The Past Month In Canada

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8.4.15

Things are going SO GOOD for Sister Hatch and me! Man, I love this whole mission thing. It's great. I'll start out with the bad news, because I guess we have good and bad from this week. Alyssa and Lance seem to have lost interest. Lately they have been postponing meeting with us, and it's just sad. So we flat out asked them (a couple hours ago, actually) if they still want to meet... Aaaand no response. So that's pretty intense. I'm guessing they want to take a break for now, because Lance is pretty set on his beliefs that people see Jesus by smoking shrooms (story for another day), and Alyssa was really into the lessons. However, it seems like since they're having relationship issues, they're going to focus on fixing that before continuing. Does all of that make sense? Blah. :( It bums me out. But it is what it is. Plus, people say that on average it takes 8 sets of missionaries before someone gets baptized. So we're just happy we were able to plant that seed and give it a little sun and water ;) (Alma 32:28)



On a happier note, we got a new and GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!! Man oh man, this one is good. So the Beazer's in our ward invited their neighbor, Elaine to church last Sunday. And she came and loved it. On the car ride home, Elaine was talking to Sister Beazer. She said, "So you guys don't drink coffee or tea, right?" Sister Beazer told her "no." And she said "Alright then. I'll just make myself a pot of camomile tea when I get home." The Beazers told us about this, and they were signed up to feed us dinner so we suggested that they invite Elaine to the message we share with them afterward. They thought that was a great idea! So they did, and she came, and oh my goodness that lady is the cutest thing in the whole wide world. Now, she hasn't got any teeth. Well, she has a few, but they'll probably be gone pretty soon. And whenever we say things she does this sort of "Mmmhmm!!" thing. I love it. Anyways, to make a long story short.... We shared a video with them- "Our true identity" and talked about our loving heavenly father and what it means to us to know that we are his children. And she was sharing stories and talking, and she was all over it! Then she started asking about the book of mormon and we gave her a copy and she had sister beazer write her a note in the front of it as a "dedication." And then she pointed to our Restoration pamphlet, which we use sometimes to teach the first lesson, and we gave her a copy! She said she's read it, and then she set up a time to meet again so we can teach her some more!! It was so amazing. I can't wait to teach this cute little old lady.

{Heritage Days}
Also, this week we volunteered at Heritage Days! It was so fun and exhausting! I'll send pics. We collected money for the food bank. People are so generous! Holy crap! Anyways, I gotta go! We have to catch our bus!! I love you all tons and tons!! :)


XOXO
Sister Robinson

8.11.15

So this week was great! Sister hatch and I taught 11 lessons! Woot! That's a super big accomplishment for us. We were working like mad. Let's see... There's this investigator named Thomas who I'm pretty sure I've talked about before. But he's doing so good! It seems like the Africans are the ones who are the most prepared to hear our message. He's practically a member already. He even called himself a "proxy member" in our lesson last Tuesday. We taught him about prophets and brought the trujillos from our ward and they immediately clicked when they met each other. It was funny, because they all have super thick accents. The trujillo's are from Columbia and Thomas is from Sierra Leone, so yeah. Super thick. Anyways, it was great! The spirit was strong. I love teaching him, because he always bears his testimony that he knows that what we teach him is true. He just can't get work off on Sundays! It's so frustrating. That is the only thing holding him back.

{The smiths are like our second family! We love them! Shaylene is on the left and Lillian is on the right}

We were also able to teach Alyssa this week! It was a miracle! We thought she was no longer interested, so we backed off, but then we got a text from her asking if we were free that night! Blessings! It went fairly well. It's just tough, because she won't come to church. That's seriously the hardest thing to get people to commit to. But oh well. We're doing our best! I don't have time to write about everything that happened this week, but overall it was an amazing week. I can definitely see that we are in the Lord's hands, and it is so amazing how he is able to help us do his work if we are willing! This transfer is almost over, and I'm anxious to see whether or not I'll get to stay with Sister Hatch. I love her! We're a good team! I've heard too many scary stories about companions that don't get along. I was definitely blessed to have her as my trainer. Alrighty, I've gotta get going. I love you!!

Sister Robinson :)

PS I'll send pics soon. I need to start carrying around my camera again, because the pictures we take on our ipads aren't very good quality.


8.18.15

My week was good! I just feel like I've lost the fire that I had when I first came out here... I don't know. It's frustrating. So by "lost the fire" I just mean it's super discouraging when people aren't progressing at the rate we want them to!! It's still enjoyable and all of that. I just want people to come to church and read the book of mormon, but they aren't! But we really did have a good week!


{temple day today!}
We taught Thomas the Word of Wisdom, and that was great! He was already following it (so golden), so we didn't have to explain much. He just got it. :) It really helps to bring the Trujillo's. He absolutely loves them. They're like bros. It's hilarious. HE NEEDS TO GET SUNDAYS OFF. That is literally the only thing holding him back! He knows it's true. He keeps all the commandments. He reads the Book of Mormon and prays daily. He considers himself a member, and even talks to people at work about what he's learning! I told you that his supervisor is taking the discussions now, right? We taught her a couple weeks ago, but since she's not in our area (Clareview), we had to give her to some elders over there. Bummer, but she and all of her kids are really interested and committed! (Yay Thomas!) So anyways, Sister Hatch and I are teaching him again tonight. We're going to invite him to fast with us so that he can get Sundays off and get dunked!! I really really want this to happen. Patience though, right?



Have I told you about Darlene? She's great. She really loves the church! Just one problem... She's a moonie. Ever heard of it? Hah. Well... To me they sound like a cult. They all worship this guy called Reverend Moon, who they consider to be on the same level as Christ. Which is really bad. In my humble opinion... They call him and his wife the "modern day Adam and Eve." Strange, right? And they do these mass arranged marriages, and mass baptisms too. However, there's a plus side to all this. I swear. She loves meeting with us and totally believes it's all true. She just won't drop her religion. Soooo that's that. This week we taught her about baptism and the gift of the holy ghost, and she asked a lot of questions about the priesthood. It was good! I'm not sure if it'll really go anywhere. We'll see. We're planning on inviting her to be baptized when we teach her this week, just to see where she's at.

Ooh my gosh, so you know Diana? She's our crazy. Hahaha. Well we were teaching her yesterday. We just went over the Plan of Salvation again. And sometimes she goes off on these tangents about nothing... Actually all the time. She talks a lot. Especially at church. In sunday school. Oh man, that's so stressful. Anyways, that's not the point. She was talking to us yesterday, and she told us that she blesses her cat... She even demonstrated it for us. She put her hand on his head and said "Dear Heavenal father, please bless this cat to have a long happy life." And she always says Heavenal Father instead of Heavenly Father too. It's cute. She's awesome. We now have her on date to be baptized September 19th!! Woot woot.





So transfers are next week!! Ahh. We find out on Monday who's going where. Cuhrazy!! Can you believe I've already been out for three months? I know I can't. I guess it doesn't seem like a ton of time compared to 18, but to me it seems like a lot. Anyways, I might be a trainer this next transfer.  President Manion told us when we first came out that by the time we finish our twelve weeks of training, we might become trainers. I guess there's a huge group of sisters coming out this next transfer. That's exciting though! I think I would like to be a trainer. It sounds fun. No one else seems to like it though. I just hope my next companion isn't a crazy pants, as Sister Hatch would say. But who knows? Maybe we'll both stay here in Clareview! You'll find out next week :) I hope I stay here.

Seestor Robinson


8.24.15



So yeah, the biggest news of the week is that I am training a new missionary starting tomorrow!! I can hardly believe it, but I'm stoked. It seems like I just barely got here, but apparently President Manion has so much faith in me that he believes I can train a newbie!! This is crazy stuff. He told me it would be a possibility when I first came out, because there are a lot of new sisters arriving this transfer. So it was always at the back of my mind. But I still just can't believe it!!! Oh boy oh boy ohhhhh boy.

So this week was really good! We were able to get back in contact with a few people who were kind of drifting away, and we taught quite a bit! I've been getting better at inviting people to be baptized. It's crazy, because we actually have the most success as missionaries when we invite people to be baptized in the very first lesson. I was totally shocked when they first told me that, but it makes sense now. I've seen a big difference in the people who we invite to be baptized in the first lesson and those that we don't. Anyways, we taught Elaine, who is that cute little old lady with no teeth that I told you about a little while ago. We taught the restoration, and toward the end of the lesson, Sister Hatch gave me a little nod and before I knew it I said "Elaine, when you pray and come to know for yourself that the things we are teaching you are true, will you be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" I couldn't believe those words came out of my mouth, but she said "I will pray, and if I find out that it is true, I will be baptized. But I want to continue learning more, before I do that!" WAHHOOO! It felt good.

Yesterday, we taught a lady named Cherril. She's great and we taught her the first lesson about a month ago and then lost contact. So last week we decided to stop by to see if she was home, and she was! It was a miracle for sure. We chatted for a little while, and then asked her if she was still interested in learning. She said "Yes, can you come over Friday?" We were like "hmmm... let me think about this... HECK TO THE YES!" So that was great! We taught her the plan of salvation, and she opened up to us a little more than last time. She's pretty quiet most of the time, so we just have to hope and pray that the spirit is working on her. Anyways, when we finished teaching, I extended another baptismal invitation without giving it a second thought! She said she was already baptized, so we had to explain why it is only valid in God's eyes if it is under the priesthood authority. It worked out. :) She said she's going to pray about it. Sounds good to me!



Currently, sister hatch and I are riding a bus to play sports with the rest of our district! It should be fun. Normally we don't go, but since this is the last Pday before transfers we decided to fit it into the good ol' schedule. How's your week going? Ours went really well! I'm just in a good mood overall. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that president asked me to train a brand new missionary tomorrow! I'm so stoked! A little nervous, but mostly excited. I'll miss sister hatch like crazy though. She's been an awesome companion. We are like best friends. It's a blast. I get to be as weird as I want when I'm with her, and she doesn't give it a second thought!

Overall, this week was just awesome. I love being a missionary! We are given the purpose to help others come unto Christ, along with a promise that if we rely on Him we will not fail! This week took a lot of faith, and with that faith came miracles. I am so so so thankful for this gospel and for the blessings it brings into so many people's lives. I hope you are allowing it to help you through every challenge you come across :) I know that our Heavenly Father will always see us through. ALWAYS. 


Sister Robinson :)

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