September 28th, 2015

This week was most excellent, we had miracle after miracle happen. It was pretty wild, and we had a lot of help from fasting yesterday with investigators. And we also went to Guayaquil thursday for a training with an area seventy Elder Calderon, it was one of the best conferences Ive had in the mission. I had a little bit of personal revelation right before we started, I opened my scriptures to Mormon 1, and reading from verse 15 he says that he, being somewhat of a sober mind, was visited by the Lord, and tasted and knew of Jesus. In spanish it says "serious" instead of sober, so I took that in that moment that to be "visited by the Lord" we must be serious by nature. Thats something that Im not as everybody knows, but I am a little better now haha. But after noting that, in the 4 hours Elder Calderon talked to us, he mentioned various times being serious. Making all life decisions with seriousness and circumspection. Treating every moment as a missionary seriously. Not being boring in life but taking life seriously. Hes a serious person Elder Calderon but hes still one of the funniest and most animated people Ive ever met, but he still teaches really effectively, he really pumped me up for the rest of my mission. More than anything to keep working and suffering and sacrificing. Because thats how we come to know the Lord, through passings through trials.

So with some of the investigators we have, the spirit definitely was present. We have been teaching a family, the Pita family, who is a single mother and her two kids. They have been listening for a while, and have read a bunch from the Book of Mormon, and have progressed a bunch, but had always had an excuse Sunday in the morning. Well in the middle of the week she told us something that had happened the night before, she was in bed and felt like someone sat down at the foot of her bed. She didnt see anyone but felt the words in her mind 'Im waiting for you at my church'. She told us that she took that as a machete for not applying what weve told her, which she does recognize as the Lords church. She and her family came to church.

Another was a man Jhon Suarez, hes the husband of a less active member were working with. Theyve been married for 21 years, the wifes been a member on and off with activity all her life, and he has never stepped foot in a church building. Hes a tiny bit hard of heart. This week we were teaching him and we got down on our knees to have him pray for an answer if what he had read so far in the Book of Mormon is true (he had read quite a bit). He prayed, he asked, and he stayed kneeling with his eyes closed for 3 or 4 minutes. He opened his eyes, we asked what he felt, and he said he felt an unexplainable peace. We asked what he would do with that answer. He said 'That covenant you guys are talking about'. He also came to church. It was a miraculous week with investigators, I know without a doubt God is guiding us, and that our fast worked.

I feel so greatful to be here as a missionary. Its all true. Everything. All of its true.


Love Elder Crisp

September 14th, 2015

I feel really good here in Duran, we've had a really good time this week talking with everybody here. Whats intersting about this mission is that even though by distance its not that big, only about 4 hours from one limit to the other, there is a notable difference in the people in every place ive been. Im super close to my first ward so ill prolly be going over there for exchanges. The people here are way super open to us, they remind me a lot of my first sector, i think i took that for granted when i was just starting the mission, talking like i had a sock in my mouth. So I enjoyed meeting a bunch of people this week, weve taught a lot, theres a bunch of member families that are incomplete.


A huge impression I had while teaching the plan of salvation a couple times was how clear and logical and perfect it is. All the principles, about the creation, the fall, the atonement, and judgement, are not at all new to me, but as we explained them to a family of less actives and a family of investigators there were some points that just clicked if that makes sense. But ya Christs suffering doesnt purify us against our will. His pronouncement 'Here I am, send me' wasnt the end. The way to our agency and personal accountablility to accept the atonement is to make and keep covenants with the lord, nothing more. God put the authority to do so in His church. So trying some other way doesnt work any better than trying to ressurrect our own dead bodies. Trying to repent without making or renewing a covenant doesnt work. or making some church in your garage doesnt work. There wont be any excuse good enough for coming up short when we are taken before God. Im grateful for the knowledge and testimony that God has given me of His Son, His plan, and His truth. I love you all,

Elder Crisp

September 7th, 2015

I was transfered this morning to the same city where I started my mission, Duran. Im way excited to get to work here, the wards called Los Cerezos. My companion is Elder Brown hes from Chandler Arizona, were gonna kill it here together. This is probly my last ward so Im really really feeling the urgency to give it my all...the mission can be like a race, but its not a 100m where you sprint for 15 seconds and your good to go, nor is it a marathon where you pace yourself and slow down sometimes to be able to be consistent. No you have to sprint all 26 miles. I dont think Ive completely done that all my mission, but Im gonna sprint non stop till the end. Im gonna make this time count more than any other in my mission. I love the fact that this message is for all, anybody can recieve it. Anybody who is willing to listen and humble to recieve Gods help were gonna find them.


3 Nephi 9:13 O all ye that are spared because ye were morerighteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, andrepent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me yeshall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy isextended towards you, and whosoever will come, him willI receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.


I love this mission, I love Christ and what he did for us, I love the church he established.


Love, Elder Crisp

August 31st, 2015

Todo posi here, you ask how the work is going here, well its going here. We inherited a super tight investigator and he celebrated his 64th birthday the first day we taught him his names Galo AKA Barba Rusa (russian beard). Hes quite the G, and hes got a little hand with his bone sticking out its pretty cool, and hes way pilas he understands a bunch and is progressing well he ha come to church. And we did a fast with moises and gabriela and lourdes bastidas, that went well. We have met and taught some reallycool people this week too. We working way hard to help them to keep their commitments, and come unto christ. I sincerely love doing that work
A scripture that hit me: helaman 15

1 And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare untoyou that except ye shall repent your houses shall be leftunto you desolate.
2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have greatcause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for yeshall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge;yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shallbe heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be troddendown and shall be left to perish.
3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people except they shall repent, when they shall see allthese signs and wonders which shall be showed untothem; for behold, they have been a chosen people of theLord; yea, the people hath he loved, and alsohath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquitieshath he chastened them because he loveth them.

I know that God truly does love us, every thing that he does, whether it seems good or bad to us, is out of love. con amor,
elder Crisp

August 24th, 2015

What it do. All is well out here, were thrusting that sickle you feel me, making it happen. its been kinda frustrating but kinda funny with the dad of the bastidas family, hes been getting in the way of the family progression....he pulled the "catholic card" which is to just say "Im catholic" to avoid having to do anything. His wife wants to get baptized but they need to get married, but he says "im catholic, I cant". I think you can do that with about anything. "Mom, I cant do the dishes, im Catholic".But ya saturday night we talked with him and had literally the most rediculous conversation Ive ever heard in my life. He says, Im gonna be sincere, Ive tried to accept what you guys teach, but its not staying in my mind. When I think of "Dioscito" (Like to say my little buddy God) all that comes to my mind is Moses. I can only believe in Moses, thats what ive been taught, thats why I named my son Moises. No matter what I try I cant put the name Smith instead of Moses. Haha it was the strangest doubt ive seen. We helped him to realize that hes super foolish, that if thats really the case then he should consider turning Jewish. That nobody ever told him to try to put any name in his head besides Christ. That led us to share the scriptue from john 14 that says he is the way, the light and the life and the truth something like that. The man realized that ya he should strive to follow christ and it led perfectly to the scriptue from 2 nephi 31 that says can we follow christ unless were willing to keep his commandments. The whole family says yes that want to, but its kinda difficult to help them to have that stick in their mind. They go to church, all but the dad, so I feel like the whole theme of my time in this sector is that Mens hearts are failing them, Ive taught super good families, but havent been able to help them keep progressing thanks to the fathers of the families being apathetic about anything to do with responsablitity. So with Pedro all I want is to not lose him nor his family cause theyre way super dope, were trying to teach like what Pres. Marion Romney said, not just so they understand, but so that theres no way they can misunderstand.
I was listening to a talk from President Nelson called let your faith show, and he talks a little about how we need to be sincere always. He says how there should be no such thing as "my private life" or "my best behaviour". He says "If one trys to segment his life into seperate compartments, hell never rise to the full stature of his integrity. Never to become all that his true self could be." That is definitely something that I for one have had to foucs on, is being the same person in all places, I think we all can. Not at all was I good at that before my mission, but really its easy to see how much more chipper it is to live being who you are always if that makes sense. Theres no way to share the gospel if we have to seperate our life into compartments depending in who we are.

Lets go get em at school, leaving on the mission, at work. This week is pretty exciting no, Im way pumped to see my little Ben leave, enjoy your last week haha. Have a good one all.
Elder Crisp

August 17th, 2015

The Bastidas family passed their interviews, so Moises and Gabriela can get baptized this saturday, but we have to get their parents married for the mom Lourdes to get baptized (were still trying to get the dad to come to church), its not gonna happen until at least next week, but they do want to get married now. They obviously want to get baptized together so were gonna help them prepare a little more and get baptized by the end of this month. Yesterday was ward conference and a bunch of less actives showed up, we had quite a few investigators in church it was cool. Its very probable that this is my last week here in Quevedo since Elder Alvarado in finishing his training. I feel like Its been really quick here but all the members are starting to say ive been here forever and that they want me out. haha no just kidding. No but Ive learned a lot about patience here, and Ive grown also a lot in my testimony. Mostly my testomony of the Savior and his perfect example and marvelous role in our lives. I think we can reflect a lot more on his sacrifice, and how much faith we have in him. Theres no better way to understand that than to change ourselves everyday, every single day repent and become better. Through repentance, Ive realized, we come to know that all the tesimonies we read in the new testament, the book of mormon, and words of modern prophets are true about Christ, that he really can and will save us. I remember the words of Elder Uceda who told us simply, Repentance is sweet. It true. The mission is the best, I love waking up and having nothing to do but to study the scriptures till we go out and get to work on the dusty streets of Quevedo with all the dusty people doing their dusty things. Its the best.


Ya till next time,
Elder Crisp

August 3rd and August 10th, 2015

August 3, 2015

This week was cool we found quite a few new people to teach, and we had a ward mission activity that wasnt to big but we did meet some cool new people that member brought. It was way cool too, we invited this kid Moises hes 15 from the Bastidaz family to seminary, he went with a friend from church. Without even invting him again the next day, he showed up to seminary, ha hes a champ its sweet that he enjoyed it. That familys progressing well to be baptized this month, but the dad no, hes opting to leave in the nights to drink instead of being there for our appts.

Reading about almas conversion in mosiah 27/28 this week shows really what it takes to be converted. He really showed he was sorry, and for that he was made clean. I was thinking about the term Im sorry, i think we use it a lot when we pray, thinking about what we can do improve. I looked up the word in the dictionary and in spanish it came up with the words Afflicted, Grieven, Regretful, Pained, Sorrowful, Upset. Now thats not really a term we can use so lightly...Its not easy to just say to God we feel bad, but to actually feel bad, sorry. God is the one that can really make us feel sorry.
Alma 5;7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened themout of a deep sleep.
God is the one that changes our hearts, thats something we cant do on our own. So we have to go to him, not to say were sorry, but so he can make us feel sorry.

A couple weeks ago i walked in wet cement and now i will have a mark forever in that corner of Quevedo....my children will pass by there and say wow my daddy was a hard worker that wouldnt even let wet cement get in his way. I hope you can all appreciate the piece of history that i made

Elder Crisp

August 10, 2015

We had another delicious week here in bellavista. We ate some animal or something called Guatusa im still not quite sure what it is if someone can please tell me what I ate. That was cool. We have the Family Bastidas still progressing well towards baptism, except the dad, but hes still moving more or less. Moises whos 15 goes to seminary every day, thats a super good tool. Weve met a couple people super bomb who have found a bunch of interest in the Book of Mormon thats seriously the best tool we have. Theres this guys Johnathan who, even though works and studys every day from 4am till 11pm, and the weekends visits his family about 3 hours away, read everything we gave him, a couple pamphlets with all the scripture references from the Bible and The book of mormon, and the testimonies of the book, and the first couple chapters of nephi. From what he had read, he was able to pray and knows without a doubt he says that its all true, that he wants to follow the path God has given us. We can only visit him Sundays at nights, but he was able to do all that on his own. Ive never seen someone find so much interest in the Book of Mormon, but it goes to show what God can do for us if we just try. Were gonna see what we can do to get him baptized, itll probly be where hes from. It was still cool to see how quickly he came to that point.

Being here in the mission, I have seen the mercy of Jesus Christ, I have seen how the Atonement saves us, I have seen how we can not only change our actions but who we are. I have seen how as we excercise faith unto repentance the plan of redemption IMMEDIATELY takes effect (Alma 34:31). There is no greater joy than to know we can repent and change. The pain we feel, or may choose to ignore, from sin comes from God, and is removed only by applying the sacrifice of Christ. The Restored Gospel is so true, the Preisthood is found here on earth its not just a Mormon urban legend, it is Gods power. The Atonement works and brings so much peace, its not just a cute little fairytale 11 dudes made up 2000 years ago. It is our salvation. Its all true, so many people will try to deny or even attack these truths but I know that God does live, that he has established his kingdom. and that the Lord wants to forgive, anybody who is willing to be humble. Im super greatful to be able to know these things.


With love,
Elder Crisp