February 6, 2017

Hey Fam,

Yes I'll make sure to say thanks to Sister Joyce for ya! She has a missionary out right now so I think it's some sort of motherly guilt that has her taking such good care of us haha. I saw the Morgans at church yesterday since they were up visiting the YSA group of midshipmen and we had a good time chatting about the new Ward boundaries and the changes in the Stake back home. 

Freaking Tom Brady, I hate that guy. Gotta respect how good he is though, that's an amazing come back. The evil empire continues to reign. And isn't that the first Super Bowl to go to OT? Oh well, back for the next one! Was there any good commercials this year? 

Well our week was just like the past ones.. lots of door knocking and lots of walking. I've taken up singing "Pioneer children sang as they walked, and walked, aaaand waaaaaalked..." Well more like muttering it under my breath when we get to a good sized hill haha. I found a quote in the BOM institute manual while I was studying last week that I've tried to really focus on. It says, "most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" -Abraham Lincoln. So I've tried to do that, even though the work is really hard here, just be happy and decide to be. But I think I might hint at President that I wanna go back to DC to end my mission. I just really wanna feel like I sprinted through the finish of my mission and at the moment it feels like I'm running in sand. But we will see what happens.. 

I've really tried to focus on the fact we all serve in our own ways to help in the Lord work. No one will serve in the same way, I've thought back a lot on the things I've been blessed to be able to do so far. I talked to Ismael on the phone last night for a few minutes and that was a huge reminder of the good things that have happened out here. Most of all I've seen myself grow a TON since I first got here and and was being trained by good old Elder Coombs and I've thought a lot about a line in my patriarchal blessing that says I would be led and guided by righteous examples before and during my mission. I'm sure grateful for guys like Coombs, McDonald, Jenks, Cowan, Florence, and all the other friends I've made out here who help me through the hard times. I'm excited for what these last few months hold in store. I know just like life the mission has its ups and downs, but like the quote from Abe, we can decide to just be happy though it all!

Well not much more to say for the week, I finally took a picture with Elder Gregson I'll attach. I sure love and miss you guys!

Love,

Austin  

Yup. See that, Yacht club. That's the type of people who we get to try to talk to. Know how many of them are interested in the gospel..? Not many.