2016 May 2 Mother's Day makes up for the poison ivy

Afternoon y'all, how's things?

Everything has been great here in London! I found out on Saturday Elder Parks and I will be serving together another 6 weeks, so we will work together about 4 1/2 months total! Heavenly Father obviously has more for me to do, just waiting to figure out what it is! Man, the work has been crazy this week, we were really praying to find someone new to teach this week. We have been talking to well over 100 people a week and it was just not making a difference, so we turned to the Lord in prayer. And he answered! We met a woman named Casey Marcum who is very humble and looking to get back in church, and we were able to share a message with her about Christ's restored church. It is a huge blessing to be able to share what I love and know to be true with so many people every day for these 2 years of my life. I don't think anyone has a better job than me!

Well, since I won't be able to send out an email on Mother's Day I will give a big 'ol shouout from Kentucky to my awesome momma!! This past Sunday was her birthday, so if any of you are reading this with a shocked face then wish her a happy belated birthday! It is strange not being with my family for all of the big holidays and birthdays but I'm a bit preoccupied ;). It's crazy to think that this time last year, I was getting myself up early to make breakfast for mom and wishing her a happy birthday. I miss you mom, hope you know how much I love you!

It's good to know I have been blessed with such a wonderful family here; we are all part of a big Heavenly family and God is a God of organization, which is why we have families here on the earth. I like to think that Heavenly Father let me choose who I would spend my earthly life with while we were still living with him, but I think He put a blindfold on my when I was picking siblings 'cause I have no idea how the brother to sister ratio of 1:4 happened. He's definitely got a plan a bit different than mine, which is good because if I had a say in anything the world would probably be burning.

I was sitting in church yesterday thinking of mom (since I actually did remember her birthday) and the blessing she has been to me. I thought of how she raised me and everything she taught me, and it blew me back for a second to think about how I've used everything she taught me. The words of an old primary hymn rang in my head, "It shouldn't be hard to sit very still, And think about Jesus, his cross on the hill, And all that he suffered and did for me; It shouldn't be hard to sit quietly. It shouldn't be hard even though I am small, to think about Jesus, not hard at all." And as I thought about how my amazing mother taught me to follow the Savior's example, I thought of my own verse to add, "It isn't too hard to stand strong and tall, to witness of Jesus and give Him my all, since He bled and died and suffered such pain, it isn't too hard to remember His name. It isn't that hard even though I fell small, to live like the Savior, not hard at all." I'm grateful to be sharing the gospel with so many people out here, my mom and dad have raised me and helped me become who I am today. I can't take much credit for being where I am, I'm just blessed to serve my God and to give Him my all.

God bless everyone and Happy Mother's Day (Don't leave the Mother's Day breakfast dishes in the sink for mom to clean, bad idea!!!),

Elder Crow

This was us tearing down some vines and ivy for a member, if you zoom in on my face you will get the laugh of a lifetime

But then this happened so don’t laugh (it was poison ivy)

We helped the same member and her son stack a big ‘ol wood pile

The boy with us is Billy, he is coming to work with us every Tuesday and Saturday now

A woman we talked to a couple days ago gave us $100 in Walmart

We went to Mellow Mushroom for district lunch on Friday, some of the best pizza I've ever had 

Took some picture with a few of the cars, wish you could see my face better because I killed it! LtoR  Elder Smith, Elder Crow, Elder Chandler, Sister France, Sister Kocherhans, Sister Ruprect, Sister Achee, Elder James, Elder Parks, and Elder Champ