Hello,
This was a brilliant week... we had Abana and her Daughter come to church today. We have been working with them super hard. They finally came.... and better yet... they enjoyed it. I love the Spirit at church. It is a fantastic thing to witness. I am even more excited for conference this weekend. How wonderful of an opportunity it is to hear from modern day prophets. I am especially interested to listen as the spirit will give me things to improve on. I love learning things I can improve on and become better. The spirit is the best at being able to let you know how to become more Christ-like. Today... I had a great revelation while reading the Book of Alma.
God really does produce miracles. I love Alma... In Alma 9 it says...
"And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them. Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto the words of Alma."
How often do people reject us and we accept it as the will of the Lord... but not Alma... he goes and gets some proper help.
"Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance."
He was able to beg the Lord to pour out His spirit... so they would be baptized and saved. As the Bible Dictionary says...
"Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."
I know as we wrestle with God for success... His spirit will be poured... and we will have success. Have faith that the Lord is preparing people for us... and we just have to ask for them. Sweet deal eh?
Prayer is the key to unlocking all the blessings. I love it and it is a necessary part of my life. God is great... and we need Him. We are nothing without His love and help.
I know prayer works. It is really God's way of communicating with us. I love Working for Him. When people tell me "i ain't interested mate"... I'm going to just pray... and the Spirit of God will touch them and we will be able to Baptize and Confirm them.
I know that the Church is here for one reason. To help us come closer to Jesus Christ... All my labours are to that cause. I know through Christ we can receive salvation and live with our Father and Mother. That is our unfailing source of hope. I know as well... that "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). We should always be "spiritually minded" (2 Nephi 9:39), "let the solemnities of eternity rest upon [our] minds" (D&C 43:34), and "let virtue garnish our thoughts unceasingly" (D&C 121)... as we "always remember him... we will always have the spirit to be with us". What is a better gift to have now... than having the spirit continually striving with us. From our thoughts we reap our actions, from our actions we reap our DESTINY! Let us all strive to have cleaner minds, but it makes no sense to have a clean mind, if you don't fill it with memories of Christ. He is our hope. Nothing can get us down, when we are always remember Christ. Let us serve others and keep ourselves unspotless. Life is gettin' better and better. I love being a missionary.
Love,
Elder Krebs
P.s. I saw all the pictures on Tam's blog from the funeral... the family looks great. Nice and big. Just the way we like it.
I love you all.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
September 19, 2011
Hello!!!
We just had Zone Meeting about 8 hours ago... and it was a spiritual high for me. I love feeling the spirit... I love it. It makes all my problems seem unimportant... because I realise Jesus Christ has died for me and His atonement is availiable. Jeff and Chuckles and Glen and Laura wrote me this week... and the main message I got out of their emails was Love. All in one way or another expressed how important love was and how if I get that... I'll be just fine. Love is difficult to have for people you don't know. I imagine loving these people as much as I love my father and mother... and if I loved them like that... I would try soooooo sooooo hard. Now I'm only trying soooooo hard. How do we have love for others? Studying the Atonement. Why do we have love for others? Because of the Atonement. Everything in this life has to do with the atonement. It encompasses everything.
Well... hi family. I'm currently living in Grays. It is a nasty town... and no one here ever says a good thing about it. I like it though. The Town Center is small... but that is where we spend most of our time. Elder Ireland and I have our Spirit Spot... every half an hour or so... we will go there and pray and read a scripture. Then we go back out to the wolves. The other day we had just done that... and we stopped a nice looking lady. 15 seconds into the conversation... I felt prompted to invite her to sit down for then mins and have a lesson. She accepted and we now have a return appointment with her and she seems very promising. The town centre can get very monotonous... but there are always little things to keep us going. One man always sells these toys called "wiggle wiggles"... his name is Robert and he like the missionaries. He had a little cart that he sells them out of... and he always is saying... WIggle Wiggle!! Last week he asked us if he could borrow £270, we told him that we are good at helping people spiritual... but rubbish when it comes to money. The next day... he didn't talk to us. We bought him a sandwich from Greggs... and now he is our friend again.
On Fridays... the meat cleaver is there... and has a microphone. He is brilliant. So funny.
Saturday... we watched two homeless lookin' men about to cross the street. One looked to the other and screamed... "READY!!", his Lieutenant sounded back... "REady!!" and then together in perfect unison they sounded the battle cry "GO!" and crossed the 10 foot wide street with vigour and tenacity. What bravery and courage. Elder Ireland and I... loved it. It lifted our spirits.
We live in a block our flats surrounded by other flats... there are always little African kids running around and playing. One house smokes weed on the weekends... and beer bottles abound. We are on super close to the grays wharf... and the river. It looks a little scary though... it reminds me of Tarzan. Are you sure this waters sanitary? We don't go swimming though... we aren't allowed. The Ward is great... just got a new Ward Mission Leader. He is the brother or my fathers (Elder Young) fiancee. Very english. The Bishop is fantastic... and only 29. We as missionaries have a great relationship with him... we tell him exactly what we need... and he tells us exactly what he wants and expects. Elder Ireland and I are building a really special relationship. Maybe too special... I truly love him... and we are working hard. We need to work harder... because the Lord expects it. My body is falling apart... my neck constantly hurts... and my back is usually sore. I am sleeping better though... because we got new mattresses. Our kitchen is small... but nice. Just bought a new Wok and cooking is soooo nice now. We cook some good tikka masala, and korma curries, spagetti, pasta bakes in the oven, hot dogs, sandwiches, grilled cheese, whole chickens, herbal teas, and strawberry milk. I really enjoy cooking, and want to get better at it. We don't have much time to cook... but when we do... It is Chef Krebs time.
I am really enjoying my time here in Grays. I am really enjoying being a missionary. I see all the struggles people have... and I just count my blessings because I am only worried about one thing. That one thing is our investigators. I am really seeing the benefit of thinking of others more than myself. It is just better. I feel better and happier. It helps my pride and keeps me smiling. Thank you for all your love. I just got a package from small emma... and it was filled with sour skittles... sooo nice. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Krebs
p.s. life is better when we follow the commandments.
We just had Zone Meeting about 8 hours ago... and it was a spiritual high for me. I love feeling the spirit... I love it. It makes all my problems seem unimportant... because I realise Jesus Christ has died for me and His atonement is availiable. Jeff and Chuckles and Glen and Laura wrote me this week... and the main message I got out of their emails was Love. All in one way or another expressed how important love was and how if I get that... I'll be just fine. Love is difficult to have for people you don't know. I imagine loving these people as much as I love my father and mother... and if I loved them like that... I would try soooooo sooooo hard. Now I'm only trying soooooo hard. How do we have love for others? Studying the Atonement. Why do we have love for others? Because of the Atonement. Everything in this life has to do with the atonement. It encompasses everything.
Well... hi family. I'm currently living in Grays. It is a nasty town... and no one here ever says a good thing about it. I like it though. The Town Center is small... but that is where we spend most of our time. Elder Ireland and I have our Spirit Spot... every half an hour or so... we will go there and pray and read a scripture. Then we go back out to the wolves. The other day we had just done that... and we stopped a nice looking lady. 15 seconds into the conversation... I felt prompted to invite her to sit down for then mins and have a lesson. She accepted and we now have a return appointment with her and she seems very promising. The town centre can get very monotonous... but there are always little things to keep us going. One man always sells these toys called "wiggle wiggles"... his name is Robert and he like the missionaries. He had a little cart that he sells them out of... and he always is saying... WIggle Wiggle!! Last week he asked us if he could borrow £270, we told him that we are good at helping people spiritual... but rubbish when it comes to money. The next day... he didn't talk to us. We bought him a sandwich from Greggs... and now he is our friend again.
On Fridays... the meat cleaver is there... and has a microphone. He is brilliant. So funny.
Saturday... we watched two homeless lookin' men about to cross the street. One looked to the other and screamed... "READY!!", his Lieutenant sounded back... "REady!!" and then together in perfect unison they sounded the battle cry "GO!" and crossed the 10 foot wide street with vigour and tenacity. What bravery and courage. Elder Ireland and I... loved it. It lifted our spirits.
We live in a block our flats surrounded by other flats... there are always little African kids running around and playing. One house smokes weed on the weekends... and beer bottles abound. We are on super close to the grays wharf... and the river. It looks a little scary though... it reminds me of Tarzan. Are you sure this waters sanitary? We don't go swimming though... we aren't allowed. The Ward is great... just got a new Ward Mission Leader. He is the brother or my fathers (Elder Young) fiancee. Very english. The Bishop is fantastic... and only 29. We as missionaries have a great relationship with him... we tell him exactly what we need... and he tells us exactly what he wants and expects. Elder Ireland and I are building a really special relationship. Maybe too special... I truly love him... and we are working hard. We need to work harder... because the Lord expects it. My body is falling apart... my neck constantly hurts... and my back is usually sore. I am sleeping better though... because we got new mattresses. Our kitchen is small... but nice. Just bought a new Wok and cooking is soooo nice now. We cook some good tikka masala, and korma curries, spagetti, pasta bakes in the oven, hot dogs, sandwiches, grilled cheese, whole chickens, herbal teas, and strawberry milk. I really enjoy cooking, and want to get better at it. We don't have much time to cook... but when we do... It is Chef Krebs time.
I am really enjoying my time here in Grays. I am really enjoying being a missionary. I see all the struggles people have... and I just count my blessings because I am only worried about one thing. That one thing is our investigators. I am really seeing the benefit of thinking of others more than myself. It is just better. I feel better and happier. It helps my pride and keeps me smiling. Thank you for all your love. I just got a package from small emma... and it was filled with sour skittles... sooo nice. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Krebs
p.s. life is better when we follow the commandments.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
September 13, 2011
HI FAMILIA!
It's a beautiful day today in Grays! Sunny, not raining, and its beginning to feel like home. Yesterday we received moves calls and today we have our P-day! Elder Ireland and I will be staying right together here in Grays and I am really excited to continue to learn and teach together. He has an amazing ability to have a positive attitude amidst terrible times. He will ask... what are we doing now... and I'll say... 2 more hours of street contacting... I'll hear him gasp and then say... I wonder who we will find. He is really being patient and enduring. I've attached some piktas... one of three elders at a Zone P-day activity where we had a huge water balloon fight. One of Elder Ireland and I at Westminster's Abbey... we got in for free with our ministerial card signed by President Monson. One of Isha, Abraham and me... they are the cutest kids ever. 4 and 2... I pretend they are my nieces and nephews. They are the children of Gloria Mangowi... who is from Tanzania and is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is amazing... wow. Such a golden investigator and now member. I honestly love her sooo much. We have a super strong relationship and she is brilliant. The last picture is at the baptism of Hayleigh and Theresa Deex and Gloria. It was a wonderful day... even though Elder Park was not there. Poor guy... he was torn up about it.
I am very excited for the people we are currently working with... because they are making progress. Slow progress... but it is progress. The opportunity to serve a mission is the best in the entire world. I am learning bucket loads... and... most importantly... I can see the things in my life I need to change. Attitudes... behaviors, and actions that need to go from negatives to positives if I want a happy life. One is diligence... I need to learn how to do something even when it is hard. I have learned how to work... but not from my own self will and drive. One thing that has helped me for missionary work is my love for my God... that pushes me to work now. That wasn't my drive at the beginning of my mission... it was numbers... or getting a pat on my back from the Zone Leaders. But with each area... new realizations and revelations have helped me understand that I am doing this only because of the Love I have for my Father in Heaven. I know this message will make people happy... I learned that in Hyde Park. In grays... I've learned why... because they can come to understand that they have divine potential as Sons and Daughters of God, and that their Brother has given His life for them. When we truly understand that... we will be happy in any life situation. God is our Father. Jesus Christ saved us... and now it is our decision. Will we choose life? or death? happiness or pain? I am sharing this with people to bring them joy... joy that takes everything we got. I am sharing with them the Gospel... the Good News. What is that? Is the atonement part of the gospel? NO! It is the gospel... it is the centre of everything we do. Nothing has ever been more important to us. The entire church is centered on helping us use and apply this atonement. All things lead to Christ... and Christ leads us to life eternal.
God is there... I know He is there. He speaks to me. As I am clean... His Spirit guides me. My purification is going... so so. It is hard. It is definitely helping me see how much I have to improve. I am humbled everyday as I fall on my knees and tell Pai Celestial that I can not do this by myself and I keep screwing up. Each night... He hears me. He tells me to forgive myself and to try harder tomorrow. To slowly, but surely improve... while repenting each day. I have been still making my bed... and Elder Ireland and I are "workin' out" each morning. Usually I just stretch... mmmmm. Maybe by some miracle I can get proper hench. And then people won't pick on me anymore. Tonight... Hayleigh and Theresa are taking us out to dinner... at an all you can eat Indian Restaurant. I am excited to die. There is so much to learn right now. I dropped the blinds on my nose yesterday... and it was bleeding :( I am not going to do that again. Lesson learned. My focus is I think... the best yet. Life is easier when you think about God more. The more we focus on Him... the more blessed we will be. I want to be blessed. Pretty simple.
I hope all is well! Please write me... I love hearing from my siblings. I love you alllllll :)
Love,
uncle bubs
P.s. Mosiah 1-6 :)
It's a beautiful day today in Grays! Sunny, not raining, and its beginning to feel like home. Yesterday we received moves calls and today we have our P-day! Elder Ireland and I will be staying right together here in Grays and I am really excited to continue to learn and teach together. He has an amazing ability to have a positive attitude amidst terrible times. He will ask... what are we doing now... and I'll say... 2 more hours of street contacting... I'll hear him gasp and then say... I wonder who we will find. He is really being patient and enduring. I've attached some piktas... one of three elders at a Zone P-day activity where we had a huge water balloon fight. One of Elder Ireland and I at Westminster's Abbey... we got in for free with our ministerial card signed by President Monson. One of Isha, Abraham and me... they are the cutest kids ever. 4 and 2... I pretend they are my nieces and nephews. They are the children of Gloria Mangowi... who is from Tanzania and is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is amazing... wow. Such a golden investigator and now member. I honestly love her sooo much. We have a super strong relationship and she is brilliant. The last picture is at the baptism of Hayleigh and Theresa Deex and Gloria. It was a wonderful day... even though Elder Park was not there. Poor guy... he was torn up about it.
I am very excited for the people we are currently working with... because they are making progress. Slow progress... but it is progress. The opportunity to serve a mission is the best in the entire world. I am learning bucket loads... and... most importantly... I can see the things in my life I need to change. Attitudes... behaviors, and actions that need to go from negatives to positives if I want a happy life. One is diligence... I need to learn how to do something even when it is hard. I have learned how to work... but not from my own self will and drive. One thing that has helped me for missionary work is my love for my God... that pushes me to work now. That wasn't my drive at the beginning of my mission... it was numbers... or getting a pat on my back from the Zone Leaders. But with each area... new realizations and revelations have helped me understand that I am doing this only because of the Love I have for my Father in Heaven. I know this message will make people happy... I learned that in Hyde Park. In grays... I've learned why... because they can come to understand that they have divine potential as Sons and Daughters of God, and that their Brother has given His life for them. When we truly understand that... we will be happy in any life situation. God is our Father. Jesus Christ saved us... and now it is our decision. Will we choose life? or death? happiness or pain? I am sharing this with people to bring them joy... joy that takes everything we got. I am sharing with them the Gospel... the Good News. What is that? Is the atonement part of the gospel? NO! It is the gospel... it is the centre of everything we do. Nothing has ever been more important to us. The entire church is centered on helping us use and apply this atonement. All things lead to Christ... and Christ leads us to life eternal.
God is there... I know He is there. He speaks to me. As I am clean... His Spirit guides me. My purification is going... so so. It is hard. It is definitely helping me see how much I have to improve. I am humbled everyday as I fall on my knees and tell Pai Celestial that I can not do this by myself and I keep screwing up. Each night... He hears me. He tells me to forgive myself and to try harder tomorrow. To slowly, but surely improve... while repenting each day. I have been still making my bed... and Elder Ireland and I are "workin' out" each morning. Usually I just stretch... mmmmm. Maybe by some miracle I can get proper hench. And then people won't pick on me anymore. Tonight... Hayleigh and Theresa are taking us out to dinner... at an all you can eat Indian Restaurant. I am excited to die. There is so much to learn right now. I dropped the blinds on my nose yesterday... and it was bleeding :( I am not going to do that again. Lesson learned. My focus is I think... the best yet. Life is easier when you think about God more. The more we focus on Him... the more blessed we will be. I want to be blessed. Pretty simple.
I hope all is well! Please write me... I love hearing from my siblings. I love you alllllll :)
Love,
uncle bubs
P.s. Mosiah 1-6 :)
September 5, 2011
Hi,
This week has been a nice boring, normal week :) Kinda.
We have been going on a couple what we call work overs... where we switch with other missionaries. I went on 2 this week and one last week. One this week was with Elder Avanesyan, he is one of the Assistants right now. About six months ago... he was my senior companion. He is one of my favorite missionaries and I love serving around him. We just did work in London and really tore it up! I love it. I love him... too bad he goes home in one week. Pretty much 60% of the mission has gone home. We have some really under prepared missionaries doing some really hard tasks! It is crazy... but they are really enjoying it. I basically don't know anyone in the mission and am basically one of the oldest. I am blown away.
This week... I am fasting to start something we call... purification! I am extremely excited. I am finding all the things that could potentially hold me back from having the spirit... then for forty days... I'm not going to do any of them. It is going to be a great opportunity for me to "cleanse" my soul and become a proper place for the spirit to reside! One of the things on the list is always being positive and never saying negative things about people or situations! Just yesterday as I began... I felt sorry for Elder Ireland that he had to be around me and put up with my whinging. This next week is the last of the transfer and it will be a great one. I am already feeling the spirit much stronger and cannot wait to be completely guided by its sweet, and quiet voice. I know Jesus Christ died for us.
Sorry this week is short... time is short... too much work to do. I love you and wish I could be with you all.
Love,
Elder Krebs
P.s. My trainer... Elder Young is gettin' married on October the 8th. His fiancee lives in Grays and I should stay here this next transfer! That means I could attend his wedding :) I love it.
This week has been a nice boring, normal week :) Kinda.
We have been going on a couple what we call work overs... where we switch with other missionaries. I went on 2 this week and one last week. One this week was with Elder Avanesyan, he is one of the Assistants right now. About six months ago... he was my senior companion. He is one of my favorite missionaries and I love serving around him. We just did work in London and really tore it up! I love it. I love him... too bad he goes home in one week. Pretty much 60% of the mission has gone home. We have some really under prepared missionaries doing some really hard tasks! It is crazy... but they are really enjoying it. I basically don't know anyone in the mission and am basically one of the oldest. I am blown away.
This week... I am fasting to start something we call... purification! I am extremely excited. I am finding all the things that could potentially hold me back from having the spirit... then for forty days... I'm not going to do any of them. It is going to be a great opportunity for me to "cleanse" my soul and become a proper place for the spirit to reside! One of the things on the list is always being positive and never saying negative things about people or situations! Just yesterday as I began... I felt sorry for Elder Ireland that he had to be around me and put up with my whinging. This next week is the last of the transfer and it will be a great one. I am already feeling the spirit much stronger and cannot wait to be completely guided by its sweet, and quiet voice. I know Jesus Christ died for us.
Sorry this week is short... time is short... too much work to do. I love you and wish I could be with you all.
Love,
Elder Krebs
P.s. My trainer... Elder Young is gettin' married on October the 8th. His fiancee lives in Grays and I should stay here this next transfer! That means I could attend his wedding :) I love it.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
August 29, 2011
Dear Momma,
This week has been a interesting one. I lost my rhythm... I don't know why... but it happened. BUT... I feel like I have gotten in back. Yesterday was a great Sunday, and I received loads of revelation at Church and felt the spirit really really strong in two appointments after church. I made a succulent spaghetti bolognaise, and it was well tasty. I am learning to love cooking. As a missionary... cooking is interesting because you never know when you are going to eat. This week four dinner appointments cancelled... so we did a lot of cooking. I went on a work over with a brazilian as well and he ate about 50% of our P-day shopping. Work overs have been some of my favourite missionary activities, to see how others work and learn from them. There are sooo many missionaries from all over the world here. I have had, 3 American companions. That is super cool... especially since I have had around 9 companions. Companions from Armenia, Canada, England, and Brasil. Oh... and South Korea! I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from different cultures.
I am grateful to be separated from the world. There are many many things going on that I'm not aware of and I love love love it. Focusing on the Gospel of Jesus Christ is wonderful. I know that through our Saviour, we can make it straight back to our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for such a dynamic and faithful family. Your examples to me are invaluable. I can see your desire to follow the example of Christ, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost gives almost silent promptings at times... so small and fleeting. As we develop a ear to hear... we will be directed and guided. What are we listening for? The Holy Ghost? Kentucky Basketball? iPod touch? The scriptures tune our ear to hear spiritual messages only available to those on the right station. I am absolutely in love with the scriptures right now. The light that we can obtain from them in incredible.
This morning I did a study on Love, and learned that I need a lot more love. Moroni teaches us to pray for love, and be filled with it. Nephi teaches it is a requisite to eternal life. King Benjamin teaches us to show our children love and teach them to love one another. Alma teaches us about singing the song of redeeming love. The book of Moses tells us Zion will include one heart. The Lord teaches us the missionary work is to be done with all our heart, and love. The Saviour taught us the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, and the second is like unto it... to love thy neighbor AS thyself. I testify that love is essential to missionary work. As I love the people I'm teaching... I'll do everything I can to help them. If my heart is not in it... I frankly am just doing it out of responsibility and faith. When love is applied to our work... it will be effective and efficient. Loving others as ourself is difficult. Something we definitely need to strive to achieve. If any of you feel that you have... then let me know how. Christ, as always is the epitome of love. He was constantly serving others... which is the fruit of love. He expressed through the Atonement, the supreme act of love. Nothing I can or ever will do, will repay Him for that love. The only thing we can do... is come with a broken heart and contrite spirit... and hand our will over to His.
I know the Funeral was a wonderful experience. I am sad to have missed it. I don't think that I'll need the CD of the service. It will probably not be the best for me. The death of my beautiful grandmum was hard enough already. I am beginning to find my rhythm again. The CD might throw it off. And I gotta keep my rhythm, cause I won't stop dancing. And It is some ugly dancin' when I ain't gots no rhythm. I would love one favour though! Can I have the areas of Nigeria that Grandma and Grandpa served? I am teaching about 5 nigerians right now and tell them a lot about my grandparents. I want to know more :)
I am happy to be on my mission. I would rather be here than any where else. Our recent converts are doing great. In our Ward this week... there were only 37 people. Total. BUT... all of our recent converts were there... and Hayleigh gave a talk. Brilliant. So did Elder Ireland :) He is doing great... and we have loads to talk about. Pageant, Brian Regan and the Gospel. SOo nice.
Thank you for supporting me. Thank you... thank you. I love you.
Love,
Elder Krebs
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