He's still alive... and eating

Dad,

I want to thank you for being such a great example to me and for being an amazing Father. I feel like I haven't been very thankful, and I also wanted to thank you for paying for my mission. It is a great experience so far. My first area is Fruitland Idaho, which is on the Idaho side of Ontario (which is in Oregon). My companion is awesome and nice. He is just kind of hard to figure out. He is very quiet sometimes but extremely friendly and personable at other times. He is always nice though. But I don't have any exciting experiences in the field yet as it is the morning of my first day. I'll let you know when stuff happens. But I am learning a lot and I am excited to learn more. We are being taken out to dinner tonight for teriyaki by one of the ward mission leaders. So yeah. I guess this would have been better to tell Mom, but I am eating and staying alive. I try to make sure that I am eating healthy so that I can serve to my full ability. ... I am expecting hard work, but so far we haven't done anything extremely taxing. Tell me how Jake is from your point of view as he probably wouldn't tell me the same things you would. Thank you so much and I love you all. I'll email again on Monday as that is my P-day now. and Mom has my address and some instructions.

Love,

KJ or Elder Roberts

Pictures!

New companion: Elder Morse I believe?

Mission President and wife

Growing experiences

Dear Family,

This has been great experience and yesterday was the happiest day so far. Everything just went right. In the morning we taught a new TRC (teacher resource center) investigator. (description of what that is below) His name is Nick and we mostly just learned about how wrong the bio we had received about him was wrong. And me and my companion, Elder Hulet were quite frustrated. We were then asked to give a blessing to one of the Sisters, which we have given about 6 blessings so far, and I gave 2 of them. They were great. But this blessing helped me and Elder Hulet clear our minds and be open to the spirit. We then taught another "investigator" as this was our teacher role playing a sister she had taught on her mission. Because we were so in tune with the spirit we gave the best lesson we have yet and did more than we had expected to. The Sister we had given a blessing beforehand, had actually prayed and asked who was supposed to give her the blessing and it was me and Elder Hulet. Because of that we were able to give the best lesson we have yet. After the lesson we learned that this investigator that the teacher had taught on her own mission, actually just moved in with her. She was having a hard time in her life and the lesson we taught helped the teacher receive guidance on how to help the real Lita (who is the person we were teaching). We realized that our lessons had more meaning that I thought and that we were actually helping the real Lita. This experience has brought me closer to know the love of the Savior for not only us, but for the people we teach. I know somewhat of the Saviors love for the people that we teach and how he wants their joy and happiness.

But I just had a very interesting experience with a TRC (teacher resource center) investigator, which means that it is a person who either comes in and plays an investigator they knew, or real investigators, and it was saddening. I felt completely ready and knew the spirit was with me and the power of God was on my side. I set a goal to commit him to baptism which was a high goal and one I knew I could not do without God's help, which is a principle I learned from Dad. I knew that through God's help that we could accomplish this goal. But I realized something big after this lesson. That even if I were a perfect missionary, and I was doing everything right and taught the lesson by the spirit, it does not matter. The investigator has to be ready for the message. And this investigator, who both me and my companion believe to be an actual and real investigator, was most definitely not ready. And I can truly feel the sadness of our Heavenly Father, and his love for Nick (the investigator). I want the best for him and for him to learn. But he is not ready, and something in his life will have to change him. Because we can not.

I know of the Savior's love for his children and how he wants to help them to find happiness in their lives. And I am so happy I have had these experiences so early on so that I can remember them and use them to help me in my mission experience. I am so glad for this opportunity to come out and serve the Lord and to be an instrument in his hand. I know that through the touch of the Master's hand I can help create beautiful music, and accomplish his work.

Love,

KJ or Elder Roberts

First letter from this kid

Dear Mom and Dad,

The first few days at the MTC have been very good. There is only one thing I can even somewhat compare it to, but it is still quite different, and that is efy. The schedule is always quite filled which is good, and we are always learning and building our testimonies.

On the first day we did some interviews with "investigators" as a group of about 40 missionaries. The investigators had real stories of people that had been taught in the past. Even as a group of 40 missionaries, with the many different answers that could be given, it was hard. But I could feel and the investigators could feel that we were not just sympathizing, but that we actually cared about them. I could feel it and many others could too.

My companion's name is Elder Hulet. He is a fun Elder who used to bow hunt in his "previous life." He is a pretty soft spoken person, but as I am getting to know him he is opening up a little more. He is a good first companion from what I can tell, as he is easy to get along with. We received assignments last night and I was assigned Sacrament Coordinator, and he was assigned District Leader. But as we are leaving on the 18th (he is going to Nampa Idaho too, and so far that we know of there are only 2 Elders going to Nampa and 5 Sisters) we will only have the opportunity to use these callings for about a week.

The other companionship that stays with us is Elder Shingleton and Elder Walch. They are both pretty cool, but I think Elder Walch is having a hard time but isn't fully willing to say it. He seems to be having issues. Elder Shingleton is a very interesting and cool Elder. He is a surfer from the east coast, from North Carolina. He misses his family probably more than anyone else and I think it is kind of sweet. Truthfully, I have only had a few times where I have thought about home in a longing way, and the people I miss. I am doing pretty well as far as I am concerned. I am kind of anxious to get out into the field though. But the MTC isn't bad, I enjoy it, and I look forward to the stuff I will be doing here.

I want to let everyone know of my love for Christ and the love that he has for each one of us, as missionaries and those at home as well. I know that this church is true and that Jesus wants us to find the truth and cleave unto it because it will make us happy. Jesus Christ wants the best for us, and we can achieve that through the gospel.