Call from Jon 12-25-08

12-25-08

From the call with Jon

This is a picture of the family Jon lives with in Vitarte

We asked him what he knew of the Bolivian mission being closed. The companion that Jon has now never went to Bolivia he went from the Peru MTC to Lima East. He was called to Bolivia though.
Apparently the mission was closed in 1 day due to terrorists. Many of the missionaries left with only what was on their back. There are some real scary stories.
One Elder tells of them leaving in a hurry with 4 Elders in a back of a pickup truck. There were sticks of dynamite thrown at them as they left. The church had a private plane waiting for them at the airport.
We ask about the Lima Este mission. There are 230 missionaries now. We think that 30-50 are from the Bolivia mission. There are 20 zones in Jon’s mission. There are 6 zones in Lima: 1 zone on the Amazon, 2 in Huanuco, some in the providences etc. There are 4-6 Elders in a district. There are about 230 baptisms a month. That means about one per missionary, but it does not always work out that way.
For Christmas the mission president organized some Christmas dinners. Jon said he had about 100 missionaries at his dinner and some missionary couples. Jon was real impressed because they had mashed potatoes and gravy and good meat. Jon’s mission president is a native so he was real impressed with the good food. They held the dinner in the stake center. Jon said the Stake Centers are huge in Peru.
The Stake Centers in Peru are way bigger than the Stake Centers in the states.

Jon was supposed to have a baptismal interview on Christmas Eve, but the person getting baptized forgot (?) about it. Jon was going to take the DL to the potential member’s home later in the day on Christmas day to possibly conduct the interview

Rafael in getting baptized later this month and Jon calls or cks up on him everyday. Rafael said you don’t have to keep asking me if I drank alcohol or if I have been with girls. Jon told him --- I will call you everyday until we get you baptized!

Peru has interesting Christmas Eve traditions. Everyone goes up on their roof and shoots off powerful fireworks. Jon says it last for 15 minutes and it feels like you are in a war zone. It was unbelievably loud and pretty.
All the workers take Christmas off including the Police so Christmas Eve and Christmas day are a free for all. Jon watched a dude getting robbed right in front of his house.

Jon is 176 pounds now. His cooking lady cooks rice with chicken sauce every night. He is getting tired of that taste, but loves the cooking lady and her family. Jon also lives with this family. It is very hot and moist in Peru right now as it is summer.
Jon lives in Vitarte, Lima, Peru. It is a part of Lima. It is very poor area. The people live in little dusty houses on the hills. He says it looks a lot like the Mesquite area.
Jon loves the people and the Elder’s are trying really hard to get some families in the church.
During Jon’s call we quickly conference called all the Grandmas and Grandpa’s and Lisha and Clint. He was able to say a quick Merry Christmas and able to hear them tell him that they loved him.
We sure enjoyed hearing from Jon. Mostly we just listened and enjoyed hearing his voice and spirit.

12-22-08 Letter

12-22-08
Hey fam!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hehe how is everyone doing? Its been a crazy long preparing week and the emails were many and great! Dad I’ve gained about 18 pounds in total. I’m still a little light but I feel great and find stuff to eat. I’m trying to be careful with money but its hard thanks so much for all the support.Well this week has been good we’ve been working so hard to bring to pass 3 baptisms this month and we had two marriages planed for yesterday but one fell through. Susy just wont commit and the RM boy friend is killing us. They were so good but we keep finding hidden secrets and sin and they don’t want to repent. It’s pretty sad all they have to do is marry. I was so bummed, but we had wonderful marriage of the other couple. It was awesome. I was a little stressed because I’ve never been to chosique but I found it and we had them married. I took lots of fun pictures and will sent them later but we are hoping to baptize them this week the 28!!!!!!!I’m praying so hard. We have worked so so so hard and work is kind of slow. Rafael is doing good too. I challenged all three yesterday, and they all seemed pretty excited about it. I am going to call or pass by everyday this week I’ll tell you on the call if they are going to get baptized cause baptism interviews for them are Christmas Eve yeah!!!!!Its been busy week and we found 3 more couple for January its hard cause we have to get them all married first. No one is married so it makes it hard but I want families and we will go forward with faith. I know if we are obedient and have faith and go for it there will be baptisms. I really like the East Stake baptism statistics. Wow- 30 baptisms this year!. If Blackburns and I get these three it will be 30 31 32 for me in my first year in mission. It’s been a long haul, but we have done a lot of good down here. I saw some of the Bayovar people at wedding and they told me about some of the investigators. One is going on mission J remember Eddy with the earring? And his mom the miracle? They are doing great! It’s rewarding some days when you hear things. Also Jauja is doing good. Carolina and her family have wrote me 3 times now. I sent them hymnbooks. Huanuco to is still holding in strong. I’m so so so excited for the call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I will make a list and will be excited to talk on Christmas. The plans sound great! I will be so happy!Love your son and brother working and sweating in Peru!So your going to dinner with Blackburn’s weird! My buds were laughing when I read mom’s email about being a bit more circumspect. That day was fun and I really am trying to be good companion. We are working hard.
I can’t believe you get white Christmas woof!Love Jon--- Elder Rogers

Letter from Jon 12-15-08

12-15-08
Que tal fam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!My emails were so fun today! This has been a good week thanks for all love and support. I’ve really had some investigator challenges these last couple of week but I know things are going better. Elder Blackham and I had a fast and we found 2 more investigators from an awesome family. They have the 28th as fecha (Baptism Date) and we might have a marriage this week. No one is married down here its nuts! Elder Blackham is a stud. We are buds and we keep making goals to be better and we sure are working hard. Elder Blackham went to Chile for 2 days and I’m with other Elder so he probably wont be able to write to his family... He just went to take out his papers since he is illegal here in Peru cause his mission is Bolivia but know he’s mine. Sometimes I tease him I don’t know what he thinks about it hehe...I had good change of attitude this week. I read the talk “Come what may and love it” by Joseph Worthlin. It’s so true and like President Wilkinson said the mission isn’t all roses but its a time were you can give it all to the Lord and I’m trying so hard. We really are so busy. Rafael is doing great. I’m really excited for New Years Eve with him. ( I think that is when he is getting baptized) The best part is that Rafael and Pavel are buds. They come in blue jeans to church every week yeah!!!!!!!!!!I’m so grateful for all your love and I truly am so blessed. I’m learning so much. I’m thinking about buying a blow up pool for the family we live with. It’s getting so hot. It should be fun with all little kids for Christmas. This week will be crazy. I hope we can get the two marriages going. I’m in charge of taking them to chosiquea and I’m going to need divine inspiration to pull this off. I’m working hard! Love you all! your son elder rogmuah!!!!!!!!!!

Picture Up dates- Thanksgiving, People, Vitrate, Lima Peru the place I live

12-1-08 Letter

12-1-08

Hey fam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Woof its been a crazy week and it doesn’t feel at all like Christmas. I was thinking so much about all of you this week and just couldn’t imagine what it would be like eating such yummy food. We sat down and talked about family traditions in English with my buds and how I couldn’t even fit things on to the plate! … mmmmm from ham turkey mashed papas and even mom’s cinnamon rolls mmmmm a smorgasbord of sweet love mmmmmm…Well I hope you had a great week and everyone has recovered hehe! I got yummy sweet packages from mom so I was cooking up a storm. We had mac and cheese and turkey helper with instant potatoes and gravy mmmm! Thanks mom everyone loved me! Well dad I’m kind of bummed. I wanted my dad to release me I loved the idea but life will go on and you got more callings coming I’m sure. I’m ok and I love you.Happy b-day Clint! Well this week has been a little rough but I’m not going to focus on it and try to work hard for next week and Rafael. He is a great kid but his fecha is for the 30th of December now. He fell ( he drank) and its been really hard on me but I will help him all I can but its hard when someone falls after receiving a witness like he did but I’m ok and I will try to keep working hard! I’m so glad my family is doing good. I’m so so so grateful for all you in my life and that keeps me going through hard times. It doesn’t seem like Christmas down here. It’s so hot. I got some fun Christmas packages and It will be so fun to call home. I cant believe its December today woof!
My Questions to Jon:Tell us about your meetings with the Mission President. Really good! He gave me permission to go to Lima central to buy family something for Christmas yeah!!!!!!!! And we are buds. He says he know I’m working hard ! Do you jump on the bus and go to the office every week? No I’ve only been 3 times in whole mission. The mission office is about 1 hour away. Do you get your own mail every week? Yeah but comes through my zone leaders Do you eat out every week?never only on conferences or interviews How are Parvel and Rafael doing this week? Pavel is my bud he’s doing so good and loves your Book of Mormon movie you sent. We watch all the time. Does your companion have any St. George Blackburn relatives? No Does this area look like your other Lima area. yep uuuuugly… The dusty dirty hills with little houses? Yep that pretty much summs it up!. Where are you to with packages? I got Christmas tree with all pictures thanks for including food mac and cheese but still no pants. Its all good mom don’t sweat.. Did you get the wall hanging? We got turkey and tree up and ready. My penz ( cooking lady-landlord loves it… Did you get the T-shirts? Yea i love them 81!!!!!!!!!! The pants? nope Did you have the Beef and gravy and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving? Yes it was awesome mmmmmm We all really miss you and at this time of year especially. We sure hope your health is doing well. How are your muscolos coming along? I’m doing good and I miss you all so much to but we will all go on heheWell last week I got to go out to bowling and it was so fun. I got a 204 my all time best ¡!!!!!!!!!! I don’t know were it came from but it was supper fun. We played like 6 games but the first game was best and I ate pizza and ran into someone hhhe?.................BRIDSALL----- I love that kid! I just strait up tell him-- man you the man! I didn’t like him in MTC but not I love him.
I’ve gained drum roll……………13pounds I’m coming in at 176 yeah!! Still skinny but I’m working on it. We had a pushup contest yesterday. I almost died but I love my perfect pushups! I’m nothing like I was. I’m going to try next year to look good for coming home heheCongrats A J!!!!!!!Alaska woof !I love you all and am doing goodLove your son Elder Rogers