Email letter dated july 25, 2012 "Las Antillas"

July 25, 2012

Dear Family,

No mom the address for letters and packages does not change. The mail goes to the mission office and they send it to us from there.

This week has been interesting: Here in the Dominican Republic it is common and customary to kiss each other on the cheek in greeting (men don´t usually do it to other men) Well we taught this 15 year old girl on like thursday last week and the lesson strange, she told us that she hated her family and just wanted a baby and a baby is the only thing that will make her happy, but she doesn´t want a husband, Just a baby. So the red flags were flying everywhere......Well the lesson wasn´t very productive but I think the spirit may have been there towards the end. Well a couple days later we were walking down the street at night in the dark on our way to another appointment. Well she was walking toward us and I didn´t recognize it was her until she had grabbed my arms and went in for a kiss. i jumped back very quickly and was very shocked. It was a close call, she was a little confused because it´s normal here but Elder Ferreras explained and we hurried on our way. And mom my Companion´s name is Ferreras and the area I´m in is Las Antillas. 

Another new experience was on sunday Elder Ferreras passed me his agenda with a note from some girl in the ward and it said,  ¨Your new companion is whiter than a samandra (i think it´s a fish), he´s kinda cute but so white!¨ So I have had some good frightening experiences here with women and I´ve been here for one week and 6 hours.......

I am really hoping that Elder Ferreras doesn´t leave or at least he is here for a little longer because I am freaking out about not knowing the area and not knowing the members or the investigators and not knowing spanish........Very stressful. 

The members here seem very supportive. they have a teacher for the gospel principles class that is catered to investigators so the missionaries don´t have to teach it. They have a pretty big church ball tournament going on right now and I think the relief society is trying to put together an activity about the talk by Pres. Benson about filling the earth with the book of mormon. Apparently it´ll be a big activity. They are planning on inviting President and Sister Douglas. They are also having what they are calling ¨mormon idol¨ which will essentially be american idol within the ward. Auditions are Friday. I don´t think we can or should participate but maybe we can watch. i think it´s going to be a little scary though.......Most Dominicans don´t have a talent for singing.........

We went tot the mission home today so the mission doctor could look at Elder Ferreras´ knee. I don´t think he could descern anything. We are going to a different doctor on Monday to probably get some x rays done. He doesn´t limp as badly and claims that it doesn´t hurt as badly either so that is good.

I am doing well, I have started using the missionary work out program book that Nikelle gave me and there are some pretty good work outs. It has a work out for every day of my mission. I´m 5 months behind.......but I´m starting now! 

The language barrier thing isn´t a lot of fun right now. Before with Elder Johnson I could ask what happened during a lesson after ward and he could tell me so I´d be able to understand. Well now I can´t really do that. I could and sometimes do but I spend 15 minutes with Elder Ferreras trying to describe it to me so that I can understand and I eventually give up because I stop caring and get frustrated. My spanish womps!

I love you all and am glad you are all well. The eagle project sounds good and so does the trek and family reunion. Thank you Dad, Mom, Nikelle and all others that have emailed me or written to me.

A slightly frustrated and scared green elder..........

Elder Robinson

Email letter dated July 18, 2012 "New Area"

July 18, 2012

Dear Family,

I recorded this song the other night. I´m pretty sure I sing way out of tune. hope you enjoy it. I also just figured out the words to the song my listening to it and they don´t sing some of the words very clearly so I just made up or said words that sounded similar. haha

To is transfer day and now I am in North Santiago in the area las antillas with my new comp Elder Ferreras. he is Dominican and has a torn miniscus  and our area is pretty big so we shall see how this transfer goes I think he said (still not sure my spanish is still shaky) that if he is not all recuperated and better in 2-3 weeks he will be sent home so I hope I can help him not push it too hard. he is hard working and wants to work but I don´t want him to get sent home.

Yesterday was a sad day as we went and said good bye to all the people I have met and worked with. I cried as we prayed with and said goodbye to Miguel, Clara, and Isaac I will miss them a lot and the luna family. And I was so stoked to stay and baptize oscar. I just hope he stays trong and attends church on sunday and is ready for his baptism next saturday. I think Elder Ferreras said we (mostly him) will be having 5 baptisms on that day as well so that is exciting. I was so sure that I was staying and Elder Johnson was leaving because usually thats how it works: after you get trained your dad leaves and you stay but last night elder Johnson got a call to be district leader in San Francisco and that I would be leaving. I was comfrotably writing in my journal sure that I had no reason to worry about leaving when he told me and I jumped into action and started packing. Elder Johnson was already halfway packed in anticipation of leaving. hahahahaha. There were many somber moments as I packed my things and I said goodbye to Elder Johnson, my daddy in the mission and now one of my best friends. I will truly miss the people of San Francisco and I will definitely be visiting them when I come back here, whenever that may be.

I am here in Santiago and happy and ready to work! this is the first time I´ve left an area and my first comp that doesn´t speak english (he actually knows a lot). The  mission is great I am happy and ready to meet some new people and bring them to our Savior Jesus Christ.

I sent Nikelle´s package today FINALLY! but also learned in an email 10 minutes ago she is leaving rexburg to work in southern utah for the 7 week break and I sent it to her rexburg address so hopefully she gets it someday...........

I love you all and am excited for everyone in all they are doing. The kid camp sounds fun and I´m so happy to hear that Nathan is coming down and the family will be getting together. We need to interact with them more. Ant katie coming WOW!!! this next month before school starts again is going to be crazy!!!!!

Dad did you and parker already go to the casting call for biggest loser? when is it? have faith and hope that you´ll make it! you need to show them that you really want this change in your life and not just for yourself but for everyone in your life. I love you dad I know your job isn´t the funnest but I heard some great advice from one of my friends in San Francisco it is more poetic in spanish:

Robinson la vida no depende de lo que el hombre posea sino un corazón dispuesto en Jesús. Los problemas van a llegar pero recuerda que la noche is más oscura cuando amanacer recuerda esta familia quien te admira y te amo mi esperanza era sola una palabra, una canción, hasta que llega Jesús.

I will now attempt to translate it for you:

Robinson the life does not depend on what a man possesses rather a willing heart in Christ. problems will come but remember that the night is darkest just before the dawn. remember this family who admires you and loves you. my hope es only one word, one song, until Jesus comes. 

This he wrote in my agenda. this comes from a man who can barely afford to feed his family and his work is so crappy and pays so little that he started selling fruit in the street which turned out to be great because he was making more than he was at his other job until he was in a bicycle accident which resulted in him going to the emergency room and getting stitches. And he heard yesterday that he will probably lose his other job soon. Every time we ask him if there is something we can do for him he always says a prayer. His faith is so strong and real. His name is Miguel and I admire him as a friend a father a man and a saint.

I am learning so much from the people here and I know I will learn much more. 

Love

Elder Robinson

Email letter dated July 11, 2012 "A Baptism and a Birthday"

July 11, 2012

Dear Family,

This week has been good the most notable events were mine and Nikelles birthdays, meeting President and sis Douglas on Saturday and the baptism of Enmanuel.

We also had an exchange on friday so that Elder Barton, our district leader could interview Enmanuel for his baptism and he passed the interview with flying colors of course. It was an interesting transfer with Elder Escobar from Honduras. We doesnt know english so it was a day of nothing but spanish which was good but difficult at times when i didnt understand what was going on.

We met President and Sis Douglas on Saturday and they are awesome. we had interviews with each of them and it was amazing to get to know them. He served a mission in Ecuador and she served a mission in virginia i think. they were married sixteen days after he got back. fast! they have 10 kids 3 of which they adopted and 8 of them have served missions. they are from new york and are so happy animated and excited to be here. Pres. Douglas is a convert and was baptized when he was 20 or 21 and went on his mission to Ecuador one year later. they are very strong and im excited to get to know them better.

We had Enmanuels baptism on saturday (my birthday) and before the baptism we went to visit Oscar and we told him about the baptism and he asked us if he could be baptized too! we had to tell him know because he hasnt come to church and we havent taught him enough but he has a baptismal date for the 28 and he came to church on sunday. so hes right on track. during the baptismal interview the person usually chooses who will baptize them but Enmanuel just said ¨whoever wants to do it¨ so I got to baptize him! My first baptism that I performed on my first birthday in the mission!!!!!!! man the way you feel when you bring someone to the waters of baptism is incredible and its even more incredible to be the one that performs the ordinance. It was so cool! that is what the mission is all about!

On saturday morning for my birthday Elder Johnson and Elder Barton made me a cake! it is delicious (i am still eating it......) and all the missionaries in the zone sang to me when we got to the chapel for interviews with Pres. Douglas. And that night Sis Douglas called me and wished me a happy birthday. it was a great birthday.

 

Love, 

Elder Robinson

Email letter dated July 4, 2012 "Letters, a package and a Baptism"

July 4, 2012

Dear Family,

As you can see by the pictures I did receive your package and I did open it early, sorry......I wanted to take pictures and be able to write about it today. I have not yet eaten any of the treats, I will save them for the big day. I got the package along with 2 letters from Nikelle on Saturday and another 2 letters on monday: one from mom and one from katie and there was another one from mom in the package so I have been very spoiled with mail this week and Im pretty sure everyone in my zone hates my guts......
Thank you for all the treats in the package and the shirt, Im acquiring quite the collection of super hero type shirts in the mission. Elder Johnson likes his Jolley Ranchers and we will enjoy all the good treats. Thanks for the funny photo booth pictures, I love playing with that thing!
We have a baptism this saturday, my birthday! and it is Enmanuel Luna (we found out on Monday that his name is actually Enmanuel not Manuel) I am so excited. There is no better present than that. We also get to meet President Douglas on Saturday and have interviews with him. So that will be interesting and cool, from what we hear from other missionaries that hav already met him he is a really good cool guy.
The other people we had with baptismal dates for this saturday failed to meet that goal: they didnt come to church or we were undable to teach them sufficiently to prepare them because they werent home and we had failed citas or they dont read and do their part to prepare. Kinda frustrating but we are not giving up on them.
Last night we were teaching Franklin (I dont know if I have ever written home about him), he has problems with alcohol and chewing tobacco and he has goals to be married and to buy a house before he gets baptised and these goals although good should not prevent him from being baptized. We have talked to him a lot about this and it is difficult for us to understand and we have challenged him to pray to see if he should wait to be baptized or not. He still has his goals and is sticking to them. Last week we put a goal with him to be alcohol and tobacco free for 2 full days and as we set the goal I asked him if he had any tobacco with him (he has bigger troubles with tobacco than alcohol right now) and if he would give it to me. And he said yes he had some but he wasnt going to give it to me because he was going to chew some tonight and then start his 2 days the next day. Well we taught him last night and we just talked about where he was reading in the book of mormon and about how we can help him. I asked him again if he had tobacco and if he would give it to me and he did! He gave it to me and said he wants to stop 100%. I talked for a minute about how the act of him giving me the tobacco is in similitude of him giving his will to god. I felt really good about it. I also gave him a letter that I spent some time writing for him with scriptures and my thoughts about where he is right now. I hope it helps him. I felt like I should write it and I felt good about giving it to him.

You may or may not remember Oscar, I think I wrote about him before, He has had it rough the last month or so: About a month ago his uncle passed away and we have continued to teach and help him any way we can and this last week we were talking with him and we shared mosiah 18:7-10 which talks about having all these desires involved in the baptismal convenant and in verse ten is says something like if you have these desires what is stopping you from being baptized. We asked him this same question and he said nothing, when can I get baptized. He had previously told us that he thought it would be too hard to study medicine and then be a doctor and a member of the church because he was unsure that he would be able to keep his baptismal covenant. But now his view changed! I was sooooooo Stoked! It was a big win for me! We set a baptismal date for july 21 and on Saturday I called him to make sure that he was coming to church and he told me that his Dad just passed away and he was on his way to Santiago........I cant even imagine that happening, now we are not really sure how to help him. Ive never been in that situation and hope not to be for a very long time. I have been praying a lot for him and to know how to help him and what he needs and what to do.
We talked with Elsa last week and we asked her to tell us the way he and gabriel met and how it all began and it was great to hear their story, the key for them I think is helping them remember and realize what they have together. It was great.
On Sunday Elder Johnson helped bless the sacrament and I directed the music in sacrament meeting. The first hymn was high on the mountain top and I was feeling so confident about my knowledge of the hymns that I stood up and started singing loudly and confidently the words of high on the mountain top to the tune of the spirit of god..........

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. I think I did it at the beginning of all three verses too. haha. live and learn.
Nikelles birhtday is in 2 days and I feel bad that I have not sent anything to her. I am putting a small package together for her right now, nothing really special, just a few silly things. I will hopefully send it next week so she will probably get it a month or so after her birthday........
It sounds crazy there with all the fires and camping and fun going on. I loved Bishop Andersons thing about the sun rise, so true. Bummer about the fireworks I hope this email can be a little pick me up for you all.
We bible bashed with a Jehovahs witness last week. I wouldnt recommend it. he was a priest in the church and knew his bible which isnt a bible at all. Its been changed so much and is so wrong its unbelievable. the only thing more unbelievable than their bible is thier interpretation of the scriptures therein.
Alright so there is something packed away in one of my boxes that I wonder if you could send it to me.....I know you have already unpacked and packed and sealed and unsealed my boxes many times and I cant promise this will be the last time but I figure I can ask and if you dont want to you dont have to. but I have my little backpack for my camelpack in one of those boxes. Its just a little backpack that I would love to have because its smaller than the one I have now. I like the one i have now but its just so dang hot and i dont need a backpack that big most of the time. If you dont want to thats fine I can find something cheap here but if its not too much trouble that would be really nice.

Ice age 4?! wow cool I dont think i saw the third one.....there is cereal here advertising the movie and they all have little double sided jigsaw puzzles (rompecabeza in spanish) in them and I feel like a little kid again ripping open the box to find the prize inside. What can I say Im still a little kid on the inside okay.

Thank you for all the letters and love this birthday is going to be great!

Elder Robinson

Email letter dated june 27, 2012 "Good Week"

June 27, 2012

Dear Family,

Its been a good week. I dont have a lot of time because i spent a lot of time sending pictures and the voice recordings. But weve had some good things happen: We both spoke in sacrament meeting on sunday as you can tell from the voice recordings. We found out that Hermano Luna isnt actually excommunicated, he is just disfellowshipped which is a much better situation and if he keeps going the way he is he will be in full fellowship by October!
I saw a commercial (not watching tv just in passing dont worry) for ice age 4! holy buckets thats weird. Its one of the first movies that i have found out about in the mission. that and madagascar 3 are the first two movies i know of that have come out while ive been gone.
Elder Johnson lost his wallet in a ruta last week and we thought it was a gonner for sure but we did some searching and some asking and found out where the rutas stop and went there but it wasnt there. but we left our number and later that day they called us and said they found it and that a ruta driver named Faco (we may or may not have had too much fun saying his name....) had it. So we went back like 3 times and he was never there. finally we met up with him and Elder Johnson got his wallet back! there are honest people everywhere. It helped that there wasnt anything in it: a couple store cards like costco cards and a one dollar bill. and everything was in it.
On thursday the office elders came and checked our house and they told us they would be there at 2 or 2:30. Well they didnt show up until like 7...... we waited in the house all day for them so as far as lessons go it was a pretty slow day. we would have gone out to teach but we called them throughout the afternoon and they kept saying they were coming right now and to wait....We got some good studying in so that is good. but not a great day.
We can also have EFY music and the theme this year is let your light so shine before men or something like that right. that would be cool, dont put together a package just for that but maybe for the next one.....

I forgot to mention last week that I got a letter from Nikelle!

Im so glad to hear the the tree is alive and growing! I was worried about that, it didnt look like it had grown at all when i left. hopefully there will be some nice shade in the front yard when i get back.

the elders quorum derby sounds so fun! I want to do a pine wood derby again. the credit for our cars coming out on top is all dads its good he got to race his racers because he really did do a lot to make us little cubby scouts happy with our cars.

I will definitely send a letter or two to Chance.

Im so glad Justice has gotten my letters and you guys and Nikelle. Im sending one to Grandma Robinson and Bishop Berry this week as well so keep your eyes and ears open.

Just curious, do a lot of people view the blog? is that still going?

Well sorry this one is short but there is still much to do in this little p day of ours.

Just a suggestion: mom if you want me to be able to have the latest update every p day you should email it to me tuesday nights because I didnt get last weeks and I just read it today and I have not received one for this week....Im not complaining and I know you do send me emails every week. the times we are in the internet center are just so inconsistent I cant really tell you a specific time on wednesdays so if you send it tuesday night I will get it for sure. thank you.

I love you all.

Elder Robinson

P.S.  I forgot to mention that President Douglas comes on Friday and President Lee finishes his mission Friday. Crazy!!!! we will see what kinds of changes happen.

Email letter June 20,2012 First Exchange and Failed Appointments

June 20, 2012

To whomever it may concern. hahaha

This week has been good. I had my first exchange with my district leader on Monday from lunchtime on Monday to lunchtime on Tuesday. It was an interesting experience to be in a different area teaching people I have never met before. We talk one guy who is an inactive member: he served a mission in Haiti and i think hi s Dad was even the mission President but now he is inactive. How that happens I will never understand. It was a good experience to change of the routine a little and see some more of the areas here. It was strange to sleep in someone elses bed and know that someone else was sleeping in my bed.... Yesterday we had our last meeting with President Lee before he finishes his mission next Friday and President Douglas comes. It was a Good meeting. he is finishing strong but you can kinda tell that he is excited to be finished.
We have 4 investigators with baptismal dates for my birthday!: Manuel Luna, Juan, Clara and niño. How great of a birthday present would that be?! Speaking of birthday presents Nikelle gave me permission to open the birthday package she sent me so I opened it last week and inside was: the rest of my ducks, a little blue journal just like the one I asked you to look for mom and yes its in that briefcase and I cant remember the combination.....,a t shirt with HLJ (CTR) on it in the shape of the superman emblem, a rock, a pine cone (silly earthy things from home), 3 awesome ties, 2 letters, and a little mini sd cards that was supposed to have voice recordings on it but it only had 6 pictures.....Sorry Nikelle, I dont know what happened, I dont thing the card got swipe clean in transit, what I think happened was that you recorded all the recordings onto the internal memory not knowing it and thinking that you were recording them onto the memory card in which case you still have all the recordings on your recorder. Sorry I didnt teach you how to change the settings to record to the memory card.....I am quite alright but Im sure you are a little disappointed.....
Im so glad my package made it! do you like all the stuff I sent? I dont know if I will try that again, kinda stressful, I have heard horror stories of packages sent home that didnt make it at all or took like 8 months to get there and the box was beat to heck. So I think I will just collect the things that I really want to bring home for everyone and just bring them home with me at the end of my mission.
Happy Fathers day dad! sorry Im a little late......
The big struggle we are having right now is failed appointments: we set appintments with investigators and they just arent home or are leaving as we get there or are sick and obviously there are some good excuses but its frustrating to study and be ready for a lesson and you show up and they arent home.... And then the part that makes me a little mad is when we see them later in the week in the street or wherever and they say: why didnt you come by my house the other day? assuming that we didnt when we did and we say that we did and at what time and then they say: oh yeah i was at the store or whatever other excuse they have. but they knew they werent home and they just assume that we didnt come by when we did and then place the blame on us.......There are some things about the people here that are very frustrating.
We have a zone goal to have 36 baptisms this transfer 3 of which are supposed to be ours but Im not sure if we are going to meet that goal. I have faith and I want to do it but the people just dont understand and dont act and i feel like it is partially my fault for not being able to help them understand the importance that the gospel and especially going to churh has. Manuel Luna is doing really well and Im almost 100% sure he will be baptised on the 7 of July.
Elder Johnson and I are staying positive and working hard. Despite the set backs and the difficulties we are happy and working to have the spirit and more faith in the people.
I hope and pray all of you are well and happy.

Elder Hunter Allen Robinson

June 6, 2012 Handwritten Letter (rec'd 6/20/12)

June 6, 2012                        Handwritten Letter

Family,

Hopefully by now my package has gotten to you and you are enjoying some fun things that I found/acquired.  Hey do you know what kinds of things I’ll need to claim on customs when I come home?  I know we’ve still got a long way to go but it’s good information to know.  I’m sure I’ll have to claim my machete(s) that I’ll buy before I leave.  Hey it’s tradition and there are some really cool ones.  Let me know will ya?

I’ve started collecting bottle caps because they’re cool and they’re everywhere!  Gutters, in the street, in colmados, stores, supermarkets…  I have a Pringles can that I am filling with them.  I’m also trying to collect a deck of cards just from cards in the street that I find.   I have 4 so just 50 to go (I want jokers too).  Elder Johnson is also trying to collect an entire domino set by finding dominoes in the street, right now he has 4/28 so he’s on his way.  We are weird.  Oh!  Also Pogs.  I’m collecting pogs too.  Remember pogs?  They are so fun.  About 3-4 months ago you could get one in nearly every bag of chips you bought, but now they’re just floating around.  I found a Star Wars one a few days ago!

So I had heard that there are monster toads here & I finally saw one!  He was HUGE!  Unfortunately for him he was also dead…. He looked like Jabba the Hutt with his tongue sticking out.

The Promise of Repentance

Moroni 6:8

D&C 58:42

Isaiah 1:18

The Lord has promised us so many things if we repent!

-to be forgiven and free of guilt

-to have our slates wiped clean before Heavenly Father and He remembers them no more

-to be clean

And the list goes on & is infinite as is the Atonement.  Repentance is a gift given to up by our older brother, Jesus and sometimes it’s scary, but it’s worth it every time!

Conference quote:  “I remember looking through tears toward the sky, and I said, “Dear Father, I just can’t do it tonight.  I’m too tired.  I can’t face it.  I can’t go home & take care of all those children alone.  Could I just come to you and stay with you for just one night?”  I didn’t really hear the words of reply, but I heard them in my mind.   The answer was: “No little one you can’t come to me now…but I can come to you.” 

I love this talk/  We always have the promise of Heavenly Father to have him with us through the spirit if we are worthy and truly want it.  I want to say thank you Mom and Dad.  This talk was to single mothers but I’m sure there have been times in your lives where you’ve both had similar thoughts as this good sister in the story.  Thank you for all you’ve done for me in my life.  Unfortunately most of it went unnoticed by me and I didn’t say thank you enough & it’s kinda like not knowing what you had until it’s gone.  Now I’m on my own & am gaining greater appreciation for all you do.

Thank you,

Hunter

June 13, 2012 Email letter "P-Day Santiago"

June 13, 3012

Dear Family,
It´s p-day Santiago again. It changes every transfer so this new transfer we got p-day santiago the first week.
Thanks for the pictures and the updates. Food to hear the garden is coming in nice, go family! you´re awesome!
I´m sad to hear that my package has not yet made it home......from what I heard it should have gotten there on Friday......hopefully it gets there someday........
I don´t have a cd player but we do have a little dvd player to watch training videos that also plays cds. We can listen to hymns, motab, classical and instrumental, and stuff like voicemale and other a capella groups and other groups that do hymns. I want you to send me the hymns cd by Kalai ask Nikelle she knows what I´m talking about.
I honestly don´t think that I know anything about the candidates to vote so no, I don´t want to vote.It would be cool but I feel it would be wrong to vote for Mit Romney (he´s still in it right?) because he is LDS and not Barak Obama. I want to be able to make a smart informed educated decision even if I would vote for Mit anyway and I cannot do that right now.
I GOT A PACKAGE FROM HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks and Elder Johnson says thanks too. thanks for the ducks I plan on making some little Dominicans smile with those little guys. Elder Johnson thinks it´s so silly and it is. Thanks for the letters seriously they are like GOLD!
Mom I´d like to say sorry: sorry for all the times you came home from work and there was a mountain of dishes waiting for you and you cleaned them all just to cook dinner. I´ve experienced that a little here and it is definitely not on of my favorite things. We are constantly in a rush and it seems like there are always dirty dishes to clean and I can see now how not fun it is. Thank you for beiing so loving and patient with your oblivious children. And for those of you still at home: Schools out so there are no excuses help out around the house and do some dishes so mom can play this summer too. She´s pretty cool and is a lot of fun.
We have been eating quite well: this week we made pizza bagels and Manicotti. yum! I love when a food experiment works out and tastes delicious. Thanks for the recipe book, I´m sure I´ll have to improvise with ingredients and measurements but it´ll be fun. Mom is there a way to cook chicken breasts and other meats prior to putting them in the oven? Can you just brown them in a pan? the thing is that the ovens here really don´t work that well: there´s 2 settings: barely warm enough to heat a pop tart and engulf your food in a fiery inferno. (I may have exagerrated a little) point is that the ovens dont work that great and it would sure be nice to cook the meat a little before sticking it in the cruddy oven to make sure we don´t get salmonila poisoning from uncooked chicken.
Taft is taking the world by storm way to go man. What do you do at the theater? concessions? projector tech?.....
Noah keep it up on the trombone and keep practicing lacrosse I want to play trombone and lacrosse with you when I get home.
Claire keep up the good work with the kid camp I know that was a special and fun experience for you last year and I´m sure this year will be no exception.
Dad thanks for all your support and the many talks we had on early mornings and late nights walking the streets getting exercise or working on cars, they are some of my fondest memories.
Well times almost up and I gotta write to Presidente Lee

Elder Hunter Robinson

Quick note to Nikelle: yes the return address on the letters you receive from me is the address you should send letters to for me and also if you don´t already know from the letter Elder Johnson would love to receive a letter(s) from your roomate(s) haha.

Email letter dated 6/6/12 - First Transfer - Done!

6/6/12

Dear Family,
So my first transfer has come to a close and I am here in San Franscisco de Macoris for at least one transfer more. President Lee finishes his call on July 1 (mid-transfer) and Pres. Douglas comes in so we´ll see how the new president does things. It would be cool to be with Elder Johnson for 3 transfers. This past week has been difficult with failed appointments and The members who say they will leave with us telling us when we call that they can´t. So we plan every night for the next day and it looks like a great day with planned appointments every hour and some every half-hour and then the next day nearly all the appointments fail and we end up walking a lot......Frustrating and tiring. We are trying to stay positive and have faith and stay happy and give the investigators the benefit of the doubt that they´ve read and have faith they will be home. It´s hard though.
I got a letter and a package from Nikelle!!!!
Nikelle you wanted me to put a little note at the bottom of emails if I got a letter or package from anyone but I love mail way too much and it´s way too exciting for a little note at the end. If I get any mail in any form you are going to know about it. That goes for everyone else too. haha
on sunday I got a letter from Nikelle and yesterday I got a package. She told me a week or two ago that she had sent me a birthday package so I assume that´s what it is so I have a month and a day to wait to open it. I´m going to try and be patient, we´ll see how it goes. The letter and the package both had very strange addresses on them though so it´s a miracle that they got here. my address for letters is:
Elder Hunter Robinson
SDQ 8013
P.O. BOX 025725
Miami, FL
33102-5725
U.S.A.
 
and that´s it copy that exaclty! you don´t need and probably shouldn´t put the mission name or anything else just that. Nikelle sent me an email that I read today and I think she has the packages address right but she had the letters address wrong. The letters address is the one above. It is the same one Sis. Johnson (Elder Johnson´s mom) uses.

I think the package that I sent should get there on Friday and if not very soon after.

Could you send me a pic of my on my unicycle

I love riesens send some of those again

Do you know if Sis. Hamilton has had any contact with her old mission companion I found?

Alright so we have heard about this weird thing by 3 or 4 different people here: according to these 3 or 4 people Pres. Obama has passed a law that starting in August everyone in the world will need to get a little microchip implanted in the right wrist or they will be killed. And without the chip you can´t buy, sell, work, live......Apprarently this is the fulfilment of the prophecy in Revelation 13:15-18 which does talk about a mark being put on the right wrist of everyone in the world and everything else that they have said. I think it´s bogus and that the people here are just a little too superstitious. but I thought I´d ask. there are a lot of funny things people say about the U.S.

We are happy and working hard and trying to have faith in the people. We talked with Elsa this week and She told us that she doesn´t want to be sealed to Gabriel and that when she dies she will just start over without him. She just doesn´t like some things about him. They obviously need to have a sit down and work some things out. I didn´t know that when I got a call to be a missionary It was also a call to be a marriage counselor......I don´t know how to help them. Gabriel is all in the relationship and she just isn´t. It´s so hard to see what could and should be an eternal family and she just doesn´t want it bad enough to work out her issues with her husband.

I´m so proud of everyone for their hard work in school. Noah my man! you´re out of elementary school and on to the big times, way to go kid. Claire you are now done with Junior High and are going from immature drama to really immature drama in high school, good luck. haha. You and taft better let me know ho you guys did on the ap tests. And your GPAs. Taft I´m so proud to be your brother, keep up the good work and chase those dreams. Work hard all and make sure to have FUN! It´s summer! crazy.

Mom thank you for all you efforts with Justice. I know it has a positive affect. Do you know if he has received any of the letters I have sent?
Dad how are you? I haven´t heard from you in a couple weeks, I know you are busy with a lot of things. Question: The John that came with Peter and James to confer the Melchizedek Priesthood of Joseph Smith is John the Beloved right? the one that´s still on the earth? That would mean he needed to be tranfigured or transported or something awesome like that to be there right? it´s not really a doctrinally important question and probably one that we cal only speculate about but it´s something I was thinking about. Anxious to hear your thoughts.

It´s still hot and we are foreer sweating. Elder Johnson´s Birthday is tomorrow and he got a package from his family as well with a bunch of a capella music voice male, eclipse, octa pella. so we´ve been enjoying that.
I love you all and think and brag about you often.

Hunter

Handwritten letter dated 5/9/12 and 5/13/12

5/9/12

Family!
I got the Easter package!  Thank you for all the goodies.  All I need now is a nice tall glass of milk to go along with all the chocolatey goodness.  But here's the think: the milk here tastes bad & you technically don't need to refrigerate it...maybe there is somewhere you can get good milk and I just haven't found it yet.

Crikey Mate!  I caught m'self a l'zard on Fridy - it was a l'ttle one but a lizard nonetheless.

One Monday we had a new missionaries meeting in Santiago so we had to ride a bus for 1 1/2 - 2 hours to Santiago and if Dominicans know how to do anything really well it's jam 90 people into one bus.  They are professional clown car packers! (Hunter drew a clown face with colored pencils) So we get squished in this bus & the girl sitting next to me was so squished she had to put her arm around behind me so I leaned forward.  It was pretty awkward for me.  The meeting was all in Spanish and I think I understood fairly well.  I took the letter Sis. Hamilton gave me to give to one of her old companions if I ever found her.  I gave it to Pres. Lee & he immediately know who I was talking about.  Apparently she is the wife of the area Pres. here.  He called her up & she said she would pick it up.  I was so glad I found her.  Found out if Sis Hamilton got a phone call or a letter or something.

A really cool, humbling story:  So there is a couple in our ward who were baptized last month, Gabriel and Elsa.  Gabriel is an amazing new member of the church and I will tell you why:  Last week we were visiting & teaching them & Elder Johnson asked "Elsa, what's happening April 9, 2013" (in reference to being sealed in the temple) & she said "I don't want to".  We asked her why and she said she'd tell us the next time we came.  We went by a few days later & she told us that it's because Gabriel speaks harshly to her sometimes & she doesn't want to live w/ that person forever, which is understandable.  So we said we'd talk to Gabriel about it.
Later in the week  we sat down w/ Gabriel ready to give a boche (lecture).  But that's not what happened.  He explained his situation to us: Awhile back hewon a sum of money (he did not specify how much) with which he used to build his sons tattoo shop.  Unfortunately the winnings were only enough to cover the columns & the walls, but they still needed a roof so Gabriel took out a 15,000 peso loan ($400 - it's 39 pesos to every $1) to finish the shop.  Now he receives 2800 pesos every month for retirement, 2400 of which goes to the loan & he uses 300 of it to pay tithing, so every month he is left with 100 pesos ($2.50). 
This obviously puts a strain on his relationship with Elsa because she wants to be taken care of & has some medical problems, which is understandable.  Sometimes people give them money & occasionally they benefit a little from the tattoo shop.  Needless to say, we were very humbled.  He is a strong member of the church, he said he's basically living off of faith.  He's a good father, good husband, & faithful member of the church.  His faith rivals that of lifelong members ad he has been a member a little over a month.  
We talked to him about love & how we need to say & show our love, especially to your wife.  Elder Johnson gave him 100 pesos: 50 to buy a cake for Elsa (one of her favorite things) & the other 50 for medicine she needs.  He also committed to tell her that he loves her twice every day.
We talked to Gabriel on Sunday & he said he had bought the cake & a soda for Elsa & when he came home her eyes got really big & she was really happy.  He gave her a kiss & told her he loved her.  Hopefully things improve for them.
I want to tell my wife that I love her everyday & make her laugh everyday & most importantly show her that I love her.  It's true what they say: the mission changes & shapes you into a better person.  I wanted to do all those things before but now it has been reinforced & I have seen the importance of it just a little more now.  (Hunter did a rubbing of his name tag - Elder Robinson - in red, white and blue).

This is a Dad quote translated into Spanish:  CREATURAS DE LOS PROFUNDIDADES VENGAN FUERA!  HAHA   (Creatures come up from the depths - When Russ calls the kids up from downstairs he says "Creatures from the depths!)

You'll probably get this letter after Mother's Day so Mom, Happy Mother's Day.  It was so nice to talk and see you.  haha  (Hunter drew me a bouquet of flowers with colored pencils).  I loved the card you sent.  Those missionary cartoons are funny.

I've been kinda sick lately.  I've had headaches and a cough and nasty mucus & congestion & my throat hurts in the morning & at night.  I lost my voice for a day so that was kinda fun.  But don't worry,  I'm much better now. we've still gone out to work & by God's grace I've been able to talk and teach.  I have a ton of drugs: Vitamin C tablets, throat spray, acetaminophen, and mucinex.  Sis Lee knows how to take care of sick missionaries.  I was hesitant to tell you this (mom) because I didn't want you to be worried SO DON'T BE!  I'm doing fine & in a few days I'm sure everything will be back to normal.  It's been fun to talk with a relly deep voice though.

Today Elder Johnson flooded the laundry area.  He left the water on too long & it over flowed.  We had a good laugh as we cleaned it up.  Then we went to work.

The main problem we are having with investigators is them not reading and not acting.  Everyone here believes in God & Jesus which you would think would be good.  But they hear we have a message about Jesus Christ & they always listen & participate because it's the word of god.  They say they'll read & they say they'll come to church & they say they have faith, but their faith is dead because they don't ever do anything!  They don't read, pray, come to church... We've been delivering boches (lectures) left & right because their faith is dead & they need to revive it!  They love to talk about God but when it comes to reading the words of God it's just not as important to them  They love to talk with us about God, but when it comes to talking to God they say they can't.  And we always say "Well, you've been talking with us, are we more important than God?"  Of course not.  Then we bring in some 2 Nephi 32:8:  "The spirit teacheth a man to pray...for the evil spirit teachetha  man that he mus not pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray."  "Therefore, Hermano, who is winnin?  The Spirit of God or the spirit of the Devil?"  It sounds harsh but we spend 10 minutes telling them that praying is easy & God wants to hear from them.

One investigator we have that is progressing is AniLeidi.  She is 15 & will be baptized on the 16th of this month (May).  She kinda hit us hard yesterday because she said that we would forget her and never look back after we leave the area.  Elder Johnson showed her a page in his BOM where he has written the names op people he has taught.  I told her that I was definitely coming back here someday with my spouse & say "This is Ani-Leidi, I taught her & she was baptized while I was here.  She is a strong, faithful, & active member of the church."  I realize it's kinda a big promise but it's true - I will come back someday.  I'm not going to be one of those missionaries that forgets, I'm going to stay in contact with those I teach/taught.

5/13/12
Hey, it was super fun to see everyone today for Mother's Day.  Sorry Mom I didn't send anything...I've heard sending packages home is pretty sketchy, but we'll risk it.  I'll see you at Christmas & you'll definitely hear from me before then.

Elder Robinson