The Church is true, E Ekalesia Mau Noa

Dear Family and Friends,
One year on a mission, came and went. I don't think I did anything noteworthy to celebrate.    Wait.    I did.    I shared the good news with my Tahitian brothers and sisters. 

Our 2 little miracle families are continuing towards their baptisms with faith, nothing wavering. Well ok one of them decided to play for their band instead coming to church soo we need to work on that, but he also accepted his whole family disowning him because he's going to be baptized. That is not easy. We have hope that God will soften their hearts.  He understands that an eternity with his wife and daughter is of greater value than being invited to family events and even familial support.

The deep, very moving story of our sweet Swiss Jewish investigators can be written in a book about 200 pages long, so maybe I can share some summaries.  

- their heavy addictions to drugs, cigarettes, and even coffee have been entirely eliminated, even before meeting with us.  They were slaves to these things for more than a decade.  

- the first time reading the Book of Mormon, The Dad knew with all his heart that this Book came from God, and was written especially for the Jewish people.

- the dad, who found his testimony/ conviction right before moving to Moorea, here at Tahiti, spent months praying that his wife and daughter could understand and believe as he did/does.  God answered his prayers, and in the months that followed they became converted as well. 

-this beautiful experience, that I get to watch unfold was written of in both the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants

. 

2 Nephi 20: 20 "en ce jour-la, le reste d'Israël et les réchappés de la maison de Jacob, cesseront de s'appuyer sur celui qui les frappait, ils s'appuieront avec confiance sur le Seigneur, le Saint d'Israël"

And especially in Doctrine and Covenants 123, I like it better in French but voila ya"

11 And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart—

12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know notwhere to find it

13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—

14 These should then be attended to with great earnestness." 

And then the call to us "Therefore, dearly beloved [friends and family], let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed" 

Things here in Papeari are wet but hopeful:) last week was on foot, but this week we are lucky to have the car. 

Sr. Toofa and I share many embarrassing, funny moments together. I really have had my two Tahitian sisters as companions, what great people! Sr Maitere and now Sr Toofa! 

Upcoming events: Valentine's Day and The baptism for the Jewish Family and temple trip with our new converts and an 11 year olds birthday party with a blow up waterslide.  Shoot, mom I forgot my swimsuit.  Can you expedite that to me??;)

I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Soeur Spencer

I really love Jacob 4:6-7, Faith, Humility, and Power to do all things

Big influx of Swiss Jews in Tahiti. Nothing but blessings

February 5, 2018

Dear Family and Friends,

I havé felt â deep, constant feeling of happiness this week. Sr. Toofa and I havé had such sweet moments of joy in seeing the great workings of the Lord unfold in Papeari.

This week was full of lessons in the two sectors, with the Trio, Sr bultez, Sr Toofa, and meee. And it was GR8:)

 

Food for thought, 

How many Israelian Jews have been baptized in Tahiti?

I think, Like maybe 1.

Haha but God is good!!!! And here we are in Papeari with this humble, sweet family of Jews who wants nothing more than to follow the savior and be baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

 

BEFORE: Born into a family of devout Jews, The dad followed all of the customs, and teachings until 35 years old when he started searching for truth.  He said he's been in about every religion possible, searching for the church of God. During â stay in Switzerland, Geneva the Dad left his apartment to go to work, and the Swiss missionaries were standing in the street. One was clearly lost, looking around, but when he saw this man he walked immediately up to him and said "Did you know that we have â living prophet today?", he was shocked and knew nothing of â prophet. The missionary the gave the Dad â pamphlet, but couldn't fix another lesson because they were about to move out of Switzerland. When the Dad walked back into his apartment, and showed his family the brochure he said to his wife. "I want to be a Mormon".  They moved shortly after to France, and his work brought him and his family to one of the Tahitian Islands, Moorea.  While living there, he learned about Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon (on the LDS Library App on his phone) and found that the Savior really had come. But after 2 years at Moorea, they still didn't know who to talk to or how to join with this church.  His work told him to move, so he moved their family to the main island of Tahiti, into...our sector! A Tahitian posted a political video post on Facebook, this man watched it and at the end he said " I'm a Mormon".  He said "at that moment everything came back to me, my experience with the missionaries in Switzerland, and I knew God was ready to guide me into his church".  He contacted the Tahitian who posted the video, who got a hold of our bishop, who called us to come over for a lesson "with 3 Swiss Jews".  I have never met 3 Amis so sincerely ready to serve our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

On meeting this family Sr Toofa and I can't believe the goodness of God, and all his mighty works that came to pass in the life of this family. We know that this is the Lord's work and are filled with Love and Joy knowing we can teach this already prepared family. 

I don't have enough time or patience to write more details about the lessons, but their long wait to join with Christ's church is coming to an end. 

 

Sr. Toofa is wonderful. 0 choses a dire. I sincerely love serving with her. Of course it makes things easy when massive miracles are happening like that, but I got a feeling Sr Toofa will stick with it in the thick and the thin. 

It was crazy to see the MacPhersons! Annd they told me to keep working on my English haha Love Highland 35th a lot! Big bear hug to all the missionaries serving in the ward!  And Gros Bisous for the fam! 

Sr spencer 

No pictures. Sry.

Highlanders go to Tahiti

February 2nd

Our friends, Annie and Rob MacPherson, went to Tahiti last week for vacation.  They went out of there way to get a package from us to her!!! And they took pictures and videos!  A mother's dream:)

Here's the text Annie wrote me:
 I can honestly say we were blessed to see her.  ON the way to her town, we passed so many church buildings, all which had the gates locked.  When we saw this church building, we were so happy to see the gate unlocked.  Then we saw a door open.  We walked into the building, said hello, and a member, who spoke very good English greeted us.  We told him we were looking for Sister Spencer.  He said, "Let me call her."  He tried two times, on the second try, she answered.  She said she could meet us in about 20 minutes.  Here she is walking to the church. 

Impressive missionary spirit radiated from her!! She even had a hard time speaking English!!  Her French is very good:)  "She's so happy!"  that's what Rob and I kept saying!!  The timing was perfect.  After visiting with her for about 20 minutes, they had a lesson to get to.

She is a great missionary, we could see it and feel it! 

Here she is walking through Papeari, Tahiti:)

Sr Toofa, Sr Spencer, And Sr Bultez for the win :)

 January 29, 2018

Dear Family and Friends,

Transferzz. I'm staying in Papeari! And I scored and got my second Tahitian Comp, Sr Toofa! She's from my last sector at Pirae. Sr. Keyes is coming back to Canada attention! And charming Sr Luka to Nebraska, they will be missed!!  This week though, we will be in a trio! And covering two sectors.  Until the new companion comes back from one of the other islands.

We had a wonderful, toasty week walking around, sharing the gospel. Probably the most rewarding moment this week was seeing Warren and Marceline married and baptized! This sweet, quiet couple pulled together their marriage in clutch timing and had so many family and friends supporting them.  It's the first time that I was involved in the marriage of our amis, kind of fun:() At the last minute, they invited us to eat at their table of honor, and so we hurried over (I think I tripped on the way up). I tried really hard not to eat with my hands, in front of the 150 guests. Haha a good reminder that I lost a lot of table manners on the mission.

  

Their 2 children decided to get married and baptized the 7 of April. That will be super exciting! 

All their marriage festivités gave us a chance to talk with their non member family and friends, genealogy got a couple of them excited :)

 

We had a service project, and since it's expensive to call people #out of credit, and our regular reliable friends were busy.   We did the service project with just our ami and Ellie, the new converti. Hahaha lots hacking branches with machetes and weed wackers, and torching piles of debris on a big plot of jungle. "Yard work" in Tahiti is intense. But we did drink some refreshing coconut water and played with these crazy little boys:) 

 

We ate with some funny families this week and wore one member's outfit for the biggest Tahitian dance of the year. lol. Too bad Sr Keyes and I can't dance the part haha

 

 

Teaching a very intelligent Chinese 9 year old who acts a lot like me when I was a kid haha, we get each other ;)

 

 

We love our amis here in Papeari!! We talk and laugh and share stories and eat a lot and sing songs and read a lot of bible verses and discuss deep bible doctrine and share our testimonies, and yeah, ok, they often cancel or stand us up, but it's well worth the dozens of hours of planning and praying and many more hours of walking and yelling LORANA. 

I really love our missionaries out here too! 

Jean 8:12 á light has surely come into the lives of Warren and Marceline, our newly baptized converts.  I know that Christ IS the light.  And what a privilege it is to carry that light to others. Missionaries, the messengers of light.

 

Good luck to all y'alls with classes, marriages, work, callings, and missions. I love you all!!

Sr Spencer

January 22, 2018

Well it is the very last week with this Canadian comp of mine, wonderful Sr Keyes.  She and I are going to see some miracles this week, I already know it :)

 

Our amis are becoming more and more Pagan.  Haha we have two that don't believe in God.  It is rare out here in the middle of Tahitian Bible Belt.  But it's a great thing too.  Helps me revaluate our lessons. 

 

No one should worry about if the sister missionaires, (or the Elders non plus) in Papeari are eatting enough.  Because the answer is yesss.   We had some Faatamaaraas back to back this week.  The real question is, how have I not imploded, exploded, or had a heart attack yet.  I think thats one of the blessings of being a missionary. 

 

We had a really cool opportunity to take all of our Newly Baptized Converts to the temple in our Stake.  So that meant Elie and Poehere, our two last baptisms, came on bus for their first Baptism Session.  It was wonderful and thanks to Geneology, Elie was baptized for his Dad!! And our zone of missionaries is incredible.  Cool to be among my Brothers and Sisters from America, Canada Guadeloupe, and New Caledonia, who are here doing their best to serve faithful missions.  I admire each of them. 

 

Our sector became more of a long walking sector, and we get to see and talk to a lot more people.  And it gives me a chance to use that sunscreen that mom hid in my suitcase before the mission.  Thx mom, for saving me from skin cancer.  

 

We have been blessed to see miracles in the family of Poehere.  As her parents will get married and baptized this Saturday! I am so thankful for Jesus Christ, my Savior.  And the gift we have all been given, I would add for free, to repent and change.  The world would change our outward appearance, but God changes the heart. 

Okkk.  I send all my love, and sweat back to you all. 

 

Et Hia moi meta

Sr Spencer

Brooke's pictures a few weeks earlier hiking with her group. She is having trouble downloading pictures so she is just taking pictures on her camera?