Matt's letter

11/25/08
Dear friends and family, it has been a great week. I love my companion and this area. I feel that my time is running short but that is fine. No matter what comes there are things to be learned. I guess I will just share a few experiences from this past week. We received a media referral and it was a request for a Lamb Of God DVD. It was obvious that it was an African name. Achul is from Sudan. He has lived here for 7 years and has a bachelor degree and is still going to more school. He is getting a degree in Project Management. he currently works for John Deere making GPS systems and also testing them. It was great to meet someone with the humility of a Sudanese and with the dream of an American. We had a great lesson. The next out of the ordinary experience was we had our Grand Forks area call and said that a couple from there was here in Fargo at the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital we found out this couple is blind. The wife has cancer and was having difficulties. They had to hug us just so they could know who we were. It was crazy, when we went to see them they were looking the other way and as we walked through the door they both said, the missionaries are here. We helped him give his wife a blessing and then talked to them for a little while. Earlier as we were driving up to the hospital we got a call from the New Town elders. They told us that there was a native family who was at the hospital. Their 8 month old baby fell off a bed and hit his head hard. There is a dangerous amount of pressure in his head. We went and prayed with the family. We couldn't touch the baby because he was in ICU and there could be no physical contact. I don't know if he is going to be normal again or not. I guess time will tell. This is week #5 in this transfer and so it's not long before transfers. I only have 4 left after this one. It's kind of hard to believe that's for sure. I hope that all things go well in San Antonio and everybody has a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you all for everything that you do. Love Elder Robison

I've been Tagged

Number Tag:

1. One word to describe yourself: reliable

2. Two shows I love to watch: The Biggest Loser, Mash

3. Three things that attracted me to Dave: His sense of humor, his blue eyes, his good looks.

4. What is your 4th picture in your 4th file:

The quilt I made for Matt's birthday this last year. These are all his mission pictures from his first year out.

5. Five things that happened yesterday: I took Kaden and Hailey to drivers ed at 8:00 a.m., I went to the Bonneville craft fair, my boys went fishing at Henry's Lake, I went to a wedding reception, I had my tooth worked on by Rachel's dentist.

6. Name six things you can't do: I can't run fast (just ask my family), I am not real good at crafts, I can't do fun different things with my hair, I can't do gymnastics anymore, I can't eat mushy foods, I can't staye mad at Dave for very long at all.

7. Seven people you tag: Marcy, Mandy, Melissa Sutton, Linsday Polatis, Chelsi, Destiny, Brittany

8. Name eight things you are looking forward to: Matt getting home from his mission in May, Leaving tomorrow for San Antonio, Thanksgiving with Doug and Cheri and family, Christmas, a vacation somewhere warm this winter, getting my house totally painted and put back together, working on Matt's mission scrapbook ( I have got to get going), going to bed tonight.

Brenan's birthday

Brenan's birthday is November 12. I always have my school board convention around his birthday. I have never missed his birthday but this will be the first year. He gave me a hard time saying, I can't believe you are missing my birthday. I told him I will stay home but if I do you have to spend your birthday with us. He told me to go ahead and go that it would be alright. We celebrated on November 11th. They always get to pick where we go for their birthday. He picked Stockman's in Rigby. I was glad I like it a lot.

This is our group. I could never get them all paying attention to me. Brenan brought along his friends McKijah(with his head turned), and Allie (sitting by Brenan).

Brenan got some crazy idea to color just parts of his hair bright red. He also did his goatee. He looks a little strange. After dinner we went to Rachel's for cake and ice cream.

Dave and I chilling on the couch waiting for the cake and ice cream. Wondering how we got so

old.

They are teasing McMijah with a game called Ask Peter. You can see Brenan's red hair and goatee.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Brenan, you are a great kid. It is hard to believe you are 17. We love you and are so glad you are a part of our family.

Matt's letter

11/10/08
Dear friends and family. How is the weather in Idaho? It has gotten so very cold here in Fargo. I don't even know how people live here in January and February. The moisture goes straight to the bone with the wind. Huron was nothing compared to here and I was there all winter. I think we will survive wherever we are. This week has flown by. It started out with a zone leader council and we have been very busy since then. My companion and I work well together so we keep ourselves busy. We have been teaching mostly the same people that I have talked about in the past. The Fargo Zone has 16 people committed for baptism, now the real challenge starts. That is making it happen on the date. People get scared and back out, but I guess that is agency. As for me life is good. I love being a missionary. I wouldn't trade it for anything. If I was still at home I would be up to no good. It scares me to think where the other road would have taken me. The gospel saves lives and it is the only way to Joy. The world has a lot to offer that can make you happy, but the word Joy has more meaning than the face value that it gets. It is hard to believe that only six months is between me and walking off that plane and back to a normal person. I am excited but a little scared and nervous at the same time. I hope to hear from all of you soon. Thank you all for everything you do. Love Elder Robison

My easy ride is over

Well my easy ride is over. I have been the primary pianist which is the greatest job ever. I didn't have to do anything during the week it was great. I would just show up on Sunday and play whatever they told me to play. Well the Bishop called me in this morning and called me to be the Primary President, again. I have already done this once so evidently I didn't get it right the first time. So I am looking for any great ideas. Even though I have been playing the piano I didn't really pay attention so if anyone out there has any great ideas let me know. I am looking for some exciting primary items.

Matt's letter

11/3/08
Well mom I thought that I would write you a little on the internet since I have been so busy and not able to write. I got a new companion on Monday and I think he is prbably my favorite companion. He is from Payson, UT and we are alot alike. He loves riding snowmobiles and is a farm kid so we get along pretty well. We have 9 people with a date to get baptized and it is going to be a challenge to get all of them baptized. The best ones are Jason Wolf, Sarah Kamara and James and Jasmine Campbell. THe ones that are going to be hard are Innocent and Flora Akongo, Emme and Josaphine Kamara, and Napolean Gae, but it should all work out. We had Stake Conference here in Fargo this last Sunday. I had to speak in the adult session of conference about missionary work it went pretty good. Today we had Zone leader Council W/ the Souix Falls and Bismark Zones here in Fargo. Our meal turned out really well we had way too much as usual. I think I do that every time I cook for groups but its better to have to much than not enough. This transfer is going to be good. We are working hard and seeing the blessings flow from it. The weather is still pretty good here we have had one snow storm but that was a week ago and it is all gone and it was in the 60s today so we are enjoying that. I think this will be my last transfer here in Fargo it is kinnda hard to think that because it has become home in the last 7 months but who knows maybe I will get another one here. I enjoyed dads letter it sounds like things are doing good and everything is going to work out. Mom I hope to get the Conference CDs soon I enjoy going through them and re-listening. James and Jasmine Campbell are the kids that take the Friend and New Era. They look forward to them every month. Thank you for all the support that I get. I heard from Chandler that Todd Simmons is the new Stake President there but he didnt say who the councilors were. Our Stake President here is President Ransom he is very good. He has been in for a year so far. We get along pretty well but he is always making me speak and do all the exta stuff but that is ok. At stake conf. we got to listen to the new Temple president in Bismark. They just started on Friday. It is PResident Reese he served in this mission when he was 19 and then served as a mission President here from 97 to 2000 and now is back to be a temple President. This must be his place in the Kingdom to work. He gave a great talk. I better get going I think that this will be my weekly letter so I hope there is enough info in here for you. Write me soon. Thank you for everything Love Elder Robison