Getting Ready for the Holidays

"I want a party! I want a cookie! I want to stay up! I want I want I want me me me my my my now now now now....my child, your parents read you bedtime stories to shut you up." (from the movie Hook)

Maaaaan...I really miss Christmas Eve watching either Home Alone, Hook, or Scrooged in new jammies - which I got in your Christmas package yesterday.

THANK YOU!

I am doing quite well, actually! Elder Ady and I are kept extremely busy, too. Life is pretty good. This past week we received a pantload of referrals, both believers and infidels, and we've been riding hard to contact everyone. Winter is FINALLY here and it has already rained and snowed a little bit, complete with frigid cold temperatures. I keep warm and somewhat comfortable though. I wear wool socks, gloves, ear muffs, and layer on another jacket and that takes pretty good care of me. The bike I road for the first 14 months finally bit the dust and so Ady had another bike that was left by the missionary I replaced. It works very nicely.

Elder Ady is a STUD! I really think he's the best companion I've had in this mission. I feel we work exceptionally well together. He keeps me going and staying on track and I help him when it comes to meeting folks and knocking on doors. He's helped me improve so, so much in the past couple of weeks. I can't speak any higher of him.

And I received the Christmas box and it was perfect! I also got the envelope with the stickers and stamps and Eric's letter....I sure do miss that kid. I look forward to getting home and taking him to the gas station for a cold one. And what's the mailing address for his school? I'm getting ready to return his Flat Stanley and I'd like him to get it at school like I did when I sent mine to Jackie. It was the COOLEST thing when I got it in school and got to show it off in class.

I think Eric might also enjoy something like that.

Christmas cards are gonna be a little late this year. I was all ready to send them a couple of weeks ago but then when I went to Walgreen's to print them off, they were super expensive so I put it off until the next week when we could go to Walmart. And then the photo shop was swamped and I couldn't pick them up the same day...lame. They'll be late but they will eventually get there.

Cow Manure

"The gospel is kind of like cow manure. If you keep it to yourself, it stinks. If you spread it around, it actually does some good." - Elder West

So the first cool thing that happened this week was on Thursday. This past week life has kinda sucked because Ady has been sick and then on Friday I got sick, too. Between the two of us we've been taking a lot of sick time this past week, but miraculously enough, we still managed to hit our quota for the week.

Anyway on Thursday we were moseyin' along to an appointment a couple of miles away and we stopped at a Chevron to use the john. After we had finished we were sitting still for a moment so Ady could recoop. Being the stallion I know I am, I bought him a Sprite to help his stomach-ache. At the same time I was checking out, there were these two kids who we'd seen a week earlier playing at a member's home, probably about 9 and 11, dumping out nickels and dimes and a few crumpled $1 bills to buy some candy and junk. While they were fussing trying to count out the change, I leaned across them and handed the other cashier my card and told her I'd pay for it. The two cashiers that were there beamed with appreciation for my kind act and thanked me. The kids didn't realize what I had done after I had finished paying and then the older of the two earnestly tried to hand me some of the wrinkled cash and I didn't accept it. I just shook their hands and then sent them on their way...

It was a really neat feeling. I mean, buying my comp a drink is cool and everything but it's something I try to do often, just because I like to buy folks drinks and I'm a stud like that. But it was really cool "paying it forward" and forking out five bucks for stuff that I had nothing to do with. I know it wasn't a huge thing but it felt good buying something for complete strangers, when so often people I don't know do the same for me. It was sweeeeet...

And I got the temple pants in the mail. They fit nicely but I do have some weight to lose so they fit even better. I weighed myself the other day and I'm up 40lbs since June 2011. Ew. Pretty soon here I'll begin the "6 Months to Sexy" missionary workout so I don't look like a hobo in June. Some stuff I've been meaning to add is to tell you that the ward building we attended in my last area in Fruitland is the EXACT same design as our building in the Avra Valley ward in Marana.

It was super nostalgic and I kind of enjoyed it. Also, about a week before I got transferred my comp and I went and donated BLOOD! Mom - I gave them the address to the place in Vernal so it's likely you'll get stuff in the mail soon. That was also cool because I know my pint o' blood will go to help someone else who is a complete stranger.

We had a baptism on Saturday! XX, originally from the Dominican Republic but raised in Georgia, who had been meeting with mercenaries for the past year finally got dunked. She's in her late 40's, about 5'nothin and portly and maintains a sort of monotone enthusiasm, always making jokes about something. She's got a rock-solid testimony and we're expecting that to influence her family. We're getting crap DONE!

Saying Goodbye to New Plymouth

Dear Julianne,
Elder Ehlers was transfered to Kuna, Idaho on Monday.They came over to take pictures with our family on Sunday night and he asked me to send them to you. There is a award that they were given at a meeting about them like Sully and Mike on Monsters Inc. They were given a picture with their names on it with Sully and Mike and Boo on Sully shoulders. They both thought that our little Sarah was like their Boo, so they wanted to have a picture taken of them like the one on their award. I hope that kind of explains the pictures taken just with Sarah. We really appreciated getting to know Elder Ehlers. He is a good boy and has set a good example for our sons. Thanks for raising such a great son and for sharing him with us!
Love,
The Austins

Lance, Jody, Seth, Levi, Jared, Aunna, Samuel, and Sarah

Shrinking Clothes

Hello All -

In reference to the unedited church history, Taylor had asked for information on the early church that gives the details, both good and bad. He is interested in the whole story and not just what the anti-mormons put out there and the church's current "sanitized" history. I've recommended the recently published Joseph Smith history books as they contain a more comprehensive accounting of the early years. Let me know if you have other recommendations (that are historically based).

Thank you for keeping him in your prayers!

Julianne

-----Original Message-----

From: Taylor Ehlers [mailto:taylor.ehlers@myldsmail.net]

Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 12:26 PM

Subject: Re: Dont' torture yourself, Gomez. That's my job.

It's good to hear Dallin is getting along with everyone. He's been getting along well with Kadi too? That's way cool. I'm super excited to get back and hang out with them. I really miss them. Do you remember when I had a similar transformation like Dallin? I remember noticing after I moved to Cedar, everything with Dallin and Kadi and myself changed. We weren't trying to constantly kill each other but we got along pretty good. I even remember Dallin and Kadi getting along better after I left and then when I came back. I was really grateful for the relationship we had and I look forward to tearing it up with them when I get back!

Hmmmm I'm glad Kadi is doing well. Lou sounds like a good fella. I'm glad he's got some level of maturity and can "handle" his girlfriend's parents. That was something I always prided myself in being able to do. I was always really good with my woman's folks. So I'm relieved Lou isn't a punk like that. I'm also glad Kadi's with a dude who respects her.

Dahahaha yeaaah that's what I was thinking... I'll aim for the older girls... But then again I've always really liked older gals so I guess not much has changed! Do you know if the singles' ward in Vernal is any good though? The one I was in when I lived in Cedar was kinda lame... And I'm proud of Dallin for gettin' the girls! Is there any particular chic he's serious about right now? Or is he playing the field?

As for temple pants, I need entirely new ones. The ones I brought with me shrunk IMMENSELY! And so did a lot of my G's, and jeans, and tshirts, and white shirts. I don't know how it happens! Waists on pants and collars on shirts I've had for years are starting to SHRINK!

It's the weirdest thing... But I KNOW that all the weight I've gained has absolutely nothing to do with it too! NOT TO MENTION the great HOSTESS ship is beginning to sink! No more twinkies! No more HoHos!

What will we do??? You know Armageddon is imminent when cream-filled cupcakes go extinct...

I agree with your opinion on not being a fan of pretending mistakes weren't made in an effort to keep them hidden. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, though ordained in the pre-existence to lead in the last dispensation, were still men, born into a imperfect and sinful nature, as by the fall of Adam, and still made mistakes. It's important to acknowledge faults and mistakes so we can better ourselves and improve our future. The whole "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" mentality is evil in and of itself and will lead to destruction. I would be interested in finding church material that hasn't been "edited". Knowledge is power, baby!

I'm gonna have to write Karina and tell her she sucks because she didn't tell me herself about her call. I appreciate the update! When is Danielle leaving? I'll have to write her too and tell her I'm proud of her... So pretty soon there will be three cousins - though I'm the only common denominator - on missions. That is super sick.

OH! ASK GRAMMA IF SHE KNOWS "ARVID BLACK". There's a good chance I may be related to the people I'm living with! Mama and Papa Austin have a daughter-in-law who's maiden name is Black and she's from Blanding.

Her dad's name is Arvid or Arvin or something like that. Small world!

And last night I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the third time on my mission... and it's still true. I LOVE it.

Well mom I gotta be going now. Thank you again SO much for everything you do. If I had a boat or plane or spaceship, I would name it, "The Julianne". I love you!

Sincerely,

Elder Tay

Typical Schedule

For discussion topics: my daily schedule consists of waking up at 6:30 in the morning, reading my scriptures or eating breakfast or laying in bed trying to get up the energy to get out of bed. You think it would get easier after doing this for almost 17 months but it ISN'T. At the end of the day I feel good about myself having gotten up at 6:30 but that's at the end of the day. I hate life from the time I wake up til about 1 or 2 pm. I am so tired and miserable in the morning but I make do. It's kind of like having a far-left socialist anti-American enemy of the free world black panther Gadianton robber president who I didn't vote for because I'm not a .... (edited by mom). It SUCKS but life goes on. The gospel is still true.

The typical dinner appointment includes showing up to someone's house who I've never met before, knocking on the door and then being told her husband still isn't home and so we're welcome to wait outside in the cold until he arrives, entertaining children, shooting the bull for 10 minutes to an hour in the living room until dinner is ready, being told she's never made this dish before and we are guinea pigs, exchanging pleasantries and playing The King and I "getting to know you" game, trying to remember all the kids' names, asking questions about his profession and job which I know absolutely nothing about but I pretend to for sake of conversation (it's an extremely useful Dale Carnegie tactic), politely laughing at the point of the conversation when I tell them I'm from Utah and they say "and you got called to Idaho? wow that sucks." or "like the Singles' Ward right?", and finally making the awkward transition from dinner conversation to leaving with a spiritual message and then a prayer before we go....

That's a TYPICAL dinner appointment. I've been in this area long enough I've pretty well got a lot of the members figured out and it's just like having dinner with family and friends. But we don't get pizza NEARLY as often as when I was in the Boise/Meridian area. I have not tried very many new foods since I've been in Idaho. The most exotic thing was a mayonnaise sandwich I had to choke down a time or two in fear of offending the host by rejecting their quick snack. I know I sound really insincere but I promise I'm not. I LOVE the people of Idaho. They're some of the finest individuals I've ever known.

Whilst I've spent my time tracting after the manner of Ammon, I don't think I've learned any new skills specifically except for maybe roofing. I'd done roofing once before my mission with Don Adams on my gramma's roof. Since I've been in New Plymouth, there have been 3 maybe 4 separate occasions I've had to either patch roofs or put on a new roof and each time we've taught several lessons and received lots of referrals.

It's alright. I am also happy I'm getting closer to coming home. I really miss you guys and I'm excited to get back into normal life with all the knowledge and growing up I've been doing. I miss dad and Dallin and Kadi and the boys too. I'm really excited to watch movies with you guys again.

Love you!

tay