Saturday 6 September 2014

Eifrig, die Arbeit anzufangen

So the past fortnight has brought a mixture of blessings, experiences and random stories from Elder Robertson. Starting with the blessings on Tuesday 26th August, Ammon received a package from home. He said "I loved the package, I literally just ran out from the last package yesterday morning when the package came!" He was so excited, because not only were there chocolates, biscuits, crisps etc, but Dad had wiped Ammon's iPod and added church music and talks to it. He was so pleased to receive it along with a speaker dock. He said "The iPod and speakers are much appreciated by the whole district. We've been dying without music, so I brought it down to the district room, so we can listen while we study! And there's 6 in the bedroom, so even more bodies to share with!!! Fun!" So blessings all around for his district - treats and music!
A box of treats (definitely not what the box says!)
Time is really starting to fly by and Elder Robertson is really itching to get out there and spread the message of the restored gospel. He really has a taste for the work since he was allowed out into Manchester to Street contact. He says "finding was so much fun! We gave away 2 Books of Mormon, A Plan of Salvation pamphlet, about 30 Pass along cards and we got the contact details of 2 people all within an hour and forty five minutes. I had to have a new companion for this, as the Americans aren't allowed to proselyte here as they are only on Business Visas for the MTC. Gutting! But it was great fun!" 
He goes on to say, "It's crazy to think this is my last P-day in the MTC. This time next week we'll be on our way if not in Munich!!! Crazy!!! I have never felt more ready to do something! Obviously not language-wise, but I am so prepared to get out of here and do real missionary work!!! haha! We get to go finding again in Manchester tomorrow, which will be a nice break again from language training!!!"
Elder Robertson continues to be a ray of sunshine and bring light-hearted relief to all he works with. Sister Emily Bawden (from his MTC Zone) said on her blog, "This past week, when Elder Robertson and his companion, Elder Nebeker, were in their lesson, something smelled awful they said. I went back and watched the intro of their video (with their permission) and Elder Robertson made the FUNNIEST stink face I have ever seen right at the camera. It was so hilarious that I almost cried from laughing. I could picture the MTC presidency watching it and having to laugh out loud, as well as being so funny!"
Elder Robertson's MTC Group 
Regarding the language, there are constant improvements and there have been blessings that have come Elder Robertson's way in the shape of Native German missionaries entering the MTC. "We have the real Germans here! It helps quite a bit with our pronunciation and speaking German and all!"
As a result he is seeing great improvements, so much so that he and his companion are teaching "off the cuff". He says "This past week in particular was amazing!! I have really seen how far the German has come! We had an amazingly powerful lesson with our investigator Zlata yesterday! The whole thing was in German, broken German, but we did have to change what we were going to teach when we got in there, as she had some struggles with keeping the Word of Wisdom! So with no planning and no notes or anything, we did the whole thing by the Spirit and it was definitely the most powerful lesson I have been in, let alone played a part of!"
Photo bombing the Sisters :-)
What a great fortnight he has had, with so many blessings. We eagerly await to find out where he will be assigned to labour in his first area of his mission next week and who his companion will be!