August 25, 2014

Hello :) 

This is a simple email. This last week has been wonderful but I can't think of a whole lot to write about at the moment. Sister Huntsman and I have been working with a less active couple, the Murphys! They are a sweet couple, a little stubborn and defensive, but they have that desire and they allow us to come and teach them each week. This transfer we have really been working on being bold and focusing on getting our investigators/less actives to church. We are still working on it but we have already seen so many blessings as we have strived to be better! This last week we have been helping the Murphys understand the doctrine behind coming to church and taking the sacrament and how important it is to our eternal salvation. God wants us to be happy now and forever and attending church each week will bless us with that renewed strength and desire to improve. As we attend with an open and humble heart, we are blessed with power and personal revelation. We are promised the companionship of the Holy Ghost as we renew our covenants and make that resolve to change. Improvement, even small improvement, will bring us happiness. 

Yesterday morning as we were heading to ward council we made a last minute decision to call the Murphys and invite them one more time to church. We were nervous that Sister Murphy, who made it clear she doesn't like to be pushed, would get upset but we know that we had to do it. She did seem a little bothered when we reminded her over the phone that church starts at 1:00 and we hope to see them there. I think she actually may have hung up on us? But we both felt good because we had done all that we could to help them this last week to get their bums on over to the building and take the sacrament. A couple hours later we were standing at the doors greeting everyone coming into the chapel and in pops the Murphys!!!!!! It was a miracle! My jaw dropped haha I think that was amusing for them. They both had big smiles on their faces and I could tell they felt accomplished and proud of themselves to have finally made it to church after so many years. I felt so happy.. I love that feeling. We are going to continue working with them and help them to become active! Sometimes I think about those at home.. neighbors family and friends who have gradually stopped going to church and I often wonder why I did not do more to reach out. I am learning though and I recognize the importance of being your brother's keeper and helping them to the best of your ability. Being an example to them, serving them, and encouraging them with love and not overbearance will bless them and soften their hearts. God has opened my eyes through the experiences I have had on my mission. I think if I were at home today and never chose to serve a mission, I would still be oblivious to some of those who are struggling around me. I am thankful that I have learned to be more mindful of what I can do to help the Lord and His children. To turn outward and serve! I know as we do so we feel joy and greater self confidence. We feel the Lord's love for us and better recognize the potential we have as children of God. I think we are blessed with a greater desire to change and become better as we think of others, especially those the Lord has placed close to us in our lives, and seek to help them. I love you all so very much. Thank you for your support and encouraging words and prayers. XOXOX

Love, Sister Rogers

P.S. We went golfing this morning with Brother Hassing. It reminded me of you Dad! It made me happy, we have to go when I get home. I think I want to play more often! (I also remembered that one time we went and that british guy played with us, remember his accent? Especially when he talked about his "pawtna" :)) 

August 18, 2014


Amanda and Chris Fleishour are mormons now :) I am so happy and hopeful for them! I feel really blessed to have been able to teach a family and help them come closer to Christ and be baptized. I have spent a lot of time pondering and studying and wondering what I can do to help them grow and understand the amazing things that will come from the gospel and this last week, I felt a sweet weight taken off my shoulders as I watched them make that covenant with the Lord to remember Him and always keep His commandments. It's amazing the change that has taken place. I think that is one of my most favorite parts of missionary work is watching people exercise faith and change! I've especially enjoyed observing Chris. He is a bit more reserved and it has been difficult discerning his feelings and thoughts as we have been teaching but as time has gone on his heart has become softer and softer and he is more willing to put His trust in the Lord. Obviously haha he just got baptized!

Yesterday, after church, we went over to their house for dinner and I asked Chris how it felt going underwater (he doesn't care for water). He laughed and told us that his brother sent him a text the night before asking him how he felt after his bath. Chris replied, "Clean." He thought that was so funny but that simple response made me feel so good. I knew he was referring to more. He told us he actually did feel really calm in the water and he does feel clean and good. This last week he has really opened up and his comments have helped Sister Huntsman and I recognize his sincerity and desire to make the gospel apart of his life and the life of his family. When we taught him last Monday we asked him why he wants to be baptized. He said, "I wouldn't have come this far if I didn't want to do it." GOOD POINT! Being able to know that Amanda and Chris truly understand and have that real sincerity and desire to be baptized has all just been one big fat tender mercy from the Lord. I see such a bright future for the Fleishours and I couldn't be more proud of them. I know an eternal family is what they want. It won't be easy but I know they can do it. For awhile I thought I had signed up for 18 months but I have realized that these people I have grown to love are going to be apart of my life forever and I know the Lord expects me to do all that I can to help them even after I return home. I'm grateful for all of it.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! I am praying for you.

Love, Sister Adrienne Rogers

August 11, 2014

Aug 11 at 3:17 PM

I can't even believe it, I am staying in Deer Park another transfer! I was shocked! I have been telling myself the last couple of weeks that I'm leaving because I was pretty darn sure. Guess not and I feel very grateful about it. I get to be at Amanda and Chris' baptism and continue teaching all the wonderful people we have in our teaching pool. I am also happy to be here for Brother and Sister Gilson. Sister Gilson isn't doing too hot and everyone is feeling like she will be passing away soon. It will be good to see her as much as I can before she goes. If you ever have the inkling, just give Brother Gilson a call and tell him you love him. He is one of the greatest people I have ever met.

I am starting to get some nerves for the baptism haha I just want to make sure Amanda and Chris understand the covenants they are making and that it is a commitment for life and not just requirements that are asked of them before baptism. I realize that we do not have to be perfect before we are baptized or understand everything completely but I just feel like I got spiritual babies on my hands you know? Like it will be on my head if they don't completely understand haha but I know I have done my best and tonight they will be having their interviews with the district leader so that will be a big help in preparing them for this Saturday. I am excited! I will send some pictures your way so you can see them.

Sister Bakly, our mini missionary was so fun! She did such a wonderful job. I hope she had a good time with us haha it was kind of a crazy week, we had a lot of meetings and planning but she hung in there perfectly. She loves Thai food so we all went out for dinner the other night. The Thai restaurant here is my favorite, you would all love it. Then we had a lesson over at the Clarks and they had a surprise for us..... little baby potbelly pigs! SO CUTE. I was dying. We got to hold one and now I want one haha and I want it to stay that small. 

This last week I had an MLC meeting. The mission dr. checked me out while I was there and I am doing just fine :) Thank you for your concerns, it made me feel loved but my ankle is doing well. They don't know what it was but I'm pretty sure it was just a horsefly or something. President Boren, in our training, shared something that struck me... he said the temple is a test. The temple represents the presence of the Lord. It is a test of our desires. What is our desire? How badly do we want to be close to God? The temple is a test of our desire to be in the presence of the Lord. We must acquire that burning in our bones to attend the temple as apart of our preparation for eternal life. It is the Lord's house where the veil is thin and we can learn and grow spiritually. I know it is important to our Heavenly Father that we attend the temple and if needs be that we repent and prepare ourselves to be worthy to go back to the temple and return again and again. He loves you and wants you to take part in temple blessings. They are abundant! Once I return home I want to strive for and make temple attendance a high priority in my life. I know I will be blessed both temporally and spiritually. That I will be blessed with the power and strength that the Lord desires to give me as I serve His children there and learn more about His plan for me. I know this is what He wants for all of us. I love you and I wish you all the best this week :) Keep praying for all the lovely people here in Deer Park.

Love, Sister Rogers

This is Sister Bakly. <3 She's a nut

As you can tell, I really want that piglet in my arms.

Cute Brother Clark

August 4, 2014

Sister Huntsman and I got a call yesterday from the Assistants. They let us know that we will be having a "mini missionary" join us for the week. Every year we have some youth from the mission stay with missionaries so they can get a little taste of the missionary life. She will be like a third companion, she will help us teach, find, etc. We are excited, it will be way fun! Her name is Jenna, she sounded a little nervous on the phone when I was giving her some info. I told her to make sure she brings a mattress pad because the couch is infested with spiders. Our whole apartment is infested with spiders (Hobo spiders, they are CRAZY) but she will be much safer sleeping up in the loft with us. She will have tons of fun :) We know how to have a good time. I will let you know how it goes. Having a third missionary with us is going to be a little different, it is going to be so funny contacting people on the street.. I feel like they will feel even more intimidated than they already do when two strangers approach them out of no where.

Speaking of spiders, I got a bug bite on my ankle. We were serving an investigator and I was out in her field, dumping some dirty water in the weeds and my ankle started burning. I'm not sure what bit me but it is so disgusting. My ankle is super swollen now and it aches like a sprained ankle. What's even worse is it is all itchy too... not just the little bite but my whole ankle. Sister McBride told me to soak my foot in epsom salt everyday so that's what I've been doing... guess we will see? I'll send you a picture, it's gross. 

This week there has been so many miracles! The other day Sister Huntsman and I were weekly planning and we got a call from Amanda. She told us she wanted to share something with us and asked if we could come over. We hopped in our car and the whole way there we were stressing. We weren't sure what to expect so we prepared ourselves for the worst which would be her telling us that they don't want to continue lessons. The Lord showed us. We walked in and she had a huge smile on her face. I knew immediately that it was going to be something so wonderful. She told us she wrote down her testimony. Miracle #1: She explained that she was really wanting a cup of coffee and decided that she would read from the Book of Mormon instead and something amazing happened. Miracle #2: She flipped open to Ether 12:6 and felt the power of the Holy Ghost, she said it was a feeling that made everything that she has learned and questioned all come together and make sense. Miracle #3: She recognized that verse as an answer to her prayers and realized that the Lord has been answering her prayers and guiding her to where she needs to be all along. Miracle #4: She felt prompted to write her experiences and personal testimony that the Lord answers prayers, the Book of Mormon is true, and that this gospel is true and it is for her and her family. Miracle #5: She shared this testimony with us and after she was done we were all in tears. It is such an incredible experience to watch investigators recognize that everything we have promised them as they make and keep their commitments is true. It may not come all at once, it may take awhile but the blessings do come. This is a promise to all of us. We can feel the Lord's love every day as we humble ourselves and are obedient to his commandments, we can feel the clear and peaceful feelings that come from the Holy Ghost. Amanda and Chris are going to be baptized on AUGUST 16TH! I am so excited!!! Transfers are this Sunday, if I get transferred I am hoping I will be able to come back the next weekend for the baptism but if not I know that I have been very blessed to teach Amanda and Chris. My purpose is to help the Lord in this work and I have been able to do so, so whatever happens... whether I get to be at their baptism or not, I am happy.

I LOVE YOU! It makes me so happy to hear all of the fun things that are going on at home. Isaac you are going to do a wonderful job on your talk! And I hope you will sing to me at my birthday party too haha :) Logan you have to write me and tell me all about Italy! XOXOX

Love, Sister Rogers

look how huge that sucker is!