January 29th, 2013

Hello all,

So it is transfers already because of the fact that i came mid-transfer from the MTC. So our "trio is down to two." Who can name the movie and the song.  I'm not quite sure where this week has gone but i shall do my best to do a recounting of it for you.

 

I'm going to work backwards. So Yesterday began a small disappointment as two of our appointments fell through and one of them was a Korean investigator. But we kept our heads high and pressed forward and we met and taught a good lesson with someone we found on the street. and then we had a member present lesson with a couple from the ward. They are awesome. super strong because one is a convert and the other a reactivated member. The lesson was really good and powerful but i don't how well it was received by our investigator.

 

Sunday was fun and a little strange because i went to the Korean branch with the Korean elder (Koo) while my second companion went to our other ward to be with our investigator their. He enjoyed church and wants to come back again. Then we were able to go up to the Los Angeles temple Visitor Center with a potential investigator and a member family. Although she felt the spirit and really enjoyed talking and learning from us she isn't quite ready to take the discussions. Then we went to a part-member family from Greece and had some traditional Greek food, it was good but super oily and greasy and my stomach did not enjoy it. The Mom (the member) speaks Portuguese and even though i know basically nothing she spoke it and i was able to respond and that was fun.

 

Saturday was a miracle day for us. we had struggled to find a member and fellow shipper for our investigator (the one who came to church) and committing him to come to church. We finally came up with the idea of our recent convert and we called him and he came. We were able to pre-set with him to let him know what we would like him to do in the lesson so he isn't just sitting there or taking over the lesson. Most importantly how ever we told him to be willing to speak up every time he felt prompted to by the Holy Ghost. After that our investigator showed up and to our surprise and amazement they already knew each other previously.(They had played tennis together). Then during the lesson they just clicked and played off of each other and our member was able to affirm and re-iterate everything to our investigator everything we were teaching him. Because of our member our investigator decided to come to church. This is a miracle on two fronts maybe three..1. because of our member we were able to help our investigator progress in a way we couldn't 2. We were able to find a good fellow shipper for our investigator, someone he trusted and connected to, 3. Our member found a friend to go to church with. We were struggling to find a good strong friend for our Recent convert but now that he has become the friend and not the one being befriended i think it'll help him a lot.

 

Uhhh i cant differentiate anything before that i should have brought my journal.

 

All is well and i am loving the work and enjoy losing myself in it.

 

write me

 

Elder Craner

01/21/2013

Wooohooo in California where it is much warmer and nicer here than in Utah. Mom i must apologize to you for i should have said something on the phone but here it is many days late HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

Alright where to begin So i got off the plan in LAX and found my mission president. He was a little late because of the fact that something happened the night before and he had to deal with it. Anyways, we went to the mission home and i met and talked with office missionaries. I had to take a driving test i passed, i think. Then my companions came and picked me up and we went straight to our area. No training or anything like normal because i am coming off transfer for the mission so i was thrown head-first into the work. Just how i like it. So we taught two lessons that day and let me tell it was two completely different atmospheres and the presence or lack of it in one was greatly felt.Then we went and met some ward members and so that was fun. 

Guess what this is a running mission. Ugggh so every morning we have to get up and run for 20 minutes at least. Come back get ready and then do personal, companionship, and language study for me and the native Korean learning English. Because this is area is struggling right now, we have to do a lot of tracting and door knocking. Which is fun and disappointing because if they answer the door it is either a quick no thanks or the talk it out with us then shut it.The food i good and because right now i am in an English ward and a Korean branch of 20 members (we're working on that ) i have quite a bit of variety of food from Hispanic food to American food to Korean food to Japanese food. Interesting note I tried Sashimi or raw fish with wasabi and soy sauce. Sorry father but it actually wasn't that bad and i kind of liked.

I have already begun to see many answers to prayers many times not mine own but others. It is awesome. So my first Sunday here was interesting because it was stake conference but i did meet the Bishop and other members. It was fun. So i taught my first lesson in Korean. I said like 3 things and i just did my best to listen and understand it was hard but i got kind of the gist of her concerns and questions.

My companions one is Korean Elder Koo and the other is from Idaho Elder Peirce. I'm in a threesome. Their cool but can but heads sometimes because of clashing of cultures. Problem is that sometimes it is hard for me to watch and not step in because i know that would be worse but it is awkward just sitting there. In all honesty i know not what to do.

My apartment fits two people snugly but with three it is crammed but we are making do and all is running smoothly. 

Hey Y'alls,

Today is my last day in the MTC!!!!!!!! Next time i email, i will be in California!!!! where it is all nice and warm!!! Other than that this past week has been crazy. Between the anticipation of leaving and all the 'fun' stuff we get to do on our final week it has been a rollercoster of a week.
2 stories: First i think it is funny but for them it really wasn't.
So the missionaries all left on Monday morning and i prepared myself and was doing okay with having the people i have spent nearly every waking hour with for the past 12 weeks-ish leave. I was hanging out with one of the younger districts and they were awesome and friendly but in all honesty it just wasn't the same. So maybe some slight depression but i was coping and on the way up. However on the way to check the mail because i am still district leader and it is my job to do so, even though i knew all the mail would be for them. There they were standing out side the Travel office. I could not mentally cope with them being back it literally took me about 15 seconds to realize that they were standing there. I thought i was hallucinating. Then my mind finally made sense of it when other people started to recognize them too. and i got super happy and excited because i got one more day with my district before they all went off to Korea. It turns out their connection through Tokyo was canceled because of a major ice storm. So they ended up going to the airport and trying to check-in their luggage before they finally find out. so their was some major disappointment among them. But i was happy. Selfish i know. I'm working on it. 
2nd story Is pretty cool
So we were at our departure devotional and it was about to begin and guess who walks in the door? Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of the Church. He was on his way to the Marriott Center at BYU to do a Devotional For Young Adults. He gave us a few words and his blessing. Then left but I should explain a bit more. so we arrived late and were in the very back but because we had made friends with one of the usher volunteer people, his name is Brother Rail. that when one of the reserved rows opened up he waved us down and allowed us to sit there so we went from the very back all the way to the 4th row and then in walked President Uchtdorf and his wife.
All right i love you all and make sure you write me at the mission home the address is:

Elder Alexander Craner
California Los Angeles Mission
1591 E Temple Way
Los Angeles, Ca 90024-5801

Elder Craner

January 8, 2013

Hey y'all
So i have picture this time. YAY! So this week lets see there was a small epidemic in the MTC which i avoided. \the Korean general authority came and gave the devotional and we got special seats up front and our travel papers came in. Woot!
So this small epidemic was crazy, our zone was fairly untouched by but of the 57 zones 56 had someone sick in it. It grew really rapidly jumping from 3 to 75 to 150 to 300 in 3 days and boy was it weird. It was so virulent and they were scared about getting everyone sick that they almost canceled the Devotional! They eventually found a solution in having it broadcast to the classrooms and only a few people (like the Korean missionaries) being invited to watch it live. It was really good. We got to  show our Korean to the entire MTC because had everyone sing "I Am a Child of God" and the first verse was us singing in Korean with him and then the second verse was everyone in their own languages and the last verse everyone in English. Boy was it cool. Then he had his wife in the middle of his talk tell everyone why she first thought he was the most handsome man in Korea. It was awesome She said that he was the most handsome man in Korea because he loved the Lord and loved everyone. That is what his talk was about is that the more Christ-like we become the more 'beautiful' we become to those who can see it and would want to be around us. So he encouraged us to love everyone and see them as beautiful so that you will be able to serve them and become beautiful in their eyes because they see Christ in you. Which is an awesome message and reminds me of something "Audrey Hepburn said "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others. For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness. And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone"

Flight plans so i go straight to LA from Salt Lake. Big surprise there. However Mom this may kill you but i fear i will not have any time to call on the 16th in the airport. because we meet up at the travel office at 5:00 and will probably leave around 5:30ish and then i won't get to SLC until 6:30-6:45 and then depending on how busy it is i wont get checked in and stuff until 7:15-7:30 and the plane starts boarding around 8:00. Let's plan on about 7:30 i will call but it may not work but we will do our best and trust God and it will.

Other than that this week has been fun and hard as we all try to remain focused in our excitement to go out into the field. 

Elder Craner

Elder Craner and his companion

Elder Craner's District

Elder Craner and his roommates.

Elder Craner

Korean speaking missionaries.

Elder Craner's district.

Elder Craner's zone, which consists of all the Korean speaking missionaries.

Provo Temple

Just messing around.

Elder Craner's Korean scriptures.

These are his name tags that he will wear for the next 2 years.

New Years

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

Christmas day was awesome The latter half of the day went as follows there was a Talent show and most of the people in it were absolutely amazing. I also got to speak some Russian with the Russian missionaries. that was a lot of fun i remembered way more than i thought i did. then we watched It's a Wonderful Life that is a wonderful movie. We also had a fireside from Greg Olson the painter of O' Jerusalem. He gave us a signed copy... just kidding but the Fireside was still really good.The Devotional by Russell M. Nelson was really good. ( I feel horrible but i cannot remember what he spoke about exactly) except this one quote "Don't be a rumormonger but a rumor stopper" because for a long time everyone was caught up in some pretty crazy rumors and he killed them all in like two sentences it was pretty awesome.

 

i do believe i forgot to tell you all this in my last email but the Sunday before Christmas so the 23rd i Had to give a talk and i was supper sick still (now i am back to normal) and i sounded  like an old man who swallowed a frog that was a heavy smoker. But other than that it went well. Well i struggled to read some of my handwriting in Korean. But it was good. Now i don't have to worry about giving a talk until i leave.

 

I love Korean but it is hard. I can understand the Grammar but the vocabulary will not stick in my head no matter what i try! Oh well it will come as long as i keep trying until i find what works for me. 15 days until i can go out and serve the Lord in his vineyard i cannot wait! 2 Days till we get our travel plans Yippee!

 

Elder Craner

 

P.S. I hope that you have all made good new year resolutions and that you will write them down and remember them. because each each month and each day is an opportunity to begin something new to turn a new page. So what are you waiting for you have the rest of your lives ahead of you so why not make it the best time it can be. 

 

P.P.S. You know if y'alls will write me i will have more to say.  ( Not that i actually have more to say right now. Mind is particularly blank right now)

 

Mom- No i still have not received the other SD card. I will send the other one to you as soon as i have the other or on my first P-day in the field. Which ever is first . Yes a card reader ould be nice because then i could send some pictures while i am filling up the card and not have to wait. No i still  have not heard from Catie. But i told her i would wait to here from her. I fear my letters have been waylaid. 

Christmas Day

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the gifts you got. Today has been amazing and so was yesterday.Yesterday we watched a Nativity skit that wasnt to bad no yes yes it was but i still felt the spirit and was reminded of why we celebrate this season. We also watched " A Christmas Carole". I'm not sure what version but it is an older one and is apparently the most true to the book of any version. It was awesome and full of plenty of funny things. Today started out funny so we got permission so that we could wake up extra early so that we could hurry and do our laundry and then go get ready because today is also our Preparation day and the only day this week that we have that we can do laundry. The only problem is that our brilliant idea was shared by literally everyone else who needed to do laundry. So although i lucked out and found two washers open right away, my companion on the hand ended up spending 20 minutes looking so we had to eat breakfast in like 5 minutes so we could get to our class on time. It is a good thing I'm a Craner and have learned how to eat swiftly. So the Devotional today was really good it was given to Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of 12 Apostles. Tonight we also get to watch "It's a Wonderful Life". Mom i want you to know that i did wait 'till today to open my gifts and Thank you.  

 

 Although it was really good what i really want to say is that i am so thankful to be on a mission right now! And although my family may not be but these past couple of days i have truly come to the realization that i am willing to give up two of my Christmases with my family. So that i might be able to share the gospel and help others enjoy their families for eternity! Oh how this gospel is one of Happiness and Joy where we have the gift of the Atonement and repentance so that we might be forgiven of our mistakes.How sweet repentance is the feeling of giving our sins to the Savior who has willingly taken them upon himself so that we might be clean and happy. I know that if we accept the gift of the savior this Christmas season we will lead happier and fuller lives than any other that we can if we just look at the material things that we received this Christmas. So i encourage all of you to accept the Saviours gift of himself into your life and to give him your sins through Repentence. For what better feeling is there other than giving someone else something. SO give your sins to the one person who is willingly accepting them of all people because he is the one person who can.

 

Love Elder Craner

 

P.S. We get pur travel plans next week. WOOOT. so excited. Sorry it is so short but my brain cannot spit anything else out.