MTC Week 5- District Leader

February 21, 2015

Hey Everybody!!!!

I know its not time to get trunky, but I have already been out 1 month of my mission!!! That means there is only 23 left!!

So this week has been kinda emotional, because the district before us is leaving in 2 days, and then we are right after. They have some cool guys, including the zone leaders (which ill add a picture of). Their district is heading all over including Texas!!!! They have 2 going to McAllen Texas, 1 going to Dominican Republic, 1 going to Calgary Canada, 1 going to Demoin (da-moyn) Iowa, 1 going to Colorado, and 1 going to Mesa Arizona. They are all super awesome and I know they will do great!

Anyway on to what I usually go on about. lol. This past Sunday (2/15/15) I was called as the new District Leader until we leave. The district leader is in charge of his district, which consists of:

8 missionaries including himself.

The up-keep of all classrooms and apartments used by his district.

Making sure everyone is well mentally and physically. 

Leading meetings whether it be just the district or whole zone.

Making assignments for Sacrament Meetings and normal class meetings.

And all while maintaining the great looks he has, and not getting stressed out.

I am really stoked to have this call. I thankfully have had roles in the past to help me out. I have already been it for a week and I would say I have done a good job. Everyone is happy and getting along (for the most part), I have handled getting assignments made, and I have came up with a plan to make sure everybody is doing well. 

In other matters, upcoming is my last week. I fly out on Monday March 2nd to Arizona! FINALLY!!!!! I am over the stars happy to go, but I still have a lot of work to do with the language. 

So on our first e-mail, I told yall my district is a special case. Let me share with yall how. 

Elder Biddulph (my companion) has taken Spanish two years in high school, and then once he received his call, took private lessons from a friend of his moms.  

Elder Feth is Brazilian and speaks Portuguese, which means he pretty much knew Spanish when he got here.

Elder Safarov speaks 7 languages, one of them is Portuguese and so he along with Feth pretty much knew the language on the first day. 

The hermanas, are both from Tahiti and tell me its a lot like french. I don't see how, but the point is they are pretty well set.

Then there is me. I am the solo guy who came into the MTC only knowing a few words. I have been told I know way more than normal missionaries ever hope to learn, but I would love to be really good by the time I get out. I will dedicate this last week to learning as much as possible so that I can be prepared for Arizona. 

I still am not in good terms with the cold here. However their 30 feels like our 50 in Texas. I believe it is the humidity. I like the food, even though there is way top much and I try so hard to not eat a bunch, but nobody has ever succeeded at that. Everything else is good, I still love going to the temple, and I have felt Gods love all the time. I wish I could bring you all up here to feel the spirit in the MTC, and show you all how much Heavenly Father has changed me in these 5 weeks. 

I know that our savior and Heavenly Father loves us all personally. They only want what is best for us, and that I know is this church. It has nothing but truths and love in it.

Anyway, Ill see yall next week. which will be my last P-Day in the MTC and it will be 2 days before Arizona!!

I love all of you, and I hope life is simply amazing for yall.

Adios

Elder Spencer C. Shepherd

 February 21, 2015

Questions from mom and responses from Elder Shepherd:

Do you have any details about when you fly out?

We fly out on Monday at 8:30 Utah time, however we have to be at the MTC travel office at 3:30 in the morning. Bleh!!!!! I will hopefully know more about when I will be able to talk to yall, when we get there. 

What do you do on Sundays in the MTC?

Sundays as a district leader are busy. I have branch council at 7, sacrament at 8, district and zone council at 9, preisthood at 11, lucnch at 12:30, district meeting at 1:15, Sunday walk around the temple at 2:30, Choir Practice at 4, Dinner at 5:30, and then devotional at 7.

Did you want a second memory card for your camera?

If you could get me one, that would be great. That way I wont have to e-mail and then delete them.

Who will you especially miss when you leave the MTC?

Definitely my teachers, and the Branch Presidency. They are all great. Im am really going to miss the district that's leaving in a few days. They are all totally cool. I will miss the district that came in right after us. They are some awesome guys, and I also will miss a hermana in our district. No, I have not gone looking for a girl at the MTC, but Hermana Tuaira may be the easiest person to talk to I have ever met. She is really kind, is I have really been able to rely on her as a responsible person in our zone. 

How is your health?  

That depends on who is asking... lol. I have not totally gone off the deep end, however, my weight is around 260. This will actually change this upcoming week, because we cant have soda in our mission. So, I will be drinking just water to prepare for it.

What time do you go to sleep?  Wake up?

We are supposed to be in bed at 10:30, and wake up at 6:30. However, I usually study, write in the journal, or read scriptures till around 11. I have no problem with waking up at 6:30, but it does take a little while for me to totally wake up for the day. 

This week was also the week we said goodbye to Gabriel. My first investigator. Ill attach photos, of me and him, but he is kind of like papa. He acts very tough guy like, but he really is a teddy bear on the in side.

Other than those questions this week is where the emotions hit in. We got our flight plans, and as soon as I saw mine, I kinda just had to breathe for a second to take it all in. I am ready to get into the world again, but not ready Spanish wise. My faith grows every minute I am a missionary. I know it will be tested, but I know I am concrete in my beliefs, and there is nothing that could persuade me other wise. I will hate the good byes, I know, but that just means another opportunity for a hello. I will let the spirit guide me and I will use it in all my decisions. Some scriptures I want yall to read are D&C 11:21 and Alma 7:21-24. Both are pretty awesome and are faith builders.

These are just my favorite pictures of the Temple I have. They capture its beauty and the amazing feeling that the gospel brings us.

So this is our zone leaders until Sunday. They are Elder J. Brody Johnson who is serving in Colorado. Not Denver. lol. And Elder Radar who is serving in Des Moines Iowa. I have no idea how it is correctly spelled. They are some awesome guys and they tell me all the time how amazing I am, and how I am a rock in the church. They always tell me that just by seeing me, they know what they are doing is true. I love them a lot, and I hope they have great missions.

So the photos I attach here are a lot like the Mural I like to make back home. Here it is a little different. I started off with a scripture and moved on to Lehi's vision, and then the rest of the well known stories in the Book of Mormon. I would love to create a real one of these on day for the church. I think that would be the coolest thing ever!!!