Week 24 - New companions this week

This week was so great! Christmas was amazing!

Some tips for anyone who plans to skype with a missionary:

1. Don't think that you have a full hour

2. You have to add in crying time

3. The time flies

4. Be ready for surprises

If you follow those steps, skyping home will be that much more predictable!

This week Elder Blauer and I have been really focusing on the members in our ward because as you can imagine its pretty hard for people to let you in when they are with family and it is 0 degrees.  On Friday it was super nice, it was 40 degrees so we didn't even have to wear jackets!!

We also got transfer calls this morning.  Elder Blauer is getting transferred and will be serving as district leader somewhere else and I am staying in Osceola!!!!!! My new companionship is going to be a trio. I like to call it the trinity, I am so excited and pumped.

Thank you once again to everyone who sent me Christmas gifts!

The greatest gift of all though is Christ's Atonement!!

May we all remember that with this New Year coming.

Love,
Elder Roberts  

Week 23 - 10 below zero, a beautiful white Christmas

There was a huge snow/ice storm this weekend so church was cancelled yesterday.  Not having church yesterday really stunk! Church is so important and a necessity, in both life and missionary work.  Today it is 10 degrees below zero with a strong breeze, but all my snow gear keeps me plenty warm!!

This week has been so cold, but so amazing!! I love this work! I love being Christ's servant. There are some days that are rough to be pumped up about! But just a simple prayer can flip those days around! How blessed we are to know what this Christmas season is truly about. How blessed we are to have a perfect example to strive to be like, who knows everything that we have gone through and will go through. There are many children who have not been taught of Christ and what he has done for all of us! What a blessing it is to know he is our Savior and Redeemer!!

This week we were led to two beautiful families who we hope to teach and help them come into Christ's fold. I hope everyone has a beautiful warm Christmas while I have a beautiful white Christmas!!

The NB2nd ward has been so amazing! I've received multiple packages this week.  Madison Morgan sent me a sweet shirt that I am pretty sure she designed, tell her thank you, and get more details on it for me! Also the Dangls sent me a package with some goodies and letters, tell them thank you also! I am so grateful for all of the love that has been given to me by my ward family! It means a lot to know that people still think of me. 

Thank you so much for everything! Can't wait to talk to everyone in two days!

Love Elder Roberts

Week 22 - Happy Birthday Mollie, great exchanges, great Zone Conf, great packages

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLIE!! Wow that picture you sent hit me hard. I sent Mollie a letter on Saturday so tell her to expect it, and give her a kiss and a hug for me!

This week was full of dropped appointments which for missionaries turns into walking, talking, and knocking. We found multiple people who want to learn more about the church! This week we had exchanges in Chariton, which was so amazing! Elder Brown and I got to serve with each other for a day, and we had an awesome time! We taught a couple people in Chariton and then at the end of the night we went to a choir concert with the Milligan family! They are a very great family, and are very interested in the gospel. 

After exchanges in Chariton we went up to Des Moines for a Zone Conference where we got trained by President and Sister Jensen and also the assistants to the president. That was one of the most powerful meetings I have ever been in. After Zone Conference we had exchanges here in Osceola with Centerville, which was also a blast! On Tuesday I received packages from Brother and Sister Wakeham, the O'Leary family, the Wehenkels and also my Aunt Danna! I've also received packages from my grandma Roberts.  Those packages made a big difference in my week!! Thank you so much for thinking about me!!! Other than those exciting things there wasn't anything else that interesting. Just another cold week in Osceola, Iowa.

Love
Elder Roberts

This is the picture mom sent of me holding Mollie the day she was born (RJ was 7):

This is my zone (The Oskaloosa Zone).  Every one of them is so awesome!

The Osceola District:

We barricaded the bathroom door when Elder Blauer was taking a shower one morning:

I decorated a box for Elder Blauer for Christmas.  He only has four months left on his mission so I decided to make him a "trunky" box:

This is me in my normal get up when it hits the 1-9 degree range:

Week 21 - I'm not trying to scare you, mom....

This week has been full of adventures~! It was really cold and we did a TON of service. By the time I am done with my mission I am going to be a pro at shoveling snow for people! We also had a great lesson with Randi, Mark and Cindy, and we have been getting in contact with a lot of part member families who are super awesome!! We are still helping out cross ministry a lot, and this week we are going to see if the animal shelter or any other local places might need help. 

On Sunday 3 people in our ward got in car accidents. I am not trying to scare you mom. But in Osceola they had not salted or put brim down so underneath the 4 to 5 inches of snow there was a layer of ice. While driving home from church we were about to pull into the street to head to our apt. when I saw a van on the side of the road - the whole front of the car was gone, then we saw the family standing out of the car, and it was on of the families from our ward. They went sliding down a hill and their tires didn't grip the cement so they went into the street and clipped the back wheels of a semi. We parked our car when we saw the accident and helped the family with their kids and getting everything out of the van. Everyone was perfectly fine which in and of itself is a miracle! That was by far the most intense thing I have seen on my mission. But don't worry, that won't happen to us, we are professionals.

Love you all

Elder Roberts

Mom sent me the recipe for my favorite meal from home (chicken divan) so I could make it here:

Eating my masterpiece:

The door pose:

Week 20 - A tiring, great week

This week has been the most tiring so far out of all the weeks. We worked really hard! No matter what the weather we walked and knocked trying to find those who are prepared for the gospel.

I saw the pictures of your date night, Amber showed them to me, it looked beautiful.  The scenery here is unbelievable some nights too. Newport Harbor is in the semifinals!!!.... Wow I thought they were going to be horrible this year.

This week other than tracting we visited less active members and did a lot of service, we had many special experiences around Thanksgiving, helping families out that really needed it, there is nothing like serving strangers with the only thought in mind being "well if Christ was here this is what He would do". Thanksgiving was odd being away from home, but going over to the Whitlows' was so fun!

I gave a training at district meeting on obedience. It was my first training because while you are being trained the don't allow you to train. But I loved it, and it went well.

We found new people this week and set up return appointments with them for this week! We are so excited!! This upcoming week is going to be awesome! The Lord really does direct His work today.

Nehemiah 6:3

"I am doing a great work, 

so that I cannot come down:

why should the work cease, 

whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

I love you,

Elder Roberts