July 29, 2014

Week 2

So this week has been pretty good!  The days kind of blend together.  Some days just drag and drag.  We get so much done during the day that the days seem so long.  But, it seems like no matter how much time we have to study, there is still never enough time. We have so much to learn and so little time to do it.

So every day we get some gym time.  The first week it was a lot of fun because there were some really good volleyball players so it was sweet.  This week... the good players must have left or something because every time we go play, we end up hating it because it is so terrible.  I hate it... my competitive nature needs to get out somehow!  Thank goodness for working out otherwise I would be restless.  Elder Lechemenant is all for working out when I want to so it is perfect!!!

So there are tons of people here.  Everything is always packed.  I don’t know how many there are but there are a ton of missionaries! We call the hermanas ´´Diablos´´ (DEVILS)  ha-ha because we want nothing to do with them for two years.  Ha-ha every time an elder in our district talks to one of the diablos we tell them ´´pack your bags elder!!!´´ ha-ha

Elder Lechemenant is from Palmer Alaska.  Being a district leader (DL) is cool.  It is tough sometimes but I love being able to help the other guys out.  The other day, Elder Edwards had a question about grace and the enabling power of the atonement (MY FAV).  I explained it to him and he was like ´´wow... I never thought of it like that...I am glad that you are our district leader!´´  I love helping other people and considering I can’t do as much of that until I leave for Chile, it is good to have the call so I can do it for the people in my district.

The Spanish is coming... There are days where it feels like I can just speak most things that come to my mind but then other days I really struggle to find the way to express what I am thinking.  It is hard to testify to our ´´investigators´´ when we are just caught on trying to just think of the words to say instead of how to say it.  But, we are definitely improving.  So you asked who came up with the idea to punch each other for speaking English.  It was my idea.   I just addressed it like our second day here and there were no complaints.  Everyone was all in for it!

My hardest day was probably last Saturday.  I just had a headache, was tired, and was reminded of home a little bit.  But nothing I can’t handle.  It is cool being a missionary.

Sundays are the best.  We have great devotionals.  This last Sunday, we watched a talk by Elder Holland.  It was SO good.  He talked about how a mission should change our lives and it is all up to what we put into it.  He talked about how some people say ´´when I get back from my mission to real life...´´ is the most incorrect thing.  He said that the mission is the closest to real life that we will ever get.  He said, there is nothing more real, or more important than our missions.  Elder Holland said that we as missionaries of this generation need to be better than the ones that have gone before us.  He said that the prophets of old knew that the gospel would not last during their dispensations but they worked hard because they knew they would be laying the groundwork for us.

I love and miss you guys! Thanks for the prayers and all you do! Love you!

Love,

Elder Crofts

Look who I ran into this week, Tanner Scheffler. It was good to see a familiar face. He is doing great and looks as handsome as ever

Elder Bryan & I with our Chile World Cup shirts.  He is going to Concepcion.

The Costco pizza = Tender mercy of the Lord. Hallelujah for Tuesday nights.

This place is crazy beautiful. Elder Bryan & Edwards.

July 22, 2014

Hola familia y amigos!!!! 

I am loving it here in the MTC.  It has been a lot of hard work.  The days are long.  There are days where I feel like it is four in the afternoon and I look down and see it is 11 am. Haha but it is so great.  The spirit here is so real. Sunday was the best day so far (other than how p-day is going right now).  Sunday night, we had a devotional and the spirit was incredible.  As I looked around at the record numbers of missionaries, we sang “God Be With You til We Meet Again” and there was no denying the spirit.  I felt the prophecies of old about  the gathering of Israel coming true.  How lucky I am to be a part of this momentous time.  The group that arrived the same day as me is the biggest group to arrive at the Mexico MTC.  We now have the largest number of missionaries at the CCM in history.  How cool.

My companions name is Elder Lechemenant (It’s French) and he is from Alaska.  He is a cool guy and is willing to work really hard which I love.  He is a little quiet but is funny and we get alon just fine.  We share a room with Elder Bryan and Edwards.  Elder Lechemenant is going to Colorado and Elder Bryan and Edwards are going to Concepcion Chile.  All of the missionaries going to Vina del Mar are in the beginner Spanish class.  Together, we try to talk almost all Spanish and I would say are working just as hard as anybody here to improve.  I am probably in the top 3 of my district at Spanish.  We also have a lot of fun.  We have a blast together and it is easy to get lost in the work with them. We have a bet between companionships where every time the other companionship speaks in English, it is a point and a punch in the arm. Ha-ha  The companionship with the least amount of points gets a prize. I am the district leader and there are 12 missionaries in our district.

So last week, it rained really hard.  I guess it is monsoon season in Mexico.  So, almost every day we get some rain.  It stays really nice during the day then gets worse in the afternoon.  But one day last week, it rained HARD.  Some storm clouds came as we were going to our casa.  They looked MEAN.  Within five minutes, it was raining as hard as I had ever seen.  About ten minutes later, we had a class so we had to leave five minutes later.  Elder Bryan didn’t have an umbrella so I shared with him.  I don’t think it even helped.  I think the rain was coming horizontally. ha-ha We got soaked.  We were running and screaming like little girls.  There was one point where there was like 6 inches of water in the street we had to cross so we just ran for our lives.  I was wet the rest of the night.  I had a red pocket book in my shirt pocket that stained my shirt.  But with a little cloro and some faith my shirt looks brand new :)

FOOOOOOOOOOD.

So I wouldnt say the food here is amazing but it is definitely pretty good.  They always have one or two courses to choose from (all you can eat of course ;)...) Then they have tortillas and rice and beans and a bunch of fruit.  So basically,  I think I am going to be a legend for how good the tacos are that I make.  I got this thing down..... I might start a little black market for my tacos or something just for fun.  The Mexicanos would love me for it.  Every Tuesday for dinner we get COSTCO PIZZA!!!!  The tender mercies of God are over all those whom he has chosen.... and I take it he has chosen the CCM!!! HALLELUJAH! We get it tonight so I am pretty stoked.

I am so grateful to be a missionary.  I love the MTC but I can’t wait to get out in the field.  I love you guys and pray for and think of you often.

Love,

Elder Crofts

Elder Crofts & Elder Lechemenant

Roommates at the MTC. Elders Crofts, Lechemenant, Bryan & Edwards

My last meal of American food at TGI Fridays in Dallas

Some of the Elders I hung out with on the flight to Mexico City

Massive rainstorm (it was worse than it looks)

This place is beautiful

4am at the SLC airport. Last words "Hasta la vista"

Elder Crofts &  Heather

Family photo after Elder Crofts was set apart

Grandma & Grandpa Crofts

The Michie Family

Madi B & Drake

Friends photo

Hannah & Olivia

The Atagi Boys

July 16, 2014

MEXICO ES MEJOR!  I made it to Mexico!!!!  It was a pretty long day but has been awesome!!!  There are so many awesome people that are a blast to talk to.  The MTC is AMAZING.  As soon as we got here, we walked to the cafeteria and ate and the food was pretty good!  I know I am going to love it here.  The spirit is strong.  I can´t describe how amazing it is to be a missionary.  I was one of the only ones in our group who spoke a little Spanish.  So when we got here, we were loading stuff up and this guy couldn´t tell us what he wanted us to do because his English was so bad.  So I asked him in Spanish and figured it out. :]  I love Spanish and I can´t wait to learn more.  Things are so good.  I miss you guys but there is nowhere else I´d rather be.  I love you and wish you guys luck in everything!  It looks like my p day is Tuesday!!!  I think... we will see haha

Love,

Elder Crofts