I hope all is going well!!! Apparently my computer didn't send anything but I sent you all messages last week hahaha so sorry if everything is confusing now. But I got changed this week on Wednesday and I am with the best companion ever!!! Elder Quintanilla and he is from Nicaragua. He is so obedient and a hard worker and a powerful teacher, and he is so funny as well! He has 6 weeks in the mission so I am finishing up his training but he is already amazing. And he knows lots of English and before he was in a house with 3 gringos so he is learning fast although now there are only 2.
So my new house is a house with 4 and it is so nice!! just, no water haha except for a pila with water in it, and a fish if I might add. but there are no mosquitoes here because of the fish and the temperature is AMAZING compared to Sonsonate which I get used to. I tell people I came from Sonsonate and they just drop there jaw like "how are you still alive" hahaha.
But this ward is a powerful ward and it is crazy seeing the difference when we have other members involved because in my last area it was just the missionareis doing EVERYTHING. But here it is different. Also our chapel is really pretty and it is 2 stories although it is still kind of small, but it is cool. So my last area was puny and I NEVER contacted a person who had never been taught by missionaries, but here the majority have never even talked to missionaries and that makes it so much easier.
This area is huge but it is SO PRETTY!!! Just my legs are so tired from all the mountains haha and my comp. is more used to it than I am :P Also here we serve a lot more than we did service in America although we always offered. And the people here are RICH compared to my other area, like a huge difference, and I heard San Salvador is even richer. The only reason that makes me feel like I'm in a 3rd world country here is our shower...because we don't have running water during the days. So lets just say I'm becoming the champion of the ice bucket challenge...
Our bishop here is amazing and his wife cooks for us and washes our clothes. Well we eat lunch there and dinner is on our own which is better! Just I am sick of Coke...haha so guys I have completely changed on my mission lol. I am kind of sad about changes and I will miss so many people!!! So many, but I know I am where I need to be and this area will help me be happy as well because this area is amazing too!!! And my companion..wow, I can't even express how amazing he is!!! Living with 4 missionaries is so fun and so much better I think, just they make fun of me for being FREEZING in the mornings wearing a hoodie around haha.
And we play baseball whenever we have 5 minutes of free time with a rubber ball and shoes :P Also we play basketball every morning because my district Leader is a gringo who came out with me, Elder Rigby, and we were such great friends in the CCM and always played basketball there so now we are practicing every morning here! Just I really do miss a piano..they play music through the speakers for Church hymns haha.
So before the mission I wanted a dog, and then I started to hate dogs, but I've been changing again and dogs are so cool and I actually want a dog again haha, it's so weird. But we will see. We set this date on a lady here but sadly she is moving up to Los Angeles next week with her Daughter who is a Mormon, and she said "I always told myself I would never be a Mormon, but you guys have really changed me. When I go to LA I want my son to come and baptize me, thank you guys so much." So that was really sweet and I got her email so I can see the picture. so although I won't be there for this baptism I am really happy I got to take a part in it. And that's about it.
So much to write, just I also wanted to say... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOM EVER!!!! You are so amazing mom and wow...I can't even begin to describe the amazing good influence you have had on my life. Thank you so much for all that you have done, and continue to do, and I am forever indebted to you and I will NEVER be able to repay you. It really stinks how I can't explain how much of an influence you have made on me and I never think I will. I definitely did not appreciate you as much as I should have growing up and I'm sorry, but you are so amazing to love, and take care of, and to put your needs and desires behind everyone else. You are a crazy good example to me, and have inspired my life forever and I will never be able to explain, but thank you so much Mom and every little good thing I do in my life, is because of you. I would not be here in El Salvador without you. Thank you so much Mom I LOVE YOU!!!!!
Letter/Email from Brandon's Mission President
President Kai D. Hintze
El Salvador, San Salvador West/Belize Mission
February 17, 2016
Dear family of Elder Austin
It is with love that we inform you that Elder Austin has been called to serve as a Trainer in the Mission. This is a tremendous responsibility to supervise the development of a new missionary.
The mission president´s manual says, “One of the greatest expressions of trust that you can give a missionary is to assign him or her as a trainer of a new missionary. Choose only outstanding missionaries to serve as trainers”. That is the confidence that I have in Elder Austin.
We appreciate Elder Austin for the commitment that he has demonstrated to the Lords work. We thank you for your prayers and support.
Yours faithfully,
Kai D. Hintze
Mission President
Last week's email Brandon sent but we never received until today.
I'm still trooping in circles here in America getting dust everywhere haha. It hasn't rained for months and I would never have imagined there being this much dust in a jungle. But everything is going great!! I love it here!!! So this week I have been asking people how old they think I am and no one guessed under 21...haha it was crazy but I'm still 18.
My comp. (
companion) has been hard, but he is getting better and I have really learned to love him and am going to miss things about him if I or him get changed this Wednesday.
There has been lots of snakes (
girls) though and I think it's time I go hahaha but if I don't go I will be okay, haha I am careful :) Also I went to San Salvador one day for my comps papers to be legal here I forgot what day but I went to THE NICEST MCDONALDS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE, or could even imagine!!! It was insane!!!! 2 floors, air conditioned, huge, high tech, English music and TV`s everywhere, soft seats coaches things, wow haha. Better than the states no offense.
I have also been gaining weight, and people have said I'm getting taller but I don't believe them because my pants still fit lengthwise... but only lengthwise. Also I figured out I just LOVE flan, I don't know if they have that there but I am going to look when I get back, I don`t know what it's called in English. Maybe the same but it is so good!!!
Also something cool, usually in my church we have about 50 people, 60 if we are lucky, but yesterday we had 96!! They couldn't even fit it was crazy and it made me so happy!!!!! It was insane!!! And another cool thing, there was this Pastor ratting out this member so me and my comp walked up and started talking to him and he was saying we aren't sons of God or don't do His will and we aren't blessed and don't believe in Christ and stuff like that for no reason and this is the time when I have really felt the spirit with me during a conversation/lesson and my comp and I just beamed him with questions that made him contradict himself and it wasn't me, and it wasn't my companion, and I felt really well because we were able to stand strong against a pastor who was condemning a member and she went to church the next Sunday strong in her testimony. What I loved about that situation was we weren't looking to fight or argue, but we were able to defend, and I think that's how we should be. We shouldn't go about fighting or arguing religion, but we should be able to defend con todo.
(Spanish translation - with all sincerity)
I love you guys and I hope all is well!! I will see if I have changes tomorrow but I won't be able to tell you guys until next Monday, but take care!!!! :)
Also...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AN AMAZING BROTHER WHO I LOVE SO MUCH AND WHO IS SO HUMBLE AND NICE AND CARING!!!! YOU ARE AMAZING NICK AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!!! I LOVE YOU BUD AND BE SAFE BUT HAVE FUN!!!! You have changed and helped me in my life so much more than you could ever imagine and I hope to hang out with you in 2 years!!!! Take care Bud!!!!
