Welcome Home, Austin!

Leaving the mission is hard.  You have found happiness doing something you love, surrounded by people you have learned to love, so why can't you just stay and keep doing it?

 I am sure Austin is not the first missionary to have that question pass through their mind.  He wanted to stay so bad.  He still had people he was working with.  He wanted to stay and help those he has taught along their path.  He loves his mission Ma and Pa (President and Sister Heap).

He found great joy in teaching people the gospel and helping other missionaries achieve success. Austin gave it his all these past two years, and we are so proud of his hard work and who he has become.  And though his good byes in Texas were bitter, (they were so hard Sister Heap couldn't stand it through the pictures)

The welcome home in Washington was SWEET!

He has said countless times, it was hard but it was the BEST two years!

God's Gift to Me: Asking Me to Sacrifice To Serve a Full-Time Mission

How do you end a two year story in one email?

My mission in one photo. Transfers: Kermit x5, San Angelo x1. Quaker heights x2. Heritage x3. College park x5... I'll need one more of college park when I get home.  McKenna rocks!  (McKenna has his last transfer picture ready and waiting, she just wanted to give it to him in person.) 

I've spent all of my allotted time each week sitting at the computer and typing as fast as my fingers could go in order to try and convey all of my thoughts and emotions. In the beginning it was to get things off my shoulders, and to share my experiences with others because I missed the connection I had back home. Then it was to show people how much I was changing. I wanted people to know that I was having success and doing my best to be a real "missionary". Then it changed again to writing so that I could invite others to come and see that this Gospel was changing me. 

So many people say that they have to see it in order to believe it. God most likely isn't going to send an angel down to you, or have you talk to a burning bush, have you swallowed by a whale or kill a lion with your bear hands, to "show" you a sign. If you're looking for something to see in order to believe- look at the long lasting effects that living the gospel has had on my life these past two years. Some results take time to measure but don't wait until the bitter end insisting you need to see in order to believe. Some of the greatest things in life- love, friendship, honesty- cannot be "seen" physically. They're only made manifest through the actions of others. 

I've loved everything that these two years have done for me. I always said it was a sacrifice to give up two years- and it is. But a sacrifice is giving up something good for something better. And I realize that this "sacrifice" was God's gift to me. Two years to find out who I am, and what direction I want to take my life. Does that mean I have it all figured out? No... far from it. But I have a better idea to go off of and I will forever be grateful to the family, friends, missionaries,and my God that made this all possible for me. 

 

Almost a year ago to date I smashed my toe with a post hole digger while doing service out on a Ranch in Gail, TX. That experience has come back to haunt me as my toe has been causing me pain all week! I went in to a doctor because there was danger of infection and he gave me some shots in my toe (which hurt like the dickens) and then proceeded to entirely rip off my toenail. I'm still mad I forgot my camera in the car and didn't get a video! I haven't been able to walk as fast since and I've had a limp, but I'm happy that the infection is taken care of and I'm still able to do missionary work! Hopefully it will have healed up by Wednesday.  On our road trips I have to prop it on the dash board to keep it elevated:

Last Saturday as our preparation day was drawing to a close I received a call from Sister Heap, who was attending the Fort Stockton district conference with President. A man there by the name of Modesto Diaz was interviewed and found worthy to receive the Melchizedek priesthood and wanted Elder Sork to ordain him to the office of an Elder. The Heaps had called to invite me down to attend that meeting and confer the priesthood on to my good friend Modesto. I made the trip down to District Conference in the southern part of the mission with my good friend and companion Elder May and had a wonderful day at the meeting and afterwards greeting old friends and being back in the area that I loved so much. 

Modesto was fast tracked through the temple classes and interviews and received a temple recommend in order to enter into the Lubbock Texas Temple and receive his endowments. For the second time in my life I was able to escort a good friend as they went through the temple for their very first time. What a wonderful experience that was. Over the past year Modesto has gone from digging holes to walking with a walker, and now can only travel distances in a wheelchair. I was able to push him through the temple and the session dressed in our whites as I watched the first man I baptize make additional covenants with the Lord in His holy house. At the end of the evening I hugged Modesto goodbye, knowing this may very well be the last time that I see him in this mortal life- but I know I will see him again someday if not in this life, then the next.

That same night we had the opportunity to do baptisms with another member that we've been working on getting back to the Temple. I found Greg almost a year ago in the chapel and referred him to the YSA Elders at the time and he was baptized. We were able to participate in the confirmations as he did baptisms for the dead. What another great experience that was. 

We've found some pretty cool people to teach these past two weeks and we're hoping to have a few of them at church tomorrow. It's nice to be back on a college campus teaching all day. Although many meet with us to simply satisfy curiosity we know that we are fulfilling our purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ, and that's what matters. 

Elder Major and I will be leaving a gap that needs to be filled and our replacements came in this Wednesday to help out with transfers and get things rolling for the future. We're leaving things in good hands and I know things will continue to roll forth despite my absence. I'm not fool enough to think this couldn't work without me! I know that it was a privilege and a blessing to get to work this closely with President and Sister Heap and my current companions. 

People are always asking- "How does it feel to be coming home?"  Excited? Scared? Stressed? Sad? Happy? Honestly, all of those and even more. I've had a good time out here. I've learned a lot. I've experienced a lot. But I recognize that this isn't a finish line crossed, but a starting line that I'm reaching. I've still got the rest of my life ahead of me and these two years and the 18 before that I have experience to draw from. 

With each new faze in my life I've received a new name. When I was born, I was Austin. 

Then at 8 I was baptized and received the name of Christ. 

In the Temple I received a name as well.

Then as a missionary I became Elder Sork. 

 I've reached a landmark and I know my name will be changed again- back to Austin. A name I haven't heard in a long time. Life works very similarly. You first are a child then you cross some invisible lines to become a teenager, adult, husband or wife, parent, grandparent, and eventually even great grandparent. You go through these stages of life and just when you think you're starting to get it you get kicked out and have to move on. 

It is the same with a mission. Two years ago I fit my life into two suitcases and a carry on bag. And I'm fixing to do it again in the next few days. (Except for the boxes he has sent home over the past week.) 

If anything, I've learned that no effort is wasted. Diligence in prior stages of your life directly effect the future stages that you have yet to experience. We are to learn from the past, live in the present, and look forward to the future with an eye of faith. We cannot control things like the past, the agency of others, the weather, government bureaucracies, culture, personal limitations, or the personality and actions of others. But we do and can effect our attitude and behavior, the roles and parts that we have to play, and the choices we personally make all along the path. 

Since others have said it before, I will reiterate their profound words of advice:

"... the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

 -Edmund Burke

"Wherefore, be not weary in well- doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. and out of small things proceedeth that which is great." (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33)

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17)

"The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best medicine for despair is service. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired." 

-Gordon B. Hinckley

I love you all. I know that I am on the path that I need to be. I look forward to the race ahead of me and seeing all of you again. Stay strong and be actively engaged in a good cause! I love you. I love this mission. And I love my Lord and God. 

Stay gold, and may God bless you. 

Your friend, missionary, brother, and son,

Elder Austin Daniel Sork

We ALL Can Return Home

I'll go ahead and start off with my favorite part of the week which was yesterday-

My companions and I invited all of our recent convert friends from the college park ward to go with us to the open baptisms at the Temple at 7:00 pm Friday night. Six of the eight we invited were able to show up and for 3 of them, it was their first time at the temple. We had Chris, Daniel, Jesus, Shay, Manny, and Jonathan all there with us and it was such a spiritual experience. Sitting in the baptistery dressed in white I couldn't stop smiling as my friends entered the font to do baptisms on behalf of those that never had the opportunity here in this world. I love that part of God's plan, that he has thought of all of us, and loves us enough to give us all a chance to return "home". We got a picture outside of the temple and it's a photo I'll cherish forever. 

These are all recent converts except my companions and I. I witnessed all of them get baptized and I worked with them all. Great, great, great guys. I love them with all of my heart! That's what missionary work is all about. I've learned to love these people so much, and I will be missing them just as much as those I missed back home when I return there. I'm grateful for the miracle of Facebook and social media that can help me stay in touch with them all. This is a picture of me with my recent convert friend Ricky Gonzales. His last Sunday was this past week so I had to say goodbye to him then. I'll miss him but plan on staying in touch!

Another thing I am going to miss is the Texas sunset.  Here is yet another beauty!

In contrast, here is what hangs on our office computer:

That was a great way to top off another fantastic week of missionary work. We went on exchanges again this week with zone leaders from around the mission and they came into our area again. But now that Tech is back in session we're teaching a lot more lessons and don't spend as much time knocking doors and apartment complexes. I was getting tired of talking to angry apartment officials about how we weren't "soliciting" anything! 

We've found some sweet new people that we're teaching- a lot of whom are freshman. I think it has to do with the fact that they're away from home really for the first time in their life and so they're looking for something to help them cope with that and they find God or think of the things they were taught as children and turn back to it. So we get a lot of interaction with students struggling with home sickness, girlfriends they left behind, family, friends... the list could go on and on, but it's been sweet how we've been able to help because we, as missionaries, have all faced the same exact thing. We've been able to help out a few people struggling with those feelings and although they aren't necessarily interested in our message it makes me happy to know that I've made someone's day a little better, and perhaps their life a little easier. 

The weather here has been crazy (like always). One hour the hot sun is beating down on us and the next it's pouring BUCKETS on us. The roads and streets and sidewalks were all flooded over and cars were stalling out in the streets. Lubbock doesn't have any drainage systems like they do up in Washington and I think I'll put a petition into the city mayor or something here to put in some storm drains before I leave. I think it'd be a worthwhile investment! During the "sunny" hour my companion and I were helping a student move into a new apartment which meant we were able to use our truck and we loaded his furniture all up in the bed. The "rainy" hour occurred as we drove to his new apartment. So we quickly scrambled in our white shirts and ties to lug all of the furniture and belongings into his apartment before anything got to soaked. By the end of it we were drenched and we got a call from the mission vehicle coordinator that we needed to ground our cars and not use them because of the flooding. So we drove over to the institute and parked and went inside to teach some people that had gone into the building to find cover from the rain. I miss the soft drizzle of home- when it rains here it pours- there's never an in between. 

I've been tired this past week but that's to be expected. The best feeling ever is to walk in after a long day, plan, make some calls, and then to fall asleep shortly after your head hits the pillow. Elder May is still recovering from his surgery so he sleeps out on the couch and I'm supposed to sleep in the same room so I've been sleeping out on a mattress in the living room for the past two weeks or so. I'm loving it because it's the closest thing I've had to camping in the past two years! He's recovering well though and he's not letting it slow down the work any. I really admire him for his diligence and perseverance. He's a trooper. 

This last week will be full of transfers and lessons as we work on the crowded campus and plan for the upcoming new missionaries and changes occurring in the mission. It's going to be a crazy week but I wouldn't want to have it any other way. 

I look forward to coming home and getting to know all of you again. Thank you for all of your love and support. Stay strong for me this week and I promise I'll do the same. You're in my thoughts and prayers always. Love you tons!

Your missionary, brother, son, and friend,

Elder Austin Daniel Sork

Sacrifice

"These are the times that try men's souls..." when the mission is coming to an end and you realize that things are about to change. For better, or for worse- its going to be up to you. I won't lie- thoughts of home bother me, and I'm worried about being back with the same influences, people, and things that used to take up my time. But, I try my best to shove all of those thoughts off to the side as we continue knocking doors and doing the work of the Lord's missionaries. I've realized you have two decisions in times like this- let those kind of thoughts consume you and have a pity party for yourself all day, or realize that the time will come, acknowledge it, then wrap it up, put it in a box with a bow, put it on shelf, and get to work. Lying to yourself that the time will never come doesn't prepare you, but dwelling upon it does you no good either. Some things are just impossible to have control over and your life is already crazy enough without worrying about those things that you can't change. 

We had another bird come into our apartment this week.  He was quite friendly.

Besides chasing birds, this week was spent doing missionary work and interviews with President. Monday and Tuesday were days spent working at the food bank and getting in community service for a few hours followed by some good missionary work. Elder May is a fantastic companion and I love everything that he does for me. Despite his surgery he's up and about, walking a bit slower than usual, but moving around nonetheless. His recovery has been miraculous and he's not wasting any time when it comes to getting up and getting working. He's an energizer bunny- always wanting to go, go, go. It helps me a lot as I tend to be more of an "Eeyore" (Winnie the Pooh reference) when it comes to unpleasant things looming in my distant future. He does a great job of getting me up and moving and making sure we have something to do at all times of the day. 

We're all still learning- two years doesn't make you a perfect missionary and we've realized that knocking doors just isn't working. It's not. So we've been setting goals to have more lessons with active members to teach them the first discussion to practice our teaching, as well as to invite them to pray and ponder about someone they would like us to go visit. We don't ask for "referrals" because that adds a load to their minds. We ask for someone that's been on their mind that they would like us to go visit- member, nonmember... it doesn't matter. And in that way we hope to be an asset and not a burden to the members of our ward. I've come to realize that if you're just always asking for "referrals" to go visit people will start avoiding you because they get tired of saying, "I can't think of anyone!" and meaning it completely. 

That being said, we still take time to knock doors with time between lessons and service. You have to know- it's not pleasant to knock on doors. I don't get some fierce joy out of it- quite the opposite. So you have to ask yourself... why do these kids, these missionaries, knock? Why do they come and bother me at my door as I try and go about my day? The answer is because we believe what we teach. We do. Or we wouldn't be doing this. There will always be exceptions, but for the most part- we shoulder past the discomfort, the awkwardness, the stress, and the tiredness, in order to share a message with people that we truly believe can change their lives. And I know it can change lives, because I've had the opportunity to see it happen.  

Wednesday Elder May and I embarked with President to begin interviews with the Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, and Abilene Zones. We visit each of their cities and meet with the missionaries there to see how they're doing and to provide instruction on new missionary tools and things that the church provides us with. We also get to eat out a lot.  One of the popular restaurants here in Texas is Chick - Fil-A.

It's nice to see old friends as I travel around the mission.  I was able to see Elder Walker, a really good friend and one of my previous trainees.   

It's always good to see missionaries and old friends as we travel and this trip was no different. Riding with President is always a treat as we have the opportunity to ask him any kind of question that we can think of and listen as he imparts some of his knowledge to us. I've learned a lot from President Heap and I will love him forever because of the valuable life lessons that he has helped teach me. 

We've found 6 new investigators in the past two weeks and we're working with them to help them build a firm foundation in the faith of Jesus Christ. I love what I'm doing. I wouldn't trade these two years for anything. Some may say I'm a fool because I've given up much in order to come here to the dusty lands of Lubbock, Texas. But a sacrifice is giving up something good for something better- and that's exactly what this experience has been- a sacrifice. 

"The greatest sacrifice I ever made was giving up something I loved for the God I love even more." -President Thomas S. Monson

I love the gospel, I love this mission, I love Texas, and I love you all and miss you very much. Please stay strong and true to who you are. 

Love your friend, missionary, son, and brother,

Elder Austin Daniel Sork

If You Put the Whole World On Your Back, It Will Crush You

It sounds like everyone back home is staying busy! I'm glad to hear that Carson had a great birthday. I miss you all so much! Especially my siblings- I'm looking forward to getting to know them again and show them who I've become over the course of these past two years. 

Way to go for picking/ trimming the weeds along the road! If anything, I'm sure God gives you some "creative" points for thinking outside of the box with the limited budget! 

(My letter to Austin this week was about the Stake High Priest Group Meeting/Dinner Eric and I were in charge of.  I sent him funny pictures of Eric and I out along the road picking wildflowers to put in my canning jars for centerpieces at that evening's dinner. 

I also told him about us being up to our elbows in chicken thighs, BBQ sauce, baked beans, bowls and bowls full of diced tomatoes and green onions and how crockpots and roaster ovens galore lined ALL our counters and table tops.  It was comical, but I also told him about how stressed we were about pulling it all together - thus the following wise counsel to his parents:)

I've gained a firm testimony of delegation while I've been out here- I drove myself insane my first two transfers in this current assignment because I was trying to do everything myself. Just like I used to do back home for school projects, work assignments, etc. etc. I realize if I put the whole world on my back it'll crush me eventually, so the challenge is finding and surrounding yourself with good friends and good people that you can trust. When that happens, you slowly but surely can begin to change by giving assignments, and sharing the load of the world with others around you. There are approximately 7.5 billion people walking the earth right now that can help you- there's no need for you to carry that weight all alone! Christ delegated things all the time- he sent his apostles out to heal, and preach the gospel even when Jesus himself could've done a much better job, he himself being a perfect person. So that teaches me that its not always about getting the job done right- but about the process and growth that delegating provides to others around you.  Delegating is an act of humility, trust, and charity. I haven't gotten perfect at it, and I know I probably never will. But it just goes to show that although not the easiest way, Christ's way is always the better way for us in the end. 

This week we got kicked out of a few more apartment complexes. No one seems to like us knocking their doors! But its our only mode of finding people to teach at this point. The next semester starts at Tech here in about 2 weeks and the students should be back in full force then, but for now it's the 2 week break in between semesters. Things are slow, but it's not stopping us from getting out and about and doing our best to find people willing to listen to our message! 

A highlight of the week:  I got to go out for dinner with the senior couple from the singles ward again, the Jorgensens.  I just love them!  We've been able to go out a few times: These are pictures from Dinner at Blue Sky and a Lunch at Rosa's.

We played Frisbee golf at a park here in Lubbock last Pday. It was good fun! It took some getting used to throwing a real golf Frisbee golf... they're not ANYTHING like a normal Frisbee, but it was a fun activity and we got some good memories in. 

This week we've picked up a few new investigators that we're pretty excited about and we're doing our best to teach to their needs. One of them is a man named Malcolm who has been confined to a wheelchair most of his life due to cerebral palsy at the age of 3. His days mostly consists of eating, sleeping, and working out. He's a really good guy and he wants to be a trainer at the gym, and he goes out every morning to do laps on his wheelchair and lift weights and things. He says he does it in the hopes that people can see him and say, "If he's doing hard things, so can I!" Sometimes we get down and tell ourselves how hard our lives are.. at least I know that I do! It would serve me well in times like that to remember people like Malcolm. The mission has done a great job of helping me look outside myself to see people like that. 

We went on exchanges this week with some zone leaders from the North part of our mission and we brought them over to our area again like always and had a good time knocking doors and teaching some lessons. Again, it's so funny to see people's faces as they open the door and find guys, their own age, standing in white shirts and ties on their porches. Some emotions include utter bewilderment, anger, confusion, fear, and disbelief. My favorite to see is "utter bewilderment". 

On exchanges with Elder Johnson and Elder Gray, we found some glasses in our apartment and tried to take the most awkward picture possible.  We don't really look like that when we are out knocking doors, though some of the looks we get from people makes us feel like that.

Elder May had to go in this week on Thursday morning at 6 A.M. for surgery on a hernia and I being his companion had the opportunity to go with him. Early morning! We went in and got everything sorted out, he got cut up, and we went home only a few hours later. Thursday was a rest day for him and I was able to spend some time updating the area book, cleaning the apartment, writing in my journal, and studying the scriptures. I even had time to make myself a pizza for dinner- homemade dough and everything! Although I don't like sitting inside all the time it is good to take a breather and have that time to reflect on how things are going and if I'm achieving the kinds of things I hoped to be at this point in my life. Elder May was fun to be around, especially as he was coming out of the anesthesia. 

I refrained from filming but it'll definitely be in my life comedy if I get to make a movie or that sort of thing up in heaven, haha. The doctors said it'll be three weeks before Elder May can participate in sports again, but we were allowed to go back to missionary work as soon as the day following the surgery. So we've been taking it slow, but still taking steps forward in the work. 

To top off a good week I had the great opportunity of going through the temple with my good friend Omar Fuentes. He asked me a little over a week ago if I could be his escort, meaning I'd be with him every step of the way. I accepted and was able to go to the temple yesterday night with him and walk through the endowment session with him for his very first time. I don't know who was more nervous- me or Omar. It was a really spiritual experience for me though and I know that he's going to make a great missionary as he leaves for his mission in October to the Tacoma, Washington mission as a Spanish speaking missionary. This is what missionary work is all about- planting seeds and watching them grow. Omar is a great friend and a reminder to me of overcoming my personal weaknesses and shortcomings as he makes his own known and then overcomes them himself.

Elder Stringham came back from his home in Utah to be at the session and some other missionaries from the past as well. It was good to see them, but especially to see Elder Stringham. I've missed that guy. He's doing well and a great example of what life should be like after the mission- it should only get better from here on out and if you're not happy its because your missing something!  What an example.  Have no fear, Stringham is here!

After the session with Omar I was able to walk into the sealing room of the temple to show him what it looked like. The mirrors facing the alter look into each other and the reflections go on for "eternity". I plan to be keeled at an alter across from my future wife in a room very similar to that someday. We as a church believe in eternal marriage. Something that at times, can seem daunting. Eternity?! That's a long time. Driving last week we passed a billboard that made me sad. It read:

Uncontested Divorce:  806-566-HOPE That seems so backwards to me. 

Although there are some relationships that need to end, I think we've made it so easy just to quit. All to often I think people look at marriage as a 50/50. You give 50% then your spouse provides the other 50%. But... on a bad day when maybe one or both of you aren't feeling up to the challenges that a marriage brings the 100% required slips. It's better to give 100% on both sides. And it's also important to recognize that marriage is supported by God- so he's always providing 100% for you too. So- on a good day your marriage is blessed on an upwards of 300% effort and diligence, and on a bad day, maybe when you can only give 98%, you're still sitting on a 298% cushion. Just some food for thought I guess. 

I love you guys! I hope everything is going well for you back home and that you're finding success and happiness in your endeavors! Stay strong and stay gold my friends!

Love always,

Your friend, brother, missionary, and son,

Elder Austin Daniel Sork

Doing Is Becoming

Hey y'all! Things down here in Lubbock continue to go well. Apparently a cold front is supposed to be coming through here in the next few days or so, which I'm personally looking forward to! We've still been waking up to go running in the mornings and by 6 am it's already 84 degrees! Talk about making running worse than it already is! But again, I know it's good for me and I hope one day that I come to love it. I enjoy it after, but never during! Weird how so many things are like that. 

This week Elder May and I traveled up to the Panhandle area of Texas to conduct interviews up north in Amarillo and the smaller towns further up along in Tornado Alley. We had a good time interacting with missionaries and sharing a small instruction with them and answering questions they had about the work and problems they faced in their areas or with their companions. We left Tuesday morning and got back Wednesday evening just in time to attend institute with some of our investigators and recent converts. It was a great lesson and afterwards, like always, we went and played ultimate Frisbee with members of our ward. Its a great way to meet new people and a fantastic "finding" technique as well. Although we have fun, we always remember that we're missionaries and we keep our purpose in mind. 

This week I've been kicked out of 3 apartment complexes for knocking doors! As much as we insist we're not "soliciting" anything they kick us out anyway. No one likes the missionaries knocking on their door unless their in need of serious help or change. For the most part we just make people feel uncomfortable as they answer the door excited to see a friend or something and instead they see us smiling and standing on their doorsteps. Some of the faces we get in the split second the door opens and they recognize us are hilarious. 

International students are all coming in for the School year beginning here in about two weeks. In the past few days we've talked with people from India, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, and Jordan. They all are so kind and offer us a bottle of water and a place to sit for a moment. We share our brief message with them but they have all declined politely for us to come back and share more. Most of the Americans are the ones that slam the doors or run us off their porches. Those who profess to be Christian but don't treat us accordingly. I don't say this because I'm bitter- more of an invitation for self reflection I guess. Many of us say we believe in something- but if our faith doesn't change us in some way then we aren't living what we believe. Actions and faith should be completely independent from prejudices and ill feelings towards others. An all powering and all encompassing faith allows us to act and it dictates all that we do and say. If you say you believe... do you act like you do? Actions always speak louder than words. One of President Heap's favorite quotes is, "What you do rings so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say."

Its been a tough couple of days. Again, filled with knocking and teaching a few scattered lessons. We've picked up a few new investigators and are getting in some service around the community at the South Plains Food Bank. The thing I love so much about our small Young Single Adult (YSA) ward here in Lubbock is a vast majority of the members are recently baptized converts of only a few years or less. About a third of the active participating members are new to the church and jumping in with both feet, ready to get involved. They're such a great example to me of what this gospel can mean to people that don't have it. It has the power to change attitudes, families, and lives and a mission has given me the opportunity to see all three things happen. 

When I was younger I remember just hating asparagus. It was green. It was gross. And I didn't want ANY of it on my plate for dinner. Now that I'm older I've come to actually really like it and I take a good heaping portion when I have the opportunities to eat it. Over the course of our lives I've heard that our taste buds change with age and with that age, I assume, comes experience as well. I've noticed a similar change in myself spiritually. I used to love doing things I knew were not good for me- physically, mentally, spiritually... whatever it may be... and "choosing the right" was some hard thing that seemed to be more of a burden than a blessing. As a result, I chose the "left" at times I should have chosen the right and enjoyed it. With time, and experience, just as my taste buds have changed, so has my spirit. The things that once kept me back from going on a mission- the things I loved doing and the people I loved seeing- are now the things that are going to make it the hardest to return home. Back home I wanted to live the gospel, but also have a summer home somewhere in Babylon. I'm still imperfect in that respect, but I've gotten better and experience has provided me with change. Doing has given me a testimony that talking and discussing could never bring. Over time my attitude towards the gospel has changed as I've lived it and as I continue to learn it. 

Now, I just hope that change in attitude can carry over to running as well! Keeping my fingers crossed.

A lot of my friends have left the Texas Lubbock Mission recently and I miss them a lot and the examples they set for me. I appreciate the hard work and love they put in here. I hope to stay in touch with them and keep up with them when I return home myself. 

I love you all! I miss you, but I love what I'm doing. When you're inside reading this in an air conditioned room you can imagine me out knocking doors in the dry Texas wind and heat. I'm out to fulfill my purpose and I know the clock is ticking. But I have a firm resolve to continue serving with no regrets. Stay strong. Stay gold.

Love your missionary, friend, brother, and son,

Elder Austin Daniel Sork