MLC again, sickness, life January 11, 2016

I think it is finally starting to set in that I am coming home. Preparation Days are really the biggest thing reminding me, emails about it for one, but also just knowing how many more p-days I have left. Really the only easy thing to count because all others days may as well be the same day. I believe it is sinking in. 3 weeks is pretty tangible as oppose to a month or a transfer. As coming with that is a mix of emotions. There is Joy and excitement knowing that I will be seeing those I love back home really soon, but sadness knowing that my purpose will not be exactly the same though similar, and a different calling, but peace knowing that God has just as much a plan for me there as he does here and that the Work of Salvation goes on at home just as much as it does here. Gratitude for the trials, the people I have met and helped, always having 2 companions Elder Haws as well as many others and the Holy Ghost, the things I have learned, the powerful and joyful experiences. I guess the biggest thing I feel I will be leaving with is a greater knowledge and understanding of my purpose in life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has come with being engaged in this work. I guess my biggest hope is that I really did leave this place having touched the lives of all those who the Lord hoped I would. I got to be the recipient of many great blessings, but it was never about me. I have come to know of the Lords love for each of us and each of Heavenly Father's children. The purity of it, and the strength and enabling power behind it. I hope that I truly was the instrument in God's hands to touch the lives of His children here, that as I leave that they have felt the influence of God's love.
This last week we had a great experience reading the Book of Mormon with Jodene, we were going verse by verse practically phrase by phrase but we were trying to help her clear her mind to gain understanding as she was reading. The Spirit was really powerful with us when we were doing that and we could feel it working through her to understand what she was reading. As she cleared her mind and allowed God to place the understanding there, it came.
We went out to Halfway (about 53 miles away in part of our area) and met a couple kids out there who have been taught previously, but their parents didn't really feel like the kids were taking it seriously enough so they put the kibosh on them learning. But they seem to have a strong desire again and the Pine Valley Branch out there that they are attending they like a lot (the parents do) so they have been going very frequently now.
We were teaching Michael and Anthony last week again but they contracted a really bad sickness that is going to keep Michael from being baptized in these next couple weeks. We won't even be able to meet with him sadly.
We are going to be having 3 of the members of the Quorum of the Seventy come to a Mission Leadership Council on this Saturday and next (not this) but next Wednesday there will be a worldwide training for all of the missionaries. We have a lot of opportunity to learn from our Leaders and the Lord. They are going to be discussing with us a lot of different topics.
Ronny came to church! He called up some of the ward council members and worked out a ride for himself without even telling us! It was cool to just be walking up to the door at church and see Him get out the Ward Mission Leader's car! He enjoyed it a lot and we are hoping that he will continue to make changes in his life for the better!
Jean out in Baker Valley Ward also has a desire to be baptized and she finally feels like she understands why we have a Book of Mormon. She has a renewed desire to follow God's teachings and bring her life more in harmony with those teachings. She is just working on Sundays and it is making it hard for her to come to church. She recognizes that she is not really justified in her reasoning either, so she is trying to fix things to make it possible. God is preparing people all around us, we just need to have the courage and faith to ask and see if people really want to hear more and know how to find that guidance. It feels like there is all sorts of potential just popping up all around us, independently of us, and then God has been sending it our way. The work is moving forward in Baker City. I love you all!
Sincerely,
Elder Roberts

Good Week, People Popping Out of Nowhere January 4th, 2016

So this last week was a pretty awesome week, we saw a lot of good things happen as well as the rest of the zone did. We have had a bunch of people getting a hold of us lately and telling us they want to be taught or members telling us about people that want to be taught. Or at least it feels like it has been a lot. There are a couple kids who have been going to this member lady's day care that want to learn. The younger son named Michael (11) wants to get baptized, the older son Anthony(13) does not yet. Michael is really enthusiastic about it, and Anthony is struggling cause of some past experiences he has had with God. He doesn't really know if God is there. We are feeling we will need to teach him independently of his brother.
Another girl, (her name is Elle) just called us last night telling us she is in 3 Nephi and she knows the Book of Mormon is true, she is just nervous about what her parents will have to say about it as they are both pastors of another church. She has a strong belief in God already and knows how to receive answers from God. We are trying to make contact with her before Wednesday to give her a blessing as she just recently tore her ACL. She has an interesting story that she took a little while telling us but she seems to be in a good place.
We also got to see Tim again this week. He thinks the plan of salvation makes sense to him, but he is having a harder time understanding the significance of baptism. He halfway understands it and we have had a few appointments fall through with him this last week. Jodene is struggling in the rehab place but she knows it is meant to help her, so she is trying her best. She also received the answer that the Book of Mormon is true by praying and asking and then flipping to a random page and finding the last page in Moroni 10:27-30 and she has been reading it pretty frequently. She has been finding a lot spiritual power that has been a great help to her! She is pretty happy! We were also able to get in contact with a guy named Ronny who really wants to change his life and has just seen so much good come from the members of the church that he knew that was where he needed to start. He is not keeping a appointments very well either though. Love you all!
Sincerely,
Elder Roberts

Last Transfer Begins, Awesome Zone, Staying December 14th, 2015

We are down to the last transfer and it feels weird. The time flies by so fast. But I have been blessed to stay with Elder Haws for this last transfer! Our zone just shrank from 20 missionaries to 12 missionaries and we only have 2 districts in our zone now. But we have such a stellar zone and we are so excited for this next transfer, sadly Union, my second area was just combined with the other la grande area. We have been starting to come up with ways to help the members in this area start doing more missionary work. And we have received a lot of revelation concerning this matter and we have been working with the bishop and ward mission leader to come up with it.
With Jodene, sadly she had some stuff going on with her teeth this week that put her through a lot of pain, but we ended up showing up at the perfect time to give her a blessing. I haven't mentioned this yet, but on a few of the lessons that we taught her there was a guy who had noticed a change in her, and he wanted to come and see what it was like for himself and he ended up coming to church a couple times so far as well, we genuinely just thought for a long time he was tagging along just for her and kinda just watch and make sure we weren't doing anything weird. But this last week we have been able to start teaching him as an individual and he is . Jodene has also stared sharing the things we have been teaching her with other people as well and there are a couple people who are interested in us meeting with them since Jodene started talking to them. It is pretty awesome! As people are truly touched and start making changes in their lives people around notice and the desire to share overcomes our fears. During this Christmas seasons what gift can we give Christ? Why not give someone the gift of eternal life and an eternal perspective and in doing so give Christ a gift. Look for ways to serve those around you, shovel walks, sing Christmas carols at senior centers or drug rehab centers. Look for those who may not have a Christmas and look for someway to help them. There is the pure love of Christ in the air this Christmas season, turn to help others and do not focus on what you want and you will have a more Merry Christmas than you ever have. I love you all!
Sincerely,
Elder Roberts
Watch this video!
https://www.mormon.org/christmas/stuart-edge
look for someone around you whose heart may be hurting.

Another Exchange, Revelation December 7th, 2015

This week we went on another exchange with a different district leader in our zone. It was good and me and him talked about a lot of good things in seeking to improve his work and his district. I have been struggling with knowing how to help a few different missionaries in the zone, but I received some very important revelation this last week concerning that. Christ in His teachings focused on those who wanted to repent, those who want to progress and become better. In our missionary work we are supposed to focus on those who are seeking to better their lives and repent and develop faith in him. And It hit me, that not everyone even missionaries want to become better and progress in their lives. We should love everyone always as Christ did and still invite those who don't want to improve to do so, but do not focus on it. This district leader wants to improve and become better and as we focus on helping him we can. In all of our callings and responsibilities there are those who do and don't want to progress, and as we focus on those who do want to progress we will see a lot of growth. That does not mean we don't continue to help and love those who don't, but that we should not bang our heads against walls that don't want to move.
Another thing is how does God see us? Am I a wall he is banging his head against? I would say all of us are at different points, but we need to continually be seeking ways to repent. If we are convinced that we are doing well and that we have nothing to work on, Satan has us deceived. God can only mold us as we humble ourselves and put ourselves in his hands. Like the talk that says What lack I yet? I would invite anyone who feels comfortable to ask that question in prayer and open your heart and be ready to receive and do whatever is said. I have seen the fruits and it is very hard but very beneficial.
Sadly Chrisy was sick this last week, but we will be seeing her again soon. We also met another lady named Tanya who used to meet with missionaries over in Portland. She said that we could come by and teach her family. That is going to be great! Damion was supposed to come to church this last week but we were told that he is sick as well. Jodene came to church though and she is doing well. She is reading her scriptures and striving live the word of wisdom. Things are going well up her in Baker City. I love you all!
Elder Roberts

Zone Conference, Jodene, November 23, 2015

This last week we had zone conference, and it was powerful. We learned more about the significant role the members of the church have to play in the work of salvation and how important it is that we get them involved and doing missionary work. And we had the opportunity to teach a lady named Jodene. We taught her the plan of salvation on tuesday and the gospel of Jesus Christ on thursday. There is a much brighter light in her now than ever before and she really wants to get baptized but will have to wait awhile for her probation. She is excited though and wants to work toward it. She came to church as well and she loved it. She is feeling good and her boyfriend came to church as well and has sat in on the last couple lessons. He noticed a big change in her and the light that she has and he wanted to know what has changed her.
I know that the gospel is real and that it really can help us overcome all struggles that we face and get us through the hard times and the painful times. As we rely on the atonement of Christ all things can be made right. This life is just a small part of the eternities. But our eternity includes now. The way we choose to live now the person we decide to be. I am grateful for the power of the atonement and how it changes us. But we can not allow Satan drag us back down, even through just the appearance of evil. We must cleave to light and to all that God wants us to and do not Wink at sin. Christ never did. Remember Him.

Elder Haws, MLC, Book of Mormon November 16, 2015

So this last week has been good. For some reason the first week of transfers as a zone leader always feels like it goes on forever, probably due to the amount of meetings we are in and prepare for. There is a lot of planning that goes into it. Mission Leadership Council is always powerful and it was largely centered on the Book of Mormon this transfer. It rekindled my love for the Book of Mormon and that was the central feature of our training for the zone meeting. The Book of Mormon plays a huge role in our conversion, but is also a huge source of strength and power, as well as it teaches us so much about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It helps those who read with a sincere heart to know how to develop faith and to repent. As we do so we are able to become more like Christ and be able to feel more of His love and share it more as well. It is awesome to see the power of the Book of Mormon work in people's lives, missionaries and investigators alike. The Book of Mormon can change people's lives as people are willing to experiment upon the word. As we do God will magnify us and we will see the fruit's in our lives.
We got to go to an appointment with the Bishop of the ward yesterday, he is the people's home teacher and he hadn't met them yet. We were teaching the second lesson. The people's names are Loren, Cherie and her daughter Boston. Boston is 9 and not baptized and Loren is not baptized either, but they are both sincere in their desire to learn and eventually be baptized. Cherie was raised in the church but due to different circumstances at different times she has fallen away. Also a less active father that we have been teaching his Mom and his daughter destiny, decided without prompting from us to read the entire Book of Mormon by the end of the year. His desire is to baptize his daughter and son and to become active in the church again. He is staying on track so far in reading what he needs to, to finish the Book of Mormon. And he is getting a lot of it too because he has been coming to us with questions.
Elder Haws is great! Truthfully I feel like I have known him forever and that we have already been serving with each other for a long time. Things just click. Inline image 1
This picture is out in front of our house. We also got some snow yesterday. Elder Haw's being from California doesn't like the cold, so snow is a bad sign.
This next week we have zone conference so we will be having a whole lot more opportunity to work, because we won't be having to go to district meetings almost everyday. It will be awesome!
love ya!
Elder Roberts

Power and Authority November 2nd, 2015

So I think I mentioned this last week in my email, but the Assistants had a meeting with us about the weight of our calling and the power and authority of it. It has been cool to see the change I have seen in myself and the work in our area just in this last week since then, but also the potential it has to be changing the zone, starting with the district leaders. I feel the district leaders are starting to recognize the significance of their roles more and more, as missionaries and as mission leaders and in leading their district. It is pretty awesome. Also, just how the Holy Ghost makes us feel when something is being done right. Things just feel good and right after they were done to the full measure expected, or even just to an improved measure. The Assistants to the Mission President are now expecting a bit more from us in what we report, and it felt good reporting, also when we talked to the district leaders we expected more as well, and after all of the reporting it just felt good, and it makes me look forward to doing it again this next week. Seemingly simple, but the Spirit confirms to us when we are doing the right thing in the right way, and it just feels good.

We have felt a lot of difference in our work, we have been a lot more bold and at the same time we have felt the Spirit and the love of God working through us. Sadly we still have fallen through appointments, of course, and some of the people who wanted to learn were kind of shot down by family members, but we are seeing good things happening. We cover a branch called Pine Valley out in the farther parts of our area and we taught the family the last lesson they needed in order for the daughters to get baptized. They will be going out to central Idaho for the baptism though, because there is family out there who would not be able to make the trip out here.
I went on exchanges with Elder Anien from the Marshall Islands this last week as well and that went great. He is a pretty shy Elder and doesn't really know how to go up and talk to people, which truthfully I still feel not great at. But I shared with him a lot of the things that my trainer Elder Morse had shared with me and taught me in doing so. I thought it was good because I could really relate to him in that and I wanted to help him to be able to do it as well.
I don't know If I mentioned that we started getting into family history about a week ago and now we are starting to use it more in our proselyting. We will be having a few people coming to the family history center this week to learn how to do it. It is pretty great and it brings such great joy and peace. We are hoping to see some good things from those coming to do it with us.
love,
Elder Roberts