18 Days Down

I know y'all are wondering how the brother dearest is doing, so here's an update! He's been in the MTC for 18 days now (holy cow), and is loving it! He really enjoys Sundays and sacrament meetings entirely in Mandarin, and learning how to sing the hymns in Chinese. Right now, he says he just hums along and is being patient. Also, he's taught two lessons in Mandarin! He has such a strong testimony of the gift of tongues and is catching onto his new language so fast. He can understand and respond to basic conversation already!

He has given a special number, in a room fitting about 2,000 people! It's great to hear he's still using his talents to uplift many. And boy, I never thought I'd say it, but I miss falling asleep to his late night piano playing (even when they weren't soft lullabies).

And even though he uses hand sanitizer and washes his hands "regularly", which really means an extremely abnormal and excessive amount (can you say germaphobe?), he still managed to get sick. He went to the doctor and had a cold and fever. He says he's almost back to normal, though. I can guarantee he's going to be washing his hands A LOT more now ;)

Other than that, he's doing fantastic! He likes his companion, even though he walks extremely slow for a guy that's 6'3", loves going to the temple every Monday, and loves the spiritual environment he constantly gets to be in!

In one of his emails he said,

"I really enjoyed this quote by President Uchtdorf yesterday:

"This is the paradox of man: Compared to God, man is nothing yet, to God, man is everything."

I was actually studying 3 Nephi yesterday too, Dad! It goes right with the quote from President Uchtdorf. The Nephites are constantly sinning then being forgiven, falling back into sin, then repenting and continuing the cycle on and on. Samuel the Lamanite teaches that they will be destroyed if they keep it up, but they keep it up. The time of the prophecies come and guess what? The prophecy is fulfilled. These people, who have been warned time and time again, and are in the middle of being destroyed cry out to God for help. He could have destroyed them but instead, "a voice was heard" and Christ invites them to come unto Him so that He can heal them. The Savior and our God are so forgiving and merciful. No matter what we do we can always turn back to them and Christ will receive us with His arms outstretched. Read 3 Nephi 8-11. It might possibly be one of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon."

Doesn't he just sound like an amazing missionary already?? I'm so grateful for him. 

His companion, Elder Gathright, is in the red shirt.

Only 713 days until he gets home! (But who's counting, right?) 

~Cort

p.s. He would LOVE hearing from all of you! And he suggests using Dearelder.com---it's the easiest for him and he can read it the day of, instead of having to wait for P-day!

Dear Elder Crockett

Today we dropped you off at the MTC to begin your journey as a missionary. Every time I think about hugging you goodbye for the last time for two years and seeing you walk away with your three suitcases trailing behind, I get teary-eyed. And gosh darn it, why does it have to be so hard??

I remember the first time I ever really learned to recognize a prompting from the Holy Ghost, and it was with the help of you. We were 8 and 10 and at the ranch playing on the big hay stacks behind the barn. Something we did almost daily, and had done hundreds of times in the past. The piles of hay looked as normal as they ever did, and nothing seemed wrong. We were about to run behind the hay, in the small gap between the stacks and the wall, when all of the sudden I stopped in my tracks and without even thinking about what I was saying, I said to you, "I don't feel good about this." You immediately halted, looked at me with the most serious look I had ever seen you give, and said, "Okay." and we walked out of the barn and didn't go back. Later, as I asked why you hadn't even questioned why I said that, you told me about receiving promptings and that if we were to always listen to them, we would be protected. I don't know what would have happened if we had continued running behind the bails of hay, but that doesn't matter. You taught me a lesson that day, and most importantly, you became my role model and hero.

Levi, I'm going to miss you so much. I'm going to miss randomly dancing with you in stores, going on late night hot chocolate runs, and laughing until we cry. I'm even going to miss you waking me up in the morning by laying on top of me until I can't breathe. I'm going to miss the way you would always tickle my feet, even though I hate it, and the way you would call my morning hair a "lion's mane". 

As hard as it is, I know you'll do great things in Taiwan. I know you'll be a fantastic missionary, and I know you'll touch the hearts of many. I can't wait to hear about all the amazing experiences you have and watch you grow as a person. I can't wait to see you in two years.

I love you.

~Cort