August 24 E-Mail

It's been a good week. We have met a lot of good people and are slowly building our teaching pool. To answer some of your questions, our area is really small. We are in the middle of two very large areas. But ours does have a lot of doors to knock on that haven't been knocked on for a long time. The area is probably like a mile by 3 or 4 miles. But we go all over it all day. We do a lot of biking and walking. But that's good. We keep the same schedule with eating with members. Four nights a week. We got here and they were being fed just about every night. But that is a mission rule so we had to change it. The girl who makes the dinner calendar was much happier with us. We have all kinds of places to go eat and shop around here too. Basically anything you can imagine. That's crazy that Brady's farewell is on Sunday. I remember when he got his call thinking that was forever away. I met the kid that is from Lehi that Brady knows. He was at that conference we had yesterday with Elder Christensen from the 70. It was a very good conference on how to feel the spirit. I really only had one interesting story from this week. We were knocking some apartments and we knocked the one on the second floor. Well no one answered so we started up for the third floor. Well I heard the door opening below so I jumped down there. Well it was this older sort of large man. In fact he was quite large. I asked him if he had spoken with missionaries from our church before. Angrily he replied with a yes. I asked him what he remembered. All he said was that he told the last guys that if they ever came back again he was going to "punch them out." Then he nicely asked me if I would like to be "punched out." And he was using quite the language. I almost started to laugh at him. But I was very polite and continued on. It made my companion quite mad. I don't think he had been in a situation like that ever before. But at least the guy didn't punch me. I felt pretty good about that. We have had a lot of people this week argue with us that we believe in the wrong Jesus Christ. And that Jesus Christ was not the spiritual brother of satan. So it has been interesting. At times its hard not to argue back. But all you can do in the situation is bear testimony and continue on. English work is much different than spanish. Every spanish person lets you in. Only the ones who are interested in english let you in. So it's harder to get in a door, but the door you do get in, the people are usually ready. And this past week a guy let us in who really is ready. His name is Ryan. (Pray for him that he will receive an answer to his prayers to know that this church is true) Well he is from Georgia and grew up as a southern baptist. He has been going to the baptist church here, but says that it's not really a baptist church. So he had a whole list of great questions for us. We answered them and he seemed to understand it all. The only thing was he didn't want to accept the Book of Mormon as the word of god. So we read the introduction with him where it says we invite everyone to read the book of mormon and to pray about it. So after that he was pretty quiet and just said wow. I guess I can't say anything about it until I do what it says there. We were really excited about this because he really is showing the desire to learn more. We have an appointment with him next Monday. We are also teaching a hispanic couple named Nelson and Mariella. They both have the desire to learn more too. The only problem there is that we have an appointment with them on Friday. Well Friday we will be doing exchanges and I will be here with an english elder. Therefore I have to speak all the Spanish. So hopefully I don't scare them away! Please pray for me on that one. Sounds like everyone is having a good time and staying busy. Mom the er sounds like quite the time. I was happy to get a business card from Lee's Mongolian with a little note from "Lee." That's pretty funny dad got light headed when you were giving Meesha her shot. I'm running low on time but I want you all to know that I love you! Thank you for all you have done for me. Keep going to church and you will be so blessed! It's sad to see the less-actives that tell you it all started out by missing one Sunday. So don't miss unless you absolutely have to!!!! Also continue to read and to pray everyday. Those are the three essential things. And I can promise as you do so you will notice a difference in your lives!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much. Thanks!!!

August 16 E-Mail

Sorry I am so behind in posting this!


So my new area is small! It's a lot different than Warden. It's small, but sure has a lot of people in it. There are a ton of apartment complexes. We have a car for a few days of the week and other than that we bike. And the whole area is on a very big hill. So I am getting my workout. And it has been hot lately. This is pretty gross, but on my pants there is salt build up underneath my belt from the sweat!!! The house we live in is a way good place to be. It's an older ladies home and her second cousin lives with her and he is a way cool guy. He has had a really hard life and wasn't activated into the church until about a year ago. He was in a way bad environment and thought he was going to die. Well the spirit prompted him to call his second cousin. Well she went and picked him up and here he is today. The lady keeps a book of all the missionaries that have stayed at her house. It was pretty weird, I was looking through it the other day and there was a picture of Ben Hilton. I guess he lived in the same place when he was here. So all the paper work in this area hasn't been updated since about March. So we didn't really even come in with anyone to teach or anything. The area has just been dead. So we have spent a lot of time tracting. And I mean a lot. But we have met a lot of good people. My new companion is from Pima Arizona. He's really good. He goes home at the end of this transfer. We had one guy this week come out and talk to us and ask us where the church was. So we talked to him for awhile and he said wow I really needed this in my life right now. So we are going to keep working with him. Then last night we had a few minutes left and couldn't decide where to knock. So we decided our next door neighbor. Well they went to the church a few times about a year ago, and are interested in learning more. So we are going back tonight. Other than that not a whole lot has happened and I don't have much time to e-mail because we are at the library. My message for this week is to listen carefully for promptings of the spirit. If it wasn't for the spirit, the guy we live with wouldn't be here today. Often times you will think you are prompted to do stupid stuff. But just do it without hesitation! I know the spirit will guide us to where we need to go. We just need to listen to it. I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 9, 2010 E-Mail

Well, I'm getting moved.  I was just really starting to love it here, but I guess that's the way it goes.  I'm going to East Wenatchee and will be covering a spanish branch and an english ward.  It will be really good because there were sisters there before.  So we are sweeping into the area.  It will be good to get a fresh start.  I don't know my new companion yet.  I meet him tomorrow when I head over there.  He is in Moses Lake right now.  That's about all I know.  And I think he goes home after this transfer.  So I'm sad that I'm leaving, but I'm sort of excited too.  I guess it's quite a bit bigger than where I am now.  It's right on the West side of the mission boundaries.  That's crazy that Spencer Packer is home already.  Time is flying by.  This last transfer went by so fast.  Not a whole lot happened this week.  I gave my talk in the english ward thankfully.  It wasn't to bad.  I changed it a little bit from the copy I sent you.  I think it ended up being like 20 minutes so that was good.  We have some investigators who have there grandson over at there house right now.  I think he's 10 years old.  Well he is catholic but we were talking to him the other day and he was asking the difference between mormons and catholics.  So we started to talk about the godhead.  After all he said was wow, I think I'm going to become a mormon.  It was pretty cool.  He goes home in Idaho though in like a week.  So that's the bad part.  So hopefully the missionaries will find him there.  Last night we had a pretty crazy lesson.  It was really short, but in the end we asked the lady who she wanted to pray.  She asked if she could say it and we said of course.  So she offered the prayer.  Well she was confused and didn't say amen.  Well we didn't know if she was done or if she was just thinking.  So we sat there for a few minutes with our arms folded and our eyes closed still.  The spirit was so strong.  Then we realized she was done and we lifted our heads and she was crying.  It was so cool to see that.  We also had a priest from the ward with us who is going through some rough times so it was really good for him to see that too.  He loved it.  Today I don't have a whole bunch of time because I need to pack all of my stuff.  And our bishop here was pretty sad to know that I was leaving so we are going to his house for lunch today.  I think he started crying last night when I told him.  He's a pretty emotional guy though.  So yeah this last week not a whole lot happened.  I spent one day with an Elder who only speaks english over here.  We only talked to one spanish lady though I think.  Then I had to go over to Othello for a day too.  So my companion and I really didn't get to work to much togehter.  That makes it really hard to teach people when only I, or only him taught them.  But things are going good and I'm excited for the change.  I love you all so much.  When I was doing my talk yesterday I realized how important it is for us as members of the church to lead by example.  So stay strong and set the example for those around you who aren't members.  They will realize you have something that they want!  This is the true church and I'm so grateful to have it in my life.  Thank you so much for all you have done for me.  Have a good week.  If you write letters just send them to the mission office. 

820 South Pines Road Ste 101

Spokane Valley, WA 99206

Thank you so much.  Sorry it's so short, we just have a lot to do today.  I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 2, 2010 E-Mail

Computers are way screwed up today so I have like no time. We are at the library and they are all timed. So it will be short and sweet. We had a way cool miracle this week. Other than that it has been way slow. But we decided to go see an in-active who hasn't been visited for a long time. Last time they visited her she through out a bunch of anti questions. So that's what we were expecting. Well we got there and she just started crying. It was in spanish so I was way confused at first. But she had been praying all day to know what church was true. She asked God if it was the church that she was baptized into. She said in her prayer that if it was true and if he would send her the brothers from the church that very day that she would start going to church again. Well sure enough, we showed up that day. And she was at church yesterday. So that was pretty cool. Elizabeth was confirmed yesterday too so that was way awesome. The work in the fields has really picked up the last week or so, so people are really hard to find at home. And if they're home they are sleeping. So it's been rough. But still really good. Thank you so much for the package. I was so glad to get it. I was pretty ticked when I locked up that Ipod though. So I'm glad you were able to get the number. I figured it would still be listed. I never took stuff off even after it was sold. The guy that called you is so cool. He is in active. His step daughter has been coming a lot though, and that night she asked if we would start teaching her the lessons. So we were really excited about that. They are an awesome family. Everytime we go over there we end up eating something. They really take care of us. He owns the local mechanic/tire shop. So we get a long pretty good. I hope the reunion was fun. That's crazy you're a den leader now mom. I didn't quite expect that one. I tried whiping off my camera lense but it was still fuzzy today on some pictures I printed. So I dunno what the deal is. And about my toenail, I did my own little surgery on it last week and cut it all up. So it looks a lot better now. If I ever get to Spokane I will have that guy look at it. But for now I think I got it in control. I don't have a whole lot more to write or time. We e-mail our president every week too and I still need to do that. I have my talk all prepared and everything for next week. I'm not excited but it's prepared. I need dad to send me some good starter jokes. I love you guys so much and thanks for everything. Keep praying. After this week I definately know that God answer's prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a good week. I love you!!!

Some Old Pictures

This looks like an oyster, yuck!

Kade sent these pictures a while ago, I just haven't put them on here until now, sorry!

July 26 E-Mail and Pictures!

Well this was a pretty good week.  The work was sort of slow, but we did have our baptism last night.  It was way cool to see work finally go all of the way through.  And I got to baptize her so that was cool.  She has really bad arthritis so the Elder's Quorum President stood in the font and helped out because she can't bend very well.  But it was way cool and the spirit was so strong.  There were a lot of members there too so it was awesome.  The ward here does so good and bringing new people into the church and welcoming them.  Today not much is going to happen.   That's okay though because I woke up with a sore throat so hopefully I can take a nap later on.  I had a pretty crazy story that happened on Saturday night.  I almost got eaten by a dog.  I don't think I have ever been scared of a dog until this one.  We got out of the car to go up to the door step of this house and he was growling and sniffing us.  Well he ended up licking us and all was well.  Then he went to the other side of the house.  So we figured it was safe.  I took one step towards the house and the dog came at me going full speed just growling and barking.  He was definately in attack mode.  So yeah I didn't really know what to do other than just stand there.  So I threw my bag in front of me to try and maybe protect a little bit of myself.  Well he got within about an inch of my hand and immediately stopped and just went balistic growling and stuff.  It was so nuts.  My companion was ready to kill it.  It was probably like four or five Kimber's put together.  So we got out of there.  Then the next house we went to there was a huge rottwiler.  Luckily he was sort of chained up because he wasn't to happy either.  So that was the scary experience I had this week.  With the little dogs you can just sort of kick them a little or throw little rocks at them and they take off.  But the big ones it's a different story.  When my companion lived in Bolivia he had 4 pet bears.  So he usually doesn't get scared with animals.  But he was pretty worried this time.  But other than that it has been a pretty good week.  We are still struggling to find people at home.  But it's okay.  Mom  you asked if we will stay together another transfer.  I don't really know what's going to happen.  A lot of spanish missionaries are going home the next couple of transfers and a lot of new ones coming in.  So any of the older spanish missionaries will be training.  So I have no idea what's going to happen.  It's just crazy that it's already week 5 of this transfer.  It's flying by.  Dad asked about Carne Asada.  They should have it in any of those Mexican stores back home.  It's just really thin sliced and it's usually being marinated in something.  A lot of times there's a slice of orange in the package with it.  You just throw it on the grill and cook it.  It's way good.  Probably one of my favorite meals I get.  I usually eat to much of it though.  I think that's about it for this week.  I'll attatch a couple of pictures with the e-mail.  I know this is the true church and that it is the only way to return to live with our heavenly father again.  His son Jesus Christ did so much for us.  And all we have to do is have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the holy ghost, and endure to the end by obeying the commandments.  That's all he asks of us.  That's not to much compared to what he did for us!!  I love you all so much.  Have a good week!!

July 19 E-Mail

I'm glad you got to go to Jace's farewell. Man it's crazy, I remember he got his call and I was thinking dang he has to wait for like 3 months. Well here it is now. So this week was a better week then the past few. We got a lot more support from the members and we had some good lessons. Elizabeth, one of our investigators came to church yesterday. She is supposed to be baptized next Sunday as long as she comes to church. She met a lot of good member so I'm sure she will be there. It's exciting to see the people who really are ready for the gospel. You can usually tell within the first five to ten minutes you talk to them. Mom, you said you hoped the smell here wasn't as bad as the dog food plant. The dog food plant smells like an airfreshener compared to this! This place stinks bad. I'm getting used to it though and it doesn't really bother me. And yes, I did get your letter last week. It came right after I wrote my e-mail. Tell Linda thanks for the stuff for the talk. I knew she would take care of me. You know how bad I hate speaking so we will see how that goes. At least there isn't as many people in the ward here as our home ward. We heard there are about 600-700 members here in the ward. I think only 150-250 are active. So I shouldn't get to nervous. But, I know I still will! I'm glad your youth spectacular thing is done. It sounded like that was taking quite a bit of time. I always thought those things were kind of boring. But this one was probably pretty good. I liked the pictures dad sent me of the cars from Logan's Run. That yellowish creamish truck was sweet. It was my favorite. Dad said there wasn't any chevelle's. I hope you only meant 65's. If not he needs to be going to the eye doctor. Cause there was a 67 in the background of that picture.( white with a black top. It's there dad) Hopefully he isn't going to crazy on me. Mom you should have sent some mountain dew with the Spencer's. I'm sick of pepsi and coke. That's all the people here drink. But oh well. I've been drinking a lot of water. So those propel and lemonade mix things were way good. Thank you! Thank goodness I hung around grandpa a lot when I was younger. We've been doing our dishes downstairs in the bathroom sink. Well the other day I realized that there wasn't a disposal there ha. Well right when I thought that it got clogged. I didn't want the member's to know. So I had that sink wripped to pieces in about a minute. My companion was like what in the heck are you doing. So I'm glad grandpa taught me that one when I was younger. So it's fixed, and the members have no idea. It's so crazy to think this transfer is already half over. Time flies when you are with a companion that likes to have a good time. We are still getting along great and working hard. It's hard to keep a positive attitude in these little towns. But we are doing a good job. You tend to knock on the same doors over and over. But a lot of the times it's different people. A lot of the hispanic people just rent one room from houses. So sometimes there's like 10 different people living in one house. All they need it for is to shower and sleep. The only other thing they do is work. The harvest season is coming up so people are going to start working even more. A lot of them work 15-16 hours a day 7 days a week. Just to provide for there families that are still in Mexico. It's sad. But it's good to see the love people have for there families. We got to do a couple service projects this week. One was moving a piano with a couple old guys. They didn't do to much. That was on Saturday. My back still hurts today. But I know I'm being blessed because it doesn't hurt like it did at home. Then we got to mow this old ladies lawn. She always takes care of us and makes us lunch. And homemade tortillas whenever we want. I gotta start being a little more careful now. I've gained 35 pounds now. That was as of Saturday. And I think I ate like 2 pounds of hamburger yesterday!! Ha it's crazy. I couldn't gain a pound at home. If I keep going at the rate I'm going at, we are going to have some problems pretty quick! I'm not to worried about it. Over all it was a good week. We are really looking forward to have even a better week. We need to start teaching some more spanish lessons because that is the best way to learn. Although it is getting a little better, it's still tough! I know this church is true. I'm grateful to see the rock solid foundation it provides in peoples lives. And I know it was brought back to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I love you all so much!!!!! Have a good week.