We are gathered here today to celebrate Elder Rogers last week of training. Suffice to say he is P-U-M-P-E-D PUMPED! So I don't think I will be training this next transfer, which I am pretty happy about honestly. I don't think I'm quite ready for that. My Companion continues to disagree, but I just ignore that. I think I have learned more about myself and about Christ in the last 12 weeks than I have in the last 2 years. Let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, God is great, and He loves us more than we can comprehend. My heart and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the increasing evil in the world, I hope that you all are safe and sound. So this week was not as productive as I would have liked it to be, but that's A-OKAY, because I am confident that it turned out the way the Lord wanted it to. I did learn a lot though! So we were given a talk by a ward member titled Teaching by the Spirit, by Gene R. Cook. It blew my mind! I realized that Missionary work is so much easier than we sometimes make it out to be. The more US we put into to something, the less God has to work with. Don't miss understand, we still need to work hard and be faithful, but this is HIS work, not ours. The only say we really have about what goes on in the work is whether or not we are going to be a part of it. That's why it's so important to teach by the Spirit. It is the ONLY way people will ever truly change. When we are obedient to the commandments, when we seek after Christ with all our hearts, and we decide to be disciples, we are able to utter the prayer of faith, and by the prayer of faith we receive the Spirit as our companion. Its so simple that we tend to mess it up by over complicating it! I testify that the Gospel is that simple. Further more it is only possible through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Anyways, without further soapboxery, here's how my week went:
Monday: So last P-Day we all went to a very small building to play basketball. By the end of my mission I'm going to be LeBron James. Not even kidding. We play so much basketball it's ridiculous. But nevertheless, it was still better than sitting in an apartment for hours and hours. We had dinner with the Ventura's, who have to be one of my favorite families we eat with, they are so funny. They fed us Noodles and Company, which is straight up baller eating. It's so dang good! After a full day of basketball and good eating, we retired to our apartment and went to bed. According to my companion I continue to teach lessons in my sleep. I can only hope the extra practice will help me out.
Tuesday: We got to give service and help out a lot of ward members and still teach a ton! We met with this guy named Gabriel who got active in the church while he was incarcerated, but has fallen away a bit and is looking to come back. Its always so spiritual with that guy, I love how powerful the Atonement really is. Words cannot describe the love I feel for my Savior.
Wednesday: I went on exchanges with Elder Gutierrez in my area and had a grand old time. I really had to really on the Lord that day, cuz our Studies got interrupted by a driving course I had to take for driving in icy conditions. Two words: Drift Pad. I basically learned braking techniques and how to get out of a slide or a spin. It was so much fun. The rest of the day we got to teach a bunch of people, as well as find some new investigators. It was a great day. We also got to teach another new investigator, and we challenged her to be baptized and she said she would if she found out that these things were true. So she will get baptized potentially soon! I love my job! Ironically we taught that lesson at Starbucks...
Thursday: So our car was out of commission the entire day, so we were stuck at our Zone Leaders' apartment basically the whole day. Luckily it was weekly planning day, so it was still productive! We even picked up a new less active family, who we are working with to get to the temple! So Pumped!
Friday: Zone Training was today, and it was soooo good but soooo long! We basically learned how to work with members better and what the mission will be focusing on for the next year. We broke it down to one simple sentence that has so much meaning. Obey the Lord, Whom we love, with a willing heart. Obedience, Charity, Humility. Its so great and I am so grateful that I get the opportunity to be a part of it.
Saturday: We got to meet with a ton of people and help them out, which was awesome. We had dinner with a family who apostatized, but they kicked us out before could teach them -_- I'm learning more and more everyday that you can only invite, you can't force anyone to accept anything. Which can be kind of a bummer, but I know God has a plan for them, even if I'm not part of it!
Sunday: Let me just say, I love fasting! It is such a great experience to sacrifice to show the Lord that we are dedicated to what we are praying for. I got to bear my testimony, which was a great experience. We got to watch the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, and it was awesome.
As I enter into my last week of training I am so grateful for the prayers and love that have been expressed on my behalf. I really do love you all so much. I testify that this is the true church. That God is at the Helm and He will not steer us astray. He loves us,and His ultimate act of love was sending His Son to suffer and die for us. I testify that Christ lives and that He loves us as well. We are sent here to become like Them and to have joy. I know this is true. I know that families can be together forever, through Heavenly Father's plan. It truly is the Plan of Happiness. Joseph Smith was a prophet. The Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth today. I love you all and pray for you often.Be sure to tell someone you love them today! This Christmas I invite you to give something back to the Savior. Prayerfully consider what it could be,and then do it. You will see miracles happen. Again, I love you and I miss you all.
Love,
Elder Rogers
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