I thought I would add this in his blog. It is from March. He and several other elders participated in a huge service project helping the young violinists. If you go to her website you will see pictures of the little children who Xander helped and see pictures of him as well.
Dawn





Dear families of missionaries serving in the Palos Verdes Stake,

I currently have the wonderful opportunity of rubbing shoulders with your good sons as they help with the Young Violinists of the Palos Verdes Regioinal Symphony Orchestra on Friday afternoons.  The orchestra and Young Violinists are programs offered by our stake as a community service.   Having your missionary sons at the stake center each week has brought a greater warmth and peace to the lessons we offer to the community.  These missionaries have been an incredible help to me in making friends with the many children and families that visit our church each week.  They are alert to filling any need that arises.  I am so happy to introduce these missionaries to all of my friends!

Last Saturday we held a recital for all of our Young Violinists.  A good man in our stake set up a photo booth during the recital.  I have attached his link to the photos.  You will find pictures of many of the families your sons are serving and at the end are some pictures of your wonderful missionaries!  I hope you enjoy seeing their smiling faces.

Last evening all of these good young men also arrived at a local auditorium to help with our Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra concert.  When they entered the auditorium, it was filled with a sweet, warm spirit.  They were a wonderful presence and help throughout the entire concert.  They were directing and seating families in the best seats, distributing programs, helping our Young Violinists on and off stage and anything else they could possibly do to bring the spirit to the evening.  You would have been so proud to see them!

I am grateful that you would share your sons with us!  

Wishing you a sweet Easter,

Sister Michelle Whitesides

On Sun, Mar 17, 2013 at 5:52 PM, Michael West <jmichaelwest@gmail.com> wrote:

http://www.jmichaelwest.com/2013/Young-Violinists/28466722_RCCQ2D#!i=2411644837&k=sdvfhr3

Above is a link to the Young Violinists Photos.  Also, I've attached a short video that explains how to download a photo from my photo website.

It was an amazing evening of talent and family, thank you for inviting me!

Mike West

I believe that this is the 9 year old little girl that they were able to teach.

View from his apartment

Taking pictures

July 23, 2013

Hello all!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this week well, not much that has happened this week. We are still doing are best to get a new area off the ground. Our goals include some heavy advertising for English class this week and attending and doing are best to participate in the up-coming ward activity. the hardest thing is not being able to speak the language. Many times because i can barely gist the conversation and by the time i think of something to respond with the conversation has moved on and then i am lost. However i have set some high goals to help learn and learn quickly. So that way i  don't feel like a third wheel who can't support his companions and help testify and teach(but very basically). Some of thee things include memorizing 25 words a day. ( for all of you who don't know vocabulary is probably my weakest subject when it comes to learning a language.) But through Christ weak things become strong, right? (Ether 12:27) Good news though we are beginning to have students in English class!. So far we have 1. He called yesterday and declared to us that he would come to Thursday and possibly Saturday! WOOOHOOO! The beggings are always tough but this part of the vineyard shall be the most fruitful and plentiful! The hard part is that it is like being given an open canvas to paint. A completely blank and whit canvas. and then the boss says make something beautiful and worthwhile here. Well, I don't even know where to begin. but the first lines have begun to be drawn.

Elder Craner

mom-he says he likes gummy worms. Also his birthday is on August 11th. That is this transfer, so if you could think of something good to send him that would be awesome. I'll do some digging this week to find out what else he like and what you could send him. All the things that i need are things like notebook and pull-up bar but i can get that here with the money from great grandma among some other things. but some stamps would be nice. writing letters to Taiwan and Korea you tend to burn through stamps pretty fast. Skittles would be good for me, if i think of anything I'll let you know. also check out our new mission blog!!!

 

californialosangelesmission.blogspot.com  

July 9, 2013

Thank you for the package Mom! THe pictures are great and thanks for sending me J's graduation announcement, maybe ill give one to a companion or friend and he can write her;) haha i have had people ask so far i have said no because not sure how J would respond and if that is something she would be nice about or she would be totally freaked out about it. I am super excited for you all and that  you are enjoying life and preparing to let another little birdie begin to fly away from the nest. Did you know Lauren Barney is getting married!?!?! I love you and have you read Dalian's letter yet super awesome.

I have big news!!!!!!! Transfers just happened and guess what?! i am staying and get to continue to work in this area and i am super excited to do so and we are staying as a trio. which is super weird but the Lord has his own plan and agenda for our personal growth and the growth of this area. It'll be fun.

Anyways the best thing to report is that we have been working heavily with members and that we are planning on doing so and so far actually we have seen some success and it has been amazing and we are super excited for it. From our dealings with the members we have received 3 promising referrals and we have seen the fire be lighted in many and so it is super exciting to see everyone begin to conquer their fears and be involved in the work of the Lord. Everyday we see miracles and the Lord's hand in our lives as we help God accomplish his purpose of bringing about the immortality and eternal life of man. This is a huge blessing and gifted opportunity available to all to help our neighbors receive His sustaining influence in their lives.

Well that is all for this week. Promise pictures next week.

Elder Craner.

July 15, 2013

Even bigger news!!!! Thursday morning we were on our way to a service project and the phone went off!!!! dun dun duuun. IT was president Weidman  (our mission president).  He decided that morning that we were going to split the area and that Elder Yoon and I would be going to a new area called Korean C. nothing else changes but we went to from an area that was blooming and becoming awesome to an area with nothing but members who like us but don't really need us, or so they feel right now. We went through the are book for this area and well it took us 30 minutes to contact all the former and potentials and all the branch leaders. However the Branch president is excited to have us as well as our Assistant Ward Mission Leader (actual Branch Mission Leader went less Active because of a fight with another member, we have been forbidden to visit him right now.) So for the Best several days we have set a vision made plans and prepared to become a full-fledged Korean speaking area. Sad thing when we looked at the area book for this area it took us all of like 1 hour to try and contact everybody. So we have an empty book and a long way to go but i am with an amazing Korean Elder, Elder Yoon, and we will turn this place upside down. however on the plus side my Korean will improve because now there is a sense of urgency for it to do so. Sorry this week has been so crazy that I forgot my pictures again. One day i will bring some for y'all. However i have realized that i have a lot to improve on and that all though it will be a long road a lifetime in fact it will be ever so worth it. Right now we are striving to forget ourselves and go to work!.

Elder craner

July 1, 2013

Sorry Mom we just had the baptism. You can still send it if you want i will send you her address in another e-mail. Also did you take that picture with your phone and is the actual picture playing on a slideshow on the TV? Did you get a chance to watch the broadcast? if not, you should watch it with aunt Lynn (Tell her HI and Aunt Becky to send me an email)

So we just had a Baptism and i will send pictures next week. I'm getting better about bringing my camera. I actually brought it today but I forgot my card reader. So next week ye shall see many pictures from me hopefully.

This past week has been good.

Te baptismal service was good and it was full of people from her family and the ward. So we were super excited about that. Her Mom came who was a non-member with her brother (Amanda, the one who was baptized's uncle). So that was good they felt the Spirit and liked it but they are not interested at all.

I had to give a talk in Korean on Sunday. It lasted a whole 3 minutes. YAY! The topic was hard and open-ended though. it was along the lines of say something that will inspire our little Korean branch to do missionary work. There were several non-members there though. So it was good. Then in the English ward third hour we had a QandA session from members to help inspire the English Ward. We are also working with members so that we can help them do their missionary work, so that 1) it will be more effective at bringing souls unto Christ. 2) strengthens the members and 3) We fulfill our purpose. We are trying to do it in a way that we can show our love for them so that they will want to become member missionaries and that they will be excited for it rather than us forcing them to give us referrals and us being "gimme gimme"

We met the new president. His name is President Weidman, i don't know his first name. apparently he is googleable. according to members. But he is very business-like and friendly. So we shall see, i am excited to see the changes and fire that he is going to bring to this mission!

Love y'all

 

Elder Craner

June 26, 2013

Hello so this past week we had four investigators to church this Sunday!!!!!!!!! One is getting baptized this coming Sunday and the others are all progressing as well. A mother and a daughter and an investigator, who has been coming to church more so than ever before! I am not sure what the change was but my first transfer in this area and earlier he rarely came except to see his kids in a program and such. Now he comes almost every week and so far the only reason he hasn't is because he has had a recent hip replacement and whenever it was acting up he wouldn't come. However he has been there 9 of the past 11 weeks. He is making his own progress towards baptism because if we push all he does is regress so we just help him along at his own pace but he is so close!!!

The other two investigators. Are amazing tonight the daughter is supposed to be attending mutual and we are hoping we can help encourage her to attend Girl's camp. These are the investigators that fell into our lap and they are progressing so well. In our last lesson with them we asked them something along the lines of "What would you do if this was the true church of Christ on the Earth?" the daughter responded that it would be an honor and that you better join it" and the Mom responded "I'm sold you don't have to try to convince me" So we asked to be baptized and she said that she would but.. she wants to get more involved with the church first and so we shall help her do that thankfully this ward already has many activities and friendly people with whom we can get her involved with. 

Other than that we receive a new mission president tomorrow and we get to meet him on Friday.

Also if you haven't seen the special broadcast yet from last Sunday you need to see it! Go here http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/special-broadcast?lang=eng and watch it. It is really good and there are some interesting announcements about technology use and such by Elder Perry.

Elder Craner

If it is not to late. Could you look for the One with the three crosses of my Italy pictures and i owe Zach big then for finding them for me!!

Mom- i am doing fine i really am. i wouldn't put a false face on for anyone. Managing the ADD is hard but manageable and i am getting better at it. I will send pictures as soon as i remember to take it from the apartment on Preparation days.