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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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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¿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

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

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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"...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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#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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Relampagos

Family and Friends,

That was probably one of the most powerful conferences that I have ever seen in my life! I was for sure spiritually filled Saturday and Sunday and am now full of new ideas, notes, and goals. I hope you all got something out of the conference. These are surely the last days... and the talks and messages proved it.

The last week was great. We worked hard to prepare a few people for baptism... only to have them move to the North Mission. That was fun. The only thing that matters is that they are baptised this Saturday. Lucky North Missionaries that get to be present. I hope they send me a picture.

When I was on my way to Cyber today there were 100 things that I wanted to write home to say... now that I am here... I can`t think of anything to say. I could restate: I am impressed that these are the last days. Elder Holland`s talk was powerful and the Priesthood session was one-of-a-kind. With all the new pressure we are receiving as missionaries, and how the talks and the words of the prophet panned out... only served to increase the urgency (I hope you noticed that word twice in the opening prayer for the Saturday Afternoon Session) to get people baptised, on to other covenants, and into the temple now. There really isn`t as much time left as some may think. Yet there is not so little that the work can`t be accomplished either.

I am so glad that I am part of this great work. Sometimes I ask myself if I am actually helping out in the grand scheme of things... and I hope I am. Maybe my contribution is small but maybe it will make all the difference in the lives of the people I am serving. That is how it will have to be for everyone. God does not show his love with huge all-powerful miracles. He shows his love in the little things each day. The things we take for common: our families, friends, time, school, jobs... the peace we currently enjoy. So it should be with us. Constantly helping the Lord`s work, our personal lives, and our families progress.

The Photo:

In the photo is Elder Gomez, Elder Robinson, and Ex-Elder Taza. We all lived together a year ago in Guayaquil. Elder Taza was my companion. We were all together again for General Conference. It was a great experience.

Thanks for being a constant help to me!

These are the last of times... these are the best of times.

love,

--
Elder Robinson

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Fwd: +-

Ann Maas (Typed while holding a baby. )

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Doreen Robinson" <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>
Date: Mar 21, 2011 3:11 PM
Subject: Fwd: +-
To:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Robinson <jeremiah.robinson@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 10:09 AM
Subject: +-
To: Doreen Robinson <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>


Family and Friends,

     March is now nearing a rapid close. At least for Missionary Work. We are now focusing on the people that we are planning to baptise in April. However, even though March is almost over it is not completely over.

     This last week was "mas o menos (+-)" I don´t particularly have anything super amazing to say neither do I have anything terrible to speak of. We are fighting hard to get the lessons finished for our investigators that are planning to be baptised Saturday. There are 4 of them. It wouldn´t be at all hard if they wouldn´t spend all day running around the city. That makes it hard to find them. We should have all their lessons done by tonight so that they can be interviewed and prepared to be baptised saturday. I will tell you hall it all goes next week.

     I am constantly surprised to hear what Ecuadorians think when it comes to natural desasters. 

     

     1- For more than 6 weeks now we have not had any rain here in Guayaquil. That is unusually odd seeing as how this is supposed to be the rainy season. A member was telling me that because there is no rain the earth is going to dry up and crack causing an earthquake. I laughed. Explained that earthquakes didn´t really work that way, and went my way. I stopped laughing when I heard the same comment 3000 more times from everyone. O´well. There is nothing more I can do.

     2- Walking the streets of Guayaquil I came across another strange fact: The next time it rains here everyone has to be indoors or will receive cancer from the Nuclear Plant in Japan. That is if I already don´t have skin cancer from walking under the Ecuadorian Sun for the last 2 years.

     Sorry this really has nothing of substance. Wait for next week.

Love,

--
Elder Robinson

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Tsunami and Explosions o sea "The Everlasting Email to Everyone"

Family and Friends,

Allow me to get a few minor points out of the way before I begin this everlasting email to everyone: 

The Decision

I extended my mission!!! We had another surprise meeting with the Mission President Wednesday and at the end of the meeting he pulled me aside 4 times to ask me questions. The 2nd time he pulled me aside to ask me something he said, "You are extending your mission?" It sounded more like a statement than a question. I frankly told him that I would love to serve longer. And it was done. I had extended. I called Elder Vuinovic (Mission Secretary) the next morning and told him to change my date in the computer so that I could extend my mission. As I hung up the phone... something didn´t feel right. I thought and thought and thought... and then I thought a little more. Nope. Everything was ok. I was going to stick to my decision. Serving in Ecuador has helped me out so much it would serve me more to serve more. -or so I thought-

The next few days were blurry. I could´t shake from my head that maybe I had to go home in May. I really didn´t know why. I know why I would like to go home in May... but maybe my reasons weren´t the right reasons. Elder Robinson (II) wrote me to say, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME! YOU SHOULD EXTEND YOUR MISSION!!!" Then, talking with another Elder in the Zone he told me, "Look, the Lord called you to serve in Ecuador for 24 months. Never go home before your time is done and don´t feel obligated to serve more time than you were called." Then Amy and a few other family members wrote, "We love and miss you!" My heart melted. My brain was confused. But I was still going to stick to my decision even though I didn´t feel good about it... until the Tsunami.

Friday at 8:30 in the morning the Zone Leaders called to inform us to prepare for an evacuation. We had no clue why an evacuation was necessary. I quickly made plans to move a baptismal interview forward by 7 hours and then met up with a few other missionaries in the Stake Center. The interview went well and afterwords it gave me time to talk to members and other Elders to figure out why the Elders were being evacuated. No one had any good answer. In the Chapel there were a few members cleaning in preparation for the Stake Conference. They were listening to the radio when the announcer said that Ecuador was being put on Tsunami Watch. We were moved further into Guayaquil to the Garcia Moreno Stake. There we met up with 100+ other missionaries. The Mission President pulled all the Elders out of Machala (Coastal City), Milagro (?), Santa Rosa (Semi-Coastal City), and Guayaquil (Far from the Ocean yet Coastal). The poor Elders in Galapagos were told to climb the volcano and sit it out.

Sitting with all the other missionaries President showed up and told us that we were going to sit things out by having a Mission Conference. For the next 5ish hours we studied Preach My Gospel and learned from the Mission President. During one of the breaks I had the chance to talk with Elder Vuinovic. I asked him if he had extended my mission or not. Vuinovic, with shock in his eyes, said, "OH! I forgot to do it Elder Robinson. It was on my "to do list." I will get it done tomorrow." Whew. I took my chance and said, "Don´t change the date. I am going home in May." Now, maybe I didn´t make the right decision. Yet I feel VERY comfortable with it. Maybe time will tell why I need to be home or maybe not. Maybe it was all just in my head. Maybe it is all still in my head. But nonetheless I will be flying home the 31st of May 2011. I just wish it doesn´t require tsunamis to make all the big decisions in my life.

Stake Conference

This week we had the privilege to listen to Elder Uceda from the 1st Quorum of the Seventy during Stake Conference. President Montalti was also present with his wife along with the Temple President and his wife. It was an amazing conference. We had 13 investigators present. I enjoyed Elder Uceda´s talk most. He spoke of how to listen to the Lord´s Voice and how to receive and recognize answers. It struck me over and over again how deaf I am when it comes to receiving answers from the Lord. I could really do better. Elder Uceda said we should be able to recognize his voice as easily as we recognize the voices of our friends or family members. I have a long ways to go.

We are preparing 4 baptisms at the moment. All 4 of them are excited to be baptised (or so they say) and I am excited to be teaching them. I finally gave out the Book of Mormon that the Primary gave me with the picture they sent. Surprise: the person that has that book and that picture will be baptised the 26th of this month. 

The Explosion

Cleaning the house this morning was far more interesting than normal. As I was washing the dishes Elder Calderon and I heard sirens outside of our house. From the window we could see that everyone (and I mean everyone) was running down the street. We decided to join the race. When we finally came to our end destination with everyone else... we were faced by a burning home and a wall of flames. The fire department showed up and put the fire out. Apparently the gas tank exploded. I don`t know if anyone was killed but I wouldn´t be surprised. We didn´t stay around long enough to find out. With the hoards of people present there was nothing we could do. But it did provide for an interesting morning.

I hope this email wasn´t as everlasting as it appears to be -however- more interesting than my emails normally are. Thanks for reading to this point. You are all in my prayers and thoughts.

I love you,

--
Elder Robinson

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A los Años

Family and Friends,

Because I have not sent photos home... en los años...

1. Elder Tobar- My hospital companion

2. Elder Robinson

3. Hospital shot. Just to show you all I really was ok.

That is all

--
Elder Robinson

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"...Que nos llevan a lo Alto!"

Family and Friends,

     These weekly emails come far more quickly then they actually should. Is it normal that I think yesterday I wrote about the rains of Guayaquil or is that normal? Maybe you all got sick of reading the emails anyway and didn´t notice. Eitherway: I feel that time is moving way to fast. I almost can´t stop to smell the roses ( o sea... if there were roses to stop and smell). The mission just keeps going... and going... and going... and going...

     The last week had its downs but with planning, a few phone calls, and an interchange everything was practically calmed down in the district. Every sector, except mine (we got ours under control a few weeks back), has fallen apart. The Zone Leaders are probably going to have baptisms in March but the others... we have a week before March begins to get everything under control. I am confident that everything will work out right but I really wish that people would understand that nothing I do will change whether or not other elders will have baptisms. If one wishes to baptise one needs to work, listen, and apply what the leaders say.

     On a happier note: We were blessed last week as we were buying food in the mall. I plan to use $18.50 every Monday to buy food, deoderant, shaving cream, and other basics each week. As we were shopping I made a HUGE sacrifice in my spending habits to buy a box of Captain Crunch Cereal (only imported from the USA, and it has the high pricetag to prove it). The box costs $5! What a waste! But I bought it anyway. As we where checking out I noticed that the receipt said that my cereal cost $1.50... thinking it was an error I asked the check-out lady. It was! Someone had entered the cereal´s price into the computer wrong. The lady told us that it was better news for us... she not knowing how to reprogram and reprice items in the system. Gleefully we re entered and bought 4 more boxes of cereal to have a total of 7 boxes in the house! All for $5. As of said shopping experience: I have been the happiest breakfaster for the past week.

     Norberto Rierra is just about ready for baptism. We finished teaching him everything yesterday and he boastfully told us that he has been raised paying a tithing since he was a young child. Tithing, normally being hard to accept, was for once, the easiest principle to teach. Maria, his wife, explained to us that growing up in the Catholic Church in Paute (Cuenca) they had to donate the best of their crops to support the local Father. Listening to her describe how they would pick the best of the lettuce, the best of the pigs, and the best of a few other things was monthly family ritual. I thought I was listening to a biblical story. Speaking of biblical: the Bible was not permited to be read here in Ecuador until around the mid 1950´s. How ancient is that? Just goes to show that world culture has never been equal. 

     The work really is progressing. Nothing truely new to report. I am fine and my health is good. We have everything at our hands to have success here in Portete. We are working hard and we will be having one baptism this week and one the following. The Lord is blessing us more than He probably should. I guess we will just have to work harder to merecer (to earn?) His blessings. All of the blessings are needed porque nos llevan a lo Alto! 

Me basta decir: Les Quiero,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Alegria

Ann Maas (Typed while holding a baby. )

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Doreen Robinson" <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>
Date: Feb 14, 2011 5:17 PM
Subject: Fwd: Alegria
To:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Robinson <jeremiah.robinson@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 2:37 PM
Subject: Alegria
To: Doreen Robinson <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>


Family and Friends,

     If opening a sector wasn´t fun enough: the rains and power outages of Guayaquil are! I had forgotten the pure joy that warm rains can bring to a person. Last night we were in the farthest part of my sector when torrential rains started, within 10 minutes the power had gone out and the streets were flooded with mud. Normally this would have caused me to return home immediately (actually, that is what I should have done: rules) but I was in the farthest part of my sector and my companion and I didn´t want to cross the bridge in the dark. We swam (figuratively speaking) over to a members house and toweled off. They made us a great candlelight dinner and we enjoyed conversing until the power came back on and we reswam (figurative speaking) back to our house. Unlike Cuenca I don´t have to buy Hot Chocolate and bread, take a warm shower, and jump into bed to warm up. The rain in Guayaquil isn´t tropical. More on the warm side. It made for a really cool night.
    
     I think I mentioned last week that my current companion is Elder Calderon. He and I get along great. The work is a little slower in the mornings with him but we do get out and contact every day. My sector can be divided into 4 sections: ¨Portete¨, ¨Girosol¨, ¨Renacer¨, and ¨Jardines del Salado.¨ The latter 3 are comunities on the other side of the bridge. We live in ¨Portete¨ this side of Guayaquil. We have been working a lot in Jardines, the roads haven´t been finished yet and they are still filling in more swampland to put in more houses: it´s a muddy mess. The people we have been contacting are great and very receptive. I expect that we will have a fully fledged program (with just Jardines) in a week or two. The bonus of working with the Ward Mission Leader, the Ward Missionaries, and the Members will only cause the program to explode. Working with the Ward is the best option. ALWAYS.

     We are preparing for the baptism of Norberto Rierra. He is a 75+ year old gentleman who has been a Catholic his whole life due to tradition. His wife was baptised in December and never received permission from him to do it. She told us that he was hard hearted and she knew it was right so she did it anyway. He has been receiving us with gusto the last few weeks. He even happily accepted a baptismal date. He wasn´t baptised with the last missionaries because he had a hard time understanding them (which makes no sense: I am American and they are Chileans). Last night we were teaching them and I was under the impression that he knew that his wife was a member (his wife has been going to church for the last 2 months) and I mentioned that he would be baptised in the same way that his wife was: oops. He was super confused. He looked over to his wife and said, ¨Baptised like you? You´re not a Catholic anymore?¨ He looked slightly sad. She smiled saying, ¨Didn´t you see the change in me a few months ago? Haven´t we been happier than ever the last two months? Aren´t you a different person? I am part of Christ´s Church! And the two YOUNG Chileans were my friends to help me do it.¨ I sat back to see how the conversation would unfold. He paused. Thought. With a smile he declared, "This is serious business then. Will I be baptised Saturday or Sunday?" I could have laughed. The Gospel changes lives and families and I love watching (or at least seeing) the results in the lives of the converts. I am 100% confident he will be baptised before the first week of March but we are aiming for the last week of February.

     Everything else is going great. We are working hard. The District is having problems and we aren´t meeting the high baptismal standards that the President wants us to but all of that will come in time. Now I need to get back to my sector and work.

     I love you all. I am excited to be seeing you all in a few short weeks. I was listening to "Showtime!" from MoTab and they sing a song from Lord of the Rings called "In Dreams." I haven´t replayed it as much as Christy and I did with the "Utah!" CD and "I should have left you" but I have heard it a few times now. As I listened to the lyrics I realized that it had a lot in common with me. I can´t tell you how many times I have dreamed and all or some of you are there. I awake and sometimes I honestly think we talked during the night. Dreams truly are amazing and whether they be real or not they keep us going.

But in dreams
I can hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again

I will go there
And back again

     One of these days the dream will come true and we will all talk face to face. Happy Valentine´s Day!

Alegria,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Beginnings

Family and Friends,

     The last Family email I wrote today was una bina. Lo siento por la carta terrible. I didn´t have time to write more than just a few breif lines. So here is a real update on what is going on here in Guayaquil Ecuador.

     As I mentioned last week: I am currently in Portete Guayaquil. The sector is much quieter, in social terms, than my last sector in Guayaquil, although the sector is only 15 minutes away in bus. I guess 15 minutes can really make a huge difference in a city. My companion was Elder Tobar. We have been in the house for the last 2 weeks recovering from medical issues. He actually should be fully recovered today after the docter takes some plastic plates out of his sinus system. I was going to be present for the appointment but last night we were told that Elder Tobar would be transfered to another sector in Guayaquil and that I would be receiving Elder Caldaron from Loja. He should be arriving tonight around 6sh. The bus ride from Loja is 8-11 hours long. I went with Elder Tobar to the Terminal this morning. He wasn´t all that happy to be leaving Portete but there is not much we can do when it comes with changes. We just go with the flow and pray that everything turns out right. I will be opening my sector. To open a sector means that 2 new missionaries are present who don´t know the program, the members, nor the investigators. That would be Elder Robinson and Calderon. Elder Tobar was going to show me around the sector today... but that didn´t work out as we thought. Anyway. I am excited to get back to work. I have gotten pretty sick of the house and the 2 rooms we have.

     Health Update: My knee is now doing fine. Everything worked out right and we wont have to be doing any form of surgury nor further treatment.

     I can´t describe how excited I am to get back to work! How cool is it to be a missionary in Ecuador! Anyway, everything I hear about Portete tells me that it is one of the greatest sectors in the mission. I am blessed to be finishing (I hope) my mission there. This will make a great begining for the end.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

I love you all,

--
Elder Robinson

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Livin´ la vida loca!

Family and Friends,

Saludos de Ecuador!!!

Everything is back to normal. My knee is now ok after:

4 Blood Tests (I hate donating blood)
5 Shots en las nalgas (if your from Mexico that might be offensive)
$300+ of medicine
5 Hospital Days
1 IV
5 Docter´s visits
2 weeks of pills
Draining fluid (from the knee)
1 Lab Test

But everything is back to normal!

There were emergency changes last night and Elder Tobar left. I am now going to go back to work tonight... but I don´t even know where the members live. I have not left my house in 2 weeks. Anyway. I am going to love getting back to work.

Sorry the email is short, I am really short on time.

Love you all,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Portete - Guayaquil

Ann Maas (Typed while holding a baby. )

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Doreen Robinson" <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 31, 2011 3:26 PM
Subject: Fwd: Portete - Guayaquil
To: "Ann Maas" <anonymaas.family@gmail.com>, "Christie Skousen" <christie@mubus.com>, "Colleen & Shane Sykes" <sykesfamily@gmail.com>, "Elder Jeremiah Robinson" <Jeremiah.Robinson@myldsmail.net>, "Elder Spencer Robinson" <spencer.robinson@myldsmail.net>, "Elder, Christy" <christy.elder@gmail.com>, "Gale & Theresa Skousen" <gjskous@yahoo.com>, "Hughes, Amy & Dan" <danandamy@gmail.com>, "Jense, Susan" <srjenz@msn.com>, "Katrina Gabbitas" <katrinagabbitas@gmail.com>, "Leif Elder" <leif.elder@gmail.com>, "Marcia Johnson" <marciasjohnson@gmail.com>, "Melvin & Denna Martineau" <irsrat@aol.com>, "Orval Skousen" <orval.skousen@gmail.com>, "Peterson, Alice & Brad" <alice.peterson@att.net>, "Robinson, Mark & Doreen" <mark.doreen.family@gmail.com>, "Skousen, Tom & Christie" <tskousen@mubus.com>, "Spencer Robinson" <spencer.d.robinson@gmail.com>, "Teichert, Vonda & Ron" <vonda.teichert@gmail.com>, "Vonda Skousen" <vskousen@gmail.com>

FYI:  Jeremiah got a bad knee infection last week.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Robinson <jeremiah.robinson@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Subject: Portete - Guayaquil
To: Doreen Robinson <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>

Family and Friends,

 

     I was reading an email from Christy when the following scripture came to my mind from Hebrews 12: 

11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

     Anyone who knows what the last week has been like for me knows that it has not been a walk in the park. The week hardly seemed joyous however grievous. Nevertheless, Sunday brought me a lot of surprising strength. We were able to go to the first hour of Church to partake of the Sacrament. Reading Christy´s email helped me remeber the aforementioned scripture. The Lord that loves us chastens us. He wants us to grow. When I went to LDS.org to find the scripture I then read the following two versus that seem to be written directly to me:

12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

     Everything is going to turn out fine. It always does.

 

PORTETE - GUAYAQUIL

 

     I was moved sectors Sunday(ish). Changes happened and through a series of unfortunate events I had to leave Tomebamba Cuenca. The members there were so good to me and Elder Caal was one of the best companions I have ever had.

    

     I was reasigned to Elder Tobar from Chile and to the Salado Stake - Ward Portete. I will be ending my mission here (99.99% positive). I am super excited for the oppertunity. Portete is known to be a wonderful ward, 10 minutes north of where I last was in Guayaquil. Talking with Elder Johnson he told me how great the members are and how amazing the work is. The next four months will be a joyful experience.

 

     Love you all. More notices to come. 

 

--

Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

The 4th Missionary

Family and Friends,

I am not going to focus this email on what happened this week. Know the following: The work is moving forward and we had 4 people in church. Look for the baptisms in 2 weeks. Go Tomebamba!!!

What I am going to focus my email on: The Fourth Missionary

Elder Johnson, who has quickly become my best friend in the mission, even though he knows it not, has been talking with me as of late about the 4th Missionary. Finally I got my hands on the talk he was refering to... and I can now share it with all of you.

The talk was written by Lawrence E. C. of the Seventy (1st Quorum). I felt a huge need to read the talk... but the talk is 29 pages long... and I just never thought I would have the time. But needless to say... the Lord gives us the time.

It was Tuesday night. I was all ready for bed. In fact: I was In Bed. And I was going to go to sleep. My bed has had flees for the past 2 months now so I have been used to waking with hundreds of red bites that itch like none other. So I carefully wrapped myself in a clean blanket and bedded down for the night. I awoke at 12:30... unable to sleep. Itching all over from a hoard of rabid flees. I tossed and turned for about a half hour. I had to sleep! I need to work each day. Not that I am tired by 2:00 anyway. I prayed so that the Lord would put me to sleep. It had worked a few nights back so I thought I would put the Almighty's blessings to use again. He didn´t put me back to sleep. A thought came to my mind: Use the time to study. So I did.

When I got to my desk. The door safely closed as not to wake the other missionaries. I first saw the talk of the 4th Missionary sitting at the corner of my desk. I had nothing else to do... and I had plenty of time... so I decided to read the talk. And I read... and I read... then I thought... and then I read some more... The time seemed to stand still and I spent hours and hours reading and meditating. When I finished reading I opened up my journal and I started writing what I learned. Then I reread a few more parts of the talk... then I had time to do what I really needed to do: I prayed. I had a good long talk with my Father in Heaven.

I then tried to get some sleep. I finished my studies at 5:00... so I thought I would be able to sleep. It was more haphazard than anything else. I was so tired the next day. Drained. I felt like Joseph Smith after his visits from the Angel Moroni. Please don´t think that this was some HUGE spiritual experience for me... because it was FAR FROM. It was more of a realization that I had a lot more to do during my mission than I was doing. That maybe I was a good missionary... but I could be a better one. I could be the 4th Missionary.

I started putting in practice some of the things the talk mentioned instantly. I have seen the difference immediately. I was so impressed by the talk that I have attached it and am sending it to you all today. I hope you read it. It not only applies to missionaries... but it applies to all aspects of life... it applies to who you will become and who you are.

I talked with Elder Johnson about what I had learned and about what I am now putting into practice... and he gave me another assignment: to read the talk given by Elder Scott from the October 2010 Conference because it had a similar message. I hope you read that talk as well but you will have to prove your own faith in what I am saying by looking it up on www.lds.org .

Here is a snip it to catch and draw your attention. Hoping that you will read the rest of the talk:

So, do you see that the question is not only "are you obedient?" nor is it only, "are you worthy?" Rather, the central question, the critical question is "who are you, and who are you becoming?"

In the parable of the ten virgins five are prepared and enter the Lord's presence and five do not. Why does the Lord choose to use the metaphor of "virgins" in this particular parable? Why not ten maids, or ten servants? Why virgins? It is the only time that He employs the characterization of "virgins" in a parable. Is there a reason?

What does virginity imply? Purity. There were ten worthy, pure maidens and yet five did not enter His presence, despite their worthiness. Why not? He said to them: "Verily I say unto you, I know you not." (Matthew 25:12)

Do not misunderstand; obedience and worthiness are crucial, absolutely essential. Worthiness or purity is a quality of godliness, but it is only one quality of godliness. It is not the whole of it. The question may not be merely "are you worthy, pure and clean?" It may not be only "have you been forgiven of your sins?" It may not even be only "were you obedient?" The central question is more likely to be: "Who are you?" Who are you and who are you becoming?

Think about it...and then read the whole talk. It really made me think. And now I am doing things differently.

Love you all,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Rewind...

Family and Friends,

I felt like I was drifting this week even though we finally got back on track after all the holiday madness. We are working really hard with Family Guaman and Ximena Zhirapa. 4 of my converts here in Cuenca. They are struggling now. Some more than others. Why can´t life be full of happiness? It always seems that there is something working against us... go figure.

I had an interchange with Elder Johnson this week. I am super inspired by him. I learned a lot and we had a lot of time to catch up and talk. He and I entered the mission together and we were living together in the MTC for 9 weeks. Here in Ecuador I didn´t see him for almost a year until I was in Guayaquil and then only a few times. He then left to Machala, I went for Milagro, and now we are both in Cuenca and it is cool to see how our missions have changed us both. We can both see it in each other even if we cant see it in ourselves. Maybe I have changed a lot in 20 months.

We were tracting when we came accross a family we had talked to weeks ago. Unknowingly we talked to them again and they invited us into their home to share our message. We taught lesson 1 (the Restauration) and they were attentive listeners. At the end of the lesson 66% of the family had no major questions... and not much interest. However the other 33% of the family said, and I quote, "I want to know this book is true. When can you visit me again? Maybe in my other house?" We have a lesson with them tomorrow but it is cool to see that the Lord is still putting people in our path.

I spent a lot of time studying faith this week. I was never a good reader when it came to "Bible Study" but I have found that the Bible actually contains a lot of really cool things. Por ejemplo:

Hebrews 11: Probably the best chapter to read up on when you want to learn about faith... comparing it to Ether 12.
Hebrews 12: So maybe it is a good thing the Lord punishes us. Stay happy when it´s your turn to be chastised.
2 Peter 3: The timing for the Second Coming depends on us.
JST: The book of John, The Old Testament... a ton of really cool things slipped out of the bible. Maybe we should study this section a little bit more and we will realize why.

When it comes to the Book of Mormon I would suggest that people dive through Moroni 7. Once you are past v19 you are into the really cool doctrines.

As for Elder Robinson: I am still alive and kicking! January is a great month to work. I am excited for the next following weeks to see what they will bring. I love hearing from all of you so don´t be shy in sending me a note or an update.

Love,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Fwd: 2011

Ann Maas

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Doreen Robinson" <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 3, 2011 3:10 PM
Subject: Fwd: 2011
To:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Robinson <jeremiah.robinson@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Subject: 2011
To: Doreen Robinson <doreen.robinson@gmail.com>


Family and Friends,

So another year has bitten the dust. Time really does fly.

The last week was probably the toughest week for the work here in Cuenca. It is customary that the Mountain People go to the Coast for the holidays. Literally... there was no one home in our sector. For every 100 houses we contacted... maybe 5-6 had people in them. And of the 5-6 that had people in them... 0 wanted to actually listen to us. It was a fun and interesting week nonetheless. The next big festival will be Carnival... when all clothing will be stained with blue, purple, red, orange, and black dye. Yeah!

We also played a little bit of "Cops and Robbers" this week. Maybe I will explain that one a little bit more when I get home.

For the work: We are looking for people to put into our program. We are supposed to have 2 baptisms this month but we will have to see what we can do and what the Lord is willing to give us. At this moment exactly... the horizon is dark.

But there is something on the horizon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Love,

--
Elder Robinson

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.