Aug. 12,2009

Well........One more week has gone by......A few more struggles and a few more experiences. The mission isn’t easy. A lot of things happen that you wish wouldn’t, and a lot of things dont happen that you wish would happen. It has been really difficult in this area and especially this transfer. I haven’t been able to baptize in over a month and that is a very discouraging thing at times, because missionaries have the tendency of looking at their baptisms as a success mark. Which really isn’t the mark of success. And we end up comparing ourselves with other elders that are having a lot more success. But I am struggling and trying to get through it.We have been having a little bit of trouble with the branch here. The members are becoming very unexcited and I don’t understand it. We work so hard and have been doing our best to help the branch but a few things have been happening and the members are becoming very unexcited and the attendance at church has been very low. So this Monday we sat as a district and decided to chat about what we could do to help the members. Because I haven’t been having a lot of success with the non-members, so I figured that I should try and do something to strengthen the branch. So we decided to start planning a devotional that we are going to have next week. We are going to try and mark a slide show and talk about the church and the history of the church and how it all started. Because I don’t think that very many of the members understand what the early saints went through to be able to have the gospel. So we are going to try and help them understand that they are the pioneers of this city and this branch and that what they do today will have an effect on the future of the church and the gospel in this city. So we have been working on that are hoping that it will help them get a little excited about the gospel and the work. But that is a work in progress. So you will hear more about that a little later.We had a pretty interesting week. It has been really hot lately so the work has been very tiresome but we keep at it every day. We were able to start teaching a bunch of people and we are also in the process of stopping to teach a few people. Trying to find the people that are waiting and have been prepared for the gospel isn’t an easy task. It is actually the hardest part of the work, because you have to be rejected so many times to be accepted once. But we are teaching a few new investigators and one family of old investigators that once again didn’t go to church to they cannot be baptized this week. But I got some ideas from my Zone Leader to help them. Because they do everything that we ask but it is hard for him to go to church because he plays soccer on a team and almost all the games are on Sunday. But we are going to see what we can do to help them out. The struggles continue as a trainer as well. I am in the process of teaching him how to plan and all those things and I am going to let him be the senior companion on Thursday so he will plan everything and do all those things. You know how it is mom; you have already down it once. But it is just so hard to try and teach someone to do all these things when you yourself aren’t even sure that you know what you are doing. I am still having trouble in the lessons because I don’t think that the investigators are understanding what he is teaching and I don’t feel the spirit in the lessons like I did with my last companion because my last companion and I taught so well together. We flowed so well together, but I don’t have the same thing with my son. I just hope that it ends soon and I don’t have to do it again. But yeah, I feeling like president is going to leave me here for at least one more transfer so we will have to see how things continue. But yeah………That is just about all that I can think of right now, I don’t know what else to write. But that is really what has been going on. I am struggling right now so I really need your prayers right now. But I love you all and I hope that everything continues to go well. I am still in the dark with what is all happening with Grandma and Grandpa Norton. I got a letter from them that says that Grandpa is going through chemotherapy but nobody is telling me anything and I would really like to know what is going on. But yeah tell them that I love them and I miss them and that they are in my prayers. I am really thankful for all that they have been doing to help me while I have been on the mission. But I love you all and I hope that all is well. Mom, keep strong and always remember that somewhere in the world there is someone that is struggling more than you. But we are both in the same boat, I feel inadequate. I don’t feel like I am qualified to be doing what I am doing. But God loves you and so do I. the storm will pass soon and the winds will calm and the sun will shine. And will how have things been going? How is the family? How is work? How has the weather been? What are you guys doing to start and prepare for winter? Man do I miss the snow!!!! Kaya, stay out of trouble and be careful. Logan might be an awesome guy and might treat you right and might really care about you. But you have got to think of your eternal future. Is he going to take you to the Temple? Is he going to take you to the Celestial Kingdom? Encourage him to go to church and prepare to be able to do that for you. I love you and I want the best for you. And as for the music……..I wrote it for a girl. Why do you want to know? And yes you know this girl? She has been writing me on the mission and is an amazing girl. And no she doesn’t know that I wrote that music for her. But she does know that I like her. But anyways……….if you give me a good enough reason to tell her name I will tell you, but it has got to be a really good reason. But I love you guys and I will talk to you all next week. Pray for me and I will pray for you all. Have a great week!With all the Love in the World,
Elder Jory Brent Spotts