November 26th Letter

The Sports Night Gang! Every Thursday night we play games. Normally volleyball.
The members are taking good care of us, as you can see! Lots of gifts!
Me and Elder Wilson from BYU!
Me and Elder Teng

Well, life is good! I don't entirely know what to say right now, I'm not feeling too well. Feeling kinda dizzy and lightheaded for some reason. But its definitely been an amazing week. We've committed a total of 3 people to be baptized in December and its a great feeling. Natalie is one of them. She had an amazing story on how she found out the church is true. She was just walking around and praying and asked if the church was true and she suddenly felt the spirit so strong and said the sun literally got brighter. It was awesome to hear. Then we received a referral from a member whom we have already committed to be baptized and we are truly being blessed by the Lord. Natalie is a smoker and i was able to talk to her about using the Atonement to help her. Its hard to explain, but i told her how its possible. I'm so excited for it! Weather is weird. It was freezing, and now its warm, but will get cold. SO weird. I'm feeling very well equipped and have adapted well. Will you guys bring up that gray coat i talked about? I'm kind running out of time, but life is good! I love you guys and miss you and stuff! Happy thanksgiving!
Elder Crippen

November 19th Letter

Me and my SUIT!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so comfortable!




Playing with Socks, the cat at some other missionaries house

Socks. Again.

SNOW!

Sweet Temple Lot Shot

Sweet hats in Walmart

Hats. Again.

sORRY TO HEAR THAT. oops caps lock. SO the computer froze and i lost the email i was typing, so i'll just write a letter. its about time you got a letter. Here's the basics:
I bought 2 suits for $25! they're sweet! gray 2 button and 3-button
i made a box for my scriptures and its sweet! pictures to come next week.
Could you bring up my gray snow jacket, the one i got at BYU, up here when you come up? I'm like to have that jacket if you don't mind. ship it, drop it off, whatev.
My scriptures dedicated to you guys, Enos 1:1 and Alma 56:47 love you!
And to my friends that read this:
WE just and an awesome zone conference. Elder Paul Sybrowsky of the 2nd quorum of the seventy came and stuff. He had me come up and share my "conversion" story. He emphasized on how just because i was born into the church we tend to write off our own conversion stories. it was pretty cool. I think he liked me a lot because he kept reverting back to me and asking me stuff. And i gave the closing prayer and he gave me a hug! Saying the prayer was scary! My voice might've shook a bit. haha but it was sweet. Life is good. Weather is consistently below freezing, but I'm fine and enjoying the time i have for my body to cool off! Love you!
Elder Crippen

Letter from a Family in Cody's Area

The Crippen Family,

Just wanted you to know that your son was over for dinner last night. Our oldest daughter is in the Brentwood Singles Ward. They are having a 40 day fast for missionary opportunities. Every day one of the members fast and then they have the Elders over for dinner that night. .

As a mother, I would want to know how my son is doing. As for your son, he is doing awesome. It is very evident that he has leadership qualities that will take him places in life. His companion and Elder Taylor seem to be very compatible. Elder Taylor is very blessed to have your son as a trainer. Elder Crippen gave the spiritual message last night. He started off with some "light bulb jokes" about RS, Elders' Quorums etc. It got our boys attention and then he went on to the give the message.

You can tell that you have a very close knit family. When I saw your daughter, Amelia, at the temple a few weeks ago she was very aware of what was going on in Elder Crippen's Mission Life. She was so cute "She said tell Elder Crippen that I love him so much." I was telling your son that she looks very good for carrying twins and is about to deliver.

Thanks for sharing your son with the Calgary Mission. He has made a huge difference in the lives of so many. I love having the Elders in our home because they bring a spirit that touches our soon-to-be missionary sons.

Kathy Layton

November 12th Letter

Me with a headband. And with food on my face. I'm still Cody! hahaha

Me and my sweet Ride.Yeah, it snowed, I had my first driving in the snow experience. I handled it like a champ!

Posterity Shot. Grandpa Page, Daddy Crippen, and little boy Taylor



Me and Elder WILSON! BYU BUDS!




Me in a missionary tree fort last night.



Me and the mandarin missionaries on a p-day eve hike


Downtown Calgary. cooooooll

Hello!Sounds like you guys are having an awesome time! Can my room be like that when i come home? I like chocolate. Sis. Layton actually saw Amelia in Cardston, so i got a lil update on her. That was fun! Thanks for all that pictures, they put an instant smile on my face!!! Oh, Mom, good luck with the surgery. Don't do anything embarrassing like i did. I remember when i just came to and just to make sure i was alive i kept groaning. I'm a weirdo. Thanks for all those thoughts dad. don't worry. I'm being very humble. Training is one of the hardest things i have ever done. Especially only being 3 months out! Our district leader calls ever night to see how our day was and always asks if we did such and such tiny tiny details, things i barely know about and have a hard time remembering. Sometimes it feels like I'm being rebuked and stuff. There have been a few nights where I'm so overwhelmed that i just put my forehead on the wall and just clear my mind and think of happy songs. :) Its definitely a blessing through trial though. Elder Taylor is an amazing greenie. He's the best i could get. He has no problem talking to people and gives me courage to do the same. The first night he was here i took him to a mock teaching appt with a gay guy and his 3 straight roommates. (Who actually was our zone leaders and two mandarin missionaries!) So funny. Taylor was so weirded out but held it together well. 20 minutes go by and the gay one, Ryan, Goes into his room to show us a surprise, because he said he was gonna come to church. His roommates started bashing with us a bit and stuff, and at the height of it, Out comes Ryan in a suit and name tag. Taylor's eyes got HUGE and he thought he was mocking us or was seriously gonna come like that. Then Ryan walks up to Elder Taylor and says. Hi, I'm Elder Stotts. And everyone starts BUSTING up. It was hilarious. Remember the friend from BYU who also got called to Calgary! He's in my zone now! Good old Elder Wilson! It was so good to see him. I was straight up GIDDY when i finally saw him again. SO cool. We had an appt with one of our gators, Francis, and when the door opened, we were smacked in the face with the smell of tobacco, alcohol and weed. I almost got high! At the door was Francis' little brother holding a cigarette, and not looking too good. He said Francis was "sleeping" and wouldn't wake up. Our member that was with us goes, Long night? and he just goes, No, I'm just still drunk. and proceeded to tell us of their previous nights activities. Holy cow that was weird. BUT! The next day we taught Rebecka, the girl i set my first baptismal date with, and that appt was awesome! She was feeling stressed with many trials and felt she wanted to drop her baptismal date. After talking to her for a bit, I felt an urge to offer her a priesthood blessing. Minutes later, Elder Taylor looked at me and whispered, "Can we give her a blessing?" It was then i know that we were supposed to do it. We offered, she humbly accepted, and asked that I do it. It was amazing. The Spirit was so strong as I could feel words that were not mine come out of my mouth. Afterwards, she said her thanks, and said that she literally felt burdens lifted off her shoulders, and felt strengthened to take on her next trial (Baptism). AWESOME!!!!! Its starting to get cold. The normals are dropping below freezing. oh boy. don't worry, i have lots of jackets. But there is something you can be proud about. It was 2 degrees outside, roughly 34 degrees F. And i was walking around at night in just a suit! And my greenie, who is from Provo, was freezing in a beanie, suit, and hoodie. Hooray! I felt tough. :) Well, that's all for now, I'm tired and am loving the work! buh bye!
Elder Crippen

November 4th Letter

Playing around at FHE with the mandarin missionaries they are cool

uh, i cant remember. (Comp had an emergency appendectomy!)

Some funny thing in a restaraunt

Some sweet vest in the lost and found box i wore during Zone meetings.

I couldn't breathe!!!! SO TIGHT

me being pregnant (TRAINING).

Girls wearing our suitcoats at FHE (I love YSA:D...)No worries though, i am REALLY am enjoying this break from girls!!!!!!!!!!

A cool view of downtown

Me and elder Hoyt jumping into a HUGE pile of leaves.

That was your FIRST missionary report? Have you not been in our ward or something? Those people we tracted into canceled our appointment but we went by and they're still good. Holy cow andrew is coming home already?!
holy smokes. Yeah, i really like playing the piano. its funnnn. Yes yes i know i wish i would've done it earlier. Trent's going to ventura?! There's a guy in my ward going there! Crazy! tell him to keep an eye out for nathan Turner. He's a cool guy in my ward and yeah. I haven't heard anything from Elder Low or Hopoate. Just that Elder Low got pretty sick and lost 7 pounds. He'll gain it back though. That kid eats like a camel drinks!!! Man, that would've ben sweet to hear the closing prayer by Bishop. That's awesome. The FEMA joke was hilarious. It'd probably work out too. Haha Trust me mom, I'm not too sure that my wife will have to convince me to marry her. You know that other side of me. I'll have to convince her. Did i not like preparing for a mission? I'm lost. YES ON 8!!!!!!!!!! yeah. I was talking to one of the institute directors about prop 8 and about how the temples in CA could lose their marriage license and that would be terrible. I don't want to say no "I Do" and then go to the temple. All Temple all the way baby. I will be married in the San Diego Temple. The only one I'll budge for is Mount Timpanogas. That one is beautiful. That's awesome about Diana and Donna. Please tell my whole basketball family hi for me!!! Tomorrow morning i go and pick up my greenis! I'm pretty nervous but confident. Its a great compliment to me. uhh, yeah. With ELder Pehrson getting appendicitis and our district leader getting the flu, i had the opportunity to give 2 priesthood blessings this last week.
It feels like its been forever and I loved it. Its a great experience being a mouthpiece for the Lord and knowing that those words are not yours. It was great. Well, I'm getting tired of emails, soooooooo yeah. LALALALALALAAAAAAAAA Give my love to everyone!!!
Elder Crippen