Agency Is Irritating

Well hello again!

I made it to another PDay. It's a miracle. ;) The days seem like weeks, while the weeks seem like hours. It's weird. Everything about a mission is weird. But wonderful. :)

This week was CRAZY. Thanksgiving was amazing. We had it at Tua's house first. She's not a member, but one of her daughters is. She's Samoan. I tried so many WEIRD but delicious things :) Chop Suey, Taro in coconut milk, curry, etc. There wasn't one thing I didn't like. And since a few of you have asked, I'm now a 75% vegetarian. All of my meals at the apartment are vegetarian, but when members (or Tua) feed us, I just eat whatever they give me. I don't want to be a pain, or make them feel bad, or be rude. The meat has been hard to get down, not gonna lie. lol It's so heavy. But alas, it's all for Jesus. ;) After we had all eaten, we shared the Spirit of Thanksgiving video from a few years ago. We took the opportunity to let everyone in the room (close to 15 people) state what they were grateful for. Tua was misty eyed as her daughter bore her testimony of the Savior, and finally began to cry as her daughter expressed the gratitude that she had toward her mother. We all were crying by the end of the discussion, and hopefully Tua felt a little bit of the Spirit that was there that evening. She's had a hard life. She's pretty angry at God right now. But I feel like the mini testimony meeting we had touched her heart.**

This week we picked up two new investigators. One of them is named Jade, and she has a crazy story. She and her family have been homeless for the past couple of months. But they've recently purchased a home and she's just started a job while her husband continues to search for one. We taught her the Restoration, and she had so many questions! Sister Turner and I took turns resolving her concerns, and I bore my personal testimony to Jade and the Spirit was so powerful. She committed to coming to church that Sunday... Which ended up not happening. All is well, however! We will try harder with her:)** (Hence why Agency is Irritating)

Our other new investigator is named Crystal and wow our lesson with her was one of the most awkward I've ever experienced. We were knocking on her door, and no one was answering. We were ready to turn back when she pulled into the driveway with her family. We greeted them and offered to help them take things into their house for them (they had just returned grocery shopping). They said they were fine, so we kind of just stood there like awkward penguins. They file into their home, and as the door is closing I shout, "Is this a bad time?" The door closes. And then it opens! "No, come in!" We walk inside and it's just Crystal, Sister Turner and I standing in the door way. She stands there. And stands there. I didn't want to impose and sit on the couch a few feet away, so we started a quick lesson just standing there in the door way. Oh my gosh she didn't say anything. "What did you like about the Because He Lives video?" Shrug. "How has your faith in Christ helped you and your family?" Shrug. "Can we come back and teach you more?" She must've said something because we're going back this week**

Sister Turner and I's companion unity is amazing. We have a deal going where I wash all of her dishes and she makes my bed in the morning. #Winning (I hate making the bed. Our bunk is super awkward and I end up hitting my head like 10 times). She makes me want to be better everyday. Her positivity is infectious! Whenever I get down and frustrated, she's there to lift me up. She's pretty much the best human ever. I'm with her for 12 weeks atleast, and I couldn't be more grateful. She's the most rad person ever.

We get to go to the temple tomorrow! YAS!!!!!!! I miss working in the temple SO much. Being an ordinance worker is probably the biggest blessing ever. Being a patron comes in a close second though. ;) Can't wait!!! It's the Redlands temple. I can't wait for the edifying and the peace and the amazingness and the ahhhhhhh <3 Love. So excited.

As I've thought about what I'm grateful for this week, these are the things that keep popping up. First and foremost, I'm grateful for my Savior. It's only through Him that I get to try again everyday, because unfortunately, I also fail Him everyday. He's the reason I can be made new. He is my rock and I can't imagine my life without the healing that comes through Him. Secondly, I'm insanely grateful for my family. You. Guys. Rock. I love you all so much. I can't even express that love in words. You have all been here through everything. The ups, the downs, the diagonals, the loopdeloops. All of it. Even when I most certainly did not deserve it. You are the reason I push forward everyday, to make you, my Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ all proud of the person I am and am becoming. This family extends not to just my parents and my sister, but to aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, coworkers, and people who are family because they choose to be, not because we're related. I love you all so much. Seriously. I can't even. Third, I'm grateful for my companion. She's lifted me more times than she should have to. She is such an example of the person I want to be. And I know she's my companion because Heavenly Father knew I would need her to make it through all of this craziness called a mission. Fourth, I'm grateful for this mission, as difficult as it is sometimes. It's hard. But I love it. I love teaching. I love testifying. I love serving. I don't know how this mission is going to go, or how many lives I can change through Him, but I do know that the life that is going to change the most is mine. And for that, I'm incredibly grateful.

I love you all so much. Keep being amazing. Push forward. Watch the "A Savior is Born" video. It makes me tear up every time. Share it on social media. Show it to your friends, families, coworkers, etc. You never know the lives you can touch.

Giving them Heaven, 

Sister Roberts 2.0 

** Excerpts from Sister Turner's email. It's easier to have one person write and copy and paste. ;)

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I'll do better next week!