4-23-2014

I survived an earthquake and the plague all in one day! It was great. I'll start off with the plague. Guate is trying to wipe out all the North Americans. 22\25 Nordes were bedridden. President Cox is so funny. On the first day the sickness came about 6 people were affected.... this was not your normal flu. I was pretty sure if I wasn’t a missionary, this flu would have killed me. haha but I’m healthy now, no worries. So president cox was joking with us and he said we better get better because he didn’t want to make any phone calls: ''Bad news. Your son is dead. Good news, he is coming home!!!'' I wasn’t sick at that time so I found it so funny. No need to go into details but we are all healthy!! I got a blessing because I was not doing so hot. And today I am as healthy as ever! My district is the best out of the 14 people I came with, they are all going to Quetaltanogo and three out us are going to Este. AKA I am going to miss them so much. My comp got sick the day before I did. Her name is Hana. Flewallen: Fluey flew got the flu. Cleaver right?

EARTHQUAKE! So the day we all got sick we were isolated in our own room. Aka we were too sick to sleep so we were talking and all of a sudden the room started shaking at about 11:30pm. Even though I hated not being able to sleep, it was really cool to be awaken for my first quake here in guate! It only lasted about 5 seconds and it was like nothing but it was pretty sweet. In the morning I looked out the window to see the three volcanoes near me and nothing unusual was going on. They were active as always but nothing blew! Hahah

On Easter we got a special devotional from Elder Uchtdforf!!! He talked about fearing No Man when it came to being a missionary. (I don’t fear man but I sure do fear bugs!!) I have had the best 5 Sundays of my life here at the CCM. It is amazing how happy I am! I didn’t even know this kind of happiness was possible! 

Heather and Tim!!! I have eaten everything you guys fed me that one night. EVERYTHING even the drinks! I ate bananas every meal without fail. I still don’t like Bananas haha I love you guys!

Kenz!! Thanks for the letter! It was the first one I got here... I guess dear elder doesn’t work because I haven’t gotten any haha whoops I was dying of the flu and I got a letter and it was great! And a miracle because all last week Guate shut down and went to the beach so the mail wasn’t working. Every year the week of Easter everyone takes off work. BLESSING!

My favorite part of the week is every night at 9:20pm (after planning) my district says our own pray, nothing but gratitude for everything we have. It is the most special feeling ever! Try to say at least one prayer a day dedicated to saying thanks! It has blessed my life :) Two of my favorite scripture this week are: John 11:33 and Mosiah 24:14

I LOVE YOU ALL! The gospel is true!

Hermana Crouch

4-14-2014

Dia 26? En serio? Dos semanas mas? Que en el mundo? Jk that does make sense in Spanish but all nordes enjoy to say it. Was this the best week orrrrrr what! Okay, Lets recap on the things i have learned from this week:

 1. Discouragement doesn’t come from God

2. Having a bedtime is hard. At home I would just stay up until I got everything done. Here, if its not done before 10:15, it just doesn’t get done.

3. Necesito mas atributos semejantes a los de Cristo

4. Espanol es dificil, pero es posible

5. I am discovering things about my self I never knew. I have large capacity to love, learn, and grow...... I also can eat ice cream with every meal and have no regrets.

6. I only learn Spanish when I know who is in charge... When I think I am learning Spanish by myself.... I get humbled real quick. Haha

This week was the hardest week here at the CCM. Spanish is hard. We had fish for like 3 meals. And I felt so discouraged. But lets refer back to point 1: DISCOURAGEMENT DOES NOT COME FROM GOD. I want to be the best missionary ever. My district (The celestial district) made some goals... we complained more often then we should have about how hard Spanish is...Don’t worry, we changed that real quick. NO COMPLAINING. I am a witness that the hardest trails bring the biggest blessing. This week was hard, pero we changed our mind set by being 100000 thankful all the time. This week turned out to be my favorite week yet! It is hard to explain.

The CCM feeds us so well. They fatten us up for the field. Tonight we get a chocolate fountain!! Because everyone leaves for their missions tomorrow! That means the Nordes get to go on a field trip outside the CCM! I can’t wait. Okay, No more letters to the CCM! In two weeks I am out of here and mail takes a real long time.

Ewwwwww we had a class on all the sickness we will encounter here in guate. I wanted to throw up when I saw all the infections. BUT IT’S OKAY BECAUSE I LOVE IT HERE. I love being a missionary. It is the greatest blessing of my life. I cant wait to share my joy.

Family: Soooooo read 3 Nephi together as a family.... EVERYNIGHT!!! I am studying 3 Nephi and we can study together (:

Also... the phrase "one by one" shows up in the book of Mormon only SIX times. I have found 4 of them! Can you find them? Don’t just Google it. Read the BOM and find them for yourself.

I LOVE EVERYONE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! GUATEMALA IS NUMBER ONE!

Stay truth to the faith,

Hermana Crouch

If you would like to write Kelsey a letter here is her address and she would love to hear from you .

Thanks for you love and support for our daughter. 

Hermana Kelsey Lena Crouch

Guatemala City East Mission

Edificio Galeria Reforma, Torre 2

Nivel 5, Oficina 505, Zona 9

Guatemala City

Guatemala

4-9-2014

Best Week in Guatemala!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, that’s a lie. Every day is the best day ever here!!! I love being a missionary more then I could ever describe. I cant even put into words how amazed I am at this work. The gospel is true and I have never been more sure of anything. Time doesn’t make sense here. I have been gone for three weeks? No way!! It weeks like 8 days.  Last p-day we got to leave the CCM!!!!! It was awesome!!! For the first time ever, I realized I’m in a third world country. I am really humble to be in this country. How is my blog slash f/b going? Do they miss me? UMMMM I love my district. Good thing because I spend 16 hours a day with them. Seriously, they have become like family. No words to describe how much I  love it here with my district! Any one knows an Elder Hodson? He is my ZL from Vegas!! Okay... things get competitive here... at... four square. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD. And I enjoy volleyball. Things are great! Guess what..... I ATE FISH!!! It was terrible and I hated it but i did it for Guatemala. And I have been eating peas too. They are like time bombs in my mouth. Anyways, Elder Amado from conference? I totally met him last week! He gave a devotional at the ccm... because he lives in GUATE! He was so funny! Love that man!

Ummmm guys. Where. Are. My Letters. Jk but really. The weekly 30 emails are WAY nice, but id also like letter, dear elders.... what ever works!;)

I fasted twice this week... from English haha funny right? It is great but so hard to speak SOLO ESPANOL. I love it. Did I mention guate is the coolest? I have the COOOLEST scripture cases in the world. I’ll send pictures in like three weeks when I am out in the field WOWOWOWOWOOW. Everything is awesome! Everything is cool! Name that movie!

Ya know the song defying gravity? Something has changed within me something is not the same... I THROUGH WITH PLAYING BY THE RULES OF GUATEMALAS GAME. Jk but seriously. Guate is doing not nice things to my body. But I had a donut the other day... I almost cried. I love everything.

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY DYLAN!!!! MISS YOU BRO

Time is flying, I’ll try to hand write a letter if I have time! Stay true to the faith. I know with a shadow of a doubt this gospel is true. I know the book of Mormon is the word of God. I’m learning Spanish. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Learning the language is hard. But I have never been happier. I would trade my favorite day back home for my worst hour at the CCM. God exist. He loves us more then we can comprehend. I love it here and I love you guys!!!!!

Hermana Crouch