letter from Jon 11-3-08

11/3/08
Hey fam and everyone!!!!!!!!!How is everyone doing I’m doing great well its been a heck of a week and I’m just working my tail off and really into things now……….drum rollIm in Ate-Vitarte Lima!!!!!!!!!! And I took the 13-hour buss ride back down through the highest free way in the world and up past Cerro de Pasco in the high mountains and it was way pretty and way cool.It was really hard to leave Jauja especially with the new friends and families and my bud Benites....tears lots of tears. I gave everyone hugs and it was just hard. I felt like I was leaving the MTC again and that was hard but this time it might be for life. I might never see some of my best buddies again. I told them I’ll keep doing what is right and if I don’t see you again I’ll see you in the celestial kingdom. I was bawling and if that doesn’t sound like the cheeses thing. It was hard for me! Brigham game to my room pounding the door in the night I left sad, and Hermana Lina and Carolina both gave me hugs and told me to take care of myself just like mom would and then when I got on the bus I was choked to say buy to Benites it was good but really hard. I love them!Well I’m senior comp!!!!!!!!!! And I got a gringo from Bicknell, Utah?...hehe he was pulled out of group going to Bolivia and I’m pretty much training him cause he stayed in CCM longer until President put him with me...Its nuts and he doesn’t know much but its way fun to help him out. I got of my 13 hour bus and he was standing there all nervous and was like como...aa.aa.estasss elder um elder.... and I was just like what up bro, we’re going to be buds. We talked English all that night but then I said ok buddy now we work and we planned set some plans and I said we can only speak English when we are in the house at night or if you need anything just tell me...Its kinda way fun being the leader and way intense too but we get along good and its way strange. He put me with a gringo with 10 months woof!!!!!! Also my new house has hot water!!!!!!!!!!!!and that is enough to be happy about so I’m pretty stoked. I told him we aren’t going do any sleeping or messing around on the job were going to study hard were going to work hard every hour and we going to baptize with obedience and diligence. He got kinda nervous but I also said and we are going to have fun too....I’m trying to be the senior missionary I never had to him and we are really tearing it up. Yesterday there were 138 in church!!!!!!!! A little different then Jauja and we had 18 in the new members lessons! Yeah baby we have a goal of 3 baptisms this month pray that the two gringos can do it. I know we can but it back in the ghetto of Lima and things are going pretty good. Woof it’s intense speaking Spanish and leading it all, But I’m enjoying it and I love helping my companion. I explain all the Spanish into English for him. We talk until like 11:30 every night in our beds and he just laughs and laughs at my stories of my wild ride so far and doest believe it . It really is a dream what my life has turned into now and a lot of responsibility my President has given to me but I’ve made it a goal to show everyone why we have gringos in this mission. We are going to work! We do work our butts off, and we are so tired but I love it and he does too!…. heheIts a lot of responsibility and I have no time....but will always make it for my loved ones...and my own area but I know with the help of Lord and if we are obedient we will have success and I want to come out of this change better in Spanish too.I love you all …Pray for me Your son Elder Rogers