Week 60 - Leaving Chowchilla and a District Leader

I'm being transfered. I'm going to go down to Selma in the Hanford zone which is a complete Spanish area. It will be pretty nice to be able to practice my Spanish a lot again! I also got called to be a District Leader down there so I am super excited for that. A little nervous because I know that it will require more of me but I know that Heavenly Father will help me be able to do whatever I need to do! I am going to miss the people of Chowchilla a TON! They are pretty much like my home ward now away from home. It's been sad saying bye already to a few of them.

Aureliano did not get baptized. he wants to wait for the 8th of August but is coming to church every week and progressing really well!! As for Salina, she's pretty sad that I'm leaving. We've been through a lot and she has come so far. But she is planning on getting married to her boyfriend on August 29th and being baptized that day. So I'll probably be heading back to Chowchilla for that. But it still is amazing to me just to see how the gospel has changed her life. All we did was encourage and invite. She literally did the rest. It took a while for her to fully commit. But when she did...miracle after miracle after miracle!! It's been amazing. Her story has definitely helped me strengthen my testimony in a big way!

One other note, our car broke this past week. Yes I know "first world mission probs" But it was the most annoying thing ever! We had to miss like a whole half of a day running it to the shop so that it can be fixed. Then we got to dust off the good ole bikes and ride those all of Sunday. It was actually kind of fun getting back on that thing. It kind of makes the missionary experience a little more real because it's kind of something I've always associated with missionary work. But the car is all fixed and we have it back so it's all good.

I'm so sad to hear about Austin [McMeans, a high school friend who passed away this past week]. I'll definitely keep his family in my prayers. It's so sad. It is a scary world and only going to get scarier I don't know where I would be if i didn't have the light of the gospel to give me hope and joy to keep going. That's one of the best things about being a missionary because we are able to take that to everyone else and help them realize that for themselves.

I'm excited and apprehensive to leave Chowchilla! I'm excited to go onto something new and start some new adventures. It'll be nice visiting after my mission though to see all of the people I'm about to leave behind. It's crazy...I only have like 10 months left. I'm going to give this 10 months everything. I can't believe how fast this has gone and it is a bit unfair... time should go slower. haha. I love all of y'all so much and hope that y'all have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Elder Collins and I getting Jamba Juice for his very first time. He loved it! hah

Jamba Juice Selfie

Me trimming Elder Collins eye brows. They were large and in charge so we took a hair trimmer and used those. haha

Week 59 - Unexpected blessing from reading The Book of Mormon

So this week was amazing!! We were able to see some amazing miracles happen with Salina. Long story short, she was in the welfare office and was reading her Book of Mormon to pass the time (she has been reading every day) and caught the eye of a less active worker at the office. The worker was so touched that she has been pulling every string possible to help Salina find a place. Not only is Salina going to find housing through this but her testimony of the Book of Mormon is so incredibly solid now!! Oh the wonderful blessings the Lord has in store for each one of us as we keep the commandments. Today we will find out some of the final things to know if she got into an apartment or not. Things are looking up though.

As well, we are going to be having a baptism this week, hopefully, for a little Mexican man Aureliano. He still is nervous about it but we know that he is ready and I know that he is going to see it as he reads and prays this week. Oh how I love the power of God and how nice it is that we don't have to rely on ourselves but  get to rely on him. It is so true what Ammon says when he says "in His strength, I can do all things".

We found 12 new investigators this week. It was incredible. I absolutely love what the Lord is doing here in Chowchilla. We found this one family named the Mosquedas. They have been taught a lot by the missionaries but not in forever. Their little daughter, Liz came out with like  12 books that they had which consisted of copies of the Book of Mormon, bibles, and other church books. They are sooooo prepared! We are so excited for them. We also found a bunch of really awesome investigators throughh some of the referrals that we have been getting. All in all, the work is hastening greatly here!!!

I am so grateful for all you and hope that y'all have a wonderful week. Let me know if there is anything at all that I can do for y'all and thank y'all for all the prayers they are truly felt. :) Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for the next week #baptism

Love,

Elder Robertson

Doing Service. Sweet socks.

At a ward member's daughter's birthday party

At a ward member's daughter's birthday party

Us being bros and stuff with some coke cans

Us being bros and stuff with some coke cans

Week 58 - Learning Empathy

So Salina is now homeless. This past week was super hard. She has been just going through everything and we've been feeling all of it. It's been super rough. But it's all in God's hands now and I think that we will be able to be a little more at peace with that. I will give you an update next week on everything with her. But it's been so hard to watch someone go through that. I truly have learned what it means to have empathy and it's not something that is fun. But I'm so grateful for the Lord's help and everything that he is doing everything that He can and I know it.

We were able to find some awesome new investigators! We are seeing so many blessings and miracles from applying what our president is asking us to do. I love it. So Elder Collins and I realized something the other day... this might not be 100% true but it is something interesting. As missionaries in Chowchilla we hardly have any success with people who don't speak Spanish. But we have all of our success with people who do. Now this could be just because Spanish people are humble and love to listen to us or because we are Spanish called Elders. Either way it's an interesting observation that we have noticed.

So I'll have to be honest.. I've definitely found out what it means to be "content" as a missionary and I hate it! I realized the other day that I've been getting way too content with what I have and who I am. I am dedicated to just work now. Y'all's emails literally always inspire me! It makes me realize that I need to be the best that I can be and I will continue to be better. I love y'all for it. Thank you so much for being such an amazing family and really showing me what it means to work hard and to be diligent with work and with the Lord. I love y'allllllll. Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Weird fish jerky stuff... it wasn't bad but weird because it was soooo chewy

The Long family. They are awesome and gave us dinner the other night on suuuper short notice!

Week 57 - 'MURICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th of July! :) I got to watch fireworks which was really cool.

A lot has been going on this past week. Regarding the Supreme Court decision,  it hasn't really been a big deal here. So far no one's really asked us about it. So I haven't had to deal with it a lot.

And I was really sad to hear about Boyd K Packer's Passing.

We had some good lessons this past week and found some great new investigators! There's a deaf girl who we're gonna start trying to teach. We're learning how to use sign language. It's so cool! She's like the nicest girl I've ever met!! But I'm so excited to start teaching her! #learning3languages hahah.

Elder Collins and I area working real hard to be able to get baptisms this month! We are just talking to everyone! I'm stoked to see the miracles as we are exactly obedient. There is a new rule in our mission. We are allowed to stay out proselyting until 10 now and don't go to bed till 11... so that's super weird! But we'll see how that is.

We're working really hard to get Salina to be able to get baptized! She is working sooo hard to get there. She was at church this last week and loved it. It's so fun watching investigators just flourish at church. She's just enveloped in the ward and loves every second of it! She has some huuuuge problems to work through so please pray for her, she needs it!

But hey I love y'all so much and hope y'all have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

4th of July Fireworks

Getting ready for the 4th fireworks

I put all the pictures from the church in our Clerk's office while Elder Collins was emailing hahaha