New Mission President 😎 Who dis?!

As my title states, the Texas Austin Mission got a new Mission President. I, unfortunately, do not have a picture with them but enjoy the picture of me and my companion for now. President and Sister Carter, what a blessing it is to have them leading and guiding the missionaries here in the Texas Austin Mission. Sister Carter is the nicest, bubbliest person I have ever had the pleasure to meet. President Carter is a very spiritual and powerful man. I am so excited to serve with them for the remainder of my mission. After the meet and greet with the new Mission President and his wife, one of the districts in the zone decided to use the building to hold District Council. Elder Giuffra and I attended because the other Zone Leader was going to attend but it was more convenient for us to go. It was a really good district council. The whole district consists of 2 companionships. . . 4 Elders total. So small compared to what I am used to. haha

Something amazing happened this week! I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Stevens!! This is our first exchange together!! Now I could tell you how much of a blast we had but no words could describe the amount of fun we had together!

We were going to meet them at 8:30 am to start our exchange, but we got a call from them telling us that we would have to pick them up. . . They got towed! So we had to spend the first hour of the day dealing with that mess. Haha, It was the same place that Elder Rice and I had to go to in order to get our car back. So it was like deja vu for me except not at midnight. haha It was a silly start to the day.

We then went to one of the food banks that I started doing when I first came into the mission but then we asked if the other Elders could do it. It was nice to go back after being there for a lot of time!

The day consisted of lessons, blessings, and dinner. Our day was so wild! We weren't able to get a personal study in just because of how wild the day went! The blessings were so awesome though! We were able to meet one of the friends that the Belton Sisters are teaching. We blessed her home and we gave her a blessing as well. She is so sweet and I can't wait to see how she continues to progress! The Sisters told us afterward that the blessing we gave was exactly what she needed with the situation and things she is going through right now. It is always awesome to hear that because we didn't really know anything about this lady. It is just a testament to how God knows us and is truly looking out for each and every one of us. Even if it doesn't seem like it at times.

Elder Stevens and I had a really good review of the day. It was pretty powerful and the spirit was felt. Elder Stevens is a great role model and I am excited to continue to work alongside him in this great work!

Oh, I don't know if I mentioned this or not, but the Temple 2 Elders moved out of the apartment! Since the Morgan's Point Sisters moved into the Belton apartment there was an extra apartment just chillin. So the other Elders were told to move into it. So this past week they had to move into that place. It is so bad. . . I am honestly shocked at how bad it is! They are allowing missionaries to live in a really bad apartment. Not even by anything that missionaries have done to make it bad, it is just bad. When Elder Giuffra and I go into our apartment for the night it is so quiet! The nights are not the same without the other companionship. It is pretty sad :( But I am over it. The space is nice haha)

We had our last call with President and Sister Fox on Wednesday night. It was a really long call! Really good and needed though. They shared their testimonies with us and it was really sweet. I wrote down some of my favorite quotes that they said. I don't have the paper with me right now so I can't put them in this email. Maybe next week if I remember. They will definitely be missed!

Elder Giuffra and I had some time to spare during our companionship study one day. We were at the Black Rifle Coffee Company and played some chess. It was fun! He won. :I It was really embarrassing.

Elder Giuffra was able to see the Tesla light show for the first time. It was so fun to watch him and how excited he was! It is pretty cool that a car can do that. It is pretty sad that it can only be done to a Christmas song. For now. . .

We had our ward's 4th of July party on the 1st of July! It was a nice breakfast with pancakes and bacon and fruit and egg casseroles. Pretty fire! Not as hype as the Aspen 9th Ward 4th of July parties! Nothing will ever beat those! Nothing! We had a parade though, It was fun to watch the kids go around in circles in the church parking lot. Some may have fallen, and I may have laughed. . . But I have repented!

I am still trying to grind out the Ukulele here and there. It is just hard because we have so little time. We are so consecrated over here in the Temple, Texas area. (haha) I have a few different songs I am trying to learn right now. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way! I would love any input!

I was able to start building some Legos that my mother sent me forever ago! I got halfway done and it will probably be a while until I get the other half done haha

Overall a pretty solid week. I have been gaining more and more faith each and every day as I go out and talk to everyone that I can. It has been awesome to be out here. I am at Mosiah 8 with my Book of Mormon reading. Not far at all but we are getting there. Slowly but surely.

That's about it. See ya.

-Elder Kohl Payne