May 19th, 2014

It was annoying this week our investagator Diana went in to the office to set her appointment for her marriage, and in her records, her mom has an extra h in her name, and its different than on her ID so we have to wait another week for these people to fix her name, well be lucky if she gets married this week. Its like why does it have to be like this haha. But shes still super excited for baptism. I was scared these past two days cause something like 20 elders are finishing their misión this week, so theres full transfers today, everyone wassaying Id be one of them cause Im the oldest one in the zone, luckily I DIDNT so i wont miss her baptism.

But the baptism we did have this man Eder was awesome. We only taught him twice before his baptism but he was way prepared, he accepted the restoration and book of mormon and the commandments way easy. He had already been Reading the book of mormon almost till 2nd nephi. It was crazy this man literally fell from the sky. At his baptism there were a bunch of his friends all mormons so Im positive he wont fall either. This baptism was a testament of how Little we mean as missionarys sometimes, he was definitely prepared by the spirit before. And by his friends. So ya that was a sweet baptism.

I was studying out of chapter 13 stake and Ward leaders and I found an awesome scripture. James 1:5. It says that if we pray with faith God will give to us liberally if we have a lack of wisdom. I dont know how I havent seen this scripture before but it really hit me hard that God will give us wisdom if we just ask.. I think we can easily apply this to the story of Joseph Smith, cause he had a lack of wisdom and prayed and its a testimony that god really will answer prayers.

Have a good week everyone, finsihing school and what not. remember the alamo.

Elder Crisp

May 12th, 2014

I dont know much to say cause I talked a lot yesterday, now Im in a limbo where Spanish is jumbled with English, obviously i Cant speak English either so I dont have a language. so thanks a lot freaking Americans. Ya I want to tell you about this guy Eder 25 who has a date forthis saturday. This man fell from the sky. He has two friends in the church who brought him to our ward, he was interested cause he had gone to a bunch of activities in their ward. This last week we were looking for him, we only had his phone number no address, and his phone was turned off. So friday night we were rushing home from mision correlation at almost 930 and out the blue he came running out of a store Elders! Elders! haha what were the chances we passed him in the street, we realized later that if we hadnt been trying to get home in time we wouldnt have passed this man. But ya we were able to invite him to a mothers day activity saturday, he came and had a good time with all of the old ladys, and also to church yesterday. Right before the 3rd hour, he says to us, hey so whats the process for me to be baptized? Haha golden. This is before we had taught anything. So we taught him about the gospel right there at church, and he was super sincere, he really wants to be baptized and listen no just because he had fun at the activitys. He mentioned a lot about his son, like 1 year old, how he wants to be a good father and whatnot. Real cool dude im greatful we found him. Or he found us I dont know which it is.

But ya nothing else is new I feel like yesterday I said everything. So ya have a real real good week. Love You All.
Elder Crisp


Some pictures of El Recreo, Duran from the roofs of the family from yesterday

May 5th, 2014

"Integrity"

We havent had much progress with investigators this week, primarily our main progressor Diana wasnt able to be married, something with her records i dont know its all confusing here. But shes still super excited and her husband now is preparing to recieve the preisthood so thatll be sweet. Were also teaching to a chick Ana, shes the sister of that man Johnathan preparing for a mission. She doubts a lot but shes getting connected with the YSA and is super excited about that so well see if that helps her. Were also teaching a man, Hector, all of his family are members, he has a son serving in Mexico City. He is super humble and listens and really wants to learn. I guess hes listened to a bunch of missionaries, I dont really know why he hasnt been baptized yet but his wife says hes different now more accepting. So I hope that means were the ones that he needs, cause i would love to see this family connected. Were basically teaching all part member familys right now, but i feel like this is more effective and more joy.

This week in an old liahona a talk from Tad R Callister, about Integrity. He mentions how Joseph Smith throughout the Doctrine and Covenants admitted his weaknesses and his mistakes, how every inquire to the Lord was because of his humility and his honesty that hes weak. He said this proves to us that he wasnt perfect, but also that he had absolutely nothing to hide. His integrity is a testimony that he truly was a prophet not a liar like the world thinks. This talk made me realize that really it is true that integrity is humillity, being true to who you are and being open with your weaknesses. And in Helaman 3:35 that this humillity is what sanctifies us. This is especially important as missionaries, but also in real life being willing to accept council to try to improve is a key part to this life. To being sanctified by the Spirit. It all depends on our disposition to admit mistakes and listen and be humble.

I really do know that Joseph was a prophet and that the book he translated is words of prophets not his own. I know that he did not write a 530 page book, with little education, in a few short months. A book with such deep doctrine, and parables, and clear principles that have changed the lives of millions. That still to this day is being printed and converting people by itself. There is absolutely no way he started all this on his own. The only answer is that he is a true prophet of God and that the book of mormon is true scripture.

Elder Crisp

I ate gusano (worms) yesterday. I know the pics are a little grody.

April 28th, 2014

"The light of the truth"

This week was good, I dont know if you remember about this man Luis Peñafiel the chico that his mom wouldnt let, but ya we finally baptized him this saturday. It was an awesome baptism, haha we picked him up while his family was getting ready so we were just chilling in the church for like 20 minutes, he was super ansy and excited he couldnt sit still. Haha like a little kid. But Dang he bore his testimony after for a good 5 minutes or so, it was super powerful I dont remember much what he said but this little kid has the spirit definitely. Haha I dont want to brag about an 11 year old but ya it was a great baptism service.

One thing I realized is amazing to see this week is changes in people. Were working with a woman Diana, lives united, no more (ha thats what every one calls it when they live together unmarried) but theyre going to get married this thursday and shell be baptized either this saturday or the next. First of all we met her cause her mom is a member but super inactive. Her mom told us that if we came like a month ago Diana wouldnt listen to anything, and never wanted to learn about God. But weve had her in church these past two weeks, yesterday with her husband they were super involved in the gospel principles class and she was full animated. Haha they gave her the gospel princliples book and shes super protective over it wont let her mom touch it. But ya all this desire to learn came from our simple message the first night about how she needs to get married to have a happy family. Its awesome teaching her. The thing is were not gonna baptize her husband. Ha the day after they went to church last week he remembered he was baptized when he was 8...haha. But ya now her mom is all excited to return too, when we came to the house last night she was doing family history and blasting hymns and reading conference talks. I just love to see how us being where God needs us to be can change people super quick and good.

I feel like I have something else to say but I cant remember ha im bad at writing but ya everything is going great. The Spanish is easy now so nothing really is holding me back I have no excuses so Im just gonna go out there and nail it. Everyone out there do the same please.

Love Elder Crisp

April 21st, 2014

The Week Holy (Semana Santa)

This was a great week, it kinda felt like i started my mission over. Elder Terrera knows full ways to find new investigators and use our time best. Its something that I honestly didnt learn much from my trainer, so I think well have a lot of success. This week we put dates on Fabricio, 17, Johnathan, 19, and Ana/Gabriela, 21/29. All of them live with members, so they will all be super firm if we continue with them. There is also a couple we are working with, its kind of funny. Theyre not married, so the first night friday we taught (just to the wife Diana) chastity and matrimony. She said shed talk to the husband about marriage. Saturday we couldnt encounter the husband for the second time, but Sunday they attended church. They both said they really enjoyed it, especially the husband which was interesting. Then we went and talked to Diana in the night and she said theyre gonna get married. So with out us teaching anything really, we have them committed to marriage, which from here is way easier. I think its kind of funny, I feel like we didnt do anything. cause we didnt.

Yesterday was a special conference for all of Ecuador, it was cool Elder Holland and Scott spoke. They were both really good talks, Elder Holland spoke about how to make homes holy places, and Elder Scott talked about the Atonement, really emotional about Christs suffering. Elder Holland spoke in English but bore his testimony in Spanish, and even though he could hardly say anything in Spanish it was way poerful, i Think even more for the people here. Cause usually they dont listen to his voice, its just something about his voice the Spirit hits harder. It was a good conference.

So ya the work is picking back up here in this area, Im loving the mission more than ever and Im really happy to be here. I love teaching people about this gospel, I feels great to know we have the one true church of Jesus Christ and that every day theres the possibility for someone to gain the same faith and knowledge and be in the right path too. Have a good week!

Elder Crisp


My new companion....

April 14th, 2014

So this last week with Elder Le Fevre was pretty good, the previous two weeks our numbers were down with lessons and whatnot, but we were able to teach way more this week. We had two new baptism dates, but they already fell cause they didnt go to church and were super uninterested anyway haha. So ya not much success... But ya I got a new companion today, Elder Terrera from Argentina. He seems way good and has like a year in the mission, and speaks a tiny bit better Spanish than my previous haha so Im looking forward to working and learning from him.

We tried something new to try to find investigators this last week, we took the ward list and went to houses that the names dont sound familiar, and we found a lot of inactives. All of them were inactives actually (besides those who had moved), and had non member family living there too, so it was pretty sweet we have appointments for this week with them, and Im hoping that we can rescue the members and bring their family with them. Kill two stones with one bird. And then baptize the bird.

We had a cool experience last night, we found a lady who hadn´t gone to church for like a year, she was super embarassed cause she attended JWs like twice just to see. And for that she thought she couldnt show her face in the church. Ya but she said that shes been super down lately, and especially that same afternoon I guess there was a lot of fighting between her daughter and her kids (same house), and she had been thinking a lot about how to bring peace back to her life. Obviously us stumbling across her name in the directory was the answer. She knows it was a miracle that we showed up, I think it really touched her that the church "remembered" her, so were gonna get her going back to church, and her non member daughter seems like shell listen too. We have her and a few other part member families that were gonna start working with so were hopeful with them. Ya thats all I got from here, I hope all is well with everyone!

Elder Crisp

Me and my papi who left

April 7th, 2014

So despite what everyone thinks, yes i got to see conference. All of it. Haha wow its way different in Spanish, but I could understand it so it was cool. Some talks I liked was Elder Ballard talked about missionary work, and how all of you guys should be familiar with Preach my Gospel too. He talked about commitments, we as missionaries have to make commitments with every body for them to change. But we can make these commitments personally too, to improve ourselves, like do missionary work on ourselves. President Monson in Preiesthood was powerful, he said we need to have the valor to say absoulutely no to temptaions. Really boldly he said if were in a place we shouldnt be, GET OUT. he said it like 3 times haha. Basically to be the same people in darkness as in the light of day.

President Uchtdorfs talk on gratitud was also sweet, that life is just easier if were grateful-grateful that we can live in neverending joy. Gratitud is a common trait in every Christlike attribute, if were grateful we have everything, and we can trade our tears for happiness with gratitud. Gary Stevenson the bishop I liked he said how those members who were in the olympics. All the athletes train for all that time like 4 years, and all their success depends on 4 minutes of competition. We need to feel the urgency of this "4 minutes" that we have that is life....We have eternity to think about the decisions we made here, so make our luge runs and whatnot worth it haha.

But ya conference was pretty sweet, we invited a bunch of people and they were all excited for it, but no one came, it was a waste of such a good oppurtunity. This week in the mission we have a new rule....We do not baptize 8-13 years olds. Unless their parents baptizes too. And 14-18 years olds we have new rules to make sure they are perfectly prepared to be baptized. I think this is awesome, cause theyre obviously trying to get us to go for full families. Although its really difficult to find good strong familys with fathers ready for the gospel, these are the families that stay strong and are basically gold. So we really only have one focus as a mission now.

We can still baptize our man Luis Peñafiel, cause his mom is a member, he has a date for the 19th, our only date and Im super excited for that causes he way way more than prepared. Were gonna go out there and find some gold families this week. And were not gonna stop looking until we have a family of 13. Have a good week everybody.

Elder Crisp