Hello Crafts!
Sorry that I wasn't able to write to you yesterday and that I don't have much time to respond today. I appreciate so much all the emails, love, and support from all of you! Yesterday was I think the first or second time of my whole mission that I got an email from every single one of you. Seven emails makes it a pretty good day and one that's busy with responses. haha Hopefully I can answer all your questions too.
This week was pretty crazy with the transfer and different training meetings all going on. We unfortunately didn't have as much success in the proselyting effort but the meetings all ran fairly smoothly, so that was a blessing. We have a lot of good appointments set this week and are looking forward to a big improvement from last week. We have some new people we were able to find from our Area Book that used to investigate a few years ago but were dropped for no apparent reason. It's s family of 4 that seem really promising and one we're excited to teach again. We also are having a lesson tonight with a woman who came to church Sunday because she works at a group home and the guys she had to come help was blessing the sacrament. I'm not really sure what disability he has but it was great to see him do that. It reminded me of Colton Smith and how willing, able, and excited he is to do anything that he can to use the priesthood he's been given. It was a really cool experience. We talked to this lady after and she told us she's not a member and was wondering what was different about out church. So with President Clements standing there we set up the appointment to teach her at the mission home tonight. We're pretty excited and hoping it all goes well.
Things here are going so great and the Lord is really blessing us! The weather has been a little different more recently. We were sweating Sunday night with 75 degrees and 70-80% humidity and then yesterday morning we woke up with it snowing! It was a real shock but hopefully the weather keeps improving like it has been today haha.
I'm so excited for Brady and looking forward to hearing how it goes this weekend! It's crazy it's already time but such an exciting change too. I hope everyone is able to make it and have a great time. You'll have to tell all the family hello for me.
Like I said sorry that this is so short, but I hope that all is well and I can talk to you soon. Thanks for all you guys do! You're the best!
Love, Elder Alex Craft
Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Downsizing
Dear Crafts,
This week was kind of a crazy one for us too. But that's kind of typical for missionary work. Talking to any random stranger you can, if you're lucky going into their house, and explaining to them how Christ loves them and has shown His love through a Prophet and modern revelation all with a book of scripture that they can just read to feel a difference in their life. It all sounds pretty nuts if I put it that way, but that's why I love it. Sometimes I find myself losing focus of what we really are here to do and how miraculous it really if that it ever works. The Lord definitely guides this work and it's so awesome being a part of it!
The weather sounds like good old typical Utah for us. haha Here in Minnesota it's been pretty nuts too. Last week like I mentioned we were planning for tranfers and getting all that finalized, but that's when we found out about the storm coming right for us. It was suppose to hit Tuesday afternoon and continue through Wednesday evening bringing 18 inches of snow and freezing ice with it. It would have been sweet with a ton of service opportunities as a missionary, but not so fun for everyone else. The bad part was the timing of it all too because our transfer day at the mission home is usually Wednesday morning into the afternoon and we go to take the departing missionaries and pick up the arriving ones at the airport all in that time. It's a crazy schedule with good weather, so this storm was going to throw a realy wrench in our plans. President decided to err on the safe side and postpone transfers until Thursday to avoid everyone trying to travel in that storm. It did come on Tuesday but it wasn't anything too bad. Wednesday morning when we woke up to take the 10 departing missionaries that'd spent the night in our apartment to breakfast at the mission home before the airport we saw the nice coat of nice on eveything that had formed with a couple new inches of snow. Needless to say I drove the big 12 passenger van full of missionaries with the cargo trailer full of their luggage to the airport as cautiously as I could. Good news is that I, as well as the 10 departing and 16 arriving missionaries, survived the roads and storm over those two days that only brought a few inches of snow and ice that has since melted down and mostly away. Despite moving the transfer to Thursday to avoid the problem with the storm we had another challenge come up Tuesday morning in the form of a funeral on Thursday at the chapel right next to the mission home and the family wanting to keep it private and dignified with no missionaries allowed during the 5-6 event. So we worked like crazy to move the transfer location now along with the time up to the Minneapolis Stake Center in Crystal so we could have the transfer and meetings for the trainers and trainees there as well. It seemed do go off without too many problems. It was an interesting experience for me and Elder Dalrymple taking those 10 missionaries to the airport to go home. They were all laughing and joking all on Tuesday and Wednesday morning even until we pulled up at the airport. Almost immediately you could see everyone's expression change. It got really quiet and all of them looked white and nervous. It was a crazy experience to see reality hit with them of actually going home, and when Elder Dalrymple and I were talking about it after it's definitely something I'm not looking forward to. haha Along with all the crazy coordination and logistics of transfers the Elders that used to cover the East Bloomington area, the other half of our ward, got transferred out so that we now cover the entire ward. It was funny at church yesterday to see people's reaction when the ward went from 5 missionaries last week to 2 this week. It's going to be a lot more work, but that also means a lot more teaching. We need to build a model area for the mission and that's what we're hoping to do with new and more people to teach and a larger area. When Elder Zwick of the 70 came on mission tour in October he changed up our exchanges so that we no longer do them with Zone Leaders, but now we bring all new missionaries and their trainers here to Bloomington for a day to work and train with us here. That's another reason we have to make a model area because of all the exchanges we'll be doing. We're going to have 8 new missionaries and their trainers coming on exchanges here within the next 6 weeks. It's going to be awesome! We got some really great missionaries that are going to build the mission so much.
We also have a cool experience this week of having two members from the missionary department Brother Lusvardi and Brother Woodruff come out to do some training with President to all the District Leaders and Zone Leaders on Thursday. We also get to have Brother Lusvardi come joint teaching with us all Tuesday night. I'm not going to lie I'm kind of nervous but pumped at the same time. It's going to be sweet I just hope that all our appointments we've been trying to stack for that night go through. haha
With all of that going on this week there hasn't been much else to report on. haha That's too bad to hear about some of the health struggles you guys are having, but I'll be praying for you. I appreciate all your love and support that you guys give to me! I look forward to talking to you all again soon!
Love, Elder Craft
This week was kind of a crazy one for us too. But that's kind of typical for missionary work. Talking to any random stranger you can, if you're lucky going into their house, and explaining to them how Christ loves them and has shown His love through a Prophet and modern revelation all with a book of scripture that they can just read to feel a difference in their life. It all sounds pretty nuts if I put it that way, but that's why I love it. Sometimes I find myself losing focus of what we really are here to do and how miraculous it really if that it ever works. The Lord definitely guides this work and it's so awesome being a part of it!
The weather sounds like good old typical Utah for us. haha Here in Minnesota it's been pretty nuts too. Last week like I mentioned we were planning for tranfers and getting all that finalized, but that's when we found out about the storm coming right for us. It was suppose to hit Tuesday afternoon and continue through Wednesday evening bringing 18 inches of snow and freezing ice with it. It would have been sweet with a ton of service opportunities as a missionary, but not so fun for everyone else. The bad part was the timing of it all too because our transfer day at the mission home is usually Wednesday morning into the afternoon and we go to take the departing missionaries and pick up the arriving ones at the airport all in that time. It's a crazy schedule with good weather, so this storm was going to throw a realy wrench in our plans. President decided to err on the safe side and postpone transfers until Thursday to avoid everyone trying to travel in that storm. It did come on Tuesday but it wasn't anything too bad. Wednesday morning when we woke up to take the 10 departing missionaries that'd spent the night in our apartment to breakfast at the mission home before the airport we saw the nice coat of nice on eveything that had formed with a couple new inches of snow. Needless to say I drove the big 12 passenger van full of missionaries with the cargo trailer full of their luggage to the airport as cautiously as I could. Good news is that I, as well as the 10 departing and 16 arriving missionaries, survived the roads and storm over those two days that only brought a few inches of snow and ice that has since melted down and mostly away. Despite moving the transfer to Thursday to avoid the problem with the storm we had another challenge come up Tuesday morning in the form of a funeral on Thursday at the chapel right next to the mission home and the family wanting to keep it private and dignified with no missionaries allowed during the 5-6 event. So we worked like crazy to move the transfer location now along with the time up to the Minneapolis Stake Center in Crystal so we could have the transfer and meetings for the trainers and trainees there as well. It seemed do go off without too many problems. It was an interesting experience for me and Elder Dalrymple taking those 10 missionaries to the airport to go home. They were all laughing and joking all on Tuesday and Wednesday morning even until we pulled up at the airport. Almost immediately you could see everyone's expression change. It got really quiet and all of them looked white and nervous. It was a crazy experience to see reality hit with them of actually going home, and when Elder Dalrymple and I were talking about it after it's definitely something I'm not looking forward to. haha Along with all the crazy coordination and logistics of transfers the Elders that used to cover the East Bloomington area, the other half of our ward, got transferred out so that we now cover the entire ward. It was funny at church yesterday to see people's reaction when the ward went from 5 missionaries last week to 2 this week. It's going to be a lot more work, but that also means a lot more teaching. We need to build a model area for the mission and that's what we're hoping to do with new and more people to teach and a larger area. When Elder Zwick of the 70 came on mission tour in October he changed up our exchanges so that we no longer do them with Zone Leaders, but now we bring all new missionaries and their trainers here to Bloomington for a day to work and train with us here. That's another reason we have to make a model area because of all the exchanges we'll be doing. We're going to have 8 new missionaries and their trainers coming on exchanges here within the next 6 weeks. It's going to be awesome! We got some really great missionaries that are going to build the mission so much.
We also have a cool experience this week of having two members from the missionary department Brother Lusvardi and Brother Woodruff come out to do some training with President to all the District Leaders and Zone Leaders on Thursday. We also get to have Brother Lusvardi come joint teaching with us all Tuesday night. I'm not going to lie I'm kind of nervous but pumped at the same time. It's going to be sweet I just hope that all our appointments we've been trying to stack for that night go through. haha
With all of that going on this week there hasn't been much else to report on. haha That's too bad to hear about some of the health struggles you guys are having, but I'll be praying for you. I appreciate all your love and support that you guys give to me! I look forward to talking to you all again soon!
Love, Elder Craft
Monday, January 9, 2012
Libby
Dear Family,
Thanks again for another week with all your love and support. I know I basically say that every week, but I really do appreciate it!
This week was pretty good for us here in Eden Prairie. Nothing really too exciting to report as far as new people we're teaching or anything. We're still working with Jordan and he's still planning on being baptized but it got pushed back a week so they could make sure to invite all the family and people they wanted to come. So not this weekend but the next. We're really excited and so is he! He's a great guy we've been very blessed to work with as missionaries and a great friend for me to know for after my mission as well. It's so awesome to me to see in every area I go to the relationships that I get to build with members of the ward and investigators. President Neilson was telling us about people he still keeps in contact with from his mission and how they're eternal friendships. I've definitely seen that with his family and many others throughout my mission not to mention the families and people I've been able to teach and help. Leonard came to church yesterday and he's still doing really well. He really enjoys church and our "Bible Studies" as he calls them". After he came to church the first time he had told us in our next appointment that he thought he wouldn't be able to handle 3 hrs of it. He had us get him a ride that first time "so [he] wouldn't be tempted to leave early" haha. Ever since his first time he's felt like he's "being fed in [his] spirit the entire time" and doesn't even notice the time. It's amazing to me how the Spirit works in so different ways with so many different people to help them overcome any number of concerns. Unfortunately, this week we weren't able to have all our investigators to church but we'll keep working on them haha.
Sounds like Winter decided to come over in Utah but didn't want to make the trip to the Midwest haha. We still don't have any snow and the weather has been clear skies and sunshine with temps in the upper 30's!! I can't even begin to tell you hoe insane that is to me right now especially reading in my old journals what it was like the first week of January last year. Nobody here knows what's going on either. They're not complaining yet but they will if the snow doesn't come soon. No snow= angry Minnesotans that can't use their sleds and drive their houses out on the lakes to fish in. And that all means angry Minnesotans that take it out on Utah and Idaho missionaries haha. I'm just waiting for Winter to bite back at the end of this month or during the entire month of February by not going into the positive numbers the entire time. Something's gotta happen because as much as I'd like to think that Minnesota's just the righteous that Winter's going to avoid it all together we can only tempt fate for so long haha.
I'm pumped to hear where Brady's going to go!! As of now I' sticking with either Argentina or Chile somewhere down on S. America around that area. It would probably be easiest to just have Brady email me after he opens it in a week and a half whenever it comes. I just know how painful handwriting anything is for him. So if I want to hear any time before he ends up leaving and email would just be the easiest route for everyone haha. I'm sure you could tell the Neilsons and they'd love to tell me. It's not technically cheating it's just a sweet connection for you guys that you have with them to make it feel like I'm not actually gone haha. However, I would prefer to hear from Brady himself and not a third party haha. Sorry I'm kind of needy that way I guess.
One cool story this week is about Libby. She's a dog that started to follow us around tracting the other day. We thought it was a sign from God for us to call the number on the tag and find some new investigators. When we called however the people just called her from a distance and she ran home. So much for our Ensign story about a miracle dog leading the missionaries in the MMM to baptisms we thought was going to happen haha. I'll attach the picture of her for you, but it may not look like I was petting her. She rolled over and made it look like I killed her right before we took it haha.
Well I think that's about it from me here in Minnesota! haha Hopefully I'll be able to update you on some new people we've found to teach next week. I love and appreciate you guys so much! Take care and I'll talk to you all next week.
Love,
Elder Craft
Thanks again for another week with all your love and support. I know I basically say that every week, but I really do appreciate it!
This week was pretty good for us here in Eden Prairie. Nothing really too exciting to report as far as new people we're teaching or anything. We're still working with Jordan and he's still planning on being baptized but it got pushed back a week so they could make sure to invite all the family and people they wanted to come. So not this weekend but the next. We're really excited and so is he! He's a great guy we've been very blessed to work with as missionaries and a great friend for me to know for after my mission as well. It's so awesome to me to see in every area I go to the relationships that I get to build with members of the ward and investigators. President Neilson was telling us about people he still keeps in contact with from his mission and how they're eternal friendships. I've definitely seen that with his family and many others throughout my mission not to mention the families and people I've been able to teach and help. Leonard came to church yesterday and he's still doing really well. He really enjoys church and our "Bible Studies" as he calls them". After he came to church the first time he had told us in our next appointment that he thought he wouldn't be able to handle 3 hrs of it. He had us get him a ride that first time "so [he] wouldn't be tempted to leave early" haha. Ever since his first time he's felt like he's "being fed in [his] spirit the entire time" and doesn't even notice the time. It's amazing to me how the Spirit works in so different ways with so many different people to help them overcome any number of concerns. Unfortunately, this week we weren't able to have all our investigators to church but we'll keep working on them haha.
Sounds like Winter decided to come over in Utah but didn't want to make the trip to the Midwest haha. We still don't have any snow and the weather has been clear skies and sunshine with temps in the upper 30's!! I can't even begin to tell you hoe insane that is to me right now especially reading in my old journals what it was like the first week of January last year. Nobody here knows what's going on either. They're not complaining yet but they will if the snow doesn't come soon. No snow= angry Minnesotans that can't use their sleds and drive their houses out on the lakes to fish in. And that all means angry Minnesotans that take it out on Utah and Idaho missionaries haha. I'm just waiting for Winter to bite back at the end of this month or during the entire month of February by not going into the positive numbers the entire time. Something's gotta happen because as much as I'd like to think that Minnesota's just the righteous that Winter's going to avoid it all together we can only tempt fate for so long haha.
I'm pumped to hear where Brady's going to go!! As of now I' sticking with either Argentina or Chile somewhere down on S. America around that area. It would probably be easiest to just have Brady email me after he opens it in a week and a half whenever it comes. I just know how painful handwriting anything is for him. So if I want to hear any time before he ends up leaving and email would just be the easiest route for everyone haha. I'm sure you could tell the Neilsons and they'd love to tell me. It's not technically cheating it's just a sweet connection for you guys that you have with them to make it feel like I'm not actually gone haha. However, I would prefer to hear from Brady himself and not a third party haha. Sorry I'm kind of needy that way I guess.
One cool story this week is about Libby. She's a dog that started to follow us around tracting the other day. We thought it was a sign from God for us to call the number on the tag and find some new investigators. When we called however the people just called her from a distance and she ran home. So much for our Ensign story about a miracle dog leading the missionaries in the MMM to baptisms we thought was going to happen haha. I'll attach the picture of her for you, but it may not look like I was petting her. She rolled over and made it look like I killed her right before we took it haha.
Well I think that's about it from me here in Minnesota! haha Hopefully I'll be able to update you on some new people we've found to teach next week. I love and appreciate you guys so much! Take care and I'll talk to you all next week.
Love,
Elder Craft
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy 2012 Craft Family!!
Luckily for all of us even though the libraries are closed we have awesome members here in the Garden of Eden and are emailing from the Neilson's right now. So you know who to thank for your timely email this week Mom haha ;).
Well just like Mom, and I'm sure a few others, guessed it ushering in the New Year was not anything too eventful for me. Elder Pope and I got home and to bed by the normal time of 10:30 and were pretty tired. I still asked him if he wanted to get up at 12 and we could celebrate the New Year by singing a rendition of "Happy Birthday" with just the phrase "Happy New Year to you" instead, but we both decided it really wasn't worth it haha. It is kind of weird to think that it is already 2012 now. This next year is going to fly. We've been talking a little bit about some New Year's resolutions for us and what we want to try and do better in for the next 365 days. Basically just trying to memorize scriptures and be more consecrated are about the craziest new goals I have haha. Do any of you have any fun resolutions?
This year for the MMM we have alot of goals that we're hoping to accomplish. President Clements writes a letter to the mission each week and sends it to all of us. With the new year comes new goals, new desires, and new accomplishments for all of us. President talked a lot about this year being the year of "MMMMMMM"! haha Nothing like the year of Campbell's slogan though. I'm sure you're all used to me saying and referring the my mission as the MMM. With President it's going to be a little more this year haha. It's going to be the year of "The Mormon Moment of Miracles for Members in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission". We're really trying to work with members on becoming missionaries themselves this year and bringing about all the miracles that are in store in this area from the Lord for members and missionaries as part of all of our missionary efforts. We've seen a lot of that here in Eden Prairie as we've been trying to work with the members through different lessons to inspire and motivate them to fulfill whatever commitments and invitations we leave them. We've also been trying to work on teaching more lessons with members present and just this week alone we were able to see the fruits of that labor. We had 4 investigators to sacrament meeting yesterday! Even though that may not sound all that exciting or amazing and it was such a blessing and was the most that either one of us have seen to church in our 3 transfers here. The teaching pool is really strong and growing. The investigator we have scheduled to be baptized is on the 14th and he's still super pumped and excited for that just like we are! We're going to continue to work hard because we know the blessings that can come from it. Especially those blessings that come in the cold weather like we're having now. It snowed a couple inches here on New Year's Eve that was long overdue. Now it's starting to look and seem more like I remember my last Minnesotan winter being haha. Today as we were doing our shopping and stuff the windchill dropped the temperature to 3 degrees and last night it was a familiar feeling tracting down at 0. haha We're just out building the Kingdom and some great character is how we like to look at it.
I'm glad to hear that everyone's talks went so well out in Hooper and that my letter helped add some material to speak on. I wish I could have been there to hear because they all sounded like they were so great. Is the Park Ward meeting at 9 a.m. now? We switched from 11 to 9 here and it's the first time in my entire mission that I haven't been at 11. All my other areas have been at 10 or 11 to start. I've been pretty lucky I guess. That's exciting news from Kat and Tom too! I'm anxious now to hear if I'll have 2 nephews and a niece that don't know me or 2 nieces and a nephew like Kat said haha. Congratulations to Brady on becoming an Elder too. Now if we could only get your papers in to find out where you'll be serving as Elder Craft 2.0 at we'll be good. :) As far as Elder Musaka's emails go Mom it would probably be best to print them and send them to me with your letters. That way I can have a little more time to read them.
Sorry that there's not much to report on today. I'm so glad to hear that you are all doing so well and loving life. 2012 seems to have started off right for all of us. I love and miss you all. I can't wait to talk to you again.
Love, Elder Craft
P.S. President Clements also sent us all an article the the Wall Street Journal did on Mormon missionaries this last week because of David Archuleta announcing that he'll be going on a mission. I would just attach it to this but I'm not exactly sure how to do that. haha It's titled "From American Idol to Mormon Missionary" http://newsroom.lds.org/article/david-archuleta-mormon-mission and that link should get you right to it.
Luckily for all of us even though the libraries are closed we have awesome members here in the Garden of Eden and are emailing from the Neilson's right now. So you know who to thank for your timely email this week Mom haha ;).
Well just like Mom, and I'm sure a few others, guessed it ushering in the New Year was not anything too eventful for me. Elder Pope and I got home and to bed by the normal time of 10:30 and were pretty tired. I still asked him if he wanted to get up at 12 and we could celebrate the New Year by singing a rendition of "Happy Birthday" with just the phrase "Happy New Year to you" instead, but we both decided it really wasn't worth it haha. It is kind of weird to think that it is already 2012 now. This next year is going to fly. We've been talking a little bit about some New Year's resolutions for us and what we want to try and do better in for the next 365 days. Basically just trying to memorize scriptures and be more consecrated are about the craziest new goals I have haha. Do any of you have any fun resolutions?
This year for the MMM we have alot of goals that we're hoping to accomplish. President Clements writes a letter to the mission each week and sends it to all of us. With the new year comes new goals, new desires, and new accomplishments for all of us. President talked a lot about this year being the year of "MMMMMMM"! haha Nothing like the year of Campbell's slogan though. I'm sure you're all used to me saying and referring the my mission as the MMM. With President it's going to be a little more this year haha. It's going to be the year of "The Mormon Moment of Miracles for Members in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission". We're really trying to work with members on becoming missionaries themselves this year and bringing about all the miracles that are in store in this area from the Lord for members and missionaries as part of all of our missionary efforts. We've seen a lot of that here in Eden Prairie as we've been trying to work with the members through different lessons to inspire and motivate them to fulfill whatever commitments and invitations we leave them. We've also been trying to work on teaching more lessons with members present and just this week alone we were able to see the fruits of that labor. We had 4 investigators to sacrament meeting yesterday! Even though that may not sound all that exciting or amazing and it was such a blessing and was the most that either one of us have seen to church in our 3 transfers here. The teaching pool is really strong and growing. The investigator we have scheduled to be baptized is on the 14th and he's still super pumped and excited for that just like we are! We're going to continue to work hard because we know the blessings that can come from it. Especially those blessings that come in the cold weather like we're having now. It snowed a couple inches here on New Year's Eve that was long overdue. Now it's starting to look and seem more like I remember my last Minnesotan winter being haha. Today as we were doing our shopping and stuff the windchill dropped the temperature to 3 degrees and last night it was a familiar feeling tracting down at 0. haha We're just out building the Kingdom and some great character is how we like to look at it.
I'm glad to hear that everyone's talks went so well out in Hooper and that my letter helped add some material to speak on. I wish I could have been there to hear because they all sounded like they were so great. Is the Park Ward meeting at 9 a.m. now? We switched from 11 to 9 here and it's the first time in my entire mission that I haven't been at 11. All my other areas have been at 10 or 11 to start. I've been pretty lucky I guess. That's exciting news from Kat and Tom too! I'm anxious now to hear if I'll have 2 nephews and a niece that don't know me or 2 nieces and a nephew like Kat said haha. Congratulations to Brady on becoming an Elder too. Now if we could only get your papers in to find out where you'll be serving as Elder Craft 2.0 at we'll be good. :) As far as Elder Musaka's emails go Mom it would probably be best to print them and send them to me with your letters. That way I can have a little more time to read them.
Sorry that there's not much to report on today. I'm so glad to hear that you are all doing so well and loving life. 2012 seems to have started off right for all of us. I love and miss you all. I can't wait to talk to you again.
Love, Elder Craft
P.S. President Clements also sent us all an article the the Wall Street Journal did on Mormon missionaries this last week because of David Archuleta announcing that he'll be going on a mission. I would just attach it to this but I'm not exactly sure how to do that. haha It's titled "From American Idol to Mormon Missionary" http://newsroom.lds.org/article/david-archuleta-mormon-mission and that link should get you right to it.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Things Seem to be Going Well
Dear Family,
Thanks for the emails and updates this week. Things here in the great land of lakes in "the garden of Eden (Prairie)" have been going so well! This past week we were able to pick up 3 more investigators! That is such an answer to prayer to be able to keep adding to the teaching pool that we've been working so hard to build. One is a 16 year old kid whose dad is a recent convert to the church. He's never really had any religious back round at all. The first time he's ever been to a church he said was when he came to his dad's baptism in July. It's going to be really fun be able to start with the basics and teach him all from the beginning. He's really open and receptive and asks great questions. He really listens to what we're saying and thinks about it. He knows and goes to school with a few of the member kids in the ward and is really good friends with one in particular. We're teaching him at that friends house. He came to the turkey bowl and really loves to talk anything sports. Mostly basketball and football so if we can steer clear of getting him distracted on those topics things are going to continue to go great haha. The other 2 investigators that we picked up are a really great couple we tracted into about a month ago that we finally got to meet with and teach. It was a great lesson! They really want to increase their knowledge, faith, and relationship with Jesus Christ. All things that the Book of Mormon promises to do for all of us. Unfortunately, the husband works in retail so this time of year is total craziness for him, and we can't meet with him again until the week after Christmas. We'll still call and keep in contact to help them get to church before then. The Lord is blessing us tremendously and we're working hard to keep these people growing in their faith and on their path coming unto Christ. Good things are only going to continue to come and grow in these letters.
As far as the snow here we are expected to get rain the next couple of days! What is this?! I feel like such a wimp. I did not come to Minnesota to write home and report on rain in the middle of December. It's so amazing to me that a year ago yesterday was the day that we got 22 inches of snow in 24 hrs! I just can't believe the difference. I keep waring Elder Parry that this is not normal and the members here back me up. I just figure we'll pay for this nice weather come about January when the bottom of the thermometer actually just falls right out and we don't get positive numbers until March haha. That's just my guess though.
That's so exciting about Brady's papers. I talked to Elder Mead the other day at transfers and he said that Jesse Wilson got his call to Bolivia? I told Brady in other letters and emails that I'm guessing he's going somewhere in Central or South America. I'm not sure on a specific country yet. Don't worry that it won't be here by Christmas. I'm used to finding out all information over email anyway haha. Speaking of Christmas though I'm not sure if you guys want to try and Skype again or just a phone call. We'll be over at Brother Murray's for Christmas and he has enough computers we could both Skype there. You just might want to email him and found out if he has a Skype account to get that all coordinated. Just let me know what time everyone will be available next week so I can try to plan that.
I think that that's really cool about that adopt a missionary program you're doing Mom. Sister Simpson emailed me the emails she's sent and received from Cody and his companion and I think that that's a great idea. I wish that I could say that I'll have time to try and write every week too but that's probably not going to be the case. I can for sure try though. I was thinking since I've been so blessed and really don't need stuff for Christmas like I talked about last week you could go in on a Christmas package with Sister Simpson for a couple of those missionaries instead. I realize that it will probably be late getting there now but I think it'd be awesome to just save the money from sending me one and sending it to those African missionaries there. You might have already thought of that but if not it's just a cool idea I had.
It's so crazy to think that Jacob will be home this week! Time flies when you're speaking Norweigen haha. He's written me a couple emails the past couple weeks so it was cool to talk to him.
I hope that everything else is going great with all of you. Sorry this is kind of short but we have a lot of stuff planned to try and get done today. I can't wait to hear from you guys and talk to you again!
Love, Elder Craft
Thanks for the emails and updates this week. Things here in the great land of lakes in "the garden of Eden (Prairie)" have been going so well! This past week we were able to pick up 3 more investigators! That is such an answer to prayer to be able to keep adding to the teaching pool that we've been working so hard to build. One is a 16 year old kid whose dad is a recent convert to the church. He's never really had any religious back round at all. The first time he's ever been to a church he said was when he came to his dad's baptism in July. It's going to be really fun be able to start with the basics and teach him all from the beginning. He's really open and receptive and asks great questions. He really listens to what we're saying and thinks about it. He knows and goes to school with a few of the member kids in the ward and is really good friends with one in particular. We're teaching him at that friends house. He came to the turkey bowl and really loves to talk anything sports. Mostly basketball and football so if we can steer clear of getting him distracted on those topics things are going to continue to go great haha. The other 2 investigators that we picked up are a really great couple we tracted into about a month ago that we finally got to meet with and teach. It was a great lesson! They really want to increase their knowledge, faith, and relationship with Jesus Christ. All things that the Book of Mormon promises to do for all of us. Unfortunately, the husband works in retail so this time of year is total craziness for him, and we can't meet with him again until the week after Christmas. We'll still call and keep in contact to help them get to church before then. The Lord is blessing us tremendously and we're working hard to keep these people growing in their faith and on their path coming unto Christ. Good things are only going to continue to come and grow in these letters.
As far as the snow here we are expected to get rain the next couple of days! What is this?! I feel like such a wimp. I did not come to Minnesota to write home and report on rain in the middle of December. It's so amazing to me that a year ago yesterday was the day that we got 22 inches of snow in 24 hrs! I just can't believe the difference. I keep waring Elder Parry that this is not normal and the members here back me up. I just figure we'll pay for this nice weather come about January when the bottom of the thermometer actually just falls right out and we don't get positive numbers until March haha. That's just my guess though.
That's so exciting about Brady's papers. I talked to Elder Mead the other day at transfers and he said that Jesse Wilson got his call to Bolivia? I told Brady in other letters and emails that I'm guessing he's going somewhere in Central or South America. I'm not sure on a specific country yet. Don't worry that it won't be here by Christmas. I'm used to finding out all information over email anyway haha. Speaking of Christmas though I'm not sure if you guys want to try and Skype again or just a phone call. We'll be over at Brother Murray's for Christmas and he has enough computers we could both Skype there. You just might want to email him and found out if he has a Skype account to get that all coordinated. Just let me know what time everyone will be available next week so I can try to plan that.
I think that that's really cool about that adopt a missionary program you're doing Mom. Sister Simpson emailed me the emails she's sent and received from Cody and his companion and I think that that's a great idea. I wish that I could say that I'll have time to try and write every week too but that's probably not going to be the case. I can for sure try though. I was thinking since I've been so blessed and really don't need stuff for Christmas like I talked about last week you could go in on a Christmas package with Sister Simpson for a couple of those missionaries instead. I realize that it will probably be late getting there now but I think it'd be awesome to just save the money from sending me one and sending it to those African missionaries there. You might have already thought of that but if not it's just a cool idea I had.
It's so crazy to think that Jacob will be home this week! Time flies when you're speaking Norweigen haha. He's written me a couple emails the past couple weeks so it was cool to talk to him.
I hope that everything else is going great with all of you. Sorry this is kind of short but we have a lot of stuff planned to try and get done today. I can't wait to hear from you guys and talk to you again!
Love, Elder Craft
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Isn't There Suppossed to be Snow Here?
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the emails and letters this past week. Sorry to leave you hanging for a few days. We went to the temple as a district today. I forgot to mention in the email on Thanksgiving that my next P-Day wouldn't be until today. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. To answer some of your questions yes it was a little nerve racking having dinner with Elder Payne and President Clements. With so many people being there it was kind of a more casual thing though. Sitting with President and Sister Clements at our table was pretty cool though because we got to just sit and talk with them outside of an interview setting and get to know each other a little better. There really wasn't anything too different for dinner at all or anything too amazing I guess.
This past week didn't have anything too crazy here in the Garden of Eden. There still hasn't been any snow yet, but from what I hear that will be coming tomorrow. I'm not complaining by any means. We went until December without snow. That has to be some sort of miracle for Minnesota. Everybody's surprised by it. There must be some very faith filled bike missionaries here that have been praying for the snow to hold off. We have been able to set up a few more appointments for the next couple days with potentials and people we've tracted into, so hopefully the work continues to pick up. Thanks for all the prayers. I know that's what's helping and providing the miracles for us here.
It's crazy to think that next Monday (which should be my normal P-Day again by the way) is transfer call day! 6 weeks has gone by already. I think in a sense now that it has been a year everyone's right that it is picking up and I'm not really sure what it is that causes it. Even President Clements talked about that in an interview that Elder Parry and I had with him this last week. He gave me an analogy that I've heard as I'm sure many of you have that missions are like a roller coaster, for more reasons than one haha. It seems to just drag as it's chugging up the first part of the hill until it gets to the top. Then it kind of pauses for a second. After that it just flies by with nothing you've really changed or that you can do about it, and the closer you get to the bottom the faster it's going. I've seen that in sense I guess now looking back, but I'm just looking forward to what's going to happen here in Eden Prairie the next couple weeks and to experience the great things that I know are coming.
It sounds like Natalie had a good birthday. Surprise surprise that there was honey sesame chicken to eat haha. It sounds like everyone there seemed to make it a party too haha. I hope that she was able to get the package that I sent. Crazy to think that in 6 months now she can get here learners permit! What it that all about? Lucky for her the cavalier might just be available without any one to even drive it. That's probably exactly what Mom and Dad did not want to hear haha, but we have to face the facts sometime.
To answer a question that I figure is going to be coming from some of you here soon I have no idea what I need or want for Christmas. I definitely do not need food like I got last year haha. I have plenty of t-shirts along with warm winter clothes too. I asked for music before but getting it approved is kind of a hassle if it's not within the qualifications and standards already. I've gotten books and stuff before but I never have time to read them or space to really pack them around. I know I had mentioned to Mom and Dad about a GPS too but as of now I can navigate my way around the area just fine and with the maps we have it's easy enough that I never really get lost, so I don't think that will be a necessity like I thought before. Sorry to not really help out at all and I kind of made it a little more difficult, but I figured I'd try to tell you somewhat early haha. You guys are so great I just can't think of anything I need. You take care of me too well ;). haha
Sorry this is kind of short too and there's not too much exciting in it. I hope that you are all doing well. Thanks for your prayers and support. I'm always praying for you guys! I can't wait to talk to you again hopefully with news of me staying in Eden Prairie haha.
Love, Elder Craft
Thanks for the emails and letters this past week. Sorry to leave you hanging for a few days. We went to the temple as a district today. I forgot to mention in the email on Thanksgiving that my next P-Day wouldn't be until today. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. To answer some of your questions yes it was a little nerve racking having dinner with Elder Payne and President Clements. With so many people being there it was kind of a more casual thing though. Sitting with President and Sister Clements at our table was pretty cool though because we got to just sit and talk with them outside of an interview setting and get to know each other a little better. There really wasn't anything too different for dinner at all or anything too amazing I guess.
This past week didn't have anything too crazy here in the Garden of Eden. There still hasn't been any snow yet, but from what I hear that will be coming tomorrow. I'm not complaining by any means. We went until December without snow. That has to be some sort of miracle for Minnesota. Everybody's surprised by it. There must be some very faith filled bike missionaries here that have been praying for the snow to hold off. We have been able to set up a few more appointments for the next couple days with potentials and people we've tracted into, so hopefully the work continues to pick up. Thanks for all the prayers. I know that's what's helping and providing the miracles for us here.
It's crazy to think that next Monday (which should be my normal P-Day again by the way) is transfer call day! 6 weeks has gone by already. I think in a sense now that it has been a year everyone's right that it is picking up and I'm not really sure what it is that causes it. Even President Clements talked about that in an interview that Elder Parry and I had with him this last week. He gave me an analogy that I've heard as I'm sure many of you have that missions are like a roller coaster, for more reasons than one haha. It seems to just drag as it's chugging up the first part of the hill until it gets to the top. Then it kind of pauses for a second. After that it just flies by with nothing you've really changed or that you can do about it, and the closer you get to the bottom the faster it's going. I've seen that in sense I guess now looking back, but I'm just looking forward to what's going to happen here in Eden Prairie the next couple weeks and to experience the great things that I know are coming.
It sounds like Natalie had a good birthday. Surprise surprise that there was honey sesame chicken to eat haha. It sounds like everyone there seemed to make it a party too haha. I hope that she was able to get the package that I sent. Crazy to think that in 6 months now she can get here learners permit! What it that all about? Lucky for her the cavalier might just be available without any one to even drive it. That's probably exactly what Mom and Dad did not want to hear haha, but we have to face the facts sometime.
To answer a question that I figure is going to be coming from some of you here soon I have no idea what I need or want for Christmas. I definitely do not need food like I got last year haha. I have plenty of t-shirts along with warm winter clothes too. I asked for music before but getting it approved is kind of a hassle if it's not within the qualifications and standards already. I've gotten books and stuff before but I never have time to read them or space to really pack them around. I know I had mentioned to Mom and Dad about a GPS too but as of now I can navigate my way around the area just fine and with the maps we have it's easy enough that I never really get lost, so I don't think that will be a necessity like I thought before. Sorry to not really help out at all and I kind of made it a little more difficult, but I figured I'd try to tell you somewhat early haha. You guys are so great I just can't think of anything I need. You take care of me too well ;). haha
Sorry this is kind of short too and there's not too much exciting in it. I hope that you are all doing well. Thanks for your prayers and support. I'm always praying for you guys! I can't wait to talk to you again hopefully with news of me staying in Eden Prairie haha.
Love, Elder Craft
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter
Hello Craft Family,
Sorry that this might be a little short but there isn't a whole lot to report on form here in food old Kasson or to respond to.
Thank you so much for the letters and package from everyone! Elder Judkins didn't get his "Easter" package until this morning so we shared mine for Easter to make it kinda traditional for both of us. All the candy in there was great! I really like the pictures I got and your letter that Dad supposedly his Mom. :) haha You guys really are the best! Easter really did seem to have a lot more meaning this year for me. We gave lessons to a couple families this week and one to some members yesterday about Easter and the Atonement. It's such a powerful, incomprehensible, infinite sacrifice that I am so eternally grateful for and only just beginning to try and understand and appreciate the true magnitude of it. Mom had asked about Easter and Christmas being much more powerful and spiritual while I'm on my mission, and that is so true! I tried to focus on the true meaning of Christ's birth and the Atonement at those times of year when I was home, but all of you that have served missions, and as Brady will soon find out, know and have seen that it's much different when you are set apart from the world and the other things that can distract from those true meanings. Not only trying to teach people about the power of what Christ's Earthly ministry really means for all of us as God's Children and have them accept it, but trying to accept that and relying wholly on Him for myself at this time in my life is what really helps me try, as I had mentioned, to understand and appreciate the gravity of it all. It's just amazing to me!
It's sounds like you all had a pretty good time for Easter too I'm assuming. That's good! Our Easterlike I said was really good and we even got to eat at some members house and have a traditional Easter Dinner complete with ham. She let us take a bunch of the stuff home too so we can complete the tradition with left over ham sandwiches for the next couple days. Sadly however, we didn't color eggs this year so that will just have to wait a little while until I get home. :) Even though i did mention that Easter and Christmas are more powerful and spiritual on a mission I still think that Christmas and Mother's Day are my favorite ones because I get to make long distance phone calls! I'm pretty excited for this Skype call! Who all is going to be able to get on it? That way I know who I need to talk to separately. I'm going to get my account set up hopefully this week or next. I have to talk to the Josephson's, the people that let us stay in their basement, because they have a web cam and had the missionaries do it at their house for Christmas. They've just been kind of busy recently or else I'd have it done to give you the account. Their son Steven, our Branch Mission leader, had been packing and getting ready to go back to college for the past couple weeks. He left this morning to make the long drive back out to Colorado. So some news to come might be who our new Branch Mission leader is if we get one haha.
Man what's with you guys and car accidents all the sudden though? That's pretty crazy to hear about and see the pictures of! I'm so glad that everyone's doing fine and no one got hurt in either one of those. I will say this though at least now all evidence of any piece a certain Rodeo took out of the Sentra bumper will now be erased. The bad part is that we're just having to pay and replace it haha.
As for the weather it sounds like you're not doing much better then we are here. I'm not going to mention any more predictions about it getting warm though because the past 2 times I've done that it's snowed the next day. And that's what happened here Tuesday and Wednesday! So I'm just as sick and tired of the cold and wet as you guys probably are. I'm hoping since it is almost MAY we might get a change and start to have some leaves or flowers growing here. Hopefully. haha
Well I don't have much else to report on here from the land of Perma Frost. haha I hope that besides the craziness I've already mentioned that everyone's doing great! I'm going to respond to all your letters today and hopefully get some pictures sent if the stupid machine at Wal-Mart cooperates. Thanks so much for all the continued love, support, and prayers fron you guys! It means alot and i know that they help! I love you all and can't wait to talk to you again!
Love, Alex
Sorry that this might be a little short but there isn't a whole lot to report on form here in food old Kasson or to respond to.
Thank you so much for the letters and package from everyone! Elder Judkins didn't get his "Easter" package until this morning so we shared mine for Easter to make it kinda traditional for both of us. All the candy in there was great! I really like the pictures I got and your letter that Dad supposedly his Mom. :) haha You guys really are the best! Easter really did seem to have a lot more meaning this year for me. We gave lessons to a couple families this week and one to some members yesterday about Easter and the Atonement. It's such a powerful, incomprehensible, infinite sacrifice that I am so eternally grateful for and only just beginning to try and understand and appreciate the true magnitude of it. Mom had asked about Easter and Christmas being much more powerful and spiritual while I'm on my mission, and that is so true! I tried to focus on the true meaning of Christ's birth and the Atonement at those times of year when I was home, but all of you that have served missions, and as Brady will soon find out, know and have seen that it's much different when you are set apart from the world and the other things that can distract from those true meanings. Not only trying to teach people about the power of what Christ's Earthly ministry really means for all of us as God's Children and have them accept it, but trying to accept that and relying wholly on Him for myself at this time in my life is what really helps me try, as I had mentioned, to understand and appreciate the gravity of it all. It's just amazing to me!
It's sounds like you all had a pretty good time for Easter too I'm assuming. That's good! Our Easterlike I said was really good and we even got to eat at some members house and have a traditional Easter Dinner complete with ham. She let us take a bunch of the stuff home too so we can complete the tradition with left over ham sandwiches for the next couple days. Sadly however, we didn't color eggs this year so that will just have to wait a little while until I get home. :) Even though i did mention that Easter and Christmas are more powerful and spiritual on a mission I still think that Christmas and Mother's Day are my favorite ones because I get to make long distance phone calls! I'm pretty excited for this Skype call! Who all is going to be able to get on it? That way I know who I need to talk to separately. I'm going to get my account set up hopefully this week or next. I have to talk to the Josephson's, the people that let us stay in their basement, because they have a web cam and had the missionaries do it at their house for Christmas. They've just been kind of busy recently or else I'd have it done to give you the account. Their son Steven, our Branch Mission leader, had been packing and getting ready to go back to college for the past couple weeks. He left this morning to make the long drive back out to Colorado. So some news to come might be who our new Branch Mission leader is if we get one haha.
Man what's with you guys and car accidents all the sudden though? That's pretty crazy to hear about and see the pictures of! I'm so glad that everyone's doing fine and no one got hurt in either one of those. I will say this though at least now all evidence of any piece a certain Rodeo took out of the Sentra bumper will now be erased. The bad part is that we're just having to pay and replace it haha.
As for the weather it sounds like you're not doing much better then we are here. I'm not going to mention any more predictions about it getting warm though because the past 2 times I've done that it's snowed the next day. And that's what happened here Tuesday and Wednesday! So I'm just as sick and tired of the cold and wet as you guys probably are. I'm hoping since it is almost MAY we might get a change and start to have some leaves or flowers growing here. Hopefully. haha
Well I don't have much else to report on here from the land of Perma Frost. haha I hope that besides the craziness I've already mentioned that everyone's doing great! I'm going to respond to all your letters today and hopefully get some pictures sent if the stupid machine at Wal-Mart cooperates. Thanks so much for all the continued love, support, and prayers fron you guys! It means alot and i know that they help! I love you all and can't wait to talk to you again!
Love, Alex
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Working in Kasson
Craft Family!
Hey everyone! So first of all I'd just like to apologize for not getting to write you yesterday. We actually had Zone Conference in Rochester and so our P-Day got moved to today. I warned President Howell that the mission home might be getting a call because my family didn't hear from me and he just laughed and said, " I hope so because then at least we know they still care about you". It kinda made me laugh too. haha
So my first question I guess is did Brady get his present form me? Nick wrote me and said that he did,but I haven't heard yet so I'm not sure with Brady.haha The birthday party sounds like a normal Craft family gathering. Full of laughing, sarcasm, and some comments from Brady. haha Jk I'm gald that you're at least trying to fill in for me there. The funny part is that as I read the part that Kathleen wrote me with all the quotes and story about Natalie's phone I could totally picture that whole scenario in my head and it just made me laugh. I'm surprised that Natalie let her phone out of site at all. I thought that that thing would be completely attached to her by now haha.
As far as this the area of Kasson is concerned. I'm still trying to motivate and keep looking at the positive each and everyday. We've been trying to point out miracles everyday that we see. Even if they may be small. Things like the fact that that last house we knocked on didn't slam the door in our face even though they weren't interested. I've talked to the mission president about the attitudes and situations there and we talked about the people of Ammon when they were enslaved with heavy burdens on their back the Lord didn't remove those burdens. Instead he strengthened their backs to be able to carry them. That's what President Howell said he's seen with me and has full confidence and faith in me. That really helped me to feel good knowing that he called me to this area because he trusted in me to be able to be the catalyst to change the way things are. That's something I talked with Elder Russell my first couple days out about. I told him that this is a land of miracles just waiting to happen and we could be the ones to make it happen. He told me that tracting was ineffective and that this area has never had a baptism from tracting. My reply was, "then how amazing will it be when we are the first ones to do that?". That's what my attitude about it here has been all along and I know it's from the strength that the Lord is giving me to carry my burdens. Your prayers are such a blessing and they help so much each and every day. The great thing also is that we had a good exchange with our Zone Leader last week and Zone Conference yesterday so Elder Russell was able to talk to both of them about his concerns and I was able to talk to them too. Ever since those his attitude has been improving incredibly. We working on a couple that have some potential now that we're teaching and so I'm really hoping with his new attitude we can see the success and changes I've been praying so hard for and that I know can happen here! The only negative thing about this area so far isn't so much about the area as it is this climate. I am just getting so sick and tired of cold and snow now! Over the couple weeks I've been here we've gotten a total of 8-10 new inches of snow. We've had a couple more days of below 0 tracting too. Even though I tell myself these experience will help me and it builds character I'm pretty sure that I've built up enough of that character in the last 4 months. haha I'm looking forward to the experiences that come with the myth of warm weather I hear everyone talk about. haha
I hope that everyone else is doing great! It really is so good to get all your emails and letters. Even if the letters might take almost a week to get here I appreciate them so much! They really help me out.
Brady: I hope you did get my present cause it was sweet! haha I hope eveything's going great with school. Good luck with tryouts. Let me know how they go and how Fremont's doing in State. I have one piece of advice that I want you to do sometime this week. If you guys have the Ensign for March already I would HIGHLY suggest to you that you read the talk on page 22 about missionaries and preparing for a mission. It has so much good information that could really help you. So just read it and let me know what you think unless you already have.
Nick and Tati: Happy Anniversary this week! I know it's early but I can't remember if it's the 2nd or 3rd. I'm glad you know all about XMI. That makes me feel better like it's not just some junk tie from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. haha Thank you so much for the long email and the advice. It really did help and I'm trying to improve this area and Elder Russell as much as I can.
Kat and Tom: I'm praying for you in school and it sounds like you need it with all the tests back to back to back! That's crazy! I'm glad you seem to be doing well though. The way you described the party was awesome. It really made me look forward to when we can all be home again and have them together! I agree with you Tom is pretty awesome! I hope everything's going good with him and your guys' temple prep. That's exciting! I'm so happy for you guys!
Grandma Craft: Thank you so much for the email and the write up. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures and letters. I look forward to getting you letter this week!
Mom: Thanks for the advice that you gave me! It really helped me too. I know that I can do all things with the Lord and like I said I feel the blessings I'm receiving from your prayers! How long did my letter take to get to you? It seems like mail takes a really long time to get here or that maybe I'm just not as loved as I think haha. I'm hoping to get your letters soon.
Dad: I'm praying for you with this new job, but I know that you can handle it with no problem. I'm glad to hear the Tyler decided he didn't want to be gay and play for Davis. He'll be a good addition for them along with Parker, Jordan's little brother. They're both really good, so I'm interested to see how tryouts go.
Camie and Brock: I liked to little faces on the email. It really helped to describe your emotions. haha That really is too bad about all those shots for 26 weeks! But the only thing I have to say is. . . . .Karma. haha I'm just kidding. That really is no fun,but then again neither is early labor and bed rest. I guess you'll just have to take your pick. I'm glad to hear that Brandt's doing well and staying healthy, and that you're whole little family's just doing great! :) God luck with school. I'll be praying for you.
Well I think that that's about it until next week. Thanks again so much for all the love, prayer, and support you guys give me! I miss you all a lot! I love you and can't wait to hear about the new exciting adventures next week.
Love, Alex
Hey everyone! So first of all I'd just like to apologize for not getting to write you yesterday. We actually had Zone Conference in Rochester and so our P-Day got moved to today. I warned President Howell that the mission home might be getting a call because my family didn't hear from me and he just laughed and said, " I hope so because then at least we know they still care about you". It kinda made me laugh too. haha
So my first question I guess is did Brady get his present form me? Nick wrote me and said that he did,but I haven't heard yet so I'm not sure with Brady.haha The birthday party sounds like a normal Craft family gathering. Full of laughing, sarcasm, and some comments from Brady. haha Jk I'm gald that you're at least trying to fill in for me there. The funny part is that as I read the part that Kathleen wrote me with all the quotes and story about Natalie's phone I could totally picture that whole scenario in my head and it just made me laugh. I'm surprised that Natalie let her phone out of site at all. I thought that that thing would be completely attached to her by now haha.
As far as this the area of Kasson is concerned. I'm still trying to motivate and keep looking at the positive each and everyday. We've been trying to point out miracles everyday that we see. Even if they may be small. Things like the fact that that last house we knocked on didn't slam the door in our face even though they weren't interested. I've talked to the mission president about the attitudes and situations there and we talked about the people of Ammon when they were enslaved with heavy burdens on their back the Lord didn't remove those burdens. Instead he strengthened their backs to be able to carry them. That's what President Howell said he's seen with me and has full confidence and faith in me. That really helped me to feel good knowing that he called me to this area because he trusted in me to be able to be the catalyst to change the way things are. That's something I talked with Elder Russell my first couple days out about. I told him that this is a land of miracles just waiting to happen and we could be the ones to make it happen. He told me that tracting was ineffective and that this area has never had a baptism from tracting. My reply was, "then how amazing will it be when we are the first ones to do that?". That's what my attitude about it here has been all along and I know it's from the strength that the Lord is giving me to carry my burdens. Your prayers are such a blessing and they help so much each and every day. The great thing also is that we had a good exchange with our Zone Leader last week and Zone Conference yesterday so Elder Russell was able to talk to both of them about his concerns and I was able to talk to them too. Ever since those his attitude has been improving incredibly. We working on a couple that have some potential now that we're teaching and so I'm really hoping with his new attitude we can see the success and changes I've been praying so hard for and that I know can happen here! The only negative thing about this area so far isn't so much about the area as it is this climate. I am just getting so sick and tired of cold and snow now! Over the couple weeks I've been here we've gotten a total of 8-10 new inches of snow. We've had a couple more days of below 0 tracting too. Even though I tell myself these experience will help me and it builds character I'm pretty sure that I've built up enough of that character in the last 4 months. haha I'm looking forward to the experiences that come with the myth of warm weather I hear everyone talk about. haha
I hope that everyone else is doing great! It really is so good to get all your emails and letters. Even if the letters might take almost a week to get here I appreciate them so much! They really help me out.
Brady: I hope you did get my present cause it was sweet! haha I hope eveything's going great with school. Good luck with tryouts. Let me know how they go and how Fremont's doing in State. I have one piece of advice that I want you to do sometime this week. If you guys have the Ensign for March already I would HIGHLY suggest to you that you read the talk on page 22 about missionaries and preparing for a mission. It has so much good information that could really help you. So just read it and let me know what you think unless you already have.
Nick and Tati: Happy Anniversary this week! I know it's early but I can't remember if it's the 2nd or 3rd. I'm glad you know all about XMI. That makes me feel better like it's not just some junk tie from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. haha Thank you so much for the long email and the advice. It really did help and I'm trying to improve this area and Elder Russell as much as I can.
Kat and Tom: I'm praying for you in school and it sounds like you need it with all the tests back to back to back! That's crazy! I'm glad you seem to be doing well though. The way you described the party was awesome. It really made me look forward to when we can all be home again and have them together! I agree with you Tom is pretty awesome! I hope everything's going good with him and your guys' temple prep. That's exciting! I'm so happy for you guys!
Grandma Craft: Thank you so much for the email and the write up. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures and letters. I look forward to getting you letter this week!
Mom: Thanks for the advice that you gave me! It really helped me too. I know that I can do all things with the Lord and like I said I feel the blessings I'm receiving from your prayers! How long did my letter take to get to you? It seems like mail takes a really long time to get here or that maybe I'm just not as loved as I think haha. I'm hoping to get your letters soon.
Dad: I'm praying for you with this new job, but I know that you can handle it with no problem. I'm glad to hear the Tyler decided he didn't want to be gay and play for Davis. He'll be a good addition for them along with Parker, Jordan's little brother. They're both really good, so I'm interested to see how tryouts go.
Camie and Brock: I liked to little faces on the email. It really helped to describe your emotions. haha That really is too bad about all those shots for 26 weeks! But the only thing I have to say is. . . . .Karma. haha I'm just kidding. That really is no fun,but then again neither is early labor and bed rest. I guess you'll just have to take your pick. I'm glad to hear that Brandt's doing well and staying healthy, and that you're whole little family's just doing great! :) God luck with school. I'll be praying for you.
Well I think that that's about it until next week. Thanks again so much for all the love, prayer, and support you guys give me! I miss you all a lot! I love you and can't wait to hear about the new exciting adventures next week.
Love, Alex
Monday, February 21, 2011
Welcome to Kasson
Hello Everyone,
I'll start off with the news about the new area first before I get to the difficult part. Kasson, Minnesota is a smaller town with a Branch that has about 20-30 members I guess. I wouldn't know because church was canceled yesterday due to the blizzard of 6 new inches on snow and the 1/4 inch of freezing rain that feel on top of that just yesterday morning. There's about 5,000 people in Kasson but we cover a couple smaller towns in the surrounding area. I was told last week before I transferred here that I'm cursed to be in "the sticks" all my mission because that's where I live back home. haha what people not from Hooper don't realize is that it's a smaller town but right next to civilization. We have a Wal-Mart five minutes away. Here in Kasson they have a Hardware Hank that has "most of what we need" haha. At least that's what Elder Russell told me. The nearest Wal-Mart is 20 miles away in Rochester, so we'll see if I can survive without it. ;) M., the one I taught in Menomonie, said that, "[I was] moving from a branch about to become a ward to a twig about to become a branch". I thought that was pretty funny! This area's a lot different than Menomonie. I would have never guessed when I first cam out that I would miss Menomonie like I have. It was a great area! The people there were awesome too! Elder Russell's a little different than either of my other companions that I've had. He's a good Elder we're just not as alike as Elder Katoa and I were. It'll be interesting these next few weeks. We'll just put it that way. We live with another member but it's not our own apartment like at the G.s, so that's an adjustment too. The guy we live with, L., is a member but his wife isn't. first thing he said to me the night I showed up was, "welcome to h***". (I decided to edit that for all of you.) So like I said it's just going to be interesting here in Kasson. haha
Now onto the tough part about Bishop Randall. I got a phone call from President Howell Thursday morning. I'm already kinda struggling trying to get used to this new area. He asked me how things were going and then said, "Elder. . .I've got some bad news for you. . .". My heart sank. I didn't know what to expect that he'd say next. A million different thoughts involving all my family members went through my head. What he did tell me that Mom had called and told him shocked me. I would have never expected that. I was outside while I was talking to him and I just started to cry. It was definitely hard to deal with. Especially in the given circumstances. Bishop Randall was a great man that I felt very close to. I'm going to miss him very much. His influence will be missed in the ward and in Hooper. I hope his family's doing well and it sounds like they are. I know these trials are all to help me grow. It may be tough but I know I can make it through the next little while. Like Mom said he would want me to keep focused and work hard. I'm trying to do just that for him. It's such a blessing to know this AMAZING Plan of Salvation that our loving Heavenly Father has for us!! The peace that come from this knowledge has been what's really helped at times like this. He's involved in a much greater work now.
Camie: Thanks for the info on everyone in Idaho. It made me laugh haha. Good luck with school! I expect at least 1 letter per week now. ;) Time is. . . not flying. It feels basically just the same as you and Mom. Hopefully it changes and I'm trying to do all I can to help that too. haha the picture of Brandt's face was great too. Now I see that he does look a lot like you. Maybe his face is like that and he looks so confused because of all the dives he's taken off the furniture.
Dad and Mom: Thank you for telling me the news Mom. It was hard but I'm glad to know. As for now just keep the program and obituary for me please. I don't want to lose it out here. I liked your Elder Katoa humor Dad, and that story was hilarious. I was actually laughing out loud. I can totally imagine and picture that! Good luck at your old stomping grounds in Rexburg. Tell Ashley I said hi haha. how long's it going to take for you to finish?
Well I hope everything else is going well for everyone back home. Tell Brady to let me know how his tournament went and Happy Birthday! I hope he and Nick both got the packages I sent. I love you and miss you all very much! I can't wait to hear from you all again and just an fyi it's snowing again. I think my new favorite hobby is going to be shoveling driveways. Mostly because I do that so much. haha In Ofa lahi atu!!
Love, Alex
p.s I'm going to email a bunch of pictures of Menomonie and some from here in Kasson. Hope you like them.
I'll start off with the news about the new area first before I get to the difficult part. Kasson, Minnesota is a smaller town with a Branch that has about 20-30 members I guess. I wouldn't know because church was canceled yesterday due to the blizzard of 6 new inches on snow and the 1/4 inch of freezing rain that feel on top of that just yesterday morning. There's about 5,000 people in Kasson but we cover a couple smaller towns in the surrounding area. I was told last week before I transferred here that I'm cursed to be in "the sticks" all my mission because that's where I live back home. haha what people not from Hooper don't realize is that it's a smaller town but right next to civilization. We have a Wal-Mart five minutes away. Here in Kasson they have a Hardware Hank that has "most of what we need" haha. At least that's what Elder Russell told me. The nearest Wal-Mart is 20 miles away in Rochester, so we'll see if I can survive without it. ;) M., the one I taught in Menomonie, said that, "[I was] moving from a branch about to become a ward to a twig about to become a branch". I thought that was pretty funny! This area's a lot different than Menomonie. I would have never guessed when I first cam out that I would miss Menomonie like I have. It was a great area! The people there were awesome too! Elder Russell's a little different than either of my other companions that I've had. He's a good Elder we're just not as alike as Elder Katoa and I were. It'll be interesting these next few weeks. We'll just put it that way. We live with another member but it's not our own apartment like at the G.s, so that's an adjustment too. The guy we live with, L., is a member but his wife isn't. first thing he said to me the night I showed up was, "welcome to h***". (I decided to edit that for all of you.) So like I said it's just going to be interesting here in Kasson. haha
Now onto the tough part about Bishop Randall. I got a phone call from President Howell Thursday morning. I'm already kinda struggling trying to get used to this new area. He asked me how things were going and then said, "Elder. . .I've got some bad news for you. . .". My heart sank. I didn't know what to expect that he'd say next. A million different thoughts involving all my family members went through my head. What he did tell me that Mom had called and told him shocked me. I would have never expected that. I was outside while I was talking to him and I just started to cry. It was definitely hard to deal with. Especially in the given circumstances. Bishop Randall was a great man that I felt very close to. I'm going to miss him very much. His influence will be missed in the ward and in Hooper. I hope his family's doing well and it sounds like they are. I know these trials are all to help me grow. It may be tough but I know I can make it through the next little while. Like Mom said he would want me to keep focused and work hard. I'm trying to do just that for him. It's such a blessing to know this AMAZING Plan of Salvation that our loving Heavenly Father has for us!! The peace that come from this knowledge has been what's really helped at times like this. He's involved in a much greater work now.
Camie: Thanks for the info on everyone in Idaho. It made me laugh haha. Good luck with school! I expect at least 1 letter per week now. ;) Time is. . . not flying. It feels basically just the same as you and Mom. Hopefully it changes and I'm trying to do all I can to help that too. haha the picture of Brandt's face was great too. Now I see that he does look a lot like you. Maybe his face is like that and he looks so confused because of all the dives he's taken off the furniture.
Dad and Mom: Thank you for telling me the news Mom. It was hard but I'm glad to know. As for now just keep the program and obituary for me please. I don't want to lose it out here. I liked your Elder Katoa humor Dad, and that story was hilarious. I was actually laughing out loud. I can totally imagine and picture that! Good luck at your old stomping grounds in Rexburg. Tell Ashley I said hi haha. how long's it going to take for you to finish?
Well I hope everything else is going well for everyone back home. Tell Brady to let me know how his tournament went and Happy Birthday! I hope he and Nick both got the packages I sent. I love you and miss you all very much! I can't wait to hear from you all again and just an fyi it's snowing again. I think my new favorite hobby is going to be shoveling driveways. Mostly because I do that so much. haha In Ofa lahi atu!!
Love, Alex
p.s I'm going to email a bunch of pictures of Menomonie and some from here in Kasson. Hope you like them.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January 31, 2011
Hey Family,
What's up everyone? Well not too much new with me that's all that crazy this week. I'm glad to hear Cevering did so well at his farewell. I knew he would and that he's going to be an amazing missionary. He's gonna tear it up in Chile! I think Weav's farewell should be next week or the week after cause he's leaving pretty soon too. I'm glad to hear my friends all still remember me and are thinking of me while I freeze here. I think if you tell them the best way to find out how I'm doing would be to actually write me a freaking letter it would be for the best! haha jk It works just as good to have you guys keep the entourage informed. ;)
So last week wasn't actually too cold for most of it. We had some crazy "heat wave" for a couple days that we got up in the high 20's almost to 30 degrees. I didn't know what to do with myself. I almost pulled out the short sleeved dress shirts, but I figured all good things must come to an end, and I was right because today it's back down 15-20 degrees colder and snowing. But hey at least we're on the positive side of 0. haha When we had those warm temperatures we got a bunch of freezing mist that was a giant pain in the butt though. It just covered our car and everything else in this thin layer of ice that made walking and driving in some places a bit treacherous. It was weird because it hung in the air too. We'd just be walking and feel it hit your face and we could see what looked like glitter just hanging there. It was pretty weird, but we survived.
Here in Menomonie we have a lake called Lake Menomin that's right by Main St. and the highway coming into town. Cars have been driving out there to ice fish since December, so that's no big deal. On Saturday there was a whole little village set up out there with probably 100+ cars. We could hear snowmobiles out there too. They were having snowmobile drag races out across the lake. It was kinda cool to just watch them for a second. They had two plowed lanes that they would just scream down, and to think that it was all on top of the water was way cool. It's gotta be some pretty thick ice to support everyone out there, and it's something they do every year too. I just don't know if I'd have enough faith to try and drive out there. Elder Katoa and I thought about it but then we figured, not only is it against the rules, but sinking a car that was provided by other members of the Church might not be the greatest thing to try and deal with let alone explain to President Howell.
The other cool thing about being here in Wisconsin now is the fact that the Packers made it to the Super Bowl! The bad part is that we hear the Steelers are a really good team, so we'll see what happens next week. There's going to be no point in tracting during the game because no one will even answer the door. I just hope that they win so that we have a lot of really really happy Wisconsinites to talk to. If they lose it might not be such a great day to go around and try to talk to everyone about Jesus Christ and how His Gospel can bless them in their lives. Strangely enough I don't think they'll wanna hear it. We figure either way, win or lose, they'll all be intoxicated and we might get to talk to them because of that. haha
I don't really have anything else to write about that's cool or exciting. I haven't had any new animals that I've gotten to eat yet in case you all were wondering. As far as I can tell I don't have any new parasites living inside me from what I've already had either.
Kat and Tom: Good luck with the test! I hope all goes well and you pass so that you can handle any other thing thrown at you like you said. haha I like the pictures you attached. Brandt looks way cute! I think not only Mom but Camie and Natalie are going to kill you for posting those pictures on the internet. I was afraid for anyone looking at my screen here at the library that might think I was raised in the circus with the clowns.
Grandma Craft: I hope they organize temple trips for you too because it is such a blessing to be able to go. I wish that we could go more than quarterly here as missionaries, but I look forward to when I can even more because of it.
Mom: I did get your letter that you wrote at 5 a.m. but I haven't gotten one from anyone else yet. I feel bad that I can't write all of you a letter each week. I just don't have the time. I did send Sidne a letter though! I don't know what she's talking about because it was sent with those other ones and was like 2 pages long front and back. It took forever! I think I sent it to her house address, but I can't remember. I could have sent it to her apartment at Utah State, so if you could just let her know that I did send it I just don't know which address she needs to check that's be great.
Nick and Tati: Thanks for giving me your address. You were the only sibling that I didn't have an address for. Congratulations Dr. Craft! I'll keep praying for you so you can have the job opportunites come up. I can't believe you guys drove 1mph through that snow storm! That is terrible!! I guess it would be bad for people though if they've never driven in it. Especially 5 inches.
Well sorry this is kinda short but I hope that everyone's just doing amazing!! Like I said I'm sorry I can't write all of you individually each week like I'd like to. I do feel bad. I hope to hear from you all again soon! I love you, miss you, and pray for you all each night! Thank you for your prayers they really do help.
What's up everyone? Well not too much new with me that's all that crazy this week. I'm glad to hear Cevering did so well at his farewell. I knew he would and that he's going to be an amazing missionary. He's gonna tear it up in Chile! I think Weav's farewell should be next week or the week after cause he's leaving pretty soon too. I'm glad to hear my friends all still remember me and are thinking of me while I freeze here. I think if you tell them the best way to find out how I'm doing would be to actually write me a freaking letter it would be for the best! haha jk It works just as good to have you guys keep the entourage informed. ;)
So last week wasn't actually too cold for most of it. We had some crazy "heat wave" for a couple days that we got up in the high 20's almost to 30 degrees. I didn't know what to do with myself. I almost pulled out the short sleeved dress shirts, but I figured all good things must come to an end, and I was right because today it's back down 15-20 degrees colder and snowing. But hey at least we're on the positive side of 0. haha When we had those warm temperatures we got a bunch of freezing mist that was a giant pain in the butt though. It just covered our car and everything else in this thin layer of ice that made walking and driving in some places a bit treacherous. It was weird because it hung in the air too. We'd just be walking and feel it hit your face and we could see what looked like glitter just hanging there. It was pretty weird, but we survived.
Here in Menomonie we have a lake called Lake Menomin that's right by Main St. and the highway coming into town. Cars have been driving out there to ice fish since December, so that's no big deal. On Saturday there was a whole little village set up out there with probably 100+ cars. We could hear snowmobiles out there too. They were having snowmobile drag races out across the lake. It was kinda cool to just watch them for a second. They had two plowed lanes that they would just scream down, and to think that it was all on top of the water was way cool. It's gotta be some pretty thick ice to support everyone out there, and it's something they do every year too. I just don't know if I'd have enough faith to try and drive out there. Elder Katoa and I thought about it but then we figured, not only is it against the rules, but sinking a car that was provided by other members of the Church might not be the greatest thing to try and deal with let alone explain to President Howell.
The other cool thing about being here in Wisconsin now is the fact that the Packers made it to the Super Bowl! The bad part is that we hear the Steelers are a really good team, so we'll see what happens next week. There's going to be no point in tracting during the game because no one will even answer the door. I just hope that they win so that we have a lot of really really happy Wisconsinites to talk to. If they lose it might not be such a great day to go around and try to talk to everyone about Jesus Christ and how His Gospel can bless them in their lives. Strangely enough I don't think they'll wanna hear it. We figure either way, win or lose, they'll all be intoxicated and we might get to talk to them because of that. haha
I don't really have anything else to write about that's cool or exciting. I haven't had any new animals that I've gotten to eat yet in case you all were wondering. As far as I can tell I don't have any new parasites living inside me from what I've already had either.
Kat and Tom: Good luck with the test! I hope all goes well and you pass so that you can handle any other thing thrown at you like you said. haha I like the pictures you attached. Brandt looks way cute! I think not only Mom but Camie and Natalie are going to kill you for posting those pictures on the internet. I was afraid for anyone looking at my screen here at the library that might think I was raised in the circus with the clowns.
Grandma Craft: I hope they organize temple trips for you too because it is such a blessing to be able to go. I wish that we could go more than quarterly here as missionaries, but I look forward to when I can even more because of it.
Mom: I did get your letter that you wrote at 5 a.m. but I haven't gotten one from anyone else yet. I feel bad that I can't write all of you a letter each week. I just don't have the time. I did send Sidne a letter though! I don't know what she's talking about because it was sent with those other ones and was like 2 pages long front and back. It took forever! I think I sent it to her house address, but I can't remember. I could have sent it to her apartment at Utah State, so if you could just let her know that I did send it I just don't know which address she needs to check that's be great.
Nick and Tati: Thanks for giving me your address. You were the only sibling that I didn't have an address for. Congratulations Dr. Craft! I'll keep praying for you so you can have the job opportunites come up. I can't believe you guys drove 1mph through that snow storm! That is terrible!! I guess it would be bad for people though if they've never driven in it. Especially 5 inches.
Well sorry this is kinda short but I hope that everyone's just doing amazing!! Like I said I'm sorry I can't write all of you individually each week like I'd like to. I do feel bad. I hope to hear from you all again soon! I love you, miss you, and pray for you all each night! Thank you for your prayers they really do help.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Dear Craft Family!!
Sorry first of all that I send the emails to different ones each week I just respond to the last one from Dad usually. That's too bad for Chase. Dang it!! I really feel bad. I need their address so I can write him. I'm gonna miss his birthday though, so if you guys could tell him Happy Birthday and that I'm thinking of him that'd be awesome!
Thank you so much for the package! I was really excited to get it! I hope I was suppose to open it and not wait until Christmas because I already opened it. haha Just a quick question though: Am I suppose to send the stocking back after Christmas? Everything you guys sent was great! I love it! For next time though please don't send any more sunflower seeds. I really like them but I can only eat them during my personal study at home sometimes, so i"m not even through the first bag that you sent when I first flew out. Almost a month ago! I never thought I'd make it. The days still seem super long but I've survived so far. Haha I'm sorry that all I could send were some cheesy cards but I don't know what else I could send. I wish I could send you all something cool from here, but the back woods of Wisconsin don't really have much to offer. Not even for the people that live here. That's one thing me and my companion haven't figured out is why people choose to live here. Apparently it's the summers because it's so beautiful around, but we think there's a disease called "The Forgetful Syndrome" that people suffer from. It comes around in April or May and makes people forget that there ever was a winter so they stay here. Then when September/October rolls around and it gets cold again they forget what it was like and are ornery and complain the whole time. As missionaries knocking on there door at night in that freezing cold we get to suffer the side effects of this syndrome. It's great! But that's the best explanation we have for people living here.
I'm so excited to call you guys!! I can't wait! I think what I'll do is call you from the house phone of the people I live it since they'll be gone and said we can use it. Then you'll just call me right back like at the airport. From the information everyone's told me it sounds like between 1-2 pm around maybe 1:30 will be best for everyone when they're all there. So plan on that and I can't wait to talk to you all! I'm hoping maybe I can call Nick and Tati too since they can't be there, but we'll see. Fingers crossed!
As for my companion it sounds like everyone thinks I really don't like this guy. Well that's not true. I just wanna clear up that Elder Blume's a great missionary that I'm very happy to be serving with. He's a great companion and example on how to be a missionary and an effective one at that. The thing that's also true is that he can drive me a little nuts with some of the stuff he does, but that's just how it goes and I guess I should thank him for teaching me patience and how to deal with married life too. To answers some other questions about him he's been out 16-17 months and goes home the first week in August. It's been really funny to see our different perceptions of this transfer. He's thought it's flown by and I'm wondering how I'll ever survive to the end. If the end even gets here! haha Jk but really it is kinda funny how true that is.
Oh yeah shoveling snow has been a great work out. Which is good but sweating in a suit in -5 isn't the funnest thing. Plus, it's something I never thought would be humanly possible. I'll get some more practice with it though because we're having another storm right now that's suppose to give another 6-9 inches. It's funny you said I can stay in shape with it Mom because the 30 minute morning workout's a joke. I'm never motivated to get all into and workout like I did at home. There's only so much that push ups and sit ups can do for you in 30 minutes.
I'm glad to hear that Dad, Brady, and of course Tom can still keep the Tar Heel pride alive. I hope they get better. It can't get much worse than last year. Sorry I can't address everyone specifically again, but I will to those who asked other questions.
Kat and Tom: Thanks for sending a package! I'm excited to get it and try these infamous cupcakes. Camie's just using the cupcake craving as an excuse. We all know she's a recovered childhood Root Beeraholic. It doesn't matter that there cupcakes it's the ingredient inside! ;) JK Camie haha I am looking forward to seeing Harry Potter and to do that marathon too! Everyone here's been telling us how cool it is too, so I'm glad you can rub it in. :) What exactly is the definition of LemonFresh in the dictionary? That's way funny!
Nick and Tati: That's not even a snow storm what you guys had. That is funny they canceled school for it. Are you guys in the DC South MIssion at all? I'm just curious because that's where the other half of my district's at. Tell Tati not to worry and you too about writing. I know you both are crazy busy! Especially with those hours you look. If it makes you feel better I don't get Christmas or New Years off. They told us that's not a P-Day, so we get to call home and then go out and look like normal. I don't think many people will be too willing to listen, so that should make tracting fun. I hope the job search gets a little better for you. Let me know of any news.
Brady: All I really wanted to ask is what you, Katlin, and Chantel talked about at Carol's for so long? I'm kinda worried about that. haha
I hope everyone else is doing great! Sorry I didn't have anything specific for everyone. Tell Carol thanks for the journal. That was way nice! I remember that assembly too Mom. That was crazy but was so fun! It was one of the coolest memories of high school for sure. You're very welcome for inviting you to them all. I was just so happy to see all of you at all my games, assemblies, and everything else you supported me in! You guys are the greatest!! I can't wait to talk to you all! I love you and miss you so much! I look forward to when I can come home and tell you all the great stories I'm going to have. Merry Christmas and I'll talk to you Saturday!! :)
Love, Elder Alex Craft
Monday, December 13, 2010
First Record Snow Storm
Dear Family,
I'd just like to start this letter by apologizing to all those who I don't have time to write pesronal response to. I really wish I could I just don't have time or type nearly fast enough. You all have to remember I'm writing all these with the 32 WPM typing ability. Pretty good I know!! ;)
I'll address just things for everyone at the first of this and then answer most of the individual questions later. For Christmas I actually resalize that I have no idea and really don't care what I get.haha I just love and miss you all so much anything from you would mean the world for me! Food's usually good and socks I guess. It sounds really lame but I don't know what else to ask for. It seems to change each time. I just know that anything with the family is fine for me to get. Sorry that's not much help. Next I just wanna ask two major concerns of mine: 1- How's the garage look? And is my 20+ hour labor of love still being used? 2- What's the situation look like with my car? I don't know if I said this in the last email but if you have to please just sell it stereo and all. I can get another one when I get back I just don't want it to be a burdon on the family because I know Brady's trying really hard to get a job but with no luck. Sorry about that Brady I wish you could have one of my old jobs. Just keep looking man. Speaking of which have you gotten any new job offers or interviews Dad? This is more for Kat and Tom I guess but I'm just curious doesn't Tom have a brother named Paul in St. Paul? And you two were just there? Anyway moving on to the next question, has anyone gone to see the lights at Temple Square yet? I miss that actually even though I didn'y go a ton. We just see pictures of it here and tell people about it, and that made me realize how much I really took for granted living in Utah. I've realized how much I love it there. So my advice is to either go as a family or it's a great date idea (Brady ;)), but that's just my opinion. I'm glad you all got to see the news coverage of that because I was living it!! This area is usually the coldest part of the country when you look at the weather, but this storm was rare even for them. My comp and I were inside Friday because we weren't feeling the greatest so we were just trying to make it better before anything serious developed, but then the whole mission was grounded on Saturday. It started snowing early Saturday morning and didn't end until early Sunday morning around 6 a.m. I guess. In that 24 hour time perios it dumped 20 inches alll over the whole area!! It was a crazy blizzard white out and watching it from the window of our apartment was nuts! It did collapse the roof of the Viking stadium along with shutting down the major highway between both states I-94 because there were huge 4 ft snow drifts all over that theyy couldn't get removed. They canceled church in all the stakes of our mission yesterday but no we don't stay inside for that. We only stay in once it hits -40. So we went out with a plan to do some contacting but had to help Bro. Greenwood who we live with move the 2 feet of snow of the driveway and our car for an hour. Once we finished we had to go to the church to get some more snow shovels and ending up shoveling the snow off that sidewalk so people could actually get in. Being the amazing missionaries we are we didn't stop there. We went and dugg a member family's driveway and cars out because once the plows came yesterday morning for the first time they moved all of the packed snow to the side in 3-4 ft mounds. When we drive down any street there's cars buried all over and the snow plowed to the side is as high as the window on the car doors, so it's kinda weird to drive anywhere. It really looks like a barren frozen tundra now with everything covered in feet, not inches, feet of snow. These are the experiences I was waiting for and expected though so I got them. Especially yesterday because we still had to shovel another elderly couple out last night in the middle of nowhere where they hadn't had any plows but there were plenty of giant snow drifts. Plus the temperature was about -10 and that helped to keep the whole experience pretty real. It was pretty warm today actually at a whopping 5 degrees. The best part about this huge snow storm is that now unlike Utah where it can all be melted the next day this will all be here plus some until at least April. I'm looking forward to that.
Now to kinda address each of you so it's a little more personal:
Dad- I'm glad that the pictures I emailed got to you but I can't remember what I sent to help you label them sorry. You can upload anything I send to that blog that's fine and I don't care who's allowed to see it. Whoever you guys want is fine by me. Except tell Mitch that he can't log onto it until that kid writes me back for the letter I sent him haha jk. You can send stuff to the mission home and they'er good about forwarding it to me but for anyone that wants to know my physical address is XXXXXX
Mom- Sorry I didn't answer this last week but yes I know hard to believe people will reject and not listen to us. They must not know who I am ;). Every time someone does though I don't get mad or anything I just think to myself "I hope I'm there when they're at judgment and I get to look at them and go I tried to tell you" so that's what keeps me going. I'm sorry to hear about the show you did. That's a bummer for sure. I hope the next one goes well for you. I'm glad you got the pictures though like I told Dad and that you liked them. I am a little homesick but it's getting better for sure through much prayer and trust in the Lord.
Nick and Tati- How's everything going? Thanks for doing the blog too. That's way cool! Specifically how's the job hunt going and how are you Tati? I haven't heard much about you so I'm just curious.
Kat and Tom- These cupcakes I've been promised sound amazing and I can't wait to finally get them. Thanks again for all the love and emails you both send that help me so much.
Camie, Brock, and Brandt- That's so awesome to hear about Alicia and Heather! They finally realized that all people can repent ;)! jk hah but that really is exciting and I'm glad to hear Brandt's doing great along with both of you.
Brady- You have a new girlfriend huh? Nice work! but I need a picture to approve of it fully haha jk man. I'm glad you're happy but you've probaly already heard it and I'll just say it again: don't get too attached because dating alot of other girls can be really fun too!! Trust me I've been there done that haha JK Basketball sounds like it's going good too. I loved those games! Just keep the pride going!
Natalie- Maybe certain people are more ornery because they're more stressed. Just be supportive and offer to help anyway that you can and it should help. I know you do already to keep up the good attitude and you'll be fine I promise. Yes I've gotten plenty more doors slammed in my face and I still laugh everytime. It's their problem and salvation not mine. I haven't gotten any stocking yet but I look forward to it!
Grandma Craft- Thanks for that story!! That was very cool and amazing that it was a true story. How are you doing? Are you feeling any better? I miss not being able to visit you but look forward to the letters and emails.
Well this was a little longer and more informative so I hope it helps, but the work here is amazing despite the biting cold the work of the Lord never stops. I feel so privelaged to be apart of it and to see the change and joy that it can bring into peoples lives like it has to ours! My favorite thing is to teach the Plan of Salvation because I have such a string testimony of that and I'm so thankful for it in my life! You all are the greatest and I love, appreciate, and miss all of you so much! I can't wait to hear from you again and you'll all be in my prayers.
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