Week 25: "Sister Glenn sos what should my subject be?!"

What's good friends?! So my subject is something I say on a weekly basis and the creative juices just aren't flowing today, so figured it's time this subject got its spotlight! Things have been pretty slow here in Mendenhall. We have been struggling a little but trying to find people to teach, but we are still working hard and trying to be better! Izzy and Rinasha (the 2 amazing girls we have on date for baptism) are progressing so much! They're amazing and just soooo ready for baptism! We have had lots of fun spending more and more time with them getting them ready for baptism! It's been a party down here in Mendenhall for sure.

Alright friends I want to tell yall about some miracles that happened this week. I've been struggling a lot this week! I've missed my family a bit, I've felt inadequate, I've felt insecure and basically I've been in a funk! Well, Sister Glenn and I were listening to a talk by Hank Smith and it was awesome. He talked all about how the Savior does things one by one. He talked about how God sends us individual blessings when we really need them. That really hit me and stuck with me. So I decided to pray to God and I asked Him for an individual blessing. I didn't think much of it and I didn't see anything the next two days. But then sunday came around!

Yesterday was our Stake conference in Jackson and we got there about an hour and a half early. So we decided to walk around and chat with people, pass out programs and visit with other missionaries to keep is busy.  Well with 10 minutes to go before the meeting started, President and Sister Varner walked in to our complete surprise! We didn't read a program the whole time we passed them out. Turns out they came to speak! So they came over and talked to us for a minute and reassured me of the work we're doing in Mendenhall and made me feel so loved and so valued. It was exactly what I needed to get over the funk I'd been in. It was such a tender mercy! But it didn't stop there! We were walking around the building after conference trying to find our ride and we bump into someone from another Ward. We talk, then all the sudden she reads my tag and just pulls me into a BEAR hug and tells me how she took care of my brother when he served in her ward! My brother had served in her ward 4 years ago and she looked and my face and my tag and knew exactly who I was! It was so fun being able to talk about my family with someone who knew them! It was another tender mercy and I realized the Lord blessed me individually twice that day. God is good guys.

So the Holy Ghost taught me something new this week that I wanted to share with yall. So we talked A LOT about the Book of Mormon this week and what its taught us. I have a list of themes of the Book of Mormon that I find as I read and one of them is to Remember. Just remember. We just have to remember what God has done and what Christ has done. Then I had this thought. We have covenant at baptism to always remember Christ and we are reminded to remember Him everytime we read the Book of Mormon. I think that's because He remembered us. He remembered us and suffered individually for us in the Garden. I think He remembered us on the cross and who He was dying for. I think He was only able to get through the Atonement because He remembered us. Doesn't it make sense, then, that the only way we can get through this life is if we remember Him? I thought that was a cool thought and I figured I'd share! Try to do something this week to truly remember Christ, especially at this time of year with Turkey day coming up then Christmas!

Speaking of Turkey day, we are having a full blown southern feast this Thursday full of southern festivities. We are getting ready for some darn good dressing (apparently that's what they call stuffing?? Weirdos lol), deep fried Turkey and a "friendly" cornhole competition. Hopefully we live up to the competition and kick some Mississippi behind. 

I hope that everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and make some time this week to remember Jesus Christ and what He means to you. I promise you it'll bring so much more meaning to this time of year! I love my Savior and I love this time of year where we celebrate Him! I love you all and I hope everyone has a good week! 

Love, Sister Crouch

1. Mission Conference with Elder Cook. Good picture for a game of "Where's Sister Crouch?" Lol. Such a cool experience!

2. When in Jackson. We went up to Jackson for a doctors appointment and hit up our fav place. The verdict: Canes > Chick fil a

3. Is it really a Mendenhall email without the Waldrop clan? Lana is officially my BFF and she wanted to pose for our picture haha

4. Sister Alhalteh, the woman who took care of my brother Elder Crouch 4 years ago! It's a small world in the church haha

Week 24: Elder Cook and the Temple!

Wow guys, where do I even start with this week?! We had the most amazing experiences ever! Elder Cook of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles came to Louisiana to rededicate the Baton Rouge temple! And, while here, he spoke to our whole mission with 2 other general authorities! It was a spiritual party for sure. Then, yesterday we got to watch the rededication of the Baton Rouge temple which was so so cool. They broadcasted the rededication to all the stake centers in the temple's temple district, so the whole mission got to watch and participate in the rededication! It was such a memorable weekend and one that just strengthened my testimony soooo much. 

So Friday night, we got to ride down to Baton Rouge with our open house crew and it was so much fun! We got to spend the night with our mission grandparents again and when we got to Baton Rouge and walked into the senior couple's apartment that we were staying with there were easily 24 sister missionaries and 3 senior couples jammed into that tiny little apartment. It was crazy! We all had dinner together and just caught up with all our mission friends. It's been really cool to get together with so many other missionaries these past few weeks for the temple! We eventually made it to bed by 10:30 with 6 of us in the apartment and woke up ready to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak to us. We pulled up to the stake center and there were so many missionaries! I seriously didn't even know some of them existed this mission (I am still a little green lol), I had never seen them! So it was really cool to be able to get to know some more people in the mission too. So we spent about an hour situating almost 200 missionaries for the mission picture with Elder Cook. Fun fact: this was the first time in my whole life I was ever too tall to be in the back of a picture. Guess where they put me and all the other tall sisters of the mission? Front row! Never thought I'd make it there for a group picture. Anyways, after about an hour of anticipation, our scouts looking out for Elder Cook and his crew run in and say he's there. A few minutes later the entire atmosphere into the whole room changes as Elder Cook and 2 other general authorities walk into the gym. There was an insane feeling of power in that room. Everyone in there was set apart by someone holding priesthood key and had been called of God to their calling and boy you could feel it.

So we take our picture with Elder Cook and then everyone walks to the chapel and we each get the opportunity to shake his hand and the other general authorities' hands and man! When Elder Cook looked into your eyes with a smile on his face as he shook your hand, you just felt like you've known him your whole life and you just felt so loved! It was amazing! So once we all file in (and boy we were packed into that chapel like sardines) we got to hear these servants of the Lord speak to us. Their talks were incredible and so inspired. I loved each one. But of course, Elder Cook's was just absolutely incredible. He had the most powerful witness and testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and the Spirit testified to me that he truly was an apostle of Jesus Christ, called by Him to serve His people. It was incredible to have had that experience. 

But the fun didn't stop there! We drove back to our areas Saturday after our mission conference and got ready for the temple rededication. It was cool because any worthy baptized member could go to the rededication so we were able to go with our Waldrop clan! I'm not going to lie, I got a little teary eyed knowing that our boys and Sam were in an extension of the temple with us. That was the most special part of the whole thing for me. But we were able to be apart of the rededication through the broadcast and hearing Elder Cook say the dedicatory prayer was so powerful, the Spirit was insane! Our mission and more importantly the faithful members of this area are once again blessed with a dedicated temple!!! Its the biggest blessing ever. I can't even express how amazing it is to have been apart of this rededication. 

Guys, I know that this is Christ true, full, restored gospel on the earth. I know Christ is our living and real Savior and redeemer of the world. I know God loves us perfectly and I know that He has blessed us with temples on the earth so we can make those sacred Covenants to go back to Him one day! I love the temple and I love this work! I love Louisiana and Mississippi and I am ecstatic about the temple rededication! I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior and I love you all and I love hearing from y'all! Have a great week! 

Love, Sister Crouch

1. With all these trigger trios pictures you'd think President put us back together Haha. But I got to see my mission mamas at our Cook Conference! 

2. I love Mississippi!!

3. Road tripping it to Baton Rouge 

4. Flu shots 

5. Okay so we taught our girls about the Restoration and asked if they'd read the Book of Mormon everyday, and they soon as they all got a copy of the Book of Mormon, they immediately got together as a group and started reading it together! Made my missionary heart oh so happy.

Week 23: Fried Catfish...12/10

Well friends, it's been another week out here in the Boonies and not too much has happened. We have been spoiled this week by the Waldrop clan! We spent basically every night with the Waldrops. They fed us all the southern delicacies! Red beans and rice, cornbread, fried chicken, and they even took us to a local hole in the wall for fried catfish...I think my arteries are clogged but in the best possible way! Fried catfish is my new favorite southern food. I had about 6 fillets and a huge thing of hushpuppies. 12/10. Sooooo good. Definitely one of the highlights for this week! Literally who feeds the missionaries every day of the week?! Amazing people, that's who. Stay tuned folks, Will's baptism just may be coming up soon.

We have had some troubles finding people to teach this week and we haven't had very many lessons with people we really need to have lessons with. It's been tough trying to find those ready for the gospel. BUT! We had a really cool experience. Last night we were going to teach a lesson to the girls we have on date for baptism and we pulled up to their house to find no car. So either the whole family was gone or just their mom. Either way we couldn't teach the girls. So I was stuck. I had no clue who to see next to fill our time, no spiritual impressions, nothing. Sister Glenn being her amazing self suggests we pray to know who we need to see. Literally right as we close our prayer and open our eyes, their car PULLS INTO THE DRIVEWAY!!! I just look at Sister Glenn and we just knew we had to see them! It was such a tender mercy and was a testimony to me that there really is so much power in prayer. Heavenly Father really guides his servants to those who needs them!!

I came across one of my favorite scriptures this week in my personal study and I just wanted to share it with yall. 2 Nephi 1:15 says "But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love." If this scripture doesn't make you feel loved I dont know what scripture will. Sometimes I felt like my trials in my life were like a personal hell I had to go through. The way I read this scripture is that our Savior redeems us from not only our sins but our sorrows, our trials, our heartache and he just encircles us with His love. I always picture the classic Christus statue when I read this scripture. If you haven't seen a Christus, please do me a favor and look up a picture and feel the love of our Savior. But I always picture it because it looks like Christ is reaching out to us for a big bear hug and it makes me feel this scripture. Like really feel it. Guys, our Savior loves you perfectly and infinitely. But it's not only Him! Our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly and infinitely too! If you're sitting there, reading this and wondering why you've never felt that kind of love or thinking how you need to feel that love or just need a reminder, get on your knees and pray to God, asking to feel His love for you. I promise you will feel it. God knows exactly how to speak to you and He'll show His love to you in a way that you'll recognize it. I've had to do this a lot this week. Sometimes a reminder that someone is encircling you about ETERNALLY in the arms of His love can make a big difference.

Next week I'll have lots to tell! We are having a mission conference with Elder Cook of the Quarum of the 12 on Saturday then on Sunday we get to watch the Baton Rouge temple rededication via broadcast! This next week will be insane! 

I love this work and I love Mendenhall! I am grateful for a Savior who sacrificed everything so I could have the chance to make it back to my Heavenly home. This work is real. The gospel is true! I love yall! Your Savior and Heavenly Father love yall! Have a good week friends!

Love, Sister Crouch 

1. Sister Glenn and I went to another area in our district for a baptism and we had Chick fil a for the first time in 2 months! S/o to Sister Strobes 

2. Unplanned matching lol. What happens when that comp unity is just too strong. 

3. We may be seeing the Beardshalls this week! So wheres a family picture I never sent from our week in BR

4. Okay y'all I've picked up a new hobby. Every night as my way of relaxing before bed I've been embroidering! So here's what I've been working on! Also I just ran out of pictures to send this week so here's my pocket lol

Week 22: Baptisms and the Invisible Coat

It's been a miracle week here in good ol' Mendenhall, MS. The Waldrop boys were baptized!!!! It was such a spiritual experience and such a miracle! After 2 years of nothing, no baptisms, no converts, the branch finally has grown! I'm so lucky to have been apart of it! But seriously the work is just going. The Temple definitely softened some hearts because we were able to put 2 more kids on date for baptism because of the temple! Their mom (who's a member) has been off and on with letting her girls be baptized, but after going to the temple, her her heart softened and their goal is to be at the temple for baptisms a year from now! That means their mom is finally letting them be baptized! The Lord is working so hard on this tiny branch in Mississippi and He is in the details. Sister Glenn and I are just here! He's the one making things happen for these faithful saints! 

So funny story, its finally really chilly here in Mississippi, something I really never thought would happen here. But it's been 50° with 60% humidity so its been hecka cold! I currently have a real light rain jacket that keeps me freezing Haha. Anyways, we go over to the Waldrop's house and their dad Will is home with the family and we are playing catch with the boys for a bit and it's FREEZING out! So Will asks where my coat is. I tell him I dont have one yet but I have my rain jacket! Then he asks if its insulated. It's not. At all. He shakes his head at me and goes inside for a second while we're still playing catch outside. A few minutes later he brings out the most Southern looking coat i think I've ever seen! We have a running joke that hes super short and so he hands it to me and goes "you know it may be short in the midsection, but I hate people being cold..." HE GAVE ME HIS COAT TO KEEP! Something to know about Will is that he tries to seem like a super macho man and hides the fact that he's really a softie. Another thing to know is that we have the running joke that he's a hick and we're Yankees, so it was hilarious that not only was he soft and gave me a coat to keep, but he gave me the most southern coat he could find! We joke with him that he gave me an invisible coat. Dont worry, pictures are included  

Halloween was awesome! We went to a neighboring ward's trunk or treat the day before and Ethan came as a future missionary! It was awesome. Halloweek day, we had a few things to teach Cameron and Ethan before their baptism the next day, so we went over and saw everyone get ready to go out! We couldn't dress up and their sister Lana wouldn't have it. So she decided to help us out and put some make up on for Sister Glenn and I. Safe to say, we still looked scary after a 3 year old did our makeup, so we fit right in for Halloween! The Waldrops we're getting ready to go out and trick or treat and we had to be in at 6:30 that night so we parted ways and we went home to have brownies and a Book of Mormon video marathon to celebrate the holiday! An hour later, we hear someone banging on our door and yelling Trick or treat! We aren't supposed to pass anything out so we ignored it Haha. Well he did that 3 times and we finally realized it was Cameron and the Waldeop clan! We gave them brownies and now we can say we had 5 trick or treaters! It was the best haha.

There have been so many things this week that have proved to me that the Lord is involved in the work and in our lives. I've been thinking about the temple a lot this month and I had this thought that I want to share with yall. When we are in the temple and doing a session, we all get to enter the Celestial room, back into God's presence one by one. It's not like the whole session gets up and and a mass of people come home to our Father in Heaven. We are individuals to God. We aren't a number or a name to him but a son or daughter. He loves us perfectly. He weeps with us, rejoices with us, He hopes with us and He  loves us perfectly and individually. If you dont feel that, pray to Him! Read His word in the scriptures! I promise each of you the Lord is in the details of our lives and He loves YOU. 

Today marks 5 months of the best/hardest/most rewarding time of my whole life. Theres no place I'd rather be than the boonies of Mississippi. I love this work and I love this gospel with my whole soul. I love yall and i hope everyone has an amazing week! 

Love Sister Crouch

1.Best day ever! 

2. Will ft. the invisible jacket 

3. The Mendenhall crew

4. Our pooky makeup artist showing off her work.

5. Love the temple and Sister Glenn! 

Week 21: A Week at Grandma's

This week was basically the best vacation I've ever had in my life! We were out of our area in Mendenhall for 7 WHOLE DAYS!!! It was the weirdest feeling ever! This whole week we were in Baton Rouge working the temple open house that I have been anxiously waiting for since opening my call! It was an absolute dream and I seriously couldn't have had more fun!

We started the week off with a mission wide training with all the sisters from the all over the whole mission! So the trigger trio had a little reunion! But it was so much fun to see all my friends in the mission from literally all over. We got to walk through the temple and guys its gorgeous. I forgot how much I just missed the temple, but walking through it was a much needed spiritual reboot. It was amazing. But after that training, the real fun started!

So we stayed with a senior missionary couple the whole week! The Beardshalls are actually the sweetest humans on this earth and it literally felt like a week at the grandparents. We had family dinner every night, family prayer around their bed every morning and night, we had a family day on sunday and had dinner with another senior couple and their missionaries! So like a 20 person family dinner in a tiny apartment and it was so much fun. I never wanted to leave! We had a lot of down time in between shifts at the temple so we did a ton of service at the mission office and got to just hang out with all the amazing senior couples! It was so much fun! 

While on "vacation", we realized you can take the sister out of her area and she's still going to be a missionary. During our downtime, we would go to neighborhoods the local missionaries said were good for finding and we would pass out temple invitations haha. We would even go to shopping centers and invite people all over the Baton Rouge area! It was so much fun and it made me feel a little bit better about being out of my area for a week!

The temple guys, the TEMPLE!! Its freaking AMAZING! We worked 4 days this week at the open house. We were working on VIP, invited guest only days and it was insane! We met congressmen, senators, the mayor, pastors, preachers, rabbis, and all sorts of people. But the best day we worked was Saturday by far, the first day the temple was open to the public. I think I take the knowledge of an eternal family for granted all the time. But it was such a spiritual experience to feel the Spirit with individuals as they watched the video about what the temple means. The sisters would either walk around the reception area and answer any questions or run a video room and say a little bit about the tour then turn on a video about the temple. There was this one Spanish speaking family that came into our room because Sister Glenn is fluent in spanish. She did most of the talking and I basically just had very simple conversation with them. This family was a part member family, so their dad wasnt a member. As the video was playing I wasnt paying much attention to the family, but when it ended, I grabbed the door and thanked the family for coming. The dad was the last one to come out and I said muchas gracias to him and he just stopped, looked at the ground then back up at me with tears in his eyes. He shook my hand silently and went to the temple with his family. That was the most powerful moment of my whole week. That's what the open house did and will do all week. It softened hearts and helped people feel hope and love. I'm so grateful I was able to be apart of it. How did our mission get so lucky?!

I love the temple so so much. I am so beyond grateful for the blessings received in the temple. I love this gospel and the hope it brings. I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven for loving us enough to send Him to earth. I love yall! Have a good week!

Love, Sister Crouch

1. The Trigger Trio!!!

2. When in Baton Rouge! 5 missionaries at one time in one shopping center, inviting people to come and see the temple! 

3. All the sisters we came down with and stayed with all week!!

4. Family dinner on sunday!

5. Stroopwaffles with my adoptive grandma Sister Beardshall!

6. I SAW MAWMAW KIRBY (and the whole Kirby clan)! Best day ever!

7. Family dinner at the Jackson's, another senior couple!

8. Favorite place on the whole earth

9. Random neighborhood by Baton Rouge where 6 missionaries were trying to invite as many people as possible to the temple! It was wild haha