Sam arrived home on 09/24/2013

Elder Sam Spencer Arrives home Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Coming down the Escalator

Going in for the Mom Hug

Am I really here?



Dad, Sam and Mom

One handsome missionary!

Sam and a couple of Elders who flew on the same plane

Sam and his Dad's family

Hey little brother!

Mission Release Letter

So here it is.... It has come the end.... actually not really!!!  I still got a week haha.  I am gonna be busting my you know what this last week haha.  We are going to be looking for quite a few miracles.  A lot.  So this week that we have coming, we have my very last multizone as a missionary.  With The president.  So On Sunday at 7 I will be in the mission home for my last dinner with president I think, and also my last family home evening because, Monday I take off at 5 in the afternoon and then its 3 flights home..... wow....

 

So really, I dont have a lot to say other than that we had not just one but 2 baptisms this last week.  Remember the girl that got baptized on the 31st of August, her 2 little sisters got baptized Friday as well.  Sorry, you will all see the pic later.  I dont want to pull my camera out. 

 

So also, we had stake conference as well.  It was really sweet.  It was a transmission from Salt Lake City to different stakes in Peru.  A seventy, the 2nd counselor of the Relief Society and also Elders Bednar and Scott talked.  Lets just say they brought it home to about every member in Peru.  They talked about retaining youth, repentence, and respecting women.  Lets just say its a few things that Peru really needs.  

 

We have had a lot of fun me and my companion here.  We work so well together.  I love him and have really learned a ton from him.  He is an amazing missionary.  He has a lot of potential in his mission to see a lot of super crazy miracles.

 

Well there it is.  Pretty much the last letter all of you will receive from this email haha.  Love you all so much and dont be tooooo trunky this week waiting for me.  I wont be until Monday and Tuesday on the plane.

 

Con mucho amor,

 

ELDER Sam Spencer

September 9 2013

Alright so first off, Its my second to last time writing home...  A moment of silence please haha......  Ok actually that will be for next week.  So this last week we only had haha well a lot of success haha.  I love it.  My comp and I are working so hard right now haha.  We are definitely seeing a lot of blessings from a lot of really hard work.  I am sending the pic of the baptism from the 1st of this month.  Her two sisters that are in the picture are going to get baptized this week most probably.  It is really amazing to see so many wonderful blessings that come to us when we just put in a little extra effort.  That is all it takes.  I realized that with Elder Bramble.  If we want blessings, we obey.  But if we want to see more blessings and miracles, we obey and give it more than what you think is possible.  I am really amazed at just how fast blessings come.  We had 10 investigators at church.  Another super high number for church assistance haha.  I love how easy it really is to do this work when you give it your all.  

 

So my companion and I are getting along really well haha.  Its a lot of fun here with him.  He has helped me out so much.  He has helped me realize a lot of things that I will be able to apply in my life after the mission.  I am extremely grateful for him and for our mission president putting us together.  

 

So this is what I see these last 2 weeks going on, a lot of white :) haha.  We are planning for 2 baptisms this week and another one could happen as well.  We are also planning on another one for next week as well.  Goin out with a bang here haha.

 

Im not sure why I came back here but it could have been for me to realize the iniquity here in the leadership of our ward.  I cant say much and shouldnt but I have really realized that this ward has been in need of some changes that will happen really soon.  But its all good, we just keep working with the people we have and in the situation we are placed in.  I just remember Elder Hollands talk about how God has only had 1 perfect person to work with, Christ.  And all the rest arent perfect.  I love his words when he said "Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we."We just need to remember that always when we have things going on with any leader or person.  

 

I love this work. And really I have learned so much about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I know He lives.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  I have read it many times here in the mission (Oh ya, I finished The Book of Mormon again this last week, 6th time I think... I really dont remember).  Each time I have asked that it is true and of course,  I always receive the same confirmation.  I will just say to all of you, Invite you all, to read and reread the Book of Mormon.  I am going to always be reading it.  

 

Well, I have probably written enough right?  Haha.  I love you guys a lot.  Keep on waiting patiently and muy pronto nos veremos cara a cara en la casa de los abuelos hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahhaahhahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

Love you all so much :)

 

Elder Spencer

September 02, 2013

Well.  I dont have a ton to write this week.  I forgot my camera on Saturday so I cant send you the pic of the well, baptism haha.  We had a crazy baptism this week.  We had a family go to church on Sunday.  The whole family.  They are 6 in their family.  Well, Tuesday night, we went to ask the 15 year old girl if she wanted to go to seminary.  She said yes and better was, she asked us when she could be baptized. We looked at each other, my comp and I, and he said, well tomorrow haha.  Then we just said Saturday.  She got herself prepared and really showed the desire to get baptized.  It was really awesome.  So she got baptized on Saturday.  It has really been amazing to see the progress made by her and really her whole family.  Her 2 little sisters want to get baptized as well.  We just need to help her parents get married and they will also get baptized.  Its been a miracle.  I have seen a lot of miracles here in this area these last 3 weeks.  I cant believe that 3 weeks have flown by. Its getting strange.  I keep receiving little letters from the office...  Wow...  I dont like them at all... haha.  Nah, so I really dont know what else to tell you guys.  Im working hard, um, Im staying busy haha.  This week we are planning on 2 baptisms. The girls 2 sisters.  We will see how all goes haha.

 

Well...  Sorry its short and sweet, but love you all a ton.

 

Elder Sam Spencer

August 26 2013

Wow... My travel plans.... came....  Weird...  thats weird....

 

Alright so this week was awesome. We had 12 investigators at church this week.  That was super crazy!  I couldnt believe it.  But it happened.  We had a family there.  They arent married, the parents, but they said to their family that they want to get married and baptized I think!!!!  Awesome!!!!!!  We will be working on that one this week and the next few.  Who knows, maybe we can get them married before I go haha.  That would be awesome.  So we also found a really sad situation.  We found a lady that had her oldest son bribed to go to Lima by his grandparents.  She hasnt seen her son for 4 years...  She doesnt have money to go as it is around 100 soles at least...  She also has 3 other kids, one of which was born deaf.  She has a lot of faith and she said that she was going to go to church but something happened and didnt get there...  We are going to be focusing on helping this sister out a lot in the next few days.

 

So Im not really sure what else to say.  Today it sounds like we are going to go and play soccer or volleyball with  the youth of our two wards.  Our district is kinda mad at us because they decided to plan last night to go and make pizza and watch a movie.  My comp and I told them no because we already have our plans.  Honestly Im not wanting to watch a movie.  I never watched one while I was here the first time, and I dont want to this time either.  But  I guess sometimes I should be ok with doing things that I dont want to.  

 

Well really there isnt much more that I can say.  My companion and I are good.  We are complete opposites in literally everything.  There arent many things that we do have in common other than well, the Gospel.  I am trying to make it all work and putting in an extra fuerza haha I feel that we are making it work.  It has been really fun here in my old area I will say that.  It is amazing to see the difference that a year can make.  I realized that our moment is small and we see the ward at one moment usually.  My return let me see the fruits of my labor here the last time and now I know that wherever I was, That the fruits keep on multiplying.  

 

Well I love you all so much and well... Lets just say see you all in less than a month...  

August 17 2013

Wow...  everything is so different.

 

So first off, I know that this change was definitely inspired.  It wasnt for me to come back to my area, it was for me to be with my companion, Elder Bramble.  I have never known a harder worker than him.  Maybe his work ethic with rub off on me, wait what am I kidding, it already has.  It made me change my mind completely about that first few days home.  But that isnt the things to be thinking about right now haha.  So we had a great week.  We just need to focus more on inviting people to baptism.  We invite, just not as much as we should.  So I will definitely focus on that one.  I love my companion.  He is awesome.  He is super focused on the work and helping these wards grow like they should.  We are helping some families to accept the gospel.  My area is actually 2 wards now and not just one.  Its just a bit bigger than last time haha.  But I will say one of the most amazing things for me to see are the converts here that I helped come unto Christ.  Cinthia, 7 months pregnant and still works harder than any other member in the ward, and Javier, Young mens President.  The Young mens program is now 6 boys instead of well, 1.  Rosa, she is one of the most reverent converted 16, almost 17, year olds I have met, and also Jorge.  He is awesome.  I had heard he was inactive.  That was a big lie.  He is the most active young man in the ward.  The only one we need to help is Pilar.  She is still working on sunday and cant go to church at 10.  I told her that she should still go to church, but at 8.  She needs to stop working and we will be trying to help her out with that as much as we can.  I cant describe the feelings that come everytime that I see them and hear their testimonies.  I almost cry.  All the time here with joy.  Its amazing.  Well, Im out of time.  Sorry that I wasnt able to give a lot of details but I had a lot of emails haha.  I love you guys and we will see each other soon.  Good luck this week, here goes another week of super hard work haha.  I love it!!!!!!!!!!

 

Elder Sam Spencer

LAST TRANSFER, BACK TO MY OLD AREA IN CHIMBOTE!!!!!!



Well, so I know that everyones questions are 2.  how are things with my companion, and did I get my b day package.  The answer to the second is yes.  Its here, open, and I had milk dud popcorn last night.   Those milk duds were an awesome idea.  thank you Janae and family for the cookies.  Me and Elder King have eaten just a few.  I love cookies haha.  

So to answer question 1 there.  So, I truely found out why we never got along.  He wants to be assistant.  Or we could say a somebody....  He doesnt want to obey Gods will.  I have learned that we need to just follow his will even if we dont understand why.  I tried doing all that I could to just stay calm all week long. 

So to help with the calming, I went with Elder King to his area.  Ya...  That was fun haha.  we just went walking all day long.  haha And we did a really fun Family home Evening.  We could try it at home but just a warning,  it makes a big mess of flour haha.  So that day really helped me calm down and just be a lot more chill.

So yesterday,  We received changes.  Well... Lets just say that I wont be here with Elder Vera, or here at all.  In fact I am leaving Trujillo.  I am going to Chimbote.  BUT,  Im also doing one that I never thought would happen in my mission.  Im going BACK to my OLD AREA in Chimbote!!!!!!!!!!!  And my companion is going to be a North American!!!!!  Im gonna try to stay focused but wow haha.  President sure is doing something crazy haha.  I will be able to say that I only had 4 areas but 5 different changes haha.  I always wanted to end my mission down there.  Im excited.  So tomorrow, I head back to the crazy heat in Chimbote but to the greatest ward that I know here in Peru.  

Love you all sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Sam Spencer

PS:  for every moment of suffering, there is a greater and more amazing blessing. 

Love you all.  5 more Pdays........

 Preaching the Gospel in Ostuzco

Can you believe it.......John Deere in Peru

Our small Branch, but amazing members

I found a donkey hmmm to take me on my travels.                  I'm not sure these are big enough!

On top of the world

OH MY HECK...  Where am I?  I just learned today in the morning that yes, I can write whoever I want now in Pday using my email.  Wow that was super crazy to get that announcement so Im adding the only 3 emails that I know or are in my email to the list. 

Well This week has been an awesome week.  I got a new companion last tuesday.  His name is Elder Aguilar.  Can I just say trip down memory lane haha.  He started his mission in the same area as me.  He also was down in Chimbote and always talked with my converts from there.  I am super excited.  We are working extremely hard and we are just going to continue.  Idk why Im so happy. haha.  Maybe its just the really awesome fact that you can just publish my email address to the family now haha.  Im gonna be looking into it a little bit more.  So this is whats going on here.  This week, we focused a lot on bettering our relation with the members.  And then we learned what we need to better is the relation with the leaders.  I had my mind kinda blown this past week when I heard from our zone leaders that our mission has the same structure as a ward.  I was confused at first but then I realized that it is actually a big responsibility to be part of a quorum presidency.  It is really necessary to work really hard and rely on the counselors in your quorum.  It was a big eye opener. 

Well what else haha.  BRYCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I thought you were waiting to leave until after summer.  July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is literally going to come in.... well 2 or 3 months...  Oh how weird....  But IM SUPER EXCITED!!!!!!!

ALSO, JAXSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And a photo?  hahaha That is so awesome!!!!!!  I have been here in Peru and tried working with parents to allow their children to get baptized.  When they dont accept, it really hurts because the parents arent helping their children.  Parents say that they want to wait to let their children make the desicion on their own and really it doesnt make sense.  They dont help their children.  They inhibit them from being able to progress.  Im so happy for him as well and hope to see a photo real soon.

 Grandpa Spencer and Jaxon

Well Im actually out of things to write now.  ummmm  Oh Grandma, yes last week I received the letter from the Stout Family.  Please tell them thank you for the letter and if they want to send anymore, well just send it straight to the email.

Well Love you all,

Elder Sam Spencer

2 BAPTISMS AND ITS MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!



So first off....  Baptism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Actually 2 Baptisms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That made the week awesome haha.  Charlie and Sandra got baptized this week!!!!  It was awesome.  I was so happy for that.  I was able to help them out to become members of Gods church.  And they are definitely going to be enduring to the end.  They are both really excited to continue learning.  Charlie should receive the priesthood this next week.  How awesome no?  So that is what happened today in the awesome area of progreso.

So today, we are in central for a little bit and then we are going to go to the mall and eat.  They have a lot of food there to eat.  Im not sure what else to say.  

Love you guys a ton,

Elder Sam Spencer

BORING P DAY....WHAT???

Well this has been a pretty boring pday.  I just went to downtown trujillo with my companion all day so that he could buy souvenirs...  idk how to spell haha.  No, it was actually one of the funniest things today.  As we were there, we saw... well about every single missionary in Trujillo and the part up north.  We were only missing like the people that are an hour south from trujillo.  It was really funny.  I got to see elder may, elder cottle, elder mano, wow...  honestly, im not so sure how many missionaries I saw just in one day.  It was pretty funny.  

So last pday, we ended up going to the mall.  It isnt that fun at the mall here...  Everything is way to expensive, you cant bargain with the people.  The only good thing about it is the food court haha.  

So what happened this week...  Well this week I got to celebrate my companions birthday. It was his birthday yesterday.  Really, not a lot happened this week.  It hasnt been too eventful.  Really.  I havent had an eventful week or really month haha. I just have been working hard trying my best at every moment.  I am really loving this area, and this work.  I dont know what will be happening this next change, that starts next week but whatever.  Its all good.  We will see some miracles in every moment of the day.  Well, I love you all a lot.  Im sorry that I couldnt write more... this computer is so terrible...  It erased everything that I had written for President Turk.  But whatever. What can I do haha.  

Love you guys,

Elder Sam Spencer

CRAZY WEEK

What a crazy week its been haha.  So first off, my companion is still here haha, Elder Yaicate.  He is supposed to be in Argentina or something at some point.   When, we dont know but we are waiting to see what happens with him.  We thought that maybe he would be taking off today but nope he is still here sitting next to me and cant understand what I am writing about him.  It was even funnier telling him that I was writing about him haha.  It has been a lot of fun with him.  We are working really hard down here.  But we werent working eficazmente this week.  We didnt work a lot with members at the beginning and it just went downhill from that one.  But its ok.  We are going start coming out of the rut we hit.  I think one of the biggest problems is that we dont have money in our phone to make calls.  The phones are like prepay but we cant go put more money on them.  Elder Aguilar made the mistake of using our phone and credit to call whoever he wanted....  I was a little annoyed but whatever... its ok.  

So in our area, we really didnt have a lot of success.  It just passed by really fast haha.  Oh also, we are now living 4 elders together.  Im not exactly sure how all will work out this time around.  Haha.  We got to work a lot on keeping up with our schedule.  

So I am thinking about what is going on in our area.  Not a lot really.  We are just trying to start working a lot more with members.  Its what we need to do.  We need to apply the things we learned from last Sunday in the leadership training. 

Well, there is my week.  Sorry its short, but not a lot happened here.

Love you all,  

Elder Sam Spencer

BEST P DAY EVER!

Alright, this week was so much better than the other ones haha.  We didnt really have a lot of lessons, but we visited with a lot of members and well they are all ready to help.  The problem from last week... we couldnt call anyone......  Elder Aguilar ended up using all of our credit.  Oh well.  So this week we really only found a few new people to teach.  But the few we found, WOW...  2 are preparing to get baptized the 27th.  That was awesome when they accepted the baptismal date.  Their names are Charli and Sandra.  They are progressing really well.  When they told us the first time that they hadnt read, we were sad.  We started reading and he said, oh now I just want to read because its interesting.  We realized that maybe if we read with our investigators what we had left with them to read they would realize that its something really important.  We tried it out with other investigators and they didnt really pay much attention....  It was sad to know that we wouldnt be going back as often to visit them because they dont want to progress but we know that it may just not be their time right now.  

So, we played monopoly as a district.  Since we live together, Sunday nights have become another time to be together, just like Otuzco haha.  It was great.  But ya, we played real monopoly.  I realized that I really dont like the game at all... It takes so long to play... It was a long night haha.  

So the real fun was today haha.  We went to a place called Conache.  Its like a little lake out in the middle of nowhere.  But that wasnt the best part because, well we cant get in.....  The best was behind the lake, there were sand dunes.  Like a sand mountain.  And one of the little tiny attractions there is...  Sandboarding.  Yes.  I, with my comp, zone leaders, and other missionaries went sandboarding today in the sand dunes.  I realized that it probably was one of the coolest pdays of my life hahaha.  I honestly dont know if it was 100 percent legal as a missionary, but our zone leaders told us we could.  Good enough for me.  I got a video of it.  Im sad that I wasnt able to get the other photos.  The other elders all have the good photos.  haha.  I just watched the video and realized, I dont have as great of balance like before haha.  I just got to practice again haha.  Well, at some point in September. 

So that was my week and pday haha.  I had an awesome week.  I think the sandboarding helped, but really it was to find these two children of God, Charli and Sandra.  

Well I love you all, see you soon, 

Elder Sam Spencer

WITHOUT A COMPANION ...WEIRD



What a strange week haah.  We started it off obviously with the sandboarding that you all got to see last week.  That was the greatest.  I honestly dont know if it was legal as a missionary to do.  Our zone leaders said it was ok and they did it, but im also realizing now that they are hypocrites... Oh ya... I had an interesting week this week.  Ready?

So first off, Tuesday, we got a call from the zone leaders telling us that we had to be in the office that night at 8 to drop my companion off.  He got his visa and left.... That one was sad.... Im gonna miss him, but that is the mission... So wednesday and thursday I was without a comp...  I walked around our bishop, ward mission leader, and the elders in my district.  It was weird to know that I had no companion.  I got a call Thursday afternoon that I was getting a new companion.  I was excited...  Until that night and I learned what had happened...  My companion is from callao, its lima.  He had interviews that day with president, and told president that there had been a problem with a young woman or young single adult.  But he got changed out that same day.  The thing was is we were supposed to both be in the office at 8.  He got there at 9:30...  We didnt get to our room until 10:30 that night...  so ya.  We have honestly had a few problems these past few days.  Im looking to find a way to better the relationship but man it is hard...  

So last night, the zone leaders call us and ask us what we are going to do for pday.  We wanted another awesome pday and it cant get much better than a movie and billards.  The zone leaders have played it before.  I was thinking that they would be cool and say that its all good.  They told me, well the movie is ok but you cant go play pool.  I will just say I got annoyed for the hipocrisy.  Im trying to take a chill but it gets difficult when so many things are going against you.. I hate it...  but oh well.  So our pday today is going to be a movie in English cause we havent watched one in english for a really long time.  I wanted to play some pool but it will have to wait for another week haha... I will play pool in Peru before I come home somehow haha.  I have to say that I have done that one.  

Well so there is my super interesting week full of.... fun haha.  I am just praying for help.  Any suggestions?  I know I wont receive a single one until next week but Im open for suggestions haha.  You all know that one.

Well Love you all

Elder Sam Spencer

BUILDING A SPEAKER...MORE FUN TO BUILD THAN TO USE IT



Haha... I really dont know what to put on the subject line.  I mean, I could put the letter number but that just is a little bit trunky...  

So this week, we almost had 2 baptisms...  Almost...  4 hours before their baptism they sent us a message saying that they wanted to get closer to Christ and then get baptized.  How messed up is that logic right?  That is what 39999378904 churches does to this world... (ok so not that many but it feels like it sometimes)  The only way to grow closer to Christ is following his example and getting baptized.  But with so much apostasy, especially within their family. We are going to be working with this couple helping them so that they can make the decision.  

So really, I just want to say sorry.  I didnt have that great of a week haha.  Honestly..  I mean just look at my letter.  There wasnt really anything else going on this past week...  Well there was... a lot but better just let all that stuff go and stay in the past.  We had a lot of problems with our zone leaders, but we got it all worked out somewhat.  Oh actually we did have something really dumb go on this week.  

Elder King and I decided last like tuesday that we wanted to build a speaker.  We put together 3 or 4 speakers into 1 and actually got it working.  Its really loud haha.  It was really funny.  I took a picture of it.  It has 7 different little speakers.  It may have been a waste of time, but it was during our free time to take a nap or do whatever so here is a picture of it haha.  It is really sketchy but it was a lot of fun.  As we built it I had a talk from President Monson come to mind when he talks about 2 brothers building a tree house.  After the two brothers had spent all summer making a tree house, the sat in it for like an hour and then never returned to it.  I realized that that may just happen with us and this speaker haha.  It was probably more fun to build it than it will be to use it.... 

Well I like how my letter really takes up a ton of space just about the speaker.  That was how well eventful my week was.  I need to try and find out how to write more about the work down here.  We are just working really hard with Charlie and Sandra.  Well that is about it haha.

Love you all so much,

Elder Sam Spencer

INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT MARLER



I have like 20 minutes left to use internet, and I spent most of my time reading letters.  A lot of letters... haha  There were so many today.  But now I can write.  So I am doing better, I think that I will be working on trying to change a little and we will see how everything works out on our relationship as a companionship.  

So we had a really hard week this week.  I honestly dont know why... But we didnt have anyone in church...  Our week started off with our zone leaders playing games.... It got about everyone of us annoyed but its ok..  I dont care much anymore about it haha.  I realized that I was just letting everything bug me these past few weeks.  I have realized what I need to let it all go.  Im not gonna let anything bug me anymore.  I know it will help in my companionship and everything.  Yep, Im half venting here haha, and Im done.  

So Wednesday was awesome.  We had interviews with President Marler.  He is a great leader and I know that he has been called of God to be our president now in this mission.  He is quieter than President Turk, but is powerful.  I learned so much with him in our interview that we had.  I realized that, other than my exit interview, that was my last interview in my mission...  Weird...  But thats ok haha.

So Saturday, we had an activity as a zone to try and help us as elders find new investigators... It didnt help us much.  I feel as if we had just wasted our time as missionaries there...  But it was really fun.  I liked it a lot.  I just now know that we shouldnt do another activity the same because it really didnt give us a lot of results like we were hoping.  You live and you learn haha.  

Sunday was sad..  We didnt have investigators at church...  We are trying to figure out a new way to get our investigators at church.  Its something that we are always struggling to do...  All of our investigators decided to get sick the same day... 

What I have learned this week is that God answers our prayers when we put all of our heart into our prayers and we do all that we can.  I saw a lot of miracles in the form as answers to my prayers.  I love every time that I can see the small and simple things that bring to pass the greater things...

Well, love you all so much.

Elder Sam Spencer

LOVE MY NEW COMPANION

I love my new companion.  He got me off my trunky bike or whatever we want to say there haha.  I love it.  We had an amazing week this week.  We started off terrible... Our first day was terrible.  We didnt find a single person.... I was really down.  The next day, we realized that our investigators well, no pasa nada con ellos.  Sorry its easier in Spanish with that one haha.  So we got to Thursday.  We were supposed to plan but my companion got sick.  He just rested and that afternoon guess what, again we didnt have success.   Now Im going to share why.  When we or better, I, planned, I was trying my own thing.  It didnt work out.  We were trying to figure out how to have more investigators and we applied a plan that we both liked.  Well, Saturday, we found 5 new people to teach.  Pretty much our entire week got a huge change.  We also had a ton of activities and meetings this week.  One was a meeting with the District leaders.  I learned a lot about how to have animo, or like to be excited.  We left with all ganas haha.  It was amazing.  We saw a lot of miracles this week.  The biggest miracle of all was to have a new ward mission leader called that is active and will work.  He lives in the same house as us.  That is gonna be a huge help.  He is always able to help us at night.  I can see this ward becoming a huge power in the church if we work with animos.  This ward needs animos.  That is all it needs.  They need to realize like yesterday in the training, we arent here to do missionary work.  We as missionaries are only here to HELP with THEIR missionary work.  I will forever more remember last night.  That was amazing.  I didnt understand a lot what Elder L. Tom Perry said but I think he was talking about how missionaries will soon be using Facebook.  What apostasy is that?  I guess Im an old fashion missionary now haha.  When we got permission to write friends I thought how weird is this haah.  Now Facebook?  Well its a new age of missionary work.  I will be here as the world transforms from a door to door to a computer age in missionary work.  Interesting that is all I will say.

Well I really hope that all is well with everyone back home, and Grandma Spencer, get well soon haha.  Remember that life gets better as we move on in life.  How interesting was that knowledge when I learned it.  I cant wait to see what is in store but for now, Im here working with a new enthusiasm for this work.

Love you all

Elder Sam Spencer

Enjoying the Churros

Well, this week what happened.... hmmn....  im not so sure what... haha  It was a really common week this time....  It wasnt as cool as usual haha.  One thing that did happen was we had a multi zone meeting.  I saw some of my friends, but not all of them.  Its so weird to think that so many of my friends are ending their missions really soon.  Everytime now that we have changes, some of my friends here in the mission go home....  weird.....  We have two weeks left in this change and then there goes my companion.  Then comes the longest change of my mission of 8 weeks...  wow.... Idk if I will be able to do it haha.  No it will all work out.  Im kinda sad that this week I really dont have much to let you all in on. Oh ya.  I forgot haha.  We had a work visit on Friday.  I went with Elder Dow.  He is from Sin City haha.  Yep straight from Vegas.  He is really cool.  He is super focused on the mission and helping people get baptized.  He has a lot to learn, but that is why he is training a new missionary right now.  I went with him to see what I could do to help him out as a trainer even though I have never trained in my mission... hmmmnnn...... maybe my last two changes.... hmmmmm..... who knows haha....  So that was actually really fun with him.  We decided that we wanted churros.... dang.... the churros we bought were so good that we had to buy another.... and..... another.... ya it was demasiado in one day but awesome haha.  Well  Im sorry that its on the shorter side this week much more than this didnt happen.  Im just looking for how to better our area everyday.  So any suggestions haha.  No just a joke haha.

Love you all,

Elder Sam Spencer

Amazing Baptism Story

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Deja Vu

In September of 2010, President Turk was working

out in Laredo with these missionaries...

Elder Farnsworth and Elder Whiting.

They taught a man named Julio.

The seed was planted but there was no commitment.

These missionaries are long gone

in fact, Elder Whiting is married.

 

Today President Turk was teaching with 

Elder Spencer and Elder Aguilar

in Laredo...  

They told President Turk that they were going

to visit a man that has been attending very regularly

and should be baptized but it hasn't happened.

They walked up to the door

and President Turk started to have some

major Dejá Vu.

Julio, the investigator, opened the door

and he remembered President Turk.

They embraced.

The man asked him why he was here.

President replied..

It's time to be baptized Julio.

 

Julio started to cry

and accepted to be baptized on Saturday.

He was so thankful for the 

little push from President Turk.

 

They had two more glorious lessons...

 

The driver of this combi.. . mini van

has been a member in Laredo for just 3 and half months

and  now he is in the young men's Presidency and 

the big transportation man for Church on Sunday.

 

Laredo is in great hands.  Thank you Elders

for another grand day with the President.

 

Every day is unique.

Every day is a gift.

Every day is as exciting as you make it.

We have loved Every Single Day of our Mission!

Planting the seeds brings forth amazing blessings!

So first off, I just want to share this week with everyone.  We had a baptism out of no where this week.  I will start with wednesday night.  At like 10 we got a call from the assistants telling us that President Turk wanted to proselyte with us on thursday.  Well, we started making better plans than what we had had that day planned haha.  Thursday, we called this man, Julio, in the morning and told him that we would be visiting him there.  He said that it was ok.  Well we went to his house to talk with him.  I just want to let you know that his story is on the blog of sister turk.  address,     So I just want you to be able to read it.  I have the rest of his story.  He was super sick with asthma and bronchitis.  He was scared to get baptized but he chose, with some influence of people close to him and also the Spirit of course, to get baptized.  It was super super spiritual.  Im sorry that Im not really good at giving the details in my letter here.  I have been writing the whole story down in my notebook to study, because I actually look through that more often. I will tell you all the story completely when I... well.... get home.....  ouch..... 

So here are the photos from his baptism.  One before it and one after sacrament meeting with President Turk.  Oh ya.  Saturday night after Julio was baptized we got a call from President asking us if he had been baptized.  After we had said yes, President told us that he would be attending sacrament meeting for his confirmation.  It was so awesome and amazing.  

So also, we had changes.  Haha.  I will be killing someone for the first and probably last time in my mission haha.  Elder Aguilar is ending his mission in 3 weeks.  Wow... How weird to think about that one.......  He goes home, another group goes, and then.... me.... I will be coming home....  Im still kinda freakin out about how the time has passed by so fast.

Well Love you all so much and good luck with everything this week,

Elder Spencer, President Turk, Julio, and Elder Aguilar

Juilo's Baptism Day

All the Mission Leaders Meeting with President Turk

                                                I dont sing

Missionary Leaders

This was the last interview with President Turk before he leaves the Mission. 

Changes?

So we got a call last night about changes.  Ready to hear where Im going?  No where haha.  Im staying in my area with Elder Aguilar.  I will be his assasin haha.  No I will be his last comp, or in other words, Im going to kill him haha.  So we are really excited because we are going to be having a lot of success.  I can feel it.  Why?  Well, an elder just finished his mission from our district today.  But He really helped us both to understand a lot, and maybe more to remember, that we will always be missionaries.  It doesnt end when the tag comes off.  That is something we all can remember.  It doesnt matter even if we never had a tag, or waiting for the tag, is that we are still missionaries always.  

So things crazy that happened this week.  As missionaries, we normally find 10 new investigators in a week.  This week we found 21.  It was really amazing.  Oh, where we found 3 news was in a house where an actual idol was.  Like Im talking about one of the virgens that the catholic church invented.  And it was the one out of the church.  The church in this city fell.  and grand was its fall haha.  Ya it was really interesting...  I felt really weird in the house.  But They really have faith in God as well, so esta bien.

Well, this week and really the next four weeks, I got to focus on helping my comp to not be trunky haha...  He goes home in four weeks.  Oh suerte para mi por favor haha.  Well love you all and hope all is good back home.  Always remember to read, pray, and go to church.

Love you all,

Elder Sam Spencer

The Day after Mothers Day

Wow that could be a movie title haha.  Alright, so this week was really cool.  Kinda trunky though.  I will not lie.  Not just because I talked with some of you yesterday but more.

So on Friday, we had interviews with our mission President.  He is going home the 1st of July.  Well, in my interview, I dont know how many times he mentioned that it would be our last interview together.  Wow.  It was weird and I got a really strange feeling.  Actually not a strange feeling, just the Spirit.  It was so strong in my interview with him.  I will forever be grateful for his help and leadership.  So the next interview that I have in my mission will be my new mission president, President Marler.  

Well after that, we had talks at church.  I had found a really cool phrase that we all should remember and apply in our lives.  The Lord doesnt want to frustrate or torment the natural man that is in each of us, He wants to kill it.  I focused my talk on that and how the question, what would Jesus do is so important.  It would of been a lot better in English haha and had I followed my outline.  I learned yesterday that when we have a plan, we should stick to it unless we really are impulsed and impressed to change our plan.  but we should usually work with the plan we have.  It works out a lot better. 

So then of course as you all know I was talking for skype yesterday.  That was so weird to hear Nickolas.  He doesnt sound like a little kid anymore haha.  It was awesome to see everyone that was there and thank you for the little bit of time that we had to talk.  Next time we talk it wont be through a monitor and camera... wow.....  weird.....  Im not gonna think about it.

Bueno, Les amo mucho y siguen adelante firme in Cristo.

Elder Sam Spencer

Como Estan todos

Como Estan todos?  haha How was your week?  Mine was really amazing in all honesty.  I first off want to say that everyone can receive the same impressions.  In our Leadership council, we were talking with President Turk.  He asked us about something that he had taken away, a key indicator that we had at first.  Everyone said the same thing.  That we all felt that it had to come back to revive the mission from a stupor.  Well guess what.  We brought it back as mission, this indicator.  We have seen miracle after miracle in our district this week.  Its amazing how everyone can feel the same thing that our President was planning.

So ya, we have a baptismal date for this 18th now.  We will need to work a lot with her.  Her name is Pati.  So if you want to pray for her that would be cool. 

Oh, we also moved rooms this week.  We are now out of a garage and in a 2nd floor of a house.  The coolest thing is that literally everything is so much closer.  Like where we are now eating, ya its downstairs haha.  Its a lot closer to everything, internet, the church, mobility.  Its great. 

Well more than that not a lot is happening.  Im trying to attach a video but its not working.  Im gonna try working in another internet browser.  haha.  Well Love you all.

Good luck this week. 

Elder Spencer

Elder David A. Bednar came to our mission on Thursday

So, I just will start this week out with saying.. WOW.  I have learned a lot in just a week.  I have learned literally how to become a better and more focused missionary.  I have learned the importance to act when we pray and not just pray.  I honestly dont know what else.  Its huge.

So as you know, Elder David A. Bednar came to our mission on Thursday.  We had the afternoon to learn from him.  It was amazing.  I loved every minute of it and learned so much about how to do missionary work a lot better than, well, than I was. I need to invite more with an action and not just knowledge.  I learned a ton about just a lot of things. 

Also, this week, I got my hands on a few talks from other missions.  There is one called THE FOURTH MISSIONARY that is awesome and helps us even as just members of the church at home.  I loved reading it.  I just read a lot all week, and of course worked. 

Well, this week, we have a meeting with President.  All of the leaders in the mission are going to be together.  It will be cool actually, well to see my friends.  I have heard that this meeting is literally the most boring meeting in the mission..... But we will see. haha.

Well Love you all.

Elder Sam Spencer

oh and the photo is of me obviously walking back to Laredo from a place called Barraza.  Its like a 2 to 5 mile walk Im not sure.  But it was fun haha.

and the other is of me with Elder Zavaleta.  It was his last day here in our area.  Well I love you guys see ya

EVERYONE CAN EMAIL ME!

OH MY HECK...  Where am I?  I just learned today in the morning that yes, I can write whoever I want now in Pday using my email.  Wow that was super crazy to get that announcement so Im adding the only 3 emails that I know or are in my email to the list. 

Well This week has been an awesome week.  I got a new companion last tuesday.  His name is Elder Aguilar.  Can I just say trip down memory lane haha.  He started his mission in the same area as me.  He also was down in Chimbote and always talked with my converts from there.  I am super excited.  We are working extremely hard and we are just going to continue.  Idk why Im so happy. haha.  Maybe its just the really awesome fact that you can just publish my email address to the family now haha.  Im gonna be looking into it a little bit more.  So this is whats going on here.  This week, we focused a lot on bettering our relation with the members.  And then we learned what we need to better is the relation with the leaders.  I had my mind kinda blown this past week when I heard from our zone leaders that our mission has the same structure as a ward.  I was confused at first but then I realized that it is actually a big responsibility to be part of a quorum presidency.  It is really necessary to work really hard and rely on the counselors in your quorum.  It was a big eye opener. 

Well what else haha.  BRYCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I thought you were waiting to leave until after summer.  July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is literally going to come in.... well 2 or 3 months...  Oh how weird....  But IM SUPER EXCITED!!!!!!!

ALSO, JAXSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And a photo?  hahaha That is so awesome!!!!!!  I have been here in Peru and tried working with parents to allow their children to get baptized.  When they dont accept, it really hurts because the parents arent helping their children.  Parents say that they want to wait to let their children make the desicion on their own and really it doesnt make sense.  They dont help their children.  They inhibit them from being able to progress.  Im so happy for him as well and hope to see a photo real soon.

Well Im actually out of things to write now.  ummmm  Oh Grandma, yes last week I received the letter from the Stout Family.  Please tell them thank you for the letter and if they want to send anymore, well just send it straight to the email.

Well Love you all,

Elder Sam Spencer

GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!

Ok, so Im not even going to start with conference yet haha.  My week started much before that with Tuesday...

So Tuesday started out normal.  District meeting, proselyting and then... at 6 we received about 20 calls from the zone leaders.  I didnt know that we had a rule in the mission of 3 calls and you answer no matter what.  One of the billions of unwritten laws.  I kinda hate unwritten laws...  But anyways, we were in a lesson with a man slightly contentious (which I found out how to deal with contentions better thanks to conference) for about an hour because he wouldnt let us go until we got to a halfway middle ground.  It sucked.  But, afterwards, I called our zone leaders again and they told us that we had to go to the room of one of the areas of my district to pick up one of the Elders and that he was going to be staying with us for the night.  They didnt tell me anything else.  So We went there and picked up the elder.  So the next day, we took him back to the Zone Leaders and he went to the office for an interview with President.  At 9 in the morning on Wednesday, we received a call from the assistants that told us to go to the office to pick the elder back up and that he would be spending the rest of the week with us.  So he was with us until that night when we received a call that he would be actually with the other elders in my district.  So he left and went there.  I dont know what actually happened with him at all. All I know is that he was training and his companion went to another area and they blanked his area. 

That brings us to last night and today.  We have changes tomorrow.  My companion, Elder Zavaleta, is leaving...  That sucks...  And now, Im going to be with Elder Aguilar.  I dont know him other than for pictures.  He has more time than I do in the mission.  But that isnt the biggest changes here.  The area that was blanked is going to have 2 north americans there, one that ends his mission in 6 weeks.  and the other area is 2 latins one that is staying and the other only has 6 weeks as well....  Its going to be really interesting...

So Conference, wow...  I literally dont know what to say about it... there was so much that I really liked a ton from conference.  So instead of saying what I liked haha because I would spend all day doing it, I will just say a couple of small things.  The first is that I realized that in the mission, Conference flies by... I remember so many conference weekends where I thought conference would never end.  This conference, and really every one, I have wished it wouldnt end because I learn so much and really enjoy conference now.  How weird it is to see so many changes so easily.  The next is how we should always be looking for answers in conference.  When we do, first we pay more attention, and two we really receive revelation for ourselves and for our.... mayordomia....  sorry I dont remember the word haha.

Well there went my time and there is a letter a little longer this time.  It will be an interesting change this time but we will see what happens haha.

Love you all,

Elder Sam Spencer

LOVING MY NEW AREA

So I seriously cant believe that Im here yet again...  And next week is changes...  Wow Ive been out of Otuzco for almost a change...  So lets see... hmmm.. oh its been a year since I left my first area...  did you all know that?

So the biggest changes that happened this week is that Elder Meza, from my group, like I know him from the MTC, is my new Zone Leader here.  He is really cool haha.  Oh and also, we could have had a baptism last Saturday, but we had a bit of a problem...  with communication...  We had heard that Julio was in the hospital for an operation but really he only went for an injection.  He is super excited to get baptized, so if you dont know yet, Elder Zavaleta and I work super fast to try and fix our mistakes so he will be getting baptized in... 2 days haha.  Yes in two days so be looking for the picture.. well if I remember the camera next week. 

So we also changed our pension well actually today.  the pension is where we eat.  The sister that cooked for us before was really cool, but wasnt super punctual and her house was like an hour, ok like 10 minutes from our room.  We changed and now we are eating in a house 5 minutes from the room and the food is a little better.  I feel a little bad but we changed more than anything to be more obedient with getting to our room in time to study. 

Well there is my week.  Sorry that it isnt super long but now its time to get back to work, well in 5 hours haha.  But ready for some more crazy news?  Elder Bednar is coming to our mission!!!!!!!  He will be here the 25th of April.  Itll definitely be crazy but awesome at the same time.  I hope he will be announcing when the temple will be finished.  I heard in 2014.  Thats gonna be awesome.

Well I love you all and good luck this week!!!!!

Elder Sam Spencer