Week 76

Feb 23 at 8:20 PM

Hello Family!

This week was ok, we just worked and did our part.  We were able to find a couple of new investigators. It's a mom and her college age son. There is a dad but he is always busy and another brother but he doesn't want to listen. The mom's dad was a member for like 10 years and always went to church in Tuguegarao, my last area, and she wondered about why he was so faithful and what do mormons believe but then she moved out here and forgot all about it until they met a member that roomed with the kid at school. So we were invited over with the member and were able to teach. They have potential, they asked questions and actually talked during the lesson which was nice. They are more likely to get baptized if they talk and ask questions. That was the highlight work wise this week.

I did finish the October conference issue for like the third time this week. I really enjoy reading conference talks over and over and highlight in different colors each time. I really get a different feel of the messages each time. Like reading the Book of Mormon, I get something new out of it every time I read it. I started it again this week and am almost through 1 Nephi. This time I am going for specific advice that they give. Like challenges to improve and stuff like that. Like there is a challenge in 1 Nephi 1: 20. Nephi says to seek the tender mercies of the lord. So I have been writing stuff like that in my little study journal and trying to work on that. I hope to finish before I come home. This week is transfers and so I will get a new companion this week. Elder Pawin was a good comp and I really enjoyed being with him. This could be my last comp of my mission so ya haha. Go bombers! Go Tar Heels! Go Lakers! Thanks for all the support everyone!

Love, Elder Robertson

 "killed this thing in our apartment. took like an hour to find it haha we killed two of them like this this week. epic."

 

Elder Pawin and Elder Robertson

Week 75

Feb 16 at 8:30 PM

Hello Family!

So this week not much happened. We must of got lucky last week cause we worked just as hard this week and had about half as much work to show for it. There was the lowest amount of people at church in my entire life yesterday, there were 25 people.

I am gonna try to finish the book of mormon before I finish my mission. I will start over this week and finish it in three months which shouldn't be too bad. I've read the book of mormon like 7 times now while I have been out here and I have no doubt that it is true. The church is definitely true and what not. Its just people really annoy me sometimes. That is the hard part about the mission. adjusting to the culture and obedience just takes a little self discipline. But people have their free agency and that is out of my control which annoys me and frustrates me to no end. But I have to deal with it. And not complain. 

Have a good week everyone! Love yall!

Elder Robertson

Week 74

2-9-14
Hello Family!

That snow looks so fun! I remember when church was canceled one time then we shoveled The Hills and hooky bobbed on bro Henry's cop car. It was awesome.

So this week was good. We were able to teach a lot more less actives because they are done planting rice and we had 6 or 7 come to church! Our investigator family unfortunately wasn't available so we weren't able to teach them. But we found a whole bunch of new less actives and were able to teach them so that was good.

Interviews with president were good. He talked about staying motivated and enduring to the end. He mentioned three kinds of motivation; 1. Fear 2. Reward 3. Love and told me to just keep being motivated for the right reasons especially now. It was a good interview and will help me stay on the right track for the rest of my mission. He is a good president. Having two mission presidents is interesting because their styles are just totally different. President Carlos was a great president and he really liked to get to know the elders maybe cause the mission was 150 missionaries smaller. President Rahlf is a great president and has made the mission more........streamlined? President Carlos liked missionaries in the mission to get to know each other so he would have departure firesides (for the going home missionaries) and transfer days where all the missionaries would go to Cauayan for the day. President Rahlf has cut all that out and tried to keep everyone focused on the work. It's been different but I like both presidents and they both have taught me so much.

Well that's about it for this week. Happy Valentines day by the way haha. those brownies/cupcakes that someone made with the peanut butter heart in the middle are amazing! I can only eat one cause it is such a sugar rush haha can't wait to fix that. Thanks for all your support! have a great week and build a snow fort for old times sakes haha.

Love,

Elder Robertson

 

P.S. my camera broke. so until I can get it fixed (3 zones away) i won't be able to send any pictures

Week 73

2/2/14
Hello Family!

So this week things started to look up! We had a zone conference on wednesday and it was way good. President talked about the hastening of missionary work and what it means for us....basically the members should work harder. But he also talked about joseph in egypt and lessons we can learn from him. Of course we all know the story of joseph but how hard would it be if we were in his shoes?? getting sold as a slave by his brothers. getting thrown in jail for something he didn't do and staying there for like 7 years. But he lifted where he stood in the words of President Uchtdorf. He became chief of potiphars slaves. he became the best prisoner. and then he was rewarded. he became number two in all of egypt. I wondered if the prediction by his dream way early in his life that he would be a ruler over his brethren, I wonder if he ever got discouraged and thought that it would never come true. He is a very good example of perseverance. He had the faith to keep going and even when it was hard he stood as a pillar of righteousness. A good zone conference. 

So this week people finally started finishing planting their rice. so we got to teach some good lessons and get in touch with our investigators again. Now we just need to get them to church so we can get them towards baptism. It may be a while but we can get them going. Thats about it though. just life in the mission haha.

We have interviews with president so I will tell you how that goes and how the work is. Thanks for the support and all the letters!

Love yall! 

Elder Robertson