July 3, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Well I am sprinting to the end!!! There is a lot of work to do still
and the Lord isn't finished with me yet!

Elder Vivas and I have made some serious commitments to step up the
work. We're putting to use all of the knowledge that we've gained over
the course of our mission to find success. We've found a lot this
week. Many people we run into on the streets are prepared to accept
the restored gospel. There was someone we ran into yesterday who has
been seriously considering joining the church because her daughter
recently did so. She was soooo receptive!!! We listened to her story
and gave her some commitment that would really help her. I felt the
Holy Ghost tell me that she would join very soon as we walked away. We
haven't seen too much Spanish work but we have been used as tools in
the Lord's hands to build up the kingdom with everyone that we've run
into.

I'm doing great! My wrist is still really messed up but it should be
getting better soon. President Lansing gave me permission to contact
my cousin, Braiden, who is a physical therapist. It was super weird to
talk with him on the phone haha! But he's going to send me some
exercises that I can do to help.

In my personal study I came across one of my favorite passages of
scripture, Jacob 5! I just want to share a couple verses that mean a
lot to me. To give some explanation, the vineyard is the world and all
the fruit are us, the people of the world. I have it set in my mind to
be one of the servants mentioned in the scripture.

70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant;
and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and
brought other servants; and they were few.
71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in
the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that
I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the
season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye
shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against
the time which will soon come.
72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their
mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they
did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.
75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his
fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called
up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have
we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done
according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it
is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou;
for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard,
and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the
natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is
cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my
vineyard.

I hope that we can all set it in our minds to be one of the servants
of the vineyard. I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Kallin James Austin
Utah SLC South Mission

June 26, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

We had a special experience this week. As you all know from the last
email, Nic asked me to baptize him. It was a fantastic baptism! I was
so nervous the entire time I was there!!! I've only personally
baptized two other people before so I didn't have too much experience.
But everything went perfectly fine! Nic was baptized and was even
given the gift of the Holy Ghost. I'm so thankful that the Lord lead
us to his home! It was a huge miracle!

So another crazy miracle happened to us. We were on exchanges and I
was with my district leader, Elder Oliva. While we were biking and
visiting people, there was an old woman walking on the side of the
road. We stopped by and talked to her. Elder Oliva recognized her as
Hermana Seis, a member of the Ward. She reached behind her and grabbed
two envelopes and handed us each one. Each contained 10 dollars. I
asked her how she knew we would be coming by. She responded by simply
saying "I was praying and I felt the I presión to do it so I did."
Well later that day I was biking and I hit a pot hole. My bike stayed
in the pot hole and I was thrown off and landed on the sidewalk. I
hurt my wrist pretty bad and I was sent to a local hospital to get
x-rays. The insurance that we have on the mission will cover all
medical expenses as long as we pay a $10 co-pay which is exactly what
Hermana Seis have to us. That was crazy for me!!! I'll be okay but I'm
taking it easy with any activities we do.

Everything else is great! We're looking for new people to teach right
now. Please keep us on your prayers!!!

Have a great week!!!

June 16, 2017

Dear Family and Friends!!!

Elder Vivas and I had a wonderful week this week!!!!

I've been getting to know my new companion more. He is always kind. He
looks for the good in everyone and befriends them. He is always
smiling!!! I don't I've ever seen him without a smile! He is also a
hard worker. He wants to serve his Savior the very best that he can.
We talk about all the time how we can improve and give more of
ourselves to the work.

This week we met a new man named Genaro. He was working outside on the
wall to his home, repairing it so he could sleep that night. We asked
him if he had time for a message and he said yes! We taught him about
how God has called prophets and apostles in our days to help us and
guide us. We told him about how the heavens are open again and that
miracles are on the earth again. We told him about how we desire
everyone to be baptized by Priesthood authority restored to Joseph
Smith by Jesus Christ so that he could receive all the blessings that
Heavenly Father has for us today. He agreed to it. Right now we've had
a hard time contacting so everyone keep Genaro in your prayers.

So I got a phone call today. It was Nic who was someone I met in my
last area with Elder Sandino. I was excited to say the least to hear
from him!!! He told me that he was getting baptized this Saturday and
then he asked if I would baptize him. I was very grateful and said "of
course!" It's such a blessing to see those who have become so
important to you make steps in their lives that you know will bless
them. It will be a great privilege to be able to participate in Nic's
baptism!

I hope everyone has a great week!!!

Elder Kallin James Austin
Utah SLC South Mission

June 13, 2017

Hello family and friends!!!

What an amazing week this has been!!!! Elder Vivas and I are doing so
much work together!!!!

So we were able to get together with the Ward mission leader this week
and we made a poster to put up in the church building so that the
members can see our faces and numbers. I'll be sure to attach it on
the email.

In other news I love biking!!!! I meet so many cool people everyday!
Just yesterday we were biking home and we saw a woman in our way. She
was walking with a huge backpack and so I decided to carry it for her
and get to know her. She was living in poverty and didn't have a home.
I brought up religion and she talked about how she's been reading the
Book of Mormon and the Bible recently. She has a goal to return to
church and then be baptized as a member of the church when she get a
home to live in. I gave her everything I could and then we parted
ways. She considered us showing up as a sign that this is the right
path for her.

Yesterday as well we were able to meet a new investigator. His name is
Genaro. He was working on his home and we decided to approach him and
ask if he had some time for a message. He agreed and we taught him. He
loved everything we shared and could feel the Holy Ghost. He accepted
a baptismal date for the 8th of July and he is also planning on coming
to church. We're going to see him tomorrow and hopefully meet the rest
of his family. What an amazing start to the week!!!

Today we just got back from a temple trip. It was a wonderful
experience and I could feel very strongly the Holy Ghost there. I'll
be sure to attach pictures!

Sorry that this email is shorter than the others but we don't have too
much time. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

June 5, 2017

Hello Family and Friends!!!!

Well my time here in the Draper Rover View Stake has come to an end
😔. I will miss it and all the people I have come to know and love.
Now it will be up to Elder Sandino who will be staying and will be
leading out the area now. I'm so glad that they're keeping him in.
He's someone that I completely trust with the people that I'm leaving
behind.

I will be going back to West Jordan!!!!! I feel like I spent almost my
entire mission there!!!! I will be companions with a missionary named
Elder Vivas and we will be sharing the Ward with one of my old
companions, Elder Stout! I'm very excited to see both of them. They
are both amazing missionaries and it's an amazing Ward as well. We're
going to be seeing some incredible miracles!!!

This last week we had the an amazing miracle happen! We received a
text not too long ago from a woman named Nicole. She wanted to meet
with us and start her journey in the church. We met and it was a much
needed meeting especially for her. She is going to trial after trial
in her life. We decided to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to address
her many concerns and we were able to help her feel the Spirit. Tears
were shed, experiences shared, and the Holy Ghost bore witness to her
that peace will be possible. She knows that she needs to be baptized
and has a goal to enter the temple one day and be sealed. She doesn't
want to choose a baptismal date yet but I know that she is very close
and will want one soon. I know that Elder Sandino will continue to
help her and encourage her.

Nic unfortunately did not hear back from Salt Lake City yet about his
baptism so the baptism has been postponed. It will now be on June
24th. Everyone please pray that the letter will get here soon. He's so
prepared that he's been teaching the lessons to the missionaries
perfectly! All he needs now is that letter.

The most recent miracle actually happened this morning! We received a
text from a woman who had just moved into our stake and she wants her
son to come back to the church! We were able to set up a time to meet
her tomorrow morning. I know that as long as we're keeping the
commandments and doing all that we can to be worthy missionaries, God
will trust us with His children and send them to us. It's happened
more times than I can count to many missionaries in this mission. It's
the same for members of the church! In a conference talk by President
Eyring entitled "A Child and a Disciple" this principle is explained.
Any member who truly wants to participate in the Lords Vineyard and be
called one of His precious servants may become so as they prepare and
seek opportunities to save souls. If anyone has desires to experience
the joys of this work, please read the talk and think of ways you can
begin in your families.

I love each and every one of you! Have a great week!

May 27, 2017

Dear family and Friends,

Well the day finally came!

Kenny was baptized on May 27th and confirmed on the 28th of May.
During his baptismal interview last Thursday he was feeling completely
fine with the baptism and everything! Kenny was a really cool
investigator because he always kept every commitment that we gave him
and because of that gained a testimony really fast!!! After the
interview Elder Sandino asked him to play the drums for us and so he
took us to his garage and played for us. It was awesome!!! He's very
good and if I had a video I would show it to you. Anyways everything
went perfectly with the baptism and now he is a very happy member of
the Church of Jesus Christ.

Elisa had the craziest week of her life!!!! We met Elisa on March 30th
and we have been teaching her ever since with the Griffin family. This
last week we met with her many times and called her every day to see
how she was doing. At the interview on Friday she told us that she's
just been having so many feelings of stress and anxiety that she
almost didn't show up! But she did and she's glad for it. On the day
of her baptism we were running around like crazy trying to get
everything set up for Kenny and Elisa. She was the first to come and
in all we had 6 members of her friends and family there, the whole
district, the griffins, and President and Sister Peters even came from
the mission presidency. The baptism was very spiritual!!! Everything
went perfectly!!! When she was confirmed we asked her about how she
felt. She said that she felt as light as a feather and she hasn't
ceased to feel that way ever since her confirmation. She's really
excited to start doing the work for her family in the temple and this
Thursday we're going to be helping her find names to take to the
temple.

We're going to be picking up a new investigator tomorrow named Nicole.
We're super excited but don't know too much about her. We know that
she's excited to meet and that she's thinking about baptism!!!! The
Lord is so good to us!!!

Anyways that's the coolest stuff that we've seen this week. I want to
quote Moroni when he said this: "15 And now, O all ye that have
imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask
of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the
end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be
a God of miracles." I shout with Moroni in saying that God is still a
God of miracles!!!! He always blesses his children with whatever they
ask for in faith as long as they seek to do his will!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

P.s. Ignore the crazy sun burn I had in the pictures haha!