Hello those that dwell in the mountains,

It was so awesome to get all of your letters!!! I am grateful for all the experiences that you are having, the hard ones and the happy ones.  We can learn from everything. Thank you all so much for taking the time to write and your words of encouragement and support. I think that all of the many blessing that I have received on my mission are just Heavenly Father answering the prayers of my extraordinary parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends...Thank you.

Please also send my love and regards to the Boren family. I hope that the service goes well. Books need to be written about President Boren and his great family. I hope that the spirit is strong there testifying of the blessings of a temple marriage and the plan of salvation. (Our Branch President's wife in Stanley passed away last week...the funeral was today in Boise. She has had alheimers for almost 6-7 years and has been in a center for the last several years. It is a love story between the two of them that I will forever remember. She has not known him for years...but he continued weekly to drive to Boise from Stanley each week and stay for days to visit and to show his love)

I received a letter from the man Ryan Connolly this week. Thanks so much Ryan, (still want to say Elder Connolly). Glad to hear that you made it safe and that the adjustment is going well. I hope your stomach bug goes away soon. Those gomitas had to catch up with you some time my friend. haha.  I miss you and thanks for your great example. The mission is doing great. Keep progressing and good luck in school. Love you Brother.

Bishop Prince- Your letters are the best- thank you so much. I hope that you and the family are doing awesome. Have a great fall. I love you Bishop. Thanks for your prayers and your kindness. Your’e the best. Hope that those chickens are still laying eggs, your windows are still getting graffiti on them and you are being blessed for your service.  I love you Bishop.

First  off, I got to say…. Alex, I wasn’t going to let that tic tac toe going to end in a cat, so I am glad you let me win. That is too bad you thought you put "o"s.  haha. No just kidding, yeah you were  O, but I thought I would try to pull a fast one you, but good work, you caught it.

This week has been a week of serious miracles. Little things, but looking back I am really grateful. On Tuesday, we had a leadership conference and that was amazing, I learned so many great things about leadership and the presentation that we gave went well. Oh man, I wish you all could know President and Hermana Parreno. The are un-human. Hermana is just amazing. I wanted to share a story. So during the conference with Elder Vinas, Elder Costanzi and I snuck away to the office because we were waiting for the lunches to show up. As we were in the office the phone rang and a woman wanted to know what church was closest to her. We gladly told her and then set a appointment with the hermanas that are in her area. They set a baptism date and she and her family went to church. We just thought it was a miracle that  1) she had the office number and 2) we just happened to be in the office.

Then last Monday Hermana was telling us how she had been giving out cards with the office number on them. Elder Costanzi raised his hand and told the story of what happened, and Hermana jumped and raised her hand and said “THAT WAS ME”.  It was really special. They are examples of good missionaries, not only mission presidents. I love them so much for that.

Last Monday, I also received some letters from converts in Miramar. I am super stoked because they have been practicing in Mar Del Plata to participate in the temple celebration this end of the week. Oh man, it is so great. They are doing so well. The Gonsalez family. Also we were teaching a husband of a super awesome hermana there in Miramar, and he was baptized and they went to the open house, They sent a letter thanking us for teaching them. Oh, it doesn’t get any better that that.

Funny story for you Mikesell-

Last week we were contacting on a Saturday night and we were not having much luck, but we found a man who was really upset because his curtains broke and his family was coming the next day and he wanted to have them fixed but didn’t have the money. We were desperate to find so we told him we could sew his curtains. After some persistence he let us in and, you wouldn’t believe it but we sewed his curtains. I have almost never sewed anything in my life, but I managed to sew his curtain we fixed it, shared a lesson about the Book of Mormon and we will keep passing by. Classic “fake it till you make it”.

Yesterday we found a awesome family. I am really hopeful for them and I see a lot of potential in them. They are a family of 9 the grandparents, who are married, and their daughter who is divorced and her 5 kids. They are great and we have a FHE with them tonight with a member. Pray for the family Torres. Everyone is really excited for the temple this weekend and Elder Eyring will be in BA. It should be great.

I loved the scriptures that I read this week in DC 88:63 and DC 67: 13 this week. I am going to be doing a deeper study of ch 6 of Preach my Gospel the next nine weeks and this week. I will be studying faith. You are all welcome to join me.

Dad-Thanks so much for that picture of the fire. I am glad that you enjoyed your time in Utah and I am sure that it was really hard to say good bye to Mikesell this time. It will all turn out great.  I keep praying for " Brother romney" and we will see what happens- I hope that the fires settle so that you can get a little more weekend business this fall. I sure love you Dad. Thanks for your example and I am glad  you  got the letter.

Mom- I liked the picture of those scarves by the way. Lots of color! Impressive you knitter you! I kind of have spring allergies, and I can’t believe you asked me that. I will find your camera man down to take that pic for you. I hope that you can use the questions when people ask about me being in Argentina into missionary experiences. I short  5 second testimony shared allows the spirit to touch people if they are prepared. I love you Mom!! Have  great week and I hope the adjustments and the ache of leaving Redfish passes quickly. I love you more than air!!  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers. You are truly the best.

Mikesell- I am grateful for the tests that you are having and I know that you will win. I pray for you a ton. Hey, so you know Rueben Christanson, was the AP when I got here, I told him you were going to be at UVU.  Well... I’ll say this….if I got to have any say in the boys you date, he makes the cut, but you are a freshman.  And it sounds like you already getting drilled. Holy smokes, why are you so good?  I love you Mikesell!!!  Keep your head up and your chin high. Christmas will arrive and you will look back on all of this and just be grateful for the time to grow. I love you and good luck.

Brennen- I hope that the dish pit is going great and that you are stoked for the xc season. You will do great!! You look strong in all of your pictures. I don’t think you will have any problems with your heal. Keep strong stripling warrior. You are the man and go dominate your life brother. Thanks for your example.

Alex- haha, sorry I cheated on you man. I saw the opportunity and I had to take it. I hope you forgive me. Pretty cool you had taken that picture of our tic tac toe game before….caught red handed wasn’t I?  Are you going to dominate in XC this year or what. I love you and am proud of the growth that you are having. Tell the Oveson family hello for me.

Harrison- hey buddy, I hope that school is going great brother. I sure love you. Keep being a stud and work hard. You are so tall. Give Copper a hug for me. I love you.

McCall- I love you sweetie. Have fun at school this first week and I hope that you just love it. Learn lots and be a good example. Have fun. Give everyone a big kiss for me (the family) I love you!!

Well I love you all so much!! Have a great week.  Have a great day!!

I love you all

Elder Austin

Hello there dear family,

Sounds as though as everyone is doing really well and that the week has been full of adventures and summer time fun. The end of summer is fastly approaching…hard to imagine!

 Thank you so much Grandma Clegg and Papa and Grandma Crouch for your sweet letters! You both don´t know how I much I treasure these letters. I love you all and pray for you daily, thank you for your examples and legacy. Have a wonderful week!

This last week was a really good one, if a ¨normal¨ week exists in the office I think it would have been this one. I had some more time to work in my area and we were able to find some investigators that have some good potential. He had a sister go home this week early because of some health problems and that was bitter sweet to take her to the airport. She is happy and is a really great missionary and I am sure she is happy with her family now. We also have a leadership conference tomorrow with all the Zone Leaders and the District leaders. We are all ready to go and it should go well tomorrow. I am enjoying my companion and especially the time with President and Hermana Parreño.  The ward is great here and I really want to have success here. I am super grateful to be here. I thought this week about real growth and how that is what President Monson wants in the church, and especially how we can have real growth in our personal lives. The office is a good opportunity to measure your progress and set goals. I love goals and trying to get better. I have also learned on my mission how the Atonement can make it possible to be happy even when we fall short some times. I love that. It is turning into a beautiful spring time here and the weather is lightening up. Really all and all it was a really moderate winter and not anything like I thought it would be. Jerome is way worse as far as cold, wind, and those things go. The sun feels nice though and I love the changes of the seasons.  I can’t believe that fall will be setting in up there. That blows me away. I feel out of wack with the seasons up there now, it doesn’t really calculate in my mind that it is fall there now for you soon. I am loving this time.

 Dad- I hope that your time in Provo with Mikesell is enjoyable and that you travel safely. Freshman orientation…crazy!  I will be praying for the fire situations and I hope that all settles well. That is scary about the power lines…I hope the resort escapes any power outage situations. I sure love you Dad. I miss you and am glad you such a good time with Kerry and everyone there last week. Have a wonderful week. YOU THE MAN!

Mom-  Thank you for your letter and journal... I love them so much! To answer some of your questions, we live like 20 min walk from the office, the mission house is a good 10 min drive from the office and the house.   Time is going fast.  I can´t believe Bridon gets home so soon. That will be fun. That is crazy about Sydney – getting married in November… Good for her. I hope the planning for your next weddings goes well. They sound like they will be very busy for you all in one week! My prayers are with all of the family…I will remember those you mentioned and keep them in my thoughts and prayers always.  Mom, you are the best! I love you and keep being awesome with your scripture study and prayers. I love you so much. Have a great week.

 Mikesell- I loved what Mom said about you, that is very true. You will love the feel now, the games, the busy-ness of the students. It is great atmosphere and just eat it up. I am happy for you and I am glad that you are soar, cause that means that you are growing and working hard! Are you enjoying the girls on the team? Enjoy this week and the start of the classes. Study hard. I love you Mikesell so much. Tell all the cousins and cougs hello. Go for it  girl!

 Brennen- I loved the pictures that Mom sent of you three in your church clothes. What studs, seriously!! So only a week til you head to Jerome....live it up til then! Are you still liking the dish pit? I sure miss you and love you so much. Keep being strong. What will you be studying this year in seminary?  I sure love you buddy. Keep it up and keep being a stripling warrior.

 Alex- Hey you look so great in your photo. Did you buy a new unicyle also?  I love you buddy. Keep living right and being happy. I sure admire you. Are you going to destroy XC  this year? You and Brennen are going to tear it up this year. Work hard for Del!!!

 Harrison- you are such a stud little man. I hope that you are happy and know how much I love you. We are going to do some way fun things next year. Start making a list okay? Are you going to do good in school this year? How is your reading coming along?

 McCall- I sure love you chica!  How are those teeth coming in ? Do you know who will be your teacher this year?  I love you sweety. Keep up the good work. Have a great week and remember who your favorite brother is…

 Well, may you all have a wonderful week, filled with great times. I love you and before you know it I will be writing again.

Thanks for your examples and please stay strong to that which we stand for in all that you do. Be grateful....

All the love in the world,

 Your son, brother, and grandson,

Elder Austin

Family....

Hello! Great to hear that you all have had a wonderful week. I was really happy to hear that Mark and Cynthia and family were up at Redfish!!! That made me really happy! I bet it was sad to say goodbye to Cassidi -- She has been a wonderful nanny and friend. Glad Julie and the girls could come up as well as Brennens friends. Wow what a full house you have had!  Dad - For sure lets do Braxon. I have the goal to climb five peaks next summer, but that can wait. I met a Hermana Squire this week who knew Landon from High School. She went to Lone Peak. I am also glad to hear that Mikesell is doing well and that she could enjoy the weekend with the wonderful Putnams. That was so nice of them to allow her to share in their family time. Sounds like everyone is doing well and that is the greatest blessing that I could ask for... How is Grandma Daw? I have been really praying and thinking of her and Grandpa.

This week was one to remember. Mon- Thur was a mad house of getting ready for Elder Viñas. Full of organizing the sleeping arrangements and travel of 100 missionaries to Mar Del Plata and 120 missionaries to Bahia Blanca. The office was been really busy. We also prepared a presentation, and that was awesome to talk to half of the mission in Mar Del Plata. We left for Mar Del Plata on Thursday with President and Hermana and that was great to be with them.  We spent that whole night moving tables from churches and getting everything ready for Friday Morning. I was able to see a few families that are from Mar Del Plata that we worked in Miramar, the family Isquidero. We slept that night in the car in the church parking lot because all the houses where full. I saw a ton of Elders and that was great. Elder Yost is doing great and it was really neat to see him. Elder Viñas is awesome, we got to talk with him (us 4) for like twenty minutes alone and asked him questions and that was... unreal. I asked him how he got a knowledge of scriptures like he has and he gave some great advice. The two conferences were awesome. He talked a lot about the Atonement, and the difference between Doctrine and the Application. An example he used was how there is the doctrine that families can be together forever through temple ordinances, an application of this doctrine is FHE. He talked about how application changes, not doctrinal. He is so wise and I am still digesting everything that I learned a little.

                          Elder Yost and Elder Clegg - (He is from Burley, ID and is our nanny's brother!)

In all of this we were extremely blessed to still have a little time to teach Nelly and she was baptized yesterday. President and Hermana Parreño were there and it was so special. Nelly is so sweet and after her baptism she turned to the audience and said ¨thank you brothers, thank you” and was so emotional.

                                                               Baptism of Nelly

I cannot tell you how much I have loved my time with Presidente and Hermana. The love that they have is incredible. Hermana, is not human. She has a love that is only comparable to that of my Grandmothers and my Mother. She is something else. President, is quiet and is very wise and has a ton of love and knowledge. It is incredible. It all is such a blessing!!

Also yesterday my Branch Presidents family from Nechochea were here because President set apart there daughter, that was so good to see them and to talk about Necochea.  She is going to Costa Rica and we took her to the airport this morning. It was awesome. A tender mercy for me. 

Dad- I am way excited to knock out that hike. I will enjoy it until then. Thank you for your advice on planning and everything. I will take all that I can get. I love you and I hope that the smoke in the air goes away that you are able to enjoy the week with the family before school. I love you.

Mom- I love you so much. I am so glad that you are doing well. This week will be a very busy week for you and I will be praying for you. I hope that all goes well. I don’t know how you do as much as you do. Thank you so much.

Mikesell- I am so glad that you are doing well. I hope that you are loving every second!! Enjoy it you will be glad when Cass and everyone gets down to Provo too!  I miss you and hope that you are staying strong. Tell the RMs to keep walking. I love you!!

Brennen- I hope that you are excited for school. David and Rio really are so great and I am so glad you had such a great summer with them. I love it.  Are you going to run this year?  I love you bud. 

Alex- I love you and keep being awesome!!  Keep being great and I hope that you are able to enjoy registration…school is right around the corner!

Harrison- How is life? I sure love you and hope that you are excited for school!! Are you reading much?

McCall-I love you and I hope that you are reading a ton. Jerome is right around the corner!  A big kiss!

Mom and Dad-  Happy Anniversary yesterday!!  Your letter is still in my hand…I will send it this week. I promise! I love you both so much and I hope that you are able to get away this week. I am so grateful for you both and hope you know that your annivarsary is one of the most important days in the year for me. I love you both!!!

I studied weakness this week and found the following scriptures...

2 Nephi 10:17 

Eter 12 :26-28 ,37

2 Cor- 12: 9-12

Jacob 4 7

D & C 135:5  136 32-33

D&C 1:28 

I love you all so much!!!

Hey , Mom  Elder Caicedo is a great missionary friend who wants to go to BYU and he wants to know some info about immigrant studying at BYU.  If you could send the info for how to apply he would really appreciate it.

Also I am sending a letter with yours for Bryan Harper, if you could send that to him.

I love you all so much. 

Have a wonderful week!

Love.

Elder Clegg

Hello Family,

My thoughts and prayers have been with you this week especially the last couple days, knowing that Mikesell was going to school and the hard time that would be. I have prayed for you all sincerly and hope that all is well. Time passes and these times make us stronger.

I loved to hear that everyone is doing well.  I can´t believe that the summer is winding down a little. It has been a nice week here. I don’t think spring is here yet, but it kind of feels like it.

This week in the office, to be honest has been the craziest and fastest week ever!!  Ill try and sum it up..

Monday- Was a really special day. The day was spent getting everything ready for the Family night with the leaving Elders. That was a really special night to be with President and those great Elders and Hermanas. It was a really special time.  I love having so much contact with President now.

Tuesday- We took all the Elders to the airport and said my last goodbyes to my comp Elder Connolly. it was so weird to watch them get on the plane. They were so happy yet, peaceful with their missions. It was great and a really sweet moment. I love those Elders.

Wednesday- We had two sets of emergency transfers in the mission, so this day was filled with terminal funs and other fun things. I had my first day in the office.

Thursday- We traveled to Mar Del Plata. I was able to drive a little. We drove through Miramar and Necochea. That was great, I wanted to see all those wonderful people that I love. We got back late and that was the day.

Friday- We had a 3 o clock terminal fun to pick up some elders.

Saturday- I finally got to work in my area. We have an investigator named Nelly that will be baptized the next week. She is great and I am grateful for her. She has like 65 years.

Sunday-Got to know the area and the ward. It was a good day.

This week Elder Vinas from the Seventy is coming. Friday we get to give a presentation with him. We will be in Mar Del Plata and then back in Bahia Blanca on Saturday.  It should be a great week.

This week I read about the Title of Libery. I was studying wiht the question about how do I help myslef stay focused and help other Elders stay focused on their purpose as missionaries. I was reminded that the Title of liberty was just that. It was the reminder of the why, and then the covenant to always remember. How great is that! I love that. I loved my studies this week.

I still feel a little overwhelmed and not sure why I got this call. But I am really grateful and love it. I am learning a ton. My companion is great and it is great to have a companion from Argentina I love it.

I just heard that we have to go the airport because an Elder is going to be leaving to his real mission in Venisula because his visa came in.

This week I will see Elder Yost for the first time.

Dad- I love you!  I hurt with you saying goodbye to Mikesell. She is something special.  I know this will all pass. Keep strong. I love you.

Mom - Thank you so much for your letter. I miss you.  Thank you for the addresses. You are an angel. I am so glad you are with Mikesell for these first days and such a crazy time for her. Drive safe!

Mikesell- I love you so much. Be looking at the moon. I know that you are going to do so great!!

Brennen- Keep it up. You are the leader now. Fall sports? I love you so much buddy.

Alex- You said that you having a little harder summer. I love you and I know that this will help you grow. Keep the faith and a happy attitude. Keep doing good things. I love you so much!

Harrison- I love you man thanks so much for your letter!! Have a great  week. Big hug little man. Keep praying for Mikesell.

McCall- I love you so much Cally. Oh how you must miss that big sister. Pray for her and she will be praying for you. Call her a lot. I love you Cally

Sorry my letter is so rushed. I love you all with all the energy of my soul. May Heavens richest blessings be yours.

I know that Heavenly Father can make weak things strong.

Thanks for your prayers.

I love you and I love Heavenly Father and our Savior.

Have a great week.

All my love,

Elder Austin

 

 

Hello dear ones –

 I am so deeply pleased to hear that you are all doing well and that it has been a great week for you.  What fun adventures you are all having!! This week was in all complete honesty, one of the craziest weeks of my mission, possibly even my whole life. The Family Peñalva did it! They all got baptized!! I am so incredibly happy for them. They are converted, they are in this. They are so happy and it was really an amazing experience.  Juan Cruz, the boyfriend of the daughter Victoria also was baptized. We were not sure about him… but man, this weekend he just turned it around and felt it was the right thing to do in his life.  He wore the suit that Elder Connolly gave him this weekend to church for his confirmation. He wants so badly to be missionary. We also did 4 baptism interviews. The zone reached the goal and baptized 14 people this week. I am so happy for Elder Connolly, it literally was the most perfect ending for a missionary that you could ask him. I don´t know how I am going to pull a repeat when my name is called and it’s time to go home.

Penalva Family Baptism

 This week has also been one of the most humbling weeks. Thursday was the day that we finally set the date for Friday for sure for the Peñalva family to be baptized and finished all the interviews. That night after I got done doing the calls with the district meeting, I received a call from President and he has asked if I would be his Assistant with three other Elders. It honestly shocked me. I did not sleep well that night. The next morning we got the transfers, had the baptismal services of the Peñalva family and I didn't tell anyone I was leaving until Saturday. I really loved that branch and was super stoked to work there for a few more months, but this is a great opportunity to learn and to grow. I got here into Bahia Blanca last night at 8pm, took the stats for the mission, got done at 12:30, DROVE a car - that was a weird experience with my awesome stud comp Elder Costanzi from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  I maybe slept an hour because we kept having to go to the bus terminal to pick up sisters missionaries who were arriving at their areas. Good stuff... I am really grateful for this experience. I already today have been able to have tons of contact with President and his wife and they are so awesome. I love them so much. Here we go!!  My last year of my mission just got a lot faster. I am really excited to serve and get to know all the missionaries more. It is going to be a great opportunity. Next week an Area of the Seventy comes and we are doing a mission round so that will be doing a lot of traveling.

Leaving Necochea

This week I was reading in Alma 43 and really enjoyed studying the importance of preparation, and to see how Moroni received revelation, ideas, and inspiration through his preparation.  I am in Acts 12 now and am enjoying the Bible as well. I loved what Papa said last week in his letter about pondering the scriptures. I tried to start all my studies with questions this week and it helped me to have a deeper thought time. I LOVE MY MISSION!!

 Dad- I am glad to hear that things are going well there at lake.  I love it when you give me updates on all of the kids. My favorite letters. I love you Dad and will be thinking about your example a lot this week. Thank you for your prayers. I love you with all my heart Dad. I sure miss you.

Mom- Yesterday I bore my testimony in church and told the congregation that they all need to meet my family - especially my Mom. I talked about how you told me that it is important to show love to each person with the time that you have with them. Love others to the fullest everywhere you are.  That lesson has helped me a lot. Mom, I sure love you. I am so grateful for you. You have no idea. Have the best day ever. Good luck with your wedding this week. I love you!!

Mikesell- Wow... My thoughts, prayers, and fasting have been in your direction this upcoming week. I cannot believe that this is your last week in the big Stanley ID. Enjoy it. Mikesell, my first few months at college were some of the funnest times, but also some of the hardest. I challenge you and encourage you to be strong, pray, read, build strong friendships, be firm in mind, and to just attack it. At one point it will all hit you - that you are growing up. Mikesell.... I really love you. I hope that you just eat it up there at UVU. I will be praying for you always. You are going to do such great things there. Just tear it up, tear it up. Burn that campus with your spirit.  You have institute class right? For sure get involved in that. Mikesell you’re the best. Go get em!!

 Brennen- I am so pumped for all the good things that you are doing!! Bagged another two peaks this week!! I loved that picture that Dad sent me on top of Elk Mountain... That was incredible. All I hear is that you do great things and are just destroying it. I am so proud of you and the great example that you are. I love you bro. Thanks for being a warrior. Keep putting on the armor every day!! I miss you bro. Keep it up!!

Alex- I am so happy for your buddy. I also loved seeing that you are working out on the ranch with Del and Wheaton. You will learn a great lot from them. You are such a stud. Alex, I love you man. You are the best. Keep reading those scriptures and praying…it may little but so important.  Keep it up.

 Harrison-I am glad that you are super happy buddy. I bet you are just growing a ton. You will have to send me pictures of your summer experiences! I just think you’re the best Harrison. I love you man. Live the dream! 

McCall- Hey sugarn- I love you and am so excited for you and for your attitude! I am super excited to see how you have grown. I sure love you and I want to give you a huge kiss. I love you.  

I love you all so much and I hope that you are having the best week ever. I love this work and testify that this is true.

Love,  Elder Austin

July 30, 2012

Hello there~~

Thank you so much for your letters:

Mikesell- Thanks sis for taking the time to write me a hand letter - you sound so good!!  

Stephanie Bingham- I believe tomorrow you will be in the temple -that is so wonderful. Congratulations to you and Josh!!  I hope that you are doing really well. Thanks so much for writing and for your example.  

Sister Tateoka- Thank you so very much for your very kind and thoughtful letter. I have already written a reply and will be sending it soon. I hope that you and President Tateoka are doing wonderful and thank you so much for your prayers. I am so grateful for your examples and love. I love you both. If I can do anything for you both let me know. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for thinking of me~~

Wow, what an eventful week for you all. I am glad to hear that Grandma Daw is doing well. I actually for some reason thought a lot about her this week and yesterday we had a family history class and we made a family tree. Please send her all my love and I will be praying for her, for Grandpa, and for all of you. I appreciated very much Papa’s letter and please send my love to them also. What a wonderful example Grandma Daw is. She has built a legacy of faith that will never fall. I am very glad to hear she is getting better.  I am glad you were able to go to Jerome and see her Mom. Please send her my love.

It sounds like there were lots of fun little adventures between everyone in the week. I will also be praying for the Fuller family.  I haven’t had time to read through the letters completely but I will read them tonight. 

Here in the land of Argentina things are going well. The olympics are on everywhere and we catch parts when we enter houses. It is a big deal in the whole world.

Some highlights of the week are...  Estefenia Gomez was baptized! She is so prepared. I was talking to a member yesterday after the confirmation and a member came up to me and told me that Estefenia had a question about tithing. She paid it right then and there her first Sunday as a member. That makes me happy. I really think she will go on to a mission and get married in the temple. She is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy and loves the strength for the youth pamplet. It is super fun to see. Yesterday we had the interview with the Peñalva family and they all passed the interview - except the 17 year old daughter who wasn’t there. So they will be baptized this Saturday. YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! This week is transfers, so this weekend will be crazy because I will be in charge of the traveling of the Elders. Elder Connolly is going back to the big Arizona. I am super happy for him. I am glad because we will finish with a 5 baptism week. That is the way I want to go. He is really focused and I am just super happy for him. Some of my favorite Elders are leaving this week to go home and it is great to see Elders finish strong. It has been a good week.  I learned a lot and loved my studies. I learned that humility leads to progression, that the atonement makes up for our weaknesses - as we strive for the VISION.  I enjoyed my reading in Helaman 6, the Book of Mormon has so many solutions to the worlds problems. The zone found more investigators last week.  I am super proud with the Elders and now we need to focus on getting church assistance up. We have 15 baptisms planned for the end of this week, which for this zone has never happened before. I am way excited and hope everything continues through. Extra prayers!! 

Dad- The Brave- I hope that your talk went well, sounds like quite the week. I sure love you Dad. I hope that you are doing well. I am glad to hear that you are reading. I hope the crazy time with the employees settle. Dad - Keep being happy and enjoy the Fish. I love you. Thank you for your awesomeness.

Mom The "I can do it all¨- You sound like you are doing so well. I am so happy for that. I think you start the weddings this week again?  I hope that goes well. I will be praying for Grandma a lot this week. I sure miss you and am so grateful for you. Sometimes praying for you all in the mornings I just get so happy and grateful I just can’t take it. I am excited to read your journal and thank you so much for doing that each week. I am on my second journal now I am love writing every day. Have a great week Mom. You are the best.

Mikesell - the light in the woods. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Mackenzie. Hey, Mikesell seriously, watch Joseph Smith the prophet of the restoration with her and get the missionaries talking with her. You have the testimony...and with the missionaries you can help her to make those hard changes. Oh man that is so awesome. Keep praying on her behalf. Tell her it is the best thing she could ever do in her life. Has she gone to church yet? Oh man that makes me so pumped. Good work sis... I love you Mikesell. Keep being great. I am glad that you are working so much. I love you.

Brennen  -the stripling warrior- sounds like you talk went well and I loved skimming it and printed it and will read it tonight. I am excited. Thanks for growing your testimony. I am so excited for you to get your call down the road a little. Keep preparing and just learning and getting all the great experiences that you can. I love you buddy. Thank for being a wonderful example!!

Alex the young wolf- Hey man. How is life? I haven’t heard from you in a couple weeks. I will be sending the tic tac toe soon. How is the summer? How did your talk go? I hope it went really well. I sure love you buddy. Keep reading and praying. Are you working on your balling at all?  I love you buddy. Keep being awesome.

Harrison the Noble- I sure liked your letter last week. I love you so much! I hope that you have a great week. I miss you buddy. Hang tough and you and I are going to do some way fun stuff together. You can’t tell me but you have to make plans for next summer ok?  How is your praying and are you giving Cally a hug for me every day?

McCall the Strawberry- Hey Cally How are you?  I love you so much and am so glad you are happy. Cass tells me funny stories about you. I sure love you. BIG KISS. BESO Have a great week. Are you reading lots of books?

 Mom. I loved that you ordered those books. I miss reading books like that and will pick it up. Hey, if you could send, could you send instructions on how to sew pants? I ripped mine. I will try to learn from an Elder in our house also.

I love you all so much and I hope that you are doing so well. Have a great week.  I know Christ lives and that he wants us to achieve our best.  Keep doing your very best!

Hello there incredible Clegg Family!

What a crazy week you have all had. I am glad that Alex had a great time at Scout Camp and that the Mountain Mamas Craft went well. Sounds like you couldn’t put another person at the lake it sounds so busy! 

Thank you so much Grandma Clegg, Cass, Dad, Mom, Mikesell, Brennen, Harrison and McCall for the emails. They meant the world to me.

This week was a terrific week to be honest. I am still in a little shock. Last night Miguel Peniabla (the Father) told us that he is going to be baptized. Tonight we meet to put a date as a family. I love this family because they do everything together. He has stopped drinking, accepted tithing fully, and we were able to teach with a lot of spirit…AND  they went to church. We are going to try to have them baptized this Saturday. The problem is that Estefenia is getting baptized this Saturday at 11 in morning and they might have to work… so I don’t know if we are going to be doing a double session baptism or what. Hey, but I will take the problem of trying to schedule baptisms anyday! I am quite grateful for it. Estefenia went to an EFY activity and so did the Peniabla kids this week. They loved it. We were there Saturday with half the zone and organized some presentations. It was really great. There are some great youth here. They have to be so strong because they are faced with so much stuff here. We watched that Tyler Haws video again. That always gets me. The zone is getting better with our numbers a little and obedience I hope. Elder Connolly is a stud and clydesdale of a example for the zone. Last night after the lesson with Peniabla we were so stoked. I am so happy that he gets to end his mission this way. He is a great Elder and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with him. Cass - he is planning on going to BYU and just so you know I give approval of him. :) The branch is doing well, They struggle to retain the baptisms here so we are working a lot with the less active. The members that are here are awesome. I love them a lot.  I will try to send pictures here in the next weeks letter.  It was a great week and it has been nice weather. That is so sad about the shootings in Colorado. Everyone has been asking us about it. All eyes and ears are always on the states, just so you all know. 

Dad- I sure love you I hope that you have a great week. I hope that all the employees are doing great and learning a lot. 

Mom- I hope that your events and days go well. I hope that you can have some great family time this week. I admire your patience with so many visits at the cabin continually. You are truly a angel. I love you so much Mom. Thanks for being the ultimate in everything. Have a great week.

Mikesell- I love you so much! I am glad that you are having a great time with the buds. Saying goodbye is strange and not so fun. But you are just turning a page of the great book of Mikesell. Keep a good perspective and work your tail off. I want to see a picture of your hair cut. I love you.

Brennen- Hey Stud. I sure love you man. I am glad that work is going well. How is that frisbee throw coming? What are you going to climb this week. I sure love you buddy. Thanks for being a worthy priesthood holder. Always bring others to Christ my man. I love you buddy.

Alex- hey stud... I hope that all well, I am glad that you had quite the shot in rifle shooting at camp! You are a stud. I miss you man. Keep being awesome. I love you. 

Harrison- I was thinking about you extra this week…. and when Mom told me that you were thinking of me too that made me happy. Harrison I love you. I am excited to be with you, but we do this because we love Heavenly Father and want to help others buddy.  Keep being a stud. How is your tramp tricks? Big hug little bro.

McCall- Hey there missy!! I love you so much. How are those teeth that you don’t have!? Are any others lose? I sure love you Cally. I hope that you are having a lot of fun and that you are able to do lots of good things this week. I love you Cally.

This week I had some great studies of Alma 41… which is a excellent chapter on DESIRE. I loved that and had some great fun. I also was reminded of one of my favorite scriptures in Alma 38:12. I am always reminded of Papa when I read that scripture and also Mormon 9:27- 28. May each of you have desires to do good and act and be diligent in your examples. 

I love you all with all my heart. May you know that Heavenly Father has a vision and a plan for each of you and your lives. 

TO THE SUMMIT! 

I love you.

Love Elder Austin