May 15, 2012

Hello again, It was brilliant speaking to you on Sunday! I was so grateful to the family that let me use his computer. He thought it was amazing... and said that we had a great family. I love my family. Everyone is doing the right things. There are so many righteous examples around me. It makes it easier to choose the right because I know it is possible and real. Now my goal is to be my own person as well. Getting "youre just like your brothers" all through high school makes you wanna be unique. I am going to be me. I love my mission. I am living the dream. Livin' the dream. Thank you for everything. My new companion is Elder Vitorio and is from Brasil. He is a new zone leader and I am pumped to get to know him more. I like him a lot already. I cleaned the flat today and it is looking nice now. Next is the car. The boiler is getting fixed on Thursday. Oh bother... I have to exercise before I shower. That way my heart doesn't stop. I love you. Elder Krebs

May 9, 2012

Today was a busy day. I have a love/hate relationship with the city of London. I don't like being there for too long. It gets you down. We arrived about 10:00 in the morning. Elder Cameron bought a new suit to go home. He looks quite posh. Nice and slim fit... black... simple... with a bit of shine. He will dazzle the ladies. He watched The Lion King with about 14 other missionaries. They loved it. I can't believe it was a year ago that I watched it. Absolutely crazy. Yesterday... I talked to soo many people that just didn't like the Book of Mormon. One person randomly called and started off the conversation like this... "I read the Book of Mormon and I can't find anything that has to do with the Bible" I thought for a moment... then responded "Have your found anything to do with Jesus Christ?" He quickly answered. "Of course I have... the whole book is about Him."! I didn't even attempt to connect it anymore for him. I don't know how he got our phone number... but he wasn't interested in learning anything more about the Book of Mormon. I think it frustrated him that I was from America. Most people don't like that. The four people I talked to... all were too stubborn to even attempt to read and pray. They all four cited physical evidence to support their belief in God and the Bible. I strongly dislike physical evidence. The physical is deceiving, temporary and cunning. The spiritual last forever and cannot be copied, altered, or faked. I know God is real. I know He will always answer us. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. The only reason I will ever give to anyone for that... is that God has shown me by His spirit. God and Christ are separate beings... with exactly the same purpose. If we see Christ... we have seen the Father. Just as a Father wants everything and more for His children... so does our Father which art in Heaven. Life is here for us. We are to take it and learn from it. This is only the beginning. I love you all. Talk to you soon! Love, Elder Krebs

May 7, 2012

So... we are not taking a P-day today. It will be on Wednesday. Elder Cameron goes home in 9 days... so he is going into centre london to watch The Lion King. I have already seen it... so I will go work with the assistants for the day. Grab lunch with them. Glad you enjoyed your present. I REALLY miss your cooking. I think that I am getting fully frustrated with English food. I need Yellow Curry and Sour Cream Enchaladas. Stat. I will write a proper email on Wednesday. I love you and wish you all the best. Truth will prevail... it is one of our mission slogans. You are doing brilliant about not talking about coming home... but I don't know who is coming home? Chuck already came home. As for Google Hangout... I will try and talk to my host family about it. She is physically handicapped... but hilarious and well cheeky. I could use my own google account if all else fails. I love and miss you! Love, Elder Krebs

April 30, 2012

Dear Mum, It was just one of those weeks where we were working super hard and trying our best... but it seems right now that we were just planting seeds. We haven't seen any huge testimonies peak and sprout yet. It kept me in check that sometimes you've just got to work and work. It reminds me of my Grandpa. He just worked and worked. I am happy to work and work, but as long as it is not all in vain and it is for the right thing. There is no point in working hard... if you are working stupid. That is why I love being a missionary... because I know that every small thing I do will make an eternal difference in someones life. I know that if I track and contact in the rain for 3 hours and it seems like a waste of time... that it is not... and small seeds are being planted. Saturday was that kind of day. As we were walking back to the car... all wet... Elder Cameron stopped a lady. He had a fifteen min conversation with her while I ran into a investigators that we have been trying to get in contact with for ages. I sat down and had a lesson with him, and Elder Cameron said that the lady he talked to had been taught all the lessons about 2 years ago in Malawi, Africa. She can't wait to have them again. Why did the Lord wait to the very end? It is all a test. Prove me now herewith. Joseph Smith was in liberty jail for so long before the Lord comforted him. How much are we worth? What is our price? How much are we willing to sacrifice? I have some great and wonderful success stories to tell, but unfortunately they are not in the Watford area. Song is our only real investigator that is properly progressing right now. She loves the spirit she feels as she reads the Book of Mormon. As she explained it to us, she felt as though God was speaking to her through the words. On Friday she came to a missionary activity at the church and brought a friend along. We did an activity to follow the spirit and we all had a great time. The sad news is that we helped her load all her belongings into a van today because she is moving to Weymouth. It was a brilliant morning that we had together. It was Elder Cameron and I, and Sister Hally and Sister Ritchel. We shared a scripture about the Lord providing the way for us (1 Nephi 17:3), and then gave her a blessing of comfort. Afterward... she got up and said she felt so good. Her hands and body were all warm and she went around the room and shook every ones hand.so they could feel it as well. We will really miss her. She called the missionaries down in Weymouth, and I talked with them for about ten min about the whole situation. It is two sister Missionaries and they can't wait, they are going to meet her at three pm today :) I love the church and its ability to support people know matter where they are and in no matter what situation. The Branch President's name is David Levi. Do we know him? He mentioned to Song that he knows me, and he is from America. She will be baptised soon and I can't wait. I wish I could go to the baptism. About a month ago, the Sister Missionaries and us were talking outside the Library. We had an appointment in about 5 mins, and they were street contacting. A man approached all of us and said "are you mormon missionaries?". We all put on our battle armour to defend ourselves and said "Yes, yes we are". He continued to tell us how he was researching the church and really enjoyed what he was learning. He had hit a really low point in his life and got fed up with all organised Christianity. Now... about 4 years later he wrote a list of all the things he wanted in a religion. And what do you think? We hit 95% of the points... the most important for him being a lay ministry. He had been listening to General Conference online and was excited to watch the new one. He didn't want to meet with missionaries yet, and he lived in South London (ahhhhhhh!!!!), but we got his email address. I sent him a email and he wrote back saying that he had been to the Temple Visitors Centre and really loved it. He asked us if we could meet at the church on his way home from work. We agreed and met him on Monday. What annnn amazing and brilliant lesson. He talked about how he completely agreed with the doctrine and how it all made sense, he had the Book of Mormon all tabbed up. He read the entire Gospel Principles Manuel, and loved it. At the end... he noted that he hadn't prayed for 2 years... after going to many many churches and attending a Oral Roberts theology school in England. One morning he prayed to meet mormon missionaries... and that day is when he met all four of us. Just standing there talking. The Lord is so careful with all of his children. He loves us. I know it. I began reading the Book of Mormon over again and let me tell you... it is an inspired book. I recently picked up on the fact that they were in the wilderness for over 8 years. That is a long time, I would definitely have been complaining. I would complain when dad would take 8 mins to get off the computer (btw... I apologize). The only way Nephi survived is because he received his own personal revelation and direction. If we are going to survive without complaining... we must build our own bedrock of personal revelation, centered on Jesus Christ. Keep praying, Keep reading. These are the small things, but at the end, the Lord will reward you. I love and miss you all. Love, Elder Krebs P.s. Lets do the May 13th convo Christmas style. I will be able to find a computer. Hakuna Matata. P.s. The Sisters had a baptism :) It was very spiritual. I love baptisms. Elder John William Krebs England London Mission 64-68 Princes Gate Exhibition Road London, SW7 2PA

April 23, 2012

Goodness Gracious, It has been a fun fun fun week. I spent 2 days with my companion and only 3 days in my area. So things were always changing and being interesting. The week flew by and is now over. The next week is looking good. Pretty much our investigator pool is empty... people have been interested to listen... but not as interested to act. In my prayers... I am praying for people that are willing to listen and willing to act. I know if anyone listens and acts on the message we share... they will have a positive experience and will choose to follow God. I have so much confidence in the power of truth and its ability to set up free. There is so much rubbish in the world... and we are given the daunting task to sort through it all and find the truth. I know that truth has been restored... truth will prevail... and truth will go forth boldly nobly and independent. I love having a message filled with truth... I never have to worry if someone will rat me out and my secret be exposed. The gospel is pure. On Tuesday... I spent the day with Elder Young. We had fish and chips in the evening, and a chocolate fountain. I didn't eat the fountain... but the chocolate coming off of the fountain. Strawberries are my favourite. Magically delicious. Wednesday... I spent with my companion. Thursday I spent in London with Elder Solomon (one of the assistants). It rained all day... I haven't been that wet my whole mission. Friday morning my shoes were still wet... let me tell you. A terribly rubbish way to start off the day. I went straight from London... not to my area... but the Aylesbury... to have a 2 day work over with Elder Pollard from Utah. I came home Saturday night and spent the sabbath with my companion. After 3 days of not seeing him. He was stressed for having taken care of the area for three days all alone... but nonetheless happy to see me. I have been thinking alot recently about motivation. There are many types... but the most important type is love. We can do things because we have to do them, we can do things because it is our duty. But when we do things with love... it will be the most effective and efficient. If we truly love our family and Heavenly Family... then we will always be doing the right thing. As soon as we forget about the love God has for us... and the love we have for him... we will begin to fail. We cannot do anything without God. And Christ can help us to do everything. He is the way. If we love God and want to live with him... we will follow that way. In Aylesbury... we saw the most incredible miracles. First... we were able to set a baptismal date with a brazilian lady and her son. She doesn't speak much english... and I don't speak much Portuguese... but by the grace of God it worked. She knows the O livro de Mormon is true and she loves it. The restoration makes sense to her and she is really excited to keep investigating and to be baptised on June 1st. Goooo Brazilians. Second... ohhhh man. I don't even know where to begin. Ellie... she is golden. She is about 25 and from England. Married with one kid. Husband a complete atheist... but doesn't mind what she is up to. They taught her for the first time on Thursday. She accepted to be baptised on the 12th of May. She read half of the Book of Mormon. She has been praying for the right path. She found it... she loves it. Her twin sister on the other hand... only knows the mormons from big love and documentaries... which are not good. She took the mick out of Ellie all Thursday. Elder Pollard and I were teaching Ellie on Friday and in walks her sister Mel... guns a blazing. She was ubber uptight about the whole thing and was trying her best to prove us wrong. She is a Protestant... but doesn't really know what that means. She hasn't read the Bible... but believes the basics. As the lesson went on... she calmed down. She realised we were genuine and not trying to attack her sister. She began listening... and by the end... she was crying and knew it was the spirit. It was just brilliant. It was an answer to Ellie's prayers because she wanted her sister to find the way. It was the fastest on my mission that I have seen the spirit work. Ellie was testifying the whole lesson and it all culminated in an outpouring of the spirit at the end. They both came to church on Sunday and they loved it. How grateful I am to have been a part of it. The spirit was definitely the Senior companion though. wow. Just amazing. I am happy and well. Sleeping well. Wearing my retainers every night... my bottom permanant retainer keeps gettin' loose... so I decided to wear my temporary retainers more. Some of my goals right now include: Reading 5 pages of the Book of Mormon everyday... to finish by the time I get transferred in August. Being able to touch my toes. Never Praying in my bed. And reaching outward not inward. I hope I can acheive. I love you all and miss you very much. Love, Elder Krebs P.s. Still gathering to send your package Gfunk. It is a good intention that is making itself into a reality. P.s.s. I love sitting in my flat and reveling in all the glory that illuminates from my national champs shirt. No one else understands... but I do. I truly do. Tammy had a picture of the team celebrating and I didn't recognise a single face... that is a calipari team if I know one. This morning a really awesome senior missionary called and talked to me about it. His son went to duke... so they are big duke fans. He appreciates my situation. We also talked about some missionary oriented things... but the majority of the conversation was centred on College Basketball. Heh. Good thing its P-day. I wouldn't say I missed anything... I just get to appreciate it without worry or concern. Life is good.

April 16, 2012

Hi Mum, We just had a bomb Zone P-day. It was nice and sunny, and so we walked to the park in Wembley and played Frisbee like it was no ones business. Everyone wanted to play... and everyone played... and we all had fun. A miracle huh? It was very nice. Usually everyone just moans and complains about how what ever we are doing is lame. I really enjoyed it. Plus I just got to run around and relax in the sun. Just perfect. You should be driving or about to drive or traveling or something to Utah. That is great. I am glad it isn't me. How is Glen's driving? Btw... I was going to send a present... but I needed to wait until I was inspired on what to send... and now it is almost all put together. I will hopefully send in next week. I want to instigate a new emailing rule. No more making mention of how much longer I have left. It makes my stomach ill... just thinking that I have to leave. The other day... I saw an airplane flying away from me and I thought for a split second... what would I be feeling if I was on that plan and going home. It was a sickening feeling. I feel as if I am doing so much good for myself and the world right now. I hope and pray that if I go home... I will be able to continue that personally. I don't have a lot of personal drive... and so a mission has been perfect. There has always been a standard that I need to hit, and I do my best to hit it. All my energy is focused in one place... and I know without a doubt... that it is the most effective and efficient way to use my 24 hour time allocation. Not only the most effective for this life... but for the eternities. Why would I want to stop? I feel as though I wasted away most of the first 18 years of my life... and now I am actually discovering what I could be... and most importantly what I should be. Now I need to become it. Ah! There is so much to do. This past week... I was able to iron out my schedule for BYU. Work and Classes. I hope that it is not too terrible. But now I don't have to worry about anything for a while. I just get to focus, or as Elder Park would say... "Elder Krebs... we need to have a great focus". I miss him. This week was not a really outstanding or special week... but a good hard working one. I felt the spirit and we had one investigator come to church :) Thanks for all your love. I love Jeff because he humbles me. Always good to have someone like that. In Zone Meeting we talked about the difference between us and the devils. They know that Jesus is the Christ... but they do not follow him. They are not diligent and obedient. I invited them to be obedient and diligent and then said " Don't be a devil". I think that it is going to be my new catch phrase. So I give the same advise... don't be a devil. make enough evidence to be convicted as a Christian :) I love and miss you all. Love, Elder Krebs P.s. Anyone hear the conference talk on Sunday Afternoon about sending good uplifting emails and post? Heh. P.s.s. Attached is a shirt we design and are making for the zone!

April 10, 2012

Hiya Family! It is great to be able to email you today. I really apologize for not really being able to email last week. So many great things have happened and I hope that I can remember most of them. First off... Conference was just brilliant. I enjoyed Elder Oaks talk the most... it was just down my alley. Our investigators recently have been having loads of questions about the soul and the body. It is something that everyone has their different interpretations about. How nice it is to have a apostle of the Lord in the 21st century, give us clear understanding on the topic. President Monson's Sunday Morning address will be great for missionaries. Last year he talked about Temples and it was hard to share the message with investigators because their understanding is a bit limited. But this year... he basically taught the Plan of Salvation in about 15 mins. It was a plainly powerful and insightful talk. We were scared no one would come... but in the last session... 2 new investigators came. One of them was the happiest Chinese lady (Her name is Song) I found with one of the Assistants about a month ago. She called me about 4pm on Sunday and asked if she could come to the 6pm session. Our WML met her at the Library and she made it. Elder Cameron and I met with her last week and she can't wait to be baptised on the 12 of May. She is working so much and the only reason she was able to come to church is because she called in sick because she wanted to come to church very much. We talked to her yesterday and she said she wants to be baptised so she can be brothers and sisters with everyone at the church. Our ward really rallied round her and they keep her updated with texts and calls. She would be able to progress so quickly... but she is forever at work. (P.s. She liked to words to I am a Child of God, and so she made me sing it to her in the Town Centre) Another investigator named Tomonghna... he believes in everything. He has started reading the Book of Mormon daily and it makes all the difference. His date to be baptised is the 21st of April but it might need to be a tad later. He told us the other day that we need to speed things up because it is beginning to make more sense. He is from India. Song is from China. A new investigator that we had a step in this week was from Pakistan. We will invite him to be baptised on Saturday. Last Saturday we stopped a man in the street and sat down straight away with him. We taught about the apostasy and restoration, testified of the Book of Mormon and he absolutely loved it. His name is Uzz. He is from Nigeria, and tomorrow we will have a meeting at the church and will show him the baptismal font and then invite him to repent and be baptised. I love this work! Things are going just fantastic. Andy has read the standard works... but is still afraid to commit. We will stop by today to give him a blessing. He knows it is true... he felt the spirit prompting him to be baptised. We felt it together in the lesson and he said he felt it... he wants to be baptised. He is just afraid... and thinks he needs to be perfect after he gets baptised. We hate getting clean and perfect things dirty. Like a new pair of shoes... but Jesus Christ is the best shoe cleaner and and the Holy Ghost a brilliant polish. Andy will be baptised... I know it. When? I don't really know. Easter was very nice. It was fast and testimony meeting and the ladies dominated the meeting... it was very nice. Some beautifully uplifting testimonies. Elder Cameron taught the gospel principles lesson and I was asked to teach the Priesthood Lesson. I really enjoyed preparing to teach it, because it was on the Immortality of the Soul. My favourite part was making a list of things that we can do to lay up in Heaven eternal treasures. Service was the most first, and families the most important. The majority of the men in the Elders Quorum are single... and so we focused on service. The memories we make and service we render will be some of the greatest joys we can cultivate and lay up in store. Our President sent out an address from Elder Bednar about the Character of Christ. It really helped cement my ideas and recent pondering. Christ never thought inward. Even on the cross... he asked the disciples to take care of his mother... and for his Father to forgive the soldiers. How is that possible? He had the hardest week in the history of the world and now was close to death. At this point... he continued to think of others. Now... apply that to your own life. Are there times when you feel sorry for yourself? You feel like eating ice cream and watching a movie? You can't do anymore? We can do more. Always room for one more smile... and another good intention completed. If we are ever tempted to think inward... the Saviour taught us to think outward. Inward is natural. Outward is the Character of Christ. Let us all think more outward... go one step farther. As we continue to work and serve our Brothers and Sisters... we will realise that the path leads us straight to our Heavenly Home. I am staying in Watford for the next transfer with Elder Cameron. He goes home at the end of it, which is May 17th. I have never killed a missionary. And because I am killing him, I will be in Watford for a least three more months :) I am soooo lucky. There are soo many things happening... I don't want to miss it. It will be my third six month area... I LOVE being in an area for a long time. You can be much more effective. I really appreciate all the love and parcels I've gotten from the family. You are just great. I am going to attach my BYU class schedule... and I want all my siblings to check it over and tell me what they think. Tell me the little tricks to make it more enjoyable and effective. I am starting class at 8:00... and finishing about 1:00 everyday. I plan to work about 12-15 hours in the afternoon evenings. Is that good? Are there any classes that I should take that I am not? or classes I shouldn't take? Just let me know. Any clubs or activities I should sign up for and be involved in? Thank you! I love you all very much. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great week. Love, Elder Krebs