Oct. 28, 2009

Hey everybody!!!!How was the week? Any good and exciting news? How is the family? How are Lacia and Alicia? I hope that everything is good. How is clinton doing? I havent heard from him in a long time. How is Robin and his family doing? How is Aunt Ann and Roger doing? How is Uncle Morgan and his family? And how is glenna doing as well? And how is Kezia doing? I hope that everything is going good. I sure do miss you all and love you all. And i hope that you all know that.My companion and i had another week. But not a lot happened this week. We had a pretty rough week actually. We have been teaching a lot of people that have no interest in one the gospel, two their own lives, three there families, four in God. It is relly hard for me to deal with these type of people. Because i cant handle seeing them reject the most amazing and Marvelous gift the God has given us.....The gospel. The gospel brings so much joy, life, love, emotion, feeling, light, and guidance to our lives. It is hard to think of a life without this great blessing. I trully cannot comprehend the thoughts of those that dont accept it or do not have the desire to understand more. And it hurts me inside literally hurts me. On Sunday, i think is was Sunday. We passed by a bar and i saw a man drinking and smoking. I got eye contact with him and said Good Afternoon, How are you? And he said...Peace to the Lord. Everyone says that to us here because they trully recognize us as servants of the Lord. And when he said that to me ans i saw him i seriously felt a pain in my heart, because i could see and feel the pain that he was passing. I see the darkness and emptiness of his life. And it was weird feeling that. It is the worst part about being a missionary, seeing and feeling the darkness that is cast of the people but Satan, our own brother.But we were able to teach an awesome lady on Saturday. I told you all about Marcilene and Gilson, the family that we found last Saturday. Well Marcilene took us to her neighbors house to teach her, who said that she wanted to here our message. So we went there with them and we taught the first lesson. And while we were there Nizia, the lady, told us that she had been looking for a church because she had just got down leaving her old church. And she said that one night she prayed and asked the Lord to show her what she should do. And that night she had a dream and in the dream she saw thousands of churchs and she said that she saw one church that was lifted up into heaven. And that all the other churches were burned by fire. And she said that she knew that God was trying to tell her that she needs to find this one church that was taken into heaven. So she has been looking for this church, so we testified to her that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And she really enjoyed our message and wanted to go to church with us and she went and relly liked it. So we have found another great person to teach. The Lord is blessing us, i just hope that she is able to recognize the Spirit and the truthfulness of the gospel.But i think that is just about all that has happened this week. My companion and i are just working and trying to found the Elect sons and daughters of our Beloved God and Father. I love the gospel and i love you all. Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of the only livng God. I cannot wait to be able to go to the temple again. This week i have reading a lot about it and i have missing it a lot. In fact i have decided that when i get home the first thing i want to do is go directly to the temple and do a session in the Salt Lake Temple. And i want to do this as a missionary too so it will be before i am released. I would to go directly to the temple when i arrived off the plane in fact. But i love you all and i miss you and i hope that you all have a great week.Mom, i love you tons and i hope that you have a great day and a great week. Things have been going good and somethings have been relly hard. It has been very hot lately and it has been hard working in the heat and in the sun. Especially when it seems like nobody wants to hear your message and you get stuck in the sun the entire day. But it sounds like things are going good for you all. I hope that things can get better in our country and in the world. I hope that BYU can start playing better as well. That sucks that they lost and dallas better get their act together as well. But yeah.....and apply to those schools as soon as possible. But i love you and i miss you and i hope that you have a excellent week and day. and tell Kaya that i love her and miss her and that she needs to continue to do good in school AND in church. most importantly...CHURCH. The Lord comes first....Matthew 6:30 somethingWith Love,Elder Jory B. Spotts

Oct. 21, 2009

Hey Everyone!One more has past by and we had ourselves a really good week this week. I would to say that i really ejoyed it. But first how is everyone doing? How is the family? How is the world? How is our country? How is the sports world? I didnt hear anything about that this time. But i hope that everyone is doing good. I really love you all and i thank you all for everything that you have all done for me while i have been on my mission.We had some pretty good experiences this week. On Saturday we probably had the most marking experience of the week. We woke up and studied and went about our normal day and then left to work. And we went to our first appointment with Gilson and Marcilene. We went knocking doors in an area on Friday and we found this family. But they were leaving their house so they marked with us to return on Saturday. So we went to their house first thing in the morning. And it was na AMAZING experience. The Spirit was most definetly present during the entire lesson. And after the lesson Marcilene said that she was looking for a church and that she didnt like the churches that she had already visited and attended. And she proimised that she would go to church with us and she did. So on Sunday we went to their house to take them to church and Gilson told us that he felt something different when my companion was teaching the first vision and he said that there was no way that he couldnt believe that it is all true. He said it is true what you guys taught us and Marcilene said the samething. She went to church and loved it and said that she is going to return next Sunday. It was na awesome experience to feel like you are being used as na instrument in the Lord´s hands. And we trully felt that when we were teaching them. They are na awesome family and already have a testimony that these things are true. So we are going to continue to visit them and in a few weeks probably baptize them.We also had some cool little experiences during the week when we felt the spirit really strong in our lessons and we found some cool new people to teach. We are going to have a baptism on Sunday, Nelito is going to be baptized. He has been investigating the church for a long time and now wants to be baptized so he is going to get baptized on Sunday. We had a pretty interesting experience last night in the rain.....it rained a ton last night and because of that we ended up having to cross na overflowing creek bare foot. Because our area is really big and he have a routine route that we take everyday to get to one part of our area. And we always have to cross this little creek. And because of the rain it was way flooded and the water had carried our normal crossing log with her. So we wandering upstream in the dark at night looking for another way to cross the creek. And we found one.....a wobbly log that didnt look very safe, with water flowing both over and under it. And our shoes were full of mud so we knew that if we tried to cross we would end up in the creek. So we decided to take off our shoes and socks and cross it bare foot. And after struggling a cross we both made it safely but our feet were so dirty that we decided to walk to our next appointment bare foot with church clothes. So people we lughing at us during and after we crossed the log. So that was pretty interesting experience.But i hate writing letters because i always remember tons of cool sutff that happened before i write. But when i sit down i forget eveything.....so i am sorry. We also had Zone conference again on Monday and we both really enjoyed that. They talked about planning and goals. And both my companion and i were thinking that we would do a little bit better in both those aspects. So we are doing better and trying to better too. Haha i just remembered something else that happened on Monday too. We got on the wrong bus to go to the conference and ended up on the other side of the city. When we were waiting for the bus we saw a bus that was going were we wanted to go so we got on it. But we didnt look at were else it was going. So it happened that it went to the other side of town first. So we ended up arriving way late at the conference as well. It was pretty funny. Both my companion and i got a little bit of a laugh out of it. But it also was a little bit annoying. But....Mom, i hope that everything is going good and that you and Kaya and lving life. Things here are going good. Things are going pretty good here. My companion and i are getting along great and we are working a ton. We ran into some problems with the Bishop because he doesnt want to help evandro. We do pass by his house all the time to help him and are trying to find someone in the ward that is willing to help him as well. And dont worry, i understand that it is both my companion and i that teach the people. But yeah......i hope that everything is good. And yeah apply to those schools for me and i think that i am going to go sutdy Economics as my major. So if on the application they ask for my major put that. Because i think that is what i want to study. But yeah.....things are going good. Dont worry to much about me but i love you all and i hope that you all have a great week.
With Love, Elder Spotts

Oct. 14, 2009

Hey! How is everyone doing this week? I hope that everything is going good and that everyone had a great week. My week turned out to be pretty good. My companion and i have been working and trying to find some new people to teach. And i sent some pictures to you all through a member that lives in my area. Because it is a lot easier that way, so i think that she is going to send you guys some pictures every week or something like that. I dont really know.So i just got done with my first week in my new area. And i would have to say that i enjoyed it. This area seems to be one of the better areas on the mission. The members are awesome. We try and pass by the house of atleast one member day because they are that cool. Just about all of them are older members, meaning that they have been members for some time already. And my companion and i get a long really well. I have never met a brazilian that speaks english like he does. We can talk about anything in english without any problems. And he speaks without a accent like other missionaries and brazilian do. So we talk about music and movies and all sorts of things. We sing worldly music in the street together because he knows them all. It is pretty rad!But as for our experiences or this week......we had a couple of downers and a couple of awesome experiences too. On Thursday last week we had a downer. We got up early to visit a recently baptized member named Evandro. He was baptized in between the sessions of General Conference . Well after having a great lesson with him and leaving we went on with our normal day until after lunch we were walking home to use the bathroom and we saw evandro drunk and high. He confessed to us that he was addicted to drugs and that he needed help. And it was really sad to see him that state. So we called the bishop becaue we cant do anything anymore because he is a member so the bishop is in charge of that stuff. And the bishop said that he was going to pass by his house that night.....but NEVER did......he decided to wait until Sunday to pass by. Apparently he didnt feel that it was THAT important. So Sunday came around and Evandro had gone missing.......so bishop didnt pass by. After a few days we went back to his house to find him at home, but evandro was totally different. His countinance had totally changed. And it seemed like he had falling a little bit. But yeah.....Evandro is really struggling but the bishop doesnt even seem to care. He told us that he was going to pass by there on Monday and once again did not. So we are a little annoyed with the bishop and really dont know what to do. But that is life.Yesterday we also had na awesome family that was going to get baptized move to another state. But we passed their address to some other elders so that they continue receiving them so that they can still get baptized next week. So we helped them pack up yesterday and helped them move. They were na awesome family and it was hard to see them go. But they are still going to be baptized and that is really all that matters.The other night we also had a pretty cool experience. We went to Rosana´s house to teach her husband, Nelito, who is going to be baptized pretty soon. And we left a message with them and then she arrived home from work and said that she wanted a priesthood blessing. So my companion and i gave her one. I did the anointing of the oil and he did the sealing. And soon after i put my hands on top of her head to anoint her with oil she started to cry. And she didnt stop crying until after the blessing. And it was really weird. Becaue she said that she was crying because she was happy. And my companion and i were talking afterwards and we both realized that it was because she had felt the spirit very strong during the blessing. And it was good. Because it helps us know the the power of the priesthood is real and i am so grateful for the opportunity that i have to be able to be a Priesthood holder. It is a very important responsibility but it brings such great blessings in our lives. I have had many experiences on my mission that are evidence that the power of the priesthood is real. And i know that it is.On Saturday i also got some great news. Elder mills called my and told me that two people from my old area that i was teaching got baptized and that on Saturday they are going to baptized one other person that i was teaching. So atleast i know that the work that i did in my last area wasnt in vain. Because another elder was able to benefit from the hard work that i put in to help those people. And that makes me happy. Well things have been going good and i am looking forward to one more here in Terra nova.Mom, i sure do love you mom and i miss you tons. And i too think about you everyday and i also pray for you every day. I sure do miss you all. But i will see you all very soon. But as for the schooling.....i want you to apply to these schools for me mom. BYU-Provo, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, USU(Utah State), SUU, UVU(Utah Valley) and Wyoming(i know that i will have to spend extra but i am just applying to see what happens). I think that this is a good start, 7 schools and then i will start narrowing it down as i go. But i am still trying to figure out what major. I am having some dificulty with that. But i will work it out. and you can go ahead and send all that stuff when ever is best for you or what you think would be best. But it might be more expensive because of the weight. But yeah.....i wanted to ask you something or say something but i cant remember what it is...but i do want to know what Ariel had to say about me.....i wrote to her a couple of times but i never got anything back. But yeah i love you all and i thank you all for everything. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care and start getting ready for me to come home because it is coming up soon.
Elder Jory B. Spotts

Oct.7,2009

Hey family and friends! How is everything going? I hope that everything is going good? By the letters and emails that i receive it seems like everyone is having a pretty good time with out me and that no one is really missing me too much. But it is good to hear that everything is going good for you all. Things have also been going pretty good here too. I am now in my 7th area and i received my 11th companion yesterday. I sure have been moving around a lot. Yep, i got transfered yesterday. But i think that it was for the best. President ended up closing my last area which this is the 3rd time that he has done this to me. So both my companion and i were transfered. But it definetly was for the best of things.I was struggling a ton in my last area. I passed through 6 weeks of work work and work without any results. But on Saturday and Sunday we were able to take 10 investigators to General Conference and they all loved it. I know that they felt the spirit and i know that they were spiritual strengthened. Because i sure was too. Elder Jeffery R. Holland sure did give na very spiritual talk and made it very clear that the Book Mormon IS ture and that the this IS the church of Savior Jesus Christ, and that Jospeh Smith WAS and IS a prophet of God. I really enjoyed his talk and i will never forget the spirit that i felt while he talked. I have already forgotten the words but will never forget the feelings. I really learned a lot for General Conference and felt that i have some changing to do. But things are going pretty good. I got my last General Conference under my wings. So the next time that i watch General Conference i will be watching it at home on the couch with my family. OH YEAH!!!!!!But i am really enjoying my new area. I was feeling pretty horrible in my last area because i was working so hard and nothing was happening. It was the longest 6 weeks of the mission and i didnt baptize a single person. But i was able to help a ton of people and Elder Mills, my MTC companion, will now teach all the people that i was teaching and should be able to baptize a few. Because we had a baptism coming up on the tenth and we had a few people tell us that they wanted to get baptized. So i am sure that elder mills will enjoy baptizing the people that i taught. But that is all good, i am now in a new area with a new companion and i am hoping that i can make a difference in this area. My area is called Terra Nova(New Land). And the members are really cool. I met quite a few of the members and the bishop yesterday and i liked them a lot. They seem to be great people. And my companion is also pretty cool. He is from São Paulo and his name is Elder Sales. He is a little bit new on the mission, 4 months. But he is pretty cool, i will have the priviledge of being his first american companion. He also speaks english and he speaks pretty dang good too. I was pretty shocked to hear him speak it so well. He doesnt have a thick accent like the other brazilians do.But things are going pretty good but i am having trouble in remembering what happened last week. But i am not really having any luck. We did have a Zone Party at our house and it turned out to be a mess. But the food was really good. We ate lasagna and i really enjoyed that. But things have been going good and i am hoping that i can make a differen in my new area. But that is about it....i cant really think of anything else to say.Mom, i did want to thank you for the stuff that you sent me and i think that i am going to be telling you next week to what schools i want to apply so that you can get on that. Because i think that i have just about figured it out. but yeah....i hope that everything is going good for you. I sure do miss you and i think about you everyday. The trunkiness continues. But it seems like while i am working i forget about home and am only able to concentrate on the work which is good. I also wanted to ask if you could send a few things to me. A baseball for one of my companions, a real salt lake soccer jersey for one of my comps, jazz basketball shorts for one of my comps, a sweet tie, and the Ensign(Liahona) from November in english when it comes out. And i know that that might be a lot of stuff, so buy the cheaper stuff first if you dont have the cash. Because the jersey is going to cost from good cash and the shorts too. But the baseball shouldnt cost too much. But yeah.... i should be sending more information about applying here pretty soon to the schools. I think that i am going to apply to Wyoming, BYU, USU, SUU, and UVU. But i will gett he rest of the info to you next week. I love you and i miss you.....until next week. Prolongue os Bons Momentos.
Elder Jory B. Spotts

Sept. 30,2009

Bom Dia! How is everyone doing? I hope that all is well. It sure does sound like things have been going pretty good. And that makes me happier knowing that everything seems to be going good. I sure do miss you all, but things here have been going pretty good. I am getting really excited to watch general conference. And we have been planning on taking a ton of people. We starting talking about it and inviting everyone a long time ago so a lot of investigators are going to be able to make it. And it helps a lot that the ward here is going to take a bus to the stake center. So we wont have to take all o four investigators to the stake center, but just the bus. So we are pretty excited about that.This week was pretty good and little bit interesting. We were able to mark another baptismal date. There is a yound kid(14) that hás a bunch of friends that go to church and he told us that we wanted to be baptized. He has already been attending seminary and he plays soccer with the young men in the during the week and has been progressing really well. Which is good, his name is Wendell. He is pretty cool kid. But we marked one date and we lost another. The girl that is madly in love with my companion got mad at us because he doesnt want to date her. And said that she didnt want us to pass by her house anymore. So we starting going to her house to teach her sister. And they are going to go to conference with us Sunday. General Conference is going to help a ton. Because we have been teaching a ton of families and a ton of people that have doubts and stuff. But i know that the conference is going to swipe away all their doubts and questions. So we are planning on taking 10 investigators....atleast. we also started teaching all the members that live in our area how to invite their friends and family members. So the members are all planning on taking atleast one person with them as well. So if everything goes as planned there are going to have a ton of people visiting at the conference which is going to be awesome.Today we are also having a Zone get together to try and excite the elders and chill out a little bit. So we have a TON of elders sleep at our house last night. Which was a little annoying because i had sweeped the entire house and then they all came in and messed it all up again. But that is just the way things have got to be, so i am going to have to clean it again after everyone leaves the house. Last week on p-day after i wrote to you guys my companion and i also went to Pizza Hut to celebrate his 20th birthday. Which was AWESOME!!!! I was able to taste a little bit of home in every bite  but pizza ended up a little expensive. But it was worth it. We had a blast. And it was funny, because my companion wanted to take a ton of pictures and Elder Mills didnt like that too much because it makes us look like tourists and Elder Mills being from a small town doesnt like to call to much attention. So Mills was making fun of him and telling him to put the camera away. It was pretty funny.And on Saturday we had a little bit of a funny experience. We were all walking to lunch ando ut of no where Elder Mills was like i gotta poop. So i asked him if he wanted to go back home, but he said that he didnt, and that he would wait until after lunch to go to the bathroom. So we went to lunch and after lunch it got worse and he was like rushing with my companion. But i stayed behind them with Elder Souza because i didnt want to walk fast. And it started to rain and i got pretty wet and it left the roads all muddy. But elder souza and i got home after the other two and we say elder mills shoes outside the door and they were all muddy. But Elder Souza looked at me and said......Será que ele se cagou.......(Do you think he pooped himself?) and sure enough elder mills was in the bathroom taking a shower because he had filled his shoe with onions and tomatoes. It was hilarious!!!!But yeah....Things have been going pretty good. I dont really have anything to complain about, except for the fact that all my leaders are all over me because my companion and i had a really rough transfer. We didnt baptize anyone and my leaders are asking me all these like what are going to do different and i finally got upset and told them to worry about their own areas. Because my companion and i have been working hard but we havnt had any luck in finding people that want to accept the gospel. And it has been hard, and i also dont teach people just to baptize them and let them fall away. I alone baptize people that are trully ready and that really are going to stay in the church. And there are a lot of elders here that just baptize and let their baptisms fall away. Like in one area close to mine one elder past through and baptized 30 people but no one is going to church any more. And i dont see the point in baptizing without helping them to stay in the church,But i love you all and i very thankfull for all that you have been going. Keep up the good work and pretty soon i will be at home. I love you all and send hugs to everyone. I sure do mis you all. With Love, Elder Jory Spotts Ps. The stuff that you sent me was good. but you didnt get me the information for all the schools that i put on the list. but thank youas. Because my companion and i have been working hard but we havnt had any luck in finding people that want to accept the gospel. And it has been hard, and i also dont teach people just to baptize them and let them fall away. I alone baptize people that are trully ready and that really are going to stay in the church. And there are a lot of elders here that just baptize and let their baptisms fall away. Like in one area close to mine one elder past through and baptized 30 people but no one is going to church any more. And i dont see the point in baptizing without helping them to stay in the church,But i love you all and i very thankfull for all that you have been going. Keep up the good