It has been an amazing week!

Hello Everyone!

 

It has been an amazing week! Elder Benner and I have been working hard and we picked up 3 new investigators this week! The first one I think I mentioned last week, his name is Joe Norarro. He is a very inteligent person. He is mid 20's and studying nutritional science at San Jose State. He is very Cathloic but has some friends who are members and has been studying the church for a long time. And the cool thing is when he studies the church, he uses church resources like lds.org and other things rather than whatever crap he finds on the internet that other people think we believe. I am so grateful that he is smart enough to go to the source. He is also in Moroni chapter 4 so he is almost done with the Book of Mormon! I really think that he is ready for the gospel, he just has some hang ups on some things that don't make the most intellectual sense to him. He disagrees with some of the chapter headings in the bible and says that the church's interpretation of those chapters is wrong. And also he believes that the scripture that talks about if your brother sins against you talk to him about it alone and if you still have a problem then bring like 3 witnesses and then take him to the church and let the church sort it out, he thinks that scripture conflicts with the apostasy because if Christ intented to take his chruch off the earth then he wouldn't have said that. He just has some minor issues like that. But I still think he wants to belileve it. 

 

Anyway, the second one is this guy named Jose that we met on the street. He asked us some questions about repentance and told us to go and do some research and come back with something that would specificially help him. So we did and it was an awesome lesson. He really respects us and what we do, but when we asked him if he wanted to come to church, he said he wasn't really a church guy, but I'm pretty sure we will be getting him to come soon. 

 

Then our third one is an Indian lady named Sandyha. She was a referral from the sister missionaries but when we stopped by we talked to her for just a second on her doorstep then she said her husband was gonna be home soon and asked us to leave so we think something might be going on there. We have an Indian couple in our ward that is happy to come with us to teach her, but we need to talk to her about her husband and things like that. But thats all the people we are really teaching. 

 

I mentioned about Mike and Norma before, the less active lady and her boyfriend that are living together. They told the Bishop that they decided to get married and just take the social security cut, but then when we met with them on Thursday they said that they are just going to do a "formal promise ceremony" which they are positive that the church will deem perfectly acceptable. I don't think they will, but its up to the Bishop, not me. But becides that, not much else is new. 

 

I finished Jesus the Christ last week (which I think I may have been inspired to read because there are a lot of things about the Great Apostacy in there that I think will really help Joe). Reading about the Savior's life, especially His suffering in the Garden and His crufixion has been the most spiritual expirence of my life, and I encourage everyone to read it. It might take a long time. Its a long book and the language can be kind of hard to understand, (I had to read each paragraph 2 or 3 times for it all to make sense) but if you keep a dictionary and your scriptures handy, its possible and it is such an amazing book! Anyway, thats all the time I have for today. I love you all!

 

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

Harbold...do you have an older brother named Jeff?

Hey Everybody!

I hope you all are doing well. I've had a few experiences this last week. The first one is that Elder Benner and I had two referrals from the church. One wanted a Book of Mormon, but when we took it to him he just said he was using it for an english paper, so he didn't want to set up a time for us to go back. We left him with our number so that if he has any questions for us he can call us. I hope that he feels the spirit while he is reading out of the Book of Mormon and calls us, but it didn't sound like he was interested in religion at all. There was another guy named Joe who wanted a Restoration DVD. His friend asked him if she could put his name down for one at the Oakland Temple and he said yes. We have our first teaching appointment set up with him tomorrow at 6 so I'm really hoping that this one will be good.

I don't have a lot of time today but I do have something cool to tell you guys. At BYU Jeff had a roommate named Chris Jones who is in my ward, and I went out on splits with him last Wednesday night. It was really funny, I introduced myself to him and he said, "Harbold, do you have an older brother named Jeff?" Of course I do and he told me that they were roommates. It was really funny. He and his wife Brittany are really cool. But anyway, thats all I have time for tonight, I hope to hear from you all soon!

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

The Days Are Flying By

Hey Everybody!

This week has been awesome! We helped the part member family that we had Thanksgiving with put up Christmas decorations because they are both in wheelchairs. We had lots of good lessons, but didn't really get as many contacts as we should have. But its going good, we are still looking for referrals from the members, but they usually only give us less active referrals because out of the 500 people in our ward, only about 120 are active. So we have a lot of work that way but not really any investigators right now. We have the part member family, the McNiels, and another investigator named Mike. Sister McNiel is progressing pretty good, but Mike is living with his girlfriend, and they couldn't get married because he was getting a divorce that hadn't gone through yet, but it finally went through last week, and then they decided they were gonna wait to get married until his girlfriend turns 50 so they can get social security. I'm not quite sure how that works, but I do know that she is only 47 so if they go through with this he won't be able to be baptized for 3 years, which makes me wonder if he really wants to join the church or not, because they don't really keep commitments or anything. Oh and his girlfriend that he is living with is a less active member. So anyway, that's how its going.

I looked up Grandpa and Betty's community last week and they are in my zone but not my area. My area is the Cherry Glen ward. But I'm hoping that I can get put in the Willow Glen ward at some point. That would be pretty cool. My area is a car share area with the Dry Creek elders who are the ward right next to us. So we get the car tuesday-thursday and they get it friday-sunday and we basically do all our p-day stuff together so that works out good. When we don't have the car, we either walk or use the light rail trains, which are basically Trax, because we get bus passes to share every month with Dry Creek. In my apartment its just me and Elder Benner. I like it. Its a pretty decent setup. Elder Benner's last companion, Elder Dixon was kinda messy, and he went home the day I got here. When he left it was pretty bad so Elder Benner and I spent our last p-day cleaning, so it looks much better now. Dad, our mission office is that church that we went to. I drive past Andrew Hill High every time I go there. Its pretty cool, people get kinda surprised when I tell them that my Dad went to high school here.

Did you guys watch the Christmas Devotional last night? I hope you did cause it was awesome! We watched it at a family's house where the parents are very active members but the 2 daughters are from the Dad's previous marrige and their mother won't let them be baptized until they are 18 so thats too bad, but they still come to church and activities and stuff. I can't believe its been 2 weeks already and I also can't believe that its only been 2 weeks. It feels like I just got here, but it also feels like I've been doing this forever. Its funny, I thought it was gonna be different and kinda hard doing nothing but "church stuff" all day every day, but its actually really cool. Personal study time is always my favorite time of the day. I wish I had 3 more hours to do that. So far I'm about 200 pages into Jesus the Christ and I'm in Jacob in the Book of Mormon. Reading the Book of Mormon now is so much diffrent from when I read it before I came out here. I love reading it so much! Not that I didn't before, but it seems like its way more meaningful now then ever.

Oh and Happy Birthday a few days ago Mom! Hope it was a good one for you! What are  you like 48 now? Jeez, you better hurry up and have a ton of fun 'cause you only have 2 more years until you are old, and having fun becomes too hard for you. Grandma sent me a really nice Christmas card and a letter and her letter was really funny, she put in it that she is staying out of trouble because she can't move fast enough to get into trouble. I really thought that was funny, but ya thats how I've been. Dad, thanks for all the news updates and things, I really enjoy those, Im really glad that the DOW is up 1000 points, thats awesome! Mom, yes please tell me who won the Sing Off and anything else you think I might care about except anything about new episodes of Psych and Burn Notice. If you were planning on sending me a Christmas package, could you maybe include a big like comforter blanket or something? Its just been a little chilly at night, even though its been around 65 or 70 during the day. Thank you all for your support and let everyone at church know that I really appreciate them thinking about me. Oh and Mom, when you put Hurrah for Israel, in my first e-mail, you spelled it hoorah, which made me crazy and I just really wanted to correct you on that. But thats all I have for now, the mission is going good and the days are flying by. I hope to hear from you all soon!

Love,

Elder Spencer Harbold

Pictures!

Elder Harbold and his MTC companion, Elder Johnson, from Orderville, UT

Elder Harbold with other San Jose-bound Elders from his district.

Elder Harbold with President & Sister Watkins

Elder Harbold with his trainer, Elder Benner

Oops

Hey Everybody!

Sorry you didn't get an e-mail from me yesterday, we didn't have time to come out to the library so our zone leaders gave us permission to do it today. But the mission is awesome! My zone is the San Jose South zone and its the most successful zone in the mission. My trainer is Elder Benner. He is way awesome. WE are really good at getting up on time and doing all of our studying and keeping the schedule and following rules and such. And I found out our mission is the only mission in the world where the church has done away with tracting. We are still supposed to get 140 street contacts a week, but we do not knock on doors. In our mission we are doing a lot of work with the less actives and referrals. And our ward is really cool! I had Thanksgiving lunch at the ward mission leader's house and then dinner with the McNeal's who are an older part member couple. It was so cool. Last week we didn't have very many lessons because of the holiday, but this week we are probably gonna have more than 20! I'm way excited. Mom I got those letters from Josh and Greg. Thanks for those, they were awesome. My new address is 824 Deland Ave Apt 5, San Jose CA 95218. The mission secretary asked us to tell our families so that she could cut down on the hundreds of letters that she has to sort through a day. So ya that's basically my story so far. It's been really great so far and I'm super excited to be here! Thanks for all of your support, I love you all!

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

Note from the Mom: I feel compelled to note that his belief that his is the only mission in the world that has done away with tracting is likely not accurate. For instance, there was no tracting allowed in all of Mexico when I was on my mission, and I don't think that has changed. I think we can safely chalk this up to mission legend..;)

I'm Here!

Hey I just have a few minutes this evening to let you know that I arrived in San Jose safely and just had dinner at President Watkin's house. I was told to say that he is very smart and handsome. But my P-day will be Monday so that's when you'll be getting my emails. But I'm safe and am getting to work tomorrow! I cant wait and I'll talk to you all Monday!

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

I have my travel plans!

Hey Everybody!

Its been great in the MTC! Been staying really busy all the time. For some reason they never just give you a couple hours a day to do what you want. There is always somewhere to be and something to be doing. Which actually is really awesome, getting me into a schedule and stuff. My district is so awesome! Five of us are going to San Jose (all 3 of my roommates plus Elder Hammond) and the other 7 are going to Roseville. But we are all way tight and get along really well. We do everything as a district, even things that you can do as just companionships or individually like gym and laundry and eating meals. Oh and Dad, I ran into a brother here that knew Grandpa when you guys lived in Corona. I wrote his name down but now I can't find it.

I have my travel plans! I'm leaving the MTC on November 23rd at 5:00 am and my plane leaves from Salt Lake at 8:00. I have exactly one more week here. I like it here, but I can't wait to go out and get to work. But there are things from here that I'm going to miss like the devotionals. Yesterday the speaker was Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy, and it was so amazing! He spoke about the Great Apostasy and how understanding it is pivotal to understanding the gospel. He gave 10 evidences that the apostasy really did occur, and at the end he was telling the Joseph Smith story, and the Spirit was so strong, and all I could think to myself is, the Spirit testifies of truth. It was the best devotional I had ever been to in my life.

Well my time is almost up, but before I leave, Mom can you send me the pedigree chart, my line of authority, my patriarchal blessing (that's in the pocket on the underside of the lid in the old brown and blue suitcase), and also the afterglow CD's A Feeling Within and Ever Onward? Thanks! Oh and just so you know your Dear Elder letters are awesome, thanks for those. I really like those 'cause I don't have to wait 'til Wednesday to read them. But thank you all for all your letters and everything! I love you all and hope to keep hearing from you!

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

My district is so awesome!

Hey guys! I got your package and all of your letters. Thank you all so much for everything. If you meant to send me an email I think you sent it to the wrong email 'cause I don't have one from you guys. But thanks for the cookies, the Elders really like them. And I was so sorry to hear about Brother Pymm. He was a great man. And Mom thanks for all the stuff with the thank you cards, I have done some and I'm going to finish the rest right after this. But that was way awesome of you to do, thanks so much.

The MTC has been really awesome so far. Just the spirit here is so awesome. I really like the routine and schedule here because there is always something to do. My classes are amazing! My teachers, Brother Coffman and Brother Roberts are the best. Brother Roberts is from South Africa and has an awesome accent that we all have a lot of fun with. But there is another teacher that comes and helps out sometimes named Brother Sikihemia. Brother Sikihema is the best, you can ask anyone. He has taught me now to study and organize my ideas and present them in a coherent fashion. He is helping me to progress more than anyone besides the Lord. My district is so awesome! I have pictures with me and my district and my companion and roommates that I'll send to you when I get them developed 'cause I can't put them on the computer to email them. But its really cheap to do pictures here so its gonna be all good. I'll also send the ones with the family and grandma. Yesterday was kind of a rough day because our progressive investigator didn't show up for our first appointment. I've never realized how frustrating that is, but it was a good learning experience for me to learn patience and what not. I'm also getting a bad cold so on top of that I got kind of grumpy for a couple hours, but I got over it after gym when I got to play some basketball.

Oh and happy birthday yesterday Dad! I totally remembered by myself and didn't have to have Mom remind me in her letter that she wrote me at all! But I hope you have a great birthday! Tell Jeff and Paige and everyone else who reads this to write me a letter 'cause we are having a district competition to see whose friends and family loves them the most, and I really think I can win this one. Well the time is up. Its been awesome to be able to write to you guys, and I hope to hear from you all soon! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

Note From The Mom: I had posted Spencer's email address incorrectly before today. The correct address is Spencer.Harbold@myldsmail.net (not .com). Sorry if you sent anything that got lost in cyber space. Also, I have just been educated on using www.dearelder.com. You write a letter online and they will send a hard copy letter that gets delivered to Spencer's MTC mailbox the same day or the next day. It's free and he gets the letter before p-day and he can then use his limited email time on p-day writing letters instead of reading them. Thanks for your loving support! Let's help him win his 'who is loved most' competition. Love you all!

Loving Every Second Of It!

Nov. 3, 2011

Dear Mom, Dad, and Joseph,

My first 2 days have gone great! My companion is Elder Johnson from Orderville, UT, and he is awesome. He just turned 26. He has been working really hard to be able to come and is really excited to be here. He is also going to San Jose along with our roommates Elder Carpenter and Lewenilovo (Lemon) and they are awesome as well. They all love the gospel and are very excited to be here. How are all of you doing? It’s been so long since I’ve seen all of you.

Now I would like to talk for just a minute about music. I would really appreciate if you could get me two Jon Schmidt CD’s called Hymns Without Words and Winter Serenade. Then those two Not Your Mother’s LDS Music CD’s that are in my room somewhere. And anything else you want to throw in would be awesome.

So I can write E-mail here so I will start that on Wednesday which is my P-Day. Mom, what E-mail address do you want me to send it to? Until you tell me otherwise I’ll just send it to karen@fugal.net. Also, don’t be surprised if you get E-mails from my friends asking about my blog. If you don’t want me to give them your E-mail then tell me and I won’t, but I’m sure you’ll be ok with it because you rock!

Anyways, I’m working hard and studying hard and learning hard and loving every second of it! Thank you all so much for your love and helping me become the man I am now. I love you all so much! I hope to hear from you all soon!

Love,

Elder Spencer Grant Harbold

The Drop Off

After some last-minute rushing and a quick Skype session with Jeffrey, Spencer is now safely in the MTC. Jeff has commented that taking missionaries to the MTC is now not unlike making a donation to DI. You pull up to the curb, pop your trunk and some one comes to collect the stuff and gives you a receipt. So we made our significant donation of a worthy son on Wednesday. We didn't get a receipt, but we'll settle for the incredible return on our investment that the next two years will bring. The Lord can make much more of him in two years than we or he can alone. The big drop off is a beautiful experience that you prepare and plan for from the time they're born, but then you drive away with tears in your eyes. We experience an astonishing array of emotions at that point. We are so full of joy, relief, gratitude, and satisfaction to have them where they really need to be and yet so full of pain at the loss of their company, their laugh, and their smile. We are all really looking forward to that first letter! We love you, miss you and are so proud of you, Spencer!

MTC Address:
Elder Spencer Grant Harbold
MTC Mailbox #131
2005 North 500 East
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Elder Harbold - Called To Serve

Spencer will be speaking in sacrament meeting Sunday, October 30th in the Timpanogos 6th Ward. Sacrament meeting begins at 12:50 pm in the chapel located at 332 East 500 North in Pleasant Grove. He then enters the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, November 2nd.