Virginia Chesapeake Mission

Virginia Chesapeake Mission

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Real Southern Cookin'

Hello Everyone!

This week went really well! We stayed really busy and a couple less-active's we've been working with came to church yesterday. We also went to a place called "Grady's BBQ" on Saturday for lunch. It was so delicious!

Our investigator from Haiti has been doing really well! He said he'd be baptized if he found out the restored gospel was true! We've been doing our best to help him feel the Spirit and progress in the gospel.

We've been working with a certain less-active each week for some time. Recently we started reading The Book of Mormon with him. (Alma 32-42) It has been wonderful! He's started to keep commitments of reading the Book of Mormon which he never would before. He also told us that he's starting to think of gospel-related topics throughout the week. He has been remembering a time in his life when he was quite active in the church. There is great power in The Book of Mormon! I know that it is inspired of God and truly an impacting missionary tool. In 2 Nephi 33:10 Nephi testifies that his words are the words of Christ.

"And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good."

I know that Christ loves us. He is so very real and He can help us so much in life. The Book of Mormon testifies of His divine mission and will bring us closer to Him. I invite each of you to make daily scripture study a part of your lives. I know that as you do, you will feel His love in greater capacity.

With Love,

Elder Rogers

Thursday, February 18, 2016

God is Love

Hello Everyone!

This week was inspirational! Early on in the week we found some new investigators, so that was exciting! They both seem pretty interested, so we will see how it goes. One of them expressed how much she wanted to change her life for the better. The Spirit was present as we testified that the restored gospel is exactly what she needs.

On Friday, our mission president and his wife came down to North Carolina for a Specialized Training. It was wonderful! We practiced teaching and learned much about teaching together as a companionship.

The next day, Saturday, was the first session of Stake Conference that we went to. A returning less-active family drove us. They are the best! And the meeting was full of the Spirit. Our mission president, his wife, and some Stake leaders spoke and brought such an amazing feeling into the room.
On Sunday, a less-active member that we've been working with came to Stake Conference! The meeting was wonderful and we learned a lot!

One thing that stuck out to me this weekend was the power of love. President Baker really emphasized this. In 1 John 4:7-9 it reads, 
"7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."

I know that God loves each of us. I know that His Beloved Son loves each of us. No matter what. But when we follow Them and show our love for Them, we can feel Their love so much more clearly. As we live this gospel, our love for God and those around us will continually increase. Think of how you can show greater love. I promise that as you do, you will feel His love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all! (And not just because I talked about love in this email!) Have a wonderful week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. We got some hearts from the Young Women in our ward for Valentine's Day!


Wednesday, February 10, 2016

So Much to Be Grateful For!

Hello Everyone!

This week went well! We had some setbacks, but were able to press forward with faith. No matter what we go through, we can always rely on the Lord and He will deliver us or provide strength. And we had some miracles on Sunday!

The first miracle was that one of our investigators made it to church. It was exciting because he brought his little daughter and he also told us that his wife would probably be interested in the gospel as well.

The second miracle came that night as we taught a less-active member. We've been working with him for a while and he's been through a lot in his life. When we first started meeting with him he would not read the scriptures or accept many commitments. But recently he's been reading the chapters we offered him and last night he thanked us for our efforts on his behalf and gave each of us a hug.
This gospel is such a great blessing! God loves us so tenderly. And He has blessed us so greatly with the gift of His Son and so much else. May we thank Him and offer our gratitude daily. A verse from the book of Ether illustrates this simple principle. Talking of the Jaredites, verse 12 of chapter 6 reads, " And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them." As we all express gratitude for His tender mercies, we will be more aware of them. He truly loves us. I know that He lives and is yearning to be a part of our daily lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love each and every one of you! Have a great week!


With Love,
Elder Rogers


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

You'd Like a Free Bible? Our Pleasure!

Hello Everyone!

This week was great! We stayed real busy and saw many miracles! A few of those had to do with some headquarter referrals. Whenever people request a free Bible or Book of Mormon or something like that online, the missionaries in the area are notified. Most of the time these people aren't the most interested, but they mainly just wanted a free Bible. But this week that was different. We got 3 new investigators from those types of referrals! They were all really interested, we gave each of them a Book of Mormon in addition to the Bible, and we'll be continuing to teach them. It's been exciting!
A couple of the Less-Active's we've been teaching are convinced that their life is good right now, or that living the gospel will not bring happiness. No matter where we are in life, the gospel will always bring us greater happiness, peace, and direction. I know that.

Other than that, we've been doing a lot of teaching. It's such a wonderful thing to share the beautiful truths of the restored gospel. One of the young men in our ward is leaving on his mission in a few weeks to Guatemala! He gave his farewell talk yesterday about 'hope'. Hope is such a crucial thing. No matter what we go through or experience, we can always have hope through the Atonement of Christ. In Moroni 7:41, we learn, "...ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise." We can always have hope for eternal life as we rely on Christ. He has prepared the way. Now we must choose to follow in His footsteps. I know that as we do, our lives will be joyous. Challenges and affliction may come, but we will always have a hope to one day dwell with God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love each of you. Have a hope-filled week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers