May 28, 2014

HUMP DAY!  I can't believe Adrie has already been gone for 9 months.  Only 9 more months to go!  
Crazy how time flies!  It seems like it was just yesterday that I was on a 9 month countdown till she was born but that's already been 22 years ago

Dearest family and friends :) I hope everything is wonderful and going well. I am trying to keep my head above water here hahaha just kidding, sort of. I have had to go to a lot of meetings lately and it's a little difficult being away from your area for that long but I know the things I am learning are helping me to become a better missionary and a better person. It's different being a trainer but I am really enjoying it. I miss Sister Fuller we had a fun companionship, but I am so happy she is in beautiful Sandpoint. My companions name is Sister Amelia Huntsman from Anchorage, Alaska (the place my sweet brothers told me I would be going when I read my first "mission call" if you can all remember that lovely moment :)). She is awesome and so cute, she is a little more quiet than I am used to but that's okay!! We get along well and she really has a desire to love the people and help them to see how the gospel will bless them. It's a cool experience watching her step outside of her comfort zone and try new things. Sometimes she tells me she feels creepy asking random people on the street what their names are and what their beliefs are and all of that good stuff. I just laugh and laugh and tell her that is exactly what she signed up for and she needs to get over feeling creepy because she will be doing it for the next 18 months. I think she likes me so that's good hah! I can be such a goofball sometimes (I got that from my mom) and I think there are those moments where Sister Huntsman might think I am a little weird but whatever. We are going to have a fun transfer! Incredible things have happened in the last week..

1. Our investigators, Amanda and Chris, are on date for June 21st! Our lesson on the Plan of Salvation was so good and the Spirit was strong, my companion did a great job teaching too. She is an inspired teacher. They brought up some concerns with having to quit coffee and we testified of the power of the Atonement and the strength and increased desire they will receive as they continue to meet with us. At the end of our lesson, I think the both of them felt comforted and felt loved, they were excited to commit to June 21st. Chris, who is very quiet, said, "That sounds like a really good day." That made me happy. Even better, they have been sharing with others that they are going to be baptized on June 21st. We are going to work hard to help them get there. Either way, I know they are progressing and will get there when the time is right. 

2. The Morton's, a super sweet less-active couple that Sister Fuller and I have been diligently teaching for the last 12 weeks, came to church!!! It was great to see some of our investigators there but I was floored when I saw Brother Morton's face. They looked happy to be there. It was such a miracle, Sister Fuller will be so excited to hear this :) 

3. Manly games was too good! There was such a great turn out. A lot of investigators, non members, and less-actives showed up. I was impressed with the men in our ward and their missionary efforts. 

4. Jim Brock, our recent convert/missionary man is back! And he is on fire. He has already given us a couple of referrals and he has been telling us non stop of the missionary experiences he had while he was in Pennsylvania. I feel like a proud mother. Go Jim go! The Lord is using him in amazing ways, it gets me teary eyed thinking about it haha.

5. Today is my 9 month mark, half way! Isn't that crazy? I feel like it was yesterday I went to the MTC. Even though time goes by quick I still feel like I have forever until I come home but I know it will be here before I know it so I am trying to make the most of every day.

Things are going well! Know that I love you all and pray for you often. XOXOX

Love, Sister Rogers

This is Jim!

May 23, 2014


CRAZY

Transfer calls were last night! I was shocked and I still feel a little in denial. I will be training a new missionary and I will be the new sister training leader for our zone. I never really understood what others meant when they were given a new calling and told everyone they feel very humbled about it, but let me tell you... I am feeling it! And I don't think it will go away ha I already know this transfer will be very humbling. I am far from being a perfect missionary and this new missionary will be watching my every move hahah I've been praying really hard and I know the Lord will help me. I'm going to make sure my new companion knows that she can work hard but have tons of fun while doing it. I think there are some crazy trainers out there who squish the fun out of everything. So hopefully she loves me. We'll see! 

Guess where Sister Fuller is being transferred.... SANDPOINT!!! Oh man I going to miss her, we've had so much fun but she is going to love it there. I have already started telling her about all the great people. She will be sweeping the area so that should be fun. Sandpoint. It's like heaven on earth.

I don't think we ever told you about Mike! We were outside BiMart the other day and I thought I was hallucinating for a second but there across the parking lot was a black man sitting on the curb. That is like the second black person I have seen my entire mission. I haven't even met any Hispanics really. Maybe two or three. The Mexican food is horrible here... my areas are culturally challenged. Anyways, we had to talk to Mike of course, The Spirit wanted us to and we wanted to so we approached him. Sister Fuller made a comment about his Miami Heat hat and he told us he was from Florida. We asked how on this great green earth did he end up in Deer Park, Washington of all places. He told us he moved to Spokane awhile back with his girlfriend but now they are going through some major issues and he is going to stay with her parents in Chewela. We continued asking him questions about his beliefs and what he hopes for in life and he told us the concerns that are on his mind, including the death of his mother. We testified to him of the comfort and blessings that come from the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Book of Mormon. He told us he has been praying hard to God for direction and guidance and he feels this is his answer. He was excited to have the Book of Mormon and told us he would read it. You could feel the Spirit enlightening his mind. It was awesome. People are prepared everywhere, you just need to talk to them. He gave us his girlfriends parents number, he didn't have a phone, so hopefully we can get in touch with him somehow. Either way, I am happy he has a Book of Mormon in his hands.

This week is going to be cool, we have Elder Aidukaitis coming to our mission to train us. He spoke in General Conference, the one with the thick accent. The men in our ward are also putting on an activity called the Manly Games this Saturday :) Me and my new companion will be the only girls allowed haha it's supposedly a huge finding activity for us from what all the members have said. A lot of nonmembers attend. It will be at our place because the Gilsons have a lot of land... they will be golfing, shooting clay pigeons, archery, black powder, horse shoes, eating food, the whole works! We aren't allowed to use guns on our mission, I was pretty bummed about that because ever since Dad has taken me I have loved shooting clay pigeons but the golf and archery should be fun! It should be a good week. 

Pray for me and my new companion haha. Pray that she learns all the things she needs to, to be a successful missionary. Wish me luck! I LOVE YOU!

Love, Sister Rogers

I promise promise promise I will send you a picture of Jim's baptism next week. I don't have a lot of time today

May 13, 2014

It was the best talking to all of you the other day :) It felt refreshing. The last time I talked to you I had a headache from all the tears and this time it was just fun and great to see all of your cute faces and hear how you were all doing without all of the crying. Before we know it, it will be Christmas again. I don't think I told you over skype but I really did love the easter package you sent, thank you so much! 

Today we went to the temple. It was pretty lovely. I always pick out new phrases as I listen in the temple. New thoughts and ideas come to my mind each time I go that teach me and help me learn more about my Heavenly Father's plan for me. It's easy to let it all go while you are in there... I stop worrying about temporal things and remember the eternal perspective. I often have moments where I ponder on the fact that this knowledge of the gospel has been given to me so freely and I begin to feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all of the blessings that have come into my life through the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a missionary I have heard so many different opinions, beliefs, excuses, experiences, etc. that only reiterate to me that this gospel is true. It all makes so much sense to me and those great feelings that come from the Holy Ghost just seal the deal. 

We are going over to a part member family for dinner, Lee is the non member husband. He is so nice! We are hoping he opens up a little bit and will allow us to teach him more. Pray for him haha he is such a good guy, he loves to serve others. 

I have quite a few pictures I'm sending you. LOVE YOU!

woo hoo our zone is finally getting some physical activity haha the hike was actually pretty gnarly, it felt good though!

this is my beautiful mission. Hills and fields and pine trees everywhere and horses!

after our rigorous hike, I have no idea why I was laughing so hard in this picture

Colville valley

check out these flowers! I was dying they were so beautiful.

Sister Fuller and I helped out at the Riverside High School track meet the other day. We were the girls who prepped the sand and measured for the long jumpers. We wanted to snap a couple pictures in our Riverside volunteer shirts with our tractor hahah I think we look pretty dang good in neon :)

May 7, 2014

Well the temple would have been wonderful this morning! Except I woke up in the middle of the night and started puking my brains out. Ugh being sick on a mission is the worst haha it's been a rough morning but I am starting to feel much much better. I have to be honest I was just wishing so bad in the moment that I could have been laying on my couch at home watching TV to help time go by quicker. But I found a solution. I ended up watching like 4 church dvds that were in our apartment. Some of them are so cheesy but they did the trick. You can't even compare the Finding Faith in Christ video to the Bible videos that are on the church's website. The Bible videos are just way too good. Jesus doesn't look like he just came out of a salon. Speaking of the bible videos, have you had a chance to watch "Because of Him"? I LOVE IT. One of my favorite mormon messages. I get pounded with the spirit every time. Watch it if you haven't had the chance! We shared it with everyone at Jim's baptism this last weekend! It made some of the non members cry :) Woo hoo! Jim's baptism was awesome! He was so excited. There were so many people there supporting him, I was so so happy for the guy. When Sister Fuller and I asked him how he felt afterwards, his response was, "I feel empowered. I don't feel alone anymore." :) MISSIONARY WORK. LOVE IT. When I think about the people we teach and baptize, I quickly remind myself of the magnitude of this calling... we are helping them to have the opportunity to inherit the celestial kingdom and be with their Heavenly Father again. That's huge. Jim is able to do that now :) 

Amanda, the lady Jim invited to church a couple weeks ago, asked to meet with us! We had our first meeting with her and her husband yesterday! It was awesome! She recently had a baby and really wants to attend a church as a family. She mentioned to us that she has been praying hard for guidance and direction and she feels that possibly Jim's invitation is an answer to her prayers. She was raised Catholic and has a some very interesting concerns so this should be fun. One of them was infant baptism. She feels her baby needs to be baptized and is worried about the fact that we do not baptize babies. She wanted to know why... I turned to Moroni 8 and began sharing some scriptures with her. I forgot how bold they were hahaha, you know me.. don't want to step on anyone's toes, I was a little nervous what her reaction was going to be. But when we were done reading she didn't seem upset or angry she just told us it makes sense that babies wouldn't have any sin. Exactly! They are too perfect and sweet. Chris, her husband, is really easy going and quiet. I am not sure if he is completely on board but I have faith that the Spirit will touch his heart. 

I am so excited to talk with you this Sunday! It is going to be wonderful :) I love all of you! Have a great week.

I have some pictures to send you from Jim's baptism but the computer is having some issues right now so I will be sure to send them next week.

Love, Sister Rogers

Because of Him Video          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S3TI4bYerU