Well!

I think I got more letters this week than I did the first 23 months of my mission!

"Post-it" Blinds in our Apartment

Thanks everyone for writing! It means a lot. It's been a pretty good week overall. We'll start off with Chris! If you have a great memory, you'll remember that there was a less-active member named Chris that I taught in the Coal Mine Ward, my first area. Well, since then he's been taught, quick smoking, started coming to church, and got the Aaronic Priesthood! He and his mother recently bought a new house and will be moving into the Dakota Ridge Ward!! On Tuesday we got to bring a member and go to a lesson that the Coal Mine Sisters had set up with him to help him with the transition into the new ward. We taught about the temple and challenged him to meet with the Bishop for a recommend. It went well! On Friday Elder Tavares and I helped him pack a bunch of things in his garage to prepare for the move this Saturday. It's been fun seeing him again!

I also got to use my Spanish this week while tracting. We tracted into this nice guy named Zach, who referred us to his next-door neighbor who he said spoke Spanish. Thus, I met Jose and had a nice conversation with him. He started by asking what church we were from. I pointed to my tag (I can't find my English one) and told him the name. "Who are the Saints?" he asked. I told him every member of the church is referred to as a "latter-day saint." He said, "So you don't worship any Saints?" No. I then explained that he probably knows us as the Mormons. He said, "Oh! Yes, I know the Mormons. Who or what is 'Mormon'?" So I went on to explain to him the history of the Book of Mormon and it's translation through the power of God by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I then explained the history of the Great Apostasy and of the Restoration of the Gospel. He thought it was pretty cool, but didn't seem too interested. Elder Tavares thought it was pretty cool, though. You know, since we were speaking another language.

On Saturday we helped the same family that had a flood in the basement pile dirt around their house before a storm came. (The dirt stops water from pooling around the foundation-- which causes the flooding). That was super fun!

I believe I mentioned a less-active named Brandon that we tracted into our first week here. In fact, I'm sure I mentioned him. Well, we had another lesson with him this week, and it went great! He asked if we could meet at the church instead of his house. He wanted us to give his 8-year-old daughter a blessing of comfort before her trip to Austria with her grandparents. We met him at the church building and went into the chapel, where we talked about some of the things that were going on in his life. Then I had the idea to play the organ. I told him about the cargo ships in Seattle that travel miles and miles up the river to get to fresh water so all of the barnacles die and fall off the ship. I told him that church is like fresh water for our lives, and I invited him to sit in the fresh water for a few minutes while I played some hymns on the organ. So he (and his daughter, Amara, and Elder Tavares) did, and the Spirit filled the chapel. Then we explained the restoration of the priesthood and have Amara her first blessing. Brandon told us that he knew the next step was to come back to church. He mentioned the "coincidence" that children are baptized at eight, and we tracted into him when his daughter was eight years old! He wasn't able to come to church yesterday, but I have lots of confidence that he will get there.

I'm not used to having a time limit, but I'm just about out of time here at the library! I know the Church is true! I love you all! Keep the faith!

Sincerely,

Elder Rogers