August 21, 2013 Settling in to Mesquite

Hey fam!!

   Dang! It feels like it has been a while since I have been on here and emailed you. This has been an insane, crazy week and I have so much I could tell you!  I don;t really even know where to begin. I feel like I have been in speed mode the past week and on SUPER SUPER high stress mode.

  Mesquite is a totally different town.  I can't even believe how much different the work is here. People are much more laid back and aren't too motivated to do missionary work. I think it is harder for them because it is quite similar to Rexburg - minus BYU-I. It really does feel like home to me, though and the people are amazing. My Zone... well, haha, this week seems to have been a little difficult for me. I have had to come in and stop a few things that were happening that the old zone leader was allowing.  So right now I am not always the favorite.  I think it will all work out in the end.  I have just had to kind of stand my ground and say no a few times.  Honestly, the zone has so much potential and some of the best missionaries in the mission.

   I have met some really good people here in the past two weeks and I am super excited to be here. This was actually the same area that Elder Cunningham came from right before he came to train me in Southern Highlands.  So it is cool to be in his old stomping grounds.  I am living with an older widowed guy and he is such a Stud! His name is Bill Lee and he is so awesome. Our house is amazing and it is just fun to finally have someone that we live with that I have a super close connection to. I totally want him to come visit us in Idaho.  He would really fit in. It is just good to be back in a town where everyone waves and everyone knows everyone for the most part.  Like I said, there is 7 wards here and about 20,000 people. We have two Mcdonald's and 3 Casinos. And the Virgin Valley Casino that we stayed at when we came to the Monster Truck Rally is actually in my Ward boundaries, which is pretty crazy!!  That is nuts that the Boots' drove through here this past week because I totally could have seen them!  I have been feeling like I am going to run into someone that I know all the time. I see Idaho plates everywhere and even saw a 2F today!! So I just try and avoid all of those vehicles haha.

   This past week we also got to do something super cool. The Assistants and Elder Kredt and I decided we wanted to go to Panaca on Tuesday for District meeting to check things out.  We had it all planned out just, kind of dreaming and wishing that it would happen. Well, we got the guts to ask President Ahlander and he gave us the OK!!!! We were all so stoked because Panaca is about a 3 hour drive from here and so we left here and went through St. George, which meant we got Chick Fila!! It was so dang fun!  Panaca, Nevada is just like St. Anthony and the drive made me miss farming so bad. We even got a few pics of the St. George temple as we drove by.  It was a really, really cool trip- probably one of the funnest things I have done my whole mission.   The District out there is doing really well, so it was good to see those guys. That is a pretty dang cool place out there. I really, really want to serve there someday. I do know I will get to go back on exchanges here in like 3 weeks, so that will be fun.

    And also speaking of Jeremy Dalling - I met one of his mission companions here in our singles ward that we cover.  That was a pretty cool connection. His name is Colton something, but he seems like a cool guy. And then I also ran into Josh Norman's sister-in-law at our Zone Conference the other day.  So that was another neat connection. Also, Mr. Hillman's cousin was in the temple today when we went in... Needless to say I am always safe here in Mesquite and Vegas because there are people all over the place that know of St Anthony! haha

   As for my address, remember you can always send things to the mission office and they will forward it right to me.  But my address here in Mesquite is:

Elder Crapo
PO Box 239
Mesquite, NV 89024

The reason I didn't email until today was because today was our temple trip day.  So we went to the temple this morning and then when we got back it has been our P-day.  It has kind of stunk because we had to drive an hour and a half to get there and get back so as soon as we get done emailing, P-day is over. So I am sorry, but there probably won't be any letters this week either. I am sending Cole his b-day card, though.  Sorry I missed it, buddy!! I love you guys so much and I hope that grain harvest is going good. You should send me some pics of the combine if you have time.  I want to see the insides of those things. There is a John Deere store on the way to Panaca and it has a built on gas station.  So next time, I am totally going to stop and check it out:) haha I love you guys and hope that you have an awesome week!!  Today's temple experience was unreal. I got to sit right up front with President and then I got to talk to him and Sister Ahlander in the Celestial room about some of the new things I learned.  It was so cool! But I am going to get going.  I hope you are all doing good!! Let me know if there is anything I can do for any of you. I will email again on Monday, so I will talk to you super soon!

Love,
Elder Crapo

August 12, 2013 Getting Transferred to Mesquite! Answered prayers; How Can I Be fireside

Talofa Fam!!

   Well, this week has been crazy!! I have so much to tell you and unfortunately probably won't get to it all.  It has been unbelievable and I have had some experiences that I won't ever be able to forget!!!  I think the first one I should probably tell you about was that you remember how I said I thought I would have at least six more weeks here? Well, this past week I have been having feelings like I might be getting transferred, but I wanted to stay so bad. I just worked as hard as I could and didn't let myself even think about it.  Saturday I got the phone call and I am going to be going to Mesquite tonight!!! Crazy, huh?? I will be covering two wards - the Mesquite 7th ward and the Virgin Valley Young Single Adult ward. My companion is Elder Kredt from Texas and he is a really cool dude. He was actually my zone leader at one point and now we will be zone leader companions. I won't lie, I am super excited because finally after a whole year I am going to be getting out of the city!!!! But yet I am really going to be missing this ward and the Samoan people:(  Today is the last day I get to wear my Samoan tag and so I am living it up until I leave tonight and go to Mesquite. I got to go and say goodbye to a few people last night like the Thakers and the Hawks.  I am really going to miss them. Mom, you should look up the Hawks and be their friends on Facebook and keep them posted on what's up with me. They are super awesome and totally a family that I am going to come back and visit at some point when it's all over. I have really connected well with them and it just felt like home to me.  It made me realize how sad I will really be when I am completely done. I wanted to cry last night when we got back to the apartment.  You really do learn how to love the people in all of the areas you serve in. As for my address in Mesquite, I have no idea right now. So if you send me anything, just send it to the mission office and Sister Sudweeks will forward it to me.

   Now, as you all know, these past couple of weeks have kind of been rough in finding new investigators. Our ward had a special fast last week to ask for help in the missionary work in our ward.  That was one of the biggest reasons I didn't want to get transferred because I want to leave every area better than when I found it.  So these past couple of weeks I have been praying so hard that we would just find someone to teach. As I began my fast, I felt like in order to receive an answer I needed to be specific with what I asked. So while fasting, I felt like asking the Lord to allow us to find 5 new people to bring to the gospel and then to find 2 less active members that would actually start progressing. Then I just left it at that and I went about my regular days, praying regularly that we could find new people to teach. Well, we have to rewind a little to start this unbelievable story. So two weeks ago Elder West and I had about 10 minutes before an appointment.  So I said, "well, let's go make a few phone calls to some people in the ward and set some things up." But Elder West felt like we should go to the park and contact, so we decided to do that. When we got there we got out and contacted a man named Fransico.  And Fransico gave us his address and his phone number and told us we could come back. We were super excited we finally had someone who would actually have us over!!  Then we didn't have enough time to contact anyone else and we headed back to the car. Well, two days go by and we go to the apartment #1020 that he told us was his. We get there and a younger girl, like 24 or so answers the door and tells us that there is nobody in the home with the name of Fransico. We were both like crap, the dude lied to us!!!!  We just started talking to her and she agreed to let us come back the next day for a lesson.

  So we headed back over the next day with our Bishop, and sure enough, another let down.  She wasn't there. We then made a few visits and later the next day went by and talked to her again and set up another time to go by and meet with her. We assumed that it was just her in the home because when we asked her who would be there she said just her and her son, who is 3. So the next couple of days go by and I was not really down, but I was just like, dang what else can we do?  We are always out working and we are being obedient.  Why can't we find anyone? What am I doing wrong that is stopping us from finding people? One thing I was doing to also help us find people last week was the scriptures that I memorized everyday.  They were all about finding and missionary work. And on Friday when I was having those feelings, I came across a scripture in Alma 26:27 and it says, "And now when our hearts were depressed and we were about to turn back, Behold the Lord comforted us and said, go among thy brethren the Lamanites and bear with patience thine afflictions and I will give unto thee success." And it really hit me!  I memorized it and it really stuck with me all day that day. Well, the lesson comes with Rachel and we take a member of our bishopric over.  When we get there, she lets us in. Well, not only were Rachel and her 3 year old son there, but also her sister, Nikki and her husband, Langford, and their 18 month old son. I couldn't believe it!!  Not only that, when we taught them they were all super solid!  Langford was just thanking us that we had come by and taken the time out of our day to visit them. The Spirit was really working on him!  It was crazy.  He said he hadn't been praying for it, but that we were what he had been looking for, that he wanted to believe in something and that he felt like this was right. We committed them to baptism and they all accepted. Not only that, but Langford said the first prayer he had ever said and it was awesome!!!

    Now to add to all of this, yesterday at church we had a less active guy named Jose, who last week wanted his records removed from the church. Now he is feeling like it's not right and that he needs to come back and we will be meeting with him every week. Well, Elder West will be.  But also Brother Ludlow, a guy who was super rude to me the first time I met him showed up to church yesterday!!!! He has been less active for years and he just came to church yesterday because we kept trying to visit him and we were just nice to him. We would leave little thoughts and the Spirit took over and yesterday he showed up!!!

   So then yesterday, we were driving in the car and it dawned on me- I had prayed for 5 new people we could help learn about the gospel. Rachel, Nikki, Langford and their two little kids.... that makes 5. Now it wasn't what I expected because I was thinking like 5 adults, but still those little kids can now have that same foundation growing up that I was fortunate enough  to have. Then I also asked for 2 less actives that would start progressing.  Jose came to church for the first time in a long time and our lesson was great with him! And Brother Ludlow came to church for the first time in years.... I almost started to cry!  I couldn't believe that I had been answered so directly. I know without a doubt that fasting works, and sometimes we just have to wait it out. The Lord has blessed me so much and He knew that I wouldn't want to leave without leaving the area with something and He blessed me with that. It is crazy how things work out sometimes and how the Lord will always answer our prayers. It reminds me of the scripture I memorized today in Mosiah 4:9 "Believe in god, believe that He is, that He created all things, both in heaven and in earth, believe that He has all wisdom, and power, both in heaven and in earth, believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

   I know that the Lord is taking care of us all and that He does watch over us. He answered my simple prayer and did it in the way it needed to happen. I am so blessed to even be here on my mission and be able to help out in the small ways that I do.  I have so much more I wish I could tell you because we had a sick fireside last night with the guy who sings "How Can I Be."  It is like a Samoan guy- I can't remember his name but you should try and find the song on iTunes.  It is super good.  We had it at the Tropical Breeze ward and it was all about missionary work and how music effects our lives. The song "How Can I Be" is about his testimony of the Book of Mormon and it is really good. So look him up he is awesome!!

(I found this video on YouTube....it must be the guy!  It's an amazing song!.....Hali)

   I am going to get going.  I hope that everyone is having a sweet week!! Let me know if there is anything I can do for anyone.  I won't be able to get too many letters written today because I will be packing most of the time!  I will try and get you my address next week!! I love you all so much and hope that harvest continues to go good!

   Oh, and guess what?  In the Mesquite zone there is a place called Panaca and when I go up there for exchanges I will get to see snow in the winter!!!!!!!!! Best news ever!!  I will drive through St. George to get to those small towns, which will be kinda cool. But anyway, I love you guys and I'll talk to you soon!!

Tofa Soifua!!
Alofa,
Elder Crapo

August 5, 2013, Warner's baptims, Ili's at church, Journals

Talofa lava fam!!

   Dang it is super good to hear from you and hear that all is well!! Things here in Vegas are going really well as you saw from the pictures this past weekend. That baptism actually wasn't the one that I had worked with. It was one of the people Elder West had taught so we went back to see her get baptized. And the other missionary in the picture is Elder Wilkerson. He is not my companion.  His companion was off talking to some people and Brother Clawson didn't want to wait to take the pic.

 And yes, that was super crazy to run into Sister Ili! I'll be honest at first I had no clue who she was. Then when I saw Brick and Cook it all started to come back haha. It was kind of a crazy experience because I was just sitting there and then when I stood up and turned around I saw her coming at me. She was super easy to pick out of the crowd-I mean blonde haired white lady haha. I knew I recognized her face, I just could not put a story to it. Then when it all clicked I was super excited. It is super cool that Brick is in my ward. I had no clue! To answer your question about if the ward is small -the answer is no. haha It is huge! I think there are over 400 active members and I only work with half of them. Brick lives in Henderson, so he isn't in my area so I can't ever go and see them or anything like that. But it will be cool to see him at church and talk!

   But I guess we will start with the baptism we had on Saturday with Warner Akiona!! It was such a sweet experience. Warner is a 33 year old man who we ran into because his grandma is a less active member and so we just stopped by.  When we got there we found Warner, who is a non member! So the rest is pretty much history and Saturday he finally made the step and was baptized. It was the biggest baptism I have ever had on my mission.  There were over 75 people there. We barely fit in the Relief Society room. He had a ton of family come in and they were so warm and welcoming to us. His mom even came in from Hawaii to support Warner. It was great!! I am not totally sure what the Lord is doing with me because he has me in the Samoan ward and then Warner is also Polynesian and his family is Hawaiian. I can't decide if that means later on in life I will be working with the Samoan people or if the Lord is just teasing me because I passed up the chance to go to Hawaii with Austin and his family in high school. So now he is having me meet all these people and really loving them so that I want to go more when I get home haha. 

    All I know is that Saturday was a SUPER busy day and I loved it! I love those days when you get home at night and your head is just spinning because you have no idea as to what really happened. We started off with cleaning the church with Brother and Sister Hawk at 7 in the morning right after we worked out. And then we helped with a move until 11:30.  Then had a short lunch, filled the font at 12:30. Baptized Warner at 2, went to another baptize for our stake at 4, drove to Redrock for Elder West's baptism at seven and then we rolled into the apartment at 8:45. Well, we were getting out of the car when we got a text from some Elders in our zone and they needed Mormon.org cards for the next morning. So a little bit of complaining may or may not have went on but we went and made the 10 minute drive to drop them off. Well, while on the way back we saw these two guys pushing this car down the side of the road. It was 9:05 so we had to be in in 25 minutes. I was dead tired and we had already made it to the parking lot once and we did not want to go and do more work. But as I drove by, I of course, had the prompting to go back and to help the guys. My heart raced and boy did I want to just keep driving. There were cars behind me, it was late and I really was not in the mood. But then I just couldn't keep going. I turned to Elder West and said let's go back and help those guys out. Well, we pushed the car about a quarter of a mile so not even that far and we were able to talk to them about the gospel. I am not sure if there will ever come anything of it, but when I hit the pillow that night I knew I had done exactly what the Lord wanted me to do that day. It is funny because just the week before we had a talk on how when we serve others around us we are really serving God. And I know that that is true. Even when we are dead tired we still have enough to go just a little bit more!!:) 

   On more of a funny note- last Monday we had a dinner with a Samoan family and they wanted us to try what is called Coco Samoa.  It's  kind of like hot chocolate, but it is a super good drink that Samoans make. It is awesome. Well, we tried it and Elder West and I really liked it so we pounded the first one down.  Then without even asking, they grabbed our glasses and filled them up again. Big mistake to pound the first one! Then they were super excited that we liked it and they just assumed we wanted all the Coco Samoa they had!!!  4 big glasses of Coco Samoa later and a completely full bladder, we finished our dinner. It was super intense!! But I will say Coco Samoa is really good! You should see if Zack will make you some. I am sure he knows how to. 

    Then this past week we have been tracting quite a bit because for the first time in my whole mission, we have no one in our teaching pool.... Yeah, not good. So we are tracting and visiting less actives looking for some new investigators we can teach. But we tracted this one street and we went up to this house and he had posted "no soliciting."  But that hasn't ever really slowed us down because everyone seems to have those.  So we knock on this guy's door and he comes out just ticked off at us. We didn't even say one word and he comes out yelling, "ARE YOU BLIND??? YOU WALKED RIGHT PAST MY SIGN THAT SAYS NO SOLICITING!! GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE AND DON'T EVER COME BACK!!!!"

Well, Elder West and I just started laughing as soon as he shut the door. It was super funny. If people here only knew what we were offering them, but someday they will!:) 

   On a more spiritual note, this past week we also had Mission Leadership Council. It was the best MLC I have ever been to. President Ahlander is seriously the man and gives super good trainings. We also just got a new member of the mission presidency.  His name is President Stewart and he is the Southwest Regional manager for all of the seminaries and he is so legit. He stood up and unfolded the scriptures like Brother Chelson used to do in seminary all the time. And I just sat there going gosh dang it! Why didn't I ever pay attention in seminary?!!! Tell the grandkids to pay attention because it really does pay off. I do regret not doing all that I could in school, but I really regret not paying attention in seminary. I am so far behind doctrinal wise it is sad. But besides that, one thing I really liked about the trainings that were given was that President Ahlander started to talk about how missionaries come home and then they fall away. He talked about how he went to speak at a jail one time and 18 of 36 inmates that were at church that day were RM's. And holy cow did that scare me. haha I was like, wow!! I cant believe how serious all of this really is. The mission lays the foundation for the rest of my life and I just want to make sure I use all of this time wisely. I want to be able to come home and have a testimony that is so deeply rooted that there is not any storm that can waver it. Which scares me because I know that life is dang tough. So one thing I did to help prepare myself for the storms that will come after the mission, which by the way I am not trunky I just want to have a super strong testimony for when it does end.  But I went through my patriarchal blessing and I made a little paper with all of the things that I am admonished to do or not to do. And that was really cool. You should try it. I found some really interesting things that the Lord wants me to be careful of. And now I am going to try and learn how to get good at those things so that when I am off this spiritual high I can continue on in the right path and be back in the world, but not of the world.

  But I am sure you are sick of hearing about me, but I just had an awesome week so I wanted to try and get it all in for you! And mom keep up the journal writing. I have a quote in my scriptures that says remember the Lord Chastens those who don't record things. I am pretty sure President Hinckley was the one who said that but I will get the whole thing next week. Trust me, I am not perfect at that either, but really is important! So the whole family really should be keeping journals. I know an Elder out here who has been keeping a journal pretty much everyday since he was 12.  It is so cool that he has his whole history and whoever wants to read it when he is gone can, and they will know him.

 I am going to get going. I love you all so much and hope that you have an awesome week!! Thanks so much for all of the support and all that you do. I love you so much!!

Love,

Elder Crapo

PS this is my favorite quote from the week

Forget

About

Me

I

Love

You

Kind of a cool thing someone showed us yesterday:)

Love you guys!!!

A Familiar Face from home!

My dad got a text today, from a sister and friend from our home stake in St. Anthony.  She said, "Hello, President Crapo.  I just saw your boy, Braxton and his companion at the Samoan Ward in Las Vegas.  I gave him a big hug for you and your wife.  My son and his wife are in that ward.  I know how much you love your son and I loved your story about him deciding to go on his mission.  He looks great!  Sending love to you and your family.  Talofa!"  ~ Karen