Spencer's Take 2, Semana 58 - Where You End Up

Monday, June 15, 2015

This was a really good week! On the mission I am slowly but surely coming to understand the process of repentance. I had a deep talk with my companion on Thursday where we reflected on the time we have lost together. I love Elder Velasquez. He is awesome! Sometimes in the mission you have to pass time with a companion whom you don’t get along with all too well. That is not the case with me and Elder Velasquez.

We get along really well but we have really not been worthy of the Lord’s help for the majority of our time together. We have not been super dooper disobedient but just through the little things here and there and a little bit everywhere we have really lost the guidance of the Lord and we have not had any success in terms of converts. In our talk I expressed to him the regret I have in my heart for the lost time and the waste of what could have been an amazing companionship. He counseled me with my own quote that I use all the time. He told me "Elder, don’t worry, the Lord does not judge us on our past actions, be them good or bad, He judges us on how we end up. Our time together isn’t over, we still have 2 weeks!" We raised our voices to the Lord and repented from the depths of our hearts! It was great. After, we stood from our kneeled position and hugged it out like two bros who were ready to go out and do some serious work! We had some really beautiful experiences after that!

On Saturday we met a lady named Maria. She was really closed off to us in the beginning but after we talked for a little bit she opened up and confessed to us that she was really sad because her son, who is really stuck in the whole drug scene, steals her things and sells them to earn drug money. He stole her gas tank which hooks up to her water oven stove. She was so sad and told us that now she had to go and search for firewood. I felt soooo bad for her in that very moment! The people here hate asking for help, especially if you are wearing a white shirt and tie. They don’t really understand that it is our work clothes. We offered to help her but she didn’t accept. We asked to borrow her machete but she denied the request. I told her that we would be back soon with firewood whether she liked it or not! We then proceeded to search. Our search led us to a part of the area where I had never visited before! We found a fallen tree from which I, with my Nephi like strength (with Elder Velasquez on the other end) carried a branch the size of a small adolescent teenage tree all the way to her house! She was so happy to see that we had actually returned! The only bummer is that I don’t think that the branch is going to fit into her oven so we are going to have to borrow an axe from someone so that we can go back and cut it up for her. We had other pretty experiences but I’m out of time!

 I love you all!

 I hope all is well back home and I send a special hug to the Jackson family! I love you guys so much! Take care!

Elder  Spencer McKee

 

Spencers's Take 2, Semana 57 - What the Fetch?

Monday, June 8, 2015

Here I am in a church in Jujuy, Argentina and I have just received the biggest, fattest wave of news: good, bad and ugly from the USA.... I have no idea what to say!!!! So weird! Here I am walking through dirt streets all day and all of that is going down? In Argentina they would say QUE KILOMBO!!!! Wow. I have no words. I love you. The church is true. God loves us and I know it!

This week in my studies I learned some awesome lessons! I was reading in Luke chapter 9 where Jesus and his crew are on their way to Jerusalem and they try to pass through Samaria.  The Samaritans don't let them pass through because they are Jews so Peter and John get mad and ask Jesus if they can cause fire to rain down on the city. Jesus said no. I thought that was pretty funny. They acted pretty melodramatically I think.....

I did divisions with an elder whose name is Elder Gongora. He's Mexican from Oregon. He is cool. He just arrived to the mission so it was fun asking him about life back in the states! I really shouldn't worry about that stuff but it's always interesting to hear about it! iPhone 6.... I had no idea!

Like I said before, the church is true! I love Jesus and He loves me! He loves you too and I am right by his side loving you all!

Elder Spencer McKee

photos....
There is a circus in front of our house.....
I made a pretty flower tie and gave it to Elder Ellertson for his b day June 1st.
I bought myself a really late birthday present! gymnasio y esgrima! lobos jujeños for life!

Jonah's Semana 32 - Open Your Mouths

Monday, June 8, 2015

Okay, well, this week, where to start? I don't even know! I guess I should begin by saying I had a baptism!! I didn't get to take pictures because my camera was dead.... :(  BUT, the two people that were baptized were Enrique and Ashley Grandez.

 

They have been investigating the church for 11 years and just this week they decided it was time to be baptized. My companion and I spent a good moment in prayer this past week asking God what we, as his servants, should do to inspire them to continue progressing  and our answer was that we should share a scripture from the bible with them. We shared with them the story about the lady in the temple courtyards who was sick with an illness in her blood and how she, as a faithful woman, saw Christ walking with His apostles and how this lady of faith thought, "if I can only touch his robe, I will be healed", as Christ passed her she did just that. The sick, weak, lady extended her hand and touched the end of the robe Christ was wearing and as she did so Christ stopped and asked, who touched me? The apostles looked at him and thought that it truly could be anybody since they were walking through a courtyard full of tons of people! Christ, however, knew that somebody with an endless faith touched his robe for He felt their faith and the divine power leave His body to meet the needs of this faithful Christian lady.

 

We took this story and talked to them about how Christ is walking passed them and they in their faith have the decision to make to extend their hand and touch his robe so God can work a miracle in their lives or just sit and watch as He passes. They took this to heart and thought for a day. The following day they called us and told us they are ready to be baptized. My companion and I then got to work and put some plans in place so they could follow through and enter into this eternal covenant with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The baptism was a beautiful change and a giant step of faith for them! I am so happy that I am here and have the honor of being a part of these types of miracles daily! God loves us more than we could ever imagine and if we go to Him in fervent prayer then He will show us His love. God inspired us to share this story with them and now the church is two saints stronger. Be wise and open your mouths. A small phrase truly can change somebody or something forever.

 

I love you all,

Elder Jonah McKee

 

 

Jonah's Semana 31 - Transfer to Iberia & a New Companion!

Monday, June 1, 2015

Hey, so just to start off I am in a new area in the south and it is actually the hottest part of all of Honduras! The area is called Iberia and I literally have not stopped sweating since I got off the bus! haha I truly get out of the shower and towel down then think, "shoot why am I still wet" and realize that it's actually sweat and not water! haha But yeah, apart from the constant sogginess of my body I have been having a great time here!

 

The people are super open to us and my companion is truly a blessing sent from God! He and I hit it off from the very beginning and so I know this will be a great time together! He literally is the same person as me but he is from El Salvador and not from Vegas!

 

I'm so stoked to be here and I am so honored to be in my new calling that I received to serve as a district leader! Yeah, you read that right. Haha, I am now a District Leader (DL) and I am seriously sooo nervous I can barely handle it! I feel like I still don't know much of anything and that there are so many other missionaries who are more cut out to fit this position! But who knows??? haha I guess God called my mission president to his position and my president called me to be a DL so I guess it was meant to be! haha

 

So just to be clear, I am very happy and I am very anxious. It will be fun to see how I will be able to learn and grow in my testimony as I serve the Lord and the missionaries here in the Zone Choluteca as the DL. I am going to be patient and pray always so I will know how to be the best leader I can possibly be! I love the Lord and know He has sent me where He needs me! I will gladly go and do what He needs! I love this church and I am ready to serve!

 

I love you all so much and if I don't die from the loss of water from sweating soo much then I'll write more next week! Love ya!

Elder Jonah McKee

 

 

Spencer's Take 2, Semana 56 - Exchanges in Monterrico!

Monday, June 1, 2015

This week I went on exchanges with Elder Morgan in Monterrico! It's always a blast to go to Monterrico! It is a small little town that really only exists because of the huge tobacco plantations there! It consists of the huge houses of the millionaire plantation owners and the little pueblito where the workers live.

I hate smoking and tobacco but there is something about the chemical process that is used to make the tobacco "smoking ready" that releases such a delicious aroma into the air! I have been in Monterrico a couple of times now and I have finally come to a conclusion on what it smells like. It smells exactly like chocolate covered raisins! I love those things!

There's nothing like a box of those little brown guys and a huge bucket of popcorn in the movie theater! The bummer is that they are so small and if one slips from your grasp you are for sure going to find a warm melted chocolate stain on your butt or in between your legs!

That was a weird tangent....

Elder Morgan is a stud. He is like a skinnier version of me. He wrestled in high school, likes to skate.... that's pretty much me! For exercises in the morning we layed a blanket out and did a little bit of scrambling! I have about half of Monterrico convinced that we are cousins. I said that my dad and his mom are siblings.

It has been a good week. I have learned a ton. In sacrament meeting yesterday a brother gave a talk about the importance of being a dad. He ended his talk by saying,"Son, you are unique. You are going to accomplish great things in the world." That touched me so much. In that moment I knew that my Heavenly Father knows me and He knows that I struggle and He knows the intentions of my heart. It was the classic warm chills that a lot of people feel when the Spirit makes himself present!

Life is good!

I would like to make a couple of special shout outs...

Alec: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! YOU ARE A STUD!!!

And I have been thinking about Kyle and Ashton Buckner this week. I haven't heard about you guys in a while but I hope you are well and that life is treating you guys alright! When I get home we need to hang out!

I love you all so much! Thanks for the nice words this week! I received a bunch of emails today so that was nice! (thanks Brandon)

 Elder Spencer McKee

Jonah's Semana 30, Gun Shots and Growing Pains

Monday, May 25, 2015

Well SO, this week on Tuesday I was at a pulperia buying a Mountain Dew because I was tired and had some mad cravings for the sweet nectar some people call "life". So, while I was buying the mountain dew there was this kid who is a less active member in the pulperia with us. He is about 24 years old and while we were in there I was just talking to him and then out of nowhere he started to sprint out of the pulperia. I looked to see why he ran and when I turned around, I saw two guys seated on a motorcycle. One of the guys, the one on the back, pulled a pistol out from the back part of his pants. He let off a few rounds and the kid I was talking to, Christian, ran and hid behind a car. The moto chased him down and right there on the side of a car, I watched as those men gunned down Christian. I was just talking with the kid and then the next moment, I watched him as he literally ran for his life. Unfortunately I couldn't do anything but watch as he fell and lay in his own blood. I must say, I have been scarred for life.  I hope you never in have to see anything like that but if you have or anything else that is a little bit crazy let me know!! I wanna know how you are! anyways yea, don't worry about me because I am fine and nothing happened to me but yea. It was crazy.

 

So, to start off, this week is the last week of this change and I am almost positive that I will be receiving a new companion here on Wednesday! I won't lie, I am not sad nor happy but I am content! People always say that those changes are inspired by God and at first I didn't really think so but now I know it is true. We as missionaries are here to grow, and we grow by paying a lot of attention to all of the small details and learning from our mistakes or the mistakes of others! Through those small things and of course our studies, we grow and become a new person. The transformation doesn't happen quickly but in turn it's a change that is very slow and at times a true struggle! Thinking about it right now, it's like we are caterpillars growing and changing into butterflies! I know that example sounds a little bit gay but it's truly the closest example I can think of! We, in this process of transformation, have to be patient just like a caterpillar! We first need to realize it is time to change and begin our process of searching for a place where we belong or where we can begin creating our cocoon. Sometimes searching for your place here in the mission, in the work of the Lord, can be hard but once you find your place you need to plant your feet firmly and begin doing all that you can to grow individually! During my time with my last companion I truly found my place here in the work of the Lord! I truly gained a knowledge of my purpose here and realized then that it was time for me to start to grow, learn, change, and transform into the man God needs me to be! 

Slowly but surely during this time with my current companion, Elder Piza, I noticed that God sent this elder in particular to change me! Elder Piza has truly been a series of tests and challenges for me everyday with a new frustration and a new change that needed to be made! He truly caused me to break down in pure, raw, unforgiving frustration and it made me hurt because I knew this was not going to be an easy companionship. I knew it and so I had to accept it and let the ball roll. He and I have had 3 months together and everday, as I said before, brought a new challenge or argument. But now looking back on these 3 months I know that I have grown. It is in those moments of tribulation that we become our strongest. Elder Piza has truly helped me to begin my process of transformation and thanks to him I now know that it will not be an easy transformation. Change is hard to make. Change truly takes sacrifice and only those who are willing to sacrifice will reap the rewards of their struggles. 

It's just like in my example, a caterpillar goes out and searches for a spot, secure and sturdy, where it can begin to morph into a cocoon and in this cocoon begin its transformation. But the time spent in the cocoon is not just a small second, but a good period of time that requires patience and long suffering! Then, when the caterpillar has fully changed it begins to fight its way out of the cocoon and the fight isn't an easy one! Those newly created butterflies struggle and struggle but if something or somebody from the outside rips the cocoon and helps them out, the butterfly will never have the strength it needs to fly, so in turn it will fall to the ground and shortly after die. For us to change we need to fight and struggle. We need to make sacrifices and do it on our own! If we change for somebody else or because of somebody on the outside then we will never have the strength we need to stride but we will slowly transgress and become once again who we were before and the new us will die.  During my 3 months with Piza I have truly learned the meaning of sacrifice and change. Thanks Piza for the lesson that truly will be a moving force for the rest of my life! I hope that with this new lesson in my life I will truly be able to grow and become who God needs me to be!

PS I had a baptism this week! His name is Carlos and he is an example of a true change! He is the man who came to me about 2 months ago and told us he was going to kill himself. Now, he is a strong and faithful member of the true restored church!

With much faith and hope,

Elder McKee

Elder McKee, Elder Piza and Carlos

 

Pictures sent by Mariela Valladeres, a young sister in a ward Jonah served in.

 

Spencer's Take 2, Semana 55 - A Week With Ivan

Monday, May 25, 2015

This week was really awesome! Sadly we still have no investigators that are progressing! The mission is a whole lot more fun when baptisms happen! But you have to stay positive and I really have a lot of positive things to say!

This week a member named Ivan accompanied us everyday! That is not an exaggeration! He is like a full time-part time missionary. He is an odd case but I love him. I am determined to cut his hair before I leave here! I have 5 weeks left before transfers and I think my chances are good!

I feel a need to give you a profile of Ivan because he is one of the definite characteristics of Alto Comedero. Everyone knows him because he is always with us! It seems that he likes us because he always wants to accompany us which is not something that he did when I was with my previous companion. He is a vegan, lives with his mom, loves animals, he has a dog, 3 very hairy cats, a dove with a broken wing, and a big fish tank with a gold fish that is handicapped. It's one of those gold fish that are always in chinese foood buffets with big bubbly cheeks... You know what I'm talking about! Every time we go to Ivan's house I freak out because that fish always floats on its back and appears to be dead but then turns into zombie fish every time! His most recent addition to his collection of pets is a bunny. He calls it pantufla which means smurf in spanish but I named him Spencer. After the prophet of course!!!! Every time we have lunch with Ivan he attempts to put us into food comas and I am sure he will achieve it! One time he gave us 4 hamburgers each, a big bowl of french fries, 2 and a half liters of coke and then a liter of ice cream to top it off! I did not eat all of that but I got close! 

One day we were walking around and I saw a man and so I decided to share a little thought with him. I extended my arm to shake his hand and he reciprocated by meeting my hand with his. He seemed to be in a hurry so I took advantage of our size difference and squeezed down on his hand so that he would stop to listen to me. His reaction was not what I expected! I thought he would stop and try to tell me he was in a hurry but instead he swung his body around and began to walk backwards in attempts to flee from me. I had a really good grip on his small sausagy hands which made it very hard for him to get away.

I tried contacting him, I really did.... I couldn't stand too long because before I knew it he started jumping and slapping my arm with his free hand. If you are trying to imagine the situation, think about those monkey traps that they use in India where they put fruit in a small cage and the monkeys reach in to steal the fruit but they are too dumb to just let go of the fruit so they end up getting caught in the act. That is what it was like having this stout Argentinian man fighting for his life to get away from me! I laughed so hard I had to let him go! 

I hope you get a laugh out of that. I sure laughed while writing it! 

Yesterday we ate lunch with 3 return missionaries. After we were done eating I shared a spiritual thought with them and a really good question slipped out of my mouth. Throughout my mission I have thought up a pretty long list of things I'm going to do when I get home to be a better member, missionary, friend, son, etc.... I told them that I KNOW that they too made lists similar to that which I have made. I then proceeded by asking them if they had ever thought of that list since they have been home and if they are actually doing the things they planned on doing while they were in Peru, Mexico and Venezuela. I ask the same question to all of you return missionaries out there reading this email! ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS!??????  

I love you all. God loves you more!

Elder Spencer McKee