July 27th 2015

Some of you may have heard in my voice recordings but I had a very interesting week! Well first of all I went to America!!! I stepped on official American territory! There is a very big Navy ship here going around to different places and helping them buildings schools, hospitals, and getting fresh water. The Chaplain of that ship is a member and invited our Mission President to take a tour! And since my Mission President is awesome he also invited some of us to come as well! So on Tuesday after District Meeting we went to the Port and took a boat to the big Navy ship! I wont talk a lot about it but it was just very weird being around so many Americans and really big ones! We also got to eat there and ate good old Shepard's pie with unlimited milk!!!

The spiritual part was when he took us into their small room where they have church and he talked about how even though he is LDS he is in charge of all the other churches as well. His job is to help everyone on the ship worship how they want. But at the same time he is literally set apart as a missionary! I like what he said about respecting other peoples beliefs and at the same time just sharing the "light" that you have. He talked about how he goes around the world on that Navy ship and when he was in Guam he made eye contact with someone and just saw something different about him or saw that "light" that he had and thought that he might be a member of the church! And he turned out to actually be a returned missionary. You can really just see a light in faithful members on the church. That light comes from our obedience to the commandments! And I think is just something really special!

As missionaries we are really supposed to stay away from debating and tearing down other peoples beliefs that is what sets us apart from others. We are just inviting others to become closer to Jesus Christ and sharing the light that we have!

It was also a cool thing to attend sacrament in Sigma in the small building that they have and see just how strong those members are. They don't have the amazing buildings that we have but understand the real meaning of why we come to church to take the sacrament and renew our covenants! So amazing! From opening that area we have found so many people who were very active members but moved and now since there was no church by them stopped. And they are so excited that their prayers were answered and that they have a place to go to church even if its small for now!!!

So ya its been quite the week and very enjoyable! Thanks for all of your emails.  All of you seem to be having quite the summer. I love you so much and want you to know that I just love my mission and love being a missionary!!!

Love love love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

July 20, 2015

Kamusta kamo? ari pa ako diri gihapon sa Roxas!!! So I survived another transfer here in Roxas. Actually not much really changed my apartment is the same. Elder Kellerstrass from Hooper is here and Elder Seeds from West Point is still here. So this morning we actually went around to some schools with the LDS Charities Organization. They came here to Roxas for two weeks to do a bunch of service projects and hand out relief goods. This morning the church paid for a puppet show team to go around to a bunch of different schools to teach about how smoking is bad! This is a huge project and is cool to see how much the church really does is small poor places. I never knew actual how much good the church does around the world. We don't just talk about service but its actually really happening all around the world! And to make it even crazier the leader of the area of the Philippines is from the Philippines and while we were talking he said he actually lived in Utah for 10 years. In Davis County....In Syracuse...On Banberry street! Haha it was so awesome!!! Small small world!!!

Another interesting thing that we did this week is we asked the Captain (which is kinda the leader of a neighborhood) here if we could meet with him and talk to him about service projects. He invited us to a meeting kinda like a city council meeting back at home. It was awesome. They brought but somethings in their town that they need fixing and how we can help! It was very successful and it kinda reminding me watching dad leading a city council meeting with his mallet. Only Filipino style!

So ya these next two weeks there is a big project going on here with the church and even the US Navy. There are members of the US Navy who are doing free surgeries for members here and just so much service is going on here right now its cool to see so many people get the real meaning of being a disciple of Christ! This church is a church of Service!

Mia had a great baptism and has unbelievable testimony. Like I told you before there were a lot of things keeping her and her family getting baptized but she KNOWS it is true and her family will follow her in two more weeks!

I don't have a ton of time to read some extra books so it took me a whole year to read Jesus the Christ By Elder Talmage. I finally finished!!! But wow! That really helps you understand who the Savior really is! Its beautiful and have really grown in actually knowing who Jesus Christ is and what he really did for us!

I love you guys so much!!!! 

Love love love,

Elder Craythorne:)

July 13th 2015

Hello everyone! How is everybodys summer. I got all of your birthday letters this week! Thanks so much for thinking of that. From all my priesthood leaders who helped me so much growing up and get on this mission. I have been so blessed with leaders sacrificing so much for me to take me to awesome camp outs to keep me out of trouble. That is something that is missing here. But the church is just starting and progressing very fast here!

This week was fantastic everyone kinda thinks that I am getting transferred because usually you never stay in one area more than 4 transfers. So its kind of a bitter sweet feeling telling all the people that you love that it might be the last visit. Its cool to see how loving the people are here and I am so so so blessed to be here and learn from such a great humble people.

I read the last talk of President Packer last the conference looking for those treasures that are always in there and I loved how he talked about when out bodies get a cut a scar is left. But because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ when we make a mistake and our spirit gets a spiritual cut through the Atonement no scar will be left. No matter what our weaknesses, trials, sins are he has felt them and paid the price for them so that when we repent no scar will be left behind. I am so thankful for the full knowledge of the Atonement and what it really means. That doctrine is found in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and so great to teach to people who don't quite fully understand yet.

I love reading those talks from our modern Prophet's and Apostles. I am so grateful for their guidance and the opportunity to share what I have felt from being raised in the church!

Keep having a great summer!!! Have fun at EFY! That is a little taste of what I am doing everyday! Talk to you next week!!!!

Love,

Elder Craythorne

My boys. I love my apartment!!!

When I went with Elder Kellerstrass I took him to that couple who we met at the bakery if we remember. They were more prepared this time and still as good as ever. They had a problem with their relationship before but now they are ready to get married now! Kinda cool...

July 5th 2015

That is officially one year in the books! One of the best most challenging year of my  life. I have been sitting here trying to figure out how to summarize my 1st year as I missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! One year ago I left everything got dropped off at the MTC ready for the most rewarding two years of my life!

 

The 5 weeks in the MTC now feel like a dream and just remember the spirit that was in the special place and wanting to get out of there as fast as I could to go the Philippines and convert the whole island! Then came the humbling experience where I realized how much i needed the help of Our Heavenly Father. I had some rough days which I wouldn't trade for anything because those were when I prayed harder than I have ever prayed in my life! And really found my relationship with my Father in Heaven. Then had those days where you just come back smiling from ear to ear because you met someone who really want prepared for you and at the end of the day you say the most powerful prayer of thanks because you knew that He answered you prayer and He is taking care of you!

Studying the scriptures and saying countless prayers out load everyday. Finding how true the Book of Mormon and being amazing by it everyday! Then go out and try to get people to see how it can help them. To see them accept the Gospel and really change. Makes you realized why you left everything to serve a mission.

 I have learned things that I know I could only learn here in this place with these special people. I am so grateful for this place are for all of my companions no matter how different we all are. I have learned priceless lessons from them and I love every single one!

"Do what is right let the consequence follow" That is what Mia Lago has decided to do. She announced yesterday at church after singing that song that. She knows whats right and will get baptized and will put her trust in God no matter might happen when she gets baptized. She knows that God will make sure that she will be OK. God does not give us a commandment unless he also provides a way for us to follow! 

I  am so happy to be here and know that we have the Restored Gospel today. No matter where you are the church is blessing the lives of people and bringing them closer to God. I am so thankful for the truthfulness of the Gospel it makes it a lot easier to be a missionary and answer their questions!!! Its so true and so so good!

Love,

Elder Craythorne