How Goes It?!

WEll, once again here i am sitting after another week of hard work. We had a goal of 20 lessons this week but we only got 18 but that is still pretty good! We would have had over 20 easy if our investigators hadn't cancelled on us (3 cancelled!) and a few of our less active lessons didn't come to pass but this week we'll get the 20! We worked pretty hard and it felt good! we scheduled 6 lessons yesterday but 3 didn't work out... : ( oh well..But i have something to tell youall. ha um...well being a missionary i guess we're like the pinch-hitters for the ward (or at least that's what the bishop said to me trying to sorta suck up..) but on thursday i got a call from the bishop and he asked if i would give a 15-20 min. talk on faith, like having faith through trials and relying on christ. I wasn't too excited about it, especially because it was like last minute and i have limited resources and time (especially time!) to work on it. WEll i didn't do too much on friday except try and get a few ideas of what i could do but saturday was teh stressful day but also a fun one! In the afternoon around 1-ish we got to go set up a missionary booth at teh stake center because the SOuth stake once every 3 years does a big production of a play and this time it's joseph and the amazing technicolored dream coat so got to sorta greet people and wait for them to come to us but that didn't work out at all. We just stood tehre, NO ONE came and really talked to us and/or even took free church stuff so i felt like i was invisible or something..but we did get to go in and watch most of it which was fun and they did a pretty good job but it did take me a few hours to fully refocus.But that took up like 3 hours of our time and we still had some appointments that night so i had only like 2 hours to do my talk and so it wasn't the best when i did my practice talk to elder romeril but i worked out some of the bugs. My last 15 min. talk i gave in East bakes i was sweating bullets because the AC was broken and i just got all red in the face ( i don't really have a fear of public speaking but i just sweat a lot) but i didn't sweat when i gave this talk - It was a MIRACLE!! haha and so i had that little thing happen to me this week and i'm trying to remember what else...i can't think of anything..sorry.....but i am going on exchanges on tuesday with one of the zone leaders so it'll hopefully be a fun day! This will be elder bobo's last week in the mission : ( but someday i'll be there!! WE have church at 9:30 till 12:30, so i don't know when i should call. dad, when do you have to leave? i sorta want to call after church but i dunno...sorry i'm leaving it to the last minute but what works best for you all? i can either do it before church or after. Either way works for me and chances are i'll probably be calling from the church and using my calling card. No one has offered to let us use their phone yet. i think that's about it. I'm still doing well and am ready for week 6 of this transfer! I love you all so much, i pray for you and hope that this week goes well for all of you! Keep on keepin on and always remember "hakuna matata"!!!
love, elder robison
ps: it hasn't been very hot the past 3 days but i won't hold my breath for it to stay! ha i love you!

I Got a Refresher Course on How Hot "Bakes" gets!

Greetings from the infamous area of bakersfield! Boy, it was warm the past couple days! I was SO WARM yesterday!! We had a boring meeting with all the missionaries and the ward mission leaders and the room was packed and it got so hot and so i did what i do best and just was sweating bullets! a little embarrassing but oh well. But! BUT, we did have a great sabbath, meaning we got our investigator named dennis to church! it's the first time in over 50 years he's been to church! He was looking sharp too! heis a funny old guy who has really begun to progress. He really loves his wife who passed away some time ago and really wants to be sealed to her and he also, even though he's not a member (yet) he's already trying to share teh gospel with his neighbor!! He's so awesome! This week elder romeril and i have a goal to teach 20 lessons! we've been slowly improving each week and this last week we got like 13 i think but we have goals and plans to get 20! it's going to be a good week! Romeril and i are really having a great time! we've really developed a fantastic relationship with each other so yet again, i have been blessed with a companion who i've gotten along with! we havent' fought and that makes me super happy! I only will have a few more comps and then DONE! To day i believe we are going bowling with just us four in the apartment so i'm pretty excited about that! Hmm....let me think of what else i can write about. I think the ward is slowly warming up to me/us. WE've met a few more families and they seem to like us but missionaries in the past havent' really been the best so it's been tough gaining back the member's trust. SO the summer approaches fast with no chance of it being delayed so i have to bust out the sun screen again and sweat through the heat but hey, if i gotta be in bakersfield twice in my mission it might as well be in the summer so i can have the experience and stories, right!? Elder Bobo will be going home in 3 weeks...actually like 2 1/2 actually and elder kimble 8 1/2 so it's super sad to see them go but they've served and they deserve to see their family! My hopes are still high, i'm very grateful for my companion, our apt. padmates, and the gospel. I love the book of mormon and i am so eternally grateful for our savior Jesus Christ. I'm beginning to read (only on our preparation day studies) Jesus the Christ and it's been amazing!! i love him so much and i can't even begin to grasp how much love he has for all of us!! I know he is the way! i'll close with my good buddies' line he wrote me in his last letter (elder TOdd Ulrich) "The church is true, the book is blue!" i so testify to that too!Love,elder robison

Happy Easter!

I hope and trust that all of you had a great easter! Our's wasn't too bad but i would have loved to be at home, but hey, in 365 days i'll be celebrating easter at home! yeah! Anywhos, we were invited over to the Rivera's and they originally were having some non-members over but the non-members cancelled but we still were blessed to be able to have dinner over there! we had a really good rump-roast with some potatoes mixed with sweet potatoes and some really yummy biscuits! we finished off the meal with some right out of the oven cookies! So not too bad of an easter meal. Church went pretty good too! the sacrament talks were about the atonement and the resurrection and two of the three i liked quite a bit! In gospel principles we talked about the atonement and read the story of the debtor, the mediator guy, and the creditor. I love the story! christ truly is our advocate with the father, he is there for us and he has taken us out of debt so we are now in debt to him. It won't be the easiest to pay off but it's possible! I know that's true!We have been getting to know the area better and better and a few more members here and there and they're warming up to us so it's good. The Ward mission leader, bishop (for the most part), HIgh Priest group leader, and elders quorum president like us so that's a start, right? Elder romeril is doing really well and he's such a great teacher!! I wish i could be half as good as he is! He has a great testimony and i wish we could have 50x more appointments so i could listen to how he teaches so i can better my teaching skills. he is doing really well! he hasn't really gotten too home sick and i'm so proud of him! Our padmates (austin, in New York, got me saying "pad" for our house ha) are nice too. we've really bonded and had some very fun times! Elder minnick, (the other trainer) is such a funny guy! he came out with Winspear...WEll, i got me a new bike seat and i 'm pretty sure that it's the most amazing thing ever! i can ride forever now!! ha it hasn't gotten too hot since we've been here but it'll soon change! it actually rained!!!! i didn't go outside for a while because i knew it prob. would be all dirty rain and get my shirt all dirty...but we walked out eventually when it cleared but we walked about a mile+ and then it started to pour down! Luckily i had a jacket on so it wasn't too bad. It's already been 3 weeks since i've been with romeril and it's gone pretty fast! i've really grown to love the kid! he's just got a funny sense of humor. We played sports this morning (it was basketball so i didn't really play because i don't like it too much and also i'm horrible at it and plus i played last week and just didn't have a good time because EVERYTIME missionaries play it gets way too competitive and makes everyone mad and upset so i just played tennis with E. minnick.) but we're going to this hispanic store for groceries and i've truly begun to branch out with trying different foods. I havent' gotten to the point where i want to try menudo yet but give it time...So that's about all the exciting news i have. Our investiagtors are few but we're still trying really hard to find more! So the work moves on in panama! i'm also so excited to hear that Paul Westover...Elder Westover i mean, is going to be in chile for 2 years!! COngratulations paul!! i love you buddy! Hope this week goes great for you all and always remember to pray, read your scriptures, and to have "no worries"
i love you all!!!!!
love, elder robison

Another Missionary in the Family!

Elder Paul M. Westover has been called to serve in the Santiago Chile East Mission!

He will report to the MTC in Provo, UT, on June 24, 2009!

This picture of Ty and Paul was taken while Ty was in Newbury Park and taught a lesson in Paul's seminary class!

"I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ"

"I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed; the dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line; the decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, colorless dreams, tamed visions, wordly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gate is fast, my goal is heaven.

My road is narrow, my way is rough. My companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.

I must go 'til He comes, give 'til I drop, preach 'til all know, and work 'til he stops me, and when he returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ."

by Pres. Henry B. Eyring

April 6, 2009 Bakersfield, CA

Hello from sunny, sunny, warm, sunny, and warm bakersfield! i am doing pretty good right now! the past few days haven't been too bad, it's been like 80's with a nice wind but i know that will stop soon and the heat will rise. it got up to 88+ today, so summer is approaching like it's eager to just burn me up. Elder romeril (my "greenie") is doing so well! i'm so impressed with how's he's adjusted to the mission life and culture! where he's at right now is so much farther than where i was at when i first came out! he's a great guy! I love him! We really have been getting along really well and we've been blessed to be able to teach together in unity and that's something that is really important because the scriptures say that, "by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established...". We're getting a little more used to the area but we still barely know any members. I honestly know LESS THAN 10 families but we've been trying to get to know them. OUr first day at church last week wasn't the most receptive though...Honestly only like 3 families came up and introduced themselves, and they can't and don't have the excuse that they didn't know we are new because i said the opening prayer in Sacrament and romeril said the closing and we both got up and bore our testimonies, but i don't mean to talk bad about the ward because obviously i dont know them yet (i guess i'm just used to Ojai where it's like my second family/ward). The elders we are living with are pretty good guys! they are spanish elders and one is being trained-his name is elder king and he's from gilbert, AZ. he's sorta...ok, he's really quiet and doesn't really talk but oh well, i used to be like that (now you can't get me to shut up!! haha) his trainer is elder minnick and we've really bonded and i've loved him! He's so funny!!! and of course my first foreign comp. romeril is a rockin guy! on sat. night i believe we all learned the canadian national anthem! ha it's not too bad of a song...so we've just really bonded as an apartment! The work is pretty slow but we've been trying to talk to as many people as we see and so we'll hopefully see the fruits of our labor soon. Conference was amazing! i loved it! i admit, i was a little sleepy during two sessions so for part of it i fell asleep but the rest i was awake and just loving it! MAn, can you say that the apostles are the BOMB!!! they gave such amazing talks! Hollands was sweet! Uchtdorf's just blew me away! Perry's knocked my socks off! and of course you really can't beat the talks by our beloved prophet! SO i can't wait till it comes out in the ensign! so i've gotta go, we have had a busy p-day so far and still need to do a lot more so much love from southern bakersfield!
elder robison

The Lord Watches Over His Missionaries!

Tyler's mission home was broken into a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night. $700 in cash and 13 passports were stolen. One of the missionaries was supposed to leave for Canada on Wednesday but without his passport, he would not be able to leave as planned.

Saturday night, two policemen were patroling the area and stopped two suspicious-looking young men, not because they had a specific reason to stop them, they just felt like they should. Fortunately, the policemen acted on their instinct. These two young men actually had the 13 passports on them and the police were able to recover the passports and return them to the mission office. The missionary that was supposed to leave the next day to Canada was able to leave as planned! (No word on recovering of the money, but the passports were the most important thing!)

The Lord does watch over his missionaries, and I am so grateful!