Welcome back to 수원!!!

Ya...... so it has been a pretty stinking legit week. We have had some crazy rides I have got to say. But ya, I love it. I love the mission it is so good! My companion's name is 이가하 장로님 He is from the wonderful land of 일산 and ya. It is pretty stinking good.

Anywho back to the missionary work. So this week was VERY BUSY. We had stake conference as well as having Elder Don R. Clarke of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy come and visit us here in the little old 대전 선교부 and I will talk about that a little bit more in just a second.

As to our week with the 구도자's and stuff.... it was SO cool! Wahhhhhh, we set 3 baptismal dates this week with 3 of our investigators who are so prepared. They are doing so good, they are understanding and one of them straight up told us "I want to get baptized but I want to make sure that I'm doing it sincerely, it's a special thing I think." SO he is so cool. Love him so much.

Anywhos it has been a busy week for me especially, I have been trying to figure out how to do this whole Assistant Zone Leader type thing and it has been odd. But I am working on it. It comes slowly I think but I am slowly (but surely) learning how to do it. Like I've talked about SO much it isn't exactly a comfortable thing to progress and stuff but it is required. So you get over it and keep going right?

As to the mission tour and Elder Clarke coming. WAUHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! It was sooooo cool. It was amazing like just being in his presence. The entire room was like tangibly different and better, the Spirit was there so SOOOO strong! But ya as to how the meeting went: He beasted us. SO HARD. Like I've never been beasted so hard in my entire life.... WOW. He totally got after us about fixing Korea and getting people back into
activity. He talked about some things and told us to get it done. I also discovered that I need to stop saying "yup" - I had to say "yes sir" (He established that as a rule and it was hard) goodness gracious. But the trainings that he gave us were SOOOOOO good. We learned so much, and I think that Sister Furniss should have posted on the blog the different pictures that she took during the thing (we weren't allowed to bring our Cameras) so ya.............

It was so good to say the least. I thoroughly enjoyed Elder Clarke and I am planning on being a better missionary because of what he taught us!

As to the cool thing that I liked in my study this week, it had to of come in today's study actually. I was reading in King Benjamins speach in Mosiah and it was just the best. How it talks about the Joy that the people experience after they had repented. I loved it so much. It is so cool that as we keep trying to do this "Endure to the End" thing. That God has blessed us with that Joy, that peace that comes from being able to say "I have repented" I really loved that. It was a good study this morning.

I love the Gospel, I know it's true, I know that God lives and He loves us, He will bless us as we try to follow him and I know that to be the truth. I have seen it so much as a missionary not only in my life but the lives of others that I have been able to teach as well! I love the mission it is such a blessing to me!

Take care and I will talk to you all next week!~

Elder Josh!

Mother's Day Skype

We captured these pictures of our two-hour Skype with Josh on Mother's Day.  It was the first time we'd seen him since he went to Korea.  He looked soooo good!  And he's happy.

Josh and his new companion

Elder Draper also on Skype

Elder Draper's family - ha ha, we waved to each other

Josh's bus card - he says he cannot live without it

So happy

Enjoying the headphones - first time he's had any in since he went on his mission

So nice to laugh together

A kiss right on the cheek from his mom

The counselor in the bishopric whose office they were in for the Skype - he said "Thank you for your son."

Mother's Day

From Josh's mom:

Today is Mother's Day and so we got to talk to Josh on the Skype rather than getting an email. It was awesome!  He looks so good!  He's back in Suwon as an Assistant Zone Leader.

I received this letter from Josh's mission mom, Sister Furniss.  Loved it!

Sister Crowther,

We are grateful each day for the privilege of serving in Korea with whom we consider to be “the finest this generation has to offer”.  We recognize that these missionaries come from wonderful homes where they were taught by loving parents.  As this Mothers’ Day approaches we would like to extend to you, as a mother, our appreciation for your devotion to raising and supporting your son with whom we now enjoy serving.

We are grateful for the service Elder Crowther is giving to the Lord here in Korea.  He is devoting a part of his life to helping others have blessing that will last through eternity. We realize that much of our thanks goes to wonderful mothers who devoted a part of their life to raising these fine missionaries. Pres. David O. McKay said, “she who rears successfully … sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages … deserves the highest honor that man can give."

In the Book of Mormon we read about the 2,000 exemplary young men who as Alma describes…. ”were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.”  When asked about the foundation of their faith, they gave tribute to their mothers when they said “our mothers knew it.”  We see that foundation of faith in your missionary.

Your love is felt by your son each day.  The mission can be challenging, but your love is sustaining them.  It is said that when thoughts of your child are in your heart, they are never far away from home.  Abraham Lincoln said, “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life”.  As this Mothers’ Day approaches I hope you can feel assured that your love and prayers do cling to your child’s heart, and bless them as they faithfully serve the Lord.


We pray that you and your family feel and enjoy the missionary spirit that Elder Crowther's service brings into your lives.

Love,
President and Sister Furniss

Well well well! It is another week here in 평택 and it may be my last?

Well, hello there everyone, how has the week been!? Pretty amazing from what I heard, it looks like ya'll have been working hard and are having so much fun in doing everything. It's good to hear that my sisters are kicking butt, Kellie, I feel for ya girl, just destroy everyone next time and don't get elbowed. It's easier to win that way (just fyi) :)

And Jenna... 5:40 mile..... not bad... not bad at all.... (seeing as how I've never run that I won't say anything)

Mom/Dad.... 10 miles!?....... weak sauce.... YOU get to run 20 miles next week! You should be SO excited!!!! WAHHH!!!!!! It's gonna be crazy! Dad, run on your toes man, it helps the heels ya know? Hahah!

So ya, last week we saw some huge miracles and YA unfortunately, today is transfer call day and..... We haven't gotten ours yet.... SO.... I can't tell you about arrangements for next week until I know, so we have permission from our district leader to get that all set up later so I'll send another email your way later today (but it will be night for you). I will see what I can do about getting arrangements for Skype (if I stay here in 평택 that is what will happen but if I go I will let you know).

SO anyways about this last week!

It was nuts, we were all over the place all the time! We were almost always enroute for an appointment or had something of that nature planned! It was so crazy! Like I know in other missions it happens all the time BUT it doesn't happen here very often at all. Usually we have a lot of 전도 time which is fun but not the most productive use of our time (at least in my mindset). BUT we have seen a lot of success with it in terms of getting people's numbers, the trick is getting second meeting times but ya we are working on that too! 

This is SUCH a crazy week, we saw some way cool miracles! I wanted to tell you about 1 guy that we met this week that was totally a miracle!

We were on our way to go get some 광고들 [ads] made and it was just nuts, we were talking to people and we finally started walking down the street and this guy walks up and says (in English) "I want to learn about the Mormon Bible," SO... we were like okay and we set up an appointment with him like 3 hours later. Met with him and he is TOTALLY legit. He straight up told us, "I think now is a great time to change my life!" It is gonna be nuts. So we set up a baptismal date with him there and invited him to come to English class the next day and then meet us for church the following day. He said yes to both (surprisingly) and actually came to church! We were talking with him afterwards (because it was Fast Sunday and stuff) and it was just nuts! He was like, "Later I want to get up in front of everyone and bear my testimony, and also (because we had went to a really good Gospel Principles class) I want to like teach the class and help people learn!" So we gave him some more materials (I figure we give the anxious learner the right materials and then just set him loose!) SO that is what we did. He is SO legit! Just wanted to learn and it was awesome!

This week we were just so busy! We just taught appointment after appointment (we taught the first lesson.... a lot... and the 2nd lesson.... a lot....) WAHHHH, we just were stressing and trying to make it to appointment after appointment after appointment, it was just ridiculous. So we just had an awesome week, we met people and it was just the best.

Gah, sorry I don't have a ton to say right now, my heart's all fluttery because of transfers and the fact that like everyone in the mission (besides us) has gotten their call.... so I wonder what is happening.... it baffles me....

GAH

왜!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, so an explanation of the pictures I sent!

I just know that one of them is a picture of my toe. And ya I forgot to tell you! So when I was in 첨단 (which after me and Elder Dodd got that area jumpstarted has become the highest baptizing mission in Korea! No pride just saying we worked hard there!) we played soccer one morning and my toenail fell off (more like I killed it). SO anyways after a long time it is coming back BUT, it is coming in really weird and there was this dead half of it. So I scraped it off and I, after I got done scrapping it, could fit the tool in my toe..... I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing (hopefully not an ingrown toenail) but if it starts looking weird, I will just probably kill it again (as to the method I am not sure yet....) SO ya! Maybe a little brutal but hey I'm just doing what works!

So ya, I hope ya'll get to have another fun week with joy and happiness and maybe CAKE. 

But just wanna let you know that I know this church is true. This church, isn't a church, this is God's kingdom on earth. We have the authority that Christ had, we have a living prophet and through the scriptures we can learn clearly how to get back to our Heavenly Father. How cool is that? I love the Scriptures, I love studying them! (Oh PS to Mom: So in a district meeting and I talked about the scriptures and how to study them effectively, SO i actually went back and gave that training that you gave to me before I came on my mission! It was so good! I was wondering if you could type that up (THE WHOLE THING) and send it to me I would be so appreciative!) But I think the thing that I learn more and more as I read the scriptures is that God loves us. He really truly Loves us. It's awesome. I love it!

I love ya'll Hope ya'll have a great week! (Wow I am so original!) 

Elder Josh!

(a few hours later)

So hey, I am getting transfered! Actually back to my old area! Wow....... weird.......

So anyways I am also going to be serving with my first Korean companion! WOW! And I will be an Assistant Zone Leader.... Wow.... weird.....

Like really weird....

SO... It was a good/long week

WOW, it has been a weird week. I think Chase described it the best. It flew by but in a really kind of slow way. It was kind of depressing how fast it went but looking back the things that happened this week seemed like FOREVER ago. Kinda nuts

Anywho ya, another week in Korea. And here I am sitting once again in the same position that I have been in the last 12 times i've emailed (hunched over in church clothes) HAH like the analogy? I thought it was clever.... (not really but I've just got some dry humor going on right now for some reason)

SO Ya, this week was nuts. We had a lovely visit by the AP's on Tuesday and that was pretty nerve racking (always is). But me and Elder Scoville were in one side of our area and the AP Elder went with the two other Elders to the absolute farthest point away in our area that you can be from where we (Elder Scoville/I) were. So it was pretty good.

We had a pretty successful week and I can honestly say we were just freaking out trying to get all of our appointments organized and everything. It is nuts. But ya so I want to tell you about 3 crazy experiences that I have had this week that I have good learning experiences for me.

So first of all we are meeting with this other church 전도사 [missionary]. He is SOOO smart. Ohhhhh my goodness gracious, he is a very smart guy. But it is amazing how people interpret the scriptures sometimes. It completely baffles me. But as we have been meeting with him it has been really amazing to see what people will accept and what they won't. For example: he accepts that Joseph Smith saw God and Christ. He doesn't accept that Jesus Christ was resurrected with a body and claims that the resurrection is a thing that we do spiritually (which is partially true) but that our bodies are just useless (which is not true, see 2 Nephi 9) It is pretty intense. We have really good discussions every time we meet, but he knows the Bible scriptures well, but interprets them kind of askew if you will. He has been fun to meet with and is reading the Book of Mormon and making some really good progress. 

So the next experience we had started at 4 o'clock on Saturday morning. I am sitting there unconscious (I don't sleep anymore I just go into a coma and then come out of it) and all of a sudden I hear Elder Scoville awake and on the phone. So I sit up and see that Elder Jolley is gone too. SO I go into Elder Jolley's room (where they were) and they are on the phone with one of the guys we are meeting with. He was with a buddy and had some questions about doctrine (specifically how we can become gods and where these things come out in the Bible.) So Elder Scoville and Elder Jolley and I sit down and find some scriptures and I call him back and we talk and attempt to explain things in my after anesthesia coma stupor (yay for bad jokes!). Anyway. As I thought about it after we got off the phone I was like "Ya know, I understand what the doctrine is, I know it's true, BUT I don't know where it comes from." So as I hit this realization I jumped out of bed, grabbed all my materials and sat down and started studying this out. We proceeded to spend the time (WOW some grandma is swearing and cussing at one of the receptionists here for some reason.... she has thrown a lot of stuff at him too......... ANYWAYS) I spent the time studying every chance I get the Doctrine for the Plan of Salvation (I think I am seeing the 5 stages of depression with this grandma in action, all right now, this is kinda strange). But ya so it was crazy to get all this studied and learned. We met with him yesterday at church and it was an awesome blessing to get to meet up with him and teach him. Every thing that we talked about that day referred back to the Plan of Salvation. It was kinda crazy so it was good that we got a chance to talk about that! SO that was cool to get to understand the doctrine a lot more than I had before.

Then there was just this one lesson that we taught that day that just went super well. We taught him the Restoration of the Gospel and I told the Joseph Smith story. It was cool because the Spirit was there and he felt it. Elder Scoville was awesome and jumped right on that and pointed out that he was feeling the Spirit. It was just a cool thing to me to watch Joseph Smith's description of the First Vision help someone feel the Spirit and recognize it.

Anyway. I had a pretty good week. We were very busy but it has been SO awesome. I had a really awesome time. I am learning more and more lately HOW to feel the Spirit. It is a very active thing. Trying to feel and recognize the Spirit is a powerful gift, but goodness gracious it is one you have to work for. I am happy that I have gotten a chance to see it work in the lives of the people I've taught this week. It has been great! Love it :) I love the Gospel and am so happy for it.

Love ya'll hope you have an awesome week. So good to hear about all the things that are going on for you at home. I am praying for ya every night, Work hard, have fun, remember the gospel is true!

Love,

Elder Josh

Oh ya! I forgot to tell you!

I touched a porcupine this week. It was really cool.

Well well well.... it's been a fun week it has ^_^

Dear Familia!

Well, hello there! It is Elder Josh in 대한민국! WAHOOO!!!! It has been definitely an interesting week.... like you have no idea. It's been so fun! (BAHAHAHAHAA I can't help but laughing my companion's computer just blue screened because apparently the computers we are using aren't the best computers ever.... ㅋㅋㅋ.... Windows XP... FAIL)

Anyways, so ya it has been a very interesting week. Lots of good study, lots of good experiences meeting people, just an all around fun week :) Oh and last week on P-Day we went to 화성행궁 [Hwaseong Fortress].... so I took some pics, enjoy!

So ya this week we did a LOT of 영어 광고 and like I can't even describe how much we did. We just walked from apt to apt just asking the 관리자 if we are allowed to 광고 or not. It was SO annoying.... but we got permission in a couple places and it was good to get fliers put up. Especially because......

WE GOT SO MANY STINKING PHONE CALLS OFF OF THEM.... 

Like 표현할 수 없다.... it was that bad..... We sat there during study one morning and it was just like: 10 mins study, 1 new investigator calls, 10 more mins, another 구도자, 5 more, and another.... it was horrible. BUT SO STINKING AWESOME. It was pretty legit, we were pretty happy elders to say the least. Because people calling us means people to meet. And meeting with people and talking is much MUCH more enjoyable than trying to find investigators on the street (because that is hard, ask Spencer Hatfield or Mitch Palmer, they'll tell ya). ALSO I laugh because of finding out that so far all of the people from the Edgemont 14th ward have served here in 평택 at one time or another. It is nuts. Like so crazy.... I was looking through the record book and saw a picture of (at that time) Elder Hatfield. It was nuts. (I might have mentioned this before and if that is the case I apologize because I just thought it was cool because I didn't know Mitch Palmer served here and I got Mom's package that she sent a while ago that talks about the blog and I didn't know that Mitch served here. That was cool :)... OH and Mom! Thanks for the package! Very excited about it! I totally decorated my room a little more :))

Anywho ya, so this week as far as the investigators went it was a pretty good week. Although we did have one guy that I would like to tell you about. So we have for the last couple of weeks been meeting with this guy and he is a Jehovah's Witness.... So we have been meeting with him and just kinda trying to build a relationship where we would have an opportunity to maybe get to talk about the gospel. Well, we got our chance. This week as we met with him we went in and started teaching about The Restoration. It was probably one of the hardest lessons I have taught on my mission. He just argued every single step of the way.... and so we got up to the Joseph Smith story and Elder Scoville taught it awesome and then I came in and explained the Book of Mormon and then we asked him if he would read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true. He said no (not that that hasn't happened before but this time it was different). He is such an Awesome guy. He lives his Faith. And he lives it proudly. And it killed me to just think that someone who lived their life the way he did, who did the good that he does, was willing to settle with less than he is able to attain. I can just remember sitting there after the lesson was over and I just wanted to cry. I love the Book of Mormon, I know it's true. I love that God can guide us through it. It just kills me that someone who is that good, who has the potential to be SO amazing, iIs settling for less. 

And I guess that as I type this I am starting to realize a little bit about what our Father in Heaven (and I guess Mom and Dad too) feel when we don't do our best. When we are willing to settle for that. It just killed me inside, I don't even know why, I just hope down the road when something doesn't make sense and he has questions that he will look to the 2 몰몬경 책's [Book of Mormon's] that he has at his house. I hope he does.

So as we went home, however, it was cool to go and watch a promise from our District Leader get fulfilled in that we went and did our best with him and dropped him. But we got a call that day from someone who wanted to meet in 20 mins and so we met him and are now scheduled to meet with this new guy 3 times a week. Cool eh!?

But yes, so as far as my study goes this week I finished the 4 Gospels and am into Acts. But I really liked this morning as I read in John 20:27 (again this part is in that Finding Faith in Jesus Christ movie) where Thomas is invited to come and feel the wounds in our Saviors hands and side. Just a cool little statement that Jesus makes at the end of that verse: be not faithless, but believing. 

I am working on that every day. Have faith. A simple concept that gets more and more difficult as you think about it. It seems counter intuitive to be perfectly honest but hey, it is life. As I read John, though, I really liked reading Christ's intercessory prayer. Christ is praying for those that believe on him. Christ, the literal Son of God, prayed for us. He wants to help us. How cool is that?

I think it's pretty awesome. He freely gave his life that we might live. He loves us. He will take care of us. He does it to me every day. Even when things are hard, somehow they always get better. Every Single Time. I love doing His work. It (although it is extremely difficult) is so rewarding. To see a family read the BoM. To see them pray. To watch Christ, bless their lives. How cool is that. :)

I think it's awesome.

SO YA,

NOW as to my daily life I will run you through just some of the "Things Mom wants to know"

I love sleeping on my little mat on the floor. It is so much more comfortable than a mattress, PLUS all the heat here in Korea is floor heat, so you are closer to the heat :)

I eat so much rice. I can proudly say that I have not eaten Cereal (outside of splits) this transfer. I eat RICE. WAHHHHH

No, I do not wear my pants anymore (my black pair of Jeans ripped, and the blue ones don't fit around my fat legs) SO if one of these days you were inclined to send me some money to get some clothes that fit my vastly fatter lower half I would be appreciative. (I am like a 34 waist now... that's like 2 full inches... gosh)

So ya, it's legit. 

I hope ya'll know I love ya. I pray for you a lot :).

Take care

LOTS OF LOVE

Elder Josh

P.S. I will set up the Mother's Day call here in a week or two when I find out more about what's going down (cause that is transfer week) I will let you know! Love ya!

Another fun week in the area of 평택 [Pyeongtaek]

Well, hello there familia! I certainly hope that it has been a fun week! I heard that you all did some paintball and I cannot begin to explain to you exactly how jealous that I am. It is not fair, I have never been and I really wanna go! Hahah!

But ya it has been a pretty dang good week here on the mission. We had all sorts of crazy happenings! It was a good time.

This week actually, however, did not start out for me in this area, I went on a split to the city of 안성 [Anseong]. So I spent the day there with a new Elder by the name of Elder Atkin. He is new in the mission and it was really quite interesting for me! It hit me exactly how much I had progressed since my transfer. Not only in Korean but just as a missionary and everything. It was definitely an eye opener for me. 

Then this week we had combined district meeting with our zone and also up in 수원 [Suwon] (actually in my old ward building is where we met :)) and then we had President Interviews! So what an interesting time it has been for me. I have actually been out on my mission to the point where I have had 3 interviews with President outside of my entrance interview into the mission. Kinda blows my mind a little bit. It was a really good interview with President, I really enjoyed it.

One of the things that I have been doing of late (this might surprise some of you) but I have been reading the New Testament. I started in Matthew the other day and have been plugging along. I have been trying to figure out how I can be more like Christ and so I figured what better way to do so than by studying His teachings to the people of Jerusalem. 

I have gotta say it has been an interesting time. But I have learned something cool that I'd like to share. So as I have read in the New Testament the overwhelming theme that I have discovered is faith. I am only in Mark and it has been such an eye opener to me exactly how powerful and required faith is. 

In Mark chapter 9 it talks about a father whose son has a devil. The man brings him to Christ and says this:

 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are^apossible to him that ^bbelieveth.
 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine ^aunbelief.

Wow, it is such a crazy thing to me. All things are possible to him that believeth. If we have faith, anything is possible. And the even cooler thing I think is portrayed in the Finding Faith in Christ video. It has this part in it, and the father comes up and is all confidently: Lord, I believe. Then it pans over to Christ who looks at him again with somewhat of a questioning look, and then the father says: Help thou mine unbelief. Christ then takes and heals the child and casts the devil out.

What a blessing that is. Christ is gonna prove us. He is going to try our faith. BUT he is also willing to stand by us, and "help our unbelief." How awesome is that. Christ loves us so much, I am so thankful to him for that. As I have read the New Testament so far I have really been touched by the teachings of Christ. He was so pure, he was so bold, he was perfect. He was an example to me of how to teach, he is an example to everyone of how to love. He's awesome. He's my Savior :).

So ya, I thought that was cool :). But anywho as to our 구도자.... Our Baptismal date unfortunately dropped. We haven't been able to get in contact with 박전욱 of late but he isn't responding. SO... ya.... it's okay though because we found some other investigators who are awesome! They have a lot of potential (a few of them) so now we just need to keep meeting with them! It'll be good!

As to me, I'm just working on Humility. I am discovering every day exactly how much pride I have and so I gotta get over it. I guess Christ wasn't kidding when he said in Ether: "If men come unto me I will SHOW unto them their weakness." He wasn't kidding. believe me. But I am just hoping that I will get better through it all. Weaknesses..... dangit I have a lot...... Oh well. Line upon line, precept on precept right? I certainly hope so.

As for all of you yahoos back at home I hope all is going well. I gotta say It is hilarious to get to brag about my sisters (and my parents of course). It makes me laugh, especially serving in an American Branch some of the members squirm in their seats when they hear that one of my sisters (Jenna, you'll laugh) is 6' Tall. It makes me laugh. It is great. I love ya'll so much. You make a big brother/son proud :). Hope ya'll have an AWESOME week! Love ya'll tons!

Elder Josh!