September 17, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

Well this past week has been very good.  We taught the quit smoking workshop with an investigator and he is trying to do it.  He has relapsed a few times but he really wants to do this so we are encouraging him to keep on going.  We have also gotten two new investigators.  One is a alcoholic and is fun to talk with.  He wants to change his life around and we are trying to teach him how he can get happier.  We are trying to find a time where he is not so drunk but it is hard.  Our other new investigator is an old fellow that has read to book of Mormon before and wants to learn more.  He is also in the search for happiness and we have some great plans for him when we visit him next.  This coming week we have Zone Conference and that will be exciting.  We will also be having exchanges and a baptismal interview with some other Elders in our district.

Well that is about it.  It is going to start getting cooler during the day so we are starting to wear our suit coats.  This will be my first winter not in Utah and I am very excited.  I have heard many stories about the winter time in our area.  They have been warning me about dressing warm since it will be colder then I am use to.  And last Saturday was my 7th click day!  It has been going fast but I hope I will still have time to enjoy the rest of my mission.  Conference is coming up soon as well and I challenge everyone to begin preparing themselves for it by thinking of questions you want answered.  I know that the Prophet and the Apostles and his councilors are all inspired of God.  Let us take this opportunity and have some questions answered and ask to be enlightened in our prayers as conference approaches.

Well I love you all and I love to read Emails.  I know that this Gospel is true and I know that I am gathering the scattered Israel in these last days.

Sincerely;
Elder Spencer Ariotti

September 10, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well it has been another week in Canton.  The work is moving on as usual.  We were not able to meet with our two investigators this past week because of complications.  But we will be visiting them for sure this friday.  We will be doing a church tour with one of our investigators and the quit smoking workshop with our other investigator.  Way excited for that when it comes.  We will be doing exchanges in our area this coming week with some Elders in the district so it will be busy this week.  We will also be doing interviews with President Jergensen this Saturday.

 

Well that is about all that is going on.  Hope everyone is doing well and is alive still.  I am getting over a cold that has been haunting me since last thursday.  I have just been way conjested and have a cough now.  I am getting over it slowly.  Other then that not much is going on.  Let Brother McCarthur know that I got his letter and thanks for everything that he has taught me.

 

Well that is about all I have to say.  Love you all and I love sharing this Gospel with the people in Canton.

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

September 4, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

 

Well it has been another week in Canton.  We had the remains of the hurricane Isaac hit us this past weekend.  No big winds but there was a lot of rain that hit us.  We desperately needed it.  But in return it is very humid outside and it feels like an oven.  We unfortunately had to drop the family that we were teaching for a time but we still have two investigators and we did get a referal for a family to teach them.  We will be visiting them soon, keep them in your prayers! 

 

Well there is not much to report on for this past week.  Elder Pass is on his last transfer as a missionary and is just beginning to get ready for that.  Every time someone brings it up he does not want to talk about it.  He is one of the few missionaries that may actually hate going home.  Some of the members are actually trying to set him up with a girl that they know.  I can see this happening to me sadly.......

As usual I love you all and I love this Gospel and this great opportunity I have to share it with people.

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

August 27, 2012 - Canton

Dear Family:

Well it has been another week in Canton.  Yesterday we had a great rainstorm in the area and it was just amazing to watch that rain in the car.  There was also a tornado in a town while we were teaching.  We did not know anything about the tornado but it was there.

The investigators are doing great.  We got one other investigator this past week that has no relationship with God and wants to change her life.  The investigator family we have is doing great.  We were not able to visit them this past week but we will be able to sometime this week.  Our other male investigator is doing great.  He is our official golden investigator.  He understands everything we teach him and is able to tell us about it after we tell him.  He is just an amazing guy that really wants to become closer to his family and he wants to begin a new life.

Well that is about it for this last week.  We got a green Elder in our district this last week.  He is being trained by a Elder that got done being trained by someone else.  We also have another new Elder that has been out for ten months.  I am staying with Elder Pass and will be killing him off.  He is not really excited about going home and not doing missionary work.  Elder Pass is also the new district leader for our group.  He is way excited about that.

Well that is all for me to report on.  I love and miss you all!  I love this Gospel and I know that this is the true church on the earth that is lead by a Prophet that is inspired of God.

Sincerely;
Elder Spencer Ariotti

August 20, 2012 - Canton IL

Dear Family:

Well it has just been another week in Canton Illinois.  We are still teaching that family that I have been raving about.  They are doing well and they are growing in testimony.  They were also able to make it to sacrament meeting yesterday.  It was great to see them at church.  They really enjoyed it and really felt the spirit.  It really is great to see someones life being changed right before my eyes.  Today we are going to see another Investigator in the Branch below us.  He is still excited and cant wait to see us again.

Well that is about it.  This past week has been my 6th month out on my mission.  I cant believe that it has all happened already.  It is going by way to fast for me.  We will also be having transfers this coming week on Thursday.  I am not leaving and neither is Elder Pass but he is becoming District Leader.  We will also be getting 18 new missionaries this week.  We will be opening about 4 new areas to missionary work.  

Well that is about it.  I still love you guys so much.  I love this Gospel and know that it has changed my life and is changing many lives throughout the world.

Sincerely;
Elder Spencer Ariotti

August 13, 2012 - Canton, IL

Dear Family:

 

Big news everyone.  We got the family that we where teaching back!  Monday night Pres. Jergensen gave us a call and told us what to do for them.  Tuesday we traveled to there home and asked if we could talk.  They happily let us in and explained some of the things they where concerned about.  We found out that the wife of the family had looked at some Anti-mormon information and was concerned about it.  We are still talking about how to address it but they still want to learn from us.  We also got another investigator just yesterday.  We where visiting our other branch we are in charge of and one of the part member families pulled us aside.  The father of the family wants to learn and be baptized.  Turns out he has really thought about it and really wants it.  We will only be able to visit him every once and a while because of miles but we will begin teaching him.

 

So that is about it.  I also gave a talk yesterday about Faith and obedience.  Surprisingly many people like it and commented a lot.  Other then that we have just been visiting less actives and getting them reactivated.  It has been cool in the area for the past week but we have been warned that it will be getting hot again this week.  Ok.  Now that is about it.

 

As usual I love you all and love to recieve letters from everyone anytime.  I know that this Gospel is a life changer and really does bless lives!

 

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti

August 6, 2012 - Canton, IL

Dear Family:

Well it has been another week in Illinois.  The heat has been more berable and I have survived.  We actually recieved our first five minuits of rain last Saturday.  It was long awaited and we are happy that we got at least a little bit of rain.  Other then that we have just been doing our best.  The family that decided to put us on hold still have not moved much.  We are just constantly praying for them and hope that they will soften there hearts to know that there family will change.

In other news we had a missionary couple that use to serve in the area a few years ago come to visit the branch yesterday.  We had so many members come that day.  Elder Pass said that he has never seen so many people in this building before.  We had a Break-the-Fast potluck after church and we had a great time talking with the members and getting to know them.  This coming week we have decided to spend a lot of time finding new investigators.  We are really desperate for new people to teach. 

That is all I have to report on.  Sorry it is not very long this week but not a lot really happened.  I just hope that we can find someone new to teach this week.  We have some extra time on our hands since we had to drop that one family.  Keep me and Elder Pass in your prayers as we go out finding this week.  Love you all and love this Gospel!

Sincerely;

Elder Spencer Ariotti