Welcome Home Elder Ure!

Setting up at the airport.

Nice banner Brooke! 

Kemper and Joseph got to join us with their faces on a stick!

Waiting at the airport.....

I see them!  And is that Joseph?! WHAAA?

AUSTIN!

Morgan gas station "Welcome Home Elder Ure."

 Welcome Home ____ (the Elder part got blown away)

 Bolivia flags and missionary banner from neighbor!

Brooke's AMAZING llama birthday cake.

Yep, She made/used fondant.

And the llama is Bolivia's national animal.

 We are all excited and thrilled to have Austin home again!

More in Bolivia

Mom and Dad pick up Austin

7/28/14 Fredy's Baptism and Birthday Week

So what did we do on my "trunky"/bday week? We baptized Fredy!!! Cute little guy that is just real sincere in his disires to follow Christ. He was a reference from his Mormon "future girlfriend" (in his own words) from La Paz. ha! She arrived Saturday and on Sunday at 8 in the morning he was baptized. Its been real cold here this week so that was a concern for us with the water because there are no water heaters in the church here. So we went to the hardware store in hopes of finding something to heat the water. We found water heaters (less the 2 dollars each one) and plugged them in at six in the morning in the baptismal font. Two hours later, the water was bearable. Fredy didn't say anything about the temp!!

Then he was confirmed a member.  Afterwards, he announced over the pulpit that he has plans to be sealed with his wife in a year and that every one has to help him so that that happens! Later we finished with the rescue process of the son of our ward mission leader! So it was a great week after all!!

For my birthday the owners of our apartment is a super old lady (whose bday is also July 26th!) and her 30 year old daughter that is a member and then another young family who are my good friends from the ward. I was studying and all of a sudden they start blasting a song that sang about a happy bday! I went out on our balcony and found them waiting for me with a cake and everything! Then while we were eating my zone leaders came with another cake and juice!! It was a great last week :)

       Elder Ure

Mision Santa Cruz de los Milagros

So I baptized Ozman Chavez by knocking his door. After his baptism he would always be so sad because he wanted his wife and kids to experiment the same...guess what. After 5 months after I left, these sisters baptized his wife AND his SON! :) The will be one of the first people we will visit with.

       

7/21/14 The End of a New Beginning

Well, it's finally coming to an end...before I know it I'll be back in the states again. Rather than saying its ending, it would be more appropriate to say it's the end of a new beginning. My whole mission I've been thinking about the "end" but it's just recently dawned on me that this was just practice for the real test.

While serving the Lord for these two years I have grown to develop a true relationship of Him. I know he knows me perfectly. He knows what I need, when I need it, and how to give it to me. He is my elder brother, my example, my advocate. We are sons of our Heavenly Father, and he wants me to inherit the kingdom of God alongside him (Romans 8:17) For that reason he has used me in ways to (1) bless others, but (2) bless and prepare myself more than anything. I came with the intent to rescue the people of Bolivia, but somewhere in the midst of all that he saved me.

What I have experienced is defined in the gospel as a change of heart, otherwise known as repentance. The Prophet Alma explained that those who are obligated to be more humble seek for repentance, and those who look for repentance will find mercy (Alma 32:13). Well, after walking these Bolivian streets filled with dog poop, trash, and flies under this ridiculously hot sun, I've had some time to reflect, be humbled, and repent. I have felt the atoning power of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at its height. He has called me to repentance and forgiven me in ways I couldn't imagine, receiving more blessings than deserved, bringing me to my knees in tears feeling guilty for the blessings that I don't deserve.

What motivates me more than anything are his many promises given through the scriptures; giving us assurance that as long as we keep the commandments we will be blessed (Mosiah 2:22,41). I testify of that truth.

The Lord has called me to declare repentance and baptism to all those here in Bolivia. The time has come to report to him how I have fulfilled this sacred calling. I can say I've given it my all, but at the same time there's a lot more I wish I could have done. The Lord has taught me patience which is one of my worst qualities, but I know that too was part of his plan for me (Alma 38:3).

I have developed a love for the Book of Mormon that I never knew existed, a respect for Christ's Holy Priesthood that I didn't have before, and a new eternal perspective on life. I thank those of you who have supported me while being here and am grateful for the eternal friends Heavenly Father has blessed me with.

Last of all, I want you to know that Christ lives. He has not ceased to do miracles, give revelation, or direct His Church. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). I am a witness of these things. They say the mission is a tithe of the 20 years of life that he has given us, but even more so than ever, I am in debt to him. And so I return, looking to repay this debt by giving my whole life to him as a representative of him.

See you all very soon.

       Elder Ure

Mision Santa Cruz de los Milagros

7/14/2014 "Last Testimony"

So this week I gave the famous "last testimony" in a zone conference we had with 4 other zones. It was tough. It was very emotional. I had never been so nervous in my mission to talk in front of a large group like that. It wasn't because of public speaking, everyone here knows I'm not afraid of that, but it was because I had to face the reality for the first time. The base of my talk was on how I know that Christ lives. The ways that I have found that out in my mission. 1. He has given me difficulties, tasks, and a President, all to help me with the characters of Christ that I was trying to develop. and 2. the many many blessings that either I have received, my converts or rescues have received, or you guys have received. The Book of Mormon speak a lot about when we keep the commandments, we are blessed (Mosiah 2:22, 41, and many more) It is impossible for me to think that He doesn't live, considering ALL that He has given me.

And that's what I testified about. This week was a festival called Festival Moroni. All the youth in the stake prepared a dance that taught about the Bolivian history and they competed against each other in a big indoor soccer place that was perfectly located inside of my area.  We didn't stick around because it started late, but we brought our investigator who will be baptized ON MY BIRTHDAY the 26 of JULY. The last Saturday of my mission to baptize, perfectly falls on my birthday. So he went and sat with his "Brother of Gold" it's called (someone who befriends them and makes them feel comfortable in the ward) and he had a great time. He has already come 5 times to church so he will be great for the 26th.  

That's what's going on in my life right now. See y'all later

       Elder Ure

Mision Santa Cruz de los Milagros

With the AP from my group. This was after we gave our last testimonies.

 He is basically the only friend I have left here, the rest already finished haha.

Fredi at the festival.

A Brother that helped me so much when I lived with him. He is helping pay for the mission of one of my converts! (we will take him and my two converts that are serving missions out to dinner)

We moved the house of the sisters one day.... The is my pose with the trash picker upper thing.

6/30/2014 Holy Spider!!

The sisters forgot to let the water out of the font after a baptism they had and this is what we found in it hahaha. Yes, its hairy, but it doesn't quite qualify as a tarantula.

This is an activity that we had as a zone. It was lots of fun, we just ate and talked a ton....

Just so you know I wont be writing too much anymore as I wont have anything new to tell you guys when I get home. But I do Love you all.