Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Blessing to Serve - Elder Seth Spencer: LDS Online Missionary

I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia about four and one half years ago in February of 2006; it has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.  My name is Elder Seth Spencer.  I currently serve as a full time missionary for my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I love it!  I am originally from Fort Collins Colorado, and I started my mission in September of 2009.  With the leukemia I had, I went through nearly a year’s worth of chemo therapy.  I had a relapse, and a bone marrow transplant.  I have had damage, and have had surgery to reconstruct both my knees and hips, eventually I will need to get them all replaced.  While this has certainly not been easy or enjoyable, I do feel it has been a blessing for me.  Through this I have learned with every trial and struggle we have there really is only one person we can rely on, that is Jesus Christ.  I know He has helped me with the trials and struggles I have had.  I know He has been there with the sufferings and trials I have had.  I know God is our loving Father in Heaven.  I have felt His love in my life.  I am blessed and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to be here as a missionary to help others find the same peace and comfort that I have found in Jesus Christ and following His commandments.


I have the privilege of serving with some of the best missionaries in our church.  All of us here in the Provo-MTC Referral Center mission have had unique circumstances which have brought us here.  Most of us are here because of physical difficulties and other health concerns which would make a walking mission more difficult.  Despite the opportunity to receive a medical release from serving a mission, they have all pushed through to serve as missionaries here.  I feel inspired by the testimony they have, and the desire they have had to be here and to serve.  While I have shared a little of my story here, I know every missionary here as an equally if not more compelling story of their own lives.  I know they each have a fire in their hearts to share the gospel and a sincere yearning to help all those we meet.

Most of what we do is talking with those people who have come on the mormon.org chat.  We try and help all those who come on the chat as best we can.  Those who are interested in learning more, we will begin teaching.  We teach the missionary lessons either over the phone or over an online chat.  We do our best to work in tandem with the missionaries locally.  Some people we will only teach one or two lessons, others we teach all of the lessons and commit to baptism.

I feel very blessed to have the privilege of being here as a missionary.  It has not only been a great blessing in my life for me to be here as a missionary, but also a blessing for me to see how this gospel can and has blessed the lives of so many people around me.  I do know this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.  It has helped me through the trials and struggles I have had.  It has given me greater purpose and direction in my life.  It has helped me to come closer to Jesus Christ and be the person I want to be.  I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to share it with others.

Love,

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