Let the mission madness begin... I am super excited and I can feel the excitement down here from up there, well and the members here are also really excited too!!

Grandma Clegg- Thank you for you email and for your prayers. I am excited for the experiences that you will have and are going to have during the course of the temple. I love you and please send lots of love to Grandpa and Uncle Alan and dont worry...I will bring you home a whole suitcase of Christmas Ornaments if you would like. I have been and will be keeping my eye out.

  

Well I am writing from a town called Trenque Lauquen.It is about four hours away from Bahia Blanca. President just finished all of the interviews with the zone and now tomorrow we have the conference and then tomorrow we go to Olvarria and then to Tandil and then to Necochea and then we come back to Bahia this Saturday. It is a busy week!
Last week was a great week,
I am trying tp peice it together in my head and it was a normal week. Had to be in the office alot because my comp left to a zone conference but I left and did splits with a member that is preparing to leave to go on a mission now. It was a good week. We dropped Luis Torres and family, or we got really honest with them and told them what they were going to miss...and he explained how he was comfortable in his church and didnt want to change.   Good ole Agency!!! I am excited for this week and amd getting to know alot more missionaries and am really glad for that. Dad, thanks for your great advice and thoughts on that.

Dad- Thanks so much for your letter this week. I loved it. It has been a adjusment for me to be in the office, but it has helped me learn that a career with not so much office-ness would be something that would make me happer. I love to be out with the people. But I am so grateful for this time and the number of people that I can serve the realm has increased greatly and I am super grateful for that! Thanks for the update on the debate. I almost started crying I was laughing so hard when I read what Glenn Beck said. I thought the General conference talks were so great. I really liked the Elder Eyrings talk about expecting the will of God. Elder Hollands power house and really all of them. I felt like they were are really clear and left us with desire to act.  The message is so clear. My ten questions were answered and then some. Thanks for your advice about thoughts.  It is so important, and something that I need to watch even more in the office. I am so grateful for mission rules that protect us. Have a great week and thanks for sharing your love for Mom. I think she is pretty special also. We both got pretty lucky!! I love you Dad. Have a great week. Shout at the tv for me during a debate.

Mom- Thanks so much for sending a camera... I am sure BYU and Provo is a mad house with all the girls wanting to leave. The sisters in this mission are such studs and the church is going to grow a ton now. I am pumped. We have decided that the BYU campus will be pretty empty on the female side the first  year that we get back, and really it is wonderful. I am glad that the end of the year employee slide show went well and that the season ended well. So many great people. I get giddy with all the missionary oppurtunites that I am going to have when I get back. I want to get the missionaries teaching at least three employees. Mom -I love you so much!! This Sunday is Mothers Day here in Argentina. I will be thinking of you and Grandma Crouch and Clegg. Thank you for sharing that sweet story about Ben and Katie. I was thinking about them during conference. Send my love to them. You are the best Mom. Have a great week and thank you for your prayers. . Oh and I was able to see Preisthood and it was absoulty wonderful!!

  

Mikesell- You were the first one I thought of obviously when the annoucmnt came out. Dad´s advice is great. Think, pray, you got time. You know how I feel about the mission. I am glad to hear you got to run so well, and that you love your roommates. I formed bonds with my Freshman floor that can never be broken. I love those men. You will form life long friendships and it is so great to have so much time with cousins and wonderful aunts and auncles. I love you Mikes. I will be praying for you like always. Thanks for being incredible and such a wonderful example. Have fun and keep studying hard!!

Brennen- I sent your letter on Tuesday last week and so it should be getting there this week I think. When is Sadies? Brennen, keep being a stripling warrior. The war is getting thicker and you can't mess with the gray brother. Stick to the rod. I love you so much Brennen. You are such a great example to me. Keep jumping--- Do you have a Preach my Gospel? I would recomend that you study chapter 3 a little. It will help you do the basics. We will practice teaching also. I love you man. BE A STUD!

Alex- Hey stud. 4th place! Great work. How is your legs feelings? How is BYU football? I love you buddy. How is school? How is your reading in the Book of Mormon. I challenge you to finish it before I get back. Where are you at in it? I love you Alex. A ton. Keep being great. You have an ability to lead that is incredable. People follow you because you have a natural sense of energy and I know that you are going to do a ton of good things in the world.

Harrison- Thanks so much for writing. I am glad that you are doing well. I love you!! Are you excited to have Dad in Jerome with you soon? That was a huge rat in the picture Mom sent. I hope you can learn your mulitcaptions good. Tom from Redfish will really like Argentina. I love you Harrison! Keep being a "Grande"

McCall- It looks like that rat could eat more than just your Barbies nose! I am glad that you are happy I love you and miss you. I hope that you are making lots of great freinds and doing great things. I sure appreciate you and I hope that you know how much I love you. Keep being awesome and growing a ton!!! Handshake!!

Well I really like the scripture I read in Mosiah 5 2- 5 this week. Talks about the importance of the Holy Ghost in our lives to helps us to reopent and and change and repentance gives us VISION.

I love each of you with all my heart and I feel and am really grateful for your prayers every day. I'll keep trying to be the missionary that you all think that I am.

All my love,

Elder Austin

Querido Familia,

There literally is nothing in the world that makes me more happy every week other than to read your emails and feel of your spirit. Even though we haven’t seen each other for a good bit, I feel like our relationship has grown. What a blessing and I love you all so much!

Grandma Clegg- Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful experience with me. I love you.

This week has been spectacular. There have been so many miracles in the area and in the office. Really, the most important thing is the area, because I need to set an example, or else the words that I speak don´t have much meaning.

We just finished the zone conference here in Bahia Blanca with my zone and another zone it was the first of the month. Next week I will be out of town all week with President and Hermana and Elder Gravelle to visit the zones Tandil, Pehajo, Olavarria, and Necochea. That will be great. The zone conference went well and we were super blessed.  We were blessed this week to be able to find some great investigators. We found a man named Gabriel on Saturday and yesterday him and his daughter went to church. He is the brother of Luis Torres, the man who is now visiting his Evaneglico church actively, but we are working with him. I had some great experiences with the Familia Parreño and we talked a lot about the focus of the zone conferences. We are trying to reach the goal of 1000 baptisms in the year and if we  put in the last push we can make it. I am so pumped and want it as a mission so bad. We had a FHE with the Hermano Moran and the familia Parreño and another family from our ward. That was really great. He is coming along. It is more of a process with him. I have a lot of faith and vision in him and I know that he can do it if he lets the spirit work with him.  I received a letter from the family Garcia this week that Sergio has received the Aaronic Priesthood and they are doing well. That is the best. I have lost my camera, and I am sad about that. It fell from my pocket in the taxi and, well, it would be very rare for someone to return it to the company. I have called them several times. If there is an old camera laying around in the house that you could send I would appreciate it. The cameras here are super expensive, DO NOT BUY A CAMERA and if there is not a spare one, I can just download the photos of other missionaries on my sd cards.  Hermana Parreno takes a ton of pictures and she said that she would give me them also. So I am all good. I feel good, I am adjusting better to the office and learning how to make better use of my time in the area.  Mom. I think this week I will be receiving the package. 

Dad- Sounds like you are enjoying your time in Jerome. I am glad that you are getting to spend some time with the crew. I also am super excited for General Conference. I have written down ten questions that I would like to have answered. I did it last session and it was really cool how they were answered. I hope that you get to see a lot and that is a great experience for you. Thanks for your email. I love you Dad. Have a great week. 

Mom- I got talking about desire with President and Hermana Parreño this week and I sent them a copy of some of the letter from Papa about desire. They loved it. We are talking about the use of time and planning and accountability in our presentation. It is great. Thanks for your scripture last week. That is one of my favorites. It sounds like you are doing well and thanks for all the updates. I hope that you know how much I love you. You are the best ever. Have a wonderful week and I am thrilled that you are using my room for your photo album project. That sunlight is the best. Papa told me that would be the best room… I took his advice and I think that he is right. I love you Mom. Have a great week.

Mikesell- Sounds like you had an excellent week and I am excited for your meet you will be going home here in a couple weeks to visit… that sounds good! I am glad that you are liking your ward. Be looking for a good place to like next year. We will see what happens. I love you Mikesell!! I  liked your picture of the moon. I love you Mikesell!! Keep growing spiritually and doing all of those great things that you are doing. I love you.

Brennen- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I have your letter written and ready to send tomorrow. I don´t know if it will arrive on time…I don’t think so. But I will be thinking about you and I hope that you have a wonderful day. Sixteen…. sounds like you got the dates lined up by being asked to Sadies by a girl. Atta boy! Thank for being great example Brennen. I love you.

Alex- Thanks for your email buddy. I sure love you! I miss you. How is XC? Broken 5 min mile yet? Are you excited to start going to church in Jerome? I am sure that you are. Add an hour to that church block can be rough coming from Stanley’s two hours. I love you Alex. Thanks for being my best friend and my brother. Keep to the rod.

Harrison- YEAH MAN! How are you? Are you liking school? I hope so. What is your favorite thing to learn about? Are you excited for the treasure hunt at the end of this week? I love you Harrison. Keep being great!!

McCall- I was thinking about how cute you are! I hope that you are having a wonderful week. Are you learning a lot in school? I love you Cally!

I invite you all to look up the new Mormon Message that talks from Elder Christofferson on trials.  Also the talk by Spencer W. Kimball called Jesus the Perfect Leader. He actually gave it in Sun Valley. Also the scripture in Proverbs 15: 31-32. I was thinking this week how some of the greatest blessing we receive are trials. I am grateful and humble to be here in the mission. There is nothing better and I have never been happier. I love the Gospel, I love my Savior, and I have a vision of what my purpose here is. I love you all and am grateful to be able to pray for all of you. Thank you for your prayers. Have a wonderful week. Thanks for all being amazing and great examples of Christ.

Love,

Elder Austin

.

To the best family in the world...

How are you all? I am sure that is was an another really busy week for you all. Thank you so much for your letters last week. We passed the day when we have exactly the same amount of sunlight. It seems like yesterday I was in Miramar and the same day passed.

This week has been a great week….a bit of a roller coaster…but I have a lot to be grateful for. Yesterday Elder Arnold came and spoke for our Stake Conference. It was so good. He has been through so many experiences and has a testimony that is incredible. His classic line that all the missionaries copy is ¨No es fe para mi, se, se que JesuCristo vive y que hay vida despues esta vida¨" he says it with such power it kind of gives you the chills. He patted me on the shoulder and shook my hand. I am so grateful for example of the prophets and apostles. Hermano Moran came to the church yesterday and it was honestly one of the sweetest moments ever. His wife is our music director and she is the sweetest and most active later and her husband is not a member - I still don’t know why, but we are teaching him with Presidente and Hermana and he is coming along. I think that he will most likely be the next one baptized we hope and pray. I learned a lot this week that I have to work with members so much more. Three of  our investigators told us for sure, for sure that they were going to come yesterday. I can read them well and I knew that they were going to come. They even prayed at the end of the lesson to be able to make it there safe.  Then yesterday they didn’t show up. That is the hardest thing about this work. But the two that did come were results of working with members, or they were members of incomplete families. The other three we have passed by with member also, but the strong friendship with the members isn’t there yet.

I am learning a ton from Presidente and Hermana. This week we discovered that we were all fans of "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie, it is Presidents favorite book.

Tonight all the Zone Leaders are coming in and tomorrow we have a meeting with them. That will be great. In October we are doing the zone conference rounds and so I am excited to get to know the mission a little better.

I am doing well. Trying to do all that I can and serve with all I can.

Dad- What day will be the last day of Redfish? What a quick season! I bet it is really pretty up there. I love you so much Dad. I just can’t thank you enough. Thanks for living, doing, and applying the Gospel in everything that you do. I hope that you have a great week. You’re the man. Go get em.

Mom- I am hope that things have settled down a little and that you have been able to put your feet on the ground a little. Are you excited for General Conference? I sure am. How is everything going with your family? I have been praying for them. I hope that everything works out. I have grown so much vision for my life here in the mission. Like the scripture says in Proverbs, I truly believe that men without vision, without something to strive for, perish. We lose hope, without vision there is no desire, so the stronger our vision, the more we can have righteous desire, and I know that God grants unto us our desires. I love you Mom. Have a wonderful week. I miss you and am so grateful for you!

Mikesell- Thank you so much for you sweet letters. You are awesome. Sounds like you are going out on lots of dates these days. That is fun. I love you Mikesell and am so grateful for you. Your coach sees in you what you have. Keep up the good work and doing great things! I love you sis. Moon is getting full.

Brennen- Thank you so much for your letter. You sound so good. I am excited for you. How is Cross Country going? I hope that you are enjoying it. How are your efforts in school going? I hope that you have a wonderful week. Keep being awesome my friend and brother. I love you.

Alex- How are you man!? I would love to get a email from you. I love you so much buddy. I hope that Cross Country is going really well. I sure miss you bud. How are the Cougs doing this year?  Keep praying being an excellent person.

Harrison- I sure love you buddy. How are you doing in school? I bet you are doing super well. I love you Harrison so much. Are you happy?  Enjoy piano and become good at for me okay? Have a great week little man.

McCall- Hey sweet pea, I sure love you. I hope that you are liking school also. What are you learning? Is it cold at Redfish? Have you seen any bears? Will the salmon come this year?

These are some of the scriptures that I liked about hope last week.

Romans 8:28

1 Peter 1:3

Ether 12: 4, 32

Moroni 7:40-48

All my love to each of you----
Elder Austin

Hello dearest family,

I am so sorry that I was not able to write you yesterday. It was crazy busy, from 4:30 in the morning until the night time. I just got back from the airport as we said goodbye to the Elders and Hermanas. It is really bitter sweet and you feel a lot of emotions. Also, an Elder from Argentina parents came and picked him up and to see them was spectacular. Those moments are so great. I can’t keep my eyes dry. 

You won’t believe it but. Gionabilii the player for the spurs is from here in Bahia Blanca. We just saw him in the airport. My comp went downstairs with another elder in the airport and when he came back up he showed me the picture that he took with him. I will send it next week. Crazy huh. Seeing a NBA player in small Argentina airport!!

This last week was really good. President got his things from Spain and we helped them move in and we had a huge breakfast with them. It was really nice. They are so wonderful. I am learning a lot. We will only have three assistants this transfer and within the next few transfers we will only have two. The area has asked that we only have two assistants. The Torres family is doing just okay. The father started going to his Evanegical church again, It looks like we are going to drop them. I am trying hard to find a balance to have success in my area and the office. Happiness comes from forgetting yourself and serving others.

I read a great talk from Elder Maxwell titled ¨Put of the natural man and come of conqueror" it is excellent… I encourage you all to read it this week.

I am happy, trying to grow, and really grateful for your prayers. I loved my studies this week on hope. I have some scriptures written down for you in my journal, but I left it in the house, so I will share it with you later.

Dad- I am glad that you are doing well. Thanks for your insights on that talk. I remember in BYU we had a devotional when someone invited us to write down one goal or thing to do after the talk that way our actions correspond with what we learned that week. That was pretty inspired. I love you Dad. I miss you, and am happy to be here serving the one who has given us everything that we have. Have a great week.

Mom- Thank you for sharing your thoughts and whats going on with all of the family.   I am so grateful for the relationship that you and Dad have. It has blessed our families lives beyond measure.  You had quite a week last week... I am amazed at all you can pull off and make it look so easy. I love you more than air Mom. Have a good week and I hope that you can get you feet back on the ground a little. You are amazing.

Mikesell- Today I saw a missionary, who was my zone leader and a great example to me, give his Mother, Father, and little sister a hug for the first time in two years. That is about the happiest thing that there is, but only after two years and after we have all grown the ways we need to grow, and helped the people that have needed to be helped. I was so happy to read your letter yesterday. You seem happy, you are adjusting, and doing wonderful. Just like we all knew you would. Enjoy it. I love you so much and miss you. Keep strengthening your relationship strong with Heavenly Father. Have a wonderful week. I love you.

Brennen- I think that it is outstanding that a 15 almost 16 year old young man, takes time out of his week to write his 20 year brother every week. Brennen, you are a outstanding young man and I love you so much. Keep being excellent and never settle for anything average in your life. Put a lot of effort in your seminary. Enjoy Cross country and all the fun times. Live it up. I love you  Bro. Keep up the work.

Alex- You can do it all – can’t you!?... A pink unicycle, by the time I get back you will all be hang gliding or something. I love you broth. Keep doing your prayers. Write when you can--

Harrison- I love you so much little bro. I hope that you are enjoying school and all of your classes. I am so proud of the great kid you are. Keep being great!

McCall- I love you so much I hope you are happy and enjoying your classes. I love you. Keep saying your prayers and doing nice things for people. I love you.

I love you so all so much.

Have a great week.

Hello there dear family!!!

 How is the fall? Thank you each so much for your letters!!

Grandma Clegg, I hope that everything works out with this man. That is really a hard thing when that happens. Thank you for your political updates and your great positive attitude through everything. Please tell Grandpa and Uncle Alan hello for me. This last week was the dedication for the temple here in Buenos Aires. I was thinking about how great it will be to have the temple there in Boise. I also thought a lot about Uncle Alan.  Please send him my love and support and encouragement. Tell that I am looking forward to the plan. He will know what I mean. I love you and Grandpa so much. Have a great week. 

Well this week was great. The highlights were obviously the dedication of the temple in Buenos Aires! President Eyring, Elder Ballard, (his grandfather opened up the South American Mission), and Elder Christofferson, who served as a missionary here were all here. It was a really neat program and I really enjoyed it. We had an activity with the youth and I got to work all day with a 16 year boy. I can’t believe Brennen will be 16 here shortly. What a stud he is.  We have also been teaching a spouse of a Hermana here with Hermana Parreno this week. That has been great. She is so awesome. He is a little hard hearted, but we always trust in the Lord as missionaries and we will see what happens. The family Torres is doing good, they didn't come to the cultural celebration and that bummed me out, but this week should be a good week we hope! Also this week we have transfers, so according to Elder Costanzi, my companion,  it is a crazy week… so that will be exciting. The other AP Elder Caicedo, who is a really good friend of mine from Columbia goes home this week.  I will really miss him. He was also in Miramar so we have that brotherly bond and I love that. Also today I received a letter from the Garcia Family. I am praying and hoping that they can go through the temple my last day here in Argentina. We have one day waiting in Buenos Aires and I think that we can go through the temple this day. Oh man, we will see what happens oh man would I love that. I would love that, but I accept the plan of Heavenly Father. It has been a great week. I am learning more patience and the importance of preparation here in the office.   Today, we actually got a P-day and played Frisbee in the church lawn. It was a nice break. The second day in my entire mission that I have thrown a disc. But that is ok with me, this is a special time. The mission is so great, I have enjoyed being able to see missionaries come in and then leave. It is a very spiritual experience.  I am doing great. I love the mission and I have so much to be grateful for. I was reading in my journal this week, a year ago was my first week in Argentina. It was so weird, a year ago!! I don’t think I could have imagined even that I would have been blessed so much with all that has happened and the wonderful experiences that I have had. Heavenly Father has just put really prepared people in my path and I owe him so much for that. I have learned so much and try to keep growing. I just love it. I love trying to do better.

Dad- Thanks so much for you email. I am glad to hear that it is pretty fall. Sounds like the fires are better… nobody seemed to say anything about it in this weeks letters. I hope that you are doing well up there and enjoying your time in that place of Heaven. I hope that you enjoy your fall. It feels weird here to be getting hotter in September, but I am not complaining. I love you Dad. I thank you more than anything for your Gospel Legacy. This week I was studying with Elder Caidedo, the Elder that is leaving, and he asked me what my parents did, especially my Dad. I got thinking telling him everything that you did and I got emotional thinking and talking about it.  You are the best Dad, and thank you for using the priesthood to bless so many lives.  

Mom- This week will be one of your classics, but you do so great under pressure. Thank you for your sweet email. That is a lot of mouths to feed and details to pull off!! Thank for the update on McCall and Harrison. It is a little harder to know how they are doing because they cannot write me. So I appreciate the little updates. Thank you for all your prayers and example. I love you so much. Thanks for being the best Mom in the world. I hope that you are healthy and happy. Thank you for your many sacrifices.  You are truly the best. Have a great week-

Mikesell- sounds like you are doing well. Learning what Heavenly Father wanted you to learn through all of this experience. Keep strong, keep your eye on the top of that mountain, Squaw Peak, if you would like. Ask someone which one that is. I love you Mikesell. I am so excited to see how you have grown. Keep being happy and loving life. Be wise in all things. I love you Mikesell. Tell all the cousins hello for me.

Brennen- I am glad that you got your new unicycle! Thanks so much for writing me. I hope that school is going well and that you are enjoying your classes. Sounds like you got a good line up. Please send my love to Coach Nordquist. He is so great --- learn how to be a team player. I love you buddy. I love you more than you know. Be a warrior, The Lord needs a tool like you, you have so many great abilities and, your potential, really is scary high. What you want to do, you can do. I love you Brennen!! You’re the man.

Alex- Hey Warrior, are you excited to run at Challis this week?  Are you running a 5k or less? I want you to destroy all of my high school PRs your freshman year ok? Think about that. How are you doing spiritually? You are at a very important time in your life and people will start to label you according to your decisions. First off, make good ones, and second off, you be Alex and no one else. I love you brother. Keep reaching new heights.

Harrison- I love you so much little brother. How are you liking school? Are you being a good example?  You are a stud Harrison. I miss you and love you. Do five pushups a day ok? I love you little man. Stick strong with piano, listen to the words of your sinning brother and practice like your teacher asks you to!

McCall- Hey sweetie, sounds like you like your teacher and I hope that you like piano today. What games do you play at recess? Thank you for your prayers. I love you so much. Keep being happy and a good sport in all those travels back and forth to Redfish each weekend. Wear your seat belt! Big kiss Cally.

 I want you each to know that you are the biggest treasure in the world... My heart is with you, as it is here in Argentina for these people. This week is the week of hope to study. Thanks for joining me. I had some great thoughts come to my mind and tried to apply it in our lessons.  I love you all, Be strong, Be great, and keep up the good work. Thank you so much for your prayers. Tell everyone there in Jerome that I love them, and give them a card or a book of Mormon or something. May it be a happy week for you all...

Love, Elder Austin 

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