13 Month Mark

Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:27:07 -0700
Subject: 13 Month Mark
 From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net
 
 Hey Family and Friends,
 
 Its been another week and another month. From my 12 month mark
 to my 13 month mark seemed like a FLASH. It was crazy. We have had
 some crummy weather lately. Its been rainy and cold. And we also had
 the highest electric bill last month because of heaters and they told
 us to throw them out so I've been freezing' my buns off this week! I
 guess a normal bill is about.... 28 dollars ours was in the 200
 dollars! Its crazy! ha ha. Its what you get when you live with
 islanders. And me who HATES the cold. But now i have to be subject
 to it. Good news is we got the car back... no longer in a car share.
 I guess the office didn't approve it with the mission president and he
 gave us the rights back. Creating a little tension in the apartment.
 But not our fault, all the blame is going to our mission president...
 the poor mission president had made some... not so inspired decisions
 and there aren't a whole lot of missionaries on his good side....
 so..... yeah. Speaking of not so inspired decisions.. Transfers are
 today and Elder Lane (my last comp) is coming to be Elder Damuni's
 Companion (who will have been here for 9 months after this transfer)
 It is going to be utter chaos in this apartment.... I don't
 understand? Elder Damuni and Elder Lane are the two biggest hard
 heads in the world! Except one is a super hard worker and the other is
 super apostate! I can probably guarantee an emergency exchange for
 their companionship... no joke.. Good thing i get to take care of it!
 NOT! Gosh! ha ha oh well.... Here's how my week went!
 
 
 Tuesday 3-13-12
 We did service for Larry Mickelson. It was loads of fun. Its been
 way too long since I've done some service and he wants us back over to
 do some more! YES. We pruned his blackberries which was basically
 overrun by blackberries ha ha it was just a giant pit of vines and we
 went in and pruned them. Loved every second. Even the part when i
 got my thumb stuck in my clippers and i was bleeding all over. You
 know how long its been since I've bled!?!? Not that I'm emo or
 anything and want to start inflicting pain on myself but it was good
 to be out in the outdoors doing Labor. Felt like being home.
 
 Then we had lunch and went to go see some investigators.
 
 We came to the church and taught the boy who has a baptismal date.
 
 Then we ate dinner... (no on signed up)
 
 Then we went to the Millers house (part member family) and taught them
 the plan of salvation. And I've got the little cards that explain the
 plan of salvation super simply. And they both LOVED it and i hope it
 sparks some interest in him... He's not really a "Searcher" but he
 just doesn't think about anything and we are kind of helping think
 about things. They are awesome.
 
 Then we had Ward Correlation at the Delbar's (ward mission leader of
 Templeton ward) and it was good. I introduced those packets that we
 created in Tehachapi that helps to do member missionary work. I've
 introduced those packets in every ward I've been in and every ward so
 far has picked it up and used it. Its super successful.
 
 We ended up using a lot of miles because of going back and forth for
 meals and meetings and stuff...
 
 I also got a package from mum with girl scout cookies in them. I ate
 all the Dosi dos in about 30 minutes.... or less.... i couldn't stop.
 i ate a whole sleeve of them in like 2 minutes and tried to make the
 second sleeve last but it didn't last long ha ha. So thank you very
 much for that package, it was very nice.
 
 Wednesday 3-14-12
 We had district meeting.
 
 Then we came home and started making lunch. Brother Mickelson gave us
 some REALLY big steaks for pruning his blackberries and we decided to
 eat those. but they took FOREVER to cook! So we got stuck doing that
 for a while.
 
 Then we went out to go see people... not a whole lot of doors being answered....
 
 Then we had dinner at the Platou's. They are super cool. And then we
 had a meeting with brother Mattice (ward mission leader in the
 Atascadero 1st ward) and i introduced that missionary packet in that
 meeting too and he's going to pick that up as well.
 
 Thursday 3-15-12
 We did some service at Brother Schiber's house. He is a cool old guy
 who lives on about 8 or 9 Acres. He got baptized a little over a year
 ago by the elder who was an AP when i got in the mission. He actually
 picked us up from the airport. But all we did at his house was Weeding
 (my favorite) and some leveling dirt. Which was good. Some more
 labor! YES! Then they fed us lunch and gave us the left overs.
 
 Then we went home and changed and rode our bikes to Paso because we
 were low on miles.
 
 Then we tried to see some investigators... Not a whole lot of answers
 again. But we contacted a referral from the MTC and it was a lady who
 requested a bible. She answered the door and the first thing she said
 was (more like yelled) "AM I GOING TO SEE MY DAUGHTER AGAIN? IS SHE
 GOING TO KNOW I'M HER MOTHER? IS SHE STILL GOING TO BE MY DAUGHTER?"
 so she invited us in and we started teaching her some things and it
 really gave her some peace. We came to find out though that her
 daughter who was probably 17 or 18 was raped and murdered... in
 January. The mother (Sally) lives with her son and his wife and it
 just destroyed them. The mom wants to murder the guy who did it to
 her daughter and so does her son. They are all really struggling.
 Sally is Drinking a ton and smoking a ton and she's on a ton of meds.
 But she told us to come back and teach her more. The son doesn't want
 anything to do with it because he doesn't understand why God would let
 something like that happen to his sister but his wife is SUPER nice
 and seems SUPER interested. So we are looking forward to teaching
 them. Because we only just told her what we know and that made her
 have so much relief.
 
 Then we rode home on our bikes... in the dark... it was about 1 hr
 and 30 min bike ride...
 
 Then the McCauley's (ward missionaries) dropped off some dinner at our
 apartment. Corn Beef and Cabbage for st. patty's day.
 
 Friday 3-16-12
 It was my 13 month mark! And also my companions birthday!
 
 We had lunch at a place called Cowgirl Cafe with the Mortorff sisters.
 (mom and daughter, daughter just got back from her mission in France)
 
 Then we got stuck inside for most of the day. Doing planning. But at
 Sylvester's burgers you can get a free burger on your birthday. So we
 took Elder Marquez over there and got a free burger for him.
 
 It was pretty rainy all day.... all week more like it.
 
 Then we went to the church and sang songs with the Samoan elders while
 they played the ukulele. It was for a church party they had.
 Everyone was very impressed because we sang in parts... so I'm
 actually glad i took accapella in high school because i can do the
 bass part on pretty much any song. We kind of did our own little
 twist on some songs and it was super sweet. Then i got on the mic and
 told everyone to sing happy birthday to elder Marquez. It was way
 funny!
 
 Saturday 3-17-12
 We tried contacting people in the morning.... NO ONE ANSWERED! And it
 was MEGA rainy!!!!! Good thing we had the car!
 
 Then we came home and ate lunch... left over lasagna.
 
 Then we tried lots of doors in Paso... NO ONE ANSWERED!
 
 But then we had a meeting with a guy named Dennis. Dennis walked into
 church looking for a place to study the bible. And he invited us to
 come talk to him. We went to the Wal-Mart Parking lot and we went
 into a "Van Pool" bus that he drives and we had a lesson with him in
 the bus. It was OK... He doesn't really agree with the Book Of Mormon
 but i can see him progressing.
 
 Then we went to a guy named Kevin's house and he was just kicking
 back. He's a friend of TONS of members so we went over to talk with
 him. Just got to know him. He's an older guy who is in the National
 Guard and he is super cool. But we just talked to him. Didn't really
 get to teach.
 
 Then we had leftover lasagna for dinner....
 
 Then we went to see an investigating family named David and Leticia
 and they said they are having problems with their 14 year old son.
 Not making good choices and what not. So they want us to come over
 and teach the family to help the son make good choices. So thats
 sweet! They really like us! And i really like them!
 
 Then we went to Kathy Merrill's house and took out her trash... (she
 cant really do it herself so we drop by every week to do it for her)
 
 Sunday 3-18-12
 We just had church which was pretty good.
 
 Then we had dinner at the Moore's house! The mom is from Layton Utah
 and she went to school at San Louis and met her husband in the YSA
 ward and he is a dentist and they have 5 kids and a big house! But
 they are super awesome! Had a ton of fun at their house and the mom is
 a great cook.
 
 Then we went to the other elders area because they were having a
 Tri-ward fireside at a members house and so we went. It was a senior
 couple who just got back of their mission from Kirtland Ohio. And
 there was a bunch of youth there and it was pretty fun.
 
 
 WELL thats pretty much it! Transfers are weird... its going to be
 strange having Elder Lane around me again... Its going to be crazy...
 i don't think its a good idea.... but oh well! I'm sure you'll hear
 all about it in the next letter!
 
 
 I love all you guys and miss you a ton! Thanks for all the support!
 I want more emails though ;) ha ha and letters!
 
 Love,
 
 Elder Samuel Crapo