{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!