Re: Spencer's letter

Dear Mom & Dad,

Hey I figured I would write because the library is closed. So you probably won't get an email from me (if you do it will be very short.)

 

So life in Dublin is going great. The work is hard but not impossible. According to my Mission President there are no hard areas, but our area hasn't seen a baptism for some time. Because of this the Mission President is sending the mission trainers to work in our area this next week (mission trainers are traveling missionaries that go around and boost the work.) This should be absolutely wonderful.

 

I am learning so much more from the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. Preach My Gospel is the greatest work of modern scripture we have to use as a missionary. My teaching is getting better all the time from it. I don't fear anything or anyone while I am teaching with the Spirit because the message is true (the only thing that has bothered me is Pit Bulls chasing after us. Yeah that's an adrenalin rush.) People show us a great amount of respect here too. (back to the Pit Bulls, my companion says he  has had more problems with dogs than with me than with any other companion.) They (the people) may not want to listen to us, but they think we are great.

 

The other day a dog came at us and my companion and I had to hit it with our scriptures to keep it from biting us. Its the only "bible bashing" I have done out here. Our message is of course heard most by the lower class. The biggest problem we have teaching them is that people are often just living together and don't want to get married. Otherwise its great.

 

Oh Mother, thank you so much for the biking pants, they are wonderful. I had an interview with the Mission President yesterday and he asked about he family. I told him that you were doing okay, dad was alright, and that you had just sent me out some things.

 

I have meant to send some pictures home via email, but we have been just so busy. We work as hard as possible and as smart as possible in this mission. I can honestly tell you I have never been fed food at a member's home yet. Actually, I haven't even stepped into a member's home unless they were in-active. So as such I have lost a little weight, but I am not worried about it because I am still eating lots. I honestly feel like I am back in high school swimming only instead of swimming it is biking and walking all day. Every now and again (2-3 days) we get a good morning run in.

 

Dad, hey you still sick for? Just kidding..but I really hope you start feeling better. Really dad, take some time off and take care of yourself. You are in my prayers.

 

Well that's pretty much all about me that I can think of. One thing that I might ask for as well.. while I am out here is that if there is any way that people could use "Dear Elder" or write me (in an actual letter form) more instead of emailing me that would help. The reason why my emails are so short is because I only have 30 mins on the computer usually and that's not enough time to read everything and then get off a decent letter. Some times we get a little more time, but 45 minutes is the longest we are allowed.

 

Thank you so much for everything. The work is great and I absolutely love it. I am changing for something better.

 

Love your son,

Elder Robinson (Spencer Robinson)

Georgia

Oh how i love it here. Its just a lot of work.

 

 

This week has gone very well. We did an exchange with the cocran elders. why we where there a storm rolled through and completely soaked Elder Bartlet and I. We where on bikes and the other elders where in the car. I think that from being wet all that day (Friday) it put me a little under the weather Saturday and Sunday but i am doing fine now.

 

Oh We Got a Family To Sacrament Meeting! Yea! Um... Well That was fun. Then they got antied by there local Preacher after church. We still need to pick up the pieces and see how bad he shook there testimonies. They have a relative in the church that informed us that the preacher had talked to them. Such is life in the misson field.

 

Tell Caitlin that i did receive I have received two letters from her. I can check with the office Elders to see if any Packages have come for me. The reason why they want us to write the office instead of my local address is so that they can be sure that that letters and packages can get to us. This mission is known to have plenty of transfers and if things are sent when i transfer then it is up to the elders coming in to my area to get anything to me. They say in that case don't count on it. Also tell Caitlin that I will have time to write today! Yea! That in between having time, only getting to read and write on p-day and writing once every two weeks (Family every week) I am sure things will get a little confusing every now and again.

Also thanks to every one else that has been sending me letters they are much appreciated.

 

Oh And Happy Birthday Collin. to those of you that dont know Collin has been my friend for a long time and is going to play his bag pipes on my wedding day. Or at least we shall hope i get married one day... :) Okay well i hope so.

 

So Um Compadray? Why are you going and getting yourself in the hospital? whats that all about?

 

Love you all.

 

 Elder Robinson

Handwritten Letter home...

Hello to everyone,


Today we received a handwritten letter from Spencer ... he had limited time to write (an e-mail) last Monday, so I thought the you would like to hear more details of how he is doing.

Thanks for being so supportive of his efforts.

Spencer's Dad (Mark)







Dear Mom & Dad 21 June 2010

Hey, we ended up having more time at my apartment than we thought. So I figured I would quickly write this and let you know a little more about what has been going on here in Dublin.

It’s HOT, but that’s okay. Like I said in one of my e-mails, was that (it) won’t kill me. I absolutely love my bike though. It was a good choice. They also gave me a new lock with the bike, so I have three solid locks right now. In this area I only use one, but I have been told to take advantage of my three locks if I get transferred to Augusta (Georgia).

My full address where I am staying is 604 Hillcrest Parkway (apartment #52), Dublin, GA 31021-8698 (but, please only use the mission office address, so mail will be sure to reach him. I have added the mission office address below for those who need it). The reason I have you write to the (mission) office is because the mission office will forward it (any mail) to my new address if I am ever transferred so that it doesn’t get lost. That’s also why they want any packages sent by the US Postal Service (via the Mission Office address).

I want you to know my testimony is growing so much stronger. My companion, Elder Johnson, is such a great example to me. I definitely hit the ground running.

Dad, it’s crazy here … Mom, don’t read this … I haven’t really seen much, we live on the other side of town, but in the southeast part of town no one cares about anything. I meet people down there all the time with huge scars on their arms from fights. My companion says there are a lot of shootings. I am pretty sure I heard a gun shot the other day … hmm … anyway I am pretty sure the PD here is as big as Orem’s. Robert Beck one of our investigators said no one would bother me because of my size but if they did it would be several men at once. Hence to say we don’t go into that part of town at night ever. My companion has never been robbed or anything but people (mainly drunks) have tried to (pick a) fight him before.

The work is great though … Mom can read again ... the biggest issues we have are with the Word of Wisdom and Chastity problems. But with how our Mission President has us looking for people the ones we find that are solid, change and are baptized. The technique here is called “The Sword of the Spirit.” Those who have been prepared to hear the Gospel will hearken when they hear truth. We come right out with the Doctrine of the Church, like Prophets, the Book of Mormon, Plan of Salvation … and if they are ready the Holy Ghost will bear witness to them of the truth and they will hearken. President Bowman says we are here to harvest, yes we will plant a few seeds on the way, but that is not our purpose. There are those all ready here prepared to hear the truth.

We work hard here. Mom I can say you don’t have to worry about me getting fat. We don’t get fed by the members anymore. We don’t communicate with members without asking them for referrals. If we do eat with members it is because an investigator is eating with them (too). But you don’t have to worry because it works. We are able to find so many more people. On average we talk to 50 people a day sharing a short message of the Gospel with them.

I love this work.

Your Son,

(Elder) Spencer Robinson.





For those who might need it, the mission address is:



Elder Spencer D. Robinson

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Georgia Macon Mission

5082 Forsyth Road

Macon, GA 31210-2198

Sorry no time to write

Family and Friends

 

Hey this is going to be short and sweet.

 

Sorry last week was short to because the mission car was broken and we had to get it fixed.

 

One of our investigators Brother Beck is doing great. he totally wants to be baptised! him and his soon to be wife. He also told me that my size was good for the part of town we where in. In south Dublin you see people with scars all the time on there arm and faces.

 

My address in Dublin is 604 Hillcrest parkway apartment 52 but don't write me there. My dad wanted to know this.

 

My companion and I got chased by a ravid dog for the first time. Yea lots of fun luckily we where not bit. The owner came and called him away just before i thought i would have to kick it to get it away from me. Just a little bit of an Adrenalin rush.

 

Oh and i crashed on my bike for the first time. I was exhausted and we where coming back home when i looked up and realised i was going strait in to a pole. I was able to reach out with my left arm and take most of the impact before the rest of my body hit so i was fine.

 

My companion is doing great.

 

Also i am sorry to everyone i have been writing letters to...Cait and others. Our mission president has told us to only write anyone out of the family once every two weeks and last week we really didn't get a p-day. But i will write those back soon. 

 

Anyway we have got to run. Sorry to be short again.

 

Oh Mother I need some bike pants! 3 of them. Something that can be washed in a washing machine. dry-cleaning is going to kill me otherwise. 100+degrees and humidity = one stinky sweaty Elder. Any color works preferably brown gray or black.

 

And i am not kidding about the sweaty part. Its is like walking into the steam sauna at the reck center and then working in it all day. but some how we do it and have smiles on our faces the hole time.

 

Thanks.

--
-Elder Robinson

 

Georgia

Hey Family, Friends and Zedick

 

I have a few things to tell you about and not much time. My Companion, Mission President, Area, and a little about me.

 

My Companion and trainer is Elder Steven Andrew Johnson from Eagle Mountain Utah. He is a hard working elder and is incredibly smart. He has allot of Jeremiah in him. We get along very well thougth being completely focused on the work...OK some statistics i need to tell you about. Year 2008 around 200 missionaries in the Macon mission and about 300 baptisiums. Year 2009, 120-150 missionaries in the mission and about 600 baptisms. Currently 105 missionaries in the Macon mission and we have 438 baptisms so far this year. The Goal by the end of the year is 1000 baptisms throughout out the mission. Oh and not to mention our mission boundaries have gotten smaller sense 2009. how is this all possible...Elders like Elder Johnson and a very inspired Mission President. One of the best things is that he wants us to meet 50 people each day that we have not met before. Then we pray for the gift of diserment to figure out whit ch ones of those we meet that where intrested we should teach. It is very difficult.

 

My Mission President is President Bowmen from Orem UT. He has totally changed much of the way the church is looking at missionary work in the south. This is his inspired counsel or something like it. "the field is white and ready to harvest...we are here to harvest to to plant and grow seeds and then harvest. We thust have to sift or polorise those who we talk to. One of the first things we ask anyone is if they will commit to baptism. In my area alone last year they had two baptisms. So far this year we have had 8. We cant aford any more to spend time with members if it there is not an investigator there we are not hoping to baptise. So now our day starts at 6:30, we have lunch at 1 or 2 and then work untill 9 and have dinner and go to bed. It is abousolulty amasing how well this works. Of corse we take it eazy out in the sun and heat but because we are meating so many people and being so forward with why we are here we have many appointment in homes in the heat of the day.

 

Well if there is one thing that i have learned about Georgia it is that it's like working in the Orem Center's Sona all day. But that Wont kill you diobediance can though. We where biking on saturday all day why it was over a hundred degrees. Around three o'clock we receved a text from Presdent Bowmen saying that very one biking sould take extra care and at the first signs of feeling dissy to get water and head home. Well me and my companyon had a good lagfh and then took a few minets in the shade with some water. Sunday/yesterday i found out at stake confrace that sevral missionaries whent to the hospitle a few hours after that text was sent out because of heat exostion. Mission presdents are inspired men.

So a little about me well thats not much. Oh I have a pull up bar in my appartment! Yes! ok... um other then that nope noting else really exiting. Um... well what else is there Oh you probly whant to know where i am serving oh right... well all let you know nex...ok i got time.

 

...

 

 

 

 

...

Dublin! I am in Dublin Georgia! Me and My companyon are the only Elders in the whole town and within almost 30miles any direction. Dont wory its alot of country side and most of the time we are biking. Oh did i mention there where a few trees in Georgia. Yea dont wory i dont think they will ever run out of them eather thank goodness. 

 

 

 

Oh so we did get a car yesterday that we can drive for a week. I play the role of a navigatior why my companion dives. loads of fun.

 

 

Any way love you all Georgia is great.

 

---

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.

6-13-10

 

The MTC

Hey Mom, Dad and the rest of the Family

 

Hey I want you to know that i love the MTC and that i am learning so much. Also before i forget my expected departure date was moved up to the 7th.

 

My companyon is Elder Collin sharp from Los Angules Cal. He is way cool and we get along really well together.

 

My teachers are Brother Gallacci and Sister Folkman. Christy when to school sith sister (BeAnne?) Folkman. She said she new Aleane better though. Anyway they are both rediculesly smart and are great teachers.

 

My foot is fine. Monday they sent me to the clinic across the street from IHC Provo and had a specalist look at it. He said the same thing Gale did and then offerd me this shoe thing that makes it so i can flex my foot when i have it on. He said i would be fine in a normal shoe but that this would make the MTC doctors happy. So i get to wear it for another week and then he said no running for another three weeks. My district thinks this is aussome that i have a broken foot because i cant compeet against them during gym. So insted i am going for the MTC pull up record. My personal record is 45(not so full military pull ups.) and i have to do for them 39 full military pullups in order to set the new record. I plan to do it just before I leave.

 

I have learned so much this last week. Elder Christofferson came and spoke to us on tusday night. oh my goodness.... it was great if i where not so short on time i would tell you more about it.

My companyon and i have been teaching lessons to practice investgators during our Missonary Directed time and are becoming much more secsesfull. we still aint that great but its is coming.

 

Well i am sorry i am going to have to end this.

I want you to know i didnt cry for any of you.

I have been far to exited about doing this for far to long to do that.

 

I love you all.

 

-Dad thank you so much for all you have taught me about life it has helped so much.

 

 

 

The food here is great... most days. But i really cant complane i didnt cook it and i am not paying for it really so...Its good. its Nothing compared to Mom's or the girls cooking lets just put it that way.

--
-Elder Spencer Robinson