October 16th. Final Report

Well, James is home and enjoying life after the mission. He is still a little lost and unsure of himself, but he will be fine. He came home on Wednesday, October 12th. He got to us at around 12:30 p.m. Besides his Mom and I, Jessica and Justin were also there. Anna and Jeff and their youngest two boys were also there, as well as Patricia and Jens and their two kids. It was a great reunion and it was wonderful to greet him as he came home. He was released as a missionary by President Horner later that afternoon. I think it struck him hard as he was released amd he realized he no longer had that mantel with him.
James was invited to report to the High Council this morning at 7:00 a.m. He shared a mission story with them and bore a powerful testimony.
James spoke in church today at 1:00 in the Heber 8th ward. It was a beautiful meeting. The rest hymn was a solo number by Anna Bennett Wilson, who was accompanied by Sister Wells on her harp. The topic James was given to speak on was, What it means to be converted to Christ." He did a great job and shared some beautiful stories about some of his converts from the mission.
After church we had a delicious luncheon at the house. All of the family was here, except for Kendra and Caleb and their family. Many of James' cousins and friends came, as well as his Grandpa Crittenden.
We are grateful that James has had the opportunity to serve a mission. We can feel that his testimony has grown and that he is satisfied with his accomplishments. We are thankful as a family for the blessings we have enjoyed while he served. We hope those blessings will continue with our family.

10/03/2011 Last e-mail from Brazil

Dear Dad and Mom,
Well its really hard to believe that this will be my second to last email in the mission. This is going to be a rough week for me with lots of goodbyes and then in the end a long awaited hello to the people that I love the most.
Well to tell you all about my last week. It was wonderful, we had a wedding and a baptism on Friday night and then general conference on Saturday and Sunday. I got to see lots of my good old friends from Satelite and Horto as they came to our chapel to watch Conference.
I really don't have a lot to say. I am kinda at a loss for words because it's hard to believe that this 2 year journey is coming to an end. So I have bought little souvenirs for everyone and I did send a little box home of some stuff this week but it won't get there until after I am home, I think. So I am getting my bags ready and I am ready to go. Well I love you all very much and I will see you all in 9 days. Love your son, Elder Crittenden

9/26/2011

Dear Dad and Mom,
So this past week has been pretty normal for me to, not to much has happened other than we received a reference of a big family with lots of young men, 5 to be exact and all within the age of priesthood holders.
I hope that you all got my flight plans that I sent to you today, if not let me know and I will send them again. I really can't believe that my mission is finally ending and as I was getting my suitcases ready the other night I will need to send some stuff home so if you could put a little bit more money into my account so that I can do that next week that would be highly appreciated. I have been buying souvenirs for everyone these past few days and let me tell you it has not been easy. I really can't believe that my time is coming so quickly to an end, its only 2 weeks and I will be home.
So this week on Friday we are going to have the wedding and baptism of Deusa and her Husband Francisco. Unfortunately he will not be baptized this week but we are working with him and trying to get him to go to church, he still hasn't been and he promises us every week but ends up not going.
I am super excited to go to conference this year and hopefully I will be able to watch the priesthood session too, I am going to ask President to watch it at night the live session, because our house is right in front of the Capella and it would be easy for us to get home, without any problems.
As for the baptisms of Gabi, Junior and Danielly, well Gabi is going to be baptized on the 8th its already marked, Junior is for the 23rd of October but the sisters and his girlfriend is trying to convince him to move it up to the 8th with Gabi, and still nothing with Danielly, but we are all praying for her.
I am going to finish out my mission satisfied with the work and results of my mission. But still lots to do here and we have to go to an appointment now, but I love you all very much, if you could let me know what day and my topic for my homecoming talk that would be great too, and I will see you all here in 2 weeks. Love your son, Elder Crittenden

September 20th. email

Dear Dad and Mom,

So I didn't write an email to you all yesterday because we didn't have power here in our area when we got back from bowling. But anyway, this past week was really a good week. We still didn't have any baptisms but here in a little bit we will have some.
On Friday night we went to a pizza place to commemorate my comp making 1 year in the mission and Junior an investigator from my last area told us that he was going to get baptized, so that made the day perfect. Then on Sunday his little sister Gabi went to our ward in the morning and then went to her ward in the afternoon and marked her baptism for the 8th of October and wants me to baptize her so that made my weekend really good. They were two of my investigators that I worked with a lot in my last area and I am happy to finally see them making a decision.
I don't really have much time to write today sorry, but everything is ok with me I am safe and the Lord really protects us here.
Mom just to let you know the guy that tried to assault us is now in Jail and will be there for 11 years for drug trafficking so you don't need to worry about me. I am safe.
Just to let you all know about my flight plans. I will be home on the 12 of October around 12 o clock. One of the Elders from our mission office will call today and let you all know what my flight plans are for you all to plan accordingly. If he doesn't call let me know and I will make him send me an email with them. But I love you all very much here in a little while I will be home.

Love your son,

Elder Crittenden

James on Brazil television program

James and his companion were involved in an attempted assault the end of July. The police arrived within a very short time and there were no problems. A few weeks ago James commented in his email that they were famous, that he and his companion had been on a national television program talking about the assault. He was finally able to find the link to the broadcast, so here it is:
http://assuntospublicoscampogrande.blogspot.com/2011/09/reporter-record-missionarios-assaltados.html.
The link is to a blogspot for the church in Brazil. The text of the blog in Portuguese and English is:

No REPORTER RECORD (03/09), programa jornalístico da Record comandado por Marcelo Rezende, mostra dois missionários (élderes) de A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos Dias, sendo assaltados no subúrbio de Teresina/PI, por Ligeirinho, um dos traficantes mais famosos da região.

Assitam abaixo o vídeo que já inicia com o assalto aos Élderes e a perseguição ao assaltante pelas ruas de Teresina, tudo isso filmado pelo Reporter Record. Aproximadamente aos oitos minutos os elderes falam rapidamente sobre o que aconteceu.

Fica um conselho: Voltem cedo para casa, andem sempre acompanhados e em locais com maior movimento de pessoas. Se forem abordados, nunca reajam.

In REPORTER RECORD (03/09), Record of the news program led by Marcelo Rezende, shows two missionaries (Elders) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being assaulted on the outskirts of Teresina / PI, by Speedy, one of region's most famous drug dealers. Watch the video below that already starts with the onslaught of the Elders and the pursuit of the robber through the streets of Teresina, all filmed by Record Reporter. Approximately eight minutes to the elders speak briefly about what happened. It is an advice: Go back home early, walk in places and always accompanied with increased movement of people. If they are approached, never respond.