December 31st Letter

Life is going great here in Lethbridge, I won't be able to send pictures this week because i left my camera cord in Brentwood. We've really found a lot of people to teach and I'm so excited! I really love being a missionary! Its not too cold anymore, but there is SO MUCH snow! its everywhere! I have a lot less time to email now, and at the moment, not too many stories are coming to mind, but mom and dad can tell you some because i got to see them! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO it was so fun to see them and all. Well, i8'm off to play basketball and stuff, love you all!

Please send the Miles ALL my love for them and stuff.!

December 16th Letter

Well, I'm being transferred. THats pretty sad. I'm gonna miss Christmas and the baptisms. Not cool. But i'm going down to Lethbridge and am pretty excited for that. It'll be a fun new experience. It really has been a good time here in Brentwood, i'll miss it a bunch! Sports night, oh i will miss sports night, hahaha. Church members are amazing up here. So, It'll be great! I'm excited for Christmas and all, Its been FREEZING cold we haven't even been allowed outside! -40. It's COLD. But its all good. I don't really have much to say. I LOVE teaching with the spirit and all. So fun to feel words that aren't yours flowing out my mouth. I love you all and am so excited to see you!!!
Elder Crippen

December 10th Letter

Cool icicles on Bow River
Me at the temple site, (a similar picture is my Christmas card)
Me in the snow

This is everything i carry in a day. Crazy!

The Calgary west zone

Walking around our area in the snow. New experience for sure!

Elder Taylor and i with our Christmas tree!

Kickin it on the C-Train

I love playgrounds! A bit too big eh?

Our new mission car...not.

The Scripture box! (x5)

Hello! Life is going great up here. It's starting to get decently cold as you can see, but its nice for my body to have a chance to cool down after living in CA forever. I get to see you guys! Whenever you guys mosey on down to Calgary we have an hour for dinner together!!! How sweet is that? I'm so pumped! I'm assuming we'll set it up next week or something. When are you guys planning on going down to Cardston or anything? I'm glad to hear your brace will be coming off Mom! Isn't it so exciting! Wooo!!! I was impressed at the nightgowns you made! Leneah is such a sweetheart and all of the kids look great! And OLD! Holy cow, I've been gone 4 months and look whats happened! Crazy! I want the gray jacket, the one with no hood, works well in snow, zips and buttons and stuff. The one i got from BYU bookstore. I miss that jacket haha. Life is going great up here. I love it! Its so much fun finding those people on the street that were definitely prepared to speak to you. I love teaching people and answering their questions. it always amazes me, the simpleness of everything. I think sometimes we get caught up in all the deep stuff and beautiful simplicity. I love it! Do you guys remember things that were said in my setting apart? It was a bit overwhelming and i can't really remember. please? haha, we've gotten so much snow that we were grounded this last Sunday. We couldn't drive anywhere we had to either walk or get rides. so we shoveled lots of walks and stuff. I wish i could describe to you how great life is going. But i can't. Hopefully you'll be able to tell when we get to see each other, but really, i LOVE it. Its amazing. read Alma 5. I read it this last week and its awesome. I gotta go, there is basketball that needs to be played. Love you!!!!!!
Elder Crippen

December 3rd Letter

Does that pitcher look familiar?

Me and Elder White, the whip cracking district leader

Me and Calgary and a new tie!!! Thanks for the package!

Hey!
Greetings from Calgary! How's the life back home in the sunny CA? SO jealous. Its getting REALLY cold! I talked to president and sent him a piece of that last email and stuff so we'll see waht he says! When exactly are you guys coming up again? Thanks for the pictures! They were fun to see! Everyone looks great and all! man i miss everyone. I have such a sweet family. Haha there you go. You've finally got a confession out of me! No plans for Calgary Christmas yet. Too far ahead for me to plan. I'll chare my conversion story next week. I'm kinda running out of time, but you will get it, i promise next week!! ANd i definitely had a great trainer. Elder Page was GREAT> I love seeing my old companions. its so much fun. So we were helping someone put up their Christmas lights, and i had no way down. SO I pulled a trick out of my Jason Bourne handbook and jumped off the roof, grabbed a tree branch, and climbed down. I know i promised that I'd be elder Crippen and now Elder Bourne, but i had no other way down, promise.... :) We've definitely planted a lot of seeds. We had to drop a couple baptismal dates because they either dropped off the face of the earth, or couldn't go through with it. But Our golden two are amazing, and one of them has asked me to baptize her! That was a big honor! I'm excited to be in water again. Gah I LOVE TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT THIS GOSPEL!!! its amazing. SO some members in our ward are from rim of the world! He went to high school there back when dad started teaching! Lester Stehmeier sounds familiar? They're a sweet family. Well, I'm off to shop and stuff. I miss you guys a bunch and love you! Thanks for raising me right!
ELDER Crippen

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