It's a long one!

So Monday I got to play basketball for awhile, but that's not that fun because the elders don't guard me and all the sisters in my zone are like 5 feet tall. And none of them want to play anyway. But anyway, we played volleyball for hours! That was so awesome. I was frustrated with my serves because they always went over and in, but I could tell I let myself get weak. Even my sets were off. Not bad, but off. I'm going to need to practice. I haven't really gotten to play volleyball for so many months. Too many months. I'm not even that good. I don't know why I like it so much. I just do. But since I played so hard in pday yesterday, it was the first time in a while that I simply rolled out of bed right at 6:30 said my prayers went to the restroom, got dressed and was waiting on my companion to go to the gym. We went and I actually ran the treadmill the entire 30 minutes we were there and was sweaty, exhausted, and hustling to the shower. I easily took a short shower and got ready for the day.

 Anyway I am so energized and ready to go. We left at 10 for a service activity at an assisted living, but it was cancelled when we got there. Apparently they are all in quarantine. So we contacted a less active who is best on Tuesday mornings. We hadn't met her yet. Sister Hilton the relief society president talked to her once and found out that she was a less active in our Ward. When we got there Tasha was sooo nice. She just seems like a solid person. She said that Tuesday mornings do usually work better for her, but today she is really busy with some MRI appointments and things. She was on her way out. We got her birthday so that we can get her records in our Ward and gave her our phone number. :D next I had to go to the restroom really bad (I drank 3 bottles of water already at 11) so we tried a member, but they weren't home so I ended up asking a nice lady we talked to when we got out of our car, Kate. Her husband is from the reorganized church. She's catholic. She's not interested. We knocked a door of another less active we've never met, Barbara. No answer. Then we tracted the rest of that half of the street. They tracted the other half last week.

We just had comp study and it was sooo good. It went a little longer than it probably should, but it was just so good. We got so deep. So refreshing. Sister Smith helped me understand some things I read in Matthew and then we talked about studies and what has worked for us in the past. We talked about pride and the different types of pride. We also talked about goals we set in life and just in general and I drew so many insights from this conversation. I realized that sometimes our lack of confidence is ironically caused by pride. Also, I learned this. Don't miss the mark with your goals. Think of who you want to become not what you want to do. I don't know if these things are powerful to anyone else, but they are pretty powerful to me. :) these are just thoughts I had as we were talking and they felt like mysteries unfolded.

We contacted the Newton family to see if they would like help moving into their new Ward. They are a part member family. We will probably get the missionaries from their new Ward to help them with us on Saturday morning. Then we tried to contact someone else who wasn't home. We went and met the Byrd family. They apparently "want to come back to church".  Then we went to meet the Hayes family. We found out that they are selling their house, but probably staying in the Ward according to the son, Dustin. His parents weren't home. We left our number and our offer to help them move. We'll try them again next week. Now I am home with whitener on my teeth and stressing about the fact that I haven't studied for interviews and district meeting tomorrow. But it's fine... also things that I didn't mention are... I was soooo sore today! I love being able to feel my muscles ache, but man the longer the day went the less able I was to get in and out of the car! Also. Our toilet paper is see through. The first day I used it I was like what is this?!?!? It is literally see through. I get that we're poor. But see through? Like that stuff would make great windows. Seriously. You don't skimp out on that stuff. That's just gross. Haha I'm getting used to it though I guess. Anyway good night! Fare well! Catch ya in the morning!

I had a GREAT day today! We got up and I ran the treadmill again. This time I went faster. Covered the same distance in less time. Because we were a little late getting up there. But I still got it in. It was a little tougher this time. The entire time I just thought I could do it. I could hit that cool down button or the stop button. I could just do it right now. I was hurting and it was probably near the beginning that I started thinking this. And I told myself I would go to 23 minutes and then I could stop. It seemed like forever at times. That reminded me about the mission. We have this 18 month time limit. The speed and distance we go are up to us. At any time we can hit that cool down button or even the stop button. It hurts. And we could just press the stop button and walk away. Maybe try dinking around on one of the other machines or just walk out of there completely. You know like we could just give up Religion completely. Get where I'm going here? We can hit the cool down button by not giving it out all. By laying around or sitting in the idle car talking. Catching wifi at the church for awhile. But even though it hurts - it will hurt - we must keep running and after a while even turn up the speed a little. Yeah it hurts. But it's the best feeling when you do finally get off that treadmill.

 District meeting was all about prayer.. So the training plan was all about prayer. And we also had interviews so I found the scripture that I wanted to share about peace with President Marston. That's the new Easter initiative. Prince of Peace. So we are supposed to be studying it. We had district meeting and interviews and both were just awesome! I love President and Sister Marston! They're so awesome! Also I love my district!!! It was a great morning. We had lunch at subway with everyone and then Sister Smith and I headed out to companionship study. It was really good too. I don't remember exactly what we talked about now, but it was really good. Then we headed out to do some finding. Nobody answered the door. NOBODY! I had to go to the restroom so bad so we switched to active members and still nobody was ever home! I was dying, I was going to pass out. Literally felt like I was going to pass out. Finally we found one home and after permission busted in there and used the restroom. That was the most dramatic thing of the entire day. Then we had dinner with the Orchard family. They're really cool and super healthy. I really enjoyed dinner with them, but we talked forever. I need to get better at one hour dinners. But sometimes once I'm in I don't want to go back out. It's not good. It's bad. After that we had a lesson with the Donnivans. Kirk is a recent convert that moved here right after his baptism. He used to be jehovah witness so his story is really interesting because they are not supposed to associate with people of other faiths. You don't see many of those converting. But he is sooo solid. It's fun to teach him and his wife Waverly is a great member present. Then we came home and I crashed.

This morning was really tough to get up. I didn't exercise very well. Or get ready very fast. Idk. I'm kind of in a funk today. But that's ok. I'll reset tonight. But I had a great study. I studied Matthew. I've started reading the New Testament every day. I really like what I read there. I looked for a talk about temples because both of my wards said that was their focus or goal for the ward right now. But I found this talk and started reading it and really really liked it. It was all about peace and how we can gain that. It's called a Pattern for Peace. I didn't finish it, but I really loved it. The Hank Smith talk we were listening to in the car started talking about the same scripture the talk was based off of. So that was cool!

I don't really really remember the rest of the day. I know we played kings in the corner and poker at a retirement facility with the old folks. That was really fun! They are a crack up!

Today was weekly planning day. We had a lesson with this lady named Kelli this morning. We read Mosiah 18 with her and talked about it. Wow. I don't remember a whole lot about the lesson, but I feel like she could be baptized within a little while. So that was cool! We did a lot of weekly planning. We had mcm with Brother and Sister Hilton. The wml and relief society Pres of 5th ward. Brother Hilton is the guy that announces on the price is right show. That's cool. I guess... it would be cooler if I'd seen the show.

We did this prayer roll thing as a zone. It is soooo cool! We all get on a conference call and have all put in who we want to pray for and a sentence of what for. And then one person says the prayer and incorporates every area and their people in it. I love this! It really builds the unity when you can hear and pray for each other and the people we are teaching. I'm excited to be able to talk to other missionaries about their people they are teaching because now I know a little bit about it. It's awesome! Best thought I've ever heard. Way to go zone leaders! 🙌🏼Anyway. Tomorrow is exact obedience day for the entire mission. It's a day where we know everyone is putting extra effort in to be doing what they are supposed to be doing anyway. It's good. We had one of these when I was in Gridley. G'night!

Uuuummm... Our day went well. We had a lesson with Mark Mondell. We call him Brother Mondell because he's been investigating for a year. And then a lesson with Sister Marti Mondell. Brother Mondell is this big man who wants to feel a change of heart, but doesn't feel like he has. He's pretty satisfied with his life. He's a very smart man and has worked hard to get where he's at. Except he feels he's missing something. He wants to feel the change of heart soooo bad. I don't know what to do with him. He reads like ten chapters a week. And fasts about twice a week. He wants it to be true so bad. He's so scared that he is going to put all this in and at the end it won't be true. He is trying and applying everything. In the middle of the lesson, he stops to tell us to not give up on him. He started to kind of cry. He wants to know soooo bad. I don't know what to do.....
Sister Mondell's lesson was ok. She almost dropped us. She was just like I'm not making time for my commitments. And she didn't want to waste our time because she knows she won't figure it out if she's not looking. We were like... uuummmm.. All truuuue. Then after talking to her we told her just 5 minutes every day before she job searches. And then we will reevaluate next Saturday. We'll see. I hope she can keep this. Then we did lunch and then tried Gabe who was busy so we did comp study and some finding and and then tracted around dinner and had dinner with the Prillwitz family. The Prillwitz family is really awesome! We left to update progress reports and then Karla wasn't home so we finished our reports up and sent them out.


Sooo... church is like from 8 to 3:30. Because double covering and Ward councils and also meeting with 1st Ward Ward missionaries.  Then we went and tried a bunch of people who weren't home.
Tonight we had a really good heart to heart about life. So many things came out of my mouth that I learned as I spoke. I can't remember everything to write, but I remember talking about teaching and how it's not about the missionary that is in the area as long as that missionary is worthy to and is bringing the spirit. The spirit teaches. It doesn't matter what we say in the lesson. As long as the spirit is there. I remember wondering this week in Brother Mondell's lesson what the spirit is telling him and hoping what i said brought the spirit instead of wondering if what i said was the right thing. That was the first time that I feel like I finally caught the vision that the Holy Ghost truly is the teacher. I am merely there to accompany and invite it. I really finally understand it so much I have looked back and seen it become a part of me. Another subject we got onto was that we have learned so much.

Love, Sister Crowther
#notinKansasanymore

Conference!

I am doing so fabulous here in Rocklin! My companion is obedient and ready to work and all the missionaries in my zone are extra diligent and great missionaries. There's no way to fail here. I mean. I'm not talking about numbers. I'm talking about obedience and working hard. Numbers are actually quite low. Nobody is home and nobody wants to talk to us. We are in a pretty wealthy area with some gated 🏰 communities and other wealthy neighborhoods, but that's ok. Our zone was super like, k! We HAVE to get in the double digits for new investigators this week. So we worked really really hard and checked up on each other throughout the week and we not only got double digits for the first time in a long time in this area, we got four extra! :D 🙌🏼 it was soooo cool. That's how it should be. It feels sooo good to make meaningful goals and actually come together working as hard as we can to reach them. 💪🏼 It's so cool!

This sounds very exaggerative, but I literally have moments when I am with the missionaries in my zone here that I think, "This is Zion. Right here. This is it. I want to stay here and I don't want to leave." Like the other day, we met up with most of our zone to practice for our zone conference song and 4 elders show up with 12 inch subway sandwiches and there were 4 sisters there. One set of sisters showed up later and the APs were traveling with President. So anyway. When the elders found that we hadn't had lunch, they decided they would each half their sandwich and give the sisters one of their halves. 🍔 It took some convincing before we finally gave in and let them share their lunch with us, but we were all sitting at a picnic table eating at the church building and then one of the elders started playing the ukelele and we sang hymns and children songs until everyone had finished eating and then we practiced our zone Conference song, abide with me 'tis eventide. 🎼🎻🎶 It was sooo fun. After this lunch time we all took off to share the spirit we felt, but before we took off we said a prayer together. Ah! Not being on a mission won't be the same. It's so different. And I'm not saying the whole mission's this way. It's not. But this zone is. And I LOVE it. It's Zion. I literally just wanted to happy cry sitting with everyone and realizing how much we LOVE each other. 💕We are so family. Closest zone I've been in since my first transfer and it is out of diligence and love for each other and Heavenly Father.

Monday we went to top golf with 3 other companionships of elders. 🏌🏻‍♀️ Ha! The whole time I was wishing I actually knew how to play golf. 😂I don't know if the elders knew neither my companion or I actually golfed before they invited us. But we had fun! Haha my accomplishment was hitting the ball. 👌🏼A good clean hit was all I wanted. I didn't care how far it went or where it landed. Top Golf is a super fancy golfing place it's way fun! Then we went to a super good Chinese place and I played so much volleyball after that! 🏐I love playing volleyball when people will play with me. It is sooo great. But it also is the reason I struggle with kneeling for my prayers all week long. 🙏🏼 Lol my left knee has bruise on top of bruise because I play like I have knee pads. It's alright. Today we are going to a sand volleyball court instead. That should give me a good break to heal up from the court floor. ☺️

Tuesday we did service in the morning at a thrift store and then lots of cancelled appointments and no answers. That night we had a great lesson on the plan of salvation with a recent convert and his wife. It was so good. This family is very very solid and it is so fun to teach them.

Thursday we had zone Conference and it was sooo soo awesome! I LOVE the time we have to be instructed. I am always so enlightened. 💡 We talked about the new Easter initiative which by the way, you should allll watch! When we practice taught, Sister Marston came and stood with my group again and I was so grateful for the advice she gave. She helped me see that we are not only testifying of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, but of the truths and power that have been restored. I noticed already on Friday in our lesson I was able to apply this knew perspective in my teaching. In our lesson I just felt like I had found a puzzle piece in teaching the restored gospel. It just felt way more powerful and right. Idk. It was so great.

💧 In this lesson Friday we were able to pick a date with Kelli for baptism. It was awesome. The two wards I am covering have not had a convert baptism for years. We are so excited. 🤗 We talked and testified of the Savior's redeeming power that we can take advantage of and the access we have to that because of the restored gospel. She thinks the first vision is just amazing. She loves it and believes the Book of Mormon to be true. She loves that we have modern day prophets. We invited her to come to conference and she seemed excited. We also invited her to read 2 Nephi 31 and think about baptism. We set a date for June 17. 📆 She picked this date herself and said that she would like to be moved in to her new place before baptism. It should still be within the Ward.

General Conference this weekend was inspiring! As always! I LOVE hearing the counsel from the prophets and apostles. This week has just been a Conference type of week! 📝📚 I learned sooo much. One of the things I took from conference was the feeling of urgency I had to learn the language of the spirit. To learn to recognize and respond to the promptings I receive. Not only that, but to be aware and seeking of that spiritual guidance. If there is anytime in my life that I were to learn that the best time would be now. While I am on a mission. If I don't learn it now, would I take the time and effort to do it later? When? What better time than now. That is going to be at the top of my goals for the rest of my mission. And hopefully the rest of my life. I want to be a first responder. 👩🏻‍🚒👮🏻‍♀️
I also LOVED something C. Scott Grow said. He said the Savior enables us to know Him by becoming like Him. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this. What better way to know the savior than to become like Him.

💕I LOVE this gospel and I LOVE sharing my testimony and helping others recognize the importance of making and keeping sacred covenants with God. The importance of knowing the Savior and becoming like Him. I had this thought and my brain just started singing, "I know who I am. I know God's Plan." It hit me so hard. I know who I am. How blessed I am to know who I am. I am a daughter of God. You are a child of our Heavenly Father. The king of the Heavens! He who is the author of the plan of our salvation. Of our happiness. Of mercy. You are His child. YOU ARE ELECT! How wonderful it is that we know God's plan! I belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am more than grateful for this identity and purpose. If you know this, learn more. You will never comprehend the Atonement 100%. Keep studying. Keep walking. If you are wondering what all this means to you, email me. I would LOVE to talk to ya about it. I'm serious. Maybe we could call and chat for a bit. Please talk to me. This truth is so important and like I said, I LOVE talking about it! ❤️ ☺️

One more thing! :D Again I really really want you to go to Mormon.org and watch the video that comes up. It's so good! And that is what I'll be showing to everyone I see this coming week so I'd LOVE to hear your comments and suggestions!

Love, Sister Crowther

#notinKansasanymore

P.S. go to Mormon.org ☺️ You can do it!

P.P.S. Now share the video via social media... lol on whatever social media there is nowadays! 😂 because I wouldn't even know.