Elder Tanner Rogers: Wazowski You Didn't File Your Paperwork Last Night

Howdy,

General Conference last weekend was absolutely fantastic! Some of my favorite talks were by D Todd Christofferson and President Nelson, and I was super excited that Brad Wilcox spoke. It really was just a great conference, and I'm so excited to continue reviewing them. We really tried to get ourselves out of the office this week to go find people to teach, which has been really fun. Western Hills is a great area to be in. I've been able to use my Spanish a couple of times to street contact people which has been really fun. It's amazing to see how God will work through me to help bring the message of the gospel to His children in Spanish. While street contacting or talking to people on the phone in Spanish, words just seem to flow out, and I'm able to understand what people are trying to tell me. When I'm talking to other missionaries or tyring to listen to things in Spanish by myself I can't understand nearly as well. I know God is helping me so that I can help others to find the restored gospel. Street contacting in English is also very enjoyable. You never know who you'll run into on the streets. We met a crazy dude named LeRoy who makes a living by driving around and outsmarting casinos. He says he wants to find a way to copyright the way he can figure everything out using math. He says if he can do this, he would put an end to all police and investigation agencies because he would use math to solve all crimes and other world issues.

Serving in the office is also fun. I've been balancing the books with all of the receipts from getting gas and other vehicle-related expenses through the month. I think it's pretty cool. We also get to see a lot of the funny things of the mission. I think the funniest thing we were asked this week was that someone wanted to know why their sim card wasn't working in their phone. Upon further inspection, we discovered that they hadn't yet put the sim card in the phone, which was why it wasn't working. We also pick up all the lunches for the mission meetings. We had to pick up 90 box combos from Canes for new missionary training. It completely filled the bed of the truck, and we had some in the back seat as well. As we were driving out of the Cane's parking lot I saw my friend Jim Wayne spraying bug repellant on the grass. Elder Brinton and I found Jim while I was serving in Liberty by calling all of the numbers in the old paper area book, and we became pretty tight while I was there. Even though we were in a hurry, and in the middle of the street, I put that truck in park and yelled for him and ran over. I gave him a handshake and a big hug. We didn't talk long, but it was so good to see him. My heart was so happy when he told me he was still meeting with the missionaries and was planning on seeing them the next day. Seeing him, and learning that he is still progressing and doing well was probably the highlight of my week. It is amazing to see how the efforts we put in can start a chain of events that lead to big changes in the lives of others.

We once again made many trips to the airport. We woke up at 4:30 on Wednesday to take the departing missionaries there, and we might have to wake up at 3:30 on Tuesday as well. The most exciting trip to the airport this week happened yesterday when we picked up President and Sister McGuire, our new mission president, and his wife. They will be introduced to the mission tomorrow evening in a zoom meeting, and then President and Sister Ensign will be officially released. I miss the Ensigns, but I'm very excited to work with the McGuire's, they seem so great! I was busy this week making sure that their new car was all clean and pretty, and I drove them back from the airport in the mission van, which was a little nerve-wracking, but it was good to be able to talk to them and get to know them, they really are so amazing! I was struck this week about how everything has seemed to be reeling since I was asked to come to the office, and President Ensign had to go home, it almost seemed like everything was chaotic, a reaction to unforeseen events. As things have progressed it has become more and more clear to me, that God knows exactly what is going on, and has prepared us for what is coming. We are in the places we need to be so that we can do what He needs us to do. I know God lives, and that He has a perfect plan for each of us.

Keep Striving!

Elder Rogers

Nehemiah 6:1-4