Monday, January 26, 2015

So, transfers came in this week, and I'm staying in CCK with Sister Reach :). Pretty typical for a white wash! This means I get to go on my 3rd Visa Run. So fun!!! I have so much I could tell you about this week. I had another tough beginning, probably a bleed over from last week, but by the end of the week I was feeling basically like myself! I am going to give you a couple highlights of the week.

Guess what food I tried this week? Frog! Sister Reach gave it to me and I didn't know what it was. I didn't like it though. Too chewy.

This week in the work, we gave a powerful lesson to a part member family about faith and fasting. It was really cool because we planned it with God during planning, talked about it in Correlation, delivered it with a member - and the spirit was so strong. We were able to talk to them about giving things over to the Lord, and having faith that He can provide a way for their 12 year old daughter to get permission to be baptized. As we sat in this lesson, I was able to promise them miracles. I have never felt the spirit more strongly, and I have never cried so hard in a lesson. I know it touched the family. I'm also so proud of Sister Reach. She followed the spirit so well here, and she was able to share a really powerful story about her cousin back at home. I asked her about it after, because we hadn't planned to share it during comp study, but she said her heart was beating so fast, and she had this overwhelming thought that she needed to share it. The spirit was so powerful! Words can't describe it, and then they fasted this week, and we got to fast with them. I studied about fasting, and learned a lot from it too! I was able to realize that we really need to start our fast well. We need to explain to Heavenly Father what we're doing, why, and how we feel about it. Then, we need to pray and have faith all during the fast! If we don't do that, then no miracles can come to pass. We are having patience now tied with our faith, as we wait for the part-member family to get the courage to ask their dad about it. We hope that a miracle will come when it needs to. They really want her baptized in February, so I hope it all works out for them.

We got to have a great lesson with one of our young investigators - a 14 year old boy!! We had challenged him to try praying just one time at our last lesson, and when we followed up on it, we found out that he had prayed every single day. He said he couldn't not do it because it just felt right. I asked him how he felt when he prays, and he said he can't describe it, but it's good to have someone to talk to. After a long silence, I was able to tell him that he is feeling the spirit talking to him while he prays! It was so cool! He is the sweetest.

When we trust God and turn it over to Him, and then pray for the revelation necessary to bring the spirit into a lesson to touch people's lives, miracles happen. As our wonderful AP says, "Christ is at the head of the church, and God is at the helm." I know it. I know God lives. I've learned that more this week than ever before. The Atonement is REALLY real. It works for all the dumb things we do, all the weaknesses we have.

Love you all! Have a great week!!
Love,
Sister Crabb

Monday, January 19, 2015

Thanks for your prayers! I am feeling much better, although still not 100 percent here :). I think it's because I'm just a little bit physically exhausted, and Satan really pounces on missionaries when they are feeling physically down. (At least according to Sister Mains, and I believe it's true. Also, I love her! She's like my mom away from home, and she calls and checks up on me all the time when I'm sick, and she is just perfectly wonderful.)

So, this week was definitely a little bit strange for me! I did figure out pretty quick though why I was feeling so down! I realized, that my ears were really hurting. I went to the doctor in Novena hospital this week, and I have an ear infection. I got all the medicine and pain killer I needed, and I'm doing much better now. As soon as I got the pain gone, I was able to not be so emotionally and mentally sad. Satan seriously is so good! Anyway, I'm grateful to be feeling better.

However, besides me being sick, Sister Reach and Sister Alfrey both got the flu this week! I'm amazed that it's even possible to get sick here in Singapore, since it's always so hot, but I guess it has something to do with going from 30 degrees celsius (86 F) outside to 16 degrees (60 F) inside . Singaporeans love their aircon!

I felt so much strength from Heavenly Father this week as I tried to just reach out and love one of his precious daughters. I didn't have the most patience or love that I could have, but I did the best I could! I really felt the Savior strengthening me, so I can serve the people around me!

I think another lesson I've learned is to not judge. I feel like there've been numerous times where people have judged me and Sister Reach as a companionship for doing something like being late to an appointment because we got lost. (We're white washing and don't have a map app on our phone. Sometimes we just get lost!) It makes me sad, because I realize that they have no idea why we're late, what we maybe went through this week (i.e. Sister Reach having the flu) or where we've been. It's made me realize that it's absolutely not our place to judge, because we have absolutely no idea. That's only God's job, and it's our job to love everyone, and see them in the best possible light. It can be hard, but that's what God asks us to do!!

To finish off the week, we were able to miraculously get a part member family to let us come back and teach her 3 boys all the missionary discussions! I'm so happy, and feel so excited to strengthen family here. I want to help families be together forever!!

Love you all so much!! Thanks for your prayers!! Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Crabb

Monday, January 12, 2015

This week we had the chance to visit a  part member family! The lady we met is super nice, and as a tactic to meet her, we brought over some cookies unannounced. She let us in super fast, and made us hot Milo, and brought us out dessert, and sat and talked to us for a really long time. She is mostly active, but says she has a hard time going to church when she has housework to do. She said she just likes to stay at home and do that instead. However, when we explained to her that we need people to share lessons with, because it's hard to find new investigators, she was more than happy to let us come over again this coming week! She said she and her husband and 3 boys would love to hear our message about family. Hopefully we can meet them this week! It was a miracle she was home and was able to let us in and talk to her.

This week, we made oragami bow book marks for the ladies in our ward. We really wanted to tell them thank you for all of the hard work they are doing to help us, and for all the Christmas presents we received. We have a drawer full of chocolate - still full - from Christmas. We are so loved in this ward! So, we are trying to show them our appreciation.

Besides that, it was a pretty normal week! We met members for dinner, and have a goal and vision for our area to strengthen everyone's faith. We are trying to do that in a couple ways, but a big one that I know came from the spirit, is to share the Book of Mormon with people in every appointment. We are trying to get them to strengthen their faith in the Book of Mormon! 

Also, we met some investigators this week that are all on the brink of being ready to be baptized, they just need a little bit of work!

Two other random thoughts from this week...on Sunday, our Bishop got released and we got a new Bishopric in our ward! I'm really sad, even though I only got to work with Bishop Foo for a few weeks. He was so good. I broke down in tears during sacrament meeting because of how much love he seemed to feel for his ward. He was Bishop apparently for 7 years, and was Bishop of a brand- new reorganized ward, which is really hard. He couldn't even sing as he looked out at the congregation. I don't know why it touched me so much, but it really did. I just hope I can have that love for all the people I serve my whole life. I'm noticing myself developing that type of love here as a missionary, and I want to carry it on forever! The other people that live in my apartment are two American sisters - Sister Alfrey and Sister Schriever. Sister Alfrey is the most loving person ever. She does so much for me, and I'm not even her companion! I'm so grateful to have her in our house. I feel so loved right now! It's really nice when people are willing to serve you and look out for you. 

Also, this week there were times that I felt like I wasn't doing any good at all. Sometimes it's hard to try and fill your time, and when you can't really contact, and you don't teach all the time, it can get discouraging, and you can feel like 'why am I even here?'. I had a couple tender mercies this week to let me know that all the little things I'm doing matter. I got a voice note from the Chinese Elders just last night letting me know that some man who I had contacted is on date to be baptized! Contacting him about a month ago was crazy, and it was hard, and I almost didn't do it because we have a language barrier. However, he was talking about 'Jesus, Jesus" so I tried to tell him that I could tell him about Jesus. I got his number, and told him friends who can speak Mandarin would call him. It was just such a testament to me that God looks out for us, and that our little efforts do make a big difference, even if we don't see them immediately. Someone came up to me and asked me about my nametag this week! It was a complete miracle, and we're meeting him this week. He has had a lot of things happen that are setting him up for the message of the Restoration. He is Christian, but is looking for a church. He has slipped away from religion for about a year or two because of work, but recently switched jobs so he could attend church. He's nice, and I hope that he is accepting of our message! It would be really, really cool!

Finally, my invitation to you all, is to not only read over the Book of Mormon, but feast on it. Study it, love it, and PRAY to know if it's true. We had an investigator this week tell us that she doesn't need to pray and ask if the book is true, because she already knows. She said so many people believe it's true, she can just trust it is because they say it is. However, I KNOW that asking God is crucial. If we don't ask Him, we will never be able to have the ENDURING CONVERSION we are all striving to have. Conversion is a life long process, one that starts with every little choice you make every day. It's not easy, but it's worth it!

Love you tons!!!
Have a fabulous week! Thanks for all the prayers and support!!

Love,
Sister Crabb

Monday, January 5, 2015

So, this week has been wonderful! My card reader isn't working again, so no pics. I have a genius with computers living in my house though, she said she just needs to reformat it.

Anyways, this week has been wonderful! We are teaching so many people, and put so many people on date this week!!

We have a really sweet 12 year old on date, who is from a part member family. We are working to build the faith of the family, and bring the dad to church as well, so that we can get her baptized. We need the Dad's approval to baptize the daughter, so we are working on faith, faith, faith for this to happen.

Sister Reach and I got lost numerous times this week as we tried to find less active/inactive members, and that's been really fun! We have so many part member families in the ward, so we are trying and striving to get them baptized.

Also, I can't believe it's that cold there! That's amazing!! I wish it was cold here sometimes. It's just endless hot. But, I actually kind of like it, so that's good. I realized, it's going to be really hard to come home. First of all, because I love my mission. Second of all, I'm moving back in time, so it's harder to adjust - major jet lag. Third, it's going to be super dry so I will have endless bloody noses. Fourth, it's going to be freezing. So, it's fine. I'm just enjoying the sun right now!

To answer your questions, we just took a taxi. We piled all our stuff into a taxi, and went to the new house. It was fun. I love our house, and it's really fun. I'm really adjusted now, and am really enjoying the ward.  About 75 percent of people in our ward are inactive. We've been working with the Elders to go and find these people, and work with them. It's been an adventure to say the least. Just a fun fact, there are 1,300 active members of the church in Singapore, so the church is tiny here. Also, the members are so cute, and they plan their yearly temple trip in January! It was fun to listen to them talk about it during Ward Council.

The Bishop here is wonderful. He is like a loving grandpa, and I appreciate him a lot. Thanks for the prayers, and yes, I try and just talk casually. It's hard though, it really hurts to not be able to talk about the gospel. I miss it, and want to share it, but just can't. Sigh. However, I like to just smile. Sometimes people are impressed when you just smile and say 'hi' and are kind. People here can be pretty reserved.

I know Heavenly Father knows the desires of our hearts, and I am so happy in my new area. He is blessing me according to my needs and the desires of my heart.

I have been really trying to ponder before I pray, and it's made all the difference. When I ponder, I actually can communicate better with God. I'm also really learning and working on communication as a missionary.

In a nutshell, Sister Crabb is happy. I want to leave you with a thought from my wonderful mission president as I feel like it applies to New Years and setting new goals. I would invite you all to ponder it as you set goals this year. Make sure to write them down, and make plans of how you will accomplish them. Also, set a vision!! It will change everything about the goals you will set. I invite you to set a vision, meaningful goals, and plans to fulfill your goals so you can accomplish them throughout the year, and not just January. I know that if you do, you will see more change in your life and feel the love and approval of the Savior more. After all, we are only expected to be changing in this life, not being perfect.

I love you all so much! I love my mission, and feel so blessed to be here among these wonderful people!!!


Love, Sister Crabb