Exhausted in the Best of Ways

OH MAN, it has been the greatest and fastest and craziest week of all time- how is already Monday?! Time just flew by at a pace that I'm not used to- crazy, crazy! So much craziness, in fact, that I'm still pondering away the subject of this email...hmmm, hmmm. I'm going to need more time, haha. I'll let you know when it comes to me.

But anyway, SUCH an amazing week! We p-day'd and went to MLC (AND THE TEMPLEEE, YAHOOOOO!!!!) and had ZTM and went on exchanges with the Detroit Lakes sisters in between teaching all of our beautiful investigators...and MAN, I am so pooped today! We've been going so hard for so long that we totally took a blissful ferris wheel ride in the world's biggest Scheel's this morning to kick off our p-day- it was such a totally party!! This week is going to be just as cray cray...man oh man, Fargo life is the best!! We're busy and life is so good and I'm consistently exhausted in the best of ways- I'm loving life so completely!! And, HOLLLLLA, we've got a subject!! Sometimes I've just gotta talk out all my emotions to figure out how to describe the week at hand- we did it! 

Alright, on to the weekly report, my dear friends!! Just have to power though the requisite intro and then we're to the good stuff. Huzzah! We kicked off our week with a totally blissful p-day, full of shopping and letter writing and playing phase ten with the Fargo team...and we totally ran into Bro. Kranto at Walmart and scheduled an appointment, yahooooo!! It was way cool, man oh man. Such good timing! I also bought a fresh book of stamps like a total grown up- so much maturity over here, team! Holllllllah!! 

We ended our Monday with a glorious FHE with my new fave fam, the Wests- it was SOOOO GOOOOOOOD!!!! Yahoooooo!!! The Wests are just the coolest- they're a family of four boys, Jacob, Logan, Micah, and Cooper, and Bro. West is an orthodontist...and he went to dental school at UW! So, basically, we're soul mates and immediate besties, the Wests and I. It's fate! Sis. West is probs the coolest mom of all time, testifying like a pro throughout dinner and generally loving her kids unparalleled amounts- being in their home felt like hanging with my sweet fam (little bit more boy, but you get my drift) and it was just the happiest time. Ah, how I love a good FHE!! 

We chatted about following the prophet and Conference and read some classic D&C 84:85...it was so sweeeeet!! Their oldest son, Jacob, is preparing to serve a mission, so we talked oodles about all the missionary experiences they've already had since Jacob has decided to go, and we answered some of the concerns of his soul- such an amazing night! We ended our visit by eating some delish ice cream cake and deciding unanimously to be besties- I just love them the most!! Yahooooo for the West clan!! 

Tuesday was the start of the madness- day one of MLC! As cool as it is to chill with mission leadership and get crazy trainings, it makes the week fly by at unparalleled rates...AHHHH!! This week marks the last full week I have with my dear comp before she flies the coop...meaning transfer calls are on this coming Saturday, AHHHHHH!!! I don't want time to fly any faster than it already is- I can't deal with this!!

But anyway, haha, Tuesday was crazy town. We kicked off the day with the morning routine (I'm hanging in Alma these days and LIFE IS SOOOO GOOD, man oh man! I feel like I'm just reading mission stories all the time and it's blissful!) and a sweet lesson with Sis. Shell about apostles- so cool!! We committed her to watch General Conference and give it a try...we'll see what happens! We tried a couple people after that adventure, ate some food, and ran off to Bismarck with our dear Elder Jarman and Elder Adair- always the party!

We have pretty clouds on the way to Bismarck    

We ate dinner in the mission home once to Bismarck, and sprinted off to the temple after that- SUCH a blissful night, man oh man!! It was such a tender mercy to be in the temple with Sis. Finlinson and Sis. Shutt and, really, oodles of people that I love with all my heart. Somehow, I've become friends with all the Sister Training Leaders in the mission and life is just the best. Forced my way in, haha! I'm especially obsessed with the STLs in Pierre, South Dakota, Sis. Clark and Sis. Brown- AHHH, they're the sweetest and cutest and I wish they were in Fargo. Shoutout to my new faves!! 

It was such a good night in the temple- I just felt so peaceful and so comfortable...because, somehow, I don't feel absolutely out of place at MLC or in Fargo these days. Somehow, I've become an STL and a Fargo missionary and life isn't infinitely stressful anymore...and I know it's all because the Atonement is just so real! It's the real deal, my friends! It's so real, in fact, that we can feel peace in the house of the Lord and know that He has a plan for us. I'm learning that the Atonement allows us to trust in the Lord and trust in ourselves- it allows us to know that we are capable of Fargo and being a Sister Training Leader and going to crazy MLC and being all that He expects us to be. It was such a sweet temple experience because of all that- I totally got smacked in the face with how real the Atonement is, and how completely we need it in out lives. It was just magical!!

We stayed in the Halliday's on Tuesday night...WITH MY DEAAR MINOT BESTIES, SISTER FINLINSON AND SISTER CLARK!!!!!!! Sis. Halliday prepared a glorious post-temple feast of cinnamon rolls and fruit and it was just the greatest- whatta total tender mercy!!

our partay post temple with Sis. Halliday and my dear Minot besties    

living the bunk bed life at the Halliday's    

Wednesday was glorious, of course, full of crazy trainings and fancy sammies for lunch and general love all around- it was all so good! We chatted loads about working with members and found out that we're going to a mission wide Nashville Tribute Concert this coming Friday...AHHHH!!! I'll give you the full scoop next email, but it's going to be the craziest time- I get to see my sweet Beulah babies!! 

Once back to Fargo, we had our ward missionary correlation meeting and had a super cool lesson with Keith Stebleton, that random Joe that called the church phone when we happened to be eating dinner there...it went really well!! He decided to not to continue meeting with us, but we brought Sis. Larsen along and taught a super powerful Restoration...it was really cool!! He asked oodles of questions and totally felt the Spirit- I don't think the Keith book is closed! I think crazy things are coming in his future!! And also, GLLLLLORIOUS mail upon our return to Fargo- I got a perfectly perfect homemade card from my dear Barb and life has never been sweeter! All my dreams have officially come true!! 

the MOST BEAUTIFUL CARD OF ALL TIME- yahooooo for Barb!!!    

Thursday was all about planning...but this time not for our week, yahoooo!! We had to meet with the Zone Leaders for a crazy chunk of the day and plan for ZTM...but it was really productive! Pres. Hess wants us to plan for ZTM after MLC so we can implement the training we received there...so we did it! Obedient to the max! We busted it all out and ran off to teach the masses after our crazy planning sesh- it was sweet! We haven't super done weekly planning yet...but hey, no one's complaining! 

We taught Sis. Lien first thing after our planning adventures- SUCH a good lesson!! I love her so SO much!!! We brought Sis. Cook along and taught the Plan of Salvation, and it was simply the greatest. She's simply the greatest!! She's at 2 Nephi 6 in her Book of Mormon reading, and she immediately knew that the Plan of Salvation is true- she's so prepared!! AHHHH!!! She even told us that she knows the adversary is working on her and that she's experiencing a lot of opposition...but that she's never been happier and knows that this is the truth. GAH, she's just the best!!  I want to sob outta pure joy every time we teach her- she's just the most amazing lady!!! I can't believe how ready she is for the gospel, and how easily she soaks up the truth of our message. When we're with her, my testimony grows completely because of HER conviction- it's the coolest thing!!

We dined at Sis. Dresser's after that most glorious Sis. Lien lesson, and it was such a party! She invited her friend, Gabby over for dinner and we chatted about the gospel over yummy chicken salad- Sis. Dresser is the coolest!! We taught Gabby and Sis. Dresser's daughter Braydn about the Restoration and gave them each Books of Mormon- so sweeeeet!!!!

We ended our night by going to Elder Jarman and Elder Adair's baptism for Emma, one of their super cool investigators, and trying all the people- successful Thursday!!

Oh man, on to Friday!! We woke up and studied away before sprinting off to the church to set up for ZTM- and it was a total party!!! It all went so much better than we ever could've planned, and everyone participated and it was just so sweet- huzzah for solid trainings!! We chatted about teaching members Preach My Gospel lessons, and every set of missionaries in the Zone brought crazy creative dinner message ideas- it was so awesome!! Everyone left with a renewed excitement to teach members powerful messages and build strong relationships with them through being good missionaries- huuuuuuzah!!!! 

Once ZTM ended, we exchanged away with Detroit Lakes- such a partay!! I went to DL with Sis. Baadsgaard and Sis. Harrington hung ten in Fargo with Sis. Broberg, and it was total perfection. I adore Sis. Baadgaard and DL and AHHH, it was juts so good. SO GOOD!! Detroit Lakes reminded me so completely of my dear Beulah, and I realized all over again how much I really do miss my sweet baby area...and how much I have changed since being in Fargo. Sis. Baadsgaard is on her seventh month of living the first area life, and she's pretty much me a transfer ago- it was the craziest thing! It was a total tender mercy, though, because I don't feel like I've changed very much since hanging in Fargo- but I'm changing everyday! If I'm just humble enough to use the Atonement, I can change and be better and truly overcome the mistakes of my past...it's so real, my dear friends!! It was such a good exchange with DL because I was able to realize all that....and because I was able to become besties with Sis. Baadsgaard. She's the greatest!! I'm absolutely obsessed!! 

Sis. Baadsgaard and I    

the too cute chapel in Detroit Lakes- could you just die!?

The too cute dog of one of the member in Detroit Lakes (AHHH, she's the most adorable!! Don't tell Ed our Luce, haha!    

So, I spent Friday and Saturday in adorable DL with adorable Sis. Baadsgaard, and I got back to Beulah on Saturday night- such a blissful time! And, even though I miss Beulah and kinda sorta long for those days of the past, I know I'm meant to be in Fargo. It's home!

Nothing too cray happened on Saturday night once reunited with my sweet comp- just trying the masses and laughing oodles. How I adore Sis. Broberg!! 

Our Sunday was SO crazy, man oh man!! We kicked off the day with studies and running off to see Bro. Daudier- it's been eons!! He let us teach him a quick lesson about Moroni 7:16 on his doorstep AND schedule an appointment for that same night- he's the dreaaaaam!!! I adore that man!! So, after church and crazy other lessons and dinner, we brought Sis. Cook along to Bro. Daudier's for round two- and it was so sweet! We taught him about the gospel and Sis. Cook perfectly explained the Book of Mormon...so perfectly, in fact, that Bro. Daudier looked at us and said, "I need to read this book!!". Yup, it was the COOOOOLEST!! Go Sis. Cook!!

But, before that gorgeous late night lesson with Bro. Daudier, we had a glorious sesh of church (my personal fave being the attendance of both Sis. Dresser and Sis. Koon AND a perfect Relief Society lesson on the Atonement- it was amazing!!) and a crazy cool lesson with Bro. Kranto about the Plan of Salvation and baptism! Such productivity!!

We broke our fast with our dear Cooks, who made stuffed shells, homemade French bread, fancy salad, and cookies for dessert. Basically, the Cooks have also become a fave- HOMEMADE BREAD!!! It was an absolutely blissful dinner appointment- how I adore the Cook clan!!

We ended our Sabbath and our week with a beautiful lesson with Sis. Cudney all about Alma 26:11 and 12 and the Atonement- so sweeeeet!! Such a wonderful Sunday!!!

OH MAN, so much happened last week!! What a perfect time!! I love you all so so much, and I am so grateful for all you do- thank you for being so amazing! You mean the world to me!!

Love,

Sister Robinson

a pretty Fargo sunset    

our electronic basket for family council (we've got our phone, our cameras, and our DVD player, haha! It's maybe my favorite part of Sunday- y'all better be doing it, too!! We're loving the family council life- perf opportunity to chat about our finances!)    

and a sneak peek to next week's email- ferris wheeeeeel adventures!! SUCH a partay!!!