Spiritual Growing Pains

Sorry I had to log on to get an email for the sisters in our zone and saw this didn't send.  Hopefully the error didn't happen this time too.


Dear Family,

     Sounds like another fun filled week had and one planned for the Crafts this week. haha  It is crazy to think that Brady will be in the air flying for like 24 hours and then that once he's done doing that he'll be in Germany!  He's going to do great and love is I'm sure.  By the way Brady the reason my email to you said " Elder BRD" isn't because I just didn't want to spell your name.  BRD is "Beundes Republik Deutschland" haha.  I was a little confused on why you said "Elder ALE" on mine.

     Another trip to Idaho?  Why not right? haha It sounds like that's going to be a lot of fun.  I have a feeling that between all the other chaos of summer that there are going to be a few trips between Utah and Idaho keeping everyone busy.  So when is Kathleen due again?  Is that sometime this month towards the end of it?  That's what I thought but I can't remember for sure.  That whole things is super exciting too! 

     We had a good week here in good old South Minneapolis.  We didn't have as many of our appointments go through as we would have like, but that's just life in the service of the Lord.  Hopefully this week will be a little better.  Our ward is having some great success though.  The Elders in the North area just a baptism this past Saturday with one planned for the 16th too.  The Sisters in Edina have some people they are working really close with right now that's pretty exciting for us too.  Elder Holmes and I also did a couple baptismal interviews for a couple kids in Plymouth this past week that are so amazing.  It was so cool to get to see how much knowledge that they have and hear their great testimonies and desire to follow Jesus Christ.  Even though they're only 9 and 14 they are doing so great and are set on a new path that their mom is very excited about.  That's the greatest thing to see as a missionary.  Families that the Gospel helps to unite through the ordinances that Our Father and Heaven has provided for us here on Earth now.  The power of the Priesthood is such an amazing blessing to allow and make possible that salvation for all of God's children.  Elder Holmes and I got to participate in a blessing for 3 kids in a family that the Sisters are working with that are really nervous about being baptized.  They have a true desire but the change from Hindu to Christianity for them is a big one in and of itself.  After the blessings we gave they felt a spirit of peace come over them and said to the Sisters that the counsel Heavenly Father gave to them in those blessings was an answer to many of their prayers.  It was an amazing miracle to be apart of because we just happened to need to go by the church at that time when they were there teaching and were able to be an instrument for the Lord in blessing 3 of His children at this pinnacle point of their lives.  That and many other similar experiences have helped to solidify my testimony of why we do the simple things: go to church, read our scriptures, pray, and live the standards God has given to us because you never know when you might be called upon.  President Monson recently said in a video on lds.org about his new biography that, "the most satisfying feeling [he's} ever had is to receive a prompting and act on it"  and I have the same feeling about that.  There's nothing better than being a missionary!  Being able to teach others about prayer and be an answer to many  others.  As far as my testimony goes Mom there would be a lot more time that'd I'd need on this computer to tell it all to you.  Feel free to use any of the other stories that I've sent in your talk, but there has been one thing I've been thinking a lot about recently.  I have a testimony of the growth that can come when we trust in the Lord.  There are a number of times on my mission and my life I have felt overwhelmed and unsure of where to go next.  I've had times that I've gotten pretty comfortable in a place or situation and been forced or compelled to change. Something that I have not liked or wanted at all, but with the help of Christ and my Father in Heaven I've been able to stretch through those times and reach a small portion of what I know I need to or what He wants me to become.  God's plan is perfect and given to us each individually to help us develop as much as we can in life.  There's been times I've wanted to go back to the comfortable places and take that easy route back but in doing so I would have never seen or learned what I need to from God.  I know that He's aware of us and each of our situations and know what is best for us.  This knowledge is what has helped me the most in my mission during difficult times or times of change.  I may not look forward to these spiritual growing pains as much as a did the physical ones but I know the end result will be a whole lot more rewarding than an extra inch or two on my height.  I hope that that gives you something to share on Sunday.  Tell Tyler good luck for me and to have him give Chapel Hill a nice hello from me when he gets there. 

     Thanks so much for all your love and support!  I really do appreciate all that you guys do for me.  Good luck to you Brady and I know that through these next few weeks of probably the most intense and humbling "growing pains"  you will see the greatest development and growth within yourself.  That's why we're so lucky as missionaries to receive even more within ourselves than we ever give!  I look forward to hearing about all the adventures next week!

Love, Elder MN Craft