The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Hello Everyone!

This week was quite extraordinary! We went on exchanges with two of the companionships in our zone. One of them was in English and it went very well and the other was in Spanish and it went muy bueno! It was fun to be able to talk a little Spanish as I did some missionary work in Morehead City. Both of the Elders I worked with are hard-working, obedient missionaries, which made it all the more fun to be with them.
This week we were also able to do some Family History work and prepare some names for a few of the Recent Converts here. They will be attending the temple this upcoming Saturday and it was quite exciting to help them find names to bring there. It was my first time really doing it this in-depth and the Spirit was just so strong!
I also had the opportunity yesterday to baptize a boy. He's 8 years old and his Dad isn't a member. One of the members who the Mom wanted to do the baptism wasn't going to be able to come and he had wanted me to do it, so I did! It was my very first time baptizing anyone and it was a wonderful experience!
The title of this email is what it is because of the importance of that book. My testimony of it has deepened and continues to. One of the lessons we had this week, a man bore powerful testimony of The Book of Mormon and how it's helped so much in bringing him back to the Church. I was also reading the last chapter of it one day this week and it dawned on me how much this book testifies of our Savior and His Atonement. (For instance, Moroni 10:32-33) I am so grateful to have it. I know that it is the Word of God and as we learn and live it, we will be drawn closer and closer to Jesus Christ. I invite each of you to feast upon the words within this book and ask God to know if they are true. As you do, God will witness the truthfulness of them to you by the power of His Spirit and you will experience great peace. He is there and He loves us.
I hope you all have a spiritually uplifting and positive week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Wood Splittin' Week!

Hello Everyone!

This week was kinda crazy! But it was also quite great! We drove up to Virginia for a leadership meeting on Tuesday and drove a brand new 2015 Toyota Corolla back home on Wednesday! We did, however, have to drop off that car in Little Washington with the Sister Missionaries there. But the trip was good, and we all learned a lot!
On Tuesday, we helped one of the members in our ward split some wood. It was my first time using a machine to do it and we definitely worked hard! About an hour and a half after we began, all the wood was separated into smaller chunks and two of the teenage boys helping us ran and jumped into the creek to cool off. My companion and I both had to fight off the temptation to join them!
Yesterday my companion and I fasted that we could work more with the members and receive some referrals from them. We have been teaching a lot and finding many new investigators recently, but most of them end up not having much interest. We saw a miracle today! We went into Firehouse Subs for lunch and a member was there working. We ordered and then sat down to eat. Those subs are delicious! Anyway, a few minutes later, that member came over to us and asked us if we had a Book of Mormon that she could give to her friend. We told her we would go grab one from our car. When we came back in and gave her The Book of Mormon, her friend was right there and she handed him the book and we set up an appointment with him! It was definitely a miracle! This truly is the Lord's work.
This week I learned that the adversary will do his best to distract us. If he can cause great disciples to do mediocre things, he is pleased. Seek your full potential! We are all children of God! He will help us as we seek to do His will. I invite each of you to evaluate your life. Take those things that are distracting you from following the Lord and get rid of them. I know that as we continually refine our actions and draw nearer unto Him, our lives and the lives of those around us will be immensely blessed!
Have an amazing week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. Zone Meeting went well! It was my first time leading it!

Field Trip!

Hello Everyone!

This week was fantastic! We took a little field trip up to Virginia for a leadership training conference. I loved it and learned so much! Brother Donaldson, the man in charge of Proselyting for the Church, Skyped us and taught us how to be more effective teaching short lessons. That was fun and on the way back we stopped and took some pictures by the Virginia and North Carolina signs.
Using the new, shorter method of teaching we found 8 new investigators this week and saw many miracles! People just seem to understand the message better this way. Some of our investigators are a family, too, so that was exciting!
Other than that, we have just been trying to talk with every single person we can about the restored gospel. This message truly is miraculous! I know that it is true and that the heavens are indeed open in our day. I invite each of you to pray for opportunities to share this wonderful truth with those around you. I know the Lord will provide the courage and strength to do so if you trust in Him. I love you. Have a brilliant week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

The Gift of Tongues!

Hello Everyone!

Now you might be thinking that I had an experience with the gift of tongues this week, (which would make sense, because of the subject of the email) but we actually had a few experience with the lack of that gift. But they were still great experiences! We talked with two or three Vietnamese people while we were walking around and on Sunday we actually had a lesson with some people from Vietnam. We had no idea what to do because of the language barrier, but we were lucky enough that one of the daughters in the family we were teaching could speak English and Jari (a dialect of Vietnamese that they all spoke). Anyway, we had a really good lesson with them and showed them how they could read The Book of Mormon in Vietnamese on their electronic devices. So that was interesting, kind of crazy, but overall exciting!
The transfer went well and I am starting to settle into New Bern, my new area. The ward is really friendly and I like my companion, Elder Chandler, a lot.
We've definitely seen some miracles this week, too! 5 people just opened their doors and let us in to teach them while we were tracting! And then there was this specific lady who we had talked to on Saturday and then on Sunday we were at a stop light and we looked over at the other lane and she was right there. We both rolled down the windows and Elder Chandler talked with her for a moment, inviting her to a church function. It seems like that happens a lot. The Lord's hand is definitely in this work.
This week I learned that our prayers are more about how we feel, rather than what we say. Our words can reflect how we feel, but sometimes how we feel isn't reflected in our words. For example, when we pray with vain repetitions, the words are there, but the feeling is gone. As we have real intent and sincerity, Heavenly Father will hear our cries unto Him. In Moroni 7:9, we learn that "...it is counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such." Let us pray with all the energy of our souls, with the deepest sincerity that we possess. Your Father in Heaven wants to hear from you because of His great love for you. Show Him your love for Him in prayer and action.
Have a fantastic week, everyone! I love you!

With Love,

Elder Rogers

Happy Mother's Day

Hello Everyone!

First of all, Happy Mother's Day to all of you Moms out there! I hope it was an enjoyable day! I'm so grateful for all that my Mom has done and does do for me and I know that every son and daughter feel the same gratitude.
This week was really great! We had transfer calls on Saturday and I'll be getting transferred to New Bern! Elder Ryan Chandler will be my companion and he's from Pocatello! I'm not sure if any of you know him, but he's a fantastic missionary! I'll be a Zone Leader with him! I'm very excited and humbled by this opportunity.
Yesterday I had quite the send-off at church. During Sacrament meeting, I played a piano solo of Joseph Smith's First Prayer, I bore my testimony, and I was able to confirm Holley, our investigator, a member of the Church and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost upon her. All of these were very good experiences and the day was definitely a good one.
This week we met a man who had met with missionaries before in Florida! He had already been to church a few times and had read to Alma 34 in The Book of Mormon! And then he came to church on Sunday! We were ecstatic! My companion, Elder Fuller will be staying in Washington and I'm sure that there will be great success with our new investigator.
This week I learned that many things that true disciples of Christ do will appear to be foolishness to those who do not believe. In 1 Nephi 17:20, Nephi's brothers murmur against him and his father, saying that they have been "led away by the foolish imaginations of [their hearts]". Laman and Lemuel proclaim that Nephi will not be able to build a boat, but as we know, he does. To those who could not see the hand of the Lord helping Nephi, that task would have appeared impossible, but with the Lord, all things are possible. As we go about our daily lives, let us have the faith in Christ to accomplish tasks that might seem foolish to others. I know that he will help us in our lives as we exercise our faith in him. I love you all and hope that your week goes well!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Hello!

Hello Everyone!

This week was just great! Especially the weekend. We had Stake Conference in Kinston and Greenville and Elder Enrique Fallabella of the Seventy was there. Our Mission President and the Raleigh Temple President and their wives also attended, so we were greatly blessed. I learned so much, but if I could narrow it down to one thing it would be that I want to be as devoted and consecrated as possible, rather than merely doing the bare minimum. They talked a lot about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. In this regard you might think "What more can I do to draw nigh unto the Lord on His holy day?" rather than "Is it okay for me to [insert some recreational or inappropriate activity] on Sunday?"
It was also very enjoyable for me to meet with several of the ward members from my first area and shake their hands. Also, our investigator came! Along with the beautiful sunny weather, you could say it was quite an amazing weekend!
The Lord has blessed us recently with some investigators, or potential investigators from some of the members in our branch. I am grateful for this and my companion and I will do our best to help them receive the restored gospel.
I also learned from the conference the importance of sincerity. As we sang the song "The Spirit of God", I focused on the words and my heart swelled. I love the Lord and I am so grateful for all that He has done. I have noticed as well that when I study the scriptures with sincerity and desire I gain so much more out of them. I would invite each of you to live life with true and real intent and sincerity. Look for the good in all things and make the most of each moment. I know God lives and He loves each of us, His children. I love you all and hope everyone's week is magnificent!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. There was this sign that said 'Rodgers Town Farm'. They spelled it wrong. The good part is, my head fit the spot perfectly!

Miracles Abound!

Hello Everyone!

This week was amazing! Extremely busy and a little bit stressful, but mainly a miracle. It was such a joyful occasion to have an investigator be baptized..
This week was a miracle. And it all began with our goal to reach 100 I/O's (Or Invitations extended to others). My companion and I worked diligently to achieve that goal and by the time we were halfway through the week, we realized that we may be able to accomplish each part of the Standard of Excellence that our Mission President has set forth (15 Lessons, 2 New investigators, 100 I/O's, and baptism). We continued working and by the time Sunday arrived, the only part of the standard that seemed out of reach was receiving two new investigators. We were one short. But as we went out to contact people, the Lord blessed us with a miracle. One of the people we talked to about the gospel ended up walking to a member's home that we were going to. We met him there and were completely surprised! This member knew him and we were able to teach this man The Restoration and he became a new investigator. And to make it even better, this member who has been struggling lately with church attendance bore very powerful testimony of the restored church as we taught. We reached the Standard of Excellence and were thrilled! The Lord truly does work miracles in our day.
This week I wish to draw the connection between faith and miracles. In Ether 12:12, we learn "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith." Faith is SO important! Namely faith in Christ. Because of its importance, we should all seek after it diligently by studying the words of prophets, modern and past. We also gain faith by exercising what faith we already have. I invite each of you to show your faith in Christ daily and follow Him. I know He lives and for that I will ever be grateful.
I love you all and hope everyone has a great week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers