Hello Back at Home!

June 27th, 2016

Hey everyone, hope that it has been a good week back at home! It has been a good one here for sure! This last week has gone by faster then any other week that I can remember! This upcoming week we should be having Adrian Sanchez's baptism!

One of the cool things that happened this last week is that we had a less active member take us to dinner with her husband. It was somebody that Elder Olsen knew from outside our area, so I was more of a tag along. The restaurant that they took us to ended up being this super expensive place! I think that is the most expensive restaurant I have ever eaten at. It was about 50 dollars a person! I know that it really isn't that important, but a cool experience. 

Something that was cool that happened just yesterday was talking with a women named Leticia. We met her knocking doors in a neighborhood that we felt like we needed to stop and try. We got around the whole complex without much success when we met her. At first she was pretty quick to say that she was 7th day Adventist and that she was okay with where she was at. We then asked if we could pray for her and her family, so she accepted. After that, she asked us, "Why do you have so many wives?" Surprisingly, this is the first time that I have heard that in Spanish work.  We ended up tying back to the Restoration of the gospel and in doing so, I got to bear my raw testimony that I knew that these things are true for myself. In the end, she decided she would give us a shot and let us come by later this week. 

From this experience, I was able to learn something important. Although the gospel is true and so many of those around us know it, the most important part is that we come to receive an answer for ourselves. God is the only one that can reveal that truth unto us, and that by diligent study, meditation, and prayer. I have come to see that living the gospel brings me more happiness then any other thing in this life. I hope that all of you can re-amp your personal testimony of the truthfulness of these things. That it is truly THE way to live with lasting peace. 

Elder Roberts

Here is a picture of a new baby puppy that one of our part member families gave our team-up

Following are mission blog pictures from Specialized Training held June 21st, 2016  (Hanford, Visalia, and Porterville Zones) 

Great Week!

June 20, 2016

We had a great week this last week with 3 baptisms! The family is the Reina Family. They are so awesome! It has been so cool helping them understand the gospel and see the blessings that they have received in their lives for doing so. It makes the mission so great when you get to see how peoples lives have changed because of Jesus Christ. These are some treasured times that I will never forget. 

Something else that was pretty cool this last week was this last Friday. We were making a package run to the mission office, when we ran in to President Clark, our mission president. We talked for a bit and then he took off. A couple minutes after he left, he gave us a call and asked us if we wanted to go to lunch. He took us to Carl's Jr., which was pretty incredible! It was cool getting to talk to him about some of the things that we feel that could benefit the mission at this time. Cool experience. 

One of the cool things that I have been doing lately is memorizing the references to the scriptures in the book of mormon and the bible. As I have done so, I have been able to memorize over a hundred scriptures with their references, which has been so helpful in my day to day experiences. It has truly increased my testimony that the scriptures are a tool of God to help us answer life's questions. I would invite each one of you to go through and find the scriptures that answer those questions and be able use them to help not only yourself, but those around you!

I hope that everyone had a great fathers day and that they have a great week this week! 

Elder Roberts

  June Mission Leadership Training

June 13th, 2016

Hello everyone! Hope that you have all had a great week! It has been an interesting week this last week. I got food poisoning, so that made it pretty fun! I am finally over it, so things have gotten a lot better. Nothing like getting sick to help you appreciate being healthy. 

We have a baptism coming up this weekend of the Reina family. It is a mom and her two kids that will be getting baptized. Her husband has been out of town a lot lately, so we haven't been able to meet with him enough for him to be baptized himself yet. With time! The other day we were having a lesson when she cut in and started baring her testimony of this being the true church and that Joesph smith being a prophet of God. Maria is usually a very timid person, so when she spoke up it was incredible! It was really cool to see how much she has grown and gained such a strong testimony.

I got to see Raquel, my recent convert from my last area. She is continuing strong, which is always great to see with your recent converts! I will add a picture here. 

All together, things are going well. I continue to enjoy the mission and every moment that I have in it. There is such a special spirit when you are a missionary. I will enjoy it up until the last moment! I hope that you all have a great week!

Elder Roberts

The Mission Rolls On

June 6, 2016

Hello back at home! Another great week here in Visalia California! I have been loving it the past little while. I will tell you a couple of different things that have gone on here the past week.

This last week, I was on an exchange in a different part of the mission. The area that I was visiting is the most financially successful part of the entire mission. As we began to talk to some people in the street, one of the people we talked to said something really interesting. She said, "Stop working so hard, Christ has already done it all for you. You don't have to try so hard!" This is a pretty mainstream Christian belief in the world lately. As we were talking, the thought of grace with works came to my mind. I have come to realize that now days, society doesn't really want to have to work. We have become a pretty lazy people overall. Many of the American ethics have been lost over time with the hand of Satan. This conversation helped remind me of the importance of my continued effort through faith, repentance, and the renewing of my covenants each Sunday in order to receive the grace of God and be forgiven of my sins and become sanctified. 

This last week we have also continued working with the Rodriguez family, a recent convert family of 7. They have been truly prepared for the gospel in a way that I have never seen before in my mission. I learned a great lesson of humility from Brother Rodriguez this last week. At the end of the lesson, I went and talked to him for a minute about a tongue ring that he had. As I spoke to him, he looked me in the eyes and said that he had felt that he needed to take it out and was willing to do whatever the Lord asked of him. He then said, "That time of my life has passed, I have changed since then."  What a great example of a willingness to do whatever our Father in Heaven asks. I know that it was definitely a great example for me to see the changing power of the atonement. 

I love you all and hope that you are able to recognize all of the little miracles that are going on in your lives. As we pay attention to God's hand, it will surprise us how often it is there guiding and direction our every step. Have a great week!

Elder Roberts

Here is a picture with some members at dinner and some buñuelos, deep fried tortillas with cinnamon and sugar

Visalia is Awsome!!

May 30, 2016

Things are going great here in my new area! I love getting to be back to Spanish work! This area is super cool and unique because it has an entirely new class of Spanish work that I haven't really got to work with before. It is great to be here. The bishop in this ward is awesome and is ready to put the pedal to the medal and keep the work going. 

My first Sunday here, we confirmed 6 new members of the church. The name of the family that was baptized is the Rodriguez family. They are an awesome family that loves the gospel and is converted. It was a great Sunday to come into a new area. This coming Saturday, there should be a baptism in my old area that I get to go back to. His name is Felix. Here in Visalia we should be having some baptisms coming up pretty quick also. It is really a great time of my mission. 

One other cool experience that happened is that Raquel, my recent convert that was in Hanford, moved here to Visalia, so I got to see her the other day and catch up. She is going through some rough times right now, so it was great to get to catch up and help her any way that I could. It is so cool to see how all of these miracles are going on around me. 

My new companion Elder Olsen is great! He is 6'6, which makes us a pair of sore thumbs in the Spanish ward. They have started to call us the 'Twin Towers' here in the ward. I think it is pretty funny! 

My only thought to share is that we can truly find rest even when we are the busiest that we have ever been in our lives. The rest that is spoken of in the scriptures is never a physical rest, but a rest from worry and care. If we are living the gospel and trusting in the promises of the Lord, we will find true peace and rest throughout our lives, even in the crazy times where there is so much to do. Love you all and hope that you have a great week! 

Elder Roberts

Here is a picture with my new companion

May Mission Leadership Council 

Zone Conference