Jan 2021 Here we come! Jan 4, 2021

Happy New Year everyone! It is crazy one year has already come and gone. 

This week the missionaries in our stake celebrated our achievments and efforts for the LightTheWorld campaine with an extra PDay! We played basketball, spikeball, and volleyball. We had a pot luck lunch and even watched Napleon Dynamite and MacFarland USA! Both great movies and it was nice to see them again. 

I had a training meeting with all the other missionaries who came in at the same time as me! It was so wonderful to see my friends from the online MTC again online! (Elder Perkins, Sister Hay, Sister Rogers, and Elder Tomlinson YOUGUYSARETHEBEST!) We recieved instruction from President Strong which is always amazing. He is the man called of God to lead this mission at this time. He asked us to find our island. Something that motivstes us to keep rowing towards even though we are tired and discouraged. Something so strong that we will continue to work and not give up and go home. I have thought about what my island/s are. Family, Jesus Christ and the people are definitently islands for me. What pushes you to keep going when you want to give up?

I am a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have been called of HIm to spread His Gospel to His people; my brothers and sisters. I have a work to do. He is at the head. He goes before me. He knows my name. 

I love you all, Elder Spencer

p.s. I have been asked by the mission to have any letters/packages sent to my apartment address (below) instead of the mission office address. So if you would like to send me anything for the next 5 weeks at least please send it to this address. Thank you! For those of you who did send items to the mission office I will get them soon! It might just take a while :) 

302 Mills Road Apt A Clarksville AR 72830

Pictures!

Eggs with smoothie

Stake basketball

Napoleon Dynamite!!

Arkansas: My home away from home, Dec 21, 2020

Christmas is four days away!!! Woohoo!! Time to celebrate! I hope you all will have a memorable Christmas this year to end what has been a year to remember for the rest of our lives. I hope you can be with the ones you love.

Arkansas is a state. There are people here like you and me. Some speak Spanish, some speak Marshallese. They worship on Saturdays or Sundays and most all believe in God. The Bible is their favorite book or so I have heard. What they have is shared with others who have less. Hearts are big and helping hands are many, here in the land of plenty. With smiles on their faces that would stretch for miles you wouldn't think a thing in the world could break them down. The pray to God on bended knee and thank Him for the blessings from above. With lots of Amens they unite together as brothers and sisters in one big family. Arkansas people. I am grateful for you.

Amazing folks down here. 

Something from my week! Elder Decker and I felt inspired to bring some holiday cheer to residents in a retirement home here in Clarksville. With coloured pencils and paper in hand we drew some pictures and wrote some messages of gladness. We biked over to the home and wished them a Merry Christmas! Hopefully we were able to lift a burden that day. 

Have a merry Christmas everyone! Stay safe and see ya next time! Love, Elder Spencer 

My and my trainer: both with angel wings

Strawberry bluff close up

America with fried chicken 

A really cool bridge behind me all lit up

Strawberry bluff panorama! So beautiful 

A Journey church christmas concert

A sweet close up

Us with our bikes locked out of our apartment 

13 mile bike ride with the brakes on! Dec 7, 2020

It is December everyone! Time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season. He is the greatest gift we could ever receive this year and every year to come. His sacrifice is infinite.

Elder Decker and I had bikes this week! We car share with the language Elders in Clarksville. So we had an appointment with a less active Sister in Lamar which is five miles of rolling hills away. In a car, no sweat. On a bike, more difficult. On a bike with brakes that are rubbing against the tire, very very difficult. My situation on this 10 mile round trip was the latter. I did not know how Elder Decker could be so far in front of me. I was peddling as hard has I could but my bike just had no glide and I was not getting anywhere. The hills did not make it any easier. I was sore and tired. To make matters worse I had a vest, and a  jacket on along with a bulky shoulder bag. To say the least I felt pretty burdened. 

But as a was riding up a hill by myself (elder Decker was way ahead of me) a few songs popped into my head. "I'm Trying to be like Jesus" first came to mind. Jesus Christ carried the heaviest burden of all. He carried the sins of the world not a small shoulder bag. Than, "The Spirit of God." The pioneers had to cross mountains in snow and ice on foot, not hills in beautiful weather with a bike. Finally, "A Poor Wafaring man of Grief." Joseph Smith died for the message of the Gospel shortly after this hymn was sung. Surely I could deliver the message of the Gospel to this dear sister in Lamar. All in all, I was able to take courage and strength from these songs and I endured to the appointment. (The other three miles was to the church after our appointment. A member at the church was able to identify the brake that was rubbing and causing our great problem)

Now, I am not comparing my biking trial to the handcart companies, Joseph Smith's martyrdom, or Jesus Christs Atonement because nothing is greater than those in magnitude to suffering, but I am saying I was able to draw strength from their examples. I was able to push myself to the limit because they pushed themselves to the limit. 

So when you are feeling down or that you can't go on, remember Jesus Christ felt that. He asked His burden to be taken from Him as well. But Jesus found strength in His love for YOU. He bled for YOU. He died for YOU. So this Christmas season, take five minutes to ponder about His sacrifice. He gave us the greatest gift: the Atonement. 

I love you all, Elder Spencer

Pictures:

Slow Cooker Breakfast Cassrole

Our tree flew off the trailer on the way to the parade! No one was hurt!

At the end of our 13 mile bike ride

 Our Lighttheworld float for Clarksville annual Christmas parade!

I just gotta quarantine! Nov 30, 2020

Hello all! Happy Thanksgiving for those of you in the United States! Sorry True North Strong and Free. No Thanksgiving in November for you. Yours was in October 🇨🇦🇨🇦

I was sick this week. No fun at all. Elder Decker and I had to isolate until I was told to go to the hospital to get checked out. Strep throat: Positive. Covid: Negative. I am so grateful I did not have Covid. The Pharmacy gave me some antibiotics for my throat! It is feeling better already. So take it from me. Stay safe. Be smart. I sometimes am still not very smart (especially with other missionaries) with being Covid safe, but just try your best! 

Because we had to isolate, we got food brought to our door from ward members! Our fridge is literally full! God really does look after our temporal needs as we do His work! He is mindful of you. Your desires and dreams. He will help you. 

I invite you all to visit lighttheworld.org 

This website has a calendar that has activities you can do each day to help spread the Light of Christ this Christmas season. It starts tomorrow so get ready!

Love you all, Elder Spencer

Our ten pound bag of rice! (Stanley Cup anyone?)

Amazing Thanksgiving food!

Reading the big bible 

A little taste of home

I'm gonna battle, gonna fight, win or lose I'm going to be alright! Nov 23, 2020

Well this is it! I am in Arkansas! 

My flights were great. All on time, and I got to meet some neat people. When I landed in Fayetteville, some missionaries picked up me and one other elder. We drove to a church where all the other new missionaries were. We met our President and his wife. We had a wonderful meal and had an orientation. That night I slept in the mission home with all the new elders. 

In the morning we had a transfer loop! We all piled into vans and drove around to different churches to get dropped off and meet our trainers! I was dropped off on the first stop and I met my trainer and three other language elders in our same area. (Clarksville is where I am currently serving. It is right near Fort Smith Arkansas) My trainers name is Elder Decker! What a great guy! He is about my height and he is from Missouri! (Not too far away from his home town!) We have gotten along well together and we have had some great companion studies. We are both new to the area so we are just trying to learn about the people here and get to know the members of the Clarksville ward. 

Elder Decker and I had a neat experience this week. In fact you could say it was a miracle. One evening we were driving to pick up the language Elders to bring them back to their apartment (we share a car.) While driving we received a call from a member of the ward. He asked if we could go to the hospital to give a sister a blessing. She is in her second battle with cancer and was in a lot of pain. We said "of course we could" and headed to the hospital. We arrived there and went to her room. I have never given a blessing before so Elder Decker had to pull up the format for me so I could remember. My friends, as soon as I began the spirit took over. I spoke the words that came to my mind and my eyes wept. I could feel strongly the love God had for His child. It was truly amazing. God works with His children. He knows you and is there for you.

I am enjoying my time here and I miss you all. Stay safe and remember that God is with you, even "on your left and on your right." (D and C 84:88)

Love, Elder Spencer

Calling home:

Elder Decker!

Elder Spencer, Nov 18, 2020

We are so glad your missionary arrived here in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission. Here is a picture of their arrival with President and Sister Strong. Enjoy!

 

God loves you! Nov 14, 2020

Another day, but not another dollar haha. Missionary work is free of cost. In fact, I pay to be on a mission. For most this makes little sense. Why would I give up two years of my life, when I could use those years to work or go to school. The answer: God is our loving Heavenly Father. We are His children.  He loves us and wants the best for us. I know this to be true and I want other people to know it too. So that is why I am a missionary. 

This week, Elder Perkins and I had a wonderful time in our TRC's! We were able to have follow up lessons with everyone we taught last week. It was neat to see their progress even after only one week! It was a little sad to tell them that we won't be able to teach them again, because on Wednesday, Elder Perkins and I fly out. 

As a district we had a really cool impression. In a devotional, a speaker challenged missionaries to kneel when you pray. It shows God the respect He deserves. SO as a district we took that to heart (or to knees haha.) For each prayer we had in class we would all kneel down. It was a powerful feeling. It was like we were all united and together even though we are all over the West Coast in geographical location. It was wonderful. 

I know Jesus Christ lives and loves you.

See ya in Arkansas! Elder Spencer    

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