June 29, 2015

My first birthday in the Philippines was something I will never ever forget! Wow what a great week! Actually the 25th was not all that eventful. Like I said last week me and my comp had to go down to Iloilo for another two day meeting! So we actually celebrated it on the 27th. And boy was it awesome. There were so many members who made it a big deal and made it quite the event! I sent a bunch of pictures so you can get an idea about how awesome it was. I love these people so much and i felt really loved on Saturday. We had a bunch of cakes that the Bishops wife made and people prepared dances and songs. Just an amazing sight. I will never forget these people here! They are very special to me!!!

We had baptisms this week from a family who became members on a different island but after they moved here they became less active but now their testimony has caught fire again. Their kids weren't members yet. We also extended a baptismal date to their neighbors who are also coming to church with them. They have been a great example to their friends and the excitement is high.

After the baptism we had a ward lunch at the beach. I sent some pictures of that and it was an awesome white sand beach. An awesome activity to get the ward excited and welcome the new members. So ya this week was a crazy busy week but super fun!

You guys sound like you are having a great summer. Ryker is trying to make me jealous from his Alaska bear hunt/ fishing trip but its not going to work because I am in the best place in the world working for the Lord. But I am proud of Grandpa getting his Grizzly Bear with his Mathew's! That's so cool to have such a big goal and work so hard for it even when it seems hard. Goals are what we need to reach our full potential. Here you make goals daily, weekly, and even monthly to make the most out of your time.

This is my hump week and its actually kinda scary how fast this has came. They say it gets so fast after your year mark and that scares me even more. I enjoy every day here. So thanks for all your birthday wishes. It was amazing probably the biggest birthday party i have ever had! I felt really loved and a confirmation that I am here for a reason and doing some good!

I love you guys so much have fun a Fish Lake!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

June 22, 2015

Hello everyone!!!

Another week down! I guess its fathers day today and not last week. So another shoutout to my father and my grandfathers. I love and appreciate you so much and everything you have done for me. I guess Ryker and Grandpa are in Alaska!!! I am so jealous and I am expecting some monster fish from him and hopefully Grandpa can fulfill his dream with his Grizzly!

I loved hearing about Camp Helaman. Those awesome activities that the church has are amazing and have had a huge impact on me! We are so lucky to be surrounded with so many amazing leaders! I am really excited to have my first birthday in the Philippines! We got some things planned with our Ward and Investigators to make it a great one!

A lot of members worked with us this week to try and start building relationships between the active members and our investigators and less active members. That has been really effective. Its cool to see all the connections that people have with the church here. You meet a lot of people who have family or neighbors who are members. Its really something special.

So I am sure you are very familiar with the Lago family. Well a few of them worked with us this week even though they are not members the think they are. It was cool to hear them bare their testimony because they aren't doing it just because they are members of the church but they can really say that the Book of Mormon has affected their family! We just need to be patience and know that a time will come that they will be baptized and then sealed in the Temple someday! I loved hearing about Macy being able to witness one of the families she taught get sealed. How cool is that. Missionary work really is eternal and does a whole lot of good!

I love you all so much and I know that we have a Heavenly Father. Even when sometimes we don't understand everything and things are really hard. He is there and He loves us!

Love,

Elder Craythorne

June 15th 2015

Happy Fathers Day!!! I have to give a huge shout out to my old man and brag about him a little bit. He is the best example of a real man I could ever ask for.  One of the busiest people but I would never know because he spent so much time with us kids. We always knew he loved us and always know we had a strong priesthood holder in our home! He is my hunting buddy, fishing partner, and best friend. I love you Dad!

Saw a pretty cool miracle this week in our work. We tracted a huge family. The Onera family! They were so good but just weren't grabbing a hold of the message like we wanted them to. We decided to give them one more chance before we gave them some time. They were very excited to see us because they had a family member come home from Manila and it turned out that he became a member of the church in the Manila. So they really changed and the member is helping a ton! It was no a coincidence that we tracted them and the timing was perfect. It was all part of the plan! We were praying that something would happen to help them accept the happiness of the Gospel in their lives and guess what! We got something huge!!!! Very cool!

We had a cool stake conference this week and there wasn't even enough space in the Stake Center to fit everyone. That's really cool to see. We really had a good week from the referrals from Meet The Mormons. Some solid referral families. That we contacted and are now working with. Exciting exciting time right now and I am as excited as ever!!!

I got my birthday package this week! and all of your awesome letters. Thanks so much for the love! Have a great summer everyone! I love you all! Keep rockin'!!!

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne

June 8th 2015

Another transfer down in the books. I am  on my 8th transfer here in the field. My 4th transfer here in Roxas! It was another boss week. The stake activity was twice as successful as I thought it was going to be. It turned out so good! There were actually more people that went to Meet the Mormons than Stake Conference. We made it a big deal and the members really did a good job inviting friends. It was one of the coolest things after the movie we had so many members come to us saying "gusto ko magpakilala sa inyo" Or I have someone I want you to get to know. It was so successful and really got the Stake excited. And of course the Lago family came. This week we really wanted them to get to know the members on the ward so they feel like they belong and it has been successful. They are now going to early morning seminary with them. Pretty awesome!

They had an awesome time at  church again. While members were giving their testimony the mom was touched and crying. She really felt something and when she gave the closing prayer she was crying again. She is just so thankful that her family has changed because of the church and just so happy. It really touched me and was cool to see!

I was impressed by Meet The Mormons. I thought they did a very good job and it really helped us. If it helped here in a small island in the Philippines I am sure it did a lot of good around the world.  The church is amazing all around the world and changes peoples lives and inspires them to do better. Thats one thing I have focused on this week is trying to find out what I really want to become and then setting goals to help me become better.

My testimony has really grown with fasting this month. I will be honest...its my weakness. Fasting especially on the mission has been hard from me. But my investigators really need that extra power that comes from fasting and have been determined to not be selfish and overcome the natural man. All I can say is that I have seen a change in our work and in myself. Its a great feeling knowing that you had control over the natural man and that your faith was stronger. I know that fasting is powerful and there is a reason to fasting. If we have a purpose and a right desire we will see the change that we are fasting for!

It was the first week of school for everyone here but you guys are now out! So have fun and go fish Stateline for me! Send some pictures and make me proud! I love you guys so much and just want you to know that I am so happy and so proud to be a missionary of this church!

 

Tonight we are having a big BBQ with a very big less active family which I am very excited for and hopefully they will feel how much they miss the feeling of being in the church!!! Alright love you all so much

Love,

Elder Craythorne

Here is a email that explains the pictures......

The Uball family is the big family. They are great one of the kids just got married and those two are progressing really good and coming to church. Really the only concern with them if you can count it a concern is their little kid is so annoying that they are shy to go to church because they are embarrassed!  I have never seen a more annoying kid. They are all so nice are so smart and their youngest is crazy!!! They are good though.

The couple is my favorite favorite favorite couple I have met here. So awesome!!! Alan and Triza! Unbelievable!!!

We went to the beach again this morning!!!!

June 1, 2015

Hello everyone. This might be a short one but that does not represent my week! It was again a powerhouse week!!! And come Sunday it came with a reward! We had so many of our investigators at church it was amazing.  Like 25% of our church attendance was investigators! The ward and our very strict bishop was very happy! They are doing so good and are all so amazing! A lot of them are bringing their friends and its just exploding! So we are very happy and have seen so many miracles in our area and has seen that Heavenly Father is really helping us!

We have been very bold in our commitments to coming to church because you never know how good a cake is if you never take a bite! Since our ward is so boss they always love staying all three hours and going to the classes! That's something that always gets them. It seems like we are the only church that is 3 hours and they always so that's too long but when they come they always want to stay for all 3 hours. You can really feel the spirit at church! Especially when its full of members who sacrifice so much to be a member! Something special!

Well on the worldly side I Just got back from a mini bowling place where everything is manual. After you knock down all the pins you crawl in the pit thing and set them all up again. HaHa I thought that was kinda cool!

I love love love my area and the people here! Hopefully I will finish my 6 months here I wouldn't even mind doing more than that! We are having fun and working hard. Missionary work is so powerful. It has the power to change the position of the lives of these people here! Love Love love it!!!!

Sorry it was a little short writing is not my strong point by any means but I just hope you get the feeling that I just love my mission!!!!!

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne:)