Saturday, May 28, 2016

Week 68 - Transfer News

                                                                                                                                       May 21, 2016

:( Sister Bell is leaving me! How rude! She will be going to Hamilton. She will do great things there! I will miss her. Too much. But, instead of being my companion, she will now be my Sister Training Leader! And, I will be her's! So, we will still get to see each other. And, we can call each other often. Yay! :) 

I will be staying in Mississauga! It's a good place, I'm excited :) My new companion will be Sister Nabhan! She is great! She's been my Sister Training Leader a few times before. We have a funny relationship. We were just really good friends after one awkward interaction. Haha... I can't really describe it, but it will be good! :) 


Soooo what to say? I feel like I just talked to you..! Haha! 

Highlights from the week:

Exchanges with Sister Paulsen in Churchville YSA! YSA is awesome! Oh my. So many prepared people there. So many. Just friendly and good people. Sister Paulsen is awesome. I adore her. This is her first transfer, and she is already such a great missionary! Just all around awesome. I am excited to continue to see all that good that she will do! :) 

Exchanges with Hermana Meyer! I just want to learn Spanish now. In one of our lessons, we read Joseph Smith History verses 10-17. Sister Meyer had me read a couple verses. I had no idea what I was saying, but, he invited us to come back, so it must have been okay! haha! I was also told that I have a really good accent. So, who knows. I might just come home fluent! Jokes. But still. I want to! Anyways, it was fun. I love the bus. I love Spanish people. I love it all! 

One Thing That I've Learned This Week: Returning from a mission is going to be hard. 
I have talked to so many people this week in various settings who have all expressed to me how hard it was to come home from the mission. ... fun. haha. I am just taking it one day at a time. Striving to soak up every moment that I have and just trusting that everything will work out how it is supposed to in the future. 

I just love Sister Bell. She has taught me so so much this transfer! Part of me is afraid I will fall back into some bad habits that she helped me to brake... But, with the Lord on our side, anything is possible! Repentance is real. Now is the time for me to take everything I've learned and continue on! I am just so grateful to Sister Bell. She is awesome. 

Well, I think that's all for this week. I hope you have a great week! Stay safe. Keep reading, praying, and going to church. The Lord is with you! 

Loves! 
Sister Robison 

Ponderize: D&C 17:99-100  It is President Monson's most quoted scripture. President Clayton used it in a Specialty Leadership Training we had this past week. Diligence is key! 

-I love Sister Bell! 
-One of us all eating food- it was African food and it was spicy! Ah! 
-Our silly district. All Spanish missionaries, and then us! 


-Our silly district. All Spanish missionaries, and then us!

-One of us all eating food- it was African food and it was spicy! Ah!

-I love Sister Bell!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Week 67 - This Week Was A Blur!

                                                                                                                                 May 16
Okay! Time to write you a letter I suppose! 

First off, Welcome home Sister Heidi Robison! You are awesome. I am grateful for you example! :) I love you so much! 

Second off, Soon to be Elder Robison! I hope everything is going well! It's official. While at the mission office with my companion, we looked at people coming in/going home in the next few transfer, and your name was definitely there! Woot woot! We are excited for you! :) 

This week was loca. haha! So much happened. 

We had exchanges at the beginning of the week, and I got to stay in Mississauga for it! Yay! Sister Capener. She is just finishing her first 3 months of the mission! OH my. She is a GREAT missionary! :) I love her! She has a great desire to walk by faith and help others to come unto Christ! While with her, we found 4 new investigators! Blessings! Exchange miracles are so real. I am grateful I get to see them all the time! :) 

We also had an interesting day of exchanges on Friday. The original plan was for both Sister Bell and I to go to Etobicoke with the sisters there, then to divide and conquer and help them to contact referrals and so forth (because they have a million and have so much going on in their area!) but, that didn't end up happening quite as we planned. Tuesday evening we got the news that we were, from that point on, also going to be over the Georgetown sisters- Sister Melesiea (my Samoan companion from Bracebridge) and Sister Edwards (the sister I trained in Welland)!!! Crazy! So, sister Bell went to Etobicoke to help the trio there, and I went to Georgetown for the day to be with those sisters there! :) 

It was a special exchange in Georgetown. Those sisters are awesome. It was fun to be with them again. I love them so much! :) 

So, as you all know, Deneil was baptized this past Saturday, and was then confirmed as a Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday! Deneil's a Mormon! :D haha! It was a happy day. Deneil is so prepared. He's been searching for a church most of his life and has such a solid testimony that this truly is Christ's church on the earth again today. He has received many personal witnesses and is so happy to be apart of it! We are excited to see him continue to learn and grow in the church, and to set an example for his wife and family members. 

Life here in the CTM is good. Most of the time I just forget that I am coming home slightly soon... It's just not on the forefront of my mind, and I'm hoping it stays like that! It's such a blessing to help others come unto Christ. It is fulfilling and I truly feel closer to the Savior through it all. I love it. I love being a missionary!  

I love Sister Bell. She is an amazing missionary. She continues to help me draw closer to Christ and give more to the work! She is cool and I also hope that I will be able to continue to serve with her! 

Because of Transfers and holidays next weekend, preparation day will be on Saturday the 21st instead of Monday the 23rd. So, I will be talking to you again then!  

I hope you have a great week! Love those you serve! Seek to be the Lord's hands! Do great things! :) 
Love  you so much! 

Sister Robison 




Me in a subway station


Sister Capener! 

Sister Meleisea and Edwards and I

Sisters Osman, Bell, Brown, Me and Kehrer! 

Toronto!

Subway Shot!      Kelly, Who am I?! :D 

 
Subway Travels! I miss this! :) 

Sister Bell, Sister Phelan, and I! 

Sister Heidi Robison's last letter from England

May 2, 2016
“Well this is Awkward…”



Hey family!

         This is officially the last email you will get from Sister Robison....THAT IS SO SAD!!! I can't even put into words how I'm feeling right now, it is all very very surreal to me that my 18 months is actually up. This has been the fastest and most rewarding 18 months of my life. Being at the end of my mission, of course everyone is asking me about the lessons I've learned and how I've changed on my mission. And boy, I have learned so much and I have changed so much! Overall there is SO much I could say in this email, I could go for days with all the lessons I've learned from my mission, but I guess that can wait for 10 days and you can all stay up all night listening to my testimony :) but until then, here's a bit of what I have learned the most!
         One of my favourite scriptures is Mosiah 3: 19 "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
         This is a scripture I have read time and time again on my mission, but I feel like it describes what my mission has been for me. Missions aren't easy, nor will they ever be easy, because Satan is trying every possible way to stop this work from moving forward, but I feel that over my mission I have constantly been putting off the "natural man" to become the daughter my Heavenly Father needs me to be. This isn't an easy task, any member of the church could testify to you of that. It involved a lot of tears, a lot of heartache, and a lot of asking "why?"  But one thing I know is that as you rely 100% on the atonement, it is possible. I don't understand the reason why some things are the way they are, but what I do know and understand is that I have a loving Heavenly Father who has provided a way for me to return home to him. I am in no way worthy for that at all, but oh how I am so very grateful for my Heavenly Father for providing a way for each of us unworthy creatures to return to him through his son Jesus Christ. Life is often referred to as a "test" or a "refiners fire" and something I've learned is that the closer you get to Christ, the harder the test becomes, and the more you are refined, because Heavenly Father knows you can get through it. We should take every trial that is placed in our life and shoot for joy because our Heavenly Father has provided it to us as a way to continue to put off the natural man and choose to yield to the spirit and work through things with the atonement.
         My overall goal of my mission from the day I got my call was to return home and simply be Christlike, I wanted to be someone who others could see the light of Christ through, I wanted to be someone who would act as he would, and be someone that anyone could tell without question that I believe and follow Jesus Christ. Now I don't know how well I've done at this, I still have a lot that I need to work on, but what I do know is that I have gained a firm conviction that Jesus Christ is my saviour and redeemer. He is my rock and as I put him and his gospel first in my life I will get through anything. It is possible to acquire these attributes, but like I said it isn't easy. But hey, life was never meant to be easy right? I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is true. This book, as you know, has changed my life. If it weren't for the Book of Mormon then I wouldn't know my saviour like I do. When I got to Sutton I made it a goal to start using the BoM more in finding, and ever since then I have used it every single day and taught hundreds of people about why it's so important. As a missionary, I have gotten into the habit of always having a BoM in my left hand whenever we leave the flat. It is just always there and always ready to use. There have been a few days where I have forgotten it, or its in my bag, and I feel naked without it in my hand. I feel like I can't talk to people cause I don't have it to refer to, and I feel useless. This is very similar to our everyday lives. We have to have the BoM close by us, we have to be reading it for 30 minutes a day to stay safe in this world and to keep the armour of God around us. It is what provides us with the answers to our questions and it helps us to know the purpose of this life. The BoM is important people!
         I have also learned that I belong in England. Seriously, I feel like I am supposed to be here! I love this country and the people here so much. I love the food, all those vegetables, gravy, and Yorkshire puddings (yummy!). It is seriously the best country on the planet and I hope so bad that I will be able to visit a lot during my life. I think my heart will always long to be back here. The memories I've made here and the ways I've been changed here will forever be a foundation for the rest of my life.
         You know, it's a sad day to see your time serving the Lord end. I cry a lot now and kind of go into panic mode a lot...I don't know what my future has in store for me, but I know wherever it takes me I will be a follower of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for all the prayers you have sent my way over my mission. They truly do help and I know that they have helped me do the work I have done. As I have pondered my mission and born my testimony of my mission many times this week I have felt the spirit confirm to me I have done what the Lord needed me to do. Am I sad? Yes. But at least I can look back with joyful memories from my mission.
         So ya. This is awkward cause I still don't really feel like I'm coming home next week...but I guess I am...so get ready!
         Oh, and this week was really good too! Most of our investigators dropped us, so that was sad, but it didn't stop us! We had zone training, I went on exchange with Sister Bills and basically cried the whole exchange cause I don't want to go home, and then we went to Eastbourne for an exchange as well (I also cried there cause it's the last time I'll see the English Channel as a missionary). But I can fill you in on all the details when I get home!
         I love you all, I love my saviour, and I will forever be grateful for the time I have been able to spend in England serving the Lord and helping others to come closer to him!

Love,
Sister Robison xx

Week 66 - Please Enjoy These Rambles... :)

                                                                                                                                                May 9



Okay. Crazy week. Good week.

I loved seeing you all yesterday! I just adore you all and miss you! Just know how great you all are! 

So, I don't have much time... we are going to Toronto today and want to spend as much time down there as possible! SO, we will make it brief. 

This past week on Tuesday we had MLC! Mission Leadership Council. It was great! I never realized how involved the leaders of the mission are! I am so grateful for it. 

Something that really stood out was said by President Clayton: "Don't give Satan place at the table." 
Often times in this life, there are lots of things we are trying to overcome. With the help of Christ and the atonement, we can overcome it! Once we do it, the important thing is to stop dwelling on it. Forgive forget and move on. As we look back and dwell on those things, we are allowing Satan to come back in and bring all that guilt and those same bad or unwanted feelings back in. So, as we use the atonement, whatever it may be for, we need to make sure we move on! Don't give Satan place at the table by dwelling on things of the past. It can be applied in a million ways! I love it! :) 

Deneil had his baptismal interview yesterday and passed! We are so excited for him to make convenants with his Heavenly Father this upcoming Saturday at 7! It is going to be awesome! He is so ready. :) 

I do love Sister Bell. She is just the best. She is teaching me so much and helping me to draw closer to the Savior just by being who she is! :) She's a keeper! She may or may not have asked me to marry her a week ago... haha, it was funny. I just laughed and moved on... :P 

Other highlights? ummmm... I can't think of any at this moment. 
Just know that I love you! Sorry for the short letter.. But things are good! We have some good exchanges coming up. Some great people we are looking forward to meeting with. And we know we will see miracles as we continue to do all that we can! The Lord will provide! 

Love you all! :) 
Stay safe! 
Remember who you are! 
Loves! 

Sister Robison 
PONDERIZE: Moroni 7:33



Monday, May 2, 2016

Week 65 - MIracles Abound!!!

                                                                                                                                             May 2, 2016

What a week! We love it. I love Sister Bell. She is just awesome. I guess you could say we complement each other well. She is so good at being bold and loving and just going out and getting it done! I learn lots from her on the daily. :) 

So, this week. Let's see! 

It has been great. We've seen so many miracles. The work of the Lord is really going forth and I am so thankful He trusts me enough to let me be a part of it! 

Wednesday we had an awesome District Meeting all about setting our Investigators with Baptismal Dates! This is a basic thing in missionary work, but something I feel like I have not been doing for a long time! So, applying what we learned, that night, Sister Bell and I sent our awesome investigator Deniel with a baptismal date for May 14th!!! (Sister Bell's Birthday) He is excited and so are we! :) He didn't come to church yesterday- decided to stay home and spend some time with his wife. But, they both came to our Why I Believe Fireside last night and He was just so happy! He is excited. He has a solid testimony and a great grasp on the doctrine and principals he's been taught! He is so ready. 

We had two exchanges this week! I went to both Churchville YSA, and to Black Creek! 

Churchville was a ton of fun because 1) YSA. and 2) I was on exchanges with my STL from last transfer who was released to train a new missionary! Sister Bott. She is awesome! YSA work is so busy! They are working with some amazing people. It was a lot of fun despite the fact that I don't know how to work with YSA... haha :) I'm awkward, but all is well! It was fun to be able to pick Sister Bott's brain and ask her questions about being an STL. We had some good adventures together. :) 

Black Creek was also a blast. Why you ask? 1) BUS AREA! 2) They live in the Ghetto... :) 3) Black Creek is the Spanish Ward! So, I knew nothing of what was going on! :P It was a ton of fun though. Hermana Dolton actually roomed with Morgan Allison before the mission! Small world! But, we got lost on the buses for hours... haha! But, the neat thing was that on each bus, we talked to some amazing people and found some great potentials as well as even a lost less active member! Miracles! They always abound on exchanges! It's the best! After getting lost on the buses for literally hours, we finally made it to our referrals house. Turns out, they weren't home.... Pickles! That's when I turned to her and let her know we were going to contact in the area. The first person we talked to was Marco! He was just coming home from work for the day. Although he isn't super religious (at least I think that is what he was saying in Spanish.. I don't speak it unfortunately...) he was curious about the message that we share as missionaries and was excited for the Hermana's to come back and to share more with him! Although we were lost for hours on the buses, all things worked together and we found/were put in the places where we needed to be to talk to those of God's children he needed us to talk to! It was neat day. I loved it! :) 

I've been really focused on striving to listen to the promptings of the spirit more throughout my day. So, actually sitting, praying, and listening before doing various things as saying something in a lesson, asking a question, and so forth. I love it. I love the difference it makes in the work. As a normal human being, I can be so prideful. Sometimes, I think I can do the work all on my own. I am experienced and I can teach these things and I can help these people and it will be great! Well, after letting my try and fail for a while, the Lord always so lovingly reminds me that I cannot do this work on my own. No matter how good I am, I can't do it because it is not my work to do, it is His work. And let me tell you! The work goes so much better when we involve Him and when we turn to Him! I am so so thankful for the presence of the spirit. He makes all the difference in the work. Yes I am in a way "experienced" in the mission, but I would just as easily be nothing without turning to God and striving to do His work and listen to the promptings that come from the Spirit. 

The Holy Ghost is my best bud. I am so grateful for His help and the comfort He brings. I would be lost and super sad without Him! 

That is my missionary speal for the week. :) 

I love you all so much! You are wonderful! I can't believe Mother's day is this weekend... time is going by too fast! I will talk to you all soon! Stay wonderful until then! :) 

As Sister Bell would say, 
Peace and Blessings! 

Sister Robison :)                                                                                                PONDERIZE: Galatians 1:10
Sister Bott and I in a really Ghetto Building  trying to contact a Less Active! :)
Hermana Dolton and I heart attacking one of their members!