Read the Book of Mormon!!
I am on Jacob 3.I started it when I first started my mission. (in field. I did not read it in the MTC,) Read the Book of Mormon! It is great. I bare my testimony of it everyday and I truly believe it, it is amazing. Truly. I have also been making lesson plans it is pretty legit and takes forever to look up all the scriptures but Its pretty legit just to be bringing Christ's love into the homes of our Heavenly Father's children. That's all:)
Love,
Elder Rawson
Good times,As I was driving down the 10 to the Mission Office I had the windows down and the music blasting (with church approved hymns). It was pretty legit. The perks of P-day.
Among this week there where many times where the hand of the Lord was placed in our lives. The latest happened last night. We where helping a man who had recently graduated Law School who is moving back to Utah with his family. We were bringing a couch and other big objects down to his car. After we where all done he decided that he wasn't going to need any of his food any more so he gave it to us. All of it. We did give a pie to a family in need, but it helped us because we don't have to buy anything this week. He gave us toilet paper, napkins, food, just everything. It was a true blessing from the Lord.
Yesterday afternoon I was with my companion and a family came to a our mind. This is a family which we had knocked on their door and a woman was crying so we left. We didn't know their situation because we had not been able to speak with them. So we went back to check up on them. To our surprise she was a Jew, and to make it even more interesting a Jew that believed in Christ. We got into a discussion witch lasted over forty five long minutes, with me taking the lead in the conversation. She pulled out her Torah and I pulled out my Book of Mormon and it was the most friendly bash that has ever happened. I think she could tell I was a greenie and had pity on me but I felt like I was doing a pretty good job at saying the right things. And then we left and gave her a invitation to visit Mormon.org and gave her a card. She did not want our book and that was that.Surprisingly I have not had any spicy food yet but we have been fed. Last night we had pasta. We have had tacos, and burritos and lost of different things. When I went out with my zone leader; who covers part of my area; (he is Spanish speaking so his areas and boundaries are different); we went out and the whole day I was just submerged in Spanish, all the Mexicans or Latinos kept telling me to learn and I was like "SI" since that's all the vocab I know. But as we where tracking we would take every other door and on every door that I knocked on there was a man who opened it in his underwear. My Zone leader was just cracking up the whole time. It was pretty great. Not going to lie.
Jacob* is our only investigator who is a boy, he is 18 and he really opens up to me since we are the same age and all. He is being baptized on the 11th of August and I taught him the Plan of Salvation at the pioneer day stake event it was lots of fun. They have had him for a while but he does not live within stake or ward boundaries and we can't go to his area at all during the day since there are gang problems that he got out of so they are allowing it to be out of bounds. Which is super nice since the ward here has supported and fellowshiped him in.
Rachel* is our newest investigator she has meet with the Korean elders 5 times but it seems like she is converting for the wrong reasons because she likes the Elders not like because she knows that this is the one true church and her only path to salvation. But we get to meet with her and are super excited about it for sure.
I have been doing wonderfully and all is well. Thanks for all the love and support that you all have given me. I love you all so very much, and I loved the pictures. I bought a bike for 100 bucks with a helmet lights and all besides the lock from a elder who for some reason had two, so I am set if the time comes that I need a bike which will most likely happen in a couple transfers if I am no longer with my trainer. Everyone who has been with Elder (Sam) Hawthorn has been a leader of some sort right after. I am the first person he has trained though so I feel like that is my future and I am excited I would love to train more then anything really.
I love you allwith all my loveElder Rawson
This week has been nice, we have been moving right along. We are still in finding mode for the most part, but last night we found and Saturday morning we got a self referral. Most of our people are less active people who want to start coming back to church. It really is all about the referrals and the ward. If it wasn't for the ward our numbers would be super down. I guess people just wouldn't stay because they need that support at the very front of the journey. So that's what we have been doing. This next week we go out and I go out a day with my District leader and then my Zone leader and then the next day I have an interview with my mission president and then district meeting on Friday, and then a Saturday full of finding and first appoioments with people we have tracked into. And then Sunday there is a baptism and that's my week for the most part. This last Sunday I did a talk on the Holy Ghost at some body else's baptism its been a busy week for the Adam s ward. We are covering the Wilshire and USC area. I love the USC area its a younger crowd for the most part but they seem open to the words we have to share with them. We are having dinner tonight with a newly converted family preparing to go through the temple next month. There is a man, Brother Ray, a recent convert, we meet with him and he always feeds us chili dogs. and then we read and teach and answer basic or deep questions he may have. Also there is an Asain named Chinio who is also a recent convert who feeds us noodles and lives in some ones back yard and there are grape trees and orange trees and it just looks like a jungle. He lives in one room behind that house and we have a new convert get together every Wednesday at his back yard. It is kind of of his non official calling, I think he does it because he is used to partying so he enjoys the company so he doesn't fall back into that world. I have been working on my lesson plan book 5 lesson. I have to like 200 scriptures within each lesson to find the right ones and set up my book all fancy its really nice actually and a big help. This week we had to get to our apartment twice at 6 due to riots that where happening in Hollywood witch is outside our zone. We cover all the Adams ward besides downtown. The district leader gets that area so that's where I will be tomorrow. I am super excited for that. I think its good to get the new missionary's out with different missionary's so we understand better all the different ways. My companion has been out here 18 months and I have to speed him up since he is so old. But I am doing very good thank you for all the love and supportLove Elder Rawson
Your missionary arrived safely to the California Los Angeles Mission. Attached please find the followingDocuments:1) Mission President letter to the family
2) Photo of missionary with companion
3) Photo of missionary with President & Sister Baker
4) Mission Communication Policy
5) Information for Parents
Regards,California Los Angeles Mission
That's all really awesome! I will try to call you, it will be sort of early. If we do I am thinking, just since we meet at the front of the MTC at 4:30 but our plane does not go until around 845 we actually arrive in Los Angeles earlier then we left which I find hilarious, Today is the last day for me in the MTC witch is also our P-day witch makes it nice, we have more time to do all the cleaning and all the packing that we have to do. That sounds like a fine Virginia adventure.
I was just thinking and I am so proud to be the most Humble Missionary in this MTC haha.
While I am thinking of it i have not been able to find my patriarchal blessing I have my line of authority, but i have misplaced my other piece of paper. I would really love one more copy please and thank you.I have been very focused everyday on my work and coming closer to the Lord and figuring out how to teach. Really what it comes down to is how in tune you are with the spirit. And your ability to bring it with you where ever you go. Which I am working on. You really have to go in loving the person you are going to teach. It really is all about love and that's what I have realized. I really hope I can love all the people in Los Angeles. I really think I will because I am really trying to see these people the way God sees them. And I'm really trying to teach in a way where its not just teaching a lesson but really focusing on the needs of the one. I find that to be very important.
I have been able to work out everyday; running laps around the MTC and such. And my note book that I brought with me is just filling up at a really fast speed its kinda crazy, honestly.During the 4th of July we where able to watch 17 Miracles and watch fireworks. It was a really neat experience. Watching the stadium of fire from the fence of the MTC.
I cant wait to go into the field and serve my Lord. I love my district we have all been like brothers like a team sorta we all connected really fast. Um this last fast Sunday me and Elder Wright where able to bless the sacrament for our Zone it was pretty awesome a room full of missionaries bearing their testimonies. I don't think I am ever going to give up a opportunity to bear my testimony ever again. The joy it has brought me, just to say what I believe is truly amazing.
Well I love you all thanks for all the support and love that you send, I did receive that wallet and I was very thankful for that. It has been a great thing to have. All my clothes and everything are doing just swell. Once again I am doing my laundry. Something I may want to get is one of those sticks that you put on the color of your white shirts and it really helps get the dirt out and some sheets that make it so you can clean your whites and colors together. I think that would be very nice, for sure.
I love you all! Hope ya'll have the best 2 years because I am.
Love you! Off to the great L.A!!
LoveElder Rawson
I wrote the main letter to mother.
1 Cor 13What I have been studying is mostly Preach My Gospel but i have been reading in the Book of Mormon in Moroni 7 where it talks about faith and hope. I really am starting to understanding that a lot more. And the power of prayer and fasting. I fasted and when I went into talk to this investigator this question came to my mind which you just wouldn't ask not knowing someone's back ground. BI asked it and he came to tears and talked for 15 minutes about just everything and unloaded to me and Elder Wright. It was amazing. We are studying personally the pure love of Christ and enduring to the end.
That word part is something that is so true. I have received so much.I will write more.limited timelove,Elder RawsonElder Lui is a 280 pound Tongan that I share my room with from Alta High School.
