Week 16 - Surprise! It's me! I am still living and breathing and a missionary!

                                                                                                                             May 19, 2015

Preparation Day was on a Tuesday this week due to another wonderful

Canadian Holiday- Victoria Day!

Canadians are so similar to Americans, and yet so different from

Americans. When we have a holiday in the states, everyone gets out of

their house. They go to the mall, the movies, hiking, etc. Canadians,

on the other hand, sit inside, or leave the city. But being out and

about is almost no good because there is hardly no one out there! All

the shops, libraries, and a majority of restaurants are closed, and it

seems like everyone just disappears! Poof! haha! But, that is why you

didn't hear from me yesterday.

So, this week has been good. Things are a little slow because we have

basically had to start from scratch. BUT, they are moving! I am

learning a lot during this time. As we are out and working hard every

day, I am learning to see how the Lord is working with us in the

details of this work. I feel like I have been expecting the work to

pick up and for everything to boom, and have been a little

disappointed and discouraged because that is not happening. But,

recently, with Heavenly help, my eyes are opening up, and I have been

able to see that although the work is not progressing rapidly, things

are going! We had an investigator come to church this past week, which

was a total surprise! He showed up to all of it, accept sacrament

meeting. But, stayed for the rest of the meetings and the Linger

Longer! What made it even better is that members were gong out of

their way to help him and fellowship him. I was so grateful to see

that! The Lord is answering our prayers, but in His time, and for that

I am grateful. It has reminded me again that this is His work, not

mine. He is in charge. And, I am grateful for that! I just need to do

my part, and continue to dedicate and consecrate myself more so that I

don't let anything stand in the way of Him working through me. So, it

is time to work even harder, talk to more people, and above all else,

seek for Heavenly help to know what the Lord would have us do!

This week, through it all, I feel as though my testimony of Prayer has

been growing! As we pray, I know our Heavenly Father is listening to

us! I had a small but meaningful experience with prayer this week that

I would love to share with you all. So, the past 3 years or so, I

haven't been able to really drink or eat milk. Every time I would, it

hurt my stomach. Well, since being out, there are some mornings where

all I have time for is a quick bowl of cereal. At first I was worried.

But, much to my surprise, I was finding that my stomach was handling

it well. That was until Thursday. After my bowl of cereal, I felt

pains in my stomach. I eventually just had to ignore them and go out

and work. Reflecting through the day though, I realized that I had

forgotten to do something so small, but so important. I forgot to

bless my bowl of cereal! What I used to think of as such a small and

insignificant thing has now become so important to me. He listens to

us, even if it is a prayer as simple as asking our Heavenly Father to

bless the food that we will eat, and allow it to nourish and

strengthen our bodies. So, pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ,

because He loves you and wants to help you in all things!

This week, I have been looking for ways in enhance my study time. So,

I took the advice of a young couple that used to be in the Etobicoke

ward (bus has since moved back to utah..) and I have changed the way

that I read the Book of Mormon. On the front cover of the Book of

Mormon, it says "Another Testament of Jesus Christ!" To help me come

to a better understanding of this myself, I have begun to highlight

every reference to Jesus Christ. So, now instead of just reading the

words, I am searching for Christ while reading. This has begun to

completely alter my understanding of and perspective on the Book of

Mormon! Christ truly is in the details! It has been so neat to see the

difference in my reading and studying, as well as to see my

understanding of who Christ is change over the past week. I am sure

this concept is old, but, it is new to me! It goes right along with

how President Bednar has instructed us to read the scriptures. I

invite all of you to try it out! :)

I guess I should mention my new companion! Sister Gillins is AWESOME!

She dies at the end of July :( but, she is wonderful none the less!

She is silly, and for that, I love her! She has such a desire to help

everyone and we have really enjoyed working together thus far! This is

her first bus area, so it has been fun to see her conquer bus

contacting! Some of our best memories so far have been meal times

together. We have a very minimal selection of food in our apartment,

and so we have gotten really creative with some of the food we have

eaten thus far! For example, a few days ago we made Hamburger

Strogonaff, even though we were missing half the ingredients... It

still tasted pretty good though! haha :) Food is always an adventure

for us! We are both grateful for the cookbooks that we have, they have

helped a good deal!

Well, I believe that is all for this week. Things are going well, just

always learning and growing! I love you all! I hope you have a good

week!                                                    Sister Robison

this is what we do when we are the only ones of the bus. blurry because the bus was moving... but yes! I am going to get so tan this summer! the tan lines will be awesome as well! :) 

 The hamburger stroganoff. Delicious                

Some funny and slightly yummy Canadian chips!!

The only ones on the bus!! #whodowetalkto  (Good thing the bus drivers love us)

Hey you guys! SO, just a little more detail for the close family, especially you two! 

Something that Sister Gillins is helping me with A TON, is to just be myself! That is something that I struggled with with Sister Maas (not that sister maas isn't great and wonderful,because she totally is!), partially because I am such a people pleaser,and I didn't want to do anything she would frown upon.. But, Sister Gillins is goofy, and light spirited and has helped me to be much more of myself! We talk about loved ones often, and it has helped to remind me of how much I love you all, and how much I would tell you both when I was home! So, I decided, I need to be more open about everything. That has been a struggle in itself, but we are still a family, and I feel more united with you all when I tell you more! (i'm not sure if this makes sense... it does in my head... :) anyways...)

I love you guys! I got your package this week with Trace's picture in it. So cute! :) I love it! and thank you for the juice pouches! :) 

This week was slow which was a little tough. Sister Gillins has a ton going on at home and that is sometimes tough. Now, with that being said, I am amazed and so grateful for her dedication to this work. She is so great. She just has such a desire to serve and has been such an example to me about how to push through. She is in no way holding us back because of those things going on. If anything, it has brought us closer together. She has been more open with me about everything than any of her other companions which has been good for both of us! It helps me to know where she is at, and it helps her to be able to talk through all her feelings and emotions. Dad, I have been taking advice you gave me, and I have just been mostly listening to her. Letting her get it all off her chest. She already gets enough advice and such from everyone else. I am just here to give her encouragement and to listen to her when she needs it! She is awesome and I love her so much! 

Side note, I think this is funny. I have told some stories about Elder Nielson and sister Horn from highschool to Sister Gillins, and just explained how they were my good friends and all. And then, I told her, completely unrelated, about what President McClellan said in the last line or so of my setting apart blessing about my husband laboring to build up the kingdom of Zion, so basically being on a mission. And the first thought that she had/said, "oh, I think your going to marry Elder Nielson." It made me laugh. I basically told her, yeah you and the rest of the world! (I feel like kelly would laugh at this :) ) 

The work has been slower. We have only taught a handful of lessons in the past couple weeks because people keep falling through. The elders left us with a lot of investigators, but the notes on them are very small, and many of them they made investigators after meeting them on the streets. So, yeah. BUT we are working hard! Yesterday I was so tired. I think part of that is because it wasn't Prep day like it normally is. I was feeling a little down towards the evening. Just feeling like we are doing anything! In my evening prayer to my Heavenly Father, I laid it all out there for him. I love the comfort and the guidance I received. He reminded me of our investigator that came to church. He also reminded me of the great potentials we will be meeting with later this week. And then he lovingly brought to my mind ways that I can improve in my work so that we can see great success in this area. Now, I just have to have the courage to do those things. (Thank you for all the talks on courage! I am excited to read them!) :) 

What I like to call, "Business Items" :) 

- President Clayton is helping us to become more dedicated and consecrated missionaries. As I said during the skype call, I really appreciate his way of leading because he continues to refer us back to the missionary handbook which was inspired and written by prophets and apostles of the Lord. One thing that he has brought to our attention, and is asking us to implement from here on out, is that, as said in the white handbook, pg 37, our skype calls home for Christmas and Mother's Day are only to be 30-40 min long. I know this does not apply for a while, but I wanted to let you know, so that you will be able to help me be obedient come December! Sometimes, sacrifice is tough. But, I really want to be exactly obedient, and so that is a step that needs to be taken to help with that! AND, if you would like, I could start forwarding you our President's weekly emails so that you can be in touch with all the awesome things going on! Just let me know :) 

-I have allergies here! :( Sister Gillins has been letting me use some of her allergy stuff because mine does not work as well.. It is really just a stuffy/runny nose. Just annoying. But I was wondering if you might be able to figure out what exactly it is for me so I can get some more! She doesn't remember what it is... on the back is written : "Cetirizinr HCI 10 mg tablets Antihistamine Distributed by: PL Developments Westbury, NY 11590" They are non-drowsy, 24 hour tablets :)                                                                                  -I Love you! 

Anyways, that is about all! I hope all is going well down there! Dad, I hope you are feeling better! I keep the family in my prayers, and pray for everyone by name. There is such power in prayer! 

I love it out here! I am learning and growing and truly striving to be the best missionary I can be! Have a great week though! 

Lots of Love!             Sister Robison            (man, I did good this week with the letter writing!)