{Week Five}

Dear Family,

It has been such a busy week! At some times it was very slow as it seemed like everyone was canceling appointments or no one was home. We kept going though. We did tract into some very potential investigators and hopefully something will come of our tracting efforts. Sister Garrett and I have a fun time tracting. That way, we keep from getting discouraged :)

We have a new investigator! Wayne. Wayne is very knowledgable about many many religions. We asked if he had ever read the Book of Mormon or if he knew what it was. Although he said he hadn't ever read the whole book, he discribed it well, knowing all the people's names and the stories, all through 3 Nephi. I am thinking he has read it before. But we are excited to teach him. We are also excited that he knows some members in our ward and they are going to invite him to be taught in their home! That makes missionary work so much better! Every member really is a missionary!

We also taugh a lady, Patty Squire. Please imagine Grandma Crandall driving a red Mustang. Well, that is Patty. She is so sweet and we are going to ask her to be baptized when we meet with her this week! When I asked if she had read the Book of Mormon, She said that she loved the cross-refrences and that the Book of Mormon was another translation of the bible... well, Sister Garrett and I explained that it was not another translation, but another testament of Jesus Christ. Her member friend, we meet in the member's home, helped explain more about the Book of Mormon, and Patty is excited to read it now from the beginning instead of just picking interesting verses and comparing them with the Bible. I am so excited for her!

Some more about Sister Garrett! She is absolutely amazing! As I already told, she is from the Ukraine and was addopted into a faimly in Murray Utah! I knew her Utah faimly was musical, but I didn't know that they had made CDs. Which we have one of them at home! Look up the "Songs of the Savior" by James and Morgan Garrett. It is absolutely one of my favorites! They have 3 cds out she gave me the first 2. I don't think the 3rd  is out yet... Some more about her: she become converted when she was 15 and has an amazing testimony! She is so pleasant to work with and loves to sew too :) Her little sister was adopted when she was 8, and when the family found out she had a 15 year old sister, they adopted her too. So all together, I think it is 8 brothers and 5 sisters. That's biological and adopted. She is great and I love her! She goes home July 26th...

On Thursday we had interviews with President and Sister Greer. Wonderful! President and I talked about baptism and helping little children learn the gospel. It really helped because we are teaching a few 9 year olds and their attention span is about 2 seconds long... So I know what you mean Dad :) It is getting better though! And Sister Greer shared a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 50:24 (I think). It is about spiritual evolution. Our light and knowledge gets greater and greater when we keep the commandments and follow Jesus Christ's example. This is so true! I loved it!

Later that night, we had dinner with a young couple that are expecting their second. He is from IF and she is from Hansen ID. So she knew right were Bancroft was :) They both just graduated from BYU and we had a fun conversation with them :)

I also met my friend's (Michelle Ostler) uncle! He spoke at church on Sunday and the missionaries often go to their home for p-day. I have yet to go...

Yesterday morning I finished reading the General Conference Ensign! I was so excited! I especially loved Elder Mervyn B Arnold's "What have I Done with My Name?" Talk. I always love the talks about names. Partially because I am so greatful for my own name and the legacy that I get to live up to because of previous people that have gone before me to make my names so wonderful to have! Both Mom and Dad's faimlies included!

However, the most important name I have taken upon myself is the name of Jesus Christ when I was baptized. I know that as I take upon myself the name of Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments, I will recieve the blessing of having His spirit with me always. In D&C 84:88 it states "For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left hand, and my spirit shall be in your heart." The Lord really is there for us when we choose the right. I can testify that is true!

I love you all so much and think of you often!

I hope your week goes well and that you will continue to love the people that are around you. Love you all!

Love,

Sister Stephanie Crandall

P.S. Reed, I forgot to let you know that we recieved the "Lock your heart" talk the first night in the mission home. Loved re-reading it!

{Week Four}

Dear Family, 

(Please send this to Katelyn, I keep getting her emails back. I have recieved her emails, but mine wont send to her...)

I hardly know where to begin this week's email! It has been such a wonderful week and lots has happened.

I will start by telling you a little about Brother and Sister Nelson. They are the amazing couple we are living with. They served a mission in the geneology department in SLC and loved it! and ever since, they have had missionaries in their home. They have a nice little home in Richland WA. He grew up moving the cows and sheep North of Kemmerer Wyoming (I think Kemmerer... now I can't remember). It is fun to reminisce with him about agriculture and he loves it too!

Sister Garrett and I are in an upstairs bedroom and we all share the kitchen. We usually only eat breakfast and lunch there, because each night there are members signed up to feed us supper.

It is fun to meet the members! Speaking of which, the world is indeed very very small! The first supper I had was with the Hart family. Who happens to be President Hart's (Soda Stake President) son. We had a good laugh out of that. And then a few days later we had dinner with the Jones Family. And guess what... He is the nephew of Allen and Ada Smith! When he asked where I was from, I said Chesterfield Idaho and he started to laugh. After he told me, he knew just where that was and how he knew, we laughed about it for a while. It is such a small world.

The work here has been tough, but worth it. It is taking me a while to remember people's names and their stories, but I am starting to get the territory down. It seems like we are teaching lots of less-active members. Most of them are in part-member families so there are non-members there as well. I hope that the examples of the missionaries and the members will help the less-active members have a desire to return to church. One of the less-active's we visited with was Preston Leavitt. He is from Utah and here away from his family working. His entire family is active but he has been less active for years. We took another member with us and shared a message from Heleman 2:41 (Everlasting happiness). After we read that, he expressed how he could see that happiness in his wife and son and he said he was going to return to the church after 30 years of being inactive. I hope we gave him the nudge he needed to feel that great desire that is so important for each of us to feel on our own.

Last night we also went to share a message with a part-member family. Jody and Rob Lowery. Jody has been a member but fell away a long time ago and Rob seems very interested but is leaving on a work trip for a few weeks. He is actually going to Ukraine, where Sister Garrett is from! We shared Alma 34:32 with them. It is the purpose of why we are here on earth. Rob asked us to re-read it and we talked about what our purpose is while were are here on earth. He is ready to hear the gospel and we are so excited to share it with him!

During last week, it seemed like many people canceled appointments and many people were not there when we went, so we tracted. We have been tracting alot and it has seemed that most everyone is not interested. Until yesterday! A lady invited us into our house, of course the last house on the block, and we started to teach her. She actually grew up going to church with her Grandma and her Grandma had asked if any missionaries had stopped by a few days ago. She was very open to hearing what we had to say and we are going back soon! So that was exciting! I can't wait to share with her the happiness in my life that I have recieved because of the gospel. I think it will help her so much!

Sundays are busy because we have two wards to go too. It is amazing how some of the members look just like people from home. The RS President here looks just like Diane Richardson ;) haha... kinda funny. Sunday night I saw Sarah and Ben Murray! Our stake is putting on the production of Savior of the World and Sarah is one of the co-directors. It is a missionary effort to invite non-members and less-actives to come see it. It is going to be so good! It was fun to see Sarah too :)

Before I forget, Mom, The bag is perfect!!!! I love it and it has the perfect amount of pockets for everything! Very good choice! Thank you for the shoes too ;) I am wearing them today... The cookies were delicious and the card was wonderful! The package was great! I also got all the bedding too... but Sister Nelson is providing that for us... And Dad, thank you so much for the address's :) Much appreciated!

I hope the rest of District's go well for Katelyn! I am so excited for her and have all the confidence in the world that she will do well! :)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Stephanie Crandall

{in the field}

Sister Crandall has safely made it to her mission in Washington State today!

I only wish the pictures weren't so grainy for you all to enjoy!

{Week Three}

Dear Family,

 

Thank you so much for all the letters! Loved hearing about how your week was going and about what was going on in life. I know Dad always has said that we don't need to check up on him... like when we 'always' call 'every day' and ask what he is up to... but I loved hearing about EVERYTHING! :)

 

I wanted to tell you a bit about last week. It was amazing! I can hardly believe how quickly my time at the MTC has gone.

 

Each Tuesday we have a devotional where a General Authority comes and speaks to us. This past Tuesday was especially wonderful! Elder Kevin R Duncan and Sister Duncan came and spoke to us.

 

Sister Duncan started by sharing a story about a duck, with a lame leg, that showed up to her home looking for food. Well, long story short, her family fed the duck and after about a week of feeding it, the duck left. She concluded the story by saying: "Everyone a missionary teaches has a crippling problem; and the Lord will lead them to us and us to them." The Lord looks after us all and wants the best for us. She told it in much better words [having more time], but the lesson was so powerful. I will remember the message when I am in WA and having a difficult day. The Lord really will look after me.

 

Elder Duncan shared an analogy about missionary work. He related it to a bridge. Every investigator has an origin, where the bridge starts. And each bridge ends at the Savior. Although each bridge may start in a different location, they all end up at the same location by traveling through the Book of Mormon and Prayer.

 

This week we have been focusing on teaching people and not lessons. In Alma 18, Ammon's faithfulness causes a change of heart in King Lamoni. He definately taught the person and not just any ordinary lesson. In the new program the MTC is starting, I have learned that when teaching properly, we are not the teachers, but only the messengers. The Spirit is the true teacher. I can make a point, teach to concerns, and teach a lesson, but until I invite the spirit and help the investigator feel the spirit, they most likely will not be converted.

 

Yesterday, because it was Fast Sunday, we had Mission Conference. WONDERFUL!

 

President James Hacking and his wife spoke to us and it was great! They spoke on how reading the Book of Mormon will help my confidence grow even more. As I have been studying it each day, I can see that confidence sparking more and more each day. It is so amazing to see this! It really works! I feel so fortunate that I had such wonderful examples to help me find a love for the Book of Mormon. Thanks Mom and Dad for helping me with that! And especially all my siblings for being such great examples as well!

 

They shared a quote that I now LOVE! "That which one willingly shares, he keeps; while that which one willingly keeps, he looseth." -President Monson.

Such a wonderful quote! They applied this to sharing our testimony! So I wanted to challenge you all to share your testimony on the next Testimony meeting!

 

One last talk... The mission president, President Brown, shared how important our names are :) I have always felt so fortunate for the good name that I have! Read Proverbs 22:1. It was just wonderful!

 

I love you all so much and hope the week goes well for you!

 

I will try to at least call Mom & Dad while at the airport tomorrow !! I'm just going to get a calling card here before I leave...

Sister Stephanie Crandall

{Week Two}

Dear Family,

I was so excited to receive your emails, but didn't have time to read them all. If you have time, could you send them to me via dearelder.com (while in the MTC)? I only have 30 minutes here to type, but in WA I should get a little bit more.


I got my flight plans last week! We leave the MTC Tuesday morning. We were all really excited! There are 17 of us going to Kennewick! My district of 9  and 8 others from other districts.


Mom, as for an outline of my day: I am usually up by 6 and getting ready for class that starts at 7:00. We then have breaky at 8:15 and class from 8:45-11:45. Personal Study or district study for an hour, lunch for 45 minutes, class for 4 more hours and sometimes a workshop or TRC time in between. We then have dinner, gym time, and then study until 9:30. We go to our rooms, get ready for bed, write in my journal, and have the lights off by 10:30. It is quite the day and oh so busy!! On my first day they put us right to work and then at 8:15 we got to unpack and take a little breather to take in the day :) I think the funnest part of the MTC was the other night a girl started singing hymns in the shower and then I started harmonizing with her... haha... we both really enjoyed it. We are not able to listen to music at  the MTC and I miss it sooo much! The most difficult is finding time to write in my journal! I do find time, but it is difficult. 


I did run into Sherida, Amy, and about 5 sisters from my freshman ward!!!


Dad, President Robinson was released yesterday! And put in as a new Branch President for another branch. I was able to be interviewed by him yesterday and had a nice visit. He really is such a wonderful man and his wife is amazing as well! I have found a love for both of them. Their Son Alex is in Reed's ward~ What a small world it is!! I was excited to hear about the snow and how the Klondike derby went! Hope the skiis worked out for you well! And I was also excited to hear about Raft River! Glad everything is going well!

I was so excited that I accidentally ran into Reed at the TRC! I just needed to go to the restroom (for about the 4th time that day, Mom, I'm drinking lots of water) and ran right into him! I also saw 3 people from my ward at Foxwood! They were on the missionary committee with me :)

Des, I loved the letter you sent me!! It made me feel so beautiful! I love you so much!

Clay, I love October Sky! I watched it at Wood Badge and it is an awesome movie!!

Katelyn, can I just say I am proud of you for feeding the animals!? oh so proud! And way to go with basketball! YES!!!

I am so excited for you all and will write another letter to you today to add more details. I wish I had more than 30 minutes on the computer, but there is already a line of Elders behind me ;)

To tell you a little bit about my day yesterday:

It was AMAZING! Sister Pamela J Norby of the General RS board spoke to us. She gave examples of women who had unwearied diligence (Heleman 15:6). Each woman: Emma Smith, Zina Young, etc. did their best without complaining and with a good attitude. I hope I can be like them! That I can refrain from  complaining and have a good attitude. So far, so good :) There is lots I have to work on, but I am loving the elders and sister I get to associate with. Each has their own personality (and their own degree of maturity, haha) but each is loved by our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.

We taught a "mock investigator", one of our teachers, and we felt the spirit so much. I really  felt  the  love a missionary has for an investigator. We talked about the Atonement and Prayer and even committed him to baptism. It was amazing to feel the spirit so strong and to  really feel the love the Savior has for each of us.

Something I learned during my Coordinating Sister training meeting yesterday morning was a quote by President Monson: "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal!" or in other words, success is the achievement of righteous goals. Emphasis on righteous and also on the plural goals. I am striving to achieve these righteous goals! Remember that People who are bored are not working on righteous goals! :)

I love you all and thank you for your love and support! I know this is right where the Lord wants me in my life and I am learning oh so much!

Last week I sent my letters off to you, and then received all of yours that night! :) I will write a few more today and send them off!

Thank you for the purse! It is great having something!

Love you all,
Sister Stephanie Crandall