Lots of stuff is happening in Hollywood!

Giving my best shout out - not sure about Elder Hatch!!

My week was so great. Lots of stuff is happening in Holywood.

We are teaching Lisa and she is praying about a baptism date. We are also teaching a guy named Will who is so smart. It is amazing. He is a true disciple of Jesus Christ. He just needs to pray and get his answers from God instead of looking for them in the other places. But he is amazing.

We got dropped by one of our investigators, so that was really sad. I think he knows the church is true, but he also knows if he admits it is true, he will have to change so much in his life. It's so sad. 

I gave a talk in church yesterday about language. I took it kind of a different way and discussed how we can more fully use the language of love. I read a talk that suggested that once we see things from the other people’s point of view, we will more easily be able to relate with them and contentious communication will turn into administering grace. It was a cool talk.

It was moves call yesterday, and Elder Hatch and I are staying together. So, I am no longer a trainee, and I am his first 3-move companion, whicht is cool. After this he will only have one move left, so we will see what happens there. 4 1/2 months together is a long time... haha We get along really well though. I love him and all he helps teach me. 

I had a rough experience this week where we taught a guy named James. I thought the lesson went amazingly well—the spirit was so strong. It was our first lesson with him, and we invited him to be baptized. He said if it was true that he would have to be baptized. As we were ending, we asked if he would say the prayer. He agreed to, and said one of the most heartfelt prayers I have ever heard. The spirit hit me so hard that I had to work hard to keep my emotions in check. As he said amen, he just sat back and we stayed silent for a bit. He just said "wow, it's been awhile since I've done that". The spirit was so powerful, and he wanted to come to church the next day for another lesson, then to church for sacrament the day after that. We couldn't get ahold of him for the next two days, so we went by his house Sunday night. When he opened the door and saw it was us, he just closed the door and didn't come out. My heart was so broken. I love James so much, and to then see him completely turn away from those feelings that I know he felt was so saddening. I was so crushed. But, I know that the Lord knows James and what he needs, and He will provide for James.

I have struggled a little with my pride this week. I am a prideful sinner! J I always think I know more than I actually do. I have learned to rely on the Lord so much—this week especially. It's a struggle to kneel down and admit I know nothing, but the Lord has blessed me so much as I try to be humble.

Going bald is pretty humbling too... I got the lesson Heavenly Father! You don't need to take any more hair..... J

My hair looks red. What?????

I love you

Elder Crowe

Hot custard and nutella - HEAVEN!!

A normal week = Awesome. I love it here! :)

This week was normal. For P-day we went exploring this forest and had a riot of a time. It was so fun. We goof off a lot and do weird stuff, but it helps to pump us up for the week ahead. I love being out here with such a cool group of missionaries.

We have a few new investigators this week. The Lord has been pouring blessings on His unprofitable and unworthy servants. We met this guy named Ronnie last week and got to teach him a few days later. He is amazing. He has so many great questions, and his sister and her family are actually members! They live in a neighboring area. We got to have a good lesson and have a return appointment for this coming week. Later that week we were doing some try-bys and NO-ONE was home. So we decided to go to this park by our house and do some GQ-ing. All of a sudden both Elder Hatch and I felt prompted to tract the street we were passing. So we tracted it and found NO-ONE. It was so strange. We definitely had felt like we needed to be there, but NO-ONE had even wanted to listen. Then as we started walking to the park, we got another prompting to go try-by this investigator named Zingi. So we went and tried by, but he wasn't home either. By this point I was just thinking Heavenly Father was just testing our obedience. However, we started walking towards the park again, and as we were walking we saw Ronnie get out of his car. It was a big surprise. We started talking and he asked if he could walk with us. We walked down to the post box to mail his letter then headed towards the park so we could talk with people. We got to talk with Ronnie for about 30 minutes and build a friendship. The Lord knows what everyone needs. Ronnie needed us there to listen to him. It was a small, but powerful experience that taught me to trust in the promptings I receive.

The lessons with Lisa are going really well. She hasn't been out to church with us yet, but she is AMAZING! She is such a powerful spirit. I am excited for her.

We also taught a man named Will. He is so cool! He is a pentecostal and has a strong love for the Saviour and a great knowledge of the Bible. He had a lot of concerns about the Book of Mormon, but we bore testimony and had an amazing joint teach (member missionary) there that is so good at answering questions. It's so amazing to get members at lessons. They are the best!

So much is happening in Holywood. I love it here. The Lord has so much in store for these people! They just need to accept it! 

In Coleraine with Elder Barton

I got to travel to Coleraine this week and see Elder Barton!! That is Elder Tang's son! I love him so much. He is such a cool guy.

Moves call is next Sunday and Elder Hatch might be leaving me! I don't know how to be a missionary! I'm really scared for him to leave. Haha. But he has other lives to go change. I just hope he keeps in touch with me. It'll be really hard to see him go. I am excited to see what happens next. I love it here! I hope this fills you in on my week!

 

Zone Leader Exchange = cookies and milk for dinner

Lessons learned

This post is partly from Elder Crowe's mother, and partly from him. He is learning a lot of lessons and developing a greater humility all the time. However, we are none of us perfect. And this week's email focuses on lessons learned in the process of doing our best. Frequently we fall and fail, but if we repent and keep trying, then I'm sure that God is pleased with us. I hope we can all understand and be accepting of others (and our own) weaknesses and differences--for that is part of this journey of life. Our greatest, most remembered lessons are frequently learned from our mistakes....

This week was a crazy one. We had Zone Interview Training this week and got to talk with President Brown individually. It was so great. I told him some of the things I have been struggling with. Being a part of the band I have been used to being friendly and chatting it up. Over here that is sometimes considered "Flirt to Convert". I discussed with President my concerns about if I have been flirty. I want to be the best servant I can be. I came up with the analogy that we are to be the "easel" not the "painting". President thought it was a great analogy and asked if he could use it. Haha. I am trying so hard to be the easel, but I do feel that sometimes I rely on my own gifts and talents too much. I need to be teaching more by the spirit. It is a lesson that I am continually working hard to implement.

I also have lost my temper a few times this week. I get so angry when people try to tell me what I believe. They watch TV shows and/or read articles that put us in a bad light. I met a few people this week with whom I was less than Christlike in my approach. There was a born again christian man that I just lost it with. We got in a pretty heated argument. He called me a false prophet and said that I was blinded by the subtle craftiness of men and leading others down the wrong path. I usually just try to listen then bear testimony. This time the spirit was not with me. It was a bad experience and left me feeling hollow. We will never get someone to listen to us through fighting back. We need to have the spirit tell us what we need to say. I learned a lot... 

We also got some great potential investigators. We are working with a girl named Lisa. She is amazing. She is so open minded and is praying and reading to find out if what we are teaching her is true. We are so excited to see the changes occur in her heart. 

It rained a lot this week. Actually it rains a lot - period! haha We actually walked to the church to email today without our jackets because the weather was so beautiful... Mistake. It's raining so hard right now. Haha. 

Rain - Run - Rain!!

I also had another Brother Donnalley meal... If I keep eating like this I will be so fat. I weigh 170... My legs are so big. I am losing my hair. I get soaked very day. And "It is bliss!" I love it here! 

I wish there was a pill that instantly made me the missionary God needs me to be, but I am striving every day. Little by little. Line upon line. I am giving my all, talking to ALL those that I meet. That is really hard sometimes, but the days we talk to everyone are the most rewarding--even if we have no statistics to show for it. God asks us to be perfect in trying. 

I love you. You are amazing. 

Elder Crowe

Trying on Ned's uniforms - He's a champion, and we look Good!! haha

The work is amazing! It's been crazy.

I'm so sorry. I have been so bad at emailing recently. The work is really starting to move here in Holywood, Belfast! 

We are teaching and finding people a lot more than we have been. We got 5 new investigators just this week! It was amazing. I can't believe how much the Lord is blessing us. We are so excited to be teaching and helping them learn and grow. They are amazing. We are hoping there will be a baptism pretty soon here. 

We had a cool activity the other night where we played the movie "Meet the Mormons" and had members bring friends to come and see that. It was a great turn out. 

We also are starting sports days every Saturday to get non-members and less active members out to activities. It has been going so well. 

I am loving to see things moving here! It's been amazing! 

This dog is called Patch! :)

We look like this pretty much every day.