05/26/11

Mi Familia,

Hola!! Today (Thursdays) are my p days, so this is the day I'm able to write, email, we just got back from the temple, and then we have time to do laundry and get all prepared for this upcoming week! Oh how I have so much to tell you, but there is a timer on the screen (kinda distracting) but I will get all I can in before this timer goes off. First off, can you believe how crazy it was that I pretty much just got whisked away?! They took me to get all of my books and things in spanish and then we got right into learning spanish. I have learned so much spanish already, but I have SO far to go. There have been times that I get a little discouraged because I feel so inadequate, but whenever I get discouraged I try and find a missionary that is going to Cambodia or somewhere crazy and look at their missionary badge only to see tons of little squiggly lines (writing) becasue that is seriously what Cambodian writing looks like. It then makes me feel so GRATEFUL to be learning a spanish. I have two great companions! We get along so well. They have made me want to become so much better and really are such amazing Sisters. I first want to say how amazing the MTC is, it has this great spirit and all of the other missionaries are so nice! I have met so many missionaries here from so many different places and going to so many different places! Elder Russell M. Nelson came on Tuesday night to speak to us to at a devotional and can I just say how strong I felt his presence and spirit right when he walked in! This church is led by men called of God, I truly know and have felt that.
Enough about me, I want to tell you all how much I love you! I think about you all of the time, but not so much that it might distract me. We are so busy here. Every minute of every day is scheduled. We have a very rigorous schedule of learning learning learning! I have so much to learn, let me just tell you that! I hope that everything is going good at home! I still don't think it has hit me that I won't be there for another year and a half. I feel like this is just a little trip and that I'll be home soon, but it will be a while longer than that. :] Oh and by the way my date to come home is December 4, 2012. Just so you know!
I have a district of what is now 6 Elders and 5 Hermanas (sisters). So three Elder companionships and two sister companionships. They have all taught me so much! I have seen a change in everyone just within this past week. A district is pretty much the other missionaries you spend all of your time with like in class and we eat together and things like that, they become like family!
Some of the things we do as missionaries have been interesting to get used to! Like being with your companion (or in my case, companions) all of the time! You have to be within sight and sound of each other. If one of us need to go to the bathroom, then we all do! Haha, but it's fun! We really do have a lot of fun together.
Funny moment of the week- It was our first time teaching as a companionship and we hadn't planned as well as we had hoped. We just teach another companionship and so we were teaching two of the Elders in our district and we were having a hard time teaching together! In the middle of it, we all just started busting up laughing which is so bad and so irreverent, but we couldn't help it! Let's just say we have came quite a way since then.
I have learned quite a bit of spanish while being here, I know how to say a simple prayer and testimony in spanish. I can recite the missionary purpose and the first vision in spanish. I am trying and trying to work my hardest to learn more and more each day. It isn't coming easy, I feel so inadequate to be doing this work at times. There are times that I can't believe the Lord called me to teach the people of California in spanish! I can barely teach in English, but I know that the Lord called me to do this and to serve in the California Santa Rosa Mission spanish speaking and He will prepare a way for it to happen! I have eight more weeks left here in the MTC and I am going to work and try my best with the help of the spirit to learn, understand, and take in all that I can. I am here to learn and train myself to become a missionary. I realized that being like a missionary doesn't come with the setting apart the night before. You have to work so hard and learn so much before you can be a GREAT missionary. Everyday, I am reminded that this is where I'm supposed to be, I am supposed to be here! My purpose is to invite other to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. That is why I am here and now I need to do everything in my power to become that missionary! The timer is blinking and so I better wrap this up.
I want you to know that Heavenly Father is our Father and He wants what is best for every one of us. Remember that He is always there! Pray, read the scriptures, and when you attend church you will be able to feel of that. I really do love this church and know it is true, If I didn't, I wouldn't be here! I love you all soooooooo much! I hope that everything is going great and just know that I pray for you EVERYDAY! Thank you for your love and support.

Love,

Hermana Robinson