Weekly email 9

     So last week elder Pontious was super sick. We stayed in the apartment for like three days straight. We didn't go to P-day last week but we should be going today hopefully. Anyway some time ago we ran into a guy at church who isn't in one of our wards, but he owns a dental building or something and he said he has a boatload of teeth whitening kits that he just gives missionaries for free. So last week we finally got a ride down there and did the whole thing, they had to put that goo in our mouths to make like a retainer or something. It's actually super legit so elder Pontious and I are trying it out and hopefully it works. 

     We also biked 20 miles in one day which was crazy. We biked to the church and then back for lunch, and then back to the church and past it and then back. There was a lot of back and forth and up and down hills, it was a crazy day. 

     The best part of the week was when we went and did some service for this fair here. We put up a bunch of tents and stuff (and by we I mean all 16 missionaries in our zone, it was great). We left before any of the fun started, because it was a regular proselyting day. But they had ponies that were smaller than some dogs I had and they were the cutest things ever. I don't think I have a picture tho. Afterwards the Spanish elders came over to eat some pie and then they had to go. 

The craziest thing that happened was it rained super hard, which is a normal thing here and they have drainage things that usually take care of it, but not this time. The lake was flooded super bad, the water rose like 10 feet at it's highest and every single road into and out of our area was turned into a river, so we couldn't go anywhere because we were trapped. But it was cool we took lots of pictures of our park that was now underwater. It was apparently the worst flooding of this area in the past 70 years. I really am just that lucky. 

     But that was about it. 

I love you guys and always wanna hear about how your lives are going!

-Elder Rogers 

Weekly email 8

     So as many of you know, it was my birthday this week! It was an awesome birthday too. We started off by going to the senior recreation center to do some service from 8am to 1pm. It was incredible. We were in charge of giving out some food, they had pears, potatoes, cilantro, and kale. We gave the fold to any old person who walked by and helped carry it to their cars because it was too heavy for them. Then in the middle of it I got a call from someone saying happy birthday and then they asked to speak to my companion. Then like 5 minutes later this lady shows up with a cake and doughnuts and asks for Elder Rogers (that's me by the way). It caught me totally off guard. Then everyone sang to me and it was fun. Then we continued to help out and I talked to so many old people it was great.
     The night before we had dinner with the Thornocks, which means we got to teach Nicki and her kids another lesson. It was great and the lesson went over super smooth, right at the end though the Thornocks brought out this cake and they sang happy birthday too. I hate getting all this attention but I am grateful that they got me some cake lol.
Some other time during the week a lady came by and gave me a massive pumpkin pie and I love pumpkin pie.
     Not a ton happened the rest of the week because we had exchanges and elder Pontious is super sick right now. And it keeps raining over here. This is Texas it's supposed to be a desert but it rains like every day. Once elder Pontious gets better more things will happen.
     We also got to feed some ducks the other day. And we got stuck in an underpass trying to cross the freeway and elder Pontious has decreed that we must make crazy faces in like every selfie now. And I made brownies and found an apron so of course elder Pontious said we had to take a selfie. We also went to Hutchins again and it was great. Best brisket I've ever had. I also got an antique Marine Corp gas mask so of course I had to put it on (after I cleans it of course).
     Well I love you all and hope you're doing well!
- Elder Rogers

Weekly email 7

 Hey y'all! 
     So we had transfers this past week and I got a new companion! His name is Elder Pontious. (Yes, just like Pontious Pilate). 
     The last P-day it rained cats and dogs all day so I got soaked but that's just part of life. The first day with elder Pontious someone, who's name rhymes with smontious, rode a little too close on the bikes and I slammed the brakes and fell off the bike for the first time on the mission and scraped my hands. It wasn't too bad tho but I had a rock stuck in there which hurt pretty good. 
     We found five new people this week who said that they would be interested in meeting with us so that's awesome! Usually we will find one every week or so, so five is a crazy amount. 
     We saw an armadillo the other day while we were riding our bikes back to the apartment. We went through this nature trail as a shortcut and this armadillo ran right in front of me and I didn't hit it but it got close. Oh and it also rained for like the past four days. So the lake flooded a decent amount but we still went over for our studies. I also fed a few ducks who were hanging out there. 
     I got a free drink at taco bell too. That happens a lot. Like the more miserable we look the more often we get free drinks, like we want to pay but they just give us the hand and they're like "nah man it's good" so that's always fun. We had dinner with a family and they have three cockatoos and one was $10,000! Can you believe that? I can't. 
     But yeah that's about how the week went. I hope you guys are all doing well back home!
- Elder Rogers 

Weekly email 6 The Most Eventful Week So Far!

Hey everybody!
     I hope you're all doing well because I am. This week was absolutely crazy and we got so much stuff done. I'm just gonna get right into the highlight of the week which is (drumroll please). WE GOT A MOM AND HER TWO KIDS TO COMMIT TO BEING BAPTIZED ON SEPTEMBER 29TH!! Are you excited? You should be because that's incredible. I know for a surety that it will bless their lives so much when they finally get the Holy Ghost into their lives full time. It's been such a blessing in my life and I know it will be wonderful for them.
     Also it's my Hump Day (AKA my halfway mark) so in just six short weeks I will be done with my mission. So I'm trying to get as much done with the time I have left. That's about it for the super cool and exciting stuff though. Some crazy things that happened were that we talked with a born again Christian in a McDonald's. We sat down to cool off from the 100 degree weather that is Texas and he came over to talk to us. Basically he said we're going to Hell so that was a good time. We said we had to go because it was just a bad situation. Kinda hurt my feelings but that's how it goes sometimes.
     Elder Myers is getting transferred tomorrow so next week you guys can expect some pictures with me and a new companion so I'm excited for that. But that's about it. A short email this week.
     I love and miss you all!
-Elder Rogers