Week 53 Ebola! I don't think it's a problem here!

Hey family!!!  This week was a good week it was a little tough but we will work through the difficulties! I will say Tobie looks like a stud with his braces off!!! and I miss fishing!! hahah and crud the kids start school way soon!! and when they get done I will be home shortly after!!!! and are the washes running a lot? And a tornado!!!!! what??? that's crazy!! and yeah about the fishing Josh and I have talked a little about that and I would love to do that!!!(Referring to fishing in Alaska)

So how many missionaries are in your apartment? 8

So are you allowed to watch all church movies?YES BUT DEPENDS ON THE MOVIE I CANT WATCH LIKE SINGLES WARD BUT MOVIES LIKE 17 MIRACLES TESTAMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT I CAN

Did you get our package yet?  I’m trying to see how long it takes to get there so I can gauge your Christmas/b-day package to arrive on time. NOT YET!

(I won’t post anything that shouldn't be posted)

Who is your favorite companion so far? THATS A TOUGH ONE I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH ALL GOOD COMPS!! BUT I THINK MY FAVORITE WAS ELDER VICTOR BUT ITS WAY CLOSE!!!!

Have any of your companions ever bugged you? THEY ALL GET ON YOUR NERVES AFTER LIVING WITH THEM BUT NOT REALLY!!!

What have you learned from your mission president so far? LOTS BUT MY FAVORITE THING IS WE ALL HAVE A HUGE POTENTIAL BUT THE THING IS YOU HAVE TO WORK TO REACH THAT!!

So I have heard they have moved the missionaries from 2 West Africa missions because of a virus that is killing people.  Have you heard of that and is there any concern in South Africa.  The virus is called Ebola?NOPE I AIN'T WORRIED

What is gator ball? A MIX OF SOCCER AND FOOTBALL

Are you doing anything exciting for P-day?  Is there anything in Matola that you want to go and do? GATOR BALL

Any spiritual experiences this week?  YES ITS ABOUT FASTING!! ONE OF OUR FAMILIES AMERIGO AND CELIA HE NEEDED WORK AND ON SATURDAY HE SAID HE GOT AN INTERVIEW FOR WORK SO HE ASKED US TO PRAY FOR HIM WE DID AND THEN FASTED FOR HIM AND ON SUNDAY HE TOLD US THAT HE GOT IT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERVIEWED FOR THE SAME JOB!!! SO THAT WAS PRETTY SWEET!!!!!

Any funny stories that you would like to share? THIS WEEK I DON'T THINK SO

MON We went and had a family night at Amerigos house!!! That was great I made Texas sheet cake and let me tell you Mozambicans love Texas sheet cake!!!!! We played spot it and that got pretty crazy!!! haha they don't like losing!!!! So that was fun!!

Tues: was just a normal day we taught and that's it!!

Wed:  another day and we went to Amerigos house and we did some magic tricks for them and they flipped it was funny!!!

Thursday: studied  and weekly planning and work we had a lot of lessons fall this week!!!

Friday: we had a zone training we talked about working in all the phases so that was good!! and after we ate food with the zone!!

Sat:  we left at 1 pm and worked until 9 it was a long day and almost everything fell so we did contacts all day without much success.

Sunday:  we went home ate and left and had another long day we taught Felix and Rosita the law of chastity they had lots of doubts so we will go over tomorrow and talk with them!! and the one guy that came to church last week danile he couldn't come to church because they went to a wedding!! so that was sad but we will visit them tonight!!! so I am excited about that!!
Love

Elder Roberts

P.S. sorry to say this dad but in the pictures you are looking a little fatter!!!! but i still love you !!!! haha Have a good week everyone!!!!!!


So about that virus have you heard of it there?  It is spread by saliva, pee or and body fluids
today was the 1st time i dont think it is a problem here

Week 51 I got Pizza with Bananas and Bacon Again!!

Hey family!!! I'm doing great loving my new area!!! And i love my comp!!! I am super jealous that you guys hung out with the Christensens!!  Ty looks good he has lost a ton of weight!!! haha I want to see the front of the newspaper!!!(Kinzie and Seans picture was on the front page of the Post Register in Idaho Falls) and I think Sydney is to tall already she  cant grow any more!!!(Taylors extremely tall 15 year old cousin) and no my comp does not have a blog or a facebook!! but his full name is TOLINISI TAUKINUKUFILI PALU JR. HE IS A LEGIT TONGAN!!!

ANSWERS!!

Do you have pictures for me this week?  YES

How is your new apartment, is it nicer than your last one?  MY NEW APT IS NICE BUT MY LAST ONE WAAS WAY NICER!!

So have you been eating at KFC?  YES

Does the toilet swirl the opposite direction from the bottom part of the world?  I COULDNT TELL YOU I HAVE NO IDEA!!!

Have you gotten any new families this week to teach?  YES

Do they have patriarchs in your stake? WELL WE WILL JUST SAY THERE ARE NO STAKES IN MOCAMBIQUE ONLY DISTRICTS BUT OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE 4 STAKES BY THE TIME I LEAVE!

How old do people have to be to drive there?  18

Are you a foot or do you get a bike?  FOOT

Have you seen anything different in this area? SAND AND NICE HOUSES

Do you feel safe? YES ME AND MY COMP ARE IGGER THAN ANYONE ELSE!!

Did you send Lori a Thank You? YES

Did you get our package?  NOT YET 

What cool thing did you see this week?  WELL TO ME AFRICA IS LIKE MY HOME SO I THINK EVERYTHING IS NORMAL!! HAHAH

Spiritual moment of the week? WELL WE FOUND A NEW FAMILY THIS WEEK AND THE WAY WE FOUND HIM WAS HE JUST SHOWED UP AT CHURCH!! HE CAME WITH HIS SON SO WE GOT HIS CONTACT AND WENT AND VISITED HIM LATER AND WHEN WE GOT THERE WE WERE TALKING WE FOUND OUT THAT HIM AND HIS SON WERE JUST OUT WALKING AROUND AND HE FELT IMPRESSED THAT HE SHOULD COME TO CHURCH!! I WAS LIKE HECK YES!!!  AND HE REALLY LIKED IT AND SAID I HAVE FOUND THE CHURCH IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!! WE GO VISIT THEM AGAIN ON TUESDAY!! SO I'M EXCITED!!!

Are you getting all the pictures I have been emailing you this week?  WELL I THINK SO BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YOU SENT!!! HAHA

LETTER

This week

Monday: We played gator ball went to KFC and watched Ephraims Rescue a movie the Hancocks sent me and after went out and worked had a lesson and a few contacts

TUES: we went out in the morning and had a lesson with a family Samo and Olga which was a decent lesson. the only problem with them is they haven't come to church so we are going to slow up the visits!! after that it was the 6 month mark of a few elders in the house so they invited us to go eat with them at Mundos so I got the pizza with bacon and bananas again!!!!!! oh how i missed that pizza!! haha that night we had a few lessons  

Wed: We had a training for all the trainers and trainees!! So we went and it was my 7th time going and every time it is the same thing!!! so I have the training pretty much memorized!!! haha and after we went to a store called Game and I bought a new backpack because mine broke!! and then came home studied and went out to work!!! we had a lesson with a family Felix and Rosita!! she was having doubts on baptism so we explained everything asked her to pray and see if this was the true church!!! 

Thurs: was a normal day we went out and worked and visited Felix and Rosita again and we asked her if she prayed and she said he didn't answer and then she said that she didn't know if god existed!! so all elder Palu and i could do is testify so we testified and the spirit was soo strong and we promised her that god loved her and if she prayed she would get an answer!! and after that Felix showed us where one of his friends live so we could teach him.

Friday:  had district meeting studied ate lunch and went out and worked we visited Felix and Rosita again and we asked her what she thought and if she got an answer and she said YESSS!!! so we were stoked about that she said she prayed and was just thinking about it and she felt that it was true!!! and then we talked about love with them and how they could have a better relationship!! we told them that they need to read the Book of Mormon every day together, pray every day together and go to church together and he said since they had started reading every day and praying they haven't argued or got in any fights!!! so that was a testimony builder!! we explained that those three thing were commandments of god but then we gave them three commandments of us missionaries that every day they have to say I love you to one another, that they have to compliment one another and have to kiss each other  every day!!! so that lesson went well!!!!

Saturday we had a baptism for a 9 year old kid who is part of a member family and hasn't been baptized yet!! his name is Alvis! and after we just did a butt ton of contacting until we went home and we found some nice people!!!!

Sunday:  had church we had 10 investigators come so that was nice and after we ate ald left!! walked with a member we taught 4 lessons with him and at one house we got rejected hard core!! he didn't want to listen to us!!! and later that night I got in a bible bash with a youth of like 18 years from the assembly of god church he also did not want to listen to what I had to say but i won that thing!!!!  haha but that was my week!!! I miss you guys and love you a lot!!!!

Week 50 Matola is the hardest area in the mission

Heyy mom!!! So my new comp is tongan he is from Oakland, CA and he is hilarious!!!  I am pretty sure he knows more African dialect than Portuguese hahah but he is actually pretty good at the language! Matola is the hardest area on the mission and also the richest  it reminds me a lot of my first area LOTS and LOTS of sand!!!  Apparently most of the people here only get like 15 lessons a week and I am used to 30 or more up in Beira so my new goal is to turn my new area like my one in Beira!! We are teaching 2 families and found one more this week!! The first is Felix and Rosita they are a nice family and  humble  they have a small house!! they have been teaching them a few weeks and this Sunday was her first Sunday at church and she said she liked it  so we are excited about that she had a lot of doubts about baptism so we help clarify some things for her.

Our next family is Amerigo and Celia they are really nice and really young they actually don't live together  but want to get married!! He is a very funny guy he has a nice house and when we were over there our shoes were really dirty and got his floor dirty so I asked for a broom and he was like not a problem I have a button that I press and the dirt will be blown out and I didn't believe him at first but some how he convinced me that the roof splits open and the dirt gets blown out!!! I felt like an idiot!!! hahah their only problem is the family might want money for them to get married!!! but we will find out tonight!!! and the new family we found their names are Simieon and Elena they have 1 kid, he is 2 years old  but they live in a tiny house  but are excited to hear the message!! So we will see about them!!

It sounds like Tobie wants to get his eagle done!! and that's good that Kade is certified for Hunter Safety because I never was!!! hahah 

QUESTIONS

Did you have much time to say goodbye to all the people in your old area? I had like no time it was kinda sad!!!

What do you like about your new area? there is a KFC across from our house!!! hahah 

What do you dislike about your new area? its hotter here and my area is HUGE!!!!!!!! and I mean HUGE and I only walk in sand!!!!

Is there a lot of families you are working with in that area? Not many

So how close is the mission office to you? 40 min away

Did you get any letters or packages? YES from the Hancocks

What are yo doing for P-day today? Gator ball

Do you hope to get called to Marroumeu some day? I would love it and I have a good chance because all my areas have started with the letter m so its on the list!! hahah

Did you have any spiritual moments of the week? This week not many we just worked hard and did a lot of contacts

SEND PICS!! I PROMISE I WILL NEXT WEEK I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO SEND ANY TODAY!!!

So what do you have to do as a trainer? well I have to help him on the language and set a good example and show him how to work and that's it.

I love you guys say hi to everyone for me

Love

Elder Roberts

Week 49 I am getting Transferred!!

Well this weeks letter won't be very long I got transferred to Matola which is in the south next to Maputo!! I have to go home and pack so I will answer the questions.But I am training so that will be fun my comp went to Marroumeu which is like the most remote place but I am kinda sad because I didn't want to leave!!!
·       How are you feeling?  Have you gotten over the food poisoning yet? I wish I could send you a hot mayonnaise sandwich!!  haha I am all back to normal there

·       Did you get transferred?  Are there new changes?

·       How did Paulo’s wife die?  How old are his kids? not sure  but he has 5 kids one is 7 one is 14 the other 16 18 and 20

·       What are you doing for P-day today?PACKING

·       When do I get some pictures sent to me? WELL I WAS GOING TO DO IT THIS WEEK BUT NEXT WEEK

·       How is the weather?  What is the temperature? Its nice and cool still

·       How are the mosquitoes? not bad at all

·       Do you still sleep with a mosquito net?  yes

·       Do you get cock roaches or rats in your house? yes roaches

·       Did you get lori’s package? Not yet but i might today!!

Week 48 The picture of the pizza and the thirst busters from Circle K KILLED ME!!

Hey family!!! This week was good!! But I have some bad news about Boa Ventura and his situation! Her dad called again and wanted to have another meeting with them and her dad said I forgot everything I said last time so here is the list this time he wants 3000 met for every kid they have (they have 3) and everything he asked for earlier plus 2500 more!!!! That made me mad when I heard that but we are going to try and do a secret wedding behind their parents back! The police training sounds really fun!!! (our family went and pretended to be in hostage situation for police training)   Kurt sounds like he is doing great with the solar panel thing and the pizza and the pictures of the thirst busters from Circle K killed me!!!!!!!! KILLED ME!!!!! I think there is a monsoon every year on the 4th and on the 4th here we had zone conference!! The conference was great we talked about the difference of an ordinary missionary and an extraordinary missionary and it helped open my vision on how to be more effective in the work!!! Hahah Tobie what a stinker why don't you just unplug the wifi at night and then no one could text or just collect all phones at night!!! Tobie should be able to get his eagle done this year that would be nice!(Tobie is at his 2nd scout camp this summer) I miss monsoon storms and let me know about Saydi's patriarchal blessing.

So my week was good, we started the week off  with a new family his name is Paulo and his wife died in Feb but has 5 kids!!  We taught him the restoration and after he said, "that makes so much sense there has to be at least one church with that authority" and yesterday we taught him the Book of Mormon and we asked him why do you think God would give us more scriptures and he said, "well I think it would have to be because after Christs death the world went in to the apostasy and lots of thing were lost so we need the Book of Mormon to bring the stuff that was lost back!"  We have another lesson with him tonight about the plan of salvation it should be a good lesson. Tuesday we painted the inside of our investigators house for him, it looks way better than it did before!! Wednesday we started teaching an English class for the people here its kinda hard because I don't know how to teach English!  But its going good Thursday we went on a division with Elder Shumway he is our district leader so that was fun!!  In our area stayed Elder Victor and they taught the law of chastity to one of our families and so now we have one more that is preparing to get married, so that was great news!! They took our branch president over to help them and by the way or branch pres only has 3 months in the church!!  So we have to help him a lot!! Friday we had zone conference and had lunch there but I think the restaurant that catered had some bad food or something because Friday night and Saturday I was in bad shape!!! I had diarrhea bad on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday and I still don't know about today I haven't eaten since Saturday so hopefully when I eat today I wont die!!! haha but I still worked through the stomach issues!!! haha what about dad and Texas????


Questions:

When are transfers coming up? next week

Package is going out tomorrow it is full do you have any last minute requests?

What are you doing for Pday today? soccer

Do you have any zone conference meetings? yes we had one on Friday

Do you have any pictures to share? not today I gave my card to my last comp to put all the pictures we have together on them

How are all your families doing that you are teaching?  they are doing great

Spiritual moment of the week? probably zone conference I learned a lot on how to be a better missionary

Exciting thing that happened this week? stomach problems 3 days in a row!! haha

I love you guys a lot!!

Elder Roberts

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