note to baby

Dear Baby Jade,

Thank you for waking me up at 3 am and wanting to play. If we hadn't started our day so early, we might have missed our Christmas phone call from your Uncle Dan, who is serving a mission in Cape Verde.

And thanks for deciding to go back to sleep just now. Please feel free to sleep until noon.

Love,
the mommy

Elder Robinson- Dec 17

Hi, how's it going? 

Anyways, this week was weird. I got a new companion. Yup. Elder Cardoso had to leave to go serve his own mission (we were both sad) and I received an other. Elder Andrade! He's nice. Also from the island of Fogo, but he likes a different soccer team than the others. Sadly, he's just waiting for his visa so he can go to Brasil and serve a mission, so he'll be leaving near the end of this transfer.

He's cool. He is a really hard worker.

For example, yesterday we spent all day trying to find lessons. All of our commitments fell through. So we were just talking to random people on the street. Honestly, I was ready to go home at 6. But he kept me going and going until 9. Nice work! By the time this transfer is over, I'll be exhausted, but also a really hard worker. I kind of look forward to that.

So yeah, our problem right now is just..finding people. Hopefully we can get some references from members this week and...teach people. Thats all we want! Some lessons! hahaha. Its been a little interesting.

What else, what else.....I dunno. Not really any cool experiences this week. Seriously, just a lot of walking and knocking on doors. But at least I have had the "missionary experience" now.

The other area on this island, Ribeira Grande has been doing great. Its cool to see how much its been growing.

Thanks for the package, family! The peanut butter is great. News: on everything you send me write "via portugal" on it. If you don't it'll go through dangerous areas of Africa. I got a letter from Sean Sekino that had been slit open at the top. Not cool.

I love you all! bye!

A Mission Farewell and a Baby Blessing

Sunday, July 8th was such a wonderful day! Daniel left on his LDS mission today, so his mission farewell talk was on Sunday. We decided to give Jade her baby blessing that same day in our parents' ward so Daniel could be part of the blessing circle. I was a bit nervous about taking Jade to church for the first time (what if she starts having a freak out??) but she was such a good baby! I was so grateful that Lance was able to give our daughter a blessing.

Daniel gave an awesome talk. What was even sweeter about this sacrament meeting was that it was Troy's farewell too (he is going to Thailand!). They both did great on their talks and they sang a duet together "I Believe in Christ". They did a fantastic job. I am just so amazed by how great so many young men and women in the church are. Here are two very talented young men giving up everything to spend 2 years just serving God and other people. Wow.

Daniel with his friends

Lance and Jade
(Lance made Jade's headband!!)

Getting the little lady ready

Family Picture

Called to Serve....

Daniel got his mission call! He will be serving in the Cape Verde Praia Mission!! And...he will be speaking Portuguese!!

Before Daniel opened his call, he was telling us that one of his roommates just got his call to a place called Praia, Cape Verde. We were all surprised when he found out...same mission!

I thought for sure Dan was going to some kind of Korean speaking mission. I definitely had not considered he'd be going to Africa and speaking Portuguese!

We are all super excited for him! I am also very excited because Lance and I are planning to teach our children Portuguese (Lance speaks it and so does his dad). Now we are all even more motivated to learn the language. :)

 Daniel getting ready to open the call...notice all the Korean dumplings we were making?

 I thought he'd be going somewhere where they use chopsticks...

 Daniel with Daniel, Josh and Trevor

We had to get out the map!

I'm so proud of my little brother!! :)

(How Stuff Works, Inc., 2012)