April 25, 2016 Week 27 Solanda

HEY MOM,

Well this week was pretty good and I enjoyed it.  On Monday we visited the people in the offices and that is always fun.  Then the familia Palasio fed us some hamburgers they were pretty good.  Elder Barton is teaching me piano, I'm pretty good, but I don't know who will teach me when he leaves.  

So here in Solanda we have two wards in our church but we are only specified to Solanda. The others are called Argelia but they have to come to our chapel and what not. So we just help our members and the other missionaries help their members. We had a few investigators that were ready to get baptized but everything fell through....so that kind of sucks.....so we dont have anything now but we are still looking.....Ya mismo...we will get there. Apparently...how do you spell that? Some of our investigators had to go help their families on the coast, that were hit by the earthquake. 

Anyways there was another big quake right in Guyaquil.....a lot of the missionaries were over there because they thought it would be safer but then they got hit by a really big quake...So I don't know if they are ok but we felt a little of that one..... We are all fine but people are still freaking out. If we had an earthquake here in Quito there would be alot of people hurt....I hope we don't get hit by an earthquake! Also the teenage girls and their family is a little hard to teach because they don't listen half the time, we are hoping to baptize that whole family sometime soon.  We will see how that goes.

We also helped the Hermanas change houses, we had to move all their stuff up and down these small spiral stairs with a rope and pully system, lucky we only dropped one suitcase, but the fridge made it up the rope hahahaha. The roof is a little small I can barely fit, but they are small hermanas so they fit fine.  You'd be surprised how much you can get done in 4 hours with 5 Elders.  

I did want to share some stuff that I learned this week. I have been very worried about this whole Earthquake thing and what not so me and my comp were studying the plan of salvation.  We need to do a few certain things here on this earth. So I guess I will start with Baptism. So baptism is the first step, the first covenant you can make with God. This is a very important step along with the others. As missionaries we always testify of Baptism. We make these promises to live these rules. And in return we will receive eternal life. We follow these commandments not just because they are a good idea but because we promised God, our maker, that we would always live them. I just wanted you guys to read Alma 11, and Alma 34, Those explain really good about the plan of salvation. I just wanted you guys to know how important this life is and that we only have one chance to live it. We could die at any time and if we aren't abiding by the rules or the commandments then we will not have a second chance at eternal life. At salvation. I just wanted to tell you guys that I know these things are true, and I am definitely going to try my hardest to achieve eternal life.  I hope you guys think about how important this life is and maybe try to find some people who need help understanding as well. I know it isn't super easy, I mean Jesus had to go through Gethsemane so it shouldn't be easy. People are going to ridicule you but that's what they did to Lehi in his dream. All the people in the buildings were pointing fingers and laughing. They are going to do that to you as well, but if we are embarrassed to follow Jesus then he is going to be embarrassed to help us after this life, and he isn't going to help us. I love you guys and hope you think about this stuff, and I know that none of us are perfect but I was just studying a lot lately. 

I wish more people here were more open to what we have to say.

I miss camping alot and wish I could go there. I love camping. Well I will send my voice recordings here in a minute but I will send some pictures first. Love you guys. 

April 18, 2016 Week 26 Solanda

HEY MOM,

You'll never believed what happened to us today!!  We got up and ate breakfast, and went to our appointments as usual.  Then we went with some youth from the church.  We were walking down the street at night time.  Then the whole ground started to shake! It was kind of bad I almost fell over, anyway all the houses were moving and all the people were screaming and running into the street.  Then all the electricity went out, and we heard a huge explosion, but we didn't see where it was coming from.   Well we almost died......no we are ok just a lil earthquake....terremoto is what it's called. But we didn't even get hurt at all, but a bunch of people died on the coast so they are in bad shape over there. I think all of Ecuador felt it.

We had a good week, before that happened. We went on divisions as a trio, with the zone leader.  They just make sure the missionaries are doing what they are supposed too.   

We also tried to make cheese, it was a disgusting fail.  Looked like cheese paste, real gross. I forgot how to do it.  I need help! The shower is terrible here, it doesn't work right.  We don't know how to fix it. If you shower for more than 30 seconds it shuts the power out to the whole apartment.  

I'm super tired.  Bananas are super cheap here like 5 cents a piece, so I just made a banana smoothie with milk and vanilla out of 5 bananas and then I just ate 5 more.... I might die. 

I couldn't open any of my emails from my other missionary friends, so I didn't get to write any of them back, I am pressed for time on the computer.  The internet may not be working too good this week. 

Sounds like everyone is having tons of fun at home without me.  

Well we need to find a bunch of new people to teach, that is our goal this week, and baptize our investigators we have now.  Strengthen the members.  We spent a lot of time walking around this week and knocking on doors, and waiting for people.  It's been raining a lot this week.    

Earthquakes aren't as exciting as you think... well they kind of are but.... I think I slept through all of the after shocks, and we have our bags ready.  I'm super tired. We are safe and sound.

My new scripture cases

 Love you guys. 

April 11, 2016 Week 25 Solanda

Hey mom,

This week has been great, I am with Elder Barton now and Elder Bradshaw is home. 

Elder Barton is from Provo Utah and we are still in Solanda, so he just moved to my house, apartment thing.

This church is a lot bigger than the last one. It's nice, we only have to walk 20 seconds to this church. There were a

ton of people at church here, it almost reminds me of the states. Its awesome. We are just trying to strength all the

families here, so the temple can be built in a timely manner.   

So it has been pretty crazy. 

We are still trying to find out what we are doing. Luckily Elder Barton has a lot of experience in the mission, although 

he will only tell you that he has a little over a year, yeah he's only got a few weeks in the mission left... Don't tell him I 

told you. Anyways so we have been finding a bunch of investigators and also members. I get lost a lot here. I am 

trying to figure out the voice recorder right now. I have a big file to send you but I don't know if it will work cause it is 

big. I am having a lot of trouble trying to make these things work. And the worst part is that I can't google stuff to fix it. I hate it hahahaha.

Well we have been walking all up and down Solanda, it is great but it makes me tired. We have walked the sector 

many times, and I'm pretty tired. This computer is a little slow. 

 

So we have been exploring this new sector I have a few picts to send and what not. So we have found some people. 

We have been getting a lot of help from the members here. It's great. We have been getting some really good lessons

in. One funny story was about last night, we were trying to find a guy who has a baptism date. So we go to his 

apartment and start knocking on his door. Well we just waited around because we started talking about guns or 

something. Then we see this drunk guy start stumbling towards us, so I say "Buenas Noches" and he just looks at 

us so the first thing I said to his was " Como se llama usted?" and he tells us he is Edison, the guy we have been 

looking for forever, so that was funny and now we just gotta see if he is still alive cause he kind of just got in a taxi 

and left. So we got some detective work to do. That was funny, I am doing pretty great. Love you guys

New View

April 4, 2016 Week 24 Solanda

HEY MOM!

Well I hate typing but here it goes....So mom this week was great with the exception of a few things. So Monday, was pday and we got changes and went to our new sectors. I got Elder Bradshaw as my new companion. He is great and we knew each other from Riobamba when he was in my zone. He is awsome, my best friend in the mission probably. Well that's what happened Monday.

Then on Tuesday we woke up and got to work. Man you wouldnt believe how hard it is to open a sector. We don't know any members....or investigators....or anybody...its rough. Anyways so we basically started calling people in the area book. So we just started contacting and talking to all the members and what not. So we are really tired because every day we just try and figure out what we are doing. 
 Usually you just change one companion out of a sector because that one guy knows the place but this time they just put the two of us here....And we haven't ever been here before so we don't know where we are. Just imagine if somebody dropped you off in the middle of the woods...its kind of like that....Also we have been doing our laundry in the washing machine. its great.
Also on Tuesday we received some news....Elder Bradshaw needs to go home because he has been sick his whole mission.....So....We have been trying to work this whole week but he is leaving tomorrow and I am really sad and don't want to see him go. He is the best missionary here...He's my friend and I hope we keep in touch cause he is my pana. 
We have been trying to work and meet members but its rough. It has been an emotional week for the two of us....

Also we had General Conference and that was awesome. We just borrowed a laptop from somebody and watched it in the church. It was awesome and I wrote down a ton of stuff. Also we are super excited for the temple but that wont be completed until a few years...does that make sense. I cant speak english grammar anymore...I hate it....But I got so much from general conference this year and it was great. I really can't wait until the next one. Also I bought a voice recorder a few minutes ago... and I am going to send a lot of voice recordings. I am feeling a little better what about you guys? Love you guys mom,
The baptisms from last week were excellent.

 The Gomez Family

March 28, 2016 Week 23 Riobamba/Solanda

HEY MOM,

Well this week was interesting. I guess I will start withTuesday, we taught our investigators like we always do and I was desperately waiting for changes which were yesterday. Well I don't remember too much because then on Wednesday night I started to have really bad pains in my upper stomach area. Well every time this happens it gets worse. So this time I was seriously about to die and it hurt from 2am to 7am and it wouldn't stop. Well I called the enfermeras and told them what was going on and they just said that I had parasites. Well I don't think I have those so I didn't even bother taking the test and we just continued working. I couldn't go to the Zone reunion on Thursday morning but I tried to work after that. Well now whenever this thing happens I can't really walk too much and it kinda sucks. 

Well then on Friday we kept on working and teaching everybody that we had. I don't remember too much from this week because I was really excited about my voice recorder and everything and also I was waiting for changes. Well then on Saturday we did this thing called the Mini CCM which is just a little activity....well it is a big thing. So we got a bunch of the young people and we basically taught them for an hour at the church of Los Alamos. We then left at about 12 to go and teach people. Well I left with 3 jovenes de la iglesia y nos fuimos a ensenar algunos conversos y investigadores. Bueno so I left with 3 guys and my companion left with a few guys and we went to show the young kids how to teach. It was a really good experience for me because I got to show the kids how to teach people and they also bore their testimonies alot and they really helped me out. 

I don't have any pictures cause....I forgot.....sorry mom....next week? 

Anyways so that was really fun and at the end of that we had our baptisms. Well we baptized Hermano Fernando and Hermana Mirian. They are the best people and they are super humble and always want to give us a bunch of stuff, but we tell them not to. That was a good Saturday. Then on Sunday morning my thing came back and I started puking cause it hurt so much. Well we called the enfermeras and they said that we needed to go to the hospital right now. We live about 5 hours away from said hospital. Well hermana Gomez offered to take me to the terminal to leave for Quito. We get in their car and they just drove us all the way to Quito.  I don't know the address of the family Gomez but I told Elder Pesantes to give them my email.  I hope someday I will see them again. The hermana enfermeras are ....they don't know how to do anything so I spent about 6 hours in the hospital and they stabbed me in like 5 different places trying to take blood. At the end of it all they said that I was fine but they were going to give me something for the pain in my upper area. They just left and I still don't know why I have really bad pains in my upper stomach area. The next time this thing starts to hurt I think I am going to die.  

Then on the way home we got changes and I am now in Quito Solanda. Well my companion stayed over there and I left. There have been missionaries here but not for a long time. I don't know how long ago but we are here now so that is cool..I was really excited to leave to explore. I can't explain Quito it is freaking massive. But I am in the south part...if that helps. It's called Solanda. it's cool. It is raining a crap load here. We are opening the sector which means we don't know anybody and we don't know where we are...it's going to be a great experience. I am with Elder Bradshaw...I don't know if you remember him but we are here together. He is sick a lot because he is dying and has parasites. He is from California and he is awesome. I knew him from when I was in Riobamba.  

I'm fine now but the doctors don't know anything. Well I am in bad shape I guess. But I am ready to get back to work because I feel a little better. 

I am super happy and the owner of our new house has a washing machine and he says we can use it whenever. I really think I am going to love this place. I just can't wait to wash my clothes in a washing machine.  So this week was really interesting. 

I haven't had dreams in like 4 months. I haven't gotten anymore packages yet. I am still waiting. I can't tell sometimes

if I speak in Spanish or English. Especially late at night and really early in the morning. It all just kind of blends 

together.

I love all you guys mom, thanks, how is grandma Withers and Grandma Pepsi? And grandma and Grandpa? Why 

didn't I get pictures of munchies this week?

I really appreciate you guys helping me all the way from the United States. I love you guys mom

well I have to go now, love you I will write you guys next week. 

Love Elder Rogers,

Ps, I think I have gastritis but I dont know what that is. 

Love Elder Rogers

March 21, 2016 Week 22 Riobamba

That sounds super exciting I mean everybody is puking and it sounds like a blast. I am not sick and I feel great. I have been feeling a lot better about gramps. Well this week was good and I bought a voice recorder, I am trying to make it work so I can send voice recordings instead of needing to type all the time. I hate that hahaha. Well I will recount what happened, 

I am doing alright but its a little difficult being this far away mom, I don't like it too much. 

So Monday was a little tough and the same with Tuesday but then once Wednesday hit I was fine. Well the zone leaders helped me out a lot with stuff. So then Wednesday was just a normal day and we taught our investigators like always. So that all happened.  Then on Thursday we had our meetings as a zone and district. That is always fun. The next day we had a conference with President Christensen. That was really fun and we had a lot of questions so he answered all of the questions and it lasted about 7 hours and I almost died because I hate long reunions. I wish my stupid voice recorder was working but It's not and I had a lot of recordings on there for you guys. Well then on Saturday we had the baptism of Fernando and Andy. That was really fun. 

The baptism went really well and the older guy wearing white is Fernando and the little kid is Andy. They are awesome. The rest of the people are the family of Andy. Fernandos family doesn't help him at all so we are watching over him. 

Then yesterday we confirmed the people that we baptized and what not. Sorry this isnt too detailed I was planning on using my voice recorder but...

I think I will be leaving next monday, so maybe I will go to Quito next.  Love you guys mom, I think I gotta go but I will write more next week and hopefully my voice recorder will want to cooperate. Tell everybody I said hi and Love you guys mom

Love Elder Rogers

March 14, 2016 Week 21 Riobamba

Well I am glad everyone is ok mom, I will try and remember what we did this week but maybe you could take some pictures or some videos of what everybody says so I can read it or watch the video too. I don't know, but I am sorry that I can't be home for the funeral, but I am here working hard mom. So this week was really good and we had a lot of suff happen. I don't know how much I want to type today but here it goes. So we had a little bit of a ruff time this week with being able to visit. My companion is a little sick and I got a little sick but only a little.
So we have been teaching the familia Malka, the people who went to church last week. Those guys are awesome and really want to learn more. They are a little slower so we have to read slow and teach with a lot of examples. They live a little far away and recently we have been walking to their house. They are great though and always want to give us stuff but we have to tell them that what we teach is free and they don't need to pay us anything. They are awesome and are ready to change. 
We are also still helping the older man Hermano Fernando with how to read and stuff. He is doing good but we don't have any thrift stores or anything around here so I just gave him a jacket so he wont be cold anymore. He says that his knees hurt from he cold so. We are going to bapize him and Andy this Saturday. I am going to baptize Andy and my companion Fernando.  How is Kamas mom? I miss Kamas. What else are you guys doing? Are you sure everyone is ok? When is the funeral? 
Also we had a zone activity which was cool. We went to the same park as before. It is a really nice park. I can't really remember much else. The whole Gramps dying thing is a little hard to take here in Ecuador. Tell everyone I love them, especially Grandma Pepsi.

I miss stories about the mountains and everything. I miss grannys food mom, 

Love Elder Rogers