Called to Serve...in Albania.: Happy Birthday to Austin!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Happy Birthday to Austin!

When did this sweet little face grow up? Today is his 20th Birthday! A lot of you are writing on his facebook wall, which he won't see for another year and a half! If you want to leave him a birthday message (or any message for that matter), please do it on here so I can forward them to him in my next email! He would love to hear from all of you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUST! We sure are jealous that those Albanians get to have you today :)

11 comments:

Megan said...: AUSTIN! Happy birthday! I hope Albania is treating you well! I still occasionally see our Career Exploration teacher on campus and have to avoid him because I still feel guilty I never went to class. I buzzed my head and Kendy gained 80 pounds (the sophomore 80 has not been good to her...) so things have changed a little bit since you left. Crazy. Officer Carlos says hello and wishes you well on all your adventures in Albania. He says to stay safe. Remember that one time that Kendy spelled Legend "Ledgeands"? Just thought I'd throw that out there. Good times. Oh and by the way, Jordan has made grinners go global and does it to the little kids in Peru. I feel like you should do the same haha. Can't wait for a year and a half when the fab 4 is back together making trouble once again! Hope your birthday is great!

Best wishes (hahahah jk that's what old people say),

Megan Webb; April 10, 2011 at 9:52 PM
Brian Martin said...: Austin!!! i miss you so much man! and i hope you got my last letter! i know how bad the mail sucks at getting to you quickly! anyways it is my last 2 weeks at BYU before the summer and I can't believe how fast time has gone by! you are almost halfway done!!! so crazy. anyways happy birthday!
can't wait to get another letter from you! there better more lyrics on the envelope!!!
your bandmate/cousin/lover,
brian; April 11, 2011 at 12:30 AM
Sarah Jane said...: Happy Day!!! It's your Birthday Elder Eckel! I'm sure you will make the best of your day ;) You are truly blessed to be serving a mission at this time. I'm glad that the language is going swell (even though my brother can speak quite a few languages, I don't know if he could speak it! Haha.) 2 Nephi 33:1 -the Lord will help you in all things. Keep working hard with your companion and the members, and as always, keep smiling!
Sarah Pratt; April 11, 2011 at 6:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Happy happy birthday Austin! Hope you are having the experience of a lifetime in Albania! All those people are so lucky to get a chance to meet you and learn about God. I hope you have the most amazing day! :)
Betsy; April 11, 2011 at 7:26 AM
Abigail said...: Hey Elder Eckel!
Sorry I've gotten lazy with the letter writing...I'll try to get one out to you soon! I hope you had a fantastic birthday if you even remembered that's what it was! Hopefully you are just losing yourself in the work :) Keep on working hard and serving the people. Even if they don't know it yet, they are so blessed to have you with them. Be an example to your companions and those around you. I've learned (as I'm sure you have by now) that a smile can make a world of difference in any situation. You're in my Idahoan prayers!!
Abigail Tucker; April 11, 2011 at 7:27 AM
Cindy said...: Hi Elder Eckel!! I sent you a happy birthday wish on facebook but then noticed that your awesome sister Ashley asked us to post our wishes here...

I love reading about your mission on this blog. So happy that all is going well for you there in Albania. I'm sorry that I don't write to you...just know that I'm thinking of you on your mission...ya, that's good enough...right?? hahaha

Hope your Birthday is awesome!! Love, Sis.Fowler; April 11, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Nikki said...: PAE!
Happy Birthday!! AHH! Isn't it so weird we are 20? I don't think I like it.. I don't wanna be grown up :( I hope you are having an awesome birthday in Albania. I know I haven't written you for a while, but just know that I am always here in Ohio thinking of you and you are always in my prayers. :)I promise to write you again soon. I have misplaced your last letter so I don't have your current address, but I'll talk to Alexis and expect a letter in the next few weeks. I have so many exciting things to tell you and I'm sure its vise versa :)

Love, Nikki; April 11, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Unknown said...: Happy Birthday Austin!! It's hard to believe how quickly the time is flying by! I love getting the weekly emails from you and it's great to hear how you're having such a huge impact on the lives of the people in Albania. You're not missing much in terms of the Ohio weather...I think it's rained here just about evey day for the past month! We all miss you and love you, but know that you are doing the work of the Lord. Best of luck and I hope you have a great birthday!

Love,
Michael; April 11, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Julie Perry said...: Just a quick Happy Birthday from someone who shares a birthdate with you (give or take a few years.); April 11, 2011 at 3:28 PM
Brandon Sharkey said...: Austin baby!!!!

Dude i feel like a jerk that you had to write me first ahghhghg...expect a big juicy letter that reeks of my pricy hollister cologne. You know the scent! Anyways, happy birthday man! So crazy that your 20 years old man, live it up. I'm going to go through tons of stuff in my letter, so ill keep this short. I miss you man! You're an amazing example to me and all the other soon to be missionaries here in da burg!; April 11, 2011 at 5:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Austin!!!
Well....I would love to say happy day of birth, even though it's super late. Anyway, Happy day of birth. I think it's so cool you're out there in Albania! I had to do a project on Greece and saw albania next to it on the map and was like "hey, that's where that piano man is!" Just an update from my tiny town, everybody here is obsessed with STTS and are suffering musical withdrawls, like Steve who I check in with every once in a while! I'm sure you already know that the EP is AMAZINGLY SUCCESSFUL!(: Or...well Ithink it is. Just to catch you up on some things, I'm not sick anymore, and I'm still very addicted to facebook. I was planning on sending you sour candies, but forgot, but it's the thought that matters!!
Don't DIE IN ALBANIA!
--TJ!; April 12, 2011 at 4:11 PM

How to write Austin:

NEW ways to contact Austin:

1. There is no mail delivery in Albania other than post office boxes, so our Office Secretary goes to the post office twice a week to pick up the mail and packages. DHL or FedEx delivers the Church pouch to us once a week. For packages, we have found that US Priority mail is the least expensive and fairly rapid option (around 2 weeks). Multiple smaller packages seem to come thru a lot better than large packages, and should be addressed:

Fondacioni Liahona

PO BOX 2984

Tirana, Albania

You can also use US Express mail service and the packages are actually delivered to our doorstep (more expensive) in a week or less. For these courier options use this address:

FONDACIONI LIAHONA

P.O. Box 2984

Rr. Qemal Stafa, Vila.1

Perballë Postes Nr. 22)

TIRANA, ALBANIA

2. You can also write to him via the pouch at church headquarters if you write on one sheet of paper and fold it and seal it without an envelope. Address your letters to your missionary in care of:

Albania Tirana Mission Pouch

P.O. Box 30150

Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0150

Other materials can be sent via regular US mail to:

P.O. Box 2984

Tirana, Albania.

3. You can still use dearelder.com to send Austin letters. You will need to select Pouch (FREE) and then Austin's mission - Albania Tirana. It's free & you don't have to go to the post office. HOWEVER, the Pouch Department only sends one package per week to each mission so there is a deadline (12midnight Mountain time on Sundays).