2013.10.27 email

Well, that was a crazy week. I found out a lot. I've got a lot to learn. District leader is hard.

Essentially, the city I'm serving in is on fire. There's more missionary excitement coursing through this place than I've seen during my whole mission. We hear about other wards that are dealing with lists of people that members have given to missionaries. Here, we're still repairing bonds with missionaries. We've made progress, but it's rocky, even now. The whole stake is pushing for more member missionary work, so there's a lot of pressure on everyone. As is, President Shin has pulled a TON of missionaries into this city. Not many other areas are expanding like this one. Wards that only had one set of elders now have 3, an entire new zone opened, and it's crazy just trying to stay above water. Now we've got zone leaders in my district too, so there's a lot going on. I've got to think a lot more about how we're going to be able to continue to help encouraging members and earning their trust.

My new companion actually was just serving with Elder 조규원, so he had a pretty short move. About ten feet. He's pretty new, but I'm not training anymore. Taking a transfer off while I figure out what this district leader thing is like. A little stressed. Not really feeling prepared for this. But I've had a thought come to me during personal study that's helped a lot. "Don't ever allow yourself to worry so much about being one of the best that you forget to be the Lord's." That's what I want. To be the Lord's. That will drive me to do whatever it takes.

So, we had a lot of miracles this week. Taught a lesson at a restaurant. One of the works came over and asked if he could listen. Turned into an investigator. Met another guy who studies the bible a lot, but has trouble finding a true church. Said he's looking. ^^ Also got to give service again, that was fun. Took pictures.

I wish I knew what I wanted to write. Truth be told, I've been kind of lost in the excitement of things. It's been hard to focus of think of other things. It's always on your toes here. But this week we've got zone conference, a halloween party, a couple other things. I'm expecting a short week.

Love you guys! I hope everyone is doing well. I know there are some major challenges happening there. Try to stay strong. I'm praying for you. Have a great week!

~Elder Robarts

2013.10.20 email

All sorts of craziness. Basically, transfer week and the whole mission got a sneak peak at what transfers are. We're doing a 40 day fast this upcoming transfer, so they sent out a list of when each companionship will do it... My comp was different. Not sure on what's going down, but there's a new zone opening, and lot's of stuff is happening. Our old zone leader moved into our are with another elder, and from the looks of it, I'll be serving with an elder who was already serving here. Basically, the senior comp from the other elders is going ZL (Zone Leader) with our old one who is moving into our area. I'm getting our district leaders old companion and going district leader here, and my comp is getting transfered out of Gwangju.

Kind of forgot what I was going to write about. Haven't even got transfer calls yet and we know where we are going. So yeah... About 99% sure I'm going DL this transfer. And my district is composed of some of the best missionaries in the mission. A little pressure? I feel small here. SUPER small. I feel so inexperienced. And that's /before/ this goes down. Please pray for this area. We're going to need it. The work is great here. I love the members. But I'm scared out of my mind. Not training this time though. That's new. I've almost forgotten what it's like. 

Can't think at all... Mind blown. Life is good though. Conference was good. My comp is amazing. I'll miss him. Now I've got to start thinking ahead. What's going to happen with this area. What do I have to learn?

...I know something happened this week. I honestly can't remember anything... Oh yeah, we had a halloween party. That was fun. Dressed up in traditional Korean clothes. It was a little hectic, but fun. We're working on a smaller ward party to do later at the beginning of next month.

I give up. I love you guys. I'll try to write more next week when my head is better wrapped around what on earth is going on here.

~Elder Robarts

2013.10.13 email

Alright, so the past two weeks have been insane.

We saw so many incredible miracles, and we learned so much. I talked about that one family a little bit, but one of the most incredible things about them isn't just what they do, it's the spirit that is with them. It's incredible... They're just so in tune with the spirit, so hard working and loving. I see it every time we meet them. Remember that man we met after visiting their house? Met him this week. He's a psychologist who already attends church, but has always wondered how he can know just which church is really the best for him. I think he's one of the favorites I've met in a while. He seems to understand the things we teach really well, and he's really willing. We've only met once, but he seems golden. Just went that much further to strengthen my testimony. When we meet together as saints, as members and missionaries, it invites the spirit so strongly. And then we go out and share, there's an additional light in us. People see it. This brother I mentioned said he was busy. Didn't think he'd have time to talk when we first approached him. But he stopped, and there was a curiousity in his eyes that isn't always there. The Gospel is true. The Lord is preparing His children.

 

Elder Jensen and I had a lot of time to talk this week too. We're pretty different. We've got drastically different personalities. He's thought of joining marines or becoming a spy. I dream of being a psychologist and counselor. He likes to keep emotions and personal business off the table, and I've learned that the best way to work as a missionary is when you've got that strong bond as a companionship and are able to share those things with each other. It's been a work in progress to be sure. And with a little bit of a rocky start, it was hard building that trust to work together, but we talked about a lot of it, and I think we're doing pretty good. And we have a lot of fun moments randomly on the street. (Found a cotton candy place together, so we'll get one for each other every now and then.) He's great, and I feel like we're teaching really well together now.

 

And then there was conference! Man, awesome week. How was it? Wasn't it awesome!? I downloaded it... Realized just how little time we've got. I got through 2 sessions before the broadcast here.  But it was awesome. I found a deeper love of the CG prayers. That's the one part I skipped when I listened, so it was pretty amazing to notice the spirit they invite in. There were a lot of talks that I loved. Uchtdorf's talk about why people join and leave the church was amazing, and I loved L Tom Perry's talk on the 13 articles of faith. Bednar was great, Eyrings talk that touched on the Good Samaritan was awesome... They were all amazing.

 

But more than individual talks, I noticed that might notes have been changing over the years. I use multiple colors now. Black for good points from the speaker, red for questions that come to my mind as I listen, blue for impressions or thoughts. Litttle by little, there's been more and more red and blue, less black. It's helped me get a lot out of it. I feel like I had a lot of questions this time. I have to keep reviewing, but I think they all got answered. Go with questions, everyone. God likes to give away freebie revelations during these if you're willing to look. But it's not just CG though. I've noticed that any time there's a meeting that opens and closes with prayer, it opens the door to a revelatory environment. Gathering with fellow saints merely strenghtens that.

 

Truly, I love missionary work. I've learned myself backward and forward and I'm still learning. I've seen miracles everytime I've took the time to look. And I've come to understand with a greater knowledge Just How Much God loves us. I've felt a love for people greater than my own. That's a hard feeling to express, but an easy one to feel. Serve.

 

Love you guys. Might be out of time.

 

Have a good week, read those talks again! Remember your impressions. Don't leave them sitting in a stack of notes. You guys are the greatest!

 

~Elder Robarts

2013.10.07 email

Snap. So, I downloaded conference. (Funny, it practically just ended.. Time warp, my friend.) So I should be able to listen to it this week before the broadcast here. Not guilty. But with that, and an exceptionally long letter to Pres. (Good week this week), I've got... No time.

So, today we did a group hike up to a really cool mountain. Pictures to come. But mainly, we saw miracles this week. Mostly revolving around one family.

I can't begin to describe them. I've felt close to them almost the instant I got here. They're a powerful family. Always doing missionary work. They've introduced some 10 or so people to missionaries already and preparing tons more. Everytime we visit them, we end up talking to someone, whether its a package delivery guy, a restaurant owner... They're amazing. And the spirit is strong there. Every time we visit them, the spirit is so strong, and we see so many miracles on the street after.

Anyway, I'll have to explain more later. But they're the best. And last week, they shared an experience with us. They said that they're really come to trust us as missionaries, and it started through service. They're building a house, so we've helped a couple times there. They said that the way we acted when we served really impressed them. It was super hot weather, one of the hotter of Korea's summers, but we were always happy. Excited to work. The mom said that she had a deep impression from that. She wanted to find more people to share the Gospel with. (They were already pros...) I love that family. They're kids are the best, one of them taught me how to make a snake out of my hands, so we try to eat each other when we see each other. The other is just plain awesome. Does some magic tricks, I showed him some origami. We're buds. But the spirit is a constant thing there. It's amazing. Everytime we've visited, we've found someone on the street we could teach. I know it's because of the spirit we carried from there. It's impossible to describe...

I'll try to talk about this week next week. I'll make notes. But I love you! (You've got prophets for crying out loud, one week without me won't kill you...:P)

Love you!

~Elder Robarts