Members Find Them and We Teach Them

This is my friend Sister Burrows, she is from Scotland and she is going to get me a flag, how awesome is that. Well my week was interesting, my comp is unmotivated, doesn't like to work and wastes the Lord's time. When we work I make him get out of the car so we can talk to people on the street.  He walks super slow and and will take a route that isn't fast to get anywhere. We need to go and I have to yell at him that he is wasting the Lord's time and my time. He gets mad.   Yesterday before dinner he wanted to sit in the house and do studies for one and a half hours.  I told him we were going to work and he got mad at me for telling him what to do cause I'm the junior comp, but when we went out and worked, we set up two lessons with a part member family and a non member family.
 Usually when I tell him to work something good happens, and he is frustrated that I was right to push him.  He did tell me he was glad I made him work or else we would have lessons this week with these families.
Thanks for asking about the packages, I'm happy and with the packages, stuff is fine. The places we have in Utah, we don't really have back home other than McDonald's Taco Bell or Burger King for gift cards. So, I'm fine with the stuff in the packages.
 To help the elders out back home this is the secret to finding people to teach... MEMBERS! It's not the missionaries job to find  people to teach.  We have been set apart to teach, Elder Bednar said it, the members are to find people to teach for the missionaries. So they need to go by members house and ask for Referrals if they don't ask they won't find very many. Well that's how we find everyone we teach, almost.  Another great way to find is going to apartments they are full of people that have difficult lives and are looking for ways to make their life better.  The message we share will turn peoples lives around. Look at our family with out the gospel and now with the gospel. Where would we be without it?  I don't even want to know, but those are some of the ways we are finding out here.

Hard Work Pays Off

The big group of people is our district here in Sojo (South Jordan) and that is the temple we went to last week.  It is one of the smaller ones out here, but it is beautiful.  I love it out here so far its getting better ,we have 2 new investigators in the area, for the first time in a while here.  Its great ,the Lord is helping us out so much!

 The hand picture is from after we did service for a member here.  

We were digging a trench for a water line he was putting in his back yard. I had to get on my comp (companion) because he was standing there the whole time and wouldn't' help much.  He would do a little, but it wasn't making progress in the work.  He got mad at me and said, well looks like I'm not doing excavation when I go home. I try doing service for him, so I'm thinking the best service is to make him do the stuff and teach him to be self reliant.  He needs to learn to  just do it; its hard sometimes cause he gets angry easy, but i dont put up with it.  Just like you and dad didn't with me; so thank you for the push you gave me. A mission president said to some missionaries, "Successful people got to the top because the were strengthened by the resistance of the trials they overcame."

I'll be praying for Grandpa for sure. I hope he passes fast and with as less pain as possible. How is Grandpa Lee doing from all this? I wish I could be there to help comfort him and maybe teach him about the plan of salvation. To show that there is a purpose to life and show him where grandpa is going.  The words of the preacher still haunt me today (from grandma's funeral) when he said we dont know why we are here... That's not the answer, the answer is to prepare for living in the Celestial Kingdom with Heavenly Father and Christ, to have eternal families,

(the next part is personal)

I have learned while on my mission, I need a wife that is going to be strong and will be a faithful saint.  I need a temple ready person to help keep me strong when I fall short.  You and dad support each other and keep each other strong and temple worthy. I need that as well, I can't be the only support or the marriage will fail; and I will not allow that! I think you and dad were right when you said I would find a wife out here.  (this part is personal too) 

These are my feelings and thoughts so far in my mission. I will try to be wise but I'm putting the Lord first I promise! His work is coming first and then I think about the person I'll be sealed to in a few years. I hope she will be like you, how you keep dad strong and how he keeps you strong. Send me your thoughts on it.

Baptisms and Investigators Make the Difference

So the little girl was a girl we were teaching before I got moved then she was baptized not to long ago.  Her name is Katie L-- her parents are from Vietnam and we had to get temple square sisters over to help talk to them.  But, she is now baptized.

 

Well last night Elder Munyer and I  picked up a new investigator and so my week has turned. Learning to live with a new companion can sometimes be annoying.  So far I'm just building my patience, that's the Christ like attribute the Lord wants me to work on right now. I guess, but im doing fine.

We are going to the temple today to do endowments. I can't wait ,my first one in the. So far. I haven't heard a thing from Elder Peterson or the others that have come back home. Tell them if you can, I live next to the Jordan River Temple it's a 5 min. walk from where I'm staying; its great!

 I'm making my companion get out of the car now that we have been in a car for a month. So we walk from 1 to 5  pm in the area.  Yeah, I'm eating great.  I have learned that the gospel is the fruit of the tree of life and it is feeding my soul, with the knowledge and mysteries of God.
My feet healed in the last area, in Kearns after a while like 3 weeks before I left there.  It was fine now, I'm gaining weight again because he won't get out of the car.  He said he biked for the past 3 months, that he didn't need to do it anymore; and I told him to not give me that load of crap again, because I walked my last 3 months. So I said fine, we will walk and his feet were hurting and he complained that his bag was too heavy. But I was feeling fine haha!  It felt good being under the sun again and walking.  Yesterday is the first time I've felt that great sense I've been here so it was good. So that has been my week.

Love,

Elder Crawford

 

Standing Amazed

Hymn 193: I Stand All Amazed

vs 1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, that for me a sinner he suffered, he bled and died. Oh it is wonderful. That he should care for me, enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

 

 

vs. 2 I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine to rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine. That he should extend his great love unto such as I. Sufficient to own to redeem and to justify. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

 

vs. 3 I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt. Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget. No, no I will praise and adore at the mercy seat until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me, enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

 

This song is my testimony, that no matter what Christ loves us. Enough that he came to this mortal earth to save our proud and rebellious souls. I love him more than anything on this earth just short of family. I love him so much, I took 2 years from my life to serve here in Utah, and it is the best choice I have made so far in my life.

 I will never back down from who I am and I will never hide who I am from the world because its not popular. I am a child of God and I want everyone to know that they are too! I am not ashamed of being a latter-day Saint nor should anyone be. What people say now about the Mormons will have to answer for it later; and those that denied being a Mormon will stand before the Lord one day and will have to tell him why they were afraid of being who we are. Stand strong in your faith and you will find favor from the Lord! I love all of you.

                                                             (This is my new room)
Love,
 Elder Crawford

 Happy birthday Mom!  I love you with all my heart despite the fighting
 and yelling.   We sang I stand all Amazed in sacrament today and it makes
 me cry because of Christ and his sacrifice for my proud and rebellious
 soul.  But, it also reminds me of you and all the pains I've put you
 through.  I love you and I'm sorry.

South Jordan

Mom, I tell your convert story all the time out here and people like the story on tithing as well.  I think it humbles people a little out here.  So, we have 11 wards and 2 branches in this stake.  I think we are getting another ward here as well.  They will be splitting one, but they are great wards.  I'll have to take a picture of our house, it is really nice and the people are great! 
 There are many beautiful young women, and for Kayla. a lot of good looking guys out here. Tell her she needs to check it out!
 My companion is from Southern Cali and he is pretty cool. He reminds me of Joey Patalon.

This week I read aloud the sacrament prayers to change my attitude for this area.  I repented for being angry and afterwards I felt so much better.  It was neat to feel that change and honestly I can start to see the Lord helping us out here.  We are beginning to start teaching, I know its still less active lessons, but its still teaching!

 Here are the better pictures of the mountains if you can see them.

 We went to the temple with Rusmey before I was transferred out.

Dad,
I miss that Derrick (from Minnesota) haha, he was a great friend and the girl would be his girlfriend or maybe fionce.  I don't know, I do know he moved back to Minnesota when he came home from his mission.  Desi his sister told me that he wasn't going to go back out because he wanted to get married and stuff like that.
 Oh and some members gave us potatoes, so I  made my companion and me some fries; they were good!  We are going to go on a hike in the bigger one, remember Bell Canyon.
 Tell the family in Minnesota I said hi.  Did you send my package from Kiley yet?  We need to get a lighter for the noise makers for the 4th of July. 

Love,
Elder Crawford

Transfered: The Grass May Not be Greener...

Dad,
  I have tried a few things from the Double Dare package, I have had the smoked octopus, but nothing else yet.  In this area I can finally do some of this stuff cause we are not as busy teaching. 
  It's a bit depressing, I feel worthless as a missionary here my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ. and his atonement.  To be repentant, have a baptism, receive the gift of the holy ghost, and endure to the end.  I think my new companion may be discouraged.  Our baptism goal as a zone here is 11, where as in Kearns it was 30.  In my mind, I keep thinking about Ether 12 verse 14, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that baptized the Lamanites. We are going to have to recharge the area!

 

	South Jordan is not the same as Kearns..... we haven't had any investigator lessons at all. In my old area we would have had 10 lessons by now. All we have done is practiced 3 lessons and they were all on members. I'm ticked..... My new living area is really nice and my new companion, Elder Munyer is pretty cool though. I told president my happiness level from teaching a bunch of people has gone way down. We were eating lunch and some guy and lady took pictures of me and my comp and sent it to dad's phone.  That was pretty cool.  I like your idea about writing one letter for friends and family, sounds like a good one, I'll do that.  Dad was right, I don't get much time to talk

Elder Sturgell stayed in Kearns..... what I've come to learn is a happy missionary is a successful missionary . I think we need a change of attitude here, they think exact obedience will baptize. However, I've learned obedience is a product of faith and I'm not saying they dont have faith, but if they had faith to baptize then they will.  I had a missionary here tell me baptisms are not important.  In Doctrine and Covenants it talks about the joy you will have when we bring many souls unto Christ not the other way around.  I think I will need to work hard here and show them some of the skills I learned in Kearns.

Love,
Elder Crawford

My District

Dad,
That trip sounds like it was a blast, I wish I could have gone.  Did you get any pictures of the trip?  You should send me them.

This week was a great week. I still don't know where I will be at though, transfers are tomorrow and Wednesday so I'll let you know for sure if I stay or get shipped out.

The district 

 the little kid is cash he is so cool

  the group of people is our district

the view is the mountains from our house

 my bed 

Mom,
Well I am doing great, my week was great and we had a fun week!  I know where I go tomorrow (for transfers). We had this district meeting and it was so much fun. I'll send you some pictures. No, I don't need new bedding, so far I have bedding. This is my bed right now.
 Well this week we did so much walking it killed and we bike all the time to get to contacts to talk to Samoans. It has been very physically demanding, but its good. My shirts are now big on me, its pretty funny and I am getting really tan. We had dinner with the 3rd ward last week and this family, well are ward mission leaders fed us it was not good, but last night they gave us leftover Olive Garden so that was good. Well this week has been the same as every other week, but that was my week just really busy with lessons!

Love,
Elder Crawford