Spring into action!

Dear family,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!!! You are such a wonderful example to me in my life and you have helped me overcome so many things. Thank you for your stalwart example and constant care. I love you!

Well, I left Vienna on Wednesday. It was a sad day. After several months of serving there and really coming to love the people there, it was very had. This was my first "real" transfer to an unknown place! Luckily, all of the elders in our house (Elder Lopez, Elder Markowski, and Elder Lyman) helped me pack up and get ready for the transfer, so I wasn't up all night packing.

Elder Lyman came down with me in our Bishops' car to transfers. He is now training a new elder named Elder Baty (a Brazilian visa waiter) and is also serving with an Elder Ochsenbein. I am now with Elder [Dallin] Russo and he is training a Brazilian visa waiter, Elder [Kyle] Grajeda. Elder Russo is from Oklahoma, and Elder Grajeda is from Missouri. Elder Grajeda learned how to speak in New Jersey, however, so he has a thick New "Joisey" accent.

I am now serving in the Cave Spring, VA area. It is great! The ward here is super awesome. We live in the basement apartment of a member in the ward. We have a car and will be getting a new car this Tuesday.

The work here is pretty slow right now. It's a little discouraging, but not too discouraging. I get restless leg syndrome every day because we drive so much to where we are going to talk to people. I would much rather walk around all day in the cold. We have been talking to a lot of less-active members. I have been working on helping us shift our focus to finding new people to teach.

Neither of my companions can drive right now, so I am the designated driver. That has made me realize a few things. I am not very good at driving. I don't know if is the hiatus I've had from practicing, or I've always been bad. In either case, I am grateful for the Lord's protecting hand. :D

I am the district leader here. The district is awesome! There is another companionship of Brazilian visa waiters, so we have five total. The sister trainer leaders are in our district as well. They are so helpful and hard-working. One of them, Sister Shumway, looks and acts a lot like Sarah. It is so fun! Another sister, Sister Ostler used to live right across the road from the Bennett family in Salem and knows them really well! How great!

Sorry this email has been so brief. It's hard for me to think of what to say right now. One thing that I realized this morning is the importance it is to invite people to come partake of the blessings of the gospel. We have daily interaction with so many people. They benefit from the Spirit that we carry with us. It would be a great disservice to them if we allowed them to drink from the fountain of living water, but not tell them how to reach the fountain and drink for themselves. It is so vital and necessary that we do all that we can to lead and guide others to that source of joy that comes from Christ through the ministration of the Holy Ghost.

I love you all so much and hope that everything is going well. Please invite everyone to talk to the misisonaries and receive the blessings of the gospel in their lives. It is such a blessing to share.

I LOVE YOU!!!

Love, Elder Ayer

P.S. There are some Eliasons in the ward. I haven't met them yet, but I heard they're from California, so I'm not sure if there is any relation.

P.P.S. I will try to send some pictures your way.