Mother's Day Chat

Conversation on May 9, 2010:

New Area

Cool Colo Grafitti

We talked to Elder Nelson on Mother's Day and had a wonderful chat with him about his work in his new area.  He is very excited to be closer to Concepcion.  He indicated that this area is much larger than his last area.  The people are a little richer than in Talca but seem more humble somehow.  He is having a lot of fun visiting with the people and finds that they are much more open to the message of the restored gospel.  He is also having a lot of fun with his new companion and thinks he will really enjoy their time together.  Elder Nelson also talked about how they have a lot more support from members of the ward he is now serving in.

My New Area

Sweet Chilean Sunset

The family is all impressed with how happy he sounds and how immersed he is in the work of sharing the gospel.  He said that even though he loves home, he has no desire to anywhere but out in the mission field and loves the work he is doing.

 Just Proselyting

His Spanish coming along even better.  He has started to think in Spanish instead of translating everything he says in his head from English to Spanish before he says it.  Communication with the people goes pretty well because between the English they know and the Spanish he knows they can share thoughts fairly easily.

Me and Snoopy

We are excited for the work that Austin is doing and can't wait to see what serving in this new area brings.  Elder Nelson sent a few photos the next day instead of a letter and these have been included in this post.

Looking for Food in the Back of a Meat Van After the Earthquake

Me and Emanuel My Sweet Convert

My New Best Friend

Another Sweet Chilean Sunset

Bien!

Flight Plans and Being the Oldest District

Letter Received November 9, 2009:

Dear family

Hey, how is everything going?  I just thought that I would write you and send you a copy of my flight plan info so that you could see the times and what I need to do.  Plus, I get a five hour lay over where I get to call you guys.  If you could work out that Lyndsay and Justin and everyone be at the the house so I can talk to everyone at like 8:30 that would be awesome.  So, if you could send me a card with at least that much time plus I will be calling from LAX, cool huh?  Well, any who, yeah, I am definitely worried about packing and being within weight.  But, I can't wait to be able to call everyone.  I know some Spanish but I am not knowing how I am going to understand the Chileans, but we'll see, ha, ha. 

Both Tyson's cousins are here now and Clarke is feeling homesick way bad, but we have the same meal times so I am helping him with that.  I love talking to Clarke cause he has so much MTC to go and he is like I don't know how I am going to do it.  He is like I have been here for three days and it feels like forever.  I told him after the first week they start to fly, which is true.  Think, almost two months of my mission is over.  But it does feel like forever away from you guys.  But I know that I am blessed because I am here and I know that you will be blessed for your sacrifices.

Well, I have like become a celebrity among the newbies.  They keep coming up to me and talking to me about when we taught in front of them.  I have to admit, it is kinda cool to have a lot of people recognize you.

There is not much to report since I wrote to you like two days ago.  I have to teach class today (well, tomorrow, but it will be today, Saturday, when I send this).  I have to teach present subjunctive Spanish to my district.  Crazy, huh!  I can't wait to be able to come home and spit some Spanish with you guys.  Plus, me and Tyson will both be able to speak it.  That will be sweet!

But, any who, it is definitely cool to be the oldest district here because like everyone doesn't boss us but they ask for advice, which is cool.  But, I am definitely excited to go to Chile.  I have made a lot of friends that I want to see after the mission, like Tyson's comps, they are bomb, and some of my district and some of the kids that are from Utah Valley that are from my zone.  Well, I need to get to bed, I wanted to send you my flight plans so you could plan.

Love,
Austin

(Note:  Elder Nelson leaves for Chile on November 16 and arrives November 17)

Teaching in Spanish for the First Time

Letter Received October 28, 2009:

dear family

how is everything going at home? well i got you package the other day which was awesome! thank you so much for the stuff! we are going to have a halloween party in our room on halloween so all that stuff works out really well and it was good to get more salsa and stuff. my district is pouring over it and much love sent from them for the stuff. those cake things were awesome that was a good idea and they were awesome. any who, thanks. it was good to here about your fun time carving pumpkins. that's good for jace that he has found a girl to start dating. she looks really cute. ya i can look at the pictures but they do take along time to look at . but o well i just sent home a bunch of pictures today. i cant send them through email. one, i don't think that they will let me and two, i don't have the cord to connect to the computer. its in the box that my camera came in which i don't know where it is.

but everything here is going good. i went to the trc and taught my first lesson and the first lesson in spanish and it went amazing. i don't even know what i said but i know that it was amazing cause the lady thought that it was our like fifth time teaching in spanish and ya so that was good. your quotes that you sent were really good lex thank you. last night was awesome! we had a devo with an apostle, L. Tom Perry came and it was the most spiritual meeting. i was like forty feet from him, it was amazing. i took like four pages of notes.

tyson leaves on tuesday which makes me sad but o well. class is going really good. i have still been going to the tutor and working hard on spanish. i can't believe that i only have three weeks left! thats nuts! but two things that i need are i need money so i don't have to keep using my card cause it is for emergencies and i need a phone card so that i can call you when i am at the airport i should have a couple hours because i should have a couple layovers. i dont know what times yet but i will let you know.

class and everything here is pretty much the same. i told you all the big news. i don't know what else to say here. what's all been going on at home with everyone? how is riding going? have you put the street bikes away yet? we got snow down here but nothing stuck. what has been going on with everyone? that sucks that craig has been sick. how are lyndsay and justin doing? it has been good to here from you all. i love you and willl write letters. how has jace, mom, and dad? i miss you all so much can't wait to talk to you. love you and miss you all.

love your
elder austin