Another week in Paradise!

This week couldn't have started off better! We drove up to Mammoth Lakes (5.5 hours) on tuesday.  We got there earlier than expected so we were able to wander around and check out a few cool places!  We got some incredible Thai food and some sweet Mammoth T-Shirts.

My whole mission I've heard rumors about Mammoth and how it is near impossible to find and even harder to baptize.  It reminds me a lot of Park City because it is a tourist town and everyone is all about skiing.  My goal for the exchange was to treat this area just like any other area I've been in.  Wow. It was such an awesome exchange! We found lots of new investigators including 2 families!  We also taught several lessons and had a book of mormon class at the church.  It is a small but powerful branch.  I felt such strong feeling of love and acceptance.  It felt like a family home evening but with the whole branch. I would love to live in a place like this one day and go crazy with member missionary work!  This exchange reminded me that it doesn't matter where you are, the Lord is and always will be preparing people to come unto Him.

We didn't get back to Palmdale until Thursday afternoon so it was a shorter week in our area.  We were able to find a super awesome Part-Member Family that wasn't on the ward list.  The E** family. He is the only member, and when we first met his wife she was pretty closed off. She wasn't rude but just did not seem interested at all. Luckily, we had an absolutely incredible member (who was baptized less than a year ago) with us to bear some awesome testimony. They got along really well and by the end of the conversation the Spirit had completely changed the situation, and she invited us to come back on Sunday to talk with her when her husband was there. We went back on Sunday and had an absolutely incredible experience. The Spirit was so strong and I am so excited to work with them! The dad works on Sundays so it's hard for him to make it to church right now, but we are praying for a miracle and know the Lord will provide. He always does:) The Gospel is awesome!

J** is doing so well. She is so awesome:) I love her to death. She has gone without a cigarette and coffee for 8 days straight now! Her baptism is scheduled for this Saturday so we are super excited. Please keep her in your prayers as she prepares for her baptism this week!

Shout out to Cassi! Congratulations on having your new Baby! I can't wait to meet him!

Elder Crandall the Vandal