Elder Tanner Rogers: Well That's Too Dang Bad!

Howdy,

This week while out tracting we came across a driveway where we found 57 cents on the ground. I was amazed, a whole collage of quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies. I knew that God had sent us to the right place. So we knocked on the door twice with no success, but we couldn't give up on a 57-cent house that easily. We felt prompted to knock a third time. I pounded on that door so hard my knuckles hurt for about 15 minutes, but it was totally worth it. Rolando y Elmer answered the door and when they learned we spoke Spanish they invited us to sit down. They told us that they were afraid to answer the door because they thought we were the immigration police. Rolando had only been in the US for 15 days and had walked for 14 hours through the desert with just what he could carry so that he could cross the border. We had a very powerful conversation and the spirit was very strong. He told us how poor they were and so I felt bad taking the coins I found on their driveway so I gave them and all the other coins I had found that day - roughly 70 cents. They invited us to come back. We constantly wonder if it is ok to try and teach and help illegal immigrants, and I'm still not sure of the answer but I am grateful for the spirit encouraging us to knock a third time and be persistent so that we could share our message with someone who needed it.

Something fun about being a white guy in a Spanish area is that nobody assumes we speak Spanish. That means that when they knock on the door they talk to each other in Spanish to try to be clever, but we understand them the whole time. I think it is hilarious to respond while they are talking to each other about us and see how they react. Usually, they get embarrassed to the point that they agree to listen to a message. It is amazing to me how well known the Jehovah's Witnesses are and also how much people hate them. I would say 9 times out of 10 people assume we are Jehovah's Witnesses and want to slam the door on our face, but are instantly more interested when we say that's not who we are. I feel like I need a sign to wear around my neck that says "No somos Testigos de Jehovah ni la policia de inmigración" (We aren't Jehovah's Witnesses or the immigration police). It would probably help us out a little. Also, Elder Moeller is terrified of spiders so I've become the designated spider and bug killer so that's been fun I guess.

I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon and all of the additional insights it has given me about God. I have been reading in 3 Nephi lately when Jesus is visiting the Americas. He talks a lot about taking no thought of what we will eat, drink, or wear, and to just focus on the work. That can be a difficult thing, especially the part about not thinking about food. I'm working on it. I love what N Eldon Tanner said in his talk entitled Obedience: "Brother, this Church demands nothing of you. It just offers you a better way of life." I am grateful that God loves us enough to show us the way to live that will bring us joy, and I'm grateful to be able to share that knowledge with others as a missionary.

Keep Striving!

Elder Rogers