April 14, 2014 ~ General Conference

So obviously by the title, you all know that we got to see general conference this weekend!  As always, I really loved it and I had so much I wanted to say about it, but I forgot and left my notes at home so yeah.  But I really loved President Monson's talk about service and loving people!!  I loved it!  Also I think this was the best priesthood session I have ever seen ever!! It was so killer!   I loved every talk.  Especially Elder Hallstrom's talk about the need to change.  That accepting the priesthood and really accepting the gospel in general, we are automatically required to change.  Kind of goes along well with something that someone else said too, (Elder Eyring I think who btw has really climbed the ladder for me and I usually look forward to his talks now) that as soon as we have a fervent enough prayer and recieve confirmation that we are indeed a child of god, we are then expected and required to live by his comandments!  Awesome statement.  Also the part that I really enjoyed about Elder Holland's talk was when he said that some people mistakenly believe that Christlike love means you have like an anything goes attitude and just accept things from people and have to accept their bad behavior, otherwise they claim you don't really love them.  However, as Christ himself said, that he came not to bring peace, but division.  And because he loves everyone with a perfect love, he lovingly requires their obedience to his commandments.  And when they don't he doesn't love them anyless, but also doesn't reward them.  Maybe he didn't actually talk about all that, but that's what I remember.

Anyways, conference was great and I hope you all watch it or at least some of it!

This week we got to do more service!!!  I love it!  A member called us and asked if we could help her non member dad build a fence at their dacha (P.S. a dacha is like a little vacation place for russians and they almost all have one and they are enemy # 1 to all missionaries in Russia).  It was super fun.  The old fence had fallen over and so we basically took it apart and put it back together again in an upright position.  And I took pictures of it to send this week and then I left my camera in the appartment when we came here to the library so sorry about that.

Also funny story, as we were out on saturday night, we passed this same guy and his wife twice and both times we said hi and he just made this most ridiculous face - probably was supposed to be a face of disgust, but it was so overdramatic that it was just hilarious!  Also I've been mistaken for this ukrainian elder that served here a few years ago.  I talked to a guy on the street about 3 days ago and he was convinced I was him. 

Also, remember the mildly crazy guy we met last week who kept me on the phone for forever?  Maybe I forgot to talk about him, I can't remember, but he called us again several times this week and just gets weirder.  he kept my companion on the phone for about and hour and a half on wednesday.  And another half an hour on friday.  But all he wants to do is argue so we decided we wouldn't be answering the phone anymore for him.  He's tried calling several times since then, but we ignore it.  I'm sure it won't be too long until we see him on the street haha.  Serving in small cities is the best!

Last night we stayed overnight after conference at the office elders appartment so that we could spend some time in St. Petes this morning and that was pretty cool.  We went and saw Спас на крови which I think is cathedral of the spilled blood in English.  Anyways its the famous Russian orthodox cathedral (right next to the river) that you see a billion times if you look up st petersburg in google images.  I was actually really pretty impressed with the inside.  They had all these cool icon murals on the walls and was super impression cause they were actually all mosaics.  I was impressed.  I think part of the reason I liked it was because from what I remember, most of the icons were actually of Jesus Christ and not some apostle.  Thats the most important thing - He is the one we worship.  I felt like the theme of this General conference (cause there always seems to be a common theme) was Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  I thought it was great!

Have a great week!
Elder Robison