Dear Mom, Dad, Aaron, Billy, Kendall, Family & Friends~
Thank you everyone for all the birthday cards and gifts! So far I have had a very pleasant birthday experience. Mostly, as I reflect on my birthday, my thoughts have been turned to our family. I am grateful for the family that we have and that we are so close. There is nothing more important to me than our family and I am grateful that I have come to understand that truth. I have been sitting around imagining everyone right here with me and although no one is physically in my presence, I can still feel your love and warmth right beside me and deep in my heart. Thanks for the happy birthday :)
As far as exciting things go, President and Sister Barry called me this morning and sang a happy birthday duet to me and that was pretty neat. They have beautiful voices! And before them, the Mission office called and the Senior Couples working in the office all got together and sang me happy birthday as well! I was grateful for their phone call and enjoyed their birthday present to me. Later in the day, a couple of the young men have some type of plot or another to come and destroy the apartment as their version of a birthday present--I wouldn't have know about it, but Elder Brown spilled the beans. So we'll see whether or not it actually happens. We still have the dinner set up tonight with the Bell family and I will be sure to tell them thank you, Mom!
Tell Grandma Mary and Grandpa Harold and TJ thanks for the birthday card as well as the gift card. And tell Grandma and Grandpa MacKay thanks for the birthday cards as well as the gift card (true story about running for your life, some of these Floridian dogs are crazy!!), plus the birthday email from the infamous Blackberry. Tell Aunt Michelle and Uncle Dave, as well as Isaac, Emma, Noel, Eliza, and Anna thanks for their bday email. Tell Aunt Jenni and Uncle Mike, Nora and Evan, and ? (wow!!), thanks for the bday email and the package they sent :) Tell everyone else that I love them and wish them a wonderful week this week!
I did get the package you sent, thanks Mom. The cookies turned out to be fine! I'm wearing one of the Cottonwood t-shirts right now, I thought they turned out pretty cool. I laughed at the Hey Arnold! shirt and wore it around all last night. The sunglasses fit well and they definitely help out as I am driving, so thank you! I read the entire Lectures on Faith book in a couple of hours and I thought it was very interesting. Some of the things the Prophet Joseph Smith talks about are slightly confusing, and so I think that I'll go through and read it again. I did notice, however, that at the end of some of the chapters, it said to memorize several of the verses within the chapters--maybe that can be my next challenge, I really appreciated the letters as well. Thank you :)
Our investigators are doing well for the most part. We are having some struggles with a few of them, since they haven't been keeping appointments quite as well as they have in the past...I'm not entirely sure as to why, but hopefully things will work out and we'll be better able to help them be prepared for baptism. If all goes well, on the 19th of September, we should have 3 baptisms. If we can keep visiting with them and if they will follow through with their commitments to change, then everything will work out for that day when it comes. Apparently President Barry is having us take a new approach to teaching lessons and within the next week or two we will begin to be trained on this new teaching plan. What it all comes down to is this (from what I gather): our goal is no longer to teach lessons, but our goal is to teach people. I know that Grandpa MacKay sent me a letter a while back about how people get in the habit of talking at you rather than with you, that is what President Barry is trying to get rid of. We need to learn to read people, to understand them and their needs, and teach them what they need to hear rather than what they are "supposed" to hear--the Spirit is to be the guide and we the humble followers. I'm excited for the changes because I think that they will really help. I truly believe we'll have much more success this way than any other, so as soon as I can learn how to talk with people and teach them according to their needs better than I already do, I think that things could get really exciting here in Florida. Nevertheless, the Spirit is still the key. Personal preparation is the answer to getting the Spirit and personal preparation is a big focus of President Barry. I am positive that as I put forth a more diligent effort to prepare myself to teach, that we will begin to see many miracles as we go out and work each day.
I was able to deliver at least two of your recipes, Mom. The members I gave them to were really excited about the recipes and they said that they want to make them and give us some. I haven't been able to go to the library yet, but as soon as I do I'll pass along the recipes to the individual who works there. I'm sure they will all want to email you at one point or another, and so when they ask, I'll give them your email :)
I went up and bore my testimony yesterday during Fast and Testimony meeting and everyone thought that I was getting transferred after the meeting was over. I told them not that I know of, but in another week or so I should find out. The last day of the transfer is supposed to be the 16th of September, so possibly by Saturday I'll find out. You'll certainly know by next Monday if that is the case.
Anyways, I'm going to go and run around the rest of the day--we'll see whether or not we'll do anything out of the ordinary or not :) I'm sure Elder Brown would love to if I agreed to let him. I love each of you and hope you have a wonderful week. Thanks for making this a special birthday :)
Love~
Austin
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