December 24th, 2014

Elder Robertson's Christmas Message

December 22nd, 2014

This week was good.  We did a lot of contacts!  We talked to 166 people this week.  It was a good week, we worked hard.  Church was normal so that was good.  We gave talks.  It was funny because the power went out during my talk but it’s good the church buildings are small so I didn't have to yell too loud! :)  This week has been really cold!  Ha-ha go figure.  The day isn't bad but the mornings and nights are terrible.  Friday and Saturday it rained tons!  But today looks like it should be good!  Wednesday we have permission to be out until 11:00.  We are going to be with family Hueiquemilla and we are going to eat dinner with them.  That’s where I’m going to Skype as well. 

The Zone is going good.  It’s kinda hard because everything is so spread out.  We have to buy all the wood for next year.  And we still have to do house inspections. Ha-ha it always seems like we are running around.  It’s good though because I've trained myself to sleep on all the buses. 

We are working hard!  Lanco is a very interesting sector.  There are lots of less-actives and they are less-actives for a lot of reasons!  But oh well.  We have been working really hard to find the chosen people whether they are investigators or less-actives that want to come back.

I like these scriptures. We are trying to apply this to everybody.

D & C 29: 

 7 And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;

D & C 

 34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

 35 Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men

 34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

This has helped me realize the only reason people aren´t chosen by God is because they don´t want to.

Things are good here!  I’m excited to be a missionary in this time!  I love the work so much.

Well I think that’s all for now!  See you Wednesday.

December 15th, 2014

Hey fam!!!

So i was thinking.  We should Skype either Wednesday the 24th or Saturday the 27th.  I can do it whenever just look up the time change and decide when you all can be there.  Let me know by next Monday.  I need to find my password and stuff but it should be easy.  I'm excited to see you guys!!!!! 

This week was good.  My zone is the second most northern zone.  There is a zone a little bit more north in the cities of Pucon and Villarica.  But I'm still really north!  haha  It's been so hot.  Our zone is the cities of Los Lagos, Lanco, San Jose, Mafil, and Pangipulli.  It covers a lot of area. 

This week we had district conference on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday, before the activity, we had a Christmas dinner and activity with presidente.  It was awesome!  We ate turkey!  The activity was really fun too.  We wrapped Books of Mormon up and then went around and sang to everybody we could find, giving them the Books of Mormon afterwards.  It was really fun and we talked to lots of people.  It was crazy though, because we had to plan everything for the actividad.  It was a lot of work!  But it turned out, so that's good!  I'm just tired now!  haha  But, so far, I like being a zone leader.  It's a ton of work but I like it.  Elder Beals is an awesome elder.  He is a super hard worker and is an awesome leader.  That's cool you talked to his mom!  You guys should get together, that would be cool. 

This week should be good.  We should be able to work really hard this week and focus real hard!  We don't have any surprise activities to plan so I'm excited! :) 

The weather has been super hot!  I can't believe how hot it is all the time!  I'm excited for summer though.  It's so much better than winter!  The food isn't too much different but here we only eat with the members on Sunday.  I like it a lot better because the food we make doesn't drip with oil! 

So I keep trying to send pics but it isn't working.  I'm pretty sure all my stuff has viruses.  This week I will use a different SD card and maybe it will work.  Thanks for all the pictures you guys have sent I love seeing all that's going on!  Thanks for everything!  You are the best family ever! 

Let me know about Skype.  I can do it whatever time either of those days.

Love,

Elder Robertson

December 8th, 2014

Hey Fam,

Lanco is awesome! Its pretty small but it's a lot bigger than Francke so I like it a lot.  The people are so much different here.  They are really nice and receptive.  I like being here a lot.  There are just a lot of problems! haha I don't think I've had a busier week in all of my mission. 

First off, it was tons of traveling!  Friday we went to Osorno again for the leadership meeting; total it was 6 hours of traveling.  The meeting was good.  It was kinda funny because it was all over the place and really disorganized but, whatever, I learned a lot! 

So my first week in the rama (branch)!  I think it's a rama of about 40 people.

It has been such a crazy week! haha I was so tired last night! 

Elder Beals is awesome; he is a lot like Aaron!  We get along great and he is a really hard worker. I've learned a ton from him in just a week!  We are going to have a good cambio!  It's interesting here in Lanco because we don't have a mamita.  We get extra money and we just cook lunch everyday!  It's been great so far.  We have been eating pretty dang good!  Healthwise, I feel a lot better!  We have made pizza and fajitas!  It's been good.  The zone is pretty small but I like it!  It covers a huge area because it's all really spread out cities.  But it's going to be good.  Lots of traveling! :)  But the buses are really nice so it's not bad.  I'm going to like Lanco a lot.  The branch president here is the best leader I've met in Chile!  I'm really excited.

Thanks for the package.  It didn't fit in my suitcase so I opened it!  It's awesome!!!!  Best Christmas ever!  I also got grandma's package!  That was really nice of her, I'm going to send her an email.  I feel bad I'm so terrible at writing everybody.

Football sounds great, I'm glad there is a small playoff!  I hope it makes things better. 

I think that's everything!  I'm excited for this week, things should calm down and we can really get to work! 

Love,

Elder Robertson 

p.s. Hey, I was thinking, the next time you talk to Aunt Carla could you tell her I love her and she is an awesome aunt grandma.  I was thinking of her! Thanks :)

December 1st, 2014

There are Cambios!  I'm going to a place called Lanco.  My new companion is elder Beals :) I remember you asking about him and that you know a family member or something.  I'm going to be a zone leader.  That should be interesting!  I've heard it's a small sector but awesome!  It's about 4 hours by bus to the north.  It should be good, I'm excited.  Just nervous.  Cambios are Wednesday.  Every cambio there is a meeting with president and all the zone leaders. It's this Friday! haha.  I`ll leave Wednesday and travel all day long to Lanco and then come back to Osorno on Friday.  Elder Fernandez is staying here and Elder Petrovelli is going to a new sector.  It's pretty crazy because there were a ton of changes this cambio.  It's pretty neat because my trainer is going home and he is the zone leader in Lanco!  I'm going to replace him.

I got your package today.  I'm going to try and pack it and save it for Christmas.  But we will see if I can fit it.

It's weird to think I have been here in Osorno for 6 months.  It has flown by.  I have learned a lot being here.  I have liked it a lot.

Something funny that happened this week!  I tried to pray in English and I couldn't do it!  Ha-ha.  I totally forgot.  I kept saying things in Spanish and it just didn't work out at all!

I'm glad Thanksgiving was really good!  That's cool that lots of the family got together!  Aunt Melissa and Uncle Casey's house is HUGE!  That is awesome!  How long do they plan on living there?

Glad everything is going good!  This week was good!  I've been super tired!  It's the end of a great cambio. Love you guys a ton!

Elder Robertson

p.s. Sending pictures didn`t work.  I will send some next week!  I can't believe we will be Skyping in a couple weeks!

November 24th, 2014

This week has been good.  This is the last week of the cambio!  We should know about cambios this Sunday or next Monday.  It's been a good cambio.  It sure has been crazy!  I think I might leave, I've been here for 6 months!!!  That's crazy!  It's been good, I`ve learned a lot the last little bit.  Sunday was the Primary Program!  It was super good, there is only like ten primary kids but they did a good job. 

Michael is progressing a ton.  We have taught him everything and he is ready for his interview!  We did everything now, just in case the other elders in the ward where he lives aren't the best.  We are going to have a lesson with Michael on martes(Tuesday) with the other elders so he can get to know them.  Hopefully the other ward does good but I'm a little worried.  The ward where he lives is the ward that Elder Fernandez came from so it should be interesante.  Everything is going to go good.  He is an awesome person; he will make a good member. 

That's awesome you bought a piano!  I have been studying the gifts that God gives us a lot this week and I'm fairly certain the Ellie has a gift to play piano! :)  Where did you end up putting it? 

Ha-ha Dallin needs to stop crashing!  Ha-ha, What are the chances they would hit each other!  It's good nobody was hurt.

Ha-ha, I took the picture of the Hobbit because I read your Lord of the Rings quote dad!

I don't know if I will find a nativity set.  We went into a store today that had a lot of cool stuff.  It had several different nativity sets but they were all made in China! Ha-ha, There isn't much here that's made in Chile.

I think that is everything!  Love you guys!

Elder Robertson

This is our district.  The Gringa goes home this cambio, and the other hermana is leaving too because she has knee problems.  But they are cool.

This is michael!  He lives in a different ward so he is going to be baptized there but it was awsome him to teach him.  If I'm still here I'll go see him get baptized.
We went to the mall to eat lunch today and this was there.  Ha-ha, I had to take a picture!  The Hobbit!!!!!! Battle of the five armies!!!!!  Sounds like it's going to be a movie about war! :)

Last p-day we were hiking and found this super cool tree.  It was huge and the branches drooped all the way to the ground.  It was a big dome.
This is Family Yasima.  They live across the street from us.

 Ok, so funny story...... I have a buzz cut now :)  Last p-day, after I emailed, I went and got my hair cut.  I didn't realize until we got home just how bad it was.  It wasn't super bad but still it wasn't very good.  So Elder Petrovelli said he could fix it :) ha-ha.  The first picture is after he fixed my hair!:)  It was super funny we were laughing so hard we were crying (there is a bit of a line).

So we went to a member and she had to cut all my hair off to fix it:)

She had to use the buzzer to cut my hair so the sides she had to cut with a 0 and the top she cut with a 2:) It's so short but I like it a lot! :) haha

We found this dog stuck as it was trying to squeeze through the fence.
It was Hno. Moriera's (papito's) birthday, it was really fun and we had a ton of food!
They make this drink with pineapple juice, ice cream, and ginger ale.  It's super good!  We tried taking a "drunk" picture.

November 17th, 2014

I've been in two trios this week!  Wednesday an elder that went home a year ago came back to the mission. He is from Paraguay.  It was really cool, he is a good elder.  He was with us for just the day and then he went to his new sector.  Now we are in another trio.  The elders is from Argentina.  It's been really interesting.  We are going to be in a trio at least until the end of the combio.  It will be interesting to see what happens for cambios but I think I will leave. 

Elder Nelson was awesome!  It was the greatest thing ever!  I got to shake his hand!!!!  It was a really neat experience.  I learned lots and it was cool to hear all of his stories.  I also got to hear from his wife!  She is awesome.  She told us a story about how she was in Russia in a training of relief society sisters.  She felt impressed to learn about the lineage of the sisters there and so she went through all the tribes of Israel and when she would say a tribe she would ask all the people from that tribe to stand.  There were 11 of the tribes represented in that one meeting!  Only the tribe of Levi wasn't represented.  Then she talked about how fast word travels.  After the conference, they flew to Armenia.  And when they got off the plane, the mission president was there with an elder and as soon as they got off the plane the president said "I found Levi!"  haha The elder was from the states somewhere but was from Levi!  How cool is that?!  She talked about how this is the Last Days!  Elder Nelson mentioned it too.  He said The Second Coming is going to happen tomorrow!  We just don't know which tomorrow :)  It was really neat to listen to Elder Nelson.  He had lots of stories about his work as a doctor.  He is super smart, he was breaking down words into latin and greek.  I don't even know how many languages he knows!  It was a neat experience! 

We have an investigator that is progressing, awesome!  His name is Michael; he is 22 and he is going to get baptized december 6!  He is really cool and has come to church the past two weeks!  We are trying to work more with the members but it's not working very well.  We are going to keep trying! 

So, I have been looking around for a nativity set.  All that I have found are made in China.  I found one made in Italy but it doesn't have the baby Jesus, just an empty manger.......... I'm not quite sure I get that one..... But I will keep my eyes out.  Nothing is impossible when you work hard!:) 

My other Companion, Elder Fernandez is awesome.  We are just working hard!  Just trying to help Elder Petrovelli out. 

I need something and I keep forgetting!  Could you send me a copy of my priesthood line of authority!  It would be neat to have.

I think that is everything, thanks for your emails!  You guys help me more then you know!  You keep me excited to always work hard!!!

Love You tons!!!!!!! 

Elder Robertson     

I saw my trainer one last time in the meeting with Elder Nelson.  He goes home this cambio!!!! 

I'm definitely the son of a science teacher!:)  I have to catch and look at every everything cool in nature! 

November 10th, 2014

The trip to the volcano was good.  It was really high up!  We drove a big part of the way up and then hiked a good part it, was really cloudy but still awesome!  We also went to another place.  It's called Saltos de Petrohue or something like that, Ha-ha!  It was a huge river and there were some crazy rapids!  It was really neat; the water is so powerful!  The water was really pretty too.  It was ice blue and you could see right through it.  It's been a long p-day.  We woke up early and left right away.  We got back at around three.  Things have been good; we had lots of people come to church.  We found some new people to teach and we had our zone conference.  I'm super excited for this week.  Elder Nelson is coming!  It should be really good. 

This week was awesome.  A lot of things are changing for the better!  It's a good time to be on the mission.  I learned a lot in the Zone conference.  It was cool seeing the ward go to the temple.  They came back a lot better!  It's a bummer they can`t go every week.  I've made it a goal to work in the temple when I get home and go at least once a week.  I will write those school essays and I will send them next week.  You guys are the best family in the world!  I love you guys so much!  One of my new favorite scriptures is in Juan (John), the last chapter, I think it's 21.  It's after the resurrection and Jesus appears to Juan while he is fishing.  I love how the Lord says, "Feed my sheep" three times.  It really made me think.  How much do I love the lord?  Elder Holland has a super good talk on that.  Love you guys a ton!  Thanks for all the updates!  Glad everything is going good.

We made no bake cookies!  They are really good! :)

For a lot of the time on the volcano it was cloudy but it cleared out a couple of times.  These were on the way up.

We never could see the very top of the volcano, but it was still really neat!  It was really high up.  During winter you can ski!

The river was awesome.  The flyfishing in this area is super good.  I think one day we will come here to just fish!

This is my jersey I bought!  I wore it up almost to the top of the volcano. 

November 3rd, 2014

Hey family, this week was super-good.  We had Stake conference, which was really good.  We got to hear President Obeso speak at all 4 sessions.  It was awesome.  They talked a lot about action and how we need to act on our faith.  I love Santiago(James) 2 "Faith without works is dead."  I've made it a goal to read the New Testament and I'm almost done with the Book of Mormon.  I'm going to read the Book of Mormon in English too.  I love the scriptures so much.  They have the answers to everything.v I especially love the New Testament. I feel like my testimony of the Savior has grown a lot just by starting to read it.  One thing I like about the way the Savior taught was the way He uses questions, every question he asks is a perfect question.

I will look for a Nativity set, I haven't seen any here but I will keep looking.  Kinda a bummer for football! haha hopefully the Colts win!  It's good BYU ended up winning, is Hill a junior?  Will he be able to play next year?

I have absolutely outstanding news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I found Cheddar cheese!  I almost cried I was so happy! haha I've started cooking a lot more and I like making breakfast burritos!  Now I have real cheese to use!!!! :)

We contacted this guy that lives in a broken down super-old car!  It was pretty funny, he is older and only has one eye.  He's pretty dang receptive.  We are going to start sharing with him and we are going to help him.

Our ward is going to do a ward temple trip Thursday to Saturday!  It's going to be awesome for them but we won't have members here haha.  It would be great sending a conference ensign!  I think Captain Crunch and gold fish crackers would be good too. :)  I still have lots of onera but you could send more Kool aid!  That's all I can think of!

I can`t believe that Mathew and Corbyn are teachers!  That just doesn't make sense! :)  That's awesome nana got home!  Her trip was really long!  How's uncle Logan doing?  Is he still dating the marine sniper?

Well I think that's all.  It's been really cold the past little bit but hopefully it warms up soon!  Love you guys tons!  Hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Robertson

There is this big huge park right next to the river that we walked down into.  It was really pretty and we actually found a house.  It just turns out there is a lion of a dog that lives in the house too...... We never made it close! :)

Here are some more pictures of the river.  Ha-ha, the "pond" picture is from when the river rises.  The first little bit I was in Osorno the river rose about 20 feet but everything is built really well for all the water so it didn't flood anything except big giant retention parks.  It got really close to spilling out of the banks in some parts but thankfully it didn't. 

October 27th, 2014

We had cambios!  Elder Marshall left to Punta Arenas.  It was really fast, they called us in the morning Tuesday around 7:00am.  He left Tuesday at 6:00!  It was really fast; he got his bags ready and we ran around centro and he left!  I was sad to see him go!  Elder Fernandez is awesome!  He has about 7 months in the mission.  He is a super good elder; we have worked so hard this week.  We did tons of contacts and we taught a ton!  It has been a really good week.  We had 67 people in church!  That's the most we've had in my time here.  It was crazy to see so many people in church!  I think I'm going to be surprised when I see our ward! :)

It was really cool.  Saturday we had a ward member come out and work with us.  We visited some less actives and some inactive people.  It was great because every single one of the people we visited with the member came to church!  There was a mom, daughter, and son that haven't come in a really long time!  And they came to church.  Tonight we are going to have a noche de hogar (Family Home Evening) in the home of the Stake President, with the same family!  We are still sharing with Juan Carlos.  He wants to get baptized January 11. Hope everything works out for them. 

That's crazy Nana gets home Wednesday!  Time sure flew by! 

Fun Fact for the day!!!!  The tomato cheese spinach ravioli was on sale 3 for one today!!!!!  I bought 3! :) 

The work has been going really good.  It's awesome to be a missionary.  In the Christmas package you send could you send the Ensign from conference? 

Football sounds great, I hope Utah keeps doing good.  It's good this year they won`t be second to last in the Pac 12.  Colts is a bummer!  I think it will take a little time for them to get back on top!  Peyton needs at least one more Superbowl and he can retire.:)  

Tell Aunt suzie Thanks!

I think that is everything.  I talked to our mamita and we are going to have a big turkey dinner for Thanksgiving!  That should be fun!

Love you guys!

Elder Robertson

This is Elder Ramer.  He has only 6 weeks in the mission.  He has been staying with us the past little bit.  He is from a small city really close to Gilbert.  I'm not sure how long he will be with us. 

This is my new companion, Elder Fernandez.  He is from Sonora, Mexico. 

The other day we saw a guy outside with a chick.  Just so we could talk to him, I asked him if I could take a picture of it.  It was really funny.  He is a cool guy.  I was looking for new ways to contact people.  haha Chickens work every time! :)

This is the edge of our sector in Franke.

Elder Marshall se fue! A Punta Arenas!!


Oh yea!!!!!!!!! Elder Russell M. Nelson is coming! :) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! November 12.  I'm going to be here in Osorno this time to see an Apostle!

October 20th, 2014

This week has been good.  I will find out about cambios tonight.  I don´t think we will change but we will see what happens. 

This week has been good.  We had some great lessons this week.  The weather has been crazy.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday it rained non-stop.  I watched that video on the email.  I can`t use youtube but I watched it from the email.  Ellie can play super-well!!!!!!  That was amazing! 

Last Sunday they asked me to give a talk this week.  But yesterday when they were announcing the talks they said Elder Marshall.  It was super funny.  But he gave a super good talk.  It is going to be stake conference in two or three weeks.  It's going to be super awesome! 

My stomach hurts a little bit today so I'm kinda out of it.  I'm super tired!  The runs are dumb. haha

I'm excited either way with cambios.  If I leave or if I stay.  I'm excited to work.  If I stay here we should have some baptisms! 

Football is awesome!  That is so cool about Peyton Manning!  He is the best.  Hopefully Utah keeps it up and wins some more big games!  Too bad about BYU!  What are they going to do?  Was Hill a senior?

You guys are the best!  I love you so much!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

p.s. tell Trevor to write me!  He still hasn`t! :)

 This is brother and sister Osorio.  We ate lunch with them yesterday.  This is the family that we cut tons and tons of wood for.  They are awesome.  One of the best families I've met.  They were baptized 34 years ago and have been super strong in the gospel ever since.  Hno. Osorio is really sick right now.  It was really cool because we passed by the other day and he said how he wanted to come to church Sunday and go to the temple (the ward is going to do a temple trip).  When he said that, I just felt super-strong like we should give him a blessing.  So we did.  It was really cool because we worked it out so he could come to church and there he paid for his ticket to the temple!  It was super cool.  It's a bummer he is really sick but he seems to be getting a little better.  It is the coolest thing to go into their house.  They live alone because all their kids are grown up and have big families of their own.  The spirit is super-super strong in their house.  I like it a lot.

 I got a package from Nana!  It was delicious.  We ate it super-super fast.  I sure love the Scottish/English chocolate.  It's crazy she will be home soon.  Time sure flies by when you're having a good time!

We had a ward talent show Friday.  We were going to play the Drums with the son of our mamita, Gonzalo, but he canceled!  I was super-excited but oh well.  Maybe next time.  We have been practicing after we eat lunch everyday.  It's cool.

October 13th, 2014

Just pictures this time.

The biggest Bumblebee I have ever seen somehow got in our house!

I took this pic outside our house yesterday after church.

The kid closest to us is Alexis Canedo he just got back from a faithful mission to Santiago! He is the only member. The guy in the blue lives in a different sector and is going to be baptised next week!

Spring is finally here! 

One of the coolest flowers of all time!  It opens during the day and closes at night!

The great Bull of Osorno.

I can never see fish so I guess it's not so bad. :)

Last p-day was really nice so we walked around and took a bunch of pics. 

The Villa Olimpica is where we play sports and stuff.

In the third pic if you look way in the back on the left side you can see the volcano!

I got a letter from Nana. Read the sticker on the side of the envelope very carefully.......That's why it took so long to get here :)