Easter Blessings

Hey Ya'll! This week has been so great! I know I say that a lot, but it really is so great here.

 

We died Easter Eggs with Leo and her kids on tuesday! They are all so cute! Her daughter Lala (that is her nickname, I have no clue how to spell her real name!) gave one of the eggs to sister Martin and one to me as well! It was so cute! The Boys loved playing with the different color dies. Sister Martins were really pretty. She is so artistic! 

On wednesday we were contacting some former investigators in an apartment complex area. Not all of the investigators had apartment numbers listed so we just decided to see the ones that did. On our way up some stairs we saw this man outside and both of us felt like we should go see him, but we waited till after we contacted the first. When we got back down the stairs he was gone! Luckily we saw an open apartment door and we stopped to knock and find out if that man lived there. He did! And he was even one of the former investigators that didnt have a number listed! It was really big blessing. He asked for a Book of Mormon his kids could read to him since he cant read. :D I think the elders are going to go back! That night one of the young women from the ward, Crystal Wood, came out with us contacting members in her area. We met the Roberson Family! They were so sweet. They've been through a lot but they love each other so much. It was really special!. 

Our week has felt kind of off since thursday because we had a Zone Meeting. President Lee was there! He is such a good man. I really enjoyed the trainings that were given. The Missionaries that are in leadership positions are all really nice and eager to help and teach. That night we went and saw Alberta, Jaquez's mom.  She is really funny. While we were there she said she had been in a car accident. We were really relieved to hear she is doing fine and so is her baby. Im so excited for her to have another baby! She really hopes it will be a girl, but someone said they think it will be a boy! We called lots of former investigators to see if they would want to meet with missionaries again before diner with the Gourleys. One woman named Carrie said we could come by the next day!

Friday we saw some really Miracles! We had weekly planning that day because our meeting was on thursday. between that and studies we saw a less active family for brunch! They were really nice and they made Chocolate Chip pancakes! They also had grits! I love grits so much! After weekly planning we saw Carrie! She has lots of health problems and was really glad to see us. We taught the restoration. I loved meeting her. She is really interested in progressing. That same day we were able to contact a potential investigator we have tried a few times. It Turns out he is a truck driver which is why he is never home! When we saw him he was really interested in meeting with us but it was a bad time. We set up another time to come back. :D It is really exciting to find new people to teach. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities our heavenly Father gives to us. He really does know us so perfectly.

Saturday we taught Lisa, a woman we met last week. At the end of the restoration lesson we helped her to understand prayer and why we pray out loud. She had never prayed out loud before then! It was really exciting. Lisa asked lots of great questions and is excited and happy to learn. She got a super cute little puppy. I do mean little! It fits in her hand! We also went and saw Anna and Alyssa and helped them work on their personal progress. They are recent converts. I love helping them work on personal progress. I feel so strongly about how amazing the program is. It really is inspired. Later we did some service for a less active couple. The Bishops are the most zen people I have ever met. We helped them paint one of the rooms in their house blue. Both of them served missions and Sister Bishop is a convert too. They fed us dinner when we got all done. Sister Bishop loved having us and wants us to come more often! It is really big that she is so willing to have us!  I am glad to have the opportunity to meet them.

Sunday was the best day of the week! I loved Easter here in Palatka! First off, we didn't have ward counsel so we were able to spend some time reading and getting ready. Palatka 1st and 2nd shared sacrament meeting so it was really full! Some less active families we have visited lately were there! The speakers had really good talks. Sister Martin and I did Singing Time in the primary for Sister Gourley! It was really fun. I love being in primary! :D Last week a sister asked us to perform a song in Relief Society. The hymn was  "My Redeemer Lives"; The words were written by President Gordan B Hinckley. President Hinckley was the Prophet before President Monson. It is a really pretty Hymn. Sister Martin sang and I played the piano. :D We mad our own arrangement. It was so pretty! After Church Sister Kay Willis gave us Easter Baskets! It was so sweet of her! At the Gourleys for dinner we had such a great time. They are so good to us. They got cute little hats for me and sister Martin and Chocolate for us and the elders. When we left there we went over to a nursing home where one of the members in this ward live. Sister Martin and I sang to her. We also sang to a woman who was all alone in her room. She said it really made her day. People here are the salt of the Earth. The last family we saw yesterday was the Wood family. We watched a video together and played Telestrations! Crystal said we could help her feed their animals. IT WAS SO EXCITING! They have a pig and a goat and rabbits. They also have chickens!! We got two eggs from the chickens! It was really neat to help her a bit. The goat is really funny!

This week I have read just over half through Our Search for Happiness. It is such a good book. I admire how simply Elder Ballard is able to explain the doctrine of the church. I have learned so much this week about teaching simple and loving people. Sister Martin and I also discovered how much we love sonic! We have perfected our drink orders.

 I hope all of Ya'll had a good Easter! Our Savior has risen and he has given us the Gift of being able to defeat death and return to our Father in Heaven. We are truly so blessed!

Two by Two and One by One

They say that the mission ends where the sand begins... but in Palatka, Florida that's only half true! It has been  crazy week getting to Florida. Getting off the plane was so surreal. Once we finally saw President and sister Lee the three of us were so happy! The first day felt so long. We did some trainings. Oh our first night we had a true southern meal. I absolutely loved it. I'm sure I'll love the food here way too much! The next day we had trainings all morning. Around noon we met our Trainers! The sisters training me is Sister Martin. SHE IS SO NICE!!! Also, she is really talented. Hopefully I can learn a lot from her both spiritually and otherwise. When other missionaries found out I was going to Palatka, they all said I was going to the promised land of the mission. Absolutely no one had anything bad to say! The Gourleys , a family from Palatka 1st our ward, drove us home. Oh, I also bought my Bike! The Gourleys are amazing, everyone that served here  mentions them. They feed us twice a week, the elders in this ward Too! They absolutely love missionary work and they do so much for the ward. Sister Martin and I have see miracles with less actives here in palatka. Three family's came Sunday that haven't in so Long! We are teaching a couple children who have member parents as well as a family. Both kids have Baptism dates in May! Friday we spent the day in Bostwick. It was such a crazy day. Bostwick is a further part of our area. Lately I have learned that Palatka has a lot of private roads that are not marked well, also, a lot of roads that are Sand! Some places you really can't tell if what is there is even a Road! These things are especially true in Bostwick! We used so many miles and got pretty lost a few times because the GPS doesn't understand the difference between private and public Roads! A family  out there fed us. The people in this ward are so humble. Honestly, everyone here is, not only just how they act but also in how they live. I love everyone I have met so much. :) Florida is absolutely beautiful. Bouganvilla and Lantana grow wild Here! And hibiscus and Bouganvilla grow up as tall as some of the Houses! I'm so grateful to be Here! Hope you all have a good week!


Sister Mykala Leona Spangler

8663 Baypine drive ste 102

Jacksonville Florida 32256

Sister M. Leona Spangler
Florida Jacksonville Mission

She has Arrived!

Hey Everyone! I made it to the mission Home! We have a little bit to send a quick message! President Lee and his wife are so amazing. I love it here. The humidity is crazy. Tomorrow we hit the ground running! Sorry I didn't  have a ton of time to call. On the plane rides we had some amazing experiences. We had the chance to give a book of Mormon out on both flights. Heavenly father's love for each of us is so perfect. I know he is personally aware of each of us. Today has been so exhausting but I am so ready  to embark in the work. I love you guys so much and I know our heavenly father does as well! Goodnight All!

Sister M. Leona Spangler
Florida Jacksonville Mission

Sister Lee wanted us to also let you know to follow our missions blog! I sent a picture of the LINK! She will post lots of pictures D from today by tomorrow night she thinks! Keep your eyes Out! Until then, enjoy these slightly less quality pictures from my last week at the mtc :D

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

First off, Come thou Fount and Called to serve may be the two most over sung songs here in the MTC! on a more serious note, we  had a really eventful week. We got a new district 

Saturday we had a kinda scary experience. There was an elder at diner who started having a seizure. Even though it was scary, It was amazing to see everyone act so quickly. Another elder hurried and gave him a blessing before medics arrived. Another blessing was that there was a sister who was a RN in his district so she was able to help too. Everyone probably, in the whole room stopped when they gave him a blessing and prayed with them. The spirit was so strong in there. I know  that the Priesthood is such a big blessing that we have on the earth. I know that when priesthood holders are righteous and worthy they can use that authority to do miracles. I am really glad to say that the elder is back at the MTC and doing well. All of these experiences are for our good even if they are hard. 

Sunday was so good! We had a few meetings to go to  and also Sacrament meeting. Durring Sacrament the departing district performed Come Thou Fount for us! It was so beautiful! We went to the temple like normal. I love going to the temple on sunday. It was such a nice day and  we sang together on the grounds again. That is a tradition that i really love and cherish. we had time this week to take pictures with our zone and  districts! I will send some of those too! Sister Randall and I taught relief society! It was really fun! The lesson was on "Doing the will of the father/Having faith in Christ". Later, after diner, we went to choir practice. the song we practiced was "Consider the Lilies of the Field". For our sunday evening devotional the BYU Mens choir came and sang! their performance was really uplifting. :D I love devotionals. I learned a lot even though we didnt have a traditional speaker there. After that we watched a sunday movie! I love watching the sunday movies. This week we watched an address given here called "a Missionaries call" It was given by president Uchdorf. Two elders from the departing district in our zone gave the prayers so we went to support them! I think everyone in their district and ours was there!

Monday we started teaching our last investigators here at the MTC! One of them Is a woman named Leila! Sister Pelland and I had taught her but when she went home we had to stop! When she opened the door to us she gave me the biggest hug! It was so amazing to see her again. She said that she had been thinking about me and sister Pelland since the office said we wouldnt be teaching her anymore!

Tuesday was a big turning point for our companionship! We wrote down 5 things we love about each other through the day (per request of our district president). We had choir practice and then the Tuesday Devotional. Elder S Mark Palmer of the Seventy and his wife addressed us.  Before the devotional I saw President and Sister Shumway. It was so good to see them! When we left President Shumway put his hand on my shoulder and said "Dont forget who you are or where you come from. You will do great things". That was a really special moment.  We performed "Consider the Lilies" and it was so good. I love that Hymn! I realized during the devotional I had a picture from my baptism in a pocket in the back of my notebook. During devotional review we talked about what we learned. I want to share with you this:

                              When I looked at the picture from my baptism I realized there has not been a day that goes by that I dont feel the way I looked in that picture, even if it is just for a little while. There have been really hard days. some days I am really sad and hurt and just not feeling the most encouraged.. But I always know that I will have that blessing of the Joy I felt there. I just have to have faith and look for it. Our heavenly father is aware of each of us. He does not forget any of us. He knows when we need a little extra dose of his love. But we have to have faith that he will give it. 

Yesterday was possibly the best day I have had at the MTC.  Our trio did so well! For the first time we really figured out how to meet each others needs. Our studies were so good. We taught in unity, true unity, for the first time. I miss Sister Pelland so much, but I do love my new companions. During the middle of the day we had a chance to host new missionaries! It was so fun! basically we just take them from their cars to the different places to get their material and help them find their room and class. I got to host two sisters! They were both going to California! Unfortunately to different missions! They were so adorable. I really l loved being able to serve them. While we were hosting I met a really nice elder (who was also Hosting) and we talked for a while when we were waiting to be released from our hosting assignment. His name was Elder Koranda! He is speaking Portuguese in some country in africa! Wow. Didn't see that one coming! It feels like we spend most time talking to people in our zone. It is always nice to meet people outside of our district! That evening was one of the last times we are all together as a district! 

Starting tomorrow we have Departing Devotionals and meetings. We are really getting ready to head our into the field! I am so excited. This week I said goodbye to a good friend, Sister Weldon. She will be serving in the Oklahoma City Mission! I love her so much!!! I hope you guys get to meet her someday! Sister Pelland sent me a package! It was so fun! I love her so much!

Today will be busy but I really love all of you!