Were to start. First this week has been a lot of fun. To begin me and my companion (Elder Spencer) came into the city brand new to it. This means none of us have ever been here before. The missionarys here call it white washing. When we came in we only had one investagator and he was having surggery so we haven't been able to meet with him. When me and Elder Spencer saw this we were determend to make that change. Well you can't have any investagators if you haven't contacted or found anybody to teach so this week we basicly did a whole ton of contacting, and the strange thing is I like it a ton. You know how I always said that whenever I get a job I hope I am in a position to talk with people. Well contacting is just talking with people and that is just it and I have the funest time doing it even if I get rejected I just had fun trying to get them to listen and watching there reaction. This is practicly the best job for my personalty. I have set ways in wich we are supposed to find and teach people but other than that I can chose which ones I use, how I use them, and were I can use them at. I have my rules to guide me but I also have the flexibilty to work in a way that is most comfortable with me. I also learned that I have the most succes when I talk to eveyone on the street, WHENERVER we are out and about. Whenever I pass someone and I didn't even try I feel terrible because what if they were ready to reacive the gospel and were looking for it. Oh well no use crying over spilled milk I just got to live and learn and that is what I have been doing. My trainer is very helpful in this He teaches me what I should or shouldn't do and when it comes to the language he makes me right down everything I don't know, Tells me how to say something (like a certain way to approach), then he makes me do it he doesn't let me slack off. He makes shure that I am always working whenever I have strength. That is another good quality he doesn't overwork me, he can till when I need a break and coensidly slows down enough for me to catch my breath but than he keeps me going.
The language is still frustrating but I know it will get better. It already gets better everyday despite me not learning that many more words. Though I was almost killed on sunday because the english copies of General confrence were buggy and we only had the bulgairian ones. So I was privleged to sit through four hours of bulgarian. I guess I will have to wait tell two weeks from now before I can hear the sunday sessions in english. The reason why is in the branch here since we don't get it live we have to wait for the dvd copies to come and then we take two sundays and watch both days one days worth of sessions one day and the next days worth on the next sunday. Dad don't worry about sending me a Confrence ensign. We will get enlgish ones for the missionarys here within a month which would be about the same amount of time it would take your packege to reach me since I only reacive mail every time there is a zone confreence.
Now to answer some questions. First Starza Gora isn't that big Elder Spencer and I can walk across it with out going to the far outskirks in about 20 mins. It is the only major city in bulgaria with strait streets and it is very beautiful here. Second, yes mom I do have a washer, but no dryer but that is fine we just hang dry and that works out well except I have to always Iron my shirts. Is there a trick to making it so they don't wrinkle if they hang dry. Third, we do have a pretty nice apartment.
Now for some highlites from my week. First highlight, me and my companion were at a big intersection when all of a sound we here tires sweel, a thump, and horses scream. We look back into the intercection and there is a black van slowing driving away from the middle of the intercection and from behind it there is this gypsie cart with its horse lieing on the ground with its tounge out and its head and front right leg shaking. Me and my companion thought it was dead and were both thinking -Great now we have to help haul a dead horse from the middle of the intercection.- Well we didn't have, the driver of the cart got out and while his wife was most likely swearing at the other drive in gypsie (me and my companion don't know gypsie but she was shur mad.) the driver grabbed the reigns and pulled on them. The horse stoped shaking looked around as if it didn't know what had happened and then got up (it took about three tries it was still a little woosy) and walked out the the intercection. Aparently what had happened was that the van had tried to beat the cart while making a turn but then some one else had cut him off so he had to stop and then the horse tried to stop but couldn't and so ran into the van and was knocked uncouncious. I have never seen a anamil get knocked uncouncious and to tell the truth after we knew the horse was fine it was really funny. Next to that we found some pretty cool people that I hope will investegate the church. Taught my first to english classes (I basiclly just gave the spiritual thought and shared some examples.) Had a language hour with one of the members here (her name is Lily.) She knows perfect english and is really cool. I have now had my first Bulgarian Banitsza, Milka bar, and ???(N-i-ya)walflee (soo good.)
I am running out to talk about my self sor now onto you guys. First Mckenzie have fun at sadies and the best way that I found to get along with marcus and erik was by just loving them and trying to take a intrest in some of what they did. That applies to you to Katie. Second Granpa Harmer take care of your self you mabey able to run a marathon but that doesn't mean you have to beat the young people at it to. Still love you to death though. Dad I will take you on that push up challenge because you haven't seen my companions push up work out that he makes me do. He promises me that with that work out every single one of his companions have been able to get to one hundred push ups. Mabey I will send you a copy of it. One more thing it seems unfair over the course of two years I will get lighter and you will get fatter. Just kidding (about the you getting fatter part of course. aparrantly it is really hard to gain weight on this mission even my companion who eats as much as an elephant is still losing weight. Mabey it's because there is only healthy food here. Mom sorry I have No picks for you but I will try again next week. Max don't worry it is really fun out here and it isn't that heart wrenching nerve racking incredibly frustrating to learn the language. Plus you got a boost on me you will be in country learning the language I can't tell you how much it helps just being able to listen to other people speak the language all the time.
I love you All So Much Hang in there.
LOVE,
Austin James Ewell
It is so fun to hear about your mission! Hope you find some people to teach!
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