Sister Crofts

Sister Crofts
Sister Crofts at the airport when she arrived home

Monday, February 28, 2011

Three beautiful amazing missionaries

These pictures were emailed to me from Sister Simpson, Ashley's mission presidents wife

miracles with the terrific trio

This is what I like to call the transfer of miracles with the terrific trio! Next week we have a GOLDEN investigator Justin Breau who is getting baptized. Hari is getting baptized MARCH 1st!! (Yes that's tomorrow!!) And everything is just so happy!!!!

Monday, February 21, 2011

And it came to pass we lived after the manner of HAPPINESS!​! -2 Nephi 5:27

Dear Family,

This past week was so full it felt like a month has gone by...but it was just a week! So I think that I have been a missionary way to long. We listen to some really cheesy church music and I like it! We joke about scriptures and doctrine and we think it is so funny! I remember when I first came on my mission and everyone seemed to laugh at the lamest things, well....now that's me! I hope that I am not to strange when I come home. :D

This week is what I like to call the week of miracles. It is so amazing what has happened this past week! So to start off we had A LOT of cancelled appointments, Sister Hamblin got sick, and other small things, but we didn't let anything get us down, we persevered and we came off conquers! Just kidding I just like to be dramatic...... But really...... First of all we met with a lady named Valerie Cook she has some of the best questions I've heard, and we will answer all of them someday if she ever listens. She likes to talk a lot, but some how we will get a few words in. Sometimes it's so funny that we as young ladies go to these older people's homes and teach them about truth. I think they feel a little strange getting taught from people younger than them, but its seems to work out quite well.
Are you ready for the coolest story of the day!!! OK so about three weeks ago Sister Hamblin and I were knocking on a street called Reid and nothing came of it. Well a few days ago we get a call from some of the Elders and they said that someone named Justin was looking for me, and Sister Hamblin. He remembered our names and everything! I remember talking to him, he was really nice, but not the slight bit interested. Well it turns out that after we left him that day he checked out out website and it really hit home for him. He did a lot of research and wants to learn more! yesterday was the first time that we met with him and can I just say he is golden!! When I talked him on the phone before we went over he expressed that he isn't comfortable with the world and the way that it is going and that he wants to find truth. Our lesson with him yesterday was magical! He works as a chef downtown and he is just awesome! That in its self was a miracle, because It was three weeks ago and now we are finally meeting with him. I know and have a testimony that the Lord blesses hard working missionaries. Also with out 2 Chinese investigator (Who are both on date to get baptized.) we had some really cool lessons with each of them. With Jing we set up a really cool visual about prophets and why they are so important in our day. And with Bo we met with him after church yesterday and it was just a really cool lesson. We all sat in a class room on the floor and had a sweet discussion about prayer. Last week Bo had no belief in God. We committed him to pray and when we met with him later in the week he shared his experience about his prayer. He explained that after his prayer he felt peace, and he said for some reason I wanted to cry, but I didn't! Bo now believes in God and is coming closer to him everyday! Miracles happen!!
So yesterday at church the happiest thing happened!! Hari one of my old investigators showed up at church! It was such a surprise I almost had a heart attack! I am sure a already told you this, but he is getting baptized APRIL 4TH!!! I am so excited for him.
I love being a missionary It really the coolest ever! I love all of you so much! Have a fun week and know that I am thinking and praying for all of you!

LOVE,

Sister Crofts

Monday, February 14, 2011

He loveth our souls (Alma 24:14)

Dear Family,

I am laughing just thinking about this last week! It was so crazy busy! I am so happy because I thought for sure me leaving Halifax I would be exiled some where in the middle of no where which is partially true, but there are so many amazing people here! I have such a vision for this area and we are doing all we can to achieve that goal! We are doing all we can to strengthen the ward here, because in doing so we will be able to bring new people into in. Its slow hard work, but its going to be amazing! I love working in a family ward. To be honest at first I was really nervous because I thought, O man am I going to be able to teach people older than me, and I going to be able to relate to these people...etc...etc.....But no its so much fun! It may sound funny, but I am learning a lot about being a good wife and mother. The mission is teaching me so much!
Last night I was as I was getting ready for bed I just started thinking about everything that I have experience thus far and it's amazing! I was thinking how in the world can I put what I have learned in to words so here it goes: Ive never felt so much pain, I've never felt so much love.....Ive never had the time go so slow, Ive never had it go so fast.....Ive never been so tired, Ive never been more alive.......Ive never been so weak, Ive never been so strong.....Ive never felt so alone, Ive never felt closer to God.....A mission is hard to explain, but its the best thing ever! I am so grateful to God that he has given me this opportunity to serve Him! This morning as I was reading my scriptures I am came across some verse that just rand to true to me and it's really just how I feel!
Alma 24:7-17
7Now, these are the words which he said unto the people concerning the matter: I thank my God, my beloved people, that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the atraditions of our wicked fathers.

8And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have aopened a correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.
9And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this correspondence we have been convinced of our asins, and of the many murders which we have committed.
10And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath aforgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the bguilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.
11And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to atake them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain—
12Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren.
13Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps, if we should stain our swords aagain they can no more be bwashed bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall be shed for the atonement of our sins.
14And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our asouls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the bplan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.
15Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us ahide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us bclean thereby.
16And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall ago to our God and shall be saved.
17And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did abury them up deep in the earth.

I love the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's they are so amazing! This story just helps me understand even more how the Atonement of Jesus Christ works. It changes our hearts and we don't want to sin anymore. I have felt this in my life and I am so happy that I have been an instrument in the hands of God to help his precious children also understand this. Jesus Christ is the way, this is no other name given whereby man can be saved. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that through him I can live with my Heavenly Father again!

So of course like always a lot happened this week. Last night we went to a dinner appointment with the Lopez family. They are from Mexico and they made the most amazing Mexican food ever! it reminded me of home! It awesome! So its been snowing on and off all week and one day I think it was last Tuesday we went knocking out in a place called Lincoln. We decided to take our snow shovels and while two people knocked on the door the other one would shovel their porch and drive way. That day we softened a lot of people's hearts, got a good workout, and have some sweet potentials! It was so much fun and it really made the time go by so fast! I love serving!!
So we have this investigator named Joan. She is from Trinidad and she is awesome! They only problem is that she hasn't really been taking this seriously so we were thinking of "dropping" her. But I will tell you what we had one of the most amazing lessons of my mission with her. The spirit was so strong and I loved it! She had just been flipping through the Book of Mormon and she came across a verse in Moroni 8 where it talks about infant baptism. She read it to us and then told us she has a desire to get baptized! After the lesson I was so happy! It was awesome. It just goes to show that persistence pays off!
Yesterday we had a lesson with new investigator named Bo. He is from china, he is here going to school. We gave him a tour of the church and had a very powerful lesson. He has no belief in God, but he wants to know if he is there. It was super sweet!
Also I must say I love my companions I was super nervous to be in a trio, but we are a really great team together! I wish you could see us work. This place it awesome. I am doing well! By the way happy Valentine's Day!! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Crofts

Monday, February 7, 2011

I Am An Old Missionary

Dear Family,

Wow I cant believe that another week has already gone by. ( I think I say that a lot sorry.) So this past week was full of adventures. I just wish I could remember some of them. :) Ha ha... yesterday I was running to get ready for church and I accidentally kicked a chair and I think that I totally broke my toe. It hurt so bad, and it still hurts today. When I walk I look like an old woman, my poor companions have a cripple as a companion. I was suppose to stay off it yesterday, but you know me. So we went to work and we taught a couple lessons and got a new investigator. This week we got 5 new investigators which is a Fredericton South record. I was so happy! This area is like a sleeping giant and we are here to wake it up! Oh, yeah so we finally got our third companion Sister Brandley she is super cute. She is also from Utah and is 4 foot 10!! She is awesome. It snowed a lot more here so the snow banks are just as tall as she its hilarious. But the temperature is getting warmer which is super nice. Man the members here are so amazing I am super excited to be here. They feed us and I just love it! I feel so spoiled! So yeah mom I am getting enough food so don't even worry about me. I am sleeping on the couch right now which is nice and to be honest I have been so impressed with us all sharing a bathroom. We are awesome. I received your last letter and I am excited for the home improvements! That's going to be awesome. When are you planning to start?

So yeah I hit my year mark this past week. Can you believe that I have been a missionary for over a year! This is madness! To celebrate our one year anniversary of the day we first met Sister Hamblin and I ate brownies and ice cream. And reminisced on our MTC adventures of me going to physical therapy. Me getting sick on the plan...man it was a lot about my misfortune, but it was so much fun! Yeah its been a great week. I am excited for what this coming week will bring. Remember to read and pray daily and everything else in life goes better.

Love,

Sister Crofts