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




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