New Area, New Time, November 1, 2021

Hello everyone!! I hope you have all had a great week!

This week was my last week in Springfield, MO. I am so grateful for the time I had there. I made many memories and friends. 

Being in a new area is almost like being a new missionary again! I don't know anyone, where anything is or what the routine is each day. I am having to learn it all. It is a good shift but a challenging one. I look forward to finding what the Lord needs me to do in this area. I am eager to find how I can contribute to the work in this area. 

One highlight from my new area was a Boo Fest! People walked down the main street with costumes and got candy from stands that were set up on the sides of the road. We set up a chalkboard (see below) with some questions on it like "Favorite Sweet? And What Helps you overcome fear?" It was so fun to see the little kids in their costumes and seeing what people wrote on the board! 

Hope you are all well! Love, Elder Spencer 

Caught a fish!

Elder Peterson and I

                                                                                    Chalkboard

                                                                   My shirt burning: One YEAR

Lost My Residency, October 25, 2021

Hello everyone! Hope you had a great week!

We got transfer calls this week and I am leaving Springfield, MO after serving here for just over 8 months. I was thinking I was going to leave but it is going to be surreal when I finally do drive away. I have had so many experiences in this city that have taught me many different lessons. I have formed many friendly relationships with people here and I will miss them. I am so grateful I have had as much time as I have had here. It has been all worth it. 

My new area will be Alma Arkansas. It is actually only 40 minutes away from my first area, Clarksville. So I will be going back down to my old stake and I am way excited about that! An opportunity to serve the people of Alma will be another time to learn new things and gain experience through acts of faith. Elder Jacks will do a great job leading out the work in Springfield. I will be doing my best to ensure I tell him everything he needs to know about the area but most of his learning will come through experience and the Spirit. 

Remember that when you are trying to help and strengthen others be patient, caring, long suffering, and diligent (Alma 32:43) 

Love you all! Elder Spencer

The Hermanas made me graham cracker crust cheesecake with cherries just like my mom makes for my birthday!

My birthday tiara and sash

                                    Pumpkin carving with the district and some other missionaries!

Members, October 18, 2021

Hello everybody! 

This week what was brought to the forefront of my mind and work was members. Those who are in the church and have callings in the ward. Members play an important role in what I get to do as a missionary. They help me find people to teach the gospel to, serve people who need help and feed us dinner! They give us a ride when we need it and check up on us to see if we have everything we need. I have had many amazing experiences with members and they have been a huge help and support to me while I have been away from home and in a new environment. When we have been in a pinch they have pulled through and delivered us a meal or given us a ride! However, not all the members are this way and that is what I ran into this week. How can I help bring more light and love into the lives of the members who aren't as involved in missionary work and the joy it brings. So if you have any ideas on what missionaries can do to help members love, serve and do missionary work. 

Some sad news. Our friend Stephanie and her son have decided that they do not want to have any more lessons with us..... rejection is never easy and it is sad when we can't share what has brought me so much joy to others. They have their choice so I can only hope they can use it later to come closer to Christ, because when all is said and done coming to Christ is the MOST IMPORTANT THING ANYONE CAN EVER DO. He heals, helps, lifts and comforts. Without Him I couldn't do what I do. So please, say a prayer or read His word. Look at a picture of Him, think about what He has done for you. 

I love you all! Jesus loves you too! Elder Spencer

Facebook, October 11, 2021

Hey everyone! Here is an update on my week!

Elder Jacks and I did a lot of work on Facebook. We had more people reacting to our service posts so a lot of our time was spent responding and reaching out to them. We asked people for their address and sent many refferals to other missionaries in the mission. One of my young missionary leaders recommended that we direct message people who 'liked' our service post. Well we did that and actually had some success. One lady named Stephanie we messaged asking if she knew anyone who needed help. She said she didn't. We than asked her if she would like to hear a message about Jesus Christ. She said she would! So we taught her the message of the restoration over a video call! That was pretty amazing. Technonolgy is amazing. She said she was interested in our message because of her 14 year old son. He has been reading the Bible and wants to go to church. We are going to meet with both of them tomorrow. Woohoo!

I wanted to share a spiritual thought from a hymn we sang on Sunday at church. The hymn number is 185, titled Reverently and Meekly Now. This hymn is special because it is actually from Christs perspective on His atonement for us. Verse 4 reads: "At the throne I intercede; For thee ever do I plead. I have loved thee as thy friend; with a love that cannot end. Be obedient, I implore, prayerful, watchful evermore, And be constant unto me, that thy Savior I may be." Jesus is our friend. He wants us to return to live with God again. We need to be obedient to His commands and pray and watch always for the darts of the advesary. A powerful scripture to look up that is a note at the bottom of this hymn is D&C 45:3-5. Powerful.

Love you all! Stay safe through Christ! Elder Spencer

Service Post, October 4, 2021

Hello everybody! Did you have a good day? Hope you did!

This week Elder Jacks and I had the prompting to make a service post on Facebook and post it to various groups in Springfield, MO. It was just a picture of us with this caption:

Hey Springfield! My friend and I offer free service and a message about Jesus Christ! We can help you move, work in your yard or anything else you might need. If you have the tools we can do the work! 🙂

Elder Jacks and I sent it into 4-6 different groups and had a lot more people that responded to them then I thought! They would comment that they needed help with x or y. Sometimes they would say something like "Oh this is such a wonderful thing you are doing for the community." It felt really good to have so many positive things come out of a service post. We were able to send many of these people who needed help to the missionaries who covered their prospective areas.

This week Elder Jacks and I met with a man named Ryan! Elder Jacks believes the house we were at was a 'crib' or a gang hangout, so that was interesting. We talked on the doorstep with Ryan about our purpose in life. He said he wants to get back on the straight and narrow and come to Jesus. We gave him a Book Of Mormon and invited him to read the Introduction! He said he would before we met on Friday. Sadly he didn't show up on Friday so we were only able to meet with him once this week. We are going to try to meet with him again this week!

We brought cookies over to Janie's home. Last time we tried to visit her she shut the door on us and I didn't think she was going to be very receptive. But we tried again this week and what a great experiince! She said she was on quarantine because of Covid and because of that she felt lonely. She said she loved us coming over and has been reading the Book Of Mormon. We will be able to talk to her about that! I am so glad she is willing to have us come over.

General Conference was this weekend! What a wonderful time. My faith was strengthened by the faithfulness of others in stories conveyed in conference. Specifically about the Tongan elders who have been serving for 3 years and the sisters for 2 years because they literally cannot go home. That is an incredible sacrifice. Whenever I think my mission is long or hard I just need to think of that. Wow.

I wanted to share this song/video with you! I have been listening to it non stop. It is a powerful message about loving and caring for those who hurt us or cause us trouble. Come Unto Jesus. He will heal you.

Come Unto Jesus

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2019-12-0080-come-unto-jesus-1080p?lang=eng

Love you all! Elder Spencer

The Movers, September 27, 2021

Hello all! It has been a great day!

This week Elder Jacks and I had a lot of visits with members. That was really nice to be in their homes. I am strengthened when I am with them. The memories and experiences are ones I will remember on my mission.

On Saturday Elder Jacks and I were movers! We helped 3 different families move something into a truck or down some stairs that day. It was a lot. At one home a family was moving from their home to a new one in our ward boundary. They had a huge uhaul truck and we loaded it all the way up. Couches, fridge, freezer, gun safe, and mattresses were the huge items we moved. It was definitely my workout for the day! I always get joy out of doing service for others. If we hadn't been able to help these it would have been a lot more difficult if not impossible for them to move. The Lord blessed me with strength and a healthy body to be able to help and assist in His work. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40)

We had a zone conference this week with President and Sister Collins! Oh how wonderful they are. I feel so much love and care from them. I know they love me and want what is best for me. Our stake president also came in and addressed us. That was amazing. He bore his testimony about making a difference and the Lord assigning me to a specific area to touch a person in need. He said even if you don't always see the effects of what you do you touch someone because of what you do. That hit me. It makes me want to be a better example of what I believe.

I wanted to share a scripture from Jacob 6. Verse 4 reads "... how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long;..." Gods hands are always stretched out to us. We sometimes forget God or feel like He is not listening. But He is right there. His hand is outstretched. He is inviting you to take it. Just like Peter walking on the water. When you start to sink because of the wind and waves around you, cry out to your Savior and He will come. Act in faith, nothing doubting.

Hope you all are doing well!

If you have a free weekend I would invite you to go onto churchofjesuschrist.org and tune into general conference on Saturday and Sunday! It will be a wonderful time to here from a living prophet and apostles.

Love, Elder Spencer