Letter #7

Well Hello!!! I don't know why the return button isn't working on this computer, but I guess I won't be pressing enter during this letter. Sorry for the inconvenience. (Also it keeps doing double periods, so....) Okay, the big news first: Today is my 7 week mark!!!! Only 2 weeks left. That means that we will be getting our travel plans this week.. That is a really big deal here.. Once you have your travel plans, then you are set to go! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPENCER!!! I can't believe how old Spencer keeps sounding in the letters I get.. "Hey guys, I have something to tell you!" Have a happy birthday buddy.. Also, Happy Fathers day Dad! I'm glad to hear that you got my card! I'm sorry to hear that Mom being made RS president has and will affect Dad's and Stephanie's eating patterns. Okay, down to business: when I get my travel plans this week I will know exactly when I am leaving, but I still want to know where the family will be on July 6th or July 7th as I will be able to call you from the airport! I'll send more info next week, but I am just wondering.. Okay, now for my life here: I've been studying a lot from the Ensign recently.. the May 2010 issue with all the conference talks.. There are really some great talks in there.. I encourage all of you, if you haven't started rereading them, to do so.. They really are modern scripture for our day.. We have continued to sign up for TEs (teachers that act like investigators) and everything is going really well.. We do them all in Spanish now, and it isn't hard.. Its amazing how blessed I have been here.. I thought about it a lot this week.. I took Spanish for 2 years in school, but in the 7 weeks I've been here I have learned far more that i did in school, and I can actually use it.. We just learned one of the hardest subjects in the Spanish language this week, Subjunctive. It is weird because we don't have it in English. Well we do, we just don't know it. For example, if I wanted to say "Mom wants Nate to write a longer letter," Then last week I would have written Mama quiere nate excribir una carta mas largo. But now that I've learned subjunctive i know to write "Mama quiere que nate escriba una carta mas largo." It is weird, but I will learn it with time and prayer. It’s amazing how much you can learn when you really rely on the Lord. The mission president seminar begins today. That means that at some time or another during the week every apostle will be here.. In fact, we are having a special devotional on Friday with an apostle, we don't know who yet.. Last night we had the weekly devotional; it was given by Lowell M. Snow, of the quorum of the 70. It was an amazing talk about the Spirit's role in conversion and how we have to decide to let the Spirit teach us. Agency is key in all things, including being receptive to the spirit. Today we are cleaing the temple, so we have a pretty busy schedule. I don't think I will be able to write very many letters by hand today.. Sorry.. What else what else what else.......... I really don't know what more I have to say, the MTC is going well.. Jen, Nick, Spencer and Landon - Happy Birthday! It sounds like today is going to be really fun! Jen, the dinosaur theme sounds really fun.. I still remember my aladin, lion king and peter Pan? birthdays mom put on for me. Kristi and Derek, thanks for the advice on learning the language.. I really appreciate all the words of wisdom.. Yeach, I can't wait until I get my travel plans.. This week the two Sisters from the district above us that stayed an extra week to do visitor center training (DC temple) left and we helped them carry their luggage to the curb.. It was crazy to think that we would be carrying our own luggage to the curb in no time at all. Steph - Thanks for the letters.. It sounds like summer is going well.. Funny that you did the bike ride all the way to Shelly.. That’s the one Cassie, Jessica, and I did last summer.. It was fun, and funny that you wanted a ride back.. Take care! I love you! Mom and Dad, Hi, I love you, time is almost up.. I can't wait till I get to the field and my letters have something substantial to say.. Oh well.. Take care everyone! I love you! The Church is true! Love, Elder Roberts

Myself and Elder Carpenter. It's nice to see people from IF.

Me, my companion Elder Driggs, Elder To'a, and Elder Klienman. We

are all in the same district/room. We are all going to Fort Worth

Texas.

Feast upon the words of Christ?

Both of these Elder are going to Samoa. I know Elder Palmer from

college. We get to be in the same gym time, it is fun.

Myself with some buddies from college. Elder Garrett, Elder Roberts,

Elder Townsend, and Elder Palmer.

Elder Scott...What more can I say?

Me sending mail! The sun was bright that day, thus I have squinty eyes.

Me writing letters on P-day

Letter #6

Hi family!

I can't believe I have already been in the MTC for 6 weeks!!! Only 2 weeks and 6 days left until I get to go to Fort Worth! I can't wait to get to Texas! It’s weird, because today when the new English speaking missionaries come in, we will leave with them. I feel so old here. We are the "veterans" now! And at only 6 weeks in the mission! It is going to be a shock to actually get to Fort Worth and see how little I really know about being a missionary at this point, but I am excited to learn more!

Okay, so who is teaching the Family Home Evening lesson this week? Really? Mom again? Well, I'll give her a break this time. Here is what you are going to do. First, try to find the talk by Elder Bednar about "Is it just me or the Spirit?" It was a really good talk. If you can't find it, I will quickly tell you the summary of it: Don't worry about it! He said that anything that invites you to do good is the Spirit. He also promised that if we are 1) Being good people 2) Keeping our Covenants and 3) Keeping the Commandments, we will be led by the Spirit as we go forward and act in faith. He said it doesn't matter if we think it is just ourselves telling us to do something, because if we are doing these 3 things then it will be the Spirit telling us what to do. Okay, so after finding that talk (if you can, it was an MTC devotional) Read Galatians 5:22 (and the first two words of 23) and Moroni 10: 5 and 7. Then you are all going to share an experience you had where you were guided by the Spirit to do something that beforehand you didn't know was the spirit. You will then all bear testimony of why the Spirit is important in our lives (Dad will go first to se the example) and then you will all write down what you have thought, felt, and learnt about the Spirit. Then you will all write Nate a Handwritten letter and mail it about lots of things, but especially about what you learned. I love you all.

I think it sounds way fun to have that little mini fire pit. I remember in my childhood that if we wanted to roast marshmallows at home Jen or Kristi would light a candle and we would roast those little marshmallows using pretzels as our sticks. What fun.

Mom, don't think that the details ever bore me. I love hearing about what you are all doing at home. Oh, and by the way, speaking of details, when do I get a picture of Spencer with his cast on?!?!?!

Spanish is coming along really nicely. I am learning a lot. Oh, by the way, we got our new permantent teacher this past week (or the week before.) His name is Brother Hunt. He has been home from his mission for 4 months. He served in San Antonio Texas. He is a really great teacher. I am learning a lot here from him and our other Teacher brother Pace. These past 2 days we have had a substitute for Brother Pace, the subs name was Brother Gamez (Gah-mes) He was born and raised in Spain. He made me a lot less nervous about everything with the language. I mean, there is still a lot I have to learn, but he also eased a lot of my worries about learning the language. I don't know how to explain it exactly (I can't remember exactly what he said) but I feel a lot better. It is really about just trying to speak as much Spanish as I can as often as I can.

Mom, the cookies mailed really well. Thanks, I got the package on Saturday, I loved getting the shirts, cookies and candies, thanks alot.

Wow, time is really going by quickly here. I don't know if we are on the same time as the rest of the world. It is strange. It is very true that the days go by like weeks, but the weeks go by like days here in the MTC.

Exciting news: Next week our service assignment is that we get to help clean the Temple! Wow! Also, the new mission presidents seminar is starting this next week which means that at some time or another every member of the quorum of the twelve apostles and the first presidency will be here! I don't know if we will get to see very many of them, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Dad - I keep thinking about your MTC experience! Did you say that you only had three days in the Mission home in Salt Lake? That is so crazy? Who were your teachers? I hear that at that time the missionaries were taught by apostles. Is that true for you too?

Mom- I've already said a few things to you in the letter, but I want you to know that I love you and love to get your letters! I can really hear your voice come through in them. Thanks.

Jen and Nick - thanks for your letters. I love you hear about your family. Nick, I'm glad you had the opportunity to be a missionary.

Derek and Kristi, thanks for being who you are. I always think about how you were both here not to long ago. I love you. Thanks for the letters.

Steph - thanks for taking over for moms letter occasionally. that is nice of you to help mom. I love you. I'm glad you are having a fun summer. Work hard! I love you!

Sorry this is shorter today! Time is almost up

I love you all. The church is true!

Love,
Elder Nate Roberts

Elder Palmer is a buddy from BYU. We lived on the same hall and stuff. We have gym time together on Tuesdays so we get to be around each other a bit. It is fun.

The four Elders on the right all left to Guatemala. Elder Terry just snuck into the photo. (Elder Terry, Elder Bosh, Elder Crockett, Elder Thacker, and Elder Devon)

Sound asleep. It’s what we all feel like doing, but only Elder Terry pulls it off. We think he has a sleep disorder. Seriously, I think he has a sleep apnea. Sometimes he sounds like he is asleep (like snoring) when he is awake. (Elder Terry pitched out.)

I think this one is self-explanatory. It is a lot of fun to see these people! Idaho Falls! (Elder Baker, Elder Roberts, Elder Crepeau)

Me and Elder Baker from Idaho Falls. The face in the background is my companion.

I hope you can read this mom, it’s my schedule.

The classic map photo. I should have been more vague with my pointing. “Is that Mexico?” “Maybe”

Me and Elder Seth Townsend, another hall mate from BYU. He is a cool Elder.

All of us were on the same floor at BYU. Elder Justin Molinaro, Elder, Hayden Palmer, Elder Nate Roberts.

Neat, huh?

When we were setting these out an Elder asked us if it was a graveyard for mini people.

Letter #5

Hola Familia!

First of all, I feel so sorry for little Spencer. What a bummer. Has he called and talked to Aunt Krisit about it yet? We all know she too had a problem of falling from relatively low furniture. I want a picture of Spencer with his cast on! (If you print it at a photo kiosk it looks better when it gets here) Speaking of pictures, i got the ones Mom sent. Thanks! They were great and so fun to read!

Stephanie got her Driver's License?!?!?!?! Wow, that is hard to believe. I think it is a double whammy, because I was gone to college and then I came here, and suddenly Steph is licensed to drive? Scary! I'm just teasing. Anyway, it sounds like summer is going well so far. I hope you are having fun. As Carl Vance pointed out in a letter to me recenlty, I will never have a summer vacation again. Oh well...

Pues, we are done with 5 Weeks at the MTC!!!!!!!!!! Only 4 weeks left! Actually, it was four weeks from yesterday! I can't wait to get there, but now I am kinda getting nervice! Oh well though, I just keep doing what I am supposed to be doing and I know that the Lord will bless me. Dad and Mom mentioned something that Brother Odgen had said. I love the thought because it is actually how PMG (Preach My Gospel) and PME (Predicad Mi Evangelio) say to do when people have doubts. Our church is either True or it is not. That is simply how it is. And the truthfullness of our church is all dependent on whether the Book of Mormon is true or isn't. If the Book of Mormon isn't true, then the rest of the Church goes with it, but if it is true, as I personally bear testimony that it is, then we have the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ again on the Earth and it is our duty to tell as many people as will listen about the wonderful blessing that is ours. If you have been thinking about whether or not to try to share the gospel, read the Book of Mormon. As your testimony grows of that wonderful Book, so will your desire to share it with everyone you know. I know that is how I feel, now I just have to learn how to share that in Spanish!!!!!!

In sincerio, the Spanish is coming along. It is amazing to see the Lords hand in all of it here. I have only been studying the language here for 5 weeks and I have learned so much. Oh yeah, before I forget. Our ratio just keeps improving. We have had 5 devotionals so far, and 3 of them have been by Apostles. Thats right, last night Elder Robert D. Hales came and spoke to us all. It was an amazing talk about the light of Christ and of truth and how light has the infinite capactity to dispell darkness. I was really impressed with it. Also, this past Sunday we had some speakers come and talk about the hymns they had composed music for in the Hymbook. I can't remeber their names right now, but the songs they made the music for were: "Our Saviors Love" (I think his name was Crawford Gates) and "Press forward Saints" It was really neat to have them here.

Mom, Steph tells me you haven't sent my package yet, what a relief. I always feel bad because I think of one more thing. I won't add anything else after today, so just go ahead and send it. I would like the Grey shirt and also my blue firecracker race shirt. I just need another shirt to wear to gym and the firecracker one is a good shirt. Also, speaking of gym, i run the track everyday now. I tell you this so that I can now ask for something: You know those little "counters" the ones you hold in your hand and press a little button and it will keep a count for you? They are usually small metalic things. Anyways, if you could find one from walmart or somewhere and send it ASAP it would make my life so much the more enjoyable. I don't think you know how hard it is to keep track of all the laps i do when it takes 10 laps to make a mile. Anyways, thats really all.

Is there anything else you want to hear about?
Time is up.

Love,
Elder Roberts

The Letter Y'all've been waiting for...

Y'all've - definition: You all have. (It's a double conjunction)

I want to start this letter out with a joke:

Chiste: ?Cual es la diferencia entre una fruta y una novia de un misionero?

Respuesta: Una es pera y la ortra no espera.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! oh, you didn't get it? Ask someone that speaks spanish.

Kristi R. Judd and Craig Martin (if you get married I'll use your new name too) I have some exciting news - Brother Petersen (Elder Petersen as you both knew him) teaches at the MTC and I met him. He said he knew you both from the Mission. I knew he wasn't lying when he said "Kristi." Anyways, it was fun to meet someone that knew my family.

From the letters I've recieved it sounds like most of you back home are starting your gardens. This is great news to me because I too have started tending a Garden. Sometimes it is refered to as a vineyard, but whatever it is, it's white and already to harvest so I'm just here thrusting in my sickle.

Good News: One of our teachers, Hermana Padilla (Pronounced Paw-dee-ah), is getting married.

Bad News: She is no longer our teacher because she left to get married.

This is a bummer because she was a really good teacher. She really knew the Spanish language and the Gospel. We really liked her. Anyways, she is gone and now we only have one set teacher, so half of the time we are the foster class, getting passed around to a different teacher each time. Its okay though because we get to learn different things from different teachers. We should get a new set teacher in a week or so. I'll keep you posted.

More good news: I have started using gym time to run everyday. I run 3 miles everyday we have gym. The track I run on is a rectangle and has 10 laps for a mile. If you have ever run on a track like that you will know that it isn't very fun, but I enjoy it and it is keeping my healthy. You are all probably wondering at this point: "How much weight has Elder Roberts gained?" Well, first of all, that is a very rude thing to ask, but because you did, I'll answer. Nada. Nada means nothing in spanish. (It also means he/she/it swims which will be important to remember as you will read later.)

I need to make something clear, because apparently it has caused some feelings of guilt in the family. I was joking about having to sneak cookies into the MTC. Cookies are allowed. I was simply making a joke about how it appeared that mom was trying to sneak them in by wrapping them in my scripture case in bubble wrap. It was just funny to me. I'm sorry if this chiste (joke) may have caused anyone (mom) to feel guilty in any way.

A missionary thought: The church is true, don't be afraid to share it. This seems pretty obvious, but really, think about how happy it has made your life. Don't you want to share it? I love you all!

I want to end my letter with a joke:

Chiste: ?Que hace una pez in la agua?

Respuesta: Nada! (See above explanation of the word "nada")

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! get it? get it? hahahahahahahahahahahahha

Love,

Elder Roberts

I’m not pointing to Dad exactly, but I’m close

I’ll be wearing this tag for two whole years! I wonder if it will be weird to respond to Nate again when I get home?

Myself and Elder Hargis. I think that there are also 2 secret service agents behind us. (The “Elders” in Sunglasses)

Reenacting the “Abinadi” painting. I am a wicked judge.

Me and Elder Albaugh. It was fun running into him here. His cousin was my zone leader when I got here.

“An Instrument in God’s Hand” This is Elder Terry

Neat…we do what we can to make the Temple walks on Sunday more interesting.

A long day at the MTC. I try to stay awake, but it usually catches me when I work on the computer Spanish program. Once I fell asleep and accidentally clicked an answer and it was right!

Me and the four Elders that left our district this past Monday to go to the MTC in Guatemala. We are now a district of 7.

I took this photo. Elder To’a, our district leader. He is 25, speaks 3 languages, and currently working on a 4^th, Spanish!

This tree smells like butterscotch. No joke.

Myself and Elder Leale. You remember him, he came to Idaho Falls with Sean McCombs and Me.