Hahahha just like you family, I do not have a lot to share this week. It's been kind of a heavy week for the mission- i'll get into the details of that in a bit, but I just want to tell you I love you all so much and I AM SOOOO EXCITED for next Monday!! The call will probably be around 7pm Texas time on Sunday night for y'all. I hope we can make it by that time, but I am running on Filipino time here so it may be closer to 8p your time(: Its just the Filipino way sorry. But I am DANCING inside y'all have no idea how excited I am to hear y'all and talk to y'all. Expect tears.
As for this week, kind of a hard one in the terms of missionary work. I have really felt how it feels to want someone's salvation so bad but things are getting in the way. The pain of missionary work is real. Aside from all the trials that come from Satan not wanting this work to be moved forward, there is real pain in seeing the light in someone's eyes and just not being able to bring them into the waters of baptism.
So I will start off by saying- I sustain and support my mission president 110%. I love that he is receiving revelation for this mission and I truly feel as though he is strongly in tune with the spirit and knows what is best for this mission. Having that said, there has been lots of changes since our new mission president came right before I arrived. This week, the changes were concerning who we are allowed to baptize and who we aren't. So as I said in my past letters, we had four definite baptisms this month, two on the 22nd and two on the 29th. Well, President has been receiving revelation for how to keep people active because theres TONS of people baptized here, but SO many inactive members. So this revelation he receives is those from the age of 8-11 need to baptized along with their parents to be baptized. Ages 12-14 need either direct permission from President or need to have at least one parent active in the church. And then 15 and above can be baptized without parents with them, just need permission obviously.
So, our two candidates on the 29th are two young to be baptized because they are 12 and both their moms are members but very inactive and don't want to come back to the church. Set aside the fact that they have issues in their life keeping them from being a devoted member as well. So that news hit us pretty hard. Those two little girls who have been faithfully coming to church, expressing their earnest desire to join the church, and showing their faith in multiple ways including reactivating some of their inactive member cousins through their coming to church, can no longer be baptized. We asked permission from President and he said no. So now, they must wait three years to be baptized. Which again, hit us hard. We have been pretty sad for those two little girls. It's hard to explain, but I can see their deep desire that now can not be granted. But like I said, I sustain and support President and all he does, so I will follow his counsel willingly and I know the Lord has perfect timing for sweet MM and Rihanna. We delivered them that news yesterday and it was pretty heartbreaking, but we reassured them that if they continue to show their faith and trust in the Lord, He will provide a way for them to enter into the covenant of baptism. So hopefully they will not become discouraged.
I know God has a perfect plan and I am so excited to see how this new revelation blesses the church. This means that me and my companion have lots of new people to find because we have needed to drop lots of the people we are teaching. But all the in the Lord's way. This is His work, not mine. So I will do it His way, not mine. I love this work so much and I love my family and am so grateful we are sealed for all eternity so I can be with y'all forever and ever in happiness. Thank you for all your support to me and all you do for me to make me feel loved all the way across the world. Stay happy and spread the great word!!!
Sister Robertson
