Elder Nate Austin

We got the following letter from his mission President about the fires in Chile.   Dear Parents,                 We want to let you know that even though there are many fires right now in Chile, our mission is ok. There are not any fires close by our mission and your children are safe. We are taking the procedures necessary to protect them from the air. The air conditions in this moment are ok, but during times when there are high smoke levels, the missionaries are entering their apartments or the chapels. Sadly, many of the people in the south, where all the forests are, have been severely affected, and have lost everything. Please remember them in your prayers. In all of Chile, there are donations to help those that are being affected. Take care! Hey mom I hope you are enjoying the heat in California because I`m stilling dying in it. Right now there are a bunch of fires all around Chile...

Hey mom I`m glad you are loving the cold so much because I`m still dying in the heat. Yesterday I got changed out of El Bosque to a different ward. I found out on Thursday and it was a complete surprise because president had already let Elder De leòn know that he would be changed for his last month in the mission so I was assuming that I would be staying with a different companion. But I found out Saturday that I was leaving too and two completely knew missionaries would be coming into the ward. I got changed to the ward Los Raulies which is actually very close to my old ward in the same stake. My new companion is a gringo from Arkansas named Elder Gehring. I`m excited for the new opportunity but I was sad to leave a couple people in El Bosque, mostly Hermano Jamie the ward mission leader and Gabriel.   The cool thing is, is that I know the two new missionaries going to my old ward. It is elder beard my companion in the mtc and Elder Parra who is from our same g...

Hey mom this week I sent one picture so there should at least be something.  One of the best of this week was on Sunday was when Gabriel received the aaronic priesthood.  This was also cool because he came to church alone with out any members of perez family.  This morning I also went to the Chile temple for the first time.  We have had to wake up early and travel for an hour and a half smashed against the walls in the crowded buses and metro but it was super cool when we got there. The temple is pretty small.  There is just one floor but it was a really cool experience.  It was cool to go back and do a session in Spanish but now when I can actually understand it well, because I went to the temple in Mexico but at that time I was just picking out a few words here and there.  Everything else is good and thanks for the email. Love Elder Austin Click to read President Gwilliams weekly message

Hey mom I hope you had a good new years eve. We didn`t really do anything for new years eve because we had to be in the house at the same time so I just sat in the house until it turned 12 and then I went to bed. Here they Celebrate new years eve and celebrate by staying up super late usually by having a dinner at 2-3am and then going out and partying after that.  So you can imagine that there weren`t a lot of people at church. And don`t worry I like Disneyland but it is not my favorite thing because it is a lot of rushing around and waiting in lines but you guys will have a lot of fun. And you`ll be missing school so that makes it worth it right there.  Hopefully everything turns out ok with grandma and her heart. Form what I know and have heard Uruguay is like a mini Argentina and they are a similar culture there. Here we don`t have a siesta after lunch but after lunch most things shut down and you don`t really want to be out because it is super hot and no...