Elder Nathaniel Spencer's Mission Blog: Birthday week!

Mother!

Well to start off I am 19 years old! How time flies fast here in the mission! I can remember when I wasn't able to talk and now look at me! I have been sharing the Gospel, my feelings, but most important my testimony of the truthfullness of The Gospel. Well to start off I just want to share a couple experiences that I had this week!

We have been helping a couple with the their wedding papers! I am so excited for their wedding and after their baptism because I found this family with my previous companion! And we have been working so long to get the papers from them! And now we have them!! Wow they are so excited. They are attending church almost every Sunday! I can't wait for their wedding day!

Well 2 days ago we had a Work Visit with the Zone leaders! We knocked on a door that I visited previously but he never was home. But this time he was home. This man has no legs and he is stuck in his wheelchair. But previously the missionaries contacted him and he told them that he was interested. Well 2 days ago we found him in his house. We taught him The Plan of Salvation. Well the thing with him is that he can't hear very well. So the whole lesson we were practically yelling. But when we were teaching The Resurection I told him that one day after this life that he was going to be able to have his legs and walk. I could tell in his face that he understood what I said. We paused for a little while. But in that moment I could feel hope for this man that I had only met once.

Well the last couple of nights I have been reading in Alma! But this morning I was reading in Alma 29 and I really liked the verses 9 and 10. That says in Spanish ;)

9 Sé lo que el Señor me ha mandado, y en ello me glorío. Y no me glorío en mí mismo, sino en lo que el Señor me ha mandado; sí, y ésta es mi gloria, que quizá sea un instrumento en las manos de Dios para conducir a algún alma al arrepentimiento; y éste es mi gozo.

10 Y he aquí, cuando veo a muchos de mis hermanos verdaderamente arrepentidos, y que vienen al Señor su Dios, mi alma se llena de gozo; entonces recuerdo lo que el Señor ha hecho por mí, sí, que ha oído mi oración; sí, entonces recuerdo su misericordioso brazo que extendió hacia mí.

ENGLISH:

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.
10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

You can look it up in English! But this scripture is so true! We can't brag in our own strength because who gave it to us? God! We are HIS way, HIS instruments in helping others come unto HIM and HIS Son Jesus Christ! That needs to be our Joy! Bringing the children of men back to the presence of God once again! We have to follow HIS ways to make them our own. (Alma 29:9-10)

Elder Spencer