Elder Ryan Horton: #¿QuéFrio?

Well I'm reading all these emails from missionaries exclaiming how cold it is getting in their mission. I don't know if this serves as any consolation, but yesterday we hit a sunny 89 degrees Farenheit.

To be honest I kind of miss the snow. I understand that Southern California is so packed because the weather here almost constantly stays between 55 degrees and 100 degrees. It stays a pretty constant warm here! so basically I'm spoiled. I know.

I'm also convinced that we meet some of the most unique people here. Saturday while in the library to print off a talk, I was asked by a man if I was Catholic. When I responded that I wasn't, he asked why not and proceeded to tell me that the Catholic is the only valid church and that all the others are bogus. It was clear that he's not completely there so I didn't put too much effort into convincing him otherwise. Just cordially responded and left as soon as possible. Plenty of those experiences to tell!

Crystal is doing well. She felt she needed a little more time, and she thought a week would be appropriate. So we continue to hope and pray she makes it to this Saturday with our other baptism. But we still have a couple other barriers to knock down. Getting people to baptism is not easy here. But it's possible. I believe that.

I'll tell you guys about a cool teaching experience I had with Crystal this past Saturday.
Originally we had planned to teach her about the 10 commandments, living-day prophet, tithing, and Obeying and Honoring the Law. But as we started, the Spirit guided me to talk about church. It was no coincidence, because we came to figure out that she doesn't like church all that much and that she doesn't really get anything from it. So we read in 3 Nephi 18 where it talks all about the sacrament, and we talked with her about the purpose of church. At the end of the lesson, we invited her to join us for church the next day, and she still didn't seem convinced. So I said something along these lines. (by the way she loves chips)
"Okay Crystal I want you to imagine for a second that I have a big ol' bag of Cheetos right here. It's a new flavor that you've never tried before, and we are sitting here telling you it's SO good. We know how much joy and happiness it will bring you. We come every day and try to convince you that you need to eat these Cheetos, and that your life will be changed for the better the moment you try them. But you need to be the one to open the bag and try it for yourself. It's the same with baptism and church. You have to be the one to do it to find out how much joy and happiness it will bring you."
Then Elder Lopez said, "So Crystal, how bad do you want the chips?"
Crystal responded, "see you tomorrow"
It felt like a movie scene to be honest. It was really cool.

Well, that's about all I have for you all this week. As President Nelson exhorts us to do, I echo. Keep on the Covenant Path.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton