Week 21: #blessed

Oh yeah, by the way I've been out for over 4 months now. This was supposed to be a sparkler but it didn't light very well.

So the most amazing thing happened to us this week which is why I am e-mailing today, instead of yesterday. WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE. Literally, biggest blessing of my life. Honestly though, Heavenly Father has just been pouring out his blessings to us here in Abbotsford. How grateful I am for that because leaving my first area has been really hard. Surrey is just my home away from home, and I've grown so close to the members and my companion and all of our investigators there. 

Thang and Van took us out to dinner for some Vietnamese food Monday night before I left and in Thang's prayer over the food he said, 'Dear Heavenly Father, we are really unhappy that Sister Robertson is leaving and we hope that Sister Ricks will stay for a long time."

IT WAS THE CUTEST THING OF MY LIFE <3

I've certainly never been a fan of goodbyes, but they seem to just keep getting harder and harder. On the bright side, Heavenly Father is just giving me more people to love.

​Looks like there are two Sister Robertson's in the field now, the more the merrier ;)

This last week has just been really weird for me, but Heavenly Father always pulls through. How grateful am I for his unconditional love and his personal relationship with each and everyone of his children. He is so mindful of our situations, and I have witnessed that countless time throughout the past week.

To start out, after e-mailing last week we come to find out that Sima wasn't baptized because of problems with Michael. Essentially, he's relapsed. So Sima rescheduled to be baptized for Thursday, and how sad Sister Ricks and I were to break the news to her that I was actually leaving Tuesday. I think my heart actually broke. Still as hard as it was to leave Sima, regardless of the baptism, all I felt when Tuesday morning rolled around was so much gratitude. Gratitude for my ward, for my district and zone, for my companion, and especially for all the people Heavenly Father had entrusted us to work with. I definitely have to give a huge shot out to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for helping me feel so happy, because I know without them, things would have been way harder.

Well, like I said, Heavenly Father knows each and everyone of us. Seriously. And if you don't believe me, try Him. Here I am coming to a new area, and not only a new area but it has been closed for the last transfer (which means there were no missionaries working there) and prior to that the missionaries that were there were Elders (which is always interesting to come into an area after Elders. lets just say girls and boys think very differently.) Anyways, I was blessed to have a special missionary broadcast, a fireside with our mission president, and an opportunity to go to the Temple this last week. Like, seriously. I don't think I could have asked for anything better. Heavenly Father knew just what I needed. On top of that, how grateful am I for the promptings of the spirit and for answers to prayers. So like I said, Sister Nelson and I are opening an area, which means that literally we got to an empty apartment. No food, no toilet paper, nothing. So we go out grocery shopping and spend the little money we had left for the month on the necessities to survive. So all week long we've been kinda freaking out about how we were going to be eating this week because we are out of food and out of money for the month. Well last night, we felt prompted to go store contacting at Walmart and of course, while we are there, we run into a member. They talk to us for a little bit and then we go our separate ways. Next thing we know we see Sister Candia running around the corner with a shopping cart full of groceries. We tried to tell her and her husband no, but they wouldn't let us leave without them buying us groceries. They didn't know we didn't have any food, we didn't tell them. But sweet Sister Candia and her husband bought us $200 worth of groceries, and how grateful am I to have a loving Heavenly Father who answers our prayers, and who promises to take such good care of us.

I know that God is literally our Father in Heaven and that he loves us. I know that he knows each and everyone of us by name, and that he cares about us. He cares about the things that makes us happy, and he knows about the things that make us sad. He has so many blessings awaiting for us, and He is desperately waiting for us to ask Him. So ask Him.

I love all of you so much and am praying for you each and everyday. Thank you for all the support you have given me and all the other missionaries!

Love always,

Sister Robertson

Sima's Baptism :)

ps. Idk how I could forget this because GOD IS LITERALLY SO GOOD. My new area just happens to only be about 45 minutes away from my old area so President Burt gave me special permission to go back for Sima's baptism. God just keeps on blessing me.

The best girl you'll ever meet. Yes we have matching shirts. No we didn't buy them together.

Week 20: Bitter Sweet

Life is changing so fast I can hardly keep up. But really it is such a good thing. So a lot of different things happened this past week and I'm going to try my best to organize all of my thoughts, good luck.

Well first off, we got Transfer News. 

I'm leaving. 

​Good bye Sister Ricks :'(

This is the Prasads. He is Bishop, and they are the wonderful family I have been living with these past four months of my mission. I love them. Jaesh (the 2 year old) sits at the window every morning and waves good bye to us as we get in the car and drive away.

I literally feel like Surrey is my home here in BC and I am not ready to leave, but I know that Heavenly Father has something else in store for me and as always, he knows best, so I'm excited to start this new journey. I'm being transferred to Abbotsford, it's still in the lower mainland of BC and I think like 40-60 min from where I currently am. I'll be opening and white-washing another area, which is always so much fun.... really though, it is so amazing. And my new companion is Sister Nelson, and the only thing I know about her really is that this next transfer is her last. So we'll certainly be making the most out of the time we have left. Sister Nelson oddly enough was MTC companions with Sister Rachel Travers. So what are the chances that I ended up serving right beside Sister Travers this past transfer, and am now going to be companions with her MTC comp. Mission life is so weird, and still so good.

Sister Hubert joined us again this past week. And what a tender mercy that she is just being transferred from Surrey 1st Ward to Surrey 3rd ward here with Sister Ricks. I know they will take great care of my babies <3

As for our sweet sweet investigators. Well, it's definitely an understatement that I am devastated to leave them, but I know Sister Ricks will take good care of everyone here. And I can not wait to come back and visit them all after the mish.

So of course there is always more bitter sweet news. 

Sima and Michael- Well, Sima was supposed to be baptized yesterday actually. This past week was so good, we've been teaching her every day and she is still progressing so much. She loves the BOM and she prays every single night no matter how exhausted she has been after taking care of Shyan all day. In preparation for baptism, you are required to have a baptismal interview just to make sure that you truly do believe in the things you have been taught and have a sincere desire to be baptized, so we always ask our investigators those questions before the actual interview so they know what to expect. Well Sima passed with flying colors. And her testimony of the principles of the gospel was a m a z i n g. Gosh, i just love her. Well so everything was going smoothly and then yesterday morning, Michael called us and said that she had some kind of appointment at 4:30 (the time of her baptism) and so they wouldn have to do it another day... weird. And basically we haven't gotten a hold of them since. I'm a little bit sad to leave them on this note, but mostly just because I have been able to see how much the gospel has truly changed their lives and I just pray they keep going. I can not wait for the day that Sima really is baptized and is able to make that promise to her Heavenly Father to follow her Savior, Jesus Christ. And for the opportunity she has to start fresh, and to know with a surety that her Heavenly Father loves her so much and can not wait until the day that He will see her again. I have great faith in that woman, i know everything will work out.

Thang and Van- Ahhhhh. Our sweet Vietnamese couple. Van is due in March and just makes me feel so close to home since Rebekah will be having her baby so soon, and before you know it I'll be an Aunt. I also feel oddly close to Amanda, getting to teach sweet asians, I have a new found love for their culture as well. They are the sweetest people you will ever meet. Anyways, we taught them Heavenly Fathers plan for us, The Plan of Salvation. They L O V E D it. Thang joked about going to the celestial kingdom and Van being in the Terrestrial kingdom and then I said, "Do you really want to be in the celestial Kingdom by yourself?" And he grabbed his wife's hand and said, "I am not going anywhere without my wife." It was the cutest thing ever. And the spirit was so strong. Man am I so grateful for eternal marriage and for the opportunity we have to live with our families forever, even after this life. This really is the plan of happiness, and the moment we understand that, the easier it is to see all the blessings that Heavenly Father has given us.

Thang and Van <3 THEY CAME TO CHURCH 

Speaking of blessings, we have had S O S O many this past week. We had Zone Meeting (basically a super spiritual meeting with a bunch of other missionaries serving in the same area), this past week as well as Stake Conference where Elder Johnson from the 70 came and spoke to us. A lot of different things were taught and discussed but really everything comes back down to change. And how fitting considering I leave tomorrow for a new area. 

Because this life is really all about change. We came to Earth, to grow and progress, and learn by experience how to make right choices. We came to Earth to understand how we can become better and how we can become like our Heavenly Father. And in order to improve, we must always be changing. It's crazy because when we change, we repent. Repentance is an every day process- one that allows us to  gain a fresh view of God, of ourselves, and of the World. It's not a scary or bad thing. Repentance is a wonderful opportunity to change. And as I've come to see repentance in that way, I've been learning to love change. To not be so overwhelmed by my weaknesses or my mistakes because really, Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer has already taken all of that for me, and so I can let those things go. I can repent, and resolve to be better and better each and every day. I wish I had more time to truly express the spirit that I have been able to feel this past week. It is just incredible. God is so good, and I am so grateful to be serving here in Canada, BC.

I LOVE YOU ALL, and am incredibly grateful for all the support and love you give. Special s/o to my ward back home for all the Christmas Cards! You had no idea how much they mean to us missionaries. 

Love always,

Sister Robertson 

​Every where we go people try to give us Lindhor chocolates. They are disgusting. 
​

Week 19: New Year, New Blessings.

Little chickens,

Life is so good here in Surrey. Heavenly Father is literally just pouring out blessings one after the other and I am so grateful to be here for my 4th month now. Man time flies by. I am never leaving. Transfer News comes this weekend and I'm getting a little nervous I might actually have to leave. Sister Ricks is so amazing, and I feel like everything is just getting started here in Surrey and I do not want to say good bye.

The Rafols gave us a Subway gift card for Chirstmas so hollar

This is Sister Cano. She has my entire heart. She is incredible and one of the most humble people I have ever met. So thankful to have members who come out to lessons with us!

This is Thang and Van. They are our Vietnamese couple. Stay tuned. 

We were in a tri for the day. Here is Sister Ricks and Hubert.

Just another pick of us on our exchange as a tri :-)

I know I haven't written in eons, so here is all the super cool, crazy, bittersweet things happening here in Surrey.

We've been working with Faith and Will- Will has been a less active member for quite some time now, and his wife has never been interested in the gospel. Recently she just realized that she hasn't been happy for quite some time now. That even though she has a really good job, one that she literally worked her butt off to get, and has a beautiful husband and daughter, that she felt little to no purpose. Well Will's family members are super active, and long story short, she finally decided to start reading the Book of Mormon. And she felt happy. For the first time in years. So she asked for the missionaries to come teach her and that's where we come in. Well, like I said I think 2 weeks ago, Faith is literally so prepared, and she just soaks up everything we teach her. She reads the Book of Mormon every single night and pretty soon she is going to be ahead of where I am at right now. Well with the new year our congregations meeting time changed from 11 to 9 am, and so due to that and some other things Faith and Will were considering attending Delta Ward, which is now meeting in the 11 time slot. That doesn't seem like a big deal, but that means that we wouldn't be able to teach her anymore. So we were way sad. Sister Ricks and I were praying for a miracle all week long, and we were blessed with a beautiful opportunity, Fast Sunday. So we fasted for Faith and Will to somehow stay in our Ward. Fasting is when we obstain from food and water for 2 meals or more, basically we give up physical strength to receive extra spiritual strength. I've been fasting my whole life, but I've never truly experienced the blessing from fasting until on my mission. Well mostly because back home I was just starving myself, I wasn't actually fasting with a purpose in mind and asking the Lord for help. So literally the coolest thing of my life happened. We were praying right before going into a lesson, and prayed again that somehow things would work out with Faith and Will and that they could come to our ward, and that we would be able to teach them and right after we closed the prayer we got the most amazing text.

G O D   I S  S O  G O O D. Faith and Will are now coming to our Ward, and they are doing so good! Will has been opening up a lot more, and might even prepare himself to be worthy to baptize his wife.

Another sweet family I've been working with since literally the beginning of time is Sima and Michael.

They are a fijian couple that Sister Wright and I found while out knocking. They are amazing, and I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father led us to them. These past 3 1/2 months have been a crazy hot mess working with them with A LOT of ups and downs. Even these past two weeks there has been so much progress and then setback and then progress and just I can't even explain it all. Sima has really been doing so so good. She started reading the Book of Mormon for really the first time 2 weeks ago and it has changed her life. She is so happy.

​SIMAAAAA and her sweet baby boy Shyan- 

 (Anna Aurora, I found Aashiyana a husband❤)

The best part about being able to be a missionary is being able to watch the change that happens in others lives as they accept God and Jesus Christ. Sima is going to be baptized this upcoming Sunday, and I can not wait to watch her start this new beginning. Then there is Michael. To sum him up he has been drinking and smoking since he was like 15. Mostly for fun back then, but now he uses them as a coping mechanism. And how hard it has been to watch him battle back and forth in trying to break that habit. It has literally broken my heart to watch him and his wife struggle. They have experienced a lot of hard ship these past two months, and Michael has lost 5 different jobs due to his addictions. The amazing thing is that he knows God sent us to him and his family, and he knows he needs to change, he just wasn't doing it. And yeah, sometimes he would try. But things would just get hard, as life always does, and it would kick him in the butt again.          The thing is that this life is always going to be hard, that's part of Heavenly Fathers plan for us, to be tried and tested so that we can learn and grow and by experience understand what brings true happiness. And it's really through God and the gospel of Jesus Christ that we can experience joy even in times of trial, and have the strength to face life's challenges with a spirit of peace. But to have that, we must actually live the gospel.         Well, the best thing happened 3 days ago. MICHAEL ACTUALLY DECIDED TO ACT IN FAITH AND START LIVING IT. He read the Book of Mormon, and he talked to the Bishop, and he e v e n dumped out all of his alcohol in front of us and threw out all of his cigarettes. Now things won't be rainbows and butterflies all of a sudden, but he is finally starting, and he has felt happier now, than he ever has in his entire life.

Goodbye to Alcohol (-: (-: (-: (-: (-:

The biggest blessing about serving a mission is that you think that you are coming out to serve others, but really you end up serving yourself. Being able to watch God change others literally just deepens my testimony of this gospel. It works. Heavenly Father loves us so so much, and we just need to each learn to see ourselves as Heavenly Father sees us. I have been able to feel Heavenly Fathers love for so many people throughout my life, especially on my mission. And if he has that much love for those children, I can't even imagine the kind of love he has for me as well. 

Big things are happening here in Surrey, and Heavenly Father just continues to bless us. I love you all so so much, and I pray that you will take advantage of the blessings that Heavenly Father has given you. 

Love always,

Sister Robertson 

My District <3 Sister Ricks, Elder Ricks (yes they are actually related... they are cousins), Elder Sutton, Elder Tillman, and Elder Matice. 

Week 18: Nothing but pic's

I'll just apologize now, I don't have enough time to write an e-mail this week, so here's some pictures ;-) 

SORRY MOM

Love you all!

Christmas Day with the Fearn family (:

Oh yeah, its 2016... when did that happen?

Also, fun fact for the week. Apparently there was an earth quake, but Sister Ricks and I slept right through it. So that's different. I'm very used to Tornados.
​

We slept in the Living Room Christmas Eve, and then were too lazy to move our mattresses back.... It was way fun. needless to say, we finally put them back after like a week and a half.

Don't get your tongue stuck sister Ricks!

​So turns out it doesn't really snow snow here, but it frosts. 

It's so weird. And freezing cold, but really cool still.