Wohnung Verloren :).....Week 17 in Ellwangen

     Well obviously this week was Christmas. I hope it was Christmas in Canada too! We were spoiled rotten by everyone here. We had the best time! I don't even know what I should write here. Like it was just so cool. We spent basically 3 straight days with members. 

     OK... I thought of something. Thanks to everyone who sent me stuff! I'm way too spoiled! That's for sure! It made my Christmas awesome..er. 

     OK well I have also realized that I may use the word.. 'sick' a little much. So I'm gonna try and cut down on that. 

     OK....Well I was able to Skype home this week! Which was actually really weird! Because it seems like nothing has really even changed there. Still my regular awesome family just chillin'. It was really cool though! I'm glad we had that time! 

     OK and then Elder Oviatt did his (Skype) and we were all around. I have made a new friend. His name Brant Oviatt. He is seriously one of the funniest people I have never met. and he said when I get back that we are gonna go hiking in Waterton. So now it has been written... we are going hiking. That's something I will hold him to forever! So yeah! Waterton!!!! hahaha

     Well I almost forgot! So we are losing our apartment haha. Our landlords husband died over a month ago and now her house is too big for her so she wants ours. So we are in essence being asked to leave. So we are now on the hunt for a new one! hahaaha cool! Always an adventure here on the Mish. 

     We didn't have the chance to do a ton of stereotypical missionary work this week because we were with members so much. But in the other sense we were with members the whole week. and members are just as big in helping missionary work as we are. 

     Our 2 friends came to church again yesterday! So that's good! We are on our way with them. We should be able to work out a lesson this week! Just slow and steady! 

I'd like to thank everyone for everything! I have sooo much and I'm so grateful! I feel so much love as a missionary! 

Have a great week! I sure will!

Elder Rodgers :)

I got a stocking from the Carlsons! haha awesome!

My Beth stocking!

My.. you stocking!!!!!

.... OK I forgot! haha so this next picture is of elder Garrett playing a blue violin haha. He is a violin major at BYU. The story is....

     

     So There is an American army base in Stuttgart. So when we were at the stake Christmas thing we met a guy who lives in Stuttgart but is from California. He is from the home ward of Elder Carlson. So he is stationed here and is obviously English haha. So he invited us over to their house and we got permission to go. So we like had to go through a border kinda thingy and I had to show my passport and it was so cool! hahahaha OK and then on this base they have regular american food so when we left they gave us a ton of root beer and reece stuff and dortitos! It was so cool! so they have 4 kids. One girl plays the violin and another the cello. So Elder Garrett got into it and played a bit too. It was way fun! So that was an  awesome evening!!!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!.......Week 16 in Ellwangen

     Well duh! Its Christmas people! And I'm in Germany. How did that happen. I cant really recall these last 5 months... its all gone by too fast. Time is a whole new deal to me now. Time really takes a new meaning when you're on a mission. 

     Well for starters.... This week was awesome. I was privileged enough to be asked to give a Priesthood Blessing this week. Yes, in German. How is this possible you may wonder? (I wondered too). Well it is possible only through  the Spirit and power of the Priesthood. There was a member of the ward who wanted a blessing because he had an operation the next day. So he came over and I was able to do it. The words in German are not simple and thankfully I had other elders there to help. But it went good and all that matters is that the Spirit was there. I was way grateful for that experience and I'll surely never forget it. 

     Then Tuesday I was on Tausch (exchanges). We had 2 eating appointments in Waiblingen. It was way good! I love being on Taush its is so cool! We also taught 2 lessons to members that day. It was lovely. Just lovely. 

     Germany is sick! So people are awesome and ya.... I just like meeting people. And I've come to realize that many Germans like Canadians. And many have been there. So we have an automatic connection and its awesome! I love talking about Canada! hahaha

     Really though... we had a few lessons, did a ton of contacting and met some awesome people. Strengthened our relationship with the members and helped some other people do stuff. Just a sick week of being a missionary. And now... its Christmas. And the ward is the best... again. we are so busy this week with members. I love them! So much! 

     Well... yah lol. That's really about it. Just members being awesome. Missionary work isn't hard. Its all about having the courage to say something. I can do it in German. Which means that anyone can do it in English! I love being a missionary! I love everything! :)

Have a sick week full of joy and family and love and all those other wonderful things!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Elder Rodgers :)

My box of food :) Oh Yes

I had a 'what gives' moment in Schwäbish Hall and just was way happy lol

me just laughing wayyy to much

I realize I have no variety in pics lol. I'm happy tho! 

Ich sage Zug... Sie sagen.. Wieder?......Week 15 in Ellwangen

     Well... What to say this week. This week went so fast. I am aware I say that almost every week but its true! I was sitting at this computer a week ago but it feels like it was like 2 days ago! Ah! So fast! Well overall news for the week is..... we were on trains for a total of about 14 or so hours this week! Trains Oh Ya! haha

     Well Monday we tore up our wall that had had some problems in the past. So now we are on it and are being beastly handymen. It looks awful.

     So Tuesday we went up to this little place called Rot am See to go and visit someone. Well it was awesome! The man was sooo nice! Such a cool guy! He hasn't been to church for a really long time... like 55ish years. So we got some work to do! But we can do it! He's great! But it takes a good hour to get there with a train and then back again. But it's surely worth it! So after him we had to take another train down to Wailblingen to stay the night. So that was another 1.5 hours on a train. So all 4 of us from Ellwangen stayed there plus the 2 elders there. So their apartment is smaller than ours and their kitchen is being renovated. So like we had no room at all, it was a gong show. But so funny. We had like the biggest sleep over ever haha. It was hilarious. So crowded. 

    We stayed there because on Wednesday we had zone training and our Christmas conference in Stuttgart that started at 10am. We couldn't take the train early enough from Ellwangen with our ticket. Then Wednesday went by so so fast. It was just a day of learning and fun. It was way cool! We also got all our packages at zone conference and so between the 4 of us we had so much stuff to carry from our overnight party and packages. It was rough!............ another 1.5 hours by train to Ellwangen. 

     Thursday was sooooo funny. So Our ward mission leader is an absolute boss and he came on a joint teach with us. He killed it! He said it better than we ever could have said it. We were talking a lot about authority and baptism and our investigator really wasn't getting it but our joint teach just made it so good! It was a great lesson! So on the drive up it was about 45 minutes... Elder Carlson slept and I talked to our member the whole time. Sick! Then we stayed in Schwäbish Hall after and contacted and then took a train home... just over an hour :)

     Friday was weekly planning then our ward party! So we made some cookies and then went to the church. They were a hit, gone in no time! The party was epic! So as missionaries we sand a song called 'Tracting in a Winter Wonderland' and it was hilarious. Very successful! So much love from the members! We really have some awesome people here! 

     Saturday was supposed to be a lesson wayyyyyy far away. So we were on our way when we got a call that cancelled it... so we changed plans and went to visit a couple other people. So Saturdays are hard because buses run until like 1pm then they don't run anymore. So we were stuck to trains. So overall this day we had about 2.5-3 hours on trains. Sick right! hahaha and to make like better it rained all day. SO we were lovin it! But actually we were! We went dooring in Crailsheim for 3 hours and only talked to 2 people... because the 2nd dude let us in. We were there for about 1.5 hours haha and talked about a ton. It was really good he was understanding a ton...  he said he would read the Book of Mormon, then we asked to set up another appointment to come back... guess what he said.....

March or April

..........WHAT? hahaha So we will just stop by this week lol and give him something else like a pamphlet or something. Then if he has read or anything he'll just start talking and stuff. hahaha The ways of a missionary. But he was way funny. 

     So then Sunday was just great again. The other elders had a lady in church! It was great! Our 2 people didn't come again.. we really need their info. We only know they live in a small town of about 200-300 people so we are just gonna go there and door the whole town. Why not eh! So ist es auf Mission. So that'll be way fun! So a member in our ward got married last week and her husband is from Columbia so this family is here for a bit. They speak only Spanish and aren't members but the newlywed wife speaks like a thousand languages so we were able to have a lesson with them. It was way cool because we would say it in German... she would translate it and then they would reply and she would translate. Super cool. Then we started doing it in English because we are awesome and can speak 2 languages haha. It was way cool being part of like a 3 language conversation. So cool! And we are going over tonight to meet with them. Super cool people! 

     After church we had a ward dinner thing then we took the train to Stuttgart... 1.5 hrs... for the stake Christmas thing. It was awesome and then we watched the first presidency broadcast in German. hahaha I'm staring to really understand stuff. Luckily a member drove us all home so we didn't need more trains. 

German is awesome! I love it. Germany is sick! I love it. Thanks to all those who read and stuff! hahaha hope you like it... :)

Elder Rodgers <3

so our wall is now a mess... :)

We went exploring in the wild again! I found a little dorf! (village) I claim it as mine!

Elder C and ME!

.... American rootbeer! Got it at the Christmas conference!!

Here's the church

The Primary kids in Mt Heights Ward in Lethbridge sent me these letters! Cool! Thanks!

Servus Miteinend - Autobahn....Week 14 in Ellwangen

     Yes. That's right.... Autobahn. We definitely hit that up this week with a member! Only got up to 175km because it was raining. But he promised at least 200 when its nicer! hahahaha it was way fun! 

     Another epic thing. This same member is a plumber. So he loves his job and he totally jacked up his toilet at home. So after you're done using it you press a button on the side of the seat and then a sprayer comes out and gives you a wonderfully refreshing hose down. It is epic! and a very efficient way of saving toilet paper! But actually... I'm gonna get one of those put in when I get home!

     I'm sure I've said already but the primary kids know me as the Elder with the 'tiefe Stimme' which means deep voice. I guess I have a nice low voice.. its as soothing as... something really soothing! haha and I have also been named 'the Sprucer Upper' in the apartment because I like things clean and tidy so I always do that and the rest of them make fun of me. So I'm the - so to say 'Sister' of the apartment. But that's OK... I live in cleanliness! ha!

       (from Tanners mom - this was a mothers dream to read, there is hope!)

     Well this week was decently empty. Lots of finding. We had some really good convos too! Found a few potentials and had some really fun talks with people. People are awesome. District meeting wasTuesday and that went good. We had to go on splits after to help the other elders teach lessons because they had 2 at the same time in different cities so we did that... but it fell out. 

     Really all we did was find and stuff till Saturday. Saturday was awesome! So our church building has a baptismal font and its like the closest one other than like Stuttgart. So the Ulm elders came up here Saturday for their baptism. So we were in charge of getting everything ready for them. And of course it took a huge miracle. The baptism started at 10 and we got to the church at 8:30. Found out you need a key to the font and we had none.... found out it takes about 2-2.5 hrs to fill.... we had just under 1.5 and the water boiler needed to be turned on and we didn't know how. hahah It was crazy. But a member helped us out on the phone and it went great. So I took apart part of the font and found a way to open the door ;) and then idk how but it got filed up enough by the time it started... hahaha. 

     Then right as the baptism was about to happen we realized that we had a lack of towels.... awks. But after looking... we found one in the kitchen. Like a real full sized one. So odd but so awesome! hahaha and it all worked out wonderfully!

     Then we made our way to the YM's activity we planned and had a ton of fun there. We made cards for some boys in the quorum who are a little less active. Then went and delivered them. We had lots of food and just had a ton of fun. It was way awesome! 

     MY favourite part this week was Sunday. So about a month ago we had 2 people randomly show up to church. We taught them and they said they would come back next week, but they didn't.... But! This week they came! and they really enjoyed sacrament meeting! Also a less active that we love came! Like it was just sick! And what was even cooler was that earlier that morning in Gemeinderat... ward council... the branch president told us that we were gonna have no speaker today but that he wanted us to all get up and bear our testimony. So that's what we did. Almost every one was focused on family and missionary work. The Spirit was so unbelievably strong. It was absolutely one of my most favourite sacrament meetings ever! 

     We had dinner at a members and then came back for studies. After, I got the feeling to go out and visit a family so we did and it was great that we did.They had just lost a member of the family 2 days ago and that's why they hadn't been home when we went by previously. But we went again and had a nice talk. So I'm just glad that we have the opportunity to have promptings and that I had the courage to follow it. So we had an awesome week!

I love being here. Missionary work is the bomb! 

Love Elder Rodgers <3

Sitting for a second in 1st class lol... like a boss!

Just a  huge deer... lol

Tree in Aalen :)

This is Ellwangen- coming into the main square or innenstadt.

Tracktin in a winter wonderland....lol

.. actually there's a song called that I think, its about missionaries. Wayyyy funny! Look it up!

'Durchfalls! Oops! '.....Week 13 in Ellwangen

     Well this was certainly one of the longer weeks. At the start of the week we really had no plans. It was all gonna be contacting around and stuff. Monday we were in Stuttgart for a Zone Pday. Lots of food! Tuesday we went back for a District meeting. Needless to say too many trains already! haha but that was only the start! 

     So on Wednesday we had absolutely nothing to do. So we wanted to go to some far away place to contact. As we were on a train I figured we should call our one older investigator who dropped us. So we did. And he said that since we were out and about we could stop by. So we rerouted and went there! ?It was a huge hassle to do it because we missed a train and had to run to catch a bus and it was just too much work haha. But we got there! and met up with him. And he wants to start meeting again! So finally! We have an appointment and I really know that he is gonna just get right back up there to where he was! He is a beauty! So in essence our whole day was him. Getting there takes about 3 hours with trains and layovers and buses. So its a long day. But worth it! 

     The rest of the week was spent finding and doing planning.  Saturday came and we again had no real plans. We made an invitation for a family to come to our ward party on the 13th and so we went out to deliver it. Its the family where only the father is a member and the wife and 5 kids aren't. So we went by and got invited in! We played a game with the 2 youngest kids and we were there for about half hour. We gave them our card and had a great time. I just love the family!

     We then went by on an older couple who are atheist! They have always just said.. .come by later.. if you are in the area. So we have... lol and finally got let in! They're so awesome! We had the coolest chat about the church and faith and stuff. They fed us and are so nice. They even invited us to a thingy later that night. We got permission to go and so we went and enjoyed an evening with them! They're so cool! So we will go by again this week and we are gonna ask if we can start teaching them some stuff. Lay out the big picture for them. They're really such cool people! 

     So in essence, our week was way long.. but full of wicked things! I love it!

     Now a few updates on me and Ellwangen. I've been doing really well at not sleep talking for the time I've been here. But idk what has happened. This last week or 10 days or so I've been nuts. I moan and then they start talking to me. Like I fall asleep so fast and then they just wait for me to be out... then they capitalize. I don't remember most of it. I am rather mean though, I yell at Oviatt..haha. I say a ton of things, like we have conversations. I was hoping they wouldn't figure that out... but they did. So now its like the game.... who can get elder Rodgers to talk the most? hahaha It's really funny for them.I just sleep and don't remember what I said... 

     So they all really enjoy that. Other than that... Ellwangen is just going along great! Christmas is so soon! So weird eh! Well love you all!

     oh ya......funny story....so elder Oviatts' uncle sent him a package. He is a dentist and had sent some mints that are really good for your teeth. They have no sugar and the flavoring and stuff comes from a tree or whatever. Anyway, they are healthy, really good tasting mints. So we ate a ton of them! Then... we read the back instructions at a later point in time and it said that this special sugar stuff if taken in too high of doses could cause diarrhea....they recommend only 12 per day.... needless to say I ate about 30 or so in 1 hour lol.... and it works! So we had a lovely bathroom incident this morning! But I'm pretty sure its past lol. But the mints are so good!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Rodgers <3 

We tried at a district picture.... didn't work hahahah next time!

Elder Steed...he is going home...

we got a huge lindt advent calendar from a member! sick!

I will get pics of Christmas this week OK! love you all thanks :):)

Wir bleiben zusammen! .....Week 12 in Ellwangen

     So the biggest news from this week could be that the 4 Elders here in Ellwangen are staying together. Together forever it seems! I'm sure we can pull it off ...haha. We already had a sick week this week, so whats 7 more? The weather here is just above 0, it snowed once this week! Only a little but still snow! yessss!

     OK so there's this weird thing here called fasching (a carnival). It goes from November to February. The Germans do some way funny things during this time. One of which happens in February and the girls go around with scissors and cut off peoples ties and kiss them. So guys all wear ties and its like a girl competition. So needless to say when this day comes we are required to wear scarves... lol

     This week was really cool! We taught some awesome lessons! I had an epic experience! So after P-Day was finished we went to teach a lesson to a 19 year old dude. We have tried to go by on him so much but he was just never home. So we set up an appointment through his dad lol. So we went by.... and he had just left lol, so we were still invited in and talked to the parents for a while... then we started to teach the 1st lesson because the son never came home and they said we could  give them a message lol. So my German was the best its ever been this night and I did a real good job with Elder Carlson in teaching. Then near the end I bore testimony and after the father asked me what the difference was between believing and knowing because in my testimony I said.. I know... many times. So I able to give him an awesome answer in German. It was completely through the spirit because there is no way I could have done that alone, even in English. The way that I said it in German was just so clear and to the point.It satisfied his question and it really made the end awesome. So I was like...whaatttt! It was way awesome! I was like a real missionary for that lesson..haha!

     We had another lesson later in the week with a family. The father is a less active and the mom and 5 kids aren't members. they have an amazing family! I love them a ton! Such great people! So we had a great lesson with them and food as well. Again, our teaching was really good I think, I could totally feel the spirit working through me this week! Awesome eh!

     Then Sunday just topped it off because of the primary presentation. Our primary here has a whole 8 kids in it! haha and they did an awesome job! They absolutely did amazing! I loved whenever they sang in German! because its such simple words and so much easier for me to understand. I really love talking to the kids. They understand that I don't know words and they are so loving and help me so much! So sick! They sang'A Child's Prayer' and it was like my most favourite ever! It was sooooo sick!  The only sad thing was that no one came! None of our investigators came to church. Hopefully next week! 

     The rest of the time this week was filled with finding. Not much success there, its getting colder and people aren't into talking as much. But we keep trying! hahaha. I love Germany so much! 

Thanks all :)

<3 Elder Rodgers

The snow!

Just inside the church

In the chapel

Way sick hat that a girl in our ward made! She made some for all of the elders!

Christmas corner

Our apartment. We live in the top

Our apartment

Weihnachten ist um die Ecke.....Week 11 in Ellwangen

     Christmas here seems to start really early. People like Christmas! Which is awesome cuz so do I! well I think this letter may be a tad short. But just a little bit of other news to catch up on!

     

     So we did eat at the salad lady's house last week. I'm getting to the point where I can eat salad without having to pray for strength first.. lol I can definitely manage now! Even cooler... she is making us 4 elders knitted scarves! She had one and we talked about it and she offered to make em! We have 2/4 already and they're awesome! Then another person in our branch is making us knitted toques! How sick is that I love our branch! The members here are awesome!!!!!!!!

     Well the biggest fall out for us this week was that no one came on Sunday... bummer. But hey! Next Sunday is still available! We are always here haha. I gave a talk in church, it was like way cool! I wrote it first in English then translated it to German while I was on tausch (exchange) with Elder Hill (who is from Germany) so we made it into perfect German! It was way sick! 

     Well we did a lot of dooring and streeting again this week. It finally got cold enough to wear a scarf and gloves! I love how sick I look! lol I look like a way epic Canadian! lol and people talk to us more... ok not really. But we sure try! Lots of people to talk to, only 4 of us here haha. That's why the members are such a huge help for us!

     Well we had 2 appointments fall out this week but we were able to get an investigator back because he is finally home from his 5 week holiday lol. So we have an appointment this week. This week will go really fast, lots to do, lots of trains too. Just a slow week overall, but it still went by so fast! 

     Sorry for the shortness of this! But we really were relatively uneventful this week! Love you all,!

Whoever reads this! know that missionary work is the best! Get into it, its awesome :)

Love <3 Elder Rodgers

Me getting my cook on...

me and the Carlson

pic of Carlson eating. I was bored.... lol

We bought food for the week. Filled the fridge. €70 for all 4 of us. We bought a lot lol

Dir gehört mein Herz ...... Week 10 in Ellwangen

     Translated it means 'My heart belongs to you'. How beautiful is that!!!! Best part about it is that its from Tarzan! haha so Phil Collins is the guy who sings it. He knows English and German so we have the Tarzan music in both languages. So in the song that's one of the lines. I really like that! Its way cool hey! I love German! 

     Well... I have to say that this week was indeed one of the quickest yet. Likely because we were on trains for the whole thing! We have a way cool story tho! Monday Elder Carlson wanted to buy a Nerf Gun with his Christmas money. Elder Oviatt couldn't go without one too so they both bought one. This was in Aalen. After we got to Ellwangen Elder Garrett and I decided we couldn't be left out so we both got one. So now our whole apartment has Nerf guns and they are so fun!!!! Whenever we are eating or whatever we just have like wars. Way cool! All because Elder Carlson bought one... hahahaha!

     So! Tuesday was Zone Conference in Stuttgart! We stayed Monday night in Waiblingen. The mission President and his wife were there and so were the AP's. We had a 6 hour conference and learned and did so much! It was way awesome! So we were there the whole day and we stayed the night again in Waiblingen cuz we wouldn't be able to be back on time if we went back to Ellwangen. So the next morning was interviews with President! So we went back to Stuttgart and then had those as well as a district meeting! So we ate lunch and hung out for a bit till the train came. Then got back to Ellwangen at 5:00pm and went to a members for supper! 

     This member appointment was so sick! We had amazing food as usual, then had a great thought after. So we had already introduced a bit about missionary work as a family through the video we have and so this time we helped them find a way to create a family mission plan and we will go back again to follow up and see how we can help them do missionary work! But they were already on the ball and really had been doing a ton and they came up with so many people for their plan and they all have ways they can share the gospel!

     This family is so good at missionary work! Now our job is to make sure they have the appropriate tools to be  able to accomplish what they need and when the family feels comfortable giving us their names of friends we will start teaching. But the best thing is that we aren't just there for referrals, we are there to support the family in all they do and its up to them when they ask for our help in teaching. This way we build that bond with the family and have them be more involved in missionary work! I love it so much! 

So Thursday we went north to visit less actives and that didn't really get anywhere. No potentials either. So a real long day of finding! haha and lots of trains and busses!

     Friday was beautiful as usual. Weekly Planning and then we went by on potentials. Nothing came but we also stopped by on a family and gave them a card saying thanks for all they have done for us! We love that family! 

     OK Saturday was our area book day. We finally got a separate book for me and Carlson so we all came together to sort it out and help each other go through them to sort them and call people who were former investigators. This was a mission wide thing so all missionaries did it. We were in Waiblimngen for it because that's where our district leaders live. So that day was spent on that, and a bit of finding that got no where lol. Still trying!

     Sunday was straight up a miracle. We had finished sacrament meeting and had almost finished Sunday school when 2 people randomly showed up. Elder Carlson was prepping a lesson for the YM and so he was in the foyer at this time. So he talked to them with another guy from the ward. Soooo.... Me and Elder Garrett taught them and they are now 2 new investigators! So elder Carlson and Oviatt taught YM's and we taught the investigator class. Hahaha it was awesome! They just simply were curious! Oh and they are in the area of Elder Carlson and me! They are coming next week again and its like so awesome!  So really a wonderful day! I hope they continue to want to know more!!!

     Then we went to a families for dinner after church and that was hilarious. so many funny things said and then just building such a good relationship with the ward. Back home for studies and that's our week!

     So this next week we have hopefully a ton of stuff and its really looking up. If our plans go as follows we could have more than 10 people in church next week! That's like a 20-25% increase in church attendance hahahaha. Way cool! This week will be a week I wont forget! I hope! 

Thanks to all who support me! Love You! Germany is awesome :)

Love

Elder Rodgers!

Whats life without a few selfies? This is elder Hill's shirt in Waiblingen lol

New Clothesline sent from Mom

Ohh I forgot! We found a deep fryer! So we deep fry everything now!

Way sick with our guns!

Kontakt!......Week 9 in Ellwangen

     This week was a ton of contacting! I had no idea what to call this email haha so that's what you get! Well to start out, I'm gonna relay the bad news. Our investigator has dropped us. We had a lesson scheduled and the morning of we got a call and out appointment fell out. That makes 8 with this guy! Its too bad! Really. But he is still gonna make it! Someday. He has been really sick recently and so his doctor said to avoid being sad and to always be happy. So he told us when he meets with missionaries he feels the Spirit so strong! But when we leave, the Spirit does too and then he gets sad. So he cant meet with us until he gets better and he said he would call us in 2014. But we still text him 3 times a week and give him spiritual thoughts and scriptures to read. The things we wanted to tell him though is that one of the greatest blessings of baptism is that we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and we can have that good feeling with us all the time! So yeah its too bad. But he wants to do all he can, he just needs a little more time! So in time! 

     Well this week went by probably faster than any other. Tuesday we had district meeting in Ellwangen and after it Elder Pugmire and I were on a tausch (exchange). So we stayed in Ellwangen for the day and then switched back on Wednesday. We went out contacting, door to door and streeting for about 3 hours. We were able to get 3 potentials! It was was good!!!! That's like a ton for this area in 1 day lol. So we were really happy! Came back home and played around with the camera during supper and got some sick pics! hahaha

     So then on Wednesday we switched back. Me and Elder Carlson went.... contacting! hahaha for like 4 hours! Many many doors and apartments knocked on. In ending, we got 4 potentials! Like omigoodness! Way sick!!!!!! So as we were out along this one street a lady came up on a bike and talked to us. It was a lady in our area whose husband is a less active member and she and her 5 kids aren't members. We've had 1 meeting with them already and so she knows us. She invited us over for cake! So we finished the street contacting and went on over. It was so nice! Like way sick! ahh I was so happy hahaha. We got another appt set up and we got the OK to teach the 1st lesson. So I'm very excited about that! They are an awesome family! :) That made our night awesome! 

     So Thursday was when our appointment with our investigator got cancelled so we just went further out from Ellwangen... to contact! hahaha No way! Didn't find much success but... the area we were in hasn't been contacted before. No one had even heard of our church! So we are surely going back! I know that area will be way great! So much potential!

    Friday and Saturday we had planning and other stuff, just some street contacting around the house, nothing from there. Slow 2 days but we got a lot done. Then came Sunday! Such a great day!!

     So we started out in church, good old awesome church. Fast Sunday, so it was testimony meeting and I was able to muster myself up and bear my testimony. I felt it went well! I am so grateful for the gift of tongues! I said this scripture... Luke18:27... so it says that whats impossible with men is possible with God. Very true! Very true! So I loved that opportunity. Then I taught Young Men's again! hahaha I like teaching :)

     We went to a members house for dinner and shared our video. The families here are awesome! They are so nice to us! I really am blessed to have such an awesome area! Then the best part of our week came. We got home at 6:30 then went out to Neunheim. Walked out there, 30 minutes, then went by on a house that we had been by like 4 times and she kept saying come back. So finally, we got let in! So it is a wife and husband whose 3 kids are older and moved out. We had an awesome lesson and talked a lot about the church and how we are different. We gave them a book of Mormon and the man was interested and said he would definitely read it. They are interested especially in missionaries. Why we give 2 years up to learn a new language and to serve for the church. So I invited them to church in 2 weeks because I'm talking on that day! So maybe they'll come to hear me! We'll go by in 12 days and check up on them and invite them again. Hopefully all goes well! They are an awesome couple! 

     So this area is amazing. I love being out on a mission! Thanks to all those who email me and support me! I love everyone! 

Thanks, 

Elder Rodgers

Elder Oviatts shirst and Garretts glasses: I LOOK SO GOOD! HAHAHA

Elder Garretts glasses and Elder pugmire's coat hahahaha

It was dark walking to Neunheim! Hahaha

dooring!