From Elder A. Goff - "Family, Friends, and Loved Ones Around the World

Elder G

Well Everyone,

It was our first week covering 2 wards and 2 branches. What an adventure it has been. We spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning in DuBois. We decided we had better go to Dubois as soon as we could. It's the only place we haven't been. We have been in the North part of Lander so it won’t be hard to learn the South part of Lander as well. We go to Fort Washakie a couple times a week and know the area pretty good so we headed out to DuBois to learn the area. Only problem was that the last Elders didn't update their area book in a loooong time. The last update was in February. We didn't know who the Branch Mission Leader was. Didn't know who they had been teaching. All we knew was that they loved going to DuBois. So we went up the same time that they did. Thinking they went that long because they were busy. WRONG! I have a feeling they used it as a vacation most of the time. When we finally figured out who the branch mission leader was we got a few names of people they had been teaching. Which still wasn't enough to spend 3 days there. So needless to say we have some work to do. And an area book to fix...Well actually 2 of them. Their Lander area book doesn't look so hot either. DuBois is beautiful though. Where we stayed with a member we were right next to the wind river. So I spent some down time chasing Geese and Deer. (I didn't catch any) Plus DuBois is surrounded by beautiful Red Rocks. I have to admit it made me think of St. George. And it also snowed up there on Saturday.

On Tuesday we had a really cool lesson with a younger guy Named James. I think he is 22. He and an LDS girl had a baby recently and they were having some problems so she moved back with her parents and James decided to take the lessons. It was incredible! He had a lot of good questions and a few misconceptions as well. He told us he learned a lot and had a lot of things cleared up. He was impressed that we were regular guys. We had struggles in life too. He enjoyed hearing our personal experiences as well. He figured missionaries would be stuck up and think they were the best thing in the world. We knocked that out of him pretty quick. We taught the Restoration and he felt like it really made sense. So I guess we will see. We are supposed to teach him again tomorrow.

Now to explain why I am E-mailing so late today. Elder Ika and I spent from about 10 to 1 helping Brother Alexander the guy we live with around his place. Then we went to Popo Agie falls. (Pronounced PaPO ) Heck I don't know how to make the sounds with letters. I'll just send a video of me saying it. :D Anyways. It's about a 2 mile hike and Elder Ika and I had a ball. We hiked to the falls and even went a little farther and got some incredible pictures. I took over 100 pictures today. So I won’t be able to send them all. Sorry. :D

I also think that I am getting fruit allergies! Bananas have bugged my throat for a long time, but now I've noticed that watermelon and cucumbers do the same thing. I don't know what's going on. Haha I just avoid them now. Is it possible to develop allergies to food later in life? I've heard both ways. Or am I just paranoid? haha

I would also like to give a shout out to my main man Daiton. I was thinking about him the other day and wrote down in my planner to tell him I miss his guts.

Thanks for the pictures Tiff. I'm sending a picture with this e-mail of my BRICK of pictures. It's pretty rad.

I love you all.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

Current Area: Lander, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder Ika

Drive to DuBois

The Falls

From Elder S. Goff - "Preaching the Gospel is like Dating Girls..."

Elder Goff and a Banana Tree

Well Jason it’s just about your birthday so feliz cupleaños and today is my buddy Jordan browns birthday.

This week has been good for the most part. On Tuesday this week after district meeting we helped out some other elders with a service project to cut a lawn. I thought it was just going to be something little but it was like a ranch, but it was fun. I like cutting it with machetes because I was never able to do that before. I was given a new name as well. I'm now samari Goff. The other elders told me that the way I cut the grass and weeds down I should have been born in the time of armies with swords. Well, my middle name is Garrett and if you look that up it means mighty with a sword so I guess I now found my calling haha. When I get home and am out back swinging a machete around and cutting the weeds Danny might look out and wonder what is going on out there but no worries.

We had a less active family go to church with us this past week and the mom told me that she felt happier than she ever has and doesn’t remember why she ever stopped going. She loved it and had a great time so I was happy. Her grandson’s name is Nephi and he is 6 years old and idk why but he loves me. He thinks I’m his best friend. In church he made my comp scoot over so he could sit next to me. He is a pretty cool little guy.

I gave my talk this week in church as well and it went good I thought. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I was going to be. It really is my biggest fear to talk in front of a crowd like that but I’m getting better. You’d think I would already be able to because of all the times in stake and school activities but nope I’m still trying to learn to not get so scared.

I had a kid come up to me when we were in a store this week and ask if my hair was real I said yeah and he asked to touch it I told him your kind of weird but if you want to and he did. I guess he has never seen some one with natural hair like mine. There are girls that dye their hair like mine but he was amazed with how real mine is.

We will find out changes this Saturday. I’m pretty sure that me and my comp aren’t changing but if we did that would be nice. He and I get along and all but idk if I would get along with him a whole another change but I guess well see. I’ll just keep him going till his last day if we end up not changing. He will be number 3 for the comps I have killed off, meaning I was their last comp.

So I bet you might be wondering about the heading for this letter but its a great quote and its so true... preaching the gospel is a lot like dating girls...because if you don’t tell them why you are there, they will just want to be your friend.... its so true cause a lot of the time people think we are just their buddies and that’s cool but we’re not here just to be buddies. Our purpose is to prepare people to be baptized so we have to make sure the people know that.

Well I love you all and hope that this week goes well for you all. I miss yall and I’ll see ya soon

With love E.GOFF

P.S. Mama Wolfe, your son is a great kid and I miss being close to him like I was but he’ll be close to me when we are off the mission so I’m sure we will keep in touch and don’t worry Elder Wolfe is keeping me in line even though we are aways away.

Current Area: Down Town Tampico, Mexico - Unidad
Current Companion: Elder Alderete

Elder Goff and a Banana Tree again

Elder Goff says, "Me and some dude I found, really drunk, but he had a vegas shirt on so I had to take a picture with him. He says he knows where Mesquite is so we are best friends now."

Elder Goff and a sweet car he found trying to be like Dukes of Hazards

From Elder S. Goff - "Hello Hello!"

Me at the institute building where we go to church at

Well hey first off I want to give a shout out to Mama Wolfe. I heard that she might be out there reading this and Ethan told me to tell you he says hi.

This week has been really good I was really really worried about giving a talk this Sunday but then when they never called my name in church I was pretty relieved. The bishop told me that I will have 20 minutes to talk this coming week now. So I will have another week of worrying about talking in front of a bunch of people. My biggest fear is talking like that so is all kinds of excited as you guys could think.

this week on Tuesday we were walking after district meeting me my comp elder Rodriguez and elder Lundstrum and I was looking down talking to Lundstrum and hit my head so so hand on this cement shade thing and was just perfect for a big white dude to hit his house almost good enough to be a booby trap but anyway I thought that for sure I hit it hard enough that it fell over but no worries I didn’t hurt it. Today I was walking with Lundstrum and he actually got hit by a car backing up. It was funny because nothing happened but he has been able to experience the real Mexico now.

We had interviews with president call this week as well mine went good but they are always so short but I learned that short is good and long is bad. If I have a long interview is when I need to start worrying about what kind of elder I really am.

It was my comps b day this week as well. He is now 20 oh yeah and he reminds me everyday how many more days he has just 70 something more.

I entered a house this week with carpet. It was crazy because it’s been so long but it was nice and I couldn’t believe it at first but it was real. I also had mango pie this week that blew my mind!! It was so good!! I don’t like mangos but the pie was great.

This week we had 3 people with us in church witch was great and we had another one that went to the wrong building but its ok because he was there. We are working really hard and I'm not going to stop. We had some less actives come to church as well this week so I was happy for them. I felt so great in church and so happy this week just to have some members realize that we are working. Things are going good and I hope they stay that way.

I love you all and hope you guys have a great week

Till next time, Elder Goff

Current Area: Down Town Tampico, Mexico - Unidad
Current Companion: Elder Alderete

Elder Morgan, Elder Lundstrum and Elder Goff

Me as Iron Man and Elder Alderete

Goff, Wolfe, Tovar, and Ochoa

Elder Wolfe and Elder Goff

From Elder A. Goff - "Transfers...Guess what happened this time?!"

Cowboy Baby

Family,
So I'd like to start out by telling you all that Elder Ika and I set some pretty lofty goals during weekly planning for the last week of the transfer. We haven't set goals so high since I have been here. We felt we could make it happen though. It was quite the week. We were going full speed all week and it went by really fast. We ended up meeting almost all of our goals and finished the week out with 26 lessons. Which is pretty good for the area we cover. Once again we did not have the car and it rained on us a lot. What else is new right?! Haha At first it was fun to ride around in because I knew I would at least have something good to write home about. Now I'm just sick of the rain and snow! Always covered in mud and looking like a couple of bums. On the other hand I know as soon as it gets really hot that I'm going to complain about that as well. :D There is just no such thing as a happy medium.

There is a guy we teach named Jay Parker. He is an older guy and served in the military in Japan for 3 years or so. He loves to talk about government and things and we aren't allowed to talk about that kind of stuff. However, He is Mormon already he just doesn't know it. As in he talks like a Mormon and has a lot of the same views. So we printed off a talk which I'm sure most of you have read or heard at some time in your lives. It's called "Our Divine Constitution" by President Ezra Taft Benson. It is an incredible talk and I have been thinking a lot about it since I have read it almost everyday for the last week and a half. I suggest that you all look it up and give it a read. Plus a book written by Glenn Beck that I have skimmed through at Jay's house it's called "Common Sense". It seems like a neat book and it will be one of my first reads when I get home. It's just interesting to see how Prophesies are fulfilled just like they are supposed to. On the front of my new planner I put a couple of things that I have been thinking about a lot.

My Planner

I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose. -The Lord (D&C 101:80)
We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said, "Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction."
This next one I absolutely love....WE THE PEOPLE...NOT THEM THE GOVERNMENT :D
-Church and State-

Since God created man with certain inalienable rights, and man, in turn created government to help secure and safeguard those rights, it follows that man is superior to the creature which he created. Man is superior to government and should remain master over it, not the other way around. Even the non-believer can appreciate the logic of this relationship.

-Ezra Taft Benson.
I don't believe there should be a national church. However knowing that God set up this country and kept it hidden for ages, for this nation to be built up on this continent. I feel that God should always be part of this country. :D -Elder Goff

So now that I have that out there I can get back to transfers so you all can stop fretting over where your dear Elder Goff could possibly be and in what situation. So Transfer calls came on Friday. Elder Vallejo is finished with his mission so we knew he would be leaving. However, His companion Elder Leslie was sent to Dillion. Which we did not expect. So now Elder Ika and I are covering 2 wards and two branches. 2 Wards in Lander, A branch in Fort Washakie and Also a Branch in Du Bois. (Pronounced DO BOYS to people in Wyoming) (To the French people who named it, it is pronounced DO BWAA) :D haha It should be interesting. President Gardner sure likes to do this type of stuff to me. The first time I trained I was doubled into Helena and Townsend. A transfer later we were taken from Townsend. Then 2 transfers after that we were given Boulder to cover as well. So now he has done it again.. Combined 2 areas into one. I was finally getting to where I felt like I knew most of the people. Now we get to do it for another ward and branch. I guess I can never get too comfortable. :S So now I’ll give you a list of all of the little towns we have been covering and the new ones we will cover. Old ones: Lander North, Hudson, Fort Washakie, and Ethete. New ones: Lander South, Crowheart, Burret, Dubois and Jeffery City. It's quite the list. By no means are these towns big. But they are sure spread out. Take a look at a map of Wyoming and find them all. :) So that is what is going on. I am staying in Lander with Elder Ika for at least another 6 weeks. It should be good. The elders who are leaving said they can see me being here for 9 months. We will see about that. I don't think I'll be here quite that long. I could leave next transfer unless I train again. Well heck I can’t rule that out. It's happened before with elder Child right? :D haha

I love my new suit. I’m looking pretty fly on Sundays. It's the only time I will wear it so I can keep it looking nice. Things are going well. I love you all and keep the letters coming. I have been wanting to ask Tiff for a while but I keep forgetting to. I need a couple of addresses, but I’ll send another short one to you with the names. Thanks for the tie too :D It's a pretty one. I even got a tie for Sawyers Birthday. That's pretty neat.

Joli thanks for your e-mail. You sound like you have a very exciting summer planned out with Tiff and with youth conference. Be good! Also be nice to your parents. I know it's probably hard to be there with everything going on, but just do your best. You are probably there because you are stronger than the rest of us kids. :D I love you little sis and it was sure good to hear your voice a couple weeks ago. LOVE YOU!! CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

Thanks for the update on JR too pops. I have a hat I still need to send to you.
Live, Laugh, Love, (I see this in a lot of Mormon homes) :D

Elder Austin Gene Goff

New Suit

Where's my horse?

Austin's Caption was.. "HAHAHAHAHAAAA"

Elder Ika and Elder Goff :)

Current Area: Lander, Wyoming

Current Companion: Elder Ika

From Elder S. Goff - "Shout out to Brian Bingham!"

Hey PEEPS!!!

Well this week has been good to start off I want to give a shout out to Brian Bingham. I met someone that thinks he knows him his name is bro. Carballo his served in the Puebla mission with presidente Grover and Gardner. He thinks that I looked like Brian or something and told me to see if he remembers him.

Bout this week. It was pretty good. First off we taught a great lesson to a lady that has a bunch of questions about dying. I think it was the best lesson I have ever taught. It was about the restoration and next time we will teach the plan of salvation but it went great and she was asking questions the whole time and involved.

Another lesson this week with a lady and her daughter that we have been teaching went great as well. We went with our stake president who is a great man. He was also a mission president and president of a church school in Mexico City and now is stake pres and the institute pres here. But he went with us and the way he teacher is so powerful and he knows the scriptures so well. He is so bold when he teachers not in a rude way but loving. It was great and just a great example for a lot of people. We are going to go and teach these people again tomorrow and try to put a baptism date in and I hope it all goes well.

We found a part member family this week that is great. The dad is a less active and he has 3 boys one is 21 one is 18 and one is 16. They are great people and the mom isn’t a member but the dad has a testimony and just likes to smoke more then he likes church. He is going to start working with him and his family. He is the only member in his family but they are great they fed us and everything the first time we visited them.

so when I was talking to my comp this week he told me he thought his last 2 exchanges would be the most laid back but this is his 2nd to last and he says he has worked more then he ever has.

So I also have a talk in church this week 15minutes about missionary work and the bishop told me to put stuff in to get the ward motivated. My comp doesn’t have to give a talk so I'm on my own.

We have just been working as hard as week can and I’m trying so hard to not let my comp slow me down but he is trying to so hard but I won’t. I love you all and hope all is well have a great week.

Love Elder GOFF

Current Area: Down Town Tampico, Mexico - Unidad
Current Companion: Elder Alderete

From Elder A. Goff - "Snowing Tuesday, Mowing lawns Saturday"

Hey there family.

What a week! I'll tell you what. You should all enjoy this e-mail. I'll see what I can do to make it entertaining. So last Monday was good. Played a lot of ball and had a good time. I have noticed that ever since I hit a year that my mail is steadily decreasing. Sad I know. I still have a few who write very faithfully, and for that I am very grateful. So thank you faithful letter writers. To the rest of you...You can do better than that. :D haha

Tuesday we woke up at 6:30 as usual and found as we looked out our window that the snow that had been predicted had not appeared. Then 2 hours later we looked out and HUGE snowflakes were coming down. It is beautiful to see. I wouldn't mind living here just to watch it snow. The aftermath is what drives me crazy. This snow was very wet, very heavy snow and it pretty much snowed through Wednesday. What an adventure that was. We actually had the car for the first time this transfer when it has snowed. As we drove for place to place we were talking about how we wouldn't have a good story to write home about since we weren't on our bikes. So we went home at about 9:30 and gave ourselves something to write home about. We got on our bikes and rode in the snow and huge "SLUSH PUDDLES". It was a lot of fun. I want you all to know that I got completely and totally wet and muddy and I really enjoyed letting the kid in me out in all his little glory. Good Times.

I would also like you all to know that the snow melted in record time and the streets were rivers on each side. Then on Saturday we were in Hudson and mowed a couple of lawns. It was pretty incredible. I have a firm belief that you should not be able to have a foot of snow on Wednesday then be mowing lawns on Saturday. It totally screws with my understanding of Mother Nature, and how she operates. Back home I hear it is 90 degrees. That sounds little more like what May should be like, but no..SNOW SNOW SNOW!!  haha.

On Thursday Elder Ika and I didn't have a dinner appointment. So Elder Ika whipped up some Sloppy Joes that we were both craving anyways. Sloppy Joe Craving? I know..Give me a break. I'm a missionary not a health nut alright? :D So we each ate way too much, way to fast and then we went to play basketball at 8 Pm. With some members and less actives. If you are all thinking...Bad idea Elder Goff...you thought correctly. We played 3 games to 15 and they were pretty intense. I thought several times I was going to leave Sloppy Joe all over the court. I was able to keep it all down don't worry. Until we got home that is. I went in to use the bathroom and when I was washing my hands I started coughing and I made it to the toilet just in time to get rid of it. Bye Bye sloppy Joes. Needless to say I don't think I will be craving Sloppy Joes again anytime soon. I'll be writing "NO SLOPPY JOES" on the dinner calendar next time we pass it around.

Also On Thursday when we were playing basketball I took the points of a couple of fingers to the nose when I was taking the ball up. I went crashing to the ground and thought for sure I had a broken nose. I felt it and it seemed alright so I stood up and My nose started bleeding from the inside and Where I got hit on the outside of my nose it was bleeding as well. haha He got me good. I'm alright. I have an ugly scab on my face now though. Silly fingernails. People should really trim them before they go around stabbing servants of God in the nose with them. :D I'm really lucky it wasn't my eye honestly. I would have been in a world of hurt. I still was, but I’ll have you know I stayed tough. Went and got cleaned up and came in and our team won! WOO HOO! See what happens when you punch Elder Goff in the nose...He comes out victorious. Elder Rocky Goff. ;)

Alright enough of the funny stuff. This week we had 3 re-activations which are equal to 3 baptisms in my book. Sonny Shoyo, A member out on the rez who started coming back when Elder kuck was here. Since he started coming he has only missed one week and he even called President Larsen to let him know he couldn't make it. Then a lady and her daughter here in Lander as well. Her husband died in a car wreck less than a year ago and has had a tough time with it. and as never been super active, but we have been visiting with her every week we can and she has been almost every week to church and was called as a relief society teacher about 3 weeks ago and taught for the first time Yesterday!!! WOO HOO!!! Plus her Daughter has been coming as well! I think I like re-activations almost more than baptisms. :D Sure feels good to see that happen. Gotta love it all. It's all the Lord's work.

I wanted to ask Tiff about my other memory card. As long as you have everything saved then erase everything off of it and send it to me and I’ll send the one I have now to you. You will all enjoy the pictures and videos on there.

We find out Transfers on Friday. I'm not worried this time. Whatever Happens is what the Lord wants to happen. I’m starting to see that more and more in life.

I love you all and it was sure nice to talk to everyone on mother’s day. You are in my prayers always.
Love,

Elder Austin Gene Goff

"I love doing this. Helena 5th ward could be my witnesses."

"Wind River District and Zone Leaders on top"

"We Da Eldas"

"HAHAHAHA Matching sweaters. More to come"

Current Area: Lander, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder Ika

From Elder S. Goff - "I wouldn't rather be anywhere else"

Haha Jason’s face is awesome that’s so funny he looks like he got torn up. It was great talking to everyone yesterday I wish I would have got to talk to you and Jason a little bit more but Christmas is coming quick :)

So I didn’t really tell too much about this past week when I was talking to yall but last Monday turned out to be a good day. We got 3 lessons done on a p day contacting and that is tough to do in our area. My comp was mad at me because I wouldn’t go and hang out with the sister missionaries and I said that it was time to work but we found some really good people. The 1st lady that gave us a bit of time to talk was way happy to talk to us. She says that she sees missionaries all the time but they have never talked to her. We taught the 1st lesson and gave her a BOM and she was happy for that too cause she said she had never had a BOM before. She was a nice lady. Another guy that we talked to on Monday was at night when we wer5e headed home. He saw standing outside his house and we walked by and just said goodnight cause we needed to get home. He was like hey you guys are missionaries huh. So of course we went and talked to him. He said he used to talk to elders before but it’s been awhile and asked if we could come in and say a prayer with him. We went in and he told us that his cousin was really sick and he knew that we could help. We said a prayer and asked for a special blessing on his cousin. It went good and we made another appointment with him but he wasn’t there so well look for him again this week.

My comp has been getting blisters like no other. I feel bad but I don’t understand how. He has so much time in the mish I thought his feet would be just like rocks. He always wants to take taxis but I never do because it’s a waist of money when we can walk places so he doesn’t like that but it’s good for him.

Everything is going good here though and I love it. Wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. I love you all and miss you like crazy but time is flying by.

-Elder S. Goff

Hey ask Joli if Josie Browning got a letter from me and ask what they did with the boxes I sent home please. And can you please send me a converter thing for my memory card to usb. Cause the cable for my camera has problems. Thanks sis I love you and I miss you.

Current Area: Down Town Tampico, Mexico - Unidad
Current Companion: Elder Alderete

From Elder A. Goff - "Good Talking to Everyone"

It was so good to hear everyone's voices. I talked to Pops and Mops and Joli. Tiff and Jason. Glen and Garrett and I also Called Sister Mangum. I got to talk to Preston who called me. I even tried calling his mom, but she didn't answer. So I just left a voice mail. Seems like everyone id doing pretty good.
Jason's Eye looks pretty rad. I have a scar like that above my right eye. I took an Elbow in Basketball my sophomore or Jr year I don't remember, but I had to get stitches too. Way to beat up the young men Jason.

I also got a letter from sister mangum today. She was a little unhappy I claimed she would come to Lander and hit me. Therefore, I take back what I said. She wouldn’t harm a fly. :D All Better?!

I'd like to remind Mom or Tiffany. I would like the Recipe for Tater tot Casserole and for Texas Sheet Cake. I'mma cook :D Please and Thank you. I don't really have a whole lot to say. I mean come on. I talked to you guys yesterday. It's all good. I'm happy I got to though. Make sure you forward my actual e-mail to Sister Mangum too. She likes to see all the pics.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!!! (I lost count though) :D

Love, Elda G

I forgot my stinkin camera cord. I'll send double next week. Cross my heart

Current Area: Lander, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder Ika

From Elder S. Goff - "An Answer To My Prayer"

Elder S. Goff..  Wearing a sweet tie his sis sent him :)

Well, this week has been tough. This whole change will be tough I think. So, to start out with, there was not even one invesigator in this area at the 1st of this week so what have we been doing?? Contacting non stop and my comp hates its so so much. He tells me I work too much and I need to slow down but I told him no.

As I contact houses a lot of the time, he is behind me sitting on the curb or trying to find some shade. One good thing is that my comp loves ringing door bells. We are in a rich area and lots of people have door bells and the houses are huge here so I have my comp to push the button. Its really nice lol I feel like I'm babysitting at times but I'm just trying my hardest and trying to do the best I can. He gets scared when he sees a cross at a house and he doesn't want to contact it but I dont want to skip anyone so I do it anyways alone. Its tough but I want to be good at this.

Yesterday while contacting after lunch I was very thirsty and I forgot my water bottle at the house and it was Sunday so I couldn't buy water either. There were no members close and we were way away from our house so I just kept going and said that I would be fine and said a prayer that someone would invite us in and offer water. We contacted one entire street and nothing then turned and did another then when we were working on a 3rd street my comp was dying on me pretty bad and just wanted to go home, sitting down every chance he could and was telling me he was sick so we could go home but I knew he wasn't sick, so we kept going. Finally there was someone that gave us a little time and let us talk.  Ican't remember his first name but I called him Hno. Gutierrez the whole time. He came out to see what we wanted and I explained who we were and asked if we could talk for a bit. He said that his mom was inside really really sick and he was taking care of her (Gutierrez is maybe like 50 years old so his mom is pretty old) but when he told us she was sick I offered to give her a blessing that could help her out. He was suprised and asked if we really could do that. I told him that that was one reason why we are here. He told us to hang on for a minute and he went in to see if she was up so he could ask her if she wanted a blessing. He came back out and said she was sleeping but for us to pass anyways. So, we went in his house and were just talking at first about why we are here and then he asked if we wanted a drink :) I was so happy he did I'll tell ya what.

We then asked if we could talk to him about the restoration of the church of God. He said yeah so we started out with a prayer and included his mother in it. My comp gave the prayer and after Gutierrez was crying. We started in the lesson and it went really good and he seemed very interested. Afterword I gave him a Book of Mormon and explained a little bit about it. He was really excited and said that he wanted us to come back and give his mother a blessing and said that he will read the introduction before then. So, we have an appointment with him on Thursday this week again in the morning when his mom should be up but then I found out that we have Zone Conference on Thursday so we are going to try and go by some other time early this week. It was great and it really helped and was an answer to my prayer. Someone who was kind who would give me water and someone who wanted to listen.

Its been a pretty tough week but I'm not going to let up at all on working. I don't want to waist any time at all. I need to find those people that are here waiting to hear about this amazing gospel we have. I really hope my comp can get some excitement or I'm going to have to buy a stroller to put him in or trade him for a new one cause he might die literally lol jk. But, I'm loving it here and I love you all back home! Have a great week and... Family I will talk to you Sunday!!!!

Con Amor E. GOFF

Good Food!

Cemetary

Current Area: Down Town Tampico, Mexico - Unidad

Current Companion: Elder Alderete

From Elder A. Goff - "Family"

Birthday Banners from the Mangums and Tiff

Ok. So I wrote down all kinds of stuff in my planner to write home about this week, and guess what Goofy Goff did? He forgot his stinkin planner. So I tried to write down some things as I was reading the e-mails I got this week. So hopefully I will cover everything I wanted to. Sorry If I leave anyone out. :D

Last P-day we did a whole lot of nothing. Pretty much wasted the day playing basketball for like 3 hours. It was fun though. I just need to write a bunch of people back. Today will be what I am going to call "Letter Preparation Day." Sister Mangum even sent me 20 stamps so I'll keep the letters comeing their way. The sweet thing is that like 2 days before that I bought 40 stamps. :D So I have about 60 stamps. And A lot of letters to write!

On Tuesday at District Meeting I hit my head on a shelf and got a pretty sweet owie! I'll send some pictures. I just figured I had better tell you first so no one would freak out when they saw my head. I didn't need stitches or anything. In fact I didn't even Cry. ;) I was A big boy and just left it alone. I cleaned it when we got home that night. What an adventure. I don't remember the last time I had a head wound. Maybe last time I was knocked cold.

So about the work. Elder Ika and i are now expanding our efforts to the other areas of the vineyard God has placed us in. We are in Lander on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and every other sunday. We are in Fort Washakie Wednesdays and Fridays. Then we are in Hudson on Saturdays. So My Birthday was on Wednesday. I am now 21!! Wowzers. Hard to believe. I feel much younger. :) So My Birthday was good. Elder Ika made me a cake. What a good guy. The pictures are pretty funny. He is kinda goofy like I am. We have a good time. I opened my gifts from Sister Mangum and My favorite one is a picture album of pictures of me at the Mangum's house. " The Many Face of Elder Goff With his favorite family in East Helena, The Mangums!" It's pretty funny. She wrote on the back of each of them which makes it even better. Plus she sent another card game. I gues it's time I start putting all of these games to use. Next P-day will be Card Game Day! We went to the Rez to work on my Birthday and member couple took us to this steak place in Hudson. Which is world famous for their steaks. About $20 a plate. The Member who took us wanted to go for his birthday and found out mine was the day before his so they took us and we had club steaks which were HUGE!!!! I'm suprised they had room to put fires on there too. I didn't even get close to pounding mine. Elder Ika's plate was bare! He leaned over when we were eating and said, "Elder Goff I love you, but I would never have you as a partner in an eating contest." haha Probably a good Idea. I just am not one of those people that can inhale large amounts of food in one sitting. When we got home that night we cut out a tiny piece of cake and put all 21 candles on it! It was pretty sweet. :D Elder ika was happy to get a tie too. Oh yeah and the steak place is called Svilers. (Pronounced Sweelers)

Alright Tiff If you aren't going to send junk food you better send more ties!! :D haha I now have two ties that are Giorgio Armani!! Holy cow!! WOO HOO! You are the Bestest! Congrats on the new couch too. You and Jason are getting all kinds of new things!

JoliAnn wrote me and told me about Challis Barnum. :D I'm ok with her hanging out with Challis. He is a good kid. I grew up with Britton and if he is as good as he is Joli can hang out with him as much as her heart desires. I really like that family. Their Pops Glen Barnum was always really good to me. She also told me that this summer she is going to dress up and come see Sawyer and I. Talk to us and take pictures. (Because we wont know it is her) then she will go home and send us the pictures and say suprise that freaking girl wasn't just a freaky girl. IT WAS ME!!! haha She cracks me up. Love you little sis.

Glen wrote me too. Sent a bunch of sweet pictures of Garrett. You should for sure gorw out his hair until I get home. That would be so rad. His hair curls when it is wet like mine does when it is long. He will probably be as tall as glen i'm guessing. No one believes me when I tell them he is 1 1/2. Thanks for the letters and pictures.

Pops also wrote me and said Happy Birthday. He also said he is going to put money in my account again so I can go get some new shoes. Thank you so much. On saturday I was wearing those shoes and the sole of the right shoe is coming off big time. I'll have to send a picture next week.

On This coming Friday we have Zone Conference. Way up in Powell. A long ways from Lander. We will be leaving here be like 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning. Should be good though I always really enjoy Zone conference. Elder Ika dn I will be doing a musical number too.

I think I'm going to send a flash drive to you Tiff with all my pics on it. i have a ton of funny ones and Videos too that I think you all would enjoy. It's just too hard to send a bunch of them at a time on here.

Jason Cosby Sent me 2 copies of the Missionary Rap we did before I left. I have been wanting that for a long time so i'm glad I have it now. I forgot how funny it was. I also got a letter from Ty Tait telling me he reads these on the blog so I better give him a shout out. Then I also got a letter from Hershell Cummings. That was pretty neat. Thatnks for the E-mail from him Tiff. He actually wrote me too and told me i was a big part of him going on a mission as well. I thought that was pretty neat. When he found out I was going over a year ago he started to think about it and straightened things up so he could go. WOO HOO!! Atta Boy Hershell. Thanks for another good week. I'm going to write bunch of letters today so i can get some mail this next week. :D Gotta write Letters to get Letters! Oh yes...So Next year on my birthday i should be flying home! So as of last wednesday I had exactly a year left until I go home. I figured it out once. Thursday, April 28, 2011.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

P.S. It snowed yesterday morning. MAY 2nd AHHHH!!!!!!!!! :D Gotta Love it ♥♥♥♥♥

P.P.S. I think people should leave comments on the pictures we send on the blog!! It would be fun to see what they say. :D no one comments them! haha
 

Happy B-Day!

Elder Ika baking Elder Goff's Birthday Cake :)

Happy 21st Birthday to AUSTIN GENE!!!

Make a wish!

Damage Done

OWIE haha

Current Area: Lander, Wyoming

Current Companion: Elder Ika