This px is Austin saying he's going to get fat on his mission.Oh, Oh it's getting so close! Austin gave his mission farewell talk yesterday. His subject was Christlike service. We had a good discussion about some of his friends who didn't prepare their talks and did poorly, so he decided to let me coach him. He even typed up the transitions between the stories and the scriptures. While typing, he got off track many times and I found if I left the room, he wandered out too. He practiced it one time. Not a good practice. I was nervous. But when he stood up to give it, he spoke with confidence, rarely glancing at his completely typed out talk. He told about missionary work being the best type of service and recounted his days at Arapahoe High where the Mormon kids all hung out together and ate lunch every day under the big tree out front, "the Mormon tree" and how they always invited Kristen along and she wasn't a member but went to Seminary with them and played their dumb "water drinking games" and how that he even made the supreme sacrifice and asked her to homecoming. (but that was OK because she's attractive) and how later, she listened to the missionaries
and got baptised. I was breathless, and so proud of him up there in his new suit. I thought, "My goodness, Austin can rise to the occasion and be a "real missionary!". There was a surprising amount of people his age visiting the young adult branch in his honor.....Arapahoe girls who are off track from BYUI, and all the younger priests he's been playing halo with in the basement. Our, very supportive friends the Tureks and the Baileys and our home teacher came to the young adult ward to hear him. There's only 15 people usually in that branch. After the meeting, he said, "Thanks Mom, for keeping me on task and being my ritalin."
