January 25, 2016

Con las pilas puestas  (With batteries charged)

So Guillermo was not baptized on Sunday.  He couldn’t come to church because he had to stay home to take care of his dad who has Alzheimer’s and wasn’t feeling so good.  He tried to get someone else to take care of him but all of his family members were out of town.  The bad news.... he didn’t get baptized.... the good news.... he is ready and excited to be baptized next Sunday! :) He has changed SO much.  I am just amazed about how much the gospel and the atonement change us.

I am really grateful to have Elder Call as a companion.  We are really trying to work hard and be creative.  He now just has one month left so we are working with everything we have! He is so great! 

This week, I “ponderized”  Mosiah 4:2.   I love how the gospel can take something so filthy and corrupted and make it into something pure, wholesome and good.  I just love my Savior so much.  I feel like for a while I would beat myself up for not being more like Him or the person I felt I should be.  The mission really has helped me learn the importance of loving God, trying your best, and learning from your mistakes.  I hope you all have a great week! Pray for Guillermo! 

Con MUCHO amor,

Elder Crofts

Replica de Zona

We had a ping pong tourney.....guess who came out as the champ?  Yours truly! :)

The way back from one of the branches called Punitaqui

We got locked out of our pension and had to climb it....haha

Out lovely pension!

Sorry if this video doesn't play for you. If you would like to see it just message Bobby's sister Kristy!

January 18, 2016

Hey Fam! 

I got the second package this week!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! It was great! Nothing like Christmas in mid January. haha  You asked if I used the gym at the Marriott in Santiago. OH YEAH! We used that gym.  We woke up nice and early Tuesday morning.  I did 15 minutes really intense on the bike and then we got doing weights.  My chest and arms were sore until Friday or Saturday! haha I might have over done it but I got really excited! 

Well, after a crazy week we are excited to get to work! Thursday and Friday night we slept on a bus because we had to go to Viña for a leaders meeting so we have been a little tired these last few days but we are doing great! Even though we had FOUR DAYS outside of our sector, the Lord has really blessed us and we have seen a lot of miracles.  Guillermo is progressing and still has his baptismal date for this Sunday but we might postpone it a week, depending on how we feel he is doing.  He has a sincere desire to change.  It is so cool to see how the gospel has changed him.  Ana is also doing great.  She really has become more responsible and obedient in this last month or so.  She also is being a better mother and I think she will have a calling here shortly! We also have struggled to work well with the church leaders here but it looks like things are starting to improve! Hopefully we can get Ovalle on its way to being a stake! 

Today, I was reading in the Book of Mormon where Abinadi is teaching King Noah and his priests.  He basically tells them how it is and says that they haven’t applied their hearts to the Gospel. As I thought about how we can better apply our hearts, I realized that we need to BE where we ARE.  If we are in sacrament meeting, our mind and heart needs to be there.  If we are reading the scriptures, we need to really be there if we hope to get anything out of it.  I remember on Sunday driving to Grandma´s house and Dad and Mom would sometimes ask "what did you learn today?" uhhhhhhhhhh... and I would really have to think about it to remember.  It made me think about the mission and how now that I am here in the mission, ALL of me has to be in the mission.  I know it is going to be a great week and that we are going to make things happen.  I love you guys and hope you have an awesome week! 

Les Quiero muchísimo!

Elder Crofts

January 12, 2016

ROAD TRIP!!

WoW!!! So we got a surprise call on Friday telling us that we would have to drive with The Jones (Senior missionaries) to Santiago because Elder Jones was having some chest pains.  A few years ago, he had a minor heart attack so they weren't treating it lightly.  We left Monday morning at 6:30 and started the 6 hour drive from Ovalle to Santiago.  Yesterday, we had trouble finding a place to stay so we ended up staying in the Marriott. Words can’t describe the amount of awe I felt...haha Elder Call and I were as giddy as two fat little kids in Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  We are going to be here until tomorrow.  We have been helping to translate for them and also drive just in case Elder Jones can’t.  Talk about a 180 degree twist.  It has been cool but I really just want to get back and start working.  We have so much to do and hopefully we can keep the work going.  

We have a baptismal date with a guy named Guillermo. It is for the 24th.  He is 65 and has some problems with the law of chastity.  Hopefully we can help him overcome it and get him ready.  We have changes this week and I am thinking we will stay together.  Time will tell!!! 

I love Elder Call.  He is an awesome guy and a great missionary.  We are learning a lot, working hard, and trying to get creative and enjoy the ride.

Les Quiero muchisimo! 

Elder Crofts

P.S. Happy 80^th Birthday Grandma Crofts.  My favorite memory of Grandma I think will always be helping her get the table ready for Sunday dinner, seeing her at my sport games, and hearing her funny sarcastic comments whenever something inopportune happens.  I will always remember her patience, her sincerity, and her love for everyone.  I could go on and on but my computer time doesn’t allow it!  I love her to death!  

Outside the Santiago Temple. Unfortunately, we can't go in the temple....but it is still cool to be here!

SANTIAGO!!

The Marriott sure was great!

We soaked up every moment.

Excited by a modern bathroom

You know you've been away from modern things when even the hotel hallway deserves a photo

Feeling at home in the gym

Shots of Santiago from the Marriott

For anyone who has eaten fast food with Elder Crofts you will appreciate the tray of food in front of him

Video Diaries-

 Hey Family!!! sorry we arent going to be able to write today.  Some senior missionaries in our zone had to go to santiago to have some heart check ups and we had to go with them.  So I am now in Santiago and we are helping translate and make the jones feel comfortable.  Hopefully we will be able to write soon this week! This week has been CRAZY!!! love you guys

I started making some video diaries..... enjoy!!!! hopefully you can get it!

 Elder Crofts

January 4, 2016

The Sky is lit up and our pension did too.

Well... as I said in the email subject, we didn’t have any electricity in our pension for a few days.  The owner of our pension changed the account number without letting us know so we never paid the light bill but we got it all sorted out! We got home on New Year’s Eve and finally the electricity was back.  Our food in the fridge was all ruined but at least we got it sorted out! We had an awesome New Year’s Eve dinner with some members and some of the sisters in our zone! We brought funeral potatoes and they were a huge hit!  We had to be in the pension at 11pm but we were able to stay up to see the fireworks which was cool.

President Diaz gave us a zone activity this week.  He let us see "The Cokesville Miracle."  It was great! It starts out a little sketchy and Elder Call and I looked at each other and said "what are we showing our missionaries!" haha But it was great and strengthened my testimony of prayer.  

Well, they told us like a month ago that Elder Texeira of the Seventy was coming to our mission on January 6^th but there has not been any follow up from the missionary department.  So, we are not sure if we are going to have the conference or not this week.  If we do have it, I should receive the other package you sent on Wednesday. If not, well happy Valentine’s Day. hahaha Welcome to the Chilean postal service.

I am really excited for a new year. Looking back, I know that I haven´t been perfect and I have a lot to improve in these last 6 months in the mission field.  But, I am excited to keep learning and serving the best that I can.  I love you guys and hope you have a great year! 

Love,

Elder Crofts

Skyping on Christmas Day

Family photo at the end of our Skype session

We had a repeat of the miracle in La Chimba last week

Interchanges in our lightless pension with Elder Winward

Chorillana made by David Alfaro!!!

That guy leaves a mark.

Our New Year's dinner!