Reflections

A year has passed since that telephone conversation on Thursday, January 18, 2012, when we first learned that a call to serve a mission as a Mission President was a very real possibility.  It has been quite a year.  We received the official call from President Eyring on February 10, 2012.  

Two happy missionaries.

Sister Robinson and President Robinson

Some things I have learned this past year:

1.  The Lord knows Alden and me by name, just as he know everyone.

2.  What it means to completely and totally rely on the Lord.  When everything

     in our life is so far out of our ability to do, control and manage, yet there is

     peace and hope because the Lord is there to help and bless us to be able to

     do, control and manage easy and difficult circumstances.

3.  The church is true--my testimony is more solid and strong than ever before

     in my life.

4.  Learning a new language is hard work and takes time.

5.  Missionary work is exciting work and hard work.

6.  It is so easy to love missionaries.  From the depth of my soul, I love our

    missionaries.

7.  I have gone 6 months without a hug from my grandchildren, and I am still   

    happy to be here.

8. The countries of Belgium and Netherlands are beautiful and unique countries.

    I never tire of our drives to the far reaches of the mission and the fun it is to

    met new people and learn of new places.

9. The people of these two countries are wonderful people.  Both members of

    the church, and others we have met.

10. I will never be the same person I was one year ago. For that I am eternally

     grateful.

11. The Lord does qualify and bless those he calls to do his work, regardless of

     the call.  He can and does make more out of us than we could ever hope to

     make of ourselves. 

12. Time moves quickly along is onward track.  It doesn't seem as if a year has

     passed since our lives were so dramatically changed for the better.

13. I really enjoy spending every day and all my time with Alden.  That has

     been so rare in our married life, I was looking forward to it and yes, it's

     wonderful.

To our family--our children, their spouses, and our twelve grandchildren.  We love you and miss you terribly.  Thank you for the love and support you give us so we can be here doing what we are doing and never worry (too much) about home. Keep living your lives so that the happiness of the Gospel can shine in every corner of your lives and your homes. Live so that others seeing and knowing you can feel the happiness and blessings our family receives daily. I am eternally thankful for Jesus Christ and his atonement in my life every day.  I see what a difference it makes in people's life when their life is touched by the atonement. I see what a difference humility, love and faith make in the lives of the missionaries--it can make that same difference is anyone's life.  We just have to choose it.  Family, always choose wisely.  We love you.