Week #23 12-29-14

White Christmas!  With Elder Ward at a members house as it snowed on Christmas Eve.

Got this picture in a text from a member.  They took the Elders out for dessert!

This week we had Christmas and I got to call home and that was really fun! Christmas eve we went over to a members house so Elder Lagunzad could skype his family and it was fun! It was weird hearing someone talk in Tagalog the whole time! It was funny! Then Christmas day we got to call home which was really good! As far as missionary work goes, we really didn't get anything done! Everyone was out of town or turned us away because it was Christmas time! But that is okay! Next week will be better! I hope! It is New Year so we will see how it goes! I am excited for New Years Eve because we are eating with this super awesome family! He is our Ward Mission Leader and I am excited! So you will hear more next week! This week has been really slow so I am not sure what else to say so I love you guys and thanks for everything! Love you so much! 

Week #22 12-22-14

Reunited with Elder Hulet.  Riley's MTC Companion.  They're in the same zone now.

With Elder Cope and Elder Christiansen.  Elder Christiansen is going home.

With Elder Van Wagoner- first companion in the field.

Hey Yall Howzit??? Life in Nampa is pretty awesome except the fact that it has been raining the past three days so it kinda stinks! But that is okay! God still loves me!  Anyways, highlights of this week!

We had Zone conference this week and it was really good! I got to see a bunch of my missionary buddies and it was super fun! We watched Mr. Krugers Christmas and it was good! We also watched a movie called "The Last Leaf" and that was cool! It is about this little girl who is dying but she is waiting for the last leaf to fall off the vine outside her window! She is set on dying once it falls, but there is this old guy who goes and paints a leaf on the wall and she doesn't know so she ends up getting better and living! I know I just butchered that explanation but it was really good! It realated that to Christs Atonement. Oh also, The old guy ends up dying so that is how it relates! Anyways, you should go watch the movie because I do it no justice! Anyways, here are some pictures! 

Week #21 12-15-14 TRANSFERRED TO NAMPA!

District in Nampa

Good missionary friends napping after lunch- ha!

With Elder Vargas Ruiz

New companions in Nampa- Elder Lagunzad from the Philippines and 

Elder Ward from South Carolina.

Hipster picture of Elder Rogers!

Hey guys how's it going?? This week has been pretty crazy! We visited tons of people and it has been really nice! My comps are super cool! Elder Ward from South Carolina is really funny! And the stereo types of southern people are true! He refers to his fruit punch as " DRANK" and everything he see's that he likes " breaks his heart"! It is really funny to listen to him talk! My impersonation of him is getting better! Maybe I will come home with a southern accent! 

Then there is Elder Lagunzad! HE is super chill! He is from the Philippines.  He  speaks surprisingly good English! But I still have to teach him some of the funny words like DANGUS and DINGLEBERRY!! Haha its a good time!

The big highlight of the week is the ward Christmas party! It was really good because we had two investigators there who really enjoyed it! One of our investigators is a super awesome guy! He is 21 and he just got done with basic training for the Army! He was raised Jehovahs Witness but his wife is a member! So we are teaching him and they have the cutest little daughter ever! I can't wait to be a dad! Haha 

1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.

2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.

Something I learned this week is that trials and blessings don't come separately! Sometimes when we are going through trials that is when God gives us our blessings! I think that is the best time to look for blessings because it makes us realize that the load we are carrying is lighter and that Heavenly Father is helping us through! I love you guys and thanks for everything! Merry Christmas! Love ya!

Week #20 12-8-14

Awesome tie Elder Daniels!

With Elder Raubach

With Elder Cope from Phoenix.  Good friends.

Selfie in his rain riding gear!

Hey everyone! How is everything going?? So I made it to Nampa this transfer and I am really excited! I have two new companions! I am in a trio with Elder Lagunzad ( from the Philippines) and Elder Ward who came out six weeks after me! So I am really excited and I hope everything goes well!

As for my week not much happened! It wasn't to sad to leave Caldwell! I wasn't there for too long.  But I am going to miss the missionaries that I served around because they were super cool!  We really didn't do anything big this week besides transfers! We have been packing for like two days straight! Other then our usual appointments nothing went on! Oh I got my bike fixed and it runs like new.. oh wait, it is new! Haha It rained pretty good so I have some pictures/ stories about that!  Anyways, sorry the letter wan't very long. Not too much going on!

I know that Christ lives! This time of the year is to celebrate the birth of Him! So what better to celebrate his birth than to do service! My challenge for you guys this week is to go out of your way to serve someone. And if you do this I promise you Heavenly Father will bless you and help you along the way! I love you guys! Thanks so much for everything! 

Week #19 12-1-14

Elder Rogers got bit by a dog.

Elder Rogers & Elder Van Wagoner got to go back to Melba to the Journey's baptism.

Selfie!

Hey everybody! How is it going?? Sorry I didn't email last week! I was really busy! But I have got some stuff ready for this week!

The big highlight of the week was Saturday! So on Saturday we had district meeting and it was really good! We listened to a talk by Dieter F. Ucthdorf about being grateful and it was bomb! Then we went and met with a less active lady and talked to her and her boyfriend about blowing things up and running from the cops! It was a fun visit! Then after that I got to go back to MELBA!!! It was awesome! We were teaching a couple name the Journey's and they got baptized! So me and VW were reunited! It was a good night!

Bad news time! My bike exploded! Haha I was riding my bike really slow and I looked back to see where Daniels was and he was way back there! Then I looked forward and hit a curb and endowed and ate it! It wasn't a hard fall so I thought everything was fine. But then I was riding it later and the rear derailleur like exploded when I shifted gears! So I have to get a new one! 

So I gave a talk last week in one of our wards about living the gospel joyful! It was fun, then I had to give another one this week about missionary work! Giving talks isn't bad at all when you are a missionary!  It is weird how that works! 

Nothing else really happened this week! We had a lot of bike problems so we were taking care of that all week! Oh Thanksgiving! So we ate with a family in one of our wards, they are super awesome! There was six missionaries there so it was kinda funny! We all sat at our own table and it felt like we were at the little kid table! Haha Then after that we rode our bikes like 10 miles to another dinner!  But the other family we ate with was really cool! One of the guys served his mission in Mesa AZ so we talked about all the good places to eat in Mesa! 

But anyways that is all I got! I love you guys so much and I am so thankful for all the support you guys give me! I love you so much and I hope you all have a good week! I know that being grateful for what you have not only helps you see what blessing Heavenly Father is giving us, but it also opens doors to more blessings! I challenge you guys to be grateful for what you have and look for Heavenly Fathers hands in our lives! Love you guys!

Week #18 11-24-14

No email & no pictures this week.  Sad mamma!

Week #17 11-17-14

First snow!

Where's Elder Rogers??

Guys, it freaking snowed! I loved every second of it until I had to go outside. Now I hate it! Can you guys send some of the heat this way! But for reals, I hate the cold! I think God sent me to Idaho to punish me because of the cold! Haha Just kidding! But just a few highlights from the week. 

Tuesday we started the New Member lessons with kim and that went good I guess! We showed her the Restoration video and that always brings the spirit! The only problem is that she runs a day care at her house so there were little Ninos running around everywhere! She kinda feels like she already knows everything so it is hard to get her attention when we are reteaching. Plus I have know idea how to teach the new member lessons because I haven't had any experience. And neither does Elder Daniels so it is kinda fun.... Not!   It is soooo awkward, but we are getting better!

Wednesday we went and helped a less active lady around her house! It was really cool because we have begging her to come to church for a while now and she finally came yesterday! And when we were there on Wednesday, she had a friend over and he sat in on the spiritual thought and he seemed interested. But when I invited him to church, he kinda brushed it off so I didn't think anything was gonna happen there! But, She brought him and another friend to church and it was freaking nutz! So Heavenly Father blessed us by reactivating a less active, and giving us two new investigators! He loves me!

Thursday was the snow day! I wasn't feeling to good so we didn't go out and work, but we set up my bike and hungout! It was really nice to be inside during the snow, but it sucks being stuck in the apartment all day! Now I can't even ride my brand new bike because of the snow and it sucks! I was looking forward to it! But that's okay because I got to put some miles on my fresh kicks! 

Friday we had district meeting and it was really good! It is always fun to get all the missionaries together because usually the spirit is super strong or our conversations are really funny! Then we had lunch and a nice snowball fight! Have I mentioned that I hate the snow?? It is freaking cold!

Saturday, nothing big really happened!

Sunday, was really good! We had those two investigators come to church and it was really good! He actually asked me for a copy of one of the talks that a member of the ward gave! It was really funny! But hopefully we can start teaching them.

That's pretty much my week! I miss you guys a lot and the weather! But I know this is where I am supposed to be and I know that Heavenly Father is always blessing me! He is always blessing everyone, even when it seems like he isn't, he is! You just have to watch for his hand in our lives and we can see how he blesses us! 

Love you all!