Feliz Navidad!

Dad! 

I am so excited to talk to you and the family!! Wow it is already Christmas! I hope all turns out well with your job plans! I will be praying for you! Well I always do! And yes your statistic is correct 1.2% of Peru are members! But we are plugging away with the work! We had changes in our companionship this last week the day Tuesday! I now have a Peruano as a comp! He carries 20 months in his mission! And I am learning how to be super patient with him! He is always listening to his music and sometimes doesn't want to work but I am just learning to have a good experience. But don't worry I am not participating in his activities! I am trying to get him to work which is good I need a goal to fulfill! In January we are going to help a family get married! They are so kind and amazing! 

Elder Spencer 

Hola todos! 

In this time of the year he have the opportunity to remember our Savior Jesus Christ in full! I am full of emotions during this time of year! But remember we need to remember Him always not just during Christmas! Everyday we need to strengthen ourselves in order to be able to become like Him! Which includes doing the things that He would do if we was here on the earth! I know we all have a lot of things to do in our lives with our families and with school and work! 

Well a lot has happened this week! We had changes in our companionship and I am currently sitting next to Elder Pauro! He is from.... Peru! He was in the Lima West mission but they change him to Lima North! He really is crazy and a good worker! I has 20 months in his mission... sometimes things are tough! But I am learning so much from him! We have found many people to teach and we will continue searching for the lost sheep and bring them back to this wonderful knowledge! 

Currently we are working for January! We have a lot of things that we need to do! When I was with Elder Ortiz we baptized a lot of people! But now with my new comp we have to teach all the lessons to them again in order to make sure that they are totally converted! We have many lessons to teach this week and things to prepare! 

This Wednesday we have an activity as a mission! We get to wear P-day clothes all day in this activity! It should be really fun! I hope all is well and Happy Holidays here from Peru! 

Elder Spencer 

Cambios (Changes)

Dad! 

So glad to hear from  you sorry for my short letter to you last week I didn't have a lot of time. But hey thank you for setting up an account for me that was really thoughtful of you! I don't have time to really do anything except teach and teach. That really is my life right now. I haven't figured out a way to use the money that Grandma has given me... But I am thinking of just buying clothes for some of the members that I see that they are in need. I am really excited for Christmas here! I want to see what it is like! Spanish is so much better! I still struggle sometimes but I have come a long way with my Spanish and I have a long way to go to! Always I am trying to learn new words or phrases to use! Sounds like your work is coming along just great! I hope all goes well! I will pray for your success! I am going to write a longer email to mother with pictures and such! 

Elder Spencer 

Mother!

Today we have changes in our companionship! Either I stay here in my area or I leave my area and start fresh in a new area! I don't know what is going to happen but we are going to see! This week has been really long. But a lot has happened this week! 

Welcome to Peru! 24/7 we climb them hills! 

Well to start of we found a family way, way up in the mountains! We got lost multiple times! But eventually we found the house! We found out that they are members and that they have 15 people in their family! We are going to teach them this week on Tuesday! Also we found another family! They are cool we taught them a little in the street and we are going to teach them as well!

Last Saturday we had baptisms! We baptized 2 people! And there are more to come! I will send pictures in order to describe what happened! But the work here in my area is good! Always there is someone to teach! Not much has happened that I can remember my memory is so bad I can't even remember what I ate for lunch yesterday!

Our baptism! Her name is Rosario! 

But last night we went to the stake center to hear the Stake President speak! He talked about the Book of Mormon and the power that is has in conversion of the hearts of the people! It was really inspiring and made me want to share the truth with all the people through the Book of Mormon! He also talked about that the members are the key to our success. If you aren't using the members to get references you are not doing your job! He said the easiest way to get a reference is through the members! Because they know the area better and the people! That is one thing that we have not been doing! Using the members! That is one thing that is going to change if my companion leaves I am going to use the members! 

Grass exists in Peru!!! 

Elder Clawson and I during service!! 

Hope all is well!

Elder Spencer 

Late

Mom! 

Sounds like a lot has happened these past few weeks! I am so jealous that you got to put up the Christmas decorations with out me! But don't worry I got to decorate a tree for 2 hours. We were helping our ex-pensionista set up her decorations last Wed! She is really particular about the things she does. It is either her way or the highway I have noticed! Well this week has been so much better! My Spanish is getting better day by day! I miss our Christmas traditions so much! Thank you for the package! What did you send in it? Just want to make sure everything arrived! I have a question should I just by a new camera that is cheap? like 300 soles or so? I don't know what to do! Cause we go to Lima tomorrow and if it is going to cost we money to fix my camera I should just buy a new one right?? Please mail me bacK. 

Anyway we don't have much time to write today! We had to take a survery of the Church... it was not fun.. Well my comp said that we will have more time to write tomorrow! I don't believe him.. but if we do have more time I am going to write an email for the blog ok? 

Love you mommy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS  

Elder Spencer 

Busy Missionary

Mom, 

Well today I can't send pictures or write much because thanks to my district we only have 30 min to write. I am not going to say what I am feeling it wouldn't be nice words. 

Well a lot has happened here in Mariscal Caceres! First off my Spanish is so much better wow I can feel a difference. It is a little bit more natural and free flowing! We have been teaching a lot lately! I love teaching. It is really humbling to teach, I learn a lot about myself and about the Gospel! It is amazing to see! 

We had 2 baptisms Saturday! That was awesome I got to baptize again! We have done a lot. I am going to try and remember what we have done! Here we go! 

Well the first thing that comes to my mind was when we helped people carrying long pieces of wire and cement up a mountain! That wasn't too bad we contacted some people and found a less active member! Second thing that come to mind is one of our investigators! She is sincere and eager to learn! We have a date for her baptism 13 of December! Also we did some service in a members house 2 weeks ago! We help take out dirt from her house in order to expand her house! 

So I was reading this packet named , " The Fourth Missionary" and it really made me want to change my look on the mission. It basically is a packet of how to become the best YOU and Missionary! Because first I was just going on a mission because that is what members of the church do. But after reading it is said something really cool it said, " There is a difference between obedience and intelligence. And the intelligent thing to do is to apply the Gospel in your life." I thought that statement was really cool! Also found some really cool scriptures that helped me! 

2 Nephi 21:2    Alma 26:12     Moroni 10:20-23

Omni 1:26       Alma 41:5-6    D&C 18: 17-19 

Mosiah 4:9      Moroni 7:6-7

The next experience I want to share happened recently in a lesson! We started sharing the Plan of Salvation with them. When we were sharing this lesson I felt like a real missionary, I wasn't reciting anything. I was helping the person understand this wonderful plan that God has for his children! I was teaching for real! Well to finish I am really glad and humble to be here! I have learned to much of myself and of the beautiful Gospel! I have had to many ups and downs I can't even count, but I know God is my strength and will always be with me! Hope things are awesome for you all! 

From Peru, 

Elder Spencer