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




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