Hello at Home!

April 27th, 2016

This week was great with Raquel's baptism! It was awesome to get to be part of her process. She is doing awesome and continuing faithfully. It is super cool because the entire family is on the same mindset for an eternal family, which is always the ultimate goal. They are one of those families that I will never forget. 

As for the rest of the week, we also had my third trip to Yosemite National Park. This time it snowed while we were up there. We got stuck for about an hour in the snow and ended up getting out and then helping others that got stuck. It was a great experience because we also got to give service. I love getting to do small little unplanned service like that. It was cool, as we were going to help one of the people that had slid off the road, two men got out of there cars and came to help. One was from China and spoke a little bit of English while the other man was from Austria, and he spoke no English whatsoever. In spite of the language barrier, we were able to work together in helping out this person in need. The spirit taught me a little lesson in that moment. We are all sons and daughters of God with the same purpose in this life, to return to live with our Heavenly Father. Just as we were all one in purpose in helping this car, we are all unified in our purpose of finding true happiness and having eternal families. 

Great things are happening here and know that your prayers are felt. I love you all and hope that things continue to go well for all of you!

Elder Roberts

Here are some pictures of Raquel's baptism

Incredible week!

April 19th, 2016

Wow, just an incredible week! This Friday will be Raquel's baptism. She is the wife of an excommunicated member who is working back into activity in the church. She has one of the most solid conversion stories I have heard. She knows the gospel is true. It is so cool to get to work with awesome families like them and see how the gospel blesses them. I will send pictures of the baptism next week. 

I have also had an incredible experience of inviting. I have come to see how much simply inviting influences those around us. This last week, we focused on inviting every single person to church. It was super cool to see how people were very receptive to the invitation. Many times we think that if we invite people to do something, it will make them feel uncomfortable and will scare them away. As we invited everyone to church, it was cool to see how some rejected us but still showed us respect. I think our biggest role as members of the church is to simply invite others and give them the opportunity to try it out. If we don't invite, they will never now. As a result of this, we had 9 investigators at church. It was awesome to see how simply inviting others to act has helped them draw closer to God. 

Short and sweet this week. Great things are happening and it is a great time of my mission! I am enjoying every minute of it! I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Elder Roberts

Transfers In California!

April 13, 2016

Crazy week here in California! Transfers again! I didn't get moved, but I am getting a new companion. My new companion is named Elder Allred. I have actually got to work near him in one of my past areas and am super excited for this upcoming transfer. It is truly incredible to see the Lord's hand in transfers and putting us with companions and areas that help us to learn life's lessons. I am truly so grateful for it! 

As for this week, we have an awesome investigator named Raquel. She should be getting baptized on the 22nd of April. She is super excited about it and has an incredibly strong testimony! I love getting to see those lives that are changed by this gospel. 

I have also recognized this week about how much the gospel and it's teachings have formed who I am. As I sat and really thought about where I would be without it, I couldn't even imagine it. I don't have any idea who I would be! The spirit then told me that that is the purpose of missionary work. Those around us need that sense of direction, that understanding of our purpose in life. It truly is mind boggling to me to think that there are so many people without that. As I have realized that, it has given me such a greater perspective of what I am really doing here as a missionary. 

I hope that you all have a great week and can look for a way to be a positive example of the Savior! 

Elder Roberts

Here is a funny picture. We pulled up to do some things at the church, and when we came back out, we realized that it was the Saturday session of stake conference. It made me laugh!

April leadership conference (photos taken from mission blog)

Conference was Awesome!

April 4, 2016

Great week this week, especially conference! that was the highlight of my week! I loved getting to hear all of the different focuses at this time. The focus of our divinity as sons and daughters of God, to the focus of our individual roles in the family, to following the promptings of the holy ghost, to overcoming opposition and trials and making good choices. 

One of my favorite talks was by Elder Jeffery R. Holland. He talked about how each one of us has those incredible moments in our lives, when we feel like everything is going perfectly, heavenly, you could say. But then comes the opposition, like always. How do we deal with it? how do we handle the struggles of life that come our way? This is the purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Trials play a divine role in our lives, helping us to become better as we continue to learn from our own experience. For those times that we just simply feel that the trial is too much, that we can no longer handle our circumstances, that is when faith comes in. The Savior is there to help us with whatever trial comes our way. He is there, He is always there. Have faith and know that your trials will go away, it is brighter on the other side, and that it is all part of God's plan for you.

As for here in california, everything is going great! I love where I am at and what I am doing. It is awesome to get to see the Lord's blessings in my life and the lives of others as we choose to follow His commandments. 

Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Roberts

Not to many exciting things to take pictures of here in Hanford, so this will have to do!