Feburary10

This past week was good and busy.

We got to go to mutual that was really fun. We helped them with their missionary Olympics. WE were able to sit on the other side and be people they were supposed to tract into and read a scripture to as well as we were judges for them in their various competitions. That was fun and we learned that of the 20 some odd youth only 4 of them go to the same high-school. Not only that this is a two ward combined program for YM/YW.

Wednesday was good we had an appointment named Ahmed Sigari and he totally surprised us by having us talk about Jesus and love and we talked about heaven as well with him. At the end of the lesson we invited him to actually start to hear the lessons and he was open to us sharing our messages with him. He did say that "He wasn't going to convert" but we will see, this gospel has a magical power of softening hearts and helping others come and learn about Christ no matter what they believe about already and where they are in their lives. I also learned about how i need to turn more outward and serve people this is something that i have always known but struggled to apply but now well at least i have made progress especially as i pray to become an instrument in the hands of the Lord to bring salvation to His children and my Brothers and Sisters.

Thursday we had a training and some of the things that were covered were on stress and future trainings to be held. These things are always good and needed. We also went to the Ganjineh family it was a good lesson with them as we talked about the miracles they have seen in their lives.

Friday was Awesome we had a lesson with an investigator we nailed down some dates with him and we were able to set a baptismal date for him as well as being able to meet three times a week to teach him and his family and so we are praying and hoping for the progress of his whole family as he does.

Saturday we had a big meeting with a bunch of people and we met two new investigators both of whom seemed really excited about the church. WE gave them a church tour and invited them to church and they came! Super cool. We are hoping to teach them more after our English class and to set up more set appointments with them.

Sunday was really good Sam and Eli came to dessert with us and an amazing member family who  just happens to own a restaurant as well. So we are hoping that they will be able to build lasting relationships and help each other. Because that is what Eli needs is a friend.

Well that is it for now Any questions?

 

Elder Craner

February 3, 2014

So it has now been like 3 weeks since i last sent a good solid email sorry. Well since i last talked so much crazy stuff has happened. So sure where to start...... How about Yesterday. So yesterday was really good we had several of our investigators at church and two Persians (Tina and Moein) were confirmed during sacrament meeting. It was super cool. They are awesome. Not married or even dating completely separate baptisms but there are plans from the ward to set them up. Super funny but we'll see. Other than that it was a good relaxing sunday for us as we were able to get all of our studies in and go out and work. Even though it was Superbowl Sunday and raining and none was on the streets. It felt good to just walk around and do what we could to invite people to come unto Christ. 

Saturday was insanity for us we had an incredible meeting with our Mission President and others that are involved in the program and boy was it an eye-opener on how much more we have to push ourselves. in the Language and directing the program from our side and how much more logistics and behind-the-scenes need to be done. Then we dash over to the Visitor Center to meet with an investigator couple however, we get a calll saying that they won't be able to make it at 10 but instead 11. so we do that. Well only the Husband (NAcer) shows up at 11 because the wife (Nahiid) had to go and help someone. So we teach Nacer and we watch God's plan with him and we talk about how the restoration and the gospel blesses families. He told us of how since he has been coming to church his worries about his property and family back in Iran(2 kids 28 and 25) have ceased and that he feels peace with us and at the temple. So we have a super powerful and wonderful lesson  with him in which he probably said such a wonderful and sincere prayer, and then his wife shows up. So we turn around and start teaching her a tiny bit. We mainly watched the 20 minute restoration video with her and that is what she wanted and needed so they left. No sooner had they left and we were getting ready to go the next people we  were going to teach later in the afternoon. When they call us and say they have time and want to learn about Mormons as well as if we could cancel the English class and teach them instead. We said Sure! they asked where at and since we were already at the Visitor Center we asked if they would come there. They did and we had such a powerful lesson with them and we helped them resolve many concerns about priesthood authority. it was especially powerful because they aat the end asked why and who was pulling them to this church? We simply testified of the hand of the Lord and how he operates to bless and help peoples lives. so that was like from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon and after doing all of that and a little more we were simply exhausted spiritually, emotionally and mentally

Friday was a really good day as well. We had an amazing ZTM (zone training Meeting) in which i realized some things that i need to work on to have more charity as well as we were able to have a good lesson with Sam. He is doing so well since his baptism in all aspects of his life. He also did me a big favor and let me record him reading some scriptures so that i can listen to him and practice my pronunciation. 

Thursday we were able to go and help this lady move for a while. So she had some overs come and help and guess what they were Russian Muslims! Would you believe that! Super cool so i had a chance to practice my Russian and realize that i have forgotten quite a lot and will have a lot to re-learn if i ever go home. We were also able to meet with the Ganjineh family and they are good. We were able to teach a little about priesthood authority and the pattern of gospel dispensations but it got a little contentious. So yea we have some things to go back and work on with them but that is why the Spirit of the Lord is so important because when he is with you lesson go so differently and the things you say and do have such a greater power.

Tuesday a miracle happened. So we woke up with a flat tire on our car. We changed it quickly and went on with our day. We had some time we thought that we would be able to have out tire fixed and a new one with time to continue on with our plans. So we drop it off at the mechanics. We start walking around and we suddenly realize that it is taking to long so we have to call and cancel an appointment. However, despite this as we are walking we have some great conversations with people about the gospel and although they weren't interested or shooed us away it was good. In our wanderings we realized that we were near the apartment of one of our investigators, Marjan and Ali. So we decided to stop by and say 'hi'. They were home and we were able to go and teach them a couple of things about God being our Heavenly Father as well as answer some questions.

our Persian is getting better slowly and we are able to teach more and more in it as well as understand more and more.

That is it for this week.

The big events of the past couple of weeks are that Tina and Moin were baptized and we had about 15 non-member Persians there! To which they said they loved and we were able to help them all a little move forward because it was such a beautiful program and the Spirit was so strong. 

Sam was confirmed in Sacrament meeting and it was very special for him.

We had interviews with our Mission President and they were very uplifting and great insights were found. Including me stop worrying about making things perfect and ways we can better serve everyone and do a little better today than yesterday.

We met MArjan and Ali at Los Angeles English and gave them a church tour and invited them to church and Tina and Moein's baptisim to which they came.

that is about all I remember. So yea it was good and i love the work and how wonderful the Lord is even in the worst of times.

Elder Craner

Remember BE HAPPY,

there is no reason to be in all honesty if you are doing what is right and keeping the commandments then even in the hard and sad times we can rejoice and be happy. Alma 8:14-15

Persian missionaries with President Weidman and some Persian investigators

 Us with Sam

Persian missionaries and Sam

January 13, 2014

Sorry I didn't email last week. 

So the big things that have happened this week are that Sam got baptized!! The service was amazing. The Spirit was so strong because the members who came are some of the strongest I know and the talks were so good. In his welcome to the ward I loved the advice he gave to Sam. He said "that of all the things you will learn as a member of the Church there are 5 things that if you do them you will be OK." "1. Pray to your Father in Heaven every day 2. Read from the scriptures everyday 3. Partake of the sacrament every week and renew and remember your baptismal promises. 4. Prepare and go to the temple regularly and 5 Serve find any and all of those around you that need help and serve them. " i love our bishop he has broken things down so simply for Sam and everyone there that  we pray that it was well heeded because we had 4 investigators there. they all loved it and we are praying that this will help them take the next step in their own progression to Heaven. 

Other than that things have been going well and we have visited and met so many people every week I truly love it out here and am so grateful for all of the things that I am learning here and the person I am becoming. 

The language is coming along in leaps and bounds, sometimes it feels like I haven't progressed at all and then there are other times where it feels like the things I learned I always new. It is quite incredible and fun with the way God works in helping us learn and be better.

Love y'all talk to ya' next week.

Elder Craner

December 30, 2013

     This week was good, because there was just such a good festive spirit all around. Even if it was like 80 degrees on Christmas which was just weird, let me tell you. 

So Monday we tried to go caroling but the Mother ended up being sick and so we met and had dinner with the kids. That was fun let me tell you they are some super swimmer's and doctor's. The mother (who was sick) is actually our mission doctor and is a prediatrician and her husband is a cardiac pediatrtion ( he deals with children's hearts, sorry Papa i think i butchered his specialization)  so they are super smart. Then we ended up meeting with President White ( of the mission presidency) and another family to pick up Sheppard's pie, a ton of it. Funny thing is we had two dinner's originally scheduled for Christmas with President White and this other family. So it was a little awkward when they found out... It worked out. That is what you get for not wanting to turn down invitations for dinner. Anyway turns out that you only one worked out because of another time conflict.

Tuesday we had a lesson with Sam and a bunch of other Persians. It was really good. Didn't catch very much of the conversation but it was good none the less. We then had Dinner at a member's house. Super awesome family. We had champurrado (mexican hot chocolate) and tomales. SHe even got a us a little Persian cookbook for Christmas. So watch out when i come home in 2 years i'll be a master chef and you will all love my cooking haha. Anyway they had a non-member (family friend) at the dinner so that was cool to meet him. 

Then it was Christmas and we were able to talk to our families that was really good. We then had dinner with President White. However the Christmas Miracle is that we went to the VC to try and meet up with some investigators and lo and behold there were a ton of Persians there. All were a group that Sister Larson brought for the Christmas concert. However out of nowhere into this group of Recent Converts missionaries and investigators pops in three new people no one knows and they start asking about church and if they can come to church. So we tell them where it is and invite them and they say they can come(they then forgot on Sunday but they said they would come next  week and we are trying to set an appointment with them this week). It was super cool, especially because they don't speak like any english. Super scary!

Thursday we had a big lesson with Sam and Eli about the LAw of Tithing. Which she did not like at all, at all. But Sam was good with it, So good with it that he wants to find another job so that he can start paying tithing because their little restaurant just isn't cutting it. HOwever after us explaining and testifying about blessings and obedience and the love of the Lord things calmed down but she still wasn't having it. So on Sonday we had Sam and Sis. LArson(for translation) go and talk to the Bishop about tithing just incase we failed to teach it correctly and so that helped a lot. 

Those are the big things happening happening here in Los Angeles. Love you all and pray for the best for you and as always Keep up the good work.

Elder craner

Novemember 23, 2013

      

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, 메리 크리스마스, کریسمس مبارک, In whatever language you speak.

  
       
         This week has been really good like amazingly good. 

So last week you know how one of our investigators wanted to be baptized? Well this past week we had a lesson with him and he set the baptisimal dat of the 12th of January. In fact it was a very cool lesson. We went into his restaurant(that is where we are teaching them). We began teaching him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about halfway through in walk some members from my old ward (specifically the boldest and most zealous and dedicated person i have ever met about sharing the gospel and she is the Relief Society President and who are currently serving a service mission for BYU-I). So we about to invite Sam when in walk the missionaries(whom the member was going to feed). So by the end of the lesson their was a very very powerful Spirit there with 6 set apart missionaries, there because they loved this one man. Oh yea previously we had contacted this same member about Sam for some help with local fellowshipping and she has been sending every person from the ward that she can their to wat at his little restaurant. We are pretty sure that she also had the YM/YW go caroling to them at the restaurant. Super cool.

Sam also came to church and he brought his son. Who lives in TEmecula which is like 2 hours away! they loved it and his son said he would search out Lds people there and try to go to church there. We also knew of a baptisim that Sunday and so we invited Sam to it and he said he would come. He cam a little late and missed the actual baptisim because the GPS told him wrong but  it was good anyway because he was able to see some of the confirmations which he loved. We were also able to use the powerful Spirit that was there to help us teach him the Word of Wisdom. Which he then committed to keep it.

Saturday we had an amazing Christmas party with Sister Larson. Who invited everyone she could along with our investigators. So the amazing thing was that when all was said and done everyone their was either a member and most being Recent Converts of 5 years to 2 months or at some level investigating the church. which was super incredible especially when our mission President stopped by because he was invited too. HE was able to see so much good work that has been done by the Lord for the Persians in  preparing them to receive the gospel. So cool until they had us give a talk in Persian. Which was super cool and super hard. So we read a scripture in Persian and bore our testimonies about Christ and the truthfulness of the season. Super cool. They also had us pray in Persian. So i did the opening prayer to bless the food and i forgot the word for food! I won't know that like 20 people have told me what  it is. It was awesome.

So on Friday we had our Christmas Devotional. It was so good. There was an incredible Spirit there as we sung and heard scriptures from all of the Standard works about the birth of Christ during the program. Then we also had an amazing testimony meeting about our Missionwide Book of Mormon reading. It was so amazing to see how it has changed the culture of out mission from when i first got here to now. This past year has been absolutely incredible. unexpressably so.

Elder Craner