Week 7 - Last Week in the MTC!

KUMUSTA!!

This is my last week in the MTC!!! I have been jumping for joy. I am sooo excited to get to the field! We got our Flight Plans!! I sent you a letter with my exact schedule but briefly we are flying out on August 3rd to San Fransico-> Hong Kong-> Cebu. I have lots of lay-overs so I will be calling you a lot. :) I am sooo excited to talk to you for real :)

So I sent you a letter with things I needed, if you didn't get it by the time you send your package here are a few things, dont stress over it....just some suggestions I am not in desperation for this stuff. CD play, CDs, headphones and speakers. Some loose cotton shirts, I have some but I'm really going to want them now. and some more family pictures....I only got two and I would love to have more, or any more pictures, Filipinos LOVE to look at pictures.

So this week we are trying to stay motivated and not drown in the monotony of the MTC. I love the MTC but its time for us to go!!

Last week that Elder that I talked to in gym trying to convince him to stay at the MTC went home. It was really sad but he told my Elders he was very grateful that I had talked to him. He got sent home honorable b/c of anorexia issues (thats what they said) so he might be able to come back and serve in 1-4 years. pray for him, he is a really nice Elder and he needs support. Some other Elders and Sisters that need prayers. Sister Hathaway, is a super fun sarcastic sister going to Mesa, Arizona (maybe) she found she has a heart murmur and has been delayed here at the MTC for three weeks. She is a trooper but might not be able to go out. She found out she might have to get surgery and will be sent home after all she's been through. She finds out her tests results today. Now, Elder Seupule won't find out if he can leave on time with us until the day before we leave. Please pray for him b/c if he cant leave with us, his visa will expire to be here in the US and its sooo hard to get a Visa here I don't know whats going to happen to him. I've been praying and Elder Johnson bought a journal for him for us to all sign.

Thursday- We had our second to last TRC, we did really well!! I talked a lot about the atonement, its nice just being able to talk in Cebuano and not memorize sentences or anything just being able to say what's in your heart. I'm beginning to be able to express myself in Cebuano and feel the spirit when I teach in it. Its really cool!

Friday- We had an AMAZING testimony meeting with the Cantonese district, I only again cried while bearing my testimony ( I have seriously become a cry baby). I just thought that I always understood the power of the atonement before but I realize now I had no idea. I have never felt sooo much love for others and I really believe its because I'm starting to understand the power of God's love for his children. A love that is sooo amazing and indescribable that it has the power to change people and their lives. I am beginning to almost understand how important this work is, and that God trusts me with his children that he loves sooo much!! Missions are amazing and it was a nice reminder to know why I'm here and get me ever more fired up for the field.

Tuesday- So I decided that we need to take drastic measures to keep us fired up and energetic about being in the MTC. So I came up with this I idea to have a competition everyday. Of course the Elders loves the idea, so on Tuesday I made the challenge to see who could drink the most liquid at dinner. I won with 12 glasses, slaughtered the Elders. haha. But Elder Seupule has decided to drink chocolate milk as his choice of beverage and lets just say he was VERY VERY sick!! apparently in the bathroom he told Elder Johnson that "Sister Robison came up with a stupid idea" haha....but I wasnt the one that told him to drink chocolate milk. He laid on the grass for like a half hour looking like he was on his death bed...I couldnt stop laughing. oops! After the competition we had another one to see who could hold it all in for the longest with out going to the bathroom, I definitely lost and could only hold it for less than an hour. Elder Schenk ended up winning that one. Were trying to think of some more ideas in order to keep us happy and have at least something to write in our journals...haha. let me know if you think of anything.

So I feel very ready and excited to leave but I am going to miss my district, we have all grown soo much together and have been through a lot together. Its crazy because I have always seen the before and after the mish, but never the process of change and its amazing to see how fast our spiritual growth has gone. I was blessed with a district full of Elders that will all be super amazing missionaries, except I dont know what I'm going to do b/c I can't write them our whole mission so hopefully I'll be able to see them. I know I'm going to cry like a little girl when I have to leave them. Well I LOVE you all, and I will always stay good at writing, it is the least I can do for people that have done soo much for me. I smile everyday and I love this work. Gugma ko Kanamo!!

Love,

Cari

Week 6

Kumusta!!

Mom, I just wanna tell you, you're the best.... I love you!!

So this week-
We are all getting pretty restless at the MTC, my Elders and I do not work well with routine and we have been trying anything to change things up. We like to tell funny stories in Cebuano and turn to random scriptures and try to interpret them in Cebuano...its helped a little but we are definitely getting antsy to leave.

Wednesday-we brought in our new District, they are nice-not as fun as the old one but we get our younger Cebuano district today 2 sisters and 2 elders all going to Tacloban, Philippines (that's how you spell it Dad ;) ) and we get 12 new English Elders so our Branch is definitely going to expand!

Thursday- we had our first FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano. We did pretty well, except I accidently told our investigators that I had 6 kids!! haha. But don't worry I sorted it all out after many suprised and horrified looks...haha.

Sunday- Now one of the most nerve racking things is to get called on the spot to speak in sacrament meeting. I know, good practice for later in the Mish, but I got called on and had to give a 5 minute talk on obedience, I almost wet my pants. I was shaking soo bad, but I did fine and the Lord took care of me, telling me what to say. My Elders thought it was hilarious too. haha.

Monday- So like I said our district is going a little crazy, meaning some companionships are not getting along. Elder Seupule got a little too fed up with Elder Shenk telling him what to do and the Elders said that there was a big confrontation Monday night. They were afraid Elder Seupule was gonna kill him, but everythings fine now. Moral of the story don't get on the wrong side of an angry Samoan.

Tuesday- Elder Seupule went in for surgery on his shoulder, he hurt it before he came into the MTC in Rugby. He was on the Samoan International Team. So I've been praying that he will leave on time. They say he should.
So we have been having this Elder that wants to go home in the English District. During Gym I had the impression I should go and talk to him, so I spent the whole Gym trying to convince him to stay. I said he would regret it for the rest of his life if he left and that he would be depriving his family, himself and the people he was supposed to serve of many blessings. I don't know if anything is getting through to him though, I've been praying for him a lot so hopefully it gets through to him. Pray for him.

So there's this thing at the MTC called English fasts and thats when Elders and Sisters who are learning a new language give up English for a certain amount of time. Now I think this is rude. B/C others feel dumb when you are trying to talk to them and refuse to speak English, especially missionaries not learning a new language. Our teacher told us not to do it, he said speak your langauge but either translate or speak to your district in it, because it makes otherts feel bad. So I have been frustrated with all these other missionaries who speak Spanish and come up to me not speaking English. So I usually Ignore them but yesterday they wouldn't stop trying to speak to me, so finally I told them that they were very rude and told them that I would refuse to talk to them unless they spoke English to me. haha. So yes I hate these English fasts!!

So things are continuing to go well, I feel my testimony grow everyday and I have learned soo much. Especially from my two Elders, they have taught me soo much and I love them for everything I have learned from them. I know we were supposed to be together, because there are things we needed to learn from eachother and as excited as I am to leave, I now hate to think that in a couple weeks we will be separated.

I cannot explain the change I feel in myself and my testimony. I always thought I knew the Lord and appreciated the Atonement but that was all such a small understanding. The Book of Mormon is literally tangible Evidence of God's love for us. Something that we can hold in our hands that allows us to develop a relationship with the savior and feel the scars on his hands which made that sacrifice for us. I love this Gospel and everything I have learned, every single person who has the opportunity to go on a mission NEEDS to go b/c its more important that I could have even realized before. I love you all for everything you have done for me that has helped me get here. Gugma ko Kanamo!!!

Love,

Cari

Week 5

Kumusta Friends and Family!!
Kumusta ka?? This week has been BUSY!! Wednesday we had the oppotunity to clean the temple, we get to wear white scrubs (legit). I cleaned the furniture and the cubbies in the rental area and some of the initiatory. It was fun! Thursday we had our last TRC lesson in English. It went well, we taught in unity, the spirit was strong and we focused on the needs of the investigator. Tomorrow we have to teach a FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano, I'm super nervous but I have been studying Faith all week and I know that the Lord will help me know what to say.

Saturday was fun, we went outside to study and listened to Carrie Underwood practice for the Stadium of Fire (probably not a good idea-serious distraction for the Elders....haha) Then Saturday night we got to watch the Fireworks, which was amazing b/c as I looked at all the Missionaries around me watching the fireworks, it was amazing knowing that in a couple of weeks we would all be around the world, excercising our religious freedoms and teaching the people all around the world about the Gospel. It was an amazing experience, plus the english elders sang "Im Proud to be an American" which was pretty funny.

Sunday, we got to go on a temple walk and I got to hang out and take a lot of pictures with my favorite English District that left on Monday, soo sad!! I've missed them, defninitely not as much laughs without them. The cantonese sisters I roomed with and their district left too!! So were a little empty here right now. But I've been showing around an Austrailian sister that arrived yesterday and is in my branch. I got to hang out with all the international missionaries Tuesday morning. One was from Norway, another Germany, 3 from Australia and one from England....ya I felt pretty cool. Today we get a whole new district of 10 missionaries going to Arizona and Hawaii that we can bring in.

Although this week was fun, it was hard for me. I have been feeling super inadequate. As a solo sister you get a lot of rap because your in a unique situation and to others on the outside, they might not understand. I have just been feeling like everything I do is wrong, and although I try my best I keep falling short. Its hard being a solo sister b/c I'm with my Elders all day and they are who I am closest to here at the MTC. We rely on eachother for everything and we're with eachother all the time, but its a hard situation trying to learn to be in a companionship because of the boundaries between Elders and Sisters and not looking bad to other missionaries. My Elders were trying to make me feel better all day. Then Brother Latimer, had me be the spot light-where we go around and say everything we love about that person. He must of had inspiration because I felt soo much better afterwards b/c they all said such nice things. He said afterwards, that usually solo Sisters arent able to get along as well with the Elders as I do and that I am working soo hard and doing an amazing job.

This experience has helped me grow in soo many ways and I have soo much to work on still...But I am trying my very best. I have learned to fully turn to the Lord and allow him to help me make my weaknesses into strengths. I have noticed such a change in me and my Elders, and we are all doing great and working soo well together. I have met people that have changed my life and I learn from everyone in my district everyday. We can receive answers to our prayers if we pray sincerely to the Lord. I have been learning to contemplate my prayers before hand and allow the spirit to let me know what to say to my Father in Heaven. This week lets all work on Charity together. No judging, no talking bad about others and truly loving everyone for who they are-their strengths AND their weaknesses. Look at everyone the way Christ would and that you can learn important attributes and characteristics from everyone. So lets read in the scriputers about Charity this week, and also pray for it and make a conscious effort to love everyone around us.
Gugma ko kanamo!!!!
Love, Cari

Week 4

Kumusta!!! This week has been hard.. On Thursday we somewhat failed our TRC, our teacher was our "investigator" and we got through the lesson and I thought we did awesome, we bore testimony, taught in unity, and had a structured lesson.. But afterwards when our teacher asked how we thought we did, we said all the wonderful things we had done and after we got done talking he said that we only disussed what WE did right and didnt even think about how the investigator was feeling. Talk about a punch in the gut.. apparently we completely failed to meet the investigators needs so therefore failed the lesson.. He had a concern in the beginning that we addressed but b/c we were concerned about getting into the second lesson we kind of brushed it off.. Although we failed it turned into a success though b/c we learned soo much!! We learned that everything is about focusing on the investigator and loving them.. I am definitely learning to STOP right now from focusing on myself. We had a relief society lesson that we should make sure to even be more concerned about our companions success instead of our own.. Once again a punch from the spirit that I need to stop being competitive and care about the Elders in my district and them learning and growing..

I taught the lesson in our district meeting on Sunday and learned a lot about relying on the Lord.. We are in his hands and his hands are powerful enough to create worlds but gentle enough to bless children, so we are in the best hands we can possibly be in.. My motto is trust and be not afraid, and Im truly learning to do that here.. I have been feeling really good lately about everything and I feel that I can do this now.

So My Favorite teacher Brother Latimer is probably leaving soon, I dont know how our district is going to survive with out him, he really makes the MTC feel less stressful, so we are trying to guilt him into staying.. Ive seen Nate Eck, I actually see him everyday and we ate breakfast together on Sunday (dont know if thats allowed) I see Ted everywhere and David sometimes too (we're going to try to take a picture on sunday together)..

Last week ELder Oaks spoke to us, great talk reaffirmed why we are here and our purpose.. I waved and walked past Elder Nelson, literally he was in touching distance.. We have our TRC this week, last lesson in English (super scary).. The Cantos sisters that I live with leave on monday for Hong Kong, and the English sisters leave for California on Monday.. So once again I'll be a lone sister.. Doesn't matter b/c I'm mostly with my Elders anyway.. English Elders leave too, to South Africa and Santa Rosa, California.. So we get all new Elders next week, very sad, they have been my favorite district. I'll miss them b/c they are always making me laugh by telling me Jokes in English Accents which some how even makes it funnier.. We did already get some new ones this week that are going to sacramento.. Its weird to see the English come and go b/c we are here for sooo long..

My district is doing well, my Elders are I are really learning to work together, but its still a work in progress.. I learn soo much from them everyday and we are all growing in our testimonies together.. I get to see Dubes almost everyday and I saw Tyler yesterday, taught him how to pray in Cebuano.. The language is still coming, we are doing an English fast tomorrow (NO ENGLISH)..I miss you all and Gugma ko kanimo!!! Love, Sis Robison