The Reality of the Atonement

Hey-oh, my dear friends!! It's been another gorgeous week in the land of Grand Forks- life is so beautiful! God is so good! Bless the Lord, I am satisfied! 

Lately I've been pondering at great length the loveliness of my mission thus far- all the gorgeous people I've met and taught, all the eternal besties I've acquired, all the people I'll visit and call and adore for the rest of my days...and I really have been so blessed. I am so grateful for every single one of you, for the way you have touched my life and for the opportunity you have given me to become better. I have met and loved the greatest people on earth during this short duration in North Dakota, and this week has been full of even more eternal besties to add to the list- I feel like the luckiest missionary in all the world! Heavenly Father is just so good to each of us!! 

This week has truly been beautiful- I'm learning continually about myself, about the person I want to become, and about the reality of the Atonement. I always tell the people we teach that I know the Atonement is working in my life when I feel at peace, when I feel happy- and I'm learning that my natural state is one of complete anxiety and stress. I'm the biggest worrier around! I think incessantly about things out of my control and I try my best to figure out the world...but, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can feel complete peace. All the stress and anxiety and worry can leave my life for a second, and I'm not scared anymore. And then, like two seconds later, the worry returns and life is all complicated once more. BUT, I'm figuring it out! I'm learning the ins and outs of my own insanity, haha! 

But anyway, let me tell you about this gorgeous week we've had! We kicked it off with Monday, which was full of p-day errands and watching "Ephraim's Rescue" and living our best life- it was a lovely time! We ate dinner on Monday night with the McCampbell's, who live out on base- they're the best! I am so sincerely obsessed with everyone in this ward, man oh man. Best members evvvvva!! Grand Forks is seriously a contender with Beulah for world's best area- it's just the greatest! 

We finished up our Monday by trying the masses and running by Dale's- such a good day! On Tuesday, we partied so hard- it was pure loveliness! We studied away in the morn and then ran off with the Elders to base to help the adorable Sister Chavez clean her house- such a blissful time! Sis. Chavez is probably the cutest woman I have ever met, and she fed us pizza as a token of her gratitude- best day ever!! 

We contacted in the mall for a sec upon our return to Grand Forks and taught Jacob and Paris- it was the coolest!! Paris is pretty awesome- we taught her the Restoration and scheduled a return appointment for this upcoming week, yeeeeehaw!! It was such a sweet moment. Turns out, you can be led to prepared people even in a mall- crazy, crazy! 

We dined with the beloved Kauffmans and taught our dear friend Harry afterwards- I love that man! He's the best!! We chatted about pray and read Enos together- and then, he offered the most tender and sincere closing prayer of all time...THE BESSSST!!! Tender and sincere closing prayers are my favorite thing OF ALL TIMMMMMME!!!! 

AND THEN, we grabbed Sherah and did some contacting in a park- and it was the cooooolest!!! We randomly ran into Sherah's neighbor Sabrina and were able to teach her about the Plan of Salvation right there in the park- AHHH, it was amazing! We actually ran into the gorgeous Sabrina again on Wednesday night at a different park and got to teach her again...and we're planning on stopping by her place tonight and teaching her again, man oh man!  Heavenly Father truly leads you to people who are prepared!!

(also we got ice cream. mega important)

On Wednesday, we had the craziest day- it was pure bliss!! We taught Shawna (my fave less active) about prayer in the morn, saw Travis TWWWWWICE (the dream!!!), and saw miracles all around town. It was the bestttt!! We taught Travis about the Plan of Salvation and he wasn't really into it...and then, he looked all intently at us and said, "Can my life really be different"- AHHHHHH!!! Breakthrough, man oh man!! Travis is just the greatest, we've decided. I love that man so much! We taught him again on Saturday about the Gospel and he said he's been praying about baptism and he knows it's going to take some time...goodness gracious, I am so excited for him. He's the beeeeeest!! He's just so ready to change, and so aware that the gospel is the way to do it...man oh man, being a missionary is the greatest thing ever. I am totally obsessed!  It's been amazing to see Travis change already, because the Atonement is beginning to work in his life- and it's the real deal, my friends! Incredible!!

We also visited the adorable Joe on Wednesday, met a potentially high man and taught him about the Restoration, and ate dinner with the Buttars- such a lovely Wednesday!

And then, it was Thursday. We weekly planned and ate lunch at the North Dakota classic, Grand Junction...and my life was forever changed. Best sammies of all time!!  

We love Grand Junction!

We also taught Joe's friend Lora and at dinner with Bro. Ah Puck...and passed around a big ol' bag of jelly beans for dessert, haha. The best! Sis. Tucker and Elder Frisby got vomit ones and it was the funniest/ickiest thing of all time- the best!! 

ha.

We district meeting'd away on Friday, finished up weekly planning, and tried the masses- kinda a rough day! It ended up good, with some new potentials and lots of laughter- I just love Sister Tucker. She's the greatest! Totally the companion I need right now. On the bad days, on the Fridays where no one really wants to talk to you, she just makes me so happy and makes everything okay. I'm just in love!! 

District meeting!

Saturday was another glorious day- we taught Travis and visited some lovely members and met Phillip and Kumar, two rogue Nepali men...it was awesome. I love being a missionary!! We also taught Henry on Saturday...AHHHH, it was the greatest!!!!  We taught him the gospel and he's now on date for SEPTEMBER THIRD, AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WE'RE GOING TO BAPTIZE THAT ADORABLE AFRICAN OF OURRRRRRRS!!!!! I am so jazzed, man oh man!!!!! He's just the cutest man ever and AHHHH, I am so lucky to be his missionary! He's so prepared! He told us that he feels ready to be baptized sooner, but wants to wait until September so he can go to church more- I love him! He's the best!  Teaching him was the total highlight of our Saturday!!

HENRYYY!!! 

And then, we had the most delightful Sabbath of all time- AHHHHH!!!  We went to church and did the usual things...and THEN, after church, we taught our beloved Kristian and Gabriel came along- IT WAS THE GREATEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED, AHHHHHHHH!!!! We taught the Gospel (the lesson of the week, haha) and Gabriel testified like a pro throughout- it was just the best! It was amazing to testify of the reality of the Atonement, to tell Kristian that I know the gospel is real because it works in my life- it allows me to access the power of Christ's sacrifice. He asked the best questions and told us that everything we've taught so far he either already believes or he now believes- AHHHHHHHH!!!! It was just the best!! I love that Kristian so much- he is so prepared!! He let us know that he's been praying a lot about baptism and he's not quite ready to commit to a date...BUT, he's coming to church next Sunday and he already knows the Book of Mormon is true. Life is so blissful!!! We're teaching the best people on earth!!!! 

As we left the church, Kristian was able to meet Bro.Orozco (the ward clerk and my favorite person of all time), Bishop Jenson, and Bro. Smith...and Bro. Smith texted us later and said that he would love to have Kristian come to his place for his next lesson, AHHHHHH!!! Grand Forks 1st is the best ward in the woooorld!! 

We finished up our Sunday by visiting Harry and the Orozcos- such a lovely Sabbath!

Goodness, it has been the best week! Life is so beautiful! I just feel so blessed to be a missionary, and to know for myself that this is the truth. We are the luckiest people on earth! We have the power to fully access the power of Jesus Christ's suffering and death- and that allows us to be happy, regardless of the circumstances. It's so easy to let the world get to you, but Christ gives you the ability to overcome. 

Oh, and one last little baby item to discuss- I got an email this morn from my dear and beloved Sis. Lien and she remains the greatest. Love her so much! I think getting updates from your old area is the hardest part of transfers, man oh man. You don't stop loving the people you met and taught there, and your heart just aches for them when you're away- I'm meeting new lovely friends but part of my heart will always be in Fargo. I am the person I am today because of that gorgeous second area of mine, and I wish so completely that I could be there once more...ahhhh, the heart ache is real!! Being a missionary is the hardest thing ever!

Welp, that was our week! I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for all you do- you mean the world to me! Have the greatest week ever!

Love, 

Sister Robinson