Week 47 Just answering questions

Hello!!!! Today I will start with the questions!!

So how is the mission life for elder Roberts?  The mission life is going great we are working hard and finding new people!!  

How are your families progressing? Good but Boa Ventura and his wife have to pay her parents 3000 met 2 boxes of beer and 5 liters of wine so the can get married!!! (They have a Dowry that they have to pay the parents so they can get married that is why so many people are not married is because they can't afford it) so that kinda stinks!! but they will still get married!!! 

How is your goal coming that you set the other week? its going good we are working hard!!

Do the kids have CTR rings there? no

Have you seen any snakes there? yes 2

Give me some of your favorite candies? butter fingers, take 5, kit kat, milky way, reeses, gummy worms, chocolate chips Twinkies  

Do you get the ensign? no but we get the Liahona  

Would you like us to send you any? no 

Think hard on what else we can send you.  Dr pepper, browine mix, blueberry muffin mix and any thing American.

Do you still have my exercise bands? (Just making sure you haven’t lost them) YES

I was wanting to add a section to your blog about “Why I love being a missionary”  can you please share why and maybe your testimony PLEASE I love helping the people not only improve their relationship with god but with their families as well!! It is one of the best feelings ever when you see the change that a person goes through and the happiness it brings when they start to become closer to God!! And I love being part of that process!!!

Have you received any other packages yet?  not yet

Are you doing anything fun for Pday today?  soccer &  sleep

So have you had to speak in church yet?  no

Do you have to teach any classes?  yes we have taught 3 lessons in the past two weeks!!

Do you teach any English lessons? I will start on WED

Week 46 One year left

(Sorry a lot of things Taylor is talking about is referring to my letter I sent him so his letter sounds weird)

HEYY ONE YEAR LEFT!! ITS CRAZY!!! Time has flown by so fast it feels like 6 months has gone by and I'm more than half way done with my mission!!!  hahah I love repelling!!! I would do it all the time if I could!!!!(Told Taylor I went Repelling) Just read the book of mormon!!! and my favorite chapters are the war chapters!!! they are awesome!!! and I miss biscuit donuts!!!!hahah I always think its funny when the girls think hikes are hard!! and thats cool that saydi went to Aunt kathys!!  And I'm excited to see this new truck!!!!! will it be his work truck or his around town truck? and I want pictures when you get them and that lady will never get anywhere with the women getting priesthood, it will not happen!! no matter how hard she tries it will not happen!!! it is sad because she dosent have a real testimony!!!  I'm doing good over here in Africa. Boa Ventura and his wife are doing great they will start on their paper work this week!!!! and Luis and Milena will also start this week on paper work!!! This week  I also went to a wedding of one of my old investigators who finally got married so that was nice!

QUESTIONS

 

What exciting thing happened to you this week? not much exciting things happened

What are you doing for P-day today? football

Do any of the missionaries in your house have a blog?  If so I would like it please! I do not know

If  I was thinking about sending you a year mark package what would you like in it? at least one Dr. Pepper more bbq sauce and season salt,blueberry muffin mix from betty crocker, candy maybe a church movie, cheap toys to give to my investigators kids, dill pickle sunflower seeds, stick deodorant, they don't have it here fruit snacks like gushers fruit by the foot  more pictures and I'll think some more.

Do you have any rituals you do for missionaries who have hit their year mark like burn a tie or something? no we dont hahaha

Did you get a new camera? I should today

Do they do Girls Camp in Africa?  no but they are going to start efy

Did you get my picture of Logan Poli?  yes

Spiritual moment of the week this week? We were teaching a recent convert lesson to a joven in our branch  about missionary work and as I was talking it was like I wasn't talking I was learning thing from what I was speaking it was just cool to feel the spirit work through me!!!!  Ilove you guys have a good week!!!

Love

Elder Roberts

Week 45 I have officially less than one year left!

Hi family your favorite missionary is doing great!! I have officially less than one year left!! I loved when dad just let us buy everything it was great!!!!!(junk food for EFY) hahah Tobies roommate sounds like a goof. How was Saydi's roommate? hahah dad and his bribing!!! (bribing Kade with a new fishing pole if he will play for baseball all stars) and wow mom you are being really lazy!!(because of my hurt back) have you not read the scriptures Alma 24:18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands!!!!! hahaha but I'm glad your are feeling better!!! That's awesome that Saydi will get her patriarchal blessing. SWEET A NEW TRUCK what kind and when? hahah Tobie is a cry baby bed wetter just like me dad and everyone in our family when it come to that kind of stuff!!!!(bearing our testimony) that would be nice if they started building houses because dad can drill the wells!!( Wickenburg Ranches but he doesn't know they already have water.) and that's crazy about Linsey and her baby!! 10 weeks early!!!  wow and I just started crying because of the Dr Pepper!!!(sad because  the post office won't let us mail him some.)
But this week for me went great!! We are working hard and now we are focusing on finding which has been our weakness! So we have been doing a lot of door to door contacts lately and it has been working better than street contacts because we know were they live so if they don't answer their phone we just show up!!! but last week in district meeting our district leader challenged us to work on one attribute of Christ  I chose diligence because I have been realizing I am getting a little lazy on a few simple things like we would come home 10-15 min early if we had nothing to do but this past week we have stayed out until 9 and we have had a lot of success in the late hours!! but I will try to work on being more diligent! but next email tell me what you want me to write because I have no idea so I just kind of ramble on until I don't know what else to say!! hahah  but I love you guys and I think it would be awesome if you guys went on a mission!!!
Love Elder Roberts

     This may be a dumb question and I could probably google it but do they celebrate Fathers Day in Africa. no we don't celebrate it here
·       How do you like the big head pictures?  I got some for Wendy and Valarie too.  Now you can be in all of our pictures. I liked them I laughed a  lot
·       What are you doing for P-day today? football
·       Most exciting thing that happened to you this week? branch split
·       Has your companion got his Visa yet?   Not that I know of
·       Number of Families you are teaching right now? 4
·       How many times have you read the Book of Mormon since you have been out there?  3 and now I'm reading it in Portuguese
·       Most important thing your companion has taught you? patience
·       Something that you have improved on since being on your mission? praying every day and reading every day!!
·       When are the next transfers? 4 weeks
       Are you getting the pictures I am sending you?yes
        Don’t you just love my question?  sometimes



An exciting thing happened this past weekend in Taylors Area of Beira they split some branches today.  Here are some more questions that I asked Taylor in another email.  

Do you guys always stand when you sing?NO IT WAS AN INTER-MEDIAL HYM
Who was the family you were standing next to were they investigators or members? THAT WAS BOA VENTURA
Your church looked pretty big, do you have stake centers, do you even have a stake yet?THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHURCH IN BERIA ITS LIKE THE STAKE CENTER BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE STAKES BUT THAT'S OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE 4 STAKES BY NEXT JUNE.

(Taylors head is behind the leaf)

Chamba Branch, Branch Macurungo, Mascarenhas, Maraza, now the district of Beira has 12 units! Today the two meetings we had with 1220 people total. And it still lacked the branch Inhamizua and Dondo!

22 Complete families baptized

Week 44 Loving it here in Munhva

HEYY!! How are you guys? The trek looked fun!!! and Tobie looked like a stud at the end!! and mom quit being a baby haha no but really I'm sorry about your back, get better!! That was the movie Maleficent about? Sounds like you guys are very busy!! Did any of my clothes fit Tobie? Tobie is going to have fun at EFY!! My week went good! yeah this week we dropped a few people and found a few more but our best family right now is Boaventura and Evona they are working to be baptized on the 12th of July along with one other family!!  This week we started working with the members more and we found out that our branch will split next week because we had 248 people at church this week and like 20 people in the back were standing!! It was crazy!! and the little kids at church dont like me very much because I stand at the door so they cant leave and play outside!! It's pretty funny but they are starting to figure out its better for them just to sit and watch! BUT I AM LOVING IT HERE IN MUNHAVA!! I hope you guys have a good week!!

LOVE

Elder Roberts

When you got your package from me did it look like they had opened it and gone through it?   NO
·         Did you get a new camera?  NOT YET
·         How are the mosquito bites?   I DON'T GET BIT MUCH  R U taking your malaria pills? AT TIMES
·         Spiritual moment of the week?  WE WENT ON A DIVISION WITH 2 MEMBERS AND I WENT WITH A KID NAMED JUAQUINE AND HE IS A REALLY GOOD TEACHER AND TAUGHT ME A LOT BUT WE FOUND A FAMILY THAT HE IS A MEMBER AND SHE ISN'T SO WE WENT TO TEACH THE FIRST LESSON BUT FELT TO TEACH ABOUT BAPTISM AND MARRIAGE AND THEY ACCEPTED SHOULD BE MARRIED ON JULY 12!

·         What are you doing for P-day today? BASKETBALL AND SOCCER
·         Favorite thing that happened to you this week? FOUND A NICE NEW FAMILY
·         Worst thing that happened to you this week? NOTHING
·         Have you had an experience that you thought I was sent to Mozambique for this purpose? JUST BEING HERE I GUESS I LOVE THE PEOPLE AND I DONT KNOW JUST FEEL LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SENT HERE
·         Anything exciting going on this week?  OUR BRANCH WILL SPLIT
·         See anything unusual this week?  THIS WEEK NO

Week 43 "I have some bad news"

This week I was able to catch Taylor online.  Here are some tidbits of conversation that we had.

Mom-How are you doing this week what have you got planned for your p-day?

Taylor- Sleep and soccer

Mom- Sleep!!!  Isn't there anything fun and exciting that you want to see?

Taylor - no I am staying and I need sleep to function throughout the week!

Taylor- I have some bad news!

Mom- (scared at this moment because I just finished watching the movie The Saratov Approach about the two missionaries that were kidnapped and held hostage) Oh no what is the bad news that scares me!

Taylor -  my companion dropped my camera and broke it!!

Mom - Awe man!!!  What is it with you and kinzie and cameras!!!  Can you go buy one at the marketplace for cheap!!  I mean you found a three cent tie cant you find a $20 camera.  That is so frustrating!!!!  I guess it better than something bad happening to you!  Can you go to the marketplace? (This will be camera number 4 that we have bought him since the MTC 1st one broke at the mtc, 2nd one got stolen, 3rd one broke onto camera #4) grrrr!

Taylor - the market place doesn't sell cameras only clothes shoes perfume  pots pans  tools food haircuts  but not electronics.

Mom - can you find a cheap place to get one?  What broke on it?  Can you find a cheaper camera there?  I am going to get you an indestructible camera!!  In the meantime put your sd card in someones camera and keep taking pictures.

Taylor -yeah I can find one for like 100 bucks or 150  but thats like the cheapest because everything electronic is expensive here.

Mom -well just wait and let me see if I can find something arghhh:(  I know Lori has a package ready to send you I don't know if she has room to send a camera to you but I will see.  

Taylor- if you put a camera in there I probably won't get the package.

Mom - so who got transferred today?

Taylor - not me but 4 missionaries are going to swazi which is sweet! but I don't want to go because I have to speak English and I don't know how to teach in English (Taylors mission just opened up Swaziland as a part of their mission now.  It is about as big as New Jersey and they speak English and Swazi)

Mom-Yeah I was reading about Swaziland and that they speak English and some Swazi.  That is so weird that they don't speak Portuguese.  I saw a picture of the 4 missionaries that they were sending there.

Taylor-yeah I wouldn't mind going to Swazi at the end of my mission but not now 

Mom - Yeah I agree especially when your Portuguese is coming along so good.  So how did your baptism go?

Taylor-it went good and now they are very happy

Mom-That's awesome!!  So how many baptisms have you guys had.  We are taking a missionary class during Sunday School and Brother Boyle asked me how many and I didn't know.  

Taylor- I think I have baptized like 35 people 7 or 8 families

Mom - Seriously!!! You have baptized that many people, that is amazing I had no idea that it was that many people.  Wow that's awesome!  So tell me about you being on the news why did you get on the news?

Taylor - we just sang in a choir for the news and I haven't seen it yet but when I do I will let you know.

Taylor - I can buy a camera here for like 100 so its not a problem!

Mom - I know its just another 100 bucks.  I don't even know how much is in your account.  I will have to put some money in your account this week.  so give me a few days.  I will try to do it before I go on trek?

Taylor - I have more that 100 last week so I should have enough.

Mom - So besides breaking your camera how was your week?  What was that guy cooking in the last pictures you sent me.

Taylor - my week was good and the guy was making moonshine alcohol

Mom - So were you teaching this guy a lesson?  haha  did he offer you guys some?  So do you feel pretty safe in the area that you are in?  Did you figure out why your neighbor stabbed the other guy?

Taylor - no we just passed by his house and I took a picture!! yea I feel safe and it helps that I am a lot bigger that a lot of other people and we think our neighbor lady is a prostitute but we are not 100 percent certain!

Mom - Did Wendy send you pictures of our day at the lake?

Taylor - yeah I'm a little jealous.

Mom - Yeah the kids were all a little sore from all the bumping and flying around they did on the tube.  We were missing you and Tyler.  Kade got his grades and he has straight A's just thought I would tell you.  Also we are trying to plan our Costa Rica date and are you good to go like a week after you get home?  We hate to go to late because their rainy season starts the middle the end of June.

Taylor - HECK YES I should be home like June 17 but you can email Presidet Kretly and talk to him about it he will give you all the info.

Mom - Ok we are probably just going to set a date and do it.  Did you get the pictures I sent you last week of us with Audrey.  She is also going on trek with us and will be leaving a few days after we get home from that.  Any other exciting thing that happened to you this week?

Taylor - but you can talk to president and ask him when I go home so you don't set it wrong! and this week we just had 6 baptisms and we are working hard!! but my time is up! love you bye!!!

On Mon, Jun 2, 2014 at 9:12 AM, Annette Roberts <7inapit@gmail.com> wrote:

Week 42 "Rat most definitely does not taste like chicken"

(Mom's note:  A lot of these are things that Taylor is responding to is from our letter so it may not make sense.)

                                          A man making moonshine

 Beautiful Sunsets

This week I am doing good!!! Its finally starting to cool down here and the temp is way nice!!! This last week  was good we did a lot of contacting and found some new families!!! Last Friday we sang and the news team from here came and interviewed some missionaries so that was cool we will be on TV !!! That's so sad the Lorin died!!  but more about the rat so we were offered it and I wanted to try it so I ate it!!! and it wasn't good!!! hahah  I told my self I wouldn't ever reject food offered to me so I ate the rat!!! and yes the shirt is awesome!! sorry to here about your back that stinks!!!! Just remember that you are an old grandma now!! I would read if I were them! and how much did the run make? and its pretty crazy about the bus crash!!! and let me know about the Sylvan thing!! and Im excited for the mexico trip!!!!! and its pretty cool that dad got more guns!!!!  but this week was just a normal week but our families that we are teaching are nice!!

we have Domingos and Elisa and they will be baptized on Saturday

and we have a bunch of new families!!!

Boa Ventura and Evona its a nice couple that came to church this week they have 3 little boys!!

Santos and Anita a very humble family they have a house the size of the bathroom in your room!

Armando and Eunice its a Muslim family that we are teaching  she has come to church 2 times  and he has only come to a family home evening we did at the church yesterday!

Ronaldo and Anna another new family he came to church yesterday!!

QUESTIONS

•         So why did your neighbor get stabbed and were they seriously injured? Most importantly should I be worried that they will come get you next??? NO OUR NEIGHBOR LADY STABBED SOMEONE ELSE!!!

·         So tell me why you ate rat, did you know you were eating rat or did you kill it yourself and cook it?  Was it good and like every other creature taste like chicken.  Give us some more details of why you ate rat!!ONE OF OUR FAMILIES WE ARE TEACHING OFFERED IT TO US AND WE ATE IT AND IT MOST DEFINITELY DID NOT TASTE LIKE CHICKEN!!
·         What are you doing for P-day today?SOCCER
·         What was the best thing that happened this week? I DONT KNOW I GUESS IT WAS WHEN WE GOT ON TV
·         What was the worst thing that happened to you this week? NOTHING BAD HAPPENED
·         Any new delicious meals that you have eaten this week maybe like….monkey?? NOPE NOT YET
·         How is Elder Victor doing?     Did he get his Visa yet?   Tell me something interesting about your companion?FOR ANGOLA YES BUT FOR BRAZIL NO! BEFORE HE WAS A MEMBER HE DRANK A LOT AND WAS GOOD WITH THE LADIES!!
·         What is the next African Holiday coming up? JUNE 1
·         Send more pictures!!
·         How is your weather?NICE
·         Did you like the shirt I made for you?YES
·         Tell us something they do differently there in Africa than here?  THEY ARE ALWAYS LATE TO EVERYTHYING!!!!!!! 

Love 

Elder Roberts