Raging Cold!

 No people, not the weather. The weather is still in the 80's occasionally. On Friday while we were planning, out of nowhere, I felt my throat start to get a li'l sore. I had a bad feeling about it, though. By Saturday morning, it was a pretty intense throat pain. Sunday, add congestion and plugged ears. Sunday after choir practice (the elders quorum and relief society are singing in church next week), the voice was gone almost completely. I took an hour and a half nap due to my body's demands; that was beautiful! Sunday night, add a little chest cold to it and some minor coughing. As of now, my voice is slowly making a come back. I hope I can sing by next week!

     So far, things are good with Elder Romero! Funny story. This week, in our personal time right before bed one night, he was watching a video about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon on our DVD player. As it ends on a Spiritual note, he closes the DVD player and with a straight face says slowly, "the Book of the Mormons." I laughed pretty hard. It's funny because in his Hispanic accent, that about what you'd expect to hear from an investigator haha.

     We're obedient. We work efficiently. We're doing well. 

     Side note: one of my new favorite Hispanic food traditions is corn on the cob with mayonnaise and Valentina hot sauce. So good :)

     I entertained Elder Phillippi on an exchange here in Kemah on Wednesday. Elder Romero went to Galveston in English for the day with Elder Abner. I told Elder Phillippi that if he and I combined our age and Elder Abner and Romero combined their age, they'd be 15 years older than us haha. They're old!

     On Thursday, we went to Sugar Land for a conference. They had Elder Hill and Ex San Diego Mission Pres Lee Donaldson come speak to us. It was pretty cool. They talked about how we must always be focused on the Doctrine of Christ. That is our purpose. Invite and help people to have faith, repent, be baptized, and endure to the end. They also showed us how to plan more effectively. Quite frankly, I didn't get all of it. It was really confusing. There were also parts that I strait up disagreed with. But for the most part, it brought the Spirit, and I learned. 

     I did however have to face the reality that I don't have enough faith that the Lord will change the hearts of the people here. It is something I'm struggling with. I struggle with the Hispanic culture. There are too many people that will not keep their commitments even after we've completely laid out the doctrine in front of them. I love them so much, and want their salvation, but man, it can be hard. So, that's something I'm facing for now. 

     Well, we're working hard! We have some investigators with a lot of potential. Please pray, if you would, for Cesar Agosto. He's learning a lot, and just needs to come to church a bit and accept a date. Thank you once more for your support. I hope the holiday season is treating you all well. I wish you good health. Really good health. And I love you all!

-Elder Spjute

This was the rainbow that hit yesterday. :)

Also, we had our branch Christmas party. This is Elder Romero and Luis, and some little kids. Luis and we were the three wise men.