After a short 6 weeks in Salisbury, I've been called to another land!
Elder Prestwich (district leader) called Friday night and said
"Alrighty, one of you is leaving." We both were pretty sure we were
staying, we got along and got work done this transfer. "The one
leaving has an "R" in his name" we both looked at each other and
rolled our eyes. Tryon and Robins..of course they both have "R's." He
continued, " He also has an O and an N....and...an "i"...in shock we
were yelling and talking like mad men. Ha not really, but it was totally unexpected for both of us.
The next day, Saturday at Brother Twining's funeral, it hit me that this transfer was too short and the call came too soon. hah, but I totally trust in the Lord's timing and understand that He has plans that I don't presently see! Which makes life kind of exciting (or nerve racking..that, I am trying to overcome..) Telling the members I had come to love already was tough! They and we were all hoping I had more time here, but I am needed in another land...I make it sound like I'm going to Zimbabwe or something. One of the members came up to me and said, "Well Elder Robins, you made a nice 'footnote' here in Salisbury." I guess alluding to the fact that my stay here was short..? It was funny, guess ya had to be there.
The funeral was a wonderful service and a worthy tribute to the great man our Ward Mission Leader was. The day he passed, he had been helping his son with a move and on the way to delivering the truck back, he went into cardiac arrest...just learned that that's a. Heart attack. He had been with some Georgia missionaries who were helping with the move, telling them about his missionaries back home in MD. And with this calling he had become missionary minded. So his family felt it fitting to have the four of us speak at the service. So we gave a simple explanation of the Plan of Salvation. The Spirit was strong and the whole thing was moving. Still surreal to see a man we had talked to not two weeks before just lying there.
He left a legend of charity and Christ like service in the ward and stake and among all who knew him. I felt love for the members as I've served here in Salisbury. And have felt their love as well. They love our investigators, especially Mary and Sylvio and have been so willing to help out with all they can. We taught Mary AND Sylvio the Gospel of Jesus Christ this week and Sylvio got so excited when we handed him his own copy of the Book of Mormon in French. I was able to write a short note and testimony at the back of it.
I'm kinda bummed I won't get to see the progression of them and Diatra and Patricia and Jeanel and their family, but I know they are "in the hands of The Lord of the harvest" (Alma 26:7). Diatra is really struggling with her family being totally opposed to the church, but she knows it's her own life and won't give up the fight. I know that this is the Lords work and that if we "press forward with steadfast faith in Christ... And endure to the end...we can have eternal life."(2 Nephi 31:20. That is our ultimate go. I love you all and pray for you often. Look up and you will see the good in life!
Love always,
Elder Robins
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