November19th 2012

Wow! So this week was SO hard, but there are some good things that happened. We spent the first part of the week in the offices. My comp was having a lot of struggles with the change and needed some pep talks from President Del Valle. We both got pretty down this week. We had no idea what we were doing and we were having no success. Even planing was getting super hard. I woke up almost every morning un animated. We both were that way.  But don´t worry. Today we talked about it and we have some good game plans. It was just hard, because we didn´t know why we felt that way. We were obedient and yet we struggled. Satan is really working hard on us. I have decided to start eating better and to work out better. 

But there were some interesting things...

Mariola es an investigator we are teaching. She speaks English and was actually married to an American judge. It will be hard to teach her, but I feel like we need to. She says she has photographic memory, and I believe her. She has also told us she has seen Christ 3 times, which is a little more sketchy, but He can do what he wants. She is basically like our mom here. ha haha. She invited us over to dinner. We had Paella.! It was so good. There was lamb and all sorts of good stuff. We had to leave before the seafood one was done, but it was good. I was a little bummed because she didn´t buy the rabbit meat to put in it... ha ha ha. She also had family over at that time. Basically they all spoke English and where some of the top of the tops in Mexico. Like her cousin who was in charge of the Ford Motor Company in Mexico. It was really interesting.

 

 

Yesterday I had a tortilla and jabanero sauce. The three Americans in our ward. We all did it. Yep, we are more Mexican than the Mexicans. ha ha ha. It was hot, but not to bad. The other elders had a baptisms (3 el sabado). it was cool. I directed. Um.... That was the best part. Today we were in the hospital, my comp is sick. it was interesting. 

 

Thanks for everything. We really need your prayers right now. All of your letters had me almost crying. 

I love you all! Best of luck!

 

Every member is a missionary. 

 

And dad, we can´t tract for security reason. We had a conference where we learned what to do if we are taken captive.... I really didn`t want to tell you because now mom will freak out. ha ha ha. Leon is one of the safer parts mom! love you!

Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch

ps. Dad, I did take money out today. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! 

November 12th, 2012

Hey fam! So I opened a new area. At first it was really hard because we can't contact or go tracting. So we work a lot through the ward members, and when you don`t know any one... well, it was a little hard.

 

 I am also training Elder Storm.  Iam the only American training an American and at times it is a little hard. I am suppose to speak to him in Spanish, and I do, but at times it is hard. He is so great and wants to help everyone, therefore he gets frustrated at times. I know exactly how he feels. I also get really mad this week at him. I don`t remember the last time I got that mad. ha ha ha. I started chewing him out in English, but slipped into Spanish. I think he got the feeling of what I meant. But I love him to death! He is from California. He kayaks a lot and is so cool. He is super positive and he always is willing to do things. I love it. Our new area is pretty cool. We are in the center of Leon, where all of the cool stuff is. 

 

Sounds like everyone is doing fine. Congrats to SKYLER for finally getting to the point in his life to graduate! and for NATALIE! Also felicidades a Sierra and Stephanie. I think Carson is in the Baltic States. That`ll be cool. Um, what else. I can`t really think of anything I need. Contact solution would be nice, also some pens. Really, I can`t think of anything else. I might end taking some money out of the card this month, so be ready for that dad. Well, no more time, love you! 

 

Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch

 

ps. cada miembro es un misionero.

 

pss. We got  a new stake president. Elder Johnson, who spoke in conference, came. He planched (chewed out) everyone for not doing family history and temple work. I am glad I am in charge of the living. ha ha ha.

Love you!

November 5th 2012

Well, I got transferred. We recieved the phone call while we where in the rain on a dirt road on the outskirts of town. I am back in Leon. My area is Hildalgo 1. I am opening the area and I was told I am training. However, comes to find out that my companion who is from the DR (Dominican Republic) didn´t get his visa. I then received a call saying that my new companion is Elder Storm. I don´t know if he is new or not. I am really sad to leave San Pancho. I had a feeling I would leave because I wanted to stay. That´s how it works. If you want to stay you usually leave. ha ha ha. 

 

Now that I am back in Leon, I am excited, but it definitely isn´t my San Pancho. No more wide open fields and the smell of the country. We also had an investigator in Church on Sunday. And the Menos Activa that I helped activate bore her testimony in church. THAT is one of the greatest gifts! It made my day! I was a little sad to leave Elder Osorio. We arrived in San Pancho at the same time, and he is one of my good friends. He is so cool. He actually went to Silia, which was where he was before. I can´t seem to get out of Leon. ha ha ha. I Love it. Also, Elder Johnson, who spoke in conference, is coming to do a stake conference here in Leon.

Well, not much to say. Good luck with everything. Sounds like you are all doing well.
I love the Lord, I love his gospel, and I love you all!

Best of luck and keep me in your prayers. I know this week might be a little rough, because I am now Senior comp and have to make more decisions. ha ha ha. great!
Love you!
Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch
Ps. Cada miembro es un misionero.

October 29th 2012

Wow, what a week. We had some pretty spiritual experiences. My comp and I did a 2 and a half hour bike ride to a ranch to visit a reference. He was really cool and he lived in Utah for a while (he has 83 years). Juan Refugio is his name. He talked about how the Mormons were so kind. Made me feel good. Then, we talked to President Del Valle about our journey and come to find out that it is in our area, but we aren´t allowed to go out there. ha haha. We did have to go back for my comp´s backpack (with permission). It was really interesting and we made good time.

 

Also, we went to visit some menos activos. One of them told us that she was actually thinking about the church that morning and how she wanted to go back, and then we showed up. It was cool, but she didn´t come to church yesterday. We also met the sister of a member and started teaching her. She does herbalife and has a shop. She committed to come to church (which was cool because we didn´t even have to ask). Well, she didn´t show up and we called to see if she was coming. Turns out that her sister, who is a member, and her went and did something else. We are going to have to talk to Maria Elena.

 The other elders had a baptism. It was really weird, but the important thing is that the ordinance happened. Umm... Basically I am loving it here. There is so much I don´t know I just need to work on it. I have found that at times it can be easy not to teach, but just talk with the people. My comp, finally got a letter from his mom, but I am still having a little bit of a rough time with him. For me I feel like it is easy to be obedient, but he struggles a bit. 

Congrats to Landon. I figured Sierra would be going on a mission. Thanks for the spiritual stuff. I am going to buy a Christmas ornament if I can. Also, I bought a pumpkin and made a jack-o-lantern. I taught my comp how to do it. As for the seeds, well we don´t have a oven. I fried a little bit of them, and the rest are in the sun drying. Well, I love you all!

The Gospel is true. I am reading Jesus the Christ and I finished Genesis as well as 1 nefi. All of the books are amazing!
Love you!
Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch
Ps. Every member a missionary (cada miembro es un misionero).
Pss. We have changes, o sea, transfers next week. I may be writing from a different part of Mexico.
And tell Joel congrats.
Love you!

October 22nd 2012

Mamá, sí leo tus cartas, solamente no tengo mucho a decir. ja ja ja. y papito, es ja ja ja no es heh heh heh ha ha ha. Well,  I love you all! Yesterday I completed 7 months in the mission and the day before my comp completed 18. It was an interesting week. We had the zone leaders come and work in my area as well as the other Elders from San Pancho. Hopefully we can do better. Then the next day we did  exchanges and I was with Elder Osorio. I love that elder! He has grown so much and is a great friend. We both have the same amount of time in San Pancho.

 

 We had an investigator and his wife come to church. It was cool, but I didn´t learn a whole lot because I was too busy keeping their little son entertained. Looking back on this week I don´t remember too much, and I need to write in my journal more often. Basically I love you all!  

 

Sounds like Mom Kait and Zach had a fun trip and glad that dad got to talk with his buds and also that Skyler is doing well. Oh, also if Zach loves all the candy shop he should come here. They just opened a new one next to my apartment and also there are a whole bunch here.

As for Christmas, I don´t know. For now I wouldn´t mind money in my bank account for when I go home. I´m going to need it. As for goods. Yes, there are a lot of leather goods here, cowboy boots, jackets, etc. Well, not much to say! Thanks for the prayers!

Love you all!

Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch

ps. cada miembro es un misionero

stay strong!

October 15th 2012

¡Por fin recibí una carta de mi hermanito! ja ja ja! Zach beer bread is great stuff! Thanks for writing and looking after Kaitlyn! ha ha ha. Sounds like there is a lot happening at home.

 

 Dad, thanks... it was a good chew out, but just remember that when you read you don´t always get the emotion as well as it is impossible to write everything. I love the mission and enjoy it. I figured that a bunch of girls would be talking to their bishops and I´m not surprised that Kami wants to go. I can think of a bunch of my friends.

 

 The mission is the best and don´t dis my Spanish. ha ha ha. It´s bad enough that the Mexicans down here make fun of my gringo accent. ;D Well, this week was just the opposite of last week lesson wise. We worked really hard  and found some good families. Even though we didn´t have any investigators at church, we did have 4 menos activos. That was great. One was Alicia. When I arrived in San Pancho her house was the first one we went to. We activated her daughter and finally she came. She is older and she falls a sleep during church. Her daughter told her to at least go and take the sacrament. Now we are working on the other daughter.

 

 We are trying to get her to do family history. ha ha ha ha! There is a dance in León, but you have to have 4 generations done. Man am I glad that I have an account. I was able to show her my account explain a little. What else... Well Elder Ruiz has stepped up. It is great to see that. Neither of us are perfect and we are both working. I just happen to be lucky to have "time" pounded into my head from working at camp and what not. 

 

Sunday was fast and testimony. I made a deal with a girl Saturday night that I would bear my testimony and she would bear hers. Then in church I was asked to help bless the sacrament. Well, that was my first time in Spanish and I feel like I did all right. I got all nervous and then after that I bore my testimony and it was a little weird (because I still had that nervous feeling). I have come to learn that the Lord makes everything great. Also, I definitely felt like the adversary was out to get us.

 

 At the beginning of the week we had a lot of close calls on the bikes. I almost walked home one day because I was sick of having to break all the time. Thankfully the Lord watches after us. 

 

I don´t know if I have described my area much. So here in San Pancho they make a lot of shoes. It is cool to see how they do it. Also they make a lot of cowboy hats and leather goods. Mexico is different than America. The roads are worse here and there are a lot of street vendors. It is super hot right now. We pay for a lot of things. The music is pretty good. They really party here. The weekends are a little sketchy. The only place I have seen drinking fountains is in our church houses. Also, for the next month or so there are going to be fairs and parties. 

 

Also, there are live wires in our apartment building... When I saw that I decided I definitely not raise children here. I really miss carpet. Everything is tile and bricks. 

 

Also, some culture info. The boyfriend buys the wedding dress and pays for all that kind of stuff. Which caused me to think that when I get home I have to start saving for a ring, which really freaked me out. I decided I am going to just stay a missionary forever. ha ha ha.

 

 Well, there is a little bit about Mexico. I love it here. Mainly I love the mission and I most definitely love the Lord I served. I have tried to make him a bigger part in this work. It is amazing how he guides his work. I have seen miracles and blessings in the past week. Well, love you all! Keep up the good work. Remember you are loved. 

 

Dad, Just think about that one time I took you down. Yup just did it. ha ha h. You better watch out. I have a six pack (some days you can see it better). ha ha ha! Love you all! Tell all the fam that!

Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch

ps. Every member is a missionary!

October 8th 2012

Dad! The fire is flickering!!!! Dad! Dad! ha ha ha ha! I love you Kaitlyn! Well, it was a good long disappointing, but not so week. First of all, we averaged about 1 lesson a day this week. Do you know how HARD that it. But we were working so hard! Then the weekend got better as we had 10 AMAZING HOURS OF LISTENING TO THE PROPHETS OF GOD!!!! I loved it. I only watched the Priesthood Session in Spanish. It was good, and I understood, but it isn´t the same. It is translated and what not. Elder Backman spent the other sessions in the office watching it. Yes, I heard about the age change, and I am so glad for it. That means more sister missionaries and possibly more elders! However, I am glad I went when I did. The experiences I had before the mission at college and camp, I feel like prepared me more. I really loved all of conference! It was so great! I am alive and doing well. I freaked out when I saw a small news report on Brigham City. ha ha ha! Cool. I even think I saw Bro. Wells, but not sure. Well, I love you all! The Gospel is true and it is great to be a part of this work. I feel more inspired after this session. Also I came to realize how blessed I am to have lived in Utah.

Sounds like everyone is doing well and what not. Keep up the good work and remember that every member is a missionary!

Love you all!

Love Elder Michael Blake Crouch

Ps.   Received a letter from Kait. If you read this, thanks.

This letter was sent moments later.

Okay, So I have been thinking. My comp is trying to do his best. I may have been a little harsh (it sounds harsher reading), but he has had some hard times lately. His mom and family haven´t written him for a whole change. He is worried about them and what not. Finally he asked President Del Valle to call them. Do you think it would be possible to write him and find other people to write him and support him?  His name is Elder Ruiz. Send him a letter if you can! Love you all!

And I got on lds. org and looked at some of the pictures of the Brigham City temple! HOLY COW IS IT SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Am excited to see it in a year and a half. Also, I hope someone recorded the thing KK and Zach were in because I want to see it.

Love you all!

Love Elder Crouch