Austin I'm so glad you wrote me! You're a true brother!!!!!!!! Man, I can't wait to see you in 2 years- you're probably going to get super big!!!!!!!! I'm trying in the mission. I get up almost every morning and work out but I don't see results but I'm gonna keep doing it hahaha!!!!!!! I can't believe footballs over, that's crazy. Is it a lot different now than what it used to be? I feel like it would be different with Coach Dalton replacing coach Bradley. So, are you going to do any other sport or are you just going to do football!? You got Star Wars Battlefront 2 on the computer? That's sick!!!!!! I'm glad you won't let
it interfere with your goals. To be honest, I think gaming took a lot out of my life and I hope that I don't go home and get sucked back in. There is a new Star Wars Battlefront coming out (or maybe it already did) but the people who made Battlefield are making this Star Wars video game- that's going to be sick!!!!!!!!!
Now you asked what my favorite thing is about the mission. Well, my favorite thing about the mission is when you teach people the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you literally watch as it changes their life for the better. I have begun to recognize that the gospel is here to help us. It is not to get in our way and make our life harder but to make it better!!!!!!! I love seeing that on my mission. I also love talking to people and learning what's happening in their life. I also love learning more in the scriptures as I study them and really ponder them. There really is so much to learn from the scriptures. The interesting thing about the gospel is that it takes a lifetime of study and one still can't comprehend it all in this life but yet it's so simple a child can understand how incredible the gospel is!!!!!! hahaha
Something that has helped me on my mission is that I realized I don't have to be the best scriptorian or the smartest elder or the best teacher. If I am trying my hardest, it's okay. We can't achieve perfection in this life and God understands that. One talk that really helped me overcome this trial is by Neil L. Anderson. It's called "You Know Enough." He talks about when he was preparing for a mission and he was afraid he wouldn't measure up to the expectations that everyone had for him. He would say that he was not that highest baptizing missionary or the best teacher. He would ask himself, "How will I ever measure up?" Well the Lord answered Elder Anderson's question by telling him "You're right. You don't know everything BUT... you know enough." After reading that talk recently, my prayers were answered and the Spirit overcme me. It comforted me and brought peace to my soul. That's another thing I love about the mission- it not only changes others, it's changing me. My nature is being changed to where it will affect me for rest of my life!!!!!!!! How amazing is that?????!!!!!!!!!!! I Love you Austin!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright down to the nitty gritty part. hahaha Mom I hope to try and answer all of your questions. ell my new companion is Elder Hebdon and he has been out about as long as Elder Harper. He's a good companion. We have fun and get along really well. My address is 1617 Delaware Ave. McKeesport, PA. I like to describe McKeesport as this... Gangsters
paradise!!!!!! It's a very sketchy place!!!!! hahaha But I'm not scared. The lord is on our side. I know he will protect us from danger!!!!!!! There are a few areas that are nice but we are mainly working in the ghetto!!!!!! This is also a pretty dangerous town. Friday night we were driving home and we saw a dead body laying in the middle of the road. We couldn't take a picture because the police were there. I'm pretty sure he or she was murdered... so that was a nice welcome to the area!!! Hahahaha Well another pretty crazy thing that happened was when we contacted some investigators "D" and "T." They're black (like everyone else in McKeesport). We walked into their pretty nasty apartment. I hadn't noticed anything yet so it didn't bother me. So that was the first time I had met them. It was Elder
Hebdon's second time. We were teaching them the restoration and it was going great. Then all of a sudden I spotted something moving on the carpet- it was a nasty bug. Then through the remainder of the lesson I'm looking around and I notice bugs crawling all around the apartment. No joke- they were everywhere!!!!!!!!! As I notice they are everywhere, I look on the couch and there are some crawling where I am I'm sitting! I say a prayer in my heart because we were almost finished with the lesson. Elder Hebdon was wanting to get out of there as well. So we say the closing prayer and during the prayer I open my eyes to see a bug on me!!!!!!!! All they have to do is lay eggs. I flick it off, praying that it didn't drop any eggs and then we leave quickly. We drive straight back home, take off our clothes and put them in
the dryer to kill the eggs or any bugs remaining. Luckily we didn't see any on each other but will keep an eye out. We thought the bugs were bed bugs. If you ever meet a bed bug, don't- I repeat don't- stay in that apartment/place because they will follow you home and infest your whole apartment. The elders before us had a bed bug problem and had to exterminate and tear apart the entire apartment. They are relentless. So that was another one of my experiences my first here in McKeesport. Remember, I told you there was only a Branch here? Well it is great. I enjoy the members I have met so far. We invited "D" and "T" to church on Sunday and they accepted. On Sunday morning we were meeting with the Branch Council and mentioned the bug problem to the Council. They told us to call "D" and "T" to tell them not to come to church (because they could bring bugs into the church and cause a problem). So I go outside to call them and then they pull up so excited to be at church. But we didn't spot any bugs on them so everything was okay. :) Just trying to get to know the area has been exciting and frustrating at the same time!!! We have knocked on quite a few doors. Some have been open to receive either us or the message while others haven't been willing to receive the message or us. I love the town but more importantly I love the people in the town- they are hysterical!!! The first person I met in McKeesport said, "Yo. You guys preaching the word of God?" It's great! My District Leader is my companion, Elder Hebdon. My Zone Leaders are Elder Wadsworth and Elder Bell in Pittsburgh. This is the first time that me and Elder Richens (my MTC companion) have been split up since we came out together. Yes I use visuals in my lessons. I use the pamphlets for visualization. I don't read out of them because I feel that would be so boring. It's so much better if someone teaches by the Spirit than from a paper- take that as a note!!!!! Hahaha!!!!!!!
Well I think that's all. I hope you have a fun week and are hard working as well. Take care. Bye!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Cahoon the Baboon
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