November 25, 2013

This week has been full of ups an downs for sure! We have been focusing on finding more and I've been getting flats all week while on the bike, but people drive by all the time an yell stuff at us, its not always the best thing to hear. But on a good note we have been able to meet up with an older investigator that  we hadn't been meeting with. she decided that the only way to feel the spirit was to read so shes read to mosiah 25!! it was a really neat experience to meet with her again, -- the sweetest lady ever. WE also had another investigator come to church as well as another brother who has a baptism date, its neat to see the excitement grow within there family. We have still been meeting with O&O. They are the funniest couple, first they want  to get married an then this week he broke down an was drinking an shes wanting him out of the house again, its soo hard to teach an we just keep trying to get them to pray so that they can figure it our for themselves. Its a wierd situation, hes illegally here so they cant get married as easy but hard to keep teaching when they cant make up there mind. We had a ward dinner this week which was nice, but before we were stopping by people to invite them to it, We have been trying to meet with a family that is less active an they have 3 daugthers, 12 9 an 3. The most amazing little girls ever, but the mom was on the couch on her phone, an the 12 year old wants to be baptized but her mom looked at us an said shes sick so the daughter just looked at us soo devestated! her parents are holding her back. IT was heartbreaking to see her so sad. I couldn't stop thinking about it all night.  I have been really trying to just rely on my Heavenly Father more then ever while out here. 

Days are gettting colder with snow this week, church was just sacrament then we had to stay in for the rest of the day :( so we had our studies an then read lots an played games together. One scripture i have been thinking alot about is  alma 5:6  how we can all be thankful for our grandparents or parents an how blessed we are to have the gospel in our lives because of them! its a time of thanksgiving down here an this week we have a dinner with the bishop. Should be a good day.

I find out this saturday where i get transferred since im done training now! so next week i will let you know. Much love

ELder Roberts

November 18, 2013

Its been an amazing week! We Have been busy with District meetings an traveling around to do those but the best part was Thursday morning we got to attend the Lubbock Temple. It was an amazing experience like always. It really helped with the last few weeks, we seem to visit alot of less actives, but dont always see "success" but we dont look at it that way. We mostly eat with the less actives rather then any members. Not many members since its stricly spanish but its slowly growing. This last week we had our investigators come to church again an have been talking to them about getting married,  He orignially was drinking 4 to 5 times a day! An she hated it an was wanted to kick him out an now after 2 weeks of meeting with them hes quit drinking an they dont fight anymore an they both know how its all happening. Truly a blessing!! ITs been amazing just to see them change. They are our most progressing right now, the spanish culture is hard here, they are all about family which is good, but they dont go to church . Tons of parties or wedding or whatever that we cant always get ahold of them. We tried visiting some investigators an a cousin answered an thought we were with immigration or police an kinda freaked him out. IT was funny. We decided to go ridiing bikes more this week an on saturday we went for two hours an the windiest day yet here in texas for me at least! it was crazy though, we went to a new area ( our area is the whole town) an it was straight asia town. We didnt talk spanish once lol so it was kinda hard but trying to find the spanish you can usually tell by the car or the fancy gates in the yard. Its pretty fun on bikes. I was able to talk with one of Darren's old investigators on the phone, . She was soo happy to hear from me, i havent met her yet but i am mostly likely getting transferred in 2 weeks so i am hoping to met her before then. I will be done training in two weeks.! crazy how fast time goes. I hope everyone is doing good back home, seems like alot of happening.Thanks for everything you all do.

Thanks again  Much Love

Elder Roberts

Pictures !!

Elder Roberts & Elder Collins - Provo MTC Companions

With Elder  Bridge ( from Raymond) at the MTC

"Right at Home"

These pictures will look familiar to Darren ( he used to send us some of these interesting signs around town, too)
On the back of this one he wrote " THE TRUTH"    -- Thanks Justin! :)

The famous Cadillac Ranch ( these pics are like deja vu from Darren's mission as well)
Right up Justin's alley !

November 11th, 2013

This week has been busy as always but really fun! finally went to a real Spanish fiesta. It was for one of our investigators daughters who is 3, but there was around 150 people with music an LOTs of food! They know how to have fun, it was sweet to just practise Spanish an talk with all sorts of people there about the church an why we were there. lol  We also had dinner with the Medinas this Sunday an they had some people over from mexico that hes helping translate for them, ( his job)  We were able to teach them after dinner about families an have a return appointment. The spirit was really strong there . Such an amazing time meeting them an talking. It's been a busy week with our investigators, since we are the only Spanish missionaries now, and have new english elders, they give us referrals alot so we have been able to visit alot more people. The biggest thing is even when they know its the true church, sometimes they don't come to church as much or follow the commandments an just go in active, so we visit alot of less actives but they just work lots on sunday an dont want to change. Its soo sad to see. We have been having fun as a trio but it can also be difficult, i am tryin to really just be obedient even if other missionaries aren't all the time. Its an interesting experience being out here but i know more an more about what i want with my life an how to get it. I have really started to see my self worth again. It had been lost for quite some time when i wasn't doing the things i know i needed to. I love this gospel an hope that everyone back home is doing their best to fufill their callings. We don't always know what the plan is of our Father, but we as we submit to his will we learn an grow closer to him than ever before.

I love you all

Elder Robert

November 4, 2013

This week has been busy as always. WE have been focusing on less actives more this week but as it was Halloween we had to be in at 6 so we all went to the gym an played basketball. I have been working on a new scripture case, so i did that instead.  Tomas was baptized :) I helped with that as well as the confirmation. Probably one of the most humble men i have met so far out here! I am honored to help him learn more of the gospel. I have been really focusing on reading the book of mormon, i finished it again an started to read it again an focus on different things each time i read it, we as missionaries can get the mililtary size book so i have it with me always. Constantly learning new things. The zone leaders had training so i went with a set of missionaries that are a bike area because i knew they worked hard, we rode out to a area 10 miles out ( 1 hr) ride an went knocking an such out there ( Bushland is the name of the area)  IT was a really good day, i wasnt even that tired because we were so positive about it. They ride it once a week too. Hopefully this week i might be going with them again. With my new companions ( Elder Droubay from Tooele Utah and Elder Dunkle from Blackfoot Idaho) we have been focusing on really getting the spanish people motivated an having a whole new look on the work. We talk with literally everyone an we are seeing the work progress. Some new families being taught an really prepared. The work with never stop. It's not our will but as we give it our all we see the Lords hand in our work everyday! We had dinner with the Medinas yesterday an he has a photo album of every missionary that comes over an takes a picture of there shoes with the name tag. Guess whos name we found! Elder Roberts lol it was pretty neat, he also sent them a little note for christmas that they kept. Its soo neat to talk with them. They were both catholics an big in this area cuz they owned a radio station but when they were taught the lessons an converted alot of people didnt like them. But very humble people, gave us a referral, a person from mexico that just moved here an has lots of potential. I hope nobody worries about me here, as i forget about myself i really am starting to love the work more an more an grow closer to my Saviour. I hope that everything it going well back home.

 

Much Love

Elder Roberts