This week was chill. We were able to go to the temple for a session early in the morning tuesday, the temple is beautiful. President was persistent in getting us to look for how the temple can apply to the mission work. Really theres too many ways to apply what we gain from those ordinances to every person we meet, how thats what we need to have in goal is to be able enter the house of the lord and have those eternal blessings. One thing I was focusing on is the principle of consecration, consecrating all my time and efforts here in the mission. Its a huge promise, and its hard sometimes, but if we cant work that hard for these people how can we expect them to offer their time as members. Thats something we need to remember as members, is to really give all that we can to serve others always.
We started teaching a women this last week, her names maira and shes super cool. Her boyfriend is a less active member (theres a good 20 years between them haha) and theyre living together, but theyre super excited to get married, and shes excited for baptism. The first time we taguht her we gave her a blessing of health at the end...When we came back and asked hows it going with her testimony, she said ya I already have it. She said she knows the preiesthood worked- the day after the blessing, while driving with her mom, a few huge tubes fell off the truck directly in front of her. She said miracously and almost unreal each one dodged the windshield, as she says they could have easily broke through the windshield and killed her. Nothing but her mirror broke. She instantly remember something that was said in the blessing, she told us. That God would be in her path, and nothing bad will come over her or impede her from continuing in her change. Wow that was amazing to here, really it gives me a testimony of how power the preiesthodod with faith can be. Were just waiting to hear when the wedding will be cause its always a pain here.
I found a cool scripture, and its related to something ive been wondering - can God really be saddened or angered or disappointed with all the sins right now. I mean he knew before that itd be like this right, that satan would go crazy and that itd be difficult to believe in him for many. In Moses 7, 26 it talks about how satans got this world by a chain and laughing...and it says in 28 that God see this. And Weeps. I dont know why but that gives me the worst feeling in the world. Our all mighty, loving father weeping because the devil has control over his children. And all that he has to stop that is us, his weak servants right. And it says in 41 that Enoch, his main man, wept with him, his heart was swollen. As he wept with god for his brethren, The lord showed him how the atonement will work with the the people here, and as He says in 44, Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look. The atonement is what gives us all hope that we can stop the heavens from weeping, that pumps me up that I can help god from his despair no. That whole chapters really good.
Have a good week, Im gonna try to too.
Love Elder Crisp
Monday, August 25, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
August 18th, 2014
Acts 2:47, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
The Lord really gave us a great blessing and added a new real great soul to the church.We baptized the main man Antonio this week, it was a super good baptism and he was super prepared for this change. He said when we first talked with him that he feels empty in his life, and he always has this countanance of depressed, but like in the picture he was super happy. Really what converted him is the book of mormon, from the instant we prensented he was excited to read. Ha in the three short weeks weve known him hes read almost to the end of 2 nephi. Hes been asking a lot about mission service too, ha before his baptism he asked if were gonna make him go the week after, but really he has strong desires to serve a mission, Im super excited to hear if he stays with those plans cause already hes got a great testimony.
I dont have that much to say nor time this week forgive me but know that you can make the pathway bright, you know. Every days a journey you know. Gods with us and hes with me and Im super happy for that. I hope that each one of you have a great week.
Elder Crisp
The Lord really gave us a great blessing and added a new real great soul to the church.We baptized the main man Antonio this week, it was a super good baptism and he was super prepared for this change. He said when we first talked with him that he feels empty in his life, and he always has this countanance of depressed, but like in the picture he was super happy. Really what converted him is the book of mormon, from the instant we prensented he was excited to read. Ha in the three short weeks weve known him hes read almost to the end of 2 nephi. Hes been asking a lot about mission service too, ha before his baptism he asked if were gonna make him go the week after, but really he has strong desires to serve a mission, Im super excited to hear if he stays with those plans cause already hes got a great testimony.
I dont have that much to say nor time this week forgive me but know that you can make the pathway bright, you know. Every days a journey you know. Gods with us and hes with me and Im super happy for that. I hope that each one of you have a great week.
Elder Crisp
August 11th, 2014
Its been interesting this week, President put as a new indicator that we need to have 10 efficient contacts everyday, like contacts that want us to come back and listen and can progress. It doesnt seem that much but really its super great cause it forces us to work 100% more efficitent with time and harder. That and every wednesday now we have something called fishing day - were not allowed to have any appointments in our plans, we spend the whole day looking for new people. Its interesting but itll help i hope to have a lot more families to teach.
One cool experience we had was with an investigator Christian who weve had for a few weeks. Hes had quite a few doubts about leaving the catholic church, and hes been having some problems with his woman and for that he hasnt been in the mood really to listen. We asked him (and I realized it was inspired after) how has he felt the love of God in his life. He said theres a little park that he was at one time, super drunk, he didnt think he could make it home but after praying randomly his friend showed up and took him to his house, says that saved his life. So he has good memories of that park. We told him to go there to that park right after we leave to pray more sincerely than ever to know if this church is true. He told us the day after that he actually prayed for two things - the church and for his girlfriend to come back to him haha. He told us right after he finished the prayer, she called. That was his answer that hes doing the right thing changing, that these problems with her was for God to tell him to do something. Haha an interesting way to get the answer but hes once again wanting to be baptized. The problem is he didnt come to church yesterday, so he wont be baptized for at least one week more.
Other than that we havent had much, we met a bunch of new people this week, but problems with the sabbath or with desires to marriage have kept us from helping them to progress. One lady we met saturday her name is Tatiana is super super prepared. When we described the Joseph smith story she said THATS EXACTLY ME. Ha her parents are catholic, she has evangelist brothers, one Adventist, everyones in different churches and she says why does it have to be this way. So shes super pumped to read the Book of Mormon to fill her emptyness she says with the truth. She and her husband have been trying to get marryed for a couple years, theres problems cause they moved here from spain and this country doesnt know how to file documents, but we have faith with her, Shes super happy to be listening. Well have the main man Anthony baptized this saturday, ha we asked how he feels for his baptism and he says impatient. Ha Im super happy with what we have right now.
With Love
Elder Crisp
One cool experience we had was with an investigator Christian who weve had for a few weeks. Hes had quite a few doubts about leaving the catholic church, and hes been having some problems with his woman and for that he hasnt been in the mood really to listen. We asked him (and I realized it was inspired after) how has he felt the love of God in his life. He said theres a little park that he was at one time, super drunk, he didnt think he could make it home but after praying randomly his friend showed up and took him to his house, says that saved his life. So he has good memories of that park. We told him to go there to that park right after we leave to pray more sincerely than ever to know if this church is true. He told us the day after that he actually prayed for two things - the church and for his girlfriend to come back to him haha. He told us right after he finished the prayer, she called. That was his answer that hes doing the right thing changing, that these problems with her was for God to tell him to do something. Haha an interesting way to get the answer but hes once again wanting to be baptized. The problem is he didnt come to church yesterday, so he wont be baptized for at least one week more.
Other than that we havent had much, we met a bunch of new people this week, but problems with the sabbath or with desires to marriage have kept us from helping them to progress. One lady we met saturday her name is Tatiana is super super prepared. When we described the Joseph smith story she said THATS EXACTLY ME. Ha her parents are catholic, she has evangelist brothers, one Adventist, everyones in different churches and she says why does it have to be this way. So shes super pumped to read the Book of Mormon to fill her emptyness she says with the truth. She and her husband have been trying to get marryed for a couple years, theres problems cause they moved here from spain and this country doesnt know how to file documents, but we have faith with her, Shes super happy to be listening. Well have the main man Anthony baptized this saturday, ha we asked how he feels for his baptism and he says impatient. Ha Im super happy with what we have right now.
With Love
Elder Crisp
Monday, August 4, 2014
August 4th, 2014
Things went well this week, first we had a little training thing from President, he does a lot of these but this was specifically for new missionaries. Leanred about about basic teaching principles, and something he told us that stuck was "Maybe we cant do everything that Jesus Christ did, But we can do everything we do, like he would". If Jesus were a missionary nowadays I think hed be a little bit better than I am. I want to strive to be an exact representation of him in lessons. Its a high mango as they say here but its my goal.
We were also permitted to go to the temple with the ward, its the 15 year annivesary of the guayaquil temple right now. So that was super cool, it was my first time here going, we got to help out with the ordinances and some new converts do their own names. That was super sweet to see them enjoy doing the work even though all of this is brand new to them. It was a super beautiful night.
We met a new investigator named Antonio hes 19 and super cool. He doesnt go to church but likes to study the bible so hes got a bunch of interesting questions. When we started to teach him, we were about to start about the restoration, but he asked "How does one join your church". So we went straight to the gospel of christ to give him his answer, and he accepted to be baptized the 16th. He came to church yesterday and liked it, he was participating in Elders Quorum so it was cool. Yesterday we taught him the restoration, and he had doubts about almost every part, but after he asked his sincere questions he was basically like that makes so much sense. And especially about the book of mormon, he was super critical at first but by the end he was super animated to read it.
I really liked chapter 13 of Nephi I read this week. Its basically about the Apostasy that would come, how the devil would change everything and confuse everyone. The verse 32 is a good promise though.
Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall foreverremain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest theyare in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel ofthe Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church,whose formation thou hast seen.
We need not remain in this blindless, its such a blessing that we have these PLAIN and precious things right their in the book of mormon. Its so plain for us, we dont need to interpret it like every feels they need to do with the bible. People who are really searching for the truth have it right there. The main man Antonio for example, who is an honest seeker of the truth and knowledge, now can open their eyes thanks to this promise of God. How beautiful is that.
I want you all to know that even though you get to go to dodger games and to the beach and what not, I really dont miss any of that at all. Ha just kidding it kills me to see all of your freaking pictures. Ha but seriously Im super happy being here and to see that youre all happy wasting your time with worldly things. Que pasen muyy buena semana chaoooooo
Elder Crisp
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We were also permitted to go to the temple with the ward, its the 15 year annivesary of the guayaquil temple right now. So that was super cool, it was my first time here going, we got to help out with the ordinances and some new converts do their own names. That was super sweet to see them enjoy doing the work even though all of this is brand new to them. It was a super beautiful night.
We met a new investigator named Antonio hes 19 and super cool. He doesnt go to church but likes to study the bible so hes got a bunch of interesting questions. When we started to teach him, we were about to start about the restoration, but he asked "How does one join your church". So we went straight to the gospel of christ to give him his answer, and he accepted to be baptized the 16th. He came to church yesterday and liked it, he was participating in Elders Quorum so it was cool. Yesterday we taught him the restoration, and he had doubts about almost every part, but after he asked his sincere questions he was basically like that makes so much sense. And especially about the book of mormon, he was super critical at first but by the end he was super animated to read it.
I really liked chapter 13 of Nephi I read this week. Its basically about the Apostasy that would come, how the devil would change everything and confuse everyone. The verse 32 is a good promise though.
Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall foreverremain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest theyare in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel ofthe Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church,whose formation thou hast seen.
We need not remain in this blindless, its such a blessing that we have these PLAIN and precious things right their in the book of mormon. Its so plain for us, we dont need to interpret it like every feels they need to do with the bible. People who are really searching for the truth have it right there. The main man Antonio for example, who is an honest seeker of the truth and knowledge, now can open their eyes thanks to this promise of God. How beautiful is that.
I want you all to know that even though you get to go to dodger games and to the beach and what not, I really dont miss any of that at all. Ha just kidding it kills me to see all of your freaking pictures. Ha but seriously Im super happy being here and to see that youre all happy wasting your time with worldly things. Que pasen muyy buena semana chaoooooo
Elder Crisp
Monday, July 28, 2014
July 28th, 2014
This week was pretty interesting - we didnt have one day where we could work the whole day, it was kind of frustrating. One of my zone leaders got super sick, from tuesday to thursday we were on exchanges running around to be able to work in our area and thieres a little bit. So its been difficult trying to find new people to teach, but this week I have seen a huge change in one investigator. myself. Really I have felt more closer to Christ this week than never before, and I feel a lot more happier and immursed in the work. Im super greatful for the challenges I have right now they are not that bad but they have molded me and pushed me up a lot and I feel a lot better and secure with myself as a missionary right now.
Thursday. we had a little training thing from President, he started sharing from matthew 10, about following Christ- chapter 10 is loaded with good stuff I recieved a bunch of revelation that I completely overlooked before. In verse 37 and 38 it says basically he that loveth his family, or his life, more than Christ is not worthy of him, neither if we dont take up our cross. Look at that with Matthew 4:22 - Christ called his disciples, they immediately left their job, their family, their life to follow this stranger. Thats a huge example of faith and obedience - if I as a missionary expect investigadors to leave their familys traditions to follow us to Christ, I too need to take up my cross no. Give everything to him, drop my nets, drop every desire every ounce of worldliness behind. Its hard but thats really what he expects of each and everyone of us. To immediately follow him. with faith. with diligence. with whole heartedness.
I gotta tell you that friday we had a stake mission activity, a talent show thing, our ward did a play of the Prodigal son, haha I dont know how but I got cast last second as the adopted albino brother of the Prodigal son haha I dressed up as Alfalfa. Im sorry that Im staining the family name down here.
We had a super good baptism, the main man Emilio (I said he was 70 cause i thought he was, but really hes 60- he shaved his Grizzly Adams beard and lost about 15 years). He was super happy the whole service and the spirit was super strong. It was funny, hes one of those super calm people, and super timid, but when he came to church yesterday for his confirmation, he was running around greeting everybody haha he just opened up to everybody. So that really was the highlight of the week is the main man Emilio. Besides that we couldnt accomplish much, but I am super happy and content right now.
Elder Crisp
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Thursday. we had a little training thing from President, he started sharing from matthew 10, about following Christ- chapter 10 is loaded with good stuff I recieved a bunch of revelation that I completely overlooked before. In verse 37 and 38 it says basically he that loveth his family, or his life, more than Christ is not worthy of him, neither if we dont take up our cross. Look at that with Matthew 4:22 - Christ called his disciples, they immediately left their job, their family, their life to follow this stranger. Thats a huge example of faith and obedience - if I as a missionary expect investigadors to leave their familys traditions to follow us to Christ, I too need to take up my cross no. Give everything to him, drop my nets, drop every desire every ounce of worldliness behind. Its hard but thats really what he expects of each and everyone of us. To immediately follow him. with faith. with diligence. with whole heartedness.
I gotta tell you that friday we had a stake mission activity, a talent show thing, our ward did a play of the Prodigal son, haha I dont know how but I got cast last second as the adopted albino brother of the Prodigal son haha I dressed up as Alfalfa. Im sorry that Im staining the family name down here.
We had a super good baptism, the main man Emilio (I said he was 70 cause i thought he was, but really hes 60- he shaved his Grizzly Adams beard and lost about 15 years). He was super happy the whole service and the spirit was super strong. It was funny, hes one of those super calm people, and super timid, but when he came to church yesterday for his confirmation, he was running around greeting everybody haha he just opened up to everybody. So that really was the highlight of the week is the main man Emilio. Besides that we couldnt accomplish much, but I am super happy and content right now.
Elder Crisp
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
July 7th, 2014
It was wierd no one here celebrated our independence day....but ya it was a good week. Right now we only have a few investigators, ones a little girl Korina whos grandma and brother are members, shes super excited for baptism. And the others name is Emelio in his 70s. I think he was a drunk all of his life, his mind isnt all there, but he listens really well and really does have good faith. So apart from them two we dont have much, something Ive realized is that here everyones really old...theyre in that stage where nothing matters haha so its a little funny trying to work with them but at the same time not that progressive. So really my focus has turned to reactivating less actives, I really now see the effect that has on people is seeing someone come to their door worried for them. We now have a couple of them coming to church, from more than anything just seeing that somebody remembers them. So do your home and visiting teaching every month every single one youre assigned to.
We had a good training from the new president (thats crazy that dad knows him!), hes a super good teacher obviously, gave us a b unch of good tips about finding the "chosen". To not waste a bunch of time and help those who are really ready for this gospel. He also talked about being edifying to the people. In d&C 50 22, It says that which doth noth edify is not of god, and is darkness. Everything we do as missionarys (and people) needs to be to build those around us up, or else we are doing something dark. It was really good the whole thing, Hes super energetic and cool im excited. So ya do your home teaching and be edifying in every place you go.
With love
Elder Crisp
We had a good training from the new president (thats crazy that dad knows him!), hes a super good teacher obviously, gave us a b unch of good tips about finding the "chosen". To not waste a bunch of time and help those who are really ready for this gospel. He also talked about being edifying to the people. In d&C 50 22, It says that which doth noth edify is not of god, and is darkness. Everything we do as missionarys (and people) needs to be to build those around us up, or else we are doing something dark. It was really good the whole thing, Hes super energetic and cool im excited. So ya do your home teaching and be edifying in every place you go.
With love
Elder Crisp
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
June 30th, 2014
This week President Amayas mission ended, its been kinda wierd it was like the pope died. Now we have an American, he was a professor of religion at BYUI, im ecited to meet him. We had like a good bye zone conference to PRes Amaya, He told us a lot of good things, one thing that stuck with me is that a sister in the mission asked him the other day what class of missionary am I. He had to think for a while, but his response was that you are the class of missionary that you believe yourself to be. It made me think about if Im really the missionary I want to be, or that I should be. Some missionarys do all of these things just to look good to others, but really i Realized the only thing that matters if were making our ownselves proud and obviously God too.
Weve been stressing ourselves to really find people by the spirit, not just talking to whoever but contacting those who we are led to. Its been interesting and weve had some good conversations, a lot better than those when were just going through the motions with contacting. The thing i realized is that none of the people that I have taught that were baptized, were found through contacting, theyve all been from members. Which isnt a bad thing, but it means that there has been people Ive missed, thats unacceptable to me. ha.
Last night, the parents of Lucho, an investigator of ours who is still waiting for a interview for baptism from president, invited us for dinner and it was really neat. They are super duper Christians. I say christians cause i dont know what theyd be called in america, Here theyre called Evangelicos which would mean gospelists. So ya they were telling us about how theyre son was converted with the BoM. That it was day and night, he woke up after having read the BoM and was a completely new person. They said that they know it has to be the word of God, We have to have been sent from God for him to be converted. Cause really he already is converted. We found out he has been holding FHE with his parents to read the BoM with them. the only problem is they cant accept that theyre pastor isnt a prophet, they "cant" leave their church. But I can see that they are slowing being worked on by the SPirit and the whole family will come around.
Thats just a small testimony of how powerful that book is. I truly now see that its true that it brings people closer to god than any other. It cant be denied if it is read with an open heart. It came straight from God, and there is nothing more important on earth if one wants to be brought to a true testimony of how to gain salvation.
Con Amor,
Elder Crisp
With the zone and Pres sist Amaya
Check out my awkward pose trying to aviod contact with the sister
Weve been stressing ourselves to really find people by the spirit, not just talking to whoever but contacting those who we are led to. Its been interesting and weve had some good conversations, a lot better than those when were just going through the motions with contacting. The thing i realized is that none of the people that I have taught that were baptized, were found through contacting, theyve all been from members. Which isnt a bad thing, but it means that there has been people Ive missed, thats unacceptable to me. ha.
Last night, the parents of Lucho, an investigator of ours who is still waiting for a interview for baptism from president, invited us for dinner and it was really neat. They are super duper Christians. I say christians cause i dont know what theyd be called in america, Here theyre called Evangelicos which would mean gospelists. So ya they were telling us about how theyre son was converted with the BoM. That it was day and night, he woke up after having read the BoM and was a completely new person. They said that they know it has to be the word of God, We have to have been sent from God for him to be converted. Cause really he already is converted. We found out he has been holding FHE with his parents to read the BoM with them. the only problem is they cant accept that theyre pastor isnt a prophet, they "cant" leave their church. But I can see that they are slowing being worked on by the SPirit and the whole family will come around.
Thats just a small testimony of how powerful that book is. I truly now see that its true that it brings people closer to god than any other. It cant be denied if it is read with an open heart. It came straight from God, and there is nothing more important on earth if one wants to be brought to a true testimony of how to gain salvation.
Con Amor,
Elder Crisp
With the zone and Pres sist Amaya
Check out my awkward pose trying to aviod contact with the sister
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