Nature, Doug, and Sasha

       This week was a fast one but a good one!! We were way busy and some awesome things came out of our hard work! We are trying our best to be obedient and always making sure we talk to everyone we can.
       The first crazy thing this week was on Tuesday when we were out contacting at a strip mall kind of place, but we were outside the whole time. We were walking and this bee started flying right in front of my face! So I just swatted at it, right when I did I saw a black thing in the corner of my eye taking off of the ground. I turned and this pigeon flew right into my head!! Haha I don't know what it was that day but nature was just out to get me for some reason.
       Later that afternoon, we visited a guy named Doug. He is a non-member that lives with his wife close to our apartment. He grew up a baptist but around his teens he became LDS. He said one day he was in the bathroom and he could hear a voice telling him to go on a mission. He said he heard it three times and then he just finally said ok I'll go geez! Haha he said he knew nothing about the church except for the basics from the missionaries. So he began to be active and started learning at church and preparing for a mission. He served in Eugene Oregon, then came home and joined the army reserves. The army moved him to Germany and he isn't in the army anymore but he has been here for 16 years so it's just become home to him. Plus he met his wife here, she's a nonmember so after they got married he just fell away slowly. He has a huge testimony and is still doing missionary work! He has been talking with a co-worker that is a baptist and he has gotten him very interested.
       On Thursday we met with a member and his name is Sasha. He is probably one of the coolest guys I've ever met! He has been a member for about 10 years now and was reactivated just before I got here. Oh and just so you know, Germans don't believe in air conditioning for some reason, and Thursday and Friday were some hot freaking days! We were dying in Sasha's apartment it was terrible. The humidity just hits you like a wall, but at least it's not like that every day... Yet. Anyways we were talking about the relationship between fathers and sons with Sasha. He has a son that hasn't liked him ever since he joined the church, and he really wants to be a bigger part of his life. Before we began our lesson he asked us if we were perfect, of course we said no. Then he asked us why I said well there is a huge list but the reason why we won't be perfect is because we sin. Then he said if you know your not perfect because you keep sinning, then why do you keep sinning. It was a huge teaching moment, it really made me think about how I need to step it up. I also learned that we are humans and that we will only be perfect at one thing in this life and that is trying to be perfect. I've learned personally that as long as we are sincerely giving it our personal best we will be great in the sight of God.
       Also on Friday we met with Ali and got through the big topics and we were planned on setting a baptismal date officially then, but he told us he will let us know on Sunday. Well Sunday came and he was sick. So we will find out this week for sure. Pray for him if you can, even if you have never met him I promise it will help.
       Well that just about sums up the week! Hope everyone had a good one!
Till next week.
-Elder Rogers
P.S. In the video I found out my pockets could fit a liter each of
milk in them! Hahaha!!

Repeat after me...

       This week was pretty crazy and went by fast! I've realized that time here can either be sooo slow or waay fast!! But it's going great and the language is coming!!!
       So the first of the week we had a lesson with one of our investigators, Ali, and this guy is a stud! He is from Iran. He speaks Persian, English, and German. I don't wanna jinx it somehow but our last lesson with him we asked him to be baptized on the 23rd and he said he will pray about it and find a day that will work best for him. So I hope that it still goes through! The last time we had a baptismal date set up the guy moved. But Ali is strong and we know he can do it.
       So on Tuesday night to Wednesday morning I had the coolest opportunity to go on splits with our district leader. Elder Awerkamp is one of the most inspiring/uplifting guys I've ever met. He has two months left on his mission so his German is amazing and mine is just good enough to say "hi", "sorry", and "I'm from America". Haha just kidding luckily it's not that bad. But this Elder knows what he is doing. The coolest thing about him is that he and his twin brother opened their calls on the same day, got called to the same mission and went to the MTC the same time!! How freakin sick is that!! Just to add on, Elder Awerkamp plays just about every instrument in the book and he taught himself. He taught himself to play the organ while on his mission and it sounds like he has been playing it his whole life!! Anyways, the split was way good and I learned a ton being able to spend a day with him in his area. Oh and his area is called Worms. And it's not the insect, it's pronounced "vorms" for you Americans.
       Oh so funny story I hope I didn't tell already, but we were on a street tram with a bunch of people and there were some American teenaged girls on there with us. We overheard them talking to a German about soccer and they asked him if soccer in Germany was the same in the US... we started laughing sooo hard they sounded like typical American girls. I think they were also blonde so that could explain some stuff.
       So just to wrap up. Elder Stiles and I were teaching a Muslim named Tsopfion. He is a really good guy but the whole time we were talking with him it just sounded like he was trying to do the converting instead of us. We asked him if he had any interest and he said a little. He then pulled out the Muslim bible called the Croan and gave it to me. He said if I read this then I'll know how similar our churches are. I told him I can study anything but the Book of Mormon and the bible. Then he told me and my companion to repeat a phrase after him. My companion immediately said no we have to go to another meeting. We began to walk away quickly. Later I asked him what that was all about and he said that to join the Muslim church you just have to say a phrase. That phrase was the one that Tsopfion tried to get us to say. So I guess you could say I was about to be a Muslim!! Haha I had no idea!
       Anyways to the spiritual thing this week. When we went to church yesterday I was really looking forward to just sitting in the chapel for a little and just relaxing. It had been a pretty tough day as far as thinking about home goes, and I wanted to just think about the spirit and everything it has done for me in my 19 years of life. Before I walked into the chapel the bishop stopped me and asked if I could say the opening prayer. I said yes for sure but started thinking about how "hard" my life is. Then the second counselor stopped me before I couldn't even sit down and asked if I could help pass. I willingly said yes and sat down. Elder Stiles and I were then asked to teach the young women's class about the priesthood. These three simple tasks made me so bugged for some reason and i just started thinking of all the stuff that has happened lately that I just can't stand. Well I eventually got up and stayed the prayer, then passed the sacrament. I didn't have a mean face on while I was doing them, but inside I was so bugged. Right after I got to sit down and listen to the speakers, although I didn't really understand much of anything, I felt so comforted and I knew that the spirit was telling me to just stop thinking and relax. I know at times we can be really stressed out on the mission and off the mission. But I also know that whatever is out into our lives and seams hard at the time, just remember to look back once you have gone through that and when another trial happens just think about how much it will strengthen you for the better. I know that the Lord didn't have me say the prayer and pass the sacrament for no reason, I know it was to both help me feel the spirit and hopefully help the ward feel the spirit.
Till next week!
Elder Rogers

Birthdays, crazy old guys, and a grandma that's a bro‏

        Well this week has been packed full of stuff and a lot better than the last!! The language is slowly but recognizably getting better!! My trainer is teaching me new things every day and it helps a ton that he is so obedient! If I didn't say last week his name is Elder Stiles and he is from Idaho, and that's about it... Haha just kidding he is a stud! He has been out for a year this week and it makes me really jealous but I know that he would rather be in my spot and I'll be saying that at my year mark.
       So this week we had dinner at a members house which was way fun! At first I thought that it was just going to be me, Elder Stiles, the member Oma Broo (and yes that is grandma bro and she is a total bro!), and her two sons. But it was Oma Broo's birthday so her whole family and then some were over!! I was way nervous but it was all good because they fed us some really good noodle salad with pickles and ham in it with 50 bratwursts!! I learned a huge lesson that day: eat slow or they will think you want more. Hahaha. I probably ate about 5 bratwursts that night. But they didn't come back up. The funny thing about that little visit was that one of her sons was giving me so much crap hahaha! He would say something in German and I would have no idea what it was, then he would just say "Gel Elder Rogers?" Which pretty much means, "Right Elder Rogers?" I would just say "Ya" and everyone would laugh! Haha! So when we were finished with dinner we had a tiny lesson about being an example and after my trainer gave the whole lesson, that guy just turned to me and said, "Gel Elder Rogers?"
       Another pretty cool thing that has no miracle or anything to go with was that I have a picture of my first door!! Haha here you don't knock on doors you ring a doorbell in a way but so many people live in apartments it's just called a cringle or cringling! Haha but when you see a door in my email you'll know what it's for.
       So the last thing was that me and my companion got to go on splits with the zone leaders on Thursday/Friday! I got to go to the area that the ZL's live in which is Heidelburg and it is way beautiful!! I'll put some sweet picks in. But we went on a hike through these hills and the view was amazing. Also I had my first birthday half in Heidelburg and half I'm Mannheim so that was great! Sadly you don't get a break from being a missionary even for your birthday. But it's actually all
good because we met some crazy old guys that night. And when I was crazy I mean like they are totally lost. One was talking about his trip to Kolob so that's cool.
       Anyways that's about all this week! I just want you guys, especially my fellow missionaries, that no matter how much stress you go through every day just remember that it will strengthen you a ton and that you look back on it one day and go wow I can't believe I was stressed out. Plus if you're not stressing even a tiny bit you're dead!!
       Hope you have a good week!

Mine gutte!!!

Hello my lovely mother!!!!!!
       Mine gutte!!! life as a missionary ain't like any other life!! Especially when your 8 hours ahead of the life you used to live!!
       I'll be completely honest, this definitely isn't like the MTC and actually there just really isn't a thing that the MTC could do to get someone ready for a mission. I think that the purpose of the MTC for me was just to separate me from my family and the mission field, and maybe just a warm-up for the field. But there are things that happen in the field that are just not possible in the MTC. I don't think I've ever been so stressed out in my entire life and just when you think that life is good then you start to think about everything and life "sucks" again.
       Anyways life has been really good here. We are in a city called Mannheim and its way awesome! It's just below Frankfurt so it's easy to find on a map. The first couple days sucked so bad but my trainer is a way awesome guy and is way smart so I got lucky. It's only been a week and I feel like I have known him forever! But the food here is amazing!! I could eat anything and surprisingly there is a sushi joint right outside our apartment!! But we are poor missionaries so I'll probably never partake of that stuff. Hahaha! The weather here is like a girl trying to make up her mind. One second it's so hot and humid then the next it's raining like crazy! Oh and the thunder is sooo sick here because it goes off and you can hear it forever!! I'll send you a little video of the Lightning we had last night. Oh and last night was soooo sick!!! Me and Elder Stiles (my trainer from meridian Idaho) decided to have pizza on every Friday and Sunday night. But on Sunday we have pizza, make brownies, watch a "movie", and make kool-aid!! Haha so last night was pretty sweet!! Also church in German is so weird! Especially if you don't understand! Haha! But the German is going good, I'm not worrying about it because I won't ever be fluent I'll just speak better German as the days go on.
       But yeah besides that everything is good and I can't wait to open that present on Friday!! Oh and the packages go to the mission home but you'll want to send the letters to our address which is:
Elder Rogers
U6,1
68161 Mannheim, Germany
       Thank you so much for emailing me and being the best mom in the whole world!!! You are seriously the best and I am so lucky to be one of your sons! Although at times I think that I'll never be good enough at speaking German or spreadin the Lord's word, i know that if I try my best then the Lord will ALWAYS help me out. And I hope that I can always make you guys proud. I love you so much mom!!!
-Elder Rogers

Holy crap!!!!!‏

       Well It's been a pretty crazy week here in freaking Germany! This place is so crazy and I'm lucky to have an awesome trainer too, Elder Stiles. He knows a ton about the town we are in (Mannheim), and it seems like he knows the language way good! We have already had some great times together and will have many to come. The weather will definitely take some getting used to. It seems to be humid like crazy and then it just starts to rain outta nowhere!! But it's all good because the thunder just goes forever when it goes off.
       So the flight here wasn't too bad, it was definitely long as crap but we eventually made it!! Mission life is so different than anything I've ever done and I'll be honest when I first got here I was wishing I was just a tourist but the Lord is my guide on this 2 YEAR TRIP and has different plans so it's all good.
       So when we were on the plane ride from Atlanta to Frankfurt, me and another Elder were asked if we were in a band and how long we were going to be in Frankfurt. We told the lady that we aren't a band and are going to be in Germany for 2 years. She was so surprised but you could see it click in her head when she walked off real fast. We didn't even ask her if she had heard of us and she was gone! And that isn't where it stopped. The first day we got to Germany we went to the mission home to have lunch and talk about some things. We then spilt up into three groups. One was learning about finance and cars and stuff, another was watching a safety video/interviewing with the president, and the last group was going out to the real world and bringing people unto Christ. Or in other words, trying to talk to people that just don't even care about what you have to say. Hahaha it sucked. But it was a taste of what will happen for the next 2 years.
       After that was all over we met our trainers, went to a hotel for the night, and crashed! Best sleep of my life. Then we woke up the next day and ran to the apartment! No kidding, my freakin trainer was running through the streets with one of my bags and I was tryin so hard to keep up with my other bag! Haha it sucked! Actually that whole day sucked just to be honest. Haha! After that we just started getting into the groove of studying every morning and other stuff throughout the day. The mission can be hard, but in my opinion the mission is just different levels of stress all of the time!
       I know that the mission is supposed to help us grow in many many different ways and i also know it's already changed me and it's only been a week! I'm so very grateful to be here, I'm very blessed to have all the stuff I have. I'm even more blessed to have an amazing trainer that doesn't push me too hard but just enough and understands everything I'm going through. Also, I'm insanely blessed to have the Lord and the Holy Ghost to be my earth life trainer. And I know that they are also everyone else's. Although I'm only a week into my mission and know just about nothing about the language, I know that if I give my all to the Lord then He will always be there and I will have a successful mission/life. I know that can be applied into everyone's life who hasn't been a full-time missionary yet or has already been one.
-Elder Rogers

Elder Steven Tanner Rogers arrived safely

Dear Brother and Sister Rogers,
       We are happy to report that Elder Steven Tanner Rogers arrived safely today.  Sister Stoddard and I met all the new missionaries at the Frankfurt airport, and your son looked good and was happy to be here.  We are always grateful to have new missionaries come into the field as they bring a sense of excitement and a spirit of great faith.  It inspires and energizes the whole mission.
       After their arrival in Frankfurt, the missionaries were transported to the Frankfurt Mission Center, where they completed paperwork so they could register and obtain their Visas to stay in Germany.  They also received their debit cards. This allows them to access their missionary support funds.  They also learned about mission transportation and apartments.   Later, Sister Stoddard and I both spent some time getting acquainted with your son.  I also took a few minutes to conduct a brief interview with him.  He is a wonderful young man; and, we are so grateful to have him here.  After a light meal, the missionaries were taken to a nearby hotel for the night.  On Thursday, Elder Rogers will spend the morning in a meeting with the other new missionaries, where they will be introduced to their new companions.  They will have some more training and then head off to their first areas of assignment.
       There is a Blogspot at http://frankfurtmission.blogspot.com Shortly, photos will be posted and updated periodically.  Please refer to it throughout the mission and feel free to distribute it to family and friends.  A map of the mission, so you can see where your son will be serving, can also be located on the blog.
       Please send ALL packages to the mission office address; and, please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. When sending Christmas packages, post them before Thanksgiving.  For special packages to arrive in a timely manner, please allow 4-6 weeks.
       Letter mail can be sent to the address where your missionary is serving.  However, we recommend that you send packages to the mission office; and, we will deliver them as soon as possible.  It is easier for the mailman to deliver packages to the office because there is always someone there to receive the mail.  The missionaries email their families on their Preparation Day, which is Monday in our mission. Make sure when addressing envelopes or packages to your missionary that you include “Elder” or “Sister”, their first name, and their last name because sometimes we have multiple missionaries with the same last name. There are a lot of these at this time.
       Elder Rogers entered this mission at an especially important time.  We pledge to do all we can to ensure that he has a chance to grow spiritually and develop a strong testimony.  We feel confident that he will be effective in this important work of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have been prepared by our Father in Heaven.  We know that your family will be richly blessed for your sacrifice (D & C 31:3-7).  Thank you for sharing your son with us.  We will keep him constantly in our prayers; and, we promise to do all we can to help him fulfill a successful mission.
Sincerely,
President Ronald A. Stoddard
Germany Frankfurt Mission President