HOLY BEANS! January 26, 2015

Braden and Lyndee are engaged!!! That is CRAZY!!! Haha Every stinking person that I know is getting engaged! Haha It is crazy beans! All of my friends! Haha That is so cool! That is crazy! I didn´t know that Tanner was home! Haha That is so awesome! Soon Kaylen will be too! haha how exciting! Can somebody give me Tanner´s email? Haha I would love to write him. Ok, so A LOT has changed. We had changes and I left the area of Fraustro and went to Balcones. And my companion is Elder Gonzalez de Salceda....... He is American.... Haha no just kidding, he is from Mexico City! And Este Cuate is super cool! I never dreamed of having a comp like this! He works so stinking hard! And I LOOOOVE it! Haha He is showing me how to do things in the most awesome effective way there is. It is also cool because like three weeks before I arrived, they were searching for people to teach. And they had been getting doors slammed in there face all day. And then they knocked this one door. And this lady answered. And It was crazy because she was Jehovahs Witness for 20 years. But her daughter just died and she was praying and praying for answers because the JW´s believe that after death, you are just asleep.. Or just dead and there isn´t life after... And so she was super sad and praying for an answer, and they knocked on her door. And BOOM! ESCOGIDO! She is getting baptized this Sunday, with her son! Haha Crazy beans! And this week we found another escogido name Guadalupe. And she went to church, and accepted a baptismal date. It is so weird. Like the people in this area accept us a lot more! It is awesome! But I just feel good to have someone that pulls me along! Like he works sooo hard! Haha it is just sooo fun. Haha Oh ya, and we have like the most fresa house in the mission. It has....... A WASHER!!! :) HAHA like the only house in the mission that has a washer. It is a good house. So ya good stuff! It sounds like things are good back there in the Bury! Haha Man, This week, we had a lot of spiritual experiences. One sister told us that she was going inactive because she got offended. But we had a crazy awesome experience with her. We shared the talk about STAY IN THE BOAT!!! From last conference, And we were just like look, EVERY trial that we have gives us two options. To get closer to God, or get farther away. And that hit me! Everything gives us that choice! And if we choose to get closer every time. We will progress throughout all of our lives! Haha Anyways! Short on time! Thanks sooo much For everything! Oh ya, I got my Christmas package today!!! :D thanks for all of that! Haha Anyways! Write ya next week! Love ya guys! Elder Sladers!

No Me Vengas!!! January 20, 2015

Another Slade Baby!!!!!! :D SAWEEET BEANS! That is soo cool! I am so happy for that! Haha That is a really cool. It sounds like things are going well in the Slade Fam! And Riley is home! How exciting I bet Shawna, Niel and Ella are just stoked out of their minds! Haha Sounds like his talk was really good. I am glad that he is back! And that is just the start! Soon it is all of my other friends! haha Cool beans! So this week, I was just like ok... I am sick of getting doors slammed in the face! I am done not having people to teach, and we need to get this ward involved! So we went to the Young Womens and Mens presidents. And we organized an activity. and Saturday, we put a table in the street market. And went to work. And in 3 hours we got more than the weeks goal of contacts and had some young men and women help us! It was a saweeeet activity! And now we have some people to visit. I mean when things get hard in the area. You just have to think. The more NOs the more Yesses. And that is what we are doing now. Just trying to get quantity! So that maybe, we will find some quality. Haha But I have learned a ton in these passed three changes. Some things were harder to learn than others. But it was a good experience. Tonight we will see where I go for the next change. And if I stay. Well it is for a reason eh? Now, cool random thing that my ward mission leader taught me. He has taught me a lot of doctine and how everything has a symbol with it. And there was one yesterday that he shared with me. He said that when we go on the mission, it is like when Heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ to earth. We experience a separation from our parents. And the parents come to know our father in heaven so much more because they are feeling in a small sense what he felt when he sent Jesus Christ to the earth to suffer for our sins. Not that I am suffering. But what hit me is that the mission, is for the Parents too! I am seeing that there is a reason for everything we do in the church. The simplest thing can represent the most profound thing. Now to leave you guys with a commitment to read a scripture. D C 123:17. This is what I have learned over the past three changes. And I am thankful for the experiences! :) I love you guys so much! Have a great week!

Que pasa!‏ January 12, 2015

SOOOOOOO, thanks for the update on Kendal! All those phrases sound exactly like her! :) That makes me super duper happy! The last I heard was that she was just opening her eyes. So I am glad that she is recovering well! And being super duper funny! Haha So today I bought some ties, and a sick umbrella, and an amazingly awesome bag! So I am pretty excited for all of that! And this week was pretty good too! Found a lot of good potential people to teach! :) Also the President has started this thing where we are reading the whole Book of Mormon in 45 days! And it is pretty sweet! I really love the Book of Mormon a whole lot! And it is such a treat to be able to read it a lot more! I love the Book of Mormon in Spanish. It is really cool! :) I get different stuff out of it than when it is in English! :) So now the weather is super weird! Saturday, I was colder than I had ever been in my entire life! And today I am dying of heat! And I am like getting burned! Haha It is also pretty hard to get up in the mornings because it is like 44 degrees in the house. And I have to run outside to light the boiler to take a shower! haha So I like sprint out, light it, sprint back, and dive in my bed, and then I do my exercise in bed... which is probably not the best, but It is just that the floor is sooo cold in the mornings! and I don´t like to touch it! Haha But to make a long story short, the weather is super duper weird here. So, it sounds like everything is good back home! I thank you so much for the support again! And for everything that you guys do for me! I love you all! Elder Slade

Hello!!!‏ December 29, 2014

Hello everybody! How is it going! This week was a really fun week! Being Christmas and all. We ate SOOO MUCH FOOD! Everybody gave us tomales and stuff! We also got to have a dinner of Carne asada! Which is just this delicious meat! :) So that was pretty good! And being able to skype with the family was just so awesome! :) I am so happy that I got to Skype you guys! Best present ever! Haha It sounds like dad´s surgery was a success. Especially being able to go recooperate at the Grandma Nettes Bed and Breakfast. ;) That sounds like a good time to me! :) And thanks mom for sending me more perfect food! That will help me out a lot! Because my diet isn´t exactly balanced ya know? Like Beans,rice,more beans, more rice, and some meat. :) Haha gotta love Mexico! Also with the whole shoes thing. I really like the Eccos that I have! I think would like another pair of these Eccos for when my shoes are wet! :) Size 39! :) I know what you said is true mom! I know that the Lord is molding me a ton right now. I don´t enjoy being molded. It is super extremely humbling to know that I cannot do anything without the Lord. Like being in this area in these circumstances and just everything that is happening is just molding me. I know it. I also know that this is a huge trial of my faith. And that I need to have hope that the Lord will fulfill his promises with me! I read the papers of my setting apart prayer that Heidi wrote for me. And the council it gave was just crazy. The Lord new what my circumstances were going to be on the mission. And it just made me feel better about everything that is happening. :) Cuz it was a good reminder that I am in the Lords hands! :) I really really do love the mission. It is such a great experience. :) I just love it so much! Even though its not sunshine and rainbows! :) I love you guys soooo much! :) Thanks for all the support and the Love! Elder Aussy Sladers :)

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