Day after Christmas : )

So last week, I mentioned that one of the days I was alone with Elder Lamipeti. The day was going really slow because we didn't have any appointments and we were walking a ton. It was cold and it wasn't a ton of fun. We were walking back from the northernmost part of our stake to a house in the middle of the stake and I just had this thought to stop and knock on this one house that we were passing by at that moment. I fought it for a few steps and then I just turned around, back tracked a little bit, and knocked. A teenage Tongan boy answered the door. He quickly and warmly greeted us as Elders (which is a pretty sure sign that he's LDS, which he was) and he let us in. He immediately started offering us food, including some brownies right out of the oven. Now I know that you might've expected the story to end in a baptism, well it didn't. But that was the only house that day that we just randomly knocked, and it was a friendly member of the Church who really blessed two missionaries that day. It was just another evidence to me that Heavenly Father is taking care of me and that He knows when we're not having good days. And more importantly, He cares about it when we're not having good days. He really blessed me and Elder Lamipeti that day.

The other experience is actually quite similar. I was with E. Lamipeti and E. Heaton (on exchanges from another area) and we were walking through and apartment complex. We weren't tracting it, we were stopping by a specific address, but as we were walking we passed by an apartment with an open window. In the window we could see the backs of two people's head as they sat on their couch. The window was right next to the door, so I figured that if we knocked on the door, they would have to open it, because there was no hiding from us with that window  there. So we back tracked a few steps again and knocked on the door. An older lady from the Philippines answered the door and let us in. Her husband was the other person on the couch. Now, I'm sorry to disappoint you again, but they were both members haha. But, they explained that they were just visiting their daughter and son-in-law (who were members of the Church) and who had just moved into that apartment three days prior and who didn't know how to find their Church Building. So we met the daughter and son-in-law and helped them figure out where the building was, and then the son-in-law told us about two people that he wants to share the Gospel with. He said that he wants to wait a little bit, so we're still in the very beginning stages, but it sounds like two really solid potentials.

I know those aren't amazing miracles but they are small miracles to me. God lives and this is His Work, and He is definitely directing it.

I'm so grateful that I was able to see/talk to you all yesterday. I love you all so much. Happy Boxing Day! The next time I email you, Ricole will have a different last name haha. Congratulations Ricole! I'm so happy for you and Michael. Best wishes.

Love,

Elder Rogers

A pic : )

Here is the picture that is on Sis. Winn's website.  Love it!

English again!

Well I've switched languages again haha. I'm back in English. But it comes with a twist this time because my companion is from England. I'm learning British English now. So last Tuesday with E. Zambrano, the Zone Leaders came in the morning to drop off E. Drollinger, our new visa waiter, making us a quad again after the departure of E. Berrios. Minutes later I was told that I would be switched to the English program that night. The English elders in the same area were losing their Australian visa waiter and they had to replace him in order to ensure a quad in the english area because one of the elders recently had surgery and had to stay in to recover. So my companions now are Elder Little from England, Elder Lamipeti from Tonga (he had surgery), and Elder Bowman who is serving a series of mini-missions (that means he goes out for a few weeks at a time and goes home and then comes back) and ironically enough, my last area with E. Ramos was in E. Bowman's home stake. Weird huh? Oh, and last night I went on exchanges with E. Tiensuu who is from Finland. Pretty awesome. So it's been a great week because I got some extra study time when I had to stay with the recovering E. Lamipeti  in the mornings and then I got to go out and teach in English in the evenings. E. Lamipeti is out and about now, and I usually stay solely with E. Little now.  So that's the latest with me.

I realized that I forgot to respond to your questions about the missionary cookies. They were delicious! I took a picture of them before we ate them though because they were so cool. I'm glad I had four companions to help me eat them though. And thank you so much for the thermals! I love them.

So I don't know where I'll be for Christmas. I don't know if I'm temporarily here or not. Since E. Lamipeti is back on his feet they might put me back in Spanish. And Elder Bowman goes home this Thursday. So I don't know where I'll be or what language I'll be speaking next week or on the 25th haha. But I did find out that Skyping is an option for our Christmas phone call, but I don't know if I'll be to able to find a member who can let us use their computer for it. Especially, if I change areas again before then. So let me know in your next email what your skype information is, just in case we're able to figure it out.

Also, Mom, you might like this website. http://mamawinnsplace.blogspot.com/ It's the blog of our mission president's wife, Sister Winn. There is a picture of a real stud about one-fifth of the way down. I got Ricole's announcement! Holy Cow! She looks so great! 18 days! WHAAAATTTTT!!!! I don't even know what to say. I'm so excited for her! And I'm sympathetic for Dad haha. That's so cool about Sister Benefiel. I heard that 17 visa waiters are coming in tomorrow and 10 are sisters. Every spanish sister companionship is getting two visa waiters. We have spanish sisters in our district right now so there's like a 20% chance Sister Benefiel will be in the same district haha.

As for my visa, I don't know anything more than you do. They haven't told me anything else. I'm just kinda expecting it to take about three months. I think Heavenly Father's birthday present to me is going to be a plane ride to Brasil. It's so weird to think about Brasil now. It feels like I'm not going to go anymore. But I'm not complaining.

I love being a missionary more and more. I think about how I was when I first came out and I feel so different. I used to dread knocking on doors. I don't anymore. Tracting's not always fun, but it's not scary anymore haha. And teaching lessons is the best! Especially to little kids because they are so genuine and curious and (generally) happy haha. This week has really helped me to realize how much I love being a missionary. Although the vagabond visa-waiter style of missionary work is exciting, I'm looking forward to staying in one place for a while so I can really start to get to know members and investigators and the area as a whole.

Last week I kinda went on my Christmas rant in the email, so I'll simply repeat again that I love Christmas time! This is such a great work and such a blessing to be a part of it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ makes people happy. It changes the here and now as well as the eternal welfare of anyone who accepts it. Faith is such an important decision, one that cannot be imitated by anything else. It's such a blessing to be able to build my own faith as my fellow missionaries and I try to help others build their faith. And eventually, that faith leads to happiness, to peace, to all the things that we want the most. family, I love you so much. Please keep praying for me, and know that I pray for you. You are the best family in the world!

Love,

Elder Rogers

In the Spanish Branch

Hey so are people putting up Christmas lights in Santapoke yet? They are here and I love it. I LOOOOVe Christmas time, and Christmas Music and everything about Christmas. I love being a servant of the Lord whom we celebrate at this time of year.

 

Just so you know, last Thursday, E. Pavlakos, E. Pratt, Sis. Nielsen and I went downtown to the sheriff's office and got booked.... Just kidding. We only got background checks for our new visa applications and everything was clear. So that was cool to know that we took a step forward in the process. I'm grateful that I get to stay here for Christmas. The lights, the cold, the snow, the songs, they all just hit me straight in the heart. I try not to let it distract me, but I just love everything about this time of year. I could go on about Christmas, but I'll save that for later.

 

Something really cool happened yesterday. As you know, Fast Sunday was yesterday, and let me tell you, testimony meetings in Spanish branches are different than any one I've ever been to before. You know how one of the counselors from the bishopric usually starts it off and ends by saying, "The time is now yours..."? Well that was still the same, except it was in Spanish, but what was different was that while he was talking people starting getting up. At first it was just a couple. They got up and sat in the choir seats on the stand. Then more people stood up. It was a nearly constant flow of people standing up to wait in line to bear their tesitmonies. By the time the counselor finished, half of the choir seats were filled with people wanting to compartir their testimonies. The meeting went over by like 15 minutes as everyone from the stand bore their testimonies. The same exact thing happened in the second branch we went to yesterday! It was so incredible to see. There wasn't a second when someone wasn't moving towards the pulpit to share their testimony. I didn't catch all of the words that were said, but just the scene that I was seeing was just as strong as any verbal testimony that could be heard. I've never seen anything like that before, and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

 

I've found that the language barrier is kind of like a super filter to my own testimony. I have to think so hard when I bear my testimony as I try to translate from English to Portuguese to Spanish. There are often long pauses in between words, and even longer gaps between sentences, But I mean every single word I say in my spanish testimony. Every word is such a deliberate effort that it's nearly impossible for me to say anything but "pure testimony"  when I'm in spanish mode. It's been such a blessing to see my testimony from another point of view, to simplify it and distill it, and to share it with humble, loving people. Spanish has been a big challenge for me, but it's been a big blessing too. I love being able to share my testimony. My testimony has become more precious to me than it ever has before. It has become more REAL than it ever has before, and I feel so blessed to bear my witness of the reality and the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He truly is the Son of God, and He is The Savior of the World. He brings families together. He heals hearts. He performs miracles. He does it everyday. And He offers His Love and His Grace and His Mercy to anyone who will accept it. Family, I love you so much. Merry Christmas! Thank you for everything!

 

Love,

Elder Rogers

Another Change!

Hey,

 

Thank you so much for the letters and the packages. They really brighten a missionary's day, and his companions too haha. Thank you so much, they really help me. Mom, thank you for the message about Joseph, I used it last night in a lesson! I think both he and I needed to be reminded of Joseph's example.

 

So a quick update, last wednesday was transfers, and on tuesday morning I found out that I was being transfered. So wednesday morning, I found out that I was being transfered to West Valley into a companionship of four missionaries. And here's the kicker.......we're in the spanish program......yeah, i know.....you're probably thinking, "But Elder Rogers, you don't know Spanish!" And me response to you would be, "Si". So it's been interesting. I've had experience with a trio before, but never with a quad. I've had experience with portuguese before, but never spanish. It's been a lot of adjusting. Oh, and we are on foot now, which I love. And I'm not even joking. I love being outside walking as opposed to driving. Just thinking about walking is getting me excited haha. ohand that reminds me, thank you for the gloves and hat and scarf! They have beeen VERY useful. So I'm with Elder Zambrano who has been out about a year, and he's from Ecuador, and he's awesome. He's been in the area for two transfers already. He kinda reminds me of Kevin Tsuchida, just the Ecuadorian missionary version. So I love serving with him because he takes it seriously but he's also a lot of fun. Elder Berrios is a visa waiter going to mexico but he had been serving in the area with E. Zambrano previous to me and Elder Pavlakos. Elder Pavlakos is a visa waiter going to Salvador, Brasil, we actually showed up in SLC on the same day. He's been serving in the spanish program since we got here so he can hold his own in spanish now.

 

It's been quite an adjustment. But I've always wanted to learn spanish and so now is my chance. The only thing is that when I learned portuguese, my brain forgot all of the spanish i once knew. I'm totally serious too. MY brain doesn't seem to be able to handle both portuguese and spanish at the same time. So hopefully i dont forget too much portuguese now haha. 

So I have a few more minutes, so let me tell you about a cool experience last night. Since we are a quad, and we cover two stakes, we usually split and cover one stake a piece and we rotate everyday. Yesterday I was with E. Zambrano and we went to visit a recent convert. This guy is awesome, but he's been really discouraged because of his financial situation. He's trying to support his family and his wife's and his friends, but he hasn't been able to find work. He's been looking desparetly. E. Z and I left his house feeling bad because we didnt know how to help him. After we went to his house, we tried all of our other plans for the night. THey all fell trrhough. So we prayed to know where we should go. One lady came to my mind. That same lady as well as another family came to E. Z'ss mind. We went to both and they both didn't work out. we were thinking, "Why did heavenly Father want us to come here?" 

 

Then E. Z remembered something. "Doesn't Brother Anderson live around here?" I didn't know, but the member who was driving us around did. So we went there because Brother Anderson had brought some people to church who we didn't know, and we wanted to ask him about it. So we went there and started talking. Somehow we started talking about where he works, and all of a sudden, E. Z asks, "Your company doesn't happen to be hiring, does it?" "Yeah, it is. there are actually 5 or 6 entry level openings right now." E. Z and I just look at each other....Obviously, this is why the Lord wanted us to come to this area. So nothing has happened yet, because this was just last night, but how cool is that? We called and told this recent convert brother about it this morning and he should be applying for it today. We really hope he gets it. He's one of those guys who, if he had a spare dollar (which he doesnt right now), he would give it away to someone in need without even hesitating.

 

Oh man, I wish I had more time....So yesterday, in the spanish ward, they had two english-speaking high councilors speak, which was awesome for me, but not great for the members of the ward haha. So they had a translator for the members of the ward, when usually they have someone translating into english for visitors or missionaries like me haha. That might not make sense, but i'm sorry. And of course the talks were about gratitude. Man...It made me realize how ungrateful I've been. I really am grateful for all that's happened on the mission so far. even the visa mess. 

 

God is blessing me abundantly even though I might not recognize it all the time. all that I have to worry about is if I'm doing all that God is asking me to do. and it's tough for my to say yes to that question all the time. I have so much that I need to improve on. Sometimes, like right now, I wonder if God even has enough patience and mercy to handle me. It's tough to put into words, because I don't want to sound like I'm belittling myself to sound humble or to seek pity, but I really wonder sometimes. But there are a few things I do know. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Through the miraculous life of that man, I know so many other essential things. Jesus Christ lives. The Book of Mormon is true. The truths of God are not hidden and they are extended to every single person on earth. I know that God lives and loves us. I saw a quote in Pres. Roque's house that I really like. It had a picture of Jesus and beneath it, it said, "The greatest gift I could give you is for you to see yourself the way I do." It reminds me of something that Elder Hales said in last conference. (His talk was about patience and "waiting upon the Lord". I've been reading it everyday for the past four days. It's a powerful talk that really really hit me in the heart. It's become one of those paradigm-changing talks for me.) He said something like, we are not able to understand or imagine how much God loves each one of us, therefore, we would do well to be a little bit kinder to everyone around us, including ourselves.

 

Dear Family, I love you all so much. Thank you for all of the support. It means more than you know. I'm sorry I never seem to answer any of your questions or respond to any thing you say, but please don't stop sending them. I'm sorry about that. I love you all soo much. E. Berrios asked an investigator a question the other day that I liked. "If you could take one thing with you to Heaven, what would it be?" Her answer, and my answer, is family. There is nothing more precious to me than all of you. Thank you again. I love you.

 

Sincerely,

 Elder Rogers (promounced with a spanish accent now)

happy p-day!

This has been a very unusual p-day, and thus, I just got on the computer with 15 minutes to write both you and my mission president. First of all, thank you all so much. Mom, thank you so much for those pictures! I LOVE them so much! And E. Ramos taped them on the wall haha. And thank you very much for the news about the visa. It's all very interesting. Don't worry about me. I'm in a much better place (concerning my attitude about the visa) than I was before. I'm doing very well. Transfers are this Wednesday and we found out today that E. Ramos is going to be receiving a brand new missionary to train. That doesn't mean I won't remain with him, but we'll find out on Wednesday. I've learned a lot this past week. Well, maybe not a lot as in quantity, but I learned one very big thing. I learned how much I need patience and faith and trust in God. I don't claim to have achieved those things in perfection yet, but I've made solid steps this week.

I heard a quote that I really like. "Don't go to God and tell Him how great your problems are. Go to your problems and tell them how great your God is." That's what I'm telling my visa. A few pieces of paper will not stop the Lord from placing me where we wants me to be. That's just silly. I wish I had more time to write, it really was a great week. Know that I'm doing well. KNOW that I love you all very much. And thank you for all the support, all the letters. Mom and Ricole, I got letters from you last week on Thursday, and Thursday was the day that my mission changed. Your letters really helped me. Thank you. I love you. Ate mais.

Elder Rogers

Some pics : )

                                           With E. Ramos, and someone else, on Temple Square

 

                                                  With E. Ramos on P-day (Preparation Day)

                                              In the old tabernacle on Temple Square

                                         

                                            With E. Ramos and E. Novakovich at a baptism!

                                                          E. Novakovich, haha

                                     E. Ramos with some of the Halloween goodies I sent them  : )

                                             E. Rogers and E. Ramos at a baptism!

Another great week

 

Thank you so much for the Halloween package! We love it! And it's been really fortunate because just like my first week as a visa waiter, E. Novakovich didn't have his own food or money until today, so the packages with delicious food has been very useful for feeding all of us. Thank you so much! You were inspired! You got that little package that I sent  you from the MTC right? I'm still planning on sending another package soon, but it's so hard to find time on p-days. Speaking of food, I have to thank Ricole for teaching me how to cook tortillas on a stove burner. For every breakfast and lunch that we have at the apartment, I cook up some tortillas and put either peanut butter or cottage cheese on them, depending on my mood. We found some honey in the apartment, but it's all gone now haha. Some members gave us some eggs from their farm so this week has been spiced up by some fried eggs in the morning. Other than that, we find junk food basically everywhere we go, especially with Hallowen being today. I'm being fattened up very very well here haha.

 

This week might be a very good and busy week. With E. Novakovich, we set some high goals for the week, and I really think they are possible. I don't know how we're going to accomplish them exactly, but for some reason, they feel very possible. I really hope E. Novakovich is with us for as long as possible, but at the same time, I know exactly how he feels and I'm sure he wants to go as soon as possible. We really need him this week though.

 

So here's a random note. We listen to the tabernacle choir all the time here. We play it in the car and in the portable dvd player in the apartment (the dvd player is given to all companionships to watch training segments and listen to approved music at approved times) and E. Ramos has about 9 tabernacle choir cd's now. I really honestly love MoTab (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) now. Maybe this is crazy, but I really think I'm going to listen to them regularly when I get back. Anyway, one of the cd's is a collection of famous songs from movies or musicals performed by the choir. One of them is called "The Impossible Dream" and it's from "The Man from La Mancha". It's an amazing song, you should look it up. Also, I developed a love for the primary song "A Child's Prayer". It's definitely cracked my top 5 songs list. I love it and I really feel like I relate to it now.

 

I wish I had more to tell you about that family I mentioned the other week, but it's been difficult. We should meet with them again this week. This weekend we are hoping to help two kids from a part-member family be baptized. But they've been really sick and we'll have to meet them a lot this week. Hopefully, I'll have good news next week about them.

 

Well how is everyone doing?? Those pictures of Ricole and Michael are awesome! You are so beautiful, Ricole! Man, it's still weird to think about haha. Two more months! But you were proably already aware of that... Mig, how was the band trip? In one of our ward's buildings, there is a picture of a youth camp out and there is this picture of a young man who reminded me of you. He was wearing a gray zip up sweatshirt just like the one you have, and he had glasses, and he had hair like yours, and other things, but anyway...Dad, how's the hunt been going? And Mom, how's the seminary class? Last week President And Sister Winn took some missionaries out to Ihop for breakfast and she asked every missionary there one question...What is the best thing that you've ever learned from a seminary teacher? Easiest question I've ever handled on my mission. Violet and Quinn, basically all of the area that we cover is either really old people or young couples. Everytime I see a young couple with a kid (or two) I think of you two. Congrats on the new apartment!

 

Familia, I love you all. Thank you for all of your support, all of the prayers. Fica forte.

 

Love,

E. Rogers

 

Another great email!

First of all, thank you so much for the package, it meant so much to me. It really lifted my spirits. And i also received a goody-box from the Vasquezes, so could you pass on my thanks, please? I got a letter from the Sants, which was awesome. It's also really nice to get mail, even when it's just a little note or something. Gabby also wrote me. Thank you all so much for your support and your willingness to not forget about me.

 

Mom, thanks for letting me know about the visa, that's exciting. i just got an email from one of my friends (E. Orr) from the mtc and he said that he and e. ortega are both in brasil now haha. did i tell you about that bishop that works in the missionary department? he told me on saturday  that 70 visas to brasil came through last week. isn't that crazy? so things look positive about the visa. probably the best indicator is that our area here in slc is really starting to heat up. that probably means i'm leaving soon haha. i'm just kidding of course. (i just talked to one of the assistants for the mission about 2 minutes ago and he told us that tomorrow we are going to receive another brasilian visa waiter. back to a trio! which is actually really nice because with a third missionary we are allowed to enter the homes of single women. apparently, E. ramos wanted another one haha, so we're getting on!) i usually try to forget about the visa. last week i made a list of 5 things that i'm going to forget about, one of them was my visa. it's not always easy, but when we're busy, i never think about it.

 

this weekend has been really amazing. we had a baptism on saturday. i might have mentioned her before, she is an older sister who was referred to us from the ward immediately after we arrived here. we started meeting with her that week and she was baptized yesterday. it was so incredible because she says she has been waiting for her baptism since 1987! isn't that crazy? there is just such a sweet and pure spirit at baptisms. i never noticed it before my mission. but baptisms have easily been the most peaceful moments of my mission. sundays are usuallly crazy busy (i got to pass the Sacrament yesterday! haha) and so it's harder to feel that same peace. and i havent been able to go to the temple yet, so baptismal services are just amazing. i never want them to end. i'm starting to notice something about the nature of baptisms. that is, missionaries really do very little to bring them about. of course we call people and schedule the buildings and help people pick a date, and yes, we usually offer the invitation, but the truth is that God is the One preparing these people for their baptisms. it's been amazing to witness, especially after some of the miracles of this weekend (which i'll mention in a second). The Spirit has already been working with these people and one way or another, they get in contact with missionaries, and that's when the dance begins. and if the investigators keep acting in faith, keep listening to the holy ghost and the missionaries don't get in the way of the Spirit, they will eventually receive the blessings that God has in store for them, which comes through baptism. man, every time i write an email i feel like i can only communicate about 30% of the meaning that i want to say, but i just don't know how to do it. I'm sorry, fam.

 

so let me tell you about some of the miracles that God poured out yesterday. It started with the confirmation of the sister that was baptized on saturday. She was confirmed by a man in the ward who just came back from inactivity and who has been teaching this sister with us. that whole story with him is a miracle in itself too. being able to stand in the circle and listen to this man perform such a sacred ordinance for a sister who has been waiting for 24  years was just incredible. miracle. this man has become one of my favorite people that i've met on my mission, i consider him a great friend. then, after that Sacrament meeting, e. ramos and i went to different parts of the chapel to talk to two different investigators who were in that ward. one is the daughter of the recent convert woman and the other was a referral from the ward that has been really difficult to meet with, so we really wanted to catch them both before they left. I met with the latter, and after 2 and a half weeks of struggling to make an appointment, this young woman and her mother (a less active member) told us we could come over that night! miracle. she has never met with the missionaries, but she has already born her testimony at church, and she already wants to be baptized. double miracle. (like i said, God is already preparing His children to be happier, one of the biggest responsibilities of missionaries is to not get in His way. it's so true. we're trying haha.) meanwhile, e. ramos is talking to the other lady, who agreed to meet with us on tuesday, our second meeting with her since we arrived. boom, miracle. we go to another building with another ward, where we talk to the mother of a 9 year old boy who we're teaching. they all want him to be baptized, he wants it, and we want to make it happen for him. the only problem is that the person who is supposed to perform the baptism for him (his uncle) has been really difficult to work with, especially since we've never been able to talk with him directly. but this boy's mother agreed to give us the grandmother phone number so that we could get the uncle's number from her. i know, it's confusing haha. miracle. in the same ward there are two young kids who have been coming to church with their mother who want to be baptized, but again, it's been tough to work out a time to actually sit down with them. all of a sudden, on sunday, their mother is super receptive to us, she talks to the bishop and both of the kids are preparing for baptism in a few weeks. miracle times two. remember that family that i went on about last week? the one i compared to the carpenters? we've been trying to catch them at home throughout the week because we got bought a picture frame at wally world and put The Proclamation in it and we've been wanting to deliver it to them. last night they were home! we had a great discussion with them and the wife told us that she had seen the Proclamation in her parent's house and she actually wanted one of their own. well now they do. bam, miracle. there are even more, but i dont have time for all of them, so i'll just mention one more miracle.... i'm learning....i think i'm actually changing...miracles.

 

i don't have a lot of time, but i also wanted to mention that we just had zone conference on friday. it was the first one i had ever been to and i didnt know what to expect, but it was just awesome. the day was filled with learning and training and snacking on pretzels and practicing and feeling the Spirit. and i wont explain it in this email, but zone conference ended with one of the greatest spiritual experiences i've ever had. It was one of those times when God lets one of His children know that He loves them, but this time it happened to me. i'll never forget it.

 

 

So, thank you, family, for making that happen. i love you all. thank you so much for all the support and the prayers, i dont want to think about what it would be like with those things or without all of you. stay strong and be happy. part of our covenant is to endure to the end, it's just as important as faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. i'll try to remember that if you do too. i love you all so much.

 

sincerely,

 

E. Jonathan Todd Rogers

 

P.S. Dad, happy 30th birthday this saturday. i'll be thinking about you, and i'll say a special prayer for you. it will probably mostly just be me thanking God for letting me be your son. I love you more than I know how to describe.

sorry, posted a week late

Thank you for the emails! I really look forward to them! Since transfers I'm in a new zone so our weekly meeting is on Thursdays now, so that's the new mail day, so I actually wasn't able to get that package, but that means it will most definitely be there this week. Thank you SOOO much! I can't wait for it! Speaking of, I will probably be sending home another package with some things that I would like to keep, but things that I don't need in brasil or things that I don't know if I can spare in the baggage. I'm sorry again because there really isn't anything I can buy here to include as gifts for you. To be honest with you, the wal-marts here in salt lake are quite similar to the one in spokane and therefore my market doesn't have many things that I think you would find cool. I could however include a university of utah bottle opener...I promise I'll make up for it in brasil!

 

Speaking of Brasil, (no, the visa is still m.i.a.) but we met a lady from Santa Maria at church, could it be a sign?? probably not haha. I think I let myself forget that the Lord has a purpose for having me here. When I forgot that, it made things more difficult, but I've been better at remembering that the past few days. I don't know what the purpose is, and I really might never know what it is, but that's where faith bridges the gap right? I still haven't done the electronic part, just so you know. That's about all I know haha. But, we received two portugues referrals this weekend and we're going to contact them tonight or tomorrow, so that will be really exciting. I'll be able to see E. Ramos really shine, but then again, he's always on his game. Let me say a little bit more about E. Ramos...now that I think about it, maybe the reason I'm in Salt Lake is so that I could learn from him. I'm so lucky to be able to work with him. He is so driven and so organized and so good at being a missionary. We had a really cool experience this weekend.

 

So we were tracting a little bit in an apartment complex (we cover a lot of complexes, it's just the kind of area we're in) and we met a young woman who had just had surgery and wasn't feeling very good, she also told us that she was a member and had served a mission herself. She told us a story from her mission and gave us some advice, advice that I think I was really needing that day. and she told us that she had a feeling that we were going to find someone today. It was one of those times that I was really glad that we knocked on that door. So we went on. And we left the complex. later in that day, we went this little culdesac of four really nice houses tucked away in the corner of some apartments and duplexes. We started knocking. Door one: nobody home...door two: not interested. door three: nobody. door four: Not interested, but he took so long in telling us that he wasn't interested that while he was talking to us, a car pulled into the driveway of house number one, and he pointed to the car and said in a suddenly, slightly more friendly way, "Them! They need a lesson!" A young couple got out of the car and laughed. the wife said, "yeah, my husband needs a lesson." Door four took the opportunity to close the door and we started talking to young couple. we helped them take in their groceries and they invited us in. We started talking and she told us that she doesn't go to church anymore, and that her husband is catholic. Their 2 year old son obviously isnt too concerned yet. But then she invited us over for dinner on Sunday! Which was a miracle because we actually didn't know what we were going to do for dinner that night anyway, and we don't get random dinner invitations from people, members or non-members, very often. We had a great time talking with them on saturday and I was SOO excited to go back on sunday. This is just one of those families that you can't help but love (like the Carpenters haha) and you just love being in their home. This is the second time on my mission where I just had this immediate love for someone we met. This is a family that could change so many lives in the Church, not to mention their own. It's a family that already wants to be together forever. The love that they have for their son is just incredible. There are soo many blessings waiting for this family! E. Ramos and I just have to do our jobs as missionaries and step out of the way of the Holy Ghost. If the Holy Ghost touches this family, so many lives will be effected! It's so amazing, so exciting. I can't wait to see them again.

 

Family, I'm doing well. Like I've probably said many times before, I'm learning so much every day. 

I can't even really describe it, but I'm so lucky to be on a mission. It's not always a walk in the park (sometimes it literally is a walk in the park, but metaphorically, it rarely is), but what an amazing experience a mission is. like Bruce R. McConkie said, "How great is my call!"

 

I love you, family. Pray for me, and I'll keep praying for you.

 

E. Rogers

Back in the Valley (Utah Valley, that is) : )

Well my stint in Wyoming was fun, but it's over now. Basically everyone in the mission came back to one building for transfers on Wednesday. It's cool when the whole mission gets together because I get to see the Elders from the district in the MTC. E. Powell (my MTC companion) is amazing, all of the Elders in his district don't want him to leave to Brazil, they want to keep him. So let me tell you how tranfers unfolded. The mission is split up into zones, and each zone has two desinated zone leaders. At transfers the zone leaders (standing in the parking lot) hold up a poster board with the names of everyone in their zone and their companions. So once they hold up the posters everyone runs around trying to find their name. I got lucky, mine was on the first board I saw. Guess who my companion is.............his first name is Elder.......his last name is Ramos! Sound familiar? It should, because we were in the trio together before. I'm not sure I gave you a sufficient idea of how great E. Ramos is. I couldn't have asked for a better companion. It's common for only one companion to move out of the area so that after transfers someone is familiar with the area, so E. Dodge is still in our old area and E. Ramos and I are in an area just south of that old area. I think with all of these visa waiters the have enough missionaries to spread them out a little bit more than usual, so E. Ramos and I inherited a part of two different stakes that used to belong to the other Elders in those respective stakes. I don't feel like I explained that very well...Oh and E. Ramos is still designated over the Portuguese branch. So this week has been really exciting because everything is so new to us, but we both want to work hard to do what the Lord expects of us.

 

It's been cool to get to know the leadership in the wards. Let me tell you a little bit about Bishop Jenne. I don't know him really well, but in the little bit of time that I've had to spend with him, he reminds me a lot of Brother Shoemaker, aka, he's awesome. I'm really excited to work with him. When I was talking to him on Sunday, it came up that I was a visa waiter, and it turns out that he works in the missionary department of the church! He told me that there are about 140 missionaries waiting on visas in the world right now. Isn't that crazy? I figure at least 10% are in this mission. And he said that when he gets the report this week about visas, he'll let me know if he sees my name. So that's pretty cool. I've been trying to fight it but I find myself thinking about Brasil more now than I did in the previous three weeks. It might be because I'm trying to speak more Portuguese with E. Ramos. I don't know what the weather is like in Spokane but it seems like it got a lot colder here right after General Conference, which is a huge blessing because we wear suit coats full time now. There is snow on the mountains and it's so fun watch E. Ramos talk about snow. He's never seen it snow, he's never touched it, he seems to be one of the few people who is really excited for winter around here. As for me, I'm loving the fall-like weather we have. Fall is by far my favorite season. It just feels so special...so good to me. And that means we have Halloween and Thanksgiving coming up!

 

I'm learning a lot with E. Ramos. Because it's just me and him now, I get to do a lot more, which leads to a lot more learning. It's been really cool to notice the difference between how I felt knocking doors on September 13th and how I feel now. In September, I had no idea what to say and I was on the verge of peeing my pantaloons. But now that it's October, I actually still have no idea what to say when my fist hits the door, but at least my bladder is under control now. It's really quite an adventure knocking on doors. I've learned that it doesn't do me much good to procrastinate the knocking. Whatever planning I try to do ahead of time amounts to nothing. I don't think I realized that I could be a missionary and still have normal conversations with people, even as E. Ramos and I talk about the Gospel. I don't think I really believed the promise that if I opened my mouth, I would be given the words to say. Elder Bednar gave a talk that said something about this. He said that some people get it backwards, they wait for the words to say before they are willing to exercise the faith and open their mouth. That was/is me. Just like what my beautiful Seminary teacher Mother taught me, I have to move my feet before the Lord can direct my steps. So, here's what a common doorstep approach might look like: E. Ramos looks at me, indicating that it's my turn. I turn off my brain and just knock. Then I turn my brain back on, hopefully it starts back up before they answer the door. They answer, there are many possible attitudes that could they could manifest, and E. Ramos and I scramble to show them that we are not hostile, nor alien, nor babbling idiots. It's a tough job. But it's exciting. Sometimes the contact is less than successful, sometimes people just want to be polite, and some people really seem to be interested. It's an adventure with ups and downs.

 

The zone leader in Wyoming told me something that I like. He told me that the people we talk to are more afraid of us than we are of them. It reminds me of what Scout leaders tell Deacons on their first campout when they are afraid to go to sleep. But I thought about what he said, and it really makes sense. A lot of the people we talk to here know exactly who we are, and it's fun to see people avoid us as we walk down sidewalks. I've had to wrestle with a tough thought. I wonder why it is so dang hard to share the gospel with people. I mean, it's true! It's REAL! It will change your life! I know that, but they might not. Why do they almost literally run away? Why do they shut doors in our faces wihtout listening to us? Of course, it's their right to do that, and we respect that right, but what the heck is so grotesque about our faces that turns them off so suddenly? I don't get it. The zone leader in Wyoming gave me a copy of a talk that Elder Holland gave in the MTC a few years ago. It's called "Teach the Atonement", it's an amazing talk. There was one or two paragraphs that talked specifically about this question that I have been having. I don't have the talk with me, but I'll try to capture the meaning, but the unique Holland flavor will certainly be lost. He said, you'll have days on your mission when you wonder why people aren't lined up on your door step in the morning, dressed in white, waiting to be baptized. He said he wondered the same thing. But he came to the conclusion that Salvation is not cheap. It was certainly not cheap for the Savior. If we are to claim that we are representatives of Him, and that we accept His Gospel, we better have some evidence of it. We better have some bitter moments of our own. Our own experiences in "Gethsemane". Make no mistake, He suffered the Infinite Atonement for us, but that does not mean that the rest of our lives will be easy. But Imagine what it would be like without our Savior. Actually, don't do that, don't imagine something that dark and awful. But there is good news. It's the Gospel. It's Jesus Christ. Life is tough, but it's worth it.

 

About the carry-on bag, you can send it to the mission office, which is the address I gave you before. Thank you, Mom! Also, could you post something on the blog about how thankful I am for everyone's letters? And tell them that I'm sorry that I haven't been able to respond to any of them? Today is actually my first regular p-day in the mission and it looks like I might only be able to get one letter out...I wish it wasn't so, but pois e.

 

Well, I just found out that we have to get off.

 

I love you all. Thank you so much for everything.

 

Love,

E. Rogers

Pics from Conference

                                              I took this at dusk.  The lighting was perfect!

                                  Me, Jon, Ricole and Michael... don't look at my puffy eyes!

                                                        I think this is my favorite one!

More later.   : )

In Wyoming!

When I received my mail last Friday, one envelope came from Ricole, which included a note from Michael, meu cunhado. He shared something with me that really hit me in the heart. Something like, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man layeth down his life for his friends. I never thought about this scripture in a missionary sense before, but I might just be one of the most important things for me to do right now.  I had a wonderful life before my mission, pretty much the best in the world, but it was a life that is very different from the life that I've committed to the Lord that I would live now as an Elder. I have a lot of changing to do, in the sense that my faith and my reliance on the Lord must become more real, more substantial, more powerful. My discipline and obedience must improve. I could go on and on, but I won't waste the time. Besides, I know that if I go on for too long, I might sound like I'm complaining and that I need consoling. I don't. I have what I need. I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. This is something I was thinking about last night as we were driving back from General Conference. 

 

Let me tell you about this drive. We weren't going back to my area in Salt Lake. In fact, I'm in Wyoming right now. Kemerer, Wyoming to be more specific. At 2pm today we're going to meet the Zone Leaders in Lyman, where I will be partnered with one of them. On Saturday night after conference, the Assistants to the President called and told E. Dodge to have me pack everything up because after the last session on Sunday, I was going to drive up to Wyoming, where I was going to be fill a gap left by an Elder who is going home this week. This is temporary though, because Wednesday is transfer day, so we'll drive back to Salt Lake for that, and I could be assigned anywhere in the mission after that. I don't think visa waiters serve in Wyoming very often (or at all) because it's so far from the Airport if a visa were to suddenly come through. President Winn said I'm the first visa waiter to serve in Wyoming. But today is p-day and then I'll put in a full day tomorrow and then back to SLC, so it's adventure for me. It's really quite fun and exciting.

 

So I'm in the Kemerer Library right now. Sometimes I don't understand why I'm so happy. If I think about the very vagabond lifestyle that I seem to be living, and the very interesting trailer that we slept in last night, and some other things like that, I'm not sure I would've been so stinking happy if that was my life a year or two ago. But then I think about the missionaries in the Book of Mormon, especially Alma and the Sons of Mosiah. Their examples, their experiences, and their teachings mean SOO much more to me now that I'm a missionary. While I always appreciated and enjoyed their accounts, I LOVE them now. Their missions were almost unthinkably difficult. Their life was at stake all the time! I might have 4 little pomeranians chasing me sometimes, but I've never feared for my life. It's interesting to hear those missionaries speak about their joy, their fulness of joy. I never understand what that meant. I think I'm starting too. When I woke up this morning in my proselyting clothes (I didn't feel like bringing my bags in from the truck and unpacking, because I'll be sleeping somewhere else tonight haha...), but anyway, when I woke up, I was just happy. Just happy. There was one of those days in the MTC that I remember specifically too. Just happy. When I wake up in the morning, and I go to pray, my brain is still a little fuzzy, but I always try to remember to thank my God for letting me be on a mission. 

 

Although not every moment is fun or easy, there is nothing I want to do more than to please my Heavenly Father. My relationship with Him has grown so much since I came into the field. I'm not sure that I'm learning a lot of new things about Him, because I've been taught about His nature for my whole life, but now all of those things that I was taught, all of those things that were in my head, are now being learned in my heart. I don't think I ever understood the difference between those two kinds of knowledge. It reminds me of the analogy Ms. Ringold used in English class. When she was trying to teach us how to write, she wanted us to go very in-depth about a few, powerful points, and not to glance on many irrelevant points. She reminded us of the difference between a body of water that is an inch deep and a mile wide and one that is an inch wide and a mile deep. Geologically speaking this is probably nonsensical and means absolutely nothing, but I think it helps to illustrate how I'm growing. I've always "known" in my head that God loves me, that He answers prayers, that faith works miracles, and that His angels are round about to bear us up. I already knew those things in my head. But they are making their way down into my heart now, and I'm starting to really know them, the kind of knowing that doesn't require quotation marks around it. What a blessing it is to serve God as a missionary, because now I know in my heart that He's real. Now I know He is my Heavenly Father and now I know that a mission is the best thing for my life. Now I know that there is a difference between knowing something in your head and in your heart. That pathway from head to heart is paved by faith. 

 

I think something that I read from Elder Andersen while I was in the MTC has really changed my mission and consequently, my life. He said that faith is not just a feeling, it's a decision. I know I've shared that before, but it means so much to me. There are so many reasons in the world not to believe. It would be so easy. We do not have to look for reasons to doubt. Those reasons naturally come to us, at least, they do to me. But add my testimony to Elder Andersen's by saying that faith is a decision, and life is too short to doubt, to fear, to choose anything that seperates us from God. Wasn't that a great talk yesterday that reminded us that we are free to CHOOSE between eternal life and death? It's a choice. I don't know what will happen if we procrastinate that choice but I don't know why I would want to find out. And the cool thing is that the blessings of the Gospel aren't only enjoyed after we die. Every blessing in my life, every single good thing has come from God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of those blessings from God. He gave it to us because He wants us to come back and live with Him with a fulness of joy.

 

I feel like I'm rambling. I'm sorry. Those are just some things that have recently trickled into my heart. You probably would like to know more about what's going on with me, but the truth is that I don't really know what's going on with me haha. I don't know where I'll be tonight or tomorrow, or where I'll be assigned to serve on Wednesday. But I promise you that you don't have to worry about me, because the Lord takes care of those who trust in Him and who lean not unto their own understanding. I've been trying to do a lot of that. He'll take care of me. I know in whom I have trusted and I will trust in Him forever. That line comes from 2 Nephi 4, probably my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon. That reminds me of a story about that chapter, two in fact. One of them was my own story, and how I came to love the chapter, but the other has to do with a woman that we've been teaching. She is really struggling. Especially with alcohol. Last Sunday, we went by to see her and we read 2 Nephi 4 and I shared my story. As of Friday, she hadn't taken another drink since that night. Those five days have been a miracle for her. Like Bro. Heaton said in the MTC, as missionaries, we have front row seats to the greatest show on Earth. God is at work among His children, bringing to pass their eternal life. I mean that.

 

This conference was amazing wasn't it? God has called prophets and apostles. He speaks to them. That means that whatever they tell us is what God wants us to know. I am specifically thinking of Pres. Uchtdorf's talk. President Uchtdorf receives revelation from God, and President Uchtdorf told us that our Heavenly Father wants us to know that we matter to Him. If God is telling President Uchtdorf to tell us that, that means that we are forgetting how much we matter to God. We must be forgetting that we are literally His children. Imagine how much that pains Him as a Father. His kids are forgetting how much they matter to Him. That's why He told a prophet to remind us. It's true. He loves us, and He is intensely concerned with our lives. And just like the $.29 piece of chicken story, what matters to us, matters to Him. Isn't that what a father does?

 

Rambling again...sorry.

 

Mom, you are my rock. You are the reason for why I am who I am.

 

Dad, you are my hero. You are my motivation and my pattern for who I want to be.

 

Violet, you had a tough job being the oldest, but you did it perfectly. I should say you still DO it perfectly. I admire everything about you, except for how you kept a certain secret from me recently...haha

 

Ricole, what the heck...you would be perfect if you hadn't waited for me to leave so that you could get married. That brings you down to a 109 on a scale of 100 of awesomeness. I have to think that the name "Ricole" must mean sunlight or brightness or brilliance or happiness or something like that in a language that hasn't been discovered yet. I can believe that.

 

Mitch, you're always last on the list, but you're first in my heart. Anyone else but you would probably go googly eyed for that sentence, but I bet you're laughing at how corny they sound to you. That's one of the many things I love about you. But take away all the corniness...take me seriously for a second...you're my best friend. I could've been a much better brother and example to you, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for any and all of the times that I put something ahead of you. I can't believe how stupid I was to not take advantage of all the time I had with you. You have got to be the greatest human being I know. You might not be a doctor yet, but when you walk into my room, you will always immediately have my attention and respect, and I will acknowledge you as the smartest person in the room. Mitch, was it me or did this conference seem to have a lot about missionary work? Maybe I'm biased. As you prepare for you mission, you'll hear a lot of ideas, like study Preach My Gospel, go on splits, mow the lawn (this one will probably come from Dad), memorize scriptures, etc. These are all good. They're all great, in fact. But one of the talks this weekend gave a few suggestions and the first one was "Gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon". That's the most important thing you could do in my opinion. Do it however you want to do it, testimonies are unique to every person, and they will develop in ways that are just as unique. I'm trying to do the same. I suggest it to you because it's what I'm working on right now and I think that if you work on it now, you'll be ready to work miracles as an instrument in God's hands when the time comes. I've always felt like you're ahead of me in my own life. I personally like it this way. Being older, I get to bully you and beat you up, but as the less wise one, I get to learn from you. Best of both worlds, queue Hannah Montana. Bro, I love you. Be happy, Life's too short to be any other way.

 

Sincerely,

 

Elder J. Todd Rogers

 

P.S. Thanks for the updates on your own  lives. Keep 'em coming, please! I might not have time to say a lot about them, but I really look forward to them!

2nd Week in the Field

 

Wow...what a week. I'll have to apologize now and say that I probably won't be able to include all that I want to say, but I'll do my best.

 

So I'll start with last monday. I left the mission home last monday night. Elder Z. still had his bandages on, but he'll be okay. We went to an FHE activity in a singles ward because we had an investigator going there. This investigator is from West Africa and speaks french and very little english. We've met with him twice for a sit-down lesson, but both times I was gone, either on a split or maybe at the mission home. We usually use translators when we teach with him, but he definitely knows more English than I know portuguese haha.

 

Portuguese is kind of a tender topic for me haha, because I can feel myself losing it. Elder Ramos said he even noticed it too. But we only have an hour a day, and that hour sometimes gets booted for a lesson, which is good, it just means that I often don't have a chance to study at all. Here's a really cool thing though! Elder Ramos is over the whole Portuguese branch, so it allowed me to witness this miracle. There is this girl. I don't know if we're supposed to use our investigator's names, so I'll call her Maria. Maria was taught by missionaries over a year ago, but she told them to stop coming because she wasn't going to be baptized until she knew the Book of Mormon was true. The only problem was that she didn't really want to know if it was true, and she didn't read it in the way that Moroni asks us to. She stopped reading. 

 

That was until about two weeks ago, when she got ahold of our number and called us. She had read the Book of Mormon. The whole thing in a week. And she told us that she had received an answer to her prayer. She knew it was true, and she wanted to be baptized. I didn't know Maria before she received her answer, but let me tell you, there is a light in her eyes now. It's almost as noticeable as her hair color. She smiles all the time. She was baptized last saturday. The whole service was in Portuguese and I was able to say the closing prayer. I was able to catch bits and pieces of some really incredible conversion stories. Like I said last week, luckiest guy in the world. Also, on Sunday, I was able to stand in as she was confirmed in the Portuguese branch. It was so stinking cool.

 

As I type, I keep thinking about all of the things that I could say and all of the things that I wish I could express. The truth is that I just can't get it all out. I can't even do it in my journal, which is frustrating. I think I say something like this just about every week, so I'm sorry for that, but just know that serving a mission is even more....how should I say....adventurous, than my emails let on.

 

I'll write a little bit more about Sunday (yesterday) since it's fresh in my mind. I realized that yesterday that because I was in the mission home last sunday and in the MTC for many sundays before that, yesterday was the first time I took the Sacrament in a chapel since I gave my farewell talk. Let me tell you, sundays are crazy as a missionary. Elder Dodge's driving is usually pretty exciting, but on Sundays, when we have like 7 wards to go to, and sometimes 2 or 3 at the same time, he is even more fun to ride with. Side note: our companionship covers 2 stakes, which is about 17 wards, including the port. branch and two YSA wards. So as you can imagine, we are busy on Sundays. But I absolutely Loved it! Yesterday was one of my favorite days of the mission so far! Elder Dodge and E. Ramos were asked (before I came into the mission) to speak in a certain ward, so when we showed up with three, we went up to the stand and E. Dodge leans over to one of the ward's leaders (I'm still trying to figure out who everyone is) and tells him that he wants me to speak first. We had actually showed up late to this meeting, because we had to be in another ward in another building a few minutes before, so E. Dodge tells this man, and simultaneously me, that I'm speaking, and about 45 seconds later, I'm standing in front of a lot of people I don't know and I start speaking. Family, you know me, you know that I tend to worry, you can imagine how nervous I was. And you can imagine all you want, because the truth is, I wasn't nervous. I don't say that to try to sound arrogant, I say that because that moment was evidence to me that the Lord is blessing me. It was evidence to me that the calling of a missionary is very very real, and if I do what is right, if I work hard and if I'm obedient, God blesses in very powerful ways. You all know how powerful that blessing would need to be to dispell my worries, well let me tell you, that's exactly what happened. It was a miracle. It was a very simple miracle, but it was a very appreciated, a very powerful blessing. Oh, and I forgot to mention, one of the Presidents of the Seventy was also on the stand. It was his home ward. I got to shake his hand after the meeting. Luckiest guy in the world. I mean me, not him haha. But I'm sure he's blessed too.

 

In another ward we went to it was fast and testimony meeting. Not every ward was doing that yesterday, so I was so excited to be there when I heard that we were having a testimony meeting. We were sitting in the back of this ward with an investigator (by the way, utah has some of the craziest/coolest chapels I've ever seen) and I was really enjoying this testimony meeting when Elder Dodge leans over to Elder Ramos and whispers something. Then Elder Ramos leans over and tells me that all three of us are going to bear our testimonies....I thought Sweet! This is what I've been called to do! I was a little nervous (in a good way) and I was just waiting for Elder Dodge to stand up so that we could go up there. I wonder if it looked like the FBI was storming the stage when three of us in suits walked all the way from the back to the front. It was so awesome. Elder Ramos went first, then E. Dodge, then me. I tried to keep my testimony really short and simple. I've learned in the last two weeks that one of the biggest temptations to members and missionaries alike is to speak for too long. After the meeting, actually after every meeting, we talk to the members or our investigators or anyone really. The members here are awesome. That's why the Utah Salt lake City mission is one of the 2 best missions in the world. The members are awesome. I am so grateful for them.

 

Well, I don't really have time to go through the rest of last week. But just a little note. Last tuesday E. ramos and I went on splits with Elder Bonaro, our district leader, and guess whose stake E. Bonaro works in? Alex Romney. guess which High Councilor was recently assigned over missionary work. Alex Romney. When I found this out, I wrote a little note for E. Bonaro to give to him, but I don't think he's seen him yet. Small world haha. That stake is in good hands.

 

Also, today 3 of the zones went up to Ensign Peak for p-day today. You should look up the history of Ensign Peak. It was so cool to be up there today. As I was up there just a few hours ago, that's when it really hit me. This is one of the best missions in the world. I'm the luckiest guy on earth.

 

I love you, family! You keep me strong. Thank you for everything!

 

Love,

 

E. Rogers

pics!

                                                Baptism last Saturday   : )

                                                                     MTC teacher

                                                                  another MTC teacher

                                                      with JR, a friend from BYU

First email from SLC!

I don't even know how to start this email...I'll start it like I usually do. Family, I love you so much. If you could see me right now, it's really hard for me to hold back the tears. I'm failing quite miserably actually. I love you all so much. More than last week, even though I said it wasn't possible. Thank you so much for your emails. They mean the world to me, they really do.

Ricole! What the heck! This is the coolest thing since...since....I don't know....since sliced whole wheat bread with all-natural peanut butter smothered on it. I'm so happy! I'm so happy for you! I wish I could be there! But the Lord needs me elsewhere. Oh man, I'm kind of an emotional mess right now. In a very good way though. Wow...I'm just so happy right now. Ricole and Michael, Congrats! Michael, this is for your eyes only: Come on man, why couldn't this have happened sometime before July 13th? I'm only kidding, of course. You're an awesome man, you made the best decision of your life. Ricole is one of the most amazing, incredible people in the world. You might think you know that already, just wait. With her as your wife, you have a reason to be happy every single day. Take care of her. My Dad's not the only one with a Benelli. :)

Violet, thanks for the email and the pics! As I pictured Henry running around yelling "Gog", I was smiling so big. That started the tears. Ricole's news opened the floodgates. Dad, thank you so much for the email. Dad, I think about you all the time. You are my hero. You have been for 19 years and you will be para sempre. I think about you all a lot. I've realized that there are things that you've all done for me that I've been grossly unappreciative for. Thank you Mom, Dad, Violet, Quinn, Henry, Ricole, Michael, and Mitch. Mitch, I'm sorry your name is last haha. It's nothing personal.

So let me explain where I am right now. I'm at the SLC mission home because there is an Elder who just had some surgery done and he needs a companion, so since I'm a trio that's serving really close by, I was asked to stay with him. I've been here since Saturday night. It's been a great blessing. HUGE blessing. For many reasons. First, I get the chance to get to know President and Sister Winn a little bit. They are awesome. Absolutely awesome. And I get the chance to study a lot. Those days in the field taught me that I have a lot, a lot to work on. God knows that, and He's blessed me with some extra study time.

Allow me to continue to explain why I'm the luckiest person in the world. I have the best family and friends ever. Also, I have been blessed to know some of the truths of God, and now I have the chance to serve Him, adopt His Will, and be among His beloved children.

It hasn't even been a week yet. Is that possible? Let's start at Tuesday. We got on a bus early in the morning, dropped some of my best friends off at the airport so they could serve in Mesa. Then we drove all 14 SLC "Visa Waiters" (that's what we're affectionately called haha) to the mission office. President Winn briefly met with the group and then made companionship assignments. I lucked out. Elder Dodge and Elder Ramos. Elder Dodge is really experienced and he teaches me so much. Elder Ramos is from Brasil, and he is amazing. We do language study together and talk about Elder Dodge in Portugues haha. I love these Elders. I didn't really realize that until I had to spend some time away from them while I'm here. But they've been over a little bit, and that's when I realized how much I missed them. I can't wait to be back out with them. There is work to be done.

I met Elder Bodily (Melvin's grandson) while I was at the mission office that day. That was cool, but I didn't really have time to talk, because we basically hit the field immediately. Our area is right around the office so we didn't waste anytime driving either. As I type this, I realize that I don't have the time or the words to describe this week. These 6 days. High highs, low lows. We taught an investigator that morning. It felt soo good to bear my testimony to her. I can't really talk about all of our investigators, but I do have something to say about them in general. This might make me emotional again, but it's such a blessing to work with people. There are so many people in the world who are trying to change their lives, who want to escape drugs, alcohol, sorrow, and pain. They are literally crying out for help. There aren't enough missionaries to help them. There aren't enough people to tell them about Jesus Christ, His Gospel, and the path that He has paved for every single child of God. There is so much sadness in the world. Even in Salt Lake City. People don't know that there is more, that there is salvation available. They just haven't been told yet. Even in Salt Lake City. That's why God calls missionaries. He knows His Children, He knows what we need. We all need Christ. These 6 days have really changed me. Christ's power has never been so real to me. And I testify that His power is real. I've felt it in abundance.

I'm coming to realize that despite all of my deficiencies and weaknesses, Christ is the Light that I am trying to hold up, and He is Perfect. I have a lot to learn, and practice, and develop, I'm not going to stop trying to improve my ability to do this work. But the truth is that the Gospel is where the power lies. The Holy Ghost is the teacher. I just have to try to minimize how much I stand in the way.

Well, I should probably get off now. Know that I'm being very well taken care of. (My very first lunch in the field, a lady gave us money to pay for our food haha. I started talking to her and she just served in the Kennewick mission, where she knew the Ostlers haha. Small world.) The members here are very kind. Not everyone in Salt Lake is in love with missionaries haha, but that makes it fun and interesting. I love you so much. This is amazing time for the Rogers family. Miracles are being poured out all over the place. I've never been more aware of miracles as I have been for the last 6 days. God is our Loving Heavenly Father. That statement is 100% true, and probably very underappreciated by the world. I testify that it's true. He blesses in abundance.

Do you remember Elder McLaw's homecoming talk? One of the things he said was "Christ is the Reason". I feel like there is so much meaning to that short phrase. I only know some of it. But I know it's true. Obedience is the price, faith is the power, love is the motive, the Spirit is the key, and Christ is the Reason.

I love you all. I say it a lot. But I probably still don't say it enough to express how I feel. Don't read it too quickly, I'll say it again. I love you all. You mean everything to me.

Sincerely,

Elder Jonathan Todd Rogers

P.S.

Just for your information, The address for the mission office (where mail should be sent) is:

3487 South 1300 East

Salt Lake City, UT 84106

But I have more time to read emails now, and mail only gets delivered once a week, so email might be best now. Thanks!

P.P.S.

Keep praying for the visa please. I feel like I need to be in Brasil. But also know that I am soo blessed to be here. I learn so much every single day, and the opportunities here are amazing. This reminds me of somthing Elder Zivic told us at the MTC. He asked us, Why do you think God waits for us to ask for things that He is already willing to give us? It's probably because if God just gave us things that were good and in line with His Will, but we didn't have to ask and work for them, we would forget God. That really really hit me when I heard it. It's truth. So I'm trying to let Him know that I want to go to Brasil, but even greater than that, I want to do His Will. He's in Charge. He knows what's best. I trust Him. And I love Him. We'll see if He lets me stay for General Conference. I have a feeling He Will haha.

P.P.P.S.

RICOLE!!!! Again, That's so awesome!!!! I can't wait to wake up on December 30th! I love you! Congratulations! Mom....hang in there haha. Dad, have fun taking pictures haha.

P.P.P.P.S.

Mitch....bro....irmao...I love you. You are the best brother in the world. If I had to create a brother from scratch, I wouldn't have been able to make one that even comes close to you. That's why I'm glad that God made you, and I didn't. You are going to change people's lives wherever you are. You are that awesome. I can't wait to talk to you again.

Last email from the MTC!

 Wow! It's so hard to describe how I feel right now! But you know me, and knowing that today is the eve of one of the most momentous days of my life, you would think I'd be really nervous wouldn't you? Well... my response might be different tonight when I'm laying in bed, but the Lord is really blessing me right now. He knows that I tend to worry, and although worrying has it's purposes, He's keeping me at ease right now. Tomorrow! It starts! I'm so excited! I have so much to learn! So much to do! So much to fail at and succeed at! Let's get it started!

Talking to you on the phone was such an awesome blessing. I was actually really nervous about that phone call haha. It was a very fast 5 minutes. I'm sorry for hogging all of it, I barely got to hear your voices haha. There were four of us at the pay phones and even though there were 3 phones, we went one at a time because it was just so exciting, even for the people that weren't on the phone. It's amazing how things change when you've spent 2 months in the MTC. That might have been the first time I've ever used a pay phone actually...

Even though I'm feeling okay now, I've been a little scared and worried the past few days. That should be no surprise. But it's amazing how the Lord works. Just like you said Mom, Sometimes He steps in and changes our circumstances, but sometimes He steps in and changes our hearts. But I know, I know, that He ALWAYS does what is best for us. It makes me wonder what kind of miracles and changes He could work with me if I would just stop fighting Him and start trusting Him. It's something I'm working on.

When I was talking to my teacher (His name is Irmao Peterson, he's from Pueblo, CO, served in Mozambique, just for some background) he also reminded me of something. He said that we are "given" weaknesses. Of course, we learn this in Ether too, but it really sunk in a little bit more the other day when he said it. We are "given" weaknesses. That means that weaknesses have purposes. If they didn't, they wouldn't be given. That's the truth. The MTC has taught me a lot, but it's quite possible that it taught me the most about me, and how much I have to change. To be the kind of Missionary that the Lord needs and wants, I have to be a man. I'm still a boy. He needs a man. He needs someone who is humble and who has faith. He needs me to change. I hope it happens, and I hope it happens soon, because the sooner that I change, the sooner that I can be an instrument in His hands. That's what I want, because it comes down to this, is the Gospel true? Just like that one talk, "It's true, isn't it? Then what else matters?" I know it's true. I'm still "walking by faith", but I know it's true. What else matters?

There is work to be done. Work in Santa Maria, and more immediately, in the Great Salt Lake. There's work in Spokane too. Don't be afraid to open your mouth. Fear is something I continue to struggle with all the time. I might not know a lot, but I know enough. I know it's true. I might not be the best at talking to people about the Gospel and helping them come unto Christ, but this is what I've been prepared, trained, and CALLED to do. He's called me. He wants me to serve Him, and He knows I have weaknesses. He's the one who gave them to me. But He's promised me, and you, and every one of His children, that if we humble ourselves before Him, weaknesses can become strengths. I'm looking forward to that.

Family, I love you. Stay strong. It's true. I hope to have good stories next week from SLC.

Temporary Reassignment!

Jon called home last night!!  It was quite a surprise, as he had written earlier that he would call on Friday.  So when the phone rang, and caller ID said that it was a pay phone, I just thought it was some person who found a random dentist in the phone book, looking to get drugs off of Todd.  (these type of people usually call from pay phones)  Then Todd noticed it was an 801 area code, and I jumped off the couch and scrambled for the phone!

It was Jon, and I burst into tears as soon as I heard his voice.  Big surprise, haha.  It was  incredible to hear his voice.  He sounds SO good, and is doing SO well.

He will be serving in the Salt Lake City Mission, which includes downtown, and parts of Nevada and Wyoming.   It will be English speaking, though he will get an hour a day to study Portuguese. 

He leaves Tuesday, and is so eager to get out there and get started.  He is super excited about his call, and knows this is where he is supposed to be.  : )

So, let's hop on dearelder.com and send him one more letter, today or Monday!

Some News!

Hi Family!

 

It's been such a crazy week. Thank you so much for your support! I love you! Just a quick note, I'm going to send a little package to you with some things that I want to be safe at home and I'll include a knick-knack or two for you, but the truth is that your cool souvenirs will come from Brasil and not from the MTC Bookstore. I started writing a note that I will also include, but it's not done. I'll send a couple pictures. Look at the backs of the pictures because I labeled one of them.

 

I have some questions for voces. First of all, please please keep me updated on the "Board of Review". I want news as soon as possible. Second, Dad, about C.S. Lewis, I would start with Mere Christianity, it's the classic. Some of his other books will have a similar flow/feel, but will cover other topics about religion. How's the hunting going? Elder Palmer in my district is a hunter and I want him to come up to WA to turkey hunt with us. You'll like him. Mitch, how's marching band?? And the wife beater thing...haha you are the best.

 

You asked about the language, and I love portugues. It's an incredible language. I find myself forgetting Spanish, which is good I guess, but Portugues is so fun. I wish I was more disciplined and spoke it more, but I'm trying. I feel fairly comfortable with it. Cool Story for you. There is this elder who is from Acre Brasil. His name is Elder Da Silva Nogueira. Talk about someone destined for MMA greatness right? Well, actually, he's really skinny, and he just went through an episode of appendicitis, so it might not happen. He is 22 and he was converted when he was 15. He was called to the New York Mission speaking portuguese. Since our schedule just changed, I'm on the same sschedule as him now, meaning we have gym and other things at the same time. Because of his health, he just goes up to the field and brings his book to study English. Even though he's going Port speaking, he's here for 12 weeks to learn English, and I think he's pretty frustrated with it. So when Elder Powell wants to go up to the field, I like to find him and sit with him and talk to him. Oh and by the way, it's all in Portugues. We've maybe exchanged 10 english words with each other, only when I don't know how to say something. I don't say this to brag or anything, because it's quite hard to understand him. He speaks really fast and really low, and he even admitted to doing it. The other native Brazilians are much easier to understand. But we just sit there for the whole time and talk. He has to repeat a lot, but he has an amazing story. He is the only member of his family, and he's sacrificed so much to be one a mission. He's told me about his conversion, his parents, his mom's experience with the Church (she has had a Book of Mormon since 1980, but she never showed it to him), the death of one of his family members, how he wanted to serve a russian speaking mission, so many cool things. I've told him about all of you, the grandparents, my experience of opening the call. I love Elder Noguiera so much. We don't always understand each other with our words, but I think we understand you each as people pretty well. He's amazing and I can't wait to talk to him after I know portugues. So I don't have a lot of time left, but I just can't say enough about Elder Nogueira (we're going to take apicture today, and I'll send it to you someday...) I'll do my best with the remaining 8 minutes.

 

Like, I said, what a crazy week. And to be honest, it's been tough. I'm learning that there is a big difference between knowing something in your head and knowing something in your heart. I know with all of my soul that God is aware of us and He loves us. Last Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were the toughest days since I've been here I think. And do you remember how we have a devotional every Tuesday night? Well guess who walked into the auditorium that night. There are approximately 15 people in the world who we stand up for when they walk in to the auditorium. We stood last Tuesday. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came. Mom, Dad, Mitch, you all know how I feel about Elder Holland, I don't feel like I have to explain that. In every sense of the phrase, Elder Holland was sent from God. I felt like it was a miracle, a sign from God that He knew what I was feeling and He was going to prove it to me. I think if Elder Holland had been wearing a nametag, I would have been able to read it from where I sat. I wish I had time to tell you what he said, but instead I'll tell you how I felt. I felt God's love in a very powerful way that night, even after we left the fireside. It was the beginning of a miraculous week. Not miracles in the sense of loaves and fishes, a miracle in the sense of spiritual healing. The Spirit has been teaching me frequently and powerfully this week as I've continued to struggle at times. But we have to know the bad to know the good, and this week has been very very good.

 

Quick ending. I should be reassigned on Wednesday. And I think I get to make a 5 minute phone call on Friday. Good things are coming! I'm so excited! I'm where I need to be. I love you!