Portland Temple and Two Talking Birds

Hey Hey..

 

This week was pretty fun! We met a couple in our area where the husband is less active and the wife is a nonmember. We are teaching them. I Love them, they are awesome. they have 2 birds that talk and it is pretty funny when the birds mouth off when we are teaching them and they were watching the elections and teaching us about politics and it was a pretty fun time.

 

We are going back over to teach them tonight and i can't wait to see them--cool people.

 

I DIDN'T know you had those Truman Madsen tapes!!! if i would have known that i would have just had you burn it for me and send it to me, i spent 12.50 for it and i ain't made of money! oh well. those tapes are awesome. It really personalizes the prophet Joseph and shows his personality and all that cool stuff. i love the story in discussion 3 about the loud pitched preachers coming over to talk to him and saying...... "DO I HAVE THE PRIVLIGE TO SPEAK TO A PROPHET OF GOD"..... "Maybe you do... do you wanna wrestle?." That made me laugh pretty dang hard.

 

Yeah i heard about the BYU and UTAH games, not a big deal. i hear the Jazz aren't doing so hot...? what is up with that -- D-Will needs to pick it up.

 

i went to the Portland Temple. It was a cool experience, the Portland Temple is alot cooler looking than the Medford in my personal opinion. i enjoyed it. i liked the Celestial Room--pretty cool experience.

 

i still have the upcoming baptism on saturday and i am teaching him a few times this week. it'll be fun.

 

i like how you put that scripture, Matthew 16:25 because i read that a few days ago and that was the verse that stuck out to me the most..

 

and i have been trying to apply it to my service and also trying to love the people i meet instead of just treating them like a number that makes you look good and that is hard because everyone here is trying to look good with numbers and i don't like that because they are PEOPLE.. anyways...

 

that is about all i got for this week, hopefully something crazy happens next week so i can tell you guys about it..

 

i love you guys!

thank you for helping me build my house on a strong foundation. because when satan sends his mighty winds, they don't phase me.

 

love, Elder Ballif

Another Baptism Scheduled

I am doing pretty good and having another fullfilling week:

• Another scheduled baptism.
• A visit from Elder Kikuchi (Seventy)...  
• Finished the Book of Mormon
• Started the New Testament
• Started Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith just to name a few things. 

we played night games and uno last night at a members house for Halloween and we went to trunk or treat as well. it was pretty funny. Our bishop and his wife dressed up like bikers which was pretty good. And i got a little candy too, even though the candy you sent was probably enough for me??

I did enjoy the package you sent. just the fact that you sent it and i got something and no one else did. it made my day. I am telling you no one gets anything so it is pretty funny to look at when i got the package everyone started hovering over it like a swarm of bees and wanted to see what i got. I enjoyed it. i liked the candy and this time of year is the only exception to that. i was a fan of the stuff i got!

anyways i think those DVDS regarding Lehi and Nephi's journey are the ones--my comp was telling me about them and said that i would like them and we are also buying the Prophet Joseph Smith Tapes from Truman Madsen when we go to the temple for our TEMPLE TRIP!! which is in 2 days. i am pretty excited.. i hear those tapes are pretty sweet. so yeah just saying if you wanna hear some cool things about JS, you should get those tapes at Deseret Book.

(Dad, i just wanna tell you something based off of the way that I learn. I never realized how smart spiritually you must be and how much knowledge you have. i am not saying that i used to think you were stupid by any means... but i just figure me and you think alike, well slightly different in terms of humor and interests but similar.. and just going by what you must know and what i am learning and all the insights i am getting and things like that its just pretty cool not to mention how great of an example you have always been to me even when i was too immature and ignorant to recognize it. I love you!)

anyways if you wanna know what i learned from Elder Kikuchi, just find his talk "Opening the heavens" and read it.. i am sure it was similar. 

well i love you guys i want some Protein for christmas so i can get huge huge!!!!  :)

love, Elder Ballif 

Funny Old Guy

Hey Daddy, Mommie,

Yeah Oregon does look pretty rainy and chilly. but it is p-day so it is time to live it up!!!!!!!

thats cool that that Chicka from your ward got called here, i will see her because their are only like 10 girl missionaries here and 2 of them are in my zone. 

anyways, i miss you and i can't wait to get the package--i cannot wait to get it and i hope that there is some newspaper in it so i can get some info from the outside world.

My week was good and i did alot but for some reason when i email i don't remember anything so i don't really write anything special or specific. but it was filled with funny old people slamming the door in my face--i do remember that. this old guy saw us and when he opened his door and started yelling gibrish and slammed the door. for some reason it was hilarious to me. .

 

I am almost done with the Book of Mormon, i am going to read the New Testament right after i am done with the BOM, which will be cool. 

Um if i could ask for something for christmas i think i would ask for a movie. it is a show that kind of maps out nephi's journey to the americas and shows where everything probably happened and all that cool stuff. that stuff fascinates me.

i love you, Elder Ballif

Getting acclimated to Salem

HEY HEY Poppy! 

 

things in Salem are going good, i have been here for like 2 weeks i believe and i am starting to get used to it. To be honest i would rather LIVE in medford but you know, its all good and Salem isn't too bad. just all the good stuff to do on P-Day is out of our mission so we can't do anything fun! oh well... it rains here like every 3 days, but i guess it is going to change in like a month and its going to rain every day till like feb--just the gossip around town. i enjoyed letters i got this week, from baby ellie and Kim and T.O. double D!!! Ellie looks so cute! i wish i could see her walk... but i guess i will when she is almost 3. 

 

I am teaching a 17 year old named Estivan (i think...) i don't know how to spell it. but he said he wanted to get baptized so i think we are planning that for november 5th.  

i am still learning everything and i am getting better at everything (SLOWLY) so i am progressing and that is what matters to me. i have also been reading alot of the Book Of Mormon, and i gotta say... i don't recommend reading it 10 chapters a day only because it is hard to remember all that i read, but i am working on it. i love Alma 32, and Alma 34.. i am on Alma 56 today so i will be done with the book i think next tuesday? so yeah that is cool, its definitely a powerful book and i don't know why but tears come out of me when i read it.. but its like i can't help it.. i am not crying.. i have only cryed on my mission 3 times... so not too bad--the first time was the day i left for the mtc when i was getting out of the car, the next was when i got the letters from cameron and carsen and Jenns letters of what they say about me.. i LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!! 

 

This mission is teaching me alot of things--mainly so far to trust in Heavenly Father and have Faith in him. To be honest i did not have a strong testimony of many things before i came out.. at all.. But that has changed and as i have been here i have seen some cool things happen that could only be explained as a miracle. i love Heavenly Father and His Beloved son Jesus Christ for his Sacrifice that he made so my life can be ETERNAL, and that if i prepare myself and work at it that i can have an eternal family. that is what i want and am so thankful Jesus atoned for my sins so i can have that.

 

Now i just gotta get others to recognize that.. thats the hard part.

 

LOVE, Elder Ballif

Sunshine on Cold Rainy Days

HELLO! I'm in dang Salem now... and it rains all the time and its cloudy and it is the capitol of Oregon... big whoop. anyways, thank you for the letters. And to the cousins and extended family letters. i think i have started to feel bad for not talking in family home evenings.... but oh well. THANKS FOR THE LETTERS, they are a bit of sunshine in these cold cloudy rainy days.

 

Thats good that byu won. i was gonna jump ship and start liking Oregon instead. so its good that they actually beat another team!

 

Elder Matthews is pretty cool. i haven't gotten to know him too well yet but i am looking forward to, we are in an all bike area and everyone else has a dang 09 Corrolla--im quite envyous. i think i will get over it when i get mad skinny again from all the biking. 

 

That made me sad to know that Elen Belnap passed away, i never talked to her but reading about her life she sounded like an amazing woman. I only hope to have those things said about me when i go to rest in the spirit world.. she truly sounded like a wonderful lady.

 

anyways, i am going to play some basketball!!! so i love you guys and i would like some more emails from the rest of the my immediate family??? i am getting no love on the only day i can communicate with you guys?

 

well i love you and i miss you and i keep you all in my prayers.

-Elder Ballif

2nd Area - Salem, OR

2nd Area - Salem, OR 

Elder Ballif was transferred today. He has now been assigned to serve in Salem, OR. His new companion's name is Elder Matthews. 


His new address is:

Elder Austin Ballif
4840 S. E. Sunnyside Rd, #49
Salem, OR 97302

Transfer this Week

Hello, Parents. I have some news for you guys. i am getting transferred this Wednesday to another location. I do not know where i am going or the companion i will have. If you guys call the mission office you can find my address out and you guys can mail me stuff so i can get it a few days after i get there. if you guys were planning on sending me more letters like the tons i have gotten so far. ;)

 

Anyways, conference was very good. I watched every session of course. there were a couple of talks i didn't really get as much out of as i should have because i was eating. but i will be sure to reread all the talks i heard in the november ensign. So that will be good.

 

Father, i have been reading my P Blessing. I read it more then anything else that i have. Unfortunately i read all of it instead of just the part that deals with my life right now which makes me really anxious to get home and start my post mission life but i do read about my mission quite frequently and i get alot out of it. just letting you know.

 

I got the shaver and the newspapers i think that is awesome that Davis is doing very well, and enjoyed reading about their success and the other articles in the desert news about everything i look forward to continuing to recieve those in the weeks to come. its something to do before i retire for the night.

 

I think i will start to make my letters to the family in one email. that would be alot easier and i could just focus on the main things i need to say, and i think i tell everyone things that i don't tell anyone else. just to make sure you guys talk about me... :)

 

Regarding Ryans emails. i love them, i would love them to continue. I need my nerd fix every week. that is all i am going to say about that.

 

About Byu... i have lost all hope this year... they lost to UTAH STATE..................................................

but that is ok, i think utah state is the team i am going to walk on to when i play football for them... so we will see. :)

 

I also started running at night so my calves can get huge by the time i get back. so that is exciting. they will be bigger then yours. And i will play QB for USU. just you wait. :)

 

Anyways i love you all and its ok that i didn't get an email from anyone except you and jenn. i am just a little sad... but whatever you guys have lives and all. but i love you guys and i expect moms letter in my next Area later this week!

 

LOVE YOU FAMILY! Elder Ballif

Potential Baptism

Yeah, i heard about the byu game.. most of the members here are byu fans and they sort of fill me in. its hard when my companion hates them and loves Utah and shoves it in my face every saturday... :)  oh well,  in 2 years, they will destroy Utah so i am not too worried about it. 

It looks like i will have my first baptism on the 23rd of October, so that is pretty snazzy. His name is Austin and his friend is in the ward and he started coming and we are teaching him now. i have a good feeling about it--i'm not the best teacher but i'm slowly getting better at it. Austin and his friend both like football so i just play catch with them after visits to improve our friendship. i cannot wait till the turkey bowl on thanksgiving. i think i'm gonna have to play tackle--it will be awesome. 

 anyways i love you dad and i am working pretty hard and i am reading and understanding new things everyday. and i know God is helping me out because i am terrible at alot of spiritual things but its getting easier for me.

love you, Elder Ballif

Learning the Developing Missionary Skills

thanks for the advice dad. yeah i heard about byu--they are kind of frustrating me, and my companion is a hardcore Utah fan and he is a weiner about it. he frustrates me sometimes but he is a pretty good missionary and other then the utah thing he isn't too bad--he just rubs it in way too often. oh well i won't get sent home for punching him that is the good news :). 

i am working on my talking skills. i used to have them but now i just don't. kind of frustrating but God is gonna have to help me a little and im sure he will give me the opportunities to work on it and i just need to be ready to do it--which i will do. 

i am reading the book of mormon alot and i challenged ryan to read it, you should not let him play video games until he reads a chapter a day and you quiz him about the chapter. i think that would be good for him and after he reads it enough he will understand how important it is... just a thought. 

i am going to need to steal your shaver... my neck is hurting and shaving this much sucks!!!! just a few strokes with the electric and it feels tons better.. i need it. and i am going to buy a football.. today.. i really have the urge to get good and try out for snow college as qb...but those are just my immature hopes and dreams :) . but i do plan to get buff when i get home because doing it on a mission is too hard. but the good thing is, i am not really focusing on those things and i am mainly focusing on the gospel so that is good. 

i am progressing with my knowledge and understanding of the plan of salvation and all that good stuff and i realized that i didn't actually know a whole lot before i came, but now i do. so i am not too worried about it. now i just gotta become a master talker and teacher and then i will baptize everyone :) !!!!!!!

anyways i will talk to you next week, i love you dad--thank you for your wonderful example as a father. i didn't really realize it till i got here and i do love you guys and i realized how much you have done for me, just so you know. 

i don't have alot to tell you about interactions with investigators our area is like the one with all the members and it is tiny so its been tracted many many times. we are working with some stragglers that have made some wrong choices and we are trying to get them back to church and i have to teach family home evening to a family tonight--so that should be fun!!!! NOT  :) !

i love you, Elder Ballif

Elder Bednar visits the mission

Its Good to Be Tall. See Austin's head above his Mission President!

To Dad:

Hey Daddy, i hope things are going pretty good over there, the work here is going pretty well. i am working on becoming a good missionary and when that happens i will know for a fact that it is the lord not me--because i am really terrible at most the stuff we do. but i am getting a little better each week. now i can hold a conversation with someone that i do not know very well :) -- so that is good. 

That thing with the ward sounds nice. you guys definitely do need to attend the stake center because that new one was not really working out. but oh well, you guys should be fine now. 

Well yeah, i did hear about The Cougars and i was quite suprised... it definitely saddened me on saturday but that was after i heard from Elder Bednar for 3 hours! that was awesome. He definitely taught me a thing or two to say the least. he talked for about an hour then he switched it up to a 2 hour q and a.. so any missionary asked him a spiritual question and he and Elder Ringwood and Elder Maum answered the questions and they told us some awesome experiences. you probably would have loved that and would have got alot more out of it then me -- he pretty much melted my brain. but i think i got out of it what i needed to and that is all that really matters to me so i can help others from it. 

Anyways, dad i love you and i know that the Church is true and that the work i am doing right now is going to bless lives.. i dont really know how many or in what ways but it will and i have nothing to do with it, because the lord has given me everything.. and i owe him 2 years.. at the least.

To Mom:

My Dear Mother,

It is like Christmas morning this morning as i have recieved your email this Monday! haha i love you mom, my mission is going pretty well.. i am trying to just learn learn learn and trying to gain the ability to talk to anyone.. and be comfortable. that is probably my biggest issue.. but i know the lord is helping me not feel awkward or AS awkward and helping me start to open up and hop out of my shell.. so that is good, i still don't think i can talk to females though :) -- they are just scary. 

To answer your questions, i go to the family history center in the nearest stake center to do my email, and i haven't really wrote any letters because your the only one who has sent me any i believe and i am pretty sure that you can still dear elder me?? but oh well, i feel the love from my emails and that is good for me.. i mean the suprises letters do make me happy though. 

i got the money from your friend from work, tell her i said thank you, and that it means alot to me that she doesn't know me and she is willing to help me out--very Christlike. 

My shoes are pretty nice i think they will last for awhile.. i will tell you when they run outta of steam. hmmm i don't really think i need anything.... i mean i would love some letters and some healthy drinks or some slimfast or something like that.. and if you could get some really pretty girls to write me.. but those are just wants... im just kidding. i do not want girls to write me. i would be scared. anyways the only ladies i need writing me are the four i love the most. 

I had the privilege to be taught by Elder Bednar and all i know is.. he is probably going to be the Prophet in the future.. so that is cool. he taught me quite a bit but it was like a brain overload so we will see if i can recall anything later. the spirit was so strong in that room and him and his Companions elder Ringwood and Elder Maum both did a very good job. i think i liked Elder Ringwood more then Bednar.. but that is because i am weird like that, they taught me tons of things and Elder Ringwood stood on the stand and said to everyone, "Elder Bednar and Maum and I could be talking to you about the kitchen sink the whole time and the spirit is still going to teach you something if you try to listen" and i thought that was awesome and of course we didn't talk about kitchen sinks or anything but the spirit did teach me things that were completely different then what they were talking about and that is exactly what he was saying.. and that was pretty cool. well mom i love you, i am trying to make you proud as i serve, i miss you, but i know that you guys are being blessed because i am away.. so that is good.

I love you, Elder Ballif (aka) your eldest son.