With Grateful Hearts

Hello Everyone!

This week was a good one! On Tuesday we were visited by Elder Mervyn B. Arnold. I learned a lot, but what I remember most is the powerful testimonies born by Elder Arnold and President Baker. I love the Spirit that we feel when someone bears testimony of Spiritual truth. It is such a joyful feeling.

Later on in the week we went to an appointment with one of our investigators and were slightly disappointed to not find him home. But a blessing that came from that is that his cousin was home and said we could share our message with him. We had a great lesson and he was interested in learning more. As we make the most out of every situation we're in, we will see the Lord's hand working in our lives. There have been so many times in the mission where we went to a certain home or place with a particular reason in mind only to find out that The Lord needed us there, just for a different reason.

On Saturday we attended a baptism of a 9-year old girl the Sister missionaries had been teaching. The Spirit is ever-present at moments like that. It was a wonderful event.
On Sunday we had the chance to sing in the ward choir and begin preparing for some Christmas performances. It was quite enjoyable!

As Thanksgiving comes up this week I would invite each of you to offer a prayer to our Father in Heaven of only gratitude. I have found that doing this brings such a sweet peace. He has truly blessed us with all things. I love the words of King Benjamin in Mosiah 2:19 "And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!" I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who has blessed us with all that we have. His love is great for us. The Savior's love is great for us. I pray that we can all be grateful to Him. Let us show our gratitude not only in thoughts and words, but in our actions. I know that as we do this, The Spirit of God will strengthen and uplift us and remind us all we truly have to be grateful for.
I love you all! Have a thankful week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Cotton Galore!

Hello Everyone!

This week was good! On Monday we had a Zone Preparation day! That was really fun and there are a lot of great Elders in our zone. We played some basketball and soccer and other sports. On Friday we had exchanges and we got to help out a lady fix some posts on her farm.

Two of the less-active families that we taught this week came to church! It was really exciting to see them there. There is such a joy in attending church and partaking of the Sacrament, and that joy is just added upon when others whom you love also come.

Tomorrow we'll be blessed to be visited by Elder Mervyn B. Arnold of the Seventy. I'm looking forward to it! I'm also excited to see many of the Elders I've served around.

This week we experienced a miracle! As we were tracting in an area we aren't in often, one man let us in his home. We taught the Restoration and he said, "That just makes so much more sense than what I've heard before." It was nice to hear those words. The Spirit was present as we taught him and we are excited for our next appointment.

I have been trying to ponderize verses of scripture each week and this week I chose Alma 60:23. Especially the second half. It reads, "...Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also." I know that this is a true principle. As we cleanse and purify our Spirits and inner vessels the rest of our lives will be purified and blessed. As we put Christ first, everything else will fall into place. What a blessing it is to have this restored gospel in our lives! May we all live and apply it as we draw closer to our perfect Savior.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

P.S. Here's a picture of me in a cotton field a year ago and then one of me in a cotton field this week.

Goldsboro Zone

Hello Everyone!

This week was a good one! I'm starting to get used to the area and we've been staying busy! This week we met several less-active members and got to know them. It's been wonderful to teach and love these people and feel the Spirit of the Lord as we do so. This gospel will truly bless all those who heed its message.

On Friday we had Zone Meeting! It went really well! I'm in the Goldsboro Zone now, so it was nice to meet all the different missionaries. This is the first Zone meeting in 2015 that hasn't been in the Kinston East Zone! We talked about helping investigators and members keep commitments and I was truly edified.

This week I thought a lot about Spiritual things and temporal things. In Matthew 26:41, the Savior says, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." What a true statement! There is great power in strengthening our spiritual stamina and relying more fully upon the Lord than upon the arm of the flesh. As we do the simple things like scripture study and prayer, our Spirits will be filled and we will receive strength to live our lives as the Lord would have us. He is so merciful and loving and He is waiting with open arms to help us in every aspect of our lives.

I love you all! Have a scripture-filled week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers


P.S. Here's me in a field and also a picture of our humble abode.

Mt. Olive Arrival!

Hello Everyone!

This week was a good one. It was full of change! On Wednesday, I met my new companion, Elder Funk and headed off to my new area. I've met a bunch of new people this week and have enjoyed Mt. Olive thus far! We live right next to the Mt. Olive pickle plant and some mornings as we go out to work,we can smell the fresh aroma of pickles! Haha so that might take some getting used to. My companion is really great, though, and our home is nice! Elder Funk is from Mesa, Arizona and he really likes trucks.

On Thursday, we saw a miracle! We were tracting and a man answered the door. He told us that he wasn't really interested, but went to get his wife. She wasn't interested either, but right before we were about to leave, I taught them briefly about the Restoration and how there were 12 Apostles on the earth today. That caught their attention and they let us sit down and share the message more fully. Afterwards, the man who at first rejected us apologized that he had done that. He was quite sincere and expressed how sorry he was. It is amazing how much a little understanding can change ones perspective.

We also had a Trunk Or Treat event on Saturday that was really fun! They had a little picture place set up that my companion and I got our pictures at. We also handed out some candy. It was a good time!

One spiritual insight that I had this week came as I ended my fast. I gained such strength throughout fasting and as I concluded, I read a few verses from Isaiah 58. The whole chapter is powerful, but verse 8 says, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward." I know that fasting is inspired of God. I felt so much peace and courage as I fasted with real intent yesterday. As we obey God's commandments with a willing heart, all of the promises He gives are sure. He truly will grant us each blessing that He promises with unfailing certainty. His love is infinite. I pray that we will all strive to love Him as He loves us.
I love you all! Have a joyous week!



Elder Rogers

Mt. Olive, NC

Hello Everyone!

Well, I'm getting transferred! On Saturday, we got our transfer calls and I'm headed to Mt. Olive in two days. It'll be a little bit of a change, but I'm excited for it! Mt. Olive is in the Goldsboro Stake, so this will be my first time leaving the Kinston Stake in my entire misison! My new companion's name is Elder Funk, but that's about all I know about him so far since I haven't met him yet.

Our week went well. It flew by and we saw many miracles. One was a referral from a Less-Active member. He had invited his Aunt over to his home to learn more about the restored gospel. She was quite interested and even accepted a baptismal date! Another miracle was a potential investigator that we talked with a few days ago became an investigator. He had read from various places in The Book of Mormon and had questions and was willing to learn. We were excited to hear that!

This week I learned of the power and importance of humility. As we humble ourselves and rely on the Lord, our lives will be so much more joyous! In Proverbs 3:5-6, we learn, "5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Our Father in Heaven and His Son love each of us immensely. They know what's best for us. As we trust them and put our lives in their hands, they will do miracles and our joy will be great!

I love all of you. Have a magnificent week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Ponder, Pray, Prepare

Hello Everyone!

This week was a good one! On Monday we had many of the Elders in our zone assemble for some Basketball and games. It was great! We also had a couple opportunities for service this week, so that was good. We helped lift some plywood and also helped someone move. Both of them provided us with some sort of food! (Which was no requirement for us to help, but it's always nice)

We saw plenty of miracles this week! One of them was at a part-member family's home for dinner. We had planned to ask the husband who is a non-member how he felt about the church. Following the dinner, before we had asked him, he said, "I've got a few questions." We sat in the living room and answered questions he had about eternal marriage and families. He accepted an offer for him to learn more. We are excited for him! I marvel at the many miracles which the Lord places in our path.
My two companions and I spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday. It went well! Before I came on a mission I always thought that missionaries didn't get nervous at all to speak in Sacrament Meeting. I now know that they do. Not as much as we used to, but still a little bit. All of our talks went well and the Spirit of the Lord was present.

I felt the power of pondering this week. In 3 Nephi 17:3, the Savior tells Nephites that were gathered around Him, "Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again." He gave such a simple formula for Spiritual understanding. Ponder, pray, and prepare. I experienced this firsthand during one of my studies this week. Beforehand I prayed for some sort of spiritual enlightenment. As pondered and prayed, Heavenly Father gave that light to me, and since I was prepared for more, it was then given. I love Him so much. We are eternally blessed to have such a loving Father in Heaven. He loves each of us immensely. I would invite each of you to ponder, pray, and prepare. As you do, knowledge and light will be given and you will draw closer to the Lord.

I love you all. Have a fantastic week full of the Spirit!

With Love,
Elder Rogers

Five Elders, Burgers, and Fries!

Hello Everyone!

This week was great! We found two new investigators that are quite interested in the gospel! On Tuesday, we had exchanges with the Assistants to the President and learned a bunch! The next day, I turned 20! It was a great birthday out here in the mission field! On Saturday was our interviews with our mission president. President Baker is wonderful! I learn so much from him each time I meet with him.

There's a recent convert who's 21 and preparing to serve a mission. We've been working with him and this past Sunday, we found out that he'll be receiving the Melchizidek Priesthood soon and can hopefully go on a mission in January. We're so excited for him!

We also took our recent convert, to a lesson with a less-active member of the church and they really connected! The Spirit was powerful and it was a wonderful lesson. He got us dinner afterwards, as well, so that was just the perfect ending to our time with him.

I've began to "Ponderize" as Elder Durrant counseled in General Conference. The verse I'm choosing this week is 1 Peter 3:17-18. Verse 17 reads "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing." Let us each strive to do what is right, even when bad things may happen to us. The reward will be truly great in the Kingdom of Heaven. I know that Christ lives and He has experienced all things. Let Him lift your burdens.

I love you all, truly! Have a wonderful week!

With Love,
Elder Rogers