Hello Hello Hello

He's a great missionary.  I can't even express how proud I am to see the growth and maturity that he has had while on his mission.  A couple things are always the same... I can ALWAYS feel the love he has for the people on his mission and I can ALWAYS feel the love that he has for his mission itself!!  I hope you can feel that also :)

Enjoy...

Hello Hello Hello

I guess no one got the message we had a temple trip this week and so today (Wednesday) was our temple trip and also our Preparation Day. Sorry if you were worrying about me not writing a letter this week. But this week was pretty awesome actually! Like before it was a little hectic and busy, but the Lord blessed us. 

I had the opportunity to give a training for Zone conference on Tuesday. It was actually my first Zone Training and I was little nervous to be honest. Missionaries from Porterville, Lindsey, Visalia, Tulare, and Hanford all came and so there were a lot of us. I gave a training on "Dining while teaching LA's and RC's and part member families". It went pretty well! 

Elder Corona and I got to have a mini missionary come out with us this week! It was pretty sweet! What the stake does is calls a certain number of youth to go out on a 3 day mission with full time missionaries. They get set apart and go out with the missionaries and everything. Our missionary's name was Aaron Hatch, he's a great kid and a little bit shy. He did awesome for the three days he was with us. He only spoke English which kind of made us feel bad because we spoke mostly Spanish, but he got the spirit of it. If there's time I'll send some pictures of our little missionary haha.

Those that we're teaching are doing good too! The V. family is looking forward to being baptized this Sunday on the 15th. They're so prepared but I can tell they're a little nervous and scared. Right now they are living with one of our members and she helps them answer questions and provides help and means till they can find their own place. They are truly being blessed. So pray that they will receive answers to their prayers, and that they'll have the courage to be baptized... T. R. is doing good too. He has a date for baptism on the 29th of March. He is a little bit scared as well. He has a few issues with the word of wisdom but he trusts us when we tell him that the things we teach him will help him quit completely, if he'll let it... There are a lot of potentials that we've noticed this week and they've all been through members. Hastening of the work is really all about the members! One potential is actually from A. C., the one LA we helped come back to church. She's came to church twice now and has brought a non-member friend, which is actually her cousin. We have an appointment to see her and her cousin tomorrow. 

So I'm happy to hear that baseball went good this week! Sounds like they have good things going already. I'm pretty excited to hear about spring sports. I hope that this summer we can get permission to watch the Fresno Grizzlies AAA team play (hopefuly). I miss baseball. I'm happy to hear everyone else is doing good! I love hearing good things about family.

I'm super excited for Justin! That's so awesome! I've looked back and realized that a lot of my family members have been blessed since I've been back out. I'm so excited, and makes me super happy!... Congrats to Nic! He gets the immersion of Spanish right off the bat. He'll be fluent in 6 months

Well in the past I've written longer letters and have had more time, but I'm going to have to keep this one short. I have to do a few other D.L. responsibilities (like write president about exchanges that I had with Elder Lundberg yesterday). Being a missionary and D.L. can be crazy sometimes!

I hope you all know I love you and miss you. Hasta luego en cinco dias!

Love Elder Horrocks

P.s. Elder Russell M Ballard is coming to speak to us on the 21st of this month. Should be pretty awesome!

P.s.s. I'll try everything I can to get a recording of the musical from Brother Garcia maybe? It's just were real busy and will if we can.

February is gone and another week in the vineyard.

So another week of good things!  They had an all musical fireside.  I LOVE THAT!  Most people who know me know how important music is in my life :) I am not professionally trained in anything, although my mother did make me suffer through years of piano I never actually did well in them, and I did take 10 years or so of voice but I'm still far from amazing ;)  BUT!!  Music has ALWAYS played such an important part in my life!  I love music!!  I feel like it speaks the words in my heart better than I can at times :)  If you are a fan "The Forgotten Christmas Carols" then you've heard the story of George Frideric Handel's (I have NO idea if this is actually a true story about him.  I only know it from The Forgotten Christmas Carols, but I love it because it reminds me of myself) where he falls asleep and has a dream that he is in heaven and trying to sing with the choir of angles but he can't sing because he isn't good enough.  Then the heavens are filled with beautiful music and when Handel asks he is told it is the music in his heart and that one day he will write music that will touch the hearts and fill the ears of people everywhere.  Anyway... I feel that one day the music in my heart will be heard ;) It might be in heaven but it will get heard somewhere!  We used to do some of the most amazing musical sacraments every Christmas and Easter in Neola and I miss them terribly!!  I was super excited to hear they did an all musical fireside :)  Music is so powerful!  I was also soooooo happy to hear that Alex got to play the guitar again!!  I miss hearing him play SO MUCH!!!  He has a great voice also.  Maybe next time he'll get to sing too :):)

I also had an amazing experience this week, that oddly enough, had to do with music also!  I don't ever doubt that our Heavenly Father is mindful but I had a direct experience of my own and it still brings tears to my eyes.  My Heavenly Father KNOWS me...
Part 1:  A couple of weeks ago my Relief Society president asked if I would sing for a visiting teaching thing in Relief Society.  She sent me a text that asked if I sang and if I would be willing to sing for a visiting teaching program they were going to have in Relief Society.  She wanted a musical number for it. I text her back and said I did sing and I would be glad to and to let me know what I needed to do and I'd get it done.  She said to sing anything about service.  So I called Larain and got working on it...
Part 2:  I sang the song in RS.  When I was done she got up to thank me and give her talk.  She said that she needed to tell everyone about the experience she had and why she had asked me to sing.  I was kind of wondering why myself because I haven't sang at all since I've moved to Roosevelt, except the National Anthem a couple weeks ago at a basketball game.  So she said that she had asked her daughter if she would sing but she said that she didn't want to and she didn't know what else to do.  So she started praying about it.  She said that she was impressed with the thought to "ask Doni Arnold" and so she started calling our house but the line was ALWAYS busy (there is something wrong with the land line so it is always busy).  She tried 5 or 6 times and then kind of forgot about it until she was headed out to SLC for a doctors appointment.  She said to her husband that she needed to get a hold of me to see if I would sing in RS and he asked her "Does Doni even sing???" to which she said "Hmmmmm! I don't know! But I know that I need to ask her."  He then said to her "Are you STUPID!?!??  You are going to ask someone to sing and you don't even know if they sing???"  And again she said "I don't know!  But I know that I need to ask her!"  So she found my number and asked and I said yes I sing and that I'd love to help.  She told everyone that she wanted them to know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us and that he KNEW I sang and that she needed to ask me to sing...
Part 3:  I have really been thinking lately about how I haven't sang since my dads funeral and that I feel like I am losing my talent.  I don't have anywhere that I am able to use it besides church and I've just felt so sad that I am losing my talent because I love singing!!!  So when I was asked to sing the National Anthem I was glad to and I worked really hard on it! It felt good to be working on something musical again!!  I was happy that I got to use my talent.  Then I got the text from the RS president a couple days later and I thought to myself "how crazy that I am all of the sudden getting asked to sing when it has been on my mind so much lately"  I have had this prayer or concern or whatever you want to call it in my heart.  I hadn't ever voiced it out loud.  I just thought about it.  A lot.  So when she told that story I sat and cried because I had personal confirmation that the Lord is mindful of me.  He KNEW and he worked through someone else to show me he knows.  It was an awesome awesome awesome experience!!!  I love the miracles that happen all around us, that show us Heavenly father knows our hearts and minds ;)  He's listening to you everyday.  Keep looking for him around you.

I love the blessings that come to our family and thought provoking experiences that we have, all because of Alex serving and loving others!!  He's amazing :)

Enjoy <3

February is gone and another week in the vineyard.

Hey family! Glad to hear that things are going good at home. This week in the mission was a little bit different and a little bit hectic too. It was really something else but it was definitely a lot of fun!

We weren't able to teach a whole lot this week because of certain things, but we did see success with those that we still are keeping contact with. The V. family that we found last week in church is doing amazing! They're really really progressing. They still have struggles with the effect from moving place to place and finding ways of making means, but their desire to learn the gospel and make friends in the church is awesome! Our members are actually taking good care of them when they need something, I bet that's a blessing to them. We actually had the opportunity to take them to a family baptism back in Lindsey (my old area). The baptism was from one of the English members here in Tulare. It was definitely what you would call a preach my gospel baptism! The spirit was strong there, and the V. family said the same thing even though they weren't able to fully understand all of it. Something I learned on my mission is that when a baptism is a preach my gospel baptism, those that are non members or those who are investigating in the church are 80% more likely to be baptized. So it was perfect for them!! I was really happy that we went. Another thing they're doing now is taking notes in church, our investigators taking notes in church! YES!! I'm telling you, this family is golden! How often do you see normal members taking notes in church? B-b-bb-bbb-bbb-b-be baptized!

T. our other investigator has a baptism date for the 29th. He's doing pretty good. We saw him the other day and said he was leaving to Hanford CA for a little while because there was no work for a week. By the way it rained a ton this week! Which was much needed. When field workers have rain their bosses give them a certain amount of days before going back. But anyhow, T. is doing good and still has a lot of good questions. He just needs to come to church now... Y. and K. were doing good for a while, but we had to drop them. We went over to visit them this week and Y. told us that she wasn't going to come to church anymore because she's had bad experiences with the church this past month or so. It's just sad because she was doing so good for a long time. Like nearly  6-7 months I believe, but there's not a whole lot we can do about that so we're leaving her and K. in God's hands... C. and her family are the ones we found through a recent convert and they almost got antied. It was a little scary! The story goes that couple days after we taught them the restoration, something about mormons and Joseph Smith turns on from the discovery channel (and this is also after A.; C.'s daughter, prayed to know if the book of mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was a true prophet) and then BOOM discovery channel. When Elder Corona and I heard that, we warned them of the media and advised them to look elsewhere for sources LIKE The Book of Mormon maybe? The actual words and evidence itself? So we told them to be careful about those things. They're doing good and are close to progressing.

This week was different because there was a musical fireside that our Tulare sisters held here in Tulare yesterday. Elder Corona and I performed but I didn't get any pictures because it was in the chapel. I did get pictures afterwards though. We got some good compliments. I played the guitar while Elder Corona sang. We were going to sing together but thanks to this rainy weather I've been sick for a few days now. We played be still my soul and I know my redeemer lives together. I got the music from a member and improvised it so that we could kind of make it our own. It was fun! But wow we were stressed about it for a while, glad that it's over.

My time is running out short but I'm super glad to have got emails from other family members. Tell Grandma, Carmen, and Buck I appreciate their letters and that I love them! It's so good to hear from them.

Tell West and Mar to keep it up in Sports. Sounds like they're doing great! I'm excited to hear from baseball.  And tell Weston I got his letter and that it's far better off getting skinnier than getting fatter like I am haha. I weigh right now about 175-180 if you were wondering.

Well I'm super happy to be here where I know the Lord wants me to be. I'm so glad to hear that everything at home is doing well. Unfortunately I have limited time but I hope and pray all goes well for you this week. I'm always praying for you.

Love ya lots

P.s. thank you for your singing story :) the Lord truly is mindful

P.s.s Tomorrow I'm giving a training in Zone conference, so hopefully that goes well!

P.s.s.s March 11th is our temple trip and it's a Wednesday  so I'm supposing that's our preparation day too. March 21st we have a mission conference and an apostle is going to come and speak to us. Should be pretty awesome!

Dang what a crazy week!!

Once again I feel uplifted by Alex's contagious spirit!  His letters all speak for themselves.  I feel blessed that he gives me more love to carry around in my heart each week!

I LOVE HIS PICTURES!!  I think he and Elder Corona are two peas in a pod!!  They HAVE to be!!  How awesome that they enjoy their time together all while spreading the Lord's good word :)  I LOVE IT!

Working in the fields

Elote!! Nacho libre corn

You shall not pass

You shall not pass

This is what happens when you lean back in your chair during studies

Talent show this week. A few individuals showing their talents

Dang what a crazy week!!

I can only say that my heart was touched to see some great miracles happen this past week. I can only say the Lord has given me so much and at times I feel inadequate for the things he blesses us with. Many different things have happened and I hope I can have them make sense.

For a transfer and a half now I've been constantly praying that God would help us find a prepared people and families through the members. And I'm glad to say that we have found 4 new investigators that are going to be baptized in March. All four of these people were found through our members as well. One of them is named T., and what's interesting about T. is that he's been around with us this whole time! He would participate and listen in on our new member lessons with a recent convert. Well one day he comes to a family home evening activity at the church. Our spanish group leader was giving a lesson on one of the missionary lessons. To my surprise T. actually participated in the lesson! Later on during that night we had a dinner to end with for FHE, and as we ate we taught T. the restoration of the Gospel. He was confused as to why he should be baptized again and when he finally understood the restoration of the authority he accepted to be baptized on March 29.  Since then we've visited him a few times and he's progressing well! He's reading and praying and doing everything he should, so he's doing awesome!... You'll never believe how we found the other 3 people. So we just happened to be going to church like normal yesterday, and I finish ward council with Elder Wain and out of no where Elder Lundberg and Elder Corona come up to me and say "We just set up 3 baptism dates for March 14th!!" Now I'm wondering how in the world did they set dates when I was gone for maybe 20-30 minutes?? So I got introduced to this family of three, 2 parents and 1 child, and they are golden!! They were so prepared from the get go!! They had originally moved from Mexico to Phoenix and then from Phoenix to Tulare. The father is a doctor and is still studying and right now they're established on hardly anything here in Tulare. They are basically starting from scratch, I'm not sure where they live but our members know. Soooooo they were barely being taught by missionaries in Mexico, and when they got to Phoenix they couldn't get in contact with a church, but when they got here they were somehow able to get a hold of the Church phone number. They called the phone in Bishops office yesterday morning and said "Hey were looking for a church, could you maybe come pick us up and take us there?" So our branch leader goes, picks them up, introduces them to Elder Corona and Elder Lundberg, gave them a church tour, and invited them to be baptized... Sweet!! Over all I was so happy because I knew the Lord was finding a way to accomplish our goals, and he did!.... Last miracle: So our sisters in Tulare asked us to come and give a blessing to one of their members friends at the hospital last Tuesday. Her name was L. M. She was suffering from dehydration and wasn't in very good shape when we got there, she was cringing from pain on her bed. When Elder Corona and I gave her the blessing she became calm for a short moment. I knew then and there that she would come out okay. The sisters texted us later that night and said that her tests came out normal again, and that she was ready to go home and leave the hospital

So that's really the update on the mish thus far. I'm really happy to hear that West and Mar are doing good. Though the ball team lost their game I'm glad they got through it. Some seasons are better than others, but sports can truly become life lessons. I'm glad they were able to "endure to the end" ;). I'm excited to see summer sports coming around. It's already baseball season? DAng!...  I look at J.T and Charleigh and just about everybody and think what the heck??? They're huge! They're getting so big! I can only imagine what they'll look like in a year or so.

Well I'll have to cut this short but I love and miss you much! I keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Be on the look out for opportunities to share the gospel, the Lord's work is truly hastening

I love ya
Elder Horrocks

P.S. There were a few others that wrote me emails that I didn't have enough time to write back. I am happy to hear from you, and I love ya

Another week in the Lord's vineyard

This is lasts weeks letter.  I already have yesterday's but I will post this one first!

Alex talks about the ripple effect that can happen by influencing just one persons life.  Of course I've heard many stories about how this is true, but it got me to thinking about exactly how that happens.  We can affect a persons life for good or for bad and it will ripple out and touch others and so on and so forth.  It is so important to always have something to stand for.  Find the one thing you know without a doubt to be true and start with it :)  ...I also can very much relate to the story he told about the woman A.C.  I am so happy that they are in tune with the spirit enough to feel someone's need.  It is a testimony builder to me to hear her story and an even prouder momma that they were able to bring some comfort to her in her time of need!!  God is mindful!!  He sees, hears, and knows!!  That brings unbelievable peace to my heart!!

The Rev is awesome!! Enjoy...


Another week in the Lord's vineyard

So what can I say... We did missionary work this week? :) That's basically what it was. There was some good things that we saw here and there. Over all it was pretty awesome. There's not much that I can say except that the Lord really does hasten his work though we may not recognize it at times. Before we write family we always write President first, but we also receive a letter from him that goes out to the whole mission. He said something that struck me, and it's something that I've heard in the past time and time again, and it's actually something I heard at a zone meeting we had this past week. President says,"The Lord is doing his work his way. He could really do the work on his own if he wanted to, but how generous the Lord is to give us the blessing of being able to participate with him." We gotta be grateful that we only are given once in a life time opportunity right? President also said that being able to touch one persons life will affect so many others in the future. It could be that that one person you taught and baptized will raise a family in the gospel, who knows! But that's a perfect example of Hastening the Lord's work.  Sometimes when missions are tough and may seem like things are regressing rather than progressing, I have to look back and see that somewhere we touched someones heart. Our area isn't baptizing a lot right now but I know it will be soon. Our less actives and recent converts that we're working with are beginning to see the difference without the gospel in their lives and are beginning to come back. Once they all do they'll bring their friends and loved ones with them.

Well I think you all know pretty well that we are still finishing up on our new member lessons. They're starting to come around and I think we almost have about 6 of them finished in a matter of week? Our investigators right now are still C. and her family of 5, and O. We weren't able to catch them this week because our schedule got super busy, and theirs as well. We were supposed to have dinner with the both of them this past week but got cancelled. We just gotta keep on following up with them! Y. and K. interestingly came to church this past Sunday... Yesterday evening my companion felt impressed to go and talk to a less active member named A. C., which is someone we've never talked with before, and she moved to Tulare in December so she was fairly new. When we went and visited we asked how she was and everything, and she started to cry. She said that she so badly wants to come to church but that she was going through such a rough time with a separation that she's had with her husband for about 2 years now. She had also mentioned that they were married for 15 years have 4 girls and were sealed and made covenants in the temple. She had also mentioned that ever since her separation she had made mistakes and she feels unworthy in so many aspects, such as praying. We assured her that the Lord is waiting for her, he wants to forgive her, only through the atonement of Jesus Christ will anything and everything become better. The spirit was strong in her home and she requested a blessing and we left from there. It was a touching experience for me to be able to have seen the spirit guide us through that whole thing.

Well only a few people have changed from transfers. Our new zone leader is Elder Lundberg, we still got Elder Wain. I don't know if I ever mentioned Elder Lundberg, but I served with him in Hughson and when I heard he was coming here I was so pumped!! We've already had a lot of fun this transfer :)

That's crazy about the team!! And I completely forgot that there are less teams in the region, so that gives them chances of playing more eh? I remember my sophomore year that's how it was. Carbon beat somebody (a higher seated team) and we had a home play off game, won it, and went to state. Maybe that's what'll happen for West?? That's sweet!... Tell Marz to watch out for them skin walkers, they'll eat you alive!

I appreciate the stories and cool stuff back home, but I gotta go here pretty soon. So let everyone know I love and miss them, and write me or something once in a while yeah?

I love ya family

P.s. there's this thing in Salt lake called an Iron rod necklace? Could you maybe look into sending me that please.

This week's update

Alex and Elder Corona are staying in Tulare for this transfer.  He is happy about that :)  His two solid investigators dropped them.  He gives a brief explanation and said that they would be fasting for them last Friday.  I hope all went well.  Sometimes when you're scared to commit to something completely you will find the tiniest reason to say no.  I hope that they will be able to look past their heads and listen to their hearts!!  I'm sure in time it will all come about.  We'll keep them in our prayers for sure!!

They also got to serve a group of Relief Society  women at a function they had.  Gave him some good workplace skills ;)  He felt very accomplished and said it was a success and that they may have a future in the business of waiting tables :)  hahaha!!  He's still enjoying every moment :)  Love him MUCH!! <3

Enjoy...

This week's update

So transfers happened, or at least the transfer calls. Elder Corona and I will be staying together again for another transfer here in Tulare, and I am also the Tulare District Leader for another transfer. I'm excited to see how it goes! The mission is good as always and the Lord's work hastens everyday. Only a few people are changing their areas. One of our zone leaders is going to Visalia this next transfer, which will be his last in the mission, and he will no longer be in a leadership position. I'm kind of sad to see him go because he does an awesome job and helps our zone a ton!... It's crazy how time just flies!! I have been out for about 7 or 8 transfers now and I believe there's 18 or 19 in an entire mission. I can only imagine how the missionaries feel that are going home in like 2 days already.

It was kind of a normal week that we just had except for a few service activities and such. Today we are a little late to write emails because we were in a hospital to give a blessing to a members dad. It was a good experience for the family to feel the Lord's comfort afterwards. Then we went and finished some errands and what not... Our investigators are doing great! For the update on Y. and K. They basically dropped us :( and it was tough to bear. We went over to teach and read a scripture at their house. And the night before our visit my companion and the spanish group leader went over to their house to help resolve any concerns that she has about church funds. She basically is going poor and needed some assistance but the church doesn't offer loans and things such as that. So they tried to help her understand the importance of it.... Anyways when we went to visit she told us that she was so close to being baptized but then backed out because of the churches financial obstacle. We weren't able to help her with anything concerning the matter either. She says she'll keep coming to church and things such as that. Elder Corona and I fasted for her on Friday and we're just hoping and praying for a miracle that she'll be humbled... Not much we can really do for her :/ On the bright side though we still have C. and O. in our teaching pool. You can just tell that they feel such a different spirit with us and in the members home. They're both great people and have awesome potential with their families. We invited C. and a few of her family members to be baptized and they said they would but that they'd like more time to think. After we did they did have TONS of questions for us!! So that's a good thing! We've also invited O. to be baptized as well. She said yes :) and we're working towards the 8th or 15th of march being her date.... Our other investigators are still on their little plateau like G. and Ye. They've been doing alright, but still haven't been able to attend church. But Ye. is getting married in 2 months!!! Now she'll be able to be baptized. YES!! Her and her boyfriend have been together for like 7 or 8 years. Crazy huh!

On Saturday was our service activity. It was mainly for the church and the relief society. It was like a special lunch and activity with Teriyaki steak and all sorts of good foods. Four of us elders from Tulare went and served as waiters for the relief society. It was pretty fun! We served about 50-60 people? After it was over I thought that we could make some pretty good waiters :) for serving that many people!!

Well I've been going over my time for emailing and I have to go real soon. But I want to say that I wish the best for West and Mar as they continue with their sports! Hope all goes well there! There's always room for improvement and learning to finish but they sound like they're being studs and working super hard. I'm excited for softball and baseball too... Tell Grandma that I wanted to write her this week but that I ended up super busy. Miss and love her. This week we're actually going to the farewell for missionaries in Fresno and so we'll be getting our dose of testimonies and it's going to be great! Tell Justin to hang in there! I'm proud for his efforts :) he's doing a great job

Love Elder Horrocks

Greetings from your missionary

Alex had a bit of a rough week but his spirits are still high as usual :)  I also had no idea that the church owned vineyards!  That's kind of cool he got to work in one of them.  Wonder how it compares to working on the farm??  ;)  lol.  I must admit that when he said he lost every single picture back to the MTC my stomach was SICK!!!  UGH!!!  I'm soooooooo sooooooooo soooooooo grateful that someone knew how to "undo" that one!  ...He keeps inspiring me to look for the good in all things and him just saying I miss you mom made me cry like a baby... OF COURSE!  I'm so glad he's doing well!!

Love him <3


Greetings from your missionary

This week has been rough!! But I can't complain because there's good and bad weeks. We weren't able to see a lot of success this past week because of luck, and a few missionary responsibilities outside of teaching people. Nevertheless, there's always some kind of great experience that comes from your mission EVERY single week. I have a feeling this week is going to be a lot better though! It started off well this morning. We had a member call us and ask us to come and give a blessing to one of her friends that's a non-member, her name's O. She was going through some court issues and some hard times. When we gave her the blessing she felt tons better. We talked a little bit with her afterwards and laughed and joked because of our chicken experience this past week, she thought that was pretty funny, we basically just got to know her a little bit. Now we have a return appointment with her to come by again with our member. The Lord always puts prepared people in front of us!

So we went and did some service in the vineyard on Saturday. We put up some fence posts and rebuilt some fences. The field we worked in is actually a grape field owned by the church and a bunch of voluntary workers come and work. I guess the church owns a whole bunch of fields out here in the valley, it's kind of cool. When I took some pictures I come to find out after we finished working that all my pictures clear back from the MTC had been formatted and deleted on my camera. OHHHH I was soooo mad!! But no worries now, I luckily met member out in the field from Tulare English that he knew how to informant my pictures. Thank Goodness!! So I still got most of my pictures :) maybe I'll send a few if I have some time.

The missionary life is good as always. We've been really trying to get this area going by finding through members. Which has been successful thus far, we just got to help them be committed to coming to church before they can be baptized. Y. and K. are still coming to church like they have been. They're both so ready to be baptized but they're just being so stubborn. This past Sunday in Gospel principles class was about retaining a remission of your sins and Y. and K. were both there talking about it with baptism and everything. That just tells me right there that they're so close! It's something we'll just have leave up to the Lord... C. is doing awesome! I'm not sure if I mentioned her yet but her and her family would be great members! They've been coming over to one of our members house to have lessons there, and we can tell that they feel the spirit telling them what we say is true. I hope and pray she'll be receptive to a baptism invitation, because we haven't quite gotten there yet... Ye. and G. hmmm they're both doing good I'd say. They've both got different work schedules now and it's more difficult for them to schedule an appointment with us right now... We have one investigator right now named Os. who is a very big potential. He's super cool and loves talking with us. I've only been able to speak with him once, but he was found before I got to Tulare. Him and his whole family are very nice, and very receptive to us. I wish I knew more about him so I could tell you more but we do have an appointment with him this week I believe, I'll let you know how it goes... the new member lessons are going great! Seems slow but it's actually picking up. At first it was hard to know where to begin and now things are coming in order. Like I say, President Clark is an inspired man and if the Lord tells us through him to find investigators through members and RC/LA's then it's gonna happen. And it has been happening through this whole new member lesson process.

District leader responsibilities are good I suppose. I'm starting to adjust to certain responsibilities now. This past week I had to do stewardship papers for the first time and that was different. I basically have to write and give an explanation of every missionary, how they're doing, what they're doing, basically everything and then they're sent into President Clark so he can use them for transfers. It kind of got me scared, I hope they're accurate :) haha. I guess we'll see this Saturday when transfer calls come. Can you believe that? Transfers already?? It feels like I just got here and that I was in Lindsey not to long ago.

So I guess sports is rough too? Wow this week must have been rough here and at home haha. Well like I always say, there's room for work and improvement but just keep playing hard.

Well guess what. The zone has planned another time to go to McDermit again today how bout that! So I'm going to have to make this another short one. I love you all and miss you so much. Take care this week and I hope it's a lot better than the past one. Tell Grandma I love and miss you her too. Sorry this had to be so short!

Love Elder Horrocks

P.S Brother Garcia is a good man :) he's definitely helped me to learn some lessons out here. He showed me your letter too :) Love ya and miss ya mom

?Como Andan?

Alex said this week was the funnest he's had thus far.  He got to butcher some chickens for a family and he said it was a blast!!  Honestly some of the pictures made me a little sick to my stomach (lol) but, I can see in the pictures that they had fun doing it!!  No worries... I didn't post the absolutely yucky ones! ;)  What can I say!??  He's doing amazing!

I talked with Brother Garcia again this week.  He reminded me of what a hard worker Alex is and that he never gives up when he's presented with a challenge!  The words he said touched my heart :)  I am so happy he is among good people and that they can see the things we've always known ;)  He also mentioned that their group is at 40 members and not 40 families.  They're working hard to build their branch.  Keep them in your prayers!!!

Love my boy <3

Barbarian's... Right??? ;)  He's such a nerd!

This is the first chicken they butchered.
The look on all of their faces makes me laugh.

?Como Andan?

Hello mi familia. So you'll never guess what I did this week!! It was pretty gnarly! But you'll read on during the letter about the events that went on this week. So how is everyone?? I don't have a lot of time to write again today because we have to go to the McDermit center at 2 again to play some more ball. I enjoy playing but I hope it isn't an every week thing. It cuts back on my time to be able to finish all my other stuff for preparation day. Anyhow, so this week was awesome! It was actually one of my favorite weeks on my mission. All of the California Fresno Mission is kicking into gear. We had a zone conference this past Thursday in Visalia and it was so powerful! The spirit was so strong there! I always am stoked when I hear that the Lord is hastening the work, but he is doing it in so many ways that I don't think I would have understood before my mission. I'm always stoked when I hear that we baptized over 1,000, and that we're 1 out 3 missions that's baptized over 1,000. The other 2 missions were Provo and Ogden I believe. But still! Pretty sweet right? We're not content though, we're still working really hard to get that same goal, our actual goal is 1,342 for this next year. So hope and pray that we'll continue forward with this goal, by doing the work the Lord's way!

Our investigators are doing pretty good! We actually got 1 or 2 this past week thanks to our members. One of them is named C. We taught her about the plan of salvation and families and she enjoyed it. She especially enjoyed it because we were able to do it in a members home. We have our two that are still progressing right now, Y. and K. We've been focusing on being a searcher when they read the scriptures and not just a reader. We know that if they "liken" the scriptures to themselves they'll be able to understand them more. So basically we're helping them to live the scriptures rather than read them. Other than our investigators we're still working on finishing the new member lessons. Some are wonderful, and then some are super hard due to the fact that some have hardened their hearts more than others. Those who have opened their hearts to us are those that have found new investigators for us. Like C., she was found in a recent converts house that we're finishing new member lessons with. So you see, the Lord is hastening his work HIS way! It's pretty cool. A quote that's shared all around our mission that's from Elder Bednar, says, "If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten." and certainly things are changing and are more efficient in the Lord's work

So I can definitely say this week that my testimony of service increased! Along with that we had TONS of fun. The craziest and funnest service on my mission just happened this past week. The sisters in Tulare asked Elder Corona and I and the other Elders in Tulare to go and help out. This service was on Friday and Saturday for a less active/part member family who live out in the middle of nowhere on a chicken farm. We were able to be chicken butchers for a day!! We ran around and we caught the chickens threw them in the cage and took them over to the chicken slaughter and we decapitated their heads!!! We hung them upside down and cut them with the knives, we used the slaughter table, we did all sorts of things. At first I had a weak stomach but after a while I got used to it. We looked pretty barbaric doing it too hahaha. It was seriously one of the funnest times of my mission! I have pictures and I'll try and send some (but viewers discretion is advised haha). I would also be careful about who sees them as well :)

Well I told you my letter would be short. But I still have a little time so I might send some pictures. If you had any questions for me this week, I'm going to have to answer them next week, sorry about that! I love ya, and keep the faith! I'll print off your letters and remember to read them :)

Love Elder Horrocks