"I bet you thought you were going to America for your mission! Little did you know!" -Elder Ekins‏

The weather here in Michigan is WAKO (as E. Ekins would say)  It was in the 70's and 80's last week and then in one day it dropped down to 40 degrees and has stayed around there ever since... But all of the trees are now changing color!

I realized what it is I like about my new companion, he has "greenie fire" (I HATE the word greenie)

I have never had a companion who has had it yet. My last few I have really had to push along and get motivated basically ever since I left Alpena. But hey This is way healthy if anything hes pushing me along at times.

I learned something That they should have taught me in the MTC! I have been with loads of missionaries the past week and a half and one a trade off I learned that the Big white box doorbells that NEVER work actually do work...You have to hold down the button for 3 seconds hard to get them to work! I have been living a lie! I would always try them to but they never work. Now they always do =p

I was over In Alpena today for district meeting and Sister White told me about how when she was first meeting me she thought "there is something Mentally wrong with this kid"! I actually wasn't to offended, there might be some truth there =p.  She went on to explain how when I sit down She would notice how I would sway back and forth and back and forth all day every day. She was really worried until she got to know me and figured out it's because I cannot get music out of my head. After that all of her worries went away, It then became a game for her to when ever I would start swaying to ask me what song it was in my head or guess ha ha.

I went on a trade off last week and we did work and then a few days later the Zone leaders came and blitzed my area. I went with Elder Saure and missionary who used to be my district leader down in Holt and we went up to Grayling to go teach the Former Investigator who we had just miraculously found. When we arrived there there was some other guy there too and we started talking to him and introduced ourselves and he asked if he could join in our discussion... "Um yes please!". As I started asking questions about his life I got him to open up and turns out he actually used to be a investigator too! I got him to keep talking about that experience and he told me he was baptized even! But the thing was he never went to church the next week to get confirmed... We taught a lesson to them both and then set up a appointment to teach them both together again. It was Sweet!

Elder and Sister Ekins are goin back home next tuesday =(((((((. I am not to excited about that because I love them so much, They are hilarious! E. Ekins came in the other day and sadly said "I have a departing gift for you two" and then he placed 2 squirt guns in our hands and then yelled " Defend yourselves you Sorry Suckers!!" and whooped one out and started squirting us. Doors opened, chairs instantly went flying and he ran to another room; and the battle commenced until he was on the run down the stairs trying to do a Han Solo shooting and running down, To bad the Old man is ...Old ha ha couldn't really run as we blasted him. 

 

He told me the story today of how he named his daughter brandy. He grew up with 2 sisters and hated the Idea of having girls because of it. He was Way disappointed when his first two were girls. He then had 2 Boys and thought ok it evens things out... Until he got another girl. He then got another and was so bummed that he didn't get another boy so he could raise more men, it made him want to go drink, but he is very active and would never break the word of wisdom. He decided that he wouldn't drink but he was gonna name her after a drink, he thought beer and whisky was a horrible idea so he named her Brandy. ha ha ha, And he tells her that story as much as possible. Forealzies and youre like 70?!? =p Hes an old man William.=p

Sorry I didn't email on Monday, we set up a temple trip so we gave up our p-day. Yesterday was Way crazy. I went over to The Kalkaska Elders apartment to have a sleep over and so we could go down to a MLC meeting in Lansing together the next day and our companions were going on a trade off. I slept on the floor since a lack of bedding, I had enough padding to make it bearable with all the blankets I brought, but it took me some time to fall asleep.

 

 We then woke up at 4am to get ready and drive down to lansing for our meeting that they wanted us there for at 8:30am. We then sat in hard metal chairs until like 5pm that whole time with a 40 minute lunch break. I learned a whole lot But I was Sick of sitting! It was way cool I gotta my MTC companion for the first time since we got our trainers, and some of my best friends out here, it was way fun but we eventually had to make the trek back up and that was Brutal! 

 

I was Back In Kalkaska at 8:45pm and I was even sicker of sitting and was super tired. Our companions weren't back yet and so there was no way I was staying in the Jeep any more, i went to their apartment and picked the lock and crawled into one of their beds ha ha. When our companions came back I got up and packed the jeep and then kept driving. I got back at 10:32pm and then I went straight into bed. I am still way tired but am better because I gotta sleep on the way to District meeting in Alpena.

This week is pretty busy still, i was supposed to have a trade off today but we had a miscommunication and thats not happening but I am glad I would be way swamped. I am baptizing S on Sunday and going down to the temple on Saturday and Still have things to arrange for it. This week has been loads of fun! 

 

Cops just got called here, crazy guy came in, i was on my toes ready to jump in but the Librarian resolved it, no chokes needed.

Well I am off on another crazy drive to two different cities today

Bye I love you have a good day!

Don't get shot!

Or get Cops called on you!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

Vacation!‏

So this week was pretty fun! It was definitely like a vacation for me.=p

I spent so much time driving this week!

It started off I went down to Mt. Pleasant and ditched my companion and then met up with the three elders I was going to be staying with down in West Branch.

Trio's are my favorite! It is so much fun to be with 3 people 24/7, two people is cool I guess but conversations eventually die down and things aren't always that interesting. But Being in a trio is way different because when you have a conversation with one of your companions in one room the other one will eventually walk in and they join in the conversation and then  the other leaves and then they come back and then you leave and you come back and the conversation has just picked up and picked up the whole time. The West branch Elders apartment is huge compared to the Gaylord one and I thought the Gaylord one was pretty nice when I first got out, Their apartment is the whole upstairs of a dental office, so it's this huge cabin like place, it was sweet!

WE did service for a member there and they wanted us to shovel a pile of rocks into a trailer and the back of a truck. We filled the trailer and then started on the back of the truck and tried real hard not to throw rocks into the side of the lifted vehicle. We filled the trailer up and them moved rocks around the side walk where water was eroding the ground away from it. Apparently we found out that we filled that trailer so full of rocks that it blew both tires, and I was thinking that there wasn't near enough rocks in it ha ha!

We did really good work there in west branch though and even though we were there for only 2 or 3 days we way beat the previous weeks key indicators and put some people on date.

Thursday came around and then we had the huge long haul! That Day I drove from West branch to Lansing to Mt. Pleasant to Alpena to Gaylord in one day ha ha! And it was a way foggy day, we drove in the fog for a good hour and a half on the way down to lansing. We got there and I picked up my new companion Elder Miles from West Valley Utah. We then rode up with Elder Bish ( A Sr. Office Elder) to Mt. Pleasant and then I was picked up by Elder and sister Ekins and Headed to Alpena for a baptismal interview. The Guy passed, and He told me several stories about him being in Iraq and teammates turning on him...  He got baptized this Saturday.

Now that all of the crazy road trips and what not was over I was actually able to spend time with my new companion. Dude I have never felt like that during a dang practice teach of him teaching me the restoration. I was so touched I just about started crying. I was so impressed how he had the spirit with him that much. We then left for the day and we had nothing but huge success. Every single plan we made went as planned  with only slight delays in placement of things that actually ended up for the better. 

 

We taught 5 lessons to Investigators that day and this guy is a rock star for a new missionary! I was 100% comfortable of passing it to him and he was bursting to teach and it's not like any other new missionary he didn't just talk the doctrine he was super aware of everything and asked great questions got peoples understanding and taught according. DUDE!!! I have never seen that. He was happy and excited to go door knock and was dying to jump in and teach, every new missionary I have been around I had to struggle to coax them into it.

We went door knocking for the small 25 minutes we had time for in between lessons we had all doors hard core slammed in our faces... It was not a good first experience for him. While we were walking I saw a lady walk past a screen door about 30 feet away I quick shot a hello and waved while we were walking opposite directions and she ran to the screen door and stopped us. She then asked if we were the Mormons, I then recognized her from 10 months ago! She happened to be a former investigator who I taught twice in a row on trade offs. She wanted to meet with us again and she was now in a new house than she was when I met with her before, she was amazed at how big of a coincidence it was =p ha ha.

During one of our lessons with our Top investigator we had a break through that we have been struggling with. She hasn't been to church since I got here, we went though the baptismal interview questions and then stayed on the sabbath day holy part. And I guess that time when we talked to her about that something happened after I shared a mission experience and she got way motivated to go. She actually went to Women's conference and then this sunday she came and brought her 4 kids with her. Oh YAA!

My new companion is a freaking good luck charm I wanna keep him ha ha. He was valedictorian of his class, has read the Book of Mormon through 6 times, Teaches like a 6 month old missionary, and took drama and choir classes and because of the musicals he was in is way comfortable talking to the people he needs to even though he is a little introverted, when it comes to missionary work he isn't. It would be sick if  every one came right out of High school like this! But this kid is so smart he remembers everything. Any ways I bet him momma would like this email ha ha

--

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

Bible Bashing doesn't convert, but Triangle Choking them helps in the Conversion process. Who knew!?!

Transfer calls happened and I am both a District leader and a Trainer. I will be in West Branch for the week in a Trio while my companion is finishing his time in the MTC this week. No clue who it is , I will find that out on Thursday.

Emelda Paige, Merry Birthday! I hope you enjoy the "super silly fun place"=p, and you better not be growing! Psh kids these days thinking they can turn 5 years old...

Can i have the recipe for Mommy's Indian fry bread and chicken fried steak? We got WAY spoiled this week, one of our investigators filled our freezer with meet. She gave us a ham, a whole chicken, Steaks, we finished the bacon last night, and we have our cabinets full of canned food and box meals now too because of her!

So this week was number 1! It started out in Mt. PLeasant for the half mission Training with Elder Anderson of the 70. That was a way cool experience! So you know how I have been talking about "prayer, Holy ghost" (Pray often is a better description of it) a whole lot and how I have really been focusing on that principal and have been learning so much about it? Well this training really focused on that principal too. And I swear I was prepared for that training for about 2 months before it happened with all of the promptings I was getting on the subject. 

 

What Elder Anderson did Is he took all of my scattered floating promptings I had and then he brought them all together and Organized them In a manner that was way more understandable and easier to teach people and then he expounded on it! Kinda picked me up patted me on the back and said your on that right path but here is how you improve, and there's the trail, go! Since then I have learned more about that subject almost exponentially. One of the cool things that He shared that I really liked was he talked about how the greatest responsibility in the world is to be a missionary. And I think he left it at that. But thinking about that It really is because what we do here and now will effect everything, It really comes down to what we do here effects every single dispensation. Generations before us and after us and their eternal salvation all depends on us being missionaries. 

He also corrected me when I started saying the wrong article of faith when he asked me to say the 4th =(. =p

So we were up in Vanderbilt door knocking there was a front door that said go to the side door like loads do, apparently when we went up to the front door a guy saw us and met us outside the side door. He was about a buck 60 (if that) and shirtless, I saw the tatoo on his chest "MMA" and his hat that on the side said "I don't tap out" or something like that. And I didn't even introduce us as missionaries I just went straight into talking about MMA. Learned he has been training for 7 years in kung fu (or some asian thing that does loads of kicks), Mui Thai, bjj, boxing,... Went straight into asking about his game plan and technique and telling him things about me. I then went for a double leg so he could show me his falling Gogoplata and then he eventually was like, "it's warm out here, come on in" 

 

There was boxing bags and gloves and shin pads, helmets, pads, all for fighting. Not even 2 minutes being in his home I had him on the ground and was working a triangle choke. I showed him all the crazy diffrent places I can do triangle chokes and he updated me on the Anderson Silva fight for ever ago. My companion kinda stood there the whole time having nothing to add at all. And we went crazy he started showing me some of the kicks they do (man I wanna learn some like that). 

 

I knew I had to tie this into the gospel some how, so I kept saying "after my mission....." "Oh ya After my mission I'm gonna train...." until he finally asked me what is my mission. Hey, He was askin for it so I gave it to him! Taught the Restoration, placed a Book of Mormon and set a return appointment to teach him more about it. =p I think I like that tactic alot, I think I am gonna choke out more of the people I see. Forget creating a need, sharing a restored truth, and testifying; just go straight to choke out and then have them ask you if they could learn =p.

Other than that we had a fire side up here and a Movie director taught it (he does all of the All State commercials, and the movie "glory road" (row) i think it's about basketball) It was on the Good Samaritan Parable and how it is actually a parable about the Plan of salvation, I was blown away at the insight he gave on that! 

 

He shared a scripture from the mosaic law that showed that temple workers and priests aren't allowed to touch blood or they wouldn't be able to do their calling because they would be impure (ill send you the scripture next week I don't have time to find it). SO what that came down to for them was do they go about living the culture of the gospel or go about living what the gospel is about, SO kinda like how nephi killed laban he wasn't supposed to but it was what God wanted him to do to help others.

I gotta go down now to ditch my companion 

Bye I love you have a good day!

Don't get Shot

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

       

You've been hit by, a smooth criminal, NOT!‏

I died laughing Mom when you told me  about Emy While being annoyed by a neighbor boy, " If he doesn't stop that, I'm gonna flip a burger!" OH MAN!!! You better watch out boy! We Crockett's when we talk about our flipping baked goods we mean business!

So Tomorrow I am going down to Mt. Pleasant for Elder Anderson of the 70 to give us training, I am pretty excited for that. I said I would be going to a meeting today but earlier this week I got uninvited =(. 

We should be getting transfer calls this week.

So today during our personal studies we get a knock on our door and Elder E said our hazard lights were on on the jeep. We went out to check it out and found the jeep trashed! Scriptures, pamphlets, and everything in the glove boxes thrown every where! They stole the churches credit card that we use for our gas money... I carefully inspected the car to see how they broke in. 

 

My theory is they walked down the parking lot with a blank key sharpened for impressioning. They saw my companions GPS holder on the window stuck to the window and impressioned the lock and before the alarm got too loud they used the now impressioned key to our car to turn on the vehicle to turn off the alarm leaving them free to ransack the vehicle. The GPS was in the apartment and they left all my granola bars and tennis rackets, they only took the credit card. At least they could have taken a Gospel Of Jesus Christ pamphlet too so they could learn how to repent ha ha. 

 

We called the mission office and they are handling it. My companion has been stressing out all morning about it and keeps going to the window to check to see if our car is there, I told him to not stress about it but if my theory is correct they have a key to open our car door and turn the radio on so we will probably not leave anything in for a while. It really hasn't phased me at all I just wish I could have seen him impression the door if thats what they did =p. I could say more but don't need to, he obviously wasn't a boy scout and doesn't abide by the scout law or the "leave no trace" ha ha.

This week I finally met some of our "investigators" that my companion keeps telling me about for the first time in 5 weeks. One of them considers them selves to be Mormon but doesn't believe in Joseph Smith... He is a Vietnam Vet. who has defiantly had some mental things because of it. 

Another one we met with is in a rock band! That was so much fun to talk to him! He showed me quick clips of his band jamming on stage and what he is working on for their new album cover or for shirts. I thought his ideological view of music was interesting, "It's the highest form of communication....Because there is no language barriers to stop the message of the music" that was interesting to me because that does have some truth to it. He also told me why hes vegetarian and went on to tell me about how when you eat plants you are eating something thats living and you help brake the cell membrane which allows... But when you eat any meat you are eating dead flesh and is constantly deteriorating... What he said isn't going to change my eating habits, but it guilted me into not making another attempt at frying chicken last night ha ha. 

We Got a referral on Saturday and called him Saturday night and he said that he want to come to church so we set up a ride for him and he came to church! And is super excited to meet with us and learn more and come to church again. YES!!! (as napoleon would say)

Sorry my computer was being weird so It kept shutting off so thats all the time I have. Love you all have a good day!

Don't Get Shot!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

Return of NIGHT EYYYYEEEE!!!‏

I finally got sick of it! (last monday) There has been fruit flies in this apartment since before I even got here and a huge pile of dishes as well. I went to eat one of my banana's and found fruit fly larva on it. I flipped a biscuit! There was hundreds that flew around the whole apartment, when the zone leaders came in one of them got swarmed and ate one on accident. I turned on my criminal mind and devised a plan to kill all of these things. I got all the bananas and put them in the trash with everything else they liked, I sprayed every where with insect repellent and left to email after I did the dishes. I came back with real poison gas spray instead of my fa-breeze that I used in the video and tapped them all out. NIIIIGHT EYYYYYYYEEEEEEE!!!!

That is so cool that Denny got baptized! He looks so old in that picture! Dude what the heck man is that even legal for him to grow up!?! Some one needs to beat him up for me, and give him the heebeegeebies or a good grand slam!

We were out door knocking in Boyne City and that is pretty far out. Walked up to a door and turned to look off the porch and saw a deer 10 feet away from us. I have day dreamed hundreds of times during long car rides of choking one out. I started to creep forward and my companion knew what I was doing because I have already told him about it and he scared the thing away =(. I have no clue how that would have ended if I did grab hold of it. Probably good I didn't because It probably would have trashed me, and shortly after we continued to knock I found this 18 year old who had a long board and a penny board  out front and we related super well and he let us in and got his Bro involved with the lesson and they were in awe at the first vision and both wanted to be baptized... um yes please! It must have been a deer from Satan to try to stop that.

I went on trade offs to Alpena for the second time and while I was there we were going to see one of their investigators who was preparing to be baptized and I never met the man or anything. I was amazed when I saw where he lived! It was the house of one of my former investigators  who moved shortly after I left. Dude what is this place!!? Is it consecrated ground for investigators or somethin!?!

I had a really fun experience this week we were out door knocking in Grayling and it was getting late We had done the outside circle of the block and was doing the inner part of it now and was about to finish up. I noticed that the car that pulled up to the house for sale was still there and they were still trying to use the key box  to get in the house. My companion did my little P.C. trick (LOVED IT! worked so hard to get him to learn that), they told us they were looking to buy this house and the realtor had given them the code but it was on their phone they left at home. I could tell they were honest since their car was now trashed from them looking for the phone and they were like 48 year old adults. So I offered to "look" at the lock. I got sick of the little key box pretty quickly and offered I pick it, they guy blew out some air then said "ok go ahead". Popped that baby open in like 30 seconds with only my wallet set. They were shocked! =p But then they gratefully proceeded, and offered to give me a tour of the house, it was a nice house =p. I love exploring! That was so much fun and they were grateful for it, all I had to do was make sure the door locked behind us as we left. We then continued to door knock.

I looked at my thought journal that I write in during the middle of the night of the awesome Ideas that I get and saw the note "go rowing a bed mattress"...=p I am not really sure what that means but that would be pretty impressive to see some one do that. it also is a terrible Idea though because it could end up sinking to the bottom of the body of water and turning into a 1 ton brick...

One of our cars break calipers broke and it was sounding like we were dragging metal behind us on the pavement, we went to the shop to have it checked out and had to wait for ever for it to be fixed. I loved it there! so many tires and so many weird things that they were designed for. There was a tv that played loads of videos of trucks and vehicles romping and way hard core off roading, My respect for the Band Paramore grew so much as that played in the back ground (the song that every one knows from them). It was super healthy for me to hear because that song is actually really well presented comparatively to all of the music that every missionary likes to listen to of soloist singers who butcher the music to sing what they want. They were in sync, rested when there was a rest, it was crisp, great annunciation of notes, dynamics were great. It was fresh, So fresh and so clean clean! 

Back to being serious, we had a pretty good week and had alot of service that we did and actually today we were asked to come and help move heavy things for the Relief Society President who is moving, So were going to do it even though it's P-day.     

I am finally caught up on my journal, I havn't been since I got here in Gaylord.

Last P-day was sick! Some members took us out Golfing and we got to use golf carts and everything to romp through the forest to the next course. It made Golfing so much funner that It had been the previous times I had done it. Using those techniques from that Golfing pro who came to mutual I was able to slay that ball, the problem was I sucked a aiming or getting under the ball with anything but the driver. I lost like 4 balls to the trees.

Well I gotta hit the road

Bye I love you have a good day!

Don't get Shot!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

Merry One Year Mark!‏

I have now been out on a mission more than a year now, Dude what the heck man!, Horribly slow but super quick year.

I was able to see that video Lacey is so cute =p, Also I love you To Emma! Even though you probably need a bath =p

So the story on my ears is after that email I sent like a half hour later it like half way popped and has continued to do little pops ever since. I tried everything to pop those! But ya they pop a little here and there but I either don't notice it or it's gone.

This week has been a week; but it has also been a good week. I never did get the email about district meeting, I had to call the Zone leaders and they told me what they thought the topic was, it ended up being on the Holy Ghost and I have been learning Loads about that and how important it is and so that was easy.

I went over to Alpena on a trade off right after that. Oh man that was super eventful! I got to their apartment (knowing they only had like 3 real investigators) and I ran straight to their area book to find out what happened to all of those people I taught. After I found them all in a weird place not where they were supposed to be we went and did work as they planned. We had some awesome miracles like door knocking into a guy who said he read the book of mormon and when I asked the golden question (which every one strikes out on when it comes to that) " Did you pray to know if it was true" he didn't strike out, He told me he did and found out it is the word of God and told me all about the living apostles and..... Cool miracle

That night I got to go down to Barton City to see a family, they were shocked to see me! ED (I picked him up as a investigator and was baptized shortly after I left, he went to the temple 8 days ago) and I talked loads. I before I left wanted to give him a tie, but never had the chance. I realized that I got a chance again and before I left I took the tie off my neck (it being one Grandpa Crockett gave me, it being a tie off of the Glory rack not just my regular tie rack) told him who gave it to me and why it was important to me and gave him it.

We planned to contact some of the former's I taught the next day. It was my one year mark and I was back to where I started (if you don't count MTC) We went to Book of Mormon study at the church house and several other people was in shock to see me. We got a call from L asking for a blessing and so we went right after. She is a saint who is bound to her wheel chair, she's the one who would feed us weekly and have us over for FHE since we didn't have a family. She went to the temple to do endowments. It's funny the first time I met her was a few days after she went to the temple and was crazy sick and I gave her a blessing. 

 

This time she was again very sick and just came back from the temple almost the same situation but not as bad this time. She wouldn't open her eyes when we came in until she recognized my voice and then she said "that's familiar" and looked. She asked me to give the blessing again. I told her next year when she goes to the temple it might not be so easy to get me back for the blessing after her temple trip.=p That several hour drive one way is not that good for her.

We were straight up guided every where else that day to people who I worked with and taught. We waited in a parking lot for a referral we got and while sitting in the car L a less active who I reactivated (for like a 2-3 month period from what I know) parked right next to us and walked away I jumped out of the jeep and talked to her. After that We had a appointment with some potential. That was cool! 

We pulled up to the house and I immediately knew the guy because I talked to him with Elder A for like 13 minutes on the door step before he turned us down, this time he didn't. 

 

And then we tried a former that was brought into my mind a few streets down who was like "where did you Mormons go did you take a vacation!" set up appointment. Went to CJ' house to try him and his neighbor C D who we taught both. (he was the one my trainer chastised me for bearing my testimony and mentioning temples  when we PC'd him) He jumped up and down when he saw me and told me that he got a new job and now has regular hours ( so we can finally meet with him) 

 

And he had loads of questions for me (since he really felt the spirit when I bore testimony that day and we bonded quickly and knew he could trust me) I answered his questions teaching him the plan of salvation. He was hilarious to watch! He would jump up and down and throw his hands up in the air and say" ahahahaha THAT IS SO COOL! THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!" and he would go from pacing to kneeling to sitting next to me looking at me like a 5 year old child. =p He was really felling the spirit so I shot the invitation to be baptized. He then swiftly kneeled in front of me, and immediately started questioning why his first baptism wasn't good enough very sincerely. But since he had the spirit with him so much I just told it to him like I would a 10 year old and the spirit told him it was true and he accepted a date to be baptized. I told him I can't be here to teach him but I will be back next week and he jumped on that day for a appointment, and then committed me to come to his baptism (or else he would hunt me down =p). His neighbor then walked in and we set up a appointment with him too and was totally cool that I wasn't gonna be there.

We then were led to Bro B a Less Active who I was working with and taught him really "installed hope" in him that the Holy Ghost would make his life better and he committed to everything we shot after he had that Hope that things would be better.

I then got in the Ring with John again, I know he has a testimony but won't commit to baptism, He told me he does believe Joseph was a prophet But couldn't get him to commit.

I don't have time to write more I'm going golfing with members in a few minutes. I had several way cool experiences there in Alpena we were literally led place to place where I would have the best impact being everywhere exactly when I needed to be since I only had a little time.

I am going to Grand Rapids on Sep14 because that General authority will be coming, We are having a Big MLC with him. I will finally see my MTC comp! And then the next day I need to be in Mount pleasant for training from the general Authority. Driving FOR DAYS!

Well Bye I love you have a good week and day!

Don't get shot!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett

"BACK"!?!?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?????‏

 

 

I have been so busy this week! I have had a million things on my plate and alot of things really on my nerves. I was asked to give a 20 minute talk last week at church so yesterday I gave it. I had trade offs in Traverse city and district meeting the next day leaving me with only my 1 hour of comp study to prepare a hour and a half (30-45 minutes of it teaching) of things to do and teach. I got the material i needed for district meeting from the AP's late.... and it's even later this week ha ha!

But this week has also been alot of fun too. Since I am a district leader I got to go on trade offs with the Zone leaders and I went over to Traverse City monday night. I had so much Fun! It was super healthy for me! I had like a cultural/musical/educational/spiritual/physical event while I was there. It was super healthy to be around a missionary who isn't brand new either and I could actually learn things from, I haven't had that in... ages! We woke up super early in the morning to go to the beach and we ran several miles in the sand and watched the sun rise and skipped rocks. It was pretty cute =p. I loved being over there it was like California but not as big of waves, the city is more organized and there was loads of people to P.C. and invite to learn.

While I was over there we had lunch at a chiropractors office and while we talked Elder C brought up that I have shoulder pains in my right shoulder and have had them for ever. (I can honestly remember in elementary school my right shoulder hurting, never my left always my right. Even when I carry my shoulder bag on my left shoulder my right one will hurt). The member jumped up immediately and took me into his work room and had me sit on a chair and felt my shoulder. Then he had me stand on a thing that layed me down flat face first and he made my back pop loads. Put some thing on me that felt like a massage machine of some sort, stood me back up and layed me down back to the table and then like tried to snap my neck it seemed like.

 

 My neck popped so much! I would never be comfortable with any one trying to bend my neck that much who didn't do that as their job. He then sat me back on the chair underhooked my arm and grabbed my wrist and jerked my arm causing my shoulder to pop loud enough for the whole building to hear. He then casually said as he walked away "ok it's back in it's socket".  BACK!!!????!!!?? WHAT DO YOU MEAN!??! Are you telling me I have been living my life with my right shoulder dislocated?!! I didn't see him after to clarify so I am still confused. For realzies?!!?? "BACK"? I haven't had shoulder pain since, It was even for freezies.=p

That night we had a lesson with one of their investigators, she recently had 5 people die who she was close to in the past 2 weeks. I went in there with that being just about all I knew about her and comforted her and talked to her. I then realized what I could teach to help her. Apparently they have never truly went in with a 'we are here to teach' type of approach and she would normally ask questions and never really had to start to teach or ever ask her questions to check for understanding. But when I got there that changed, it weird-ed her out alot and wasn't what she was used to, but she learned alot. 

 

We tried to set her on date that night and she wouldn't stay on topic when ever we asked. A few days ago I found out that she was in like shock because they have never done that before and her next lesson she said she didn't like it and so One of the Zone leaders talked me down in that next lesson saying I didn't know what I was doing to try and save her as a investigator. He immediately knew what he said was wrong and that guilt-ed him for days until he broke and had to call me and beg for forgiveness. It was really admirable that he did that because it really wasn't a big deal at all and I would have never known, but he was honest and tried his best to repent, and even told the investigator that he was wrong about what he said and defended me the next time. It would have never effected me if he never told me but I learned good from it.

I taught district meeting, it wasn't even bad it's a pretty easy crowd to teach. I was a little worried the night before since I would be doing worse than preaching to the choir I would be preaching to the preachers but all I had to do was get them to talk and I learned too. I LOVE having senior missionaries in my district! It's the best being Neighbors with the Ekins!

I got this sick bike this week! One of the people I put on date last week when we came over next gave me his bike. It is Motobecan. From Europe:It's a awesome Hot Rod red color, Road bike, that has a comfy seat and is feather light and super fast! It's even my size. I can go faster than my companion can while he is standing sprinting and I am sitting. I love it! It has mud flaps on both so my white shirt doesn't get dirty, brand new tires and rims and breaks. I love it!

But I am seriously behind on everything because Of district meeting and have to write that 20 minute talk, Today is the first time this week I actually had my hour personal study to study what I wanted too. And I didn't remember what I wanted to study... The talk I gave went good. It's funny I decided to not use a conference talk in it; and right after me our branch mission leader spoke and he used that talk that I decided against after I even printed it out, I guess what ever God wants to be said will be said no matter what.

Elder Anderson from the 70 is coming to our mission, hes the one who gave the talk on not only knowing the dance steps but hearing the music too.

Well I gotta head Out

Bye I love you

have a good day!

Don't get shot!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett