January 26th, 2015

It was another good week, I didnt have any kidney stones so that was good. We continue in this struggle to find families who are married or at least want to get married. Its amazing how difficult it is. Like I was saying we have one family the fam Sandoval who are married but not happily. Satans definitely winning the battle there, they fight a lot and the husbands a little bit lazy...the wife Siria said shes completely given up on him, she doesnt love him. Its really sad but she at least is really committed and willing to be follow Christ. Her and 2 of her kids came to church and shes really happy there, well see if this or the next week shell be baptized with those two.
Apart from that we still have Ruth. Shes super great, we gained a lot of trust with her this week and she opened up, everything from her past. She had been involved in a super bad drunk driving accident and almost died. I thought before she had had a stroke cause half her face is disfigured but its because of that accident. So she was living up in Quito, she had been down about some stuff in her life, and a good friend of hers told her theres some light at the end of the tunnel that you can find. And that inspired her to move back here, 3 months ago. She said when we contacted she felt that that was the light she wanted....after the first lesson we had she called that friend from quito, said 'hey so Im listening to these two mormon boys and I feel really good and I feel like this is the light you told me about, theyre talking about baptism, what do you think' the friend was like are you dumb, Yes get baptized! That was a super sweet story to hear, and really I know she was chosen and we were led there. The thing is I think she has some people trying to influence her away right now, she has a mom and sister involved with another church. We were able to see her the last 3 days of the week, and she couldnt come to church. She needs a lot of prayers, shes way to golden to be led away like that. But ya weve got some really cool investigators for right now.

Sorry I still dont got pictures cause my camara cord was left in my last house, its now in the hands of the mission pouch system which is by no means reliable so well see if ill ever have it. And just so you guys know how bad I am at making decisions my toe still isnt doing that great and I played soccer with it today. You stay classy San Diego


Elder Crisp

January 19th, 2015

Its been a real good first week here in Ventanas. The branch here is a lot bigger than before, it makes it a lot easier to work with members. I just came from the smallest branch in the mission in Simon, so I feel like the whole work has changed a bunch. So we have quite a few investigators, they came to church with us. One her name is ruth, shes like 30 but looks like shes 50 cause Im pretty sure she had a stroke. Its kind of sad, shes raising two kids by herself with a bunch of health problems, and she really needs the help of the gospel. It was cool we met her contacting, contacts for me never end up working out, even coming to church, but she came and she said she really enjoyed it. Another is a family that were former investigators, the family Sandoval....for now theyre prepping for baptism at the beginning of february, but theyre super excited and also need a lot of help in their home, in their relationship.

An interesting thought that Ive had on my mind is about our view of sin. President Riggins always teaches us the scripture from Hebrews 1:8-9, that Christ was chosen because He Loved Righteousness, and Hated Iniquity. Well ya here in this city that I just started in, every single kid has this stupid toy thing its two plastic balls connected by a string, and you swing it up and down and they clack clack clack really really loud and they never stop doing it. At any given time in any given street theres 4 or 5 doing it. It is the most obnoxious and pointless thing ive seen in my life and this whole week ive been so frustrated about the amount of noise that ive had urges to go to every youth here and take it away and tell them how annoying it is. and then it hit me...why dont i feel so strongly and so annoyed about all the unmarried people living together here, seriously like 1 in 20 is married. Why dont I get that upset that people just sit on their porch and drink all day. Why doesnt it kill me so bad that people have to live without the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that I just want to run around all day trying to get every last one to stop living in apostasy. Really it should bug us that people dont have this gospel. I realized Hating Iniquity at the level of the Savior would probably be something like my disgust for these toys, I should probably change my focus this next week haha.

Thats just a little thought I had, a scripture I read that I liked gives us a warning today about the same thing, about sin and righteousness and how it affects all. in Alma 3
10 ; andthe wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to thosewho did not belong to the church; and thus the church began tofail in its progress.

The wickedness it talks of here is more pride (theres a super dope talk from President Bensen called Beward of Pride you should listen to it) but really any form of iniquity is what brings not just us down but the church. Love Righteousness



Elder Crisp

January 12th, 2015

This last week was one of the most satisfying weeks in a while...we had quite a new investigators and people really starting to progress. We had the Plazarte family of 4, it was that referal julia from last week, come to church with us, they loved it. They are super excited for baptism at the end of the month. Theyre way pumped for the stake conference this next week for the Milagro stake, a really great family. The only problem is is that I will not be working with that family or anybody else that we just met in Simon Bolivar, because I had transfers today....a huge bummer but now Im in a place called Ventanas. my comp is Nicaraguan hes name is Elder Gonzalez.

I honestly was pretty upset last night, I was really looking forward to keep working with the family Plazarte, finally we had somebody! After all the hard work we had it was kinda disappointing to not be able to keep going with it. I was telling myself all last night and today, Not my will, but thine be done. Cause the hardest part about the mission is having transfers. I guess its pride that makes me want to stay but either way im excited to start work here in ventanas....its kind of small, another branch, I havent seen too much of it yet but theres a ton of people that are super willing to be baptized. They just dont know it yet....so ya I dont have tons of time but this was more just to keep you updated. This week i complete a year here in ecudor! its pretty crazy but i think its growing on me a little bit, this country. To celebrate this milestone, Im going to eat a lot of rice this week. Just like ive been doing for a year. You guys can joing me in that as well.


Elder Crisp

January 5th, 2015

It was a pretty eventful week, I had this ingrown toenail thing for over a month and i finally got it taken out. It was a super spiritual moment. No but ive been walking around in flip flops for a week now. It was really good timing, cause even though i couldnt really go out in the middle of the week, nobody was doing anything here but drinking or blowing things up or being on vacation. New years night was completely loca....over there we just shoot off poppers from 12:00 to 12:05. Here from 10pm till 3 am they were lighting all sorts of stuff up. So News years day was completely dead. So we started work again on friday, and that day me and E Jensen decided to just do a revolution of the work here. We set super straight goals about how we would find new people to teach, how we would work with them, how we would only work with those willing to change. Cause these past few weeks really weve had little output of our efforts.

Our plans and goals were super successful, we contacted and taught quite a few new people, and got a super good referal, a woman named Julia who just adopted 3 grandkids who were mistreated. We only talked a little bit with her last night, but she accepted to be baptized and is super ready to learn. That referral pumped us up a bunch, it was the best Ive felt in a while. In just 3 days we turned this area from being honestly pathetic, just us playing hide and go seek every day with people who dont want to learn, to now having a good list of people who actualy want to learn. Even though we didnt log that many hours we changed a lot and i feel really satisfied.

I was listening to Remember lots wife, a devotional from Elder Holland that talks a lot about making new starts, just looking forward as the title implies. And there was a line he says that stands out a lot as a lesson that i think applies to everybody whos living...
When something is over and done with, when it has been repented of as fully as it can be repented of, when life has moved on as it should and a lot of other wonderfully good things have happened since then, it is notright to go back and open up some ancient wound that the Son of God Himself died trying to heal.

Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Is that faith? Yes! Is that hope? Yes! Is it charity? Yes! Above all, it is charity, the pure love of Christ.

I recommend that talk to anybody at any point in their life. He says that line directed also to people individually...to just move on with life, keeping the hope and vision up high. Not to impede the atonement by being miserable. Christ made that atonement so that we can be happy even if we are miserable people, or make miserable choices. Thats it just keep moving forward. Q tengan muy buena semana pibes.

Elder Crisp


Pics-
1. This is a huge paper mache thing called monigotes, they burn them for new years
2. Me and my little friend from inside of my toe
3. The one photo explanation of Ecuador on New years day

December 22nd, 2014

Ima be quick again since well be talking this week, but it was a fun week. We had a christmas performance activity from all the missionaries from this stake (Milagro- theres 38 missionaries just in this stake) for all the members and investigators, our zone did a play about an Elder Scrooge, it was really funny im gonna try to get a copy of the video and give it to you. And we also sang a bunch of christmas hymns with scriptures, it was a really good night and i got to see a few of the converts from Bellavista, like the main man Mayra who we helped to get married and baptized right before l left that area, whos now pregnant so that was some interesting news. Ya but christmas is seriously the best, even though i dont feel anything like christmas over there, Im super happy and excited, I cant really comprehend how great is that love of god that entered into this world, that true gift that is Christ...he is the king of all kings, èven though he was a poor, born in the stable. He is our salvation. Im honored to be able share that right now. It was nice to share that with the stake that spirit.

A cute little story we had this week, we were trying to help an old man who was super afflicted, he needed food, and a priesthood blessing. And as were trying to help this poor man, a gnarly bible thumper lady came up just to start yelling at us, completely ruined everything we were trying to help the man understand. She was convinced that that man was already saved cause he went to their temple. I was even delighted to hear that she and her church were praying specifically for us to find the path of christ, how sweet is that, cause were tricked by the lies of men she says. It was so difficult to bite my tongue mostly because we were just trying to peacefully help a man nothing more. I really realized the importance of staying christlike as a representative of him, cause in the end despite what they know this is the trute gospel. true gospel in the end brings eternal life, that eternal life is knowing the father. Since Christ was also accused of teaching doctrines not true, he gave the way to know in john7.

 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Its simply to do gods will, and try to apply it, which is hard to do when youre yelling, but we as members need then to match the message and share it with love. Anybody willing to know will know, thats a promise. It was a neat little experience, I learned from it. But ya thats basically all thats happening. Im super pumped to talk thursday!. Till then.
Elder Crisp

December 8th, 2014

I cant believe I already passed the one year point this last week, Its been an awesome year and Im super excited for this next one. I was reflecting on what Ive learned this last year, what Ive developed, and whatnot. One that was on my mind was goal setting, besides just the numbers the personal goals to improve. I have learned the importance of being eager to set goals and complete them. And I was studying a conference talk from the Liahona from Quentin l Cook, Choose Wisely, about setting the goals that are the best for us. Choosing what is gonna make us a better person. He explains how a not bad decision isnt equal to a not harmful decision, to really step and look where were going. And theres not any excuse we can make for not getting there, we cant self justify and make excuses to ourselves for not fulfulling what we want to be. Its a super good talk, everyone should read it, Im definitely gonna keep trying to apply that while im here cause its true what everyone says time is really short. I love what Iv learned so far, I love to read and study the scriptures now, I have a testimony of this church and of Jesus Christ that I could never have been able to gain outside of here.


Elder Juan Uceda from the 70, the area president, came to our zone conference this last week, and man it was super good. I always underestimated seventies, but he is super powerful and really is a true witness of Christ, he has one of the most calmest but impactful voices Ive heard. He talked to us about. He says the repentance is a principle of perfection- it is sweet he says. That there is no exalted being that is disobedient, if thats what we want, to be exalted, we need to learn to be exactly obendient, thats not just a principle of the mission but life. President Riggins shared about how DC4 was not revealed about mission service, but service in general. So in any form of service we are in, in the church, or even family relationships, we need to be 100% committed....serve with all our heart might mind and strength, eye single to the glory of God. Like in the lamb sacrifices in moses times, if they didnt burn every thing it was worthless to kill the animal. Ha so we need to always burn, sacrifice ourselves completely to the lord, or others when we are in service. Elder Uceda shared a lot with us it was a bomb conference and I know without a doubt that he is called of God.


To close another scripture Elder Uceda shared...Nephi 14
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed withrighteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

We as members in these days can be armed with that power and glory and righteousness.



Elder Crisp

December 1st, 2014

We had a new convert this week his name is Jaime hes 45. Hes really cool, really really humble. Hes got epilexia, sometimes has really bad attacks when the moons full, so his brain is kind of shaken from that. He wasnt the easiest person to teach cause he didnt understand very well but he was so sure of what he was doing, and so ready....Right after his baptism he said very calmly, Im content to have given myself to the Lord, I know Im now in his road. It was really powerful his baptism. All he wants to do now is learn more and serve in the church, I know its gonna help him a lot, especially having the Spirit with him. His desire to come to churhc is surprising to us, he lives way out into the fields, like an hour traveling. But hed be ready, waiting, calling the family that he went with like 2 hours early its kind of funny. Hes a super good convert.

This was a good lesson to me about being patient, accepting the will of the lord for us...we worked super hard to finally get something here, and all that payed off cause the lord blessed us with an awesome convert, and a few awesome families this last week. I really hope we can help these people to "feel the christmas spirit" like everyone always cheesily says haha, no but really come to christ cause i know they are blessings from the lord that weve met them. I know that this is His work and that he really can do what he wants with us if were just diligent and patient. I love seeing these blessings come into others lives from the restored gospel. Its a lot of work on our parts, sometimes on theirs, but its so worth it cause its so true and eternal, and thats why its easy to serve a mission.




my semi american thanksgiving meal