Holiday Post

Dear Family and friends!

I really loved this Christmas especially that I could talk to my family on skype. What a wonderful family I have to always support me. I felt the love :D And we had a baptism this Saturday and I really love these 2 because they have changed a ton to accept this gospel. They got married after living together for 50 years to be baptized in the only true church. Also Hno Fernando was a very angry and mean person before and right now he doesn't want to say a bad word or yell. I will attach some pictures of Christmas and also of the baptism! And the references are coming really well but it is just hard with 2 different areas to handle. And actually I really like having 2 companions and we get along really well in my opinion. We are a well oiled machine haha. But we have not heard anything about my new companion so I am not sure what will happen. I think I will be in a trio for a bit of time but it does not bother me. And yes I love writing in my journal to at least remember some things that I have seen or liked. And also I am on day 70 of p90x. So I hope to finish and go right into insanity but if not i can start p90x again :D Thanks so much for your prayers and all the Christmas wishes. I would talk more but they are shutting down the store early because it is a holiday today :(

Much Love Elder Cramer!!

Logan with Christmas tree

Baptism spoken of in letter of Hno Ferndando and family.

December 24, 2012 Looking forward to talking tomorrow (in Spanish)

Lo que va a pasar es que vamos por la casa de un miembro mañana a las 6 en la noche.. pero no se exactamente cuando eso es en el tiempo en wisconsin. Pero en Utah es a las 5pm. Entonces alrededor de alli voy a llemar su cellular primero. Y si podemos skype es mejor. Pero yo necesito su numero porque lo olvido :O Pero mañana voy a llemarles mas o menos 6-7pm en el tiempo aqui! Los Amo muchisimo! :D

December 17, 2012 Letter

Hey family!

Right now I am in a companionship with 2 Elders because tomorrow I have to go the offices to get my new companion straight out of the mtc. I am a tad nervous to train because I have only been in this area 2 weeks and I don't have a fantastic relation with the members yet but I think the lord always gives us tons of opportunities to progress and become a little bit better of a person. We had a really cool activity in our zone last Sunday. Our zone and our Mission President and his wife all went to 3 different wards. We sang a song as missionaries, each one by one bore their testimony and then Hermana Flores and then President Flores. The spirit was strong in each reunion. And the members were feeling it. How do I know that? Because afterwards President Flores gave all of the members reference cards and they wrote down the people that came to their minds during the reunion. So right now we have 63 references to contact between 4 missionaries. Granted some of them are in different wards as well but at least right now we will have a tad more work to do with investigators. This ward is really big. Filidelfia was 2 wards but they were put together and so we have about 170 to 200 people cada semana.  Our mission leader in our ward is really great. He is helping us oodles here. But all in all I am excited and nervioso right now :D Also I took out money because my shoes are destroyed haha. Thorns went right through my shoe as i was walking. So i had to buy some new ones. But I didn't even really notice how worn they were already. That is what will happen to them while walking hours and hours in Mexico :) But it does not look like Christmas at all... It is still at least 70 degrees everyday and I feel like it is summer still. It is rather strange. But I have not recieved any packages or letters because they are all in the offices waiting for me so tomorrow I think I can get them maybe. And if not friday because we have a zone conference which will be really nice :) All in all i really like my new area. And I am working hard. P90x is still rolling strong I am on day 58 starting phase 3 tomorrow. Could you find insanity?  Also I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and I send much love! And dad keep your eye out for another email within the semana to tell you when I will call or if we can skype id prefer that. But I need to ask a family to help us out :D I am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces :))

Love you all and keep me updated with whats all going on!

Elder Cramer

December 10, 2012 letter

Hey Friends and familia,

This week has been fantastic because I am studying the sciptures like it is my job! Because it is :) That is my favorite part of all, the sciptures really have power. Whether it is from the Bible or The Book of Mormon they both compliment each other perfectly and I cannot doubt they were written by prophets called and ordained of god. I am glad that God has given us so many plain and precious ways to be guided and directed in this world of so many scary and terrible things. I can really see a huge difference in the life of someone with the direction of God and someone that is looking to find their own path! (Isaias 55:7-8) I really like that scripture because I know God knows all and when we question or disobey him we are not hurting anyone but ourselves. In 1 Samuel 16:7 as well. One thing I have noticed is that many prophets have written that they are weak and it is always the same that God will be with them to make them strong. But he cannot do that if we do not have the spirit with us. So I am striving harder and harder to have the spirit with me. And if I have a bad thought or a temptation comes I try to get rid of it quickly. But sometimes it is a fight. But I am glad that we always have prayer, fasting, and repentence so that we can always have the spririt to be with us again. I have another week to learn all of this area. If I am actually going to train haha. But if not all is good. Every companion I have had has taught me so much. I am blessed to be here. I am blessed to have the support from so many people i love. I am blessed with a God that loves me more than I can imagine :) I hope to strive to be the best me I can so that others here can be the best them. I think if we all think of the will of God before our own that is when we will start to see real miracles :D

Also how great dad with the job! It is fun to see how your service as bishop is blessing your work.. it is a beautiful thing indeed. And we will be recieving 50 more missionaries as well so our cambios will be every 4 weeks instead of every 6 because the MTC is changing as well which means our mission has to adjust haha. 

And the language of spanish really is beautiful haha I agree with you. I just wish I was more fluent with my accent but all comes in time and diligence. Patience is the key! 

Thanks so much for everything and I am always praying for many blessings for you all!

Elder Cramer

December 3, 2012

Dear Family,

Yeah it is really hard to believe it is December already because it is still burning hot here and the other day it was like 86 degrees. I always feel like an egg on a frying pan... Sizzle Sizzle :) I am doing really well because Elder Molina and I had a really good week because we have 2 investigators that accepted baptismal dates and are preparing to be baptized 12 of January because he is fighting smoking right now. But they went to church and also watched the Christmas presentation to know who is the prophet. Although I could not understand much because the interpreters talk really fast, I could feel the spirit and I knew they are men called of God. And no I have not seen that Drunk lady again and I never will because last night I got a call that I have to change areas in the morning. So right now I am writing from my new area Gomez Palcio.. I am in the ward Filidelfia and here as well we will have 4 missionaries because it is a ward of almost 200 people. Also my mission leader was my first mission leader.. Elder Olea. And.. My trainer.. Elder Villacis is my Zone leader. So I am stoked for this area and.. I have 2 weeks to know every inch of this area with my companion right now, Elder Gonzalez, Because in 2 weeks I will be training a new elder. So I really need to buckle down here and take in all I can so I can be a great example and have success here in this area. And I think that I will call you from a members house first and then you can call the same number to me.. I just cant remember your number haha. Also i was a tad sad because I could not baptize Jesus and Zoila in January but sometimes that is how life is, we dont always get the chance to see the fruits of our labors but I know they will accept the word of the lord! I gave them all of my information. Also I really hope my other 4 converts are active in the church still. That is a fear I always have. It is like looking after little babies because their testimonies always need to be nourished! But I am excited and a little frightened but something I have learned hear on the mission is that every new situation or every new opportunity is only here for us to overcome so that we can become a little bit more like Christ and so that we can Become a little bit better :) I know god is with me and I can feel his spirit when I do his will. Thanks for all of your support! And about insanity.. You can send it to me in the form of discs or on jumpdrive and I can copy it here. I just need it pretty soon because I have heard that President is going to Ban weights pretty soon because some elders are lifting like hours and hours everyday and it affects their work for the Lord. But insanity does not need weights so that will be the solution for everything :) And we have a small dvd player every companionship. So we use that :) Love You all and I am hoping you are all reading and applying what the scriptures are instructing us to do daily!

Elder Cramer

November 26, 2012

Dear Fam-I-Gram,

I am glad that you liked the package.  I still have not received mine from the offices but I asked the zone leaders about it and they said they will retrieve it for me on the 5th of December, so hopefully all is good in that category! And I really enjoyed the photos. I was going to send my sombrero but they wanted 800 mas pesos and I said No Puede Ser which means it cant be... So I ended up not sending it. But at least all of you got what I could send! I wrote a list of what thing goes to whom. So I hope you can give those gifts to whom it corresponds. Our investigators are iffy right now because each one has a situation but at least it is a challenge. This week my companion and I are going to see who really wants to progress and if they do not we have to stop visiting them for awhile because we can only teach those who complete our commitments. But Elder Molina and I are a good team. It is in this precise moment when Indiana and Lima, Peru unite :) haha But yeah I think I will be leaving the Rosa this next transfer in the 14 of December. And Elder Molina told me that it is best if I give you the number of the family that I will be with and you call me so that I dont have to worry about all that card and time stuff. 

 

Also each person receives the Book of Mormon and its doctrine differently depending on how prepared they are. Only the spirit can testify of it's divinity and sometimes we do not have control over that segment. But I can tell that our lessons and my knowledge of where the scriptures are and how to use them is increasing. I love the scriptures :) Also I have a funny story to tell that happened yesterday morning before church..: Elder Molina was in the back room and I was studying in 2 Nephi 9.. When I heard someone knocking on the door (7am in the morning) So I went over to the door thinking it was the zone leaders or something like that. But when I opened the door a smidge it was a lady around 50ish years old and I was a tad bewildered. But I only had a second to think when she barged in our house and told us she was going to sit down. And she started rambling about Joseph Smith because she was super drunk... I had no idea what to do. So Elder Molina and I were trying everything to get her out of our house because it was odd.. She fell asleep there in that chair for a good 20 minutes. Elder Molina was yelling that she had to leave and I was clapping really loud to try to wake her. So finally Elder Molina and I grabbed one arm each and we picked her up and we were helping her to her house when she said leave me and she took off. It was a really odd experience that is for sure. But the thing is while she was rambling, she told us that she was baptized in our church 10 years ago and she knows she should not drink but she couldn't stop. It just made me really grateful that we have commandments however strict they may seem to be because they protect us from the dangerous world that Satan is preparing for us. Each experience here on my mission is accompanied by a sweet lesson :) I hope you all know I have much love for you all and for our Father in Heaven!

Elder Cramer

November 19 Letter

Dear fam,

It is hard for me to think that I will be 20 as well. Sometimes I just want to be like Peter Pan and never age because 20 is aging. But my zone leader is 27 years old so I don't feel very bad after hearing that... Also I am glad to get the updates for cada persona in our family. It is funny how things escolate when I am gone haha. Breanna looks like she has 18 years of age, Ryan will be goliath, Carli in college, a temple, Vanessa with like 5 kids (he is just kidding), and you and mom looking like p90x models. My oh my the blessings of the mission :) But yeah things here are good. My companion has 20 months already in his mission. He served one cambio in Peru because he could not get his visa for a little bit. He is really cool and is in tune with the spirit. He is a bit shy though so sometimes I have to take the lead with stuff but that is okay with me :) I am so stoked because all of my friends are leaving for their missions! Jake goes to Uruguay, Brendon goes to Brazil, and My friend Elizabeth will receive her call in like 2 weeks. I bet every call that we receive a small fiesta in heaven starts because of the blessings that will come for generations and generations to come. I am hoping that I will stay here in this area for Christmas because changes are on the 14th of December.. So it would be a bit down if I didn't know anyone for Christmas. But only God knows what is best for me anyways :) Dad where did you get those pictures that you had in your sciptures. They are like see through and I would like to put some in my scriptures as well to easily find stories. I think they are in your spanish scriptures if I remember correctly. And also something that I noticed this week is how you must have felt when I was little and you always invited me to go to church, read the scriptures, or to obey commandments and I didn't want to or you had to fight me to do it'  Many times that is what we are doing when we give people challenges to read or to go to the church because really we know of the blessings that will follow but when they do not complete them I feel really sad. So mom and dad, thanks for always inviting me to be obedient :D This week I got to dedicate a house because they were feeling some weird spirits so I was happy to do that for them. I had to use my little manual because it was the first time for that. I was humbled this Sunday in the church because we did not have many people attend in regards to less actives which we usually do. It is always good to get a subtle reminder every once in awhile :) Dad can you get me the email of Jace? I want to let her know I am still a warrior as I just finished the first phase of p90x in the mornings. I am waking up at like 5:45 everyday to workout. I feel more alive during the day when I give my body a bit of a challenge :D Thanks for all of the support and I love you all very much. I hope my package was received :) I couldn't send the sombrero because it costed a ton!! 

Love Elder Cramer

#1 Here is the beautiful mountains in the background of my area!

#2 Also some ponies that my neighbors here have

#3 And finally a member that we reactivated this Sunday and he is way sweet :)

November 12, 2012

Dear Family!

This week seemed very long but at the same time looking back on it very short as well. I like this saying because it is very true.  The days are long and the weeks are short as a missionary. La Rosa is  a ward with about 115 people consistantly. But the one thing that was a tad frustrating for me this week was that my companion and I brought 11 less actives to the church and 5 of them reactivated this week (which means they went 3 times and no longer are less actives). But then all of a sudden like 30 of our active members did not go to the church. So we still only have like 115 people! I did feel the help of the Lord like no other this Sunday.  Bishop did not have 2 speakers show up so that left me to give a 10 minute talk about the missionary work. I had a whole 5 minutes to come up with a 10 minute talk. So I said a prayer during one of the hymns and that butterfly scared sensation left me really fast. It was my first talk in front of people in Spanish and I was surprised how easily words came to my mind. I talked about how in Alma 29, Alma wishes he could be an angel to preach all of his days because that is what brings us joy. I talked about 3 Nephi 12 that the members are the Light and they cannot hide that light. I talked about in D&C 6 that it does not matter if people do not accept this gospel because they will continue to receive blessings for trying and if they do receive the members will receive joy for their work. I felt like I was not alone talking in front of everyone. Also my new companion is from Lima Peru. His name is Elder Molina. He will share the final testimony on my memory card that I will be sending you guys tomorrow. It has some presents, candy, and my memory card. Also that picture of Breanna is crazy because she looks like a woman. I did not authorize anything of that sort to happen. Also I wish you good luck dad with your talk that's coming up. I know you will be given the right words to say for the right people that need to hear them at this moment in time. P90x is going really well and I am getting my new delgado companion started on doing it. If you can tell Jace for me that I am still going strong I would appreciate it!  I got the email from Jake about his mission and I was so happy. We will talk in spanish underneath la cama.  I hope you all know I love you and I am working hard here in Mexico.

At the end of the year because we will be receiving about 50 more missionaries because of the new age, our changes will no longer be every 6 weeks but rather every 4 weeks so we will have to see how all of that works out!

Viva En Mexico!

Elder Cramer

Oh!

An experience that I forgot to share in my letter to the family!

This week like Wednesday I worked all day with my companion but I am not sure why after our last lesson my stomache hurt really bad. I tried to fall asleep. But in the middle of the night I was vomitting for 4 hours outside our house and felt really weak and my companion was sleeping. But in this moment I felt really alone and in the middle of nowhere so for the first time in a long time I prayed out loud and asked for strength and that I would feel better in my time of need. Not too long after that I fell fast asleep and in the morning I was fully functional once more and I worked fully throughout the week again. It was evidence to me that God is waiting to answer us when we are in need and sometimes small examples like that are great reminders to strengthen our testimony!

Elder Cramer

1. Elder Sosa, Hno Macias, yo, Elder Molina

2. Elder Sosa y yo with Hermano y Hermana Lopez

3. Me in the area

4. Hermana Gloria and her daughter that we reactived this sunday

November 5 letter

Dear Family!

What has happened since I have been here in La Rosa is that I came and Elder Ruiz was my companion. He changed to another area and I have Elder Sosa right now. He leaves for his house in 2 days and today came Elder Molina. He is from Peru. So for 2 days there are three of us living in our house. Elder Molina has 19 months on his mission so far and appears to be way cool. So I am looking forward to the following weeks here. But I am sad that mi amigo Elder Sosa has to leave. I only had him as a companion 2 weeks but he is awesome. And I don't have that card (phone card) anymore but I am hoping we can skype at Christmas time dad. Because that is what a lot of people do here instead of calling the family! And I am not sure if the package has arrived yet or not. The thing is it arrives in the offices and we don't get it until our leaders come and bring it to us. Also I have my package ready to send to you (Sunbrero, small presents for the fam, Letter, and my memory card from my camera) But I am trying to find a box to put it in. I am not sure how much it will cost but hopefully not toooo much to send to you all. I want it to come to the house before Christmas. And we don't have zone conference very often maybe once a cambio (zone conference) or something like that. And I am so happy that Kolten wants to serve a mission. That and Ryan are one of the biggest reasons I want to be a good example. I know that both of them will touch lives like no other. And I'll keep sending pictures as well :)

Thanks for all that you do and I am glad to be a Cramer and a missionary for the Lord!

Love Elder Cramer

The photos below are about the families I go to church with.  I also wanted to share the donkey photos of course.
photo 1- Logan taking charge of the donkey cart!!
photo 2-Hermana Ramona we reactivated her in the church this Sunday
photo 3- Jorge, we are going to reactivate him in this church if he goes one more time

photo 4- Karla Elena, new investigator and she went to the church this Sunday for the first time