What a Week!

April 21, 2014

Yes, it has been a week.

First of all, we got transfer calls. Well, more importantly, leadership calls! We were having our weekly planning session on Friday morning when President Murdock called. Of course, I had to wonder a billion things about why he would be calling on leadership call day. So I answered.

       Hello, this is Elder Rogers.
"Hi, Elder Rogers! I'm calling to let you know what's going on with transfers."
       Okay.
"Elder Curran will be staying there in Seventh Ward, and getting a new companion."
       Alright. That means I'm leaving.
"And you..." *chuckling with the Assistants* "We're giving you a bit of a load."
       Ooookay...
"You will be-- you might want to write this down."
       Okay. Just a second. Oh man. Alright, I'm ready.
"You will be training-- er --Will you train a mew missionary?"
       Yes, of course!
"Excellent. Then you will be training a new missionary and you will be whitewashing an area; and we want you to be the District Leader there, as well." Mmmhhmmm... "Can you do that?"
       Yes. I can do that! I think. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, I can do that.
"Alright, thank you Elder Rogers!"
       No problem!

So! I've never whitewashed an area before... It will be an experience! There are only three English Elders coming into the mission this transfer, so I was definitely not expecting to be a trainer again. Another interesting thing is that two of the new Elders are from foreign countries, and one is from the US. The others are from Japan and Germany. So, we'll find out tomorrow who I'm training, and where I'm going! I'm really taken aback by the trust the Lord has put in me with these callings. Training is the most sacred call a missionary can have. It's the first calling President assigns at transfers. So again, I was not expecting to train. That was way out in right field! And whitewashing! Taking over an area, essentially blind. We'll be blazing the trail in this new Elder's mission, and in the area! All I know is that I won't be staying in this zone, because we know none of the areas here are getting whitewashed. So I could end up.. Really, anywhere! I'll let you know when I know! Or, the Monday after I know. So I've been packing here and there, and I'll ship out tomorrow morning! That's transfer news.

And it's been a good week! We did Exchanges on Saturday, and I went with Elder Douglas in the Spanish Branch.First we went early in the morning to the Trainers' Training that President asked me to go to. That was great! Then it was raining, so the TWO service projects we had planned on doing fell through... So we went and preached the word unto the people! There's this one trailer park in Grand Junction up on a hill beside the Colorado River that is just like Mexico, or I should say, rural impoverished Mexico, since I know not all of Mexico is this way: dirt streets, dogs, cats, chickens, mariachi music, and, of necessity, Mexican people. It was kind of cool! We met and taught a nice guy there about the Restoration.

Elder Douglas and Me

We also contacted a referral, Vidal. He was a referral from the Singles' Ward Sisters. We knocked on his door, and he answered it, crying. He invited us in and told us how he had just watched a video about the Savior, and was pondering on his family and all of the things that were important to him. He said he prayed, "God, please help me." Knock knock knock! So he took us as an answer to his prayer, and I don't doubt the Lord had a hand in it! We taught him about the Restoration, and he pulled out a Book of Mormon, and explained that he had been reading it, and was in the book of Omni. Whaaaaat? I hope the Spanish Elders have great success with continuing to teach him the gospel.

Also on Saturday, Elder Douglas got a belated leadership call. He will be co-training one of the two new Spanish Elders in Montrose! So hey! Good thing we were on exchanges and he got to go to the Trainers' Training!!

We have been having a lot of success with our new finding approach. The questions we ask get people thinking, and it tells us a lot about them, so we can teach to their needs. Yesterday Elder Curran and I were doing the questionnaire with two teenagers, Jordan and Gabby. The last questions are, "Would you like to be happier than you are now?" and, "What would make you happier?" They both wanted to be happier. And they said that a fresh start, a new beginning, is what would make them happiest. YES! :) Of course, I'm being transferred, but I hope the Elders here have a great experience teaching them about the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins through restored priesthood authority!

Yesterday was Easter. I loved it. It is the most religiously significant holiday we have, in my opinion. We celebrate the culminating event of the Atonement. It is so special. For our Easter program in church, we had a narrator who spoke between congregational hymns such as "He Died, the Great Redeemer Died," "The Lord is My Shepherd," and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today!" It was powerful, and as the conducting member of the bishopric related to us later, "The saints love to sing!" I do. And I appreciated the opportunity to praise my God though song!

I know that my Redeemer lives! And because He lives, we all shall live again! I am so lucky to have the opportunity to share this knowledge with the world full-time. Share it! Do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel? No! They put it on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house! There's some poorly paraphrased scripture that I hope will inspire you all to spread the glorious news of the gospel! I love you all! Choose the right!

Sincerely,
Elder Rogers

A Thought from Mom:

“In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf