#merrychristmas

Hello my friends and beloved family! Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you spend a lot of time with your family and that you remember the true meaning of Christmas. 

There's not much to report on for this week. I'm going to send you all the pictures that are long due... because those are worth a thousand words! 

Oh yeah, my birthday was this last week! I played it really low key. On my birthday we had the opportinity to give service to an hermano. He had a trunk in his yard left from when he cut down a tree. We got to learn how to take a tree trunk out of the ground!

We had our Christmas Zone conference on Thursday. We got to see people preform their musical talents, we heard from our mission president, and we got to bear our testimonies one with another. You bet the spirit was strong in that conference!

This morning we had a zone activity where we all made breakfast in the church, and did a white elephant gift exchange. Guess what I got? I recieved a bag full of random tools! It was fantastic!

Anyways, I've got to be going. More to report on next week. You all get to see my wonderful face through some pictures I'm sending now. Merry Christmas!

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

#Birthday

Hola mis amigos y familiares.

I guess there's no avoiding the fact that it's my birthday on Friday. I'm playing it low-key, but there's no secret about it. Happy 20!

This week, to be honest with you all, has not been the most eventful week of my mission! Though we have had some good experiences this week.

The first was Tuesday, when we got to hear from a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. His name is Elder Patrick Kearon. He's such a happy guy, and I learned so much from him about staying happy in this work, loving and living the message we share, and not worrying too much! In this same zone conference, we heard a training from our mission president about Salt. Yep, you heard it right. We talked for 90 minutes about Salt. Who knew NaCl could be so profoundly tied into the Gospel? Of course, we learn in the sermon on the mount that Christ compares us to the Salt of the earth. I would go into depth right now, but I'm sure not everyone reading this email will want to hear it. Just take what I took from this training: being salty is good.

The rest of the week was a lot of teaching and finding more people to teach. Finding is always an important part of this work, because the Lord is preparing people to hear his restored Gospel. If we're not looking for them, we're not going to find them.

For the end of this email, I'll share with you all a story. As my companion and I were knocking potential investigators, we came across this couple. They were not who we were looking for, but they allowed us to come in and share our message with them. After talking with them for a while, they allowed us to share our message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I felt the Spirit very strongly, and I know they did too. But at the end of this lesson they ended up still saying they were Catholic. They did not want to accept a Book of Mormon from us, either. This really let me and my companion down because we thought these people were some of those elect! During that lesson, it felt as if they were accepting everything so well. They told us they respect what we do, and God bless us for our efforts. But they did not want to accept that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. Which it has, I now testify to all of you.

I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It not only makes sense factually, but the Spirit of God has told me so. There's so much opposition for the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, but the truth is those arguments just don't win. God is in charge here, and I'm just happy to be part of his work. This little time I have been a missionary has helped me immensely. I can testify of the truthfulness of Matthew 16:25-26.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

I hope you all know that the Lord watches over and takes care of his missionaries and his work. He's the Gardner here.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Fun reunion with my MTC companion

#PICO

Hey all, I hope you're all doing well. I'm here at the end of my first week in the new area. We cover part of Pico Rivera, and part of Whittier. There's a LOT of area to work here, and I'm just happy to be here! My companion Elder Lopez and I are working hard and being obedient, and that's what it's all about. I can feel the Lord changing me into who he really wants me to be here in California. I know this is where he needs me to be.

Quick shoutout to my home ward, Parkway 9th, for sending me a special Package! It consisted of a paper Christmas tree with ornaments, each ornament having a quote or a hello from each member of my home ward! I'm attatching a picture so you can all see.

My new apartment is very nice! It has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies, and it's very big. It's been a missionary apartment for a long time.

So right now we're going to shoot back to my old area, in Hawaiian Gardens. One very nice family remembered my birthday coming up soon. When they heard about me being transferred, they decided to celebrate my birthday early! I'll attatch those pictures in another email.

Sorry folks that's about all I can think of right now. Sorry for the short email. But I'm doing good! Merry almost Christmas to you all, and don't forget the true purpose of Christmas.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Christmas Tree thanks to the Parkway 9th ward!

My  new apartment

My hammock on the balcony!

#YaMeVoy

Well ladies and gentlemen, the news is in. Transfer facts are in, the votes have been counted. Drum Roll please....

Yessir! After just 1 transfer in his area, Elder Horton is packing his bags and heading out to another zone. This time, maybe to stay and finish his mission. Only time will tell. This zone, Whittier, is also where Elder Horton started his mission. He will be heading back to another area and he'll be able to see the same members and friends he left behind. We'll now have the chance to hear from him...

*applause*

*cough* well hello family and friends. I'm headed out from my third area in this ward. I'll miss it very much, including the people and places. But I know the Lord has other plans for me. He also has plans for my current companion. He has been called to train in this area! I know he'll do a fantastic job with all the people we have met and taught. He's a fantastic missionary. My new companion's name is Elder Lopez. He was born in Bolivia, but came out to the field from Maryland. He's been a missionary for almost 1 year. I served in his district before, so I know he's a great missionary and I'm excited to work with him.

Lupita and her family are all still progressing towards baptism. We sat down with them on Saturday and planned out their baptismal service for the 23rd. They are overexcited for that day. All they've got to do is come to church 2 more times in a row! It can be tough with 4 kids to get them all dressed and to get them to church by yourself, but Lupita is basically superwoman so she can do it. My companion and I have been praying so hard for her.

Jocelyn came to church for the first time this Sunday and she loved it! It was stake conference and so we didn't get to take the sacrament, which she was super excited for. I guess she's just got to come next week to see what it's like!

Stake conference was awesome! We had a visitor there from the presidency of the Seventy, named Elder Patrick Kearon. If you don't know who he is, he spoke in General Conference recently about Obedience. He told a story about when he went camping and a scorpion stung him. Ring a bell? If not, go ahead to lds.org and read it. Anyways, he gave a great talk in our sacrament meeting about how this is a church of fresh starts. He spoke specifically to the investigators and how we as missionaries are offering a fresh start, free from sin. I had never thought about it in that light. But it's true. When we are baptized we can feel our sins washed away because of that covenant we are making with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anyways, I love you all. Keep finding ways to #Lighttheworld. Serve someone today. Brighten someone's day.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Sorry no pictures this week

#Time?

Time is seriously weird in the mission. The first few months can often feel like they drag on and on and on, and then it feels normal for a second. Then, once a missionary hits their year mark, it feels like slipping down a slide where there's no possible way to grab the edges and stop. That's how I feel right now. Here I am, my second Thanksgiving in the mission and I'm wondering where the time went. If anyone has the number for Father Time, please give it to me. I would like to speak with him.

I'm in love with this place! Ever since I have been put on bike, I get the chance to speak with so many more people. The people here, (especially Hawaiian Gardens) can be the most firmly against the Gospel, or the most humbly accepting of the Gospel. Recently I have felt like a tool in the Lord's hands as he has placed me in the fertile parts with people who's hearts have been prepared. That's not to say this work is easy by any means. We get appointments that fall through, members who last-minute flake, people who curse and make fun of us, and problems with every investigator coming out of the blue. I dare say the opposition has a very good hold on those here in Southern California. But the Lord has selected a few to accept his Gospel! I'm just glad to be here.

That being said, I hope you all passed a good Thanksgiving with your family. We had a few people who treated us as family and welcomed us in their home to feed us. So for us, those feelings aren't far away. But, of course the main part of Thanksgiving is THANKS. I hope you all had a good couple minutes to sit back and ponder what makes your life easier, and what you are thankful for. Sometimes it seems we can't appreciate something fully until it's taken from us. Here's a couple things I am grateful for.

1. My family, even though they're far away. I can feel their love and prayers daily.

2. Christ. He gave us the ultimate gift, his life.

3. The opportunity to serve in the Lord's vineyard. There's nothing that replaces these 2 years.

4. The Book of Mormon. It has brought me peace and knowledge in my life.

5. My friends. I have many friends serving in parts all around the world. I feel blessed to know we are all serving the same master, and that he has put us in the place where we can learn the most.

Just a couple examples. As we continue into this time of Christmas, let's not start to turn inwards and think what others can do or give to us. But let's turn outwards and reflect the true Character of Christ! Service!! If you have not seen the new Christmas video the church released, head right now to mormon.org and watch "Light the World".https://www.mormon.org/?cid=HP_FR_24-11-2017_dMIS_fMORG_xLIDyL1-A_ I also encourage you to print out the calendar and do your best to do all those things each day.

Elder Ramirez and I are having a great time out here serving the people of Hawaiian Gardens and Lakewood. We appreciate your prayers and thoughts as we do our best to work some of these people to the waters of baptism.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Happy Birthday Mom!

Friends of Elder Ramirez's family dropped by and brought us a yummy treat of croissants and hot chocolate!

Lupita and her awesome family

Bike Life

Elder Ramirez - Bike life

My comp cut his finger

#safeandsound

Hello friends and family! Thanks to the beautiful invention of technology and the blessing to have it in this mission, I'm typing this email while in my apartment, listening to Christmas music :)

Happy Thanksgiving to all those who get the chance to celebrate it this week. For me and my companion, we will be working!

This week also went by fast, but nevertheless it was a fantastic week for me and my companion. We are really starting to see some of the fruits of our labors in this area! We're out here working like dogs, packing a lunch into the field, changing and patching bike tubes in the middle of the day, talking to everyone, trying to connect members to investigators, and more and more. It really feels good to lose yourself in the work of the Lord.

This past week Elder Ramirez and I were able to help 2 more investigators set the goal of being baptized soon. One for the 17th of December, who's name is Jocelyn. She simply just wants to follow God and set a good example for her brother. She has made some wrong choices in the past and wants to make everything right. A fantastic desire to change! The other for the 24th of December. Lupita's daughter Amarie decided to join her mother and sister in their decision to be baptized Christmas eve. What a better present to the Lord then to join his fold!

Also, Lupita brought her family (minus her husband) to church for the first time in a long time. Her sister also joined with her kids. They enjoyed it so much! And the members almost flooded her after sacrament meeting was over. Even our mission president, who showed up to our church services, talked with her and her kids afterwards! It was a magnificent experience to see them all there.

I didn't know what to put in my subject line, so I figured I would take the opportunity to let you know we are safe here in Hawaiian Gardens , California. 

Nothing else of news this week, but I appreciate all your love and support! Have a great week this week!

Con amor,

Elder Horton

#Spainish

HOLA AMIGOS! 

I'm going to limit my Spanish in this email to that.

Really, this week not much happened. I'm going to apologize in advance for the shortness of this email. But this week truly was good! It's getting a lot colder in the night, so I have had to start wearing a light sweater as we bike in the night. It gets down into the 60s and the 50s here.

We have found some really good people to teach this week. One of them is named Pedro. He let us right in to his house, and we taught him the Restoration. He understood the whole thing and responded to all our questions! My testimony that the Lord prepares people to hear the Gospel has grown so much.

This week in my personal studies I have been substituting my name or the names of those I work with. I encourage all you to do the same! I especially loved Alma chapter 7 (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/7?lang=eng). Anywhere is says "my beloved bretheren", "his people", or "you", substitute your name in. It really makes things more meaningful and personal. I invite you all to try it!

I've run out of ideas and time. Love you all! Until next week.

Con amor,

Elder Horton