July 5, 2010

Hola Familia!
We had a more exciting week, this week. I will try not to leave anything out.
One day in the week I was saying to my companion that I want to find a family that I can really help, that really want to listen, that will want to say the prayer and will be excited to go to church because all the people we have been finding have been a little iffy. They will listen but won’t do anything about it. The next day we were walking down a road where we had been looking for a less active member. We got to her house and were greeted by people running in the house and not coming back out. We figured that they didn't want to talk to us so we were walking back up the hill when we passed a house that we had contacted a few days ago. The daughter told us that her dad once talked to the missionaries so we decided to see if anyone was home. The whole family was there. We were greeted by the dad who gave us seats to sit down and talk. At first I was thinking, “Oh boy he is going to start bible-bashing!” Everything that he was doing was reminding me of the things bible-bashers do (little gestures), but he started talking and he never bible-bashed! Haha. We had a great lesson and his wife joined us. (He told us that before his wife would never listen to the missionaries). I don’t have time to write the whole story but it was a great lesson and we asked who they wanted to say the prayer and the wife said that she would and it was a wonderful prayer. At the end she was almost crying. We then got an invitation to supper the next day!!! and the supper was delicious!!! It was chicken and rice, there was a sauce that tasted like Mom’s lamb chop sauce! It was delicious. After the dinner we talked a little while longer. I slept so well that night! haha. Tomorrow we have an appointment with them and we want to go with Leo and teach with her. ((P.S. Leo and Agustin are thinking of getting married!))
But Saturday was a hard day only because Paraguay was playing and my companion is Latin. I had no desire to watch the game and he did. There were some people watching it at the church and he wanted to go. I didn’t want to go but there was nothing I could do to convince him. He always said, “Nobody will be in the streets. Everybody will be watching the game. We won’t be able to do anything.” (which to an extent is true) Everything stops here when they play. But in the middle of the game I asked him if we could leave. He said, “No it’s not over yet.” Then a few minutes later I said I didn’t leave my family to come watch soccer, then left to wait. Then about 2 minuets later he left. It was true that everybody was watching the game but we did get some contacts. One of them I want to talk about. We started talking and he said that he follows ¨el papa¨, the Pope, and my comp said and we follow the prophet. NOWHERE in the Bible or any other scripture does it say the word Pope or Follow the Pope but what the Bible says is the Prophet, which brings me to another small story haha. (and with the Paraguay game I had a prayer in my heart that they would lose so that this didn’t happen again, So I am glad that Heavenly Father answered my prayer but a little sad that Paraguay didn't win. It’s the farthest Paraguay has ever gotten, the top 8 in the world)
Sunday during testimony meeting, the fire alarm went off and the first things the people did were think about who did it, covered their ears, and remained seated. What would have happened if there was a real fire? Would they have remained seated? It’s the same with the prophet. During general conference we don’t remain seated (not literally). We go and do according to the prophet’s word. We act! We don’t cover our ears and wait for them to stop talking about a topic. We don’t wait till it’s too late. We do it!
I won’t be using that email account here on my mission. I’ll only be giving it out to people. President doesn’t want us using any account other than this. I will be sending a letter to Sister Neitz this week and another one with a full memory card (1Gb).
I was waiting till zone conference to talk to the assistants about the shoes, which is on the 7th so I will talk to them there. We will be meeting the new mission president. I have already talked to his wife. The 30th we were told that sister Wade was still going to be here, so I called her because I had a little diarrhea. (Shivivi in Guarani) Instead of Sister Wade I talked to Sister Madariaga! but then she passed me to one of the senior missionaries and she helped me. (PS I have medication for it that I brought with me so you don’t have to worry)
I was talking to some elders in the zone today about the Mayan ruins, and was thinking it would be a great teaching tool to have those photos to show ancient American life, the temple and ruins, and picture of the tree of life rock thing we have in the living room.
I love the scriptures and I love the Book of Mormon, and I love the Gospel! Thank you for all you do for me!
Love Elder Rodgers