Monday = New P-day

Hi Familia,

 

Well, as you have probably noticed, my p-day has been changed to monday. The whole schedule for our district is being changed up. I think it has something to do with BYU starting. So these last 2 and a half weeks, wow, I can't believe that, these last 2 1/2 weeks will be a little different. Most important things first: I love you, family. I pray for you every single day. I miss you, but I know that we're all where we are supposed to be. You give me so much strength. Thank you.

 

I got another batch of cookies from GG. I can hardly keep up with all the goodies I get haha, but I'm very grateful for everything I receive. Will you tell G-ma thank you for me?

 

I'm sorry I wasn't able to send a letter last week. P-days are really quite busy as well. And with the new schedule, p-day ends even sooner. So I'm going to do my best to write letters, but I might not be as consistent as the last few weeks. I'm really sorry about that, but I know you understand, and I am grateful for that. This email might not have anything that is blog worthy, I hope that's okay. Sometimes I think I put pressure on myself to write something really cool for the blog and I neglect you all a little bit. I'm sorry for that.

 

Oi Mitch, golfing sounds like it will be a blast. You've got some great amigos. I hope marching band is rocking your world. (No need to comment on that hilarious pun.) When does school start up? Is your schedule set in stone yet?

 

Mae e Pai, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY tomorrow! 25 years! I love you so much Mom and Dad. Thank you so much for loving each other and for raising our family to be so close. You said you went somewhere together, didn't you? Portland? I forgot my notes for this email haha.

 

As you can imagine, the weeks start to blur together here. I really don't know how long I've been here. I just know that I leave around the 13th of September. Speaking of, I had a  dream that my visa came last night. (Sidenote: Kalli wrote me and told me that she got a job working in the MTC health clinic, which I walk by like 6 times a day. I havent' seen her yet, which is good, because I'm not allowed to participate in visits with family or friends anyway.) But earlier today I was told that I got something in the mail and it was from the MTC and they thought it might be a visa thing. My heart was pounding. I grabbed Elder Powell and we ran to see Elder Ortega who is the keeper of the mail. I saw the letter and I immediately recognized it as something just as great as a visa. A letter from Kalli! She used an MTC envelope and I recognized her hand writing immediately. It was awesome to hear from her. It's weird because since the envelope didn't have a stamp, I knew that she just dropped it off, which means she was like 30 yards from the building I live in.

 

But anyway, no visa for me or anyone in the District. We're all happy though. We're excited for our reassignments that should come in a little over a week. I heard a rumor that the Quorum of the 12 also makes the reassignments, and I don't know why that wouldn't be true. So it's pretty exciting. How stinkin lucky am I to get 2 mission calls! I can't wait. Whatever happens, I'm excited. Granted, there is also a decent dose of fear and hesitation mixed in with the excitement, but it's all good. Maybe there's something the Lord wants me to do before I go to Brazil.

 

I realized something today. I've been in mission prep for my whole life. And really, most of it came within the walls of our home. Some of the most important things that I could've worked on before I came were things that I learned from you. Of course, I'm not calling myself great at any of these things, but I have a solid foundation thanks to a great family. Like, how to be quiet when you feel like you have good reason to complain. Sometimes I feel like complaining, but I just think of Dad, and he never put up with that kind of stuff. We have way too much to be grateful for to complain about anything. Also, how to reach out to people. Mom, we all know this is your area of expertise. Some people in this world, even the MTC, are obviously not having the best day of their lives every single day. Mom, you taught me how to recognize that, but even more important, you were an example of doing something about it. I'm still quite awful at the whole processs, despite the greatest teacher in the world being my mother, but I try to be more like you. Both Mom and Dad have told me this: This life, this Gospel, is all about people, and it really is. I read one of Grandpa's poems today about the Cripple being healed by Christ. What an amazing poem. I think that if you know anything about Christ, you know that He put people before anything. And He could've had anything He wanted. But He chose to descend below all things to do something for other people. Something that we could never ever do. Mitch, I have to thank you too. You teach me how to be bold and confident when it is appropriate. When I think about how scared I might be to approach someone in Brazil (or Kentucky) I like to think about how powerfully you would do it if you were the one wearing the nametag right now.

 

Family, I'm out of time. I love you. I pray for you, but my power is nothing compared to His. Trust God

 

Love E. Rogers.