December 25, 2018 - Oh

Christmas Phone Call!!! 3 down - 1 to go!

Merry Christmas everyone! I don’t know how I’ve made It this far to be out for two Christmas’s now but I'm still going strong. Marcaisse is on date to be baptized this next Saturday and is super excited! We've had a ton of fun teaching him. We decided for one of our lessons to read through a general conference talk with him. But we read it in French, it was a disaster for Elder Cathemer and I. I wanted to read it like Spanish and Elder Cathemer wanted to read it like German. It was super funny but the spirit was still so strong. It has been amazing to watch marcaisse progress in learning more about the gospel and also the English language.

We have had quite a bit of time to go out and try and find new people. Many people are not out during the day and many people don't open up their doors. The Lord still blesses us with many people to teach. 

My district has expanded since this past transfer and there are now eight elders in my district. Well this past week we were getting District Council started and we were singing our song. We were so far off and sounded like crap and then President and Sister Tateoka walk in on us. Well we all freaked out and may have peed ourselves a little bit but in the end we got pay back. I made them do a role play and it was sweet. I'm glad that I have the mission leaders I do, they are very spiritual minded and I learn so much from them. (They also took us out to lunch!) 

In the first book of Nephi, the Lord talks about how he might raise up a righteous seed through the prophet Lehi. I thought a lot about this. We are all part of the family of Adam therefore making us the seed of God. And if we let him change us, then he might raise up a righteous generation. We are all here on this earth to learn and improve. The only way for us to learn and grow is through others of God's children. Our greatest example was God's only begotten son Jesus Christ. He was born and we esteemed him as naught. Yet he suffered for every one of us and we turn our faces from him. He loved us like no other could when he went to the Garden of Gethsemane and bled for all of our sins. He was wounded for our transgressions and with his stripes we are healed. The Savior performed the ultimate act of service to all mankind. This Christmas season, let's remember him and the sacrifice he performed for each of us. Let's go and serve as he served and improve one another's life.

 - Elder Robbins

12 months - shirt burning

"Ya'll Need Jesus!"

December 17, 2018 - The Talent Show

Elders Nelson, Feik, Robbins, Tuttle

This past week was absolutely nuts. First off with the title. The Tateoka’s (our mission president) like to do a talent show every Christmas so we can all have a lot of fun together. Well this year since we didn't know what to do, we decided to do a skit. If any of you have seen dude perfect stereotypes this is what we did but for missionaries. The video is hilarious but I can't attach it so just use your imagination. Elder Tuttle was the missionary who drank way too much water and always has to go to the bathroom. Elder Smith was the missionary who gets upset about every little thing. Elder Cathemer was green and didn't know how to do anything. I was the trunky missionary who always falls asleep. Elder Rasmussen was the pretty boy and storyteller. Then Elder Johnson was the missionary who always gets his hopes waaaaay too high then gets mad when it doesn't work. We did this in a meeting setting and it was an absolute disaster but it was so funny at the same time. Everybody loved it.

We also had exchanges, I was with Elder Rasmussen our Zone Leader. He is an absolute stud and knows how to work hard. I always learn a ton from exchanges on how I can become a better missionary and person. Sadly we got transfer calls and Elder Rasmussen will be leaving to Newberg but both Elder Cathemer and I will be staying together here in Salem for another transfer! Elder Cathemer is doing great and is an awesome teacher. We have a ton of fun together and get work done.
We haven't had much time to go finding this past week but we have been blessed for sure with two amazing people. We are working with a guy named Marcaisse, I may have mentioned him last week. He is from Haiti and speaks very little english, so his friend, who is a member also from Haiti, has to translate for us. Well Marcaisse has such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and has such a strong desire to be baptized. He is currently on date for December 29th but would do it today if he could. Just a few more things to teach him and the interview then he will be good to go!

We also got a referral from some other elders and she is so solid. She wanted to be baptized a long time ago but wasn't able to. Well now the things that were holding her back are out of the picture and so she is so excited to be baptized here!

The Lord is much more aware of us then we could ever know. He is eager to answer any questions we may have. One big question I have had is how does Jesus Christ know us personally? Well I was reading in the Book of Mosiah and listening to a talk at the same time and I learned exactly how Jesus Christ knows us perfectly. He loves every single one of us and wants what is best for us.

 Moroni 7:48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

-Elder Robbins

Spanish Elders Robinson, Graybill

Elders Cathemer, Johnson, Rasmussen

December 10, 2018 - Ding Dong

Mission Conference with Elder Cook
Held in Salem

This past week was pretty crazy, but it was so amazing at the same time.

One thing that we try and do every once and awhile is go through the people that have been previously taught and message them over text or facebook. Well one night we both felt super prompted to go and do this so we did. We only had time to message a few people but one person messaged us back almost immediately and said yes please come by tomorrow. We were so excited, usually they don't message us back. Well we go by and we teach this guy and he is so prepared to receive this gospel and absolutely loves everything we have been teaching him.

This week we were planning how to get the ward members involved in Light the World, which this week is Light your Community. So we decided to make some treats and then go and leave them on the porch with “you’ve been lit”! and then the scripture 3 Nephi 11:11, which is amazing by the way, and then instructions for them to go and do the same thing to a few other families and have them pass it on. Hopefully we can get this whole town thinking about Jesus Christ and bring his light into each of our lives.

It has been raining a lot but luckily we haven't been getting too wet and I have thermals to keep me warm otherwise I would probably freeze.

On Saturday we had a very special opportunity to have a mission wide meeting with an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Elder Cook from the Quorum of the 12 Apostles was there and a few other general authorities as well. That meeting was so powerful and filled with the spirit. Something that I will never forget. One thing I loved from that meeting is the power that each of the speakers had as they focused on what the Holy Ghost needed them to say. Also Elder Cook is pretty funny.

We had Stake Conference on Sunday and one of the speakers was talking about a form of art in Japan called kinsugi (idk if I spelled it correctly) but with this form of art they will take broken pottery and use epoxy with gold or silver in it and fix the pottery and it is absolutely beautiful. He then related this to us and talked about how every single one of us is broken in different ways. But as we turn to the Savior and study his word daily and rely more fully on him, then we can be healed through him. The pottery beforehand was beautiful but once fixed with the gold veins running throughout it was much more unique and gorgeous. We are all beautiful children of God. He allows us to struggle and feel pain so that we can feel the peace and joy that the gospel of Jesus Christ bring to us. We too can become beautiful like the kinsugi art and have the peace in this life and the life to come that our Savior wants for us.

I know that the Savior lives and that he loves every single one of us. We can show our love and true conversion through studying his word daily. I love this gospel and the peace and joy it brings. I love the Savior and am glad that he loved me enough to be sacrificed for my sins and pains.

- Elder Robbins

December 3, 2018 - It was a week

MTC Companion - Elder Tuttle

This past week we were crazy busy. We have been struggling to find people with interest over these past few weeks but this week it all payed off! There was a man we were trying to teach named James a while back and we just couldn't get in contact with him. Well a member comes up to us this Sunday and says that he has a friend for us to teach. Turns out it is the same guy we were trying to work with and he is super interested. The member took him to the temple and he absolutely loved it!

One day we were contacting people who were taught previously because it was dumping rain. Well we park and we see the people we are going up to talk to and they close the blinds once they see us. We prayed to see what we should do, we figured we were there so why not go up. We'll they invited us right in and we taught them all about the Book of Mormon. The only question they had for us was "do you guys celebrate Christmas?" It was so funny. They asked us to come back and so we are going back by. I learned that God can prepare people quicker than I thought.

Elder Cathemer and I are getting along really well and have a ton of fun together. He has been doing great and is a natural missionary.

With the Christmas season many more people are thinking about Jesus Christ. Everybody here seems to be so much happier, that is what Jesus Christ can do. He paid for our sins allowing God to be perfectly merciful to all those who repent and follow him through the covenant of baptism and going to the temple.

-Elder Robbins

President Tateoka with crockpots!