8 transfers, 51 weeks, 357 days, goodbye Angola, and unexplainable joy--Aug 22, 2022

 Hey there hi there ho there everybody! Hope you're all doing well! This week has been pretty good, we got our transfer news on Saturday and I will be leaving Angola and going to Bloomington  two fun facts about Bloomington, the area I'm going to is the area Elder Stevens just left two transfers ago  so Im a little late getting over there BUT Bloomington is also one or my dads old areas. So that's super exciting to go serve were he served. Anyways here's my last report from Angola.

MIRACLES/TENDER MERCIES:

Above the Hill Apartments:

We were tracitng around in this apartment complex and this one dude named Jacob answered and we asked if he would be intrested in hearing a message about Jesus Christ and he was like "yeah, for sure." So we talked with him about the Book of Mormon and then set up a return appointment with him to come back to talk with him some more. He was pretty intrested and was a totally chill dude. Please pray for Jacob!

Ancestors from the past:

We were doing some tracting...you know as missionaries do...and we knocked on this one ladies door and she was like "Oh my goodness your with the Latter-day Saints" And so we were like yeah and she was like "I've actually wanted to come by your church sometime because I have ancestors that were apart of the first pioneers to enter the Salt Lake Valley." So we were like ok awesome and we talked with her a bit gave her one of our cards and were doing back probably soon! Very awesome contact with this lady!

UPDATES:

Roxann: We finally got in contact with Roxann and she told us she didn't want to meet anymore  we asked why and she said she just wanted to attend her other church, so please add roxann to your prayers that something might change 

Amber: Amber is doing well still really struggling with some medical stuff so please keep her in your prayers like a bunch!

Espanol Amigos: They're all doing good and we continue to find them a lot! Some very good news the Elder that's coming to replace me is actually one of the Spanish speaking missionaries which is so awesome!!

Jasmine: She's doing good, we moved her date to the middle or October because she still hasn't been to church yet. Please pray for her!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

Well my spiritual thought this week comes from something that I have recently realised. These past couple weeks I've had some pretty hard stuff happen, let's just say it would be enough to make anyone pretty depressed, but through out everything that's happened I have felt this unexplainable joy. How? How was I feeling joy despite everything that was happening? The answer is quite simple and it comes from a quote by President Nelson, he said ""the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." He went on to say when our focus is on Jesus Christ we can find joy in every circumstance and I want to add my testimony to that fact. Jesus Christ is the source of Joy! It does not matter where in life you might be or what circumstances you might be in; true and lasting joy comes through our Savior as we put our faith in him and stay focused on him! It wasn't until Peter lost his focus on the Savior that he began to sink. So when you feel like your sinking and your burdens are to heavy turn to him and refocus on the life and light of the world! 

All in all this was a pretty good week! Hope you are all doing well! I'd love to hear from some of you! Remember to keep fighting the good fight and to never lose focus of what's important! Love you all! 

- Elder Roberts