Listen to the promptings of the Spirit

Okay, Tulcan is like the absolute best place in the world. IT IS SOO BEAUTIFUL. It is like green mountains that are just fields and it is sick. It is super peaceful, my last sector was hectic, in the big city and super dangerous and it is the complete opposite here, I just feel at peace. and the people here are amazing. The only hard thing is that it is SUPER COLD. I am from Minnesota where it is cold, but after being in the hot equator for 7 and a half months, IT IS SUPER COLD HERE. for realz and our hot water broke yesterday, SO LIFE IS SUPER HARD. But I use my sweater every day and am still freezing, but it is worth it because Tulcan es buenaso.

Yesterday after church we went to this part of our sector about 20 minutes away in bus. We got there and had like 4 people to visit, we did a little contacting there earlier in the week and had some future visits lined up, but nobody was there. A cool new family we found wasn't there and across the street in another house was this old guy sitting outside, we were banging on the door, but nobody was there. I felt like I needed to talk to the old guy, but I was like I don't like talking to old people, they are all hardcore catholics and can't comprehend what we teach, so I ignored the feeling and we went down the street to find some other people. We couldn't find anyone for like an hour and the whole time I was just thinking about this old guy that I saw and felt like I needed to talk to him. We got back to the house with the family and they still weren't there and the old guy across the street was still sitting there and he yelled ¨NO HAY NADIE¨ so I crossed the street and said ¨Disculpe estabamos buscando por sus vecinos pero.....¨and then like all of his kids and wife came out and they were super interested, they let us in, and we taught them and they understood everything and felt like we were teaching the truth. WE GOT 2 NEW FAMILIES OF GOLD BABY. I learned my lesson to follow every prompting no matter how unpromising it seems. It is amazing how the Lord works and sends us his spirit to guide us. 

Something cool I did this week was contact from a car. One of my best friends from Calderon was visiting in Tulcan this week, and he has a car, so he drove us to a visit after we had lunch with his family and there was a family walking down the street, so we were driving alongside them slowly in the car and my companion and I were talking to them through the window and gave them pamphlets. They were super confused. I have now contacted from the inside of a car, I have contacted 5 buses, about 20 motorcycles, and I contacted a young couple making out on a park bench with a law of chastity pamphlet. 

I love being a missionary. YOU ALL NEED TO WRITE ME. or mail me cookies or something. 

Elder Roberts

TULCAN

Wow, so this week was a huge surprise for me. But first off thanks for the prayers for the leg, it is doing fine, I don't have rabies, so life is good. So this week we had interviews with president and he basically told me I am going to be in my sector for at least another change, so I was like oh yeah I'm not going. Last night we got the calls ¨Elder Roberts you are going to Tulcan¨  I was super surprised. Today I took the 7 hour bus ride to the furthest northern part of Ecuador, it is super pretty, it is kind of flat but there are mountains all around and it is a lot colder here, but nothing like Minnesota. I am with Elder Damian from Mexico, he is 23 years old and has a change less than I do on the mission.

It was SO HARD to say goodbye. We got the call while we had a family home evening with the familia Chicaiza and they are by far my favorite family from Santa Anita, and we were all super sad. But I know I was best friends with them in the preexistence. I know I completed my time and `purpose and did the things which Father had prepared me for in Santa Anita, and I know I am going to love it here in Tulcan.

We had to drop one of my favorite families this week which was hard, but hey there was nothing more we could do as missionaries to help them come unto Christ.

This week Elder Calderon, an Area 70 assisted our church and gave a super good talk on the dia de reposo and attended the ward council and machateed all of the ward leaders and told them to work harder.....ouch! but it was cool.  I remember in Calderon when I played the Violin in front of him. When I get home I just want to play my Viola for hours every day. I miss that thing.

I love you all, write me letters, send me goodies, and pray for Elder Roberts. 
WIth Love from Ecuador, your pal Logan

Who doesn't love this picture?

My favorite family of Santa Anita that I am going to miss a toooonnnnn

Me with Elder Lindeman, he was the assitant that picked me up from the airport and I roomed with him my first week of the mission

I got attacked by a DOG

Yeah so this Wednesday lunch was horrible I hate ketchup and we basically ate straight rice soaked in ketchup with hot dog....( mom thanks for teaching me how to eat everything with a smile on my face to prepare me for this mission). Afterwards we walked up the mountain in the super strong and hot sun and we decided to take a shortcut to get to the visit. We went up for about 15 minutes this hot dusty road and there were like 20 dogs that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and they were all barking and got closer and closer and my companion and I started chucking rocks and one came up and bit the back of my bad leg. My leg was bleeding, my pants got a little torn, and now it is all bruised and stuff, and considering I have new bone, a metal plate, and a dog bite in my left leg it makes walking the mountain all the more fun. lol. but I am fine.  I have passed by the dog and it is still normal so I don't need to get rabies shot, but after it bit me I chucked a huge rock super hard at that thing. I HATE DOGS. lol

This week we couldn't find anyone. We contacted but nobody answered their doors and when they did they just slammed it in our face. but I love it. I love the rejection. I know I am on the Lords Errand. I think it is something we have to go through to know Jesus Christ better, he was always rejected without reason. 

Church was super powerful this week, all the primary kids gave their testimony and I just wanted to cry it was so cute. I love the kids. Jesus taught that if we aren't humble as a child is we can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Kids are realy great examples.

This following Sunday night are changes, I love this sector, I love Quito, I love the people, if I leave I will be sad, but part of me kind of wants to get out of Quito and know a new part of Ecuador. We will see what happens, I would honestly be super happy to be here another change with Elder Pinto. 

Have a good week,  love you all, I testify Jesus is our King and he is the Christ. Remember what that means for you personally this week. 

Elder Roberts

My new investigator 

 me with cotapaxi (a volcano)

This is Antisana, we rarely see it, it was a super clear day 

Catholic Fiesta

We live by a huge catholic church and they had like an all night party this last week blaring music, fireworks, and everything and we didn't get any sleep and the following day was super hard.

This week was a lot harder, we dropped some investigators, we had a really hard time finding people, we had a ton of meetings, it just wasn't really that successful of a week, but this week my companion and I are going to contact crazy and find some new people to teach. 

Daniel received the priesthood yesterday which was awesome, and he is super excited about his responsibility to be a home teacher. Yesterday the Joiki gave a talk in church and it was super powerful, I am so grateful to know that man and that he helps us a ton on visits. He is going to go with us all tonight on visits! yay! 

There wasn't really a whole lot that happened this week. Today we went to the monument Mitad del Mundo or the middle of the world, so I had one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere which was cool.

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week, send me letters! 

Love Elder Roberts 

 literally in the middle of the world

Elder Roberts in 2 Hemispheres

 At the equator

 the stairs to our investigator

 the bros of the zone

zona quito oeste 

 It can be dangerous to be a missionary

Una Semana De MILAGROS

Wow, thanks so much for all of your prayers and support, this week.  I had the most spiritual experience in my mission. We talked with Daniels parents on Monday and it was as if everything changed. They were super receptive to us and wanted this for their Son. I had the sacred privilege of baptizing Daniel on Saturday. It was the first time I have baptized someone in my life, and I am not going to lie I was super nervous, but when I entered the water everything was just calm and right, and after I baptized him ( I got it on my first try) I just felt the spirit suuupper strong all through the night. It was a miracle, I am so proud of him. I am so blessed to have so many sacred privileges on my mission. 

 

Daniels baptism

This week we went out with the Joiki almost every day, I have learned a ton from him, he is a pioneer just as all the early saints were. in Ecuador the saints had a ton of opposition when the church just started and this man lived through all of it. He has such a powerful testimony, it is simple but really powerful.

Our neighbors got in a car crash this week that destroyed the tree right out of our house. It kind of startled us during companionship study.

The neighbors backed into the tree

I felt Gods love so strong for me, it was such a good experience for me, I know that my whole life I was prepared to be here at this time. I know whatever apostle received the revelation for me to be here received it for a reason. that he felt strong to put me here. I feel soo at home here. I feel so blessed to be here, this is literally a choice land, i love the people with all of my heart and I am going to cry super hardcore when I come home. Being a missionary is such a sacred privilege. I am grateful to testify of my savior and King every day. I love Jesus Christ. He means everything to me and I would be NOTHING without him. he is the hope of the world.

I hope you all have a good week, you should all send me letters and goodies,

Love Elder Roberts 

mi Eileen 

Eileen drew a picture for me 

 Eileens little sister Ashley

 the youth of my ward

Daniel likes the name of the church

JOIKI

Yeah, so we realized that my amiga Eileens, Grandpa is always home and he is one of the most spiritual men in Ecuador. He was one of the first members and like the third bishop in the whole country and he is poderosisimo.

So we went with him like every day on visits and it was super cool. In Kichuwa the word for Brother is Joiki, so we just call him Joiki and it is super cool. I love that man, I love his family. I love my little amiga, I am going to cry hardcore when I leave this sector.

This week we saw this little old indigenous lady carrying a huge bag of weeds up the mountain and we didn't have anything to do so we helped her out, holy cow I gained so much respect for these old ladies that carry these huge sacks up the mountain.  It was actually super hard, I wanted to give up, but then I was like if this 70 year old four foot tall lady can carry these weeds up the mountain than I can too. haha.

We were out with the Joiki and we have a new family of menos activos to teach, but they don't speak Spanish they only speak kichuwa, so the joiki translated everything for us because he speaks kichuwa as his primary language.  It was cool, I am always going to remember that lesson.

Daniel...he is so ready to get baptized, so ready, the most ready I have seen on my mission, and this kid has all the potential in the world and he wants to get baptized more than I want to drink Dr. Pepper....that is saying something. All was going well with his parents until yesterday when we gave them the papers that they had to sign and then they started to change their mind. We had a really long conversation with them and last night they talked with Daniel and we are going to pass by today to see what they decided. I am hoping and praying and praying and praying and praying that he will get baptized this Saturday. He already passed his interview and he asked that I baptized him! I really hope it works out, please keep him in your prayers.

This week we gave a tour of the church to Daniel and his brother, Fernando and ended the tour in the chapel. My companion and I ended the tour singing the hymn about the shady woodland where Joseph saw God (don't know what it is called in English). It was a really cool experience. I love singing for our investigators. There is power that music has that ordinary words don't have. 

I know this church is true and I know that God loves us sooooo much. I love you all, thanks for the emails and especially the prayers. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. 

With love from Ecuador, 

Elder Roberts 

 Volcano

 some little girl took a picture of me

just out working 

I pretty much serve in the best place in the world

 Elder Pinto and I with Pride from Honduras (Elder Pinto is from Honduras)

THE POPE IS HERE

So big news for Ecuador this week, the Pope is currently in Guyaquil and he is coming up to Quito tomorrow. It is so crazy here, it is actually pretty cool. People are coming from everywhere from middle of nowhere Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia to see the Pope and he is going to talk in the old Quito airport which is about 30 minutes from where I live. It is sooo hectic in Quito. We went into the city to do some grocery shopping and the people are going crazy, there are a ton of riot police and soldiers holding back barricades of people, a ton of streets are blocked, it is all super cool. Even tho I don't personally believe in the Pope, I still think it is really cool that he is coming and that everyone is so excited to learn from him.

I had food poisoning this week, I threw up like 14 times on Tuesday, I ate some weird shrimp and ooooh, I was dying. I felt bad for my companion we didn't do like anything Tuesday or Wednesday I was just dying in my bed. I read like all of Jesus the Christ, holy cow that is such a good book, it has soo much doctrine, I am pretty sure Talmage had a personal interview with Jesus several times while he wrote that book. I also read Our Search for Happiness and Our Heritage. I guess it was the best use of sick time I could do. 

Elder Pinto is a boss. He is 20 years old, suuuppper funny, a really good teacher, and what I like most is that he likes to work hard. We worked our tails off this week. I was pretty scared because we couldn't find Daniel at all this week, but we found out he was taking a ton of tests in his high school and this week he will have more time, because his family went on a surprise trip this past Sunday. We are going to wait another Saturday to do his baptism. He is so ready, I am so excited for him.

This week I felt like I had more power testifying of the restoration and testifying that Joseph Smith was a prophet, I am not sure why. Maybe because my companion and I have been super diligent, but I remember a big part of my testimony was an experience I had visiting the sacred grove for myself when I was younger, and I decided to write a poem about it. 

I remember when I was younger I walked in a wood

Where a fourteen year old boy named Joseph once stood

Thinking I already knew the answer to my question

I knelt down and directed my voice to Heaven

I said ¨Father is this really true?¨

Then I was overcome from something I've never felt so powerful before, out of the blue

It felt as if God was talking to me as if he was standing right above

A new feeling pierced through my heart, a feeling of absolutely pure undefiled love

Although I didn't look up through a brilliant pillar to see the Father or Son

I knew with a surety of Heart of the things in this Sacred Grove they had done

I feel so blessed to have received a testimony on this sacred occasion

To firmly know Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet in this dispensation

I love testifying every day that God loves us enough to call prophets and he always has called prophets. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and I know today Thomas S. Monson continues to guide the world as a called Prophet of God. I hope you all have a good week.

With love from Ecuador your good friend,

 Elder Roberts