Elder Crow four months put on Saturday 11/30/15

Dear people of the Elder Crow group email,
I am terribly sorry for getting this out so late, didn't have any wifi and we were really busy today! I guess I'll talk about my Thanksgiving this past Thursday. We had 2 dinner appointments back to back, we could've had more but we don't want too much food haha. Wait a minute did I just say that, wow missions really do change you! Haha anyways, we went frisbee golfing, or frolfing, with a member and it actually turned out to be pretty fun! He even gave me a disc to keep so that's pretty cool. The rest of my day consisted of eating food and talking to member since we don't do normal missionary work on days like Thanksgiving. We stayed at one member's home for s while and played card games while eating their food, that's missionaries for ya. They come, they eat, they leave you with a spiritual thought. But I think I really was reminded of the immense gratitude  I have for my amazing family. Seeing the love and the care that all of these members have for their families is truly touching and I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough for what He has given me. He gave me the coolest dad in the world! One who cares for me and loves me more than I probably know; someone who always seemed to be there when I needed him and someone who raised me better than I'll probably do with my kids; he's shown me what it truly means to love and share it with others. God gave me his most caring and loving daughter to be my rock and my mother upon this earth. She showed me love and always looked after me even when I probably didn't deserve it and she instilled in me an example of serving others. Each and every one of my sisters gave me patience. That is all. Haha just kidding I care for each one of them and I hope they know I pray for each of them every night. I wish I could still be there to be their protector and spend time with them but I know that Heavenly Father is watching out for them. 

I testify that our Father in Heaven watches out for us and gives us blessing throughout our lives. We as humans don't usually take the time to recognize them because we expect these huge noticeable miracles in our lives. But that is not how God works. When we take the time to slow down, shut your mouth, and look around us it is so incredibly easy to see the hand of God in our lives. Heavenly Father knows exactly what to do in our lives to lift us up and help us through our trials. The atonement of Jesus Christ is perfectly fitted to each of His children, we are NEVER alone. I have seen lives changed in the little time I have been serving the Lord and I pray that Heavenly Father will continue to use me as His servant to bless those around me. There is a poem/story that I will share that perfectly explains it. As a servant of the Lord and a representative of Jesus Christ, I testify to you that He love YOU! No matter what you may think, He does! It is by grace we are saved AFTER all we can do. So whenever you think He's not there, open your eyes and watch he mercy of Christ work wonders. I can say that He has wrought a change in my heart and I know that I can always remember who I am. I am a Son of God. I love you all, count your blessings whenever you think there are none in your life.

Much love, 

Elder Crow

After All We Can Do By Robbie Pierce

I had been in that hole for a very long time—

In the dark and the damp, in the cold and the slime.

The shaft was above me; I saw it quite clear,

But there’s no way I ever could reach it from here.

I could not remember the world way up there,

So I lost every hope and gave in to despair.

I knew nothing but darkness, the floor, and the wall.

Then from off in the distance I heard someone call:

“Get up! Get ready! There’s nothing the matter!

Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder!”

This was a thought that had not crossed my mind,

But I started to stack all the stones I could find.

When I ran out of stones, then old sticks were my goal,

For some way or another I’d climb from that hole.

I soon had a ladder that stood very tall,

And I thought, “I’ll soon leave this place once and for all!”

I climbed up my ladder, a difficult chore,

For from lifting those boulders, my shoulders were sore.

I climbed up the ladder, but soon had to stop,

For my ladder stopped short, some ten feet from the top.

I went back down my ladder and felt all around,

But there were no more boulders nor sticks to be found.

I sat down in the darkness and started to cry.

I’d done all I could do and I gave my best try.

But in spite of my work, in this hole I must die.

And all I could do was to sit and think, “Why?”

Was my ladder to short? Was my hole much too deep?

Then from way up on high came a voice: “Do not weep.”

And then faith, hope, and love entered into my chest

As the voice calmly told me that I’d done my best.

He said, “You have worked hard, and your labor’s been rough,

But the ladder you’ve built is at last tall enough.

So do not despair; there is reason to hope,

Just climb up your ladder; I’ll throw down my rope.”

I climbed up my ladder, then climbed up the cord.

When I got to the top of it, there stood the Lord.

I’ve never been happier; my struggle was done.

I blinked in the brightness that came from the Son.

I fell to the ground as His feet I did kiss.

I cried, “Lord, can I ever repay Thee for this?”

He looked all about. There were holes in the ground.

They had people inside, and were seen all around.

There were thousands of holes that were damp, dark and deep.

Then the Lord looked at me, and He said, “Feed My sheep.”

And he went on his way to save other lost souls,

So I got right to work, calling down to the holes,

“Get up! Get ready! There is nothing the matter!

Take rocks, and take sticks, and build up a fine ladder!”

It now was my calling to spread the good word,

The most glorious message that man ever heard:

That there’s one who is coming to save one and all,

And we need to be ready when he gives the call.

He’ll pull us all out of the holes that we’re in

And save all our souls from cold death and from sin.

So do not lose faith; there is reason to hope:

Just climb up your ladder; he’ll throw down his rope.

Buzz cut