Weekly Update 10-13-14

At Red Lobster!

Last District Meeting of Transfer!

On exchanges with Sister Hernandez.

Well hello there family and friends... yes, you read that correctly... my last transfer of my mission begins this week on thursday... uhhh what?! Yeah okay that's all we are going to talk about it anymore. We just got transfer calls this morning from President Jensen. Sister Holman is getting transferred and I will be getting a new companion. This was pretty shocking cause Sister Holman has only been here for 2 transfers and so we assumed we were just going to stay together. But I guess that is not the case!

This week was a pretty good one but a bit of a struggle as well. We really have not been teaching a lot at all. I mean we had a total of 8 lessons taught this week... 8.... I have never had that low on my mission! ha So I am determined to do better and work smarter. We have been doing a lot  a lot of tracting and have been finding lots of great potentials but every time we go to meet with them again they cancel or we can't get a hold of them. This just testifies to me of the importance of the spirit in this work. We need it everyday and we must learn to recognize his promptings. I don't think I have been doing that very much this past week. I've just been going about doing missionary things and talking to people without trying to follow the spirit. It isn't that I have been wasting time or just piling out but i haven't been using the spirit to guide and direct me. So let me tell you folks... when you try and rely upon your own strength and wisdom without acknowledging the spirit and praying fervently, you will only teach 8 lessons figuratively speaking. So that is my message to ya'll today... follow the spirit and live worthily of His constant companionship and use Him as your guide!

Yesterday i sang in Sacrament Meeting. I sang, "I Feel My Savior's Love." I got an arrangement online and asked one of the young women to accompany me in it. Her name is Sarah and she is 14. Her dad is our ward mission leader and so we are at their house a lot and she's pretty darn cool. But when I had asked her to do it for me she didn't really want to cause she said she would mess up and that there were way better people at the piano that I could ask. The accompaniment was pretty hard and she tried playing it the first time and struggled pretty bad and so she was just going to quit but her mom would not let her. And this totally just reminded me of myself. There were so many times where people would ask me to play and sing the guitar but i didn't have any confidence so I would try and turn things down, but mom would never let me! She always encouraged me to play and grow and she was always believing in me that I could do it. Anyways, the same was with Sarah. She practiced for about a week and yesterday in church when she played it she just nailed it! It was so awesome:) She is such a stud. I am sure she will thank her mom later for pushing her and believing in her. Moms are the best.

Our investigators are doing pretty well.... sort of... the ones we can get a hold of. haha Biliu is still doing good, he is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy but is really wanting a lot of external evidences to prove to him that these things are true. He even asked for DNA evidence to prove that Lehi was a prophet.... haha needless to say we are going to teach about receiving truth from the spirit. Chelsea is still doing good as well! Still on date for November 15th. I think this weekend I am going to Iowa City for the baptism of Lori Fees. I taught her while I was in Iowa City and now she is getting baptized so i am hoping I can make it.

Hope you all have such a great week! LOVE YOU!

Sister Halee Rogers

Weekly Update 10-6-14

Fun with presents from Germany!

Just got to watch the new movie premier of "Meet The Mormons"!

Hey There!

This week was so splendid!! 

Tuesday we had exchanges with the Ankeny Sisters! It was a blast... I went with Sister garrett and we stayed here in Ames. We got a new investigator!! His name is Biliu and he is from Sudan... he is a stud and really wants to know truth! He is is already in 2 nephi 3 of the Book of Mormon and has since been going on mormon.org chatting with the missionaries there and has also ordered the Doctrine and Covenants as well as the Pearl of Great Price. We are meeting with him again tomorrow and seeking to set a baptismal date for him.

Wednesday was a pretty normal day as well as thursday. We are knocking a lot of doors because our teaching pool isn't huge right now. But we are meeting some great people along the way. i love sharing the gospel!

Friday was a spectacular day... you know why?? Because we got to go to Des Moines and have a special preview of the new movie coming out on October 10th, "Meet The Mormons." The Missionary Department sent President Jensen the DVD and so he called an impromptu zone conference so that we could watch it! It was awesome! The moving was so good too! Had me in tears... especially at the football coach part... it also may have gotten me a little trunky, just saying. But don't worry, i got refocused rather quickly. I would suggest all of you to go see the movie though... it's wonderful!!!

This weekend was so great as well. General Conference was definitely my highlight. I always leave with a stronger resolution to walk in obedience to God's commands. I hope it did the same for all of you. I especially appreciated all of the talks about sustaining and following a prophet. I received such a special witness from the Holy Ghost that Thomas S. Monson has truly been called of God as well as the Apostles. I know that if we follow them, we cannot and will not be led astray. They teach and preach the words of eternal life.

There were so many other great talks that just resonated with me. Elder Holland's, Elder Christofferson's. Elder Robbins, and Elder Godoy's, and Sister McKonkie's just to name a few. But many others. Fun fact... in November, Elder Godoy is coming to our mission for a mission tour! So i will get to meet him! That will be a great experience.

I think that is it folks. I will end  by testifying in the name of Jesus Christ that I know God lives. I know He has called prophets and apostles to lead and guide His church on earth today. I know that these special witnesses of His son Jesus Christ receive divine inspiration and revelation from the Godhead, and because of this I trust and sustain them as prophets, seers, and revelators. I pray daily for the welfare of all your souls. I am grateful for the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ and His infinte love for us. I am grateful that he has provided the way for us to return to our Father in Heaven. I especially love this scripture... 2 Nephi 10:23-25.... we have the choice.

I love you! Have a wonderful week!

Sister Halee Rogers

Weekly Update 9-29-14

With Sister Rhoten!

Fun with a beautiful Iowa Sunset!

Mission Office!

Hey There!

We are back again on a beautiful monday morning:) The weeks are going faster than I have ever imagined. Before I know it my mission will be over... I DON"T LIKE IT. haha It's definitely bittersweet experience. I am really trying to continue working hard these last couple of months. My thoughts this week have been directed towards the Atonement of Jesus Christ. If there is one thing I want to accomplish from my mission it is to understand the mission of the Savior better and in a more personal way. I do feel that it has grown and has made such a powerful influence upon my life and I have seen it do so through others. I was reading a scripture yesterday that has really been consuming my mind lately... it is found in Mosiah 23:10-11. It says,

 10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

11 Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself.

As grateful as I am to be used everyday as an instrument in the Lord's hands, what brings true joy and happiness hasn't been the things that I have done, but seeing the power and influence of the Lord in others lives. I really cannot adequately express how grateful i am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have come to learn that it is through our struggles and mistakes and weaknesses that we come to know our Savior as our Savior and Redeemer and not just some really great man. I know that it is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that salvation comes. If we are obedient and live the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and if we follow the counsel of the living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, as well as his counselors and apostles, we will have eternal life. It is through our consistent daily efforts that the blessings of the Atonement come into our lives. Salvation is not an event, it is a process. This gospel is a gospel all about progression. the Atonement makes room for progression. This life is the time given to us to learn and to grow!!! Oh how wonderful!!! Wow, I really am just so grateful and have felt that I need to share my gratitude and testimony with you. This really means so much to me. The spirit has testified in my heart and mind that these things are true and that the Atonement is real.

On that note, i will update you about my week. It was a pretty standard week.. no astounding miracles but just good wholesome missionary work. So... at the beginning of this week we had 10 investigators... guess how many we have now? 4. We got dropped like hot cakes hard core. haha But all is well, we are determined and have faith that the Lord is preparing more souls to come unto Christ. Needless to say we will be doing a lot of finding and tracting this week. Someone has to do it right? I am glad that it is my privilege. On the bright side, we still have one person on date for November 15th and will be resetting a date this week.

On Friday this past week we got to go to one of the members house to do some service. They live on a farm and we were cutting down trees and hauling them off to various burn piles. It was hot, but oh so great! It felt so good to just get down and do some manual labor and get out of my skirt for a few hours. I was sweaty and probably smelt bad but it was awesome. AND I got to ride in a tractor. I would've taken pictures but my battery was dead... so next time! 

We also went on a couple exchanges this week so that was fun! I got to go back to Fort Dodge for a day!!! I saw the Rhotens, who i spent Christmas with down there, and I saw the Marnachs who was a family I taught down there. It was way cool. I also saw Sister Hendrix a member there. She's like my favorite. It was so good to see her!

Sister Holman and I are really getting along great! Sister Holman is awesome, I love her a lot. Heavenly father blessed me with such a great companion to finish my mission off with.

I hope you all have a great week! LOVE YOU!

Love

Sister Halee Rogers

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