Week of Oct 17th

Hello Home,

 

I hope that everything is going well back at home and that everything is working out well.  I am finding that the work is going well and that as I strive to be bold, that things seem to work and and that it is a lot easier than I thought it would be, all I need to do is open my mouth.  I am still having a hard time trying to get started with what to say to people, but I am slowly starting to break out of my shell.  Right now, we have two investigators that are showing promise, and they seem to want to know more about the gospel.  One of them we met while tracting on the apartment complex that I told you about last week and when we stoped by to visit him yesterday, he told us that he had read the scriptures that we gave him and that he loved it and was excited for our visit that day.  Sadly, he was expecting us a little earlier in the day and when we got there around 6, he was having a birthday party for his son, but that he would be happy to meet back up with us so we made an appointment with him for this afternoon, I can't wait.

 

His letter was sent in two parts.

 

Sorry about that, I don't know why it randomly sent.  Any way, as I was about to say, the other investigator we met on Friday and learned that she and her husband have met with missionaries before and they loved meeting and talking with them.  The husband is one that will be more of a distraction during our lessons, and sidetracked nearly everything we talked about, but the wife read everything in the front of the Book of Mormon up to chapter 5 in 1 Nephi and she told us that we wont convert her to our religion, but that she will read the Book of Mormon all the way through which gives me hope that as she reads it that she will want to know more about it and come unto Christ.  Well, I love all of you and pray that everything goes well.

Week of Oct 10th

This week the mailbox received an email from Richard, Mom had asked him to look for someone she worked for years with who has moved to the area he is in.   This is the actual entire body of that email.

"I ran into her at church yesterday and we said hi and just talked about how you two used to work together.  I need to meet up with her and talk some more though."

She sent back a quick response telling him that better not be the whole letter for the week.

This week has been going great. So far I have been out trackting nearly everywhere in our area, from the well off areas to the ghetto. So far, I think I like the ghetto more, they are more receptive. I had one person, who was drunk as could be, tell Elder Turner and me that we have "a lot of guts and a lot of BALLS (he was very emphatic about that) coming into a place like this, but you have God with you." I am not sure if I should have been a little worried than I was, but for some reason I was not afraid at all, Elder turner was scared and not sure what to do. He was giving us a lot of crap and just joking around with us in the same manner that usually happens back at home. The members are feeding us well, some a little to well, and we usually have dinner appointments every night. When we had dinner with the Chan's, Brother Chan gave me about twice as much as I can normally eat. Just as I am finishing up and thinking "I can do this," my companion gets more and Brother Chan loads about as much onto my plate as he did the first time. Thankfully, no one at the table was able to finish what was on their plate, although I had the most followed closely by Elder Tuner who had about as much loaded onto his plate as I did the second time. After I was so full that I thought I would not be able to move, Sister Chan brought out bowls of icecream for the two of us. That was a fun dinner and we will be going back for dinner with them on Thursday. I pray I don't pop eating all that food. I was also fed a "Green Meal," I will send you a picture next week if I remember to bring my camera and sd card addapter, I left both at the apartment. I love you all, tell Elders Reid and Meade that I said hi and that I now have about fifty "I wonder if this is the same..." questions to ask them now, and I will talk to you next week.

 

All my love,

Elder Rawlings

 

As you can see, he is doing fine and enjoying things there.

First week in Ohio

Well he has arrived in Ohio and is settling in.  In a letter to him I commented that General Conference for him was probably a very different experience than at home, read his response.  We are proud of his decision to go and serve his mission and look forward each week to an update and we will share what we get.

Hello Everybody

I am having a great time here in the mission feild. My new companions name is Elder Turner from Mesa Arizona and I am rooming with Elder Smith, the same one that just came out that we know, and Elder Brooks. I am serving in Canal Winchester just south of Columbus, and it is a car area, but I have spent about half my time out on bikes. My address is 3948 Martha Jane Place, I'm not quite sure on that, but any mail that is sent to the mission office will be forwarded and priority mail packages will be forwarded. I will let you know a definite address next week. So far I have not taught any lessons to investigators, but I have had some success in tracting into 1 new investigator and two potential investigators. I will write more in a letter home in more detail, and i will be on for a bit longer after sending this. Love you all.

Elder Richard Rawlings

PS, I watched 2 parts of conference at members homes and for the others watched it on the padded benches so it was more comfortable. Also, one of my first meals in the field included sushi.