Dear friends and family,
It's been a great week so far, and I'm finally 19 years old. I always forget to bring my journal and planner to remember everything I can, but I'll make due with my memory. I can remember back to Wednesday mostly, so I'll start there. We had district meeting on Wednesday and we role played inviting people to pray. It was funny because we were doing it as if we were street contacting, and we had a minute. Elder Blanscett was the stranger and I was trying to talk to him and invite him to pray. We were in a room of the church, and he was trying to act like he's walking to work, so he was looking behind him at me as we walked around the room and I thought he was trying to avoid me but he was pretending to walk to work and I was super confused. Anyways, it was good, because it put more context around asking complete strangers if they've ever prayed, if they'd like to know how, and if they would. I remember now, that I had a meeting the night before.
It's been a great week so far, and I'm finally 19 years old. I always forget to bring my journal and planner to remember everything I can, but I'll make due with my memory. I can remember back to Wednesday mostly, so I'll start there. We had district meeting on Wednesday and we role played inviting people to pray. It was funny because we were doing it as if we were street contacting, and we had a minute. Elder Blanscett was the stranger and I was trying to talk to him and invite him to pray. We were in a room of the church, and he was trying to act like he's walking to work, so he was looking behind him at me as we walked around the room and I thought he was trying to avoid me but he was pretending to walk to work and I was super confused. Anyways, it was good, because it put more context around asking complete strangers if they've ever prayed, if they'd like to know how, and if they would. I remember now, that I had a meeting the night before.
So Wednesday night we met with a family family, same time as every week, though we'll be changing it soon, because one of our new investigators is the father's brother. He will only be able to make it on time if it's a little later. We taught him the restoration and he seems to have had a witness of its truth. When we invited him to baptism, I don't think he heard it, but his family around him was silently chanting "Yes." After a long silence, as I was waiting for the answer and as he was giving a look like he was deep in thought, we continued. Next time I plan to offer a specific date so it will be a more solid commitment. After that lesson with the spirit so strong, like it usually is in that home, we went around a few places attempting to drop by people, and we went home.
Thursday at about noon, We and the Chinese speaking elders helped a lady move into her apartment. She thanked us several times and she was kind of silly in the sense that every time we were moving things she'd say "Easy does her" and what not. Also, she wasn't interested in hearing a message, just accepting the service, so we continued to the home of the person who suggested us to her and had really good food. We had some great sandwiches and egg tarts. I love egg tarts. Later in the day we visited a new convert family and they're doing great. The father doesn't speak much of English, since his main language is Tagolag. His daughter did a lot of translating for him as we talked about the Plan Of Salvation. It turns out, though, that he bakes for his career and he gave us a bunch of really tasty bread as we left his home.
Friday morning we met with our investigator, John. He met us for a fancy breakfast appointment. We also discussed the Plan Of Salvation, and he had questions about our bodies after resurrection, and other things. It was a good lesson. It's funny though, because he is doing his best to live the Word Of Wisdom and he used to drink Tea all the time. We explained to him that Herbal Tea is allowed. At a grocery store, he was at the area where they serve tea, and he was asking a lot of questions about the tea and what was in it, and looking back at us to see if it's okay, and we couldn't help but giggle. He's a sweet man trying to do his very best.
On Saturday I remember visiting with an investigator 'K' and 'J' later in the evening. With K, I see potential. The first two visits of this transfer happened during different exchanges, so this was my first time meeting her. He set an appointment next week too. We decided to re-teach the Restoration lesson because it had been a while. We asked what it would mean for her family if we have a living prophet like the prophets of old. She explained that if she heard his words and he talked as if he knew exactly what God wanted to tell her, regarding things about her home and family that nobody would know about, then She would know he is a prophet of God. I promised her that she would get that witness during General Conference when we get to hear from the Prophet and Apostles, etc. Saturday night, we had Stake Conference, which continued the next day. There was a lot of talking in accents and another language as well, which made it hard to understand a lot of it, but I remember the importance of the atonement was mentioned often.
On Sunday we had the Next session of Stake Conference, there were many things I got out of that, which I wrote in my notes and I really enjoyed it. It strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ and also of faith, and how faith is not just a belief, but we MUST act on that faith to gain a witness.
I took an hour to write this because I've been sniffling and sneezing like crazy, but now you know what my week's been like, and I'll try to take my journal with me next Monday so I can remember all the good stuff. Here are a couple pictures I took from an apartment during exchanges:
With love from Elder Rodgers
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