Mission Changes!

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

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

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

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

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.