Elder Austin Elkins

I must admit, this is a better haircut than I've ever done on him ;)

He cut his own hair!!

What a fast week! So many cool experiences this week. I really tried to focus on having better, more meaningful personal studies and laungage studies. I finished the New Testament this week, and will restart the Book of Mormon and read it side by side with my Dutch copy! This has helped me a lot! I challenged myself with the language too. Gotta step outside that comfort zone, because quite franky, I'm not here to sit in a comfort zone. I'm in Europe for heavens sake haha. Well, Monday night was great. We met with our investigator, Dhana, and he took us to eat at a very expensive restaurant and it was great. He just told us that he wants us to know that he has a sincere investigation, but he thinks we are being too hard on him. He goes back to indonesia in December, and he has been investigating for a year and a half, so me and Elder Alston have been pushing him. Hopefully he decides to be baptized, but we cant push him anymore. He is looking for his answer that Its true, and hes worried about what his family will think and all of his friends. On Tueday, I was on Exchanges here in Enschede with my District Leader. I was in charge for the day. So fun! We had a lesson with Lilian on Tithing and she accepted that like a champ. She will be baptized on Nov. 23rd! That will be great. I'm so excited! That night was a miracle night! We finally got contact with a man from Angola who has lost contact with the missionaries since he moved here, and we made an appointment! I had to talk to him all in Dutch cause my companion didnt know him haha. Neither did I though! It was a miracle that we finally got contact with him and he was really excited. After this, we went to the bus stop to see when the bus came. We had 15 minutes and I didnt want to just sit there and wait, so I said "Lets go knock those doors over there". I felt the spirit tell me to do so! So amazing. On the Second door we knocked, an Asian guy in his 20s answers and he is so tight. We start speaking Dutch and he recognizes our American accents and freaks out about how sick it is that we are from America. He is really intersted in our message and accepted a BoM. He said to come back in three weeks and tell him more because he has finals and no time for the next three weeks. Just when he was about to shut the door, a black guy in his 20s comes downstairs and says "i heard your message from upstairs, and I have time all week. What is this about?" He was so pumped and we made an appointment with him for Saturday. The appointment went great and he accepted a baptismal challenge. He is a huge soccer player and lives in a college dorm house. All three college students are reading the book of mormon. What a miracle! That is why we knocked those doors. Such an amazing experience. On Wednesday, we taught two ladys of the Orthodox religion. They are from Syria and I think they really just wanted to bash with us. They couldnt accept the fact about the Godhead and a Prophet. We will see if they turn into anything more. We found a lot that night, then went to Esthers and taught her and watched mormon messages. Thursday, we did a lot of look ups and went to dinner with a great dutch family here. They are so funny! I will send pictures next week. Friday, we taught lillian again. We taught her prophets and obedience. She loves the idea of a prophet and told us that she is excited to be baptized. Its fun being in there during spanish lessons. Especially since we rely so much on our Joint Teach. We went to dinner at a recently baptized members home that night and ate great surinam food. Her husband isnt a member, but is trying to quit smoking so hes taking small steps! Right outside their house, there was a cop chase and the guy being chased ran over someone and killed them! So interesting. Mom, dont freak out, I'm OK :) We were supposed to have a lesson with a new investigator that night, but he wasnt home so that sucked. Saturday is the day we taught the black guy, that went super well! Then we found all day, made burgers for dinner, and had weekly planning at night. Fun night. Sunday was great too, its always fun to hear them bear their testimonies in church. I love being here. The Dutch kids are so cute!

The weather here is getting unreal cold. I'm scared for the winter! All the older missionaries just have terrible stories about it. It will be fun though and definitely differnt. I can't wait to have fun experiences and be able to email them home! It is unreal how fast time goes. I'm already halfway through my second transfer. Time goes fast. I think that I will get transferred at the end of this one. Or I will stay. Either way, I wont be with my companion I dont think. I hope that I have a good companion for Christmas. Maybe Yocom :) That would be a treat.

I was reading in the New Testament this week and found a few really amazing scriptures. I found a scripture that provided great comfort to me, and I'm sure it can help you all too.

1 Peter 2:20 - For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

I just thought I would share this with you all. I found it and it has helped me a lot. We need to be patient in our struggles. Thats the key, thats something that I have been working on my whole mission. You all who know me well know that I'm not a very patient person. I'm really going to try to work on that and be better. I know God is here with me. I can't deny that. The miracles that I have seen are unbelievable.

Thanks for all of your emails. Continue to email me! I love you all and pray for you all the time. Have a great week!

Elder Elkins