December 31, 2012

Hello there dear family!


Thank you all for your emails. It was so great to hear from each of you. I loved talking to you on Christmas. It is such a spiritual experience for me to talk to you. Thank you so much. You all sounded so good and it did my heart good to speak to each of you.

It has been a great week. We finished the year with more baptisms than we have had in fifteen years in the mission. I am excited for next year!! Tuesday after we talked to eachother on the phone Elder Gravelle, Elder Costanzi, and I went out and worked together. It was actually the best way to spend my Christmas. I loved it and we had a good time. On Wednesday we had a meeting with President planning the zone conferences which start this week. That will take some time from the area, but it will be a great learning experience and I am excited to have contact with the missionaries. On Thursday it was a normal day in the office... oh I think that is the day I lost my wallet? A man who lives on the other side of the streer saw it and he picked it up and gave it to Elder Huey. That was great to know that he was honest. I was really grateful... my Argentina Documentation was in there, my Driver License, Missionary Card, Personal Bank Card and all of that good stuff. So it was a really great blessing. I think sometimes I caught some of Dad`s luck gene with losing stuff. I am still banking on finding my scriptures that I left on the bus about a year ago. (Faith... right?). That experience helped me alot!! haha. Thank you for your prayers for the wallet. On Saturday we did a huge service project and we moved 5 palets of bricks and cleaned up a back yard for a member that is moving in the another ward. That was fun and I quite enjoyed being outside and getting in some physical labor. We had a cool experience was when Martha and Miguel Angel invited us over for dinner. They were super prepared and they invited a non member friend. We taught him before dinner and we have a date with him the 20th of January.  He as a great guy and got really emotional during the lesson. I am excited for him. I just want this ward to explode with members. There is a ton of potential here. It was a good week. I got my " Vision 2013" for the mission set and my theme words are santification.  That is something that President Defletson alway said and that was be "Be 100% obedient, Be 100% diligente" That is my focus for this time..
The two scripture references that I am memorizing this week are:
1 John 4: 18-19
Isaiah 40:30-31

Dad- I hope that you have had a great week. Thank you so much for your council on the phone. I am so grateful for you Dad. Hey FYI- There are two Elders here who are maybe looking at working at Redfish. If they apply I will let you know. I don´t know how long they could stay. But FYI. I hope that you have a great New Years. Have a great week and thanks for sharing your goals with me. You are the man!! Love you Dad. Ring out wild bells! I know you always think of that song at New Years.

Mom- I loved talking to you so much Mom. You are so sweet. Thank you for your prayer at the end of our talk. I love Family Prayer so much. I hope your talk went well!! I will look at it later today. We will be with a family that lives really close to us tonight so it will be a good experience. I sure love you Mom!! Thanks for all you do!!  Have a great week.

Mikesell- Here you go... getting ready to start your second semsester? That will be great. Are any of your roommates changing? Lots of snow? I am sure excited for you . I loved talking to you and I could see how you have matured and really grown. You are just all grown up!! :) I love you Mikesell, thanks for being great in all that you do. Did you see the Moon? Have a great week?

Brennen- I still can´t get over you and Alex´s voices... way deep. haha. You sound great buddy. I am pleased with your testimony and your ¨firmness" keep strong!! You are at a age of great temptations. Keep " an eye single" to where you want to go. I love you Bro.  Stay Strong!

Alex- I loved your goals you wrote to me in your card.  It was wonderful to talk to you. Keep diligent with your goals. You are a great young man. Keep strong!! BE A LEADER. Don´t ever drop your standards to get a few laughs of feel a feeling a "love" . I love you man!! Go out and Do buddy.

Harrison- You sounded so good. I loved your goals also. That is so neat. Keep reading lots of books and getting really smart. I love you little buddy. Keep being excellent. Enjoy your last week of break.

McCall- You sounded so good!! When I couldn't understand you on the phone.... I dont know if was because I havent listened to English in a long time, or if it was your missing teeth, or if it was I couldn't believe how smart and grown up you sounded. You sure are special Cally. I love you and I hope that you have a great New Years. Only two months until your baptism!!! That will be excellent!

Well Family, I love you all more than air. Please send my love to Papa and Grandma Crouch and Grandma and Grandpa Clegg. Also to Grandpa and Grandma Daw. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Elder Austin