Week # 55 I hate being sick

Geez I'm such a wuss lately. Yesterday night I was feeling fine and then I woke up this morning and my whole body hurts like literally ever square inch of my body hurts. I can't even figure out whats hurt, or how I'm sick it's just really weird... normally I know what is going down, but this time it is just weird lets just hope its not something weird or complicated...

But, other than that my whole week was super duper good. Gotta talk to the family for a 3rd time and was soooo good. Couldn't stop laughing. Love the family more than ever. 

Cooked breakfast for 36 elders on Christmas too which was too much fun. We cooked like 16 pakages of sausgzzz and like 12 of bacon and made like 250 french toasts and pancakes. It was so much food it was crazy shoulda seen it. We played soccer, volleyball, basketball and ping pong. It was so much fun couldn't have had more fun to be honest.

Everything is going amazing with the work, and we will be baptizing the next two weeks, we hope so. I will let you guys know how that goes. Loving the work and loving every single moment of my mission. I'm so glad to have made the choice to come out and serve the Lord... only have a little bit of time left so gotta give it 110 percent and not let down!

Love you all the church is true and I know it with all my heart and strength...

Week # 54 Coacalco Flow boys! He Is The Gift!!!

Dad and Mom, 

El es la dadiva...(He is the Gift)

So this week we dropped 600 dollars on a family that doesnt have anything so that they can have a better christmas. They have no couches, no refrigerador, nothing it literally is so sad. I hate seeing people in situations like that. My zone leader Elder Flanigan has a tradition in his family to do 12 days of christmas, so we bought gifts for every night. Until christmas. It will be cool just to change someones christmas because I have always been so blessed.

So the last 3 weeks we have baptized some real converts, they are all really converted because alot of people just want to get baptized, or are converted to the missionaries, and not to Christ, so when the missionaries get changed the people stop going to church, but not these people they are really converted in Christ and they know the chruch is true. So cool to see.

Well dont really know what else more to say just the daily grind and I'm lovin it! The more the days go on the more I don't want to come home. The misión is awesome and I am just loving the work just gotta work harder and harder because some of my good Pals are home from the misión and i only have a few months left so just gotta go harder than ever. Love you all sorry for no pics my camera is still broken so that suck i will see if i can send some next week with my comps camera.

love you all talk to you soon

Week # 53 The Missionary Christmas Card

Hola Hermana Rodabough,
the Christmas card enjoy! love you Hermana Rodabough

your sons companion,

Elder Trevino

Feliz Navidad

Week # 52 Doing Good!

-Your Son is doing good! We did a service project in the mountain this past week, here are some pictures.- Elder Alex Graham

Service project with the crew

Hanging with the lil children, funny faces

They come to me

Feed the deer

Week # 51 All is well!

My best pal Elder Graham

-All is well with your son Rodabough Family -Elder Alex Graham

Close to the mountain again

Elder Graham is my zone leader

Week # 50 HALLOWEEN

Elders can be spooky too

Zombie Apocalypse

Zombie Missionary

Halloween in Mexico! November 3, 2014

Week # 49 CRAZY WEEK

October 28, 2014

Crazy Week!

So this week we have our P-Day on Tuesday because we had a conference with one of the guys in the Presidency of the 70 so that was nuts. He talked with so much power and I don’t know, I just felt so stoked to be in the presence of someone that is that successful, and also just has all of his priorities in check. It was so good for me. A lot of what he said really stuck to me, and I can’t get his words out of my head. A couple of the one-liners he said that were so sick were:

1. If you aren’t hungry to change, your life will be long, difficult, and poor.

2. Diligence beats intelligence every time.

3.When you have problems stop looking for excuses and start looking for solutions.

I think that it will be super cool and super difficult to get home and put all these things that we learn in the mission into action. I love the mission, and I am learning so much everyday. Sorry for the short letter but I am going to be writing shorter because I feel like the long ones nobody reads.

But anyway I know that this time in the mission is the most important time of my life, and that we should love every moment of it. I know that the church is true and that God speaks to our prophet, Tomas S. Monson. I testify that Joseph Smith is the man that has done more for humanity (other than Jesus Christ of course) than cualquier other man that has ever lived in this world. If I didn’t know these things for a fact I wouldn’t be here dedicating 2 years of my life. I love you all and I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Rodabough

Week # 48 BACK TO EGYPT I GO...

October 13, 2014

Back to Egypt I go…..

So after one change in Tlalnepantla I am getting changed back to the other side of the mission. To the zone called Coacalco. I am so glad to be back by the mountain because I hate the city air... Way cleaner here. So, I have no clue why I got changed. I’m not a district leader anymore, so after 6 months as a district leader I finally go back to being normal. So that’s cool but also sucks because I feel like I’m not really living up to the expectation that everyone thinks. So I’m going to change a few things and work harder than ever.

My companion is Elder Treviño he is from Monterrey. He’s a short kid that likes to smile a lot, we have the same time in the mission, and we are both ready to kill it here in this area. The time is flying by, and the changes don’t really faze me anymore. I am the master packer now. I was a little sad to leave Tlalnepantla and my comp Elder Cancino cause he was super cool.

Everything is all good with me right now. Grant heads out this week to Honduras, and I’m stoked for him! He is gunna kill it in Honduras. Well guys love you and be safe.

Elder currentlyresidesinegypt

Rodabough

Week # 47 BEST P-DAY EVER!!!!!!!!

I GOT TO SEE MY BEST FRIEND FOR 10 MINUTES!

October 6, 2014

Best P-day ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So literally I can’t even begin to think about how blessed I am about my life as a missionary. God is always blessing me and protecting me and giving me TONS of tender mercies. Let me share one with you.

So as you know Grant is in the MTC here in Mexico. I have been terrified these past 5 weeks cause I haven’t had the opportunity to see him. I knew he was going to leave soon. But, I had an opportunity to see him at the visitors center tomorrow on Tuesday but we have our meetings at the exact hour that he was going to be there, so it would’ve been impossible to see him. All hope was gone. But, I was talking to an elder about it and he’s like dude my companion is going to the mtc to take photos with one of the branch presidents there. So, I found my way in. Well long story short I was able to see my best friend for like 10 minutes, probably one of the best ten minutes I’ve had. It was so hard to say goodbye though, knowing I wouldn’t be seeing him for another 2 years... But, it’s better than nothing that’s for sure. Just super grateful...

General Conference was amazing!!! I had so many personal revelations come to me. It was nuts. I love conference so much and there is always the greatest depression after it ends. It was the 3rd one I’ve had in my mission, weird. There were so many things said that inspired me to do better. I have a lot of room to improve, and I intend to, thanks to all the inspiring talks. We really need to stand firm in these hard times cause they are about to get crazier. 

I can stand as a special witness, that we really are in the last days. Christ will come soon. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess. The church is true and I have never been so glad in my entire life to be a part of it. Love you all!

Elder Standsinforeigncountrieswithgrant

Rodabough

Week # 46 Tlalnepantla gangsta

 

September 29, 2014

Tlalnepantla gangsta 

So this week was a really good one. First off we found 6 new investigators and they are reading the Book of Mormon, and came to church so that was sick. We are also teaching an old man called Jaime Vazquez he got baptized 2 months ago, and since then his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease... Lots of time spent on my knees for that man. So sad to have the one person you love forget who you are. He is so strong. He doesn’t work he just takes care of her all day everyday, such a strong man it blows me away and he has such a strong spirit. Also, we have a new family that we are teaching and they are one of the funniest families I have ever met. If you thought that my dad, and Jason Nielsen are teasers, you would die laughing at these guys in this family. We talk about the funniest stuff. They just barely wanted to start talking with us after 3 months of knowing the missionaries, and they finally wanted to talk gospel with us, which is amazing!!!

My hemorrhoid’s aren’t getting better which sucks a little even after having almost a week on the medicines haha, (I feel violated every time I use the medicines which is the worst part) and I got hives for some weird reason last night all over my back. I’ve never had hives before but they literally covered all of my back, so I did an old Mexican trick, and blended garlic and milk together and drank it like a smoothie, and in 10 minutes it was gone so that was dope. I love little tricks like that haha. But other than that a super good week I love the gospel. I am growing to love the gospel more and more everyday, super stoked for the general conference, #3 baby! 1 more to go haha. Love you all have a good week!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Givesthankstogarlic

Rodabough

Week # 45 VIIIIIIVA MEXICO!!!!

September 15, 2014

VIIIIIIVA MEXICO!!!!

 So maybe you all don’t know but I am amidst the most drunk people I have ever met, haha. Today and tomorrow are the “independence days” for Mexico and it is nuts haha. Mexicans go ham with beer and alcohol here. I literally have seen 20 dudes passed out on the side of the street. But, other than that everything else is super amazing! There is so much food, parties, and traditions its sweet. It will be interesting to see how crazy it will get when it gets closer to the El grito (the yell) where everyone just screams VIVA MEXICO at like 11 at night haha its so sick. 

Well as far as the work goes its going good the mountain man that I told you about last week that climbs and stuff that was excommunicated? He went to church for the first time in I don’t know how long, and hasn’t had alcohol, and is really changing his life around. Our ward has a lot of problems with rumors and stuff, and love to tattle tell on the missionaries. They think we cant have fun, like play soccer, play with the little kids with nerf guns and I don’t know, its just stupid. But oh well we are working on reuniting the ward and everything but there are only a few people who are dumb other than that the ward is so sweet!!

Other than that not, much more to tell you. I will have more about how my days of independence are here in Mexico.

But love you all, 

Elder Singswithmariachi

Rodabough

If you don’t know what mariachi is look it up haha

Week # 44 Tlalnepantla is siiiick

September 9, 2014

Tlalnepantla is siiiick

So word up everyone, sorry I suck at writing lately. I guess thats kind of just what happens when you have 13 months in the mission, you forget that you have family and stuff haha jk jk. So this new area is soo sick we have Wal-Mart, Costco, and Sams club, and I have already spent my whole months worth of money at Costco and Wal-Mart. But, its okay cause I bought beef jerky and krustez pancake batter, so I am pretty much set. But I had a super sick experience this week that I want to share.

So this week I just had the question if God really knows where I am, and what I am doing (I know probably a stupid question but I wanted to know). So, we went to help the sister missionaries one night, and went to visit a guy who was excommunicated. We knocked on the door and this 86-year-old man answered the door and he just like told us to follow him inside so we did. We were walking through a whole bunch of garbage, and over these wooden planks and under this tarp (thought it was his house) and walked under it and into this 2-room apartment. I sat down and noticed that all his walls were covered with posters and a whole bunch of random tools… until I really noticed that all the posters and all the tools where pictures of climbing stuff, and all the tools were ancient climbing gear. Ice axes, ropes, carribeaners, climbing shoes, boots, tents, and just anything you can imagine. 

So when I finally asked him about it he lit up, he was like freaking Mr. Miyagi, but like a climbing version. He’s climbed all the biggest mountains in Latin America, and we talked about climbing for literally hours one night. But it was just really cool because he wasn’t listening to the sister missionaries but when we started talking about climbing he opened right up. I was able to help him a lot and I was also able to learn a lot about life from him. It was just really cool to see that God knows who I am, what I like, where I’m going, and why I’m here. God lives and always is with us and is always watching over us! It was just a super cool experience.

Well next Monday is Mexican Independence Day, so it will be nuts here. My area is so rad and my comp is sick too. Love you all and see you all soon!

Love Elder Ródaba (thats how the Mexicans say my name haha)

Week # 43 Changes Kiddy Kats!!!

Septmember 1, 2014

Changes Kiddy Kats!!!

So sorry I suck big time. I was super busy last week and didn’t have enough time to write an email. Today I was changed areas, to an area called Tlalnepantla, ward Tlalli. So I am here now in the area and we literally just ate at a five star restaurant with an anethsteeeeeziologist hahahaha. I have no clue how to spell that. And I ate a 21 ounce ribeye steak for the first time in a year and a ceasar salad, and it was a restaurant from Spain. My companion ate ribs but they were from a baby goat. I had a lemonade and I don’t know, it was just unreal so I think I am going to love this ward. The area is sick it’s got Costco, Wal-Mart, Sams club, and like tons of shops, and its all flat so I’m pretty stoked. My companion is Elder Cancino he is super sick, he likes soccer and playing the guitar. We live like 10 minutes away from a turf soccer field that the missionaries like, so we are gunna go play every morning for our workout from 6 to 7. It’s going to be so dope to play everyday again.

Well it was also insanely sad. My eyes are so dry and red from crying so much and saying good bye to my Mexican family, Hermana Gabby, Hermano Alejandro, Pamela and jessy. They have changed my life, and I am forever grateful for their hospitality, and love that they showed me and Elder Penagos. I miss them like crazy... They are family to me. But they are going to visit me here soon hahaha. 

But super stoked for Grant to be out on his mission, it will be cool to know we have the same purpose and we are doing the same thing even though we are gunna be freaking way far away. He is gunna kill it and everybody should spank his bottom before he leaves:)

Love

Elder Rodabough

Week # 42 Good News!!!!!!!!!!!! Buenas noticias!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 18, 2014

Good News!!!!!!!!!!!! Buenas noticias!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this week was a super good week for me. We found out that because of the missionary and ward mission work we are going to have to divide the ward because we don’t all fit in the building we are in! That is so cool for me to be able to see a ward grow so much in just 7 months. We have tripled the assistance of the ward, and have almost 50 new converts in the church! So, it is a great thing to watch the work of the lord coming to pass and helping to grow a ward so much that it needs to be divided:) When the ward and the missionaries work together we can do some super dope stuff:)

The other amazing news is that our neighbors, (the people that I always talk about in my letters) they are all members except for the mom her name is Gabby. She isn’t a member, she likes coffee, (NBD) and to work on Sundays. She was super offended from the sister missionaries and the other missionaries that were teaching her. She really didn’t even want anything to do with the church, but after talking with her for like 3 months, and sharing my own personal experience’s with her, 2 days ago she made the decision to get baptized!!!!!!!! It was such a cool experience to watch someone who has been listening to the missionaries for 4 years finally make the decision to get baptized. So cool to be the hands and mouth of God in this situation. Plus she is like a mother for me, cooking for us almost every night, washing our clothes, repairing them when they are damaged, giving us medicine when we are sick, and just laughing with us and being almost like a real mother for us. So cool to see!!! I love being a missionary:)

Hope everything is going well at home I love and miss you all::)

Elder DanceswithDolphins

Rodabough

Week # 41 Mexico... Sweet Mexico:)

August 11, 2014

Subject: Mexico... Sweet Mexico:)

So really this week not a lot happened. We haven’t baptized in a while, which is okay because we are helping a lot of people still. This week we found out that one of my converts here in the ward moved out of his house where he lived with his mother, and he moved in with his girlfriend... super sad to see satan working on him. He was going to go on a mission, and now he has a girlfriend that has a kid, and I’m pretty sure they are doing the dirty. So, it’s been rough to see someone who has such a bright future slip away from the path for a second. So, this week I am going to work hard with him and get him to go on a mission. This work that we do on the mission is way more important than any other thing we can do here on earth. President David O. McKay said that the greatest responsibility that we have on this earth is to be teachers of Gods children. So gotta work with him so that he can have this experience. As I am here it really does change lives of tons of people including the missionary! I am so grateful to be here in the mission field, and to be learning and growing so much here in the mission. I love it. Well don’t have to much to write but I love you all, and if you aren’t doing some super fun stuff this last week before school starts again you need to rethink your life:)

Love Elder GrowswithTrees

Rodabough

Faith, and Cancer. A letter to my Grandpa and Grandma...

August 4, 2014

From Your Favorite Grandson,

Dear my wonderful Grandparents, I got the news and was completely awestruck. I am so sorry that this is happening to you, but I know for a fact that Grandpa is going to pull through this. I hope that you first off know how much I love you guys! You have completely changed my life, and are a huge example to me. I constantly think about you guys and am always praying for you. I know that our Father in Heaven loves you and wants the best for you. This is a trial and will help us grow physically mentally, and most importantly spiritually. We are so blessed to know that death is not the end, not even close. But it is not grandpa’s time. He will pull through this cause he is stubborn, and cancer cannot beat stubbornness. You guys are the best and I am constantly praying for you, I will be fasting this week to help the doctors hands and heads, so that they can come together with the inspiration of God to beat this cancer. Grandma stay strong, keep the faith, and never forget to pray. I am here always, and am always thinking about you guys even though I suck at writing personal letters. I hope you know how much I love you guys. You helped me so much to get out and stay out on my mission. I will be forever grateful for this. Please be safe and keep me updated on the news. I love you more than you will ever know and I am out here as a representative first for Jesus Christ, and second as a representative of our family. I am so proud to be a Rodabough even though it’s hard for people to say the last name here in Mexico. I have a great sense of pride every time I think about our family, and how great you guys have done raising so many wonderful children. Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you both of you guys in less than a year. Never forget how much your grandson loves you. Talk to you soon keep me updated. Love you.

Your grandson,

Elder Rodabough

Cancer Sucks, but miracles happen! My letter to my dad...

August 4, 2014
Cancer Sucks but miracles happen!

Dear Man from whence I came,

So I've been thinking a lot about you and I lately and I just wanted to shoot you a quick message first off telling you how much I love and miss you:) I haven't had a lot of time recently to write well hardly anyone. But I wanted to shoot you an email. 

First off I am so sorry that this is happening with your dad. I can't begin to imagine your pain. I could not imagine losing you first off, and I'm sure you feel the same about your dad... But, as a missionary it is my job and privilege to share with you the plan of salvation. We are all going to die, I'm going to die, moms going to die, Jax (our dog) is going to die, it's part of life as you know. I personally do not feel it is grandpa’s time. Miracles do happen! My companion Elder Vasquez had a lady he was teaching that had cancer too. She had been diagnosed with only a few months to live and was concerned with her salvation, so she wanted to talk with the missionaries and get stuff straight before she passed away. My companion Elder Vasquez had the prompting to give her a blessing. In that blessing he promised her a long life, and that she would be healed from her cancer, he had no clue why he said that but was guided by the spirit to do so. Well they left and came back to visit her a few weeks later. She shared with him the following experience. She had an appointment to get treated again for radiation, (it was her 1st time ever doing radiation) when she got to the doctors and they were scanning her body the doctor said, "well your finished with your chemotherapy??" she said, “no this is my first time…” and the doctor responded with "well you are 100% clear of any type of cancer"! Later they did more tests, and could not find a single piece of cancer in her whole body. It was a miracle. 

There are 2 things that are necessary to have a real miracle take place: 

1. It needs to be the will of the Father.

2. We need to have faith and hope sufficient for God to bless us with this miracle because it will change our lives forever.

I feel and have faith that it is the will of the Father that grandpa will be healed, but my faith is not enough for it to happen. Grandpa needs your help dad, and he needs your faith. Grandpa needs to have faith in God, not the doctors. It's way easier to have faith in the doctors, we can see them, we can see them working and doing the best they can, but maybe that's not enough. We need the help of the master, we need the still hands, and mighty power of our Father in Heaven. Through Him all is possible! 

           We can read in the Book of Mormon when the sons of Mosiah who were rebelling against their father, an angel appeared to them. Do you know why that was??? The prayer of their fathers, they needed that miracle; they needed that angel to appear to go to change their lives. It was all because of faith and hope that it would happen. God may have another plan, maybe it's grandpa’s time, but maybe it's not. Lets have faith that he is going to live!  Because I feel he will! But it doesn't just depend on me or you, it depends on many people, especially grandpa. He cannot lose hope! Neither can grandma! Miracles happen, not just little ones, but huge life changing ones. Ones that will leave us saying "God lives"! 

Love hangin with my dad

Now talking about you and me. When I get home I want things to be different. I want a better relationship. Not that we had a bad one, but I don't think that it was as strong as it could be. I want to have a stellar relationship, I want to go on trips, go camping, fishing, do all these things like father and sons. You’re my example and I want to have a lot of experiences together. I feel like we are short just a few super amazing experiences. So be thinking about that cause its gunna happen when we get back. Lets go to Alaska. Sounds fun to me, and it would be cool for you to go back. I love you so much dad.

Your son,

Elder Rodabough 

Trip to the Newport Beach, CA Temple

New Hoodie

Week # 40 Challenges

August 4, 2014

Subject: Challenges.

       So as many of you have heard my Grandpa Rodabough was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He is such a strong man and a fighter. I can just picture him saying "this stupid cancer isn’t going to win" haha! I love him more than I can ever explain, but I am very calm and at peace because now is not his time. He has been a huge influence on me, and will continue to help me grow and become a better man. And maybe if it is his time (which I feel it is not) he’s will have a great work to do beside our father in heaven, and our brother Jesus Christ. Grandpa you will be in my prayers and I will be fasting every other day to help show my faith. God is the master planner and whatever happens, it is the will of God.

       There have been millions of success stories with cancer, and this will be another! Modern medicine is amazing, and the doctors will do everything to get him back to normal. Just need a little bit of faith. And just remember that faith without works is dead. He is going to be fine I just know it.

       Well on a little bit of a lighter note. Today I will never be able to say "this time next year I will still be in Mexico." Because today I complete 1 year in the mission. I usually don’t like to talk about the time factor of my mission cause I feel like that rules the minds of every missionary. Like they are always living in the future and waiting for things to come and pass by, without actually living in the moment. This has been the fastest year of my life, and everyone says that the second year is way faster, and that scares me. I am not ready to come home, and face the real world yet haha. I love the mission and am learning so much. I learn more in 1 day here than I would learn in like a week in the real world. The mission has blessed my life immensely and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings! Life is good.

You are all in my prayers, and especially Grandpa and Grandma Rodabough, please keep them in yours.

Love your favorite Elder Rodabough, soon we will have 2 Rodaboughs in Mexico, congrats baby cousin on your call to Monterey, your gunna love Mexico.