Learning from Trials

Hola!

So, it has been a couple good weeks out here in David!  We are finally starting to see some results of our hard work!  In my two transfers here, I had never seen more than 64 people at church, and the last two weeks we have had more than 85 people!  We have also had investigators for the first two times in my time here in Las Lomas!  We are working a lot with less actives right now, and we are trying to do family home evenings in a member's house every night of the week. So far, it has been going great!  My favorite lesson we did was about Nephi, when he constructed the boat.  God told him how to do it.  Our faith and testimonies are our personal "boats" to cross the waters of life.  The Lord has told us how to build them, through his gospel.  He has given us the tools to help us build and strengthen them, like the scriptures, the prophets, and temples and church buildings.  I learned the new point of view on this story in the MTC and it still strikes me really strongly. 

My companion right now is a bit of a trial.  It hasn’t changed much from my last companion, only that now I am trying to do even more to try to help him.  I was reading in Moroni 8 today, where it talks about charity and faith.  It talks about how a person with charity and faith does not get irritated easily.  I had been getting irritated with my companion very easily, and have realized that it was driving the spirit away.  I am trying harder to be patient.   Pray for him please. I want him to finish the mission out strong. He goes home in May and he is struggling a bit right now.  I know he can fix it and I know he knows he can fix it too.

There is a lady in the ward who is 84 years old. She cannot come to church, so we have the special opportunity to take the sacrament to her every week.  Her name is R, and she is so nice.  She loves to hear the hymns, so every time we go, we sing a ton of hymns to her!  It reminds me of when I got to do the same service for the Morgans, Higbees, and others who couldn't come to church.  I have realized more in the mission of how great a privilege it is to help someone take the sacrament and become clean again.

Well, there is not much more to report.  I think we will be having a baptism here on the 18th, maybe two, so that will be exciting!  Kipp daddy is tired of not baptizing people!  Also, tell General Brown to send me that footage of the guy taking over the bunker!  I always like to relive my days as a mighty warrior for the Falcon Corp stalking with Dan and Kurtis over email.  Fun times!

Well, time to go.  Know that I am happy, even though the mission is full of trials.  I prayed yesterday and just thanked God for my trials, because looking back on the last two transfers, I really have learned so much, things I didn't think I would need to learn, or would learn in the mission.  I am learning so much and know that I will continue to grow.  I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Austin Michael Kipp