Mission field + a new companion... wahoo!!

So... it has been a pretty interesting/good week. We were busy (Elder Driggs and I) up until thursday when he transfered down to  광주 again. It was sad to see him go and with out him here I am realizing just exactly how much he did. Elder Driggs is a good Elder and will do awesome wherever he is.

Anywho... my new companions name is Elder Zaleski (I think that I mentioned that last time though). He is a pretty dang cool guy. He also went to school at BYU-I (although we have yet to find that we know any of the same people) and ya. He is a way fun guy and has been a mission exactly as long as Elder Driggs has which is definitely fun.

It has gotta be definately hectic back at the Crowther home right now. With EVERYONE there it is gotta be loads and loads of fun. (Except for of course us delinquents) hahaa. I was teaching an investigator this week and he asked about my extended family and like how many people there are and stuff and I tried to count..... there is a lot.... like seriously it's not even fathomable to picture that many people in one house. Even if the house is as big as ours is......

This week was fun though. I got a chance to just take a week and work on our area (although I haven't actually studied for my own area in a LONG time) and it was nice. Just went to District meeting and all. Just a good normal week.

I had a fun experience this week in the which I got asked by the stake president (because we found ourselves at the church at the same time) to give a talk at Stake Conference....... this is called 중압감 [pressure]... Koreans talk a lot about 부담 [burden] but I have recently learned of the concept of 중압감 [pressure] and it is very much that. I am excited because I get a chance to speak for the missionaries in a stake meeting which is cool.... BUT it's in Korean and that's just intimidating so ya..... 진짜 너무너무 위협적인거야........ However I am up to the challenge. I am excited I just have to give a talk as good as Elder Driggs' last one and i'll be fine!

This week though as far as things go it went good. Elder Zaleski and I are going to be busy! Busy busy busy busy busy... I like to be busy. And I am hoping to in the near future figure out how I can more actively love my investigators. I found out that I drop into a habit of just teaching our investigators and don't love them enough to help them to progress. It is a fine line to balance: teaching/ focusing on the people and pushing ourselves through focusing on the stats. I've been a little bit more stats based lately and I need to be more focused on the people. So pray for me to find the balance okay?

All in all though time just continues to plow forward. It just doesn't ever seem to stop... somedays it goes fast others it goes slow but the for sure thing is it is always going forward..... Weird....

I am sincerely grateful to be on a mission. So glad that I am here. So glad for the few lives that I have been able to touch with my testimony of the gospel. Recently as I have been talking with Elder Zaleski he shared 1 Nephi 14:12-14 with me. Nephi is talking about how the forces of righteousness are few. I am glad that I can be a means of bringing 1 soul closer to Christ. It is frustrating when people don't progress but this week I am going to try and focus a little bit more on the people not so much the numbers and see if we can't help these people to make steps to come unto their Savior.

So grateful for the gospel. It's something that makes us truly be our best selves. And jeez it is hard to always be our best. But as I rely on God, not yield to the natural man in me, and continue to try and improve I know that there is nothing but miracles waiting to happen. 

I pray for you all everyday. (I've said that repeatedly, and I've also said that I've said that repeatedly repeatedly BUT I haven't said wait I just said before before so... :)) I am so grateful for my family. I love you all tons and tons. I am grateful for the love and the support that you show to me. I am looking forward to seeing ya'll and to being with you again :) I truly LOVE you tons!!

Like... 진짜... :)

이번주 특별히 연차대회를 잘 보시고 나에게 어떤 말씀이 제일 좋았는지 알려주세요! (Ask Uncle Scott to translate that for you because that one won't work in Google Translate... I don't think) [If you have any ideas for what to talk about at stake conference, that would be great].

Anyway like always

정말 사랑해!!!!!  [I love you so much]

^_^

Josh (크라우더 장로)

Transfer Calls have once again come!!

Dear Family!

Transfer Calls have once again came around and things are going good! This week we were able to do some more finding and I just have to say that I absolutely LOVE 전주. Our ward mission leader here has pretty much committed to being our guide for when ya'll come to get me and it was just a good week in 전주. 

We had a lot of interesting experiences this week but as far as things go we are just all in all working hard meeting people teaching the gospel and Helping people come to Christ! It has been an absolute treat to serve here.

Unfortunately though like I mentioned transfer calls are here again and Elder Driggs is getting transfered (if I don't get transfered in 6 weeks I will be here for sure for the rest of my mission). He will be going to 첨단 .ward which if you remember is my greenie area! That was a long stinking time ago but ya! It is exciting because Elder Driggs will get to meet 정은주 and 황성규 if things go well and get to talk about how he baptized their cousin/nephew. Pretty cool eh?

I have been thinking a lot about how to help the zone this week. I have been thinking more and more about what I can do to teach better and I am going to be working on making and revising lesson plans so that not only can I teach the right doctrine but that I can teach it in a way that Korean people will understand. I think that that is the most important thing. You can't just teach the korean people the same as americans. it's 100% different. I don't know what it is going to be like to teach in english (if that ever happens) because the style that I teach is very VERY different.

But ya. 

I officially have 18 weeks left on my mission.... it's kind of sobering to think about and not that I am trunky or anything (please I've seen trunky missionaries) but it is kind of weird. I went on a split with an elder named 박윤기. (San Ha will know him) and ya. He is my oldest friend in the mission. I met him my first day with my trainer and I have been tight with him ever since. We were talking and somehow we got on the topic of our missions almost being over and it was just scary to think about. My mindset has completely changed and it is terrifying to think about doing just the simple things that we have to do in life. Missionary work is just such an all consuming work that it demands your every thought. I mean come on the scripture said "All your heart, might, mind, and strength" outside of that there is nothing. And just the thought of going back to life was to be honest a little intimidating and scary. I dunno. 

But all said I still have 18 weeks and I can do a LOT of good in 18 weeks. Our area is absolutely exploding right now we have investigators coming out our ears and we are looking for just times to meet them all. It's complicated but I think of the complications you can have that is one of the better ones (considering I have been on the flipside and this is much better). I am excited for another new transfer and another new adventure.

This transfer my companions name is Elder Zaleski (for some reason president isn't sending me any more Koreans). I've heard a lot of good about him BUT all in all I will tell you all about him (as well as sending pictures of him) next week. He apparently went to BYU-I as well (is what I heard) so we should have lots of fun stories to share and it'll be interesting to see if we know any of the same people.

Life on the mission is good though. I am just working on becoming a better teacher. Considering the amount of investigators and trainings and things I have to prepare for I am just working on becoming a Christlike teacher. Teach in such a way that people can't "disbelieve my words." Definately a high goal but in the words of a friend quoting a band. "Keep your hopes up high, and your heads down low." Just keep my head down keep working hard and things are going to go well.

My training this week on the Atonement went really REALLY well. I felt the spirit strongly and in talking to people afterwards all of us have that desire to learn more about the atonement and then to work that much harder. It is exciting.

Our zone is getting bigger this transfer. One of the areas is becoming 4 man and the sisters are going to a threesome. So things are going to be much more interesting. That much more missionary work to do I guess. It's good stuff.

I'll just share with you the same testimony that I shared with the Zone this week.

I know that our Savior lives. Jesus Christ, the Son of God lives.He did the unthinkable, he experienced all the horrors that satan could inflict. He died on the cross, and he was resurrected. He extends the offer to all of us: "Come unto me." I have on several occasions felt the Power of the Atonement. I want you to know that the Atonement is real. It's not just something that people talk about. I have felt it. It made me clean. It continues to make me clean. I am not perfect BUT through the Atonement of Christ I can be. We all can be. I am so grateful for that. It is amazing to think about. 

One of my favorite scriptures is Helaman 5:12. It talks about setting Christ as our foundation. As we do that we really can get through anything. 

Love ya'll. Hope you know that. I am so excited to be a missionary. So grateful. I have learned and grown so much. I feel different. I think different. I feel better. I want to be better. I just hope I can continue in that desire.

LOVE you so much. I am excited to see ya'll pretty quick. President did ask me to make sure that Mom and Dad are communicating with Missionary Travel as to our travel plans. There may be some things that I have to do because of the locations that we are going (e.g. I may not be able to wear my nametag in China) but ya. If you could follow up that'd be awesome! And also our ward mission leader (like I said above) is willing to help us out a bit :). He's the best.

Love ya'll tons

Josh (크라우더 장로)

Another week in the mission field (Plus I started the D&C!)

SO it has been a really, really good week this week! I have been having an absolutely awesome time this week and we worked hard! I have spent the entire week studying about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it has been pretty amazing to say the least. I have had the chance to really study a lot about my Savior and to get a chance to really feel a lot about how He thinks. It has been an awesome experience. I will be giving that training tomorrow to my zone (this training I am going at kind of like a district meeting training so I will be needing the Spirit's guidance) 

We have had a pretty amazing week. 장영준 our recent convert passed the sacrament this week and it was an absolute delight to be able to see the progress that he has made in his life and see the changes that have come. He also had an interview with the bishop this week and is going to be going with the stake up to the temple this weekend! I am so excited! We are working with him to try and get some names for him so that he can go and do some baptisms for people that he actually knows. Family history is so important (and slightly addictive) but at the same time Mom has already done it all so I am kinda jealous!

Anywho things this week were interesting. Just worked every single day! We had the fun opportunity on Wednesday to go up to ZLC in 대전 and got to meet with all the other Zone leaders in the mission. It is so weird. All of the people that were with me in the MTC are all leaders now. The mission is going to be changing a lot here in the not so distant future. We have a lot of missionaries coming in and the stress is going up for President and for all of us leaders to make sure that everyone is working hard.

Although this week was just good to get out and work. We didn't have a whole lot of things that kept us from just teaching and working hard. It has been pretty dang good. I have loved this week and I just absolutely love this ward. I am so SO happy that I got sent here to 전주. It truly is a blessing to me because I have learned and grown so much as a person and a missionary here. We had Interviews this week as well and I realized today that I will only have 1 more interview on my mission. It is really REALLY wierd like it totally blows my mind. 

In answer to some of your questions, Elder Driggs is going to BYU and yes, we still sing EVERY morning. In fact we also sang in church this last Sunday (I am going to take some videos of the 3 of us singing (Elder Driggs, Elder 김형우, and myself) we are really REALLY good, like Elder Driggs the guy who majors in the stuff says that we are really good)). As far as the scripture thing I think I can do pretty decently about that. Pick a topic and find a scripture. I can do that, I think? I dunno never tried. I'll try it sometime. In answer to some of Dad's questions things are going well this week! Like I said I am doing well, I am a lot happier and things are just going swell. I am really tired though. One of the members came up to me this week and was like "Elder, you need to sleep, you look really really tired..." Long story short. I am. But we keep going anyways. Zone is doing well too. I am excited to be serving here it has been great. This week finding went well, we actually found a family who lived in America for 20 years and have a daughter that is Jenna's age and a son that is Alissa's age so that was kinda fun. They are really REALLY diligent and faithful Catholics but they readily accepted the Book of Mormon and ya. I am excited to see how they do.

All in all I just have a renewed appreciation for my Savior Jesus Christ. He loves us so much. He suffered everything for us. And we all can through His sacrifice get back to our loving Heavenly Father. Love it. I shared this scripture yesterday and I really like it. Matthew 11:28-30. I know that as we come unto him like he says. That he will help us. He will guide us. He will give us the rest that we all so desperately need. I love you all and I hope you have a chance like I did to study a little more about the Savior. It has been a special experience.

Love ya'll! Take carE!

Josh

This weeks email! And some random rantings from this mornings study.

Good morning family!

Well, it is morning'ish for me and for the rest of ya'll it really just isn't so ya but anyways how are you doing?

I am having such a good day. I had a great study this morning and I am just excited for the upcoming week. But last week as far as actual missionary work went and all it was pretty rough. We had a comparatively rough week. In comparison to the other weeks we have had here it has been hard. But ya!

However there were some highlights:

Mission Tour! This week Elder Koichi Aoiagi of the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and visited our mission and because I am a Zone Leader I got an interview with him! It was really simple, nothing too crazy but ya it felt good to get to talk with someone so amazing. Not only that but I got a hug haha. Seventies are really nice :). Then we had the meeting and it was crazy, I was really stressed because I get there and all of a sudden out of nowhere I got asked to do some translation for the meeting. 

I have to tell you that translating really REALLY stresses me out. I have problems regurgitating the words and the things that I hear in English, but that is the kind of translating that I always end up doing. But anyways this week was really special. Elder Aoiagi spoke in Japanese which got translated into Korean and then I translated the Korean into English. I gained quite a bit of confidence in my Korean abilities because I felt like I provided a pretty high quality translation. I wasn't listening to it so I don't know for sure but it was a really good confidence booster. Then in addition to that we had the opportunity to do a practice teaching (Me and Elder Driggs) in front of everyone and it was amazing the spirit that was there. We just had to pick a principle of the gospel, share it and a scripture about it (I am really good at this now) and so we used Joshua 1:9. The spirit was thick in the air as we bore testimony of God and His love for us. 

But I think the part that was the most special was in the after meeting when we met with Elder Aoiagi and his wife. The meeting got done and Sister Aoiagi came up and told us that she has never seen her husband be brought to tears like that before. And that because of that she was sure that our missionaries are well trained and will succeed. It was really special I have got to tell you. That is one of the things that I have the firmest testimony about is God and His love for us. It is amazing to me just how amazing it is and just how real it is. I love God and know that he looks out for us. 

But the hard part of it all is that it wasn't only our area but our whole zone that had a hard week. It was a challenging week. One of those weeks were you definitely learn something new and grow to become better. 

As I was thinking this morning about how I could help our Zone get back on the horse and keep going strong again I came to thinking about a statement in chapter 1 of PMG: "As your understanding of the Atonement grows, your desire to share the gospel will increase." So I am very excited because I am going to give a training on the Atonement which means: I am going to have an AWESOME week. Any week where you have to try as much as you can to understand and apply the Atonement is going to be a good week. I am already excited. I plan on having a good training next week.

But ya! That's that. Things with 장영준 are going amazing. He got ordained to the office of Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday and is doing awesome. I love him he's the best! But unfortunately he is at school right now and I can't text him. Blah... 

Glad to hear about all the exciting things going on at home! Jenna is going up to college with me........ weird..... but hey I am excited because now I have JENNA to correct my English papers! WOOHOO!!! Hahahahha, I might scare her out of coming up to school with me if I keep this up. You read my emails, you are gonna have a great time trying to help me out haha. Nah, it's gonna be so fun. I'm excited to be perfectly honest, It's gonna be a fun adventure!

Kellie + Dating..... I don't know if I am okay with that..... Jenna was nice to me and just didn't and Kellie........gosh...... I don't know what to do with you missy. haha. Congratulations though Kellie! You are turning 16! That's crazy. I remember when I turned 16. We were at Lake Powell. I went on my first date with Daniella. haha, she's now married and all but fun memories.

Alissa! You are such a beast haha. It just makes me laugh and laugh to hear about all the sports that you are doing. It makes me smile every time! You are just this little athlete all of a sudden and it makes me happy. I hope things are going good for you. Remember though sis, stay in shape. Trust me. Oh man, this week was horrible, I went to a service thing where we did farming and man, did I work hard. So we get all done and because we are way out in the countryside we go to a school and played soccer with the people that came. When I got done I felt like I was going to die. I am still sore. I hurt haha. But I'll get in shape eventually.

Katie! She is just a basketball playing little Trumpeteer! It makes me smile to think of you playing that trumpet that is just funny! But the fact that you are good at it is even better. I hope you keep that up and become awesome at it. I regret more and more these days dropping the piano. With my companion being a choral conducting major and an absolute genius when it comes to anything musical I am just jealous. Keep it up! Don't stop!

Mom + Dad: I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for all that you have done to take care of me! I have been so blessed to have you both helping me out. I am indeed excited to have the blessings of a family in the gospel. It makes my life so much easier. It makes my life so much better. I am doing better now and I can just feel the difference and I know it is because of you. You both help me in so many ways. But especially to know that you are praying for me and to look back and see how my week was effected by your prayers is just another testimony to me. I thank you both tons. 

Other: This is just weird but I wanted to let you know that I have been thinking just a little bit about my future (seeing how my future is no longer so distant anymore I figured that might be wise of me). I want to try and go into Penetration Testing. I actually did know about that before I came out and all but it was just kind of a project I started with Uncle Aaron. He told me about the White Hacker, Black Hacker thing and from that I just kinda got started on some experimenting. I wanna actually try and do something with that but because of that I will need my major in Computer Science to come from BYU. I need the skillset that they can give down there BUT I need more than just a Programming Background. I need a lot of Networking experience to be effective and one of the guys that I have met on my mission in the 평택 ward majored in IT and actually does some basic Ethical hacking and all and said that the experience that he has had as a network admin helped him tons. SO I have a lot of school ahead of me is what I am getting to. I will have to do some more looking but that is at least the plan. Either that Or do like a masters at BYU and just get a Bachelors in CS at BYU-I or something along those lines. I am not sure. Just some initial thinking. Mom if you were interested in looking at the Major Paths for me as well (Both at BYU-I and BYU) that'd be awesome. And Dad if you were bored and wanted to talk with some of the security guys at Novell and see what kinda experience and stuff they considered invaluable that could be really helpful. But ya. Just some initial thought. I need to do something Computer Related is my thought but I don't know if I want to do programming. BUT I like Hacking. It's fun. It's a challenge to me. So I think that might be a good 도전 for now. Anywho. LOVE ya'll tons and tons. Have an awesome weekend and I look forward to hearing from you next week!

I have a movie to send you. I don't have any Pictures just videos from a Fellowshipping party we had so I will see what I can do about sending those!

This week... phew....

Hello Family!

First of all I have to start by saying 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALISSA!!!

I had a decent week culminating with a cold. It started off really good and as far as the things that we accomplished this week it was a decent week. It was a hard one though.

Our recent convert 장영준 is doing so good. He's an absolute stud and working with him is just the best. I love it. We are doing a lot of family history right now and trying to get him ready for the temple

 However I have had a hard time this last week. My mind was not 100% on my work. I felt like I just hit a wall this week. Then of course I had to go to the doctor and get medication because I got something that totally stopped me the other day. Still getting over that a bit BUT it is getting better which is a relief.

I have been thinking lately a lot, a lot about my family and ya. I guess you might just call this a good old fashion case of homesickness (didn't think you'd ever hear that now did you), but it was a hard week. I thought about how I have been trying to be my best self on my mission and I am definitely a better person for sure. But Lately I really just have not had that desire to be my best like I had before. It's hard. I don't know what happened there but ya I am going to see what I can't do about fixing it. Dad sent me a talk about Grace that was really timely as well as Brother Turner sent me a really timely letter from the stake presidency.

Long story short I am just grateful that God watches over me and is helping me to identify my problem. Gosh I know that I have said this before (I have learned that I am very repetitive) but God SERIOUSLY wasn't kidding when He said: "I will show unto men their weakness." and goodness gracious I have a lot.

It's March though and things are warming up here and pretty soon we will get to go to watch General Conference! I am excited. Also this week we have a mission tour with Elder Auiagi (Spelling?) and I have the rare opportunity of having a 1 on 1 interview with him before the meeting! I am really excited and especially considering the timing I am hoping to get some good guidance.

As part of this Mission Tour Elder Auiagi asked us to read all of Alma before the meeting and I just wanted to tell you the cool things that I have learned:

I read Alma 32 and 33 lately and I kinda discovered the cool role that the Holy Ghost plays in our lives. His role is HUGE. He is so important to our growth and to our conversion and to our investigators conversion and just EVERYTHING. It is so hard because we have to learn how to recognize that voice because it is one that very rarely presses hard enough so we can hear if we aren't listening. BUT if we are listening it is amazing the blessings that we can see. The Spirit can make us so much better. He can bless us with a testimony, with a witness, with comfort, with guidance (need I go on?), he can do SO much good in our lives.

We simply have to answer the question:

Am I listening?

If we are listening then truly the spirit will guide us. I can promise that. The spirit guides me a LOT. The coolest part though is that most of that I see in hindsight. I just have to trust that I am doing the right thing and that I am worthy. If that's the case, then the Spirit will be there!

;)

That's the cool thing I have been learning of late.

I love ya'll. Keep me in your prayers this week especially. I need to experience once again that "change of heart" spoken of in Alma. My heart needs a lot of changing unfortunately. 

But ya. I love ya'll tons. Great to hear from you and hope ya'll know that!

Love,

Josh  (크라우더 장로)