The Fastest Week of the Mission! August 22, 2022

Wow I cannot believe it is already P-day! The weeks keep going so fast. 

This one was no different, with two exchanges and a Zone Conference, District Council and school starting up there was a lot going on! 

First off, Mizzou classes start today so this last week campus has been crawling with students getting ready to start classes and such. It has been a blessing to have so many new people to talk to. There are so many we almost have to pick and choose our battles. :) They say try to talk to everyone but when there are literally hundreds of kids it's kinda impossible. But we do our best! 

We had three chances to teach the Restoration to some folks this week. All but one being with students. In each interaction we didn't think we would be able to share anything but they ended up having time/were genuinely interested! One in particular was with a lady named Hailey. We started sharing the message of the Restoration and we both felt the need to just testify of God's love. She said after our discussion that she felt happy and at peace, it was neat to be a messenger for God's love. 

Our exchanges were fantastic this week. I want to highlight one in particular. It was our Friday-Saturday exchange. We went with the Elders who live right behind us, I went to their area which happens to be a biking area so we got a good workout in. 

At the beginning of this exchange we did a practice teach. The scenario we practiced was knocking on someone's door but then they let you in instead of just shutting the door. 

So we did so and it went well. Later in the day after visiting some members we were on our way to another members home when we both felt impressed to stop and pray. So we got off our bikes, took off our helmets and prayed on the side of the road. After the prayer the Elder I was with felt we needed to go across the street and knock a members door who hadn't been contacted in a year or so. 

We go across the street and find the apartment door and give it a knock! A man comes to the door, we ask for Bo Young (the member we were looking for) he told us that he wasn't Bo. We asked how long he had lived there, he said about 4 months. We then asked if we could share a message with him and he said sure, we went right in and shared a message it was amazing! It was exactly what we practiced! 

Our friend Cody is going to be baptized this weekend! Pray that everything will go smoothly and that he will be prepared for his big day! It has been a cool experience to see his progress pretty much from day one, and I am really hoping this weekend goes well! 

I've been thinking about the phrase "faith over fear" recently. It is a powerful principle when applied. Fear is something that holds us back from reaching our potential, from trying new things, from growing. I've found once we push past the fear things really aren't as bad as we think they are. For example approaching groups of kids on campus, it takes an effort to open my mouth and talk to lots at once but as soon as I do things become easier. Words come to my mind and I smile and strive to connect with them and give them a chance to hear our message! 

Letting faith prevail over fear has helped me grow more confident in the Lord and His teachings. It provides me with energy when days are long, it helps me to understand I am loved. 

Reading the scriptures and praying are acts of faith! We are acting, when we do so we put forth effort and ask God for specific blessings. In doing so we are using faith! 

I know Christ lives, "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life." 3 Nephi 5:13

Elder Spencer 

New Companion+ School Getting Started, August 15, 2022

Hello all! 

Boy oh boy what a week this has been! 

Elder Hurst and I worked hard on Tuesday, as it was his last day in Como. We hit campus up and also had a couple lessons with Chartese and Cody, those two growing lots! 

Transfers happened one Wednesday, Elder Hurst found out he is going to Springfield, Illinois. My new companion is Elder Morgan! He is from Pocatello, Idaho and he came out around the same time as me! 

We had a busy few days with each other from Thursday to today. We got out on campus quite a bit and had some great lessons again with Chartese and Cody. Chartese took us to a mexican restaurant which was pretty good! 

We did some service with a guy named Elias in our branch and it was great. We moved quite a bit of stuff into a house he is remodelling. 

Church was probably the biggest highlight of the week. We had 4 friends at church, Michelle, Cody, Chartese and Chimdi. I had the opportunity to give a talk during sacrament meeting. It went pretty well I think and I talked about conversion and how it is a life-long commitment! 

Elder Morgan and I are committed to work as hard as we can and just let God do His work through us. 

We've been tasked with giving a training in Zone Conference this Thursday on how we can help members Invite! It will be my first time giving a training in a Conference like this but I'm glad I get to do it with Elder Morgan. 

Overall this week was really good! I'm grateful for the chance to be a missionary here in the great mid-west! Elder Spencer 

Fast and Testimony Meeting, August 8, 2022

What a week! How is everyone doing?? 

Hope all is going well! We worked super hard this week and it was great to see some fruits from our labors! 

We had some great lessons this week. One with our friend Huijie, he doesn't have any Christian background so that made it interesting! We had to teach very simply, so we jumped in and taught about God and Christ kept things simple. We also taught him how to pray and he offered the closing prayer which was super cool! After our lesson he said he was feeling really happy! 

We also had three of our friends come to church this week, Michelle, Chartese and Cody. It was a miracle that they came! Also Michelle and Chartese bore their testimonies which was crazy! They are fun people to be teaching at this time and they are learning more about our Savior Jesus Christ! 

Miracles are real! I know that to be true. I have seen some this week including our friends coming to church and finding new people to teach! We have pretty much a completely new group of people we are working with from when I first got here. 

Transfer news came in and we found out Elder Hurst is getting transferred. I was pretty bummed. We've really clicked especially lately and we have gotten along really well! However I know God's timing is perfect and I will be with who I need to be with! 

The weather has been nice and warm. The humidity is ever present and it has really grown on me! Haha it's pretty nice. 

Anyhow, I know that God is real. He loves each and everyone of you! I know if you tell him what's on your heart He will help you with whatever you ask him about.

Elder Spencer 

Exchanges in St. Louis and Mentally Exhausted! August 1, 2022

Hello everyone, what a week this was! 

We were working hard the whole week and saw some pretty amazing miracles. We started the week with exchanges in Moberly, I went up there with an Elder Davis it was solid! We did service for a guy who is in what he called the "Hot Wheel Hall of Fame". He apparently designed some Hot Wheels for some of his career that was neat. 

The next two days were solid. Wednesday we had a district council where we practiced street contacts and it helped the rest of our day! Our contacts went really well. 

Thursday we had a Zoom Zone Conference where we focused on member missionary work and how we can move it forward! President McKay is big on missionaries and members coming together! It is pretty great! 

Thursday night we drove down to St.Louis and started our exchanges the next day. I was with Elder Jones and it was probably one of my best exchanges I've been on. We taught quite a few lessons and they were all awesome. We taught in unity and the Spirit was strong throughout our lessons. I've adopted a teaching method that helps me to focus during lessons. As others are talking I strive to "listen with love" and then the Spirit always whispers what I need to say and things work out! 

Focusing that hard is mentally exhausting but it is so worth it! I feel like I gave it my all during those lessons! What was really cool was before every lesson we re-gained energy and were able to give our full attention each time, it was a miracle! 

Saturday we had in person MLC! It was quite great, we again focused on member missionary work and what we can do to unite more with the members to move this work forward. 

Sunday was great! Our friends Chartese and Cody came to church which was awesome. Our members were great at fellowshipping them. We then gave a little presentation on the blessings of missionary service. I talked about how personal study, goal setting and the righteous use of technology have blessed me thus far on my mission. It's been pretty cool. 

I had a cool learning moment this week in the scriptures. I studied about how Jesus Christ showed emotion, some of which include the New Testament accounts of Jesus weeping and showing righteous anger in the temple. The Book of Mormon account of Jesus smiling upon the people in 3 Nephi. It made me think about how I could show more emotion when teaching our friends and I worked on it this week and it turned out great! I felt more love for people I taught and it helped me come unto Christ. 

Well, that's about all! Stay safe and be happy! 

Elder Spencer 

106 Degrees Fahrenheit! July 26, 2022

Hello everyone!! Man this week was hot! We had a couple days get above 100 including yesterday's high of 106! It wasn't crazy humid so that was nice but overall we sweated a lot this week getting out and about.  Haha enough of being a weather man though, this week saw some success and some struggles. 

We got in two exchanges, the first I went to the Elders area which happens to be a biking area. We biked a lot and made sure to pack water!  My favourite part of that exchange was with a dear Sister, Sister Anderson. She is so kind and thoughtful and although her family has drifted away from the church she has stayed strong and steadfast! She was an example to me of staying true to what we know and she lifted our burdens as we were pretty tired and hot. 

We had a really some great lessons with Cody and Chimdi this week. Both happened on the same day. We taught Cody about faith and repentance. He asked great questions and he is starting to grasp those concepts.  One thing that struck me from that lesson was just how reliable Heavenly Father is. He will keep His promises. If He asks something of us we can feel assured that it won't lead to something bad. Everything good comes from God! The lesson we had with Chimdi was probably our best lesson with him to this point. He asked lots of great questions about the church at the beginning as we taught about personal revelation the Spirit testified of what was true and taught Chimdi! It was great! 

Campus was kinda slow this week and nobody ended up coming to church, those were some struggles we had this week for sure.

We continue to be more bold in our street contacts and door approaches. Everyday it's a battle to get up to that point but when we do we feel energized and excited to talk to more people! Campus has taught me lots about talking to people! 

We've got a great YSA branch, I was thinking about it after church yesterday. We've got small numbers but everyone is friendly towards each other and it is wonderful to see. 

Spiritual thought of the week. I was reading in Mormon chapter 5 verse 14. Mormon explains his purpose of writing and compiling the Book of Mormon. His intent is that the readers "may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God." As I read that and many other verses from the Book of Mormon this week my understanding of Christ's role in my life grew. I came to understand a bit more what it means to repent, to truly repent daily. There is such a thing as truth, real truth when applied to our lives can change them for the better. There is nothing the world can give that will come close to the peace and joy that living Christ's gospel and following His commandments can bring. 

Hope you all are doing well! Elder Spencer 

Prayers Answered and a Touch with the Savior, July 18, 2022

Hello everyone!! 

This week was pretty amazing! We started the week off with a Zone Council and President interviews! President McKay is a powerful leader. I have already felt so much love for him and his dear wife Sister McKay. I know they are the ones who need to be leading the mission at this time. 

After our zone Council and interviews we started exchanges with the Elders serving in Macon, MO. I stayed in our area with an Elder Jennings. It was a pretty good exchange. I found myself having to lead out most of the contacts which built my confidence in being able to talk with people! 

That is something I've gotten better at: talking with people. Elder Hurst and I had a pretty sweet day of Contacting on campus earlier this week. We went out and asked questions like: "If you could describe Jesus Christ in one word what would it be?" Or "If God was standing right in front of you what would be one question you would ask Him?" We were able to have some great discussions off of those questions and as we asked follow-ups we were able to teach restored truth as we listened and adjusted to people's needs! The right question at the right time can lead to a conversation that otherwise wouldn't have happened! 

We saw some disappointments this week as we had quite a few first lessons with people but for a variety of reasons people couldn't meet again for a few weeks, it was frustrating but God opened other doors for us! One of those first lessons was quite the miracle. I've had a goal this last week to be more specific in my prayers throughout the day. Elder Hurst and I were going to do some inspired door knocking and as we were praying to leave the truck to go knock some doors. We prayed for "an opportunity to teach someone". We usually pray for opportunities to find someone with a soft heart but rarely if ever do we pray for teaching opportunities. Well lo and behold we knock a couple doors. The second on we knock we ask if we could share a short message, the man at the door let us right in and we taught him and his friend inside a lesson we call the Restoration! It was a direct answer to prayers and was so cool to see! 

Some of the doors that God opened were helping our friends Davonte, Chimdi, and Cody all come to church this Sunday!! I was so grateful that they all ended up making it! 

Cody's experience was especially amazing as one of our branch members came up to him after the first hour and they started talking like they were best friends. Cody and this member grew up going to school together!! We were talking to the member afterwards and he said he thought Cody moved away and that he'd never see him again so that was cool. Also we extended a baptismal date to Cody for August 20th which he accepted!! Please keep him in your prayers!! 

A couple weeks ago when we had our Zone Conference President and Sister McKay talked about having "a touch" with Jesus Christ throughout each day. I took that to heart and have been answering the question: "How did I have a touch with Jesus Christ today?" In my journal each night. It has really opened my eyes to the love He has for us. He is truly there I know it! 

I was reading in the Book of Mormon this morning and a verse stuck out to me that relates to this idea of having a touch with Christ. It is found in Mormon chapter one verse 15. It reads: "I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus." Mormon is the one narrating at this point and I love this verse. What he describes here to me sounds like what conversion truly is. When we are converted to Jesus Christ we know of His goodness and seek it day to day. 

I invite each of you everyday to ponder how you have had "a touch" with Jesus Christ and then write it down. I promise you will see more clearly your potential and His love for you and those around you! 

Elder Spencer 

                                                        

Zone Conference with the McKay's, July 11, 2022

Well everyone this week was challenging but had some rewarding moments as well. 

Started off with exchanges, I left our area to go on exchanges with the only other Canadian in our mission, Elder Lawson. He was born in Canada and lived there for a bit before moving to Arizona so he's pretty much the opposite of me! haha (myself being born in the USA but growing up in Canada). It was a blast serving with him and we had some door knocking success. Out of the 3 doors we knocked, one didn't answer and the other two were interested! Very Spirit-led for sure! 

Moving on from that exchange, on Thursday we had our first in-person Zone Conference with the McKay's. They are super awesome and I learned lots specifically about how we determine success as a missionary. 

It's based on our commitment and how much we are doing to strive for obedience and to teach and preach with the Spirit. It motivated me to want to do my best everyday especially as time is coming to an end....I'm grateful to be on a mission and wouldn't trade it for the world. 

Alrighty, second exchange was super awesome! First off we had another cool door knocking miracle. We went to a complex and walked around talking to people outside and knocked on doors that we felt prompted to. We knocked one door the man who answered was interested but said he was getting ready to go to his families house for dinner so we gave him our card and left. We walk around the corner and knock another door, start talking to this guy who is also pretty interested. Then all of a sudden the first guy we talked to comes up and walks by us into the house! We were talking to his family members!! We left telling them when we come back by that we would visit with all of them at once. 

We found someone to teach over Facebook this week as well, technology is truly a blessing and it works. Our mission has been doing something called "4 eyes 1 screen" where anytime one of us is doing Facebook finding, the other one of us is watching their screen giving feedback and finding together. 

Please keep Davonte in your prayers, he expressed that he doesn't feel like he can be baptized at the moment and he has been feeling sick lately. He is a great man and I know he has come closer to God while we have been teaching him. He is so close! 

I've been thinking about attitude lately, how positive mindsets really can help us so much. If we think we can do it we will find a way to do it. If we combine that with counselling the Lord and following His guidance we will be able to accomplish what we desire! Even if we don't quite get it done the way we think it should be done we will get it done. God cares about what we care about. 

Hope you are all doing well, Elder Spencer