October 13, 2011

Hola Family

!!!HAPPY HALLOWE’EN!!!!

Here in Paraguay Hallowe’en is not really celebrated. Nothing like trick or treat happens. Kind of boring, but the work goes on! Well... Ramón.... bad news! We went to his house and asked to talk to him and his old mother came out and said that he sent us a text message saying that he does not want to talk to us anymore. She asked us if we received it and no we didn't because our phone is set to not receive messages. So we walk away. By the way I was on a division that day with an elder from El Salvador (Elder Renderos). So we walk away from the house and call him. He says that he doesn’t want to talk to us again and that he won’t be able to complete what we asked of him. That night when we were changing back to our normal companions we talked to a member who lives close to him and it turns out that he has a problem with ¨Question 4¨ (baptismal interviews) if that is understandable. So that won’t be happening. But we have another lady who we have been working with, Carmen Roa, the sister of a very active member and she is preparing for her baptism this Sunday after church. She is a great lady who really is in a hard situation and she really understands the things that we share with her. We are super excited.

So today I had my exit interview with Presidente Madariaga. It was really something special. We talked about a lot of things and I really felt the Spirit. I am so grateful for him and all he does for me.

This Wednesday we are going to have a meeting for all the missionaries going home. We are going to Presidente’s house to have a testimony meeting, then buy some souvenirs, go to the TEMPLE!!!!!!!!! YAY!! then go to a restaurant where there is ENDLESS MEAT!!!!!! YUM!!!! called Paulistas. We will be sending a recording to you guys if the computer decides to work, haha.

So today I picked up a GREAT souvenir that was something that you told me to get a long, long time ago.

QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!

What should I do with my shoes?????? I have the:

-Ecco slip on shoes that I brought with me - thinking of taking home only because they are so destroyed, and the shoes I came in.

-Merrell Shoes that I brought with me whose leather is wearing off but the sole is still intact.

-Ecco shoes sent while I was in Concepcion - leather wearing out, sole not doing so good.

-Missionary mall boots still great condition.
My suit is good here that I can bring back.

Tell Denise sorry from me and that I hope she gets better fast.

Well, guys, I am really trying to think if there is anything else that I need to tell you.

You need get a hold of Anne Cardosa and invite her ALSO get a hold of the parents of Elder Bryce Hanchett (well no longer is he Elder). He said he would come for my homecoming. I’m not sure if you still have his phone number. See what’s up with that and if he can. But other than that we are working for this last baptism, and this week will be the best!

Love you all, con un gran amor, con muchisimo amor,

Élder Lucas Rodgers

Rollos de Canela!

Luke and his companion, Elder Radmall

Luke and Elder Richins

Luke and his zone at the temple

October 24, 2011

HEY FAMILY,

Well, we had a good week and a miracle! SOOOO much to say and so little time.

We have been working with a man named Ramón, interesting how men with that name always seem to be in my investigator pool, haha but, Elder Hill and his last companion had been working with him. With them he read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon!!!!! in like 2 days!!! (so it is possible, and in Spanish is it like 100 pages more than in English only because of the translation). So that is AWESOME! But he never wanted to commit to coming to church. So Tuesday, (I think) we gave him a strong invitation and were very clear that if he believes the book of Mormon to be true the church as well will be true. He then said ¨Well if I go I don’t want to be asked to saying anything.¨ So we said, “That is perfect, you can go sit down and listen.” JUSTO, (exactly, precisely) it was stake conference! So Presidente Madariaga was there with his wife, Pres. Udall from the Temple, and an area 70. When Presidente Madariaga talked about baptism it really touched Ramón so I think there is a great chance that he can get baptized before I leave which makes me SOOOO HAPPY!!!

The pictures are of our zone when we went to the temple. It is a very poor quality photo but there is also one of Elder Richins and I. He was a missionary who came with me in the MTC but the last week he had to go home for some reason and a year later came back and he is in my zone, which is really cool. And there’s a picture of Elder Radmall and I.

My companion knows how to bake rollos de canela! Cinnamon rolls! MMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

Felicidades Cassidy!!! That is great news!!

So mom and dad, I actually have already sent a letter to myself, well not sent but written. I have forgotten what it talks about. It will be cool to read it in a couple of weeks.

You were mentioning something last week that had to do with when I will be released as a missionary. For me there is no rush. I don’t really know what the church's stand on it is but I would love to wear that plaque for as long as I can. So if they can't do it that first day it is not a problem with me.

I LOVE you guys SO much and am having a great last while here in the mission, I have a wonderful companion that always lets me know how much time I still have here.....hahahaha. I sent a recording we did yesterday

LOVE YOU ALL

CHAU!!!

Elder Lucas Rodgers

Luke and local families in Kennedy, Paraguay

October 17, 2011

Hola Familia!

So today we had a cool experience. This week we had interviews with Pres. Madariaga and at the end of my interview I asked if it would be possible to visit Kennedy and he said yes so here I am emailing in Kennedy. I saw some old converts and old members and, wow, it felt like I was back at home (the smell included) haha. You were mentioning a little about love and it is SO true. I felt a great love for all of them. There were two people who were working who I wanted to see, Victor, and Hermano Sotelo, but they were both working. The Hermano could have been there but I didn't say I was coming. It was going to be a surprise so he left to go to work, DANG IT! Oh well.

So today I received my flight plans. I’m not a trunky though. (Trunky=thinking about home and wanting to be home). I just got them in the mail with the temple recommend holders you sent so I will be busy on sending those out to people. Thanks a million for them.

It has been an interesting week. We have been working and not seeing much fruit so I have decided that I am going to be sacrificing and consecrating even more to get miracles. I am trying to do my best to grow and trying to make every day count. I will be honest, there are many times during the week when I think about my mission and really think to myself, ¨I do not want to go home¨. But if I don't go home I can't get married, haha.

You need to tell me where Lauren is going to be getting married because while we are there in California I was thinking of visiting the family of Elder Arzate. I could get those addresses while I’m here and see if he lives close and go pay a visit when we get there. Question: Is Lauren coming to Canada in November or will she stay in California until the wedding?

So I will have the suit that I have now to come home with and Dad mentioned that there is one from Grandpa in the closet waiting for me that could work. I am planning on giving my clothes to Sister Madariaga because she cleans them and fixes them, or has some one do it, and gives them to future missionaries here. I am thinking then I will come back with one shirt and my suit and some clothes that I have acquired here in the mission.

I just got a package from the Somerset primary, a C.D. of them singing. It is really nice. THANKS!!!! to whoever sent it. I could not see a sender’s name. All I saw was “Elder Justin Watt” and I was a little confused. Maybe he sent it, not sure.

I am sending a picture of me and Elder Paterson. He is from the South Stake. Send the picture to Josh Hunter. He knows him. How is Alex Cobb doing on his papers? Is he still planning on sending them in?

Did Cassidy have a baby????

So now Davis has 2 kids! WOW I need to meet them

When we were visiting the family today, who were the first family that I met in Paraguay, I was trembling and very in awe because about 1 year and 5-6 months have passed and there are new kids and BIG babies, kids running that couldn't walk before. I am scared that I will not recognize many people and I think I am going to be REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELYYYY awkward so LO SIENTO !!!!! (I’m sorry).

Now, I need a count. How many new relatives will I have???

It is interesting that there is an Elder Bennett from Canada that JUST got into the mission, so in 2 months there will be two Elder Bennetts from Canada, haha.

Was there any response from Alvarez or Canales (the two letters I sent in Spanish.) Palma Loma is where Elder Alvarez started his mission.

Well I think that about covers it,

LOVE YOU ALL! Pray for all of you,

Elder Lucas Kenneth Rodgers

October 10, 2011

Hola familia! Cómo Están!

Bueno todo está bien aquí en Palma Loma. (All is well here in Palma Loma.) Estamos enseñando a una familia. (We are teaching a family.) Me hace feliz! (It makes me happy.) Estamos enseñándoles en la casa de una familia de miembros quienes son demasiado especiales. (We are teaching at the house of a family of members who…too many…special.) También tenemos otros personas. (Also we have got other people.) But we are having a great time, we are working hard!

I have to mention something that happened a while ago. I ran out of contact lenses and so I am using my glasses, my older glasses.

I will be taking a lot of the General conference messages from your email.

That missionary with the blue tie is Elder Hill on his last day

I really don't know anything about the Visa card thing.

SO big news, we went to the temple on Friday!!!!!!!!!! AND OH MY GOSH!!!!! I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!!! I don't know why my attitude has changed so so so so so so so so so so much. My love for the temple has increased. I can’t wait till the temple is ready in Calgary. I would love to be able to go every week. I am kind of jealous when I have companions that have a temple so close to their house.

Elder Radmall is from Utah, from Lindon, which is about an hour south of Salt Lake City.

I was thinking of picking up some last things from Paraguay, some things here in Luque so if you could put some money in my account, I would like to take some out today. Ask my grandparents if there is anything that they would like from Paraguay.

I am sending another recording that I recorded today.

The quote that Dad sent made me think of a quote that D. Todd Christofferson said a while ago, "Life offers us two things-time, and the freedom to chose with our time what we will do."

To send to Elder Bennett: bring a warm sweater, preferably black, and shoes that have great soles. Get a testimony of the Book of Mormon and don't worry about the language, just love the brothers and sisters from Paraguay. See them how God sees them. Love them as God loves them.

So when does Ethan enter the MTC?

When is Canadian Thanksgiving, I forgot. I’m jealous of the PUMPKIN PIE!!!!! Put some in the fridge, haha, just kidding. Well thanks for everything! I haven’t gotten the letter with the temple recommend holders yet but I have faith it will come.

CON AMOR!

Elder Lucas Rodgers

Luke and his new companion, Elder Radmall

City of Luque from the top of Luke's house

October 3, 2011

Hola Familia,
As you know Elder Hill left and I got a new companion. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned him before but I knew him when he started his mission here in Paraguay, Elder Radmall! So that is rad.....(put subtle laugh here). I am really excited to be his companion here. He is a great missionary! We are working with some people here. We do not have many people who are golden but we will be focusing more on finding them and teaching them and opening the door to eternal life. Today we had a council of the zone leaders in Asuncion. We all got together and discussed the state of the mission. This last month we baptized more than the past 6-7 months so we are improving but our pool of investigators is a little empty. We are working with all the tools we have to find good people.
Well I loved General Conference. If you can next week I will bring my pen drive and pick up the files.
I am sending pictures of Elder Radmall and me but if you are going to be using them for the scrapbook I will send better pictures. There are also some pictures that I took standing on a water tower at our house.
It really impacted me the many times that the scripture ¨Be an example of the believers¨ was mentioned in General Conference. Mabye God was trying to get across a point..... haha, also the many times the general authorities said ¨Don´t let Facebook ruin your life¨!!!! I am happy to say that for about 2 years I have not used it and I am STILL ALIVE!!!! Haha. Life goes on without these things haha.
Tell Dallin to send anything to ¨Elder Moreira¨. I see him once in a while. I will pass on Dallin´s email to him so he can get in contact with him.
ALSO MARK JOHNSON!!!!!! 2 missionaries know you 1 in Pedro Jean Caballero . Elder Suarez (Paraguayo) is a branch president in Pedro Juan Caballero and Elder Gonzales (Victor, tambien Paraguayo) is Elders Quorum President in Palma Loma. We go and eat with his family every Friday. Soo just sending that out.
I am also sending a voice recording here. Elder Radmall uses a voice recorder as well as his email to communicate with his family. He always records something with his companion then they send it through email and his family sometimes sends one back but I don’t know if it will work. I will give it a try.

I love you all and we are working as the best missionaries we have ever been in our missions, and are excited!! ¡¡¡¡¡ADELANTE!!!!! (forward)
Love you all!!!

Elder Lucas Rodgers