Dear Mom and family,
This week was a little better.
Luis still hasn't come to church, we haven't even been able to meet with him at all this week. The thing is, he changed work and now works farther away and doesn't get home until late. Despite that little problem, we started teaching his mom and sisters. Yesterday, after a lot of encouragement, we managed to get the three of them to church. Tomorrow we're going to see how they liked it.
Melisa is progressing a lot. She still has doubts about the Joseph Smith story, but she's not denying it either. She's just waiting for that answer from the Holy Ghost. Our next lesson we're going to focus on the importance of the Book of Mormon.
We found out this week that Madelina is already a member, she's just less active. So, now we're just working on activating both her and the Martinez family.
Yesterday, we contacted a lady by the name of Gladys Gonzales. She lives with her son and his three children: Luis (11), Madeline (10), and Dulce (4). We'd seen Luis and Madeline before because of Herman Alma Martinez (the less active we're working with) Her daughter is their school teacher and they take their classes in her house, so we'd seen them a couple of times already.
That's about all the news I've got. We still don't have a Ward Mission Leader so... that's causing a few problems.
I love you all and look foreword to seeing you all soon.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
(In response to my asking for more details of how he is doing and feeling. I'm crying all over my computer!)
OK, I have a little bit of time left to maybe try and explain in summary how my mission has gone for ME and how I feel about things right now. Very often I feel lost, like I don't know what I'm doing; like I'm not too effective and there are things I could be doing better. I have a desire to work but I find it difficult to fill in the day with effective activities to do. I get frustrated and anxious a lot when I don't know what to do and I end up just walking around looking for something to do. I feel like a slacker sometimes. Knocking doors is my least favorite thing to do and it's the only thing to do when you don't have anything to do. I get frustrated with the people I talk to because I will have nothing to do but contact and when I contact, nobody wants to really listen to me. That's how the majority of my days go and that's why I don't say much, because not too much happens usually. However, I recently had an experience with my new companion that caused me to think about all the progression I have made personally. My companion had a meltdown on Friday and began to explain to me how he couldn't stand the area anymore and how he wanted changes because he was afraid he couldn't continue on anymore. He told me he knew I was a good missionary and that he didn't want to bring me down and for that reason he wanted changes. What caused me to ponder so hard was that what he was trying to describe to me as far as how he was feeling: like a fish out of water, claustrophobic, incompetent, all these feelings he was describing, I have never been able to get rid of myself, in the mission. Only those few moments right after a really good lesson or a baptism or something I've done where I feel like I was some sort of help to someone; only then do I get a moment to breath and relax and say I'm doing what I came here to do. Yesterday, after finding Gladys, was one of those moments. I felt I needed to contact but I really didn't want to. But, we did it and we found someone. When my comp was to the point of giving up, with tears in his eyes and his face in his hands I began to wonder, how have I been able to withstand all this time, the disappointments and anxiety; the boring areas and difficult branches and companions. I wanted to help him but I wasn't sure how I could even do it. It isn't until this very moment as I am writing to you that I think I know the answer. In those moments when I had tears in my eyes and my face in my hands, I've done the only thing I know how and that was to just pray for the Lord to have patience with me and to help me become better, to help me understand, and to help me have a little success. I've found in the moments I'm just about ready to give up, that's when He blesses me with a little booster, whether it be a good lesson, or finding someone positive, or an opportunity to give someone a blessing. Ever since that day that my comp has told me he can't keep going in this area, we have given one or more anointing and blessings a day.
I have learned self dominance in a lot of ways and I know that I have grown so much more in these past 18 months almost, than I would ever have in 20 years. I wouldn't trade a mission for anything.
Counters
Monday, August 1, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
July 25, 2011 PICTURES!!!!!!!
There was no explanation with the pictures but I'll take whatever I can get!!! Those that follow this blog know that pictures are few and far between! SOOO good to see his smile again!!!
Dear Mom and Family,
I can't believe I forgot to tell you that I did get the package. I got it about 3 weeks ago. I really enjoyed all the candy and the rice was really good. I got the card and it works. Thank you so much for sending it.
This week we have been working hard with three people.
Luis Juarez: We have/had a baptismal date for him for this Saturday, but the problem is we keep losing contact with him and he hasn't come to church for four weeks because something always comes up. He has attended church two times but that was before I was here. We set an appointment with his sister for today and we're hoping he's there.
Melissa Godinez:The sister of a recent convert and friend of our next door neighbors. She is a reference from familia Velasquez our neighbors. She has come to church once with them and since then, we've had two family nights with her. Our next appointment we plan to invite her to get baptized.
Familia Martinez and Margarita: The Martinez family is inactive. The Husband says that there isn't any "amistad" in the ward and that's why he doesn't go. The wife want's to go but won't go without her husband. Despite them being inactive, they have strong testimonies that the church is the true church of Jesus Christ. Our approach with them was to get them involved in the missionary work in hopes that when one of their friends begins to progress, it will strengthen their testimony and they will have to help bring their friends to church. Margarita is the friend that Sister Martinez chose to invite. Tomorrow we're going to meet with Brother and Sister Martinez to know how the invitation went.
That's about all that is going on right now... Except I almost forgot to mention that we had changes this week and the district has been changed a lot. I now have a new companion, Elder Sunun (the same one who was in my district these past few weeks); One of the two other missionaries that I was having trouble with has made the decision to go home and his companion was changed out. so there are three new elders in the district.
Thanks again for the package and I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I hope you all get feeling better soon.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
I can't believe I forgot to tell you that I did get the package. I got it about 3 weeks ago. I really enjoyed all the candy and the rice was really good. I got the card and it works. Thank you so much for sending it.
This week we have been working hard with three people.
Luis Juarez: We have/had a baptismal date for him for this Saturday, but the problem is we keep losing contact with him and he hasn't come to church for four weeks because something always comes up. He has attended church two times but that was before I was here. We set an appointment with his sister for today and we're hoping he's there.
Melissa Godinez:The sister of a recent convert and friend of our next door neighbors. She is a reference from familia Velasquez our neighbors. She has come to church once with them and since then, we've had two family nights with her. Our next appointment we plan to invite her to get baptized.
Familia Martinez and Margarita: The Martinez family is inactive. The Husband says that there isn't any "amistad" in the ward and that's why he doesn't go. The wife want's to go but won't go without her husband. Despite them being inactive, they have strong testimonies that the church is the true church of Jesus Christ. Our approach with them was to get them involved in the missionary work in hopes that when one of their friends begins to progress, it will strengthen their testimony and they will have to help bring their friends to church. Margarita is the friend that Sister Martinez chose to invite. Tomorrow we're going to meet with Brother and Sister Martinez to know how the invitation went.
That's about all that is going on right now... Except I almost forgot to mention that we had changes this week and the district has been changed a lot. I now have a new companion, Elder Sunun (the same one who was in my district these past few weeks); One of the two other missionaries that I was having trouble with has made the decision to go home and his companion was changed out. so there are three new elders in the district.
Thanks again for the package and I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I hope you all get feeling better soon.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, July 18, 2011
July 18, 2011
Dear Mom and family,
This week has been kind of crazy. I've had to deal with a few elders in the district and am still trying to finish with some of the details, but in the end, two elders have been taken out of the district and what has happened or is going to happen to them I don't know. All I know is that they are no longer under my jurisdiction. That took the majority of my time this last half of my week.
I don't know what to tell you this week. I've kind of lost focus of my area. This week they released our ward mission leader and they haven't called a new one yet. I'm working on a plan for the district this next change to help us work more with the members. The idea is that we help the members know what to do to help teach the references they give us. I thought of explaining it with an illustration.
We as missionaries are in a long hall with a bunch of doors to rooms that represent the hearts of the people. Some are members some are not. There are some rooms where the door from the hall (us missionaries) is locked but the door from neighboring rooms (family and friends) are not. The problem that we have is when we ask for references, the members give them to us and then expect us to go to their house and contact them. This is the equivalent of us going to the locked door in the hall and trying to get in when we can't. Instead, we need the members to go a little further in making the invitation and preparing them so that they can unlock that door to the hall and let us in. It's a really basic illustration but it makes the idea clear.
Luis didn't come to church yesterday which means that his baptism on the 30th might not happen if he doesn't come next week. He seems really positive but he hasn't come to church once since we got here. So... It doen't seem like I've got a lot to do right now. We're just kind of starting over and trying to find new investigators this next week, working with the members and all. Thank you so much for sending me a letter every week though. I really appreciate it.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
This week has been kind of crazy. I've had to deal with a few elders in the district and am still trying to finish with some of the details, but in the end, two elders have been taken out of the district and what has happened or is going to happen to them I don't know. All I know is that they are no longer under my jurisdiction. That took the majority of my time this last half of my week.
I don't know what to tell you this week. I've kind of lost focus of my area. This week they released our ward mission leader and they haven't called a new one yet. I'm working on a plan for the district this next change to help us work more with the members. The idea is that we help the members know what to do to help teach the references they give us. I thought of explaining it with an illustration.
We as missionaries are in a long hall with a bunch of doors to rooms that represent the hearts of the people. Some are members some are not. There are some rooms where the door from the hall (us missionaries) is locked but the door from neighboring rooms (family and friends) are not. The problem that we have is when we ask for references, the members give them to us and then expect us to go to their house and contact them. This is the equivalent of us going to the locked door in the hall and trying to get in when we can't. Instead, we need the members to go a little further in making the invitation and preparing them so that they can unlock that door to the hall and let us in. It's a really basic illustration but it makes the idea clear.
Luis didn't come to church yesterday which means that his baptism on the 30th might not happen if he doesn't come next week. He seems really positive but he hasn't come to church once since we got here. So... It doen't seem like I've got a lot to do right now. We're just kind of starting over and trying to find new investigators this next week, working with the members and all. Thank you so much for sending me a letter every week though. I really appreciate it.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 11, 2011
Dear mom and family,
These past few weeks have been interesting as we have been trying to get to know our new area and find some new investigators. When we got here, we were left with two investigators: 1) Rogelio, the father and husband of a recent convert family, and 2) Luis Juarez, an 18 year old boy who´s really positive. We had a baptismal date for the ninth when we got here for Rogelio but he just doesn´t want to commit. We have stopped visiting him because the other companionship here in Las Rosas started visiting them a lot (because they get fed every time they go there. The first visit we had with Luis we set a baptismal date for the 16th and he was really excited, but afterwards, he missed the appointment we had and we lost contact with him until yesterday when we went to his house. He explained to us that he lost his phone and had no way to contact us which also explains why he never answered our calls. So now, we´ve reset the date for the 30th, which gives him time to learn more AND tell his family that he´s planning on getting baptized... That usually is where the complications come in. But he is extremely positive and loves what we´re teaching him.
I´m being cut short on my time today because of complications with some elders but I love you and can´t wait to hear from you next week. Hang in there Ashley.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
These past few weeks have been interesting as we have been trying to get to know our new area and find some new investigators. When we got here, we were left with two investigators: 1) Rogelio, the father and husband of a recent convert family, and 2) Luis Juarez, an 18 year old boy who´s really positive. We had a baptismal date for the ninth when we got here for Rogelio but he just doesn´t want to commit. We have stopped visiting him because the other companionship here in Las Rosas started visiting them a lot (because they get fed every time they go there. The first visit we had with Luis we set a baptismal date for the 16th and he was really excited, but afterwards, he missed the appointment we had and we lost contact with him until yesterday when we went to his house. He explained to us that he lost his phone and had no way to contact us which also explains why he never answered our calls. So now, we´ve reset the date for the 30th, which gives him time to learn more AND tell his family that he´s planning on getting baptized... That usually is where the complications come in. But he is extremely positive and loves what we´re teaching him.
I´m being cut short on my time today because of complications with some elders but I love you and can´t wait to hear from you next week. Hang in there Ashley.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
July 4, 2011
Dear Mom,
I guess I didn´t explain where I am very well. I´m not back in my first area, just in my first zone and right next to my first area. I´ve seen people from my first area as I've passed by in a bus but I still haven´t run into any of them.
It´s kind of awkward for me to be back in a big city ward again. I have lost a lot of practice. I´ve been trying so hard all this time to explain things in such a way that a two year old could understand it that now when people want scriptures and bible bashing and accusations and all that fun stuff that comes from more learned people, I'm out of practice. My companion, on the other hand, has the location of every key scripture memorized and has helped me in every situation to find the scripture I know exists but I don´t know where. I hope that I can learn a lot of them from him as we teach.
This first week was kind of tough because we didn´t know where any of the members lived and contacting isn´t as fruitful as in the Aldeas. Yesterday, though, we managed to go out with the Bishop and he showed us a lot of houses of old investigators, members, and inactive members.
We have lunch every day again! I have been so lucky to have been in almost every area where the members give you lunch. We´re both worried though (from past experience) that we will be gaining a lot of weight again. I had the chance to weigh myself once again and I was surprised to see a 166. I was kind of dehydrated and I hadn´t eaten since the day before when I measured, so I´m probably more like 170 now but I was still shocked to see that. My goal is to get down to 160 by the end of my mission, just because that´s the supposed ideal weight for my height.
The district this time is a little different. I´ve been put over a few problematic elders this time. It will be a challenge to gain the confidence of these elders especially because one of them doesn´t like me too much. He was my Zone Leader in Huehue and he may never humble himself. I think he was aspiring to be an assistant or in the office or somewhere "high up" and he gave reports of things others were doing and even bent the truth a little bit so that things would go his way. Now that he did not get what he wanted, he is very bitter and I´m probably the last person he wants to be under... I´ve been praying every day that I can receive the right revelation to be able to act as I should and to perhaps help these elders remember what their purpose in being here is. Unfortunately, I´m not strong with words so I appear weak, especially amongst the Latin missionaries.
Someone else who has been struggling with the language this week is President. He hasn´t really used his Spanish for 40 years now and it´s amazing he remembers the things he does. I like him a lot because he´s so humble and just ready to get things done. He gives me hope and encouragement to keep going because of his example of being fearless amongst such missionaries who, as we listened, gave negative remarks amongst themselves as our new president spoke. There is a lot of humbling that needs to happen and I hope that these missionaries can learn it before they go home.
I thank you for all your prayers. They really make a difference and I hope you never stop praying for me here.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
I guess I didn´t explain where I am very well. I´m not back in my first area, just in my first zone and right next to my first area. I´ve seen people from my first area as I've passed by in a bus but I still haven´t run into any of them.
It´s kind of awkward for me to be back in a big city ward again. I have lost a lot of practice. I´ve been trying so hard all this time to explain things in such a way that a two year old could understand it that now when people want scriptures and bible bashing and accusations and all that fun stuff that comes from more learned people, I'm out of practice. My companion, on the other hand, has the location of every key scripture memorized and has helped me in every situation to find the scripture I know exists but I don´t know where. I hope that I can learn a lot of them from him as we teach.
This first week was kind of tough because we didn´t know where any of the members lived and contacting isn´t as fruitful as in the Aldeas. Yesterday, though, we managed to go out with the Bishop and he showed us a lot of houses of old investigators, members, and inactive members.
We have lunch every day again! I have been so lucky to have been in almost every area where the members give you lunch. We´re both worried though (from past experience) that we will be gaining a lot of weight again. I had the chance to weigh myself once again and I was surprised to see a 166. I was kind of dehydrated and I hadn´t eaten since the day before when I measured, so I´m probably more like 170 now but I was still shocked to see that. My goal is to get down to 160 by the end of my mission, just because that´s the supposed ideal weight for my height.
The district this time is a little different. I´ve been put over a few problematic elders this time. It will be a challenge to gain the confidence of these elders especially because one of them doesn´t like me too much. He was my Zone Leader in Huehue and he may never humble himself. I think he was aspiring to be an assistant or in the office or somewhere "high up" and he gave reports of things others were doing and even bent the truth a little bit so that things would go his way. Now that he did not get what he wanted, he is very bitter and I´m probably the last person he wants to be under... I´ve been praying every day that I can receive the right revelation to be able to act as I should and to perhaps help these elders remember what their purpose in being here is. Unfortunately, I´m not strong with words so I appear weak, especially amongst the Latin missionaries.
Someone else who has been struggling with the language this week is President. He hasn´t really used his Spanish for 40 years now and it´s amazing he remembers the things he does. I like him a lot because he´s so humble and just ready to get things done. He gives me hope and encouragement to keep going because of his example of being fearless amongst such missionaries who, as we listened, gave negative remarks amongst themselves as our new president spoke. There is a lot of humbling that needs to happen and I hope that these missionaries can learn it before they go home.
I thank you for all your prayers. They really make a difference and I hope you never stop praying for me here.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, June 27, 2011
June 27, 2011
Hey Mom and Family!
Well, I have a lot to tell you all about. First of all, one of our investigators that we have, Marcedonio (I don´t remember if I´ve mentioned him or not), is preparing to get baptized on Saturday. He has miraculously stopped drinking all together without much more help from us than just telling him. He seems so much more happy and walks around with a pride like he is in control of his life. He was all ready for church and on time without our having to do much of anything at all. We just need to finish teaching him all the commandments and everything so he can pass the interview. It´s all great and I´m so glad that all our work has begun to pay off. The branch is doing so much better than when we got there and members are starting to figure out how to help us a little bit. We´re teaching the Priesthood brethren their responsibilities and it has surprised me how little they know of what the have the authority to do. We´ve begun many small things that are going to make a big difference in the branch.
Yesterday, we had a Meeting in Quiché about a mission plan for the District that involved a heavy involvement of the members and coordinated and carried out with the missionaries at the head. It was an interesting plan and I was interested in seeing how it was going to turn out... but, I have been called to a new responsibility.
Right after the meeting, I was very passively informed by the zone leaders, almost in mid sentence of a completely different topic, that I had changes today. I had to ask them again to make sure I heard right and they finally told me they weren´t kidding and that I really did have changes. That changed plans very rapidly and we went back home and I packed the rest of the afternoon. At 3:30 in the morning we got up so I could take the nice long ride all the way to Xela. We got here at about 9:00 and I stayed in the chapel, where they were doing interviews, practically all day. I got a really quick interview in saying goodbye to president and him telling me how much he depended on me to be a good missionary for the new president. And then I was finally informed that I´m going to be a District leader in the same zone I was born in, El Bosque. I´m in the area Las Rosas and my companion is going to be Elder Whittaker. He´s not with me right now though because he´s still with Elder Allison my "dad" who is going home tomorrow! It´s CRAZY! Anyway, I´m here with my Zone Leaders, Elder Moody and Elder Hearsch. I´ll be spending the night with them :) I know Elder Hearsch; he's a really good guy always happy and obedient. I don´t really know Moody but he seems like just as good of a guy. I´ve also been told that Elder Whittaker is an extremely good missionary and I´m excited for the new changes that have happened. So, that´s my quick info for you tonight. The Internet is closing soon so I won´t be able to use all the time I usually can today. I might get another chance tomorrow, but if not, I will talk to you next week! I love you all.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
P.S. President Boutista comes in tomorrow. I think there´s a conference on Thursday with him so... We´ll see what happens.
Well, I have a lot to tell you all about. First of all, one of our investigators that we have, Marcedonio (I don´t remember if I´ve mentioned him or not), is preparing to get baptized on Saturday. He has miraculously stopped drinking all together without much more help from us than just telling him. He seems so much more happy and walks around with a pride like he is in control of his life. He was all ready for church and on time without our having to do much of anything at all. We just need to finish teaching him all the commandments and everything so he can pass the interview. It´s all great and I´m so glad that all our work has begun to pay off. The branch is doing so much better than when we got there and members are starting to figure out how to help us a little bit. We´re teaching the Priesthood brethren their responsibilities and it has surprised me how little they know of what the have the authority to do. We´ve begun many small things that are going to make a big difference in the branch.
Yesterday, we had a Meeting in Quiché about a mission plan for the District that involved a heavy involvement of the members and coordinated and carried out with the missionaries at the head. It was an interesting plan and I was interested in seeing how it was going to turn out... but, I have been called to a new responsibility.
Right after the meeting, I was very passively informed by the zone leaders, almost in mid sentence of a completely different topic, that I had changes today. I had to ask them again to make sure I heard right and they finally told me they weren´t kidding and that I really did have changes. That changed plans very rapidly and we went back home and I packed the rest of the afternoon. At 3:30 in the morning we got up so I could take the nice long ride all the way to Xela. We got here at about 9:00 and I stayed in the chapel, where they were doing interviews, practically all day. I got a really quick interview in saying goodbye to president and him telling me how much he depended on me to be a good missionary for the new president. And then I was finally informed that I´m going to be a District leader in the same zone I was born in, El Bosque. I´m in the area Las Rosas and my companion is going to be Elder Whittaker. He´s not with me right now though because he´s still with Elder Allison my "dad" who is going home tomorrow! It´s CRAZY! Anyway, I´m here with my Zone Leaders, Elder Moody and Elder Hearsch. I´ll be spending the night with them :) I know Elder Hearsch; he's a really good guy always happy and obedient. I don´t really know Moody but he seems like just as good of a guy. I´ve also been told that Elder Whittaker is an extremely good missionary and I´m excited for the new changes that have happened. So, that´s my quick info for you tonight. The Internet is closing soon so I won´t be able to use all the time I usually can today. I might get another chance tomorrow, but if not, I will talk to you next week! I love you all.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
P.S. President Boutista comes in tomorrow. I think there´s a conference on Thursday with him so... We´ll see what happens.
Monday, June 20, 2011
June 20, 2011
Dear Mom and family,
Last week was interesting. The conference got canceled AFTER
we already went to the Zone Leaders house the night before. So we
didn´t have anything to do that day because we were planning to have a
conference all day... So we went contacting all day long. :P Despite
all that mess we have gotten a ton of new people once again and they
all filtered out to only one of them being a good potential baptism.
He keeps telling us he really wants to get baptized, so we set a goal
for the 2nd of July. The only thing that might hold him back is that
he might be drinking. He says he stopped a while ago but some
neighbors say they saw him drunk just a few days ago... so we have to
keep good contact with him every day so that we can make sure that he
doesn´t drink. If he does we will have a problem with knowing for sure
if he´s being honest and it will be difficult to baptize him. All that
being said he is EXTREMELY excited to get baptized.
His name is Marcedonio and he has kind of a sad story. He´s probably
in his mid to late 30´s he lives in a little scrap-made shack on the
side of the mountain with a little land where he grows corn. His wife
died not too long after they were married not too long ago, and that´s
what got him started drinking. He has a desire to rebuild his house to
be nicer but doesn´t get very much money at all. What makes that worse
is that the little money he might get he has probably spent on beer.
I´m hoping he can get some of these things straight and that he can
start getting support from the branch to help him find a job and that
he can start the long and slow climb in his life.
This week is going to be interesting as well. I don´t know if we´re going to
be able to get much done. We have planned two conferences tomorrow and
Wednesday. Tomorrow for all outside of Xela and then Wednesday for all
the mission. That pretty much takes away the whole week. we´ll probably
be getting back Thursday morning and then we´ll be in Sacualpa (where
Eulalio and Manuela live about 30 minutes in bus from Joyabaj) that
afternoon. Friday in Chuaquinum (where Marcedonio lives about 5
minutes out in the other direction and then a few minutes hiking a
dirt path.) And then Saturday possibly changes or just organizing
everything so that sacrament meeting goes well and inviting other
people.
That´s what we´re looking at for this next week. Then Monday we get a
new president. It´s sounding like plans are already changing though
since the Zone Leaders are talking on the phone with assistants. So I
don´t know... We probably just won´t have the conference that we
outsiders are supposed to have that the people in Xela got a couple of
weeks ago. There´s been a lot said about President being Baggie (our
word for trunkie out here) and seeing as all these things are
happening it wouldn´t surprise me. Things are kind of falling apart
but we all are hoping that President Bautista brings a few changes to
the mission. I appreciate the service our President has given us and I
don´t want anyone to think he was a bad president because he has done
many great things for this mission. I just think that there will be
complaining by missionaries no matter what happens, good or bad.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Last week was interesting. The conference got canceled AFTER
we already went to the Zone Leaders house the night before. So we
didn´t have anything to do that day because we were planning to have a
conference all day... So we went contacting all day long. :P Despite
all that mess we have gotten a ton of new people once again and they
all filtered out to only one of them being a good potential baptism.
He keeps telling us he really wants to get baptized, so we set a goal
for the 2nd of July. The only thing that might hold him back is that
he might be drinking. He says he stopped a while ago but some
neighbors say they saw him drunk just a few days ago... so we have to
keep good contact with him every day so that we can make sure that he
doesn´t drink. If he does we will have a problem with knowing for sure
if he´s being honest and it will be difficult to baptize him. All that
being said he is EXTREMELY excited to get baptized.
His name is Marcedonio and he has kind of a sad story. He´s probably
in his mid to late 30´s he lives in a little scrap-made shack on the
side of the mountain with a little land where he grows corn. His wife
died not too long after they were married not too long ago, and that´s
what got him started drinking. He has a desire to rebuild his house to
be nicer but doesn´t get very much money at all. What makes that worse
is that the little money he might get he has probably spent on beer.
I´m hoping he can get some of these things straight and that he can
start getting support from the branch to help him find a job and that
he can start the long and slow climb in his life.
This week is going to be interesting as well. I don´t know if we´re going to
be able to get much done. We have planned two conferences tomorrow and
Wednesday. Tomorrow for all outside of Xela and then Wednesday for all
the mission. That pretty much takes away the whole week. we´ll probably
be getting back Thursday morning and then we´ll be in Sacualpa (where
Eulalio and Manuela live about 30 minutes in bus from Joyabaj) that
afternoon. Friday in Chuaquinum (where Marcedonio lives about 5
minutes out in the other direction and then a few minutes hiking a
dirt path.) And then Saturday possibly changes or just organizing
everything so that sacrament meeting goes well and inviting other
people.
That´s what we´re looking at for this next week. Then Monday we get a
new president. It´s sounding like plans are already changing though
since the Zone Leaders are talking on the phone with assistants. So I
don´t know... We probably just won´t have the conference that we
outsiders are supposed to have that the people in Xela got a couple of
weeks ago. There´s been a lot said about President being Baggie (our
word for trunkie out here) and seeing as all these things are
happening it wouldn´t surprise me. Things are kind of falling apart
but we all are hoping that President Bautista brings a few changes to
the mission. I appreciate the service our President has given us and I
don´t want anyone to think he was a bad president because he has done
many great things for this mission. I just think that there will be
complaining by missionaries no matter what happens, good or bad.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Thursday, June 16, 2011
June 13, 2011
Dear Mom and Family,
Well, nothing has changed. I´m still here in Joyabaj with Elder Anderson. We might get changes on the 24th though. That´s what the assistants said during a Zone Conference Thursday. President leaves and President Boutista comes in this change on the 27th and that´s why they´re going to have the last necessary changes on the 24th just to leave everything in peace for the new president I guess. They told us if we needed out all we had to do was call before the 24th and they´ll get it done. I always have a hard time saying whether I want to stay or go though because I´d rather rely on the President´s revelation but... I´ve kind of learned that knowing what we want is part of that revelation. If we really desire to receive revelation we must first learn all we can know about a situation and then carefully plan and try to make a decision. Then if necessary the revelation comes to make changes that might be necessary to our plan for reasons we may never know until much later. That being said I still have no idea if I want to stay or not. I don´t want to leave this area in the same condition that I found it in but maybe I have no choice. I´m not sure.
Baptizing Eulalio and Manuela isn´t happening any time soon. We´ve found tons of problems with their papers, the worst of which is a mistake in Manuela´s Fe de Edad (Birth Certificate basically) in that it says that she´s a boy. In order to change that mistake that THE GOVERNMENT made, THE GOVERNMENT will charge us about 1,000 Quets to correct it on top of the costs that it´s already going to take to get them married, and it will take between a month and a half to two months to get it done. I kind of hate this country right now. I still love the people and I love the beautiful topography but I´m not liking the Government too much right now.
Apart from that we´ve just been doing the same old. We´ll see how things go these next few weeks.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Well, nothing has changed. I´m still here in Joyabaj with Elder Anderson. We might get changes on the 24th though. That´s what the assistants said during a Zone Conference Thursday. President leaves and President Boutista comes in this change on the 27th and that´s why they´re going to have the last necessary changes on the 24th just to leave everything in peace for the new president I guess. They told us if we needed out all we had to do was call before the 24th and they´ll get it done. I always have a hard time saying whether I want to stay or go though because I´d rather rely on the President´s revelation but... I´ve kind of learned that knowing what we want is part of that revelation. If we really desire to receive revelation we must first learn all we can know about a situation and then carefully plan and try to make a decision. Then if necessary the revelation comes to make changes that might be necessary to our plan for reasons we may never know until much later. That being said I still have no idea if I want to stay or not. I don´t want to leave this area in the same condition that I found it in but maybe I have no choice. I´m not sure.
Baptizing Eulalio and Manuela isn´t happening any time soon. We´ve found tons of problems with their papers, the worst of which is a mistake in Manuela´s Fe de Edad (Birth Certificate basically) in that it says that she´s a boy. In order to change that mistake that THE GOVERNMENT made, THE GOVERNMENT will charge us about 1,000 Quets to correct it on top of the costs that it´s already going to take to get them married, and it will take between a month and a half to two months to get it done. I kind of hate this country right now. I still love the people and I love the beautiful topography but I´m not liking the Government too much right now.
Apart from that we´ve just been doing the same old. We´ll see how things go these next few weeks.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 6, 2011
Crazy week! I can´t imagine being so busy all the time. I spend most of my time walking hoping someone amazing ends up in my path.
So the thing with members is that they are everything. Here we have had the most member participation than in any other area. There is one member, we call her Hermana Carina, who just left on her mission to the mission north, but while she was here she was helping us with the investigators that lived in the aldeas. She could explain to them in K´iché what we were trying to explain in Spanish. Having members there is key because the members are the ones who are making the friendships, while we will only be here to teach and then one day we will be gone. Most inactives went inactive when the missionaries that baptized them got transfers because they had no relationship with any of the members. Just from this past week, we found so many, only because the members showed us their friends. The investigators that I talk to usually don´t tell us their problems or doubts about what we are telling them, but they tell their friends. Every baptism I´ve had or seen has been either a reference or should have been a reference. Luis, Maynor and Alex were already friends with all the young men in the ward; We just had to contact them when the members should have referenced them. Basically, if the members don´t care about the work, the missionaries struggle a lot. They find themselves knocking on doors most of the day.
Most of the people we´re teaching have come up with excuses not to listen to us, most of which deal with pastors. We´ve told the members to go and talk to them because they won´t listen to us anymore. The one family, we put a baptismal date for this Saturday, but there are complications. The man (Eulalio) is 48 years old and the woman (Manuela) is 16 years old... and they´re not married... and they don´t have contact with her parents because they left her to go work in the coast... so they can´t sign her marriage license. It all sounds weird and in the states he´d be considered a child molester, but they are very nice. There´s nothing sketchy about how either of them act and her grandma seems to be OK about it so... we´re just trying to find a way to get them married. Oh, and I forgot to mention that she already has a child about a month and a half old. Apart from that not much else has happened. Changes are this week so we´ll see how that all goes.
Don´t worry too much about the package. I know you´re busy and I don´t absolutely need it right now. I do look forward to some resistance bands as that might be more motivation to actually work out in the morning. A couple of times I´ve just fallen asleep on the cement floor instead of working out...
Anyway, I love you all and I´m so grateful for your letters every week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
So the thing with members is that they are everything. Here we have had the most member participation than in any other area. There is one member, we call her Hermana Carina, who just left on her mission to the mission north, but while she was here she was helping us with the investigators that lived in the aldeas. She could explain to them in K´iché what we were trying to explain in Spanish. Having members there is key because the members are the ones who are making the friendships, while we will only be here to teach and then one day we will be gone. Most inactives went inactive when the missionaries that baptized them got transfers because they had no relationship with any of the members. Just from this past week, we found so many, only because the members showed us their friends. The investigators that I talk to usually don´t tell us their problems or doubts about what we are telling them, but they tell their friends. Every baptism I´ve had or seen has been either a reference or should have been a reference. Luis, Maynor and Alex were already friends with all the young men in the ward; We just had to contact them when the members should have referenced them. Basically, if the members don´t care about the work, the missionaries struggle a lot. They find themselves knocking on doors most of the day.
Most of the people we´re teaching have come up with excuses not to listen to us, most of which deal with pastors. We´ve told the members to go and talk to them because they won´t listen to us anymore. The one family, we put a baptismal date for this Saturday, but there are complications. The man (Eulalio) is 48 years old and the woman (Manuela) is 16 years old... and they´re not married... and they don´t have contact with her parents because they left her to go work in the coast... so they can´t sign her marriage license. It all sounds weird and in the states he´d be considered a child molester, but they are very nice. There´s nothing sketchy about how either of them act and her grandma seems to be OK about it so... we´re just trying to find a way to get them married. Oh, and I forgot to mention that she already has a child about a month and a half old. Apart from that not much else has happened. Changes are this week so we´ll see how that all goes.
Don´t worry too much about the package. I know you´re busy and I don´t absolutely need it right now. I do look forward to some resistance bands as that might be more motivation to actually work out in the morning. A couple of times I´ve just fallen asleep on the cement floor instead of working out...
Anyway, I love you all and I´m so grateful for your letters every week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, May 30, 2011
May 30, 2011
Dear Mom,
First of all, I want you to know that I am completely fine right now before I tell you how this week went. (Don't you love it when they start a letter like that? It's like saying...you better sit down...)
Tuesday we had the interviews and it was quite refreshing. I found out later that the package hadn´t gotten here yet but I was already expecting that. It was too soon after you mentioned it so don´t worry about it. I asked president who I was to him and he told me that I´m a good missionary and that he hopes that I have a son like me one day. Then he told me my problem was I let others decide my happiness for me and that´s my major downfall. Then he told me I needed to be more like my Dad and be more sure of myself and my convictions.
Wednesday was a normal contacting day.
Thursday we had planning in the morning and I always have a lot of extra nervous energy that day. So, I don´t want to get into details but I was pacing and jumping around as I do when I get to that point, and in the process jumped off a wall and hit my head on a low hanging door frame. Of course I didn´t hit THAT hard but our house is made completely out of rough cement which I´ve found it isn´t very forgiving. It didn´t hurt that bad so I just decided to lay down for a sec in case it was worse than I thought. The pain didn´t grow at all, I actually didn´t feel any at all other than the initial hit so I thought I was fine until I looked at my hand and realized I probably needed stitches. So I waited patiently for my companion who was going to the bathroom and had no idea of what happened. He came out and saw me laying down on the exercise mat and said "let´s go". Then I told him that we had a problem and we decided to go to the hospital (which is not like a hospital in the states, more like just a regular doctors office in the states) and got stitches and then I was back to work that afternoon :). It was very quick and anticlimactic and now I´ve got a bald spot on my head. I get the stitches taken out next Thursday.
The next three days stuff started to happen. We started working a lot with a few members and positive people started to come out of nowhere and now we have 21 new people to teach this week and we´re going to see if they´re positive or not. We´re super excited this time to have so many people that seem like they might get baptized. We´re hoping at least one of these families comes through. Too bad changes are next week and we might not be there for it. We´re hoping we don´t have any changes.
So that was my week. Good luck with your tests and graduation stuff Nick. I´ll talk to you next week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
First of all, I want you to know that I am completely fine right now before I tell you how this week went. (Don't you love it when they start a letter like that? It's like saying...you better sit down...)
Tuesday we had the interviews and it was quite refreshing. I found out later that the package hadn´t gotten here yet but I was already expecting that. It was too soon after you mentioned it so don´t worry about it. I asked president who I was to him and he told me that I´m a good missionary and that he hopes that I have a son like me one day. Then he told me my problem was I let others decide my happiness for me and that´s my major downfall. Then he told me I needed to be more like my Dad and be more sure of myself and my convictions.
Wednesday was a normal contacting day.
Thursday we had planning in the morning and I always have a lot of extra nervous energy that day. So, I don´t want to get into details but I was pacing and jumping around as I do when I get to that point, and in the process jumped off a wall and hit my head on a low hanging door frame. Of course I didn´t hit THAT hard but our house is made completely out of rough cement which I´ve found it isn´t very forgiving. It didn´t hurt that bad so I just decided to lay down for a sec in case it was worse than I thought. The pain didn´t grow at all, I actually didn´t feel any at all other than the initial hit so I thought I was fine until I looked at my hand and realized I probably needed stitches. So I waited patiently for my companion who was going to the bathroom and had no idea of what happened. He came out and saw me laying down on the exercise mat and said "let´s go". Then I told him that we had a problem and we decided to go to the hospital (which is not like a hospital in the states, more like just a regular doctors office in the states) and got stitches and then I was back to work that afternoon :). It was very quick and anticlimactic and now I´ve got a bald spot on my head. I get the stitches taken out next Thursday.
The next three days stuff started to happen. We started working a lot with a few members and positive people started to come out of nowhere and now we have 21 new people to teach this week and we´re going to see if they´re positive or not. We´re super excited this time to have so many people that seem like they might get baptized. We´re hoping at least one of these families comes through. Too bad changes are next week and we might not be there for it. We´re hoping we don´t have any changes.
So that was my week. Good luck with your tests and graduation stuff Nick. I´ll talk to you next week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, May 23, 2011
May 23, 2011
Dear Mom,
I am feeling much better today after a strange week. I continued to have all sorts of abdominal pain and all that stuff until about Friday. Then, Saturday my comp was feeling queezie and I was fine. Then... yesterday I randomly broke out in hives all over my body and had to deal with that all day. So we were working around all of that all week long.
Despite all that, we´ve been working the best we can. Contacting mostly, but also teaching some references. None of them came to church though... Actually the meetings in church have become extremely pathetic and don´t bring the spirit. Nobody prepares talks, they are just asked on the spot. (usually the branch president, his counselors or us) We give Sunday school and then Elders quorum doesn´t even happen half the time because all the priesthood goes home after sacrament meeting. So finally, yesterday, we sat down with the branch president and had a little talk about what he could do to make the meetings better and make things a little easier on himself. We promised him that the attendance would go up if he made a greater effort to make the meetings on time and more prepared and spiritual.
There are three families that we have scheduled to meet this week that are references from some of the members. We´re hoping at least one of them is positive.
So that´s how things are going here in Joyabaj. I´ll write you next week. Thanks for the letters every week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
I am feeling much better today after a strange week. I continued to have all sorts of abdominal pain and all that stuff until about Friday. Then, Saturday my comp was feeling queezie and I was fine. Then... yesterday I randomly broke out in hives all over my body and had to deal with that all day. So we were working around all of that all week long.
Despite all that, we´ve been working the best we can. Contacting mostly, but also teaching some references. None of them came to church though... Actually the meetings in church have become extremely pathetic and don´t bring the spirit. Nobody prepares talks, they are just asked on the spot. (usually the branch president, his counselors or us) We give Sunday school and then Elders quorum doesn´t even happen half the time because all the priesthood goes home after sacrament meeting. So finally, yesterday, we sat down with the branch president and had a little talk about what he could do to make the meetings better and make things a little easier on himself. We promised him that the attendance would go up if he made a greater effort to make the meetings on time and more prepared and spiritual.
There are three families that we have scheduled to meet this week that are references from some of the members. We´re hoping at least one of them is positive.
So that´s how things are going here in Joyabaj. I´ll write you next week. Thanks for the letters every week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, May 16, 2011
May 16, 2011
Dear Mom,
I apologize right now if my letter is really short. I´m fighting off an illness right now. Nothing too serious. I think it´s just food poisoning. It´s bound to happen at least once during the whole two years here in Guatemala. I´ve just had water diarrhea for two and a half days. I´m taking pills and stuff just waiting for it to course through my body.
As far as the one family is going, we haven´t had a good chance to actually get a lesson in or progress at all. He´s trying to get work off for at least one hour. He works all day every day selling shoes and his boss won´t give him even one hour off. They live with her parents and the dad always tells us when they´re not home that we´re wasting our time. Their names are Fransisco and Marilena. I haven´t gotten TOO excited about them yet because we haven´t had the chance to explain to them well what a baptism means. I think they might be able to pull through. We´re hoping.
Thanks for all your support. I look forward to hearing from you next week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
I apologize right now if my letter is really short. I´m fighting off an illness right now. Nothing too serious. I think it´s just food poisoning. It´s bound to happen at least once during the whole two years here in Guatemala. I´ve just had water diarrhea for two and a half days. I´m taking pills and stuff just waiting for it to course through my body.
As far as the one family is going, we haven´t had a good chance to actually get a lesson in or progress at all. He´s trying to get work off for at least one hour. He works all day every day selling shoes and his boss won´t give him even one hour off. They live with her parents and the dad always tells us when they´re not home that we´re wasting our time. Their names are Fransisco and Marilena. I haven´t gotten TOO excited about them yet because we haven´t had the chance to explain to them well what a baptism means. I think they might be able to pull through. We´re hoping.
Thanks for all your support. I look forward to hearing from you next week.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
May 8, 2011 The phone call!!!
Talking to Landon on Mother's Day was such a highlight! He seems to be doing well and his Spanish is great! He talked to his Dad in Spanish for a few minutes while we listened. It was fun to hear. He referred to his lovely living accomadations as "The Bat Cave". It's an unfinished cement hut that they have plastered the walls with a sandpaper consitancy that he frequently scrapes against leaving him a bit scratched up. He always did take corners too fast at home... :) Anyway, he loves his companion and said he is a hard worker and they get along great! He wishes they could find people who would truly listen to the message they have to share. Most people won't listen and many are afraid of them because of the preaching at other churches that tell thier congregation to fear them. They do service when they can but he wishes that they could have more of an impact. He misses spending time with family but is enjoying the mission experience. He loves learning and teaching the Gospel! He wants more than anything to feel that he has done the work the Lord sent him there to do. We pray for that as well. He feels there is much to do in the short time he has left. Only 9 more months!!!!! He has gotten so used to the size of the people there, that when they do occasionally run into some North Americans, it feels strange to be around them. It was great to hear his voice and laugh again. Only one more phone call and then he will be back with us again!
May 10, 2011
Dear Mother,
Don´t worry about the phone call. It actually made me feel really refreshed and ready to work whereas after the one for Christmas, I just was super tired and wanted to sleep.
Yesterday was not P-day apparently. They didn´t really let us know why but they told us that we needed to stay home in our house until 12. So we did until the assistants showed up to take away our phone and then told us we could go to work now. So we just tried coming up with stuff to do seeing as we hadn´t planned anything to do. Anyway, so now nobody has phones again. I´m hoping it´s because they´re trying to get cell phones to all the areas. It´s something president told us he was trying to do when I first got into Momos... So maybe now they´re actually doing it.
We´re still finding lots of people. A few people seem like they might become positive but we really can´t tell right now. We found a family last night that said they were willing to accept a baptism and they seemed pretty exciting. The only thing is we haven´t really taught them anything other than baptism and it´s going to take a while to get them all ready seeing as they aren´t married. But, I have hopes for them. They are poor and don´t go to any church so their minds are open to learn more about Jesus Christ. The hard thing is they don´t understand that much of Spanish, especially our church vocabulary, so we´re having to try and simplify it a lot. Even more than normal. I think I´m going to try and learn a little bit more of the dialect here again. It might help and it´ll give me something entertaining to do.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and love. I´m really going to need them these next few months. Pray that I may be able to endure to the end.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Don´t worry about the phone call. It actually made me feel really refreshed and ready to work whereas after the one for Christmas, I just was super tired and wanted to sleep.
Yesterday was not P-day apparently. They didn´t really let us know why but they told us that we needed to stay home in our house until 12. So we did until the assistants showed up to take away our phone and then told us we could go to work now. So we just tried coming up with stuff to do seeing as we hadn´t planned anything to do. Anyway, so now nobody has phones again. I´m hoping it´s because they´re trying to get cell phones to all the areas. It´s something president told us he was trying to do when I first got into Momos... So maybe now they´re actually doing it.
We´re still finding lots of people. A few people seem like they might become positive but we really can´t tell right now. We found a family last night that said they were willing to accept a baptism and they seemed pretty exciting. The only thing is we haven´t really taught them anything other than baptism and it´s going to take a while to get them all ready seeing as they aren´t married. But, I have hopes for them. They are poor and don´t go to any church so their minds are open to learn more about Jesus Christ. The hard thing is they don´t understand that much of Spanish, especially our church vocabulary, so we´re having to try and simplify it a lot. Even more than normal. I think I´m going to try and learn a little bit more of the dialect here again. It might help and it´ll give me something entertaining to do.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and love. I´m really going to need them these next few months. Pray that I may be able to endure to the end.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Monday, May 2, 2011
May 2, 2011
(The beginning of this letter needs a little explanation. Zac is my daughters husband and they are expecting a baby. After discussing children being named after dead people, he said they should name their baby Osama bin Laden as a joke. That night, it was announced that Osama bin Laden was killed. Freaky, huh?)
Well! Zac is the amazing hypothetical master it seems. He better be careful with that kind of power. If he can assassinate someone with that power it´s got to be dangerous.
I hope the operation goes well. I pray for your health every night. As for the washing machine... I´ll be so happy when I will be able to use stuff like that again.
Missionary work has gone very slow. We´re still just mostly contacting and although we´ve got a lot of new investigators... none of them are progressing at all. Nobody is doing what we ask them to. Nobody wants to change... yet. We´re doing the best we can but the people here in Joyabaj are just a little too relaxed. They don´t understand and they don´t feel the responsibility or the eternal consequences of what they do. I´m trying to find a way to get these people to take this seriously but... it´s a struggle. So, no positive people yet but I´m trying really hard this change. I feel I have slacked off a little bit the past couple of changes because of discouragement and it´s time I refocused.
For Mother´s Day, I haven´t heard anything yet, no rules no anything, so I´m planning on just doing it the way we did it for Christmas. I´ll just call you on Mother´s Day sometime in the afternoon, probably more sooner than later, like in between 12:00 and 3:00.
I will talk to you Sunday. Thanks for all your prayers and love. I really appreciate it. It really makes all the difference in times of discouragement, and this mission brings a lot of it.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
Well! Zac is the amazing hypothetical master it seems. He better be careful with that kind of power. If he can assassinate someone with that power it´s got to be dangerous.
I hope the operation goes well. I pray for your health every night. As for the washing machine... I´ll be so happy when I will be able to use stuff like that again.
Missionary work has gone very slow. We´re still just mostly contacting and although we´ve got a lot of new investigators... none of them are progressing at all. Nobody is doing what we ask them to. Nobody wants to change... yet. We´re doing the best we can but the people here in Joyabaj are just a little too relaxed. They don´t understand and they don´t feel the responsibility or the eternal consequences of what they do. I´m trying to find a way to get these people to take this seriously but... it´s a struggle. So, no positive people yet but I´m trying really hard this change. I feel I have slacked off a little bit the past couple of changes because of discouragement and it´s time I refocused.
For Mother´s Day, I haven´t heard anything yet, no rules no anything, so I´m planning on just doing it the way we did it for Christmas. I´ll just call you on Mother´s Day sometime in the afternoon, probably more sooner than later, like in between 12:00 and 3:00.
I will talk to you Sunday. Thanks for all your prayers and love. I really appreciate it. It really makes all the difference in times of discouragement, and this mission brings a lot of it.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
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