Ouch!

This week has been a really good week as far as the work goes! I keep forgetting to write in my journal so that is why my emails have been a little short. But we had a really active week this week. We met some really cool people and had some really cool experiences. 

Well to begin this week I had an ingrown toenail. I don't want to send a picture. I think you will freak out. This happened Monday. All the last week I had pain in my toe. I was trying to take care of it myself and I thought it would go away. But obviously it didn't. We found a nurse in the Sisters area that is a member and she offered to operate on it. I wasn't very enthusiastic about that. I knew it would hurt sooo bad!! But that night we went to the members house and she told me that she has been practicing Podologia or the study of toes for 13 years. I didn't even know there was such a practice. We arrived at 5 and left at 6:30!!! It hurt sooo bad! I couldn't walk that day so we didn't work. I started to think about the Atonement of Christ during my operation. And that he had felt this pain. Something as silly has a ingrown toenail--he has felt that pain. 

But last week we found a really cool kid. He lives by a Emmanuel Church. He told us that we could come by and talk with him that Friday. We arrived at the designated time and he wasn't there but we found ourselves with his brother. Who was a die hard member of the other church. We started talking. We started talking about baptism. And he told us that by faith we will all be saved. I told him directly that he was wrong. And we read John 3:1-5. After that the things he was saying were contradicting the things that he said earlier. He told us that we were Anti-Bibles. But we explained to him that we were reading out of the Bible. He didn't say much after that. A little later we was just trying to argue with us. And so we left.

We have been working with a young man to get him baptized. But last week he didn't come. We taught him that what he did was not okay. And we explained The Day of Rest of the 100th time to him. But this time it stayed. And that same week we visited him again to teach him The Commandments and we repassed The Day of Rest. We visited him on a Saturday and I asked him what day was tomorrow. And he told me The Day of Rest. And I asked him what we do and he told me we go to church! And this week he came! So this Saturday we are going to have a baptism!! :) Whoo!!!! 

My comp is doing soooo much better! He isn't really homesick anymore. Just Mondays when we write our families! But we have progressed so much! We are great friends now! He is the coolest guy! He is sooo funny! 

We are teaching a family right now they are really cool! They are understanding what we are teaching. But they aren't married! So we are going to invite them to get married and baptized this month! Hope all turns out well. 

I found a scripture that is really cool that I would like to share and it says: (In Spanish) 

Hermanos, yo mismo to pretendo haberlo ya alcanzado; pero una cosa hago:

 olvidando ciertamente lo que queda atrás; y extendiéndome a lo que esta delante. 

Filipenses 3:13

 Brethren, I do intend to have apprehended ; but one thing I do:

 Forgetting what is behind ; and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13 

Baptism!

Hey Mother, 

This week has been really good! We finally had a baptism here in my ward! The first in like 3 or 4 months. This ward is struggling really hard. We don't have that many people attending. We have the members. But they are aren't coming to church. We are trying to reactivate them. 

We have been working really hard here. We are working really diligently. I have a lot of pictures that I need to send you so you can see how my week has been because pictures speak louder than words. 

But one thing that I want to share with you guys is what I have been studying. I have been studying the Grace of Christ. I was reading in a Liahoana about the Grace and how that Christ and God require so much of us so that we can have a life like Christ. And that through his grace we are able to understand his Misery and The Atonement. In the end this talk said a phrase this is so true. It said," Su gracia es suficiente." ( His grace is sufficient) I know that without the Grace of God we couldn't receive the blessings that we wants us to receive. I am going to keep studying to understand. And the talk said that if we understand the Grace we will understand what we need to do. 

A bike that I found and had to get a picture! 

I also found a cat! 

And a ice cream bike!  they have an annoying horn that they blow!!! 

And I got a picture with a manhole. 

I baptized this little girl! Her name is Liset! 

Elder Spencer 

Time is Flying

Dad! 

Thank you for all you do for me dad! Thank you that you are searching music for me and you well know I have no time to do that! I am really grateful for that! Sounds like you are doing really Good! We have baptisms this month. I am loving teaching here and finding new people! Before I came to area there were 35 people attending. Now we almost have 65 attending. And they haven't had a baptism for a while... I really feel like I am making a difference here. We have been working diligentemente. I don't know how to spell..... 

Elder Spencer  

Mother, 

Wow time is flying by here in the field. We have been very busy with teaching and finding here in my area. And what makes it awesome is that we are going to have baptisms!! 3!! I am so blessed and happy to see that this area is advancing!! I know God is helping us with our efforts through hard work and diligence. 

We had some really cool experiences this week! Well to start off we did divisions this week. I had to leave my area and go to a different area. And my companion stayed. He only has one month and a little in the area. I was really nervous for him but I was praying for him. Well during this change we taught and contacted a lot. It was really fun! But when I returned to my area I was a little lost! But we are going good right now. We are trying to contact a lot more! We have the baptism of a lady and she is really kind. She notices what we are teaching can change her life. And is trying so hard to apply the things we are teaching. She sees the value of baptism. Which is awesome! 

Also have a young man who is the brother of some less actives. He could attend our church yesterday but he went and attended at another church. He is really cool! He will be a great member of the church. Just need to help him see the blessings!! 

Well personally this week has been exhausting. I am having to do everything. It is really tiring. My comp still is new and I am trying to give him the best experience here as possible. I know that God is watching over us. I am progressing everyday with Spanish and personally. I am so happy! 

Elder Spencer 

Our Mother's Knew It

Mother, 

How is it I am so happy! This Gospel is true. And all the things that you have taught. Thank you so much! As they say in the Book Of Mormon. "We doubt not because our mothers knew." I have arrived to see the importance of the Plan of Salvation! My eyes are being opened to the meaning of the Atonement and Resurrection of our Salvador Jesus Christ. I know he gave his life that we may obtain eternal life with him and our Father in Heaven. They live! Just as we live. But we live in a fallen state and Christ met the demands of His Father so that we might return to live with them once again. 

This week has been fantastic! We have been teaching and teaching. We have two people on track to get baptized this month. So you should be seeing some pictures soon! This week the people here celebrate the Resurrection of Christ as the Holy Week. They didn't really have festivals here this week. They mostly just drank beer and were with their families all day! 

Well this conference was really cool! And yes I had to listen to it in Spanish! It wasn't to bad! I just wanted to hear the voices of the Apostles and Prophet. ;( But the message was the same! I love how they talked about eternal families! And the covenants and ordinances that we need to make with Him to be able to live with him again! I have never been to excited to listen to The Servants of God! I know that their advice will help us daily. I pray that all is well! I pray for you all the time! I pray you keep studying the words of our Apostles and Prophet! 

Elder Spencer

Dad! 

How this week has gone by so fast--can't believe it is already April. How I am so grateful for the Resurrection of Christ. My perspective on life is changing little by little. I can see that we have an incredible gift here in this world to grow. I am learning so many new things about the Gospel that I never knew were even possible. Just my perspective has changee so drastically lately. That this really is the Plan of Redemption as it says in The Book of Mormon. I am understanding the importance of The Fall. And what that really means for our salvation.  

Elder Spencer