09-19-2011

My dearest family, Happy Monday! How is everything going?! I hope all is well!! :]Everything is going good here in Novato! I can't believe that thisweek is the 4th week in my 2nd transfer, the time really does justfly. I feel like Hermana Skroski and I just started as acompanionship. It's crazy!Everyday we see a miracle take place. I know that when we are livingin the moment, and take a step back and truly look for tender merciesfrom the Lord, they are all around us. I want to give you a littleexample of what I'm talking about. Thursday night we were walking backto our car from dinner at a member's house (they feed us every week,they are sooo sweet) and there was an older man walking towards us. Weapproach him, say hello, and he stops before we do, as if knowing thatwe are going to talk him. We asked him if he had talked tomissionaries before (because he had acted like he had!), he told usno. We continued talking to him and before too long he was standingbefore us sharing a personal story about his heart recently beingopened up after 70 years. He told us that he had grown up in anabusive home when he was a child and that he had had his heart closedhis whole life. He shared a spiritual experience where he had recentlyfelt his heart open up again and the overwhelming feelings it hadbrought. This man we had just met moments before stood before us withtears in his eyes, after just having shared a spiritual, personalexperience. I felt a love for that man because I was seeing him as achild of God. Hna. Skroski, the man, and I shared a spiritualexperience, I could feel the spirit so strongly. I know that he didtoo and that's why he felt he could share it with us. I think once herealized how strange the situation was (that he had just shared a verypersonal story with two young ladies) he wanted to quickly leave. Andthat's what he did, he told us he had to go and left on his way.Before he could get too far, we asked him if we could give him a passalong card and he accepted it, but continued back on his way. Thatmoment may not be that big of a deal to other people, but we went awayfrom that moment knowing how beautiful it was. We had felt the spiritstrongly and we had both felt so much love for him. I know that if westep back and recognize the tender mercies, we will be able torecognize more miracles in our lives. They are happening all aroundus!We had an exchange this past week and Hermana Christensen came toNovato with me. We had a good time and I learned a lot from her. Sheis about to leave her mission soon and she does NOT want to leave. Shehas loved her mission so much! I can only imagine how many wonderfulexperiences she's had in a year and a half after only being her in thefield for two months and having had all of the precious experiencesthus far. On the drive back to her area, Santa Rosa, she asked me whatthe biggest lesson I've learned so far on the mission, and it took mea while to respond because I had to ponder that. I have learned somany things and there are so many things I could have said. Afterthinking for a few minutes, I knew the answer. One of the biggestlessons I've learned so far, is just HOW much I need the Lord everyminute of every day. I am so imperfect, I am so inadequate. With Hisstrength, with His love, I can do the things that I need to doeveryday. The song "I Need Thee Every Hour" comes to mind. I need Himevery hour, every minute or else I will be lost.Thank you so much for all of your support and love! I love you all somuch! I read 1 Nephi 17 this morning, it's a good one! I know thatwhen obey the commandments of God, when we do what the Lord wants usto do, we will be blessed! Con mucho amor,Hermana Robinson