June 6, 2016

Okay so sorry for how late or a reply it is from me!! So today was the Zone Activity, a PDay where Elders and Sisters can get together and hang out.  So we have been crazy busy today and I have just been able to get to the computers and be able to write. 

So this week was a pretty rough one, no lie. It had quite a bit of rough stuff happen and then there wasn't really any great stuff to counteract things. But I mean that is just life, there are ups and downs even here out on the mission we are going to have some tough times. I am looking forward to this new week and to try to get things turned around. This Saturday will be the transfer call out of staying/going. We are safe to bet that I will be staying here for another one with Jorgensen. We also have the temple trip this Wednesday, I was looking through the pictures you have sent and noticed the date of Grandmas passing, and that will be this Wednesday. I thought it was pretty special that I will be able to be in the temple to mark that date. I will for sure be thinking lots of Grandma and all of you that day.

I figure I will end by sharing a pretty cool experience I was able to have this week. It was for sure the highlight of the week. On Saturday we went on exchanges with the APs for the day and I went with Elder Tanner. The mission had gotten a call requesting a blessing for a man who was in the hospital, the area was in NE DC where sisters cover so President asked if we would go cover it. So we went to visit a man named Allen who is from Virginia. His wife is a member but he has been investigating for a while. He has Multiple Sclerosis and it has worsened having him bedridden in the hospital. When we entered the room he just brightened and was so glad to have visitors, he was very thankful for the blessing and the spirit was very strong as Elder Tanner gave the blessing. After we ran to the car to get him a Book of Mormon, pamphlets, and copies of the Ensign. He said he was excited to finally have something to do that was worth his time. He is a golden one, he may not be able to be baptized in this life but he will accept it in the next life. He kept thanking us and telling us to not get discouraged with the work and told us that we had brightened his day and to try to come back and visit.

Like you mentioned in your letter, we never know the good we do throughout the weeks. There are things that may seem normal to us that go noticed by others. I am glad to try to do the best I can every week to help others. That really is all we try to do everyday, is help all those around us. The people here in NW DC may be some tough ones to love, but I do.

Have a great rest of the trip! Take more pictures and send them! I will see them tomorrow on my new iPad hopefully!!

Love you!!

Austin

On Memorial Day, pday, we walked downtown and walked 

by the Memorial Day parade

This is JS.  He is the mission executive secretary and we call him John the Beloved because he is just amazing.  He was a pretty wealthy lawyer so he takes a group of elders out to lunch about once a month.  Then he's always there for us with anything we need.