July 25, 2011

Herro,

I am really sorry to say that this will be a short email :( it is sad because I have had such a wonderful week. I am absolutely stunned how much success we are having here in grays, I'm beginning to think I'm in Brasil. I am proper boasting in the strength of the Lord today. He is helping us sooo very very much. This week we has three baptismal interviews! They all passed and we are well happy. Manchu has made some great progression and now is completely on board with the whole baptism thing :) She will be baptised on the 30th of July at 4:00. Elder Park's first baptism, you can only imagine how happy this little Korean missionary is :) We experienced two big miracles this week and thousands of little ones. The first biggy was on Wednesday. We went by to see Gloria... oh how I think Gloria is the most Golden investigator ever. It is hard to see her conversion because she was already completely converted, the only thing she was waiting for was the truth to be revealed to her. It reminds me of the scripture that Emily gave me when I left... Many are kept from the truth, only because they know not where to find it. This defines Gloria perfectly. Her only concern was about the authority and mode of baptism. On Wed. she, at the beginning, believed that the authority to baptise was in this church. She was questioning the mode. We explained it... then testified of it. At the end we asked... Now how do you feel about your date of August the Sixth... she looked at me and without skipping a beat said boldly "we're doin' it!!" ah snap! The spirit strikes again, and I love it. She is happy and loves church! She is basically a member already. Good stuff!

Now onto the second miracle :) SOOOO Hayleigh is 19 and the daughter of Theresa... Hayleigh is pumped to be baptised. She has seen how much the gospel can help... because it has helped her. Theresa is a little more skeptical, which is to be expected because she is wiser and has already been baptised. She was saying on Thursday that she knew it was true... but that she wasn't ready to be baptised. I was expecting maybe in early September. BUTTT... on Saturday. Elder Park and Elder Machen went by to interview Hayleigh for baptism :) She passed, and her mother passed and said she had prayed and received an answer to get baptised!! WAAAHOOOOOOO!!!! Hayleigh and Theresa will be baptised on August Sixth as well. I love prayer, because I know it works. I love the Book of Mormon because my daily study of it changes my day and my perspective. I am finding great joy in the work of the Lord, and wouldn't mind spending the rest of my days here. Things with Elder Park and I are going swimmingly. We wrestled the other day and I underestimated his strength... big mistake. I am now more humble. Things back home seem great and exciting! I have been praying loads for Laura and the rest of the family. Elder Park read one of the late emails last week and I was explaining the situation... so now he randomly asks me... "how is Tom Bay and Laura?" So funny and great. I know miracles come when we ask. Elder Park and I pray for them and they happen. We are moving to a point in our efforts that we will fall without the Lord... We have to pray to him to hold us up and make us fly. I cannot do this with out the strength and power of my Heavenly Father. I am nothing, but with the Lord I am everything. Wish I could explain about all the tiny miracles We have had... but maybe another day. I love you all :)

Love,

Elder Krebs

P.s. I will be in London today and will get your package :) Thank you.

July 18, 2011

Hiya!

What another great week in the service of my Lord and Saviour! They just keep getting better and better. I think one week is the best week... and then it is the next week. And now... it is this week. Elder Park and I are really learning how to forget ourselves and get to work. We had a really great experience with Gloria this week. She was progressing so very well... she properly enjoys church, loves reading her Swahili Book of Mormon (Hakuna matata is not in the Book of Mormon... so disappointing), and our visits and her answers to our questions are great! Therefore... it was time to set a baptismal date. She did not accept the first one on lines of authority and her already being bbaptized SOOO... we knew we had to teach about authority... but it can be such a hard thing to do. We don't want to tell her that her baptism was invalid, and that this is the only true church and none others have the entire restored truth... but at the same time we do want to tell her. Therefore you have to be sensitive about it and be bold but not overbearing. Elder Park and I spent the entire companionship study on an outline for the lesson... and practicing what we were going to say. I was feeling comfortable... but not completely settled. We went to her house and went through the how are yyousand niceties. THEN... Elder Park asked a super inspired question about the Book of Mormon... she answered and then in a spectacular way... the Holy Ghost told us both exactly what to say. The lesson plan was far far out the window... I think there was a dog eating it already. I felt the Spirit well strong. Needless to say because you know the result when the Spirit is the teacher and not the missionaries, but, she accepted to be bbaptizedon the 6th of Augusto. She is a great great lady... and the Spirit has entered her life. I pray she will receive that wonderful gift on the 7th of August and for the rest of her life be uplifted and edified by it.

My companion learns faster than anyone I know. I'll tell him something to try... like... vary your door approaches more to speak of more gospel truths. The next door... his approach is completely different, he is using english words I don't know and then we are inside the House teaching the Restoration. How the man does it...I do not know. The spirit is working in him as much as it is working in our investigators!

This week... I felt greatly indebted to my wonderful parents. Their example to all of their children was always positive and has changed my life. How many times have all of us walked into their room to see them both on their knees talking with our Heavenly Father? How many times did we whinge about them not letting us do something... to later find our why they said no? How much time did they unselfishly give us? Dad would go to work...only to come home and sit on his hands and knees while I tried to wrestle him and move any inch of his body. He would pay us to mow the lawn... when it was the least we could do to help around the house. I am so grateful for their perfect unity in raising us. When I would ask mom to spend the night at Andrew's she would say "have you asked your father?" and when I went to ask dad he would say "have you asked your mother?". How many times did dad force us to go clean the chapel on a Saturday morning, or to do varying types of service projects bright and early? I would complain and have a sour badattidude... but at the end... and now... I have learned the true happiness comes by serving others. I always left service projects happier and grateful for my dad who woke me up by popping my toes. Unfortunately next week... I would wake up complaining. The patience and raising me is now greatly appreciated. I love you mom and dad. Thank you for making our home a consistently Christ Centered Home. A place where we could all learn about and grow closer to our Saviour... and our Heavenly Parents. A place where I felt safe, and complete peace and love. I miss it now... but Elder Park and I sure can compete. 

This morning I asked him if he loved me and he answered quietly... "sure", my reply was "How much"... "Um... like a bean". I was aghast... "a bean", I said. His reply was "hey... that's a lot". 

 

I love my mission and I don't ever want to leave it. Today we are having a zone vs. zone futbol match! Too bad I have two left feet and am completely rubbish at futbol. Whatevs! I am a brilliant cheerleader. "GO Elder Park, you are the bestest"!

 

Thank you for all the love I get :) I am always open to Sour Skittles.

 

love,

Elder Krebs!

 

July 11, 2011

hola familia, 

I will first start by saying that this week has been the most productive and most enjoyable of my entire mission. Elder Park were working up a sweat here in the Grays area. When I first got transferred here... all the missionaries were apologizing to me and saying things like "at least you gots a Taco Bell there". I wasn't really worried about it... because I don't really believe in bad areas. It is all up to our faith and hard work. Any area will yield fruit because Christ wants His children to come closer to Him. If Elder Park and I are being obedient and working hard... we will have success. I will testify that is true, because it is happening right now. This area is doing fantastic! I am day by day being blown away by the success we are having. I'm even more blown away by how tired I am every night that I go to sleep. Our investigators are keeping our invitations and they are feeling o espirito santo. (I am trying to continue to learn Portuguese... but It is not really working very well.) We have three portuguese recent converts... all who speak little english. I speak really good half english and half Portuguese. If I am speaking and a word comes up that I know... I'll say it in Portuguese... but if not... it is back to english. They laugh at me... but understand... so it's tudo bon. I love and care bucket loads for our investigators and recent converts. More than I ever have in my mission. It is obvious... but the more I love them... the more I'm willing to help them and do everything I can to allow the Holy Ghost to work in their life. It is great... praying for love really works. The other day... I prayed for love... and immediately I had an increase of love for all of them. God is great. 
Let me give an overview of our current investigators: 

• Hayleigh and Teresa- They are miracles. Were looking for a church that was right for them. Talked with missionaries... felt a strong push to go to church. They came and thoroughly enjoyed every second... and have been the following two weeks following. Hayleigh is young... about 19. She loves to clean and reminds me of Laura. She is stuck... the Holy Ghost has changed her heart and she is intent on being bbaptizedon the 31st of July. Teresa is her mother... she has more concerns. She has mentioned that she has been hurt in the past... and has trust concerns. She thinks the 31st of July is too soon. Her mother doesn't agree with the "Mormon" church because she has no idea what it is, and won't listen to a thing about it. Other than that... they completely agree with the Word of Wisdom and do not drink tea or coffee. WAA! That is definitely a miracle. Everyone here drinks tea. It is like water. They are great... very english. Very open... we see them about twice a week and we love going to see them. Today is P-day... but we are going to see them in a little bit. Elder Park wasn't very happy about it... but it was the only time they could do it. Too bad for him. They were able to come to a members house yesterday and they loved it. Investigators in Members homes is like a home run! One of the best ways for them to realize we are normal... plus the members become attached to the investigators and help us loads more. Hayleighand Teresa are brilliant. We have high hopes for them 
• Manchu- She is basically already a member of the Ward. She has been coming for the past six months. When we moved into the area... we asked if we could meet with her during Relief Society. During the meeting... we helped her see the importance of baptism and set up to see her twice a week! It was a blessing from my Pai Celestial. She has made HUGE progression and we are stoaked about her. She is engaged to a member and has a baptismal date for the 24th of July. The only concern she has now is they we teach her all the material before her baptism. When we first started teaching her... she didn't know really who Jesus Christ was and how he could help. Yesterday we asked her... Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, your Saviour, and your Redeemer? Without hesitation she answered yes! SCore!! Even the appointment before... she was hesitating and saying she might know when she is babaptizedWe knew she had to know before... and now she does. I know the Spirit has touched her heart. We love the Holy Ghost. 
• Gloria- She is from Tanzania... and has three beautiful children. Her daughter is four and is the cutest thing ever. I had the great opportunity to sit next to her in Sacrament Meeting and play games and read books. (I'm sure the High Councillor said some great things, hehe) We met her in town center and she said she was looking for a church with a Sunday School for her children. Next thing she knew... we were in her house inviting her to be bapbaptized love letting people know exactly why we are there... we want them to be bapbaptizedcause they will feel the greatest joy and guidance in their life as a result. Boom baby! That is why I am here... to help people find joy by bringing their lives in closer harmony with our Saviours. She actually has problems with baptism because it would be her second time. We quite boldly told her the reason we asked... was because of the importance of authority. She is Lutheran and was bapbaptizedere. She is going to pray about baptism. Gloria is the epitome of humility. She loves her children and spends all her time watching after them. She told us that she is beginning to think that Martin Luther got it wrong and Joseph Smith got it right. She told us she agrees with every thing we have taught her and loves church... the only hold up is authority and being bapbaptizedgain". I love her... and her spirit is amazing. The Holy Ghost will whisper to her that this is the truth and to be bapbaptized know it. If not today... tomorrow. God is looking after her and all our investigators. Don't tell... but she is my favourite right now. 
• God be thanked for these brilliant investigators and all the help he is giving us in caring after them. My prayers are ones of complete gratitude and love. We feel greatly blessed. 

My companion is progressing so quickly. It is great to have him as a companion and friend. In a spiritual thought yesterday with Hayleigh and Teresa and the Member familia, he told them he loved me. THen very very quickly and with loads of embarrassment said... no no... I like you. It is great to know how he truly feels about me. He is still afraid of dogs and it is constant source of joy for me. On Saturday... we were tracting Dell Road. We knocked on a door and a dog started barking super loud and then ran like a bullet into the door making quite a scary noise. Elder Park RAN to the other side of the fence. I am chuckling to myself and he says "Elder... not funny. I almost took a pee to my trousers". Of COURSE this only made me laugh harder. The next ten mins was taken to explain peeing in your trouser and not taking a pee to you trousers. He has great faith and a testimony as strong as a rock. We are tearing it up hurr in grays boi! The ward better be ready for all these recent converts :) 


I love you all very very much!! 

Chow chow... 

Love, 
Elder Krebs

P.s. Elder Park loves KFC and we are going there now. I also stopped a man in town center with a Hook :) Proper legit I am. 
-- 

July 4, 2011

HIhiHI, 

how grateful I am to be able to email you today. my mission just keeps getting better and better and better. i can see more and more that the Lord is blessing me and through hard work our investigators are feeling the spirit and becoming converted. the spirit and Book of Mormon are our most powerful tools in conversion and I am trying to use them the very very best that I can. Working with Elder Park has really been good in re-applying the basics. I was getting comfortable... but now I realize why they are the basics and why we must use them. His testimony has so much power... every time her shares it with our investigators I realize that everything with be okay. Today is Independence Day!! It is interesting here... because no one celebrates it. I wonder why....... hehe. This morning I hung up a large American flag up in our window... when Elder Park saw it he said "oh no elder... thats danger". I'm not too bothered. Recently I've been thinking about how inspired our forefathers were. How much the Lord guided them... even when His priesthood was not on the Earth.  The Church of Jesus Christ needed to be restored to the earth... and the way was provided. It was even prophesied of in the Book of Mormon. I am grateful to have citizenship in such a wonderful land. I wish we were treating in better now. I believe we are forgetting how merciful the Lord has been from the beginning to our fathers. 

We had zero baptismal dates last week and now we have three. The Lord is properly blessing us. We are very excited about a mother and daughter... Hayleigh and Teresa. The daughter is reading and applying the Book of Mormon. I love it. She said she was looking at other churches but said she knew this one was the right one for her. How happy we were... right after that... someone invited us over to have dinner. Life is well good. Hayleigh has committed to be bbaptizedon the 31st of July and her mother... should follow. She has some more concerns. It was interesting. I was very very worried about the two of them. We wanted to make sure we did everything right. On Saturday night... I told my Heavenly Father exactly how I was feeling. I shared my concern and begged for help. Right when I did that... I completely became confident and changed. It was a direct answer to my prayers. To calm my concerns. The next day is when Hayleigh told us she knew this church was the true church. How grateful I am for prayer. It is becoming the most important part of my life. The other date is Mancho. She is engaged to a man in the ward... and we thought she didn't have a testimony. SOO we kept focusing on reading and praying for an answer and she would say she didn't feel anything. We kept talking to her about it and rrealizedit is because she already has here answer and knows it is true. She wants to put her faith in God and therefore we invited her to be baptised on the 24th of July and she accepted. How wonderful life is.... and how sneakily the Spirit works. 

Today to celebrate... We might go to the Only ONLY ONLY Taco Bell in England... which happens to be in our Area :) Does the Lord love me... or does the Lord love me?? Prayers do get answered.... even if they are for Fire Sauce from Taco Bell. 

Another interesting thing about England is that it doesn't get dark until about 11:00. It is sooooo weird. When we go to bed at 10:30... it is still light outside. Weird... but I like it. In the winter it gets dark at like four. I don't like winter. 

I love my family... especially my Father. Happy Birthday... a card is in the mail. I'll tell you what I like about you on that :) 

Love, 
Elder Krebs