Monday, February 23, 2015

Week 4 - Okie Dokie, here goes another week! Frozen in Toronto!

                                                                                  February 23, 2015


Week two is down, and on to week three here in Toronto! This week has been super cool (in many ways)! But, before I get started, I just wanted to do a quick shout out to Kelly, because her birthday is this week! Ahh! She is so cool everyone. Like really, no joke! I also wanted to do a quick shout out to Sister Horn who enters the MTC this week! I love these two ladies so much and am so excited for each of them!

So, Canada is cold. It wouldn't be too bad if it were not for the crazy wind! 80% of the great lakes have frozen this winter! Crazy! Quite often, my companion and I leave our apartment building, and just 1 short minute later, our nose hairs are frozen... it is the weirdest sensation! The other night, we got off the subway and were headed home. It is about a 7 minute walk in the cold. We got in, and both had mascara running down our faces. We were so confused. Turns out our eyelashes had frozen whilst we were walking, and had started to defrost/run down our face once we got inside. We both had a good laugh!

My companion and I find ways to have fun. Just the other day, as we were leaving our apartment, we saw a nice leather love seat sitting by the dumpster. We joked that if it was still there when we got back, we would take it up to our apartment. Unfortunately, we came back with no time to spare, so we could not. However, the next morning, during our exercise time, we ran down 24 flights of stairs, grabbed the couch, and carried it back to our apartment, with the help of an elevator of course! It makes both of us smile every time we use it!

Since being out here in Canada, my testimony has strengthened in a lot of ways. One of the ways in being that the Lord has called me, Katie Robison, to serve here in Toronto for certain reasons. Because of that, I need to be myself! Through being myself, and using my talents I have been given, my testimony of that has grown! Once a week, we go over to an investigators house to teach a lesson. After the lesson, we spend about an hour doing service. This investigator has a bit of a hoarding problem and is trying to get her life in order. We are helping her through organizing and cleaning EVERYTHING. As some of you might know, organizing things is right up my alley! I have just always been good at it, and it is something I kind of even enjoy! It makes it even better to know that our investigator is improving greatly, and has accepted a baptismal date! The gospel is awesome!

Want another example of me using my talents? Okay! haha :) Sister Maas and I went over to do some service for this old brother in our ward. He had just downsized and had so much furniture everywhere! He asked us to help him arrange it all. It was great fun. He then sent us home with a large jug of apple juice, and a thing of frozen chicken strips! Yumm!

This Thursday, we were able to attend a special mission conference. We were all hoping they would be talking about Ipads! Apparently the mission has been promised them for quite some time now... Ipads would be so nice for so many reasons! ah! But, it was not about Ipads. President Clayton is so focused on the work of salvation. This means that as missionaries, we are no longer only working with investigators, but we are also working hard with the ward, and new and returning members. We went new goals and new ways to bring about the work of salvation. It is our goal to have 1,000 baptisms this year in our mission, because this is the time for the hastening of the work! President Hinckley told the church that the number of baptisms was going to double. It is our job as missionaries to help bring that to pass. I am SO excited to be here during this time. I am so excited to watch this mission grow as we are implementing these new goals! I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. I can't even imagine being at school or anywhere else during this current time!

After the conference, Sister Maas and I were supposed to meet with president. However, things ran later than expected. So, instead, President and Sister Clayton joined sister Maas and I for an hour and a half of our weekly planning! My oh my it was so fun to have them there! We were able to seek insight for our investigators, and talk about other things! It was a great experience!

The work is going well here! I am enjoying it! I am still learning, but I feel like I am becoming much more comfortable with teaching and opening my mouth! This past week I had an aha moment during one of our lessons. I was struggling with staying completely focused on the investigators and what was being taught. I would get distracted by people walking by or random sounds, and so on. But, when we are constantly praying for the spirit to be there and for our companions, all while listening to what is being said, miracles happen! While following the promptings of the spirit, I was able to invite our investigator to be baptized in the middle of our lesson. He now has a baptismal date for March 22nd! We just need him to come to church... but, it is still awesome! We currently have 4 solid investigators with a baptismal date. SO COOL!

All in all, Canada, although it is cold, is not too shabby! I have been able to got to Walmart and Party City, as well as eat at 5 guys and Wendy's! But, I am also trying a lot of new cultural foods, like fish and home made dumplings for Chinese new years, or Tim Horton's (The Canadian equivalent to Starbucks even though there are a few Starbucks here...)!

Well, I hope you are all doing well! I love you all so much! Keep being so cool!


Sister Robison

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Week 3 - First Full Week in Toronto

                                                                                            Feburary 17, 2015



Dear Family and Friends,

Due to Family Day, an awesome Canadian Holiday, preparation day was moved to Tuesday!

Canada is awesome! Very very chilly, but great none the less! We got down to -40 with the wind chill the other night. It was much fun!

So, I am serving in the Etobicoke (Eh-toe-bi-co) Ward, and because we share the ward with the zone leaders, my companion and I cover the south end of it. So, we are right along the great lake of Ontario I believe! We can actually see it from our apartment is you look to the far right. My companion is indeed the one Elder Carter mentioned to me before I left. Funny how things work out like that! Her name is Sister Maas. She is originally from Colorado, but her family moved to Indiana a couple years ago. She was at college by then though. She is awesome! She is so friendly and is such a great example! We get along very well! At least I think we do... haha! We are in a bus area, and have the privilege of utilizing the public transportation! It is great fun! I am grateful to start off in a bus area though. Because we are on the busses, we are constantly talking to all sorts of people. This is good for me though! I am constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone as I sit down and start talking to strangers! Out of the week I have been here, I have only talked to two completely sour people. So, people are generally very nice and open to talk about whatever the conversation leads to! (We try to always tie it back into the restoration). Prior to my arrival, Sister Maas has been working very hard to get to know the ward members well. So, she has also been working extremely hard to get dinner appointments! The members feed us about three or four times a week which is pretty sweet!

We are currently working with about 8 or 9 investigators, and have two pretty solid potentials that we are excited to meet with in a few days! We are also working with a lot of less actives and a lot of recent converts. With no car and all these people to see, we stay really busy!

Best part of my week had to be a lesson we had last night with a man named Henry. So, we thought Henry was this old man from Holland that I had talked to on the bus. But, as we learned from when he showed up last night for our first meeting, he was definitely not that man! One of the sisters who was here before us talked to him. He was finally ready to hear what we had to say! We taught Henry about the restoration. To make it even better, it was a member present lesson, and it took place in the church building! So, the spirit was so strong. Henry was so prepared to hear and to accept the gospel! His only struggle is going to church. This man is SO dedicated to everything he does, and from what he told us, is one of the best employees, but also one of the only dependable employees at his work place. Getting him to accept a baptismal date for March 22nd was easy compared to getting him to commit to talk to his boss about getting Sundays off for church! But, the spirit was so strong in the lesson, and it was amazing to watch as the spirit taught him the truthfulness of the message we were there to share. The spirit is the real teacher in this work, not the missionaries. But, it is important that the missionaries are in such a place that they are able to bring that spirit!

The field is completely different than the MTC! But, a good different. Out here, I am learning so much! I wish I had time to talk about all the things that I have experienced and learned! I have been working hard on staying focused on the work, and forgetting about myself. Elder Bednar gave a great MTC address in 2012 called the character of Christ. To summarize, the Character of Christ is all about turning out, and turning away from the natural man. Every time I sit down and start talking to someone, my spirit has won a small battle against the natural man that is telling me to just sit there quietly. It is not something I think we can ever completely overcome in this life because we are mortal, but it is something that we need to always be working on!

I hope I have answered all your questions! I am doing so well out here! I am learning to work hard, and to love it! Have a great week everyone! Remember to read your scriptures and say your prayers! We must pray to develop a relationship with our Heavenly Father. We must read the scriptures because the scriptures are ESSENTIAL for conversion. I don't care if you have already been converted. If we are not reading our scriptures, we will lose that conversion! That may sound harsh, but I only say it because I love you and I know it is true! :)

Anyhow, have a great week!

Sister Robison

PS, my address is:
52 Maebelle #2315
Toronto, ON
M9A 4X9


I would love some hand written letters, thoughts, or talks! ;)



 Katie's Missionary Trainer, Sister Maas.  Interesting for those of you here in Las Vegas, Sister Maas is from Elder Carter's home ward in Indiana.  He had told us about her before Katie left on her mission.  She is excited to be serving with her right now.

Katie's Mission President and his wife....William Weatherford T. Clayton and his wife, Lisa Thomas Clayton, have lead the Canada Toronto Mission since July 1, 2014.
President and Sister Clayton are from Eagleridge Ward in North Salt Lake Utah Stake. Brother Clayton is a former stake president, counselor in a stake presidency, bishop, ward Young Men president, ward mission leader and missionary in the Canada Montreal Mission. His is an obstetrical hospitalist for an OB Hospitalist Group.

Sister Clayton is a former stake Relief Society president, counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women president and volunteer institute teacher.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Week 2 - Final Week in the MTC

                                                                                                   February 7, 2015
Family family family! and dear friends! I hope you are all doing so well! 

It has been an incredible week here at the Missionary Training Center! I have grown and learned so much! For example, during our service assignment, I learned that to clean a microwave, you dampen a rag, and cook it for a minute! Who knew! But seriously, I have learned so much! Too much to even share. 

Some of the highlights of my week have been as follows: 
1. I beat all of the elders in my district at the basketball game Knock Out multiple times. And I have dominated in a few other games like around the world and horse as well. So, all those years I have put into basketball have paid off after all! haha 
2. Throughout the week, my companion, Sister Spiekerman, and I have been able to teach about 12 lessons between our 3 investigators. This has been such a huge blessing, and we have each learned so much throughout the entire process. We have been working very well together since day one though. That has been a huge blessing. One of our teachers, Brother Sherck (pronounced shirk) complemented on our ability to work together and teach with the spirit last night before one of our final lessons. We made an extra appointment to meet with one of our investigators, Melissa, one more time tonight. We are both excited to see her one last time. But, with our other investigators, one, Rachel, agreed to be baptized, and another agreed to go to church. We still aren't sure if they are real or fake... But none the less, we can feel the spirit so strongly in the lessons and are excited for the commitments they are making! 
3. Last Saturday when we went to the temple, I finally had the chance to see the new film. It was awesome. 
4. I was finally able to eat the Kneaders package. I shared it with my district during one of our personal fitness times. It was nice to sit outside and partake of the delicious caramel apples and bread! It was also just fun to sit and talk with everyone in a more causal setting for a little bit. 
5. I have been able to watch my district grow as our sisters have been in need of blessings, and our elders have administered them. It has been a neat experience for all of us as we have been able to grow closer as a district through helping each other with our needs as well as being able to watch some of the elders give their first blessings. 

The new district came in on Wednesday. It was crazy to think that we had been in their shoes just a week before! Throughout this week, I have grown such a testimony of the spirit! It is incredible to feel of it's influence while you are in a lesson with an investigator. If we just give it time, the spirit will talk to us and tell us what to say, and how to convey the message that the investigator needs to hear. Even though I am nervous to leave the MTC, I am excited to take all that I have learned into the field. 

Thoughts for the week: 
- God figuratively took Adam's rib from his SIDE. If it would have been take from the FRONT, Eve would have ruled over him. If it would have been taken from the BACK, Eve would have despised him. But, it was taken from the side, under the arm, and close to the heart. They were meant to be EQUAL partners. I thought this was cools! 
-We can gain Christ-like attributes through simply living the commandments! I don't have time to expound upon that... :) 
-about 45% of the missionaries in the MTC are SISTERS! what the! It is awesome. 

Thank you for the dear elders! It was awesome. I am excited to head out to Toronto Monday at 3:30 AM! I know that this church is true. God loves all of his children, and wants to hear from everyone! So, pray often! Even multiple times a day! 

I love you all! Have a great day! 

Sister Robison 
Our entire zone on our temple walk last Sunday


Week 1 - MTC! Holla Mi Familia!

                                                                                                           January 31, 2015
Surprise! My preparation day is on Saturday! 

You will never guess what! After a day or so at the MTC, they instructed me to learn Spanish! That means I have quite a bit of time left in the MTC! WHAT!

Just kidding. haha! But I do have 4 spanish roommates, so my companion and I are picking up a little bit of spanish here and there. 

So, there is a lot to say and so little time to type it all! This might end up being somewhat of a novel, similar to Heidi's, but, oh well. ;)

 First and foremost, I am doing well! I love it here at the MTC! They keep us all so busy so there is little time to think about home, family, and friends. But, don't you worry because you are all in my prayers! 

Speaking of prayers, Nate was so right. I feel as though I have prayed more here than I ever have before. We pray before everything. But, it is so awesome because it brings us so much closer to Christ and the spirit. 

So, I have an adorable companion, and an AMAZING district! My companion is Sister Speikerman (Speaker-man). She is so dedicated and so focused and I really admire her for that. She keeps me focused and on task when others in our district are being a little goofy. She is from Northern Utah and when asked what people know her for, her response is being a nerd. Yeah, she's fun! We are getting along very well. She is just what I needed for an MTC companion. 

I really really love my district. There are 4 sisters, and 4 elders. The saddest thing is my companion and I are the only ones going to Toronto. The other 6 missionaries are going to the SLC South Mission. You will have to ask Aunt Ann to see if that is there mission. If so, they have some wonderful missionaries coming their way! Both my companion and I agree that everyone missionary in our district is just so full of knowledge and stories and it seems as though everyone is a powerhouse! On our second day, we were able to meet our Branch President,  President Mosher. During that time, he us that my companion and I will be leaving next Monday, two days before everyone else in our district. I basically started crying... The thought of leaving them is hard, but leaving before they leave is even harder. But, we  have emails, and everything will be okay. I need to go to Toronto. I just wish they could all come with! 

So, I will kind of run you through the days really quickly because, why not. 

Day one, after saying goodbye to Mom and Dad, they swept me into the MTC, got me all set up with my name tags and everything. We dropped my suitcases off in my room which was super messy. The spanish sisters have been here for two weeks, and had no clue they would be getting two more roommates! So, my companion and I just left our bags there and didn't end up doing the small amount of unpacking we actually did until later that night after they returned to their room and we were able to work some things out. Anywho, we met our district and started to get to know everyone pretty well. Later, we met our teachers and went through a ton of orientation stuff. I feel like I don't remember much of it... It was all very much a blur. But we did have an awesome workshop about People and our Purpose. My group was directed by one of the Elders from the District so that was pretty neat! 

Day two! We woke up, got ready, went and studied, eat breakfast, went back to study study study and another workshop, eat lunch, study study study, eat dinner, then meet with our Branch Presidency. There, I got the assignment to play piano in church next Sunday because I am the only one who can play even just a couple hymns in my entire district. Go piano! :) hehe My companion and I have also been asked to be the Sister Training Leaders for our zone. That will go into effect this Sunday afternoon I believe. Side note, I ran into Elder Nielson during breakfast. From what I could tell he is doing well! He appreciated the kneaders package! I finally got mine last night and am excited to try some of it a little later. 

Day three, much of the same thing. We talked a lot about the Doctrine of Christ and learned quite a few cool things. Basically, at least in my opinion, the Doctrine of Christ are a bunch of simple truths, all of which just bring us closer to our Heavenly Father! It was a neat lesson. After dinner, my companion and I had the opportunity to teach our first investigator Ryan. Oh my goodness it was scary. We had planned to teach him about a couple different things, but had to abandon those plans and stick to prayer and Heavenly Father. We will have another lesson with him tonight. So, I will let you know how that goes! 

Today is Day four. Preparation day! The days are just flying by! We get to go to the temple after lunch and we are all so excited. 

I really am doing well. I am growing so close to the spirit, and to Christ. I am learning so much about the gospel and about how to be an effective missionary. I am growing and changing and it is awesome. I am having so much fun with my district. They are all so neat and so friendly. We all enjoy each other's company. They keep me going and on track, and for that I am so grateful. I am putting a letter in the snail mail today mainly for Kelly and Karly. But, I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Sister Robison
 My companion Sister Speikerman and I with the other sisters in our district
(My companion is the short one with the short black hair)
Our district with some of the members of our Branch Presidency.
My District at Dinner Last Night.

We have created this Blog to share letters and pictures of Katie during her 18 month mission to the Canada Toronto Mission.  We hope that this will be a place where friends and family can come to read Katie's latest letters.  Thank you all for your love and support of Katie over the years.

Katie and Nate both served at the same time,
Nate in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission, and Katie in the Canada Toronto Mission.
The OTM and the CTM!
We proudly hung this picture in our home for that time period!


This is a copy of the E-mail that Nate sent Katie shortly before she left on her mission.  It was very tender and loving.  Nate really had a way with writing!  We loved his letters!

Dear Sister Robison,
   

     I have decided to dedicate this whole letter to you, while the principles still apply to all, I will be talking to you. You have just Joined the greatest army upon the face of the Earth. I have the fullest confidence in you. Although you have not been called to serve in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission, The "Only True Mission"  You still have the best mission in the world ahead of you. Through the direction of a Living Prophet, God has called you to serve in the Toronto Mission. God has called the mission president and wife whom you will be serving under. God has prepared the people that you specifically will touch. God has prepared for you the oppurtunity of a life time to become who you are meant to be. What a blessing, 18 months you will have dedicated to teaching others about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and coming to truely understand and apply it yourself. Allow me to share some advice.  

     Pray. On your mission you will pray such as you have never prayed before. You will pray an approximate minimum of 15 times a day. Many will be companion or group prayers, but the ones i treasure are personal prayers. These are interviews with the Lord. Think of them as such. Pray, and do so for the right reasons. God sent you there and you do not know the reason. Pray to understand that. Do not pray because you are supposed to, pray because you want to! Ask and you shall receive! Everything that I have had the faith to ask for, I have received. You must ask with real faith. You must humble yourself and be willing to do anything which God may require of you to accomplish your desire; otherwise it will not come to pass. Pray specifically. When you set a goal, Pray and ask Heavenly Father to help you achieve it. Would anyone willingly deny themselves blessings? then why don't we ask for them? If you don't ask, you deny yourself. You cannot do this without God, it is his work and he commands it! You can believe that or he will teach it to you!

     Faith. Faith is a principle of action. Why is it that we act the way we do? We act according to our Expectations. If we expect it to be cold outside, we wear a jacket. If we expect that there are people prepared to hear the gospel all around us, we will talk to people all around us! It is that simple. When we pray we are under obligation to do everything we can to bring everything we ask for to pass. That is faith, Complete Reliance upon the grace of the lord to bring about what you ask for while doing everything you can to bring it about. God can do all things. God knows who is prepared. God knows what we need to do. He will guide us if we only ask. So lets ask.
  
     Choose now. Contrary to the popular belief of many people, just as there are good and bad people, there are good and bad missionaries. My mission president has said, " All missionaries are great, some just realize it sooner than others." Choose now to acknowledge that you are a great missionary, and don't settle upon being anything else because you don't have time for that. If you are undecided than It is easy to be great when your companion is great, it is hard to be great when your companion is not great. When you are decided, you are great,  and it is easy to be great. 
  
     Listen to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will be your constant companion now more than ever if you allow him to be. Why do you think that mission presidents, Stake Presidents, Stake patriarchs, and Bishops have the spirit around them so much? Why do you think they see so many miracles? May I suggest it is because when the spirit speaks, they listen. The more you listen to the spirit, the greater it will be with you. 
   
     Study the scriptures. These are the words of life given unto you. Learn them so that when someone is in need, you can help them. 
   
     Love your companions. They will be your best friends if you allow them to be! Lift them up, inspire them, serve them, pray for them aloud. Help them become the best they can be, listen to them, and confide in them. 
   
     Expect miracles. 
   
     Ask for them, then go and do.
 
     D&C 123 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

     God will always come through with his promises! 

     This last Sunday we needed 6 member present lessons to hit the standard of excellence. That is usually pretty tough to get in one day. We prayed we would be able to do it and we did! Only one problem. We still needed one more investigator to hit the standard of Excellence. We found another exchange to come out with us and went to this family who were potentials, didnt turn out. We had asked god to help us find a new investigator and we werent going to give up yet. We tried convincing the priest we were with to let us teach his girlfriend but that didn't work, we called numbers of past investigators in the phone to see if they would let us teach them, but that wasn't working either. We finally dejectedly dropped off our exchange and were on our way back to the apartment to finish planning zone leader stuff for the upcoming meetings. On  our way back we were passing streets. and i said what if we just need to knock on a random door, like that one! or that One! As we passed we decided that if we never went we would never know! So we turned the car around and went up to one of the doors i had pointed to. We knocked the guy came out and was nice. he said he had food on the stove. We asked for 5 min. He said he didn't have that. We told him we could do 2. We opened with a quick prayer, covered every point of the restoration. Gave him a book of Mormon, and closed with prayer. Then we set a return appointment. 
  

     Anything that we have the faith to pray for God will give to us. I testify of that. I know that. 

     Sister Robison, above all, know how much your savior loves you, know how much we love you. Know that you are not being sent out to fail. Know that your service is of eternal consequence for you and those you meet. Know that you have been called of God for them! You can bring about miracles as you exercise faith in Christ. I promise you this. I know this because I have done it myself. Throughout my life, but even more throughout my mission. You will never have a better time to truly come to love the savior. I love you and I pray for you! I will continue to do so! I will see you in a short 18 months!
 

     Love,
     

     Elder Robison















Dear Sister Robison,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Canada Toronto Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president.

You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as  a  minister  of  the  restored gospel. You will be an official representative of the Church. As such, you will be expected to maintain the highest standards ·of conduct and appearance by keeping the commandments, living mission rules, and following the counsel of your mission president. As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge  and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the gospel of Jesus   Christ.

Your purpose will be to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As you serve with all your heart, might, and strength, the Lord will lead you to those who are prepared  to be  baptized.

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you  humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children. We place our confidence in you and pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.

You will be set apart as a missionary by your stake president. Please send your written acceptance promptly, endorsed by your  bishop.


                                           Sincerely,




President Thomas S. Monson








Dear Sister Robison,

     Congratulations on your call to the Canada Toronto Mission. Sister Clayton and I are delighted to welcome you to  the greatest mission of the Church! At the dawn of this dispensation, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Parley P. Pratt all taught the gospel here. President John Taylor was converted and baptized in Toronto. More recently, Elders Mark E. Petersen and Neal A. Maxwell also served as missionaries here, and President Thomas S. Monson and Elder M. Russell Ballard were mission presidents over this mission. Now you have been called by a prophet of God to come to this area at this time and add your name to the legacy of great missionaries who serve in the Canada Toronto Mission.

Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come, and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.....You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.  Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you.  Wherefore, your family shall live.  Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.  Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you.  And I will establish a church by your hand (D&C 31:3-7)  

     Rejoice in your calling! As you prepare to enter the mission field, know that you join a great family of dedicated servants of the Lord who labor with "all of their heart, might, mind, and strength" (D&C 4:2). This is His work, and He has prepared the hearts of many to receive the gospel. As we are humble and obedient, the Lord will lead us, His instruments in building the kingdom in this part of His vineyard.

     One of the great blessings of missionary service is daily scripture study and prayer. In preparation to preach the gospel, please ensure that you read the entire Book of Mormon before your arrival in Canada. A study of  “Preach  My  Gospel”, especially chapters 3 – 6  will  be  very  helpful.

     The MTC will be a profound experience for you. As you pay prayerful attention to all that is said, the Holy Ghost will teach and testify to you. The Lord has said, "Seek me diligently and ye shall find me" (D&C 88:63).

     Sister Clayton and I look forward to greeting you at the Toronto Airport and bringing you to our mission home for orientation dinner and a testimony meeting. There you will meet your new companion.

     We are humbled and grateful for your desires to serve the Lord and at your acceptance of your call from a prophet. We know that the Lord chose you to come at this time because He needs you here. Your family and loved ones will feel the blessings of your service. As Sister Clayton and I labour alongside you, we will watch over you to ensure your well-being and spiritual growth. We are here to serve and help you. Please feel of our love for you as we await your arrival. May the Lord bless you in your preparation.


With Love,

Weatherford T. Clayton
President





Dear Sister Robison,

Here are some of the thoughts from President McClellan when you were set apart for your mission:

1.  Sister Katie Robison you are a beloved daughter of God.
2.  Your family will receive many blessings because of your service.  
3.  Your family will receive double blessings for a little while with two missionaries         out at the same time.
4.  You will receive blessings for the rest of your life because of your service.
5.  Your sisters will be blessed through your example.
6.  You will be safe if you keep the rules.
7.  You will know who you are.
8.  You will be associated with those who have had a hard time.
9.  You will nurture those who are homesick and be able to help them.
10. You will be a stronghold to those you associate with.
11. You will feel the spirit.
12. You will be guided by the spirit.
13. You will be comfortable with strangers in their homes.
14, As she enters rooms, people will see her and see the countenance of Jesus Christ.
15, When meeting investigators, they will recognize that she is representing Jesus            Christ.
16. You will bear and share your testimony of Jesus Christ, that He still lives. 
17. You will form everlasting friendships.
18. You will have a relationship with your Mission President.
19, Your eternal companion is now actively serving in the kingdom of the Lord.

20. Before you come home you will know why you are in Toronto

Love You,


Mom





My Missionary “Farewell Address”


                I can remember the first time I went to the temple. I remember going with the rest of the Summerlin primary. We had a picnic on the lush green lawns of the temple, and then went inside to look at the beautiful paintings and murals on the walls. Although I do not remember much else about the trip, I have always remembered the thoughts that I took away from that experience. Since then, I have known that the temple is a special and sacred place, and it was a place that I wanted to go back to.
          Since that visit as primary kid, I have been back to the Las Vegas temple countless times. I have also been on the grounds of over 30 different temples, and have been inside around 10 other temples whether it be to participate in Baptisms for the dead, walk through the temples for open houses, or as of recently, to attend an endowment session and spend time in the wonderful Celestial room.
          Each and every Temple is beautiful and special in its own ways.  Often times designs in temples are hand carved and painted. The wood for the embellishments are handpicked,  and the granite tiles are delivered all the way from the dead sea. They spare no expense in collecting the finest materials to construct the temples. After all, it is the House of the Lord. Some temples have been made with bright white granite stones, while others have been made with pretty red stones. Some temples have large and beautiful chandeliers and staircases, while others have beautiful original paintings of Christ and other influential biblical figures. In some temples the beauty can be found in the small details and gold trimmings laced around the rooms, while others are found beautiful for their simplicity.
          Although each and every temple looks different, there are two things that are the same about each and every temple.
          Firstly, On the outside of every temple lies the inscription, "Holiness to the Lord, The House of the Lord." When we step into any temple, we are stepping into the House of God. Holy means set apart for a sacred purpose. This phrase perfectly captures what a temple is for. Temples are indeed set aside for very special and important work.         Secondly, In each and every temple, you can feel the spirit of God. It doesn't matter what temple you are in. If you are searching for it, you will always feel the spirit of the Lord testifying to you of truthfulness of the gospel.

          Temples have existed since the beginning of time. In the old Testament, we read about the prophets of old, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who would turn to the mountains as a place to go and communicate with God. We also read about Moses , and the Arc and Covenant, as well as the tabernacle that basically, for the lack of a better description, became a portable temple.  It wasn't until the times of King David that the temples took on a permanent structure, the first one being Solomon's temple.

In the new Testament, in the Book of Luke, Chapter 2 we read of the Boy Jesus at the temple.  Every year, Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was 12 years old, they went up to the festival , according to custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on. Then, they began to look for him among  their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
          In verse 46-49, it reads

 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wouldst ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

They had found Jesus in the house of his father, the temple. Throughout the rest of Jesus' life, he continued to attend and teach in the temples. and Set an example for us.

          Temples are of utmost importance in our lives today, just as they were in the lives of those who lived before us. Elder Dallin H. Oaks describes temples as "the key which allows us to open the doors of the highest kingdom in heaven- the celestial kingdom." Without temples, we would not be able to return to our Father in Heaven.  Without temples, we  also wouldn't be able to be sealed to our families. We believe that in temples, Families have the opportunity to be sealed together for not just time, but all eternity.  Which is one of the best blessings our father in heaven could give us. There is no greater feeling than knowing that I can live with the ones I hold closest to me forever and ever in the lives to come.
          And so, today, our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has 12 temples waiting to be built, 14 temples in the process of being built, and 144 temples in operation all across the world. This comes to a total of 170 of God's houses on the earth, and accessible for his children to use for their own personal growth and benefit, as well as to benefit those beyond the grave.
               
Not only have we just been blessed with temples so easily accessible, but when we attend these temples, we receive countless blessings in return. We have been promised that when we attend the temple, we will feel peace and joy. We have been promised that we will receive answers to our prayers.
                When talking about the Temples and blessings that come from attending the temple, President Boyd K. Packer has said
“When members of the Church are troubled or when crucial decisions weigh heavily upon their minds, it is a common thing for them to go to the temple. It is a good place to take our cares. In the temple we can receive spiritual perspective. There, during the time of the temple service, we are ‘out of the world.’
“Sometimes our minds are so beset with problems, and there are so many things clamoring for attention at once that we just cannot think clearly and see clearly. At the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can ‘see’ things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.
“The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the temples. Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service. We will be blessed in all of our affairs”
               
          When we attend the temple, it becomes easier to gain and maintain an eternal perspective in our lives. It helps us to gain the strength and courage we need to be able to make it through the trials we have been given. Things in our lives, that once seemed disastrous, seem to work themselves out.
          As we do go through the hard times and trials in our lives, it becomes so increasingly important to maintain that eternal perspective. It is so easy to get lost and loose our way with all of the spiritually distracting materials that have seemed to continue to increase throughout the years. However, as Gary E. Stevens once said,
"You are never lost when you can see the temple"
          If you set your sights on the temple, and always aim to attend the temple, then it will become increasingly harder for to lose your way, and your trials will become easier, and you will be able to find the answers and comfort you are in search of.

I have heard from many and have always believed that when you attend the temple, you can find those answers to your questions, but it wasn't until I attended the temple this past Thursday with my parents that I was able to truly experience this for myself.
             While sitting in the Celestial room and thinking about my mission, I picked up  some scriptures, and allowed the pages to fall open. The book fell open to Book of Moroni, Chapter 10. I started to read the chapter. I came upon Moroni's promise in versus 3-5, some very key missionary scriptures, but continued to read until I came across a verse that really stuck out to me.
Verse 32 reads,
                32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
            I was in need of a scripture to put on my missionary plaque that they hang right outside of bishop Yamane's office. It was something that I was thinking about, but not something that I was actively searching for. However, after reading that scripture, I knew that this was the scripture that I wanted to pick. It encompasses the purpose and ideals of missionary work in so many different ways. It invites others to come unto Christ and allow his gospel to change you. It also invites me, as a missionary, to serve with all of my Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength. Then, it talks about the atonement and grace. Without which, we could not return to live with our Father in Heaven.
            Serving a mission is not something that I have always wanted to do. Infact, it was never something I had even considered until I was watching the October 2012 General Conference with my grandmother, and the prophet, Thomas S. Monson,  got up and announced that the Missionary age was going to be changed. Young men could now leave at the age of 18, and young women could now leave at the age of 19.
            A few months after, the summerlin ward received two awesome and darling sister missionaries, Sister Carr, and Sister Dewey. My parents, both of them hoping I would decide to serve, would invite the sisters over for dinner often. At one of our meals, my parents asked each of them why they had decided to serve a mission. Sister Carr, being the amazing missionary she was, told of how she had always had the desire to serve the Lord and go on a mission. Sister Dewey, however, had quite a different story. She had not wanted to serve a mission. But while praying and searching for her next step in life, she received the answer that she needed to go on a mission. So, she filled out her papers and got her call. All though this was great, she still didn't quite have the desire to leave for a year and half. She didn't have a purpose or drive to going. It wasn't until she was praying one night she had a couple thoughts come to her. If one of her family members, or loved ones went missing, without hesitation, she would drop everything to go and look for them to bring them home safely.  This was what she knew Heavenly Father wanted her to do. He wanted her to go look for the lost ones that he loves so very much, and bring them back home, home to safety, and back home to Him.
            This was what first sparked my desire to serve a mission. Not long after, I prayed about it, and received my answer that Yes, a mission was for me.  That was the easy part. Deciding when to serve proved to be a little more difficult.
             I struggled with deciding whether I should leave for my mission after one or two semesters. (I was hoping it would be the latter).  As I was nearing the middle of my first semester at school, I began to fervently pray and read my scriptures. If I was to leave right away, then I needed to begin my paperwork and the whole process. If the lord needed me to leave and serve a mission, then I wanted to get out there as quickly as possible, and not waste any time.            
               As many of you know, my brother Nathan, is on a mission right now in Tulsa Oklahoma. By leaving on a mission, it would become close to 3 and 1/2 years that we would go without seeing each other. So, if the lord wanted me to serve now, I wanted to go quickly as to shorten the already extended period of time
             So, I prayed and prayed. However, much to my dismay, I was not getting an answer. I would make special trips to the temple, and sit outside on the lawn reading my scriptures and patriarchal blessing. But, nothing changed. I became frustrated with the fact that  I had not received an answer when I was diligently searching for one.
              I had done all that I could do, and finally decided that I needed to walk on faith, and place this matter in the Lord's hands, and trust in him. I decided to fill out and turn in my papers, and if the Lord wanted me to leave then, he would call me right away. If I was supposed to serve later, my report date would have been later, and hopefully allow me to finish up the next semester of my schooling, and see my brother.
               However, this was not the case. I had been called to report only 6 days after my availability date. This strengthened my testimony even more when I heard of another soon-to-be sister missionary who had put in her papers, and received her call far before me, got called to serve in the Canada Toronto Mission, and yet isn't leaving until the end of February.
              Brothers and sisters, the Lord listens to our prayers. He hears us and he answers them in ways we do not always expect. The lord needs me in Toronto Canada right now, and although I may not know the reason, I have so much trust in him, and am excited to serve in a mission with such a rich history. A mission in which President Monson served, a mission in which  my 6th great grandmother, Mary Fielding Smith, was baptized in, and even a mission in which a great deal of young men and young women from this very stake have served in.
                  I am so excited to have this opportunity to serve the people of Toronto, and in the english language. However,  I would not be where or who I am today if it were not for this great ward and stake, and the amazing influences I am surrounded with. I am so grateful for this ward, and for all the teachers and leaders I have had throughout the years. This ward is amazing .     I would like to close with my testimony.