Today is a special blog day... it's December 1st and this month I have decided that each day if I have a moment I want to write about a friend... So because its a New Month and the 1st day of the month.. I decided after much debate and maybe so flax from a lot of you cause I have alot of friends and A lot of people that I would consider close but this person I admire for who she is... The first post of my new month is about Haley Peterson.

For Many of you that Don't know how I know Haley or how I met her.. She was a missionary in London! I went out on a lot of appointments with her and Jane when they where here! They both blessed my life a lot when they where here.

I learnt a lot by the through them and they became wonderful examples to me. I enjoyed Haley's company our chances to be together to teach of the lord's true church. We took my Alero every where which since then has just recently been sent to the car graveyard. Yes my poor Oldsmobile Alero has been junked. but I got a new car to me. We raked leaves at a less active members house. we helped paint members house in the west lorne area oh the fun in that.

We helped a less active member paint their condo for selling! and in that haley got paint in my hair... nothing a little bit of shampoo wouldn't get out... there where times in there that where very trying and i mean extremely trying that nothing seemed like it could go right.

but Haley always helped me see the positive helped me realize as many times as others tried to tell me and I wouldn't listen to you all that god won't give me more than I can handle and always had the right things to say to make me feel better.

Well currently we have taken on the task of reading the new testament together and we just read this week matthew chapter 20 we read once a week usually on sunday's I really have learnt a lot from reading with her when I don't understand something she is always willing and explains it really well.

She is a wonderful example to me... she is trusting compassionate loving caring honest and sometimes just the person I want to speak to when I am having a rough day. she always knows how to make me laugh and she is just one of those people that loves me for who I am. Even when I am having a hard time and my emotions and satan are getting the best of me.

she is tremendous! I look up to her, I am glad that heavenly father gave me such a chance to meet a wonderful person when I did and that now she is a truly wonderful friend. every sunday I look forward to reading and talking with her.
Well I hope is well with all of you love you all...

A MIRACLE IN THE MAKING.....

I have seen a miracle over the last week or so. A week or so ago the 3rd ward sisters and I made a wonderful trip to Strathroy.. we went to strathroy to find a guy named Eddie that the 1st ward elders had given to the sisters as a referral. We knocked on Eddie's door no answer... well the lady (amber) on the left of Eddie's Unit opened her door.. And thought that we where knocking on her door.. Sister Olsen and Sister Lavatai said we are Missionaries from the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and we share a message about God it had been a little windy that day and a tad bit cold.
So she said come in and get warm and we spoke to her that day for a while and we taught her a bit of the 1st lesson. and asked if we could come back and teach her more the next day. she agreed and we showed up the next day.
when we arrived the next day her 5 year old son Matthew was there and he was a busy boy but totally adorable and I was glad that he was able to be there. the next appointment I did not go and matthew was there and he asked the sisters Where is Crystal! so they called and told me Matthew adores you he loves you. So the next appointment I was there. Well the sisters where saying that before we went into the appointment they where going to ask Amber if she would get baptized. Matthew had been exceptionally rambunctious that day and just seconds before they where to ask amber if she would be baptized I had this prompting by the holy ghost to take matthew into the Kitchen where he was getting celery for him and i to snack on to help him wash it off. while I was in the kitchen helping matthew the sisters asked amber if she would get baptized. She said......YES! the sisters when we left said to me thank you for taking matthew into the kitchen. I was like I felt a prompting that I was to take him into the kitchen. It was the lord trying to make the moment right. so we went to see her on friday. The sisters and I had a wonderful visit with Amber.
They have set a baptismal date of December 19th... Just before christmas how amazing that will be. We where going to meet Ambers mom on friday we had given our lesson and amber's mom called and she said to her mom are you going to come by and meet the people from the church. her mom had forgotten but we chose to wait to close with prayer till amber's mom had gotten there. When Amber's Mom (Nancy) arrived before we closed with prayer.. Amber says to her mom will you come to my baptism... (Score we had not even said anything to her) So her mom's response was a couple things... first off did you not tell these ladies you where already baptized she said yes..and then her mom said well if I am not working midnights then yeah sure I will go to your baptism... So the sisters had arranged a ride for her for church today! And her and her 3 kids Emma who is 7 Matthew who is 5 and Nancy who is just a tiny baby all went to church today... And the sisters said she really liked it... so after her mom said yes if she didn't have to work that she would go we asked if it would be okay if we closed with prayer and if amber's mom nancy would join us and she said...YES We prayed and left.

On our way back into london Sister Olsen said it was a Miracle!!! And that if I had not been willing to go with them that one tuesday to strathroy when we went to find Eddie that they would not have found Amber who had been prepared by the lord to hear the message.. I Am super happy for Amber's family who she reads and prays with every night... that is right she reads the book of Mormon to Emma Matthew and little Nancy... And I am also happy for The sisters...

I have been blessed to see this miracle happen... I love you all and hope that you have enjoyed this blog entry as much as I have enjoyed being able to go and see Amber and Matthew with the sisters.
here is a story for you! Amber said the other day when she was having a bad day and just felt like crying that she was reading to emma matthew and nancy and she had this comfort feeling come over her.

Anyways I am off to work.... Wish you all well
Love you all
CRYSTAL

Up early

Today its sunday November 7th 2010 and we have gained an hour sleep oh how my body needed that extra hour sleep this morning and especially after the crazy and hectic week of work that I Have had.
The paper truck has been late all week. And because it had been late all week and then with picking up extra shifts at the western fair lets just say when I should have been sleeping I couldn't sleep and when I shouldn't be sleeping I wanted to sleep. I fell right to sleep last night. it was good! I came home from work at like around 11 and I laid right down and then I fell right to sleep the only bad thing is I woke up right at like 5:30 in the morning but man have I felt reguvinated after a long week. and to knock it all off I have lost my work id so I need to get a new one now and it sucks I hate when I lose things but I have to work on tuesday so I will have to replace it tomorrow so that I can work tuesday.
I hope all is well I love you all I will write more later. your all amazing.

Hello All....

Wow
This month has gone by so fast. And I cannot believe that its the beginning of November. This month has brought a lot of Ups and a lot of downs but most of all its brought a lot of learning.I have never felt closer to Heavenly Father and been more grateful for his gospel then I have been over this last month. I gave my first talk in 5 years and I didn't even get nervous so that was good. I have been working hard on reading my scriptures and saying my prayers more. I still forget and am not perfect but I know that my relationship with heavenly father has become better. For many of you that don't know I have began to like a certain guy in the YSA. Yes as impossible and difficult as that is to believe that is true. I try to do as much as I can and go to as many things as I can to see and to talk to him. He is totally amazing and totally the kind of guy that I am looking for.
Umm things are looking up right now and looking totally amazing, I am grateful as hard as they can be at times I am grateful for the trials that he gives me. it only makes my testimony and my dedication to the gospel stronger. I have been fighting satan and fighting the temptations that have come into my life in recent weeks. its still a struggle with my family especially as they are not active and do not go. But I still go every week in hopes that one day my wonderful example will rub off on them. that is only my hope.
I have had my struggles but my reading with my friends have only helped my struggles be able to become easier to bear. God loves me, I know that and I know that is the truth as much as I have struggled with that over my life, over truly feeling and truly knowing what it truly is to feel loved but I know that it is true. God has blessed me with truly amazing friends that have never given up on me and i thank them for that.I love you all thanks for always being there for me... your all wonderful and the best people that have come into my life...
i am also super excited london has sister missionaries back and I met them at stake conference and have already made 2 new friends. they are grateful that I am willing to go out with them and that I am even willing to drive them. something sometimes is hard.
Anyways I am off I just wanted to touch base and say I love you all...

A New Me!!!!!

You may be wondering why my post name is a New me. because that is what has happened.
There has been a lot going on in my life lately that has caused me to have a change of heart and to feel different about stuff.
I want you all to know first off I have my Advanced Achievement Certificate for the Institute program I received it my very first sunday back at church from my summer of work. I have been reading the new testament with my friend Haley every sunday I am learning lots through our study together.If I do not understand something she is always willing to help me to understand the chapter how I have really enjoyed being able to read the new testament together.
So on sunday I gave my first talk in 5 years, I was kind of nervous and kind of scared about what I was going to say I had fretted over it all week what I was going to say and then on friday I decided that after praying about it over the week that it would be nice to start writing my talk.
the things that I did not think that would come out did come out the lord blessed people I know they told me. He helped me answer 2 people's prayers on sunday. The feeling that I felt after I was told that made me have re confirmation that this church is true. God loves each and everyone of us, I know that I am a daughter of god. I know that this church is true. and that I have been blessed to have you all as my friends.
I am still taking Institute and learning the Old Testament,I enjoy institute I just had a birthday and since its a year older its a new year for me and for the way things are going to go.
I am going to do and be the best I can I am going to look at each situation in a better and more positive light.I know that if jesus can be positive in every situation then that I can and do be better. I love you all! I am going to do and be better.
thanks for all your love and support your all the best and mean the most to me.

Love ya thanks
Crystal Atkinson

WOW WHERE DID THE TIME GO.....

Hello All
Its been a while since I last updated this blog not as long as the time before that. But you know its pretty crazy when I spent much more of my time last week working then sleeping. I spent 5 days last week working at the Western Fair while the fair itself was on. Then I spent 6 mornings working doing the papers. thursday and friday afternoon helping my brother do his flyer job. And Sunday at Clinton. So much of the last week has been spent working and not sleeping enough.
This week in my Bible Study With Haley, We read Matthew Chapter 10, Much of this chapter I did not understand but in particular the Question in which she asked me I didn't understand.

I was suppose to Read verse 39 which reads

He that Findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
And I was suppose to tell her what it means, Well I am not sure what it meant so I am trying to ponder on it this week and think about it and hopefully I will learn what it is I am suppose to get out of this.

Let me Tell you in the 10 weeks that we have been doing this we read one chapter a week I have learnt a lot even though there are times I don't get any of it and I have to ask her question her wise wisdom is always able to answer the question for me.

So this sunday I do not have to work.. Which will be strange all summer I have been up at a certain time getting ready to go to work for a certain time and to leave and I guess I have kind of gotten accustom to doing that so it will be hard to get myself back into a full routine of church.

I can not believe how quickly this month has gone by and how quickly my birthday will be here in No time. Which is craziness. I don't want my birthday to approach! I want you all to know that I will be 25 yet again (LOL) Not 26!
I love you all and just wanted to say hi and that I love you all miss you all so much.. Your the best.

I am Alive

Hello all
I have not been on here for a long time. I have been super busy working lots and many many jobs, I am always tired and when I get up its time to leave to go back to work. So there are a lot of things that have gone on this summer. I have worked 4 jobs all summer taken two trips to Toronto and Got to spend some time with Karla and Oscar. I played yet another summer of baseball and had probably the best Summer of my life as a Misfit. I have had a Summer of Up and Down Rollercoaster ride of emotions. I don't know what has gotten into me these days but one day I can be fine then the next day I could be upset and crying.
I just wish whatever Is going on in this body of mine would stop and go away. I was in a car accident on Friday Morning at 4 am We where out delivering the London Free Press papers and we and the car that hit us where the same direction, We where going straight on the green light while the Red Sunfire that hit us was turning left. He hit us and ran.
So I hope that you all have had a wonderful summer. I hope that those that you all that are in school have a tremendous semester up ahead and that you all know that I love you lots. I miss you all and I think of you often.

An Amazing Friend...

Well it has been a while since I was last on this thing, I know I don't update it everyday but lately I haven't had time.
Things have been trying and stressful lately, But things are starting to look back on track.

I am particularly writing this because of I have some pretty amazing friends but this particular friend that i want to write about is truly amazing and has been a shining example to me. Over the past while I have been struggling with a lot and particularly with Church. But She has stood right beside me every step of the way. Every time I have felt discouraged or like giving up she has had that encouraging word. She makes me smile everytime we talk, Even though it's only a phone call because she is in a different Country She always makes me smile.

The person I am talking about is Jane Clayton, For those of you who do not know her or know about how this remarkable lady and I met, She was a missionary in The London area. She and her companions and I spent a lot of time together, We went on appointments together and did other wonderful things together. She has been there every step of the way! Every time I have felt like Giving up she has been that person to help pick me up and dust me off and say don't give up my fine friend. Her love for me is remarkable, There have been many times I haven't understood how she has done it but you know what the lord has blessed me.

The Lord last year must have knew I was going to need a few amazing people in my life, he has given me many amazing people some who I have lost touch with over the Years but then others like Jane who has been there when I have needed her most. I have confided in her a lot of things and have always felt what I have said to her is always safe and that nothing that I say will ever go beyond her and I.

She has comfortably let me vent and tell her my frustrations and just sat back and listened until I have needed her to give me advice, She always knows the right things to say at the right time. we Have always had pretty amazing times together! I miss her everyday! Everyday I think of her, and wish that she where here! But I know that she is where she is suppose to be at home with her family that loves her. I am grateful for her in my life for her wisdom, for her knowledge and for her tremendous love, Sometimes I feel if it wasn't for her I know that a year ago I would not have been active, I would have fallen off the path and would have lost all the blessings I have received.

I Wrote the following I wouldn't classify it as a poem but feelings! For you Jane I Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them down.

Over the Last Year, I have been blessed to know you. Blessed to be your friend and Grateful to feel loved by you. You have been that friend that I have needed most, You have never given up on me, and you have helped pick me up when I have felt fallen down. I love you! I am grateful for the memories we have made for the tiems we have spent together and for always helping me find the positive things in life.
Thanks for being my friend, Thanks for your constant love and support that you give me and for always making me feel loved. I am truly grateful for your constant care, your constant love and support I am grateful that you love me for who I am and not who I am not. I am grateful that you care for me when I even talk non sense you just care. it's great to have such an amazing friend like you.

Thanks for all you do thanks for being you and thanks for letting me be me. I truly am appreciative for the lord putting you into my life without you over the past while boosting me up I think I still would be down.
Thanks for all the memories you let me create with you and for all the Happy times and all the great times we shared together

I love you JANE... I miss you and hope one day we can see each other again.
Sending all my love to you in Utah

Your Friend
Crystal

O CANADA!!!!

How extremely proud I am to be Canadian and to live in Such a beautiful Country... We have had a very illustrious 17 days in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. We have set some pretty amazing Records. Let's See our First Gold Medal On Home Soil Thanks to Alexandre Bilodeau, We beat all other countries with 14 Gold Medals A record Set. We have 26 Medals which is more then we had at Torino in 2006 which we had 24 and we finished these Olympics with 26. I am grateful to the wonderful athletes that took the time to compete in Canada and compete at the Olympics.
Congrats to all our Olympians congrats to all our medal winners and congrats to all those who did personal bests, I am glad that I am part of a great country! WAY TO GO CANADA...


O CANADA
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Congrats to all countries for there good athletes and for the opportunity in which we had in canada to watch your athletes perform. Congrats to those who got medals and those who set new personal best.

What to do what to say...

This blog has become increasingly more and more challenging to keep up to date the more and more life is choatic.
So these are the events that have happened over the past while.
Hannah moved to Utah this month it has been extremely hard and I have felt very lost without her. I have received mail from people that i didn't figure that I would receive mail from. I have been fighting with alot of confusion and doubt about alot of things but things are starting to look up.
we had to put my grandpa's dog that we inherited when he passed away down two weeks ago tomorrow. I miss him and i have found it hard to not miss him because of the fact that he was my grandpa's and the last memory we had of him.
i also found out that on the 12rh of this month my grandma and grandpa Atkinson where sealed together in the temple. My dad is happy to know that his parents will be together forever in the heavens.
I hope all is well, I love you all think of you often.

JANUARY.....

Oh my friends the first few days have not been pleasant to me here in London Ontario... We had no snow for christmas and then its just been dumping snow on us since then we must have accumulated way too much snow since then. Well I hope that you all had a wonderful time ringing in the 2010 year. I know that I did. I spent the time with my friend Karla and her Husband Oscar and Her family. Now for those of you who don't know Karla is Spanish and her family are amazing. I don't speak spanish but the few spanish words I know I try to practice when I am around. Well I worked on December 31st till about 10:30pm then I decided that maybe I would Call Karla and see what she was doing. I hadn't been feeling good but decided to go out anyways. Well I spent the night at Karla's Parents on thursday evening and then spent the day with Karla before going to Hannah's house for dinner.
Hannah is moving to Utah on thursday and it is really hard for me right now. I know that she is truly happy and that she is totally pumped to start school in the next week and that she will be closer to her boyfriend and other friends in Utah. Although I wish she was taking me with her. So for those of you who I don't know if I have told or if you have heard it from others I am telling you know, I haven't been at church in the last 5 weeks and the only reason I am going today is because its hannah's last sunday and she asked me to come.So that is my reason for going. Yes I know stupid reason but hey I am going right. There has been a lot going on and a lot that I feel I haven't been able to handle well and before dealing with it I have just run away from it Church included. I know its a stupid excuse to stop going but its just come on like a ton of bricks and I haven't been able to get it to go away. I am trying to do some things to see if that helps cause i don't know what else to do.
I hope that all is well with you. I Love you all and I wish you a safe and prosperous 2010.