4-11-11 Spencer's letter

Does time ever slow down?  Within two months several things will be happening:
1.  Jeremiah will be home.  He's is going to be mad at me but I only have one call on Mother's Day.
2.  I will have been out over a year on my mission.
3.  My mission will almost be done in South Georgia and I still have no idea where I am going to finish.
4.  I will no longer be a teenager.
5.  Between now and then, I don't know how many people I will have to tell that the world is not ending in 2012.

Any way some big things are happening to say the least.  We are holding a baptism later this week for Van Lucas, a black man just younger than you Dad.  He like, all of us, has faced some hard times but Ban has chosen to do good in many instances.  Van was once married but later divorced.  I don't know and I haven't wanted to ask about it.  He had one son, though he committed suicide when he was 18.  Van stuck through it all.  Now he has moved down from New York to take care of his mother.  He's back in school and dating a girl ion Florida.  He fixes bikes for children and has a heart of gold.  Actually when I made a comment about a nice tool he had, he insisted that I have it.  He would not let me go until I took it.  It was a Gerber tool just like Dad's.  He takes literally no thought for himself and loves the gospel.

You know how I told you I bought some bike tools to do my own repairs.  They are wonderful.  Missionaries have already asked me about them.  Bike repairs are a huge cost for Elders here with all the biking we do.  The last thing an Elder wants is to spend half the cost on labor.  I decided I like collecting tools and I will have to pay you back for them later.  But know, I will make them worth it.

Have I told you what my mind has been on lately?  It's been on how much freedom we have.  We live in a free country.  We have agency from God and we choose to live the gospel which makes us free.  John 8:31-36 Now we fight to free our brothers and sisters from bondage.  Ephesians 6:12 Thus we are all committed until the conflict is over.

Love you son,
Spencer Robinson
Elder Robinson