December 8, 2014

Hello everybody! How is life going! It sounds like a lot of excitement, such as MAKAYLA AND JORDAN ARE GETTING MARRIED!!! WOW!!! I totally knew it would happen but I just didn´t know this soon. Haha And I gotta give Jordan props for his studliness, and cleverness in the hot air balloon! That is kind of awesome! And almost the same as how Makayla´s parents got engaged. Except it was from an airplane! What is up with the Adams family getting engaged in the air? Haha But that is just cool beans. And yes mom it was totally because of me that they had their first kiss a long time ago, haha good times! :) So my question is, has everybody shared he is the gift on their facebook? Because it is pretty much awesome. We have gotten into a lot of houses to share it with people. And every time it just brings such a good spirit. And we have a really awesome idea! We are trying to find a Santa suit. And one of us will dress up like Santa. And we will go in the street markets and say free pictures with Santa! Then we will take pictures with all the people and then say we will deliver it to your house! Then we will go to their house to deliver it. And share that video with them, and boom! We have got to get something from that. :) Haha I am excited. And skyping! That is going to be awesome! in a couple weeks right? I just need to find a members house to do it. We will schedule that in the weeks to come. Man, that sounds like a good time, having indoor snowball fights with Ivy. :) I loved those. Surprise attacks I did on you mom when you were cooking breakfast. We had some epic indoor snowball fights didn´t we? :) It is too bad you never won though. ;) Haha just kidding :) those are the best invention in the world! Haha A little bit safer than Nerf eh? ;) (DAD) Haha Anyways, the work here is good, well it is going. There are still some things I am trying to figure out. But I feel like it will come eventually. Right now we are teaching this mother and her daughter. their names are Eliud and Karren. And they really want to get baptized but just want to get some things worked out first. So we are just helping them get there. :) Also we are making a lot of progress on the ward! :D So I am pretty excited with that. Anyways. I love you guys! have a great week! :D

Hey Hey!‏ December 3, 2014

Hello peoples! So I am writing on Wednesday because we went to the Temple today! So I am pretty happy about that. :) Ok, so first of all, Campachanas are a Monterrey thing because they are only made in Monterrey. Well at least this type. They are basically a lot of meat of Trompo, which is meat that I had never eaten before the mission, and I think it is pork? And then lime juice, onion slices, and Salsa Verde Haha, but I literally have never tasted anything so good in my life! Haha. Anyways, those were really good on Thanksgiving. But I need a break from them. Alright, so this Dallen guy of Jamie's sounds pretty studly. But now I really want to see a picture because I have probably seen him before. If he teaches Spanish in the MTC haha. Oh I finally got the pictures of the family yesterday! And I got a letter from Grandpa! It was so great! Can you guys tell him thanks for me! I loved the letter and It really did help me a lot! But I still haven´t gotten anything else in the mail. So we shall see! I have some pretty cool experiences, but I don´t know what kind you want to hear! Like when I got sung to and serenaded by drunk people? Or like Miracles of being guided by the spirit? Haha, But honestly the cool spiritual experiences came from my first three months out here. Right now, the Lord is teaching me something that I am still trying to figure out. And I don´t feel like a lot of special things have happened in this area. We had interviews with President yesterday and so I feel ok about it. And he just said to be happy, and love the work, and to keep working. And that is what I plan to do! I really have been happy because of the Gospel and everything. But ya, wooh man, these circumstances! Haha. Anyways I know that this is one of the biggest purposes of the mission is for us to learn and grow! And the only way that happens is if we are out of our comfort zones right? I love the mission. haha But, I have been learning so much about the gospel! We have a couple good investigators. And when we teach them, and talk to them it is so spiritual. The coolest thing is to feel the Spirit testifying to them, from you. That really is just the best feeling ever. Anyways! Not a whole lot new other than that! I really love you guys a whole lot! Have a great week! :D oh ya! And if you guys haven´t already, you need to watch the video, He is the Gift. And of course share it on all social media that you have! :) Ok great :) I love ya guys! Love, Elder Sladers!

November 10 and November 17, 2014

Hello Hello mi familia y amigos! :D What is up! Things here are going good! Loving the work and working hard! First announcement... I just finished El Libro de Mormon in Spanish and I just feel good with the language. :) It isn’t perfect but I can do my job :) Elder Brown and I are doing so great! He is so stinkin’ funny, and really fun to be with. I am just doing great! Oh and I don't think that I have a parasite. It was for a week, when my skin was doing something really weird, and they thought I had one, but since then I have been normal. So I think I am still good :) Thank goodness. But I still have a lot to survive so please keep praying for me. :) So my whole mission until now I have heard of one food called Menudo. And it is cow stomach. And I finally had it this week. :) I won’t say that it is my favorite food (if you can call it food) but I ate it. And it wasn't bad. :) It is just like chewing gum... but a lot of it and from a cow :) Haha ok ok I am sorry that was gross. But man you just gotta love the mission ya know? Also this week was like the coldest that I have been! Haha ok maybe not the coldest ever, but it was pretty close. And I happen to be in a new area, and a new house that still doesn´t have a heater so the nights are just intense beans! Haha and it is a super weird cold. It is like a humid, wet cold, so it doesn’t really matter how many clothes I put on, it just goes right through! haha But no I am doing great! We will have a heater this week so I am happy! So in my free time I have been reading books with deep doctrine. Well, not super deep but like about The Atonement and mysteries of heaven. And I am just sooooo stinking interested about deep doctrine. And it is so true that we can know the mysteries of heaven. I have read and prayed about a lot of things. And my testimony has just grown in an incredible way. And not only deep doctrine, but church history. For example, Joseph Smith came to a perfect knowledge before he died. And he read the Bible in 5 different languages and German is the most correct out of all of them. This kind of stuff is just blowing my mind. And it is just like a huge puzzle that just fits together and makes sense! This mission is just blessing my life in so many ways! It is just so fun to learn and live! So right now we have one super solid investigator named Martina! And she came to church and it was just so sweet! She loved it and I believe she is going all the way! We feel really good about it. Oh, and then we contacted this kid that was 16. And we were talking and then he was just like, “Actually I am from California so we can speak English...” And I was like, “What the heck man! I am sitting here trying to talk to you and you can speak English!!!” Haha it was funny but ya we are going to teach him, and maybe play basketball in the mornings. :) I am stoked to try to teach in English. We will see how it goes! :) Welp, that is what is up here! I love ya guys! -Elder Aussy

November 17, 2014 Hello peoples! I am glad to hear that things are good back there! Things here are good! This week was a little bit rougher than last week, but ya know. What ya gonna do, haha. So this week we worked so hard. We had a lot more lessons, people, and success with numbers. But not the success that counts ya know? But it is all good. our President of the mission told us a story that is really cool that helped me feel good. Because we are in an area that is famous for being hard, and we will just say that the ward needs lots of work. And the work is just struggling right now. But he told us this super cool story. So there was this huge boulder in the middle of the room. And The Lord says to this man, ¨I want you to push the rock as hard as you can to move it to the side of the room.¨ And so the man starts pushing. And he pushed as hard as he could for months. And finally he just gets upset and exclaims ¨I have been pushing this rock for months! And it hasn't moved!¨ and the Lord says ¨I never said you would move it, but now your are stronger because of it.¨ And so that is how it is right now. Just talking, contacting, talking, contacting, trying to find more ways to find people, and just the same thing! But we are getting better, and stronger because of it. :) So it is all good. haha But I think we actually might be getting the rock to move, because there is one person that was a super old investigator that we found that might have potential. So we shall see! :) Haha Anyways, as usual, I am loving the mission. Great experiences all the time. I just found out that my comp was with some disobedient missionaries and he just couldn't deal with it any more. Like he just had a bunch that way. And so President put him with me. And I still think that it is still hard for him but on the other side of the spectrum, because I am so... Uptight I guess you should call it. I think I really am a hard companion to have sometimes because I really push exact obedience, and hit times with appointments and things like that. I think it is because of the stinkin Army. But ya, sometimes my comps don't like that, and I don't know whether I should ease up or not! haha But anyways. It is just a fun experience, I love it! Anyways! I love you guys! Thanks mom for updating me on Kendal! I am still praying for her! I love you guys so much! Elder Sladers

Changes Baby! November 3, 2014

So I have a new comp!!! And he wants to work super hard!!! :) AND I AM ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC! His name is Elder Brown, and he is from Arizona. And he is super super kind and is really helping me learn better Spanish. I feel like I pretty much understand everything, and can talk about anything in the gospel. It is just now random talk that I still need to work on haha. But he is helping me. And we just get along so well! I am so stoked. We have a great plan for our area and it is starting out slow. But we just put everything in the hands of the Lord. And we are super happy! That is all I want and to be able to give everything!!! Like I learned in running, when we give it all, we can look back with no regrets. When we don't give it all, well, we might have regrets. So, I am glad that we can just work work work. I am actually doing a lot better. I feel good and wasn't sick this week. I don't know if I still have something or not, but I am just going to enjoy feeling good haha. I read a talk this week about what is a consecrated missionary. There are good ones, there are great ones and then there are consecrated ones. I want to be a consecrated one. There aren't very many and it is hard to become one. But, I have thought a lot about how to become one and it takes everything! Your mind, your desires, everything! And then I thought, well this doesn't just apply to missionary work. This applies to everything we do. We can be good, great, or consecrated. In the church, our work, the family, and in everything. And I just have realized that there is not point to do anything, unless it is all in or nothing. Like Coachie´s talk on my farewell, jumping in with both feet. Not one foot at home, and one foot in the mission, but both feet! That is what we can focus on right now. Going all out in everything! Welp, I love ya guys! Thanks for the support back home and just for everything! Lo mas Chido misionero en todo Mexico, Elder SLADE!!! :)

October 27, 2014

October 27, 2014 Hey, how is it going! It’s going great here in the Fraustro! Lovin life! Kicken trash! Ok, so this week I am going to start off with a funny story. So, we were studying in the morning when somebody knocked on our door. We looked out the window and it was some Testigos, or Jehovahs Witnesses! My companion couldn't go to the door because he didn't have his shirt on, and was like “go go go!” So, I ran downstairs and prepared myself. I opened the door with a big smile on my face, with my plaque and all missionaried out. They were like “Well uh, hi, what’s your name?” and ya the conversation went. They started teaching me some profound doctrine in Revelations, and I just smiled and was like “Ya, I agree! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing! Ya, that is really cool!” And then they left, haha. Man, their faces were just classic! Sometimes we knock on doors and a Catholic priest will come out and it is just like, oh dang. Haha, I love it! So! I bought my Christmas present! an MP3 player with a SUPER SICK speaker. But the speaker is an old diesel slugbug and it glows crazy colors! Haha, it is sweet! And, I stole a lot of other missionaries music. So ya! That is what is up! Spiritual story of this week! I don't know if you guys read this story in the Ensign or if it is in the Ensign. But, there is a story about some guy with depression and the story of The brother of Jared. I went through that story in the Book of Mormon and marked everything. Then, that afternoon we went to visit our recent in this new area. He was like, not wanting to talk, or anything. I eventually got it out of him that there was a lot of opposition at work, and things like that. I shared this story. I shared about how when we do what the Lord commands us to do, like build barges, or in our case, follow commandments, and be diligent, then we set sail in the sea because God has commanded us to do so. I likened this to baptism. We have trials. We have huge waves hammering us and winds shoving us in every direction. Sometimes the waves shove us down to the bottom of the sea but we still have light in our barges even though we are in the bottom of the sea. Eventually we will arrive at the Promised Land. But then think about this. What if there were no waves, or wind and the sea was just calm. Well, we wouldn't move anywhere. We would just be chillin’ at the beginning, not progressing. So, it is by these waves, trials, sadness, and challenges, that we arrive in the “land of promise” or our potential. Then I shared a story about my friend in the Army who was baptized. He asked me the next week, “Why am I sad? The week before my baptism I was filled with more joy than I ever have felt before. And now that I am baptized, I feel sad, and I have questions and challenges.” I explained to him, that it was because the Lord loves him, and wants him to progress. So, I shared all of this with Bro. Belen and he was like “Thanks, you guys give me the strength to move on.” The spirit was so strong and I was thinking, “That is what it is all about!” Anyways, I am doing good and not doing too bad physically this week. Tonight we have changes, so we will find out what happens to me and my companion. Just between you people in the states and me, I hope I get somebody that wants to work. PLEASE pray that I will get somebody with a desire! Haha, no Elder Tomala is cool, just not as a senior comp! :) Haha I love ya guys! Thanks for all of the strength and things that you guys do for me! I love you all so much! The Church is true! Love ya all! :)

Hello Hello!‏ October 22, 2014

How is it going everybody! I hope everything is going good! Sounds like it is for my parentals! Haha sounds like your cruise was super fun! As for me, I am still sick but with a different sickness this time! Man! It is relentless! I really hope that I can get this under control, because if not, I don't think I will be a super effective missionary! Haha no just kidding, I will still try my very very best! The wife of the mission president, said I probably am infected with a parasite. I would not doubt it. Haha But I am just trying to keep moving along! My companion also has a back problem and has a hard time walking. Haha We can still work though! So we keep plucking along! Loving life! Haha Actually we have another baptism this Sunday! It is Jesus. The teenager that I talked about last time! And he is awesome! I am so excited for him. And we are hoping that his family (who was not interested) will go to his baptism, and feel something. And then we can teach them and baptize them! haha well if I am still here. We have changes again this Tuesday! I have been thinking a lot lately about Alma 26:27. We have the Lords promise that if we are patient in our afflictions. He will give us success! And that is good enough for me! I am just going to do what I can and then hope that later on. I will recognize the blessings that come from these trials. There is always opposition! But I know how much we are blessed. Always! I know that my emails are always pretty short. But this one is going to be shorter! Next time will be better, hopefully Haha. Anyways, I love you guys so much! I am so thankful for the people that write me an give me encouragement! thank you so much! I am glad to hear that everything is still rollin, and going awesome! haha I love you guys a whole whole lot! -Elder Slade

October 13, 2014

What is up my peeps! :D How is everything back in the United States of America! I hope all is well! Everything is good here in Monterrey! The campachanas are still amazing! And everything is going good! Except every week something different happens to my body and so I am pretty much used to surprises now. One week I will have like sores on my face. And the next, my stomach will explode, or something like that haha. No just kidding! I am still good! So this week, this fish were not biting at all. haha I mean all the people that we tried to talk to rejected us! Well not all but a lot more than usual. But that is ok because there is this life changing talk by Elder Holland. And it is The Atonement and missionary work. And he talks about why missionary work is hard. And it is because SALVATION WAS NEVER EASY! How can we expect missionary work to be easy, when it was NEVER EVER easy for Jesus Christ. How can we expect us to have so much success, and so much happiness all the time. When it was not like that for him. And when people reject us, we are standing with the greatest life that ever lived! So that always gets me pumped. People reject us, and in my mind I am like, Heck ya! I am standing with Jesus Christ. And all the prophets that were rejected! Haha So all is well with me! Actually there is a funny story of two Elders that got a door slammed in their faces. And they high fived and said one person closer! Because every person that rejects us is one person closer to the chosen one! Haha. But then the guy that slammed the door opened it and said what do you mean? And the missionaries were like. Well we are looking for the people that God has prepared to receive The Gospel so if we are rejected, it is one person closer. And the guy invited them in and ended up getting baptized. HAHA! Super hilarious! We have an awesome investigator named Jesus! And he is on fire! But man Satan really doesn't want him to be baptized! There is so much opposition coming into his life. It is crazy to see the opposition right when somebody is going to get baptized! Satan fights it! But Jesus is awesome! And I feel like he is going to make it :) We had to GOLDEN investigators. The first time we entered the house they said, I want you to baptize me! And we are like... Well sick! Lets get going. But then after a couple days, we couldn't find them and then we found them. And something changed. They didn't want to be baptized. And we were like why? What happened! And they were just like, I don't know I just don't want to!... Yup. That was this week. Haha. But things are good! The work is going! And I am loving it so so so much! Haha Anyways! I love you guys! Have a good time on your cruise parents! :D The coolest Elder Slade you will ever meet -Elder Slade! :)

Conference!‏ October 6, 2014

Ok, can I just say that CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING! It was so great! I loved it! The even cooler thing is that we had three investigators come! :) We were so stoked! We also had to travel to the stake center with was really far away. But they still came! Man they are doing so well! And the thing is. All of our progressing investigators are teenagers and should be getting baptized this week and the next! They are so golden! haha, anyways conference was so good. I don't think I can choose a favorite. I loved them all! There was a lot about prophets. And really how lucky are we to have a prophet. I just feel soooo bad for everyone I talk to that think they have the true church. You can just see the emptiness in their eyes! And I just want to shove the truth into them. But I cant! Haha PEOPLES AGENCY DANG IT! haha no just kidding! It is so interesting though so see what other people believe... I don't understand how they could believe it! And a lot of times it is so sad! I am so thankful for the knowledge that God is our Loving Heavenly Father. Oh ya mom... HAPPY BIG 50! :) Haha I cant believe your 50 years old! :) hehehe I love ya mom! :) You are the best! So, I was thinking a lot about the talk of Elder Holland. I guess I do have a favorite talk. Haha I guess not my favorite but the one subject I have been thinking a lot about. I have been thinking a lot about caring for the poor. And the part that hit me in Elder Hollands talk was when he said. Oh they probably did it to themselves. Well so what if they did it to themselves. Arent we all beggars? Man that hit me. I am guilty of saying that. Not just about the poor, but the unhappy, or the miserable. I have said, they did it to themselves. But it isnt our job to judge if they did it to themselves or not. Our job is to help everyone no matter what happened. And I love how he said. I don't know how we are to answer the call to help the poor. He didn't give us a law, he gave us the option. What are you going to do to help the poor. Or the needy. Man that was some good food for thought. Conference has changed my life. I am so thankful for the prophets, and that we have this gospel in our lives. I am so thankful to be on this mission, and learn the things that I am learning. I know that this church was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. And I know that the Book of Mormon is true. My little seed of a testimony is growing. I know that what the apostles said is true. About things that are blurry will become clear. And that there are so many things that can be made known unto us. I know that this Gospel is the only true source for happiness. I love you guys! I love all of lifes experiences. The good and the bad! Have a good week! -Elder Aussy

September 29, 2014

So this week was pretty awesome! We saw a couple miracles! :) We were told that there had been a man coming to church, whose father recently passed away. And before, he didn't want anything in the Gospel. But we had been coming for like 4 weeks and so we found him, taught him, and baptized him this week! He was golden! It is amazing to see how the Lord prepared him to receive the gospel! :) And then another story about diligence! My companion and I were super tired and had a unsuccessful day to find people to teach. Which is normal haha but we were about to return to the house, when I felt like there was still one more person to visit. My companion agreed and we walked all the way over there. We knocked on his door, and nothing... And I was like, WHAT THE BEANS! Why did I feel that impression. So while my companion was passing the numbers to the zone leader I was just standing in the street. When this guy came up to me and was like "Hey! I found missionaries over where I work once. In a totally different colony. And they said the would pass my name on to you guys. But nothing ever happened". And then he was like, "But I really want to come to your church and learn about your church." And I was like..... YA!!! Haha So we have an appointment tomorrow. And it is so cool! To see that when we go the extra mile, and really put in the effort then the blessings come. And ya, that was a cool experience. I am glad to hear that Kendal is doing a little bit better! I hope she continues to recover! I am STILL learning a super ton here! I now know why we are sent on missions. The Lord doesn't really NEED us to do this work. He can do anything if he wants. It is just that WE need to do this work and have these experiences, WE need the mission. There are so many things that I am learning that just can't come from anything else. HAHA Anyways I don't really have anything else to say! I am scared to send pictures because I don't want to lose them like the last two times. :) I will print them first haha. Oh and I got the letter from Aunt Beth and the Fam! :) Thanks guys! I loved the letter :) haha. Until next week! Love ya guys! Elder (always a party) Sladers :D

September 22, 2014

Alright so I actually have some news to tell this week because I got transferred! Haha I am now in an area called Fraustro. You could probably find it on google maps by typing San Nicholas. So the reason that I am excited about this change is first, it is a small area, which means we don't use buses, which means that I am going to buy FOOD! :) HAHAHAHA And our house is a lot nicer than my other house. So ya! Super stoked about that! My new companion is named Elder Tamala. And he is from Ecuador. And he is super awesome. He doesn't speak any English at all. So this is a great opportunity to learn the language better and faster! :) So yesterday I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting. And I didn't have much of a heads up. And so I did it on Love and spoke from the heart. And it wasn't perfect, and I still need a lot of work, but everybody said that it was good. So I was excited about that. But little did I know that an Area of the Seventy was sitting behind me! Haha I guess I missed that part. So ya. No notes, talk in sacrament, with an Area of the Seventy, in Spanish. Never thought that would happen! Haha and the thing is. I was not even a little nervous. It was definitely the spirit helping me with that part. So, ya I am doing really good! one thing that I am learning as I go is that the Latinos are not super obedient. And I didn't know because well I have only had Latinos as my companions. But I really am afraid that this whole time, we haven't been exactly obedient. So I think I am going to study up on everything and repent haha. And Somehow try and help them and motivate them to be more obedient to haha. Oh dear. haha Gotta love the mission. I have been studying a lot about the spirit, and conversion. And how really there is nothing that we can say to convert people. It has to come through the holy ghost. And that comforts me, because with my still limited Spanish, the spirit can convert people. And really we are just helping. The mission is so cool. I am learning tons and I love it! Thanks for the update on Kendall. I will continue to pray for her. Thanks everybody for your letters and everything! I am so blessed to have all of you in my life! I love you all! Elder Sladers! :)

September 15, 2014

Alright so this week I have felt a lot better! And I have been doing a lot better! Today is changes! And I don´t know what is going to happen! If I am leaving, if I am staying, or what! So it is pretty exciting right now! Haha So the reason I am doing a lot better is well, the gospel. Haha I just took a step back and just looked. And decided that everything is in the Lords hands, all I can do is my best, and I just can´t get discouraged when people don´t accept the gospel. To me it is so sad when people stop investigating or just don´t accept. But I have figured out that somehow I can´t get too upset, or put too much of my heart in it. I have to find the balance between caring, but not letting it get to me. And it isn´t as easy as it sounds! Haha But ya, I have been studying a lot of chapter 6 in Preach my Gospel. About Christ like attributes. I have studied a lot about Faith, hope, and Patience. And well I feel a huge difference in my life. I realize that I am going to make mistakes as a missionary, and it just takes time to be good at something. Haha My life is truly a blessing. I also did an activity about how were my prayers. And I have fixed them a lot, and I can feel a huge difference in my life! If you guys can, find a Preach my Gospel, and find the activity for prayers. It is in Chapter 4 and it will really help build your relationship with Heavenly Father. Welp it has been super duper rainy this week. And I realized that one pair of my shoes has a lot of holes in them. Nothing that some glue won´t fix, but ya, my other pair is rocking! They are kicking trash! My shoes are still in tact and many missionaries shoes aren´t after 3 months. This mission is super hard on shoes haha. Well I have hope to put on pictures today! So lets hope for success eh? I have been praying for Kendal! I hope she is ok! Keep me posted! Well I love ya guys! It is possible that next week is the temple so it might be wednesday! I love ya guys! -Elder Sladers

Hola!‏ September 8, 2014

Ok! So this is going to be another short one because I have a super super bad keyboard and it will probably take me the whole time to write this! haha This week was a lot better than last week! We found some new families and I had the opportunity to go on divisions this week! haha The funny thing is, that I went with Elder Cummings, my companion from the MTC! HAHA! We are both of course struggling with spanish haha, so it was a really fun experience to see how much we have both improved! I am actually better than I thought I was! It was a big confidence booster! I also got to go with Elder Keenan, who is a zone leader. And he shared with me a story that his home teacher told him. When his home teacher was on a mission, he went to go get his shoes shined. And there was a big line for these shoe shining booths. But on the end, there was this guy that hardly had arms and moved around on a little skateboard. And this guy felt the impression to go sit in his booth but he thought, no I am just going to wait for the normal people because I need a good shine. But he eventually went over to that booth and sat down. And the guy was so excited and so friendly, and he talked to him, and gave him the best shoe shine he had ever had! But then the little guy on the skateboard said, I thank the Lord every day for the chance I have to serve... Wow, he is so thankful for the opportunity to shine shoes and serve people, even though his body was really bad. That just makes me think how lucky we are that the Lord gives us the opportunity to serve. But he can use us more because we have a really good body and the gospel. So ya, that is my story for the week. So I was all good until last night. I got super duper sick, and I am barely surviving right now haha, but it is all good because I will get better. Oh my! I am sorry to hear about Kendal Levine! I cant believe that happened! She will be in my prayers! Please keep me posted on that! Welp I love you guys! Have a good week! Elder Sladers

All is Well!‏ September 1, 2014

HOLA!!! This week was pretty cool! Elder Valenzuela of the Seventy came and gave a training to us! It was so super cool! I Understood a lot of it So that is good! And I had to give the opening prayer in spanish in front of all of these people! haha That was fun! And a little bit nerve racking but fun! Elder Valenzuela talked about M&M´s haha. Members and Missionaries. And he talked a lot about how much we need to work together and some ways we can do that! So that was pretty awesome! So this week was pretty disappointing. We just had some bad luck with investigators and my convert is not really a convert because now he really doesn´t want anything to do with us. So ya I am pretty sad about that. And I got a little bit sick and I think it was from the heat. Or something like that I don´t know. haha But man I am just trying to survive this week! But on the bright side today we got to do a zone activity, and we went to like the tallest mountain in Monterrey. And got to climb part of it and I ran a little, and it just felt so good to be in nature again haha. It was just so beautiful. I sure miss running. I really really want to start again somehow. Maybe next change when I am finished with my training period. Sorry today is super short! I don´t really have more time! Love ya guys!

August 18, 2014

OK! How is it going family! And friends! :) Things are pretty good around here! I am still super well, just plucking along trying to survive and understand everything. There is just so much I have to learn and do! It is overwhelming when I think about it haha. But little by little it will come! haha I don´t really have much to report on that is different! We have some new investigators that are pretty awesome! I really hope that they pull through! haha I am pretty excited about the work! It is really fun to go with Elder Barrera, and find TJ`s or Jehovahs Witnesses. HAHA they have some stinking weird beliefs! And Elder Barrera is super good with his bible, and he is super good at destroying them in bible bashes. But unfortunately that is not what we should do, because we waste our time when we do that. So I always just say have a nice day and grab him and split. Haha but it is still funny sometimes. Ok funny story. Remember how I was proud of myself for cooking? Ya, so I made my comp breakfast one morning, and he broke his tooth :D HAHAHA! Super sad but how funny is that! He already had the problem before but he blames it all on my eggs! So now everybody thinks I make eggs of steel! :) Haha I love it! Well, there wasn´t anything this week that I can really report on that it different. But I believe that today is the day for pictures! WOOT WOOT! haha I don´t have a super ton but, I believe that I have a couple worth sharing! I need to take lots more! I hope everybody is good! And mom! Feel better! And stay away from that milk chocolate! Love you guys :D -Elder Aussy

August 25, 2014

What is up people! :D So this week was pretty great! Our investigator came to church again and I feel like she is gonna make it :) And I am pretty excited! We have more people to teach and more things to do! So ya! The work is going good! :) Also there was this one day where my comp was sick after our food appointment, and so we were just like stopping at random houses. And So while my comp was ¨gone¨, I got the chance to teach people by myself and really got to see what I could do! And wow! I really surprised myself! haha I taught this guy all about The Book of Mormon, and at the end he was like, ¨So... how much for this book?¨ and I was like ¨UHHHHH bro you can have it!¨ :) And then I gave the sisters the reference of this dude, because he wasn´t in our area and he came to church and he told them that he knew that this really is the true church. :) So that was really cool. The lord really does prepare the people to hear the gospel! I hope this guy works out! :) So I had my first experience where I felt like I was in danger! I think I might have just bared my testimony at the wrong time about this being the only true church! :) And ya! This guy didn´t like that very much! Haha don´t worry mom it wasn´t like real danger! He was just a little upset! haha! :) This mission is super fun! I am learning so much everyday! The church is true! The book is blue! Love ya guys! Have a good week! :D -E Slade!

August 13th 2014

Alright so this week was pretty great! I have had a lot of pretty good experiences here. The only thing is that I have been told by tons of missionaries, that I am in a gold mine area. Like this area is the best! And... we are not finding anybody that will keep there commitments! Or that really wants to listen to us! And it is frustrating! And everybody that has been like, when I was in your area I baptized a lot! And I am like AHHH! I just want to find someone that wants to know this truth! Haha man. No its really great! I just have so much work I need to do on my lessons. I wish I would have been sent here after I have experience and know the language. But ya, everything is good! I know that everything is the way it is for a reason and all I can do is my best so I shouldn´t be frustrated haha. :) Ok, so I found a place that every Thursday, there is Nutella :) So I have been enjoying that! I really took advantage of that at home. The whole unlimited food thing :) haha. Oh mom! You will be so proud of me! First of all my sewing job is still holding up with my bag! :D NBD And I get up and cook breakfast every morning. That´s right... COOK :) haha just eggs but still. :) Oh ya! So I just recieved my first letters... Yup my first letters. And they were all dated from like early June, so... wow! haha I got one from Grandma Nette, which she said I think you might like to get snail mail. HAHA!!! More like super duper slow motion snail mail, haha And Riley Stead, and Abbey Morrison, which was a great surprise! :) haha And I don´t know how to say thanks, at least thanks that won´t take months to get there so I hope they read this :) Thank you guys for the snail mail! :) It makes me happy. Ok, so my funny story of the week. It actually happened a couple hours ago on the way home from the temple! Oh my goodness I love the temple! Haha anyways we were taking the metro home from the temple, and I was the last one boarding, and the doors started shutting really fast on me. And my companion and everybody else was already inside, So I like dove and the doors squashed me, and they don´t sense if there is somebody there, they just close no matter what, so I am like yelling, NOOOOOOOOOO! kind of like a slow motion action movie, and I had this epic battle with these doors, but I eventually got through and everybody was laughing at me who was on the metro. :D Ya it was pretty awesomely dramatic. :) haha welp that is it. I think I have a plan to get my pictures up. But I need to find something first so. I hope I will be able to do that. Alright, well I love you guys :) thanks for everything! Have a great week!

Tomatoes and Dogs

Que pasa mi familia!!! :) Wow! So this week was pretty awesome! Not so much that more people listened to us or anything. But I read this article in the Liahona. It is called Becoming Perfected in Christ. It was so super duper amazing! I learned a ton from it and it helped me a lot! Those first few weeks, I would get pretty frustrated with myself, and I didn´t know why! But then I read this article. And I realized that my expectations of what I should be able to do were unrealistic. So basically I decided to just enjoy being new, and just enjoy everything about it. So ya! This week was a lot better! :) This week I got to go on splits with Elder Keenan, a zone leader. And their area is really big and really flat. So they have bikes. And it was so fun! In the morning it had just rained and the streets are really dirty. So I hit this mud puddle on accident, so I was a muddy missionary for the rest of the time! Haha Oh and the funniest thing ever! So we were just riding along and a bunch of dogs started chasing us! As usual. But dogs in Mexico actually bite, not just bark, and so I was just riding trying to ignore them when one huge dog started nipping at my heels :) then Elder Keenan just totally plows this dog... ran it right over. And this dog is huge! And mean! And it just walked away all ashamed. Oh my goodness! I wish you guys could comprehend how hilarious this was! haha. Good times. Totally wish that I had a Go Pro right then haha So I actually really like the food now! For a while it was just to survive. But now I love it! Even the spicy stuff. And the other day. The Hermana served a big Tomato on my plate! And I was like... shoot! (well in my mind) But then I ate it and it wasn´t even bad! Haha I was like, WOW! Welp, I love the mission. I am learning a ton! And having some great experiences! I just can´t wait till I don´t have to think about what I need to say in Spanish, and just be able to teach! Just teach and focus on the Gospel. So my whole life, I thought I knew the gospel, but now the more I learn, the less I know. It is crazy! I am really starting to understand! Like really understand! There is so much more to this than I thought! So much more to understand, not just know, but understand. And this week was amazing because we had a zone conference, and President Swapp gave a lesson, and used...... Running... :D Just like Coachie! It was amazing! He showed us that video of the girl that falls and then gets back up and wins. And applied it to the gospel! It was so crazy! I told him, that is just like my coach! haha. Welp, it sound like all is well back there! I love you guys so much! See you next week!

July 21, 2014

How is it going! Life sounds super good and busy back there haha! It is awesome that the Steadmans found Kaylen! I bet that was super duper cool for them! And How the Horrocks and Walls found Riley! That is so cool! I saw a picture of Ivy! Standing all by herself! Haha So exciting! :D Welp, not gonna lie. This week was not the best week. My super awesome companion is having problems sleeping. Like he can´t sleep. So he is always super duper tired. And we go out and work. But he is just so tired and a little bit unmotivated. But he is still doing a really good job! :) But anyways, this week I tried to do more than I have been. And I would talk and ask something, and then they would say something really fast, and then I just look at my companion. Because I don´t understand a lot. Actually when we are in lessons I can understand what is going on most the time and I put in a little bit of input. But when someone is talking to me directly... Really fast, with other sounds around, I just kind of nod... Haha :) Story of my life. But anyways, we had to drop a lot more investigators that decided to stop progressing. :( Man and the thing is that I heard that this area was like a really good area! Haha with a lot of success! But, it hasn´t been so far. haha. But, one thing I have heard is that everybody that doesn´t accept our message, is one person closer to the person that will. :) So I am trying not to get discouraged. Because discouragment weakens faith. But no worries! I am still happy and going strong! :) This work is so great! And so important! And I love it a lot! :) Oh one other thing that I find interesting. Some people here have big stereos that are probably worth more than their house haha :) But they blast it for the whole Colony to hear. And the other night until 1 in the morning, my neighbors were blasting Green Day. Like what the beans! I could feel it vibrating my bed! That wasn´t the best sleep I have had in my life. haha :) I find it funny that a lot of the music here is American. Haha :) But ya! Life is good! Welp I am gonna put on some pictures now! Some will be from the MTC and some from here. :) I love you guys! Have a great week! Nevermind... I can´t because these computers don´t have the hardware for my camera I guess... Man I will find a way one of these days! haha I am sorry bout that! On the bright side, you can see them in two years :) haha love you guys! :)

July 14, 2014

Hola! Wow! So this week has been so interesting! It has been so great! I feel like I am really catching the vision all the way! Like I thought I had it. But now, I really have it! This work is just making me so happy! And a lot of the times it is super hard. But still so great! So the goal for the mission is baptize every week! Because I guess mexico is a high baptizing place haha. So it was going great! At one point this last week. We had like 4 people commit to a baptism date. And like 6 commit to come to church with us. They were even excited! I was also suppose to do my first baptism yesterday. But everything went south. On saturday we went to do the final interview with Benito, who was the person I was suppose to baptize yesterday. And he came out and smelled like alcohol... So that fell through. Then I was like. Hey at least we got these others coming to church, and excited for baptism. Then the next day. Not a single one of our investigators came to church. Earlier this week we had this amazing lesson with this 21 year old guy. And it was so so spiritual. Then he asked for a priesthood blessing because we had just told him about the priesthood. So we gave him one for Strength to stop drinking and he stood up and was like what is this? What am I feeling? And ya... It was just so crazy. So then we told him that we would walk by and get him for church on Sunday. So on Sunday we called him to see if he was ready. And he was at a party... Drunk. Talk about super discouraging. Everything fell through! AHHH! A ton of people here in Mexico make commitments, but it is really rare that they keep them. At first I was like wow! This missionary stuff isn´t that hard. But then I learned the hard way that people rarely do what they say they are going to do. haha But its ok.I guess thats part of this whole mission thing. Dealing with let downs. So right now is this thing called The Canicula. I think thats how you spell it. It goes on for like 40 days. And basically its at least 120 degrees everyday... And it starts today. So I am probably going to die... But thats ok! I never realized how much running transfers over to everything. Especially missionary work. Like I will have some discouraging thought or something. And then something that I have learned from running pops into my head. Either an experience or one of the many Coachie talks that I have had. For example... this one happens a lot. I went through a little phase in running where I was just like, I hate those moments in races where I hurt a lot, and just want to die. And those come like every race haha. And I just remember Coachies voice saying something like, who cares if you hurt? Eventually it will stop hurting and you can look back knowing that you gave everything. And so on days where things don´t work out, or I am frustrated with the language, or it is super hot and I just want to stop. I just think. Who cares I only have two years, out of eternity to fully focus everything on serving the lord. Thats it! Like sometimes it feels like two years is a long time, but then sometimes I feel like its not enough haha. Because really, its not that much at all. Welp it is all great here! I am really happy! Sounds like Ivy is growing up super fast on me! Haha I miss her haha. Welp love you guys! Have a great week! Oh and thanks for the Happy Birthday wishes! And thanks for the treats Mom and Dad! Oh, and I realize how poorly written this is. But this computer is different and I can´t figure out how to change it to write in English haha Love you guys!

July 7th, 2014

Hello! alright so hopefully it works out this time! :) So my life is really good here! I am super overwhelmed with how my I need to learn! I just have no idea where to start! haha Alright so this is pretty much how my day goes. I wake up at like 6 and I read the Book of Mormon in spanish because of the promise of President Gordan B. Hinckley. And then we get ready for the day. Then there is an hour of personal study, then two hours of companionship study where I practice with my companion. Then one hour of language study. Then we go and teach, and contact, and teach some more. Everyday we have one lunch appointment with a member at like two. There has only been one that has been interesting haha. I actually really like the food. Even though its all pretty much rice and beans. I never know what it is because I don't understand so I just eat it. I have probably eaten lots of things that are gross and I don't even know haha. Tay would sure love it though. I will be eating and everything is great, then BAM some sneaky super hot spice of some sort enters my throat and I start crying and coughing a little bit :) haha. Ya they are pretty sneaky. But I am getting used to it! And the food isn't an issue! I still haven't been sick. But everybody says like the third week you get sick so we will see what happens. :) But when we got to this house, there wasn't any food so for like the first week I was only eating that one meal a day. But than this last week my companion taught me how to make this really good food, so I have been cooking those. And today I got a lot of cereal and oatmeal so I am set :) haha So yup. I don't have a made. I do my laundry on a wash board out back by hand. And almost everytime I go out there to get my laundry off the close line there is at least one spider in my clothes haha. And there are a lot of cockroaches too but I haven't found one in my clothes yet haha. :) There is only one temperature of water so my showers are cold and my drinking water is warm! But thats not really a big deal. I actually really like cold showers! haha Also mom, there isn't really fruit anywhere haha. Sometimes on random stands in the streets but not growing on trees haha. But there are insanely amazing beautiful mountains! Wow! Super beautiful. It is so humbling to be here! When we got to our house and our area, I was thinking wow. I must be in the poorest place. But I came to find out that I am in the nicest, safest place in the mission! Haha wow! I am so humbled. The houses are super small, and some only have like a couple chairs, and then the whole thing is cement. Apparently other areas only have dirt floors and huts and stuff. I am loving it here! The people are pretty cool. I am still working on loving some of them ;) no just kidding, they are great. My language skills are coming along I think... :) I can understand sometimes. They speak so stinking fast!!! I just pray super hard that in A couple of months I might be able to talk to someone! Man I need some divine help of some kind! haha But I just bare my testimony, and my companion says that it always fits in so thats good eh? :) My companion is so so so great! He is a native but he speaks some english. His name is Elder Barrera! He knows his scriptures incredibly! And he is always so happy and patient with me. He is very very hard working and is a great trainer. I am extremely lucky to have him as my companion. Alright for some important information. If I heard correctly, they only send out mail and give us our mail once a month. But I also don't have time to email everybody that I want to. So ya! :\ but I would love to get letters still :) haha But here is my address to write letters to. There is one for letters and one for packages Letters Elder Austin Slade Concha Espino 303 Col. Roma Sur Monterrey, NL 64700 Packages Elder Austin Slade Chiapas 2202 Col. Roma Sur Monterrey, NL 64700 Amazing!!! Thanks for everything! I love you guys so so much! I will try to send pictures in one of these next times! :) love ya! -Elder A-Sizzzladers

Hola

Sorry! so so sorry, I had a huge email to send, but it went away. And now I have no more time, once a month we go to the temple and when that happens p day is on wednesday, but I will write on Monday. Sorry, I am doing good, loving it. Its hard but so spiritually good. Love ya guys! Sorry, hopefully I will get a working computer next time. BTW I am in Felipe Carrillo. When I got here I thought I was in like on of the poor places, but its the richest safest place. haha wow Next time I will send my addresses. Oh and have Jamie put on my blog that I can send and get letters once a month haha. Just so everybody knows. (: Oh and mom, I don't have a maid I have to do laundry by hand, like the pioneers, but with spiders and cockroaches everywhere. (: Its great! I am learning the language, slowly but surely. This is so humbling. I will tell more monday. Love ya!

June 20th, 2014

So! This is my last week in the MTC! WOOT WOOT! If you were to ask me if I am ready to go to Mexico, I would say, my soul is willing but my spanish is terrible! :) haha We have been skyping people from Mexico and they talk super super fast, I can hardly understand anything! So... I hope that it all works out! haha Which I already know that it will, but ya... just super anxious to get going and actually start fulfilling my purpose as a missionary, and not learning how to fulfill it haha. I am so happy to be a missionary, doing the most important thing known to mankind. Like there is nothing in the world that is more important. I know it's going to be hard. It already has been, and I haven't even done anything real yet, haha but I know that it will be the biggest growing experience ever! This week M. Russell Ballard came to the MTC, and his talk was also so amazing! It was about never ever be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, never to be afraid to share the gospel, always open your mouth. It was so great, If there is anything I am going to miss about this place, it is the devotionals, and probably sports haha. other than soccer, speaking of which, it is WORLD CUP time and hispanic countries are crazy during WORLD CUP time so I am stoked to be apart of that! Haha probably a lot of soccer going on over there. Anyways I love you! My next email will probably be longer cuz I will be in Mexico then! haha Bye!

Que Pasa!!!

Hello!!!! :D this week was soooo great! There was a lot of great things this week! And I need to start writing stuff down when it happens because I can't really remember everything :) But anyways, we have a new investigator, we don't know if he is a member or not. But we get to teach him 45 minutes almost everyday! All he wants to know is about the law of Chastity. It is so hard to answer his questions in spanish, like its awkward in english right? Well spanish is like 50 times worse!!! But this week was like the first week where we had the spirit in the lesson. Like I didn't think to much on how to say things in spanish. It just kind of flowed. I mean by no means was the grammar correct and everything but I just kind of talked, and bore my testimony and challenged her to read the Book of Mormon with real intent. And ya! It was just so stinking great! It felt nice after all my other discouraging lessons, where we couldn't understand anything and we couldn't really say anything haha. I am so glad that Tay sold my car! Thanks Tay!!! Now I feel a lot better. I'm not gonna lie. That car was awesome! She had a lot of character in her. I will miss her haha :) I can't believe that Ivy is walking a little already!!! I just barely missed it. and climbing the stairs! :) She is already training for when Uncle Aussy takes her rock climbing in a couple years :) haha I miss that baby a lot!!! So we got another new district. So now there are 22 people in my zone. Haha And I happen to be a ZL. So my responsibilities basically are just interviewing district leaders to see how there district is. Making sure that everybody is getting along, making sure there aren't any problems and doing the new missionary orientations. So ya thats pretty fun. It's pretty hard because I didn't get to see anybody do it before me, so I hope that I am doing it right! So I got to go to some more devotionals! And saw another Elder Bednar video. That man is officially my favorite person in this life! It was called Recognizing the Spirit. Have you ever had an impression and you wonder, is that the spirit talking to me? Or is that myself? I know that I have wondered that. Well this is what Elder Bednar says about that... STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT!!! Haha It doesn't matter. If its a good thought then just do it! Don't think, is that me? is it a prompting? Just do it! he then goes on. To be successful in this mission, or this life. Just be a good boy, be a good girl, remember and honor your covenants, and keep the commandments. So just be good! haha. Oh ya so my first week here, when he actually came to the MTC, he shared a story about his son. His son was going to Taiwan on his mish, and his son was told that if he prayed every morning and every night to have the gift of tongues, and also ask his family to pray for him to have the gift of tongues. Then the language would come super fast! So if you could pray for my gift of tongues then I would appreciate it a lot!!! :) Thanks! Alright well I love ya! Thanks for everything. I will write next week! Oh ya! I will be seeing Taylor Graves like the Wednesday before I leave! WOOT WOOT!!! haha I am stoked. Alright Hasta Luego! -Elder Sladers

HOLA!

Welp, this week went by super fast! There have been lots of awesome experiences. Teaching lots, or attempting to is the better way to put it. I get so frustrated because I just want to teach! but every time I think of something that I want to say, I can't think of how to say it, so I just don't! AHHH! haha! I know I just have to have patience but I just don't have any! Elder Nelson came this week, haha! Another Quorum of the 12! haha I love how spiritually uplifting it is here. It's impossible to get sad. It's easy to get discouraged but never sad. This week we got another district!, 4 new sisters and 2 new Elders. I had the opportunity to welcome them because I am a Zone Leader. One Elder is like 6'7", and super studly! It's a good thing that we don't care what the Hermanas think here because they would all be after him, and us short guys would be over in our own little corner. haha But it's the MTC where nobody cares. The other one is pretty tall and almost fluent in German. HAHA! He took it for three years, and now he is going to Mexico. Loco Frijoles! Well I don't really have a lot more to say about this week. So I will just leave you with this cool thought. We were talking about how important it is so have the spirit with us. And we talked about how it will come as thoughts and feelings. We talked about Nephi and how he had to be so in tune with the spirit to know that it was the spirit telling him to kill Laban. Haha then President Evans said, if you have an impression to kill somebody check with your Mission President first. haha But How good do you have to be? In The Bible, Peter messes up pretty bad, he denies Christ three times the day he said he never would. He falls asleep when all Christ wanted was someone to be there for him during his suffering in the Garden. Then when the people come to get Christ, Peter cuts somebody's ear off. and Christ obviously didn't like that very much because he put it right back on. But even though Peter did all these things, Christ still gave him power to walk on the water, and be an Apostle. All we have to do is try our best. And use the Atonement which already paid for everything that we have done,felt, went through, etc... And we can ALWAYS have the spirit to be with us if we just try. Anywho that is my cool thought. I am loving it here! So happy! Love you guys! have a good week! -Aussy

The First Email.

5/22/2014 Alright so I have a ton on my mind that I want to write about, and I can't remember it all so I am just gonna go! Ok so its crazy how this week has gone! So my companions name is Elder Cummings! Super awesome guy! He is really quiet, and pretty spiritual. We don't have a lot in common but we still connect somehow! haha Ok so right when I walked into the MTC Uncle Lane was right there! and I walked up to him and said hola Brother Steinagel and he looked at me all weird and then realized it was me. it was pretty funny. So then right after that Our hosts took us to the West Campus which is where all the Spanish speaking missionaries are. We were all talking about where we were from, and then this other Elder said wait you are from Stansbury? I used to live there. and I looked at his name tag and it was Keith Staples!!! It was crazy! We got a picture so you are gonna have to get it from his mom somehow haha. But that was insane! So then we jumped right into Spanish. Which was pretty overwhelming, it finally hit me that in order to teach, I had to learn how to understand what this woman was saying... Wow! Spanish is coming along pretty well I feel like. on the third day we had to teach a 20 minute discussion in spanish... Ya I got a lot of blank stares haha, but we teach a lesson everyday. And yesterday we couldn't use any notes. Just go haha I feel like it turned out better because we used more feeling. But we also didn't use complete sentences. But its been really fun trying to learn spanish. We came up with a game to learn. When we aren't in the classroom, we do english fasts. And every word you say in english is a push up. It was a lot of fun! And it worked really well! But the branch president said he didn't like the idea because the MTC is a place to make mistakes and we shouldn't punish ourselves. So we stopped. But we still try and do english fasts without the punishments! It doesn't work as well but hey! I tried to do my english phrases in spanish, and my teacher called me a gringo. I was saying Fresco Frioles. Which is cool beans. apparently thats not a thing in Mexico... Ok so our second day here, mi companiero, and I got called as Zone Leaders... apparently thats a big calling. It's not that we are high speed Elders, it is more that we are the only Elders right now. haha well there are four of us and ten sisters. But when the summer rush comes from all the high school kids. Its going to grow a ton! So I get to be their ZL and I know just as much as they do! haha, it is going to be a pretty epic adventure. Hmmm lets see, I am trying to remember all the questions in your letter... Which was awesome by the way! Ok the food is really good here! But it is so hard to eat healthy! They have sooo many sweets and I just can't resist! haha and my companion doesn't run so when we play soccer, I play really hard to burn off all the donuts. I really need to work on that! haha. Alright so this week was super super slow. But it was super super great! Which is really weird that it went slow. But it is so great to constantly be surrounded by the gospel. it is super hard, but super super happy! I came up with this quote on accident. In the MTC, when the days are crappy(excuse my language), you still are happy :) I don't think that's proper grammar but it flows. But anyways. I am extremely happy here! Loving it! Of course I miss home but I still haven't been home sick. So I am extremely stoked about that. Ok, so every Sunday and Tuesday are devotionals. and this last Sunday was an amazing one! So we watched a video called the Character of Christ by David A. Bednar. It is LIFE CHANGIIIIIING! If you can watch it, do so. It is so so so great! I could write an hour about that itself but i don't have time. So I was all pumped from this video, and then... ELDER BEDNAR HIMSELF walks in!!! :D He gets up on the stand we totally had a question and answer time with him! Just any question! He is so funny! And so knowledgable! This one sister asked another one of those why don't girls get the priesthood questions. And he said some stuff, and then gave this example. The priesthood is like an umbrella, everyone standing under it gets to use it and has the benefit of it. and then he said, oh ya and the guy gets the assignment to hold the umbrella. haha I thought that was funny, then she said ok but is there a scripture that says this? And he said, well ya they are living. haha It was just so great! I really wish you could have experienced this devotional. Haha but apparently I missed Elder Holland by one week and like four other quorum of the twelve members. Which is super rare! Anyways! I am doing amazing! Loving it! Sounds like you are a well. I hope I covered everything in your letter! Haha Love you guys so much! Oh and Sister, feel free to edit my punctuation and grammar for me. :) I didn't really care much... at all. haha Love ya! -Elder Sladers! (Sidenote from Jamie: I'm not going to edit these emails, even though he said I can. I want this to be PURE AUSTIN.)

First Post Business

Hey all! Welcome to Austin's mission blog! He asked me (Jamie) to create this blog so that everyone can read his letters/emails and keep up-to-date about his spiritual growth and adventures as a missionary. So, first off, here is his MTC address: Elder Austin Thomas Slade JUN23 MEX-MONW 2023 N 900 E Unit 847 Provo, UT 84602 Write him! It is free to send letters to the MTC through Dearelder.com. If you submit the letter before noon Monday through Friday, it will be delivered that same day! Thanks all. Check back often to read his letters! Jamie