Mama is happy......we got pictures of California

We got pictures today from Austin. Happy dance. It looks like he is having fun, except for the cockroach part....but even that looks entertaining to him. Looks like he has met some great friends! I will say, seeing the pictures made me homesick for him!

The first two are of the day he arrived in Oakland. The top picture is in front of the LDS Oakland temple. Below is with the mission president and wife (baby too) at the mission home.

These next two are of Austin's room in his apartment in Concord.

This is the outside of the apartment.  So great to see where he is at!!!

This is the kitchen area and Austin said the pie his companion made was really good!

This is Austin's planner. He takes it with him where ever he goes. It keeps track of appointments and people they see.

Here is his living and study area. Sparse, but okay.

Austin said they call this bacon wrapped cardiac arrest. He said he won't eat them again. They made him feel yucky. Can you say, "Way to much Sodium?"

Austin playing the piano at a baptism!

Austin with his new friends: Mariano and Marcial

At a meeting, he saw some friends from the MTC

He said this was a small cockroach!

Here he is in his car, with a new, ugly Goodwill tie. I sent him a letter the other day and told him to only wear the ugly ties once a week. The nice ones we bought at home need to be worn too!

Austin's first plan at catching the cockroach.

I sent them cookie mix, but they didn't have a good pan. He said they turned out like cupcake consistency.

A few from the temple of the city.

Austins favorite: Hermano Maragrito.

This is Javier

This is Javier and Carlos. Carlos is getting baptized in May!

This is the branch mission leader Modesto

These were Austin's companions in the MTC. He ran into them at a missionary meeting.