Finaly wrote and some pictures

Craig and his Current companion


stopping to pet a dog


Craig and His comp at the temple


Where he is currently living


a water or power plant near where he lives.

Good morning!!!

Well it’s late but better than never. I’ll keep it short and picture packed seeing as we will write again in a few days.

It sounds like everyone had a blast at the ranch and enjoyed the week. Thank you for sending the package with everything else!!! The granola bars are perfect and honestly you wouldn't need to send any more than those. I should receive the package today if you sent it to my address in Haverstraw... I’ll be home planning most of the time so we'll see if it comes. If you sent it to the office I’ll pick it up next week because we get to meet the new mission president. With the rm planners; i thought about it and i don’t need them right now. They are adapted for life after the mission and wouldn't be used while I’m out. I asked for one so i would be able to show another elder here but i can give him the website and he can order them. We’ve been asked not to visit other websites other than to email and write president so i asked you to look it up. So thank you for looking at them and hassling with it!

So the new mission president arrives today. We have a few weeks filled with meetings and cleaning and activities. 4 of July on Monday - I’ll write on Tues or Wednesday.....

Yesterday we went to the temple!!!! I’ll send some pictures. It was amazing..... I loved being there and i want to go again. It might have been my last time before i go home if pres. Jepson decides not to let us go anymore unless we are going home....

Anyway I’ll send some pictures in another email. I love you all. Thank you for everything!!! Keep the faith! I know the church is true. God is our Father and He is watching over us in all things. Have a great rest of the week and enjoy your 4th of July!!! I love you all. Thank you for everything.

Love elder Roberts

Good morning!!!

So sounds like all is going well! Everyone is healthy and enjoying the heat..... It’s coming our way, i promise!

So that breakfast sounds really good and de hecho I’ve been trying to do something similar to that every morning, minus the doughnuts. I have eng. muffins and eggs and sausage and ham and pepper jack cheese and spinach and I’m trying to find the best/cheapest way to make it all work out every week. So far it’s worked out and the sandwiches have turned out pretty good. And i always have apples and bananas and milk/orange juice depending on money..... Apart from that i am blessed to have been able to live with you for the past 4 years (4 right?) and learn and grow from my experiences with you and your examples. Thank you for that and everything else you have done and continue to do for me.

Oh how fun swimming is. The closet I’ve been to that out here was on Saturday when we helped with a car wash fundraiser thing. I was sunburned (once again as a missionary) and just exhausted this past week. Lots of meetings and this past Friday we were told to take the day to do the deepest clean of a deep clean I’ve ever done in my life. we washed the walls, doors, baseboards, carpets cleaned (we only had area rugs we threw out b/c they were disgusting when they first were put into the apartment - i wasn’t there) floors cleaned, mattresses flipped (try it - you'll sleep more comfortably for i don’t know how long), washed sheets and towels etc. windows and sills cleaned, etc. we still have not finished in the kitchen with all of the appliances and dishes. We’ve been cleaning this entire week and helping members clean their yards etc. it's been a blast!! Now we're exhausted. And with all of the cleaning/service given this week, not much work was accomplished. The Phelps family reunion sounds like fun! I’m excited to hear how it goes.

With the rm planners i would like to have only one. if you send a ton to me while I’m still out then I’d have to pack them around for the rest of the mission and i wouldn't use them until i get home. I’d say you can choose whatever is the best price send one out to me if you order more than 1. And i realize i have neglected to give you my address so here it is: elder Craig Roberts

70 sharp

Haverstraw, NY 10927

You can send anything to me here if you'd like. It’s safe and i know no one will take anything from our porch. Also i took lots of pictures to send home and guess what! I forgot my camera and computer cable at home...... I’ll send them next week.

As far as weather goes.... it hasn’t' rained for a few days and I’ll pray that rain hits AZ quickly and for a long time. I remember the rodeo-chedisky fire very well b/c i worked on it after it was put out. The scout troop got together and laid hay/straw all over the place and cut down trees that had no life left in them. We replanted more trees etc. do you remember any of that going on?? I was still a deacon, i think. I might not have even been 12 at that time..... That is a huge fire though.... larger than those cities combined..... I’m praying for AZ more often now!

So with the family... we haven't been able to return yet. We’ve tried and they weren't there. We going about certain means to ensure that appointments are set and stay set and figure out who will be serious and who will not. With the little time we had this week to work nothing exciting/ crazy happened. This week will definitely be different though.

Also have you been able to pick up a conference ensign? And if you have any cds ready I’d say you can stop where ever you're at and send the ones made out to me. They’ll suffice for me to the end. I think that’s all i need or want.....

This church is true. The Atonement is real. It works. Jesus Christ died for us so we all might enjoy eternal life with our families and with God and Christ forever. Always stay worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Be obedient and all will work out. You will be blessed in all that you do. I love you all and thank you for everything!!!

Have a great week and stay cool and safe!! I’ll send pictures next week and some stories too!! I love you all. That is the simplest way i can say it. I hope I’ll be able to show it more after 2 years of serving the Lord and loving so many other people I’ve never met before in this life. Take advantage of what you have now and have fun with brothers and sisters. That is all there will be in heaven, family.

I love you all. Have a great week!!!

Love elder Craig Roberts

Thanks for making it short - I’ve got a cool experience to share. But before that, I’m glad everyone is doing well. The pools are finally opened in AZ now huh?? That’s exciting!!! I think about it as i write and i love just being engulfed by water. It’s amazing!! So I’ll enjoy that when i get home not that that is any time soon.....

The pioneer trek was last week!! I miss that so much! It was such a great experience the 3 days we were gone. I loved every minute of it! That’s good the youth got up and spoke. i remember i was one who spoke after the trek and i remember having my talk all written out and standing at the pulpit ready to read of the paper and i folded it right back up and shoved it in my pocket and spoke from my heart. What i said i have no idea? Was it inspired? I don’t know! i just remember feeling like i wasn’t me and at that time is when i knew i could speak in church without being nervous or even really writing anything out. As a missionary I’ve learned that even more too. I know that as we speak truth and of the gospel with others the Holy Ghost truly does "give us in the very moment that which shall be meted unto every man"

So i figured the weather was already in the 100s but i was wrong. It seems like Mother Nature has decided to throw a spin on things because here too it has been fairly cool, 60s and low 70s the past few days with clouds and rain almost every day. And that is the story I’m going to share is when the rain came.

So Thursday is our walking day because we do have a car. We had just finished an exchange with the zone leaders earlier that morning. Every day from 5-7 we have been asked to dedicate to finding new investigators. So my comp and i walk out and go to a street above where we live. We start talking to the people that are out and about and we realized we are going to have some fun thunder storms and drenching rain. We continued on excited for the rain and thunder and lightning that was minutes away. The dark clouds rolled in and we knocked a door where a girl answered (she’s 27). She said she was visiting from AZ (gilbert) and we talked about the gospel. As we talked the rain came. In a matter of seconds it was pouring, hard. We run to the next house and jump in puddles and are soaked head to toe in 10-12 seconds. We thought "wow. This is a blast!" we laughed and smiled and as we ran to the next house again being soaked we knocked a door upstairs. A family was there who let us in and we are now teaching them.

We stayed out and did the Lord's work admit the adversary challenging us. We were blessed. My times up but i know the church is true. God is our Father and He loves all you individually. He watches over you in all things. He will not let you fail.

Thank you for your love and support! Will you please visit rmplanner.com and purchase a rm planner and send it to me? Ask bishop parker about it. They should know what I’m talking about. Crystal told me about it.

Have a great week! Thank you for everything!

Love Craig

Good morning!

yes it is weird being the oldest in the apartment and on top only having months left not a year or two makes for more "old feelings". the only thing is I'm not senior comp b/c my comp is the dl so i have a break there. one of the elders in my apartment is from az (once again) and we've had some good chats. I've realized that i need to be the best example i can be while here b/c there are just the little things that we do that are not obedient that example can change if the person is willing. How is the burning of cds coming along? that will help immensely if i could get some of those sent out. something i've thought about also is when the new mission president comes in he might allow ipods..... haha but i don't know where you are with burning cds. if you've already burnt many do not worry about sending the ipod out. I'll let you know more on that rule in July or august.

with the area..... it almost reminds me of the forests in Arizona.... not too much but a little. i absolutely love it here!! it's not ever super hot and well, i love the surrounding trees and hills (or mountains).

yesterday was my first day translating and i had no idea what was going on! granted it was testimonies so that was a little easier then when a spanish member wanted to dar su testimonio me pare a lado de el/ella y truducte de espanol al ingles. it was super fun. the members said too that i was a good translator..... haha oh how i highly doubt that! hehe oh and how you mentioned french - we have french/english members also. i sat in on a lesson in young mens and some of it was explained in french. it was cool.

my comp and i are doing well. we are going to become more unified this week as we rocket our growth the area. we are focusing much on PMG and keeping focused on the work and being exactly obedient. and the other elders and i are doing well too. i might become bothersome in the eyes of one..... we'll see what happens.

so sounds like the reunion was a blast! did you take pictures?? i'll take some pictures of my area and send them in the next 2 or 3 weeks. this transfer is 6 weeks yet there will be transfers the last week of june.... i may or may not be affected. you'll be informed.

emily emailed me too. she's having fun like you said so i'm happy for her. she'll love her experiences.

"the work of the Lord will go on boldly, nobly, and independent until it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear!" may you all do your part in this great work!

i love you all. thank you for the love and support you give me daily, especially your prayers. this truly is the one and only true church with the complete gospel of Jesus Christ! it is true. apply it in your lives daily and watch the blessings flow into your life! thank you for everything! have a great week and cool and safe!!

love elder craig roberts

Craig did not send home pictures of his new area yet, these are just some photos I found online of the city where he is now living. It looks like a beautiful area.

Good morning!!

Well news from New York. It’s mountainous and green and trees surrounding you where ever you go. There are many Jewish brothers and sisters who I wish were friendly too! Oh how the gospel is a perfect plan for all of you! I’ve been transferred to Rockland county New York! My area is called new city but it is mainly a Jewish town. And they are serious with their beliefs! We live in a city called Haverstraw. And yes there are mountains (at least that’s how they look) and tons of trees (forest like) and we are close to the Hudson yet we will not have as much wind however we have a car! I am so super excited to be in this area its crazy!!!

Anyways I’m glad all is well at home. And super happy the ranch did not burn. I’m glad graduation went well and the partying was fun. Brain and Hannah together again? Who knows what will happen there.... and Emily is off to (or already in) Germany. That will be amazing for her. It sounds like all is going well. The kids will love boredom busters and well I lack only months until I’m home and I think I’m the next one after Daniel right? It is so crazy! I was hit though one morning as we were reading in preach my gospel that I don’t want to go home so soon. It is inevitable yet I don't want to go so soon.

I am the oldest elder in our apartment now and its weird thinking about it. My companion is elder Harrington from Utah. He’s been out almost a year. And the other 2 elders have been on their mission less than a year so it's a young apartment. It’s super fun though and my area is all Dominicans! Well the most part. I am in a spanglish ward where we have to translate every sacrament meeting from English to Spanish (and if necessary, Spanish to English). The ward has about 60-80 members and I guess there was around 300 at one point.... they all moved away? I’m not sure what the ward was like long ago but right now we are working with a good amount of people and we have a baptism coming up in a week or 2. Also a senior couple is serving in our area and they are awesome! They do so much for us.

That’s all I can really think of for now. oh and this month is going to be filled with lots of changes and meetings with president and sister bahr going home and president and sister Jepson coming in. it will be an exciting yet sad month.

My times up. I love you all and thank you for your love and support in everything!! Have a great first week of summer! And stay safe and cool. Time flies by and well we already know that. I love you all. Have a great week!!

Love Craig