MY FIRST EMAIL - IN COLORADO!!

Hello everyone!

So this week has been crazy!  First I finally left the MTC and we got here at about 4,  We got picked up by the assistants and the mission president and we all went to the mission home.  For the rest of Monday and all of Tuesday we were at the mission home doing introduction stuff with the assistants and the rest of my district that came out with me.  On Wednesday we finally went to transfers and we met our new companions.  My companion's name is Elder Shepherd.  He is awesome and we are working hard.  We got sent to Castle Rock, Colorado in the Meadows - in the Foothills Ward!  Our area is only about 2 miles long and a mile wide.  It is basically a super nice neighborhood and we mostly walk everywhere.  Everyone is really nice and basically all really young families who moved in less than a year ago.  It is a very young ward, but it has about 600 members!  They are expecting to split probably at the end of this year.  Oh and both of us are new to the area, and the elders before us didn't give us anything, so we have to start from scratch.  We have talked to a lot of people in the streets in the neighborhood, but it is hard because everyone here is rich and doesn't feel like they need anything that we have to offer.  We just have to work on the referrals we have, but it is the summer and no one seems to be home haha.  But its all good we are still having fun.  So far we have been going around meeting the members and getting to know the area but we will figure it out.  

Miss you guys! Have fun during the summer!!

Love, 
Elder Austin

Elder Austin's class at the MTC (Missionary Training Center, Provo, Utah)

Elder Austin's desk at the MTC! 

Do missionaries have good showers?  This one does. 

A rabbit that got into there apartment!  They see them everywhere. 'like we see squirrels in the south!'

Elder Austin's companion, Elder Shepard getting a pic.

A little PING PONG? Yep, in their apartment.

So this could be Elder Austin or Elder Austin (ha  Joseph or Sam?) An MTC selfie!  I think this is a first for Elder Sam Austin!

Elder Austin is having a wonderful experience. If you'd like to write him.  Here's his address:  

Elder Samuel Austin

c/o Hill                    

3665 Elk Run Dr.     

   Castle Rock,CO 80109

Heavenly Father has really guided me to teach the gospel in the way he always knew I could!!!

I can't believe I am the one now who is actually emailing on my mission!!!  It still hasn't been quite a week yet, but this has been by far the longest week of my entire life!!  The first and second day were really difficult, just because of the huge change in life from home to mission, but I am really starting to be able to teach lessons pretty well now.  I get a slight advantage in learning from my brothers, because I am already fluent in the language! haha,  It is also crazy how much you get to love your district even though we have only been together for about a week;  it feels like we have known each other for forever.  My companion, Elder Mogle, is great!!  We get along really well.  We both take the lessons and the gospel really seriously, but at the same time we can have fun together.  I will miss my whole district and companion once we leave next week.  So this whole week has been focused on the Restoration of the Gospel.  You really dive straight into it, and you even start teaching on the same day you are here!!!  I didn't do so well my first time, but it is all about learning; now I am so much better at teaching the first lesson and am pretty good at teaching lesson 2 as well (the Plan of Salvation).  It is crazy how much I have learned just from a few days of sincere study.  I feel like Heavenly Father has really guided me to be able to teach the gospel in the way he always knew I could!!!  I have still got a lot to learn, but now I am more really excited, (instead of discouraged) about learning more about teaching.  Me and my companion did our first TRC investigator lesson yesterday, and it is crazy how much joy you can get from teaching someone the gospel.  I wish I had taken the opportunity to do that at home more.  It would have saved me a lot of learning and trouble out here!!!  I leave next week which is crazy to think.  It is like I am preparing to leave home again, and go to Colorado where I have no idea what awaits me.  I will do all I can to prepare to serve the Lord, and I never want to let him down.  I miss all of y'all and I will talk to you soon!!

Love,
Elder Samuel Austin