Week 70

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!

 Well, I said it in the title of the last email, but Merry Christmas!

Christmas is truly a season about Christ. The Spirit of Christmas is rightly called "The Spirit of Christmas". We choose to live Christmas. It's much more than a day in a year. Just like how the sacrament or going to the temple is much more than a time period or an event. But what you choose to let into your heart!

What a beautiful message that Christ will always accept you. Even in your worst circumstances, you can live like Christ! Because living like Christ doesn't require good circumstances, just a good attitude and a great spirit. 

So why not live like Christmas everyday? Our goal is the Celestial kingdom. We do that by trying to live by Celestial law in a non-Celestial world! That's how we prepare. We don't prepare once we get there. We prepare here! Through covenants in baptism and the temple, we draw closer to Christ and live more like Him. 

So what if you lived by the Christmas Spirit everyday? I can promise that you will know more about Christ! Part of knowing Christ is living like Him. And a mission is no different, neither is life! Most of Christ's life was not His ministry, but He still was perfect and lived perfectly. He maybe even had a job and worked with imperfect people, paid taxes, and such. Who knows! But He lived most of His life as a regular person in Judea. 

We are not perfect, but we can still strive to live the way He lived! To keep those daily habits of study everyday, even when you aren't on a mission. 

So I invite you all to live like Christ everyday. Then everyday will truly become like Christmas! Give a compliment, say hello, smile! 

I'm so grateful for my Savior and everything He does for me. I know He has suffered all of your experiences. 

Yes! You! The one reading this email! Christ felt your pains and joy and victory!

So what happened this past week? A lot!

We had a great MLC, lessons, Christmas messages, and talked to some guys from Turkey. Figured out a great streeting start for me and Elder Bennion! 

Christmas day was super busy, but great!

Called home

Sang in our Sacrament meeting!

Had some reports

Had some great Christmas streeting!

Had a Christmas message and dinner with two great families!

Had a Christmas devotional

Brought home our presents we got from the ward haha. 

I hope you all had a great Christmas as well! Can't believe this year is almost over. I have learned so much over this past year of being a missionary. I can't saw the same thing for this next year haha, but I'm so happy to be here serving the Lord!

Once again, Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Years! 

ロバートソン長老

Week 69

大阪！ 

So I got transferred! After 6 months of serving in Fushimi, it was definitely not a surprise, but still a little sad to leave. 

I learned so much in Fushimi and I'm so grateful for Elder Matsumoto, Elder Jepsen, and Elder Bettinson for being my companions there. I have learned that Christ is our Savior and He loves us. If we trust Him with all of our hearts, we will see miracles! I also love all of those members and hope to come back and visit them someday! They aren't on this email list, but I really do love them and will remember them. I also am so grateful for all of my great District members, I learned from all of them!

I have learned and still am learning about being a Christ-like missionary and not just doing missionary things. Not just activities, but becoming more like Christ. So through this past transfer and this next, I will be looking at why I do things, for others, or for Christ!

So where did I go? 

Osaka, Abeno! From a big place, to a bigger one :). I am companions with Elder Bennion. We had the same MTC district, so that has been fun! He is a great Elder and I'm super excited to see the Lord's hand this transfer. I am a new zone leader too.

Elder Bettinson's new companion is Elder Pentreath, he is from England and Elder Bettinson is training him! 

Christmas is here in Japan, as it is with the rest of the world, so we are going to say Merry Christmas to everyone! We are going to see so many miracles! And Kataoka San was put on date for Jan 15th the Sunday after I left. Please pray for him! 

For pday, we cleaned up the apartment and had some sushi. We ate at a mall that is front of Harukasu, the tallest building in Japan

Love you all!

Week 68

Christmas Party, Last Week in Fushimi?

This week we have transfers, so that's the reason for the title. 

I've been here in Fushimi for 7 months almost. So I arrived in Japan on May 27th and was assigned to Fushimi! I haven't left since. I'll probably leave this ward. If I do or not, it's God's plan! I'm excited for what happens next :). 

I have learned SO much here in Fushimi. I can confidently say that I have found not only myself here, but more importantly Christ. The mission is for others and it's for Christ, but I want to testify that Christ is the Healer, Prince of Peace, and He is the one that changes hearts. Christ and Heavenly Father can make much more of our lives than we can. Through our covenants, we can be changed!

We had a great District council and talked about the Why's. We had a great exchange with the ZL's and Elder Matsumoto and I worked in Fushimi! We handed out a Book of Mormon and had some great studies! 

We had a great Sabbath day and talked with all the members which is always great :). 

We had our District Pday today! Haha most of the pictures were taken by an actual camera that one of the Joyo Shimaitachi had. So I don't have any other pictures. We had lunch of KFC.  We did the whole put whip cream on your wrist and slap your arm. So funny ;). We then sang bunch of songs from the Primary book and then Silent Night! We then watched the Christ Child and shared some thoughts. Really great! 

We then did secret Santa and then did District presents! Really amazing! I got fans and Lindt chocolate for everyone, it was the best! The Joyo Shimtachi brought Krispy Kreme and the Okamachi Shimaitachi brought the KFC. We played Cover your Assets and talked, cleaned up, and then left!

This District has been amazing! I really do love everyone of its members and all the things I've learned from them! Can't wait to see what will happen with transfers! 

Remember the part of loving is accepting. Giving is more important, but what is the worth of a gift not accepted? 

Well, it still is worth something. People don't accept Christ's Atonement, but it's still worth so much. Everything for me and many others. But remember that loving is accepting. Then you can share. 

It's not Christmas Day, but today we can focus on Christmas. Everyday can be a day about Christ if we choose. I love all of you! Let's see what happens with transfers :).

Week 67

 Christmas Time and His Grace

This past week was great in many ways. And I have come to appreciate the hard parts of life. 

3rd Nephi 22:7, 8

7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. 

8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

I think it's so cool that one of the greatest acts of love an all-loving God can give to His children are hardships. If you are a parent, imagine your child going through something hard. You would want to help, right? Well imagine God, everyday, from millions of children asking for help and going through awful things. And sometimes what is best for that child at that time, is to continue through that hardship. Imagine the discipline that takes. God could sweep down and with His angels fix whatever problem is happening. But He lets the trails stay. He loves us too much to save us from everything. 

We had a great District Council on Zoom and we talked about the Book of Mormon! It was cool how the Spirit guided everyone's thoughts beforehand and when we all came to the District Council it all came together. Elder Bettinson gave a great spiritual thought on how the Book of Mormon is a miracle and then the Joyo Shimtachi, Sisters Belnap and Rich gave a great training on the Book of Mormon. Such a good District council. Simple, yet, lots of revelation. 

We had exchanges that day as well with Elder Matsumoto and Elder Walker! Both are amazing Elders. Elder Matsumoto basically trained me in the Japanese ways and Elder Walker and I had the same MTC time. Different districts, different reassignments, but now we have been together in the Ibaraki District for 3 transfers. That day I went with Elder Walker. We had a lot of great conversations and some good streeting!

Probably the biggest miracle of this week was Sunday. It was a rough beginning. But we had a great Sacrament meeting and we both bore our testimonies. We then talked with tons of members and got some more LINES for future messages. We confirmed some appointments. We then had a meeting with Hiroki Kun's mom and her ministering brother and the Bishop to kind of work out how to help their family. It went great! He should be on track for receiving baptism on the 4th! 

We also had a Christmas concert. It was great to see the whole zone and members of my own district. My district is literally the best! On pday we went Christmas shopping which was fun :). 

Some time this week. Take 10 minutes and write down what God is teaching you. Doesn't matter if you think He isn't. He is! 

Love you all!

ロバートソン長老

The song below is Elder Walker and I and Sister's Parmley and Rich singing and Sister Belnap at the piano!

https://youtu.be/s2K3jtHFPzA