Week 59 ~ Throwback to Argentina

Hola a todos!!

I say this every week, but it's been another awesome week in Laredo. I just love it so much here!!

This week Elder Rascon from the 70 came and spoke at church! He is so powerful and bold - it was inspiring. He also spoke to us as missionaries and we were able to do a special musical number for everyone.. Even after all the years I've taken of piano recitals and performances, I still get so nervous to play in front of people!

We had a new friend at church on Sunday!! His name is Alan and he is so AWESOME. We have been talking to him for a little while now and he said to us "I am so blown away how you sisters can always relate my personal experiences to the Book of Mormon!!" He is progressing along and we are excited for him. Elder Rascon basically invited him to be baptized and my companion and I were like woahhhh hahah but he actually took it really well! This was only his first time at church, but he said he wants to bring his girlfriend and family with him :')

We are still teaching Edalia and we helped her clean her house this week!! I really love cleaning, it's kind of a de-stresser for me. We spent 2 hours just going through her kitchen and dining area and getting everything all nice.

Then we went to her house again on Saturday and we were able to teach her husband as well - so COOL! He wants to come to church with her and Edalia said that it was the first time in years that he has let any type of religion into their home. Tender mercies for sure!

Funny experiences:

We ran into a guy this week who told us that Mormons drink blood. My greenie and I were both shook and just started laughing so hard hahahha. Some people out here have realllyyyy crazy ideas about what our beliefs actually are.

Spiritual experiences:

During the church meeting with Elder Rascon he received a random prompting during his talk and asked my companion and I and the other missionaries in the ward to go up and sing "Called to Serve" for everyone. While we were singing I almost began to cry!! It was just a moment that hit me and I realized how lucky I am to be here as a missionary. 

One particular line stuck out to me in the song:

"Dios nos da poder, luchemos en la causa celestial."

Which roughly translates to:

"God gives us power, let us fight in the heavenly cause."

That phrase stuck me with such power. Sometimes as a missionary I forget that we have literally been called of God and set apart to fight in the battle against Satan. What a privilege it is to be here!! 

We made Argentina food for pday today! The sisters and I made some empanadas and the elders brought some milanesas!! It brought me right back. I miss Argentina often, but I am grateful for moments like today that help me to remember the good times I had there.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!! Make your spiritual growth a priority in your life and you will see the blessing from it!

Love,

Sister Spackman

Week 58 ~ Menu Ordering

Hola!!

It has felt like fall this week here in Laredo and we have been seeing lots of miracles!

We had a zone meeting this week and we finally have more leniency on going outside!! Although we still aren't to the point of knocking doors again, we are getting closer. It has been so nice to have lessons in person again!

On Wednesday we went to the park and did service with one of the other sisters investigators. It was SO FUN and so nice to be outside for awhile. We cleaned up around the lake and then saw this super cool old abandoned house. I'll attach pictures below!

Our friend George finally came to church again this week, yay!! And we set a new baptismal date for the end of September. The only sad thing is he moved outside of our ward boundaries, so we aren't sure if we can keep teaching him or we will have to pass him off to other missionaries. We will see though!!

Spiritual experience:

The other night, we decided to bake some cookies. Afterwards, we were praying to know who we could give them to and in the middle of the prayer, I felt that we should visit one of our people. So, we left right away with the plate full of cookies. On the way, we got a little lost and had to ask a random couple for help. We contacted them and got their the phone number and set a return appointment, they ended up being super cool.

When we got to our investigator's house, she was there!! She invited us to come inside and we started talking and she told us she wanted to get baptized!! It was so cute. It was amazing how one small little prompting during a prayer led us to so many bigger miracles. She has a date set for her baptism in October.

Funny experience:

While we were driving home last night Sister Lund told us a story that when her sister was on her mission they were doing service with a group of nuns and an older guy walked by and one of the nuns said "Oo hes cute!!" The missionaries looked at her and started laughing and the nun said "I can look at the menu, I just can't order!" Hahah

Hopefully everyone has a great week! I'm not sure how we are in September already! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Spackman

Week 57 ~ Planting Seeds

Hello everyone!

This week was super awesome. Sister Lund is my companion and she is SO COOL. She's from Ogden and went to USU (WE LOVE THAT) and loves running and eating healthy, so catch us getting into shape this transfer!

We had a good week. There's been lots of changes and I've been a little stressed - but I'm grateful for Sister Lunds's help and her drive. It's going to be a really good transfer.

Spiritual experience:

We have had this investigator, Aaron, that we have been teaching and he is so awesome. My cute greenie Sister Lund extended a BD to him on her first lesson ever and he said yes!!

Then shortly after that we realized we had to pass him off and it was sad girl HOURS. I was so sad all day and praying a lot but then we had a Come, Follow Me and we talked a lot about how some missionaries plant the seeds and some harvest them and I felt that!!! Sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like I am always the one planting the seeds, but I feel like the Lord is teaching me that it is not about always seeing the results - but helping others along their path back home.

Funny experiences:

We went running one day this week and I apparently pushed myself too hard and threw up about 5 minutes after I finished  soooo, we will be trying again this week and hopefully I can get back into shape hahahah.

Thank you everyone for all your love and prayers this week. I have definitely felt them helping me through the transition that always comes at transfers. Love you all!

Love,

Sister Spackman

The 2nd picture has my new comp - Sister Lund!

Week 56 ~ I'm Gonna Be A Mom

Hey everyone!

This email is gonna be short today because we have transfers and it has been a crazy day!

Sister Collins is leaving me and she will be on the Tech Squad for the mission! I'm gonna miss her like crazy but she will do great things. Sister Christofferson is gonna be an STL in Mission! She's an absolute beast. Sister Turner and I will both be staying here and I will be training a new sister missionary!! I am so excited! Our mission had so many crazy changes this week because we are getting 34 new elders and 4 new sisters on Tuesday. I'm excited to meet all of them!

Spiritual experience:

We fasted all this week in order to be able to have 3 friends at church on Sunday and when it came to Sunday we did! George was able to make it before work, our new friend Aaron that we found on FB came and he brought his roommate!! I know that fasting is SO powerful and that the Lord hears and answers our prayers!

Funny experience:

We had a sleepover last night in our 4-man apartment in the other sisters room for one of our last nights together. During the prayer Sister Turner started laughing so hard that she peed her pants and got it all over the floor hahahah. We won't let her live it down.

I hope you all have a great week and good luck to those who are starting school!

My mom also let me know this week that someone had paid for a large portion of my mission for the month. I just wanted to thank whoever it was - even though it is anonymous your love doesn't go unnoticed!! Thank you so much for all those who have helped pay for my mission, sent me emails with updates, or kept me in your prayers. I love each one of you!

Love,

Sister Spackman

Here's more pics of us down at the border haha