Week 6: Loving the Work

Elder Connor - and both of his grandpas, when they missionaries at the same age. 

Dear amazing, hilarious, creative, supportive, and talented family,

Yes Dad, it does feel like the weeks are flying by.

Thank you for praying for those people. Keep at it. Especially for the J---- family. They need all the prayers of strength and comfort they can get.

Driving is fun, especially with other elders. We listen to movie soundtracks and Enya. #enyaislyfe. We watch Church videos occasionally. Mostly the church's "inspirational messages," so we know ones we can share with others.

President Jackman is soft-spoken and gentle, and Sister Jackman is hilarious and energetic. They are great. The mission focus is "Find, Teach, and Baptize." And "Learn by the spirit, Plan by the spirit, Find by the spirit, Teach by the spirit, and work with members through the spirit." The mission motto right now is "Raise The Bar."

Dad, thanks for sharing those experiences about Grandpa with me. They really touched me. I'm praying to, as my setting apart said, know and understand and feel the presence of those guardians.

I heard about Sister Nau in the ward bulletin. Prayers to their family.

Sorry there weren't any real great stories this week, I hope you read the one last week with all the storytelling craft possible.

There isn't much to do for besides what you've been doing. Praying and emailing.

Life is good.

I love and miss you all.

Service, Love, and Truth
Elder Craig

Week 5: I like it here.

We didn't know until this week just how much taller Connor is than Elder Jervoso. 

Dear Everyone:

This week we had a Trainer/Trainee meeting. That's when all the new missionaries from a zone and their trainers meet with the President and the APs and get some training and eat food. We met in Quincy.

We saw a lot of deer this week and a ton of turkey tracks in the snow. Also, it snowed 6 inches on Tuesday and Wednesday. So that was cold.

On Saturday we knocked on a door we had passed earlier last week. Turns out it was the home of a Seventh Day Adventist family who homeschools and the father was having a meeting with the Pastor in the living room. We briefly got acquainted and wished them well and high tailed it to avoid any Bible-bashing.

We are teaching a man named Milo. He's had some really good experiences with the Book of Mormon so far and we're trying to help him understand the visions he had last year. For example, he talked with his uncle ... whom he had never met ... and he saw some people that others couldn't see. Pretty cool stuff. Ultimately the Spirit has to tell him what it means, but we're doing our best to help.

We had three people come to church yesterday that we were really hoping would come. Yay! And we had a wonderful potluck afterwards and really fellowshipped with the members. Which is great. I love this ward. I love this area. I sometimes think I could stay here for two years and be alright with it. We also drove to Buffalo Lake the other day. Good scenery. Frozen surface.

This next story is something that really means a lot to me. It sounds a certain way in my head, so I'll try to convey it in a way that you can experience it like I want you to. Imagine it like a talk in General Conference:

I focused a lot on Charity this week and what it is. An excellent verse on charity is Moroni 7:45. (Cue the general authority voice.) I had an opportunity to practice charity this week when Elder Jervoso and I shoveled some snow. We went to an older sister's house to shovel her driveway and she had two shovels for us to use. (Proceed slowly.) Having lived seven years in Utah, I immediately recognized that one shovel was going be a lot easier to use than the other. It was better designed, weighed less, was sharper, etc. I likewise knew that my companion, having lived his whole life in a country where the coldest it ever gets is 45 degrees, would not sense that I had short-changed him when I handed him the lesser shovel. So I did.

(You're still reading too fast, read slower.)

I had completely ... turned ... inward. I was thinking only of myself and my convenience. I was acting selfish, self-centered, and un-Christlike. I could have easily justified my actions. "Because I've lived longer in snow, I probably shovel better than him, so I should get the best shovel." Or, "I'm bigger. I'll work more effectively than him, so give me the best tool to use."

(Pause)

And then Moroni 7:45 came to my mind. And all I had been studying that very morning ... And I realized ... what I had done. (Emotion rises in the throat.) I realized that the Savior would not have for a moment selfishly pined for His own convenience. He gave all convenience and comfort away on the cross for everyone else and their needs. As long as I wear His name, I know my place in reference to the needs of others. (Pause.) And in that moment ... (looong pause) ... I knew what charity felt like.

These are the experiences. These are the stories. The ones I pray for every morning and night when I say, "Please bless me with charity." These are the moments that shape us. The next step on the path in following the Savior. These little nudges make us turn more and more ... ever so slightly ... little by little ... to be in line with God's will. And if we make that part of our character ... that's when the changes are evident. That's what makes missionaries different at the end of their missions from when they started. Letting those experiences stay in their mind and become part of them.

I know Heavenly Father answers prayers. He works through others to bring about His will. I know it because I have seen it.

Service, Love, and Truth
Elder Craig

Week 4: First Area: Coulee Dam, Washington

Connor and his trainer, Elder Jervoso, from the Philippines. 

Dear Family & Friends:

I arrived in Washington Yakima mission on January 28! I spent a day in the mission home training and eating, and then got my assignment to serve in Coulee Dam. There are a lot of deer and wild turkey in Coulee ... and sooooooo many dogs. Everyone has dogs. Ev. Ry. One.

My companion is Elder Jervoso, and he's Filipino. We have a car! The mission doesn't usually have new missionaries drive, but Elder Jervoso doesn't have a U.S. drivers license, so I get to drive around our Toyota Rav4. The Coulee Dam area is in the Ephrata zone, way north of Yakima. We're the only two missionaries in the area, and it's very spread out. Elder Jervoso is also the District Leader, so we get to do some leadership stuff on occasion.

This week was great. We tracted and drove around the area a lot. We had dinner last night with a recent convert, Maria. Classic cornbread and chili. So good, I had two massive bowls and probably gained 20 pounds.

Right now we are teaching a man named John. He's a young man who is very familiar with the Bible. He's reading the scriptures and exercising faith. We're extending a baptism invitation this week, so hopefully that turns out.

Service, Love, and Truth

Elder Craig