#16months

Hello Everyone I hope you all had a happy Easter. I hope the subject line doesn't sound like I'm counting down or anything. I'm having an absolute great time here and staying focused on the work.

Anyways, the internet is playing games with us here. I was barely able to write my mission president so this email may be short, as I'm short on time.

First off the most exciting thing of this week: Our investigator, named Kevin, came to church. I am pretty sure I told you about him. He's not working, nor does he have a car. So when we couldn't find a ride for him to church, we came and walked with him to church from his house. Also, he didn't have any church clothes. So, I let him borrow a suit of mine! He looked awesome! I am including a picture of him. 

My companion and I had a good Easter. We were invited to a member's home for dinner. I also got an Easter package with some fun Bunny ears. Haha enjoy that picture and do with it what you may.

...That's about it. All I can remember, at least. have a good week and I love you all.

Happy Easter

Our investigator - Kevin sporting my suit!

Goodwill find ;)

#222days

So I didn't know what to put in my subject line so I'll just put that... I am 222 days in as of 2 days ago so yeah!

Hello friends and family, I hope you're all well. I heard that the valley got a little snow over spring break! How was that?

The elementary kids are on spring break for 3 weeks down here for some reason, and the high school kids get 6 days off. This Friday, and the whole next week.

There's not too much to tell about this week, except that it was a bomb week for the missionary work! We found an awesome new family to teach, but one of our investigators on a baptismal date, and had some unexpected visitors at church! But before I get into that, let me tell you about the exchange I had on Saturday.

So our new district leader is on bike! So for exchanges he asked me if I could ride my own bike and give his a break. I happily agreed and it was a great day. But it's been a long time since I rode my own bike. My butt hurt a lot that night. It made me so grateful to have a car. So grateful. I won't take that for granted ever again.

So as for this week! Our new investigator named Kevin is an 18 year old in high school. He recently moved from Honduras and doesn't speak English so it's tough for him in school where they don't speak any Spanish to him. But when we teach him he's like a dry sponge. He soaks up everything we learn and basically teaches it right back to us! We invited him to be baptized, and to pray about that decision. We put him on a baptismal date for April 23rd which will have to be pushed back because he was unable to attend church.

So about this new family we found. While me and my companion were walking down the street, we saw a house with a bunch of Easter decorations so we decided to knock. They happily accepted the message we shared, which was the new Easter video the church released. They invited us back to talk a little more. Turns out, they are actually former investigators! They are very catholic and love their church but they are also open to learn about other churches. We are going to see how it goes teaching them the lessons.

So about our church experience! We invited Kevin, who was unable to come. Our main investigators, the Ambrosio family, are usually picked up by an hermana in the ward who decided not to pick them up that day. So, I was pretty sad, thinking we wouldn't have any investigators at church. However as I walked into class the second hour, I was surprised to see one of our investigators there! It's a mother and a daughter, named Bessy and Sophia. Bessy brought her sister, as well as her daughter and her daughter's son. It was quite a good time getting to know them. Turns out they don't live in our area so we won't teach them.

Anyways this is a long email but I have a couple more things to say. These past couple of weeks I have been giving more of an effort to be exactly obedient to the mission rules, and as you guys can see it's blessing our work. I testify of obedience to you guys. Be obedient to the commandments of the Lord, and he will see that and bless your life. Those blessings may come in different ways you can't imagine but they will nevertheless be blessings. Don't forget trials are blessings too. They give us a chance to rely on God. Helaman 12:3

Lastly! If any of you have not seen the new Easter video released by the church, go watch it now. It's a short 3 minutes and I would prefer you watch it than read the rest of my email. It's a beautiful video about Christ, what he did, and how it can affect us. I love to share it with people on the street, in their homes, or wherever! It's found on mormon.org.

Anyways I love you all. Thanks for sending your love/

-- 

Elder Horton

Cool Sign

Long Beach Sunset

Ocean Blvd

Long Beach Sunset

#templo

Hello all my friends and family!

Thank you for all your letters of support and love this week. I felt it all in the work.

This week was very successful in the work. Our few investigators are progressing very well. Sadly, all of them were too busy to be able to see General Conference and hear the word of the Lord but we will continue to testify to them of living prophets.

This week has flown by, and I realized I am now in the second week of my 5th transfer in the field. Oh, how time flies by! 

You may all be wondering why I am emailing on a Tuesday, and that's because we got to go to the temple today. When we have the opportunity to go to the temple, we have to change our P-day accordingly. So I went to the temple this morning. We woke up at 3:30 and there was a member so nice and willing to meet us at 4am to drive us to the temple with his van. So, yes I'm pretty dang tired. But the work will go on nevertheless. I just need a nap first.

The temple was such a nourishing experience. When you spend 5 months as a missionary without being able to go to a temple, you tend to take that experience for granted. I soaked in every word, especially since I have learned so much from other missionaries about the temple.

Yes, General Conference was this last weekend and I realize I am probably the last email you are reading from a missionary who saw and loved Conference. I absolutely loved Jeffery R. Holland's talk. When I get the chance, I am going to go back and read and watch it.

Well I gotta get going. My companion has a haircut appointment soon and then we will probably go take another nap. Love you all, thank you for your prayers!

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

/

PS sorry no pictures today. I don't have any way to upload them!

Message from Mom:

Ryan's Grandpa Horton passed away Thursday morning this past week.  We were able to speak with Ryan on the phone for about 10 minutes on Thursday.  He took the news well and  prays that his Grandpa Horton will be by his side the rest of his mission.  We believe in life after death and that we will all be reunited after death.  https://www.lds.org/topics/eternal-life?lang=eng&old=true

LA Temple

Dinner with the branch between conference sessions

LA Temple

Selfie

With the Cambodian Elders

Tesla dealership

#transfers4

So transfer calls are in, as of yesterday! Drum roll

Elder Horton is staying in Long Beach, with Elder Gutierrez for another transfer. This transfer, Elder Gutierrez finishes his mission. I will stay one more, to get another companion and then probably transfer out! So I have 3 more months in this area, and we are going to see miracles happen!

This last week not much happened actually! It went by pretty fast and Elder Gutierrez and I just worked off our little butts. We have a couple investigators we hope can be baptized soon. A lot of work must be put in here to see few results.

The Ambrosio family is doing very well. They work a lot, so it is tough to find the whole family at home. Either the mother is working and the kids are home, or the father is working. The mother, Angela, is progressing. She is attending church with her kids and keeping commitments that we leave with her. But the father, Marvin, fails to keep commitments we give him. I had to sit down with him and really explain why we ask for him to keep commitments. This, sadly, is how many of the people in Long Beach are. They are convinced they are too busy to listen to us. They are so deep into their own lives that there's no room for God or Jesus Christ. Even most of the "Catholics" here don't attend church or read the Bible. Yay for the grace of the Lord!

We found some people, former investigators named Josue and Nancy. They were so close to baptism a few years ago, then a death in their family brought them back to their own Christain church. They were basically members, but they were not married. Now they are married and they love our church! They can be baptized so soon! We meet with them Thursday.

Anyways, I'm running out of time. I hope all of you are doing well. keep going in the faith, hold to the Iron rod, and know that God will take care of you. I trust him to keep you all safe while I cannot, while I am out here serving him.

Con Amor,

Elder Horton

Pictures:  Trash people leave in their yards...

#baptisms

Hello friends and family!

I realize that subject line may be a little misleading from what I actually mean, so let me clarify. In our branch of Ximeno, there are 3 companionships. 2 of those companionships had a baptism this last Sunday, but not my companionship. I had the privelage of seeing 2 women enter the waters of baptism, as the first baptism this branch has had since last July. Though Elder Gutierrez and I have not had a baptism yet, seeing these 2 women be baptized gave me a thirst to get that. I imagined all of my investigators in white, and oh how I want that. Unfortunately, everything does not go my way. We have difficulties, people have doubts, and they quit investigating the Gospel when they don't get their answers immediately. That's not how God works. We have to have trust in his timing. People here are full of pride and their hearts are like stones. But my job as a missionary is to break that stone open, so these people come to God with a broken heart and receive Christ into their life.

I went on a really good exchange with another Elder in my district, Elder Keyser. He's from Texas and he's a convert to this gospel. It was very great to hear him teach.

Anyways, I regret to say I don't have much time this week to email more. Just know everything is well for Elder Horton in Long Beach!

Love,

Elder Horton

Tag Picture (Long Beach Yacht Club)

Baptism I got to attend

Splits with Elder Keyser

Typical meal

Subway with Elder Gutierrez

Some hammock time!

#alive

Hello all family and friends.

I am short on time this week, but that's okay because it was not very eventful.

I just wanted you to all know I'm alive.

We had some new investigators attend church this week. It was only the mother and the 3 kids, as the father had to work. In fact, something crazy happened.

We arranged for an hermana to pick them up and bring them to church. While our investigator family was getting ready for church, the kids were ready and standing outside and the mother was finishing up. She entered a room and the door slammed behind her. Figuring it was one of her kids, she kept going on getting ready. When the time came, she tried to open the door but couldn't for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, the kids were standing outside scared when this hermana came to pick them up. They told her they saw a random shadow slam the door behind their mom. This awesome hermana calmed the kids and helped the mother open the door.

If that's not crazy, and a personification of Satan trying to stop people from following Christ then I don't know what is.

We moved apartments today... again. The old one was small, run down, and dirty. This new apartment is bigger, newer, and very nice. Hardwood floors and a window view of Pacific Coast Highway. 

Long Beach, baby!

"but first, let me take a selfie."

my companion in a batman onesie

moving a fridge down 2 flights of stairs is not easy

Pacific Coast Highway view

Lots of fog

#saynotocrackkids

Kids listen up. Stay away from drugs. They ruin lives.

With that gentle reminder in the form of a greeting, Hola mis amigos!

This last week I hit an important milestone. My 6 month mark!! It's weird to think I get to do everything I just did, 3 times again. Also I feel I have some unusually large numbers for these last 6 months. Every missionary who reads this will hate me for a second because I am counting the MTC but bear with me. In these last 6 months I have had 5 different companions, and lived in 6 different spaces. Still 0 baptisms but that will change soon ;P. Count up my apartments, and it's actually 5 but that brings me to my next point...

We are moving this week (again). The apartment we live in is very small, not kept up, and has bad management. Of course us being missionaries we don't like to complain. But Elder Gutierrez saw how bad of an apartment it is and took initiative to change that. So we are moving on Wednesday to a space on PCH! (Pacific coast Highway)

This week went by super fast. By the time it came to Saturday, I was super surprised. Not only the weeks are going by quickly, but this transfer is already halfway over and it flew by. Elder Gutierrez and I are putting in hard work over here in Long Beach. We found 8 investigators this past week, most of those in the form of families. families are golden because we teach how they can be together forever, and who wouldn't want that? Part member families are also super golden because those investigators have an immediate support system while they investigate the Gospel.

In light of that aspect I return to the subject line. Elder Gutierrez and I found on the member list 3 children who are less-active members. Their parents are not members, so we saw that part member family and went to visit them last night. We knocked on the door, behind which we heard music playing. It opened and out walked a man with massive, purple puffed up lips, mumbling in broken-up Spanish but still understandable. Still learning, I thought this man was drunk! He invited us to pass into his house but my wise companion knew better. He kindly rejected this man's consistent invitations, and tried to tell him we will come back later. After 5 minutes and a prayer with this man we walked away. Is it bad that finding people like this is normal on my mission?? Elder Gutierrez was quick to point out to me that man wasn't drunk. (I thought I smelt alcohol) He was high off crack which is way more addicting than marijuana.

Besides that fun story, we come across people multiple times a day who are either mentally ill or high off some drug. I am able to accurately tell the difference from good and bad marijuana by smelling it.

Welcome. To. Southern. California.

zone leader exchange

Cute complex sign

This captures 80% of our apartment

our board

District leader map