What a Wonderful Week

Christmas Day with Diane's District

So this week, our investigator, P. is blazing forward! He told us this week after talking about temples that he thinks his ancestors are pushing him to be baptized so he can complete their temple for for them. We were like, "Heck Yes they are!!" Our family on the other side is always striving to help us progress so we can be with them forever! We are praying that P. will be able to enter the waters of baptism this month. We're just waiting for the go ahead from the first presidency. Otherwise our most progressing investigator is A. who comes to church every Sunday and has been diligently studying the scriptures. But he's still in a lot of danger. R.and T.have been less enthusiastic about learning as they used to be- but we're still meeting with them and were able to watch Joseph Smith together. That is a powerful movie.
M. was confirmed!!! For some reason our stake canceled all church meetings this last Sunday, so there were many people who didn't get baptized as planned. But M. had a special meeting because the bishop didn't want her to go without the gift of the Holy Ghost for two weeks. Yikes! I was able to bear my testimony on the Holy Ghost. I hope everyone takes the time to really appreciate this gift (if you have it) because it is such an amazing thing- to feel close to the Lord, comforted, and protected ALL THE TIME! It's so cool!!
I'm doing really well. I find more and more that when I feel closer to the Lord I feel much happier and better able to handle the demands of missionary work. I have been focusing on keeping a prayer in my heart constantly, and it's really doing the trick. It's amazing how when we take the time to recognize the Lord in everything, our whole outlook becomes so bright! It's crazy!!
 A little miracle (if there is such a thing) that happened only yesterday was when we were knocking on doors in an apartment building. We've been pretty hesitant to tract in apartment buildings, but yesterday we just did it, and at the very first door we were invited in and ended a full restoration lesson with a prayer. We have been constantly reminded that when Heavenly Father knows we are ready missionaries, He will send us ready investigators. We hope we'll be able to always be ready for any investigator the Lord needs us to talk to.
Hope your Christmas was as Merry and wonderful as our was :)

Christmas Morning with my companion

Love,
Sister Roberts
PS- It was so great to see you guys! (Via Skype on Christmas day) Christmas at the Robert's is just the way I remember it :) Fun and crazy and full of toys and boys! ha ha. I love it. You guys would LOVE the snow here- the sledding is RIGHTEOUS! But I can't go.. sad. Maybe someday I'll bring you guys here so we can have a real white Christmas. :)

1st Baptism

This week has been by far the most trying of my short life as a missionary. Both outwardly and inwardly.
First off with our Most Progressing Investigator. You're probably tired of hearing about M., but she was baptized! The night before she stood us up for her interview. But she was interviewed by president himself the next day! She'll be confirmed on Sunday. We have a ride set up and there is nothing to stop her but Satan. Otherwise, P. is our runner up, but we still need to find out from the mission presidency when he can set the date- but he's so close!!! I don't know if I mentioned it, but he resolved all his issues with the commandments and is ready to be baptized!!! YAY!!! When he brought it up I was like "uh oh, here it comes, he doesn't want to see us anymore"  But then he was like- "you guys are right, and I want to be baptised" and I was like- WAHOOO!!!!!!! It was a great day.

The most miraculous event this week was M's baptism. There was a lot of tears and frustration behind that baptism. Our whole district was fasting that Sunday for her, and Heavenly Father made it happen! I wish I could say it took more effort on my part to help with that process, but Sister E. is really the missionary that started with her. Still, I am very happy for M. and can't wait to help C., her son :)

M. Baptism Day! December 22, 2013

So as I said, it has been a VERY trying week. So many people have cancelled appointments, virtually no one is able to joint teach with us, investigators have completely turned off to us after being so close in their progression, etc. It's mostly because of the Christmas season. Every day is exhausting. It hasn't helped that we always seem to be late to appointments lately because the investigators we DO see tend to talk for a VERY long time. These are the external problems. We are working to fix them and have made goals such as timing and working our schedule to factor in long conversations. However I've also been wrestling with inner trials- nothing terrible, but I find that because I have such an amazing trainer, sometimes I feel like I can't step in when I feel something different needs to be done. I end up stepping down because she has been doing this much longer than I and she knows how it's done. It's hard because I don't know when something really should be changed or if we could try something else. I don't want to sound pessimistic. She is a magnificent trainer and we'll work it out. It is something I've been working on.

I really can't complain though- Heavenly Father has blessed us by letting us talk to people who were really closed off before, and he's put several people directly in our path for us to talk to, like a Brazilian guy who called out. "Hey, are you sisters??"  We were like- "let me tell you something.... "- Ha Ha, not really, but we ended up meeting his mother (who took a picture with us?) and we'll be going over to visit sometime with a member who served in Brazil.
It would be wonderful if everyone could pray for R., T., and K. They are a family who has loved meeting with us and have felt the spirit, no doubt about it, in the lessons we've taught them. But R.'s big fear is in going to church. When we stressed the importance of her coming she completely turned off to us and won't see us anymore :( Prayers would be really appreciated.
When we asked A. about his scripture reading he told us he hadn't liked it so he stopped. :( Also an investigator to pray for.
On a funny note, I made a list of 50 things I can't think of on my mission. (Ex. Swimming, the sun, movies to watch, the mall....) I wrote that list and BURNED IT!!! Not really- I ripped it up and soaked the pieces in water till they dissolved. I'm not allowed to mess with fire. :P Those thoughts are no longer who I am! I am a missionary!! HA! Take THAT Satan!!! :D

Wanted to say that I got Grandma Winert's and Grandma Robert's Packages!! Thank you so much!!!!! They have made my Christmas PERFECT :D Haven't opened them yet :)

Thanks guys for your words of comfort and encouragement :) I love you all so much! Merry MERRY! Christmas :)

Hurrah! For Israel!

Love,
Sister Roberts

Ps: hey Mom :D you are awesome! I'll see you (on Skype) in a few days!!! <3

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Sharing the Gospel

What a cold week. But I feel like I progress every day as a missionary. I'm really trying to get more involved in planning and scheduling with sister E. and I find it's really fulfilling. I've discovered that I really like problem solving. Even though it's been cold- we've made the goal to tract for an hour a day and we've seen great results because of it. There's an entire street from Boldovia, Russia who are Baptist! They are the nicest people, even in the cold. I feel like I've gotten into the flow of being a missionary and have the potential to someday be good at tracting. Still working on it though. Probably won't get there till I'm about finished with my mission.
There have been two miracles this week: One is that P. is speaking to us again after blocking our calls and is having his first interview today! Yay! We'll see how he does, but it's a huge step. The other is that after four months of contact and trying to teach a lesson, our neighbor was finally open to hearing our message about the restoration of the gospel. We "happened" to have the perfect member of the ward with us, who related to her just right. I think this miracle was possible because of the service we did for her last week in cleaning her house. All in the Lord's timing.

Prayer Request: please pray for the Cambell family. There a new family we've been teaching and they're so fun and pretty quirky, but I can tell they know that what we're teaching them is true and that eventually they'll need to be baptized, but just like everything on a mission, it's a struggle. They are so great though- they give us cookies and stuff all the time :)

M. is scheduled to have her interview on the 21st and then to be baptized the next day! Yay!!! We have been focusing on daily member contact with her and P. It's all up to them now. We're still supporting and meeting with them as often as we can.

Sister E.'s mom sent us a mini Christmas tree we had fun decorating. Love it! We found a box of free decorations in an apartment complex, so I made a wreath and decorated the room. I am technically allowed to go to the temple every transfer, but it usually doesn't happen. Not enough hours in the day. Bloomington is what the missionaries call 'the city' and there is a big city nearby, and it's really just suburbs everywhere. I'm sleeping pretty well at night but sometimes wake up a lot because the neighbors watch TV really loud.

So I need to exhort everyone to do something- Missionary work . Seriously. GET ON IT FAMILY! Ha Ha Ha!- it is so true when they say that members are the real missionaries.! All the people who are being baptized were once member referrals. so invite people to dinner!! WITH the missionaries!!! Invite them to FHE!! Send people cookies with scriptures on it! Watch the Nativity with them! ANYTHING PLEASE!!!  I'm Begging You!! This is a war people!! We need to be fighting it all the time!

Sorry- I'll get off my rant now. OKAY CHRISTMAS! Only 9 more days! I'm so excited to talk with all of you again.

Today I'm looking forward to sleeping. God gave us P-days for a reason :)
Merry almost Christmas! Hurrah for Israel!!
Love,
Sister Roberts

Every Day Miracles

Playing around with Sister E. 

Today a member from our ward took us down town to the Macy's Holiday show!:) It was so fun! We had our pictures taken with Santa!

 It's been a really fun week. On Tuesday and Wednesday I had training meetings- one for the new missionaries and the other for December. We saw  the movie "17 Miracles"- which I wasn't excited for until we watched it - then it was awesome!
We also served a lady in our apartments who doesn't have a leg and is pretty big. We cleaned her room. It was very dirty since it is hard for her to clean. Tough job, but it was super fun! She was so sweet :)

There are miracles in every day that are very small, but the biggest miracle we've had this week is that P. is responding to us again! He has been very hard to reach because he was offended by something we taught. He's responding, but he still won't meet with us. Miracles take time I suppose.

All warm under quilts for the Christmas Devotional.

M. is so close to baptism! We've set her new date as December 29th. She's been visiting members of the ward a lot more too and getting used to them. She came to all three hours of church on Sunday AND went to the Relief Society activity, AND had dinner with us at a member's home to watch the church's Christmas Devotional! YAY!  We feel we're already starting to fade into the background as missionaries and the members are really stepping up. We are very excited for her.

I am doing well but I've been struggling a little with being sleepy, especially in the cold; my body tends to shut down. I have been working on really revving myself up, particularly before approaching doors, by jumping around a lot. During those sleepy moments, it's really easy to doubt myself and become discouraged, but my wonderful companion keeps me going and the Lord pushes me through.

No news yet on A. He hasn't been answering our questions yet. I feel like when people know they'll find the truth if they read the Book of Mormon, they get scared and just don't read it. I wish they would see that we are totally there for them and what's more important, the LORD is there for them! Don't be scared to know the truth!!!  Even if it means changing your life - it will be SO worth it!!!

I am so sorry again that I can't take any more time- I love hearing about your adventures at home!!!

On a split with some other sisters in my mission.

I love you all so much!!! Keep the MMM in your prayers (Minnesota, Minneapolis Mission) Lot's of missionaries have been getting sick lately :(

LOVE ,

Sister Roberts

PS. I forgot to mention- last P-day we had a district game of dodge ball that nearly took several heads off. My thumb was put out of commission for a while. It was fun. You should look up how to play three-step. I have a feeling you boys would like it.

Worth Dying For!

Diane and Sister E. with a little friend.

Our president has told us that he wants a white Christmas this year, as in baptisms ;) Hahahaha. Our mission goal is 54! We can do it! Every day is full of little miracles. The most prominent one to me this week was during an exchange with Sister S. We were on our last hour of the day and she decided it would be a good idea to visit a less active couple. We stopped by and low and behold a disaster was happening as we arrived. The husband had just read a letter from his daughter telling him she wanted to divorce him. He was heartbroken. We were able to quickly assure him of the Lord's love and support as well as the church's support. We told him and his wife that if they were faithful to the Lord, he would make these hard times easier to bear. I probably won't see them again but I feel so much love for them! I hope they're doing well.

Another is with P. I don't if I told you about him- but he's golden- he just won't be baptized because of one small issue. A brother in our ward just happened to be his friend and just happened to have had the same problem in the past. (!!!) The Lord really knows what each of us individually needs and he does what's necessary to bring us back! YAY!!!
Also, There's an Egyptian investigator named A. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS BOY!!!! It's urgent!! His family is Muslim and if he went back to his country as a christian- they would kill him and possibly his family. YIKES!! But he really wants to know that the gospel is true and will do anything to know. He's very intellectual and has a lot of questions. We've told him that if he prays and reads the scriptures daily- he will receive and answer this week. Just goes to show- THE GOSPEL IS WORTH DYING FOR!!!!! PRAYERS NEEDED!!!

Our most progressing investigator is still M., but she has postponed her baptism date until three weeks from now when the school semester is over. The bishop and others have been friend-shipping her, and we'll keep meeting with her, but she needs to find her own conversion at this point as well as the will to make this sacred commitment with the Lord.

I have definitely been tested in my goal to have no doubtful thoughts this week. M. not coming to her baptism again, several investigators who don't want to meet us anymore, and the general Christmas buzz are big blocks that are hard to climb. But thankfully my companionship is totally inspired and Sister E. has been helping me so much in climbing these blocks. My testimony of the Lord's hand in all things grows stronger every day because I'm forced to see that nothing happens without the spirit.

This next Preparation day (P-day), Sister H. in our ward has invited us to go downtown with her to the Macy's celebration (?). I'm told that it will be insanely fun. Yay!  For Thanksgiving she had us over to her house with her fiance's family who aren't members of our church. WHAT A GREAT TIME!!! We shared our testimonies, made friends and had AMAZING food! Sister H. is a perfect missionary. Her fiance was just baptized and it was so beautiful!! He really loves her but it's obvious that her truly loves the gospel as well. Yay for eternal families!

Today for P-day my district is getting together to play three-step. Apparently it's a vicious version of dodge ball. Yikes. Bring it ON!!! Woohoo!

Love,
Sister Roberts