Turning Point

I HAVE SOME NEWS. 

HUGO CHAVEZ IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS!!! I AM SO HAPPY! 
I found out Tuesday morning that he told the missionaries to change his baptismal date a week sooner and nothing in the world could have made me happier! Honestly I don't even know how to describe the joy that filled me. This is what I have been praying for about 9 months now!!!!!!!! 

The most heartbreaking thing of my ENTIRE LIFE was not being able to go. I asked President in interviews, called him, texted him, Perez called him, Williams called him, and he wouldnt let us go. There is a rule in THE mission that you can't go back for baptisms if it has been more than one transfer, and I thought Hugo would be a different circumstance-- we taught him the whole time I was being trained, he left for Mexico and we kept talking to him through email, he came back right as I left and then has been setting baptismal dates since-- he is about to go BACK to Mexico and there is nothing else I wanted more than to be there for his baptism. Hugo changed my life and I wanted to be there so badly as he made this life-changing decision...but it wasn't possible. My heart hurt SO bad and I cried for approximately 5 days straight. BUT at the same time, I can't explain the joy that I feel that I was able to teach him and experience everything I did with him. I am a different person because of the Serrano family, and knowing that Hugo was ready and willing to be baptized makes me so happy. I always knew he would, he was SO prepared and he knows what the gospel will bring into his life. I love Hugo SO much!!!!!!!!! Ah I still cant believe that happened. :):):) That was definitely the biggest event of my week even though I couldn't be there. I was for sure there at heart. 

Other than that, this week was...intense to say the least. We had President's Interviews and I felt EXTREMELY humbled by my mission president. I know I have so much to work on and I have a long way to go, so it was good to hear everything from him- I know he is inspired and knows my needs better than I do, but some things were hard to hear. But at the same time- I am 9 months out on my mission and really needed this wake up call. Now is the time to turn things around and consecrate myself. If my heart isnt 100% here than I am not doing what I need to be doing. Basically I know now more than ever that I clearly haven't been doing a very good job forgetting myself. I hurt a lot emotionally this week and even though I know I am never alone, I felt like it a lot this week. There are so many rollercoasters on the mission-- I swear I have never experienced such a range of emotions haha but it is teaching me a lot. 

There is a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants that Hermana Johnson read to me that made me really feel like I have no reason to complain. It is ALWAYS better to look up. 

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shallremain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

Heavenly Father loves me. He is never going to leave me alone. Also in interview training, the Assistants to the President made a presentation about the plane ride home and pretending we were having a personal interview with the Savior about my mission. That hit me SO hard. I have NO TIME TO WASTE!! These were the thoughts I wrote down, 

"I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I am here to do His work, not mine. I am here to testify to every person He places in my path. I am here to learn and follow the Spirit. I am here because Heavenly Father sent me here- I am here to invite others to come unto Christ and be baptized unto repentance. I am here so that the doors to the Celestial Kingdom can be opened to my brothers and sisters. I am here to BECOME the person God wants me to become. I am not here for myself. I am here to fulfill my calling as a missionary. I am here to serve the Lord and come to know Him". That presentation was incredible and I want to be CHANGED. I need this to be a turning point- It was interesting because what they said in the presentation was similar to something mom wrote to me. 
"LOOK HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME ALREADY- YOU ARE NOT THE PERSON YOU USED TO BE." Then there was a picture of Christ that said, "Did I ever leave you?" Elder Mitchell said, "He has heard your voice, personally. He knows your cries... He will never leave you. Every day you leave your house, He leaves with you. As you walk the path He walked, you are following in His footsteps. Dont you ever forget how far you have come". 

"WHO ARE YOU? 
A daughter of God

WHAT ATTRIBUTES DO YOU POSSESS?
EVERY SINGLE ATTRIBUTE THAT GOD HAS! 

You are qualified!!" -President Drake

There is a song we like to listen to in the car that says,

"Let me hold you through and let me carry you. 
I know you feel you're at the end- 

but here your story's just beginning. 
I know your tomorrows. I know where you are. 

I know you can't see past the moment- I see beauty in the broken" and so many other cool lyrics. 

The coolest miracle we saw this week-- we were contacting and had been at it for quite a while and got a bunch of doors slammed in our face. Then we went to talk to this one guy- his name is MARCOS MEJIA FROM HONDURAS (the same name as Marco in West Lake) This guy is a former investigator, his wife has also talked to missionaries, and they welcomed us right in. The story is super cool but I don't have time to write it all out-- basically they have been looking for the church here, didnt know where to go, his wife had tried Jehovah's Witness and 7th Day Adventist and didn't like it, so when we came they were so happy! They are incredible and I am excited to keep working with them :) 

It has been a sufficiently crazy week-- I am sorry my thoughts were so scrambled- hopefully you can tell where I was going with all that! I love yall so much and can't wait to talk to you this Sunday! :) Thank you for everything! Have a great week! 
Love, Hermana Rogers