February 29, 2016

Hi all!

Like you said it was an amazing week and followed up with a pretty good one this week. So this Jamaican family is kinda interesting. So it's a single mom with 7 kids under the roof. But like 4 of them are over 20 and they are all American kids. Like they claim to have just come from Jamaica but from what I can pull they have been here for between 5-10 years. So the kids are all American cultured. And we haven't had the mom come yet, and only 3 of the kids came this week. And they never return our calls or will meet with us during the week so it's kinda weird. Susan is doing awesome!! I'll talk about her later!

I was gone like half of the week in other areas on exchanges so I pretty much felt like a traveling trainer this week with how much I didn't sleep in my own bed haha. So Tuesday I went to the College Park Area with one of my zone leaders. I went contacting with him and taught this homeless guy at a metro stop and he loved it and since he's homeless he has tons of time to read the BOM haha.  

Wednesday was good since we taught Archibald again and set up a time to finally meet his wife and teach her too. But our night got cut short with a crazy thunder storm that President called out and said we had to be inside because it was a tornado warning I guess. So it cut a lesson with Susan off the table but luckily we met with her the next day. 

Thursday was Zone Conference and it was so amazing! All of the workshops given were really great. President talked a lot about patience and how he knows it is hard to have to wait for things as a missionary. A quote he said I loved was "Humility doesn't mean you are weak and patient doesn't mean you are indifferent. You can still care immensely while waiting on the Lords time". I love that, we still care so much, but just need to add patience better to it. Later that night we taught Susan again. As well as her mother and two sons (who love us by the way haha) we taught the Plan of Salvation and they loved it!

Friday I was on exchange again to an area as our District Leader went with Schank to Laurel.. Not much to say from that day. 

Skip to Sunday. So like I said 3 of the Jamacians families kids came. And then Susan came the 2nd and 3rd hrs. But she didn't come to sacrament because my comp texted her the wrong time. But it's all good because her, her mom Sara and her two sons Jayden (8) and Darnell (6) came and they all loved it! Plus I guess Susan stood up in Relief Society to introduce herself and I guess she said "My name is Susan and I am meeting with the missionaries and going to get Baptized as soon as I can" Ahh when I heard that I could have cried! They are so awesome! Plus Jayden and Darnell love me! They only have met me like 2 times but after church they came running up to me and tried to tackle me and showing me the stuff they made in primary. Ahh I was just so happy after church Sunday. Sunday night we met with Archibald and his wife Yassa. She loved our message but kept saying this is a spiritual journey and she just wants to take it at her own pace and we just told her exactly we are just here to help her. But she really like what we talked about and even asked tons of questions about us as missionaries and other things which were super awesome. 

Overall another pretty great week here. Transfers are in about 3 weeks and I'm scared I'm gonna go because I've finally got to the point where I like my area I serve in. And my work is finally showing in the area. But hey, leave the area better than you received it and serve where the Lord needs you. It's amazing to see the Lords hand in our lives everyday. I know he blesses the work we do for him here in Laurel, MD. I've grown to love so many of these crazy Marylanders out here. 

I love and miss you all!

-Austin

Ps. Sorry no pictures this week