March 18, 2010

Hey!!!! I love you all and wasnt able to write a letter to you all this week because my companion and i went to one of my last areas to saw goodbye to everyone and we ended up running out of time. So I decided to break the rules real fast a send you all a quick email and let you all know that I love you and I will see you all next week. I miss you all and am excited to see you all and I think that I am going to call you when I am in the airpost too. I don’t know if you can or not, but I don’t see why not. But I will talk to my president and see what he thinks, so if I call you don’t be surprised but act happy to hear my annoying voice. But I love you all and as for presents, you can all wait until I get home because I have no idea what I want. But I am pretty sure that I am going to need some new clothes but we can go shopping and I don’t know what I want to eat for dinner either. I have learned to follow the spirit in teaching the gospel, so when I get home I will follow my stomach. So what I am in the mood for I will eat and be happy. I love you all until next week.

March 10, 2010

Hey everyone! I hope that everything is going good. It sounds like everyone is doing really good and that everyone is getting really excited to see me. I too am getting pretty excited to see everyone. But I am also really scared and I do not want to leave Brazil. I love it here, even if it is unorganized and hotter than heck and everything like that. It is getting harder and harder as it gets closer and closer. But I am getting excited to be able to do a few things that I could do when I wasn’t a missionary. I am pretty sure you all know what these things are. But yeah….

As for the week, things have been going pretty normal. The other night we participated in Family Night with one of the members and we invited a few inactive and recently baptized members to participate as well. And that turned out to be pretty awesome, two families went. One that is starting to return to church and went to church for the first time in ages on Sunday and another family that the mom was recently baptized but the father has been a member forever. Well the family night was awesome, they talked about family and the importance that the family has in our lives and it was really cool. Recently I have really been thinking that I don’t want to get married anytime soon because it just doesn’t seem to be my thing, but after that lesson I kind of moved my thoughts. But I really don’t want to get married to fast or time really soon.

We also received a referral from a member this past week and it turned out to be a guy that is ready and willing. He went to church on Sunday and loved it and then said that this is the true church and that it is the only true church. And he will be getting baptized pretty soon, he might be my last baptism on the mission or maybe I will go home first. Either way it sounds good to me, it really doesn’t matter to me. I just hope that he gets baptized.

Today we also went to the center of the city to finish up my shopping and I ended up buying this way rad thing that doesn’t even fit in my luggage so I have no idea what I am going t do with it. But I am going to have to figure out some way to get it home, because I am not going to leave it here because it is way too cool to just buy it and leave it. But yeah, things are pretty normal.

Juarez is going really good, we visited him last night and he is almost done with the Book of Mormon. And he is already getting really excited to see General Conference. And the rest of the families that we have baptized here are also doing really good still. I am super happy with the miracles that I have seen performed by the Lord here. Yesterday I got to talk really quickly with Franciane. I don’t know if you remember who she is, but my companion and I baptized her and her husband a year ago. And they are doing really good and are still strong in the church and are going to be able to go to the temple in a month. And I am going to visit them next week, I am getting excited to see them again. But it sucks because it is going to be last time that I will see them for a long time. As soon as I get home I am going to start saving cash so that I try and visit everyone here next year when the temple is supposed to get finished. But yeah, that is about all that has been going on around here. But I hope that everything is going good and that everyone is still missing me. Only two more weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my second to last email. So enjoy them while they still last. Because the annoying red head is coming home.

March 3, 2010

Boa Tarde Familiares e amigos. Hey everyone, how is everything going? I hope that all is well. But how is the weather looking? I am excited to feel the cold again. I am so sick of living in the heat; it is over 100 degrees almost everyday. But how is the family? How are our friends? How is juston and kaya? I sure do miss you all and I cannot wait to see you all. Well this week my letter is going to be a little short because not a whole lot has happened this past week. Because of the sickness, but I am better now. I just passed a couple of days on my bed at home. Only getting up to use the bathroom, drink water, and eat. I have never felt so sick in my entire life. I almost cried because of the pain that I was feeling in my head and my entire body. But we still had the baptism on Saturday and that was pretty cool. But I am thinking that it might have been my last baptism on the mission. But it was spiritual like always and we had cake afterwards,Yesterday we had a pretty difficult day, but it seems like everyday has been like that recently. We went knocking doors and talking to a bunch of people in the streets and no one let us enter in their house. But we were still able to teach a little bit in the street and we found a few people to teach as well. But things are difficult but I am still trying to stay busy. It is hard to not think about home because it is already getting so close, but we are still working. Today we went to see Carla and Jane Kelly. I don’t know if you remember them, but Jane returned to Manaus and is living with her mom again and Carla came with her to study. Carla finished high school and now is starting college. And it was really good to see them again. Jane Kelly´s family also got baptized. So it was really cool to see them and play some uno with them and then eat lunch with them. But then Jane Kelly started to cry when we were leaving because it is going to be one of the last times that I am going to see them. That has been the hardest part of the end of the mission so far. I almost cried today when I left their house today too. I am going to really miss everyone here. I love this place and the people that live here.But that is about all that has been happening. Two men that we baptized received the melchezidec priesthood on Sunday. Nelito and Francisco, and Juarez will start preparation here pretty soon too. But I love you all and I don’t really have anything else to say to you all. But I will talk to you all next. Only two more letters.
Elder Spotts

Feb. 24, 2010

Hey!!!!! How is everyone? How is the weather? How are preparations coming? I want home coming presents? It isn’t easy being a missionary and I think that they deserves presents when they get home ;). How is the sports world? How is the country? Well let me in on everything, because I am only going to receive three more emails. We will have to see how the letters go, if they will get here or not. And I wanted to know if Kaya has a boyfriend???????? Because I don’t know how many elders and young men here have said that she is good looking, and that they want to be my brother-in-law. Oh, and kaya needs to watch out for a crazy one that is called Elder S. Moreira. He keeps threatening me that he is going to go to the States when he gets off his mission in February next year. But everything here has been going pretty good. On Monday we had Zone conference and it was my last one on the mission so I bore my testimony in front of all the elders. And I couldn’t help it, I cried. These last few weeks are really hard. I am going to miss this place so much and the people that the Lord blessed me to teach. I have learned so much here and I am so glad that I decided to serve the Lord for two years. I have learned things here that I cannot learn anywhere else. I recommend that every young man serve a mission, no that every person serves a mission. Whether when young or old, because you learn things here that you cannot learn in any other place. Yesterday I also got really sick. I will try and describe to you all what I am feeling. I have a high fever, an enormous head ache that is none stop, my back aches, my legs ache, my arms ache, I don’t have any strength, and I can barely walk. I also get very tired very quickly. It sucks, and I think that it is dengue. I don’t know if all know what that is, but it is a sickness that comes from mosquitoes. And on the first time that you get it you live and pass A LOT of pain. But the second time you body cannot handle it and you begin to bleed from every open hole in you body. So pray that I don’t get it again. And pray that I can get better; I really need those prayers. But don’t worry, the Lord will bless me.Other aspects of the work are going good as well. Juarez is progressing really well. I confirmed him to the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained to the office of a priest on Sunday. And two men that we baptized here in this area are going to receive the Melchezidec Priesthood on this coming Sunday. So I am very excited about that. We are also going to have a baptism on Saturday and we have marked another baptismal date for March. And we are trying to mark some others as well. My companion and I are working a ton and having some pretty good success in the area right now. We are teaching a few families that are really cool too and are progressing pretty well. Hopefully they will get baptized as well.Last night at Juarez’s house he born his testimony to us and it was very spiritual, he really really knows that this is the Lord Church. He is also already started inviting his family members to go to church and we haven’t even taught him about the importance of missionary work. It has been going really awesome with him. And the members have started to help us a lot more too. We have been having meetings in their homes and they invite people and so do we, so we receive referrals too. The Lord has really been blessing us lately. It would have been cool if my entire mission could have been like this. But it seems like that now that I am getting the hang of the work and really know what to do I am already finishing. It is kind of annoying. But the mission has always been like this, President always transfers me when things are going really and the work is starting to progress, so I am already used to it.But that is about all that I have to say this week. Things are going good, I am just a little sick right now but I am happy because I am going to see you all in 28 days. I want a huge party and I want to invite a bunch of people to be at the airport. It songs like Justin Oberg wants to be there and I know that Clint will want to go. Just invite everyone that wants to go. Tell everyone and don’t have any party until I get home. Because I don’t want any one running out of cash before I get home. But I love you all and I hope that everything is going good. Give everyone hugs and kisses for me. I truly love you all and I dream about you all every night. Last night I dreamed that Justin and I were at our old house in Alaska and that we brought to sexy babes with him too. It was a pretty sweet dream I cannot lie. But I love you all and I sill talk to you all next week. Everyone better stay out of trouble and get ready to go to church on the first Sunday that I get home. and Mom you need to talk to my bishop and stake president as soon as possible so that they know that I am coming home and so that I can get released as soon as possible, because I don’t want to have to sin as a missionary(breaking mission rules) when I get home, but until next week. 4 more weeks, or as Elder Keller says, 3 more weeks and 7 days.
Elder Jory Spotts

Feb. 17, 2010

Hey!!!! How is everything going? How is the family? Friends? The weather? The country? Preparations for my arrival? Have you talked with my bishop lately and is my stake president also knowing? Well I hope so and I hope that everything is going good for you all. Things here have been going pretty good. The work with my new companion has been going pretty good. We are staying pretty busy and trying to find some more people that we can baptize before I go home. We found some pretty cool families and people last week and we are hoping to have some success with them this week and hoping that we can find some more people this week.On Saturday the baptism went really well. Juarez is an awesome guy and has a very strong testimony of the church. And while we were in the water and I baptized him I managed to even hit his head on the stairs. And afterwards I told him sorry and he said that he didn’t even feel it. But it was really good. He was way prepared to baptized and yesterday we were at his house teaching him and he was teling a bunch of stories about how a lot people have already started telling him that he made he made the wrong decision and the he shouldn’t have gotten baptized and all that. But he told us that nothing that they say can change his decision or will they make him regret it. He said the he KNOWS that the that he has learned are true and that he is story to continue and never look back. He says that he has never felt happier in all his life than he does right now and that he loves the Book of Mormon and all the teachings of the church. It is just awesome being able to chat with him and hear all the things that he has to say. He should also receive the priesthood next week. And then on the 28th two men that we baptized are going to receive the higher priesthood, the one that s tarts with an m. I cannot remember how to spell it so I wont even try.We also had a pretty cool experience on Saturday. We passed by a members house to leave a message with them. And well the son, Kaleo, has asthma and started to have an attack. But to his medicine that he uses he needs energy in the house to use the machine and the mask. But they hadn’t had any energy for a couple of days. So he asked us to give him a priesthood blessing and so we did. And just a few minutes after we gave him the blessing he was breathing perfectly and the attack passed. He was feeling 100 % good. I have had so many experiences one the mission like this one, and I know that the priesthood is real and that it truly is the power of God.But yeah…..that is about all that has happened lately. Things are going pretty good, except for the fact that I still haven’t received my itinerary. The secretary said that he already bought my ticket and that he would send it to me as soon as possible but I am still waiting and I am little upset with him because he hasn’t sent it yet. But it looks like I will have to talk to him again and see what I can do about this. But I hope that everyone is doing good. I received a package from grandma and grandpa last week. And today my companion and I went to the center of the city to buy some presents for everyone at home. And I ended up spending 150 bucks or so. And we will go back in a couple of weeks to finish the shopping. But I love you all and I miss you and I cannot wait to see everyone. It is hard to believe that it has almost been two years.

Feb. 10, 2010

Hey! How is everything going? How is the family? How are our friends? Just how is everything going? Well I hope that everything is going good at home. It seems like everyone is getting pretty TRUNKY at home. Even mom is counting the days. But like you guys I too am getting a little excited to come home. Well I really don’t know what my feelings are. I am going to miss this place a lot. I have grown attached to the people and I love them soooooo much. If things were a little more developed here I would think about living here for the rest of my life. But I have things to do at home, so I am going to by coming home next month. But about my itinerary, I didn’t receive it yet. I am not even sure if they have bought my ticket yet or if the secretary knows that I am going home. I do know that a lot of the elders from group already received their itineraries. So I am going to call the secretary and talk to him about this and see what is going on, but don’t worry because he will send a copy of it by email to both mom and dad.But as for the things that have been going on here. Yesterday we had transfers and I received a new companion but stayed in the same area. HECK YEAH!!!!! It was just what I was wanting. And I am going to die without any worries, because I am just senior. OH YEAH!!!!!!!! But my new companions name is Elder Lopes, so he is now my second companion with this name. He is from São Paulo and he is pretty cool, he is a hard worker and a good missionary so I know that I am going to be able to enjoy this last transfer working with a good companion. And I am way excited to finish my mission here in this area too. I love this area and the members so I will be able to party with them at the end of my mission. Things have been going pretty good too. My old companion and I had a pretty good week last week. We were able to receive a referral from a recent convert that we baptized last year. The referral is his buddy and he really wants to change his life. He was telling us how one day he saw Nelito, the recent convert, walking in church clothes and was shocked. Because him and Nelito used to drink together and well this guy thought to himself, if Nelito can change his life so can I. So he talked to Nelito and then we got to him and we talked to him, but he is really interested in the gospel and we are going to teach him this weekend. So hopefully everything goes good with him. About Juarez, everything is going good. He is still planning on being baptized this weekend, we are going to go to his house today to talk with him and teach a few things and mark his baptismal interview. But yeah….things are going pretty good. I am trying not to get to trunky, but it is pretty hard not to think that I am going to return home after this transfer and that my group is now the oldest on the mission.Today we had a pretty rad P-day. We went to the IMPA which is a zoo where the animals don’t stay in cages but wonder in the jungle and they have paths where we can walk and see the animals. It was pretty cool! Then we went to a party that they had in one of the areas of a different elder that was with us and I had already met the people from his area so we went and had some fun messing and joking around with them. And that is about all that is happening right now. But I love you all and just wait for the email for the mission that well tell you all about when I get home on what day and all that stuff. But for now I don’t even know that right now. And mom I am still not 100 percent sure on where I am going to go to school, I think that I might just wait until I get home to accept unless you tell me of some specific date by which I have to decide. But we will see what happens in the future. As for now I am trying to stay focused on the work, but I am also going to start packing my luggage this week. I mean I cant procrastinate and thought that I should get started a little early. :)………But I love you all and I will talk you all next week. Give everyone loves and I will talk to you all next week.
Elder SPotts

Feb. 3, 2010

Hey everyone! How are things going? I hope that everything is going good. How was your week? How is the family going? How is the world? How was the Super Bowl? I hope that the Colts didn’t win. Well everything here is going pretty good. Everything has been the same lately. And the work is getting harder and harder every day, because everyday I am getting closer and closer to arriving home. But my companion and have working hard and we are trying to find some more people that are interesting in following the Lord. But things have been going really good with Juarez, he went to church on Sunday and really liked it, and last week we had a pretty good experience with him.On Thursday last week we went to his house to teach the third lesson, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we taught him about the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Faith, Repentance……you know. Well while I was teaching I felt like I needed to invite to be baptized and try and mark his baptismal date in March, because I wanted him to be my last baptism on the mission because he is an elect. But I was super scared that he was going to say no so I started praying and starting asking the Lord to bless me with the Spirit and the right words so that he would feel the importance of baptism and he was accept. So we came to the end of the lesson and I grabbed the picture of Christs baptism and I should to him and invited him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone that has the authority of God. And I invited him to be baptized on the 21st or 14th of March and he responded……You only have baptisms in March??? It cant be sooner??? So we talked with him some more and we decided on the 13th of February. And then he started telling us how he always knew that missionaries like us would one day visit his house and he said that he was just waiting for us to visit him. And he said that he was ready to be baptized and that he knew that the church was true and the Book of Mormon too. It was a pretty cool experience and I was scared to death to invite him because he is such an intelligent man, but everything went well and he is going to be baptized this month., in fact he is going to be baptized next week. Heck yeah!!! Take that Satan!!!!Other than that we haven’t really had anything special happen. We are teaching this one family that went to church on Sunday and also really liked it. The only problem is that the father really likes to drink, like he is super addicted to drinking. He cannot go one day without getting drunk, he drink, like he is super addicted to drinking. He cannot go one day without getting drunk, he is kind of like uncle troy. But we are going to continue to teach them and see if we cant help him to stop drinking so that he can also get a job and be baptized.We had ourselves an interesting little experience the other day too. We have visiting this inactive member a couple of times and we went to his house. While we were there we met a couple of girls that were at his house and we decided to teach the first lesson to them, so we did. And right at the point that my companion got done teaching the first lesson the idiot inactive member started saying how he didn’t believe in Joseph and he totally killed the spirit. So I was little upset at him for being a retard. So I started asking him some questions and he started answering them. Why don’t you believe in him? And he started asking why God would wait so long to call a prophet after chirsts death? And he started saying that the Catholic church was the first church and that it existed before Christ and i started thinking to myself, this guy is a complete retard. And I was getting a little frustrated with him. So I grabbed my bible…..BIBLE BASH. And I started teaching the retard about a ton of stuff. He said the Law of Moses wasn’t changed too. So I started teaching him with the scriptures because testifying wasn’t doing anything. The spirit wasn’t there too. So I started teaching about the law of Moses, sacrifices, and all sorts of stuff and how the of Moses truly was changed and everything. I cant explain everything that I said because it was a lot, then I started teaching about why God waited so long to call Joseph to be a prophet, the reformation and the Catholic Church and that is when the spirit returned and I started testifying about the restoration of Gospel and after that he said these words…..I think that I am going to go back to church on Sunday. It was pretty funny. My companion started laughing after we left because of the stupid things that he making up, but it turned out to be good. And hopefully he really goes to church; we are going to pass by there tonight again. So we will have to see how things go.But yeah….that is about all the interest things that happened this week. Hopefully next week I will have some better stories to tell. We are also started to work a lot more with the members lately too. They finally decided to invite us to participate in the ward meetings and things are going a lot better now, and on Sunday I am going to sing in the sacrament meeting because they ask me to do so. So that will be pretty cool. And I am also going to find out this weekend if I am going to be transferred to my last area or if this is going to be my last area, hopefully I stay in this area because I don’t want to get to know new members and have to start all over again. But things are going pretty goodI hope that everything is going good and I hope that you are all missing me and starting to get trunky too. It looks like I passed in on to Dad but I hope that mom is too because I am WAAAYYYYYY anxious to see you all. The 1st of February was the 50 day mark. So if you guys want you can start counting the days, but I don’t recommend doing that because the time passes a lot slower. That is why I am going to work harder and the time will pass by a lot faster. But mom don’t worry about BYU anymore because the deadline to apply was the 1st of Feb. and I think that I am already set on going to USU, but I need to know by when I am supposed to tell them that I accept and that I will be going there. But maybe I don’t even have to worry about this until I get home. But I love you all and I miss you, I received some letters this week too, so I am happy. And I think that mom should be receiving my itinerary soon too, but I am not sure about that. But I love you all and I miss you.
With Love, Elder Spotts

Jan. 27, 2010

Hey! How is everyone doing? How was the week this week? How is the weather? How is the Famn Damily ? Well I hope that everything is going good. Every one is in my prayers always. I sure do miss you all and am looking forward to seeing you all in a few weeks. But let us get down the good…..the things that have been happening in Terra Nova, Manaus, Amazonas.So this week was another difficult week. We are having a little bit of trouble finding some really good people and getting people to church. But we are doing what we can. We have been teaching a few new people like every week but no one is very promising. We were planning on having a baptism this week, but the girl didn’t think that she was going to be ready yet so we moved you baptismal date to next month. We have also been teaching one guy and things are going really good with him. He went to church for the first time on Sunday and was only able to stay for the first hour because he is sick and has some problems with his legs. But he said that this week he will be there and stay the entire time. He has already said that the Book of Mormon is true and he really likes the teaching of the church. He says that he wants to be a part of the church but he wants to learn a little bit more first and read the Book of Mormon too. So we are just being patient with him and we continue to teach him and feel the spirit with him. His name is Juarez and is 62 years old.And yesterday we had our regular interview with President and it was really good, like always it is a great spiritual experience. President is a very spiritual and inspired man and I have grown to love him and follow all his teachings because they work. But after I said the opening prayer he started with his questions like always….As you look back at your mission and work you have done, how do you feel? Now that you mission is coming to an end, what do you think that the Lord expects you to do? And what is getting in the way of accomplishing that? How is your relationship with the Savior? How is your family? How is your health?.....etc. The questions that he asks are as well different. But we talked a bunch about my companion and how we are having some problems and after chatting for a while he asked to try to talk with him once more. So I promised that I would and when we got home I did and we worked things out finally. So I am feeling a lot better and I am feeling the spirit a little better too. But president and I talked a bunch and at the end of the interview he asked me something that he had never asked before…..I would like to give you a blessing, may I? And I let him give me a blessing, and it was the most spiritual blessing that I have ever been given. I can only compare it to my Patriarchal Blessing, it was that spiritual. And I was absolutely needing it, it was awesome. So yeah….Other than that not a whole lot has been going on. I received my first letter in I don’t know how long. And it was from Josh, my good ole faithful friend. But things are going good, but I hope that you all enjoy this letter. You better enjoy them, because after this one I am only going to send seven more. But I love you all and I miss you all too.Well I think that is all that I am going to send. Dad I hope your knee continues to get better and I know how you feel seeing your buddy go to church and repenting. Because it is a little bit of what I have done for two years, and I am really going to miss it. I hope that the Lord has some work for me to do when I get home. Mom, thank you for getting my school applications done. I just wanted to ask if you even sent my high school transcript and the bishop interview thing to BYU as well. Because you have to have those too. But yeah I love you all and I miss you. Keep Counting, we are now at 7 more Pdays. Elder Spotts PS. i dont know that stuff that you want me to do on the internet on my BYU application. that is why you have to get my high school trnascript and see what college classes i have already taken. because i dont remember. you might have to go to timpview to find that stuff out. but i cant do anything about it. and what is my username and password on the Utah Stat website?

Jan. 6, 2010

Hey everyone! What is all up? How has everyone been doing? I hope that all is well and that everyone had a great New Year I sure do miss everyone and I love you and I cannot wait to spend the next New Year with you all. I hope that everyone is also enjoying life and that you all had a great week this week. After reading some emails I could see that some of us had a pretty interesting and difficult week while others had an awesome week. But either way at least everyone is still alive and the Lord continues to give us breath. So that we can continue to learn and grow.But my week was pretty good. I think that it could have been better. It had some ups and a few downs. But at least time is passing and I am getting closer to be able to see everyone. It seems like I am becoming very tired. But I keep on going trying to to the best that I can and I hope that it is enough for the Lord. At times I feel like I have no idea what I am doing as a missionary and I have been here for so long. I feel as though I haven’t really learned anything here but then I know that I have My testimony has been strengthened so much, my knowledge of the gospel has grown and expanded, I learned how to speak new language, and I got a little skinny. But I am glad to be here for now.The baptism on Saturday was amazing. It was the highlight of the week. At the beginning of the week my companion and I planned out the baptism so that it was very spiritual and it was exactly what we wanted. We asked all the members to give the talks and we prepared it so that the spirit was there to testify and touch the people. And it was so spiritual that the lady got baptized, Val, cried. She was the only remaining member of her family that wasn’t a member of the church because she had to get married. On the 19th of last month she did that and got baptized this weekend. And she got baptized with a very strong testimony of the church and a great desire to get sealed to her husband and children in the Temple. Her husband is an ex-branch president and helped divide many branches in small city near by. But fell to temptation and was living with her for thirteen years without being married but is now super excited to be back at church keeping the commandments. It was awesome!On the other hand this week we were rejected by quite a few people. Being New Years and everyone drinking and partying it is very hard to work. We are now trying to find some new people to teach so we have been looking a lot this week. But we have been successful in already finding a few. Yesterday we went to teach a family and after teaching the first lesson. The wife cried telling us that we were an answer to her prays. She said that she had been praying to find something in here life and with tears in her eyes told us that we are that something. So hopefully the Spirit continues to touch her heart and help her understand the importance that the restored gospel has in our lives. It was a great experience and we felt very good after leaving their house. But we need help from the Divine to continue performing miracles among this people. And we need the prayers of all of you at home, so please continue to pray for us, especially for me, in order for me to be able to continue strong to the end of my mission without getting discouraged or tired. But I love you all and I miss you. And no I still haven’t been able to talk to my president but I will. Mom, I am glad to hear that everything is going good. I hope that it continues and I will pray that Tony Romo plays good so that you can win your bet. Tell Kaya that she needs to try and be smarter with the choices that she is making. It doesn’t matter where she finishes High School it just matters that she get s good education and Utah is one the better states in the country. And I think that it would be better for to continue where she is instead of switching school one more time. She has already done enough of school switching. But whatever……I love you guys and I got the package and I enjoyed it. I just haven’t been able to play with the car yet because it doesn’t have batteries and batteries a expensive here but I will buy some soon and play around with it. And one of the elders wanted to know how much it cost because he wants to buy one. But yeah I love you and continue applying for my schools, you need to get that done as soon as possible. But I love you and I miss you and I will talk to you next week. WIth Love, Elder Spotts

Jan. 20, 2010

Hey Family! How is everything going this week? How is the hot winter? How is the States? How is everything going on? I don’t have a whole lot to say this week, because not a whole lot has been going on. But let me see if I cant squeeze some things out of my mind. On Saturday we had a baptism and that went pretty good. A few young men that were watching and participating were a little irreverent but what can you do. But Wallace got baptized and is really excited. On Sunday he received the Holy Ghost and it was a very spiritual sacrament meeting. It started out with a huge rain storm right after the opening prayer and water started poring from the ceiling in the rented home. And all of the members were getting wet so they started making a ton of noise moving the benches a way from the poring water. And then the bishopric started grabbing buckets and filing them up with water and the other two elders decided to help and they ended up breaking a huge plastic garbage can that was full of water trying to carry it out and water went everywhere. But in the midst of all the chaos I could still fill the spirit after a while bishop told them not to worry about it anymore and we just kept on with the meeting. And it was quite spiritual even with the sound of the poring rain and water falling from the ceiling. It was pretty cool.On Thursday we had a service project and on of the elders ended up getting bacteria on his leg because he was working in the sand with just sandals. But we all know that you shouldn’t do that. So he has been itching and scratching his leg for the past few days waiting to be able to put some medicine on it to get rid of it. But other than that my companion and I have jut been fighting and things aren’t going very good between us. I had the worst work week this last week because a bunch of things happened and my companion and I aren’t getting along so it has been impossible to work. And my companion doesn’t want to work anymore. He doesn’t talk to anyone, doesn’t plan with me, doesn’t do contacts, or want to knock doors. So I have been doing all of this alone for the last few days and I cannot handle it anymore. I have tried talking to him and tried to work things out but he doesn’t seem to want to. We are two complete different people and it is hard. But he could at least try but doesn’t want to. A couple of days ago I got super upset with him because he didn’t want to walk by side, it was either way ahead of me or way behind me. So when we arrived at home I gave it to him and started yelling at him and burning him telling him that he needed to do something and start working. And he got upset with me and afterwards I apologized but he didn’t want to accept it and it is killing me. I want to finish the mission strong but he is making it so hard. It is just like trying to work with a high school girl. They are sensitive and all that stupid crap. I just cannot handle him anymore. So please pray for me. I am going to try and talk with him again but I don’t know if that will do anything, because I have already tried so many times.But yeah that is about everything that is going on, not much. But on Monday we ran into a pretty cool guy and had a great lesson. I saw this man sitting outside his house and I decided to talk with him and while I was talking with him it began to rain so he invited us to enter his house and we took advantage of the moment and we taught him the first lesson and he loved it. The Spirit was really strong and it was pretty cool and we are going to go back to his house on Friday. His name is Carlos.But I hope that everything is going good for you all I miss you and I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week this week. I pray for you and I still need for prayers and your support, the mission isn’t over yet. I haven’t received a letter from anyone in at least a month or so, so I am starting to think that people think that it is already over but it isn’t. You all cannot stop yet. Mom, well i hope that you arent upset with me or something for some add reason and that is why i didnt receive an email from you. but nonetheless i still love you and would still love to hear from you. i love you very much i and really need your letters. i look forward to them every week and when i dont get them it leaves me pretty low. i havent received any letters in a long time from anyone and now i dont get an email from my own mother. but i hope that every thing is alright and that you arent upset with me. but here is my letter and i hope to hear from you next week. if you want you can even write me back after receiving this letter because i might still be here or i will pass by later to get your email. but i love you and i miss you too. but please dont stop writing. i really need you letters especially in moments of difficulties.
With Love,Elder Spotts ps....dont forget about my schooling. you dont have a lot of time to apply left. just a reminder because i am worried about my future.

Jan. 13, 2010

Hey! i am just writing this quick letter to you because i wanted to ask you about my schooling. How are the application going? was i accepted at utah state? i can see that you havent finished my BYU application and i havent heard anything about my SUU application or my UVU application. I really need you to get this done as soon as possible. Today would be better than tomorrow. The faster you get it done the better chance i have at getting in. This is my future that we are talking about and because i am on the mission i am forced to rely on you to get it done. If i was at home i would already had finished it last year. PLEASE!!!!!! Get this done AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Thanks! Your Son, Elder Jory B. Spotts

Hey everyone! How have things been going? How was the week? How is life in the states? I has the weather been? How has the family? And friends? The ward? Well I hope that everything is going good. I sure do miss you all and cannot wait to arrive home and see you all. And that day is coming up a lot faster than we think, just a couple more months and a few more weeks. But yeah…..Things here have been going pretty good. Nothing has really changed in these past few days. We have been working and we have been finding some pretty cool people and also losing people that are not able to recognize the whispers of the still small voice. Lately we have been teaching a man called Juarez. He is a elderly man, 62 years old, and is very intelligent. He has a lot of knowledge about the gospel and has had a lot of spiritual experiences in his own life. So on the first visit like always we taught the first lesson and we left the Book of Mormon with him. We left a strong promise that if he read and prayed he would know that it is true. So a few days passed and we returned to his house and he sat down to teach the second lesson. But first we had to follow up on the reading and the prayer. Se we did and he began to tell us how he KNEW that the Book of Mormon was true and how he loved reading it. He had finished the entire first book of Nephi and practically told us everything about it and what he had learned. He absolutely loved the Book of Mormon so much that he said that it is better than the bible, because it explains the principles of the gospel in such an easier way to understand and because it is a very interesting book. He told us that he wants to continue reading and he wants to finish it and then he said that he might even join the church. He said that he has seen and followed so many different teachings but said that what he teach is much better than anything that anyone else teaches and that what he has read is much better than anything else that he has ever read. We are rally enjoying teaching him because of his knowledge and the Great Spirit that we feel in his house. If he gets baptized he will be a very good leader in the church and will really help the members in this ward. So hopefully he is able to see and more importantly feel the truthfulness of the everlasting gospel which we now expound as missionaries. It has been a great blessing teaching him, he has strengthened my testimony in the gospel.On Monday we also had zone conference and we enjoyed the lessons that the assistants taught and the words of our Mission President and his wife. Like always it was very spiritual and was good to hear their words. It is a little weird though because both of the assistants were my companions, Elder Mills from Wyoming and Elder Del Guerso from Rio de Janeiro. But it was always good see them. I sat with them and we chatted about the mission and how we are all getting ready to go home soon. Elder Del Guerso is going home in February and Elder Mills and I are going to be going home together. But at conference they talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and the Second lesson, The Plan of Salvation. So we learned a ton and enjoyed it. And I haven’t talked to president yet, but I did do a lot of praying and thinking about extending my time here. And I think that it was just a phase that I went through. So I don’t think that I am going to be extending my time. I will be coming home on the 23rd of March. So I will most likely arrive on the 24th or so.Well things have been going good and I sure do miss you all. But continue to pray for me and help me, because my time is not over yet. But I love you all and I hope that everything can go the way that you all need it to. I pray for you all and I hope that your leg can get better soon dad and I hope that you can get better soon as well mom. I miss you and keep my updated on the playoffs, on the things that are going on there, and mom especially on my schooling, because that is very important. But I love you all and I miss you all as well. I hope that you all have a great week and I will talk you all next week. With Love, Elder Jory B. Spotts

Dec. 30, 2009

Hey! How are things going? How was Christmas? I was the New Year? I hope that every thing is going good and that you all enjoy the New Year together. I sure do love you all I miss you and you are all in my prayers. I think of you all often. But yeah….How is the family? Friends? And everything else that is going on?Things here have been going pretty good. Christmas was really good, we went to some member’s house and we made food and then we ate and we had a good time. On Christmas Eve we had a white elephant party with a family in the ward and that was really fun. I really like my area and the members that live in it as well. They are always willing to feed us and that always makes a missionary pretty happy. But on the 23rd like mom and dad already know. My companion and my son, the elder that I trained, got robbed by a guy with a revolver. The guy put the gun on both of their heads and asked them to fork over their goods, a couple of members with also with them. So the assaulter managed to take three cell phones and a digital camera. But lucky for me I was inside the house busy talking to my mom. But my companion was a little shaken up because of the situation and was having a pretty hard time. But I sat down with him and we had a good long chat and he starting feeling a lot better. The Christmas conference was pretty cool. They talked a lot of Christ and we watched The Chronicles of Narnia and then we went on a boat ride and that was all cool. And it was pretty spiritual as well. We also had transfers yesterday, but both my companion and I are staying in the area together. There is a lot of work to be done in our area. We have been teaching a few people that are getting ready to get baptized. We are going to have a baptism on Saturday and in a couple of weeks we will be having another one. Things have been going really good. I am just trying to stay busy with my companion and try not to think to much about home and what I will doing when I get home. But I am totally excited to see you all in a few weeks/months too.I just wanted to share a quick experience with you all. Yesterday my companion and I went to a member’s house to let her know that her friend is going to be baptized this weekend and when we told her she got so excited that she began to cry. And it was the first time that I have ever seen a member cry because of a baptism. I could truly see and feel the love that she has not only for her friend but also for the gospel. It touched me to see her react the way that she did. And it was pretty cool. But not a whole lot has been going on, just normal stuff. Work and Work. The ward is going to get divided in a couple of months, so we are trying to help the members get ready for the division. We are visiting members and helping them prepare a few men to receive the Higher Priesthood. But that is about it, I also wanted everyone to know that if you have written me and not gotten a response that isn’t my fault. I responded to every single that I have received. The problem is in the mail system it really is a dump. But I love you all and wanted to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas and a Rockin New Year you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Love you ALL!!!Mom, I hope that you didn’t put on the application to USU that I graduated from Box Elder like you did on the application for BYU, because I graduated from Timpview. Don’t you remember…..you were there. But I thank you doing this for me and I already did the application and the other things that I could. You are going to have to get my Transcript from Timpview and finish the rest because I don’t know the rest, but I love you and keep on keeping on. And if you have any question send me an email. I still haven’t gotten your package. But I am patiently waiting, but I love you and I miss you. Sorry the letter is so short, but we talked last week.

Dec. 16, 2009

Hey! How is everything going? How is every doing? How is the holiday season? I hope that it is going good. The holiday season isn’t the same here but I am still able to feel the special spirit that Christmas brings. It is kind of interest how the spirit is a little bit different during this time of the year. I realized that Monday night while we were leaving message at a members house. For some reason felt like we needed to visit this family and leave a Christmas message with them, so my companion and I did and we felt the spirit so strong as we talked about the Savior and this time of the year. It was a pretty cool lesson, I really enjoyed it. And afterwards we enjoyed cake and juice. The members here like us…..:). We also enjoyed the Christmas Devotional that the First Presidency put on and as I watched that I got a little trunky. Seeing Temple Square all lit up and beautiful really hit me. I really wanted to be at home to be able to see the lights at Christmas time. But you can’t always get what you want. But I really enjoyed the talks that they gave and what they talked about. It is always good to here the First Presidency. I also had the opportunity to watch a movie that the church made about the life of President Monson and I really enjoyed that too. I felt the spirit really strong as I learned what makes President Monson different from the rest of the world. And it was something so simple that I was almost surprised the willingness to ALWAYS follow the spirit without hesitation. So I have now made the same goal in my life, to follow all the feelings, impressions and thoughts that come to my mind, so that I can become an instrument in the hands of the Lord. This week was a pretty good week. I really enjoyed it. On Sunday two men that my companions and I baptized received the priesthood and that is always a good feeling to see the people that you teach progress in the gospel. I was talking to Elder McNeil the other day, our district leader who is going home in a couple of weeks. And we talked about how we both are grateful for the mission and how we both feel like we are happy with what we have done on the mission. The Lord has blessed me so much. I have had the opportunity to teach some great people that truly wanted to serve and follow the Lord. And now they are progressing so much in the gospel. And I am glad that I have been able to work with the Lord in this mission.Yesterday we had our interviews with our Mission President and that was good like always. But I didn’t have the guts to ask him about extending my mission. I didn’t feel like the time was right yet, but the next time that I have the chance I will talk with him and see what he thinks. But I really enjoyed the interview, like always I felt the spirit as we talked about the work and my family. I love my president because he really worries about me and my family. He asked about Juston specifically and wanted to know how he is doing.And today my companion and I are going to go to the center of the city to buy some Christmas presents because one of the families in our ward wants to do a present exchange on Christmas so I have got to go and buy a present. But yeah things are going pretty good, nothing to complain about. It is just weird to think that my mission is ending and the feelings that I am now having. It is weird and hard to explain but things are going good and I am enjoying the work. We are going to have a wedding this week and after the wedding we are going to see if we can’t baptize the lady too. But yea…..not much to talk about this week. I just hope that everyone is doing well and that everyone is enjoying the holiday season.Mom, I hope that everything is going good. I just wanted to ask you when would be the best time to call you and on what day would be better too. So that I can talk with president about that, but I need to know today so when you get this email write me back as soon as possible. But I love you and I miss you and I hope that everything is going good. I love you and until next week.
With Love,Elder Jory B. Spotts

Dec. 9, 2009

Hey! How have things been going? How was your week this week? How is the family? How are our friends? I hope that everything is going good. Our week was alright this week. Nothings amazing happened, it just seemed like a normal week to me. But we just keep going and we do the best we can. But I sure do miss you all and I hope that everything is going good.My birthday was awesome. I loved it, because they people here made it special. We started the day out by going to one of my old areas like I had told you and we had BBQ and Lasanga( I think that is how you spell it). And it was awesome, because I love the family that made it all for me, they are probably the coolest and best family that I have met on the mission. And the other cool part was that she invited a family that we baptized while I was there. And it felt so good to see them and talk with them, because it had been over a year since the last time that I saw them. We played uno and we just talked and ate and it was great. They made me a cake and sang to me too. Afterwards we came back to our area and we went to another member’s house and they made me a cake too. Then we went to another member’s house, Rosana, and this was the best part of the day. We should up and they had planned up a ton games that they were going to play. But I couldn’t play. They said that they were going to play and whoever won got to write all over my face with lipstick. And I said no way and said that I was going to play and if I won no one was going to do anything to me. So I played and I won every single game. At first they thought that they would get me, the American, with a Portuguese language game, where we had to repeat a long tongue twister piece by piece. But did I prove them wrong. I was the only one that got it right. So I marked and wrote on everyone’s face with lipstick. Then they wanted to play musical chairs. But the mother, Rosana, was running the music. And I won two times in a row and Rosana thought that was ridiculous so she wanted to play and we did. And the last two standing were her and I, and at the end of the music she was closing to sitting down so I pulled she chair out from under her and she grabbed the chair too, but I sat down first so I won again. And everyone got mad so they grab and wrote on my face anyways. I have tons of pictures of face all red because of the lipstick. My birthday was awesome. This week my companion ran into a couple of difficulties as well. It started on Saturday with a problem with the wedding that we are going to have on the 19th. So we had to take the bus to the Mission Office grabbed a paper and take it back to our area to be signed by the couple and the witnesses. Then on Sunday we ran out of water and we went three days without water. So we ended up having to take showers at Rosanna’s house and at the chapel. Then on Monday the landlord was asking for the rent and said that he couldn’t wait until today so we spent the entire day at the bank trying to take out money so pay him. It was very heck tick. But it is the life of a missionary. We have also been having trouble finding new people to teach. So we are now working in a part of our area that is a way long ways away to be able to try and find people to teach. And it has been the hardest part of the mission; it seems like I really don’t know how to find people to teach. But when I do they almost always progress really well. So we have been teaching a few people that have really been progressing well. We had 8 people at church on Sunday so that is always good and we are doing what president asks. So we are going what we can to help the ward grow and do what the Lord wants us to do. And that is all that we can do. So I am not complaining about anything. I am doing what I can.And this morning a member in the ward here took us site seeing. It was pretty cool. He took us to a waterfall, the area where they filmed Anaconda, the Hotel Tropical, where they are constructing the temple, and it was pretty cool. I got a little dirty but it was pretty cool, we walked on the beach and ate mango, and it was pretty rad. And now I am at the internet writing to you guys. So things are going good. I am looking forward to Christmas because president decided to rent a boat and take us out on the river to see the part of the river where the two rivers come together to make the amazon and the waters don’t mix. I don’t know what they call it in English. But yeah…..i love you guys and I hope that everything is going good. Mom, if you need me to call on a different day I can. Just let me know what day and I can talk to President and he doesn’t have any problem with it. But I don’t how I am going to call you, because I don’t know where the calling card is that you sent me. I don’t even remember receiving one and if I did I have no idea what I did with it. But I will try and find it. But I also thought that I would tell you something that you need to know. I think that I am going to ask president to extend my mission…………..but let me tell you why, because for some odd reason this has come to my mind recently. To be absolutely honest I wouldn’t complain if president sent me home honorable early for some odd reason. Because I miss you all sooooo much and I am getting excited to go home. But for some odd reason I am thinking that I might ask him just be a hundred percent sure that I am doing all that the Lord wants me to. So I am thinking about talking to him and one of the other elders in my group to stay with me. But we will see what happens. I just hope that you understand and don’t get upset. I also got the package and wanted to thank you. You just forgot to send two things that I asked for; A Real Salt Lake Soccer Jersey and an Ensign in English from November. You sent me a jazz jersey instead of the real salt lake. And with the analogy of the pregnant women…..i think that you just convinced me that I don’t want to have any kids, because nine months is a long time. And if my wife suffers that means that I am going to suffer too. So count me out. And I cant see your motorcycle that you are going to buy, you have to send it as an attachment. Because the computers here don’t let you see the pics. But yeah…..i love you and I miss you a ton and I hope that you have a great week, until next week. And give kaya and bruiser a hug for me.
With Love,Elder Jory B. Spotts

Dec. 2, 2009

Hey Everyone!!!! How are things going? I hope that everything is going great. I sure did miss you all on Thanksgiving and on Saturday…..wanting to see the BYU vs. Utah Game. But I am glad to hear that BYU pulled off a close win. It is always good to hear that they win the big game. It doesn’t matter if they lose all their games in the season, but if they beat Utah, it’s a good year. But I sure hope that everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving here was just a normal day for the American missionaries; no one in Brazil even knows what it is. But they don’t know what they are missing out on. But things here have been going really well. It seems like I am going to be able to finish my mission on a good note. The trunkiness is going away, I think that it was just a phase. But yeah….This week my companion and I had a pretty good week. We worked hard, found a few new people to teach, and we had two baptisms. The baptism on Sunday went great. We had a little bit of a problem with the bishop because he wanted to change the time of the baptism but no one wanted to listen to him so it started when everyone else wanted. My companion and I were willing to do whatever the bishop said but the rest of ward was against him. But the baptism was very spiritual like always. We planned the baptism and it went really well. I was the only missionary that participated in the program. I sang a special musical number and I baptized the women. But the other elders just sat back and enjoyed the baptism. But it went really well. The people we baptized were an awesome couple. Their son is a member and had been talking to them about the gospel for a long time and after insisting that they visit for such a long time they finally decided to go to church and they received a testimony of the gospel. They went to church about four times and then told us that they wanted to get taught by the missionaries. We hadn’t talked to them in the beginning because someone had told us that they were already being taught by some other elders because they don’t live in our area. But the elders didn’t want to go to their house. So they came to our chapel to be taught by us. And on the first visit they wanted to be baptized and they did get baptized. I really enjoyed teaching them; it was blessing that the Lord gave to both me and my companion.I also received a pretty big surprise on Monday. We went to Zone Conference and I enter into the chapel and sat down next to one of my old companions, Elder A. Oliveira, and we started chatting and then I heard some say my name behind me. So I looked back and I saw Abelardo, I don’t know if you remember him. But he is a recent convert that one of my companions and baptized when I was in São José. Well he was there at the conference because he is going to serve a short time mission because he is preparing to serve a mission. He was the young man that we baptized after having to cast out a demon, I think you remember. But he his really good and now is going to serve a mission and we are serving in the same zone together. It was really cool seeing him there at the conference. I can’t even explain the joy that I felt when I say someone that I taught and baptized being a missionary. The blessing that the Lord gives to missionaries are amazing and you can’t receive these types of blessing doing anything else, only on the mission.But the Zone Conference was really good too. President talked a lot about The Book Of Mormon and how we need to testify more about the Book Of Mormon in our listens and we need to use it more. Because in Preach My Gospel it says that we should teach about it in the first lesson, but most of the elders don’t teach it until the second visit. Because a lot of people don’t take care of it and it seems like a waste to give one to somebody and then they throw it away or don’t read it. But President said that we should always teach it in the first lesson. Only if the Spirit tells us not to we should. I really enjoyed the spirit that was felt at the conference and what I learned. They also put together a video of the Talk that Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave about the Book of Mormon at General Conference. It went really good. And as for today my companion and I are going to go the party that the member family is going to put together for me and then at night two other families said that they are going to make me cake and have a little too. So I get not just one party but three on my b-day. That is how special I am, the people love me.  But things are going really good, just having a hard believing that I can now buy beer in the States. I feel like I am getting old. And I am starting to feel like I don’t want to go home at the end of my mission. I think that I am just going to stay here. I already feel like Manaus is home. I love it here and I love the people, I already have tons of people that say that I am a member of their families and I already have a Brazilian mother. And I can find myself a wife really fast here. I have got everything that I need. So I don’t think that I wanna come home. Just for vacation…..jk. But I really do love it here and am going to miss it a ton when I have to go home. But I miss you all too much. But I hope everything is going good for everyone, I miss you all.Mom, well it sounds like thanksgiving was pretty cool for you guys, I worked. But I am glad to hear that it went well. I love you all and I am looking forward to see you all again pretty soon. And I will be able to call home for the last time on the 23rd. because that is when we are going to have our Christmas program and president wanted us to call home on this day. But if it is a bad day he said that we can call on a different day too. But yeah, apply to those schools as soon as possible for me. But I love you and I miss you and thank you for the happy birthday, I am getting old. But I haven’t gotten your present yet but I think that I will get it pretty soon. But I love you and will talk to you next week. 15 more P-Days
With Love, Elder Jory B. Spotts

Nov. 25, 2009

Hey everyone! How have things been going? I hope that everything is going good. How was thanksgiving? I am sure going to miss my favorite holiday. And I am going to miss you all very much tomorrow too. But you will all have to let me know how everything is going and how the holiday went. And you are going to have to tell me about the BYU vs. Utah game as well. That is always the best game of the year and hopefully BYU wins this year. But things here have been going pretty good. Just work and work. But things have been going pretty good. We have been losing and finding new people to teach all the time. It doesn’t even seem like we really get to know the people before they decide to reject the gospel. But we are going to have two baptisms this Sunday. So mom you read my letter wrong….sorry. But we didn’t have a baptism last week. But the baptisms are going to happen this coming week. And my companion and I do not seem like to be the as happy about the baptism as the couple that is going to be baptized. We talked with them yesterday and taught for the last time before their baptismal Interview and they are really excited. They are totally ready for the baptism. Everything we ask them to do they do it. We asked them to stop drinking coffee and they stopped immediately. They also asked us about a few things that the love to do like play Domino and face cards and they said that they are willing to stop if they have to. But we explained to them that they can. They know that the gospel is true and are really excited about their baptism. I learned a lot from them teaching them. I learned that I didn’t have anything to do with their conversion….it was ALL the spirit. They were prepared by and touched by the spirit. And I am excited for the baptism on Sunday.Things have been going pretty good with my companion as well. We are getting along well and things are looking pretty good. We are working well together and I am really enjoying the mission. I think that I am now having the best time of the mission right now because I have learned the language and I have almost mastered the mission techniques. i cant say that I am the best missionary because that would be a lie. At times I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, but when I follow the Spirit and the Lord everything works out. We are looking at having a few baptisms next month as well. We have a few investigators that are really interested in the gospel and they are really enjoying the lessons. But yeah the mission is going good, but I am having trouble forgetting how much time I have left. I cannot get that out of my head to matter how hard I try to forget I always remember that I have got 17 weeks left……16 more pdays.But I really cannot think of anything to write to you all. This letter is going to be a little bit shorter than usual…sorry. I still love you all but I am not really remembering anything that is going on. We did have a bbq with some of the ancients….the old missionary, and I am one of them. It is really weird to think about that. I don’t feel any different. And next week there is a family in one of my old areas that is wanting to put together a little party for my birthday. So next pday I am going to have a party and that will be pretty good. But yeah………I sure do miss you all and I love you and I hope that everything is going good. Mom, I wanted to ask you something but I forgot….oh yeah…..were you able apply to those schools for me yet or not. If not you need to get on that. Because if you don’t it is going to be harder for me to enter into them. So please apply as soon as possible and send loves to everyone at Grandmas house for thanksgiving. I love you all and I miss you;
With Love, Elder Jory B. Spotts

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

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