How Do We Do It?

Dearest Family and Friends,

It is so beautiful and I love the still moments when I get to just
enjoy God's creations. I think I must be a little peculiar, especially
for my age, for how much I love and connect with nature. I'm learning
to show an interest in cars, etc. But this summer has been beautiful.
Humid, yes. And hot. And boy do people's wardrobes (...or lack
thereof) show it! I swear people have no sense of modesty. They bring
the beach to the streets ha. Oh well we keep goin.

On kind of an exciting note, the Atlantic City Branch Soccer team won
the Cherry Hill Stake World Cup!!! First place baby! First time ever
for the branch. President Perez was cheering on the team, yelling " Do
AC! Do AC!" It was fun. There were some close games, but we made it
through!

During the game, I called Dottie and talked to her a bit on the phone.
She had been crying and praying most of the day because her grandson
had been in town and was leaving Sunday. So there was a family going
away party, but because of past complications with a family member,
she hadn't been invited. It's so sad that she was estranged from most
of the family because of that one in-law. But here's the cool part. I
taught her a bit about the nature of prayer and how God sometimes has
us wait and continue in patience, faithfully obeying the commandments
before the blessings come. It's tough, but always worth the wait in
the end. She texted later Saturday night and said:
"Guess what!!! My grandson just called saying his Dad will pick me up
for his going away party. Can hardly believe it. (3rd contact in a
year). Heavenly Father got right on this didn't He. So many little
miracles letting me know He truly is watching over me. He is so
amazing!!! Now, go win your game!!"

I smiled as I read it. Pure and simple faith brings about great
miracles. Dottie didn't make it to church on Sunday although she tried
her darndest! More medical complications wound her up in the hospital.
She's doing better now, but she's said before that once she gets
baptized she'll be ready to trip into her grave any day. Especially
with the way the world around us is spinning into chaos. Quite
literally.

I sometimes feel bad for people who live in complete chaos with
absolutely no secure anchor to hold on to. Just walk around on the
street. It makes me sad. Elder Neil L. Andersen said poignantly in
this last General Conference, "The world wil not glide calmly toward
the Second Coming of the Savior."...right after telling a short story
about a tornado and its wreckage. And so....that's exactly why I am
here.!!=) Help people get out of the chaos and onto something sure and
steady.

Take Eddie for example. He's living with his mom, uncle, girlfriend,
and her 4 year old son Vincent (cute kid). The house is a wreck, I'm
pretty sure I saw a bedbug on him once...and you know my experience
with bedbugs in the past has not been a pleasant one, so we  just sit
on his porch now. He's made mistakes in the past, and sees that those
same people he was with then now expect him to continue to do the
things he did back then. He feels in a bind sometimes. Sure they're
friends, but they're pulling him down. So he tries to avoid them, then
looks like the bad guy. He wants nothing more than to change his life
for good. And what made me so happy was when he said that he doesn't
want to go to church and just have it be a one time thing (as so many
investigators think is ok). He explained that if he gets into this, he
wants to do it forever. He wants to be changed permanently. Which is
so awesome. I wish everyone saw it like that. But he also recognizes
that some things need to change in his life before he can fully
embrace and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we shall see, but I
have high hopes for him.

Every time we see Benito now, it just feels or seems like his world is
falling apart. Car payments here, only a meager social security check
to buy food there. Literally all his problems just pile up and we hear
it. Which is fine. But we've told him several times now, do all you
can to quit smoking so that you can get baptized and receive the Holy
Ghost. No one will guide you more in your life than Him. He knows it's
true though. And so does Pam. She's got an old, dying uncle who she
spends a lot of time with, which gives her excuses not to meet with us
or come to church. We can only do so much with her if she's not going
to commit herself to this ya know. We love her to death, as we do all
our investigators, but commitment is one thing almost all these people
seem to be scared of. This is eternity people.

We were finally able to catch the Tah's at home. So we met with them
and because his english is very broken, I made a doctor's appt. on the
phone for their little boy Sawdar. He was so appreciative of just that
little bit of help. He wants this too, but with work on Sundays, we
just don't know how they will get to church. She doesn't want to go
without him.

Sunday was a hectic day where we just felt like we were running around
all day. After a crazy branch council, we had the Spanish sacrament
meeting where I play the piano and usually read from d & c. Then we
had several English members come for classes so we taught them and
were given cereal by Sister Soto. After church we got ready to hang
some pictures up in the church,  gave Brother Swan a powerful blessing
of healing, took lunch, went to see our less active Mike who lives
across the street from the church. We talked with him and his young
grand kids about prayer and studying the scriptures.  Short lesson
because of family drama. Then we biked up to teach Eddie and got a
text saying that another members friend needed a blessing for a
motorcycle accident he had just had. He only fractured his finger, but
we met them back at the church and it was a good chance for him to
feel the Spirit and be in the building. Then we raced home. Oh and
somewhere in the middle we had a delicious Filipino dinner at the
Amandy's then taught their neighbor Rose about the Book of Mormon.

At the end of the day, I sat on my bed, filled with halo halo, lumpia,
and the Spirit and i thought to myself,  How do we do it all? How are
we able to maintain the rigid, crazy schedule we have and stay on top
of the personal spiritual progression of over a dozen of our Heavenly
Father's children, (not including our own)? I was overcome as I
thought of the Savior and a talk by Brad Wilcox I read last week
called  "His Grace is Sufficient." Every change we need to make, all
the good we do in the world happens and is able to happen because of
His grace. The enabling strength and power to live as Christ would
live. Now that's divine. And it all made sense. That's how we do it.
That's how you and the prophets and apostles and countless other good
people maintain their goodness day in and day out. "His grace is
sufficient for ALL men who humble themselves before Him." Ether 12:27

This church this work and this message. Each is true. And He lives. I
know He does.

Love always,


Elder Robins