Week 32

March 30, 2009
Hey!

It is getting better out here as far as moods and stuff goes. Work is getting harder because we aren't teaching nearly as much. It will be wonderful when we get back to teaching.

So far, I have lost 10 lbs without exercise. Now think of what it will be when I do start exercising. Whoa. Elder Epps has told me that I naturally pick healthy foods. He was impressed that I could eat Spinach just straight out of the box. I bought some for snacking on. I'm gonna try to actually get exercise in in the morning. Some jump rope, push-ups, resistance tubes, oh yeah...lots of stuff I can do.

Also doing some movie stuff with Elder Epps. Not really filming, but coming up with ideas. So far, the only hard material that has come out of this is the titles for my trilogy, and a music score for the main theme. It is really neat. I can see this actually coming around. Not sure if I want to go to BYU after the mission. I'll make that a matter of prayer at my halfway mark.

You had rain? Know what we had?! SNOW!!! I'm telling you, the weather is crazy out here! Spring, Summer, Winter, Spring, Winter, Summer, Winter, Summer, Spring, Winter! AHHH! Personally I like rain.

The SanDisk will not play Quicktime formats. It needs to be in a music format, not the movie format. Typically .mp3 or .wmp will work fine. Just check that part of the file name.

It has been hard keeping up with the water, so today I got a 2.2 liter container. I can carry this in the car. Speaking about the car. The car here on the mission. Someone decided to take a rock to the back triangle window while we were sleeping. Nothing was taken. Attack of malice and cost to the mission. So we have been driving around with a taped up window for the past couple of days. It was kinda funny how it was discovered. They had already gotten in the car, noticing nothing. I was jumping in, when I noticed these chunks of blue. I looked up and saw a hole in the window. I then said, "Whoa! There's a hole." It was quite funny since we could immediately tell nothing was missing, and the rock used was just lying there under the window. We carry it around. It was as if someone just knocked the window out, then carefully placed the rock down. Funny stuff!

I like how many friends I am making out here. There are those back in my first area, the Ward Mission Leaders, Stake Presidents, High Councilmen, and the Shillings. Then over here there is Bro. Frazier and his family, Bro. Oh, the Christiansens, the Conklins, Austin Siscenaros (American Idol), and the Jones family. My companions and I have literally been adopted into the Christiansen and Jones family. It really helps knowing that you are welcome somewhere, not just merely accepted.

Love,

Elder Austin Waller

Week 31

l-r: Elder Baker, Elder Epps, Elder Waller after dinner in the Ballard home.

Hey all!

It has been quite a strange week. Not nearly as many lessons as we have had before. Although, now we get to know the members a lot better than we used to which will strengthen those wards and members and result in more work for us. Hooray!

Thanks for the package. The dinosaurs are set up and the candy...set aside. If I could request something, please don't send anymore candy. I still have some left from...I can't remember when, probably thanksgiving. I'm not a squirrel! (Referring to the days when we got dad all those nuts for his birthday. He called himself a squirrel.) I like the card a bunch! Very clever.

At the Draper Temple dedication I was able to meet Uncle Dwaine's new missionary trainer. Rick Brown was his name. He says hi to Uncle Dwaine and that he is doing well. Of all things...it is snowing here! A couple days ago, the wind was crazy! I thought it was a day of Pentecost or something.

About the PS3, I don't think the same way I used to and was honestly thinking about most everything but the games. I was thinking about the all-in-one package.

Is Ryan Neale doing all right? Yeah I know him, he's one of my friends. You have a picture of him. Blonde hair, glasses, I think a long-sleeved button up blue-striped shirt. I wish they would send me something, just letting me know how they are doing. Steven is the only one that has contacted me, or at least the only one I have received. I think of them all quite often and wonder what is going on.

Anyways, the week is still going. Haha! Now that I have a little pirate attitude (from the card) I think searching for the treasure (scriptural truths and investigators) will be much easier.

Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Missionary's Life For Me!

Elder Austin Waller

It is Austin's birthday on Wednesday. We purchased a pirate themed card then emblished it. We also created a dinosaur activity...leading into a missionary theme of course. mom and dad

Week 30

March 16, 2009

I have a dental appointment (free) for Thursday. I don't exactly know how I will get mail on Monday because someone in the mission got into a preventable accident, which causes everyone to be grounded during our P-day time on Monday. So that day there might not be an e-mail...which really stinks. Elder Epps is from Raleigh. I thought I mentioned receiving Aunt Sheryl's packge earlier? Well I also received Sis. Dalton's. No I have not read the Bible, although I use it everyday.* It is not hard at all to be a missionary. I will try to answer all the other questions the activity day girls gave me in a later message.

About the present, I wanted a rain-check on a PS3 for when I get home. It will be cheaper then and it is a Blu-Ray, DVD, music, game, and other stuff player. Just an all-in-one system to say the least. Just a rain-check.

Missionary work over here has seen many miracles. People have just been popping up. We have had what I call a heart-attack investigator. He took himself off date, put himself back on, that again, then called the morning of his baptism only to ask who was giving him a ride. We were freaking out! Big fun! Pretty much all that has happened here. This year is going to be strange since there will be no family around for my birthday. Anita said the same thing about me not being there.

Thanks for everyones support.

Love,

Elder Austin Waller
*Austin may not have sat down and read the Bible as he did the Book of Mormon, cover to cover. But, he did study it from beginning to end for a year in Early Morning Semimary. mom

Weeks 28-29

l-r: Elder Waller, Elder Baker, Elder Thomas, Susan Johnson, Elder Peebles, Elder Epps Uncle Chuck Waller, Elder Austin Waller and Aunt Sharon Waller (Austin's aunt and uncle just happen to currently reside in his mission field. This was a surprise meeting. Chuck and Sharon have served 3 foreign missions.)
March 2, 2009
Hey!

For one thing, the home I am staying in is not anywhere near 9000sq ft. There are some around here that have more than that. But, not many. Yeah I'm doing fine. Still learning and all that missionary stuff. My new companion is Elder Epps. Still in the threesome with Elder Baker though. I've been losing weight. Yay! That is a good thing since we have a lot of fast food around here and we basically have to stop at one once a day, except Sunday.

Had a baptism yesterday. Susan Johnson, someone who has been investigating the church for...8 months? Elder Baker calls her a super model. I'm not so sure. I had a chlostraphobic attack while waiting for her to get dressed. The room was packed. I was concerned we needed to move into the chapel. As far as missionary stuff is concerned, we have had investigators pop out of the woodwork pretty frequently. That kind of thing makes a missionary giddy.

Everybody around here says I look so sad all the time. They don't realize how happy I am. My response is typically, "I'm sorry that I express happiness in a different way than you are used to." Makes it kind of hard for me. I just don't want to be some creepy person walking around with a smile on their face all the time. It would be like Jack Nicholson's version of the Joker!

Trying to think of what happened this week. Nothing much that I can think of. Just still going to work everyday...everyday. It can be (is) tiring. You just go and go and go, then when you get home, the Lord unplugs you and you just go to sleep within seconds. Then you wake up at 6:30, get ready, then the Lord plugs you back in and you zip zoom everywhere. Process repeats.

It is colder at home than it is here? Maybe I'm just too hot for this weather. It drove the cold away. No, I'm still in my big jacket, minus the scarf. Here that form of snow is called popcorn snow. I found it funny when I first heard that. I'm glad the snow is finally going away. Winter is no fun out here.

It is March now. Birthday is here soon. Wondering what is going to happen. Probably nothing. Likely nothing. Maybe some food at a restaurant, the only thing we can ever do to celebrate. Anyways, just keep that movie list running. I keep hearing of all these movies that interest me greatly. Are people trying to send me mail? If so, I haven't received much of anything. Anyways...

Love,

Elder Austin Waller
Austin's address is:
Elder Austin Waller, Utah SLC South Mission, 8060 South 615 East, Sandy, Utah 84070
e-mail: adwaller@myldsmail.net


l-r: Elder Waller, Elder Epps, Elder Baker, unknown, Elder Thomas
March 9, 2009
Hey,

No, I cannot accept the conference tickets. I would if I could, but I literally can't. As far as the letters, I'm sorry that I am only given an hour to write family, friends, anyone else, plus the missionary weekly report to President Laney. That would be one explanation as to why they might seem a little harsh. And trust me, every single letter is received very well. I have seen other missionaries do much worse and not accept the mail they get at all.

So Henry and Shanna like each other that much huh? I have seen quite a few of these things happen already. Advice, make it a matter of prayer! That is the message I am getting out here anyways. Speaking of which, what is with this expectation of me marrying maybe a couple months after I get home? It has been happening to the other missionaries, so I kind of figured it would only happen in time, such as, a little closer to the end? Don't do that....it makes me think of how to propose :). I might be writing them down. *

Had a lot of fun yesterday with the Frazier's, the Christiansen's, and the Conklin's. Do you remember Danny Frazier? He was a big name in college basketball during your time. Broke his neck? Yeah, we went over there yesterday and had some food. The Christiansen's are a big time fellowshipping family. Hans, the father, is from Denmark and has a cool accent. They are very encouraging out here and like to feed us as well. They want to keep in contact with me so that when my name gets big (talking film here) they can say they knew me well. I am making lots of friends out here. The Conklin's are a family that we baptized their youngest son Braden in. We stopped by yesterday to see how they were doing. They are going to church without us reminding them! YAY! Shared some stories with each other. Honestly, at the end of this mission, drive out here to pick me up! I want to introduce you to some of these families!

Elder Epps actually moved in with us. I am still on the air mattress. Sleeping isn't very good, especially since the spring forward. Blech! I am considering buying a sleeping aid. Talking about Elder Epps, both Elder Baker and I have lost weight. He knows how to eat healthy and make it good, on a missionary budget. When we had Elder Thomas, we ate out at least twice a day. We have only ate out twice since Elder Epps came in. Eating out is including fast food. Elder Baker lost 15 lbs. I lost 8. Amazing! We talk a lot about film and things of that nature. Quite fun!

We had three baptisms on Saturday. It was a great day! So what is happening out there? Ace still walking around....much? The country hanging on to the edge of its seat (the answer to that question is yes, we do get some of the events of the times here)?

You asked me in the letter what I would want for my birthday since it would be my last one before becoming "legal"? I never knew I was "illegal".** Uhhhh.....here is my question for you. Does it have to be sent out here? Which means, can I ask for something that I can use when I get home? If it can stay home, then I know precisely what I want. If it can't....it may take lots of thought.

With love,
Elder Austin Waller
* I printed and sent Austin a harlarious internet article telling the story of a proposal that took place after an LDS Institute class in New Mexico. The couple was featured on the Today Show. Danny and I watched the video after reading the article. If you would like to read it, type in "Gulp! She swallowed her engagement ring" at MSN LIVE, etc. I suggested he share this with his missionary companions for a "what not to do" proposal.
**Austin will turn 20 on March 25. Jokingly, I told him this was his last year before he turned legal.