Burgers, Ribs, Ribeyes, and Sausage (7/5)

Alright. Here's what's going down in San Diego!

Last Tuesday was awesome! Charlotte, one of my converts in Sweetwater, went to the temple for her endowment! Her session started at 7pm and we got permission to go from President Schmitt even though he knew we were going to be a little late getting home.

We got to the temple 20 minutes early and when I tried to use my new temple recommend that president gave me it didn't work because he forgot to activate it. So one of the temple workers had to call president and we ended up missing the session by a minute. But the temple president told us that we could go do initiatories and then afterwords we could go to the celestial room and meet them there after there session. It was so good to see one of my converts in the temple!

Wednesday was awesome! In the morning we did service for a part member family. Afterwards they made us burgers that were super good! Later that night we had dinner with a member and he made us these HUGE Ribeyes. They were so good!

After that we went to an appointment and then we had another dinner with a part member family and they invited Hollie and her two kids who are all non members. We recently started teaching them and they fed us ribs! They were so good I just wish I wasn't full from our first dinner haha.

Then we took the stake president out with us to go see one of our investigators named Mandy and that lesson went great! Mandy is awesome but she has been struggling a lot lately and so we have been helping her.

Friday we had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council). It was my last MLC so president asked me to share my testimony about the Book of Mormon. MLC is always great but it lasts all day. I'm just glad they give us lunch in between haha!

Saturday we had to get ready for some stake meetings and we also met with our Ward mission leaders and also the high counselor over missionary work in the stake. We were supposed to go to the Mormon Battalion with one of our investigators but they cancelled on us.

Sunday Was awesome! In our first 3 hours of church there was a kid that was running past the church building and just decided to come inside and check it out. The first person he meets as he is walking in is our bishop and he comes and gets us and we were able to teach him the restoration with our Ward mission leader at church.

Yesterday (July 4th) was alright. We had to be inside by 6pm. That morning we helped serve food at the Ward breakfast. I was in charge of handing out sausage links. I was supposed to give everyone 1 sausage. Most of the people were fine but some guy kind of freaked out about only getting one sausage. I was like whatever haha it's just sausage, even though I do agree that 1 piece is kind of ridiculous.


Bye for now!
Elder Chris LaRochelle

Teaching and Changing Lives (6/28)

Hey Everyone! Hope things are going great! On Sunday I realized that I hit my 23 month mark... Where did the time go! Time has flown by so fast and I have just loved my mission! I have been able to see the gospel bless and change people's lives but most importantly I have seen the gospel change me and it's so wonderful!

This week was slower then last week but still pretty good! Even though a lot of our investigators were out of town we still stayed busy.

Last Tuesday we met with a part member family that missionaries have been working with for a long time! We went on splits and I went with their home teacher who is also the executive secretary. We were going to share a Mormon message with them called the hope of God's light but before we shared the Mormon message I told them to really think about why we were sharing this and how it applies to them. After we shared it with them the husband, who in the past hasn't been really supportive, told us that he needs to take this more seriously, he also said that if he would have been more supportive his wife probably would have been baptized by now. He was like I need to meet with the bishop, who do I call to set up an appointment and the member that was with me rose his hand and was like you gotta talk to me. They scheduled an appointment right there. It was perfect!

On Wednesday we did service in the morning and afterwards I had to go babysit another Elder because he was sick and his companion went out and worked with a member. Then Elder Searle and Elder Kap went and worked in our area. It was kind of a long

On Friday we had Zone Conference with Poway and Ramona Zones. Since Zone Conference was at PQ President asked  one of us to Conduct the meeting. Elder Searle and I did Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who was going to conduct the meeting, I lost haha. It's alright though, president asks a couple missionaries bear their testimonies on their purpose and he also has some missionaries share a short talk on a certain missionary topic. Usually he has missionaries that are going home do it. So he asked me to bear my testimony.

Zone Conference was awesome but during the meeting a member was calling us a lot because her roommate was going through a hard time and she wanted us to come give her a blessing and we felt really bad that we couldn't respond right away. But that night we met with them and her roommate has been going through a lot and has been really struggling. We had the opportunity to testify to her of the love that God had for and then we gave her a blessing. It was a really powerful lesson.

On Sunday we had a primary teacher and a young women's leader ask us on the spot to come and talk to their classes. It was kinda stressful but it actually went really well.

Yesterday I went on exchanges to do Tagalog work. I didn't understand what was going on at all. But I did help them get a potential family up in Ramona. I remembered a member in Ramona that had a Philippino family next door that they were trying to work with. So I talked to the member in a Ramona and set up a time for the Tagalog elders to go talk with them

This week has been good! See ya in 28 days :P


Elder Chris LaRochelle

Redoubling Efforts (6/21)

Hey family!!

This week has been great! We followed the council in Doctrine and Covenants 127:4 and we redoubled our efforts! And we saw miracles! Being in a trio is awesome because every time we get a member to come out with us we can just go on splits and one missionary goes with the member and other two go and work somewhere else.

We added a 15 year old girl named Jackie that the sisters referred to us. She is awesome!! We met her twice this past week and she is excited to come to church and go to young women's!

We also added a family from Texas! The moms name is Holly and she has two kids and she is awesome! She has been going through a lot lately and is in need of the gospel! She also just so happens to be best friends with a less active family that we have been trying to work with!

There were quite a few other people that we added but those were probably my favorites!

The work is definitely picking up and we are working hard to see miracles!

Sorry it's not super detailed this week but I am loving it here in San Diego! Love you all!

Elder Chris LaRochelle

Mission Conference (6/7)

Hey Everyone!

Elder Searle and I are doing great! We get along super well and work well together.



Not going to lie don't really feel like emailing this week haha. We did have a pretty good week though. Friday we had meetings ALL day but it was pretty awesome. We had a mission conference with Elder Hamula of the Seventy and then afterwards we had a special MLC with Elder Hamula.

Here are some things Elder Hamula talked about:

• When you are rejected, you have experiences that only Christ’s disciples have. ... The Savior was persecuted, yet said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” ... Such compassion and mercy that is in Him should be extended to others.
• I tell you this in the name of Jesus Christ. You would not be where you are if there were not souls to save. Dig deeper, try harder. There are souls to save in every area in this mission!
• Promise – If you will become converted to the Book of Mormon, hell will have no power to take you off the strait and narrow course.
• Casualness – cultivate the virtue of sobriety – to be serious-minded. ... Spiritual sobriety permits you to see things that others cannot see. To see the signs of the times. To hear the word of the Lord. When there is too much noise, you cannot hear the Spirit, which is a still, small voice that is quiet and whisper like. Connection – because Mormon was of a sober mind, he was visited of the Lord. (Mormon 1:15). To take it to the next level – let go of casualness. Have joyful countenances, but let go of casualness.
• What does it mean to be a witness of the “name of Christ” (D&C 107:23-24)?

1. Christ’s Identity – His characteristics, attributes, virtues. Every week, you take upon yourself the name of Christ. You agree “to be Him to the people to whom you are sent.” “You have got to be Him.” Through you, they see Him and hear His voice.
2. Christ’s Work and Labor. Agree to do His work. The work of the Lord is the salvation of souls – the most important work in the universe. When we say “Amen” to the sacrament prayer, we are agreeing to do His work, not your own. You serve in this work until you can’t anymore.
3. Christ’s Authority and Power. We assume the power and authority that name gives you.

• “You get no revelation unless you are willing to ask questions.”
• THE DOCTRINE OF YOU:
• D&C 130:18-19: We gain intelligence through our diligence and obedience. Light and truth can be taken with us in the resurrection.
• Obedience/Diligence - permit us to gain knowledge and intelligence. The call to be obedient and diligent is the call to gain light and knowledge. You choose the degree to which you will be obedient and diligent.
• TREES. You are like trees. Trees are symbolic of our lives – we have roots, branches, and fruit. Trees grow slowly, not fast. The best trees grow slowly, to endure every weather condition. Don't resist the pruning, or being planted in another area.
• WAR IN HEAVEN. The war in heaven continues today – it was transferred from heaven to earth. ... You were among the most valiant of all of our Heavenly Father’s children. You knew and loved Him. You gave everything to Him in that great war. Because of your exceeding love and faith, you were reserved to come in these last days, to fight again as you fought before. ... You are the noble and great ones. But you can’t do this on your own. Your power rests in the authority given you and your abiding faith. Go and exercise the same faith you did in the beginning.
• You overcame Satan by: (1) The Atonement of Jesus Christ (blood of the Lamb); (2) Your testimony; and (3) Consecration of soul (loved not their lives unto the death). (Rev. 12:11).
• Jesus was fully consecrated and fully committed.
• You have the privilege to ask God concerning your standing with Him. Then listen. We say a lot of prayers without listening. Slow down from getting off your knees. Slow down while praying – take time to listen. God will answer by: (1) feeling to your heart; thoughts to your mind. Even if the answer does not come immediately, keep listening. (2) Look for His voice while reading the scriptures. And (3) Wait upon the Lord when listening to His servants. If it seems that God is waiting to answer your prayer, God is proving you to see if you are sincere. 

Other then that things have been pretty chill.

Transfers are next Tuesday, hopefully I stay with Elder Searle! But as of lately I haven't been staying with my companions very long.

Elder LaRochelle

Trio

Hey Everyone!

Transfers were today and Elder Searle and I both stayed but... We were also joined by Elder Kap! Elder Shurtliff who is a missionary in the zone said that this president putting me in hospice because it's my last transfer haha.

 

I'm pretty excited about being in a trio though! I have always wanted to be in a trio and it finally happened my last transfer. I'm pretty excited that Elder Searle stayed though he is a good guy and we get along really well.

This past week was pretty good though. Last Tuesday after p day we had a baptism interview for the Tagalog Elders. The guy that got interviewed told the elders that after he was baptized he was going to go start a branch when he goes back to the Philippines. He was a pretty awesome guy.

On Wednesday we had DLC (District Leader Council). It was pretty good. When I was a district leader I had some DLC's that were mostly business where they talked about how missionaries are doing and what not. Elder Searle and I try and make it a more spiritual meeting that helps lift the faith of the district leaders. We were lucky to have really good district leaders last transfer, one of them used to be a zone leader and the other just became a zone leader.

Friday we had Zone Meeting. It actually went really well. I can't believe I only have one more Zone Meeting on my mission. Crazy. After that we drove another set of missionaries down to Spring Valley to pick up there car that was in the shop. Thursday and Friday were actually really slow days. Slow days are hard days but we are working hard to change that.

Sunday as a zone we fasted that each companionship in the zone could add 5 new investigators this week. Later that night we were walking through an apartment complex and we talked to a guy named Cheyanne and he told us that he wasn't very religious and  I felt the spirit tell me to ask why so I asked him why he wasn't religious and he told us because he had been through a lot of tough trials and God didn't help him so he came to the conclusion that God didn't exist. We testified to him boldly that God lived and that He had a plan for him. We gave him a plan of salvation pamphlet and I made him give me his word that he would read it and pray about and then text us by Sunday. He agreed and took it. It was an amazing lesson and I felt the spirit very strong

And yesterday we saw lots of miracles to add to that. We stopped by a former investigator named Monica and she said that she really enjoys us coming over and sharing messages with her. She pretty much bore her testimony and told us she felt the Holy Ghost so that was awesome! Right after that we tried some new move in referrals that we got from a ward missionary that's a real estate agent. We tried the new move in but he wasn't interested so we knocked on some doors around the house and met an awesome family from Texas that are really good friends with a less active family in the Ward.

Right after that a member texted us and asked if we could help move some couches for him. So we went over to his place and we took his old couch out and as we were taking it out he asked if we had a couch and we told him that we didn't so he just gave it to us haha it was pretty awesome. After that we went to another family in Ward and picked up two of their couches that they were giving to this other family haha.

During that service a former investigator texted us and asked if we could stop by and when we stopped by she was having a hard time and the reason we dropped her before that was because she wasn't keeping commitments so we testified and promised her in the name of Jesus Christ that if she followed Christ and kept his commandments that she would be blessed and strengthened. It was a really powerful lesson.

I think that's it for this week! Love you all!

Elder LaRochelle

Elder Holland!! (5/31)

Hello Family! This week has been crazy busy with Meetings and such! On Wednesday we had MTE's president Schmitt gave us some awesome training and then I went with Elder Taylor to his area in Poway. Elder Taylor is still in training but he lives in an apartment with another set of missionaries and one of the other missionaries that loves there is Elder Callahan! It was good to see him again and he seems like he is doing pretty well. He has been out for close to a year now and he has been on a bike pretty much the whole time! Every time I see him he never fails to remind me that he is still on a bike haha XD!

Elder Taylor and I had a pretty good day though! We met with one  of there investigators that has been kinda flakey about setting a baptismal date. One thing I love about going on exchanges is that you can be as bold as you want with people because they will only see you one time. So i was a little bold with her and it worked and she accepted a baptismal date! Later that night we stopped by a less actives house and Elder Taylor was like so this Ryan Reynolds. And I was like oh ok and then it kinda clicked in my head and I was like wait like Ryan Reynolds the actor? And he was like yeah that's him. At first I thought he was lying but I guess he is an inactive member. We knocked on his door though and his wife had a bad day or something because she didn't even open the door she just told us how's not a good time. So I knocked on Ryan Reynolds door but never met himHaha.

Thursday we MTE follow ups and we shared the miracles that happened in all the areas and then President gave more training and then right afterwards some other elders in the zone had some baptisms and they asked us to teach during the intermission so that was cool.

Friday we had a mission Conference with Elder Holland!! It was pretty awesome! We didn't get chastised! He started off the meeting by shaking all of our hands and after he shook our hands he thanked us for letting him have a personal interview with each of us. He told us that as he shook our hands he looked into our eyes to see what kind of missionaries we were. It was pretty awesome! I'll put more notes from the meeting at the end of my email. Elder Holland was actually really funny. He told us that he wanted to do a question and answer segment and he turned and asked our mission president if that was ok and President Schmitt kind of shrugged his shoulders and Elder Holland said " Well I guess I can do whatever I want unless someone more senior then me walks in" it was pretty funny. He told us that he has the reputation to go kind of ballistic in some meetings but he said he didn't feel like he needed to talk about obedience or anything so that was nice haha. Elder Hollands final words while leaving the chapel were "Work hard". It was so awesome to be with an Apostle, as a mission we did everything we could to be sanctified and ready for him. We wanted him to be able to feel the spirit by just being with us that day.

Sunday I spoke in one of our wards. They had a youth speaker cancel so I got to be the youth speaker which was awesome haha. I talked about how we can recognize and reject false teachings? Or something like that.

Well I think that's it for this week! This Friday we have another Mission Tour this time with Elder Hamula from the First Quorum of the 70 sot hat will be exciting!

Elder Holland Notes:

• “Joyful but serious” – that’s a good combination in missionary work.
•  “All service in the Church is lateral. It is not vertical. God loves the Nursery worker just as much as He loves President Monson"
• "I want you to love every minute of your mission; to cherish your mission."
• “This is your apostolic moment.” You are “little a” apostles. You are doing work as close to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency as you will ever have."
• “The most important thing in the universe is the salvation of a human soul.”
• “Obedience is the first law of everything. Agency exercised in the act of obedience.”
• “You do it God’s way.” and say “Lord, I accept and do it your way.”
• "When you are obedient, that leads to the Holy Spirit. This is the way you work miracles."
• “You are obedient all the time, with exactness, to the extent you can be.”
• "I cannot promise you any number of other converts, but I promise and demand at least one convert – yourself. You are the most important convert."
• “You are to go home and be faithful to this (Gospel/Church) for the rest of your life.”
• “You can never go back to what you were before!”
• “You are God’s investigators and He is teaching you lessons.”
• “There is no going back!”
• “Let’s be persistent.”
• "We need to get the lessons and doctrine from the head to the heart."
• "We want you to have this in your soul!"
• "People do not know how much you care until they know how much you love."
• "I want you to love the Book of Mormon!"
• "Work hard. Love every minute of it."

Love you all!

Elder LaRochelle

Birds and Bunnies