Man of few words!

Hey everyone,

My young man of few words is not sending out a weekly letter this week.  He said he was being lazy and didn't know what to say. His companion got his visa and will be leaving on the 9th of Dec.  So I bet that means he will have a new companion.  He loves the ward he is in and they love the missionaries too.  His ward mission leader is coming out for a class next week.  So I'm hoping I get to meet him and his wife. They already got 3-4 inches of snow today. Yes Elder Pike is still enjoying his mission very much.  He says to tell you that he loves you all and to have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike via his mom

Rain and Raking Leaves Makes a Good Combination!

Happy Monday!

So this week has been a exciting one we have done a lot of service this week and had many opportunities to help others this week. So we had this really cool thing happen to us last week at the mall we met Santa and it turns out he is LDS too. He secretly lives in Boise Idaho during the summer and hides in the east town mall in Madison during the holidays. He quoted D&C 193 to us about a man coming from the north dressed in red and white. And then promised us that we would be getting someone to teach in the next 5 weeks as a gift for Christmas. So I am excited for the next few weeks. Also today Elder Bisgler's family emailed him and told him he should be getting is visa here real soon. So I am probably going to be getting a new companion here soon and I am excited. So back to the service we did, Saturday morning we decided to play basketball with the other missionaries in Sun Prairie and some members and had a good time. We went over to a members house to rake leaves and we had planned on it taking only about an hour or two at max but sadly we were mistaken. It took us 5 hours because we had to load them into her car and then she would take them to the dump. On top of all this it was misting the entire time we were doing this so the leaves were sticking all over the place and causing it to take longer. But on the bright side she was talking us up to her neighbors so we may stop by in a week or too and see if they need any service or if they would like to hear our message. Well I have to go and I will talk with you next week.

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Robert Pike

Sun Prairie

Hello all,

Well this week has been pretty fun. Saying goodbye to the great people in Janesville and then getting to meet all the members here in Sun Prairie. It was awesome to meet an investigator/member this week. He got baptized and you could see the spirit just radiate from him after he was baptized and confirmed. I have had a awesome time getting to know the people in Janesville and for the opportunity to serve in Sun Prairie. I am excited for the the work to really progress here. I am also excited for the snow, so you all may know it is snowing today. Well I have a lot of work to go and do, I need to get my companion a Visa to Brazil, we need to find more people to teach, convert them to Jesus Christ. Well I love you all have a great week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

I am going, going, going gone!

Hey all,

This week has been a weird one we have done a lot of work and a lot of service and guess what our numbers reflected it. However I am truly grateful for the opportunities this week to serve the members here this week and build their faith in the missionaries and in Jesus Christ. This week and the past 7 weeks have gone by way too fast here in Janesville and unfortunately I am leaving for Sun Prairie this Wednesday, I am excited for the opportunity to go and help them grow stronger in their faith in Jesus Christ. I can't wait to meet the members and to get them excited and motivated about missionary work. I can't believe that I have been out for 7 and 1/2 month already it only feels like yesterday I left for my mission. I  can tell that I have grown so much and I am excited for the 16 and 1/2 months left I can't wait to share what I have felt with my friends and family. Well I love you all and have a great week.

-- 

Elder Robert Pike

GOALS!!!!!

Hola mi amigos,

Well this week has been a good one.  Our mission at the beginning of this year set a goal for 300 baptisms and we are getting pretty close to achieving it as of Saturday we have had a total of 245. Which is the closest our mission has been in YEARS to achieving its goal. So being inspired of these goals our district came together and set a goal that can be achieved by November 23rd and our goal is a high, for our mission, 13 baptisms in 3 areas among 3 now 4 going to be 5 sets of missionaries. Now to tell you about my cool experience that happened on Tuesday night, so I was wondering and praying on what can I do to help the ward. So this ward is doing a 40 day fast for missionary work that ends in the end of November and leads up to a nativity festival, so I was impressed to set a goal for the ward that has to do about missionary work and that goal is crazy but extremely achievable it is 30 baptisms before then end of the year. The Janesville ward hasn't seen 30 baptisms in 1 year let alone 2.5 months but the lord has assured me that this number is what the ward can achieve and that we, members and missionaries, need to work hard! So now my challenge to you all is to set a goal and make plans for the Lord to hasten the work, to pray for the missionaries and for missionary opportunities, and act on the promptings that the Lord provides. I know this week I really haven't talked about what I did but all I can truly say I have done this week is, I have become an Tool (my version of instrument) in shaping the Milwaukee Wisconsin Mission.

 

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

The Last Two Weeks

The last two weeks have been crazy, a lot of stuff has happened and then again it feels like I am going nowhere. So I will give kinda a brief  letter about last week and then this week. So two weeks ago today we had some fun playing basketball with the other Elders here it was a ton of fun. Then Tuesday was district meeting and we were able to focus on teaching the guy who came up to us on the street the week before. Wednesday we had a few appointments with people and were able to have a great time with a less active family. Thursday we thought Catilino and shared with him some chapters out of the Book of Mormon and he was stoked about his baptism. Friday we went out to Clinton and thought the Diez family and they were really receptive to the restoration and now we just have to get him to church. Saturday and Sunday were Conference I got SO MUCH out of it for everyone's information I wrote 20 pages of notes and yes my hand still hurts.

Last week was good but really slow for some reason. Monday we had a couple appointments that fell through unfortunately. Tuesday we had ZTM in Madison we talked a lot about faith it was awesome to be thought by the elders that were there. Wednesday and Thursday we had a lot of time to go and talk with a bunch of people. We had the opportunity to teach 4 lessons both on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday thru Sunday we talked with quite a few people but they all seamed to be Catholic or Jehovah Whiteness and didn't like us very much.

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Robert Pike

WOW THIS WEEK!!!!

This has been a fun and exciting week. We had the opportunity to be called to repentance by a member of the quorum of the 70. And to have a great blessing be bestowed upon my companion and I. So I think I'll start off with Monday we went and played some basketball with the English elders here in Janesville and had the wonderful opportunity to have dinner with a family in the ward who we would later in the week help move a piano. Tuesday we met a less active member who was awesome and he knows his stuff and wants to come to church but he also wants to have his wife with him and she isn't a member but she is slightly interested in what we have to say. Wednesday we did a lot of finding both in Spanish and English with very little success so we tried to find some more productive things to do and we couldn't come up with much. Thursday we were called to repentance because Elder Perkins didn't feel the spirit at out meeting like he did in the past two meetings he had. It was awesome he truly spoke from the spirit and what was most amazing was the revelation I received on how to truly impact the areas I will serve in. We also had an awesome experience with our baptismal date Catilino we (Elder Crisanto) read out of the Book of Mormon with him and he really wants to be baptized and he truly feels the spirit when he reads. Friday we were able to talk with a bunch of people and set up appointments with them.  It was funny so the family we had dinner with on Monday called us up and asked if we could help move a piano for them, well she had it all set up but forgot to make sure the owner of the piano would be there so we moved it picking it up to Saturday. Well Saturday the day of just the most awesome experience I have had on my mission to date. We were going to see a few less actives and this guy pulled over off his motorcycle and came up to us and asked us to pray for him and we talked with him and gave him a Book of Mormon. He talked with us for a half hour and he told us he just found Jesus 9 months ago and was looking for a christian church to bring his family too. Unfortunately we were not able to set up an appointment with him but he did give us his address and said to come and talk with him and we are planning on seeing him tomorrow. Sunday was awesome we had dinner with this part member family and they are awesome the mother and one daughter is a member and the dad is very supportive and has read the Book of Mormon but didn't feel like it applies to him but he is willing to read it again and give it another shot. 

I am stoked for General Conference this week and can't wait to hear and receive revaluation from all who talk this weekend. I would like to challenge everyone to just watch one full session and I promise you will feel the spirit and it will help you out this week.

Love you all

 

Elder Robert Pike

Janesville...I'm not in Vegas anymore or maybe I am

Hola. Como estas?

So this week has been fun! We had a few surprises this week. Monday we did some normal p-day stuff then got a referral for a guy who is having some bad luck and we saw him and he seams really interested. Tuesday we saw a bunch of people and we had a lesson with one of the now Janesville English investigators that went really well. Wednesday was normal transfers day and we got a surprise at 7 in the morning that another elder was going to be with us for the day. So it kinda blew our plans out of the water. Thursday we met with our baptismal date and had a great lesson reading the Book of Mormon.  Friday we had some chaos of trying to split the English work here because we are getting sisters here next transfer.  We had a great lesson with a family that is wanting to be baptized. Saturday we kinda didn't do a lot of work but we were able to talk to a few people who are interested in the church. Sunday was odd we went to church and had a great time but afterwords we went to the English elders apartment and talked a lot about the area and how we are going to split it. We had dinner at the bishops and talked a little about ourselves.

This week is promising to be a good one we have a member of the 70's coming on Thursday so next weeks letter will be interesting.

 

Love you all.

--

Elder Robert Pike

ET.....Janesville Spanish?

Dear all,

Well this week is a crazy one so be prepared for a kinda weird letter. So Monday we played tennis with our branch mission leader again, I came so close to beating him. Tuesday was our last District meeting for the transfer, then we had an appointment with Raquel, she is awesome she knows everything is true and really wants to be baptized. Wednesday we had a lot of time to tract down some potentials and some former investigators. Thursday we did some tracting and found some people who might be interested in learning more about the gospel it was awesome. Friday we had a meeting with Hailey (member) and Jordan (Investigator boyfriend) and had an awesome lesson with them he is really close to being baptized, afterwords we got a call form a member in the branch asking to give a blessing to somebody in the hospital, which turned out to be really good. Then wonderful Saturday where we got as call at 8:30 from our mission president and he asked us to do some things for him to help out some missionaries. So he asked me to pack up all my stuff and to be ready to go to Janesville where there are some trust issues and build the faith of the members again. I think the missionary motto should be "FLEXIBLE" because I don't know if I said this but it is also a Spanish area. Sunday we had 3 investigators at church who are really progressing towards baptism which is really awesome.

So after all that I have gone through this week I am pleased to say as Nephi said  " And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of ^ahappiness" because I have been given the opportunity to serve the Lord in this new area. I am also happy for the opportunity to be able to preach this wounderfull gospel to the people of Wisconsin.

 

Love you all

Elder Robert Pike

 

Dear Friends and family, 

 

This week had been very weird and disappointing because of all the hard work we have done with very little results. But we are going to keep our efforts up and working hard. Monday as I told you last week we had a few.  We had an experience with a recently returned marine who wanted to learn more about the restoration of the church. Tuesday we played tennis with our branch mission leader. Wednesday we had a meeting with our Zone Leaders where they really stressed faith. Thursday we had the opportunity to talk with an former investigator who has been having a rough time lately. Friday we went and tried to contact some people a little ways away from Platteville. Saturday we had an awesome opportunity to go and help set up the parade here. We organized the different people in the parade so we got some cool stuff from that, then we correlated with our branch mission leader. Sunday we had the opportunity to meet with a family from the branch and help them read from the Book of Mormon. 

This weeks spiritual thought comes from a song that has been on my mind for the past week because 9/11 is this week. It is the song "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning". In this song Allen Jackson asks "where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?" and he goes on to give a few examples of what we could have been doing and throughout the song he tells us that God has given us a few gifts "Faith, Hope, and Love. And the greatest is Love." I agree exactly.  And know we need to truly love all the people around us and help them in their times of need. This is one of the biggest reasons for me to come on my mission, I wanted to be that influence in someones life that they will want to strive to help others out in hard times. 

Love You All 

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear all, 

This week has been a long one we have been doing a lot of finding with very little success. Yesterday when we finally talked with a awesome guy who listened to the restoration lesson. Last Monday we talked with a lady who asked us to come back so she could ask us more questions because she wanted to learn more about our church. This lesson really didn't go very well but we answered all of her questions. Then Tuesday we went and visited a bunch of people and no one wanted to talk with us unfortunately, but we had dinner at the Mercel's and had a good time with them. Wednesday and Thursday we had a ton of time to do some finding with very minimal success. Friday we had a good opportunity to talk with and have dinner with the Black's. Saturday we had a great lesson with our baptismal date Nichole. We helped a family move in from Prarie du chein. They had a huge U hall and it was about 90 outside with about 40% humidity plus I spent most of the time in the oven pulling stuff out for everyone to take into the house. Then Sunday and yesterday the town was pretty desolate so we did a lot of walking and talking to people on the street. 

Well I love you all and have a great week!

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear Everyone, 

This week was kinda crazy we played tennis with our branch mission leader and another set of missionaries that are close to us. Tuesday we had zone conference where we learned a lot about how to work better in our areas and how to pick up our attitudes. Plus we had exchanges that same day it was so much fun being with Elder Allen. Wednesday we went and had dinner with a less active and that went really good but we don't think she will be coming to church anytime soon. Thursday we went and did some service for a family in the branch, then we had an appointment with an interested investigator but we are trying to get her over some things. Friday was just perfect because we went to set up an appointment with a family and they were about to call us because they just bought a gun safe and needed it brought into their house. Saturday we set up a baptismal date with an investigator and coordinated with our mission leader. Sunday we had an appointment with a members grandson that could have went better but it was alright he said that he is willing to read the Book of Mormon so we are really hoping he does. 

 

Romans 6:8

  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

This scripture has always made me wonder of how much power the adversary has over us. Then I am always reminded that he has as much power as we allow him to have over us. So stay strong and don't allow him to have the power to kill us physically, spiritually, or mentally. 

Love always,

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear all,

This week was very different but it was still good. My companion and I are doing much better. This week I don't really have much to report about because a lot of what we did this week is tract with very little success. But on a non-missionary related topic I got a very special package this week, from a family that is tied for best family ever! (The Mecham's), it had some really awesome ties and a ton of candy that came at the right time to give me a good pick-me-up. And I would also like to give a big thank you to everyone for all your support and prayers I love you all so much I will share more in next weeks letter I don't really have a lot to time to email this week but next weeks will be better. 

Love Ya,

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear Family and Friends,

Well I am out of Iron Mountain and now in Platteville. So this past Monday we helped a member move a washer and dryer from one house to the next. Then on Tuesday I finished packing then we started our long journey down to Oak Creek WI to stay the night because Elder Potter is training a new missionary. Then Wednesday came around and I started my trip to Platteville which took until 6pm. When I get here and we went out to work and tried to contact some people who weren't home then just did a lot of walking. Thursday Really sucked,  I unpacked then we planned for the week and after we basically walked the whole town because we had nothing else to do. We also did the same thing Friday. It is really bad because we have nothing going on so we are walking a lot and not having much success. Saturday we went to some towns around Platteville and visited some former investigators but they aren't really interested. We correlated with our branch mission leader and talked with him for a good amount of time about how to get the members to start doing missionary work. Sunday we had very few members at church and it was really small. 

I really need some prayers my companion are not really getting along to well. We aren't to open with each other on how everything is going so I could really use encouragement as well. So if anyone has something that could cheer me up please help out. Thank you very much and Love you

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear all,

I'm getting transferred from Iron Mountain I am truly going to miss the people here however I am moving on to my new area, Platteville Wisconsin. So this week has been kind of crazy we finished up the ramp on Monday and then we talked with the members that we built the ramp for. Tuesday we had a District Meeting and so it was my last one here and it was great we really learned a lot. Wednesday we walked a lot and had a good correlating meeting with our mission leader. We helped the branch presidency find a name from Salt Lake that got sent back. Thursday we planned so Elder Potter could be sure he knew the area really well plus we went and contacted some less actives. We then finished contacting the less actives and potential investigators on Friday plus we had an appointment with an investigator that moved back here, JT. Saturday we contacted the guy who showed up at church a few Sundays ago and talked with him for a while then we meet with a less active, Josh, then another less active Jason and had great lessons with them. Sunday was great I confirmed Keeli a member of the church. All the testimonies were great, the spirit was defiantly present at this meeting. After church we went out to the Watt's and had dinner and I got a photo with the whole family.

This weeks spiritual thought comes out of Alma chapter 44 so in verses 3-4 Captain Moroni is talking with Zerahemnah after they wiped out a large part of the Laminite army. He then teaches them that they had won the battle because of their faith in God so if we have faith we may be able to be like captain Moroni and be able to overcome any challenge that comes our way.
 3 But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us ^abecause of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith.
 4 Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are ^afaithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith.

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

 

Dear all,

This week has been a good week from having a baptism to building a wheelchair ramp. Monday we did all the normal P-day activities, like getting food and the necessities. Tuesday was a fun District meeting we all talked for about 45 minuets after then we went to stop by some peoples houses and set up some appointments and got to meet some of them. Wednesday we had a suprise come up that allotted me to use a skill I got before the mission. We went up to Iron Rover, MI to start laying out a wheelchair ramp for a member family. I've missed working with lumber. Thursday brother Lane and us went to put this ramp together, we picked up the lumber that morning at Home Depot, by the way I saved the church about $150. Then we drove up to Iron River but on the way we had to pick up a building and zoning permit, I love Las Vegas, which took 3 HOURS and was completely ridiculous for a removable structure. We finally got to start on it and we just kept chugging on and then when we got about 2/3 of the way done it started poring rain on us.  We just kept going because we needed to have it done by Friday. We finished the actual ramp by like 8 because of the rain however we have to go back to put the hand rail on the ramp. Friday we went on exchanges with the elders from Escanaba and I went there and it just pored on us all day long however we set up 3 appointments and meet with a guy who just walked into the church. Then came the Baptism on Saturday which went great. So a funny story Keeli got baptized so then after we said it was done right and she was compleatly immersed she started swimming in the baptismal font it was really funny. Then yesterday was like most Sundays we had potluck after church and then we had district calls then we went out to the Watts and had an awesome dinner.

So this is a photo of Keeli and her grandpa and the missionaries. Next week i will have the ramp phots for everyone to see.

--

Elder Robert Pike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Menominee River/Piers Gorge

 

This was the departing gift for Elder and Sister Johnson.

Another week, another day

So last Monday we got a call from an less active asking if she could get a blessing and we said sure but she is up in Sault Ste. Marie, 200 miles from us, in the Lansing Michigan mission so we had to call our mission president to get permission to call the Lansing Michigan mission office. Guess what they close at 3:30 eastern time and of course we didn't call until 4 or 5 eastern time so then we had to do all this running around to try and find numbers and we finally ended up at the church at 6.  Then we found the number and called the missionaries in SSM and told them abut her and how to contact her and then we told them to call us back and we waited like an hour and a half before hearing from them. Tuesday was much more peaceful we just had a District Meeting and we had interviews with President Cutler. He asked me what was the priority for more missionaries in the Iron Mountain Branch and I told him the first thing they need is another set of missionaries in Crystal Falls because we have tons of members there and here in the near future we will have 2 baptisms in one family and we have several families that can't make it to Iron Mountain because of gas. So they still need that spiritual nurture. Then on Wednesday we meet with Keeli and had a great lesson with her and then we meet with our branch 2nd councilor to prepare for the next day. Thursday we went up to Crystal Falls and meet with 5 families up there and started to get to know them better and it went great. We both have come to the conclusion we need another set of missionaries in the area to help with the members up there. Friday was crazy because we had not a whole lot to do and we even had 2 appointments one of which fell through. Then Saturday we meet with Keeli for one of the last times and set up her baptism which is this Saturday. Then we were with Brother Lane for the rest of the night helping some families in the branch who are going through a hard time. Sunday was fun we had our Stake Priesthood meeting down in Marionette.

This is an very inspirational video that we all should live up to. We don't need to be a part of a popular group to go and visit those who stand in need of comfort. We just need to have a desire to help and inspire the lives of those going through hard times. Mosiah once said "When you are in the service of your fellow being you are in the service of your God." I also believe that when we are not out trying to help others we are doing a disservice to God and are not truly wanting to be like him. So my challenge for everyone this week is to do something that is out of the way to help someone. They may need food, water, advice, a ride, or even the gospel and it is your job to give it to them

http :// www . youtube . com /embed/IW8TnskbQiU?feature=player_detailpage

 

 

Love you all

Elder Robert Pike

July 15th, 2013

So much went on this week. Monday we helped the senior couple move back home. Then we went all around town and tried to find some really fun stuff to do but we didn't find anything good. We updated Elder Potters GPS and talked with Brother Erickson and are possibly going to borrow his typewriter to type some letters to send out so if you want one you should ask now. Tuesday we helped our vehicle coordinator and our housing representative, the Shumways (they are from Las Vegas), take all the furniture out of the Johnsons apartment. Then we down into Wisconsin to meet with some Less Actives.  We had an appointment with a member who recently started coming back to church when I got here and we talked about the first and great commandment. On Wednesday we went up to Marquette for ZTM and we were thought on why it is important to extend commitments.  We made a pit stop at the Yopper Tourist Trap for a bathroom break.  It was funny. Then Thursday rolled around and we went and meet with our baptismal date, Keeli, she is doing great we are 100% sure she will be baptized. After that we went to one of the best family a missionary could meet with, the Watts. Friday we had 3 appointments first we meet with our Branch Mission Leader and had lunch with him, we then had an appointment with a new member from Florida and talked about her conversion.  We meet with Brother Erickson and Read from the Book of Mormon with him. On Saturday we meet with Keeli again. We came back did studies and then went back out to the Watts to help them paint a Friends house. Sunday was like every other except we had an strange guy show up to church about half way through sacrament and then came to gospel principals with us and we set up an appointment for Friday with him. Well that was my week kinda fun filled I know.

Love,
Elder Pike

Hello Wisconsin haha or Michigan,

Well how is everybody?  I am good this week had been so much fun. Well last Monday we went on a hike and saw some white water rapids, just so you know I will be coming back for them. We also had a bunch of fun  just exploring the area around the river. Tuesday we went down to district meeting and unfortunately it was the Johnson's last one. Then Wednesday we went down to Appleton to meet our new Mission President, President Cutler. He was really nice and really wants us to focus on family when we spread the gospel. He, his wife and, his daughter are really friendly and a lot more personable than President Jones. Plus we are going to be in close contact with him since the senior couple up here is leaving. Then on the 4th of July we did our Weekly planning. We then we had dinner at the Johnson's and had a conversation with them. We tried to visit people but nobody was home and so then we watched the fireworks and now I am spoiled because Vegas had nothing on Iron Mountain. Then on Friday we meet with our 10 year old investigator and had a great lesson with the plan of salvation and Sponge Bob. She then thought us how the plan of salvation with the flash cards. We had our branch picnic on Saturday and it was great. Tons of people from the branch  and tons of food. If anyone wants to go camping for a vacation I will suggest Pentoga Park it was really nice. Then yesterday was fast Sunday and nothing too note worthy happened just another rainy Sunday in Iron Mountain. And today so far we helped the Johnson's pack and they are off to West Valley UT, for at least 6 months then who knows where they will go next for a mission.

Well I love you all,

 

Elder Robert Pike

Transfers

Hello everyone,

How are you all doing? I am well this week has been very weird. Well to start out on Monday we found out that Elder Christensen was leaving and I was getting a new companion his name is Elder Potter, and no his first name isn't Harry. We had dinner at an former investigators house because Elder Christensen taught him and they wanted to feed him since he was leaving, we even went to our Less Active/ Recent Convert Matt so Elder Christensen could say goodbye. Then on Tuesday we had several appointments for Elder Christensen to say goodbye. Wednesday we went down to Green Bay to the transfer point where Elder Christensen and I said goodbye and he went to Oshkosh and I waited for Elder Potter to get to Green Bay. Around 2 the missionaries showed up to replace the Elders who left the Green Bay Zone. We got home around 6 or 7 and we got Elder Potter set up in the apartment. Thursday we got to know each other a lot better and planed out what we are going to do before this next transfer. So on Friday we meet with one of our investigator Keeli Brooks she is 10 and her grandparents are wanting her to be baptized and she is showing that she wants it too. Nothing too exciting happened on Saturday but however we were able to visit some less actives in the far away places because we had extra miles. Sunday we had a great lesson with Josh , less active, and just had several spiritual lessons on Sunday, it was great.

I am excited to say that we will be able to use a lot of the stuff that Elder Perry talked about on last Sunday. I know that the Lord is truly hastening His work and He is preparing the people by their friends and family sharing the gospel to those all around the world. I know that as we all change our ideas of what missionary work is, that is to not allow the missionaries to tract and labor alone. We all need to stick up for ourselves and our beliefs when people are talking about them. We all as members need to make our focus the same as the missionaries. We all need to " Invite others to come unto Christ", by helping them receive the message of the restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End.

 

Elder Robert Pike

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week was my last week as a New Missionary. My Monday was pretty boring we didn't have much to do but we filled the day with finding. Then on Tuesday we preformed some service for some less active females by cleaning their porch and had a fun lesson with one our members who was less active. And on Wednesday we had a correlating meeting with our branch mission leader that went okay, then we taught an investigator who has had 2 baptismal dates and both fell through. We set up some scaffolding to do some siding work on Lee and Jessica's house. Then we traveled to Green Bay to stay the night so we could be in Oshkosh at 9 in the morning for my 7-12 week training. Thursday we had my final training and then we went back to Iron Mountain and had dinner with Brother Erickson. Friday we saw a member from the Escanaba branch. We  had lunch with a less active recent convert Matt.  We got some really not exciting news that our branch mission leader was in the hospital and was there for a couple of days. We have come to the conclusion that we will no longer meet with him because when we do he goes to the hospital and eventually one time he won't come out.  We had a great meeting with our 10 year old investigator Keeli and that ended our busiest day. Saturday was great the Johnson's had a baptism for a girl that they have been working with for almost 2 years she was very excited. Sunday was the highlight of this past week with the New Mission President Seminar. Today my companion has to pack and get ready to move back down to Neenah WI. This Wednesday I will be getting a new companion Elder Potter.

 

So what I got from the conference yesterday. Members and Missionaries need to work together to find and teach. The mission leader should be filling up our planners with appointments. Members should not let the missionaries tract all day long. Ward/branch members should contact the new names from the ward/branch roster. We all must ACT IN FAITH in all that we do. Most importantly Members Must Get To Know The Missionaries and The Investigators That They Teach.

 

Elder Robert Pike

 

PS: this is my new address

Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission

7111 W. Edgerton Ave STE #100

Greenfield, WI 53220

The Iron Mine Tour

Hey mom here is a picture of all of us with Elder Oaks.

Put it into Action

Dear Family and Friends,


This week was exciting and very eventful. So I will start with our Iron Mine tour, the Iron Mountain District went to this Iron Mine and took the tour and had a ton of fun enjoying each others company. Then on Tuesday we had an exciting meeting where we all bore out testimonies about the Book of Mormon, after this we had a good lesson with a investigator, who is going to take a ton of time because he is really trying to stick to his faith, but we got him to read out of the Book of Mormon and asked him if he finds out that it is true that he would be baptized. Wednesday was really scattered but good we kept going at about 110 mph. Then on Thursday we went to a members house to help him dig some trenches for his septic field and then we had a good dinner with the senior couple here, Elder and Sister Johnson. On Friday we had a Dinner Appointment with members in Crystal Falls and just had an really spiritual lesson with them. Then Saturday was the big day we went down to Neenah WI, for and all mission conference and we got to hear from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Elder Ward, Elder Funk, Elder Neilson, and Elder Clayton. I have to say that Elder Oaks has an extremely good sense of hummer. After the conference we went and had a good lesson with a member referral. And Finally Sunday we were asked to talk about our fathers then we thought Gospel principals class and that went well and a investigator wanted a blessing but had to leave so we asked if he could meet us over at one of his friends house and he said he could do that. Then we decided to teach him a lesson and give him a blessing so we had probably the best lesson I will ever have on my mission and he has agreed to be baptized and he will be baptized on August 3rd. Today is going to be a fun day catching up on cleaning and all sorts of that stuff.


Spiritual thoughts from Saturday. Elder Ward: Jacob 1:7 "Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ..." this isn't just the goal of missionaries but it is the goal for all members of the church. Elder Funk: " This is His church with His organization. Make His will your will. Elder Neilson: " Ether 12:2-3 "By faith all things are fulfilled. Elder Clayton:" Alma 23:7 " Lay down the weapons of their rebellion and they did not fight agents God anymore..." everyone can lay down their weapons of war and they need to know that the Gospel is true and that the members may not be perfect but the Gospel is." President Jones, My Mission President, we need a strong, firm foundation in the gospel read Heleman 5:12 next 3 Nephi 11:39 next is Alma 5:58-59. Finally Elder Oaks: " We need to Teach to Conversion, to Teach to Retention, and to Teach to Reactivation." So my challenge to you is to apply anyone of these in your life because they all will better your life in more than one way. I love you all.
--



Elder Robert Pike

June 10th, 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week was pretty good we had a bunch of appointments fall through on us but the appointments we had were great. Tuesday was probably my busiest day so far on my mission we had an appointment at 9 in the morning, then we went to a less actives house and we watched the testaments video, then we had dinner with our branch president and correlated with him, then we went to another less active members house and read out of the scriptures with him and left a spiritual message and went really good, then right after that we had an appointment with an investigator Steven, who is going through dialysis, he is a really nice guy but we have to work with him one small step at a time because he is set on being Greek Orthodox but he is reading out of the Book of Mormon. Then we had a Zone Training on Wednesday but after words it got us really thinking that we really need to focus on working with the branch and getting them to function properly and so we are kind of stopping the strict, serious missionary work and work on the members and help them fill their callings. I am really excited to tell you all that I get to meet Dallin H Oaks and 5 members of the quorum of the 70, we get to have an all mission conference on Saturday where we get to meet them and possibly ask them questions. So I got a letter from Brother Herdt two weeks ago and he had something in there I really liked. He said something on the lines of, "Dear Elder Robert Pike, You are like the angel from 1 Nephi chapter 8. Your job is to help people out of the darkness and bring them to a tree who's fruit is most desirable above all other fruit." So any missionary or member can place their name where mine is and apply it to their life. I hope you all have a good week.

Elder Robert Pike

Man of Few Words

Family and Friends,

I know I started this blog three months ago but most of you know that Elder Pike is a man of few words.  I won't put the whole blame on him because his mother has had a rough go of it. We miss him very much. We are very proud of what he is doing. So no more "Pitty Party Nancy"!  So I will do my best and try to keep you up to date from here on out. Thank you to everyone for your caring,
concern, emails, letters and prayers for Robert.

The Pike Family
Glenn, Kolene and (their little dog too) Abby

Fisher of Men

"And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mark 1:17)   Fishing is an interesting, peaceful, even joyous sport. If this age-old summer pastime is capable of bringing such joy to fishermen, imagine the joy that would come to someone who catches men and brings them to Christ! 

"And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" D&C 18:15-16).

Simon Peter had quite a day----

one hundred and fifty-three fish! After they had eaten, the resurrected Lord looked at the remainder of Peter's catch and asked, "Lovest thou me more than these?" (John 21:15).

Peter left his nets, and became a "fisher of men."  Yesterday with love for the Lord and faith in his promises, Robert left his nets and became a fisher of men.