Good afternoon from Kentucky, I hope all y'all had a wonderful Easter!
My first Easter on my mission was a good one, success was obtained in being happy on Easter. Church was absolutely wonderful, I loved every moment of it! We had 2 investigators and a ton of less-active members of the church; it feels so fulfilling to have someone you invite to church actually come! Interesting Eastern Kentucky fact: a ton of people don't have cars, so they have to be given a ride to church. So the woman we asked to drive 1 of our investigators to church wasn't answering her phone and the people we had coming said she wasn't there yet and it was only 20 minutes until church started and I was freaking out on the inside (but I was as calm as a block of cheese on the outside). But they ended up making it! We have now had someone come to church with us for the past 6 weeks in a row and it feels so awesome!!! But it is not because of anything Elder Parks or I did, it was all Heavenly Father in His awesome mercy!
I think I've mentioned a girl named Maggie Carnes in a past few emails, if not then you will now hear about her. She is the youngest of 6, she's 11 and she in the only person in her family who isn't a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (but her whole family is less-active and hasn't been to church in years). She has come to church 3 times now with 2 of her brothers, Andy and Joseph. Joseph is also awesome, I shall tell you about him! He has recently been "re-activated" as he's been coming to church, reading the Book of Mormon and saying prayers with all of his siblings every single night! He is an amazing guy who loves his sister and his family and just wants them to be happy! Because of him living the gospel and setting an example, the Holy Ghost has confirmed to Maggie that she needs to be baptized on April 16th! There are few feelings sweeter than knowing that you are helping to lead someone to a life filled with happiness, a life filled with Jesus Christ.
Oh my goodness we are all so blessed! I was thinking about that as I was typing that last little part. I am a completely normal guy and I couldn't do any of this without help from on high. I'm by no means better than any other missionary. I know I'm not the best at teaching, I don't baptize the most people, I don't know my scriptures as well as other missionaries, I'm still kinda confused why Heavenly Father let me be a missionary haha! If it wasn't for Him I would be nothing, literally. Looking at the short 19 years I've been on this earth, none of it would have any meaning at all if it wasn't for Him and His beloved son Jesus Christ. But because of His infinite love and mercy, He made a way for us to be happy in this life and to be eternally happy in the next.
This perfectly ties in with my favorite scripture in The Book of Mormon, Alma 26:11-12 : " 11 I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things...".
There is not a thing in my life I can take credit for doing or obtaining all on my own. Looking at an even broader perspective, there is not a person in this world who has done or accomplished anything good except by the mercy of our Father in Heaven in sending His son Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to think about His victory over the grave that we remember on Easter, but why shouldn't we remember it more than just Easter? Everything our Savior did was for the blessing and benefit of God's children; His establishing the gospel and setting the perfect example for us, His suffering at the hands of sinners, His suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, His death upon the cross, and His rising again on the 3rd day. I echo the testimony of a modern-day prophet:
"After the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!" (D&C 76:22) I testify to each of you that He lives! And because He lives, there is no end to the happiness and peace we can gain in this life! He has overcome death itself to give us a hope for the next life and the hope we gain in Him is like nothing else we can experience in this life! I bear my witness, as one of His humble and lowly servants, that He has extended the arm of mercy to each of us in hope that we might take His hand and walk alongside Him. I encourage each one of you to take some time every day to think about something the Savior did for you, something He did that allows you to "do all things" in "his strength". Oh how He loves you! Do you know how much you mean to Him?! He has set aside for you a blessing and a smile just for you! He only asks us to follow Him, and we will find sunshine in the darkness, peace amongst storms, and strength in our hearts to follow Him to the end. Remember Him and He will remember you.
Much love,
Elder Crow
 |
| 2016 March 28 Eagle rock in Manchester, has a bunch of different symbols on it and stuff, proof of Book of Mormon people?? |
 |
| 2016 March 28 Elder Crow at a member's house for Easter |
 |
| 2016 March 28 Elder Crow Found a sign with the coolest name ever, I wish that was my name... |
2016 March 28 Elder Crow with the ward mission leader's son, we're good buddies, London, KY
 |
| 2016 March 28 helped tear down a shed, it was awesome |
 |
| 2016 March 28 helped tear down a shed, it was awesome |
 |
| 2016 March 28 helped tear down a shed, it was awesome |
 |
| 2016 March 28 helped tear down a shed, it was awesome |
 |
| 2016 March 28 the river leading into Cumberland falls
Mom,
Quick thought before I write the rest of this, does my little plaque thingy have the picture we took for my mission papers (don't know if I even have a plaque thingy)? Cause if its that picture I'd like that changed haha. Anyways, not important! It sounds like you have had one heck of a week! I hope this week slows down a little bit, hope you don't work yourself to death! Elder Parks and I have had a great week! Things are going much better now, and it's only because I changed. Not saying everything is because of me, my weekly email said otherwise, but I made a change that changed our companionship. He tells me every week in companionship inventory (when we tell each other what we need to work on and what we appreciate about each other) that I have been his favorite companion and he loves serving with me (not sure why he likes being with me :P). So I came to the conclusion that I was the problem. So I prayed for help, then I started bring more loving to elder parks. Our companionship will never be the same. I don't think my MISSION will ever be the same. I have come to experience such a joy in living the gospel and sharing it with others as I've been more charitable, as I've been deserving of others' love. I am convinced that an attitude of selfless love and Christlike care for everyone around us will transform our lives into something more and purge our hearts of anything ungodly and unkind. Love is the key that unlocks the door to meaning.
Just yesterday Elder Parks tried to do something nice for me (this is a funny story). We have 2 alarms go off in the morning, 1 at 6 am and 1 at 6:15. On weekdays, we will try to wake up at 6 so we can workout more, and because I take forever to go to the bathroom. As soon as we finish saying prayers I always have to go to the bathroom. So I went and I saw a green Easter egg floating in the toilet. I assumed elder parks had tried to throw away one of the eggs he'd gotten in his package and it had just missed the trash can. But the thought came to me to pick it up. Well, we had both already gone pee and I did NOT want to pick that egg up. So I flushed it. About halfa second later elder parks walked in, saw the egg gone and said, "WHERE IS THE EGG?!?!" I told him I flushed it down and he freaked out! It turns out, elder parks knew I would be the first one to the bathroom, so he put an egg that I would see in there with $20 and a nice note from him!! I felt like the biggest turd ever haha, I felt so bad for doing that to him! So I made your chocolate peanut butter squares to make up for it (I'll send pictures soon, Bekah knows a funny story about this though, ask her)
Well I love you so much and I had much more to be grateful for this birthday than usual, and my amazing family was a big part of that,
Elder Crow
|
No comments:
Post a Comment