Week of March 20, 2016

Dear Mom,

I am so jealous of you guy's going to the temple dedication! I heard it was really good. I really like the comments about the Atonement and I will sure use that with investigators and members over here to teach them that principle! I am sending some stuff up to Grandma and Grandpa Oaks so that I don't have to pay to mail them because they will not be accepted on the airplane either so they should get them anytime this week. Just have them either hold on to it for me or give it to you guys. I am really happy to be here in Carlsbad, it is a really great town and I know that the work will progress as we work hard. I haven't talked to the Farley side (besides the grandparents) for 2 years. So I don't know anything about that side of the family. Where is Brayden working? What job does he have? How is Aunt Stephanie? Thank you for the pictures of the temple, I really enjoyed them! They are really beautiful pictures.

It sounds like soccer pretty much envelops your lives, I guess you have earned the title of Soccer Mom officially. What is happening with Caden's anxiety? Is it a condition, is it stress, or was it just a random thing? Why doesn't Bryson ever email me? I will pray for success with the restaurant. Why are you staying out of the restaurant's business? Is it giving you too much stress? My week was really good. We drove to Roswell for Zone training, we taught a lot of people. Namely Stormy and Cat, Stormy is an atheist but he is a lot nicer and understands the doctrine better than most "Christians" that I have met. We have been sharing the new Easter Video with everyone and it is a really good video, I invite you to check it out. It is called Hallelujah. It is similar to the Christmas video but with adults. We also picked up a new investigator named Alma who is super cool, her mom is a member but she never really got the chance to learn so she asked us to come over. Kenny and Jessica are still doing good, Bro Caldwell is progressing slowly. Sister Smith is doing great, pretty much everyone is at a similar pace.

A lesson that I learned this week is always give the benefit of the doubt. So many people are filled with hate nowadays and they are so contradictory with their statements such as "I have muslim friends, but they all need to be kicked out of our country."  or "Mormons are the best people on earth, but they are just too sexist and racist" I have learned to just love people and not judge them and then if they backstab me, calmly just leave the picture. It is the best we can do without making the problem worse.

(what he is sending in his package home) stuff like eggs of large birds, a gift from an investigator, a rattlesnake skin, a watch, a electric machine toy, and a couple of books. Stuff that I don't need right now. 

So my goals are to get one last baptism at least, and become a really well-balanced person.

And about Karen, I am still trying to find out if we will even start something. But I do share little thoughts with her and I am working at her pace. But I will send you the address as soon as I remember it because you are right and that is my goal with her and I already have it in my head that if she isn't interested then it will not work out. So don't worry, I will not become one of those members. I love you so much and I want the best for myself and for you guys. I am a little smarter than you sometimes take me for ;)

Love you,

Austin

Water they hand out to people... creative storage