Hey Fam!
How is the cold weather treating you in Idaho?!:) All I can say is that the weather is finally nice here! 75 to 85 degrees during the day and then high 60's at night. It is awesome!! I am actually beginning to fall in love with this place. It is a little weird. The people here are way too good to us. So as you all are wondering if transfers are coming - the answer is yes. In two weeks. So I will have a new companion, but it does sound like I should be in the same area, which is great! But if I were to predict it, I will be here one more transfer- possibly two, depending on my next companion and what President Black wants with me. But he knows what needs to happen, so no need to try and out guess the Lord! This week has been packed full of experiences! I wish I had time enough to tell you about all of them. You're only going to get a few because of time constraints and all that, but it really has been a good week!
First thing that happened was Elder Cunningham hit his two year mark last Saturday! On Monday we met up with one of the families we've been teaching and we burned his suit!!!!! It was so cool and the kids loved it! It is so good to see them progress and the kids really, really want to get baptized. We are just waiting for the Dad to give the OK. They are going to be asking him if they can sometime this week and we have been praying and fasting like crazy. So I know that one way or the other, the Lord will pull through. The kids are awesome! Elder Cunningham and I had to give them all a tie because they wanted one. So it has been a good week for them. It is crazy how people here start becoming family after a while.
As for Sabrina she is doing awesome! She has been having some struggles, so we are going to move her baptismal date back to November 27, but we know it is going to happen that day! She is really excited and can't wait. She just really isn't feeling very good. So we are going to get her over the sickness and then she will be prepared to enter into Baptism:) Her mom is being baptized tonight, so we are going to end P-day a little early. President Foote, our awesome Elders Quorom President is going to drive us to Redrock so that we can be there for that. I have to give the prayer which will be good! We have a very busy day, so not too many hand written letters will be coming this week. Sorry!
The other night we were getting ready for bed and I heard the phone ring. Not really wanting to get it, I pulled myself up and went to answer it. Well, I missed the call and it was from a lady, Corla who we had met in the grocery store several weeks ago. We haven't been able to get a hold of her for a long time! She has been taught by missionaries in the past and told us we could come by, but she just disappeared. Now she was calling us at 10:20 at night?! I really didn't want to call back, so I laid the phone down... Then the impression came, "you need to call her back." I was like, "oh, no. I don't have time. Bed time is 10:30 I'll call her tomorrow." Then it came again. I thought, "well I'll let Elder Cunningham do it." I couldn't get him to wake up, which was weird because I was yelling his name and hitting him. haha. So finally I couldn't go any longer and I got on the phone. Turns out she really, really needed to talk to us. We were able to go by there yesterday and give her a blessing. We also have another appointment to go back on Wednesday and meet with her, so that will be great! I was able to talk to her on the phone for about 20 minutes and help her out a little, and get her calmed down to where hopefully, she went to sleep. I guess Mindy's experience of following the promptings of the Spirit are helping more than just her:)
We also had Stake Conference yesterday. Man, was it good! They had a ton of speakers, but we were able to listen to our wonderful, inspired mission president and his wife. They did awesome and the whole conference was just sweet. Also our kind of recent convert, Brother Ford spoke and he totally DOMINATED!!! He is so smart and he does an awesome job speaking and teaching. I will have to get a pic with him and send it to you all.
We also were able to get in contact with another recent convert, named Jason. While we were visiting, I noticed a picture hanging on his wall and calmly I looked at him and I was like, "Jason, do you race mortorcyles? He was like, "yeah, I used to race in the AMA." I was so pumped and he is a total STUD! We talked the rest of the time about bikes and his racing days and people he knew and wanted to introduce me to and stuff. It was so cool. He raced with Jeremy McGrath and Carey Hart is one of his best friends. For those who don't know, Cary Hart was the first man to ever land a back flip in competition. Yeah, Jason and I are going to be real close- I can already tell! haha
One last story real quick. We went on exchanges this last week and I was in another area. I was able to meet a guy named Trey. Trey has had a dang rough life. About two weeks ago, he had been praying that the Lord would give him some answers to what church was true. Well, Elder Wilcock and Elder Stewart just happened to be going to try and see a less active member across the street from his house. Trey was walking to a friends house. Of course, the Elders saw him and went and tried to talk to him and sure enough- the Lord answered his prayers! But get this- Trey is a 6 foot 8 inch basketball playing fool! He played for Michigan State and was better than Jason Richardson until he was in a tragic accident that ended his ball career. He was able to recover and play for a year or two over in the Philippines, but his injuries were just too bad to play ball every day. But he is a stud, and he loved me! We ended up talking basketball and he is getting me floor tickets to the Lakers game in two years because I told him that I had seen Lebron James play, but only on TV. He was like, "bro you haven't seen Lebron James play till you have seen him COURT SIDE!" haha It was awesome and he wants me to come back and go to a game with him. So I wasn't going to argue that! Hahah we will see if he even remembers me in two years. But he is way cool and I have pictures of him and me together that I will send within the next couple of weeks!
Things here really are going well. I am doing good and I know this is where I need to be. I love hearing from you all and hearing how much good stuff is happening to the family! Thanks for all of the letters and gifts and treats and everything. It is so helpful to hear from everyone. I love you all so much and hope you have an awesome week dominating at sports and whatever else you're doing! Keep digging hard and don't have to much fun in the tractor without me! Oh, and Coy, I want your email address so i can email you and give you crap while you sit in the tractor:) I love you all! Have a great week!!!
P.S. Thanks so much for the pics! Mindy your story helped a lot. I actually ate with John last night and things are going well. I will call his mom sometime this week!
Love,
Elder Crapo
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Conference! 10/8/12
Conference!!
Talk about one of the best weekends of the mission so far! This whole week has been good and I am super glad that everything is well at home. The package was awesome and I was stoked to put up my Idaho flag and give Elder Cunningham his first Crapo Trucking hat:) As for things in the mission world, they are GREAT! We actually didn't get to watch the first session of conference... I don't know if you remember the letter where I talked about the lady who yelled at Elder Cunningham in the parking lot of an apartment complex? Well, like two weeks ago she had been yelling at us telling us she couldn't wait for December to come so that she could just die.... Well, I need to be more Christ like, but anywho...:) She had asked for the ward to help move her at ten o'clock Saturday morning. So we went and were going to watch the first part of conference with Brother Finau and then walk over to help her move! But we couldn't find the BYU channel until after President Monson had made the announcement! So we had no idea what was even going on and then when it was time for us to leave. We went over and started to help with the move. Sister Scharmann, the Relief Society president, was like, "So what did you think of the new mission age?" Elder Cunningham and I looked at each other and we were like, "what do you mean?" So she told us and it was like we had just won the Super Bowl! We were pumped!! My first thought went to my nieces and nephews and how much that would impact their lives! I am so so so excited for you kids and how much it will help you. I guess I just thought about Mataia and how close she was and hopefully she just decides to go;) I want the kids to know that this experience is nothing like what you will ever in a million years experience before the mission. High school has absolutely no comparison. Set your standards HIGH. Don't ever play down to someone elses level. It is like in all the sports you're playing. Some games when you play bad teams, you just don't play as good- because they aren't as good. But then when you play a good team you play much better. You need to be the good team! Make the other kids around you play up to your standards. Never lower the bar for any friends. It is no longer good enough to just get over the bar. The church is setting new heights and is really leaning on the youth to start that change. There was a talk that said our youth as a whole is stronger now than it ever has been. What I have found though is that you can't be fence sitters. Swaying a little both ways no longer works. As I have met with members here it is amazing to see the strength of them and how hard they are willing to work to be close to our Father in Heaven. I am just so proud of the kids because I know that my nieces and nephews are definitely up to par in that case. I also had a way cool experience just with conference in general because this past week has been a little tougher. I'm not sure why, but it has. The things that were said in conference really lifted my spirits and have shown me how the Atonement can work in my life. As you kids begin to get to high school and you wonder what it is you should be learning or what you can do to be better missionaries than I ever could dream of being- really focus on Seminary. Don't be like me and look for every excuse to miss. That class has more value than Math or Science. It is everything you need to know. I know I am really focusing this letter on the kids. Sorry parents, but I just can't get them out of my mind and how Stoked I am for them!!!! Take advantage of what the Lord is giving us- especially the girls! I almost feel as though girls shouldn't put off the mission anymore because they will be back in plenty of time to get married! The mission trains you. I feel like the Lord is totally preparing me for life. Through this experience I am learning skills that, no offense to Idaho, simply can not be learned there. At least not for me, because learning missionary work is hard! It is a mental game. I work everyday to keep my thoughts where they need to be and study as hard as I can and I always fall short... But that is ok. The Atonement is there because Heavenly Father knew that I was not going to be perfect! Thank Heaven, too:) I read in the Ensign the other day that the most important thing you can do in your youth is learn how to use the Atonement in your life. It is much, much more than just asking for forgiveness. It is a change of a view because our view as human beings is off. Heavenly Father does not look at us in terms of today and tomorrow. He sees us in terms of Eternity!!!!:) I wish I could take all I am learning and just give it to all the kids! I guess with all this, I just want you all to know I love you and conference made me think of you:) It was an awesome weekend and I really wanted to see Hali and Jeff on the TV but it just didn't quite see you guys.
Now that I am off my soap box and the kids think that their Uncle is CRAZY! I will tell you all the fun stuff that is going on in my mission life:) Today we are playing a little football... SOUTH ZONE VS SPRING MOUNTAIN ZONE! Just so you know, you want SPRING MOUNTAIN to win! No, we are all representatives of Jesus Christ but still its going to be awesome!! This is just a warm up game for the Turkey bowl when Thanksgiving rolls around. Oh, and we just found out today that Elder Echo Hawk, the guy who spoke in, I believe the second session on Saturday will be here touring the best mission in the world sometime in November. So that will be pretty sweet! Last night we had another awesome lesson with a less active family. They are so cool and are preparing to go to the temple and be sealed together for time and all eternity. And they invited us back to watch the second half of the session that we missed. So that will be good a little later on in the week. Also Sabrina is doing awesome and she is going to be baptized on October 20:) And her mom is going to be baptized in another stake on October 15, so we get to go and watch that! We are way excited. As for the Finau's they are doing OK, but yes, they have some major health problems. Brother Finau has been on Dialysis for 11 years now and is still just the happiest man in the world. I love him to death. Sister Finau is having some health problems, too. But talk to her - she is awesome! She is always on Facebook it sounds like. She would love to chat about pretty much anything.
August 6 marked Elder Cunnigham's 2 years, so his time is quickly coming to an end. I am going to be pretty down when he leaves. He is a stud and has taught me so much! I love working here with him. You will have to go and listen to his homecoming when he is done here. Things in our area are kind of slow, so we have spent a lot of time knocking on doors this last week. Hopefully we will be able to see some fruits from that labor. It is so tiring to just knock and knock and knock, but it feels way good to go home at night and just CRASH! I think about my calling and how sacred it really is. The other day we got yelled at by some dude because we were tracting in a gated community. We told him we were representatives of Jesus Christ going around sharing a very special message and he kind of mocked us saying, "Oh, your Representatives of Jesus Christ, huh?!" Which is so frustrating, because we truly are! Think about that concept kids, representing Jesus Christ! That is what I get the wonderful opportunity of doing each and everyday! And you will get to do that too soon!:) An Elder in my district said the best part about our mission is we are the closest thing that anyone can have to having Jesus Christ in their home. Now that isn't to say that we are that good, because we aren't. It is to say that Jesus Christ is that good. He can make up the marks that we have or the downfalls we have because He knows better than I do that we aren't perfect. But He helps us everyday and it is cool to see the work that is going on here.
I want to leave with you all my testimony of the things that the Prophets taught this last week are true! If you will study and apply what they have taught you, it can change our behaviors that are not in line with his teachings. There is a saying that I have been thinking of each day that came to mind, The lord asks for your very best.... not perfection. That has been a hard lesson for me to learn because making mistakes really stinks. But you have to continue on. It is like Brother Ford says, "Quit feeling sorry for yourself, dummy! There is Work to be Done!!!" haha Even though that was not directed at me, it applies. I want you all to know I know that the church is true and the principles it teaches can change our lives:) In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Have an awesome week and keep digging those spuds!!! Enjoy the weather because you could be here, where there are no seasons;) I love you all and can't wait to hear from you! Thanks so much for the packages by the way. They are way fun to get and they put a smile on my face every time:) Good luck in all your games this week and all the work!! Hope you all stay safe and have fun!
Love,
Elder Crapo
Talk about one of the best weekends of the mission so far! This whole week has been good and I am super glad that everything is well at home. The package was awesome and I was stoked to put up my Idaho flag and give Elder Cunningham his first Crapo Trucking hat:) As for things in the mission world, they are GREAT! We actually didn't get to watch the first session of conference... I don't know if you remember the letter where I talked about the lady who yelled at Elder Cunningham in the parking lot of an apartment complex? Well, like two weeks ago she had been yelling at us telling us she couldn't wait for December to come so that she could just die.... Well, I need to be more Christ like, but anywho...:) She had asked for the ward to help move her at ten o'clock Saturday morning. So we went and were going to watch the first part of conference with Brother Finau and then walk over to help her move! But we couldn't find the BYU channel until after President Monson had made the announcement! So we had no idea what was even going on and then when it was time for us to leave. We went over and started to help with the move. Sister Scharmann, the Relief Society president, was like, "So what did you think of the new mission age?" Elder Cunningham and I looked at each other and we were like, "what do you mean?" So she told us and it was like we had just won the Super Bowl! We were pumped!! My first thought went to my nieces and nephews and how much that would impact their lives! I am so so so excited for you kids and how much it will help you. I guess I just thought about Mataia and how close she was and hopefully she just decides to go;) I want the kids to know that this experience is nothing like what you will ever in a million years experience before the mission. High school has absolutely no comparison. Set your standards HIGH. Don't ever play down to someone elses level. It is like in all the sports you're playing. Some games when you play bad teams, you just don't play as good- because they aren't as good. But then when you play a good team you play much better. You need to be the good team! Make the other kids around you play up to your standards. Never lower the bar for any friends. It is no longer good enough to just get over the bar. The church is setting new heights and is really leaning on the youth to start that change. There was a talk that said our youth as a whole is stronger now than it ever has been. What I have found though is that you can't be fence sitters. Swaying a little both ways no longer works. As I have met with members here it is amazing to see the strength of them and how hard they are willing to work to be close to our Father in Heaven. I am just so proud of the kids because I know that my nieces and nephews are definitely up to par in that case. I also had a way cool experience just with conference in general because this past week has been a little tougher. I'm not sure why, but it has. The things that were said in conference really lifted my spirits and have shown me how the Atonement can work in my life. As you kids begin to get to high school and you wonder what it is you should be learning or what you can do to be better missionaries than I ever could dream of being- really focus on Seminary. Don't be like me and look for every excuse to miss. That class has more value than Math or Science. It is everything you need to know. I know I am really focusing this letter on the kids. Sorry parents, but I just can't get them out of my mind and how Stoked I am for them!!!! Take advantage of what the Lord is giving us- especially the girls! I almost feel as though girls shouldn't put off the mission anymore because they will be back in plenty of time to get married! The mission trains you. I feel like the Lord is totally preparing me for life. Through this experience I am learning skills that, no offense to Idaho, simply can not be learned there. At least not for me, because learning missionary work is hard! It is a mental game. I work everyday to keep my thoughts where they need to be and study as hard as I can and I always fall short... But that is ok. The Atonement is there because Heavenly Father knew that I was not going to be perfect! Thank Heaven, too:) I read in the Ensign the other day that the most important thing you can do in your youth is learn how to use the Atonement in your life. It is much, much more than just asking for forgiveness. It is a change of a view because our view as human beings is off. Heavenly Father does not look at us in terms of today and tomorrow. He sees us in terms of Eternity!!!!:) I wish I could take all I am learning and just give it to all the kids! I guess with all this, I just want you all to know I love you and conference made me think of you:) It was an awesome weekend and I really wanted to see Hali and Jeff on the TV but it just didn't quite see you guys.
Now that I am off my soap box and the kids think that their Uncle is CRAZY! I will tell you all the fun stuff that is going on in my mission life:) Today we are playing a little football... SOUTH ZONE VS SPRING MOUNTAIN ZONE! Just so you know, you want SPRING MOUNTAIN to win! No, we are all representatives of Jesus Christ but still its going to be awesome!! This is just a warm up game for the Turkey bowl when Thanksgiving rolls around. Oh, and we just found out today that Elder Echo Hawk, the guy who spoke in, I believe the second session on Saturday will be here touring the best mission in the world sometime in November. So that will be pretty sweet! Last night we had another awesome lesson with a less active family. They are so cool and are preparing to go to the temple and be sealed together for time and all eternity. And they invited us back to watch the second half of the session that we missed. So that will be good a little later on in the week. Also Sabrina is doing awesome and she is going to be baptized on October 20:) And her mom is going to be baptized in another stake on October 15, so we get to go and watch that! We are way excited. As for the Finau's they are doing OK, but yes, they have some major health problems. Brother Finau has been on Dialysis for 11 years now and is still just the happiest man in the world. I love him to death. Sister Finau is having some health problems, too. But talk to her - she is awesome! She is always on Facebook it sounds like. She would love to chat about pretty much anything.
August 6 marked Elder Cunnigham's 2 years, so his time is quickly coming to an end. I am going to be pretty down when he leaves. He is a stud and has taught me so much! I love working here with him. You will have to go and listen to his homecoming when he is done here. Things in our area are kind of slow, so we have spent a lot of time knocking on doors this last week. Hopefully we will be able to see some fruits from that labor. It is so tiring to just knock and knock and knock, but it feels way good to go home at night and just CRASH! I think about my calling and how sacred it really is. The other day we got yelled at by some dude because we were tracting in a gated community. We told him we were representatives of Jesus Christ going around sharing a very special message and he kind of mocked us saying, "Oh, your Representatives of Jesus Christ, huh?!" Which is so frustrating, because we truly are! Think about that concept kids, representing Jesus Christ! That is what I get the wonderful opportunity of doing each and everyday! And you will get to do that too soon!:) An Elder in my district said the best part about our mission is we are the closest thing that anyone can have to having Jesus Christ in their home. Now that isn't to say that we are that good, because we aren't. It is to say that Jesus Christ is that good. He can make up the marks that we have or the downfalls we have because He knows better than I do that we aren't perfect. But He helps us everyday and it is cool to see the work that is going on here.
I want to leave with you all my testimony of the things that the Prophets taught this last week are true! If you will study and apply what they have taught you, it can change our behaviors that are not in line with his teachings. There is a saying that I have been thinking of each day that came to mind, The lord asks for your very best.... not perfection. That has been a hard lesson for me to learn because making mistakes really stinks. But you have to continue on. It is like Brother Ford says, "Quit feeling sorry for yourself, dummy! There is Work to be Done!!!" haha Even though that was not directed at me, it applies. I want you all to know I know that the church is true and the principles it teaches can change our lives:) In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Have an awesome week and keep digging those spuds!!! Enjoy the weather because you could be here, where there are no seasons;) I love you all and can't wait to hear from you! Thanks so much for the packages by the way. They are way fun to get and they put a smile on my face every time:) Good luck in all your games this week and all the work!! Hope you all stay safe and have fun!
Love,
Elder Crapo
Friday, October 5, 2012
Letter to the Rodericks 10/5/12
Dear Family,
How is everyone? Sounds like you are super busy and as for missionary work in the Southern Highlands- it's good, too! My wards are awesome and people here are great. I do miss beautiful Idaho and the great people there, but Vegas is pretty good, too. The heat still tries to linger around and give us issues. When I am on a bike at 98 degrees, it does stink! But you find ways to have fun with it. We are finally beginning to have member trust. Now we just really need people to teach. But as I become better as a missionary and we talk to everyone, it will come.
I am not sure why, but today has been a sick day! I am loving it. I love the work. I love the trials and I love how much the Lord is here for me. My life is changing dramatically. I have a testimony I didn't think I would ever have and yes, there are dang hard days. But the Lord blesses us as we work hard and are diligent. I hope mom made ya'll a copy of that Book of Mormon marking deal. If she didn't, ask her about it and please do it. I know it will strengthen your family.
I love you all so much. Send me some sweet action pics of my stud nephews and my awesome nieces! Also, tell Yi-Lin hello from Elder Crapo. I guess I hope the whole family reads this because I want you all to know that I know that this church is true. Without it we would have no hope in life. I know that Joseph Smith did see God, the Father and Jesus Christ and through him the gospel was restored to the earth today. I would challenge each of you to get on your knees and ask our Heavenly Father if it is true. And if you do that he will answer your prayers - I promise. And I know that us as missionaries, we are called of God. I get the opportunity to say one of the most profound things anyone can say, "I am a representative of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." How cool is that?! I represent Jesus Christ himself. He sent Elder Cunningham and I here to teach the people in the southern Highlands. But guess what?! You also represent Him. Do you remember what the sacrament prayer says? "To take upon them the name of they Son." We all represent Him because we are members of His church! So always remember that. Even when you're playing sports and that kid makes you mad, remember that you represent Jesus Christ and do what He would do. :) Thank heaven for the atonement, though because I never did that perfect! But have a good week! I love you guys so much!
Elder Crapo
How is everyone? Sounds like you are super busy and as for missionary work in the Southern Highlands- it's good, too! My wards are awesome and people here are great. I do miss beautiful Idaho and the great people there, but Vegas is pretty good, too. The heat still tries to linger around and give us issues. When I am on a bike at 98 degrees, it does stink! But you find ways to have fun with it. We are finally beginning to have member trust. Now we just really need people to teach. But as I become better as a missionary and we talk to everyone, it will come.
I am not sure why, but today has been a sick day! I am loving it. I love the work. I love the trials and I love how much the Lord is here for me. My life is changing dramatically. I have a testimony I didn't think I would ever have and yes, there are dang hard days. But the Lord blesses us as we work hard and are diligent. I hope mom made ya'll a copy of that Book of Mormon marking deal. If she didn't, ask her about it and please do it. I know it will strengthen your family.
I love you all so much. Send me some sweet action pics of my stud nephews and my awesome nieces! Also, tell Yi-Lin hello from Elder Crapo. I guess I hope the whole family reads this because I want you all to know that I know that this church is true. Without it we would have no hope in life. I know that Joseph Smith did see God, the Father and Jesus Christ and through him the gospel was restored to the earth today. I would challenge each of you to get on your knees and ask our Heavenly Father if it is true. And if you do that he will answer your prayers - I promise. And I know that us as missionaries, we are called of God. I get the opportunity to say one of the most profound things anyone can say, "I am a representative of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." How cool is that?! I represent Jesus Christ himself. He sent Elder Cunningham and I here to teach the people in the southern Highlands. But guess what?! You also represent Him. Do you remember what the sacrament prayer says? "To take upon them the name of they Son." We all represent Him because we are members of His church! So always remember that. Even when you're playing sports and that kid makes you mad, remember that you represent Jesus Christ and do what He would do. :) Thank heaven for the atonement, though because I never did that perfect! But have a good week! I love you guys so much!
Elder Crapo
Letter from 10/1/12
Hey fam!
Man, its good to hear from everyone! I am living it up here in Vegas. It is just starting to get kind of nice here. Still 90 to 95 during the day, but evenings are amazing! So the heat, I think, for the most part is behind us. Members here are awesome keeping us fed and treating us well. We are doing awesome and having fun. Work is kind of slow, but that is sort of how our area is, which stinks. But it is good. It keeps me and Elder Cunningham on our toes. We are starting to teach together well and our investigators are doing really good. This past week the Frye's (the people we live next too) went to the Cook Islands so we had our ward mission leader living next to us while he babysat their kids. That was dang fun because he is a total stud!!! His name is Brother Whiting and he and his wife are from Rupert, Idaho so you know he is a good guy just because of where he is from!:)
We fasted yesterday for the kids of one of our investigators so that they can be baptized and that their dad's heart will be softened in allowing them to do so. It's so cool to see the change in that family because the one boy, Grayson said all he wanted for his birthday that is coming up is to be baptized. Hopefully with lots of prayer and fasting his father's heart will be softened. As for our other family- they are doing awesome in becoming reactivated. It is unreal what member trust can do and it puts a ton of pressure on Elder Cunningham and I. They told us last night that when they wanted us to come by the husband James was like, "oh, no we don't want missionaries to come by because the Elder's before he hadn't really liked." But now I guess we just got real lucky and he clicks with us!! So we took that as a huge compliment and hopefully we can keep up the good reputation the rest of the transfer, as well as keep the members on all the missionaries sides throughout the rest of my mission. With our mission being so young, which by the way it is rediculously young, everyone except for the AP's and Zone leaders are training!
Not much else is happening here in Vegas. They are building some pretty big ferris wheels over on the strip that I can see. They look pretty sweet, so when you all drive through here to go to Disney Land you should hop on those if they are done!! But no really this place is pretty sweet. The desert is definitely not as good looking as good old Idaho, but there are so many cool people. We are finding more and more work everyday. So hopefully by the time that we are done here the area can be a productive one instead of a dead one!
Dang I gotta be honest, I miss Spud Harvest! I want pics so bad! Everyone here is amazed that we get a week out of school just to work. It is definitely a different lifestyle here.
Lastly, Elder Cunningham and I go talk to a man named Brother Ford every week on Thursdays at 3 and he is super super super SMART!!! I swear he wrote the dictionary or something. He is ridiculous and he knows the Bible backwards and forwards and he is reading the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. He was just baptized a year ago, but his testimony is SO strong. It's awesome. I'll get some pics of him. He is my Black Brother and he calls me a Mexican because he says I work like one? hahahah But anywho, he was talking about kings back in the day and how they had to write the Torha and they would be judged out of that book. Well, Elder Cunningham got the idea we should copy the Book of Mormon down in our own writing. Well, a few days later we pulled out the notebook and began. And holy crap that is freaking Hard! We just finished 1 Nephi 1 and it took us like 45 minutes! Crazy! But such a testimony builder for me, because I now without a shadow of a doubt that Joseph Smith could not have translated that book unless our Father in Heaven helped him. I also know that there is no possible way that he made the story up because it is just too difficult to write and understand so quickly as to write it in 2 or 3 months! That book is such an amazing Book and I love it with all my heart. It has changed my life and made me who I am today. I know that if you will read from it everyday it will change your lives as well. I know sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the world and forget about the Book of Mormon but the power in that book is unreal and it is TRUE. I love you all so much have fun in the spuds without me!!! I wish I could be there running the Digger! But give me a few years, I'll be back:) I love you all and can't wait to hear from you!
Love,
Elder Crapo
P.S Thanks so much for the packages and the letters they make the weeks go by much quicker! I love you all talk to you soon!
Man, its good to hear from everyone! I am living it up here in Vegas. It is just starting to get kind of nice here. Still 90 to 95 during the day, but evenings are amazing! So the heat, I think, for the most part is behind us. Members here are awesome keeping us fed and treating us well. We are doing awesome and having fun. Work is kind of slow, but that is sort of how our area is, which stinks. But it is good. It keeps me and Elder Cunningham on our toes. We are starting to teach together well and our investigators are doing really good. This past week the Frye's (the people we live next too) went to the Cook Islands so we had our ward mission leader living next to us while he babysat their kids. That was dang fun because he is a total stud!!! His name is Brother Whiting and he and his wife are from Rupert, Idaho so you know he is a good guy just because of where he is from!:)
We fasted yesterday for the kids of one of our investigators so that they can be baptized and that their dad's heart will be softened in allowing them to do so. It's so cool to see the change in that family because the one boy, Grayson said all he wanted for his birthday that is coming up is to be baptized. Hopefully with lots of prayer and fasting his father's heart will be softened. As for our other family- they are doing awesome in becoming reactivated. It is unreal what member trust can do and it puts a ton of pressure on Elder Cunningham and I. They told us last night that when they wanted us to come by the husband James was like, "oh, no we don't want missionaries to come by because the Elder's before he hadn't really liked." But now I guess we just got real lucky and he clicks with us!! So we took that as a huge compliment and hopefully we can keep up the good reputation the rest of the transfer, as well as keep the members on all the missionaries sides throughout the rest of my mission. With our mission being so young, which by the way it is rediculously young, everyone except for the AP's and Zone leaders are training!
Not much else is happening here in Vegas. They are building some pretty big ferris wheels over on the strip that I can see. They look pretty sweet, so when you all drive through here to go to Disney Land you should hop on those if they are done!! But no really this place is pretty sweet. The desert is definitely not as good looking as good old Idaho, but there are so many cool people. We are finding more and more work everyday. So hopefully by the time that we are done here the area can be a productive one instead of a dead one!
Dang I gotta be honest, I miss Spud Harvest! I want pics so bad! Everyone here is amazed that we get a week out of school just to work. It is definitely a different lifestyle here.
Lastly, Elder Cunningham and I go talk to a man named Brother Ford every week on Thursdays at 3 and he is super super super SMART!!! I swear he wrote the dictionary or something. He is ridiculous and he knows the Bible backwards and forwards and he is reading the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. He was just baptized a year ago, but his testimony is SO strong. It's awesome. I'll get some pics of him. He is my Black Brother and he calls me a Mexican because he says I work like one? hahahah But anywho, he was talking about kings back in the day and how they had to write the Torha and they would be judged out of that book. Well, Elder Cunningham got the idea we should copy the Book of Mormon down in our own writing. Well, a few days later we pulled out the notebook and began. And holy crap that is freaking Hard! We just finished 1 Nephi 1 and it took us like 45 minutes! Crazy! But such a testimony builder for me, because I now without a shadow of a doubt that Joseph Smith could not have translated that book unless our Father in Heaven helped him. I also know that there is no possible way that he made the story up because it is just too difficult to write and understand so quickly as to write it in 2 or 3 months! That book is such an amazing Book and I love it with all my heart. It has changed my life and made me who I am today. I know that if you will read from it everyday it will change your lives as well. I know sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the world and forget about the Book of Mormon but the power in that book is unreal and it is TRUE. I love you all so much have fun in the spuds without me!!! I wish I could be there running the Digger! But give me a few years, I'll be back:) I love you all and can't wait to hear from you!
Love,
Elder Crapo
P.S Thanks so much for the packages and the letters they make the weeks go by much quicker! I love you all talk to you soon!
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