June 12, 2017 Week 85 Quito, Manantial

Well this week was interesting.  We did a service project this week.  Building a house.  We got a bunch of sand and some concrete to make our own foundation.  That is how they do it here.  With a shovel and all by hand, no big cement trucks coming in.  20 buckets of sand and 20 buckets of little rocks to start this foundation.  Then we carry a cement mixture over all in buckets.  Pretty tough work.   It's hard to explain, but somehow it works out.  Then after that we went home to shower, to discover that the water was off again.  So we dumped some buckets of water we had saved from when there it rained on ourselves just to try and get off the concrete.  Luckily I have some old spice deodorant, so it's all good!!  We had some amazing food also.

It was funny, right after the whole concrete thing one of our investigators asked us to help her move a stove.  I was like, but I'm gonna die, but we are missionaries and we are doing service.  So that is what we did.  She wants to be baptized next month so that is great....
We have another baptism this month also.

Well changes were today and my new companion is from Columbia and is Elder De Leon.  Elder Astin is off to my old sector the hottest place on Earth.  Santo Domingo.  I'm sad to see the old guy go.   But at least he will be in my old stomping ground, seeing all my friends there.  The kids, my homies.  Here's the district before the split. Serious....

We saw President for the last time this week.  He is great, he gave us temple recommend holders. I will miss him.  Also had divisions this week, it's been very busy.  Sorry I don't really have more to say.  I'm just tired and busy.... 

Until next week Fam
Love Elder Rogers

June 5, 2017 Week 84 Quito, Manantial

Happy bday Bean!!
How's everyone?  It has been a really good week, we had 9 investigators come to church, and several would like to be baptized, so we are so excited about that.  It has been a week of great things.  I got my other bday package, so thanks for that.  Cruel joke though... Any way, we had conferences with President this week, and it is his last one in the mission.  I am still trying to figure out how to be a good district leader.  We had a meeting about that and I learned a lot so that was also great.   We just meet a lot of new people and had some good visits and lessons.   This is a great area with some really great people and I love the ward.  It is going great.  Thanks for writing I will talk to you later
Love Elder Rogers

May 29, 2017 Week 83 Quito, Manantial

Well the dogs are barking non stop as usual.. that's how you can tell its Ecuador I guess...  Still practicing the harmonica.  Rough week, a lot of people not being home and stuff.  Trouble cooking this week also, broke a bunch of eggs, kind of depressing.
I got a nice present from some kids for my bday, they gave me some candy, it was real nice of them.

Being 20 isn't really all it's cracked up to be.  It hasn't been the best week here, but things will get better.  I am sure of it.
I have come to believe the word of wisdom to be really important, I kind of wish more people would follow that.  I believe great things could happen if they would.
The shower is kind of working now.  We got it fixed, turns out it was like all the electrical was burned or something.  They also hung some old lady type stuff as doors, it reminds me of Grandma Pepsi.
Anyway sorry I have to go. Talk to you next week Love you
Love Elder Rogers

May 22, 2017 Week 82 Quito, Manantial

Happy Birthday to me!!

Well I am 20 today!!  I feel a lot wiser actually already.  I am in my early 20's so what ever advice I can give you, please try and listen.  Not right now, but maybe later.....  Thanks for the cards and such... I love my birthday cards.

We had interviews with President this week, I think they might be the last ones we have with him.  I am going to miss him, he has been a great President.  My comp and I are both feeling better finally.  It's cold here.  We got changes this week.  Elder Astin and I will be here for another three weeks.

We had some good visits this week.  Hopefully we get some Sunday attendance.  It's been a great week.  Love you guys

Love Elder Rogers

May 15, 2017 Week 81 Quito Manantial

It was great to Skype yesterday, my last Skype call... Great week this week.  Feliz Cumpleanos Kloe!! Here are some pictures for ya...

The baptism was great, very exciting and a great day.  We cleaned the church up real nice first. It was my comps first baptism, so he was a little nervous, but mostly excited.
We did a bit of service this week, more painting of course...  It was very interesting.
We did a bit of sanding first.  Some other members came and just went to town with us.  Then they used a few machetes to scrape the walls.  It was a great service project.
I thought it was going to take forever, but it was great.  I'm still feeling a bit ill.  I'll pull through, don't worry.  Our investigators are doing well, good meetings with them this week.
We found out one of our investigators is very sick, and I feel really bad for her.  She is a single mom, and she really wants her kids to learn about the church.  I hope she will be ok.
I guess I'll tell you about the shortcut sometime.  It was not what I expected.  There was a little river, lots of mud, and a bunch of people calling us gringos.... Good times.... Any way until next week.
Love Elder Rogers

May 8, 2017 Week 80 Quito, Manantial

Well once again no water!!  Whatever....  We had a great appointment with one of our investigators, he feels good about baptism on May 20,  so that is awesome.  All-in-all a good week of staying busy.  Got a new zone leader, he's a good guy.  We had an activity this week, I got eaten alive by some bugs.  Played a little soccer also.
It's definitely a great ward here in this area, full of great people.  I think we can get a lot done here actually.
Cinco de Mayo here the 5th, made some burritos that day.  I had a couple days of not feeling too well this week, just achy and tired.  It's fine though.  We purchased some stuff from our window today, I'll tell you about that later.  I don't have any pics this week, but we are skypeing in a few days anyway, so I feel it creates more excitement this way.  We also made some more arepas with the Venezuelans.  They are awesome!! Anyway no pictures, oops, maybe next time.
Love Elder Rogers

May 1, 2017 Week 79 Quito, Manantial

This is me with Elder Hernandez

Well we did a little "living by candlelight" this week, just trying to figure out if we could be pioneers. One of our members had an emergency on Tuesday.  He called us in a panic and made us rush over, turns out he needed help with an English exam he was taking.  He really got us there on that one.  We did a little teaching and trying to find people.  Status update on our clothes, we did not get it all back from the lady who washes.  Hopefully that will change, cause I would like all my clothes.   We helped the upstairs neighbors build a bed, but their materials were a little flimsy, so I hope it doesn't break!!  We should also be having a baptism later this month, we are excited about that.  I am hoping it will go well and actually happen. We also went fishing this week, not as fun as Wyoming, but still a good time. They don't use rods just nets.   I am learning to play the harmonica still, it's going well. I had to do another lesson this week, it went very well.  It was about members.  President and his wife will be leaving soon, and we will have a new mission leader.  We had a kind of surprise conference with them this week.  It was fun.  Also I ran into a family that I taught in Riobamba, they are doing really well, and it was exciting to see them. I had been wondering about them.
More weird dreams, this time about open heart surgery.  Very strange.  We did a little jogging this week.  It almost killed me, it's so high here the air is too thin.  Anyway i guess we will skip pretty soon, so I will get the info about that by next week.  Don't worry Mom I'm on it.. Planning it...
Anyway talk to you next week.
Love,
Elder Rogers