Okay so first of all I was cracking up at the cut out picture of me and I can totally imagine mom just giving it to all the people and asking if she can take a picture. And that is a pretty good story about how I started dad even though I am in a different country. I love you guys and miss yall so much. It was actually a little weird seeing pictures of the house (the garage and table that looks out into the back yard.) It looks like the garage is in the exact condition that I left it in so that is good. It just kind of hit me that I have actually been gone for so long. But the reception looked AMAZING!! I am with dad that mom really has a talent for those kinds of things. I loved seeing all of the pictures and loved hearing all of the stories. Yall really are the best!
Okay now to talk a little bit about my new area. The ward is called Ralma but geographically I am in a place called Esperanza in the town of Oriental. It is super developed (for here.) All of the roads are paved and all of the houses are pretty decently nice. I have actually learned that I don't like areas like this as much as areas like Valiente or Lotes y Servicios. You're right dad my bishop is Bishop Recio. He is a super cool guy but it is interesting because here normall bishops are pretty young guys but here it feels kind of like a ward from back in the states. The bishopric are all in their 30s or 40s, the sacrament room all have padded benches, the church has air conditioning!! It is an interesting change. The ward is good! But you are right dad that is reall high compared to here. Our normal church attendance is around 40 people here.
Elder Portillo is from Honduras (my 3rd companion from Honduras.) He is super awesome and we get a long really well. He has about the same time as me in the mission. I keep forgetting to take a picture with him but I will send one next week. I am super excited to work here and change everyones view towards Oriental. When I got here there wasn't much happening so we are working on getting more things going and finding more people. I will keep everyone updated as the work progresses.
Today a huge group of missionaries got together to play soccer. I was better than I expected I would be just because I hadn't really played in so long but it was a ton of fun. I will miss Valiente a lot just for the fact that every monday we always got together to play basketball.
That is about all I got for this week! I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing about and seeing all of the amazing things yall are doing! Keep them coming!! It is crazy that we are already in August! I can't wait for Christmas time to get here! I love Christmas time a lot. And unlike in the States where the Christmas season officially starts the day after Thanksgiving, here it starts in October because there aren't any big holidays between now and Christmas.
We got a ton of work to do but I am super excited for this next week! Technically I got transfered during a special transfer and next week we will have another one but I highly doubt I will get transferred but I will keep yall updated.
I love yall!!
Elder Robertson
