WEEK 28

This week elder coleman and I decided to go out tracting cause we have been struggling investigator wise. So we took an hour on tuesday to try to find some people. And second house we tried we got in, her name is Irene and she is really cool and had a lot of questions and is really looking for answers. So we are trying to slowly answer her questions during lessons by answering them with the content we are teaching. I realize that we don't have to answer some questions right away and a lot of answers will not make sense unless they actually pray about it cause the best way to get answers is from up high. I realize I am only 20 and trying to speak a different language and I bet most of my answers don't make sense but with planning, the spirit (obedience) and the investigator keeping their commitments they will get their answers. Also sometimes conversion takes a while, We can't expect everything to just fall into place with everyone. Every person has their own concerns and problems. Everyone has a different way to find the gate to the path and as missionaries it is our goal to guide them lovingly and patiently to the path. It could take years for conversion, it could take a couple weeks. I hate dropping investigators because I feel responsible for them. Unless we have done everything we can, they have no questions and really no excuses to keep commitments then I drop them reluctantly. But if they have questions, progress is being made! I just try to keep a humble attitude and patience, getting impatient will not get anyone anywhere. I am reading the new testament and really paying attention to christ's teaching style. He never snaps back, never loses his temper, understandingly answers questions and what not. If I could be like one thousandth of a teacher that christ is would be cool. Lots of prayer is my way of trying.
Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson drinking coconut milk

 a duck head

Elder Robertson just wanted to show a picture of a dog

WEEK 27

We had one cool lesson though that is worth mentioning. We were teaching this teenager and she is a typical investigator, scared to commit to anything so elder coleman and I planned this lesson around the importance of being baptized and following christ and being cleansed of our sins. Since her grandma is a member she has been working with us also to get this girl baptized and going to church and keeping commitments. So we get there and taught this solid lesson. We asked questions that we hadn't planned on asking and she really came out with all her concerns and why she won't commit we were able to teach in such a way to have the spirit confirm to her that this is what she needs to do and this is right. I even felt the spirit confirm to me that the atonement really happened and this is what is the most important thing I could be doing right now. It has been interesting to realize the ways the atonement can help me. Yeah he suffered for our sins and we can be forgiven but like elder bednar has said, there is the enabling power also. There is nothing so deep or infinite as the atonement but it is also very personal. It really does work in every aspect of our lives. Out here being a missionary the atonement helps me get up in the morning when I don't want to, it give me the ability to put a smile on  and it gives me the patience i need to learn this language and with other peoples conversion. Most of the time I don't think I know I am drawing on his power but looking back I really need it every day to get through it. When I feel the spirit I feel as if christ is in the room with me. It really is the most sensitive time to feel the spirit. Disobedience can drive it away in a heartbeat but being obedient is way better cause it brings understanding and just happier attitude. I don't really know how else to say it but you kinda just have to experience it. It's hard for sure but it will probably be worth it. Thats about it.
love you all!!
Elder Robertson

WEEK 26

We also went to Zone Conference this week in Santiago which is three hours from my area so we had our whole zone which is 14 of us fit into a 8 person bus so yeah it was an uncomfortable six hours but the zone conference was good. president talked about being obedient and how conversion won't happen unless investigators and less actives have a testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. which is oh so very true. Then sister Carlos talked about how we need to love the people. If we love the people then we will WANT to be obedient and what not and so I have been praying hard this week to better love these people cause it is not very easy to just love them, but I am trying.

So an interesting experience this week and this is all I can really think of. On saturday we were having a tough day, Our investigators all flaked out and three of the five less actives either were not there or were drunk so we just walked around and tried to talk to people but no one was having it we really struggled and got back to the apartment at like 8 to do nightly planning. And ever since i have been with elder coleman we have sung a hymn before nightly planning and on saturday we sung I need thee every hour. And during the 4th verse I felt the love of the savior so much and felt really close to him. It seems that when the mission is hardest and I turn to him then I feel his love the most. It really is a great experience and he does give me the hard days to keep me humble and what not. I realize I cannot get through this unless I rely on him completely and it has been hard but I am really learning on submitting to his will 100% and I am getting better at it. This is a great work we are involved in. I realize that wherever we are on missions we will have a hard time, its mission life. But if we are obedient and really know why we are out here we will learn and grow and be able to help others. I don't know what else to say today other than time is flying by it's February already! Well have a good week everybody!

christmas skits at a mission christmas party

Elder Robertson

WEEK 25

yesterday we had a less active that we have been teaching and who loves us, she had a little birthday party for me which was awesome and i was really grateful for. she made awesome chicken, this rice soup with quail eggs and fried banannas. But i still missed my steak and mashed taters and costco cake. But it was still a pretty good birthday. We ate the two month old muddie buddies in like a hot second haha and did laundry haha. I can't wait for my 22nd birthday haha. But I am officially not a teenager anymore!!

So we get to hear Donald L. Hallstrom from the presidency of the 70 at the end of february which is way exciting! I am excited! and we have zone conferences this week which should be way good to. I am always in need of some spiritually uplifting experiences. I got the miracle of forgiveness and am about halfway through it. It is such a good book about repentance and how to repent but it makes me feel terrible because I am so imperfect and I guess a terrible repenter. I have been praying harder and more fervently now more than ever. But the spirit has never been stronger in my life. In teaching i know what to say and when to say it. After lessons Elder Coleman and I talk about how we have the same questions in our minds at the same time and notice that we are very much in sync. I am always in a good mood and am not complaining. I am learning more than ever from the Book of Mormon and everything. It is different that the happiest times of the week is when people show up to church and say they had a good experience. It's weird but cool. The mission is so very hard and mentally draining every night and I will never get used to the philippines but oh well. It is worth it. God is on my side. I just have so far to go, sometimes it seems hopeless and it is tough to think that enduring is the whole life but just continue walking. I read something cool this week, sometimes we think that we have to do all we can and try to be perfect on our own and improve by ourselves and walk the straight and narrow path by ourselves then christ comes in and will take us to perfection, but little do we know not only will christ take us to perfection but he will help us walk along the way, we are never alone. We never have to walk by ourselves. He will always be there for us. This is one of the biggest lessons I have learned out here so far. He will never abandon us as long as we do not abandon him. I love teaching that. I feel as if I learn more when I teach than the people I am teaching, weird but good for me.

Love,

Elder Robertson

out to eat some pizza!!

a birthday party with tita boots