Elder Austin Elkins

Hello Everyone! Another one of the crazy weeks from Elder Elkins! I guess crazy just loves following me, because this week just added another long chapter to the wonderful story of this mission. I absolutely love it! Heavenly Father continues to bless my life, and help me realize the role that missionaries play in the lives of others. I don't want to bore you all with too much information, but I will do my best to give you enough. Here you go!

Well, as most of you know by now, Elder Melligan left the mission and is now back in New Zealand. The time that I had to work with him was priceless, and the things that he taught me were necessary to my progression as a missonary, as well as a person. He had struggles that only he could fix, and the mission wasn't giving him the opportunity to do that. The three weeks we had together were incredible. We went throught a lot, grew a lot, and learned a lot, and really gained a brotherhood relationship which really meant a lot to me. From him running away, then the next week getting hit by a car, telling me his plans to go home two or three times a week, and little things in-between, my life has changed. The Spirit truely prompted me to do the things that I did, and say the things that I said, so I know without a doubt that he learned and did was he was supposed to in those three weeks he had our here. On Wednesday, he called President to tell him his decision. President was very upset because he agreed to a 30 day trial, but he just let him go through with it. It is a bummer that he wouldn't even live up to the 30 day trial, but that is ok. President is funny and isn't a man of many words, so he just made sure Melligan knew the consequences of this decision, and told him how the church would buy his ticket and he would reimburse it. Melligan, being a stickler ;), told him no, and that he would buy his own ticket. So I had to travel to the internet cafe and help Melligan buy his own plane ticket home. That was very interesting, especially when he called his Mom and other people to let them know. I got a call later from the AP's letting me know that I would be working in Spijkenisse with Elder Moomey and Key for the next 3 weeks, but they want me to make sure the work in South goes forward so we still need to work there as well because it is on fire. I was happy knowing that I would at least be with two good friends of mine, and are both also experienced in the work. We are having fun and are going to continue having fun. The next day, President came to pick up Melligan and gave him a blessing, then they were off to the airport, and I was off to Spijk with a couple packed backs. I was informed to leave a bunch of stuff at my apartment because I will be back in South in 3 weeks, so that pretty much guarantees that I will be there next transfer which will be great! I love the ghetto. It was really sad to say goodbye to Elder Melligan, but he gave me something that means a lot to me. He gave me a Maori Pounamu, which is a jewel/necklace things that is really prominent in their culture. They pass them down from generation to generation, and are supposedly blessed a long time ago, and they have specific meanings. He received his from his mother right before he left on his mission, so that he would be able to carry it with him where he went and pass it down to his own son when he left on his mission. The last night, when honestly I was struggling and just praying my guts out, he sat next to me and gave it to me, crying, and telling me what it was. He wrote me a note telling me that he wants me to have this treasure, becasue of the impact I was able to make on his life. He told me he wants me to personally give it back, so this was kindof a way to make sure that we would see each other again. He wrote "I want to be able to tell my children that because of my companion, Elder Elkins, I am who I am, and he carried this throughout his mission." What a cool thing to have and be able to remember for the rest of my life. A white kid from Kaysville will be able to be remembered by a bunch of big Maori New Zealenders haha. Super cool. That means the world to me. I love him!

This past weeked was good working with the Spijk Elders. We saw a lot of success, and have come up with a system in order to be able to balance both cities out. We are having a lot of fun, doing crazy things, but also continuing in the Lords work.

Yesterday we did service for our whole P-day. We started emailing, and Elder Moomey got a call from a member in Spijk who was crying, saying her son needed us. We dropped what we were doing, and went to Spijk. We got in the car with the husband, and he told us the situation. Their son is 19 years old, and is really confused in life. He is allowing evil into his life, and was overcome by spirits. Wow. I was caught off guard so hard, and just started praying. We got inside the home, and went upstairs to see him. He was sitting on the bed, and honestly it was really weird. I have dealt with this kind of stuff before, but nothing like this. Elder Moomey and Key know him from before, because he is inactive, but they said he is not like this normally. I hope not, because he wasn't there. It was something else! He asked for the Prophet, or the Missionaries, so his mom called us... lol. We showed up, and talked to him. The Spirit guided us so hardcore and it was amazing. The Mom told us that she didn't think two missionaries were enough, and the fact that we suprisingly showed up with 3 was a miracle. That was soooo coool to hear! They whole family was super worried, of course. He looked at us and stared at us so weirdly, and that was creepy, but the Priesthood is real. I don't know this kid well, but man, he was struggling with something. He was doing a lot of weird things. His dad gave him a blessing earlier, because this has been a 4 day struggle, but that didn't work the way he wanted it to. I felt prompted to offer a blessing, which I did. As soon as I laid my hands on his head, he freaked out, but I rushed through the first part of the blessing, and as soon as I said his name to start the actual blessing part, he calmed down. Wow. Honestly unreal. There is much more to this story, including the fact that he was saying really weird things and talking to spirits, but let's just say that everything is now ok, that the Priesthood is real, and that Heavenly Father loves all of His children. We 3 needed this experience.

This tranfer has been unreal. I love you all so much. Thanks for everything. I have gotta go, but I hope you have a great week!

Elder Elkins