1 month down in the big MA!

Oh I don't even know where to begin right now!  I guess I'll start off by saying that conference was so amazing!  They told me that as a missionary, conference becomes such a powerful spiritual uplifting time!  Well let's just say that I experienced something that Moses experienced after the burning bush and being in God's presence.  After the last session of conference, we went back to our apartment to eat dinner and I basically passed out on the couch.  I was so drained physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually!  It was the weirdest feeling but I literally just collapsed on the couch and didn't get up!  Conference was so great!  Did you hear how like 3 speakers talked about the Boston/New England mission?  Ya I'm famous now ;D.  Elder Holland's talk was by far my favorite!  Such a powerful message about standing for what you believe.  I love how he said, "Don't back off the ground you have already won."  Keep fighting and keep moving forward family!  Christ is ALWAYS on our side!

I'm really excited for next P-Day.  Anytime during the mission that there is a holiday on a Monday, the temple opens just for our mission!  Not all the areas get to go do a session, but next week for pioneer day, my area is one of the few that gets to go!  I finally get to go into the beautiful Boston Temple!  I am so excited!  Even better, I'm taking a family name!  Back home, I had remembered that I had reserved a name for me to do and now I get to finally do him!  Such an exciting time for our family!  

You had mentioned some time ago about my pioneer ancestors?  If you still have that stuff, I'd love to hear about them!  Setting up a family history class here in Pittsfield as an assignment from our bishop and it would be cool to share a story about my ancestors!  

 Also have they gotten my plaque yet in the church?  How is the ward doing by the way?  My ward is so tiny compared to Utah!  I had to help do the sacrament here and Elder Bartlett laughed at me because I was breaking the bread into such tiny pieces.  Let's just say it's a very different sized ward here :).

I'm doing great out here!    It's finally sinking in that I CAN do this for 2 years, even if it will be hard.  I

I'M GOING TO BE A FAMOUS PERSON ON TV!!  Haha there is a member in our ward that has his own tv station and he invited us to his studio one day.  We went and he had us be the cameramen!  He's giving us a copy of the show and in the credits it will have me down as the camera guy!  His show is he plays guitar and sings all these older songs for past historical events.  It's actually pretty cool.  After the show, he asked us if either of us sang.  I said I did, as did Elder Bartlett and he asked, "how would you like to be on the show?"  I immediately said yes, and so did Elder Bartlett.  He said he would even ask us what our name tags were about, so that we could briefly talk about the church on tv!  But ya, it won't happen until around May, but I'm still going to be singing on TV!!!  I'll get a copy of it to so I can send it to you guys when it happens :D

The people out here are great.  We're having a little trouble trying to find new investigators, so keep that in you prayers, as well as our current investigator, Feanna.  She's doing really well and believes in this church, it's just now taking that step to be baptized.  I know she will take that step, it's just a matter of when.  But otherwise the area is doing great!  It's finally warming up here too!  It's about 60 today.  After emails me and Elder Bartlett were going to go play tennis.  It's just a great time to be out on a mission!

Well I need to get going.  We have lots to do this week.  I get to go on exchanges with the ZL's this week.  That should be fun.  I like my ZL's a lot so it should be interesting!  I hope you are all doing well and keep up the spirit!  It is a great day to be alive!  Share everyone my love and thank you for all you guys do for me!

Loves, Elder Austin Kimbell