Sum up of mission

Hey family!
This last week was a good one!
I got my "trunky papers" in the mail this week haha missionaries call
it that because it was my flight plans and departing letter from
President Brough. I leave at 10:04 AM and I will be getting to Idaho
Falls at 5:55!
Bill L, one of my recent converts from new Albany, came down to
Lexington and took us out to eat at a place called Coba Cocina. It is
a super nice place.

They have a 20ft jelly fish tank in the middle,
hand blown glass lights from Italy, and some DANG good food. For 3 of
us it was about $100 haha they had the greatest strawberry water I
have ever had. It was so good to see him again. He is very active in
New Albany right now. Has a Calling with the young men and also
teaches gospel principles occasionally. I will send pics of the
dinner.
On Friday night Alvin D, our big black recent convert got married
to Tori, she is also a member. And we got invited! It was held at the
Marriott, which is super nice here. The dinner after was amazing. Big
buffet of great food and literally as soon as I took the last bite and
put my fork on the table the waitress took it. Haha it was funny!
Can't believe this is my last week on my mission. It really feels
almost like a dream. It hasn't completely hit me that I'm going to be
home next week... This week is going to fly. We have a leadership
meeting in Louisville tomorrow with Elder Zwick of the seventy. It's
going to be him and like 12 of us. It's going to be awesome!! I feel
like I'm going to get rebuked or something! Then on Wednesday we have
a multi zone zone conference with elder Zwick down here in Lexington.
So that will go all day. And then so far we have 3 meal appointments
of people that want to take us out before I go home haha it's going to
be awesome.
If everyone could please keep Layne in your prayers that would be
greatly appreciated. She has been going so strong and she even gave a
talk in sacrament meeting yesterday and she is getting ready to leave
to college in a couple weeks. But this morning her mom called her on
the phone and told her that unless she promised to stop going to
church entirely she would not send in the check for her tuition. So
basically, her mom was saying, "either you choose college or you can
walk with your Mormon thing". And Layne called us after and just broke
down, she doesn't know what to do. She knows this church is true and
she doesn't regret her decision at all but she has been anticipating
this for a long time and now her mom is just pulling the rug out from
under her. My heart has just ached for her all day.

How can I sum up a 2 year mission in just one email? It has been so
amazing. It's been hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life. And
it's been the happiest, most joyful experience of my entire life. I
will never ever regret going on a mission. And I know I will
appreciate it for the rest of my life. I am so grateful to my Heavenly
Father for trusting me to be here and to teach the people I've taught.
I remember that first night we taught Gabriel and as we were
riding away on our bikes from teaching the best first lesson ever, I
couldn't help but just peddle as hard as I could because of the pure
happiness and joy that I felt. I remember the love I gained for Steve
and Colleen as I watched them change their lives and get baptized. She
was almost like a second mom to me. And as I went to her funeral I
gained an appreciation for the plan of salvation that I thought I
never could. Danny and Spencer were a blessing as well. They
taught me that God cares for his children. And is mindful of families
that have gone astray. I will never forget Emma & Michelle. Who
weren't related but we're both baptized on the same day. They taught
me that God answers prayers and knows the desires of his missionaries
through their struggles. Leiloni and Anara taught me the power of
miracles after her new born baby was miraculously healed after a
priesthood blessing. Bill taught me the importance of being
humble even after 55 years of being alive. Justin  and Nic taught me to persevere even when there is persecution (in his
case it was from family members and close friends). I have learned
many other things from all of my converts. But one of the biggest
things I learned is that baptisms are a gift from God to a missionary.
It's similar to Grace. We don't earn our salvation and we don't earn a
baptism, it is a gift. But obedience, like President uchtdorf put it,
is the outreaching of our hands to receive that gift. I know for a
fact that I couldn't have done any of these things if it weren't for
the Grace of God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Honestly, I didn't
accomplish these things, God did.
Thank you all of you for supporting me for these past 2 years. For the
letters, cards, gifts, emails, potatoes in the mail, cookies, candy,
ties, and especially love. The Lord will bless you abundantly for
that!

I can now say to every one, SEE YA NEXT WEEK!!
Love ya!
Elder Eastin

I'll send a bunch of pics in another email

Sent from my iPad

Short and sweet

Hey Family!
Well this week was interesting. I think it will have to be told in
person to do it any justice! Haha sooooo I'll tell it later to ya when
I'm home! We just got back from playing laser tag and now we are
playing pool at our apartment complex!
Sorry for the short email today haha things are going good and I'm
looking forward to seeing yall soon!
Much much love,
Elder Eastin

Sent from my iPad