May 23, 2016 Week 31 Solanda

HEY MOM, Love you guys btw, 

I had a good birthday, the people here are awesome and during our Consejo, counsel thing between the missionaries and the ward, they threw me a party. They bought cake and some cola and what not... Anyways so they gave me an oreo cake, I love oreos. So they got me this cake and all this stuff and we had a good party. They have a tradition where they smash your face in the cake...I don't like it too much but whatever....Anyways so basically we found some new people to teach and they are pretty awesome. We found this one old guy Named Jorge and he can't walk very well and he is also really blind. He is awesome though. We have shared a 

couple lessons with him and his family.  They are super excited. I think I explained everything in my voice recordings. Those are so much easier hahahaha. Love you guys

What is your advice on trying to be more patient? I am still a teenager, I need advice mom

I guess I'll tell you a little about the week, as you know Monday we climbed that huge mountain, and it almost killed me.  Huge mountain really.  Tuesday I felt a little sick, but we prepared our investigator for baptism. Wednesday we had a mini conference with the President and it was a really good one.

It took all day. Then we went by some of our people and actually met two new investigators. Had a zone meeting and learned some stuff.  Friday nothing much happened.  We will be having a baptism this weekend and I will be confirming our new member, I am a little nervous. 

Friday planning a zone activity, and some other planning. I've been really busy this week, and I am super tired.

This is Sister Godoy.  The most exciting thing that happened this week was the baptism.

Oh and there was another earthquake, I think me and my companion were the only ones in Ecuador who slept through it.  And all the phone calls after too.
Oh and thanks for the punchy balloons mom, they lasted about 30 seconds, so we really enjoyed that.
It's hard to believe I have been in Ecuador for half of my 18th year.
Gotta go Love Elder Rogers

May 16, 2016 Week 30 Solanda

This week was pretty good,  After Skype we went and dropped off Elder Barton.  Bye Big Guy.

Then I went back with Elder Memmett, we slept at his house that night, which was kind of bad, because I thought we were going back to my house, so I had no clothes to sleep in.  Then on Monday morning we went and picked up my new companion Elder Kern.  On Tuesday we visited this family that we have been working with to see if they wanted a lesson.  One of them decided to get baptized
on the 21 of May, which as you know is one day before my bday.  I did not plan that. You can try to send me a cake if you want.
We got a little lost on Tuesday, but that's what happens when I don't know where I'm going.  It's fine...
We have a little problem with one of our families, and I'm all out of ideas about it, I'm just 18 I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
Wednesday was pretty normal, nothing much there.
Thursday had some really good lessons.  There was an activity, with some spiritual stuff and a dance. We left for the dance part, because we don't dance..... They had really good sandwiches there.
Friday we walked around ALOT  we found a few more people to teach in the streets here and there.
Saturday we had 4 lessons which was great, and saw a lot of our contacts.  It's just great to see everyone.

Today we spent all day riding up this mountain.  It's called a teleferico.  It took forever, and I thought I was gonna die.  I got some good pictures though.  We were like 13,600 feet above sea level.  So I don't feel too great right now.  Yeah we hiked for way too long.... I thought I was gonna die, man I thought the mountains in Wyoming were steep but this thing about killed me....

I love this stuff called ponymalta  and it tastes just likes sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving.  Like when granny makes it for us.  I bought three liters of it and drank it all!!  It might not be too good for me, but I did it anyway.  I hated it when I first got here and it's so good now.
Well Love you guys
Elder Rogers

May 9, 2016 Week 29 Solanda

Hey mom!

Well we tried to make some maple syrup, it was not that good. Maybe I should get a recipe.  Well I've never done 

it before.  It was about a 4 on the ten scale, a little runny.  I also tried some more cheese, didn't work again. I don't

know what's going on there. I'm almost done trying.  Also I made chicken nuggets today, another fail.... they just

wouldn't cook right.

I learned some new words today. Not to be repeated.  The people here speak a little different

like they have better vocabulary or something.

Today we had potatoes with rice... rice... rice... more rice.

You'd be surprised at how much rice you can eat in 6 months, it's gonna kill me.  We met this new guy. He's from 

the coast.  We knocked on his door and he let us in.  We talked for a while, he's pretty cool.   

Well...I think I told you guys about my week already....yesterday but here it goes again I guess. I will start with today 

because you already know everything else hahahahaha.  We had a mini zone conference, it was pretty good.  We had

a little party for Elder Barton, and had some cake.  I still get lost here in Ecuador, I applaud the Ecuadorian people

for being able to construct houses that look just alike, and park entrances that look just alike... I'm always lost.

Well I picked up Elder Kern, He is from Florida. 

We are still here in Solanda and I am going to buy a rubix cube for my birthday, did you guys put some money in 

my account? Maybe I should buy something useful but who cares....Well then we came here and now we are writing. 

The price of Cola products went up today...that kind of sucks. Well It sounds like you guys are doing great, I don't

have too many voice recordings or anything because we kind of talked yesterday....How are you guys doin? What's 

new since yeserday? It was awesome to see Gramps and Granny, and everybody else too. Gramps was like 

"Why are you smiling" Well I was just so happy to see you guys, anyways hahahaha

Love Elder Rogers

May 2, 2016 Week 28 Solanda

Hey Mom,
Here's the view from our apartment.

Sounds like you guys are having a really fun time, We had a pretty good week as well. We are just trying to find people to baptize. Also we have been helping a few people with services and what not. I got a little sick again so I don't remember too much but I think we did well. I have just had a cold or whatever it is here. They call it gripe but also something like gripe has been going around that has killed like 7 people or something...gotta be careful hahahaha. I accidentally fell asleep a couple times in the middle of the day.

I still haven't gotten any packages...sorry I don't know what is up with the mail system. I guess it has to go a long ways hahahaha.  Elder Barton is leaving soon so I haven't been able to think about too much more than my family. I am doing good though. We are just trying to focus as much as we can.

Also I wanted to say that I am not chastising you guys mom, I am simply saying that we gotta try harder as a whole. Myself included sheesh. I don't know if you guys understand that all we do every single day is worry about the salvation of others. We rarely every think about other things. We always are trying to progress people towards God. After worrying about other families all the time I thought it was time for me to worry about my own family. This earthquake thing could kill us at any time and I just want to return to God with every single member of my family. That is all. Love you guys

Oh and btw in Ecuador, and probably in Latin America, they use Machete instead of chastising. So they are always like, hey don't machete us. It's kinda weird but I would never machete my parents sheesh mom hahahaha. Love you guys

We are skyping with Hno Chavez who lives in the same apartment building as us. He actually owns it. I can't talk to la familia Gomez because they are in Riobamba and we can't email members...just family....

Well Monday, we had a zone activity, it was real fun.  We played a lot of football "soccer" I was the goalie and I tried real hard that first game it almost killed me.  I mean the latinos are really good their feet are fast, even the ones that are bad are better than me. I did good though. Then we played some volleyball as well. Lots of running I'm super tired.  Then we went and ate some steaks. I mean they aren't steaks but more like really really flat hamburgers... and rice more rice....  I need to make some Horchata I need the recipe.  

We are going to make sheepherder potatoes like gramps does camping, potatoes are super cheap here, but they are super small, not like Idaho potatoes for sure!  I miss Idaho potatoes... 

We found some new families this week, lessons are going pretty good.  No earthquakes this week, I have been here more than a month and it only feels like one week.  This change with Elder Barton has really flown by.  We had a lot of people at church Sunday, it was great.  I totally forgot about Skype these last few weeks, I have been focusing really hard here, you know me.  Anyway I can't wait to talk to you guys Sunday!!

Hasta Luego

Elder Rogers