Goodbye El Salvador

Wow. 2 years and it’s over. It’s literally impossible for me to accept. But it’s time for the next page in my life. Time to move on. The good thing is that I never have to forget the people and lessons I have learned here. I wanted to share 10 things I have come to really KNOW during my mission.

1. I have learned that God knows us personally and has a perfect plan for us. We just have to always be willing to be at the right time at the right place and do his will.

2. Christ has literally become my best friend. He loves me and I love him. I understand what he did for me and what it is he asks of me. He is my Savior and my Redeemer.

3. I love the Book of Mormon with all my heart. It has an indescribable power to change one’s life. If we read it every day we will NEVER fall away from the church.

4. I have learned the God called Joseph Smith as the prophet of the restoration. I know that he saw God and Jesus Christ. He was one of the greatest and most faithful servants the Lord has ever had.

5. The power of the Priesthood is real. As members of the church we have access to that power. Through faith we can see miracles through the priesthood. I have been a witness of that many times here on the mission.

6. The temple is God’s house here on Earth. The covenants we make there are the most sacred, precious promises possible between God and man. If we live up to these covenants we can become like our Heavenly Father.

7. Through working in the Lord’s vineyard we have his promise to receive more happiness than we can imagine. I've experienced that joy as I have dedicated my time to the Lord these last two years.

8. Gods happiness comes through our progress. Trials are essential for that progress. We just have to embrace hardship, learn quickly, and keep pressing forward.

9. Commandments are Gods only way of blessing us. We must be obedient and God will always give us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.

10. Charity is the pure love of Christ. It will last forever. I have learned to truly love people and give all I can to help them on their journey to salvation.

My favorite part of the New Testament is Christ’s talk with Peter after his resurrection. Elder Holland says this about the chat they had. 

“What I need, Peter, are disciples – and I need them forever.  I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs.  I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith.  I need someone who truly loves me, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do.

Ours is not a feeble message.  It is not a fleeting task.  It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history.  It is the work of the Almighty God, and it is to change the world.  So, Peter, for the second and presumably last time, I am asking you to leave all this and go to teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me.”

That talk by Elder Holland has changed my life. Peter was with Christ for three years, but then went back to the same thing he was doing before. Fishing. I can’t go back to what I was doing before. I have to live every single gospel principle I have taught these people until I die. That’s my mission. I love thinking of the phrase “What I need Elder Crump are disciples, and I need them forever.”

My testimony has grown so much in the small time I have had to serve and I hope it will carry me on throughout the rest of my life. I love you all so, so much and can’t wait to see you in a few days! 

Salu Pues!!

Elder Crump