July 16, 2011

Chellooo. I'm glad to hear that you are both having a good time on your trips. Hopefully you are taking advantage of the missionary opportunities that come from being outside of Utah ;) You should pray for some! That would be great.

I got your package this week! Thank you so much. Everyone loved the taffy haha. And those ties are really cool. And the Ensign. Thank you!

 So this week was crazy. Monday we went to pick up the incoming missionaries at the airport. We took the truck and the mission van. 18 missionaries came this transfer! So many. We had to stack their suitcases in the bed of the truck really high and then strap them down. Then we went to the mission home and ate dinner, had a testimony meeting, and all chilled together while President interviewed them all. Tuesday we took all the new missionaries to meet their trainers at the chapel. Then we ran around and did some errands. Then ate lunch at the mission home with all the departing missionaries, went to the Temple for an endowment session, ate dinner, had a testimony meeting, and went home. It was really weird being with all the departing missionaries. The testimony meeting was heavy. I was sitting there thinking "I don't ever want to do this" hahaha. It's depressing kind of. But good too. Just a ton of mixed emotions for everyone. And Elder Gregson and I had to sit and watch them suffer haha. They bore some powerful testimonies though.

Wednesday we went to the mission home again, had a little sing-along pow wow, and took everyone to the airport to fly home. Some of my really good friends went home so it was weird. That night we taught a girl named Bianca that got baptized last Sunday but is getting confirmed tomorrow. Her friend Chloe was there and we had the chance to talk a lot with them. Chloe doesn't believe in God but we could see that there was something stirring in her as we talked and testified of Christ. We are going to teach her again soon. Then later that same night we went to the Bishop's house and talked with him and his wife for a while. Bishop and Sister Mills. It was really cool because we found out that they used to live right by us about 20 years ago. They lived in the McGuire's neighborhood. They knew them and also the Jackson family. Small world. Sister Mills was way excited about it and gave me a high five hahaha.

Thursday we went up to Eustis on an exchange with the Leesburg Zone Leaders and stayed the night up there. It was a good time.

Friday we drove home from Eustis and helped President out at the office with some paperwork stuff on Excel and figured out some stuff for Leadership Training next week. Then we went and taught this girl named Drew. She has met with missionaries in the past where she is from and knows a TON about the church and has read the Book of Mormon. She doesn't believe in Christ but believes that the church is a great thing and that it's all true for us. She has some interesting "theories" (that's what she called them). It was kind of confusing. But she is really really nice. We committed her to pray out loud every morning and every night to "our" God. Little does she know that our God is her God too ;) haha. It was a big step for her though. I'm excited to see how her praying went. Then we went to this bus stop for all the CPs (college program) and contacted people. It was SO fun. It's amazing how much more of a love you have for missionary work when you can't do it as much haha. And it's great to talk to people around my age because I can really relate to them. The way it works is we cover 4 apartment complexes. They are all strictly for the CPs. They are guarded heavily and the only way you get in is if someone calls the office and signs you in. Then they take your ID and sign you in haha. It's intense. But basically the only way we have to find people on our own in at the bus stop. Other than that it's all through our members. The CPs usually come here and stay for 3, 6, or 12 months. So our ward changes often. It's good stuff though.

To answer some of your questions: 1. I live right across the street from my old apartment in Hunter's Creek. 2. For packages and stuff it would be better and faster actually for you to still just send them to the office. Because I'm here more than I am at our apartment haha. It's crazy. 3. I could possibly finish out my mission as AP or could go back. It all just depends. 4. I've just been wrecked all week because of all the running around doing stuff haha. So tired that I got a little sick. Sore throat and runny/stuffy nose. I'm alright though. It's starting to go away. Our main responsibility is the make President Hall look good. Hahaha that's what he always tells us. Funny. But pharrell we work with the zone leaders and try to help them. And we do a lot with putting together and organizing zone conferences and stuff like that. 5. We will still be teaching and baptizing...just not as much proselyting.

So...that's my week. This email is so long so I hope you're happy hahaha. LOVE YOU!

--
Elder Austin Gable Engemann