Sorry I'm a little late on this post

Good morning!!

Wow. Graduation. It’s too fast. Everyone is growing up and I’m missing it all (physically being there to see it). Ha-ha oh well the work of the Lord must go on!

Speaking of the work continuing transfers are tomorrow, Tuesday. And I’ve been transferred. I have no idea where or with whom since 15 missionaries are leaving and all but maybe 1 or 2 are Spanish. Areas have been combined and zones re-aligned. My companion has been called trainer, district leader and is in charge of 2 areas (our area and 1 other area have been combined). We both are leaving our apartment (meaning we both have to pack bags today). FUN!

I hope the trip to the ranch works out. I’ll be sure to write and let everyone know where I’m going and who I’m with. I have a strong feeling I’ll be with someone younger than i.....

Ha-ha every time brain and Hannah get brought up i laugh. Yes it is sad they broke up yet at least he'll be more anxious to find more girls to date, i think..... 2 weddings missed..... Hopefully brain will be married before i go home too..... It seems to be a hot topic since general conference!

So super hilarious story about Xavier (he was going to be baptized but has to work out some things). He invited us a few weeks ago to a dance thing he taking place at his work. It’s a center for seniors and he helps pick them up in the morning and take them home in the afternoon. So we go to the dance and we find that the owner of the place is a member. He’s been a member all his life but lives in a different area. He took out for Cuban sandwiches..... We had no idea what was going on during this entire time..... Anyways for the last dance the dancers invited the seniors to dance along..... The best one was an older lady with a walker who was in the middle of the dance floor. Sadly i forgot my camera so i have no pictures or video.....

What pres whimpey said is true. I’m seeing it so much right now in my area. members are going crazy and our investigators are "falling off the face of the earth" and the whole may 21st judgment day thing caused lots of mayhem here.....

Next story - may 20, Friday night. The day before the world was supposed to end. People came up to us to ask if the world was really going to end and what we thought was going to happen. People who were driving yelled out of their windows "is Jesus coming tomorrow?" it was just crazy. The best part is while elder gamez and i were walking home the street lights went out. Everything went unusually dark. I said to me "oh a streetlight went out. cool." we continuing walking and we arrive in front of our house..... Half of the town of West New York has no power - a blackout. We go upstairs and into our home - power gone. We laughed and said "wow. judgment day tomorrow and people are so sure of it they're doing anything they want, dangerous or not." we had a 13 year old investigator call to ask if we were still going by the next day then she told us she was scared.... her family’s house lost power too. hahaha oh it was a wonderful day. Then on the 21st my companion "soapboxed" the Restoration in front of our house. It was crazy!!! A few people came up to us and were interested. I’ll send pictures the next i have time.

I love you all. I know the church is true. We have trials to refine us. Only through keeping the commandments can we receive more strength to continue resisting the adversary and keep the spirit with us always! I love you all. Thank you so much for everything. I hope you all have a great week! Thank you for everything. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay strong in the gospel, always. It is the only way for true happiness and true love to be present in our lives.

Love elder Craig Roberts

Good afternoon!!!!

Well i don't have a ton of time so I’ll get in what i can.....

I’m glad the wedding went well. I opened the invitation i received today (thank you for sending one Nanette) and it was pretty cool. I looked at the dates and realized that Heidi has been married 3 days already and Tate’s is right around the corner. And well, we'll see what happens with brain and Hannah. Every time i hear about it i laugh. It’s just so funny to me. Oh well.

It sounds like the craziness has either just begun or just ended yet in all I’m glad everyone is doing well and overcoming the sicknesses.

I really like the quote from Pres. Whimpey..... And the 33% - well I’m not the only one. There are so many others (i think) from the other wards who are serving too. I’m not well acquainted with many of them but i know many them are really good guys.

Tell the Enos' i say congrats and thanks. They will love serving as you already know they will. How is the ward doing? And did you receive my tithing?

Today we had fun getting soaked in rain from pulling weeds! We had "mission activities" where zones in the mission gathered at different locations and gave service. They cancelled after an hour or so of nonstop rain. I was soaked from head to toe and even played a little soccer on an artificial turf field. I believe that all football/soccer fields in NJ are artificial turf. It’s awesome playing on them.

We had an investigator have his baptismal interview yesterday. His date has been pushed back a week..... We’ll see what happens with that. He ready, just needs to fix one tiny itsy bitsy thing and he's good. I’ll let you know what’s going on with him next week.

Thank you for looking for the ensign.... I’d try the distribution office - it'd be cheaper, i think.... I’ve never compared prices.

I love you all. Thank you so much for everything you do for me. You’ve been wonderful examples for me in preparing to serve and i know i would not be serving without your examples and love and guidance. I thank you for everything. I keep you all in my prayers. I know the church is true. I know Christ lives and that His sacrifice, the Atonement truly works in every single way. There is nothing that cannot be overcome through the Atonement. God is your Heavenly Father. He loves you and for that exact reason we are at times allowed to suffer to learn the better, the good, the love, the whatever it is we learn from trials and sufferings. We learn to become stronger spiritually or mentally, we learn to love and sacrifice. We learn how to be like Christ. I know it is true.

I love you all and thank you for everything. Have a great week!

Love Elder Craig Roberts

Well Craig was able to call home and talk to everyone yesterday for Mothers' Day. He seems to be doing very well. Believe it or not he only has about 10 months left of his mission. He is currently in West NJ, and his area is right on the bank of the Hudson River. The area has a lot of Spanish speaking people so that has helped him with learning Spanish, (and a new mission rule that when they are outside of their apartment they have to speak in Spanish at all times).

Below is the email he sent home today, it is short since he already talked to us about everything yesterday, but he also included a few photos.

good morning! it was great talking to everyone again! i sent home some tithing today - i forgot to tell you last night that i was going to send it. any way here are some pictures!

so the first few well its obvious. we sometimes have mice and the mouse trap in the pic has been used for months and has caught many mice. this was the traps last catch before it's death - 3 mice at once then after cleaning it the trap broke.

the shoe shows how dominant i am with my right foot (and that those shoes were not for anything other than running) i'll buy some new ones soon.

the food is one of the recipes you sent me, the pizza pasta. we bought what was needed and made it! it was really good. thank you for that.

and last but not least in 2-3 days i and another elder finished a 38 ounce bag of peanut butter m&ms...... i didn't expect it to be finished that quickly...... haha

so enjoy! and thats life in west new york!

love elder craig roberts