Chino, California: Week 57

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas day!

It's been a fun one for us! We all opened up presents together, and some members from our ward brought breakfast and dinner for us. Also, my companion gave me his old hair cutting set, then a member came over with presents for us and I got... another hair cutting kit! I think it's a sign, I guess I'm just meant to cut hair.

On Monday we went over to have a lesson with Don, who is from Sri Lanka, a country I had never heard of. When we left he gave us some amazing Sri Lankan food, which was really good but about as spicy as I can handle. I always love trying new foods and things from other countries. 

On Wednesday, we went and did a service project with Salvation Army handing out Christmas packages. Then last night, we went around to all the investigators we're teaching and dropped off some Sprite and popcorn with a little Christmas message "Thought we'd pop in and Spriten up your day" That was fun.

Finally, I just want to say how thankful I am for Jesus Christ and all that he has done, and continues to do for me. Christ's birth, life of miracles and teaching, and suffering and death for each of us is the biggest gift of all time. He truly is the reason for the season. Because of him, I can find peace and joy in my life. I have the opportunity to be saved from my sins and live forever with my family. I have a perfect example to follow, an example of service and love. God's plan for us is happiness, and I feel that happiness when I look to Christ and apply his teachings and atonement in my life. 

One of my favorite scriptures is 1 John 4:9

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him"

God loves us, he sent his son for us, and I am forever grateful for that.

Merry Christmas!

Elder Clayton

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Pictures:

Our Christmas tree 

Sri Lanka Food

Service project Christmas packages

Christmas Eve dinner

Sprite and Popcorn gifts

 Chino, California: Week 56

We got transfer news this week, and it is insane!! Not really in a good way though. 

My companion and I are staying the same, which is fine, I'm really happy about that actually. But things didn't go so well for the Armenian elders, and I'm worried for the future of Armenian work. When they were announcing transfers for my zone, they said Elder Bell is coming here to Chino. That shocked me because that means he's being taken out of Armenian work, and there was only one companionship over there... It turns out President Hall is planning to completely dissolve Armenian work, at least for now. He was going to send Elder Christensen to Arcadia, Elder Bell to Chino, then all 4 of us would become English-speaking only. That's pretty crazy! None of us were expecting that in the slightest! Anyway, Elder Christensen called president and explained that we have several progressing investigators that only speak Armenian, and without the missionaries the Armenian group's church meetings would fall apart entirely. President said he (Elder Christensen) could stay in that zone to continue the Armenian work, but he will be with an English companion, and Elder Bell will still be sent out. 

So basically we're down to 1 missionary in Armenian work. And in the future, Armenian work in California may be discontinued altogether. I understand President's thinking, because we haven't baptized anyone in Armenian group for like 10 months. I believe that it's possible though, and there's actually someone on date to be baptized soon, as well as other potentials. I hope that it stays alive and that I get to go back to Glendale, but I'm not sure what will happen at this point.

In the meantime, this English ward I'm in is doing well, as well as it's done in a long time actually. We have 2 people preparing to be baptized, and I'm really excited for them. We've also had 4 people at Sacrament meeting the past few weeks in a row, which is truly insane. The AP's called us and asked us what we're doing to get so many people to come to church. We told them that it's not us, it's all the Lord's doing. We just happen to be teaching several really cool people right now. God is preparing the hearts of the people to hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ! And I'm excited.

Have a good week.

Elder Clayton

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 Chino, California: Week 55

This week I had one of the most amazing lessons I've ever been a part of. We've started teaching a 9 year old kid, the son of a part member family who never got baptized when he was 8. So it was the mom and 4 little kids, and lessons with kids are so fun! We went through the whole restoration lesson, and it was so full of the spirit. When we gave the kid a Book of Mormon, the mom started crying. Then the kids insisted that we sing a closing song, so we turned on "I will be what I believe" and they all sang and it was really cute.

Also, near a bike shop that my companion and I went to, there is a little Argentine empanada shop. Elder Bastian was reassigned from Argentina, so we had to go in and check it out. The empanadas were pretty expensive, but really good.

Then on Friday we had a devotional that was supposed to be with Elder Renlund.  But he wasn't able to do it because he wasn't feeling well, and as you may have seen in church news, he got covid. So instead, we got to hear from Elder Ballard. It was very last-minute, and he was only supposed to speak for 15 minutes but he ended up going for about 45 minutes talking about Joseph Smith's life story, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how we as missionaries can better help people to have spiritual experiences. 

The one not so cool part from this week is that LA county has again issued a stay at home order, and our mission president said we can't approach people outside or go into members' and friends' homes anymore. So I guess it's back to a lot of Facebook finding and zoom lessons and phone calls. I think most things will be able to keep moving forward though, it'll work out. 

Have a great week, be safe, and know that God loves you!

Elder Clayton

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