#SACRED

Hello, my dear peeps! It has been the craziest and most beautiful of all the weeks- yahoo for Easter! And miracles! And exchanges! And month marks! And unexpected talks! And magical times all around! I don't know what really made this past week such perfection- I think part of it was due to the more profound attempt on my part to take more meaningful pictures, haha! SUCH a good week for pictures!

I'm at that weird part of my mission where I won't be a missionary in a year- AHHH!! So, this last week kicked off some of my first and lasts as a Sista- so bizarre! It's sort of the craziest thing ever, because I'm at that point that I never actually let myself think about a good eight months ago- crazy, crazy! But, anyway, it was rather awesome to celebrate my first and only Easter as a missionary. I'm coming to understand Christ in ways I never knew I could, never knew I was capable of, and this Easter was truly a sacred day.

 Sis. Broberg and I read a talk during comp study during the week from Conference last April, "Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet", and in it Elder Holland says that Easter is the most sacred day of the year...so, naturally, we've been telling everyone we can, haha! We are firm believers that the Easter Initiative should've been #sacred, even if using a hash tag in front of sacred is counterintuitive. It's been the theme of our Easter week and therefore the subject of this email- and I'm coming to comprehend why Easter truly is the most sacred (#sacred) day of the year. Without Easter, without the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ, change wouldn't be possible. Life wouldn't have purpose. Missions would be futile. Everything that we are, everything we have, and everything we can become is made possible in and through Easter- and, for that reason, it's the most sacred day of the year and my dear comp's favorite holiday! And also, OODLES of mail. OOOOOODLES!! Peeps for days!!

#sacred

Ha, so sorry for the endlessly longwinded intro. I feel like it gets a little longer each email, lol! It's a real problem!

But anyway, let's chat about this #sacred week. It's been the best! So much joy in my heart!! Turns out, my love for Easter runs deeper than just good food and marshmallows (oh man, I totally forgot how much I love those suckers! Thank goodness Easter is a thing so I could be reminded of that!! And also, Cadbury crème eggs. I LOVE EASTER!!) - thank goodness I have such an amazing comp to teach me that!

We kicked off our week by pday-ing away- such a party! We did the normal things, nothing too crazy, and hung with the missionaries after our day of errand running and emailing. The activity of the day was learning how to solve Rubix Cubes, courtesy of Elder Nielson...turns out, I am NOT smart enough for that in the least! I attempted but ultimately gave it up- maybe one day I'll try my hand at it again, lol. Probs not. It's way hard!

We ate dinner back at homebase and headed out to try the masses- we scheduled a couple of appointments and dropped a couple potentials before sprinting our way over to the Brayton's for FHE. It was so sweet! Slowly but surely, we're figuring out how to work more completely with members and it's been crazy town cool! The Braytons are way sweet, and we taught them Resto while chilling at their place- and got a referral out of it all! Yahooooo!! I'm learning that, if you teach powerfully and testify boldly, members trust you and allot you to teach their friends. I used to think that you just needed to be everyone's friend and slowly win them over with your coolness- but you just need to be a good missionary! So tricky!

So, sweet Monday. So good! Our Tuesday was also perf- we were the busiest of bees and life was just awesome- I love days like that! We kicked it off with studies and random planning (it's a constant in Fargo, AHHHH) and adorable service at the Senior Center- we passed out fruit! SUCH a nice morning! We lunched at the church (so Sis. Broberg could play some piano, dontcha know) and ran off to teach all the people- it was sweet!

We first taught Sis. Moore about studying the scriptures and committed her to read the Book of Mormon from the start- yahoooo!! I think that is so essential- all y'all that think it's not should probs also read the Book of Mormon over again, too! A commitment for the masses! I definitely used to be of camp one time BoM reading...don't do it, though! Keep on reading away! Daily study of that beautiful little book has changed me for good, strengthened my testimony tenfold, and made me a more complete disciple of Christ. Read it, my friends!!

I'll get off my soap box now, haha. Our lesson with Sis. Moore was great, and we did some finding and planning before eating dinner...and then we ran off to the sweetest lesson eva with our new investigator, Bro. Jallah!! IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!! We brought Sis. Dorsey along (who just lives a floor below him in the same apartment complex, haha) and taught him Resto...and found out that he actually met with missionaries while living in Philadelphia and was ON DATE over there- AHHHH!!!!  We were all so excited, lol, and chatted about baptism for a long time- AHHHHH!!!!!!! Man, it was so sweeeeeeet!! He's not quite on date, but we committed him during our lesson on Saturday (which we'll get to in due time, don't even worry) to pray about April 23rd- I'll keep you updated!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!  Whatta crazy tender mercy!!

We ran off to teach the Clark kiddos (Alice and Marlee) after that, and Sis. Dimas came along- it was so good! We've decided that we're going to take Sis. Dimas to all our lessons for the rest of eternity- she's the coolest!! She's a convert of about six years, and it was just so powerful to have her there- I love working with members! Everyone should go out with the missionaries!! We shared the Restoration movie and taught them the Ten Commandments, and it was a super solid lesson. Yahoo for Sis. Dimas!!

We ended our night helping Sis. Koon clean up her old apartment and sharing a quick message- whatta party!! We were moving her dresser drawer by drawer when Sis. Broberg found a drawer full of wigs...and, naturally, she grabbed one out for each of us and we went on helping Sis. Koon clean, haha! Sis. Koon laughed so hard when she realized that she started crying...and we got glorious pictures of the whole exchange- such a joyful time with our dear Sis. Koon!!! I love her the most!

wigging out with Sis. Koon and Favor    

We headed back to homebase and planned away after our beautiful Tuesday...and had some late night waffles, naturally. I don't think I've ever mentioned this...but we totally have a waffle maker in our apartment. YUP. A WAFFLE MAKKKKKER!!!

Wednesday was another crazy town day- it was a week of crazy town days!! We started our day by doing some personal study before running off to see our fave new investigator, Ansie Marais...she's from South Africa!! SO cool! She took us to breakfast at the Holiday Inn and we taught her the Restoration over eggs benedict and orange juice- we were all in heaven!  Go Ansie!! She's the sweetest lady ever, and she calls us her girls and her ladies...I just adore her! She's headed to Winnipeg to be with her grandkids next week, so this was the last time we'll see her for a while...so delightful!! She'll make re-appearances in emails to come, I'm sure- she's the best!!

Sis. Marais and I post fancy breakfast    

We ran off to teach Sis. Shell after our blissful breakfast date, and it was so sweet! She's a less active but doesn't really even know what Mormons believe- it was crazy! We taught her the Restoration as well, and she was way into it- yahoooo!! The only thing is that her husband is crazily devout Catholic, and it's going to present a major hurdle in lessons to come...yikes! But, we committed her to pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon- good things are coming for Sis. Shell!!

We headed back to homebase for a season after all that adventuring and studied away before eating lunch...and then, we ran off again! We tried a couple potentials and less actives and took a most glorious media hour...it was great! Nothing too crazy to report, just delightful videos and music and the like. Good times all around!

We tried some more people before coming in for dinner- and we had the fanciest and most adult of all the dinners!! We made chicken, quinoa, and broccoli! Hollah!

We then ran off once more to help Bro. Claypool do some home teaching (because his comp is MIA and we're always available, lol! I love that man so much!), try even more people, and meet a super cool new less active, Sis. Tereza! We haven't taught her yet- next week, nest week! It was a great Wednesday!!

Thursday was, once more, all about planning.  We did have a gorgeous dinner appointment with the Shaws (shoutout to my fave, Jeanelle! I adore you!!), complete with fancy ravioli and the prettiest floral plates I've ever seen. The other Elders joined us and it was a total party- yahoo for combo dinners! It's the best!!

We ended our Thursday by trying the masses and doing some sweet tracting- during which I remembered how much I love tracting with the Book of Mormon! It's the best! We've been using the new Easter cards and I've had such a hard time feeling natural and like myself...and then I realized that I was loving tracting in Beulah because we were using the beautiful Book of Mormon constantly! That's the way to tract, people! We found a couple really solid potentials and it was just SO GOOD- how I love the Book of Mormon!!

Friday was a total adventure- we went on exchanges with Jamestown...AND I STAYED IN FARGO, AHHHH!!! I was stressin' hard core, but it ended up being a magical time for all- inspiration is just the real deal! When we follow the Lord and trust Him absolutely (even if it means doing something you don't really want to do, like serving a mission or taking over Fargo, lol), everything works out. Life is beautiful! Everything comes together! So, even though I wasn't especially jazzed about chilling in Fargo, Sis. Stephens is the coolest and I learned oodles- like that I actually do know my way around Fargo, lol! What an adventure!

Sis. Stephens and I

Nothing too TOO crazy happened on Friday, just district meeting and planning away and exchanges. We took dinner upon our return to Fargo, chatting all the while about life and missions and family- it was sweet! We spent our evening scheduling appointments and trying the masses- and randomly seeing Bro. Amos from Sisseton in the hospital, so bonkers! Bishop texted us around seven thirty asking us to visit him- and it was perfection because it was totally where we needed to be! Whatta tender mercy!

Saturday was AMAZINNNNNG- perhaps the best day of our whole week!! We started it off with studies and we ran off with Sis. Raleigh to the Liens at ten- and it was INCREDIBLE!!!!! We met the Liens last Friday (remember?! REMEMBER?!?!?) and scheduled this with them then...and I was way nervous going into it. I was freaking! I was so worried that they invited us back just to be nice...but, as we approached the door, sweet Sis. Lien opened it and let us right in, telling us that she was worried we weren't going to show. WHAT the WHATTTT!! She offered us cinnamon bread (FROM COSTCO, whatta dreamboat!) and we taught her and Cody (her 19 year old son) the Restoration- it was one of the best lessons of my whole mission!!!! INCREDIBLE!!! We all taught in unity and Sis. Raleigh just KILLLLED it- her and Sis. Lien are totally kindred spirits! It was just a gorgeous time all around, and the Liens are just so SO ready for the gospel- AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! GOLDEN!! I am officially obsessed with them- Sis. Lien offered the closing prayer and we all kneeled and we have another appointment next week and AHHHHH I KNOW I WAS PARTIALLY SENT TO FARGO TO MEET THEM. AHHHH!!!! I can just feel in my bones that amazing things are coming for that beautiful fam- I can't believe we just tracted into them! The gospel is so true!!

Oh man, best lesson eva. EVA!! We spent the rest of our day in a crazy Lien reverie, so contented and blissfully working away because of that miraculous lesson- AHHH!! I'M NEVER GOING TO GET OVER ITTTTT!!! We tracted and tried and quickly taught Sis. Koon about eternal marriage and temples...and then it was time to exchange back! It was crazy!!

Exchanges! 

Once reunited with my dear comp, we ran off and quickly taught Bro. Jallah before Women's Conference- and he invited us back later that same night!! CRAZYYYY!!! So, we watched and loved the Conference (amazing talks all around, man oh man!! I loved the emphasis on love, of course- they spoke to my SOUL!!) and ran off to Bro, Jallah's afterwards with Sis. Parker- it was amazing! He invited his friend Sam (already such the missionary, so proud!!) and we taught them both the gospel...and they BOTH totally came to church yesterday!!!!! It was amazing, and Bro. Jallah is praying about a date- yeehawwww!!! Miracles are happening in Fargo!!!

And then, it was time for Easter!! We kicked off the day by ceremoniously opening our packages (shoutout to the world's greatest fam- I love you SO SO much!! Mammy even sent gorgeous Easter-y earrings AND banana split marshmallows, and I was totally in heaven!  Grandma also killed it in the mail department- how I love Easter candy!!) It was a gorgeous day, full of seeing all our investigators and less actives and celebrating the Resurrection by working as hard as we could- it was amazing!! Bro. Jallah, Sam, and the Andrade clan came to church...and I gave a talk about the last week of the Savior's Earthly Ministry!! Such a good Sabbath!!

EASTERRRR!!!    

We ate Easter dinner with the Larsens, who may be a potential Fargo fave- I adore them!! We laughed through the whole dinner and life was just so good- how I love Fargo!!! And the Larsens! And Easter! Whatta a gorgeous week!

Oh man, it's been such a party this week! #sacred!

I love you all so much- thank you for being so incredible and wonderful and all around perfect- thank you for all you do! I hope you had the most sacred and magical of Easters- and that you have a beautiful first week of April! I adore you!!

Love,

Sister Robinson

a gorgeous letter (or the back of a gorgeous letter, haha) I got from my favorite Liberty this week, AHHH!! Such a tender mercy! 

That one time last Friday when the Johnsons were driving through Fargo and took us out to brunch and I totally forgot to mention it in my email because I'm the worst- but it happened!! And it was totally blissful!! I love them the most!    

a funny Fargo coffee shop that reminded me of home...I wonder if it's true, haha!