SOMEBODY POISENED THE WATER HOLE!!

Dated:   January 13, 2014

Day 4 without a shower. So, last Friday there was a leak in a tank at a chemical plant, a chemical that they use to clean coal, and it got into the river, and got into the water system, and so all of Charleston and much of the area around Charleston has contaminated water. If it gets on you it burns and causes rashes, vomiting and sickness if you drink it. There are pictures of drain pipes in South Charleston with frozen water coming out if it, and the water is pink and blue and green and different colors. We can’t boil the water to get the chemical out, or purify it in any way. It has been an adventure. We don’t know how long this is going to last. We don’t have news either so we don’t know. It smells like black licorice. It is really amazing how much we take water for granted. We can’t wash our dishes, clothes, or ourselves. So everyone at the stores are buying baby wipes to clean themselves, and paper plates and whatnot to eat on. At least we all stink together. The chapel in church yesterday didn't smell the best either. We are surviving though. There is water around. We are doing ok.

Also this week, the mission office used the Van to take furniture down to a Sr. Couple's apartment. So they gave us a brand new car that they had just gotten that day from the dealership to use for a couple of days. It was a 2014 Nissan Frontier. When we got in to drive it, it had a little over 50 miles on it. WOW, I dont think I have ever even breathed on a car that new. We drove it for a couple days with was awesome.

We are teaching a guy named L__ right now. He had a cool experience with the Book of Mormon this week. He has had struggles with reading it because he has been having a hard time understand it and getting used to the language of it. But as he was reading it this week, he was having a hard time understanding it, and he came across a verse that said something like "if you don’t understand, it is because you ask not" and he realized that he hasn't prayed before he started reading. So he stopped, said a prayer, and started the chapter over. He said that it all made sense the second time. So pray before reading your scriptures. We have the privilege of knowing the truth. When we know truth we can exercise faith. We can have exercise our faith and repent and become clean. When we are clean we can then exercise faith unto power. Faith is power. I love the gospel. Keep on pressing forward. And say an extra gratitude prayer for your water.

Love,

Elder Josh Spencer

P.S.  Also, we know who the new mission president is going to be. President Paul Salisbury from South Salt Lake. He is young. This will be an interesting transition when it comes.

We went ice skating on P-day with people from
our Zone.

Brand New Truck!