Wednesday, June 17, 2009

June 17, 2009 - Hi!

HI!

Okay, I've got some HUGE updates for you, so I'm just going to get a
few notes out of the way and then dive right in.

First of all, the CTR tie is unnapproved because it has writing on it.
People would be distracted by reading CTR and wondering what it stands
for, rather than listening to our message, which is far more
important. ( Note to Miriam: Congrats! ^^ )

Second, as far as the quarters go, I'll probably have to go with the
suggestion of sticking them in my suitcase and letting them ferment
for two years.

Third, and this is much bigger than the last two, but nowhere near the
sze of my BIG news, last P-Day was horribly unproductive. I wasn't
able to write to anyone, and I still have letters I haven't read. =(
Part of the lack of getting things done came from the lack of
communication between my companion and I and faliure to plan. I've
taken a few pictures this week, but they aren't great. Maybe I can get
copies of pictures other missionaries took.

Alright, now the big news (but not yet the biggest). I gave my first
priesthood blessing this week! =D Elder Royston and I were on an
exchange, and we decided to stop by Sister Davis, a less-active in my
area. When we got there, we learned that she had pneumonia, and it was
keeping her from seeing her young grandchildren. Elder Royston
suggested that we could give her a blessing, and she accepted. After a
few minutes of talking (and a nudge or two from Elder Royston), we
stood up and I gave her a blessing. I can't remember exactly what I
said, but it was a great experience. ^^

And now the biggest news. Mom asked me when transfers are, and when
I'll know whether I'm being transfered, and the answer is LAST NIGHT.
I am being transfered to Prince Albert (4-957 7th Street E, Prince
Albert, SK, S6K 6T3). I'm leaving tonight.

Now, I know what you're thinking: 'Why didn't you tell us that LAST
week??' And the answer is that I didn't know last week that this was
going to happen so soon. This transfer (normally a 6 week period), has
been cut down to 5 weeks, and the next transfer has been extended to
seven weeks so things will even out. And the time when they decided
that this transfer would be five weeks long was durring the fifth
week, so this is the earliest I could possibly tell you that the
transfer calls were to be recieved on the 16th.

Wanna hear the worst part? They're closing down St Charles. Elder
Kirkland and I are moving out, and no new missionaries are coming in
to take over. The St Charles area is going to be divided into sections
and the sections will be included within the new boundaries of the
surrounding areas. MEANING that there will be NO MISSIONARIES living
in the St Charles apartment for AT LEAST 7 weeks. Letters that have
been sent there, but have not been recieved yet MIGHT NEVER BE
FORWARDED TO ME. If they do eventually get to me, it'll only happen a
few weeks after they re-open St Charles, but since the apartment might
be let out to non-missionaries, there's a chance that I'll never get
some of the letters you've sent. =(

To sum up: Pros for having letters sent directly to the apartment:
Recieving special messages durring the transfer. Cons for having
letters sent directly: They might never come.

Pros for having letters sent through the mission office: They're
gauranteed to reach me. Cons: It'll take them an extra 3-6 weeks to do
so.

Pros for Email: Consistant, Reliable, Instant, Free. Cons: No
pictures.

Alright, I think that's all I really NEED to tell you right now.
There's lots more I WANT to tell you, but I don't have time for it
all. But I think I have time for this:

Elder Orton is one of the most fun missionaries I've ever met. Since
his companion is going home on the fifth week of this transfer, Elder
K and I thought he was going to become a third wheel on our
companionship for the six week of the transfer, and I was really
excited about that. I was especially excited because in the CWM, we
have a certain way of keeping track of how missionaries are related to
each other, relating it all to a massive family tree (eg. Elder K is
my father, because he trained me, and Elder Porter is my Godfather
because he was the first missionary I went on a 24 hour exchange with.
I think I told you about that.) Anyway, according to that system,
Elder Orton almost became my Step-Mother, which is virtually
impossible. Unfortunately, that became impossible when the transfer
ended a week early. LUCKILY, I recently found out that Elder Porter is
Elder Orton's Godfather as well! Elder O and I are Godbrothers! =D And
I'm about to go into the same area where he was born. ^^ This is so
good. ^^

Anyway, I got to go. I love you! -hugs everyone-

Love, your soon-to-move missionary, Elder Andrew Robarts

PS, Happy Birthday, Acadia! ^^ -hugs-

----

note from Mom

Cons to emails that Elder Robarts has mentioned before but not in this letter - 1) he cannot print them and keep them to read or re-read later - and
2) limited computer time for reading and WRITING (which I am sure we all want him to do)


I have at least 1 maybe 2 letters on their way to the Saskatoon address. My guess is that EVENTUALLY they will be returned to me. Then I can mail them to him and he can get the news oh, maybe 2 months late.

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