Holiday's are over... me da lo mismo

:) haha. Hey guys!

This week was really slow. Well actually just last Monday and Tuesday morning was. Because I got to move houses and I got to stay with the zone leaders until I found my new companion Tuesday morning. So that made it a really long day. I'm still in the same sector of Chillancito, we just switched houses because... well it's a long really unimportant story. But let's just say that's how it is. Also my new companion is from Argentina! But he speaks a little bit of English. But we just speak Spanish all the time because it's a lot easier for both of us. It's a little hard to understand his English sometimes because if his accent. haha. Everyone gives him a hard time because of his Argentinean accent. Also... he's 23! and he already has a marriage date! Crazy, huh! But he's a good guy and he's the district leader. He's super chill and relaxed. Which surprised everyone because the stereotype for Argentineans is that they are super over bearing. But he's just the opposite. In fact, if anything, he's too chill and too patient. But it is actually exactly what our investigators and ward members needed. He works hard and we've had a really good week. Plus, he plays guitar, too! So we've been enjoying singing to a lot of people, too, this week! Oh, and here's a picture of him! down below. Sorry... he's not very good at smiling. :)

Um... So we haven't had any baptisms yet but Andres and Marcela are praying about a marriage date and they've decided that it has to be before May. Because they don't want to wait! And I was there for the proposal! So that was just too weird and awkward. :) haha. And it was fun and special and that sort of ooey gooey stuff. And the 15 year-old son, Manuel, told us he's already a member... but he's not registered if he is, but he might just think he is and hasn't actually been baptized. But we'll see. And they also have a little 2 year-old that reminds me a lot of Rock. (my super tough nephew). His name is Francisco. He likes us a lot. Too much. :) haha. But it is really fun. And Rayen and Dubal have a new baptismal date but we're still waiting for them to pray about it. So they need all the help they can get. 

Also do you remember the Gonzalez family? The inactive family that we helped reactivate? Well their missionary daughter got home, and she was pleased with what we had done and thanked us, so that made it totally worth it. And this week we helped them pick a date to go and be sealed in the temple as a family. They have to save up a lot of money to do it and the dad has some word of wisdom problems, so it's not gonna happen while I'm here. But the date they picked was november 7th! So hurray! haha. And we made a little thing for them to put up on the wall that has the picture of the temple that's gonna be built here in Concecpciòn and it says that the Gonzales family is eternal, since the 7th of November until the eternities. It turned out really nice and pretty. And they were really appreciative. 

Also, a couple weeks ago someone asked me about faith. Why is it so important? Why is it any different than hope? and other questions like that. At first I thought it was kind of a silly question. Like trying to hard to be deep. But then I realized that I couldn't answer it. So that was humbling. And I searched the scriptures a lot, and read some of True to the Faith, but I only have it in Spanish so I only understood about 80 percent. But I didn't really find the answer until a less active lady asked me the same question. Why is faith so important? And then a ton of words just fell out of my mouth and I discovered the answer while I was saying it. But I'm not gonna tell you! haha. Because what I discovered is that Faith is individual. And that Faith is so important because of that. But faith includes action. If you have faith that you can move a pebble and you sit there looking at it, or maybe even thinking deeply about the pebble and all it's details and meaning that's really good. But it doesn't move the rock. But that doesn't mean you didn't have enough faith. It just means that you don't know how to use and apply that faith. There's just to use your hand and move the pebble. 

Now, that is not what I told her. Because that doesn't answer the question of what is faith. But you can't know what it is until you decide to act. And then you know what faith is, and what it does. And David A. Bednar tells us that the faith to act brings power. And Faith in Jesus Christ brings hope. It's a huge building and faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation. 

Another thing that helped me understand it is to look at life without faith in Christ. No life before, no life after, no purpose for our life here. No reason for families because it was just random cells put together. Kind of dark thoughts, right? I certainly think so. And then we could get into obedience being a reflection of our faith and we have to receive a trial of our faith before the blessings come and the windows of heaven being opened up to pour out the blessings that are WAITING for us. But it would take at least 5 books of scriptures to explain and all of the writings and teachings of the prophets. But the basic idea is... Have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, let this motivate your actions and be obedient, see the hope and blessings that will come through your trials and endure it well. Simple, basic, but opens up infinite possibilities. 

I'm sure that seemed scattered but that was the point. The only thing to do is to search it out and find your own testimony of it. Your own conclusions. And that what lets us see the beauty and wonder in the world, in our families, and within ourselves. I hope everyone has a good week! Also, everyone should re-read the talk by President Monson from conference. I think in English it's called Meditating the Way of Your Feet or something similar to that. I'm not that good at translating so it sounds good yet. But hopefully that's good enough so that you recognize the talk. It's really good.

Have an amazing week! Start the new year off right, with daily personal and family scripture study! :) Love you all!

Elder Robinson