PDay 3-7-2011

Transfer calls comes this Saturday...the Zone Leaders will call us and notify us regarding who's staying and who's being transferred between 10:00 and 10:30 at night.


Any guesses?

We're still preparing Raphael for baptism. He's doing great with the exception of some doubts....we suspect people from work have been ridiculing him. Anyhow, his baptism, along with his children Anthony and Jonathan, are scheduled for Sunday. We're going to create the programs this Thursday. We have an appointment with them this Wednesday and this Saturday.

One of the recent converts in the ward has provided us with new investigators. His sister, Synthia, is being taught. We taught her as recently as last night! We asked whether she had been reading the Book of Mormon that we've already given her....she's been doing it! Had excellent questions and we were supported tremendously by Luis, the recent convert. We're affiliating a lot with members. We figure that visiting less active members will also help us reach non-members because many of them are the only members of the church in their entire family.

We will also visit with Jasmin and Herman later this week. Still need to attend church. Still enduring her trials and afflictions with faith.

Neil L. Anderson spoke to us on Saturday in Queen's. He and Bishop Edgely shook everyone's hand! That's more than 170 missionaries! He spoke and I learned a lot. It's fantastic to have an apostle visit. Bishop Edgely had also served in what was then called "The Eastern States" Mission.

It's starting to warm up a little. Still rather chilly and rainy.

Bishop Edgely also spoke at Stake Conference in the spacious Plainview Stake Center. The enormous gym and stage were all occupied by people! President Nelson spoke also. Headphones were provided for the individuals who didn't speak English. We sat near our 'baptism family'.

I've been informed that at times, when I speak, a little bit of the open-mouthed New Yorker accent comes. It's not as severe as it could be. I don't teach native New Yorkers. Our Spanish Ward, of which we attend, is in Spanish-bereft of any New York accent....however, in public, and in English Church-it's heard often.

How about the family questions? Does grandma know? How's the family? I really enjoyed the letters and the pictures last week!!! It's always a joy to receive them. How about Dad? Perhaps you both could write together on the same e-mail so that I don't need to open a new e-mail and start over my experiences. Is that possible? If not, it's okay. It might save time and then I can have the opportunity to respond to both of you.

We've made Rootbeer Floats for three families now. They've never before conceived of combining Rootbeer and Vanilla icecream before. Our next activity is S'mores. The Hispanic People here in New York have no idea with this NEW food. They're aways excited to try "AMERICAN" food. It ties the missionaries with the investigators/members together very well. We've made smoothies before with them. It's often very fun. We ALWAYS share a message or lesson with the members. This Mission has been improving and a greater effort at obedience is being enforced. We're always on time to study, teach, take lunch for no more than an hour, make our beds, etc... I thought that we would always be watched after prior to going on a mission. As a matter of fact, we have a lot of flexibility as Missionaries. We determine our own success. So far, we expect more baptisms next transfer (if I'm still here in my first area).


Love you a lot!

I'll write the girls/you guys!

Love,



Elder Steven Roberts.