Monday, July 25, 2016
Dear family & friends,
It has been an awesome week here in the WA-TAC mission and the work continues to press forward. I had an interview with President Blatter and I told him that my mind is not constantly focused on the work and that no matter how hard I try, I find myself thinking about sports, cars or real estate every so often. He told me "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly" he then went on to explain that virtue in not always just referring to chastity, but in every aspect of life. He told me to keep working on it and I would get there. I know that is true, and I’m fully confident that I can be completely obedient in every way. I have a short hair cut if you can believe that haha... but now is the time for me to prepare myself for my future spouse, future job, and future callings in the church and I want my thoughts to be fully garnished by virtue.
On a lighter note, just a fun fact about my zone, this area is where the TV show COPS started. It’s very fun to talk with people on the streets. This past week we had an awesome encounter with two homeless ladies. We asked them if they wanted a Jesus card and as they noticed our bikes with no seats that told us to take theirs. We tried to refuse but they would not let us saying that "they had a lot more bike seats back where they stay"...(hmmmm) none the less it was touching to have someone who has nothing, find happiness in sharing and they gave us their seats! There really is good in all people!
I love my area and love my companion. Take care!
Love,
Elder Chacon
Monday, July 11, 2016
Three more baptism's (Jimmy... it's a long time coming)
I almost got attacked twice by a dog this past week.
First: We were knocking an apartment and I was on the side of the door and my companion was in front. This little girl answered the door and we asked if we could talk to her parents. She said yes a left. There was this black guy laying in the floor and he got up and we asked him and he gave us this stupid look and went to get a lady. While he left my companion jolted back as a pit bull ran out the door barking and snarling. As the dog came out it saw me at the last second and being scared I flinched pretty hard and the dog stop but slid into me and took off back into the house. It was pretty scary! We left after that.
Number 2: We were walking on the street and we had just past a dead dog on the road. We were walking by this gate (I’m not afraid of dogs at this point) a pit bull mix came running and snarling at the gate, it started jumping and it was getting its chest over the gate and was trying to actually get us. I thought it was going to jump over so I crossed the street.
I’m doing awesome and loving my mission. I will have more cool stories next week. Promise.
Elder Chacon
2 Attachments
Dog attacks and baptism's
This week was a good week, But honestly my letters will be boring. Im knocking almost all day so we dont have any crazy solid people. I have almost got attacked by a dog twice.( this past week)
First: we were knocking an apt and I was on the side of the door and my companion was in front. This little girl answered the door and we asked if we could talk to her parents. She said yes a left. There was this black guy laying in the floor and he got up and we asked him and he gave us this stupid look and went to get a lady. While he left my companion jolted back as a pit bull ran out the door barking and snarling. As the dog came out it saw me at the last second and being scared I flinched pretty hard and the dog stop but slid into me and took off back into the house. It was pretty scetchey. We left after that.
Number 2: We were walking on the street and we had just past a dead dog on the road. We were walking by this gate (and im not afraid of dogs at this point) .....(most of the time) but a pit bull mix came running and snarling at the gate, but it started jumping and it was getting its chest over the gate and was trying to actually get us. I thought it was going to jump over so i crossed the street.
Im doing awesome and loving my mission. I will have more cool stories next week.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
SUPER SHORT!
This week was a very fun week. I was able to go down and baptize Jimmy (the guy from stadium) and it was a very spiritual experiences.
We had a very fun 4th of july B.B.Q with two zones. We played a lot of sports and had a lot of fun. Transfers are coming up soon, and I will know next P-day where I will be going or staying.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Dad's Answers to Harrison's Questions July 2016 (1/2 way point)
I got your letter and appreciate you writing me. I had to bear my testimony today and since it was the 4th of July, I thought I should do something patriotic, I am not sure why, but one of your stories stuck with me and I wanted to start off my testimony with it. I could not find it very easily and so I read many of your letters before I found it. It was kind of fun.
The story was the one where a elder had a farewell and relayed a dream that he had. His dream was in the pre-existence and that he had a great friend whom he loved alot. He got a call to go to earth and they opened it together. It was a call to a good home where the gospel was taught and where life was prosperous . He was called to the USA. The friend then got his letter and opened it. It said that he was called to a home with lots of contention and heart ache, where the gospel was not taught. it said that they would struggle for very basic needs. He would be called to go to Costa Rica. After the USA boy grew up he got called to Costa Rica on his mission and found his friend. It was fun to read this again and it was a good start to my testimony that talked about being grateful to live in the USA
I wanted to answer your questions.
1) drive and motivation. It is very hard to see people not reach their full potential. I am sure this is a daily scene for you on a mission. The gospel will allow people to reach more of their potential and it has to be hard to see them not care. Life is that way as well. Most people will fall short of their potential. You might see how I was upset when I saw you kids wasting time watching TV or playing video games. What drove me at the beginning was that I wanted more than I had. I grew up seeing people have things that I did not have and I knew that if I wanted anything that I had to do it myself. I had this drive from a young age ( like 16) or so. Once I had some success, I wanted more so I drove myself harder and harder. It can be a problem for some. That is called being a work a holic. Once I was doing pretty well, I started getting more into serving and realized that I was being blessed and needed to be grateful. I started applying myself more in my callings and service to the lord. I got great joy in serving and still do. I know that the blessing that I have received temporally will allow me to serve the lord without having to worry about money. I have always had drive and I think that is a talent that I have been blessed with. My drive now temporally is to help my children as much as I can be set up in their career. This is what drives me now.
2) My conversion. I taught the teachers and priest today. We ordained Curtis Detavis a Priest ( does that make you feel old). I talked about my conversion and how a temple marriage was important. So this can be long so I will try and shorten it a little. I will ask mom to mail this to you so you can keep it with you and read it later. I got a job working at a racquetball club when I was 15. I became a club pro around 17 and taught private lessons and worked the front desk and taught the college classes at the club. Diane used to come and play with her friends from work. One day she had a date their that stood her up and she hung around the counter for a while waiting for this guy. That gave us the opportunity to talk. I asked her if she would like to learn somemore about racquetball and she said yes. I guess this was an unofficial date. You probably heard of the bet that we made since we have talked about it many times. She thought she was pretty good and really did not know anything about my skills. I bet her that I could beat her is a game to 21 spotting her 18 points and playing with my left hand without a racquet. I won of course, but her prize to me was a milkshake.I did not really have that in mind, so I told her that I would take her to dinner. We went to a comedy shop and to a nice dinner in seal beach. I did not know much about Mormans at that time and she introduced that to me. We pretty much saw each other every week since the first one. After about the third date , she dropped the bomb on me and told me that I had to take the missionary lessons in order for us to keep dating. I thought that was odd, but I figured I did not have anything to lose. I took the lessons and the missionaries were not impressive. They were the same age as I was and to be honest, I thought , how much can they know. I was used to being with catholic priest ( I played racquetball with them), and they went to school for years before they became priest. We continued to date and I went to church with Diane and kept investigating the church ( but not really). I would watch her family and other members looking for weirdness. After all , I was told it was a cult. I was told they could not dance and did weird stuff in the temple. I proceeded cautiously knowing that Diane was a great catch, but I was looking for the wheels to fall off. We continued to date and I really liked her. I could not find anything wrong to this point and so I continued to take missionary lessons. At some point, she told me that she could not see me any longer. I wrote her a letter that said something like this. I don't know about becoming a Morman, but I would do anything for the girl I marry (or something like that ). She continued to see me against her parents wishes. I think they tried to send her to BYU or something like that. The longer we dated , the more we both liked each other. I did decide to read the book of Morman after a while and really got into it while working at Savon. I would read it on my lunch breaks and any extra time I had. I really did not want to get that serious with her , because I was so young. We started dating when I had just turned 18. As we continued to date for like 2 years ( which is like 10 morman years) . I knew I did not want to be without her and things got serious. I moved toward baptism and got engaged and then married before I was 21. Getting married at 20 years old for a non morman was kind of unheard of.
After we got married , I was working 7 days a week (theres the drive) and really was just a catholic morman. When we moved from cypress we recommitted to turning a new leaf. We committed to go the temple and to hold callings. This is probably where my true conversion started. We made friends ( this is why member fellowship is so important), we got callings ( this is why getting a calling is so important ) and we went to all of our meetings ( this is why spiritual nourishment is so important) When the prophets talk about a new convert having a friend, getting a calling and being spiritually nourished, it is absolutely correct. As i continued to serve , I got bigger callings. When I got bigger callings like Executive secretary , I had close association with the bishop. This strengthen my conversion as well. I was able to learn from the bishopric meetings and form those good men. When I got called to the high council, that was amplified even more. My testimony and knowledge grew the most during the 8 years on the high council. Having to speak every month in Sacarment and lead bishops and ward leaders was a continuous conversion for me. The more I witnessed , the more I was converted.
I know you are instrumental is this conversion process to many of the investigators you come in contact with. Keep working hard as nothing will change someones life more than joining the church.
3) your third question was on how you were going to survive in college and after marriage. We will definately support you through college married or not. College is extremely important. Once you get out of college, you will have a job which will start to support you and then support you and then really support you. Keep youe head on straight and you will not have anything to worry about.
4) Classes to take. You are getting a great education now , I hope. Remember me saying to make the most out of your time. Study habits translate into work habits. Obiedience will translate into being teachable and doing what is asked of you. Door knocking is perfect training for your people skills. practice them and then those will translate into busines skills. Organization skills is setting and managing appointment with investigators will translate into appointments with buyers or seller. Having people gain confidence in you while on your appointments translates into clients having confidence in you. Coming prepare to appointments translates into coming prepare to business appointment. Everything you are doing will carry over.
Make the most of this time !
As far as classes are concerned, during your first two years , you will have general ed. I will have you train with my sales trainor which will be real estate specific. This will help you tremendously. When you hit your major, those classes will be more important. Finance, marketing , sales, management type classes will all be great. I can have you read specific books that will also help. I think you will go to school during the semester and work for me during the off time. During that time you will gain more knowledge.
I hope this answers your quesitons.
I love you very much and think about you all the time. They say the first year is the longest and the second flies by. You are almost at your half way point. Live in the moment and be focused in the moment. It is good for you to think about your future. I always have. Don't think so much about your future that you miss your present.
I am so proud of you.
Love ,
Your DAD
Sweet Texts from Sister in Stadium ward (two)
Happy4th. Stadium Ward here. Happy 4th! Pres. Stewart gave our RS lesson yesterday, and your son was featured. One day he and his companion (Larson) showed up and wanted to hack a tree stump out of her yard. She tried to rerd, but couldn't finish. At a later date, she arrived home weary, asist, but the Elders insisted. They worked hand crumbling from her long Seattle commute, and the burdens of her calling, plus flying in and out to visit a critically ill father. As she pulled in, she noticed the big stump was gone. Completely. And she sobbed with gratitude. I thought you should know that he served in every way he could think of. Laurie thought the stump was a " want" and not a "need", not worthy of the Elder's time. God and 2 missionaries knew better, and they all lifted her. Sometimes, angels come from California 
Received this texted on the 4th of July from a sister in the stadium ward. So sweet!
Another email sent in April 2016 from Same lady
Your son played the piano (by ear, what a gift), and sang his heart out (beautiful tenor, good tone and diction) at a Memorial Service for a member on Saturday. Today he bore testimony of his growth during his mission, an appreciation for our diversity and love and said this "I'm the happiest I have ever been in my life." What a marvelous young man he is. And, he found time to cut the Ward Mission Leader's hair, giving Bro. Erickson a hipper, more current look.
Mom-to-Mom, I thought you would like to know. Your son also anointed me, in a blessing today, so he's very front and center as he labors in the Vineyard.
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