What a Week!!!

Hey momma how are you doing??:) This last week really was crazy, it passed so fast!! On Tuesday, we had the chance to meet with Jaime and he is doing really good!! but his parents apparently aren’t doing so well and are thinking about separating....:/ so we gave him some advice and told him to trust in the Lord. I really feel like it helped him a lot! but we will have to see what the Lord has in the future for him and his parents. I know it will all work out!:) We also had inspections on Tuesday and the Farnsworth’s came down. I think you know them right??! but she was so happy to see our house clean. She said ours was one of the best in the mission!;) haha I know surprise right?? Wednesday, we had interviews with President and so that was nice to talk to him and talk about the district and stuff to help the sector!:) Then Chaitén got here that night. Thurs, we went to conference with President and I, along with a few others, was asked to speak in the conference. It was so scary at first but after I started, I felt the spirit and just began to share what I had planned!!:) Then President Isom talked a lot about the chain for an investigator:

               Contact->New inv.->Bap date->Baptisim->Bap in temple->Temple End.

He said it doesn’t matter what part of that chain we are, whether we are baptizing, finding or helping new converts go to the temple. We just need to be helping to "move" the work in our areas and not just "tend" to the work. I really loved his message because a lot of missionaries get caught up in baptizing. And I hate missionaries that just "baptize" because they come into a sector, baptize the person then in 2 months they stop going to church because they never really had a chance for real conversion. That happens a lot in Chile so I love that President is helping to change that!!:) It was a pretty sweet conference!!:)

Chaitén!! Oh man Chaitén was so cool! We had a 4 hour boat ride there, then on Monday we had p-day and went to an abandoned jail and a light house! We were gonna go climb the volcano but Elder Braddock messed up on the timing so we missed the bus to go. But it’s all good. We will go again if I’m here next cambio!:) Then after p-day we went and visited a sweet family of investigators and they were so sweet. We shared with them a little and it was so cool. One woman (Veleska) said "I love the feeling I have in my house when you guys come!" It was so cool. So I hope they can continue to help her understand what she feels!!:) It was so cool!!:)

That’s crazy about the Farnsworth’s, I know! She told me she’s Ben’s aunt and they end their mission in March I think!! Oh man I miss being able to go to the temple whenever I wanted!! That is sweet that you got to go and thank you so much for the fotos!!:)

That sounds like a great Sunday!! I love that quote. It is so true, we are our own free agents and we need to fill our "cupboards" of things that are going to help us get back to our Father in Heaven! I love that thought!!:) My thought for this week is in the part I shared in our conference: "Helping the investigators have the DESIRE to act on the commitments we give is like ice cream." "We have to listen to the spirit and give them the ice cream they want and need with the right toppings." Think about it. If you give someone pistachio ice cream with mayo for the topping it doesn’t work. We need to listen to the spirit to know exactly what we need to do to help the person progress.:) haha I hope that makes sense!!:)

Haven’t received my package yet but I hope maybe this week??:) no se.. (I don’t know). I love you mom and hope you have a great week this week!!:) I love you so much (to eternity and beyond!!) stay safe!:)

Love,

Elder Shawners Spencer

¿¿Que pasa, 10 meses ya??

Yeah that’s kind of insane that I’ve already been out for so long!! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was arriving here to the mission and couldn’t speak a lick of Spanish, and now I can at least speak a little!!;) haha. But this last week was really good. Life is good here. It's still a little hard to find people, especially right now because it's summer and lots are working and on vacations, but it's still really fun. It rained for basically this whole last week straight and now it's super sunny and hot today... I don't like it!!!;) haha. We had zone meeting this last week and talked about the capacitation (training) we got on the 25 of January. It was really cool. We talked about why we had these changes and how they can help us. It’s been really amazing to see so far the changes in the key indicators (the numbers we report) and how it has changed our focus to be more effective in helping people come unto Christ.:) 

As far as investigators, Denise has been working like crazy because it’s summer here so we haven’t gotten to see her for a little while but hopefully we can find her soon!!:) The activities are really a key part of the work here I’ve realized because it helps all the members and investigators to know one another and become friends outside of only Sundays! So we are trying to do activities every other week. Jamie is doing good. We introduced him to family history and the temple. He loves it and wants to go and do this work for his ancestors!! Also Sergio and Araceli (long time investigators:) ) are doing really well. They decided that they want to get baptized when the renovation on our church building is done (which won’t be until around June). (I’ll try to send pics later today) but we are doing really well here and getting to know a lot of new people so it’s been really cool!:)

Me and Elder Gonzalez are doing great together so far!!:) haha we get along great because he is like a little kid at times and so am I :) so it works out pretty well!!:) From him, I’m learning a lot of Spanish - like things I can correct and say better. But also I’m learning a lot from him about like in the scriptures it says to become as a little child and come unto Christ. We both have like the little kid mentality inside our adult bodies, haha as in trying to be humble and be more like Christ ;).

Whoa it sounds like this last week was pretty "sweet" ;) with Valentine’s day! haha see what I did there!!;) haha oh man... but no really that sounds like a really cool Valentine’s day. I’m glad that you guys all had a fun night!!:)

Oh ok thank you for the info on the package. I’ll see if I can figure out any info from here but I’ll let you know if I find anything out!!:) Thank you for doing all that you do momma!!:) Also thank you for your scripture! (D&C 8:8). This last week I went to church and they were like, are you ready for your talk? (they forgot to tell me...) haha but I just went up and shared about new converts and how we can help them stay active.:) It was actually really good and I feel like this relates because I trusted in the scriptures and basically used the spirit to guide me and help me give my talk.:)

Thank you momma for the email and talking to me!!:) I hope your week goes great and that you can get feeling better!!:) Love you to eternity and beyond!!:) Keep doing work and stay safe!:)

Love,

Elder Shawners Spencer

Spiritual thought: In a book called "our search for happiness" by Elder M. Russell Ballard he talks about a story where he was sharing with a bunch of pastors from other religions and they said "if you could put the golden plates on the table, we could believe you." But if we can just have faith, God will open our eyes to have a better understanding!:)

This is our church building which is being renovated.

Chiloe Zone Conference

From the talent show the week before...

Shawn's mustache hahaha.

Every Day Is Gonna Be a Great Day!!

Well the week was pretty crazy... we didn’t get a whole lot of visits in with our investigators because of cambios. Chaitén came here from their sector then Elder Camargo (from Chaitén) went with Elder Muirhead and they left to Osorno and then I stayed with Elder Braddock and our comps didn’t get here to Quellón until Thursday! But we found this really cool dude when we were buying at the ferias. He loves Christ’s teachings and wants to learn more about what we share about him so I hope we can find him this next week!:) Also we found a menos activo part member family buying ice cream later that day as well!! haha it’s crazy. It’s so true that we can find people in every moment if we are in tune and trying to find in every moment.:) Then on Friday we had a "Quellón tiene talento" like Quellón has talent for the ward. It was actually pretty bomb and I’ll try to send some videos later. We were the "judges," it was fun!! It turned out to be an awesome activity. Jaime sang in the competition and he has such an amazing voice! We were a little worried cause like nobody signed up then everyone came and was like I wanna do something!! and it was super fun!:) Then on Saturday the elders of Chaitén got to leave to their sector, because that’s when the next boat left...

My new comps name is Elder Gonzalez. He is from San Antonio. It’s a city right next to Santiago! He has the same time in the mission as me and I think that we are going to die together so that is really sweet!!:) haha but no worries I’ll send a foto of us together next week!:)​​​​ but as for the rest of our investigators they are doing well but we are just waiting for Jaime’s parents to sign so he can be baptized.:) but it’s all on the Lord’s time right?;) also I’m sorry I left my paper at home but I’ll send a foto of it later about Cornelius ok?:)

WOAH I loved that quote that you sent from D&C (11:12-13) that is a great scripture! It is so true. I have seen so many times in the mission that when I put my trust in the spirit, I work so many more miracles and find people who are looking for the Lord in their life!:) Thank you so much momma and I hope that all is well there. My thought this week is from Pres. Hinckley: keep the attitude that every day was, and is, going to be a great day. Our attitude is everything!!:) lç

Also I have some motivational videos I listen to and one says "Everyone is created equal, so work harder in the off season." This is so true because it is through all the little things that the extraordinary things come to pass. And I know that as I do my part, the Lord adds his power if I’m doing his work and will.:) This has helped me so much in my mission so far. If I hadn’t had the Lord’s help, I still don’t think I’d even be speaking Spanish! haha but I know he helps me so that I can effectively help my district and my investigators. I am an instrument in the Lord’s hands.:)

Love you so much momma. I hope everything is well there!:) I love you to forever and back!! keep safe and remember this is gonna be a great day!!:)

Love you!!!:)

Elder Shawners Spencer

At the talent show :)

Only stars are allowed here...

Fixing a door knob that exploded

Took him an hour to put it back together

A church in Castro

Shawn with Elder Muirhead

His new companion Elder Gonzalez

Transfers

Hey momma what’s goin’ on??':) Hey I’m sorry today has been crazy and so for that I don’t really have time to write or talk today.... can you tell everyone sorry I am literally only writing you.:) Also tell dad I love him and sorry I couldn’t write. But as for us, all is good. Elder Muirhead has transfers. He is going to Rahue, it is close to Osorno! But my new comp is coming from Punta Arenas!! His name is Elder Gonzales. I’ll give more info on him this next week.!:) but I’m sorry no pics today. I didn’t have time to upload them...:( but more next week ok I promise!!:) I love you so much momma<3!!! This past week was pretty great, but we are going to have to wait to baptize Jaime because his parents won’t give the permission. But he is 18 in May so it’s not too long of a wait... oh and I’ll tell you more about Cornelius this next week ok just remind me!!:)

Sounds like you guys had an awesome week. I’m totally down to go to plays after!!:) I love you momma and I’m sorry I couldn’t write more right now but I love you so much and I hope that you have an amazing week!!:) Also thank you for the scripture I’m gonna read it!! also tell Cassidy congrats for me as well!!:) Stay safe ok!!:) Have a great week lady ;) haha

Love you to eternity and back!!!!

Elder Shawners Spencer

The Real District Quellón