Elder Spencer

12.7.09

2010-01-19T13:24:00.001-08:00

Hey family,
How´s everything with you guys? The last week was ready slow for us. We are always running around and doing things but the area is so big that we lose a lot of time walking. But all that time pays off with a baptimsal serivce.Last night Elder Parkhusrt and I found a lady from Columbia. She has been here for about a 1 and a half. She trys to speak portugues but she throws a lot of spanish into and its hard to understand. I had “El Libro de Mormon” in the house so I gave that to her so she could read the it and understand it. So this morning I borrow a spainsh – port. Dictionary to learn to bear my testimony in spainish to her. Later today I will look for a spanish bible to give to her. Man I am so exictd to teach this lady. And learn a little of spanish at the same time.
I love the mission, Elder Spencer

11.30.09

2010-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Hey family,
Raimundo was baptized yesterday. The feeling I get during a baptism is awesome, I love that feeling. It makes me feel so happy. I love the mission.This year we didnt do anything special for Thanksgiving, but the baptism was sure a treat. I love the mission.The rain season hasnt arrived yet, they say that only in january that the rain will start. Which means it is super hot. We need to stay in the water.
Pois é I love the mission and I know that The Church is true. I am working for this purpose.
Love Elder Spencer

12.14.09

2010-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

Hey,
That was pretty funny about Landon and Quinn. You sent pictures of them around my birthday but it sounds like they are always changing and growing, so are already different than those pictures. That’s great that you guys will spend Christmas with grandma, I know that she will love that. I sent her a Christmas card two weeks ago so it should be getting there any time. I just sent her a card this year. I have not had time to get cards out to everyone, like I did last year. So I need to know grandma´s number to call her for Christmas is that right? Next week I´ll let you know the number that I will use to call you guys. Most likely I’ll call in the morning, right before lunch time (grandma´s time).This last week we had a district conference in the branch. It went really well. I learned a lot. After the conference we went to a park in another elder´s area and watch a movie about the church and answered questions that the public had about the Church. It was the first time that I had done that in my mission. I really enjoyed it. I believe that the zone leaders want to do it in every of the zone.
I love the mission. I am always learning something new each day.
Love you,Elder Spencer

12.28.09

2010-01-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hey family,
It was awesome to talk with you guys on Christmas day. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I did missed out talking with some of you, but there is always next time.
Love you all,Elder SPencer

11.23.09

2010-01-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

Hello family,
Are you guys ready for thanksgiving? Can you believe that I forgot it was thanksgiving this week until elder parkhurst told this morning? That’s what the mission does for you. You forget everything.This last was really productive I felt. I opened my mouth and talk to a lot more a lot people than I usually do. I love being a missionary.This next Sunday Raimundo will be baptized. I have learned a lot from teaching this past month. I am excited to see him be baptized.I know that the church is true and that life doesn´t stop. I am grateful for the knowledge have been given of the three kingdoms of glory.
We are truly blessed to be living during this time and to have the knowledge that we have.
Love elder spencer

11.16.09

2010-01-19T13:19:00.002-08:00

Hey family,
I AM doing well. I sent my last companion to train and he went to Macapa. A place that I have wanted to go to, but I am not sure if I will. My new companion is Elder parkhurst, he is from amom, idadho(?). I am making the change quiet well with him. He is a good elder with a strong desire.Raimundo was not baptized this week we felt that he was ready yet for baptism. We are praying that it will happen this Sunday.I am loving the mission and the people, each day we find wonderful people.
I know that Christ is our Savior and that this is His church.
Love,Elder Spencer
Ps the internet is really slow today.

11.9.09

2010-01-19T13:19:00.001-08:00

HEY Family

This week was great. We werent able to teach a whole lot because of the wedding and baptism of Adriana that happen this Saturday. We spent a good part of the week focusing on her and her weeding as well as her baptism. Saturday night was awesome h the members help alot with the food and drinks as well as preparing adriana in terms of her dress and make up.Elder Lacerda was called to train a new missionary. So he will be leaving the área and I will be getting a new companion. The área is going great. Next week we will have the baptism of a deaf man. His name is Raimundo. He was a refernece of a member and has been to church a few times. We still have alot to teach him and tomorrow I will be going to belem to drop off Elder Lacreda and to get my new companion, I will return to my área only on Wednesday night after traveling back from belém.Everything will go happen just like it should.
The Church is true.
Love,Elder Spencer

11.2.09

2010-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

the raining season is near.

Hey family,The picture that I am sending is of my birthday lunch at a member´s house.This upcammoing week we are going to be super busy with a wedding and a baptism on saturday. Alot to do and so little time to get it done.Hope you guys enjoy the picture.Love,Elder R Spencer

10.26.09

2009-10-30T07:03:00.003-07:00

Hey family,
Tudo Bem. The mission is going wonderfully. Eu amo a missão. The best thing that has happens in my life, even better than running. Last week I wrote about a lady that will be marry on the 14 of November. News flash…Just in from The Vila of the cabins (Vila Dos Cabanos)….drum roll please… let´s tune in to Elder Lacerda, he´s at the front of the breaking news. “ Ela vai casar-se no dia 7 de novembro” . No in English please, “She will be married on the seventh of November”.What ?!?!?! That’s right folks she will get marry one week earlier, which means that Elder Lacerda and I will watch the marriage and her baptism together before transfers on the 8 of November.
This is the largest area that I have been in on my mission, is tough on the feet and knees because we end walking more than we do teaching. But it will all payoff in the end with the marriage and baptism of Adriana. Like I said I love the mission, there is no other place that I would want to be right now. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true and living church of our Savior on the earth.
Com amor,
Elder Spencer

10.19.09

2009-10-30T07:03:00.001-07:00

Hey family,
This week we helped a family with the start of their marriage. They will be getting marry on the 14 o f November. Right after the marriage will be the baptism of Adriana (the mom of the family) I am so excited for them. This last week we went to Belem for a conference with President Campos it went well. I am ready my hardest to stay focus on the work of the Lord. Lately I am finding it hard because our area is huge and we need to travel a lot in between investigator´s houses. I just need to trust in the lord that I was given the power to do all things through faith.
I am happy and grateful for the package that I received for my birthday. Thank you Mom and Lisa.
Elder Spencer

10.12.09

2009-10-12T22:12:00.001-07:00

Hey family,

My birthday was wonderful, one of the Best Days that I have had on the mission. Saturday we had a baptism of 17 year young man that had some life changing experiences. His name is Willian. So on Sunday morning he was confirmed a member of the Church and received the Holy Ghost. Sunday morning on of ours recent converts received the priesthood. He was ordained to the office of Priest. His name is Maicon, the man that Elder Lacerda and I fasted for a few weeks ago so he could be baptized. Maicon is excited and getting really to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. He is already talking about it. YES!!!! Willian is talking about serving a mission here in two years. After church we went to Lunch at Zeca and Gloria´s house. They prepared a barbeque for us and crème de maracujá( the passion Fruit) . I love crème de maracujá. The best thing in the world, even better than cake that’s for sure. I took pictures but today is a holiday (Children´s Day) so I don’t have much time to send them to you guys but next week I´ll do my best to get them to you.

Love,Elder Spencer

10.5.09

2009-10-12T22:10:00.001-07:00

Hey family,

General Conference was awesome. I learn a lot about my purpose as a missionary and what my purpose will be after mission life. I loved the talk of Elder Holland and the love that he showed for the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon. An example for me as a missionary, as there are many people that don’t have respect for the Book of Mormon and its teachings. Last as I read the Book of Mormon after Conference and I could feel the power that it has for me and the message that brings to my soul. I wish that others would read and ponder the teachings founded in the Book of Mormon. Granit, I too need to improve with and my study of The Book of Mormon and the Bible. That´s the purpose of General Conference is the reminder of the little things that we are not doing in our lives, or at least for me and my life.

I love the gospel.

Elder Spencer

9.28.09

2009-10-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

Hey family,

How everything? How’s the ward doing? Getting bigger, I hope?

This week is the best week of the year because the will be prophet speaking to the world. We are blessed to live in this time. I hope everyone else is as excited as I am to listen to the prophet, and inviting others to listen to him this weekend.

President Campos has introduced a new way of working with investigators. Not a way new to be honest but he emphasized one thing that I have forgotten. That is to pass with the investagors every single day. I remember that was the counsel of Bishop Dellenbach when I left but I forget I became too occupied in numbers and not in baptisms of people. These last six weeks I have that I have grown the most since I left home, mainly with my testimony of the Gospel and the Restoration.

Testimonies don’t always come in an instant but generally over time as we study, ponder and pray.

I know that the church is true; I know Jesus is the Christ and the Savior. He has called prophets. And we are blessed for each and every one of those things. We are blessed for the knowledge that we have.

Elder Spencer

9.21.09

2009-09-23T02:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Family,

I am glad to hear that everything is going well back home. One my goals is life is to hike to the “Y”, if Aunt Becky can do it, I can to. Thanks for the hope and the example Becky.

This last Saturday Elder Lacerda and I went to less active’s house. To get to the house and teach the lesson and return to our area of force took us about four and a half hours. Let me explain the journey. We got a van for 1,75 reais. The van took about 40 minutes to get their barrio. In the van we told the driver that we want to get off at the barrio Canaa. When we arrived he told to get off and follow the road. We got out of the van I look down the road and saw a river, I thought to my self “NOSSA E AGORA”. We followed the road and it turned at the river. When we made that turn I saw a bridge. A BROKEN Bridge. ”NOSSA E AGORA” . I asked a man on bike if he knew where that barrio was and he said to keep going and that we would get there. To cross the river we took a 45 seconds canoe ride.( first canoe ride of the mission) then we walked in the forest went across the road and got to the barrio. “NOSSA E AGORA” I look at my planner for the name of the street and the number of the house. I had only the street name. So we found the street after 20 minutes of walking like chickens with theirs head cut off. Once on their street we started to make contacts with people asking if they knew Adriana , and at the same time looking on the clothes line for Garments . We found the house through a member of another church that knew everyone on that street. We found the house and taught Adriana. She wants to get baptized but she is not married. Her husband was baptized eleven years with his sister in Belem. His sister served a mission in São Paulo and she helping her brother and his family become active in the church again.The faith that family has to leave their house every Sunday at 7 in the morning to go to church is huge. Adriana was one of two investigators in the Chapel Sunday. A family that we are working with the lives 2 ,minutes from the chapel didn’t go Sunday because they sleep in.

The test of our Faith.

Elder Spencer
I love the mission

9.14.09

2009-09-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

Hey family,

This last week was named the week of miracles. There is a reason behind. Remember i wrote last week that Maicon would be baptized on Saturday. The baptism didn't happen on Saturday. But it happen Sunday morning before church.

I´ll explain. Thursday night we pass by his house to talk with him about the baptismal meeting. He told us that he would work on Sunday so he wouldn't be able to be confirmed on Sunday. So we canceled the baptism for Saturday for that reason. Friday we started a fast and asked the Lord to help Maicon find time to be baptized so that he could receive the same blessings that his wife received and that the family could be able to go the temple next year to be seal together forever. We ended the fast Saturday at lunch and we hadn't hear anything from Maicon. Saturday afternoon made the journey out of his house to speak with him or his wife. We spoke to his wife because he was working still. But she told us that there was a chance that he wouldnt work on Sunday but she wouldn't know until that night when he return from work. We left with new hope that he would be baptized on Sunday. About 8 o´clock we called Maicon about 15 times but nothing. Nobody answered the phone. We started the trek back our house and about 45 minutes later we called him again after the fifth try he answered and told us that he wouldn´t work on Sunday. Man, was I happy. You have no idea. We called the first conselhiro told him about the baptism was going to happen before church on Sunday. We ran home and called ours leaders to have them come and give the interview at 7:30 Sunday morning. At 8:15 Maicon was baptized. My companion ELder Lacerda baptized him.( his first baptism of his mission)

I have a bigger testimony of that heavenly father really answers our prayers and that fasts are important for our growth and the growth of other people.

I love the Mission.

Love Elder Spencer

I hope everyone understood my e- mail this week.

9.7.09

2009-09-18T23:59:00.002-07:00

Hey family,

This weekend we are head for the waters of baptism. Maicon is firm for this Saturday.

This past week flew by. We had a conference with President Godoy of the first quorum of the seventy. He also was the ex mission president of Belem ten years ago. It was an awesome experience to hear him speak. He had so many jokes about the mission that were so true. He talked about many things that happen in the daily life of a missionary and how to be a missionary of success. It was a great spiritual experience for me.

The work in the area is going well; the members are helping out a lot. About four or five this week the members walk with us, taking us to theirs friends to teach them. It´s awesome when the members do that, it’s a lot easier for to teach people. The youth here are super excited and want to get together to find and visit the less actives, to bring them back to church. The youth have a lot of love for their fellow youth. It makes me think if I was ever like.

That reminds of something that President talked about, that the mission should always being going up (like a graph) and that when you return from the mission that that trend of increasing should continue to increase. That when a missionary returns he should still had a fire in the bones to serve the Lord and help his home ward. And not think that all is done, but think that everything has just begun.

That´s what I learned this week.

Com amor,

Elder Spencer

i am not in the picture because i had to leave early to get a boat back to my area.

elder Spencer

8.31.09

2009-09-18T23:58:00.000-07:00

Family,

This last week was short and we spent were little time working in the area. We had a Conference with president Campos and another with Elder Tubias( an area seventy). The conference with elder Tubias was wonderful. The first on my mission at any type of general authority has come to speak us the missionaries. This next week the second counselor in the area presidency, Elder Goday will come to Belem to speak to us. I am excited because he was the mission president for this mission 10 years ago. I also had the opportunity to hear him speak in the CTM.

We were going to have a baptism this Saturday but it fell though. Maicon and his wife weren’t able to make it out to church on Sunday. But we remarked it for the following week. The area is huge and its not possible to work in it all. I will guess that to walk from one end of the area to the other would take 3 and half hours walking at a good missionary walking pace. The only other form of transportation that we have is a van that passes until seven o´clock at night. So we spend a lot of time walking to Maicon’s house which is a good hour and 20 minute from our house. We go there every single day.

Life is good, and my still learning a ton as missionary. I love it. I am learning a lot with Elder Lacerda.

Elder Spencer

8.31.09

2009-09-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

heres a photo of a lady that i taught but didnt get to see her baptism because i was transfered 3 days before. my old comp baptized her. i will attached part his letter about her baptism, so you can read and be edified.love elder spencer

Presidente tivemos uma maravilhosa experiencia essa semana com o batismo da irma leodora...Ela chorou ao sair da agua e na confirmaçao ela chou outra vez... ela disse que sentiu naquele momento algo maravilhoso...Quero lhe contar como foi encontrar elssa mulher.. ela tem 78 anos e estava varrendo a frente de sua casa...Eu e elder spencer estavamso andando a muito tempo e eu nao aguentava mais aquele sol na minha cabeça, entao parei e falei com ela... e me surpreendi quando ela disse a idade dela e estava com uma força incrivel...Puxou duas cadeiras e iriamos deixar uma mensagem com ela... quando seu neto flavio chegou e ouviu a mensagem, em trez semana flavio foi batizado e nodia do batismo dela foi tao forte o espirito que ela sentiu o desejo de ser batizada e foi a igreja pela primeira vez na confirmaçao de seu neto de 19 anos.. ela ficou maravilhada com tudo.. nem se importou em andar no sol durante 50 minutos para capela e depois voltar pra sua casa.. a péMarcamos o beismo dela e com toda certeza ela sabia que era aquilo que ela queria... todos os domingos ela vai com seu neto a igreja andando , seu neto recebeu o sacerdocio e ja prepara e distribue o sacramendo, infelizmente ele nao sabe ler mas o presidenete fabio esta ensinando portugues pra ele... e esse sabado ela foi batizada, e chorou ao sair da agua e me deu um abraço e agradeceu pela força que vem do santo espirito...No domingo ela foi a igreja e levou todas suas filhas, e ao ser confirmada ela orou por sua familia para que eles pudessem sentir o mesmo que ela estava sentido pois era mais precioso que tu que é mais precioso... e novamente ela chorou.. sua familia mora em um lugar que nao tem a igreja mas ela vai ampliar a casa e vai tyraze-los pra virem morar aqui e poderem ser batizados e estarem proxiomos dela... seus dois netos seram batizadoa dia 12 e 19... de setembro...O Senhor tem feito milagres nessa area... domingo tinha 159 pessoas na capela com uns 45 homens e os outros ramos tambem estavam cheios...Em breve essa estaca sera dividida pode ter certeza disso...

2009-08-25T13:05:00.001-07:00

Family,

Tudo Bem?

I am in my new area and with my new companion, Elder Lacerda. He is from Ponto Grosso, Paraná. We are in Vlia dos Cabanos, or in English village of the cabins. I like it here. It is by far the quietest area that I have been in. It´s nothing like Telegrafo, Imperatriz or Castanhal, Vila dos Cabanos is part of a city called Barcarena, which is a 45 minute boat ride from Belém. There used to be Sisters in the area so the house was clean and the area book was really helpful. Vila dos Cabanos is huge, I have been here a week and I still don’t know where everything is. But that doesn´t stop Elder Lacerda and I from working hard. The members are excited to work with us and they want to spilt the branch before the end of the year to help form a stake in the area. The district has only three braches and you need 5 wards to create a stake. But like I said everyone is excited to work so I am excited to see the church grow here in the Vila. I am hoping that president will put another dulpa of missionaries in this area next transfer.My companion is great and he has a huge testimony of the Church. He has been a member for about 2 and half years. He has a strong desire to work. So we are working like animals in the area. We have a baptism marked for the 5 of September. The husband of a recent convert, his name is Maicon ( micheal in english ). Something that I learned from last transfer, that I am trying to apply this transfer to always be speaking to someone about the church. I can see the lord help us in all that we do because of our efforts.

Elder Ryan Spencer

P.s. I hope my English is not too bad.Love you all.Truthfully I love you all it´s not a joke. Stop laughing Lisa. It´s true. Stop it, Lisa. Lisa, why would you think I would lie to you. I really do Love you.

Happy Birthday LIsabeth!!!!!!

Love you.

thank you laura wright for letting me copy this pictures off your blog for your son.

This story is part of a letter from laura's son Adam who is serving in Belem as well.

"elder spencer told me another story that was pretty funny. we were at the church talking with some members and there was this kid who i swear was a devil child cause the kid was just horrible. he punched elder spencer where its not the best place to be punched and then gave him the finger and the kid was like 5 years old and then the kid grabbed my name tag, because i was sitting down and he chucked it across the parking lot. oh boy was i ticked and i said, onde esta seus pais? where are your parents? and he said, eu não gosto de te, i dont like you! so yeah elder spencer and i were just like who is this kid! so that was a pretty funny story because elder spencer got beat up ha ha"

8.17.09

2009-08-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

(beware in this letter ryan uses text speak and I couldn't understand it to translate it! If your better at this give the translation a try!)

Hey family,
This is my last r-day in castanhal. I Will be tranfer this Wednesday. To wh=ere, i=C2=B4ll let you guys know next week. This last Sunday was wonderfu=l. I watched one man that i taught pass the sacrament for the first time=. And i wacthed another recievce the priesthood. I tesfoed that the i did=in this area was worth it. It was the first in my mission that i wacthed=a man that i baptized get the priesthood. And i saw two in Just one tran=sfer. It was awesome.Like i Said i Will be transfer, i Will recieve a com=C2=B4panion straight o=ut of the CTM. I AM exicte beacuse new missionaires always are funner to =work beacuse of thier spirits and thier desires to serve the lord. Positi=on of leaderships dont even enter their minds. All they want to do is wo=rk for the lord.I know that the church is true and this is the work of the lord to brign to=p=C3=A1ss the immortially and eternal life of man. I AM grateful for the=oppurtinty that i have had and Will have.
Elder SPencer

Catching up...

2009-08-14T01:14:00.000-07:00

6.22.09

FamilyOnce again this we work very little in our área but we worked alot in the área of other Elderes and sisters. It was a tough week. Our only investigor and her three sons didnt GO to this Sunday. They are reading the scriptures and praying everyday to gether but hey Will not make a visit at church. It sad but its the choice that she made.Like i Said we worked in Just about every área but ours. Which means we trveled a lot this last week. We left to Brangança on Friday and came back Sunday morning Just before church here in Castanhal. Its been a long and trying week. We were blessed on Sunday. an inactiuve showed up with her boyfriend on Sunday so we Will start working those and baotize the boyfriend.Thanks for the Picture of the blue cross. Im not sure to think about that. The pictures of mom´s trip were cool. Especially the one with mom and her closed eyes. I know where i get it from.
Com amor
Elder Spencer
P.s. did you guys get the package that i sent. I hope it gets there.

6.29.09

Hey family,How are things going? Well? I am going great. This last week we were able to work in our area a lot more. We are starting in a new area of the city called the milarge. I am feeling good about the area. I feel like i am at home when are working there. I good to know that elder mccombs feels the same way as i do. We are trying to make an area of force with the inactives that we are finding the church membership list. I am really excited for the area and I am going to wait for the milagres to happen here.This last week as Edler mcCombs and I were walking home Saturday night we were blessed with the opportunity to serve a family who car was stuck in the mud. The family probably should not have been driving down that road beacuase it always fills up with water and its super muddy. We were walking down the road because it was a short cut to get to another area of the city. To be honest elder and I were not sure if we should get a bus or walk. We didnt feel that the bus was necessary and it was an opuutrinty to save a couple of reis. So as what most missionary would do walk. We walked down a super long road. In the middle of it we found this family and there car in the mud. There had been trying for one hour and wasn’t able to get pout the mud. After 15 minutes of our arrival we were able to help them and their car. What I learned that sometimes the spirit its not as loud as we would like to be, that why we did to be in tune all the time. If through I didn’t feel like i needed to walk or take the bus the spirit leaded my comp and I to that family to help them in their time of need.
I LOVE BEING MISSIONARY!!!!!
Elder Spencer

7.6.09

Hey familyWhats happenig this week inyour lifes? This last week flew by.my companion Elder Mccombs left to the states and I AM in trio with Elder Hart and Elder Charles till Wednesday. I enjoyed my time with Elder mccombs. Great Guy.The new mission president arrived this last week ,pres campos. He seems to be a great Guy.i´ll meet him this week.I AM good and i AM happ.pushing forward.Have a good time in new York and take pictures for me to see, mom and dadand good luck with the the family history search i hope it Will give results. And alot of work.
Love you all
Elder SPencer

4.13.09

Hey,
Alot of questions about the fourth of July, so lets starts there. Their were some fireworks in the middle of the city but nothing like home. But they were realy fireworks that you could see when they were in the air. It was quite the sight. The morning of the fourth i was in an área doing a baptism intreview and at the chapel there were kids of an american family and they told about the celebration that they had that morning. They atcully were the ones that remined me that it was The fourth of July.My new caompainion is Elder Stadnicki from statna catriana(?). He is cool. The new president is Pres campos from Teresinha. He is not like pres hoggan, alot younger and alot more virbrant.I like him. I also liked pres hoggan as well. I do feel that i Will learn missionary and life skills with Pres campos. Pres Campos is really exicted to work and that pass to us the missionaries.I am exicted to see the pictures of mom and dads trip to new York, it sounds like it was a blast. And without a doubt i want to get to know Quinn. I cant wait to see her.Things that i am learning this week and the next 1000 weeks of my life. How to work and recongize the holy ghost in my llife.
LOVe you all,
Elder SPencer

7.20.09

Hey family and friends,It sounds like everyone is enjoying their summer. For some is a vacation and others work time. Here in brasil summer vacation is only one month, and that month happens to be now in july. But the working in flying. My new companion loves to make contacts, so i just follow his lead. We have a few people with date of baptism on the first of agust. YES!!!The elderes that i live with now are awesome. President Campos visited our branch Sunday. He loved it. Things are comimg along quite well here. I loving life. We are aorking hard to the region turn into a stake before the end of the year. President campos goal is to get a temple dicitst before the end of his mission in three years. Fire in the bones. Fire in the bones.
ELDer spencer

7.27.09

Hey,Working hard and hard work, the way it should be.(WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS LIKE TIME).Lets keep it that way please. This week we had a meeting with President Campos. His is different but I like it. He is a lot more in your face. We are working hard to get a stake in the region. It’s coming fast. Yes, yes. We have a baptism this next week, Flavio. He is firm. It will happen.I had an interesting experience this week on a city bus. I started to make a contact with a man on the bus and as I am explaining to him where the church is and I heard another man, on the other side, explain to me how it is like. So I stop talking to the first and I made a contact with the second man. Afterwards my companion asked why I stopped talking to the first man and turned to the other. Then I explained that I heard the man explained what the church looked like. Then my companion said that he heard nothing. Afterwards thinking back on it the second really didn’t know where the church was or that it existed in castanhal.Sunday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about missionary work. It went well.Loving the mission.Elder SpencerBythe way i got the package and the letter from Quinn it was awesome. The letter from was the best email get of my mission. I am still laughing about it. Thank You

8.3.09

Hey family,How are the troops? The duck, the gesse, the goats, the grankids, the married people, the students, and the many other type of BIRD live in our backyard.( i didnt get dad´s weekly report how many eggs did you get each of the week.)Everything is Just peachy with me. We had a baptism last Saturday and it was wonderful. I Love watching baptism of people. The Best part of the mission is the feeling that i get we i see someone enter the water with someone else that has the priesthood to realize baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. I am unable to explain how i feel . i Just know that it is the Best feeling that i have ever felt. The name of the man that was baptized is Flávio. He is really humble. he can´t read but he is working his but off to learn. Since we have him a lesson about the gifts of the spirit, He has had such a storng desire to learn how to read and write. I gave him the the Book of Mormon on Cd so He could listen to the book of mormon.( so thanks to the guys that sent it to me, it´s blessing the life of another.) now we are working with the rest of family.I know that the church is true and that the work that i am doing is the work of the lord. I am so grateful of the opportuiny to see the lifes of people change through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elder Spencer

8.10.09Oí,

Tudo bem, tudo bem.this weekend i traveled alot in the zone because of a meeting that we gave with President campos about missionary work. It was awesome. We left castanhal Friday afternoon to Bragança. We had a meeting in Bragança with the two branches there. Saturday morning at 5 in the morning we went back to castanhal to work in our área in the afternoon. About 5 we went to another city called capenama for another meeting. We arrived late about eight thrity and missed a good part of the meeting. That same night we went back to castanhal. Sunday we had the meeting here and it was awesome. We did na aprestantion of the tree of life with the president belo, the district president. Then pres campos gave his training to the members, and it was awesome. Pres. Campos uses alot of vídeos to make his points. I know that is the mission president and was called by God. Yesterday our baptism from last week week given the priesthood. Way cool to see his progress in the gospel. He Will be a missionary. I know He Will be.
love elder spencer

6.8.09

2009-06-17T00:44:00.000-07:00

Family,
Sorry about last week but i was not able to send an e-mail because the Internet was down in the whole during the Pday. Transfers happen about a week and half ago and i AM in a new area of Castanha. Its a city about an hour outside of Belém. Its a Nice ,well designed city. I AM going to Love it. I already do. In the city there are 3 ramos. This is my first ramo of the mission and fun thing thing is that is bigger and runs better than any ward that i have been in on my mission. Funny how things work out that way.l its a little cooler here so at night i don't sleep we a fan. this weekend We are going to have a baptism of man, His name is Wellington. I am really excited for him and things that will move in his life.As for my companion. He is from Thousand Oaks. Its his last transfer. His name is Elder McCombs. HE is a great Guy.Well that all from me this week.
LOVe Ryan

5.25.09

2009-06-17T00:27:00.000-07:00

Oí familia,

Hey, is cody writing to you guys because i havent recieved a single email from him. Whats his email address so I can send my emails to him.This last week was busy and its only to stay that way till Friday of this week. Last Tuesday we played Frisbee. It was awesome. We played two games and half way through the second it started to pour. It rained so hard, but it was awesome. I PLAYED FRISBEE IN THE AMOZON ….WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?YES!!!!!!!!!!! my life is complete.=) this week we also had a baptism of Medelyn. YES!!! I need to play Frisbee more often to baptize more people.

Love

Elder spencer

5.19.09

2009-05-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

today is my Pday. we changed it only for this week because of a meeting that we had sunday night.anyway how are things?

we are going to have baptism this saturday. YES!!! she is an elcect of the lord. as well we have another baptism in two saturdays of another elct of the lord.be ready for the photos that i´ll be sending next week.

FUNNY NEWS/ DID YOU KNOW?
- Bady carots discovered in the north of Brazil.
by george, are you serious?
YES, Elder spencer made the dicovery and just about died.
--spencer Gazette

i hope you get that. anyway the bady carrots are grown in Bakersfield, Ca. i blew my mind. i hope they still have them at the supermarket, if they do i´ll take a picture.

- DID you know that cut grass in Brasil smells the same as cut grass in Norco, CA. Thats right I made the dicovery two weeks. It brought back meories.

Did you know that.....

...i love you all.

Elder Spencer

5.11.09

2009-05-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

Hey family,It was great to speak with you guys. I loved it. Hard to believe that it was my third time calling. Time passes way too fast. It really is hard to believe that I been out for one year and three months already. It sounds like everyone is so different ( SO AT LEAST THAT WHAT YOU WANT ME TO THINK) but Aaron was the only honest one.

I can’t wait to see pictures, at least, of Landon and Quinn.Anyway thank you Laura and Lisa for making me feel homesick and old on the mission. Asking about what I have planned after the mission. I want to leave the subject on the back burner, just simmering for a little bit longer.

I went to the Post Office this morning and I got a notice about the package that you guys sent. The people in São Paulo decided to send it back you guys because they found Beef Jerky in it. I am not sure if you wrote it on the front of the package of what. If you send it again you don’t have to send Beef Jerky, I’ll live without.

Well I’ll get better next week with my letters by writing in my planner things that during the week they happen.

Love you all,
Elder Spencer

P.S. Laura send in an email your order for a Hammock with the colors. I´ll try to send a photo next week of some types of REdes.

5.4.09

2009-05-28T00:29:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that Cody would serve where mom and dad started their married life together. Cody can ask dad for references. Too funny. Hey, when I AM going to get to read Cody´s letters.

Things are starting to move around here in Imperatriz. Starting to get the help of members . Which is the key to missionary Work. The members helped the investigators that were at church yesterday. It was wonderful.

My comp and I doing together. We are very similar. Shy. But in the end it all works out. i AM better getting the members to help and He better at talking to people on the street. Its great to be his comp because we arrived on the mission the same time and we leave the mission the same time. But Will we the leave from the same mission. QUEM Sabe?( Who knows?) The new Will form in 2 months and the area presidency hasn't Said anything to the Pres Hoggan about the new mission. Any way whatever happens I´ll be ready and willing.

Tomorrow we are making the trip to São Luis for conf with pres hoggan. So i´ll get to see Elder Clark...YES!! I Can not Wait.

I hope you enjoyed the photos that i sent. And i AM super excited to talk with you guys Sunday afternoon. Wait for my phone call Saturday about the time. And don't forget the phone call. I hope Landon Will speak to me. Which reminds of na experience this last week. We were teaching a family. There was a little girl of one year and 8 months. I was amazed that she could speak to me so clearly. And i could stop think about Landon and Quinn.

Com Amor

Elder R. Spencer

4.27.09

2009-05-22T02:01:00.000-07:00

Hey family,

Last Monday you will not believe what I did for an investigator. It was Monday and we went to go check up on an investigator that didn't go to church Sunday. It was a about 8 o´clock so she was already sleeping. So we knocked at the door but nobody answered. But there was music on. So i looked at Elder Dos Santos and told what what Bishop Dellenbach suggested for me to do a Christmas. That is go to all the widows in the Ward and sing for them. Then we both said “well April a time to start” so we sung today my soul has Light. She finally opened up the door and gave a mad face but towards the end we saw her face light up. It was awesome.

This last week as well it rained like crazy. here in Imperatriz, is all flat so when in rains it turns into a lake. In front o four house there was just a river flowing.

Love you all,
Elder Spencer

4.20.09

2009-05-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

Oi family,

I went to belém this week to renew my visa and to get a new comp.Elder Dos Santos from campinas, São Paulo. We have the same time in the mission. One year and two months. He´s cool and extremely smart. So I am looking forward to learning a lot with him. I am always looking forward to improving my Portuguese as my English goes down the drain. Its a good thing right.

Thanks for the picture I like it. Actually it was awesome.

I am short on time this week but next week i´ll be sure to write more.

Love,
Elder Spencer

4.13.09

2009-05-22T01:50:00.000-07:00

Family,

This past week was the end of the transfer. We challenged the missionaries in the zone to find 1 family ,30 men, and 30 people in total as new investigators. And to our surprise they all achieved that goal. So our zone of 5 companionship's found in total 9 families. 77 men and 161 new people in this week alone. It was great, I Just hope it got everyone into the missionary spirit, and will keep them there. an awesome experience happened because of the goal that we set. As we were worried and in a rush to find new people, we talked to a few people that are really golden investigators. One man named Ribamar. As we taught him the first lesson about the restoration of the gospel we invited him to be baptized. During the invite it looked like was going to say, “but i have been baptized already and don't need to be baptize into your church.” But that's not what He Said. Instead He Said” let me first read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and GO to church and then we´ll see IF i AM ready.” It was the Best lesson that i taught all week. I loved it.AS i Said that it was the end of the transfer and my good friend Elder Clark is leaving Imperatriz and leaving me behind. I really enjoyed the time that i was with Elder Clark. He is going to São Luis later to night. As for my new companion I´ll know Thursday morning.This next transfer Will be great. I feel it.I hope every one enjoyed their Easter weekend. I sure enjoyed mine.
With Love,
Elder R. Spencer

4.6.09

2009-05-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Family,

Conference was awesome. I hope you all watched all the sessions and learned for the Prophet of God. I enjoyed it. The talk that help me the most was Elder Pearson´s in regards of Faith and Not Doubt the Power of God. Surprisingly that was one of the few that i listen to in Portuguese and the one that was the most powerful to me.

I am going to make it a goal in my life to always put Conference first in my life. To always watch it as it is happening. Things that were taught are all things that we need to put into practice now. I can't believe that people would put that the Voices of the prophet and apostles on the back burner in the place of other things. Like I said the teachings are for us to put into practice now. Once again in my life i can say that we are guide by Prophets, seers and revelators.

The work is going forth. Slow but going. I am loving it.

Elder Spencer

3.30.09

2009-03-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

hey family,
the tranfer is coming quickly to an end. only two more weeks. I beleive that iwill stay here in Imperatriz(a.k.a. the best place on the face of the planet) until july when the mission will be created. it would be cool to say that i help a brand new mission open up in brazil. but we´ll see what will happen in a few months. i cant believe that it is april already. time flies.This last week i went on a spilt in the land of Açai( Açailandia) an hour bus ride from Imperatriz. I dont think that i have ran up hills as steep as the ones there in the land of Açai. the rolling hills are awesome. i took pictures, so not worry.
today we are going Fishing the Tocatins River. Yes!!!! my first time fishing on the mission and in the country that they call BRasil.
LOve you all
congratultions on the progress you guys are making in life.
Reading assigiment 1 Nephi 17. How can you be a better Missionary? Think about it
Elder Spencer

3.23.09

2009-03-26T02:27:00.001-07:00

Family,
Tudo Bem.
This last week we traveled to São Luis, again, for a Conference with President Hoggan. I cant believe President is going home here in the end of June and the mission will be divided and a new mission president top of that. Just be recap on where I am and who I am with. I am still in Imperatriz of the state of Maranhão. My companion is Elder Clarke from Twin Falls. I love it here. Last night we crossed the river to teach a family in the state of tocantins. The family that we taught was extremely humble and willing to listen to the Message of the Restored Gospel OF Jesus Christ. They were amazed at he fact the power of God is here on the earth to today. That same power that was given to the Apostles of Christ when Christ was here. That God called a prophet to lead and guide us through a world of torment and pain that we live in today. That the Church has twelve apostles and a prophet that have the god given power to baptize in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. To fulfill the teachings of the Savior. I am grateful for the opportunity and humble to serve the Lord here in Brasil. I know that the Church is in fact guided prophets and apostles and that no other church on the face of the earth has the power that was given the boy prophet Joseph Smith.
Elder Spencer
Loving the Mission

3.16.2009

2009-03-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hey family,

This past week I went back to belém for the transfer meeting and conselho with presdient hoggan. It was great and I learned a alot. I am not a big fan of 9 hour bus rides at night but I enjoyed seening other elderes at the transfer meeting. This week we are going to são luis for another conference with president Hoggan beacuse his doesnt make the trip out to imperatriz for zone conference here. That justs mean that i will on another bus for 9 hours at nightime again this week. :( but the bright side is that i will have the chance to learn alot of cool stuff with president again this week.This last week we found a man named Roberto that is progressing, but didnt make out to chuch yesterday beacuse his wife was sick. he is super humble and wants to learn. I am exicted to help him out.

I read a scripture in mattew the other day that i like a lot. One that I am sure that most of you know by heart. Mat. 6:21.scripture of power.I hear that cody gave a talk in church yesterday. Are you ready, cody? You are going to love it. What´s the area are in your mission?

Love you all,
Elder Spencer
The mission address in Imperatriz
Caixa Postal 141
Imperatriz, MA65900
Brasil

ITs the PO box the mission has here so missionaries can get mail here rather than waiting for the leaders to bring it back from belem.

3.8.09

2009-03-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

Well another fun day in the cyber. I enjoyed the letters that you sent me. For the package, Peanut butter and beef jerky. They don’t have those things here.

This last was a hectic week, we ran around trying to saves the lives of missionaries and not trying to save the lives of people. The mission. The blessings did come. Elder Clark and I went on a visit to any a city that is one hour and a half away from the Imperatriz. The drive to get there was some of the most beautiful scenery that I have seen in my life. I took a video. IT was all green and wide open spaces. The majority of it was cattle and farming land. I loved it .and I loved it. Did I mention that I loved it. The best thing that I saw in my life. I love it. If Cody wants to start up a cattle ranch he should start it up here. I love it. Did I say that, I love it, yet.

Like I said that his week was rough with the elders in our zone but at the end of the week on Saturday we walk to a members work to get his money for our lunch. He gives us money because he lives on the other of the river, so we can’t eat at his house. Anyway we showed up and he said jump in the car, we are going to eat lunch together today. He took us to a rodizio grill that was wonderful. A lot better than eating on our own.

This past week was a week of growth. I hope everyone is doing great back home and enjoying life. I haven’t hear a lot of what is happening back home. It makes me worried at times.

Love you all,
Elder Spencer

I just love that drive.
Good luck Cody on the mission.

3.2.09

2009-03-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

Hey,
It was another great week here on the mission. My testimony about everything that is related to the gospel grows everyday, without fail. I Love it here. I know that through my struggles that i have on the mission and in my life are for my benfit and Will shape me into the person that hevenly father needs and wants me to be. I AM grateful and humblied to be called by a prophet of god to serve as a servant and representive of chirst in the city of imperatriz.
The other Day my compnaion and i were walking and two men that were not from the city stopped us on the Road. They asked Who we were and and why were here. As we told them about the gospel and about the propehts and others leaders of the church, their eyes were filled with amazment to know that there is a prophet on the earth that has recevied the Power of god the teach and to realize baptism for the remission of sin. Unfortuanltey we are not able to teach them becuase they live in a town that is too far for us to travel. I Love being a missionary. The Best thing that has happeni n my life.
Even over running.
Elder Spencer

Mission Changes!

2009-02-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Hi,

This is from my missionary in Belem today (his pday).
It may be news to those of you with missionaries serving in Belem or Fortaleza.

"There have been some major changes going on. It is such an exciting time! Be sure to save your Church News's. Not only are we getting a new mission president, but in July our mission is splitting! The state of Maranhão in our mission (Imperatriz, São Luis, etc.) will go with part of the Fortaleza mission to create the new Brazil Teresina Mission. As many as 30 missionaries from Belém will be sent to the new mission when it opens in July. The northeast region of Brazil is growing really fast, and has the highest baptizing missions in the Brazil area. It is really great to see the growth of the Church here. Our new mission president is Presidente Campos. He is from Teresina, ironically, and is currently in the Fortaleza mission presidency. He has four kids, his oldest son serving a mission in Japan. I know that it is going to be very different from President Hoggan, but I know that he is who the Lord has chosen and that our mission will only benefit from it."

Exciting!!!
Shelli Tolman,
Meridian Idaho MM to Elder Tyler Tolman, Belem 11/07 - 11/09

2.23.08

2009-02-25T23:38:00.001-08:00

Well this last week I did alot of traveling. The whole zone took back to back bus rides at night for a zone conference with president Hoggan in São Luis. I have not became a big fan of bus rides that are for 10 hours along. The conference was good and I got to see Elder Sears again and Elder Wadsen. Elder Wasdsen came to Imperatriz to go a split with us. It was cool walking around with my first companion in the mission, and this time I was the senoir compianion beacause we were working in my area( I am a Big Boy Now). It bought back memories of my days in Telegrafo. This last week pass by super fast. Saturday we had the marraige and baptism of Beto and Sonia. Remeber the early days of the church, when missionaries were in England. The people that were batized in engalnd were asked to Pack up and move to salt lake city. Those people must of had a lot of faith to make that kind of move across the ocean, then across the USA to be close to a prohet of God and other leaders of the church. To revice the blesssings of recieving counsel for the church leaders, that recieve counsel from Heavenly Father. Well Beto and Sonia are those kind of people that would make that move. They have so much faith and desire to do what is right and follow the counsel of the prophet. I was blessed with oporunity to help them be baptized, married and eventullay sealed in the House of the Lord.

Until next week

Elder Spencer

Spencer 001 Elder Ferrato and I in the Rain

SPencer 002 Elder Clark and I At the marriage of Allyson and Mayara.

2.16.09

2009-02-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

Family,
Its was a good week.i had a a lot of fun this week.I flew a kite, the coolest thing in the world. And i had a foot race with my companion to see Who could place a pass along in a pay phone first. I lost, i was on the outside and Elder Clarke,who plays football so his pure force, strength and size overpowered me. Good times.The week was tough teaching wise. we had some good quality lessons, but not a lot. This last week i felt that i improved in my ability to talk to people. My Companion is helping me out with the language and i AM grateful for it. My troubles in the language are letting me know how much of a prideful person i have been for my whole life.This upcoming week we will have conferência with the president in Saint Luis. Its the capital of the state and its on the other side of the state by the ocean. So we are going to take a bus all night long and spend the next day at conference and get another bus and return back to impertriz that same night. The next day I will GO on splits with Elder Wasden, my first companion in the mission. So i am pumped up about this next week. I get to see a whole bunch of people that i have not seen in awhile and i get to see Saint Luis, a place that i have wanted to serve in, since i arrived in the mission. I hope that it will be my last área because its the coldest place in the mission with the ocean breeze which will help me get used to the cold weather . but that time is way in the front.
I Love you all and hope that you Will have a good week.
Elder Spencer

2.9.09

2009-02-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

Family,
Well, it’s been a long week. I love the new area, it awesome but stinking hot here. The people are awesome and a lot different than the people in Belem. They are more like the American people. Everything here is a very nice and up to date. My new companion Elder Clark is from the cold state of Idaho. He is really tall and funny always has something to say. So it makes teaching lessons really fun and enjoyable because they aren’t memorized every time and the same. Always teaching by the spirit, the way the gospel should be taught. He is like my trainer at the half way point of the mission. He is my third companion that has more time on the mission that I do. I have a lot to learn from him.
Hey Cody are you reading the scriptures everyday in preparation for the mission? Take advantage of the time that you have to prepare before the mission because you will not have a whole lot of time to study in depth. Go on splits with the elders in the ward. Do everything that you can to get ready. I Believe that Jason Clarke is coming home from his mission ask him for some insights, before you leave. More important is that you read the scriptures and get the foundation before instead of trying to build it on the mission.
Elder Spencer

2.2.09

2009-02-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

Hey ,
I got to my new área, and yes we get to use email and the rest of the luxuires that you people have back at home. I am in a different state, called Marahão. I am in the city of impertriz. There is only one zone here and i am in the middle of the city so i am close to all the stores and internet places. There is not a place in the mission that is out in the middle of no where, so not be worry. Transfers were Wednesday in belém and the next day we had meetings to attend. On Thursday night we left at 9 o´clock at night at the bus station and went by bus for the whole night until we arrived in Impertriz at 6 in the mornoning. Impertriz is one of the hottest places in the mission. So far i have helped in 3 baptisms and one marriage. Sweet. It was the coolest thing in my life even though i wasnt one of the missionarties that did the teaching it good to the work going onward. I am going to have a wonderful time here , I can feel it. Here in the zone there is a closed ward so we go to the church building three times a week to teach the friends and family of members. So we are helping another couple get married rigth now so by the end of the transfer we should have another marriage and baptism.
Well congrations cody for the mission call. You are going to love it. When do you report to the mtc, and who is your mission president and where are the pictures of you opening up your packet.

Love
Elder Spencer

Enjoy the week everyone one

By the way my new caompian is Elder Clark from twin falls. He is a huge guy. He hás been in the mission 4 more transfers than i have.

1.26.09

2009-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

get a dictionary in portugues and english to help you read this one

Minha Família
Como estais? Eu estou bem. Estou vivo. O líder da obra missionária quer dizer oi para minha família então fala oi. Aqui é o Edson. Esta semana nós tivemos um batismo da Fernanda. Ainda o pai dela não quer ler o Livro de Mórmon e ir à Igreja.Triste:(. Más estamos trabalhando com ele e um dia Edson vai conseguir e cair nas águas de batismo com ele. Um dia maravilhoso será. Eu sei que ele conseguira. O batismo da Fernanda foi legal tinha muita gente lá para dar apoio. Elder Ferrato fez o primeiro batismo da missão dele. Parabéns. Estou feliz por eles. Eu liguei ao presidente da missão e ele falou que vou para uma outra área. Eu não sei onde más vamos ver onde O Senhor me - manda esta semana. Eu sou grato pela oportunidade para servir a missão por O Senhor. Testifico que esta Igreja é verdadeira e que é a obra do Senhor vai para frente e adiante. Eu sei que Cristo é nosso Salvador e Redentor. Eu sei que José Smith foi chamado para ser um profeta de Deus. O Livro de Mórmon é verdadeiro.Em nome de Jesus Cristo.
Ámem.
Amo vocês.
Elder SpencerDesfrute

i wrote in all portugues to practice my portugue on microsoft word. sometimes i need to do the same thing with english. i hope everyone enjoyed the letter and was able to understand it. we had the baptism of ferenda and elder ferrato had his first baptism. i am leaving my area. to where i have no idea yet.
Love you
Elder spencer

Photos part8

2009-01-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

Photos part7

2009-01-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

1.19.09

2009-01-19T11:54:00.000-08:00

Hows its going family? I AM exicted to hear where Cody Will be serving. I AM bumbed that i cant be there when He opens up the package. Send pictures and cool comments.We are entering the rainy season here in Belém. And people are starting to pull out the sweaters because its a cool 80 degrees. I Love it at night when there isn't any rain, but just a small breeze. Its reminds of a Summer night back home.We didn't have a baptism last Saturday it fell through but the this upcoming Saturday we Will have two. the work is progressing. These days the success is little but we are pushing along with what we have. I really Love the area that i am because it is really quite and not the big city. The people are warm and open. but i feel that my time here is coming to an end.
Love Elder R Spencer
PS thank you grandma, Brother and Sister Smith and Lisa for the packages they were awesome.
Those of you are going to wash dc, have fun:)

From Bud Spencer

2009-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

The church divides the earth in to missions
The missions divide the mission in to zones and districts
Elder R. Spencer is in the Marituba Zone
He resides in the City of Ananindeua (in the Metropolitan Region of Belem)
His area is a barrio called Laranjeira (orange tree) in a nieborhood called Icui, in the second most populated city In the state of Para, Ananindeua (1 degree 21 minutes 57 second south and 48 degrees 22 minutes 19 seconds west) northeast of Belem
He lives on the same street as the Bishop, but he does not know the name of the street

Photos part6

2009-01-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

1.12.09

2009-01-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

Hey family,

All is well. This next weekend we are finally going to have the Baptism of Ferenda. It took her a little bit longer to gain a firm testimony about the Church but now she has it. She doesn't want to go against the response that she received through sincere prayer. It felt so good to hear that she finally wanted to get baptized after all the time we have been teaching her and her family. We are still working on her dad who needs a lot of time, because his desire to receive a answer from heavenly father is not there yet. But somethings just need time to work them selves out, right.

IT was nice to read yours letters today. Way to go Cody, I cant wait to hear where you end going to. My guess is Texas. :) so you use your cowboy boots.

Good to hear how Quinn and Landon are going, especially dad´s comment about Landon that he is just being 2, he is a good fit for the family.

Have a good week.
Ryan Spencer

Where is Ryan?

2009-01-12T04:34:00.000-08:00

Hi all this is Lisa-
My dad found Ryan's Companion's website (click here) and now we know the exact city Ryan is in Marituba (seeing as those details are sometimes left out of his letters) His name is Elder Daniel Ferrato and he is from Hisperia, small world!

Photos part5

2009-01-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

Photos part4

2009-01-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

1.5.09

2009-01-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

Oí Familia,
Tudo está bom com vocês, lá na Norco? Well how was news Years for you guys. I stayed in my house for all of New Year’s Day. Because there weren’t any people on the road so it was safer for us to stay in the house all day than walking on the road all by ourselves. I spent the changing of the New Year sleeping and well I needed that sleep. These last two weeks of natal and the novo ano haven’t allowed us to work to a lot to teach new people just the people that were already teaching. But the second day of the New Year a man stopped us on the street and asks permission to ask us a question. He said that he received a thought really strong to leave his and get on his bike that’s when he ran into us and ask a question relating to his past misdeeds. Anyway went to his and start responding to all of question that he had Questions of the Soul. He seems to be special and bright as we talked and responded his questions the book of Mormon. The point that I share this is that through that experience with that man I know that Book of Mormon really responds to the questions of ours souls that it really was written by prophets called of God that lived on the Americas. That it really is the word of our heavenly father. It has a special place in my heart and will always have.
I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ and that it has been restored to the earth by the power of God.
Elder spencer

Photos part3

2009-01-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

12.29.08

2008-12-29T09:39:00.001-08:00

Happy New Years,I hoped everyone enjoyed Christmas. I sure did. It was awesome to speak to some of you on Christmas. The day before Christmas we had some of the hardest rain that I had seen in my mission. I saw a road turned into a raging river in 20 minutes. Christmas day elder Ferrato and I went down to the river by our house to take some Christmas pictures by the river, it was cool because it was the first that I had been close to he river and at the same time in some trees. The day after Christmas we had a baptism of Aliema. We have been teaching her and her family for about 4 weeks now. Only she was ready for baptism this week but her daughter Ferenda should be ready when she finds the desire to be baptized. Aliema asked me to baptize her so it was an awesome to be able to baptize her. To help her find the power of god on the earth and then baptized her for the remission of her sins. With the power that heavenly father has put on the earth through his prophets.We are still teaching the rest of the family to help them gain their own testimonies about the church and baptism. I am loving it. The mission is great and wonderful.
Love ryan

Photos part2

2008-12-28T14:23:00.000-08:00

Photos part1

2008-12-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Ok here's the deal... Ryan sent his memory cards to us so for the next little while I will be posting his pictures, there are quite a few of them and some we have already posted so I will do my best. I wish I could caption all of them for you but I am just the poster! We'll have Ryan do that when he gets home. Stay tune for another year or so!

12.23.08

2008-12-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

i lost two letters that i wrote for you guys. But i ll call on wednesday to give you a number and a time of where ill be calling at on thursday. Ill call 9 or 10 in the morning your time to confrim with you guys. some one needs to stay close to the home phone on wednesday.
until then
Elder Spencer

12.8.08

2008-12-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Tudo Bem,
These past two weeks we have been finding a lot of people. It's awesome. We have five people that have a date of baptism marked before the new year. The Lord has blessed us with people to teach in the past two weeks. In the last two weeks we found 3 families that are married, which is really rare here in Brazil, because marriage is not stressed as an important thing here. I am really grateful to be apart of the Lord´s work. I see and hear the changes in the life´s of many because they are getting to know the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in it´s fullness. The Spirit testifies that The Church is True. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to teach things everyday for the people here.
I Love you all.
Love,Elder Spencer

Thanksgiving 08

2008-12-01T15:38:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving dinner, a bag of rice and BBQ. We bought it on the street at the end of the day. IT sure was tasty.:) Got to love the brazilian BBQ. We also brought Ice cream and ate dinner the american way, ice cream first, thats way you dont see it in the picture.
The week went really well, I am staring to learn to be a senior and a tranior after 2 and half months of trying. It was a week of power, and a alot of prayer and faith. Thanks to the exmaple of my compaion Elder Sears, bytheway, Hello Family Sears, Your son is an awesome missionary and a wonderful cook. You taught him well. Sister Sears thanks for the package.Love you all and I hoped that everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and thought about what you are grateful for. I have alot to be grateful for. The Church is true and I am grateful for the hand of God in His Work.
Love You All
Elder Spencer

nov.10th, 2008

2008-11-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

This week went by fast.we worked hard but we didn't get too much success. well the transfer was this past week and Elder Sears and I are still together for this transfer. The area is full of people to teach, the the problem that we are having is getting people to go to Church. Yesterday it started to rain just before church started which we think impede people to make a visit to church. I am doing well and making it through the times. Elders are starting to call me older in terms of the mission and i still feel like i arrived yesterday. I have a a lot to learn in the bunch of time that i have left.
anyway love you all, have fun doing what you are doing.
Elder Spencer

Nov. 3rd, 2008

2008-11-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

This week we had the baptism of Zezé. She had been waitng for 6 months to be baptized. Elder Sears baptized her.it was awesome to see the first baptism of Elder Sears Misson. the last two days of the week were hectic i was running all over the place to do baptism interviews for others missionaries which took us out of the area alot. bythe way the whole zone baptized this last week. it was a good end of the transfer.i hope the next 6 weeks will be just as wonderful. Loving the mission and the things that come along with it.
Love Hion Xspencer (aka Ryan Spencer)

the things that have little importance but are worth to hear about.

i finally did a way with my towel it was way too big in the first place and was getting huge holes in it. so i cut it in half and donated one half to the house that we live in as a cleaning towel and keeped the other half for my shower towel.

saw one one halloween party.

Oct 27th 2008

2008-11-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

Well this week was one for the books. I help in a marriage. Zezé was married this past friday to her almost husband of 30 years. Its was funny because there was not a big party of any sorts. Zezé is more exiected for her baptism this Saturday than she was for her wedding. The most import thing now is that is she living the comandments and will be baptized this Saturday.YES!!! This past week i went a spilt with an Elder that arrived here in Belém with me so that was great to spend time with someone that I left the CTM with. Parabéns Cody and let me know where you are going.
Elder R Spencer

October 21st 2008

2008-10-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your love, support and help. this week went well. i had a split with the zone leader and learned alot. we are working hard and trying to find people. we will help a couple get marry this friday. the wife, Zezé will be bapstied in 2 weeks. still working on the husband.

Love Elder Spencer

pictures!

elder anjos and I ice in brazil

10.13.08

2008-10-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the birthday massages they were all welcomed with big wide open arms. Funny thing, the 12 of Oct. was a big catholic holiday and it takes place here in Belem. It’s the biggest gathering of catholics in Brazil to worship the Saint of Nazare but moving on to better things. the 12 was also kids day here in Brazil, so the church had an activity for the primary and a few members had a cake awaiting for me thanks to elder sears spilling to the whole world that it was my birthday, but the cake was also taken in by big, wide, open arms( and mouths), elder sears took pictures so someday I get them for you guys .the cake is the biggest I have ever gotten for my birthday. The elder qurom president, miller, made it for me. He made a promise after his mission to help the missionaries out in any way that the missionaries asked or needed. This was fulfilling his promise, making me a cake.
Anyway we had to move the Basptimal date of Zezé back a week. So that was a let down to have to tell that she need to await another week after awaiting for 6 months to get married.
I am doing better with the language as the days progress.
Well that’s my letter for the week.
Take care.
Elder R. Spencer

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER SPENCER!!!

2008-10-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Lisa here:
I complied a few special birthday messages for our Elder Ryan on his 20th Birthday!

Dear Elder Spencer,
A special wish for your 20th Birthday. How great that is for you to celebrate it in the mission Field... What a special place to be. Have a great day and a wounderful year of great missionary experiences,
Love, Brother AND Sister McPhie

RYAN!!!!! I hope you have a fabulous birthday and that all of your wishes come true! I'm glad that you are doing so well in the mission field! Keep up the good work! :)
Love, Rachel Leber

Hi Ryan,

Happy Birthday! We hope that you are well and having a good time.
As they say in Star Wars, may the force be with you!! Or as they say in Primary, “you’ve had a birthday shout hooray! We want to sing to you today! One year older and wiser too! Happy birthday! to you!! In Spanish, Feliz Cumpleanos! I don’t know how they say “Happy Birthday” in Portuguese but I am sure it is similar! Anyway, we love the church and all that it does for our family! May God bless you with whatever you are in need of.

Love,
The Bingham Family

Hey there Elder Ryan,
Happy forthcoming birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Elder Spencer, Happy Birthday to you. We are praying for your success and grateful you are enjoying your mission.
Love, Bishop and Sis. Dellenbach

Happy Birthday Ryan!!
What a wonderful week, after conference, being so filled with messages and inspired to do and be better. The message I kept coming back to was Elder Bedar's talk on prayer. "Our morning prayers prepare us spiritually for the day, then our evening prayer links to our morning prayer. All the small prayers in-beween, all linking together."...he said it so much better. But I think of your missionary work and how you are doing this kind of praying on such a regualr basis that you don't find it that unusual, but it is something I need to work at.
I'm glad Lisa encouraged us to write a note. You have a wonderful family! I think of you regularly. I hope you have a great 20th birthday. I am proud of you and the great work you are doing! Love, Aunt Lynnette

Lisa again: Hope you are having a wonderful birthday in brazil, hopefully those brazilians know how to party!
Love, your sister Lisa and the rest of the Webbs

10.10.08

2008-10-11T01:15:00.000-07:00

well i am in a new area called Laranjeria (orange tree, but i haven't seen an orange tree in the area yet), a neighborhood of Icui , Icui is a barrio of the city of Annanuiea. we are opening up the area. the members are awesome and willing to help out. its one of my quietest area yet.´it reminds me a lot of Norco with the horses and the cows on the road and there are a lot more trees here´and all dirt roads except the road of the buses. we have one baptism marked of the 25 of this month, Zezé, she is going to get marry the 24th, she has be waiting for over a year to be baptized and she is excited for the 25 . we went to Gerenal conf yesterday and Saturday and that was awesome i enjoyed it. my favorite quote was from sister Dalton about you can have a desire to win but without the desire to prepare it doesn't mean anything.well someday i´ll send pictures but not Today
Thanks for the letters especially about Landon and Quinn they sound so big.
Love
Ryan

9.29.08

2008-09-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

well this last week has been a long one, i was transferred again to another area close to Belem. this is the first time i have left Belem. I am with an American, Elder Sears, he is from Fontana, so its cool to be with a companion that lives close to home. He has 2 months on the mission. he's a really good kid and speaking really well already. The area that we are in is rural and a lot greener than my first two areas on the mission. We arrived Wednesday and we are getting to know the area, lost at times but living at the same time. Yesterday I have never seen a ward that small. The hour before sacrament meeting I was asked to give a 10 minute talk about missionary work. it went really well. as I was giving a talk, Elder Sears was playing the organ. and dad I think that I did a good job looking out at the people during my talk. well the ward is small but we have received a lot of references, so we are gong to be working with those to start out with.
anyway i am doing great and i hope that everyone is doing fine and having success in their lives, where ever you may be.
Elder R. Spencer

9.22.08

2008-09-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

Lisa here:

As you all know I am the only the steward of this blog. I copy and paste all Ryan's letter (and do the occasional spelling check) but other than that these are all his words. This week however his email came with no words, only pictures. You know I love love love pictures so I was very excited but I have no idea who the people are in these. They say a picture says a thousands words so I hope these pictures will speak for themselves. Maybe Ryan can fill us in when he gets home!

9.15.08

2008-09-15T09:40:00.001-07:00

Oí,
This week was different than the rest. We had the baptism of Ingrid yesterday after church. It was great, a member did the baptizing and Elder Gimenes and I sat backed and watched. The best thing was that the family of Ingrid was there as well, there are not members. Her mother cried. It was definitely a spiritual experience. I enjoyed it. We don’t have any ready to be baptized this week but the next we are praying that Ana Jolema will be ready to be baptized. The Bishop of the ward is offering to give Franisco and Aline a place to have there wedding, but unfortunately I don’t know too much about what happening because the Bishop likes to do things without talking to the us, the missionaries, about the investigators. Besides that little detail all is well and we are working with more references of the members.
Ryan

P.s. one person this week said that i speak fluent Portuguese. i am pretty sure he was trying to be nice because when people want to know something about me they ask my comp, just as if i wasn't in the room. but he said that i speak fluently.

9.8.08

2008-09-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

Hey,
The work and the walking in this area is about to pay off. Elder Gimenes and I are going to have are first baptism together this weekend. Ingrid, a friend of a member, she really has a firm testimony. And in the upcoming weeks we have people with baptism dates. Ana Jolema, she’s the sister of Francisco, she went to church for two Sundays in a row. It was awesome to see her walking to church yesterday with a 2 month old baby in her hands and a 5 year old walking alongside her. She has a lot of faith but she said that she hasn’t received an answer to her prayers about Joseph Smith. We are also working with a 20 old year young man, boyfriend of a member, that said that he wants to serve a mission after the first lesson, so were working with him and preparing him for baptism. This area, I think will be my hardest of my mission but the people that I am teaching will probably be some the firmest members of the church. I am so grateful to be working in this area on my mission, I have learn a lot about patience with others and more important with myself.
Elder Spencer

8.25.08

2008-08-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

This week came and went. We are struggling to find new people to teach. Two Sundays ago a few members brought their friends to church and we are struggling to contact them during the week to teach them, but they went to church last week as well. Saturday we had an awesome service project with the ward. We were building up the foundation of dirt around a few members homes. One members cant live in his home because when it rains his house floods with two feet of water because the street is higher the house, so the ward is trying to fix that problem by building up dirt around the house.
Take Care
Elder Spencer

8.18.08

2008-08-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Tudo Bem,

this week was another tough week but i am still living. Lisa asked me to write a little bit concerning how members can be involved in missionary work. because she listen to the homecoming talks of Jared and Jason Leber (you guys are living right) and she liked how they stressed the importance of members and the success they had when the members work with the missionaries. Tá certo. at times in the life of missionary work it is easier for me to contact a reference than to knock on a door. anyway, yesterday at church Pres Hoggan gave a talk about the members in the work. it was really good, i didn't think to much of it but it jump started or gave more fuel to one member. he knocked on doors after church on his street

and gave us 3 references on Sunday night as we were walking to our apartment. it feels so sweet to me not to have to ask the members for references. last night we only had to walk up the door of our apartment and we had 3 refs without having to ask for them. :):):) this same member befriends people when they come to church. the first time the time i saw him talk one our investigators i thought they were friends and already knew each other.they laughed and talked, that's a big help. as well this member is willing to go on splits with and share his testimony.
references
befriending
splits( testimony)
tchua
Ryan Spencer

8.11.08

2008-08-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

this week was not every good teaching wise. we are only working with one family that is progressing but is a long way from baptism. but the family is awesome and i love to teach them. i just love that family. they always have the best questions. they already bought a triple combination and the bible. the members are starting to give us more refs to work with. just trying to stay focus and work hard. this morning at 5 o´clock i was thinking about my worth as a son of god and the worth of other people as well. i read about the potential all people have because we are sons and daughters of god.(romans 8:17(?) e 3 nephi 12:48) eu acho.estás escrituras são muito boas.
remember who you are and who you are going to become,
Ryan Spencer

8.4.08

2008-08-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

hello,
i am doing fine. things are rolling along here in the area. finishing up an other transfer. were teaching one family who are super excited about the gospel. at church they are practically members of the ward. Franicso, Aline and victor. the ward is really good and they are trying to give us as much support as they can.its tough being here and knowing the Olympics are about to start. anyway four more years. the bishop here is really great and he really generous. we have 6 ward missionaries. Cody baptized some one the other week. that's great. i just need to keep pushing on to the front and get some work done.
love you all, take care
Ryan

7.28.08

2008-07-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

tudo bem,
this week went by super fast . i have little time to write because we had a zone activity and that ate up my p-day. the first time i played soccer with Brazilians. it was different playing with people that all can play, very well. they said that I played well for a American, because i scored one goal. the area going slowly but going we had about 5 people in the capela domingo. so it was a good day. I went on a spilt with my district leader this week and it was a great learning opportunity. elder da silva is awesome and he knows the Scriptures really well and has a grande testimony.
sorry for the short letter,
hope everyone had a great week.
Ryan Spencer

7.21.08

2008-07-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Well another week, went really fast. We had one investigator at church, Germano .his first time at church yesterday I am pretty sure he enjoyed even tough elders Quorum was an interesting experience. Gave my first talk in Portuguese yesterday at church. The 1st counselor in the bishopric lives across the street from us and ask us at 7 o´clock in the morning to give talks in church because one of the speakers fell through. So I had a grand total of 20 minutes to decide what I was going to speaking about and what scriptures I was going too used. I talked about the love of Christ and the importance of the sharing the gospel with others. A grand total of maybe 4 to 5 minutes. It was fun and an awesome experience. It doesn’t help that I am not a big talker. I am trying my best to change that. Anyway the members starting to help more in the work and the Bishop is all fired up to make the ward a missionary´s ward. He called two ward missionaries yesterday and plans to call 4 more.
take care you all. (hey I am from Norco)
Ryan Spencer

7.14.08

2008-07-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well, i am still adjusting to a new companion and the new area here in Entroconmento(?). we are teaching one family that´s really excited about our message and they went to church yesterday but in a different ward. Franciso, we contacted on the street, is the father and He is Just crazy, but in a good way. He Always has something to said, some little joke or some little piece of commentary to add to the lessons.
One Day this past week all of our appointments fell through and we had to knock doors from 7 to 9 pm. Instead of walking around until we found a street to knock doors, We pulled out the map and Elder Gimenes and i took turns looking at it and writing down names of 5 streets that we each thought we should go and batar portas. After my turn we compare lists to see if we had a street that was the same. And the Lord always delivers. We had only one that match. So went there and knocked on two doors. We tracked into a Young woman with 25 years of age that lost her son when He had 4 months. So we taught the plan of salvation to her. It was awesome. She seemed excited after the lesson but she didn't make to church yesterday.
I hope everyone is doing well. Sounds like Jared is home from Chicago by now and his brother Will follow in his footsteps, in the comming weeks.
Stay healthy, everyone.
Ryan Spencer

7.7.08

2008-07-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hey,
Well I am in a new area. Two areas over from Telegrafo. And I have a new comp. he is from Campinas. He is a good guy. the area is three or four times larger than telegrafo. So there is a lot more walking here. Today was my first day washing my clothes by hand. New experience!!!!!Anyway, we had two new investigors at church Sunday. Which was awesome. They really seem to enjoy church, even though it was fast Sunday, which is generally different than a regular Sunday meeting. Francisco, the man at church, said that he is going to go out a buy a Bible so he could have is own to read at church instead of using mine. There are a lot less members here than in telegrafo, which was weird at church because I am used to seeing all the chairs full, but here one fourth of the chapel is full.
Love you all,
ryan

6.30.08

2008-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Oí,

Well I am being transfer out of the wonderful Telegrafo. Where to, I don’t know of as of yet. I find out Wednesday at the transfer meeting.This week has been frustrating with the Language but its coming. And that’s all I can ask for.

There was a party at the church Friday night and Elder Wasden took a bunch pictures, that I will send to Lisa, some day, to put on the blog. It was fun to see all the little kids and some adults dressed in funny clothing.

So that pretty much all for the week. Had my interview with Presidente after pizza hut on Tuesday and it was awesome. He always pumps me up.Going to miss the people here in Telegrafo

Tchua and thank you for the all the support,

Ryan

6.23.08

2008-06-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I have had a pretty good week. It´s been hot and muito chuve. Which is normal. The investigators are keeping up again which is what we want. Nobody is ready for baptism for a couple of weeks but we have people that want to learn about the gospel. Thanks to the help of the members. A couple of Sundays ago the ward called a new ward missionary leader. He is a convert of 2 years and he is 20 years old and preparing to serve a mission. His got a huge desire to fire up the members again. The staff want to move the staff house closer to the office so that means that I will have to move from here in a week or so. They want to move before the transfer is over in a week. So I will be changing houses in a week, regardless of being transferred out of Telegrafo. We will see what happens.
This morning I was reading in alma 32 sobre fé. The parable of a seed. I love the language that was used to describe how a good seed grows. A swelling of your soul. First we have to try out the gospel then it takes time for the seed to grow or not to grow. If it’s a good seed it will grow and your soul will swell. If it’s a bad seed then it wont grow. Anyway about the good seed. We need to nourish that seed in our soul so it will become a tree. And continue to nourish the tree that we can one day partake of the its fruit, eternal life. Matt 7 has a similar parable, with the same idea about faith. Developing faith is an ongoing process, just like the other principles of the gospel.
Take care all,
Ryan Spencer

The Weekly Report From Telegrafo

2008-06-17T11:57:00.001-07:00

Hey family,

I had p day on Tuesday this week as you have probably already guess. We changed so we could go to the Bosque which is closed on Mondays. It was awesome and well worth the change. The Bosque is a Forest in the middle of Belém, that was set aside so that you could enjoy the rain forest in the big city.(just my guess) It was nice to walk around at a slow pace in shade and to enjoy the animals that where there. Mainly birds and moneys, and one manatee(?).

This past week was tough , i wasn´t able to work at full speed because I was a little sick. But I talked to Sister Hoggan and everything is going to be alright. Just a new American adjusting to the food here in Brazil. The ward is starting to die on us with the help in the work and we are trying to re jump start them. We have very few investigators right now and we are trying to help the ones we have out in every possible way we can.

Something one of the A.P.s stresses in his teaching, that i would like to share, is the reality of Satan. That he does exist. When we don't realize that he exists that's when we run into problems in your life and when He has the most control over us . But at the same time we must remember that there is a Savior and realize His reality and what he offers for us for us. We have a lot of investigators and even some recent converts that don't realize the reality of both beings. The work is not going as fast as it was in the first couple of weeks that I was here. We are getting into a cycle that we don't want to be in. This week one of our goals is to not do anything without a member. Simply because it is easy with the help from the members than spending all day knocking on doors.

Well, congrats Cody on graduating Thursday, I was thinking about you. Quinn the new born, welcome into the family, and parabéns to everyone on becoming a great grandparent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or a parent this week. Bridget went to Europe, Steele went to CA , Grandma to Hawaii and Becky stills has Toby that's awesome.

take care,

Ryan

6.9.2008

2008-06-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hello,

This week I went on my first splits with a member for more than one lesson. it was from 4 in the afternoon to 9 at night. I loved it because it was easier to speak Portuguese knowing that the person you are with doesn’t know any English and i felt that teaching went a lot better being. I am trying to step up in teaching situations a lot more by trying to cut off my companion when I can. Doesn’t always work as smoothly I as I would hope. (when I ran out of words to describe my thoughts or when I know know whats being said) Well this week we have hit a point when we don’t have any one prepare for baptism in the near weeks. We were going to baptize Thallyson the son of a recent convert this next Saturday, but they weren’t able to make it to church last week. So we need to wait a while for him to be ready. We took one night to teach a couple that are progressing really well, the only problem is that we never can teach them, because of their job. Hourou owns a pastel stand down by the docks where the cruise liners drop of the passengers, apparently he is pretty successful. The night that we went to their home to teach them they were ready to go the work. So we went with them and got free food at The King of Pastels( but in Portuguese Rei de Pastels). The food was good. Anyway they been to church three times and are really excited about getting married and being baptized if Hourou can find his birth certificate and find more ways to teach them. It was awesome at church yesterday because a lady in the ward gave a talk about eternal marriage. It was perfect for them. We were able to teach them one other time during the week and while I was talking Hourou told me to stop and told me that I was speaking better and that he could understand what I was saying. That was a good moment. Then told me to carry on with what I had to said.Well I have included some pictures of eating açcí and not really eating sharky.(sharky is a gross meat(s) and I am pretty sure ill never try it )

Take care all and enjoy the beginning of summer

Ryan

June 2nd 2008

2008-06-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hey,This week we had all the zone leaders at the house for the transfer meeting. 25+ missionaries makes for a pack house. I am still in telegrafo with my trainer. I went to the templo yesterday. Yes i did. I attend the dedication for the curitbia temple. I bore my testimony yesterday in sacrament mtg at church because their were few people there. all 8 missionaries in the ward bore their testimonies. This week we have found a lot of people to teach. A lot of men. But the biggest problem with the people here in Brazil is that no one is married . they will say they are married but that doesn't mean they are legally married. Its tough for a lot of the people to see the importance of marriage here. One it doesn't mean much to the government and people generally don't have the money to get marry. The women dream of a big wedding and all that stuff, but people generally don't have the means to get marry. This week i hear the reason why one person wouldn't get marry is( from a man) because my parents and my grandparents are not married why should i be married. (following the traditions of their fathers). Anyway everything is progressing here. This transfer is going to be really good and really fast. Only 5 weeks. I have started to go the gym this past week. We jog to the gym for about 2 to 3 minutes and my heart races. It was a tough jog. But it felt great.
Take Care,
Ryan Spencer

May 26th 2008

2008-05-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

We are rolling right along:

OÃ,

Thanks for all the letters. I wish I could respond to them all. I type too slow and time is limited. I hope all is well back home.This week as been weird and rewarding. My first transfer within the mission happens on Wednesday. I am pretty sure that I am staying put in Telegrafo but you never know. What makes it hard is that I live with the guys that make and know the transfers for the mission a week ahead of it actually happening.And weird because one of the aps left for home this morning. I went on splits with him many times in the past 6 weeks and now he has left for home. It's like I just start and why are you leaving in a hurry? So that was different and now there is a new guy to fill His spot. I have never been one to like change but I am finding that I need to change and become accustom to things faster to make for a smoother transition.

We were in the waters of baptism last Saturday. The lady that we baptized was going to be baptized two Saturdays ago but ran into to some problems. But she made it through it.Turns out that she has a 9 year old too. So we are going to teach him as well. We had 11 people at church yesterday which was rewarding because the work is finally paying off. The aps said that they are going to create 5 new stakes in the belem area here in a little awhile. You need 10 stakes for a temple to be built. So I am not sure what the total would be after the new 5 stakes are added. The work is progressing in belem.

Take Care Ryan Spencer

May 19th 2008

2008-05-19T10:50:00.001-07:00

Oi,

Well this week has been an interesting one. I went a whole day a senior in a way on Thursday with Elder McCombs. He was my trainer comp in the CTM. Anyway my comp was sick with pink eye and stayed home with another elder who was sick also. Elder McComb is not familiar with the area or the people that we have been teaching, so I had to make all the decision's on where to and what to. It was different and definitely a lot more stressful.

The baptism for this week fell though on us, which is disappointing. the mission pres challenged us this week not to knock a door, unless it was a reference. So everything that we did was through names that members and investigators gave us. Friday night we went to one reference and there was 10 people waiting to hear our message it was great. Too bad only one person showed up to church Sunday but she did say that she really enjoyed it. So well see what happens there. People are more willing to hear and listen to you when you have a friend of theirs with you at the door step.

Thanks for the emails and the pictures.

This week I added a picture of a baptism two weeks back and pictures from the president house, which has a great view of Belem. As well the river at ver o rio. This morning we went to the pres house for breakfast and had pancakes and blueberries muffins. I am definitely being spoiled because I live with the office staff (and gaining weight which everyone says I'll loss it soon).

tachua, and take care

Ryan Spencer

May 12th 2008

2008-05-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

oí,
sorry but this week i could not get pictures to attach
to the email. maybe next week. anyway, we were in the
waters of baptism this past weekend. that's where we
want to be. we baptized a Young women who is about 20
and she has a desire to serve a mission. it was a great
week. we have two more investigators progressing
towards baptism this next Saturday. a 15 year old Young women
that lives with the family that we baptized two weeks
ago and then an older lady that works for a member.
so i hope all goes well with all of them.
it was a good to hear for my family yesterday on the
phone. it was really quick but wroth it. its good to
hear that every one is doing so well. it was really hard
to hang up at the end.
well happy mother´s day, and happy birthday to those
that are having a birthday this week. you know who you
are.
até logo
Ryan Spencer

A Phone Call Home

2008-05-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

Since today is Mother's Day, Ryan got a 40 minute phone call home. Here are some of the highlights:

Cody:
-"Cody what was the highlight of your phone conversation with Ryan" Lisa
-"it was like 2 seconds and everyone else wanted the phone...ugggghhhhh.....i don't know" Cody

Mom:
- Ryan bearing his testimony in Portuguese
- Hearing him say "I love you Mom"

Lisa:
- The Parrot Story: Ryan was holding a parrot at a members house and he was "looking at it quietly" and it bit him! I asked if he got hurt and he said "umm... yeah"
-Miguel or Nigel: The Portuguese word for Awesome!
-Noah's Ark :a game they play with the members after they eat lunch with them. They sing a song and the members write down referrals for them to contact then that afternoon they contact the names. He says the referrals are usually really good.

Laura:
- To hear him and know he's okay.

Aaron:
- Ryan telling him he saw a monkey.

Dad:
-Finally getting through to him
-Listening to Lisa talk to him (apparently I drilled him with a hundred questions!)
- Just hearing him.

Can't wait til Christmas!

May 5th 2008 (First Baptism)

2008-05-05T08:41:00.003-07:00

OÃ¬,

Well this past Saturday i had my first three baptisms. Niaha, the mother of a family that we have been teaching, ask me to baptism he(The only one i performed). It was nerve cracking because my Portuguese is as bad as my English. so it took me a couple times to say the prayer exactly right. It didnâ€™t help that she was trying to tell me what to say as I was saying the prayer(which wasnt the prayer at all) . But in the end everything turned out great. I said it the right way. Its was an awesome experience, reflecting back on it as I walked to the house. It was like WOW I just help someone open up the doors to heaven tonight by using the power of Priesthood of God . AWESOME. Right now we have about 5 or so people progressing towards the waters of baptism. The members are wonderful here. they are Always willing to give help and to teach with us. The members are KEY. You can see difference when you teach someone that was contacted through a member or a member is involved and a person that was not contacted through a member or doesnâ€™t have the support of member.

Thanks for your support and love,

Ryan Spencer

Elder Hinsdale and I

April 28th 2008

2008-05-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

oí,
well its been a crazy week here in Belém. we are always working and walking to and from appointments. there always seems to be some to teach. last night i had buffol meat and açai(fruta here in brasil). the açai made mine whole mouth purple.i´ll send pictures of that another time. the irma that was serving us was putting food on my plate everytime i was about ready to call it quits.that was a good lunch. theres a saying in the mission that in branches you dont eat but in wards you eat all the time. i am in the biggest ward of the mission. we are still working with that one family towards thier baptism, which is going to happen this saturday. i´ll hope that it all goes through and they make it through the week. thanks for the package it arrive two or three days after i did. all the mail goes through the mission office so if any one was wondering that thats the address to send it to for the rest of my mission. here in belem i will get it the day it arrives because i live with the office staff, but anywhere else ill had to wait for the next transfer( which is every 6 weeks).
take care
ryan spencer

April 21 2008 (in Belem)

2008-05-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

oí,
well i got to belém about a week ago. the ctm was great, but i am out and about walking around and teaching with my new comp.( mainly he teaches and I try to follow along), whose been in the feild for 7 months and on a mission for 9 months. he´s great and a hard worker. He is from chico, ca. he is a great elder and i think well get a long just great. i am inbelém. i am serving in telegrafo, a burro if you will of belem, sort of downtown belem. the mission office happens to be my area, so i am in the nicest house of the mission. which is kinda of nerve racking for where ill be sent to next, but i wont worry about that to much. theres eight elders na casa . the aps and the office staff and then my comp and i as full time teaching elders. i been on spilts with the aps every night expect one so far. their are great guys and harder workers. the ward here is the biggest of the mission and they want to spilt it soon. the reason that i work with the aps so much because they are assinged to work in our area all the time, when not traveling around the mission or in the office. i hope i am making some sense. I came into belem from the ctm with eighteen other missionaries. all the americamns stayed in belem except one sister who went to macappa(?). I belive all the other sisters stayed in belem . the braizilans elders went all over the place.The work is hard but there is always someone to teach here. We have one familiy progressing towards baptism, which will be exicting. The people are all great and loving and willing to hear our message. Its be a shock of how they live here. I am not in the jungle by any means but some times you wonder how they make ends meets here.
Até logo,
Elder Spencer
p.s. happy to birthday to anyone that has had a birthday recently or will have one soon

April 9th 2008

2008-05-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

i have no time to write. long story. power went out, computers wented down, in line at the post office for an hour. i leave to belem tuesday morning. this is my last week in the ctm and my last p day in the ctm. ill try to catch everyone on my next pday. oh i tried cheicken heart today, didnt care for it much but it wasnt bad either. went to the templo in são pualo, love that place i cant wait to go again in two years. all is well. i just wish i had more time.
love you all,
Elder Spencer

April 2nd 2008

2008-05-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Oí,
yea i got the all the info from alb. but i havent gotten my pin number for the debit card yet. and yesterday the post office down here in brasil went on strike so i am not sure how long that will last for. apparently it has happen twice in the past two months and didnt last longer than 5 days. so i hope for the best. as for the transfer to belem i dont know of my plans until the day before we are to leave. early a tuesday is my best guess. the last group to belem left at 430 in the morning to the airport and and had a laid over in brasilia and then a flight to belem. i do know that there will be about 6 americans and another 6 brazilians going to belem the same time i do. i also know that i leave on a tuesday so ill go a week without a p day. its kinda scary to leave the ctm because i know that the ctm is nothing like belem. i am doing alright with the language but we will see how much i really know we i get in the campo. last night i was reading in alma chapter 14 and it really hit me hard the things that we can overcome through faith in christ and the power that he bestows upomn us when we exerse faith in him.
LOVE
Ryan Spencer

March 26th 2008

2008-05-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

hey,
well i wasnt able to write last week becuse the server for myldsmail.net wasn´t working. and the week before that myldsmail.net sent my email back, so i hope it works this time. well i went to the campinas templo today. long drive but it makes for a well needed nap. i have less than three weeks left in the CTM and i am off to belém. i am strating to count down. the ctm as been great but i cant wait to get into the campo. scripture for the week is form isaish chapter 64:8. it was shared in sunday school on easter sunday. i really like it. i go proslyting this friday again because we werent able to go last week. the worldwide director of the mtcs had a meeting with all the teachers when we were supposed to go. my district had a large group meeting with him about finding, teaching by the spirit.everything going well
talk to you later,
elder spencer

On Behalf of Elder Spencer....

2008-05-02T21:02:00.001-07:00

My mom and I thought that starting a blog to post all of Ryan's pictures and letters would be a fun and easy way to catch everyone up on his mission. So here we go...

Ryan left for Belem Brazil on February 10th and stayed in the CTM (Brazilian MTC) for about two months. He was recently transferred to his mission in Belem (pronounced Belang) roughly two weeks ago. But thats enough of me trying to tell you about his mission. I'll let his letters and pictures tell the story.

This the first email we recieved from the mission telling us of Ryan's safe arrival.

Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:45:43 -0700>

Dear Parents,

We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at> the Brazil MTC. What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary> as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time.> > They now have companions and are settled into their rooms. They are assigned> to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.> The branch presidents and their wives, who are usually a senior missionary> couple or mature Brazilian couple, will soon give them a second greeting. These> couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as> they embrace and watch over the missionaries.> > The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs. He> is assisted by his able wife.> > We are also happy to report that the Cafeteria food is abundant and very good.> > Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning> at the Temple. This will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on> individual assignments.> > Important information is attached for communicating with your missionary> through letters and other mail while at the MTC. Your missionary's mailbox # is> 38 and their district is 7 B. Too many packages are arriving after the> missionary has left to the field, so we ask that you send a package only in the> first 4 weeks and after that send any packages to his or her mission home.> > We are also parents of children who have served as missionaries. And we have> been missionaries who have left family. Please know that we are mindful of you> and know of your love for your missionary.> > Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the> lives of others. We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by> President Lorenzo Snow: “There is no mortal man that is so much interested in> the success of an elder [sister] when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord> that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children.”> > Please accept our love,> > President and Sister Woodward> Brazil MTC

These are the pictures Ryan sent of the CTM. Ryan apparently being attacked by a Brazilian reptile.

Ryan called this the smallest track he ever ran.

We are all of course very proud of Ryan's decision to serve a mission for the church for 2 years and hope you all enjoy reading about his experiances!
Lisa

Also here are a few pictures from the sunday before he left. Speaking at his farewell was his brother in Law Derrick Webb and Ryan!