Super Bowl

Hello Crafts,

     To start off with how bout them Packers huh?!  haha Even though I'm not a Packers fan it still was pretty cool being here in Packers country when that whole thing was happening.  Yesterday was kind of a bust day because of the Super Bowl.  At least for us as missionaries.  We had an early lunch with our new branch mission leader and his wife that just moved out from BYU.  They're way funny, but we had to go there early because they were going to another member's house for the Super Bowl.  So from the hours of  4:30ish- 9 we knew that 1- no members would want to talk to us, 2- our investigators would all be watching the game too, and 3- any door we knocked on would not be a very welcoming interruption.  Packers football is religion here.  That's what made it difficult for us, but instead of just sitting inside for those 4 1/2 hrs we went and walked around EVERYWHERE to try and talk to anyone that might be out or people that weren't watching the game.  We walked a total of a little over 8 miles round trip and it took almost 4 hrs.  Too bad for us there were only a handful of people out and about to talk to.  It was cool to know that we were at least out trying to work and still be missionaries even though it's something I might not wan to do again. haha What made it nice is the fact that it was in the high 20s so we weren't even cold walking that long.  It sounds like the weather there's just too much for everyone to handle being 50 degrees and all.  Man you guys are lucky!  I can't wait for this myth I keep hearing about called Warm Weather that supposedly happens around here.  Even though like I said I am out here in Packer country it still has been really funny for us to see all the Fair Weather Fans come out from hiding.  Yesterday everyone and their dog was sporting Packers something.  Either actually on them or their car and if not there on their house.  Plus people were painting "GO PACK" and stuff like that all in the snow mounds on the side of the road.  We passed a college house that had a huge group of people out on on the snow they'd piled up and painted all in their Packers gear with a keg and big sign that said, "you honk we drink!".  It kinda made me laugh at how ridiculous it was and how many car horns we heard go off for that whole tailgating party. haha 

    It was warmer yesterday but it has been back down in the negatives most mornings again.  Nothing too bad but just enough to make me think that Spring really is a myth that I'll never get to witness.  Luckily for me I have a scarf the size of a hammock that I can wrap around me and not have to worry about being cold! :)  The one thing that's not so cool recently is everyone we talk to keeps asking our ages, and because it was Elder Katoa's birthday last week he told them 20.  They all thought he was at least 24-25 and the thing that's not so cool is everyone's guess for me has been 17 to maybe 19!   I was like what the heck is this?  I thought I deserved a little credit, but it is what it is.  There's one way legit kid we contacted on campus that we're teaching now named R. that thought I was 24 he said, so needless to say I like going to teach him. haha jk Our campus contacting has seen alot of miracles.  Not only R., but there were two girls that came to check out Sacrament from the college that we taught in our Gospel Principles class.  They were there for a project we found out but they were still really interested and asking questions after we answered the ones for the project.  We called them to  set up an appointment so we could teach them again and they said they were really interested.  In fact they invited us to come to their Non-Denominational Christian group meeting on Wednesday night.  We were way excited and went to the meeting Wednesday hoping for the best and expecting the worst just to be prepared.  It went so so well!!  There were 10 students there that were all interested and asking sincere questions about what we taught.  The spirit was so strong and Elder Katoa and I remembered our training and bore testimony very frequently throughout the whole lesson.  It was a very powerful experience to be able to testify the truth of what I know to them and to feel that they were understanding.  The miracle of it was that they all want us to come back this Wednesday to teach them again and bring the Books of Mormon that we had talked and testified so much about.  We were blessed enough to get 8 new investigators that night!  It was a miracle I could not believe and helped build my testimony of hard work and obedience bringing miracles to our lives.  It was such a cool experience and not one that missionaries get to have very often.  Our mission's standards of excellence goals are at least 4 new investigators/ week and so this week being able to get 9 is something I don't know that can happen again.  This is we I've been calling Menomonie the land of miracles! 

     Well here's the response for Mom and Dad.  Sorry I don't have one for each of you.

Mom:  I can't wait to hear where Tavan's going.  That's gonna be pretty intense!  -40 is the temperature that they tell the mission that we need to stay in.  That's -40 with windchill too,so that doesn't really happen here when we are usually out.  So basically there's never a time when they tell us to stay in. haha It's just helping to make us tougher.  This tile sounds pretty cool.  I can't wait to see the pictures.  I had no idea you were even doing that.  Leave it to Brock to do that for us too.  He's the man!  Brandt sounds like he's right in the funnest stage.  I can imagine him laughing and smiling at everyone, and the thing that makes me laugh and smile is the fact that Camie's going to have him on one hip and the new little one on the other.  It hasn't really hit me that she's pregnant again, but everytime I think about it I just laugh.  Not cause I'm doubting her as a Mom or anything but just at the fun she's going to have. haha

Dad:  I'm happy to hear about the garage. :) haha  I'll continue to pray for you guys and the job hunts for everyone.  Where would you go back to school at?  Weber State?  I would love if everyone could write me a letter tonight.  I'm looking forward to that and the package!  You guys don't have to do that though.  If you send it this week though I'd just send it here to Menomonie because transfers are next Monday and they could hold it at the mission home for a little longer until that's all over in case I do leave.

     Well I miss you all and I can't wait to hear from you!  You're all in my prayers and I hope all is well.  OFA LAHI ATU!! (Elder Katoa's been teaching me some Tongan.  Some of it like that I can repeat to you. haha)

Love, Elder Alex Craft