keep choosing the right

So this was a kind of normal week. It was a normal week but the normal weeks aren't that normal on the mission. Sooo....I lost one of my name-tags in San Salvador so I have to get a new one but luckily I have the sports one. I am staying here this change in Armenia again so that is nice! I will have a year in the mission and 2 areas...haha which I kind of like to be honest.

So things are going good...andddd this Wednesday I am playing basketball with the other 3 Latino missionaries against a team...but...not to be prideful but we are going to win haha. The other missionaries all thought that I was really weak because they are all huge (not muscular) and said that I couldn't even do 5 push-ups. So I challenged them. My comp got 20 something fake ones and I got 52.... so that was nice. :) And my comp was happy because Chile won the soccer cup for the Americas.  And....that's about it this week. Sorry it was fast I almost got off without writing the weekly. Take care you guys and keep choosing the right :)

my area...I keep forgetting to take pictures

opportunity to teach about families

So this was a pretty normal week. We actually didn't get to meet the president (mission president - new one every 3 years) because he is coming in July...but we still had a really good multizone (missionaries from different areas) meeting. But things are going good.

I heard my Basketball team lost :( But my companion is happy because in soccer Chile beat Mexico 7-0...which in soccer...wow. I am forgetting a lot of English living with 3 Latinos but we have changes which I know some people are leaving the house so we will see how things go. I am not going to Belize though so I believe I am going to stay again here haha but we will see. I will know tomorrow.

It has started to rain here lately and my comp loves it...haha we area always walking in the rain with water up to our knees...it is crazy ahha but I have learned to enjoy it. ummm....besides that things are really chill right now... one of our investigators found out that she is pregnant so it is the perfect opportunity to teach about families. So...wish me luck this week in everything haha

Sorry I am not saying much it was just a super normal week. OH! no there is something. Yesterday we had stake conference and they asked me to improvise a song by ear on the piano without any planning and in front of everyone even the mission president....and if someone says that God didn't help me on that one be careful...haha. That was a crazy miracle.

And "machetees" from that conference are:
President "if you don't have a temple recommend then the temple is more than 5,000 miles away"
Random lady "When you give your temple recommend to the person who receives it, imagine you are giving it to Jesus Christ himself"
Cool crazy stuff...haha but the temple is an amazing place :) Have a great week!!!

things are going great

So this was a good week, it was a lot better than last week haha. But things are going great. First things first...We had a baptism Saturday where we baptized a father of a family of a wife, him, and a little girl and they are doing great! That was so nice and they want to get sealed (Faithful Latter Day Saints believe civil marriages are dissolved at death, but that a couple who has been sealed in a temple will be married beyond physical death and the resurrection if they remain righteous. This means that in the afterlife they and their family will be together forever.) in a year so I am so excited for that!

This week was full of interchanges too and I did 4 interchanges (going with different missionaries)...all in my area so my comp has been changing areas a lot but finally he is stuck here with me again haha. I kind of got bit by a dog...but not really...just a little bite on the finger but I am fine. I also cooked Macaroni and Cheese!!!! That was fun!!! andddd....that was about my week.

Tomorrow we get to meet the new mission president so I am excited! But I will miss this president a ton. Also those of you who haven't seen the mormon message Reflections...do that because that is an amazing video!!
https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/reflections

Also....HAPPY EARLY FATHER'S DAY!!!!! Congratulations to all the Fathers out there, and thank you so much dad for all that you have done in my life, continue to do, and will do. You have been an amazing example to me and the mission has helped me to see that! I love you so much dad and I hope you have a great day!!! I wouldn't be out here without you so thank you so much!!!! Take care everybody!!!! Sorry this was short haha

Thank you for the macaroni!

 Another surprise Birthday party with Daneri before his baptism.

 Probably will be my favorite baptism of the mission

 that looked like a crazy storm

this is right by our house:)

seeing better miracles

This week was alright. If I am going to be honest, one of the hardest in my mission and there isn't really a specific reason why, but I know this next week will be a lot better and the weeks fly by. We missed the baptism...lack of working on my part, and I am using that as an example to my companion. It is really hard for lots of Latino missionaries because they love to talk and talk and talk and talk, but they are really good too. But so the baptism will be this Saturday for sure and I am really excited for this baptism!! He is really amazing and the dad of a small family. Just he does have problems with drugs alcohol and coffee, but he is stopping fast! If you guys could pray for him (Daneri) that would be amazing!!

I had a couple cool birthday surprises, just I have been a little sick this week too, but things are going good. If you guys could pray for my ear too, it is okay just a loud noise went off in my left ear, and I can hear good it's just when there is lots of noise it rings easy, but I'm hoping it will go away soon.

I prayed for my comp to understand how we need to be in the house at 9, not 10, and I definitely got that answer haha. We won't be in the house late again :P So things are going good. This change has FLOWN by so fast I can't even explain. And also...GO GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS!!!! Woohoo!! Wish I could see the game but I am seeing better miracles haha :) Hope you guys have a great week!!

Questions to Brandon:
I doubt you are not working - is it because you've been sick?
What happened when you got home late?

haha no I have been working all week...haha. Nothing just a drunk guy asked us what we were doing and kissed my companions neck hahaha :P

 Other Surprise Party

leave a good impact for the people that follow

Today was a good week! Just wow really busy and we didn't do much, but we are hoping to spit some fire this week and get some baptisms in there. We have a really positive investigator with a date for the 4th whose name is Daneri, but he smokes, drinks and does coffee...so please pray for him. 

Also the bishops son here got back from his mission from Brazil and he is going to help us a lot so that is nice. 

Also I got new soccer shoes and they are pretty sweet. I can finally keep up with these Latinos haha. Just wow these people are into soccer. The final soccer game was Saturday and when we found out my comps team lost he kind of shed some tears a little and was pretty down the whole day, but he is good now. It is hard sometimes but I keep reminding myself that he is new, and think how I was when I was new. I couldn't even talk to people haha. 

I also went to the dentist this week, and things are going nice just my mom is probably saying "I told you so" Moms are always right.... hahaha but things are going pretty good. 

Nothing else really to say but I hope you guys have an amazing week and doing good! I saw a lady from my last area this week and she ran up to me and said "Elder AUSTIN!!!!" and ran and gave me the only thing she could find in her purse for me which was man's cologne. wow...that was such an amazing feeling. Although I felt bad for taking that from her (You can't deny gifts here) it was so amazing to see how people think back on me and that they still remember me.
 Whatever you do with your life, make sure you leave a good impact for the people that follow.

I only have 3 pictures.  My area and my new soccer shoes

please pray for...

This week was a great week!! We had another baptism but I'm honestly not sure if he was ready..but he had the desire and the president did an interview with him a while back but we got him in the water now finally haha. He did show up 4 hours late to the baptism than at church the next day but he is a great guy with an unbelievably hard life. But that was cool.

We had a CRAZY Powerful lesson last Monday. If I have time I will explain it here but I´m not sure. Anyways...This was a good week. My companion is good, just he has been having bathroom problems so please pray for him :P He is so funny about it hahaha. Some days I love my comp, some days he drives me insane. but I always think about my first days in the mission and he is doing great considering the circumstances.

But no this week has really been amazing and this next week is going to be busy!! And also this Friday I am going to the dentist so please pray for me... :) but everything is good, it is hard teaching my companion dollars for the buses because he is used to Chilean money which is really complicated, well it seems, haha not for him. But so that is cool, and I will tell you the story :)

So we were at this lesson of a wife who is a member, a husband who is not a member, and a little 3 year old girl. It was a pretty powerful lesson and I was surprised on how strong the spirit was but I didn't know why. Then the wife said, "I want to tell you story. I was watching a movie with my little daughter about Jesus Christ. And when the actor came on the screen I pointed him out and said look, that is Jesus," (at this moment she paused and started crying and the spirit swept in so strong) "and my little daughter looked really confused, and told me ´that isn't how Jesus Christ looks like. And that is not his voice either´ " and then she went on a little bit more about the story and the little girl was testifying of what her mother was saying, a little 3 year old girl and walked over to her mom and wiped off her tears. And then the husband said "That's when I knew I had a special daughter. And I haven't been the best father or husband and I want to change my life for her" And later my comp invited him to be baptized and he is being baptized on the 4th. It was honestly one of the strongest times I have felt the spirit and it was really amazing. Something I will never for get. So please pray for brother Daneri please.

and alsooooo.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! YOU ARE THE BEST DAD EVER AND HAVE DONE MORE THAN YOU KNOW FOR ME IN MY LIFE!!!! I hope you realize how amazing you are and how much you do for the family. I am so lucky to have you in my life. I hope you have an amazing birthday and that the family does something special for you haha. We will have to fly to Belize after too!!! Thank you for supporting me and giving me a good example on what a father should be like!! Have an amazing week :)

I tried to let my comp baptize him, but he chose me, I was kind of bummed haha but happy at the same time but my comp and I were really happy to have a baptism :)

Hey just looking at your baptism pants - they look huge on you - do you need smaller ones? ohhhh...hahaha those were my comps new pants that haven't been hemed or touched. He bought them in the CCM. MY pants are on the guy and they fit on me perfect haha. So no I am okay :)

My second son...

So I am training...again haha I have been senior companion all of my mission except my personal training haha. Things are going great. I had to put up with Quintanilla and Rodriguez though for two days because Rigby left to go to Belize, but now I have my new companion. His name is Elder Rodriguez from CHILE!!! It is so cool haha. I love him and he is a really nice guy and he wants to work so hard, just kind of weird, but he is amazing. Exactly what I need right now. Even though Elder Rodriguez is still in the house, I feel things will be a lot better haha.

But I set a baptism date this Sunday to a guy for this Saturday...last time he was all ready but ran away on his baptism date, so please pray for him, and what a blessing for my new comp coming in to a baptism. :) I`m trying to be the best I can be for him, a little bit super obedient, but it is something that I have learned in my training that lots of people forget. But he wow...he wants to be more obedient than I can even try to be, haha he is struggling a bit but not as much as I expected. Just keep us and our investigators in your prayers please.

My comp was a cook before his mission, so needless to say I am getting bigger even though my mom doesn't believe that haha. So I don't really have anything else to say except I feel like a mom in the house and wow a mom's job is hard annoying work. But I played a joke on my comp, I told him to order a hotdog you had to say chucho caliente, so my comp went up to order and he said chu cho caliente and the people just started laughing. Because really it is hot dog like it is in English, but that's what he said. Chucho calient means like a dog, that is kind of excited...hahaha.

But anyways, I'm hoping for a great week!! I love you guys and take care and wow time passes fast!!!! PRAY EVERYDAY AND READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!!!!! Take care :)