January 13, 2014

Mom-

Thank you for your fantastic email! I love hearing about what is happening in you life. Maybe I will come take classes with you at CCC this summer!

The Aliso Viejo ward council is going through 2-3 chapters a week of "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" as well and it is neat to see how it changes the attitude everyone has towards missionary work. We discussed being transparent and giving others opportunities to serve. I never used to think that people felt a need to serve, so I don't think I ever really invited people to serve in a way that brought the gospel into their lives. With scouts and NHS we did service all the time, but I failed to realize that part of the attraction that people have to organizations is the opportunities that it provides to serve. I knew that I loved serving, but I didn't understand that it was common to others and would be welcomed as an opportunity instead of a burden. That is not how everyone receives it, but it is for some. Thank you for your insights on what you are learning too!

So the Aliso Viejo zone has four wards in it and I get to work really closely with the bishops, ward mission leaders and missionaries in each of those wards. one of the reasons that they split up the zone was so that the numbers of people were more manageable. I am so excited to get to know people better and help in any way I can. I am companions with Elder Tombs from Lubbock Texas and he is a real good kid. He knows the area really well and so he is showing me around this week.

I am absolutely thrilled to hear about Ackshin-Jackson going to Colorado on his mission! He is going to be a bonafidemountain man when I see him in 2016 :-)

I have to confess that I didn't put batteries in the camera last week. whoops. I legitimately feel remorseful for not doing so. I will repent. I will buy batteries today. I will put them in my camera today. Before I play volleyball I will take a picture of Elder Tombs. I will take a picture everyday. I will send you seven pictures on January 20th, 2014. Absolutely.

Well we are teaching some fun people:

Heather -Her boyfriend needs to marry her (they are not engaged)

Tara -Her boyfriend needs to marry her (They are engaged)

Bharat- Hindu guy who we are teaching on Wed

Jonathan -Nice guy who we are teaching on Wed. He loves families

David- Lonely guy (he is also gay. nothing wrong with that, it just brings a different set of challenges)

Erin- 12 generation Catholic. We met her on the street this week outside her house. By far my favorite... If I had a favorite :p

Mike- eternal investigator with a lot of questions.

To help the most, we are going to focus on Erin and Jonathan to get baptized this transfer. So you can pray for everybody, of course, but mostly that we can meet with Erin and that she will come to church and meet friends here and for Jonathan to have a desire to raise his family in the church. 

It has been a solid week, and I am looking forward to serving here for as long as they will let me. Don't have much else to say except that we all need to repent (I need batteries) and God will forgive us if we truly manifest by our works that we are willing to make and keep our covenants.

Have a great week!

Love, Elder Chandler