Dear Family & Friends,
News! I'm not getting transferred!! I KNOW!! It's weird!!!!!!!! I have been serving Brentwood-Bayshore for like 5 months! President Nelson really must feel that I should remain. I've written him and updated him concerning the area and our progress....sooo I know that he shouldn't have forgotten me. I suppose that I'm a permanent part of Brentwood-Spanish Ward now. I practically know everybody there! They love me and I can speak Spanish much better then when I first commenced my time here. Also, several major transitions are gonna occur. Firstly, Elder Leal, my second companion (my step-pops) is being transferred as District Leader to Midwood in Brooklyn. I'm going to receive a new companion and I don't know who it'll be yet. Also, the Bayshore-English Elders are remaining but Elder Gootee is going to replace my companion as District Leader here. Something sad also, the Bayshore-English Sisters are permanentely out. They're closing their 'pool'. Apparently, more sister missionaries are leaving the mission then arrivign and they don't have a sufficient number to maintain them. They aren't closing the Brentwood-Spanish Sisters, however, we're losing the English-Bayshore Sisters here despite the fact that they had two baptisms here last transfer for the English Ward. Unfortunately this transfer, they were encountering a lot of obstacles and were teaching practically nobody for a period of time. We're all very sad about that. Sister De la Mare was the most upset. She wanted to end her Mission in Bayshore and has only one transfer remaining before she 'dies'. We don't know until tomorrow where she'll go. Sister Mamon (the Russian) is going to serve her last transfer and 'die' at the same time as Sister De la Mare in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn-where there are many Russians. She's been a good friend of mine. I'm going to miss her!
The Spanish Sisters are losing their Trio. Sister McEwen, who's been in this area since a transfer before I began here was, not surprisingly, transferred. We don't know exactly where she's going until tomorrow at Transfer Meeting in Rego Park. The other two Spanish Sisters, Sister Heiner and Sister Alvarado are remaining here with us.
Yesterday, Elder Leal and I baptized Anthony and Jonathan Velasquez. It was wonderful! They were so excited and the family had us over for food. Next week, I'm going to confirm Anthony as a member in Sacrament Meeting (in Spanish)! We've taken many photos and many people and friends arrived for their baptism. Carmen's Sister wants to receive the missionary lessons! That's not all!!! 6 people were baptized in total in only this area-not even our zone-merely this area in one single day!! That all occurred yesterday. The English Elders baptized into the English Ward 4 boys in a family that they found hardly a month ago!! That's the Charles family for you!!
Anthony was excited to hear that he was my first baptism here in the mission! It seems like it's been a while.
Sad news, my pops, Elder Griener is going home. He's been extremely ill and the iron in his blood won't proccess, last time I saw him, he seemed extremely thin and his skin was the palest ever. He attempted to call me last night. Need to contact him immediately after this. Poor guy. :( He was such a great guy! He had the most kindest, funniest attitude ever. He could talk like Donald Duck, our Landlord-George Waszkewiecz (in the heaviest New York accent ever), and like a Pirate. He was never despondent and ALWAYS seemed to be happy-or with hope. I love that guy so much! He was such a hard worker. He isn't my companion anymore (I'm with the guy you saw on Skype-the Hispanic...Elder Leal) but I believe that Elder Griener really influenced this area and contributed to the baptisms that we're yielding now...months after he left for Flushing, Queen's.
Bishop Romero was also released yesterday as Bishop!! Too many changes for one week! He was the first 'Bishop' of the Brentwood-Spanish Ward. He became the Bishop when this Ward developed from a meager Branch to a Ward!! Now the new Bishop is Brother Duran. Bishop Romero can finally return to his family again, haha.
Love,
Elder Roberts.
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