Hey everyone!
Things keep chugging along here in LA. Elder Balaich and I have been staying really busy. We will be getting a new Branch President this Sunday (for the deaf branch) and we have already met with him to discuss what changes he wants to make.
We are working with the same group of people, though we have found a few that turned out to be less-active members of the church. So we are now working with them, too.
We had an epiphany today. We asked ourselves, "Is there a common factor as to why all these people went less active?" Then a thought popped into my mind to reread President Hinckley's talk on how to help recent converts. He says that all new members of the church need 3 things: a friend, a responsibility, nourishment with the good word of God. We thought, "Do these members have those things?" We went down the list and realized that ALL of them were missing at least one! Ok and behold, we now have our new strategy for reactivating members!
Happy @ Sarah! You beat out my blog in word count, grammar, and interest. LOL. You always were the better writer. Sucks with the swine flu though at the MTC.
Well that's all for me this week! Tune in next week for hopefully more pictures!
Love,
Elder Tritsch
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Hello Everyone,
Sorry for what seemed like a delay. P- Days are strange here. Technically they are on Mondays like in Florida but since temple p-days are on wed, thursday, or friday pday is delayed on those weeks. Plus if a holiday falls on Monday a can't email until tuesday. Fun huh? But that's the cost of being able to attend the temple.
Not many things have changed I'm the last couple weeks except we had to delay the baptismal date for the Maravilla family because the eldest son got put on house arrest for truancy and implication in a burglary. But he is free and clear on June 30 so we set the date for the 5th. Fun times.
Not many things have changed I'm the last couple weeks except we had to delay the baptismal date for the Maravilla family because the eldest son got put on house arrest for truancy and implication in a burglary. But he is free and clear on June 30 so we set the date for the 5th. Fun times.
Another of our investigators, Eddie Parker, got baptized last Sunday! yay! picture is attatched! Eddie has been investigating the church for over four years and has overcome drug addiction, alcoholism, and many other problems to get where he is today! He looks so happy like a weight is being lifted off his shoulders! you should have seen him once the baptism was complete! he looked magnificent! Elder Balaich performed the baptism and I did the confirmation. its my first confirmation in ASL and was a neat experience!
Funny tracting story. We were knocking doors in San Pedro and we came to a house where a friendly man and his sin answered the door. We had a really nice discussion and I learned that the boy hold the work record for the youngest professionally sponsored drummer. Trust me, this kid is good. Check him out his name is Cole Marcus. He's got some sick YouTube videos he says.
Here's a few:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfeVuXtkd44
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgiZdSAlshQ&feature=PlayList&p=1E5DB5CA5C0786A1&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16
Been raining on us the last couple of days. Kinda reminds me of Miami until I realize that it's light rain... Unlike the rain in miami that's so dense you can't see more than three feet in front of you... LOL I miss that place sometimes.
Other than that things are pretty much business as usual.
Big shout out to sarah, GOOD LUCK AT THE MTC AND IN ARGENTINA!!!
Trust me, you want as much as you can get... But I mean that in a good way.
One tip: the morning schedule sucks and it never gets easier. But it's worth I so do it anyway.
---smile---
luv y'all!!!
Elder Tritsch
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Safe in LA
Hey everyone!
Dad, you're right I have a lot to report on, but I'm going to try and keep it short as i can. I'M IN LA!!!! (as if everyone doesn't already know that)
I flew out on Wednesday after spending the morning in the mission home. I had my last Personal Priesthood Interview (PPI) with President Hale, wherein I took the missionary tradition of tie trading to a new level by trading ties with President Hale, (he says he plans to wear mine next Zone Conference). The flight took me through Atlanta and I landed in LA about 9:15 PM. After getting lost in LAX trying to find the Delta Baggage claim, I met my new Mission President, President Blackburn, as well as both my new companions! Elder Johnson is from Arizona and has been out for 20 months. he is really cool and has a truly good grasp of ASL. Elder Balaich is deaf. He is from Denver, CO and is, as i just said, as deaf as Zack is. In fact, he remind me quite a lot of Zack... just taller... and bigger....
I am serving immediately in the Torrance 4th Branch for the Deaf (the ASL branch) and have really dove into the work. Things are going quite good!l Love everyone!
I had to leave some stuff behind but right now I can't think of anything im in need of. but, as always if you want to send stuff im not going to say no... :) j/k
Love you all.
Elder Tritsch
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Mother of all TRANSFERS
Hello Everyone.
We received a phone call today from Jared. He received a phone call this morning from his Mission President, telling him that he will be transferred again. But this transfer is quite a bit different from his other transfers.
With the closing of the Miami Deaf Branch, there are now too many ASL missionaries in the Ft. Lauderdale mission. So under the direction of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, Jared is being transferred to the California, Los Angeles Mission. There is a high need for ASL missionaries there.
He is being transferred on Wednesday.
His new address is here on the blog.
Please keep him in your prayers for a safe transfer and success in this new area of service.
Todd Tritsch.
We received a phone call today from Jared. He received a phone call this morning from his Mission President, telling him that he will be transferred again. But this transfer is quite a bit different from his other transfers.
With the closing of the Miami Deaf Branch, there are now too many ASL missionaries in the Ft. Lauderdale mission. So under the direction of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, Jared is being transferred to the California, Los Angeles Mission. There is a high need for ASL missionaries there.
He is being transferred on Wednesday.
His new address is here on the blog.
Please keep him in your prayers for a safe transfer and success in this new area of service.
Todd Tritsch.
Closing of the Deaf Branch in Miami
Hey Everyone,
Its a bit of a bittersweet week this week.
The deaf branch is officially closed and the members have been split up over 3 wards. One of which being my ward, so, about 8 members from the deaf branch will now be attending our ward... and guess what? I get to interpret for 3 hours straight! Also, Elder Gundry was transferred away. Due to the changes in the deaf branch, we requested that each of those three wards would have 2 ASL missionaries in them to make interpreting possible. So elder gundry went up to coral Springs and I have a new companion in Elder Fraser. He was in my MTC district and came out with me. Hes cool and all but he is hard of hearing himself... so doesn't really help me much on the interpreting angle. He tries, but when he can't hear the speaker himself, its a bit hard to interpret...I got to do my first ever confirmation!
We had a baptism on the 22nd. The boy bring baptized is named William, and he is the little brother of one of our recent converts. He is 10 years old. We had been teaching the whole family, mostly working with the mother and getting her to commit to a baptism date. We did not really think William was ready for baptism just yet, but when we extended the commitment for baptism to his mom, she felt she wasnt ready. But, William pipes up and says, "can i be baptized?" and we were floored. "of course!" we said, "that is, if its okay with your mom." The mom gave her consent and we have a date set! yay! plus its going to be a double baptism with one of the 8 year olds in the ward so that will be really cool to see!
William was then confirmed a member of the church and he asked me to perform it giving me my first opportunity to do that. that was pretty cool.
Elder Zwick of the Seventy is touring our mission this week so he will be attending our zone conference on Wednesday.
Thanks for all the Support!
Elder Tritsch.
Here are some fun pictures.
374 - The last Day of the Deaf branch
375 - President Juall (ASL branch prez), Brother Hawes (high council), David Toledo and his new baby.
707 - ZONE! Elder Kikongi (black guy), Elder Baggaley (left kneeling), Elder Fitzgerald (on couch), Elder Olsen (next to him), Elder Knickerbocker, Elder Call, Elder Lybbert (pink tie), Elder Gundry (in back), Elder Smith (tall guy on table), Elder Rose (thumbs up), ME, and Elder Robinson
710 - tie trading 101 - step 1: Find a tie your companion Really loves.
712 - Step 2: trade him for 6 ties you like better :)
Its a bit of a bittersweet week this week.
The deaf branch is officially closed and the members have been split up over 3 wards. One of which being my ward, so, about 8 members from the deaf branch will now be attending our ward... and guess what? I get to interpret for 3 hours straight! Also, Elder Gundry was transferred away. Due to the changes in the deaf branch, we requested that each of those three wards would have 2 ASL missionaries in them to make interpreting possible. So elder gundry went up to coral Springs and I have a new companion in Elder Fraser. He was in my MTC district and came out with me. Hes cool and all but he is hard of hearing himself... so doesn't really help me much on the interpreting angle. He tries, but when he can't hear the speaker himself, its a bit hard to interpret...I got to do my first ever confirmation!
We had a baptism on the 22nd. The boy bring baptized is named William, and he is the little brother of one of our recent converts. He is 10 years old. We had been teaching the whole family, mostly working with the mother and getting her to commit to a baptism date. We did not really think William was ready for baptism just yet, but when we extended the commitment for baptism to his mom, she felt she wasnt ready. But, William pipes up and says, "can i be baptized?" and we were floored. "of course!" we said, "that is, if its okay with your mom." The mom gave her consent and we have a date set! yay! plus its going to be a double baptism with one of the 8 year olds in the ward so that will be really cool to see!
William was then confirmed a member of the church and he asked me to perform it giving me my first opportunity to do that. that was pretty cool.
Elder Zwick of the Seventy is touring our mission this week so he will be attending our zone conference on Wednesday.
Thanks for all the Support!
Elder Tritsch.
Here are some fun pictures.
374 - The last Day of the Deaf branch
375 - President Juall (ASL branch prez), Brother Hawes (high council), David Toledo and his new baby.
707 - ZONE! Elder Kikongi (black guy), Elder Baggaley (left kneeling), Elder Fitzgerald (on couch), Elder Olsen (next to him), Elder Knickerbocker, Elder Call, Elder Lybbert (pink tie), Elder Gundry (in back), Elder Smith (tall guy on table), Elder Rose (thumbs up), ME, and Elder Robinson
710 - tie trading 101 - step 1: Find a tie your companion Really loves.
712 - Step 2: trade him for 6 ties you like better :)
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