LIVE IN THE MOMENT

Hey Family!

Well it was awesome talking to you guys on Christmas! It's crazy just how much so much has changed in just a little amount of time. It really felt like a dream talking to you guys. There was a lot more things we could've talked about...I really just got caught in the moment! haha

(This letter is going to be more of a journal entry que nada) Really this Year 2014 has been probably the biggest year I'll have in all of my life. I got called to serve in Mexico, Graduated Highschool, left everything behind to go on my mission, had my first Holidays away from home. I really feel like I've done it all. But when I look back on it and if Father Time gave me another chance to live it again, I totally would! Just because of the things I've learned since I left and this year I gained so much knowledge that I have received here on the mish, I could do it so much better now. I could say one theme that would go well with this year would be "Live in the moment!" A regret that I have is that I let things come and go without too much thought or care. High School treated me well, but I really wish I would've taken more pics, fought less with the parents and took more opportunities. Laur and Wade, don't get caught up in the drama or stress. Live in the moment. I remember when I got my call, that day I was angry with mom for no reason. At the time I felt nervous and I didn't want to grow up. I had my future in my hands. Now here we are kicking 2014 away and opening the door to 2015. 

  My first night in the MTC I knelt down to say a prayer for you guys for the spirit, so forth so forth. But one thing that I asked for is for the chance to remember these times that I have and not to have it all go by so fast. Well ha ha I don't think I've recieved my answer yet! It's sad I'm kinda now a viajito (old man). Another thing I've learned here on the mish is that you are only new once. I'm kinda now to the point where the mish is still new but I really don't get the benefits of being the new guy. There is no going back. 

I'm excited for what 2015 has for me and for you! Hopefully she teaches me life lessons and blesses me with Baptisms. It's kinda crazy because I was planning during my young primary life that in the year 2015 it would be the year of me going on a mission. I still remember singing that song, loudest one in my class ha ha. I remember thinking that It would never get here. ha It's funny how time flies. It just seems like yesterday Laur and I were play Crash Bandit in the Lake Shore house. Or mom was singing Disney songs to make us go to sleep and jumping on the bed! Or taking you all to Peteetneet and Wade and Kal almost breaking their necks on the huge jump! Soon we will be all in at home with our own families in the family living room with the whole family there laughing and watching my kids grab the toys and hit Lauren's dog in the face! Those will be good days to be looking forward to. But live in the moment! Dad would always say!

   I love you guys! I'm going on my six month mark! I feel better then ever. I've found that same desire to share the gospel as Enos did when he knelt and prayed! 

We will take what ever you have for us 2015!! 

With love-

Elder Roberts (don't forget me Jimmy)

(Taking the Ado in to Teziutland) 

(made cookies! wahoo, they turned out great!)

(I found this melon in the street and thought it would be like a water melon. but I guess not, it tasted gross!) 

#GRINGOLANDIA

HI fam, this will be short because I get to talk to you in just a few days! It sounds like everything went well with River's dancing and Kal's singing Quincy's boyfriend sitch and Canny's practicing his ninja moves ha!

I'm so pumped to be able to talk to you guys this Thursday! wahooo! Write questions down because I am so ready to respuesta su preguntas. 

I'm hoping that Santa will come to my house but we will see! Sometimes he doesn't get this far south. haha I love you guys, I hope you're good so you don't get coal.  And Waders, ask Blinky to give you silky pj's- they are the best! ha

Well I love you all so much

Elder Roberts ( best friends with rudolfo)

#gringolandia

¨Pic with Elder Nordy He my ZL super chill


The ward Plaza verde gave us gifts it was actually pretty nifty. Socks and a new tie Booyeah. 

All the missionaries in the stake of Martinez. 

(In Veracruz they put their trees outside. A house of one of our investigators)

The fiesta posada for our branch!

(My fav family. Hermano Pelone and his daughters)

LOCOS BATOS

Hey My lovely Family;

Well, another one bites the dust. My my third combio passed and everything is staying the same. Same area and same comp. I'm actually pretty excited because this week we have been working really hard on finding new investigators. The reason is because 11 De Enero. Our president wants to have a buatimission and that means our whole mission baptizes on the same day. So I was a little stressed out this week. But yeah everything worked out and we had all our investigators go to church yesterday. So mission accomplished! If everything goes smoothly we will be able to baptize (knock on wood)

So to accomplish our goal of finding newbs, Elder Vazques and I decided to do a lot of service. For example I helped mix cement and seal a well, painted gates for an old lady, swept up hair at this salon, shoveled dirt into a dump truck etc. Haha some people would really light up after we helped them and ask who we are and why we are helping and then others not so much.



Our main focus right now is this guy name Moises. He will probably be our baptism for 11 De Enero - but he has a big marriage problem. Right now he's living with his girlfriend and their baby. She's a member but he is not and they just live together. He was married to a girl in Poza Rica and they were separated but were not divorced. So to get him baptized we need to divorce him first and then get him married and then baptized. Yeah we are going to need a miracle. Pray for me!!

Well I kinda had the same experience that mom had at Walmart y todo. It happened yesterday. We were at the stake house waiting for Angels baptism to start.

 

I was with Angel y his little brother playing the piano. When Elder Vazques came and asked me if I had 10 pesos to give to a lady that needs it to buy milk for her baby. I said yeah let me go check. I went in the other room where my back pack was. Well I looked in my wallet and all I had was 200 pesos (como 20 dollars) I thought for a minute wondering if it was something right. And I felt like it was the right thing to do. So I rolled up the 200 and gave it to the lady waiting outside the gate with her little baby. When I did she started to cry gave me a huge hug and wouldn't let go. I got really embarrassed and kinda spaced out because I suddenly hated all the attention. The lady was still crying and started telling me that I was invited to her house and that it was my house now and God bless me and everything. Well after that experience, one of the elders here was giving me a lot of grief about giving her the money. He was saying that he doesn't have food in his house and yet I gave the lady so much money and how the lady could use this to go by drugs and do what ever. So I felt a little bad about the situation, and should've been more responsible and will be in the future, but after reading your letter mom, I feel pretty great about helping out and I have faith that this scrawny little girl used my money to buy herself a good meal or something.

(decorating a members tree)

Well I love you guys cant wait to talk to you! The members treat us well and always invite us to eat and kinda watch out for us. Sometimes I do get trunky while i'm taking a shower, but I just need to work harder. I love you guys sooo very much

Sorry about my bad grammar and writing. I'm jumping back and forth from Spanish and English in my head!!

I love you Laur Kal Quiny Waders River Canny Ro Mom and Dad

Love, Elder Roberts

WAZZ YOO NAME?

Hey Mom! I got the package! All the elders were teasing me that it was a flat screen TV. I'm going to wait till Christmas to open it! woot woot! 

Hey Family!!

 Well Really the Christmas season has really begun. The coke bottles have changed their labels and the people are more cheery, and the elders are trunky. Yeah it's Christmas time alright. It's funny though, the weather is perfect. It still feels like it's the end of August or something. Like I could go hit the pool right now and It would be awesome! I've been praying for snow here in Mexico but I'm thinking it won't happen. It sounds like everything is going good on the home front. Baby blessing, Christmas Parties, it sounds like everything is going great.

Well lately I've felt like the minority here in Plaza Verde, Martinez. I'm the only American for 50 miles. But I enjoy it. My Spanish is coming along I just have to work on my accent. For example we will be walking in the street. And people call us guedos. Blue eyed, white guys. They think gringo is offensive. like NEGRO. Or I'll have kids in broken English be like "wazz yoo name" ha ha I'll use times like these to break the ice and contact them. So I guess there is a benefit to everything.

  Well here in Veracruz everyone has a problem with the idea of getting married. They think that just living together is enough and when they want to get separated they separate. So every time we find families we have to get them married to get them baptized. Well last monday we found a family through a reference of a member. When we walked in to the house it was like already a Mormon house. They had family photos idk it was just a good feeling. Well long story short, they have 3 kids, they both work but not on Sundays and they have been married for 6 years. Perfect family!! future baptism.

    On Wednesday we had like a ward family home evening. We invited different families to the house of the bishop. Elder Vazques y Yo did an object lesson of a egg and the family had to create a protection to keep safe the egg. It was really fun. After we had this sugar cane tea, and tortas it was a good night. Well after we were talking about a phrase and they were teaching me of what is cool to say. So I started to saying them and I said 

"que tal animal" to the bishop. Everyone suddenly went quite. And then they all laughed. It turned out to be a strong word that you would only say to the people that you have confidence in or that are romantic with. 

Haaha funny right.

    Another awkward moment. From the phrases that I've learned durning the noche hogar. On saturday we went to one of our investigators house to remind her about Sunday. She is pregnant and there a phrase in espanol saying "su domingo siette" meaning oh she got pregnant quick, and again you say it only to the people you are really good friends with and I didn't know that. So I ask the hermans so domingo 7? thinking its just another way to ask. Haha my comp looked at me with eyes like "i'm going to kill you beo!" I realized it was wrong so I corrected saying "oh Hermana domingo and mannana es la 7?".. haha worked out great.

   Well the work is doing alright. Elder Vazquez is chill. We have a baptism of Angel this next week hopefully. 

I love you guys I'm scared to look back on what I just wrote to read over my grammar and other mistakes. I love you guys! Everyone has to find their own personal conversion into this church. Even the ones born into it.

I love you all! Hey kids! you better be good Santa is watching...and the Missionaries have an in with the big man himself (Santa)

with Love Elder Roberts

GUARD DOG

Hey Family!

Well last week I started feeling sick, sick after everything that I ate. It wasn't pretty ( sorry for the grossero)  haha! 

I started to feel better but during the comida on Wednesday, I was just feeling out for the count when we arrived at the house. The smell and the coke and the heat and everything was making me nauseous. I barely got down the first plate and an Elder in my district who is kind of a punk and is biased against Americans said loudly "Elder Roberts, you want more?" "oh Hermana Elder Roberts would like some more!" The sweet old hermana asked me and I didn't want to hurt her feelings and I couldn't say no. So about half-way finished with the other plate (rice, chicken with chile sauce drizzled all over it) I had the urge to throw up. We were in the corner of the room and only a curtain separated the kitchen and the bathroom. I barely made it to the bathroom area and was able to shut the curtain. With me throwing up and everything. I finally opened up the curtain ready to face the humiliation thinking everyone had heard me. But it wasn't the case - the TV was on and everyone was watching the futbol game. So I was safe. After that, the rest of the week I was fine. 

(During study time our vecinos (people that live by you) 

have a dog he just come and lays by me like he's keeping guard or something)

(Study time in the yard with the homie David)

     Okay I don't know if you guys understand how missionary work is in my mission. Our president has a goal for every missionary to baptize every week. So this is what we have to do. We have to find 2 investigators cada dia. And then every lesson we teach we have these goals for our investigators. They have to read, go to church, and get baptized. If they accept all this they are an investigator. So about every week we have about 7 investigators with a good week. And every Sunday we pass by them to go to church. We need 5 assistants to have our investigator to be baptized. If that makes sense. 

(found this beut in the street. My homie David really humble joven. 

When on splits to pass by for our investigators on Sundays)

Well this week was a pretty bad week. We hardly found new people to teach. And all of the people we did have didn't go to church. So basically this week we are starting at square one. It's good it's a new month. I'm going to work hard on service and you guys can too. I even made a little personal promise to go out of my way to help pregnant ladies and basically women with children. (kinda like Mary) Well that's just a quick rundown of how my week was. Sorry this is so short, I ran out of time. 

Everything is great here in Mexico. I love you guys all so much. You're in my prayers every night, and in the mornings.

With Love Elder Roberto (by the way, Santo lives In Mexico)

   

(I tried taking a pic with this cute little girl and she got shy and ran away.)

(This little guy here saves me from freezing my head off in the cold shower) 

I ATE IT ANYWAY

Hey Guys!!

Well I'm back on the half workin keyboard in a hot stuffy room. And with a señor next to me watching the latest Nova (sopa opera). I hope everything is going great with my little fam and I hope this week you guys will be able to eat as much pavo and pie de callabasa your stomachs can handle.

    

This week was awesome in so many ways! Well Elder Vazquez is chill, I like him but I think he gets tired of me asking what this is or what that is. Sometimes when I talk he'll just zone out. I feel a little bit like Ponga. It's the same thing during our lessons this week, I've felt the most segregated I've ever felt, kinda almost like a minority, but not to that extreme. I just feel like i'm treated dumb. Just a little bit. So lately I've been really working hard on my accent. I'm halfway finished with The Book of Mormon in spanish!! Wahoo!

So here in Mexico if you have a job to do, you don't just wait around for someone to do it - you do it yourself. For example we just finished a lesson with an inactive family. We were saying our goodbyes when this old lady passed us, dripping in sweat, passing us pushing a wheel barrow full of rocks! I just almost walked passed her. 

Then I stopped and we ending up helping her and the load was about 60 pounds and the lady was about 70 years old and lived about a mile away. Crazy loca. Long story short we were able to help her and she invited us to eat. She was really humble and she gave us some rice con leche... and this soggy bread - it was dripping in my hand, it was so bad. I ate it anyway. We were able to teach the family. They promised to go to church and everything the next day. But they didn't. It is a really hard feeling but you get over it quickly.

Another instance...all our morning our citas fell through. So we were on the corner thinking of what to do. I looked across the street to see a 65 year old guy about the size of Wade just skin and bones doing the tree work that something Dad would do. I felt prompted to go help him. We did and once we finished chopping up the branches and hauling the wood to his house. He (Faustino) was interested in what we had to offer. I barely started to speak when he started to tear up... His story was that he lost everything because of his problems with drinking. We weren't able to teach a full lesson but he promised he would go to church the next day. Well when we passed by at 9 he was all ready to go - clean shaved and everything! Hahah It was Awesome!! Future baptism hopefully.

Well this is all that I got for you this week I love you all so very much! 

You guys are the reasons that keep me goin!

With Love Elder Roberts

Estaban una manzaña y una perra en la termina de autobuses y la manzaña le pregunta a la perra ¿usted de se cuando espera? y ahora y la perra responde ¡yo siempre he sido es perra! 

 

MARTINEZ WOOT! WOOT!

Hey Family!! 

     

Just sitting here munchin on a chile sucker and glad that this cyber has a roof! Because its been practically raining and overcast for the past week. This weeks been long but I'm a happy Elder Here in Martinez!!

    

Monday of last week I said goodbye to all my investigators and new converts. And had a quick little goodbye party with Elder Ortiz. Then I stayed up until 1 just packing. It felt surreal that I was leaving my house again. I really enjoyed where things were going. So thats that.

...In the morning we headed to ADO "siempre primero" (Their busses are kinda like the ones you take to go to lagoon. its what the missionaries take to get from place to place....) I feel a little dirty when we take these because they play movies. So you try to not watch and read your scriptures, or sleep or talk to the person next to you, but in the end you end up watching. Well this time they played The movie Robo cop and a movie about Princess Diana. Ha ha It was 3 hours from Poza Rica to Martinez. I finally met up with the new comp, Elder Vasquez! Pretty much all of Tuesday he just showed me around the area and all. Our house is like a pent house for the drug dealers - really nice and really big. Oh the best part is we have a laundry machine. Woot! WOot! 

(cold morning studies)

The next day was we had zone class in the morning, after that we went as a district to go grab some tortas and tacos. Umm I'm a little intimidated because everyone in my district is Latino. I'm the only one that can speak English. (I don't know if the Pres did that on purpose) But really they are all pretty chill. After that we headed back to our area in placé verde 2. It's a lot smaller then my area in Petromex, more kinda like a Pueblo, a lot of humble, salt of the earth people. In the night it reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland when Kal yelled over to the diners "hey lady! yah you with the beard!" ha ha that scene with the guy on his porch and the fire flies - it's kinda how it is where i'm at. Just peaceful and nice. I'm about 30 minutes from centro in Martinez, but I really like it. Everyone either calls me "quedo" or "gringo..." It's fine by me because it's an easy ice breaker to start a conversations. We don't have a church that we meet in, it's a "casa de oracion" It's still a ward but we just don't have enough Priesthood to have the church build a church.

(Me and Elder Vasquez after the rain)

Elder Vazquez has a lot of time in the mission (esta buen muerto) he has 6 mesas left. He has a couple problems with his comps before and he really never has had the chance to be a Senior comp. So i'm one of the first. But honestly the first time I met him I knew we were going to be great friends. He is a little frito, and he has an awesome attitude and he makes me feel good! I'm pumped for this Cambio. He really didn't have a lot of dates when I came, so this week and last week we've been doing a bunch of contacting. 

This past week it's been freezing cold! I've had to break out the sweaters and put on that Ralph Lauren shirt on under my white shirts. It's the worst to wake up in the morning and it takes a whole lot of coaxing to get out of the warm bed and take a shower. We have no hot water at all so it's like turning the nob in the shower at home all the way to cold and lather up without hot water. I dare you to try it!

These were the Musas ( flirts) that we were teaching in my last area! They were all crying when I told them that I was leaving! hah super funny they all promised me that they will wait for me to go through the temple. 

Well I have a lot to say and I'm not great with words to really describe the world that I'm in right now! but just know I'm a happy Elder here In Martinez!

Keep safe, I love you all!! So very much! Pray for you and think about you all as I drift off to sleep each night.

With all the love from your half Mexican Bro

              Elder Brett Roberts.

SORRY I DRANK COKE

Heyyyy Family!!!

  

It sounds like you all are happy and doing well!! I hope you're all loving little Ro-Ro. Well I'm still getting tan here in November. It is starting to cool down but I can still be going to bed with out my covers and be just fine. It was funny this week I woke up scared to death. I had a dream that I was headed home and I was so sad that I didn't learn Spanish...I kept asking where did the time go!?!

I've never been so happy to wake up with the fan blowing in my face and look over to see my companion doing his weird morning rituals.

    Well this week I really do qualify my best week in the whole cambio and probably my most fav in my whole mish. On wednesday I received a cool tie from Jakers and a letter!... Air mail too it was so cool! It was fun to get a package but I really loved the letter! Jake really is a guys best friend. I am a little bummed this Cambio that we didn't baptize anyone. But I was praying hard because this has been one of the hardest months and a half I've probably ever had in my life. I know God gave me a gift on the last day of the change!

Pues on Thursday...it was a ruff day here in the mish. Prezzy is really pushing hard to have us talk to everyone. We are recommended to not knock on doors, so we just do a bunch of street contacting.

Well when Elder Ortiz and I were walking. We walked past this kid (Elewin) just staring at the water. I thought in my mind talk to him. I said no. We were really late with our other cita. But the thought came again so I did. I joked with him saying "wow bonita agua" the little creek was just all backed up with garbage and everything. The kid laughed. We broke the ice and talked a little more. He liked us and wanted us to pass by the next day. So we did end up teaching his grandma, his friend, his sister, and him. When we were finishing up the lesson on the porch of the house the mom came home. She looked at us and started to cry. Ends up she was a member of our church a while ago.

We planned to come back on Saturday. The next day came back. No one was home except the grandma and she didn't like us (straight Catholic through and through) but for some reason she invited us to sit down on her porch. We talked for awhile. The whole time I was thinking "why are we here...?" So we got up to leave and just then the family showed up... Long story short we were able to teach them in the house Everyone accepted to be baptized! But the grandma straight up said "no, I'm catholic"  (so 7 in total!) probably the best lesson I've ever had. Oh it was such an amazing feeling! 

   
The next day was Sunday... Reality hit when only the wife and the friend of the family ended up going to church. But it was fast sunday. I sat by the mom.

I had a thought go in my head have jacinta (the member mom) bear her testimony... I asked her but she was uneasy about it. I asked her again she said next time. So right when the Obisbo got up to end it. I asked her again... SHE said YES! So we walked up and I was eyeing the Obisbo and he sat down and the Hermana bore her testimony Oh family, it was so Awesome!

Well today I found out that i'm getting CHANGED! Like what!?


Yeah I cried a little. I found out i'm headed to Martinez! I'm going to miss that family that I love, I'll miss Elder Ortiz, my converts and stinky ole Petromex. But I guess I've done all that I could do here in Petromex and the Lord wants me to move out!! Change is good-  i'm just a little nervous is all.

I was starting to call this place home! 

I love you all! Guys.

 God really is there!!

There is this guy with like a organ piano player, he plays uncle rico music every morning right by our house.
Its great!! I'm going to miss that too!

Te amo-    Roberts..... Elder Roberts

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

Hey Family that I love so very much!!

    Well this week wasn't the greatest with the #´s but I've had the greatest adventures! Honestly Finn in Adventure Time would be jealous. Okay, Monday and Tuesday was same ole, same ole. Well Tuesday at district class we had a surprise visit from the Assistants and they did a little seminar kinda deal. Once they were done talking they had me do a practice teaching. After everyone complimented me on my teaching and Spanish and kept asking how much time have I had in the mish! So that was a boost to my confidence. Later tuesday night we found out that our luz bill was never paid so we didn't have lights (usually the mission home covers it for us but this time they had a mix up) So to not get frustrated the comp and I told ghost stories - it was a pretty hot night I hardly slept!
Wednesday... found out we still didn't have any luz.

Thursday... We woke up to a phone call from the zone leaders saying that we were going to have intervistas (interviews) with President! Yikes! We still didn't have any electricity. It was 6:30 and our Pres was coming at 10:30 and sorry mom but our house was a mess. So we didn't have any light to clean, any water, or we weren't able to iron our clothes. All the ice in the fridge had melted and made a mess. Oh it was like straight off of "The Best 2 Years " Long story short, about a half hour before prezzy came we had light and were able to clean up nice and put smiles on President Greer's face. The Interview was pretty awesome, I learned a lot.

  

Friday (Halloween)... I really wanted to do something cool like dress up or something so the best I could come up with, without breaking mission rules is switching mine and Elder Ortiz name badges. But at lunch I turned out to be a missionary zombie tambien. We were have la comida and a kid was trying to get this red chile out that was in some plastic. Like the ranch packets at Wendys. It wouldn't come out so he decided to put it in his palm and with his other hand clap down. Yeah that didn't work out so well either. It didn't go anywhere except on my shirt!! haha it was pretty funny the kid and the mom felt really embarrassed. That was Friday.

Saturday, in the morning it was about the same work day... and then about 2 we were headed to the comida. But it we were in llomas and the comida was in Vicent Herrara. Like spanish fork canyon to provo canyon. We asked if there was a road that we could take to cut through the jungle, people confirmed that there was. So we took it, and in the end we got lost for like 40 minutes and found a guy that was startled to see two people in white shirts hiking in the jungle. His dog chased me down and bit me on the leg and tore my pants the little twerp. Finally after hitchhiking and taking a few other roads we got to the food looking like a bunch of beat up missionaries haha. I don't know why we were in such a hurry. It was soup with basically the whole chicken in it. I ate a heart and liver and stuff i'm not even sure what it was. The sweet old lady bless her heart, kept giving more and after three bowls the comp saved me and said "hermana we cant eat anymore." After that we had Conference in the Estaca (stake). That pretty much finishes Saturday and Sunday...

Today we got permission from the Prez as a district to go to TAJIN!!!!!! Woot!

It's like some ancient ruins - really really cool! Ahh it was so awesome!!

I'll tell more next week. I love you all, it sounds like the baby is doing fine and you are all doing great. I pray for you all every night! I'm doing swell here, the comp is great, the work is good, I have a lot of room to grow and it's flying by!

With love, 

Elder Brett Dean Roberts

Tune Raider

Roaning; welcome to the big world little bud you have been born into a perfect family!!
Take care of them for me!!

Love you buddy

WE GOT MORMONS!

Hey Happy Family-

  

Such great news from home! Haha wow that's a pretty crazy story!
I just know everything is going to be alright. Tuesday of last week I was fasting for you guys and the night of I was praying my heart out asking for comfort and blessings, when I ended my prayer... I felt love. It started from the tips of my fingers and went through my whole body to the top of my head. I knew everything would be fine. I'm doing fine Mom, I worked really hard this week just trying to keep my mind off of everything, but i'm doing good. The night that mom was having the baby I really couldn't help but think of the Rugrats movie and that one part where the mom is pregnant with baby Dill and the hospital has all these crazy rooms... And the babies stay over night singing a song with their bottles and cribs and everything. Haha so I went to bed smiling.

Wednesday morning I was studying and my comp got a call and he said "Hey Elder Roberts Hermana Greer Marca usted." Ahhh my heart started pounding because my mind started wondering and wandering and hoping everything went well - but your mind does wonder. So when I got the phone I said bueno, meaning hello and hermana did her saluds and greeted me and then said well Elder Roberts, you have new Baby Brother!!!!! Then she started to read your letter mom. It was real sweet I started to get choked up and could barely say good bye with out squeaking. But now when I'm looking back on it I'm really kicking myself that I didn't have my comp film me receiving that call or something. It all just happened so fast. Haha but the rest of the day I was so happy!! New baby brother wahoo! I really got nothing else from Hermana Greer. So I was really pumped for Lunes.

This week has really gone by so fast. I'm now back in the hot seat! Tuesday was a long day thinking about all the excitement and emotions going around in our family this week. Sometimes during the lessons I would catch myself drifting off into thought. Not paying attention and when my comp says that he's done giving his little spill EFY style, he will look at me and bat his eyes and do a little grin. Ahh its really annoying but I live with it.

The next day came and in the morning we recived some reference from some members and we were trying to find where the references lived. So I went to ask this guy that was sitting on his porch if he knew this person. He gave us a few directions and when we were about to leave he said "oh you guys are the mormons and Jose smith is Your jesus right??" haha so we took a little time to clear things up. And we got more into the Bible. So he said "wait let me go grab mine." He ended up having us come around the corner of his house where he as this little snack shop that his wife works at. He told his wife "tenemos mormons" or "we got Mormons!" haha. I'm not lying, the husband and wife started to pull out bibles and pamphlets out of nowhere - behind the chips on the fridge, under the counter...It was like off of Second Hand Lions, just everyone grabbing guns! I couldn't help but laugh. So the lady started to bash with my comp. Humble kid, I wasn't really much help. About an hour later my comp wasn't getting anywhere with the guy and his wife. So I felt like I needed to bear my testimony and leave. I did I told her that i'm here sacrificing my time to be here in Mexico and about the baby and everything and I got all choked up and everything. I ended thinking that the lady and the husband would have a change of heart. But they just kept on going. Finally I say "hermana Tengo hombre" and shook their hands and we left. So that was my first encounter with Testigos de Jehova.

 

This week we had Divisionas - it's when your comp goes on splits with the other companionship and you spend the day teaching together, then you stay over the night. It's like a sleepover and I enjoy them because its a little break from the comp.
Mom and Dad you guys should try it.

We weren't able to do our cooking lesson, but I think sometime this week we are going to be able to have a Family Home Evening and carve pumpkins woot woot! I'm stoked for this week because we get to have tamales and Die de muerto pan. I've never had it but I heard its good, supposed to be the best thing here in Mexico.

       I'm really doing fine here in Mexico. I do have my times when I can't stop thinking about you guys and wondering how everyone his. But with the language and the doctrine not being so difficult I'm becoming more engaged in everything.      

I pray for you all every night and morning and I have a prayer in my heart as I walk. Really don't worry about me, i'm doing great. 

I love you all so very much. If I could say I learned one thing this week it would be live in the moment and then at times have one on one time with yourself for personal evaluation. Ha really though,

       I love you all more then a taxidriver hits his horn.

Te amo- Elder Roberts

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Hey Mom! 

I want to be the first one to wish you a Happy Early Birthday!

Wahoo big 40!

I wish I had more time to really pour my heart out in this letter. But the sad reality is I don't. I've been thinking back on life lessons i've learned.... or stories with you one that I love. But one that comes to mind is one time at the Lake Shore house in the front there was that sidewalk. And always there would be just un buen ants on the side walk and one day...I was just having a hayday smashing all the ants them all and thinking about trying to burn them. but I remember you came out side and knelt beside me and had me get down to eye level on the sidewalk and you said, "these ants have families too." 

My mission has brought us even more close and this story really describes who you are... just selfless and full of life. I Love you soo Much mom! Thanks for being you and I want you to know mom I really do love you.

well mama next time? next week?

with love 

Your boy- Elder Brett Dean Roberts

IT'S TRADITION

Hey Mom and Dad! and all the Munchkins!

   

    Are you guys as excited as I am for the new baby? I'm sorry i'm not great with names. When I try to think of some they just come out Mexicanized. So I'm not a lot of help in that area. 

   Okay my mission is kind of a mix between "West Side Story" and "Rio Bravo" haha. This week has been pretty awesome! We've been finding new investigators left and right! but Elder Ortiz teaches differently. He's just so slow! In his speaking, in his walking, in his getting ready in the morning etc. He's just a take as it comes kinda a guy! Which serves me right I guess. We've been on a average an hour 30 at every house we teach a lesson at. 

     I don't know this week hasn't really stuck out to me except we found a family. A single dad with 3 kids. This dad (Carlos) doesn't have a job but to provide for his kids, he basically does everything from collecting plastic bottles to making juice on the corner and selling it to cars and taxis as they stop at the light. I really have so much respect for the guy. Every time we teach his family, his little boy with big brown eyes about the same age as Canyon points to me and says "hey its me amigo!" everytime! haha I love it! During lessons while the comp is talking i'll break out my fuzzy ball whatchamacallit (koosh) and play toss with the kids. They love it!

      Everyone is Catholic here in Mexico! We really don't even need to ask what religion they're in... because 88 percent of the time they are Catholic. In one lesson with these two boys (Josue y Rodolfo) we ask if they actually go to the Catholic meetings. They said "well our mom is Catholic and our dad is too so is our cousins, but no we don't go we just say were are Catholic."

      I was pretty pumped for the birthday! I didn't really mention it to anyone, I was just planning on in the morning to make some pancakes, go to work in the day... and then finishing off the day with reading Jesus de Cristo. The night before I was looking for a candle at Oxxo (a gas station that has everything) but couldn't find a candle. So when we got home I asked the lady that we rent from that lives right in front of us for a candle. I ended up asking the husband for one he said yeah whose birthday? I said "mine." He said wait hold on a sec. He leaves the room, comes back and says in english but with a strong thick mexican accent...(hahaaha it still makes me laugh) "yooo know what mi wife make you a cake, yeah for your birthday!" I laughed saying no and then I asked him how he knew english. It was funny. But they were pretty persistent about making me that cake. I wasn't going to complain, the lady makes bread and dulces for a living. 

       
       So in the morning on my birthday I made pancakes. The comp taught me a little bit how to play the guitar and then the other elders in our district came by! It was a chill morning.

 Then about 11 we went to work! It's funny the world really doesn't stop for you on your birthday. The work though was a little disappointing no one was home. I got a little frustrated. Basically the whole day nothing happened and no one was home. In the night we were able to serve one of our investigators and rake up her leaves and burn them. But that's about it. I was really down on myself expecting miracles to happen on my birthday, but it just wasn't the case. So we headed home about 8:45. I forgot all about the little party that the Hermana did. So we walked in to our house and there was the family and Elder Montsevise and Elder Martinez. The hermana was sweet and made homemade pizza and an AWESOME strawberry pastle. It was a good way to end the day! 



So nothing big with the pinata or pin the tail on the donkey! It was actually a really awesome 19th birthday!! I'll attach photos. It's tradition to take a first bite out of the cake so when I did the Hermano shoved my face in the Cake! Ha! in his broken english said "sorry itz tradition!"

Guys I love you all so much, I wrote a handwritten letter about how our family is going to change from 7 to 8. The more I read it, the more I realize i'm becoming that cheezy missionary! Pray for me to not become that Cheezy missionary!!

With Love: Elder Brett Dean Roberts

Hey Mommers!!

To answer a few questions, we go to church at petromex ( its called petromex because of the petroleum it reminds me of springfield in the Simpsons) The man we contacted on the streets name His Artutol. He's really interested in the church, but his wife is hard core Catholic so he's nervous to talk to us. His family is perfect. This little girl's name is Ash she's like 4 and she told me she has a crush on me and will always sit by me during lessons!!  A fecha is a baptism date.

Hey Mom I hope everything is going well with the baby and all! Right now i'm trunkie as ever! Just thinking about the fam and all the baby preparations and if Laur and all the other kids know how to not be stressing you out makes me wish I was there to help. I hope you're really doing well. I feel like... ( this could be something cheesy off of Saturdays Warrior) but I feel like the little baby is watching over me. I've asked Heavenly Father for help to stay focused but the baby news always keeps coming to mind. So I'm happy. I still think its going to be a boy! How about Shane for a name?? 

Well I love you Mother!

I'll be there right with you while I'm here in Mexico!!

Elder Bretters