It came with out Presents! It came with out TAGS!

It came with out Packages BOXES or BAGS!

Dec 26,2010

It came just the same!
DAHOO DORES! DAHOO DORES!
I loved talking to so many of you on this my last phone call home! My Mum and Dad, 3 sisters, 1 brother, 1 sister in law, 2 brother in laws, Keiko and James Miller! and more nieces and nephews than you or your grandfather could handle!
I hope your Christmas was as good as mine! We enjoyed drought ending rain (...and flooding in some parts of Queensland), endless amounts of food, great Christmas music, Loving ward members, spending Christmas lunch with some people who don't have any family around, and sharing Christmas messages and the Christmas Spirit of Christ with the people we saw.
We had a new ward mission leader called yesterday! We are so excited because our last one was pretty worthless. This is a younger guy who just moved into our ward like last week from the ward just north of us. He was the WML in that ward for the past year. So he is already used to working with the missionaries and has systems already in place for tracking progress and helping us be productive. I'm so excited! too bad I'll probably get transferred in a week... :(. I wish he could have moved into the ward sooner. His name is Jesse Bogart. He's also the one that let me use his phone to call you guys, and the one that makes the t-shirts. he's the man.
Mum, the photos with the wildlife is at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, we went there last week for a zone pday. I got a photo standing right next to a wedgetailed eagle - the biggest bird in Australia, and it flew like an inch over our heads. It was fun. The croc exhibit was lame - there was only one croc, it was asleep half of the time, and they weren't feeding it that day. It was massive though.
I didn't really get anyone chrissy gifts mum. Just Christmas post cards for the whole family. You should be getting those in about 2 weeks at most. I am missing one of the Presidents of the church cds. I cant remember if its 2 or 3.
It was fun talking to the Keiko Millers. I'm so wrapped to hear that Chris is back on his mission. I've been praying for him every night. I wish i could have been there for Travi's home coming today. Give him a big hug for me and let me know how hes doing. His 21st Birthday/Chrissy gift is in the big package that i just sent to you by sea mail. It Probably wont get there for like 3 months.
So you reckon i'm pickin up a bit of the Aussie gab eh'? Good to hear. Your guys American accents are still ringing in my ears. I noticed that Lisa has the strongest American accent. I'm going to miss the Australian accent when I leave. I just love it.
Mum, none of my pants necessarily need to be replaced, just mended, but I'm sure there is a nice ladys in the ward that can do that for me. I think I might've put on a few kilos this Christmas weekend. Matt what did you say your workout plan for morning exercise was? I think I need to start some kind of a program. other than stretching on the ground. haha.
Tell Carson congratulations on his baptism. I love baptisms! They're the best! Hopefully we will have one coming up soon with Jade. We'll keep you informed. Where In California did the Millers go on Holiday? How is Val and her family doing in Florida? How long are they there for? Tell them I say Merry Christmas and happy New year the next time you see them.
Audrey and Blake you be good at those stake new years eve dances. Remember to always stand in Holy Places. Have fun though! The older you get the more lame those dances get. appreciate them in your youth.
That's cool that you did the Nativity. I missed doing that this year. I have to go. We're going to have a sweet pday. Probably my last on the Gold Coast.
The church is true and the book is blue! Love, Elder R. A. Prina

Rob Dec.20, 2010

Merry Christmas.
We had a mission wide pday yesterday. I'll have to send you some pics and vids (you know, 'cause we have to abrev. everything) soon. We finally have some where to go for Christmas so that's good. Things are going pretty good. Our investigator Jade has come to Church twice now and we are planning to baptize him soon. Keep him in your prayers.

Happy Birthday Carson!
I look forward to the conference call on Christmas day!
Mum, I enjoyed hearing about your Christmas Miracle. It was crack up.
Dad thanks for all the good BYU news. Sounds like we're doing well, too bad we lost in LA though.
Matt we hardly watch the district dvd's at all here. Mike Brett never called me :(
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ya! have the good, better and best Christmas ever... even eat the rare who ROAST BEAST! (which is something the Grinch cannot stand in the LEAST). I'm speaking in rhymes!!!

P.S. - TTTTRRRRRAAAAAVVVVVVIIIIIIIISSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! Hi. Merry Christmas.
Don't you wish you were still a missionary? ha ;)

Love, Elder Prina

Matt Dec. 20, 2010

Dear Family and Friends, Dec. 20, 2010
I miss the snow, fire places, Christmas sweaters, breathing in cold, breathing out clouds, flying down hills on snow, hot chocolate burning my esophagus, scraping ice off the walkways until my arms are sore, wrapping towels around my head and stealing perfume out of moms bathroom pretending its frankincense, listening to Barbara Streisand while baking cookies in the kitchen, bare trees, that feeling you can't quite describe when your surrounded by family and smiles, trying to decorate the tree the way mom wants it, wrapping gifts, borrowing fingers, and stealing cookie dough that is cooling out in the garage.
We're having plenty of fun celebrating out here. My companion's name is Elder Parker, He's from West Point Utah (up by Ogden). He and I are really getting into the Christmas spirit. We have two Christmas trees in our pad. We have been caroling instead of tracting and this Wednesday we are hosting a stake Christmas musical fireside, featuring musicians from all over the island.
Rob, I received an email from Mike Brett today he said he was sad he never got to see you, they spent more time in Sydney than they thought they would. Did he ever call you? He sent some pictures though. No, Rob we don't have tracing logs here, is that like we did in Boston? I did hear from Wendy a while ago because I wrote her. She isn't planning on going on a mission any more, she sounds like she's doing pretty good. She better be there for my home coming(if your reading this Wendy). I haven't heard anything from elder Selk but there is an RM in another ward here on Kauai who was his comp.'s, I need to talk to him. I guess Lincoln told him to come find me when he got home.

"thats goin' in my journal" is from the district 2 video. I don't know if you watch that movie very much. Our Mission President is loaded so he bought a portable dvd player for every pad in the mission and told us to watch "the District" training dvds while we eat breakfast and lunch and after we plan at night so I can quote just about the whole movie and I use the quotes when I teach and talk to people.
Mom, thanks for the gifts, thanks for running all over trying to get that straightened out, that was a miracle! I heard the Provo Tab burned down! NO!!!!!! more sitting on the top at stake conference, no more singing on that stand mom and dad, no more sneaking through the secret passage ways and getting in the attic, no more plays, firesides, concerts, etc. did the travel lodge burn down too? Hopefully they build something even better there.(Provo temple #2).
I totally forgot Travis is home already! Tell him I say hi. We helped a Samoan member quit smoking over the past couple of weeks, he is married to a Tongan lady in our ward. He's totally done now and yesterday was his B-day, we made a card for him and went over to wish him happy B-day and congratulations, it was amazing to see the change in their countenance. Living the W.O.W. really does change people. We were so happy that they were happy.

We had two lessons yesterday and invited like 10 people to be baptized, only 2 said yes but that's still pretty good. They still need permission from their dad who's a non member, their date is for Jan. 8th.
I love you all and hope you have a Merry Christmas! Remember Baby Jesus, he is the Joy, to the world.
Love,
Elder Prina

See the little hill on the side of town

See the little hill on the side of town, go on up and climb it and turn back around.

Aloha brothers and sisters,
For P-day we went on a hike as a zone. It took about an hour to get to the top. From the top we had a 360 degree view of the island of Kauai. When we were done taking pictures and stuff we all sat down on the grass and talked. We went around and all shared one thing that we would sacrifice this transfer so that the lord could bless us more (Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven) then we talked about covenants and how each covenant is like a hand hold and a foot hold that elevates us to the next level in our lives until we make our way to the top. Then my companion offered a dedicatory prayer for the missionary work on Kauai and we made a zone covenant with the Lord.
This past week was a miracle week for our area and for our zone. We found six new investigators and had 10 investigators at sacrament meeting on Sunday. We had a great ward Christmas party and a lot of less actives and non members there. That Saturday morning we woke up at 5:45 and went to our Bishop's dad's farm. We harvested some of what the Tongans call "manioke" (Tapioca) It was a beautiful morning and was fun to go get our hands dirty with our bishop. Then we went to his house and cut and peeled it. We ate it that night at the Christmas party.
Last week our zone found zero new investigators and we were freaking out trying to figure out how to improve. We've been training a lot on finding in the past weeks and this week we held the zone more accountable by calling them several times throughout the week. At the end of the week we had found 12 new investigators in our zone, a big improvement from... zero.
5 of those new investigators came from a Tongan family we found in our area. I was on an exchange with our district leader Elder Moala (I used to be his district leader in pearl city) and he's Tongan so I said hey lets go visit this house, I know there's Tongans. It turns out there is a newly wed couple that lives there who are members but there are 10 other people who live there who aren't members. We started teaching all of them and we know at least one of the boys who is 13 wants to get baptized. I felt like I was back in the Tongan ward.
During our weekly planning time my companion Elder Parker and I were inspired to do a stake Christmas musical fireside. At first it was kind of a crazy idea with only two weeks to prepare (we're doing it on wed. the 22nd). But we now have a bunch of support from the ward and stake. We will have a musical number from each of the 6 wards on Kauai with little talks in between, like a primary program. For the closing song we are having a stake youth choir and singing a song from the forgotten carols called "we cannot find our way/three kings". It's going to be so awesome, the theme of the program is "follow the star". I love Christmas!
I love you all and can't wait to talk to you on Christmas! I know this church is true even though it's really hard sometimes "welcome to the journey of the disciples of Christ. -Elder Holland

Love,
Elder Prina

The Christmas Pagent

So apparently Christmas is a Pagan derived Holiday adopted by the early Roman Christians; or at least we have been told so by several people we have tracted into recently. "why do you celebrate a holiday with so many pagan roots?" They ask.
For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever Believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joy to the World the Lord is come - Let earth receive her King. Jesus the Christ, Born in Bethlehem is the reason for the season. Its his day even if he wasn't born in December (they were wrong anyway, they said he was born in September).
I Love Christmas. We had a "Joy to the World" DVD referral that we contacted on Monday. His name is Jade . He is from Philippine decent and was born in the Philippines - but grew up his whole life in Sydney and Gold Coast. He looks about 30. He kindly invited us in and wanted to chat with us. He said he had been attending a Born Again Church in Gold Coast, but had some questions. He asked all the right questions - and we were able to teach him the Plan of Salvation. We had to go at 6:00 to dinner at our stake President's - Pres. Reid. President Reid picked us up from Jade's house, so Jade got to meet him. Jade asked if we would come back after our dinner appointment so we could share more. So we went back and ended up teaching the Plan of Salvation, even though that is not what we had planned. He committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon - and he even knelt with us and gave the closing prayer. He opened up to us a lot during the lesson and told us the things that he was struggling with. He came to church with us yesterday for sacrament meeting and I think he really enjoyed it. Our investigator Zinia was also there - but her mother Annie didn't come and is busy again with her studies apparently. We were expecting another family to be there that we had tracted into, but they didn't show up.
I KNOW that the Lord Answers our prayers. The Lord answers in his own way, and in his own time... But he does answer.
I will miss yous a lot this Christmas season. But I love Christmas here - It helps you to focus so much on the true meaning of Christmas - Giving. And Giving the greatest gift we can give: His Gospel. I'm glad the family is unified at this time of year - even though some of us are far apart. I look forward to talking to you on Christmas (even if its Boxing day here) Its another special day for me anyway because it marks the 12 year anniversary of my Baptism.
We are praying for a White Christmas. Please pray with us that we can prepare someone for Baptism before the end of the year.
Thanks for the info on the Christmas call. Its all free then eh'? I'm really excited for that. Today for Pday we are going to the Currumbin Wild Life Sanctuary. I'll take some good pictures for ya mate.
Happy Birthday Chase!! Hope you have a great day today! I miss you mate. How tall are you now and how much do you weigh? What are you gonna do over Christmas Break? Thanks so much for the letter and picture you sent me for my birthday. I hope you have a wonderful fairdinkum Birthday and a Holly Jolly Christmas!
Wow Mum, tell Melissa happy birthday for me. FAR OUT! I can't believe she is 18! That makes me feel so old. haha. take some pictures at the birthday gathering. and tell all those little ninos and chicas that i say hello.
Matt i took a picture of my tie collections for you. I'm planning a tie swap with some of the RMs in our ward, so hopefully I'll get some cooler ones soon. Can you send me a picture of your collection?
I also will send a photo of our new 'tracting planner' that we invented. Maybe you could use the idea. Do you use tracting logs. I used to think they were pointless - but this is actually a good idea. Well my time is up. Merry Christmas!
love you all and look forward to hearing from you on Christmas. I won't be writing next Monday because we have the mission wide Christmas Bash at Karawatha and we won't make it to the library that day.
the Church is True!
Love, Elder R.A.Prina

Aloha

Aloha everyone, I don't have much time but I thought I'd share an experience or two.
Last week Tuesday was Elder Thomson's last day on his mission. We decided to do a "windows to heaven" at 4:00 (go knock doors on a specific street for an hour). Elder Thomson was excited to do his last tracting and we tried hard but nothing seemed to happen. There were a lot of dogs barking at us and a lot of people were not even home. Bro. Kakazu, the second counselor in our bishopric happens to live on the street that we were knocking on. When we got to his house we saw him in his garage working on his lawn mower. We said hi and then kept walking and knocking. A couple doors down across the street we saw sister Kakazu out talking to her neighbor over the fence, she had just given her neighbors some big ripe avocados. So we crossed the street to go say hi to sister Kakazu. We shook her hand and then she introduced us to her neighbor rosemary. We talked for a little bit and sister Kakazu explained that her son Ammon was out doing the same thing on his mission in Washington. then they kept talking and we didn't really say anything for a while. So I just said well, nice to meet you and we were about to leave but I decided to give her a pass along card. So I gave her one of the together forever pass along cards and she said "oh thanks" "I want to order this" "I like this kind of stuff". Then sister Kakazu got all excited and started talking to her about the gospel. I felt like we should leave them a lone to talk more freely about it. So we said good by and went our way knocking the last couple doors on the street. When we finished E. Thomson turned to me and said, "well nothing really happened". As we walked back to the car we saw sister Kakazu still talking to her neighbor. I still had two b.o.m.'s in my hand and thought about giving one to her neighbor before we left but I just thought well I already gave her a pass along card, that's good enough for now. Right after I thought that, sis. Kakazu looks at us and waves us their way. I guess some time between the time we left and came back sis. Kakazu brought up the book of Mormon and Rosemary said she wanted one. So we walked back over there and give one to her and sis. kakazu gets even more excited and starts explaining the whole book of Mormon talking about footnotes and the pictures and a prophecy in Ezekiel about the stick of Joseph, etc. She is a cute little Hawaiian lady about 5 ft. tall who served a mission a long time ago. It was cool to see her get so excited about sharing the gospel. Rosemary said thanks and said she'd read it after her husband went to sleep. Then her husband pulled up in a truck and we all ran away. We went back to the Kakazus house so E. Thomson could take a picture with them. We started talking to bro. Kakazu. I said "your wife is a pretty good missionary" "that was awesome sis kakazu", as we started to talk about it she just started balling. Through her tears she said "this morning I prayed that I could share the gospel". "I was thinking of someone far away" "she's right there, shes right across the street and I've never shared the gospel with her". It brought tears to my eyes knowing that God answers our prayers and gives us opportunities to share the gospel. Yesterday in testimony meeting she got up and told the whole story. She said that she was cleaning the house and she felt prompted to take the avocados to her neighbor. We just happened to walk by right as they were talking. The night before when we were planning I felt prompted to do our windows on the Kakazu's street. "thank you for giving her the card elder Prina" she said.
Thats all I have time for. Pray for missionary experiences.
Thank you for all your prayers in our behalf. "shall we not go on in so great a cause?"
Love,
Elder Prina

Rob 's scavenger hunt

Christmas house- that went all out.
our scavenger hunt we did at the shops last week with the district. We had to become members of the "healthy Life" store.
that guy is Sooooooo excited! (its only a model)
Heaps!

Rob

Hi everyone,
Mum, I received 2 emails from you today. one from this week and one from last week. I also received Matt's email from last week, and Dad's email from this week. It was great to hear from you all! Matt, I greatly appreciated the pictures. I will try to send some.
It was good to hear how thanksgiving went! I'm glad that you had the Keiko Miller family could join you! the more the merrier right! Especially more Millers! I'm glad to hear Chris left on his mission to the highest baptizing mission in the states! I've been praying for that every night.
I've really been enjoying all the treats that the Young men and young womens sent me in that big box of stocking surprises! Give them an extra special thanks! The kids in my ward love when I share my 'American lollies' with them.
Just wondering - where does Mark and Sheyene go to church? Tell them Hello for me. Thanks for forwarding our emails to cousin Wendy. I've been wondering about her I haven't heard from her in ages.
Any news from Elder Selk? Does he have a Blog too? I'm always curious as to how my fellow missionaries are doing. Thanks for sending me Scoty's emails Debbie! I got those this week. I also got a letter from the Polizzi family in Rockhampton this week. It was so good to hear from them. They are the best -I miss them so much. They are still going strong and Mario will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood soon and they are planning on going to the temple in Hawaii to be sealed next May - E. Paki & I and the Wallaces are going to meet them there (half way between us). That would be soooo nice.
How much snow have you got there? Thats crazy that they closed the border between Utah and Idaho. At least it meant more time with family. Tell everyone in the family i say Hi. Mum, my companion, E. Christensen says 'Hello' back.
Mum, and Dad, I'm glad you've been still finding work in the winter season. I have been praying for that. You need to save up some money so you can come back to Australia with me!
Matt, congratulations on Malie Bernandez and on the Tongan lady on Maui that ended up getting baptized!!! Don't you love it when you get that news that someone you taught, or you tracted into ended up excepting what you originally offered to them.
Matt thanks for the complement on the Rhyme. Your Talib one wasn't bad either. now that you say that I think Violet said there was a spot open at Kings Christian College for a Rapster... or was it a Pasto-Rap... I cant remember. haha jokes.
I can't remember if I've already told you, but our mission Goals for the year is to have 480 Baptisms. We only need 42 more before the end of the year and our theme is to have a "White Christmas" in Queensland this year. So hopefully we can contribute to that.
The Presads family came to Church this week, but they canceled our teaching appointment on Saturday when we were planning to commit them to a baptism date. So keep praying for them. Especially Annie, the mum.
We had a lesson with Violet on Saturday and after it she told us that she no longer had a desire to find out if the Book of Mormon was True because she said the Bible is all we need and said that, that is the only 'Word of God'. She is so nice though. She always sends us home with fresh bread and stuff. She said that she would talk to our Mission President about having him come speak at her congregation. Thanks for the continued Prayers.
That is so cool that Lisa is putting together Pop Prina's history. Good on ya Lisa!
BYU basketball sounds like its going GOOD! GREAT! GRAND! WONDERFUL!
Keep cheerin' for those Cougars for me! Next year... Next year. I bet Eric was happy.
Blake Jr. is the Man at Basketball. I can't wait to come home and have him be better than me when I get off my mission.
Mum - we were on foot the first time a bottle was thrown at us and on bikes in the rain the 2nd time. We tracted for 2 hours in the rain yesterday. You know what all that tracting in the rain means Matt?
Mum, you probably wont be able to get home made cookies over in the post but if you send store bought ones that are in a completely sealed container or bag then it should be alright. OH! but Mum, could you send me your Ginger bread men recipe!? i want to make some really bad.
I need to figure out in the next week what we are gonna do for our Phone call on Christmas (26th for me) because i wont be able to email the Monday before Christmas because we will be having a mission wide Christmas party up in Karawatha that day and none of us will have time to email that day. The rule this time is that I have to get a phone card and call you from a members phone apparently. But I still want to do a 3 way call with Matt if that is possible. Can anyone send me instructions on how we can set that up? (ASAP!) That'd be great! is our home phone number still 801 607 1355? Matt what is your mobile number? can you have that phone call on your mobile or do you have to call from a members phone too?
My Wish list for this Christmas (since you asked) is:
Missionary Cards. Some sun glasses (sunnys),a 2011 Car calendar of some sort. Kakhe Dickies shorts. basketball shorts. Hats. Neosporin. Afterbite. Peanut butter crunch. Beef Jerky. and $acred Fund$.
But as a missionary the best gift will be to get to talk to you on Christmas! I'm so stoked for that.
It sounds like you guys will have a busy Schedule the next few weeks. Have fun and always remember the true meaning of CHRISTmas. The church did a media campaign here where they had free Joy to the World Dvd's advertised on TV so we've been getting a few media referrals from that. Its so great to Share his true gospel with people around this special time of year when we remember his Birth and more importantly his life. Make sure the nativity gets set up and kyler moves the wise men closer to it everyday. And give all those nieces and nephews big kisses and squeezes from me.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Elder R.A.Prina
enjoy the photos
1. Investigator Dr. down the st. from where we live. there are no houses on the street unfortunately.
2. STOP in the name of love!

Matt's pictures

1.Malie Bernades' baptism 11/28/10
2.My desk
3.The original Elite Eight

More fire, more zeal, more spirit, to know whats real, more courage, more faith, more, more and more of me to give,
More patient, more true, more humble, to trust until you call, I hear, I'll walk the path that is set in stone, my heart is fixed on getting home, what on earth could ever matter more?

Greetings Prina's,
How is everyone? GREAT!GRAND!WONDERFUL! Elder Thompson and I had a great week. Malie Bernades, the 12 year old girl we've been teaching, got baptized yesterday. She asked Bro. Kakazu, the second counselor in the Bishoprice, to baptize her. I got to speak about Baptism. I told the story of when we first taught her and we answered a whole list of questions for her and the room was filled with the spirit. I talked about how Baptism relieves us from the heavy burdens of sin. She will be an awesome member of the church.
Rob, I really liked your rhyme, you should quit your job as a pastor and be a rapper. Maybe a Pasto-rapper or a Rapster. Sorry I didn't send you any thing for our B-day, I'll be sure to send you a wonderful Christmas present.
We were talking to one of our investigator's fellow shippers the other day and she was telling us that she told the investigator, that she had to get work off on Sundays no matter what, so she decided to go talk to her boss. She said when she went to talk to the boss he approached her first and told her "hey, by the way, we don't need you to work on Sundays any more", before she even asked him! I thought that was so cool. I told her "that's going in my journal"-Rob might get that.
Mom, yes, I do have my camera charger now so I will be sure to send you some sweet pictures for Christmas. None of my pants are really worn out it's just over time I've lost / lended / left / lit on fire so many pairs that I only have two pairs left.
Thats cool that John worked with Rob Moncur, I'll be sure to tell Elder Moncur that. Elder Moncur's first name is Jacob I believe, he's pretty cool, he knows a bunch of girls from Timpview. Elder Thomson says Hi Mom, he will return to Twin falls this weekend, maybe Andrea and Blake could catch his home coming talk on the 12th in the 5th ward Twin falls stake.

I get my new companion on Wednesday. I'll tell you more about him next Monday. I found out today that this Tongan lady that I taught in Maui finaly got baptized last week, that was exciting!
Our mission goal is to get 1000 baptisms in the year 2010, right now we are only at 824 or something like that so it's going to take some big miracles to hit our goal. This mission hasn't baptized 1000 since '92 when
Eric L. served his mission here. Hopefully we can start teaching whole congregations like Rob. That is what its going to take. Well, that's all folks! I'll try to attach some pictures.

Love,
Elder Prina

1. The Elite Eight (Kauai Zone) at our mission confrerence in Honolulu.
2. My companion & I Elder Thompson

I am gratefull for prayer

Say that one for me when you go around the table on thanksgiving!
Brothers and Sisters Good Morning and Aloha,
I'm learning to organize my time and prioritize more on P-day and my last few p-days have been very relaxing. Today we are going to play rugby as a zone, that will be interesting with 8 White guys. I'm game. Elder Thomson and I had a good week. Last Monday we played ultimate frisbee as a zone. Tuesday we had a wonderful training and then ate out as a zone at taco bell. Wednesday My companion and I had to go around the island and check all the elders Pads and Cars. I love driving around Kauai, I never knew there were so many shades of green until I came here, it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life. On Thursday our week plan took up the morning and we got a thunderstorm with lightning and everything (I've only seen lightning like 4 times on my mission). Thursday night we flew to Oahu for a mission tour by Elder Paul B. Piper of the 70. The Conference took place on Friday morning at the Kaneohe stake center on the east side of Oahu. It was cool to go back to where I used to serve (near Kailua where Scot lived) Kaneohe is my favorite part of Oahu. We met there with the Millilani, Laie, and Kaneohe zones (the first three zones I served in, the first three transfers of my mission). It was fun to see all my old buddies from around the mission. Elder Naulu's cousin is a greeny now being trained in my old Tongan ward in Laie. It was cool to see sisters too, we don't have any of those on Kauai. I met Scoty's friend sister Brown who used to work at the Plasma place. It was a great experience learning from a general authority, he didn't really have a planned training he just discerned what we needed to learn and taught towards our needs (just like we're supposed to do with our investigators!) one thing he talked about that stood out to me was the relationship between faith and obedience. If we want our faith in God to grow we need to be obedient to him (see Exodus ch.3 and 4), Moses didn't have much faith at first but after he started to obey the lord and see the miracles, he began to trust him. The same applies to us today. Our flight didn't leave until about 9:30 PM so the Ap's just set us loose for the rest of the afternoon to tract the ghettos of Honolulu (just the 8 elders from Kauai). At first the elders we're complaining "are they really just going to make us tract in someone else's area" "this is a waste of time" "isn't there something more productive we could do" "lets just go wait at the airport". When we met up afterwords their attitudes had changed "that was so cool" "we should do this more often" "we taught a lesson and got a return appointment" "we found like 3 potentials" "they should just have a Kauai mission tour and have us go tract in other peoples areas" "we're awesome". Just another example of how simple obedience can build peoples faith. Saturday night we got to watch the cultural Performance done by the youth at BYU Hawaii setting the stage for the rededication of the Laie Hawaii temple the following day. We watched it on a little t.v. screen in the relief society room back in Kauai with about 50 people crammed in the relief society room. Sunday we watched the 9:00 session of the Laie Temple Rededication. Because we were watching the temple become dedicated our chapel was considered an "extendtion of the temple". My heart was full of the spirit it and of gratitude for the first opportunity I've had to attend the temple since I left the MTC. Even though I wasn't actually there I felt that same spirit and It was just what I needed. We enjoyed talks by Elder Cook, Pres. Eyring, and Pres. Monson. I'm usually not a huge fan of Quinton L. Cook but his talk was the best and everyone we talked with that day agreed. Afterwords there was a video slide show with pictures of some of the newer temples and Tabernacle Choir music. After the rededication we drove to a neighboring area to do a baptismal interview for a 13 year old girl. There are three 13 year old girls getting baptized in our zone this week. Ours is Malie Bernadez. She got to go to Laie to watch the cultural performance and go to the visitors center. Her step mom, who is a member, said she didn't want to leave.
We are seeing a lot of success here in Kauai right now, our zone has 7 investigators with a date right now. It's going to take some big miracles in December to hit our mission goal of 1000 baptisms in the year of 2010. We're going to need a lot of faith and sincere prayer.
Mom:For Christmas I would like -a new pair of pants(black or grey)
-Black socks

That's all I could think of... I want to get our investigator Brendan a new pair of scriptures. We only have B.O.M.'s to give out and he doesn't even have a bible let alone a D&C. He can't get baptized until February because of his probation so we need to keep him excited about the church, he was really bummed that he didn't get to go to the temple dedication. If someone could buy him some scriptures and put his name on it "Brendan Williams" that would be the best Christmas present I could ask for. The college fund also sounds like a good Idea if your still looking for more ideas. Speaking of which, mom I had a Piggy bank in my room (one of those monkeys made out of a coconut that Amber Harward got us from Hawaii) that I put a bunch of money in before I left. Is that still on my shelf in my room? My 3 suitcases are right by my bed.
Dad: Go Cougars! I'll miss your ravioli's this week. Are you still playing B-ball?
Rob: My Tie collection isn't too extravagant but I'll take a picture of it for you, I wore the Piggy tie you sent me today. Yes, Mike Brett was one of my first recent converts, I taught him and my companion elder Aldridge baptized him. Hes from Kailua (my third area). I don't know if I'll come to Hawaii on my honey moon... maybe, maybe. Elder Kikuchi in our last mission Tour told us to go to the sacred grove for our honey moons instead of Hawaii. We'll see how that goes.
John: Thanks for all the pictures! They're my favorite. I took the one of Kyler falling asleep while reading the B.O.M. stories book on the page when Jesus comes and taped it on my wall by my desk. Ask Sierra if she knows Rob Moncur from working at the pizza factory, his little brother is the assistant to the President.

Thanks again to John, Sierra, Kristin, The Stobbes ,and the YM/YW of the "Summitt Ward" for all the letters and gifts!

Love,
Elder Prina

I

Kristin's visit 11/10

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Kristin, Sydney and Grace spent the past week with us and we had so much fun. John, Kyler and Ellie were here too so it was a busy time. We played, read books, colored, ate, Ellie loved the cooked pumpkin, went to the library and visited cousins.
Here are some pictures of;

Kyler and Sydney at the Library.
Kristin, Sydney & Grace.
David coloring with Sydney.
Kristin & Marilyn.

Robs pictures

You'll want to scroll back a few letters to 21st Birthday I just added Rob's pictures.

Marilyn

"I've read your letter through at least 3 times now, and I'll probably read it more times before I'm through..."

Nov 15 2010
How is everybody? I didn't get an email from Rob, Mom, or Dad this week. Is everyone okay? Did the rest of the world explode except for Hawaii and we're just oblivious because we're living in the middle of the ocean and the liberal news isn't covering it because they say it will make gas prices go up so they are just filming fake news in a giant studio somewhere to make it look like the rest of the world is still there when really everything else has been blown to smithereens!??????
"Yeah, maybe that..." (in nacho's accent)

Well, if your still alive or watching from the spirit world I guess you will get this email one way or another. I just wanted all of you to know that I am doing great and I love being a missionary more and more everyday. In the last few months I've become more focused than ever before, all I think about is our investigators and how we are going to reach our goals. Obedience has become a quest rather than a burden. We are starting to be blessed more and more. We had 5 investigators come to church yesterday, that was awesome, we couldn't even keep track of all of them, after sacrament your trying to fight your way through all the crowds of people and get two kids to primary 2 girls to young women and another guy to Sunday school while every single tourist family is trying to ask you "where you from elder?" "Provo, eh? My cousin's from Provo, do you know a Todd Smith?" You have to just stiff arm them and be like "look my investigators are getting away and your garments will be spotted with their blood at the last day if they don't get baptized."
Our investigator Brendan came to church. He is progressing really well. He comes to the EQ activities every week (b-ball). We watched "the Mountain of the lord" with him this week, it answered a lot of his questions about the temple. He was bummed because he doesn't get to go to the broadcast of the re- dedication of the Laie temple, he overcame his concerns and we got him even more pumped to go inside someday. I am excited to watch the rededication. There will be no church services on the 21st, just three sessions of the Laie Temple Re dedication. I know as the Prophet comes to these islands and as a temple is reopened that the Lord will pour out his blessings even more abundantly on these islands and that we will be able to accomplish our goal of 1000 baptisms in the year of 2010. Right now we are only in the low 800's but the goal is still very much in reach, we just need to have faith that it is the lord's goal too and he is going to help us accomplish it.
On a lighter note I've had some funny proselyting experiences lately. Last week I went on an exchange with a younger elder named Elder Shmeerse. He's only been out 4.5 months and he was born in Laie. Because everyone's a member in Laie he hardly did any tracting so I taught him how to do a "windows to heaven". You block out a "window" of an hour our half in your planner and basically covenant with the lord that you will be knocking on doors on a certain street at that time. Then you ask him to help you find someone to teach during that time. So we go out and start knocking and no one's home, or they're people who are on vacation here so they're super rude. Then we get to this one house with a big front yard and we start to walk to the front door. When we get a little bit closer we see a dog sitting on the front porch, I didn't think it looked like a mean dog so I kept walking but it stared straight at us and his tail went straight up. I knew that meant bad stuff so we started to turn around. As soon as we turned the dog started to charge and I went right and E. Shmeerse went left. The dog went after him, I watched him run as the dog jumped up and bit him in the rear. Then the dog started my way so I booked it to the street as fast as I could. We met out on the street and I asked if he was OK. He said the dog didn't get him, "what are you talking about?" I said, "I watched it jump up and bite you!" Then he turned around and pulled a Book of Mormon out of his back left pocket. The dog had ripped two small holes in his pants but it didn't even scratch the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon literally saved his butt. I bear my testimony that it can do the same for you.

Love,
Elder Prina

Rob "spare it a little longer"

I've recently read Jacob Ch. 5 Parable of the Olive tree. It always intrigues me how the servant has such a great influence on the Master (Christ's) decisions. He's ready to cast this worthless tree into the fire and burn it, and the plea of a faithful servant convinces him to "spare it a little longer" that it might, by some means, bring forth fruit. There are a few investigators in our area right now that I'm ready to cast into the fire. But as I read these passages this past week I learned a lesson of patience and how even when you can't see how they will eventually bring forth fruit (or progress), just be patient, faithful, and long suffering and "spare it a little longer".
G'day mates! I greatly appreciated the Emails last week. We got mail this week (we only get it twice a transfer now) at our "special training" On the new trainings from all the new mission presidents.
Thank you Lisa and CO., Matt, Mark, Travi, Stobbes, and the Wallace's for the mail! It made my week to hear from all of you. Travis I can't believe you're gonna be home for Christmas! I'm looking forward to another sweet Christmas on the mission! Hopefully I don't get transferred next week pray that I don't! Lisa thanks for the $acred Fund$. I don't know if Mum has put it on my card yet or not. I absolutely loved the big color printed pictures with the letters from you all on the back. I really enjoyed hearing from Mike. I love all advice from my experienced brother in-laws!

Christian I've been praying for you with your surgery coming up. Oh, I think it's today, the 15th, eh? Lisa I don't know what was up with your foot surgery, but I've been praying for your quick recovery and I have been praying for little Easton. Poor little guy. Guess I shouldn't call him little - he's getting HUGE!
I cant wait to come back and pinch his big cheeks.
What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving this year? Big family gathering somewhere? We are going to try to schedule dinner with the one American guy in the ward... Brother Ward.
Matt, I just have to write you a letter, and then your birthday package will be in the mail. I want to see your paisley tie you got. You should take a photo of your tie collection (all of your ties) and send it to me. I want to see how many you have and i will send you a photo of all mine.
I'm looking forward to meeting Mike Brett. When and Where did he get Baptized again? He's one of your recent converts that you taught right? Who Baptized him? Sounds like he's on a fun cruise. Do you plan on going to Hawaii on your honey moon? I'm thinking maybe The Gold Coast - it's so beautiful over here. (not that I'm thinking about that sort of thing very often. haha). Matt it sounds like you're on fire right now! Are you the Zone Leader on Kawaii? Those zone t-shirts you designed and made were great! When ever I show anyone here a photo of you when I tell them I'm a twin they are all like "NO WAY! that is you! I don't believe you" So i guess we still look a lot a like. Could be the matching uniforms though. haha.
Dad I appreciate your insights in your emails. Its so cool that you get to enjoy seeing family so often, going to BYU football games (that I barely even hear about), and working in the temple. You are so blessed. We are so blessed that we have a family that loves each other and is aimed at a common goal to be an eternal family. You just don't find that much in the world anymore. We take it for granted. I am so grateful for that. If you do that thing at thanksgiving where you go around the dinner table and everyone says what they're grateful for... just pretend I'm there; and that's what I'm grateful for.
Tell Kristin I say whats up, when you see her this week!
We had two new investigators this week who came to church and who we will soon set a baptismal date. Annie and her 9 year old daughter named Zinnia. Keep them in your prayers. We have seen many little miracles this past week and our prayers, fasting, and hard effort has been paying off. Its so nice when you finally begin to see some of that fruit.
I forgot to bring my camera cord to the library, so no photos this week. All my flash drives and SD cards are full. I really need a hard drive to back up all my mission stuff on and so that i have more room to save my photos, music, and emails to. I know that they would be pretty cheap over there in the states, especially for just a small 250 gig one or something. ;)
I Love and miss you all and pray for you daily. I'm so glad to be serving among so many of my righteous brothers and sisters in the gospel. Matt, Travis, Scoty, Spencer Schwenke, Alex, Lincoln, Leslie, and Lisa Prina. It strengthens me to see there diligent service. Keep us all in your prayers.
Much Love from the Gold Coast,
Elder R.A.Prina

Aloha

Aloha everyone,
First off I wanted to say thank you for all of your birthday gifts and letters and money and emails. I don't think any amount of money or any worldly gift could have brought more joy than the cards, letters and pictures I got from the family. I especially enjoyed Lisa's envelope full of big pictures of each member of the family with a letter from each on the back. Christian is huge! Where did those long legs come from???
I really enjoy are the letters from my brother in-laws as well as Sierra. For my birthday I got to confirm Kelly Machado in sacrament meeting and go to a baptism for our Ward Mission Leader's son after church.

We had four investigators at sacrament and it was a beautiful fast and testimony meeting. We taught 5 lessons after church and I got brownies with frosting, sprinkles and candles at dinner. They sang "happy birthday" (they didn't know it was my birthday until halfway through dinner). Elder Thomson, my companion, gave me a sweet paisley tie.
After nightly planning I sat there and indulged in all your letters and gifts that I had been collecting all week. The R.S. in our ward had an activity to decorate little fake Christmas trees to send to the 5 full time missionaries serving from our ward. They also made one for my companion and I so I put it on my desk and plugged in the lights and put all my little gifts and letters underneath it.
Mom: Tell Kay I say happy birthday, I miss her. Thank you mom, I called my last pad and was surprised when they said "yeah, I think we did see a charger... was it a lumix?". I will get it in a few weeks when we fly to Oahu for the mission tour. Thanks for telling me to ask around, I thought I brought it to Kauai but I guess not. Mom, I like the sound of having some business cards, can I get the ones with the Laie temple on them? Just put my home email address on there, It's mattprina@hotmail.com.
Dad: We have been teaching a less active Mexican guy named Paco, I think of you every time we see him. He lived in SLC for a long time where he joined the church. We played soccer with him for the last 2 P-days. Last Monday he made us dinner, really spicy enchiladas and "choco flan". I'm kinda sad because when I learned Tongan I lost all my Spanish speaking abilities. It's really cool to see how Paco has changed over the last few weeks. Before we would just teach his wife and he would just go in the kitchen and start making dinner, but now he enjoys us coming over and I felt the spirit when he told us his conversion story.
"San Diego, California. This is our home for 18 months, to 2 years. What you are about to see is real. The missionaries, members and investigators in this program are not actors." The San Diego mission is where the church filmed our mission training dvd's so that is exciting that theRileys are going there. Maybe they'll be in "The district 3... In 3D!".

Tell sis. Englund I love her and miss her. I remember the time we went to their house for family home evening and she showed us all her amazing art work. I remember Bro. Englund's firm handshake every Sunday morning as he stood at the door and passed out the programs. He was always smiling.

When I was growing up I never liked old people, I was impatient and immature. I love old people now. You can learn so much from them. They are usually nice & they are HILARIOUS! They generally have higher values so it's easy to connect with them. A big shout out to all you old people who had an impact on me! Ralph and Eleanor, Bro. Snow, Dee Mc Coy, all those old ladies dad home taught in Michigan, Mrs. Adams, all my grandparents, all general authorities, Lawrence Welch... okay I cant remember that many.
Rob: Was Kelly my third confirmation on my mission. Her uncle baptized her.
Mahalo nui loa (last weeks subject) means "thank you very much" in Hawaiian.
Yes, Brendan is Progressing, he got a little offended when we told him he couldn't watch the temple dedication but he got over it and will get baptized probably in February (because he is on probation). No, he is not the one that just randomly walked into church, that guy isn't returning our calls right now, he probably got anti-info.
About Mike: He plans on getting sealed to his wife in the Laie Hawaii temple this "winter". I think he said he went to Sydney and now he's on a cruse and then he'll be back in Australia in about a week or so. Sounds like a pretty great vacation! He'll call you when he gets there. He is 29 years old, he is tall and white with brown hair. He's a way cool guy.
I like it in The Book of Mormon when It says "and thus we see that..." Its basically like saying "so the moral of the story is...". I guess that's why they kept all those records, so that we could learn from their mistakes and not have to learn the hard way. So now when I come across "and thus we see that..." in the scriptures I listen up.

Love,
Elder Prina

Happy Birthday Matt

Happy Birthday to Matt Freeze and to Aunty Kay, and to Nathan Ramsay on the third! Let them know that i wish them a very special, Happy Birthday!
Thanks family for the prezzys and sacred funds! They were all graciously welcomed! And Thanks Stobbes for the Rubiks cube and American Lollys! Elder Christensen is teaching me how to solve the cube and i am getting it line upon line precept upon precept.

G'day family and friends, How ya goin'?
Thanks for the emails Mum, and Matt. Dad i've been missing your emails for the past few weeks, i know you are very busy, but i do really enjoy hearing from you each week. Yesterday (the 7th) I did have a surprise visit in the morning from one of the recent converts in our zone this older lady named Debbie. We saw her working at Coles (a grocery store) during the week and i mentioned that it was my birthday on Sunday; so yesterday morning she stops by at 9 and has a whole bag full of prezzys and a cake for me for my birthday. It made my day! She is the nicest lady. I must have made a good impression on her.

All of the people who usually give us a ride to church on Sunday (our chapel is in new south wales) were not going to church, so we were desperately looking for a ride in the morning. I felt prompted to ride our bikes over to a less active guys house who hasn't been to church in a year or two. He actually served in this mission a few years ago. He is from New Zealand. He came to the Gold Coast after his mission and went less active. We went there and him and his brother who had just come over from NZ were there. His little brother said that he is here to work and save up money for his mission. We asked if we could catch a ride to church with them and they said yes! Everyone was surprised at church to see us walk up with them. It was inspired! We actually had a lot of less actives and a few nonmembers at church on Sunday. We had one of the missionaries from the Mudgee Ward return from his mission in Melbourne. He didn't speak just yet, but he was awarded his plaque and said a few words. One of the less active girls that we've been teaching came to church as well. The Pagel family hasn't been to church in the past 2 weeks and they are not progressing. I fear we might lose them.
But the Lord has been answering our prayers and i have been getting better at recognizing answers to prayers and giving thanks for them (like you Matt).
Matt congratulations on the Baptism of Kelly Machado, and getting her family back to church. That is sweet that you got to confirm her!
What do the words in your "subject" section of your email mean? Since i can't ask the Stobbes.
Our goal for the last 6 months of the year is 240 baptisms for the mission! The goal for the year is double that - 480. I wish we were contributing more to that, but our teaching pool is a bit dry at the moment. Keep praying for us!
Matt HAPPY FLAMIN' BIRTHDAY! How was your Birthday. I guess it still is your birthday over there, as i am writing this. Mine ended last night so i guess you are still catching up to me. Maybe in 16 hrs and 52 minutes you'll be as old as I am...HA
What did you do for your birthday? We didn't even have a dinner Apt. so E. Christensen just like made me a really nice sandwich.
Matt, that is hilarious that your investigator Brendan dressed up as a Missionary for Halloween! How is he progressing? Is he the one that just walked into church one day and wanted to come to class?


Matt, E. Naulu texted you? Elder Paki # 1 called me up the other night from Bundaberg just to make sure i was still here in Mudgeeraba before he sent me my Birthday package. It was good to talk to him after so long.
Matt, which Temple is Mike Bret & his wife coming to? How old is he again? and what does he look like? I'm really looking forward to meeting him!

Mum, thanks for researching the Mission Cards! The one with the Aussie flag will be alright. Just put my home email addy on there - Robprinam2@hotmail.com that would be GREAT!
Tell the Riley's Congratulations on their call to the San Diego California mission! I hear that is a beautiful part of the world! I have always wanted to go there! Tell Bishop Riley he was a great Bishop and he had a really good influence on me. Tell Sister Riley that I miss looking for her in the Mormon TAB choir! They will make great senior couple missionaries. The world needs many more senior couple missionaries! Their service is invaluable! I miss Elder and Sister Wallace the senior couple up in Rockhampton. They have finished their mission and are back in Layton, Utah now.
Send my regards to Sister Englund! I loved Brother Englund heaps! I always looked forward to shaking his hand and receiving a warm smile when i walked into church. He will be greatly missed.

I love you all and missed you heaps on my Birthday. Today we are going to make some t-shirts and one is in the works for your birthday present Matt. Hope everyone is having a great day and is praying and looking for missionary experiences. Trust me you want to feel the joy that comes from doing missionary work!
Love,
Elder R.A.Prina

21st Birthday

Mt. Tamborine fudge place. / Honda CBR 1000

Painting sis. Maddison's house. BET!

My shredded back tire

My giant fly smash on my PMG

Thank you very much for the Birthday Presents everyone!
I opened the cards from Valerie and the kids, those made my day. I got the package from you Mom and Dad but I'm waiting till Sunday to open it. I also got the envelope from the Millers but I haven't opened it yet because I figured it's probably for my birthday. Thanks also to The Johnsons and the Jensens for the birthday money. I'm excited to be 21! Wow we're growing up so fast huh? My companion, Elder Thomson turned 21 on Sunday (Halloween). Did you ask Andrea if she knows any Thompsons from Twin Falls?
The Laie Temple open house is going on right now on Oahu, It will be rededicated on Nov. 21st. The Prophet and Pres. Eyring will both be there. E. Holland will be visiting Maui soon as well... Guess I'm on the wrong island. It's so beautiful here though, I love walking to the Family History Center barefoot on P-day in my shorts and t-shirt, it feels so good.
Sorry this email is late, we had a meeting yesterday so we're having our Pday on Tuesday. At the beginning of this transfer I was super stressed out, I was taking over an area after only 6 weeks. I got a new companion who is different than my last comp., I had a lot on my plate and honestly I was a little nervous. The first weekend of the transfer I got the biggest headache I've ever had In my whole life and I started to get sick. But I didn't let it get the best of me, I kept working and most importantly praying, I asked God not to take my burdens away but to make them easier to bear. One morning I woke up and realized my headache was completely gone and I could think clearly. I thought: wow that feels nice, and went on with my day. A few hours later I realized it was an answer to my prayer and felt stupid for not acknowledging it sooner. I knelt down and thanked God for my health and for all my blessings.
There are a lot of good things going on in our area and in Kauai and in the mission right now! Our mission goal is to get 1000 baptisms in the year of 2010. Right now we have 769, that means we need 231 more before DEC. 31. That means we need to get 107 in Nov., 117 in Dec. and the AP's said they'll take care of the extra 7. For Kauai that means we need to get at least 6 baptisms in Nov. and 7 in Dec.. I think this is very reachable. I think we can get 20 in Kauai before the end of the year. There will be 3 baptisms this weekend in Kauai and we have 2 more with a date in Nov. so I think we should be able to get 6 easy. Elder Thomson and I have a Baptism this weekend, her name is Kelly Machado. She is 14 years old. Her family is returning to activity and she never got baptized when she was 8. I get to do the confirmation on Sunday, that will be the best Birthday gift.
We also had a very successful trunk or treat, there were ton's of people there. Five of our investigators were there, a lot of members brought their NM freinds, and there were some less actives there as well. Our investigator Brendan Dressed up as a missionary, He wore his church clothes and I let him wear one of my extra tags and put my planner and pen in his shirt pocket. He was telling us how he would love to serve a mission someday. I hope so. We decorated our trunk and handed out candy that people have been giving us for weeks. I hung a white shirt and tie with a tag on it from the trunk (to look like a missionary ghost or something IDK, its the only decoration I could think of), then we turned on the "choose something like a star" MOTAB CD. That creepy CD turned out to be good for something after all, some of the songs really do sound like Halloween music. I thought that was funny Rob how they aren't used to it over there in Australia, way to show'em how it's done! We should be the ward activities coordinators when we get home!
Happy B-day Max, Nathan Ramsay, and Matt Freeze. I met a guy the other day from Royal Oak, I asked him if he was born in Beaumont, he said "no, I was born in Providence", I immediately thought of Max, I still remember the night he was born. Is that the night Taylor Neilson wast driving us around in his "new" Volkswagen that he got? Happy Birthday to you too Rob! I still can't believe your 16 hrs. and 52 min. older than me, not for long though!
Rob I think you were thinking of Brother Marvin Hardy not Brother Stan Manning Hahahah! Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Stan Manning is a contractor not a baloon man.

For Breakfast I either eat fruit and cream instant oatmeal or cinnamon life (same as back home), occasionally I'll make eggs or a smoothie or something. On very special occasions we'll go to MacDonald for some Spam Eggs and Rice. "For my work out, I usually do ten sets, of reps... a piece. So how much can you bench?" JK. I do a abb routine too. 20 push ups, 20 leg lifts, 20 side sit up (obliques) on each side 20 side to side leg lifts, 50 bicycle, 20 full body crunches and then 50 sit ups with my leggs straight up in the air and then close with 20 more push ups. I try to do 3 sets of that routine every morning. I miss Basketball with Elder Naulu. He is home now, I think he texted me the other day, I wish I could text him back.
Rob Mike Brett got your info and he will probably be calling you sometime in the upcoming weeks. He was all excited because he finally got the Melchizedek Priesthood! I'm so excited for him to go to the temple with his wife! I wish I could be over there in Australia!
Mom, My shoes are alright, I could use a new pair of pants though. I'll send you some pictures.
Thank you all for everything you do, Thank you for being such a good example to me, I never realized how close to perfect our family is until I came out on my mission, don't forget how lucky you all are to live in a family with a real mom, dad, brothers and sisters who all love each other and live the same values and look forward together "with one eye" towards the same celestial goal.
Just so you know the work is flourishing here right now, we have been teaching non stop lately and this being probably my last area on my mission I don't really think of anything other than the work. These people are all that matter to me right now and I plan on using all my remaining time and energy to help them come unto Christ and change their lives. Our zone theme right now is "leave a legacy", I plan on giving it all I've got and leaving Hawaii with no regrets.
Hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Prina

Trunk or Treat in Mudgee

"Somebody help me, I'm being Spontaneous!"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Good day family and friends,
How are you this fine day? Mum, i appreciated the Email. Please don't talk about the snow on the mountains; i want to go snowboarding soo bad! I'm sure it's beautiful.
Happy Birthday MAX! Hope you enjoy it! Are you doing something special on your special day? What did you get for your Birthday? I still remember the day you were born, back in Detroit. You went from being Marilyn to being David Maxwell just like that. Haha. You're 9 now, eh? Don't grow up too fast, i would give anything to be 9 again! Enjoy your youth! Every day is a new adventure!
How was Angel's Night and Halloween for everyone? Did anyone do anything for 'Angels' night? What did everyone do for Halloween? John & Sierra, what did you dress up as? You have to send me some photos of your costumes.
As i mentioned last year, Halloween is a fairly new thing over on this side of the sphere. There are still a lot of old members who are against it. It was interesting to see the reaction of some members as this year the Mudgeeraba ward had its first ever Halloween ward activity.
..."Well when i was a stake president in Sydney i tried to put a stop to it.. I don't think it goes along with the standards of The Church. I don't see why the church just goes along with it..." RahRahRah Buncha party poopers i reckon. O well, more lollys for us believers in the "American tradition".
The Ward activities coordinators asked me what we would do for Halloween activities back home. So i introduced the Trunk or treat, bobbing for apples, cake walk, and several other games to the Mudgee ward for the 1st time. The Trunk of Treat was a huge success and we had a lot of less actives and non members show up. There was also a child of record baptism just before the Ward Activity so it was good to have our investigators the Pagels, come early for that. The Pagels went all out decorating their car and actually won the award for Best Decorated Vehicle. (they invited us to be the judges for costumes and vehicles). It was a lot of fun for the whole ward and a great opportunity for people to bring their nonmember friends so they can see we are just normal people... well, almost normal.
The work has been slow this week and we are struggling to get people to hold appointments. But we have a few part member families we have made some head way with. Violet, Craig, Jesse, and William didn't come on Saturday or to church yesterday. We will visit them again soon; please pray for them. Also please pray for the Prasad Family we will begin teaching Brother Prasad's nonmember wife (Annie) and 9 year old Daughter (Zinia) on Saturday.
Our 2 recent converts Hilita and Kelly are going really well and are soaking up everything we teach and they learn at church. They are both even excited to do family history and temple work. Hilita's real Dad is coming down from Brisbane next week to come to church with her for the 2nd time and we are teaching him a lesson after wards. She also offered to take us out to dinner after the lesson for my Birthday, but i explained to her that we don't eat out on Sunday (I swear we taught her about that already, haha).
Matt-did you get my information to Mike Brett? I'd love to visit with him. Just for his information the Chapel I go to is actually on Caloola st. Not Kaloola st. Matt, what are you doing for your Birthday?
My companion and I, Elder Christensen, are getting along great, and the active members love us. I'm just concerned right now about finding new people to teach, so keep us in your prayers in that regard.
I greatly appreciate all of your prayers and see them answered through our many 'tender mercies' of the Lord.
Mum, my Birthday Package arrived safely. Did you check out www.missioncards.com?? it would really be nice to have something that i could give to the people i have a chance to work with on my mission to remember me and be able to keep in touch with me. ;)
Many thanks to the Jensens and Johnsons for the sacred funds (CA$H FLOW) I have received from them for my birthday.
That is interesting that you mentioned Stan Manning. I was just thinking about him like 2 or 3 days ago and how he was such a great home teaching companion, and i really enjoyed going out visiting with him. I also was thinking about him Saturday at the Halloween activity because there was a person there making Balloon animals and stuff. I was thinking "i reckon Bro. Manning could show her up"
Say Hello to Bro. Lyon, Freeze, Chamberlain, and the Lee family from Aussie land for me. Oh and tell Mike Stewart whats up for me too. He is the coolest guy. We need more young mens leaders like Stewert. Tell him i said that. Oh, and my companion, Elder Christensen, from Portland Oregon, Says hello to everyone.
Did Kyler or Ellie get dressed up this year for Halloween? Did the 'Summit' Ward have a trunk or treat this year?
Tell Elder Derrek Stobbe I say Hello and Congrats on enduring to the End and returning honorably. Which ward did he speak in? how was his talk?
Well, sorry this is getting a bit long, and my time is up. I want you all to know that my testimony continues to grow in individual gospel principles and this week my testimony had definitely grown in the power of fasting and paying fast offerings. I guarantee that the Lords promise that he will pour us out a blessing greater than we can receive is certainly true. You don't have to worry about me too much Mum, and Dad; I am well taken care of by the Ward and even more, by the Lord.
Love ya mates!
-Elder R.A.Prina
Enjoy the photos of the Mudgee Ward trunk or treat

Rob at the Brisbane Temple with the Gold Coast Zone

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Gold Coast Zone at the Brisbane Temple

G'day mates, Elder Prina here, on the Gold Coast.
Hows it Going?
Matt I'm glad to hear you used to plate and hammer lesson from Thor Wixom. I'll have to try that sometime. We have a plate and a hammer in the flat...
Mum, we don't really have any investigators right now. But we have a few promising potentials. We have taught this Fijian family twice and they fed us both times, and they have a 19 year old kid named William living with them. He is going to come to the Ward Halloween activity this weekend, and then we are going to try to start teaching him in a members home.
Matt, I took your "windows of Heaven" approach this last Saturday, because our teaching pool has dried up. We got a few good return appointments and met a few interesting people (Pentecostal guy).
Dad, it was cool to hear about our cousin Lisa in Italy! How old is she? Tell him that next time he emails her to tell her that the Elder Prina Twins on the other side of the planet say whats up, and congrats on the success! I'm so jealous that she gets to teach Non-member Prina's. Shes serving in Venice!!! I always wanted to go there!
Matt to answer some of your queries: I usually eat toast or cold cereal for breakfast (there is a very limited variety of cold cereal) I like sultana bran crunch or 'Frosties' (which is the same things as Raisin Bran Crunch, and Frosted flakes, respectivley). When I have a bit more time (almost never) I will make some scrambled eggs. As far as morning exercise I start with my back stretches from the physio. Then some times we go running. Other than that I do push ups sit ups and dips and stuff. Nothing fancy... why, what do you do? I've been hovering around 85 kilos my whole mission which is about 180 IBS, but I haven't been on a scale in over 3 months, and my guess is I've lost weight in this area, since we're pretty much a full time biking area.
Matt thanks for the photo of Madi Long's Baptism! Thats a mean tie you've got on in that picture! Matt we just went to Pizza hut this week too, when we didn't have a dinner apt. Its actually the 1st time I've been in Australia. haha. That "BIG New Yorker" sounds sooo good! The large Pizzas here are like a small back home! "I don't want to sound Jealous or anything... But I'm completely Jealous..." (- Mark.) Haha.
Congratulations on the Baptisms of Malie, Sam, and Madison Long! Sounds like the work is taking off over there! Go Hard!
Dad this Pentecostal guy that we tracted into and invited us in to teach him says that when we knocked on his door he was emailing his only Mormon relative (his dad's cousin) Who's name is Lamont Wells. He said that he was "pretty high up in the Mormon church in Utah" I know Wells is a common name in the church, but I was just wondering if you could look him up to see If Lamont Wells is like a general authority or something. This guy - Ronny, invited us to come to the Gold coast Pentacostle church on sunday, the "surf city Church" in Surfers Paradise. Its just outside of our area so we told the Isle of Capri missionaries that they were invited to go.
Thank you Sister Aldous for sending me Travi's Email. That's so funny that his comp. is the bloke from Isle of Capri ward. That is the Ward just north of me what are the chances??!
Dad you should send me some pictures of those expensive Nike basketball shoes yous said you bought at the beginning of the year. Are you playing ball much lately? I've been craving basketball lately, because no one really plays down here, everyone just plays footie.
I want to give a very BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY! To: Elder Travis Aldous and to Anna Jensen! I wish you the happiest day on your Birthday. Andrea, thanks heaps for the birthday money!! Its the end of the month, so i had to spend a bit of it on bread and milk today, but i still have most of it, so I'll put it towards something special:)
Give Kyler and Ellie big squeezes for me John and Sierra!
We've been really busy lately and there is a lot of potential in this area; just keep praying for us.
We went to the temple this morning, that's why Pday is on Wednesday this week.
I am enjoying my mission to the fullest measure through the ups and the downs, and my testimony only continues to grow stronger when the wind blows harder. I learn so much each day, and from every one I meet.
I know the Church Is True. What else matters. Have you shared your testimony with some one lately?
Love,
Elder Prina.
Photos: before and after pictures from our all day of tracting, and creepy doll we found while tracting. A small kangaroo. And the G.C. Zone at the temple.

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,
Everything is going well here in Kauai, it was good to get pictures and Emails from you Mom and Dad. I'm glad Lisa Prina's emails are getting better.
Elder Gray went home to Arizona on Wednesday, my new companion is Elder Thomson, he is from Twin Falls Idaho. He was in the "Twin Falls Stake" "fifth ward", I'm not sure if that is the same stake as Andrea and Blake but it's gotta be pretty close. He is a humble kid who keeps me focused. He likes to work out... a lot. He goes home in five weeks so I'll have 2 six week companions in a row. He will be the third missionary that will leave to go home (E. Stewart, E. Gray, and E. Thompson). E. Naulu also went home last week, the Pearl City First Ward will miss him. I've had 15 companions so far on my mission and he was by far my favorite.
Mom, you asked about our investigators. We have a 14 year old girl named Kelly Machado who is scheduled to get baptized on Nov. 13th. Her Mom is a returning less active member and her 2 older brothers were already baptized when they were 8. The problem with her is that she isn't very serious about it, I think shes just doing it because her mom want's her to do it. She isn't friends with any of the young women in the ward so she just goes to Sacrament Meeting on Sunday and then leaves with her older brothers. I don't think she is reading from the Book of Mormon or praying. We invite her to pray every time we go over there and she never will, in fact she hardly speaks at all. We stop by their house almost everyday, so we're starting to become really good friends with the family, so hopefully she will start to open up a little bit more.
We also found 4 new investigators this week who want to get baptized we just need to set the date. It seems like everyone in Kauai wants to get baptized they just don't want to live the commandments. We are focusing on finding unbaptized kids to teach right now, they are the low hanging fruit.
Mom, any luck finding a charger for my camera battery? If not I'm going to have to go back to buying disposables. Also, could you please send me a new journal, there should be some empty ones on the book shelf in my room.
Dad, it's good to hear BYU still has faithful fans. I'm glad I don't have to watch this year but I hope they will be ready to win again next year. It was really exciting to hear about Lisa Prina teaching the Prina's in Bacceno, I didn't know her mission went all the way up there, did she see Pietro? Isn't Vienna the southern most tip and Bacceno the northernmost? Is it all one mission? How old is Lisa anyways? Sheis Peters daughter right?

Do you know how much money I have total in my Bank account now? Is any of it in CD's?
I'm so jealous you get to hang out with Kyler and Ellie and all the grand kids! Thanks for the fall pictures, nice smile dad! haha.
Rob, while I was taking a shower the other day I was wondering how we could teach the message of the restoration in a fun interactive way for this 10 year old boy we started teaching. Suddenly I remembered the lesson from Sunday school when Thor Wixom and his wife (Jessica I think) Wrote all the different building blocks of the church on a glass plate and then smashed it with a hammer to represent the Great apostasy ( I think that was like 7 or 8 years ago). So I took a plate and wrote "the church of Jesus Christ" in the middle with a black sharpie and wrote things like "faith" "repentance" "baptism" "revelation" "apostles and prophets" and "priesthood authority" around it. He had so much fun breaking the plate and it shattered into a million little pieces. I asked him if he thought he could put it back together by himself, he said no. It was pretty sweet! Then we taught the restoration through the prophet Joseph Smith and I pulled out another plate that was identical to the first one. Thanks Thor! Thanks revelation in the shower!
I want you all to know that I know the Church was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that he translated the Mormon. I know that "no wicked man could write such a book, and know good man would write it, unless he was called of God."-E. Hollands Great Grandfather. I know that he restored the Priesthood Power by which we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through which we may know the truth of all things.
I testify these things are true in the name of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Elder Matt Prina