February 29, 2016

Bienvenidos a Elder Barlow!

What an awesome week!

I went to Viña on Wednesday to get my new companion.  His name is Elder Barlow.  He went to Jordan High and is from my mission group! We have gotten along great and we are working hard and trying to do the best we can for our zone! On Friday, we had to go to Viña again for Consejo (training) for mission leaders.  So basically, we have been traveling and not sleeping these past few days....haha

Diego and Miguel were both confirmed.  We had to travel to Punitaqui yesterday to do Diego´s confirmation so we weren’t there for Miguel´s.  Miguel´s son did the ordinance which is really cool! Yesterday in Punitaqui, we visited a recent convert named Ivette that had just moved there from another sector in our zone.  We taught her, her mom, and her grandma.  We invited her mom and grandma to be baptized and both accepted the invitation.  We will have to travel a lot to be able to teach them a few times every week but we aren´t complaining! haha Both of them are named Blanca.  I was a little nervous starting the change because we didn’t have any investigators progressing but the Lord calmed my fears in a short amount of time. haha  

I ran into Camila and Estephania in Vina during transfers.  They are the ones I contacted that later got baptized along with their mom in another sector.  Their mom is currently in Salt Lake and is probably going to get married and sealed to some guy there.  They are going to be living in Utah!!! So crazy! What a blessing to see them there! 

I am striving to be the most obedient missionary I can! I feel like I have a more obedient heart than in any other moment in my life.  I love trying to do what is right and I love learning to be a better missionary and person.  I am always amazed by how merciful God is with us and how much he wants us to succeed.  I am so grateful that even though I fail daily, He is willing to love and forgive me if I humble myself before Him and commit to do better the next day.  Thanks for your emails and for your love! Have a great week!

Besitos,

Elder Crofts

Miguel's baptism

Who is the tall guy in the photo?

The slope adds 6 inches easily

Elder Call left for home right after the baptism of Miguel

Our trio for a few days after Elder Call left

We celebrated with churrascos

View of the ocean from our bus ride to Vina for the transfer meeting

Look who I found in Vina, Camilila & Estephania

Elders at the change meeting

Elder Garcia who I trained at the start of his mission

Hermana Pitts! She went to a winter formal with my cousin Mark Rose in Mesa, Arizona.  I asked her where she was from and when she told me we both freaked out when we both knew Mark.  Haha!

Traveling to Vina for the second time in a week for Consejo

Elder Barlow

February 22, 2016

Hasta Ver (To See)

I think this was one of the fastest weeks on my mission.  With Elder Call leaving, we had a lot to do and little time to do it.  Also, with Elder Call going, everyone wanted to say goodbye and give us food..... so basically I feel like a beached whale right now.  On Friday, we went to Punitaqui and planned on giving a blessing to a sister´s son and then going to our lunch.  Little did we know, that this sister was planning on giving us lunch.... so basically we ate two large lunches and wanted to roll over and die.

Miguel and Diego were both baptized! Both of the services were great and the spirit was really special.  Right after Miguel´s baptism, Elder Call loaded on the bus and was on his way to Viña.  So he couldn´t stay for Diego´s but he still left happy and really excited to see his family! I will miss the guy.  We got a lot done together and really enjoyed these two transfers. Now, I am in a trio with Elder Clifford and Elder Cobb.

I think the highlight of the week was when Miguel got up to bare his testimony after his baptism.  He knows that this is a decision that God guided him to take.  They are an awesome family and I am sure they will be going to the temple here in a year.  10 years of sharing with missionaries and FINALLY he decided it was time.  We were both really happy for him.  

So time is going WAY TO FAST.  I am just trying to take it all in and change as much as I can.  I love repentance and I love my Savior.  I am excited to see who my new comp is on Wednesday.  We are going to keep the miracles coming and have an awesome time!  I hope you all have an awesome week! 

Elder Crofts

Diego's Baptism

Elder Call saying goodbye to some awesome families

For those of you that speak Spanish, that is pronounced just like "ice cream" in English. They sure are clever.

Elder Clifford and I went crazy.

Churrascos = Love

Our last district meeting

Saying goodbye to Elder Call

Saying goodbye to Sister Andrade from Rio de Janeiro

A family from La Serena came to say goodbye to Elder Call!

February 15, 2016

Looking up!

What an awesome week! 

The conference with Elder Texeira was great! (He is from Portugal).  In the meeting with the mission leaders, he and his wife talked a lot about how success is a principle we need to learn to achieve now in the mission because it will bless us the rest of our lives in work and in our families.  They talked about how goals help us to be successful but we shouldn’t let ourselves get down if our goals don’t work out.  We need to keep the faith, keep fighting, and keep trusting in the Lord until things work out! In the meeting with everyone, there was a focus on working hard, increasing our faith, and finding new investigators by praying with people for their family members and loved ones.

So family, you remember that story about me being a “baby abuser” after the piano hand grab? Well, I am now a dog abuser as well! haha We were about to start a lesson with some less actives when they asked us to distract their dog while they cleaned some things.  The dog started to play tug of war with me so I took it around in some circles and it got a little tangled up and tripped over a rock.  It fell to the ground and started howling and whining.  It couldn’t walk for a few minutes but luckily it got back up and is now back to normal.  At least they weren´t as easily offended as the other as the people in the baby abuser story! haha

I learned a lot this week about keeping a positive attitude.  Almost daily in the mission, things don´t work out exactly as we plan.  It is really easy in these moments to lose your patience, get upset and frustrated, and lose the Spirit. The Lord has really blessed me with companions that have helped me to understand the importance of shaking it off, having a good laugh, and trusting that things will work out better the next time.  I love this work and I am really grateful to be working with Elder Call.  It is his last week in the mission so we are going to take advantage and leave it all on the court! 

Con Mucho Cariño,

Elder Crofts

P.S.... Miguel and Diego are well.  They will be baptized this next Sunday! 

We found a place that does free delivery for completos...

...don't mind if I do :)

Thanks Ansley, Alicia and Rick for the package!

I LOVE IT!

Ovalle is really famous for its grapes (and wine and all that jazz).

Yummy!

P-Day....? more like MOVIE DAY!

Well...only in Chile do you see an electrical worker leaning his ladder up against the electrical wires to get where he needs to go....GOTTA LOVE IT :)