DOWNHILL

Hey mom;

I sure love you all! How was Uncle Stephen's cabin?
Today we saw some little kids in the cafeteria and I was like...
What? No Way! kids still exist??!

You know I've hit my 3rd week here so I'm on the down slope now wahoo!
Thanks, I miss you and you're amazing!

Elder Roberts

WEEKS BLENDING

*HANDWRITTEN

Dear Dad;
Everything is going great, honestly it's hard but it's worth it.
I'm trying to take in every minute, but I'm exhausted and sometimes I catch myself drifting to sleep or thinking about life before the MTC. I feel like you're the only one that feels my strain, you know? I'm sorry to not be able to write, they plan out our schedule down to the very minute. I was asked to be District Leader, I'm finally excited. The food is starting to become blah!! I'm figuring things out with the comp. He likes to be on time and he starts to pester me that we need to leave about 15 minutes in advance. But overall he is the best comp out of the whole district. The best guy is Elder Tueller, if we were comps we just wouldn't get anything done, so Elder Haderlie is a blessing for me.

It's kinda funny what things you find to uplift your day, like..."oh hey they are serving pizza for lunch!"
or Brother Holmen's lessons or how we did with our mock investigator or mom's packages. Those things you hold onto and have them help build you up. The language is coming along, Brother Holmen said I'm not giving myself enough credit and am being too hard on myself.

The living sitch is improving - sometimes I feel like second class citizens on the Titanic compared to the main campus. The weeks are starting to blend together. Sooner than I know, I'll be writing you from Xalapa. I love you Dad, thanks for all the lessons you've taught- they're helping me out.

p.s. hey mom!
ummm you're the biggest sweetheart for sending me letters and packages! Yesterday was hard thinking about all the things you guys are doing for the 24th. We have a term for this and it's called trunky or trunking. It made me wonder how hard Christmas is going to be. Wow what if I saw you? That would've blown my mind and set me back two weeks. I think I dream bout the family at least three times a week. But I pray for you guys every morning and every night.
I realize more each day how great of parents I have.

With love -Elder Roberts

- bretty boy

Give Jake my best wishes! I'll have a letter for him, I'll just send it for you to give to him.
Oh and I'm glad I didn't have a girlfriend, a bunch of guys just got dear Johns!

DAYDREAMING

Hey mom i'm writing you a handwritten letter that you will probably get tomorrow. I love you and Dad and all the kids. thanks

I pray about you guys every night and some times I catch myself day dreaming in class thinking what you're up to... umm I need a study journal you can find them at target that would be awesome. :) thanks for the tie you're amazing. thanks for all the pics also.

Elder Roberts

p.s. I was called district leader by the way

SECRET PILLOW ROOM

*HANDWRITTEN

Hey Mother;

I'm sitting here at the laundry mat, re-reading all the letters through and thinking about the things I was doing this same time last year. This has always been one of my favorite times of the year. It's hard to talk to my comp about my life before the MTC because he's a boy from Idaho that has been home-schooled. When I mention some things I did on the weekend I feel like he's judging me, you know? I don't feel right for the job (District leader) I was talking to brother Holmen about it and he said he was the same way until he realized that the calling was bigger than just checking the mail and getting the prayers. So lately I haven't been eating well because of the stress and not sleeping well. I miss those nightly vent seshes we would have after I got home from hanging out with friends.

Sorry, I had to just get that off my shoulders. Everything is going well. It's nice to have two weeks under my belt. I feel like I have been taking leaps and bounds in the gospel and also the language. I saw Tate at lunch today, so that was awesome! Thanks for the packages, I'm trying to take advantage of you when you're 25 miles away and not 2500.

Everyone in my district reminds me of someone. Elder Haderlie is a Ferris Bueller look alike. There is a guy here that reminds me of Dwight Schrout, he wears pleated, plaid pants and corrects everyone on their correct forms of espanol and the Gospel and even bears, he's the whole package - (he always adjusts himself when he stands up too, so that's a plus). Next we have a Jackson Dunford laugh alike and an elder who is a football jock that is still living in HS, there is Elder Tullis (nicest guy you will ever meet) a computer savvy guy who is at the top of his game and could've made a lot of money by now but decided to go on a mish. We have even have Barney from the Flintstones! So many different personalities but yet still a brotherhood.

Elder Page and Elder Henderson our District Leaders left this Monday, but Saturday the shoved me and my comp in this secret room full of pillows that no one knows about. I don't know why, but it was just great for a minute!

I love you, thanks for everything - I pray for every single one of you each night and the new baby.

with Love - ELDER ROBERTS bretty

   
 

JUNE 18th 2014 (I think he means JULY)

*HANDWRITTEN

Dear Mom and Dad;

Elder Haterlie told me something that really blew me away...He said that his mom has bone cancer throughout her body and will probably not be here by the time he gets back. This really put my life into perspective on how truly blessed I am. To have a mother and dad that are perfectly healthy and are proud of me and support me 100% on the mission. I know a kid in my district that his dad didn't even know or care that he left. So this letter is the best I can do to show my love and appreciation for all the big things you do and the little also. It's hard to show because you can't tell my emotion through this letter, but I really do love you.

With Love, Bretty Boy

How's the baby? Does Quincy and Canyon understand that I'm not coming back for a while? Is Rivey liking dance? Does Kal get the teacher he wants? Tell Wade I love when he writes. Have you started school shopping yet?

p.s. Tell Laur I saw Elder Simmons

Oh and can you send me some paperclips for tie pins? inventive ;)

SEEING LINC!

JULY 17th, 2014

Hey Mama -
Probably yesterday was one of the best days so far. 1st we got up at 6:15 to do some service....we ended up just cleaning the doorms that we use for class. They were already basically clean. A week earlier and we would've been able to clean the inside of the Temple. The food is starting to taste the same, but the chocolate leche es muy bueno. We finished breakfast in a hurry and got ready because we needed to hit the 9:00 Temple session and to do that we couldn't miss the bus. We barely made it and so did all the other elders and hermanas crammed in the bus like sardines, but I felt honored to be part of "the missionaries" that grandma always talks about when she works at the Temple.

I was fasting and when we were done with the Temple I broke my fast and I was starving on the way out I started to see people I knew. I personally believe that to see all these people showed how much support I have and how people are so proud of me and excited for me to serve.  First I saw "Kay Asbee" right?? Grandma's friend? mainly I just kept talking to her and stalling to see if I could see grandma. Then on the way out a mom grabbed my arm saying "hey, you're Hilary's son!" It was Taylor Anderson's mom! And then there was Taylor! He was there at the Temple with his family. We said hi for a while and joked around a bit and took pictures. It was so great to see my homie from "the outside."

We headed over to the main campus to eat and the food was sooooo good, so many varieties! Mainly I was on a hunt for Linc. I was done with my lunch and was stalling a little and I was getting a little frustrated that I couldn't see my ol buddy. I got up to go get a drink. I stepped in front of these two elders and when I looked up at them to say sorry, I realized I was looking at the face of Lincoln Perkins! (Elder Perkins) I dropped my cup on the floor, good thing they are plastic, and he put his food tray right on the floor not even caring at all. Then gave me the biggest hug ever. I started to cry and he did too. Gosh it felt good, almost just like seeing family, next best thing. We took a couple of pics, tried to talk as long as Elder Haterlie would let us and then we had to split. I was so happy, grinning from ear to ear.

We went back to email - gosh, an hour is such a short amount of time, but I'll get better at it. Also while in the writing lab Elder Tueller (probably my best bud in the MTC) saw his sister's best friend so I asked her if she could help me send you some pics. Probably next time.

Also, while I was doing laundry, I saw another familiar face, Sister Jensen in our ward! So was so great offering to help me in any way. She said if you need anything just give it to her and she can just come and put it right on our table in our room.

Then we got ready for our lesson with Yanet. That night as a district, we decided to better our spanish and sing some hymns. We sang Poor Way Faring Man and spirit of God and I am a child of God.

I've got to get ready for the morning, but last night I had a dream and every single one of you was in it. The dream was so vivid and I basically had a conversation with Mom, Dad, Laur, Wade, Rivs, Kal, Quin, and Canny, it was awesome! I miss you guys so much, thanks for everything, the letters and packages I feel so loved.

-Elder Roberts
Bretters

(Linc, Tate and Brett ala Power Rangers mode)

FIRST P-DAY

Dear Family;
I went to the temple today and then we walked over to eat at the main campus. When I sat down to eat I got up to go grab another drink. And when I did I ran into Linc. Reality slapped me hard in the face I haven't cried in the mtc until now. It's not hard but its just alot of things all at once. I feel like Hermano Holmen (our Spanish teacher, he reminds me a lot like me) is a real homie and he teaches us with the spirit and can tell that we are all super stressed- My companion is a true homie he likes to be on time and works hard and sets goals so I feel like thats a true blessing to me. Because that's exactly what I need. I'm not sure if you've been receiving my letters so i'll just reiterate what I said. Mi compenero es small, his head is almost to my shoulders just above it. I tease him alot because it helps him to ease up and take things as they come. He reminds me of Ferris Buller but not his spontaneous actions but they way he talks and little looks and laughs. Umm but I love all our study time that we receive i've been able to study the scriptures like never before.

Throughout this whole week me and my companion have been able to teach a mock investigator (YANET)  just straight in Spanish. So the mtc method to teaching the language here is like having Quincy and Canyon that don't know as good of english as most and then have them teach you and Dad the first discussion and answer any questions you have about our church. At one time in our first lesson, me and my companion hit a spot where neither of us knew what to say so I was wracking my brain trying to gather the most spanish I could...So I ended up on the first lesson saying "Yo quiero Taco Bell" hahaha she laughed really hard and so did Elder Haterlie. But today at six we are asking her to become baptismal (in Spanish obviously) and hopefully she will say yes. Overall this past week has been stressful but also very spirtual and humbling becuase i've never in my life have felt so close to my savior than this past week. Give my best wishes to Lauren, Wade, Kal, River( I love her little notes and letters), Quinny Quin, and Canny boy. I miss you guys so much i'm crying right now just thinking about you guys thinking what your doing and wishing this email time wasn't so short. But now I have to head and do some laundry. I'll keep writing you and hopefully my letters will get through to you I love you Mom and tell Dad I do too.

Love Elder Roberts

ps. can you send me more corpatas( ties) y some more t-shirts no bandnames 

Hasta luego

Chow 

Write more I love the family letters. XOXOXOoooxxX

THE COMP

*HANDWRITTEN

Dear Family;

Everything is going fantastic! The language is...well bits and pieces, never mind it's all coming along wonderfully! Today we taught a "mock" investigator. She spoke straight espanol, I could understand her pretty well. I tried with the phrases I knew but it just wasn't coming along, mainly the only thing I could do was bear my testimony. My companion reminds me of Ferris Bueller so much. Not really the free spirited and carefree living nut, moire the actor and how he looks and he sounds almost identical.
Our district consists of 12 Elders and + companionships  - we are the largest district at the MTC and the youngest. I really enjoy hearing about home life, I miss you guys but they keep us really busy so I hardly have anytime to think unless it's late at night but then I fall asleep as soon as my cabeza hits the pillow. So far I've kept my goal and took a picture everyday! I love you guys and I love you mom and have more respect for what you do when I hear about all the other Elder's mamas. I'll write more on pday.

Love Elder Roberts

FIRST LETTER HOME!

*HANDWRITTEN

Buenos tardes la familia -

First of all I want to say that I love you all so very much! I'm sorry you didn't hear from me sooner! Yesterday was pretty hectic, I left hardly any time to sit down and write you! Everything is going perfect. My companion is a real jem (Elder Haderlie) He is kinda a stickler for the rules and doesn't really find my kind of joking around humorous, but all in all he's a chill guy and pushes me to learn spanish (so that's a plus) umm coming late didn't really do anything so there's nothing to worry about. I really enjoy my maestro his name is brother Holmen. I can tell he really wants us to succeed. umm so yesterday was mainly a bunch of orientation, but today we had class then gym and that was enjoyable. Oh the food is pretty good. we could get the creamies chocolate milk everyday id we wanted so if you see me fat, that's the reason. This letter is really short but I want to you all to know I love you so very mucho!

- Love Elder Roberts

p.s could you send me some better pens also I forgot my alarm clock but no worries.