Week 103 - My Parting Testimony

[Elder Robertson returns home from his 2-Year Mission on Wednesday, May 25. This is his last letter home.]

THE BAPTISM HAPPENED AND IT WAS SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL! I'm just gonna send y'all my testimony for my last email and then I will tell y'all all the stories in a couple of days. :) I love y'all!!

After two years of serving the Lord every waking moment of every day, I've come to know many truths. I think the most profound and the one that has impacted me the most is the reality of the Savior's infinite Atonement.

I remember 2 years ago I always thought it was interesting and even a little peculiar how all of the seasoned missionaries would always talk about the Atonement. I had always thought of the Atonement as what we have to use when we make a mistake. On that note, I have definitely gained a testimony of that as well (that being the cleansing and healing power of the Atonement). I have come to learn the other half of it, the enabling power of the Atonement. I'm sure at some point, probably multiple, I had been taught about it in church. Furthermore, I'm sure I even thought that I understood what it was! Ha. I didn't have a clue.

With love and appreciation to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I can now say that I know what it is. I don't by any means fully understand it or even fully comprehend exactly what it means. What I do know is that it is real. ANY challenge or hardship in my life that I am going through can be worked through with it. I know that the Atonement is real because I have felt it. I have felt my physical body and emotional self be wasted to the point of giving up and something carries me the rest of the way. I have seen my inadequacies grow to strengths so that I can do what the Lord needs me to do when He needs me to do it.

I don't think I will ever be able to effectively put into words the love I have for my Savior. I know that He is the Only Begotten of the Father. I know that He suffered and died for everyone but more specifically, for me. I know that. I know that He loves me more that I know and He will always be there for me. I know that I have a Father in Heaven who is all powerful and wants nothing more than to help me succeed in this life and in the next. I know that for that exact reason He sent His Son and the Holy Ghost. I know that with all three of them and their incredible and unique roles I can live with my Heavenly Father again.

The restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ beginning with the first vision in 1820 is a fact. It happened. There's no way it didn't. We have undeniable evidence found throughout every page in the Book of Mormon. That book is pure gold. Through the precepts and principles found in it we can gain eternal life. I know that book is true. I have seen it change my life. More so, I have seen it change the lives of so many others. Through Joseph Smith and the priesthood keys which were restored to him we can once again, in these latter days, access the precious gift of the Atonement that our Savior gave to us.

I love this gospel with all of my heart. There are so many other things that I would love to share but these are the fundamentals. I know that there is no other way to get back to heaven than through our Savior, Jesus Christ. I have served him for 2 years with everything I had. My only wish now is to serve him forever with everything that I have. I say all of these things en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

I love y'all and can't wait to see y'all!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

The Rodriguez family baptism

And the sisters baptism! She's 85! It was super neat. It was an amazing day for sure.

Week 102 - We had 14 people come to church

I hope that y'all had a great last week! Ours was awesome. We had 14 people come to church this last Sunday!! It was really awesome. We had a new investigator that we found this last week named Juan Carlos. He's super cool and seems like he is super interested in the gospel. He gave us a maybe for church this last Sunday so we weren't really expecting him to come. But he did!! It was awesome. It seemed like he really liked it as well. We also had 2 families come which was super awesome. I love when families come. They really are the best to teach because they get to enjoy everything that the church has to offer.

The Rodriguez family is getting baptized on Sunday!!! It's going to be so exciting!! They're so awesome and prepared. Erick (the dad) and Miclo (the 15 yr old son) went on the Father Son campout with the stake. They LOVED it. They came back and were just telling us story after story of how great it was. They were also talking like they were members they kept saying oh si, todos los barrios de la estaca estaban. Conocimos al presidente de la estaca. y el hermano esto hizo esto y el otro hermano hizo esta. They were pretty much just using all the lingo. It was really cool. They were at church and are super excited to get baptized this upcoming Sunday.

We ate dinner with our bishop's family last night. They're an amazing family. He gave us a really amazing compliment. There used to be 10 missionaries serving in this ward. He told us that we are doing as much if not more work than they were doing. It was an amazing compliment and helped us stay fired up to keep working hard. He's an amazing bishop and helping the ward out a ton. I'm going to miss this ward more than I can describe!

Other than that it was just a wonderful week of teaching people the wonderful gospel and such! I love my mission and I'm excited for all the things the Lord has in store for this week. I love y'all tons!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Our bishop and his family. The Chandler Family

Us with some luchador masks!

Week 101 - Happy Mother's Day

It was so fun talking to y'all yesterday!! Oh how excited I am to be able to just hang out with y'all and talk and laugh. It'll be wonderful. Mom, happy mother's day again. I really do think it's amazing how much you have and do sacrifice for us! That goes for you too Dad! It really blows me away :)

This past week was good. I had a great time with our new investigators who all came to church, the Rodriguez family! We're really hoping for amazing things with them. I think they might even get baptized before I leave :D I'm sorry my letter is short but I don't have a ton of time! I'll talk to y'all next week. I love y'all soooo much! The Sequoias were amazing as well!!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

[We got to talk to Matt on Mother's Day via Skype. This is our 4th and final Skype during his mission.]

One last trip to the Sequoias before I head home.

A really big tree

Week 100 - ¡¡Felice Cien!!

It was really weird yesterday because it was my last fast and testimony meeting on my mission. I, of course, got up and bore my testimony. I'm super sad that I'm having to do my "last" of some things... it's really weird.

It was a great week though! Elder Olsen and I found 10 new people to teach!!! WOOOO!! We also got to see the amazing baptism of Angelica and Moises. It seriously went amazingly. I loved watching them get baptized. I loved especially seeing Angelica's husband, Javi (short for Javier), baptize his wife. It was a very special day. Angelica shared her testimony at her baptism and it was so beautiful!!! She talked about how she knew that she had taken one step closer to heavenly father and that he will always be there with her through the hard times. It was a very amazing testimony as well as an amazing service. They are doing so well and have already talked and are working on setting a date to be sealed!!!!! Moises also loved it and shared with us some really neat things about how he knew how important it was that he had gotten baptized. He's 11 and seriously understands the gospel so very well, it's amazing.

Maria and her family didn't come to church though... that was sad! We were really hoping for them to come. But I'm sure they'll be there next week. They're going to get baptized soon as well which is super awesome! It's amazing how many prepared people there are here! We met with this really cool Salvadoreña family last night and met more of their family members! One of them was even talking about how he wants to learn from us so that one day his son can go on a mission! How cool!!!

Although Maria and her family didn't come we had a cool miracle happen! His name is Jose! He walked into Sacrament meeting and says that he wants to be a part of our church! He stayed for all three hours and loved the classes. It was suuuuper cool! It was a really nice blessing as well because we were pretty down about Maria not coming. He's an older gentleman but very spry. He's around 80 yrs old or so!! He knows his Bible very well though. Hopefully he'll see the truth in the church and progress!! We're very excited!

I love y'all a ton and love my mission. There is no greater place on Earth than being where God wants you to be! I know that where I am is that place. I love this gospel and I love my Savior! Gracias por todo lo que hagan para mi!! Les amo mucho!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Angelica and her husband Javier who baptized her

Moises before getting baptized

Moises before his baptism

Week 99 - Raquel's Baptism

Great week this last week! I'm just gonna tell like 3 stories cause there were some really cool ones this last week!!

Raquel: Oh the baptism was so amazing. It was so neat to watch her get baptized. I think the coolest part though was her testimony. She has the sweetest and strongest testimony. At her baptism she got the opportunity to share it. She bore a powerful testimony about prayer and how she had received an undeniable witness that this is the true church. She has worked through a ton to get her to where she is today! It was amazing to see it. Plus it's kinda cool. They're actually moving to Visalia here shortly so I'll be able to visit them! :D Tender mercies!!!

La familia Salvadoreña: Esta familia es increíble! A penas se muvieron de allí paraca. Conocimos al papa hace como 2 semanas. Enseñamos a él y no lo hemos visto desde entonces. Pues anoche tuvimos una inspiración de ir y visitarles. Que inspiración era!!! Todo su familia estaba y enseñamos a todos de ellos. El tiene 2 hijos. Una chica se llama Christela, ella tiene 16 años. Y tambien Marvin! El tiene 12 años. Les enseñamos la restauración!! El espíritu fue super fuerte en la lección. Tengo mucha esperanza por ellos!!!! Creo que todos van a progresar en el evangelio y llegar a ser bautizados. Yee :)

Amber: So this one is suuuper cool. It doesn't have anything to do with my area though. I was on an exchange with Elder Mo'o (one of the assistants). We were having a decent night but not really teaching a whole lot of people. We visited this lady named Amber who was a potential. She was super cool and friendly towards us. She told us she had quite a bit of family that were members of the church but that she didn't really have  any interest in joining because she didn't believe quite a few points of our doctrine. Elder Mo'o and I shared an amazing lesson on the spirit and how God answers prayers. We talked about why it is so important to listen to your heart AND to your mind because that's how God communicates to us through the Holy Ghost. It was a spiritual lesson and we had a lot of hopes that her heart might be softened after that lesson and that she'd want to listen to us a little bit more.

So it was pretty cool but I didn't think a ton of it. Well yesterday I got a call from Elder Mo'o and Elder Checketts. They were super ecstatic and almost on the verge of yelling haha. They told me that Amber had actually come to church and stayed for all 3 hours she said that she had been super touched by our lesson a few nights before and she had taken it all to heart and was searching the scriptures and opened to a scripture that, paraphrasing, talks about the need for a restoration. She said that it was the first time that something started to make sense in her mind and that she felt with her heart as well! They set a date with her at church to be baptized on the 21st of May!!! It was a super cool miracle even though it didn't happen in my area! I might get to go back and see her baptism!!

Just some cool stories from this last week. There are many more and I'll share em with you some day! I love y'all so much and am so grateful for all the support! Please let me know if there's anything at all that I can do for y'all!! Tyler!! Keep preparing hard for the mission :) I'm so proud of you going through the temple! That is soooo awesome!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Raquel's baptism!!

Week 98 - I'm finishing in Visalia!

Okay... Y'all there is a hidden treasure here in the valley. It's called Visalia!! This place is amazing and so is the ward. I seriously love it here. This city is actually a lot like Austin which is kind of cool. It has some of the similar cultures and such. But my new companion Elder Olsen is awesome!!! We're like exactly the same. It's pretty awesome. We're working suuuuper hard. We have 5 baptisms lined up for the 30th of this month and I get to go back and see Raquel's baptism this Friday!!!! This transfer is seriously going to be one I'll never forget. I've already fallen in love with this ward and I'm super sad I only get to be here one transfer. Heck, I'd live in this city! I really do love it. So just to give you a bit of info on some of the wonderful people we're teaching.

La familia Reyna (Maria, Maggie, and José): They are an awesome family with the most sincere desire ever! They came to church yesterday and loved every minute of it. It was so fun watching them leave after the third hour with huge smiles on their faces and an excitement to keep progressing in the gospel. They are all so solid. Maggie has read like half the children's book of mormon and we gave it to her like 4 days ago haha. Maria can't read unfortunately but no worries, that doesn't get her down at all. We downloaded the gospel library app on her phone and taught her how to play the audio version... she's read (listened) every single day since then and is on chapter 12 or so of 1 Nephi. They're amazing!

Angelica: She's suuuper cool. She's 21 and a newly wed of a LA member named Javier. Javier has since come back to church and is fully worthy to baptize her now!!! So that's super exciting. She is super awesome and loves the church. She also has been reading pretty consistently which is amazing. We were teaching her about Joseph Smith the other day (reviewing the first lesson even though she'd been taught it already) and she said the coolest thing! She talked about how she knows the Book of Mormon is true because when she reads it she feels it is true.. She said that she can't deny that she feels the spirit every time she reads it!! WOW! I can't wait for a year from now when I get to fly back to Fresno and watch these 2 get sealed together for all eternity with their little baby boy!

Moises: He is an 11 yr old of a less active family. They have since come back to church and are doing great. He's so awesome! He's one of the brightest kids I've ever met!!! We taught him the 10 commandments the other day and he remembered like all of them. I'm super excited for him. I really think it's amazing how somebody that age is really able to understand the baptismal covenant. We were going over the baptismal questions with him and he has the neatest testimony of what it means to repent. It really is amazing to me how simple this gospel really is! I love it!!!

Oh there are sooooo many other miracles!! We found 8 new investigators this past week as well. It was amazing!!! I'm super excited to see what miracles keep happening here. This is a really special place and one I will never forget. I love my mission more than anything. I'm going to give everything I've got every single moment of every single day. There is no greater work in all the world than this one. Thank y'all for all y'all's support!! I hope y'all have an amazing week and I love y'all a ton!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

A giant sequoia tree at the Sequoia national forest. I'm here with my new companion, Elder Olson (next to me), Elder Bishop, and Elder Johnson

At Sequoia national forest

A panoramic of the beautiful mountains

Week 97 - I am full of different emotions

I am full of different emotions. I think the most powerful one right now is just the full on desire to sprint to the end. To just give it absolutely everything I have. I can't wait to come home and teach all of y'all Spanish. It's gonna need to become the new language of our family because it is just so wonderful! It's exciting to me that I'll get to be with the whole family for a while.

So... drum roll please! I won't actually be ending in Hanford. I got a curve ball. I'm getting transferred for my last transfer. I'm going to go to a Spanish ward to end!! Wooohhooooo! I'm going to miss Hanford a lot though. I've given it everything I ever could here and it's made me love this place. I've grown to love the people and the members a ton. It's a great ward and I'm sad to have to leave it.

I'm still going to be a zone leader though. I'm going to be companions with Elder Olson (from Colorado). He's super cool!! We always joked about being companions since he's gotten to the mission. And now it's happening. I know that he will be an awesome companion for me to just work really hard with!! I'm excited for it. I'm really grateful to be able to end it with the Spanish people. They have my heart for sure. It will be super awesome. I'm gonna miss Elder Perkins too though. It's been super cool getting to serve super close to him. We're gonna be great friends after the mission!

So the big story of this last week is Raquel. I've told y'all about her before. She is the one with the 5 little girls. They are an amazing family. I love being with them and am going to miss them a ton. But she is going to get baptized here in a week and a half!!! I'm super excited. She is so awesome! We went over the baptismal interview questions with her yesterday and she answered them is the most amazing way. When she was telling us about how she got an answer to know that the church was true she was brought to tears. She shared some of the most tender experiences with the Holy Ghost that I have heard on my mission. I'm so excited for her to enter the waters of baptism.

It's moments like those that seriously make me never want to leave this place. Seeing people connect these things and seeing how very important it is to them just overpowers me with joy!! I love this work more than anything!! And another sweet tender mercy is that Raquel and Elijah are actually going to be moving shortly after her baptism and we were kind of worried about it. We were worried that they might get lost in transit and with the hustle and bustle of it all. But I'm getting sent to the same city, Visalia, that they're moving to!! I can make sure that they meet the bishop, missionaries, home teachers, the whole nine yards!! It's just a blessing to see how much of a hand the Lord really has in all of this work.

I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves all of us. I know that no matter what, we are still in his reach. I can't believe how much of a friend and companion he can and wants to be. I loved every minute of my mission and I'm grateful for the remaining time I have left! I love this gospel and know it's true with all of my soul!! I love y'all and hope that y'all have an amazing week.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 96 - My new release date is May 25

I have some big news. I talked with President Clark this last week after a meeting we had. Him and I counseled together on some things about my release date. As it was, i was going to be going home alone and a week early in the transfer due to the things that happened at the MTC. This would mean I'd miss out on some of the meetings that we have at the end of our missions with our mission president. As well I'd be missing Tyler as well. Him and I both felt that it would be best if I didn't end up extending. So I'm actually coming home on May 25th. It stings because that means I have one transfer left :( which we find out this Saturday where I'll be for that last transfer. BUT I'm super happy that I get to come home and be with the whole family for a little bit before Tyler leaves! I hope this doesn't throw a wrench into any plans or anything that y'all have. So.. I'll see y'all in a month and a half now.

This past week was amazing. I love conference. It's amazing to me how sweet of a thing conference has become for me. It has gone from conference bingo of the Sunday morning session. To the priesthood session and then still conference bingo of the Sunday morning session. To priesthood session and watching the sunday morning session. Finally, to my mission where I watch every session of conference. 

I remember my first conference in the mission. I remember thinking that it was a super long weekend. Don't get me wrong! I liked the talks and loved hearing them. I just wasn't used listening to 10 hrs of doctrine. Well this conference was 100% different. I couldn't get enough. this weekend seemed to fly by sadly. I watched it all in Spanish this time which was really cool. I love the language so much. I learned so much from everyone. I loved Elder Christofferson's talk on Fathers as well as Elder Ballard's talk on family councils. I loved them all really!! The reason the father talk stood out to me so much was, well first off, cause I love my dad so much and look up to him a ton. So I could just see how he has done such a good job of setting an example for me. As well because I have seen, my whole mission, the effects of not having a father in the home. It's been extremely rare that I've known the father of the people I teach. Most homes don't have the dad in it. And if they do.. they're not really actually present. It's taught me a lot.

This past week we found a new family!! The Bravo family. Which consists of Brother and Sister Bravo, Reina (17), Bryan (15), Enrique (8), and Fredrico (4). I'm so excited for them. They seem super interested in what we have. We ended our lesson with a prayer which we did kneeling down. We all went to the living room and kneeled down and it was beautiful! They were all gathered there as a family and Brother Bravo offered the prayer. He asked in his prayer to help his family grow in the gospel so they could be stronger as a family. I'm super hopeful for them!!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be ending in Hanford. I'll find out on Saturday. But I'm going 100000 mph now. My mission got cut by a month... it's been the weirdest thing ever for me. I feel like I have 0 time left now. I'm doing everything I can to just give everything. I'm falling short sometimes but I know the Lord is helping me pick up the slack. I loved conference and love how it strengthened my testimony. Yo sé que este evangelio es verdadero. Yo sé con todo mi corazon que Jesucristo vive. Suplico cada día que puedo vivir mi vida en una manera que es honorable para él. Amo a él. Estoy tan agradecido por todos de ustedes! Les amo mucho. Se cuiden. 

Love,

Elder Robertson

Using the IHOP Gift Card y'all sent me. Thanks!

Elder Roberts and I heading out to preach the good word.

Week 95 - Happy Easter

[Matt's brother, Tyler, received his mission call to the Dominican Republic, also speaking Spanish. He also learned that he will leave on his mission 1 week before Matt gets home from his. So, they will miss each other by a week.]

SANTO DOMINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey that is sooooo exciting! I'll have to tell Elder Perez as well (that's where he was from). That's so exciting that he's learning español. Everyone in the family should just learn it now :D might as well!!! I'm so bummed about the missing him by a week but I'm sure the Lord will figure it all out. Tyler is going to love it in the DR. Everyone who I've met from there are the nicest people and say their country is beautiful. There's lots of really cool fields of just sugar cane! But yes... they do speak really fast. That's actually where I learned a ton of my Spanish was from Elder Perez so I actually still have a bit of an accent from him. They don't say really any of their 's's (not sure how to write that. They don't pronounce the letter s often). It will be a learning curve for sure but he'll get it!

This past week was a really amazing one. We had 7 people at church!!! It was super amazing. Granted it was Easter Sunday so it might of had a little bit to do with it. But we're hoping to keep it going for the next week so that we can help some of these amazing people enter the waters of baptism soon!! They're was a baptism this last week for a young 8 year old named Mesha. It was through the ward but we helped the ward by preparing her for baptism and helping their family continue to come back to church. They were less active before. It was a beautiful thing to see her be baptized and then to be able to confirm her was such and honor. She totally reminds me of Elise!! I've come to the conclusion that pretty much any little girl just reminds me of my little sisters... haha I've realized that I say the words "oh, your daughters remind me so much of my little sisters" I think it's just because I miss my sisters so dang much!!

Oh my goodness.. Y'all a sealing is an amazing thing. Especially when it involves two people you love so much!!! Ricardo and Vanessa got sealed this last weekend and it was the most amazing thing ever. It was so amazing to just see them but even more than that to be able to see them in their temple clothes making covenants with each other in order to be married for all time and all eternity. I seriously had no idea that I was going to feel the spirit as strongly as I did. I was just overcome with joy during the whole ceremony. I'm pretty sure it might have looked ridiculous but I had a huge smile on my face the entire time!! It was a huge testimony builder for sure that the power of priesthood and the sealing keys really are here on the Earth and our found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Just a little response as well to y'all's Easter comments. I loved this past Easter. I'm not sure why but the whole day was just amazing. I felt the spirit so strong. I don't remember it being that amazing the last Easter but it very well might have been.  Our ward had fast and testimony meeting due to general conference so it was an interesting Easter meeting. It was a meeting all about people's testimonies on the Atonement which was really neat. I went to the Spanish sacrament meeting as well which made it really awesome as well.

I shared a scripture form Alma 7. It was in verse 11. I love that verse so much because of what it talks about in relation to the Atonement. It distinctly talks about how Christ suffered death so that we could be resurrected and then it talks about how he suffered all of our infirmities so that he could succor us. So that he could come to us and understand us. I just love that. This part isn't doctrine that I've read or anything but in my mind I picture that part of the Atonement something that he didn't have to do. Maybe he did. But to me it seems like he went the extra mile to suffer all of those things just so he could more fully understand us and better help us in this life. Over all it's just amazing to me how much he loves us and how much we really can feel that love every day.

I love my Savior so much. I know that he lives. I know it. I get to go out and tell the whole world (city of Hanford) that He lives. And because he lives we will live again and we can live in this life happy. I love y'all and am so grateful for everything that y'all do and for all the support. I hope that you have an amazing week!!!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Giant Easter Basket 

Mesha's baptism

Ricardo and Vanessa's Sealing

Some investigators we met

Ready to go out and do some work

our carpets got cleaned today so this is literally our entire apartment fit into the kitchen... haha

Week 94 - I have a new fire this past week

The area is picking up though so that is super exciting. I have a new fire this past week to seriously just work a ridiculous amount. I love it. I am just going 10000000 miles an hour. If it would be practical and would help at all I would run everywhere I went. But I don't think that it would help a whole lot and I think I'd freak some people out. But everything short of that is what I'm doing! I just love my mission. It's amazing to me that no matter where I've served, I just absolutely love it. It's amazing how no matter where I am the Lord seriously loves all his children the same.

Ricardo is getting sealed this week!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!! It's going to be so amazing. On Saturday, I get to go to the sealing of Ricardo and Vanessa in the temple. I seriously can't put into words how happy and excited I am. I love that family so much and am so proud of the step they're going to take. It's going to bless their lives so much. I'll take pictures and send them to you next week.

I've been working really hard lately on making sure that I'm doing the same thing here in this area that I hope is being done for all of my recent converts in other areas. I'm working really hard on trying to help them come to church and continue to just absolutely love the gospel. There's really no point in this whole missionary thing if they don't stay faithful!! (paraphrasing President Hinckley). So I'm working really hard to make sure that we are focusing on finding like crazy and helping people learn about the gospel and be able to enter the waters of baptism as well as helping all those who have already done so be able to stay faithful and find all the joy that they can in this wonderful gospel.

I love y'all so much and hope that y'all have a great week. I'm super excited to hear about where Tyler is going! I can't wait.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 93 - You never go home

As far as my release date goes, it will still be June 29, 2016. The extra week will not effect me since I had already extended. So I will be leaving a week early from that transfer. That is super exciting that Tyler is going to get his mission call! I'm super stoked to see where he goes! I'm really hoping for Spanish speaking so we can hablar en espanol mucho!!! jaja.

I had an awesome exchange this past week with one of the Assistants, Elder Checketts. He's from Utah and a great elder. We had a great exchange and I learned a lot from him. He was a great example to me about how to just talk with every creeping thing out there. No matter if it is a little inconvenient. So that was really nice and super helpful for me to apply to my work. As well, it was cool to go to their area. They work up in Clovis which is the nicest part of the mission. There's a lot of homes there that remind me of Austin and the people are super similar as well. It's always cool to go up there cause I feel like I jive well with them.

We had a zone meeting this last week, which was awesome! The training we gave (Elder Roberts and I) was one of my favorite topics. It goes well with your advice dad. It was titled "Leave Your Nets". It's based off of a talk from Elder Holland which he gave in the MTC. It's an incredibly powerful talk. We basically trained on how we are to follow the same admonition that Christ gave the Apostles which was to "leave their nets" and to follow him. We talked about how this is going to be hard but ultimately it's just going to be a decision that we make.

I'm not sure if I ever shared this with you but I received a similar training about a year ago or so when I was up in Chowchilla. I remember still a quote that Elder Holland said that changed my mission. He said, paraphrasing, "Peter, you never go home. When I called you to be an apostle it was forever" and then he continues and turns it towards the missionaries and says "when I called you to be a missionary, it was forever". I remember thinking in my prideful snarky mind.. Oh well that doesn't apply to me because I obviously get to go home! But at that moment I remember the spirit teaching me a lesson I've tried to apply ever since. And that is that "I" never do come home. I'm sorry to say it but it's true, if I've served my mission right. I realized that Matthew that left June 4, 2014 better not be the Matthew that comes home June 29, 2016. If it is... Then I did something wrong. And that truly changed my mission. Ever since that moment I've tried my best to change and to become better. I'm still working my best at it but I know that I'm changing. I can feel it and I love it. So that's what we tried our best to do to teach our zone. That that is what their shooting for. To be changed. To become more like the Savior through dedicated and consecrated service to him.

So it rained here as well! It actually stormed a little bit which was the first time I've seen any form of heavy rain since being here so that was really cool. The valley really needs it too so that's nice. I've had a bit of allergies this week. They're pretty rough but nothing I can't handle. It's just annoying cause the medicine is so stinking expensive but I have to get it so that i can just function... I have  a feeling that in life, I'm gonna try and find somewhere to live where I'm not deathly allergic to the air hahah.

So I'm trying my best to eat healthy and do things the best I can food wise! It's expensive! I'm definitely learning how to budget better as well haha. On a serious note though. I love y'all. I'm so grateful for everything y'all do for me and all the love and support I feel. It's amazing to me the family that I have been blessed with and I try my best to show my gratitude the best I can. Y'all are incredible. I hope that y'all have an amazing week! I'm excited to hear where Tyler is going!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 92 - Be your best

This past week was really awesome. We found a good amount of new investigators. One of which is an entire family with 5 little girls! They are the cutest thing ever and remind me a ton of my sisters. It's fun being over there! They're always happy and energetic so it's fun to play with them and teach them the gospel. It's always amazing to me how little kids just understand the gospel so well.

Elder Roberts and I have also been trying really hard to be the best zone leaders we can be. We are really working hard on making sure that the zone feels our love and support. It's been really inspiring to work alongside him. He is a spiritual giant and just is overflowing with love. It's quite amazing. I'm learning a ton from him. We were also able to teach a lot this past week which was really fun! It was amazing to me to see how when we work hard for the Lord we always see the blessings of it. It's a principle I always want to remember in my life.

So just to share a little something from my studies recently. I'm not gonna share anything too specific but more of a pattern that I've been seeing lately. It actually is something that goes back to the beginning of my mission. Something that my zone leaders said in a meeting. One of them said, "Satan will have good men do good things to keep them from doing great things". That hit me hard. It made me realize how often I really did fall into the temptation of mediocrity. How often Satan got me to say.. well if i just do the bare minimum I'll be able to get by and even look pretty good... which always kept me from pushing myself and trying to be the best I can be.

Well the Lord has kept teaching me that throughout my whole mission I feel like as I've received various assignments and gone into new areas I've seen that mentality creep in as I get content. I have realized that all the talks and a ton of the scriptures i've been reading have had the same theme. "be your best." That's really what I want to strive for. I think I've been scared most of my life because I felt that if I did my best and somewhat failed... well then I basically just suck! But, I've realized that it truly only matters on God's scale. And my best literally, because of Jesus Christ, can never fail. I might not always get the exact results I wanted but I did get the results that God wanted for me so that I can grow adequately enough to be able to be who God wants me to be.

I've been trying my best to truly apply this principle of "be your best" in every part of my life as to establish good habits. I've done it to my exercise to my diet, to my studies, to my work, even down to the paper work I do. I want to do it to the best of my abilities. And boy is it hard! But it always helps me to rely on the Savior who helps me truly have the strength to do it. I absolutely love it!!!! It's made me feel amazing. And don't get me wrong.. I've actually failed quite a few times at things.. Activities I put all my heart into just go array.. But I know that the Lord is happy with me and I just learned a whole lot of things not to do the next time! It's a liberating feeling when you start to try and find all your value and worth in the Lord :D.

Sorry my letter is a little short today! But know that I love y'all so much and hope that you have just the most amazing week ever. I love this gospel and know that it is true.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 91 - I'm loving Hanford

Great week this last week. I love my new companion, Elder Roberts. He's already taught me so much. He brings a new perspective but with the same goals and such so it's been super cool getting to work with him and learn together. It's been super cool. I'm not really working on the website right now since Elder Speer is gone so we've just been able to do all work! It's been super awesome. I've loved teaching so much. I feel like a full blown missionary again. I felt like one when I was working on the website it was just kind of like I had a little thorn in my side that's all!

Elder Roberts and I are really working on focusing on finding families that can be sealed in the temple. It's an approach that I've never taken in missionary work before but that I'm excited to try. We are, of course, going to continue to talk to everyone and help everyone as best we can but we are going to make sure we are focusing and trying our best to be able to find those prepared families and help them progress. I'm excited as well because I feel very strongly that Elder Roberts is going to teach me a ton about how to continue to become converted. Something that I have been praying for and working really hard at. It's amazing how the Lord really does answer prayers!

Not a ton to report on other than that. I'm loving Hanford! The ward is amazing and the work is really starting to pick up. I love y'all so much and loved hearing all about y'all's week. It sounds like it was a great one! I hope this week is awesome as well!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

The new companion!!

Week 90 - Hello, this is Elders Roberts and Robertson

So transfers this week! I am staying in Hanford and getting a new companion. His name is Elder Roberts.. No joke haha. It's gonna be a little crazy..... When we answer the phone, "Hello, this is Elders Roberts and Robertson" hahaha. He is a new zone leader so I'll be running around teaching him everything as we go. I'm a little nervous cause I still feel like I'm barely getting the hang of things but I know the Lord will help me out. I'm super sad to see Elder Speer go. I learned a ton from him. Seriously a ton. More than from any other companion. I'll miss him a lot. Plus we had a ton of fun together. It'll be cool seeing him after the mission and catching up. We're not quite sure what we're going to do about the website though.. haha. We're super deep into it and on the final stretch of things but now going to have to do it all over the internet or something. Who knows! We'll see how it all goes.

Ray is doing well. He is stoked to get baptized next week but is feeling pretty lousy since they put the catheter in his chest as the input for the chemo. It's knocked him out pretty good especially with the medication he is on. But he is still working super hard to repent and prepare for his baptism.

This week was kind of a rough one. Everything fell through... I mean everything. We had 10 set appointments just cancel this week.. THAT'S UNHEARD OF! haha. It was weird but I was able to learn the principle of diligence and faithfulness even in the sight of nothing really happening in that moment. I'm excited to see what this next week has in store as I keep that diligence and things work out a little more as well.

I love my mission a lot. It amazes me how much I really do love it sometimes. We were eating dinner with a couple last night who are former mission president and wife. They were telling us a story about a group of missionaries in their mission who did some dumb stuff. The whole time they were telling us the story my stomach was in knots. I can't imagine doing something like that with the Savior's name on my chest. My name tag would burn a hole right through my chest. I realized in that moment how precious my mission was to me. It was kind of an ah ha moment if you will. I realized that I would never ever do anything to jeopardize my mission. I love my Savior way too much and understand that truly he is the one who called me. I love the Lord and I love this gospel. I love y'all a ton and hope that y'all have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 89 - Yep, I love the MOTAB

Thank y'all so much for the cd!!!!! [We sent Elder Robertson a CD of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at his request after his mission loosened the rules and allowed MOTAB music.] It's been so much fun listening to. It's amazing how powerful their music is. I don't know if it's cause I'm a missionary or what but there music is actually some of my favorite. I think it's because of how deep and full it is. It's not just the normal surface level entertainment that music usually is! I'm liking it a lot.

I was studying today in the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and it was talking about how we are the body of Christ (as in the church, not as individuals) which means that we all play a different role just as the different parts of the body play their different roles. I'm totally butchering the analogy but it's a cool one! Just that we are all here to play some part and function to help the kingdom of God go forward! It's a cool dynamic.

We had an awesome lesson with Sam this past week. He's about 15 and just gets the gospel. It's suuuper cool teaching them. It's amazing how we'll be teaching a principle and he'll just connect all of the dots and come to the final conclusion without us ever having to state it. The spirit truly is a way better teacher and testifier than I can ever dream to be. But he is a part of the Godhead so I'm pretty sure that that's how it's supposed to be haha. They're really warming up to us and starting to get more and more enveloped in the church. It's a super cool process to watch.

We didn't get to see Ray all week because he's been going through radiation for his cancer. He still came to church though which was super awesome! It was cool too because it was "regional stake conference" yeah... didn't know those existed. But basically we just had a broadcast in our building from some of the general authorities and from an apostle. Oh how amazing it was! It was just teaching us to get back to the basic fundamentals of the gospel. I love that. I feel like all too often we are so comfortable where we are in the church because we are fulfilling so many of the branches and off shoots of the gospel while completely missing and blowing the trunk and the fundamentals such as daily scripture reading. It's just amazing to me how little the basics are focused on and made a priority and truly are the most important. It was cool cause Ray ate it up as well! He loved it and learned a ton from it. He talked about how he feels he needs to be more obedient to God and needs to be more of a disciple. He truly was able to experience personal revelation during the broadcast and was able to recognize and voice it afterwards as we talked to him. What a monumental step in his journey towards baptism!!

I'm doing well and am really loving this ward! They're awesome. It's amazing to me how the church really is true everywhere. I know that's a "duh" statement but it still amazes me! Just the fact that it's able to be perpetuated correctly in every part of the world. By no means is it perfect and run exactly how it's supposed to. But it's got all the truth it needs and that's what's important! I love y'all and hope y'all have an amazing week. I know that Jesus Christ lives. The restoration changed the world and it has changed and will continue to change my life. I love this gospel and love sharing it even more. I'm a servant of my Savior, there is no greater call!!!! I love y'all.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson's mission used to not allow any music. But recently, they change the rule to allow them to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Week 88 - The temple was amazing

The temple was amazing. I realized something kind of cool. I remember when I first went to the temple (which was about 2 years ago, CRAZY!). I remember how it was just such a huge stark contrast from the outside world. When I'd go to the temple the spirit would just be so very strong there that it would be night and day. Now, I am not saying that there isn't just a super strong spirit when I go to the temple because there is. However, I realized that it's not night and day anymore. It still is a spirit like no where else. But as I have been getting my life more and more in line with the will of God and have the spirit with me more often it has become a little bit more like the difference in dusk and day. I really hope this is making sense and isn't false doctrine or anything. It's just made me realize how I always want to feel like the way I live my life and the places and situations I put myself in aren't a polar opposite as that of the temple. I love the temple so much!

Cameron is doing great. She came to church again and we taught her in a member's home this past week. She is progressing well and loves church. She is still working on finalizing what day she wants to be baptized but I know that it is going to be soon! She's awesome! Ray was pretty sick on Sunday so we haven't seen him in a few days. He still seems to be excited about coming this upcoming week though so all is well with him. Kalee...we haven't been able to get in contact with. We're not really sure what happened. The Lord will take care of it though so we'll see what happens.

Sam and Lexus are two investigators that are super awesome as well. They LOVE the gospel. They love learning so much and have a million questions which is really cool. They are progressing well. This past week their mother, who we were a little worried about kind of hindering their progression, told us that she wants to come to church this next Sunday and start listening to us!!! God works on people at all times. It's amazing.

Our mission just changed the rule on music and it is now 100% MOTAB. So I was curious if y'all have the CD from them titled "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing"? It's my favorite and I do not have it. OH, and the website is going well. We are trying to finish it in the next 2 weeks or so! We'll see what happens. I'm learning a ton so that's super cool. If I'm honest though... I don't like it at all because of the time it takes away from being a missionary. But It seems to be what's needed so I'll just finish it as fast as I can

Everything is going well here. I'm loving the work here even though it's going slowly. It's super different working in English and actually much harder. The trials and such you help people with are much different. None the less, I love it. I just love being able to preach the gospel. It sounds plain and cheesy but it's the truth. There is no greater call. It brings the greatest joy. I love y'all so much and hope that y'all have an amazing week!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson got to attend the Fresno LDS Temple this week. He gets to do that once a quarter, so that's a treat for him.

Week 87 - Some great stories to share

This week was a good one. A lot to report and kind of just stories to share so I'll jump right into it.

Basketball in Fresno. I got to play like Wednesday night ball up in Fresno on an exchange with the assistants. We played with some members and some investigators. Yeah.... I'm way out of shape. I still have kind of got my shot but as far as running up and down the court and everything.. yup gonna need to get back in shape to be able to do that comfortably again. But none the less it was really fun to get to play some ball again.

We have an awesome investigator named Cameron. We found her on the street and I should say that she found us!! She called out to us when she was on a nightly walk and said, "Are you mormons?!"... I was a little hesitant thinking something maybe kind of mean was coming but not at all. When we said yes she exclaimed happily, AWESOME!! We taught her in the church building the other day and watched the Restoration video!! She loved it and ate it all up. She said she's knows he's a prophet. It was incredible. And then she came to church on Sunday and stayed for all three hours!! Afterwards she thanked us so much for inviting her and told us how she will be here every Sunday!! The Lord truly prepares people for this Gospel.

Another one is Kalee (said Kaili). She's super awesome. We have been teaching her and her mom for a while now. She has this awesome new young family, the Larsons, fellowshipping her and she came to church with them on Sunday. She came decked out in a skirt and everything!!! She fit right in. She told her fellowship in the ward that she'll be here next Sunday and that she absolutely loved church. Her baby was sick so she left after the first hour. But things are going really well with her!

Then we have RAY!! OH RAY!! It's soooo awesome!! He just showed up to church. He called a member of the ward that he didn't know and had gotten the phone number of from a relative and called and asked him to pick him up and bring him to church. He stayed for all three hours and loved it and said he'll be here every Sunday. He said that he wants to turn his life around and seriously was soaking everything up like a sponge all of church. He truly left a little bit changed from church which was suuuuuper awesome to see. I'm super excited for him!!

So just so y'all know I will be going to the temple next week on Tuesday so that will be the day that I email. So just a heads up!!

This gospel is so true. The restoration is a fact. I love my Savior so much and am so grateful for the blessing and opportunity to be part of his work. There truly is nothing like it. i love y'all so much and am so grateful for all that you do! Please let me know if there's anything that I can ever do for y'all. Have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 86 - Oh the joy of missionary work

Hello family!

Hope everyone is doing well and had a great week. This week was a good one for me for many reasons! One of the biggest is the amount of love i felt from y'al!! Thank y'all sooo much for the packages and letters. [Elder Robertson's 21st birthday was on January 19] I'll respond to them today as best I can!!

This week was kind of slow cause Elder Speer was super sick so it was kind of a hindrance to some things. He was dead one day and throwing up everywhere! pobrecito! But luckily it doesn't appear as if it's been passed onto me which is really nice! We also had an awesome zone meeting this past week. I love being able to train in meetings. I know that might be weird but I do. I love the preparation that goes into it and all that I learn from that and I just love being able to stand in front of people and testify of truth that I hold dear to my heart!!!!

So the main story of this week is the about a family we're teaching. They are the biggest miracle ever!!! So I'm on an exchange on Tuesday night with Elder Bean (one of my old companions). We were wrapping up the night and hadn't found anyone new to teach which was kind of the focus of the exchange. We kept praying that we could find someone and especially that it would be a family. So we go to an investigators house in hopes that we can atleast get a lesson in and find someone to teach through our investigator... well they weren't home.. So we reluctantly but faithfully turned back and headed back to the truck.

There was a hispanic lady right there unloading her car and talking on the phone. As we passed I heard her say, "okay okay, buenas noches" and hang up the phone. PERFECT! I turned and talked to her and asked her how her nights going. I handed her a pass along card with the Savior appearing to the nephites on it. I asked her if she believed in Jesus Christ and she said yes. I simply responded with "Perfecto! Cuando piensa que podamos pasar y compartir un mensaje increible de el?" Her face lit up. Not usually how people respond to us asking when we can come over. She responded with the coolest response ever. She said oh right now!!! Let me go ask my husband if that's okay. She runs off into her apartment and comes back out quickly and super excitedly says come in come in! We then had a beautiful lesson on the restoration in which they all accepted to be baptized.

The mom had actually been to church a ton growing up in Hondurus but never knew why she had liked it so much or why it was different. She had just gone to all the young women activities. After hearing about Joseph Smith she said that she knew the reason that church stood out to her growing up was because it was the true church and Joseph Smith was a prophet!!!! It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. It brought me to tears... Which is a big deal and doesn't really ever happen. I then shared with them how the Lord had led us to them because of an answer to our prayers as we were seeking people who needed to hear of the gospel and were ready to!!! The lesson ended beautifully with the father of the family praying for the first time in his life. Oh the joy of missionary work. There is nothing like it. The Lord is so good and I love doing this!

I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he wants nothing more than for us to access the Atonement and live with him again. I know that this is the true church. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and had the priesthood restored to him. I know that without that priesthood we would still be lost and have no access to the Atonement of our Savior. Oh how great is our God and his plan. He truly loves us and gives us everything we need to be happy here and to love with him again someday. I love y'all so much and am so grateful for all the support y'all give me. Hope y'all have a wonderful week!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

El pastel que me compró la familia Mesa! Era tres leches!!! Yee. Y me preparó hermana Mesa tacos durados de papa y queso que son mis favoritos!!

Week 85 - It's amazing to me how "soft" I've become

Thanks for your letters! They always make me happy because there filled of so much of your testimonies. with the gospel. I even tear up sometimes now!!! Which is super weird. Just a small little insight on the life and times of Elder Robertson. hah.

Mom, I totally talked on Sunday too in my ward. We got given the assignment the night before! We were baffled by why so many people were coming up and saying thank you and all, cause it wasn't just the usual oh thanks for your talks they were good type of thing. We realized that it was simply because we just taught doctrine and testified. It's amazing that people try so hard to do more than that and say the most "profound" thing ever when in reality all they need to do is teach the doctrine. It was a cool realization for me.

A little excerpt from my letter to president of my recent learnings:

I, as well, have been loving the counsel and admonition to teach repentance and baptize converts. It's amazing to me how when the Lord wants me to get something he truly makes it apparent in every aspect of my life. I've been seeing that a lot lately during my studies. It's been a perfect line up as I've been reading through Alma and the great missionary stories of the sons of Mosiah. Wow did they know how to teach repentance and baptize converts! If only we could continually find, teach and baptize people like King Lamoni and recent converts of the same magnitude.  

It's amazing to me how manifested the principles of a mission are shown through the scriptures. I've been learning a lot lately as I've been searching my soul for how to be able to do things differently in 2016 as well as how to make this area what it needs to be. Elder Speer and I are giving a training tomorrow in Zone Meeting on "As For Years". I'm stoked. I'm starting to realize how when we live our missionary purpose that is one of the foremost principles that will be apparent. It is when we become servants of the Lord and not merely ourselves that we are able to say that we are serving "as for years".  

I'm dedicated to making sure in all times and in all places that I am serving the Lord so that the hastening of his work can go forward not only in the Hanford 1st area but in all the places that I set foot.

I've been loving the missionary chapters in the Book of Mormon. I think I've finally become humble enough for the Lord to speak through the scriptures to me and it makes my studies incredible.

This past week was transfer week so we were running around kinda crazy helping everyone. We have a worldwide training coming up though which is SUPER exciting. I'll let y'all know all about it next week. I'm excited to turn 21. It's crazy that it's already here. Thanks for all of your birthday wishes and love! I love y'all tons!! Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 84 - Holding ourselves to a higher standard

Interesting week this last week. We came off of the last week ready to go and then digressed a little bit this last week due to appointments constantly falling through. It was kind of a bummer. I noticed an incredible principle though. Elder Speer and I, around Thursday or so, were talking about how our week so far had been kind of crummy. We knew we were doing what we were supposed to be doing and working hard but the results weren't where we thought they should be. We then looked at our totals as far as numbers go for that week and realized we were right on track for a "normal week" in the Hanford area. We were shocked.

The line from Preach My Gospel came to mind that says (roughly), "When you lower your expectations your effectiveness decreases". This works for the opposite as well. When you raise your expectations and your vision your effectiveness increases. We have started holding ourselves to a higher standard of missionary work and in turn think the work is "crummy" if we are not hitting that expectation. I feel like I didn't explain that super well but I hope you understood what I was trying to say! haha. Basically just that when you raise your vision you raise the average quality and effectiveness of your work by default.

I also realized how much more I need to rely on the Lord. I have loved my studies as of late as I have studied some in the Old Testament. It is amazing to me how much the prophets of old relied on the Lord. They went to him for all things and always acknowledged His hand in the miracles and blessings they saw. I know that it is the exact same with this work. It is so essential for us to rely on the Lord. He is the one who is going to make this work go forward. Our job is to be worthy, obedient, committed and focused enough to be a part of that work. I love my Savior and all that He's done for me. It's amazing to me how inadequate I am for the things He has called me to do. In the same breath, it is amazing to me how strong I am with His help and His guidance.

Hope y'all have an amazing week and love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Robertson

An awesome rainbow we saw! Sorry I haven't been very good at taking pictures.... I'll try to take more haha

Week 83 - Teaching just makes missionary work what it's supposed to be

This past week was a good one! We got to teach a lot which was awesome. We taught more than any other week since I've been in Hanford. I loved it! . It's something I'm going to miss greatly. There is nothing better than entering a home and feeling it fill with the spirit of God and to testify of our Savior to the family that so desperately needs Him. It's the best.

I also got peed on by a stinking dog. Let me just rage for a second. I like dogs and all.. But they're not my favorite things in the world. Especially as a missionary because of how many of them we have to deal with. Plus..... they should stinking know how to control their urinary functions!! Just cause their excited doesn't mean that they need to pee on everything.. But non the less there is this puppy of one of the members that we were visiting and it came up and put its paws on me and peed all over me. I was a little upset to say the least. It's pee reaked as well! I had to change into some pajama pants and look like a slob while we were visiting with them. It all got figured out though so it's okay. It was a pretty funny story though and the whole ward knows about it now so oh the joy!

We had an awesome MLC this past week to start off the new year. It was super awesome to meet with the leadership of the mission and president and to counsel together. I love that man. He definitely a role model of mine. We went into some awesome new things that we're going to implement into the mission. It's also cool cause there's a world wide missionary training broadcast on the 20th of this month. I'm stoked for that. It's with the 12 and we are going to learn so much! = I know what the Lord would have me do I just need to do a better job of diligently doing it!

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

Love,

Elder Robertson

Me after the "incident." Elder Speer couldn't stop laughing.