Serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Friday, July 12, 2013

Dear friends,
Now that I have finished my mission and have returned to the real world I have new contact info.
if you wish to contact me find me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/chingning
take care!


Queridos amigos,
ahora como ya estoy en mi casa de nuevo tengo mi facebook abierto y quiero escuchar de todos.
da me una mensaje por facebook si quiere! https://www.facebook.com/chingning
Cuidense mucho!

Monday, July 1, 2013

Hey there everybody!

Well, this will be my last letter home! first of all i am soooo excited to be finishing my mission and seeing my family and friends.

This week was a really good week personally. I have had the opportunity to really reflect on my mission and plan for the life ahead of me. Just this last Wednesday we had the departing missionary training or "trunky training" and it was crazy cool. We got a chance to talk to president baker and his wife and it also happened to be their last day here in the mission. I can only imagine how trunky they were feeling. anyways they gave us a lot of wisdom and guidance and a couple homework assignments to do. I got a 90 day plan all filled out and goals and whatnot so i am ready to take on the world.
We got to meet the new president on Saturday. President and Sister Weidman are soo nice. it kinda makes me wish i was around a little longer. it will be nice to have an interview with him before we go.
well, i don't wanna give you too many details because i wanna save some stories for when i get home so this one is going to be a little bit shorter.

I love you all and invite you to come to my homecoming talk on Sunday, July 14th at 10:30 a.m.
895 Gage Blvd, Richland, Wa.   
 
Now get out there and share the gospel!

Love, Elder Winterrose

Monday, June 24, 2013

Well, this week has been a pretty good one.

I might not write a lot because i swear as soon as i sit down at this computer i forget everything i was going to say. so if you really want to hear all the stories come find  me at my homecoming hahaha.

so this week one of the coolest things that happened was that fireside Sunday afternoon. i feel like it was just the kinda boost i needed and the direction i will need coming home next month. All i can think about is all the people and missionaries i will be able to help out when i get home.

anyways, we had a really crazy service opportunity the other day cleaning out three garages. it reminded me of that show hoarders. seriously. the roof was coming in, the floor was breaking through everywhere you stepped, and there were bugs and mountains of trash. anyways, that was super gross.

on Sunday our lesson in priesthood was on trials of faith. something one of the other elders said i really liked and it was that when we are going through trials in our lives the best thing to do is to surround ourselves with the gospel. it is like being in a cellar during a storm, leaving the safety of it just doesn't make sense. so, when you find yourself going through trials the place to be is in the safety of the gospel.

so, i don't really know what else to write!
mo, dain, stay outta trouble!


I love you all and miss you! cant wait to see you!

Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, June 17, 2013

Well, it is getting close!

so this week was a lot of work and spiritually testing. We finally got one of our investigators to church and i have high hopes for this guy. we will see how things go.  Sorry if this is a short email i am kinda jumping between computers so I will try to put the most important stuff up first!

 Well, the letter to president site is down so i guess i have a little more time! anyways, this week my companion really got down to the nitty gritty about some things and we have uncovered some really important questions he has and so we have been working them out. it has been a really cool experience because it reminds me a lot of when i first got out here and i started learning the right questions to ask to really strengthen my testimony. of course, there is no gain without some pain so we have been working hard to figure out these answers. i feel like when we get to the bottom of everything we will be a lot better off as a companionship and missionaries. its kinda like watching someone learn to drive. you see them trying and trying and you know they eventually are going to get it because you were in their shoes before.  so at the point when they believe it is never going to happen and are pulling their hair out you can kinda just smile inside because you know they will figure it out and how valuable it will be to them when they do.

so, that has been this week. a lot of those, "i remember how hard it was to..." moments.  it makes me a lot more grateful for the progression i have made in my life. 

Well, i love you all and i pray for you each that you may overcome your trials. I send out my condolences to the Shaw family and pray for you and your missionary boys out there in the field. I know that the things they are learning and teaching will make it possible for them to find comfort and strength in this time of  trial.

See you soon,

Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, June 10, 2013

Hey there Everybody!!


Well, as far as the stuff i know i will bring home i probably have like 4 or 5 shirts that are worth keeping and the rest are torn or stained beyond repair so i will not bring those back. the grey suit i was thinking of just getting another pair of slacks so i will have two when i get home cause it is still in really nice shape. the black suit i came out with only has one pair of slacks left but i will bring the jacket and pants home. the green suit i had is currently serving a mission in Chicago Illinois. :) i figured it still had a couple more miles in it and the missionary really needed one. I will try getting a bike box this week and seeing how big it is and whatnot so i can get you a good quote. i am still thinking it through if i want to send it to Hawaii or not. but i will give you a quote for wherever i plan on sending it. My buddy said he was actually going to have his wedding here in Los Angeles so i think it might be more reasonable to go. OH YEAH, AND MY OTHER BIKE I CAME HERE WITH NO LONGER EXISTS BECAUSE IT GOT STOLEN..... Just remembered that. so i just have one to send. :)

The job in Elko sounds good! i will work anywhere especially if i can get buff, speak Spanish, and make a little money for school. Claro que si! Also never heard of the place before but i googled it and i'm okay with middle of nowhere.

It sounds like everybody is getting back into the summer swing up there. I am so glad to hear all the news. i really do hope that britt can make it to my homecoming! that would be sweet! also the trinkets i got for the brothers are t shirts and snap-backs so im sure they are gonna love them.

anyways, this week was a great one. even though its from Wednesday through Sunday we had some really good successes. One of the families we have been working with called us up on Saturday and asked if we could help with a project in their yard fixing sprinklers and whatnot. you can only imagine how happy i was to hear this!!! I haven't had a good project with yard work in like years. i was like Dad in a high fructose corn syrup shop. so, through working with the family i really got to meet and get to know one of the dads. he is super cool and I think that after he realized we could walk the walk and get stuff done he opened up to me a lot. when we first met him and told him we could help him when he was planning the project he seemed kinda skeptical. (most people do when we offer to dig in the dirt when we are wearing business attire) So, that was our big success this weekend. i really love that family and will miss them when i go. next weekend we will be continuing the project and hopefully finishing it.

The work goes on and my testimony is continuing to be strengthened every day. I am so grateful for the little things because those are the things that make the difference for me. I love you all so much and i pray for you every day. This is my last month in my mission and i am going to make it worth it. I know the savior lives. My father in heaven loves me. Joseph Smith restored the true church of Jesus Christ and I am a part of it. I know that the book of Mormon can change lives. and it is never too late to come back to the fold.

Love,
Elder Channing Winterrose

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Dear family and friends,

Well, Morgan i think you just lived up to the phrase, "Made it by the skin on my teeth." I am so stinkin' proud of you little bro. i am glad you made it even though i oughta kick you in the butt for procrastinating so long, but you did it. Now you are all free from school and can devote more of your time and efforts to getting ready for a mission. I invite you to go out and teach with the missionaries and even just go kick it with them on their pdays over at the chapel. I know that for me just getting to know them and being around them made the decision to serve a mission much more comfortable. Really don't waste this time you have right now. and don't forget, i am super proud of you.

Well, it seems like my mission is slowly drawing to a close. This last Wednesday we had transfers. seeing as it was my last one i was really hoping for things to stay the way they are but it is what it is. My new companion is from salt lake city, UT and his name is elder Chriss. This is his second transfer and he is still super super green. It is a real kick in the butt for me and a reality check some times but its okay. his greenie fire keeps me on my toes. :) the only real downside tho is that because he is a visa waiter he could go any moment and then i would have to go to someone elses area and get babysat and that is like the last thing i want before i go home.

anyways, the work is slowly progressing here, pretty much the only thing we have to do all day is tract so it is getting old. Either way the work goes on.
I miss you all and cant wait to see you. Your prayers are welcome.

Love, Elder Channing Winterrose

ps, sorry i don't have any pictures but i will send some as soon as i get a couple.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Family and friends,

Well, it sounds like everything is working out back at home. it is always good to hear that the missionaries in my home ward are getting work done. i cant believe that all of that is working out for mo. i tell ya, return missionaries are gonna be the best friends he will make in this time of his life. i remember working with elder Olson and elder Cantrell and how much of an influence they were for me while getting ready for my mission.

Anyways, being transfer week and all i have lots of news. some good some not so good. Seeing as i really like my current companion i really wasn't hoping for change. either way it happened. Elder stinson will be missed. he is going to huntington park ward. I will be staying here and finishing training Elder Chriss. he is a visa waiter from salt lake city, (woo hooo!) :) who is going to the Argentina mission and he has only been out for a transfer. his trainer was also really new because i have never heard of him before either until now. so...this transfer is going to be like yoda and luke. i just hope it all goes smooth. I think i am going to start sending stuff home now so i wont have to worry about it the last week. i was also wondering if i need to bring home all my clothes because most of them are trashed or stained or ripped or faded so i was thinking of just giving them away or chucking them. That way i could have room for other stuff i wanted to bring home like souvenirs I've picked up along the way and stuff for the brothers and whatnot.

so, this is the beginning of the end. I am really hoping that the work picks up this transfer so i can leave it better than i found it. I am going to try and finish strong so keep praying for me!

I love you all and wish the best.

Elder Channing Winterrose

PS. if anybody has a job i can work for a while when i get back it would be much appreciated! need money for school and whatnot.
PSS VERY HARD WORKER. :)

Monday, May 20, 2013

Dear family and friends,

Sorry if the message is short but we are a little pressed. well, this week was really great! we had a lot of things happen this week.

So Monday we all got to go to the beach and it was tons of fun. we got to play beach volleyball and play in the sand and whatnot. Unfortunately i underestimated the power of the sun and got a little sunburned.  so i also surprised myself when i tried and did a standing back flip. dang, did that make me feel old. haha, cant do them like i used to. anyways, i forgot my camera so you will just have to wait until next week for pictures. we also had an awesome, surprise fireside for the whole mission and guess who showed up! Elder Cook of the 12! it was short for a fireside but it was remarkable. he seemed a little pressed for time though so he kinda just talked about whatever. it was great. at the end of his discourse he mentioned the passing of sister Monson. You could have heard a pin drop. i don't think it really registered when he said it but i cant think of anybody better to give us the news.

Today i got my temple recommend renewed this week so i am all set till i get home. It was nice to get to talk to everybody on mother's day! i can't believe how much Daino has grown!
Well, i gotta run but i love you all and pray for you.

Elder Channing Winterrose




Monday, May 6, 2013

Dear family and friends,

When it rains it pours! so for the first time in months it is raining! coming out of our apartment we had to walk through the ankle deep puddles on tippy toes to keep from getting soaked I always love when it rains here because it smells way better after it rains and there is way less smog. anyways, this last week was an okay one. it has been lots of work with okay results. We did have a really really good lesson at the visitors center though with a few investigators and they loved it. We have really set the stage with them and i know that they knows the things we teach are true. she is just having a little trouble getting the commitment level she needs to act on all of them.

Elder Stinson had his birthday this week and both of the two active families threw him a little party. if you all didn't know it is a custom to take a bite out of the cake on your birthday haha, i will add some pictures to demonstrate but lets just say you might get some icing in your nose. i think the people we do get to visit often here are amazing and i am super grateful for them.

So, this week we will be going on splits so it should be a nice change of atmosphere. it will be nice to see a new area and see how the work is going in other parts of the ward. I was thinking about it and it will be my last splits i have to go on! besides my companion next transfer I'm done.

I cant wait for mothers day! we already found a family who would let us skype at their house. I will be using my own address but i was thinking... because skype is going to be really busy on mothers day download facetime in case it doesn't work well and i will get on that way. plan on some time at like 4 or later.

Well, i love you all, and if you happen to be at my house when i call *cough cough* i might get to say hi to you! That means you brogan haha.

anyways, i will talk to you Sunday! Love you all lots!

Elder Channing Winterrose

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Dear family and friends,

well, this has been a shaky week! Friday we were sitting in our kitchen having some dinner and all of a sudden the whole building had a large jolt. it felt like a huge truck had hit the apartment complex and just budged it. then 2 seconds later there was another one and im pretty sure it would be impossible to hit a building without any noise so we figured it was just another earthquake. It turns out it was like a 3.1 so no wonder we felt it haha.  later on saturday there was another one like a 2. something but i didnt feel it. i think we were on the move.

So Saturday we had Mormon helping hands, it was a really cool experience but i think the last one was a little more fun. this time we went to a neighborhood and pretty much just walked around and picked up trash in the streets and alleys. (it seemed a little pointless because the street sweepers come by like once a week) we also went down the alleys and they were quite possibly the nicest alleys i have seen in my whole mission. most of the ones you see around here are either dirt or decrepit roads with potholes and broken glass, as well as branches, truck loads of garbage dumped everywhere and an odd chicken running around. these ones were paved in cement and looked better than any driveway ive seen. so we all kinda felt like it was a little silly and pointless but nonetheless we were happy to be helping.

this week we got some rather disappointing news from one of our best investigator's family member. she is a member who helps us out with them. she informed us that their parents had kinda stopped supporting them in taking the lessons because they had come across some anti or something so that has been kinda a bummer. they were our best prospects for baptism and everything was depending on how the parents were going to be. So, we have turned our attention to working hard getting our less actives to church and working with formers to get our game back on. we will see what happens.

Sunday we had the confirmation of our investigator... luckily! i say luckily because out of all the seats in the chapel the only ones really open were right in front. we were going to just stand in the back but i thought we might as well sit up front. (not even as a missionary do i like being in the front hahaha) as the bishop went over the announcements he completely forgot about the confirmation (we were supposed to remind him Saturday but we couldn't make the meeting) so luckily, i whispered to him and reminded him so we still got to do it.  It always feels great to get that done.

The work continues!

I am super excited for mothers day so we gotta make sure to set up when to do that. it should be sometime in the afternoon because we got church till about 1. We should have beach p-day on the 13th so pray for good weather for me. ;)

I love you all and pray for you.

Hasta la proxima,
Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, April 22, 2013

Dear family and friends,

well, this week has been a good one with a lot of success. just yesterday we had our stake conference as well as a baptism. the less actives we have been working with seem to really be getting more desire to attend and along with that there are actually a few who are doing just that! We have been making great strides with the family we have really been focusing on. 

Our baptism went great yesterday, the teaching of this investigator was mainly done by other missionaries but we had the task of preparing it. it went great except for one thing. the font was filling very slow and it wasn't very warm so i turned up the hot water expecting it to get warmer and fill faster but when i went to turn it off i realized i had turned the hot water completely off!!!  but luckily we live in sunny California, not Alaska, so the "cold" water was really just luke-warm. haha, now i know. Next week we are going to confirm her so we will have to decide between the three of us that were in her area last to see who does it. It would be a little easier if any of us had taught her but none of us really have haha. she is impartial though so we can have either one do it.

Today we went to the alley in downtown, it is one of the craziest places to get a deal. i finally got a couple more ties and a t shirt that says California. (I thought i would have had one by now) the shirt was only 4 bucks too. if the brothers want some i can get some and send them over.
anyways, this has been a good week, i got a few letters and they were greatly appreciated.

I miss you all and cant believe how much you have grown in the gospel and elsewhere.

Love
Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, April 15, 2013

Dear family and friends,

This has been a good week overall. on Sunday we had a great success with getting people to attend church. It seems like all of our efforts have finally begun to pay off. This week we found two new investigators in the family we are teaching and one is planning on getting baptized. And to think all we had to do was invite them to sit in on our lesson! I love when things work out. It is always the small simple things that make the difference.

We also finally got a less-active family to church this Sunday who we have been working with for about a month now. We had a very powerful lesson and watched some conference talks about family and marriage on Saturday. And the craziest thing happened, the dad wanted to do a baby blessing for his son and we scheduled a meeting with the bishop Sunday morning and did it during sacrament the same day! (It's kinda rare that things work out that well) he also is brand new to the area and didn't know anybody so guess who he asked to do it! Us! It was a really cool experience. I am glad we got to be a part of it.

This week we also got transfer calls! Both of us are staying! Which is great cause I love my companion and we have been working really hard in this area and are finally starting to see everything come together.

It is always so great to hear from you all and don't be shy to ask for my email and send me a message!

I love you all and pray for you.

Con cariƱo,
Elder Winterrose

Monday, April 8, 2013

Hey there family and friends!

Well, this week was a great one with all that was going on. Conference was amazing! first i gotta say i can not believe how many missionaries there are out there! i think they said there were like 14 million or something. ;) Every member a missionary!! I love how they really got into the nitty gritty and talked to everyone about what a mission is like and stuff. I thought that was pretty sweet!
I think that everything they talked about really applied to me or at least will in the near future haha.

I think one of my favorite talks was the one by Russell m nelson, Catch the Wave. I thought it was really funny how he called it that because although i am almost done with my mission i will be catching waves when i get home haha. It was also an amazing talk that i think relates to the whole world because this effort/call to arms isn't just for those young men and women at the age to go and serve missions but it will rely upon the efforts of every member out there. in another talk it was expressed by a general authority that, when he served as a ward missionary, as a new officer in the airforce that he did nothing more than teach every night to the people the members introduced to him.
When he said this the entire room of missionaries was like "Whaaaaa???" followed by a long silence as we intently listened to see what his trick was, haha. there was no trick on the part of the missionaries though, and that was the best part! when the members took it upon themselves, it easily worked out, and with just a little effort from everyone it really increased the work!

I really enjoyed all the amazing conference talks about missionary work and families and the atonement. this week also had some great happenings in our area. we have been really working with a less-active family and now we are getting through to some more of the aunts and uncles. we feel like this is really the key with this family, because they all love us to death, but it is just hard to get them all involved in our lessons. Well, lately they have been sitting-in on them and they all say they will come to church! So now it's just a matter of getting them there!

Well, i wish i could talk more but i gotta go, I love you all sooo much and pray for you.
thanks for all the support!

Elder Channing winterrose

Monday, April 1, 2013

Haha sounds like home. well i will send off an email anyways.

well, this week has been a rewarding one. it seems like we find people only when we least expect it.
The other day we were out of people to visit and didn't know what to do so we decided to ride around and look for a street to tract. when we had just reached the bottom corner of our area we were waiting at the light to cross when a guy came up to us and started talking to us. Usually when this happens you kinda just smile and nod and when they are done talking you offer to visit them and try to give them a card.  In return they usually say no thanks and are on their way. but this one guy told us he came from miami where he knew the missionaries and actually took lessons and wants to continue. Anyways we taught him the commandments and he said he has no problems with any and would like to get baptized with his daughter as soon as possible.

it looks like our luck might slowly be turning in this area. as far as the ward goes it is still kinda distant just because the only one active family in our ward is still really attached to the missionaries that were here. when we get to church we kinda just sit by ourselves or by investigators.

I didn't get the Easter package but i did get a couple letters. Sorry i am not good at writing back with those. I just don't remember until it is too late and i am already busy again.

anyways, i love you all and if you wish to email me we can email friends and family now.  You can get my email address by messaging my mom.  I will be looking forward to your letters in my inbox haha.

love,
Elder Channing Winterrose

Tuesday, March 26, 2013




well, i dont really feel like emailing this week but here it goes.

hey family,

well this week has not been much better then the last one. i am trying to turn over a new leaf in my mission. that on top of coming into an area where we don't know anyone, have two missionaries move into our apartment and make the living conditions less bearable and having to worry about if we are going to eat from day to day. im just going to say it, I have not been having fun. I really feel like shiz..... at the end of the book of ether. As though everybody is out to get me.

Anyways, my companion and i have nonetheless been working hard with the one family we have here that lets us come over and we now have two awesome investigators who are the nicest and most attentive of all my investigators yet. They already said they want to get baptized and we are just starting to work with another of their family members, so it is going great. I guess you could consider that the silver lining.

We went to the natural history museum yesterday and got to see all the giant dinosaur skeletons and other stuff so it was nice. I have been trying to find all the stuff we can do on pdays for free so i can let off a little stress by walking around and exploring. I will send some photos.

Monday, March 18, 2013

hey there family and friends!

It always makes me so happy to hear the news from home. i know a lot of the times my letters don't have all the responses to your questions or comments but i still read and enjoy them. :)

this week has been a crazy one. we have been trying hard to get the work in our area going but due to some things happening in the mission we had to go up to the mission home a bunch, so we haven't had much of a chance to work. I should be going up again today for the last time, president just wants to ask me some questions. soo, because of all that we have been kinda stressed out and decided today we needed a little break. We went on a field trip to the California science center! it was tons of fun and really did feel like a field trip some times cause there were so many groups there to tag along with haha. We got to see lots of stuff including a sea life exhibit and the space shuttle endeavor. it was awesome! i made sure to take lots and lots of pictures because i almost always forget. it was really close too. just right across the road like less than a block away! admission was free but to go see the endeavor cost 2 bucks. totally worth it tho.

Anyways, we are still having a cramped house while they are figuring out what to do with the other elders so it has been tough. It has been a real challenge for the past weeks so please keep praying for me. It is a lot of stress opening a new area as well as being a district leader. These past couple days must be my refiners fire just before the final stretch. i just hope it gets easier or i get better at it soon.


My ward seems very nice, we don't have many members in our area, making it a lot of less active work and tracting.

Well, i gotta run cause i don't have much time left but i love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love, Elder Channing Winterrose

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Dear family and friends,

Well this week has been extra crazy. My new companion Elder Stinson is awesome. He is from Alabama and has been out for just a year. We are opening a new area called Cimarron. We are the newest edition to the ward with now 11 missionaries. (4 companionships and one trio) It seems like a lot for a small ward but there is definitely work to do.

My district is not large and it has us, one other companionship of elders and a pair of Visitor's Center sisters.  They seem like a great bunch and i am happy to serve them.  The area that we are working in has many challenges including not having any ward directory or map to work with, and not a lot of people to visit.  Today i don't have much time because i have to do service.

Because they were replacing palomino and me with sister missionaries, we had to get rid of a lot of stuff in the apartment and we also had to visit my recent convert for a last time, so we didn't have much time to really clean the apartment. President Baker decided to call us in to do service for our p-day instead of going back to the apartment and finishing cleaning the next day like they told us the rule was. soo long story short it is going to be a day short pressed for time.

We also had some surprises of our own when we arrived to our new apartment, as we were unpacking we realized we had no fridge or oven in our kitchen. luckily after many phone calls we had one delivered later that night. Along with that, Sunday night we got a phone call telling us that we will be receiving two new additions to our home.  The English elders. After some gang activity going on near their street, President decided they needed a new temporary place to stay.

One has been out for 6 months and is training the other who just got here. it is super cramped now and let's just say i love being hospitable but i hope this is extra temporary.  :) The experience has reminded me that if you want someone to change you have to invite and set an example and they use their agency to follow (rather than order and boss around). It helps me to keep myself in check because i never want do that. I would hate to be the district leader people remember as a tyrant.

We are going to continue working hard to find more people and get some investigators.

well, i love you all so much and i hope you keep the gospel your priorities.

Elder Channing Winterrose

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Hey family!

well this week has been a rather crazy one and i am a little short on time this week cause i have some packing to do.  Long story short we got our call last night and I am getting transferred to the Los Angeles 6th ward, opening a new area as district leader with my new companion being elder Stinson. it is called the Cimmaron area and i have no idea where it is so far except that it is south of the LA 3rd ward i started in. Also, elder palomino is getting transfered out so this area is also getting whitewashed.

....By Sister Missionaries....

soooo i will have a lot of cleaning and packing to do to take my apartment from terrestrial to celestial status. hence the short letter.

Yesterday morning we got to go to do temple cleaning as a zone.  Since i missed my last opportunity 6 months ago because of transfers it has been a year since the last time i went. I enjoyed it a lot. We had the task of vacuuming the Sealing rooms as well as cleaning the carpets in the garden room. The paintings are sooo amazing in there. it was a great chance to get a close look and really appreciate them.

I have a lot of people here in this ward who i am going to miss very much and i was thinking it would be cool to be able to come visit them before school. Mom, i don't know if you got my ticket to Hawaii yet, but i was thinking maybe you could have like a 3 or 4 day layover in Los Angeles. if you can and i could visit a bunch of people down here. I mean, if i am flying down here to connect to hawaii anyways it could work out. plus i have a bunch of friends down here who i could stay with for a few nights. one being the cordovas, they always have an extra couch. :)

Anyways, Sunday i received a bright surprise! My recent convert, the one who just got baptized in January and went on her mini mission, came and told me her mom and dad were getting married this week and they are getting baptized in like 2 weeks! I am soo happy. :) I will be going to their baptism and i am super excited for it.

I have seen many many blessings this month and i am super excited for the progress that has happened and i just really really hope that the sisters who take over the area can keep it going.

Next week i will send pictures of my companion and the people we get to visit.

Mom keep your chin up it's all going to pay off.
Dad, I love you and know you're the best dad anyone could have. Those kids are lucky to have a coach like you.
Brothers, It goes without saying but behave and have fun. :)

I love you all,
Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, February 25, 2013


 Congratulations Brady!!!!

That is awesome news man! I am so happy for you and I know you are going to do an awesome job out there! Brazil, what an awesome place!you, brycie and bax are going to be on fire in Portuguese when you get back! that is super crazy. Too bad you couldn't leave a week later! i will be getting home literally 7 days after! Maybe i will have to come down and abduct you and take you to the world cup or something hahaha.

This week has been a great one with a lot going on, As you all know the grammy's are held in Hollywood so for us this weekend we got to see the whole Hollywood boulevard get locked down and shut off for the event. Personally i don't take a lot of interest in the award ceremonies but it is crazy how everybody here watches them like it's the super bowl or something. I guess it is crazy how for people not from here the celebrities and their shindigs are just TV but down here it is like watching the daily news haha.

So this week we also had the Mini Mission for our stake. One of my recent converts decided to go and try it out! I havent had a chance to talk to her since but i am super happy she went. I know she loved it.she is also going to start her papers so she can go on her mission!And the craziest part is that she was baptized just last month. :)

We are still waiting on another one of my recent converts to receive news from BYU Hawaii because applying to that school was what originally got her interested in the church. I would love to see her get accepted.

last saturday we did a service project for a guy down the street and helped him make his tree significantly shorter haha.Today we are going to have a big relay race at the park with the whole zone for our zone goal activity so we have to be up there at 3 to set it up. it should be lots of fun. I will try and take lots of pictures!

Well, I love you all boatloads and I miss you even more.

Love,
Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, February 18, 2013

Dear family and friends,

Dad! Happy birthday! I love you an I hope your birthday was awesome!  Britt!! Happy birthday bro, I know you're 'prolly on the most beautiful beach right now, but enjoy it more on you're special day. I can't believe you're 23 already man.

Sorry If this is a short letter this week but due to the holiday the libraries are all closed. :/ we did have a great holiday though. Today we were invited to the park to a barbecue with a few members in the ward. They have like 3 dogs who are all puppies and it was fun. 2 little white ones and a black lab. When we first showed up as we were setting up there was a coyote just walking around like 20 yards away. He wasn't bothering anyone and he looked super scrawny so we just let him be. I will send a picture if I get it to work on this thing. Anyways after eating we decided to hike up to the observatory and we brought the dogs along. Like half way up the little one, Bella, started crying so we threw her in my backpack for the rest of the hike. It was a funny sight to see with her little head peeking out of the zipper. Needless to say she was content and everybody we passed on the trail had a big smile. :)

I loved the valentines package and the cookies were to flipping die for! I think those are the best cookies I have had in the last year and a half.

So this week we had our zone conference and it went pretty well for a zone conference. I mean any meeting that long isn't something you really are dying to go to but it wasn't too bad. I think it's cause the APs did a really fun training.Anyways it was a good, successful week because we had a baptism in the ward and I love to see the members in my district doing work.

So last week we were feeling great about the work in our area because on Tuesday we committed a girl to baptism the first week of March. As the pattern goes though, when we are doing the Lord's work, we will encounter trials; this one is no different.  Hopefully we will have a chance to help those who love her have a better understanding of why she wants to get baptized and hopefully they will respect her decision.

I have really prayed about going to school and I feel Hawaii has always been my first choice. I feel like it will be a chance of a lifetime to go to school with britt.

I love you all soo much and pray for you.  Tell Kathy I send my best wishes and I'm praying for her.

Love,

Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, February 11, 2013

I have decided to take my talents to the city of Laie, Hawaii.

I'M GOING TO HAWAIIIIIIIII!!!!!

I have been dying to know for weeks now and one of the members here saw what Britt posted on my facebook and contacted me to congratulate me! I was so dang excited. I have literally been dreaming of beaches and waves since i got the news. I think sean kerr is going up there too so it will be a blast! I have actually been praying for the opportunity to go to byu because it will be the best chance to be with people with the same standards as me - but who love to have fun. I think it is God's perfect playground :) oh yeah, on a side note, what is my ring size?? ;) just kidding mom, i wont need that for a while!

That is sweet mo can get into usu! Go for it bro!

Pootie boy, when i get home i will buy a slack line and teach you how to do it. .....we might have to plant some palm trees though hahaha. :) It is just like a truck strap thing that you strap around 2 trees, ratchet tight and walk across. i have only tried it twice and i got pretty good at it. I must have really good balance though cause i was the only one.

This week has been a little hard on me without any allergy meds. I think it really made me realize how dependent i am on them. :P So I told my recent convert about getting accepted to BYUH and she almost cried cause she was so happy for me! It is nice to know they really care about us. :) Her daughter applied as well but she had to retake the ACT so we will have to wait and see if she will go! i really hope she does so i can hang out with my recent convert! :)

This week we are working really hard to work with members as it is the focus of our zone goal. Today we have an activity where we are going to do a bunch of minute to win it games and make it a race. It should be a hit with the elders.  I am enjoying being a district leader... some days, and others it is not what i thought it would be but so far it hasn't been anything i cant tackle.

I love you all so very much and Happy Valentines Day!

Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, February 4, 2013

Hey there family!

Well this week has been good. We had transfers this week and now we have 3 new missionaries in the ward. Elder Penrod is back in my district again. I haven't been around him since we started in downtown so it is cool to have him as my zone leader here.

My district is full of great missionaries and i am ready to have a bunch of success in this ward in the upcoming months. Although at times i feel like i have no idea what I'm doing, I figure it will get easier as time goes on.

Yesterday we had the confirmation of our investigator. last night we went to the visitor's center to share the art exhibit with her and her boyfriend. she also told us some great news which is that she is preparing to go on a mission! that is so amazing to hear. :) That is how you know you have someone who is truly converted to the gospel.

Last Tuesday we went slack lining again and i actually managed to make it all the way across the thing! It was dang hard but i put my mind to it and figured it out. :)

This week for our zone activity we are going up to the Hollywood sign, I thought it was cool like the first time but i think it is a little overrated now haha.  But if i enjoyed it my first time, my district will love it cause they're almost all new here. Oh yeah! I almost forgot, my companion is still Elder Palomino and we have 8 missionaries in my district, 2 districts in the zone and 9 zones in the mission.

I feel like president baker is a little different than other mission presidents i have met before cause he usually seems really busy. I haven't really had much of a chance to talk to him besides interviews and the occasional hello at zone conference so i don't really know how i would describe him.

As for  my Spanish, I speak it every day, on a rare occasion i only have the chance over the phone but that is only if we have a really really slow day with nobody to teach or visit. I don't really study it much anymore because it is hard to find things to improve on. usually i just read church books in Spanish and it works out. Is Dain taking any Spanish courses this year??

Anyways, not much has changed and not much is happening so i don't know what else to update on. :/

Same mission different week! :)

I love you all a ton! keep outta trouble,

Elder Channing Winterrose

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Familia y Amigos,

Well this week has been an exciting and eventful week. There have been a lot of big changes leading up to this transfer. On Tuesday of last week during fundamentals we all received a paper that told us there were going to be a lot of changes this transfer to prepare us all for the new wave of missionaries coming into the field. The changes are, next transfer is going to only be 5 weeks making my scheduled return date July 10th.The week before transfers on Wednesday, if you are going to be assigned to be a district leader or zone leader or training, you will receive a phone call. Thursday, the next day, you will go to a meeting for training. Monday the week of transfers is a regular work day and Monday night we get transfer calls, Tuesday is Pday on transfer week and Wednesday we will all meet up at a chapel and do transfers all at once. Then we all ship out and go to our new homes.

So how transfers worked out for me:
Wednesday night i got a phone call telling me i am going to be a District Leader. Thursday i went to training. Monday we got the phone calls and I will be staying in Hollywood and be district leader here in Elder Walker's Place. Elder Walker is going back to our old zone in south bay to be a zone leader so I'm gonna miss him a ton! He was a great District leader and probably my best friend out here in the mission. I'm excited to be staying in this area for 5 more weeks. If I'm lucky maybe i can just finish my mission here haha. :)

Well, that was all the news and excitement for this week. Besides that we have just been looking and looking for new people to teach as well as keeping up on all of our referrals. We had a confirmation scheduled for this Sunday but the investigator was running late so we will be doing it this next week for sure.

The weather has been warming up a little bit more this week (not that it has even gotten cold yet) so we have been doing slack lining at the park in Hollywood and last week was the first time. I picked it up pretty well! I made it almost all the way across, but when you get like 10 feet into it you're in like the middle of the line and it is a lot more squirrelly, so i always fall off there. I am determined to make it all the way across this time tho so I will send you pictures. :)

This will be another good transfer with Elder Palomino so look forward to buenas noticias.

Love you all!

Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, January 21, 2013



Hey there friends and family!

Well first i gotta apologize for not sending a letter last week it was kinda hectic and i will try to make up for it this week! we have a cool zone goal this month where we all play Moroni Kart. each of our companionships is together in a cart and throughout the week we do missionary tasks to get items to use in the game. Due to our baptism we get a star which means invincibility, double rolls and you knock back everybody you pass one space for 3 turns! We're gonna smash them this week. :)

So last week we had a crazy time getting everything ready for the baptism. We spent most of the time getting everything figured out for it which, if any of you are RMs, you may know what it is like making a program for a baptism when the people on it change every 12 hours or so, haha. We had a lot of editing to do so the final copy was done right before i had to teach elders quorum!

We had a weird experience this week, one of our investigators fell off of the map about 3 weeks ago after looking really sick at church and telling us he was ill. When he showed up to church he looked yellow like a lemon. the other elders and I realized those are the signs for liver failure and we weren't sure to tell him or not. Well, the zone leaders went by and checked up on him. we received bad news. By talking to his brother they found out he had passed away on the 27th of December and that is why we haven't heard from him in so long. we all kinda felt bad about it cause jokingly whenever our investigators disappear it's for unknown reasons and we might say something like they probably died, cause literally there is no way of contacting them - it's like they don't exist anymore. anyways, it was definitely one experience i didn't think would happen to me out here. At least we got him started in the gospel.

It has been kind of lonely getting no mail lately, haha. I realized that the only people i am writing have never met me in person and all the people i knew before my mission must be busy and on to other things by now. crazy how things happen while your gone.

It was a pleasant surprise to get the message from dad that he was down here at the visitor's center. Crazy how small the world is! :) I got the planner cover britt. it's pretty cool! It's a little big for my back pocket now so i'm still figuring out the best way to carry it lol.

Attached are some pictures from the baptism and our zone goal. hope you all enjoy them!

Love Elder Channing Winterrose

Monday, January 14, 2013

No letter this week.  :(

Monday, January 7, 2013

Dear family and friends,

Another good week!

Well it's the new year and that brings a few changes. we now have church at 9:00 and as always when church gets earlier people take a little bit to adjust. so we showed up on time Sunday and there was like half the people there, haha. Luckily our investigators showed up as the rest of the ward trickled in to fill the chapel.

This year also brings new meetings called fundamentals. For the next month or so we will be meeting every Tuesday and Friday and going over fundamentals based on helping us apply ourselves to the work more efficiently. Although I'm not a fan of extra meetings I'm excited to see the successes come out of them in the next couple of months.

Man that's crazy Britton is turning into quite the acrobat. I don't get much time to be crazy but on the occasion I will do a back-flip just to remind myself I'm fearless. :) I guess just living in LA isn't enough for me anymore.

It sounds like things for everyone are slowing down again as they get back into the daily grind. That's kinda like back here were really slowing down but we will pick up the pace again here soon once we get everything figured out for this next baptism. Hopefully we will get it all figured out before the 20th!

Anyways thank you all for the New Years wishes and for reading my letters! I appreciate the letters as well! Muchas gracias!

Con cariƱo,
Elder Winterrose