August 27, 2012

Well, well, well, this week has flown by! If I do say so myself! This week was really fun, I went on exchanges with the district leaders companion in St Paul., they work with Karin people there. They are a group of people from Burma but got persecuted as well and went to Thailand and now are coming to the USA. They are really nice people and just don't have the best living circumstances so it's really sad! but they are really open to the message. They're mostly all Buddhist... so yea but it was really great even though we didn't teach one lesson in English. ha ha so I had no idea what was going on! but exchanges are always fun.... right? 

Anyway, this week was awesome! We picked up a former investigator, her name is Sheila she is 20 and is going to The University of Minnesota. She is really awesome! She is prepared and we hope we can get her to baptism. We went to a YSA fireside that the YSA had in the branch. It was really good to get to know them better and Sheila went and they talked about the temple and it sparked her interest so hopefully that will spark her interest in her getting baptized. We have been praying and fasting allot so hopefully she and our other investigators can over come some of the obstacles in their way. They have so much potential!! and alott of obstacles that Satan throws thier way. 

We have allot of fun with the YSA in our branch! They are really big part in the missionary work here and they have been wonderful. This week for pday we are having a zone p-day on Thursday so today we just email and wash cloths and then back to work.... but on Thursday we are going with President to a Twins game, so I'm excited to go see some sports!!! ha ha.... it will be fun.. I miss my sports allot but I am willing to give it up to receive the joy I'm getting now!! 

Me and Elder Abbott set a mission goal together and it's to take at least one picture a day. Its been really fun to find out what our picture will be that day ha ha!!  but Elder Abbott was kinda skeptical to do it and I was like it will be fun!! lets do it!! and so our first day we found a waterfall and we stood on some rocks in the middle of the river and he dropped his planner in and got his foot all wet!! It was super funny..... our first one and he had a bad experience!! but its been great so far. 

I'm ready for the Twins game everyone ha ha! I can't wait! haha

This week has been great and I'm grateful for all the letters I receive from you all! I miss you all and love you so very much!! Have fun and enjoy the pictures!  

Love,
            Elder Crandall  

Out of miles for the month in the car! 

Photo of the Day! Elder Crandall and Elder Abbott

Didn't set the timer on the camera long enough! 

Kelby's companion Elder Abbott from Paragonah Utah

In goes the planner!! 

August 20,2012

Nyob Zoo Kuv tsev neeg (hello family)

I don't know where to start.....this week has been really great and some interesting experiences that I will not forget!! ha ha. Well Monday and Tuesday were my last days in St. Paul and it was a great last two day there. I miss St. Paul but I'm loving Minneapolis its been a great experience so far.

Before I get into my week I just wanna say how happy  I am for my family and their love and dedication to the Lord and to me, without you all nothing could be possible. First off, I need to say Happy Birthday my hero in life...my Grandma Hunt! I hope your birthday was great and you enjoyed getting out for your birthday!  Also, I heard that Courtnie is having a baby!!! I'm so glad to hear that. I'm so happy that she is thinking about naming it after me!! lol just kidding everyone!! But I'm so grateful to have Courtnie in my life, she has been such a great cousin to me and I look up to her for how strong she is and how she has been so faithful! Love you court! 
Also, not only is Cami due in September, but Jeryca and Kyle had their baby and Cameron and Amber had their baby!! What's up with all this baby stuff family?? I won't even know the family when I get back.... slow down please!! Anyways, I realized in March when Courtnie has her baby I will only have 8 short months left and it's really scary.... time is going by way to fast for me :( 

Anyway I'm proud of my family and happy for you all....and love you all!  

This week was my first half week in Minneapolis.... its been such a great time so far. Elder Abbott is a great Companion and we are working hard and having fun at the same time! 

Lets see my first day here in Minneapolis was an interesting day we went tracking and we found some really great people who have some potential. We met a 20 year old girl her name is blashia in hmong its nplaim siab she has such a happy attitude on life and was really cool! She seems like she already has the Mormon values so we are excited to start working with her. We are teaching a 17 year old girl and her sister who is 11 there names are Neng and Sheng they are really sweet girls and are super close to baptism, which we are planning on setting this week with them.  Another investigator name is Ace he is 25 and he is good friends with this return missionary that just came home like 6 weeks ago, he went to Alaska Hmong speaking. His name is the same as my hmong name so it gets confusing some times but he is a great guy we had a great lesson with Ace this week and probably the most powerful lesson I have felt on my mission. The Holy Ghost was definitely present. We are planning on setting a date with him as well!  The work is great! There are allot of black people and not as much Hmong people so it calls for a little bit harder and more diligent work.

Funny experience.... when we were tracking and my first day we knocked on a door. They invited us in and we started talking and come to find out the lady believes in three kingdoms of heaven and it caught our attention, she says she is independent.... whatever that means. We talked to her and then when we were about to leave we asked if we could say a prayer and she said yes, so we knelt down and her and her husband knelt to and we were about to ask who they wanted to pray and they start yelling and chanting and shaking there hands.....Remember, this is all in Hmong too.. so it sounded funny, I peaked open my eyes and looked at Elder Abbott and we both started laughing..... it was the craziest prayer I have ever heard in my life, at the end of the prayer the husband started speaking in tongues and some language we had know idea what it was or what he was saying, it was a great experience though.

Well that's my week! I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Crandall

Kelby and some ward members in St. Paul

Kelby taught this young man. He was baptized the week after Kelby got transferred out of Frogtown.

St. Paul 

Our missionary

August 13, 2012

P Day!

Hey Family!

This last week has been so so great! We are working hard and are striving to help the people here come unto Christ.

 
SO today was Transfers calls and I'm am going to be taking my talents to Minneapolis!! :) and my companion will be Elder Abbott from Paragonah, Utah.... sorry I don't know how to spell the city ha ah oh well! He went to Parowan High School though. I'm excited to be working with him and be in a different city and a totally different environment. There is not as many Hmong people in Minneapolis they're kinda spread out so it calls for finding them!! but I'm really excited for a change but really sad leaving the people I teach!! I never thought leaving an area would be hard. I didn't understand why people said it's hard sometimes, but now I know. I have grown to love the people here in St. Paul, I have spent my whole mission here so far, so it's hard to leave them but I know I will come back sometime!! I know that without change in our lives we can't grow and develop so this will be a good thing!! 

So a little bit about the week. Well I would first like to start with a little experience I had. We always go to this hmong flea market and there is a little girl who is about 3 and we are teaching her parents and every time she sees me she comes up to me and yanks on my tie and sticks her hand out cause she wants a high five and whenever I'm not looking she likes to hit me... lol, but she is so cute sometimes I just wanna take her with me ha ha!! but the little hmong kids are so so cute.
 
We picked up a new family and it is him, his wife, their daughter, and their grand daughter. The father is about 45-50 and same with the wife and the little ones are  7 and 8. We invited them to church and they accepted, it was really cool. They came to church and the branch fellowshipped really well! I realize that it's not just spiritual conversion that someone needs to join the church, but they need a social conversion. They need people to reach out and fellowship them. We went back last night after church and the two little girls told us they want to come back to church they loved it!!!! So things are looking well with them and we are so blessed to have taught them! They were once taught by missionaries and we looked through the area book and decided to go see them so it's going to be interesting to see what happens 

Anyways.... my week is going great and I am excited for change. All of us should be excited for change!! I love you all and love all the support you give me and love you give to me.. oh one thing when I get back my English might be really bad.....I have noticed as I speak hmong everyday my English gets worse! So don't make fun of me when I get back okay? okay!!... deal!!!

Love you all.

Elder Crandall
  P.s Thank you Mother and Father Dunn for the wonderful package!!! I'm missing Dunn doggs!!! Love you too.... love always your son,missionary, and whatever else I am to ya'll..... mostly son ha ha!!!

August 6, 2012

Well Hello family!!
This week has been such a good week! Elder Thao and I are finding such great success here! We are working hard together and are having fun while we do it! This week has been good we have been teaching allot. We have so so many people we are working with so its been very busy especially with just us two covering the city of St. Paul, but I would rather have it busy than not!! Its been a good learning process as well. Just one example, I'm learning how to better my planning skills!! ha ha Mother will be happy for that skill!! Also I'm doing just allot of things better....I'm becoming a better missionary every day as I make mistakes I learn form them and move on and become stronger and better! I have noticed that I'm learning allot of business skills which is good for me because I want to go into business when I get home so I'm trying to learn all I can as I serve the people.
 
Lets see last p day Elder Thao and I were the only ones so we went on a bike ride through downtown St. Paul and went and visited the Catholic Cathedral. It was huge and a really cool architecture. It was a very fun and an interesting experience. We had fun riding our bikes through downtown St. Paul as well so it was a different p day but also a great and fun p-day. 
 
This week we are excited! We have so many people that we are working with. It's kinda hard to keep it all straight but with effective planing and organization it's pretty good. We are planning on setting a baptismal date with a family of 5 this week and setting a baptismal date with a mother and daughter so we are excited. We have allot of success here in St Paul it has been interesting, the things I have learned from my mission. There is so many things that I know this will effect me for the rest of my life and there is nothing else like it!!

So my buddy Owen got baptized last week! I'm so excited for him!! he is doing the right thing and I wished I was there to see it!! I love you Owen, you're an amazing little guy keep it up..Also Ethan got his Eagle!! Great job Ethan that is awesome! Congratulations to Aunt Mandy for getting a full time job at Lone Peak that's awesome!! I know you have worked hard and all your hard work has paid off thank you for being a great example to me and to everyone else! 

Here are some pictures hope you all enjoy. Love you all and keep it real!
 K-Cran over and out!!

Elder Crandall

NOTE TO SELF (MOM)...SEND MONEY FOR IRON OR DRY CLEANING!!!

St. Paul Catholic Cathedral

Elder Thao and Kelb

Kelby made Jambalaya (his dad is very proud!)

I made muffin's...What now??!

Kelby's attempt at a self portrait! w/ Elder Thao