Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Craft Family!

    Sorry that you had to wait until today to get my weekly update.  The Murrays' house ,our Ward Mission Leader and his family, to email and sending this from his office.  It's weird to think that this is now my second Thanksgiving away from all you guys.  Much like the weather you are all having the blessing of we are having 60 degree weather today too.   It's a little different than the about 10 degrees I had last year spending it in Colfax, Wisconsin.

    I can't remember if I mentioned it last week that our ward was having a big "Turkey Bowl" this year, but somehow Kat knew about it haha.  It is true though we had a huge gathering of our Priesthood members in the ward at Cloverfield Elementary to play.  They had 4 games of about 7-8 players per team going.  That's how many showed up.  I don't know what the guys in charge were thinking but they decided to put a few priests, a couple members of the Elders Quorum, and us on a team, and stacked a couple of the other teams with almost all High Priests.  Needless to say my team went undefeated in our quest to 2 Hand Touch Football glory haha.  We didn't have anyone to really play quarterback, so I ended up playing because the priest who originally was decided it would be a good idea to try and run it almost every time.  That doesn't exactly work in 2 Hand Touch.  I was also designated kicker after the first touch back I kicked.  Some of the members came up afterwards and asked if I'd played football in High School.  When I said soccer that explained the kicking for them.  A couple of the Boise State fans in the ward said I need to go play for the Broncos and I'd do better than the kicker they have now haha.  I think that just goes to show the caliber of players we had out here I think haha.  Regardless it was a lot of fun and the weather like I talked about earlier was perfect for it.

    We had "dinner" at 1 this afternoon for a couple hours haha.  I think that's just how Thanksgiving Dinner also goes.  We ate at the Payne's, or I guess the clubhouse of their townhome complex.  There were a lot of people there including President and Sister Clements because Elder Payne is the area authority for the Seventy here.  Our ward has a few people like him that are a pretty big deal.  What can I say?  It was a pretty fun be able to eat and really just talk with President and Sister Clements at our table.  They got to know us a little better and the food was great!  I probably gained a few good pounds today haha.

    From what I hear from everyone else it seems relatively quiet for Thanksgiving this year.  Except for the no internet dilemma in Idaho it sounds like it was pretty good too.  I'm assuming that everyone else in Idaho (minus Camie and Brock) went to Grandma's too?  I just figured with our family heading up they might be over there.  It's too bad that you and Tom have to work Kat, but I agree with what you said next Thanksgiving will be even better to have work off.  Thanks for the happy Turkey and Football wishes haha.

    As for the other 10 days since the last time that I wrote you it's been pretty good for us here in E. P..  We had what's known as Mission Tour last week on Friday.  A General Authority will come and have an all day conference with us and give some training and stuff.  We had Elder Zwick from the First Quorum of the Seventy come with his wife and speak to us.  It was just amazing the training and advice that we were given to help apply to our missionary efforts.  I wish I could put all the events and feelings from that day into writing but there's just not enough time with only an hour of P-Day left haha.  There were 4 zones that were at our meeting with him down in Lakeville, Minnesota.  As I was standing in the chapel talking to a couple of other missionaries waiting for the meeting to start in a few minutes I heard someone walk up behind me and say in a strangely familiar somewhat monotone voice, "Elder Craft".  That when I turned around to look at the name badge entitled Elder Mead!  It was so crazy and so cool to see him!  We sat and talked for the rest of the time before the meeting, and then we even got to sit at the same table during lunch.  It was great to see and hear from him about how he's doing.  We talked a little bit about Brady and going to lunch with him.  He told me the story of the desperate attempt to make it to his farewell on time and being late to work after.  He just said, "Brady's a good friend".  I told him the Brady was just working on his medical stuff for his papers now and that he would be sending those in soon.  He was really excited and I'm really looking forward to an update on that or maybe someone's wisdom teeth here soon.  I heard there's a story behind that and that it needs to come from you Brady, so if you could get on that that would be great. haha

    Other than that there isn't much else exciting that is happening here at this moment.  We are teaching a man that we're trying to work with towards baptism.  He came to church last week and loved it.  He told us he's looking forward to coming again.  He's committed to be baptized on December 17th, so we're working hard for that.  There's still alot we need to teach and that he needs to do so that we can  be ready when the 17th comes.  I can't believe that now since it's basically after Thanksgiving I can say it's almost Christmas!  Crazy stuff.  In the Spirit of Thanksgiving I just want to end by saying how thankful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who gives us trials and allows us to learn and grow on our own to become His children with the potential that he knows we can be.  I'm thankful for His amazing plan of happiness that He has blessed us with a knowledge of, and for His son Jesus Christ who came and suffered the greatest and infinite sacrifice that He did to be our Lord and Savior, the Redeemer of all mankind and the way that we can return home once again.  I'm thankful for the scriptures and the wealth of knowledge that is given to us within them.  I'm thankful for the power of prayer and the true communication and effect that it can be in our lives.  I'm thankful for a loving family that I have here to spend this life and the next with.  I'm truly thankful for all of you who help inspire and uplift me to be the person that I am today.  I'm thankful for your love, support, and prayers on my behalf that I get to feel everyday.  I'm thankful for my mission and the opportunity that I have to serve at this time and be a representative of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I better end there so we can get a few other things that we have planned done tonight and get onto tracting to find more people to teach.  I love and miss all of you.  I'm grateful for all that you do for me and look forward to hearing from you again next week.  I hope for everyone traveling that you do so safely!

Love,  Elder Craft