Late Happy Independence Day July 5

Good afternoon everyone,

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July, we had to stop working at 6 yesterday and right as we did it started pouring rain, no one invited us over, so we just hung out in our apartment for 3 hours. Wasn't the most fun I've had haha. But this week has been awesome! I realized early on that something was missing from our work and I came to figure out the problem was ME! Yes you are all allowed to gasp at the prospect of Elder Crow being imperfect, I myself let out a little squeal when I realized it. But that little joking prideful comment kinda ties in to my problem. I was having a bit of a rough time early last week and I couldn't figure out why. Then I came across a statement in Preach My Gospel that took me by surpise, it said, "Pride is competitive; those who are prideful seek to have more and presume they are better than other people. Pride usuallyresults in feelings of anger and hatred, and it is a great stumbling block." And that perfectly described my problem, so I quickly prayed and asked Heavenly Father for forgiveness and the rest of the week went so well! It's amazing how easy it is to change and improve and grow when we ask for the Lord's help in doing it. What a koinkie dink.

Also, I came across something that I wanted to share with y'all. In a talk titled "Winning the War against Evil", Elder James J. Hamula said, "Reserved to come forth in these last days and labor for our Father and His Son are some of the most valiant and noble of our Father's sons and daughters." So if you think you aren't special, BOOM! You just got proved wrong by a member of the First Quorum Seventy, so there! You are so special. You are so wonderful. You are one of God's most choice children that He specifically sent to the earth right now for a specific purpose in His plan. We are all fighting a battle every day to win a war that has been waged since the beginning of time, a war against evil. And at this point in time, victory means everything and the Lord's people will not lose. It its up to us to join in such a noble cause.

I am beyond grateful to be fighting on the front lines for Heavenly Father, but so are each of you! Didn't think about that before did ya? Each one of us are soldiers in the mightiest force ever created, the family of God. We stand for what it right and we stand for what is true, and we don't back down. Every day we are under constant attack from Satan and his followers, but we have the Holy Spirit of God along with our brothers and sisters to support us in this dangerous and dark world. This last week we had a zone conference in Lexington. Sister Brough got up, after the missionaries who are going home soon bore their testimonies, and said, "You know, President Brough and I have decided that we don't want to send any more missionaries home, it's too hard to watch all of you leave!" I am so grateful that I still have so long to serve, these past 10 months or so have flown by but I've still got time to "fight the good fight" and serve my Father in Heaven. And all of y'all, wherever you are, have the same responsibility.

Go shake Hell,

Elder Crow

2016 March 28, First Mission Easter

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

2016 March 7, Working in the RAIN

I'm still typing up emails but we are about to head out to hike at
Cumberland falls!! So I will send out my other emails in a few hours,
just wanted to send off a few pictures. It down poured this week in
London, it was absolutely nuts!! But it was a fun bike ride and we are
working real hard to find people to teach, rain or shine. But I was
called to serve in Kentucky, and no where in my call letter did it say
I was called to serve only when it's bright and shiny, when there are
tons of people to talk to, and when I'm feeling great; I am called to
serve, and that means "at all times, in all things, and in all places
that I may be in".

Love you all so much 😘
Much love,
Elder Crow

Dear everyone,
I'm sorry I'm getting this off so late but I just got back from a
missionary P-Day adventure (we had 8 missionaries on this adventurous
trip) near Cumberland Falls. We went down near Laurel Lake and our
ward mission leader (the man called to help us missionaries in our
congregation) and he took us geocaching!! It was super fun, we had to
go on this super long hike and we climbed up a small cliff to find the
geocache; it's just a small container with goodies and it has a list
you sign your name on. Then we went hiking near Cumberland Falls, I
have some pictures below and it was absolutely gorgeous! We had an
awesome time scaling rocks, exploring caves and just walking along and
enjoying the 70 something degree weather! On the way back we were a
bit surprised by a strange sight...other missionaries!!! We met 2
sisters from the Nashville Tennessee mission and it was the weirdest
thing ever seeing 2 other missionaries walking towards you, kinda got
a "bird's eye view"😂😂 of what people see when they see 2 kids with
tags walking towards them.

The rest of this week was up and down, it took a lot of hard work to
get through it but it was soooo worth it! When you boil it down, being
productive makes a huge difference; I think true hard work put to the
test will always be hard work no matter the circumstances. And it
gives us something to do! If I were just a missionary a few days a
week and I was just a normal kid the rest of the time, it wouldn't be
the same. It is so gratifying to know that EVERY SINGLE DAY is 8 hours
of sleep and 16 hours of good, hard work!!! Another blessing of work
is something I remember my amazing father sharing with me, he would
always tell me, "Idleness is a tool of the devil." (Your lessons
didn't go to waste dad). I couldn't agree more. Satan can manipulate
our thoughts and sneak in a temptation or 2 when we are doing nothing.
Keeping busy keeps our mind focused on what we are doing and builds up
another wall of defense against the attacks of the adversary. I would
especially encourage those of you reading this who are usually home
alone and are close to my age to heed this warning, if you aren't
staying busy you can be assured that Satan is doing everything he
possibly can to get you to do something you shouldn't. I've heard it
described like a stage; you can only have 1 act going on at a time, so
if you are occupying that stage with good thoughts and something to
do, then you have nothing to worry about. Do not let Satan push your
actor off of the stage with one of his own degrading and destructive
ideas.

But if Satan has worked his way into your heart or your mind, get him
out. Now. If you do not act immediately to get rid of the seeds he has
planted in your mind, then the ugly weeds and thorns of sin and lust
will take root and it will make it very hard to get rid of. I promise
that, even if you have messed up and done something you shouldn't
have, our loving Savior is still waiting with arms open wide to help
you get back on the rig track. He loved us enough to bleed and suffer
for every wrong and mistake we have made, so make sure you aren't
letting his sacrifice go to waste. There is nothing we can do that
Christ doesn't want to help us overcome, I can personally testify of
that.

Well I gotta head out, have a great week everyone!
Much love,
Elder Crow

Elder Crow saw the UK football field on the way to zone conference in Lexington, KY

Elder Crow and Elder Parks soaked from the rain London, KY March 1 2016

Elder Riphenburg with Elder Crow with a member's Great Dane, Magic

2016 March  Elder Crow exploring Cumberland Falls, the 2nd largest waterfall east of the Mississippi

2016 March Elder Crow found a rebel flag tribute on a HUGE rock while exploring Cumberland Falls