Experience

Palatka, FL

Dear Family~

Thanksgiving went very well. We spent our time with the Tilton and Filipi families on Thanksgiving day. The Tilton family makes up a large portion of both the wards here in Palatka...they are a wonderful family. We were able to spend lots of time getting to know them and their family last week, which was much fun. They live on some farmland off of Cracker Swamp Road (where the street name came from I'll never know!) in East Palatka. The house is under some construction and remodeling, but it was perfectly well enough to hold twenty or more relatives + missionaries. Mind you, only part of the Tilton family showed up, and so there are much more of them here in Palatka. Their family has lived here in this part of Florida for several generations--even before the Revolutionary War, I believe. They are great people and we had a good time hanging out with them. They fed us tons of food and had me give a spiritual thought in front of the whole family before the feast. It went pretty well, but I hadn't had anything to eat the entire day so I was up on the top steps speaking down, completely flushed and shaking, doing all I could to share some thoughts about gratitude and to bear my testimony of thankfulness. I made it out alive, but I wanted to fall over when I was done. Luckily, I was able to get my fill of food and it all worked out. I thought it was neat that Brother Tilton asked me to share a thought and even though I was hungry I was happy to share some things I've learned.

The Filipi family is quite a bit smaller. The dad is from Albania, the mom and her mother are from Chile, and their daughter was born in the states. They are great people and we love going over there to visit with them. They are always very friendly and welcoming. Each time we have gone over there they have made sure to feed us and to take care of us in any way that they can.

Elder McFarland and I went on a trade-off this past week as well and it was great being able to be his companion for a day once again. We were able to accomplish many things and to get ourselves more positively aligned with the way missionary work is supposed to be done: through service and love. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another," and that is our motto. He was able to go and visit some people in the area which he hadn't seen for a long time (he served here before he was my companion), and was excited to be "home", in the smallest degree of the word. It was good to spend the night being able to talk with him about all the things on my mind, especially since we already had somewhat of a background together, and it was also cool to see how both of us have grown since last January. Weird stuff, let me tell you! He'll be going home in May and he has the strongest feeling that the area he is in will be his last area--Julington Creek. It is a very rich area and the people are way different than the country folk out here in Palatka and up in Georgia. He has been a great help to me as I have served as a District Leader this last transfer and has done a good job of taking some of the burden off of my shoulders so that I can get a better understanding of what it is I am supposed to be doing.

As a District Leader, I love being able to work with other missionaries and to serve with them. As I felt before I left on my mission, that the purpose of my being sent on a mission was in a great deal to serve the missionaries I served with--namely my companions--however, now I have almost ten companions! I am grateful to be able to see how each of them serve the Lord because their example helps me to be a better missionary. As I serve them, they are really serving me. So it is great to be a leader! It is hard and it is trying, but I love to serve others and to work with others, so either way, I win. My communication skills are growing rapidly and I am becoming more effective at helping others to understand truth as it is written and spoken by the mouths of the prophets. Effective communication, from my perspective, is all about being able to relate with others--and being able to relate with others is all about sharing common experiences. No wonder Grandpa MacKay always brags about all of the experience that he has over us. ;) I can just visualize the chart that he draws with the line extending from life at birth all the way to death...myself closer to the beginning, his closer to the ending...and then the famous question and answer: what do you think is the difference between us? You got it, EXPERIENCE! And though you may be better lookin' than me, I'll always have more experience than you will!! :) He's right though, experience is important--especially the more and more I think about it. But you can ask Gramps, he can explain it better than I can [cause he's got more experience].

Do I think Elder Lucas and I will stay together another transfer...hmmm...I really do not know. It seems very likely, but then again, he has been here for quite a bit of time. If I were to place my best guess, however, I would say that he will stay. In fact, I think most everyone in our district will stay, aside from Elder Preator and Elder Johnson. They've been in their areas the longest so it is most likely that they will leave and another will replace them. Elder Lucas, because he hasn't been on his mission quite as long, and also the fact that President Barry is planning on keeping missionaries in their areas longer, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he stayed. I would be more shocked if he left than if he stayed.

About positive attitudes--I put it down as my goal to go each day and to wake up each morning, no matter how tired I am, with a positive attitude. So far, it has made a major difference in everything I do. I have more energy, I am happier, and the negative things that happen don't matter as much to me--everything is a blessing. After all, did we not come to earth to gain experience? So all experiences, good or bad, are blessings. :) I have stopped praying for knowledge, rather I have started praying for experiences so that I can understand the knowledge, so that I can bless others with my relating experiences. So far, I think it is working. People tend to understand what I am saying more clearly than ever before, but I'm still working on it--teaching doctrine for application is a little more difficult than stating truth. Either way, all is well.

Tell Aunt Val, Brittney, Macey, Noel, and Emma Happy Birthday for me! Tell Uncle Mike and Aunt Jenni congratulations preparing to have my next girl cousin! Tell Aunt Rachel thanks for her email and for the neat poems (which I am going to print out so I can study them a little further)! Tell Uncle Glen and Aunt Trisha thank you for the weekly email (which video I thought was hysterical haha)! Just tell everyone I love them and miss them and hope they had a great Thanksgiving. :)

Anyhow, I think I am all out of things to say at this moment. So, I want each of you to know that I love you and look forward to hearing from you soon. Christmas is right around the corner, so it won't be long until we get to speak (audibly to each other) again! Take care everyone!

Love~

Austin

Don't Worry...Be Happy

Palatka, FL

Dear Family at Home~

I am glad to hear everything is going well back home. I've discovered some interesting things about myself as I have scanned over some of my emails at about this same time last year...I was a lot more positive and motivating in the words I wrote. Time to change :) Time to be more positive and grateful for all that I have. I am in awe that it is so easy to slip into sadness and misery, and the adversary is so brilliant at helping us to quietly fall into his deep despair. Reviewing the past few weeks, perhaps months, I can see where he has tried to take advantage of me and twist my thoughts and perceptions and lead them down a path that only leads to unhappiness. Life is so much greater when we are upbeat!! Ugh... Seriously. There is absolutely no point in allowing myself to be sad, unless of course I want to allow myself to slide down a slippery slope to nowhere land. Maybe the darkest abyss sounds like a fun plan, but I don't know how I feel about it. I think I'd rather be on top of the mountain rather than at the bottom, or inside, or even below the mountain. Wow!! It is funny, we get to choose whether or not we are going to be happy! Isn't that so peculiar? WE GET TO DECIDE!!! Why not then choose to be happy? Who is stopping us? Probably ourselves. Actually, it is ourselves. How odd it is then, that we choose to allow ourselves to be unhappy.

Missionary work in the Palatka area is moving rather slowly, however, I think that I am going to put Elder Lucas and I to a much more rigorous and exciting finding program. I'm sure there are plenty of people here who would love to listen to us and to hear our message--we just need to go and find them. For a time I found myself beginning to think and to care about what others perceived of me, and because of unhappiness I didn't want to risk speaking with them. But now, I don't care. It really doesn't matter how I feel, what matters is that I'm out working hard each and every day despite each and every pain or problem I have! Injuries, sicknesses, annoyances, etc... they come and go--but if my attitude is always positive and my heart is always strong and willing to press forward, those minor things won't matter so much anymore. To "act" is much better than to be "acted upon". And to "act" out of love brings the greatest rewards. So don't be surprised when over the next few weeks you start hearing that the work in Palatka is no longer slow, but speeding up and moving and progressing forward! It is all in the attitude. :)

I did receive the clothes that you sent me and the package you sent me the other day. The clothes all fit perfectly! ...I also have some more good news, recently I have been receiving several new suits from missionaries who have gone home or otherwise aren't going to wear these certain suits any longer. I guess some of them came from the DI, but they are still very nice quality. I know that a couple of them definitely were not from the DI, however. Most of them are brown, but they vary in pattern and tone. One of them is blue, which is a nice change. The cool thing about all of these different suits is that they all fit me, just about perfectly, some even better than the ones that were tailored to fit me!

When it comes to Christmas presents, the biggest thing I am worried about--which has been impressed upon me by other missionaries who are on the downhill side of their missions--is the need to prepare and send out college applications. I really don't know where I want to go or what I want to do! Some options that I am willing to accept as of this moment--BYU, UVU, BYU-I (because of Elder McFarland, Elder Murray, and Elder Pelo haha), Utah State (because of Robbie)--I don't know how I feel about the U of U. I honestly don't know. I would like to stay close because I don't feel the need to leave the state to go to college. Wherever you and Dad feel you should have me apply, I am willing to apply. When it comes to making a final decision, then I will decide. I just need help because I have no idea what to do about it all. And the final Christmas thing I need--Christmas Eve pajamas. :) If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know as soon as I figure it all our.

As far as missionaries and their hair cuts, President Barry wants us to get a haircut once a month and it has to be long enough that we can hold a part in our hair. I guess just barely long enough is good enough. :) I did get my hair cut a little shorter this time, but I don't know that it has anything to do with the mission rules changing. A member asked me, after asking the other Elders, if I wanted a haircut, and I said yes. So I went and got it cut and told her to cut it the way she thought it would look best and so she did! It was very nice of her to do that because I didn't dare let the other missionaries do it! Nor did I dare do it myself, haha!

Oh, I did wear the purple sweats along with the McDonald's shirt the second I realized what they were. I remembered also the picture of Aaron wearing those sweats too! Tell Aaron thanks for the pictures and Billy and Kendall thanks for their letters. I will write back before the end of next week. I love each of you and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving, even if it is at some restaurant that I've never heard of!

Love~

Austin

Teamwork

November 15, 2010
Palatka, FL

Dear Family~

I think that things are on the turn-around. Each of the letters/emails that were sent to me have helped me to see things from a clear perspective and to judge things correctly, and in the proper light. Out of all the things that were written, I'm going to list the things that I absolutely needed to hear:

-None of us are perfect, nor will we be as long as we live [on this earth].

-God loves each of us individually and knows us perfectly.

-The most important thing for us to do while we live on this earth is not so much to become masters of the spoken/written word, but to build and maintain a positive and loving relationship with ourselves and others.

-There is a difference between policy and doctrine: doctrine is eternal, policies are subject to change.

-Sometimes we simply need to CHILLLL!!!

-"It was a tragic irony that he made himself sick worrying about his health."

-When we love others and spend our time serving them, our own worries melt away.

-The Adversary is good at twisting our thoughts and disrupting our communication with the Spirit and that makes it hard for us to see things in the right perspective.

-Heavenly Father will always give us help if we just ask for it.

There was so much more that mattered to me as I read, but those were some of the main points that I felt tied all the letters/emails together. I am grateful to have each of you as a part of my family, because through all of your experience, I am able to make sense of myself. I always say this to everyone that asks me about my family--I tell them that they're the best! I say they're the smartest! The most loving! The most caring! The most helpful! And the most wise! Heavenly Father planned perfectly when He put us all together, because we make a very strong team. Considering all the wisdom that was sent to me, I thought of a scripture in Doctrine & Covenants Section 88 verse 122:

"Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege."

Each of us have something unique to share and the Spirit is able to work through each of us in a way that would most benefit the other. Yesterday, Elder Lucas and I spoke in sacrament meeting. It went very well, I thought. I didn't write anything down, except maybe a few ideas that popped into my mind as I listened and learned from others the things I felt that maybe they needed to hear. What it came down to, all the thoughts not only from the membership, but from all the letters/emails over the past week, including the 3-day leadership training, was the importance of teamwork. It finally dawned on me how God has set up and organized the earth: He created it so that all things could benefit from each other if they would so choose to work together. Granted, there are things to act and things to be acted upon, so it only applies to those that are able to act for themselves; but all things were created to work together for the benefit and good of all. All things, whether inanimate, organic, living, and even dead, are used and reused to build off of each other and sustain life and growth on earth. When the Lord teaches us about consecration and discipleship, he uses the world around us to show the true meaning of teamwork and that true teamwork can only exist through selfless love, or charity. Families are meant to be forever together, but that can only happen if they are willing to work together--because those who work together and build each other up, love each other. No wonder the first and greatest commandment is to love God, because when we choose to love God, we choose to love all His creations, and we choose to work with them because of that love. God is trying to get us to learn how to love!

Anyhow, those are my thoughts--which were inspired by the thoughts of others (just so I can further emphasize the importance of teamwork; but it is true, I wouldn't have thought them had in not been for each of you and all the people I'm working with out here).

Our district is doing well. I've had the opportunity to go on a few trade-offs with the Elders within our district and have been able to get to know them a little better. I'm learning a lot about the importance of listening and allowing others to speak and share their thoughts. Maybe I ask one question and then be quiet for a time...everyone needs time to pour out their heart to another, sometimes it's the only way to get relief from our burdens. Yesterday I had to resolve a small conflict within our apartment. Afterward, I sat each Elder down and interviewed them one at a time so I could learn what was bothering them. I think, for the most part, the problem has been worked out. I had a positive discussion with each of them and they both ended on a good note. I was proud of myself for working things out with the Elders. I don't think I have ever had to sit down and handle a situation like that before, nor have I ever handled a situation like that the way I did. I felt a little bit like a parent, or a coach, or even maybe a teacher...Let me just say this, although I kept a very collected attitude throughout the ordeal, that was stressful to deal with! But things are better now, so we're all good! :)

Another Elder I worked with on one of our trade-offs, we sat down and had a really long discussion together. We talked about how everything we are doing now is centered on helping the things we do now to become a lifestyle we can maintain throughout the rest of our lives. The Elder had many frustrations and disappointments he shared with me and I sat quietly and listened to him. As I listened to him talk I thought about all the things I had been learning and shared with him some of the thoughts I had. The Atonement, in all its power and splendor, was motivated by one thing, and one thing only, and that is the great love our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ have for us, and all Their creations. The purpose of missionary work is not to get other people to do the things we want them to do, but it is to show them that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and we do that as we serve them. Service, when motivated by faith in Jesus Christ, is an act of love and is also an evidence of the love of God. The pure love of God is charity and it is this charity that softens and changes hearts. The Holy Ghost can work through the heart of an individual whose heart has been changed by love. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and we do that through our love of God and our love for all our spirit brothers and sisters. When he and I spoke about these things the Spirit entered greatly into the room and we were both comforted and edified.

Who knows where things will take us next, or even what lies ahead...all I know is that all will be well. I love each of you and wish you all a wonderful week. I look forward to hearing from "ya'll" next week. :)

Love~

Austin

Hoping For A Better World...

Palatka, FL

Dear Mom, Dad, Aaron, Billy, Kendall, Family, & Friends~

Halloween went well, but I'm glad it's all over now. We didn't do anything special for the holiday, nor did President Barry allow us to spend our time watching movies. But, despite the lack of Halloween activities we did get to teach a less-active member from the ward who seems to be having all the doors that were once locked begin to open up once more--he is starting to change his life a little at at time, and Heavenly Father is responding to his every effort to do good! He met a girl, a few years younger than himself, who wants to help him change his life for the better and is willing to stick with him and work with him as he strives to become better. She isn't a member of the Church, however, she is a faithful young Baptist woman who is also doing all she can to live a good Christian life. The person we are teaching would love to see her become a member of the Church and would love to teach her the gospel, but as we spoke with him last night he wasn't exactly overly confident that he would be able to convince her to listen. So we gave him a priesthood blessing and we prayed on behalf of his new friend and he seemed much more prepared to speak with her about the Church. We spoke of the temple with him and he said it made him feel like he wanted to jump out of his skin for joy! It has been wonderful to see him change day by day as we have continued to visit with him and to see the Spirit work in his life. The light is growing within his soul and he is beginning to hope for a better world....

...I want to be who I am meant to be and I know that I cannot do that without your help and more especially without the Lord's help. Our motto in the Jacksonville Florida Mission is a scripture found in the Book of Third Nephi, chapter five, verse thirteen:

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life."

Love~

Austin