OOOOOOH
man, it's been another crazy week in the land of Grand Forks! We've adventured
all around and seen gorgeous miracles, I hung ten in the gorgeous Bemidji for a
considerable amount of time, we found oodles of new investigators, and life was
overall pretty wonderful. Bless the Lord, I am satisfied! I feel like,
slowly but surely, I'm finding my place in Grand Forks and finding my people
here...missions are funny like that, I'm learning. Right when you feel
perfectly content somewhere, with lovely people surrounding you who you simply
adore, Heavenly Father gives you a new experience with new besties to adore. I
think this week, leaving Fargo finally hit me (a little too late, lol) and I
felt so homesick for my dear family down there, because I actually live in
Grand Forks these days...but, I trust the Lord. I know He needs me here right
now, and I'm already figuring out some of the reasons why. It's just tough
stuff, my friends! I'm definitely uncomfortable, definitely trying to not be
achy for my beloved Fargo...but life remains beautiful. Being a missionary is
the greatest!!
Cute pictures to prove it. :)
Welp, let
me tell you about our week!! We kicked it off with a crazy day long service
project in the beautiful Bemidji, Minnesota...about two hours east of Grand
Forks. The whole zone gathered, per President's orders, and we cleared trees
from the yards of adorable members- it was a lovely day. And, we got to hang
with our adorable Grand Forks zone homies!! We hauled lumber (and I
thought of my beloved Sis. Clark all the while, haha. Not disrespected this
time around!) and laughed all day- the best! We finished up our Bemidji
adventuring by having a barbecue at the beach and AH, it was so lovely. People
take such good care of us!! Missionaries are so blessed!
We got
back from Bemidji at nine, so our besties in Devil's Lake got to stay for a two
day sleepover- oh man, it was the greatest. I love them so much! Getting
together with Sis. Shutt, my beloved MTC comp, remains one of the sweetest joys
of my whole mission. We just talk about nonsense forever and it's the best. We
laughed all day while chilling together and then laughed all through the
night...or until the obedient time of 10:30, haha. I just love her so
much!! AND, because they had to stay the night on Monday, they hung ten in
Grand Forks for pday on Tuesday- it was the greatest!! We did the normal p-day
errands and then went shopping- AHHH, so lovely. I ended up caving and buying
the first article of clothing (other than winter clothes, lol) on my mission, a
too cute floral skirt...and I also bought some earrings, haha. I'm so weak!
BUT, we did go to Old Navy to cap it all off and I didn't buy anything. I was
pretty proud of myself, haha. OId Navy is my weakness, usually...I'm a changed
woman! The Atonement is real!
We finished
up our Tuesday with dinner at the beloved Kauffman's, who are just the
greatest, and oodles of meetings- one with the zone leaders to plan for Zone
Conference and one with our ward...nothing too exciting to report on either
front, haha. It was a good p-day, though! Floral skirts are the
dreeeeeam!!
On
Wednesday, we studied away and ran off to teach Emily, a super sweet former
investigator that we're going to start teaching again- it was such a good
lesson! We taught her the Plan of Salvation and the Spirit was just so strong
as we testified- it was the best. I love teaching! I love being a
missionary!
We ate
some lunch and then sprinted off to Erkine, halfway between us and
Bemidji...and then, I raced off to Bemidji with the lovely Sis. Andrus and hung
ten with her for a couple days. It was the best!!! I am absolutely obsesssssed,
man oh man. She's the greatest and it was the loveliest of all lovely
exchanges- GAHHH, being a missionary is seriously the greatest thing of all
time. You meet the most lovely people, all because Heavenly Father knows you
perfectly and knows exactly what you need. Sis. Andrus is one of those most
lovely individuals that I was meant to meet in life, I do believe. She's right
up there with Sis. Richins and Sis. Lien and Barb and the Wielands and the
Roundys and all the other gorgeous people who have wandered into my life
because I decided to serve. She's the best!
I love Sis. Andrus!
Once back
to Grand Forks, we went to district meeting and planned for Zone Conference and
saw our dear BFF, Joe Gamboa- such a good day. Joe had a stroke a few years ago
and is now confined to a nursing home- he's the sweetest man of all time! We
taught him the Plan of Salvation and he gave us a referral for his non member
brother who's moving into Grand Forks next week- it'll be a party!!
We also
chatted with the Lohs on Friday night and taught Lauralee, the Kauffman's
adorable neighbor- such a sweet return to the land of Grand Forks!
On
Saturday, we planned a bit more for Zone Conference (ugh,) and had the coolest
lesson ever with our dear bestie Dale- it was so sweet! Dale is the greatest!!
Never underestimate the power of a blind recent convert, haha. We took him to
meet Lamart, who the sisters met during exchanges...but Lamart wasn't home. His
roommate Carey answered and let us know pretty quick that he wasn't
interested...and then Dale, in all his blind glory, asked a couple of inspired
questions and testified of the reality of the Atonement. AHHH, it was the
coolest thing!!! We ended up teaching Carey about the Restoration as we
chilled on his porch and we scheduled a return appointment for next week- God
is so good!! We are truly being led to those who are prepared for the gospel!!
We tried
a few other people after that glorious lesson with Carey and Dale, and we ended
up weekly planning for a prolonged season- ugh, ugh, ugh. The worst! Somehow,
we endured to the end and powered through...never my fave, man oh man.
BUUUUUT,
after our season of planning, we headed off to dinner- with our downstairs
neighbor, yahoooo!!! It was one the craziest things of all mission life- we
always see this gem of a man, Randy, out on his patio grilling...so we asked
him the other day if he would teach us how to barbecue! He excitedly agreed,
and we headed to his place on Saturday (with the Elders as backup, haha)...and
it was so cool! We ended up teaching him the Restoration after small talking it
through dinner, and he told us that he wants to come closer to Christ- AHHH, it
was the best!!! Randy is the cooooolest!! We're totally besties now, and
we're going to start teaching him...I am so jazzed. Life is so good!!
We also
saw the Fraziers on Saturday,a super cute less active family...it was a party.
Grand Forks is just the best!!
And then
it was Sunday. Such a good day!! We went to church and ate oodles of yummy food
and went out teaching with Dale again- goodness all around! Dale is seriously
one of my favorite people in all of Grand Forks- I am so grateful that the
missionaries randomly tracted into him a year ago, man oh man. I totally needed
to meet him!! We taught Henry with him, a former investigator who lives
with Harry, our recent convert- and Henry told us midway through reading Ether
12 that he wants to be baptized, YAHOOOOOOO!!!! It was the coolest thing,
man oh man! So, we're going to start teaching Henry again! Dale was so perfect,
testifying like no one's business and generally being a boss. He made Sis.
Tucker use his cane on the way to the Elder's car, haha- he cracks me up! So
much love in my heart for that crazy cat, man oh man. Dale is the best!!
Hanging ten with Dale!
We
finished up our Sabbath by running over to the Orozco's to pick up some air
mattresses- they are totally my faves!!!! AHHHH, my love for them is so
complete. We chatted about the work and ate fancy cake and it was just
gorgeous. The people in Grand Forks are just incredible- I am so blessed to be
here! I truly am, even though I still miss my dear Fargo every now and again,
falling in love with the gorgeous Grand Forks- I am exactly where I need to be.
Life is gorgeous and the gospel is true!!
I love
you all so much- thank you for all you do. Have the greatest weeks ever!!
Love,
Sister
Robinson
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