A View of Grand Junction from Elder Austin

Elder Pickle's First Email!

It was nice to be able to read all your emails today! Oh and just keep sending letters to the mission office, that's the best way to send them. Ok so when I had my interview with the mission president, he told that my young mens leaders gave me the highest rating you could get for some reason (I don't know why) haha So he told me " We can tell your going to be an awesome missionary so we're sending you to an area that has been struggling for a long time... so yah that was kinda scary haha but yeah so the area is in Grand Junction which is wayout west, the Grand Junction 1st Ward. My Companion, Elder Reese, is the district leader and he's really cool. He's from Dallas, and he's been out for like 17 months or something. His only problem is that he loves to sleep in and he forgets a lot of things... so I kinda feel like the trainer at times haha his last companion also left for home after being here for like 3 weeks too haha but that wasn't because of Elder Reese. He's an awesome comp though. So the area is interesting. They're are a lot of Vietnam and Gulf War vets and a lot of College kids. So half the people we talk to are either drunk or high haha its really sad though cause there's quite a bit of poverty and a lot of people have problems. The teaching pool is very small, so most of our lessons are with less actives cause there are a lot of those. The ward doesn't real trust the missionaries at all too, because of the Elder who left early. So we have quite a bit of work to do. And everyone here generally isn't in love with the missionaries, and Coloradans don't like Californians so much so I kind of have the double wammy there. I've already been yelled at and heckled quite a bit too. Most of them just yell out there car window as they drive by. One old guy yelled at me to get a job and he sped off haha it was pretty funny. I just thought I have the hardest job out there haha and I'm employed by God haha We also get a lot of doors shut on our face and a lot of cancellations. I can tell now that the area really has been struggling so we're just gonna have to work that much harder I guess. Oh yeah and Im also on a bike! Which sucks cause its super hot and dry, but I did buy a sweet bike so I'm pretty stoked. The bikes help out a lot too. We've been finding people like crazy. We literally talk to pretty much anyone who walks by, and we hand them cards and get their info and share a message. the only problem though is that they're all young single adults so we have to hand em over to the singles ward missionaries, but its all good cause at least they're somewhat interested. Oh and I missed my first sunday at church cause Elder Reese got pink eye, and we weren't allowed to leave he apartment at all. So it was pretty fun staying in our little 20x20 foot apartment for like 30 hours haha Oh you'll be getting pictures soon of everything but are apartment is in the back yard of one oof the members and its super tiny but its kinda cool too. the members who are renting the place to us are way awesome too. But keep the emails and letters coming, they help a ton because its been a pretty long week. I'll try to get back to everyone but everything is so crazy right now and it might take awhile so don't get too mad at me! Anyways I love you all and I miss you!

Elder Pickle in the MTC with Elder Murphy

Elder Pickle's Farewell

You know Its kind of strange being up here and knowing that I’m leaving on my mission in a few days. For those of you who aren’t familiar with missions or Mormons, serving a two year mission in our church is something that primarily young men but also most young women grow up knowing they will do. Its something that in general most of us look forward to. However for me it wasn’t really like that. I know it sounds bad but I dreaded turning 19 and when the age for missionaries changed to 18 that feeling of fear and panic quickly set in. Serving a mission for 2 years was not on my radar at all. And that feeling lasted for the longest time, you know all I could think about was how am I going to tell my parents. And I know there are others, possibly out here right now, who feel the same way I did. I had a lot going for me then. I was doing well in surf contests, talking to shops and companies about sponsorships, sorry mom but I was hanging out with tons of girls. And the last thing I wanted to do was drop all of that to wear a shirt and tie everyday for two years. I even thought that I was an exception. That I didn’t need to serve a mission. I thought to myself I’m not called to serve... I’m called to surf. But seriously, I had myself convinced that God didn’t really want me to go on a mission.

Now flash forward to now, as I read over the topic brother Walters gave me several weeks ago, I thought to myself how perfect it was not just to the situation I had faced, but to everyone else as well. The topic goes “We invite all to serve the savior and walk in his path straightway. There is an urgency for all of us who have this knowledge of His divinity to act upon it without hesitation or delay. The time is now.”

You know, the church gives us an understanding and perspective that some of us tend to overlook and take for granted at times. We, Mormons and non mormons alike, look past the blessings and love that our father in heaven pours over us, and focus on the negative things and the hardships we face. This was true in my case. I don’t necessarily like to talk about this too much but back when I entered my sophomore year in high school, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. And I remember all of the hospital visits and sitting at my dads bedside watching him suffer, and living with the uncertainty of what would happen. And all I could think was why would this happen. I began to look past the understanding I had, and the love that was around me. I began to think of all the other things that had happened to me, and those I loved. I don’t really like to talk about this too much either but when I was about 6 years old I lost one of my best buddies to Leukemia, and I remember sitting with him throughout it all, much like with my dad. I began to dwell on all of this negativity as I went through high school, and it contributed to driving me away from the idea of serving a mission. I had blinded myself from what I really knew was true. And that lasted for quite awhile.

It wasn’t until about halfway through my senior year that I decided to go on a mission. I began to look at things from a different perspective, and opened my eyes to what I really knew was true. I looked back at all the trials I had faced and saw how I had grown from them. I saw my family become stronger than ever during my dads recovery, and I knew of the love that our friends had for us. I knew that I hadn’t lost a friend, and that he’s cheering me on through all of this. It was at this point in my life that I gained a desire stronger than any other desire to serve in any way that I can. I realized the urgency that there is to share with others around me the blessings and happiness that I have because of this church and gospel. I realized that the time is now for me to help others through this life in any way that I can. I can’t imagine going through this life without the understanding and hope that this gospel gives me. And for those of you who are not sure if they want to serve a mission, try to look back at all the times this gospel has blessed you, because at that time you may not notice those blessings, but they’re there. But above all, brothers and sisters, look towards your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Pray, ask your father in heaven in times of doubt and uncertainty. And look towards Christ as an example of how you should live your life. Do as Christ would, to the best of your ability. When I was deciding to go on my mission, prayer was among the most influential things in my life. And Christ's example an anchor to me. And if you do that you too will have a desire to share those blessings with others. In closing I’d like to thank all of my friends and family who are here today and who have supported me throughout all of this. And I’d like to share with you my testimony:

*Nick added more to the talk and didn't write down his testimony, but here's the basic gist of the talk :)

To the MTC

Elder Austin with family

Elder Pickle heading to the airport