Rob

Hey every body,
Thanks for the emails mom and dad and the news. Mom how come you sent Matt a letter with pictures from the Strawberry Reservoir Family Reunion but not me? And how did he get pictures of Ellie? Your son on the other side of the world needs these things too.

Andrea could you send me your chocolate chip cookie recipe? It’s my favorite.
15th ward young men - I opened my "Rob's Goals 2009" envelope that you made for me at the beginning of the year to open in October. I found that I have already achieved some of the goals, while others I may sill need to work on.
Mom my companion Elder Finau was wondering if you could pick up some BYU Provo applications for him because he wants to go there after his mission. I’m not sure how or where you get them, but if you could find some way to get us some BYU applications that would be sweet. I want to go there too, but I don’t even want to think about college at this point. I still have plenty of time.
Matt may have to challenge me for the miracles per Area. Waterford never ceases to amaze me miracle wise. The people here are so beautiful (that’s a term they use differently here than they do back home.) There is a Samoan family (the Livas) in our ward who went back to Samoa for a holiday and came back with 2 authentic Lava Lava's for me. Another Samoan Sister Stratford- in the ward ordered some sweet slippers for me from Sydney. Now this other Samoan lady who is in a different ward is getting me and elder Finau ‘All Black's’ Jerseys strait from the Adidas factory in New Zealand. The All Blacks is just about the coolest Rugby Union team in the world. They’re my new favorite sports team. They pretty much like invented the Haka.
Last week we went grocery shopping for the first time as a tri-panionship and tried it out just splitting it 3 ways and right as we were paying some random white lady who isn’t even a member came up to the line and said "excuse me - I would like to pay for that" We're like "Ahh, are you sure?" Then the cashier was like "UM are you sure?" We thanked her heaps. She is probably an Angel. She paid over $60 for our groceries.
We have two progressing investigators coming to church now – MI’ and her dad Willie. Her mom is a less active member. We committed them to baptism last week. We are finding new people to teach everyday through referrals, tracking, other ways.

The members here are very generous and good to us as well. I feel like I will never be able to repay them. So I make them little 'PRINAMADE' thank you cards.
Fiona and Junior are doing awesome. Fiona is being a missionary and sharing the gospel with her family and friends. Fiona and Junior are still getting married in the chapel next Friday (the 16th) and planning their 'more important' wedding at the temple down the road.
Now they're talking about making a trip out to Utah some day.
I told Fiona to add Mark and Scoty on face book. Have you guys heard from her? Mark and Scoty, I have sent both of you letters. Have you received them? Please write me back at the mission address, not my flat because I think I made a mistake on the return address I wrote on the envelope.

We have had awesome experiences tracking – it’s just so fun - you meet the most interesting people. Yesterday this lady came out and gave us a 2 liter of pop and a bag of oranges and asked us to come back – I think she was probably a former investigator.

Dad we met this guy who did a lot of work on the early Cannon calculators. He said, “you know those to keys "MR and MRC" (on any little calculator you have) I invented those.” He also said that the name Microsoft came from a Cannon made keyboard product as well. He said that the 'GT' button on the calculators was originally going to be put on their as 'AT' for accumulated total but they made it 'GT' (grand total) so that it would match his initials - his name is Geoff Tally. He said he was a curser and said all this atheist talk.
Yesterday we were tracking and met this lady who said she was busy and not interested at first. Then we offered service as we always do, when people say they aren’t interested and she like flipped. She was like oh but I don’t have any money. When we explained as missionaries we give service, she started balling and told us about how her husband left her. She has all these animals and she hasn’t been able to finish the fence in her front yard since her husband left and how yesterday morning "the dingo ate her chicken". I thought it was sad but crack up at the same time. She was like this typical Aussie Lady with the hat and everything. Yes, sometimes I dread tracking but once you get out and just do it – it’s what really makes the mission. We had our fair share of colorful language this week as well.
Mom I've had a couple of people ask me how to make Corn Bread. Could you please send me your corn bread recipe? I don’t know if you use bisquick in corn bread, but they don’t have that here, so keep that in mind. Thanks so much. I've been using your recipes lately and teaching Fiona how to make some American style food, as well as making cookie dough. It’s been fun.
John I want to ask you all this stuff about your mission now that I know what a mission is like.

We haven’t seen conference yet - we are watching the conference videos this Sunday. I bet it was great though.

Sheyene I am writing you back today, sorry its taken 4 months.
John and Sierra how is Ellie doing? It seems like every email I've received from you since I've come on my mission you are always doing fun stuff every week with the family – that’s so cool that we live so close and that you can all chill and see each other often.
Dad thanks for the news, self esteem boosters, and words of encouragement as well as the greetings to my companions. I love you.
Matt, I can’t wait to get your package.
I love you all - I got to go to the temple today and my testimony grows so much when I feel the power of Gods love over whelm me in the celestial room. God is there, there is no doubt in my mind about that.

Love, Elder Prina - AKA ROB