Week 2 - I love hiligaynon so much

Hello Hello Hello!!!

Oh what a glorious week!! I loved your letters and the analogy with the Piano Tuner learning to enjoy even the tedious work. Applying it to missionary work is something new to me. I read it to my companions because I think there is something to learn for all of us from that story. I have endlessly heard missionaries say that are so tired of the MTC and want to leave more than anything, so I have been extra conscious to not be like that. Sister Bergman and I tell any new missionaries coming in: "Just don't wish away your days at the MTC, just love it." And it has helped us to keep that mindset as well. I love it here. I do not think I will ever stop loving it here. Although I am so excited to go to the field, I would not wish to have any less time here, because I need all the preparation I can get. Class twice a day can sometimes feel long, but my way of thinking of it is that every minute that I am in class, I am progressing in knowledge. Both with the language and about the gospel. I love learning. I love that everyday there are more words and more sentences I can put together to communicate in the beautiful language of Hiligaynon. Oh also, sidenote, for those who are wondering. I figured out that Hiligaynon and Ilonggo are, yes the same thing, because "Ilonggo" is how you say "Hiligaynon" in hiligaynon. So like Spanish and Espanol are the same thing, so are Hiligaynon and Ilonggo. So when we are speaking Hiligaynon, we will refer to it as Ilonggo, because that is the correct translation. And that is why natives only understand Ilonggo, because that is in their language. But "hiligaynon" is english. I don't know if that made sense, but that is the explanation I got.

My week wasn't anything special or different, but I just love it here. The devotionals are amazing here. Did I tell you last week's devotional was M. Russell Ballard? I think I did but just in case I didn't there is that. This week was Elder Cecil Samuelson who used to be a member of the seventy. It was on Pioneer Day so he started by telling a story about one of the Pioneer's in his family and how much it has impacted him. He said that our missions CAN, if we let them, bless lives for generations. And then he continued to say that the group of missionaries out now is the best group of missionaries since missions were organized, which was a pretty profound saying. He said, later, that "to obey is better than sacrifice" and when we met as a district to discuss it afterwards, we agreed that it is one thing to sacrifice 18-24 months of your life, but that time can mean very little and bring about very little change if you are not obedient. Being obedient to God and His commandments is preparation for God to use us in a greater way. We can be tools in His hands, but first we must sterilize our lives of all ungodliness. His talk was beautiful and we talked about it for a long time.

Our lessons have been going well. We started something called TRC that is where we teach members. So this means we will focus on doctrine that will specifically be helpful in their lives rather than teaching them the first lessons of the gospel. It went well and we are getting the hang of going off script more and more. Yesterday, we decided we will go off script the whole time and rely on the spirit.  It definitely was harder, but it is amazing how much the Lord can work through you if you rely on him. Of course we prepared, because we need to do our part before He can do His, but the promise in D&C 33:10 that says "open your mouths and they shall be filled" is so true. The Holy Ghost was able to work through us more than when we went in with a script. It was powerful.

Other than that, not a whole lot to report on, but we have been learning grammar in class, so I can finally put together correct sentences without guessing. I am learning so much and it is remarkable how my companionship can teach a 25 minute lesson all in Hiligaynon and get our point across the whole time. The gift of tongues is so real and I love it. I love hiligaynon so much. I have been sick since Wednesday so that was definitely a test of my faith, because there is not really compensating for sickness here. You just need to deal with it, so I have been extra relying on the Lord and he is pouring blessings down on me. My companions are awesome and have been so selfless, so I know the Lord is watching our for me. I am feeling better today and will be good as new so soon. Oh also, we are instructed to write talks for every Sunday we are here, because they do not tell us who is speaking until they announce it, so that is always exciting and nerve racking going into sacrament haha.

Oh, I almost forgot! So you know how the one thing about my companions you said I don't want is an "essential oil" companion. Yeah so I have an essential oils companion. It is so funny. We laugh about it all the time and I told her that y'all said that and she thinks it is so funny. She wants me to tell y'all that she is going to convert me to essential oils and to tell y'all I will never go to a doctor again. Of course, she is not actually like that but I think it is funny that my very first companion is one. But hers smell delightful and she keeps giving me oils to help my sickness and I just laugh. They definitely help but Nyquil helps more hahaha. She puts it on her toes and neck and just weird places so I mess with her about it. It is Sister Bergman. We are buds. I love her. She loves being exactly obedient with me and so we do it together and love every second. Missionary work is so wonderful and it is such a blessing I get to do it for the next 18 months. It is crazy I have already been here for more than 2 weeks. It has felt like a few days. I am just happy as can be.

I just need to plug in some Hiligaynon because I can't not do it:)))

Kabalo ako nga ginsulat sang mga propeta ang Libro ni Mormon para sa aton kag ginahatag sang Dios ang pagpahayag paagi sa mga propeta. Kabalo ako nga paagi sa pagbayad-sala, mahilway kita halin sa aton mga sala. Magpalangga ako sang ebanghelyo. Sa ngalan ni Jesucristo, amen.
(I know that the prophets wrote the Book of Mormon for us and God gives revelation through the prophets. I know that through the Atonement, we can be freed from sin. I love the gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen)

Love always,

Sister Robertson

This is all the Ilonggo speaking girls in my zone pointing to Bacolo/Ilo Ilo which both missions speak Hiligaynon.

This is my companions and I on Sunday when I actually tried to look super nice!

Here is a cute pic of my companions cause why not? We love pictures

What my personal study often looks like 

Oh yeah I forgot to mention in my letter, but my BYU bishop sent donuts to me with the sweetest letter attached, soooo he is awesome. Great guy.

Me and my awesome companions

Not a lot of explanation to these next photos but we got in a weird mood and started carrying each other

Not a lot of explanation to these next photos but we got in a weird mood and started carrying each other

Not a lot of explanation to these next photos but we got in a weird mood and started carrying each other

Not a lot of explanation to these next photos but we got in a weird mood and started carrying each other

Sunsets need no explanation

This was our morning study spot and it was lovely.

Week 1 - The gift of tongues is real

Maayong aga pamilya! Palangga ta ka!

Pero I am glad kamo (y'all) are getting some rest time. (Also at the MTC, they are shoving it down our throats to "SYL" which means "speak your language" so we must ask permission to speak in english as well as use as much hiligaynon as we can in our sentences so it is really weird to type in all english and I feel naughty doing it hahahha I asked one of my kaupod if I could speak Inggles to you so at least I got permission) Anyways, I do not remember what it is like to have "rest time" because for the past like two months, I have been going going going and it will be like this at least for 18 more months. But I absolutely love it. I would not wish for any more down time than I have, because I am constantly learning and constantly growing. I love that y'all are eating healthy. For every meal I can, I have been doing low carbs and I already feel happier and lighter (literally). So it makes me malipayan (happy) as well as motivated to know you are doing it with me!!

And I am glad you liked my video!! Sister Bergman and I laughed that mom has shown it to everyone, because we watched it ourselves yesterday, and it is such beginner stuff that we barely knew what we were saying but now could say so much more. I can not even express to you how real the gift of tongues is. I know so much and have memorized the First Vision, Moroni 10:5, the baptismal invitation, and Our Purpose as missionaries. As well as a bunch of vocab kag (and) tasks, meaning I can testify, share a scripture, extend an invitation and follow up, kag more. It is just amazing that it has only been a week and I can teach a whole lesson without having to just memorize a bunch of lines.

Speaking of, me and ko mga kaupod (my companions) have taught like lima (5) lessons to our investigator, Julius. So tyler and matt may know this, but they tell you it is a real investigator so you will take it seriously and being the trusting person that I am, I totally deeply believed it so we took it very seriously. But they pay members to be investigators (when it is in a different language other than english) and we found that out yesterday, when our "investigator" came into our classroom and put on his MTC teacher badge hahah. We all kinda had a fit and felt betrayed because all our other teachers kept telling us he was real. But "Julius" was one of this teacher's investigators in the Philippines so the concerns the teacher was bringing up in our lessons were actually someone's concerns. And this teacher told us he integrated some of the problems and questions he had as well, so it really did help him and increase his faith in God. ANYWAYS on wednesday, which ended up being our last lesson with him, we taught the First Vision and HOLY SMOKES guys I have never felt the spirit testify of the truthfulness of something so strongly before. It was absolutely amazing. He started crying and told us through these lessons, he has felt the love of God through us. It was just the most amazing thing in the world. I love missionary work, it is so real. My companions and I just were beaming. The quotes that say teaching about the first vision automatically brings the spirit is SOOO true. It is all so true: the gospel, Joseph Smith, the pagbayad-sala ni Jesucristo (atonement of Jesus Christ), all of it!!!

I love it here. There is no bad in the MTC. If there is every a hard time, it is only a learning experience and a way to get closer to God through relying on him. And to me, that means there is no bad at all. There has been one day in particular that has brought me to my knees in prayer asking God to give me more Christ-like love in my heart and I have felt His answers already. I do not look back on that day wishing it was different, because I gained more of Christ in my life that day, and that is a beautiful thing. I love my district soooo much and I know we are going to get so close because we already are on our way. I love saying hello in hiligaynon to everyone on campus as they just give me a blank stare because they have no idea what I said hahaha. I love everything here. I am so happy.

And WOW Texas is hot. That is insane. No one here knows about visa's because apparently the Philippines JUST changed their criteria for getting a visa so the mission office has been really behind with Philipino visas, because of that change. Sooo we are all just relying on the Lord because his plan is perfect and I know it will all turn out just as it needs to.

As for any more things I need, a few tide pods would be helpful, so I don't have to buy them every time at laundry. Also, maybe more G2 pens or just pens in general because I realized I will run out of ink quickly. I write a lot here. Weird how that works when technology isn't everywhere around you. Full size scissors are something I do not have either. But all of those things are really not necessary, just a few thoughts during the week. But please do not feel obligated whatsoever for any of them. Thank you for being awesome mom. You are always so thoughtful.

And aw Elise's EFY experience makes me so happy. AND "The Savior Stood Beside Me" was sung this past week and I cried because I love that song so much, so thank you mom for bringing that up. I did not even know you knew that about me but Sister Bergman and I agreed it is like our favorite song ever. Just really makes you contemplate how you would act if you could see him standing near you. I know I would be better for sure, so I want to remember that as I go throughout my days.

Oh man, that is so sad about Pio. Seriously. I did not know him very well, but the few conversations I had with him, I could feel his sweet spirit within him. I always loved that he showed up in jeans and shirts, yet the members of our ward never even gave a second thought to it. Just loved him for who he was. He will be missed, but I know he is so happy in Paradise right now.

Okay final thing I must tell you. Me and ko mga kaupod were sitting next to some elders at dinner, and HAHAH we got talking about where we went to school and mascots and one of the elders go "My school mascot is the darts" and I DIED. I was like no way I wish I could show you this stand-up bit. And I told him all about it and of course he is from Utah so it was the same darts in that video and I kept going "the pointy ones" with the hand motions. Anyways, he got a kick out of it and I told him I would tell my pamilya that and he said go ahead. Pretty funny.

I will end with a small message. One of my favorite things I have heard here (even thought there is so much to choose from) is "Pray like everything depends on God and work like everything depends on you". I just think that is so profound and I want to be that kind of a person. Of course, both God and you have an impact on your life, but if you keep the mindset while praying that everything depends on God, those prayers will be the most powerful prayers ever. And if you work like everything depends on you, you will witness miracles, because miracles happen when you work your hardest, because God loves rewarding those who do their part. Anyways, thought I would share that.

Here is my simple, yet very real testimony:

Kabalo ako nga matuod ang simbahan. Kabalo ako nga matuod si Joseph Smith kag Jesucristo. Kabalo ako nga Manluluwas si Jesucristo. Sa ngalan ni Jesucristo, amen.
(I know that the church is true. I know that Joseph Smithg and Jesus Christ are real. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen)

Sa pagpalangga (with love),

Sister Robertson

Picture of ko mga kaupod (me and my companions) pointing to Bacolod!

Picture of my district with "Julius" / Brother Rutherford (he is the one with curly black hair with the white nametag)

Sunset from the MTC (because you know me)

Week 0 - PAMILYA!!!

KAMUSTA KAMO?! (HOW ARE Y'ALL) 

To start off, this is a fun video of us speaking our testimony in Hiligaynon.  We say: "We are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We have a message about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ." Then we say Bye (:

The first night at the MTC was absolutely terrific. I am loving it so much. There is such a strong spirit here and I am surrounded by only the best of the best people. My district is awesome and we have loved learning the language together. Everyone is excited and putting in the hard work to get it down, so that creates an awesome spirit in class time. The first time waking up in the MTC was weird and it felt like a dream but the second day was even better. I am getting the language down really fast and my companions (I have two because I am in a trio which has been awesome) say over and over how fast I am picking it up and that they think I already knew it before coming in because of how much I have gotten it down. So that has been fun. My companions are Sister Bergman and Sister Ellis (which Sister Ellis was one of the girls I followed on Instagram before I came so she was a familiar face which was fun and comforting) and they are absolutely amazing. They are both obedient Sisters and I have loved getting to know them and spending every waking second together! Well.. and sleeping second together, but not in the same bed of course. Sister Ellis is from Highland Utah and Sister Bergman is from Kennewick, Washington. Great people. 

As for what I need, I have realized a few things that would be useful. 1- the usb with church music on it because I am silly and forgot. 2- a mini preach my gospel because lugging around the huge one they gave me is a lot, but if instead of a mini one, you send me the one in my room that I used at college, I would love that because it has all my notes, so if I am going to have a big one, I would rather not start over in all my notes. 3- my fake chacos. There is rumor that we may be able to wear them in the field and I would rather have them now and not be able to wear them rather than not having them and being 3 month delivery away. (Also my companions said there is someone in Oregon that should be the middle woman if you ever send packages to the Philippines because she will guarantee they get there so idk if that is information you can get but yeah). 

That is all I can think of right now. I can go without any of those so please do not bend over backwards to get them here. Just thoughts I had. But I am loving it here and learning so much. It feels like I have been here forever just from how much I know already. 

I do not know yet how my visa situation will be, but literally everyone I have talked to is in the same boat because the visa office is very behind so it is likely I will get reassigned along with like my whole district. And class is amazing and I love being talked to in Hiligaynon even if I do not understand. My teachers are amazing and very patient and fun. AND YES I AM STOKED OF COURSE!

We taught our first lesson last night, which was pretty rough just because our vocabulary is so broken right now and I was basically the only one talking for a lot of it because I have the widest range, but we invited him to church by saying "ka, magsimba, kami" which translates to "you, go to church, us" and he connected the dots and we told him what time and he said YES so that was exciting. It wasn't a real investigator but it was still fun to completely rely on the spirit. 

Oh also, the new sisters in our branch had an "initiation" into the branch last night before bedtime and it was pretty hilarious and I will hopefully get pictures soon from it but it was a good time. Involved being blindfolded (but not by typical blindfolds;) and getting each other ready for the day hahah. Pretty fun. I love everyone here. 

Anyways, this is so long sorry there is just so much to talk on!! I could talk forever just on these two days. I love it I love it I love it.

Mom, I loved your email with all the updates so far. Sounds like y'all have had a great time going fishing and road biking and mammoth'ing. Also, dad, waffle love is so good so I am glad you were able to experience that. And I am sooo happy to hear Elise is loving it. She is an amazing spirit and deserves all the happiness in the world and I am happy to hear EFY is doing that for her. It sure did for me. Also, I am so jealous you got to go to the temple! The Provo temple is down for construction so we can not even go for at least three weeks:( SAD. But it makes me happy knowing y'all did. 

I love the ebanghelyo and can not wait to share it with the people of the Philippines. May pagtuo ako kay Jesucristo. Palangga ko kamo. 

Sinsero, 

Sister Robertson

Me and My Companions

 Most of my district minus two elder companionships. Oh and apparently it was too sunny for my companions haha.​

Me and My Companions