My companion and I had a baptism yesterday. A lady named Olinda. She is pretty cool. She has had a lot of emotional suffering in her life, with bad husband and losing two children. So the gospel has really helped her. She still kind of dwells on the past a little too much but we are helping her to do that. We had some trouble with her in the past. She didn´t want to get baptized. But we had some revelation given to us and we shared this really good conference talk with her and explained some things that the Lord wanted us to tell her. Afterwards, she gladly accepted the invitation to get baptized. And so we were able to baptize her this last sunday. It was great. It was a really cool experience to receive information like that specifically for her and to see the effects those things had on her. Actually being an instrument in the Lord´s hands to help another to make that covenant........it was awesome. Anyways, so things are good here. Not to much more to talk about really. Accept that everyone is preparing for carnaval. Which is bad. Starting to see more and more bad things that we don´t want to see. Anyways, Thats pretty much it for this week, Hoping to baptize again next week. We have some really great investigators that we are working with. And maybe we´ll have two people getting baptized next week. I pray that we will. Until next week.....

Elder Bender

Spencer and his companion with Olinda on her baptism day!

Monday, January 9, 2012

My companion and I are doin fine. We´re workin hard. Meeting good people, and we Baptized yesterday. So that was good. Caetano is a really good guy, and a super prepared investigator. He has a ton of faith and he was truly converted. He loves the Book of Mormon and he has a strong testimony. He accepted everything we taught him and he did everything we invited him to do. He was the perfect investigator. So, it was a good day for us and for him when he got baptized. We are workin hard trying to achieve our goals for this transfer which ends at the end of this month. And I know if we give our all we´ll make it. It´s going to be tough but I know it´s possible. I´m stoked to help more people in their lives. Also I think that it´s cockroach season. Like all of them hatched recently because there are a ton of small ones everywhere. And I see more of them each day. Oh also it´s raining alot more frequently lately. And there is alot of flooding in the state next to Rio. Apparently flooding is supposed to happen here too soon. And this week it´s supposed to rain alot. So that should be fun. Had a taste of it last night. Walked home from the church without an umbrella because my comp forgot money for the bus. We got drenched. Twas fun. But anyways, thats it for this week, until next week.

Elder Bender

Monday, Jan 2, 2012

For everyone.


So this week was good. Things have been better. It hasn´t been that hot because it´s been raining everyday. Which is good for me because thats exactly how it is in Oregon during the winter. So, it´s good. And I think that soon My comp and I will be able to get a house that is actually in our area. So that will be nice. I won´t have to spend like 75 reais of my 130 that we get every two weeks on busses. It sucks. But this week was a good one. We had a Baptism! This little old Lady named Arli. Her baptism was a huge blessing because we happened to be in the right place at the right time to meet her. Because she lives in the favela and normally we don´t work there because it´s dangerous. But she saw us in the grocery store and stopped and talked to us. We got her address and stuff and marked a time to go and visit her. When we went to her house, we discovered that she is way poor and she has pretty much nothing, and that she has been waiting a long time to get baptized. She was supposed to get baptized like 8 or more years ago or something like that. But she had to go to the hospital so she didn´t go to church on the day she was supposed to get baptized. But she´s really cool. She´s a kind person and really just wants to follow Jesus Christ. We taught her everything again because it had been a long time since she last talked to the missionaries. She believes everything we taught her and she reads the Book of Mormon too. It´s realy cool. Her baptism was a big blessing for her because she´s been weighed down by guilt from many things in her life and she was really depressed. But her baptism has helped her to feel the love of the Lord in her life. It´s really cool to see firsthand how much the Lord blesses those that follow him and keep his commandments, and how he cares for and looks after each one of his children. I´m loving the work and the opportunity I have to help others.


Elder Bender

Spencer with Arli on her baptism day!

Monday December 26, 2011

For everyone.

So this last week was a good one.........minus christmas. Well, Christmas Eve. My companion and I got sick with some kind of Virus or something. So I spent the better part of the day feeling like garbage and vomiting. So that was fun. Oh and Christmas Eve is when everyone celebrates the most here so all the big dinners and stuff were on that day. Lucky us we couldn´t keep anything down, neither did we want to eat anything. SO that was fun. Then, on Christmas, we got our investigator who is going to be baptized next week to come to church. She loved it and she´s super excited for her baptism next sunday. So thats awesome. She also knew a decent amount of people already at church. Which is way cool. So she already has friends and she will be warmly welcomed into the Ward. Got some good goals for this week and things are looking up. Until next week,

Elder Bender

Monday December 12, 2011

So, this week was good. And Sunday especially. We had some great investigators come to church and they loved it. So they will definitely be going to church next week. Also though I got to see a promise I made fulfilled. One of our investigators felt for much of her life that God didn´t love her. And I promised her that she would feel the Love of God that he had for her at church on Sunday. She came to church and she absolutely loved it. She came up and hugged me after sacrament meeting. It was great to see the joy and happiness she felt being there. I love seeing the happiness the gospel brings to the lives of those that open their hearts and let it into their lives. It brings me great joy in my service. And it is because of this that I am in the service of the Lord. I love helping others. I love being an instrument for good in the hand of the Lord. 

This last sunday, I had the great privilege of returning to my last area to baptize a young girl that was a great friend of mine. The meeting was very spiritual and a great moment for me in my mission. Also a great moment for her in her life and also for her family and friends. I know she will never forget her baptism and I know she will be an amazing person and example of the believers. She already is. I was a great pleasure and privilege to be there and be a part of such a significant event of her life. I´m also very happy because I got to see the effect that my service made in that area and in the lives of people there. I have a great love for many there in the Trindade ward and I am happy that I was able to help in any way that I did. 

Elder Bender

Monday, December 5, 2011

So this week was interesting. Worked really hard and talked to alot of people. We got to visit this one lady who has had a really hard life and she truly felt that God didn´t love her. But we taught her and testified to her that God does love her and that he wants the best for her, he doesnt want her to be sad and that he wants to help her with all of her troubles and sadness, and that through the atonement of Jesus Christ she can be happy again, and all the wrongs in her life can be made right, and she can have peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come. Twas a great visit with her. We also talked to and taught some others and they all were doing really well. But, Sadly when sunday morning came nobody kept their word and came to church. Well all except one. She was sick. And we actually went over to her house later sunday and confirmed it. Not merely to comfirm it but because we had been invited by her father to eat some churrascu (barbeque) and because one of the biggest games of the year was on and nobody was in the streets, nor did anyone want to talk with us. So we went there and taught her a little bit and then ate churrascu as the game was on. Twas a good end to a kind of depressing day. Yesterday during Testimony meeting, I was about ready to punch everyone and their kids in the face. So loud in the chapel. I was so annoyed. Flippin ridiculous. After being in a singles branch I really don´t like family wards. It´s so loud during the meeting. I hate it. Anyways, so there´s a reason to never get married. JK nah it´s a reason to always attend a singles ward as well as family ward. That way you actually get something out of sacrament meeting and you can feel and hear the spirit. Anyways, should be getting my Authentic Brasil selection soccer jersey today. So I´m pretty stoked about that. And also we will be working with some pretty cool families and people this week so, that should be really cool too. Well until next week, 

Love,

Elder Bender

I have attached two pictures one of me with a runaway goat in the road, and also a turtle or tortoise that I saw. 

Monday, November 28, 2011

SO, this last week was good, lots of stuff happened. Alot of walking and sweating and drinking of many gallons of water, and guarana, (i´m addicted) and working really hard. We didn´t have much success this week though. Everyone and their dog was never home when when we went to their homes. Very discouraging. But we continued to work hard. I wish I could recount all the crazy things that happened. One thing I will talk about because I thoguht it was funny was I saw a mocoomba animal sacrifice in the road. I think it was a black chicken. So that was funny. But other than that we had a few blessings from the Lord on sunday. Actually they are nothing less than miracles. And now we have a very god perspective baptism for next sunday and an amazing family to teach tonight. So I am very excited for this next week. Also my birthday was good. The members threw me a little surprise birthday party with a cake and stuff. Twas good. Was a great day. It´s been raining here lately. Which is weird. I thought it was supposed to be really hot duiring these months. But aparently here it rains alot. I don´t know why. Anyways, thanksgiving was totally lame. Nobody celebrated it at all. Twas sad for me and I missed all the delicious seasonal foods that we normally have hardcore. Anyways, love you all and miss you tons. 

Until next week,

Love Elder Bender

Members in Spencer's ward threw him a surprise birthday party last Friday!

Birthday Wishes: Spencer's surprise birthday party from some members in his ward.

 

Monday, November 21, 2011

**Spencer's Birthday is Friday, November 25!!**


Here is alright. My companion and I went to Rio today. I was sad that my package hadn´t arrived yet. I was hoping to get it before my birthday but sadly it wasn´t there. But we went to a pizza rodizio and I got hooked up with free OJ and soda. So that was cool. I think it was a mix up though. Oh well. I didn´t know until afterward. Anyways, Things are good. A bit slow but good. We are probably going to be cutting of a bunch of our investigators this week. Because they just aren´t progressing. When I say progressing I mean they arent doing the things they need to do to get answers and testimonies. We´ve told them time and time again and they just don´t do it. Tis sad. But we hope to be meeting alot of really cool people this next week and helping our investigators that we are keeping. Anyways, I don´t know if we are going to be able to get that other house until after the new year. But, I hope that we can. So there at home sounds like things are pretty interesting. Mother of 10 with cancer? Dang that sucks. Hope the family is cool and can get baptized. Thats a major find there in the mission of those sisters. They´ve gotta be doin something right to be finding families like that. The mother sounds like an elect. And if her kids are anything like her then that is totally legit. Oh yes we are walking alot still. No my pants aren't to big yet. they are still normal. We will never have bikes here. And same thing with cars. it´s too dangerous. Way too dangerous. Everyone drives like they are on crack here. Which they probably are. But thats beside the point. I find it kind of funny because they all have to go to a driving school to get a license. Yet everyone still drives like psychos? Makes no sense. So Crack is the only logical explanation. Um water here is apparently bad......but I use that stuff you gave me. Also, our faucet broke last night. So.......it´s kind of hard to get water now. But we always drink water at members houses and stuff and I don´t know if they always filter it so I´ll probably get some kind of worms or a parasite. That´ll be legit. Not. Most of the black people here look at me like I have a gaping wound on my face. Or they ask me dumb questions. It´s kind of annoying sometimes. But it´s funny when they ask my companion instead if he´s from a different country. He gets irritated. Hahaha. Have I told you about makoomba stuff yet? So it´s like voodoo devil worship stuff. it´s all over the place here. People arent afraid to show that they are practicing either. Kind of crazy. They do all sorts of sexual rituals and animal sacrifices and weird crap to invite evil spirits and junk. It´s psycho. But anyways......yeah 6 months went by really fast. Alot has happened in this short period of time but it´s been really good. Oh did I tell you we had a special conference with Elder David A. Bednar of the quorum of the twelve apostles. That was really awesome. I learned a ton. Tell dad to find the two talks by him and read them they are really really good. ``Learning by Faith´´, ``Ask in Faith´´ learned alot during the conference. it was really cool to see him so close and listen to him speak. He truly teaches like the Savior. Simply and yet spiritually. Letting the spirit teach the most. It´s so cool. I know without a doubt He is an Apostle of God. The spirit that he brings with him everywhere is powerful and you can feel that he is the Lord´s chosen servant. Just amazing. Anyways, things are really good. Got alot of work to do and alot to study and learn. And with lots to do there is much to be gained. And so until next week I love you mom, and I love and miss all of the family and friends that will be reading this letter.
Elder Bender

Monday, November 14, 2011

So this week has been really long. I thought it would never come to an end. And I felt like it had been forever since I was able to email. Crazy. So this thursday we get to have a special mission conference with Elder David A. Bednar. So that should be way cool. Looking forward to that. Gonna get schooled. Oh so here in Caxias our ward mission leader is obcessed with Family History. Everything is about Family History with him. But it´s good because he´s getting alot of younger people educated. Hey you should learn how to do all that stuff on the new family search website. Talk with Cheryle Vore about it. I´m sure she´d be able to help you out. It´s actually way easy. You´d have no problems with it at all. Um, Also it´s flippin hot here. And there are so many hills. Trindade was really flat. Here it´s really hilly. I walk up some of the steepest hills I´ve ever been on here. I´m surprised that cars even can drive up them without flipping over and sliding down the hill. But anyways, my new companion is cool. He´s really nice and mellow. He speaks alot of english too because he lived in the States for like 3 years or something with his Uncle or uncles. HE has many that live in Utah. But anyways, we live with the zone leaders at the moment, but we are waiting on approval to move into our own place and in our own area. Yup we live in a completely different area. So we have to walk or take the bus to our area everyday. Which sucks. Because it´s either pay money which we don´t have much of, or walk in the really hot sun a long way to our area. But oh well. We get plenty of water. I am recognized as an american everyday here, whereas in Trindade people thought I was a brazillian from the south. Sucks because people ask me dumb questions all the time just to get me to speak. It´s annoying. Because they arent interested in the gospel, they just want to know for sure if I am american or not. Lame. I think it´s because there are so many black people here. There really aren´t many light skinned people here. There in Trindade there were alot more. But here it´s alot of dark people. But, this new area should be cool. We already have alot of work to do each day and we got like 3 new investigators for free on sunday. they just showed up. Twas legit. Anyways, things are good. I´m a bit sad that I won´t be getting my package before my birthday, but I guess I will get everything on christmas. If anyone is going to write or send me anything make sure they send it all early so that it gets here in time. And tell them not to worry I won´t get it before christmas, we don´t have a conference where we´ll get mail until then. Anyways, well I don´t have a ton of time today because the LZ´s want to play soccer at the church otherwise I would send photos of me and my new comp. But thank you for all the photos and stuff, love you all and miss you.

Monday, October 31, 2011

As far as things here, things are goin alright. Things have been way better with my comp. I had situation arise that made it really easy to talk to him about all that stuff and this last week was really good. We worked really hard and he didn´t have any trouble with his health. I prayed that he would be blessed with health if we worked hard. And he hasn´t had any problems so definitely an answer to my prayers. 

We almost had a baptism yesterday but it fell through because the guy hurt his leg or foot playing soccer, so he was unable to be there, but this next week we´ll baptize him for sure. And this next sunday we have another possible. A 16 year old girl that we found through one of our previous investigators. It´s a pretty cool story. So because we were working hard and pounding the pavement we were in the right place at the right time and we crosssed paths with two guys we had talked to and taught before. They were on their way to go skate with their friends at their friend´s house. They invited us to come along so we did. When we got there there were three other people there skateboarding in the street. We introduced ourselves and one of our buddies told the other three that I skateboard. They then wanted to see me skate. So I did. They were thoroughly impressed. And a little bit later my comp arranged for a lesson right then with 4 of them. Was sweet! so we taught the four of them. And one in particular Joice, really wanted to go to church on sunday. And she did. We went and got her and brought her to church and we even got two young women to befriend her and help her out and she really liked church and now the young women even have some things planned this we. So things should move along fairly quickly now. It´s going to be a great week. We got alot of work to do and it´s going to be good.  

Love ya, Elder Bender