3 MONTHS!!!

Hola hola!!

  How is everyone doing this week?? This week was a really good week for me. I am learning lots and learning things about myself! 

HAPPPYY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY JARVIS!!!!!!! I MISS YOU! I hope you have a good day!!! 

This week went as follows.....

1.) I got assigned to be the Driver.. watch out Texas, Markel.. I mean Hermana Crandall is driving! :) I'm not sure what to think. Hermana Rife says that they have you drive right before you train by yourself. I'm really hoping she is wrong, but at least I'm learning how to train now with Hermana Hansen, so that's a blessing.

2.) We set a Baptism date with Maria's daughter. We are hoping the whole family will commit by the time it comes around. They are all listening to the lessons and coming to church. It's awesome how much you can see them change. The best thing is, is that THEY can see the change as well.

3.) FRANK!!!! Do you remember Frank from Africa? Frank the HARD CORE BIBLE PREACHER?? Well we had an amazing miracle with him. Every time we see him he says he always has the feeling to go outside and then he sees us and starts talking to us.. Well on Wednesday he told us he was cleaning his apartment and found the Book of Mormon, he thought to himself, "I should really read this." He said he got a feeling to go outside and move his car.. well we just happened to be walking outside by his car. We talked to him and he asked us if we had any services during the week..  we said no we only have services on Sundays but immediately we remembered that Elder Golden of the 70's was putting on a fireside for investigators the next night. We invited him to come! He was so happy and said.. "I know that Satan is going to stop me from coming to this meeting, but I won't listen to him, all I need is a ride." Our heart sunk....The only members we know speak Spanish! We were so confused on how we would get him there. We agreed to call Frank later that night and talk about the details. As we got in the car we said a prayer that we might find Frank a ride so he could come. We had left something at our apartment so we went to grab it and went we got there, there was a note from Hermana Rifes Bishop from home. He was in town for a couple days and he wanted to take us to dinner. So that night we went to Red Robin for dinner (my first American meal in a long time! it was MUY RICO!!!) anyways we were telling him about Frank and he said "what time is the fireside?" We said, "7" and he said, "give me the address, i'll pick him up!"  IT WAS AN ANSWER to our prayer. Frank was able to come. All he could say after was, "I feel so blessed for meeting you girls." Frank met the Elders who speak English in that area and set up an appointment for this week. It was an amazing experience.

This is Frank!

Hermana Hansen, Hermana Rife's Bishop from home, Hermana Rife, and Me!

 4.) Saturday morning, us and the Elders helped a member paint his dads house. His dad who is NOT a member. It was a really fun morning and his dad really appreciated our service. I have learned SERVICE softens peoples hearts!

Sometimes I get attacked by paint....in the eye...

No bueno!!

 5.) HAPPPPPPPPPPPYYYY FATHHHHEERRRRSSS DAY! 

Dad, I hope you had an amazing day yesterday!! I mailed you a card so be looking for that in the mail this week. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us. You have taught us how to be self reliant and hardworking! You have always been a great example. 

5.) This week I studied all about FE. (faith). Faith is a very important part of the gospel. I have realized that we need to grow our faith in Jesucristo every single day! One of the MANY scriptures I read this week hit me like a train it was exactly what I need... in the New Testament 2 Corinthians 12:7-12 in verse 9 the word rest has a footnote that takes you to D&C 39:12-13 

I really loved this because when its said, 

"And he said unto me, My ^agrace is sufficient for thee: for my ^bstrength is made perfect in ^cweakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may ^drest upon me."

  

The power of Christ is going to rested on us! not force or thrown or put.. but rested. I love how gentle and peaceful that sounds!

6.) Elder Golden of the 70's came and spoke with us on Friday!! WOW that man is so smart. I learned so much about Joseph Smith and the Savior. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to listen to him.

Well family, I think that about does it.. well no that is like .00001 of my week!! I wish I could film my mission and show you all!! I can't believe it has been 3 months, time is flying!!!  I love you all and hope you all are Healthy and happy! 

Have a GREAT WEEEK!!

les Querio! 

Hermana Crandall

 

French Toast....mexican style!!

The Morales family

Power puff Girls! :)

 

YES!!! ME holding a lizard!!

Bishop Caledron's little girls Camilla and Bionca

Mexican sucker......umm not my favorite! 

This week has been REALLY HARD!

Well first off..

This week has been REALLY HARD!!!!!!!!! I have been really sick and being sick and doing missionary work is TOUGH!!! Friday afternoon I had to call the Mission doctor and tell him what was going on. He told me that it probably has to do with my Gallbladder. Yes I know awesome right?? I'm taking some medicine and watching it for a few days, if it continues then I will be going in to get a ultrasound. I'm hoping the medicine helps. 

Last week we had a trio for a couple days before transfers. Sister Fulsom lived with us for 3 days!! We all had a blast. I love her she is seriously my new best friend!!!....(she is President Hinckley's granddaughter)

Me, Sister Fulsom, and Hermana Rife

We had a very successful week. We were able to set 3 baptismal dates with Fransisco, Maria, and Panoncio (the uncle of Fransisco) Maria came to church yesterday with her 3 children. She really like it. We are super excited for them. :) They are progressing really well.  Maria told us that she is seeing the blessings of the gospel in her life. She said her husband is more happy and more relaxed and even wanting to come to church.

Daniel, Tirsa, Chris, Jon and Princess and Hermana Campos - Tirsa's mom, were all at church again yesterday. I love them so much. They are such a special family. We talked to Daniel a little and he is reading the Book of Mormon. He is so quite but opening up little by little. Hispanics are so funny, yesterday during Sunday School they were joking around about when Juan (another investigator) gets baptized who will make the cake and bring the food? Two Hermanas were bantering playfully over it and then one of them looks at Daniel and says. Hermano you aren't baptized either right? He said...no. She said, well forget about all of that, I am making YOU, YOUR cake! We were all just laughing super hard. Daniel even thought it was pretty good. They make me laugh. I love this ward and these people. :)

This week we have visited a few members and had some really special experiences with them. As we have been planning for them we have felt to share specific things and we don't even know them that well. With two appointments we felt specifically to share the Book of Mormon and commit them to reading it. Both times they confessed to us that they weren't reading and by the end of the appointment we were able to commit them to doing it. It was so special to feel the Lord working through us. It happens a lot but those two just were very meaningful. Sometimes it just hits me as I am studying or sharing my testimony about how special this work is. It is a good reminder for me to remember what I am doing and not just get caught away in the work.

 

I have seen SOOOO many miracles this week..  I'm TRAINING!! We got our newbie Thursday!! Hermana Hansen is a Visa waiter, she is going to Peru!! Guess where she is from.... SPANISH FORK!!! haha we know all the same peeps which is fun.. she knows Kelby and so that makes things interesting! :) She is awesome!

Me, Hermana Hansen, and Hermana Rife

 I am learning about the Atonement and how it works. Its amazing how people take this amazing gift for granted. I know I have. When we use the Atonement we are accepting Christ's help and who doesn't want Christ's help. He suffered for EACH one of us personally so he would know how we feel and how to help us. I have had to lean on the Lord alot this week. Its been tough. Missionary work is hard but I know what I'm doing is the right thing. I can feel his love for me and my family each day. I KNOW he is watching over me and my family. I KNOW that through his grace and mercy we can be healed and we  can have true peace in our life. I'm so grateful for this. I know that Jesus Christ is my brother and that all he wants from us is for us to obey his commandment and to ask him for help.  Alma 7:11-12 Proverbs 3:5-6

 

This song is what I sing when I feel overwhelmed or discouraged.

 

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

 

I am so grateful for my family especially my mom.. on the days that I don't think I can do this whole mission thing, I think of her and her example to me. She is a strong, amazing person. I think how hard she works and that gives me the motivation to knock one more door or go to the next appointment. I am always thinking of how I can be more like her. I feel EXTREMELY lucky to have been blessed with a mother like her. I know that she is our families rock, she is tough, strong, faithful, loving, kind, and hardworking. I am the person I am today because of her. I LOVE YOU MOM. Thank you for all your time and support. I COULD NOT be here with out you!!! If any of you see her PLEASE GIVE HER A BIG HUG FOR ME!! :)

 

LesQueiro,

Hermana Crandall

Hey Hey!! Familia!!

Hey Hey!! Familia!! 

So I'm so sorry but this letter is going to be short. I have like NO time to email today. Just so everyone knows I have about 3 million mosquito bites so I'm pretty sure at least 1 of them had West Nile! So if you don't hear from me it's because 

1) I have died of West Nile 

or 

2) I have cut my limbs off because I can't handle the itching!!  

This week was HARD!!! after what happened at home I cried and had nightmares. Elder Trotter gave me an amazing blessing and told me to read D&C 100:1 then look at the foot notes it really helped me!!! 

This week has been really awesome! We have seen SO many miracle in our area! I feel like we are meeting someone new everyday who has SOOO much potential!  

We are still working with our Mormon.org family. We have had 3 lessons with them and on Saturday we went to teach them. We asked them if they had been reading the Book of Mormon and they said that they had just finished 2 Nephi!!! I ABOUT DIED!!! It has only been 2 weeks and the entire family is reading! They some how watched the movie "Otherside of Heaven" and the father told us that he wants his children to serve missions. Hermana Rife and I could not even get words out when he told us this! So we are hoping they will be baptized on July 13th. Family please please pray for them!

We also found this lady Maria. At first we didn't think was to interested, but we decided to go back and teach her..... yup she is super interested. She accepted our baptism commitment and now we are just working on a date :)

We have been super busy teaching people this week. It is amazing how many people are prepared and so open about learning more about the gospel.

On Saturday we had a Father's Day activity. Oh my word.... Latinos know how to party! ha! Us missionaries were in charge of a skit. it was super funny. I'll send you the video and pictures! Our ward was laughing so hard at us! 

Father's Day Skit

Elder Trotter from Salem Utah...he goes home Wednesday!

This week I have been reading in Alma where Alma is going to preach and the people are so wicked and he starts to head back home and then the angel comes and tells him to go back. And that's where he meets Amuleck. I have really applied that to myself.... some times i think man, no one wants to hear what I have to say. All they will do is try and Bible bash me. But in those moments is when the spirit tells us no no you have to go talk to them, and they end up being super awesome people.

Last night Pres. Pingree called us and told Hermana Rife and I that we will be in a trio this next transfer!! We will be training!!.... by we I really mean Hermana Rife. haha!!! It's going to be so much fun! My Spanish is coming along. Sometimes I feel super confidant and then other times I feel like I haven't learned anything! I can understand pretty much everything but Speaking is the hard part!! I'm excited for the next transfer! 

I LOVE YOU ALL!! have a great week!!! 

LES QUIERO!

Hermana Crandall 

PS Tyler Zeeman if you read this..... email or write me ASAP!!!

Me and Diana

So so thirsty!!!

holllllaaaaa :)‏

Hola Mi Familia!

WELL im not going to lie.. after hearing what happened at home I had a heart attack.. DAD I hope you are ok and that everything gets figured out!!! Don't SCARE us all like that!!! I'm so glad that everything is ok and that you are doing ok!!

First off THANK YOU to EVERYONE who is writing me and emailing me! you all are so special.

I think last week was one of the HARDEST yet best week of my mission. 

Hermana Rife and I have been working like crazy ladies! We have soo much to do! Our area has so many people who are ready and prepared to be baptized.
 

We had exchanges this week. I went to the Woodlands for 24 hours. It was so much fun! The Woodlands are BEAUTIFUL! I met some amazing people that day! I was with Hermana Glauser and we were talking about how much bugs and animals scare us. No lie 3 mins later a HUGE beetle flies in to my hair.. ya'll know me..... I start jumping and screaming. I bend over and start shaking my head and Hermana Glauser is trying to get the bug out. Then out of no where this NASTY dog comes and started licking my face and eating my hair.. oh man it was BAD!!!!! After the bug came out and the dog left I stood up and fixed my hair. We both look over and this guy who looks JUST like Snoop Dog is laughing SO hard.. so we walked over asked him a few questions and taught him about the Plan of Salvation. He probably thought we were CRAZY!.... its was a fun experience.

So Hermana Rife and I have a car.... but on THURSDAY we hit 280 miles we only get 300 for the week. so we were kinda freaking out. So all day Friday we walked and talked with people around town. It was really nice to walk and just enjoy being in Texas... (besides the bugs YUCK!) then Saturday we had appointments and we were trying to get members to come with us so that they could drive us.. yeah... no that didn't happen.. so guess what? We road our bikes... it was like 90+ degrees and so humid and at the end of the day we looked SO gross. We were so tired all we could do is laugh. We ended up riding around 16 miles that day. It was pretty intense.

Our Miracle family is doing amazing!! We committed them to be baptized and they accepted. We are just trying to figure out a date now, so I'm so excited for that!!! We also have 2 more in investigators who are REALLY close to baptism.... like we are going to ask them TODAY if they will be baptized June 29th!! so FAMILY please pray for these peeps!! Satan works so hard on them. I never really knew how REAL Satan was until this week. We have had some pretty scary experiences. The Elders told us that Satan is going to work on whoever he can to... to get these people to not be baptized.. so that means he works on their families, them, us missionaries everyone. I am so grateful for the priesthood and the power its has. I have never been so scared in my life but after a simple prayer by one of the Elders I felt so much peace. 

Prayer is so powerful. 

I hope everyone is doing amazing! I love you all and I pray for you every day. 

HAVE A GOOD WEEK!! 

Te Querio!!! - I love you

Hermana Crandall

Ps What's Clayci's email?? 

Hola, Hola, Hola!!

HOLA HOLA HOLA!!!!!

How is my dear family and friends this week??? I am doing very very well.. this week was a weird week. We had so many appointments and we planned really well and I was so excited.. then guess what?.. it seems like EVERYONE cancelled on us. I was super sad about it. My trainer told me that it's just part of missionary work.

So this week I had my first freak out /breakdown over Spanish. Yes, I just needed to cry.... so I did.. my poor companion :) 

After I cried I felt so much better. SPANISH IS SO HARD! but I have been working REALLY hard and I can make some pretty bomb sentences!!  Everyone tells me not to worry that it will come but seriously it's so stressful. So I'm going to be patient,  study and pray my guts out!

This week during power hour we met this Alan guy....  we knocked on his door and sat and talked to him about being Mormon. He was kinda fighting with us on being baptized but my bomb companion pulled out all these awesome scriptures in the bible and he was like ohhhh??? maybe I need to be baptized. It was really funny! While we were talking to Alan, this guy that was selling steak came over and started asking us all these random questions like.. " did you live in those cult camps?' Us "no haha we live in normal houses" Dan: " REALLY?????"  Dan: " so you guys don't party like drink or smoke." Us " no no we don't drink tea or coffee either" " Dan: WHAT!?!?!? I HEAR UTAH HAS THE BEST WEED IN THE USA" US: " umm beats us?? " he was really funny he told us he really looked up to girls who had high standers. We gave him a Book of Mormon and told him to read it! He said he would read anything once.. he got our email address so if he had questions he could get in touch with us! It was really good! I hope he reads it! He seemed like an awesome guy!

IT'S BEEN SOOO SOO HOT HERE in Texas.. my missionary tan lines are pretty awesome not going to lie! When I take my shoes off it looks like I'm wearing socks.. its awesome! :) 

So this week I have been studying about the Atonement and trying to understand it more. I think when people hear the word Repentance they get scared or are confused. As I studied about it.... we need to repent everyday. Repentance is just a big word for Change. If we are trying to change to be a better person and to be more like Christ then we are repenting. I love in the scriptures how everyone is always saying REPENT! REPENT! be more like Christ. 

Christ  suffer for all of our sins and pains he is the only one who know how to help us. How dumb are we not to take advantage of this amazing gift and let him help us? I also learned that forgiving people is part of repenting. I have held on to a lot of things in my life that are robbing my peace. I need to forgive the people who have wronged me so I can be forgiven. I love the scripture St. Luke 18:27!

CONNOR!!!!! you email seriously made my fall off my chair laughing! I'll try and email you next week. Good luck selling this week! :) 

Well i hope you all are doing well.. pray that I can speak spanish! :) I LOVE YOU ALL

Con amor,

Hermana Crandall 

Diana...our investigators little girl.

Only in Texas!! Gotta love the BBQ Grill!

Smile Eddie!!

hiiiiiii!

Hola Mi Familia!

 Are you guys getting sick of me yet? ;) it seems like yesterday I got to skype with ya'll! ha oh wait that was yesterday!! It was good to see you all and talk to you!

Well it's a beginning to a very busy week.. we have 30 lessons schedule this week plus our Power Hours. I'm super excited about it. We have a baptism date for June 8th and I'm hoping and praying that she will prepare to be baptized.

I hope by this Saturday we will have 4 more baptism dates. Our investigators are progressing pretty well. We met this guy named Frank who is from AFRICA. He is VERY religious and we talked to him about our church and he was loving what we were saying. We said a prayer with him and gave him a Book of Mormon. One thing I have noticed is people don't know what we believe, they have heard so many rumors about "the Mormons" so when we explain they kinda freak out that we believe in JesuCristo.

 

Yesterday I went to the Pentecostal Church...... WOW.... WOW... I'm not sure I like a preacher YELLING in my face for an hour and I don't think that when you feel the spirit you pass out, but that is my own opinion. Lets just say it was VERY interesting.

I love the ward that I'm serving in right now, all of them are so nice and so FUNNY!! We had a ward activity for mothers day on Friday and it was so fun. MEXICANS know how to throw some good parties. Best ward party I have ever been to! :)

 

Our Ward party "get-up"!

This week we got to go to the Temple. it was so nice. The Houston Temple is SOO PRETTY!!! as we were taking pictures it started to pour!! When it rains here IT RAINS! but it makes everything look so pretty.

"I love to see the Temple"

Beautiful day at the Temple!

Sister Rife and I (such a gorgeous Temple!)

My companion loves to catch frogs and when it rains the frogs come out and I usually get chased with a frog haha!!

She is so funny! The other night I was going to get in the shower and she was like will you check the doors to see if they are locked and I was like oh yeah that's fine.. so I go and check and go into the bathroom and I shut the door and as I turned around she jumped out of the shower and scared the living DAY LIGHTS out of me!! I SCREAMED SO HARD and jumped and then screamed some more.. she is quite the prankster! ha We have fun together.. she lets every BUG LIVE! If we have a bug in our house she catches it and takes it outside....me on the other hand smashes it until its flatter than a pancake :) Texas has alot of weird bugs.. but I'm happy I'm here and not in BRAZIL! (counting my blessings....still!)

 

There is a little girl who is sooooo ADORABLE and she always comes to sit with us in church. She draws us pictures and has to put on all my jewelry. Every time we ask her what her name is she says.. "Hermana Princess" It is soo cute.

 

So I just read Kelby's letter about the whole Satan Journal HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAH the funny thing is, is that it's so true!!! Every time we teach the restoration and go to say the First Vision something weird happens.. like the phone will ring or the TV will turn on or something to distract them! 

 

So today my comp hasn't spoke to me in English.. my oh my.. lets just say our comp study was VERY interesting. It was mostly a game of charades haha! Anyways I love you all and I hope you all have a wonderful week.

 

"its doesn't matter what you have heard, Impossible is not a word, just a reason not to try."

 

Love,

 Hermana Crandall

Rain....Rain....

Anything to protect the hair do!! :)

Just drivin' to Church!

Cause we're cool like that! :)

 

Hola Hola Hola!

Hola Mi Familia! 

Can you believe its P-day again? This week has flown by!!!! The weather has been great, the people are amazing, it's been a great week!

So last p-day after we got everything done we went and played Kick ball with the English peeps in our area and the Spanish Elders that are in our ward! All the Elders were like " are you sisters really going to play?" and we were like "heck yeah!" I guess none of the English sisters or Spanish sisters like playing or hanging out with them.... Well pretty much everyone loves us! ;)

We found some new investigators this week, it was really cool how we found this one guy. We had an appointment and so we get there and no one was home, we were so sad! ugg...I hate when people cancel on us, but anyways we were walking back to our car and all of a sudden my companion and I look up and over at the same time to this guy who was waving, so we walk over and started talking to him. We were telling him our purpose and giving an overview and he was acting soo interested. He said that meeting us wasn't a coincidence because he was waving at his kids and then we both looked up and walked over. He said that it was a sign from God. We are meeting with him again tonight so I'm really excited to start teaching him.

 

Hermana Rife and I have been working so hard we had a baptism Saturday! John and Chris were baptized. Their dad isn't a member and so during the whole thing he was crying like a baby! :) We are hoping to start teaching him this week! 

 Before the baptism we had to clean the font and all that and guess what.. I had my first experience with a COCKROACH!!!!!!!!!!!! ewwwwww seriously ewww I hate them! I freaked out like a little girl and the Elders just laughed and laughed at me. those little bugs are going to be the death of me but I'm am VERY grateful that I'm not in Brazil dealing with bigger and nastier bugs! (counting my blessings)!

I have been trying to study the Bible this week. Everyone LOVES the Bible down here! I'm really enjoying it! I love how Jesus Christ teaches people and how he TALKS to everyone and  helps everyone he meets. I am trying to do the same. I have to talk to everyone and try my best to help and serve them! 

So the other night Hermana Rife wanted to look at some of my pictures so I was showing her some and she saw the picture of me and Sara Ward and she was like, "how do you know Sara"? and I said I worked with her at Maceys and TPS.. guess what.... Hermana Rife WORKED AT MACEYS TOO!!!! haha that is why we both felt like we knew each other! its was pretty funny!
 

Guess what I ate this week.... COW FEET... umm not the best thing I have ever had....ok actually it was pretty bad. I was sick that whole night and next day! But every thing else I have ate has been really good! :)

Sunday was a really nice day. Our church is from 3-6 so yes we FAST ALL DAY!! I don't think i'll ever mind fasting until 4 again! But I went and bore my testimony in Broken Spanish and right before I went to bear it, the Bishop stands up and says something I didn't understand, but after, everyone told me that he said "we are going to sing a song before Hermana Crandall gets up so she won't be nervous." my poker face must have been pretty bad. ;) 

After Sacrament meeting the cutest little boy named Jared came up to me and gave me a note that said, " you did a really good job on your testimony, then in Spanish it said.... " Tu Hiciste un gran trabajo en sus testimonio" it was so cute the way he said it was in Tu form which when people use that its like they are in love or talking to God.

Thank you to EVERYONE who is emailing or writing me! I'm sorry I'm a little behind on getting back to you all but I really appreciate it!

 

I hope everyone has a good week!!! 

ADIOS! 

Love,

 Hermana Crandall 

Riding our bikes to church!

Sister rife and I

Happy Birthday to my little brother serving in Ghana West Africa!