Monday, December 26, 2016



                                                                                    December 26, 2016


   






   


First of all...if ya'll think that just because I skype home...you don't have to e-mail me.....well that is LAME.  

(fun fact: once an investigator asked me if the world lame came about because the lamanites in the Book of Mormon are super lame.....haha no Chris.)

This was the GREATEST WEEK OF ALL TIME. 

EVENTFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENED. 

-I was on an exchange in the Gettysburg ward...and wow...the work is super different there. In the area(s) I've served in the most common professions are...doctors..and lawyers...and....policeman....anywho you get the point. In Gettysburg ward....a little less income takes place and by a little I mean quite a lot less. 

We met this man named 'killa will' anyway Sister Larsen and I are just trying to fulfill our purpose and inviting killa will to come unto Jesus Christ meanwhile 1 year old 'lil killa will' is trying to pull down his dad's pants and normal sized killa will is telling us that he doesn't believe that we don't smoke weed after we go to church. Which is actually a pretty common practice around here now because apparently they just made that legal. This was a new experience for me. 

Then around here they have these security doors....so when we knock on doors people can see us, but we can't see them. Anyway, we knock on this security door and the regular door behind it is wide open...and so we can hear this dog come running up and starts barking...then it starts coughing...then it starts throwing up.....and we just witnessed all the sounds...and the owner is clearly home but also clearly ignoring us...so we left him a picture of Jesus at the door so when he found the not-so-nice surprise his dog left him...his spirits would still be lifted. 

We also found these things on the ground that had fallen off of a tree that we thought were nuts...and so we ate them...they were not the kind of nuts you find in a trail mix. haha....

but we also found two new investigators...one of them was named Susan we taught her a lesson (this was Tuesday) and invited her to be baptized...she got super excited to be baptized and hang a picture up on the wall....and the Gettysburg Sisters are now trying to teach her...they set a baptismal date with her (on Friday)..but I guess now her mom isn't a big fan of her going to church....anyway just hoping that Susan will make her own decisions...she was born in 1954 by the way....

Exchanges are great...they truly do help you to be a better missionary. 

This Friday we had a 'Christmas devotional and holiday fun' which was super wonderful. We talked about not only the fact that Christ was born but the fact that he fulfilled his potential he truly 'increased in wisdom, and stature, and favour with God and man.' More than the fact that Christ was born, is the fact that he lived and he lived for you. If he had not taken that time to progress he would not have been able to fulfill the atonement and that would leave you and I with no hope. Which is why you and I were not placed on this Earth simply to learn about Jesus Christ...not just to worship him....or even adore him...but you and I were placed on this Earth to emulate him....which means the time is now for us to 'increase in wisdom and stature, and favour with God and man.' So when the time comes for us to fulfill our purpose...there will be hope and there will be success. 

It was a very spiritual Christmas devotional.....and then we had some holiday fun after that. 

Which is code word for playing bingo and minute-to-win-it games with half of the mission....bad news I left the Fresno North Zone down in the candy cane fishing....zone leaders were real upset...but then I was able to redeem myself in the ornament tail game....which means all is well.....there are probably a lot of pictures on the mission's blog!


Then we had Christmas.......we spent a lot of time...with a lot of families that I love.....the Walkers...the Mederos family and the CLEVELANDS. 

I LOVE THE CLEVELAND/PARKER FAMILY. 

I've talked about them before but basically Grandma Betty is a literal legend around here and has the richest posterity of all time. 
Seriously, one of her sons just returned from being a mission president, one of her sons just left to be a mission president, one of her grandsons is a ward mission leader in the other stake and he's the greatest...we talked about what he could name his baby, another grandson is one of our ward mission leaders...we talked about what he could potentially name his next baby..I suggested Sister Rendon Parker.....haha....anyway I can seriously not say enough about how incredible this family is...I adore every single one of them...and after we had Christmas dinner we came together and sang Christmas hymns and talked about the birth of Christ and to close the meeting her son that just returned from serving as Mission President in Indianapolis invited Sister Murray and I to share our testimonies with the family and then asked me to close the evening with the prayer....which I quite literally felt was an honor. I truly just could not thank the Lord enough for the example this family is to me....I PROMISE THAT THE GOSPEL BLESSES FAMILIES. 

ANYWAY....

As you consider new year's resolutions...you might consider what will help you to more fully enable you to emulate Jesus Christ...because that truly is the purpose of life. [

Love ya'll! 

A LITTLE NOTE FROM SISTER MURRAY

-Dear Sister Rendon's family, 

we've been together for quite some time now, so I'm basically part of your family now... I know your daughter, and I know that she loves being a missionary for the Lord. She has righteous desires and she works hard to accomplish her goals. She's taught me so much about hard work and dedication. She's easy to love and fun to be around. The ward members here adore her! and so do I! Thanks for sharing her with me! Love you!!!! oh yeah, Vicki, thanks so much for all the Christmas gifts! 

Monday, December 19, 2016

                                                                                                    Dec 19, 2016





                                        









  

                                              


oh my goodness. This week I have literally felt all the emotions in the dictionary and then 25 more added on top of that. 

^^^^^ An Elder just read this sentence and made me feel so dramatic, but I'm not retracting the statement. 

That is in fact true. 

For example...We had a great lesson with a man named Danny who is super awesome..last time we were with him we left him a commitment to read Enos and he read it twice to understand it. I LOVE COMMITMENT-KEEPING PEOPLE. 

So then we asked him to come to church and he was like definitely...you should ask my neighbor if they want to go...tell them I can give them a ride. WHAT. 

ANYWAY. Sacrament meeting I was literally at the edge of my seat the whole time. LITERALLY. I have never been so literal in my life. Anywho Danny unfortunately wasn't able to make it...but I STILL HAVE FAITH. no worries. 

Other events that occurred. 

I was companions with Sister Whitney for a couple of days and that was super awesome. We tried to take a picture to commemorate the event but it obviously wasn't a success. 

Anywho....I'm being well taken care of around here. 

seriously extra well. 

Our wards are amazing. 

And after I was feeling one of the many emotions previously mentioned after a particularly spiritual relief society meeting in the Dry Creek ward a Sister gets up and starts talking about special sisters in the ward...turns out she was talking about Sister Murray and I. What....literally I am in awe over the Christ-like characteristics found in these ward members. THEY GAVE US THIS GINORMOUS STOCKINGS. 

literally the size of me. -please excuse the super blurry picture....just to emphasize how giant it is. 

ALL IS WELL. 
I LOVE YOU. 
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS. 
SERIOUSLY I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU. 





Sunday, December 18, 2016

                                                                                              Dec 12, 2016


Picture was send to me this week from a member. Lindsey's mom




Oh goodness. 

SO. 

So many good things happened this week. 

The SCANLON FAMILY. 
So the Scanlon family is a member family that is going through a lot of trials at this time in their life and Sister Murray and I were visiting them to lend them support. Anywho Simoe is the cutest little girl and when we were in the middle of eating Simoe starts climbing on me and begging me to spin her around. Which having children climb on you is super not allowed as a missionary. So please imagine me desperately trying to not harm this child but also not to allow this child to remain latched to me......none of the family is noticing any of these struggles and Sister Murray is dying because she knows exactly what is happening. Meanwhile seven year old Simoe is still begging me to spin her and I am calmly telling her that I will be happy to spin her in eighteen months. 
But despite all that madness one of the daughters felt confident enough to open up to us about her lack of faith and Sister Murray and I were able to help her to find ways to turn to God and that was incredible. 

 Also we found an incredible new investigator...DANNY.....and we had two lessons with a member present in Dry Creek which is really quite a miracle! 

So many highlights...but my time management during this e-mail session was lacking....so I'll tell you about them in 18 months. 

Also super funny low light....

WE GOT A CAR DOOR SLAMMED IN OUR FACE THIS WEEK. 
Which was actually kind of funny. 
Except that woman slammed her door on the restored gospel and that is kind of upsetting but all is well.