LESSS GOOO

Hola!
                                                                                                    

             My last week in the CCM was actually such a great week! As I start to pack up for the big ARG it feels like this place has just been one huge long day. Six weeks in this place is plenty for me and I'm for sure ready to leave, BUT I have really enjoyed my time here. Obviously, there are better places to be, but I have learned so much about the gospel, Spanish, Argentina, and myself. I feel so honored to wear the name Jesucristo on my badge every day. 

Talo and Elder Roderick 

Saying “Goodbye” to my man, Marv, Talo and some Elders in our district was a tough way to start the week but during our Tuesday night devotional we heard from the one and only Christofferson! He and his wife talked about "Teaching repentance and baptizing converts." It was an international broadcast to all of the MTCs in the world so it was kind of a big deal. Elder Amann answered a question and so we were on TV for a little bit LOL! I was smirking so hard and I felt like I didn't know how to handle myself and people said I looked like such a scrub. Also, Tuesday morning, instead of doing a session in the temple we did initiatories. It was my first time doing them since doing it for myself and it was sooo nice. I love going to the temple every week and I'm sure going to miss it for the next two! 

In class on Wednesday our teacher sent us out onto the MTC streets to do "contacting." LOL! It was actually kind of fun. Let's just say everyone that spoke Spanish (including the construction workers) were spoken to! I can't wait to be doing it forrealz in a few days! We skyped again on Thursday with an old lady from Canada who spoke Spanish and it was so fun. Literally, all of our investigators, besides our teachers, have been old ladies! HAHA! I love them so much. Amann took a screenshot of our skype in the middle of it and it was soooo funny.

We also had an in-field orientation yesterday and it was actually pretty fun. They taught us a lot about how to find people and work with members.  They also gave us a long talk about basic stuff we need to know so we don't give the Church a bad name out in the field. We did SOO many role plays it got very annoying and I can't tell you how tired I am of teaching fakes! Literally, I have heard the same fake story for weeks. But, besides that, orientation was actually really fun except that we had to practice teaching in English. As I was teaching, I kept throwing in random Spanish words and it was bad. I guess being biligual is now both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing that I'm really learning Spanish and a curse that I can't speak English anymore.

Amann and I also went running again yesterday morning, way early, and since the Russians didn't wake up we just ran by ourselves and then put in some body weight work back at the room. It always feels so nice to get a good sweat going! And, I put on my Lulu underwear to workout and it felt a little bit like heaven, if I'm being honest. 

As I approached these last few days I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting complacent with my studies and especially the language. I learned a ton more this week and I am starting to feel comfortable with Spanish. But, I know it will be a totally different story when I land in Buenos Aires on Tuesday morning! I'm also trying to read a lot in the El Libro de Mormon and trying to finish by Halloween! President Hinckley said if you study a language and read the Book of Mormon in that language, by the end of your reading, you should feel almost fluent! What a boss man!

A highlight this week was getting a letter from the Flandro Family yesterday! It was so nice to hear from them! An exciting event was that an Elder in our room got pink eye on Tuesday and so trying to stay away from him has been an adventure. Honestly, everyone in the District has been sick at one point except me so I'm really counting my blessings. Also, hearing from an apostle was a major highlight!

Elder Roderick with Maribel, an investigator, & Elder Amann

I'm actually a little sad to leave this place. I can't believe I'm actually saying that but, it will be really bittersweet when I'm flying over SLC on Monday. I am so grateful for my time in Provo (besides the BYU aspect, of course) and I’m especially grateful for all of the people in the MTC.  While I was here I met so many awesome kids and I loved all of my teachers. It was especially such a blessing to be here with my best friends! Seeing them everyday and being able to chat with them has been such a blessing and I will miss them so much!

My next E-mail will be from MENDOZA, Baby! I'm sure these next couple of days will be really crazy and such test of my faith but I'm so excited to get out there and actually start serving!

Mucho amor,

Elder Roderick

Preserverar Hasta El Fin

Familia!!! Whats goin on??                                                                                

Just another week down in paradise, you know. LOL! It's so weird how time flies down here. My days are spent in class studying all day, but they go by soooo fast. It's really weird and hard to explain but I'm sure Matthew and Dad know what I'm talking about. But, this week was another really good one.  Of course, I learned a lot and had tons of fun doing it. The subject is "Enduring to the End" in Spanish. That's kind of what my MTC experience has turned into but I have maintained a positive attitude (I think) and I am really enjoying my days in P-town. 

S/O to the Rams #ONESUP and the Utes for taking care of business this week! I love it, Baby! Football season is the best time of year. Of course, at the devotional this week, the conductor had to tell everyone how BYU beat Arizona. I just rolled my eyes and laughed because they won't be saying the same this weekend. When I found out they won, I just pictured that video of Bronco Mendenhall crowd-surfing in the locker room and acting like they won the national championship.

We started last week with a devotional from Richard J Maynes and he talked about the worth of one soul in the eyes of God and how important it is if we can just plant a seed in someone's heart. We also celebrated Amann's birthday that night with the District and it was hecka’ chill. One of the days this week we set a goal as a District to only speak Spanish for the entire day. From the time we woke up, to the time we went to bed, it was completely Spanish. LOL! It actually was kind of fun. Coincidentally, Parkin was doing the same thing on the same day, except for speaking in Russian, so when I saw him in the TRC building we had our companions translate for us and we had a three-language conversation. LOL! It was whack but actually way cool. Also, at the beginning of the week, someone in Nonu's room in our building got bed bugs so his whole floor had to wash everything and then move buildings for a day. It was actually pretty comical. 

We taught our TRC girl, Maribel, for the last times this week and it was actually kind of sad. I loved teaching her and I was able to love her so much. I also don't think I have ever laughed harder than when I was with her. She was constantly cracking jokes, but at the same time, the Spirit was always so strong in our lessons. 

This week I gained a real love for my man, Hermano Wooden. He is the dopest teacher and helps me out so much with everything. He helps a ton with my Spanish and loves to teach me specific words so I don't sound like such a Gringo when I get down to the ARG. Three separate times this week he pulled me aside and asked me how I was doing and how I was feeling about everything. He also told me how much he loves my attitude and admires the way I can still teach and be spiritual yet, at the same time, be myself and always have fun. Wooden is such a boss and he has helped me so much these last couple weeks.

One thing I really focused on this week was my personal study. With the help of my dope brother, I finally found a really good way to stay organized with my studies and get so much out of them. I studied a ton about the Gifts of the Spirit this week and how we are so lucky to be able to receive the most valuable of Gifts. One specific Gift I learned a lot more about was the Gift of Discernment. Everyone should study this topic and gain a greater knowledge of it. I was so amazed after studying it and then trying to apply it into my lessons. 

Elder Parkin & Elder Roderick
with Henry Morris

A highlight of the week was, of course, Sunday. Sunday morning I had the opportunity to annoint some oil for a blessing for a kid in my district who has been sick for a month. That was chill! Then, during our mission conference, which is every fast Sunday, we heard from the MTC presidency and they were awesome, of course, but the coolest part of the meeting was hearing from the Senior Missionaries who survived the Brussels airport bombing. He told us the story and specifically about how he was feeling in the situation. He talked a lot about the "Will of God" and how it is so important that we accept His will all of the time. Hearing his and his wife's testimonies were some of the most powerful words I have ever heard. Sacrament meeting was awesome again too. President Price always has to read the lips of his wife as he tries to conduct meetings because there is always so much business every week. This week he paused and looked at her for a second and then said, "Yes Honey, Of course I'll dance with you." It was a classic!  The entire audience was dying. Seeing Big Henry on Sunday was also such a blessing, I had no idea he was coming, but it was so nice to see a familiar face. Then, on Sunday night we heard from Chad Lewis who is pretty famous down here, I learned. He talked about his football career and especially his own personal mission and the people who have impacted his life. He told so many cool stories and showed us how much fun a mission can be, as well as the impact it has. It wasn't necessarily the most spiritual devotional but it was definitely the most entertaining. This week we also learned a ton about loving our investigators and we had some really awesome lessons as the teachers shared tons of examples from there own missions. 

            Well, this was way longer than I expected but I can't tell you how pumped I am to get going and actually working. We lost Elder Dallimore and Paulsen this morning and it was actually way tough. Those two guys have been some of my best friends down here and it seemed like we had been friends forever. But, they are off to bigger and better things! Those boys left very early this morning and we slept in their room and so Amann and I decided to go on an early run with Parkin and the Russians. Oh my gosh! I about died out there. It was embarrassing! It didn’t help the situation that Parkin’s companion is a freakin’ Navy dude and he was at the front pacing us! LOL! Good times though. 

Scripture I loved this week: D&C 63 9-12 

9 But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.

              10 Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God.
              11 Yea, signs come by faith, unto mighty works, for without faith no man pleaseth God; and with whom God is angry
              he is not well pleased; wherefore, unto such he showeth no signs, only in wrath unto their condemnation.    
              12 Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith,                   
              and not for the good of men unto my glory.

Also, check out the talk called "Lifting Burdens" hecka’ chill

Love you all so much and I'm so grateful to be a missionary!!

Elder Wag

Questions and a Heart-to-Heart

Hi Fam!!                                                                                                     

Another solid week in the books down in Provo. I was so bummed to hear about my Ram's loss on Friday night, but they will be back. I know that for sure. I was also sooo happy to hear about Uncle Tony! Miracles do happen! Allan and the Flandro fam, especially Wag Andy, are in my prayers every night and I hope they know how much I love them!

            Last Tuesday night was sooo awesome. We got to hear from Elder Useta of the 70 and he was such a good speaker! He talked about the scripture D&C 4:2 and about how as missionaries we need to give ALL of our Heart, Might, Mind and Strength to the Lord. Whenever an apostle is here you can just feel a buzz in the air and it is the coolest feeling. I made sure to shake his hand after he spoke. He was a convert and told us about his conversion and the point of view that he had as an investigator. As we taught each other in class this week, as fake investigators, I had another opportunity to get the point of view from the investigator and I loved it. I learned so much about how I can improve my teaching.

We taught our TRC person a few more times and one of the times was with a member and it was actually a really good experience. He was able to share some really cool experiences about his mission and his baptism. One of the more awkward parts of the week was when we had to teach our teacher about the law of chastity, considering the fact that the role she was playing was a 20 year-old girl with 2 kids. LOL!  Lets just say my Spanish vocabulary was expanded in many ways. HeHe. "No sexual relaciones antes de matrimonio Hermana." HaHaHa! I was dying inside. But, to be honest I am getting kinda sick of teaching these fake investigators especially when their g's are poking out. At the same time, however, my Spanish improves the most when I’m teaching, so it is a blessing.

Elder Roderick wears David Archuleta's tie.

Talking about my Spanish... It is actually coming along really well. During our study we are trying to learn more vocabulary about everyday life instead of just the gospel and I am enjoying that a lot more actually. I have really learned about patience while I learn this language but I am so glad I am learning Spanish. The tough thing is the teachers teach two concepts a day and it is starting to become really tough to know what to use, when to use it, and how to say it.  We have had some really good lessons this week though. Hermano Wooden is suchhhhh a homie! He teaches us more than the gospel with the language and we feel the spirit more and more everyday. Hermana Barlow has been really good this week too. I feel like she really likes me now days because Amann and I are trying so hard in class.

One of the highlights of the week was when we were teaching her as a whole class while she pretended to be one of her inactive friends. Besides one of the Hermanas trying to dominate the lesson, it was such a cool experience. We all had different experiences and scriptures to tell and it was one of the most powerful lessons I've been in. After teaching we sung "I Know my Redeemer Lives" and it really was such an awesome experience. 

I started reading in the book, "Missionary Companion," which is basically just summarizes all of the concepts of the church with scriptures and history. it has really helped me understand the confusing parts of the church and has increased the efficiency of my studies. 

            One bad part about the week was when we lost Elder Doney. Doney was Elder Dallimore's companion and has had one of the toughest lives I've ever heard. He’s been in and out of foster care, is dad OD'ed on meth, his mom is an alcoholic and he has already beaten a strange form of cancer. After his chemo he developed a condition in his bone marrow that causes him feel pain in his legs all of the time and he barely has the strength to walk. He beat his condition two years ago, which is around the same time he converted to the church. This week he was feeling that same pain and after some blood tests he found out that the condition had come back. He tried to suck it up and go through it but he was in so much pain that he had to go home and get back on some intense medication. This was a really interesting experience for me. Doney was working so hard and legit only spoke Spanish 24/7 so he would feel more comfortable in the field. This made me wonder why God would give him so many tough challenges with everything in his life especially while on a mission. I have had such a cushy life compared to him so it caused me to ask, Why Doney”? Paulsen, Dallimore, Amann and I had a real heart to heart about this on Sunday and talked about God's plan for all of us. President Price also bore testimony to the congregation about the situation and it was a comforting experience. 

Also, shouts to my boy, Amann, for becoming the DL this week and it's his 20th birthday today! He's 20 right now and I'll barely be 20 when I get back. HaHa! I learned so much again this week and am so grateful to be a missionary in the last dispensation. Scripture of the week is D&C 122 6-9! I read these scriptures after Hermano Wooden showed them to me and my jaw literally dropped!

I love you all so much and I am grateful for all of the love that comes my way! I can't tell you guys enough how much it means to have a loving family of cousins, aunts and grandparents that support me in everything I do. Some kids down here barely have any support from home and I don't know how they do it! I love being a missionary and this week, especially, I know I am here not for me, or anyone back home but for the people of the ARG! 

Con amor, 

Elder Roderick

P.S. Another cool thing happened this week. Yesterday I drew the David Archuleta tie out of the Tie Draft box and I got to wear the ugliest tie for a day.  HaHa!  He was in our district a long time ago and his tie has been here ever since! The thing is, each missionary who gets to wear it, has to sign it. I thought it would only be appropriate if I signed it ELDER WAGNER. Also, Elder Allen's mom sent us all matching Argentina ties and that was pretty cool!