week 37: australia style

bye elder richie

me and my new comp elder wheeler

cool spinny chair

MY NEW CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bench press (team get big)

comfiest study chairs ever

got my blankets!!

old school sign sign in the flat

had a baptism yesterday

slide at a members house

Gday mum!!

Well this has been a pretty hectic week coming up from tazzy!  Well yous are prolly wondering where I ended up hey?  I am on the mainland now in a place called Eltham.  It is in the main city zone, but on the outskirts of the big city.  My new companion is named Elder Wheeler, he is cool as.  He is from Western Australia, and has been out on his mission for 14 months.  As far as the work goes here in Eltham, it is dead as.  At the moment because our most progressing investigator Tania was baptized yesterday, we have 1 investigator.  After the transfer meeting, President talked to me and said he was sending me here to bring the area back to life.  So I am so excited to be here to help turn the area around, I definitely see some serious potential in the area it just needs a bit of refining.  

But as I said Tania was baptized this week, and it was such an awesome service.  I had the priveledge of meeting at their home and getting to know her and her whole family.  So her husband that she was married to last week, baptized her.  His name is Wati and he was a long time less active member and he started coming back about a year ago. It is amazing that he had the opportunity to baptize his wife.  They have 3 kids living with them at the moment Briley, Rooney, and Chayton.  All unbaptized ;)  At the baptism I talked to their daughter Briley and asked her if she wanted to receive the missionary lessons, and she wants to!!!  I was about to jump up in the air and do a fist pump of joy, but I withheld the excitement...  We are going to see her this week, and I am PUMPED.

This week we were blessed to find 22 new contacts, and I guess it is the most Eltham has gotten in a long time.  So the finding is going really well at the moment!  There are heaps of part member families in this ward too, so we are making efforts to see all of them and hopefully we can find some people that are keen to learn more.  Ah man, I am so excited to be here!

Elder Wheeler and I get along really well, he is a good man.  He really loves the NBA and just sports in general.  Guess what?!  He is a LAKER fan too!!!   I guess we can keep him around hey?  Even if the Lakers tanked it this season haha!  It is starting to get cold as over here though, I woke up this morning and thought I was going to die of hypothermia.  Haha all goods though, I am loving being out here and serving.  Also I finished the Book of Mormon for the 2nd time on my mission today!!  I was pondering about on things that I could take from the experiences I had with the Book of Mormon on this go.  I came to the conclusion that I need to have more meaningful prayers, because I know for myself that I can get caught doing a routine of the same prayer over and over again.  So I have put a picture of the Saviour on my pillow, and he is going to be my reminder to pray sincerely, so I guess I will see how I go with this haha!!  Man, this Gospel is true, and I know it without a doubt it is as simple as that.

Gday mum how are you going??  Thank you heaps for putting some mula in the account we were kinda desperate!  We had to buy a GPS because Elder Wheeler doesnt know the area very well, and we had no idea where we were going haha!  I am doing really good though, it is good to be back on the mainland, it is heaps warmer up here, but it is still really cold.  It sounds like you have had a fun week with G and G Richins, I wish I could have been there!  That is awesome that you are going to Cali this week!!  HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!  Haha Olive sounds like a crack up hey!  Today for P day I have no idea what we are going to do, hopefully something fun!  I got my basketballl shoes back, so hopefully I get to use those at some point today haha!  I also got a car!  I was so happy, we have a big as area but it is heaps of fun.  The GPS talks to me and tells me where to go, I named her Roxanne she is a nice lady!  The flat I am in is cool as, we have a full weightroom and just a bunch of interesting stuff in the flat, just like that old school sign haha!  But yeah, that is all I have to report this week, just a whole heap of finding and not so much teaching but that will change!!  I love you so much mum!!  I hope you have a great week!!!  Have an awesome anniversary!!!!!  Travel safe!  Cheers!!

Elder Richins

week 36: australia style

the district

the chicks

elder richey

the blowfields

the campbells

the foxes

gday mum!!!

This was a really good week!  We had a huge miracle happen yesterday, Toni a former investigator came to church yesterday!  I was super surprised because she told us 4 months ago that she wasnt interested anymore.  But I was so stoked to see her, she said she came because she had a feeling she should.  She really enjoyed herself and she wants to be taught again!  Man, I am so excited for her.

We taught Sebastian again this week and taught him the Plan of Salvation, he is golden as!!  He is keeping all of his commitments at the moment, his only concern is that Prayer is still a bit awkward for him but it will get better.  I am so glad that I had the privileged to teach him, truly a knowledge sponge just takes everything we teach in!!  We also saw Dominic this week and he said that he found that the Book of Mormon was true, but he is a bit scared to switch faiths because all of his family is Presbyterian.  He is ready though, we tried to commit him to baptism this past weekend but he said he needed a week to think about when he wanted to be baptized.  He is awesome!  

We had the oppurtunity to set a baptismal date with a man named Christopher.  He is a janitor for the local uni here in Hobart, his family is struggling a bit at the moment.  We tried to get the whole family together for a lesson but the wife said she was too busy.  It was a really good lesson though, the spirit was so strong!  He really wants to find out if God has called another prophet.  We gave him Alma 32 to read and invited him to pray to know it was true, and to listen!  He accepted, he is such a nice guy.

Man, I am so very thankful that I have had the opportunity from the Lord to serve in Rosny, Tasmania.  The people that I have met, and the experiences I have had here have changed my life forever.  I am sad to go, but I am very excited for what the future holds for me.  I know that I am going where the Lord needs me now.  I have loved serving with Elder Richey as well I love that guy so much.  I have learned so much from him, we have become great friends in the 4-5 months serving together.  The Lord truly knows what each and every one of us need, I needed to come to Rosny and I needed a companion like Elder Richey.  I love this work so much, and I am so thankful to be a part of it.

Gday mum!  How have you been!?  Sounds like you have some wounded warriors over there!  Ya I agree hollidays without all of the family is kinda stinky.  Man I cant believe it is April, I get to Skype in a couple weeks hey?  THat will be sweet as!!  I am kinda bummed that I am leaving mum, but I am excited to go back to the mainland too.  I am pretty sure I am going to be a district leader but I am not entirely sure.  Haha I havent left yet, I am sis Fox's right now I thought for sure I would leave this morning but, I leave tonight at 6.  Not too sure how I am going to make it back though, I have heaps of stuff.  I am mostly packed, just a few odds and ends to put in but all the big stuff is in the bag.  I am a bit sad to be leaving Elder Richey too, but I know he will do great and keep the area going strong.  I am very thankful for sis Fox and all the members of the ROsny ward they have been such a huge help.  That is super exciting that Cam turned in his papers!  He is going to be a good as missionary I reckon!  Hopefully he comes to Melbourne that would be sweet as!!  Well that is all from me, I love you so much mum!!!  Have a great week!  I will be on for another 45 min, if you wanna talk.  CHeers!

Love, Elder Richins 

aka: Cmoneylovin

sister fox

as a mom to a missionary, you become so thankful for the kindness of strangers and amazing people like these. cooper was transferred back to melbourne today, after 6 months in tasmania. he also left behind this sweet family. to be honest with you, this is not a face i or he, will soon forget. sister fox has impacted us all. to all of you moms, whom have kids on missions, i only hope your son or daughter will be as blessed to have a sister fox. she has taken such good care of our baby and for that i will always be grateful. she was a mom to him, when his real one was so far away. thank you maryanne, for everything. i appreciate you more, than you'll ever know. xoxoxo 

week 35: australia style

brianna's baptism

i was asked to play head of household in a mock passover

Chur mum!!!!!!!!

This week was really good!  To start things off we had Brianna's baptism on Wednesday, it was so cool to see how excited she was to become a member of the church, it was really infectious!  Her father had the opportunity to baptize and confirm her a member of the church, Elder Richey and I had the privilege to join in confirming her.  The spirit was definatley strong.

Earlier in the week Elder Richey and I contacted heaps of new contacts that we have gotten over the past 3 transfers together.  We felt prompted to call this guy named Sebastian, and he was really excited to have recieved a call from us.  So we set up a time to meet him at the library and we taught him the Restoration and we were able to set a baptismal date with him for the 17th of May!  He expressed to us that he was looking for something more, but doesnt know where to find it.  He accepted the invitation to read and pray to know the Book of Mormon is true.  He is truly excited to begin this journey. 

We were working with a shorter week work wise this week.  We had interviews on Friday, and then we were stranded on the other side of the river at the stake center for general conference for two days.  But we tried our best to make the most of the time that we were given to work.  We had the oppurtunity to see so many miracles this week.

On Tuesday this week we had a huge miracle happen, Rob our recent convert has an 18 year old brother who sat in on our lesson with Rob and was pretty interested.  He expressed his desire to learn more about the church, we are going to baptize all of Rob's family haha! 

General Conference was so great, there were so many inspired messages given by inspired men.  After the Conference I just couldnt help but to ponder what the theme of conference was, and what was the most important thing that I should take from it.  Five words come to mind "Stay true to the faith."  So many of the speakers talked about how the world is always changing and we should not.  Sometimes that is easier said than done, the best remedy to combat this is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and rely on his infinite Atonement and always remember him.  I am so very grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ his promises are clear and true, I am so thankful to be on a mission!  This work is great!

gday Mum!!!  Sounds like you have had a productive week cleaning my room lol!  It was cool that you had some talks with some of my friends from back home.  I sure do miss the clan from back in the day.  I am sure we will have heaps as fun when C money gets back from the land down under.  Man, Interviews went really well!  I am almost positive I am leaving Tazzy to in a week.  President pretty much told my companion and I that I was going to leave.  It makes me a bit sad, but it hasnt happened yet!  But I guess I would not mind leaving either, I have been here for ages it feels like, all I know is that I will never forget my time down here in Rosny, truly has changed my life.  New clothes hey??  My style hasnt changed haha, just no red unless it comes in sneakers!  Chur!!!!  Haha I love all the videos you send, just got the one of Olive in Slo mo!  It sounds like everyone is happy and healthy at the moment.  Today we are going to play some sport at the glenorchy chapel with the sisters, I will have to take a pic with Sister Roberts and me and send it yous.  It should be loads of fun, then tonight we have a feed with one of our investigators, she always gives us way too much food so I am starving myself until then haha!  I love you so much mum!!  I hope you have a fantastic week!!  I should be on another 45 minutes if yous have any questions.  Cheers!!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: Coop dawgy dawg

What is jake knights email?

week 34: australia style

fancy

Gday mum!!!

 

Wow well this week was pretty hectic!  So to start the email off, Elder Richey and I were heading to Gaylene's baptismal interview with the district leader when I got a call from her brother.  Her brother said if we texted or knocked on Gaylene's door again he would call the cops.  We feared that her brother would get involved like he did this week, because she was telling us all along that her brother hates organized religion and is especially anti towards our church.  I know that Gaylene had the desire to be baptized and she was ready, hopefully sometime in the future she will have the oppurtunity but as for now it is a bit of a sad situation.

This week we were so very blessed to teach 11 new investigators this week.  Lately I have really been praying about finding a family that needs support in Rosny area, and yesterday we had the oppurtunity to meet with the Mazimpaka family.  They have been former investigator status for a while but we have managed to meet with them two weeks in a row!!  We got in and taught the whole family about faith, and showed them a cool object lesson attached to it.  They have 5 kids and they were all involved in the lesson, it was so perfect!  I can see them slowly but surely coming closer to Christ, they are such a great family and very spiritually minded.

A bit of a miracle that happened yesterday is, Bishop Prebble in our ward came up to Elder Richey and I, and he said "you guys have a baptism this week!"  We were both like, no I am pretty sure we dont have one planned for this week haha.  But a girl named Brianna who is 10 years old, is getting baptized on Wednesday.  I remember speaking with Bishop Prebble about her when I first got to Rosny, because she was in the Bishop's action list.  He told me that the parents were working with her slowly but surely, the main reason she wasnt baptized when she was 8 is because she is scared of water.  But she is getting baptized this week, so that is such a huge miracle for her and her family!

We met a girl named Wendy this week and she is from Northern Territory Australia, and she is way cool we were blessed to be able to set a baptismal date with her!  We also met this way cool guy named Paul and he is from Papa New Guinea, he has a very strong Catholic backround.  He commited to reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, he is really keen about learning more.  We were so blessed to have 5 investigators at church this week, it was such a miracle week!!

I cant wait to see conference this upcoming weekend (we get it a week later down under).  I am so grateful for a living prophet today, and for such inspired men to tell us what God wants us to know.  I read a way cool talk in the March 2014 Ensign about maintaining an eternal perspective.  It is easy to maintain an eternal perspective as we base our thoughts and actions on the Saviour!  I am so grateful for him in my life, seriously has brought me so much peace and joy.  I know this church is true without a doubt in my mind.  I love this work!

Gday mum how are you going??  That video cracked me up, yous should send more videos too because they work suprisingly!!  This week was good as, saw heaps of miracles happen.  This upcoming week we have interviews with President, and I cant wait, that will be on Friday.  There is two weeks left in the transfer, Elder Richey and I were talking about it last night, it feels like everything is just flying by far out...  I cant believe this transfer is almost over haha.  Today for P day we cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, and we are going to the driving range, or possibly mini golf.  Havent gotten that far yet haha.  We have been eating healthy as this week, and then ruined the streak yesterday haha.  So much food...  Thank you for all of those quotes from conference, I am super pumped to see it on this upcoming weekend, seems like I just watched the October Conference a month ago haha.  I am glad everything is still in one piece back home, and everyone enjoyed their weeks besides the crummy weather.  Glad you enjoyed the letter, I buy you fly???  Hahaha I love you so much mum!!!  Have an amazing week!!!!  Cheers.

Love, Elder Richins

aka:CoopDawgyDawg