FIRST BAPTISM!!!

Elder Chriss, Enrique, Elder Marin, and Elder Clawson

Well this was a great week I'd have to say! Yesterday I went to my first baptism of one of my investigators WOOOOOH!  Enrique Got baptized!!!! I got the call on Saturday from my old comp saying that he was getting baptized, then an hour later Elder Clawson (Visa waiter who  came out with me and is in my old area) called and told me that Enrique wanted me to speak at the baptism. 

So I gave the talk on baptism. The talk went way good I think... yet again it was in Spanish so all the people in the audience were probably just smiling to be nice.... but I got smiles!!! It was so cool to have seen the entire process with Enrique, from the time we knocked on the door through all the lessons, to the Visitor Center, and now into the font. It was a great service and I got to see a bunch of members from my old area. Nothing beats watching some one you care soooo much about be baptized.

   

I loved the broadcast yesterday as well.  I'm sure It was cool for all the people in the MTC to watch it, but for me I thought it was better. Because the call to rally members didn't make sense to me in the MTC, I just thought that's how it worked already. But after being in the field and seeing the difference in the work from member work I got a lot more out of it. 

I'm good with having a Facebook!!! New set of numbers to send in at the end of the week: HOW MANY NEW FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE.... and HOW MANY INVESTIGATOR POKES THIS WEEK. But that was a great broadcast for members and missionaries a like.

I got my new debt card!!! This time I am keeping it away from dogs and small children, anything that likes to put things in their mouths. 

The best/worst part of my week was a service opportunity we had this week.... we cleaned out this ladies jumbo shed. Now this shed was a perfect allegory of our investigators lives. The place was full of junk things that had been thrown in there over years, some not so good magazines, old dvds, video games, tables, lots of wood, old clothes, and deep down a couple of bibles and scriptures. My description can't come close to help you understand how nasty this place was..... but back to my allegory, our investigators lives are like this shed, there are a lot of things can distract them or thing in there past that have built up over time.Things that they wish never came up or happened. But here is were the allegory gets better. All they need to do is call the missionaries! After several hours of cleaning, teaching and baptizing all of those things are gone and forgotten. Through the lord all things can be cleaned and forgiven.

Well I'm out of time, so I will keep you updated on every thing. Still no news on my visa but I will keep you in the loop about that as well.

Stay strong! Love you all!

LOVE 

Elder Chriss

  Elder Chriss and Elder Aguilar who came back to the mission after a month home

Elder Chriss and his companion Elder Winterrose

Fixed his speakers and taught him the Restoration!

 

The Coliseum Zone saying goodbye to President and Sister Baker! 
The CLAM will have a new President starting July 1.

Que paso, mi amigos! 

Well this was a great week! 

Elder Winterrose and I have not had much success in this area when it comes to contacting new investigators, so we decided to focus on part member families and less actives. This direction is working a lot better for this area. The only problem with trying to help reactivate a lot of the people is, they are tricky. A lot of the times they tell us they would love to meet with us, but not now and they will set something up with us on Sunday... and they don't come to church. So we just need to get into the home and talk to them.... darn tricky people.

So far we have had much more success with working with the less actives. So some other great news, our investigator made it to church. Things are moving along. This investigators name is Louis.  He is a very nice man who we tracted into. When we knocked on his door he said he would love to talk but he is trying to fix his speakers.  Elder Winterrose jumped on the opportunity and offered to help. We got in, fixed his speakers, and taught him the restoration. Now after a few attempts we got him to church!

Also, other good news, I received my Patriarchal  Blessing yesterday afternoon from the LA Stake Patriarch. This was a wonderful opportunity and a major blessing. I definitely needed the guidance and the help in this work and that blessing  definitely did the trick. He is going to try and get me the blessing all printed out by this Friday. That blessing is something that I will cherish forever. To any one preparing on going to a mission I highly recommend it before you leave.  I wish I would have.

No news on my visa but that is alright this mission has made me a lot more patient. With families in this area we really only have the Quintana family, they are a part member family who we are working heavily with.

I love all the gift cards you send me  mom I use them as much as I can. We haven't heard anything about our new mission president really other than he is a big time business man with a great testimony. I am also exited to meet my new president in BAN we will see when I do though.

My comp is good. It was not the most exiting of weeks. Just talking to a lot of odd people here. LA has a lot of weird people about. Best part of my week was my Blessing yesterday, and the worst part was only having 2 other lessons this week. 

The work is moving but insanely slow. On the bright side still haven't had to speak in church so far. There are 5 companionships in my ward so even if a missionary does speak I have less of a chance. 

I don't have picture this week I know you love them but I for got my cable today.

Well I love and miss you all!!  Keep me up dated.

Love

Elder Chriss.

P.S: I would love a new wallet because mine was completely destroyed by that dog!!! hahahaha.

Dog ate my wallet!!!

Hey everyone, a pretty good week!

All I have to say is this city never ceases to amaze me. Right next to our house is a pretty big apartment complex and I swear there are police going in there all day. Normally bringing some one out. LA Justice.... A little bit down the street from us is the Coliseum for USC and a jumbo museum and science center, very fancy and quite nice. So on one side of us a police bustin hot spot and on the other a nice University and Coliseum. You are not sure what you will find here on a regular day. Some of the things can be broken up into three groups

1.People

2.Places

3.Transportation

The biggest group is obviously PEOPLE. If I had a dollar for every drunk I have talked to I would have a lot of dollars. The things people wear are quite odd. Gosh darn sagging pants.

PLACES is a large group as well . There are over 1500 Christian churches in this city. Every where you turn is another church. Most if not all buildings have some type of Graffiti. And a there are a bagililion 99cent stores. 

TRANSPORTATION, there is no constant type of vehicle in this city. In one day I will see a brand new Ferrari, Lambo, and a couple hundred Camaros. And in the same day, I kid you not, a Latino man on a burro (Donkey) selling Tomalis ( the best tasting, you don't understand how good tomalis are until you have bought one off a man on a donkey), People on bikes, bikes with 50 mirrors on the handle bars, and of coarse the cursed... Ice Cream trucks. Now I know what you are thinking what is wrong with Ice cream trucks. the problem with them is they are every where. Always with that darn song. Plus they are not cute little ice cream trucks. These are armored vehicles with a creepy cartoon character on the side. And to tell you the truth... I think they follow us. FACT: there are more Ice cream trucks in Los Angeles than fish in the pacific ocean.

This is just a taste of LA.

So far the investigators in my last area haven't been baptized, but we will have to see. I am really getting to know my new Comp. So far I enjoy every second of hanging out and working with him. I am in LA 6th ward.  Its a pretty small ward but they are all great, we get fed most nights. Not as much as are last area but still a lot.

The best part of the week was a service project we have been doing. We are helping a part member family install a new sprinkler system. And when I say part member I mean Grandma is a member and all of her big family is not. Hna Quintana and her family are fantastic and I love them so much.

Also this was my worst part of my week because as I was working and one of their dogs ate my wallet.... everything inside is alright except my Debit Card has a bite taken out of it. So I do need a new one of those not sure how to go at that but I'm sure we can figure that out.

I love the care package and the brownies were fantastic. 

So all I really know is that as long as I am faithful I will be blessed.   

I just want to let you all know that I know this church is true, that is why I am out here and that is what I am teaching every day. Love you all and I will see you in a few (years).

Love, Elder Chriss

Temple PDay!!!!!!

Elder Chriss after attending a session at the LA Temple.  
You can tell it is Wednesday because he is wearing his Bro Tie!

Hey all so good to be able to shoot you an Email! Today is Temple P-day so that explains why I am sending this on Wednesday. It was an awesome session, what a beautiful temple!

It's a bit over cast today.... THANK YOU!!! It gets really hot here, not to mention I'm riding around all day in a white shirt and tie. So us missionaries are thankful for the cooler weather. 

I am in a new area this transfer The area is called Cimarron and all I have to say is L.A Ghetto, but I love it here. My new Companion is Elder Winterrose, from Washington State. He is a great Elder, He only has one transfer left of his mission so I am going to learn as much as I can from him. Our apartment is a pretty big apartment nice wood floors big rooms not much in the rooms but very clean. its on a second floor of a complex. 

My new ward I am assigned to is LA 6th ward. its a pretty small ward but we have great members. As in most wards each person has like 2 different callings in the church. But so far I love the ward. Biking in this area isn't bad there aren't very many big streets to worry about and since the main source of transportation is biking for the people in my area, people are used to bikers. My butt always hurts from being on my bike all the time, but I'm okay with it. 

So far the best part of my week was this mornings Temple session, the Los Angeles Temple is huge and so beautiful, inside and out. The worst part of my week was getting chased by a big dog who a little girl opened the door for. SNAP that was terrifying and we got a way bite free. 

I love the music you sent me, mom. I listen to it all the time. Well when I'm not out working. All the food you send me is so great. The muffins made it safe and sound as did the cookies in the pringles can!!! Also thank you for the camera charger it works!!!! 

I have to say that even though this place is incredibly hard, I will never lose hope and keep looking for those who the Lord has prepared. If you want to talk about a hard people, these are it. My zone also covers USC so that can give you a good reference point of where I am. Also I am right next to the "Jungle" for those who know what that is. 

The other day I was pretty down from a day of complete denials.  When I got back to our apartment I had a prompting to read my letter from Doris Armstrong. As I read the letter one phrase stood out to me. "I noticed the hand of the Lord at bringing the missionaries to my small town in England." This stood out to me so much because as a missionary I am being guided by the Lord to bring people unto Christ. We are being guided by our Heavenly Father's hands. 

Though the work is hard and the people's hearts seem harder, I will never give up because I am being guided and I know that this is where I am meant to be. I love you all so much and miss you just as much. Until next week!

Con Amor,

Elder Chriss

Ps - I went and got a doughnut from Randy's in Inglewood right before I left.  The pictures are me at the temple and the last is me and Aldo and his mom the Ramirez family a family in my first area.