Atascadero‏

Hello Family and Friends!

I am now in my new area! It was a long drive! It is the farthes north
that our mission goes... well... Paso Robles is, but we cover a part
of that too. OUR AREA IS HUGE!!!! Haha, seriously! Covering two wards
is haunting me! And we just got into a car share... :( We dont even
live in our area haha if we want to get on our bikes and go to our
area its like a 2 mile ride haha and then we can work... odd... and
then the other area covers 2 cities one is like 5 miles away the other
is like 10! I was thinking in church the other day... i remember when
i was in my rebellious stages back home, and i would sleep in on
sunday and mum and dad would come down to tell me to get up and i
would say "church is a choice".... well god has a sense of humor
because ever since i got out on my mission i've been in church for at
least 6 hours every sunday! haha. CRAZY! I have a new companion.
Elder Marquez. The kid is AWESOME. Such a good change, he's so
funny. My stomach hurts after every day from laughing so hard with
this kid. He's from Maryland and he's been out for 10 months. His
best friend from Maryland was actually in my district in the MTC,
Elder Volk, they were like... BEST FRIENDS, they are hoping they get
to be companions. He's only a transfer behind... i dont see why not?


Anyways here's my week!


Monday 2-6-12
We got our calls and i was SUPER STOKED, i was sad because i was
leaving a way cool area, and some way awesome families.... like the
GUIDOS. But the day was gonna come sooner or later. But we didnt do
much, just the regular stuff... I packed and if i pack up everything i
own i can get it down into 2 big suit cases, a carry on, and my army
bag. oh and a milk crate for all my Desk stuff... like books. Some say
its a lot but i dont think so....


I actually didnt write a journal entry for this day... so i dont
remember it a whole bunch, i can just remember eating dinner with the
Guidos. It was kind of sad taking the "last" picture with them. But
i'll be back before they know it! haha


Tuesday 2-7-12
We had brother guido pick us up to take us to Transfer meeting, we
ended up packing one car then switching to another... Some of the
family was there but they were telling me to leave because they didnt
want to have to say goodbye again. Haha poor sister guido was crying
:(


Then we got to transfer meeting just a little late.


I got my new comp, left my bike with an office worker and we went to
the area. Took about 3 hours to get there. Not know really what
awaited us. The zone leaders who covered this area before gave us a
couple peices of paper, very sloppy and not very detailed on our set
appointments we had for the week.... but we got to work as soon as we
got there. We got in around 2:30 and had an appointment at 3! We
share an apartment with two other elders, Elder Damuni and Elder
Seumanu. Damuni is from Hawaii and Seumanu is from Samoa... where
elder Zylks is serving haha.


It was good my companion had a GPS otherwise we would be.... in big
trouble. They didnt leave us any good maps. we dont have one map
that shows us our whole area... just bits and pieces so its really
confusing... The GPS Saved our lives. Note to parents.... if you
wanna get me a gps PLEASE DO IT! haha The roads out here looks like
you're looking down on a bowl of spaghetti... at least thats what the
member who drove us back from transfer meeting told us. and its very
true.


We had an appointment with a 9 year old. He has a baptisimal Date for
the 25th of Feb. He's awesome and knows a ton. His grandparent have
custody of him and they are members.


Then we came in and unpacked.


So we are serving in the Templeton ward Which covers Templeton and
Paso Robles and we cover the Atascadero First Ward! Lots to do!


Wed 2-8-12
In the morning we tried to peice together a map... we still dont have
a full map...


Then we saw brother Mickleson, He is a LA old guy who is loud and
blunt, but fun to be around and likes to work. So we shared a little
message and offered to help him with service.


We tried contacting people, got lost a lot...

Then we met a guy who was play MW3... he was interesting. Talked at
us... not to us.


Then we went to a members house who was supposed to feed us, they
could only give us money... i tried to refuse it but they wouldnt let
it go... i hate being given money. Lots of people try to do it haha.
But they gave us hot chocolate


Came in for lunch... mac n cheese. New area... same food haha


Then we tried contacting more people.. Just past investigators and stuff.


Then we had a lesson with a recent convert who is getting herself
ready for the temple! Sweet!


Then we tried contacting MORE people!


Then went and played a little basketball with a non member kid (12)
and we teach him a lesson after we play, we are hoping to get his LA
mom to church and to help him get baptized.


Then we went to Dinner with the Rayners. They are pretty cool... but
she invited some members over because her husband was going out. The
members she invited over though were Less actives, they called
themselves Jack Mormons... i dont know how you can be ok with calling
yourself a jack mormon... but ok?


Then we went and had ward Correllation with the ward mission leader...
which was odd.. He's a cool guy but his family is a bit strange.


Thursday 2-9-12
We had District Meeting in San Louis Obispo... long drive... but nice.
Thats where we found out we'd be in a car share... so now we only get
the car... some days. We are trying to get a hold of our bikes!


Then we came home and saw the relief society president. We were going
to see if she knew anyone that we could go see... but she didnt give
us much...


Then our next 2 appointments cancelled


So we went and ate lunch at In'n'out


Went and contacted more people and met a way cool young couple. And
while we were looking for them we knocked on a different door and
found a super interested lady! She is sweet so we will go back to talk
to her probably today.


Then we drover super far to see a less active guy. Parts of this area
remind me of Tehachapi big time! Back roads, big properties, middle of
no where, its SWEET! But we went to go see him and knocked on the
wrong door, and some guy came to the window and yelled at us to go
away and never come back, then we went to the right house and he was
in the garage doing work, so i walk in to go talk to him and he yelled
at us to get off his property... i hate that. oh well...


Then we went and got jack in the box with the other elders... fast
food two times in a row... ew...


Then had to dash to our next appointment where we taught a less active
guy and his family. His wife wants to go to the temple and he wants
to take her for their 50th wedding anniversary... so they are old...
But he's got some things to work out.


Then we went to the bishops and he wasnt home, but his wife and son
were, and his wife is awesome. Super nice.


Then we contacted ONE last guy and then came home.


Friday 2-10-12
Went to the church and did some weekly planning...


We left to go to lunch with some members in the ward. They took us to
a little spanish place, they are called the R.O.M.E.O.'s Retired Old
Men Eating Out. and they invited us haha, After we ate with them we
went to the church and help them set up for a dance/social they were
having that night for valentines...


Then we went to the apartment and finished planning. Still a lot of
updating to do in the area book though...


Then we went out contacting people

Had a lesson with the kid who has a baptisimal date.


Went to dinner at the Mcleans house and for some reason they look
SUPER familiar, they lived in utah for a long time, and everything
about them looks familiar.... i dont know though? They invited their
non member friend Kevin to come over and he is pretty cool.

Then we went to be a door greeter at the Dance/social but we were a
little late and didnt make it in time :(


Then we tried contacting a family and then came home and updated the
area book a lot more.....


Saturday 2-11-12
We went to brother micklesons in the morning, he called and told us he
needed some help in his orchard. So we gave him a hand, he's a good
guy, really appreciated the help. He gave me like... 3 pairs of old
shoes. But cool old shoes called British Knights... i guess you can
only get them online, super nice. He looked at my jeans and saw the
whole in my knee and said he would give me a new pair of jeans too
haha i feel like a homeless person.


Then we tooke the elders to the church because they were having a baptism.


We got some lunch and contacted more people.


Then we went to the other elders baptism. IT was good, the lady was
old so she had to sit down during the baptism and then put her in
front ways... strange but cool.


Then we went to Paso Robles to contact some potentials. We met an
awesome lady working in her front yard who had all these crazy
thoughts of what mormons believe... but we cleared that all up, and
taught her more things, she thought it made so much sense, she took a
book of mormon and told us to come back! SCORE!!!!


Then we went to dinner... mcdonalds, it was close plus i have gift
cards there haha.


Me and my companion were laughing so much... man it was crazy. haha
he's an awesome kid.


Then we contacted the bishop and talked to him. He's awesome and
super stoked because of how fired up and ready to work we are. He's
hookin us UP!!!!!


Then we told the GPS to get us home in the shortest distance, and it
took us on a wild ride! haha it was a WAY long back road. Super cool!


Sunday 2-12-2012
We had church most of the day... It is a SUPER Tiny ward, BOTH of
them... But it was good. Lots of old people.... But then we ate
dinner at the Collerans. And they are a way cool family... and thats
about it.






Send me letters everyone! I love hearing from you! Pictures are the
best so if you have any cool pictures send those too. I have some
letters to follow up on.. things have been hectic with the transfer so
i havent had time to write! But i will get to it i promise! I love and
miss you all! I cant believe its been a year.... TIME FLIES!


LOVE


Elder Crapo