Posted on his last Tuesday in Sacramento

When Benjamin went up and sat on the stand before Sacrament Meeting, I (Benjamin's mom) saw that he was wearing a beautiful lei. Knowing that he would be mobbed by friends afterward, I dug out my camera and signaled for him to come out to the lobby for a picture. He complied reluctantly and only allowed one shot.

Thanks to the wonder of Facebook, here is a picture of Benjamin with the friend who made the lei,  Silivia Fifita Taukei'aho (Fita Leka).  

Sunday evening we had an Open House.  The house was FULL of wonderful family and friends who came to offer Benjamin their love and support.  I failed in picture taking, so you just have to take my word for it that there were a lot of people and a lot of good food.  I do wish I had taken pictures.


His sister Debi took this great picture of him.  They were having a shoot-out.  We win!

This is one of the very few pictures I took at the Open House.  The funny thing is I didn't even know that these people were there. I asked Benjamin later if they had made it.  I had randomly grabbed my camera looked for Benjamin and clicked.  The other young man in a white shirt is also Ben.  A returned missionary and a good friend of my Benjamin. At one point Sunday evening, we had at least 3 Benjamins in the house.  Good name. Good guys.

This table was laden with fruits and veggies Sunday night.  Now it is the staging area for suitcase packing. How is he going to get everything in two suitcases and a carry-on?  Do we have everything he will need?  Do we have enough? Too much?  I bet he is going to have to pay excess baggage fees.  whew!

Elder Benjamin Michael Robarts

Elder Benjamin Michael Robarts has been called to serve a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints working in the Korea Daejeon Mission.  

He will enter the Missionary Training Center on August 8, 2012.

If you want to learn a little bit about his mission area:

I think this is the Mission President's blog 

Korea Taejeon Mission (same mission, old spelling)


If you would like to write to him (bless you!  He will appreciate it!)-

While Elder Robarts is in the MTC - which will be probably about 2 months beginning August 8, 2012, please write to him at

Elder Benjamin Michael Robarts
MTC Mailbox # 89
KOR-DAE 1023

2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 We think the 1023 indicates his departure for Korea date will be October 23

In Korea, the fail safe address will be the mission office:

Elder Benjamin Michael Robarts

Korea Daejeon Mission

Daejeon PO Box 38

Daejeon-si

Chungcheong-bukdo 300-600

South Korea

We will try to update you on his actual living address which will likely change every 6 weeks.  The mission office address will not change but will need someone to be going his way from there.

 Postcards or regular size letters cost $1.05

A postcard costs the same as a letter if it's leaving the country.

http://ircalc.usps.com/MailServices.aspx?country=10234&m=1&p=0&o=1

International Price Calculator

ircalc.usps.com

You do want to make sure it isn't too heavy though, or oddly shaped. But a regular letter, just a couple of pages, will be perfectly fine. It will take awhile to get there, usually, so there's that... but that's the same for any postage - letters, postcards, packages. :S

Or check dearelder.com, which tells you that a letter to the Daejong mission costs $1.05.