088

25 March 2013

Dear Homefront,

 

Happy Birthday Dad!  What is it, 66 now?  Ready to retire yet?

 

This week has been pretty interesting.  We got snow yesterday!  What ever happened to Spring?  And now here I thought that Utah had bi-polar weather.

 

At any rate, we've been spending quite a good portion of this week trying to find ways of finding new people to teach.  Elder Huntzinger and I both know that frustration all too well.  When we were companions previously, we probably built up and then tore back down at least 5 lists of potential investigators.

 

Right now we only have one investigator, ---, who is amazing.  She came to church for the first time yesterday and absolutly loved it.  The rest of our work has been working with the less active members.  We haven't really seen too many results just yet, but it's still early yet.

 

Over the past couple days, it's hit me repeatedly just how short my time is.  Elder Huntzinger goes home next month, and then July is coming all too quickly.  I am doing my very best to make sure every day counts.  Some days are more difficult than others, yet I am still doing my best.

 

I'm excited to see what the next few months hold in store.

 

I love you all.  Remember, keep hope alive.

 

With love,

-Elder John Y. Robers

 

PS:  Mom, I need you to go through my papers and see if you can find my ACT score and high school transcripts.  I'm still trying to be prayerful about my options but if I do sign up for registration, then I need that info.  Check the email I forwarded to see just what I need.  I love you.

087

18 March 2013

Dear Homefront,

 

This week was a little bit crazy, a little slow, and very good.  Let me explain.

 

First the crazy.  Transfers happened this week, apparently the largest one since President Perry has been here, with over 35 incoming missionaries.  The truly crazy part is that we're starting to be able to see whether or not the 12-week in-field training program really works.  The concept is that at the end of the program, each missionary should be able to assume any leadership position in the mission, including that of a trainer.  We have many missionaries who have only just completed the program themselves who are being put in as trainers and district leaders (there's even one I know of who was made a zone leader).

 

Due to the huge influx, and preparing for the mission to split, there have been many changes going around.  The Swiftcreek area got split so now there are two sets of missionaries serving there.  This caused our district to be realigned.  The Appomattox A and B Elders were split off and formed their own district while our district now comprises of Hopewell (us), Swiftcreek A (the Zone Leaders), Swiftcreek B (the newly formed area), and the Stocks (Ft. Lee Senior missionaries).

 

The other insanity that happened with transfers is that the elder who President Perry felt inspired to send in to Hopewell is none other than Elder Huntzinger.  If you remember, I first began serving with Elder Huntzinger roughly one year ago (last April) and stayed with him until I left Hopewell for Goochland in September of last year.  Now we come together again nearly a year later for his last transfer.  Truly, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

 

Now, transfer week seems to carry with it a perpetual curse of being a really slow week so not a whole lot happened this week missionary-wise, unfortunately.  However, it was a good week.

 

We had Ward and Branch conferences this week (for Hopewell and Ft. Lee respectively).  The themes were of preparedness and of faith.  Preparedness of testimony so that we can be prepared for the second coming.  Preparedness of supplies so that we can be ready for times of difficulty.  And of putting our Faith in the Lord to help us be prepared and that all things will work to our favor and for our eternal good.

 

I love you all.  Keep faith and hope burning bright, and make the most out of every day we have.

 

With much love,

-Elder John Y. Roberts

086

11 March 2013

Dear Homefront,

 

Another week gone by in the VRM, and it seems that most of the action is happening elsewhere.  But that's alright because even though it may not seem like a whole lot is happening, we're working hard and doing our best.

 

This week we had some time to really get down and deep clean the apartments which was kind of nice.  It gave us some time to rearrange a little bit as we were going and to clean out the fridge.  I've noticed one thing that missionaries aren't very good at, and that's staying on top of the expiration dates of things in the fridge.  Admittedly, I'm not always the best at that myself, but I do try.

 

This past Friday was Zone Meeting.  One of the local Bishops was asked to come speak to us.  He spoke about many of the committments we had made through baptism, priesthood ordination, and the temple, and about how we can better remember and keep those committments not only as a missionary, but throughout our lives.

 

Then on Saturday, I actually spent the better part of the morning with Elder Andreasen again.  There was a mini District Leader Council in which he and Elder Coon needed to pass along some information which didn't get covered in Zone Meeting.  But Elder Andreasen was feeling sick so I stayed with him and Elder Coon took Elder Starks and went to the meeting.  Later that afternoon we had the usual activity with the soldiers out on post which was fun as it always is.

 

Yesterday was just absolutely exhausting.  Daylight savings on top of two separate church services, and the anxiety of transfer calls just drained us both.  We're both staying in Hopewell, but we're getting a third, and of all people, it's Elder Huntzinger!  Apparently 6 months weren't enough for us to serve together. ;)  So the next few weeks are going to be very, very interesting.

 

I hope that you are all well and safe.  Na zdrovia to Christopher and his new bride.

 

I love you all so very much,

-Elder John Y. Roberts

 

PS:  I have recieved 2 forwarded letters from youth in the ward.

 

PPS:  If you could please put some extra money on my card,  I need to pay $100 at the time I register for that "SOAR" thing for USU.  Premium registration ends on the 1st of April.  Let me know about any information you get from the recruiters.

 

PPPS:  President said that if you all want to pick me up, the way it works is that I would be allowed to take an "extended preparation day" for about a week or so before my scheduled release date to tour the mission with you, and Dad or you or Nik would technically fill the position of my companion and then I would be released by our Stake President like normal when we got back to UT.  We can talk about that and see if it's something we want to do.

085

4 March 2013

Good Morning to the Homefront,

 

Things in Virginia have been a little chilly lately, but that didn't stop us from having a very busy week.

 

This week, we had yet another 4-day Leadership Conference here in the VRM.  This means that everything got shaken up a bit throughout the mission.  The Swiftcreek/Belmont and Meadowbrook apartments were swarmed with extra missionaries who were being placed closer to the conference.  As neither myself nor Elder Starks were invited to attend this time, we were the fall back companions for Elder Andreasen who also was not attending the conference.  This means that we spent most of the week up in the Swiftcreek area because they are far more busy that we are here in Hopewell.

 

It was interesting working with Elder Andreasen.  He is an exclusive yellow in his personality which just makes things interesting and keeps us blue/whites on our toes as yellows are such adventure seekers.

 

We were also able to have a very good weekend by attending two separate baptismal services.  One for Brother --- who was taught by the Appomatox Elders over in Petersburg, and the other for young --- who is the yongest child in the --- family who I've worked with almost since the first day I arrived in this area last year.  They are such a wonderful family and --- is such a sweet spirit.  I can't describe the feeling I had when I was asked to confirm her.  There was just such a powerful spirit there that day.  It was also good to see Elder Huntzinger again, he was able to return because he was asked to perform the baptism.

 

All in all, it was just a very good and uplifting week.  Tiring, but good.  Also, thank you for the package.  Those books seem very interesting and right up my alley.  Thank you so much.

 

I love you all and hope that you are well.  Stay safe, and keep hope alive.

 

With much love,

-Elder John Y. Roberts

 

PS:  Yes, if you could talk to the NG recruiter at USU to figure out what my best options on MOS's (military jobs) are.  Be sure to mention to him that I would like to go airborne which will point in certain directions.  I've been speaking with some of the soldiers here in the branch that are in the Utah National Guard or reserves.  I'll keep seeing what I can find out on this end.  Also, Brother Wentz suggested the SMP because he went the cadet route and felt like he was playing catch up when he graduated.  We'll figure it out.

 

PPS:  If you're bored, try doing missionary work.  Get some pass-along cards and hand them out, make a mormon.org profile, or check out vineyard.lds.org  Also, Dad never did finish those windows upstairs to my knowledge.

 

PPPS:  love ya!