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
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