Transfers.​.. I'm not leaving? you want me to train?

Hey all,


As I arrived to the library today I got this email;

"Elder Pike,

I have felt impressed to call you to train a new missionary. Your example of representing Jesus Christ in your area will have a profound effect upon your companion. Please know how much Heavenly Father loves you and will help you fulfill this important assignment.

As a trainer your responsibilities are to: 1) set an example of faith and obedience, 2) proselyte effectively and baptize consistently, 3) train your companion in all aspects of the work and look after his welfare, and 4) lead your companion through the In-Field Training for New Missionaries program during the first 12 weeks of his mission.

Thank you for helping your new companion feel God’s love and gain confidence that he can serve effectively as a missionary. Please show by your example the importance of obedience and help your companion learn to serve as an outstanding missionary because he loves the Lord. May you seek and receive inspiration from the Holy Ghost to guide you as you serve in this important calling.

Love,

President Cutler"


This came as a great surprise to me so I hope I am up for the challenge for training and I know that the Lord qualifies whom he calls.

So I am stoked for this transfer I love this ward now after conference and to opportunity to apply what was taught. I am so stoked to see the blessings that will come as my companion and I will work hard with the ward to bring forth blessings and miracles. Conference really hit home. I am so stoked for the next 6 months I have left, I will miss my mission but I know of a surety that their is a prophet on the earth today and his name is Thomas S Monson, I know that his councilors Henry B Eyring and Dieter F Uchtdorf are also called of God and inspired men, I know that the members of the Twelve Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. I truly know that they have a very special witeness of Jesus Christ and I know we can receive a similar one as we read the scriptures and pray to our Heavenly Father. He will answer. These things I know because I have done so and I encourage you to do also.

I hope that all of you were able to watch conference and to gain from it, and if you didn't I suggest that you take some time to watch and listen to the prophetic call of the men and women who spoke. I love you all and have a great day and week.

Love,

Elder Robert Pike

Another week a week later

Hey,

How are things are going this week was good nothing of too much report. We had some great lessons with members present. We were able to have a good lesson with a guy we found and we were able to give him an baptismal date and to share wit him our testimonies. we hope he will be ready for Dec. 23. love you and hope you have a great week.
Love you all,
Elder Pike​

Another week

Hey,

This was a great week I love the leaders that have been called in this area. This week was Stake Conference it was awesome, I love the general authorities that have called the past two Stake Presidents in Green Bay. This week was a weird one both Elder Wise and I have no idea what to do we have tracted most of Green Bay and aren't teaching too many people so we are a little on the lost side. Then this week we had interviews with President Cutler (inspired leader (we also got to see him 3 days in a row) ) and he gave us some awesome ideas that we can use to help the work progress here. I love him and his wife so much they are such a blessing to all of us here. Then we heard from the Steak leaders and him and his wife. So in the Saturday night session they hounded conversion, the importance of a testimony, and how to do member missionary work. And then on Sunday they continued to explode my mind with things of how we can live and be in harmony with God so we may be exalted in the last days. It was so dope to haer all these things it felt like we started General Conference already, I am so excited for it in 2 weeks and I would suggest, if you can, to watch a session at a church building it is so much different than watching it in your home. I am so excited for the weeks ahead and for the time I still Get to serve the lord. I hope you have a great week!

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

What A Week

Wow,

This was an interesting week but it was good. We had a great P-day last week we went to the church after here and played some basketball and volleyball until 6 it was pretty cool. Tuesday we had a zone training and it was pretty good we got a great talk from the leaders from Tod R. Calaster and it was awesome. Then after that we were going out and we were able to hand out some copies of the Book of Mormon. It has been awesome serving here. I truly love it. The people here are pretty open even if they don't want to change. Wednesday wasn't too good we had 2 lessons fall through and a new investigator drop us at the same time. However the evening was way better we got to have dinner with an awesome family. Then the second councilor in the bishopric took us to a less active and had a good interesting lesson and we are probably going to go over and teach their son and help him understand the church. He was baptized and we are just going to help him understand it better because he has autism. Thursday was rough and that's all I have to say about that. Friday was very interesting we had a decent lesson with an investigator, Keath, he had some really good questions and we had the answers to help and we are going over Wednesday and trying to continue to help him understand the gospel. Then we taught this guy with some crazy but logical ideas, he believes you don't need to be married in front of judges or others it is just a relationship you have with a person of the opposite sex, but he is seaming to understand or church so I hope he is going to be coming around soon. Both Saturday and Sunday were rough and that is all I have to say about that. (I know I sound like Forrest Gump) Well I hope that this week turns out better than the last and I hope the same for you.
Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike

Packers may have lost but not all is lost in Green Bay

Hey all,

This week was a really fun one. It was short because we P-day on Tuesday this last week but it was an awesome week. We were able to go out and to do some finding. We were able to find 3 new investigators. I really can't remember what all happened this week but I know that we have been seeing some great blessing here. However, on the other hand it is sad to see how the ward isn't really supporting us even though they have about 10 missionaries out from this ward with 2 young missionaries and 2 senior couples leaving soon. I can't even believe that this is so bad here, I hope back home the missionaries aren't saying the same thing. I have been really praying for them and for this ward. It was really interesting one of the missionaries from this ward wrote a email to the ward and shared an experience about how in her mission they were to have 16 members present for lessons a week, well now her mission president said they aren't living up to their potential and then changed the goal to 60(that's a lot). This really made me think that our goal in our mission for 4 a week is pretty sad:(. However each mission has it's own challenges and I believe that ours has a lot. But who am I to judge I have my own problems that I need to still overcome. I am really excited for this week and I am hoping for some extreme faith building phalanges and for many miracles to happen. I hope you all have a great week.

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

​This week was definitely a week!

This is Elder Wise

​This week was definitely a week!

Requirements for a week

1. it lasts seven days

2. It contains 168 hours

3. It happens whether you are alive or not.

4. It has Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

5. The clock revolves 14 times. (if the clock works (and is a twelve hour clock))

6. More days till I have to do this again
7.  It ENDED!!!

So from that, one would think that we had a pretty rough week! But all in all! It was pretty great week!

We had some fun, ate some food, worked out at the gym, had a pool party! Had some really good dates, loved my life, I thought about getting married, I didn't, but I considered IT!!! PSYCH!!!

I didn't do any of that, except eating, and working out (not at the gym), and having fun.

But we stopped someone from breaking the law of chastity yesterday, or we at least delayed it, so that was a blessing, for them.

But great things!

We got to meet some great people!

But I can't remember who they were!

But I love my life!

Some great spiritual experiences! I love you all! I know it's a pretty lame email.

But transfers were last week, and I stayed, and it was great! There are some good things happening this transfer! We hope!

Love you all!

Elder Robert Pike

Transfers and I'm not moving

Hey,

This week was a short one and I don't truly have much to say but that I am staying in Green Bay with Elder Wise. We are going to see a bunch of miracles here. It is sad to see another transfer go bye but I am so excited for the work to progress. We are going to be meeting with our bishop and the ward mission leader this week to she the ward progress the member and missionary correlation. I hope you have a great week and I love you all.     

Elder Robert Pike

Pictures

You may have heard me tell you or someone else that the Packers are God's team.  That is why there is a "G" on the helmet.  When Robert sent me this picture I wrote back to him "Now that is God's team on Lambeau Field!  And a fine looking team it is."

A Fun Fast Week

Hey,

So this was an exciting week we had the privilege of hearing from Elder Martino from the second quorum of the seventy. He was awesome he brought some new ideas that we as missionaries can use to better involve the members here. To start the week we had the opportunity to have a lesson with Amada where we helped her continue in her reading of the Book of Mormon. Then on Wednesday is when we were instructed by Elder Martino. It was awesome we were first trained by President and Sister Cutler where they both talked about our responsibilities and how we can magnify our callings. Then we were pleasured to hear from Sister and Elder Martino, they talked about how much the Cutler's love us and how much they believe that they are extremely inspired. Then he talked about how we can use the Less-Active members in the area to help the work progress. They were awesome they also inspired us to work better with the ward council. I truly loved them and the insight that they shared with us for what we can do to progress the work. I am truly excited for the opportunity to learn from them and now excited to apply what I have learned. That was truly awesome. It is interesting to think of the potential that we have as missionaries to help out the wards here in Wisconsin and then when I go home and apply it where I live. Thursday we were on exchanges, I was with Elder Sanders, we had an inspired lesson with a guy that we had met last Saturday. Brett had read a little from the Book of Mormon and that he didn't really understand it, so we talked a little bit about his life and he was a very interesting person. He has been to jail for drug use but he looks back and says that that was stupid and that he wants to learn more about God and Jesus Christ. So we taught him about, who better to talk about a wayward person than, Alma the younger. We read Mosiah 27, and you could just see that it touched him very deep. He is on parole right now but we hope he is going to continue to learn more. Also on Thursday we had a lesson Amada about the temple and eternal families, she is doing well but we may have a hick-up for the 30th but we hope not. This week has been a great one we had a bunch of fun and a bunch of great lessons and we are excited to look forward to even better weeks ahead, I hope you are having a great day and have an awesome week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

​Here are some pictures from mission tour of some familiar faces Elders Christensen and Potter, I miss them and Iron Mountain a lot​

Another Week Another house

Hello,

This week has been a fun one I truly love it here in Green Bay. This week we have gone out and sought miracles and we have been receiving them from our faith and diligence from the hand of the Lord. This week we went out and tracted quite a bit, and taught a lot. I am so excited for the Green Bay first ward. I am also excited because we were able to have a lesson with an Native American, Russel. Who has been meeting with sister missionaries in North Dakota. In our lesson with him we talked a lot about baptism and he expressed his feelings about it and we asked if he would be baptized on September 20th and he said that he would love to, so we are excited for him. We also had two lessons with Amada that went really good. The first lesson was on tithing, fasting and keeping the Sabbath day holy. It went pretty good. tThe second lesson was an awesome spirit led and filled. Her neighbor sat in on this lesson with us and we read Mosiah 24 with them and the we felt prompted to talk about Christ and his Atonement.  I bore our testimony and the Elder Wise sang I Stand All Amazed and I am so greatfull that the spirit was so strong there. Amada and her friend, Catline, were both watering up and they both felt the spirit, it was awesome we are hoping to continue to teach them and hope that they can both progress towards baptism and towards the temple. We also took out some time this week to prepare for a song we are singing in our mission tour this Wednesday for Elder and Sister Martino. All the missionaries in Green Bay are singing "I Need Thee Every Hour" we sounded good on Saturday hopefully we can pull it off Wednesday. I am so excited for another week of miracles and I know they will come as we work diligently and have the faith that they will happen. I hope you have a great week I will talk to you next week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

Another week in Green Bay

Hello,

This week was crazy, we saw a bunch of blessings this week. Monday we went out and found some new people that we are able to teach. Tuesday was a great day we were able to have a lesson with a guy named Luzarick.  We had a District meeting and we then had dinner with some recent converts. They are awesome. We got a call from a guy who wanted a blessing before he had surgery. Wednesday we went with Brother Rowley and went to some church grounds that could eventually house the Green Bay temple. We were also able to go and we were able to teach some good messages. Thursday we were able to go out and find some people from the ward in the out lying areas.  We taught Amada again she is doing great. The lesson we were able to share with her was the Law of Chastity and she had some crazy questions about that one. Friday we had one of our Zone Leaders come with us while his companion went to a Hmong conference. We were able to go out and teach some good lessons, and what was really cool about it is that we were able to go and find some people that we haven't seen in a while. We then had a dinner with a member to celebrate his retirement. Saturday while we were out and about we visited a bunch of people and we also went to a graduation party where we were able to get to know members better. Sunday was a good day of church we were able to set up some lessons with a less active and then we had dinner with the Elkins, they are awesome. Sister Elkins asked if we wanted to come over for dinner we said yes of course then she remembered that she would have  to scramble to make dinner and she did and it was awesome. We had chicken, gravy, rice, and vegetables. So in relevance to the subject above this past two weeks have been really dry and hot. For the opening pray in church the sister who gave the prayer asked for rain and about half way through church it started poring and then after our dinner appointment it pored again. But what as funny before church their was no clouds in the sky, it is crazy how the power of God works. I hope you have a great week and I am excited for this week ahead and for the week we have planed.

​Here is a video that i believe that you all should watch http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3701964025001&cid=HPTH073114368 ​

Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike

Thank you Sister Elkins for texting me a picture of Robert and Elder Wise.  I loved it.

Green Bay

Hey,

I love this town. This week has been a great week, we have been able to get a lot of work done. Monday we didn't get to much done but we were able to meet with some people that we haven't in a while. Tuesday we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders and I got to go to Manitwoc, where we were able to see some blessing of seeing some great people who are interested in the gospel. Wednesday we were blessed with many opportunities to teach people about the Book of Mormon. Thursday we had an awesome lesson with Amada, she is a part member family, and we were able to talk with her about the Word of Wisdom and she said that I want to get baptized, I will quit. We are so excited for her. She is working hard towards her baptism on August 30th and she wants to be sealed with her family forever. Friday we had a weird day where everyone wasn't home for the appointments with them so we did a bunch of finding. Saturday we were able to meet with some people and give a few others copies of the Book of Mormon. Then we went to the Green Bay Stake picnic and had a great time meeting with members. Sunday we had an awesome Lesson with a Onida Indian named Jack. He is really cool and truly loves Jesus Christ, he served this Country in Vietnam, and he knows a lot about history so we probably learned more from him than he from us. Then in sacrament meeting I was asked to give a talk about of the Book of Mormon I truly enjoyed giving the talk and then afterwords a bunch of members kept asking me questions and telling me I did a great job. I can truly say this I love Green Bay this is where I belong. The people are extremely nice and I love the feeling here it is so much different than Madison. I love the Lords work it is so crazy how much I have learned from my mission. I am glad that I still have 8 months to do it, but I know I will be sad to leave. I hope you all have a great day and a great week. I love ya.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

GREEN BAY!!!

Hello there,

This week was a very exciting one. I left the Madison area for the first time in just about a year, and I made it to Green Bay. Man I can't believe that it was so long ago that I was up here in Iron Mountain. It is so weird to think that a year ago I was just finishing training and then shipped off to the Madison black hole for a year bouncing around 4 areas. I am going to miss the fact that Madison was a bigger city but I am so excited to be here in Green Bay. I am so excited to have some solid investigators here. We are teaching 1 part member family and we are starting to get into the door of some more part members and hopefully we are going to be able to help them build their faith, and hopefully lead them to the waters of Baptism. This week was a long week Monday we were able to had some fun in Madison for my last P-day their. Tuesday I was able to say goodbye to some of the members there and I am glad to have made the friends that I did in the Madison 1st ward. Wednesday Transfer day all I have to say is boy that was a long drive! Thursday thru Saturday Elder Wise  and I went to work we did some hard work and found some potential people to teach and we able to have some solid lessons. Sunday was very interesting we had sacrament meeting and then the priesthood brethren went up to Mariette for a stake priesthood meeting that we couldn't go to so the last 2 hours of church it was just the 2 of us. After "church" we gave a blessing to a recent convert, and we were able to go and give the sacrament to an elderly couple who can't come to church. I am just so excited to be here in Green Bay and to do the Lord's work here I am hoping for a great transfer here with Elder Wise and a few more here after that. I hope you have an awesome week I know I will.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

Transfers

Hey,

Man this was a crazy week and transfers. I am so excited for this up and coming transfer. This past transfer went by so fast and I can't believe that I have been in the Madison stake for almost a year. But now I am moving on to a new area of Wisconsin, Green Bay!!!!! As most of you know I am A HUGE PACKERS FAN so guess what that means I am going to really enjoy my new area. I am sad to be leaving the people here in Madison that we are teaching but I am glad that I am going to Green Bay. This past week we were able to get back in contact with some people that I haven't see in a while and that was awesome. I am hoping to have fun this next transfer. I have to go, love you all and have a great week.

 

Love you,

Elder Robert Pike

District photos

 

so here are some names for the people in the pictures.

Gray tie is Elder Gifford, blue tie is Elder Landavery, me in the red tie, Elder Martell is next to me, Sister Brewster is holding Sister Hunter

The Power of the Book of Mormon

Hey,

Well summer officially started here on Friday, school is out for summer. This week has been a fun and miracle filled one. Tuesday we had a training on how we as a mission can better use the Book of Mormon. I can't believe that about a year ago we got this same training about how the Book of Mormon is supposed to be our main tool and the center of our focus as a missionary. So we have now been asked be our mission president to hand out a copy of the Book of Mormon every day and it was crazy how we did it this week. We kind of had a hard time doing so at first and then towards the end of this week people asked us for it instead of us asking to give it out. We had a really cool experience on Friday of last week where we were going to contact someone and they were not home and just outside of their house a guy stopped us and he asked us who we were and what we were doing. So we told him and he asked us for more information and then asked like 2 or 3 times if he could have the Book of Mormon. This week went by so fast, I can't truly believe that it is Monday again. I am so excited that it is going by fast because I feel like that means I must be doing something right, or so I hope. I am excited for this week and for the opportunities to go and meet and help new people come unto Jesus Christ, I hope you have a great day and week I'll talk to you next week hopefully with some funny stories. 

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

P-Day again?

Hey,

 

This week felt like a day I can't truly remember what has happened this week other than Elder Robinson left and now I am serving with Elder Martell. Looking back I feel like it is amazing that it has been 7 days because it really doesn't feel like it, but we did some work this week but really not too much happened. Monday Elder Robison and I went to play basketball and then had so extra time so we went to some stores and then we tried to see some people but they weren't home. Tuesday we got together with some missionaries and had some wings from BWW. Then we talked to some people and had an awesome time playing some ultimate Frisbee with some members and non members up in eagle heights. Wednesday I got to spend most of the day at our transfer point waiting for Elder Martell to get here We went to teach an English class and play soccer. Thursday was my first full day with Elder Martell we went out and taught one lesson on the street and had just an all around good day. Friday was fun we helped at a food pantry and we able to meet some people and we found some less actives that don't live there anymore. Saturday we had a ward picnic, That was fun. We had a lesson that was just really bad with a sort of investigator and we are no longer going to go over and meet with him. Sunday was weird, I have come to the conclusion that the Madison first ward is just different than traditional wards that I have been in. We had another debate in Priesthood instead of a lesson. I am excited for this transfer I love my new companion and I know we can tear up this area with a lot of help from the Lord and the members. Just to prove how much I love my mission I snapped a great photo that explains it.​

I may not drink, but I do like it here and I know that I will be extremely sad to leave this wonderful place of Cheese Heads, Badgers, Brewers, and even if they suck the Bucks. I have truly loved the people here and I know they will always have a place in my heart.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

Another transfer really?

Dear All,

 

WOW, I can't believe that it has been another transfer and new one begins Wednesday. Well I get to stay here in Madison for at least another 6 weeks, but my companion is leaving and I am getting Elder Martell. Plus it is amazing that 3 out of the 6 missionaries in our district are getting transferred Wednesday​. It is weird to think that the months keep getting bigger and bigger each month and soon I'll hit 24. I can't believe that I am saying that I am scared for how fast the next 9 1/2 months are going to go. The past few months have been a blur. So in the ward I am in they have 4 sets of missionaries and what is cool I served with one, Elder Crisanto and it is weird to think that I served with him a little over 7 1/2 months ago. I am so excited for this next transfer a new companion and not being to familiar with the area but we are going to go to town on the work and we are going to see success. I am enjoying my self but I am starting to come to a greater knowledge of the gospel and of the truths of Christ and His Atonement. I love the Book of Mormon and I am so grateful for the time I get in the morning to study it and the teaching of living prophets. I can't believe the understanding that I have of the gospel and I know that now I am 100% sure that this is the true gospel, that Jesus is truly our Savior and Redeemer, that God is our Father and he truly love each of us. And I am so stoked for the opportunity to share the feelings that I have about this gospel with others. I have been reading in the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time on my mission and I am in 2 Nephi and I have asked every time that I sit and read if it is true and every time that I ask I get a strong feeling that it is true and to me I know that anybody can receive and answer just like President Packer said "Far from thinking I was someone special, I thought that if such a thing came to me, that it could come to anyone. I still believe that." I am in totally in agree with President Packer that anyone could receive their answer and all they have to do is ask.  Hope you all have a good week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

District Photo

BRAT FEST!!!!

​​Hey,

 

This was a good week we were able to get so much done this week plus it was BRAT FEST! So if anybody is wondering what Brat Fest is, it is the largest free rock concert that allows you get your fix of brats, beer, cheese, and ice cream. Also their is a dress code for it. Most of the people there were in dresses and nice shirts, jeans, nice hats and fancy shoes. So this week started with an awesome Monday we went and played some Basketball with a bunch of Elders.  Then we gave a blessing to a member who was going to surgery on her shoulder, we talked with her and the best part of this is the fact that when we were on our way there a man in a dress stopped us and asked us to pray for her because "she" had locked her keys in her car. Then it starts telling us an experience that it had, it claims to have seen Jesus " Jesus pulled up in a BMW, but I didn't recognize him at first because he wasn't in his robes." Then it tells us that Jesus said "I don't want to be a Christian any more because they have taken it too far all I said was to 'Love one another' but they keep adding on." Then it tells us about how they got on the topic of eternal life it said that Jesus told her that it would have eternal life because it believed in Him, she then said "We all want more, I have a two bedroom apartment I want a third bedroom, so I told Jesus that I wanted eternal life and a day. A day to spend with someone special and embrace of love." It then turns to Elder Robinsin (who gave the prayer) and says "I choose you for that person to spend that extra day with." Tuesday we had  a district meeting and then we went to the same house as the person who we gave a blessing and taught one of her kids about going to the temple and doing Baptisms for the dead. After leaving we were heading across a decent sized street so we could go use the bathroom in Walgreens, while crossing we ran to the median and this lady in a white car stops in the turn lane and leans out the window and says to my companion "You are just too cute to hit." Wednesday I wasn't feeling to good so for lunch I took a nap and after that we went to visit a Less active, that is going to here soon be returning to activity. When we got there we found out that her daughter was there and that she was up for a few days and was leaving that night. So when we first got there she was a little standoffish and then we shared a message about Christ's Atonement from Alma 7 she warmed right up to us and she even asked us if we had water bottles and we didn't that day so she asked her mom to give us some water bottles. So how about the atonement it doesn't just allot long term changes but it can have some short term affects. Thursday was interesting we didn't get too much done but were able to get to know some more members thanks to our ward having a family history center. Friday we were on exchanges and I was with Elder Erying and we did Service at St. Vinnies, a food pantry. We went to a Hispanic less active and had some Picara which are tacos that have salsa, beans, cheese, meet, and avocado, they were so good. Saturday we planned on doing a bunch of tracting in Fitchburg but after about an hour we felt like it wasn't where we needed to be so we kind of improved by the spirit and went to visit some people we have meet and then taught 4 lessons in about an hour. Then we decided to go where the people were so we went to brat fest and walked around and talked to a bunch of people. Sunday was good we were able to visit some people before all 8 missionaries in this ward went to the Durtschi's house and had some awesome pizza. Yesterday was a good day we found out 2 members moved and that one person who doesn't really have a belief anymore. We went and did some service at the Brat Fest. We grilled some brats and ate some too they were great, the music on the other hand wasn't all that good. Then this morning we had a lesson with our investigators Charles and Romeka and we were able to read out of the Book of Mormon with them because they have a hard time understanding the language so we are trying to help them gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and they are starting to understand it. It is awesome to see them trying their best to come to Christ. This is truly why I love my mission I love watching people come to Christ who truly want to and watching them grow in understanding so that they can allow the gospel to influence their life and their future generations life. I hope you all have a good week and stay cool out there it is starting to warm up out here.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

Madison Buses are the BEST!!!!

Hello

 

This week has been a good one. We may have not have had the best numbers, but we have been able to get a hold of some less actives and one of them gave us 4 referrals. I am so glad for the weather warming up so we can have the opportunity to meet with others outside instead of being stuck inside. I am so excited for this week we had an awesome lesson with an investigator, Charles, and he promised to read out of the Book of Mormon for 10 minuets a day. He is an awesome person he truly wants to learn more. Then we were able to meet with some less actives that Elder Robinson hasn't met before and some that he has. The best part is we have a lesson tonight and possibly tomorrow with 2 of them. I am so pumped for this week and I know it will be better than the past few.

 

Well not too many cool things but we almost missed our district meeting this week because there was a fight at a bus transfer point. And the week before we were on a bus going to another station and there was a guy that went crazy and had to have 6 cops hold him down. So we didn't find out about the fight and what happened until Saturday when this guy in our apartment complex told us that 40-60 students were at the station and decided to fight and 2 cops got knocked down so they called for back up. When they were on their way the fire department came and started to hose them down. Following getting hosed down the back up showed up, 17 squad cars, and 16 kids got tazed. Then the next night these kids got the bus stopped and because they were rowdy and cursing a ton,  the bus driver called the cops. We got stopped to the point that we should have missed our bus but the driver called ahead and asked them to wait. Unfortunately the kids all got off the bus before the cops got there. I love the Madison buses! I hope you have a good week.

 

Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike

 

This is Madison

Hello there,

 

This week has been a good one. So I am not too sure of what to write for a weekly letter. So I am not going to send a big one this week sorry. But I will say the I am truly enjoying my mission. My mother's day call was good and I am glad for the opportunity to talk to my family. Hope you have a good week.  ​

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

Madison is Awesome

Hey how's it going?

 

This week has been a great one. I am truly feeling the love of my Savior for the people here in Madison, including myself and my companion. I am so excited to help the members here pump up their energy about missionary work. Yesterday I had to introduce myself more than members came up to me but I will help them work on that. I am excited for the work here. We had 2 solid lessons last night and another one earlier this week. We were also able to get in contact with some more people that are pretty prepared and I am excited to start working with them and the spark it is going to bring to this ward. Yesterday we were able to meet this guy Charles and he is so awesome he basically told us that he was just talking to his friends the night before that he wondered if he wasn't here in America would he know about Jesus Christ. And he thinks that the Book of Mormon is what he is looking for. We also had an interesting lesson with a guy who is going through an interesting situation, he has some mental problems and he wants to conquer them and we told him that Jesus Christ is what can help him conquer them. I hope that I am able to do the Lords will in helping them come closed to Jesus Christ. We are praying for miracles and I know that as we work hard, be obedient, and share the love that Christ has for others He will make them happen. I am excited for the opportunity this week for Zone Conference. To be able to learn from President Cutler, the Assistants, and our Zone Leaders. I am hoping for a good week again this week, and I hope you have a good one too. 

 

Love you all, 

Elder Robert Pike

Martin Luther King Jr, statue

Capital building. Yay Madison

Transfers

Goodbye Sun Prairie. Hello Madison 1st ward.

As you can probably guess I am going to be moving, about 15-20 minuets away from where I am at to the middle of Madison. I am excited and a little disappointed I kind of wanted to leave the Madison area but oh well, the Lord apparently needs me here. This week we have been really working hard and preforming service for the members cleaning up yards and chopping some wood for next winter. This Saturday was the Pinewood derby and our car won the best hand carved car. I am so excited for this ward because also on Saturday they had a baptism from the other Elders. He is 9 and his whole family came up from Milwaukee. I am truly hoping for a great summer because the way it looks I will be in Madison for the majority of it on a bus. I can't wait for the next 6 weeks to see a bunch of blessings from hard work and dedication. I hope you all have a good week 

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Robert Pike

 

 

Hello There!

Hello there 

This week was good I feel like Elder Broderick and I are working through our differences and we are starting to work well together. This week we did a bunch of service for the members and we are going to continue tomorrow as well. I love this ward the members are awesome. They are organizing a ward fast and a chapel tour/open house for this summer. They have also placed the sports day into the youths hands and if they want to organize it and if they bring investigators we will be there and so will the leaders. I am so excited for this Easter Sunday and how much more the spirit will be in others homes. This Thursday/Friday marks 16 years ago that I was diagnosed with cancer.  It is awesome to see now that I am on a mission blessing the lives of others by strengthening their faith in Jesus Christ. I am so excited for this next few weeks to see how much work we will get done. We have plenty of time to find new investigators. I am truly diving into Preach My Gospel and into the atonement this week for my studies. Do you have any favorite scriptures about the atonement? I hope you have a good week and a good Easter.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

 

A Fun Week of Meetings

Wow what a week,

This week we had a Zone training meeting on Tuesday morning, District meeting and interviews with President Cutler on Wednesday.  This weekend was General Conference, so we didn't have much time this week for proselytizing but when we did we went and hit the pavement. It was so cool on Sunday night we were going to see a less active member and  this Hispanic guy calls down from the third story of this building he asked if we could come and pray with him. We went up and we found out that their were 5 people in this little apartment having a nice family meal and so we gave a quick lesson and left them with 2 Book of Mormons. They were really nice and want to learn more. We are going over next Sunday to teach them more. I hope that the spirit of the Lord will be with us as we teach them. 

This week was alright the numbers wasn't too great but the spirit was defiantly felt and much appreciated. So we didn't have too many lessons but we did invite a bunch of people to conference but sadly none came that we know of, but Brother Rauls did watch both Sunday sessions at his mother-in-laws. We did encounter a huge blessing on Sunday we were walking to a less actives house from our car and this guy invited us up to his apartment and we ere able to teach 5 people and to set up a return appointment which was awesome. We are excited to teach these new investigators but I am a little hesitant though. All in all it was a great conference I truly loved it. The talks were great trying to teach to defend your faith. I hope this week goes well. I am having a great time in Wisconsin. I love it here even though the weather hasn't been to nice. I have come to enjoy the cold, but it is making a quick turn around. I have also come to truly love the people here and even though I may not be having baptisms often I know I am converting someone as I go out day to day. I hope you are doing well and I hope you have a good week.

Love  you all,
Elder Robert Pike

 

This is what Sun Prairie service looks like.

 

Another week, Another conference.

Hello,

This week was a fairly good one we had most of our days filled with service for others and very little tracting. We were going to have a lesson with Brother Rauls this week but he was working, so he could get the weekend off to spend it with his kids. So unfortunately he might not be getting baptized while I am here. This week we didn't have as much success out tracting like last week but we still had some good lessons. I am starting to have a hard time of knowing what to do here because I am running out of ideas of what to do besides tracting. I am so grateful to the members here they are awesome, they are doing their hardest to give us all work but it is really hard to get referrals from the sisters here because their friends would like to meet during the day and we can't get males to come with us. Well this week looks like it is going to be a good one we have a little time to find but we will use all of it. Hope you have a great week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

P.S I am truly excited for this conference this weekend. This will be my third one in the field. I am truly excited to hear from our Prophet and Apostles of the church. I want to challenge everyone to watch at least 1 session of conference weather at church or home at lds.org. 

 

 

 

                              Elder Pike and Elder Cook at transfer point. 

                Not too sure about all this.  I asked for a picture      

                                      and this is what I got.

                           You will have to ask Elder Pike.

Happy St. Patties Day!

Happy ST. Patties Day.

This week was fun. Monday we had dinner with an awesome family and it was also with the other elders as well so it made it even more fun. Tuesday Elder 'Iongi packed and we went out and did some work which was followed by an awesome dinner with the Burgie family. Wednesday was rather boring I waited at a church building from 8:30- about 2:30.  We had a lesson with Jason and unfortunately he doesn't want to meet with us anymore for a little while but he is still going to read from the Book of Mormon. Thursday was rather boring as well I was helping Elder Broderick get to know the area and we knocked a bunch of doors with some success. Friday was a pretty busy day we were out for the most of it teaching less active members and did some service with Peter. Saturday was fun we had a pretty empty day to fill so we went tracting, street contacting, and tried to visit members. This is how we meet Sarah and her family. Sunday was great we had 3 awesome talks about faith just what i needed at the right time. 

This has been an interesting week getting a new companion. I am excited and a little worried for this transfer. We were able to get some good numbers this week. I know that the Lord will provide  means that we can do His work. This week we met with Jason and he has asked that we just give him time to read the Book of Mormon and give him a call every once in a while. However we were able to find 4 new investigators this week, 3 of those are a mother(Sarah), a son(12), and a daughter(8). The daughter has been asking about going to a church for the past few months so we are excited to start teaching them. It was cool to talk with them because they were outside playing with their dog and we talked with her a little bit and asked if we could share a message with her and her family and she said sure. We taught the restoration then she told us the age of her kids and it was awesome to tell her that they both could get baptized and her son could receive the Priesthood. We have an appointment with them Wednesday evening and I am hoping to be able to extend a baptismal commitment to them and possibly a date. We are going to keep working hard and having faith. I hope you have a good week and I am excited for one here. 

Love,

Elder Robert Pike

E

What a week

Hello everyone,

 

Well we went on exchanges Tuesday had a great time. Wednesday was good. We did service for Peter Klein and we have been meeting with him a little about the church. Thursday we taught Jason about keeping the Sabbath day holy he unfortunately didn't make it to church this week and he did promise us that he would do his best to come this week. Thursday I also got a call from my mission president letting me know of some sad news. My grandfather has lung cancer and had to go in for radiation and chemo and that I was going to get a call from them. Friday we were able to do some tracting with no success.  Saturday we had an awesome show up to the sports day we had 4 non members 2 of which are going to play for the wards basketball team. The youth are having a great time with the sports day because they are starting to bring more people. I was also able to talk with my grandfather and the rest of my family for a little. I know it means a lot to them. So I have a request to ask you will you pray for my grandfather? I will appreciate it dearly and I know through the power of prayer that everything will be good. Sunday was good we were able to go to a youth baptism and meet some non member friends of a family in our ward, and help strengthen a semi active daughter of a member family. 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

March 3rd.

Hey there High there Hoe there,

This was a good week. We had a new investigator for us and he was at church. Brother Rauls is his name he is a part member family. He has been coming to church for the past 7 years and we were able to talk with him about why he hasn't been baptized. He has given us his concerns and we have been working on resolving them. We also had a good lesson with Jason. We are going to have a small struggle with getting him to church because he isn't willing to talk to his boss about having the Sunday off. We are meeting with him this Thursday we are planning in teaching the Plan of Salvation and Sabbath day holy as well. I am excited for this week to come we have some good plans and we are hoping have some good things happening. This was truly an awesome week we had an awesome lesson with Bro Crider. He actually talked to us, after some heart felt testimonies from us and a member brother Sellers about coming to church this week. Unfortunately he didn't make it. We are excited for this week to play out, we are going to  be at the sports day this Saturday with the youth they are awesome they have been doing their bests to bring friends. I hope you all are having a great time I love you all and will talk with you next week.

 

Love,

Elder Robert Pike

 

 

Robert's District

 

 

Robert wanted to know if he could still cook.  Looks good to me!

I miss his cooking!

 

A Week of Answers of Prayer and Fasting

This week has gone okay for us unfortunately we were unable to see Bother Crider this week he has been sick. So we set  up an appointment with him and are going to meet with him and his girls this Thursday with our young men's leader. As we told you at zone conference that we have a new investigator Jason Shultz. He is awesome so we weren't able to meet with him last Saturday when we got the referral.  He wasn't home so we left a restoration pamphlet with wife and she said she would give it to him. Well it was really awesome. We had that wonderful lesson with him because he actually read the pamphlet. He asked us questions from the pamphlet about some of the words that were in it and some of the statements in it as well. The spirit was definitely with us there as we taught and he could feel it as well. He was in an accident a few years ago and someone passed away from the crash and he then turned to God and Jesus Christ after that crash. So we are planning to teach him the plan of salvation this Thursday, I am so excited to teach him because I feel that he will catch on to the gospel and will never let it go. I am so excited for him and the Crider's because I feel like they will be progressing really soon. I Love Sun Prairie, the tracting may be deficult but the people are nice, the ward is awesome, and the missionaries here really are trying to make Sun Prairie explode. We may not have the most baptismal dates, investigators, or success but we are lifting our selves high in faith and the spirit doing the Lords work. I am excited to go where ever the lord sends me I hope that I will be able to bring the excitement that I have to another good area and ward/branch.

Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike

Hello All

Hello,

This week was alright we are trying to start some different ideas with out tracking so that we may get some new investigators. But so far just a few lessons but no investigators. We are going to change it this week. We haven't yet had a lesson with too many people but we are hoping to improve this week. We have been praying a ton to find a new investigator but we haven't had too much luck. We were able to meet with Brother Crider and we asked him to ask his girls if they would like to learn the lessons and he said he would ask, but unfortunately he wasn't reading as of Tuesday.  We re-committed him to read at his hotel for work and he said he was going to do some serious prayer and scripture study. Sun Prairie is an awesome area I truly love it here, 1) because the members here are awesome, 2) the people are very friendly and don't tend to slam the door on us, and 3) because I love every thing here specifically my companion and the other missionaries in the area. This has truly been an eye opening area about how the members should be helping the missionaries in the area, and it has shown me who I want to be in my home ward with my family.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

 

Just a little snow!

 

 

 

I also forgot we made a pine wood derby car here it is 

 

 

 

 

What a week

Hello hello hello,

 

Well this week wasn't all that fun. We had our most promising investigators, the France family, this week drop us. They are just a little too busy but we were able to find some new potentials though to make up for it. Elder Iongi and I found out a little bit about his visa, his fingerprints are approved and they will be sent to his parents and Brazil this Friday. So we are excited for the progress with his visa. We also have some exciting news the youth are loving the sports day we had. Less people showed up this last week but it was awesome. We had 2 non members there, plus the YM&YW presidents are saying that they want to be more involved in it too.  Plus some of the adults are wanting to start up an activity as well for the adults. We are so grateful for the advice that you gave to us to press forward with it. So we had a weird lesson with a less active this week and he served a mission, his family is very active, and yet he has no testimony of Joseph Smith or of any of the people in the bible. He believes in Jesus Christ and God but isn't sure about the rest. So we are going to work with him by reading the Book of Mormon and teaching his daughters the lessons because they haven't been baptized. We were also able to meet with a less active family that we have been trying to stop by for the past 3 months and they are awesome.  We are completely surprised they live the gospel in every way but they got offended by some other members so they have stopped coming to church. So we are going to do our best to bring them to church over the next few weeks. I am truly having a great time on my mission, hope you all are doing well and have a nice day and week.

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

What Birthday????

Hello there 

Wow this week was a ton of fun we had to stay out of the cold Tuesday because of the wind. So unfortunately for my birthday we didn't get to do much but you know what it is probably one of my favorites because not too many knew and I wasn't wanting anyone to make a big deal of it. The members we had dinner with didn't even know. This was good and bad because I got an ear full on Sunday from them but I didn't want them to go out of their way to do anything for me. The rest of this week was great we were able to meet with some of our investigators and we were able to have them really feel the spirit, so that was awesome. We were also able to have some good lessons yesterday thanks to the super bowl and Payton Manning and his horrible performance relating it to Helaman 5:12 and building upon the rock. Christ is able to keep us protected from satin and all that he uses agents us, unlike Denver's O-line. I am truly grateful to be out on a mission and I truly am loving the cold, the snow, the people, and my savior more. 

I hope you all have a great week.

 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

COLD AND SNOW

This up and coming week here in Wisconsin it is supposed to snow and be freezing cold. But what else is new you may ask, well we have kinda gotten 3 new investigators this week. 2 of them are daughters of a less active that we have been working with and the other is the husband of a part-member family. We met with the France family Saturday night and had a good conversation with them. We had dinner with the Rauls family they are all active but Brother Rauls isn't a member, we talked with him about prayer and asked a few questions about him and why he wasn't baptized he gave us his concerns, and we were able to help him out. Now he is considering getting baptized before June so he can baptize his son. Well this week has been a fun one and I am hoping despite the cold this one will be a fun one too. I am really enjoying my Mission and I hope you all have a great week as well. 

Love you all,

Elder Robert Pike

Hey

Hey, how are things going?

 I has been a while since I have heard anything or even given an up date but I figured I should. So in the past 10 months I have had 4 areas and 6 companions (not counting the MTC) I have been from almost the top of my mission and all the way down to the bottom I have had good times and some bad times but all in all it has been fun. So I started my mission in Iron Mountain Michigan(it is in the UP), then I  ended down in Platteville which is the most southwest you can go in our mission, slid over to Janesville where I ended up speaking Spanish, now I am slightly above Madison in a city called Sun Prairie where I am on my second companion who is waiting for a Visa to go to Brazil. This week has been a great one we are just starting to work with some investigators and also we are starting to work with our youth here. We are starting a sports day and trying to get them to invite their friends to come and have fun while we ask the hard questions about the gospel. Last Monday we had a lesson with our investigators, the France family. We were able to teach the Restoration and they agreed with all that we taught.  They understand that they must read the Book of Mormon to gain more knowledge. They are a truly prepared couple they both are having a hard time with their churches and are excited to learn more about another church. They both have really felt the spirit and we are hoping to be able to allow them to be baptized here soon. I have learned a ton so far on my mission and am LOVING the cold Wisconsin Winter. Hope you all have a great week.

Love you all,
Elder Robert Pike

What A Week

Hello

This week has been a crazy one. So it started off last Monday being -22 for a high to today being 42 so the weather needs to make up it's mind. Last week we were advised to stay inside until Wednesday and even then it was only a high of 3. This week we had interviews with our President, it was awesome to talk with him and to be able to find out new ways to progress the work here. We are going to start doing a sports/game days on Saturdays for people to bring their friends to to have fun in a nonthreatening environment. Then we got to have an okay lesson with our newer investigators, the France family. He is a high school teacher and she is from Ecuador. We are going to have a great lesson with them today and we are going to extend a baptismal date for them so pray for us that we may have success. This week is going to be a great one we are going to do a lot of work with the young men. I hope everyone has a great week I love you all.

 

Elder Robert Pike