be-lated post

(sorry, this email was recieved last monday, but I've been sick all week and am just finaly getting things updated)

Happy Valentine’s day!!!

Well, so much for a fun day. Everyone is sick and can’t enjoy the
spirit of valentines. :( I hope you all get over the sickness
quickly. I’ll be praying for you! :) Rob rest up. Ha don’t worry about
the length of a letter. As long as i know you're all ok and nothing
super different/unexpectedly occurred the length to me isn't important.
I’ll always write and keep details for what i can! :)

So the baptism did go through!!! It was a 3 baptism day and well it
caught the attention of my president and his wife b/c they showed up
to watch it all! It was awesome. a father baptized his son, an elder
from my district baptized Kathy for us, and our zone leaders had a
baptism and the whole ward and leaders were there (some from the stake
too!) to show love and support. It was wonderful! It was ward
conference as well and well, this ward is going to be improving tenfold from where it is right now. The bishop is doing an awesome job
and he was just set apart a few months ago. I’ll send some pictures!
:)

seeing as how today is pday we'll have some fun at home or with the
other elders, especially since it’s in the 50s and its sport playing
weather for us! I’m just wearing a long sleeve shirt. It’s awesome! :)
that’s crazy that henry is finally getting married!! I’ll want some
pictures, please..... With the neighbor, invite him over for dinner
when everyone is feeling better and invite the missionaries and teach
the Plan of Salvation, at least make a plan of it. Then let the Spirit
guide the lesson. Or you can watch "Special Witnesses of Christ" with
him and the missionaries.... The gospel of Jesus Christ is the best
thing any one person can give to someone else in this life because it
is ETERNAL SALVATION. We all know God can and will provide us with
anything and everything we need to survive and do His will if it is
all in righteousness. That takes a lot of faith; try it out! :) I love
the gospel!

About watching Special Witnesses of Christ - we recently did that, on
Saturday. Our super awesome investigating family we have hasn’t been
able to meet with us for about 2 weeks (so it seems). They had 2
deaths of relatives in one week and Ginny (she’s the one who holds the
family together and our main investigator) is swamped with work. She
is an accountant or something of the sort for a company and well, tax
season is close. She needed and wanted a break from work. We set up
the appointment to go over on Saturday and well we wanted to watch a
movie, something soft yet spiritually powerful and something they'd
love! We did just that.

We started watching the movie and during the
whole time, we had minor interruptions. We stopped about 1/4 of the
way to the end and answered some questions then finished the movie. We
started watching the movie with only 2 members of the home watching
and ended with all of the members watching. It took their minds off of
the deaths and well, they were focused on what the Apostles and
Prophet were testifying of and promising. We were in the home for
about 3 hours. haha a very long time but worth every minute. They
needed it and we hadn't seen them for about 2 weeks.

It was spiritually powerful as we hoped and helped all of the family
to have a greater desire to continue learning. We’re using every
resource possible; i feel like we have an unlimited amount of
resources they can use and learn from and it's just the basics. That
was our awesome visit for the week! I love that family with all of my
soul and can't wait for them to be baptized! They are excited and
anxious to keep going, to keep learning. It’s awesome!

So with the baptism, well, not much to say. Everything went well and
its added excitement in the air. Kathy told me on Sunday after the
baptism that she wanted us to talk to her aunt, who now has legal
custody of Kathy. It was very cool to hear that from someone who was
just baptized. There is a lot of work to do here in Newark! Too bad
transfers are in 2 weeks.

An Apostle also will be here to talk to us missionary’s too.... that'll
be fun! :) I love being a missionary! It’s a long letter so I’ll send
the pictures on a separate email.

I love you all and thank you for everything you've ever done for me,
and continue to do for me. I am grateful to be a part of this family
on earth and in the heavens above. I know that this is Jesus Christ's
true church. I know that He wants us all to be going every Sunday,
taking the Sacrament worthily. He wants us to keep His commandments -
reading the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon (it is the key
to our religion as says Joseph Smith) and asking frequently if it is
true or not, praying daily with sincerity and real intent as exhorts
Moroni - these are the basics to having a testimony of the divinity of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to really knowing
if God does love us or not. We have to act, not just be acted upon. We
have to do, not just ask. A list of wants and needs is nice, but what
about His work for us? What are we to do for Him? He loves us and
wants us to be successful. He'll help us on our way.

I love you and thank you for everything. I’ll send pictures next week.
I don’t have time now, sorry. :( have a great week! You’re all in my
prayers!

Love Craig