Week 1: July 15

MYYYY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!

Oh does it feel really good to write home. To be honest I am not sure how this computer MTC system works so I am trying to type as fast as I can cause I don't want this computer to kick me off if I have gone like an hour and 1 second or something lolol. So, the MTC is honestly amazing!! My dad dropped me off on Wednesday which was a really hard moment cause I was sad to leave, but I also had so much adrenaline in my body. Like as much adrenaline as I get in me when I am about to play an ultimate frisbee game or I am at the top of the 120 foot rock wall looking down. Anway, so I got escorted around and I was give a huge pack of books and my name tag and all that good stuff. Then I went straight to class, which was super stressful. My teacher's name is Fratello Gessel (means brother) and the first day I walked in and he only talks to me in Italian which I know is a good thing cause it helps me learn faster but that first day I was like dude I really have noo clue what you're saying to me other than Mama Mia lolol. (Which I have started using too, and I talk with my hands now which is awesome haha). 

So my companion is absolutely awesome. He is from Ogden, Utah, super athletic (cause he used to play baseball) and just a really fun guy. He honestly has such a solid testimony as well like I really am glad that I got such a great companion. When he bears his testimony it’s incrediable cause you can just feel the spririt right when he begins. Anyway, the first night we were escorted into three separate rooms where there were like 50 new missionaries and we had the chance to teach an investigator that was interested in the church. The first guy was a man named Ciccio (which I found out later means chubby in Italian, he was huge Italian man though lol so I think it was kinda a joke). He was struggling cause his son passed away and he believed that his son was floating somewhere in Limbo. I stood up and shared a scripture with him from Alma 40, and he got so excited cause he saw that my name is Anziano Spencer that he started talking to me in Italian and I just kinda looked down and laughed with everyone else cause I obviously knew nothing other than Ciao, and Come sta? But, he switched back to English once I explained that I am learning and yes there are Italian Missionaires with his pope haha. 

The next day was pretty good, I have a really good district and branch. Thursday night I was really stressed out though because I was called to be a zone Leader for my branch which has actually been really humbling. My first week here has really taught me that I am truly nothing without God and Jesus Christ and if I don't rely on them for guidance and help then I won’t be able to do this. I cannot complete this mission alone; I need their help and I know that they are there helping me. So as a zone Leader we get phones and we had to plan Sunday and so I was able to teach priesthood session to the other Anziani and my Branch President. We also had a visiting Mission President who served in Austialia (his accent was so sick) but I taught about personal revelation and it was actually a really good discussion. I was nervous, but I know that I was helped with the Spirit.

Okay, so now for the story about the most terrifying experience of my life. So on Thursday Fratello Gessel told all of us that we would be teaching an investigator on Friday a lesson about having hope because her daughter has cancer. But it would all be in Italian. Ohhh man I was so nervous when I found that out but my companion and I planned a lesson on Jesus Christ and his love for all of us and then we translated it to Italian. And it actually went pretty well. Obviously it was awkard, especially when I would start trying to testify to her and then not know what to say cause I didn't know the word for something. haha. So we have taught her a different lesson every day this week besides Sunday. The first two were okay, but then my companion and I felt that we should plan out our lesson with scriptures, but then not translate it into Italian and let the Spirit guide. That first lesson we taught her for 30 minutes all in Italian and it was so amazing. My companion even had an incredible experience because we were talking about baptism and being baptized by immersion and she asked him what he felt about it and he paused for a second and then all of the sudden he started bearing a powerful witness to her about following Christ's example and more all in Italian. The investigator (Emma) after he was finished told him his Italian was perfect and you could just feel the spirit so strong in that room. After we walked out my companion stood there a little dazed and looked at me and said, "That wasn’t me man, that was the Spirit." He didn't even remember the things he said or didn't even know where those words came from!! It was incredible!!!! I have felt the gift of tongues as I have been teaching too because I can understand a lot of what Emma is asking and even though I have struggled with the language I have felt it too. When I have been teaching I know what to say back to her, and even though I still need to write down some phrases  and words I am getting better. So now we just go into our lessons with scriputes and some key words that we still need to learn, but we are getting better!! I testify that the gift of tongues is real!!

Some other random things from this week that have been really cool..

We Italians played a group of Germans in volleyball and crushed them. We want to play the Japenese, Swedes, or Cambodians haha so I will let y'all know what else happens. I have lost 4 pounds since I got here since all we do is sit so my metabolism just burns everything but I am starting to gain it back cause I am working out with guys that did cross fit and they are really athletic so its pretty awesome.

Also, Sister Olsen, I met Anziano Chilvers!! He is so cool, and is in my district.

I was talking to a senior missionary who served in Germany 35 years ago. He told me that shardinfrodia (totally don't know how to spell it but when you say it it sounds super evil) means the joy that someone receives when someone else is suffering. Ummm what?!?

Kevin and Kyle just make it to Sunday. Those first couple of days were honestly so hard, stressful, but once you do it gets a lot better. Also, super cool my dreams in the MTC are the most vivid dreams that I have ever had in my life like I don’t really know why but be prepared cause a lot of other Anziani think so too. Just get ready to work and study and you will be fine. I am so happy to hear that y'alls talks went well though!! I will see y'all soon!

Allie and Benson, I wish I had more time to respond to your emails but I will do my best next week. Thank you so much for them, and Benson I will crush you in racquetball when we play haha;)

I love you guys!! I miss everyone so much, but I just want to let y'all know that Jesus Christ lives and he loves each and every one of us. I know that he is guiding me and reaching out to me every day and I just need to accept his help which I have been getting better at. I love this gospel, I have honestly never worked so hard in my life but I love it so much. Thanks for the letters! I will talk to y'all next week!!

Love, Anziano Spencer