Elder Robertson's Christmas Message

December 16, 2013

Thanks for the poem it was awesome!!!!! 

I got my suitcase at zone conference, I just forgot to tell you.  Guess what!  I got the Christmas package!!!!  All the Skittles and Starbursts are gone and most of the Chewy Sweetarts and most of the oatmeal also.  But I'm saving most of the graham crackers!!!!!  Thanks for the Christmas tree it's beautiful!  And the sticky things :) ha-ha my house is prettyfied for Christmas.

This week was ok, we didn`t teach a lot but we had three super-awesome investigators in church!!!!  That was exciting. 

Yeah, I stay pretty warm.  Do you know the saying, "if you don't like the weather in Utah stay for awhile?"  I've changed it to apply to Punta Arenas.  If you don't like the weather in Punta Arenas stay for 5 minutes. ha-ha  The days are crazy.  It will go from rain to blue sky to snow to wind to blue sky, rain, snow, wind, sunny, cold, hot.   I just described the weather every hour :) it's awesome, I love it.

The picture I sent of the family last week were members, we helped reactivate them!  They were really fun.

Skype will be the 23rd, 24th, or 25th.  We have to talk to the guy in our ward and I don`t know the time yet.  I can`t believe how close it is!

Glad things are good in utah! 

Les amo mucho! (I love you all a lot)  All you guys are awesome.  Thanks for the package, it was awesome!  Tambien, I got your letter dad from your talk it was super-AWESOME.  I liked the quotes a ton and the comic was hilarious!

Sorry this isn't super long, this week was uneventful until the weekend when we had awesome lessons and got people to church.  Picture time!!!!!!!!

This is Erica and her youngest son, Sebastian.  He is 17.  They are super, super, awesome.  We have been teaching them for a while, they came to church on Sunday!  The man is a retired doctor in our ward that goes on splits with us. We helped them with their tree!

Here is the Poem that Kyla sent:

A Missionary Christmas:

I skipped the sales after Thanksgiving, the thrill just wasn't there.

No pictures taken with Santa Claus, my decorating has no flair.

His presents are shoes, shirts, and ties, two suits and socks....no fun.

I've bought him all white clothes because....

This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I've spent more time in the temple, my testimony stirred.

I've reread November's Ensign, felt strength come from His words.

Our family prays more frequently, my tears are quick to run.

Abraham seems closer because....

This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I wonder how those Lamanite mothers, gave their sons to war?

Or how the pioneers chose Zion, their sacrifice was so much more.

My loss will be his presence, I'll miss his smile a TON.

For two years we will pray for him....

I'm giving Christ my son.

I stare at his face when he's not looking I memorize his eyes, their shine.

He's always hungered for the part of him, that makes his soul divine.  

The stories and lessons he always heard, His choice and mine are one.

I'll put my faith in God's hand....

This year, I'm giving Him my son.

Past gifts have lost their glitter, I think I finally understand

Christ's birth should be celebrated by giving Him a hand.

It's because I know Christ lives and reigns, that all his packing's done.

My gift has taken years to make, this year....

I'm giving Christ my son.

I know there's One who understands, the sacrifice I'm making,

For He had done it all before, Greater Love there could be none.

For years ago God gave to me....

His only begotten son.

The hands I washed, the hands I held, the hands I taught to pray,

Now knock on doors to find the ones, who will listen to what he'll say.

Because I know Christ needs him, until all the gathering's done.

My gift has taken years to make....

This year....I'm giving Christ my son.

December 9, 2013

We had investigators in church but none this week so that was a bummer.  So the ward mission leader asked me to give a spiritual thought about missionary work.  I just thought in the gospel principles class.  So when I got to church the first counselor came up and asked if I was speaking!  Turns out I was giving a talk in sacrament meeting! HA-HA  But it was good, I just talked about missionary work.

Zone Conference was super-good.  I got some chocolate and socks.  Afterwards we sang some Christmas songs.  That was funny.  Not much exciting happened this week, I'm kinda bummed everything just kinda fell apart.  Oh well, we had a ton of super awesome lessons.  One menos activa familia we are working with is coming to church and talking to the Obispo (bishop) about the Melchizedek priesthood and being sealed in the temple!

I need to take more pics with people. sorry:)  I'll take more.  I haven`t seen any ropes (to hang on to in the wind) but there are lots of rails to hold onto.  So far I haven't eaten seafood at all.  I know some of it is dangerous and so we can't.  But people feed us chicken and rice usually. Ha-ha, usually about the same everyday :) but it's good and I enjoy it a lot.

We're not allowed to email other missionaries in the mission so I don't know about Elder Parsons, I'm bummed! We have tons (of work) but people work a ton!!!!!!  One guy we are "teaching" is here 6 days and works outside for 26.  3 here and 13 outside!  There are jobs here but very few.  Punta Arenas is houses and not much else.  People work in big factories and ships that are all super spread out.

Dad, it's time to get a truck and give "old red" to Dallin (after putting some wheels on it).  Everything is going super good down here just work work work, I'm so tired!!!!  Love ya tons

Elder Robertson 

Me and the Perez Family from Valdivia

Elder Parsons and I

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

December 2, 2013

We have a ton of people to work with!  I don't even know them all.  People’s schedules are crazy here. Lots of the people work on big fishing factory ships and big factories on islands way far away.  One guy takes a boat to his work and, when the weather is perfect, it takes three days to get there!  Normally it takes about 8 days!  People are busy!  This was a good week, we taught a lot.  I was bummed we had a bunch of people I thought would come to church but they didn´t.

Hahaha so about it being summer here in Chile...doesn't apply to Punta Arenas :).  It snowed twice this week!  Ha-ha, and the wind!!!!!!!!  There have been a couple times I thought the house was going to get ripped apart!  I don't remember if I mentioned last week but most of the trees grow sideways!  There have been a couple of times I've almost been blown off of my feet!

Sounds like Thanksgiving was good!  I'm still kinda scared to eat meat :).   I'm glad testimony meeting was really good.  I love testimony meeting here; there a lot of really good members.  The bishop here is awesome he is brand new but does a great job.

Football is great!!!!! The Colts are going to win it all!!!! Ha-ha sounds like BYU basketball is doing freaking great!

Feel free to send letters also.  It's expensive to print and I don't think letters will take too long compared to packages.

I have a family challenge!  Everyone has to read the talk “The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion” by President Benson.  It's super, super good!

We have a ton of investigators!  You could pray for Carlos, Magdalena, and their daughter Evelyn.  They need to come to church! :)

Our heater is vented to the outside but I'll be careful, it's not on during the night.

This week is Zone conference!  That should be fun!!  Well, that's all for now! Love ya tons!!!!!

We live in a tiny part of the house to the left.

November 25th, 2013

Hey!!!!!!  Punta Arenas is awesome!!!!  Super cold at nights and pretty cold during the day because of the wind; the wind is freezing!!!!!  The sky is massive here!!!!!!!  It is so cool.  The sun is blazing when it's out!  So bright you can't even look up!  The package was awesome!  The beef jerky was great!...so it was gone really fast..  Punta Arenas is great, it is so beautiful and its right by the ocean! 

My new sector is massive!!!!!  All the wards have two companionships except ours and I'm pretty sure our ward is one of the bigger ones!  It's crazy, I don't think I've seen half of it.  It would take 45 minutes to an hour to walk from one side to the other!  haha  It's awesome though, I love it so far.  The ward is awesome, it's pretty big I think around 70 people! 

Elder Sanchez is awesome!  He is a really good elder!  I realized this week I don't speak Spanish at all.  It's coming along, we can communicate mostly. ha-ha.  We carry a dictionary around though.  He is from Columbia but not the same mission Wensel is going to.  He lives on the west side of the country.  The name of it is really long and weird so I don't know it!

The food is really good, it's super similar to Valdivia.  Chicken with chicken with some bland chicken sauce without flavor.  We eat a ton of chicken.  I eat a lot of cereal too :) haha some of it is American too!!!!!!!!!!  The food is normally pretty bland with about a gallon of oil.  I wouldn't be surprised if they eat their cereal with oil instead of milk!  I have all of my winter stuff.  I usually wear my big coat and a beanie, it's not bad.

(Answer to a question about getting his hair cut) It's pretty expensive and it's not that long! haha 

I left my card reader in the house, sorry, lots of pics next week :)

I talk to Aaron quite a bit he is doing really good!  Tell Kraig Congrats!!!!!!!

Dang, crappy week for football!  Lame!!!!

It will take two weeks to a month for my bag to get here.  It's shipped through a bus company.  They ship it over land.  It's the same for mail and packages too, I think.

Don't put off what you can do today until tomorrow or it will never get done! :)

Tell Dallin I didn't leave the house haunted, I promise.

This sector is awesome, it's so big we have tons of investigators.  We are always sprinting around.  Yesterday we got a family to church.  They are really cool and we're hoping they get baptized on the 21st.  Things are super awesome here, I love it!  The people are so friendly its wierd! 

Tell everyone I love them tons and miss them!  Tell Nana I didn't have time to write her again so sorry and I love her tons!

Nos Vemos!

Elder Robertson

November 18, 2013

I got your package!  With the beef jerky!  Thank you so much!!!!!!  It was all great... was.... its all gone now:)

But I have bad news, it's going to take a long time for packages or letters to get to me for awhile....

This week has been good.  I feel kinda bad because Elder Parsons, I think, was pretty sure he was going to leave but it turns out he is training again here and I'm leaving!!!!!!  It's crazy, I am going to Punta Arenas!!!!!!!!  I'm so excited, I can't wait.  I have heard only good things about it.  I fly down there Wednesday!  My new companion's name is Elder Sanchez, a native from chile! Guess I have to learn spanish now.

 

Mom, in your card you asked about bon o bons.  Yes I have had them... imagine eating heaven :) that's a bon o bon they are so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love them a ton.

We do a ton of contacting and we find a ton of people but usually we can't find them home or they aren't really interested when we go back.

That's crazy the bishopric is changing!  Bro. Glover will do awesome!  Glad everything is good in the ward and home.  That will be cool learning the piano!  I don't think I could learn to play an instrument, Ellie is going to learn them all it sounds like! :)

This week was good we found some new people, that will turn into something.  We had a super awesome lesson with A______ so I think he will start to come around again.

Not much else has happened this week I've been packing.  I just dropped one of my suitcases off.  It will be shipped down to Punta Arenas, so that will take 2 weeks to a month.  We talked to a lot of drunk people this week. ha-ha  We were contacting this house and a naked drunk opened the door, that was surprising.  We didn't stay for very long!  I'm excited today I'm going to a little town on the beach that has a big fort.  That should be fun. 

(FYI - As far as we know, Punta Arenas is the furthest south proselyting city in the world!  It is on the Strait of Magellan and is only about 800 miles from Antarctica)

November 11, 2013

This week has been good.  We taught a lot.  Saturday we had a family night set up with _______ and _______ (the young couple with 3 kids).  They are really cool.  The family night fell through and we weren´t able to teach them.  We just thought they had not really wanted to share with us anymore.  But we went over yesterday and found out it was ________ mom’s b-day so they weren´t home because of that.  So we talked with the wife for just a little bit and we were leaving and we just said we will stop by later. We started to say bye and leave but she just said, “Wait, when are you coming back?”  So I’m pretty sure they are really interested we just have to get them to church!  We taught a lot this week but didn´t find anybody too interested.  Yesterday a menos activa came to church we have been working with since I got here!!!!!!!! I was happy.  The guy we helped with his field, we haven´t talked to him since then.  We are going to try again this week.

Sunday is elections so that should be interesting; I’ve heard it gets pretty crazy.  It’s hilarious how many posters and stuff there is for all the candidates.  It’s people running for office :) every couple of feet on the streets and sidewalks and everywhere!  Something I forgot to tell you the past couple of weeks is that in Chile people just throw their trash everywhere.  And so the city has a company thing and they just go around picking up all the trash.  They have been on strike for the past 3 weeks so I’m pretty sure there is more garbage then ground ha-ha gross!!!!!!

Spanish is good, I’m learning.  I can speak ok and it just depends on the person how well I can understand.  Chileans pretty much have their own language; they have their own slang words for just about everything so understanding is really hard.

I don´t really know what I want for Christmas ha-ha, maybe American food!:) like super buttery popcorn :)

I hate the Rams (they beat the Colts on Sunday).

The Philippines sounds crazy!!!!! Did you know Nathan Watson.  That’s where he is!

The weather was really nice but the past couple of days have been super stormy!  I’m bummed :) I like the sun.

Ok, now funny/cool story.  About a month ago I left my umbrella in a collectivo.  Collectivos are how we get around, they´re a mix between buses and taxis.  When you leave stuff in them it’s gone forever!  Elder Parsons left our phone in one when I first got here ha-ha.  So we were walking back from a doctor’s appointment when a collectivo pulled over and waved us down.  We were kinda creeped out ‘cause that doesn´t happen.  So we walked over and he was like, “Hey, I’ve been looking for you.  Did one of you leave this in here a while ago?” ha-ha  It was my umbrella.  He has been carrying it around looking for us!  How awesome is that!!!!! :)  I’m still laughing about that!  This week has been really good.  This is my last week of training.  I can´t believe how long I’ve been here already!  I’m really excited if I stay here for another cambio (transfer).  I’m pretty sure I’m going to have some baptisms! Thanks for everything and keep doing what you’re all doing!  I don´t have time to write Dallin or Ellie so tell them sorry.

Love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!

Élder Robertson