Another way busy week!!! Really our job here is just to go around on splits. The highlight was probably going on splits in Guimaras with a fellow Elder from West Point, Utah. Elder Seeds!!! I am so proud of him. He is in one of if not the hardest area I have ever see. Literally no members!!!! But it is a beautiful place and I set pictures of us on bikes! Literally we were biking up and down mountain and it was as cool as it sounds!!! Just got to give a big shout out to Elder Seeds! He is in a cool place but a way hard situation but he has the best attitude and he is doing amazing!!! Way to represent WEST POINT!!! Seriously one of the funnest days of my mission...expect by the end of the day I totally destroyed his bike. So he has been walking FAR for the past few days....
This week was especially emotional for some reason. A lot of tears.... Happy and sad. The sad is that most family situations here are kinda rough. That is what causes a lot of problems. But it is so sweet to see how the Plan of Salvation changes that attitude and they are given hope that it can change. Through Jesus Christ and His atonement change is possible. People don't really believe us at first that it will get better. But it is awesome to see the investigators who really take this seriously see the results of a better family! I love it! It is the coolest thing to see!!!
O ya remember how we went around to ever stake to train them about having a vision, setting goals, and making plans to make 2016 awesome??? Well our Ward is a boss and they all got together after sacrament meeting to talk about the 2016 Ward Mission Plan and it was so sweet and they came up with such a solid plan that everyone is excited about! And we are getting calls from all around the mission saying their units are all excited about their plans!!!! It is so good to hear!!! ITS WORKING!!!!!
On a little more serious note and this will be hard to explain over email. But here is what I have been thinking of lately! Work hard and follow the Spirit. One of those comes easier to me than the other. I think recently I have really just tried to just work work work with tons of enthusiasm to get baptisms. Elder Dorman and I really believed that together we could get 4 or 5 family baptisms....We worked so hard and saw so so so much success. We help so many families. We had so many super super close and they are so awesome and still will get baptized this year but just not now. So ya I have learned to work hard and it was so so much fun and so good. The whole following the spirit is now what I want. I just want to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do here. The problem is I don't really know what that is. I am just here to serve him and do nothing else. I just want to be guided by the spirit. I just want to do what He wants me to do. That is my next challenge to become more receptive to those promptings. I don't want you to think that I am disappointed! The quality of my mission has surpassed all my expectations! Very few people get to experience what I have the last 16 months. IT HAS BEEN THE BEST!!!! I love every single second and I can truly say I am having the best mission!!! I am the luckiest missionary to be assigned here. It has changed me. Working hard is good and I will never ever stop but I am here to serve the Lord and do what he wants. And I know that thought the spirit....I will be guided.
Well it has been a blast!!! I love this ward so much! It feels like home so much!!! The people here are so cool!!! I love them so much! I love talking to them. I love speaking their language! I just love my mission! I love you all so so so much!!! Have fun in Florida!!!!
Love,
Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne
