Monday, January 31, 2011

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



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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

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



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Monday, January 10, 2011

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



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Monday, January 3, 2011

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



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