WEEK 37

So this past week was ok, still been hard. We talked to a lot of people and they seemed interested but they would not let us back into their houses to share the message. It is frustrating. No one came to church and the branch is more concerened about the other two elders and could care less about what I do. People are so nice at first then they just won't let us back in. Oh well, I am doing what I can and will keep doing what I can. This week won't help much, tomorrow we have interviews with president which will take all day. Wednesday we have a wedding to go to for a branch member so that will take a while. Thursday we have a zone conference in Santiago, Friday we have a surprise visit from Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Area Presidency to our mission so we will go up to Cauayan on that day. Pretty busy this week, should be good. I am excited. So this week in my personal study I learned a cool lesson. I have been reading the New Testament and the epistles of Paul along with a study guide that I found at the church. The apostle Paul is a very interesting person. It seems that the church was struggling to remain upright. Apostasy was already taking place and the other apostles were being killed off. Paul wasn't about to give up. He was doing his job the best he could. He was preaching and exhorting but he was having a tough time at it with the people not being able to quite grasp the simplicity and beauty of the gospel. I realize that that is all the lord asks! I just need to to my best! The lord only asks for my best effort. He knows that people have free agency and that they are free to accept the gospel message or not but it is up to me to teach with power and authority. It is up to me to work my hardest and do my best for thirteen more months. I can do that. i'll just keep working and try to not get down on myself haha. That's about it nothing cool spiritual or crazy stories

Love yall!

Elder Robertson

elder Robertson and elder Dariagan(red shirt)

elder Robertson with what he calls really old people

WEEK 36

I am training and my first time being in charge and what not and really no investigators and help from anyone, and teaching my comp all about being a missionary and trying to be obedient even when the other two in the house are not at all. I feel like a weight just keeps getting heavier and I am like trying to squat like 400 pounds and it is just hard to do. I have been struggling to do push through it and not just get lazy and say "oh well" and take the easy disobedient way out. I've been asking the lord to give us a few investigators, not for me cause I can handle tracting all day but for Elder Dariagan. I feel terrible that as a new missionary he has no investigators and no one has come to church and all we do is tract really.  I learned a lot at conference, here are my favorite. President Monson: "Missions are a family affair" How true that is. Although I am doing the work I feel that we are all involved in my mission. President Monson again: "Life would be simpler if we would be obedient." This was my favorite of all conference. Basically he took every talk and summed it up into being obedient. I figured that obedience really does make us free because we don't have to worry about terrible consequences. Although the world is teaching rules are made to be broken. Obedience to the gospel really gives us peace of conscience, always. Elder Holland's whole talk was really good, believing is something I am really trying to work on believe that new investigators will come. Elder Packers was really good.. Elder Ballards was good and so was Christoffersen's. I enjoyed conference and look forward to rereading their talks in may.

So yesterday at a ladies house I taught myself a cool lesson. The story was namaan and listening to the prophet. She was struggling to find a connection to her life so I used the Israelites not looking at the bronze snake and dying. The lesson went on a weird tangent and ended up on doing the easy things in order for miracles to happen. I came to the conclusion that if we 1. do our part (aka follow the commandments) 2. show our faith like (do things that may seem hard or obscure like dipping in a river seven times or looking at a fake snake) 3. God will make the miracle happen because he loves us. I know for a fact that that was the Holy Ghost teaching me. That lesson wasn't meant for who I was teaching. It was meant for me. In doing this work I need to do and helping others come unto christ. I want to be more obedient. I want to apply my formula to my life. I have decided to pray for the desire and strength to apply this to my life instead of it just happening. See how it goes.

Two more things: this week I got to slaughter a duck haha  and last night we were walking home and we saw a guy on a little motorbike run over and kill a dog and he slid out. he slid right next to us in the middle of the road and we had to grab him and his bike really quick or he would have been hit and killed by a bus. it was intense but the guy is ok. only a huge gash on his foot. Well thats about all for this week. Going to Banaue (I think) next week!

Mahal Ko Kayo!

Elder Robertson

elder Robertson killing a chicken and yes it is still alive he said it took half an hour to die

before elder Robertson killed the chicken

WEEK 35

This week was ok, it is hard training because the kid I am training is disappointed with the area and that there were not any progressing investigators and therefore no baptisms soon so that has been tough to deal with that but I am working with him to change his attitude, we went out a lot and we talked to a lot of people and did what are called OYM's (open your mouth) where you talk to someone and give them a pamphlet and tell them about the church and set a day to go back and teach. We did a lot of those but no was interested when we went back so we will have to try again this week. Except we will be busy. We are going to Cauayan this week for a trainers meeting and then conference all weekend so we may not get as much work done as this week but hopefully we will be able to find a few people interested. It has been really a test of patience and love training. I hate teaching all the rules and ways to teach and things to remember in lessons and all that stuff but i guess it is good for me to teach new missionaries. And I am much better than before.

  I'll just add something that I learned from my studies this week. So in John 14:27 Christ is talking to his apostles about the peace that he will leave "not as the world giveth, give I unto you" then again in chapter 16 verse 33 "I speak these things unto you that ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." What an amazing promise from our savior! To me he is saying that although life will be hard and sometimes you might want to quit. It's all good cause he atoned for us. He took our sins and problems upon himself if we just repent and turn unto him. He overcame the world by experiencing all the pain the world had to offer and then was resurrected. He says be of good cheer cause if you follow me and try your best you can overcome the world to! maybe not now but someday you will, and I will help you do it. I am grateful for the love that he offers us and the message he gives us. I want to try harder to be a more hardworking missionary and a better person and be a more devoted disciple. He really is that intimate with us. Although he is savior of the whole world he has time for everyone of us and to comfort us and say "be of good cheer."

Well thats about all for this week, I will try to find you guys on conference haha. I am excited to listen to our prophet and the apostles this weekend! Other than that not much happening here except sweating and walking haha. Have a good week everybody!

Mahal Ko Kayo!

Elder Robertson

elder Robertson

elder robertson walking

elder Robertson playing volleyball on pday (hes the one with the red shirt)

WEEK 34

I am having just a blast out here in the Philippines training a new missionary. His name is Elder Dariagan and he is filipino. Training is hard cause I have to explain every single little thing to him and what not. But I am sure there are lots of lessons to be learned. Not much happened this week. I was up in cauyan a lot first to go say goodbye to a friend I met here in the mission and then to transfer day to get my new companion so all we really worked was thursday thru sunday. We had some good lessons but it has been tough because no one came to church at all. Our investigators are not progressing and not one less active. Yeah! So we will go search for more investigators which hasn't been very successful. Tracting here is just as tough, no one slams the door in your face though. Hopefully we can a few good progressing towards baptism. But the branch is focusing on the other two elders though cause they want to put a new branch in their area. So I just do what I can. Thats about it area wise. Easter was nothing special. They celebrate good friday so no one was home or wanted to listen on friday.. I don't really have much to say this week, really just working on a positive attitude. Hope you guys have a good experience at conference! that should be fun. We won't get to watch it until the next weekend. Since I don't have much to say I thought I would share this from president Carlos monthly newsletter. I thought it was really good.

"The experience of Joseph Smith in a few moments in the grove on a spring day in 1820, brought more light and knowledge and understanding of the personality and reality and substance of God and His Beloved Son than men had arrived at during centuries of speculation," said President Gordon B. Hinckley (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 141). The First Vision is a keystone of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Christ of course, is the Chief Cornerstone. It would be impossible for anyone to be truly converted to the restored gospel without first gaining a testimony of the sacred events of the spring of 1820. This is the reason why I have repeatedly suggested that we take as much time as needed to make sure that the investigators understand, and obtain a testimony of the message of the restoration–before moving on. When they understand what really took place in that sacred grove, they would DESIRE to read the Book of Mormon. When they read the Book of Mormon, they will read about the Savior and obtain a testimony of Him. They will then develop faith in Him; they will repent, they will be baptized, and they will more likely endure to the end. “These” converts become our strong members. They become the strength of the church. These are they that experience a “mighty change of heart.” These are they, who will then build the church. Sometimes I think we try to rush the investigators. I think we may be guilty of getting them thru the lessons as quickly as possible without paying much attention to what is happening to their hearts. Let us take time to help them truly obtain an understanding and testimony of the First Vision. I testify of the prophet Joseph Smith’s sacred call as the prophet of the Restoration. I have sat in solemn reflection in that sacred grove. I have felt his anguish as I visited Liberty Jail in Missouri. I silently and reverently sang the hymn “Praise to the Man,” as I visited the Nauvoo Jail where he was martyred. I feel a great love for him. I testify that next to the sacrifice of the Savior himself, Joseph Smith’s sacrifice provides everlasting blessings for each and every one of us. Mahal Ko Kayo Elder Robertson

WEEK 32

This week was pretty good, I had a cold for most of the week an it sucked but we had an investigator at church! Her name is melody vicente and she is married to a less active guy. They finally came to church after two months of Elder Coleman and myself teaching them! It was super cool! Teaching investigators really is the best part of the mission. We are working hard to find more people to teaching and are really gonna hit this one area this week to see if we can get some more investigators. Transfer week is getting close and we have 24 new missionaries coming in, . I enjoy working with Elder Coleman and have really learned a lot from him. The area here in aritao is progressing, slowly, but surely. We are working hard and just trying to talk to people which I actually kind of enjoy now that I can speak the language haha. Less actives are tough cause can take months to build their faith but that is the focus cause attendance is only 32% here. So plenty of work to do. I enjoy working, yes it is hot and sometimes it is really frustrating but getting in good lessons really does make it worthwhile and I feel accomplished. I hope this attitude can apply to after the mission as well, in school, in work, in church callings, in family stuff. it really just does feel good to think at the end of the day that I accomplished something.
Something cool that happened this week. So president was going to Baguio to do a training thing with the senior couples. And our apartment is right on the highway about halfway. So president shows up at our apartment at 10 am but elder coleman and I were already walking to an appointment so they called us back. turns out they brought us krispy kremes! all the way from manila!! Apparently the area presidency brought them a whole lot of them and they in turn gave some to us! they were super delicious! and even better when president was coming back to the mission on saturday he brought us kentucky fried chicken!! Also very delicious and super cool. My mission president is the coolest and the nicest and really has cool things to show you that he loves his missionaries. It will be a sad day when he leaves. But I am excited for the changes to take place. Well thats about all I have for this week.
Mahal ko kayo!
Elder Robertson

WEEK 31

We had a couple of good lessons with a couple investigators. Sister Irene and Sister Melody. They are progressing pretty good and reading the Book of Mormon but haven't come to church yet so that is a big goal of ours. We will contact a couple of more people this week that we got referrals from so hopefully that turns out good. Other than that it really just is day to day. This is an extra long cycle so we still have about two and a half weeks of this cycle left. Elder Coleman and I are working hard and getting along great. We have fun and are teaching really good lessons. March is a month where really not much is happening. Hopefully we can get some investigators close to baptism but i feel that it is not my job here in aritao. I feel like just planting seeds right now and then someone else will come in and harvest all of them. oh well, keep working hard. Might as well right? Well thats about it except I am learning how to make adobo so I will be able to cook that for you guys when I get home to show you what I have eaten for the past year and the whole next year haha.
elder Robertson

WEEK 30

we had some good lessons with investigators this week. We had one with this girl who said she would rather stay catholic and she just wants to know god better and we were kind of caught off guard with that but thanks to the spirit and some discerning we were able to teach her about god's love from the bible and why he sent Jesus Christ for us and why we need to follow the comandments and what not. It might of been the best lesson I've had on my mission and the spirit was so strong because by the end she was crying and I felt the pure joy of the gospel. We also have a couple investigators that are actually reading the Book of Mormon! It's a miracle and we are contacting a sister of a recent convert this week and when we talked to her she seemed really interested and excited to hear about it. Hopefully things keep getting better cause Elder Coleman and I are working harder than ever to get this area really going 

This week we had Elder Hallstrom of the presidency of the 70 was here in our mission and we got to listen to what he had to say. It was really good cause we also got to hear from Elder Teh who is the area president in the philippines also. There talks were good Elder Teh talked about growth in the philippines mostly and how that will effect the missions and everything. Elder Hallstroms wife talked about being patient and enduring trials because the lord does not try us above that which we are able. Elder Hallstrom talked about growth for a while and he said that by the end of this year there may well be around 80,000 missionaries. There will be 9,000 in the MTC this summer which will be just insanity. But he said that the purpose of this is to move forward with the work of course but to also get preparing earlier so the year between 18 and 19 we can save those who may have fallen away if left on their own. Then he also talked about having the spirit and just how important the spirit is in teaching learning and every aspect of our lives. Then he asked us a question that we should ask ourselves before every meeting of the church. What Do I want to get out of this today? It is a very good question and makes meetings much more meaningful cause if we have a question that we want answered then most likely it will be answered whether it's in a sacrament meeting from speakers, sunday school from teachers or whether the spirit just answers itself we will usually have a much better experience if we ask ourselves that question. One more thing I liked that he said was that if investigators cannot keep commitments then there is no chance that they can keep covenants. Very true, its tough cause I would just like to baptize everyone but they have to read the BoM go to church consistently and pray or else it is a guarantee less active here, even then they might go less active but I just try to do my part. He was a very good speaker and I enjoyed learning from him. I gave the closing prayer to haha.

Just one thing that I learned this week from my personal study. In Luke 9:52 where Christ says that "no man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of god." I've been thinking about this scripture a lot this week, as servants of the master it is our duty to teach, to repent, to improve and become like Christ and cast aside our weapons of rebellion. I have been thinking a lot of what I could improve on and have been praying hard to become a more Christlike person. not just missionary cause if I were to go back to the old ways after the mission it would have all been for nothing. I hate that looking back is so easy but I know that perfection is not in this life. I am trying my hardest to get to where I want to be after my mission and have set some goals on what to improve on. So it should be good. I really like that scripture.

Love

Elder Robertson

elder Robertson and elder Coleman at a "grocery store"

a monkey elder Robertson saw

this is the monkey he saw but he said he could'nt get any closer otherwise it would attack him