here and really think that I can help the Branch become better and stronger. So next Monday I will let all of you know.

So other news! I am amazed at how all people are the same. We all have our difficulties and we all have something to contribute to the world. Our RS president amazes me. She is poor. She has 6 kids. One is a brand new baby and the oldest is 13. Her husband is the EQ president as well and they just work. I can tell that they love the Lord and they want to work hard. The other day we stoped by her house to talk about an idea we had. She was cleaning her house and just talked to us normally. As the conversation went on she talked about she was feeling inadequate with everything. We had just had a RS activity the night before and it was great. She said she wishes that she was more spiritual like so and so. I was thinking at this time - my how wonderful you are. I was so very grateful for this opportunity to talk about how to strengthen herself and how she was a wonderful person and a spiritual person. I was struggling with the same things at that moment. With my calling as a missionary, Spanish and just feeling inadequate. And I was reminded by my words and by the words of my companion, that Satan really trys to make us not feel our worth and how wonderful we are. I know that we all feel this way sometimes. I was so surprised to hear this wonderful sister say these things and also so grateful that I was able to help. I am so glad that we went over to talk to her. Many times I wonder if we as missionaries really do anything and this week I just knew that we did. That we were making a difference.

So the Elders. We are working on improving our relationship with them. Most of the Elders here really don't like talking to us and I have no idea why. They act like they are scared of us.

So things are going good on this side of the mountains. I even have been teaching people to sing primary songs. If we stay here, we are singing at another baptism! Who would have ever thought people would think I could sing well. I think that the Lord really does help us to sound better!

Well all I love you and I wish I had a good funny story! I will try to remember them more! I can't wait to hear from all of you - especially those who have never written me!

Muchos Gracias for all the mail!

Love,

Your Favorite Hermana

P.S. I keep thinking that everyone is just going to be married with 5 children when I get back. Weird. I know.

Raking and Sonic

Hello All!

I am glad again to be writing you. I really do look forward to it, because it helps me feel like a normal person. Which at times I don't want to be and others I miss it.

So this week has been very interesting. We have been busy. We are seeing small miracles here. One is people are giving us referals. We are going to start teaching a family from Mexico that speaks spanish and an Indian language that cannot read and write and lives like an hour away. So I am excited about that one! Also yesterday our RS president told everyone how the missionaries have changed her life. She spoke of how she felt the spirit when they first came to her house. She then told everyone to make a list with 5 people and start praying about who is ready for the gospel. That was awesome! Most of the branch are converts and some of them are so amazing.

So some stories. So we go visit this less active family every week....I still haven't met them. They are both returned missionaries. Since they never open the door we noticed that they needed some raking done. So this Saturday we spent a long time raking their yard in our skirts. I really didn't think that there were that many leaves, but it turned out their were. We ended up filling 30 trash bags with leaves and one with sticks. Another blessing, the Elders walked by and they helped us finish up. The yard looks alot nicer and I hope they appreciate it. It was one of the happiest days here in the mission.

On Saturday as well we went to sonic, because it is free and we didn't have dinner. We met a man and it was his first time to ever go to sonic. So we helped him use the machine to order. Afterwards we started talking to him (yep we are missionaries). It broke my heart. His heart was so hard. There are so many people in the world who use reason and science to explain everything. They cannot see past the bad in the world. My heart actually broke.

Another great story. We went by a less active members house the other day and one of our investigators just happened to be there. Her family hasn't been progressing that much. This young girl got a lip ring. We started talking about how our bodies are temples and this led to talking about temples. And eventually to her saying that she has felt the spirit when we have talked to her. Well she wants to get baptized. This is another evidence that as missionaries we don't do anything - I mean I can barely speak some days. The spirit really does it all. But I can tell you that as a missionary, the Lord really does bless us. People can tell that there we are different.

Another good one. We went to visit this less active member. We were talking to her son and his friend for a long time. During this time we were standing on the porch. I could tell that there was something that was making them laugh. It took me a second to figure out what it was.....the Hermana was driving around ..... avoiding us. This made me laught so hard. Because I saw it early on but was not sure that this was her car. Ohh my! It was so hilarious and we were out there for like 15 minutes :) So family - I feel bad for anytime that we didn't open the door/ avoid "church people" when we were inactive! Right after this - there had been two tiny dogs following us around - these two dogs got in our car lol.

Food. I love the food here, but at times it does not like me. At dinners I really try to finish my plate, sometimes this seems like an impossible task. The other day we were eating Pasolie (I have no idea how to spell it), but she gave us this huge bowl. I had no idea how to finish it. I got close. So when I get back I might have to get a personal trainer lol!

We are teaching alot. I can definately tell that my mission is going to change the way I look at alot of things. It alread has. I love these people. I love the small things that I see them do. I love seeing the gospel make a difference in their lives. One less active member, Hermana Infante, is sick. She works all the time and takes care of her family. She was talking about all the things she was worried about. We taught her about the blessing of paying tithing. She realized she needs these blessing. It was so wonderful. I love it when we can teach principles that will change their lives.

I love all of you and appreaciate every word that I get from you. Please continue to send mail. I love mail more than I love eating....if that tells you anything. I appreciate all that you do at home and love hearing all of your stories. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of you and that the gospel is very true.

Next week I will attach some pictures! Be excited!

I love you all,

Hermana Spencer

P.S. I haven't started driving yet....I'm a little bit glad, but I think it is going to happen this week. By the way transfers are coming up and who knows what is going to happen. We have 1 new spanish sister coming. 2 going home. 1 sister that has been out one transfer longer than me. Hermana Thomas and I. Hermana Day and her MTC companion (10 months). That is it! Awwwwwww!

D 5/8 Road and Another Week in the Mission

Dear Family and Friends,

First off I love you all and am so grateful that I have people that like reading my letters, writing me and most importantly praying for me. I really need all of these.

So you are probably wondering about the title of my email. Grand Junction has really odd street names. They have names like 32, 28 1/2, and then roads like D 5/8. How odd is that. They even have a Road Ave. Ever since I have been here I have wanted to tell you all about the crazy roads. So I made sure to do it this week.

So Miryam was baptized on Saturday. It was so great. It was a little stressful all in all. 1 hour before we were worried about the special musical number (Hermana Day and I .....crazy I know), the programs (we didn't know if they would make it), and people coming to support Miryam. Well lets just say that prayers really are answered. Everything went lovely. Right before the baptism started our Mission President decided to show up :) So he was there and it was great. We had a spanglish baptism because she knows so many people. Our special musical number went fine. We sang Venid a Mi (Come Follow Me) and I even did the alto part...BY MY SELF....that is definitely a first. The talks were great and the spirit was there and there were non-members/less actives etc!!!!!!! All in all it was great. Ohh the only odd thing was a dog present. A little one :) Luckily it didn't make too much noise.

Yesterday was the confirmation. Which is always my favorite for some reason. I love how every time I hear the words "Receive the Holy Ghost" no matter what the language. I always feel the spirit strongly. I love the power of the spirit in my life. I have seen it over and over again.

So it looks like I am going to be driving soon...maybe tomorrow. So that will be a change. I would appreciate your prayers with this. Luckily Grand Junction is not to crazy, but our area is huge and I haven't driven in 3 months. Well I know that I will be fine, but I am still a little nervous.

So since I just wrote on Thursday I will tell you all a little more about my life:

So I live with members who attend an English Ward here. They are really nice and occasionally bake things for us. We live in a pretty nice house in a nice neighborhood. We drive a Corolla ( I really can't think of how to spell that). It actually reminds me a Laynes car lol.

We eat quite a bit of beans. Which I luckily love. We serve in a branch with 2 other Elders. I love our branch. They are always so nice to me. It is really interesting to see a branch with lots of new members. So things at times do not go as planned. We have alot of fun with everyone. I am amazed at how busy Sundays are at times.

P-days They are almost like other days, but we are just busy with different things. We go to walmart, wash the car and email. On days like today we have an interview with our mission president. Who by the way is fantastic. We also do laundry at home. We then either do something fun or we take a nap and write letters. I like to write letters because I get them :) Just so you know sometimes writing is a great sacrifice. I am so tired. The Lord really gives me strength to always get up at 6:30 and to do everything that day with a smile. I am so very grateful He loves His missionaries.

We are so excited for this week. It already looks like a great week. I just want to let all of you know that missions are a refining period of time. I didn't realize how prideful I was....sometimes it still surprises me how humble I need to be. Spanish is coming along. I really do love the language and can't wait till I can speak more. At times it is frustrating when you know exactly what would help them, but you can't say it. I have been amazed at what I can say with my limited vocabulary.

I know that this is a special work. The Lord's hand is really in it. I see it so often when I am paying attention. I am amazed at how many prayers I need to say some days. I no longer worry as much about what exactly I will need to say because the Lord really does fill my mouth and at times I can't even remember what I said. So everyone help the missionaries. Think of people that you know that need the gospel - pray about it. Be a Member Missionary!

I love you all and look forward to all of your mail (hint hint) ohh and if you have time write Hermana Day!

Hermana Spencer

Shout Outs:

Cathy, Mom, and Grandma - Thank you for the packages! I really felt loved!

Anna, Katie, Meekayla - Thank you so much for the letters!

Elder Seipert's Mom - Thank you so much the letters esp. from Elder Seipert. Tell him I say hi!

I hope I got everyone! I really appreciate all of them!

Sister's Conference and Rosa

Dear Family and Friends!

I love all of you so much....especially the ones that write me :)

Grand Junction is great. We are having a good week already. I wasn't able to write on Monday because of President's Day and then because we had a sister's conference.

So let me try to remember last week. We did not reach our goal sadly. One day no one was home...we had appointments the whole day and most of them bombed....so we decided to get some ice cream. A member owns a Dairy and we get free homemade ice cream. That cheered us up a bit and then the day got better. We were able to teach alot.

I want to talk about this week more than anything else. We had 6 investigators at church. I also got to see someone pay tithing for the first time. Watching that was amazing. I knew how much faith it took for that women to pay tithing. Also just seeing all of them at church filled me with joy. I mean that. I sat in awe for a couple of minutes just so happy.

The next day, we didn't really have a P-day, we drove to Denver. When we first got there we decided to meet up with Hermana Thomas and Hermana Wilkerson (Hermana Day's MTC Comp)! I was so happy to see her. I really didn't expect to be that happy. We talked about how we feel about Spanish, the Members, the work! She feels the same way I do! We feel at times like we do not know anything and that it is never going to get better. BUT, I know I felt better after talking to her. We were at a bowling alley....and that was weird....music....people in jeans....:) Then we went to the mission home to be greeted by our mission president and his wife. We had such a good time. We ate dinner, talked about mission stuff, sang and talked. I met all of the sisters in the mission. There are 19 of us this transfer. I was amazed by all of them. I loved talking to them and meeting all of them. There will only be 6 Hermanas after this transfer. One is coming out of the MTC and 2 are going home. This means we have no idea where people are going. Hermana Day and Hermana Wilkerson are the only old Hermanas. Hermana Coffee (a nickname) has only been out a transfer longer than Hermana Thomas and I. So I am excited to see what happens. Sisters Conference was great because I really felt the importance of improving and it was great to reflect on my short time here. I have already seen small miracles - like fitting food in my stomach after my second dinner that day (by the way I feel horrible for making the Sister Missionaries in Lubbock eat so much). Or just talking in Spanish. Randomly I get called on to pray, teach primary, and bear my testimony. We also got to go to the Denver Temple! I just thought of Katie and Cathy and thought...they sat here too :)

We drove back on Tuesday night. Yesterday was AMAZING.

We have a  new progressing investigator. She has been investigating for a long time. Her son wants to get baptized but she wouldn't let him. She is now investigating and I really think we can put her on date :) Also our investigator that is getting baptized this weekend :) Miryam invited her friend Rosa last week to an appointment. We didn't even know that she was coming. We taught about tithing and fasting and Rosa asked questions. She didn't seem too interested, but she asked us to make an appointment with Miryam when she could come! So yesterday Miryam had her baptismal interview and we took Rosa on a short tour of the church. I felt the spirit so strongly when we were talking about the gospel. We were talking about a couple of things and she said - this sounds so familiar.  We told her the story of Joseph Smith and the spirit was there. We then talked about the Holy Ghost with her. She said that she felt it last week when we taught her and Miryam and that's why she wanted to meet with us again. SO I have HIGH hopes for this one! The Lord has really been working on her. She wants to be taught more!

So things are great! We are busy but life is good. I miss all of you so much some times. I think of random experiences at times.

Please continue to send your love to Colorado!

Love,

Hermana Spencer

Shout Outs:

Meekayla - Thank you for your letters I will reply this week!

Cathy - Thank You for the talks and the letters! You just make me smile!

First Week in the Field!

Dear Familia y Amigos!

So I am here! I am so happy to be writing you all. So I will try to tell you lots. The first day we had orientation. Hermana Thomas and I met President Maynes and Sister Maynes at the airport. They were just great. We rode with them all the way to the temple, where we took pictures (which should be coming your way). Then we went to the mission office and met all the staff and had lunch. I then met with my mission president for the first time. He told me that sister missionaries have a higher chance of getting married and they have more kids. I wasn't exactly sure why he told me this, but I guess it is good to know. lol. I really enjoyed meeting with him. Then we had some activities with the APs. We had more food and more talking and we were just so exhausted.

Ohh and the end of the MTC was great. I just realized it has been a long time since I have been able to write.

Then on Tuesday we got lots of snow. We stayed at the mission home and left for transfer meeting. So....drum roll.....I am in Grand Junction. I was moved out west. Hermana Thomas stayed in Denver. My trainer's name is Hermana Day. We had to drive forever to get here because of the snow. It took quite a while. So Grand Junction - we get sonic and dry cleaning for free! Just thought you all would like to know. We live with members.

Hermana Day is from New Zealand/Georgia. She has been out like 9 months and graduated from BYU. We cover the whole area of Grand Junction. Our Branch here is very big. I love the members here. We have a good amount of investigators and less actives and recent converts that we are working with. My first day we, I mean Hermana Day, put a wonderful investigator on date - Sonia. She is absolutely great. She has a daughter that is almost on date. She wants to get baptized, but has a fear of water. Our other investigator with a date is Miriam. She is twenty and is so amazing. She is getting baptized next week. We work with a lot of less actives and part member families. Many of the people we meet with are very poor. A lot of them live in trailers. I love so many of them already. My favorite is Hermana Landrum. She is less active and loves having the missionaries over. She just makes me laugh so hard. The other night we met with her and taught her about tithing. Hermana Day and I really felt the power of our calling. We were able to testify powerfully. I just can't wait to see this hermana return to church.

So my espanol.......is fun......hahaha. I can understand people over 50% already, which is alot. Sometimes I have to wait until I fully know what is going on before I comment. However, I have made a lot of progress with just not being scared to open my mouth. Even the first day I was able to do more than I thought I could. Yesterday in church, I had to get up and introduce myself. It was hard, but I did it in my perfect spanish :) I really do love the people. Every one of them had been so patient with me. Hermana Day helps me out alot as well.

So I will probably be here for several months. That is the trend with Sisters here...especially Hermanas. I love it already. I have already helped make talmales! One thing that is odd for me is kissing peoples cheeks. I just never really thought about it before, but it is becoming easier :).

This last week we taught 32 lessons. This week we are hoping to get to 45. Which is very possible. I am very excited about my spanish and am glad that I have alot of time to progress. We are really busy. But I am so glad that we are. We have done a little tracking, and I have had the door shut on me....not super rudely.

Well I love you all and would really like mail:

Hermana Spencer
c/o Jarvis Family
2872 Bear Canyon Ct.
Grand Junction, CO 81503

Life is great. Some moments I really struggle inside, but I have been able to do everything that I have needed to do. I am surprised at how positive I have been. I am really excited about everything.

I won't be able to email till Tuesday because of the Holiday!

I love you all and can't wait to hear from you!

Love,
Hermana Spencer

Hey Family and Friends,

Boy do I love you! I am so happy to be writing you right now! So to tell you a couple of things. I am leaving on Monday to go to DENVER! I am so excited. We report to the travel office Monday morning at 5:00am. We have a couple of other missionaries that are flying with Hermana Thomas and I. We leave Salt Lake at 8:30 and get to Denver at 10:00. I am so excited! The rest of our district will stay in Provo until 11:30 that day and will fly to Argentina. We will already be oriented, and tracking by that point.

I have so much to tell you. First items of business. I would love to get mail from you in Denver. I know the first couple of weeks will be hard - so please pretty please with a cherry on top write me! You can still send me Dear Letters until Friday at 12. After that they will just throw them away. Also please send written letters now to my Denver address. I only have the mission home's address at this time but they will get mail to me. Please update people who don't read this with my information.

So Denver - Did I tell you how excited I am!?! Well I am. So the other day we got a letter from all of the Hermanas in Denver. There are only seven of us. We have 4 areas. 2 in Denver, one in the mountains and a Spanglish area....which I don't know where that is. Also we will most likely be living with members so that is great. Their letter was short but comforting. I am so excited to meet them. They also sent us pictures. Snow.....Temple.....Fun!

So Miracles of the week.....and this one tops all the miracles as of yet: Two of our Elders - Elder Lynch and Shaw - taught a real investigator, Lida, two weeks ago. Well the lesson went really good and she was excited about what they committed her to do. They told her to pray before and after she read the Book of Mormon. Well guess what? Last Sunday, our teacher Hma. Purziani told us that she did the commitment and has decided to get baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah really! So she is getting baptized this weekend. Hopefully they can get permission to leave the MTC and go :)

This week has been great. I feel so ready. This obviously means that my spanish is still not perfect, not even close. BUT, I feel a great desire to share this message. Last week we taught Flor, and it went okay. We really worked hard on our message we wanted to share with her. We even got a member to come with us...another teacher. It was so great. I felt a strong desire to love her more, and i really wanted her to know that this was true. So we invited her to be baptized...she didn't say no and she didn't say yes. So that is our plan this week. :)

Okay so funny/sad story. Yesterday I was working on my pro volleyball skills and I hurt myself....or the ball hurt me. My thumb hurts so much. It is swollen and jammed and bruised. So if there are lots of typos it is partially my thumbs fault and my lack of English skills. So also we left the MTC yesterday because Hma Thomas was getting some warts removed...so her hands are all hurting. So yesterday we took pitiful pictures of us because our hands hurt so bad that it was hard to change clothes after gym. LOL....I am really going to miss volleyball. When I return, I definitely want to play a lot more of it :)

So since I am getting ready to leave, I wanted to let you all know what I have learned while I have been in here - or at least a part of it:

• I have learned that missionary work is hard. Yes HARD. Not that I thought it was going to be easy, but it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.
• I have learned so much Spanish. I really mean that. I feel like I can at least teach all of the lessons. That is something that I thought was almost impossible. I learn more and more every day that we have the gift of tongues. Really. The Lord has blessed us so much.
• I have learned that the Lord calls on the weak and the simple...if you aren't weak and simple - you kind of are by the time you leave.
• I love my district. These young men are amazing. I have learned so much from them. Also the Hermanas are normal and that gives me comfort in thinking about my future companions.
• My testimony has increased dramatically. I love the gospel and am so grateful for this opportunity. I never could have imagined that this is what Heavenly Father's plan for me would be. I am starting to learn that there is a reason why I needed that extra time. I needed to learn a lot.
• I have grown to love people so much more. I see why we are sent to proclaim the gospel. People need it. They need to know there is a reason they are here and also that there is a way to have happiness in this life.
• I love my family so much and I miss them!
• Also I love my friends so much!

So all in all....I am so happy to be here! I feel the spirit working really hard on me. I know that it is refining me to be better. This next week is going to be very exciting/interesting/scary/great! Please write me!

I love you all,

Hermana Spencer

Shout outs:

Kayla - I am so excited...you should expect a letter.

Megan - Thank you for the pies! I loved them. They brightened my day so much.

Cathy - thank you so much for the pictures and the letters. You too Katie!

I love you all! Ahhh! I am so excited!

Week 7 - only 2 more to go

Dear Family and Friends,

I love all of you so much. This week has been great. This week I remembered to make a list of all of the things that I needed to tell you. All of us are getting so excited to go to Dever/Argentina. We are ready to bust out of this place, and at the same time I am so grateful for the time here.

So I have had amazing study times this week. I hope you do not mind hearing about them because I am going to tell you :) I have been feeling the need to be more humble....which as all of you know is really difficult. I learned a couple of things that have really helped me with this. One of them is always remembering Jesus Christ and what He did for me and the rest of the world. I love the gospel. So I am trying to remember Him more (you would think that would be easy being a missionary). Another day I was studying in the Book of Mormon in Alma 5! Seriously it is so amazing. While I was reading I realized that it was perfect for our investigator Flor. In this chapter, it talks about a Shepard...Christ. What name will He call His sheep by? His name. We really want to commit her to being baptized but she won't keep our commitments. Luckily the Lord helps us alot when we speak Spanish. We invited her to read the Book of Mormon again. I hope tomorrow that we can invite her to be baptized! Just in case you forgot, Flor is our teacher. I dearly love her, but she is so hard to teach :) I was able to bear a powerful testimony to her. I can't wait to see how she responds tomorrow!

This week our teacher was talking to us about our purpose as missionaries. We were talking about how hard this time is. She told me something that I don't think I will easily forget. We are like a house. Sometimes in our life we see the need for renovations. We decide we need to change one part of our life ( we invite the Savior to help us change them.) We begin wanting to renovate our bathroom and quickly realize that more than just those walls have been torn down. We have to become a home....and eventually a temple. We need to change. I know that I have felt alot of remodeling going on inside of me. Some days are so hard. BUT...I know that this is to make me more of who Christ wants me to be.

Last week...out of the blue....our Elders had us all get together at the end of the day and told us how grateful they were for us. It was great. I really do love them and their example! Also our teacher got a bunch of people from her ward to come to the TRC (its where volunteers come and let us practice on them :)). We were able to teach Carrol and Dillian. She is from Ecuador....and GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!! I understood her! I loved teaching her and her cute one year old! She is going to come back this week and we are so excited!

Also on Saturday we had our first baptism.....well mock baptism! The baptism of Alejandro Fernando Ramirez Jr. III LOL....IT was so great. The spirit was there and I really loved it. Hermana Thomas and I were the Missionaries and it was just so wonderful.

So some miracles occurred this week. On Sunday I was called upon to speak in Sacrament meeting! ! ! Yeah ...in Spanish!!!!!! Luckily I wrote a long talk. It was so wonderful. I was just sitting there not thinking I was going to speak, but I was called on. My talk went so well. I was able to talk for a whole 7 minutes!!!! I didn't even just read off of my paper...I was able to add in my thoughts! It was so great. And I felt totally confident up there. The Lord really helps when I speak Spanish! And everyone said I sounded great and they could understand what I was saying. ..... and I don't think they were lying to me!

Fantastic right?

Also on Monday, I had the goal to not speak one word in English. I was so nervous about Monday that I even had dreams about being so sad because I spoke in English lol. Well Monday came and honestly it was fine. I was able to speak in Spanish! I spoke English very little....usually in class or at  an important workshop. So I probably spent a total of 10 minutes in English! It was amazing. I am planning on making that a regular goal.

So I really love it  here. I am learning so much. Some of our lessons have been so great. Yesterday we were teaching about the Plan of Salvation to some elders. I just felt the Love of God in that lesson. I know that He loves us and that is why we have this plan. "O how great the goodness of our God!"

I love my life right now. It is so hard at times. . . like really hard. Sometimes I don't see eye to eye with my companion. Sometimes I don't feel like I am becoming anything more than a girl from Lubbock, Texas.  BUT every once in a while, the Lord tells me that He loves me and shows me how many people love me. I am so grateful for these moments. I see  why we have been given the Book of Mormon. Why we need a prophet. Why God gave us a plan. Its all because He loves us and He wants us back. I am so excited to share that love with others. I don't know where I would be with out it.

I can't think of anything funny to say.....except that Erick (our investigator) 's family is still alive....but  I still cannot understand his Spanish....This week I think he was talking about him being in a gang.....lol

I love you all and all of the letters. They brighten my day more than you know. Please continue to write...even if it is a small letter.

We should get out travel plans this week!

Love,

Hermana Spencer

Shot out - Stephanie Haygood ! Gracias! 

Alice and Cathy - I hope you are doing better!

Sallie - LOL...I saw your  sis again!

Katie- Love you

Hannah - I loved the letter! You are an angel!

Dear Everyone!
 

Another week has passed. It has been a great one full of meeting goals.

This last week we had a goal to teach 75 lessons as a district and guess what we did it! It was great. Also I had a personal goal to eat only salads.....which if you know me you know how I feel about salad. I don't hate them, but I feel like they are a side dish. I have felt so much better not eating "MTC" food. My energy level was up and so was the general good feeling of being alive....not weighed down with fried food. 

So this week I remembered to bring my journal to email.....
Last week Hermana Thomas and I have one of the best conversations as a companionship. We had just taught "Flor" our investigator/teacher. The lesson wasn't going horrible, but I could tell that something was wrong with H. Thomas. After the lesson - she just broke down. She doesn't really cry. She said that she just realized that she needed me. She felt really inadequate in that moment. I was so grateful for this because some times we have a hard time togther - its bound to happen when you have spent so much time together. Ever since then I have felt more love for her and I think our companionship unity has greatly increased. I have also seen her dillegence level increase as well. We have been so much better this last week.

Hermana Thomas was asked to be the coordinating sister for our zone. I was so excited. We are getting 3 new sisters.....now there will be seven in our zone. We have had Hermana Loftus this week. She leaves tomorrow for the Dominican Republic. I am going to miss her. It has been nice having her in our companionship this week.

This week we have a goal to teach 105 lessons. Honestly it has been rough. Since Her. Thomas is coordinating sister - we have less time to teach because of meetings. So this has been a little frustrating. Also some of our appointments feel through (which obviously happens in the real world), which isn't that commmon here at the MTC. Our whole district is having a hard time meeting this goal. SO of course we are still striving to meet this goal. I am so glad that we have goals. They have helped me out the most.

So another great story from this week. We were teaching our tutor, Hmo. Penallilo aka "Paul." He was an investigator. It was our first time teaching him. In spanish he told us how hima nd God were going through a divorce. He wouldn't tell us why, he just kept saying "I don't know." Eventually I found the root of the problem. He is a doctor at a NICU here and he just saw a baby die, and the way it happened made me wonder if God really does love him (which is usually what we always ask first). I was able to not alone speak Spanish at him....but I was able to find a scripture in espanol and address his concern. I really felt like I was teaching by the spirit. I was so grateful for this experience. Some of our lessons have been so powerful. I really felt like the spirit was there and that I was focused on him and the words in espanol came. He said he understood everything we said....which is honestly amazing. We also taught two hermanas yesterday. We taught them about how they are daughters of God and how He has given them talents. I just love teaching, because it always strengthens my testimony as well.

So a crazy/sad/funny story - This last week we taught our new teacher "Erik" I have a really hard time understanding his spanish. Well we could not seem to get him interested in the lesson. We really tried to get to know him and I felt that it was great. Well two days later after the other Hermanas taught him.....we realized something.....We asked him about his family and we couldn't understand his response......he pointed up and I thought he said they lived upstairs.....BUT HE MAY HAVE SAID THEY ARE IN HEAVEN! You can all imagine my horror when I realized this might be the case! Crazy huh! Let’s hope that is not what he said.

Also I have had my testimony grow so much of Joseph Smith. Yesterday I read all of JSH and it was so great! I love the priesthood and how Oliver Cowdry talked about his experiences. The gospel is so amazing. I just love it.

So I miss all of you. Sometimes it hits me how long this all is. Sometimes I'm sad, but then I realize that I have to be here to help others find their way home. That is the only way! I really miss random things...like Bluebell....it really is great. Or warm winters.....

This morning we went to the temple....and it snowed again......and it was cold. The temple is so great. I am loving all of my experience and all of them are hard. I can't wait to look back and realize how much God has done for me and has helped me do for others!

I love you all....please send me mail!

Love,

Hermana Spencer
 

Shout outs:
Megan: Thank you so much for the letter it made me laugh so hard. I will write you one now that I have your adress.
Sallie: Good luck at school.
Meek: Thanks for the 2 letters.
Alice: I haven't heard from you I hope you are doing great!.
Happy Birthday to Melanie, Kali, Kip, and Chris and soon to be Meekayla and Sallie!

Hello Family and Friends! I have survived 5 weeks!

Dear Everyone,

I am so excited to write today! This week has felt a little longer than most! 5 Weeks today I have been in the MTC. Crazy huh!

So the most exciting news is: Elder Holland came and spoke last night! He was amazing. He brought the spirit big time! He spoke to us about missions of course. One thing that he told us is how his mission meant everything to him. He says this in every talk he ever gives about missionary work. This time it hit me. This is why I need to go to Denver! I realized that Denver is where I can have my mission mean everything to me! I loved it. He also gave us some advice on how to do better as missionaries! We need to be studying better, planning better, and we need to be teaching better. He of course gave us some tips for each of them. He also told us about after the Savior died and the Apostles went back to fishing. He told us about how the Savior asked Peter, "Do you love me?" The Savior asked them to leave their nets, and when he did he meant forever. He asked them to feed His sheep, he meant forever. He asked them to be His apostles, he meant forever. Elder Holland told us about what this means for us. We must leave our nets and feed His sheep forever. He told us of one of the reasons we have Preach My Gospel (Which is the greatest!) - so many missionaries come home and turn away from what they know to be true. PMG was designed to convert the missionary so they would have the gospel written on their hearts. When we have the gospel written on our hearts we will want to share it with others. So I have been asking myself today "Do I really love the Savior?" If I do I will do better!

Also this week we made a district goal to speak only spanish on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. So yesterday, we spoke in spanish and for the most part I could get my point across. So the language is progressing. The thing that is the hardest for me is remembering how to conjugate the verbs while I am speaking. So I talk funny but it is getting better. I have come to appreciate English so much more. It is weird to pray in English now. Another goal we had as a district is to teach 15 lessons this week outside of class. Which pretty much takes up any free time we have. We have already taught 6 and will be teaching more today! All of them have been in spanish. On Friday we go to what is called the TRC and people volunteer their time to be an investigator. This is difficult because of the time limit and because of the language. However, we did good. Hermana Thomas and I have really been working on being unified, also we have worked switching off better - and they totally saw that! We taught them the plan of salvation and the Word of Wisdom.

So since we had a lesson on the Word of Wisdom, we were learning about it in class. I have learned why the Lord gave it. He didn't give it to us so we could be healthier (which is defintely a bonus), but He gave it to us so we could have His spirit with us. He knew that things would happen in the world that would cause problems and that men would conspire to do evil things! So I think everyone should look at D&C 89 again! AMAZING!

Also we have a new teacher, Bro. Hollenbaugh! He is great. He bears his testimony about how his mission changed him. He says that he is mexican in his heart. He always says something that inspires us to be better, or at least that makes me want to be a better missionary!

So less serious matters - Volleyball. I don't know how much I have told you about volleyball, however, I play everyday! AND I am actually getting better. There is a new elder in our district that sounds like the seagulls from Finding Nemo. All he says is Mine, Mine, Mine and honestly it drives us all crazy!  Another thing I am grateful for is our Elders. There are some Elders with some serious digestive issues....flatulating is gross. Yesterday we were teaching "Mine" Elder and his companion and he farted in our lesson. Can you believe that!

Another thing that is funny- my companion the other day while we teaching kept saying Jesu Smith instead of Jose Smith - so funny!

We went to the Temple this morning and of course it was great! I love going to the temple!

Ohh Sis. Thomas just reminded me - Every Friday night, all of the Hermanas from our zone come to our room and we have a girls night - which only lasts for 30 minutes but it is so fun! We celebrated our one month in the MTC. 4 weeks till Denver! All of the rest of the Hermanas are leaving this next week. :( That really makes me sad. They are going to Argentina and also Domican Republic.

So I love all of you so much! I love getting mail! SERIOUSLY! It is one of the highlights of my week!

Smile the Gospel is true,

Love,

Hermana Spencer

Shout outs -

Katelynn - Joseph is getting married crazy! I'm glad school is going well

Kayla - I knew you wouldn't last!

Dragon Posse - Thank you for all of the mail! Please write me and send me pictures!

Sallie - Hermana Loftus is going to be my companion (or one of them) next week and would love to see your pictures before she leaves so send them soon :) She leaves Thursday.

Hannah - I just got your package! Thank you so much! I loved it and I love you!

Sam Sarlls - ;) Loved all of it. You can write me long letters any time!