Preparation week; it can be so frustrating to prepare the area on the last week of each transfer. We had a week of last minute changes and running around as fast as we can in between meetings. This last week our leaders left for '3-day' training down in McAllen and they took the missionaries that were going to be leaders in this coming transfer so I was in a trio this week with S. Barton and S. Hemmingsen and we visited people in both of our areas. Then S. Hemmingsen got called as a trainer for this next transfer so we had to drop her off and pick her up for a training too! All the craziness just meant that more had to be in Heavenly Father's hands. We were able to get in contact with three families who are less active or don't come at all and get to know them. Two families were not on our plans and yet we were just in the area and felt like we should go by their house; (though in times past all these families haven't been home..) as we pulled up to their homes, they pulled into the driveway - perfect timing after 3 months of trying to visit... and the best part was their willingness to invite us in and get to know us. The third in-active gentleman invited us back and invited his girlfriend to meet us and start hearing the lessons! ...miracles happen in mysterious ways! Time was in short supply but we were able to visit a lot of people and had a lot of fun! The service projects never stop. We didn't have our car due to all the craziness for a couple of days and were able to get special permission to bike in our workout clothes up to the top of our area to pull weeds at a member's home! I love working outside. New favorite scripture story is the father who brings his son to Christ to be healed, and Christ talks a little about faith and failure. - Mark 9. Love it. Possibly last time emailing from Laredo; hope not. Love you all! H. mckenna Crawford

Texas McAllen Mission's first ever interzone exchange. The week started with what we thought was going to be no meetings so that we would have more time to visit people and just spend time in our own areas but then in the middle of Pday, the beans were spilled...the zone leaders had gotten special permission to do an interzone exchange for the first time in the mission's history 'apparently'. And so we had a 3 night exchange with the Laredo South zone and I got to work with Sis. Lance in a little area called Cielito Lindo. During the exchange, Sis. Lance had a package delivered to her in the middle of the street. We were unlocking our bikes and then the UPS man just pulls up next to us and asks if one of us were 'Sis. Lance' - because of this experience we came up with the catch phrase, "God delivers, literally." and its true. Valentines Day was spent at members homes. We taught some lessons, 'heart-attacked' some more people and delivered cookies. This is now our last week of this transfer and everyone is thinking that I will be leaving Laredo. I hope not but I know that Heavenly Father figures out what needs to happen so there is really no need to stress. One of the sisters that I live with - Sis. Taylor got called as an 'sister trainer leader' though yesterday so she had to leave for a three day long training and I will be spending this week in a trio with Sis. Hemmingsen and Sis. Barton covering both of our areas, we're basically just banking on some miracles to get everything done. Happiness is everywhere and the weather is like washington springtime right now so that's a wonderful bonus as well. The lesson over the last two week has basically been to trust in Heavenly Father and the more you trust in Him, the more He is able to do for you! Love you all, wish I was there to be able to heart-attack your door too! xoxo -H. mckenna Crawford

A lot of our time was already planned for us this week, with zone exchanges and district blitz's it left our area to prioritize only the most important things for when we got to actually go and visit people. The week started out (monday, tuesday & wednesday) with two meal appointments a night, and that left me extremely ill come thursday at 2am. So I lost about 3 hours of sleep, due to my desperate need to be on the toilet...that was by far the roughest part of the week and the first real sickness that I have suffered thus far on the mission. #1 states problem, the food is safe but it comes in mass quantities and isn't the healthiest for you. Luckily our Thursday meal appointment we had a lesson on the word of wisdom. This lesson included us working out with the family for 30 min. before we ate dinner, super fun. Miracle of the week came through obedience to bike days. On friday we embarked on flat tires, and without working brakes (at least on my bike) off to the very top of our area which is uphill about an hour bike ride away to meet up with Bro. Wille Garcia (I mentioned him in my last email) at the hospital. On the way we met a lot of people, stopped to have a lesson with two investigators, and by a member's home - who filled up our bike tires with air so we could reach the hospital. We visited Willie and then were debating about which way to bike home. The next thing we know, a former investigator from about 3 years ago calls and says that we are more than welcome to come visit him at his home on Denmark St. ...we bike to Denmark and get to his house, and he isn't home. We decide to continue down the street and maybe meet some new people. That is when we see a little girl run out of her house - scream crying... As we approach the little girl who is unconsolable, the dad runs out and asks us in broken english to, "please come come help!" we dropped our bikes and ran inside. His wife was having a seizure from a nervous attack and wasn't able to breathe. We were at their home for about 45 min and were able to have the elders come and give a blessing. The whole thing was one of the craziest experiences I have yet to have in my life. It was one of the most amazing experiences because we were able to watch the spirit and love of Heavenly Father completely change this family's home. We haven't been able to get in contact with the family since, as they have gone out of town to Mexico but I will keep you updated. Heavenly Father's love for each one of us can completely change us, and always for the better if we look for it and let it. I love being able to see it as a missionary though. Cool experiences. Laredo Love to everyone everywhere. -H. Mckenna Crawford

making granola with Sister Barton. YUMMY!!

Laredo zone at the park

the Perez Family On a mission, we still can choose how to prioritize our time. For fun, we decided to do a week of member visits and service for less actives, and invesitgators and basically any random person that we've met and thought about. This week I spent multiple hours packing with the Pacheco family, they are moving, and I am heartbroken about it! ...A blessing that came from that was yesterday their dad (Br. Pacheco) came to church for the first time in a very long time! We deep cleaned the Montanez's home ...and I left with pruned hands from about a month's worth of dishes. They were so grateful and set up a schedule for us to come and do family home evening every week. The Montanez family was baptized about 2 years ago and haven't really come back since...the service was unpleasant, yet so much fun and we got a weekly invitation to their home from it! Heart attacks..one of the perks of being a 'sister missionary' people accept the weird girly things you do like plastering hearts all over someone's door. We heart attacked doors of our members, less actives, investigators - everyone woke up to an entryway of love from us. ...I dont know what blessing came from that but it sure was fun doorbell ditching as a missionary. We cleaned windows and driveways for people that we met while walking down different streets and helped three different people carry in their groceries... I dont know if anything will come out of these little service projects but either way; we had an absolute BLAST. In reality there's nothing happier you can do with your time than just helping people and serving. Don't get me wrong, we still spent far too much time putting in the grunt work to find new people to teach but for the majority of the week it seemed that we were losing some of the people that we are currently teaching and weren't having much luck finding. Something sad happened yesterday. During the first ten hours at church, we had branch council and I found out about a Bro. Willie Garcia who lives in our area but is in critical condition with his health. After church, Sis. Barton and I went to the hospital and brought balloons - one of which said "I love you, Grandpa." when we arrived at his hospital room, I was heartbroken. The man is on his deathbed. We had to guess and check what he was trying to tell us through his hiccup breathing, and he couldn't move. I adjusted his blanket around his feet to help him be a little warmer and found out what his favorite foods were - he looks like he needs to eat. We will be going back everyday this week. When I moved the blanket around his feet, I could feel how much Heavenly Father loves this man. Feeling that love just made me want to do more. I know that helping and loveing people is what Heavenly Father wants us to do on this earth. Find someone to serve, I promise it is a happy high like nothing else in the world. All my love and Laredo's love... -H. Boo Crawford

sister Barton and I

oatmeal cookies anyone?

helped with wedding set up.