It was a Merry Christmas!

I couldn't post Elder Robinson's email last week as there was a tiny surprise in it for the rest of the family, so it had to wait! Let's start with the letter dated 12/16:

Dear Family,
    Last week was alright. The numbers were about the same as the week before but it felt like a way more progressive week. It sounds like y'all had a fun week! I do love the Christmas Season! Everyone just seems so happy doing it! Speaking of happy, a dog named Happy got a little too happy with me tonight. It made me kinda mad! The rest of that lesson went alright though! I am glad to hear Aub is excited for those presents. I thought they were way cool! Those pictures that you sent of your "Night in Bethlehem" Sam looks huge in those. How big is that little punk? There really isn't a place to get a head dress here. I'm not really sure if Navajo actually wear head dresses. I'm not so sure. I'll let y'all know if/when I serve closer to the Native people.
   How is Grandma Carli doing? She went into a-fib right? That stinks! Didn't Grandma Darlene do the same thing a couple years ago?
   You might want to sanitize your hands after reading this. I have a stinking bad head cold right now. It really sucks!!! I really wish I had some Nyquil last night but I survived!
   Well, it's Tuesday morning now and I have to go get ready for a funeral. One of our investigator's mother-in-law passed away last Tuesday and the funeral is today.
   Love y'all!!
Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Email from 12/23:

I am soo excited too but we still need to set up a time with the smiths! We get a 5 minute phone call to set up a time tomorrow but dont tell anyone else! i am going to call sam. It will probably be around 9 tomorrow night. I did get my Christmas package like a month ago. That is crazy all of tyler sam and jeff came home? it seems like they left like a few months before i did! That is also way weird how they flopped Paul and Brian around. Wasnt paul my 11 y/o scout leader? Idk if i will facetime or skype yet but i will let yall know tomorrow! I have a request though Could you check my balance on my card again and let me know how much is on it? I need to go buy some b-ball shoes soon. I keep rolling my ankles. I can pick up a pair for like 80 -90 bucks down here.

anyways all is well down here!

Love y'all

 Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Skyping on Christmas was the best!! Mama cried and we all laughed and joked a lot! Here is a picture of him on Skype:

Mother's Day is coming!

 Email from today:

I am not getting transferred! And i will tell you like i have told everyone else that means i will spend at least 1/4 of my mission in cortez! I couldnt call you because of a new rule change that if a member could call for us thats what we should do. I was really disappointed as well! There was a homecoming in our ward as well he served in cali somewhere spanish. he is way cool though he was a zoneleader on his mission so he is way into it the night he came home he went out with us it was pretty funny. That is awesome that grandpa is flipping cars! i would love to do that! So whats up with garland? How was sister Buckhoff? does she know she is my future wife? What did Prez. Hansen have to say?

Love ya

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

I texted Sister Cook tonight to let her know that Elders Robinson and Kay were staying in Cortez and they just happened to be at her house! Here is the picture she sent tonight:

Cold Weather Tracting

Letter from 12/13
Mom,
   Did you get my letter from last week? Did it come after the box? Sorry that it was late and sorry it was short! So as for Skyping, I explained this to Ris already that we aren't really supposed to ask. We can if a member offers it to us. You are more than welcome to ask Sister Cook, but I don't know if they will be in town or not. But, no one has signed up for dinner for Christmas or Christmas Eve. That's OK, though. I am excited to talk to you guys!
   It sounds like y'all have been tugging along just great! Which has been a big comfort to me. I don't know if Bishop has told you but right before I left for the second time, I went and met with him and told him I didn't know if I or anyone else was ready for me to leave. So we prayed together and fasted to know. Well, the very next day I had my answer as we can all tell. Sorry for the water stain, I was writing this on the pot and had a little accident. So I am going to put this in the box with Aub's presents so I hope you know to open it. I hope she likes what I got her. I thought they were pretty cool. Who had me for this year? Oh and I was kidding about the water stain by the way!
   The tree is working great! We have a little Christmas corner in our room. It is pretty fun!
   So as for teaching last week, it was about the same as the week before. But, we have decided to find 20 new investigators by the end of the month. That is a pretty big goal, but I am 99.9999999999999999995% sure we can do it, except tracting is starting to suck! We woke up this morning and there is an inch of ice bordering all our windows in the apartment. Yesterday when I was emailing is was 12 degrees outside. That'll chill ya to the bone pretty quick tracting. So we will see what other ways we can use to find people. Well, I'm flat out of things to write about.
Love y'all!!!
Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Eating Sunday dinner at the Cook's.

 

Email from 12/16:

Sister cook let us know about the smiths we will try to get ahold of them soon! We had like the exact same ward party on friday down to even the same chicken salad pitas! It was a perty good party! I am excited to get your  letter! I will write back as soon as possible!

I love Ya!

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson





Surprise!!

Letter from 12/2/13:
Mom,
    I am excited to have that Christmas tree. Elder Kay and I were seriously considering buying one just for kicks and giggles. Today we went to the Canyon of the Ancients. It was pretty cool, but I can't wait to see Mesa Verde! I guess I really don't have too much to write about. While we were hiking today, Elder Kay and I roped the other Elders in our district. They all thought it was pretty funny. Elder Kay is really good at heeling and then I would head them. Anyways I hope y'all had a good Thanksgiving. We did for sure! Keep me up to date on what is going on!
Love y'all
Elder Cade Joseph Robinson
P.S. Thank you Sam and Aub for the pictures!
PPS The ring is awesome!! But it is too small! I really think I need a size 14. Sorry! I will try to send it back Tuesday.
Sorry again my letter is so short!

On Friday, we went to Temple Square to see the lights. We thought that it would be fun to swing down Pocatello way to meet Elder Kay's family and take a picture with them to send to the boys. Instead, they happened to be going to Temple Square with their youth on the same day! We met up with them and had a great time! They are wonderful people! If Elder Kay is half as great as they are, Elder Robinson is in good hands!

Email from Monday 12/9/13:

That is way cool that you met Elder Kay's family! It sounds like they are a hoot! Elder Kay and I are still getting along great! And i feel like we are really good at complimenting each other in teaching. this week was another slow one I really wish we could be busier but we are trying pretty dang hard! we have set a goal of trying to get 20 new investigators by the end of the month. It will be a stretch but I know we can make it! I did get to go to City creek twice before i left actually. Once with Tyler and once with Colty. As for Aubs Christmas gift you can either pick something up from there or you could send me a little extra money and i can get her something here.(Blank this part out as Aub reads this too!). Any ways All is good down here!

Love you!

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Thanksgiving in Cortez

It sounds like everything there is going well! The same is going on here! Last week has been a little slow but I have High hopes that this week everything is going to pick back up! Thanksgiving was great we went to the Balfours house instead of the Mexicans but it felt just like home except jump forward like 10 years everyone was married and the young kids were all the Balfours great grandchildren! It gets me excited to get to that point because everyone seemed so happy! Other than that nothing too exciting happened this week! Elder kay and I are getting along great! We bought ropes the other day and are going to go roping today! Anyways all is good here I will write letters today!

Love ya

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

New Companion!

 

Elder Robinson got a new companion last week, Elder Kay, a fellow Idahoan from Swan Lake. We wish Elder Sobczak the best in Farmington!

 

11/18/13

Mom,

     First item of business, tell the Craig Larson Family I just did get their letter today. I think it might be because I have been using the wrong zip code. The correct one is 81321. Tell them I am not ignoring them! But, they didn't put a return address so I don't know how to write them back.

    I actually got sick last Tuesday and Wednesday. The lesson at the Vreeken's went really well, but we haven't been able to meet with the guy since. He seemed really interested though! I think I remember Aub talking about that! But if I remember right from your email the lady didn't come? That is a bummer about Calvin. It's also a bummber about the football team. What exactly happened to Joey's leg?

     I am betting since I am staying here through Christmas I will be able to Skype y'all.

     Anyways, I love you!

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

 

Thank heavens for Sister Cook and her pictures that she sends! These are a few shots of Elders Robinson and Kay.

 

 

 

Email from 11/25

Elder Kay is So awesome we get along so great! It was kind of sad to see Elder S. leave but i like change And this change is good! Both of the elders that we live with stayed and i might end up killng one of them he gets on my nerves so much!!! That is so cool about that investigator! We havent had an investigator to church in like a month since Shannon is no longer an investigator. We are actually going over to the Mexican's house for thanksgiving, They were less-active and now he is the ward mission leader and she is a ward missionary. I will write a letter later today to be a little more in depth.

Love Ya!

Happy Anniversary! And Early Thanksgiving!

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Lots of reading and pondering!

With the mail not running last Monday for the holiday, it ended up that we actually got two letters last week as well as tonights email! Lots of reading!

11/7/13
Family,
     I am locked up in the apartment today, again. Elder Sobczak is sick again. So I get to write you! I am watching Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration. The work here is going great! If Elder S. gets feeling better, we are going to eat at the Vreekan's house then teach one of the non-member friends. Bro. Vreeken is actually Sister Cook's brother. Then after that, we are going to the Pixler's house to start re-teaching Garry with the Cooks.
    The missionary spirit is really starting to pick up here! I really love it! We just recently had one of the less-actives we were teaching become reactivated and called as the assistant to the ward mission leader. He is pretty young (like 21 or 22) and he got married and was baptized about a year ago. Him and his wife are Navajo. They are so nice and fun! Their last name is Mexican, haha! But they come teaching with us about once a week, now. It's pretty cool.
     There ar only like 3 native families in our ward. But they are all pretty cool to be around. I hope to be able to spend some time on the Rez. Is sounds so fun from what I've heard! I hope that Elder S. doesn't get transferred. I know how much the people like him.
     Well, it sounds like everthing back home is going pretty well. Tell Ris to enjoy her dates while she can because as soon as I am back, I may not wear a pink bro-tank anymore, but I am not above cleaning my gun on the dining room table. Tell Aub the same. And tell Sam I will probably just steal his girlfriend from him. No, that doesn't sound right. His girlfriend will leave him because she wants me so bad.
     Well, on that note....
Love y'all. Keep up the good work!
Elder Cade Joseph Robinson
P.S. Tell Addy thanks for the butterflies!

11/11/13
Dear Family,
     This week was pretty good. We taught 13 lessons over all. Which is pretty decent. I feel like it was a really productive week though! I feel like Elder Sobczak's and my mission here is Cortez 4th ward is to help the members trust missionaries again/more. We have really seen a difference for sure in that area! People are starting to introduce us to their non-member friends more now.
     I just heard something from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that has really got my mind spinning rounds right now. I probably do it no justice, but in sense he was explaining how during the great apostasy, no one received revelation or inspiration. And I can't quite wrap my mind around a world in such darkness (for lack of a better word). We just got done with a lesson tonight with a less-active who has a very limited knowledge of the gospel and evertime we go over he is amazed at how we show up at at just the right time and how we can teach him exactly what he needs to hear. And I tell him every time that he is entitled to that same inspiration and all other gifts of the spirit according to his obedience to commandments. Tonight, I think we really were able to prick his heart though. He has so much sympathy and curiosity about other's salvation. And tonight, I bore my testimony that he would be such a wonderful Priesthoos holder if he would allow himself to become worthy. Because the Priesthood is the authority to serve others. But first, he had to help us help him. I then told him, he had to start helping himself before he could help others.
     Anyways, I have been thinking all day and I can't think of what I would want or need for Christmas. I will keep thinking and try to get you a list by next Monday.
     Well, it is 10:20 PM. I am going to head to bed.
Love y'all.
Elder Cade Joseph Robinson
PS We were called as family history consultants today so we have to do that for 2 hours every Wednesday.

Today's email:

Well I am staying, But Elder S. isnt, He is going to Farmington To be a District Leader, Which is fitting. I am super excited to meet my new comp though His name is Elder Kay, I dont know too much about him other than i know eldr taylor loves him and i love elder taylor so i have some pretty high hopes! Elder Kay is actually from Swan Lake Idaho. I am way nervous to take on this area though, and everyone in the ward was heartbroken to hear that he is leaving. Bro. Riffey (the high priest group leader) was in literal tears yesterday it almost made me cry! Oh well i guess all ican do is my best And the Lord will have to pick up the rest.

Well I will write a letter to you later today. Even though i didnt get one from you! (We really did write one! Hope it got there today!) I did get grandpas and i Sent one back on saturday so you can let him know that is coming.

Love Ya!

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

Sam wanted his email posted too, so here it is (he asked Cade lots of questions):

I didnt get Transferred, But my Companion did.

I do drive a truck it is a 2013 Nissan Frontier.

I dont think i need a hair cut, I just got it cut super short 2 weeks ago.

The most amazing thing that happened to me this week is that we got a guy to come to church for the first time in 17 years yesterday and he is getting ready to get the aaronic priesthood.

Love You Sam

Sorry this isnt too long

Elder Bro. Robinson

Vague emails

No letter this week and just a pretty vague email. Yay! ;) Luckily, we got some pretty cute pictures from Sister Cook.

Dear Mom,

So Transfer news comes about 9 pm the saturday before transfers Via phone call from the District Leader so i have at least one more week here. I just got done telling Riss i have no idea what i want for Christmas. I havent even thought it was anywhere remotely close. Your guess is as good as mine as to what i want. I couldnt even tell sister cook what my favorite food was yesterday... I have forgotten EVERYTHING! Oh well. I will think about it and write you a letter later today to send it tomorrow. This week was pretty busy just to let you know. We had quite a few lessons so that is always good! Anyways all is good here!

Love Ya

Elder Cade Joseph Robinson

 

Terry, Elder Robinson, Bro Cook, Elder Sobczak

They look so happy!