I'm moving, and I don't like it very much.... 10/29/12

Hey everybody! :)

This e-mail is going to be short. It's been a crazy week! We got transfer call this morning and I'm out I'm leaving Memorial Park. I don't know where I'm going. I wont find out until Wednesday, and you wont find out until next Monday. I'm feeling a whole mix of emotions. I don't really know what to do. I'm excited to move to the next part of my journey, but there are so many people here that I'm still teaching that I want to help so much more. Not to mention all the wonderful friends I have made. These people are precious to me. I don't want to say goodbye to Bro. Davis, Carlos, or Paula. I don't want to say goodbye to Dixie, Christina, Brandon, Fooler, Victoria, Marinalva, Joe, Jasmine, Je'nel, or any of the wonderful members that I've come to love serving too! Ah! It's crazy how hard this whole thing really is. I don't know what to expect or what's coming, but I know that the sacrifice that is made will be worth it. And I pray that the Lord will see fit to help my path cross again with all these wonderful people. Maybe not in the near future, but in time.

Thank you for all the love you send me out here. It is much appreciated. I'll attach some pictures and that will have to be all for today. Sorry. Know that I love you very much, and all is well down here. :)

One [two?] last picture with the Memorial Park Elders and Sisters. 1st I'm wearing my I'm a Mormon shirt, which is wonderful! 2nd at the trunk or treat for the Memorial Park Ward the four of us switched name tags for "Halloween" but I didn't get a picture so I got one today, before I leave. So, you can't tell, but all of our tags are mixed up. :) We're the Elders and they're the Sisters. It was just silly, but a good moment. 

This is me and ----. We've been teaching her for a while. She is super great. She has three little kids, and really LOVES church! I love her!

 

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

 

Post Script: I'm super excited for all that is coming in the work of the Lord. I hope you see what I see. The Lord is gathering like a hen gathers her chicks! The weekly average of Sister mission paper submissions went from roughly 80 a week to 2,000! We're in the final stretch! Every ear will hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ soon! :) I'm just in awe to see the miracles happening!

Tender Mercies! 10/23/12

Hello ya'll!

How is everybody?! I'm beginning to feel a little disconnected from the family, but that's okay. I know that whatever is happening the Lord is taking care of you better than I ever could. :) I want to thank you all for all letters, e-mails, pictures, and packages. They've really been a pleasure to receive. They are full of love, and very helpful. So, thank you.

I just want to let you know....I'm a little nervous. Transfers are coming up, and I might be moving...in fact according to deduction and some basic math. I've a higher percent chance of being transfered than Sister ----; however, the Lord does care about math. He cares about getting the work done right! So, really we have no idea. ;-) I'll find out next Monday before e-mails and let you know what's happening. Feel the suspense. It's good...

It's kind of sad to think that I have to say good bye to all of these people I'm teaching and have gotten to know and love. We have around five progessing investigators that I'm saying goodbye to, but I know the Lord is in this and all is as it should be. Fear not! :)

Just so you know, we had another baptism this week! I can't believe I have been so blessed to be an instrument like this! ---- is baptized! He has been such a blessing to watch the light grow in his life. It's really miraculous what the Lord does for each one of us when we take up courage to follow Him. I am amazed at what He has doen with me....I can't believe I am a part of this! It's so beautiful!

Okay, Pictures:

This is at the Baptism. It was a beautiful day! I'm so grateful to be a part of this, and eventually they will be able to become a forever family! God is good!

...Me...with real daisies in my hair. They're the friendliest flowers! :)

This is my current district. They are the BEST! I have been so grateful to be serving with such wonderful and inspiring men and women!

 

We went to the Temple today, which was so much fun! I'm so grateful that I get to attend the Temple! I wont be able to go now for three months or so. Be grateful that you have the opportunity to go regularly and I encourage you to please take advantage of that blessing. I wish I could go more than once every quater (three months). Enjoy the beauty!

 

Okay, well I've got to jet. I still need to write Pres. ----, and tell him a couple things so, I'll talk to you soon! Thanks for all of your love! I couldn't ask for more, and I pray you know how much I love you too! Don't forget to pray! It will change your life!

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

P-Day Part 2 10/15/12

Greetings!

I hope everyone is enjoying life at the moment! I also hope you're enjoying the season, because guess what? It's still hot and green in Texas! No beautiful colors or anything!!! Fall is boring down here.... anyway, Transfers are coming up soon. They will be on Oct. 31. I wont know if I'm moving or not until the 29th. So, please send mail to the Eldridge building starting Oct. 25 until I get you a new address.

So, I've had my second baptism! It's so exciting being a part of these peoples lives! It's a tender mercy to be here! I tell you what, I'm not the one doing any of this! I'm just grateful to be able to witness it happening.

So, ----'s baptism was AMAZING! She invited a lot of people that aren't yet members including her family, and they came. Her mother was crying, and it was just a beautiful experience! She has been looking forward to this since the first lesson, and she was so grateful for the opportunity to become a member of the Kingdom of God. She was shining even brighter when she received the gift of the Holy Ghost! I can't express it!

We watched conference with her, which was STUPENDOUS. She really liked Sister Dibb's talk, and Elder Ballard's. She bought us all Bee charms to remember his talk (because we're all little bees sharing and spreading the gospel and Christ's love), and she made us I'm a Mormon shirts! However, the Elders stole them! Don't worry we got them back, and I have wonderful pictures to share with you because of it! :)

Our shirts and Elders ---- and ----. They are the best!

Me, Sister ----, ----.

----, Sister ----, me. Before the baptism.

Okay, these last two I can't explain. They have islands on the side of the road with trees and stuff in this one part of town. And I have no idea why?! So I had to share.

I've got to go, I'm sorry the last few e-mails have been so short, but you got pictures! :)

I hope you have a wonderful week! I'd love to hear from you!

Love you forever and ever!

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

We be the South, people talk like that down here.... 10/8/12

Hello Everyone!

How are you doing today? All is well I hope. :)

Live has been crazy! On Sep. 27-28 Elder ---- came down here for zone conference. He shared a wonderful, guided by the Spirit message with us. Then we had General Conference this weekend, and this coming weekend Elder ----, Elder ----, and Elder ---- ---- for a tri-mission meeting. So the Houston East, Houston South, and the Houston missions will all be in attendance. I'm super excited for the experience! :) I'm sure it will be well!

Lot's of stuff is going on, and is happening. I don't even think I have time to explain even a little. I'm going to share some quick stories and I'll be off until next week. :)

• We are teaching a wonderful woman, and the other day we stopped by to see how she was doing, and what she had read in the Book of Mormon. It was so cute! She went off on how Nephi was a good boy, but Laman and Lemuel needed to be grounded! They are so disobedient! It was just precious.
• We have two baptisms scheduled for this weekend! It's so exciting to see people making covenants with God, and receiving the protection from the adversary that gives them! The powers of heaven are real!
• General Conference rocked my whole soul! It was amazing and historic! Missionaries at 18 and 19! It's amazing what God can do with the very young. I have pages and pages and pages of notes and I hope you do too! If you didn't watch it, watch it! If you don't remember it, review it! Those messages were sent for you! Learn by the Spirit, hear what God is sending you through His Pophets and Aostles! Conference is a tender mercy, don't ignore it or abuse it. Make what God has to say a priority in your life and in your soul!
• We have an investigator that went over to a members house to watch conference Saturday morning, but had to go home and was busy Sunday. She was so upset that she couldn't see more of it, and prayed that she might be able to see it again. When she was flipping through the channels it popped up. She was so happy! Cherish these things we are given like these people who've never known what you know. The blessing around you are abundant, don't forget how precious they are or to thank God for what you have. You know how to obtain blessings and promises; you know that obedience to what the Lord has said is the only way. Don't be foolish, value the way, study the way, live the way, and in time become being prepared to receive the glory God is wanting to give you!

Well, looks like I'm running out of time. Know that I love you! I think of you and I cherish you! You are precious to me! You have been a part of my life, and have left a mark that will never fade from my heart.

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

And so it begins.... 9/24/12

Hello to all of you most precious people in my life. I pray all is well with you, and the the Lord protects you.

I must say I have had an interesting week, and am looking forward to another one. I'll start out with some random stories, and we'll see where we go from there, eh? :)

• This Wednesday we were going to visit a recent convert, and we met a man, ----. This kid was crazy! It was the most unique experience I have ever had. I finally have one of those crazy mission stories three months in. Anyway, we're talking to him, and he offers us a smoke...we politely decline. So, he felt bad he was doing something that we wouldn't join in and he put it out. Then he start talking to us about the Bible. He decides he needs to go inside and grab his, and when he came out he had his grill (Kind of like a mouth guard, but shiny) and his Bible. Then he started going off, asking us questions. It was funny that he needed a grill to talk about God. Anyway, he kept going and we couldn't get away. He started acting things out, yelling at people walking by, and we were trapped in the stairwell for like an hour watching him. He was expressing all sorts of things from the Bible in a very dramatic way. It was crazy! Looking back on it, I can giggle a little because I honestly didn't know how to respond to the whole thing. We left him with a Book of Mormon and have neglected to return. I'm not blowing this out of proportion either...this guy was jumping up and down, laying on the ground, acting out parts of the Bible. There no way to express it. Just wanted you to know my first truly interesting story for my mission. My companion had some really crazy stories, and the Elders always have super crazy stories mostly because they're men and people are more forceful with them. Anyway, I wanted to share my 1st crazy. Hope you enjoyed it. I hope you can imagine.
• I have an investigator who is intending to be baptized this Saturday, and a pray that he will be able to make it into the waters of baptism. He is trying very hard to overcome some addictions. I must say, I'm grateful that I have been able to live my life free of such chains. I've seen how much of a struggle it is for him. He desires deeply to do the right thing, but he's not sure if he can give it all up. He know that baptism and the Holy Ghost will help him a lot in this life. It's actually really cool. He talks about how he really likes my Holy Ghost--the other day, by the power of the Spirit, I expressed some things God wanted him to hear about how he could be and that God has a purpose for him, and since then he's been talking about how he really likes my Holy Ghost. Not the Holy Ghost, my Holy Ghost; He talks about Him like we each get our very own it makes me smile.
• There is a lady we're teaching who turned 55 today, although she looks at least twenty years older. She has had a hard life with TB and Polio, she just recently had two strokes, and has many other things going on medically. However, in spite of all that she is drinking up the gospel! It's amazing. We were talking about the Plan of Salvation, and how at the resurrection she will receive a perfect body with no more ailments she got a peaceful smile on her face, looked at us and said, "That sound really nice, I'd like that." It was so sweet! She loves the gospel, and loves the Book of Mormon. She listens to it on lds.org. I would encourage you to share the gospel by referring people to that website and mormon.org. They both can really help everyone around the world. Don't be afraid to share these things that are most precious, because so many people haven't any idea what God really wants for them.
• I'm teaching a young lady in the Singles Ward and she was talking to us about how so many people are confused about what we really believe. She was saying that somebody was telling her about how we practice poligamy and she said that she thought to herself, What are you talking about? Most of the guys I know don't even have one girl! I must say we laughed a little lot. :) It was a funny moment. More about her though, she intends to be baptized on October 13, and is sincerely looking forward to it. I know that baptism is just the first step, but it is a supremely important one as well. Don't forget those precious convenants you've made with the Lord. Those covenants will carry you through enduring to the end. There is a reason we renew them every week when we partake of the Sacrament. Without your baptismal covenants you couldn't make any more, they are that essential. If you haven't been pondering how sacred they are, take some time this week to do so. It will make a difference when you partake of the Sacrament this coming week. Promise.
• Brother ---- is loving the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is such a wonderful little man! He just makes me smile! He is good, and true, and loves the gospel! How the bounty of blessings we receive as members of the Lord's kingdom on earth! We are loved by our God and we are blessed when we make and keep sacred covenants and are obedient to those things that He asks of us!

Something I've truly enjoyed about my mission, is seeing the light in someone's eyes grow from hardly a glimmer, to burning bright enough to blind you. I'm so incredibly grateful that Heavenly Father loves me enough to let me be a part of it. I mean, I'm just a vessel that can bring the Spirit into their home, and into their lives. Other than that, I don't do much. It's a miraculous experience.

 

Love you all very much! Go forth and do great things this week!

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

Tell Me a Story.... 9/17/12

Howdy!

So, I don't have a ton of time so I'm going to do some quick stories and send you my love!

Congrats to Ivan making it to the MTC safe; it's a bitter-sweet experience but it's all good in the end. I'm sure he will do great things. (Sharon: yes, you may forward him my e-mails; will you send me his?)

So, more stories about my companion:

1. Whenever this girl sees a lizard or a frog she chases after it. Most of the lizards are too fast for her, the frogs aren't, and the snails she gets every time! I carry I large supply of hand sanitizer! :)
2. She wanted to go to one of the taco trucks--which they have A LOT of down here-- and so we went. I decided against ordering, but she bought some food (that she didn't know what it was), and happily went on her way. When she started eating it she expressed, "I don't think this is meat..." And she was right. She ordered greasy pig skin. She only ate half of her meal, and I enjoyed some Wendy's. The moral of the story is: Don't order chichirron (Ch-ee-cha-rone) at a taco truck in Houston....or anywhere unless you're craving some skin o' swine.

Anyway, here's a more spiritual story:

Once upon a time there were two missionaries trying to turn left to go to an appointment; however, the work can never be as easy as a left turn. Besides if it was there would be no story...or it would be boring and short. Nevertheless, an obstacle lay in the way of their left turn. What is the obstacle you ask? I will tell you, a LARGE red van. You see this van had run out of gas, and was stuck in the left turn lane without a light on a moderately busy road. The missionaries got out, and asked what was wrong. It was decided these two sister missionaries would push this LARGE red van across three lanes of busy on-coming traffic to a gas station just down the way. I must say, the missionary whose last name is hard for Texans to pronounce (starting with the letter "C"), said a prayer. In her prayer she expressed the plea to have the strength to safely and quickly move this van. When the van had been pushed most of the way through the traffic by the sisters all of the sudden there was a MAN pushing with them....only moments later there were three more men pushing this van.

My prayer was answered. That is all. We safely and speedily succeeded in bringing the van to safety.

 

Know that God hears your prayers, and He always answers! Even if it is in ways we don't expect.

Love you!

Forever,

Sis. Chris.

Contrary to popular belief my P-day is still on Monday. Don't worry. :) 9/11/2012

Hello!

So guess what?! I can't tell you how much I love my Savior! I've been having some of the craziest, best, worst last few weeks ever! It's out of control really. However, someone told me once, "You are not here because God's plan didn't work out for you, you are here because it did." I take comfort in that, because recently I've been feeling a little out of place, and like I can't really live up to what the Lord needs of me.

The beauty is: I can do hard things with the Lord. Fact. (And so can you, if you were wondering) :)

So here are a couple of stories for this week:

• So, while we were out trying to preach the gospel we met this man. And we started talking to him, and we had like a mini-lesson. When the conversation was done he told us a story and it went something like this:
• "I dressed up as one of you guys once (as an Elder)."
• "Really? For halloween?"
• "Oh, no...."
• "Why did you dress up like us then?"
• "Well, I had to deliver something to one of my friends and I figured the police wouldn't stop me if I dressed up like one of you....when I showed up my friend was like, 'Why are you dressed up like that?!'"
• "There is a minor set back to your theory; we always travel in twos."
• My companion was laughing so hard....it was an interesting experience and a silly story I thought might make you smile a little. :)

• I watched my first investigator get baptized this Saturday. It was a beautiful experience. I'm so grateful the Lord let me be a part of His work. It's an amazing thing to experience. One of the adventures of that experience was the fact that the closet with the white jumpers was locked and NOBODY had a key. Not even the Bishop. The baptism didn't start until 30-45 minutes after it was supposed to. It was crazy. And then the next day the Elders had a baptism, and they totally flooded the font, and the women's restroom. Oh, the silly things that happen when trying bring others into the fold of God.

• Now, the reason why I'm writing you on Tuesday instead of Monday. I was able to go the the Temple today. Pres. Ashton changed the rules so we can go the Temple quarterly, and we have to change our P-day to do that since it's not open on Mondays, right? So, next week expect an e-mail Monday. :) Let me tell you about getting to the temple. So, the temple is not in my mission it's in the North mission. So, a member has to drive us out to the temple and bring us back. We were trying to find someone all day yesterday after we found out what the plan was from the Elders, but no one was answering or they weren't available. I was getting very sad, because I missed the Temple so much, missed the strength I received from going so frequently before my mission. So, I was praying with all my heart the Lord would prepare a way for me to go. By the time bed time had rolled around, I had kind of given up, and accepted the fact that I wouldn't be able to go. Then, at 6:38 A.M. a sister in the ward texted and said to be at her house at 7:50 a.m. and she would take us to the Temple! The moral of the story is the Lord answers prayers! I was SO grateful to go to the Houston Temple. It's beautiful! It felt like home, I was just full of true happiness sitting within it's walls. I can't explain how grateful I am.

Anyway, Heavenly Father loves you. He cherishes you, and He loves to hear from you. Pray often, and let Him know what you're going through, what you need, and all that is in your heart. Continue to build a relationship with your Heavenly Father, continue to study and understand the Atonement as well as applying it in your life. Think of the Savior in every moment, remember Him. And visit a temple (at least the grounds) this week.

 

Grandpa and Grandma: I want you to know I didn't forget your anniversary, I just neglected to tell you to enjoy. I was thinking of you during my baptism, and thought it was kind of cool that two such beautiful experiences could be shared on one day many miles a part.

Katrina- Did you know there are underground smoothies at Jamba Juice?! So, they aren't on the menu, but if you go in and order it, they'll make it. I thought you might enjoy it. So someday soon, waltz into a Jamba go straight to the counter and say: " I would like a white gummi bear please." Try it, and let me know what you think. :)

Remember that I love you all very much! Thank you for your support. All is well in Texas!

Forever,

Sis. Chris.