Elder Austin Rich : 2017-10-22

Nyob Zoo,

Since it is Fall, it is starting to get really pretty here. The trees are all changing to yellow and orange so it’s really pretty. As well, since it rains a lot here, and I mean a lot, there are a lot of rainbows. And there are really pretty sunsets here. I’ll post some pictures below.

This week, a lot happened. On Sunday, it was my first time translating the entire sacrament meeting. AND…it was alright. It was hard, but I did the whole thing by myself. When I say the whole thing, I literally mean the whole entire thing, There were a lot of things that I didn’t know how to say; there was a lot of awkward silence. But it was a good learning experience for me which was really cool.

This week we also had the opportunity to go to Hmong conference. Once a year, as many Hmong members that are able to go, they have a big Hmong conference in one of the cities. This year it was in Green Bay. The night before, we got to stay in Sheboygan with the Hmong Sheboygan Elders which was fun. I got to stay with my old MTC companion, Elder Lamb. So Hmong Conference, the best way I can describe it is, it’s like Stake Conference but it’s on a Saturday. We had a few speakers, and then a lunch get-together, and then we had some workshops. It was really cool to see all the Hmong members in the State. My companionship got to specifically work with the youth group. It was really cool because I love working with the youth and hearing their testimonies. It was just really cool. Since it was for the entire state, we got to see all the Hmong elders, so it was really fun to see all my Hmong buddies from the MTC. I also got to see Elder Green, who is a year older than me but he went to Jordan High School with me and was on my frisbee team. He’s speaking Hmong too so it was pretty crazy to see him again. It was also his birthday that day as well.

One funny thing that happened in one of our lessons this week, well there were quite a few funny things, but one funny story that happened was with one of our investigators named Kelly. I had just said something about the gospel. Elder Vang started talking, and he told her that basically, “I agree with what Elder Tshwj Xeeb was saying.” But instead of saying Elder Tshwj, he said Elder Txhwj which means he basically called me Elder Trouble or Elder Worrisome instead of Elder Special. It was really funny.

I’ll just end by saying that missions are awesome, but at the same time, they are really really really hard. These past three weeks being in the mission field have been some of the hardest weeks, if not the hardest three weeks of my entire life. I feel like I have adjusted to the routine and what I am doing very well, but the language makes everything 1,000,000 times harder. There is a missionary who has been out for 18 months and he still isn't fluent yet. This language is very difficult. But at the same time, the last three weeks have been really rewarding. When you’re working with people and you see how, through the gospel, their lives change, and you can help them through the gospel, it’s really awesome. A lot of times, I go up to doors, I embarrass myself, my language is trash, and the people don’t understand what I’m saying - There are plenty of hard times. Honestly, 15 hours of the day, it’s just hard! It’s a grind! You’re just working working working. BUT, there is that one hour of the day, where you get to teach the gospel and you can just see how it’s helping them improve their lives. That’s honestly what keeps me going- seeing how though what I”m doing, how it can help people improve the quality of life and help them to become better people and to help them have a happier family. I’m grateful for missionary work and I’m grateful for the Hmong people. I’m grateful for my family. I miss you all.

Talk to you all next week.

Love.

Elder Tshwj Xeeb

Pictures: (1-2) This is a huge Hmong garden area that we went to and all the Hmong people were giving us food to eat. Anyone who wants to grow a garden here can for free. (3-4) Hmong conference with the old gang and Elder Green who I played frisbee with. This was his 20th birthday. (5)This is an old picture, but Elder Green is in the back on my 18th birthday at 5 Guys in between frisbee games. (6) We went to a Thai Garden in Madison for P-day (7) Amazing sunsets