This is a much needed P day haha I am so happy to be emailing right now. This last week has been pretty darn difficult but I have also had some of the happiest moments too! It is easy to get tied up in the fact that I am going to be doing this for 17 more months. While you are out serving that seems like FOREVER and you start to feel discouraged and upset. I am missing my family BUT The Lord has given me an outpour of blessings that have strengthened me and helped me to get through this little rough patch. First blessing... through the Atonement and it's enabling power, I am given immediate comfort and strength to push forward and do my best.  Second blessing... my new companion Sister Workman! She is my new trainer and is so encouraging and uplifting. I love her. She makes me want to be more hard working, more obedient, and just all around a better missionary. Transfers are coming up this next week so I hope we get to stay together and get to be in Sandpoint! Third blessing... together we have seen so many miracles over the last few days. More than I feel like I have ever seen since I started serving. The Lord has placed people in our path as we go about our day and they are people who seem to be really prepared to hear our message. We gave a couple church tours this last week and at the end of a church tour we sit down by the baptismal font and teach the Restoration. Yesterday we had a church tour with a man named Justin. We met Justin a few days ago when he called out to us on the street while we were knocking on someone else's door. He told us he was excited to learn more! So we invited him on a church tour and he gladly accepted. At the end of our tour, when we taught the Restoration, I started crying as I stated Joseph Smith's account to Him. I don't cry too often during lessons but the Spirit was so strong! The coolest thing is when your investigator tells you that they feel something and that it feels good. My heart always sings when I hear them tell me that. Because the Spirit is key for conversion. So pray for Justin! We have a good feeling about him.

On Sunday we went to go visit some less actives, The Millers! They are so wonderful. We love them. They invited us in and directed us to their kitchen. It looked like a murder scene! There were huge slabs of bone and meat piled all over their counters. It looked like Sister Miller had a grinder on the other side so I asked them if they were grounding their own beef. They all laughed and said "No not beef, this is Yogi". Sister Workman and I were a little confused at first and then it hit us. They had chopped up BEAR all over their counters! We were freaking out haha they thought that was funny. Brother Miller shot it in his yard last year. We have a lot of bears up here. I haven't seen one yet but I got to eat one! They had some cooked and had us try it. It tasted a lot like pork, it was weird. My brain couldn't wrap around the idea that I was eating bear. I was a little grossed out but hey look at me getting the cultural experiences that I've always wanted :) And Northern Idaho is definitely another culture.

I love you all so much. I want you to know that I love being a missionary despite how stinkin difficult it can be at times... a lot of the time. But I have never felt more happy than when I get to share the gospel with someone and feel the Spirit testifying to them and to me that what I am telling them is true. We really can be so happy if we know that we truly are sons and daughters of God and as we come to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I hope you have a wonderful week. I'm praying for you! LOVE YOU!

Read Alma 37 when you get the chance :) Especially vs. 36 and 37... those kept me going this last week.

Love, Sister Adrienne Rogers.

 

THIS IS THE SLAUGHTERED BEAR. It was pretty gross

 

My last day with Sister Tisdale :) Something came up and she needed to be home for awhile