How beautiful are they

Stinky blossoms...but they're pretty

Sister Erickson drew this for our visual for our lesson. These are the things that the organization of Christ's church provides. It's so nice to have a talented companion :)

Well this week was just great! We were really busy and that is my favorite thing so it was a good week! With one little bad piece of news so I will get that out of the way first. Ed dropped us. So he
was the one I had that awesome lesson with on exchanges and he cried. He texted us and told us that his wife said we are the cause of their marital strife. Can't possibly be true since we have only taught him once but it's probably more Christianity in general that she feels is the cause. So we won't be  meeting with him anymore. But the rest of the week was awesome!

Tuesday (which was p-day last week) we went to Old Folsom with the other sisters in our zone and walked around a little bit. There are some cute antique shops and stuff so that was fun. See picture below.

Wednesday we had a lesson with Janelle and Kaleilah. In my last email I mentioned that we had a referral for people not in our Ward, so that's them. We got permission to teach them since they requested sisters. So Wednesday we went to meet them and talked with them a little bit. They are really cool, and really open to learning. We set up a church tour with them for Saturday.

Thursday we went to the Tongan family in our Ward that called us about a referral. The referral was a no show so we were unfortunately not able to teach him, but we did get to eat some authentic Tongan food. It was interesting! There was a lamb and onion dish with taro leaves on top, taro, sweet potato, bananas that were cooked somehow...I can't figure out what they did to them; and a corned beef and onion thing, also with taro leaves and probably coconut milk because it tasted coconut-y. The corned beef stuff was good. The rest was ok if you ate it with the corned beef haha. Thursday night we did basketball service for the last time. I believe it was a championship game so there were TONS of people. We were super busy and running like crazy to keep up. The non-member basketball moms totally love us so it has been a good experience doing service there for sure. So remember how I have been talking about the trees all being in blossom here? They are really pretty, but some of them are really smelly. We discovered that the other day when Sister Erickson was wondering why she smelled
fish. It was the blossoms. On the way into basketball service we got out of the car and Sister Erickson was like, "whoa, what is that smell?" I kept sniffing, because I knew it was familiar. Suddenly it dawned on me, and I said, "It's the rotten fish blossoms!" Funny.

Friday we were not in our area for most of the day. Sister Kauvaka (Sister Limb's new companion)  had to go to the new leadership meeting so we stayed with Sister Limb. We did some weekly  planning and then went to visit some of the people in their area.

Saturday morning we went to a members house and did some service. The young women were doing a fundraiser for girls camp of selling cookie dough that is pre-made and frozen. It was pretty hardcore. There were five kinds of cookies and so there was a lot to keep track of. It was wild, there were probably 30 people in the house all working on various stages of the process. Gigantic bowls of cookie dough, 6 mixers, lots of dishes. I was very thankful that I was just helping and not running it. We ended up cranking out about 5000 cookies. After that we scurried off to our chapel tour with Janelle and Kaleilah. The member that referred them came as well. It went SO well. I can't believe I've never really done a chapel tour before. I definitely should have been doing that my whole  mission. We just walked around the church talking about the pictures on the walls, so it naturally brought up a lot of principles. We talked about the Savior's atonement and baptism, about his visit to the Americas, about the first vision and the restoration of the priesthood through Peter, James, and John. She especially loved the, "I Stand at the Door and Knock" painting. Actually brought her to  tears. We ended in the chapel talking about the sacrament and invited her to keep the Sabbath Day holy when she attends church next week. Then we said a kneeling prayer in the chapel. One comment she made more than once was, "Your church is all about service, isn't it?" It was really cool, and definitely a good experience for her. It was such a blessing to have her member friend there with her, it kept it comfortable and real. I am totally converted to having members at lessons. The work just can't go forward without members! That's why you need to all be actively reaching out to everyone around you, so we can find the prepared people. :). We are meeting with them on Friday and plan to teach the Restoration and invite them to be baptized. We are so excited to be teaching them.

Sunday we taught the lesson in Relief Society in the Silva Valley Ward. It was on Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk, "Why the Church?" It was a perfect talk for us to teach because this is a concern we run into all the time. People feel that they don't need organized religion, they can worship on their own. What Elder Christofferson teaches us is that Christ has organized His church to carry forth His work. We are the body of Christ, and can do great work together. We can build temples in which  saving ordinances are performed. We can care for those in need. We can strengthen and uplift each other. One sister commented about something she'd heard once about all of us at church being like doorknobs in a sack. By knocking up on each other over and over we become polished. Sometimes people at church knock us around a little more than strengthen us maybe :), but we become more Christ-like through those experiences.

This morning I studied Mosiah 18 and that chapter solidified what I learned about the purpose of Christ's church in perfecting the saints. It teaches about the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are only able to have those because of the priesthood that is held by worthy members of Christ's church. In the organization of Christ's church through Alma at this time in the Book of Mormon they met together often, "to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God." They also "impart of their substance" so that "to him that had not it should be given." These are some of the purposes of Christ's church. He has organized His church on the earth today that we might partake of salvation in Him through the ordinances that are available to us through the priesthood. That we  might uplift and strengthen one another. I am so thankful to be a part of this great work, to make these things known! In verse 30 it talks about how all of this took place in Mormon, by the waters of Mormon and "how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever." How beautiful is  this land to me, where I have come to a greater knowledge of my Redeemer. Love you all so much!

Sister Robinson

Faith, a principle of action

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone had a fantastic week and could enjoy the last few days of February. We had a pretty great week this week, and we really were able to have some special experiences. This last week Elder Bednar came to our area and gave a little conference, and it was truly amazing. I felt really strengthened and it was amazing to feel the spiritual confirmation once again of living apostles. It truly was a special experience. 

He talked some more about teaching repentance and baptizing converts. He also spoke about faith and action. It was also really funny! haha. He fist bumped the translator near the beginning. He also spoke a little Spanish, but just some words. We all felt very uplifted by the experience. The biggest thing I got out of it was that I need to pray and invite the investigators to pray with the expectation to act. Which was something he spoke about. He mentioned the experience of the people crossing the River Jordan and getting their feet wet before it opened for them to cross. And how we need to pray with the same expectation. Joseph Smith didn't just go to the grove to find out which church was true, but to know which church he should join. So my companion and I have been trying to teach that a lot more this week.

On Saturday we found Marco Antonio Orellana. He's awesome. He's about 50, I'd say, and he's a professor and he's really smart. He knows the bible really well and he has studied Greek and Hebrew to understand it better. He's basically already a member. He just needs to get baptized. And he went to church yesterday, and I taught the gospel principles class and he and his girlfriend participated a lot. Oh ya, he also invited his girlfriend! And he told us in the first lesson that he's not living with her or doing anything with her because they decided together that they did not want to commit fornication's. Ya. That's the way he speaks. He's pretty ready. But it's hard for him to take steps of faith, because he's been able to prove everything about our church right by simply studying. So he and his girlfriend both need your prayers. His girlfriend's name is Erika. She's really receptive as well. He has a baptismal date for the 19th of March. And we hope to get her on board as well. Hurray!

Elder Mace is a really great guy, and his dad's in the motab! So that's pretty cool! Just a side note. haha. I'm doing really well, as well. Enjoying the sun, putting on sunblock, and drinking lots of water. :) So we're all good here.

I love you guys! I hope you have an amazing week! I promise I'll send a lot of pics here soon, I just don't have my converter any more, so I'll have to buy a new one. But the pictures will come.

Con amor desde Chillan!

Elder Robinson

pics

Dinner at Tugelos

Tugelos

Institute class

Soliman family basptism

Saturday, February 20, 2016-Saturday, April , 2016

Saturday routine.  Ray ironed shirts. 9:00 on our way to the wharf to pick up Boiser for North stake Relief Society meeting at 10 am at LaPaz stake center focusing on self reliance.  Only 19 showed up at the leadership meeting plus us and Boiser.  They fed us a beautiful lunch.  Then we returned Boiser to the wharf.  He gave us a going away gift.  It is handmade wall hanging of a marriage event.  For him, we are all about a marriage that we all want to have...how Elder opens my door...like that.  He and Annie say they want to be like us when they get older.  Home.  Mandurriao Ward primary parents activity at 3:00.  I was assigned to speak to the parents about teaching children 4-11 about reverence.  It was fun, though not many came.  Hurried to adult session of North stake conference 4:30, with visiting authority, Elder Pajaro of the Seventy.  The stake choir is always astig (awesome).  Elder Pajaro called on Ray to tell how multi-generational ancestor members have affected him.  He discovered in college how he had gospel roots.  He was given an assignment in a class to research the family history or his ancestors.  It made him feel that he wasn't an outsider.  After conference we took a picture with Elder and Sister Pajaro.  We were invited for two dinner appointments, so that was fun.  Also, Elder Ramos, a past assistant, surprised us and introduced us to his fiancé.  She was the chorister for stake conference.  They will marry in Manila temple the first week of June.  Home 8:00 pm.
Sunday 8:00 Mandurriao Ward with 6 missionaries;  my name was mentioned in both talks but I don't know what was said.  It was embarrassing to have so many references.  9:30 rushed to LaPaz for Sunday session North stake:  President and Sister Pajaro with the new Cebu temple president and Sister Perez.  One of the best stake conferences.  After conference Sister Cagape invited the Pajaros, the Perez's, the Aquino's and us for a very nice dinner.  We got back to the apartment at 3:45.  What a delightful day!
Monday routine.  Washed clothes.  Brought the sisters with us to Arevalo for Sister Averion to take the English test.  It was different than our tests in the past. We gave them a ride to Robinson's Mall then to Jalandoni for us.  1:30 home for lunch, brought in the dry clothes, rested.  Filled the truck up with gas, washed the truck, shopped a bit, picked up some liquid vitamins for me, apartment, gave Ray a hair cut, Ray ironed shirts.
Tuesday routine.  District meeting. After we all went to Mang Inasal to eat.  Elder Bowen, our district leader from Salt Lake City, surprised us with a halo halo for Ray and I as a farewell sentiment.  Oh, he is so nice.  After, Ray and I went to Jalandoni.  Then at 6:00 to LaPaz where we were invited to dinner at President and Sister Tigulos.  Delicious.  Healthy.  She makes the best drinks.  They would be our best friends.  Home 9:00.
Wednesday  routine.  7:30  Arevalo all sisters conference.  Amos 3:3. "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"  Mosiah 18:21  UNITY: 1-obedience 2-inclusive 3-service.  After sisters conference at 3:00, we went straight to Jalandoni to teach our last Institute class "Serving one another".  Since it was our last, we wanted to play charades and pictionary with the lesson.  I think they enjoyed it.  At the end of class, President Insigne brought a treat for everyone:  a boiled white flour ball with meat sauce inside, siopao.  Quotes from lesson, "...sometimes we look for opportunities to serve others when those who have the greatest needs are within the walls of our own home."  Elder Ballard "To those of you who have served full time missions, please remember that you were released from your missions but not from the church...we expect you to look and act like one of His disciples.  Look the part.  Act the part.  Don't follow worldly trends and fashions...  The rules for happiness and success after your mission are pretty much the same as they were during your mission:  pray hard (study Christ's attributes), work hard (serve), and be obedient ( read the scriptures daily).  Marion G. Romney:  "...service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom.  Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.  Oh, the glorious day when (service) all come naturally because of the purity of our hearts."  In that day we will not need a commandment or a calling.  We will have experienced for ourselves the joy of unselfish, unassigned service.  For now we practice, like babies learning to walk, to talk, to eat.  Some take to it faster and easier but as we make it our lives, we will become as God is.  President Gordon B Hinckley:  "It is our responsibility divinely laid upon each of us to bear one another's burdens, to strengthen one another, to encourage one another, to lift one another, to look for the good in one another, and to emphasize that good."  What a great time in life it is when we have our children at home, when we can notice and express all the good we see in them.  It is so convenient then to teach, to share, to love.  And children can do so much for their parents at that time because they can notice and express appreciation for the food prepared and provided, the clean clothes, the house they live in, the rides they are given, the opportunities provided them for developing their skills, their talents, their habits, the blessing of family scriptures and family prayers.  As we develop in different areas, we have more to share and to develop each other.  Some of us get tall fast, some grow slower-- and the blessing is "pulling together", helping, lifting, encouraging one another--kind words, helping hands, looking outside ourselves.  Oh, I wish I had had the missionary experience sooner.  Henry B Eyring:  "Obedience always includes service to others.  Service in God's work allows us to feel a part of what He feels..."  Certainly parenting is 24/7 service.  This question was for me:  "Do I share some of my free productive time with my children..."  Service opens windows in your life instead of just mirrors that always just reflect yourself."  Conference '89. Elder Backman:  "This is your world, a beautiful world with unlimited opportunities to grow, to learn, to serve.  Make it a better world through your preparations now and the noble service you render as a token of the love you have for Heavenly Father and His Son."  I loved this lesson.  I can't go back but I'm determined to serve my family better from now on.
Thursday routine.  Plan. Prepare. Wash. Purchase water.  SM-pay phone bill. Sony (from Guimaras district presidency) was there and he helped us communicate for ending our phone service.  Now we know we have to go in to end it on Friday, March 4 or try to do it in Manila on Monday, March 7.  It was nice to have his help.  We also got some pesos, then went to Jalandoni, only to find that it is a holiday again, People Power.  We went to the Atrium for four grocery items.  Home for late lunch.  Took a rest.  Writing journals and history of our mission experience.  Walked the Esplanade.  Home 6:15.  Read. Worked on details, garments for Analisa, bookmarks, etc.
Friday routine.  Wash.  Found out a baptism of a family was cancelled--hoping it will go forward next Friday before we leave.  Everyone was so sad.  Paid power and water bill with Sorilla's.  Then to Jalandoni.  Working on arrangements for a taxi to Queson City from the airport.
Received our new missionary yearbook today!  Yea!  Baptism is back on.  President Aquino interviewed Brother Solimon and the family was baptized around 6:30.  He, his wife and twelve year old son.  Both elders baptized.  It was one of the best baptisms.  Elder Solimon just hugged Elder Crighton after the ordinance, buried his head and cried.  It was so touching.  They each bore testimony at the end.  It was great!  He has a big construction job as a boss man.  9:00 we are home after taking the San Miguel group and the elders from there back to San Miguel.
Love, Sister Robinson

Earth's crammed with heaven

The district and zone this past transfer.

Gorgeous flowers that are on some of the trees here. Yep, we have blessing trees. It's spring here. You know you all want to move here... :)

Well this week was pretty good! Missionary work is just good, that's all there is to it. We had a lesson with Nicole that was a little rocky. She doesn't feel like there is a need to know what is true. It's a concern I don't understand at all. She just kept saying, "Why does it matter who is right? Can't we just try to be good people? Isn't that good enough?" I just don't get it. But I listened and I feel the spirit told me what I needed to say. She said there is no way to know what is true. I asked her if she  believed that God answers prayers. She said she did. I asked if she believed He knew what is true and what is not. She seemed to think that made sense. So we talked about how it is pretty hard to be good and do good in the sight of God if we don't know what He wants, and that we can know those truths by asking in prayer and reading scripture. Hopefully that helped her out some.

We did some weeding service at a members house on Wednesday, that was fun. We got to know her a lot better and they just moved in to their house recently so we got to meet her neighbor, too. One of her neighbors just pulled over to say hi and meet her so we didn't get to talk with her much but at least we met her! We also met some members that have a son in the Logan, Utah mission. Small world.

We did service at the Old folks home again. It was a struggle, no one wanted to play with me! I ended up doing a puzzle all by myself! I did eventually get to meet and talk with a woman named Rita. She is way nice and has lots of faith. Hopefully I will get to talk with her again. We can't really proselyte at service but we gave her our card so she could call us if she needs anything.

We spent most of Friday at a funeral for one of the senior missionaries. He refused to be released from his mission so he was released at his funeral. It was a really nice funeral, he has left quite the legacy. Saturday we had a good lesson with Rex about baptism and how his responsibility now is to partake of the Sacrament worthily. I ended up playing fetch with an ugly bulldog, it had a good personality though. I have kind of turned into a dog person, which is very strange. I mean I don't love all dogs by any means but I like several of them and will pet almost all of them. Missions definitely change people.

We got our transfer calls and both of us are staying again! Transfer three with Sister Erickson, and in Oakridge and Silva Valley wards! We kept asking the zone leaders if there was a catch...like an added
Ward or a third companion or something crazy. It just seemed too simple. But it is true, we are both staying together again! And I am breaking all kinds of records by being the only companion Sister
Erickson has had for more than 2 transfers in the only area she has been in more than three. Maybe I'll break my own record and be here one more transfer after this (6 months). We'll see. I will definitely be here for my birthday though.

Ed canceled his lesson this week, so hopefully he will let us come this week. We have some really good leads with some members that have friends, so hopefully something plays out soon. Sunday they had some of the members tell their children's mission stories for sacrament talks. I'm not sure that was the most appropriate topic to choose but it was pretty entertaining. One guy told how his son was cornered by a member that is a little crazy and asked them to give her a blessing. She took them to a nearby thrift store and started talking to the store guy about the gospel and the Book of Mormon and priesthood and everything. She then asked him if he would come in the bathroom with her and the elders for the blessing since they can't be alone in a room with her without an adult man. The elder said it was the most uncomfortable thing he's ever done haha. Man, the people in this area are just so normal I forget how crazy people can be.

Monday we cleaned the temple again for service. I got to chat a little bit with a man that just got back from serving a mission in London with his wife. I think he said it was the London mission, and I told
him about Nathan and Amy of course. He didn't recognize the name of the place they live so he said they must be in the London South mission. It was cool though. I like cleaning the temple, it is special to care for the Lord's house. After we came out of the temple we had a voicemail from one of our members. He is an older man from Tonga, and told us that we have an appointment on Wednesday at 3:00 with an investigator. It is pretty hard to understand him, especially on the phone so who knows what the situation is but we are excited to find out! Then we had another member call us in the  afternoon wanting us to teach her massage therapist. Awesome! Problem is she does not actually live in our Ward boundaries but the Ward she is in has elders and she does not want elders because she is a single mom with a young daughter and would rather have women in the home. Of course we would
love to teach her but Ward boundaries are important! It can cause some really confusing problems to cross those lines, so we have talked to the zone leaders and we will see what President wants us to do. I wanted to share a poem that the Silva Valley Bishop shared in testimony meeting a few weeks ago. It was really profound to me and made me think.

"Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Look for Heavenly Father in the little things this week. Love you all!

Sister Robinson

Chau Elder Archibald, Hola Elder Mace (8-week transfer)

Well, they called me to give me the transfers last night! Woo hoo! haha. And Elder Archibald left yesterday so I was with the other Elders in the ward for last night and today. And Elder Mace is coming to be with me! So that's pretty great. He's pretty tall. haha. And he was actually in my zone when I started the mission, so I already know him really well. I'm excited to be with him. He's a really genuine person, and very loving. It'll be good for me to be able to learn from him.

I know that this church is true and that our Heavenly Father has restored it in these latter days so that we may be perfected and saved through the saving ordinances and power of the priesthood. I know that Peter, James, and John appeared to Joseph Smith to give him that sacred priesthood authority, and that today Thomas S. Monson possesses those same priesthood keys and truly is the prophet that God has called to guide us and keep us safe from the temptations of the adversary. I hope that we all can listen and ponder upon his words and be able to know and obey his counsels which come from our Heavenly Father.

Just so you know, this transfer is an 8 week transfer, so that's pretty cool. I'm excited. And there are a ton of people training in our zone, which is always fun. And because it's cambios day, I don't have too much time. But I'm doing really well, I'm happy and healthy, and not getting too sunburned. I sure do love you guys and wish you the very best week! 

Con mucho amor y cariño,

Elder Robinson

Multiply

We had Stake conference in the Iloilo North stake this past weekend. We live in the Iloilo Stake but because we serve in all the Stakes we attend their conferences when we can. They always acknowledge our presence from the stand and it makes us feel kind of strange. The members always seem so happy to have us there.
There was a visiting area president there and it was great to hear the messages of his wife and himself. I just wanted to share part of what the sister said (sorry I did not write down their names. I think Mom did).
She talked about the arithmetic of the Lord:
When we subtract (as in keeping his council and commandments) he multiplies.
When we pay ten percent, it does not add up to ninety percent for us it is one hundred percent or one hundred and ten percent or more.
When we subtract one day per week to honor our Father he multiplies the effect of our other days.
When we subtract two years ( or 18 months ) the Lord multiplies our time for the rest of our lives.
When we subtract a few minutes each day for scripture study and prayer the Lord multiplies the effectiveness of our day.
I like these thoughts. I believe that they have been true in my life. Because of our obedience to our Father in Heaven, we receive the blessings.
Isn't it great to know these things?
I love you all
Dad