Elder Austin - October 30, 2007

October 30, 2007

Hi everyone,

Another week of awesomeness. It was so awesome. Marie got baptized. It was so awesome. We had more nonmembers there than members. It was really good. I also sang a song with one of the young single adults named Jaslin. It was so good. Everyone loved it and the spirit was so strong. She was so excited to get baptized and so ready for that wonderful experience of feeling the spirit so strong. She just sat there after and was really quiet. I know that she could feel that wonderful clean feeling. I can’t wait for her to feel the Holy Ghost when she gets confirmed on Sunday. It will be awesome!

So this week end was stake conference. We have a wonderful stake. It was a really powerful meeting. Full of the spirit. We were so excited to have all of our investigators come, but no one could give them a ride. It was really sad to see that the ward was not ready to step up to the plate and do what they were supposed to do. A lot of the strong members weren’t even going. It made me really sad to see how they lacked the faith to make the 1 1/2 hour trip to hear their wonderful stake president. We had 21 people that wanted to come to church and only 3 made it. We had Manie and Yonick and her son Job. But we were blessed to have them come. It would have been cool to have all of them there, but the ward is just not ready. That is a lesson to learn. NEVER LET ANYTHING YOU DO HINDER THE WORK OF GOD. YOU MUST BE READY AND WILLING TO DO EVERYTHING HE WILL ASK OF YOU AND YOU MUST HAVE THE FAITH THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE OK. DON’T EVER LET THAT HAPPEN. We had people saying they weren’t going to go because they were too tired and it is too hard and we can’t do it that early and my daughter is having her b day and we never go. It was all active members in our ward. Not even the first and second counselors went. THAT IS NOT ENDURING TO THE END. THAT IS NOT FULFILLING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. THAT IS NOT KEEPING YOUR BAPTISMAL COVENANTS. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. THERE ARE MEMBERS ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO TRAVEL FOR DAYS BY FOOT TO GET TO THE TEMPLE AND GO TO STAKE CONFERENCE. DON’T EVER MAKE EXCUSES FOR YOUR FAILURE TO ENDURE TO THE END. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.!!!!!!!!!!! As members of this Church, we must be the best. We must go beyond the norm. PEOPLE WHO FAIL TO ENDURE TO THE END WILL NOT BE RECEIVED INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!! We have the truth. Act like it!!

We picked up 3 new investigators yesterday. And we set 2 of them for baptism. It was so awesome. I sometimes wonder what I am doing to deserve such wonderful blessings. I have so many faults and I have so much to work on. I am not doing all that I am supposed to. It is an amazing thing, the atonement.

So the first one was Lisa. She is a Haitian. We actually were looking for another person named Lisa, but she said we could come in and we were able to teach her. What a TM from God. The other on was a less-active’s son. He is 10 and has not been baptized. We have never met with them, but they have just started to come back to church. It was awesome. So we met with them last night, and found that he had not been baptized. So we taught the first lesson, and set him for the 17th of November. This kid, Malachi, is a power house. He is going to be awesome. The spirit was so strong so we decided to set a date right then, and he and his mom said yes. It was so great, and he is really excited.

The Other one that we picked up and started to teach was another Haitian family from Florida. We were walking on the street last week and we had got out to go and talk to this mother. She started to go into her apartment, but she stopped and asked if we were Mormons. We set an appointment and met with her last night. She had been meeting with missionaries in Florida but they had not baptized her. She had a few questions that we cleared up really quick. We then started to bear testimony and the spirit was so strong, that we decided to set her for baptism. She said yes. She is getting baptized on the 10th. It was so awsome.

So last night was transfer calls. I was not transferred, but I was called to be the district leader. I was not expecting that. I was really not prepared and still am not ready. But I know the Lord will help me and I will grow from this call. Pray for me.
Well, sorry it was so short, but I need to go. We are e-mailing today, because tomorrow is Halloween and they want us teaching. But we do need to be in early so nothing bad happens.

Dad, some things that I would have done different before my mission:

Read the scriptures. Become familiar with them. You will feel so inadequate if you don’t. You must do it at all costs. Again there is no excuse. Put the Lord first and everything will fall back into place. God will take care of you.
Read Preach My Gospel. Become familiar with the lessons. You will be a spiritual power house if you do.
I would have memorized scriptures. This indeed is spiritual power. You are using words of god. They have power that comes with them. Memorize.

Garrett!!!, this letter has a lot to do with you. You have no excuse. You are going to be a servant of the Lord. This is your first responsibility. Don’t put anything before it. I know how it feels to have no time to do everything you want and need to do. But don’t be deceived by the adversary. You must, must, must put the things of God first. You are a far better man than I ever was, don’t let Satan take that away from you. Don’t let him get into your life. He knows your weaknesses and he will work on them. But God promises that as we serve him and put him first in our lives, he will make our weaknesses strong. You must listen to me. I love you Garrett. You are a wonderful example to me and you must continue to be. PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE AND HE WILL HELP YOU WITH THE REST. IF YOU WANT HIS HELP YOU MUST PUT HIM FIRST. IF YOU DONT, YOU WILL DO IT ALONE. You must listen to me. I love you Garrett. This is the way and there is no other way. I love you man. I want you to write me and tell me how your study is going and what you are doing in your life. Please, can you do that for me? I love you man!!!
You’re awesome!!!!

I love you all so much. Yes Estee I got the announcement. It is really cute. Dad, I didn’t get the box yet. I will tell you as soon as I do. Thank you for the wonderful letter you sent me. It really brightened my day.

I love you all so much and am so lucky to have you as a family.

Love,

Elder Graham