February 9th

Dear Family,

This week, I will have been out for 4 months! Woah! How time flies. What people say about the mission is really true. The weeks are very long, but the months are very short. I will also be finishing my training in the 12 week program after this week, and the new transfer starts next week. It will be interesting to see if anything changes. There is a chance that I could go to another area, but I could also stay here in Avilés. I will find out on Saturday, and then changes happen on next Monday. I am very excited and very nervous at the same time. I don´t want to leave Avilés yet, but mostly I don´t want to leave the people here. A change would be very exciting as well, but we will see what happens!

I can´t believe that Mark is going to be home in a month! It seems like so many crazy things are happening now that I am out here. Speaking of that, how is JB doing? Is he living with his parents now that he is home?

I love Mosiah 3:19. That scripture really sums up our purpose here on earth, to put off the natural man. I love how much the scriptures can help us our own lives. And I really understand why we are always told to read them daily. I read over John 9 this morning in my personal study, which is the story of Christ healing the blind man on the Sabbath. I absolutely love this story, and how we can relate it to our experience on earth. Just like this blind man, we are born with a veil, so that we can´t perceive everything spiritually, that we need to learn for ourselves how to put off the natural man, and become a saint. It is through Christ that we can see again, and I am so grateful for that.

That's about it family! You guys are fantastic! I carry that second photo that you sent me in my bag to show investigators and members, and they absolutely love it. I love you all. I look forward to spending eternity with each of you.

Your son/brother,

Élder Rawlinson

PS. In your next package, could you please send me something? Can you send me a copy of that Mormon tabernacle album that we have in iTunes? The one with the classical music? Thank you!

This is a picture taken above the town of Oviedo, Spain