Showing posts with label MTC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MTC. Show all posts

Monday, March 12, 2012

Crazy Week

Hey Family,

     It sounds like everyone had a crazy week just like us.  Well ok maybe not too crazy but it seems like it did fly by for everyone else too!  It's so crazy to us here how fast time has already seemed too fly by!  This week was a particularly hectic one for us!  I know I seem to say almost every week that "this week was crazy", but for this week we had a lot of stuff come up on us.  Crazy stuff that we couldn't really predict happen within the mission along with still trying to coordinate our 2 areas into the ward so we can be more effective teaching everyone that we have to teach.  There's so much potential here and we are working with some really awesome people!  It's great to have Elder Dalrymple here with me.  We are working really hard and trying to find time to sleep between it all haha.  I don't know if I told you already that Elder Dalrymple started his mission here on the East side of the ward?  That's another great thing with him being here; he knows most of the people in the ward and a lot of the people that the East Elders were working with are the ones that he taught at the beginning of his mission.  I guess in a sense that's a good and bad thing.  Good because he knows him and they remember him, but bad because they haven't really gone that far in 18 months.  We are excited like I said for the success that we are looking forward to and expecting here.

     We had that visit with the missionary department and had a great night out teaching with Brother Lusvardi, who I remembered spoke at the MTC while I was there on a Sunday night.  It was kind of cool to talk to him about the talk he gave and that I got to listen to.  We had some great training on Wednesday from he and Elder Woodruff.  Those days that they were here seemed to be the craziest for our week.  Not only the things that we had to do and challenges that came up,but the weather was crazy too. The good crazy though, so you don't have to worry Mom haha.  It was sun shining and 50's the whole time and on Saturday it was up at 60-65 degrees all day!  We could hardly believe it!  No complaints from me though.  If Spring's coming early rather than late like last year I won't be too downtrodden haha.  It's so crazy that it's General Conference already in 3 weeks!  We are looking forward to that! 

     Sorry there's not much else to talk about this week.  We are having a great time and working hard while we do it!  Thanks for all you guys do for me.  All your effort in writing to and supporting me.  I really do appreciate it.  Your love and support means so much to me.  Thanks for the prayers too.  I look forward to talking to you next week.

Love, Elder Craft

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Hey Everbody!

What up Craft family?!

I'm so glad that i get to email and tell everyone all at once.  Hopefully i can answer the questions you all have.  First of all yes mom scott got stitches because he got an elbow in basketball.  i think he got 2-3 right above his right eyebrow.  so it wasn't anything too serious.  shirley can stop worrying now.

Some other things i forgot to metion last time about the MTC is that we have a fireside every sunday night and devotional tuesday night.  The past 2 firesides we've had sheri dew and Mark Lusvardi from the church office come speak.  The devotionals are the ones where apostles come speak to us and my first one here we had Elder Bednar come speak!! it was so good! and this past tuesday was Elder Pearson of the 70!  All the speakers at the firesides and the devotionals especially have been so great! their messages are amazing! i wish i could take more notes with what they say but i just can't write that fast!!

Also, about the MTC i don't know if i said it already but the beds are tiny! i have my feet hang off and if i fold my arms under my head to sleep on them my elbows hang off the sides.  I sleep on the top bunk and every time i roll over i hit my knees on the wall haha i just don't have much room up there. I would like you to defer my scholarship i got if you could! i'll try to send the papers back cause you might need them.

Mom and Dad Happy Anniversary! i was thinking about it yestersday and i figureed it'd be faster to just wait to email and tell you today!! Dad how did the interview go? i'm just curious.

I"m way excited to go to Minnesota in a matter of 5 days.  I have to get my hair cut tomorrow,.  It's mandatory to have it cut at least 5 days before you leave.  I'm excited for the cold and snow! thanks for the comforting words there about a foot of snow already dad ;) haha jk i really am excited thought! time's flown by here!

I helped host new missionaries yeaterday with my district and 300 other missionaries out on the curb!  There were 750 new missionaries that came in! they didn't want to have any right before thanksgiving so they combined the weeks for them to come in.  I got to host Luke Weston though! He came yesterday and i was the one that carried his luggage for him and showed him his room and class.  It was way cool to be able to help the new missionaries.

FYI i didn't hang on the rim in gym i'm not that stupid haha i just popped it to almost lose my gym time cause they're so anal about even touching the net when you're not playing.  Shae's companion is from Norway going to France. THey've seen the other elder Jacob was talking about but i haven't.  WEll jeff sounds dumb as ever and sounds like JAron's doing good.  The Jazz and Fremont sound like they're both doing pretty good! keep me posted! i can't wait to hear how Fremont does in the championship! You can write me to keep me informed on these things Brady ;)

THis is just kinda cool info my roommate Elder Eggertsen told us about a couple days ago: so i know Dad listens to KSL news radio but for anyone else familiar with it or not Elder Eggertsen's dad is Grant on the Grant and Amanda Show! that crazy! he said that you can email him if you want cause he would love to hear from someone else whose son is going to the MMM.  Let alone somone that's in his room with him! i just thought that was way cool!

Tell the ward thanks so much for the cards and support! i'm gonna try to work on writing some thank you cards later today.  THanks for the package too!!! i got it yesterday and i love the food and pictures too! Those were great and i was showing them to everyone! I showed everyone your pictures to Kat and Camie that you sent! i really appreciate them.  They're great! feel free to send more anytime!

Well my time's about up.  Sorry it's so short but thank you so much to everyone for the letters, emails, packages, pictures, and all your love and support! It really helps me out so much!  I love hearing from all of you and love you all so much! I miss you but i know that the people i'm going to meet need my message and testmony of the gospel to bless their lives! They need to know the simple docrtines of the gospel and that through Faith in Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism by proper authority, recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end they will be saved!!  I love this gospel and all of you!


LOVE,
Elder Craft

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Dear Family,

Sorry there were a bunch of questions I forgot to answer. I didn't have time because I'm not the world's fastest typer. No I haven't actually seen the missionary from Norway but I know he's here. Shae's companion is Elder Bjerga from Norway, but he mostly grew up in utah so he speaks fluent Enlgish fine. He talked to me a little about him, so hopefully I'll see him soon.

Yes mom my throat's really fine I'm not allowed to lie as a missionary. I think there's a curse here that will strike us down if we do. I do get gym time everyday but Tues. my P-day & Sunday. Yesterday was the 1st day I got to play soccer because the field's been closed because of cold and the little bit of snow we've had, so I tried to dominate but playing in my indoor shoes on grass isn't the easiest and it's not exactly fair cause I'm the only Elder that went to a big school & played. A couple others played at like 2 & 3A schools but didn't even go to playoffs. Mostly I play basketball, and the games are pretty intense. There's so many Elders that are as tall and a few a couple inches taller so those games are fun. You do gain respect there cause I dunked it in a game the other day & had Elders asking me in the gall if that was me & how sick they thought it was. It's hard to do though cause we can only dunk & touch the net, rim & backboard in a game. I almost lost all my gym time earlier this week for grabbing the rim in warming up. They're really anal about it. We only get to play 3 v 3 games too on a halfcourt cause there's no actually full court. There's 8 half courst set up all around the gym  They have a track to run upstairs so I did run a mile around that before basketball games, & that's where all the weight machines are. They're all cable machines, so there's no bench press or anything  & they're usually all taken. Instead I try to do pushups & situps in my room there's a pullup bar in our hall. So I'm trying to still workout a little. I think I did lose the weight cause of my throat, so that should come back.

I'm glad you talked to Angie & I wish I could email her but I can't. I didn't save Cody at all. haha that's kinda funny but I'm glad she thinks so. I wrote him the other day so hopefully I get a response. Whoever spent $13,000 on a ring as a male needs to find a wife or hobby cause that's ridiculous!

I know you guys write everyday that was a joke Dad.  :)  And yes everyone Ashley's written me twice so I wrote her on P-Day, but I don't have her address, so I had to send it to Paige. I don't know if it's in my other book & didn't get transferred or what but I'd really like to have it!  :)  Thanks.

It's kind a funny too that wouldn't you know the day after I send that email I find my hymn book! And that day we got our travel plans! We're flying out Tues. 23rd & have to be at the travel office here @ 5 a.m. The DC missionaries leave the day after @ 3 a.m. So it's crazy we're over half way done! This week's really flown by!

Well sounds like the Jazz are doing great, so just keep me informed with the outside world. If you can't get a package together don't worry about it. Sorry if this letter takes forever too. I can't wait to hear from you and love you all!

Love,

Elder Craft

P.s. Grandma did write but I didn't have time to email her so that's why I sent her letter in here.

P.s.s. Another plus I failed to mention about the MTC is that I fit under the shower head! Amazing enough they're like 7 ft high so that's really nice!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

hello everyone!! Finally!! :)

Dear Family,

First of all i'm sorry that it;s taken so long to e-mail and if i spell wrong or have poor grammar it's not my fault i'm only allowed 30 minutes to email before the computer kicks me off.  I was so excited to finally have a P-Day this week to be able to talk to all of you! i've felt so bad i haven't had time to even write after that letter the first night.  i'm surprised that took as long as it di to get to you.  Sorry about that.  To address everyone's main concern: my throat is basically all healed!  I only struggled to eat at the meals on the first day.  Ever since then it's progressively gotten better and my appetite is back and better than ever! i'm eating everyhting anf getting seconds.  THe food is amazing!! The weird part is that most missionaries you hear gain weight in the MTC but i have lost about 5 lbs so hopefully i get that back and a little more. 

The first day was very hectic and a little bit of chaos and shock! i couldn't believe i was actually there in the MTC wearing the name badge with my actually name on there.  The one i've dreamed of wearing since i saw the pictures of NIck in his.  I was also thinking 2 years! that's forever! since that day we've had class which has calmed down a little now but the first couple days a felt like i was honestly getting a drink form a fire hose! I've taken so many notes trying to learn all i can.  i've almost filled up half of my notebook already in a little over a week! i wish i could tell you all i've learned and how my testimony has just grown fromm learing to rely on the Lord but i can't even rememvber all i've learned and don't have nearly enough time. 

I'm in the laundry room doing laundry now typing while i wait for my clothes to dry.  Speaking of which mom can i dry my dress shirts? just wondering.  Also i think i left my hymn book somewhere at home cause i can't find that so if you could send that with some pictures and treats because all the elders in my room and on my floor ate them in 2 minutes literally cause they were so good! don't worry i got some of them but offered to the others and once word got out of your amazing cooking there was no stopping them haha Incase everyone's wondering my companion is Elder Lewis and is so amazingly spsitiual.  He's a great elder that has helped me so much and is very good and listening and helping me in  my new calling. 

The Second night here we met our Branch Presidencey and they called me to be the District Leader.  We have 8 elders counting me and 3 sisters.  Elder Naylor, is going to the DC south mission and is from twin falls, Elder Merrill, also going to DC from Reburg, Elder Calvert, DC too and is from Denver, Elder taylor is going to DC and is from Saporro Japan, along with Sister Holt from Arizona and Sister Ward from West jordan are all going to DC South. 

The MMM misssionaries are Elder Lewis and I Elder Eggertsen from Centerville, and Elder Anderson and Sister Daniel both from vernal.  Those elders going to our mission are our roommates too and they're awesome! our whole district iis great! we've grown so close and i love them all! i just have to run the meetings, go to meetings a few nights a week, and get the mail for them.  SO i love seeing all the support from all of you! it really has helped me! i'm not one to try and criticize at all but hand written letters and ever notes are so great too so if any of you have an extra minute to write me a little something that'd be fantastic!!

Mom: i hope work goes well for you and i'm so thankful for you and your concern. Don't worry i'm not even mad about you talking to the nurse at all! they haven't actually even asked or talked to me about that.

Dad: Thanks for finding time to always write me.  I wanted to strangle Jeff throught that letter so i imagine how you feel.  that stupid dog!\

Brady: that's sweet about your GPA and Fremont keep it up and keep me posted! you can write emails longer than the first one of 2 lines which is good ;)

Nat: thanks for all the encouraging words and you go ahead and sleep in my bed all you want.  Someone needs to use it!

Kat and Tom: I didn't actually read that letter on the toilet sorry but it did help! your support is so great! and she's right everyone. . . she'd written every day so i'm not trying to say you couuld step it up or anything but. . . ;) jk

Nick and tati: thanks for the letter i'm excited to be here too and know it only happens once! i'm trying to live it up as best as i can!

CAmie Brock and Brandt: i expect that picture soon! thanks for the letters!

Sorry i forgot to mention i saw shae and hayden on the first day and i see them and scott at least once a day! it's so sweet we've gotten pictures together  a couple times so i hope to send those soon! it's hard calling them elder but it's just something to get used to!

well i've only got a couple minutes until it kicks me off so i just wanna say i love you all so so so much and miss you! you're in my thoughts and prayers daily!! keep praying for me and the support because between you and the Lord i think i'll survive! love you all! See you soon!

Love,  Elder Craft
p.s. good luck with the job dad let me know how it goes! i'm praying for you!!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

MTC - First Day!

Dear Mom, Dad, & Family,

Today has been very crazy! Ever since you dropped me off they had me running around everywhere going to orientations, picking up my packet w/ my badge, and then going to class w/ my new companion and people in my district. My new companion is Elder Jonathan Lewis.  He is Jack & Janette's nephew from Malt or Malta Idaho. Some small town by the border. He's way cool, patient, and good listener, and I can see how he's really to Sister Young in almost everything he does. The other Elders in our room are Elders Anderson and Eggersten both from utah and cool guys too.

I've felt every emotion today. I got dropped off feeling sad w/some anxiety, but everyone here is so happy and encouraging I felt comforted and welcome right when I walked in the gates almost. Throughout lessons and activities I felt excited and exhilerated about this great work and what I'm involved in. I'll never have this experience of being here again. There really is no place like it on Earth, so I'm trying to think of that and live it up as best as I can. I will be completely honest though I have though I have thought about all of you all day and felt the homesickness especially when I was unpacking. I want you to know I do miss you guys and love you alot. Nobody's lying when they say it's tough but I know I'll just have to go to the Lord and he will give me the strength I need. Just pray for me like I know you are and keep prayers in your heart because I'm going to have to constantly to make the adjustment I have to. I am excited to do what I've been called to do don't get me wrong. It's just your fault that it's hard for being so awesome.  :)

On the plus side you'll be happy to know I was able to eat lunch w/out too much pain at all. So hopefully my mouth keeps healing. Also, while I was eating I saw Elder Russell (It's weird I can't call him Shae) and he came and hugged me and we got to talk. It was great to see him again. I'm gonna be on the lookout for Scott too.

Well I've learned alot already today and taken alot of notes. My testimony's going to be stretched and tested but I can feel it growing. I know this is what I'm meant to be doing and I'm trying to look forward to the challenges each day brings. I'm sorry if you can't read this too well. I'm not sure if it's excitement or nerves but my hand's been shaking all day. Just know I love each one of you so much and wanted to write you this. I need a picture of everyone ASAP so I can show you off and always have the constant reminder of why I'm here; so others can have a family like mine. Can't wait to hear from you!

Love Always,

Elder Alexander James Craft