Conference Weekend!

Hello Craft Family,

     I would have to agree with all of you that Conference was just incredible!!  We got to watch all 5 sessions!  We had to go to Rochester to do it at the Stake Center there because the Kasson Building doesn't have a satellite.  I think I'm with Mom on what she said, "not being able to pick one favorite because they were all so good".  I really liked The underlying theme of serving one another and healing that can come through the Savior's Atonement.  It's so true!  One thing we always try to share with people as missionaries and something my testimony's gotten even stronger of is the redemptive love and compassion that the Savior has for all of us.  His arms are always outstretched reaching for us, calling us to Him.  We just have to be the ones to see the path that leads up there.  I wish we could just convey that to everyone and let them see how true it is!  Elder Judkins and I were talking about how we just can't wait for the next session!  I was so disappointed when it was over and kept thinking about how many notes I took and how much more I learned from this session than any other in my life, and how much faster each 2 hour session seemed to go by.  I was thinking, "Man this General Conference is great!  The best one I've ever watched". Then I realized that this was probably to first Conference of my life that I'd been conscious and paying attention to all the talks in each session. haha
It's a good lesson learned that I should have paid closer attention to Conference at home.  The funny thing for us was not only that it started at 11, which was really weird to think about, but that for the Saturday Sessions we heard the speakers talk about the beautiful spring weather and the flowers.  We just sat here think about how the snow's just barely all leaving and how brown and dead everything here is.  It made Utah really seem like the promised land and Zion I tell everyone here that it is.  Then we got to see the shots of Temple Square and the Conference Center for yesterdays sessions with a couple inches of snow outside!!  I pointed that out to Elder Judkins and said, "now that's the Utah we know and love".  haha That's so crazy!  Even though that is a pretty bad deal for you I can't say that I'm really feeling too bad haha.

     You might have already guessed it just for what I've said about us both loving Utah but yep this is 4/4 on companions form Utah.  The craziest part though is that Elder Jake Judkins might be in a picture at our house!!  He grew up in South Weber and played defense on Northridge's soccer team for 3 years of high school!  Right when we picked him up for transfers Wednesday he asked me if I played any sports because I looked really familiar.  Once I told him he said, "Oh yeah!  I thought I recognized you.  You were the one who always wore that pink hair band around your head".  I kinda remembered him too and it's still crazy to me that a year ago we were playing against each other and now we're surving together not only in the same mission but in the same area as companions!  I think people underestimate the intensity of that when we tell the members here.  Do me a favor and look to see in my pictures from soccer that Mike Russell took and see if there's any with me and #25 on Northridge.  That's Elder Judkins.  If there are it'd be great if you could send me a copy too.  I'm so excited for this transfer.  We get along really really well and work well together.  He's really motivated too.  Since we've both been out almost the same amount of time too it makes it really cool to talk about things we've learned so far and trying to learn and grow together in the things we do everyday.  Plus, we can talk about soccer and other kids I played with that he also was on the same team as and knows.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.

     I hope that you guys don't think that I don't want you to make your emails long because I won't have time to read them.  I love long emails (and letters for anyone feeling diligent enough to write me haha).  Don't feel bad if your emails are long.  It just forces me to get better at my typing. If I don't have time to read it and respond I'll just print it off and write you back.  But here's some responses to you guys that had time this week:

Dad and Mom-  Sadly Eddy didn't watch conference, but hopefully I can update you on him next week.  Was that who I thought it was named to the First Quorum of the Seventy Saturday afternoon?  Carl B. Cook? Was that your guys old bishop from Riverdale that I met?  I thought that was his name and that it looked like him.  I feel bad about Ashley too like Sidne.  I write everyone back as soon as I can.  Writing only on P-days makes it hard, but I try to respond to everyone within a month at the latest.  I wrote her back back in January and didn't get anything back until couple weeks ago.  She said she'd written back to my one in Jan. but I guess I never got it.  I responded to her last week so tell her that I hope she gets it soon.  I guess this was kinda for Camie too haha.

Grandma Craft-  Thank you so much for the email!  Like I talked about I loved Confernce too!  I'm right with you and very thankful as well that we get to hear the words of the prophets.  I hope you get to find a temple group again too.  I'm hoping to make it to the temple for myself soon.  Especially after President Monson's talk.

Camie- I kinda wrote what I was going to say to you with Mom and Dad, but I have a random question too: when's Brock's birthday?  I think I know everyone's but his.  Haha I think it's in June maybe?  Sorry I was just curious to know.

     Well I hope all is well and everyone else I didn't get a chance to talk to is doing great!  I love you and miss you all!   I'm always praying and thinking about you.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Love,  Alex