October 29, 2012

Well, over all I have decided that this week was a pretty amazing week.  There is alot that happened and it all starts with Monday.

MONDAY
Monday, after my P-day was pretty terrible.  I got my sunglasses stolen from me and my bike broke, so I was pretty much ready to throw it all in.  I felt like there was nothing that could help me to be able to teach and have confidence in what I was doing.  So I went home and just started to read.  I read all of 2nd Nephi and then had the feeling that I should pray.  So I got ready for bed and started to pray.  I prayed for about 30min. and still felt pretty bad, so I went to bed and tried to sleep it off.  When I woke up the next day I tried to forget about it, but I just couldn't.  I kept reading out of the Book of Mormon and had a strong impression to read my patriarchal blessing, so I did.  Let me tell you, the things that were spoken on that day could not have helped me anymore then they did on Monday.  After I read it I prayed for like 10min and was so overcome by the spirit.  I do not think I have felt the spirit so strong in my life.  I had to humble myself and just ask.  I asked for so much help, which you know is something I don't do.  But I did and I received so much comfort.
TUESDAY
So Tuesday I went on my first trade off.  I went to the 2nd ward's area with a kid who is a transfer ahead of me, so he is still training as well so he doesn't know much more than me.  It was such a great experience for me because it gave me the opportunity to actually teach, since my companion has not given me the opportunity to do so yet.  I found 2 new investigators for their area and gt a a less active family to commit to coming to church that next week.  I was able to teach lesson 1 and lesson3 that day and it was awesome.

WEDNESDAY
Wednesday we had another district meeting and I learned so much.  So like I said about how many more new missionaries we are going to be getting in the next three months, we are going to have to train so much harder and learn so much more because I am most likely going to have to train someone in January after my training is over.  Exact obedience is something that was stressed a lot as well.  So it is safe to say that I had been able to forget what had happened at the beginning of the week.  So I had not been able to ride my back thus far in the week.  So I was planning on going down and getting it worked on, but somehow my bike was able to function the rest of the week, I don't know how, but it was not broken nor needed fixing.  I still don't know how that happened.

THURSDAY
On Thursday all of our appointments and backups fell through, but we were able to get some questions from some of our investigators that we studied so we could explain to them on our follow up appointments.  So this gave me a lot of time to ponder the scriptures and teach to the needs of our investigators.  But there was a fact that I heard in conference last Sunday that really applied this week.  If you were not to go on a mission, it would take you 50 years to learn what you do in the 2 years that you serve a mission, considering that you stayed faithful in the church.  This means that what I learn in one day, it would take about 25 days to learn if i weren't serving.  I found this to be true this week cause I learned so much.

FRIDAY
Friday we had weekly planning and this usually is really boring cause it takes up so much time, but it was a really effective weekly planning.  It was so effective because we now have 7 new investigators, and they all want to learn so much, and I believe that they will all be baptized by the end of the year, or before I leave this area.  I am so excited.  So in the morning we went and visited with a recent convert, Sister Trench, and we got 2 referrals that I think will become new investigators.  But as we were leaving her neighborhood, I stopped to write down the address of the referral that she gave us and Elder Lisonbee rode right into me and he hit me like a brick wall and he ate it hard.  He tried to blame it on me, but he knows he wasn't paying attention.  So this must mean that I am getting bigger, because I didn't really feel a thing and he hit pretty hard HAHAHA!!!   

SATURDAY
Saturday we met with Donavon, who said he was going to come to church on Sunday, and never showed up.  But he is a single dad with three young kids.  I think he will be a good investigator, because he has two full on sleeve tattoos and already has surgery scheduled to get them removed.  He is pretty elect.  We also had the ward trunk-or-treat and we just stayed for dinner because we had an appointment with Mike and Meagan.  Ohh and everyone is pretty depressed because Florida lost, which means that MY DUCKS are probably gonna be in the NATTY!!!! :)  Anyways, Mike and Meagan left a note on a set of elders cars and pretty much referred themselves to us.  Meagan grew up in Orem and attended seminary, but was never a member of the church.  She has like all the scripture mastery memorized and everything.  Her boyfriend, Michael has no religious background, so we are at square one with him.  But we taught them on Saturday about the Plan of Salvation, and they took to it very well and had lots of questions.  I even got Mike to pray, which he has never done before.  Elder Lisonbee still would not give me the opportunity to teach, so after we left I was bold and confronted him.  I said, “look you need to trust me when we are teaching, I know I have only been out here for two weeks, but I know this stuff too and I want to teach.”  He explained to me that his trainer did the same thing to him, but he would try and let me teach in the following lessons.

SUNDAY
Sunday we had no investigators at church, but we had the opportunity to teach David and Vivian and her kids.  David and Vivian are not married, and the kids are all baptismal age.  Elder Lisonbee let me teach them the Plan of Salvation, and it went awesome.  We extended the invitation to be baptized, and the kids are SOOO ready, but the parents still want to know more.  Talia is 13 and loves to answer all the questions.  Liam is 12 and he is a little shy towards answering, and Aleyna is 14 and is the same as Liam.  But I know this family will be baptized, we just have to get them married first.  Same with mike and Meagan.

So we have a lot to do this week and it's gonna be super busy.  But I am now starting to enjoy it all.  I just have to forget the other stuff that has happened. Thank you so much for all you do for me.  I am very grateful and love you all so much.  Keep doing well back home and study hard and play hard.  Oh and one more thing.  Did McCall get my card I sent her? Please let me know.

Love you lots,

Spencer
 

October 22, 2012

Uhhh this was such a hard week.  All of our plans that we made everyday fell through.  Almost every door we knocked on no one was home, and no one answered.  It is just a tough area.  Everyone just feels like they are already close enough to Jesus.  I don't know what to do.  All our members are never home so it is hard to contact with them to find people through them.  It just looks like it was an all around bad week for everyone.  I really hope things can change.

Tuesday-
On Tuesday I was soooo stressed out, which knowing me never happens.  I could not concentrate or study or anything.  I then realized how messy the house was.  Apparently no one ever used their P-Day time to clean the house so it was NASTY.  I found so many huge bugs and stains and just crap around the house.  I spent the whole day cleaning because I came across a scripture about the Holy Ghost only resides in clean places.  So that's how Tuesday went.  We also went to a lady’s house who we were referred to and she asked if we were Mormon.  We responded yes and she immediately slammed her screen door and said you can leave because I have to go watch the debate and vote for Obama.  If only people knew we were not here to talk politics.  Some members called us that night and they thought they had us for dinner but they really had us for Wednesday. So we got fed both nights.

Wednesday-
Wednesday was a slow day nothing happened. The only thing we did was go to the Carvers house and they fed us Chicken and dumplings.  It was sooo good.  We also had the opportunity to teach Charlie.  He lives with the Carver's, and we are hoping to baptize him.  He just needs to figure out that there is only one true church and that it is ours.  He, just like all in the south, believe that all Christian churches are true.  He is reading the Book of Mormon.  I hope it works out with him.

Thursday-
Thursday I had to get my bike fixed.  There is a huge hill in our area and it leads up to Halle Plantation, a little community in the area, and the path is super bumpy and stuff.  Yeah with my luck I wrecked and blew out the wheel.  Soo I had to get that fixed.  We went and stopped by Vincent's house, he has been having a rough week, and he doesn't have a phone, so we can’t stay in day to day contact with him.  He cancelled all our appointments and said to stop by next week.  I hope he hasn't lost sight yet.  I went on an exchange with Elder Chadwick.  He has been out just one transfer longer than me and we are going on another one tomorrow.  He is young and doesn't know a lot so I hope it goes well because we are going into their area tomorrow. 

To wrap up the week, Friday nothing happened all we had was a conference call with all the new elders.  It went well although I didn't have much to share.  Everyone seems to be doing really good.  Saturday was game day, so no one will even talk to you because they are focused on the Gators, so this was the day I got my bike fixed.  I hate my bike by the way hahaha.  Sunday we had stake conference, and it was really good.  It was the first one I didn't sleep through any of it.  This should be a good week.  We have the ward Trunk or Treat and hopefully people bring their non member friends.  Oh and most importantly, we got a phone call from a member in the area and said that we would be able to teach this family he set us up to teach.  So we could potentially have 5 baptisms by the middle of November.  Pray for miracles please. 

• What do the members feed you?

We have a lot of pizza and sandwiches
I have had Pasta, Homemade Macaroni, Roast Beef, Chicken and Dumplings, and some Seafood dish last night that was really really good.

• Was there a home game Saturday?  If so, what was the excitement like?

I am not right on campus, but the town shuts down and no one will talk to you, so it kinda stinks for us haha

• How is the weather?

The weather is aweasome, No rain or huge amount of heat.  Just perfect weather.

• Have you seen any weird reptiles or animals?

All I have seen are dead animals on the road.  I have seen armadillos, snakes, a possum, and like 3 dead alligators on the road.  Ohh and there are TONS of lizards all over the place.  When I cleaned our house I found like 6 HUGE cockroaches... NASTY!   Thats about it though.

I love you all and hope yall get better soon.  Keep me informed.  I'm trying to work hard but it is soo tough.   This area is tough but I love you all.  Have a great week!

Love, 

Spencer

October 15, 2012

Hello Family,

So this week has been pretty good.  We first went to President Barry's house and had dinner and some training.  We were all super tired from flying and lack of sleep so we all slept during it.  But that night we slept in a hotel so it was alright.  When we woke up, the Assistants to the President came in and knocked on our door and said, "Elders in this mission we all wear a part!"  So I now have a part in my hair for the rest of the mission, but it isn't that bad and yall know I can make anything look good :).  The next day, so Wednesday, we went to the Church building and got a lot more training and met our companions.  My companion is Elder Lisonbee from Santaquin, Ut.  I am so glad I prayed for a good trainer cause he is one of the elect.  He leaves in July so he doesn't have too much longer left.  At the transfer meeting I saw Elder Erickson and got a picture with him and I also saw Sister Knickerbocker.  So I am in the Gainesville, 3rd ward and it is just like a Utah ward cause all the members are pretty much students getting residency out of the way.  Like all of them are Dentists or Anesthesiologist, so I fit right in.  Oh I also found out that my area is 1 out 6 for biking areas in the WHOLE MISSION.  So I guess I'm blessed haha.  ohh and every companionship in my mission has a cell phone.  It makes everything a lot easier.  So for the rest of Wednesday, we left transfer meeting around 3 and takes like a long time to get to my area, so we were late for dinner at the Carver's house.  They live in a trailer, and everyone serves you Gourmet home cooked macaroni haha.  It wasn't too bad.  But then we went and gave a sister in the ward a blessing.  This whole time I was borrowing an elders bike cause I didn't have one.  Then We road back to the hood, cause that is where our house is :/ (Look for it on Google Maps)

Thursday

Everyday we work out from 6:30 to 7 so we run for like 10 min and then while my comp is stretching and showering I usually lift the 25lb. dumb bells and do about 100 push ups and like 600 crunches every morning.  Then we eat and at 8 we have personal study.  9 we do comp study and then at 11 we have lunch and then go ride around.  I got a bike,  Cheapest one i could find.  I’s’ a Trek 820 single track series and I got it for like 430 or something like that.  after I got a bike we road over to a recent converts house and taught him about trials, cause he is facing some at the moment, and we got a referral to his next door neighbor Vincent.  We stopped by there and he let us in and we set up another appointment and left him with a Book of Mormon.  After that we had dinner with the Cochrans. They are really nice.  Young family like the whole ward.  but that was pretty much that day.

Friday

Friday we didn’t do a lot because it was Weekly Planning which takes up like your whole day.  But we did go and give a girl in our ward a blessing, she is the only young woman in the ward so she goes to 2nd ward, she is also the only member in her family.

Saturday

Saturday we went and ate lunch with Sister ****l and her husband *********.  This is an interesting case.  Sister **** was a relief Society pres. like  6 years ago and when she got released she went inactive.  She then married ****.  He is exactly half her age.  She is 62 and he is 31... kind of like Elder Salas huh Taylor.  Well he goes to the Catholic Church next to our building and he is kind of slow so he doesn't understand much but he is coming along.  He just is used to his old ways and since he is slow it is hard for him to change.  But on the bright side we went and taught Vincent again and found out his dad is a member and he said that when he came to find that the church is true he would be baptized.  So we are excited for that and are hoping for the 13th.  He actually owns a business with his buddy and they make some dirt biking gear.  So I want some money in my account so I can buy a hat from him please :)  we also have been talking to everyone we see on the streets and stuff and ask everyone we talk to for referrals, so we have a lot of referrals and potentials that we are going to follow up with this week .

Sunday

I was in meetings from 10-1 and then church from 1-4 but it all went by really fast.  The ward is small but I guess it is like the biggest one in Florida.  Most of them are all children.   So it is an extremely loud ward.  I gave a prayer in every meeting expect sacrament just because i was new, so I took it as a sign that I need to pray a lot more, so I am working on that this week.  We got a couple more contacts as well.  I also rearranged the apartment because it is really dirty and unorganized so that is my project I have taken upon myself.  Well this is just about everything that has happened I love my companion he knows so much and can quote a lot so I am learning from him. I will tell yall more information as i get it.  I am not allowed to write letters on any other day than Pday so let everyone know that they will come slowly haha.

Some Things I Need

So most importantly I need a letter sent here like ASAP so that i can get a proof of residence for a library card so i can go there on Pdays and write.

if you could send me some snacks sometime for my backpack cause i am never home to eat and I need some stuff that is small and I can snack on while riding. 

I kind of need some more envelopes too :)

I need a thumb drive because all the apartments, well mostly all have a sound system that i can plug a USB drive in and listen to music on it.  also an SD card for my camera so i can send mine home for you :)

and finally I have something I really need (want) for Christmas. :)  I know it’s like 2 months away, but my companion has a GPS and I thought it was the apartments, but he said it is his, so maybe for Christmas if I could get just a GPS like a cheap one.  His is a Garmin Nuvi and it works really well.  All we do is put the whole ward address book in the GPS and all our formers, less actives and investigators and we know where everyone is.  So just a thought.  I love yall!  Let me know if you need anything or if I can do anything for yall.  ohh help out the missionaries as much as you can.  We need the Ward.  The ward is established to help missionaries find people to teach.  This is why we ask everyone for contacts.  So always have a list of people you can give to the missionaries to teach.  And now that Taylor and I are gone, you can probably feed the missionaries more, please do it, cause it is the best way for them to get to know that ward, and to find people to teach.  We love the ward members. Keep this in mind.

I love you all so much and I am proud to be a part of the family.

God Speed, and Hoorah for Israel!

Love, 

Elder Salinas

October 3, 2012

Hey Mom this week has been really, really good. We are still working with two investigators, and one of them is a legit one who might actually get baptized. It is so great here but I am ready to leave ha. I bore my testimony on Sunday and it was awesome. I hung out with Brandon so much this week I can’t wait to see him again. This weekend wasn’t anything special, just normal. But this week has been amazing. I know that the spirit is true. We do role playing to act out investigators so we can learn to teach better, and the new district that came in last Wednesday are our investigators and let me tell you, I didn’t think that I could feel the spirit teaching another missionaries but for the first time in a long time I cried while teaching about the plan of Salvation. It was such a spiritual experience. My faith in the Lord and the spirit has increased so much this week it’s hard to believe. I know that Heavenly Father is doing all He can to prepare me cause this week has been huge. Sunday, after the weekly fireside, one of the new sisters in our zone was getting her stuff out the classroom the same time Elder Craven and I were, and she looked right at me and said, "I know I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but do you think you could give me a blessing of comfort?" And I mean I have never given a blessing before and it was such an amazing experience to be able to give her a blessing. Elder Havenar is having a rough time right now. He left for home at 5 this morning so keep him in yalls prayers. Last night would have to be the most amazing experience in my entire life. ***Moms’ note . . . Spencer shared some very personal experiences with our family. He is LOVING his mission and his testimony had been strengthened so much*** I love you guys so much and I cant wait to talk to you on Tuesday. Oh yeah my travel plans: Tuesday morning- Be to travel center by 4:00am Get on a bus to SLC and check in. my flight leaves to Atlanta at 7:05am I have an hour layover there and then fly to JAX I will call you whenever I can - - hopefully before I leave and then when I get to Atlanta. Love yall very much.

September 28, 2012

Hey Mom & Family,

So before I forget, I want to let you know what is wrong with my stuff.  On my backpack one of the strap things is ripping off, and I only take it to class and my room.  So IDK what is up with that.  My pants, the front button is falling off and th pocket is ripping out.  I only war them on Sundays, Tuesday Nights and Wednesday to temple so IDK why they are like that.

Anyways, thanks for talking to me on Wednesday (we were emailing)  Sorry about you not getting my emails until late.  Just to clarify, my P-Day is on Wednesday and I can start writing at 12:30 when I start laundry.  So sorry for the confusion.  Please keep sending dear elders and stuff.  I love them.  Could you send me Rich's address.  I need it ASAP.  Pretty much everything is the same.  I like to lift and play volleyball on my gym time.  Elder Toomalatai is really good so I play with him.  I have only had 1 bowl of cereal here because the other food is better.  I feel so much heavier and stronger but I keep forgetting to weigh.  They gym only has 50 lb weights so most of it is just repping out.  But I am getting back into shape.

Tell Grant to actually pay attention when you guys read the scriptures cause he told me he wasn't (HA)  Oh, and tell him I didn't find the whole homecoming thing amusing.  I hope you got my last letter because it was full of good stuff.  Just dear elder me and let me know hwen you get it please.

I just took a picture with Elder Steele.  I should probably be doing my personal study right now, but it's Friday and I am just feelin' it.  I can only think about game day and college football!  Hahaha, but oh well.  I found an elder in my zone who wrestled for Box Elder so I finally got to wrestle someone the other night.  It was awesome!  Tell Taylor to email me on Monday so I can email him back.  I love getting stuff, letters, dear elders and treats.. I only have one more week here so let people know!!!  :)

Tell dad to study Alma 13:27-30 and Alma 334:34-41.  I took on the role or "grandma" as my role play investigator and the missionaries read me this and I think it would help her if gone about in a constructive manner.

Well, I love you all!  Do what is right!

Love,

Elder Spencer Salinas

(Fia Fia)
Samoan for HAPPY!


September 26, 2012

So the first week here has been really good!!! I have made so many friends and had so many good experiences.  My letter I sent the other day has a recap of what has happened up until Sunday so I will just start with Monday.  Monday we started TRC training and we had to teach a less active member and it was really good.  I have already learned how to teach by the spirit and let Him do the work.  I have learned how to study and find scriptures on what to teach.  We don’t get to see the less active again but we also taught a member referral and it went really good.  We invited him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about to know it’s true and also to pray to know how to return unto Christ and live with Him.  We are following up with him tomorrow so I’ll let yall know how that goes later on this week.

I saw Brig Steele today and I have been taking pictures like crazy with everyone I have met and run into from home.  I by far have the most friends here in the MTC. J   But to get back to the experiences, Monday an elder who is really out going and funny, (typical black dude, hahaha) was sitting on a chair with his companion crying and we didn’t know why.  So Elder Toomalatia and I went over to him and just asked about what was wrong and the spirit spoke to us and this elder just opened up and poured out his heart and let us know everything that was going on, and I don’t know what I said, but whatever it was it helped so much, he was on a spiritual high for the last two days.  He ended up leaving this morning. 

So how are things at home?  I LOVED the pictures yall sent me. That’s crazy how smoky it is -__-  tell M'Kay that I’ll write him but there is literally like no time. That last letter I sent home took me like 4 days to write.  ohh I must tell you.... there are soooo many sweet spirits here and I am a guy still so its hard to resist looking at them ha A.K.A (pretty girls/sisters) 

My district is awesome I have Austin Ales from Sac. Cali,  Tyler Largo from Cortez Co. Thomas Belliston from Logan Ut. Dallin Johnson from Lehi Ut. Elder Toomalatia from the islands ha Elder Havener from Texas, Elder Wendt from Delaware Elder Candland from Maryland my companion Nathan Craven from Tremonton Ut.  Elder Craven is the D.L.  Elder Largo and Ales are the Z.L's so I am the Sr. Comp. :)  Everyone says that I am so outgoing and fun to be around- -I love my district.  It is so much fun here but I am ready to leave.  I want to get out and be in Florida.  But I can wait.  I probably should tell you more but I don’t know what else to say so if I remember I will write yall later this week.

I love and pray for yall every day and I hope you guys can do good with your reading.  When you’re reading, stop every 5 verses and just talk about what you read you will find you will all get so much more out of what you are reading and if you pray before hand and ask for the spirit to be with you and then read with a real intent and sincerely look for answers to what you are wanting to find, you will be overcome with blessings and the best way to remember what you learned is to teach it.  After reading the scriptures search Preach My Gospel and teach grandma.  Trust me, her heart will be turned. She knows the doctrine and she believes everything we need to get her work done now before she passes on and I know this can happen while I’m gone.  Don’t tell her what she is missing out on like our weddings and stuff tell her what she has to gain tell her we don’t want to wait for her in the celestial kingdom we want her to be waiting for us and to welcome us into the kingdom.  I could sit here and explain so much but that would take too long.  Let Pres. Smith know that a letter is in the process and he will be updated by next week for sure.  I love the gospel and the people of the world.  The church is true and i know we have the ability to save people.  I have confidence in the spirit. 

Much love and stay safe,  tell Grant to score a TD this week! I love yall and miss you but my heart and head is in the work. Oh tell McCall my district and I love the pics she drew :) And Richy sent me a package with a liter of DP and Mt Dew and a Monster, hot cheetos, skittles, and starbursts :) Write back soon! I want an update from everyone

Aloha,

Elder Spencer Marc Salinas