Crazy PDays

Hey family!! 

So once again it is another crazy PDay. We are about to go to an alligator farm in Anahuac Texas which is apparently the alligator capital of the world....or something. Hah basically it just means we don't have time to email once again. 

This. Week. Was. Awesome. We saw Blanca, Salvador and Irene every day this week, preparing them for their baptism on the 16th!! It has been SO INCREDIBLE being a part of this changing process for them. As I have been teaching them, I have learned a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and I have felt SO MUCH PURE LOVE. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers everything. Because Jesus Christ lived, suffered, died and was resurrected, for us, all that is unfair in life can be made right. We all come from such different backgrounds in life, we have all struggled in different ways, we have all had different experiences, but Christ knows and understands perfectly our pains. He suffered so He would know how to succor us in our infirmities. This took on a different meaning to me this week as I listened to these people whom I love so much express their emotions and sufferings in life. I felt IN PART what it feels like to feel other people's pains and sorrow alongside them. There is nothing I want more than for this family to be happy and come to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was able to bear my testimony this week multiple times about how Christ has taken upon Himself EVERYTHING we experience. I know that although we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. And when we our incomplete, His love covers us completely. He is unfailing, merciful, full of grace, understanding, patient, steadfast, eternal, compassionate, perfect. He is OUR SAVIOR. 

I can't explain in words how much I love these people. Being a missionary is absolutely life changing. Even when I don't feel like I am becoming the person I wanted to be, I can look at the people I met and know that they are in my life for a reason. This area is CHANGING ME. These people that I serve with and around are incredible examples. 

One example from this last week. The stairs at the Maldonado's house were really narrow and when you knocked on the door, you had to climb down off the stairs so they could open the door- One Hermano from our branch, Hermano Licon, apparently showed up one day with a bunch of tools and basically said, we are going to fix your stairs. Then got to work! We showed up to teach Blanca and Irene, and they were out building a new set of stairs with a Little porch in the front of their trailer. We tried to help haha but it really did strengthen my testimony so much of the principle, "FIRST OBSERVE, THEN SERVE". The Licon's are kind of the grandparents of the branch, everyone just loves and admires them so much, and the more I am here, the more examples I see of this love and service that they offer everyone. They are incredible examples. 

It will be a fun week getting that family ready for baptism. I am sooooo happy. I love these people SO SO MUCH! I love this area tons, and am grateful for the learning experiences I am having. 

We are also teaching a new investigator named Hector! So back story a little bit. He lives...really far away. The missionaries had been teaching his sister, and they were trying to visit her, but then he ran out as they were walking back to their car and asked if they had something he could read, so they gave him a Book of Mormon. But he speaks Spanish better than English-- so one day Hermana Bravo was on exchanges in Vidor, and they went to go visit him. She asked him to read 3 Nefi 11 when she left, but then by the time we had talked to him again, he was almost done with 3 Nephi! He accepted a baptism date on the first lesson with Bravo! This past week we saw him and we went to get something to eat. As we were waiting, before we even ordered, he said pretty much, "what all do I need to know about your church?"

We didn't really know what he meant by that, but he clarified by saying, "What are all the things I can't do?" Haha so we straight up went through all the commandments! And as we did, he still wanted to talk to us by the end of the conversation! Haha ;) but really, normally the commandments can be a bit hard to swallow for people that have lived their whole lives doing what they want, but when someone is humble and willing to change, the commandments aren't a list of do's and donts, but a list of ways to please God and receive the blessings that he has in store for us. Because we love God, we are willing to keep His commandments and do the things He asks of us. 

Anyways, our ride is here so we gotta go, but I love you all so much!! I hope you have an amazing week :) sorry I am always so rushed to email, I promise it's not because I don't love you! You're the best! 

I LOVE YOU FAMILY! Happy birthday Daddio! I am writing you today! 

Love you so much :)

Hermana Rogers