BUGS and SUNSHINE

Hello everyone, BUGS and SUNSHINE
I hope and pray that all of you are doing great and that you are getting the same sunshine we are down her in the good 'ol Appalachian foothills! It is absolutely gorgeous, especially down at the hike we were on! There were birds singing, sunshine poking through the trees, there was no one but us at the waterfall, we had a ton of fund hiking around, all around just a good day! This week could've been better but how can I complain, I get to represent Jesus Christ 24/7 and everyone knows it! Definitely got the best job in the whole world!

We have been talking with a TON of people this week and as a missionary I want every person we talk to to be super nice and willing to listen to us but it's almost never that way haha. Especially this week we've just been finding a bunch of mean nasty hillbillies who think they know way more about Jesus than we do and they just tell us to get lost. It is definitely trying as a missionary to keep your cool and just smile at these people rather than just rip 'em to shreds and get angry. Every situation we seem to face, I would've reacted so differently at home; but out here, it's not that I HAVE to be nice to everyone, I could be a complete jerk. But it's the fact that I choose to be nice, I choose to keep a smile on and tell everyone "God bless ya, hope you have a great day!" Everyday we have choices placed before us, sometimes it's just left or right.

But sometimes it's left, right, upside down, walking handstand backwards, the choices seem to never end. But we need never be afraid of which choice is the right choice, it may at times seem like there is no right choice, but the path we should follow should always invite us to do more, to be more. To be more loving, more patient, more humble, really the path we should take should invite us to be more like Christ. I've found so much joy in not only my own growth and changing, but in helping others to change and be more like Jesus Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that we will find a brighter light of joy and happiness in our lives as we choose to follow the Savior and in doing so, helping others to come closer to Christ. Oh how much better the world would be if the Savior was the focus of every family and individual! He is our exemplar, our teacher, our Redeemer, He is the hope we have for more joy in this life. Look for a way this week to bring yourself and others closer to the Savior of the world, it isn't hard unless you make it hard.

Much love,
Elder Crow

Elder Parks and Elder Crow at Dogslaughter falls, pondering the words of Christ

Elder Crow at Dogslaughter falls with a craze face

Elder Crow at Dogslaughter falls,  Right before the hike, my shirt says I'm just here for the bacon. And I am rocking the socks the Lougee family gave me

Elder Crow at Dogslaughter falls

2016 April 25 Elder Crow on bike contraption with Honda motor in it, London, KY

2016 April 25 Elder Crow went to Liberty, Kentucky with another missionary and we pulled into this driveway and found a huge pile of flattened cans

2016 April 25 Louisville Kentucky LDS temple

2016 April 25 This is Joseph, he came hiking with us and he has just started coming back to church, Elder Crow in the red shirt

2016 February 29 God Cares

Hello everyone I hope it's nice and sunny wherever you are, it's in
the 60s today!!!
I really hope this sunshine sticks around, I'm tired of being cold!
This week has had its ups and downs, but that's the case with any week
I guess. But I've found that when you put a smile on rather than a
frown, you can get through anything a lot easier. I think that when we
keep an upbeat attitude, we show Heavenly Father that we trust in Him
enough to know that everything will work out in the end. The joy and
comfort of the Holy Ghost comes to those who desire it and keep their
hearts humble enough to listen to him.

I've come to learn that whatever we may think, God does care. He has a
love so infinite and eternal for each and every one of His beloved
children here on the earth. Why wouldn't He want to pour out His
blessings upon us all? We can feel the love our Heavenly Father has
for us as we show our love to Him. How do we show Him our love? We
learn how in John 14:15: "If ye love me keep my commandments." So what
do we have to do to show God our love? Keep the commandments. Will we
be happy keeping the commandments? Absolutely, because we know we are
putting a smile on Heavenly Father's face. Will we be blessed for
keeping the commandments? You betcha, it just might not come the way
you expect it or when you want it, but the blessings will come.

I can promise that doing our best to live a Christlike life will bring
bliss and happiness that can't be found by doing anything else. It
doesn't matter to our Father in Heaven if it is the smallest testament
of our faith or the boldest testimony, He smiles and rejoices every
time He sees us trying our hardest to be more like Him. As a
missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ, I understand now more than ever
that I will never be anywhere close to perfect. But giving my all to
my God every day for 16 hours, 7 days a week, for 24 months is the
greatest decision I could've made. It isn't always easy, and the work
is very hard, sometimes I feel like the worst missionary on the face
of the earth, but I know my Heavenly Father is pleased with my
efforts. And I know that He loves each one of you so much, He weeps
when we suffer and fall off the straight and narrow and He rejoices
when we start back on the right track. We've been meeting with a
family who hasn't been to church in almost 5 years, and I love this
family to death. The oldest kid, of the 6, is the same age as me and
he has the biggest heart ever! We got to hang out with him this whole
p-day and he told us how he had been praying to be happier and he
wanted to be closer to God. And the day after he said that prayer, we
met with their family for the first time. God does work miracles,
because He does care, I can truly testify to that.

God bless all y'all this week,
Much love,
Elder Crow

Elder Crow with Joseph, London, KY

Elder Crow at Sander's Cafe in Corbin, KY