2014.07.27

The dreadful moment you realize you only have three weeks left.

This is going to be a hard couple of weeks, that's for sure. Transfers are bad enough. This... I don't want to think about it, but I need to start preparing. I'm trying to contact investigators from old areas. If I can make contact with them from America, I should be able to provide some good fellowshipping for the missionaries here.

I don't know what to think right now, but there are three things constantly going through my head it seems.

Don't let any miracle slip by. Don't stop unless you hear otherwise, and share your testimony as much as you can while you have the blessed opportunity to wear the name of the Savior on your chest.

Make any preparations needed to maintain contact with those you have taught. Help them from the other side.

Leave something for missionaries to follow. Give them the chance to see miracles.

This week, we met 3 people that seem Golden. One started attending a church 1 year ago because he felt like he needed change in his life, but he has lots of questions. Says reading the scriptures is fun, it teaches him a lot, but he always has questions. Met him just knocking on doors, and he invited us in to talk. 

Second was a student who is studying in Canada and came home for vacation. He has had a ton of thoughts about life, and from the two times we've met him, he really likes what he's heard. Goes back to Canada this week, but we should be able to refer him to the missionaries there through Facebook.

Third is a man who met missionaries in Incheon at the start of the month. He's had a very serious disease come into his life this year, and it's taken a lot out of him, but it's pointed him to God. He says the missionaries helped him a lot, and we wanted to continue going to church. He said he just came down to Mokpo 8 days ago. It always amazes me how God knows where you need to be.  That same day we saw an investigator that went out to a park to read the Book of Mormon.

This is an amazing work. I'm sure life outside of this is good too, but it's hard leaving it behind. Just time to enjoy it to the end.

I love you guys so much! I'll see you soon!

~Elder Robarts

brief extra email exchange

Mom: It's Elder Lee's (an earlier favorite companion that he trained) birthday today.   I don't know if that's today here or today in Korea though.  lol

Elder Robarts: Crazy time lapse... I feel bad. Last year I transfered on his birthday. This year I leave the country. I must be a horrible father...

2014.07.20

Dear Home,

What a fun week! So, we had zone conference, and I was reminded of how old I am. Since this was my last zone conference, a couple times it came up that I was leaving. Comparing transferring areas to returning home. To members, it's the same. And to some extent, we need to do the same. What preparations would you do for the missionaries that come after? What work do you not want left undone? A couple other things too.

 

Until that point, I didn't realize that it was my last one. It hadn't registered. Training was fun though. It talked about planning, and the importance of thinking ahead. They went over a lot of tips that I'd started just doing on my own, but they made some new records that make it easy to update and organize. The coolest thing is that it makes communicating plans between companions better. Before, a lot of it was just in my planner or in my head, so I couldn't always express thoughts very clearly. But now it's something we both see, and it's easier to go over. AP's did good.^^

This week we found out that a LA member we met last week started going to church again! His family is here, and we bumped into him on the street. Arranged to visit his house, talked a bit, and when it was time to go back to school in another city, he said he'd start coming out again. So far he's been doing well! 

 

Met a couple prepared people on the street too. A father who feels like values are changing, and it's harder and harder to spend time with family. He especially wants his son to know that joy in life doesn't come from money, or worldly success, but in family and gratitude for what you have. An academy teacher that had heard a lot about the church before and wanted to learn more about it. An atheist who struggles with the idea with belief, but wants to help others live better lives. Says the principles of the gospel seem like I good place to start.

Missionary work is so incredible. A lot of the people that we're meeting now have a lot of potential. That one family I mentioned last week is amazing. The father started becoming more interested in church, said that he wants to take his family as soon as he fixes his car situation. (Broke down and they need to buy a new one) Prayed for the first time last week! I love hearing those prayers. So honest. Just like Lamoni's father.

Fun news: I gave a talk in church again this week, plus one of the teachers for Sunday school was gone, so I taught the youth. Preparing to go to the Temple.^^ Got to share an object lesson of the bowl of water and pepper where you put your finger into it and it comes out dirty, but if you coat your finger with dish soap it comes out clean and pushes the pepper away. We talked about the power of the Temple. The importance of being worthy of it, and the power that comes from going. I wish I was better at teaching, but I lucked out on the subject. Sacrament meeting was on having sincere hearts. Definitely get to participate a lot in this ward.^^

I love this work. It's fun, rewarding, challenging, driving, and it will show you things about yourself that you'd never see otherwise. Things to strengthen, things to be grateful for. And above all, you're surrounded by the power of the Gospel. Have a good week! Love you guys!

~Elder Robarts

2014.07.13

Thanks for the pictures! They were super fun! Everyone looks so different though...

There are a lot of Buddhists in Korea. Not all are very /active/, but they go by the title. 

Funny story. I am with Elder Hawes now. Used to be housemates, then we got transferred together. ^^

This week has been insane in all of the best ways. Ups, downs, and almost everyday a reminder of God's love for us. 

We met an awesome family this week! First met the dad on the street who asked if we could talk to his son. He's in middle school, and likes learning english. After talking with them, we get onto the topic of religion. He never had a religion, and to be honest, wasn't too interested until about 5 years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer. He went through a lot at that time, and he said that since then, there's been a part of him that's looking. Since they don't go to church yet, they said they would try to come out to ours sometime.^^ 

Also had an investigator that we thought for sure just wanted to learn english that progressed a lot. He said that he'd been doing a lot of researching online and found a lot of things about our church that he liked. Left a good impression on him. At first, he went to church, but had a bad experience when he was little so he stopped. Started going a little during military, but now he just prays by himself. Such a pure, innocent guy. While talking with him, he's always really honest about what he's thinking, and what questions he has. Really excited for him.

One hard thing this week was seeing an investigator growing a little more distant from the church, and I felt terrible the entire day because I had had such high hopes for him. It wasn't until the next morning that I started feeling better. I opened my scriptures for personal study, and the very first scripture it fell open to was what I needed. God truly is a god of miracles. He knows us, our needs, our desires. And He'll help us every step of the way.

Other fun facts: We've got a couple investigators who like meeting and playing basketball with members on Saturday nights, so recently I've been learning just how much I didn't know about sports. There's a lot more to it than I thought. Still terrible at them, but I see a lot more of the beauty behind it than I used to. Great for talking with people too. Here in Korea, they say you bond the most when you're eating or doing sports together. I see some truth to that. I also determined I need to exercise more.

Another miracle: Ran into a less active that lives in another ward. He was visiting his family here so we jumped on the chance to visit and talk with him. Turns out he lives 15 minutes away from the church there. Said he'd go this week, so we'll be checking up with missionaries there to see how he's doing.^^ I love his family, they're so nice. He's cool too. Likes art, so I brought some of my sketches from home. Reminded me how long 2 years has been. I haven't sketches in ages. Tried this morning... Didn't go well.

One of the things that pulled at my heart this week was a number of Less Actives that want desperately to come to church but can't. A sister who has a husband that hates the church. Keeps her from going if he finds out. She can only meet members or missionaries when he isn't there and she's alone. Another who is so busy with work 4am to 10pm some days on weekdays, then helping his mother on weekends in the countryside, that he can't come out. Another who is trying to provide for his family while paying off an old debt which makes him have to work sundays.

It tears my heart when I see them going through these things, and I wonder how to help them. But this week I realized something. We're doing it just by visiting. You can see in their eyes sometimes how much they want the church. Sometimes, if they can't come to church, God with bring church to them. Makes me think a lot more about the messages we share, and the spirit we strive to invite when we visit them. I love this work. And l love God. He knows us each personally in ways we cannot fully understand. But each new day I feel like another glimmer of light gets shown on his love for us, making it just a little more clear, a little more bright. Never let that fade!

Thanks for everything! I love you all! I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

~Elder Robarts

2014.07.06

Dear Home,

We had a great week this week! It feels so different now. I'm taking on a new role here this transfer. Fading out of the leading role and focusing more on mentoring, if you want to call it that. My old companion is serving as District Leader now, so President asked that I help him settle in for the transfer I'm still here. He's doing great! In addition to that, I think my new companion might be going senior next transfer, so I'm trying to help him get in some practice. Language, teaching, planning, the whole nine yards.

I've also started my "Lessons learned" journal. What works, what didn't, and just random tools that are useful. There's not a whole lot of time for it, but I should have a little now that I don't have to worry 100% coordinating district stuff.  It's been fun looking back at it all.

This Gospel, this mission, changes your life. You never really just how big of a change that is until you see your desires change. I love serving. While a missionary, you go from doing things you know you should to doing things you love, which are good. Sharing the Gospel, sacrificing time and efforts for others. Simply taking time to plan ahead.

There are few things as meaningful and of great a value as serving the Lord and directing your thoughts towards others.

This week, we met a Taekwondo instructor that told us that he used to go to church, and sets aside time in his schedule so that he can go, but doesn't feel right about the atmosphere of his last church. We talked a little about our relationship with God, and church is simply there to help support it. He took a big interest in the Book of Mormon and said he would start praying again. Pretty cool miracle.

Also paid a special visit to a less active family in our ward. We followed a prompting to visit, and it was the one day the husband came home early from work. Usually he gets home at 10. But since he was there, we could go inside and talk a little. Their family is so beautiful. Their testimonies are strong as well. It's just hard to come out sometimes. They have family in the countryside that need their help a lot, a family member with cancer in Seoul, and the husband recently injured his arm. I was glad we were able to visit that night. There have been a couple times I really feel like our visits have been inspired with their family. The spirit is so strong when we visit them.

There's no doubt for me. This is the work of God. There's no way it can't be. I've witnessed a peace enter into people's hearts that can't be described. And in serving, I've learned just how plain and precious the Gospel really is. It's not big and showy. It's inside us. It's a prayer answered by a loving Father. It's a calling to save another's life, or to lift arms hanging down. For that, I'm grateful. More than I can possibly tell.

I love you guys! You're the best. I hope you have a good week!

~Elder Robarts