MTC-Second Week

The Book of Mormon records much contention, jealousy in one family.  But the father continues to exhort them to righteousness.  Be of good cheer no matter what part you play in a family.  Be believing and trust God.  “Frankly forgive”. Look for God’s hand as trials change my nature.  

I love this by Dallin Oaks:  “any philosophy or organization that opposes belief in God brings captivity of false ideas.”  Ensign March 2015. The Lord prepared us a liahona—the Book of Mormon.  If we feast on it and follow Christ, He will lead us to the Promised Land.  His word helps us face challenges and teaches us how.  Liken the scriptures to me.  

So wonderful how we can look at each story we read about the Savior and we can discover His character.  

Sunday Ray and I went and spent the day with my mother and her husband at Courtyard at Jamestown.  We went to fast and testimony meeting with them and Sunday School, had lunch with them.  Some of the nicest people live there.  We really enjoyed our time with them.  Monday morning at 8 am found us in class learning IMOS, the computer program the missionaries use.  I am really good at touching the buttons the teacher tells me to touch.  I would like to take one of the teachers with me!  Monday night we attend fhe again and listened to Elder Bednar.  I would like to listen to it at least 4 more times.  

Tuesday was more office programs:  Lettters to family of arriving missionaries, ...

At night it was a fireside with Elder and Sister Bassett for all the missionaries.  I was responsible in our district during the day for the spiritual thought.  Of course, I told what was still on my mind:  the story of Lucy Mack Smith’s brother, Daniel, who has admonished his friends not to go swimming in a river they were by and other fellows were there too.  But one fellow said, I’m going anyway and he jumped in followed by 2 others.  All were doomed for a watery grave as they got caught on undergrowth.  Daniel asked the rest of the group if any of them would dive in to save them at the peril of their own lives.  No one spoke.  Daniel dived in and pulled each one out, one at a time and told the others to roll them over barrels to get the water out of them.  As they recovered, they told Daniel they would always remember him, that they wanted to always live by him.  Though the spurned his counsel, he still went in after them.  

So much like us.  Sometimes I don’t recognize the Lord;s counsel; but He jumps in and saves me anyway.  I learn good from evil from my experiences in life.  And hopefully I love the good and seek His counsel as I develop and turn from the natural man.  

Wednesday was more office programs:  entering baptism records, how to split the screen, making the President’s message, transfers...  Yes, I’m over my head and my brain has turned to mush but with God nothing is impossible.  

Thursday there was training for the finances, the vehicles, ...wow!  The vastness of the mission and the Lords church!  We received a thought today by Ezra Taft Benson: 

 “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in the moment God will endow us with power.” 

Friday we returned to Bountiful to wash and repack.  Tomorrow the Lord’s WORK.  Aloha!

Farewell Program -- Obedience is a principle of power

MTC pictures

Finding the mission on the map

Missionary Training Center

District Week 1

District

Mural of Esther

Farewell -- First Week MTC Provo

This has been an amazing week.
On Monday, it was expressed, “With one touch of the  finger, we can bring heaven or hell into our life.  Speaking of our devices.  When we think of the Character of Christ, He turns “out” in compassion—not “inward”.  He is not self-absorbed, selfish, self-centered.  In Matthew 4 as we read of the temptations, it was pointed out that in all the temptations, it was about “if” you are the Son of God, “if” is the key of pride, self-centeredness.  What a glorious gospel to be centered on the atonement, change, conversion—being consistent in living what we know. The opportunity to turn away from self (what I want, like the Cookie Monster “I want cookie”) to turning back to God.
Tuesday We spent more time looking out:  What are we doing each day to become more converted to Jesus Christ:  How can we serve?    How do you know if it’s the Holy Ghost or just me? Elder Bednar said: “  Quit worrying about it! “. 
Elder Bednar told a story about a time when Elder and Sister Packer came as visiting authorities to Elder Bednar’s mission as a young missionary.  Elder Bednar was working in the office and so it was his opportunity to pick the Packers up and send them on their way to their destination.  As Elder Bednar put them on the train, he thought they might get hungry so he gave them 20 marcs because he knew that was the only exchange that would be useable. 
Well, as the Packers were on the train, the Germans came to check on their passports and his wife’s passport was one that had a three year extension on it.  They were not recognizing the passports with extensions.  They were going to throw her off the train at the next stop.  Elder Packer reached into his pocket and pulled out those 20 marks and  put them in their passports.  She was able to stay on the train.  Elder Bednar said, “Was
 that the Holy Ghost or just him that put those 20 marks in Elder Packer’s hands”?  Quit worrying about it.  Just move on those impressions without trying to figure out if it’s the Holy Ghost or you. 
Wednesday we learned some basic teaching skills.  Help \ Invitation \ Promise\ Doctrine
We discovered the meaning of being a true disciple:  student, learner, example. Our purpose in life is to become like Him, to be one with the Godhead.  Oct 2012 Conference Daniel L. Johnson spoke on “Becoming a True Disciple”.  Jeffrey Orlando said in an mtc devotional, “Remember this truth, everything in the conversion process must happen to you before it can happen to them—-everything.”  So important to remember as we raise families, influence friends...  Each of us must be converted first before we can extend our influence on others.
 When we went to another building to see some murals, I was holding the door with Sister Bartschi and her husband tripped and fell on his hip.  They were in our district; he was our district leader.  Ray and Elder Noel went and administered to him at the hospital.  They were assigned to the Salt Lake City Mission.  We’re down to two couples now.
Thursday’s theme for me was communication.  What?  I’m a good communicator!  Well, I’m a good talker and easily sidetracked. I don’t know if I’ll learn this one lesson:  LIsteN!
Do NOT think of my own experiences.  ASK questions:  Why?  How do you feel about that?  Tell me more...  Have a clear purpose.  Avoid prying questions???!!!  What.
More important than speaking is listening.  Once I heard a statement that went like this, “God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a purpose.  Listen twice as much as we talk.
We watched a video of the blind man since birth and his healing.  There were some interesting observations for me—-the blind man went and did what the Lord told him to do and then he could see.  Another wonderful day.  Our district is now just us.  The Noel left tonight to begin their travel for their mission.  They are driving to see family first and then they are called to Tempe Arizona Mission Addiction and Recovery.  This is their second mission.  Previously they served in New Zealand Addiction and Recovery.  They are amazing people.  What insight and and deep understanding they have.
Today we saw the mural of The Sons of Mosiah. 
Friday.    Who do I want to be when I return from this mission?  I want to be more Christlike.  I want to be better at listening to others and through the Spirit, engage others to feel heart to heart experiences with the Spirit.  We love you!  Aloha!
~Teresa, Mom, Grandma

#Trunky

Hey guys!

Well it was an amazing last week. I'm a little emotional right now, but I couldn't have asked for a better last week. It felt really good. I had exchanges with the Elders from Tomè and it was really fun. Lots of the members there had planned some things for us. They made us sushi and later we had an fhe with an investigator, and it was awesome. Then on Saturday they threw me a goodbye party in Dichato and it was a blast. It was really weird. I've been on the other side so many times and now it's my turn. It was kind of hard.

On the bright side I was able to bear my testimony yesterday in church! And it was really nice. I was reminded that it's not just the privilege of the missionaries to testify of Christ. It's the privilege of everyone who believes. In Alma 30:9 it says, "Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him..." Lucky for me, it never has to end. 

I think the thing that I learned most or that had the greatest impact in my mission and in my life was charity. I remember in my first area when an investigator that I loved a lot commited to go to church and didn't go. I was so hurt. I felt so decieved and didn't even want to go visit him again. Then God gave me a little more light. I thought, "How many times have I told God that I would do something and didn't keep my promise, how hurt might He feel." And then I felt filled with His love and I understood that when we really are filled with the love that He has, we will love them unconditionally. And then even when they fall we only hope and help them to learn and get up again to succeed. I have failed a lot in my life, and over and over and over again I have felt safe in His eternal love. I hope you all feel that love, and that in some small way, I have been able to help others feel that love as well, and pray that the Lord continues to allow me to do so.

Thanks for all your love and support during these 2 years. It has gone by really fast. I hope we can all see each other and reconnect. I love you all a ton! We'll be seeing you soon!

Con todo mi amor y cariño,

Elder Robinson​​

Here is the sushi! with the Familia Peñailillo​​

Here's the goodbye cake they made me. it says "mission accomplished, Good trip"

​And here is the picture I made to send to all my beloved friends :)

Last month in London

Earlier in July I went to "The Taming of the Shrew" at Shakespeare's globe theater. Not my favorite show ever but it was a cool experience anyway. The same week we went to Hever castle to watch a joust :) teehee. After the joust we went to a ward party at a park where everyone just eats as much strawberries and cream as they can and then goes out on the pond in paddle boats and canoes. That was pretty awesome, and lots of non members came. What a fun party!

Elle and I went to Hampton Court Palace, the home of King Henry the VIII and his six sorry wives. I'm becoming almost an expert. He was sure an interesting guy. That weekend I had all but Cole while Nathan and Amy went to Salzburg. Overall it went pretty well! We did a bunch of races, a water fight, and a nature scavenger hunt. I like the "wear them out" technique.

I was lucky and got in on the Robinson family vacation to St. Ives in Cornwall. We stayed in this cute house with beach views all week. Walked down to the beach pretty much everyday. The water was freezing cold and the outdoor temp was never higher than low 70s but Nathan rented wetsuits for several days so we got to really swim and body surf. One day we drove to Penzance for a stand up paddle board Lesson. That was pretty fun! We also found an awesome ice cream place to walk to so we went there a couple times. On the last day we did a bike ride all together. It was a nice trail, and I had Cole in a trailer behind me. On the way home from Cornwall we stopped somewhere that it looked like there might be a bathroom. There wasn't, but there was a cute little ice cream shack and a field of cows that they get the milk from to make the ice cream. It was totally charming. They had some interesting flavors...strawberry and balsamic vinegar, rice pudding and jam, ginger and butternut squash. I just got lemon curd, I don't gamble on ice cream. Nathan really liked the ginger and butternut squash one though. It was a fun week!

My big thing this week was going on the Warner brothers studio tour. You see tons of Harry Potter props, sets, costumes etc. it was pretty awesome. I about died looking at the case with all the horcruxes in it. Too cool! I missed my tube stop on the way back thereby also missing my train and getting home after midnight. That was a little distressing, but it gave me time to finish reading Gone with the Wind. That book is aggravating but utterly brilliant. I also took Ava on a milkshake date this week. I did FHE a while back and talked about the Book of Mormon and challenged everyone to read the Book of Mormon everyday. If they did it everyday I would take them for a milkshake. Ava is the only one that did it so it was a date! I think she had fun. I almost forgot but I did Andrew's testimony challenge and bore my testimony about it in church today. I'll see you all super soon!

La Penúltima

Hey everyone!!!!

Haha. This week was really exciting. On Tuesday night I passed out in a less active member's house, so that was fun. And I hit my hard on the floor pretty hard, so we rested a lot on Wednesday, but we had an activity in the chapel so we went to that, and it was a lot of fun and an investigator went! And then we visited him and his wife on Saturday. They are really receptive, and are really good people. And they didn't go to church yesterday, but they said they would go next week.

Besides that I also sprained my pinky today playing flag... tag. Like flag football but without a football. haha. It's a little swollen, but it'll be all right. Oh and Wednesday night my comp threw up all night, so that was a bummer, so that kind of slowed us down on Thursday, but on Friday we were invited to go see a young man (Matias Coloma) open his mission call, he is Camilo's brother if you remember him from Tomé. He's going to Lima Peru Sur. 

Well I'm a little all over the place right now with my ideas and it's really hard to type with my swollen pinky, pray for my pinky so it can work hard til the end. ;) haha. He's a tough little guy. Also, look up the mission facebook page! We showed up on there with a member working in Dichato! It's called Mision Concepcion. So you can like the page and see how we're working here in our mission. 

I hope everyone can have the opportunity to share their testimonies during the week and especially my nieces and nephews so they can share their experiences in testimony meeting this Sunday! 

I love you all and am way excited to see everyone soon! I have never felt so much love in my heart for people. I love the people here in Chile. And my companions and the other missionaries that I have served with. It really has been an amazing experience. It'll be fun to apply the love and experiences from the mission in real life. But we'll leave the rest of that thought for next week. But I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Muchos cariños y un abrazo!

Elder Robinson

​And this is a little frog friend that I found and gave to my companion on the way home​

This is what happens when they cancel our lunch appointment and we're already in Conce yum yum