August 8, 2016 Week 42 Vargas La Colon

Hey Mom,
Been in this new area for 6 days now, and we are just trying to find people to teach.  I am super tired and I just want to go to sleep.  The Basina keeps shutting off our water when I'm in the shower!! It's making me crazy and late for church.  I'm trying to set a good example here, but it's hard. None of our investigators came to church Sunday, hopefully this week will be better.  We are trying to talk to people, but they keep shutting me down.  We are working hard and contacting people like crazy.
Also I need to get a waffle iron, I really need one.  Oh and my shoes are all crap, I'll figure something out don't worry.

It's back to the laundromat in this area.  Or wash my clothes in the sink...
We went to a park today, it was nice.  I'm doing great.  I'm back to speaking Spanish all the time since my new comp doesn't speak English of course.
I don't know what else to tell you, sorry about Kloe's Guinea Pig.  You could eat it, but you'd have to cook it right.  I guess I will go look for my waffle iron now, talk to you next week.
Love Elder Rogers

August 1, 2016 Week 41 Oriente Quiteno

HEY MOM!!!!! 

Well as you have guessed...yeah we had changes. I actually did pack most of my things in my bags....although not everything fit....It was still a nightmare but...So now I am in Vargas. It is in La Colon. It's where President is. Well almost. It is really close to his house. Not super close but closer. I am a little scared hahahaahhaha. Why would they move me here? Oh well. 

So I was studying the scriptures this week....like every other week...but I found a really great scripture in Isaias 55:8-9 which says 

 8 ¶For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Well I was reading your email mom and I feel really sad for the tragedies. It's very sad but, I was reading this scripture and it really hit me. I found this to tell my investigadors about the Book of Mormon and how God always has a plan, but I think it applies to this as well. I know that alot of people focus on their own understanding or their own thoughts but I really like what the Lord says. He knows that he is smart and everything he does is for a reason. It wouldn't make sense if the things of God were not of Order would it? I really don't think so. I know that we want to make up reasonings for every little thing but the ways of the Lord are on a different plane than we are. Everything he does is of a higher understanding. Everything he does is for our benefit and we may never understand why he does what he does. We can try to understand but we will never reach this plane of understanding until we are perfect in Heaven...how do you spell cielos? Well anyways I know that the Lord does everything according to his will and everything he does is for our benefit. Even though we do not understand. We don't need to understand. I have found a lot of people here in Ecuador that say, "Well we don't need Prophets in this day" Or "Well God will never give us another book" Well I really believe that if God wants to give us another book or 3 others or 5 others. I feel like we should accept these books becuase the Lord knows what is best for us. Also with what is happening at home I think the same. We need to be humble in order to really understand why these things are happening. Sometimes through humbleness we may find the mysteries of God. Especially if we look for them. But we also need to remember that our thoughts are not on the same level as the thoughts of God. I love you guys and hope you are all doing well.

Love Elder Rogers

This is my new Companion Elder Gil from Peru.

July 25, 2016 Week 40 Oriente Quiteno

Hello Family,

Well morale is a little low today, I broke my trompo. Threw it into a wall and it just exploded.  I felt a little sick last night again. I bought some street cologne today, smells nice.  Something super cool about Ecuador is that they can make custom clothing, real nice stuff.  I have been kind of cold here in this sector.  I have been in this sector a month already.
We had some good lessons this week, and had about five investigators come to church.
Well I had to buy some dog food for all the stray dogs here.  They are starving.  Some people feed them bread, but that seems more like duck food, so I got them some dog food.  I am only going to feed my favorites though.
We had interviews with the President, they came to the house, and talked to us.  My comp was a little sick a day last week.  We continue to work hard and are looking for people to teach.  All is well here!
No pictures sorry maybe next week gotta go
Love Elder Rogers

July 18, 2016 Week 39 Oriente Quiteno

Sorry about last week with the computers, but jeez mom back in the day they only had hand written letters and no photos like ever.  So you're pretty spoiled really.  We hiked back up the teleferico, it was pretty hot and a long day of riding busses and hiking.
So this week we went to a different computer place. These computers actually work, they are not full of viruses and the usb ports really work!
Another Earthquake, it felt pretty big, not as big as the first one back in Feb, but still pretty big! They just keep happening.  It's not like Wyoming for sure.
It's super windy here lately.  I am getting my clothes shrunk down today, I'm really impressed with the way the Ecuadorian people can sew stuff, they are professionals.
I was looking back at some of my pictures from the MTC, those were good times, I enjoyed it there, especially the food.  I'm getting a little sick of rice here, to be honest.
I know I don't write a lot of spiritual things, but I have had a lot of experiences here that have been real good for me.  We have had a lot of good lessons, and felt a lot of love for the people. I know you can't see it, but it's happening. I do love being a missionary and teaching people.  I mean we have ups and downs here too, it's life.  It's been a fantastic experience so far.  We just keep trying to work as hard as we can.  The success we have on our missions don't just include baptisms, we have to try and help strength the members and try and help them as much as we can.
There are a ton of hills in this sector, I am getting really good at walking up hill all day. I never thought I'd wear out shoes, but I have.

Here's me and Elder Adams

Here's my thinking acorn and a sea shell.

Love you guys, Elder Rogers

July 11, 2016 Week 38 Oriente Quiteno

Hey Mom,
Of course we felt the Earthquake!! I ate all of my food that was in my emergency thing...I can't help myself...  

Well this week was good. Just alot of getting over being sick. I feel better now. We are a little discouraged right now because we didn't have any of our investigators show up to the church...So that kind of stinks.. Well we are feeling a little better this week. I guess I will send the voice recordings of this week. Sorry they don't make too much sense. Well I don't really know what else has been happening. Just alot of trying to not be sick and trying to help people have a testimony. It seems like it just keeps getting harder, just tough. We keep trying though. It's tufff and people don't want to change but we do have a lot of people that are very interested. I know that we are trying really hard to find the people that need us. That is really all we need to do.

I am trying to upload the voice recordings and pictures, but these stupid computers are not 

working at all. I really hate when Ecuador has terrible computers. And it doesn't help that we 

are in a new sector and nothing works here.......

I think this cyber just stinks.... Well I actually think I am doing really good. I don't need anything.

I just wish the computer would work so that I could upload pictures or voice recordings. 

Maybe I should explain the week a little more then....

well now I gotta go though.....I guess next week right hahaahahahaha. Love you guys mom. 

Love Elder Rogers Tu hijo pues

July 4, 2016 Week 37 Oriente Quiteno

Hey Family,
Everything is going well, except that I am still pretty sick.  This week went by pretty fast, mostly because I can't remember anything cause I'm sick.  It's just a bad cold and stuff, I just don't feel good.  Not 100 percent, maybe just 12 percent, I'll pull through though. Pretty tired.  The zone leaders just dropped by to check in on us, we are doing well.
Still a little lost sometimes, but trying hard. There are a lot of stairs built in the mountains here, we just climb them all day long, looking for people to teach.  It's a little harder because people are spread out a bit. There are no flat areas here at all. We have to take busses everywhere, because it is so steep.
There are a lot of dirt roads in this sector, which reminds me of home and makes me happy.
Sounds like you are all having a good time playing with Munchie, camping and stuff.  I miss camping.
This place used to be split up into three sectors.  I kind of miss everyone in Solanda, I had big plans for that sector.  Elder Adams and I are doing great though.

I have been studying a lot.  I enjoy it.  Well I guess I better go, Love you guys.
Love Elder Rogers

June 27, 2016 Week 36 Oriente Quiteno

Hey mom, 

Well we arent in our sector ahora so I will just send a few things, I have my voice recording in the house so I can't 

send that right now either but ya mismo. Well this week we have been walking around and looking for things. 

Because we are new and what not. Yeah that put two new guys in again...

I dont know why but oh well. God has a plan so we are ok.

So we have just been exploring is what I like to call it so.....Well we have been 

finding a few members and investigators.  I really understand the need for a good Carpeta de area now.

That is beside the point though. So the first day we got here was really hard and I couldn't really write too much 

because I was really stressed out, but this week has really calmed me down. Well we are still a little lost but that is 

fine. We will figure it out eventually. 

On Tuesday we had to go back to Solanda because I had the keys and the phone for the house. 

After that was wednesday and I got a little sick so that kind of sucked. I think it is just a cold but...maybe I am going 

to die... No just kidding. So we tried as much as we could and what not. Still just walking around pretty lost. 

Then on Thursday we had our meetings in Solanda. So we traveled from our house to there which takes about 45 

minutes. It kind of stinks but we gotta do it. I am going to waste so much money on buses I feel like. It is going to 

be a pain but oh well. 

Then on Friday we just did normal stuff. 

Then on Saturday we got a call from the zone leaders at like 9 saying we needed to be in the capilla. It was kind of 

strange but we took a taxi and we were only there for like 1 hour, but I got to contact in my old sector which made 

me feel really nice. Well then we headed home and worked that day. I stayed sick for a little while and I am still a little 

sick today but I feel alot better.  

Well anyways so then on Sunday we weren't too used to taking buses to church so we kind of showed up a little late. 

Next week we have to wake up at like 6 I guess hahaha. oops. 

Chuck is going to chili huh?  hahahahah. They talk soooo freaking fast over there lol. Well that is awesome. I really 

miss la familia godoy, They are nice people. My legs are fine and my shoes are destroyed already hahahaha. 

The house is really nice. The shower doesn't shut all the power off so that is nice. I like it alot. I might not be able to 

send stuff this week.... I am a little sad but next week for sure mom. Sorry we are always traveling and what not.

I dont know what happened today but just be sure that next week you guys will get a lot 

Love you guys mom

Love Elder Rogers