"I'm Converted...to Vegetables"

Sister Moyes and I

Hello family!!!

         Happy Easter! Our Easter was great. We got lots and lots of chocolate eggs...and now I just freak out every time we enter the flat cause there is just chocolate everywhere and it makes me sick to look at.

         Got to love holidays in England...

This may or may not have been my breakfast one morning…I’m trying hard not to give up on trying to live healthy…haha

       So I don't know if I have ever told you this before. But food here is so good!  Whenever we are at a dinner appointment and the conversation isn't going anywhere, the people almost always get asking us about food in America haha. So this week Sister Moyes and I have been talking a lot about the differences in the food, just cause everyone always asks us. And I've been converted to eating vegetables. I love broccoli, carrots, parsnips, peas, potatoes, etc. They are literally so good and that is pretty much all people eat here, then there is a little side of meat. As I've been pondering goals I want to set for when I get home, I want to teach you all the PMG lessons, and get you eating vegetables. So watch out :)

         Haha but really this week was good, full of ups and downs as usual. Sister Moyes and I are staying together our last transfer. I'm excited to serve another transfer together because we feel like we finally know how to work together! Just pray we can keep our motivation up and keep pushing each other. It is an interesting feeling knowing you and your comp go home at the end of the transfer and your area is going to be white washed...but we know it is what the Lord wants! And we are determined to finish off our missions strong!

        A big miracle/highlight of the week comes from the one and only Joanne :). She is still doing great and got called to be a young women's advisor this week! Yay! It's fun seeing converts grow in the church :) but we have actually been able to have dinner with her family twice this week. They had us over Thursday night, and then again on Easter, and they are just the best!  Her mum has taken us in like we are her own daughters and it is just such a lovely feeling being around them. Sister Moyes and I both feel like a big reason we are staying together is because of them. We haven't been able to necessarily teach them anything yet, but we are happy with the friendship we have been able to gain with them. And her mum makes the BEST roast dinners! So good! And she always has the best herbal teas for us. She has actually gotten me to kind of like herbal tea :) I'm slowly turning English. Haha

         This week we were also able to go on exchange with Sister Dollman and Sister Manage. I was with Sister Dollman, and I love her so much! She has been in the Crawley zone the whole time I have been in Sutton, and now she is getting transferred to be STL out west, so I'm sad to see her go :( But we had an awesome exchange full of finding! We were able to use the Easter video the whole time and I was so full of gratitude that I was able to testify of Jesus Christ each and everyday. It seriously is the biggest blessing ever!

         Pretty much this week has been finding. Sutton is a resting place for me, I have constantly been in the finding stage here, except for when we taught Joanne. But it is good and we have faith we can and will baptise next transfer. It will be good!

         This morning I spent a good chunk of my personal study pondering general conference and preparing myself with questions I need answered for it. President Gubler sent us a great letter this week to help us prepare for conference and I wanted to share part of it with you

         “Dear Sisters And Elders,

For this week’s letter, we want to focus on the upcoming general conference and how it can strengthen our faith and testimony, giving us greater power to fearlessly and tirelessly serve our Lord during this season of harvest. Conferences have always been a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ. Adam, Moses, the Savior (in Jerusalem and America) gathered and taught the people. The Lord’s pattern has always been to reveal his secrets to His prophets (Amos 3:7). The first general conference in these latter days was convened just two months after the church was organized and conferences have continued to this very day. The Lord has said that these are My Conferences (D&C 124:88), directed by His Spirit (D&C 46:2), and are My Words (D&C

1:38).  In our day, living prophets and apostles are authorized to speak, teach, and direct with authority from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Savior said to the Prophet, “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). The messages in each general conference are given as a gift and a blessing from heaven specifically for our personal life situations. President Uchtdorf said, “As you prepare for general conference, I invite you to ponder questions you need to have answered. … There are messages in each general conference given as a gift and a blessing from heaven specifically for our personal life situations.” Speakers are not assigned specific topics. Over weeks and months, often through sleepless nights, they wait upon the Lord. Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, they learn the message that He wants to give. The leaders have paid the price…done their “homework”! The real value of conference depends on whether we receive their words under the influence of the same Spirit by which they were given to those servants (D&C 50:19–22). Just as they receive guidance from heaven, so must we.  And that requires of us the same spiritual effort. President Eyring said, “I remembered the counsel a loving and kind President Harold B. Lee(1899–1973) had given me earlier with great emphasis  “Hal, if you want to get revelation, do your homework.”. These are messages from the Lord meant just for us! On the day the church was organized, the Lord commanded us to give heed to these words as if from His own mouth in all patience and faith; and promised if we do, that the gates of hell would not prevail (we won’t be conquered by Satan); that the Lord would remove darkness (remove the destructive D’s) from our lives; and cause the heavens to shake (He would pour out blessings upon us) for our good (D&C 21:4-6). If we will listen to and obey the words of the Lord that will be spoken this weekend we will be strengthened, protected, guided, and receive these amazing blessings!"

         It truly is such a blessing to have a modern day prophet on the earth today and I know that if we faithfully follow him we will be kept safe amongst the tribulations of the world. I hope you will all take time to prepare yourself with questions you need answered at general conference, because I know if you do you will receive answers.

         I love you all so much! I cannot believe I am starting my last transfer...but here's to the best 6 weeks of my life!

Love,

Sister Robison xxx

My District

"Tender Mercies"

Hello again!

         Well, that was really weird yesterday seeing Alan and Lisa.  I was walking into sacrament meeting and looked at the main door and saw 4 people coming in. I turned to sister Moyes and was just about to tell her that one of the guys looked like my cousin Matthew...then I realised that it was Matthew and I had a little freak out! It was so good to see them and I really needed it. I have learned that Heavenly Father loves us and answers our prayers in many different ways, sometimes in small simple ways, and sometimes in bigger ways (like family showing up at sacrament meeting!).

         So a bit of background from this week so you will understand why this meant so much to me. This week has been one of the harder weeks on my mission, just feeling inadequate and feeling really alone here. I have been worried a lot about going home and scared that when I get home I won't know anyone or know what to do. I have tried to fight this so much this week, but as hard as I tried I just couldn't get it off my mind. Well, I decided I needed a blessing, so I was going to get one on Thursday after zone training, but some things came up with the elders and I didn't end up asking for one, and for some reason I just felt I needed to wait until Sunday to get a blessing.

         Well, going back to Sunday. As soon as I saw Alan I realised that that is why I needed to wait till Sunday to receive a blessing. He gave me a blessing and it was exactly what I needed. Seeing them actually made me feel very peaceful about going home. It helped me realise that I still do have people at home that love and care about me (obviously I know you love me, but sometimes it's hard to remember who you are cause I've been gone so long). So it was a greatly needed visit, and has actually helped me to concentrate a lot more. I am so grateful for my loving Heavenly Father and the way he hears and answers prayers. I am also so grateful that I have the loving family that I do. You are all just the best!

It was so nice to be able to see family!
 I loved that they surprised me and came to my ward!   

Alan, Lisa & family were able to meet Joanne at church!

So other events from this week!

         We did a work over (where both me and sister Moyes go to the other area) in the VC this week and I was able to be with Sister Bills and Sister Hansen (she was my STL in Taunton). It was so cool to be with Sister Bills again. We were able to go teach the restoration to a family and it was so cool teaching with her! She has changed a lot and grown a lot. She is amazing!

Sister Hansen, Sister Bills and I

     We also had zone training this week, which was so good! I wanted to share something which we did and which really hit me. We focused on Jesus Christ and how he has changed each of our lives and had a mini testimony meeting as a zone. We watched the Easter videos and then shared how Jesus Christ has changed our lives. As I was pondering this question this week, I had a very strong feelings about how I have found new life in Jesus Christ.

Crawley Zone

          On my mission I have found new life by simply being changed by him. He has changed my priorities in life. He has helped me to see what true happiness is. He has helped me change how I view myself and others. He has helped me love. He has changed me. Here are a few quotes and scriptures I have found the past week as I have been studying about the saviour. Enjoy!

         "If you turn to Christ and repent of your sins, He will forgive you and cleanse you and change your heart. This is the redeeming power of the Atonement. If you turn to Christ when you face challenges and need capacity beyond your own, He can strengthen you and magnify your capacity. This is the strengthening power of the Atonement."

         "There is no sin, no guilt, no shame, no fear, no loneliness, no heartache, no loss, no depression, no sadness, no terror, no pain, no challenge, no weakness that Jesus has not experienced and overcome. He has all power over all things."

         "The great truth of the gospel is that we have a Savior who can and will save us from ourselves, from what we lack, from our imperfections, from the carnality within us, if we seek his help."

         "Now, the atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trials and perils of life.

But if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived."

         I want you all to know that I know my saviour lives. He died and was resurrected on the third day for me, and for you. Because of him I have hope and joy in my life. Because of his gospel and his example I know I can successfully return home to live with my family forever and with God. I love my saviour and I am so grateful for all the opportunities he has given me in my life to learn of him and learn from him.

         I love you all and am so extremely grateful for all of your support. I hope you have a great Easter and remember the true meaning of why we do everything. Remember him. That's the best advice I could give someone today. Remembering him changes everything.

Love you!

Sister Robison xxx

3 of my 4 companions left in the mission!

"How Can I Better Follow Him?"

Hi family!!!

         This week was nuts...so many meetings once again...I don't know how I'm still alive. Well, I'm really not. All 4 of us leaders are just exhausted and we aren't really functioning right now, so please pray for us! Haha

         So this week we had MLC, which is always good. I am very grateful for this opportunity I have had to serve as a leader and learn how to follow promptings of the spirit. But the best part of MLC...a senior couple made cafe rio burritos for lunch!!!!!! I was in heaven...they had the dressing and all and oh my goodness, it was the best moment of my mission! Jk...it wasn't the best moment of my mission, but you don't know how much I have missed that stuff. It was great!

         At MLC we counseled together about why we aren't baptising and the spirit came very strong to us and helped is realise we need to trust in the Lord and that he will fulfill his promises. As I have been reading the Book of Mormon asking the question "how can I better follow Him?", a common theme I have noticed for myself is that the way I can better follow him is simply through trusting him. Through trusting in his promises and trusting in his timing. Now, this isn't always easy, but I know that as we do everything we can to follow the Saviour and do our part, he will lead us to where we need to go in life.

         President talked to us about Mathew 14: 25. This is when Christ had just gotten done feeding the five thousand and he sends his disciples out on the boat, but he doesn't go with them right away. Christ leaves them to the ship to paddle and struggle a little bit, being tossed by the sea. Something we know is that Christ will never leave us, he will always come to us. But this chapter tells us that he comes to his disciples at the fourth watch, which is between 3-6 in the morning, so his disciples were out there struggling against a tossed sea for quite a few hours before he came. But he came. That is the important thing.

         In life, I have been able to see that we all go through ups and downs.  All of our "seas" are tossed every now and then, and sometimes we think that we will never get through it, but we need to hold fast to the promises that the Lord has given us, he WILL come, it just might not be right at the beginning of a struggle.  This is something I have seen illustrated in my own life.  But ya...MLC. We felt that the Lord is truly pleased with us and he wants us to just "hold on thy way", we need to just keep progressing and getting better and all will be well :) it was a great meeting! And I had to play the piano for like an hour there...which is nice as well!

         Then Wednesday we had DLC where we teach the district leaders what went down at MLC. We decided, since we have the temple in our zone, that we would do DLC at the visitors centre. So that was cool, I love just being on temple grounds, the spirit there is great. I was also able to talk to Sister Bills for a bit, which was good. Then the rest of that night was spent trying to plan zone training for next week...it was a struggle and a very long day.

         So now we are to Thursday. Thursday we had yet another meeting. Yay!  We had district meeting down in Haywards Heath. I don't know if I told you, but I am in a big district now! There is 10 of us (us, the ZL, AP's, then a companionship of elders, and sisters). It makes such a big difference to be in a district with lots of missionaries...I especially love this district cause everyone is so focused on our purpose, but we are all good friends too so we are able to learn a lot from each other. After district meeting we did district finding in Haywards Heath. We have this banner, like a big double sided poster with pictures of Christ, that we set up on high street and use to find people. It is actually a lot of fun and we had so much energy just being out there with 8 other missionaries attacking high street! Haha it was great!

         Friday we went on an exchange with the Eastbourne sisters, I was with a sister named Sister Pattenden.

         So that basically sums up my week.  Sorry this email is so long! But hopefully you read it all haha. I can't wait to see you all in 2 months! 

         Love you all! Remember Christ this week and look at followhim.mormon.org for great Easter stuff! When new Mormon messages come out it is like a new movie came out for missionaries, so this week was exciting with Hallelujah coming out! Go watch it and share it!

Love,

Sister Robison xxx