Hey everyone -
I'm not going to be able to write much this week, but I'll try to cover most of it. To start off we had an appointment with K... this week on Tuesday, but we went over and she ended up not being home, so we texted her later that day and had to reschedule for Saturday. We went over and she ended up not being present again, but Mackenzie called her and said she would be there in about and hour, so we ended up waiting until she arrived. The lesson overall went really well, but as always her two year old son Liam took it over a lot of the time, by pulling on his mom's scriptures and identify each part of my face by poking it haha. She said she was going to try to make it to church which is good but it has been a while. I felt impressed to fast Sunday morning and pray that she would make it to church. We were worried as always at church, because she has missed about 5 weeks in a row - but she made it! She really enjoyed church and said she will definitely be there next week, so her baptism is scheduled for the 31st. The power of fasting is real, and I am so thankful that I decided to do that. It's funny that Jo also had great blessings come from fasting this week. I can't wait to here from you guys and I'll talk to you soon!
Love,
Elder Austin 8/25/2014
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A letter received from Elder Austin on Tuesday: 8/20/2014:
Dear Family,
How is it going everyone?? Any exciting things happening lately or coming up soon? So for us, we have been setting up lessons with families to help them invite friends to church for talks/baptisms or other things so our afternoons are starting to get filled here. I really love all the members here and enjoy visiting with all of them. Over half the members in the ward moved here in the past year, so it is a very young ward. Our work with K... is still going well, but she can't get baptized until she starts coming to church. We are going to do our best to help her feel the Spirit as we teach and help her understand to recognize it as well. Her determination amazes me and continues to as well. We are going to do a lot more finding next week to try and get some potentials ourselves, so we will see how it goes. So how is Seminary Jake?? How is driving coming along?! When I get home we are definitely going to jet ski and parasail. So what is everyone up to on a daily basis? Still 'shimming' Jake?? Sunny still working out? So I still absolutely hate working out in the morning, so I end up doing it after we get home. No hurricanes coming in this year? I know my car is getting fixed soon. Have fun with it before Jo steals it from you Jake haha. It's weird to think that Jo will be home early next year. It's still pretty far, but not really. When I first got here, I started the Book of Mormon at Helaman and finished it, and about last week I finished it again all the way through, so I will definitely start reading it again. The Book of Mormon brings power in teaching and in spirituality overall. If you want to have a good day, start it off with some meaningful Book of Mormon study! The blessings that come from just reading a bit a day are incredible, and it will allow you to be guided by the Spirit for the rest of your day. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here in Colorado and even though I miss you guys a lot, I know where I am supposed to be and I wouldn't have it any other way. I miss you all so much and hope to hear from you either through email or letters. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll see you soon!!
Elder Austin, III
(He's the third Elder Austin out as a missionary!)
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
"..we are working a ton better with the ward so things are going well here!"
For this week we have been trying to work more with our investigator. We've met with her a couple of times and we read the Book of Mormon with her and encourage her to pray and strive to continue to progress. We met with her Sunday morning (since church is at 1pm) and we talked and reminded her of church. She ended up not being able to come, and while we were texting her at church, she expressed that she truly believes and wants to do her best to be baptized, so she can raise her two year old son in the church. She also said she has prayed and has felt the Spirit and still has a desire to come, but it is hard for her, especially because her sister has just recently stopped coming as well. She has such great faith and has taught me so much more than what I have taught her. She really needs your prayers, and we are going to fast and pray for her this week. because she really needs it. We have also been working a lot more with the ward, which includes meeting with the members who give a talk the coming week and inviting them to invite people to come to their talk and listen to it. We also are going to start meeting with children in the ward who are about to get baptized and teaching them a little and inviting them to invite others to their baptism as well, so we are going to be full with appointments this week. So far as finding goes, it gets really difficult sometimes, but we are going to try and go to the park here and talk to people. because a lot of people are there all the time. Last p-day we went to Castlewood Canyon, which is this really cool rock canyon and we hiked in and on top of it which was fun. I don't know what we are doing today, but I am going to get some envelopes so I can actually start writing you guys! If you want me to send you a written letter, send me an email of your address!!
Love,
Elder Austin
Love,
Elder Austin
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
We have been working really hard... here in the Foothills Ward.
Hows it going everyone!! Well there isn't much to report on this week, but I'll try to remember everything. We played baseball for
p-day again and it started pouring, so we went back to the church and
played volleyball. We were going to go to Devil's Head for
p-day but the A.P.'s bailed, so now no one really has a ride - so not
sure what we are going to do today. We met with K... a couple
of times last week and she seemed committed, but she wasn't at church
on Sunday. We are going to visit her sometime this week and
have to see if she is truly interested. We have been working
really hard with her and talking to her sister who is a recent
convert. She wants to be baptized, but hasn't been to church in
a while so that is where we stand. As far as finding other
people to teach we haven't had anyone else yet. We talk to a
lot of people on the street, but it is hard to get investigators
without the help of the members. We are doing great here and
hopefully we will find someone else to teach this week or in the
weeks to come.
8/4/2014
Blessing others is so much better than thinking about yourself and the happiness you receive is worth it all.
Hows it going everyone?? hows life been treatin' ya? So for me this week has gone by really fast, and also it has been pretty slow haha. We got to meet with K... this week, and she is trying really hard to quit smoking, but it is still difficult. Her family is against everything so it is really hard for her to commit to things. She couldn't make it to church on Sunday, so we have to move her date back again to the 10th. She really wants to do this and knows that it will help her, but it is really hard for her to change so much.
Transfers are next week, but I'm not going anywhere because of training and actually our whole district is staying the same so that's awesome. I really love my district, and its exciting to know they are all staying here as well. We woke up early to play tennis this morning. We were all really excited at first, but we were all about to drop dead while we were playing. haha so that's not happening again. this coming week is transfers, so it will be a little slow, but we are going to try and do a lot of finding, because it would be nice to have more people to teach. I always love reading the Book of Mormon. I started it again on the 10th and I am on Alma chapter 24!! It is awesome to see how much more you can understand when you are truly looking for it. I always feel the spirit stronger every day the more I read so I end up reading about 8 chapters at a time haha. The work is slow, but it has helped me to be patient with the Lords purposes here for me in Colorado, and I am so grateful for that. Blessing others is so much better than thinking about yourself and the happiness you receive is worth it all. I have no clue what we are doing for p day today, but we will see. I'll see you guys soon!!
Love,
Elder Austin
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Aug 4 (8 days ago)
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Hows it going everyone!! Well there isn't much to report on this week but I'll try to remember everything. We played baseball for p-day again and it started pouring so we went back to the church and played volleyball. We were going to go to Devil's Head for p-day but the A.P.'s bailed so now no one really has a ride so not sure what we are going to do today. We met with Kailee a couple of times last week and she seemed committed but she wasn't at church on Sunday. We are going to visit her sometime this week and have to see if she is truly interested. We have been working really hard with her and talking to her sister who is a recent convert. She wants to be baptized but hasn't been to church in a while so that is where we stand. As far as finding other people to teach we haven't had anyone else yet. We talk to a lot of people on the street but it is hard to get investigators without the help of the members. We are doing great here and hopefully we will find someone else to teach this week or in the weeks to come.
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Aug 11 (1 day ago)
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So this past week went pretty well, I can't believe I have been here over two months already! For Monday we went to Castle Rock which was the first thing we have actually done out here besides sports on p-day. It was an awesome hike and a ton of fun. Today we are actually going to Castle Wood Canyon today in Parker so that should be fun too. We have been reading a lot with Kailee recently and she seems really committed but she couldn't make it to church on Sunday because she was sick. We also were able to go on exchanges this week which was a lot of fun, we have be doing a lot of finding but it isn't the most effective thing in our area. She is still improving with smoking and still wants to work hard so we will continue to help and strengthen her. At Ward Council yesterday we had the Area 70 and the Steak President and the Mission President and they really stressed about getting us appointments in the ward so we are probably going to be busy next week. We are also working with a guy and his two sons, he is divorced and was less active for years until last year, he has been coming back to church for almost a year now and is working to get the Melchizedek priesthood. His sons also want to get baptized but their mother is against it so that is whats stopping them. Remember them in your prayers because they need it! I love having the spirit guide me through teaching, their is no other way we would be able to help others know for themselves without the spirit and I am so thankful that I can feel it everyday through my prayers and scripture study. I miss you guys and hope you are doing great!!
A QUOTE
So I asked Elder Samuel Austin today, "What do you LIKE about being a missionary?" His answer, "I love being able to focus entirely on the gospel, so that their is nothing in the way of me learning and growing in it!" 7/28/2014
I feel like my Heavenly Father has carefully set up each and every day to help me move closer to him.
This week has gone by so fast!! We were able to meet a lot of new people this week which is basically what this week is comprised of. We met with K... again this week and she is really committed to being baptized. We went with our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Searle, and when we were leaving her 2 year old boy started crying uncontrollably. it was so sad that we had to leave, and he was just screaming as we walked away. We talked about the commandments and she understood. Everything really well. She wasn't able to make it to church yesterday, because she had work, and also one of her cousins passed away. She is ok, but we are going to have to bump back her baptismal date now. She is still having trouble quitting smoking, but she is trying hard. Her uncle, who is always offering her cigarettes, is part of the problem but she told us she yelled at him to cut it out so maybe that will help, haha. She really wants to raise her son in the church, because she knows that it will bless his life. We will continue to work with her as she tries to conquer smoking. Keep her in you prayers!
I also went on exchanges again this week with Elder Bolton a Spanish missionary, and we were in our area so it was cool to kinda lead the way for once. We went and talked to this lady who has been inactive in the church for a while. She has a good testimony, but her beliefs have been a little distorted from the past. We are going to try and get her to read the Book of Mormon to help strengthen her, but we will see.
Transfers are coming up soon!! It will be my first transfer in the field even though there is almost no chance I am moving since I am in training, but other missionaries in my area will. It will also be nice to say that I am not in my first transfer haha.I also went on exchanges again this week with Elder Bolton a Spanish missionary, and we were in our area so it was cool to kinda lead the way for once. We went and talked to this lady who has been inactive in the church for a while. She has a good testimony, but her beliefs have been a little distorted from the past. We are going to try and get her to read the Book of Mormon to help strengthen her, but we will see.
Love,
Elder Austin
7/21/2014
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