Weekly update 1-27-2014

Sunrise view from Halee's apartment.  Stunning!

With Sister Alston from apartment.

Nauvoo Temple!

 They got to go through the temple because they couldn't go proselyting due to the cold!

Sister Pena took them to the temple.

More temple.

HEY EVERYONE!

I don't have a lot to update on, but I just want to say this. I AM SO HAPPY! I am so happy that I have such an AMAZING companion as Sister Alston. She's incredible. I love her a lot. I am happy because the scriptures are so powerful and true and I am happy because I get to see everyday my brothers and sisters take steps to come into the fold of God. It's the most rewarding thing and in this my joy is full.

This week Sister Alston and I had exchanges with the Hamilton Sisters. I stayed in Keokuk and Sister Alston went to Hamilton. It was great! The next day our cars were grounded all day and we weren't allowed to go out and proselyte or do anything really because it was so COLD!!! For reals though, I was freezing my little toosh off!! Then for the rest of the week we had to come in early because of the severity of the cold weather. Yesterday, Sister Alston looked like death so I made her stay home and sleep. Theres been a bug going around in our branch and the two elders already suffered from it. So I guess I am next?? Yikes. I'll just pray to be immune! Anyways... She was way way way sick, so I made her some chicken noodle soup without the noodles because she is intolerant to gluten, and a smoothie. I read my scriptures all day. That was a blast! I got pretty bored, but now Sister Alston is doing wonderfully!

OH! I almost forgot! Since we weren't allowed to go or do anything on Thursday, Sister Alston and I got it approved for us to go to the temple! So we did! And man, was it needed! I hadn't been in 6 months, so I thoroughly enjoyed it! Pics to come:) We also had interviews with President Jensen this week. That went well! Sister Alston and I got the Reflections of Christ CD approved for us so now we get something other than MoTab which has been nice. Freddie Ashby... he's the man! 

Also, amidst all the confinement to our home we found, or I should the Lord put 5 new investigators into our path this week! It's been really great!

Anyways... i love you guys so so so much and think about you every single day! 

Riley... question for you? Have you started your papers?? Let me know and keep me updated! Because President Jensen told me I can call home when he opens his call! Isn't that awesome??? YAY!

LOVE YOU!

Sister Halee Rogers 

Weekly Update 1-20-14!

Grant Brodegard saying "peace out" to Halee (where she first lived in Keokuk).  The Brodegard's are moving so the Sisters had to find a new apartment.

Exchanges!

View of the Nauvoo Temple, across the river, from the deck of their new apartment.

With Andrew Pena.

With The Payne's, a family in their ward.

Hey there family!

So... I'm not even sure what i want to say today. This week has been really long. haha I could've sworn that I have been here in Keokuk WAY longer than 2 weeks. This week, Sister Alston and I went on two exchanges! One in Hannibul, MO and one in Macomb, IL. Yes... i have been in three states this week! They both went really well! Sister Alston had a lot of fun driving and talking and eating and just being crazy. haha But it has been kinda rough because we have only been in our area for about 2 and a half days this week. To be honest i am so drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually. haha But I am so happy to be here, truly I am. I love the power of prayer and of scripture study. There is so much power in the scriptures, i just love every minute of it. I wish I could read and study all day everyday. I spoke in church yesterday! That was cool. We didn't have any time to prepare or anything at all so i just took my scriptures up to the pulpit and prayed that the spirit would guide me on what to say. He did. And He guided me as I bore testimony and taught about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. IT IS THE GOOD NEWS! The good news that we don't have to be perfect. The good news that the Atonement isn't for perfect people but for imperfect people like you and I. I love that Christ is so willing to share His righteousness and and His sinlessness with us. That's something to be excited about and obtain hope from.

So last night something pretty interesting happened.... Its something I never have experienced on my mission before, but Sister Alston and I were cursed by some lady last night. We knocked on her door... she came out and said very boldly pointing her finger at us," I know who you are and I know why you're here. You don't believe in the same Jesus that is described in the bible, and anyone that believes what you believe should be cursed. So I curse Moroni and I curse Joseph Smith and I curse The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I especially curse you in the name of the true Lord Jesus Christ." She finished her statements and then walked back in house and told us to never come back ever again. So..... Sister Alston and I walked away from that lady's home, chuckled a little and then kept working. Forgive and forget. I truly felt bad for this woman, but I hope that father in heaven can forgive her. She clearly "knows not what [she] do". I am just so grateful to know that this church is true and that we have the Gospel on earth today because of our loving Heavenly Father.

Sister Alston and I got a new pad this week. ITS SWEET! You go our to our front balcony and you know what we get to look at everyday? THE TEMPLE! That's right... God is our neighbor. We look right across the mississippi and there's the temple, right there in our face. It's wonderful. I just wish I could go whenever I wanted. The inside of our apartment is pretty dang sweet too! Fully furnished and has lots of space. It's nice.

Anyways... I just want you all to know that this Gospel is true. I will never deny it. I love it and I love God.

Stay awesome and God's speed!

Love,

Sister Halee Rogers

Weekly Update 1-13-14

She found Gold Canyon In Keokuk!

Mission Leadership Council in Iowa City.  All the Sister Training Leaders & Sister Jensen!

With Sister Murphy & Sister Pratt.

With Sister Pratt!

Dinner after MLC.

Enjoying seeing Sister Murphy again, Halee's first Companion in Mt. Vernon.

Hey there Fam!

Man... My first week in keokuk is down! And I absolutely love it! This week was pretty busy though.. we were really only in Keokuk for about 3 days this week. haha On tuesday, we drove to Iowa City and had Mission Leadership Council, which is a meeting with President Jensen and his wife, the assistants, and all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. It was an all day meeting... 9am-5pm.. but man, it was so great!! We were able to set our new goal for the mission. After a lot of inspiration, praying and discussion, our new goal for the mission is a little different. Each missionary's goal they are working towards is whatever the unit's they are serving in goal is. Its a little different, but it was truly inspired. It is so that we can work closely with those that hold the keys for missionary work in each area (bishops and stake presidents). It's helping us to come together as one as the Lord and the prophets have asked us to. We will be hitting the yoke at the same time! I am pumped. We talked about a lot of other things at the meeting as well. It was really great. I got to see Sister Murphy and Sister Pratt and some other missionaries I hadnt seen in a while, so it was really great!! On Wednesday and Thursday we were in Kirksville, MO for exchanges and Sister Alston and I gave a training for the Quincy Zone Training Meeting. My first exchange as a leader! It was wonderful! On Friday we were in Burlington to give another training at the Nauvoo Zone Training Meeting. Then we had friday night and saturday to come back and work in our area. We didn't get to see a lot of people but we did what we could. We are working with a lot of families! The Lord is blessing us a lot. We actually had a pretty cool experience on Saturday... Sister Alston and I were out looking at apartments because we are moving this week. The members we live with are moving to Georgia... so send mail to the mission address please until I get a more permanent address. ANYWAYS, we were checking out this one apartment... IT WAS A TOTAL DUMP. Heavenly Father definitely did not send us there to find an apartment, but He did send us there to find Cynthia. She was the lady showing us the apartment. We turned it into a teaching opportunity and talked about church and the restoration. She was SO interested. Talking about how she wants to come to church because she doesn't like her church she is at now and wants us to come teach her and her 3 daughters who are all above the age of accountability. IT WAS GREAT! man, I seriously love the spirit and I love Heavenly Father. He is helping us SO MUCH! 

Church was cancelled last week so I finally got to go this week and meet all the members! Everything is going great here. We are pretty darn busy this week with exchanges and things, but I'm super pumped. I just love being a missionary. And I really just love my companion a lot. Sister Alston is the perfect companion for me at this time. She has helped me so much already. I know Heavenly Father loves us. We are all His children and He wants us all to recognize that we are a part of one eternal family. I love you guys so much. I thank you for all your support. Keep living right!

Love sister Halee Rogers

Weekly update 1-6-14

Last District Bowling before transfers

Saying good-bye to the Dillons where they lived in Fort Dodge.

Sister Murphy is also a Sister Trainer Leader.

Sad to be leaving Sis Eggett!  

They are planning a trip to DL when they are done with their missions.

With Sister Alston, her new companion.  They both love DP!

Their brand new jeep!

Only 156 miles!

Trying to stay warm!

With Sister Alston ??

Hey Yall!
Welp... This week has been eventful. First off, I want to say that our mission ended the year of 2013 with 545 baptisms. Only 5 short of our goal of 550. That is 99%. Man, its been incredible. In the last week of the year, we baptized 30 souls! Thats the most people baptized ever in one week in the Iowa Des Moines Missions. It was very incredible and wonderful to be a part of it!

Now, to the news you are all probably wondering.... WHERE AM I??? Any Guesses?? I am currently serving in good 'ol Keokuk, Iowa right on the mississippi river! Yes... also right across the river from Nauvoo!!! I moved from fort dodge... which means I am now on the complete OPPOSITE side of the state and mission. My new companion is a Sister Training Leader as well, her name is Sister Alston. She actually was my sister training leader in Mt. vernon. I am so pumped to be serving with her!! We have already been having a great time. We are over two zones, or 7 companionships of sisters. We live members in Keokuk and we also just got a present from the church. We are now the privileged drivers of a brand new 2014 jeep compass equipped with 4wd! Yeah... its a boss! When we got it in Iowa City, it had 150 miles on it. That is equivalent to the drive from des moines to iowa city. Man... this car is spiffy and we felt like straight up movie stars rolling out from transfer meeting on thursday. Everyone was jealous. It was a pretty good feeling. haha

This week is a busy week. Sister Alston and I wont be in our area much this week, we will be driving a lot. We have Mission Leadership Council in iowa city tomorrow and then we have exchanges in kirksville the next day, and the we have to do a training at Zone TRaining Meeting in kirksville on thursday and then we have another training to do in burlington on friday. It'll be fun though! I am so excited!

This past week has been great and i am so thankful to have Sister Alston here to help me get to know everyone in Keokuk. Although, she did pull a little prank on me on friday. She had one of our investigators pretend to be someone else and that he wanted to be a polygamist and a bunch of stuff. It was crazy... but it was pretty funny. haha Theres a lot of anti stuff out here. People think mormons are crazy and not a lot of loving feelings towards us around here. But I know I am here for a reason and I am excited to work! I am so blessed to be here serving a mission. I love you all so much and want you to know that Jesus Christ is central to everything. He and our Father in Heaven are the only people we need to please. They love us so much. As a representative for Jesus Christ I have been blessed to have experienced such a love. My theme scripture right now is 1 Jn.4:18 "Perfect love casteth out fear." Strive for that perfect love! Pray for it and YOU WILL NOT FEAR!!! I love you so much!

Weekly Email 12-30-13!

Christmas Eve at the Bishop's.

Christmas Eve 

Reenacting the Nativity!

Great Cast!

Music with Sister Rogers & Elder Belliston!

Christmas Morning at the Rhoten's!

Her little buddy Jackson Rhoten!

Tim Tam Slams

Showing the Hermana's what Tim Tam Slams are!!

The Jensen Family.  She will miss them!

Good bye pics with everyone!  Hermana Eggett!

Elder Belliston- Zone Leader!

With Sister Batty- her companion!

With Natalie Dillon- the family they live with!

With Sister Quiroz!

She will miss Sister Batty!

With Elder Clark- Zone Leader!

She will miss Jackson Rhoten!

Wedding they attended!

Last District Meeting!

Hola Family!

I hope everyones Christmas was great. I know mine was! I'll tell you all about it. Christmas morning we went over to the Rhotens home. They are a couple in our ward... and they have the two cutest little kids. Anyways, we went over there at about 8 am in our nice PJS:) and they had stockings for both sister batty and I. They had a bunch of presents labeled "A" and "B". So I was sister A and Sister Batty was sister B. We got some sweet gifts from them! It was such a blast! We also took our gifts from you guys over to their house so we could open them. It was way nice. We then had breakfast, played a little bit with the kiddos and then headed back home to get ready for the day. We got home got looking pretty nice and then it was time for me to call you guys!!! Man, I was so excited to see all of your faces! I miss you a lot and appreciate all that you are doing! Seriously, that was the best present to see you. The hour went by way too quick but atleast we got to see each other for  a while!! I LOVE YOU! After skype.. Sister Batty and I and the Hermanas in Webster City went to one of our less actives homes.. the one that gave us the pepper spray! haha we went and ate a little bit and just talked and had a great time. Before we left there we sang them a fewChristmas songs.. it was fun. After that, we went back to the Dillons house(our house) and just hung out with everyone! We played catchphrase for a while which is SO DANG FUN! haha we were all rolling laughing cause it got pretty funny. Then we ate some yummy food with their whole family! After dinner we continued to play more catchphrase and then sister batty and I went to another members home for a little while and had a nice lesson. It was a pretty laxed day... but man, was it a good one! I  am so grateful that it turned out to be such a great day.

Thursday and Friday we just had weekly planning and district meeting and then saturday we went and taught at the prison as usual. Then we went to a baptism... the Elders had an investigator be baptized! It was so great! They found this lady 3 weeks ago and she stopped smoking cold turkey and was baptized this past saturday! MIRACLES! Anyways.. it was awesome. Then we went on like a three hour exchange with the Sister training Leaders and the headed out to Stanhope for a wedding of one of the Hermanas investigators. It was a blast. I wish I could've danced though... that was kind of a bummer. But then we got back that night and the next morning got up for church! Sister Batty and I as well as the webster city hermanas all spoke in church. I did a litrtle calling to repentance but in a loving manner and the spirit definitely worked it all out!! I took lots of pics with people yuesterday because it could've been my last sunday there cause I wasn't sure if I was leaving for transfers this week or not.

So... that brings us to this morning!! At about 8am I got a call from President Jensen informing me, that I have been called to serve as a new Sister Training Leader and that i will be leaving Fort dodge. Sister Batty will be staying here and getting a new companion. I'm a little nervous because I don't know that I'm ready to lead and be in charge of other sisters yet... but I guess if the Lord thinks so, I can do it with His help! I'm anxious to find out where I am going and who my new companion will be! We find out thursday. Which reminds me... all mail for me should be sent to the Mission Office and not my Fort dodge address or else I won't receive it!!

Welp... Thats about it. I love you all so much. And I am grateful to have such a wonderful family. Keep working hard to share the gospel... our salvation depends on it. I love you!

Love,

Sister Halee