June 16th, 2014

So not much has been happening here in the area- our only investigator who was gonna be baptized this Saturday, Luis, couldnt cause he didnt pass the interview, and without going into too much detail its not likely he ever will be. So that was a bummer- me and Elder Sanchez have been looking for new investigators with barely any luck, and we cut basically all of our investigators cause no ones progressing. Were basically starting over from scratch itll be fun.

Another cool thing is that Elder Sanchez had transfers this morning. Haha its cool cause I basically have one week in this area and I really dont know where anything is haha. I also found out that Im pregnant. Wednesday Im gonna be training! Im pumped honestly. Cause up until now i havent felt challenged, Ive been trying to self evaluate where i am as a missionary and I really don´t know yet. So with this brand new area and brand new start with finding investigators and brand new Elder, I think itll be a good test. I know its gonna be hard, but its gonna be a blast.

So thats really all I have. This countrys in a state of depression from the loss yesterday, were gonna cheer em up with the message of the restoration. So ya well see how it goes with this poor new missionary whos stuck with me wednesday. I hope you all have a delightful week read the scriptures ok.

Elder Crisp


A one photo summary of Ecudor during World cup
Despidiendo a Elder Sanchez

June 9th, 2014

"New Stuff"

So its was pretty crazy this last week. Tuesday, at like 11 in the morning I got a call- you have transfers be at the offices at 1. I was wondering the whole time why am I being transfered on a tuesday, but then i remembered that President has less than a month so he does whatever he wants. haha. No but seriously what happened is the assistants forgot to call 3 transfers....so ya now Im in Milagro! Im in a ward called Bella Vista. My new companion is Elder Sanchez, a Chileno. So far so good with him, theres a bunch of chilenos in this zone it has made me realized what country has the worst spanish accent. Chile wins.

When I came he said we really dont have any investigators right now, they all fell last week. So that was kind of disappointing were starting new here, but weve already found some good investigators, from referrals. The members are a lot more helpful here Ive already seen. We had a really cool experience thursday, our plans fell through and we were about to start contacting, but we were like na wait man lets go get some empanadas Im hungry. So we started walking to a bakery, we pass a teen and he runs up to us. Told us he listened to the missionarys a while back but rejected them, but said he wants to start listening again. So we talked to him right there, set a date for this coming saturday, everythings good with him hes super excited. His mom is super christian, and they usually dont like mormons, but she was super excited to here hes going to be baptized, were trying to find a time to teach her too. So out of the blue we found 1, his names Luis.

We had a huge mission conference, the majority of the 3 missions here in guayaquil were there and we were told an apostle was coming. It was supposed to be Dallin H Oaks they told us, but he couldnt come his plane was having problems. So instead came W Chris Waddell from the quorum of the 70 it was awesome. He first told us, I was thinking right here what to speak about cause it was short notice, that why would Elder Oaks ask the 3 missions to gather if God knew he wouldnt be there. What do these missions need to hear. He said he realized what we need to know. That right now this city is being converting from the highest baptizing city in the world. To the highest retaining and activating city in the world. The main focus now for these 3 missions is to get people in the temple, something we have lost apparently cause everyones inactive.

The whole talk was awesome, one part he said that can apply to all of us not just missionarys. That Christ willingly accepted to come here, like we read in Abraham 3. But that doesnt mean he wanted to suffer like he did. But of course he did do the will of the father. The same with us. We chose his plan we chose to come here, so difficulty in this life is NOT an excuse to fall or lose faith. We need to take up our cup or cross or whatever and stay faithful. He said a bunch of great stuff really my whole mentallity has changed here. So Ya new area, good success here, everythings going well.

Love Elder Crisp

June 2nd, 2014

"All is well, all is well"

We have continued to work with Diana for her marriage, really nothing is happening with the papers no one in the government wants to help, so we went to a lawyer whos a member who can speed it up. We went through a bunch to get his help (that was friday), and we go to her house last night- she tells us now there are problems in the relationship, she doesnt want to get married. Man that was fun to here. She was super emotional, so hopefully she was just upset at that moment, and she still wants to be baptized, so theres still hope, but still it was like why couldnt it just work out when we first started working with her...more than a month ago.

So ya because she was the only real investigator that we had, we worked a bunch to try to find new ones this week, but with basically no success. I dont know if this is just a busy time of year or what but we dont have much luck finding anyone, but I know theyll come...

We came across a family very interesting this week, we knocked their door and the dad let us in right away. He brought out his son and wife, they told us the son 18 is super sick mentally, can barely leave the house or do anything. They are super catholic, and the mom is hard as a rock - for example every scripture we share she says ya i read that yesterday i already know everything about the bible. They say that they have brought him to preists to heal him and what not but hes been sick for 2 years and nothing has changed. So we told them ya if you come to church we can have the bishop give a blessing from the real priesthood. After a lot of humbling they agreed, they came and recieved the blessing after what I think was a very impressioning sacrament meeting, I think they might be something, especially if the son improves. So theres one family weve been teaching at least

I was reading in the conference talk form Robert D Hales, there was a part I liked a bunch, he says why did the followers of Satan choose satan when they knew they would lose their earthly body? A similar question we can ask ourselves is why do we choose sin when we know the consuqences? The answer is because we are deciding to LOVE SATAN MORE THAN GOD. Really when we deny the promptings of the Spirit and choose somehting bad, we are making the same exact decision that third of hosts made, we are denying eternal blessings. Luckily we have a chance to regain those blessings, unlike them, but still we need to remember to follow God in all moment if we love him.

Thats all I have, enjoy the week, with love , Elder Crisp


my new nesquik goggles
celebrating kids day which is for some reason a holiday here

May 26th, 2014

Good day to all, its a beautiful day to live isn´t it. This week was fantastic like every other week. I was reading and pondering from DyC 58 the part where its says we should be anxiously engaged in a good cause. This scriptures way cool. Verse 26, says that if were compelled in all things, were lazy and dont gain anything. That is so true especially here, really if we as missionarys are expecting something to come to us, expecting to be told exactly how to find those to teach, we wont accomplish anything. We as agents in this life have to act for ourselves and be a creator of circumstances not a creature. We have helpers in this life, leaders of the church bishops home teachers but we need to be anxiously engaged in our own growth. Verse 29, He that doeth nothing until he is commanded, and recieveth commandments with a doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned. Ay lets not be lazy, lets be active in all things we do.

Ya so we have a few interesting investigators right now, no ones really progressing though. Theres one lady were teaching Anabel she has super bad problems with her marriage and so shes super receptive to our message about families. This last week she found out her husbands cheating, she already knew but she met the other women. Ya so shes been super down naturally and we told her ya if you come to church Sunday youll feel better. She says ya Ill definitely come, but only for the first hour- cause I have to go back to my house and make my husband breakfast. Ha that blew my mind but hey at least shes forgiving. No one else were teaching came to church besides this lady Diana, the investigator who still cant get married cause no one does anything in the civil records office.

So ya nothing really much more is going on out here, FIFAs coming up fast and this countries about to shut down for a month. But I have bets with like 5 different youths against Ecuador. Theres gonna be a lot of new ties around my neck real soon. But anyway I hope you all have a good week, whereever you art, be well thy part ok.


Elder Crisp

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.