Kia Ora family!
Wonderful to hear from you all again! Sounds like you all had a wonderful week spending time with one another! Must be great to be all together!
As for myself this past week was pretty good! We are starting to find some great success! We had some great things happen this past week!
Tuesday we has an amazing zone conference where elder hamula from the area presidency came and spoke with us. I'll just say that it was really incredible and has affected me so much as a missionary. I feel ever since that day my missionary efforts have been greatly improved. He mainly just spoke about how we really really need to believe in the Lord and trust Him and really believe miracles will occur. There was so much i can't even tell you everything haha. But a huge thing i learned was that I just need to overcome any fears i have and just put my faith in the lord and believe everything will work out.
We are working with some great people right now. We have been teaching this one woman named Jen who is awesome! On thursday we actually set her for baptism on the 2 of june! She accepted! She has really been doing her part in reading and praying, and just really loves the Book of Mormon. She prays before she reads and also after she reads. She tells us that she really feels that its true. On Sunday she came to church with us and it was actually a stake conference, a broadcast from Church headquarters specifically for all the stakes in New Zealan. Elder Bednar spoke and it was fantastic. She really loved it. Its so great because afterwards she had all these people keep coming up to her and talking with her. Turns out she knows heaps of members! She knows more of the members than we do haha! Its great though she is coming along great!
Tia and Likresha are two other investigators we have been working with as well. Tia is one of those investigators who has just been so prepared and we dont really have to do anything haha because she is so ready. She already believes the book of mormon and church is true, the only thing holding her back from being baptized asap is chuch attendench. She only needs to come one more time and she qualifies! She's been coming so far and really loves it, she always says that after church she just feels so uplifted. She is golden! She's actually set for the 2 of june as well! Likresha is her stepdaughter and we've recently started teaching her along with tia. She is a really nice girl. Has no religious background whatsover so we've really had to take things slow with her and help her understand everything. We got her to pray for the first time after one of our lessons and it was so awesome. The spirit was so strong as she said such a humble prayer to heavnly father, it was a marvelous experience. She's looking good for the 2 of june as well!
We even have one more investigator who is awesome as welll! Her name is amy, and she has been coming to church with her boyfriend, who is LA member returning, for the past 2 months! When i found this out, i asked myself why hasnt she been baptized yet? We finally had a chance to catch her and have a lesson with her to find out whats going on. We asked her how she felt about baptism, and she just told us that she doesnt feel ready yet. In my mind i was really really puzzled, asking how is this possible after she's been coming to church for like 2 months now. So we asked more and more questions but we just couldnt get anywhere with her, then the prompting came to my mind to ask her if she believes joseph smith was a prophet. I asked her and she paused and answered well not really, then i asked her about reading the book of mormon, and it turns out she hasnt really read any of it nor prayed about it yet. Boom, concern found! I was so happy when we finally found out the concern, and it was as simple as her not finding out if the bofm is true yet. So we committed her to start reading it and praying about it. I was baffled that the last elders teaching her somehow skipped this or just didnt emphasize it. I am totally confident that she will recieve and answer and feel ready for baptism!
So things are really picking up here in swanson, we have some great people coming out of the wood work and are just chugging along. I love what you were saying mom about how we really are going to have to rely on the spirit. That truly has been the case. I've been praying so much more and really looking for promptings on where the lord wants me to be, and it has led to some great people. I really love how the holy ghost works. whenever we receive a prompting, we never really know 100% if its a promping from the holy ghost. Its only when we act upon the promptings and we see the end result to we realize that it was the holy ghost that prompted us to do a certain something. In the moment of the prompting we never will be 100% sure if its from the holy ghost, but thats where faith comes in and we go along with what we feel inspired to do and find out that it was from God.
On Friday my companion and i were greatly blessed! We were blessed with a car!!! Yes we have a car! I'm still not to this day sure why we were given a car, but believe me i'm just gonna go along with it and not question why but enjoy it while it lasts. I must say it really has helped a whole lot though. We still use our bikes some days though whenver we dont have any appointments, that way we can talk to more people on the street. Its a great blessing though because its actually getting pretty cold here. At night it gets cold, and its wonderful to have a car to keep us warm.
So even though the first week and a half were pretty rough, things are really picking up and looking good. Our next objective is, like you were saying mom, to get the members involved! We are going to be visting them this week and find out where their stance is on missionary work, becaue right now it looks like its not the highest prority in their lives. I'm excited to see what happens!
Yesterday, we had stake conference, and it was really good like i was saying. Elder Bednar had an amazing talk about not only having a testimony of the gospel but being converted. He said something very interesting and powerful, he said with what lies ahead a testimony of the gospel will not be enough for us to rely on. He spoke about how we must be converted if we truly are going to make it. Conversion is really what we need to be aiming for. And conversion does not come all at once, but line upon line, precept upon precept. When we are converted, it is to have a deep devotion to the savior, and really live they way he wants us to live an be the way he wants us to be. We can't be going through the motions, but really need to be living the way a disciple of christ would live.
Well I love you all so much! Thanks for the pics, i loved them! I hope you all have a great week, and i will talk to you in a weeks time!!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, May 25, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Henderson Stake/ West Auckland
Kia Ora Family!
Wonderful to hear from you all once again! Mom thank you so much for the story you shared and your experience! It was really spiritually uplifting! I loved hearing it! Glad to hear you are all pumped and excited about going to the temple more! Its wonderful to think that the savior has visited each of his temple and walked through it. It is amazing to think i have walked where he has walked!
Well i did get transferred to a new area here in the auckland new zealand mission. I am now serving in the swanson ward, which is part of henderson stake here in the west part of auckland city. The area i am now serving in is a very nice little place. Its pretty much the suburbs of auckland where i'm at. Its a really nice little area, very beautiful. Much nicer than my last area. What i mean by that is it is cleaner and not as rough looking.
I'm still a District leader here in Henderson, and my new companion is Elder Cerros from Melbourne Australia, but actually of spanish descent. His parents are from El Salvador but actually moved to Australia when he was very young. He's a really nice elder, pretty humble guy. He's been out a little over a year now. We are getting along really well so far. It will be a great chance to serve with him here in Swanson
Oh by the way i forgot to mention we got double shifted in. My first double shift. Its been an interesting experience so far. Just to have to learn the area and pick up where the last missionaries left off. The last missionaries actually left some great notes for us and a really updated area book, so thank heavens for that, they did not leave us empty handed. We've met a decent amount of the investigators and some of them are pretty keen. Our ward mission leader is the man! A young guy with a small little family. He's awesome though, really energetic and excited about the work. The Bishop is also a really nice man as well.
Its been pretty challenging though just because we are still learning the area and still getting to know the members. I really feel that this is a pretty good place though with a lot of potential. Its been hard for one of the investigators to adjust to us though. The first time we went over and met her she just kept going on and on and on about the past elders and how much she misses them. It was really annoying actually but i can see where she's coming from. She's set to be baptized this saturday. She has told us that she still wants to be baptized but is still stuck on the past elders. Hopefully this week we can make her feel good with us and get ready for saturday.
I almost had a heart attack on transfer day though thrusday. I got everything packed and ready, went to the transfer meeting and while sitting there i realized i didnt have my wallet! I figured i just had left it at the my old flat which wasn't very far away and would hurry up and go back and get it after the meeting. So after the meeting i told my leaders and they said ya we'll go grab it. So we go to get it at the flat, and i can't find it!!!! We looked everywhere and i looked through my luggage as well to make sure i didnt pack it, but still couldnt find it! We eventually decided to just go to the area and hope that it would turn up. I must admit i was pretty upset this whole time, and just really frustrated. I said about a million prayers that day. And to be honest each time i prayed i would feel comforted that everything would be okay. I wouldnt trust those feelings though from heavenly father and would just continue to stress, but each time i kept praying the same answer kept coming. Friday, that next day i got a call in the morning during our weekly planning from the assistants that my last companion had found my wallet in our old flat!!! Guess where it was?? Under my bed!!! The one place i didnt look! I was so relieved whenever i got the news and could then just focus back up on the work! I am so happy! I think what i really learned from this experience though is just to trust the answers we receive from Heavenly Father. I just would not accept his continuous answers that everything will be okay, i just kept stressing myself back out. It really has helped me to learn to trust Him, even though we cannot see everything or know how its going to work out, but we just have to trust in the answers he gives us.
I think this new area will be good though like i said. We have nice little flat, really small but its funny because it has heated tiles! isnt that fancy? Its been really great though because it is getting cold over here right now. During the days its fine, but at night it is freezing! The heated tiles are helping to keep the flat warm! I'm going to have to buy some jumpers and some gloves because it is getting cold and i'm still on bike!
I can't believe that i get to talk to you all this weekend!!! It honestly doesnt feel like all that long ago i called you at christmas!!! I was thinking that yes if it would be best for you that i would call you all probably Sunday night here the 13th at maybe nine o clock my time?? If that doesnt work i can call you for a tiny bit then and then set something up for the next day which would be mothers day for you. So for sure I will call you on the 13th NZ day, at 9:00 my time.
To be honest i'm pretty just nervous/anxious about the double shift. But i'm not like overwhelmed or anything but, I just want to be able to save souls over here. I have faith though that all will work out. The ward is pretty nice and people seem pretty nice so far, so all should work out. I love you all so much and look forward to talking with you this weekend! Until then, have a lovely week!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wonderful to hear from you all once again! Mom thank you so much for the story you shared and your experience! It was really spiritually uplifting! I loved hearing it! Glad to hear you are all pumped and excited about going to the temple more! Its wonderful to think that the savior has visited each of his temple and walked through it. It is amazing to think i have walked where he has walked!
Well i did get transferred to a new area here in the auckland new zealand mission. I am now serving in the swanson ward, which is part of henderson stake here in the west part of auckland city. The area i am now serving in is a very nice little place. Its pretty much the suburbs of auckland where i'm at. Its a really nice little area, very beautiful. Much nicer than my last area. What i mean by that is it is cleaner and not as rough looking.
I'm still a District leader here in Henderson, and my new companion is Elder Cerros from Melbourne Australia, but actually of spanish descent. His parents are from El Salvador but actually moved to Australia when he was very young. He's a really nice elder, pretty humble guy. He's been out a little over a year now. We are getting along really well so far. It will be a great chance to serve with him here in Swanson
Oh by the way i forgot to mention we got double shifted in. My first double shift. Its been an interesting experience so far. Just to have to learn the area and pick up where the last missionaries left off. The last missionaries actually left some great notes for us and a really updated area book, so thank heavens for that, they did not leave us empty handed. We've met a decent amount of the investigators and some of them are pretty keen. Our ward mission leader is the man! A young guy with a small little family. He's awesome though, really energetic and excited about the work. The Bishop is also a really nice man as well.
Its been pretty challenging though just because we are still learning the area and still getting to know the members. I really feel that this is a pretty good place though with a lot of potential. Its been hard for one of the investigators to adjust to us though. The first time we went over and met her she just kept going on and on and on about the past elders and how much she misses them. It was really annoying actually but i can see where she's coming from. She's set to be baptized this saturday. She has told us that she still wants to be baptized but is still stuck on the past elders. Hopefully this week we can make her feel good with us and get ready for saturday.
I almost had a heart attack on transfer day though thrusday. I got everything packed and ready, went to the transfer meeting and while sitting there i realized i didnt have my wallet! I figured i just had left it at the my old flat which wasn't very far away and would hurry up and go back and get it after the meeting. So after the meeting i told my leaders and they said ya we'll go grab it. So we go to get it at the flat, and i can't find it!!!! We looked everywhere and i looked through my luggage as well to make sure i didnt pack it, but still couldnt find it! We eventually decided to just go to the area and hope that it would turn up. I must admit i was pretty upset this whole time, and just really frustrated. I said about a million prayers that day. And to be honest each time i prayed i would feel comforted that everything would be okay. I wouldnt trust those feelings though from heavenly father and would just continue to stress, but each time i kept praying the same answer kept coming. Friday, that next day i got a call in the morning during our weekly planning from the assistants that my last companion had found my wallet in our old flat!!! Guess where it was?? Under my bed!!! The one place i didnt look! I was so relieved whenever i got the news and could then just focus back up on the work! I am so happy! I think what i really learned from this experience though is just to trust the answers we receive from Heavenly Father. I just would not accept his continuous answers that everything will be okay, i just kept stressing myself back out. It really has helped me to learn to trust Him, even though we cannot see everything or know how its going to work out, but we just have to trust in the answers he gives us.
I think this new area will be good though like i said. We have nice little flat, really small but its funny because it has heated tiles! isnt that fancy? Its been really great though because it is getting cold over here right now. During the days its fine, but at night it is freezing! The heated tiles are helping to keep the flat warm! I'm going to have to buy some jumpers and some gloves because it is getting cold and i'm still on bike!
I can't believe that i get to talk to you all this weekend!!! It honestly doesnt feel like all that long ago i called you at christmas!!! I was thinking that yes if it would be best for you that i would call you all probably Sunday night here the 13th at maybe nine o clock my time?? If that doesnt work i can call you for a tiny bit then and then set something up for the next day which would be mothers day for you. So for sure I will call you on the 13th NZ day, at 9:00 my time.
To be honest i'm pretty just nervous/anxious about the double shift. But i'm not like overwhelmed or anything but, I just want to be able to save souls over here. I have faith though that all will work out. The ward is pretty nice and people seem pretty nice so far, so all should work out. I love you all so much and look forward to talking with you this weekend! Until then, have a lovely week!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
A Success
Kia Ora Family!!
Well what a fantastic, hectic week its been! Quite eventful! As you guessed it and hoped for the wedding and baptism happened!!! It was a great experience!
Everything didn't go as exactly as planned but it all worked out for the best and the family was married and baptized! We had the service saturday at two. It was so amazing to just sit back and watch them both be married. I could feel the spirit so strongly that they were such a prepared family, and Elder Dorosan and i was meant to meet and teach them, just like you mentioned dad.
It was a pretty crazy week just putting the wedding together, and not only that but making sure they were prepared for baptism! I must admit the lord did all the work, we were just His instruments.
A lot of their family was able to show up for the event, heaps of nonmembers. I know they felt the spirit, and will hopefully desire to learn more for themselves. Some of them looked like pretty rough people that need a little light in their lives.
Our Bishop is the man! He was so supportive of the whole thing. Working right beside us through the whole process. I'm so thankful that we have a great bishop to work with that is pumped up about the missionary work.
The following sunday was really great. All the confirmations were very powerful, and the ward was so welcoming to the family and has been since the start! I am always so nervous about our recent converts and the transition from us to the ward. I just want the ward to take good care of them and nutrure them in the gospel. Their are so many new things that converts have to adjust to, so many big changes they are making! They need all the support they can get.
I'm just so happy! The happiness i cannot contain! This family is so special! I just amazes me how prepared they were, and how we found them at just the exact right time. Experiences like this just build my faith so strongly! I just know that this is all true and is the lords work!
I've looked back on the past 7 months, which doesnt feel like 7 months by the way, and am just so thankful for the many experiances i am having. I'm not our here only converting others to the gospel, but also converting myself. Its been a great opportunity to recognize my many weaknesses as a person, but be able to come to the lord and ask for help and strength to overcome them.
One huge lesson i have been learning this whole last 2 transfers is patience. I have discovered that this is something that before i did not really have at all. Many times my patience has been tested the last few weeks. Just with training a new missionary, stepping into leadership and also with investigators. Its really been a good experience for me to just take a breath, relax and have some patience in times of difficulty. For instance this last week we were teaching this one woman, and it was going well at first, but it just go to the point where i was getting so frustrated with her because she just wouldnt accept joseph smith. With some help from my leaders, i was able to really learn patience, and just to relax and put myself in the persons shoes and see where they are coming from instead of getting frustrated. I know the lord is helping me so much to develop and mature for my life, and i'm so thankful for that.
President called elder dorosan the other night and informed him that he would be training this upcoming transfer, which starts this thursday! I'm so happy for Elder Dorosan, it will be a great experience for him. He will also be staying in the area and become the next district leader! He's pretty nervous, but i know he'll be fine. Whom god calls, god qualifies.
So this means that i will be transferred somewhere else. I havent found out yet as to where i will be serving next. Its just really weird to think about, to think that i will be leaving otahuhu. I've been here for 6 months! Its been my home haha! Its going to be so weird, it just feels like i will be here for the rest of my mission haha. I'm kind of looking forward to serving in a new area though, just to change things up a bit. It really doesnt feel like i've been here for that long. Time just flies by!
I finally did get the package you sent me! Thanks for the socks and deoderants, and candies, oh and for all the letters from the ym/yw! They were great! The clothes are great also! Elder Dorosan says thank you for the shirt! The weather is really weird in this country right now. Every morning we wake up its pretty cold. But by mid-day/afternoon time, its flipping warm outside! Its like all four seasons in one day!
I hope you love the pics i sent of the wedding and baptism. I like the pic of me and the other missionaries, containing all sorts of nationalities, a philipino, american, canadian, and tongan! What a variety haha. The other two elders are our zone leaders, they are great missionaries!
Well i love you all so much and enjoy all the wonderful updates on your lives! Talk to you in a weeks time!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Well what a fantastic, hectic week its been! Quite eventful! As you guessed it and hoped for the wedding and baptism happened!!! It was a great experience!
Everything didn't go as exactly as planned but it all worked out for the best and the family was married and baptized! We had the service saturday at two. It was so amazing to just sit back and watch them both be married. I could feel the spirit so strongly that they were such a prepared family, and Elder Dorosan and i was meant to meet and teach them, just like you mentioned dad.
It was a pretty crazy week just putting the wedding together, and not only that but making sure they were prepared for baptism! I must admit the lord did all the work, we were just His instruments.
A lot of their family was able to show up for the event, heaps of nonmembers. I know they felt the spirit, and will hopefully desire to learn more for themselves. Some of them looked like pretty rough people that need a little light in their lives.
Our Bishop is the man! He was so supportive of the whole thing. Working right beside us through the whole process. I'm so thankful that we have a great bishop to work with that is pumped up about the missionary work.
The following sunday was really great. All the confirmations were very powerful, and the ward was so welcoming to the family and has been since the start! I am always so nervous about our recent converts and the transition from us to the ward. I just want the ward to take good care of them and nutrure them in the gospel. Their are so many new things that converts have to adjust to, so many big changes they are making! They need all the support they can get.
I'm just so happy! The happiness i cannot contain! This family is so special! I just amazes me how prepared they were, and how we found them at just the exact right time. Experiences like this just build my faith so strongly! I just know that this is all true and is the lords work!
I've looked back on the past 7 months, which doesnt feel like 7 months by the way, and am just so thankful for the many experiances i am having. I'm not our here only converting others to the gospel, but also converting myself. Its been a great opportunity to recognize my many weaknesses as a person, but be able to come to the lord and ask for help and strength to overcome them.
One huge lesson i have been learning this whole last 2 transfers is patience. I have discovered that this is something that before i did not really have at all. Many times my patience has been tested the last few weeks. Just with training a new missionary, stepping into leadership and also with investigators. Its really been a good experience for me to just take a breath, relax and have some patience in times of difficulty. For instance this last week we were teaching this one woman, and it was going well at first, but it just go to the point where i was getting so frustrated with her because she just wouldnt accept joseph smith. With some help from my leaders, i was able to really learn patience, and just to relax and put myself in the persons shoes and see where they are coming from instead of getting frustrated. I know the lord is helping me so much to develop and mature for my life, and i'm so thankful for that.
President called elder dorosan the other night and informed him that he would be training this upcoming transfer, which starts this thursday! I'm so happy for Elder Dorosan, it will be a great experience for him. He will also be staying in the area and become the next district leader! He's pretty nervous, but i know he'll be fine. Whom god calls, god qualifies.
So this means that i will be transferred somewhere else. I havent found out yet as to where i will be serving next. Its just really weird to think about, to think that i will be leaving otahuhu. I've been here for 6 months! Its been my home haha! Its going to be so weird, it just feels like i will be here for the rest of my mission haha. I'm kind of looking forward to serving in a new area though, just to change things up a bit. It really doesnt feel like i've been here for that long. Time just flies by!
I finally did get the package you sent me! Thanks for the socks and deoderants, and candies, oh and for all the letters from the ym/yw! They were great! The clothes are great also! Elder Dorosan says thank you for the shirt! The weather is really weird in this country right now. Every morning we wake up its pretty cold. But by mid-day/afternoon time, its flipping warm outside! Its like all four seasons in one day!
I hope you love the pics i sent of the wedding and baptism. I like the pic of me and the other missionaries, containing all sorts of nationalities, a philipino, american, canadian, and tongan! What a variety haha. The other two elders are our zone leaders, they are great missionaries!
Well i love you all so much and enjoy all the wonderful updates on your lives! Talk to you in a weeks time!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, April 27, 2012
An Exciting Week!
Kia Ora Family!
This past week was awesome! What a great week it was! We had some totally awesome miracles happen and some really great things coming up this weekend! First and foremost, thank you all for the emails! Wonderful to hear Mom and Dad that you had a wonderful vacation together. Even though you didnt get to go to utah, it sounds like you had a lovely time together!
As for my week it was pretty awesome! We are starting to have some great success here in Otahuhu! Whats crazy is there is only about a week and a half left of the transfer! I am just dumbstruck at how fast this transfer has gone!
Anyways, time for the miracle. So Terrei and Lisa, the couple we've been teaching are still set for this weekend to be baptized. I believe i already told you that last week, but we have some more exciting news also about them. Well i'm not sure if i told you that they have three kids and are unmarried and are living together, so in order for them to be baptized they need to be married. Elder Dorosan and I knew that we had to address this concern as soon as possible. Tuesday night we had a lesson set with them and decided we would do so then. So we went in and finished teaching the plan of Salvation and then moved in to the topic of marriage. It was perfect because we had just finished touching on how we can live in the celestial kingdom with our families forever. It was a perfect transition for marriage. It was i must say pretty tough to bring the topic up but we did it, and it turned out great! Terrei told us that he knew marriage was important and that he know knows that it is time for them to be married. Lisa on the other hand didnt say no, but was a little hesitant because of the time frame. So we just committed her to sincerely pray about it and we would return tomorrow night and talk more about it.
So we came back the next night to follow up about the whole thing and brought Bishop with us. Immediately as we started the lesson Lisa told us that she had prayed about it and felt really good about being married and baptized as soon as possible and on the date we had set for them, the 28th! It was great, we didnt have to do any persuasion or anything! The Lord answered her prayers and did all the work haha! So that night we discussed all the arrangements and how bishop would be more than happy to do the marriage. They agreed and all was well!! We continued to meet with them throughout the week and all is still well for this saturday!! They are going to be married and baptized this weekend!!! Its so awesome! I can't explain the joy i have for this family! Just to see how the lord has come into their lives and how much they have changed! Its so great! So along with being a missionary, i am a wedding planner at the moment haha! Its pretty crazy how much we have to get together, but the bishop is in it with us 100% and with his help the ward is too. We are getting great support from the relief society to do some decorations and bring heaps of food. Its going to be a great day! We are going to be doing the marriage and baptism in the same service. They will get married and proceed to baptism. Yesterday we also taught their oldest daughter Ariana who is 10 and asked if she wanted to be baptized with her parents and she said yes! What an incredible week its been! I have so much gratitude to the Lord for being and instrument in his hands to bring this family to the Gospel. Its really amazing to just witness how when people really do pray about what we teach, read the book of mormon, and come to the church, they really will receive and answer and continuous answers from Heavenly Father! They have just expressed that since we've been coming to share the gospel in their homes, there has been so much more peace within the home. They do not get so upset with each other and really feel Heavenly Father's love. It was so wonderful to hear them say that.
I believe we told you about Josie the girl who was supposed to be baptized this past weekend. Well sadly it didnt happen. We are still holding the faith though. Her dad keeps saying she is to young to make that decision. What we've decided to do for the situation is have Josie write a letter to her father, telling her testimony and why she wants to be baptized. I really think this could work. We are praying hard out that is heart will be softened!
Well i'm not too sure what else to write about. We've just been really busy helping Terrei and Lisa. We have got a lot of work to do for this Saturday. I just want everything to go somthly and for there to be no problems. I know that it will all work out fine though in the end.
In the front of Preach My Gospel in the intro from the First Presidency, in there it says "more happiness awaits you than you've ever experienced as you labor in the lord's vineyard." Thats not the exact words but its something like that. All i can say is that i testify that that is true. There have been such joyous moments this past week and weeks before as i have served. I am so glad that i'm out here doing this work, and even though it is very difficult at times. i love it and love sharing the gospel with everyone even if they say no, or curse at me or are rude to me, i dont care, at least i gave that person a chance.
Well thats pretty much it! Keep me in your prayers! Pray everything will go smoothly this week for Terrei and Lisa's wedding and baptism! Oh before i go, i haven gotten the package yet! I 'm sure i'll get it after transfers, i believe thats the next time the Zone leader will go and get mail. Anyways, love you all so much!!! Talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
This past week was awesome! What a great week it was! We had some totally awesome miracles happen and some really great things coming up this weekend! First and foremost, thank you all for the emails! Wonderful to hear Mom and Dad that you had a wonderful vacation together. Even though you didnt get to go to utah, it sounds like you had a lovely time together!
As for my week it was pretty awesome! We are starting to have some great success here in Otahuhu! Whats crazy is there is only about a week and a half left of the transfer! I am just dumbstruck at how fast this transfer has gone!
Anyways, time for the miracle. So Terrei and Lisa, the couple we've been teaching are still set for this weekend to be baptized. I believe i already told you that last week, but we have some more exciting news also about them. Well i'm not sure if i told you that they have three kids and are unmarried and are living together, so in order for them to be baptized they need to be married. Elder Dorosan and I knew that we had to address this concern as soon as possible. Tuesday night we had a lesson set with them and decided we would do so then. So we went in and finished teaching the plan of Salvation and then moved in to the topic of marriage. It was perfect because we had just finished touching on how we can live in the celestial kingdom with our families forever. It was a perfect transition for marriage. It was i must say pretty tough to bring the topic up but we did it, and it turned out great! Terrei told us that he knew marriage was important and that he know knows that it is time for them to be married. Lisa on the other hand didnt say no, but was a little hesitant because of the time frame. So we just committed her to sincerely pray about it and we would return tomorrow night and talk more about it.
So we came back the next night to follow up about the whole thing and brought Bishop with us. Immediately as we started the lesson Lisa told us that she had prayed about it and felt really good about being married and baptized as soon as possible and on the date we had set for them, the 28th! It was great, we didnt have to do any persuasion or anything! The Lord answered her prayers and did all the work haha! So that night we discussed all the arrangements and how bishop would be more than happy to do the marriage. They agreed and all was well!! We continued to meet with them throughout the week and all is still well for this saturday!! They are going to be married and baptized this weekend!!! Its so awesome! I can't explain the joy i have for this family! Just to see how the lord has come into their lives and how much they have changed! Its so great! So along with being a missionary, i am a wedding planner at the moment haha! Its pretty crazy how much we have to get together, but the bishop is in it with us 100% and with his help the ward is too. We are getting great support from the relief society to do some decorations and bring heaps of food. Its going to be a great day! We are going to be doing the marriage and baptism in the same service. They will get married and proceed to baptism. Yesterday we also taught their oldest daughter Ariana who is 10 and asked if she wanted to be baptized with her parents and she said yes! What an incredible week its been! I have so much gratitude to the Lord for being and instrument in his hands to bring this family to the Gospel. Its really amazing to just witness how when people really do pray about what we teach, read the book of mormon, and come to the church, they really will receive and answer and continuous answers from Heavenly Father! They have just expressed that since we've been coming to share the gospel in their homes, there has been so much more peace within the home. They do not get so upset with each other and really feel Heavenly Father's love. It was so wonderful to hear them say that.
I believe we told you about Josie the girl who was supposed to be baptized this past weekend. Well sadly it didnt happen. We are still holding the faith though. Her dad keeps saying she is to young to make that decision. What we've decided to do for the situation is have Josie write a letter to her father, telling her testimony and why she wants to be baptized. I really think this could work. We are praying hard out that is heart will be softened!
Well i'm not too sure what else to write about. We've just been really busy helping Terrei and Lisa. We have got a lot of work to do for this Saturday. I just want everything to go somthly and for there to be no problems. I know that it will all work out fine though in the end.
In the front of Preach My Gospel in the intro from the First Presidency, in there it says "more happiness awaits you than you've ever experienced as you labor in the lord's vineyard." Thats not the exact words but its something like that. All i can say is that i testify that that is true. There have been such joyous moments this past week and weeks before as i have served. I am so glad that i'm out here doing this work, and even though it is very difficult at times. i love it and love sharing the gospel with everyone even if they say no, or curse at me or are rude to me, i dont care, at least i gave that person a chance.
Well thats pretty much it! Keep me in your prayers! Pray everything will go smoothly this week for Terrei and Lisa's wedding and baptism! Oh before i go, i haven gotten the package yet! I 'm sure i'll get it after transfers, i believe thats the next time the Zone leader will go and get mail. Anyways, love you all so much!!! Talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, April 23, 2012
We moved to another flat
Kia Ora Family!
It was wonderful to hear from you all again! I'm glad you are all safe and ok! I sure don't miss the crazy tornado weather you are all experiencing right now! The weather here is pretty much the same old same old. Its warm during the days and gets cold at night. Everyone around here is saying that the weather is acting really weird. I guess the summer wasn't all that bad this year and this time of year its supposed to be cooler but its actually pretty warm. Anyway, i am just glad that your all safe!
It was another pretty good week this past week! The weeks are just rolling and rolling by! We are already done with half of the transfer! This transfer has flown by its scary to think how fast its gone.
This week we had some great things happen. Terrie and his wife Lisa are just doing so great! We taught them throughout the week and actually invited them to be baptized and set them for the 28th of this month!!! Terrie is just the man! He is really loving everything, he doesnt say a whole lot, but i can already see how much he's changed since we've been meeting with him. He was able to pray at the end of one of our lessons, and his prayer was just awesome. The spirit was so strong as he just simply talked to God, it was such an amazing moment! Lisa is also great too, she's really funny and is doing her best to start living the gospel! They, and their two young girls were able to come to church this Sunday and really loved it. We also had a missionary fireside the same night and Terrie was able to come. It was a really awesome fireside. Gary Wilkinson, who plays for the NZ breakers a bball team, came and spoke. He gave a really great talk about how he converted to the church and how much the lord has blessed him and his testimony of the gospel. It was really great!
We havent really been able to catch up with Tai and Tisha this past week. They've been busy with family and their baby. We are still not giving up on them though. Hopefully this week we will be able to see them and see whats going on with them.
Elder Dorosan and I have also been working with an 11 year old girl named Josie. Her older sisters are converts to the church and Josie herself has been coming to church for a long time but just has never been baptized. The concern with her is her parents. Apparently in the past there was an argument between some of the missionaries and her father. Ever since then missionaries havent been around. But that was a long time ago, so me and Elder Dorosan thought we would give the situation a try. We havent been able to catch up with the dad, but the mom is all good with Josie being baptized. We have her set for this weekend! Just in the past few days we've heard that the parents are saying no though. The sisters usually ask the parents if Josie can be baptzied and they always say no. We are hoping and encouraging Josie to ask them herself and see what happens. She has never actually asked them herself. I know that this is really the only true solution for the problem, Josie must ask them herself. Nobody, us, her sisters, members can ask for her. We had a talk with the bishop and we are all still holding faith for this weekend. We'll see what happens!!!
Other than that Elder Dorosan and I are working hard. Things can get frustrating sometimes though because it seems like we meet people a lot who invite us back for a specific time, we go back and they are never there! This can be a little upsetting at times, but all i do is just keep pushing myself to go and work. I've really been able to learn to keep a positive attitude at all times and never let myself get discouraged.
Oh ya, we moved out of our flat today! We switched flats with the Samona Sisters in the District. I guess the members had really been complaining about how the area the sisters are staying in is not safe for them, ha so they decided to stick us there instead lol! All is good though, the flat is much bigger and better than our other one. It was really weird to move out this morning though because i've been in that flat for 6 months now! Its been my home! Haha oh well part of mission life i guess!
Well i'll wrap this up! I love you all so much! I love hearing about your lives back in the ole US of A. Thats great to hear Romney is doing so well! A mormon in the white house! That would be exciting!
Love you all so much! Keep being active in the Gospel and the Church! Until next week,
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It was wonderful to hear from you all again! I'm glad you are all safe and ok! I sure don't miss the crazy tornado weather you are all experiencing right now! The weather here is pretty much the same old same old. Its warm during the days and gets cold at night. Everyone around here is saying that the weather is acting really weird. I guess the summer wasn't all that bad this year and this time of year its supposed to be cooler but its actually pretty warm. Anyway, i am just glad that your all safe!
It was another pretty good week this past week! The weeks are just rolling and rolling by! We are already done with half of the transfer! This transfer has flown by its scary to think how fast its gone.
This week we had some great things happen. Terrie and his wife Lisa are just doing so great! We taught them throughout the week and actually invited them to be baptized and set them for the 28th of this month!!! Terrie is just the man! He is really loving everything, he doesnt say a whole lot, but i can already see how much he's changed since we've been meeting with him. He was able to pray at the end of one of our lessons, and his prayer was just awesome. The spirit was so strong as he just simply talked to God, it was such an amazing moment! Lisa is also great too, she's really funny and is doing her best to start living the gospel! They, and their two young girls were able to come to church this Sunday and really loved it. We also had a missionary fireside the same night and Terrie was able to come. It was a really awesome fireside. Gary Wilkinson, who plays for the NZ breakers a bball team, came and spoke. He gave a really great talk about how he converted to the church and how much the lord has blessed him and his testimony of the gospel. It was really great!
We havent really been able to catch up with Tai and Tisha this past week. They've been busy with family and their baby. We are still not giving up on them though. Hopefully this week we will be able to see them and see whats going on with them.
Elder Dorosan and I have also been working with an 11 year old girl named Josie. Her older sisters are converts to the church and Josie herself has been coming to church for a long time but just has never been baptized. The concern with her is her parents. Apparently in the past there was an argument between some of the missionaries and her father. Ever since then missionaries havent been around. But that was a long time ago, so me and Elder Dorosan thought we would give the situation a try. We havent been able to catch up with the dad, but the mom is all good with Josie being baptized. We have her set for this weekend! Just in the past few days we've heard that the parents are saying no though. The sisters usually ask the parents if Josie can be baptzied and they always say no. We are hoping and encouraging Josie to ask them herself and see what happens. She has never actually asked them herself. I know that this is really the only true solution for the problem, Josie must ask them herself. Nobody, us, her sisters, members can ask for her. We had a talk with the bishop and we are all still holding faith for this weekend. We'll see what happens!!!
Other than that Elder Dorosan and I are working hard. Things can get frustrating sometimes though because it seems like we meet people a lot who invite us back for a specific time, we go back and they are never there! This can be a little upsetting at times, but all i do is just keep pushing myself to go and work. I've really been able to learn to keep a positive attitude at all times and never let myself get discouraged.
Oh ya, we moved out of our flat today! We switched flats with the Samona Sisters in the District. I guess the members had really been complaining about how the area the sisters are staying in is not safe for them, ha so they decided to stick us there instead lol! All is good though, the flat is much bigger and better than our other one. It was really weird to move out this morning though because i've been in that flat for 6 months now! Its been my home! Haha oh well part of mission life i guess!
Well i'll wrap this up! I love you all so much! I love hearing about your lives back in the ole US of A. Thats great to hear Romney is doing so well! A mormon in the white house! That would be exciting!
Love you all so much! Keep being active in the Gospel and the Church! Until next week,
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wow what a call!!!!!
Kia Ora Family!!!! Or should i say Hola Familia?
Wow I can't believe brittany got her mission call!!! How wonderful!! Thats so awesome she's going to arizona and going to be SPEAKING SPANISH!!! What an experience it will be for you brittany!! I am so excited for you and can't wait to hear about the experiences you will have! You and Brandon will be able to communicate with one another in spanish! That will be cool!
Well this past week was a pretty dang good week once again! Let me just start out by saying conference was amazing! I realize now how much i took it for granted before! It makes me sad about how foolish i was growing up not to appreciate general conference! It really was so amazing. I just love hearing from all of the leaders of the church and how inspiring their words are! It just confirms to me that this is the true church and those men are really all called of God.
Besides general conference being a huge highlight of the week me and elder dorosan managed to find two awesome couples this week! Tai and Tisha, from the cook islands, and another couple with kids, Tiarre and Lisa. Both couples are really really keen!!! We taught a lesson to Tai and Tisha last sunday about the Restoration. On tuesday when we returned to see how they were doing we had an awesome follow up with them. When we came in Tisha was like really really excited and talking a lot. In the first lesson with them she hadn't really said a whole lot and was quiet. It turns out she was just so excited about the Book of Mormon. Before we left on Sunday we committed her and Tai to read the title page and intro to the book of mormon. When we followed up with tisha we found out that she had read both of those things, the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, joseph smith's testimony and even the first two chapters of Nephi!!! When we found this out, Elder Dorosan and i were dumbstruck! And she was just so excited and happy. She said she just really really loved reading all of it and just really felt something everytime she would read! We later explained she was feeling the holy ghost and encouraged her to keep reading. Tai also managed to read the intro but has a little trouble reading the english language so later in the week we got a copy for him in his language. They are just a really great young couple. They are actually only in NZ right now for their recently born baby who almost didnt live past birth. The medical care here in NZ is better than in the Cook islands so that is why they are here, to recieve the medical care they need for their baby. They have been here for 3 months and will probably remain for another 6. I feel really great about this young couple! The only concern with them right now is that they have some family oppostion. I can see that Tisha is a little afraid to go against what her family's religious beliefs are. i'm not too worried though, i know that if she and tai continue to read and pray, their faith will strengthen and they will know what is right.
The other couple we met is also superb!!! Tiarre was a referral from some other elders, and we had first been trying to contact him. We eventually did contact him and set up something, but when we came he was gone. We were going to give up on him, but decided to give him another chance, in fact on we randomly ran into him on the street and set up a time to come on wednesday. We managed to get hold of him again and set up another lesson. So we went around on wednesday for our lesson and he was home. So we went in and had a great lesson with just him about the restoration. Tiarre is a good man, he's a mixture of a few nationalities but more maouri than anything. He doesent say a whole lot, but does take everything in really well. The lesson we had went really great. We gave him a restro pamphlet and book of mormon before we left and said we'd come back and talk more about the book of mormon with him. We came back the next day and his wife lisa was home and wanted to join us in the lesson. Before we started the lesson Tiarre had been sitting at the table reading the pamphlet we left him. He told us he had read it through a few times and it made a lot of sense to him. It was really cool to see him studying the pamphlet! Anyways, we continued on with the lesson and his wife lisa came in eventually and joined us. Lisa is a really great lady. She is so funny and is really bubbly and funny. We had a great lesson with them about the book of mormon and explained to lisa that we would come back tomorrow and teach her about the restro. So we cam back on friday and taught lisa the restoration, tiarre was part of it also. It was also another great lesson. Whenever I shared the first vision she just said she really felt something and almost wanted to cry. We also invited them to general conference and they said they could make it to the last session. oh ya before we started that lesson with them. we also came in and their book of mormons and pamphlets were on the table and they were ready for the lesson. It was really cool to see! They both said they had read a little bit of the first chapter but would continue to read. They are both just so awesome and really really just want to keep learning! Its really amazing to just see they desire they have! I'm just astonished! Rarely do we ever find people like this!
So sunday came around and we manged to get them to the last session of general conference! As we sat and watched the conference i was completely stunned and still am as i type this email. Every single talk in that last session was completely perfect for them!!! Every single one!! L. Tom Perry's talk on the book of mormon. Ballards talk about families and also all the others were just completely perfect! I am just amazed! After the conference they told us they really enjoyed it and had a lot of things to "ponder" about haha. I know they really felt something in there. We are going to be seeing them tommorrow, and i'm so excited to see them and share with them the plan of salvation and how they can be together forver!!! I am just so thankful for the opportunity to teach them!!! Its such a huge miracle we found them! I am still in awe and wonder about how we find these people that are so prepared!
I am so pumped for this week! And the other souls we will also find and teach!!!! I just know this is the only true and living church upon the face of the earth!!!! I know Christ lives and directs this great work! I know we are all Gods children and he loves us all so much and is there for us if we just but reach out to him! I really really really love the book of mormon. Right now, i think i told you this already, but anyway, right now as a mission we are reading the book of mormon in 90 days! I am just falling in love with the book as i have read it! I am just really starting to see how it really is all about coming unto Christ and living his gospel!!! I just really am coming to understand how it is the keystone of our religion, the only evidence we have of the restoration. Without it, Joseph smith would have been nothing and could have been thrown out and rejected as a fraud. But because of the book we know that the restoration did happen. That the heavens are still open and god has revealed, will reveal, and continue to reveal great and marvelous things pertaining to the kingdom of god!!!
Well all of you just keep being awesome examples to others, and love one another. I really feel like that was a big message of the conference, and that is to just simply love one another. Be a true disciple of Christ, not to just be active in the church, but active in the gospel. Well i'll wrap this up! love you all so much! Talk to you next week!!!!
LOVE,
Elder Rawlinson
and Brandon will be able to communicate with one another in spanish! That will be cool!
Well this past week was a pretty dang good week once again! Let me just start out by saying conference was amazing! I realize now how much i took it for granted before! It makes me sad about how foolish i was growing up not to appreciate general conference! It really was so amazing. I just love hearing from all of the leaders of the church and how inspiring their words are! It just confirms to me that this is the true church and those men are really all called of God.
Besides general conference being a huge highlight of the week me and elder dorosan managed to find two awesome couples this week! Tai and Tisha, from the cook islands, and another couple with kids, Tiarre and Lisa. Both couples are really really keen!!! We taught a lesson to Tai and Tisha last sunday about the Restoration. On tuesday when we returned to see how they were doing we had an awesome follow up with them. When we came in Tisha was like really really excited and talking a lot. In the first lesson with them she hadn't really said a whole lot and was quiet. It turns out she was just so excited about the Book of Mormon. Before we left on Sunday we committed her and Tai to read the title page and intro to the book of mormon. When we followed up with tisha we found out that she had read both of those things, the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, joseph smith's testimony and even the first two chapters of Nephi!!! When we found this out, Elder Dorosan and i were dumbstruck! And she was just so excited and happy. She said she just really really loved reading all of it and just really felt something everytime she would read! We later explained she was feeling the holy ghost and encouraged her to keep reading. Tai also managed to read the intro but has a little trouble reading the english language so later in the week we got a copy for him in his language. They are just a really great young couple. They are actually only in NZ right now for their recently born baby who almost didnt live past birth. The medical care here in NZ is better than in the Cook islands so that is why they are here, to recieve the medical care they need for their baby. They have been here for 3 months and will probably remain for another 6. I feel really great about this young couple! The only concern with them right now is that they have some family oppostion. I can see that Tisha is a little afraid to go against what her family's religious beliefs are. i'm not too worried though, i know that if she and tai continue to read and pray, their faith will strengthen and they will know what is right.
The other couple we met is also superb!!! Tiarre was a referral from some other elders, and we had first been trying to contact him. We eventually did contact him and set up something, but when we came he was gone. We were going to give up on him, but decided to give him another chance, in fact on we randomly ran into him on the street and set up a time to come on wednesday. We managed to get hold of him again and set up another lesson. So we went around on wednesday for our lesson and he was home. So we went in and had a great lesson with just him about the restoration. Tiarre is a good man, he's a mixture of a few nationalities but more maouri than anything. He doesent say a whole lot, but does take everything in really well. The lesson we had went really great. We gave him a restro pamphlet and book of mormon before we left and said we'd come back and talk more about the book of mormon with him. We came back the next day and his wife lisa was home and wanted to join us in the lesson. Before we started the lesson Tiarre had been sitting at the table reading the pamphlet we left him. He told us he had read it through a few times and it made a lot of sense to him. It was really cool to see him studying the pamphlet! Anyways, we continued on with the lesson and his wife lisa came in eventually and joined us. Lisa is a really great lady. She is so funny and is really bubbly and funny. We had a great lesson with them about the book of mormon and explained to lisa that we would come back tomorrow and teach her about the restro. So we cam back on friday and taught lisa the restoration, tiarre was part of it also. It was also another great lesson. Whenever I shared the first vision she just said she really felt something and almost wanted to cry. We also invited them to general conference and they said they could make it to the last session. oh ya before we started that lesson with them. we also came in and their book of mormons and pamphlets were on the table and they were ready for the lesson. It was really cool to see! They both said they had read a little bit of the first chapter but would continue to read. They are both just so awesome and really really just want to keep learning! Its really amazing to just see they desire they have! I'm just astonished! Rarely do we ever find people like this!
So sunday came around and we manged to get them to the last session of general conference! As we sat and watched the conference i was completely stunned and still am as i type this email. Every single talk in that last session was completely perfect for them!!! Every single one!! L. Tom Perry's talk on the book of mormon. Ballards talk about families and also all the others were just completely perfect! I am just amazed! After the conference they told us they really enjoyed it and had a lot of things to "ponder" about haha. I know they really felt something in there. We are going to be seeing them tommorrow, and i'm so excited to see them and share with them the plan of salvation and how they can be together forver!!! I am just so thankful for the opportunity to teach them!!! Its such a huge miracle we found them! I am still in awe and wonder about how we find these people that are so prepared!
I am so pumped for this week! And the other souls we will also find and teach!!!! I just know this is the only true and living church upon the face of the earth!!!! I know Christ lives and directs this great work! I know we are all Gods children and he loves us all so much and is there for us if we just but reach out to him! I really really really love the book of mormon. Right now, i think i told you this already, but anyway, right now as a mission we are reading the book of mormon in 90 days! I am just falling in love with the book as i have read it! I am just really starting to see how it really is all about coming unto Christ and living his gospel!!! I just really am coming to understand how it is the keystone of our religion, the only evidence we have of the restoration. Without it, Joseph smith would have been nothing and could have been thrown out and rejected as a fraud. But because of the book we know that the restoration did happen. That the heavens are still open and god has revealed, will reveal, and continue to reveal great and marvelous things pertaining to the kingdom of god!!!
Well all of you just keep being awesome examples to others, and love one another. I really feel like that was a big message of the conference, and that is to just simply love one another. Be a true disciple of Christ, not to just be active in the church, but active in the gospel. Well i'll wrap this up! love you all so much! Talk to you next week!!!!
LOVE,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wow I can't believe brittany got her mission call!!! How wonderful!! Thats so awesome she's going to arizona and going to be SPEAKING SPANISH!!! What an experience it will be for you brittany!! I am so excited for you and can't wait to hear about the experiences you will have! You and Brandon will be able to communicate with one another in spanish! That will be cool!
Well this past week was a pretty dang good week once again! Let me just start out by saying conference was amazing! I realize now how much i took it for granted before! It makes me sad about how foolish i was growing up not to appreciate general conference! It really was so amazing. I just love hearing from all of the leaders of the church and how inspiring their words are! It just confirms to me that this is the true church and those men are really all called of God.
Besides general conference being a huge highlight of the week me and elder dorosan managed to find two awesome couples this week! Tai and Tisha, from the cook islands, and another couple with kids, Tiarre and Lisa. Both couples are really really keen!!! We taught a lesson to Tai and Tisha last sunday about the Restoration. On tuesday when we returned to see how they were doing we had an awesome follow up with them. When we came in Tisha was like really really excited and talking a lot. In the first lesson with them she hadn't really said a whole lot and was quiet. It turns out she was just so excited about the Book of Mormon. Before we left on Sunday we committed her and Tai to read the title page and intro to the book of mormon. When we followed up with tisha we found out that she had read both of those things, the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, joseph smith's testimony and even the first two chapters of Nephi!!! When we found this out, Elder Dorosan and i were dumbstruck! And she was just so excited and happy. She said she just really really loved reading all of it and just really felt something everytime she would read! We later explained she was feeling the holy ghost and encouraged her to keep reading. Tai also managed to read the intro but has a little trouble reading the english language so later in the week we got a copy for him in his language. They are just a really great young couple. They are actually only in NZ right now for their recently born baby who almost didnt live past birth. The medical care here in NZ is better than in the Cook islands so that is why they are here, to recieve the medical care they need for their baby. They have been here for 3 months and will probably remain for another 6. I feel really great about this young couple! The only concern with them right now is that they have some family oppostion. I can see that Tisha is a little afraid to go against what her family's religious beliefs are. i'm not too worried though, i know that if she and tai continue to read and pray, their faith will strengthen and they will know what is right.
The other couple we met is also superb!!! Tiarre was a referral from some other elders, and we had first been trying to contact him. We eventually did contact him and set up something, but when we came he was gone. We were going to give up on him, but decided to give him another chance, in fact on we randomly ran into him on the street and set up a time to come on wednesday. We managed to get hold of him again and set up another lesson. So we went around on wednesday for our lesson and he was home. So we went in and had a great lesson with just him about the restoration. Tiarre is a good man, he's a mixture of a few nationalities but more maouri than anything. He doesent say a whole lot, but does take everything in really well. The lesson we had went really great. We gave him a restro pamphlet and book of mormon before we left and said we'd come back and talk more about the book of mormon with him. We came back the next day and his wife lisa was home and wanted to join us in the lesson. Before we started the lesson Tiarre had been sitting at the table reading the pamphlet we left him. He told us he had read it through a few times and it made a lot of sense to him. It was really cool to see him studying the pamphlet! Anyways, we continued on with the lesson and his wife lisa came in eventually and joined us. Lisa is a really great lady. She is so funny and is really bubbly and funny. We had a great lesson with them about the book of mormon and explained to lisa that we would come back tomorrow and teach her about the restro. So we cam back on friday and taught lisa the restoration, tiarre was part of it also. It was also another great lesson. Whenever I shared the first vision she just said she really felt something and almost wanted to cry. We also invited them to general conference and they said they could make it to the last session. oh ya before we started that lesson with them. we also came in and their book of mormons and pamphlets were on the table and they were ready for the lesson. It was really cool to see! They both said they had read a little bit of the first chapter but would continue to read. They are both just so awesome and really really just want to keep learning! Its really amazing to just see they desire they have! I'm just astonished! Rarely do we ever find people like this!
So sunday came around and we manged to get them to the last session of general conference! As we sat and watched the conference i was completely stunned and still am as i type this email. Every single talk in that last session was completely perfect for them!!! Every single one!! L. Tom Perry's talk on the book of mormon. Ballards talk about families and also all the others were just completely perfect! I am just amazed! After the conference they told us they really enjoyed it and had a lot of things to "ponder" about haha. I know they really felt something in there. We are going to be seeing them tommorrow, and i'm so excited to see them and share with them the plan of salvation and how they can be together forver!!! I am just so thankful for the opportunity to teach them!!! Its such a huge miracle we found them! I am still in awe and wonder about how we find these people that are so prepared!
I am so pumped for this week! And the other souls we will also find and teach!!!! I just know this is the only true and living church upon the face of the earth!!!! I know Christ lives and directs this great work! I know we are all Gods children and he loves us all so much and is there for us if we just but reach out to him! I really really really love the book of mormon. Right now, i think i told you this already, but anyway, right now as a mission we are reading the book of mormon in 90 days! I am just falling in love with the book as i have read it! I am just really starting to see how it really is all about coming unto Christ and living his gospel!!! I just really am coming to understand how it is the keystone of our religion, the only evidence we have of the restoration. Without it, Joseph smith would have been nothing and could have been thrown out and rejected as a fraud. But because of the book we know that the restoration did happen. That the heavens are still open and god has revealed, will reveal, and continue to reveal great and marvelous things pertaining to the kingdom of god!!!
Well all of you just keep being awesome examples to others, and love one another. I really feel like that was a big message of the conference, and that is to just simply love one another. Be a true disciple of Christ, not to just be active in the church, but active in the gospel. Well i'll wrap this up! love you all so much! Talk to you next week!!!!
LOVE,
Elder Rawlinson
and Brandon will be able to communicate with one another in spanish! That will be cool!
Well this past week was a pretty dang good week once again! Let me just start out by saying conference was amazing! I realize now how much i took it for granted before! It makes me sad about how foolish i was growing up not to appreciate general conference! It really was so amazing. I just love hearing from all of the leaders of the church and how inspiring their words are! It just confirms to me that this is the true church and those men are really all called of God.
Besides general conference being a huge highlight of the week me and elder dorosan managed to find two awesome couples this week! Tai and Tisha, from the cook islands, and another couple with kids, Tiarre and Lisa. Both couples are really really keen!!! We taught a lesson to Tai and Tisha last sunday about the Restoration. On tuesday when we returned to see how they were doing we had an awesome follow up with them. When we came in Tisha was like really really excited and talking a lot. In the first lesson with them she hadn't really said a whole lot and was quiet. It turns out she was just so excited about the Book of Mormon. Before we left on Sunday we committed her and Tai to read the title page and intro to the book of mormon. When we followed up with tisha we found out that she had read both of those things, the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, joseph smith's testimony and even the first two chapters of Nephi!!! When we found this out, Elder Dorosan and i were dumbstruck! And she was just so excited and happy. She said she just really really loved reading all of it and just really felt something everytime she would read! We later explained she was feeling the holy ghost and encouraged her to keep reading. Tai also managed to read the intro but has a little trouble reading the english language so later in the week we got a copy for him in his language. They are just a really great young couple. They are actually only in NZ right now for their recently born baby who almost didnt live past birth. The medical care here in NZ is better than in the Cook islands so that is why they are here, to recieve the medical care they need for their baby. They have been here for 3 months and will probably remain for another 6. I feel really great about this young couple! The only concern with them right now is that they have some family oppostion. I can see that Tisha is a little afraid to go against what her family's religious beliefs are. i'm not too worried though, i know that if she and tai continue to read and pray, their faith will strengthen and they will know what is right.
The other couple we met is also superb!!! Tiarre was a referral from some other elders, and we had first been trying to contact him. We eventually did contact him and set up something, but when we came he was gone. We were going to give up on him, but decided to give him another chance, in fact on we randomly ran into him on the street and set up a time to come on wednesday. We managed to get hold of him again and set up another lesson. So we went around on wednesday for our lesson and he was home. So we went in and had a great lesson with just him about the restoration. Tiarre is a good man, he's a mixture of a few nationalities but more maouri than anything. He doesent say a whole lot, but does take everything in really well. The lesson we had went really great. We gave him a restro pamphlet and book of mormon before we left and said we'd come back and talk more about the book of mormon with him. We came back the next day and his wife lisa was home and wanted to join us in the lesson. Before we started the lesson Tiarre had been sitting at the table reading the pamphlet we left him. He told us he had read it through a few times and it made a lot of sense to him. It was really cool to see him studying the pamphlet! Anyways, we continued on with the lesson and his wife lisa came in eventually and joined us. Lisa is a really great lady. She is so funny and is really bubbly and funny. We had a great lesson with them about the book of mormon and explained to lisa that we would come back tomorrow and teach her about the restro. So we cam back on friday and taught lisa the restoration, tiarre was part of it also. It was also another great lesson. Whenever I shared the first vision she just said she really felt something and almost wanted to cry. We also invited them to general conference and they said they could make it to the last session. oh ya before we started that lesson with them. we also came in and their book of mormons and pamphlets were on the table and they were ready for the lesson. It was really cool to see! They both said they had read a little bit of the first chapter but would continue to read. They are both just so awesome and really really just want to keep learning! Its really amazing to just see they desire they have! I'm just astonished! Rarely do we ever find people like this!
So sunday came around and we manged to get them to the last session of general conference! As we sat and watched the conference i was completely stunned and still am as i type this email. Every single talk in that last session was completely perfect for them!!! Every single one!! L. Tom Perry's talk on the book of mormon. Ballards talk about families and also all the others were just completely perfect! I am just amazed! After the conference they told us they really enjoyed it and had a lot of things to "ponder" about haha. I know they really felt something in there. We are going to be seeing them tommorrow, and i'm so excited to see them and share with them the plan of salvation and how they can be together forver!!! I am just so thankful for the opportunity to teach them!!! Its such a huge miracle we found them! I am still in awe and wonder about how we find these people that are so prepared!
I am so pumped for this week! And the other souls we will also find and teach!!!! I just know this is the only true and living church upon the face of the earth!!!! I know Christ lives and directs this great work! I know we are all Gods children and he loves us all so much and is there for us if we just but reach out to him! I really really really love the book of mormon. Right now, i think i told you this already, but anyway, right now as a mission we are reading the book of mormon in 90 days! I am just falling in love with the book as i have read it! I am just really starting to see how it really is all about coming unto Christ and living his gospel!!! I just really am coming to understand how it is the keystone of our religion, the only evidence we have of the restoration. Without it, Joseph smith would have been nothing and could have been thrown out and rejected as a fraud. But because of the book we know that the restoration did happen. That the heavens are still open and god has revealed, will reveal, and continue to reveal great and marvelous things pertaining to the kingdom of god!!!
Well all of you just keep being awesome examples to others, and love one another. I really feel like that was a big message of the conference, and that is to just simply love one another. Be a true disciple of Christ, not to just be active in the church, but active in the gospel. Well i'll wrap this up! love you all so much! Talk to you next week!!!!
LOVE,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Lovely emails from all of you
Kia Ora Family!!!
Well thank you all so much for all the wonderful emails!!! Glad to hear you all had a relaxing weekend watching conference and hanging out with each other!!! The story about the babies and Kathleen was pretty wild!! There are just some crazy people out there in the world! Believe me, i meet them everynow and then here in NZ haha!
Well we actually didnt have conference over the weekend here in NZ. We actually have everything this upcoming weekend. I really am so excited to hear from latter-day prophets and apostles!! I've decided that i'm going to invite everyone i meet to the conference this weekend to hear from a prophet and apostles!! It will be fun to see how some people react!
This past week was pretty good in itself!!! As a mission, we had a temple trip this past wednesday! What a great trip it was! We all met up at one of the nearby chapels and bused down there. The drive down to the temple is so beautiful!!! The country here in NZ is just absolutely beautiful. It is so green here in NZ. There are so many hills and pretty trees. If you watch Lord of the Rings, the of the movie where its in the hobbit town, with the rolling hills and green grass, thats much of what the country looks like, in fact those scenes weren't filmed to far outside Hamilton, where the temple is. It truly is a beautiful country.
Anyways, the session was so great!!! I went with a lot of questions for the Lord, and all of them were answered!!! I just love the spirit I felt! The temple is so peaceful and free of stress!! It was really cool to just be in the temple with all of us missionaries. It was pretty cool to be in the celestial room altogether, it just gave me a glimpse of what the celestial kingdom will be like. To be there with our families and everyone else who lived righteous lives.
After the trip, on the way back we stopped at this ice cream place. Oh and by the way the ice cream here in NZ is just incredible. I'm not sure what it is, but the ice cream is truly the best i've ever had. Its just really creamy and rich with flavor, i love it!!! Anyway, the ice cream place we went to was really really good!!!!! I got with five scoops!!! They actually sell a cone you can get with 13 scoops!!!! I think i would have go it but i didn't have enough money! Maybe next time!!
We had a great fast and testimony meeting yesterday! The boy we baptized, Alex, his whole family came. The dad (Paul), who is a nonmember, has actually come to church 3 times now and was being taught by us in the past, but is just really going through some financial difficulties so he works a lot, so we havent been able to meet with him, but anyway he came! Afterwards, he told us that he really really loved it and really felt something from one of the members testimonies. He just said to us "well i really need to read the book of mormon dont I?" I could tell he really felt something. We are going to try and find a time that we can meet with him, i think that it is finally his time.
We've also been working hard with this girl named jackie. She has come a long way now and is doing great! Currently the situation with her is just really really crazy! She lives with her boyfriend, who is a member. Afa, her boyfriend, is a really funny guy. He's gotten in a lot of trouble though and is on 24 hour curfew meaning he has to stay home all the time. He's also on trial right now and could go to prison. He's done a lot of dumb things in the past but me and elder dorosan have really helped him to repent, and he has changed a lot. He really wants to start coming back to church but can't because of his situation. His gf jackie is doing really great though. We've been teaching her for awhile now. They both read the book of mormon and pray together almost everyday. At first she just wasn't sure about the whole thing, but the other day we asked her if she'd received that witness of truth yet and she told us yes, that she has and believes the bofm to be true and everything. I just love the gospel!!! Its so great to hear people say those things after they've done there part to read, pray, and come to church!! The biggest thing thats holding her back from baptism right now is that they need to be married or seperated, and some opposition from her family. I know everything is going to work out though and that she will be baptized! Some of our members have been really great in fellowshipping her and she now feels comfortable with coming to church.
I just love this work, and know its true. Its really pretty simple, all we do as missionaries is share the message, and help people find out for themselves. If they would simply do those things of praying, reading the scriptures and coming to church, they would know its true!
Well i guess i'll wrap this up! Love you all so much! And i will talk to you in a weeks time!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
Well we actually didnt have conference over the weekend here in NZ. We actually have everything this upcoming weekend. I really am so excited to hear from latter-day prophets and apostles!! I've decided that i'm going to invite everyone i meet to the conference this weekend to hear from a prophet and apostles!! It will be fun to see how some people react!
This past week was pretty good in itself!!! As a mission, we had a temple trip this past wednesday! What a great trip it was! We all met up at one of the nearby chapels and bused down there. The drive down to the temple is so beautiful!!! The country here in NZ is just absolutely beautiful. It is so green here in NZ. There are so many hills and pretty trees. If you watch Lord of the Rings, the of the movie where its in the hobbit town, with the rolling hills and green grass, thats much of what the country looks like, in fact those scenes weren't filmed to far outside Hamilton, where the temple is. It truly is a beautiful country.
Anyways, the session was so great!!! I went with a lot of questions for the Lord, and all of them were answered!!! I just love the spirit I felt! The temple is so peaceful and free of stress!! It was really cool to just be in the temple with all of us missionaries. It was pretty cool to be in the celestial room altogether, it just gave me a glimpse of what the celestial kingdom will be like. To be there with our families and everyone else who lived righteous lives.
After the trip, on the way back we stopped at this ice cream place. Oh and by the way the ice cream here in NZ is just incredible. I'm not sure what it is, but the ice cream is truly the best i've ever had. Its just really creamy and rich with flavor, i love it!!! Anyway, the ice cream place we went to was really really good!!!!! I got with five scoops!!! They actually sell a cone you can get with 13 scoops!!!! I think i would have go it but i didn't have enough money! Maybe next time!!
We had a great fast and testimony meeting yesterday! The boy we baptized, Alex, his whole family came. The dad (Paul), who is a nonmember, has actually come to church 3 times now and was being taught by us in the past, but is just really going through some financial difficulties so he works a lot, so we havent been able to meet with him, but anyway he came! Afterwards, he told us that he really really loved it and really felt something from one of the members testimonies. He just said to us "well i really need to read the book of mormon dont I?" I could tell he really felt something. We are going to try and find a time that we can meet with him, i think that it is finally his time.
We've also been working hard with this girl named jackie. She has come a long way now and is doing great! Currently the situation with her is just really really crazy! She lives with her boyfriend, who is a member. Afa, her boyfriend, is a really funny guy. He's gotten in a lot of trouble though and is on 24 hour curfew meaning he has to stay home all the time. He's also on trial right now and could go to prison. He's done a lot of dumb things in the past but me and elder dorosan have really helped him to repent, and he has changed a lot. He really wants to start coming back to church but can't because of his situation. His gf jackie is doing really great though. We've been teaching her for awhile now. They both read the book of mormon and pray together almost everyday. At first she just wasn't sure about the whole thing, but the other day we asked her if she'd received that witness of truth yet and she told us yes, that she has and believes the bofm to be true and everything. I just love the gospel!!! Its so great to hear people say those things after they've done there part to read, pray, and come to church!! The biggest thing thats holding her back from baptism right now is that they need to be married or seperated, and some opposition from her family. I know everything is going to work out though and that she will be baptized! Some of our members have been really great in fellowshipping her and she now feels comfortable with coming to church.
I just love this work, and know its true. Its really pretty simple, all we do as missionaries is share the message, and help people find out for themselves. If they would simply do those things of praying, reading the scriptures and coming to church, they would know its true!
Well i guess i'll wrap this up! Love you all so much! And i will talk to you in a weeks time!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
Well thank you all so much for all the wonderful emails!!! Glad to hear you all had a relaxing weekend watching conference and hanging out with each other!!! The story about the babies and Kathleen was pretty wild!! There are just some crazy people out there in the world! Believe me, i meet them everynow and then here in NZ haha!
Well we actually didnt have conference over the weekend here in NZ. We actually have everything this upcoming weekend. I really am so excited to hear from latter-day prophets and apostles!! I've decided that i'm going to invite everyone i meet to the conference this weekend to hear from a prophet and apostles!! It will be fun to see how some people react!
This past week was pretty good in itself!!! As a mission, we had a temple trip this past wednesday! What a great trip it was! We all met up at one of the nearby chapels and bused down there. The drive down to the temple is so beautiful!!! The country here in NZ is just absolutely beautiful. It is so green here in NZ. There are so many hills and pretty trees. If you watch Lord of the Rings, the of the movie where its in the hobbit town, with the rolling hills and green grass, thats much of what the country looks like, in fact those scenes weren't filmed to far outside Hamilton, where the temple is. It truly is a beautiful country.
Anyways, the session was so great!!! I went with a lot of questions for the Lord, and all of them were answered!!! I just love the spirit I felt! The temple is so peaceful and free of stress!! It was really cool to just be in the temple with all of us missionaries. It was pretty cool to be in the celestial room altogether, it just gave me a glimpse of what the celestial kingdom will be like. To be there with our families and everyone else who lived righteous lives.
After the trip, on the way back we stopped at this ice cream place. Oh and by the way the ice cream here in NZ is just incredible. I'm not sure what it is, but the ice cream is truly the best i've ever had. Its just really creamy and rich with flavor, i love it!!! Anyway, the ice cream place we went to was really really good!!!!! I got with five scoops!!! They actually sell a cone you can get with 13 scoops!!!! I think i would have go it but i didn't have enough money! Maybe next time!!
We had a great fast and testimony meeting yesterday! The boy we baptized, Alex, his whole family came. The dad (Paul), who is a nonmember, has actually come to church 3 times now and was being taught by us in the past, but is just really going through some financial difficulties so he works a lot, so we havent been able to meet with him, but anyway he came! Afterwards, he told us that he really really loved it and really felt something from one of the members testimonies. He just said to us "well i really need to read the book of mormon dont I?" I could tell he really felt something. We are going to try and find a time that we can meet with him, i think that it is finally his time.
We've also been working hard with this girl named jackie. She has come a long way now and is doing great! Currently the situation with her is just really really crazy! She lives with her boyfriend, who is a member. Afa, her boyfriend, is a really funny guy. He's gotten in a lot of trouble though and is on 24 hour curfew meaning he has to stay home all the time. He's also on trial right now and could go to prison. He's done a lot of dumb things in the past but me and elder dorosan have really helped him to repent, and he has changed a lot. He really wants to start coming back to church but can't because of his situation. His gf jackie is doing really great though. We've been teaching her for awhile now. They both read the book of mormon and pray together almost everyday. At first she just wasn't sure about the whole thing, but the other day we asked her if she'd received that witness of truth yet and she told us yes, that she has and believes the bofm to be true and everything. I just love the gospel!!! Its so great to hear people say those things after they've done there part to read, pray, and come to church!! The biggest thing thats holding her back from baptism right now is that they need to be married or seperated, and some opposition from her family. I know everything is going to work out though and that she will be baptized! Some of our members have been really great in fellowshipping her and she now feels comfortable with coming to church.
I just love this work, and know its true. Its really pretty simple, all we do as missionaries is share the message, and help people find out for themselves. If they would simply do those things of praying, reading the scriptures and coming to church, they would know its true!
Well i guess i'll wrap this up! Love you all so much! And i will talk to you in a weeks time!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
Well we actually didnt have conference over the weekend here in NZ. We actually have everything this upcoming weekend. I really am so excited to hear from latter-day prophets and apostles!! I've decided that i'm going to invite everyone i meet to the conference this weekend to hear from a prophet and apostles!! It will be fun to see how some people react!
This past week was pretty good in itself!!! As a mission, we had a temple trip this past wednesday! What a great trip it was! We all met up at one of the nearby chapels and bused down there. The drive down to the temple is so beautiful!!! The country here in NZ is just absolutely beautiful. It is so green here in NZ. There are so many hills and pretty trees. If you watch Lord of the Rings, the of the movie where its in the hobbit town, with the rolling hills and green grass, thats much of what the country looks like, in fact those scenes weren't filmed to far outside Hamilton, where the temple is. It truly is a beautiful country.
Anyways, the session was so great!!! I went with a lot of questions for the Lord, and all of them were answered!!! I just love the spirit I felt! The temple is so peaceful and free of stress!! It was really cool to just be in the temple with all of us missionaries. It was pretty cool to be in the celestial room altogether, it just gave me a glimpse of what the celestial kingdom will be like. To be there with our families and everyone else who lived righteous lives.
After the trip, on the way back we stopped at this ice cream place. Oh and by the way the ice cream here in NZ is just incredible. I'm not sure what it is, but the ice cream is truly the best i've ever had. Its just really creamy and rich with flavor, i love it!!! Anyway, the ice cream place we went to was really really good!!!!! I got with five scoops!!! They actually sell a cone you can get with 13 scoops!!!! I think i would have go it but i didn't have enough money! Maybe next time!!
We had a great fast and testimony meeting yesterday! The boy we baptized, Alex, his whole family came. The dad (Paul), who is a nonmember, has actually come to church 3 times now and was being taught by us in the past, but is just really going through some financial difficulties so he works a lot, so we havent been able to meet with him, but anyway he came! Afterwards, he told us that he really really loved it and really felt something from one of the members testimonies. He just said to us "well i really need to read the book of mormon dont I?" I could tell he really felt something. We are going to try and find a time that we can meet with him, i think that it is finally his time.
We've also been working hard with this girl named jackie. She has come a long way now and is doing great! Currently the situation with her is just really really crazy! She lives with her boyfriend, who is a member. Afa, her boyfriend, is a really funny guy. He's gotten in a lot of trouble though and is on 24 hour curfew meaning he has to stay home all the time. He's also on trial right now and could go to prison. He's done a lot of dumb things in the past but me and elder dorosan have really helped him to repent, and he has changed a lot. He really wants to start coming back to church but can't because of his situation. His gf jackie is doing really great though. We've been teaching her for awhile now. They both read the book of mormon and pray together almost everyday. At first she just wasn't sure about the whole thing, but the other day we asked her if she'd received that witness of truth yet and she told us yes, that she has and believes the bofm to be true and everything. I just love the gospel!!! Its so great to hear people say those things after they've done there part to read, pray, and come to church!! The biggest thing thats holding her back from baptism right now is that they need to be married or seperated, and some opposition from her family. I know everything is going to work out though and that she will be baptized! Some of our members have been really great in fellowshipping her and she now feels comfortable with coming to church.
I just love this work, and know its true. Its really pretty simple, all we do as missionaries is share the message, and help people find out for themselves. If they would simply do those things of praying, reading the scriptures and coming to church, they would know its true!
Well i guess i'll wrap this up! Love you all so much! And i will talk to you in a weeks time!!!
Love,
Elder Rawlinson
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Miracles!!!!!
Kia Ora Family!!!
Wonderful to hear from you all again!!! This past week was really exciting for me and my companion!!! We had a great miracle happen!!!!
I'll first begin by saying that the mission is going so great, and i am learning, maturing, and growing so much each day!!! I am really loving the people and really love teaching the restored Gospel!!!
So on Thursday I conducted a tradeoff with the Tongan missionaries in my district. I went into their area, while one of them went into my area with my companion. The tradeoff i had with Elder Pohahou was good, we had some good things happen that day, but the real miracle occurred with my companion and Elder Kilihahapi. They were on the street and decided to approach a woman on the street coming towards them. As they approached they introduced themselves and the woman was really nice. So they did the usual thing and the woman was smiling and they talked a little bit. Eventually the woman said to my companion, "you might get me baptized". When my companion was really shocked when she said this my companion was really excited and set up a return appointment with her the next day.
That night our tradeoff ended and my companion told me how their day went and how they met this keen woman. I didnt really think much of it myself, but was like ok thats cool. The next day comes and we go to see her for the appointment, and i meet her. We go in the house introduce ourselves, and talk for a little bit. Oh ya, the woman's name is Hazel, and she is a Maouri. Anyway so we are talking and talking doing what we missionaries call "how to begin teaching" which is just building a good relationship and telling her what our purpose is and all. So we then ask her what she wants to hear from us or what she expects from our visits. She then answered us by saying, "Well i'm just curious how i get baptzied, what do i need to do to do that?". My companion and i were shocked when she said this!!! We turned and looked at each other both thinking, what the heck!!!! So we happily answered her question by explaining that that is our whole purpose as missionaries and all. We then just talked and found out why she wanted to be baptized and all.
It turned out that she was actually raised with our beliefs because her father was a member but not really active but did take them to church now and then. She also said how she was never actually baptized into our church but was raised in it until about 8 years old, but was never baptized. Later on she actually married a man who is a member but LA well pretty much inactive. The missionaries started to teach her and her husband back in 2005. She really loved the church and wanted to be baptzied, but certain things would always get in the way and it was never able to happen. This happened off and on up until we met her. Her husband right now is currently in prison and it sounds like he was a great hinderment to her joining the church.
So we got all these details, and even more details just to see where she was coming from. We asked her what would hold her back from baptism and she said nothing!!! So we got more details and found out that she actually qualified for this weekend!!! She met all the qualificatons for baptism this weekend!!! So we set her for Saturday and she said yes!!!!! it was a miracle and me and elder dorosan were just in shock the whole rest of the day about what happened. That night we were just really unsure about the whole thing still and if she was truly honest and ready. So we prayed about it that night, and both received an answer that she was being honest and is ready!!! So we proceded forth and she was interviewed the next day(friday) and passed!!!
Thats not only the other miracle we had this week either!!! We were also able to have a little boy named Alex get baptized!!! His mother is a member, but stepfather is not. We have been working with them a really long time, and recently the mother and boys have been coming to church. Alex is so so smart!!! He picks up everything we teach him so fast, he's only 10 years old!!! Anyways, we set him for baptism last saturday and worked with him the whole week to prepare. He was a little nervous about being baptized that week, but we invited him to pray about it. Guess what, he got answer!!! He said he felt that he was ready for this weekend!!!
So the plan for the weekend was to have both alex and Hazel be baptized saturday night at 7:00.
Saturday night comes and its time for the baptism. Alex and the family show up right at 7:00 but Hazel hasn't showed up yet. We remember Hazel telling us how she had to attend an 80 birthday that evening but would be able to make it at 7:00 to the baptism, but she still wasnt there!!!! We tried callling her and everything but her phone would go straight to voicemail!! So our Zone leader went out to try and find her while we proceded forth with the baptism. The baptism went great and Alex was baptized but unfortuantely Hazel never showed up and the zone leaders never could find her!!! Me and Elder dorosan were so sad, and i was really upset also. but we were also so happy for alex because it really was a great service for him. Both his parents really loved it and even cried after he was baptized. It was just such a mix of emotions, i thought i was going to explode!!!!!!!!!!
After the baptism, we decided to drop by her place to see if she was home, but no one was there. We just left a little note on the door and went back to our flat. We decided that we would wake up Sunday morning and go back to see if she was home before we went to church that morning at nine.
We went over to her home and she was there!!!! We talked and found out that she couldnt get anyone to drop her off at the chapel and she couldnt walk there becuase the weather was bad that night, and her phone wasnt working either. She then asked us if she could still be baptized that day and we said yes you can!!!! So we got everything organzed for the baptism, and we had a little service at 8:30 that morning before church, and she was baptized!!!! It was such a miracle! The little service we had in the bishops office was really great. The Bishop said some really great things to her and when we had the baptism i could just feel the spirit.
Sunday was one of the happiest days of my life. Seeing them both recieve the Holy Ghost, and to just experience such wonderful miracles!!!!
That was a really long story but it was just so amazing the whole thing!!! It really really built my faith and i am a stronger person now.
I just want to tell you even more that has happened!!! I feel now know what the prophets mean when they say in the BofM how not even a hundreth part can be written on the many things they went through. Its very similar now as i type you my experiences.
Well I love you all so much!! I hope you love the pic i sent of Alex's baptism!! What do you think of my outfit??? Hahaha, what i'm wearing is called an Ie fai Taga. Its what samonas wear. Well all polynesians usually wear them a lot haha. One of the members in our ward gave it to me!!!
Oh tell blake thank you for the package he sent me and the letters from him and Kevin!!!!! Tell them i will write them back as soon as i can!!!! Oh and i also got my garments!!!! We are actually going to the temple this wednesday!!!! I'm pretty excited to go to the NZ temple and to just go to the temple haha!!!!
Well love you all so much!!!!! Keep livin the Gospel!!!!! Talk to you all next week!!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wonderful to hear from you all again!!! This past week was really exciting for me and my companion!!! We had a great miracle happen!!!!
I'll first begin by saying that the mission is going so great, and i am learning, maturing, and growing so much each day!!! I am really loving the people and really love teaching the restored Gospel!!!
So on Thursday I conducted a tradeoff with the Tongan missionaries in my district. I went into their area, while one of them went into my area with my companion. The tradeoff i had with Elder Pohahou was good, we had some good things happen that day, but the real miracle occurred with my companion and Elder Kilihahapi. They were on the street and decided to approach a woman on the street coming towards them. As they approached they introduced themselves and the woman was really nice. So they did the usual thing and the woman was smiling and they talked a little bit. Eventually the woman said to my companion, "you might get me baptized". When my companion was really shocked when she said this my companion was really excited and set up a return appointment with her the next day.
That night our tradeoff ended and my companion told me how their day went and how they met this keen woman. I didnt really think much of it myself, but was like ok thats cool. The next day comes and we go to see her for the appointment, and i meet her. We go in the house introduce ourselves, and talk for a little bit. Oh ya, the woman's name is Hazel, and she is a Maouri. Anyway so we are talking and talking doing what we missionaries call "how to begin teaching" which is just building a good relationship and telling her what our purpose is and all. So we then ask her what she wants to hear from us or what she expects from our visits. She then answered us by saying, "Well i'm just curious how i get baptzied, what do i need to do to do that?". My companion and i were shocked when she said this!!! We turned and looked at each other both thinking, what the heck!!!! So we happily answered her question by explaining that that is our whole purpose as missionaries and all. We then just talked and found out why she wanted to be baptized and all.
It turned out that she was actually raised with our beliefs because her father was a member but not really active but did take them to church now and then. She also said how she was never actually baptized into our church but was raised in it until about 8 years old, but was never baptized. Later on she actually married a man who is a member but LA well pretty much inactive. The missionaries started to teach her and her husband back in 2005. She really loved the church and wanted to be baptzied, but certain things would always get in the way and it was never able to happen. This happened off and on up until we met her. Her husband right now is currently in prison and it sounds like he was a great hinderment to her joining the church.
So we got all these details, and even more details just to see where she was coming from. We asked her what would hold her back from baptism and she said nothing!!! So we got more details and found out that she actually qualified for this weekend!!! She met all the qualificatons for baptism this weekend!!! So we set her for Saturday and she said yes!!!!! it was a miracle and me and elder dorosan were just in shock the whole rest of the day about what happened. That night we were just really unsure about the whole thing still and if she was truly honest and ready. So we prayed about it that night, and both received an answer that she was being honest and is ready!!! So we proceded forth and she was interviewed the next day(friday) and passed!!!
Thats not only the other miracle we had this week either!!! We were also able to have a little boy named Alex get baptized!!! His mother is a member, but stepfather is not. We have been working with them a really long time, and recently the mother and boys have been coming to church. Alex is so so smart!!! He picks up everything we teach him so fast, he's only 10 years old!!! Anyways, we set him for baptism last saturday and worked with him the whole week to prepare. He was a little nervous about being baptized that week, but we invited him to pray about it. Guess what, he got answer!!! He said he felt that he was ready for this weekend!!!
So the plan for the weekend was to have both alex and Hazel be baptized saturday night at 7:00.
Saturday night comes and its time for the baptism. Alex and the family show up right at 7:00 but Hazel hasn't showed up yet. We remember Hazel telling us how she had to attend an 80 birthday that evening but would be able to make it at 7:00 to the baptism, but she still wasnt there!!!! We tried callling her and everything but her phone would go straight to voicemail!! So our Zone leader went out to try and find her while we proceded forth with the baptism. The baptism went great and Alex was baptized but unfortuantely Hazel never showed up and the zone leaders never could find her!!! Me and Elder dorosan were so sad, and i was really upset also. but we were also so happy for alex because it really was a great service for him. Both his parents really loved it and even cried after he was baptized. It was just such a mix of emotions, i thought i was going to explode!!!!!!!!!!
After the baptism, we decided to drop by her place to see if she was home, but no one was there. We just left a little note on the door and went back to our flat. We decided that we would wake up Sunday morning and go back to see if she was home before we went to church that morning at nine.
We went over to her home and she was there!!!! We talked and found out that she couldnt get anyone to drop her off at the chapel and she couldnt walk there becuase the weather was bad that night, and her phone wasnt working either. She then asked us if she could still be baptized that day and we said yes you can!!!! So we got everything organzed for the baptism, and we had a little service at 8:30 that morning before church, and she was baptized!!!! It was such a miracle! The little service we had in the bishops office was really great. The Bishop said some really great things to her and when we had the baptism i could just feel the spirit.
Sunday was one of the happiest days of my life. Seeing them both recieve the Holy Ghost, and to just experience such wonderful miracles!!!!
That was a really long story but it was just so amazing the whole thing!!! It really really built my faith and i am a stronger person now.
I just want to tell you even more that has happened!!! I feel now know what the prophets mean when they say in the BofM how not even a hundreth part can be written on the many things they went through. Its very similar now as i type you my experiences.
Well I love you all so much!! I hope you love the pic i sent of Alex's baptism!! What do you think of my outfit??? Hahaha, what i'm wearing is called an Ie fai Taga. Its what samonas wear. Well all polynesians usually wear them a lot haha. One of the members in our ward gave it to me!!!
Oh tell blake thank you for the package he sent me and the letters from him and Kevin!!!!! Tell them i will write them back as soon as i can!!!! Oh and i also got my garments!!!! We are actually going to the temple this wednesday!!!! I'm pretty excited to go to the NZ temple and to just go to the temple haha!!!!
Well love you all so much!!!!! Keep livin the Gospel!!!!! Talk to you all next week!!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Forgot about St.Paddy's Day!
Kia Ora Family!!!
Well this past week flew by just as usual!! In fact this is the last week of the transfer!!! This transfer went by so fast its scary!!! I'm 90% sure that me and my companion will remain her in Otahuhu for another transfer.
Brittany i'm so glad to hear you did so awesome on your watercolor paintings!!! Wow, amazing how you just discovered a hidden talent!!! I wonder what else you can do that you don't know about haha! I bet Heavenly Father gifts us all with such wonderful talents and we don't even realize we have them until we discover it! I hope you do well in the contest!!
Glad to hear the weather is awesome back home!! Its fall here in NZ! Winter should be right around the corner!
Thanks for sending another package mom!!! My companion is really happy you sent him something! Your the best mom!!!
As for my week, it went well. I and Elder Dorosan are working really hard and i believe thats why the time is just flying by. I've been sick for the past week. Just the season change is causing it. I've been coughing and sneezing a lot, and i can feel my ashma coming back, if it gets worse i'll probably go to the doctor, but actually yesterday and today i've been feeling a lot better, so i think i should be fine in a few days.
This past week we finally got hold of this girl that we've been trying to get hold of for awhile and she's a miracle!!! Her names Angel and she's golden lol! So friday we went over to her home knocked and she answered the door! We were astonished because no one had been answering everytime we went over there. We were going to give up on her, but my companion had a prompting to go and see her. The spirit truly is the key element in this work. Anyway we set up a lesson with her the next day. So we went and saw her and had a great lesson. She just told us that her and her partner (whose a LA member but still likes the church) have been out of town for the past few weeks. We were talking with her and were asking her some questions and stuff, and i can't really remember what we asked but i just remember that out of nowhere she just told us that she wants to be baptized really really bad and join the church and to be married. When me and my companion heard this we were so excited and wanted to jump out of our chairs!!! So we told her that thats what we are here for lol!! We talked and set up a date for her to be married and baptized in April!!! It was such a miracle, the whole thing!!! She just really loves her partners family. She see's how they are just happy all the time, and never fight. She told us that she wants a family like that, a family that is just happy and peaceful and she knows its that way because of the Gospel. We are just so excited for her! Heavenly Father is so mindful of all his children and just leads us to those who are ready to follow Him and His Son. I just love it!!!
That was the awesome experience we had this past week. Oh and our ward also had Ward Conference this past week! Thats cool we had it at the same time! It was a pretty good ward conference. All the Primary Children were dressed up in these funny little outfits and they sang really well haha! The Bishop and counselor in the Stake Presidency both gave really great talks. The counselor had a great talk about prayer and told a really great story about how he was able to get his visa from tonga to come into NZ. That talk and in my scripture study this week, I really find that the lord wants pretty much everything from us. He wants us to give our lives to serving Him. Though we may be hesitent about doing this and might want to hold on to our wordly things, we will find that when we give our lives to the Savior we will find ourselves and be much happier.
Well thats pretty much it! Hope you enjoyed the email!! Sorry if its not that great! Just know that i do love being on a mission. I am growing so so much as a person. I am learning so many things that could have taken me a long time to learn if i hadnt come on a mission. I find that that i'm out here not only converting others but also myself! Love you all so much! And have a great week!!!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
Well this past week flew by just as usual!! In fact this is the last week of the transfer!!! This transfer went by so fast its scary!!! I'm 90% sure that me and my companion will remain her in Otahuhu for another transfer.
Brittany i'm so glad to hear you did so awesome on your watercolor paintings!!! Wow, amazing how you just discovered a hidden talent!!! I wonder what else you can do that you don't know about haha! I bet Heavenly Father gifts us all with such wonderful talents and we don't even realize we have them until we discover it! I hope you do well in the contest!!
Glad to hear the weather is awesome back home!! Its fall here in NZ! Winter should be right around the corner!
Thanks for sending another package mom!!! My companion is really happy you sent him something! Your the best mom!!!
As for my week, it went well. I and Elder Dorosan are working really hard and i believe thats why the time is just flying by. I've been sick for the past week. Just the season change is causing it. I've been coughing and sneezing a lot, and i can feel my ashma coming back, if it gets worse i'll probably go to the doctor, but actually yesterday and today i've been feeling a lot better, so i think i should be fine in a few days.
This past week we finally got hold of this girl that we've been trying to get hold of for awhile and she's a miracle!!! Her names Angel and she's golden lol! So friday we went over to her home knocked and she answered the door! We were astonished because no one had been answering everytime we went over there. We were going to give up on her, but my companion had a prompting to go and see her. The spirit truly is the key element in this work. Anyway we set up a lesson with her the next day. So we went and saw her and had a great lesson. She just told us that her and her partner (whose a LA member but still likes the church) have been out of town for the past few weeks. We were talking with her and were asking her some questions and stuff, and i can't really remember what we asked but i just remember that out of nowhere she just told us that she wants to be baptized really really bad and join the church and to be married. When me and my companion heard this we were so excited and wanted to jump out of our chairs!!! So we told her that thats what we are here for lol!! We talked and set up a date for her to be married and baptized in April!!! It was such a miracle, the whole thing!!! She just really loves her partners family. She see's how they are just happy all the time, and never fight. She told us that she wants a family like that, a family that is just happy and peaceful and she knows its that way because of the Gospel. We are just so excited for her! Heavenly Father is so mindful of all his children and just leads us to those who are ready to follow Him and His Son. I just love it!!!
That was the awesome experience we had this past week. Oh and our ward also had Ward Conference this past week! Thats cool we had it at the same time! It was a pretty good ward conference. All the Primary Children were dressed up in these funny little outfits and they sang really well haha! The Bishop and counselor in the Stake Presidency both gave really great talks. The counselor had a great talk about prayer and told a really great story about how he was able to get his visa from tonga to come into NZ. That talk and in my scripture study this week, I really find that the lord wants pretty much everything from us. He wants us to give our lives to serving Him. Though we may be hesitent about doing this and might want to hold on to our wordly things, we will find that when we give our lives to the Savior we will find ourselves and be much happier.
Well thats pretty much it! Hope you enjoyed the email!! Sorry if its not that great! Just know that i do love being on a mission. I am growing so so much as a person. I am learning so many things that could have taken me a long time to learn if i hadnt come on a mission. I find that that i'm out here not only converting others but also myself! Love you all so much! And have a great week!!!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
Monday, March 19, 2012
Hello Again
Kia Ora Family!!
Wonderful to hear from you all once again. All your emails were great! Sounds like life busy busy busy for you all lol!! Glad to hear you are all feasting upon the words of Christ by reading the book of mormon! What a wonderful book, it truly is the keystone to our religion. Right now as a mission we are actually having a 90 day feast on the book of mormon. Its been great so far to start reading it. I learn something new everytime i read from it.
I was able to get my packages from all of you this past week. I got one from both you mom and dad and also you brandon!!!! Thank you so much!! All the little stuff in them are awesome haha. I really loved the pic you sent brandon and kathleen of portia and morgot! Man they are so cute! What an awesome picture of them both, I have it by my desk and look at it everyday and it always makes me smile haha! Haven't gotten my garments yet, but i'm sure they will come soon.
This past week was pretty good like always haha. Of course every week has its ups and downs but life as a missionary thus far is going well! We had a baptism this weekend! Teighman, the son of the eve, was baptized!!! It was a really great service! One of our members bore a powerful testimony at the end, it was really awesome. Sadly, eve wasnt able to be baptized because of an ear problem that arose up on thursday. She isnt allowed to get her ears wet at all. Hopefully though she will be ready and able to be baptized this weekend. It was upsetting that she couldnt join her son, but it was ok, and the service was great! Teighman is an awesome kid, really sharp. He'll be a great missionary someday haha!
Besides that miracle, we had a city-wide conference on thrusday morning. The General Young Men's president and General Sunday School president came and spoke to us. Their talks were awesome as usual haha. It was really great though. I'm glad that we are able to hear from such great speakers so often. It always is so inspiring and uplifting and always gives motivation. One of the powerful things the ym's president talked about was making our mission precious. Precious so that 40 years from now, we can look back and hold it very dear to us and see how much of an effect it had on all of our lives.
We've been meeting with one of the most interesting people i've ever met this past week haha. His name is Troy and he is a maouri. He is an interesting fella haha. He's a nice man but is really bold and asks heaps of questions haha. He really gets into us and tires to see if we are really sincere about what we are doing. Its actually been really great meeting with him. He really loves the bible and likes to see what our beliefs are and stuff. The maouri people are really proud people, meaning they are proud of their heritage and so far, it will be fun to be put in an area someday where there are heaps of maouri people, around where i am now there are not so many.
District leader wise, i'm just busy busy busy as usual haha. There is a lot of pressure, but its ok, its been a really good growing experience. A chance for me to learn to be bold and direct with others.
The members in our ward are awesome!! They are really starting to help us in the missionary work. I'm glad to hear the missionaries where you are are doing great and that the ward is an active part in the missionary work.
Right now, are teaching pool is running low, and we dont have anyone set for baptism, besides eve. So its going to be a busy week in finding and helping the people we do have to progress now towards baptism and hopefully set them for a date. All we can do is work work work, and see what happens from there haha.
I am grateful to be on a mission though. Its been such growing experience. I've really been able to come to know the gospel, and so much more than i ever have known. My relationship with Heavenly Father has grown so much, and I really understand so much more the role of Jesus Christ and his Atonement.
Well i love you all so much!! Thank you for the wonderful emails you send each week! And since your sending another package something i could use would be a new watch and a scripture case(black color) with a zipper. The one i have is a clip kinda thing and i would rather have one that just zips up, and some black church socks. Anyway i think thats all i need, i guess anything you want to throw in that you think i need.
Have a great week! And i'll talk to you all soon!!
Aroha,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
March already, Fall is here! Winter is coming to NZ
Portia and Margot sound so dang cute! I look forward to seeing them when I come back, but love hearing all the little stories about them every week!
Brittany its great to hear that you are coming closer and closer to getting your papers in! Sounds like life is really hecktic, but if you can find the time, make sure you study preach my gospel lol!
So winter is over eh? Sounds like it was actually a nice winter, and not brutal lol! Its really weird to hear winter is ending for you because here its really strarting to cool down and winter is on the way. Everyday now its about 60 degrees i would say, and gets pretty cool at nights. I imagine the winters here will actually be cold, I better start preping for it haha because i dont have a coat or anything lol.
It was great to hear that Blake got his mission call to Taiwan!!!!! How exciting is that! I'm so glad he got called to a chinese speaking mission, I remember he really wanted that bad. He will love it i'm sure! Give me his address, i would love to write him a letter sometime.
Dad I can't believe you got an ipad 2 lol! Thats really awesome! Haha, those things are amazing i'm sure, our mission preisdent has one and always uses it at conferences and stuff to show us little video clips. I bet it will be really useful for your job.
Mom i loved the quotes! They are awesome, i'm going to print them off and take them to our flat! Keep em coming lol!
As for my side of the world, this past week was awesome! We had a miracle happen yet again!!!!! Our members are really starting to be awesome now and help us out! I say that because we've been teaching this lady, and she has come to church, and she was given to us by a member, and the member is always there at the lessons and there to support her. Anyway, we were able to set this woman and her son for baprtism this weekend!!!! How awesome is that! She was truly a miracle, so prepared by the lord! She says she really loves coming to church and really loves releif society. She is a really great lady. So nice, and kind. Her son also really loves young mens and wants to be baptized. We taught her last wednesday, had an amazing lesson with her on the Restoration, and set her for baptism at the end! Everytime we meet her, she is just so excited about being baptized.
It was really cool during one of the lessons we had with her. She asked me and my companion how we came to know this chruch was true. When she asked this, i realized that i'd never really thought of this before. I had never truly thought about how i came to know this was all true. And so my companion answered her question with a little story of his own while i sat there and really pondered about my own conversion. While i was pondering, a little scripture came to my head, and that scripture was the very first verse of the book of mormon where Nephi says "I nephi having been born of goodly parents". It was then i knew how i was converted. It was because i, like Nephi, was raised by goodly parents. I then told her how i was raised in the gospel, shared that scripture and said that i was fortunate enough to have parents teach me since i can remember to go to chruch, pray and read the scriptures. I realize that i've always known these things are true because i've been taught it since birth and i've always just had the holy ghost, since i was eight, to let me know its true and i've never questioned it. I've just always known this is true. I am just so thankful for you mom and dad to have raised me in righteousness since i was born, like nephi was. I really love nephi. I have started to read the book of mormon from the begining and have never really realized what an amazing man he was. So humble and willing to submit to the lord, all because Lehi and Sariah raised him well. Dont cry to much from reading this lol, but a big part of who i am today is because of you mom and dad! Thanks for being awesome parents!
Well i'm really excited for this week because we have some great things coming up. I am really excited because now that we got that little boy Denzel baptized, we are going to focus on his parents. We went over and met them last thursday and showed love for them and apprecition for them letting us meet Denzel and teach him, then we let them know we wanted to start focusing on them and teaching them. Whenver we said this, the mother, Sia, had a huge smile come across her face! It showed us that she is ready now! I and my companion are really looking foward to teaching them this week! I believe they could be bapzited by the end of this month!!! I really can just see that family in the temple someday being sealed. I can just really see it in my mind, and now i realize that the lord is trusting me and elder dorosan to teach them the gospel and help make that happen.
Oh something pretty funny happened this past week you won't believe. So since becoming a trainer and distict leader i am more busy than ever before, and i am constantly thinking about what needs to happen next. It came to where friday night we were so busy with appointments and running around seeing people, that i forgot to eat dinner!!!! Can you believe i actually forgot food! Thats how busy i was! So busy, i forgot i was hungry and we didnt even eat dinner until we got home that night! Hahaha, i looked back on this experiance and thought it was funny and thought i would share it with you Oh and dont think the members dont feed us, we are only allowed to eat 4 times a week with members, so friday night was one of those nights we were on our own. But we were so busy, we forgot to eat lol!!!!
Well i love you all so much!!!! I am excited to hear where you end up going brittany!!!! It could be anywhere!!! Just realize that wherever you go, is where you are meant to go because of the people. Its all about Gods children, and nothing about location. The lord sends you to that mission because there are certain people there you need to touch and help recieve the gospel!!! So just remember that!
Once again, love you all! Have a great week!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Brittany its great to hear that you are coming closer and closer to getting your papers in! Sounds like life is really hecktic, but if you can find the time, make sure you study preach my gospel lol!
So winter is over eh? Sounds like it was actually a nice winter, and not brutal lol! Its really weird to hear winter is ending for you because here its really strarting to cool down and winter is on the way. Everyday now its about 60 degrees i would say, and gets pretty cool at nights. I imagine the winters here will actually be cold, I better start preping for it haha because i dont have a coat or anything lol.
It was great to hear that Blake got his mission call to Taiwan!!!!! How exciting is that! I'm so glad he got called to a chinese speaking mission, I remember he really wanted that bad. He will love it i'm sure! Give me his address, i would love to write him a letter sometime.
Dad I can't believe you got an ipad 2 lol! Thats really awesome! Haha, those things are amazing i'm sure, our mission preisdent has one and always uses it at conferences and stuff to show us little video clips. I bet it will be really useful for your job.
Mom i loved the quotes! They are awesome, i'm going to print them off and take them to our flat! Keep em coming lol!
As for my side of the world, this past week was awesome! We had a miracle happen yet again!!!!! Our members are really starting to be awesome now and help us out! I say that because we've been teaching this lady, and she has come to church, and she was given to us by a member, and the member is always there at the lessons and there to support her. Anyway, we were able to set this woman and her son for baprtism this weekend!!!! How awesome is that! She was truly a miracle, so prepared by the lord! She says she really loves coming to church and really loves releif society. She is a really great lady. So nice, and kind. Her son also really loves young mens and wants to be baptized. We taught her last wednesday, had an amazing lesson with her on the Restoration, and set her for baptism at the end! Everytime we meet her, she is just so excited about being baptized.
It was really cool during one of the lessons we had with her. She asked me and my companion how we came to know this chruch was true. When she asked this, i realized that i'd never really thought of this before. I had never truly thought about how i came to know this was all true. And so my companion answered her question with a little story of his own while i sat there and really pondered about my own conversion. While i was pondering, a little scripture came to my head, and that scripture was the very first verse of the book of mormon where Nephi says "I nephi having been born of goodly parents". It was then i knew how i was converted. It was because i, like Nephi, was raised by goodly parents. I then told her how i was raised in the gospel, shared that scripture and said that i was fortunate enough to have parents teach me since i can remember to go to chruch, pray and read the scriptures. I realize that i've always known these things are true because i've been taught it since birth and i've always just had the holy ghost, since i was eight, to let me know its true and i've never questioned it. I've just always known this is true. I am just so thankful for you mom and dad to have raised me in righteousness since i was born, like nephi was. I really love nephi. I have started to read the book of mormon from the begining and have never really realized what an amazing man he was. So humble and willing to submit to the lord, all because Lehi and Sariah raised him well. Dont cry to much from reading this lol, but a big part of who i am today is because of you mom and dad! Thanks for being awesome parents!
Well i'm really excited for this week because we have some great things coming up. I am really excited because now that we got that little boy Denzel baptized, we are going to focus on his parents. We went over and met them last thursday and showed love for them and apprecition for them letting us meet Denzel and teach him, then we let them know we wanted to start focusing on them and teaching them. Whenver we said this, the mother, Sia, had a huge smile come across her face! It showed us that she is ready now! I and my companion are really looking foward to teaching them this week! I believe they could be bapzited by the end of this month!!! I really can just see that family in the temple someday being sealed. I can just really see it in my mind, and now i realize that the lord is trusting me and elder dorosan to teach them the gospel and help make that happen.
Oh something pretty funny happened this past week you won't believe. So since becoming a trainer and distict leader i am more busy than ever before, and i am constantly thinking about what needs to happen next. It came to where friday night we were so busy with appointments and running around seeing people, that i forgot to eat dinner!!!! Can you believe i actually forgot food! Thats how busy i was! So busy, i forgot i was hungry and we didnt even eat dinner until we got home that night! Hahaha, i looked back on this experiance and thought it was funny and thought i would share it with you Oh and dont think the members dont feed us, we are only allowed to eat 4 times a week with members, so friday night was one of those nights we were on our own. But we were so busy, we forgot to eat lol!!!!
Well i love you all so much!!!! I am excited to hear where you end up going brittany!!!! It could be anywhere!!! Just realize that wherever you go, is where you are meant to go because of the people. Its all about Gods children, and nothing about location. The lord sends you to that mission because there are certain people there you need to touch and help recieve the gospel!!! So just remember that!
Once again, love you all! Have a great week!!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, March 1, 2012
February Almost Over...Wow
Kia Ora Family!!!
Well this past week flew by as usual, and now i realize that the month of February is almost over! Holy Cow!!! The past week was pretty good I must say. Some really awesome things happened!
It was really great to hear from you all once again. Thank you so much for the inspiration and updates on daily life back in the States lol. Glad to hear that I will be receiving some more packages this month somtime, so thank you again!!!
This past week we had a miracle baptism!! Yes we finally saved a soul after going through some rough times! We were able to baptize a boy we have been teaching for awhile now. We've been teaching him and his family for about 2 months. The Boy and his little brother always love coming to church and going to primary. They love it to much. Their parents have also come a long way. I remember when we first started meeting with them, i could tell they didnt really like us, but they have really warmed up to us and like our company. They are a somoan family and attend the Seventh day adventist church. They like our church a lot but are still latching on to their chruch for some reason. Ever since we have been teaching them, Denzel has loved it. He even tried to bring his Book of Mormon with him to the Seventh day church one day lol. He always carries it with him, its so cool. Their neighbors are members and are an awesome family. They have been great fellowship for them. They have such strong testimonies of the gospel and have really been able to help (the parents) feel it and come closer and closer to the truth. Its just been a miracle though, because the momwas not going to allow denzel to be baptized at all when we first met her, last week we asked her again, and for some reason she said it was okay. Denzel was so excited! I dont want to give up on The parents though, they are so close also. They have been to church twice now and have had some really awesome expericances there, but are still not quite ready to change yet. This week we are going to help them read the BofM and recieve that witness of its divinity.
Besides the baptism on Saturday, we had another zone conference on friday. It was really amazing. I loved zone conference, and learned so much. Every time i come out of the conferences so spiritually uplifted. We learned a lot about helping people keep commitments and forming the lessons specifically for our investigators needs.
Me and Elder Dorosan are doing really well. I love Elder Dorosan, he's so funny, we get along really well, he is like a phillipino version of blake lol. He's the man though, i'm glad i got such a great companion. We are working hard everyday and having fun doing it.
I'm getting more and more use to being a district leader now. It was stressful at first but i'm glad for the opportunity. We have some big goals for the month and it will be exciting to see how the month goes and what we can accomplish!
The ward now has like turned it on recently! They really love me and elder dorosan, and want to help heaps now. They are giving us people to teach its really great. Before i felt like our relationship with the ward wasnt so great, but its really good now. The Bishop is awesome and loves helping us out. I love the islander people, its so fun being in this area, it will be weird when i have to leave south auckland and go somewhere where its like all white people, that will take some getting use too lol.
Oh ya, i had some more horse again yesterday! And it was really good once again. Out here, the food is like meat, meat, and then some more meat haha. We also eat this one plant called Taro which is pretty good. Its like a root of some sort and they take the leaves and make another thing called Lu out of it which is also good. Everytime we eat at people homes, Taro and lu is usually part of the meal haha.
Thanks for the jump rope dad, its really come in handy in the mornings, i use it everyday, its really great!
One thing i need is some more pants. I dont know if you can send me some more or not. But i was looking for some more the other day, but they are pretty expensive here in NZ. So maybe you could send me a pair or two. My waste size is still a 44 and 34 length i'm sure.
Well that's pretty much it for the week! Love you all so much, and look forward to hearing from you all next week!!! Keep reading the scriptures, saying your prayers, and going to church lol!!! Love you all!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Well this past week flew by as usual, and now i realize that the month of February is almost over! Holy Cow!!! The past week was pretty good I must say. Some really awesome things happened!
It was really great to hear from you all once again. Thank you so much for the inspiration and updates on daily life back in the States lol. Glad to hear that I will be receiving some more packages this month somtime, so thank you again!!!
This past week we had a miracle baptism!! Yes we finally saved a soul after going through some rough times! We were able to baptize a boy we have been teaching for awhile now. We've been teaching him and his family for about 2 months. The Boy and his little brother always love coming to church and going to primary. They love it to much. Their parents have also come a long way. I remember when we first started meeting with them, i could tell they didnt really like us, but they have really warmed up to us and like our company. They are a somoan family and attend the Seventh day adventist church. They like our church a lot but are still latching on to their chruch for some reason. Ever since we have been teaching them, Denzel has loved it. He even tried to bring his Book of Mormon with him to the Seventh day church one day lol. He always carries it with him, its so cool. Their neighbors are members and are an awesome family. They have been great fellowship for them. They have such strong testimonies of the gospel and have really been able to help (the parents) feel it and come closer and closer to the truth. Its just been a miracle though, because the momwas not going to allow denzel to be baptized at all when we first met her, last week we asked her again, and for some reason she said it was okay. Denzel was so excited! I dont want to give up on The parents though, they are so close also. They have been to church twice now and have had some really awesome expericances there, but are still not quite ready to change yet. This week we are going to help them read the BofM and recieve that witness of its divinity.
Besides the baptism on Saturday, we had another zone conference on friday. It was really amazing. I loved zone conference, and learned so much. Every time i come out of the conferences so spiritually uplifted. We learned a lot about helping people keep commitments and forming the lessons specifically for our investigators needs.
Me and Elder Dorosan are doing really well. I love Elder Dorosan, he's so funny, we get along really well, he is like a phillipino version of blake lol. He's the man though, i'm glad i got such a great companion. We are working hard everyday and having fun doing it.
I'm getting more and more use to being a district leader now. It was stressful at first but i'm glad for the opportunity. We have some big goals for the month and it will be exciting to see how the month goes and what we can accomplish!
The ward now has like turned it on recently! They really love me and elder dorosan, and want to help heaps now. They are giving us people to teach its really great. Before i felt like our relationship with the ward wasnt so great, but its really good now. The Bishop is awesome and loves helping us out. I love the islander people, its so fun being in this area, it will be weird when i have to leave south auckland and go somewhere where its like all white people, that will take some getting use too lol.
Oh ya, i had some more horse again yesterday! And it was really good once again. Out here, the food is like meat, meat, and then some more meat haha. We also eat this one plant called Taro which is pretty good. Its like a root of some sort and they take the leaves and make another thing called Lu out of it which is also good. Everytime we eat at people homes, Taro and lu is usually part of the meal haha.
Thanks for the jump rope dad, its really come in handy in the mornings, i use it everyday, its really great!
One thing i need is some more pants. I dont know if you can send me some more or not. But i was looking for some more the other day, but they are pretty expensive here in NZ. So maybe you could send me a pair or two. My waste size is still a 44 and 34 length i'm sure.
Well that's pretty much it for the week! Love you all so much, and look forward to hearing from you all next week!!! Keep reading the scriptures, saying your prayers, and going to church lol!!! Love you all!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Busy Busy Busy
Kia Ora Family!!!
Well I guess you already got the news!!! I've been called not just as a trainer but a District leader too!!! Funny how fast news flies!! I am now more busy than i've ever been in my life haha.
It was lovely to hear from you all once again! Dad, i hoped you enjoyed your vacation haha, at least the Lord gave you one lol. You will do a great job!
So Brittany is deciding to go on a mission!! Wow! That was surprising news, but good news!! Maybe she will come to NZ somehow! Keep me updated on that!
For myself the last week has been pretty crazy. So much happened and it seems like it was long, yet i look back and it seems like yesterday i was emaling you! The week was crazy though. Elder Jolliffe left on Tuesday back to England and it was back to me and Elder Jibas for two days. We found out tuesday night that he would be leaving and i would be staying here in Otahuhu. We had a pretty good last 2 days together. He mainly said goodbye to a lot of the members that he'd come close too.
On Thursdays transfers came!!! I had no idea going in who my trainee was going to be. All the new trainers just lined up in the foyer and as the new missionaries came in, they found us and let us know they were our companions! It was cool, I was so nervous that day, stepping into leadership and also being a trainer. Lets just say i felt really inaduquete. But i met my new companion! His name is Elder Dorosan! He is from the Phillipines!!! He is the man. A really humble and nice kid. He wants to work hard and serve the Lord. We've taught some lessons by now and i must say he is awesome. I was nervous my new companion would be scared to teach, and not know the doctrinal points but elder dorosan is the man, he knows his stuff pretty good for being new and is not really that scared to teach. The Lord blessed me with the best trainee lol!!
So its been a crazy past few days being a new district leader and trainer. I'm still just trying to adjust to all the new responsiblility. There is heaps of it now. But honestly i love all the responsiblility. It keeps me really busy and 100% focused on the work, always thinking about missionary work. Its tough, but good. I feel blessed to have this privaledge. I reallly loved what you said mom and the beginning of your email, because at first i felt really inadequate to do this, but i know that the lord knows me and trusts me and put me in this position to learn and grow. It will be a great opportunity for me to learn heaps, stretch, grow, and come out of my comfort zone, and also to come closer to the lord.
Our district is on fire though! The Samoan sisters that i am over have a huge family of 9 and 5 others set for baptism this month!!! They are doing an awesome job. Actually the zone i am in leads the mission in baptisms. Its an awesome zone! Full of polynesians! In fact we had stake conference yesterday. It was packed! I think me, one of my zone leaders, and two other missionaries were the only two white people in the meeting lol. It was a chapel and gym full of islanders! It was a cool experiance! The conference was awesome and President Lekias actually spoke at it. He gave a great talk on missionary work and how our Church is the true chruch and what seperates it from others.
So the work is starting to pick up again in my area. i am ready to kick it in gear this month and save some souls! We are working with some good people. With my awesome companion i know we will have great success. We are teaching a girl named Susan who is from kiterpas( a small island somewhere). She is doing good, has some concerns just like anyone else, but is progressing. Prince, another man we are teaching from Nigeria is doing pretty well. We have committed him to read from the BofM and pray about Joseph Smith. We are going to see him tonight, and see if he's done that. One thing i've learned as a missionary is that everyone we teach has concerns of some sort and you can't avoid them. Ya just have to face em and resolve their concerns. I feel like last transfer thats what we did, is we would teach people and then when concerns would come up we would just try to avoid them and pretend they weren't there. Thats not going to happen anymore. Everybody has a issue of some sort, and its our job as missionaries to help resovle that and invite the person to repent.
Well I look forward to my first full week with my new companion!! Its gonna be good! Until next week! Love you all and talk to you next monday!!
Oh ya, and i have not got the package yet, i'm sure i'll get it soon. Remember how long the last one took? i'm sure its just taking forever. Anyway i think i would love to have some gatorade powder sent, and also somemore garments. More garment bottoms is what i need. Anyway, thats all i can think of for now. Candy is always nice, just send snickers and reeses lol. All right, talk to you in a week!!
Love you heaps,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Some crazy news
Kia Ora Family!!!
It was wonderful to hear from you all again!!! I can't believe that its 60 degrees overthere! Sounds wonderful! The weather over here is pretty good actually just humid
Well mom its good to hear that your doing surviving through the mazzio's choas! I remember nights like that, where the dishes would be piled up and heaps of people were there. Good to hear you are getting tough and use to some ridiculous people that eat there lol. Oh and mom i do love your letters, they do cheer me up heaps so keep em coming haha. Thanks for the update on Jake, thats cool he's just going to rsu and is back in town. I did send him a letter a few weeks ago, i wonder if he ever got it. Let me know when blake gets his call! Maybe i'll shoot him a letter today and give him some pre mission advice!
So this past week was pretty good. I felt like we were able to accomplish a lot of great things were as in the past we have just been kind of stalemating. or something. We were able to set three people for baptism in february. The trick now is to just see them as much as possible and help them come closer to the Savior.
This week is transfers!!! I think back and cannot believe how fast the transfer went. I am actually pretty happy though that i will be out of the threesome. It has been tough with three of us. The one elder finishes tomorrow so it will be back to me and Elder Jibas until Thursday, when the new transfer starts. I also got some crazy news. The mission President called me up last Wednesday night and told me that I would be training this next transfer! I was pretty surprised! I am really nervous but also excited at the same time. I feel like i'm still new myself and now i'm supposed to train? It will be fun though, I really am thankful to my heavnly father for the opportunity. I know it will be a learning experiance. It will be sad to have to leave Elder Jibas, I've really enjoyed serving with him. He's a great missonary and has been a great trainer. He has taught me so much and been a great example. I'm not sure where i'll be serving. I could stay and train here in Otahuhu or be shifted somewhere else. I should find out tonight or tomorrow. So by next week i will be a trainer!! Please keep praying for me lol!
On a side note i also found something crazy out this week. We were talking with the zone leaders and they told us that the government has changed the visa requirements for missionaires. Apparently, the NZ gov, now requires that if you want to be a missionary here in NZ, and you are from the u.s. or canada, you have to prove that you have already done 2 years of missionary service before you can come! They were telling us how like 12 missionaries who were supposed to come here can't now because of the new visa requirements! When i found this out i was like holy cow! I could be one of the last americans to come to this mission!! I'm so lucky that i was able to make it! I guess the chruch is still trying to work something out with the gov but nothing has happened yet. Its pretty interesting to think about though, i'm so thankful i was able to make it in before that new law came about!
Well overall the past week was good! We had a good amount of people show up for chruch this sunday. A family we've been teaching showed up with there kids and really enjoyed it. Also two less active members we met and taught came. Seeing those less actives come back made me just as happy to see investigators. I love my purpose as a missionary, and that is to invite others to come unto christ. Others means everyone else besides me! So my job is to invite everyone i meet, member, nonmember, unto christ! What a great job i have as a missionary. This motivates me to just not waste a single minute of work.
Well thats pretty much my week! I love you all and really enjoy all the emails you send me!!! Hope you all have a great week! Talk to you next week!!
Love you heaps,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It was wonderful to hear from you all again!!! I can't believe that its 60 degrees overthere! Sounds wonderful! The weather over here is pretty good actually just humid
Well mom its good to hear that your doing surviving through the mazzio's choas! I remember nights like that, where the dishes would be piled up and heaps of people were there. Good to hear you are getting tough and use to some ridiculous people that eat there lol. Oh and mom i do love your letters, they do cheer me up heaps so keep em coming haha. Thanks for the update on Jake, thats cool he's just going to rsu and is back in town. I did send him a letter a few weeks ago, i wonder if he ever got it. Let me know when blake gets his call! Maybe i'll shoot him a letter today and give him some pre mission advice!
So this past week was pretty good. I felt like we were able to accomplish a lot of great things were as in the past we have just been kind of stalemating. or something. We were able to set three people for baptism in february. The trick now is to just see them as much as possible and help them come closer to the Savior.
This week is transfers!!! I think back and cannot believe how fast the transfer went. I am actually pretty happy though that i will be out of the threesome. It has been tough with three of us. The one elder finishes tomorrow so it will be back to me and Elder Jibas until Thursday, when the new transfer starts. I also got some crazy news. The mission President called me up last Wednesday night and told me that I would be training this next transfer! I was pretty surprised! I am really nervous but also excited at the same time. I feel like i'm still new myself and now i'm supposed to train? It will be fun though, I really am thankful to my heavnly father for the opportunity. I know it will be a learning experiance. It will be sad to have to leave Elder Jibas, I've really enjoyed serving with him. He's a great missonary and has been a great trainer. He has taught me so much and been a great example. I'm not sure where i'll be serving. I could stay and train here in Otahuhu or be shifted somewhere else. I should find out tonight or tomorrow. So by next week i will be a trainer!! Please keep praying for me lol!
On a side note i also found something crazy out this week. We were talking with the zone leaders and they told us that the government has changed the visa requirements for missionaires. Apparently, the NZ gov, now requires that if you want to be a missionary here in NZ, and you are from the u.s. or canada, you have to prove that you have already done 2 years of missionary service before you can come! They were telling us how like 12 missionaries who were supposed to come here can't now because of the new visa requirements! When i found this out i was like holy cow! I could be one of the last americans to come to this mission!! I'm so lucky that i was able to make it! I guess the chruch is still trying to work something out with the gov but nothing has happened yet. Its pretty interesting to think about though, i'm so thankful i was able to make it in before that new law came about!
Well overall the past week was good! We had a good amount of people show up for chruch this sunday. A family we've been teaching showed up with there kids and really enjoyed it. Also two less active members we met and taught came. Seeing those less actives come back made me just as happy to see investigators. I love my purpose as a missionary, and that is to invite others to come unto christ. Others means everyone else besides me! So my job is to invite everyone i meet, member, nonmember, unto christ! What a great job i have as a missionary. This motivates me to just not waste a single minute of work.
Well thats pretty much my week! I love you all and really enjoy all the emails you send me!!! Hope you all have a great week! Talk to you next week!!
Love you heaps,
Elder Rawlinson
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Kia Ora Family!!
January 29, 2012
Kia Ora Family!!
Well i loved hearing from you all this wonderful day! I really cannot believe how fast this week went!!! It seems like yesterday i was emailing you!! The time is really starting to fly by now!
I mean i think back on the past week and its like a blur lol.
. It has been a tough transfer because we have not really been able to bring souls to Christ through baptism, and i feel really bad we have not been
able to do that this month. Its tough with a companion that is about to go home, its also just tough having a threesome. But even though its tough, its been a good experiance for me. To try
and work out the diffences, and to test my faith. To see if i am going to stand firm and hold steadfast, or give in and be discouraged. I feel that i have been able to be firm and steadfast, and
truly rely on the Lord.
We are teaching a lot of great people but they have some pretty tough concerns we are trying to get over. This boy and this girl named Alana and James are golden. They are awesome. They
read the BofM everyday and pray. They are striving to live the commandments and everthing. But their parents will not let them be baptized. Its really upsettting to me. They are so prepared
and ready to follow the Savior but there parents are hindering their salvation. We are really going to try hard out this week to talk to the parents and resolve that concern.
We also met this man named Jaime who is a really nice guy. He actually lives with a some tongans who are members but are less active. Anyways, this guy jaime is 27 years old but as lived
a rough life. He's been through a lot but has been able to stop doing a lot of stuff and is attempting to improve the quality of his life. There are so many people out there like him. Who didnt
have the privledge to grow up in a good family and have a bright future. Who were not taught good principles and correct ways to live. The family is so important. A lot of people are the way they
are because they did not grow up in a good family. It really hit me then when i met jaime, how lucky i am. How lucky i was to be able to grow up in a good family, where i was taught good princples.
And not only good princples, but lucky enough to be born with the gospel in my life. What a blessing. I really just want to help Jaime find happiness in his life because its something he's never really
had.We are going to see him this week and i just want to help him so bad to change is life and become a good person. Thats the beauty of the Atonement. We can change, we can really change and
become reborn because of the Savior. I love this Gospel. It really is the only way that we will ever find true happiness. So many people are looking for it so they resort to wordly ways like drugs, alchohol,
and other stuff. They think that those things bring happiness but they do not. But you really can't blame them because thats all they know. We are here to show them there is a true way to find true
happiness.
Anyways. I love serving here in Otahuhu because it is a melting pot. I mean there is literally like every religion here in this town. We meet so many Hindu's and muslims everyday. There are heaps
in this area. I never thought i would get to share the gospel with people like that, and to be honest its fun. Its tough but fun. Right down our street there is a buddhist monestary. And then not to far
away on another street is a muslim mosque. Oh and there is also a Sikh(dont think i spelled that right) temple in this town. Not to mention Jehovas Witnesses, Seventh days, catholics, baptists, protestants,
Church of Yaweh, methodists, congregational churches, assemblies of god, and some church called the Chruch of God where they preach about a heavnly mother, and then there's us, the mormons lol.
I bet the saints back in the 1800's never would have though the Gospel would spread to the isles of the see and far reaches of the world. Its pretty amazing. This Gospel is rolling forth "the stone cut without hands"
and nothing is going to stop it!
Well i better wrap this up! I will talk to you all next week! Hope the week goes good!!!
Love you all heaps,
Elder Rawlinson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)