Golly
wolly, it's been a crazy week!! My head is still kind of perplexed about it
all, still reacting to everything...long story short, transfer calls came in
and I'm headed up to Grand Forks. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I'm still coasting
on denial, but the heartbreak is coming in hot...gah, being a missionary is the
toughest! Right when you feel content, right when the everything is going
perfectly for the first time in forever, your whole world gets shaken
and Iit all changes once more. I still can't really believe I'm headed to
my THIRD area, that I've almost been out for a year, and that I'm starting
round two of STL life. I'm a tad distraught, in all honesty! The good news is
that all my favorite people are leaving as well, haha- Elder Swensen is headed
to Minot to be a Zone Leader (hollah, MLC!!), Elder Stapley is going to Rapid,
and Elder Maxfield is going to be a traveling assistant. That was the true
tender mercy of the whole thing, lol. If I have to leave, so do all the
missionaries I adore!! Still an awful time to leave this beautiful second area
of mine and all the beloved besties I've made over these past three
transfers...but I know that there will be even more beautiful people to adore
in Grand Forks. I never thought I could love Fargo just as much as Beulah, and
that absolutely happened...so I have absolute faith in the inspiration behind
this transfer. Even if it stinks to leave.
And also,
Sis. Luker is going to be training a wee sister missionary in the coming
transfer...which means I'm going to be a mission grandma, YAHOOOOOO!!!!!! I am
straight up JAZZZZZZZED, because she's going to be amazing and I want some
grandkids. Blessed all around!
Despite
all this general awfulness, this week has been completely and totally
beautiful. Transfers were honestly the worst bit of it all! I just feel so
blessed to be here, so blessed for the perfect four months spent in this
perfect place- part of my heart will always live in Fargo. It is truly the
promised land!! I have changed here, and have seen those around me change-
ANNNNNND, Grand Forks is close enough to the beloved Fargo that I can still
come to Sis. Lien's baptism!!!!!!! Heavenly Father is just too good to me!!
But
anyway, let me tell you about this glorious week. It has truly been one of the
best! We celebrated birthday week like champs, eating oodles of food and
enjoying oodles of gift cards. AND, it has been officially decided by Sis.
Clark and I, the burrito experts, that Chipotle does indeed have the best
burritos in all of Fargo. Pancheros may have the best tortillas, but Chipotle
wins out overall. I strayed from the truth for a season, but I've since
returned to the truthfulness of Chipotle...thank goodness for Jeanelle and
beautiful gift cards, haha!! The secret is carnitas, we have learned. Always
get carnitas!!
Oh man, I
am getting so sidetracked. Life has just been too good lately!! We kicked off
this gorgeous week with my dear 20th birthday- crazy, crazy!! Sis. Elzinga and
Sis. Bennett showed up at our place in the wee hours of the morn (never give
your homies a spare key, haha) and put a pillowcase over my head and kidnapped
me- such a party! They drove us over to the church (with me asking crazed
questions and generally being exhausted all the while, man oh man), where our
sweet Elders sang "Happy Birthday" to me as my pillowcase was
taken off my head. It was the best! Elder Stapley made adorable pancakes
for the masses, and it was just a lovely morning. I was crazy surprised!!
Elders aren't all bad. :)
I opened
presents upon our return to homebase, and then we studied away and
emailed...and headed off to get some birthday burritos, yahooooo!!! We shopped
at Target, so magical, and did our nails once we got back with my fancy new
Jamberry wraps and heater- Mammy is just too good to me! Life is just too
goooood!!
BIRTHDAYYY!!! :)
The Dishers!
Peach cobbler with the Robinsons- my fave! :)
We tried
a few of our regulars and decided on a whim to disturbute our too cute 4th of
July cards to all our homies- it was such a lovely time!!
Ooooooops,
accidently sent before I was ready, haha! I'll just keep writing away, hehe.
Sorry about that, folks!
Anyway,
we dropped off cute cards with all of our favorite people, and we finished off
our sheninghans with our beloved Cudneys- it was such a beautiful time!! We
read 3 Nephi 11 with their family and watched the fireworks and AHHHH, it was
the perfect way to end a perfect birthday. I still can't believe I'm twenty!!
Time is so crazy!!
I adore the Cudneys so completely! :)
We also
taught Sis. Moore on Tuesday and got oodles of birthday goodies in the mail-
and ended up going to Olive Garden to dinner because of it, hollah!! Olive Garden
remains the greatest place ever, in case anyone was wondering. It's just so
consistent! So much like the gospel!!
Another
highlight of our Tuesday adventuring was teaching Bryan/Ryan, our neighbor we
met whilst backing the car last week, haha. We called him on a whim to follow
up, and ended up meeting him in the mall food court after our delightful
dinner- it was the coolest!! We answered his questions (and clarified that we
aren't polygamists, haha) and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon...and he
was ultimately perplexed by my Seattle roots and my love for Jesus. Jesus is
just the best, dontcha know!! I love that Man, no matter where I'm from!
And then
it was Wednesday. We taught our beloved Sis. Lien in the morn with Sis.
Peterson- it was so glorious!! Sis. Peterson is just the besttttt!!! She
answered all of Sis. Lien's questions like a total boss, and I was just so
inspired. Members are the greatest! Everyone should go out with their
missionaries!!! We made a game plan for inviting Jeff to church with her,
and it was perfection. I love Sis. Lien so much!!!
We
lunched away with our BFF Sis. Disher after all that beauty, and saw Sis. White
and Sis. Richards after- such a good day!! We taught them about learning and
serving in the church, and ended up answering loads of Sis. White's questions
about the priesthood- goodness, I love her so much! It's been so amazing to
watch her progress, to watch her want to know- I just love being a missionary!
You meet the greatest people of all time, and you experience a true fullness of
joy. The gospel is just so true! The Lord is just so good!!
We also
saw Sis. Billings on Wednesday, always such a glorious time, and visited with
our dear Sis. Dresser- so much goodness!! We scheduled an appointment for next
week to teach Sandy in her home (YAHHHHHHOOOOOO!!!) and chatted with her about
trials and the Atonement- such a lovely time! Such a perfect Wednesday!!
Onto
Thursday!! We spent our Thursday weekly planning away, as per usual, and ate
dinner at Chipotle- so many burritos this week, haha!! Jeanelle is the greatest
woman I know!!!!!
And on
Friday, we had the most beautiful combo district meeting about bringing
the Spirit by testifying- gah, I'm going to miss our district meetings!! We had
a testimony meeting to close up this Fargo chapter, and it was simply gorgeous.
We all wept, and the Spirit was felt, and life was good. I love these Fargo
besties of mine!!
Following
that glorious meeting, we met Sis. Dimas and tried Oretha...no luck. But, on a
whim, Sis. Clark suggested that we try Cody, a potential we street contacted
the other day...and he let us right in, yahooooo!!! We ended up teaching him
the Restoration, with Sis. Dimas testifying like a total pro through it all- I
love her so much! Cody smiled through it all and immediately knew it was true (because
Africans are the greatest people I know), and life was so sweet. Such an
amazing experience!! We invited him to be baptized and he said he would love
to- AHHHHH!!!! So much goodness happening in the beloved land of Fargo these
days!!
We taught
the Klamms and tried the masses and ate dinner at the too cute Hillmans
(obsessed!!) before running off to Kayla's with Elysia Roberts- such a
beautiful time!!! Elysia reminds me completely of Beck, and it was just lovely
to teach with her. She is perfect for Kayla! We ended up teaching about
tithing, and it was such a wonderful lesson. Elysia, in all her 16 year old
glory, testified like a champ and it was straight up gorgeous. A perfect
transfer call eve!!
Such a good lesson!
And then
it was Saturday- dun dun DUUUUUN!!! We got the call early in the morn, and I
was in absolute denial for the rest of the weekend and even as we speak-
absolutely blindsided!! I thought maybe I would be transferred, but that I
would go back to the beloved boonies of North Dakota or to Rapid or maybe even
Montana- Grand Forks never even crossed my mind! Heavenly Father has the
tendency to always surprise us, haha. He's good at that! We did begin the
farewell tour upon transfer news coming in hot, and spent our weekend visiting my
beloved people here in the promised land of Fargo- I'll be back again one day!!
I can't believe I'm on to my next great mission adventure, and that my time in
Fargo is coming to a close- fastest four and a half months of my life!! I am
just so grateful to have served here- I absolutely know it's where I needed to
be.
Brother Daudier and I- my first Fargo investigator
My dear Sister Bighetty, my Fargo grandma and watermelon supplier
Sister Billings, the apple of my tender eye
Sister Koon- she means everything to me!
The lovely Neutebooms- some of my Fargo faves
One
beautiful tender mercy of our rather sad weekend was Sis. Lien- SHE SURPRISED
US AND CAME HOME EARLY FROM THE LAKES TO COME TO CHURCH, AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! She
texted early Sunday morn and said, "See you soon!"- and my heart just
about exploded. We thought maybe she texted the wrong person...but then she
texted again and said, "Save me a seat. I'm coming to church today!".
GAHHHH, I could've died out of sheer joy!!! Sure enough, with only a few
minutes to spare, Sis. Lien came strutting into sacrament and I just wept. It
was the greatest thing! My heart was so full, and remains so full- I am so
grateful to have served in Fargo! I am so grateful for the eternal friendships
I have made, for the deep and abiding love I have felt, and for the testimony I
have grown. Fargo has been a place of continued growth and understanding of the
Atonement of Jesus Christ, and I know I was meant to be here. And that I'm now
meant to be in Grand Forks! Mission life is crazy!!
Also, more Juliana food was had on Sunday. Like usual. :)
And goodbyes were in order- my heart is breaking! ):
Welp,
that was our week! I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for all you do.
Have the most beautiful week!!
Love,
Sister
Robinson
Makin' planners for the Elders
Birthday nails!
Late in the week birthday cake- such a dream! :)
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