Monday, May 30, 2011

mission ecuador guayaquil south

Ann Maas

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Doreen Robinson" <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>
Date: May 30, 2011 9:35 AM
Subject: Fwd: mission ecuador guayaquil south
To:



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Robinson <jeremiah.robinson@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, May 30, 2011 at 8:44 AM
Subject: mission ecuador guayaquil south
To: Doreen Robinson <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>


family and friends,
 
el fin ha cercado y hay poco tiempo...
 
no sè que debo decir. estoy muy agradecido que tuve la opertunidad a servir a dios como un elder de la iglesia verdadera. tambien estoy animado a verles a todos.
 
en la ultima semana tuvimos 2 bautismos. terminè de acuerdo de mis deseos.
 
see you all tomorrow.... and the rest of you after thursday.
 
chao a la mision ecuador guayaquil sur
 
love,

--
Elder Robinson



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Monday, May 23, 2011

Flashbacks


Family and Friends,

We had a wonderful week. There were a million things that went perfectly. This is exactly how I want to end the month of May.

1. Jim Franco was baptised. We did the service without any Priesthood Leaders present. We informed the entire ward but nobody showed up... so there was nothing more I could do. We did have 10ish non-members present though (2 of which will be baptised this week). It was an amazing baptism and everyone really enjoyed it. I am hoping to put a few more baptismal dates this week with those that attended.

2. We have a convert named Maria Luisa Riera. She is 62 years old and has really bad health. A year ago she was in a bad bus accident where many people were killed. She was in a coma for a month and received some damage to her spine. For the last year now she has been in constant pain due to the damaged spine and the doctor informed her last week that in little time she will probably be unable to walk: for life. As we were visiting with her and listening to her list of the doctor´s conclusions... my companion and I had the impression to give her a Blessing of Health (is it called that? Spanish: Bendicíon de Salud). I anointed and my companion sealed. We finished the blessing and she burst into tears declaring that the Lord had been merciful to her and that everything was going to be alright.

We didn´t stop by for a few days to visit her. My companion and I both felt that the blessing had been directed by the Lord but we didn´t know what the results would be. Finally we passed by her home to see how she was doing... and she practically jogged to the door to greet us... something that she couldn´t have done before... she told us that the pain was gone! She didn´t connect the miracle to the blessing (she being a new convert) and told us that the medicine that she had been talking for months must have finally kicked in and done its job... At least she is healed from the pain though, all because of the unwavering faith she has in the Lord. It is one of the greatest tender mercies I have seen from the Lord on my mission.

3. This week is going to be CRAZY... Here is my schedule:

Monday: P-Day. Lessons

Tuesday: District Meeting. Lessons. Baptismal Interviews.

Wednesday: Multi-Mission Conference (Elder Gonzalez). Lessons. Baptismal Interviews.

Thursday: Service: Chapel. Lessons. Baptismal Interviews. Baptism: (Alvaro Franco)!

Friday: Leadership Meeting. Planning Session. Lessons.

Saturday: Deep Cleaning. Lessons. Baptisms: (Emily Cedillo and Moroni Almeida)!!

Sunday: Church. Confirmations. Lessons. Farewell.

3 BAPTISMS!!! And a million baptismal interviews in the district. The work is definitely progressing.


4. Elder Scott wont be able to make it to Ecuador so we will be listening to Elder Gonzalez instead. O´well. It isn´t every day that you get to listen to one of the presidents of the Seventy.

I love the work!!! This is going to be a great week!


I keep having dreams and flashbacks of all of my sectors. Faces, people, experiences... this week could be harder than I thought it would be.


Love you all, Thanks for your support.

--
Elder Robinson



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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

¿Que Pasó?


Family and Friends,

Sorry I was unable to write yesterday. Sunday night the Zone Leaders called to tell us that we would be changing our P-day this week to Tuesday. The work is really starting to fly! I feel like there are a MILLION I need to do... and another MILLION things I could say. Alas there is not time to do another million things in Ecuador nor do I have time to say a million things in one email. So here are 4 basics:

1. The Temple

The Temple was the highlight of today. When one lives in a city of poverty, sin, confusion, and garbage... time call take its toll. At 4:45 this morning my companion and I woke up to get ready to go to the temple. My companion showered first and I showered second... until the water stopped running. My companion kindly brought me the pot of water I had boiled the night before (for drinking purposes) so that I could wash off the soap from my body. The shower took FAR longer than it should have. We were late in leaving for the temple and we had to take a taxi to arrive to the session on time. 

Just showing up to the temple calmed all my worldly fears. I love the Temple! Here in Guayaquil the temple stands in the midst of 2 hills and a mountain. It sits on its own hill rising slightly over the city. The grounds are absolutely amazing and the interior is even more amazing. I totally forgot where I was. The session taught me a lot. We then had a meeting with the Mission President in the basement. After 6 hours in the temple we finished off the visit eating lunch in the cafeteria. I know the gospel is true just with how happy the temple makes me feel. My physical and spiritual batteries were recharged and I am ready to work again.

2. Alvaro Franco

We are preparing Alvaro Franco to be baptised next week. He is a 17 year old street kid. He started playing soccer with the Young Men when he was 15 and listened to the lessons shortly there after. Alvaro never received permission from his parents to be baptised... until now. The last month has been hectic trying to find and teach him. Last week he asked me for a shirt and pants so that he could go to church properly. I gave him one of my long sleeved shirts and one of my brown slacks thinking that they were never going to fit him (me being a tall American and he being an average sized Ecuadorian). When he showed up to church on Sunday he had modified my pants to fit him length wise and the long sleeve shirt had the sleeves folded some 2-3 times. He looked great. I am glad that I wont be needing those clothes anymore and that they can now serve another purpose.

We are planning his baptism for next week. He is excited to receive the priesthood, serve with the young men, and eventually go on a mission. Finding and teaching people like Alvaro is what makes all the hard days in the mission worth it.

3. Journal Writing

Last night I decided to reread some of my journal entries from the first months of my mission. I thought it interesting to see how I had changed over the last two years. Unfortunately, I was able to see how when I started the mission I had the "greene fire" and that over the course of the mission the "fire" had been lost. The plus(es) of reading my journal: My Spanish has gotten a million times better and my ability to connect with the people. Writing in a journal each night has become one of my greatest treasures from the mission. I will always be grateful for the memories and experiences that are forgotten in my head but written in my journal.

4. Baptisms

In the next week and a half we will be having another 4-5 baptisms. We are really going to end the month of May off strong. Portete is such an amazing place, hard at times, but in the end everything is going to work out fine. This is why we go on missions: to baptise. There are millions of people in this city. Tens of thousands of them are good people. However, each of them, no matter how good they are, are under the heavy burden of sin. None of them has ever been forgiven of their sins and they all need what we have. Everyone needs the Atonement in their lives and the only key that unlocks Christ´s Redeeming power lies in the Holy Priesthood and the ordinances of Baptism and the Confirmation. How blessed are we, the missionaries, to help each and every single one of them attain such miraculous blessings. Really there are no words to describe the joy that one feels when one helps another change their life and baptize one´s self in the True Church.

I have more to say... but there really is no more time to say it. 

I love you.

I love this work!

Love,

--
Elder Robinson



Monday, May 16, 2011

Mañana

Mom and Dad,

Just so you know: I will write you tomorrow. PDay has been changed because we will be going to the Temple tomorrow. I just didn`t want mom to think that I was in the hospital again.

Mañana (tomorrow!),

--
Elder Robinson


Monday, May 2, 2011

May 2011


Family and Friends,

Flight Plans

May 31st 2011

#1
Flight AA 938
Guayaquil to Miami
8:10- 1:40

#2
Flight AA 401
Miami to Dallas
3:35- 5:50


#3
Dallas to Salt Lake City
7:00- 8:40

My flight companion will be Elder Thayne. It is a bittersweet moment to receive flight plans... but I know that it is going to be one awesome trip! I am not that excited to travel for 14 1/2 hours en avion... yet it will be worth it to see you all at the end of the journey.

Normal News:

I just received an email from Presidente Montalti- Elder Scott will be visiting our mission (as a surprise) the 25th of May! We will be having a special meeting with him in the Kennedy Stake Center (I imagine we will be with the North Mission). I am glad that my mission was extended by a week a year ago... because this will be the PERFECT way to end the mission. I can´t think of anything better than listening to what a Twelve has to say to us. May is such a great month!

As for the work: we didn´t have the success we wanted in Sacrament Meeting Sunday. Sometimes I wonder if the people really want to live with God again... and then I tell myself: OF COURSE THEY DO!!! They just don´t realize that they have to do what we are teaching them to do to achieve it. Patience... patience... patience...

I am hoping that we can finish this month with baptisms. That would put the icing on the cake.

I want to send lots of letters home. There are some of you that I really want to write. So... sorry I haven´t written in a while, something has happened to my time: I don´t know where it is. But I wish the best of luck to those of you that are going to brave the Spring and Summer Semesters at BYU.

I am excited to call home this week. I love May! Mother´s Day!!! Elder Scott!!! Baptisms!!! Home!!!

Love,

--
Elder Robinson



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Monday, April 25, 2011

"...y nuestras vidas tambien han pasado si fuera un sueño..."



Family and Friends,
 
I was quite thrilled to read the all the news and emails you sent me this week. I should say I have been quite blessed to hear from so many of you through the coarse of the mission. There are so many Elders who never hear anything from their families after the first few months and it takes a hard toll on them. Thanks for the continuing support, emails, letters, packages, DearElders, and prayers.
 
I read Elder Robinson (II)´s email that he sent out to the family. A week full of woes and questions unanswered. Those weeks do pass every once in a while. My week was the same: something to forget about. The good news is: My car didn`t break down this week, my bike doesn´t have a flat tire, and my investigators didn´t stand me up for any of my appointments... or... um... The truth be told: I don´t have a car, nor do I have a bike, and I don´t currently have any investigators that could have stood me up for an appointment anyway. For 70% of the week: it was a terrible. Maybe Elder Robinson (II) and I are twins and pass through the rough days together.
 
We wont even talk about the week.
 
The light usually shines brightest in your darkest hours. This week we were visited by President Nash. The President of the South America North East Area. We had an amazing conference Wednesday. The spirit is always stronger when a General Authority arrives and teaches. And so it was with us.
 
We waited about 30 minutes for the conference to start because Elder Nash was on his cell phone with one of the Twelve (he never told us which). Then the Conference started with Elder Nash saying "I have an impression, but I don´t want to share it with you yet. Maybe as the day goes on..." That got us all thinking: "what does President Nash feel like he should say to us?" We later found out.
 
The conference lasted about 5ish hours and there came a moment when Elder Nash asked us to define the word Faith. Now... a General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ was asking us to define faith... I decided I was not going to throw out a "Ether 12:6" or an "Alma 32" answer. Actually, I decided I was not going to answer. Nonetheless the first two definitions of faith came out of Ether 12, Hebrews 11, and Alma 32. Way to go! I felt like the General Authority was looking for something deeper. I had no clue what. So I opened my Book of Mormon in the book of Mormon. I was in chapter 9 and I decided I would read backwards... just to see where it got me. I kept an open ear to listen to the remarks that other elders and sisters were making but somehow I felt that maybe he was waiting for us to share something deeper... like a promise... I kept on reading backwards. I came across Mormon 9:21 and I thought it was an amazing scripture. One that I had not read in a long while (or noticed), but I still didn´t want to share anything. Holding my light under a bushel was suiting me just fine that day. 15 minutes later... the faith topic was still going strong and I felt prompted to share; finally having had enough courage to read my new found scripture, I shared it. Elder Nash looked at me. Paused... and asked me to repeat the scripture. I felt like an IDIOT. That will be the last time that I ever try reading the Book of Mormon backwards in a Zone Conference. He then asked me for the reference. I gave it and quickly sat down.
 
The Conference finished really well. President Nash told us that we could raise our baptisms to 400-600 a month. I would love to see that promise fulfilled even if I am not here to do it with the mission. Elder Nash then said, "Just over one hour ago I received an impression from the Spirit (as if talking to the spirit was like a normal phone call from one of the Twelve) to share with you all the following scripture... I will now do so." He pulled out his Book of Mormon and started reading in Mormon 9. He started in verse 18... and ended the conference with verse 21. As he reached verse 21 he looked at me and said, "This scripture was already shared with you today." And he ended the conference.
 
I was stunned. It was obvious to me that I had received the same impression to share the scripture as Elder Nash had. However, I still have an impossible time telling when impressions come from the Spirit or not. It was an amazing experience for me. I have a lot to learn.
 
As the conference ended Elder Nash told me that he wished I had extended my mission to work a little longer in Ecuador. Yet before I could respond he said, "but I am even happier that you are going home to a good family. Thanks for your work Elder." And that is how it ended. It reassured me that everything was going to work out fine. This summer will be crazy and I still don`t have a clue what I will be doing when I get home... but now is still not the time to worry about it.
 
I wanted to give a special shout out to Mary Teichert. I don`t have words to describe what she means to me as a cousin and best friend. But I shivered as I read that she will be serving in the Italy, Rome Mission. The Lord has great things in store for her.
 
Welcome back to Utah... to those that have been living on the outside,
 
Love you all,

--
Elder Robinson (I)
"...the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream..."
Jacob 7:26



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Monday, April 18, 2011

#16

Family and Friends,

The end is slipping ever closer. Today I started the last Change of my Mission. In the entire 2 years of the mission there are 17. 1 is spent in the MTC (for language purposes) and the other 16 are spent in the Field. I started today #16. Each change has 6 weeks and each week has 7 days. I will be leaving the mission 2 days after the next change begins... (so if you do the math correctly you should know how many days left until I get home!) It is strange to think that all the Elders and Sisters I knew when I entered the Guayaquil Mission is now home. Even stranger is to think that I will be next.

This last week was an absolute blast! Elder Calderon and I tore our sector apart. We started to average 6 lessons a day and we started talking to anything that moved in the street: moldy dogs, garbage, and a few people now and again. We were informed by our leaders that President Nash (President of the South America Northeast Area) will be visiting the mission next week and that President Montalti had arranged for the MTC in Peru to send the new missionaries a few days early. 

In the mix of things I had an interchange with Elder Hebdon. Elder Hebdon is among one of my best friends here in the mission. I lived with him when I was serving in Milagro (KM 26) and we always had some of the most amazing conversations. I am now once again his District Leader and I fully enjoy the oportunities I get to visit and work with him. Tuesday after the district meeting we started the interchange. I had a lot of work to do out in "Jardines del Salado" so we made our way out there to eat lunch and to track. 

We were out by the swamp looking at the crabs and the iguana when we made our way into a side street and started going house to house yelling "Ha Ver!" (equivalent of knocking on doors). I saw a pitbull out of the corner of my eye and thought to myself: "I hate dogs, and I don´t want to disturb that one." Again I yelled, "Ha Ver!" and I patiently waited for some sign that there was someone living in the home. My patience paid off: I saw life! It was running towards me... At full speed! As the pitbull approached I thought I was going to die. I took a step back and the pitbull jumped for us... and then the strangest thing happened: after the lunge the pitbull put itself to the ground and started whimpering. I didn´t know if I should´ve ran or laughed. My heart was beating fast enough for me to run a 5k. Elder Hebdon turned to me and said, "The 2 things I always pray for every morning are: 1. Not to be robbed and 2. Not to be attacked by a dog." As we walked away we started talking about how strange of an encounter it was we had with the pitbull. We came to the conclusion that it was divine protection that saved us (or the dog). Maybe I understand a little bit more how David played with the Lions in the Lion´s Den.

Thursday night we were called for the Changes. Elder Calderon was changed to Cuenca! He is now serving in Totoracocha (the ward next to my old sector Tomebama). We arrived at the Bus Terminal at 8 Friday morning and I was informed that I would be training for my last change! I was stoked. I still am stoked! 

Elder Calla is my new companion. He is from Peru and has been a member all of his life. He is excited to be here on the mission and is far more prepared for his mission than I was when I arrived to Ecuador. I am excited to train for it will force me to work hard for the last 6 weeks of the mission. He is excited to work and to learn and I am excited to work and finish hard.

The weather here has finally turned wet. Torrential rains have been hitting us every other day. I like the rain for it makes the days less hot. Yet the humidity it causes... need I say more. We trudged home last night through the flooded streets. That was really hard on my shoes. I hope the leather holds out.

I had a really amazing spiritual thought that I wanted to share with you all: and I forgot what it was. It came from the Book of Jacob and had something to do with the Gospel. Maybe you can all reread the Book of Jacob and understand what I am trying to say.

To all of you who feel that maybe I haven´t written in a few weeks or are waiting for letters to arrive: I thought I was sending letters. I hope they are making there way safely to the States. And for those of you that want more information out of me: I promise to load my last few emails "chucky jam full" of whatever I can.

The Lord loves and blesses his Missionaries. Especially the Ward Missionaries.

Love,

--
Elder Robinson



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