July 4, 2011

Dear Family,

Another exciting week! It started off with another interesting story. So on Wednesday we had a service project. I really ought to just delegate them considering my past experience. This week a sister from the ward needed help taking the roof off of a shack in her backyard. Here pretty much all the roofs are made out of those wavy metal sheets (corrugated steel?). She needed the roof for another part of her house, and she had an old shack in her backyard with lots of extra roof, so instead of having to buy new roof sheets, she had us take off the old ones. Problem: we did the service in the morning so there was frost on the roof. Another problem: I’m pretty reckless when it comes to climbing up buildings. Biggest problem: the neighbors had a wall right next to the roof with a nice inviting topping of broken glass bottles. So, put two and two together and I was walking along the edge of the roof, slipped, and jammed my hand on the bottles. Yeah, bad news bears. The good news is, I was able to jam some cotton balls in a glove with my hand, and by the time we finished it stopped bleeding. It’s a much smaller wound than the machete chop, and it’s almost healed. Next week I’ll send pics.

Also, I got all your letters!!! Thanks a million!! It was great hearing from you guys and receiving all your love. I really appreciate it. Today to celebrate the 4th of July we went up to the mountains and got lost again. Haha, we accidently missed the city bus back, so we ended up taking a nice 3 hour trip by foot, local bus, and taxi. We did get to see some really cool waterfalls, though. God Bless America!

This week we also found this really cool newlywed couple. I don’t know if I told you, but here it’s pretty much a miracle to find people that are married, because the majority aren’t married (casados), they’re juntados (...together). Some people live their whole married life, have kids and everything without actually getting married. The sad part is when one dies and the other has absolutely no legal rights to inheritance and loses everything. Anyway this couple, Gabriel and Gabriela Gomez (no joke) are super legit. We knocked their door one day and Gabriel told us that he had always seen us walking around and had always wanted to talk to us. We obliged. We taught a great lesson to them and at the end of the lesson (their first one) set a baptismal date and they accepted. Gabriela said the closing prayer, her very first prayer, and started crying. It was a really cool moment. I’ll let you know how they progress.

This week I had the opportunity to give two priesthood blessings. On both occasions I felt the Spirit very strongly and was very grateful for being worthy and prepared to do that. We never know when the Lord needs us to help one of His children. Save the trouble and always be ready. The church is true!!!

I love you all so much!

-Elder Jonathan Spencer