Baptism and Sister Heaton

 We had a baptism this past weekend.  It was a great weekend.

Sister Heaton is just about the sweetest lady you'll ever meet.  I really enjoy living at her house.  She fixes us breakfast every morning and sometimes dinner on Monday nights.

 

Dad,



 This week wasn't too eventful, but it was a great week.  I got to go on exchanges with our district leader his name is Elder Kulu, pronounced kooloo.  He is from the Polynesian Islands. It was fun to hang out with him for a day.  [the other things reported are personal between Kyle and Kota]

Mom,
My favorite investigators right now are Jarrett and Kelsea.  She is a less active member and he is a non member, but they are so cool and loving.  I love going over to their house because its just a laid back teaching opportunity.  My favorite lesson I taught this week was the one about pre-earth life, with Jarrett and Kelsea.  Jarrett went to college and had a bible class, and we were able to discuss scriptures that he already learned about in college.  We were able to answer questions and have a really good discussion.

The area I am in is so small.  It is like from Cleveland Ave. to the outside of town going north, and from Cottage Street out to Dad's work.  That is what the area kind of looks like.  So far nothing weird has happened this week.

How is everything back home?  Did Kayla get Kenzie's email.  In the package can you send me Jesus the Christ.  I would like a paper copy that I can write in.

Two Weeks Worth

Dad,
     I'm doing so well, I can't wait for you to get my letter I sent.  It has this crazy experience this past week, it was weird and scary, but so cool.
     I'm tired I feel like I am having lack of sleep, but I do well hiding my yawns in a lesson. Yes, keep sending me emails, I look at them from time to time, and it keeps me going.  I miss Blair, but I'll see her before I know it.
    Everything is going smooth and lessons are going well, I'm learning more than I ever would back home.  Its crazy, I hope you and grandma and everyone are doing well.  I pray every night for it.
   So far me being tired not  from lack of sleep, I crash hard here; it just feels like not enough. I  haven't had any really cool experiences to speak of.  I got to bury a little dog for an investigator. She is  from New York and has the accent' she has a mouth on her; but its so funny hearing her talk.
     The weather was so weird here, first it was 75, then it started to fog up with dust, and then it rained mud--real mud, then it snowed for 2 days. Now it's hot again.
 Did you hear the talk about not being on your tablet and phones in church? As soon as I heard that I started to laugh, thinking about you and Kayla in sacrament playing on them and your phones in church.
   The ward mission leaders are great. So far the Bantas, who are  in the Academy Park Ward, tried setting Elder Sturgell up with a lady friend.  I mean he goes home in 4 months, but still he is a missionary, we cant have that!  But, we meet almost daily with most of them. There is a guy here that kind of looks like Greg Purdue.  He was the high councilmen over missionary work.  But, now there is a new one.
 I don't know if I want to still move here or not.  I want my kids to grow up around a lot of members, but its different here.  Maybe, we will see what happens.  Yeah, the area is very small and we are on the same streets everyday, and it gets to be kind of boring being in such a small area.

                                           A bike a member created for him and his wife.

 

Mom,
Things are great, I sent you a letter with an experience I had and it is really cool. So far we have 13 investigators and 8 on date for baptism, I'm excited, I love the work.
I did eat dinner at the Desommer's, she was really cool. She talked about home and she was excited that I knew where Medina was.
The pillow is great and no, I didn't get bedding; but the place where I'm staying already has everything I need. Sister Heaten sent you a letter the other day, she is a great lady, I love her she is quirky, she even makes us breakfast and it is so good.
I might be losing weight, it doesn't look like it from this end.  I run every morning and the Elders Quorum  president takes us boxing in the morning sometimes.  He was the best in the state and best in the region. He is really cool and owns 3 nationwide businesses, I don't know what they are called though.
So far I haven't really had a favorite lesson. We lost a guy we were teaching, but gained 4 new people. It's great they are growing so fast.  We will be having a few baptisms this next few weeks .

So far I'm being taken care of ,so I'm good on that.  Is there any news on Kenzie? Oh and I am emailing Erin Jackson now too. She is doing well, she is still serving her mission.

The lessons are easy, the ward's are great, they treat me like I've been there for a long time; very loving and great.   We  didn't get our aura looked with the Tongan missionaries on our personal day like I thought we would, so I don't really know what its like.  How was grandma doing, if she has left already ?

SLC when we went to conference

April General Conference

Dad,

Things are going great here, I'm loving it.  I sent some pictures of me and Elder Sturgell and a guy that is a member and has the priesthood, for almost 3 months now.  He is great and loving. Elder Sturgell is from Memphis, Tennessee, his parents are wealthy.   His dad is a banker and I dont know what his mom does. He was going to Harvard, but got sent out right after his graduation. He wants to work on Wall Street and be a banker or stock broker or something.  He returns home this June I think. My feet are fine now, I got the blisters in my Deerstags, not the new shoes; those are my church shoes. But, I popped them and now I am doing better.

The work here is great, we have 8 to 12 investigators; 8 on date for baptism, and they are all great. The weather has been great, sun and mostly warm.  I had to wear my sweater twice, but the sun has been out everyday. So far the meetings have only been fast and testimony, but great!  I gave my testimony in the last ward we went to.  We cover 6 wards because missionaries here cover stakes not branches or wards; but, our area is only a few blocks.

The food is really good we have had pasta 3 times so far. The weirdest thing we have had was last night. It was a burrito with this kind of chili stuff you put on it. It was good, but the chili was green. 

 Elder Crawford and Companion

Elder Crawford and new friend.

Mom,

My companion  is very knowledgeable in the scriptures and loves the gospel. We are very much alike. I have learned a lot, its hard to really write it all out. My feet are fine now, I popped the blisters and they feel great.

 So far we had only one baptism, one of our guys dropped us and it was sad.  But, after he dropped us we found a family of 7, 3 want to be baptized, 3 are to young to get baptized and one isn't really interested.

So far I am getting every meal, our home owner makes us breakfast every morning, it is great she is the best. It was so amazing to be in general conference to be so close to the prophet and the 12.  It was so spiritual and up lifting, at the end I told Elder Sturgell that dad was now going to get wings at On Tap, lucky dog. I really don't need anything except, I need an note pad to write letters home. Grandma Beninghoff sent me a card in the mail it was sweet. I love you, and I cant wait to see your progress in the Book of Mormon. I hope you are reading everyday or night. Remember to tell dad to stay off his tablet in church and get Kayla to get off her iPod ,the general authorities said so, and it shows respect for the Lord and those who have prepared to teach the ward  .

Priesthood Choir at the Priesthood session of General Conference 4/4/15

 President Monson coming into conference.

First Vision Sculpture at Conference Center in SLC, Utah.

Baptisms and Blisters

Mom,
My trainer's name is Elder Sturgell he is very cool.  We have baptism dates every weekend this coming month, I think it is like 6 to 8 people and we have tons of investigators.  We are walking everyday, I have blisters on my feet and am just waiting for them to harden up so I'm not waddling everywhere.  No, I haven't met any general authorizes yet; they live in a more rich area than I'm at.  I'm serving in Kerns right now, its like the ghetto here, it's weird there are so many Mexicans its nuts.  Me, my companion, and a guy getting baptized are going to the priesthood part of general conference, you might see me on TV, but I think for the most part we will be at a members house watching.  I don't know the address yet, but the lady is so cool she is great.  We don't have a temple in my areas, but there are 3 in the whole mission, its pretty cool.  It is beautiful out here and the members are great.  So far I love it here.
The missionaries are over stakes, not wards, so we attend 6 different wards in a tiny area.  I sat in 3 different sacraments yesterday, it was weird.  Now you know how the missions have a hard time finding people (in Ashland), it's because they don't go out and knock on doors because they say its not productive.  The area out here; we find people on the street and we talk a lot.  So, I don't know what they are doing wrong, but it works.

Dad,
We got iPads the first day out, but I don't use it very much.  Yeah Facebook is going to be out soon, we have to go to a meeting about that here soon.  It's interesting, I can watch church videos at night before bed, it's cool.  I need to buy some paper to send letters home.  Since I have an iPad, I can just send pictures from that, so I didn't really need the camera.  I love it out here, but I miss my boots.  I'm getting blisters from these shoes and it sucks a lot!  I don't have a way to keep teaching and not be walking.  I haven't had the chance to look at the bikes, but my companion said it would just be best to use the ones out here.  that way you don't have to pay to ship it out.

Greenie Week

Dad,

We have protesters out front (of the MTC) for the past 2 days and its kind of funny. Yeah, I have been getting them (the letters).  I love hearing from home, I will be leaving Wednesday, so try not to send too many past Tuesday afternoon; because I might not get them.  I have a few pictures, but I just got out of the gym; so I don't have my camera.

 

I'm trying to find ways to help Grandma Char, please help me find things to send her to help her choose.

 

Mom,

The protesters aren't violent they are just yelling.  We are safe, all doors lock, and you have to have a card to get in; so its safe here. All the letters are in the room, so I will answer the questions when I mail stuff out after I get into the field tomorrow morning.  I'm excited!

 

Oh and I got new scriptures for revelation on my mission and my old ones are for me .

 

 

March 26, 2015

Dear Brother and Sister Crawford,

What a pleasure it was to welcome Elder Dakota Crawford into the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission.  His first day with us included breakfast and orientation at the mission office, a training session, lunch and of course, meeting his first companion. I am impressed by his desire to serve.  He is well and in high spirits as he anticipates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.  Please be assured that we will be watching over him while he is here.  I'm attaching photographs taken as he was welcomed at the mission office.

After prayerful consideration, an excellent missionary, Elder Sturgell, has been assigned as his trainer and first companion.  I am attaching our Family Guidelines which we urge you to follow.  We have learned from experience the importance of family and friends following these guidelines.  Please share the guidelines with those who may write to him.  Your compliance of these guidelines can reinforce your missionary's willingness to follow the guidelines in the Missionary Handbook.

All hard-copy letters and packages should be sent to the mission, addressed to Elder Dakota Crawford at the address listed above. 

Thank you for raising such an outstanding young person, worthy and willing to serve the Lord full time in our mission.  I know you will be blessed for the sacrifices that make his service possible.  May the Lord's choicest blessings be yours.

Sincerely,

Robert E. Chambers
Mission President

 

 

 

MTC 2015

Hey mom,  I sent dad an email with some goals for you.  It is about 2:30 here and we are doing some clothes.  You might be home here soon from your work out.  Tell Blair I love her for me.  It is going great!  I don't have many pictures yet, I'll send some when I get to the field.  I love you all.

Hey Dad,

I'm  having an amazing time.  We went to the temple today and it was energizing, I feel so amazing right now.  I miss you guys back home and my puppy.  In the temple today I was thinking about her when she crawled up on me and laid between my legs and fell asleep that night we stayed up and watched Bruce Almighty, I miss the dumb things she would do, but I will get to see her in no time.  This time will fly I'm sure.

I want all of you after dinner to study the Book of Mormon, read the last 2 paragraphs in the intro, even though, you are members your testimony can and will be strengthened.  Then read from First Nephi and read till you reach Mormon, read at least 3 columns a night.  You will be done with in a year, then pray to know if it's true. We go through life as members thinking we  don't  need to read, just wait till church; but our faith will not grow and eventually we can fall away.  Elder Bednar said, a great percent of missionaries will fall away afterwords and it's because they are just going off a testimony and that's  not enough.  So I want you, mom, and Kayla, when she is there, to read; build your faith; step outside your comfort zone and be a missionary.  You as members are just as much a missionary as I am.  We are surrounded by His children and the worth of souls is great to Heavenly Father, as President Monson said, "Dare to stand alone, dare to make it known."

Love,

Elder Crawford

 The Book of Mormon introduction last two paragraphs:

 We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

 Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the
Messiah.
Book of Mormon link here

Farwell Ohio

 

Monday, 9 March 2015

Spent P-day (Personal Day) with Ashland and Wooster Elders

Hey so far I made breakfast and watch them exercise while I cooked. Then I studied 1Nephi 14-16 and it talked about them (Nephities) finding the ball of fine brass and that lead them in the wilderness to fertile lands for food and water and about the great church that is the whore of the earth and that the wrath of god will fall on it and there would be fighting between good and evil and also about the bow of fine steel breaking and him making a better one with wood.

 Then we talked a little bit and drove to the library to email and we will be meeting the Wooster elders around noon. We might go see Dave today to say goodbye and I have no clue what will be planned for later.

Love, 

Elder Crawford

 

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

6:45 am flight to Detroit, MI was cancelled.  I was very discouraged by this, feeling like I would never get out to my mission.

2:30 pm flight was right on time.  I flew to Atlanta, Georgia to make my connecting flight to SLC.  While at the airport I met some teachers from the MTC.  They had me teach them a lesson from the discussions.  It was a great way to spend my layover.

7:45 MST, I reached the Great Salt Lake Valley and arrived to the MTC at 9:30 pm.