Good morning fam!
This past week was pretty good. We were able to teach more lessons with members and recently they are trying harder to help us out. I think we are gaining their trust back since my last companion. So that is good. As for investigators, André (16) and Silas (19) weren´t baptized on sat. They were supposed to be but André´s mom didn´t give permission for him to be, and Silas didn´t pass the interview. I guess he doesn´t have a testimony of Joseph Smith, which is pretty important. I am trying to figure out why he accepted to be baptized into this church if he doesn´t know it is true... haha. We will work with him this week to get an answer to his prayers. And we are also working with Andre´s mom to get permission. Hopefully we can get them baptized on the 5th. That would be a good present for me.
As for Italo....UGH!!!! We had a great lesson with him on Tuesday, and the spirit was strong. He was excited for baptism and I thought ´this time is going to be different, he is going to be baptized this time.´ I made it very clear that he needs to come to church before his baptism and if he doesn´t he cannot be baptized. So we scheduled some more appointments with him and every single day we passed by there and he was gone. Then Sunday came and went and he did not come to church. So, he will not be getting baptized. It is one of the hardest things I have done so far is to drop Italo. It makes me so sad. As long as I am still here we will pass by every once in a while, but he is a dropped investigator now. He is keeping all of the commandments, except the Sabbath day. I really hope he will be baptized in the future and that all this work didn´t go to waste. I really like Italo. It is really too sad that he won´t be baptized. It is a little discouraging, but.... what can ya do. I gave it my best with him.
Geovanny and Vera are not married yet. They were dificult to find in their house this last week so we weren´t able to meet with them about marriage. I am getting the vibe that my comp wants to give up on them, but I won´t let it happen. Vera isn´t totally into the lessons yet and doesn´t keep commitments, but Geovanny is doing well and I think as he progresses, Vera will come slowly but surely.
I was watching a little boy in church yesterday durning the sacrament. After the sacrament was passed to him and his mom he followed his moms example perfectly. She closed her eyes and folded her arms and he looked up and did the exact same thing. Like every five seconds he would open one eye and check to see if his mom was doing something different, and if she was he would copy her exactly. It was a cute thing to watch. It made me think of how I should do the same thing and keep an eye on my mom to to way I should act. And also the Savior because he gave us the perfect example. I need to follow his example and open an eye every once in a while to make sure I am still doing what is right.
Oh, and things with my companion are ok. I love Elder Donizeti. He is a good missionary when we leave the house. ( a little lazy in the house for study and things, but no one is perfect). He is a little down on the mission right now and is havin problems staying positive and excited. But for the most part we are doing great and helping a lot of people. There could be a transfer today. but the official one isn´t for 3 more weeks. Really, there could be a transfer anytime, anyday. Americans get visas and other things happen that there could be a transfer whenever President feels like it haha. It is good that way so people work hard all the time instead of just at the end of a transfer.
Thank you for the updates on your lives. It sounds like the trading deadline in the NBA came. What are the Jazz doing? They had a good playoff team for a lot of years and they trade all the players away to start over? that is a little strange. But thank you for the sports updates. I know I shouldn´t be worried about it, but I like to know what is going on. It will be tough to not watch a single game of march madness... haha. Go Kansas!
It is strange that I am only a teenager for one more week. 20 seems so old to me. I feel old just thinking about it. I am not going to be doing anything too special for my birthday. It is right in the middle of Carnival down here. Carnival starts Friday and goes till Tuesday. We have to go to our house every day at 5 pm during those days. It will be pretty boring.
But anyway... Thanks for the letters on the Sabbath day. I will use some of the things from our lives to help explain to investigators why it is important. You guys are the best. I love you all so much and have a great week! I miss you!
Isaac
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
President's Day 02.21.11
Hey family.
This week was ok. We didn´t baptize anyone. Here is the update on who we are teaching. Geovanny and Vera are progressing well, but we found out they aren´t married on Saturday. So we are going to have to have a little chat with them. Geovanny wants to be baptized when he feels he is ready. We set the goal for March 5th, but that could change if we have problems with marriage. I hope this isn´t too big of a hurdle. I am praying that it will be work out.
Italo...oh Italo. We are giving him the last chance message this week. We are marking one more baptismal date with him, and we will see how it goes. He is living all of the commandments that we have taught him, except the Sabbath day. It is frustrating. I have been pretty bold with him and he understands where we stand, but I can´t figure out what his doubts or concerns are about Sunday. I really really want to baptize him. I have put so much work into him. We started teaching him when I got here in Parnaíba and I don´t want to see all the work go to waste. It is tough for me to see that happen. Please pray for him and me and my comp that we can say the things we need to and be the right instruments.
And it does seem like we are able to help people to progress down here easier than the United States. The people are just ready here in Brazil. They are humble and just really nice. You can talk to anyone for 2 minutes and be their friend. I remember in Oregon and I am sure all over the US people just slam the door in your face and don´t even give it a chance. I have only been rejected here maybe 3 times. Everyone gives you a chance and hears our message. The big problem here is retention. It is hard to get the `Endure to the end´ concept through sometimes. The members that are active are really really good though.
Hey, in your next letters, can you tell me how you have seen our family blessed as we keep the sabbath day holy? I was studying in Preach My Gospel and it says to ask you how a specific commandment has blessed my family. I would love to hear your insights and I think it could bring some good thoughts on what to tell the investigators here to help them keep the comittment.
It is a good thing that you haven´t sent the package yet... we got a new mission address. You can still send it to the other one, but this new one will be faster for some reason. The new address is:
Elder Isaac W. Robertson
Missão Brasil Teresina
Caixa Postal: 2321
CEP: 64001-973
Teresina -- PI
Brasil
Feel free to send cereal. I love it. And I am liking the milk down here. My taste buds are used to it now and it tastes normal. I drink it a lot. I am losing white shirts too. Somehow they get stains on them. I have lost 2 so far. I think it is a little risky to send clothes in the mail, but I think my size is 151/5. Maybe hold off on those till I know for sure though. But I will take anything you send me. I am thinking I will send a package home with stuff I don´t use. I brought a lot of clothes that I don´t need. I might get around to it before my mission is over haha.
I have been wondering how my cousins on their missions are doing... I haven´t emailed Dane for a while. How long has he been out now? Is Sam in England now? How is Joseph in Mexico?
And can you please find out Elder Blackhams home address? I want to write him a letter. I don´t know if you still talk to Elder Smoots mom, but she should know it.
Anyway, sorry this letter isn´t the best ever. Nothing too exciting happened this week. I hope you all have a good Presidents Day and enjoy the day off. I know this is the true church and was restored through Joseph Smith, a true prophet. We are SO blessed to live in the time where we have a living prophet on the earth.
I love you all so much!
Love Isaac
ps, Dad should be the next bishop or stake president. He is a good choice I think.
This week was ok. We didn´t baptize anyone. Here is the update on who we are teaching. Geovanny and Vera are progressing well, but we found out they aren´t married on Saturday. So we are going to have to have a little chat with them. Geovanny wants to be baptized when he feels he is ready. We set the goal for March 5th, but that could change if we have problems with marriage. I hope this isn´t too big of a hurdle. I am praying that it will be work out.
Italo...oh Italo. We are giving him the last chance message this week. We are marking one more baptismal date with him, and we will see how it goes. He is living all of the commandments that we have taught him, except the Sabbath day. It is frustrating. I have been pretty bold with him and he understands where we stand, but I can´t figure out what his doubts or concerns are about Sunday. I really really want to baptize him. I have put so much work into him. We started teaching him when I got here in Parnaíba and I don´t want to see all the work go to waste. It is tough for me to see that happen. Please pray for him and me and my comp that we can say the things we need to and be the right instruments.
And it does seem like we are able to help people to progress down here easier than the United States. The people are just ready here in Brazil. They are humble and just really nice. You can talk to anyone for 2 minutes and be their friend. I remember in Oregon and I am sure all over the US people just slam the door in your face and don´t even give it a chance. I have only been rejected here maybe 3 times. Everyone gives you a chance and hears our message. The big problem here is retention. It is hard to get the `Endure to the end´ concept through sometimes. The members that are active are really really good though.
Hey, in your next letters, can you tell me how you have seen our family blessed as we keep the sabbath day holy? I was studying in Preach My Gospel and it says to ask you how a specific commandment has blessed my family. I would love to hear your insights and I think it could bring some good thoughts on what to tell the investigators here to help them keep the comittment.
It is a good thing that you haven´t sent the package yet... we got a new mission address. You can still send it to the other one, but this new one will be faster for some reason. The new address is:
Elder Isaac W. Robertson
Missão Brasil Teresina
Caixa Postal: 2321
CEP: 64001-973
Teresina -- PI
Brasil
Feel free to send cereal. I love it. And I am liking the milk down here. My taste buds are used to it now and it tastes normal. I drink it a lot. I am losing white shirts too. Somehow they get stains on them. I have lost 2 so far. I think it is a little risky to send clothes in the mail, but I think my size is 151/5. Maybe hold off on those till I know for sure though. But I will take anything you send me. I am thinking I will send a package home with stuff I don´t use. I brought a lot of clothes that I don´t need. I might get around to it before my mission is over haha.
I have been wondering how my cousins on their missions are doing... I haven´t emailed Dane for a while. How long has he been out now? Is Sam in England now? How is Joseph in Mexico?
And can you please find out Elder Blackhams home address? I want to write him a letter. I don´t know if you still talk to Elder Smoots mom, but she should know it.
Anyway, sorry this letter isn´t the best ever. Nothing too exciting happened this week. I hope you all have a good Presidents Day and enjoy the day off. I know this is the true church and was restored through Joseph Smith, a true prophet. We are SO blessed to live in the time where we have a living prophet on the earth.
I love you all so much!
Love Isaac
ps, Dad should be the next bishop or stake president. He is a good choice I think.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day! 2.14.11
Good Morning family!
How is everyone doing? I hope you have a great Valentine´s day!
This last week was so-so. We had a baptism on Saturday of a 17 year old guy. His girlfriend is a member and always invited him to church. He had been coming to church a long time before I ever got to Parnaíba and the missionaries never taught him for some reason. So I saw him for the first time in church about 3 weeks ago and we started teaching him and he already knew everything cause his girlfriend talked to him and he had been going to church. So we taught him for 3 weeks and he was baptized and confirmed this weekend. His name is Mateus. I am happy he has good friends in the church that can help keep him active as he strengthens his testimony.
We have a family we are teaching too that came to church yesterday. The guys name is Giovani and his wife is Vera. He always asks such good questions and always wants to learn more. It was awesome in church yesterday. Usually investigators just sit there and listen, but in church Giovani was participating and giving comments. He sounds like a member already. When President Dias was here for zone conference he visited Giovani and told us that he is the most elect man he has ever met and that if we don´t baptize him within 3 weeks, he is going to come back here and baptize him himself. So, we are going to baptize this guy so we don´t get in trouble... haha.
Do you remember Italo? He was supposed to be baptized on Christmas when I called home, but it fell through. He has been very difficult to get him to do anything. So we kinda just dropped him for a little. Not officially, but we stopped visiting him cause he wasn´t doing anything. So we went back for the first time in 2 or 3 weeks and he was a little sad that we stopped visiting us. I explained to him that we focus our time on those who are ready to be baptized and stuff and I just kinda burned him. I was pretty bold with him and told him that we have taught him all he needs to know to be baptized, I told him I know he has a testimony (because he has told me) and then I said, with all of this knowledge you have, what do you think God wants you to do with it? He said, be baptized. So we marked another date with him to be baptized and we are going to give it another shot. Except he didn´t come to church yesterday!!! It is so frustrating. We put so much work into him and it is hard to see it all go to waste. I really really want him to be baptized. He is ready, he just won´t keep the dumb commitments! ugh..
And do you remember my letter about that drunk guy that came to church a little while ago? He actually isn´t in my branch so I didn´t have the opprotunity to teach him, but he is going to be baptized this saturday coming up. So, that is a really neat story. I wish I could have seen his progress. I saw him yesterday at church and he was sober and in a shirt and tie. It was pretty cool. I could tell he has changed.
Since it is Valentines Day in the united States, I decided to study about love today. Not mushy, gushy love, but about pure love and charity. It was really good. I read Elder Holland´s conference talk from last April about the difference between love and lust. It was great to remember that. He gave some great ways to resist the temptation of lust, and any other type of temptation. But as I was reading it, I just kept thinking about you, Mom and Dad. You guys are a great example of true love. Thank you for always loving each other and your kids no matter what. Dad, thank you for always respecting Mom. It is a great example in my life of how I need to treat women and my future wife.
Now, Dad, for breakfast I usually eat some yogurt. Just a little cup of yogurt. But recently I have been buying cereal because I was missing it. It is SO expensive down here though, so I probably won´t buy it much longer. The milk is weird here too. You don´t have to refridgerate it before you open it. It is just in a box and it can be out for like a year. It has a weird flavor too, but I am starting to like it...
I think that is crazy that Sloan resigned. He is pretty old though and obviously isn´t a championship coach... (just kidding, don´t be mad at me) But maybe the jazz needed a new coach. Change is always good. Are Jazz fans mad at Williams? or do they like him more than Sloan?
Dad, good luck with your Marathon training. i think you will be doing marathons until you are so old you can´t stand anymore. You are a stud.
I hope you all have a great day and a fantastic week! Try to get healthy! Everyone in Parnaíba has some kind of sickness too. All of the missionaries in my house have had something once or twice in the last couple of weeks and the normal people that live here seem to be sick too. I am trying to stay healthy from here on out.
I love you all so much!
Love, Isaac
How is everyone doing? I hope you have a great Valentine´s day!
This last week was so-so. We had a baptism on Saturday of a 17 year old guy. His girlfriend is a member and always invited him to church. He had been coming to church a long time before I ever got to Parnaíba and the missionaries never taught him for some reason. So I saw him for the first time in church about 3 weeks ago and we started teaching him and he already knew everything cause his girlfriend talked to him and he had been going to church. So we taught him for 3 weeks and he was baptized and confirmed this weekend. His name is Mateus. I am happy he has good friends in the church that can help keep him active as he strengthens his testimony.
We have a family we are teaching too that came to church yesterday. The guys name is Giovani and his wife is Vera. He always asks such good questions and always wants to learn more. It was awesome in church yesterday. Usually investigators just sit there and listen, but in church Giovani was participating and giving comments. He sounds like a member already. When President Dias was here for zone conference he visited Giovani and told us that he is the most elect man he has ever met and that if we don´t baptize him within 3 weeks, he is going to come back here and baptize him himself. So, we are going to baptize this guy so we don´t get in trouble... haha.
Do you remember Italo? He was supposed to be baptized on Christmas when I called home, but it fell through. He has been very difficult to get him to do anything. So we kinda just dropped him for a little. Not officially, but we stopped visiting him cause he wasn´t doing anything. So we went back for the first time in 2 or 3 weeks and he was a little sad that we stopped visiting us. I explained to him that we focus our time on those who are ready to be baptized and stuff and I just kinda burned him. I was pretty bold with him and told him that we have taught him all he needs to know to be baptized, I told him I know he has a testimony (because he has told me) and then I said, with all of this knowledge you have, what do you think God wants you to do with it? He said, be baptized. So we marked another date with him to be baptized and we are going to give it another shot. Except he didn´t come to church yesterday!!! It is so frustrating. We put so much work into him and it is hard to see it all go to waste. I really really want him to be baptized. He is ready, he just won´t keep the dumb commitments! ugh..
And do you remember my letter about that drunk guy that came to church a little while ago? He actually isn´t in my branch so I didn´t have the opprotunity to teach him, but he is going to be baptized this saturday coming up. So, that is a really neat story. I wish I could have seen his progress. I saw him yesterday at church and he was sober and in a shirt and tie. It was pretty cool. I could tell he has changed.
Since it is Valentines Day in the united States, I decided to study about love today. Not mushy, gushy love, but about pure love and charity. It was really good. I read Elder Holland´s conference talk from last April about the difference between love and lust. It was great to remember that. He gave some great ways to resist the temptation of lust, and any other type of temptation. But as I was reading it, I just kept thinking about you, Mom and Dad. You guys are a great example of true love. Thank you for always loving each other and your kids no matter what. Dad, thank you for always respecting Mom. It is a great example in my life of how I need to treat women and my future wife.
Now, Dad, for breakfast I usually eat some yogurt. Just a little cup of yogurt. But recently I have been buying cereal because I was missing it. It is SO expensive down here though, so I probably won´t buy it much longer. The milk is weird here too. You don´t have to refridgerate it before you open it. It is just in a box and it can be out for like a year. It has a weird flavor too, but I am starting to like it...
I think that is crazy that Sloan resigned. He is pretty old though and obviously isn´t a championship coach... (just kidding, don´t be mad at me) But maybe the jazz needed a new coach. Change is always good. Are Jazz fans mad at Williams? or do they like him more than Sloan?
Dad, good luck with your Marathon training. i think you will be doing marathons until you are so old you can´t stand anymore. You are a stud.
I hope you all have a great day and a fantastic week! Try to get healthy! Everyone in Parnaíba has some kind of sickness too. All of the missionaries in my house have had something once or twice in the last couple of weeks and the normal people that live here seem to be sick too. I am trying to stay healthy from here on out.
I love you all so much!
Love, Isaac
Monday, February 7, 2011
2.7.11 A little sick this week
Cool Bug
Elder Robertson and Odilon
A lot of cake at a Ward ActivityHello
Is it weird that I have seven months already? It is so weird to me. I still remember it like yesterday driving down to Provo. I can´t really believe it has been 7 months already. I will be home before I know it at this rate... ha.
So this past week was pretty slow. I got sick on Tuesday night. I think maybe I got some food poisoning or I just got sick. I was on the toilet a lot and I had a fever of 101. So Wednesday I had to stay inside and rest. I didn´t like that at all. I wanted to be out there workin. But it woulda been hard and I probably would have pooped my pants. haha. I got better by Thursday, but my companion and everyone else in the house started feeling bad. We worked thursday and Friday, but Saturday we worked only a half day cause my comp was feeling bad and running to the bathroom a lot too. Right now we are all healthy so this coming week should be great.
We had a baptism on Saturday of Giovani. He is 15 and has great friends that introduced him to the church and us missionaries. He is a great kid and has a great future. We practically didn´t have to do anything because his friends and the Lord prepared him so nicely. We just taught him the doctrine that he pretty much knew all ready. He will be a great guy to have in the youth here. (I would have attatched a picture on the other email of him and me but I look weird... so you will have to wait till I don´t care, or till I get home.)
I didn´t get any packages when President Dias came, but he is coming here again on Thursday for Zone Conference. So, maybe then... I am sure I will get it before or on my birthday. It is weird to me that I am going to be turning 20. (just a little side note there)
How are things back home? They sound good and cold. How was the Super Bowl? Marcie emailed me and said the Packers won. I don´t really care about either team so I am not sad I missed it. No one down here cares about American football. The only sport here is soccer. it is too bad cause people here could be good at other sports. Whats goin on in the NBA and more importantly, college basketball? I will be missing march madness. It is gonnna be a tough time for me... just kidding. I will live.
I know you just sent me a package, but I made a list of things I need/want.
Pepto-bismo (last week took a lot of the bottle I have)
Germ-X
Bug spray/lotion... The kind I have is a lotion and I like it.
More pens (Zebra F-301. Elder Passarin bought one for 5 bucks so I couldn´t pass that up.) ( I think you can just buy refills and not a whole pen, if that is cheaper)
A new journal.... mine is gettin fulll.....
Liahonas/Ensigns (in English). I still don´t have the Nov. issue and I want it so bad. I don´t think we will ever get it from the mission because we got Decembers just barely and we skipped november. So maybe when ever you put a package together, just include some Liahonas.
Shoe insoles. In one pair of shoes there is hole in the insole and it hurts to wear them.
Pictures of friends... I think there is an album in my room or something that Sonja put together. And maybe you an look on my facebook and print some more off. send pics of you guys too.
That is all I can think of for now. If stuff is too expensive or whatever you can just tell me and I will look for stuff down here.
Thank you for everything family! I don´t know what I would do with out you guys in my life! I love you!!!!!!
Love ISaac
Is it weird that I have seven months already? It is so weird to me. I still remember it like yesterday driving down to Provo. I can´t really believe it has been 7 months already. I will be home before I know it at this rate... ha.
So this past week was pretty slow. I got sick on Tuesday night. I think maybe I got some food poisoning or I just got sick. I was on the toilet a lot and I had a fever of 101. So Wednesday I had to stay inside and rest. I didn´t like that at all. I wanted to be out there workin. But it woulda been hard and I probably would have pooped my pants. haha. I got better by Thursday, but my companion and everyone else in the house started feeling bad. We worked thursday and Friday, but Saturday we worked only a half day cause my comp was feeling bad and running to the bathroom a lot too. Right now we are all healthy so this coming week should be great.
We had a baptism on Saturday of Giovani. He is 15 and has great friends that introduced him to the church and us missionaries. He is a great kid and has a great future. We practically didn´t have to do anything because his friends and the Lord prepared him so nicely. We just taught him the doctrine that he pretty much knew all ready. He will be a great guy to have in the youth here. (I would have attatched a picture on the other email of him and me but I look weird... so you will have to wait till I don´t care, or till I get home.)
I didn´t get any packages when President Dias came, but he is coming here again on Thursday for Zone Conference. So, maybe then... I am sure I will get it before or on my birthday. It is weird to me that I am going to be turning 20. (just a little side note there)
How are things back home? They sound good and cold. How was the Super Bowl? Marcie emailed me and said the Packers won. I don´t really care about either team so I am not sad I missed it. No one down here cares about American football. The only sport here is soccer. it is too bad cause people here could be good at other sports. Whats goin on in the NBA and more importantly, college basketball? I will be missing march madness. It is gonnna be a tough time for me... just kidding. I will live.
I know you just sent me a package, but I made a list of things I need/want.
Pepto-bismo (last week took a lot of the bottle I have)
Germ-X
Bug spray/lotion... The kind I have is a lotion and I like it.
More pens (Zebra F-301. Elder Passarin bought one for 5 bucks so I couldn´t pass that up.) ( I think you can just buy refills and not a whole pen, if that is cheaper)
A new journal.... mine is gettin fulll.....
Liahonas/Ensigns (in English). I still don´t have the Nov. issue and I want it so bad. I don´t think we will ever get it from the mission because we got Decembers just barely and we skipped november. So maybe when ever you put a package together, just include some Liahonas.
Shoe insoles. In one pair of shoes there is hole in the insole and it hurts to wear them.
Pictures of friends... I think there is an album in my room or something that Sonja put together. And maybe you an look on my facebook and print some more off. send pics of you guys too.
That is all I can think of for now. If stuff is too expensive or whatever you can just tell me and I will look for stuff down here.
Thank you for everything family! I don´t know what I would do with out you guys in my life! I love you!!!!!!
Love ISaac
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