Week 91 - Only 2 transfers left, ahhhhhhhh

This week was definitely a different week than normal for us here in DSM!! This week we had lessons with many people whose eyes are blind and hearts are hard. We also had many of our investigators no longer want to meet with us. But...... the Lord's work must not slow down!!! So with this upcoming week we are super excited to find more people to teach. With the many meetings we have this week we are very aware we are going to have to rely on the Lord. We know he will bless us with miraculous miracles!!

Love

Elder Roberts


Elder Cleverley and I ;( he is now home

 My birthday gift from Sister Petersen

The West Des Moines district

Easter treats from Elder Petersen's family

Week 90 - Conference, Easter and Thinking of Zach

1. My birthday was great thank you so much for the money and the pictures.  I took pictures this week but forgot my camera. We just worked the whole day, nothing to special, except the Whitlows came and said hi.

2. Conference weekend, we watched conference at the stake center. On Sunday in between sessions we went to President and Sister Jensen's home and had a wonderful lunch! And after the second session we went to dinner at President and Sister Jesperson's home which was amazing as well! President Jesperson is the branch president here and they were really sad they were not able to meet you when you came here recently so they are looking forward to you next trip out here.

3. My favorite talk was Elder Brent H Nielson.

4. I am staying in Des Moines this transfer.

5.  I hope all the boys are doing alright and they know that Zach is in a better place.  Please post this for me:

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, all of God’s children will be raised unto life eternal. He gave us His Beloved Son as our Savior to make that possible. The Savior in Gethsemane and on Golgotha paid the price of our sins so that we could be cleansed. That purifying can come to those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

The darkness of death is dispelled by the light of revealed truth. “I am the resurrection, and the life,” spoke the Master. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25).

The assurance of life beyond the grave provides the peace promised by the Savior when He said to His disciples: 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Thomas S. Monson
Henry B. Eyring
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Love,

Elder Roberts

Week 89 - 20???

Well it's going to be really weird being 20 years old on Wednesday. I remember when I started my mission and I was like wow I am going to finish my mission when I am 20 and thinking it was so far away and now POOF.

So I don't have time to e-mail you too much this week! Which is really sad because it seems the weeks that are packed full of goodness can't be relayed over e-mail. But good thing I keep a journal :)

We had many powerful and life changing lessons this week!! Every night Elder Petersen and I would come into the apartment and just say wow, and couldn't stop saying it! We also had super funny experiences!  We were used as the Lord's instrument and he made it known to us this week!  I'll share one of the powerful experiences and one of the hilarious ones.

POWERFUL- One night some of our appointments fell through, which is normal, so we decided to look at a list of members and less active members that we have. As we were looking over the names, we noticed that neither Elder Petersen or I knew one of the families, the S family. So we just said "hey lets go try them." As we knocked, a shocked man opened the door and let us in. He told us to take a seat and he went to the other room. We got to know him and he let told us that he had only been in the USA for 4 days. He then began to tell us that he had just finished studying his scriptures and asked the Lord in prayer that he might feel an increase of the Spirit, and as soon as he said amen there was a knock on the door and there were two missionaries standing at the door. He said look at my hands. As we looked we saw his hands shaking as his prayer had just been answered instantly. We had a great lesson with him, and felt the love the Lord has for him.

ok...

FUNNY - This one was pretty good :) I wish that I had taken a picture, but hopefully my poor descriptions will suffice. We had a lesson with someone people named C, E and K. We had set a baptismal date with them for May 2nd, and since then they haven't been responding to any contact we decided to stop by one last time last night. We arrive at their apartment, the door was closed but the keys were in the deadbolt just hanging!! So it was obvious that someone was home. We heard talking inside, then we knocked, and it got silent. Nothing too unusual. We knocked again, then a third time. We then see the keys rotating from our side of the door because they were locking the door from the other side. We then began to laugh uncontrollably. Once they finished locking the door, I said, "sus llaves estan en la puerta!!!" (For you gringos: your keys are in the door!) We then continued to knock three more times while dying laughing at the situation. So we waited out side for a while because we wanted to do everything possible for them to use their agency correctly. But they didn't respond... Oh what people do to avoid the missionaries.

This is 1/100 of what happened this week, but I must compile my record.

Love,

Elder Roberts

Week 88 - Another week...

another dollar...

This week we were super busy!! Which I absolutely love! There is nothing better than wondering how you are possibly going to accomplish all you need to do!

Highlights of this week:

Tuesday- We had an amazing Zone Conference here in Des Moines. We were blessed to be trained by Sister Training Leaders, the Assistants, and President and Sister Jensen. After Zone Conference we went and applied what we learned and found 2 new investigators, D and C!

Wednesday- I went on exchanges with Elder L, who is one of my best buds. We had a great exchange and had a blast teaching the gospel together.

Saturday- We helped a recent convert family move a HUGE sofa up to their apartment on the third floor then we flew to our apartment to change into our suits. We then went to the baptism of the G Family. They are a beautiful family from Liberia who were baptized. G, who is someone we are teaching, came and now he is really excited for his baptism. After the baptismal service we taught S and she wants to know if the church is true and when she knows it is true she said she would be baptized. Then after our lesson with S we went to a restaurant, El Salvador del Mundo. And to wrap the night up we went down to Easter Lake to interview J for baptism.

Sunday- Was wonderful in Rama Quinta I love all the members A TON.

Sorry not to much details don't have a ton of time.

Love

Elder Roberts

Week 87 - The weeks...

...are flying by :(

And our investigators are solid!! :)

Monday- We had an awesome P-day at the stake center with the zone! For the rest of the evening we tried to stop by some people that want to be taught but they weren't there. Then we had a lesson with O and taught him about the Plan of Salvation. He will be baptized on April 25th, he just has to get work off on Sundays and take a few steps in faith.

Tuesday- We had a great lesson with E who is a recent convert of rama quinta. I had a really cool experience while teaching him! Everything I had studied during personal study that morning was exactly what he needed. I really know Heavenly Father uses us as his instruments! Then we had a amazing lesson with G and set a baptismal date with him for April 11th.  We taught him about the Book of Mormon and he loved it.

Wednesday- Went on exchanges with Elder Whiting who is the district leader of the Easter Lake district. During the exchange we found many people who are interested in learning more, and we also had the opportunity to teach a part member family who have 2 children who have not been baptized yet.

Saturday- We had another great lesson with G and taught him the Plan of Salvation and the Word of Wisdom. He said he has been looking for a church that has the beliefs our church has!! After teaching a couple more people, la rama quinta had a fiesta for the Petersons. They are the most amazing senior couple in the World!!! But they are headed back to California after serving a 2 year mission here in La rama quinta. We will miss them soooooo much

Sunday- Was a great day packed full of the Spirit

The Lord continues to bless us here in Iowa as we focus on obedience and continue to do the Father's will

Love

Elder Roberts

Week 86 - Loving Des Moines!

So I am loving Des Moines!!! I can't describe the branch here in words. Fantastic would be an understatement!! 

Elder Petersen is not the same comp I served with in Muscatine. You can just send stuff to the mission office for now because I don't know our address. we live super close to the mission office though. 

It is really awesome to hear back home everything is going great! 

I love it so much, we have the best zone in the mission!  There are 14 missionaries in our zone right now. And most of them are new. 

Well I am doing great and the work is wonderful.

Love,

Elder Roberts 

Mission Leadership Council on 3/3/15

Week 85 - Des Moines...Rama Quinta!!!!

Wow wow wow!!!

So right now I am sitting in a Des Moines Public library writing to my mom as she sits here in my territory!! Words can't explain how weird I feel because she's just a couple of minutes away but in reality she is still months away. Mom, it isn't cold here, it's a  beautiful day, you are just spoiled!!  

As the transfers tear by me, missionaries continue to say that I am old in the mission! It kills me, It kills me to think I won't be here. I love my mission so much!!!!

I love Des Moines a ton.  I am serving in a Spanish branch here; Rama Quinta!!  My new companion is Elder Petersen, we have seen a lot of success already in the past 3 days and are so pumped for what lies ahead!

This past couple days in Des Moines have been SO amazing! The branch here is so spectacular!! Elder Petersen and I have only been together a full 3 days, and we have already witnessed many miracles! The Des Moines East Zone is incredible!!! Heavenly Father has put his elect here and the work is so exciting! 

With the past transfer being as crazy as it was, I was looking for to stability, little did I know Heavenly Father doesn't have that in mind for me! These past couple of days I have been just absorbing all I can, and trying to get to know the missionaries and the situations of the people they are teaching. I have had multiple nights of tossing and turning just thinking about the work here!! This might be the most excited I have been on my mission so far. Which is saying a lot!! The field is white and already to harvest, and now it is time to thrust with all of our might.

I continue to ponder deeply how important this work is! There is one way, ONLY one way Heavenly Father's children can return back to him and that is through the message we are privileged to share!! The authority we hold as His servants is real. He wants everyone of his children back, and because of this it is our duty to open our mouths and preach the Gospel.

Con amor,

Elder Roberts

The H. family from Iowa City:

Iowa City District - Before transfer meeting:

With the Whitlows at transfer meeting:

Singing the mission song: