Our First Email from Elder Lehr!

Elder Spencer Lehr before he entered the Provo MTC

Dad and Elder Lehr

Saying our goodbyes

Manahoana!

Salama Ve?

Wow! How to describe this week.....here is a good way. "Never have more tears been shed."

I never knew that so many things could happen in 1 week. I sent a letter this morning to you Lehr Family that has some more details about what has been happening. 

I am so happy that things are going well at home. The Lord truly blesses us in ways that I would never have thought possible. 

One thing that has been pretty crazy is how much of the language we have learned. In the first 4 days of classes I learned more of Malagasy than 4 years of french in high school. The way that we can retain what we have been taught has been a miracle in and of itself. As we have been teaching our investigator it has been an amazing experience to look back and see how much we have grown. Sometimes in the morning I wake up and feel that I can't learn anything more, but then as I pray for help to bring our investigator to Christ....The spirit comes and enfolds me in love. That is missionary work. I have come to find out that as we Love the people we are teaching, we will teach to their needs. We will learn a language for THEM. We will be blessed with the Holy Ghost FOR THEM. If we don't have love it becomes our work. When it is OUR work...we fail. Thus it becomes so necessary to love the people, and sincerely pray and study and ponder about how we can bring them to Christ.

Also I have been made the district leader and senior companion over....me and my companion. It's so awesome to have a district of 2. We have been blessed to be able to love each other, and learn from each other. My companions name is Elder Munanira. He is from Rwanda. He speaks 4-5 languages and I am one of the only people that can pronounce his name correctly in my zone. :) 

Sunday was AWESOME! The BYU Mens chorus sang for us, and one of the songs they sang was "O Magnum Mysterium." When they sang this I almost went into a sobbing fit. This was my favorite song that I sang in highschool. Such peace was brought into the room as they testified with their songs about Jesus.

The Zone has also officially appointed me as the permanent Piano player for Priesthood and Sacrament Meeting. I am so happy for that.....The only thing that would make it better is if we had an Organ..... :)

Tuesday was beautiful. President Ronald A Rasband and his wife spoke for the devotional, and the spirit was so strong. I wish I had time to talk about all that they said but I will be brief and relate some of the things they talked about. President Rasband talked to us about spiritual gifts. He said that each of us has been given gifts, and that we have the opportunity to share those gifts to bless others. He then challanged us to write down a spiritual gift that we had, and then share it with others. One of my spiritual gifts is the gift of love. This gift has blessed me in so many ways. Especially as I am in the MTC, I feel that the love I have for the individuals in my zone has increased. By using this gift I have been able to sense when things aren't necessarily right. I feel that as I have been able to love others....God has shown his love for me as I struggle with teaching and the language. He makes up the difference for me. I testify that Jesus is the Christ and that he is the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father. It is ONLY through him that we can return to God. It is ONLY through him that we can have true peace. It is ONLY through him that we can find healing, and change. Through him...I can endure to the End of Every day. 

In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

-Elder Lehr 

Our First Picture of Elder Spencer Lehr in the MTC. From left to right:
Elder Munanira, Elder Lehr, Elder Russell, and Elder Walgamott. (pictures courtesy of Elder Russell)