October 11-18th

Family,

Those pictures were so great! Mom you look like you have been on that diet too long, time to eat a big American cheese burger and get off that crazy diet! All the kids look so old and big. Ali is a true Cunningham, beautiful. Sounds like you have been having a great time.

So the interview went well. He did not even say anything about the email so I didn’t care to mention it either. I read it again and realized it wasn’t as bad as I had thought. He did however tell me that I probably shouldn’t wear brown shoes with a blue suit. Apparently in the business world that is a fashion faux pas. Oh well the brown ones were the ones that are done anyways

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So I bought a new pair of scriptures and have loved my new marking system. Wow, dad advice to the new missionaries is to find an effective way to mark their scriptures. Also, the simplified curriculum is really good. Have the missionaries know that and they will do well on their mission. The new curriculum is not very different though from what we had been training on because president fasted and prayed for a long time on a mission vision and almost everything in that was part of what he and sister bullock created. They are inspired.

The boat ride back was nice. The water was flat and you could hardly tell that we were moving. My prayers were answered. Being away from our investigators for so long made it difficult to keep things going so it was very nice to be back. Although we were gone for 2 days of this week were still able to exceed the weekly standard key indicators. We were also blessed to have 9 member present lessons. The island is being blessed.

Jeanine and Hannah Sayle are going to be baptised this weekend. It should be a wonderful service. The oldest boy, Henry, who is 13, is not sure if he wants to be baptised because he loves football and games are always on Sunday. Difficult situation, but he knows the church is true and he is an amazing young man. We are going to meet with him tonight and talk about it.

Also, Brian was supposed to be baptised this weekend but did not show up to church. He is a shift worker so coming to church has been a little difficult. However, in order to be baptised you have to be a regular church attendee. Hopefully we will get his work schedule worked out so he can make it.

Jillian, a wonderful woman whom we have been teaching, told us that she knows the Book of Mormon is true and wants to be baptised. She is still working some small things out but we committed her to look at a calendar and schedule her own date. Sometime within the next month she will be baptised. She is a body, mind, and spirit psychiatrist. It has been really great teaching her though because she is sensitive to the spirit and is able to recognize it testifying to her.

We have been able to teach Karen and her partner Paul. They are doing very well. Karen and Chloe (her daughter) continue to come to church and find great fellowship in the ward.  They are really kind and fed us a delicious curry this week!

This Sunday we had the temple President come and speak in church and later give a fireside. Isabella fed us before we went to the fireside and it was a wonderful meal. We actually got to teach her son the restoration as well. He is only 18 and lives in England but the lesson went well and hopefully we planted some seeds.

Earlier today we went to the Manx museum and wow it was incredible. You would not believe the history that this island has. For being so small it is crazy. When President and Sister Bullock were here they said that when we go home we need to watch “Waking Ned.”  It is supposed to be a funny movie that was filmed all over the isle. If you want to see where I am serving go rent it!

Driving on the Isle is lots of fun. We go all around in the little Vauxhall Meriva. Her name is Bonnie and we take good care of her. Stick is now first nature though as well as driving on the wrong side of the road!   

Life is beautiful. Thanks for all of the prayers, thoughts, love, and support. Miss you lots.

Love,

Richard

PS. I got a letter also from sister unsworth and it was 5 pages long! She was very appreciative, thanks again for sending that. What did she mean by “going to be...”???? hhahaha will forgive her for that.

PPS: I meant to send my nephew a happy birthday email and the computer logged me off!!! Make sure you tell him that his favourite uncle Loves him and wishes him the best!!!!!

October 4th-11th

Family,

I am assuming that something happened to the computer and the parents were not both neglecting their favourite child! I only received an email from Paige and Chareese. Thanks sisters you are both amazing.

So this week has been a really great week. Elder Ashcraft and I are still in Liverpool but we leave tomorrow night after interviews and training. So we travelled here on Wednesday and the fairy ride is 3 hours long. Bing in an adventurous family I never get motion sickness of any kind, or so I thought… The ride was seriously one of the worst boat rides I have ever had on in my live. I felt like I was on the deadliest catch or something. I am still nauseous!  I felt like I was going to die. Luckily we had some pills and so I took enough until passed out and arrived in Liverpool! I don’t know why that happened but it was bad.

So Zone Conference was really great. President Bullock gave a talk on the nag hamadi codice scrolls and the Dead Sea scrolls. It was wonderful there is so much evidence that proves the Book of Mormon true. It is ridiculous how much they have found. I don’t know if any of you have done ant studying on it but if you haven’t I highly recommend it. Sister Bullock did an amazing job as usual on becoming a 5£ missionary. She always takes these very temporal things and turns them into profoundly spiritual lessons. She is extremely talented!

Lately I have realized that my scripture markings do not make any sense and that I have made the mistake of marking TOO much! Yesterday I bought a new quad and am going to start all over! It was a big decision but I needed to happen. I got the mini scriptures but they are separated. Thank you.

Other than that we have been going on exchanges with other missionaries throughout the zone. It has been fun. We go to these areas for the day and just blitz them. I went on one with a new elder and together we were able to get 50/18 qgc. The weekly goal is 70/16.  It was a blessed day.

We spend the night at the zone leader’s house though and we have been having so much fun. They are both amazing Elder Sturt and Kearsy.  Elder kearsy is actually from England but has been living in Utah for the past 5 years. He also went to the Y. He is a good missionary and has been helping me develop my new technique for marking.

Other than that we are still scheduled to have two baptisms this Saturday. That is if we can make is back and get everything done on time! Things are looking good though and were really excited.

I love you and hope all is well!

LOVE,

RICHARD

September 30th- October 4th

Family,

This week was really great! Conference was so amazing. I am not sure if all the men stepped up their game this year or if I have just become closer to the spirit! I felt as though each one of them had a specific thing to teach me. My companion and I were able to watch all the sessions except for the Sunday afternoon. So we were watching the Saturday morning session and just as Elder Uchtdorf begins his talk the satellite goes crazy and he started speaking in German! Haha the lord must have wanted us to hear him in his native tongue. Sadly enough none of us had the gift of tongues and we could not get it back to English. We had to end it for the night but it was fixed the next day and we were able to watch everything.  I think my favourites were... I just began to type my favourites but I ended up putting every talk I could remember. It was great. I went home last night looked at my patriarchal blessing and came up with some goals to accomplish by the end of my mission. I love conference and the wonderful people that lead our church!

The work is continuing to go well. After the Saturday session of conference Elder Ashcraft and I were invited to dinner at a member’s home. Although we had not eaten much we knew that we needed to go out and tract. That evening we were able to get into a home and teach the restoration as well as set up many appointments. Sacrifice and obedience truly “brings forth the blessings of heaven”.

Elder Ashcraft is my new companion and he is great. He is one of those where it would be hard not to love. He is from Utah (I think they might all be except for me) and has a great heart. He loves to sing also and has a great voice. Maybe he will be able to teach me something.

I think I wrote last week but yes Jeanine is dated for baptism! The 23^rd is her date. The two children, Henry and Hannah, are still not sure but I think now that they know their mom believes they will also be baptised. Teaching their family is lots of fun. We try to make things exciting by teaching with sweets or DVD clips. I know the family has really enjoyed having the missionaries come to their home.  Jeanine takes care of us like we are one of her children. She is always trying to feed us or make us “American Popcorn.” I love them and Yes dad we will come and visit the Isle!!!

This coming week we have zone conference and interviews in Liverpool.  This will be the first time that I have been to both since being on island. We will be gone for a full week! It is going to be a little scary taking that much time away from all of our amazing investigators but I am sure things will turn good still!

Sounds like life is going great back home, busy, busy, busy.  Is Rowland at home now? How long is he off his leg? Preston is looking so cute. Glen is looking thin! You go glen coco! How are the boys? Send me pictures.

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL,

RICHARD

DAD- how is work going? I forgot to answer your question about the tt races awhile ago. On our lunch break we took 15 minutes and went and watched from the side! WOW. They go almost 150 miles around a corner!  It is crazy crazy crazy. Three people died this year and I think that is pretty typical. I do not know what would cause someone to want to it but it was definitely worth watching!

Mom- the weather here has not been too bad yet. However, I have worn two holes in my mephisto shoes! Yikes. The other ones, the feragamos, are doing great though. I don’t need new shoes though by any means. I will buy some here if I do end up needing some. I just thought you might be interested to know that those are not all they are cracked up to be. For Christmas don’t send me anything unless it’s chocolate peanut butter balls and sugar cookies. I really do need candy or anything!

September 20th-30

Family,

So this was a really amazing week. Keith was baptised!!! It was a great service and his family was all there to support him. We also had a great turn out from the ward. His family is so wonderful. He and his wife have three children: Henry 13, Hannah 11, Jenna 7. We taught them this week after his baptism.

Isabella who just got baptised a few weeks ago had us, Karen and the whole sale family over for an Italian dinner. It was amazing and she is doing wonderful.  Karen is Isabella’s friend who the missionaries first found. She invited Isabella over for the discussions and funny enough she got baptised first.

This week was transfers and that is why I am writing you on a Thursday. My companions name is Elder Ashcraft and he is from... UTAH!  I have decided that almost all missionaries come there. He is a great new missionary though and we are going to have a great time.

Elder Boswell was my last companion and we really had a good time. He is an excellent missionary and I truly learned a lot from him.

Because of the way that transfers worked I stayed on the Island with the Allen’s the senior couple. It was so great. I got fed breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She is a wonderful cook. Also, I went and taught with them at the prison. That was really a neat experience. We went behind bars and everything. My companion did not come in until 10:30 but it was good to spend the day with them.

OUT OF TIME SORRY

Love YOU,

RICHARD

September 13th-20

I tried to send pics via email and it did not work so so sorry!!!!

Family-

Wow that is too bad that the Internet is out! Looks like that party was lots of fun you all looked great!

First off THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the books! They are incredible. I am already half way through the first book for the book of Mormon. I think I have read over 200 pages because I can’t put it down.  I love the stories and the quotes that he adds they are great books!

What an amazing week it was here on the isle! Isabella got baptized and the service was really nice. It was a good turn out from the ward.  I confirmed her on Sunday and it so happens that we also got a new bishop so the whole stake presidency was there and everything. It all went well. We were also blessed to have 8 investigators at church. I think that is the most that I have had on my mission yet! It was wonderful. We worked hard and were rewarded for it. On top of that we were fortunate enough to teach 25 lessons this week! The Lord is pouring out blessings on the Isle!

Keith and his family are still doing great. Keith should be baptized this week. We are going over to his house this evening and his wife is going to cut our hair! She teaches hair at a college and was telling us both how we desperately needed her help! Haha. I have to admit I caved in and have let my companion’s stick a #4 to my head! YIKES.  Haha. They are wonderful though. Jeanine comes from a very strong Irish Catholic family and so she is taking her time but I think she knows that it is true.

So last P-day I went a bought a card reader so I can send you some pics via email! This morning we went on a beautiful hike and then Sister Radcliffe took us out for lunch. It was wonderful. We went to this little old village and were able to see the history of the isle.

Okay so i dont know what pictures i even included. This thing is killing me and i am now out of time. I would send you my sd card but you never sent me mine back so i have nothing to replace it with. If you can send it in a letter please do and i will exchange you!

Got to go!

Love,

Richard