Rob Sept 13, 2009

From: Robert Prina
Sent: Sun 9/13/09 6:37 PM

Kieora cuz,
Well since Matt is the only one who wrote me back, I'll aim this email towards him. I wonder if Sierra & John have had their baby.
I have all the same questions that Matt had. Things are going well here in Waterford. Fiona's baptismal date is still for the 26th, and shes starting to invite her friends and cousins to learn about the gospel as well; shes brought her 13 yr. old cousin to our ward the past couple weeks. We are having a family home evening at Fiona's place tonight. Fiona and her partner Junior are now keeping the word of wisdom, they're not living together anymore, and they are getting married as soon as they can - some time next month. They have been coming to church every week as well. I was a bit crook a couple of days last week, but we still managed to pick up a couple of new investigators. It is just harder to have frequent contact with people now, because we are sharing the car with another companionship in an adjacent area. This is the first time on my mission when i have not had a full time car. My Tongan companion keeps popping his bike tire - as he says "these bikes aren't made for my people". So we have to "beat the feet" a lot as he calls it, when we don't have a car or bikes. But it keeps us in shape. my new companion is very obedient and has helped me to learn a lot. He got his mission call to Papua New Guinea, but he had Visa problems, so he started off his mission in Wellington New Zealand, then he went to Papua New Guinea for 6 months - then it got way to Dangerous for the foreign missionaries there so he got sent here to the Brisbane Australia Mission. There was only two foreigners in the Papua New Guinea Mission him and a Samoan who was from New Zealand as well, all the other Elders there are natives, he said that They were the whitest people that most of the natives have ever seen in there lives. He has some pretty scary stories about PNG - he slept under a cocanut tree for 3 weeks he said. Hes been kid napped, had his mission car stolen, and had a gun put to his head. He was an AP up in PNG as well. I'm pretty lucky to have him as my co-senior companion. He's the man. You should be jealous Matt. haha. Matt - Me and Elder Finau are making heaps of Otai today with the zone for Pday! Its going to be sweet as bro! Otai is the greatest thing ever! We found out this week that our Bishop is moving out of our ward to another ward in the stake. There will be a lot of changes in the ward at the end of this month. Transfers are also at the end of the month so i hope i stay! I want to be here in Waterford during Christmas, where i know everyone well already. This Samoan Lady in the ward who loves us Bought me some slippers and sent for them from Sydney for me!! The Polynesians are so generous and nice. I Love them! I'm still working on my Samoan - i'm trying to get a Samoan book of Mormon from the office. Faa Fe Tai Lava Mole Mea Ai, means thank you very much for the food. We got a call from one of our ward missionaries last night saying that she has the meal roster filled up for the rest of the month! so not to make any more dinner appointments. we love our ward.
Matt it sounds like the Tongan is coming along really well. They got rid of all the language wards here in Australia unfortunately. There has been sort of an uproar about it from the Samoan members and some have gone apostate and started their own little denomination called 'Sons of Samoa' that basically does everything exactly the same as us but speaks their own native language. It's sad, we've helped some of them to come back though. Yes Matt - Elder Finau speaks Tongan even better than he speaks English - and he speaks pretty good English for somebody from Otara (South Auckland New Zealand) Which apparently is a place in NZ a little like South Central L.A.
Matt that is cool as that you have a black kid to talk to about Detroit and stuff. The black people here are different. They are mostly Sudanese and they are way different than African Americans. Still cool though - especially when you see the lady's carrying the big baskets on their heads without using their hands.
Sounds like you have some good potential investigators Matt. Tell Cody that your twin Elder says Congratulations. Is he Samoan or Tongan or palanquin? Tell him "good on ya mate". That's crazy that his mom is Jewish, his dad is Catholic and he is Mormon! Matt that's awesome that you got to confirm someone in Sacrament meeting!! I haven't done that yet! Did his parents come to see that? I did give one of our ward missionaries a blessing of comfort and council yesterday, after church. Its the first time i've done that since i've been on my mission. I could really feel the spirit strongly.
What is Bread fruit?? I've had Lu Pulu before, its alright. I've been offered the raw fish before but i didn't end up eating it. It looked pretty yuck.
OK, my hush puppies shoes are having the same trouble as yours - more so on the left shoe than on the right for some reason.. Same? They need to recall those. i wonder if i could send in a picture of it and get some new slip on's for my warranty deal.
Father's day in America is in June. Happy Fathers day everybody! It was Fathers day here last Sunday.
Matt thanks for filling me in on what you knew about the Cougars first game. That's exciting - i hope we have another successful year. No one knows anything about "American grid iron" over here. Its all about Rugby and the 'All Blacks' from New Zealand. They are my favorite team now. But they lost last week i heard.
Mom and Dad - confirm to me when you get my package - i sent it off this past week. It has letters to people - pictures - and a flash drive.
Send pictures of little Ellie!!! somebody... anybody!
I have all the same questions that Matt had in his email. I miss and love everybody and pray for you.

Matt i have a flash drive with pics and videos on it ready to send to you as well. Matt did you ever get a copy of my farewell talk? I think i'll attatch some pictures and stuff on here real quick. I love you all. Have a good week. God Bless! Fa Soi Fue

ELDER PRINA AKA ROB