Dear Family,
Yeah for Alvin! I can't wait to meet that little stud!
I could have sworn that just last week I told you that I had 10 more Sundays in the mission. Now I only have 3! It's crazy!
I read an awesome article this past week. It's called: "Daddy, Donna, and Nephi" by Jeffrey R. Holland. It's kind of old, but I highly encourage all of you to look it up and study it.
It sounds like Jacob is having a great time with Mr. Rooster. I was trying not to laugh out loud since I'm at the library. It made it even harder when I got up to go to the bathroom around the corner. Much to my suprise the men's door was wide open and there was an old guy sitting right there on the toilet doing his business. I quickly decided to hold it and come back to finish emailing. Then I desperately attempted to quietly relate the experience to Elder Barzee. :) I love Alamosa! FYI, I think he was mentally challenged, but it still was quite the view :)
Anyways, back to business. Thank you Mom and Dad for helping me with that school stuff. I can't thank you enough. What I remember them telling me is that because I worked the semester before my mission, I've been gone too long to apply for a missionary deferment, so when I come back I'll need to re-do part of the application process (just steps 1-3 or something like that). I don't know if that helps. Anways, thank you again. I love you tons!
Mom and Dad, I seriously have been blessed with the best family in the world! Thank you for being amazing. Of course we're not perfect and we're always progressing. If you were perfect, I would feel out of place and slightly depressed. You're the perfect parents for me. You inspire me to become better. I'm excited to rub shoulders with you again when I come back. Elder Barzee is pretty good at asking for marriage advice. We were talking to the stake president here and his advice, which matches Pres. Pfile's, was "Look at the mothers. Go find an awesome mother and marry her daughter." So as I was thinking about that, the Spirit whispered to me, "Your wife will probably marry you because of your parents." So thank you for being awesome and no pressure! I love you so much!
I gotta go, but thanks for everything!
Love,
Elder Craft
Mission Report:
We have 2 with dates: James Martinez (4/23) and Liz Vigil (5/8). Also, we have an appointment with a member referral at the church today (Karen Hawkins).
We got a cool phone call this morning. Lisa Ziegler was a lady we taught on the street last week, and she was very receptive! But when we went back yesterday, her boyfriend told us not to come back. This morning she called to apologize, and said that she called him out after we left. Apparently things have been rough financially and so he's been in a bad mood. She's going to talk to him and try to change his mind so we can teach both of them. If not she said she wants to keep learning more on her own. We really feel like the Lord has prepared her and that things will work out. It was sweet miracle.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Huge Miracle
Dear Dad,
I look up to you so much! Thank you for sharing your spiritual experiences with me. I can't wait to come home and talk to you in person. I love you tons!
Dear Mom,
Choosing a homecoming topic is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'll send out a letter today with my final decision. I'm out of time, but thank you for everything! I love you so much!
MIRACLE Stories:
We saw a huge miracle this past week! We got a message from James Martinez saying that he wanted to meet with us. We called him back, not sure who he was, and he turned out to be a part-member/former investigator that we've been trying to contact for a while--so we set up an appointment for Friday. We went by and they received us very warmly. We asked him why he wanted to meet with us, and he said, "Well, I've decided that I want to be baptized." After we fell out of our chairs, Elder Barzee asked him what influenced him to want to be baptized, and he said, "I want my family to be sealed." It was awesome! We found out that he's had the missionary lessons a few times before and has a lot of member friends. They've been going to church with his wife's parents in Manassa, but with gas prices going up they want to start coming here. Back in high school he wanted to be baptized, but his family was totally against it. He told us he's made up his mind to stop trying to please everyone and do what he knows is right. Even this time when he told his parents he's going to be baptized, they kicked him out of the ranching business that they shared, but the very same day, one of his member friends offered him another cowboy job! The cool thing as well is that his old job made hime work 7 days/week, but this new one is only 5 days/week, which allows him to come to church every Sunday! It was a huge miracle that he saw the Lord work in his life. Also, the night before we met with him, they randomly opened up the Book of Mormon to Alma 22 and read a little bit. At first he was pretty tired, but as they read, they were surprised at how much it felt like it was talking directly to them and their situation. We asked him if he had a baptismal date in mind, and apparently he has a friend on a mission until June 7, who he was considering waiting for. He said, "He'd probably want me to just go ahead and get baptized, and then he can be there for the sealing, but I haven't decided yet." The next day we had a church tour with him and a fellowshipping couple from the ward. (The two guys already knew each other from basketball). In the chapel, we reviewed the Restoration and talked about the blessings of baptism and the Holy Ghost. After expressing that we wanted these blessings for him as soon as possible, we invited him to be baptized in a couple weeks. He responded, "Well, I did decide that I can't wait for my friend to get home, but we were actually thinking about doing the baptism next week." Of course we were ecstatic! He has some cattle business that he needs to get worked out before the baptism, so we're totally sure when it'll be, but the plan is to review some of the lessons and then as soon as he can, he'll be baptized!
Love,
Elder Craft
I look up to you so much! Thank you for sharing your spiritual experiences with me. I can't wait to come home and talk to you in person. I love you tons!
Dear Mom,
Choosing a homecoming topic is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'll send out a letter today with my final decision. I'm out of time, but thank you for everything! I love you so much!
MIRACLE Stories:
We saw a huge miracle this past week! We got a message from James Martinez saying that he wanted to meet with us. We called him back, not sure who he was, and he turned out to be a part-member/former investigator that we've been trying to contact for a while--so we set up an appointment for Friday. We went by and they received us very warmly. We asked him why he wanted to meet with us, and he said, "Well, I've decided that I want to be baptized." After we fell out of our chairs, Elder Barzee asked him what influenced him to want to be baptized, and he said, "I want my family to be sealed." It was awesome! We found out that he's had the missionary lessons a few times before and has a lot of member friends. They've been going to church with his wife's parents in Manassa, but with gas prices going up they want to start coming here. Back in high school he wanted to be baptized, but his family was totally against it. He told us he's made up his mind to stop trying to please everyone and do what he knows is right. Even this time when he told his parents he's going to be baptized, they kicked him out of the ranching business that they shared, but the very same day, one of his member friends offered him another cowboy job! The cool thing as well is that his old job made hime work 7 days/week, but this new one is only 5 days/week, which allows him to come to church every Sunday! It was a huge miracle that he saw the Lord work in his life. Also, the night before we met with him, they randomly opened up the Book of Mormon to Alma 22 and read a little bit. At first he was pretty tired, but as they read, they were surprised at how much it felt like it was talking directly to them and their situation. We asked him if he had a baptismal date in mind, and apparently he has a friend on a mission until June 7, who he was considering waiting for. He said, "He'd probably want me to just go ahead and get baptized, and then he can be there for the sealing, but I haven't decided yet." The next day we had a church tour with him and a fellowshipping couple from the ward. (The two guys already knew each other from basketball). In the chapel, we reviewed the Restoration and talked about the blessings of baptism and the Holy Ghost. After expressing that we wanted these blessings for him as soon as possible, we invited him to be baptized in a couple weeks. He responded, "Well, I did decide that I can't wait for my friend to get home, but we were actually thinking about doing the baptism next week." Of course we were ecstatic! He has some cattle business that he needs to get worked out before the baptism, so we're totally sure when it'll be, but the plan is to review some of the lessons and then as soon as he can, he'll be baptized!
Love,
Elder Craft
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Highest Priority from General Conference
Dear Family,
I received my last transfer call today, and it's exactly what I wanted--I'm finishing right here with Elder Barzee! I'm excited for zone leader council tomorrow, and my goal is to not cry. Time is going by extremely fast. I love the work!
I absolutely loved General Conference! It all went by so quickly; I was sad when it was over. I believe it was the best general conference in the history of the church--there were a lot of talks that will probably be classics. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have modern-day prophets! I look up to those men and women so very much, and I hope to effectively take to heart and apply their inspired messages. I now know what my "highest priority" will be starting May 14th! It was actually kind of funny because Elder Barzee was hoping for a talk about marriage and then his great uncle (Elder Scott) delivered exactly what he wanted to hear. I was amazed how much it was emphasized by Elder Oaks, Pres. Monson, Elder Scott, etc... So "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded!" Just kidding. I know I'm not there yet, and I don't feel ready for it either. I'm happy just continuing to be a missionary.
Dear Mom,
I think I'll probably cry as well when I see you again! It'll be a great day, but I try to not think of it too much. I love you so much and am excited to give you a huge hug! So you got my
Dear Mom,
I accidently pushed "send" before I was done with my email :) What I was trying to say was: So you got my itinerary? Did it have what time I am coming home? I haven't gotten anything yet. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed conference. When I get home I'll give Benson "Brotherhood 909" and wup him into shape! JK. As you well know and feel, he's a great young man, but it is a crazy world to raise a teenager these days. I'm excited to come home and help out around the house. I love you so much and never can adequately express my appreciation for all that you've done for me and continue to do for our family! You are incredible!
Dear Dad,
I love you bigger than space, but my computer time is running out, so we'll have to catch up in May. Thanks for everything!
I received my last transfer call today, and it's exactly what I wanted--I'm finishing right here with Elder Barzee! I'm excited for zone leader council tomorrow, and my goal is to not cry. Time is going by extremely fast. I love the work!
I absolutely loved General Conference! It all went by so quickly; I was sad when it was over. I believe it was the best general conference in the history of the church--there were a lot of talks that will probably be classics. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have modern-day prophets! I look up to those men and women so very much, and I hope to effectively take to heart and apply their inspired messages. I now know what my "highest priority" will be starting May 14th! It was actually kind of funny because Elder Barzee was hoping for a talk about marriage and then his great uncle (Elder Scott) delivered exactly what he wanted to hear. I was amazed how much it was emphasized by Elder Oaks, Pres. Monson, Elder Scott, etc... So "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded!" Just kidding. I know I'm not there yet, and I don't feel ready for it either. I'm happy just continuing to be a missionary.
Dear Mom,
I think I'll probably cry as well when I see you again! It'll be a great day, but I try to not think of it too much. I love you so much and am excited to give you a huge hug! So you got my
Dear Mom,
I accidently pushed "send" before I was done with my email :) What I was trying to say was: So you got my itinerary? Did it have what time I am coming home? I haven't gotten anything yet. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed conference. When I get home I'll give Benson "Brotherhood 909" and wup him into shape! JK. As you well know and feel, he's a great young man, but it is a crazy world to raise a teenager these days. I'm excited to come home and help out around the house. I love you so much and never can adequately express my appreciation for all that you've done for me and continue to do for our family! You are incredible!
Dear Dad,
I love you bigger than space, but my computer time is running out, so we'll have to catch up in May. Thanks for everything!
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