Surprise News!

Awesome news!!!

I am going to Mexico tomorrow! (Thursday) It's awesome! So I have to be at the MTC office at 5 in the morning, our flight out of Salt Lake is at like 8:30 I want to say. I am pretty sure we are flying Delta, (just in case you wanted to fallow our flight haha). We are flying from Salt lake to Las Vegas to meet with the Consulate to get our Visas because they are too busy in Salt lake. Then I am not sure what we are going to be doing all day but our flight out of Las Vegas to Mexico City, Mexico is at 11:30 p.m! haha Talk about a long day. We arrive in Mexico City at like 4:30 or so I think and then flight strait to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico and arrive there at 8:20 in the morning if I remember right! I am going to be sooo tired. But it's awesome news because we weren't scheduled to leave till next Monday the 18th. It has been an awesome 8 weeks in the MTC. I have learned so much about this religion and even more about myself. I couldn't ask for anything better than this experience I have had so far at this time in my life. I am definitely not ready to go there but I know with faith in Christ I can get through anything. I am going to miss the people of my district but it's okay. I cant thank everyone enough for the support I have had since being here. I listened to Elder Richard G. Scotts' talk from this last General Conference in Spanish. I understood maybe 20 percent of it but only because I heard it in English before haha. But it was awesome because I took notes. Not one of the notes had to do anything with his talk. I say this because I know that when the spirit is testifying to you, the words of the speaker don't always matter. It is the words the spirit tells you that matter. I wrote them down and followed them and there were things that helped me out a lot. I challenge everyone that reads this to listen to one (more if possible) talk from general conference in a language you don't know. Truly desire to know what they are saying and say a prayer before you start. Have a pen and hand and a paper ready and I promise that the spirit will testify something to you that will calm your soul. Find a quiet time to do it so that you wont be distracted so that you can listen with real intent. 

I don't know what is going to happen in Mexico. I know it's a dangerous place. I know that I have heard some stories about missionaries recently that really...are scary. But I trust in Him, my God. I will do what he wants me to do and go where he wants me to go. I pray for you every night. I pray for my friends and family throughout the day. I feel your prayers and receive strength through my hard times. I love you. Christ loves you. I am here to listen to anything you have to say. Letters might take a couple weeks to a month to get down there. I guess we are allowed to email anyone from what I know so email me: braden.spence@myldsmail.net. I am devoted to the Lord but hearing from family and friends really does motivate me. I worry and I would love to hear from anyone. Smile :) and trust in Him.

Love,

Elder Braden M. Spence

p.s. here are the things I am thankful for this week. 

4-6-11: taking 10 minutes to relax, breathe, and enjoy the beauty of the earth calms the soul and brings peace to the heart

4-7-11: there cannot be regrets if you give it everything you possibly could. we need to sacrafice to gain

4-8-11: Having faith in the Lord in your time of need is a life time marathon. The difficulty of that marathon depends on your willingness to go the distance

4-9-11: The success you have in life depends on how bad you want it, and how devoted you are to finding the way when the way is not visible

4-10-11 No physical, emotional, or spiritual deficiancy can stop you in life unless you let someone or something convince you other wise

4-11-11: A positive effort with confidence to succeed empowers you to accomplish the "impossible". But you must take the first step

4-12-11 Our thoughts, actions, and intentions define us in this life. you can be the light to guide the way or in the darkness going astray