Evolving from Baboon to Ape! 9/14/15

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awwww man sorry for not emailing you all last week. We got super busy on P-day and had to make some appointments that day.   Sorry about all that!!!! Dad I'm so glad that you had a good time in Vegas with Grandad.  Mom you are doing tap dance!?!?!? How fun!!!!!!!! That's so cool.  You'll have to tell me all about it. I'm so excited to hear that!!! So you and Grandma J can tap dance together!!!!!!! So mom with the family just set some goals individually and with each other.  In front of
one another say how you are going to accomplish the goals and how the family can help you accomplish them. Help Austin understand the importance of goal setting.  We set goals everyday out here in the mission field! Austin, you are a hard worker and if you want something you have to work for it. I think getting together as a family to do this would be good (at FHE and other times). I never felt like we did that and I think that would be good.  Also, follow up on those goals that you set as a family and as individuals.

 Austin what the heck man!?!?!?!? You're getting hurt already??? Hahahaha jk But really I was scared when I got that email from Dad.  I hope you are doing okay I'm praying for you and hope you are doing okay. I LOVE YOU BRO!!!!!! The last thing mom needs is someone else breaking something (knock on wood).  That's a tender mercy that it was just a neck spasm and
not some greater injury- that would be bad!  Also way to go beating Belen.  They whooped our butt last time we played them so good for the team.  Let the kids on the team like Tanner, Tate, Diego, Jack and others know that I said hi.  Let me know how they're doing! If you want you can ask for their email or give them mine.  I can email some of those guys and others if they want!!!  Before I forget- I just benched 255 pounds!!!!!!!! Yea I'm a straight monster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So its been a little while so let me tell you what's been happening.  Last week was a lotta fun.  We went with Bob out to a lake and we walked with him and talked with him and had a lot of fun.  Then we ate some lunch and went and did some service.  That night we did some service where we cut wood with Brother "R" and that was awesome!!!! That's when the baboon evolved into an APE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went straight ham and was cutting wood left and right!!!!! I wasn't messing around and Brother "R" said, "Elder baboon?  More like Elder Ape!"  So I was pretty pumped about that! Oh check it I weighed myself last night and I'm around 186!!!!! That's muscle not fat!  Anyway, so this week we went and saw a man name Brother "I."  He is a less active his wife is nearing her end due to cancer.  We were talking with him and I shared the scripture Omni 1:26.  I said to him, "Brother I do you want to come unto Christ?"  He was a little shocked that I asked that kind of a question.  I was as well.  I was like I just offended him.  Oh crap I take back what I said!!!! However, he looked at us and said yea I do want to and the spirit was so strong.  I knew he felt it and we did as well because the Spirit taught the lesson.  We committed him to pray to his Heavenly Father.  He did pray because when we talked to him last night and he said, "I didn't get any answers but I felt the Spirit."  Then Elder Tengberg said, "Well then you got your answer."  After he gains a testimony of that, he will come
to know this church is true!

This week we went on exchanges and I was down in Warren with Elder Miller.  He is training Elder Richens (my MTC companion).  E. Miller is from Alberta Canada.  He played football and is a pretty big guy! He reminds me of Ty.  I am taller than him though.  So we went on a 3-day exchange for the sake of miles because Stake Conference was this week.  We taught a few lessons and we actually got a new investigator while I was there in Warren.  His name is "R" and his mom is a less active that never got her records transferred to Warren so she was a lost sheep that Elder Miller and Richens found contacting one day.  Anyways her son is 13 yrs. old. He didn't know too much about the church and he got some false info on missionaries from his dad.  He told him that we were rude and mean and scary.  But as we were talking we were making him laugh and he was having fun and he said, "You guys are so cool.  I dunno why my dad doesn't like you guys."  The coolest part was "R," a 13 yr, old boy, went into the kitchen, got both of us a glass of water AND offered us chocolate chip cookies AND asked if we wanted anything else!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was so impressed with him.  He was impressed with us and looked up to us.  We taught him about Jesus Christ and even gave him his own personal B.O.M.  He said he would read it and pray.  I was so happy and pumped after that!  We left and gave "R" a big ole hug because I give everyone hugs hahahaha!!!!!!! 

We contacted people that next day.  We contacted this one guy and what was weird was when we said hi we are missionaries of the LDS church.  He immediately said, "Actually guys I'm an antichrist."  Elder Miller and I looked at each other and were like uggggh does he know what he just said and we thought he was gonna catch fire.   hahahaha It was funny that we both thought of Korihor and how he was the antichrist.   Now I dunno if you've ever heard about this.  But there is a thing in this mission we refer to as "The Pennsylvania Ramble."  We met 2 of those ramblers at once.  They were both talking for a straight HOUR AND A HALF!!!!!!!!!!! About who knows what I can't even remember but these 2 ladies never even took a breath.  We got there around 6:00 and we left at 7:30 without having even shared a thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Elder Miller gave me a haircut and I'm looking good.  I look like a brand new man and feel like a stud missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll send you the pics but this is how I'm wearing my hair when I get back home.  I love it so much. I call it the "Elder Miller Special" 'cause this is how his hair looks but only longer on top!!!!!!!!!!! Mom you were asking if I feel confidant in my lessons and I do. I feel like I can hold my own.  It's not that hard it's just that you have so many things to remember.  I was getting so stressed but now I clear my thoughts and just teach simply, not worrying about what I have to say next.  I also am teaching in my own way so it's gonna differ from others- not that it's bad it is just because that's how I like to teach.  That's how it should be.  I'm really strong at just talking to people.  My problem is I don't let there be enough silence.  I need to have my investigators think and ponder more.  I'm good using scriptures.  I need to use the pamphlet more because it's there for me to help me teach more simply. 

ATTENTION TO ALL WHO GOT THIS LETTER: LISTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I want you to go on to Mormon channel and check out these videos.  They're called 12 Steps to Change.  It's a series about individual's stories with addiction and how they overcame that addiction through the steps in the program.  Each step is a person's individual story and how that step changed their life.  Seriously, check it out.  Have others check them out.  These are real stories.  I love these videos they've strengthened my testimony and they testify to me of the atonement of Jesus Christ and how all can be forgiven!  In fact, Mom, Jason, our cousin, is the actor for the series in one of the videos.  He's in the 10th one and he is the husband of the wife who was addicted to cocaine. I thought that was so awesome.  If you can get me his email or call him.  I wanna know how the filming was done for those.  An Elder in my district was really intrigued as well so let me know okay??!!  But show these videos to members and friends- they are amazing!!!!!!  I love you all sooooooo much have a great week.  I'll send pictures when I get to the church for wifi!!!!!!  Love you.  BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Elder Cahoon the Baboon