Last Transfer

Good morning!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It’s so crazy I’m 21 now and I’m into the last 6 weeks of my mission.... the best part about it is.......

I'M BEING TRASNFERRED!!!! Ha-ha yes I’m very excited! I’m almost positive I’m going back to a complete Spanish area/ward/branch and will be 100% engulfed in Spanish once again!! I’m very very excited. I’m sad I’m leaving this area because I’ve been here for 6 months but it is time for me to go and I’m excited for it!

As far as tanner goes, I’ll keep him in my prayers (of course along with everyone else). I hope all goes well! And I hope I’m shocked at how much they've changed! I want things to have changed because I don't want to go home to what it was 2 years ago.... ha-ha obviously the house won't have changed much or larger scale items as the house etc. but the kids and just everyone I hope some changes have occurred! And I hope I’ve changed too..... I still feel like an 18 year old kid on a super strict schedule and learning to love it.... I just feel weird.....

So yes I will have a new companion too with this new transfer. Forgive me for my negativity in the past few emails... I guess it was bothering me enough I needed to vent a little. My mission pres. was informed of everything though too so he knew what was going on etc. also many other events will be taking place to only help my thoughts change from missionary work to going home. when the missionaries are on their last 6 weeks they go to Ellis island and see that statue of liberty etc. and they also go to the temple one last time and we have 2 general authorities within 2 weeks (one is an area 70, elder Lansing?? and the other is elder Jensen from the 1st pres. of the 70) so that will be fun! And in March (after I’ve gone home) another general authority will be here to speak to the mission and do a mission tour.... I don't remember who that one is....

Is brother Adair the 1st counselor now?? Or is brother Meacham still there?? Ha-ha as for the weather I’m going to be sweating like I’ve never sweated before!! The snow here is gone and I’m not sure if we'll receive much more but I’ve been told Jan and Feb are the 2 months when the snow really comes so we'll see what happens! In March it'll most likely be in the 40s or 50s maybe 60s but with the temps we have now I’m not sure what march will bring. Last year it snowed one day in March.... NJ weather is absolutely crazy! I love it though.

Yay!!! 5 guys are in mesa! That’s awesome! I’ll be excited to go there and be able to compare in n out and 5 guys and now this giant hamburgers place you're talking about.... I’ve never been there so it'll be fun to try.

Happy birthday Amy! And everyone else who has a birthday in January and February! Thank you for your love and support and birthday wishes!!! Thank you for the package!!!! It was wonderful! The cake was delicious and very moist! We went to a members home last night and made and baked the cake and played skip bo with them! It was sooo much fun! I forgot to take my camera in (I honestly almost forgot it was my birthday even when I tried thinking about it. it didn't feel like anything special which was good!) but the parents have an 11 year old daughter who took a video(s) and pictures and put them on Facebook..... You can see it all when I’m home. They had fun and were grateful I chose to celebrate my birthday with them. It was a great time.

With transfers I’ve also been released as a district leader. I enjoyed the opportunity to serve and be served. I learned a lot from the 3 months of being in charge etc. it was great! I know what my potential is and so does Satan. He knows all of your potential. He knows that if he does not work on us 24/7 that we will reach that potential quicker than we could blink our eyes!! as a set apart missionary we are focused on even more because we are the ones bringing others unto Christ and that's not good for Satan.... as I’ve looked back at my companions and the past months I’ve been able to realize a little that even with Satan working against us I’ve reached more than I thought I ever could have had I not had those experiences. The Lord allows these things to happen because, like He said to Joseph Smith, "all these things will be for your good". We cannot lose the hope that God knows what He is doing and what is best for us! That is how we strengthen testimonies is by exercising hope and faith through the hard times, not the easy times. If it was easy there'd be no point to anything. I’ve realized that more and more while serving the Lord and it being one of the most difficult times of my life however the most rewarding too. I don't care what comes or goes or passes by in life as long as I know that I am righteous and that my Father in heaven is pleased with who I’ve become! Nothing will ever keep me from working through hardships as if they were the best things in the world!

I love you all! I know the gospel is true. Thank you for everything! Have a great week!

Love elder Craig Roberts