Letter from Elder Austin Dated June 9, 2014

Hey Mum!

It was a pretty good week this week!  We've been doing a lot of finding lately and it's paid off.  We're teaching a man named Steven and he immediately had a spiritual experience with the Book of Mormon.  He says it "rings true" to him, so that's pretty exciting.  We have other people lining up to be new investigators this week.  We had to start from scratch, but now we're really seeing the Spirit work through us.

We have this recent convert named Alan that we were working with.  He's a pentecostal man who doesn't have a testimony of our church.  He was promised one after he was baptized, but it never came (because that's not how it works).  We've done all we could to help him feel the Spirit, but he's too stubborn and not willing to listen.  He brought out an anti-mormon book in a lesson and said this is where he's learning.  We literally rebuked him, bore powerful testimony, and then left.  I felt the Spirit so strong when bearing my testimony, it was an amazing feeling.  I've never really raised my voice like that before, but it was 100% Spirit driven.

This Sunday, I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting.  The topic was on repentance so I had a strong testimony of it.  I don't know if you know this, but in my teenage years I did some things that were not pleasing to you or Heavenly Father.  They were things that weighed me down.  I made an early goal to be clean so that I could go to the Temple and go on a mission.  I worked really hard to get that forgiveness and when I did, nothing felt so relieving.  Because of these experiences, my conviction is strong.  So speaking on the topical of repentance was very emotional and strong.  People came up to me and said it was a "conference level" talk.  I think it's because of my strong testimony of the atonement.  My relationship with my Savior grew astronomically.  I will love and serve Him with all my heart, might, mind and strength!

I love you!

Elder Austin