Staying in Whittier!

Well it sounds like you guys had a good last week. Kyle I will keep you in my prayers and I am sure you will find work soon! Just before I forget I do not have a new address for you but I am really happy about that because even though it is hot here I really wanted to stay in this ward and am excited for the next 6 weeks. Also Elder Pina is still my companion, which even though it was hard at first now that I know how to work with him, I really like having him around. So this next transfer should be a good one. Also before I forget - if you send a package this week that would be awesome. And as far as anything I need one thing I really dont need pretty much is hygiene products because the money that we get monthly more then covers any needs I would have as far as that. Ties are always welcomed and appreciated but as far as I remember from the packages you sent Kyle you seem to know the stuff that is good to get ha ha.

So this last week was really good and it flew by as most weeks do for me. It's kind of crazy how quickly it goes by - especially this last transfer - it went by super fast. I can only imagine that this one will go by as quickly. As far as our teaching is going I will focus on a few of the highlights and / or downers.

 

One of the highlights and downers is our investigator Robert who is homeless. I will admit that I originally had my concerns about teaching him and the sincerity behind him wanting to learn about the Gospel - but we had a lesson with him with our Ward Mission Leader - Brother Castruita - and it was one of the best lessons I have ever had or taught. I felt that his intentions were sincere so we set up another time with him and had another lesson where we read from The Book of Mormon with him - which also went really well. Now the downer part of it is that we set up another appointment with him and when we went to meet him he wasn't there - and we haven't seen him since. But I am hoping he will turn up soon and that he isn't in jail or something. The other person I would like to talk about is our recent convert Grace. She went to the temple last week and did Baptisms for the dead. She enjoyed it. Also her member boyfriend is proposing to her and they should be married in Decemberish which is awesome. Also we haven't been able to meet or teach her three girls yet, but the oldest one came to church and is showing a lot of interest - so we may be able to start teaching her at least.

 

Other then that the week was pretty normal - but really good. Yesterday (so Sunday evening) we went to what's called a departure fireside which is for the missionaries that are going home and anyone is invited. Normally I don't go to these but I knew that my recent convert Tammy Braun from Huntington Beach was going to be there and I wanted to see her so we went. She was there and it was super awesome to see. She she is doing super well she still hasn't had any smoking issues and doesn't have cravings anymore at all! She has been doing Baptisms for the dead and is even teaching in Relief Society. It was awesome to see her and was the highlight of my week. I also saw a bunch of my old companions there namely Jenson, Gallagher, Moala, my MTC companion Elder George, and Elder Larsen. I talked to Elder Larsen for a bit and talked to him about a less active that we reactivated that maybe you guys will remember by name of Brother Parker. He was awesome and came back to church and just went from totally inactive to totally active over- night - and right before we left we were trying to teach his 18 year old son and get him Baptized. I found out that not only did he end up getting Baptized but now he is saving up money to go on a mission! That is one of the coolest things and what being out here is all about. All I can say is that it was super rewarding. Anyways - that was my week and I am super excited to be staying here in the Colima ward in Whittier!

Anyways you guys are awesome and I really appreciate all that you guys do for me especially writing me it means a lot ESPECIALLY THE ONES FROM MY SISTERS!!!!! I hope that they get back into school well and that Morgan doesn't go to crazy from all the structure. Ryan I agree about learning and having patience as an attribute that is worth having and I am sure it is one that I desperately needed to learn so I am grateful for every opportunity I get to learn more of it ha ha (just reminds me of the time we took that stupid lawn mower back and we waited forever to get you another one but due to your patience - not only did you get another but you got like 27 bucks back with it ha ha) I look forward to hearing from all of you soon and love all of you!

Love Christopher! 

Chris has a fiance ....

Wow sounds like you guys had an awesome trip and I am glad to hear that you arrived back home safe and sound. It sounds like Kyle is adjusting rather well and I am glad you guys got the letters as well as pictures that I sent.

 

So this last week was good we did quite a bit of service as well as went to the Temple ( which I already told you about in my email home Tuesday and hope to hear a response to that email as well). One of the highlights of the week was doing some service for some members of the ward that have recently moved in. We were doing some yard work for them - but the highlight of it wasn't the actual work but was the fact that I now have a fiancé believe it or not! I didn't think that it would ever happen on my mission. Her name is Jenna and she is maybe 4 years old - ha ha. Throughout the entire time we were there she repeatedly pointed her finger at me and stated rather boldly and loudly "You're going to marry me one day and were going to have 121 zillion kids and your going to hand them to me and I am going to feed them from my boob!" she was quite hilarious to say the least. Saying all these things in front of her Mom and Dad. And she also said we were going to have five dogs and her Dad said that at least when I hear the dogs I'll know to start running.

 

Another awesome thing that happened was we got 6 new ward missionaries this week. Each one of them is one of the counselors of the auxiliaries such as young men's and women's and relief society and so on. Though they were not released from their counselor positions - which I think is awesome because it creates a link between us as missionaries and the rest of the ward and gets the entire ward involved so I am excited for it.

 

Another cool thing is the attitude behind how we are trying to get the ward involved. We looked at it almost from a business perspective in how a business can have an awesome product and tell what it is and how it works but it still doesn't sell well until they focus more on the why aspect.  Why they sell it and why it's needed.  I believe with this way of doing things it will help out the work in the ward a lot. I hope this all makes sense. I feel like in some ways it may just sound like rambling.

 

As far as the rest of the week it was pretty normal but really good. We taught roughly 2 lessons a day between lessons taught to random people, investigators, recent converts, and less active members. I am still loving my mission and wouldn't trade it for anything right now. It is helping me grow and change in ways that I never had thought it would and I am excited to see the person I become over the next year and a half.

As always though you guys are awesome and I miss you all as well. I am quite comforted by knowing you still carry around that little rhino Ryan - I give you props for doing so. I hope to hear back from you all soon and look forward to email every week! Tell everyone back at home I love and miss them! Let me know if I can do anything for you guys. You are always in my prayers! 

Love Chris