Dear Family and friends,
This is going to be a shorty because I thought Id have more time.
Forgive me for my grammatical errors all you english majors or
novelists. So we got to transfers and poor Elder Roberts was just a
wreck because he just wanted to know where he was going. So we get to
transfers and the gym we do it in is weirdly lit and kind of eerie
making the whole transfer experience just mysterious. Well he wound up
going to his first area and he and the Fletcher's were just so
ecstatic to have him back in Bayview MD.
Elder Chance Parker from Kaysville, UT. New comp, nuff said. He's a
great kid, really hard worker and learning the Zone quickly. We lost a
companionship this transfer in South Philly, no they didnt die, the
area just closed because the missionaries are all going home from the
big wave, fewer missionaries = fewer areas. But it shocked the South
Philly branch and maybe we'll see some good changes down there.
This week was ridiculous. Elder Parker falls asleep quite a bit as he
has been in a car area his whole mission. 15 months to this point, now
he's not only in a walking area, but more like a sprinting area. But
we are making some changes this week. I had been thinking a lot about
how there are just so many of God's precious children in our area,
African refugees especially, who are ready and desirous to hear the
gospel, and we simply are not able to get around to everyone. I have
felt so inadequate because people will call us and ask why we never
called them back. We simply forgot. We're human. It's a wonderful
problem to have. Too many people to teach. So we thought and prayed
hard about the situation, and while driving in the car with president
Anderson we brought up the idea of giving the small but fairly
heavily populated city of Darby to the Phila 1st central Elders. They
cover a large rural area and their teaching pool is tiny, so we felt
good about giving them several investigators with baptismal dates and
many other potentials and members. It's hard to let go of those
wonderful people, some of whom we've already grown close with. So the
assistants had us redraw the boundaries, and luckily with the ipads we
can just hit a button in the area book app and it reassigns it to the
specified area. No papers needed.
Such individuals include Mawaye and Alfred, she has children in
Liberia who may be suffering and she is worried for their health and
well-being. We watched the Mormon Message "Mountains to Climb" and she
was sobbing by the end because she felt that same despair and then
glimmer of hope that comes from faith. "If the foundation of faith is
not imbedded in our hearts the power to endure will crumble." As I
watched that video and have talked with others, I've recognized this
life is often full of suffering and sorrow and hardships.
Our investigators Patrick and Lilian and their son LeRaun are just the
sweetest people. LeRaun came with his parents last week to church and
in our lesson with President Anderson, he told us he has never felt
more welcome and accepted and amazing as he did at church on Sunday.
Then he went with Jimmy and the other YM to NYC. It was a great
experience to go teaching with the Mission president for the first
time. I felt like he was more human than I've seen at zone conferences
or in interviews. He was just himself, subtly funny and kind and warm
hearted. After our lesson with them where we talked about the
Restoration, we had a lesson with that lady Kelly Ann whom I think i
mentioned in a past email. She's an interesting lady but was so
touched by the Atonement and the testimonies we bore and that simple
act of service we rendered by helping her take her groceries to her
car.
She struggles with many health issues. Patrick and Lilian can't afford
to turn their heat on so they have all been sleeping in one bedroom
with a small space heater. Alfred is recovering from a stroke, Vince
is cleaning a messy house that went downhill years ago. They are all
making steady progress in seeking to improve their lives, but this
week I was touched several times, including in Sacrament Meeting and
by Elder Holland's most recent General Conference talk. There are soo
many around us who need us to just be kind sometimes. Even if we can't
give them money, talk to them, love them, help them feel that the
Savior of the World truly, truly loves them and wants them to come
home too.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27
I want nothing more than to be filled with that pure love of Christ.
That pure religion that love will change the world forever. Of that I
am thoroughly convinced to be true. May we remember that we ALL beg
for mercy and help and grace at the feet of the Savior and be that
helping hand to someone in need. Love always,
Elder Robins
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