Springfield Permanent Resident, Sept 6, 2021

Hello everyone! I hope you have had a good one. 

I am staying in Springfield, MO and will complete the training of Elder Jacks. I am thankful for the opportunity I have to continue my service here, especially because of our friend Laura. We experienced two miracles with her this week

The Lord's hand is in the details of our lives and I saw that in Laura's life this week. There was a baptismal service this week for another ward and Laura was able to come. She was able to see what a baptism and confirmation was like and she is eager for her own. She sat quietly and soaked everything in. Elder Jacks and I gave her a tour of the church building afterwards and showed her the primary room where her kids would be going the next day. I think that helped her see the building to know where she would be going. We talked to her a little bit about the temple and family history work and she really loved that idea. Then came Sunday. Another miracle happened. Laura came in with her two kids, Caden and Emry. They sat down by a family with other kids and the ward was very helpful. They were kind to Laura and made her feel at ease. A brother got up to bear his testimony. I had noticed that before the meeting his wife had been talking to Laura. In all my 7 months here in Springfield I had never had a visit with this member family until 2 days earlier on Friday. In the visit with them we asked them to pray for our friend Laura because she is preparing for baptism. Well it turns out that Laura and this member family are long time friends who used to skydive together every week in Arkansas more than 10 years ago! They reunited and caught up with each other. It was amazing to see. The family helped Laura with bringing her kids to primary and sat by her during Sunday School! An instant fellow-shipper and friend to Laura; every missionaries dream. Caden and Emry really enjoyed colouring temples in primary and want to come back! It was an amazing day.

I love this gospel and I love the happiness it brings to people. I have felt the happiness this week.

Love you all, Elder Spencer

The Spirit, August 30th, 2021

Hello! What a wonderful week

Our friend Laura has accepted an invitation to be baptized. We had an incredible lesson with her over zoom with a member. We taught her about why we need the Book Of Mormon and a current prophet today. The thought about a living prophet on the earth excites her. She loved reading the Book Of Mormon this week and asked how she could teach her two kids (8 and 6) about the Book Of Mormon. The member came in clutch telling her about the Book Of Mormon videos and primary. She really loved that! We read about the remission of sins in Acts and explained how the prophet Alma felt when he received a remission of sins (see Alma 36:18-20) She said she would love to experience that. Elder Jacks invited her to be baptized to receive a remission of her sins. She said yes. As soon as this act of faith was preformed the Spirit filled her heart. She began to cry. She said "I have never felt this way before." The member said "I get to feel this way all the time and as you work towards being baptized and receive the Holy Ghost you can feel this way all the time as well." It was a moment of joy and gratitude. I testify that the Spirit is real. Joy, peace, and happiness are fruits of the Spirit. As we seek after that which is good, we can feel the Spirit. 

God loves you. He showed you His love be sending His Son Jesus Christ. Hope, healing and joy can come through Christ as we repent and exercise faith in Him.

I love you all. Elder Spencer 

When you're rejected; when you're accepted, August 23, 2021

Hello! This week has been all over.

I felt the twin connection a lot this week as I biked almost everyday 😀🚲 the extra exercise was great and there is nothing like some fresh air in the lungs.

The biking became difficult after we had a sad lesson with my dear friend Bryan. In my six months here I have spent the most time out of everyone with Bryan. I have grown close to him and at one point he was on date for baptism. Some of my best teaching moments have been with this man and I saw him grow a lot. This week it came crashing down in my face. He said the Book of Mormon sounded like a fairy tale and that the devil led a man named Joseph Smith to write the book. He said he doesn't need a prophet to worship but that God is all he needs. That was a blow to me. He said he used to look forward to our meetings. 

We had a similar struggle with Elijah and a friend named Jeremiah this week as well. They stated that we believe in different gods. I have really come to learn a lot, but still have to much to learn about other people's beliefs.

The highlight of my week was our zoom lesson with our dear friend Laura! It was our first lesson with her and it couldn't have gone better. She is so prepared to receive the gospel. We read the introduction to the Book of Mormon and she loved it! She said she wants peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. She wants to come to church and be baptized by one holding the authority of God. She asked us about coming to church! This stands as a testament to me that the Lord is preparing people on the earth, in the area in which you live, to receive the restored Gospel. All we have to do is find them.

Love you all! Elder Spencer 

Reunion, August 16, 2021

 What a week! I got over my ailment and I feel great! 

This week we had a tri-zone conference with our mission president, his wife and two quorum of seventy! Talk about amazing. It was wonderful to be at the feet of these amazing people. We were taught and edified by the spirit. I felt nourished and energized. One thing I learned was finding is so important and I don't do enough of it. Finding is something I need to be doing all day, looking for every opportunity to share the restored gospel with people! Its not just something we do from 4-6pm. It's all the time. I am going to work on finding all day and not just a small portion of it. Setting goals of how many people I am going to talk to each day should help.

I was able to reunite with my old companions Elder Hatch and Elder Buhman at the conference. What a wonderful thing. I love those to missionaries. I gave them a big hug.

Had another meeting with Ian and Elijah. We really got caught in the slog of secondary questions and the spirit was not there. I did not teach simple gospel truths and I was very confused and frustrated. There was not direction to which the lesson was going and I felt feeling gloomy. I did not feel love and compassion for Ian and Elijah. The teachings in the Book Of Mormon are clear and simple to understand. They are plain. This is a gospel in which children can be taught and can understand well enough to make a commitment to baptism at the age of eight. That blows me away sometimes.

Hope you all had a great week! Love you all! Elder Spencer 

Testament, August 9, 2021

Hello! This week was a mixed week!

Elder Jacks and I made a huge push for finding new people to share the gospel with. Lots of contacting people in areabook, friending people on Facebook and responding to referrals. We had success in two out of the three! 

We received a few referrals and one of them was a lady named Entiwisle. She needed some help in her front flower bed. When we arrived she gave us some tools and showed us what she wanted us to do. She was very grateful we were there. My companion is very good at working hard and was able to cut out some bushes with a rusty hand saw in no time. I was impressed. I clipped some over grown plants and pulled some weeds. She eventually wants to put some landscape fabric down to prevent the grass from invading the flower bed. We will help her again and share the light of Christ through our examples and words. 

We contacted a lot of people in Areabook and one of them was Elijah. I first met Elijah during a Book Of Mormon experiment in May. He wanted to meet with us and he brought his friend Ian! We talked about many things with them. Grace, the restoration, apostasy, and Jesus Christ to summarize it. They were both very kind and listened to what we had to say. They liked how we were comfortable answering their questions and sharing our beliefs. The main point out of everything we talked about was the Book Of Mormon. They have a lot of trouble accepting the book and told us to challenge the Book Of Mormon to see if what it taught corresponded with the Bible. We are going to read Acts, Romans, and Ephesians to see how the doctrine we teach in the Book Of Mormon goes with what is taught in these books. We invited them to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. I know the Book Of Mormon is true. It teaches about Jesus Christ, the same Jesus that is in the Bible. He is my Saviour and Redeemer. I am so grateful for the testimony the Book Of Mormon is of Jesus Christ and His divine role in our path back to live with our Heavenly Father.

I got sick at the end of the week. Sore throat, stuffy nose, headache and weakness. The mission nurse advised that I go get tested for Covid and strep and that I should quarantine until I got the results back. The Hermanas found out I was sick and they brought us lunch, dinner and dessert! A member in our ward also brought medicine and some food. The Hermanas got our groceries for us today. I am so grateful for good people. I have received many blessings because of wonderful people who God send my way! So thank you to all the amazing people put there!

Stay happy and healthy out there! 

Love ya, Elder Spencer

Giant Bug

The Hermanas made us some brownies!

                                                                         Zone Call at 6:35am

New Missionaries, August 2, 2021

Hello! I hope you have all had a great week! Mine was a good one!

I got to say, new missionaries are wonderful. My new missionary is wonderful. They are full of the spirit and faith. They are super excited to share the gospel with everybody in sight and want to bring many souls unto Christ. My faith has been strengthened as I have observed these young missionaries. It is amazing what a few weeks of the MTC and innocence can do. 

I said goodbye to Elder Hatch this week. He was a great companion. I will miss him. We laughed a lot and worked hard; and our hard work has brought forth fruit in Spanish. A new Spanish area has been opened here in Springfield by two hermanas! It is very exciting and wonderful to see the Lords hand in the work. 

Elder Jacks is the new missionary I am training. He is from Las Vegas. He taught me how to play poker, has a younger brother and a younger sister and he loves lightning bugs! He is a good missionary and is prepared to be here. I will basically try to help him gain experience and guide him. The Spirit will help him learn the most as a new missionary. 

A highlight from this week was a GOLDEN referral we received on Saturday! Her name is Laura and she reffered herself! She wants to read and discuss the Book Of Mormon and we set up an appointment with her tomorrow morning over zoom! We are way excited! We hope she is sincere and really wants to learn! 

I love you all! 

Love, Elder Spencer

Me with Elder Jacks!

A picture with almost all my companions all in the same place! (Merrill, Hatch, and Decker)

Goodbye Elder Hatch

                                                                                My zone!

It's a Boy! July 26, 2021

Hello everyone! I hope this week was a good one for you! 

Transfer calls came last night and I found out I am staying in Ingram Mill and training a new missionary! I will be receiving a missionary that is fresh out of the MTC. Pretty amazing. I remember when I first came out to the field and met my trainer. Now it is my turn to be the trainer. I am feeling ready for this opportunity but also not because I have never done this before so we shall see. Learn by experience right?! 

I had an amazing study on the power of the word of God this week. I was reading in 2 Nephi 1: 24-27. This is where Lehi is talking to his eldest sons Laman and Lemuel. He is talking about their relationship with their younger brother Nephi, which has never been good. Lehi says "I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God and your eternal welfare... his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities." That is powerful. It reminded me of an experience Joseph Smith had when he rebuked his jailers who were using foul and offensive language. The Spirit can cause one to speak the truth concerning sin and that can have cause to be sharp to the hard of heart. When Paul asks us to put on the whole armor of God, the weapon he describes is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6:17) So scripture study brings truth and truth brings the Spirit and the Spirit brings power; it brings the word of God. 

Stay safe everyone! Love you.

Love, Elder Spencer

                                                        Elder Hatch is studying, shhhhh

                                                                        My farm boy outfit

A big bug