Week 99

Ang huling email ko, tapos na ang misyon ko duon sa filipinas, pero hindi pa sa aking buhay.

Hello everyone! This one is a little late because I didn't have a phone Monday. This one will be my last week writing or second to last. I am Home! Already released as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Sunday President and Sister Martinez came to our branch and I gave a last talk. They took us to Tacloban afterwards. Then I worked in Tacloban the rest of the day. 

We did departing activities Monday then Tuesday we left to Manila. We were able to meet up with a past companion in Manila, Elder Valencia, or brother, and eat out with him in the Mall of Asia. Then Wednesday morning we woke up at 3:30 am and left to the airport and flew out to San Francisco, 13 hours, then after arriving in the US we had a 4 hour layover and said goodbye to all my batchmates, then another 5 ½ hours to Dulles Washington DC, then I saw my family! 

I felt so sick and sore after the travel though. Then drove the 2 hours to President Stratford's house to get released and another 20 minutes back home, and went to sleep at 12 am. Added all up, that is my 32 hour day with 4 or 5 hours of sleep the night before. . 

Still tired. 

Thank you all for your support and emails to me and for all those that read my emails. I am so grateful for my mission--it means everything to me. I have grown in so many ways and feel I'm involved in a work infinitly bigger than myself. Through faith in the Lord I will continue to serve God through the service of all. 

One thing that President Stratford said to me is that the most important thing me and all of you can do is strive and do whatever it takes to have the Spirit with you. This means to care more about the things of God than anything in the world. What a difficult challenge, but as we see in the sacrament prayer how we can achieve this, probably the most important word I learned on the mission, paghinumdum. Or in other words, Remember. 

Helaman 5:6

6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.

Moroni 4:3

3 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

If we remember, we will 'always have his spirit to be with [us]'. Remember what? Jesus Christ and his amazing sacrifice for us. 

I love you all. I know God Lives. He Loves you and me So much. 

 - Sincerely, Cal Robertson

Ps, you are all invited this Sunday to the Harrisonburg chapel at 11:30 am, the 6th. I'm sharing a little bit in sacrament, but just a testimony, then definitely you all are invited the 13th where I will be speaking during church! Love to see you all at either! Kitakits