Pictures!

March 28th, 2010. Yet Another Baptism!

¡CAMBIOS! -- Transfers!!

andddd not for us:) Elder Cirne and I are staying! and we are really happy about it too. There is just way too much we need and want to do here in Nuevo Hermosillo, and in the ward to have transfers right now.. well, not for at leasttt another 6 weeks!

WOW lots of stuff happened this week. I feel like my English is especially bad today (Elder Cirne and I are trying to speak English more when we are in the appartment, don`t worry. Oh and I`m writing in my journal, and writing letters to you all, so it should still be good. just sometimes it hurts a little more than other times to make the switch.) So forgive me.

How is everybody??? Again, it sounds like Emily`s and Mary`s lives are wayyy too cool. I had to promise Elder Cirne that we ARE normal people in the United States, and that it is very rare that people take trips to Africa, are in super sweet bands, and write music. I don`t think he believes me.

Really a tough week... opposition around every corner. Investigators dropping us... unnamed missionaries from other unnamed denominations visiting and confusing new converts... families not coming to church... people losing testimonies... marriage problems... financial difficulties.. and sadly the list goes on. But if one thing is clear, there is never a moment when everything goes wrong. President Velez has given me the assignment to study Joseph Smith History and apply what I learn to the work.

DyC 121 always comes to mind. and it`s true, sometimes it is only a small moment:)

I had the awesome opportunity to baptize Mayra Alejandra Vazquez on Saturday the 26th. Mayra is 15, she is also really cool, and was very very very ready to be baptized. Mayra`s parents, Carlos and Mayra were baptized by my friend Elder Mendoza about 9 months ago. Lotsss of missionaries have taught the family, and worked really hard with Mayrita, but she never wanted to get baptized. When Elder Cirne and I met Mayra, she had just started to read the book of Mormon... out of nowhere! She likes to read (she really likes Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings) and I guess the book of Mormon just caught her attention. We taught her a few lessons... talked about harry potter... and asked her what her goals were in life. She wants to be a writer, and wants to do what God would have her do. We asked her what she thought God wanted her to do right now.. and smiling, she said,

``Probably get baptized:)``

When we are obedient, have faith, work hard, and focus on the needs of others, things just seem to fall into place :) I have a testimony of that.

--JACK

March 21st, 2010... Baptisms!!!

WOW WOW WOW, WOW WOW WOW WOW

Sorry this email is coming in so late today, I as well, have very little time this week!! But lots to say!! It's okay ha ha I'll try to fit it into a letter or something.. I don't know ha. Sounds like things are going really well at home:)

LOTS happened this week. Trials... tests.. obstacles...prayer, fasting, success:) and miracles.

Like I said I don`t have all the time in the world, but, I`ll try to keep it really short.

-Starting off the week, it`s starting to get pretty hot.. and the locals are still saying this is nothing.

-I have pretty huge really painful blisters (ampollas) on both feet, but their starting to turn into caluses(sp?) I think

-Rosario...

Rosario called us and told me over the phone that she most like would not be able to get baptized this week:/ She shared her wonderfully simple and powerful testimony over the phone, but told us she didn't know when she was going to get baptized because her exhusband and her exmother-in-law came out of nowhere and are trying to take away her daughters..that she was going to be in court all week and that she didn't know what she was going to do, and that she'd call us when we could come by her house the next time...

These are all things missionaries never ever everrrr want to hear.(except the testimony, that was awwesome.)

Not very long after.. Elder Cirne and I found ourselves on our knees.. pleading for a miracle. All week we prayed and prayed and prayed -- knowing that if Rosario didn't get baptized this week, the obstacles and problems and everything would just get bigger and bigger and harder and harder. That's just the kind of guy satan is unfortunately.

BUT we still had Sagid, the genius 9 year old. DURING our lesson with Sagid on thursday(preparing him for his baptismal interview), I got a call! It was Rosario, telling us that she had about half an hour, and she needed us to come over that instant. I asked her why, and she told me, ``I need you guys to tell me all the answers to this baptismal interview thing so I can pass tomorrow``

Elder Cirne baptized Sagid (his first baptismal ordinance)

and I baptized Rosario (my first too: )) on Saturday:)

Sometimes it's a little rare... but it is definitely a pretty amazing experience to find someone, get to know them, teach them, watch them progress, gain a testimony, make friends in church, and get baptized.

The gospel is true, and the priesthood is real. I love you all soooooo much. I still cannot believe mary ellen is going to africa... what?.. hippos?... London?... What is this? Disney Channel? I love you to death mar bear.

Emily I am SO jealous!! I'd be more jealous if I hadn`t already seen Arcade Fire:) But I'm pretty darn stinkin jealous still. And with Katie White too! I actually remember the first time I heard Arcade fire was with you, Katie, and the Arron Twins. Oh and Josh and Jessie too! D-DAY! I miss you em.

Back to work,

-Elder Spencer

March 14th + Pictures!

The move went great! FINALLY, we have a house, well, an apartment. I don´t know if you´ve had a chance to look it up on google street view.... it´s really ugly from the outside, but I promise it´s super awesome inside! well, awesome for our standards haha.

The owners are super nice, they own a little business downstairs where they fix washing machines. They are SUPER catholic but we found out they have member family! We think this is the reason they are renting us the house, because they actually lowered the rent for us and we know for sure at least one other person was offering more.

more and more blessing around every corner:)

We are preparing two baptisms for this saturday! and one more for the following!

Sagid (the SMARTEST 9 yr old kid I have ever met) and Rosario (reallly reallllly sweet lady who finally found what she has been looking for for yearssss- the truth:) mom, you would really like her)

Next saturday is Mayra, 15 yrs old, super awesome, making me a list of sweet Mexican Bands for when I get home haha you know, real soon.

On the 11th I turned 7 months old in the mission! weird.

fun thing happened last week! I guess the office made a mistake or something with our visas(all of us who came down here together on the plane) and we all had to go back to immigration and sign some paper. Sucks for the mission/church... because they had to buy a lot of bus tickets.. but pretty sweet for us because I saw all my friends from the MTC and JOHN again!

John and I took a picture, he looks good, I look really bad-- I´ll probably send it anyway.

The answer is yes.. it is starting to get a little hot here haha. Hot for me, REALLY hot for Elder Cirne, and absolutely nothing for the people here in Hermosillo. Since our new pad is upstairs--(every day at certain hours the city cuts ff the water, so every house has a tinaco, or a big black water tank)--, all the members are telling us that in a month or two when the real heat comes, we need to fill two buckets of water with ice every day to shower, because we´ll burn ourselves if we shower from the tank ha ha.

Don´t worry. I put my sunscreen bu the front door so I remember to put some on every time we leave the house:)

Esta todo bien aqui en la nuevo:) estamos muy felices y ¡LISTOS para trabajar!

Tell me everything about whats going on:) you should be getting letters soon! actually I am giving some to the same hermana this week so her sister can send them from AZ

Miss you, Love you,

JACK

more pictures!

February 21st, 2011

alriiiiiiiiiiighht family :)

VERY little time today, Elder Cirne and I have to leave in a few minutes to deliver a big box of folletos, tarjetas, dvds, libritos, missionary stuff to our district leader in his area. so I apologize! but I have to be brief.

Elder Cirne is hilarious haha he speaks a little english kind of! everyone learns a little bit in high school here-- like 'what's your name?' 'Where you from?' and 'Gi me fi!' (give me five) 'I speak englis so so'

and thats pretty much it. My comp however knows a lot more than that and we practice his english when we are in the appartment.

We have been working reallllllllllllllly hard this week and are kindof seeing results!!! we have a million names and references from members and everything, now it just comes down to finding the time to do everything.

Game day was a downer:/ no one came to church, even though we did EVERYTHING possible haha like practically knocking down their doors before church, and asking them for rides so they would have to go... we ended up having to take a taxi:/ by ourselves.

The good part is heavenly father always has a way of showing us that we are doing the right thing, even when we feel like nothing is coming of it. Last night we kncocked ONE LAST door before going back to our house, and the man invited us in before we could say a word. We taught the first lesson and set baptismal dates!!!

We also have an AWESOME investigator named jorge who reads the bom every night, understands everyyything we teach him, wants to get baptized, and rides a motorcycle.

LOVE you all, ad cant wait to read your letters tonight,

JACK

February 13th, 2011

Estimada familia mia,

¡¡¡Everythings changed again!!! well, not everything. CAMBIOS (transfers) yesterday and today! I am staying here in Nuevo Hermosillo, but Elder Florence se va! Upgraded to zone leader, Elder florence is catching a bus to Agua Prieta(about 4ish hours away, justtt across the border from Douglas Arizona) tomorrow morning!

My new comp, Elder Cirne, is very young in the mission, he has about 3 months and was serving in Guaymas! Elder Cirne is from Puebla, Mexico... I can tell I am going to learn a LOT this transfer haha a lot of spanish and a lot about missionary work too. with 6 months under my belt now I am senior comp, taking over the area! Im not going to lie, Im a little nervous.. as senior comp I have a lot more responsibility, I have to make all the phone calls, and pass all the dats, AND i am supposed to teach my companion about missionary work?.. what? I dont even speak his language!!!

Needless to say.. IM PUMPED! sometimes theres no better way to learn than just jumping in :)

Ends up we are not changing houses.. not for another two weeks at least. We still dont have any water.. we found out the reason though! The Elder who lived in our appartment before Elder Florence and I forgot topay the water bill 3 months in a row.. so the city took our water away!and isnt going to give it back for three months ha ha

right now we have a tinaco in our back yard that we filled with water.. so every night and every morning we fill buckets to wash the dishes and bathe and stuff.

And to give a litttttle bit of an idea whats going on, I will summarize a typical day for the missionaries here in Nuevo Hermosillo.

6:15 am, we wake up, hit our knees, personal prayers, comp prayer-- oh and fill the bucket w water

6:30 (Elder Florence and I) leave to go running

7:00 return, shower, get dressed

7:30, eat breakfast while listening to conference talks in spanish

breakfast-- Yogurt, cereal, sometimes eggs and toast! and lately Ive been buying grapefruit

8-9 personal study!

9-10 comp study!

10-11 language study!(if we donçt have appointments)

11:00 leave the house, grab an apple or a mandarine on the way

tracting... knocking... following the spirit... usually we have atleast one or two set appointments

2:00-3 pm la comida 'lunch' with a member family, share a spiritual message, ask for referrals, knock around their street, talk to their neighbors

back to work! tracting, teaching appointments, etc. we try really hard to have a set app. at 7 and 8

9-9:30, return to the house,PLAN, make calls, update area book and teaching records, grab a piece of bread, maybe some more yogurt, write in journal, get ready for bed and the next day

10:30 hit our knees, comp and personal prayer, go to bed

I've learned a lot this week about the imprtance of obedience... and always remembering the big picture. Why do we do the things we do? to what end? what can we do better? what can I learn form this? How can we improve?

OH and really quick, the bishop told us sat night at 9 that the next morning, at 8, we would each be giving 20 min talks in church! I also learned to stay on my toes and be ready for anything haha I hink it went okay:) I spoke first, we did a musical number, E florence played the piano, I sang, then he spoke.

muccchho amor,

ELDER SPENCER

Picture at the Temple

February 2nd, 2011

Alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighttt..
WHAT A WEEK. Sorry I didn`t get to email on monday! Pday was switched to today, wednesday, because we were awarded a special trip to the TEMPLE! (I`m not really sure why... from what I can tell and have heard, it is a verry rare priviledge) So today we had a zone temple trip with Pres. y Hermana Velez--everything was awwwesome except for the fact that we had to get up at 5:30 to take the hour bus ride to la colonia Pitic where the temple and the mission offices are. In a regular car it would probably only take 20 min I think.. Going to the temple in Spanish was very different ha ha but pretty much the coolest thing I've ever done. We took a zone picture outside of the temple, so I forwarded it to you guys - let me know if it comes through!
The photo of the Mexican flag flying outside our house DID come through :) I just showed it to Elder Florence, and he laughed. All he could say was,
``Mire! Mire! Verde! Vegitacion!`` <-- I think thats how you spell it
A lot happened this week, missionary work wise.. this week was 'bien pesada'... ``quite heavy`` in english ha ha
We had to drop one of the families we are teaching:/ and pretty much everything else just seemed to be really hard this week ha ha. Numbers were low.. people were mean... no one wanted to listen in the first place, let alone form two gringos.. and Elder Florence and I have really bad colds from showering in freezing cold water every morning ha ha. There is mold growing in our house from a leak in the appartment upstairs.. there was a party saturday night in front of, and behind our house haha they had a live band! and they played til about 4 in the morning!
Justtt about when Elder Florence and I were starting to think about being discouraged, Heavenly Father taught us a lesson. These past two days have been answers to our prayers. Monday morning after district meeting we decided to do something fun and different-- so we bought some chalk, borrowed a guitar from a member in Elder Church and Elder Garcia's area, then we brought some chairs from the church out onto the sidewalk by the bus stop infront of the church. While Elder Flroence and I played/sang 'jazzed up' hymns on the guitar, Elder Church and Elder Garcia drew a humungous chalk MASTERPIECE of el plan de salvacion. We talked to everyone who passed by, gave them church literature, invited them to church, and we got like a million referencias y direcciones y numeros y todo. Yesterday all of our set appointments fell, but we were still feeling pretty good from the day before so we went to follow up with some of the referrals--which turned into 4 new investigators, one of which, Sumla, told us she's excited to get BAPTIZED haha. When we got home last night all we could talk about was that it is ALWAYS worth it to keep working hard, and never give up or get frustrated when things get slow or difficult. This whole life, and the gospel, everything is about perseverencia, getting up when you fall, trying again when you fail, and never, ever, ever giving up or getting sad. This is the most important work in the world. This is the happiest message we could possibly be sharing with people, and Heavenly father always has our back.

Alright--I'm totally out of time! but really quick here is the mission office address and some of the answers to your questions--

Elder John David Spencer
Av. García Conde (number)301
Col. Pitic
Hermosillo, Sonora
C.P. 83150
MEXICO

January 24th, 2011

estimada familia mia,

WOW what a week!!! And an exciting email to read too! Bangkok THAILAND?! Cameron has to be going to the coolest misison in the worlddddd-- second to la Mision Mexico Hermosillo, ofcourse. And Mary!!! You are going to AFRICA?! What do I even say to that? haha when do you leave?? this summer?

Things are still moving really fast here! Never a dull or boring moment. Living in Mexico this past week has really made me realize how much I still have to learn ha ha in Spanish and being a missionary. That´s funny that the blog you foudn was Elder Forence´s! You´re pressumptions are correct, he is a GREAT misisonary. It is definitely an adventure, getting to know our area, learning spanish, navigating the bus system and everything together, two gringos.. and it is SO FUN. Ends up Elder Florence and I have even another connection! He got a letter from a girl named Kristen Gardner yesterday form the Zone Lords. This name sounded wayyyy too familiar to me.. I knew this girl.. but who?So i forgot about it. Later last night while he was reading the letter in the bathroom, he suddenly yelled, ´´Elder Spencer! is your first name Jack?!´´ I´m like, yeah! haha He read the letter out loud to me and it said, ´´Elder Florence, I just found out one of my good friends, Jack Spencer, from scout camp out on catalina island is in your mission! If you know him or meet him please say hi! You guys are really similar and will get along really well! etc etc etc´´ Soooo basically I spent some of the best summers of my life with Elder Florence´s best friend ha ha. So we told stories, and related experiences, and built our companionship unity HARD CORE last night ha ha. I love Elder Florence. We work really hard, we are REALLY obedient, we are as diligent as we know how, and we are starting to see the difference in the area! While walking mile after mile we talk about our favorite bands, and fun things we used to do before the mission--which all seem to be the same haha.

We have great investigators ( I talked about them last week) who are progressing, and we spend a LOT of time looking for new ones.

Just some fun, different stuff about the city in Mexico for those who didnt know already..

-there are lots of dirt roads

-the cities/towns are divided into little barrios/neighborhoods called colonias

-there are few driving/street laws... few obeyed anyway. but that isn´t for lack of police, because there are policia everyyywhere. Oh and ped.s def. do not have the rght of way.

-on pretty much every single corner there is either a little tienda(store) (ampm status, but just someone´s personal business, they usually live in the appartment above or behind the store) or an OXXO where everyone buys their cerveza

-alfombra (carpet) doesn´t seem to exist here

-there are dogs and cats running around everywhere

-there is alwayyyys music playing all day, all night, either from someones house, car, or who knows where

-on just about every otherrr corner, there is a tortilleria:) with the best tortillas de harina in the worldddd

-the food is beyond the best in the world

anddd I´m running low on time so I´ll stop there. Things are going GREAT here:) I love my area,and my companion, and our investigators, and th ward. We are having sonora´s famous carne asada a la casa del obisbo manana! then we are havign a carne asada with th elders quorum saturday, and we were just invited to another carne asada on sunday ha ha

I´m learning A LOT, little by little(just like isometrics dad), in spanish, and just plain A LOT when it comes t the gospel. Reading adn studying in spanish is like reading the scriptures all over again! with different words, and different descriptions, I feel like the stories and teahcings and lessons are completely new-and its awesome.

I´m healthy, I´m happy, and I promise I will look into the hep A shot.

You are all in my prayers, I miss you, I love you, I´m thinking of you,

-JACK

Pictures!

January 16th, 2011

Estimada familia,

MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where do I start?? (please, forgive me for sounding weird, I am very little time and I´ve been speaking 100% spanish for the past few days and it´s getting harder to switch back and forth! It´s also a little hard to type on this keyboard-some of the keys are in different places!) We took a prop plane down to Hermosillo, got off, got through customs (speaking spanish, which I thought was pretty impressive) and met our Mission Pres. and the APs waiting for us with a big banner, ´´bienvenidos a hermosillo!´´ We drove to the mission home, which is pretty close to the temple and the mission offices in a pretty nice part of the city. We talked and got to know the president and his wife-- they are both extremmmmmely wonderful people, and neither of them really speak english ha ha. Presidente can read english pretty dang well though, because in my interview w him he basically read my whole missionary application and what my bishop and stake president wrote to him in english, but said it in spanish. We stayed the night in the house where the APs live right next to the temple (all 8 of us, and some of the mexican missionaries that were going to be our companions!) the next day, we went and did some more paperwork w the government, took some pictures, signed some papers, etc etc etc, and finalllly we got our assignments. I am serving in colonia Nuevo Hermosillo, the area furthest south in Hermosillo :) it is kind of like my first area in Tucson, the ghetto always seems to be the furthest south! Elder Palfreyman is about a 7ish-maybe8 hour bus ride south in Navajoa!! out of the 8 new missionaries that came with me, I am the only one who got a gringo trainer, but it´s okay b/c he´s AWESOME. my companion is elder Florence, he´s from Ogden Utah, and has about 8 months in the mission. He waited for his visa about 2 months in the Salt Lake City South mission, and has only been here in mexico for about 4 months and his spanish is AWESOME. The area is pretty new to him too, he was just serving in Guaymas, so every day is pretty much an adventure!

AH there is so much to tell you in so little time!

We walk everywhere, except when we have to take the bus up into town for meetings about three times a week, Elder Florence is the DL. Prettymch all the other missionaries in our district and in our zone are Mexicanos, except for my good friend Elder Church, who is serving in the area just north of us. We are assigned to the Nuevo Hermosillo Ward, and the members seem to be awesome too!

Our apartment is a little ghetto. Elder Florence says that we might be moving to a different one sometime this transfer, but maybe not. It is definitely something to get used to, not ever drinking the water, not ever having any warm/hot water, and just simply not having water after 8ish pm haha.

I love it :)

Mexico is very different... very... Mexico.. haha and I am loving every second. We are teaching a few awesome families, one we tracted into, and another that reminds me of Cheaper by the Dozen-- 9 kids, 5 from one prev marriage and 4 from the other-- he´s a member, shes not. Everything just feels right here:) I don´t quite understand everything thats going on around me... somehow spanish seemed to be easier in Arizona haha but I just have the greatest feeling that Iam where I am supposed to be.

I´m safe, and I´m happy, and´we´re working hard.

I do not have the Mission Office address with me right now - we stopped by this little hole in the wall internet cafe - but the answer to your question is that I think it will be easier to send my mail to the mission office. From the looks of it, we don´t really have mailboxes, or really reliable mail services here.. supposedly letters take like a month to get home? I heard that they have to go through Mexico City or something.. We will experiment, and I will get all that information to you next pday. But for now, email is def. the most reliable form of communication.

Alright, we have to go catch the bus! But I love you all SOOOOOO much and I am so happy and excited to finally be here! I´ve already seen so many miracles, and i just have the best feeling that more are on their way. You´re all in my prayers,

Jack

January 11, 2010. He's Going To MEXICO!

Estimada familia,

I have not yet received the next Mexico safety letter, but I am looking forward to it. Also, I got the letter containing the letter from grandma Eccles that went to Mexico! It was funny to see all the stamps on it. Moms little note seemed to imply a package? I don't think I have received it yet if that it the case, and honestly I'm not quite sure when I'll receive it! -because- I got a call from Pres. Walker this morning and I'm leaving the Arizona Tucson Mission TOMORROW!

President says I'll be receiving a call or a visit from the APs later on today and they will have my very detailed flight/church travel information-- but it looks like I'm not going back to SLC after all! I am flying to Boise Idaho tomorrow, and I am being interviewed at the consulate there?... my interview is on Wednesday I believe, then I fly to Mexico on Thursday! Weird.

My phone call with president was very nice and funny this morning. He told me there are a bunch of details about my interview and specific answers the church wants me to give regarding how long I will be in Mexico and which cities I will be visiting -which may or may not be true- I'm positive he said I'm flying to Boise, and I'm 90% sure he said my interview is there, but I'll find the rest out when I talk to the APs later. I am traveling (at least to Boise) with another Visa waiter, Elder Rowand (going to Tampico Mex.)

Since I'm just going to Idaho for the next few days I figure I probably will not make a call home until Thursday. I am not quite sure what time I will be calling yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be staying at the mission pres.'s home in Boise, and that he will probably let me email home what time I'll be at the airport etc. when I get that information.

President Walker also just thanked me for my service here in the ATM (Arizona, Tucson Mission), and told me that I am welcome at any mission reunion. I thanked him for everything and told him that the ATM has been a huge part of my mission and that, honestly, I am going to miss it A LOT.
I am kind of nervous, scared, unsure, and REALLY REALLY EXCITED that I am finally crossing the border! We'll see how everything plays out..

This week has been AWESOME. As theSsahuarita zone, we set a bunch of records for lessons taught and new investigators found. Elders Hernandez and Loveless and I found this entire little hidden city of trailers way out in the middle of nowhere in the desert and found 4 new investigators! Then found 3 more in a little town called Amado a little farther south. The work has been exploding here, and our two strongest investigators have been coming to church! Both Alicia Lopez (a really sweet old woman from Cananea Mex), and Felizitas (another really awesome lady who takes care of her 5 adorable grandchildren), have baptismal dates for the 29th and have their interviews tomorrow night!
Miracleof the week-- Felizitas really wanted to come to church, but her son had her car, and she was taking care of all 5 of the kids (3 under 8 and 2 in car seats). We had pretty much called all of the members in the branch who HAD cars and none of them could drive that far, or fit that many. FINALLY we got a hold of a wonderful couple, the Rehms! She could just barely fit all 6 of them in her SUV if we drove her husband in our truck with us. The Rehms live more than a half an hour away from felizitas but were ready and willing to help. Christlike, selfless members are the key to success in missionary work.

Well, time is running short, and I still want to send a few pictures! looks like I might actually get a chance to call home soon! I love and miss you all. David's homecoming sounds like it was a blast!
oh and I got my package from the Hammonds which was AWESOME. Lots of really good pictures of Ben and will and two really great letters! Ben! expect a letter from Mexico soon!

My time spent here in Arizona has been amazing. I've learned so much and grown to love the people and the work here. I love being a missionary, I love the gospel, and I love the lord. If we just try to be the tiniest bit more like Him each day, we're doing alright:)

much love and lots of excitement,

ELDER SPENCER

January 3, 2011

Sorry there was no email yesterday! This one will be short too because I'm a little low on time---

Today we went to the Temple in Gila Valley (I'm one of the really lucky ones that got to go more than once a quarter because I got transferred) so we worked yesterday and P-day was moved to today, Tuesday. We just stopped by Pima Community College to email on our way back home and we still have to go shopping and then we have three solid appointments tonight on top of that!

The Temple was absolutely incredible, again, and it was really cold in Gila Valley this morning, it felt like Utah. We borrowed the mini-van the Elder's serving on the UofA campus use so that we could fit all seven of us for the district temple trip. I'm not completely sure why the university campus elders have a minivan when all the rest of us get sweet ford fusions and pick-up trucks... maybe president gave them a van because it's such a chick-turn-off to lessen temptation? That must be it.

After the temple we ate at a 12 dollar pizza buffet that was half off because it was 1 oclock, then half off again because the manager is a member! So lunch was 3 dollars for all you can eat! Then there was free dairy cream because the manager there is a member too, and all the local young women make up the employees. Is this what it's like to be a missionary in Utah?

Then we stopped by the house where Pres. Spencer W Kimball grew up in on the way home and took pictures! The white handbook says to avoid looking like tourists, but we thought this had to be an exception.

This week has been really good, and yes realllly cold. Not nearly as cold as Johnny must be on his mission, but there was a day when I wore my sweater and my new Christmas PJ pants under my suit! Elder Hernandez and I keep the car therm. in centigrade so he actually knows what temp. it is and so I can get used to centigrade before I go to Mexico -- yesterday morning the car said it was -4degrees C! I'm not quite sure what that is in degF but it was pretty dang cold.

Alright I'm running out of time! but really quick exciting news:

Our two most solid investigators are making leaps and strides, one said she wanted to be baptized, YES! and the other came to church on Sunday!!! She's also giving me some referrals to take to Mexico!

Speaking of Mexico, I got a call from president Walker the other day saying that he got an email saying I will probably be getting my visa this week and he will call me one of these days to give me my travel plans.... !!!!! That's all I know so far but somehow I'll keep y'all updated as I learn more.

Much love,

Elder Spencer

Pictures! (more to come)

December 26, 2010

estimada familia,

It was so good to talk to you guys on Saturday! We did a lot of Christmas caroling after we talked on the phone, then we went to the mission home for about an hour and ate dinner at a few members houses that night. The mission home casa abierta was awesome. Sometimes I feel the slightest bit jipped being a visa waiter, because I feel like I never got to know presidente or his wife;. I just went straight to work when I got here (which is true). So it was really nice to go up to the mission home (a huge mansion up in north Tucson) and chat with Pres and Sis Walker. I especially had a very nice conversation with Sister Walker- she made sure I called home and told my mom that I loved her.

President and Sister Walker are from Utah (somewhere in the mountains I think) and have been married since a few months after Pres. got home from HIS mission to Chile! They dated in high school and she waited for him. They have lots of very cute stories about letters they sent to one another and things. Presidente was in Chile right around the time of the 'coup'(sp?) so I guess it was really dangerous to be an American down there at that time! He likes to tell stories about death threats against missionaries and exciting things like that.

On Christmas eve we Christmas caroled and had tamales and pazole at a member's home. There are Seven missionaries in the sahuaro branch (don't ask me, I'm not really sure why it's spelled with an 'h') so sometimes it's a little harder to find members to feed us-- but EVERYONE offered to feed us for noche buena (Christmas eve) and Christmas day. We built a huge bon fire on Christmas eve, y los Rahm (the Rahm family) gave us presents at their house for Christmas dinner! Christmas was intense because Elder Hernandez was waiting all day to call his family in Mexico! The plan was for him to call at la casa Baraja during dinner, because they had a phone plan for calling Mexico, but it ended up it was only their cell phones! President had JUST sent us all a text message about how it was against mission rules to use members cell phones, even on Christmas. Elder Hernandez was really worried so we started calling around the branch, asking if anyone had calling to Mexico from their HOUSE, FINALLY the Rahms said that they did! We called president, and asked him if it was okay if we stayed out past curfew so Elder Hernandez could call Mexico City and he said of course that was okay!

Finally Elder Hernandez got to call his family, and I got to meet his mom! I didn't want to, but she insisted that she had to test my Spanish and he basically threw the phone at me. She was really nice and welcomed me to Mexico even though I wasn't there yet:) I was really nervous but it was really cool to talk to someone in Mexico City!

Overall, Christmas was a BLAST. What did everyone get for Christmas at home?

To answer your questions, church at the sahuaro branch was GREAT. All the members (though few) are awesome and were very welcoming. I understood all the talks too! which made me feel pretty good. As I said before, we meet in the same building as the Los Reales branch, so I got to see a lot of the members and actually and old investigator family from my old area as well! It was good to see Elders Burns and Kinsey and their new companions too. Oh yeah! Elder Barlow and I are reunited! Elder Barlow moved down to the sahuaro branch from the Los Reales Branch too! Thankfully all the new missionaries didn't have to get up and talk, but I have a feeling we won't be so lucky next week...

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas:) I love and miss you all and was very glad to hear everyone's voices on Saturday!

December 19th, 2010 (I think)

estimada familia mia,

TRANFERS! I am officially in my 3rd area! I am now serving in the Saguaro Branch (Spanish), in an enormous area, we have a pickup truck b/c there are lots of dirt roads and washes and things, but we live about 2 minutes from my last pad. I am SO EXCITED to be in a Spanish speaking branch again! I've heard great things about the Saguaro branch, and we meet in the same building we did in the Los Reales branch up by the airport, 15-20 minutes up the 19! Hopefully I will be able to see some people from my first area.

I am in a trio once again, but I really like my companions so far. There is Elder Lovelis, he's pretty green this is his 2nd transfer, I just met him so I'm not quite sure where he's from, I think it's Utah. Then there is Elder Hernandez, from Mexico City!!!!! I've been praying alltransfer that if it be God's will, I would be companions with elder Hernandez because he's a Mexican native, and it WORKED! Elder Hernandez is the DL, he's kind of small and quiet, but hilarious and his English is quite good for being a year old in the mission and knowing basically nothing before he came. It's pretty safe to say I am SO EXCITED for this next transfer.

(Really quick tidbit on the visa situation--- supposedly the elders in Nogales talked to somebody who works for the consulate or something down there and he told the visa waiters there that the offices would be closed til Jan. 20th or so)

oh yeah, and my new address is 19190 S. Alpha

Green Valley, AZ App. #1201

I don't know the zip code

This has been a really busy week! We've been doing lots of service, and I got to ride a zip line! It probably wasn't the safest thing to do as a missionary trying to get out of the country.. but who gets to go ZIP-LINING on their mission?! One of the member families up on the ranch, the Harris', had built it over a wash on their property. I'm going to try to send pictures, I'm at the library again, so we'll see if I can figure the computer out.

A couple sad things happened this week.. Elder Holyoak and I had to do some investigator drop lessons for the first time. I guess it was more like them dropping us. Asi es la vida. The work is still moving along though! We also went to two baptisms of some of the investigators in the areas next to ours that we had gotten to know on splits and exchanges and things.

I love and miss you all : ) and I am really excited to call for Christmas!

please send the rest of the family my love,

Elder Spencer