Weekly Update 9-22-14

Hey there!

This week was fabulous and so full of blessings! It was crazy packed but oh so good! We had Mission Leadership Council on Tuesday in Iowa City so we got to spend the night in Des Moines with the Sister training Leaders there and then drive to Iowa City in the morning because its a few hours away from ames. We were there all day and mostly just did some reporting on our zones and received leadership training. It was really good. Thursday we went on exchanges with the sisters in 1st ward. I went with Sister roberts... we did a lot of finding but it was good! We got a new investigator out of it! Friday we had Zone Conference in Des moines. that was too i got to see a lot of missionaries that i love! And we got free pizza for lunch. hmmm so good. Saturday, we had two of our investigators come to a baptism and they both enjoyed it a lot. Sunday we had church and we got two new investigators! Their names are Brianna and Cassidy... they both play soccer for Iowa State University. they are totally cool! I feel like I can relate to them a lot!

Currently we have two investigators on date for baptism for October 11th and November 15th. Angela and Chelsea. things are going so great and it is all from the Lord.  His work is truly hastening.

I hate to say it but I forgot to bring my camera to the library this morning so i don't have pictures today... :( Bonus though, that means next week you get twice as many!!!

Anyways... I love you so much!!

Have a wonderful weeek!

Sister Rogers

Weekly Update 9-15-14

Saying good-bye to families & missionaries in Iowa City!

Elder Jackson from Gilbert

Saying good-bye to Norman.

Last District soccer game!

Hey there!

So i want to start off by saying I woke up this morning with the song, "She's got freckles on her but she's pretty" stuck in my head! Grandpa used to sing that... cracks me up. Can't believe that it has been one year today. My thoughts and prayers are out to everyone today. But it is oh so comforting to know that the Lord's will is done and that the Lord always does right.

So other news... transfers have happened! I am now serving in Ames, IA... its on the complete opposite side of the mission! It is also the hometown of Iowa State University. I went from Hawkeye country to Cyclone Country! I am serving in the Ames 2nd ward and my new companion is Sister Carly Holman. She is from Panguitch, UT and she is pretty much a stud. We are super similar! I am really glad to be ending my mission with her. She is a hardworker and LOVES sports! whuddup. She has been out for almost one year. I fell pretty old... haha almost 16 months! Theres going to be about 24 missionaries leaving the mission with me in December... NUTS! Oh! Also, I get to be Sister pratt's Sister Training Leader in Mason City, so i get to see her a lot! I am way excited about that. And guess where else I get to go on exchanges to??? FORT DODGE! I am so excited!!! I'll get to go back there once this transfer. it'll be good.

It was really hard to leave Iowa City... The guy luke I talked about last week, we met with him the night before I left and had a lesson with him in a members home. IT WAS AMAZING AND PERFECT!!!! These members were like a match made in heaven for him. haha I took lots of pictures.

And little jethro michaelson is about 5 years old cried when I had to say goodbye and asked if I would ever come back to visit. it was the most tender thing! I will miss Iowa City for sure.

The first three days here have been pretty swell. We live in an apartment and we set a baptismal date with this girl named Angela on Saturday... October 11th!

Not much else has happened... this transfer is only 5 weeks long so its going to fly by!!!

Hope you all have a great week! The church is true!!!

Love you!

Sister Halee Rogers

Weekly Update 9-8-14

Dee is one of the coolest people Sister Rogers has met.

Last District meeting in Iowa City.

Me and the boys...Maisha, Amani and Sila.

She loves Kate & Grace.  They are hilarious.  

The Black's in Iowa City!

Wow.. okay this week has been so amazing I don't even know where to begin!! I will start with transfer doctrine..

And I will be honest this time, I promise! I got a phone call this morning from President Jensen telling me I am being transferred out of Iowa City to a new area, still as a Sister Training Leader. I am not sure where I will be serving yet. There are only 6 Sister Training Leader areas which means I will either be going to Cedar Rapids, Keokuk, Clinton, Des Moines, or Ames. We will see what happens! I will let you know where I am at next week. I am SO SO SO sad to be leaving Iowa City. Honestly, this area has been such a blessing. I am excited for the new changes that lie ahead but man I am going to miss this place so much. So many good things are happening!

Like for instance, just this morning we has this AMAZING lesson with this guy named Luke. He is 34 years old and a single father. While on exchanges, Hermana Eggett and I went to Jimmy Johns for lunch and Luke was our cashier. Hermana Eggett just walked up to him and was like "Hey, well we are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and we want to share a message with you. Do you want to meet up sometime?" He said he would love to! and that was it.. we went and ate our lunch got his phone number and said nothing else really. So that brings us to today... We met this morning at the church and had a member with us. We sat in the Relief Society room and began to just get to know him a little bit and his religious background. It was a little awkward at first but thankfully the spirit took over and we soon came to see how the Lord had been preparing Luke to receive the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. He was asking questions like, "What is the foundation of your beliefs?" "How is it that we have over 10,000 different christian sects?" "How can I know where truth comes from?" All of these questions tied right into the lesson of the restoration. He shared his experience of how he grew up Lutheran but sort of had a falling away and "lost the faith" in the organization of the church. He then shared that he was looking and searching for truth. And we could tell that he had been thirsting for it. The Lord had placed him in our path so that he could receive the answers he was looking for. He even told us that he had just finished a 7 day fast so he could be cleansed out and spiritually intune. WOW. we were stunned to learn of how much the Lord had been leading him. And Luke is not your "typical Christian"  I guess some people would say... He has tattoos all over, gages, and has some pretty hipster hair. But it is so true that the Lord looks on the heart and the on the appearance. Luke's heart was ready. So we taught him of the restoration and the member that was with us bore powerful testimony. We taught simply and the spirit was there for sure. He committed to read from the Book of Mormon and pray to know that it is true. He kept saying things like, "I am really interested in this.." or "Maybe this is meant to be..." You could see that the hole in is heart or his questions were already beginning to be answered. I am so grateful and humbled to have just had that experience.

Which is another reason why I don't want to leave Iowa City!!! haha Our other investigator Lori, came to a baptism and church this week! She loved them both and is still smoke free and working towards her baptism on October 25th!!! She was telling us that she went to the gas station the other day and one of her friends was outside smoking this apparently really expensive and nice cigar and he asked her if she wanted to smoke a little bit of it.. she said that a thought came to her mind and in her head she said, "Do I want to smoke? or Do I want to be saved?" hahaha she said she decided she wanted to be saved! haha It was so awesome:) So she's doing great.

We are finding lots of new people to teach as well. And the ward is just on fire!!! They are all so missionary minded and do amazing things. the Lord is blessing this part of His vineyard for sure.

I have a testimony that God's timing is everything but that eventually all will come to know the truth. I have such a special privilege to be a part of this marvelous work and a wonder.

Have such a wonderful week!!!!!!!!

LOVE YOU!

Sister Halee Rogers

Weekly Update 9-2-14

Investigator Mario!

Basketball on PDay!

Labor Day Picnic at Coralville Lake!

Hola Familia!

Big news!!! Transfers happened and I got put "zebra"!! Which means I am in a spanish area! My companion is an Hermana and i get to learn spanish for the last three months of my mission!!! Her name is Hermana Hernandez and we are serving in Webster City, IA. It's about a half hour away from Fort Dodge!!!! I am so stoked!! This is due to the lack of hermanas that are in the mission.

just kidding:) I am still here in iowa city, working on 6 months:) Transfers haven't happened yet. Those are next week, so I will be sure to keep you posted. i am not sure if I will be transferred or if I will stay, or if I will get released, or what's gonna happen. I have no idea. haha I will let you know next week! I really hope to stay here in Iowa City til the end. I love it here so much. The people are so great and I have developed real charity for them. The ward is also FABULOUS! In the past 6 months I have been here, I have felt the member trust grow dramatically! We are gaining a lot of trust with them. And as a result they are becoming more and more involved in finding, teaching, and testifying. It is so cool to see!!

This week some really great things happened. The elders had a baptism of an 11 year old boy named carlos. This kid is a stud. We also were able to have two investigators attend that baptism! One of them, Maisha, wants to be baptized now! It's been such a blessing. We had a lesson with him earlier this week and read Alma 32 with him. he loved it and the spirit taught him a lot. You could literally feel his faith in Christ growing. When he prayed at the end of the lesson, he prayed for God to forgive him for "Judging the book by its cover and not taking the time to read it." He also asked God to "make {him} love this book!" It was such a miracle. And now this week he is going over to one of the young men's house after school to hang out and the go to mutual that night! Things with Maisha are progressing a lot.

Our other investigator, Lori is doing outstanding. She has a baptismal date for October 25th!... woah, speak of the devil.. she's calling right now! Hold one... okay I'm back. GOOD NEWS! She called to tell us that she set a date on her own to quit smoking. September 4th is the day she has set for herself to quit smoking! Which means her baptismal date will most likely be moved up as well!! Wow.. tender mercies!!! It also goes to show that true faith in the lord Jesus Christ lead to repentance. We haven't even taught the word of wisdom yet, but she is learning from the spirit as her faith is increasing! Just like Boyd K. Packer said, "True doctrine, understood, changes attitude and behavior.The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."

If you can't tell... the work is hastening here. And i do not want to leave!! 

I have a testimony of the savior. I know He lives. I know His Atonement is central to everything. And I know that it is through Him and ONLY through Him that we are saved.

Love you all! Thanks so much for your prayers!

Love

Sister Halee Rogers