Elder Landon Croteau Janaury 2013-Members Provide Referral List

This is from a few weeks ago when Devin was with Elder Croteau.

Yesterday Elder Ashcroft and I had an amazing experience. We were going over to our dinner appointment and planned to wholeheartedly use the dinner prayer list. To our excitement and surprise we found that our family (the Jessop's) had already made one for us with notes, updates, etc. They are an excellent family, very missionary minded and willing to do all they can to help. Brother Jessop is a previous ward mission leader and Sister Jessop was a ward missionary with him. They gave us great advice and many people that we can visit that have a strong chance at being ready for the gospel. I also believe that we gained their confidence by the lesson we were able to share and the discussion on missionary work. I hope and pray that I can again build up the area and find the people that are ready to hear the gospel.

Happy Reunion! :)

Surprise, Surprise! I'm not in Corvallis anymore! So Wednesday, when I just came back to Corvallis and just barely finished unpacking I get a call saying that I'm leaving to Kalispell to be with the Zone Leaders, back in a Trio! I was bummed about leaving Corvallis because we had an investigator, Gracie, and her husband Ron who is a less active, come to church last Sunday and Gracie wants to be baptized and Ron wants to get married in the Temple with her! However, the good news about being in Kalispell I'm reunited with Elder Scott and Elder Burrows! Elder Scott was my trainer and Elder Burrows was with me from the MTC. So arrived in Kalispell Thursday night and I love being with Elder Scott and Elder Burrows. So I'm the AZL(Assitant Zone Leader) again. I really love it here  and it's beautiful here. Flathead Lake looks GORGEOUS! Kalispell is North of Missoula, so I'm still in the West.

So Saturday we had a baptism for Garret, who just turned 19. Garret is a huge guy who has a beard and looks like he is 28. The baptism was great and the ward there was really supportive of him. Elder Burrows gave a great talk on Baptism and Elder Scott did a good talk on the Holy Ghost. I was the chorister and I had to lead a primary song that I never even heard of before. Scary... Haha The baptism was great, he then was confirmed yesterday at church. He is dating a member and she and her family are fellowshipping him. His grandparents were members but his parents aren't. In fact, he was saying how his dad was saying he shouldn't get baptized the night before his baptism, but he stood up and said he could make the decision for himself and that this was something he wanted to do. I'm glad he is committed. He is also planning on going to the Carson temple in 2 weeks to do baptisms for the dead. So that was the highlight of the week. Then we had dinner Sunday night with the Mowers, Garret's girlfriend family, so Garret was there too and I had a great time being with them. I really like the Ward here, I serve the Kalispell 2 Ward.

That is so crazy that Tyler is going to Montana!!!!! I can't wait for him to come in. He will love it here, he has to serve the West side though, because it is so much prettier and cooler than the East side haha. Man, I need to get in contact with him. My mind is Blown!

So, I live with members, the Kleanensmith, they have a really nice big house. It's great living there, I have a bed put right in between Elder Scott and Elder Burrows, so they pick on me alot haha. They are bullies... JK.  I love being with them and in Trios. Unfortunately, the Kleanensmith are moving to Las Vegas in 2-3 weeks, so we have to find a new place to live. I really love being with the Kleanensmith, Sister Kleanensmith makes us breakfast for most mornings which is great! She is a great cook. I'm living the dream right now being with two companions that I wanted to be with the most in the mission! I'm loving life and loving the Gospel! I just hate packing....   :/ Haha, oh well, Love ya and have a great week!

Elder Ashcroft

Moving Around

So, it has been great being with the Zone Leaders. I was with them until Thursday. On Thursday we went to Helena because Elder Davis became the new AP  and we had to bring a car in since it hit it's 50,000 miles. So we drove 2 vehicles up. I drove the Truck to Helena with Elder Wade as my passenger. It was a nice 2 hours drive and the road was covered in snow and ice. So when I reached Helena a lady was stopping into a stop sign and slid in the middle of the road so I had to swerve at the last second to avoid her, good thing I have amazing driving skills! :) We then also picked up Elder Thawley and Elder Hatch (Ex-AP) because they are the new Zone Leaders in Missoula, they are in a trio with Elder Anderson. Then we drove back to Missoula and they dropped me off to my first area to be in Clinton! :) I have been with Elder Stephens and Elder Doyle this past week and I'll be with them till Wednesday. Elder Stephens is from Utah and Elder Doyle is from New York. It has been nice to see people in Clinton again. But, I got sick Thursday Evening and slept all day Friday with a sore throat and headache. Then I lost my voice. I still can't talk and have to whisper. This really stinks, because on Sunday I saw everybody and I tried to talk to them, but I had to whisper the whole time.

So today we got our transfer call and I will be going back to Corvallis with Elder Croteau again. Elder Hansen (visa waiter) will be with the Zone Leaders. I found out that one of our investigator in Corvallis went to Church yesterday! Made me super happy. I'm excited to go back to Corvallis. Anyway, that's basically what happened this week. Bunch of moving around. Hope you guys have a great week.

Elder Ashcroft

Transformation Through the Gospel :)

Well, this has been a good week. I love being around Elder Davis and Elder Anderson. Elder Davis spends the morning with us then in the afternoons we drop him off to the other companionship in Missoula and we pick him up at the end of the day. Some days he just stays with me and Elder Anderson. Elder Anderson has been out 19 months and Elder Davis been out 18 months. Elder Anderson is from Linden, Utah, next to Pleasant Grove, and Elder Davis is from Mesa, Arizona. You know, I actually really like being in a trio, it is really fun and I learn a lot being around them. I actually learn a lot about what the Zone Leaders responsibilities are and what they actually do. Some missionaries are saying I'm going Zone Leader soon, but I really doubt that. So I met Elder Hansen, the visa waiter, he is waiting to go to Australia. he is a really cool Elder and from what I have heard is a hard working missionary. 

Zone Conference on Wednesday was really good and President Mecham was there. We talked a lot about the Trust Box. So there is a big box as we missionaries can be in. We have a lot of free agency and we can make a lot of choices. But sometimes we do some little things that bring us out of that big trust box, such as sleeping in till 8 in the morning. We don't need to necessarily tell President Mecham about that, but we just need to repent  and get inside the trust box by waking up at 6:30 the next day. Unfortunately there are some missionaries that stay outside the Trust box and create their own little box, in that box President Mecham and Zone Leaders will keep close watch on those missionaries and help them get back to the big trust box. If they refuse to change they will be sent in a box shaped like a plane and will be sent home where they can live in their own box they created since they can't live inside the big trust box. Unfortunately someone who used to be my companion is in my Zone who is in his little box right now and Elder Davis has been spending time with him, but it hasn't looked like he has changed much and I don't know if he is going to change and how much longer he has to be in that little box.

So, there is an amazing experience, or a witness of what took place. So, before I left Missoula to go to Roundup, about 2 months ago, on a p-day, I went with the Zone Leaders, Elder Anderson and Elder Branham, to Walmart and they stopped a less active girl, in her 20's, and she seemed way off and depressed, shy, and didn't really want to talk to us. So I saw her on Friday at the library with Elder Anderson and Elder Davis and she has totally changed. She was so happy, talkative, and could see a glow about her. Elder Anderson said she just started going back to church and she just changed. He said she is now the best member missionary and every Sunday she always brings someone new to Church with her. She actually said she feels the most happy in her life when she does missionary work. I saw her again at church at the University Ward. It's amazing what change the Gospel can do to people.

So Elder Anderson and I were going around trying to see people, and we were going to see a lady, a potential Investigator, a referral. Elder Anderson asked me to say a prayer before we knocked on her door, so I prayed that we would be able to see her and be able to teach her. We then knocked on her door, she answered and said she was busy, but she said we can see her on Tuesday. Elder Anderson said I should pray more often for him, because he has been trying to get in contact with her for 4 1/2 months. So were excited to see her on Tuesday.

So, this has been a very good week. Love ya!

Elder Ashcroft

Another Emergency Transfer

I have the coolest District and now unfortunately, I will be leaving that District tomorrow. Sorry I didn't email yesterday, we ended up being rushed so we couldn't email, so I'm emailing today. So, I just found out around 8 this morning that I will be leaving Corvallis. The reason is there is a missionary coming from the MTC who is waiting for his Visa to go to another country, so Elder Croteau will be training him. I will be going to be in Missoula serving in Missoula 4 ward and University ward (Young Single Adult) with my Zone Leader Elder Anderson. Elder Davis, my other Zone Leader will be a Traveling Zone Leader, so he will be traveling around the Zone being a trio with other Elders.  So that is my big news today. I am pretty much done packing. Tomorrow we have a Zone Conference and that is when Elder Croteau will get the new missionary and I will be with the Zone Leaders. So, this is the second time I will be with a Zone Leader for the last 1 1/2 week of transfer. I'm kinda bummed out because work is starting to pick up here in Corvallis.

On Saturday we found an investigator that the missionaries in the past had been teaching (from August) and we feel like he is just ready. He has read the whole Book of Mormon in 2 weeks. He is trying to have Heavenly Father and Christ more in his life. So that is good. Also we taught a part member family. We taught Gracie the Plan of Salvation and gave her a soft baptismal invite and she accepted. She is in Alma right now and believes what we are teaching her. We are just trying to get them to church.

So yesterday for P-day was fun. Well, first off, we really cant't do anything till 10, after studies, we then cleaned our car. Then we carpooled with the Elders from Hamilton to Missoula since we had planned to eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch. Then the whole Zone got together to go bowling, and bowling is super cheap on Mondays. Rental shoes are only a dollar and a game for a dollar. So I played 3 games so I only payed for $4. :) Super amazing deal.

I can't believe Paul is getting married in the Denver Colorado Temple! I didn't even know he was dating anyone. I'm still surprised that I'm getting ET out of Corvallis. I'm going to miss it here. I'm going to the Zoo!!!! Well, love ya!