He has flown the coop...

Well we spoke with Richard this morning, and it may sound cliche, but he has changed a bunch in a very short time.  Among other things, he has gained 5 lbs.  Given that he weighed about 115 or so when he left 5 lbs is good.  He was able to call us from the airport this morning on his way to Columbus.  He is excited to get there and get to work.  My only prayer for him is that he works hard and sees the hand of the Lord in the work he does.  We look forward to reports of the experiences he has while serving others. 

Week 2

We had a couple of things we needed to send Richard while he is in Provo, so we decided to fill the rest of the smallest box found with other stuff too.  We were walking through the isles at the grocery store and I picked up a small orange ball painted like a Jack O' Lantern.  Like a red four square ball but orange and about 5 or 6" in size.  Elizabeth looked at me and asked what is he going to do with that?  I said they will find something that will entertain with something so simple.  He has only a few more days left there, he leaves the MTC Sept 28 and heads off to Ohio on the biggest adventure of his life.

Here is his letter, edited for spelling and readability

Dear Family,

 

       Thank you for the package that you sent.  We used the ball for a game called "hamper ball." A laundry hamper is placed on one end of the room, you face the opposite wall and bounce the ball off the wall and try to make the ball into the hamper.  The first time someone did it we were all very excited about it.  I am the only other person to make it in, and I have done it three times.  My time in the MTC has been going by very fast after that first little bit before the first Sunday.  Last Saturday night when I walked out of class and it was silent, I knew that it was going great for the Utes.  When I got back to the dorms, we learned that the score was 30-10.  The last score I knew was 43-10 so I slept well knowing that the Utes had won.  Last night we had a great devotional by Elder Russel M Neilson on the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith from this coming Octobers Ensign that is all about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith (I'm not sure if they have sent it out yet, but we got it early last week.).  I am running low on time, but I will write you a letter letting you know more about how things are going.

First Week

Well Richard has made it through the first week.  In his standard Richard fashion he as you can see below is not long on words.  I know as time goes by and he has more exciting things to talk about we will hear more and more.  Elizabeth and I having been through what he is going through understand what he is experiencing and what his days hold, but Marie is still sort of in the dark as to what his days are all about.  I can only hope that he will begin to have his ability to express himself in letters home to be able to share his day to day experiences.

Hello Family,

My first week in the MTC has been a good one. The first part of the week was very slow, and very long. After Sundy, the week has been going a lot faster. Monday was the first time that I had a hard time, because I could not get any time that was quiet so that i could study. i had a lot of support from my district leader and Elder Tuiasosopo. I have been able to overcome those dificulties and get some time that is quiet to study. My second day, they started having us teach and I was compleatly lost with what to teach about. After a week of teaching, I feel that I have made a lot of progress and am able to teach people a lot more effectively , but I still have a lot more to learn.

 

All my Love,

                  Elder Rawlings

 

P.S. Also please send a picture of me with long hair, none of the other elders believe that my hair use to be as long as i say it was.

The Eagle has landed

Well he is successfully delivered to the Missionary Training Center.  I think he did better than the rest of us did.  A few frazzled nerves the last few days, but I think he has what he needs physically, and we know he has what he needs spiritually to make it through the next 3 weeks and then lookout Ohio he is coming.  Yes we really did wear tye dyed shirts to drop him off, it helped him with a smile and lots of folks commented whether that was good or bad I am not worried, he was who it was for.