September 3rd Letter

Mom,
I LOVED those parables. you should give them to Aimee for the blog/facebook. hahaha That's so weird you'll be up here. You should leave some goodies at the mission office! Dang, Utah then Minnesota! you guys are traveling like crazy! Whats next? The Bahamas? Were those parables in the book? They made me laugh real hard. soooooo trueeee. I got the package from you guys yesterday! it was awesome! Its so nice to have my backpack back and stuff. the shirt was my favorite i think. I put it on as soon as i could. heh heh, the coke bottles didn't end up so nice. (see photos) Looks like they're not meant for traveling. uh, i think I'm on the east side of the river. ok ok ok ok no bourne stunts. Obedience is really important out here. That's one thing I'm scared about, is a patch of ice, something goes weird playing basketball, some crazy person, and my mission could be over. its hard, but i love it. Its through the challenging and testimony trying days that i feel my testimony growing stronger that this church holds the fullness of Christs gospel. Last night was one of those. We tracted awhile after a good zones conference and this atheist talked to us forever about how the Book of Mormon was "really written" and how you can't prove there is a God. It made me mad but it hit deep. Then last night at home i was writing to Peter Barnes, serving in Latvia, about it and bore my testimony.
it took up a whole page and strengthened me so much. That's the first time I've really had a witness that bearing your testimony helps it grow. Speaking it to people is hard because you don't want to be one of those annoying people that talk forever about stories, but you want to leave a good impact and have the Spirit, so its hard. But when you're writing, no one is gonna stop you or put it down. That's the best way. Give it a try, and write down your testimony to your future self for a hard day or something. Well, other missionaries have told me stories about writing long emails and the computer freezing so I'm gonna send this shindig ASAP. Love you! thanks for everything!
Elder Crippen

THE PARABLE: the parable of the self-addressed -stamped envelope. Once, a missionary departed unto a far-off land but first he gave a certain number of self-addressed-stamped envelopes to his friends. Unto one he gave 5, and unto another he gave 2, and unto another he gave 1. And while he was gone, he that was given 5 envelopes wrote 5 letters and then in zeal wrote 5 more. The same with him that had been given 2 envelopes, he wrote 2 letters and then 2 more. But, he that was given 1 self-addressed-stamped envelope became slothful and careless, and lost the envelope, even that which he was given. And when the missionary came home, he went unto his friends. And he that had written 10 letters was warmly greeted, the same with he that had written four. But, he that had written none at all was given nothing more than a fish-like handshake.I only tell you that story because you have mentioned how much letters mean to you. But some will say, "A letter! A letter!" But we have already written a letter. What need have we to write any more letters? Know ye not that there are more days than one! And more events in a day? Why think ye that those events need not be reported? If you feel like you don't have much news...tell me about any little thing and it will mean alot to me. If you find a favorite scripture, let me know. Bishop will want to know it for your wall plaque! When a gospel truth is strengthened...write it down and pass it on because it may be just what someone needs to hear.

Hi Dad!
Hahaha, I'm quite the bounder up the stairs aren't I? It wasn't often i took those stairs one at a time. Its funny how spiritual star Wars is. I've actually used that in a lesson. With how Anakin goes bad trying to do something god and that's how Satan gets us.
Thanks for the advice, it helps humble me and realize I've gotta be kind to everyone. I'll work on that this week. It bugs me how rude and inconsiderate people can be. I'm a person! ugh. Thanks for the pictures! they're fun to get. haha Kaela's funny/ Yeah there's no problem with sending stuff. Just don't send forwards and all that i don't need. I can't really watch videos and stuff. So this has been a good week. We had zone conference yesterday and that was good and uplifting. I bore my testomny on how much i know this Gospel has blessed our family. And before, people used to ask me if my house was on fire what 5 things would i grab? I can honestly and earnestly say the scriptures. I love them SO much. I was reading in Mark 8 today and there's good stuff there, but its stuff i went really deep into reading so describing it would be hard. I sent you guys a letter yesterday, so you should get that next week or so. And i had my first missionary talk in church Sunday. I spoke on faith and shared some experience from talking on phones to people in the referral center. It was pretty fun. Monday night we got our hair cut by a family and then did FHE with them. It was so nice to be with a family again. we drew up a memory game for the kids and it was cool. Then we helped the Dad give his son a school blessing, and that was awesome. He's a convert of 5 years, so that was awesome. and it felt good to have a part in a blessing. it feels like its been so long! Haha we went to a Catholic mass last week and that was weird. This professor of theology came up to us afterwards and was somewhat bragging on how anyone, like us, can go into a catholic service, but only members can go into the Temple. Then we told her we have chapels. Shows what kind of Professor she is. And she asked us if we had questions and we said no, and she told us that was a shame and walked away. That wasn't nice. I guess NIcki's mom went to one of your edweek classes and talked to you and loved your talk. I didn't know you still taught there?! And Sister Priday remembers going to your prickly bear teddy bear talk awhile back. You're famous! You've still got it! Thanks so much for the package, it was awesome. I promise I'll be a jason bourne missionary, just without the stunts. I'll hit them with the Spirit and use my scriptural tools to hack into their soul. hahah yeeeeah. For some reason i can't attach pictures, so i guess I'll print some out and stuff and mail em. I love you a bunch, and give my love to everyone! I miss you!
Elder Crippen