October 13th

Well wow another week went by way way way fast. I am having a lot of fun and really enjoying my mission. The weeks are already just cruising by. It was so weird before General Conference they shows temple square and some trees. I could have swore that they had snow or frost on them already! Is it really getting that cold??? It just looked so weird to see temple square on the screen in the Fall! It still should be summer right! Well this week I think you would like to know that I got cold! Ya like shivering cold! It has rained a bunch they say it is from the Typhoon that hit Japan. We road in the back of a truck to an area way far away and just sitting in there so wet made me really cold. Everyone tells you that you won't get cold in the Philippines. I don't know if I am just a wimp or what but it was weird. I went back home and saw the temperature and it said something like 72 degrees. But I bought hot chocolate mix and totally had hot chocolate in the Philippines! Did not expect that but man did it feel good!

Alright well this week was amazing like always I really have enjoyed everyday of my mission and just really look forward to the exciting things that are ahead! I love where I am right now. I love my companion and the other two elders that we live with! We all just have so much fun together. This morning we got a pull up bar welded and bought some concrete and built us a little pull up bar for our apartment. Just little fun stuff like that makes the mission that much more fun! I have a great relationship with my comp! That really helps I want to try to have this for all of my companions if that is possible!

Well anyway teaching this week was awesome. I have built a great relationship with a part member family. The husband is a member but less active. Yesterday we taught about missionary work and we invited him to come work with us and come help us with our lessons because we need help with the language. That got him so so so excited it was way cool! He helped the missionaries before when he was younger he is about 26. Having him come and share his testimony will help him so much and help him come back to church and to get his wife baptized. She wants to but they can't get married because the boyfriend Irvin lost his birth certificate! So ya. But I am way excited to see how having him come and work with us will help him and his girlfriend! Sharing the gospel is one of the best ways to strengthen your own testimony. So I am way excited to see how this helps! Alfredo came to General Conference all the way in Kalibo. So that was awesome but I didn't know that it was going to be all in English. Ya General Conference here was 100% English which Alfreado really doesn't know English so I was a bit worried but I think it turned out alright. I don't think he understood the message but I am sure that he could feel the spirit of the speakers! I found out that he smokes. So tomorrow I am going to try to get him to stop!!!! Lets see how that goes!!!! I am way excited to try!!!

Wow General Conference what an amazing opportunity we have twice a year to listen to it!  And what a difference it makes when you really pay attention and take notes! It was packed with great messages. My favorite was probably President Uchtdorf. When he talked about how when Christ told his disciples that someone would betray them. They automatically asked. "Lord is it I?" How awesome is that? That would not be the first words that would come into my head. I would think about someone else. Not me. Never would it be me. But how cool is it if before we looked to think about others. We first turned in and made sure we were all good first! That takes humility! I am sure when we think of someone humble we have two or three people that automatically stick out! Man those kind of people are special! Well I am getting a little bit faster at typing so I can write a little bit more! But thank you all for your support and letters. I feel so so so blessed to be born in such a loving home surrounded by such amazing people in the great city of West Point (Zion). I have learned on my mission to really be thankful for challenges and even started praying for challenges. Because they are really worth a lot. They really help you grow and learn so fast! I am thankful for my challenges! Right now it is still a challenge everyday with me and my comps Tagalog. We just get out of our apartment not really sure what is going to happen or how we are going to teach. We just trust in our Heavenly Father and somehow it always works! It is amazing! I love you all and wish you all the best. Be safe and keep working hard! I love you all!!!!

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

October 5th

Well I am sure you are all anxious to hear to see if my week this week was as good as last week! Well I don't think that I can say it was better. But it just continued to this week! I was really excited for this week. It was my first week to kinda be my own missionary to find out and decide what kind of missionary I am going to be! I have learned a lot about my self this week and kinda what motivates me! I have really high expectations for my mission and really want to become a more effective missionary. But I have been given an amazing investigator to force me to learn how to teach all of the lessons clearly and simply so that he can really understand our message and so he can truly be converted! I think I talked about him last time. His name is Alfredo. He just wants to learn everything we have. And I am not really good at teaching all the lessons yet. All the commandments and stuff like that. But now I am forced to learn how. I spend all my time studying just for Alfredo. I study for the lesson that I am going to teach him next. So that when we teach him. He will be able to understand. It really works well. I have really been able to teach this man! I just love him so much. He has a pretty dang hard life and is just the happiest old man you have ever seen. His kids are all gone in Manila and his wife has been blind for 6 years. And yet he is still keeping a good attitude everyday. He must of decided a long time ago that he wasn't going to let hard times make him feel bad for himself and become angry! There is a lot that I learn from this mans simple life!

This week I learned that my area is about 6 times bigger than I thought. We took one day and went on a motor cycle for about 45 min on a crazy dirt road though rice fields to a place called Jalas. We have a sweet family there but it is almost impossible for them to take their whole family to church! That is really sad for me to see! We are going there on Friday again to do a service project even though it is way far away it is way worth it because they are so strong! I am excited for that! O ya you guys are so dang lucky to have already heard conference. I am so excited for Saturday and Sunday to listen to it! I am way excited. What a cool thing that is!

Well I will be honest this has been a challenging week. My comp is new as well so I am just trying to learn how to be a more productive missionary. There are things that I didn't do right and now I know not to do that again. I am learning from my mistakes. I am really just learning as I go. It is forcing me to become a good missionary really fast! I am so grateful for this situation. It is just so fun to go to the big city and kinda get lost and try to talk to the people to get to where we need to go! We are just having so much fun! I have a great companion. Even though he doesn't know the language very good we have a lot of fun together. Something that I really like is that we are really trying just to serve one another. We always just do little things for each other to show that we care. We only fight when we try to wash each others dishes. But the other one wants to wash them.

So again I am doing really good I am really loving everyday of my mission! This is such an awesome opportunity. I am so excited for all of the challenges and different situations that I am going to experience. This is the best thing that I could be doing right now in my life! I am so happy to be here in the Philippines! I love you all so much. Thank you all for your letters and support! I have the best family in the world!!!! 

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

Called to Serve!!

Service project with Elder Kei

Looks like Elder Craythorne needs some nose plugs

Best picture so far.  Elder Craythorne riding on the back of the Ward mission leaders motorcycle.

Elder Craythorne was excited to play a little tennis.  Apparently this guy is an instructor and he learned a lot from playing him

September 29th

New companion Elder Kei Ok so first of all this has been the absolute best three days of my mission!!! I got a new companion on Thursday! I am going to try really really hard to try to put into words my last three days! I know I am not going to do a very good job because I really cannot even explain it or explain how crazy this is! So usually you train for 12 weeks as a new missionary and then after than you can go on your own! But for me i was with my trainer for 6 weeks and now I have a new comp. His name is Elder Kei and he is from Tonga!!! But he moved to New Zealand when he was 9 This is his second area his first area was an Illongo area. So he learned Illongo there. He only knows illongo! But here in New Washington where we are at we speak Tagalog and Aklanon! So my new comp cannot understand what the people here say. A few people can understand Illongo. So ya I have been here for 7 weeks now and am the only one who has any experience with Tagalog! So ya kind of a crazy situation that we are in! Because when I had a Filipino comp he would talk to everyone and lead all the lessons and pretty much just do everything for me! So when I found out that my comp didn't know any Tagalog I was so scared and thought that everything was going to be a mess and we were going to have such a rough time! I really had no idea what we were going to do! NO IDEA! I just kept thinking how bad our lessons would be since at that time I couldn't lead the lessons and teach. Or even talk to the people! I really was no  good at all! So when we headed out to work on Friday we really had no idea what was going to happen. Little did I know that I was going to start the best day of my mission so far! So we went out tracking and the first guy we talk to we get a lesson! And then all of a sudden I just went off and taught a decent lesson!! It wasn't a train wreck at all!! I could understand him and he could understand me! He was asking questions and I was answering them! It was the craziest experience of my life!!! I hear stories about this happening but never thought that it could actually happen to me! Well I am here to say that it did! I had help from our Heavenly Father!!! I have no doubt in my mind that he helped me so much that day! I have never prayed so hard from help that day because I knew I was going to need it! And he heard and answered my prayer! I was so happy after that lesson a joy that I cannot even explain! I was like crying I was so happy! It was the most that I have ever felt the spirit since I have been here. Just a huge testimony that I have a purpose here and that this message is important and can really help the people here! People tell me that the language comes over time and that it won't come over night! But that didn't happen to me! In one day my ability to understand and talk to the people multiplied like crazy! It is the craziest thing. I cannot explain it but that is what happened. I am a missionary right now! I don't just sit back and bear my testimony when called upon anymore! No!!! I still have a limit to my language once the conversation goes way deep I kinda lose it but that it ok. It still is a HUGE challenge but I wouldn't want it any other way.  This is going to force me to stretch so much! This is going to force me to become a great missionary!  Ya even though this is hard I would now want it any other way! I can really learn from this! The thing I have learned more than anything this week is that I am not a lone here in the Philippines. That Heavenly Father is here to help us. My prayers are not the same anymore, I need his help everyday and I know that. But I am here to say that he does hear and answer our prayers. And he gives us trial and challenges to shape us into the missionaries or people that he wants us to be! Man I love my mission and I love this challenge and I am just so excited to face it head on everyday! Thank you all for all the support and love! I have the best family in the world and I love every single one of you! I want you to know that I am doing really good and that I love being a missionary!!! Love, Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne Stake Family Week One of his cousin Talon's coverts from a few years ago.

September 22nd

First Baptism

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!! Another super crazy week here in the Philippines. Every day is so different you never know what will happen. This week I learned very important lesson. First of all we got robbed on Tuesday!!!! Yeah I know they totally took our window off of its track and it was on the ground. I have spent all morning trying to fix it! We should be getting grills on all of our windows so that doesn't happen again. But the good news is they only took money!!! It could have been much worse. I never have been the most cautious guy and I kinda had a lot of really nice things just sitting out. Palungput ako! But now i have everything hidden in crazy places that they will never find! So lesson learned. But like I said it could have been way way worse! So I feel blessed! 

I ate shark this week that was pretty crazy It was way weird and I don't think I will ever eat it again! This week we had a trainers and Trainees meeting in Iloilo. We are one of the farthest areas from Iloilo so we take a big bus all the way down to Iloilo. We go right down the middle of the Island on dirt road. It is a beautiful drive. But takes about 5 hours and you can't really write or read because it is so bumpy. But It was way cool to see all of my friends from the MTC! And hear about all of their areas. We have an awesome batch and they will all be great missionaries!

This week was a special week because I was able to baptize my first person. Last Saturday his name is Reyes Garganillo. From the PinamokanIsland. He turned 8 and his mom is a member. I love going to see him and playing marbles with him. He tries to hard to teach me how but knows no English so it is a bit difficult but we got it to work. I love him he reminds me so much of my little brothers and sisters! Just so fun and happy all the time! I just have the best little brothers and Sisters. BY the way just a little shout out to my sister Brooklyn it is her birthday this Wednesday! I love her so much! 

We had a bunch of investigators come to church this week and the area is really starting to pick up I love it! Well sorry about another short letter but I am running a little late and I need to head out! I love you all and I love being here as a missionary! I can feel all of your prayers for me and love reading your letters! I love you!!

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

Shark anyone??

Take this boat to part of his area twice a week

Elder Craythorne with the local cops after getting robbed

Another week in paradise!!!!

Well hello family and friends! Magandang umaga!!! This week was really different from any week I have had. Like I said last time Elder Nambiowas in the hospital until Tuesday and another Sister in our district Sister Masse also went to the hospital! But I think for anything here you pretty much go straight to the hospital so its not like a huge emergency like it is at home when you go to the hospital! Still crazy and really makes me want to be really safe and healthy. I will don't worry!!!:) So because of this I got to go to every single apartment in Kolibo! Ya on Wednesday since Elder Garvin is the ZL and his comp was still sick I got to go around and show the two new couple missionaries around the whole zone! Ya I got really spoiled this week! I got to see some really cool places all over the zone! So that was awesome!!!!

Alright so to answer all of your questions. I have seen so much progress in the language this week! I will be honest I am pleasantly surprised like yesterday they were asking questions and I totally understood!!! Then after that I totally answered their questions!!! Then I asked them did you understand and they repeated back to me what they learned and what they thought about it! And I just had such a happy happy feeling inside that I can't describe. I have been struggling so much trying to learn a brand new language and when i can finally sorta kinda do it. O man it is the coolest feeling in the whole world!! AHHHH!  I just get so excited! They have a ton of patience for me and love that i am trying to learn their language and so it just makes for a really fun conversation! They really love Americans! It is just so sweet to be here!

So we had a baptism this week! YAY!!!!! It was so cool Well before he was baptized he was was married in the morning! So it was a way special day! He is was solid and being married was a huge sacrifice for him and really shows how much he wants to be baptized! His testimony afterwords was so sweet! Well we have a district activity right now so I have to leave a bit early so this one won't be super detailed I will try and be better next time! But I just want you guys to know I am really doing super good and really loving every day here in the mission. I get to experience some crazy things every day that I wish I could explain. But I am just loving serving a mission here in the Philippines and serving a mission forces you to learn so many different things about the gospel and real life! Like a simple washing machine would bless the lives of the people here so much. Alright I got to run I love you all so much so so much! Thanks for all of the amazing examples you all are. I think I was really born in the best place with the best family! Sorry it was a short one and not a lot of detail. I will get better at these I promise!

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

Brother Jomel's Wedding

Brother Jomel's Baptism

Made his own soy milk and soy flour

Hanging out with Elder Garvin his Zone Leader who lives with him.

Primary mode of transportation

Week 4

Ok well hello everyone! It is another great day here in the Philippines. Right now I am in Kolibo again due to some health issues with a missionary that lives with me! Elder Nambio. He is 23 and a Filipino. He is way sweet! He should be able to come back tomorrow but that made this week a little exciting! This week is was so rainy. I knew it was going to be like that but still is just shocks me that every day it rains! EVERY DAY! I saw the sun one time and it was amazing! I was walking in it just soaking it in! While the people here hate it because they want to be whiter and so they are always trying to find the shade it is so funny! Then there in me the white guy out in the middle just soaking it in. I really was just so happy to see the sun this week I can't explain it! This week has been sweet. We taught some really good lessons. And ya I taught! I can now sort of teach in Tagalog. I have spent most of my time in Tagalog! But then there are always those places and always those people who will just talk to you in Aklanon. So that is where I am very weak. I haven't spent a lot of my time in understanding or speaking that language yet! I need to. But ya I am very happy with my Tagalog is. That will be really nice to know throughout my whole mission. I should be able to communicate with everyone here. So even when I need to learn a new language like Illongo or War-ay. I will still be able to teach while learning their own native language. So I am blessed to be in such a big Tagalog area to start out with. It is hard right now. But I know it is going to be so good for me!

We had a cool dinner appointment on the island that we go to. There are some crazy awesome members here who have to sacrifice so much just to go to church. But you know what? They do it!!! Every week! But ya that is where I ate my chicken feet. Which was the only thing so far that I really didn't like! But it is a challenge to get investigator to church who live there! But it is a cool place.

So I am really excited for this week because our investigator Jamel is getting married!!!! YAY!!!!! He is getting married at 8 in the morning on Saturday and then getting Baptized that afternoon. He is way sweet and way solid. Getting married here is kinda hard, which I think I have said before. So it really shows a lot of faith and a lot of trust in the Lord to sacrifice in order to get baptized! So ya you can say I am really excited to be apart of my first Baptism as a missionary!!! Wow it has been cool to teach him and to see him grow! It really shows me why I have came so far to be here! To see his testimony grow and his love for his Heavenly Father with the knowledge that there is a plan for all of us. He has a plan for every single one of us! Wow that has been the theme of my week! It started off with my Aunt Michele! I have to give her a shout out this week! She sent me a story last week. And since I don't have time to read all of my emails I take quick pictures of them so that I can read them on the jeepny ride home or something. I do love those so much so keep them coming! So ya I read hers last Monday and it told a story which I have heard before. About a current bush who grew too big and the gardener cut it down so it could focus on getting fruit! I think it was in the 1974 New Era or something like that I wish I could explain it more. But it talked about how the bush was sad because he was getting so big and now the gardener cut him down. The gardener said that he didn't want him to be a big shade tree but that he wanted him to be a current bush with fruit! It hit me hard that our Heavenly Father has put us in certain situations to shape us and to form us to what he wants us to be! But we still have our agency to choose his plan. That is our choice. But I have come to know that it is so true and that all trials have a purpose. My investigator told me that this week and that hit me way hard to! Man isn't that so cool?!?! Alright well I got to roll out! Thanks again for all the emails and support. I love you all so much and I want you all to know that I really do love it here. I love learning everyday and know that this forming me to become the man that our Heavenly Father wants me to be. And I want to be the person Heavenly Father wants me to be! I love you all so much and hope you all have a good week.

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

No pictures this week :(  He forgot to take his camera with him.  Jil emailed Jackson back and was not happy that she didn't get any pictures and Jackson replied back "I just didn't want to make you jealous of all the beautiful sunsets ;)"

Week 3

Wow alright I don't even know where to start. Maybe I will talk a little bit about the rain. So right now it is the rainy season and it has rained probably every day! And when it rains it really rains! And it is crazy the whole place shuts down and everyone goes in side and it is like dead so quiet. All the people who were outside are gone. And it just goes from no rain to raining so hard in a matter of seconds. And so what we do is run into a house and of course they let us in and have a lesson with them. It is not what I expected. Everyone you ask if you can share a message will let you into their house. They almost never say no or think that it is weird. It is so normal! I don't know what it feels like to have a door slammed in my face like you hear about! But that doesn't mean that they will read what you give them or come to church on Sunday. But I am sure that just sharing with them a little message helps! So then we run into the rain to the next house and do the same thing. They people are always way nice and super shocked to see an american here. Whenever I am walking down the street or in a jeepny. I am sure it is really weird to see a big (ya I am big here) white guy. I really stick out that is for sure. Like this morning in the city every monday they storm the streets and have a giant sell! where all of the people bring all of their fruits and rice and just a bunch of random stuff. There are thousands of people in the streets buying and selling things.  And when they see an American they really try to get my to buy their stuff. It was pretty crazy! The food here is so good. Even the baby chicken which is still in its egg. There are little bakeries everywhere which I love. It is such a cool place. With really good food. A lot of fish! But I haven't had anything disgusting yet. It is all way good

The youth here really like helping us with missionary work. They must not have a lot to do because a lot of them will spend all day going to lessons with us. They have super strong testimony's and is a super good sign that the church is going to be way strong here. When they grow up and have their own families! They help me a lot with the language's. Ya languages I have realized this week that I need to learn both Tagalog and Aklanon. So that is kinda crazy. There are just so many different words everywhere. I can't really tell when they are speaking Tagalog or Aklanon. I was able to understand a lot more this week than i thought I was going to. But the speaking is a bit harder and is going to take a lot of practice and a lot of time! 

On Mondays we have family home evenings with families we are teaching and those are awesome. We play simple games and they just have so much fun! Even the dads who are usually kind of sad looking love it and it is so cool. SO COOL to see the people who are usually shy or sad just break out of their shells and have fun with us. If you have any ideas for little games like that let me know! Just simple games you think they would like!

Well I am loving it here in the Philippines. I love everyday. Everyday is different and everyday is an adventure! I cannot believe that I am here. I am just learning learning and learning all day every day! I have a lot to learn so that I can teach the people and share with them the amazing message of the Gospel! It is always way nice to hear from all of you and sounds like you are all doing way good! I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Craythorne

Here are some questions he answered while we were emailing back and forth.

Have you had a good week?

Ya just having a lot of fun! We went to some cool places! Nothing really crazy happened just a good solid week in the Philippines. I think you can always have a good week in the Philippines. It is so crazy I am like never looking for someone to teach. Since everyone is always home you just go to their door and they will let you in and just talk to you. So that is just way fun!

Any success yet?

We have 3 people who really want to be baptized but don't have the money to get married. I should this month. But other that that nothing. WE are out of BOM is you can believe that or not. Our whole mission has been out for about 3 months. So I haven't even seen a Tagalog BOM yet. So that is a bit hard. The rule is the investigator has to come to church for 4 weeks straight before he can be baptized!

Where do you email from?

A Internet Cafe in New Washington.

How is the food?

I am eating really good. the natives here eat so much it is crazy. If I eat like them I will gain a lot of weight. But I haven't ate anything that I wouldn't eat again. Even the balut was good! 

Week 2

OK well first off I made a voice recording to send but I totally forgot to bring it so next time! I like doing those I can put so much info in them in a way short amount of time! So I will be better at them so I can kinda prepare Ben, Ryker,Easton, Brooklyn and Lexi for an experience like this. I feel so lucky to be here in the Philippines. There are so many things I have to say and I had a lot in the voice recording that I forgot. But I do want to spend a little more time in this group email. Make it a little bit meaningful. So first of all today we had a way sweet zone activity today. We went hiking today to a waterfall. It was such a cool hike and we brought food with us and we just all threw it into a pile of banana leaves and just dove in. Eating as much food as you can with your hands. It was awesome. And my mission prez is so cool and him and his wife got in the waterfall. And let us all go under and we had a great time. I don't think that there are too many mission presidents who would let us do that but it really was fun! He works really hard and has a lot of fun. Everyone just loves him!

So my area in New Washington is awesome there is a super cool place. I don't remember if I told you about the island that we have but it is really big and there are a lot of people there. We go there about twice a week. It is such a different place than the rest of my area. Kind of isolated from the rest of the main island. They don't have a lot and it is a big sacrifice to go to church because it is such a long ways and you have to take a boat. But the people there are so amazing and nice. Everyone loves helping me learn the language and that's how I can really connect with them. They feel so good that they can help me out and makes for a better lesson. When I first ask them to help me and teach me they are more willing to learn from us! They all let us into their houses and let us teach a lesson. Just cuz they are that nice!

This week we had stake conference and wow that was so cool to see. There were so many people in the stake center that they could not fit everyone inside. People were sitting outside. There are so many families in this stake and I was amazing to see how happy they all are and how the Gospel has blessed them and made them all so happy.

So the language is coming! I learn so so so much everyday it is crazy. All of the people are trying to help me learn how to speak the language. There is about half Tagalog and half Aklanon. Which is a crazy sounding language that sounds like they are gargling mouthwash. But my comp is really good at Tagalog and will be so good for me! This week has been a little weird cuz it has been me and 3 other Filipinos in our house. They all are from the same area and spoke their native language which was way different. So that was really interesting. Not a lot of English this week. But that is so good for me. They are crazy and have a lot of fun. This mission is so sweet. The quote of the week I also forgot to bring with me but it said something like. "Humility is fertile soil where inspiration can grow." It was more beautiful than that but that was the idea and I really liked it because as a missionary you and in constant need of inspiration from our Heavenly Father and you really need to keep yourself ready to receive help. So thanks again for all of your letters I wish I could write all of you back but I can't. But I do love all of you and love hearing from you all. I have the best family! But I love being a missionary and love learning so much everyday! This really is going to be so good for me.

Love,

Elder Craythorne

So your area sounds really pretty.  Is it like that in the whole mission or you just got lucky to go to a beautiful place for your first area?

I think a lot of the areas up north and kinda farther away from Iloilo are beautiful. We are not in a mountainous area and there are a bunch of them. New Washington is kinda a beach town with a bunch of fishermen. And they eat a ton of fish!!! 

Do you keep pretty busy day to day?

O ya you are always busy always teaching. My comp is good at talking to everyone.

So what language do you study? 

I am learning how to speak Tagalog first. But I need to be able to understand Aklanon. But Aklanon is way weird and hard to speak. Everyone on this island understands Tagalog so all the missionaries say that I am lucky that I get to learn Tagalog first!  I can take that with me to all of my areas.

Anyone close to baptism yet?

From us? No.  We will have a few in the next month. The problem is none of them are married and they have to get married and that is expensive and hard for them to do! There is one sister who wants to get baptized so bad but she separated from her husband 12 years ago and now is living with someone else. So she has to get divorced and remarried. That is going to be tough for her!

First Week in the Mission

Wow OK I have had the absolute most crazy week of my life!!! So the reason it has been so long since I have emailed is because when I flew to Manila they had us stay for 5 days. They call it post graduate MTC Training. We were the first batch to do this but I think that is how it will be for all missionaries. Because of Visa changes. So that was cool. We were able to go tracking the morning we got there in the Quezon City mission. That was insane. It was a huge city and people everywhere!!! It was crazy. Not at all like the place I am in now! i am in such a beautiful place right on the beach!!! I am in New Washington. You all can Google Earth that!! It is such a cool area. We have a few islands that we take boats to. Ya it is awesome!!! Not at all like the city!! I feel so crazy. But they do speak a different language called Aklanon. Which is such a crazy sounding language. They sound really different and it is hard from my American mouth to say some of the words. So I am starting fresh with new languages. I have learned the power of hand signals and body language. And just nodding my head and acting like I understand when I really have absolutely no idea!!! My trainer is a little Philipino Elder Ragsag. He is super nice but is not good at English so our conversations are interesting as well. Haha but seriously this is like the coolest place ever. By far the coolest place I have every been. You would not believe the houses and bridges here!!! HAHA I can not believe that I am lucky enough to be here! The people are so super nice. They will almost always listen to your message and want to help you with the language. We have an awesome Ward here and members who help with missionary work. It really helps and they help me a ton. I still cant believe I am here and wish I could take a go pro with me everywhere so you could see the kind of place this is. All I can say is wow!!! Man I am so excited to learn the language and actually talk to people again!!!! I knew it was going to be hard to learn how to speak so now i am just trying to speak it whenever I can and everyone just laughs at me and then says something really fast and it is way humbling. Well it was nice to hear from all of you. I can't believe the summer is almost over. Wow that was so fast!!! I love you all!!!!

Love

Elder Craythorne 

Questions From Mom

Tell me what it was like landing in Tokyo?  Was it a shock?  That was your first taste of feeling what it was like to be so far away from home.  Did you try to call and it didn't work or did you just not have time?   In Tokyo we were a little late so we only had like 15 min there so I didn't feel the shock there because we were in such a rush.

So you landed in Manila and then what?  Did you stay there overnight?  If so what was the hotel like? Manila was the shock there was people everywhere and it was really late. We immediately got bussed to the Manila MTC. The bus ride was when it got real. The places we passed was crazy and we realized that we were in ASIA!!! IT is a very Asian country!

When did you finally make it to Iloilo? I got to Iloilo on the 14th  Exact time? like 10:00 Who picked you up? The mission Pres and office missionaries!

Tell us about your Mission President and his wife. They are way nice. We really didn't get to know them very well but everyone loves him here.

How did you sleep your first night?  What did you think about?  Did you sleep good?  Were you already with your companion?  In your assigned area or did you stay in the mission home for a while? The first night in the MTC was not how expected. They have perfected the art of air conditioning. So I froze!!!! I was so cold my first night in the Philippines. But here in iloilo. We stayed in a Hotel room with no air conditioning and that was the exact opposite. You sweat all night long~! It is a weird feeling!

Tell us about where you live.  Your apartment?  House? We live in a decent house I think. It is by the beach on a dirt road kind of away from anything. I really like it! there is four of us and they all speak the language unless they are talking to me. Well after they realize that I don't understand what they are saying. 

Tell us about your companion.  Where is he from? Elder Ragsag from the Philippines. Tacloban mission. He is a convert. His whole family was. He really likes to eat good food and is a great cook. So that is nice. He cool really Filipino food!

What was it like to go to church for the first time?  How many people?  Do they need a piano player?:) There was like no English so I didn't really get much out of it. I Think there was like 45 people there. Mostly families. They are all so nice. I went up and introduced myself and they were all laughing!!!

Do you already have an investigator that your companion was working with before you got there? Yes we have a lot

 Talon 4 years ago.  Look at the lady to the left of the picture and look at the picture below.  Same shirt, same lady and Jackson is wearing the same tie Talon is wearing.  Talon gave him the tie the night before he went into the MTC.

Jackson's first companion Elder Ragsag

"My companion is so nice he is like Lexi as a guy!!!"