Subject: What is Christmas? I forgot.
Hello Family and Friends!
Another week down! I'm approaching my 10 month mark... Can you believe it? I can and cant at the same time. Depending on how i look at it, it feels like i've been out FOREVER, or if i look at it another way i feel like i just got out. And i cannot believe that it is already christmas time.... Holy smokes. It does not feel like it at all. I think probably because its a good 70 Degrees outside still and plus i'm working to hard to realize its a holiday. Today is actually really rainy :( I'll have to buy a beenie, my ears just about fall off everytime i ride my bike at night, it gets a little chilly. Anyways let me tell ya all about my weeeeeeeeeeeeek.
Monday 12-5-11
We did our usual stuff. Email, Laundry, Shopping. Hardly no emails :( Same this week too. Starting to feel like i've been out 10 months Cuz thats what usually happens to missionaries when they've been out as long as i have, people start to forget about ya, then they stop writing. Its only when you just got out and when you're getting ready to go home when you get lots of mail... Odd. But i see how it is. I deeply appreciate the people who did write me though! You know who you are!
We then went on a hike with the District, to a place called Wood Ranch, it was SUPER windy, and if you climbed up a boulder, you'd better brace yourself cuz you'd get blown off, no joke it was so windy, i spat into the air and it shot my spit at least 50 feet in the direction the wind was blowing before it hit the ground.
Then we came home and wrote letters, we had dinner with the Darley's, brother darley is a competitive bicyclist, so is his wife, so they eat super healthy to keep their weight low. But in his younger days, he used to love working out and he showed us some of his pictures from back in the day... the dude looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger. No joke, the guy was ripped! it was sweet! But now he's like... 40 or 50? but still peddlin like a crazy man on his bike.
Then we went to the Guido's. They needed help bringing in their Christmas tree. So we did that.
We then went home and went on an exchange with the spanish elders. We have to do this weekly now because my companion hates me for some reason...? The only thing he looks forward to is going on exchanges with Elder Graff... The kid is crazy. But i've been doing an insanely good job at doing everything my comps way, its driving me crazy but i do it. I've never critiqued him once or told him to stop doing something... the other day he told me though, to eat my cereal more quietly... it was giving him a headache. I just about fell off my chair i was laughing so hard. But i said, "Ok, anything for you elder bullard" haha kid has issues. I think i found out what though, i think he's intimidated, i think he was thinking he was going to be the "big man" in the mission, and his companion would be inferior to him. But things arent that way with Elder Crapo. But i'm babying him still... makin him happy. Only two more weeks of this "Bull....ard" haha He's a good kid, he just needs to do what Elder Pulham taught me.... to "Pick up your skirt"
Tuesday 12-6-11
We were on exchanges with spanish, i was with Elder Hernandez, this is his first area. He can speak Spanish, English and French. The kid is a stud, i love him. So i let him do all the planning and stuff since i dont speak spanish and since its his area. I would drive him around pretty much all day. But it was good. We saw a few people. Got some good numbers and then went to do Service at sister Hoggan's house. But when we went to go get some other Elders i guess part of Simi, the part they were in, was on lock down. 3 Black dudes robbed a jewlery store with guns and what not, so their were a few helicopters in the air looking for them and cops on every corner. Simi is like the #1 safest place in our mission so when there is crime they take it pretty seriously. We got the other elders though and all we did at sister hoggans was wrap presents. It was fun though.
Then we visited dubious amounts of people. Elder Hernandez made me dinner because they didnt have anybody signed up. And we went to the church because we were supposed to play sports but instead they did singing. So we still went to that. Then left, got ice cream and exchanged back.
Wednesday 12-7-11
We had District meeting which the ZL's took over and told us all the lovely things that happened at ZLC, they also gave us our first present, someone in the stake made a present for all the missionaries in simi. I havent opened it yet, i guess i'll save it for christmas.
We ate lunch. Went contacting and one of our appointments bailed on us :(
We went contacting more but NOBODY was home, it was driving me crazy.
I got a flat, but stopped at the right house because they fixed it up for me, actually just gave me a new tube. It was way nice of them.
Then we basically were on the streets trying to get a hold of people but no one was really home at all...
We tracted our dinner's street because we showed up a bit early. But then we ate at the Bystroms, they fixed us breakfast for dinner. They are older but have a son and his family living with them. We noticed they didnt have their christmas lights up so we volunteered our services to put them up for them, so they told us to come back the next day.
We went to the church where we were supposed to meet an investigator, but he had to cancel. But they had all the youth at the church and so we kind of just played dodgeball with them for a while. It was loads of fun. My companion split his finger open on the rim trying to dunk a ball and blood was everywhere... on the balls, on the floor... the bishopric was mad at us. But thats my comp for ya. (bag of hammers)
I've also been having problems with my neck... i dont know why? i think i'm deprived of my special chiropractic care i was getting in tehachapi, my neck has been hurting forever! I need to get some Horse Liniment from the pet store. That should fix it up.
Thursday 12-8-11
We went back to our dinner from the night before's house and put up a little christmas display in their yard. They didnt want us to put up lights though... i dont know why?
Then we went to the Guido's and had our Recent Convert Anne come over and watch the joseph smith movie. It was great. She loved it. I love it. I could watch it forever. Its the closest thing to watching a real movie out here.
Then we had an appointment with a part member family but they cancelled. But our dinner came and picked us up early anywyas. So we went to the Rusks, i think i have told you about them before. Sister Rusk is british, and we got on a long conversation of candy, Smarties, aeros, crunchis, fruit pastilles, flakes, digestives with carmel.... all that good stuff. She even had one of those chocolate oranges you smack on the table and break into slices! She actually had some fruit pastilles that she gave me and bullard. It was great, they are a small family and usually families like that are awkward to eat at but even though they are old they are super easy to talk to.
After dinner we went to the Church and taught David, our investigator we havent seen in a while, and it was a way good lesson. He's just having a hard time coming to church, i really hope he can get work off to come because i think he would get baptized if he would just come.
Friday 12-9-11
We had our weekly planning which was "super" Comp inventory was fun. I didnt ask my companion to change or anything, just complimented him, said he's doing great (cuz thats what i have to do) but of course i have a list of things to improve on... 2 more weeks. anyways! We went contacting people after that but no one was really home again! Grrrr. So we went to our appointment at 4. Chelsea (17) and Jordan her friend (19). I dont know if i told you about them last week, but it was our first visit that we set them with a baptismal date for chirstmas eve. But Investigators have to go to church 3 times before they can be baptized, but since jordan didnt go to church we had to change dates. So we moved it to January 7th 2012! I know they can do it. They just have to come to church. Chelsea has been 3 times but she is super nervous to get baptized. But we had a good lesson. Answered a lot of questions and taught them the Restoration of the Gospel.
Then we went to the Regis' house (Part member family) they were getting ready for the ward christmas party. So we only chatte wtih them for a little bit.
Then we went to the party ourselves, got us some good grub and what not. Anne came with her Boyfriends Reid, who i think could be Scott's best friend in the whole world. They are so much alike, they look alike, they are both in the Army Reserves, they both do airsofting.... so they need to be friends. Look him up Scott! Reid Levitz, the guy is a stud!
Then we rode home on our bikes and it was cold... yay
Saturday 12-10-11
We did a service project with the ward, went to two different houses that just needed a lot of work, i was trimming a bush, in the lovely 70 degree weather when i thought that it was december and how odd it was that it wasnt cold... I like it! After the project was over we went to the church to help set up for the ward christmas party, the Simi Valley ward's party was like, throw some tables together get some music and is a party! But the Santa Susana ward went ALL OUT. Lights, trees, decorations, centerpieces, santa, EVERYTHING, it was crazy, but it was fun to see the relief society make a big deal over a little party.
Then we planned to play sports, at the stake center. Since it was saturday, we planned to play dodgeball, but we got to the church and had about 20 people there, about half were non members too! and the church still had decorations up, so we decided to go to another building, and they were just setting up for their party... so we just played outside, and dodgeball is SO hard to play outside, because the balls would roll and roll forever and it took forever to get them back. So we switched to ultimate dodgeball, which is basically everyone vs everyone. It was tons of fun, i havent played gamesl ike that in forever. but i still get props on the jumping skills haha, everyone there said they'd never seen anyone jump so high. I think that made my companion jealous... cuz he's usually the one that is hard to beat at jumping. He gets jealous and envyous over little things like that, which hurts our companionship... Oh well!
Then after sports we changed and got dressed, went to our ward party. It was way good. They have a tradition that at every christmas party they take all the pictures from throughout the year and do a slide show.. It was way cool to see how people have changed and what boys got eagles and stuff. Good idea for other wards!
Then we helped clean up and rode home on our bikes! Zoooooom! Not.
Sunday 12-11-11
Went to church as usual.
Went to dinner with the murphy's and they are way awesome, i love that family!
And then we went to the Guidos and watched the Joseph Smith movie with Chelsea! And it was good, kind of distracting and Chelsea didnt really get it. But it was good. Had a way fun time!
Anyways i think that is pretty much it for this week... i cant think of anything else to say. Write me! And that's it. I'm gonna try and send out a christmas card today with a picture maybe? haha I love you guys. Cant wait to talk to the fam on christmas! love you all! BYE BYE!
Love
Elder Crapo
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