Christ the Lord is Risen Today. A-a-a-a-a-le-e-lu-u-jah.....

Hello All!

Greetings from the almost Springy (I am not sure if that is a real word. If it's not, I just made it one.) Land of Orillia.  The sun has been shining and we have been getting Pre-April Showers off and on.  It is warming up a bit, which is nice.  I was dying a couple of days because it was hot!  7 degrees (I know, I know.....all things relative, of course.)  I am kind of excited to be able to take my suit jacket off when I am proselyting.

 Speaking of that time - I am SO EXCITED for conference.  I cannot believe that it has been six months already since we last had this incredible opportunity.  The marvelous chance to hear from a Prophet of the Lord.  He truly is an inspired man.  I cannot wait until Saturday!

We had a great week!  We were able to teach most of our investigators.  Some of them even several times.  Our most progressing would probably be Kara Stanton.  She has quit smoking and she says that she no longer even has a desire to smoke.  The habit disgusts her.  She was at church on Sunday, and,
coincidentally enough, Jessica Haime, another investigator at church, knew her from High school.  They hit it off pretty good.  Kara was talking about quitting smoking with Jessica and she was offering lots of encouragement.

We also took quite a few members with us this week to visit Kara.  We had Brother Cook, Josh Ribalkin, Brother Wilson, Kevin Witlox, and Dustin Pearce.  She told us that she knows she wants to be baptized eventually and that Elder Day and myself are not going to be here forever, so she wants to
get to know members of the branch. We were not able to meet with Len Longin yesterday.  He called during Zone conference and left a message saying that he had the flu.  He did say that he would see us on the weekend for conference though.  I am excited to have him hear from our beloved prophet speak and to feel that incredible spirit.

Justinn and Kim met with us a few times, but they bombed our appointment on Saturday and didn't come to church.  We haven't yet gotten in touch with them since.  Hopefully everything is okay. I am so very grateful for the opportunity to be here in this wonderful place doing this wonderful work.  I pray that each of you is striving to be a missionary as best you can.  As you live the gospel, you will see that it
truly has the power to bless our lives and the lives of those around us.

Preach My Gospel is an incredible resource.  At the Beginning of the Third Chapter, it says that the manual contains the important doctrines that we can "Study, Believe, Love, Live, and Teach."  I encourage each of you to use this incredible tool that we have been given.

I hope that everyone is doing well.  I love you and miss you all!  Have a great Week!

Your Obedient Servant,
Elder Austin James Ashcraft

P.S. - "Be the Labor Great or Small, Do it well or not at all!"

-It's not where you serve, but how.