Pigs and Nature 6/10/19

Alright! This week has been awesome! Literally 5 mins after I sent my email last week, we had a miracle occur. We went to this referral' s house, but he wasn't home. His neighbor across the street is a member named Sergio that we visit with frequently because of personal issues. I felt inspired just to go let his dogs in the backyard. As I was reaching over the gate to pet these muscular pit bulls, I saw Sergio in the yard with his friend. We went over to talk to them,  and we introduced ourselves to his friend. He said his name was Jay, and the conversation was kind of awkward. As we were leaving,  we were heading toward our car when Sergio yelled from his door to come back. We did and Jay said that he'd been praying to God for answers and change. He said that he tried to leave 3 times before we came, and when we did, he tried to leave, but something made him stay. We had a really spiritual and emotional lesson with him for the next little while. He is amazing, and I'm glad I was able to be there.

We went to this guy's house a few days ago and helped him move this massive pig from his muddy pit into this trailer. After that I gave all of his kids Jesus pictures. One kid was like "Can I really have it?" And when I said yes he smiled so big! 

I also went to Palo duro canyon today.  It's the second biggest canyon in the U.S. we hiked to the tallest point named the Lighthouse rock formation. It was super cool! 

I met 5 people this week over the age of 90. We were on our bikes and I saw this old couple sitting on their porch. We went up to them and talked to them about life and what our purpose is. The lady was 97 years old! I gave her a book of Mormon and invited  her to read. She looked at me right in the eyes and said "Jesus loves you." And she said it really slow which was very meaningful. 

I love you guys! I hope y'all have a good week!

- Elder Robins 

Concrete Man 6/3/19

This week was wild! Honestly one of the best weeks on the mission! To start off the week, I pet a lion... so that's kind of hard to beat. Also, that same lion peed on my companion! 

We were under severe storm and tornado warning all week. Luckily the tornado didn't come, but it rained a lot, with lightning dancing all around! There was one bolt that hit right across the street and was so incredibly loud! There was also some good flooding that took place.

We were in a lesson with a person we're teaching named Kalee. The lesson was good, but there were a lot of distractions such as her baby girl running around and a hammer banging somewhere in the background. It was hard to keep her focused. At the end of the lesson, the spirit told me over and over again to extend a baptismal invitation. I did so and she sat there for a minute, then she started crying. She told us that she wants to change and knows that what we're saying is true. She pointed to me and said, "I just want to be as happy as you." And I put my hand on the Book of Mormon and said, "This is how." It was very spiritual, and a moment I hope I remember for a long time.

We were invited to help this guy we're teaching to help his friend pour and set concrete. It was super cool just helping a bunch of Mexican guys set this concrete and make is as smooth as possible. Of course I don't speak Spanish, but I'm pretty sure they were complimenting me ;) I had a bunch of little pieces of concrete on my skin and in my hair, so that was fun to get out!

We met up with a less active who has a son who is 12. He is the sweetest little boy and he has these awesome blue hearing aids. We had a lesson with him and we asked him to be baptized and he said yes! The baptismal date is the same day as Kalee! He was so excited and he was putting the date in his phone and just could not stop smiling! His mom hasn't come to church because her boyfriend beats her if she goes, but now that her son, Zayden, is getting baptized, she's determined to go with him. They were both at church yesterday! In fact, we had 3 people we're teaching come to church, and 2 less active women, and one brought her 3 little kids as well!

Tammy asked us for a Book of Mormon to give to her neighbor. She was called evil by this women, but Tammy is so converted that all she wants to do is share and talk about the gospel! 

Have a good week!

-Elder Robins

There's 3 Ways to Cook a Steak: Rare, Medium Rare, and Ruined 5/27/19

Alright! So this week went pretty well! As the caption says, I was served a piece of steak. That piece was a little too rare and quite frankly was still moo-ing! It was super raw and I woke up pretty sick the next day. I was "advised" to stay inside,  but I've never been one to follow the rules,  so we went out and taught an awesome lesson! 

We've been working with Tammy, who's the lady that was devote Catholic and she was guided to the Book of Mormon. She is AMAZING. We met with her the next meeting and she had like 4 book marks in her Book of Mormon, and said that she'd already read the assignment we gave her and 11 chapters in 3rd Nephi. This is after 2 days you guys. We've taught her the restoration and the plan of Salvation already and she's just eating it all up. 

She came to both hours of church yesterday and said she loved it! Also, she asked if it's weird if she can't live without the Book of Mormon. As she said that, she said she finished 3rd Nephi and has read half of first Nephi. I am absolutely blown away by her faithfulness! 

Elder Campos and I felt like we should ride our bikes to a lesson, even though we have a car and it was pouring rain.. We rode down and gave an amazing lesson to a man named Sergio who we haven't been able to contact in a while. After the lesson, we rode down the street and saw some ladies struggling to put furniture in the back of their pickup. We offered to help and they said no, so we went anyway and helped. We found out that Tammy was there and that her mother was the one who was lifting the furniture. We found three potential people from that house and they said that Tammy won't stop talking about the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. 

I love you all and have a great week!

- Elder Robins 

Blood On My Hands 5/20/19

This week was probably one of the best weeks yet! On Monday, We had our Preparation Day, and in the evening, we got a message from a member named Sergio that we needed to come over immediately. We came and walked in and there was a lady with tears in her eyes standing in his living room. She told us that Sergio was a friend since childhood and she felt like she needed to come here. Her name is Kalee, and she went on by saying that her and her daughter were just kicked out of her house in Lubbock, which ended an abusive 8-year relationship. Her mother lives in Hereford, which is my area. As we testified of the truthfulness of the Restored gospel, she wept, and said that there is a reason why we met that night. It was truly one of the most spiritual experiences on my mission so far.

We were trying by former people being taught, and felt like we should go visit this family. We drove by and got out of the car, but as soon as we did, the mother was frantically trying to get her kids inside! Some of the neighbor kids were playing basketball in the front yard. I told them that I was going to make it first try. Of course I did, and my companion knocked on the door. They saw that we were real people, and had an amazing discussion! The spirit was so strong! As we were talking, more and more family members gathered around us and we had a wonderful talk about our purpose. After the discussion, one of the boys said he could take me in basketball. I feel bad for him that all of his family and friends got to see him get destroyed by a skinny white missionary. Oh well..

On Saturday morning, a member invited us up to his farm to brand and castrate his cows. These were young calves about 4 feet tall, and we wrestled them to the ground as Bro. Gudgell branded them. The smell wasn't great, to be honest. While we were holding the first calf down, he castrated him and threw the slimy thing on my hand! It was pretty gnarly!

Last night, JoAnna Zepeda, the mother of the kids we baptized, told us to come over quick. We got to her apartment and found that her friend from jail was there and she had a Book of Mormon in her hand. She said that she was a devote Catholic, and while she was praying at the feet of the Jesus statue, the Lord directed her to JoAnna. As we were giving her a lesson and sharing our testimonies, she said that what we were sharing felt right. She asked permission to mark the Book of Mormon and we said of course. She was so attentive and marking scriptures and looking through the book with so much interest. Her name is Tammy, and she is amazing!

I love y'all and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Robins

Burning My Mouth Off 5/13/19

Alright, so this week was pretty cool! My companion got transferred to the south and I got a new companion! He speaks super good Spanish so that's good! Most people here are bilingual, but a big majority speak Spanish only. When we talk to people who don't speak English, I just kind of smile and nod. So I've probably agreed to a lot of stuff I have no idea about!

We were able to try by a lot of former investigators this week. We went to one house that didn't answer, and we were about to leave, but my companion thought we should go to this other house down the street and it turned out to be a recent convert who was inactive because of her parents. We have gone by since and things are going a lot better for her!

Yesterday we went a member's house who speaks no English, but her husband isn't a member and is bilingual. They cooked us up some awesome Mexican food and we had a good lesson with them. While preparing the food, they brought out this hot sauce. The bottle was black with a red "X" on the label. That probably should of told me not to try it, but anyway, I go up to this guy and I'm like "Do you want me to try it?" He warns me that it is super hot, and that's coming from a man who eats habaneros "like candy" as he said. So of course I dumped  a bunch on this chip and ate it. Little did I know that It was Ghost pepper sauce with habeneros and Ghost pepper extract in it. I basically died on the spot. I looked at him with tears in my eyes and said that it wasn't really that hot. He started laughing, called me crazy, and said I have his respect. We also set up a return appointment from that so the pain was worth it!

We went with a member named Chick Burney (He's about as cowboy as it gets) and we visited a less active with three kids. She has three kids and is a single mom. We found that her son is old enough to get baptized, but isn't, and that she said we could start teaching him! Their family will be strengthened as they draw closer to Heavenly Father!

I love y'all and have a good week!

-Elder Robins

Larry.....5/6/19

This week was pretty awesome! On Wednesday, we felt like we should go to this lady's house. Her name is sister Rudd and she's been a member for 50 or so years, but her husband isn't a member. He has Parkinson's disease. We walked in and had a good conversation with her and her daughter that was visiting. After about 30 mins of talking, Homer, her husband, started having pains and a lot of shaking and was obviously in a lot of discomfort. Her daughter turned to me with tears in her eyes and asked me to give her father a blessing. The spirit was so strong in the room as the blessing was being given. I know that that is why we needed to be there at that time. After the blessing, Homer was completely calm. 

I was also on exchanges this week with a missionary who's very "strict to the rules".  If we didn't plan to go somewhere in the morning, then he wouldn't go. I felt, in the middle of the day, that we should go visit a new member who lived in a nursing home. So we drove there and he just didn't understand why we would go here. When we arrived, she had a friend there who we gave a Book of Mormon to, and set up a return appointment. After the lesson, we met someone in their truck who we made an appointment with. When we follow the spirit, we are always right where we need to be.

On Thursday, I felt like I should send a text to a member who's struggling with addictions and fighting temptation.  I sent Helaman 5:12 and I got no response.

Yesterday, after we gave him a blessing, he said he was texting his dealer to buy dope and then a text from the missionaries appeared right at that moment. He didn't end up buying it. 

I also caught a lizard and named him Larry. 

I love y'all and have a good week!

Timber! 4/29/19

This week was pretty crazy, not gonna lie. On Tuesday I was in Amarillo for District Council and I caught the flu that's been going around here. 

Thanks to my strong stomach, I was able to work for another 2 days while I was sick. We called the mission office and she told me to stay inside, so for the next couple of days it was pretty boring. 

After that, we traveled to a town an hour away called Nazareth. In this town, there's a population of 311 people, and you can't live there unless you're a catholic.

We do service for this guy named Vince, and last time we were there we started talking about religion. His wife has made it very clear not to talk about religion, but he brought it up, so I guess we found a loophole! 

Anyway, he had us take down this huge tree in his backyard. It was super cool and I was the one to eventually bring it down, so yeah, I'm pretty cool.

After we brought it down, we had a really good conversation and invited him to come to church on Sunday. He didn't show up, but it was a blessing to talk about the gospel with him. 

I hope y'all have a good week.

Love, Elder Robins