April 2, 2012

Hello my dear family!

I am so very pleased to hear that the Vegas trip went so well and that you were able to enjoy General Conference.

What a fun time!!  What a great treat it was to watch General Conference!! Last week I had written down five questions that I wanted to be answered. Within the first session, four had been answered. It is amazing to me how tuned our leaders are into our lives.

I received emails from: Grandma Crouch, Grandma Clegg, Blair & family, and of course - the great and faithful family.  Thank you each so much for your sweet time and I really look forward to reading them.

Well, I am not writing this letter from my usual safe zone in Miramar. I have been transferred to a town called Santa Rosa, in the providence of La Pampa. I love it here so far. It was a twelve hour bus ride from Mar Del Plata.

It was extremely hard to leave Miramar. I had been there since I got here in September. I have had so many spiritual experiences and the people were oh so kind. I am truly going to miss them. It almost felt like “leaving home” again. I will treasure the notes and kind words that they gave me. They are such special people. The best part was to see almost all of the recent converts there at the General Conference. That was really special.  This last weekend was really a spiritual feast with the wonderful words of the prophets and all of the many feelings I had of leaving.

Elder Yarger, my old companion, is the only one who stayed in Miramar. He will be training there with three new Elders coming in. He is a stud and will do great things.

My new companion I actually know…? I think he is from Boise and went to Meridian High. We had divisions awhile back and he was in my zone my 2nd and 3rd transfer. We are going into our new area pretty much blind.  Also they are putting in four elders in a ward that has only had two in the past. I have been assigned to be District Leader and am excited to be able to serve the wonderful Elders here. Your prayers are greatly appreciated! I told Elder Ochsenbien to look you up on Facebook so if a Skyler Ochsenbien adds you, that is my old companion who just went home. Elder Holmquist who was in our house in Miramar is now in Bahia Blanca. I was looking forward to having a new house with a little more space, but apparently this one here is smaller and this is the first time with four elders have been in this one house, so that means house hunting again. Haha! Heavenly Father has a sense of humor.  By the way I just heard the new Coldplay song in its entirety… The one that says “ahahaha aha Air Tax! Wooohooooo” Something like that?  haha. (We laughed pretty hard at this…it says “Paradise” not Air Tax! The computer center must have a good sound system! J)

So far Santa Rosa reminds me of St George, Utah. but I have not been to my actual area here yet because I am with my zone leaders….. I am waiting for my companion to show up because he missed the bus.

Dad- Thank you so much for your letter and I so look forward to reading it. Sounds like you had a great time and I am glad to hear that. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I hope that you have  one of the Elders in my district is going to be training so maybe Elder Yost will end up in the same district as me. Or maybe Elder Yarger will train him!? Thank you so much for your encouraging words and the prayers and example that you offer to me. General Conference really does bring families together like I can’t believe. These messages twice a year are truly inspired. I lost it big time when I heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang... “Love is Spoken Here”. I love you Dad. I hope that your busy week is filled with good things and that the transition for Redfish goes extremely well. Thank you Dad!

Mom- I got thinking and I realized that the best compliment that I can ever receive is for someone to tell me that I have great parents. I had some very kind people tell me that and it humbled me greatly. I want to give because I have been given much and I know that I can do more. I do indeed come from incredible parents, grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. My family is everything! It was nice to hear so many family centered messages this conference. I am excited to read your letter and thank you so much for your letters and prayers. I miss you and pray for you daily.

Mikesell- How does that yellow and green feel? Mom sent me your “signing” picture for UVU.  I am so proud of you sis! You are amazing.  Enjoy this last couple of months of High School. When is your Prom? I sure miss you a lot. It sounds like you are doing awesome. Keep it up. I am excited to read your letter. Good luck in your track meets this week and go get them. I love you! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and love for the scriptures in the last letter.

Brennen- Thank you so much for sharing your testimony with me. That made my day. I sure love you brother and I am so grateful for your example in my life. I hope that you have a wonderful week and that tennis is going well. This is your last week of Drivers Ed and then you can hit the road! That is awesome. I sure love you brother. Keep doing the most important things. Have you thought anymore about your Patriachal Blessing? You can begin preparing today.  I sure love you!

Alex- Hey bro! Thanks so much for your awesome letter! I am glad that you had such a good time in Vegas. I hope that the adjustment into school goes really well. I love you man. How is your testimony?  I hope that you get my letter in time for your Birthday! Keep up the good work!! I love you so much!  Look up Alma 29:4

Harrison- You look so grown up in your pictures! What a stud you are! Did you like General Conference? That is kinda hard to pay attention for that long, but I bet you did it with ease. I hope that your school is going well buddy.  Keep trying to get the best grades possible. I sure miss you and love you little man. Keep being awesome! Have a good FHE tonight with the family!

McCall- McCall, I know how awesome you are, and I will never forget it! I am glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time in Las Vegas with the family.  I hope that you learned a lot. You are the girl. Are you and Harrison saying your prayers every night on your own?  I love you McCall and don’t you ever forget it.

Mom, I was wondering if next letter you could send a memory card or two?  Mine is getting full and I think I will send it home soon. Also I think I am going to need some new shoes. I wear size twelves. And I hear that the best way to send them is in two separate packages. That is how Elder Yarger got them. That is all I need… don’t worry about sending anything at all for a while. I have more than I need. Thank you for all you do. I love you!

Well, This was a great week. I can’t tell you how much I loved General Conference.  I thought of you often. I am so grateful to be able to spend this time here to serve and try to give back just a little portion of what I have already been given. Keep reading the scriptures and doing good things. I am grateful for this time to be able to mature and grow eternally. I challenge all of you to think of a vision of what you want in your life and to pray to receive the desires to achieve that vision. I asked a Zone Leader a little while ago what had brought him the most success and he told me that He prays for charity every day. I have done the same and have seen the change in my desires. May Heavens richest blessings be yours. I love you all so much. This time apart will only make us closer and stronger in the long run.  For this I am very grateful....

Have the best week of your lives!

I love you all.

Elder, Austin