#Cerritos

Hola amigos, this is Elder Horton once again, hailing from the 2nd floor of the Cerritos Library, on one of the more-than-70 computers.

This week has been absolutely crazy. As my companion is a Zone Leader, we have been to and fro, dealing with a lot of business. However that hasn't stopped the work. Elder Horton has been busy learning his new area which includes Norwalk and Lakewood. I've also been a little taken aback by the amount of work in this area. I've had to learn a lot of names, which results with losing a lot of names from my old area. Such is the life of a missionary.

There are some significant changes from down in Long Beach to up here in Cerritos. First off is the weather. We're hitting a constant 95 in the mid day, and increasing every day. Before, I was able to have the ocean breeze cool me off 10 degrees cooler. Also, there's a lot more members in this Ward I'm serving in. It's crazy! however, as far as missionary work goes, there's a lot less Hispanics here. There are more full houses, and less apartments. A lot of Hispanics down here aren't able to find a good secure job, because, well, they're not legal. but with a more secure job you can make more money and live in a house. Kind of twisted logic, and Elder Horton is even boring himself.

Also apparently Elder Horton has started talking about himself in the third person. What a weirdo ;P

Fun story!

Elder Anglin and I were walking down the street, and tried to contact a man who was just about to light up his blunt of Mary Jane. As we got talking, he told us he's a Christian and believes in Jesus. Somehow we got on the subject of his blunt and he told us this. "This is natural. It comes out of the ground, just like tomatoes. Except you eat tomatoes, but you don't eat this. I smoke this."

Elder Anglin and I got a little bit down the road and just burst out laughing. People here are fun to talk with.

That's about it. Sorry for the short email, but I promise more cool stuff next week.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Elder Anglin and I

UGH

The Franco Family

The unbeatable trio

The Quintanilla family

The Camarena family

Mi casa es su casa

#thattriolife

Brothers, sisters, animals, and cats of every kind! How are you!?

I'm great, thanks for asking.

First order of business. Elder Horton is back in a trio for 3 days! This last Saturday, an Elder in our district went home early. So for the second time here in Long Beach, I am in a trio for a short time before the transfer date. This one has lasted for 3 days. Our tag-along buddy is named Elder Kimball. He was in the MTC with me, and so we had a fun time fooling around and working hard. He's a fantastic missionary, and has been called to be District Leader this coming transfer in the Ximeno district.

Next order of business! Transfer facts are in, and I will be transferring to the Cerritos stake. My next companion is Elder Anglin who's a Zone Leader. I don't know much about him, neither do you! I'll let you know next week. Of course I'm sad to not stay here with my good friend Elder Wallis. We have worked so hard, gotten along, and increased our investigator pool so much. It's going to hurt a little bit to know I can't help these people progress more to baptism, but I have faith in Elder Wallis to help these people with his new companion. Meanwhile, I have business the Lord needs me to do in Cerritos.

There are many opportunities for growing in this next area where I will serve! I'm going to a strong ward, with many members who are willing to help us in the missionary work. I'm hoping they are as willing as the branch I'm in. We have so few members to help us here, and a lot of them are busy. However they are so willing to help when they can. Also I have an opportunity to learn from this new companion. He's a strong missionary, and a great guy from what I've heard. 

I'm sure after 6 months here, I have forgotten a little about how to change. Same area, same people. I hope I can remember and embrace this new change with new missionaries, new working area, new members to meet, and new everything virtually! As I submit my will to the Lord's, who wants me to work here for the next little while, I know I will be blessed.

This can apply to all of you! You all are facing a little more change than missionaries. School, friends, family, job, etc. If you learn to embrace and love change, things will go so much better for you. "Fighting the system" is not good. It is change that helps us adapt so new situations, grows us spiritually and mentally, and can often stretch us into the person our Heavenly Father wants us to become. Please, everyone learn what kind of changes the Lord is placing into your life and try your best to embrace it. You will be blessed beyond belief.

Red Robin

People park this close in Cali on a regular basis... so do we

Wallis's drawing

Elder Wallis eating candy like always

Haciendo la obra

#Shoutouts

Hello folks! It's shoutout time!

First. S/o to Elder Bison Hancey who leaves for the MTC this Wednesday to learn Mandarin to go to Canada. He's joining the force and we're all so happy for him.

Second. S/o to my recently-released Stake President Russ Nielson for serving so honorably in his calling and for dealing with Pre-mission Elder Horton.

Third. I know this is a little late, but S/o to all those of you who graduated. You did it.

Well this week was a rollercoaster that didn't stop going up. Last Monday night, we went to an investigator's house to find her father, Nacho, there visiting from Mexico. He was open to listen to our message so we taught it. He heard us out and loved everything. He's catholic by tradition, but had never gone to church nor prayed. He needed God, and that's exactly what we gave him. It was an incredible experience as we taught this man how to pray and committed him to be baptized on the 24th of June, the day before he goes home. Sadly, they didn't show up to church so they will not be able to meet the requirement of 3 weeks church attendance before he can be baptized. However we will continue to teach him and his family, increase his faith in Christ, and prepare him for baptism so the missionaries at his home in Mexico can baptize him.

Also throughout the week we found 6 new investigators and had 4 investigators at church. That's absolutely incredible if you're not familiar with the norm here. They have a "standard of excellence" which we met for the first time this transfer. And honestly, it felt extremely satisfying as a missionary to see the fruits of my labors. We are truly working to bring souls unto Christ.

I made a stir-fry this week. I burned my finger, and I burned the vegetables a little, but it turned out awesome! I felt like a real chef cutting up vegetables and chicken and cooking them on our stove. It was really tasty, too.

That's about all from the life of Elder Horton. A lot of missionary work here. Transfer calls are this week, so I will be learning whether or not I will stay for a 5th transfer here in Long Beach East. I really do hope I'll be staying, because Elder Wallis and I are just getting started! We've really found a groove for when we teach, we get along super well, and we're just seeing a lot of results from our work. But if I am transferred, I will serve happily in the new place I go to. It will be sad to leave this beautiful branch with all the great members and leadership. BUT let's just see!

I hope you're all doing well. Send me an email with how you're doing on a scale of 1-10 mentally, physically, and spiritually. And as always, let me know if there's anything I can do or help with you! I'll do anything I can in my power.

Quick spiritual thought: An investigator of mine mentioned to us that it's even a blessing that we have food on our plates and a place to live. Seems simple, yet it's so profound. I'm not sure I could imagine my life if the Lord didn't bless me with the things I take for granted every day. I'm so blessed to be a missionary and spread the word of the Lord. This week, I saw the Lord work miracles through me. I'm just a tool! I may not be very sharp but he uses me. I hope we all take a minute to sit down and think how blessed we are, with each little thing we have. I'm blessed to be here in a library with as much time as I want, to email my family, sitting on a chair and gah... everything's a blessing. We need to thank the Lord a lot more.

Anyways, sorry for rambling. Love you all.

Elder Horton

Happy Guy!

Selfie-deserved stir-fry

The view from Signal Hill, a full 300 degrees of that!

The famous Elder Wallis with a chicken.  Welcome to Long Beach!

#plzattendchurch

Hola familia y mis amigos. Espero que estén bien.

Well this week seemed to fly by. My companion Elder Wallis and I are having such a good time out here in Long Beach talking to stoners, Buddhists, and borrachos in the street on Sunday night!

Well basically these last 4 weeks of this transfer we have focused on finding new investigators. We were extremely successful and we found what we believe to be some of the people God has prepared to hear our message. But this last week we tried to focus more in on our investigators and committing them to baptismal dates and to come to church. Sadly our efforts didn't see any fruits as we ran dry for investigators at church and we still report a big ol' 0 to our district leader for baptismal dates. I can tell all of you one thing for sure, I am going to spend a lot of time on my knees this week. When I'm not on my knees, I'll be using them to work. 

Always as missionaries we are told we are assigned to our own mission for a reason, the same with the area we are serving. There is someone there our words can touch and hopefully convert. I believe that completely, so I need to just get out and work!

Enough about me, how are you all doing? I appreciate your letters and love you send me. It means a lot to have more to do than I have time. I heard that Max Stidham tied the knot, so congrats to him. I heard the Stake presidency in my home stake is being reorganized so I'm very excited to hear who becomes the new president and his counselors.

I know a lot of you are in Utah currently, so I hope that 90 degree weather isn't killing you yet. Maybe you're enjoying the sun for now. Here in Long Beach the heat comes in waves. One day will be cloudy without rain, and the next day will be the high 80's. I never know what to expect. We had 3 days of clouds in a row, so the 4th day I put on a sweater. Well that was the day the sun decided to show himself! Ha!

I'm pretty proud of myself. I am cooking! This week I made tacos for my companion and I, we have made homemade pizzas, and I am going to cook a stir-fry this week. Simple meals, but trust me. It's a step up from mac&cheese and the classic PB&J.

We had Zone Conference this week, as well as interviews with the mission president. I learned different things from each. I learned how simply we must teach. So often we can over complicate things and just confuse the people we teach. But if we teach simply, almost as teaching to a child, they will understand so much more. The Gospel is simple, people! Let's teach it that way!

Also I gave myself another haircut. Thanks for all the comments telling me to cut it ;)

Pues, eso es todo para mi. Espero que pasen una buena semana!

Elder Horton

Free donuts from Krispy Kreme on national donut day

TACOS

In Signal Hill the richest apartment complexes have this