Hello Family!
Well what a roller coaster week this has been! Its been a rough one for me, thats from sure. Good thing the Christlike attribute I've been working one for the week is patience cause I've certainly needed it. First of all let me just say how much I love being at the MTC at Christmas time! They have Christmas lights all over the place and we always sing Christmas songs at every meeting now! And my companions dad sent us some lights so we decorated our classroom, since we tend to spend way more time there than the "dom" - our living quarters. Its pretty cool.
Well I've had a rough week as I mentioned, particularly with my companion (surprise, surpsrise mom and dad ;)) But we are getting through things. He just always needs to be the center of attention which results in me planning and teaching all of our lessons and basically everything. It feels very one sided. I've tried to talk to him about it and its gotten better for about a day, never more. So yesterday, it got so bad (in the middle of what was supposed to be companionship study) that I just said we needed to go to another room (we are in the classroom at this point) and have a little chat. I am in a weird situation, being both his district leader and junior companion. No that was not a spelling mistake, he is the senior eventhough I honestly feel like his mother about 95% of the time haha. Anyways, we hashed things out in a very loving way and I think things are really getting better! It's been good, I just hope that this will be a permanent change. Boy am I glad I have such a smart mom! I've learned so much about effective ways to deal with people and behavior and its coming very much in handy!
Also, something else that was a little surprising is that our teachers do "coaching" with us, where they talk with us one on one (on the surprising part) but this week one of my teachers met with me and we were talking and he said he and my other teachers had been talking and he asked me if I would like to move up to a more advanced district. I was kinda surprised cause I didn't know you could do that kind of thing. Of course, I really want to cause I would learn so much faster! Our class is so slow.. we are still in the reviewing stages for me with most things. The only thing is that I would have to leave my district and that would be hard. He said he was going to talk to his boss and see what he could do. I will keep you posted! We have been challenged to memorize 30 words a day by our Ukrainian native teacher, but yesterday I did more like 60ish.. I am definitely feeling the blessing of the gift of tongues. Its real, and I'm noticing it more obviously in the other elders. A few of them in the past, like 3 days, have gone from knowing basically how to greet some one, to full on sentences! So cool! Its amazing to see.
On sunday I watched another AMAZING movie, a talk by Elder Holland called "Missions are Forever". Soo Good! Soo Good!! Look it up if you get the chance and are able to find it, especially you, Logan and Kyle. I learned a ton!.
Well I'm sorry I really don't have too many exciting stories. Well I guess I did get to bless the sacrament on sunday... I Russian! I think it was ok. It was fast Sunday and everyone who bore their testimony had to do it in russian. I understood every word of every one except about 3 or 4 words I didn't know. That was exciting. The other thing is that the older districts are only here for 9 weeks because the MTC wants to have them gone before Christmas, and the new russkis don't get here until about the first week of January, so we will have a zone/branch of about 17 for a while.. my distrcit and the other new one in our branch. (Mom, Elder Jones- the one going to Moscow is in the other new district) Should be fun.
Ok now I guess I better add something spiritual haha. Like I said, it was a rough week, but that doesn't mean it was void of spiritualness! Sunday was great! I attended my first "Mission Conference". So good! The talks were almost all about the Book of Mormon (Kneega Mormona:)) and its importance. Just reaffirmed to me how true it is! I love reading it, it gives me so much comfort every time I do! I am so excited to just get out there! I've felt like a pretty ineffective teacher this week because I've been having a rough time with the comp, but our past few lessons, I felt like have been great! The spirit definitely makes up for what I lack if I am worthy to have it. I've said somethings in lessons where I've been like "whoa... what did I just say?.." but in a good way haha. I just can't stress the importance enough of making sure that no matter what you do, you never do anything that would drive it away. I've experienced that this week with my frustration with my companion. My goal has been to only stay positive and not get upset, but to just move on, because I know the difference when I have the spirt and when I don't. I don't like it when I don't, especially as a missionary. The ability to pray constantly has been something that I've really been so grateful for this week.
Well I'm about out of time so I guess until next, week! I love getting all your letter and "dearelders"! They make the day so much better! Mom, can you send me my "Jesus Der Christus" please:) I'd like to start reading it!
If I can think of anything else, I'll write you! Have a wonderful week everyone!! I love you all mucho!!! and remember to stay on the Lords side in all things!!
Love,
Elder Robison
Well what a roller coaster week this has been! Its been a rough one for me, thats from sure. Good thing the Christlike attribute I've been working one for the week is patience cause I've certainly needed it. First of all let me just say how much I love being at the MTC at Christmas time! They have Christmas lights all over the place and we always sing Christmas songs at every meeting now! And my companions dad sent us some lights so we decorated our classroom, since we tend to spend way more time there than the "dom" - our living quarters. Its pretty cool.
Well I've had a rough week as I mentioned, particularly with my companion (surprise, surpsrise mom and dad ;)) But we are getting through things. He just always needs to be the center of attention which results in me planning and teaching all of our lessons and basically everything. It feels very one sided. I've tried to talk to him about it and its gotten better for about a day, never more. So yesterday, it got so bad (in the middle of what was supposed to be companionship study) that I just said we needed to go to another room (we are in the classroom at this point) and have a little chat. I am in a weird situation, being both his district leader and junior companion. No that was not a spelling mistake, he is the senior eventhough I honestly feel like his mother about 95% of the time haha. Anyways, we hashed things out in a very loving way and I think things are really getting better! It's been good, I just hope that this will be a permanent change. Boy am I glad I have such a smart mom! I've learned so much about effective ways to deal with people and behavior and its coming very much in handy!
Also, something else that was a little surprising is that our teachers do "coaching" with us, where they talk with us one on one (on the surprising part) but this week one of my teachers met with me and we were talking and he said he and my other teachers had been talking and he asked me if I would like to move up to a more advanced district. I was kinda surprised cause I didn't know you could do that kind of thing. Of course, I really want to cause I would learn so much faster! Our class is so slow.. we are still in the reviewing stages for me with most things. The only thing is that I would have to leave my district and that would be hard. He said he was going to talk to his boss and see what he could do. I will keep you posted! We have been challenged to memorize 30 words a day by our Ukrainian native teacher, but yesterday I did more like 60ish.. I am definitely feeling the blessing of the gift of tongues. Its real, and I'm noticing it more obviously in the other elders. A few of them in the past, like 3 days, have gone from knowing basically how to greet some one, to full on sentences! So cool! Its amazing to see.
On sunday I watched another AMAZING movie, a talk by Elder Holland called "Missions are Forever". Soo Good! Soo Good!! Look it up if you get the chance and are able to find it, especially you, Logan and Kyle. I learned a ton!.
Well I'm sorry I really don't have too many exciting stories. Well I guess I did get to bless the sacrament on sunday... I Russian! I think it was ok. It was fast Sunday and everyone who bore their testimony had to do it in russian. I understood every word of every one except about 3 or 4 words I didn't know. That was exciting. The other thing is that the older districts are only here for 9 weeks because the MTC wants to have them gone before Christmas, and the new russkis don't get here until about the first week of January, so we will have a zone/branch of about 17 for a while.. my distrcit and the other new one in our branch. (Mom, Elder Jones- the one going to Moscow is in the other new district) Should be fun.
Ok now I guess I better add something spiritual haha. Like I said, it was a rough week, but that doesn't mean it was void of spiritualness! Sunday was great! I attended my first "Mission Conference". So good! The talks were almost all about the Book of Mormon (Kneega Mormona:)) and its importance. Just reaffirmed to me how true it is! I love reading it, it gives me so much comfort every time I do! I am so excited to just get out there! I've felt like a pretty ineffective teacher this week because I've been having a rough time with the comp, but our past few lessons, I felt like have been great! The spirit definitely makes up for what I lack if I am worthy to have it. I've said somethings in lessons where I've been like "whoa... what did I just say?.." but in a good way haha. I just can't stress the importance enough of making sure that no matter what you do, you never do anything that would drive it away. I've experienced that this week with my frustration with my companion. My goal has been to only stay positive and not get upset, but to just move on, because I know the difference when I have the spirt and when I don't. I don't like it when I don't, especially as a missionary. The ability to pray constantly has been something that I've really been so grateful for this week.
Well I'm about out of time so I guess until next, week! I love getting all your letter and "dearelders"! They make the day so much better! Mom, can you send me my "Jesus Der Christus" please:) I'd like to start reading it!
If I can think of anything else, I'll write you! Have a wonderful week everyone!! I love you all mucho!!! and remember to stay on the Lords side in all things!!
Love,
Elder Robison
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| First District at Provo Temple |
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| Austin and MTC companion (#1) |
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| District at Provo Temple |
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