note from the mission pres

Brother and Sister Cunningham,

Thank you for your letter.  We saw your son Elder Cunningham a couple of weeks ago during our annual visit to the Isle of Man and again this past week at zone conference.  He is progressing so well as a missionary and we are grateful to have such great young man that can step up and fill leadership positions so early in his mission.  Serving on the Isle of Man is one of the most unique opportunities not just in our mission but in all of Europe.  Because it is so remote from the rest of the mission, we only send our best missionaries there and only leave them there for a couple of transfer.  You can be very proud of him.

Warm regards, President Bullock 

September 6th- 13

Oh wow Family,

Well those were some great Emails. Thank you.  This week has been amazing! First off Elder Boswell and I headed off to Liverpool on Wednesday (a three hour boat ride) for Zone Conference! Oh it was wonderful. We were able to go and stay with the Zone Leaders, Elder Sturt (father) and Elder Kersey. It was soo much fun and good to catch up with Elder Sturt. Liverpool is CRAZY and I hope one day I will get to serve there. The accent is really funny and lots and lots of people live there. They have 6 missionaries in one ward!

Thursday we had Zone Conference. After an hour’s journey in the car blasting Josh Groban’s Noell CD as well as the Motab we made it to Chorley. President did a wonderful job and spoke on the power of the priesthood as well as miracles. He told us about 4 miracles that he has had in his life and how the priesthood is real. Many of us are not giving it the power it deserves. It was very much like President Packers Conference Talk.  Speaking of which, conference is coming up and it is very exciting!!!! Then Sister Bullock did an amazing job as usual on seeing everyone as God does. Knowing that everyone has the potential to become like him! They are amazing. First presidency is changing mission schedule though and we are only going to have zone conference quarterly. However, president has arranged it so that zones will still gather together every transfer!!!

While at Zone Conference I was able to see Elder Stringham my previous companion in Bolton who told me the exciting news that one of our Investigators, Lauren, was baptized and confirmed yesterday!!! She was amazing. I am not sure if I wrote to you about her or not but she read the Book of Mormon is about 6 weeks!!!! She is wonderful and will be a huge asset to the Bolton ward.

After the travel back Elder Boswell and I were able to have a full weekend of teaching. We have been blessed to find some more wonderful people. I street contacted this man named Mike and set up an appointment. We had originally thought we weren’t going to make it to the appointment because he lived on the other side of the isle plus it was kind of a shaky appointment. Circumstances changed though and the lord placed us in the right area. We went and taught him and the spirit was so strong. You would not believe how prepared he is. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he could ask God one question what would it be. He said that he would ask God if what we shared is true and this was the path he should take! We left him Moroni 10 and he ended up reading the whole book of Moroni. He has a good job and is smart! It is a blessing to teach him.

Keith and his family all came to church again! They are doing wonderful. Keith’s wife is still trying to make sure the gospel is true but Keith has received his answer. It looks like he might set the example for his family and get baptized before them but everyone is continuing to progress! His wife is so so so kind. She bought us these manks mints. They are delicious. She also got Elder Boswell a birthday present. Their family is going to be eternal in only a short time!  Every time we go to their house the family is excited and all focused and wanting to LEARN. It is amazing.

This Saturday we have Isabella’s baptism! She is a very intelligent, wonderful woman. She has about 5 degrees and is really a quality person. She asked if i would be the one to confirm her. Wow, big responsibility, pray for me! I am excited though and I am sure things will be wonderful.

Well my time here on the Isle could not have been more rewarding. Not only are we teaching a lot of people, but they are quality. By quality I mean they really are interested and seeking to find the truth.  There is nothing more rewarding then being a missionary and seeing the change and effects that the gospel brings to these wonderful peoples lives. I love and miss you all. May the Lord continue to bless you in all that you do!

Love,

Richard

P.s.

Did you hear about ALI ROYAL? IF not call her up and ask her ASAP!

How is kenz and jim?

I have pictures of the beautiful isle. I would send you my sd card but i never got my old one back! I am going to buy a card reader though for the computer so will send some next week.

David Ridges...i haven’t got the package yet. It is best if you send them to the flat on the isle. I should be able to get it in a few weeks though. Did you send me the first one of the BOM or the new testament? I have started reading BOM again and Isaih is still looking pretty grim. I have though been able to pick up a lot more than ever before.

August 31st- September 6

WOW, family this week was an incredible week. You have no idea. Elder Boswell and I were able to teach 24 lessons (23 of them investigator lessons) and have 9 new investigators and 7 investigators at church!  It was truly a blessed week and one that you would not believe.

The Lord is pouring out his spirit on the Isle. Keith and his family all came and had a wonderful time. We were able to go to dinner at their home this week and eat an amazing meal. Also, we went the other day and were able to teach the kids about the apostasy using skittles. It went really well, they are doing amazing. Today we are going fishing with Keith and Henry (his son). The weather is not too hot so it should be fun.

So this week there was a scare in the ward. A woman who is just a younger woman with 2 kids and a husband woke up and had viral meningitis(sp). She ended up having something worse than that and her head started to swell and so she was loosing her memory and she was supposed to die...Well miracles of fasting and prayer…. The ward came together and had a fast for her and after not talking for a week and things looking pretty sad she started to improve. It was truly a miracle. She was able to speak to her husband and smile and the swelling is going down. The Power of the Priesthood as well as fasting and prayer is real. She is having a miraculous recovery and it is amazing to see.

It was my companions B-day today. He is 21!

Well unfortunately the library was closed and we stayed in Castle town this week so i am emailing at a hotel bar type thing and they only give us a few minutes. yea kinda awkward in bar but were separated so its okay.

Thanks for everything you do! Mom thanks for sending the package you are wonderful! My new address is if you ever send me anything again you can send it there for the next little while. Do you know how long it takes a package to get here?

Ribblesdale

Shore Road, Castletown

Isle of Man IM91BF

Okay love you all gots to go!

Love,

Richard