Last week in the MTC!

Can you believe Austin is already going to the Netherlands?! It's crazy. I feel like we just dropped him off. He is seriously having the time of his life!

This past week has been great. It was probably my favorite week I have had here in the MTC! The language has been getting so much better and I know and have faith that it will continue to get better! We got our Flight Plans on Friday, and we were all so excited! There are 28 of us missionaries going to Nederland and we all got on the same flight together! Monday the second of September, we fly out at 11:05 am, then have a layover in Detroit at 4:30, then fly out again at 6:10, and fly straight to Amsterdam. It is real now! I am so excited, but very anxious :) 

It has been so nice having friends here at the MTC. I hosted a friend from my ward last Wednesday and was able to introduce him to the MTC. That was a fun experience. Me and my best friend, Elder Yocom, has a sleepover in my room last night along with 4 other Elders. It was way fun. I'm going to miss the MTC. I know the real mission field is where I will have the most fun though. 

I have had a lot of study time here. It is so nice to read my scriptures and dive into them. We taught a bunch of lessons in Dutch this week and they all went well. Yesterday, Me, Elder Bean, and Elder Bosco skyped with a kid in Belgium, named Phillip. He is 19 years old and will go on a mission soon. It was so fun! We just spoke Dutch to him for like 20 minutes. 

Time here has gone so fast! There have been tough times, and great times, but they are all good times. All of my teachers here are so great. They all just love to have fun and think of creative ways to teach us. My zone is literally the best. We all get along and love being around each other. I'm pretty bummed that I cant watch Utah lose this week and BYU win ;) but I'm sure I will hear all about it :)

One scripture that I have found this week that stuck out to me is : St. Luke 10:19-20. I love his scripture because It is for Missionaries. So great. It is so comforting to read scriptures like that. 

I love all you guys, and I am so grateful for your influence and example in my life. Have a great week! Next time I write, I might be in Nederland :)

Ik hou van jullie!

Elder Elkins

 

 

Austin and his companion

 

Elder Elkins & Elder Yocom

Austin and his buddy Gage 

 

 

One Month Down!

I can't believe Austin has been gone for a month already! Time goes by so fast. He's doing so good, and would love your letters. His address is on the right side, under Address-haha. Missionaries love words of encouragement! You all know that :)

So here's his weekly email!

One Month Down! Time goes so fast here! I can't believe that I leave in less than two weeks. I get my travel plans this Thursday or Friday, and then I will know when, and where I am flying on my way to the Netherlands! Dutch is hard! I can't believe that I will have to only speak that when I get there. I've got some learnin' to do. 

Last week was a good one. Richard G. Scott spoke to us for our Tuesday Night Devotional at the Marriot Center. It was amazing. He spoke on prayer and faith. He said some amazing things that we missionaries needed to hear. The spirit was so strong, and he is such an amazing apostle. For our Sunday Night Devotional at the MTC, Vai Sikahema spoke. He shared a mission story that was unreal and how he enjoyed his mission more than any other experience in his life, even more than the National Championship, and the Miracle Bowl. He is a great guy. He loves BYU so much and it was nice to hear some of his real life stories. 

I'm excited to leave in two weeks, but nervous as well. I cant believe that I'm a missionary now and that I wear this nametag on my chest every day. Its so amazing. I love all of the letters everyone sends me. They help me so much. Thank you everyone. 

I hope you're all doing good. Keep me updated on what you are all doing! Pray for me :)

Ik hou van jullie!

Elder Elkins

Last Weeks Pday

Sorry about the late update!  I promise I'll do better!

Here are some pictures Austin sent us!

Austin and his Companion at the Temple

Austin's Favorite Teacher

Austin, Elder Frisbie, and Elder Sudweeks

Sleep on the Floor Saturday Night

P-Day #2

We heard from Austin today! It's always so good to hear from him!

 Second Week! Well technically my third, cause Sunday marks halfway in the MTC! So excited. Dutch is still very, very hard, but it'll come! (I hope) :). Thank you all for your letters and the support you have given me! It really helps to stay connected with all of you cause i really miss you all! I cant believe I'm on a mission still! My district is amazing, and my zone makes it even better! My best friend Elder Yocom is in my zone so we literally just hang out all day! I'm sitting next to him now as I type this! My companion is great. Patience is a virtue... Lol. My Dutch teachers are great. They all have gotten back from the Netherlands Mission in the last year so they have had my mission president! They love him to death. They all loved it so much. They said half of our lessons will be english, half will be dutch. One of my teachers picked up a little French, and Chinese as well! I cant wait. I have already taught 7 lessons to investigators in Dutch. It is hard cause I can understand what theyre saying, but I cant respond how I would like to! That will come though. The food is so repetative! Already starting to get sick of it! I see so many kids here from my school. Its so crazy. My cousin, Elder Lamb, left to Honduras yesterday. It was great being able to spend time with him here and go to divotionals with him and just be the "new" us. I'm going to miss him like crazy, but he will be such a great missionary! 

The spirit here is so strong. Fast and Testimony meeting was unbelievable. Just knowing that I was in a room full of missionaries was crazy. I feel the Lord answering all my prayers and comforting me as I need! My testimony is growing so strong and I love it.  I am so grateful for the family and friends that I have at home! I really feel like I have the best family and friends! I love all my cousins! Before you know it, Jaxson Miller, Andrew Lewis, Jake Lamb, and Parker will all be doing what I'm doing! I love you all!

 

Tot Ziens!

Elder Elkins

Magic Tuesday

And if you want to know what that is, I'll tell you. 

The Belgium missionaries (like the ones below) had to poop in a bag and send it to Belgium in order to get their visas. Weird right? look at their faces hahahahaha.

Cousins saying goodbye. Elder Lamb left to Hondurus! 

Kids from Davis High School

Laundry Day!