season 4 episode 3, December 28, 2015

Dear family and friends,

First off thanks to everyone who sent stuff. Thank you cards are on

the way. We had a great week, even with the holidays. It was a great

Christmas.

Tuesday-

We had a very open day of finding. We have been in the process of using better finding methods. We have 700 or so less active members in this ward.  We are not doing a lot of tracting. We are doing a bunch of stopping by less actives homes. We had a full day of that, and it wasn't that successful. We then decided we were going to change the way we find.

Wednesday-

We were on exchanges with the zone leaders. I stayed in the area. We had a crazy sweet day. We started off by contacting a referral. They weren't interested. I felt like we should knock on a few more of doors near the referral’s house. It was a little town home square that I haven't seen before. We found some really awesome families. We taught  a bunch of lessons there. Then we went out and were stopping by a few less actives. We found some part member families. That was cool. We will go over again and get them. Then we got another referral from some members. That was sweet.

Friday-

We taught a lesson to somebody. We were in the church before we were

Skyping home. We were there with some other missionaries. This visitor to the church asked us what is faith? So we told him. It was sweet... five missionaries in a circle teaching one investigator.

Saturday-

We taught a lesson with the people we have on date for baptism. He is struggling

with smoking. He has beaten some harder drugs in the past and he is struggling with smoking. He mumbled under his breath, “Why is one cigarette a day bad?” We painted him the eternal picture and told him that this one cigarette is keeping him from being with his family forever. It was a good lesson. The member we had with us did well too.

Well that's the week.

Love,

✌Elder Astle 👊

Portland temple

Season 4, episode 2...December 21, 2015

Merry Christmas everyone! (Santa emoji)

We had pretty nice week.

Tuesday-

We had a long day of finding. We really didn't have a lot happen. We are doing everything we could, but we are just not finding some people who are actually interested. We are loosing more gators than we are finding. They are all not interested or just really flaky. 

Wednesday- 

We had a zone conference. We were taught more effective ways to find because we have not been using the members. We are teaching them how to do missionary work. That was a really cool meeting. 

Thursday we were on exchanges. It was a blast. I went to the St. John's area. 

Friday 

We went to the temple. It is such a pretty temple. They have three levels in the celestial room. Way sweet. 

I know this email is way short. I am sorry. It was a great week. I just don't have a lot of time today. We had a way late start. And we only have so long. 

Saturday- 

We had a full day of service. It was sweet. We helped people move and we did a zone service at the bishops store house. 

Merry Christmas!! More details next week. 

Love,

Elder Astle 

Season 4, episode 1, December 14, 2015

Dear friends and family,

I have seen record rain and record heat here. The river is so high and

is causing flooding. It is crazy!  It usually does this really stupid

mist stuff. It just sprays you in the face no matter what direction

you face. But now, it has been pouring rain for like a week. I am used

to it, but I am not a huge fan of it. I am still surprised why people

actually like it here. The people are weird and the weather is crappy. 

We had a sweet week. 

Tuesday-

We taught a lady who we have been trying to teach for about a transfer. (6 weeks). She has been referred to us by another mission and she was

awesome. She accepts the restoration. She soft committed herself to

baptism. So we were stoked about that. When we were teaching our

part member family, Michael expressed that he wanted to know the

church was true before he got baptized. Then me and Elder Moore bore

powerful testimony of how he can. He hadn't read the Book of Mormon and

he wanted to know it was true. It was sweet!  The spirit was way strong

there. We had an Alma and Amulek moment. Then we committed him to read it more.

Wednesday-

This was transfer day. So we had the transfer meeting. We had to do it

over FaceTime but it kept cutting in and out. We really only could hear a little bit of what President was saying.

Thursday-

We worked so hard but it was a rougher day. The people we were contacting were not at all interested.

Saturday-

We had an awesome day. We did a lot of finding. We had a good mix of finding. We went less active hunting. There are so many here. Then we taught the R. family again. We committed him to live the word of wisdom. It was another  powerful lesson.

Sunday -

We haven't had a single investigator at church. We have tried with the R. family for six weeks. Every time, they said that they would definitely be there and every time they weren't. So we have one o'clock church. And they are usually a family that is always late. So we figured they would be late. We also have Sacrament  Meeting last. It is weird. So it is 1:00, they aren't there. It is 1:30, still not there.

Then 1:45, still not there. Then at 3, they showed up just in time for the  Sacrament. We were so happy. Because he can't get baptized until

he comes to church. Now he has. 

The new Christmas video that the church made is awesome! We use it all the time. It helps us in our finding efforts. Because a lot of people are Christians but they don't want to talk to us. It softens their hearts a bit so we can teach

them a bit. It is sweet! I would encourage you to watch it. And, as you do, think

about someone who would benefit from watching the video. Then share it with them.

#ASaviorisBorn

Merry Christmas (christmas tree, santa emoji)

✌Elder Astle (fist Pump)

Season 3 episode 6, December 7, 2015

Dear Family and friends,

This week was definitely not boring. We had some fun this week.

(Mom note: I asked Alex where he was for Thanksgiving, and if he was transferred to a new area.)  We spent thanksgiving with some of the members.

I am staying in Portland. The same area as I am in now. Elder Moore is my comp.

Tuesday-

We met two mentally insane people. One was a church referral. We

contacted her and found out she had used the missionaries in the past. It

was a creepy place we went. We found out she was insane and we dropped

her. (mission speak for not teaching her.) Then we had another referral that was insane. He said he was kicked out of a psychologists office. It was insane. Pun intended! We also met a way drunk guy who told us he was from LA. From  the 18th street ( gang) it was a really funny meeting. (Funny???? sounds scary to me.)

Wednesday-

We were on exchanges. I was with Elder Munger. He is actually from

Riverton. We had a really rough day and we were working hard. Nothing

was happening. We knocked on like 50 doors. Then we had a member come

out with us. Suddenly we had miracles. We taught a lady who didn't want to

talk to us  at first but she noticed that we had something special. Then we went

and visited another lady. We were able to get in because we had a

Member with us. Then we taught a guy right outside her house. He asked us

questions like, “What happened to the ancient people of America?” We had

a solid day.

Thursday-

We were on exchanges again. It wasn't very fun to do back to back

exchanges in your own area. I was so tired. When I’m in charge it stresses me out to make it go good. We were tracting then we met another miracle. She came up to us and we talked to her. She wanted to know which church is true. Then we called her the next day and she said she was reading and got an answer to her prayer to stay on the course. It was so sweet.

Saturday-

We took our investigators to the temple visitors center. It was sweet.

They need it so bad. That is such a good missionary tool. Way cool

experience. One lesson we learned. When the day is rough, pray and

it will eventually turn out.

Love you all,

✌Elder Astle 👊

We had a picture sent from our "nephew" in Alex's mission.  Yay Tyler for sending pictures...Alex doesn't send as many!

Elder Tyler Jones and our goofy guy!

Season 3 Episode 5, November 30, 2015

This week wasn't that good. It was a super slow week because of

thanksgiving. All of our appointments cancelled. We spent Thanksgiving

with some members. We had one dinner at 3 and one at 6. It was a lot of food,

even for me. This was a slow week, so that's why the email is rough.

Next week will be sweet. I got the things you sent. Haha the Lego

Christmas tree was great. Happy birthday Dad. I  did forget when it

was. Sorry this email is bad, next week will be better.

Elder Astle

Not sure what this is....just included in his letter.....

The Portland zone got a reward luncheon for keeping their apartments clean!  Amazing!  Alex has learned to clean. The boy second on the right is my brother and siter-in-law, Chris and Nichole's nephew on her side of the family...serving in the same mission.  So crazy!