Twenty-One!

Hola familia! 

Les quiero mucho y quiero que sepan esto!

I hope you all have had a great week, we definitely have! :) I will go day by day and talk about the biggest miracles we saw :)

Monday we had a family home evening with the Keffer family and Leonardo and his mom and brother :) It was so fun! We taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ: Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As we taught, Leo asked the most adorable questions, and gave such sweet answers! I love this kid so much! His mom asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes and just looked so happy! I will send a picture we got with Leo and his mom so y'all can see him. He is adorable. 

Tuesday we went to dinner with President Garcia and his family, and then President Garcia came with us to a couple appointments. We brought Dulce Caudillo out with us, it was SO good! Her family got a new car, so they are able to come to church now, which is so amazing to see! :) 

But with Dulce and President we were able to see BRANDO, who we hadn't seen in such a long time! All last week, his grandpa had been telling us that Brando obviously didn't want to talk to us anymore, and that he was too rebellious to come to church, but we had a really good lesson with him on Tuesday, and in his prayer, he asked Heavenly Father that we could come back as soon as possible. It was amazing! 

We also taught Antonio and Julio with Dulce, while President and Julian Venegas were able to visit Armando and Josue!!! They welcomed them right in, and had a great talk. It was a miraculous night, where we were able to see a lot of people we hadn't seen in a while! 

Wednesday morning, we went to practice our musical number that was for zone conference on Thursday. Sister Longhurst, one of the senior missionaries that serves in the YSA branch in Beaumont, accompanied us. We love he Longhursts! 

We also had a lot of planning to do! One thing that has changed in the Beaumont zone, is there is now a set of Sisters in Winnie! There is one English sister and one Spanish sister, and they will be contacting and teaching down there, and we will teach in Spanish as well whenever we are there. It's new and a little bit different to have Sisters there, but it will be good! That area hasn't had missionaries in it for 10 years, besides when we go there to visit people that speak Spanish. 

Thursday we had a zone conference with the orange zone! It was awesome. 

They had called Hermana Andrus and I ahead of time and asked us if we would do a musical number, so we sang this song called "Here am I, send me". The lyrics were really pretty, about the desire we have to serve God. Hermana Andrus and I have had the chance to sing together at a lot of mission conferences and meetings, it's been so fun throughout our missions! 

The Assistants to the President also asked us to present the Restoration lesson using the pamphlet, so during the breakout sessions, we gave 3 different presentations, and I learned a lot by presenting and teaching in front of other missionaries. I have to admit, I was really nervous, but the Spirit was so strong, even when it wasn't a real lesson. I am grateful that we had that opportunity! 

At the end of the conference, they asked the missionaries that are going home this transfer to share their testimonies. To my surprise, they also asked the missionaries that are going home next transfer to share their testimonies! So I stood up to share my testimony of the lessons I have learned throughout my mission and...wow... That minute to reflect was so overwhelming and I felt so much love for my mission. I know I have learned so much and just want to experience every moment to the absolute fullest from here on out.

That night, we went on splits again. I went to Lake Charles to see Pedro, and that lesson was one of the most powerful lessons I have ever had in my entire life!!! We taught him about the Book of Mormon, and throughout the whole lesson, I could see in his eyes how much he already appreciated the Book of Mormon. He had such an enthusiasm to learn about it, and accepted the invitation to be baptized when he knows it's true! Pedro is so humble and incredible and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to teach him and see his desire to learn. :) in his prayer, he blessed the missionaries around the world that they would be protected and that the people we teach and visit will be accepting of the true gospel. He is so prepared! 

Friday night we saw Armando and Josue!!!!!!! I hadn't seen Josue since....before general conference! I was sooooo happy. They invited us right in and we met a cousin of theirs that is living with them now, and so we talked about the Book of Mormon, Josue told us why he hadn't talked to us in so long, and then after a while of us teaching, DANIEL WALKED IN! It was the happiest moment of my life seeing them all sitting there on the couch, hearing them express their feelings about the Savior and His church, and the things they needed to do to follow Him. Armando and Josue told us they were planning on going to church, and that President and Julian had talked to them about it on Tuesday! :) The Spirit was really strong in that lesson as well, and I just felt overwhelming love for them! I have really missed teaching them, and hearing the testimonies that they have. 

Saturday I turned 21! We played ultimate frisbee with the Elders in the morning which was really fun! Then my companion made me breakfast and decorated the apartment while I was in the shower, which was so sweet of her. We went and got Frosties at Wendy's with the Elders which was also a surprise for me, and then there was a big Family History event at the church building. We didn't really get a chance to sit at many of the booths, but it made me so happy to look at all the different resources the church has come out with or joined with that makes family history work so much easier! I want to learn more about Family History, I know that is a big part of the work of Salvation! 

After the event, we taught Leonardo Guzman at the church! We went over the baptismal interview questions with him, and he knew all the answers! He is such a sweet kid, I love him! He is so sincere and honest in everything that he says, I love teaching him and working with him! :) his baptism will be this Saturday! It came so fast!

We stopped by Tylers cousins soccer game on our way to Winnie, and said hi to a bit of Tyler's family who was there, then left! 

The Caudillo family fed us a delicious dinner, and Dulce got me a Columbia jacket and slippers!! She is seriously the sweetest girl ever. I think I have mentioned this before, but she reminds me of my times in high school where I would go out with the Sister Missionaries- it makes me so happy to have Dulce with us, I just want to set the best example for her and help her with her testimony and desire to serve like the Sisters from our ward have done for me. 

After the Caudillo family, we went to Tyler's house! His aunt Quanah told us she is coming with us to church Sunday, even if it means Tyler has to drive over to her house to wake her up, she wants to go so bad! We spent some time with the family before heading back home. 

It was an amazing day, full of a lot of happiness! :) Thank you all for your birthday wishes as well! I can't believe I am 21, that seemed forever away, but life is happening and time moves so fast! But anyways...

Sunday was also a great day!!!! Quanah came to church with Tyler! She loved it, and I am sure we will see her back. Also Danny's wife Carmela came again, she has been coming for a couple months now, and seems really happy there. Danny doesn't want to push her to be baptized, but I know her time will come! Michelle (who lives with the Licon family) and Gizelle also came! :) And our friend Leo, he got dropped off by his non-member dad at 9 AM and stayed until 1:20!! So he went to English and Spanish wards! He is awesome :) :) 

After church, Hermana Andrus rushed me around to run a bunch of errands with her, little did I know, the whole branch was setting up a potluck in the gym! So we came back in, and there was this huge event set up for mine and Norma Caudillos birthdays!!!! It was so sweet, and pretty much melted my heart! This branch and my companion are amazing. :) they had gotten me a cake and we all spent time together, it was so fun :)

We went and visited more people that night, and all in all it was an amazing week! 

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN SO MIRACULOUS! :) I am so grateful for everything we have seen, and I can't wait to see what will happen this week. I love the gospel, I love the mission, and I love all y'all! Thanks for the support and love this week, you are amazing :)

Hope you have a great week! 

Love, Hermana Rogers