Ich liebe alles, was ich habe...Week 21 in Ellwangen

     This week was so cool! So I realized that Ellwangen is really small! hahaha like I finally realized it. This because I was on Tausch (exchanges) in Stuttgart this week! hahahaha yeah man!

     OK so Ellwangen. There are about 25,000 people or so in this town and the area around I believe. The church was an old bakery like 30 years ago and now we have about 50-60 or so members come each week. Umm our morning routine is as states...

6:30 - wake up and pray and put forth an effort to exercise

7:00 - I shower and then shave

7:10ish - I eat cereal. I love cereal. 

7:30 - I clean stuff or do what needs to be done. Maybe some German study.

8:00 - Personal study

9:00 - comp study

10:00 - language study

11:00 - lunch

12:00 - our life begins.....

8-9pm - come home and eat and plan and sleep... hahaha yah!

     That's about how it goes. Something like that. Our pdays we don't do much cool because we live so far away from everything. so yah... we shop and sleep and play games lol. 

     That's our life. OK but the best part of the week is well actually idk at all. I like it all! This week way awesome because we had some awesome people come to church! hahaha A family that we have been visiting came! It was awesome! And our good old pal came as well. It was Ward Conference and it was just cool! We had the coolest Sunday yesterday! It was full of love! and awesomeness!

     OK but this week I  was on Tausch (exchanges) twice. First Elder Zamarripa came here and we had really nothing planned so we contacted lots. And people go home at like 6 here so there were legit like 10 people out that we saw. So we didn't have much. But the next day we brought cookies to a member of the ward with a birthday! She loved em.. I think... lol and it was lovely! Then I also was in Stuttgart for tausch! So sick! Because its a huge city. We saw more people on the trains and in the stations there then we do in a whole day in Ellwangen ahahha. So needless to say it was great!

     Elder Jerman was my companion and we had a great time! We even went on splits haha, so I went home teaching with a member in Stuttgart. I had the lesson haha. So we had a great time with the lady and then I pulled out Alma 37:6-7 and talked about the small and simple things that make a difference for people. We talked more and then I had a really cool experience. I realized a puzzle on her table and so I took 1 piece and talked about how 1 piece by itself isn't really much. You cant see what it is and sometimes you don't see how it will fit or help the bigger picture, but all these small pieces come together to make a beautiful picture! So that's how we can relate the small things into our lives. 

     It was an inspiring thought for me! hahaha idk where that came from! Well I do.. and it wasn't me lol. 

     I have learned a ton from other missionaries this week. So much to learn! I had a great time with people and we had some great experiences in Ellwangen. Ellwangen is my home! Will always be! I love it so much!

This place is awesome! I love our members and all the people on the streets. I'm just so happy here! I'm happy to be on a mission and I'm happy to be here helping others come unto Christ! Its worth it! 

Well that's all for now, 

Elder Rodgers!!!!

AbtsGmund lol just a lil dorf...cool place in our area

Elder Zamarippa in a bus stop..

Another view of Schwäbisch Hall

... i need better selfies...

Elder Carlson on a  bus...

Fast da..aber nicht wirklich!..Week 20 in Ellwangen

    Idk where I'm almost to... but I didn't know what else to write as a title...

      Well glad to be in Ellwangen this week! It was really great! I taught more lessons this week than in any other week I've been here, cool!Glad to see things on the up rise! I love Ellwangen! 

     OK so we were able to help an investigator move this week... 2 doors down lol. But we helped and it was nice and he is gonna come to church in February and hewill be baptized.... sometime and yah. The list goes on haha. Well he was cool! We spent the day there because it took 2.5 hours to get there and the same back. so... hahahahaha yah. If we had a car we could be there in half hour hahaha, but we don't so too bad.

     Since Elder Carlson is the district leader I/ we get to tausch (exchange) with everyone in our district so I get to tausch so much! haaha Awesome! I love it! I learn a ton. I learned a ton this week from Elder Spencer about finding! He is a fantastic finder and so I was able to learn a ton. We found some way awesome people! Great potential! 

     I gave a talk in church yesterday. I had to write it, then translate it all by myself. I gave a talk in German...that I wrote alone. How cool is that? So cool! hahaha It took me like 2 days to translate, maybe more. It was super hard! But super cool! I love it!

     Man being on a mission is the coolest. We just have the best experiences ever! Its so amazing! Like I have never been so happy and worry free for so long! hahaha In school you study and have tests and all that. Here, its like just stress free. Just go out and have fun teaching and finding the awesome people in Germany! hahaha its the coolest. Then I come here on Mondays and read emails from people, and I love life more. Its just a big cycle of happiness. Go on a mission to be happy!

     I feel like my organization of these emails are going down the hill. Anyone have suggestions on what I should write more about or less about or what? I really don't know. I just write cuz I'm happy. Oh! We visited the salad lady this week! Yes! It was my favourite thing ever! It was soooooooo good! haahah We had Spätzle which is like weird noodle things that are amazing, meat, rice and awesome sauce and of course salad. But I'm coming to the point where salad isn't hard to eat anymore. Not to the point that I like it but to the point where its not hard to eat. Weird. 

     Well we also had a baptism in Waiblingen this week! Our districts! The lady baptized is so cool! Ah man, the work goes on. People find eternal joy in the gospel. Life is good. I'm happy, they're happy, we are all happy! ahhh its great!  
     
     I don't say 'sick' as much anymore! I'm beating the system! My system lol. Well yah. I think I'll go now. Thank you so much to everyone who loves me and my family cuz I love you too! Thanks :):)

Love you all, 
Elder Rodgers <3

pretty eh?  Ellenberg

A family made it. 100% natural stuff. wood, roots, moss, rocks. Its huge and awesome! super super cool!

Dieser Woche war verruckt!....Week 19 in Ellwangen

     Well for starters.. just in case you weren't aware. My name is Elder Rodgers. I am a missionary. I serve in Germany and I love the people in Gemeinde Ellwangen (Ellwangen Ward)! They are the coolest! Even better... they're my ward for another transfer! Yes! I'm staying in Ellwangen! So here's the story....

    Monday President called and told me something came up with transfers and he was gonna need me to go down to Waiblingen. So obviously I said yes but I was clearly sad about it because I couldn't say bye to the people I love! So I proceeded to pack! Then... Wednesday night at 10pm we got another call. President informed me that his issue was resolved and that I could unpack because I am staying here! Ohhhh man! That was the craziest thing ever! Out of no where!

     So some people in the ward thought I was transferred.. others thought I was here... no one really knew. So Sunday was a bit crazy. People were all over the place lol. 

     OK but in all this confusion and stuff we actually managed to have one of the most productive weeks ever. I don't know how. Tuesday was spent in Stuttgart for zone training. That was awesome! I cant even remember what happened next. We taught someone lol. 

     Had a few other lessons. Whatever and stuff. They went real good! We were on the move a ton! OK so we had a new investigator come to church! Awesome eh! I hope he continues to progress. It seems like the work is picking up here. I love it!

     So I was on a bus this week in the middle of no where doing idk what and I was texting an investigator to set up a lesson. Then I had the moment ''I'm sitting on a bus in the middle of Germany texting a German.. in German! How sick is this!'' I had that wonderful moment. Idk how I learned German. But I did. And now I

can talk and its the coolest! 

     Wow. What a fast week. So much done. So many trains. I was in Stuttgart 3 days in a row. That's a lot! But I love the mission! Its the place to be! I'm so happy!

Have a great week people of the world! I love you all! <3

Mit freundlichen Grüßen, 

Elder Rodgers!

Parade in Ellwangen

Ich bleibe... Nein! Ich gehe......Week 18 in Ellwengen

     Well this week way full of craziness. To start off... I have been transferred. This is my first time being transferred on my mission! and it didnt even happen the normal way. We get calls on Friday usually and this time they came on Saturday. But as of then I was staying. I love Ellwangen!... But then on Monday night President called and told me that I was now being transferred to Waiblingen. Just an area south from here. Same district and Zone. Something happened with some Elders I think and its kinda confusing. Ellwangen will be a dritt (three elders) now. Its confusing. But nevertheless I'm happy to now serve the people in Waiblingen! I'm sad to leave here. It's my home. But that's how it goes on a mission! I will always love Ellwangen and my mission father Elder Carlson. I'll miss him. But! I get to see him every week cuz we are still in the same district lol. Really weird. I'm the first missionary to be transferred within his own district for like since anyone has heard of lol. Cool!

     OK so Germany blows up on New Years Eve I found out. Fireworks are illegal here except from 11:50pm - 12:30am on new years eve. So everyone buys their own and then the country blows up. It was the coolest. We were allowed to be out till 1:00am here with members... lol so we did that! We had a great time with them! It was a fun night for sure! We really had a cool time! Germany is awesome! My 2nd home for sure. I love it more and more everyday I'm here. 

     Well on the more spiritual side of things we had a lesson and met with a less active weekend last week! I love the less active! He lives in the middle of nowhere... legit.... and so no one has ever been up there. He is about 60 and went in active when he was 14. His wife is not a member. Well we have met with him about 5 times now and he keeps commitments! His wife joined us in the lesson and he started teaching her! hahahah It was too cool! We all worked together on that one. It was really awesome. Great to see how the Lord works through everyone. I just love the miracles and joys of missionary work! 

     We did a lot of dooring too. That was fun as usual. Just lots of dooring. We meet a decent amount of Americans here. And tons of Germans love Canada too! hahahaha Tons have been there or want to go there. Germans are awesome! I am just so full of gratitude for everything I have!

     On the new note of Waiblingen... We are having a baptism on the 18th! haha I haven't really had anything to do with it but I will now! So that's a great start to the new area! I'm excited to keep the work going there.Thanks to all those who send letter and emails. I love each one. I treasure them dearly and I am so grateful! 

Thanks to everyone! I love being a missionary! Miracles come everyday for me and I know its possible for everyone if we take the extra minute to look and realize them!

Mit viele Liebe,

Elder Rodgers

                      Tanners new companion is Elder Zammarippa from Texas.

Fireworks!

Center City of Schwäbisch Gmund

Selfie on a train!

Nice Dooring pic lol...