Letter from Elder Rogers 6-1-09

6-1-09
Wow!!!!!!!!!!What a crazy week hehe Birdsall is here and its crazy fun being his district leader. Things are going great for my companion and I we had three rocking baptisms yesterday and I was so excited cause we’ve worked hard to get them. I was glad I got to stay for these fruits. Also I just found out they baptized a couple more couples that we were working with in Vitarte, so the work rolls. The baptisms were great but way stressful. The parents of the 20-year-old girls are monsters and it was all we could do to get the girls in the water. They have so much faith and are modern day pioneers… I have to tell you what happened yesterday and please know these girls are just never going to give up. After last week’s farce, they felt a lot better and their parents were chill. I talked with one mom and she was so chill but yesterday in church during the newbies class Astrid’s dad came and pulled her out of church and hauled her off by taxi. We all just stood outside and watched as she was hauled off. It was way traumatizing for her and her friends but we couldn’t do anything. I just don’t understand how their parents are so ridiculous. The dad left a soccer game drinking beer to come pull his daughter out of church so she wouldn’t be baptized! We went on with the baptism of the other two girls. Then all of a sudden Astrid came back to the church bawling with a bag of all her stuff. Her dad kicked her out of the house telling her if she went back to get baptized she was on her own…… so she came back I was like what are you doing here! When you go back your dad is going to kill you. She was bawling and said I want to be baptized! And so we baptized her it was the most crazy afternoon but the most spiritual baptism I think I’ve had in my mission and she was so happy but so heartbroken at same time. It felt like we were all fighting against evil with these parents. We tried so hard but the parents just turn there backs on their daughters if they are not catholic. Astrid now lives with a member I called Leyva. I talked with bishop and everything. It was pretty crazy… but she refused anything but baptism. I was almost in tears just seeing the sacrifice she made for her baptism. She said I’ve lost everything today. I have nowhere to live and my parents won’t talk to me. My parents took my cell phone and keys but I know this is the true church. I am baptized, wow! It was bitter sweet. We have so many great members that love these girls and I know they will go on. They are awesome.But yeah, its been a wild crazy last serious of events. My companion and I were like woof! I told him its good I only have 6 months left fighting Holy Wars. I am literally exhausted… spiritually and mentally. It was a miracle! We witnessed it and I told President that these girls are pioneers.But we are doing good this week and working hard. My companion and I are learning lots and I am training him. We are really getting some good help from the ward and bishop. The ward mission leader is the man now this experience that happened yesterday.Well I love you guys and glad you liked the rugs and I got the pictures, thanks so much mom.! MuahIts been raining like crazy and I just sing in the rain with cool umbrella I found and work it baby. I’m glad everyone is doing good !Love your son down here in lama land! Hey dad read 20 mark note in ensign of June its about GermanyMuah! Jon