Two Members

Hello Friends and Family!

Carson bought &delivered a birthday
cake to a members one year old!

This week has been amazing. As always, I love being a missionary! Coming, and serving, is the best decision I have ever made. I have been able to feel the comfort and the joy that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings as we strive to do our best to follow, and keep all the commandments. This week, Elder Sorensen and I have been blessed beyond measure to witness so many miracles! Heavenly Father is truly the Loving Father of our Spirits, and has lead Elder Sorensen and I wherever we needed to be and when we needed to be there. I thought that I would just share two moments and miracles from this week that increased my personal testimony in our Savior.

Elder Sorensen and I were blessed to be able to work with many members in the LaGrange Branch this week. One of the members we went and visited with was Sister Mata. They are a recent move in, and Elder Sorensen felt prompted that we should go and visit with her one night. We made the arrangements (she lives quite far away, our area is massive) and we traveled to her home. She let us in, we sat down, and we had one of the most spiritual lessons with her. We asked about her, and she explained how she was originally from El Salvador, but at the age of four, both her brother and father were killed in the Civil War there which ravaged the country. She said that her mother, and her grandmother, walked all the way to Mexico, and settled down for a while. She said this story, and I had to write it down because I thought it was amazing. She said, “After arriving in Mexico, at the age of 14, my brother and I were playing in the street one day. As we were playing, I looked up, and walking down the street were two white Americans holding a blue book in their hands. I ran over to them, asked them what they were doing, and they told me. I invited them into our home, and my mother was ashamed I would invite them in. However, after several meetings, we were baptized into the Church.” As she kept telling us her story, the Spirit was so strong. I felt the pioneer spirit in her. She literally is, as many are, a modern day Latter - day Saint Pioneer. She continued to tell her story about how she came into America at around the age of 20, and she explained how she felt she needed to serve in the United States Military.  She said, “Once I came into this country, I decided that I would serve it with my whole life. This is the only country that allows safety.  This was the country that welcomed me warmly, and would protect me and my family at all costs.  For that, I knew I needed to give ‘my new country’ everything.” As she continued to describe her life in the Military (she has served in the Army for over 25 years),  she said how she has felt her testimony in the Gospel strengthen every day. Walking away from this conversation with her, I just felt the Spirit so strong.  Not only did I more fully realize what a privilege it is to live in a country where we can, as a Church, go door to door explaining our beliefs every day, but that we will be protected when doing so. I also was able to ponder in my heart what it means to be a ‘pioneer’ in the Gospel. Whenever we think of pioneers, we often think of those early Saints who crossed the plains to Utah.  However, we have the opportunity to be a pioneer in our own right in the Gospel. Maybe we are the first one in our family to try family history work, or maybe we are the first one to go through the temple, or maybe we are the first one to graduate seminary.  No matter what it may be, I would hope that we could all find a way to become a modern day pioneer, like Sister Mata was, in the Church and the Gospel.

The second experience I wanted to share regards another member from our small branch. One night, all of our appointments and lessons fell through. We had three lined up for the whole night, and in twenty minutes, we found out that none of the individuals we were planning to meet with could make it. Somewhat discouraged, Elder Sorensen and I offered a prayer for direction.  After the prayer, we both sat in silence for some time (trying to focus on where our Father in Heaven would have us go), and then Elder Sorensen said, “For some reason, I just keep thinking of Sister Agulair.” Now, Sister Agulair is one of the most wonderful women I have ever had the honor to meet in my life! She is diligent, and never misses a Sunday at Church. She is a sweet Latina woman that always, through her broken English, makes sure to tell us her testimony whenever we see her. I also felt the Spirit confirm to me that this is where we needed to be, and so Elder Sorensen and I drove over to her home. We knocked on her door, she quickly let us in, and we sat down with her. I said, “So Sister Agulair, how have you been?” Scarcely had the words left my mouth, when she was already in tears. Elder Sorensen and I sat in silence as she just cried, and she then said, “I have never felt so lonely, so lost, and confused.” We just sat with her, and she then said, “But I know that God loves me. He has never left me.” Elder Sorensen and I now had tears in our own eyes as the Spirit totally and wholly filled the room. Her simple testimony, in that sweet broken English of hers, was the strongest testimony I had ever heard in my whole life. I truly felt the Spirit pierce me to the core, and for just a brief moment, I believe I felt of the strong love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for her. It is so hard for me to put into words what a spiritual experience this was for me, but all I can say is that it made me more converted to our Savior Jesus Christ.  As Sister Agulair began to tell us of her trials, and current situation and struggles, I couldn’t help but think how Almighty and Amazing our God is! That although in a moment, all our appointments fell through, and we were discouraged, God had somewhere much more needful for us to be. It was such a perfect reminder to me that when life seems to be all wrong, and never heading our way, that our Loving Heavenly Father has something much greater in store for us. We just get discouraged because we can’t see what it is yet. But eventually, we will be able to look back, and see how beautiful our Father in Heaven’s Plan is for all of us. Towards the end of our conversation with her, we asked if she would like a Priesthood Blessing of Comfort. She said yes, and we did so. This moment, and that blessing was so spiritual, I can’t even begin to describe how much stronger my testimony became of the Power and Authority of the Holy Priesthood.  I do know that this Priesthood can heal, and bless the lives of those around us, when it is in accordance of the Will of the Father. Looking back on the entire experience with Sister Agulair, I can draw one main lesson from it.  Never, ever, stop searching for those around us that need our love and help. Sister Agulair is always the first person at Church. The member who smiles the most, and always seems the ‘most happy’.  She is the member you don’t picture to be going through a hard time, but is. I would hope that as we go about our next week, we look and pray a little harder for those individuals that Heavenly Father will put in our path. You may be surprised that the person that needs the most help is the individual whom looks like it the least.

A good friend had pizza delivered late at night!  You can
tell by his smile how happy this made him.....Thanks Brooke!

In closing, I just wanted to leave my testimony. I know that Jesus is the literal Christ, and the Son of the Living God. I know that I have a Father in Heaven who has prepared tomorrow, next week, and next year, and forever for me. I know that He is all Loving, and all Powerful. I have never loved my Savior and Father in Heaven more. I get excited to serve, excited to teach, and excited to become someone more through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I know that the price has been paid, and it’s up to me to do my best for Him. I pray for all of you everyday, and thank you for all your love, kindness, and support.

Until Next Week-

Elder Robb