New Start

December Singing

Christmas in Rochester, MN

 I think the most thrilling things in life are new starts. The start of a new year, new day, new place! There are so many things that are new and exciting! It's when things get old and boring that excitement leaves. I'm gonna encourage everyone to live in new moments and always be excited!

Not much has happened this week, Christmas was amazing- we went to the W's house and they gave us stockings and lots of candy and I did a puzzle and finally learned how to play clue :) 

My new companion, Sister Y.,

is wonderful, but we're working on helping her not be homesick, have a desire to be obedient, and work hard. It's a little hard cause I have those weaknesses too at times :/ no bueno.

 I'm so sorry this is short :/ we haven't had a lot of time to write lately because of the holidays. Everything's been pretty off the wall.

Caroling Downtown

Anyway I love you all so much!!

Love,

Hermana Roberts

Christmas bells are ringing again!

My new companion, Sister Y!

This week has been chaotic. Our apartment is pretty crowded and messy with four sisters living in it, and we're still trying to get our bearings as far as what we should focus on and where we need to be regularly. I'm excited to get back into the potential of this amazing area. 

Our most progressing investigator, R.K., who we met two days ago, has agreed to be baptized on Jan. 2. She still has an issue with the word of wisdom unfortunately, but she'll be ok. She didn't come to church this week because she was sick. We're going to try and stop by later today to see how she's doing, but I really hope that she isn't getting cold feet.

 I really hope we can keep up the momentum of this place- we just need to get on the right track first

So with my recent study of the Christlike attributes- I was studying about faith and diligence and how they're related- and I read in true to the faith that faith is having a goal and working towards it. That is definitely something we can't see. It's like building the temple brick by brick- those people couldn't see the final picture, but they worked hard every day so that someday they could. diligence is a help to that- it is the steady, consistent effort of being faithful to a goal. :)

Just find out what you're goal is first or you'll be shooting blind! kinda like how I'm feelin now :P hahaha

I'm excited to spend another Christmas in the field! It is the best time of year to feel the spirit and share the gospel :)

Have a merry Christmas!!

Love ,

Sister Roberts

Rockin the Roch... again :D

Sister Roberts

And now the moment you've been waiting for..

I"M GOING BACK TO ROCHESTER!!!! YAY!!!

So yeah I'll be finishing the training for Sister Y., who's companion and trainer had to leave early due to sickness. It'll be crazy! I haven't met her yet- but we're meeting at the Oakdale chapel next to the temple- I finally get to see the St. Paul temple! Hurray!

Cherry Berry Ice Cream

Today has been strange- There are four sisters leaving the mission field early for school. Since I'm basically waiting around for my companion to get here, I got to eat lunch at the mission home with the departing missionaries, the office staff, and the assistants. So strange. But then again- it was sort of like this when I was in Bloomington. It's like being back home :)

I Will Share the Gift

I'm so excited to be going back to Rochester! I love those people and can't wait to get to work. The office ladies tell me Sister Y. is very sweet- so I'm excited to meet her. It was sad to leave Sister C.- but I know Sister S., her new companion, and she'll take good care of her.

I'm excited to see my friends from Rochester :)

Me and Sister C.

One last meal at the Creamery

The Magnificent M. Family

Minnesota Minneapolis Mission 2014

P Day at the Hogan's Barn

Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army

Snow Angel!

St. Paul Zone missionaries

Merry almost Christmas!!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

Christmas Time is Here!

Ready for a night of Christmas Caroling

Family!

This has been a great week. There is this new Christmas video out on christmas.mormon.org that the church has put out as an initiative to spread the word that Jesus is our Lord! He is the center of

The Elders made this Giant Book of Mormon

Christmas! This is a HUGE movement! With the new Christmas initiative, we've been caroling with the elders in our ward and inviting people not only to watch the video, but also to come to the ward Christmas parties. It's been a lot of fun and we've seen a lot of success because of it. 

Caroling with the Elders in our ward

The investigator we wish was progressing more is C. M., who still hasn't made the decision to be baptized. He has said he'll do it by the end of this year, however. Our fervent prayer is that this happens.

Getting Ready for Christmas!

We'll be going on an exchange with some other sister missionaries this week. They'll be coming to our area after our district meeting. We're excited to encourage them, since they are so young we want to help them understand the joy and fun in serving a mission. Snowmen will probably be involved in our morning workouts :)

There's a group of youth in our ward that I've really been concerned with the whole time I've been here. Yesterday we were able to teach the Sunday school class of all these youth and really see what has been going on. It's pretty saddening, cliques and backbiting are rampant. There are a few youth we've pinpointed that we really want to sit down and talk with. Hopefully we will be able to help. They've been a worry of the whole ward for a long time.It reminds me of the Nephites and how after the big war in 3 Nephi, when all the people go home after being hunkered down together, there's a time of peace at first- but then suddenly they get all rich and there's one group of people who bite back when they are "reviled" and another group who stay humble in the face of mockery. I want you guys to ask yourselves- which group are you? The one who takes offence and bites back, or the one who stands as Christ did before King Herod- silent, dignified and humble?

Anyway- I hope you all find the joy of selflessness- serving others is the only way to be truly happy!

I love you all so much! Stay on the Lord's side :)

I'll never get tired of the Sunrises in Cambridge

Love,

Sister Roberts

SURPRISE!!

Playing with "Boo", our landlord's dog

There have been a LOT of surprises this week! On Tuesday we got a call from the housing office: We found out that we're leaving our little piece of heaven sooner than we thought! We'll be leaving Cambridge on December 17th- the half-transfer, because four sisters are leaving early to get back to school on time, and they need replacements. We were heartbroken! Our beautiful, precious Cambridge left in the hands of elders again! (no offence) so sad :( we'll find out on the 15th where we're going.

Anyway, our dinner for Thanksgiving cancelled and then another invitation came from somewhere else. Our first bishop's counselor had us over with his family, we played some turkey-bowl that morning- it was so fun! I even caught the ball and got a touchdown! Yeah! 

Also, Brother M. asked us what the next step was to be baptized by the end of the year! He's so close! We also got to help a less active family decorate their Christmas tree :) All in all, it has been a week full of miracles and blessings. How thankful I am to be serving in this beautiful place.

Playing Basketball with my district

A lady we met this week was obviously prepared to receive us- we ran into her the first time while she was in the middle of a bible study. She looked a little startled when we came. When we went back she let us right in and the spirit was so strong as we testified of the first vision!  

The M. family have really been on my mind lately; where the father isn't a member and all four children have turned away from the gospel. It breaks my heart, especially when I hear their daughter, who's a little older than me, talk about the church and how it's all fear based and just a lie. It's so sad, because now that her father is spiritually prepared and ready to be baptized, his children are not. It really reminds me of the last few verses in 1 Nephi 1- the rising generation of the Lamanites losing faith brings a LOT of sorrow to the people :( GRRR! Talk about an aching soul! Let's just say the last few night's sleep have been rudely interrupted by a few tears. 

 

Cambridge Mission District

Please, Please, PLEASE! If you do not already have a starting if not firm testimony of the gospel, do not let doubts and anti-literature infest the holes in your young faith! Remember the story of the tomato plant- the little girl saw the amazing potential her little plant had with all it's little seeds- but when the plant was neglected, that potential seemed to die with it! Renew the life of your testimony every day! READ the word of God and WONDER about it's meaning in your own life and LIVE it in order to PROVE it then ASK GOD if it's all true!PLEASE! It is so worth it!

Anyway, I love you all so much, I hope your Thanksgiving happens everyday of your life- just don't gain too much weight... ha.

Cambridge in Winter

God Bless You! 

Love forever, 

Sister Roberts

Here we are again :)

Well wonderful family- the results of the transfer is- we're staying here- again!  I think this is the first time in MMM history that anyone has been with the same companion, in the same area, for 5 transfers- let alone with their trainer! Crazy! We must be destined for something in this place. We surely have a purpose for these people and still have something yet to learn :)

Not a ton of time to write today- we are having a full p-day on Thursday for thanksgiving :)

This was a great week- we saw another little girl get baptized in the ward and we were able to bring along a former investigator to watch it! He was half asleep the whole time, but he said it was really nice. We were also able to see a lady we've been trying to get in contact with for a while. It was a very powerful lesson and we were glad there was a member present- she really helped relate the gospel to real life.

Sister C. and I are doing really well. During district meeting, while reviewing all the numbers, we were a little dismayed by our own, but I think our humility has really been tested here- though we have been working hard, the success we want isn't happening. It's been teaching us that numbers are not the real scale of success. We've seen so many miracles and blessings come into our lives in this beautiful town. I've realized that if I had to live anywhere in Minnesota, Cambridge would be my first choice. I thank heaven for letting me serve in the best, most blessed area in the MMM. :)

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Stay safe and healthy please! No strep throat :P

LOVE YOU!

The World as White as Snow :)

Dearest family,

Sorry- this is a short one.

This week looks sad in numbers, but after rethinking about it, Sister C. and I felt really good. It was a miracle when we got in touch with a lady who said we had answered her prayer in coming. We've felt for a while that we should stay away after many attempts, but that day we were prompted to try one more time, and we were greeted with "You came back!" 

 

We were also met with a miracle when we felt inspired to visit a man who hadn't been to church in a long time. His father had recently died and even though we knew we wouldn't be visiting long because of the rule of three, we wanted to try to visit. When we pulled in, we were surprised to find the elders just coming back from knocking on the door. We decided the door again and this time the brother answered. We spent the next hour letting him talk about the emptiness he felt at losing his dad and promising us that he'd be back at church soon. He sent us away with donuts and come-agains. 

 

At the beginning of the week, our little town of Cambridge was hit with 17 inches of snow in one day- more than any other city in the area! Needless to say, we spent a LOT of time shoveling snow for neighbors, and laughed when we saw snow mobiles sliding down the roads- apparently the first day of snow is like a holiday- lots of shovels, lots of plows, and lots of snow mobile parades.

 

Sister C. and I are doing really well, but one thing I've noticed us struggling with is during companionship study, we are hesitant to practice teaching. Do you have any advice on what exactly we should practice or ways we could do it effectively?

 

At our friend, K's baptism

K. was baptized this Friday! What a sweet girl and what an amazing family. Her dad, who's not a member, even came with his wife! That baptism was the result of many family prayers :)

I love you all so much! thank you for your pictures and stories and encouragement :) 

 

Have the faith to fish!

Hurrah for Israel! 

Love, Sister Roberts

IT"S SNOWING!! *Slam* (name that movie)

Snow Girls!

Family of my heart!!

It's the first snow day! ONE FOOT of snow last night! And it's still going! AHH! We shoveled Sister K's driveway-but we couldn't drive, on president's orders, so we walked to the library :) We feel like genuine Minnesotans.

Our biggest miracle this week happened on Wednesday- after we had been blessed to go to a family history presentation at a senior citizen center, we decided to knock on all the doors on a particular street that we had planned to go to during weekly planning. As we followed our plans with exactness, we were blessed to meet a lady who just let us right in! She assumed we were Jehovah's Witnesses, because she used to be visited by them regularly, but she was surprised to learn we weren't. Anyway, we taught her a brief restoration lesson and we felt really blessed to be able to meet her. We'll see her again this Wednesday.

We've been working on getting appointments during our visits with people and we've found that it really helps our stress levels :) We're doing less worrying about the next time we'll see this person or why they're not answering their phone etc. It feels so much more effective!

We got to go on exchanges with the sisters this weekend- and we had stake conference! What an inspiration! The sisters are doing well- but I'm a little worried about their motivation to be diligent :/ I spent most of the exchange trying to figure out how to encourage them- so I focused on the teachings of Christ and how that is the ultimate motivator! And it truly is. The more we try to be like Christ, the happier we'll be!

So Mom told me that at stake conference back home they're doing a new testament challenge- I'm going to take that too! I want to learn as much as I can about this incredible person-Jesus Christ.

3 Silos

I thing I've discovered my strength in teaching- stories. I love telling stories and parables and experiences to help people understand- that's just how I teach! I've also discovered that Sis. C's biggest strength is simple questions. Questions that I would take minutes to formulate, she knows how to say in two seconds. (Trying to figure out how to get another appointment.... X-/ When can we come again? BRILLIANT!) We shouldn't try to make each other match our personal strengths- we need to figure out how to work with the strengths we have together :) It's been fun.

Anyway- Sister C's first niece was born this week on her b-day :) YAY! K's getting baptized on Friday!! YAY! We can listen to more than just hymns now.

IT"S SNOWING!!! Whoot!

I love you all SO MUCH!

Love, Sister Dia Roberts

21 eh? Time to hit the (spiritual) bar!

Celebrating my Birthday!

This week I had a great birthday. We were able to visit our progressing investigators with their friends from the ward. We also were able to serve a lot by raking and volunteering. It was a good week. Halloween was also

Princeton Ward Missionaries in their Halloween Costumes

fun- we passed out candy and pass along cards to kids from our bishop's house while their family trick-or-treated. 

Yesterday I was so grateful for the opportunity to fast; something I've become way more converted to on my mission. What a blessing the Lord has given us to sacrifice some little carnal thing for big spiritual results! Anyway- I really wanted to fast for Heavenly Father to help me dedicate and consecrate my last 6 months as a missionary. I want to give my whole heart and soul to this work! 

With the bishop's children on Halloween

I 'm just now realizing that that requires a lot of pain. Hard work is painful! Disappointment is decapitating- and Satan will do anything to weaken our resolve. But if the fire of righteousness burns in us- we can make it! I've realized that I need to be doing what the army of Helaman did in Alma 57. They had too many prisoners- they focused all their efforts on keeping them at bay. Sometimes it's necessary to focus all effort on resisting temptation before anything else can be done. Hurrah for Israel!

So yes- these next few months are completely and utterly not my own- I belong to my Father and will do whatever he needs me to do. I want to be everything he wants me to be.

K. is going to be baptized in a week! I can definitely see Satan attacking her family too- isn't it so sad how when something good comes- Satan tries to rebuff it? DON"T LET IT HAPPEN! Prayers are requested! Also another investigator, C., is so ready to set a baptismal date! Unfortunately, now that he's there- all his kids have rebelled against the church. He really wants his son to be worthy to baptize him. but again. Satan is attacking. NO! We need an army of prayers here. With God, all things are possible.

We'll be doing an exchange this weekend with the St. Cloud sisters before our stake conference. We're excited, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they're doing in their area, I've been worried about them.

I love you all so much. I really want to thank everyone for all the great birthday wishes and warm prayers :) You are all amazing angels that keep me and every missionary out here going! 

With a LOT of love,

Sister Roberts

What a wild one!

Famillia who I love,

Well, we saw a crazy miracle when we stopped to talk to a man with his grandson on main street- not only did we have a great experience with him, but in the middle of our talk, a car pulled up beside us and a man we didn't know rolled down the window. He told us he was a Mormon and his name- which we recognized as a potential elder we had been trying to find. He said he knew how hard a mission was and gave us a 20 dollar bill which we tried to give back, but he drove away. Now at least we know were he lives so we can go back. It was a real testament to me that God puts us in the right places at the right time!
 

Okay yesterday we had a big mission meeting with Elder Carlson from the Quorum of the 70; oh how I wish I could write all that I learned! The main thing I learned is from Jeremiah 16: 14-16 which relates the analogy of fishers and hunters in the last days. This is the last day! This is an historical moment! It has never been like this in the history of the world! Our day makes Moses parting the red sea look like child's play! I learned that we are ALL fishers- and that the way we fish is by TALKING TO EVERYONE! Being friendly and talking casually about church and GETTING THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS! People only learn what they want to learn, when they want to learn it! As soon as they ask a question- (ex.  fisher: "Hey, I did something cool too- I found my great, great, great, great grandfather!"  fish: "Really?"  that's the question! that's the cue! now you've got em where you want em! Now they WANT to know more instead of you shoving it at them!)  Anyway- I also learned that the missionaries are the one's hunting-(they also fish but that's another aspect of the work) They have the aim and skill to teach people who are ready for the gospel! Our job as members is to fish! Talk to everyone! Don't settle by resolving to just build friendships and gain trust over a year or more. That would mean the missionaries only have 2 people to teach their whole mission... not good.

At the Mission Meeting

I am learning to be a hunter AND a fisher now, on a mission, so I can learn to be a more effective fisher later! :D Yay for missions! Even if you DON"T (or didn't) go on a mission- yours is a call to GO FISHIN! YAY!

I also learned that when we stay on the path and plan in detail (Okay Lord, I'll be at this place, at this time, doing this thing) Then God will put people in your path at the very moment you pass them so that you will have the opportunity to talk to them! And at that exact moment- they may be ready to talk to someone about the gospel... but if you wander or get distracted from the plan- then you missed your chance. Always follow a spiritual prompting, but don't get that confused with being unfocused in your purpose :) 

For example- we told the Lord we'd be on Candy Lane in Isanti at 3 o'clock, and we went there and talked to everyone, knocked on every door, and at one door ( that was covered in Disney things), a man answered who'd spent his life searching for the right way to follow God! We had a beautiful little chat :) Also- the best way to teach is by observing and listening, not responding. We have two eyes, and two ears and only 1 mouth, which means we need to do 4 times as much observing than talking.

Ah, I just learned so much and I'm SO excited! Fishing is now my favorite sport!

Me and Sister C.

Our most progressing investigator, K, is planning to be baptized Nov. 14 with another girl in the ward whose mom gave permission to be baptized. We'll be teaching her tonight with the beehive president and her mom. We're so excited!
I love you all so much!

Love, Sister Roberts

P.S. Thank you so much Omi and Grandma and Grandpa Roberts and Grandma and Papa Winert for your wonderful letters! They really gave me a boost and I just love you all so much!!

Never Forget to Read the Scriptures and Pray

Well family, you are all incredible (by the way when I say family- I mean anyone who's reading this- you're family too <3 )

On Our Way to Somewhere

This has been a pretty slow week- but the beginning of it was exciting- we went to MLC which was crazy- we had a discussion as leaders about the music policy and what should and should not be aloud- Bon Jovi may or may not have been mentioned... anyway- it was intense :) haha.

Afterword- Sis. C and I headed over to St. Cloud to stay with the sisters there. We taught their investigators and then I got to see a recent convert that I LOVE from Duluth! She moved to St. Cloud with her mom after her baptism and she made quite a few bad choices. I laid down the law! I called her to repentance and thankfully she was humble enough (and we were good enough friends) that she accepted the chastisement and agreed to read the scriptures again and to pray. That was were she went astray- she forgot to read her scriptures! I tell ya- she had the strongest testimony EVER and when I was hearing her get her patriarchal blessing- I knew this girl had a grand and GLORIOUS purpose! So when I saw her this last week, I sat dumbfounded staring at the ripped up pieces of her blessing that had been taped back together. It only takes not doing the simple things to lose that testimony. Thankfully- the Lord knows how to tape that testimony back up just right :) Thank heaven for second chances! (And third, and fourth, etc.)

Anyway- the next morning after our exchange, we walked out to our car to find that it was not there..... yeah we got towed.... Hahahaha, I guess I didn't see the "permit only" signs in the dark. That was fun- and 100 dollars later we were back to our area :)

ALSO! I wanted to tell about an INCREDIBLE miracle that I found out about at MLC- my old zone leader, Elder M., who has gone through SO much (including getting shot, joining the church without his family etc.) , is going to baptize his father after he gets home!!!!!! ISN:T THAT EXCITING!! Holy Crow- Poor Elder M. got emotional telling me about it- and I am just SO EXCITED for him!!! I know that miracles happen in the lives of Christ's righteous servants :) YAY!!!

We met a wonderful lady the other day named P.- poor P. talked about her whole life with us at the door and was in tears within 5 minutes. We shared with her God's plan of salvation and how she had a marvelous purpose in this life and we would love to help her see that more. I love her so much!

We're helping Sis. K paint her kitchen today because she's moving soon :)

Helping to Paint the Kitchen

I love you all!! Tell me about miracles!~!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

Incredible!

This week something incredible happened. A woman whom we had met at her home called us two days later and told us she had been praying only five minutes earlier for guidance before we showed up at the door! She was sorry she couldn't keep the appointment we had made with her, but she was anxious to set up another time. That has never happened to me! What makes it so incredible is that day we had been worrying and wondering where we needed to be- because where we were at didn't feel right. I am so glad the Lord led us to her door :)

Another cool miracle- Thursday was a little slumpy in the morning- so we parked at the thrift store where we would serve at in a few hours and just prayed. We felt like we just needed to get out and GO to the nearest street there. So we did- and we taught two people the restoration in a row! It was awesome! I have been working on looking people in the eye and really trying to know them, as well as letting the Holy Ghost be the senior companion :) IT WORKED! I challenge everyone to truly focus on looking each other in the eye when they talk to someone- you will feel an immense love for them! Don't feel self conscious or embarrassed like I sometimes am- that is the DEVIL getting in your head. The person you're talking to is a Child of God and you KNEW them once- talk to them like you are old friends :)

Our progressing investigator, L, watched the last session of conference with us at a member's house. Elder Bednar's talk was perfect! She loved it and got to know the member, too :) Conference was amazing! We watched the first at the library (on the computers that EVERYONE can see when they pass us :) ) the second with a recent convert, the third with a member who gave us cinnamon rolls, and the fourth with L. at the member's house :) It was awesome! Yesterday, while walking off a second dinner (we stopped by a less active just as they were eating dinner with the family. Yeah we ended up being VERY full...)

I'm doing really well- I have the best companion in the world- she is so full of the spirit when she speaks and very driven in her work. I really think Sister C. would be an amazing trainer and sister training leader- I keep telling president- maybe he'll listen :D maybe he'll ask God about it and get a positive answer!  :D That would be awesome- I'd be able to see Sister C. at MLC every month :D speaking of which that's tomorrow and I'm SO excited :D  Gonna be a good week!

Love my Companion, Sister C. is incredible too!

Well everyone- I love you. Please take the time to review general conference- IT WAS INCREDIBLE!

I. Love. General Conference...

and I love all of you so much! Don't grow up, pray hard and repent everyday.

Love,

Sister Roberts

A Bundle of Miracles for Ya!

OH dear FAMILY and people I ADORE!

This week was a bundle of miracles! I don't know which to start with. Yesterday we received a call from a mother in the ward whose daughter has needed parental consent from her father before she could be baptized. She had been waiting for a while now, and yesterday he finally gave permission! So many prayers in her behalf have been answered! We also took a sister from our ward to help us teach a Spanish-speaking family. Even though we couldn't understand very much of the conversation, the spirit was strong when our translator bore her testimony. Later, while riding to the  General Women's broadcast together, this sister and our bishop's family were talking about the experience. After a few questions, they realized that the daughter of the Spanish-speaking family is good friends with our bishop's daughter! We are so excited!

We also had another miracle involving our most progressing investigator (who is very SUDDENLY progressing and we have realized is the REASON we are still in Cambridge together). We took her with us to visit a ward missionary. It turned out she knew the ward missionary's husband because he worked with her fiancé and had become friends with him. Now her fiancé is planning to come to church and she's thinking of finally being married!

We also rode with a sister to the broadcast who told us of how a less active man she knew was out walking and wondering what to do with his life and he suddenly looked down to see: "To learn more about God's plan for you, visit MORMON.ORG" . It was the sign we wrote in chalk at the park! He took it as a sign to come back to church! Also, the same sister told us of how her friend who we had tracted into had been asking questions and learning more about God.

The sign we made that inspired at least one person!

On top of all that, we had D. come to church! He has not come for about two months so it was so good to see him. SO many blessings and miracles are happening here and I feel to speak the way Ammon did- I glory in my God! I just read Alma 26 yesterday, and how appropriate it is :D God is the most incredible, powerful being in the UNIVERSE and He knows how everything will work backwards and forwards- we just have to be patient to find out what it is!

I am just so grateful that God has granted that I, an incredibly imperfect missionary and person, can be part of His amazing and unfathomable miracles, which He is pouring onto this sweet area! How Great is our God!! He is infinitely merciful and loving :D

Alright so just a few other things that were awesome this week- we taught a member of the Jehovah's Witness church.  Of course we didn't get many words in- and when we could the spirit shut our mouths. But he was civil and we were able to recognize the differences in what we believe- it was fascinating. We also found out that Sister K., the lady we live with, IS MOVING!!!! We have been packing and cleaning like crazy cause we'll probably have to move to an apartment soon. It will be weird, but it will also be nice (no crazy dogs that bark our ears off every time we come through the door... haha).

Alright everyone-I love you to bits :) I hope school is going well and that you still have time to enjoy the BEAUTIFUL autumn weather! 

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Roberts 

The Power of a Cookie

 

Me and Sister C.

Last Wednesday we saw a miracle! Our 8 o'clock appointment fell through so we decided to go to the local park to contact potential investigators. We passed the park in our car to see if there was anyone there, and saw a young man sitting on the bench. We parked the car and went to talk to him and ended up teaching him about the restoration of the gospel. Turns out he had just been on his way to the hospital to get some coffee, but decided that he didn't need it and sat at our favorite contacting park instead. We learned that he had talked with the sisters working here last year and that he was still in the area record book! It was a blessing to be directed by the Lord in such a simple way.

We don't have many progressing investigators, but the two children we're teaching came to church and were part of the primary program :)

Visiting with the Sisters in St Cloud

The sisters in St. Cloud that I train and supervise, seem to be striving very hard to stay productive, but sometimes I worry that the trainer is over-stressing herself. Her companion feels a little lonely because her trainer is very focused on others but not necessarily their companionship. During our exchange, we talked about how our companion is our number one investigator and that nothing happens unless companions are unified. I urged both of them to humble themselves and look for ways to show love to the other. I hope that was the right way to go. :/ I've always found that if I'm annoyed with something or my dear amazing companion is just stressing me out a bit, when I just swallow my pride and compliment her skirt, or make her waffles, then she smiles and I smile and I just LOVE HER SO MUCH!! Then we talk it out later and it's jolly good :)  I love the sisters a ton and we had a fun time together. So when you're annoyed with someone- don't forget to love them and show it before you act harshly.

So I've been reading the letters of a friend of mine on a mission (and I have to be careful when I do that not to compare myself to their work).  I have been amazed at the miracles that happen to them. If you guys have miracles happen to you- please tell me! It is really nice to be reminded that God works in INCREDIBLE ways. His power is REAL and it is the power that created all things! Why not little miracles?

At a Park with the granddaughter of a member

Just a few fun things I did this week- we cleaned the car! (we named her Carly by the way) then it rained.... of course. Anyway, we also got to go to a local creamery for dinner this week and I ordered a milkshake :) Classic! We've been giving cookies to everyone we've been stopping by but  who never get back to us (the cookies just give a reason to visit) We've set a lot of return appointments that way :) Ah, the power of a cookie. We got to crash a birthday party :) Some members of the church invited us for dinner and it turned out to be their daughter's 11th birthday There were a lot of little girls and a lot of pizza involved.

All the Sister Missionaries of our area at Training Meeting
 with the Mission Presidents Wife.

I hope everyone is having wonderful adventures at home and abroad- you are all WONDERFUL!

I love you!

Love, 

Sister Roberts

 

Halloween or Christmas?



The Field is Ready to Harvest 

This week was full of Christmas! With the cold air and the spirit all around, my companion has been complaining that I want Christmas too soon :) It also feels like Halloween! Yesterday a sister gave us this amazing pumpkin fluff pie thing and I think I died and went to heaven! I'm so excited for autumn! (gift hint: anything pumpkin or cinnamon... mmmmm.....)

This week after a district meeting, we stopped by the house of a member who doesn't attend church very often.  He wasn't home, so we knocked on the doors around the house but not many people were home in the middle of the day. There was one lady, however, who just happened to be on vacation that week and was at home cleaning her carpet. It was a particularly brisk morning and I felt bad that she had to stay out in the cold to talk to us- but she was very friendly. She promptly let us know that she is an "atheist"  because she can't understand why God would allow so much suffering to occur to the innocent. We testified of God's love for her and his ultimate purposes in all things. We were able to share the restoration with her and the elders will hopefully be able to get in contact with her today :) It was such a miracle to see her and teach her!

We had a part-member family all come to church on Sunday The father of the B. family has been pretty closed off to the church for years, but this and last Sunday he came to all three meetings, and we even taught him at dinner about faith. We are very hopeful that he may be ready to accept the gospel.

I've been doing well- I have recommitted myself to be exactly obedient and made the goal to memorize the white handbook and president's clarifications. Siter. C. and I have been focusing on faith and enthusiasm in our work- we've found that after a long day we'll kinda slump- and we need to keep the faith and keep the enthusiasm and stay humble and obedient! Obedience, I've learned, is the ultimate act of faith :) I love it!

OH my goodness I forgot to tell you! Okay so this last weekend there was a TON of craziness in Cambridge. Friday night there was a Customer Appreciation Party on main street. People were everywhere! We passed out a ton of mormon.org cards; a lady told us we couldn't do that, so we got a little scared and wandered off for a bit. Soon the elders arrived (we had told them about the event) and we renewed our drive to talk to as many people as we could, Poor sister C, I dragged her around that street till we were ragged. We helped clean up all the chairs afterward too. It was so fun! It was like a festival :) The next day we did a ton of walking,  It was the city wide garage sale! We helped some friends set up and we put up a booth with a bunch of cards and pamphlets in front our sister K.'s garage sale. It didn't do so well- that was a tough day. FYI, people are DISTRACTED at garage sales. Trying to talk with them is TOUGH.,.. I did get a cool Minnesota sweater though :) Ha Ha.

 

Well my friends, I love you all- keep the faith and stay safe through obedience!! I LOVE YOU!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

In a Daze of LOVE

Hey all! I am SO sorry again for not writing last week :( computers are dumb, and I'll only spend two hours a WEEK on them when I get home. Hold me accountable...please.

A Sunny Day in Cambridge, MN

So oh my goodness! I can't even remember all that happened last week! This last week of the transfer we've basically been serving a new investigator of ours (who is DARLING! Please pray for H., she is a cute young mom of two ADORABLE daughters! We have a lot of hope for her!) 

Our District in Cambridge, MN

We've also been meeting a lot of our neighbors! I had a little tender mercy- we were out talking to one of our neighbors and her neighbor across the street joined us- who happens to be a nice Methodist lady (with my name ;) with whom we volunteer at a local thrift store every Thursday. She started talking about how nice we were and how much good we're doing and talking us up in front of her neighbor and it was just one of those sweet moments when I knew God was telling me he loved me through someone else :) <3 I love Him.



We also brought our neighbor to church !! yYay!! P. is the ONLY man in Cambridge from Liberia and he's very involved in his church- so it is a MIRACLE that he came! AND it was testimony meeting too! The spirit was so strong and it was basically the perfect day for someone new to come :) I love this ward :) 

This week I have a renewed desire to be DILIGENT! I've found that after a LONG day (I've gone 20,000 steps on more than one day this week :P ouch) I'll tell myself, I'm tired, I can take a break or take it easy, but NOT SO! The definition of DILIGENCE is steady, consistent hard work, even in the face of fatigue. I have decided that I don't need to work HARDER more often, I need to work SMARTER all the time. Making phone calls, setting up appointments, praying for discernment on where to go, using my resources like the area book all the time. 

Rain or Shine we are always there to help.

I think this will be a big lesson for me to learn for my future- because at times I would tell myself- I'm tired, I can watch a movie or just chill out. chilling out and resting is fine for like 20 minutes, but there should always be something we can do, someone we can lift, and somewhere we can go to help another. In those moments of rest, I can be doing restful, productive things like updating the area book, making a call. At home I can stretch, crochet, teach the boys how to make a craft, color a picture with them. But then I need to hop to! 

This might sound like I've become an army general- but I have been converted to the amazing happiness and peace that can come through diligent work! 

D&C75: 3 Behold, I say unto you that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry,
neither be idle but labor with your might 4 Lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump,
proclaiming the truth according to the revelations and commandments which I have given you. 
 5 And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor,
 and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.

I am so excited to give glory to God through my diligent effort! I know it will really bless us and keep us happy :)

I love you all so much. Be safe, stay strong, pray always :)

LOVE,

Sister Roberts

PS- if you ever get to look up the testimony of Bill Carpenter- DO IT! it's incredible and has changed my LIFE!