Tuesday 27 August 2013

Spectacular week!

Hurray for eMail Monday!! I received my expected email from Elder Robertson and I loved it!!

I'll share with you some of what he's shared with us. On a side note, it always makes me smile that he calls me 'mom' despite the fact I am a 'mum'. :-)
Hi Mom,

The week has been spectacular as every week on a mission is. The members are great. We have had so many member appointments of late and I can really feel the unity and the joy amongst the saints in this region. Missionary work has never been such a great topic here before and I'm hoping the potential names that we are given soon turn into referrals and that we can see some success. We're taking the counsel of "be creative" to heart, and we are really searching for new ways to share the gospel here in Reinach. 
Its amazing to see the blessings you recieve from being on a mission personally, just how it strengthens your own testimony, how you learn so much, but how blessed the family is at home. It's always good to hear about how the gospel blesses your life either directly or indirectly.

Something short of a miracle that I saw this week was that I had been rather troubled by some pains in my chest as I swallowed and eating had become especially troublesome. Dilligent prayer helped to remove my ailment so that I was ready and prepared to work as usual.    It had got especially worrying in a certain dinner appointment that evening with a part less active family. I somehow got through it despite the increasing pains. Then as we left we realised we had half an hour until the bus arrived; it was late evening and we were right south of our area in a little village called Grindel. So we stopped off to see some members for whom we had done service for the previous day. Speaking to the wife mostly as the husband was working on the house, we received two more potential names that evening, which just ended it nicely.

Here's the sad part ....

                   I haven't really got photos, I never seem to take them as my camera is packed
                   away during the week and I need to focus on the work. I know how they mean
                   a lot to you, but I only ever take them on P-day when something interesting is
                   happening.

He doesn't understand that everything is interesting to me ..... =)

                    I love you loads,
Elder Jacob Robertson

So apologies over not having any photos this week.  Hopefully someone somewhere will post something for me! haha

The main thing is, he is loving being a missionary and sharing the gospel.  The gospel brings so much happiness to peoples lives. The plan of salvation as taught by the missionaries all over the world, just like Jacob is, is also known as 'The Plan of Happiness'  Here's a short clip to watch that gives a great illustration and explanation of this divine plan and how it can changes our lives and helps us to be eternally happy!!


Thursday 22 August 2013

Photos from Bern Zone Conference

I've said it before and I will say it many times again, Sister Miles is absolutely wonderful.  Despite the fact she is so busy in her calling taking care of her/our missionaries, she takes time to keep us at home updated with a little glimpse into their everyday lives.

It is so exciting logging onto myfamily.com and actually spotting your missionary.  Mostly with Jacob it's like playing 'Where's Wally?'  He likes to blend in at the back!! haha

Bern Zone, Bern Temple ... can you spot him?

I'm not sure why this group of Elders, maybe a district, but Elder R's comp is missing ....


Where's Elder R?  ... left side, 2nd in from the stage.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Best week yet!

On Monday,  I was in France with my hubby.  He had some business meetings to attend and I wandered around a shopping mall whilst he was busy taking care of work.  I was hoping I would still be able to access my email, but something wasn't working.  I felt like I was twitching the whole time, desperate to read how Elder Robertson's week had gone!! It was hard having to wait until the evening to read about how his week had been and how he was doing.

Elder Robertson has had another great week.  'Best one yet' he tells us.  He's been able to share the Book of Mormon with a couple of people and hoping to go and visit others.  He is currently working with some less active families and hoping to help them return so they can reap the rewards of living the gospel more fully.

He related a story about how he and his previous companion, Elder Nakken had been given free drinks after talking with the owner of a shop about their beliefs.  The man said he couldn't charge them because they were talking about God.  There are some really kind people out there.  These simple, small acts of kindness are appreciated by the missionaries and their parents at home.  I also know that any act of kindness is noted by our Heavenly Father.



Wednesday 14 August 2013

Email full of detail and testimony

I've been asking for more detail in Elder Robertson's letters.  He's such a good creative writer, so I have pleaded, begged, requested to have that as he writes to me each week about the work.

This week I have had lots of information about the people he's met recently and those he has grown to love and serve.  He's really enjoying being a missionary and serving.

One of my good friends has recently visited Malaysia and sent him a postcard from there.  He told me how this was so unexpected and how it made his day! He was so touched that someone would think of him whilst so many miles away.

He loved his birthday package and was having to buy a cake tin to bake his birthday cake from the Betty Crocker box we'd included. =)

He attended a baptism this weekend of a lady who they had 'bumped' into, who needed somewhere to stay and work.  They worked with a neigbouring ward who would be able to help her with the language barrier as she is unable to speak the local lingo ... yet. She was baptised in her native tongue.  How fantastic?!! =)

He also 'bumped' into someone from school, who is from Holland but visiting family in Switzerland.  He is hoping to meet up again today and share the Book of Mormon with him.   The world can be a small place at times.

So all is well with Elder 'R'.  He's happy and healthy and that makes me happy! =)



Thursday 8 August 2013

Miracles happen and no effort is wasted!

The title of this blog post was the theme of Elder Robertson's email this week. It's wonderful to see how his letters and emails are maturing as his testimony and faith in the Saviour, gospel and missionary work grows.  Firstly he shares how he was able to reflect upon on his own baptism on his birthday.  He says: 'I remembered that my baptism was 11 years prior to the Saturday following my birthday this year.  The day sequence was the same: Friday - birthday, Saturday - baptism.  It was really interesting to reflect how I'd taken the same steps 11 years ago that I'm now teaching.'


P-day at the ruins

He's had some wonderful experiences this week. He shares an experience of travelling some distance to work on one particular day.  This is how he tells it ...

"We ended up going to a far out place this week. We did however find someone on the very last door we knocked.  He is roman catholic, skeptical and pulled a rather puzzled face through the window at us.  He opened up saying: 'yeah, I'm not interested ....' I responded "You don't know what we are about to say yet!" In a mixed conversation of German and English, we succeeded.  This man, a great guy by the way, accepted a Book of Mormon and we made an appointment with him for Tuesday evening, so tomorrow! (6th Aug) I have high hopes.  The spirit was there, whatever it was that I had said.  I barely recognised what had happened, it was amazing.  My companion and the investigator felt the spirit too.  Bearing your testimony of the truth cannot be argued with.  I look forward to this coming week.  Great wonders are in store for us!"

I shared some stories I had heard with him and encouraged him to be obedient with exactness.  He responded: "Don't worry, I'm always on my best behaviour! It's such a shame to hear such stories about young men who are lead away from the joys of serving a mission because of the enticing possessions of the world."

and ... it's almost Monday again! My favourite day of the week! =)


Sunday 4 August 2013

A surprise visit from his friend Wes ...

Elder Robertson had a surprise visit at church from one of his great friends Wes, today.  Here's what Wes had to say about the visit ...

"I went into the chapel, sat behind him without him noticing me until someone came up to me and told me that was their spot. He turned around and stared at me for about 15 seconds, seemed very confused! I sat next to him and tried my very best not to bombard him with questions!  The children there adore him, always coming up to him trying to steal his badges! His German is really good, much better than the last time I heard it! I asked him how his Swiss German is getting along and he really likes it and I'm sure he'll get a hang of it very soon! I'm so happy I was able to see him, really made my week  I'm sure there were another million things I wanted to say but I can't remember it all now but I'm very happy!

He seemed like he was having the time of his life, it made me so happy and motivated to finish my papers as soon as possible I gave him a reference to someone I know in his area, so maybe he can work with that. But he just seemed so organised and so prepared to go out and spread the gospel! Hard to believe that he's not even been there 6 months!"

Here's a pic of them together with Elder Little.


Elder Robertson, Wes and Elder Little

What a blessing friends are.  I am very grateful to Wes for sharing this with me.  It's made my day too!

Friday 2 August 2013

Swiss National Day

Location: Reinach
Comapnion: Elder McColgan



Yesterday, 1st August was Swiss National Day.  You can read more about that here.

http://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/spectacular-celebration-of-swiss-national-day-on-august-1/

I am certain that Elder Robertson's ward mission leader is the best out there.  At around 8pm last night I received these wonderful pictures of Elder Robertson celebrating this national holiday with his companion, the other two Elders who he shares an apartment with and some locals.

Companions: Elder McColgan and Elder Robertson

So good to see smiling faces.

Celebrations under way ...


Happy Elders.


Oh this might be the reason for the smiles!


Tucking in ...


Always pulling faces ...

Looks like they enjoyed their day! Elder Robertson and the other missionaries are very blessed to have such a wonderful ward mission leader who really works with and takes care of the missionaries he is serving with. Thank you so much Jan.