I'm on a Cloud!!

I have had one of the best weeks of my life.  So many great things have happened.  I have such a strong love for the people I am teaching.  There was a talk that I liked... don't remember who it was by... but it says that when you do missionary work... in a way you are that persons savior!  I want to be the best example I can be to those I am saving just the way Jesus Christ is the best example for me!  Obviously Jesus Christ is the ultimate savior... but I have had little saviors who have helped me to become who I am today.  My brother has been my savior many times and because of it we have a bond that is indescribable.  I have developed similar bonds with all of my priesthood leaders growing up.  I shouldn't even start with what my parents have done for me because I doubt an email could even send a file that big! haha  None the less, thank you for everyone who has been a part of my life.  I am eternally grateful for all of you and I can't wait to share eternity with you!

I am still in my same area but I received Elder Harper from Ogden Utah.  We have not stopped laughing since the minute we were put together!  We have very similar personalities and we connect pretty well.  He is very spiritual and has already connected well with all of our investigators.  This is gonna be a great transfer, I can feel it!

We had a great lesson with T*** Friday night.  We took a talk by Thomas s. Monson and listened to it with her.  4 memebers came with us... they were all teenagers but they have all grown to love and support T*** as much as we have.  After listening to the talk I had a strong impression to just turn the lesson into a testimony meeting.  It was awesome.  It really helped T*** see that God loves her and He is sending her people to help her prepare for her baptism!

T*** T*** is going to be baptized this Saturday!  Her baptismal interview is tomorrow and I know she will pass.  She is the type of person missionaries are looking for.  She has been prepared throughout her life and now is just the perfect time.  Cool tender mercy...she was worried about how she would be able to keep the Sabbath day since she will be playing college ball at san Francisco state.  She went down and met the coach and the team this week and guess what..... The head coach is a active member who goes to the temple every Wednesday and doesn't hold practices or workouts on sundays!  T*** called me that night after she found out and was so stoked because she knew this was an answer to her prayers!  Her sister B*** will be getting baptized the week after.  They are going to be incredible leaders and examples to the rest of their family!

Conference=jaw dropping/spirit filling/ people loving/ and revelation down pouring!

I stayed awake!!! Give it up for Elder Crandall!! WOOT! haha I was far from tired.  Every session I would sit down, glue my eyes and ears to the speakers and next thing I knew that session would be over in what felt like 10 minutes!  I felt extremely happy and so full of the spirit! I took 21 pages of notes!! Sounds like I just wrote everything down that they said.... but what I actually wrote down was whatever thoughts or impressions came to me as I sat and listened!  Heavenly Father Speaks to his children!  I wrote down like 9 specific questions and all of them were answered in some way... whether they talked on my question... or that I received personal revelation from Heavenly Father that answered it!  Conference is definitely a little slice of Heaven.

My favorite talks were by Elder Christofferson, Elder Bednar, Elder Holland, and Elder Nelson.... In reality I should just put every one of their names down because I loved them all!  I wish I had more time to go into details about everything that hit me but I will just share a couple of things.

So first off.... I needed to know how my Sierra Leonians are doing.  Not from a statiscal stand point but from a spiritual and physical standpoint. Elder Holland's talk brought me perfect peace about their welfare.  He never addressed Sierra Leone specifically but while he was talking about assisting the poor and providing for the needy I knew that even though they have some pretty intense trials in their life right now... the church and many others are doing what they can to bring them aid.  We are a church of service and we will not leave anyone behind.  When he asked "Are we not all beggars?" I was basically in tears.  It is so true.  We all need divine and sometimes temporal help.  So when we have our feet underneath us... we need to do what we can... and even if our feet are out from under us... doing what we can WILL restore us back on solid ground.

Also while in the shower today I was thinking about Sierra Leone and about my investigators I** and S**.... I realized the biggest tender mercy I think I have ever felt.  God sent me to T*** and B*** so I could "finish" the progress I had started with I** and S**... I left I** and S** at about the same place we picked T*** and B*** up at!  So this whole time... I have been finishing what I started.  I know someone else finished what was started in Sierra Leone for those 2 and I'm glad I could be a part of it in a way while serving in Bakersfield.  God has an awesome way of working his magic! haha

Elder Christofferson's talk was quite fruitful... whatever that means haha.  I loved it.  We all want mercy... but there are conditions to receive it.  When we repent we open the door to obtain mercy.  We cannot choose our own sins.  There are eternal truths that no matter what your opinion is... they cannot be changed.  God will not make us someone we don't want to be.  If you want to go to heaven... then prove it!

Can you imagine if an investigator listened and took notes on every session of conference?  They would be rushing to the baptismal font! There is no way you can listen to conference and not feel the spirit.  Now imagine if all those who are less active watched and acted on how they felt.  I want to invite anyone who reads my emails to share your favorite talk with someone who is not of our faith or is struggling on their path to figure out their faith!  It's your time to be a missionary!

Shout out to Prophet Thomas S. Monson!  We love you and are so grateful for your service!  I hope I grow up to be like you!

Elder Crandall the vandal