God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Hi there family! This email will be pretty short, I am struggling to find the motivation today to write... My heart hurts really bad. I miss Grandpa Rogers so much, and I am feeling really sad right now. But either way, I am grateful for him and the example and life he lived. I love him so much and I know that although it hurts so badly right now, the Savior is here to heal my pain and that Grandpa would want nothing less from me than for me to pick myself up and go work even harder. I think it is going to be a hard week, but I also know that I will be so strengthened this week by the Lord. This Wednesday we are going to the temple as zones-- it could not be at a better time. The temple is the House of the Lord, where we make covenants that allow us to be with our families forever. The temple will bring peace into my heart, and I am so happy and grateful that I get to go do a session. 

I know that families are forever, and that Grandpa is in a better place now, free of pain. I really appreciated what dad said, that "he was loved by all who knew him and died rejoicing in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the knowledge that families are forever". FAMILIES ARE FOREVER. This is the message I get to tell people every day and now is the time for me to apply it into my own life so that I can feel the comfort and peace that this knowledge brings. I know that Christ lives, and that because He lives, we will live again. I know that because of my Savior Jesus Christ, each of us has the opportunity to be with our families for eternity. He has shown us the way to make it back to our Father in Heaven and I know that Grandpa lived that way. He lived the gospel and let it radiate from him. Right now, this is really hard... its REALLY hard. But I have faith that comfort will come. 

Ok I'll talk a little bit about some highlights of this week-

Hermana Stiles is my new companion with Hermana Perez. It is going to be soooo weird getting used to a trio, it kind of feels like we are just hanging out or constantly having a member present lesson hah I don't know how to explain it. But she is so fun! And speaks way better spanish than me haha she has been out 7 months, is from Bakersfield California, has BRIGHT red hair, and 1 of 6 kids. I seriously love her so much. Her, Hermana Perez and I are CRAZY together, but also stoked to work hard this transfer. 

PACO IS GETTING BAPTIZED IN 2 WEEKS. I don't remember what I have told you about him, but he has changed SO much since we have been teaching him. On his own, he asked David (his brother in law) to baptize him! I am so happy and I think he has found the sincere desire on his own. 

HUGO. So he is in Mexico but still talks to us sometimes through Eva.... WE FOUND OUT HE WENT TO CHURCH THE PAST 2 SUNDAYS!!!!!! WE COULDNT EVEN GET HIM TO GO THAT MUCH WHILE HE WAS HERE!!! And he told us that he is coming back in January to be baptized here! I am so proud of him, because I know that he is doing that of his own choice because we aren't there pressuring him. I hope that he continues to feel the joy that the gospel brings into his life as he is doing the things he is supposed to.

OKAY also last thing we found a new investigator named Juan Manuel. He is SUPER legit. He is related to Yolanda and Saul (I dont know if yall remember them) We taught him, and I said the opening prayer- when it was over he was crying and started talking about his family and all the things that were on his mind and bothering him. We bore our testimony, shared scriptures, and then had to leave for church. After the closing prayer, he said we brought him so much comfort and he felt peace in his heart for the first time in a long time. It was a really sweet experience. 

Thanksgiving was fun! We spent it with the Serrano family and the Lopez family-- it was Gilberto's birthday so we celebrated with them, which was way fun! I love them SO much :) We always have so much fun with their family. 

So I'd gotten pretty discouraged this week- Honestly until right now, I hadn't looked at all the blessings together that had happened. I need to work on being more grateful, even when I think there is something hard, there will always be so many blessings! 

A couple funny stories before I have to go- 

**Hermana Stiles didn't believe that I cried a lot for the first 3 days she was here... the way she tells this is super funny, but she says like, "I didn't understand- every member we saw, every investigator we taught, everyone was asking us if you had cried today- they kept telling me you cry every time you are with them, but I didn't see you cry at all!" Then all of a sudden there was just lesson after lesson where I cried and she LAUGHED at me and said, "Okay, I understand what people are saying now"

**One of the Recent Converts named Jaime that we teach told me, "Ya no lloras porque tus ojos son muy lindos pero cuando lloras, se ponen rojos y feos"

which means "Don't cry anymore. Your eyes are so pretty, but when you cry they turn red and ugly"

**Jaime also said, when I asked him how old I seemed, "Como tu eres, 7 o 8" then he turned to Hermana Perez and said, "Verdad? Su cuerpo es como mujer pero su manera de vida es como nina. Necesita cuidarla" He said Right? her body is like a woman but the way she is is like a girl. You need to take care of her. 

His advice to me was "Take care, be funny every day, and don't cry"

Okay that was a lot longer than I intended... but anyways! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. I am so so so grateful for your strength. I know that things will get better and we can feel comfort through Heavenly Father. He loves us so much and we know of His plan for us. Our family will be together forever! I love you family! 

You are my greatest support team. Thank you for everything! 

Love, Hermana Rogers