Elder Roberts and Elder Utley! Awesome!

On a bike in Kearns

This week was pretty good. My new area is really small but I am enjoying it. I only cover three wards. I dont have a car anymore so I am on a bike, so I love that. I am a lot more focused throughout the day because I am constantly riding. The wards here are so small. They are smaller than my spanish branch. Yesterday I went to all three wards. The first one was at 9 and me and Elder Merenda had to pass the sacrament and do the opening and closing prayers. THe next two wards were at 12:30 and we had a confirmation in one ward and we were speaking in the other. We hurried and did the confirmation and then ran over to where we were speaking. Me and Elder Merenda both prepared 15 to 20 minute talks and right as we walked into sacrament meeting we were up to speak and they told us we only have 5 to 10 minutes so it was kind of hard to pick what to talk about and what to leave out right on the spot. But both of our talks went really well. I talked on members in missionary work. We really need that here. Even though I am in english, I am still in kearns so I get a few opportunites to speak everyday. I now get language study so thats really good too. Thats a bummer about BYU. Everyone here are big Utah fans so they are all pretty happy. My landlords were watching the game and they are big Utah fans so I loved hearing them yelling and getting into the game but sunday morning they kind of rubbed it in my face. It is nice to participate a lot more and understand people's concerns. I am teaching a 15 year old kid Jose right now and we are planning to have him and his sister baptized on October 12th. I love teaching him because his parents only speak spanish so I get to talk with them and it helps me a ton. I am loving it here right now. I have learned so much. I love the scriptures more than anything! Thanks for everything! Love you!

Elder Roberts

ps  I got a letter today from some visa department. It just said that they are grateful for my service here and the church is trying their best to get it. They said as soon as they get it they will notify my mission president here. But I am loving it here, but continue to pray for my visa and fast for my visa. You guys are the best in the west! Love you

In Kearns - English speaking!

Well an elder in my zone had to go home so they put me in his spot. I am still in Kearns but I am english speaking now so I am kind of bummed about that. I am with Elder Merenda. He is from Pennsylvania. He is way cool. This week was really good though! My old landlords have a trailer, so me and my companions spent a night in it! It was awesome. It rained that night so it reminded me a lot of camping! Me and my companions started to just speak spanish to each other and it was really helpful. But now I will just be speaking english. We would run into people on the street and my companions wouldn't speak any spanish so it was really hard but it was way fun. Saturday I got to go to the South Jordan temple and do baptisms with recent converts in the ward. I got to baptize and confirm and it was all in spanish so it was way fun. My new place is bigger but not as nice. I am still in a member's basement. I have loved the weather lately especially when it rains! I am loving it here! I am kind of bummed about the english assignment but it will be alright. That is awesome about Max winning student counsel!!! His poster was awesome! Thanks for everything! I love and miss you al!! I hope grandma bliss starts feeling better. Tell her I miss and love her so much and I am constantly praying for her. Remember to pray for my visa!

Elder Roberts and Elder Merenda!

Living in Kearns!

This week was really good. That is awesome about BYU! I would have loved to watch it with Grandpa! This week I gave a blessing in Spanish. It was so scary! I was expecting my companion to do it but after the oil annointing he just said "your up. It went alright. I hope it made sense. I went to the stake baptism on Saturday and they had nothing prepared so right before it started they asked me to give a talk on the Holy Ghost and it was all in spanish. I was pretty scared but it went pretty good. I love the food here. People from Salvador eat these things called papussas and they are delicious! Some things aren't very good though. Last night for dessert a family was making snow cones and I was super excited because the flavoring bottle said tigers blood! It was not tigers blood. It was like rotten fruit. It was really disappointing. I loved the rain on Saturday! Spanish is really hard! I still don't speak it enough, but its getting better. I miss you guys! Love you!

That is so sad about Grandma Bliss. I will for sure keep her in our prayers. Tell her that I love her!  

Elder Roberts

Hola Familia!

8-26

This week was good! I am starting to understand a lot more now but I am still pretty lost. I love the food here! It is the greatest. At church, me and my companions got to teach the Priests. They all spoke english so we did it in english so that was good for me because it was on marriage and that would be tough for me in spanish. After church yesterday it was someones birthday so the whole branch had a party at the church. They gave us a lot of weird foods. I asked my companions what some of it was and they just said to not worry about it and just eat it. Most of it was good but a lot of it was not the best. We have got two investigators that are getting baptized! I am way excited for that. We invited a investigator to a family night with a family and it was a blast. It reminded me of family night with our family. We sang some songs, had a short message and then played a lot of games and at watermelon and ice cream. The investigator loved it! Two of the people we are teaching, we are also helping them out with english. It is a lot different being on the teaching end- but a lot easier. I am loving it here more and more each day! The people are so nice! Still pray for my visa. I talked to a sister waiting for hers and she said they are having missionaries stay here in the states until they get there normal visa so keep on praying. I miss and love you all!

 

Elder Roberts

9-1-13

 This week was good! I had my first Baptism on Saturday! It was awesome! His name is Oscar. He has only been in America for like 8 months so he speaks no english. He works at cafe rio in sandy and a sister that just returned from her mission in Chile brought him to us. He was way ready for the gospel! Spanish is really hard but it is getting better! I can understand it if we're talking about the gospel but anything else I am still lost. I still don't get to speak it that much but it is getting better. We have been teaching this lady the whole entire time I have been here. She has been taught by the missionaries forever. She is totally ready to be baptized but she works on Sundays and can't come to church. We are trying to get her to talk to her boss or try to find a new job. But we got her to come to church so that was awesome! We were excited about that. I have loved the cloudy and rainy weather! It has been the best! Thanks for everything! I love and miss you all!!!!

Elder Roberts

My room and closet in Kearns