Palm Sunday

Elder Monson and I got to have a temple day this week which was really nice. It was cool to look around and see all the different people... Because there aren't that many temples over here, there were people from India in our session, and Singapore. I guess their branches had a temple day, but it was fun that Elder Monson and I could be in there with them! They really sacrifice a lot for the  blessing of the temple, lots of them were there for the  first time. 

Yesterday the Gavino family went to church! (the catholic church)...... Noooooo. They said because it was Palm Sunday they would go to the Catholic church, but next week they will attend ours. This week is huge here. Yesterday was Palm Sunday and EVERYONE has palms. The Catholic church is really big here. But there are lots and lots and churches here even though our area is pretty small.

Even just walking down the street, you will see a Catholic church, Jesus is Lord, and Jehovah's Whitness, you take a right then you see a Born again Church, and international church of Christ. That's just within a couple minutes walk. If you keep going you could see a Baptist church too. We actually run into missionaries of other churches all the time, we are always super friendly but they are never very excited to see us. We have several people who we bump into sometimes who try and contend with me and Elder Monson.

Both hands on the wheel, fully concentrating on my shuttling duties

This week we had lots of members working with us. They are great! There are 4 men in the ward that are always texting us to work with us. One of them is a convert of 2 years, and is now in the Bishopric, he is so awesome!! He is even visiting our investigators without us just to say hi. Then there is Bro. Cabarloc, who is only 1 year in the church and overcame smoking and drinking and loves to come with us. He is super nice to have with us, he relates to everyone and is just so strong in the church. The ward here is just full of these men who are always asking us to come and work with us, their faith is incredible and contagious. 

See how fun working in the office can be?

My favorite part of working in the office is just that I guess it feels good that I am helping out the mission, without the office Elders, the mission could not run, at all.  We are just the people behind everything, but nobody knows. . . But that's the way I like it.  Oh man, we love those Conference talks you loaded on my ipod. . . So cool!  We listen to the songs and the talks everyday!  Romy agreed to baptism and is growing in faith every visit.  The members are really working hard to fellowhsip him.  We ran into this lady who came up to us this week and said "Hey, Mormons, how's it going?"  She said "I used to be Mormon."  She was speaking to us in English as well.  She had just moved back from Vegas.  I guess she was a member a long time ago.  We got an appointment to go and teach her so we will bring her back to the church for sure.  It was really unexpected to see her, but that kind of stuff happens sometimes.  We will just run into somebody who was baptized in their province, then moved to the city, and just got "lost" from the church.

My toes and Elder Monson, here's our view on the roof of our apartment

It's been a busy week but we have lots of people we are trying to follow up with. It's been a hot season, but I'd rather be hot than cold. It is really hot, but it's great. The heat feels different here. You feel like you're inside the heat haha. I get out of the shower and I get dressed and then there are already beads of sweat down my face.  So the food I have been eating lately is fish and vegetables, weird cereal and powdered milk. 

I'm just so grateful for the gospel, I've seen it's real affects on people. I know that the Lord lives again. He is our now our advocate with the Father, and He is inviting all to come to Him.

Elder Roberts