Liquid Diets and Scavenger Hunts

Good afternoon!

Another week has flown by, and I feel like I have done so much personal learning and growing during this week with Elder Nieto. Our companions truly are inspired and we are put with them for a reason. 

This week we had a lesson with a new investigator named Cinthia. A couple years ago her husband passed away and she has been raising their 3 kids solo ever since. when we first contacted her door we were just talking and she opened up and started crying and everything. she said we could definitely come back and teach her a lesson! During the following week, she talked to one of her friends who apparently is an inactive member of our church. this friend of hers said "The years I spent in the church were the happiest years of my life. I can't say anything bad about it." WOW. Now we dont know why exactly her friend is inactive, but that was absolutely amazing to hear! We are so excited to go back and visit Cinthia again this week, we think she has such a strong spirit and desire to learn more!

thursday morning I woke up with bicicleta, which no, is not a bike. unfortunately. I'll let you guys figure that on out on your own. but anyways, on with the story. The rule in the mission is you need to start a 24 hour liquid only diet, which I was not excited for. when I dont eat, I crash really easily and I get really annoyed super fast. but, thursday was easily our most productive day. we found a ton of new people and I had all the energy I needed all the way until I laid in bed and was OUT. Definitely was blessed with energy to get through the day! 

The ward here had a fun little scripture scavenger hunt on saturday so we stuck around in the church to watch. there were groups of 3-4 people, everyone tied together and some blindfolded. they had to go around and find the hints and all that fun stuff. pictures below.

Faith is following along without knowing all the answers. Sometimes we dont know exactly why we do the things we do, but we do them. As one of my friends in the MTC told me "the lord will give you strength according to your faith." Just keep on doing the small little things, and everything will work out!

Love,

Elder Roberts

I have a little paper on my tag cause I was one of the clues

Spanish Words

Good afternoon!

Not too much to report on this week, so I'll keep this short and sweet. 

first off, a lesson in spanish. there are a lot of words here that we use even when talking in english that I keep typing into my emails and I have to correct so I decided I'll just teach you all those words so I can justify leaving them in my emails. I know. I'm so smart. Fecha means date. Pilas literally translated means batteries, but in Ecuador they use it as like "on the ball" or "killing it." when I think of more words, I'll teach them. 

You all remember Ivan? our golden investigator who asked if he could get baptised? well, talking to him this week we found out that he lives in the sector of the other elders. so we basically handed him over to them. We taught him basically all of the lessons, just one or two more at this point and he can get baptised. 

Elder Nieto and I have been working really hard this week! we found a lot of really cool people that we are excited to return and teach again! We also have a lady named Graciela and her granddaughter with fecha for the 17th of november, so we are also really excited about that! 

Thats all I really got this week, but more to come for sure! 

Elder Roberts

me and Elder Nieto

Me and Elder Nieto again

suprise! me and elder Nieto again (and Elder Cox)

I'm a big kid now!

What a week!

So do you remember last week when I mentioned about that guy we met at church that wanted to meet with us? Well we met with him on Tuesday night and before we even started the lesson he asked us when he could get baptised! So we set a day for October 27! He has such a desire to learn more and follow Christ!

CONFERENCE WEEKEND!

I got a lot of questions about if I was able to watch conference, and oh boy I was! in english too! Everyone is able to pull out a different message that applies specifically to them in their life, and I was so blessed to hear the things I did. More than anything else, I felt reminded to rely on Christ always, especially when things get hard. As everyone says, missions are hard and I definitely can feel myself growing closer and relying more and more on Him. The challenges we face make us stronger.

I remember when President Nelson released the message about using the full name of the church, my companion and I talked about it a lot to see how it would all go etc. But I absolutely loved LOVED LOVED his talk about it. This is the Lords church and we need to make that specific part known. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! 

Today for P-day we went out to this big rock that apparently rolled down the volcano the last time Cotopaxi errupted (dont worry mom, I am talking like hundreds and hundreds of years ago) so we went out there to check it out.

 

I have officially finished my training! I am staying in Latacunga and tomorrow I will meet my next companion! such a big boy! 

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here in Ecuador, serving the Lord and bringing the happiness of the plan of salvation! I am so ready for more!

Love, Elder Roberts

George Washington

Good afternoon all,

Another week has just flown by!  To be honest, the last few weeks have been a little bit disappointing in regards to the work itself. Elder Brown and I have been working hard to find more families to teach, and always passing by and teaching our current investigators. at the same time we are responsible for a few inactive and part member families. With the inactive and part member families every week they always say that they will be at church. saturday night AND sunday mornings we call them all but nobody comes to church. It can be frustrating sometimes, but we are still keeping up hope! Apparently our zone leaders are going to come here and do divisions with us this week because we haven't had any investigators at church or baptisms etc. so we will see how that goes. But our spirits are still high!

This week we met George Washington. During our lesson with one of our investigators who owns that one bread store I talked about a few weeks ago, this guy walks in and instantly says his name is George Washington. literally. like, thats for real his name. he was born and raised here, but I guess when he was born he was (and still is) really white looking. his brother said that they should name him that and now, 65 years later, thats been his name his whole life. Apparently he once was heavily investigating the church, had gone several times and everything, so he knew we were Elders. we got his information and we are going to try to meet with him sometime this week! 

Elder Medina and Elder Reynolds (the other Elders in Latacunga) had a wedding and then a baptism this last week! Robert and Martha were being taught by them, they taught the law of chastity, decided to get married and get baptised! it was a total miracle how it all came together. we weren't sure if they could get married when they did (based on  working around the system etc.) but they did and got baptised this last saturday! such an awesome experience!

At church yesterday we were introduced to a guy that basically just randomly came to church on his own free will, and he lives in our sector! so we have an appointment with him tomorrow night! we are super excited for it! he seemed to love church!

I am so happy to be here and I know this church is true! I know that we are bringing happiness to the families here, and even if they dont let us in this week, they will eventually have their hearts opened up to the missionaries and I am just a small part in the glorious work of this mission! 

Love,

Elder Roberts

 Outside of the wedding office they have these super cool scenic (SOS my spelling) pictures of Latacunga, then Mama Negra (yes, thats a guy with his face painted black)

 The happy couple and us missionaries

Today for P-day we walked down to this little lake we always pass by on the bus when we go into ambato. super chill and everything. sitting on the shore reminded me of being at lake powell!