October 26, 2015

“God bless American Cooking”

Hola queridos! 

So last week, we decided we wanted to go and eat at an “all you can eat” place to just have a good time.  Here in Chile buffets are called "tenador libre" or "free fork".  We got to the place and I started to ask them about the food and the price and they said "oh actually, we don’t have the buffets on Monday because we don’t get the food until Tuesday." As I continued to ask questions, I found out that it was only open from 1-4, it was expensive, and you couldn’t even choose the food that you wanted.  The chef decides what food the waitress would bring to you and they only brought small portions at a time.  PASS.... here in the mission we use the word "trunky" for people who want to be in their home.  Seeing the quality of the buffets here sure made me "trunky" as I thought of Chuck-A-Rama, Rodizio Grill and Lucky Buffet.  "Free fork?????"  No more like an imprisoned fork!   haha no I am not trunky but I sure am grateful for the good old food in the USA!..... AMERICA!!! 

We have a senior couple in the mission named Elder y Hermana Cluff.  Hermana Cluff broke her hip a month or so ago and was planning to stay in the mission until the 1st of December.  Instead of going home, she said "I want to stay in the mission and finish the calling that the Lord has given me."  She not only is going to stay in the mission, but has extended to January.  She won’t be home for Christmas with the grandkids or kids and just wants to keep serving where the Lord needs her and her husband! What great examples! 

I am grateful for Humberto and the Gomez family.  Yeah the truth is that every time I see them I feel so blessed.  I really did so little to find and convert them and I feel like the fruits of my labors aren´t as much as what I might have hoped but I am learning to be happy with what the Lord is giving me and doing my best to be my best. 

Wow.....it has been REALLY hard to get the work going here.  I feel like for a long time in my mission I have been disappointed with the numbers, lack of lessons and the lack of progress in the places I have been.  It has been tough to accept that some people just don’t want to listen.  Last night, as I reflected before going to bed on the week and on my efforts, I just felt a warm, comforting feeling and knew that the Lord is pleased with my efforts and desires.  I realized that there might be a few things that I need to improve and I know I haven´t been perfect in my efforts,  but I really am trying my best to be my best.  I love the mission and I am grateful that the Lord has put me here in this mission.  I love Chile and I love the Chileans.  Every day I am trying to increase my faith and make today better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.  I love you all and I am grateful for your emails and your support!  Thanks for everything.  I really thank God every day for the blessing of having such a great family.

Love,

Elder Crofts

Last day in a trio with Elder Puefua!

Spring time here in Chile and flowers are all over

Looks like Chile is really helping me to "Blossom."....

...get it?  Because they are flowers.

The sunset from the other day!

October 19, 2015

¿Que pasa calabaza? (What’s happening pumpkins?)

Hey fam! how’s it going? Everything is going great here! I am getting a little wet because I just left my umbrella in a taxi and it is raining a lot! haha so that is great but hopefully I can find a new one! 

Last week we had a zone activity.  It was Elder Choez´s last P-day in the mission so I wanted to do something nice for him so we made a GIANT PIZZA.  It was the biggest I think I have ever seen.  It says in Handbook 2 of the church that we are not allowed to cook in the church´s kitchen so we had to be a little creative and cook the pizza in like a homemade oven/fire invention that we made.  We made one huge pizza and had some left over ingredients so I decided to make a Chicago style deep dish pizza. It was a blast.  I really have come to love cooking in the mission! 

We are still struggling to find people to teach.  This week, we found a new investigator named Carmen.  I think her home is one of the poorest I have ever entered.  She has diabetes and a whole bunch of other health problems and it is a little hard for her to understand all of the stuff that we teach her so we are trying to teach in a simple way that really invites the spirit! 

We had a ward activity on Friday.  We did a dessert activity.  It was a competition so I decided to give mom´s chocolate marshmallow brownies a try.  I only got a "special mention" for the brownies but Elder Avila told me that he talked with the judges and they wanted to give me 2nd place but decided not to because we (as missionaries) had planned the activity.  So way to go Mom! Your recipe is a definite winner! 

The GOMEZ FAMILY is going great! Their aunt lives in our sector ( not very interested) so we ran into them by chance.  It really makes me feel so good every time I see them. They were the ones I contacted and were baptized.  It makes me want to contact and talk with everyone I see.  The Mom is talking with a member that lives in the states (because she is divorced)  They met each other through Mormon chat!!! They are loving the church and are all so firm! Esefenia (the daughter) drew a picture of me while we were talking with her mom.

I am doing really well! I realized this week that there are a few small things that I can do to be a little more obedient.  I love President Eyrings talk "Called by God".  He talks a lot about obedience and makes a specific promise to obedient missionaries.  I am trying to change and turn myself over to God.  I love Jesus Christ and I am so grateful for his sacrifice for me.  There is still so much I don’t understand and so much I want to improve but I am grateful for all of the things that the Lord has blessed me with.  I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Crofts

The GOMEZ FAMILY. It just shows the importance of opening your mouth and talking to everybody.

The picture she drew of me.

Master Chef Crofts ready for duty.

Nothing like red neck engineering to get a pizza cooking

I even made a homemade pizza sauce....YUM.

MMM.....MMMMMM Good.

Interchange with Elder Pereira. Love that guy! What a nut.

District meeting

Mom's brownies!!!

Lunch with the Torres family

Sebastiain Navarrete!

He served a mission to Idaho.

We are in a threesome until Wednesday because Elder Puefa's companion finished his mission. Elder Puefa is in the middle.