Nov. 18, 2009

Hey! How is everything going? I hope that everything is going good. How was everybody´s week? It seems like things have been pretty crazy. But it is good to hear that everything is going good. Things here have been going good. Just the same old stuff every day. The same old schedule everyday. Wake up, study, and walk and walk and talk and talk and work and work, then plan, then sleep and it start all over again.But Saturday we had ourselves a baptism and that went pretty well. It was a little frustrating because at the last minute my companion and I decided to try and get some jumpsuits and when we went to the closet there was only one and it was for a little child……so that wasn’t going to work. So after running around trying to find some jumpsuits we were able to find one at home and one at the Ward Missionary Leader´s house. So thank goodness we were able to have the baptism. Then another thing happened. We didn’t know that they were having mutual the same night either. So we didn’t get started on time, we had to wait for mutual to finish because they were using the home that we were going to have the Baptismal Meeting in. but after a little bit of stress and worry, we were able to have the baptism. And it went pretty good. The spirit was there like always and I really enjoyed it. I gave the message about Baptism and my companion and I sang a special musical number. He played the flute while I sang and it turned out to be a very spiritual meeting. Which is good, because the guy that got baptized had been being taught for a long time. But didn’t decide to get baptized until now. But it turned out to be good.But we had ourselves a pretty good week this week. We had a few up and downs, but we finished the week off with a baptism and it went really well. We have been teaching a few people that have a lot of doubts so we have been trying to answer all their questions, but after answering one they always come up with another. It´s almost like they are trying to find flaw in the church or in the gospel. We had a little bit of an experience a few days ago. While arriving at lunch my companion saw a lately carrying a bucket full of water and he said that the spirit told him to help her, so he did and after carrying her bucket full of water for her he asked her if we could pass by her house. And to find out she had talk to her neighbor, a member, about us and she said that if we truly are servants of God and if she truly needs to her our message we will go to her. So we did, the spirit led my companion thru an act of charity to help her. So we went to her house and we taught her and her husband. She paid a lot of attention during the message and really enjoyed it, but her husband was being a little hard hearted and said that he doesn’t believe that God and Jesus are two separate beings. So I grabbed the bible and used some scriptures and testified. And well he decided to have us pass by on Friday and he is going to invite his pastor. So we are going to have a GREAT experience on Friday. But we are not to going to argue, just teach and testify and is they don’t accept we are going to leave. But I already decided that we are NOT going to Bible Bash with him. We have also been teaching an inactive member and after a great lesson at his house he finally went to church and he took his non-member wife as well. He also said that he is going to go back to church and we are going to see if we can’t teach his wife as well. But things have been going really well. My companion and I were having trouble for a while, but we kept at it and we are being blessed now. I learned so much with Elder Sales. I learned a lot about the importance of being obedient and diligent and the blessings the Lord gives to those that are obedient and diligent. But yesterday he got transferred and I received a new companion yesterday. Elder Menezes from Piauí, he is from the same state as João and Franciane ,the family that we baptized about 9 months ago. And they are doing really well; they are firm in the church and doing really well. It has been a long time since that last time that I saw or talked with them. But I am glad to hear that they are doing well. It is the best feeling in the world hearing that they people that you baptized are still active and strong. There is a young boy that my companion and I baptized a year ago that is going to go on a mission and another young man that is going to be going about the time that I return home. The amazing blessings that the Lord has given me, i love the mission and hope that the Lord allows me to be a part of at least one more miracle before I get home. And I believe that is going to happen next week when we baptized a couple that is awesome. They really want to get baptized and follow the gospel. And things are going good with them so far. Their son is a member of the ward here and it has been cool teaching them. Because they do everything that we ask. But yeah, I love the mission and the things I am learning. I have a new opportunity to learn now with my new companion so we will have to see what the Lord has is mind for us.Mom, well I am glad to here that Kaya is alright after that accident I am glad that she hit the tree. I sure do miss her and want to see her when I get home. So tell her to be more careful. But I hope that everything is going good. But I need to know the address of the new house, because the mission needs to know. They will have to send things to you when I am getting ready to return home and sometimes they send other things. So send that to me as soon as possible. And you already sent the package to me or will send it to me in three weeks. And yesterday one of my favorite companions went home and said that he was going to give you guys a call so be ready for that one. His name is Elder Mathew Milkanin from Riverton. He is way cool; he reminds me a lot of Steve. But I love you and hope that all is well and will talk to you next week. And you forgot to answer the questions that i asked in my last letter. so look at the letter again and anser them please i wanna now all that stuff.
With Love, Elder Jory B. Spotts PS>>>I am working on this poem…….I´m no savior,I´m no superman,I´m no hero,I´m just a simple man.Black and white, without color.A bum without shoes,I´m just a simple man. Plain, No thunder, nor lighting….just rain. I´m a simple man.A lion without his mane.Just me, a simple man.

Nov. 11, 2009

Hey Everyone,How is everything going? How was this week for everybody? I hope that it went well for everyone. How is the weather now? How is the family? I hope that everyone is doing good. But things here have been going good. My companion and i had a prety good week this week. And we have been enjoying ourselves.Yesterday we had a pretty good experiences and some blessings fall from heaven. My companion and i had marked with a new couple to teach them yesterday. They have already gone to church a couple of times but they live in a different but visit our ward because their son goes to our ward. And their son...or someone...had told us that they were being taught by some other elders in a different ward so we didnt really think anything. But then on Sunday they came to us and said that they wanted to be taught because it seems like they had scheduled a few times with the elders in their area but they never went to their house. So they drive from their house to our chapel just to be taught by us now. So we were teaching them the first lesson yesterday and the spirit was there and is was a good lesson. And at the end we asked them if they had any questions and the only question they had was.......What do we have to do to get baptized?......so we are now looking at baptizing a couple in the next couple of weeks. And it was a blessing from the Lord. Because we had been having some trouble finding any investigators that are actually interested in the gospel. And after praying and fasting the Lord gave us even better, a family that wants to be baptized and soon too. So that was pretty cool.My companion has also been feeling pretty sick lately, so yesterday we stayed at home. In the morning he didnt want to leave because he wasnt feeling very well. But i made him leave and we went to na appointment and lunch, but he was feeling really bad so we went home and stayed home. So i got in some good reading yesterday in the Bible and i found out that David was red-headed. In the english bible it says ruddy but in the Portuguese bible it say ruivo....which means red-headed. So i thought that was pretty cool. But yeah......on Sunday we also had another guy that we had stopped teaching because we marked his baptismal date and at the last minute he decided to not get interviewed. So we stopped teaching him and said that if wants to get baptized he can come talk with us because he had been getting taught since march and hadnt made a decision yet. But on Sunday we went to his house because his entire family are members. And he told us that he wants to get baptized on Saturday. So he we will have another baptism as well. The Lord has trully been blessing us. We were really struggling for a while and now things are just falling out of the sky. But i am not going to complain because i like it.But lately we have just being working with members and have been passing by their houses to leave messages with them and ask for referrals. And we are starting to have a little bit of success with that as well. The members are starting to get referrals for us. So that is good. But yeah......we are just working and trying to do our best and are having a little bit of success. Things have been going pretty good and nest week we are going to have another transfer and one of best companions is going to go home. So i am going to miss him. But he lives pretty close to home....Riverton....so i will definetly go visit him and hang out with him when i get home. And i am starting to fill a less trunky lately and the time is flying by. I really do love missionary work. I am learning a lot and my companion and i are trying to better ourselvs a lot. We established a bunch of new goals to try and do better. I am having some of the best times of my mission right now. President has really been helping us out a lot. He really is a spiritual and inspired man. It almost seems like he knows more about us than we do. But i love you all and things are going good. Thanksgiving is coming up and i am really going to miss you guys on that day but that is alright. But i hope that everyone had a good week. I sure do miss you all and i love you. And i wish the best for all and i pray for you all as well.Mom, How have things been going? How is kaya doing? Is she enjoying the braces? I was kinda thinking that i might want to get some when i get home as well. How is the new house? How long have you guys been living there? I really wish you guys would stop hiding things from me. I dont worry to much about you guys. I know that you are all in the Lord´s hand and that he will take care of you. So dont think that i am worrying to much about you. Just tell me what happens when is happens instead of waiting for ever. But where is this house at? Is my room big? How is my tv? How is my laptop? Did you guys move all my stuff too? Is troy still living with you guys as well? How is work? How is school going for kaya? How is kezia doing? And how are her kids? I havent heard anything from them recently. But send them hugs and tell them that i love them and that i miss them too. But i hope that everything is going good. I sure do you miss you all and i love you . but i will talk to you all next week.
With Love, Elder Jory B. Spottsps.....i started learning italian and i am really enjoying that. I have a Book of Mormon in italian and i am starting to read it. It is pretty easy to understand because of portuguese. They are similar.

Nov. 4. 2009

Hey everyone!!! One more week has gone by, and i still miss everyone. I hope that everything is going good for everyone. How is the weather? How is the world? How is the family doing? I hope that everything is going good for everyone. You are all in my prayers and i love you all. The weather has been pretty good. It looks like summer is over here so the rainy season is starting up which is good. Because that means that it will get a little cooler around here. But the still means 90-100 degrees. But with clouds and rain alot more often, which is awesome. It makes it a lot easier to sleep a night.But i dont have a lot to say for this week. Because we hard a pretty diffilcult week. We lost a lot of investigators so we started searching for some new ones but we didnt find anyone. I havent been rejected so much in all the mission. My companion and i had a pretty difficult week this week. No body went to church and no one is progressing right now. So my companion and i are now starting from scratch to see what we can do to try and turn this area around. I swear that it seems likt President sends me to all the areas where the field is burned and black as night. But we are working and seeing what we can do. We are putting our trust in God to see if cant make some miracles happen here. But i did have a good experience yesterday in my interview with President Jayme. We had a good talk about studying and the work and i learned a lot from him and i really enjoyed our chat. It was pretty cool because he asked me questions that i needed to hear and said things that i was needing to learn. He helped me figure out how i can help the people that we are teaching and how i can find some new investigators. So my companion and i are going to start putting those this in practice as soon as possible so that things can get going in our area. But things have been going really good with my companion and i we have been having a lot of fun with each other. He is really cool and i have really enjoyed working with him. The transference is already getting ready to end and i am hoping that President leaves us two together because he is one of the better companions that i have already had. My other fav companion Elder Milkanin is going to be going home on the 17th. He is from Riverton and is planning on going to same school as i am when i get home. So that will be pretty cool.But yeah, President also gave me a ton of ideas so that i dont get to trunky and keep myself busy so that i dont end up wasting any time on the mission. He explained to me how a lot of elders have cried in their last interview with him because they ended up throwing their last weeks out the window doing nothing but slacking off and not working on the mission. And i explained to him that i dont want that yo happen to me so i am going to start settinf some goals and i am going to start doing the things that he suggested to me.I really dont know what to tell you guys, because nothing really exciting happened this week that i can think of. But things have been going good and i sure do miss you all, i am sorry that this letter isnt very long and it isnt that good. But i still love you all and i hope taht everything is going good. And mom, as for the schools.....i think that i will move it down to four then......Utah State, BYU, SUU, and UVU. But i really dont want to make the list any smaller that this. Because i wanted some back up plans and some choices. But i am nbot 100 percent sure of what i will do. But I hope that everything is good. Halloween sucked, because they dont really celebrate it here. And Thankgiving is also going to suck because it doesnt exist here. But i sure do miss you all and i love you all, i hope that you all have a great week and i hope that next week i will have more to write about. But i love you mom and i miss you.
With Love,Elder Jory B. Spotts