Aug. 31,2009 Matt

RE:The best two Missionaries‏
Sent: Mon 8/31/09 6:11 PM


Hey mom,no time. I'll send you the shoe stuff asap. The pig smell went away after washing my hands about a million times. I ate pig stomach the other day at a Tongans house. I bore my testimony at a Tongan missionary fireside last night in Tongan. An old mission pres. from Tonga also spoke.
Micholo is having trouble quitting smoking.

We do have an investigator -Cody Faaborg- getting baptized this weekend. I don't know if I told you about him. My old comp elder aldridge is baptizing him.
I wish I had more time to talk about transfers, my new comps name is Elder Labarre.
I did see Elder Boshard at transfer meeting.
That's cool that that vacationing lady, Sister Smith called you, to say I looked good.
Sierra, thank you sooooooooooooo much for the letter and the pictures. I cant wait to see Ellie. Rob gets a Tongan comp and I've been begging for one for 4 transfers!? lucky!!!!!
Matt

31 Aug 09 Rob

Fairdinkum Mate!

To: marprina@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009

How ya goin' mate?
Things here are great in Waterford just 30 minutes south of Brisbane Australia. Me and Elder Finau have hit it off great. He was a DJ before his mission and that's what i want to do when i get back. He said he is going to come out to Utah for a month in November of 2011 and set me up right there in Provo. He is full Tongan from South Auckland New Zealand or "En Zed" as he calls it. In new Zealand and Australia they pronounce the letter 'Z' zed instead of just zee and they pronounce the letter 'H' Hehtch instead of just ehtch. hopefully you understood whatever i just said - They're awesome i love them to death.
Mom and Dad its great to hear from you guys. Thanks for the emails. I still am not allowed to get on the blog so if you could continue to send me Matt's weekly emails that would be great. I think the blog idea was sweet though. How is it going? Is Sierra and John helping out with it? i wish i could see what it looked like. you guys should've just made a facebook group for us. haha.

Matt what happened to your slip on hush puppies? Are you getting new ones? i've been wishing i would have got slip ons now. 'cause we pretty much take our shoes off outside everyone's house we go into - and tying and untying is getting annoying. Thank you for the money mom and dad it got me to the end of the month. We're very blessed here in our ward. The first week elder Finau was here the youth gave us 2 big laundry baskets full of food and toiletries and chocys and everything. and everyone in the ward all ways tells us that we can come over to eat anytime if we don't have food.
In Australia next Sunday is fathers day. Our ward is having a fathers day potluck dinner this Friday night and the second councilor in the bishopric - Brother Vakalahi (which means 'big boat' in Tongan) who is a very large man, got up after sacrament meeting on Sunday and asked if everyone could stay seated for one last announcement. He went on to say in his broken English that there is a fathers day pot luck dinner this Friday and that he would ask the Relief Society sisters to bring "more extra". he goes i can eat ten chicken wing so i ask my wife to bring twenty chicken wing. I ask you all to bring "more extra food". Haha i just about died laughing.
Hes the man, one time he had us over for tea 2 nights in a row. In Australia Tea is synonymous with dinner just so you know. We don't drink tea thats just what they call dinner.

My Spacific Cuts hair cut (from the less active guy (Lance Liufau) who lives in our complex that we've been teaching) was great! It was the first time in my life i got my hair cut at a barber shop and i loved it. It was a kicking barber shop too. it was playing Michael Jackson remixes and had footie (rugby) posters up all over and it was just a really good atmosphere. i was like wow i wouldn't mind working here. He treated us real good and gave us both sweet hair cuts for 1/2 price.
Today we're just going to finish up our little bit of shopping real quick and then go check out some of the shops and salvos (2nd hand shops). Then i am going to try to write some letters and maybe get some shut eye because we had to wake up early a lot this past week. After dinner tonight we have 2 investigators we're going to visit and get return appointments, we've already committed both of them to baptism in the 1st lesson!
Send me a Pear Pie!! mmmmmm that sounds so good.
Tell Brother Andrews and Brother Stobbe hi for me.

It sounds like you have a great yard and garden and that you are having fun with the bocci ball set, good for you.

I didn't know you guys were having a family reunion at strawberry!! That sounds so fun! You better take pictures of the whole family together and send them to me! That would be so fun - even if it storms! haha. It rained this morning for the first time in ages. It was random because it's been really hot and sunny lately. It is just coming out of winter here and it is already up in the high 30's... Celsius that is. And with the humidity its killer. I've taken a lot of cold showers.
Matt how hot is it there in Hawaii? Is there seasons there? or is it just always summer?
Is the family all getting along well? Everybody better love each other. As i have loved you - Love one another.
Is Sierra getting tired of being pregnant? I miss kyler so much. Send pictures of him back on the flash drive that i send you. Have you used your new camera much mom? That's to bad that Matt's got run over by a car!
We don't have a full time car anymore. We have to share with our neighboring Elders in Beenleigh. So we only get it half the week. We drive a white '08 Toyota corolla - Matt is that the same car they have there in Hawaii??
So for half the week we Bike and "beat the feet" as Elder Finau calls it. It's helping me stay fit. We lost the cell phone at the beginning of the transfer and we just barely got a temporary replacement until they get us one with our old number on it.
Dad i did notice that you spelled Their/There wrong. shame on you... haha, don't you know i put your emails in the Waterford ward newsletter... how am i going to have any respect for my dad if people see that he is spelling "there" wrong. Haha , just playing dad.

Dad it is great to be the messenger of such great a message! You never feel bad about what you are doing in your life! It's the best! Tim (our recent convert) never ceases to amaze me, lately his talks of going to BYU, serving a mission, and finding good girls in the YSA program. Hes 21. He's my hero.
That's awesome that you have some jobs coming up - i've been praying for you guys.
I haven't read Elder cooks conference talk yet, but i remember liking it when i watched it. I'll have to check it out today.
Have fun this weekend with the family at Strawberry everyone! Don't stress about it. Don't worry so much about the little things and you will have a good time. Dad i can't wait to see what the yard looks like when i get home. It sound like its going well.
We've done a lot of service this past week for part member families where the dads aren't members. We're building good relationships with them. One of them is from South Africa and reminds me a lot of Morgan Freeman - he's the first black person i've taught so far on my mission! I miss African Americans.
Dad we've been doing some service on this big piece of land that i'm sure you would trade anything to live on. The first time we went there i thought of you and was like if only dad could see this place; he'd be here in a second. I'll have to take some pictures for you. Its beautiful out here guys. It really is. Everyday i wake up and i'm like - its another beautiful day.
Lincoln if you get a chance to read this email before you leave on Wednesday good luck buddy! I know you can do it. I've always respected you heaps. God speed.

Im excited to go through some of the new temples when i get home. Don't talk about swimming please. i want to go swimming so bad in this heat, there is a swimming pool in our complex, its so tempting.

I don't appreciate that you will write to me about politics but you wont write me about whats going on in BYU football. Did i tell you that Fui Vakapuna is my companions second cousin and that he's played ball with him at family reunions and stuff? I thought you would appreciate that dad.
I'll try not to use my debit card unless its an emergency.

Matt. We dropped lance. We are picking up nicely with Fiona however. Elder Finau has done a wonderful job of setting attainable goals with her and her partner Junior. They are now reading and praying together daily, and they came to sacrament meeting yesterday as well as a musical fireside last night. We have another lesson this week. She is doing much better. She also came to our ward sports day on Saturday as well with some of her non member guy friends. We had some good basketball.

Matt that's sweet that you got my letter from brother Arthur. He's actually not going to BYU he was just dropping off his 18 year old daughter Celeste at BYU. They are Maori people, they rule. Matt have you been able to listen to my tape yet? record something to send back!

Matt do you eat much Taro? Have you had Otai?? its sooo good. Matt i agree with you about what you send about Boston. That's hilarious that you saw the Bye bye birdie kid! Matt that was a crack up story about the Pigs! haha some things you will only experience on a mission.
Well my time is up again.
Faa Fe Tai Lava for everything. Fa! Love,
Elder Prina AKA ROB

Aug.26 09 Rob

Kieora!‏
From: Robert Prina
Sent: Tue 8/25/09 10:00 PM


Oi! How is everyone? My new companion Elder Finau is awesome. He's a Kiwi. Mark a Kiwi is someone from New Zealand (flight of the Chonchords). He is Tongan but he was born and raised in South Auckland, New Zealand which is apparently pretty ghetto. He was a bouncer and a DJ before his mission.

I have most of the same questions that Matt had in his email. We went to the temple this morning that's why P day is on Wednesday this week. a less active guy that lives in our complex works at a poly barber shop called "Spacific cuts" he’s gonna hook us up with hair cuts today. We are also gonna try to get some airbrushed "Waterford T-shirts" at a t-shirt place that a member works at. we got the hook ups. Last Sunday Tim was confirmed in sacrament meeting and in his blessing it said he would have the chance to serve a full time mission. Then Alana was baptized after church and she will be confirmed this next week. We are still teaching Fiona yes. We have a lesson with her and Junior tonight. However we dropped Lance because he was taking up to much of our time. I can't answer all your questions but sounds like you guys are all doing well.

Good to hear from you Lisa. We're busy here.
Um I’ll write a better letter next week. Has Ellie been born yet?
Hit me up with some pictures and I’ll send some pictures to everyone to put on our blog. I wish i could look at it. I could use a little bit of money on my debit card. I'm broke as a joke.
Love you all. Have a good week. Open your mouth and proclaim this wonderful true gospel.
Love, Elder Prina.

Aug. 24th Matt's letter

Transfers!‏
From: Matthew Prina
Sent: Mon 8/24/09 5:02 PM

Malo e lele everyone, fefe hake? Things are going well here in the Aloha Mission. I read Robs emails every week and it seems like he already says everything I was going to say. Again, thanks so much for the updates Lisa.
Andrea, did anything ever happen with Anna's friend?
Eric, could you write me a little email or letter or something about your mission, it will be more interesting to hear about now that I'm here and have a clue what your talking about.
Kristin, I sent you a letter, I hope you got it. Send my love to all the little babies, when ever I read Docterine and Covenants 31 I think of them as my "little ones".
John, is Eliah here yet? I want to see a girl Prina, send pictures. does she look like a cone headed, weird footed, Raptors like Kyler did?
Rob, are you still teaching Lance? What about Fiona did she get baptized? I got your letter from the guy going to BYU, that was pretty cool. What is the area you are in called again? I'm in Kahlua,(on the island of Oahu, the main island) Hawaii. Everyone here is so nice, I think God sent us to Boston last year to help us better appreciate our missions. Some times I'm just thinking-Why are you being so nice to us! I'm really beginning to love the Tongan food and even the Hawaiian food which I had no taste for before my mission. Mom and Dad, I'm glad to hear your having so much fun. I hope I get to hang out with Wendy and all my cool cousins while our kids are on their missions. A lady came to our ward yesterday named Sister Smith from Utah (tourists come to our ward all the time) She said she just recently enjoyed going to education week and I was like-cool my mom was probably there too. So she had us give her our home #'s so she could call you so you'll probably getting a call in the next couple of days. Then after church, we were just going out to the car to get some stuff for our next church (the Tongans) and she ran outside "Elders! Elders!" and gave each of us ten bucks "for lunch tomorrow".
Mom, I just wanted to thank you for the history you gave me of how your side of the family came into the church. I think you gave it to me the day I went into the MTC and I put it in some binder and didn't see it again until last week. I got it out and read it and loved it. Two missionaries just buying some bread... I was also amazed that an uncle of Pres. Hinckley was the one who baptized them. We had a lesson with non-member a girl who is somehow related to the Hinckley's so I was able to tell her that her ancestors Baptized my ancestors. Now hopefully It will go the other way around. We are teaching soooo many people right now and committed Micholo, one of our Tongan investigators to baptism yesterday. He has a date for September 12th. Hey, I just remembered Lincoln's B-day is in like 5 days, tell him happy birthday for me. He's not in the MTC yet is he? Speaking of which i'm pretty sure Dev Boshard is going to be here on Wednesday. I guess I'm not going to be training him because President would've let me know by now if I was going to be training. I do know that I'm going to be staying where I'm at in Kahlua but that my Comp. (elder Aldridge) is getting transferred, so I will find out who my new comp. is on wed. I really enjoyed being with elder Aldridge, he was super obedient and clean and loved to exercise and be healthy but he hardly learned any Tongan and I think it was hard on him because the Tongans couldn't pronounce his name (they called him "ostrich"). Anyway, I'm excited to know who my new companion is, I'm also bummed because my buddy Elder Simnitt and a bunch of the other really cool people in the zone are getting transferred out or going home. So I'll let you know what my new companion is like next week. I know that the reason we were so successful and got two baptisms this transfer is because we were super obedient and worked hard so I will try to keep that going despite who my new companion is. Mom, if you could get Elder Aldous' email address from Chantale and add it to the list as well as give it to me, I would really appreciate it. I miss that kid.
Like I said, we get a lot of tourists, just on vacation that come to our ward. Yesterday as we were greeting this kid walked in who looked really familiar. Turns out he was "Birdy" from our school play "Bye Bye Birdy"(and he was in like every other school play). Its cool to see people from Utah every once in a while, we talked about our mutual friends and stuff, he was good friends with Jensen Astle, one of the girls I worked with at Coldstone. Speaking of which does anyone know where Tanner Astle is going on his mission? Can you send me pictures of invitations (Josh, Emily, Ellie). We'll I could go on and on all day about the awesome stuff that happens out here but I'll just tell you one last story. We got to do some service last week at a pig farm. While all the other elders in the zone were mixing cement, dakine farmer guy pulled me and the district leader aside and said follow me. We walked into the pig area. He handed us this over sized orange crayon thing and told us that our job was to mark the males. He then proceeded to explain to us how you could tell they were male and then told us to hop in the pen. It was interesting and kind of intimidating at first but my the time we had finished 7 pens of babe the pig which consisted of me holding their back legs open while they squealed and flailed and almost broke my eardrums. I won't go into too much detail but it was quite the experience. My hands smelled like pig for the next 3 days (I washed my hands like a million times).
I feel like I needed to ask you guys to look for missionary experiences. We taught a lesson in our gospel principles class yesterday on missionary work and it was talking about all the tech. advancements that are making missionary work more and more wide spread. It made me think of facebook, take advantage of this amazing resource and use it to do the greatest work on the planet.
Mom and Dad, keep doing family history work and temple work as well, that is just as much missionary work as what I'm doing out here.
Mom, we do email at the family history center in the stake center every Monday and it always reminds me of you. Ok I gotta go. Love you guys so much. I will send you the pic of my shoes as soon as I can.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Prina

Matt's most resent letter

Mahalo!‏
From: Matthew Prina
Sent: Mon 8/17/09 4:51 PM

Thanks for all the letters and emails everyone.
Anderea and Lisa it was so good to get the letters from you and all of your kids. Lisa, I was thinking the same thing about your kids, Christian looks like a full grown man. The hurricane didn't really effect us as much as we we're hoping, we just got a little rain (lame).
Also tell Andrea and Alli thanks for their letters I really enjoyed them.
Mark what is this about you moving out? Where exactly are you moving, what are your plans?? I've talked to a lot of people in the coast guard out here and they said its a really good option. I've learned a lot about the military out here, two of the three wards I've been in have military bases in them. We are teaching a Tongan kid right now who is about 21 years old, I think he will be baptized but we need to help him with his word of wisdom problems first. The lea faka Tongan language is still putting along, I need to study more, but I can never find time. I learn little words here and there everyday. Madagascar in Tongan is Matakasa.

Mom, do you send these to Travis? I haven't heard from him in a while. We are working hard here and lots of good things are happening. Our whole zone went on a hike this morning to Monauili Falls, it was way fun. I'll send pictures... eventually. Ahhhhhh, its like the bussyness never ends. I guess that's life.

How come I haven't heard from Rob in a while? Rob did you ever get my Package? Pretty much none of the emails I got this week worked except the one I read about education week, and Lisa's. I didn't get the link you sent for our blog or the pictures of our baptism. Please keep trying, I don't care if Rob was making a weird face in the picture.
I don't know if I already told you guys but I got new shoes! After much deliberation I decided on the Macbeth Manchesters. They're way different than anything I've had before, but that's why I got them, I like to try something different every time. Plus they were only like 55 bucks. Rob I met an Australian guy the other day and it made me think of you. I told him I was going to tell you about him and say he was sweet as but he told me to tell you he was true blue.
Last week, instead of having a regular zone confrence like we usually do every transfer (where two zones get together and Pres. Peterson and his wife speak), we had a mission conference instead with Elder Kikuchi as our guest speaker. He gave almost the same talk at a devotional when I was at the MTC but I liked it better this time. He also has an article in this months ensign called "Opening the heavens" or something like that. Anyways it was very long and very spirtual and got us all pumped up, I loved it. We need stuff like that every once in a while. So all of the missionaries on Oahu (like 100) as well as Kawaii (like 24) met up in Honolulu and it was awsome because 3 of the elders from my MTC district were there and we ate lunch together and had a little reunion. I've been able to do alot of cool hikes out here and seen alot of cool stuff, I cant wait till I can come back here with you guys some day and go swimming. Everyone that we saw up at the falls this morning was shocked that we hiked all the way up there and we weren't even getting in. ok I have to get back to work.
Love you all a lot. Mahalo for everything you do! Send me pictures... SEND ME PICTURES!!!!!
Ofa atu,
Elder Prina

Rob's 1st letter this week

Transfers!‏
From: Robert Prina
Sent: Mon 8/17/09 9:43 PM


G'day everybody. How ya goin'?
Its good to hear from you and read your emails and get letters in the mail, especially the letters.
The past transfer has been busy. We had a baptism for our golden investigator Tim Fenner on Sunday after stake conference. His fellowshiper in the ward (Brother Doug Bray), a recently married RM who lives across the street from us baptized him. It was awesome. I got to give a talk at his baptism. I'll have to send some pictures. He expresses interest in serving a mission and even going to BYU. He never ceases to amaze us how stalwart he is. He is a tall British Bloke. He was a golden member referral. Next Sunday he will be confirmed in sacrament meeting by Brother Bray, and then after Church Alana Matthews our other awesome investigator is getting baptized! Its so good to see miracles of success come our way. We have truly been blessed here in the Waterford area. There is so much potential here. Alana also went to stake conference on Sunday with her fellowshiper, and then to Tims Baptism that afternoon. Thank you for your prayers! They worked! It always works!
Today was transfers! I stayed here in Waterford (Logan zone) still just about 1/2 hour south of Brisbane city. So im still in my second Area. My companion Elder Hales got transferred to be an Office elder in the city! We didnt see that coming. So now he is being trained to be the next Mission secretary. Far Out!

My new companion is Elder Finau. He is Tongan! I was wishing that i would get a Polynesian companion! He is from South Auckland in New Zealand which is a pretty neat place i guess. He's the man, hes been out 9 months but because of some health complications he served first in Wellington, New Zealand, then in Papa New Guinea, And now (third times the charm) in the ABM the best mission in the world. We are serving as Co-senior companions. I am driving - scary. And we are now sharing a car with our neighboring area. So that should be interesting.
I'm excited to work with someone new. Change is always good. Scary, but good. I got heaps of letters from some of you today at transfers but i haven't had a chance to read them yet.
Mom, sorry, but we're not allowed to go to the blog site - even if its for missionaries. sorry, but could you continue to forward me Matt's Emails - it would be much appreciated.
Mom and Dad, If you could put just like 15 - 20 dollars on my debit card, that would help out a lot, its getting towards the end of the month and i don't know if im gonna make it.
Matt, if you are reading this, dont send anything to that return address i wrote on the package i sent you - its wrong. continue to send stuff to the mission office. Thanks.
I love hearing everybody's missionary experiences they are having so if anybody has a missionary experience they would like to share with me just email it to Mama Marilyn and she can forward it to me.
Sorry i haven't responded to anybody's letters all transfer. We've been busy - even on pdays. I'll get around to it. "Elder Prina answers in his own way; and in his own time; but he does answer" - Restoration DVD.
God speed to all the young men in the ward getting ready to serve. And Alex Ramsay as well if you are reading this. Congratulations on going to San Salvador!! Was it cool to see Nathan again? I miss you Ramsay's. i can't believe Josh got married.
Scoty and Lincoln i pray for you every night 'cause I know its hard getting ready to leave for 2 years. stick it out. Live with no regrets. NO FEFE (no fear). How about Chris Miller? Is Chris putting his papers in or anything?
Oh! Sierra Happy birthday on Saturday! Sorry, i was gonna write that in last weeks email, so happy late birthday. How old are you again? Sierra didn't have the baby yet did she??? does the baby shower come before or after? i forgot. I'm so jealous i don't get to see little Ellie. Sierra, i can't look at the blog unfortunately. Will you guys send me some pictures. I need pictures of kyler!!! i want to see what he looks like with short hair. John that's sweet that you got Ellie some little Dunks. you're the best dad haha.
Mark how is flight school going? i still think that is so cool. Thanks for being such a stud about righting me often. Sorry i stink at getting letters back to you. I'll work on that.
Matt are you still in the Tongan ward?? Do you eat much Taro? Have you had Otai?? That stuff is to die for. We ate at some Tongan's last week and they asked if you "beefed it" I guess that's the phrase for "got fat". So have you "beefed it"? how much do you weigh. I'm almost 90... Kgs that is.
Dad i know i shouldn't be worried about this but has BYU football started? Could you give me just a brief update? I heard Collie is playing for the Colts, is that true?
Its all about Rugby Union and Rugby League here. Im an All Blacks fan. haha not really. that is New Zealand's Rugby Union team.
Someone quoted a book in sacrament meeting called "Why good things happen to good people" apparently written by some American scientists or psychologists about living principles taught in the new testament. someone should check it out and give me some feed back on it. Just sounded interesting to me. haha.
Mom and Dad i pray for you every night to find work. It will come. What are you up to in the mean time?? How did sister Lyons heart operation go?? I'm sorry, but I'll be honest i forgot to pray for her- i got so many people asking me to pray for them - im gonna have to start keeping a Prayer journal. for real.
Your guys Yellow stone trip sounded so fun. Fair dinkum - i thought you were going with Jack and Gina for some reason. Oh well.
i cant believe you saw so much cool stuff. I haven't seen any roos in ages.
So you just happened to run into the Coveys in the ward at Yellowstone. What a coincident. Bro. Bray - the guy that fellowshiped Tim is reading a lot of his (Bro. Covey's)books - so he thought it was pretty cool when I told him I was in his ward in Provo.
Winter is nearly over here. I am beginning to shed the layers at night. I still need a couple blankets at night. It's hot during the day though.
The work here continues to progress wonderfully. Something weird is happening to the computer so I'm just gonna send this now and hope it gets to you. I love and miss you all. God bless.
Open your mouth and share what you know with some one. Even if they are already a member. There are a lot of worthless Mormons in Provo. Remind them what it means to take on the name of Christ.
Love,
Elder Prina AKA ROB

Rob's latest letter

> From: Rob Prina

> Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009
>
> Ok, i can write a little more. Wow i cant believe Emily Woodbury got married. You guys will have to send me a picture.
When is Sierra having the baby?
How is Sister Frank doing? is she out of the hospital?
Dad i love your emails with the fresh insights and inspiring advice, thank you.
That's awesome that there was some croquet going on at our place just like good ol times. It's good to hear everyone is still doing well.
Lisa its so good to hear from you! I got your letter/ package envelope today but its back at the flat - i haven't opened it yet. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for the mail. I love hearing about the kids - give them all squeezes for me.
What were the big things that each of the kids acomplished this summer that you mentioned in your email?
> Oh! i had a dream the other night that i was holding baby Easton and he was so big and heavy that i could barely hold him. I'm sure he is growing into a big Miller Baby.
> Well i have to go do my shopping now but it was good to catch up with yous.
Love you. Fa Soi Fua!
> Elder Prina - AKA ROB
>

Rob's latest letter

late letter‏
From: Robert Prina (robprina@myldsmail.net)
Sent: Mon 8/10/09 10:59 PM
To: marprina@hotmail.com

Thanks everybody for the Emails and news. Sounds like you had a good trip mom and dad. Yesterday, our pday was on a public holiday, so we are taking half an hour today to do emails. We have 2 baptisms this weekend! Tim and Alana! Things are very stressful. Transfers are next week on pday so next email I'll write about if I got transferred or not, and where. I miss you all and love you. Thats cool that the guys played croquet at the house..
Well I get to go to a lesson with Fiona now. Sorry for the small email, it took most of my time to read all the emails from everyone, please write me letters.
Love you, Bye.
Elder Prina
p.s.
Mom i cant get on blogspot, so it'd be sweet if you could forward me matts emails. love you. the gospel is true. i might be baptizing some one this week. bye.

Matt's Latest Letter

Laie

Ultimate Frisbee

Are the Cougars out yet?...                             Aug.10, 2009

Hey everyone, how’s it? I don’t have much time. I'm still having trouble with the email a little bit. I got everything but it said mom's email was from my old companion Elder Stewart and Jeanie's thing came in two pieces and it took forever to load dad's email. I'm tempted to just use hotmail like a lot of elders do but maybe I'll just endure to the end. It was really good to hear about your trip to Yellowstone mom and dad, it sounded like so much fun! I was so scared that you guys weren't going to have a life after we left but it sounds like you’re having way more fun than you did when we were there. Dad thanks for the email. I want to thank you guys for raising me with a hate of sin and for worldly things. I was just reading about the ammonites in the book of Alma who were some of the most righteous people in the Book of Mormon. One of their coolest characteristics was their hate of sin. I see this characteristic in my nephews and nieces and it makes me happy because like you said, the temptation is so rapid and the sin is so acceptable these days. You said it was subtle, I guess it is to a certain extent but.... I don't know it doesn't seem subtle to me at all it seem so obvious. Look at tv 20 years ago and look at it now. There’s nothing subtle about it. Things are going great here. We get busier and busier every week. I'm glad you guys already got the package, I hope everyone liked their letters and pictures, sorry all the pictures are like a month old. I think I sent you guys the pictures of my shoes, if I did can you take it into missionary mall and ask for new ones, if not I'll send it next week. Last Saturday (the 8th) Mike Brett was Baptized, I gave a talk on baptism and his wife gave a talk on the holy ghost and also talked a little about how the lord has been preparing him his whole life to be baptized. He is the coolest guy, he reminds me a little of John. He is 29 and married to a less active member who is no longer less active. He was the first person that I have found, taught, and brought to the waters of baptism. But I know I was just an instrument in the lord's hands. He was baptized by his brother in law Kevin who is also a member of our ward. It was an amazing baptism and the spirit was felt very strongly. Right now we are reading the book of Mormon with him and watching the living scriptures tapes. I've never done that before but it really helps him understand. Its funny I can still quote like every line, I love them. We watched the Ammon one last night "but to me, he does not stink", Hahaha! ok, at least my siblings know what I'm talking about. I always think about you guys when I'm at church on Sunday. Mom, even thought your not here, I can still feel your arm lifting me up when my elbows rest on my knees and I put my head down cuz I've been in church for 8 hrs straight. The Tongan language is still coming along, my new comp doesn't have any interest in learning it so its hard. We got a new investigator in the Tongan ward yesterday so he should be baptized as soon as we get him to overcome smoking and drinking. Mom and Dad I was wondering if you could sent me some copies of pictures of my baptism. Did you guys ever find that anniversary dvd I made for you, if not I know Lisa and Val have a copy. I laughed so hard about the croquet thing, that’s awesome, that’s the way it should be. So John and Sierra are back? I can't believe its August already. What was the verdict? Did you hit your pay scale? ok I gotta go. Mom, I already bought a new recorder but I do need a new digital camera... or an old one. Maybe a b-day gift or six month mark gift of something. Tell everyone I say aloha, I love and miss you guys!

                                  Maholo, Elder Matt Prina