Week 1 with Elder Scott

Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:21:43 -0700
Subject: Week 1 with Elder Scott
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been yet another week and this one has been a lot different.  A lot has changed!  I like change but not all the time.  Its been an ok week.  

We did the same old stuff on monday and tried to see as many families as we could for Elder Fernandez since he was getting Transferred to East Bakersfield.  Tuesday i dropped him off at the Stake center with his new companion and then Elder Humphries and i plus the zone leaders went down with the mission Nurse and went to transfer meeting.  It was a good meeting.  I always get so sad in those meetings.  Thinking about all the missionaries that have been in and out of this mission and how much i miss them!  Its going to be so sad when its my turn! But it was good to see a lot of missionaries i hadnt seen in a while. While we were on our way home we stopped off and got 5 guys, and a funny thing, some guy saw us all in the car and he held up a sign and we all looked over and it said "GO ROMNEY" ha ha that was pretty funny.  But we did what we usually do on a transfer day, got unpacked, did shopping, and had dinner.

Wednesday was good we had our district meeting and got to see a lot of members so that my new companion elder scott could get familiar with the ward. I saw two really cool things that day too.  I saw a Lamborghini Reventon and i also so a Meteor fall out of the sky.  It was huge and flamey and left a big ol' streak in the sky.

Thursday we did our usual visits to people.  It was a pretty good day.  We got taken out to dinner by Brother Leituala.  He's such a stud.  He took us to some asian all you can eat place which was super good.  And we came back and taught his family a lesson.  I love his family a lot.

Throughout most of the week the work has been pretty slow.  We are hitting our goal on teaching Less actives and Recent Converts but as for getting new investigators and teaching them it is pretty slow.  We have a really good potential that we have just met with Briefly this week but i'm really looking forward to sitting down and teaching her because she has a lot of good questions.  We also took care of the Nancetts dog while they were away.  They went to San Francisco to see a 49ers game.  

We got to do a little service this week for brother Durrant and also for Brother Tydryszewski.  Not much just little stuff.   

hmmmm... what else... I ate a grapple this week.. I dont think i've ever had one before.  Its an apple but part of a grape vine is grown into it... Some genetics thing.  So the whole apple has the taste of a grape... its really trippy but a really good apple.

We had Stake Conference this week.  Elder Packer (of the 70) came and spoke.  He told everyone who was to speak to throw out there talks and speak by the spirit.  So there were some interesting talks.  It seems they are changing all kinds of things up in the way they are teaching and running the church.  Its REALLY turning into a missionary church.  A lot of it is based on the spirit.  

Hmmm i dont know what else to say.  Elder Scott is from Colorado.  He's the oldest of 3 and he's been out 17 months.  He was in the Guidos ward (simi 3rd where i served for 6 months) for 7 and a half months...  He was there with a companion for 6 months.... Crazy!  He's ok.  I'm still getting used to him.  My patience is growing.  ANYWAYS!  Things are going good.  If i could only have one thing be different it would be to receive more mail :)  So please do so since i only have 4  months left!  

I love you all a lot! I hope you are all doing ok!  I miss you all TONS!  

Love, 

Elder Samuel Crapo

Transfer Calls

Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:44:43 -0700
Subject: Transfer Calls
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Hello Family and Friends!

 

 

Today we got our transfer calls and i was a little nervous for the calls because i REALLY like this area a lot.  Me and my companion now both white washed into this area so it was pretty much up in the air as to who would stay and who would go.  But of course, as usual, i stayed! WOO HOO!  I was so happy to hear that.  my companion is going to East Bakersfield and I am getting Elder Scott.  Elder Scott evidently is serving in the two wards i served in, in Simi Valley.  I havent hear too great of things about him...  But i'm sure he cant be that bad.  Just a little socially awkward i guess?  But that's ok, I'll be the judge!  I'm excited for the change.  Being in the same place with the same person for so long can get a little boring or annoying, Elder Fernandez and I have had a pretty good time together though.  He's a good Elder and there are things about him i will miss a lot!  But change is good!

 

As for my week things have been pretty slow.  Work wise, there hasnt been much.  We see a lot of less actives and recent converts but as for teaching people we are still on the look out.  The lady we had progressing for the longest time told us she didnt want the lessons anymore, i think i told you about that last week.  We checked up on her this week and she didnt even invite us in, so i'm pretty sure she's done!  But maybe over time she will be ready!  We did some good tracting this week though.  We found a lady named Stella who said she didnt believe in God, but by the way she was talking it was as if she just didnt understand how God works, why he lets certain things happen, so she seemed more hurt rather than unbelieving.  She said she has a lot of questions and we set up an appointment to see her on Tuesday, So fingers crossed!  We also were walking to a members house this week and on the way there a guy in his drive way appoached us and asked for a card, said he wanted to know it all and stuff.  He seemed a little over the top, like he was talking to us to be funny or something... But we are going to go back and see him probably this week as well!

 

We did some service this week for brother Durrant.  We put in a water fountain for him. The one we broke last week.  We set it up and got the pump going to get the water to come out the right way.  So it looks ok. 

 

I had to go to the Dr's office this week, because when i first got here my Tailbone was killing me, and i still dont know what it was from? I said in the first transfer if it hurts i'd tell our mission dr, and so i did, and then it hurt after what he told me to do for another transfer and i went to another dr and he told me it was probably my Coxyx.  It has little like tendens? in there?  And sometimes if they can swell or get messed up, so he gave me a mild prescription and told me to buy a soft bikeseat ha ha! Mine was pretty hard... but i was used to it, i still dont think it was my bike seat that was the problem.  But i did.  And it feels great now.  Doesnt hurt at all.

 

We also went and did mor service for the Durrants later in the week.  He had a garage door that wasnt working that we tried to fix, and thought we did, but it broke again, so we left it alone since its can be a pretty dangerous job with the springs and all.  And then he said his car was leaking oil.  So we jacked it up and got underneath and determined that the oil pan was loose so we tightened it back up.  We also played a little bit in their backyard with their kids.  Taught his daughter how to throw a football and stuff. It was a lot of fun. They are still one of my favorite families.

 

Later that night we helped a family pack up big trucks because they were moving.  And it went good.  It was a lot of heavy lifting and stuff. But it went really well. 

 

What else happened... Hmmmmm  We had dinner with an older couple this week.  The Owens.  They are super cool.  Just older.  She is hispanic and he is white.  She made us this meal that was strange looking but SUPER good.  She dumped this Green stuff on our plates that looked like baby food.  Green Baby food.  Then threw some talapia in it with some tomatoe stuff and a keesh? i dont know what it all was? She said it was Secret Green Stuff.  Ha ha! 

 

Also on sunday during fast and testimony meeting, a guy was bearing his testimony and the Nancetts little 2 year old Evan, CUTEST kid ever, was running around as usual, and last week he ventured up to the podium because that's where his brother was, in the primary program.  So this week he goes up and was walking around up there, i see the dad standing up looking for Evan, and all the sudden the organ just starts BLARING  ha ha! Evan was walking on the Organ pedals right in the middle of this guys testimony! It was so stinking funny!

 

Well that was pretty much my week!  I'm so glad i'm staying in this area!  It is probably one of my favorites! I pick up my new companion tomorrow and i'm excited to go because i get to see a lot of missionaries i like give their farewell testimony tomorrow.  So it will be fun!

 

Thanks for all you guys do! If there was only one thing i'd ask for from you guys, it would just be some more letters :)  So if you have the chance! Please write! I love getting letters.

 

I love you all lots! I hope you are all doing well!

 

Elder Samuel Crapo

General Conference

Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2012 14:36:44 -0700
Subject: General Conference
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Hello Family and Friends!

This has been a pretty slow week...  But some good things happened!  

Early this week we went on exchanges with the Elders In Fraizer park.  The District leader came with me in my area and my companion went with his companion up in fraizer park.  Let me tell you, Fraizer park is usually always 20 - 30 degrees cooler than bakersfield, the District leader was a little nearvous to go on exchanges because of the Bakersfield heat!  BUt he did good.  He got really sun burnt though!   We saw a lot of less actives and stuff, ate dinner with the Tydryszewskis.  Brother T is so funny, he has an electric lawnmower and has some pretty tall weeds and so he got his Samuri Sword (cuz he's a nerd) and went out in his back yard and started chopping down his tall grass with that.  It was pretty funny,  He let me have a few tries.

Also this week we had to talk to a Part Member families son.  He is in the 4th grade and has been suspended 3 times already this year.  So his parents wanted us to talk to him because he looks up to us.  So we did.  It went really well.  His mom is a non member so we hope to make some progress with her. 

We did some service at the durrants house this week.  We took that kid, since he was suspended he had nothing better to do than to pull weeds with us ha ha.  So we put him to work.  While we were there we got some text messages from our investigator Lyndell the one with a baptismal date... she told us that she didnt want any more lessons.  The whole quitting coffee thing was too hard for her and she is going through a whole bunch of health problems and its all adding up and she doesnt want to have to deal with it...  But  we are going to try and get her back on the path and keep going, she knows its true, she just doesnt think she can quit coffee, but she can.  While we were at the Durrants we were going to Install a little water fountain in his front yard.  So my companion picked it up and it is put together in parts and half of it fell off and the part that holds the whole thing together broke into a bunch of pieces.  So we spent the next 2 hours super glueing that all back together ha ha! But we got it all figured out.  

Saturday and Sunday were pretty easy days.  We got to just hang out at a church pretty much all day and watch conference.  Saturday night some members made us BOMB food.  He made brisket which he had been smoking since 4:30 AM and he also made something called ABT's  or Atomic Buffalo Terds.  Its a hollowed out jallepeno which cream cheese, 4 mexican cheese, a lil smokey in the middle, wrapped up in bacon, then covered in brown sugar... WOW. They were so stinkin good!  He also invited the Durrants to eat at his house and he had a good time!  They started watching my youtube videos like the scooter one!  So embarrassing.

Sunday night after conference we went and ate at the Durrants and we made Navajo Tacos!  It was super good, after that i made them all Blintzes. They all seemed to really enjoy them! 

Other than that that was pretty much it! it was a good week and i really enjoyed conference.  I want to get tickets for the next one and actually GO.  I think it would be SICK!  

Anyways i love you all!  Write me lots because i only have 19 more times that i will be able to write you! ha ha!

Love

Elder Samuel Crapo

Cant Believe its October already!

Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2012 13:20:28 -0700
Subject: Cant Believe its October already!
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Hello Family and Friends!

It's crazy to think that i only have 4 and a half months left before i am home.  Scary kind of!  I hope you're all ready! ;)

Its been an ok week.  Not much has happened.  I am excited for conference coming up.  Its a good time to see other elders, get some revelation and to relax ha ha.  

This week has been slow, i'm begining to hate P-days.  We dont do anything.  We get stuck inside and are the last to email.  I need to find something to do... I've resorted to drawing tie designs on my envelopes... something to make the time go by.  Its horrible ha ha. Last week we got so bored that we invited the sisters over and we washed their car...

We saved a dog this week... We found a little dog that looked like Baxter off of anchorman and he was all scratched up and smelly and mangey so we picked him up and took him over to a members and then called animal control and they picked him up.  That was pretty cool.  Everyone was giving us funny looks driving by because they'd probably never seen missionaries with a dog before...

Work wise we havent had too much success.  Our investigator isnt really progressing.  Having a hard time quitting the coffee... She's got a lot of medical problems that are keeping her from doing anything...

We also got to go to another members house to give him a blessing.  He is a little less active, his family wishes he would go to church.  and we went over because he hurt his knee at work so we gave him a blessing.  Then their daughter demanded that she showed us Adventure Time.  That show is whack.  Brain washing the children of today!  

We went to the Durrant's this week and did a bunch of service for them on Thursday.  That was good.  We got a lot done for them.  They also took us to taco bell.  They are way cool.  They are from Tooelle.  He did a lot of the electrical work on the conference center and she actually did a lot of work at Jordan High when it was new i believe? 

Friday we did our weekly planning and ran outside to put some stuff in a mailbox and saw some members were getting trucks packed up to move.  So we threw on service clothes and gave them a hand.  They put us to work for a few hours it was good.  We got to go to a pizza party at the church after that.  I was so surprised to see how many kids in this ward love us.  We walked in and they all ran up to us and wanted us to play and talk with them.  It was funny.  After the party we went to a members house to help him lift his garage door because the spring snapped, so we helped lift it up so he could get his car out.

Saturday we went to our friend Aoese's house.  He's Samoan, big samoan family.  I love them.  They are way cool.  We stopped by to just play a game with his family but i guess we woke them all up.  So we ended up brushing leaves off his patio and scrubbing his pool ha ha!  Then he took us to get McDonalds and then we came back and grabbed all his recycling and took it to get some money out of it.  IT was a good time.  He's a good guy.  Always cracking jokes.  We also saw our investigatror, then ran over to bishops to eat dinner.  Then we went to the Durrants and gave their kids ties because they never wear ties, but we asked them if we were to get them ties if they would wear them, they said yes so we took their boys one each.

We had a really good lesson with a Less Active Part Member family this week.  We invited their home teachers and it was our first time teaching them.  It went ok.  Their home teachers like to talk a lot... But it went good.  We learned a lot about them.

That was pretty much all that happened this week.  I got a gnarley tan from being outside in the bakersfield heat all the time.  ITs great.  And... things are going good! 

I hope to hear from all of you.  I only have 20 more opportunities to email! So do it before its too late ;)  

Love you guys

Elder Samuel Crapo

Halfway through the transfer

Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:42:17 -0700
Subject: Halfway through the transfer
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Dear Family,

It has been a pretty good week so far.  Not too much has happened!  Uh.... On monday we had dinner with that guy who works at bolthouse farms.  They made us dinner and had like 5 different flavors of drink for us to try from.  That was sweet!

We had a pretty good week of contacting.  On tuesday we did a little tracting but it went really well for a change.  Found like 3 people.  We went back to go see one of those guys and whoever was there just closed the blinds and locked the door... so i dont think that was the guy we talked to at first. Because he was really cool and actually interested.  A lot of people are still sick.  We had a lot of dinners dropped off to us or a lot of dinners cancelled :(

Hmmm what else happened this week? I got to see one of our AP's play football on tv!  ha ha, i dont know if you remember clear back when i was a greenie that i went out on exchanges with Elder Bills.  Well he is a safety for BYU.  #20 Craig Bills.  And our ward mission leader showed us him a little bit on tv.  He had some pretty good tackles on special teams.

Ummm we met with our investigator this week and taught her the word of wisdom.  Committed her to stop drinking coffee.  It was kind of discouraging at first because she was convinced that she would never be able to do it... She said she's been drinking since she was 12 and now she's 70.  But we promised her blessings and told her god could help her through anything and we followed up with her the other day and she says the urge for coffee is gone!  Which was way good news!  She hasnt drunk it yet! I hope she can make it to the baptism date!

On saturday we were supposed to go see a whole bunch of people.  We had tons of appointments but almost all of them fell through.  The only one that didnt was with a catholic guy, who was so so nice. His family was so cool.  But he's so involved in his church that he's not really searching... Which stinks! He comprehended everything!  He almost fed us dinner like right on the spot too! It was sweet! But we had to go

We had other appointments but unfortunately they all cancelled.  Hopefully we will have better luck this week.

We had a good time at the Durrants house yesterday, played games, ate lunch and dinner, beat up their kids.  It was a lot of fun.

I'm doing pretty well out here.  There's not a whole lot going on to report on.  Its been a pretty slow P-day.  We arent allowed to hang with anyone in our zone, only our district.  The only people in our district are 2 elders that live an hours drive away and the sisters who we pretty much CANT hang with. ha ha!  But things are going ok. Its starting to cool down here.  I got mail quite a bit this week. I think i had something from someone at least every day.. It was really nice so all you who are writing me, Keep it up!

I love you all and miss you all! I will write you next week!  I hope you are all doing great!

Love,

Elder Samuel Crapo

Good and not so good week

Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:53:15 -0700
Subject: Good and not so good week.
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Hello family and friends!

This is your favorite missionary reporting!  Like my subject says it has been a REALLY good week and a REALLY lousy week.  So i'll start with the bad news first and then when you're all depressed i'll switch it around and give you the good news to cheer you up!

So this week we have had a lot of bike issues again!  I ended up having to buy a whole new tire and tube again, which stinks!!!!  And that very night i got it, the OTHER tire went flat! I don't understand? We get so many flats.  I took the bike home, found two holes and patched them up and my bike has been ok ever since.  On the other hand, my companion still doesn't have his own bike.  Its been slowing the work a lot because he keeps borrowing all these clunkers from other people.  He threw a little tantrum the other day because he pedal kept popping off and we had to walk all the way home from the farthest point in our area ha ha.  Goes with the job i guess?  He gave his bike that he was borrowing a good beating though, that should show it to malfunction...

Just as i was getting better from being sick the week before, i got sick on Sunday.  Really bad.  I am pretty sure it was food poisoning,  I was up at 4:30am on Sunday and spent most of my day in the bathroom.  (TMI?)  but its true!  It was horrible! I couldn't keep anything inside my body, no food, no water, no nothin'.  I haven't had a meal in over 24 hrs.  I just barely started eating saltine crackers this morning and still feel sick. Yesterday i had it bad.  Tons of body aches, i was super cold even in sweats, hoody, wool socks. it was horrible. But evidently its something that is going around.  We found out there were a ton of people in our ward who were going through the same thing.  I couldn't go to church because i was so sick, so we had the ZL's come babysit us so that my companion could go to church with our investigator.. I was also up at 3:30AM today and went back to the bathroom.  But i am feeling lots better.  Just taking it slow.

Well that was pretty much it on the bad news.  The good news is.  We got to do a little service this week with our ward mission leader.  It was pretty fun.  Just moving tables and chairs from our building to the stake center.

We went to a stake party on Friday, it was Australia themed and they were trying to teach us how to speak like an Ozzy.  They were horrible at impersonating an Ozzy.  

When i was sick i asked the Durrant's (My favorites) to bring me some sprite and they did.  They also brought us dinner.  They are the best!  He was like "we have our phones next to our beds, if ANYTHING comes up and you need something no matter what time, call us"  They are so awesome! They are like our parents of this area.

No for some really good news.  We went on exchanges on Saturday with the ZL's.  And it went really good me and elder Angus were on foot but we got  A LOT accomplished.  Not only did i get tan like nobodies business ;)  but we also Taught two member present lessons, picked up 2 new investigators that seem super solid  taught one other lesson, taught a less active lesson and we set Lyndell with a baptismal date.  She is going to be baptized October 13th.  I asked her, "do you think you will be ready by October 13th?" and she said "The question is WILL i be ready by October 13th and the answer is yes" so huge progress there! And she came to church again this week!  The exchange was really really good.  I wish everyday was like that!

We also got to see a high speed car chase.  Me and elder Angus were walking down the street and a truck and white mustang FLEW past us going WAY fast and then we counted 11 cop cars were behind them!  GOING WAY FAST! IT was sick! 

Anyways! Things out here are going good,  we are beginning to see success in the work we are doing and are hoping to have some good results soon!  

Thank you all for all you do! Its good to hear from some of you ;) i want to hear from ALL OF YOU!  I love you all very much and miss you tons.  

Love,

Elder Samuel Crapo

PS  I have been out 19 months yesterday! :/

Start of the transfer

Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2012 11:52:42 -0700
Subject: Start of the transfer
From: samuel.crapo@myldsmail.net

Hello family and friends!

It was good to hear from a lot of you as i checked email this week!  Things sound like they are going pretty good for the most part!  

This week for me has been pretty uneventful... kind of.  I've been getting kind of sick... and i dont know what it is yet? but if it keeps going on i'll find out.  I'm Completely drained though, i feel like i can never get enough sleep.  I could sleep alllllllllll day! 

In the way of missionary work though, we are having success with Lyndell! She is so great! We met with her like 5 times this week.  She came to church and stayed for all 3 hours.  It was good! she wants us to come back and talk about some parts of church but i hope she makes it a regular thing.

I've had a ton of bike problems this week which stinks!  So many flats! I had 3 flats on saturday... i will have to buy a whole bunch of replacement parts :(

The weather here is still hot but this week we were relieved to have some RAIN!!! yes! it was cloudy and some what sprinkly for a couple days this week. which made it super nice!

Most of the work we do revolves around seeing the members of the church.  the ones we havent met yet.  We dont have too many investigators... Actually only one.  

So things for the most part are just fine.  One of those slow weeks, that's all.

I hope you guys are all doing great.  I want to hear from all of you!!!!  I feel like i never know enough about everybody! So write me, email me! Do something to where i know you're still alive or send me an update of what you're up to.  If not that then send me some pictures!!!!

I love you all very much! And miss you all a lot as well!

Love,

Elder Samuel Crapo