Hi Fan Club....I mean Mom.

Elder Matheny and I got down on our knees this past week and decided we wanted to really put forth our faith and decide with Heavenly Father how many baptism's we could have while we are together.  We prayed and then discussed, then prayed again and discussed... and so on etc.... until we really felt confident.  We know that we can have 15 baptisms in our area.  We as leaders not only need to talk the talk but walk the walk.  There are many things that are required of us to reach this goal... and there are many things that are out of our hands.  As you consecrate yourself to the work you will see miracles.  Tan wrote me an awesome letter that had a fantastic definition of a miracle that is now hanging above my study desk... Miracle: A natural result of correctly applied principles.  Basically, when you have faith that something can happen and you do your part to achieve that... then naturally amazing things are going to happen!  I'm pretty positive that Heavenly Father wants his children baptized..... and so I'm pretty positive He is going to help us accomplish this! haha

A miracle for the week.  We went to follow up with a man that we taught a week ago... but he didn't actually live at the house we talked to him at... However, a lady named J** came to the door and boy oh boy is she a talker.  after about 30 minutes of her talking I just jumped in and said.. "J**, I would love to have you come to church with us tomorrow." She said she would come... and the next morning when we called her she was all dressed and ready to go!  She had a fantastic time and we will be meeting with her this week to help her feel the spirit some more.

I talked to some Jehovah's witness's this week and asked them about some of their Doctrine.  It is a bummer sometimes to hear what other people think Heaven is like.  I am so thankful for the Plan of Salvation and the fact that it is taught to us by Latter Day prophets.  I can't even fathom the Celestial Kingdom and how happy I will be there with my family.  

We are still trying our very best to help the V** family (PM family... we are teaching all the kids).  It is so hard to choose right when you are surrounded by a lot of bad.  That is why the Gospel is so awesome though... Once you feel the change come from the inside... You want to take yourself away from temptations and evil.  

General Conference is going to be a slice of Heaven.  I know that there are going to be some very powerful, bold, and personal talks given.  It was really easy for me last conference to constantly be thinking... Dang, this would be a perfect talk for so and so... This time, if I get that impression, which I am sure I will... that person better be sitting right next to me listening or receiving an email talking about what I felt the Spirit from.  We are so very blessed to hear from the man who is the messenger for God.  What comes out of his mouth is indeed words from God just as the scriptures are.

I encourage any and all to work as hard as you can at whatever you are doing.  No one ever feels good about something they put half their heart into.  Being lazy is for the weak and ain't nobody got time for that.  God has given us so much time to polish and perfect our many talents.  It is not always bad to come up short... but it is to be short in effort.  The Atonement covers what we can't.

I heard a funny quote in church yesterday. "someone once asked... what do you have to do to be a successful member? Answer: Show up.... and say yes"

God is hastening his work... He won't wait for any of us...It is our job to Keep up.  

I am so grateful for many things... and especially the times in my life that I learned to use the Atonement.  I have been the closest to my Heavenly Father through the rough and stressful times rather than the easy breezy beautiful times. Take the time to realize when God has really put his hand in your life and it is amazing to see He is and always will be there.

I love you all!

Elder Crandall the Vandal

Back to Work

With all the craziness of transfers we weren't able to go out and proselyte until Thursday... but once we did it felt like we never stopped!  I really love being out of the apartment just talking with people.  You will always have a couple butterflies when you go up and talk to someone randomly for the first time but you learn something out of each and every contact.  I was thinking about it... and if I were a person standing on the street, how would I feel if these 2 white guys came up and just started talking to me about my life?  Well, if they were aggressive or awkward I'd be a little stand-off-ish... but if they made me laugh and smile I would be interested in their purpose of coming to talk with me.  Well, our purpose as missionaries when we contact someone is to let them know we care about them... but not only us, but God cares about them.  If we as members of this church don't open our mouths and share this happiness that we carry with us.. then who is going to learn about it.  Go out of your way and tell someone you aren't very familiar with that you care about them and hope they are having a great day.  Fear is the opposite of Faith and Love.  If you love someone then ultimately you want to share the Gospel with them.

We had a pretty cool lesson with Kacey, Kayla, and Carlos (Buddah is his nickname).  They are all siblings and their dad is a Less Active member that wasn't in our records.  Elder Matheny happened to run into them last transfer along with a lot of other part member families that we are working with.  We like to call them "Low hanging fruit." Part members are the way to go if you want converts, retention, and re-activation.  Anyways, we had dinner with them in a members home and then taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Teaching lessons in a members home is the way to go because the Spirit is already there!  It is something that I haven't done very often but that is going to change pretty quickly.

As I've gotten to know more of the members from this ward there are a few I have a lot of respect for.  First, Brother Blaschke is the Elders Quorum President and is easily one of the best I've seen.  Why? He magnifies his calling.  It is really easy in the church not to take your calling seriously and do the bare minimum.  When you do the bare minimum you get small small blessings (there's some krio for ya!).  I want a lot of divine help and all the blessings I can get so I have to do something for them!  If a ward runs the way it is really suppose to, then the miracles should be flying left and right.  I expect to see just that in the next little bit because of our efforts and the wards efforts.

Second, is Brother Mudford.  He has had a rougher past and fell away from the church for over 20 years.  However, as he has found his way back and begun to live ALL of the commandments.  He really glows! He is a testimony to those we teach who are struggling with an addiction that it really is possible to overcome bad habits!  

It is not enough to go just go through the motions.  We need to put our whole heart into all that we do!  Romans 6:17-18.  

Happy birthday to Cleo and to Jessie! I love you both and I'm so thankful for your spunky personalities!!

Love Elder Crandall the Vandal

The Last Pictures in Palmdale, California.

Playing ball with some investigators.



Having a lot more fun than just playing basketball.

This is the boy who left my house last year.  A bit goofy and always finding a way to have fun.



If it weren't for the shirt, I wouldn't know who this is.



Los Angeles Temple. 



Some of his last zone in Palmdale.

Some of the Palmdale Elders.

A dear Bishop who has treated him so well for the
last 7 months.  Thank you so much for all you did.

Awesome Palmdale Missionaries.

What a beautiful family!!!!

Saying goodbye before heading off to Bakersfield.
We love you Palmdale.