November 12, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well there is big news.  Got a call from President Jergensen Saturday and me and Elder White are both getting transferred this Thursday.  President is also closing the Canton area for three months because there is a shortage of missionaries coming in for this time of the year.  Me and Elder White are bummed out that this has to happen.  The members where not expecting this either.  They are having a last minuit farewell party tonight so that should be fun.

 

Well other then that there is some good news.  The younger investigator that we have was able to come to church yesterday!  He also came with his none member friend!  This is the way I want to leave the area.  I also told all the members that they have a duty now to prepare the area for the missionaries that will be coming in three months.

 

We also have been having some success with a older man that was reffered to us from the day of service that happened a few weeks ago.  He has met with members before and has a very good knowledge of the Church.  Sadly missionaries will not be able to meet with him for some time.

 

Well that is about it for the update.  I am still very surprised about the news.  It will be good for the members in Canton to do there own missionary work for a while.  Hopefully they will take the challenge me and Elder White left with them.  Well I will let you all know where I will be off to next week.  Until then the Gospel is true and it does change lives!

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

400 for 2012!

November 5, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

Well it is starting to get cold in Canton.  We have not made a lot of progress this week with our list of Investigators.  One young man is still thinking about baptism and wanting to come to church but his family is less active and that is proving to be a little bit difficult.  Well today we have been cleaning the carpet in our apartment.  We have most of our stuff in the kitchen and there is not a lot of room to breath in there.  We will have to carefully take everything out this afternoon and hopefully our little pile will not fall apart.  

For Halloween we had to retire early but we were able to go to a members house and celebrate with them.  We were on exchanges that day so we had fun with two other missionaries.  We were able to get our own bags of leftover candy.  Other then that we were able to enjoy a extra hour of sleep yesterday.  It felt great knowing that I will be able to wake up and not feel as tired as I usually do.

Well that is about all that I have to report on for this week.  Love you guys and I hope you guys are still alive.  Have not heard from some of you in sometime.

Sincerely;
Elder Spencer Ariotti

October 29, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well it is the most beautiful time of the year in Canton.  Sadly there has not been much happening in the area.  We are continuing to work with one younger investigator and I am watching him absorb everything like a spunge.  The Missionary couple that will be moving into the other branch that we will no longer be in charge of are in the area.  They will start working on Wednesday.  We will still be teaching one investigator down there and helping train the senior couple while we do so.  We had a stake day of service Saturday in Canton.  We did a lot of raking and mowing.  I was really surprised at how fast we all worked.  God really does show us miracles when we are doing his work.

 

I am trying to adjust to the cold weather that is coming into town.  People are saying that this coming winter will be a cold one.  People are predicting the first snow fall will be around thanksgiving.  I have also heard that Utah got some snow on the mountains.  I really mis those mountains in Utah.  Out here if you look up you will see only the sky.  If you look out to the horrizon you will only see flat land.

 

Well that is about all that I have to report on.  Love you all and I know that this Gospel is true and can really change lives.

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

October 22, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well it has been another week in Canton.  The weather has been going from freezing to cold the last few days.  We have also been recieving a little bit more rain and will be recieving some more for this week.  The leafs are sure looking beautiful.  We are recieving predictions that this winter will be a snowy one.  It will be very fun to see how this winter goes.

 

Well the prayers that have been said for our youngest investigator have been answered.  He has been very receptive and has accepted the invatation to think about being baptized.  We also have a date with one of our investigators for December 8.  We have recieved word that the senior couple of missionaries that will be working in our second area is currently in the MTC.  They will be in Iowa this sunday and will be in there area next wednesday.  This will help us a lot with driving miles and we should be able to do more work in our area soon.  I have also heard that one of our investigators that had disappeared on us has actually been going to church and recieving the lessons from missionaries in her area.  She has a date for the 4 of november.

 

Well that is about it for the update.  I am greatful for your prayers for me and also all the investiagators.  I feel them everyday and I am sure other missionaries feel our prayers as well.  I am greatful for this Gospel that has blessed my life so much and is continuing to do so.  I love you all more than you will ever know!

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

October 15, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

Well it has been another fall week in Canton.  We have had a really successful week.  We got someone to commit to a baptism date on November 24.  We have been continuing to teach this one guy that we challenged to pray about being baptized.  We also have been having a lot of member invite us in so that we could introduce Elder White to them.  We have heard some great news.  The other branch that we are in charge of will be getting there own senior missionaries.  This will be very good for them since they have not had there own missionaries in over 5 years.  We have not heard when they will arrive yet.  But it will be very exciting as time passes.

Well unfortunately we have had to drop off our car in the repair shop for a few days while it gets a new rear bumper.  It will be hard these next few days to have to walk to all of our appointments.  We think it will be done on Wednesday but they will be giving us a call when it is ready for us.  After that we will be walking for a good mile and a half to pick it up.  So we will have the great experience of living like the missionaries when the Gospel was restored on the earth.

Yesterday I gave my talk on Enduring to the End.  Everyone says that it went very well and that I did very well in preparing for it.  That should be my last talk to give for a while until I get transferred to a new area.  

I would like to issue a challenge to everyone (I think I have not asked you guys to do this.).  The mission has a year goal of doing 400 baptisms for 2012.  We have been blessed with many people and much faith so for in this year.  We have about 290 for this year so far.  My challenge to everyone is to help us by praying for this goal to be accomplished.  Last year at this time the missionaries lost hope for the baptismal goal that year.  But seeing the mission progress this year has raised my faith in God and his promises and I know it will do the same for all of you as you do this.

Love you all!

Elder Spencer Ariotti

October 8, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well my new companion is Elder White.  He was one of my Zone Leaders in Mt. Vernon.  He is from Boise, Idaho and has been out for almost 19 months.  We have decided to make the goal to look for a family to begin teaching.  We already have a potential to make this goal possible with a part member family down in Havana.  We have not been able to do that much this past week.  Elder Pass was getting ready to go home and we also had General Conference to enjoy.  I was really surprised to hear about the age limit for missionaries being changed.  But I do know that this is inspired and I am very excited to have younger missionaries enter into the field.  I have to say that my favorite talk was Elder Holland.  He is just a very good speaker and is very bold in everything he says.

 

Well next week I will be giving a talk about Enduring to the End.  I will let you know how it goes next week.  Well that is about it.  This next week should be a little bit better since we do not have much already planned.

 

As usual I love you guys and I know that this Gospel is true.

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

October 2, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well it has been another week in beautiful Canton.  The weather this past week has been perfect.  It is finally cooling down.  Nothing much has happened with the work this past week.  I did go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders of our area on thursday.  We did not experience many miracles but I did get way pumped up about finding new people to teach.  We will also be going to a members house on Wednsday to do some blacksmithing for P-day.  Elder Pass has been wanting to do something for all transfer and he now finally has the chance to.

 

I will be getting my new companion this thursday.  Elder Pass will be heading home friday.  I do not know who my companion will be but I do know that he will be the senior companion.  So I have a new niece?!  Way happy to hear about that.  Keep on sending me pictures so I can remember how she looks.

 

Well that is about all that I have time for.  This next week I should have a lot more to say with my new companion.  As usual I love you guys and I love this Gospel.

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

September 24,2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

Well it has been another week in Canton.  This last week was a busy one.  Zone Conference was very spiritual.  We talked a lot about finding people to teach and gathering scattered Israel.  We have a yearly baptismal goal of 400 people.  We are at 254 right now so we are really hoping that this goal will happen and so we can bring 400 souls to Christ.  Sadly we had to drop a investigator because he was not really progressing and was not ready.  We still have 3 investigators that we are working with.  We went on exchanges with some Elders in our district and we had a baptismal interview with them.  It was really great to see two more souls come into the Gospel.  We really are blessed to see so much joy in our lives as missionaries.

Well that is about it.  I finally got the package you guys told me about a month ago.  I have not opened it yet but I am way excited.  Elder Pass is going to Nauvoo with the rest of the leaving Elders and Sisters so I will be on exchanges with someone else for most of the day.  We will then be going on exchanges with the Zone Leaders after that and will be keeping busy for the rest of the week after that with saying goodbye to the Branch.  Everyone is really sad to see Elder Pass go.  This transfer has gone by really fast.  In about a week I will be getting ready to invite a new companion into the area.

Well it is time for me to sign off.  I love you all and I love to get Emails from everyone.  This Gospel is true and I know I am out here to gather scattered Israel.

Sincerely;
Elder Spencer Ariotti