#Igotpictures

Buenas dias everyone! How are you all doing? I love to hear from home, despite my limited computer time. Sorry if I don't email you back one week. Just keep badgering me and yell at me that I didn't email you back.

I'm gonna start off today saying that I'm sorry I am a terrible person and didn't send pictures after my first week in the field. However, I have a lot today.

I'm grateful for all your prayers and support for me in this mission. I can feel a whole ward, family, and friends behind my back, and I am so grateful for everyone's love.

I am in the city of Whittier, California. Very awesome place. There are houses and apartment complexes scattering the streets. A lot of people to teach! In our mission, we don't go door knocking, or "tracting". We get our work through other ways because door knocking is the least effective way.

This week, me and my companion visited a lot of members, and tried to contact all of the referrals we had. As far as the referrals go, we haven't had a lot of luck. However, we have found a few investigators through our own efforts! One is the Hernandez family, consisting of the mother Irma, and her three sons. One is 16 years old named Marcos. Super cool guy! We took him to young mens and he is very prepared for the gospel. The other we found through our own efforts is the Lopez family. We haven't taught them yet because we barely contacted them 3 days ago and set up a return appointment. Our other investigator is named Sergio. He's an awesome guy, but has his problems. He has been an alcoholic for quite a while, and his wife wants to divorce him for that very reason. He is trying to change, and we are trying to help him, but it's hard for him.

Okay, now a little about Spanish. When we knock a door, we usually start out with English. If necessary, we switch to Spanish. It's very interesting here, most people know their primary language, (Spanish or English) with enough knowledge of the other language to get by. Also, when talking with members it is usually Spanish. I'm very good now at saying, "lo siento, no puedo entender", or "sorry.. I don't understand." So then they will switch to English or my comp will translate. However, it is really nice that I'm not always using Spanish. Even though it will help me get along quicker, English is nice to use.

The food here is awesome. We get fed by members every night. When they cook for us, it is incredible. Sometimes they aren't able to, so they will buy us pizza or subway or something. But I love the food.

Luckily, I am in a walking/biking area so I don't think I am putting on any weight... maybe even losing some weight haha.

Anyways I believe that is all I have for you all. The work is awesome and the Lord is truly working miracles through his missionaries. I have seen firsthand how he prepares a way for us to accomplish the thing he desires of us. If we are obedient to his word, he will bless us more than we can imagine.

Keep praying and reading your scriptures. Your life will be more abundant with the spirit.

Here are the pictures!

6 pics of my apartment

me and my comp, Elder Calvin and his comp

a flipping creepy spider

A few pics of this random cat that climbed on me

an apartment complex we did service in

our bikes

my comp smiling very nicely for the camera ;D

#wowza

Hey all! It's been quite the first week in the LB mission.

So coming into the mission was awesome. I got to see Elder Oniki as he picked me up from the airport. Then we were taken to the mission office where we had a good little orientation. After lunch, I was taken by some Zone Leaders to go contacting, which was a bit scary but then it went well. It took a while for president Patterson to make the assignments for the 26 new missionaries to their companions. After that, I met my companion Elder Ramirez. He's a super awesome guy and we get along very well.

We were driven to our new apartment, got out, and they drove off. So, we don't have a car while the 2 other companionships in our zone have one. We walk in the apartment which was completely trashed, all dirty dishes, and no food from the elders before. Turns out the elders before us got sent home early. Now I hate to complain, you all know, but bear with me for a second. So our apartment has no food, no clean dishes, it's trashed, me and my companion are whitewashing the area, I'm still sick, I don't understand the language, and we don't have a car. So haha... yeah it's been an interesting week. Luckily both me and my comp like to work hard so we fixed most of that and got him a rental bike to use. We're doing well.

Included in whitewashing is basically starting from scratch. Me and my companion have been trying to visit all the members to get to know them, and we have to organize all the papers we have of investigators. The last Elders were not very organized, and it seems as though none of the investigators have been taught in 4 months. We have to still visit a lot.

We get fed by members pretty much nightly. It's a great way to meet people. Even though I only understand about 50% of conversations, I can feel the love of the people here. Other sidenote, I feel that here, people have mastered the art of Spanglish.

Also, my apologies, I do not have pictures this week. I forgot to bring my camera to the library.

So yeah.. I think I am getting better. Thanks to everyone for your prayers on my behalf.

Lastly, I have a spiritual thought for you all. I know that if you work hard with a true intent in your heart for what you work for, the Lord will help you with what you need to do. The Lord loves hard workers. Always keep a prayer in your heart for the spirit to be with you, because sometimes it's hard.

Love,

Elder Horton

Note from Ryan's mom:

I stole a picture off of Facebook for Ryan's post today:)

#infermo

So, yeah the inevitable happened.... I got sick. I guess sitting confined in a classroom with 12 other people who are also getting sick should have made me expect to get sick. I thought it was strep as I assessed my symptoms, but I dont know for sure. I will visit the doctor today because my symptoms have only been getting worse. HA! pero, esta bien.

But besides my getting sick on Wednesday, things have been all right. Last week preparations to head out to the field are taking place. Many in my room are beginning to pack but I think it will only take me about 30 minutes, because I packed smart :P

For anyone who Speaks Spanish, we got introduced to Subjunctive this week and it threw me a curveball for real. "I desire THAT you speak spanish" "Deseo QUE usted hable español" especially Past Subjunctive. Besides that, I feel I am ready to speak Spanish all the time. The Lord really has blessed me with the gift of tongues.

We did member TRC's this week and the past over skype. Crazy hard to understand because sometimes the connection is bad... also they speak quickly.

For any of my missionary friends, past and present, we did in-field orientation today... so yeah. For those who don't know what that is, all the departing missionaries sit in one room for about 8 hours while they tell us what to expect in the field. I think it's a bit excessive and it gets a very bad rep.

Our Sunday devotional was quite awesome. Amidst the 2000 missionaries in one room for the devotional, they had the 365 general conference missionaries stand and sing along to the video of us singing in General Conference. Then the main act for the devotional, instead of a speaker, was Vocal Point from BYU. If any of you know them, they normally don't do a lot of gospel music. However they prepared a few special musical numbers for us. What a treat! they are great.

If you don't already know, I was blessed with the opportunity to be a host to the incoming missionaries. On Wednesday, there were 500 coming in and about 150 hosts to greet them. Therefore, we each were expected to host 3 or more. It was awesome to see the enthusiam, (and sometimes tears) of the new missionaries coming in. I hosted 5 from the curb. We take them from the curb to get all their materials, drop their bags at their residence, and straight to their classroom where they commence learning. The first day is crazy.

Normally every sunday we get to view a film in various rooms in the  MTC. One which I watched was highlighting a talk given to the MTC a few years ago by David A. Bednar, called the "Character of Christ". He says that the true character of Christ, as he found out after months of study, is to turn outward when the natural man would turn inward. I invite you all to ponder on that, while you study the New Testamant.

Yo sé que Jesucristo sufrío por los pecados de todo el mundo. Yo testifico que el trabajo de los missioneros traerá muchos las personnas al Evangelio. Quiero testifico de la verdad de las profetas. Verdaderomente, hablan las palabras de Dios. Estoy muy agradecido por esta opportunidad muchos las personnas sobre el Evangelio restaurado. Sé que el don de lenguas es real, y el Señor bendicirá los missioneros. Estoy listo por Long Beach, y espero está listo para me. Hace esta semana bien. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Next time I email you all, it will be from LONG BEACH! Whoo!

Elder Henderson and I

 Elder Singleton and I

 My district with our teachers

 My 2 teachers (basically the best teachers ever)

 The california bros (1 to Modesto, and 3 to Long Beach)

#ONEMONTH

Okay okay so It's been a craazy week!

First off I hope you all enjoyed the music we missionaries prepared and felt the spirit while watching conference today. I know I did! We had so many worries about the music but I know angels were there to keep us on pitch and everything so nothing could distract from the spirit. Gosh, I love General Conference!!

We were supposed to get flight plans yesterday in the mail but they didn't come, but it still freaks me out to know that in 10 days I will be in Long Beach trying to keep up speaking Spanish. I still have so much to learn.

My companion from Alabama has never seen real snow so I got excited when I saw snow in the mountains, and I really hope it snows before we leave, though I am a bit doubtful, haha.

We didn't have the opportunity to attend the Temple last saturday because it was Women's conference, and so we made arrangements to go Thursday. What a blessing the Temple is and I love how much peace it brings to our lives. I hope you all will make the effort to find some time in the day and go to the Temple.

Last week our district decided to have "Christmas in September". We all got presents for one person who we randomly picked. The price top was 2 dollars, and we got it from the MTC store. It was awesome! we sat down, pulled up a youtube video of fire crackling, and read the story of Christmas from the scriptures and proceeded to open presents. Pictures to follow!

Spanish update: Because we always had choir practices in the morning, I missed out on 1.5 hours of spanish study. I missed some important lessons, but it was for a good cause. I'm making up for it in personal study, so I would say I'm lacking. I need to not be lacking to ship out in 10 days.

TRC stands for... well actually I dont know what it stands for but it is basically a real life investigator. Some TRC's are real investigators, some are close or have been baptized, and some are members who just want to help. Me and my companion had our last lesson with our TRC Sergio. I will include a picture of him. He's a great guy!

Also they have spikeball for exercise time, I think I am getting pretty good! y'all better watch out when I get home.

So I think that's all... thanks to all you for showing your love to me. I want to leave you with a little message. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and he truly did see Jesucristo and God the Father. They did speak to him, he did translate the Book of Mormon through the power of God. And because this is true, I know we have a living prophet today. Thomas S. Monson holds all the keys required to lead this Church and I know he has seen the face of Jesus. He is a true prophet of God! En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Pictures!

Me & Elder Calvin with Sergio

Christmas: reading the story

Me and Elder Calvin with Elder Salmon (as Santa)

Temple

Temple and something else attractive

Temple and district.