Austin's Missionary Journal

Hey everybody! I might make this email a bit shorter because I've had a pretty rough morning. Last night there was a big storm going, which woke me and my companion up about three times during the course   of   the night... which ended up with both   of   us sleeping through the alarm and waking up when we were supposed to start studies! So yeah, still super groggy. Ugh!!! I miss Grandma and Papa's! Thanksgiving there looked like lots  of  fun! Thanksgiving here was pretty good, too. We spent the morning and afternoon serving at the Lion's Club, a local community club  in  Ocean Shores. Every year they hold a big free Thanksgiving Dinner, so we helped set up and get the food ready. Here are some pictures: The place before people arrived: ​ We cut up all  of  these pies: ​ A lot  of  people showed up: ​ After we finished serving there, grabbing a nibble on our way out, we went to the Giles' for dinner. It was great! Sister Giles...

  Oh, COME ON! SERIOUSLY? KRISTA AND JOSH WENT SKYDIVING WITHOUT ME?!?! I'm just kidding, but oh, I'm pretty jealous. That looks like so much fun! That snow looks fun, too. The little kids look like they enjoyed it. I miss snow. It's too humid for snow most  of  the time. The only times it has snowed during my mission was last December; It only snowed twice, and both times the snow had melted by the end  of  the day. Although this week we did get some hail, so that was cool. And way to go at that TKD tournament, Kamryn and Kyler! Both  of  them got first place? Awesome! This week has been pretty busy busy, what with transfers and all. I got my new companion this week. Meet Elder Devenburg: ​ Yeah, he made that sword himself, out  of  duct tape, foam, and pbc pipe. He's really creative, very athletic, and overall just bursting with energy. I don't think I've ever seen him stop moving. There was one time he was trying to show me a picture on hi...

So transfer calls have come, and I am.... STAYING, for a fourth transfer   in   Ocean Shores. Instead   of   me, my companion, Elder MacQueen, will be heading out to Silverdale. Meanwhile, I'll be getting Elder Devenburg. That's kind   of   funny, because Elder Devenburg came out with me to the mission   in   October. He will officially be the youngest companion I've ever had, and he's just as old as I am. LOL! So, not a whole lot happened this week. It was mostly just suspense for transfer calls, because neither Elder MacQueen or I knew what was going to happen. I kind  of  thought I'd be leaving, while MacQueen stayed, but it turned out to be the opposite. But I'm not worried. By the end  of  this new transfer, I'll have spent 6 MONTHS  of  my mission  in  Ocean Shores. Even where I am now, I already know this place like the back  of  my hand. I think this transfer will go by incredibly fast, for...

  Hey everybody!! This is how my week went: Monday: HAllOWEEN! After emailing we went shopping for groceries, then we traveled back to Ocean Shores for a Halloween party! The Ramirez' family put on a fun, small party with a few other families  in  the branch. They had great food and lots  of  games. That was the first time I went bobbing for apples. I didn't get the most apples, but I absolutely wrecked everybody  in  limbo... My legs were sore  from  that for the next day or two though. We partied there until the end  of  the night. Tuesday: We had to run to Aberdeen  in  the afternoon for interviews with the Mission President. We were the last ones to be interviewed, but there was no way we'd drive all the way back to Ocean Shores because we had another meeting that night  in  Elma, which is even farther out past Aberdeen. So, we just worked  in  Aberdeen, even though it's the ZL's area. It was an int...

 Hey everyone! Let me tell you how my week went: Monday: Everything fell through for our plans this P-Day, so we basically dinked around town, played some card games, just fooling around until we needed to get back to work. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no one else to have FHE with, so we were kind  of  left to go walking about town  in  the dark... with no one around. It was pretty uneventful. Tuesday: The weather was phenomenal. Completely sunny, very warm, perfect conditions to go street contacting. So, we did that until we ran to our next appointment, doing service for an older woman named Maves. She had us clean out her oven and her moldy fridge, and put up a new shower curtain. She was very grateful for that. And then we ate dinner, went knocking 5-7's, then ran to Addiction Recovery Program at the church. I love those meetings, because they're very enjoyable. The 12-step program is a great spiritual resource and I learn a lot  from  it about...

Disney World looks awesome!!! I know I've been there before, but that was a super long time ago. But I do vaguely remember the jumping water fountains. That was fun. I'm glad you all had a great trip! Nice Halloween costumes, by the way. Oh yeah, and that package you sent to me? It has arrived safely...  in  Tacoma. I guess you sent it to the mission office's address, so I'm guessing that means I sent you my current location mailing address a tad bit late. Oops. But no need to worry. I should get it the next time the ZL's drop by Tacoma, which may be  in  a week or two... there isn't anything perishable  in  that package, is there? I hope not! This week was pretty good: Monday: After emailing, we ran to the Chism's and played some Dungeons & Dragons! I made a character for myself! I'm a sorcerer, and I have a pet weasel  in  the game. It was great, I almost died... multiple times. I had tons  of  fun, and we played it with Bro. Chism...

  Hey family!!!!!!!! Ugh! So much rain! It just never stopped this whole week! The weather was basically the talk  of  the town the whole week. During P-Day, we had people preparing for some "Huge storm this weekend, and it's gonna be bad!" So, we were a bit on edge for the weather that was apparently coming... which it did, but it definitely wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. Monday: P-Day! Nothing out  of  the ordinary, though what we had planned to do that afternoon, play some games with a member family, the Chisms, had to be cancelled because Bro. Chism was sick. But we've rescheduled to play with them today after we get done emailing. That evening, we went to the Gerou's for FHE, and they had this super old FHE video  from  the church for the VCR. I've definitely never seen it before, but it was entertaining and spiritually uplifting. One  of  my favorite things  from  it was a little animation explaining the creation...