The Last One... - Pereira, Colombia

Holaaaaaaaa, cómo están?

I know I havent writen in a while but there's a lot of stuff that's happend.

To start off, I'm going home on Thursday  Yesterday was my last day in mi área. Six of us in zona Pereira are going home and tonight we will all be in the ZLs house. We're leaving on a bus to Medellín tomorrow at 6:00am to meet up with all the 19 misioneros that are going home and we have our interviews tomorrow and Wednesday. Thursday in the morning we board the plane and I come into Chicago 6-7:00pm.

The mission has gone by so fast but it's amazing. I love sharing with everyone the love and hope that I have received por medio del evangelio. I know that this church is true, that the gosple is true, and I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints is the church of God newly established on the earth. 

 There is so much that I want to say but little time to write, the zone already started playing basketball :) Thanks to everyone who supported me and helped me in and before my mission. I've seen how much I've been able to grow in my mission (spiritualy, socially, and emotionally. Only a couple of pounds weight wise and I doubt I've gotten much taller) and I can't wait to keep on growing after my mission as well. I invite all of you that are thinkinf about serving a mission to pray and talk to your bishop about it. If you serve, you won't regret it and it will bless your life forever. Love you all and see you soon.

 Elder Crenshaw :)

Transfers - Medellin, Colombia

Hey everybody! Transfers are today and I'm going to Pereira and ill be on the bus all day. Hope you guys have a great week and I'll try to write next week :)

Elder Crenshaw :)

Beginnings, Endings, and I'm famous now - Medellin, Colombia

Holaaaaaaaaa, como están? Hace rato no he escrito.

Again, like normal I have no clue what has happened since the last time I've written so I'll just write about something and hope that everyone is happy. If not, write me with your comments and or complaints and I'll try to resolve the issue in the next email I write, sea next week or some other random Pday. First off, Three weeks ago (yes I know I'm a bit late but ya fue) two cool things happened. Congrats to Hermana Graves, now Camie Graves for finishing her mission!!! She served in Chile Santiago for the last 18 months and finished with honor hace poco. Aaaanndd Congrats to Evan Crenshaw, my brother because he got his mission call to the Billings, Montana Mission!!! He will be leaving June 18th, one month and one day before I get back.

In other news, no clue if I've wrote a email since I got to Medellín, bit I'm in Medellín again! I'm in el Barrio Prado, there are 4 missionaries here and my companion se llama Elder Puma. This is our second transfer together. He's from Ecuador, 25 years old, and likes to drink mate. Mate is a drink from Argentina. It's kind of like a herbal tea but it's different, not sure how to describe it bit he drinks it alot. Like every day in the morning and night. It helps that we are also living with un argentino so they drink a lot of Mate. A lot a lot. I think it tastes like grass but ya fue jaja. 

We ate opening área here, for a while there weren't any missionaries in our area because there was a problem with visas and a lot of missionaries were reassigned, including Elder Puma.

Fun fact, I'm famoso now. The mission made a music video and I sang, link below.

But the work has been going really well. We have two people on date for Baptism the 20th and it's been cool to see how the Lord takes the work that we do and works miracles. We have seen soooo many miracles in these last few weeks especially. Random people showing up at church saying that they need to change their lives and follow Jesus, finding members that haven't come to church in over 5 years and seeing them come to church the next week, and soon much more. Another way we've seen the Lord's hand here in our area is through the adds the Church has in YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Our area is in the center of Medellín, like literally Google Maps puts the word "Medellín" in our area, so EVERY TIME that someone responds to a add and puts their addres as Medellín, or as Antioquia (he departamento or state), or if Maps can't figure out the address, it sends the person to us. It's been amazing to see how many people, daily, are looking for help and want to learn more about God. Even though a lot don't actually live in our area, some live up to 6-8 hours away, we get to talk to them first and help them find missionaries closer to them so they can learn more. You never know who is ready and looking for help, it's just that they don't know how to find it. 

I've got to finnish up but I'm soooo happy for the time that I've spent serving the Lord, in the 10 weeks that I've got left I'm exited to keep helping everyone I meet to come unto Him and find the Joy that this gospel brings.

Love you guys and we'll see if I write next week lol. Cualquier pregunta, duda, chisme, chiste o reclamo me pueden escribir por interno y recibirán su respuesta... Eventualmente, tengan paciencia con el gringo con TDAH (Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad) :)

Byeeeee

Elder Crenshaw :)

Click here for MUSIC VIDEO

Another one of these thingys - Manizales, Colombia

Hey everyone I'm writing an email again, I know, they should give me an award at this point.

This week has been good, honestly all of my mission has been great. It's easily one of the best things that I've done in my life, being born in the family that I'm it is probably the best thing that has happened, but I can't exactly take credit for that one so ya fue jaja.

As I said in the last email, I'm in La Alhambra in Manizales. This is the last week in the transfer and I've been here 6 months already so I'll probably go to another área. I've loved this time in Manizales tho. It's been a challenge for me but I've learned so much. The members here are amazing. There are very little of them, but they are poderosos. We've been trying to help them work with us more and it's cool to see how excited they get when they see how the gospel helps people. 

I already ran out of time so I want to end bearing my testimony about repentance. I've learned soooo much about how it can help us, in my personal experience, and in helping others to repent. Thru repentance we can come to be the people that God wants us to be. Trust In the Lord, let him guide you and help you in your life and miracles WILL happen in your life.

I love the Lord, I love this gospel, and invite everyone to come unto Him.

I'll try to write more next week, I'll make it a priority. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe not because I might be in a bus for 2 days straight without a phone  but I love you guys, and have a good week :D

Elder Crenshaw  :)

Lol I tried recording something instead of writing but it didn't work well. Let's just say I'm still very ADHD. But if you want to laugh at my incompetence, allí está jaja

Click here for AUDIO MESSAGE

Click here for MUSIC VIDEO:

Fotos

Yes yes yes - Manizales, Colombia

 Helloooooooooooooo

I'm writing again por fin, these last couple weeks have been loco but today we don't have much to do so it works out well. Realy not sure when was the last time I wrote, but it was a while ago so just in case I'll give a quick review. I'm still in Manizales in the area La Alhambra. This is my 4th transfer here, My first comp was Elder Prado, then Elder Guzmán for 2 transfers, then he left and I'm here with Elder James. Elder James is de Bolivia. He does pronounce his name like we say it in Inglés but other than that he knows very little english jaja. He came from Planeta Rica which was cool because thats where I was hace poco. Anyway, what's new? Uuuuummmmmmmm no sé. 

Manizales is great but the people are very catholic and don't like to listen about other relegiones. It's helped me find new ways to talk to people and help them gain a testimony of the gospel. It's been amzing to see the diference that the gospel makes in peoples lives tho. This sunday I did a baptisimal interview and the person told me a lot about how much the gospel has helped her and her husband. The gospel applies in every aspect of our lives and it's been the best to see how much it helps the people we teach. She's getting baptized the 25th 

OK, ran out of time becuase we went bowling así que ya fue this one was short but I'll try to send one next week too 

IDK pero aquí esta una carita feliz :) OH YA I GOT FIRST PLACE IN DIMOND IN DUO LINGO AND NOW I'M FELIZ - Manizales, Colombia

Hey everyone!!! How are you guys doing? I'm doing great :) I thought I'd write again because aja, why not. This week has been good, we've had some great lessons and found some people that really want to learn about the gosple, so thats allways good :)

On a sad note, we had to drop someone that we have been teaching for a while :( His life had been changed soooo much since he's leaned about the gosple and he knows that the Book of Mormon and the church is true, but he doesn't want to keep the commandments any more. We have been trying to help him these last couple of weeks but he just feels like his life has improved enough now and he doesn't need more. It's really hard when you have done everything you can but the people just don't want to choose to do the right. We told him we had to stop visiting him but that he was still welcome at church if he ever wanted to come. Hopfully in time his heart will soften and other missionarys will be able to help him continue in the covenant path.

On another less spiritual note... I finaly did what my Mom wanted me to do and bought some fruit and took videos/pictures! For those of you who don't know, Colombia is famoso for it's fruits. I have never seen so much fruit in my life like I have here. I've been here almost 16 months now and I still am discovering more fruit. Anyway, I'll put the link to the google photos/drive thingys at the end of the email, if I don't, remind me and I'll send another email. Yes.

What more, 

Im in Manizales like I said the last email I think. Here it is always cold and rains a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Like No. 2 in the world in rainfall if you trust what the members are saying. The temperatura in Colombia is weird becuase it is the same all year, but changes depending on your altitude. Where I'm at, it's always arround 55 - 64⁰ F, but In the coast, it is always arround 100 - 120⁰ F. All year. Honestly, I like the weather here more, than in the coast. At least here you can put on a sweater or a jacket. In the coast it's just sweat and drink lots of water. I do miss the food in the coast tho, nothing compares to the salchipapas in Planeta Rica. Exept tal vez la salvajada in Montería.

OK, I've got to go and buy food so I can eat this week, but I want to end sayinig that I know this church is true. If you have doubts, thats OK, just don't lose your faith. Study the scriptures, go to church, ask God for guidence, and go to church leaders for help. If you don't have any doubts, great! Keep on doing all of those things anyway. Thats how you grow and strenghten your testimonys! Stay on the Covenent Path, baptism isn't the end, it's the begining. PLEASE, help the missionaries, they are called to help in the work of the Lord for these 2 years or 18 months, but as members, the work is OURS TOO. Go out with them, talk to the people they are teaching, give them lots of food. Ok, the last one is kind of a joke, but not really, food is the best. In the end, if you love the Lord, and love his gosple, share it with thoes you love too. I've seen the blessings it brings to people, and it will bring that joy to your life, and with the people you share.

OK bye,

Elder Crenshaw :)

Thanks to Grandma-ma y Grandma Paula for the reminder to send the pictures jaja

I realized that I haven't sent the Google Photos albums since Buenos Aires so I'll just send all the links just in case...

Buenos Aires

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3FigoF2NPMxkiWPQ9

Planeta Rica

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FPzZxVuxvw4Rvouv6

Villa Hermosa

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xJURPSC2tXUkTMkb8

La Alhambra

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ki1LRtfHV1ioNdWE6

I lost most of my photos from my first area (Calarcá) because someone robbed our phone :( but what I do have is in Google drive

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IxklOaG6EvqWFmCE6o7c759XvWgyiGwm

Okey dokey that's it

Email time - Manizales, Colombia

Hey everyone, no clue how long it's been but i thought I'd write something really fast. Not sure what I wrote in my last email so if I repeat a couple of things ya fue.

Last time I wrote I was in Planeta Rica (the coast) since then I've been in Medellin and now I'm in Manizales. I was a bit sick in Planeta Rica ( I lost 13 pounds) but I loved the time that I was there. In the end I left at the end of the transfer because the water was making me sick and the health secretary told Prezident Florez :( BUT I went to Medellin so that was cool. I was only there for a week but it was in a great area so it's OK. My area in Medellin was Villa Hermosa, I was in a trio with Elder Ballesteros y Elder Sellán. Both of them are newer in the mission, Elder Ballesteros has 4 1/2 months and Elder Sellán has 2 months. After a week all of the new group of misioneros that got here had to get resigned because there is a problem with the visas in Colombia :( they all left el miércoles and presidente had to do a lot of emergency transfers. I was in a trio so he told us that one of us was going to leave si o si. On Wednesday at like 12:00 ish one of the APs called and said that I would be leaving the next day in the morning, not a surprise because we were in trio, and that I should pack in the night. We went to lunch and the APs called us again and said that there had been a change of plans, and I should come to the offices at 6:00. That was at 2:00. We had to go home and my companions had our appointments virtual while I packed everything. I left for the office at like 5;30 and got to the office in time to see all the new missionaries leaving. Then presidente said that they had trouble finding a buss to Manizales quickly and I could only bring 1 suitcase. So I repacked super rápido and went to sleep so I could leave in the little bus the next day. And now I'm in Manizales :D

I'm out of time so I'll talk more about Manizales and my current area the next email, whenever that happens lol. But I want to end bearing my testimony that I know this church is true. At times life is crazy, but no matter what happens the work is the same. I love it here in the mission, I've learned sooo much about the gospel, about Jesucristo and about myself. I know that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer. He knows us personally and loves us more than we can imagine. Through his atonement we can come to live with our Heavenly Father and become the people that he wants us to be. He has a plan for us. I also know that His church has been restored on the Earth through Joseph Smith, and that today it is lead by Jesus Christ through his Prophets and Apóstoles. I know that the Book of Mormón is true and as a representative of Jesus Christ I invite all to read it. It will bless your life in a way that no other book will. It is the word of God. I have learned of the power of the prayer. The blessing it is to be able to talk to our Father in heaven. I testify that he hears us and that he can and will respond. Go to Him in prayer and let him work miracles in your life. When we have faith in him he will respond. Find the ways that you hear him in your life, search for ways to hear him more clearly and search for the answers to your questions. Read the scriptures, they are the pre-recorded words of God and through them we will come to know our Savior and his love for us. I testify of the power of the atonement in our lives. It is a gift that is freely given to us and it is of greater worth than almost anything else than I can imagine. Use it in your life. Learn to love the blessing of repenting daily. It has blessed my life and it will bless yours too. I know this work is true, I know it with all my heart, and because I know it is true I share it with the world.

Ya nesecito dormir entonces les dejo con eso: )

If you have any questions or just want to send me an email because you're cool feel free. I can't respond until Monday but I can read it any day of the week :)