My First Cambio -- and Merry Christmas!!!

For the big news….. Guess what??? I love you!! :). I have cambios!! I bet you’ll never guess where!! I’m going to Chiloé Island to Quellón (which is where the earthquake hit on Christmas day). Yeah it’s crazy!!! I’m excited but scared, it will be sick.. My companion’s name is Elder Muirhead and he is from Canada. Elder Vasquez will stay here and Elder Amaya from Colombia will come and replace me! Elder Thomas my dad is gonna be AP!! (Assistant to President). He is really nervous but I know he will do good! (Side note: Quellón is a Chilean port city and commune in southern Chiloé Island, Los Lagos Region. It is considered an end-station of the Panamerican Highway and the Pacific Coastal Highway. The only way to get there is by sea aka boat. Shawn will be traveling there on Thursday – apparently, it will take 12 hours for him to get there.)

Now to his main email: Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!:) It was so cool to talk to you!!:) I honestly could have talked for hours!! but yeah it’s all good now, we can just continue on here and I’ll keep working hard!!:) Oh and yeah I’ll tell Max thank you again for everything. Yes we had a zone activity today and we played pass and it was so bomb!!:) also yes I’ll try to send a video of the snow, it was sweet!!:) It worked great! (I sent him some insta snow for Christmas since it’s warm there. He loved it.)

Everything this last week was really good! It honestly flew by. It was sad, we didn’t have a chance to teach Ignacio but it’s all good!! We found 2 new families this past week and one of the families speaks English perfectly! so it was really cool to meet them! also Richard (whom we talked about on the call on the hill in LicanRay) he is going to keep meeting with the missionaries!!:) so that is sweet. Also we had our dinner as a branch on Friday so that was cool to see everyone! But yeah it was a crazy week and also I agree the light the world campaign was really awesome!:)

It sounds like your week was really good! and wow I’m glad you enjoyed Christmas!!:) And my day was pretty great as well because I got to talk to you guys!!:) but wow thank you so much for that quote!!:) Thank you for all the love and support momma and I’m glad that I have the chance to be here and serve:) Love you and my challenge for this week is to listen to the talk from this last conference about suffering with joy!!:) love you mom and remember always be happy because why live this life sad. We are only going to be in this life once, let’s make it happy and go to the eternity’s happy with our family!!:)

Love you to the moon and back momma and have a great week!!:) and don’t worry about cambios it will all be ok!!:)

Elder Shawners Spencer

These are my fotos!!:)

Shawn and Max

Pato!

We had a BBQ for our zone activity! It was sweet!!!

Picture overload here but here are some more that I got from Hermana Hugeth on Christmas Day, plus a few others. It's a tradition in Chile to open presents at midnight. They had to open them at 11:00 though because they had to be home by 11:30.

Our Skype call with Shawn on Christmas day!

Max took this picture and sent it to me.
I love that he's so happy!!

Love this face!!!

Best Christmas present ever!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!! :)

First of all how are you doing mom??:) Enjoying the snow? Have you had very much snow?? I am doing awesome!!:) Honestly it’s crazy this last week flew by like nothing, even faster than the week before. I am definitely staying busy being a dad here in the mission!;) and to answer your question from last week, yes Elder Vasquez and I are still going crazy and talking to basically everyone in the streets!!:) As for Christmas I still don’t know any details, but I’ll let you know through Pato when I do know more. Yes I have my package and I’ve absolutely loved it!!:) We loved the ties and don’t worry, I haven’t looked at anything else yet, but I just have a couple more days!!;) OH MY GOODNESS yes the caramels were bomb, I still have a few left... haha but I’ve been going to town on those caramels! Also thank you so much for the tree blanket. Tell Jess's mom thank you and Melanie too!! They are the ones who did it right? but I loved the tree and all the ornaments!!:)

As for this last week on MONDAY after p-day we went and passed out the Christmas cards #iluminaelmundo from the church and did lots of contacts! Then later that night someone called us about their card and said they were a less active member and received our card and want to return to church. His name was Victor Campos, he is a boss!!:) Then we also found a guy that gave us a ride to the house, he lives in LicanRay and he lived in Salt Lake for like ten years. He was a sweet dude! Then on WEDNESDAY we went and had a lesson with Carlos and he is doing really well. He has loved this short time with having the priesthood!!:) Then later that night we went and helped the other branch in Villarrica set up for a dinner/dance to help the young kids here go to EFY In January!!:) Then on Thurs and Friday we had inter-cambios with the zone leaders. I stayed here with Elder Woolley and we went and visited a family in the campo!!:) Then on Saturday we helped Pato for basically the whole day... he had to change houses and so we did it all in one day!! It was insane but his new house is so sick!:) No se,... there was a lot that happened this week it was crazy!!:) As for Ignacio we have taught him basically all we can but he needs to come to church..:/ he has been working a ton and was sick this last week but he is doing better and is continuing to gain more knowledge and get ready for baptism. Speaking of baptism I’m going to Panguipulli this week to give 2 BAPTISIM interviews for the zone leaders! so that will be cool to do!!:)

That is so true I love that thought about the Book of Mormon and always praying for reaffirming our answer because that is how the Lord teaches is by repetition!!:) That is so cool!!:) I’ve seen that but I guess I’ve just never really realized that before!!:) Thank you for that thought and it is so true the Lord is always here for us, well that is the reason that we are here on the earth right to live to be more like our Father in Heaven?:)

Wow it sounds like your last week was really good!!:) Priesthood blessings are amazing and I know they are an opportunity to hear and be blessed with exactly what we need.:) I’m glad you are doing well. I really want to encourage you, if you aren’t doing it, to look at the videos of light the world every day and to try and share the light of Christ with the world!!:) This time isn’t about us, or gifts, or snow even though all are awesome;) but it is about our savior Jesus Christ. The light of the world being born!!:) Love you to eternity and back momma!! I can’t wait to talk to you on Sunday!!:) Hope you have an amazing Christmas and I’ll talk to you soon!!:) Love you!

Love, Elder Shawners Spencer

Villarrica District

Shawn and Elder Woolley - intercambios

Pato's New House

Shawn and Pato

Yay, he finally got his Christmas package!

They like their Christmas ties! 

Shawn's homemade Christmas tree!

Climbing a hill in Lican Ray!

This is what happens when you hike in shorts
in the summer and have fair skin...

Week of Service and Teaching

I am doing freaking awesome thank you for asking!!:) To start off with the package, I will be receiving it this week... haha. We are going to have inter-cambios with the Zone Leaders so I will get it then.. I think we are doing the inter-cambios Thursday I believe.:) We had Victor (Hermana Hugeth’s husband) who worked in Panguipulli a couple of days this last week try to meet up with the zone leaders to get the packages, but with their separate schedules it never worked out.. but it’s all good haha. I think that’s the Lord telling me to chill and be patient.:) It’s hard cause all the hermanas want their packages too.... :)

I’m glad you like the story and no we haven’t been able to teach them yet cause this last week first of all was crazy. It literally flew by... but we visited with them for a sec. The problem is the father works far out in another city.. so for that it’s hard to find them together. The week was good though, it was honestly all a blur. We did a lot of service and just working with the people (investigators) who we have!!:) I gave another talk on Sunday and it was so cool. I can give better talks now and I don’t need a ton of preparation!!:) Also I don’t know if you remember Ignacio, but we taught him this last week and we asked him "Have you prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true?" (in Spanish of course) ;) and he said "no" and so we were like what? why? and Ignacio said "Because I know it’s all true.." OH MY GOODNESS haha it was so crazy and he talked with his boss so now he doesn’t have to work Sundays after yesterday! So Ignacio is doing awesome! haha

As far as my district, there is me and my comp., then there are 4 hermanas (2 companionships) Hermanas Alvarez (from Chile) and Gardner (from Colorado), and Hermanas Hyde (from Vernal!!!) and Arevalo (from Columbia). I’ll try to send a pic this next week.:)

Thank you so much momma for everything and I hope you know that I love you literally a ton!!! like never ending!! haha and no not just because you send stuff but because you always are here and loving and awesome! What is this big conference for in Las Vegas? Did you know that there is a city here in Chile called Las Vegas? haha just a little random fact for ya there.

Woah that sounds like it was an awesome stake conference!! I love that quote and that is so true, families have such a big importance here on the earth because like it says in well the Book of Mormon and the Bible, the family is the place where we learn and for you ;) to teach your children the ways of the Lord.:) so thank you so much for that thought momma and oh thank you for that scripture (Matt. 25:21) I loved it!!

Thank you mom for letting me know how you are and I love you forever and back!!:). Hope this next week is awesome and I can’t wait to hear back next week!!:) haha and hey we talk in 2 weeks!!:) for Christmas!

Love you momma!!

Elder Shawners Spencer

Ps fotos

1- Carlos received the Priesthood today (Sunday)!!

2- Service project we did. We moved all that wood up that hill!!! (You can see the wood platform at the bottom)

3- We helped Pato frame some photos he had!!:)

The Spirit Stopped Me in My Tracks...

I’m glad you guys had a good anniversary and also I’m glad that you got to go out with everyone!!:) It sounds like it was a lot of fun and also oh man I love the Forgotten Carols!!:) That is so fun that you got to go to that, how did dad like it?:) haha. Oh man you have no idea, this past week flew by for us as well. I love when we have a week planned well because we are working and going crazy all of the days. So the days just fly by but the important part is that we use our time wisely and also that we strive to have the spirit in the midst of the craziness.:)

We as a district had a great week this last week. The Hermanas in our district did work this past week with finding and teaching people!! I like being district leader so far! haha well also I haven’t really had any big challenges as of yet. Well that’s not true, it’s hard to do a district meeting for an hour and a half but I’ve seen that if I prepare good and when I start, the spirit takes over and helps me with what to say and share!! It is honestly amazing!!:) Oh and this past week I had a super cool experience. Elder Vasquez and I have been working on using a list we have of the members in our sector because we have like 45 or so who come to church but there are over 500 who are in our ward according to this list. So we pick names of people and families to go and see if they still live here or what happened and if possible try to teach them. So the other day I wrote down like 6 names of people on this list of members to visit. After we had visited the first 5, all of the people on the list had moved or weren’t living..:/ so after we were walking and I had forgotten about this last name we had. Then suddenly when Elder Vasquez and I were walking, I suddenly stopped (it felt like something had stopped me..) then I looked to the left and it was exactly the address of the last name on the list. It wasn’t the name on the list but the women (Pamela) who was in the house recently moved into this house and she had talked with missionaries before but it had been like 10 years! So we started talking to her and her three boys who are 12, 6, 2 and they were interested and said we could come back and visit next week! So we are going to visit them this week and see how it goes.:) But this was a really cool experience for me because it shows that if we have the spirit, then He will always help us to do and follow God’s will – including stopping me in the middle of my tracks.:) So my thought for this week is always try to live in a way so that the spirit can and will dwell within you.:)

Also Ignacio is doing well. He worked this last week so he couldn’t come to church but, he is reading and continuing to pray, oh man he is so boss!!:) haha. Thank you momma for the package and for everything you are doing!!:) My package is in the zone leader's house and I think Hna Hugeth's husband is going to bring it from Panguipulli today so I’ll let you know when I have it!!:) and there was one other thing I was gonna ask for but I forgot... I’ll send another message if I remember!!:)

Thank you mom and I hope your week is more fantasticer than mine!!:) haha but thank you for the scripture and I’m gonna look it up!:) Also it is so true the New Testament and Matthew are such good books, definitely inspired by God.;) Love to forever and back momma! I hope you have a great week and stay safe ok!!:)

Love,

Elder (Shawners) Spencer

Shawn with a cute puppy they found in the street.

Puppies they found in the street. He said they were mini Koda's :).

Seminary / Institute Graduation!

Watching the crazy storm coming!!

District Conference with President

Things are going pretty well here in Villarrica, Chile. Just chillin’ here in the cyber after we walked down from the house and stopped to take some pictures of the beautiful volcano here and the beautiful sights as well...;) haha naw but I’m good and I have liked being with my new companion Elder Vasquez. We have been killin’ it this last week and Ignacio is continuing well. We had a noche de hogar (family home evening) with him and the family of the Hermana Hugeth, and another less active family and it was really cool! Not exactly the mini Thanksgiving I was expecting but it was an awesome noche de hogar for the least!!:) As for Isaias he is in Santiago... but we have a new investigator named Monica and she is really cool. She has been really receptive to us and she has started to read and pray so that is awesome!!:) Also we have a new investigator Nivia who can speak English and she lived in Utah, in Saint George for a couple years and now lives here again!!:) Oh and this past Sunday we had district conference and President Isom came and spoke! It was so cool to hear him and his wife speak. It was so powerful to hear them speak:) also after we had interviews with President as well so that was sweet!!

As for being district leader I am here basically to help the missionaries in my district to be motivated and to help them to become better missionaries. So every week I have a district meeting. Most district leaders look at the numbers for the last week and basically put shame on their missionaries to get better lessons, new investigators, investigators in the church, ect. But as for me, I like to put our goals for the next week up and talk with the missionaries as to how we are going to achieve them and basically what is our purpose to try and achieve these. Which truthfully is to share the gospel and bring souls unto Christ in the most efficient way possible.:) haha sorry I don’t know if that makes sense...

I know!!! It’s so crazy that December is basically here!! I feel like we just started November!! but oh man I’m so happy that Thanksgiving was awesome!!:) It doesn’t feel like Christmas here. It’s hot. Right now it’s only about 80 degrees but its friggen humid... and tomorrow it says 95 degrees... with 65 % humidity… How is everyone in the family and what are they all up too?? But seriously thank you so much for the pics and I hope everyone is well! Well basically my mini Thanksgiving was the noche de hogar, so it was pretty sweet!!:) And yes mom I’ll let you know about the package!:)

That’s a really cool thought!! I like that a lot!! (I told him about a speaker in sacrament meeting who talked about how we are fighting an evil prince and must find our inner peace in order to defeat him, which we can do through the Atonement.) That is so true to find our inner peace in this life we really have to understand and appreciate the loving atonement and sacrifice that Jesus did for us. He suffered and died and was resurrected so that through him we don’t need to suffer and we too can be resurrected after this life.:)

Thank you momma for all that you do!!:) You really don’t know how awesome you are!! Thank you for everything!! Have a great week ok?!:) Love you to eternity and back!!:) and remember 1 Nephi 3:7 and #Nike2k16 #Justdoit

Love you more!!

Elder Shawners Spencer