Awesome Bishop with Awesome House!

Hey Everyone,

       It has been another fun week here in SoCal, where it’s been a little chilly but it’s always sunny and breezy. It’s weird living by the beach again. After we emailed last week, Elder Low and I went to see the Redondo Beach in our area. Oh man it was amazing. After living in the inner most part of the city of Los Angeles with of the hustle and bustle and crazy people and drivers, it felt super relaxing to sit by the beach. It is quite therapeutic and it's helped take off the stress of the work. But right now it couldn't be better. Elder Low and I had a very successful week with most of our investigators. After a long time Cynthia and her 5 daughters plus her sister Nicole came to church. They all have missing coming to church and especially with Cynthia and the stress she goes through raising her daughters. She seemed very at peace and uplifted after all the classes. She's been committed to be baptized for a while and her sister too but they both aren't married to their boyfriends, but it seems like they are making progress to getting it done soon hopefully both my next month. I'm super excited for them. One of the funniest parts about serving in this area is working with our ward mission leader Bishop Carlos Madrid! I would have to say he's the richest and most spiritual person I've ever met! I met him before in my first area because he gave us the referrals of Freddy and Martiza who live in one of hundreds of buildings he owns in Los Angeles. He and I have clicked really well because we both understand how insane the people are that live in that apartment and they have given us both grief spiritually and with him financially by not paying their rent. Anyway he's got quite the life story. He started out dirt poor as a kid living in Redondo Beach area, but grew up all his life faithful in the church. He served his mission in Mexico came back to go to college and now he owns several properties in LA. His house is quite the mansion. We go over to his house for coordination and he had painted in the entrance of his door inside, a mural of the waters of Mormon. Also in his dining room, he has a on the top of the wall a painting of the last supper personally and professionally painted just for him. I will have to send photos. Anyway, he's served as a branch president, 3x as bishop, and was a mission president in the Dominican Republic. A couple years ago as well, he survived a major stoke, so now he walks around with a really cool cane everywhere. He's bald as well and he makes jokes about it all the time. He has quite a strong testimony of the gospel and is quite the missionary. On Tuesday we brought him over to a lesson with us with a referral we received from Mormon.org. Her name is Maria Garcia and she referred herself to the missionaries after one of her friends told her about the church. She mentioned to us that she always felt good driving past the church building. Anyway, we had a lesson with her and her sister, even before we started the lesson, Bishop Madrid already committed both of them to baptism! Super strong testimony! We are looking forward to working with them more. Well, have a good week and I talk to you next Monday!

Os amo tanto!

Elder Marrott    

Great Success in the New Area

Hey Everyone,

          This week........Wow! Let's just say its been an answer to my prayers. Last Monday I was emergency transferred from Crenshaw to North Lomita in Peninsula Zone serving in the Habor 3rd Ward, the only Spanish ward in the California Torrance Stake. My area is one the biggest Spanish proselyting areas in the mission as it covers parts of counties Torrance, Carson, Lomita, Willmington, Redondo Beach, and Harbor City! It's huge and super beautiful. All the houses and streets are insanely nice especially compared to my last area in Crenshaw. The reason I was transferred was an elder serving here, Elder Harper was sent home because of his health. Elder Harper has served before in most of my past areas and he's very well known and loved. Unfortunately he's had a condition that prevents him from sleeping, so he went back home. He basically finished his mission as he had only 2 months more. Our prayers go out to him. My new companion is Elder Low and he's super cool He's from Tennessee. Funny story, on our night drive home from switching companions at the mission home, we were talking and we found out that we lived in the same apartment building out at BYU. He lived on the bottom floor to the left and I was in the 2nd floor on the right. We attend the same ward and we know the same people! SUPER WEIRD!! Our first night was just talking about memories from school, so we are getting along really well. He also ran XC in high school as well. I actually when I was on the XC squad, my team traveled to a meet in Tennessee in the same place where the XC state meet takes place. Super cool connections! The first morning together was the New Year and the mission held a mission conference to present the mission goals for the year of 2013. Apparently there will be a lot of changes in the mission to accommodate the influx of 18 year old missionaries that will be coming in. The next transfer will be different as it will be reduce to a 5 week transfer, so this means all the missionaries and me in the field now will be leaving a week earlier. (Instead of Feb 12 2014, I will come home Feb 5 2014....oh well) Also in March there will be 35 new missionaries coming in March. That’s 3x the average that usually comes in. and there will be more coming in after that. Craziness! There's a lot to look forward to this coming year. After President announced all the changes, we held a testimony meeting. I bore my testimony about how President was inspired to make the change I was involved in and how the Book of Mormon truly is a source of comfort to those in need of consolation. After that Elder Low and I went off to work our area. Man, the people here in this area are insanely awesome and all of the investigators and member here super cool. It's also been so special this week because the first member family that I first met in the field now live my area, the familia sanchez! I spent many nights over at their house, I celebrated my birthday with them, and my first Saturday in the mission was one of their little daughter’s baptisms. They were a less active family before I came but they became super active when i came in. Now the daughters and Hermana Sanchez are active but Hermano is working Sundays and is apparently drinking again. There's a reason I'm here! Anyway here's a quick summary of my investigators.

Alicia: has a testimony and knows the church is true but won't commit to a date. Will be baptized soon.

Cynthia: has 5 little girls all under the age of 12 and a little boy on the way. Super busy but loves the missionaries. Isn't married but has the marriage license for this month

Nicole: Cynthia’s sister, isn't married either but doesn't want to get the marriage license because she lost her ID and is afraid to go to the DMV to get a new one because she has a warrant

Jose Morales: referral from English missionaries, 73 years old, has traveled the world, has been married 4 times and is now married to a 30 year old lady from the Philippines. Has a 12 year old son, who was just baptized. Before his son was born doctors thought that he wasn't going to live, but Jose prayed to God that if he would save his son he would give up his son to live dedicated to serve God like the stories in the bible. They found the church and the son attends the Samoan ward and is a deacon, and Jose plans for him to serve a mission like us. He's super excited to learn from the book of Mormon and support his son. Also, he has one leg. I have to say he's the most interesting man I've ever ever ever met!

So much more to say but so little time. I'll let you all more next time. This week has been a testimony to me that God answers prayers and he loves me. Take Care!

Os amo tanto!

Elder Marrott       

Emergency Transfer!

Hey Everyone,

         Today's been a great week with Christmas and Teaching and Church and everything. I spent Christmas visiting members, calling home and a big group of us missionaries went to a Nursing Home and went caroling. There was one feisty lady who offered all the elders if they would like to "make some [interestingly inappropriate term omitted]" with her (whatever that means :) ) It's been super fun, the best time in my life. But you know the phrase "It’s all fun and games until you get sick ( I started to get the flu and lost my voice the day after Christmas, but I'm fine now).......AND ........transfers...... My whole world has been turned upside down this morning. President Baker called me this morning and told me that I was being emergency transferred........................tonight.................I've never felt so disappointed..........What's happening is I'm being moved to an Area called North Lomita near the city of Torrance (close to the area where I started my mission) serving in a small Spanish branch. I will be made senior companion over Elder Low who has about 3 or 4 transfers in the mission. My companion is combining into a trio with other elders in our district so they will be working two areas. It's put such a big damper on my life. Everything was going well. We were teaching well, finding a lot more people to teach and now it feels like it’s all gone (at least to me).........I'm sorry that I sound sad, but I would be lying if I didn't say so. It's hard to write about all the things that happened this week because I know I probably won't see those people again. This Sunday I got to confirm Federico a member of the church and he also gave a talk at church. I've never seen a more spiritual man than him. I felt so strange leaving all the people I've met....But I trust that it’s where the Lord needs me now. I have no clue why it’s all going down, but I find out soon enough. I'm starting the New Year out with a bang!  The only thing that's keeping me going is Proverbs...Trust in the Lord with all thy heart.....and Lean not to thy own understanding. It wouldn't be right to blame anyone for what's happening but I really am hoping for the best. I usually don't ask this but keep me and the mission in your prayers. We all need to stay strong. Don't worry, I'll be happy because I know I'm serving the Lord. Good Bye Jungle I will miss you!

Love you all

Elder Marrott