Elder Cramer looks forward to his final two weeks of love and service

Wow we have the best looking family around I'd say :) And there are so many events that will be happening that our lives will be spinning I feel like. Tell Bre that those ribs look scrumpcious. I am ready to work again. I also am interested in applying for GNC so I can start putting my foot in the door with nutrition. Sister Norma that was baptized worked at GNC in the USA and I am going to ask her this weekend in general conference what she did and all of that jazz.  And I don't know that missionary but maybe I have seen him in the MTC when I was there! How is the work going for our ward?  It'll be fun to start to prep Kolten for his mission and all of that as well. What a blessing. I have plans to go out with the missionaries.. (along with Ryan) so he can be a great missionary. This is the work of the Lord. I know it. And I will work my pants off so that I can give fruit of repentance :) General Conference will give me a lot of answers to my prayers I feel like this week.  This week is busy because today is pday, then tomorrow we have a multi-zone conference with President, then a zone capacitation on Wednesdaye, then Thursday and Friday are normal, then General Conference basically all of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:O I will be receiving a lot of instrucctions! :D

I love you guys. Elder Cramer

I baptized Hermana Norma Ofelia Vargas Martinez on Saturday. She is the person that dreamed about me and so she asked if i could baptize her. It was special :) 

 

 

My companion, elder vega, and i playing with the balloons that you gave me for my birthday :)

Logan will be coming home April 17th

hahaha that is awesome! :)

I didn't even know the date yet I was thinking the 10th but even better the 17th :) But yeah 7 weeks seems like such little time when you really think about it. I am trying to give it all on these last few days. I am still with Elder Vega for at least 4 more weeks. I finished his training now so that should be fun because we can leave the house at 11am instead of 12 in the afternoon :) I hope we can see a lot of success. The ward is starting to progress here because when I came we had only 70 members going and now this last Sunday we had 100 that was awesome to see :D We are working a lot more with the members and so that is always more fun to have the support and those wonderful testimonies that come as we teach families! I really want to try and baptize a family before I go.. That would be awesome :D But I feel like I am really enjoying the mission and I am trying to be perfected in Christ (using the atonement :D)

But I am going to send a few photos of what has been going on with me.. Here are two stories that have really impacted me this last 2 weeks.

1) While I was in the church in the 2nd hour.. A lady named Norma asked me a kind of odd question.. She asked me "Do you like football?" I answered a little off guard "Yes I used to play American football.." Then she sat back in her chair thinking. Later on in the class we were talking about the spirit.. She raised her hand and said.. "I know the spirit exists.. 3 months ago when I was in Colorado, USA I had a dream that I was in this exact room and I talked to this Elder (pointing to me) and I saw his face and he told me that he liked football and then he gave me a treasure that was more beautiful than any other treasure." 

That almost made me cry when that sister told us all that. Just by being here in the exact moment I had answered a dream or something. Now this investigator (that is taking the lessons with the other elders) has a baptismal date and told me that she know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ.. :) 

2) The other story is that we were walking to our house the other day a little down because an investigator just got done telling us that she is 100% Catholic and the church doesn't interest her. And then we heard a noise coming from a window and a lady that was in a wheel chair was trying to get our attention. She explained "I was just praying that God would send me my angel missionaries again because I was going to the church before in another place and I felt so alone.. I cannot move, I cannot do anything and I felt prompted to come to the window and wait. Now that you are here when can you visit me and help me go to church again?" We felt the spirit once again and I know God prepares the hearts of the people when we are trying to live worthily!

Photos

Here is the one with the woman who had the dream.

Here is a photo of a family that we are teaching. They were going to the church in arizona before. Karla and he little daughter went to church on sunday with us! :)

Here is an active family that always helps us with the work!

Last night we have an alacran (scorpion) in our house haha. It made me double check the house to make sure there are no more lurking around! Here is a picture!!

 

Here is a photo of a family that helps us in the work as well and on the right side is Hermana Nancy that will be reactived this next sunday when she goes to church! 

 

Some photos from 2/24/14

Some Valentines photos

A fishy photo - is Logan really eating fish?

 

January 13th - I Know This Is The Truth and I Want to Work Hard To The End Of My Mission

Buenas tardes mis amigos!

This week was really good because we found a few new families to teach and we found a house to change into so we should be changing houses on Wednesday if all goes good as planned! We had a meeting with all our our council of the 2 stakes in Durango and with President Flores and with Elder Lopez of the 70. They are really pushing the wards to work harder and to fill our agendas with people to teach. We are trying to raise the bar of lessons we teach to be able to baptize every week. That is the new goal for the mission. It will be hard but i know we can do it if we all work together! I had exchanges for one day and we contacted a woman that asked us about the church. We taught her the Restoration and she understood it a ton! She was like "oh so Joseph Smith received the keys that Pedro had before he died." and she accepted a baptismal date for February and she committed to go to the church. I felt the spirit real strong and I knew all that what we are teaching is true. Too bad it was for the other area! But she did go to church on Sunday and her 2 nieces as well. It was rewarding to see even though it was not for our side of the ward! :)

But this week we want to move in, make a lot of new investigators and more than anything help them go to church to feel the spirit and prepare to be baptized. One companion that was in the Missionary Training Center with me said that the offices told him that the day we leave is the 10th of April. That is not confirmed but that is what day I am thinking that I will be coming back. Just in time to see the little guy (Vanessa's baby)! :)

I know this is the truth and I want to continue to work hard and have success and do the best that I can!!

Elder Cramer

December 16, 2013 - Worn shoes

(My new companion)
 

Buenas tardes!

I found out that today is a normal prep day but the next two prep days will be on Tuesday :)

I received my new companion. His name is Elder Vega and he is from Vera Cruz. And he is a big fella with a big heart to be honest. He is trying really hard to be a good missionary and what you inspire to become, you eventually become :)

I was trying to work hard and to have a lot of lessons this week, a lot fell through, but that is okay, gotta stay positive.

We had our Christmas activities this week in our 2 zones here in Durango. President came and we did a gift exchange, we ate a yummy comida, we watched Despicable Me 2 (So funny), and then there was a small talent show. But the best part was what we did as a district in the morning. We visited some of our investigators or less actives and we caroled to them so that was really special. And I still don't know the Christmas plans yet because I have to find some members with internet and a camera to skype. We have only 2 members on our side so I have to do some investigating for sure.

Ryan grats on the green belt! Your training looks like Billy Mays!

Vanessa grats on eating the most food in world history!

Keep up the good work being a missionary family! Love you

(My destroyed shoes)

December 9, 2013

Buenas Noches,

Sorry that I am writing super late. It is because I had to come back to Torreon to get my new Elder for the mission to train him so we had to take a 3 hour bus and now we are going to sleep here in the mission home and receive capacitation and then tomorrow 3 hours back to our area. But I did receive my birthday present and I loved it! Here is a photo with my ex companion and I (Elder Marquez, but i was only with him for 2 weeks and now I am training the new Elder named Elder Vega) But it was a lot of fun and I know I have the best family! Last week I showed our bishop the page on lds.org de apresurar la obra. I hope that it helps him have a little bit bigger view on the work and how we need to work together! But that is what I want more than anything dad. To have some converts that make it to the temple.. That is the best feeling! And I don't have plans yet to talk (on skype) but I will work on that this week to try and obtain where and when and what time to do all of that! But just a little reminder that this next Monday will not be our preparation day, but it will be next Tuesday for a few reasons. that will happen for 2 weeks so expect to receive my emails on Tuesday for 2 weeks only! and I will try to get all of the information for Christmas and all of that jazz. How did Ryan play his trombone? Did he sound like a dead cow when he first started playing? Thanks again for the birthday gifts and keep preparing Kolten for his mission!  DO you guys as a family have a list of loved ones you want to help? Do it for family home evening and talk about what you can do each week to help them prepare to be taught by the missionaries (Inviting, planting seeds, giving them things to read...)

Pictures of birthday package with his ex companion and with his new companion.  Missionaries are not supposed to have mustaches!! (they are fake)  ha ha

Lo haran?

Elder Cramer

December 2, 2013

Hey family!

Wendi is an investigator that we had so special (along with her mom Claudia, her sister Yareli) they will be baptized this saturday that is coming up in my last area.. I am sad that I will not be there for it but I know they will be wonderful converts to the Lord! And yes call them because I already told them that you would give them a ring. They are so sweet and before I left I gave them a hymn book and the principles of the gospel book :) They are the best. But this week here in the Guadelupe ward of Durango, Durango was really good and there are a lot of good people that we are teaching. The only hard part is that they live a little far away from the church so it basically is a sacrifice to go to the church every Sunday for the members and the investigators. We had 5 in the church this week but we are trying to work with a few families that we have just found to go and find out if the church is true! :) 

And tell Breanna to be friends with Wendi because she is a sweetheart! she is like 16 years old also and is such a delight. The conversion of this family is amazing. :) It will be a story to tell. But I bet Nessers is getting bigger and that will be so much fun to see her baby in April! I think I will just barely beat the baby to the USA haha :) Next week I will be getting my new missionary to train supposedly so that will be fun to train again :) Right now I am with Elder Marquiz and he is way cool as well. We are having a lot of fun :) and no I have not receeved any packages or letters and I will not receive them until President comes or something like that because the offices are in Torreon not in Durango :O But they will come! :)

I miss you all and know that I love you :)

Here is a picture of me one of these days of the week because I got sick because of the cold weather. It looks like I was a drug addict :O

 

 

November 25, 2013 letter

Hey family!

The news that I have for you is first.. I'm old and the second is that I had transfers today and I got sent close to my first area! I am in Durango Durango again living in a Colonia named La Victoria if you want to look it up. I am with an Elder named Elder Marquez and I will be with him for 2 weeks to learn the area and then I will be training a new missionary here. I am no longer zone leader after 6 months of doing that.  It feels odd just looking after 2 missionaries and not having to do a lot of reports. How odd :) But this last week I did 4 intercambios (interviews) with the missionaries to try and get them excited because 2 of them in 2 weeks are going to their house and the others we just had to visit because they were our district leaders. But I really enjoyed the area of San Luis for 6 months. I am not going to be able to see my 3 converts get baptized on the 7th but I got to spend my birthday with them as they got me a cake and it was wonderful! I love them. It is funny how much the Lord blesses me here on the mission. This last Saturday we had a conference with President Flores and our Seventy about the interviews that the members should be doing and that he wants them to start over and do it again. And then the Stake Conference on Sunday and we as missionaries sang as President Flores gave an outstanding talk. He always has so much spirit Ibet you 700 pesos that he will be a Seventy in the near future. He will end his mission in July so his time is also coming to an end. I learned so much from him. I love the mission and I thank you guys so much as my family for being there to support me. I hope Ryan and Carli are still preparing to go out and pronounce this grand gospel!

I love you all a ton and I will let you know how this week went for me here in Durango, Durango :)

Elder Cramer

Birthday photos

November 18, 2013 letter

Thanks for the birthday wishes!!!

I feel old haha. (21 this year)

And I did not have transfers yet because they are this next Monday that is coming up. So who knows:)  I kind of hope they don't change me for 2 more weeks because then I will be here for the baptism of cCaudia and her 2 daughters. They are super special :D But if not well at least I could see the conversion of them and feel Gods love for them! :) I will attach a photo of them and my companion. I saw the vid of the YMCA. What a treat to have Ryan and his friend there. Actually I knew every child there except one because of swim lessons. :) It made me miss working with the swim kids! But we had intercambios (meetings) with the assistants last week and it was nice to get another perspective on things. He showed me a talk that really helped me understand what is grace. It is called "His Grace is Sufficient." I bet dad will like that a lot. It changed my mind set a little bit :) 

How is the YMCA fundraising going? How is Ness and Curt doing as they prepare to be parents!! :) They are so ready and the baby can ride Macy like a horse to the church and things like that :) But I am glad you are all okay with the tornado! I bet the work out there is just zooming. I am excited to get involved when I get back. Just a few more weeks and then we will be skyping! I don't know where I will be so I cannot make arrangements yet, but as soon as I know I will let you guys know! Here is a photo! 

Elder Cramer

Nov. 4 and Nov. 11, 2013

Hey hey my growing family!

This week was nice because we have found a few new families and that is making me excited. And the ward is in a moment of transition. It is because a lot of people are used to the way of the work of the Lord where the missionaries do everything but these times are changing and when we get to work together there will be so many that come to the knowledge of the truth. But until then we are trying to put down the building blocks for this ward and zone. We baptized this week also Nacho! He and his family have to wait a year and then they can be sealed in the temple! That will be a wonderful event for sure. :) I confirmed him a member this last Sunday and it was my first time doing that as well. I have done so many things for the first time in the gospel but only in Spanish. It will be odd doing them in English. I will attach a few photos. My companion is named Elder Arvizu and we get along really well. And I have been in this ward for 5 months now. I think in a month or less they will send me to a new area to know it and then maybe I will train for the last 3 months of my mission. And if not that is okay also. I have been in the ZL council for 5 months now. Wow time goes fast. and no I have not received the package yet but when it gets here it gets here :) And let Jacci and her husband know I love them and I am so happy that they got baptized! How is Grandma Kay holding up? I got a birthday card from Debster so that was so nice to here from them! Gotta love those guys. And Vanessa looks like she is doing a professional photo shoot there. What a nice job I bet she did. 19 baptisms is a ton. What are you guys doing to find people to teach? How many missionaries do you have?

I really like a lot of scriptures. I really like in Chapter 14 of John. verse 21.. I know that God loves all of his sons and daughters but this scripture says that there is a special love for those that obey God.. and He will manifest himself to them... that is remarkable to me. At least that is one of the scriptures that has really hit me lately. Tell me what you guys think about it. Tonight you should watch the Gorbon B. Hinckley movie... it made me cry.. I love that man.

But here are a few photos of the baptism and my companion :)

 

Nov. 11, 2013

 

Hey family! (Including Grandpa Paul and Grandma Nancy)

I am stoked for that news ness gave me. I have been pondering when the time will come that I can teach some little dudes or dudets in our family the ways of life :) And it sounds like this week has been a delight with Applebees and Pink Walruses and baby announcements and photo parties. The fam is a hoot! But tomorrow we have to give a zone capacitation and then we have a special meeting with our zone and president on Thursday followed by another meeting with Presidente Flores and our Stake President in the night time. So this week will be fun again. It is neat to see how the work changes so much like it seems now we are focusing all of our efforts on the members again as we now have instructiones to visit and teach all of the lessons to our 12 members of ward council so it will be nice to get to know the members more here in San Luis. I am going on 5 months in this area. Time flies for sure. My companion is Elder Arvizu and he is from Mexico City as well. It is neat to see him again because he started his mission a year ago and we were in the same ward as I was in La Rosa 1 and he opened La Rosa 2. So we get along really well. The members are starting to kick things into gear and are beginning to work again. Which is a good sign for us. And that is awesome that our ward is baptizing like machines! What a blessing to have a lot of fruits in our ward. If all goes well we will be baptizing again this Thursday with a young man of 11 years in hopes to prepare his family to be sealed in a year. I will send photos.. And the photos that you sent me won't display so if you can send them again that would be great. And the video that ness sent me doesn't work either so that was a bummer but I am still super happy. We found a new family this last week and yesterday She went to the church with her 6 year old daughter. She said she liked the church and has a lot of questions and that is great to hear as a missionary because it means she wants to know the answers. 

But I am doing great here and know that I am working hard to return with honor!

1. In Zone leader council we bought presidente sone cakes for his birthday

2. Helping a sister in the ward with Tamarindos covered in sugar to sell

3. Same...

4. Enjoying the end product

5. I found a tumbleweed haha

 

 

 



Oct. 14 & 21, 2013 Letter

Oct. 21, 2013

Hey family!

I cant believe little beanie baby is 16 years old haha. I never saw a bill to pass in order to give her permission to do this. I veto'edd that! >:) haha but I am proud to be a member of such a good looking family. Everyone seems to be falling in the right places in the Cramer family puzzle. And yes if I can I think it would be better to be on the fall/winter track as well. And I promise you mom I will spend less time under the bed and more time in the library hitting the books haha. Like I mentioned to mom we have a baptism this week for a less active family that reactived and we are going to baptize her 13 year old son and his 8 year old brother. They are basically pros and Jose acts alot like Ryan I think in many ways haha. Today we had  zone activities and President came so I had to guard him in basketball. Not really but he is good at basketball for an old guy ha. His power doesn't only come from the gospel. So that was really fun and now I am pretty wiped out haha. We had interviews this last week as well and afterwards President bought us tacos and it was nice to get to know him more on a personal level.. This Sunday we are going to do something that I have never done before.. Our Stake President asked us to teach all of the bishops in our stake. So President Flores, my companion, and I will be teaching all of the bishops this sunday about obedience and that when God commands we obey. So that will be a once in a lifetime experience I think haha. I have never taught with President Flores so I am stoked. But thanks very much for the fitness stuff. I am starting to lose weight again like I hoped I would :) Gotta be fit like the rest of the fam. But good job mom with the job! You will do great! And wow I will be seeing you guys in 8 weeks and one month from today (skyping for Christmas) I will be an old man of 21 years old.. Weird. :( 

Oh well haha

Have a wonderful week and remember the challenge Ballard gave us. A friend or family before christmas!

Elder Cramer

October 14, 2013
Hey hey!

The zone is doing good right now. We have 2 ex zone leaders that are training and they had to talk to us yesterday because they want help to stay focused on the mission. It is such a weird period when someone will be leaving the mission it seems because you are in the middle of thinking about yourself again and focusing on the mission. But they can call us whenever they need to. This week we will have interviews with President and that will be fun to be close to him. I thought I was going to get transferred today but another 2 weeks at least here in San Luis with Elder Nuñez. So I am going to try and find some new investigators this week! That is the goal. :) We have a family that was less active and in 2 weeks we are going to baptize Jose because he has not been baptized yet so for that I am grateful! That is the goals for right now. We are trying to stay focused and also we will be opening another area in 2 weeks. Valle Verde 3 so they will have 6 missionaries. We will see how that turns out ha :) That is great that you could go out and spend time with the fam dad! Did my tape come for Jackie yet? I miss you guys and I want you to know that I love you all.. :) Lots of hugs and make sure to let Kolten. Jackie. Scott know that I miss them all too.

Love elder cramer

Wow... Conference was a blessing :)

I got to see every meeting of conference except the one for the women obviously.. which I will download later on to hear. My two favorite talks were about the African 70 Dube or something like that about not looking back and that we need to take our covenants seriously and that it is not enough to say that we have accomplished this or that but what is important is what are we doing right now. Also the other talk with Elder Uchtdorf about joining us and that the church requires so much of the members but it is the only way because God requires our hearts. I loved that he said the church is perfect but the membrs are not and never will be because I was thinking that in Ephisians it says that we have a church function to be perfected in Christ so that is the whole reason we have a church. Really I loved every talk because I took 13 pages of notes and a lot of their messages struck me. When Elder Eyring talked about the boy in prison and the mother questioning God, it made me cry. God loves us so much sometimes we don't even realize it.. What blessings. I was sad that conference ended because now I have to wait 6 more months for the next one. 

This week we had exchanges with the assistants and I learned a lot from Elder Tarrega. We also had our zone leader council and we learned lots in regard to studying for our investigators to transfer the spirit to them. Did my tape for Jackie arrive? How is the family? I am so jealous of Carli because I want to go to conference! Actually I have a goal for our family that we can all go together, and if that is impossible at least Ryan, dad and I together like a priesthood party. I bet it was great to go to priesthood with Ryan for the first time! What a blessing to have a dad that honors his priesthood. Ryan be grateful because I now know a ton of people that do not have that blessing :) I liked that it talked about how much the women in our lives also play such an important role for the priesthood. Really a priesthood holder is nothing without his wife and support like Thomas S Monson was telling us. What a grand testimony our prophet has about the plan of salvation. Je knows he will be with his wife again. This is the church of God there is no doubt! (EXCLAMATION MARK) I will doubt my doubts before I doubt my faith :D Thanks for being such an excellent family and I will be so happy when the day comes that we can do the work for Aunt Inez. she will accept the truth lickity split! Keep working in the truth and do what Elder Ballard invited us to do. EVERY MEMBER has to invite someone before Christmas... Keep it in your mind that those 10 investigators can be 20 and 10 baptismal dates. Don't conform yourselves :)

Love Elder Cramer 

P.S. I got to watch it in English hehe :)

September 30, 2013 letter

hey hey hey hey :)

Wow how fantastic that you were able to baptize someone dad. I bet it reminded you of your mission a tad huh? Are all of his kids baptized already as well? If not you have some more work to do for sure. And how many missionaries will you have in the ward then? Is the Spanish branch also increasing a little bit? What are the stake goals that you have put with President? Thanks for sending those things as I want come home a spiritual and physical giant :) At least something to start out with. I am trying to prepare a lot of people for the gospel. I am talking to like 10 friends every Monday and trying to fit in small reminders of God every time. Graham really needs some help these days. He moved back in with his mom because she had a heart attack and I think it would be worth it to try and teach him again.  He would make a great person to be baptized because there are a lot of things he would like to change about himself and he doesn't know how. He needs the plan of salvation. se le encargo :)  How is Jackie doing anyways. I have emailed her like 3 times and she doesn't have time for me apparently. No I bet she is busy. Let Kolten know I am stoked to help him prepare for the mission along with Carli. We can go out with the missionaries and teach a bunch of our friends. It'll help him a lot I think. And our zone capacitation was really good I think we are always focusing on practices now and President really focused about getting along with our latino companions because sometimes the culture differences don't help us have the spirit with us but I don't have a problem with that at all. I have loved all of my companions. The trick that I try to use is what dad told me like a year ago, trying to find out why God put with him and what can I learn from him and I try thinking.. if he were my wife (this is really hilarious, oh Logi) what would I do to serve him? so that is what has helped me haha. Tomorrow we have exchanges with the assistants and then this Thursday we have zone leader council. Then 2 weeks from today we have changes so who knows what will happen. You should also give a calling to your new member there because I feel bad for alot of new converts here because our ward council doesn't do anything and we have 6 recently baptized priesthood holders and each without callings... :( Sometimes I feel this ward doesn't want to grow. But we are trying to help them. At the meeting we had with President Flores and our Stake President Jasso, we set some goals for him and to try and get the work going.  I felt like I was helping a lot of people in that meeting and it is fun working with the big hot shots haha :) I hope you are all doing wonderful and I am looking forward so much to seeing the prophet. Today we have a family home evening and a less active that we are teaching,  is going to invite 2 friends that went to church yesterday! So we are excited :)

Elder Cramer

September 23, 2013

hey family!

This week was a good week and we are excited because we received sisters in our zone and now we have 18 missionaries in our zone. Almost everyone is training except 3 pairs in our zone so there are a lot of new missionaries and it is fun to be a part of such a wonderful army of God. This week was a pretty hard week because this last Friday my companion woke me up because he was in a ton of pain and I didn't know why he had so much pain... I gave him a blessing and we called the President's wife for medical help. She didn't know what it was either so we rushed to the hospital at 1:00 in the morning and they hooked him up to a bunch of machines and it turned out that he had a kidney stone that was causing him so many problems! So they had to do an ultrasound like if he would have been pregnant and a few other tests. So we slept in the hospital that night and in the morning they did more tests and he started to get better. I slept 3 hours that night. And we could finally leave the doctors office at 5 pm the next day. We ate and then we slept the entire day of Saturday until Sunday morning. We slept like 2 bears for 13 hours. It was an odd situation I can assure you. But it made me realize how much I appreciate my companion and it made me think someday I will be in the hospital taking care of my family and all that. 

 

Because of all of the chaos we didn't have many investigators in the church so this week we are going to be focusing on getting them to go to church. If they don't ever go to church they can never get baptized! Also this Thursday we have a zone conference with President so we have to plan for 3 hours with our zone and then our President will take over. and then in the afternoon we have a meeting with President Flores and the Stake President and us and we are going to talk about the stake and how we can work better with the ward councils and what we can do as missionaries to help President Jasso with his stake... really I am looking forward to that because our wards are slacking a tad so I wanna help us all work together!! I know this work is true and I am so blessed to be able to be an instrument however small I might be in the Lord's hands because he makes us bigger than we could ever be without him!!

Love Elder Cramer

September 16, 2013

hey paps and family!

I didn't get transfered so I am still in San Luis with Elder Nuñez and I am a little bit glad because I want to help this ward more. I am starting your tape for the family right now. Today I am sending the tape for Jackie but it will arrive at our house. So if you can lend her the tape recorder so she can listen to it at her house that would be great. I was stoked to hear that you talked to Gil I could see that he really enjoyed that a lot! I am excited to see General Conference with him in 2 weeks. What a blessing, to be honest! We are trying to baptize before they change me in 4 weeks. We have to give a zone conference with President in like 2 weeks and today we had alot of changes in our zone so now including us we have 18 missionaries because we opened an area in Matamoros! We are also going to recieve Hermanas in our zone that is a new twist. I am really enjoying my time as zone leader! This week I am going to go to a first cash and by a small dvd player and I am going to put the small dvds that the church gives us about working with the members and we are going to ask for references in this way hoping to help them get excited about the missionary work here in San Luis. I hope to bring new things to this ward! :D That is all that is really going on right now! So look for the tape for Jackie and hand it over to her and next week I will send the tape for you guys :) I love you all and keep me in your prayers please because you all are in mine!

Love Elder Cramer

September 9, 2013

hey hey hey

I really liked those 10 steps that you sent me. Really the ward hasn't started the interviews yet and for that reason we are still struggling to find good people to teach because we don't have any references.. But we are doing the best we can. We can only pressure the Ward Counsil and hope for the best.. We cannot force them to do their calling. I would like to but I can't ;) That is crazy that Ryan passed  the sacrament! I am so proud of him exercising the priesthood like a champ! Yeah I am not sure where I will be going next but there is a good chance that they might change me to a different area because I already have 3 months here.  We will have to see for this Sunday what President will do with me. 

I would like to be here for General Conference which I am stoked for because I could go with Hermano Gil. He just got the priesthood this past week and this Sunday that is coming, he is going to bless the sacrament and so for that I am so stoked. But right now my concern is helping our investigators. We have a lot right now but many are not progressing like I would like. For that reason we are trying to get those references started so that this ward can baptize :) I really like that worldwide conference with Elder Holland and President Monson and all of those apostles because they were focusing a ton on working together as missionaries and members. I hope that the work in our ward is going smoothly. I already wanna help all of the investigators that are in our home ward :) But for now I am trying my best right here. We gave a zone conference yesterday for 3 hours about the Holy Ghost and the importance of studying not for our own account but for our investigators. I love you and all and I hope that you can help bring others to Christ!

Elder Cramer

David O. McKay’s 10 Rules For Happiness
1. Develop yourself by self discipline.
2. Joy comes through creation—sorrow through destruction. Every living thing can grow; use the world wisely to realize soul growth.
3. Do things that are hard to do.
4. Entertain up building thoughts. What you think about when you do not have to think about shows what you really are.
5. Do your best this hour, and you will do better the next.
6. Be true to those who trust you.
7. Pray for wisdom, courage, and a kind heart.
8. Give heed to God’s messages through inspiration. If self-indulgence, jealousy, avarice, or worry have deadened your response, pray to the Lord to wipe out these impediments.
9. True friends enrich life. If you would have a friend, be one.
10. Faith is the foundation of all things—including happiness.

Aug 26 and Sept 2 letters

September 2, 2013

Happy Labor day! I didnt even know it was labor day!

No here I don't think there is such a thing as labor day, at least I have not heard anything at all. First off happy birthday to Curt and to Ryan because I didnt wish them a happy birthday yet! :( LO Siento mucho. You all know I love you. This last week was like super wierd because President called us like a week ago that we have one week to have a house prepared with all of the things in it so that another pair of missionaries can come in our zone in Matamoros. So for 3 days we were contacting in the streets of Matamoros and finding houses for rent and trying to get things ready. I know all of Matamoros right now as well as San Luis where I currently am stationed. But like a day before the missionaries were going to come, the secretary to the President called us telling us to cancel everything because a few missionaries got sent home or something and the location that got canceled was us so that was a bummer but sometimes things happen so oh well. We some amazing baptisms this week. Antonia in our area and Alfredo in the area of San Luis 2. So it was so great to see both sides of a young baptism and and elderly baptism. We had to have 2 people lower sister antonia in the water. Her son-in-law baptized her this Saturday and it was marvelous. The only thing that worries me is that we basically didn't have any time to work in our area this week so we don't have many more investigators that are progressing so we have to start the quest to find those who want to follow Christ. But also this Saturday we had a special conference with 3 zones and a district and I had to direct the meeting because it was in our Stake Center so I felt like a Bishop and it was nerve racking at first but it all was okay afterwards. :) So many new experiences being a leader but I think it is all for the best. And then this Sunday my companion and I gave the Holy Ghost to Hna Antonia and then it was the day to give our testimonies! And Alfredo gave an astounding testimony and I think in a few years he will be a Bishop or something. It is great to see his faith and he goes to institute every day and makes friends in the church. And the best part was when 89 year old Antonia made her way slowly to the pulpit and bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon and the blessings she has had in her life. She didn't know how to read but she gradually started to read the HUGE Book of Mormon that her daughter bought her in the temple and she loved it and she wanted to know more. That is when we came and taught her about the rest and she is just such a cute woman and I love her like my own grandma as well :) I will attach some photos! and I got my backpack and I am also doing a recording for Jackie right now and for some of the friends she put on my recording. I am stoked for Jackie and Scott because I know God has something really special in store for them! And I am still here in San Luis with Elder Nuñez and I think I might get transferred in 2 weeks but who knows. I will have our zone leader council tomorrow in the morning super early. I am eager to see what President has in store for us! And Cooper looks like a boss! He is mine :) He can live with me in the garage. Tell Ryan the art of music comes line upon line as well. Like me and my trumpet. I was the best ;P  Here is a picture of Antonia and Alfredo. And also a family that we are teaching with Hno Gil and Hna Delia. I hope they can go to the church soon because htey have not gone yet.. :(

But soon enough!

Elder Cramer :)

August 26, 2013

Wow that email made me so happy haha. Mas que nada porque Dios esta poniendo los medios por scott.. :)  It is neat to see how all of the places that we have lived are progressing and making their decisions. Each one of us has choices to make and paths to take but it is hard when we do not know where we want to go. Like Chesirre the cat in Alice in wonderland.. she asked which path she should take and he responded that depends where you want to go. I know it is the same with us. I want to return with honor with our Heavenly Father as a family and that is what I desire for all of my friends as well. I know that if we really love our friends or family we will invite them to come to Christ and not be scared. I invite you and mom and the kids to invite your friends to listen to the missionaries without being scared of the response :) And thanks for helping Scott. he is an awesome guy for sure and I want to take a mini trip to visit him and a few other friends that I have planned. But this week was awesome because we baptized Gil Lopez Salas. He is an incredible person and always wants to go with us to visit new families and he wore is white shirt for the first time in the church to be confirmed a member of the church. It was so neat to see his conversion as he left his Ex girlfriend to follow of the law of chastity and to see him go to family home evening with our families. I hope he can always stay in the church and progress. I can see him being a good leader someday. Dad if you want to or when you have time give him a call and talk to him. Here is his number! 8712424301.

Here are a few photos of the baptism! This Saturday we have another baptism that I am excited for because it is such a wonderful and precious women named Antonia. She is 90 years old and reminds me a ton of Aunt Inez when she was 90. She still walks all over and is super smart! She is reading her Book of Mormon the huge version so she can read it and her biggest challenge was that before her mother died she told her to never change religions from Catholic. But we explained that her mother has already accepted these teachings and that the daughter of Antonia already did the work for her in the temple. She knows Joseph Smith is a prophet and loves to read the Book of Mormon. The first lesson we had with her we asked her what is a prophet. She exclaimed! Joseph Smith!

She is such a cutie and I will send photos of her baptism the next week. I received the package from Curt and Ness and my companion and I thank you because I shared with him. Also I received the tapes and I will work on sending those back as well. I want to send one to the family and also one for Jackie because she worked so hard on the other tape I sent her. Make sure to look after her as well.

Hno Gil es el Chaparito el la pila. El otro es Hno Bracamonte. Son amigos alli en la iglesia! :) Voy a regalar Hno Gil un triple con una foto con su bautismo y mi testimonio

Como dije a Nessa que tambien este Domingo un hno me va a hacer un forro por mis nuevas escrituras que a penas vinieron para mi entonces estoy super animado! Tenemos que enfoquar mucho en encontrando nuevos y poniendo fechas porque ya nuestros investigadores empezando ya tienen que ir a la capilla 5 veces para poder bautizar para que sean conversos reales! :D

Elder Cramer

3 letters from Logan - they seem to be getting smaller, but we feel his desire to do his best!!

August 19, 2013

Hey hey hey!

Thanks for the updates for the week haha. Sometimes what we all need is a small break to recharge the batteries. Something that I have noticed since I have been out on the mission. when I started I only wanted it to talk to the family and to basically have a break but now I just feel like I wanna work and go visit people hah. Actually I only have like 3 more minutes to write this but the most special part about this week was when we visited 2 investigators and the lady was super nice until we said Joseph Smith and she turned into a different person saying that he is a false prophet and that he committed a ton of sins and she saw it in an encyclopedia and this and that. She said the Book of Mormon is false and all these things. my companion and I were trying super hard to listen to the spirit and we testified like I literally think I never did without getting mad or anything because the atmosphere was really intense. She said she would read the Book of Mormon again to see if it is true and her daughter as well. We have plans to visit her this week with another sister from the ward that had similar thoughts about Joseph Smith before and she is a rock solid sister in the church now with the biggest testimony!  Also we will be baptizing Hno Gil so we are stoked for that and we want to keep up the baptism streak! He is such a great guy and already goes with us to lessons and testifies. The ward has planned that he will be called as a ward missionary to help us out in the work. We had a meeting to coordinate better with our leaders and us because really there is 0 communication right now and we want to work hand in hand like you said. I love you all and know I am giving my all!! 

Bye

August 12, 2013

Wow what a sweet experience haha. It was worth all of the effort to go there because Jacci and her husband are following Christ! The missionary work is the best isn't it haha. I was just thinking like we can work for the Lord and it has eternal significance or we can do whatever looks appealing to us which just brings momentary pleasure. I feel like the eternal always is better than momentary! Right now just for an update well we are trying to get everything organized in our ward here because our ward mission leader doesn't really have that much time to help us out so we are going to have a meeting with bishop on Wednesday to talk about our goals and how we can help this new plan to get functioning! But we are trying the best we can right now meanwhile haha. In our 8 companionships in our zone, we have 5 that are training new missionaries and then there are the district leaders and us. So basically everyone that can be training in our zone is training so that is really neat to see! How is the work in our ward? Are we seeing progress? It sounds like everyone in our family is just doing dandy and is growing up a ton haha. I guess there are a lot of blessings when we all try to serve God to the fullest :) I hope you can feel my love from here and know that I  am trying my best. I have to run actually because I have to do a report of all the less actives that have been reactivated in the last 3 months so I am going to start that right now before we don't have any time left. Love you lots and these next few months will be the best I know it!!!

Returning with honor :)

Elder Cramer

August 5, 2013

Dear beloved family!

Thanks so much for ordering that backpack thing because I don't want to look like a tomato in his yellow tinted shirt from sweat hahaa. I actually just had to do all of the changes last night which was kind of hard to do because we had to plan how each missonary will arrive and Elder Ringer my companion got changed to another zone so I am senor companion and I hope I will be a good example for elder Nuñez as he is a new zone leader. We are going to work hard to put a great example for the zone as well so we can all have a lot of success. We also yesterday gave a zone conference and we taught about the importance of unity and we taught by using mirrors so they can see if they are united or if they are trying to teach by themselves. Also we talked about the love you need to have for your companion. Also in the church we gave a conference for the ward from preach my gospel about lesson 3 which is the Gospel of Christ and I think it went well. So I am all conferenced out hahah to say the truth, but I am ready to find some new families that are looking to change their lives! I am really enjoying my mission and I know if I can live my mission here obediently I can live the rest of my life in the same fashion. And reading about Bill makes me think how many people each of you know that would accept this gospel and are just waiting for that special invite. I hope your job and your calling are all going splendidly! I feel like the past 6 weeks here in San Luis has just flown by because I have never been more busy or happy in my whole life haha. We are going to baptize a man named Gil who has changed completely and is joining us in visits to other investigatos even before his baptism! He will be a rad convert for sure! Make sure you keep an eye on Breanna with all those boys chasing her like stray dogs on the street and Ryan because just a wink of his eye has all the ladies drooling. I give you all a lot of hugs and know that I am grateful to have such a great family. Dad tell me about when you were a leader on your mission. What did you think and do? Fill me in :) 

Love Elder Cramer

Logan and friends - July 29 letter

Hey Hey Hey,

I am in a constant battle with this sun here. I bathe in this sunscreen but it still burns me. Oh well at least the president knows that we are out working. This last week we have found new investigators some that are progressing but what made me sad is only 2 went to the church. I know that they cannot receive a full testimony of the gospel if they do not go to the church. It is a huge building block to see what we practice and teach within the walls of the chapel.  These last 8 months I really want to try and be the best.. I know God gives me a lot of impressions, it is just finding out if it is my own impressions or the spirit that sometimes is the hard part.  We are going to have a baptism the 24th of August with a man named Gil and he is such a good guy. He leaves work early on Sundays to go to the church, he left his girlfriend that he had for 10 years because he learned about the law of chastity. He is going to go with us to visit our new family that we met named Gerardo to help him go to church this week (I will attach a photo), and he just signed up for a year of the Liahona. He is what we call a golden investigator.  I am stoked for him and we are trying hard to find and help these new investigators progress. This Sunday we got like 6 references from the new program that we are doing so we are excited to contact them and work with these families!  Also I had to take out a tad more money this week because I lost something that made me super sad.. I did exchanges with an Elder and he was calling an investigator to be interviewed by me but meanwhile I was contacting a lady on the street so I placed my scriptures on the telephone booth.. and I forgot them there and my backpack was full with my clothes for the next day so I did not realize the weight difference. So I lost my year and 2 months of revelation and the little pictures in the scriptures.. I bought new ones and they should come to me when we have the next consejo con Presidente.. But right now I am just using a Book of Mormon that we give away and I am borrowing a bible from a brother in our war . I feel naked without my scriptures! :O But other than that I am loving my time here and Elder Ringer and I are trying to be a good example for our zone. :) I love you and serve the Lord because he will serve us 200% :)

Elder Cramer

The picture is with a new family that we have this week. Gerardo, Gerardo junior, and his daughter. They are super awesome but I think the dad is a little hesitant to go to church. So Gil is going to go with us and the son of the Bishop here to befriend Gerardo jr. and to go to the youth activity on Tuesday. We are stoked for them :) (They are reading the Book of Mormon and are in 2 Nephi)!

Logan is learning to be a real missionary - like Pinnochio and the Road Runner?

July 8, 2013

HelllLLoooo family! ;)

This week was super rewarding for all of the hard work we did. I learned probably more this week than 3 months in the mission because of all the new experiences lately. We had Leader Council last Friday so we ate breakfast with the President and all of the zone leaders and then he sent us on a huge scavenger hunt with objectives and they were super hard haha. But they were so hard because we made them hard because the answers were super easy. It just shows how smart President is, being a psychologist.. But then he told us that on the mission we are complicating things. Our job is to find, teach, and baptize. If they dont want to obey the commandments then we have to drop them and find those who are waiting for this covenant with God. He said we need to have faith that God is preparing his sons and daughters to be found. He then taught us about the importance of the Book of Mormon and that we need to use it better and give it more importance. So he gave us each a Book of Mormon and he sent us all outside and we had to give and contact someone using them. So that was awesome and we came back to our areas super excited! This week we had about 15 lessons with investigators and members so we were running from lesson to lesson. In the church yesterday we had the most investigators that we've have ever had. We had 9 and I was super excited to see that our hard work is paying off in fact. After church we ate super fast and we took a taxi to another church for our zone meeting with our zone. I taught about the importance of commitments and if they are not progressing, maybe it is because we need to focus on putting baptismal dates and help them with their needs to be prepared. So we did practices and they got a little better as they practiced. Then my companion talked about the Book of Mormon as well and we did the same activity contacting the people outside with the Book of Mormon. It was pretty successful for my first time I think! Today President told us that this Friday my companion and I have to give a presentation for all of the young men that are going to EFY here in Torreon. So we will talk in ront of a group of about 100 people and their counselors or something like that. And then we have interviews this Friday so we have to get that all ready for President and so everything is smooth. During the interviews we will have to review their mission binders for their houses to make sure they are updating it and always keeping it ready for the next missionaries. So that was my week and a small preview of the week to come. I am stoked and I know that this is the Lords work and we just play a small part in it all. Actually it is a blessing to just to see a bit of the power of God working in the lives of others!! I am having a party with my sun block everyday because if not I look like a red martian from mars. But I love you guys and I hope you are participating in the work of the Lord as well.. 

Suba a la ola! (I think this means catch the wave?)

Elder Cramer

July 1, 2013

HelllLLOooooOO :)

This week was way sweet to tell ya the truth because we worked our tookis' off and we were working with the members and we had like 5 investigators in the church and they seemed to like what they saw. (I hope haha) Our ward is super big -- I went from like a 50 or 60 branch to a 181 ward that is like super busy. It is hard to keep track of everyone, and on top of that I am trying to memorize this new area and Elder Ringer is teaching me the ropes of how to be zone leader. It is a lot to think about because we have to make sure the missionaries are working, are obedient, keep track of their numbers, make sure that they are sending reports and arrive on time for the meetings. I feel like a babysitter for 16 men that left their houses and are baking like a piece of pork in the street. That is because it is true hah. Now I see how you guys must have felt.  I am trying to  making sure that and all is well and I feel like a parent almost haha. Elder Ringer actually has less time than me like, a year and a week but his Spanish is really good and he has been zone leader for awhile now. He has good work ethic and loves the work of the Lord. We are a good team and I know God does not put missionaries together for casualty (?  I think he means God puts missionaries together for good reason). I hope to make you all proud and we just had a new meeting saying that we have a new form to work with the ward to get references and so we should never have to contact in the street like we have been doing lately to get new investigators. So our bishop will be calling Ward Missionaries to do interviews for all of the members which gives us like 20 references and they take all of those hundreds of references to ward counsel and they decide who will progress and we go with those that will progress. This form has been approved by Elder Holland when he was here so I think that is why he is keeping a close eye on Torreon. I hope to become a sweet missionary like Pinnochio wanted to be a real boy. But I know it is possible and that there is no other place that God would rather have me be. I am fortunate to be able to serve and actually I am happier as I work and work. I am like the Road Runner out here with the spirit because bit by bit I am learning to be what God would like me to be and that is why I am enjoying my time here.

Pictures: I had a confrontation with a mean character on the wall! I taught him the gospel

A less active that goes with us to lessons here!