Monday, January 28, 2013

January 28, 2013


=D Hello!
I bought a ukulele last monday! 8] I'm not that good yet, But I've only had it for 1 week. I like to play the childrens song book hymns though! They are a lot easier than the other songs Elder Oxborrow knows how to play.
My week went well though! It has been getting warmer here, and infact it's supposed to be a low of +3 on Wednesday! So we are super exciteed. I'm done with -40 with wind. I actually even started wearing a touque. Still no gloves though usually.
We have found an apartement! And Elder Oxborrow and I (Probably, dependingon what happens with Transfers in 4 weeks) Will move into it here in the next few weeks. It's nice. Big. Big enough for a 2nd team of Elders....
I unfortunately don't have a whole ton of time again today. We are going out to Lunch with the Elders Quorum president. He is an officer in the Army, so we are going to eat at the officers mess at the army base! Cool, hey!? It's a 4 course meal! Ah... I'm so excited, it sounds delicious. And then we are going to go play Volleyball at the Quebec chaple with some of the other missionaries who are up here from Rimouski and Drummondville (That is where Pouine was invented!! Drummondville!)
We have a baptism planed for the 9th of February. We are excited. Constance. She is 20 years old, and super ready to be baptized! I can update next week! I love you all, and have a fantastic week!!! =)

Elder Austen Oviatt

Monday, January 21, 2013

January 21, 2013


Ah! Mes Amis! I am so sorry that I didn't get an email to you last week! The other missionaries needed to do something important ( I have no idea what it was...) and so I let them use the computer, than I forgot that I still had an email to send!
Well, I don't know if anyone heard, but I have a new companion! Elder Wright left me on Wednesday, and I got a new missionary named Elder Oxborrow. He is not new, so I am not training anymore (thank goodness!). Elder Oxborrow is from Tremonton Utah, and is awesome. He started his mission at the same time as I did, so he actually knows what he is doing. And it is great to have a missionary with a little bit of experience. Someone who can share missionary work with me! Gah... Glorious. I mean, I love Training, and I will get to do a whole wackload (aparently that is a very Canadian thing to say. Elder Oxborrow likes to point out how many Canadian Stereotypes I fit into. It's awesome. I love being Canadian, Eh!) of it here again in the next few transfers with all the new missionaries who
will be coming in. So I'm getting my kicks in now while I can!
Elder Oxborrow has spent the last 6 months in FallowField Ontario, and this is his first French area, but he speaks very well. I am grateful for that.
This last week was great, but we had a few minor incidents that were a little bit ridiculous. We had to catch the bus to go to a Supper with a member, and then I decided that I knew a faster way to get there than we normally took. I was wrong. And yesterday it was freezing cold. Like, 60Km/h winds, gusting to 80. And -28 with wind I believe? We walked about 2 clicks. We crossed a few highways, and fell in a few snowbanks, I Almost lost my ears... Elder Oxborrow stopped me and was like, Uh... Elder Oviatt... The tops of your ears are like, white... Haha, Yeah for frostbite! I warmed em up and we were good to go again, this time I kept my hood tighter on my face. The snow at some points was hip high, and we were trudging through it like a few pioneer scouts, looking for the nearest shelter. Stopping under overpasses and exploring fenced off areas. =) And we did all this in our suits. That my friends, is classy.
Things have been going very well other than that. Elder Oxborrow has a Ukulele, and so I have started to play the Uke. I can almost play that one version of Somewhere over the rainbow by Iz what's-his-name. That huge Hawaiian guy. By the time I get home I will basically be a professional.

I love you all, and I hope that you have a fantastic week. You are all the best. Every single one of you. Shout out to Elder Bates who just turned 21. Gross.
Elder Austen Oviatt

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

January 7, 2013

Hey everyone! happy New Years!!

I hope everyone had a great Dec 31st, I know I enjoyed myself. Sang Karaoke, watched everyone do some dances, chicken dance, hokey pokey... all the good stuff. It's nice to know that those classic songs you always hear at the dances are also present at dances in Quebec. =)

Life is great though! Transfer calls are this weekend! Pfht! It has NOT been 6 weeks since I arrived here, but I guess it has! Not expecting a whole lot to change though, President already warned us that not a whole lot will happen here this week. We have President Cannon coming up with Sister Cannon for interviews Tuesday! That should be fun! We have a little bit of last minute tidying up to do, but... it's accomplish-able. 

As for me, I shall share a few of my new years resolutions.

1. I resolve to try harder to eat better. I can tell you though, thus far, it isn't going so well... But That's OK, I have 350 days left to improve!!
2. Learn Spanish! It's just starting. For sure, I'm not able to hold a conversation, but thanks to my french, I already understand 60-75% of what Spanish people say (the percentage gets smaller the faster people speak)!!
3. Focus on others. I have spent a large part of my life (like 19 years of it) Thinking about me. What a pleasure it is to be able to think wholly about others. So I want to take advantage of that and truly try and focus my thoughts on what I can do to help others even more. 

I have a few others, but I don't have a whole ton of time left today (Man, life is just difficult for a missionary... We never have enough time for anything.) We are going to the Ice Hotel here in Quebec today, and we still have to do our grocery shopping. Life was so much easier to manage when we had our own vehicle. =)

I love you all, and I hope you have a great week! Drive safe, Canadian roads are the worst!

Elder Austen Oviatt

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The sliding door in our apartment often freezes up, and it makes super pretty crystals when the sun hits them right!

The balloons we set up for the balloon drop at midnight!!

Remy Lachance-Leblanc. Our most recent Baptism here in Ste.-Foy!  December 12th, 2012

 I wore a brutally purple sweater with a nasty green tie to zone study. It was awesome. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

and a Happy New Year!

Hello everyone!! 

I can't write a whole lot this week, My Branch is actually just about to start a new years eve party! We have spent all day playing risk (3 games) and then we came to the church to set up for the party. It's going to be a blast. goes till 12. Countdown and a balloon drop. I'm impressed with us. It looks really good!
Anyways, I love you!! Happy New years!!

Elder Austen Oviatt

Merry Christmas!

Hey!! Merry Christmas to everyone! Joyeux Noel! Feliz Navidad!!

Yeah, that last one was in Spanish... No big deal...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I know I did! These last few weeks have just been insane. I love christmas, but I dont think I like Christmas on the mission. You don't work at all, and then just the thought of going back to work just makes you feel icky inside. It's crazy how a little bit of lazy can corrupt a whole 7 months worth of hardworking habits! Main en tout cas... Last week we headed up to MOntreal for our mission christmas party. it was tons of fun, and made me feel very small. I have spent the last 7 months in Quebec, in the Quebec zone, so to me, that is the extent of the mission. It doesn't go further than the Quebec zone. But it does. And their are so many missionaries there... and I thought I knew them all... But I dont. Not even close. =) But we watched Princess Bride! That was tons of fun! And we got flu shots. I enjoyed that one. It didn't even hurt at all! I was impressed! 

Then we had christmas up here. Lots of doing nothing. Played Risk, and this other risk type game. It's Japanese. And a touch more complicated than risk. But fun. Then we played some ball hockey with the branch. That was fun too! Got to open presents (I got Skunky!! Woot!!)! I don't really know what else to say. I am excited to forget about Christmas. I love the season, and the feelings that it brings, but it has killed missionary motivation. =) But that's OK! because we will forget about it here in a few days, and then next thing we know it will be August, and everyone will be freeking out about how much time has passed... Gah, gotta love being a missionary! 

Anyways, I have to go buy some groceries! I love you all, and have a happy and safe New Year!!

Que Dieu te bĂ©nisse,

Elder Austen Oviatt