MTC Pictures

August 20 Letter

Dang, You got to see Les Mis? I'm jealous. You guys are having too much fun there. sounds like a party! Wow, Jeffrey a Deacon. I can't believe it! Eventful week! How was the EFY? Did dad make me sound real cool? OK, your questions: I'm living with members, in their basment. The Sherwoods, nice old people. My Trainer is once again Elder PAGE, weird, he's from bountiful, ut and has been out 8 months. Uh, i don't think there's really anything you can do for me. I'm kidna far away. haha, just get people to write me letters! I had a bunch of promises for at least a letter, but haven't gotten anthing! How's Alex doing? have you heard from him? Yeah, we've got a car, a Ford Fusion. I guess there's only 3 walking areas here. I don't think i need much else. I'm pretty prepared. I need to get winter stuff still. I got my haircut at the MTC right before i left. Big highlight was probably getting my study journal back, that was exciting, just because it holds so much that i care about. P-day is today, WEDNESDAY! YaY! i get to play basketball in a buit to thats way exciting. The other night at FHE, I'm over a singles ward, I made a shot off the side wall, and into the hoop. It was pretty exciting. I felt like pistol pete! it took like, 76 tries though.
Yeah, that's sister nock for you. SHe's way awesome. a one page letter? Holy moley. Any news from my friends? I haven't heard from them. David? Alex? Emily? Jillian? MIchelle or elizabeth even? I feel so cut off haha. but not haha. more like, awww :( Robyn? Melanie? Jessi? These are people i want to hear from good grief!
How'd the first day of school go for the kids? I know cameron probably is the king of the class already, haha. How'd lil kaela do? I can't believe they're all so old. Maddie's in what 5th? sheesh. I remember those days. Is she doing her homework? How's the beach? I missss it. I forgot to bring my camera cord from the house, so i have to wait to use my comps lil gadget he's gotso i can give you some pictures. They're mostly gonna be from the MTC, i haven't really taken any here.
The Work. Hmmm, going pretty good. We tract ALOT. and i don't like it. I've never felt so hated and stuff. We're teaching a kid named tyler who's probably gonna get baptized, he's just got to pray and stuff. And we have other people in our teaching pool we can't get a hold of, so hopefully that'll work out. I got really sick yesterday, but never threw up. I think it was food poisoning or something because a couple other elders got it, and we had all gone out to lunch together after a zone meeting. So, a word of advice, don't eat at Ginger Beef Peking Palace. No bueno. Tell me about home! i miss it. That commercial i was in is up i guess. www.youchum.com or something. If that doesn't work ask david. Well, my finger's are getting really tired, so i'm gonna take a break. I miss you a bunch and love you even more!!!!
Elder Crippen

I just typed mom a humungo email, and my hands hurt, so you get the small one. bwa haha. Ooooooo one thing i forgot to mention, ELDER JEFFREY R HOLLAND CAME AND SPOKE AT A SPECIAL STAKE CONFERENCE. no biggie. :) hahaha it was amazing. he's so awesome! i took two pages of notes. Afterward, he personally shook my hand, looked me in the eyes, and said, "Elder, Tote every barge, and lift every bale!" I guess you and mom can share that in church. He was there just to let everyone know that they love and care for the members. No special announcment. President eyring was in the neighboring stake. CRAZy! I feel so lucky! Maybe i'll send you my notes and stuff. I was thinking about maybe sending you my notes and journal entries and stuff. and you can send em back with book of mormon stuff. Just a thought, let me know what you think. I get two hours every pday to send email. and mail is once a week from the mission office. PLEASE share emails with friends. And get them to write. David's probably the only one who realizes how hard this is. I NEED correspondence from home. Not just from family, but friends too. DearElder is convenient, but letters are better and more personal. And find out about the postage, I'm not sure what it takes and stuff for you to send stuff here. I'm gonna send more pictures in another email, but none from the field yet, i haven't taken any here really. Everythings going good, but my hand's cram,ping up, so refer to mom's email. Have you heard anything from emily about the book of mormon? aghhhhhhhhh If you could somehow, tell jenae brett to hurry up with the addresses. She said she was gonna print off a list for all the elders in the 55th ward. give her a sob story on how i feel neglected. haha. How's the phone treating you? much better? Any news i should hear? Anyone married?I'm gonna send pictures now, so i' enjoy those! i love and miss you!
Elder Crippen

August 13th Letter-First from Calgary!

Hey! I'm here in Calgary! My trainer, Elder Page and I just got done shopping, and before that we went tracting and i placed a Book of Mormon!!! Not too sure if the guy was really interested but hopefully it sitting on a shelf will one day help him. I'm in the Calgary West Zone serving i9hn the Brentwood YSA ward. We have a dinner appointment tonight so iguess that'll be another taste of missionary work.
Just in case you were wondering, FAITH WORKS. I left my study journal, my notebook that has all my addresses and special letters in it, not to mention PRICELESS notes, on the pay phone in the airport, and i realized it at 29,000 feet. I was DISTRAUGHT. But i prayed ALOT with faith and asked other people to pray with me and my trainer just got a call that someone turned it into lost and found and it'll be here in 3-4 days! AGHHHHH i can't telly you how happy that made me. Aimee, I'm so sorry that i wasn't able to call you. The phone card had a bunch of money on it so i thought that i was ok but it turns out that everytime you call from a payphone it deducts 95 cents. NOT COOL. So i ran out of minutes really fast. Just know that i love you a bunch and miss you guys too! rest of family, keep sending letters! they're fun!
Just for safekeeping, i think it'd be best if you took the letter or package to the desk when you send something, just so you can know whats going on.
From what i hear, canadian mail isn't the best. but hopefully i'll be able to get stuff soon! Mom and Dad, the mission president is sending you a picture of me with them and a postcard of the Cardston Temple, just so you know. Its really going great here, I'm extremely nervous, but i know it'll all be good! My goal:work hard enough to do something AWESOME. (paraphrase of a psych quote!) don't forget to tape those for me! Uh, i don't really know what else to say, it was great to hear your voices, even though it was short. Thanks a bunch for all your support and everything! I know you're probably waiting for a message that you can share in relief society and priesthood, so i'd suggest that you share that faith one. its a good story. Well, i love you guys and hope everything is going good! Don't sell the house!!!!!!!

August 1st Letter

Hellooooo,

I'm actually writing a letter to you right now, so this is funny, so yeah. Life is great. I really appreciate pdays now. we actually get to rest! Even sunday isn't a total day of rest. We have two hours inbetween meetings and in those we are in our classroom studying. Every day is go go go go go go go go go go until 9:30, when we unwind in our residential hall slash dorm. I love my roommates and companion. We get along great and spend alot of time laughing. Elder page and our district leader elder mcclure are really good at basketball, so we REALLY enjoy gym time. Page is a smaller guard, and can shoot and drive really well, mcclure is a BIG boy at 6' 6" maybe around 270, but he can drive pretty quickly and drains the three like crazy.

I love what i'm learning. its such a great work. We got to go to the temple this morning and it was a great experience, probably my favorite yet besides the first. Nothing can top coming out from the veil into the celestial room and seeing my parents standing there with the siblings in the background. THAT WAS AWESOME. But this was a nice experience because i was basically alone. in the fact that no one was there for me to talk to if you know what i mean. I was able to have my own celestial room experience and i felt the spirit so strong.

Elder page and i just keep getting better and better at teaching the first lesson and we're excited to move on this week to lesson numero dos. Its fun because as we walk around we say greetings in languages that we learned from other people so people think we're going crazy places hahaha. I'm really glad i'm only here for 3 weeks. it'd be cool to learn another language, but i'm happy to get in the field asap and start teaching. Also it'd be nice to not have to deal with the food, hahaha. We taught the first lesson to the missionaries in another district that came in this week and it was Awesome. the spirit was so strong! agghhhhhhh i love it! I'm sick of typing, so i guess for more info you're just gonna have to wait a couple days! bwa hahahahahaha I love you guys a bunch and miss you! Give hugs and love to the family and friends! Don't hesitate to send me cool stuff! :) and thanks for the book of mormon insight dad! I gotta go take care of laundry! love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Elder Crippen

P.S.- I'm thinking of changing my name to elder bourne. hmmmmm

P.P.S- I'm not going through phone withdrawls, just people withdrawls, and i miss my music a bit too. Singing it just doesn't get me the same satisfaction.

P.P.P.S- Don't worry about me, everything is going greater than i can describe. :D

The MTC!!!

Here's Elder Crippen getting his name tag with the "I'm New" dot.

The three Crippen Men.

Dad, Elder Crippen, and Mom saying goodbye...