Elder Tanner Rodgers - Alpine German Speaking Mission: June 2015

Monday, June 29, 2015

Meine Mission ist am Besten!!!.....Week 12 in Rosenheim

Alright.... I'm writing on my iPad right now and it's not the easiest, fastest or most practical way but it works for today. I'll tell you why in a few minutes. This last week has flown. We have done so much good in this last week and I am loving my companion more and more each week. I'm gonna die when I have to leave him. Literally though ;) haha. Well. My thoughts are so scrambled for this week. But it was a fabulous week. My journal should be so awesome to read! I hope... Like in 20 years... I'll remember this week. The hard part is that it's so hard to accurately describe how awesome it was because it just really isn't the same unless you were there... Too bad you all can't be here! Oh this week was good!

I went shopping on Monday and got some wonderful goods! It was a nice Pday. Tuesday's are always the best because we come into Munich for district meeting. Our district is the best ever! We have such a good time. I love the missionaries here. So much goodness! We spend the afternoon here then back to Rosenheim for the evening. We contacted this one lady.. And she made us feel so good! She just complimented our shining eyes and she said she felt sincere love radiating from us. She turned to tears, it was a heartfelt moment. At first she didn't want to take the Book of Mormon, and we finished our conversation after a bit. She came and found us 5 minutes later and asked if she could actually take the Book. The spirit works! Haha it was a wonderful experience for us all.

Elder Johnson had a dentist appointment which caused lots of issues. Ha not big, just in the way in which we plan it got a little complicated, but thankfully we have helpers who were able to help us get life sorted out. And then came the highlight of my week... And in the same breath... The low point of my week....

Elder Oviatt went home.

Along with the other half of my group. What was great was that the train coming up from Austria stops in Rosenheim for 5 minutes and so I got to say bye to Oviatt and Durrant :) oh how wonderful that was! Then they left... And flew home... And now I am the only Canadian in this mission (that I know of) with none coming in... I miss my Canadian Support! Oh but it was so good seeing him again! I am soooo looking forward to when he comes down to visit :) (in Lethbridge)

Friday was full of appointments. We had 3 in fact! I just love watching how the Spirit works on people. But it's according to their willingness to let Him in and to learn and to act. There are noticeable differences in peoples spiritual level within days of working with them. You can tell simply by talking to someone for 2 minutes whether or not they are reading, praying and acting on their own. Amazing. How grateful I am for my mission.

Saturday we got to come up to Munich to sing! In a musical fireside! Not too bad eh? We sang... The Lord is my Light, Lead Kindly Light and My Light (Primary Song). It was an awesome fireside, really well put together. Sunday was good as usual. Always awesome being in church in German. Like that's my favourite ever! Ach so good!

Then comes today. Pday! So we made it out to Neuschwanstein today. This is a castle in Southern Germany that is so pretty! The famous Disney castle is modelled after Neuschwanstein. We got out there with the Munich 2 elders and sisters... And we all wore out Tracht! Which is Lederhosen and Dirndl's by the way lol. Oh how awesome that was. We met some cool people and had some wicked pictures!! Another 4 missionaries joined us too for a bit, that was fun :) So we went to the library this morning and loaded our emails at 8:30 am and then just wrote in the train and now we are gonna head to the library and send them all... I love my iPad!! So that means most of my pictures will come later, cuz I have no computer access right now...Lol just via WiFi. So good!

I think my scripture for this week would be 2 Nephi 9:51.... The very last sentence! Sometimes.. You just got to let your soul delight in Fatness. Which can be taken in many ways. I'll take it this week as it's Ok to have fun... As long as that's within the proper bounds. Sometimes.. Eating a tub of Ice Cream is ok! You just got to work hard after to make up for it. Take time and smell the flowers... Enjoy life... And work hard to do your best. The scripture fits so much. What is of worth to us?

I love my Mission! The absolute best mission there is! I wish you all a splendid week! I love you so much! What a life!

Luvs forever <3

Elder Rodgers!!

Neuschwanstein

This is a castle in Southern Germany that is so pretty!

Picture from Zvonimir - our good friend!

Making Fridays lunch!

He is starting to look comfortable in the kitchen

Zvonimir has taught Elder Rodgers some good recipes!

made dip for the chips!

ready to enjoy another feast!

Zvonimir made country potatoes

Monday, June 22, 2015

Wie ich dich liebe?....Week 11 in Rosenheim

I guess the time has come to write another weekly email. That time seems to come around faster and faster every week. Oh well. What can ya do eh? This week has been a week of reflecting, on both my temporal and spiritual well being. Sounds pretty deep eh? I have moments of reflection in random weeks of my mission and they are really good weeks. I tend to start by picking out things that bother me in my behaviour and then get mad at them for a bit then I really try and look at who I am and who I wanna become then I get some awesome thoughts running about how I can motivate myself to change. Then I get all excited and make plans and get way motivated and then by Monday I feel awesome!

Elder Johnson and I have both concluded that we are gonna work together to make my last transfer here the most righteous transfer of our missions! I gotta say we are pretty stoked for it and have a lot of cool ideas lined up along with some good things happening in the area!

On a side note.. we got some iPad's this week. Not too shabby eh? It started Wednesday when we headed up to Munich and had a Zone Conference. We all got our own iPad to use. They have been so handy already in the week! I'm really enjoying using them and doing that all! We went to Pizza Hut after conference.. cuz like we saw that there was one in Munich. Good pizza for sure but like... so expensive lol... OOPS!

Garden work for a 96 year old lady :) YES! Oh how lovely is that! That was Thursday! Full of goodness! Serving is one of the funner things we get to do! I love all the different chances to serve people!

Friday was wonderful because we got to find some cool new people and also got to spend time with our wonderful friends! A great lesson and discussion from that and like.. oh its just so lovely being there. To have friends that take care of you... that's a blessing in so many ways. I am grateful for all the people who care for me!

Saturday we actually had a few appointments and were on the road a lot. Met some cool people with that too. One guy is an Olympic diver with over 500 medals from tournaments around the world. Pretty legit. Sunday flew by and we had a good amount of people come to church. There were 68 rather than our normal 50ish!

Then there's today. YAY! I found a great thought I wanted to share but totally cant remember it now... so I'm gonna attach this Mormon message link instead! SO GOOD! I hope you all enjoy it. Take time to love people and life and love and love and love! In the end I guess it all comes back to love. Why everything has a purpose... LOVE. Totally my favourite topic ever. LOVE!

SO MUCH LOVE TO GO AROUND! HAPPY FATHERS DAY TOO! I love my dad so much! Just so you all know I love dads! Can't wait till its my turn <3

Here you go! Videos on LOVE!!!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/how-do-i-love-thee-2

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/enduring-love

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/earthly-father-heavenly-father

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/having-children-enriches-your-life-1

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Elder Rodgers!

concrete lady on a bench in the city... idk why

bought some new ties! idk why... I have like 40...I like ties!

I have found joy in sleeping on the floor... idk why

I found a pizza hut and paid too much for a pizza!... idk why

Monday, June 15, 2015

Yay for love!....Week 10 in Rosenheim

Another [week] is come and gone.. and looks what's landed on your [inbox]! Ok its not quite the same as the Yard Cards.. but I thought it would fit well. My desire to write people has substantially increased. (Don't be fooled by my good spelling... I use the spell check on my computer and what it misses my mom fixes). I actually am not minding sitting here in the heat sweating away as I write about my feelings and life and relationships and all that plays a part of me. That sounds a little deep. Its not. Elder Johnson told me that I'm a very sensitive person. Hahaha oh I laughed for days. I guess like... ah never mind :)

I really enjoyed this week! I think it may actually have been one of the fastest weeks ever. Weeks where we have exchanges are always the fastest! So on Tuesday we headed to Munich for District Meeting which was so awesome! We had a great one. Its so fun having the office in our district. We have the best time! After our meeting we ate together. Oh I was like so satisfied with that! Then we got to go out and have a finding day. What that is, is essentially... We just find in an area for like 2 hours or so as a district. So I worked with my pal Elder Plumb from long ago. We went hard and had so many good conversations with people and did way well. It was a good time being with him again. That made me happy!

Then began our Exchange! I stayed in Munich and my big boy son got to head back to Rosenheim with Elder Evans. So in Munich we went to a members house for dinner and that was our night. Its so much fun being there though. BEST FRIENDS! Then in the morning I worked in the office and did some fun stuff! I sent out the "Trunky Letters" to the missionaries going home this transfer. Got to do computer work and organize and get supply orders filled and a ton of stuff. It was really cool for sure! We went to a lesson and gave the man a blessing. That was really cool. Ah it was like so good!

Then more time in the office and we headed back later in the day and I got back to Rosenheim at 7:30 Wednesday evening. Thursday we visited a really old lady and she just loved it! So much goodness! Friday was a day well spent! We had 3 lessons! Started with our wonderful friends in Rosenheim! Elder Johnson cooked this time haha! Oh they are so great! We headed then to

Bad-Aibling and met with 2 people there, both really humbling circumstances and both really great people.

Saturday was a planning day. Not much else and Sunday was righteous! Elder Johnson gave a talk! For the first time! SO GOOD! He killed it! I taught the class and ya.. It all just went well! Great day for sure! And now we are here, Monday. I have no idea why this week flew by but it did. We get iPads this next week. On Wednesday. That,s cool eh!

A small thought....has to do with being awesome! You are all awesome! Dad shared Alma 47:17 with me today and I think that's a great one to share further. I hope you all can be your own CAPTAIN MORONI!! Lets change the world eh!

LOVE you all so much! Thanks for the love!

LOVE YOUUU!!

<3 Elder Rodgers <3

A LOT of pictures today to make up for the last 3 weeks not being able to download from his camera