We All Deserve to Serve

Hello Everyone!

This week was great! We traveled up to Virginia on Tuesday for a Leadership meeting and this next week we'll be going back up to Virginia for another meeting/pig pickin'!(Like a barbecue) It's going to be a blast! The whole mission will be gathered together for the first time since I've been out here. We also received transfer calls and I'll be staying here in New Bern for the next 6 weeks with Elder Egbert, but we'll be getting another companion named Elder Johnson to work with us!
On Sunday we found 3 new investigators who all said they would be baptized! We're excited to be teaching them and look forward to seeing them progress. Our convert is also doing quite well. He sat at the Sacrament table this week and later bore his testimony during the meeting. The Spirit was quite impacting as many members shared their witnesses of restored truth. I'm so grateful for this gospel!
We had the opportunity this week for some different service projects, so that was good. We mowed a lawn (Which is quite different in the humidity!), trimmed some bushes, and moved some mattresses across the town. We felt better after each of these service opportunities. We also learned about Service during one of the classes on Sunday. It is true that "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17) Look for opportunities to serve others, whether they're big or small. I promise that as you serve, you will gain charity for those whom you serve and you will draw closer to your Savior.
Have an amazing week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. We saw some beautiful sights this week in New Bern!

Pioneer Day Fun!

Hello Everyone!

This week was fantastic! On Tuesday I went to Morehead City for an exchange with the Elders down there. I had the opportunity to bear a simple testimony in Spanish, so that was neat! We also had a mini missionary with us this week from the Woodington ward. He did an amazing job! We're excited to find out in a few weeks where he'll be going on his real mission!

Our investigator that was baptized last week received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday and he's doing really well! Our 9 year old investigator, also came to church so that was good. The Ward had a Pioneer Day Activity on Saturday, and it was quite enjoyable! They had taffy pulling, an egg tossing contest, a watermelon eating contest, and much more! It was great! Elder Egbert, our investigators, and I all joined in the watermelon contest! It was a race to see who could eat two slices the fastest. I got 1st place and managed to keep the juice off of my shirt!

This week I was touched by a verse that I read in Alma 5. It's verse 38 and it says, "Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd." Jesus Christ is calling each of us. As we listen to his voice and follow him, we distinguish ourselves as His sheep. I invite each of you to consider what things the Savior would have you do and then do them. He is calling. We just need to listen. I know He loves us, and I know He is there.
Have a wonderful week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Faith is Power

Hello Everyone!

This week was one of nervous excitement. Our investigator got baptized on Saturday and on Sunday I confirmed him! Elder Egbert and I also spoke in Sacrament meeting. Whenever a big event such as those comes up I'm always nervous and extremely excited!
Throughout the week, we helped prepare him for his baptism, and by the time Saturday came around, he was quite ready. He was really excited as well! Our Ward Mission Leader helped out a lot and it was a very spiritual experience for all of us.
We also found a few new investigators this week that seem to have a lot of potential. One is a family. They're so nice and very interested in the restored gospel, so we're excited to continue teaching them. We have some other investigators that are also doing well. It was Monday evening that we met and taught many of these people and so our week definitely started out with a miracle!

Before I share a little bit of how my talk went yesterday, let me tell you how they asked us to speak. Last week, on Sunday morning, my companion and I were conversing with one of the young men in our ward as the members entered into the chapel for Sacrament meeting. We would greet them as they walked in. Somehow we got on the topic of speaking in Sacrament meeting, and I started telling the young man about how I had only spoken once my entire mission and I was coming up on my year mark, so I guess I would only have to speak twice for the whole two years. We laughed a little bit and I didn't think much more of it. At least until later, that is! After Church the same day, the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric came up to my companion and I and asked us to speak the following week! Haha when I told the young man he couldn't help but laugh. So that's how we were asked to speak.

My topic was "The Power of Faith". I'm so grateful that I had this opportunity. I learned so much! No matter what situation it is, the power of faith delivers us from bondage. Whether that bondage is physical (as with the Children of Israel and Moses) or spiritual (as with the bondage of sin that comes upon us) we can be delivered from it through the power of faith in Christ. Mosiah 7:33 seems to state it well. "But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." Faith is a principle of action and power and requires the use of our agency. I invite each of you to seek faith in our Savior and exercise it. I know that the Lord will deliver us as we have faith in Him and bring us true peace and happiness.
I love you all. Have an amazing week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Miniature Missionary

Hello Everyone!

This week was great! From Tuesday until Sunday we had a "mini-missionary" with us. The Stake is doing this program where youth spend several days with missionaries to learn more about what it's like. We had a great time with him! He was excited and did really well.
This Saturday was the Family Discovery Day in Kinston. We helped a couple people with their Family History and the event was a success! There were a lot of people there!
One of our investigators was interviewed this week for baptism, and he's ready! We're pretty excited for him! He'll be getting baptized this Saturday. We also found a member family who has a boy whom we will be teaching as well. He's 9 years old and the family came to church yesterday, so that was good!
This week I wish to emphasize the power to endure which is found in the Word of God. We must feast upon it daily if we desire to press forward. It is fairly clear in Helaman 3:29-30, " 29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." I promise you that as you study the scriptures daily, the Spirit of the Lord will abound in your life and you will endure all things.
I love you all! Have a fantastic week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Go 4th with Faith!

Hello Everyone,

This week was great! On Tuesday we jumped in the car and headed to Virginia for a meeting. The meeting went well and I learned a ton! On the way home we stopped at the state border and I took a picture of me pointing at both state signs. I thought it was pretty neat because it's both of the states that our mission covers!
On Friday we had Zone Meeting. That was good! We all learned how to better introduce the Book of Mormon and two of the missionaries in our Zone were heading home, so they gave their departing testimonies. The Spirit was strong and we were all uplifted.
One of our investigators, is really progressing towards baptism! He came to Church on Sunday and enjoyed it. We're excited for him!
July 4th was really fun! We attended a parade with some of our investigators in a small town called River Bend. It was great! Our ward mission leader fed us a delicious dinner and later took us out to the fireworks!
I've been trying to rely more on the Lord recently and I was in The Book of Mormon when my eyes caught a couple verses in Alma 37.
"36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."
We will get so much further in this life and in eternity if we trust in and rely on God. I invite you to look unto Him always. He is waiting to help, uplift, and strengthen you. His hand is always there.
Have a wonderful week, everyone!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Two Idaho Boys, Unified in Purpose!

Hello Everyone!

This week was sorta crazy(I feel like I say that a lot...), but also really good! Let me explain. The week began with sending Elder Chandler back home to Pocatello. I spent a few days with the Elders in Washington, NC after that, which was fun! We went biking around and I got to meet with a few of the members I loved from when I served there a few months ago.
On Wednesday I met Elder Egbert. He's from Wendell, Idaho and he's a magnificent missionary! He's been on his mission for 17 months, he likes basketball, white-water rafting, and he's been in Virginia for the majority of his mission. He was a little shocked at the slower pace down here.
The rest of the week went well and we found some new people to teach and are excited to continue sharing the gospel!
This morning I read President Uchtdorf's talk entitled, "Of Things That Matter Most". I thoroughly enjoyed it and the message that it shared. He talked of how we need to focus on what matters most and not think or spend so much time on other things. Along with President Uchtdorf, I invite each of you to, "...simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace." Focus on Christ. I know that as we do this, the promises of meaning, gladness, and peace will truly be ours.
I hope each one of you has an amazing Christ-centered week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. I took a lot of pictures this week. The one of the painting is from a recent convert here in New Bern.

Somos Misioneros!

Hello Everyone!

This week was great! I'm just gonna jump right in! On Tuesday, I taught for the very first time as a missionary in Spanish! We taught a lady and the lesson actually went quite well! We hadn't realized how much she only spake Spanish and so halfway through the lesson, we called the Spanish missionaries in an adjacent area and she's going to meet with them tomorrow. But it was fun to try teaching Spanish! She even said that my Spanish was "Muy Bien", so that was nice.

On Wednesday, we had Zone Conference. It went really well and the Spirit was quite strong during the meeting we had. The power of The Book of Mormon was emphasized and we learned how to better introduce it. We also did some service that night and helped a man build a barn!

On Thursday we taught the father of our recent convert, who got baptized this last week. He speaks both English and Spanish, so I had a chance to use a little bit of my Spanish in that lesson too. Our new ward mission leader came with us and he is going to do a great job in this calling. He's just really excited to serve and has some great ideas!

On Saturday I found out who my new companion is going to be...his name is Elder Egbert! I don't know too much about him yet, but I'll meet him in two days. Some of the Recent-Converts also went to the Raleigh temple on Saturday, so that was quite exciting!

Father's day was wonderful! I am so grateful for the father that I was born with. I am also eternally thankful to be a son of Heavenly Father. We are all so blessed to have a Father in Heaven who loves us more than we can comprehend. I invite each of you to serve him more diligently. Jesus Christ said, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." (John 8:29) All that He did was to please the Father. Would your thoughts, words, and actions please our Father in Heaven? Let us strive to have them always please Him. As we do, we ourselves will find great joy.

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers