Week # 74 Dreams and Interviews. (Week 97 in the field)

So this last Saturday we had interviews with Pres. Hall it was my last regular interview with him so that was weird. We joked around so much. I know I was called by revelation because of how much I've learned from president. When I look at president it makes me really think about what I want in life, and the type of discípulo (I don't know how to say that in English) I want to be.

List of important things that president says I need to do when I get home.

1. Tell my mom to find me another room in the house, so I don't fall into bad habits.

2. Tell my bishop I need a calling.

3. 30-45 min of scripture study every morning

4. Find a job that requires me to get up early in the AM

5. Give some type of service everyday.

I love interviews with president.

I had a dream Saturday night that will remain very close to my heart for a very long time. I had a dream that I was ending my mission and that I was at the airport with all the people I've taught here in Mexico, and that every single one of them was active in the church still. The joy I had in that dream was a joy that I have never felt in my life and one that I will never forget even though it came in the form of a dream. And it just makes me think of "D&C 18:15-16 "

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

So grateful for this opportunity I've had to share the gospel for 22 months thus far. I look forward to giving it my all the last change that I have left. Like the old saying goes There is happiness in Obedience. I can testify to that cause I've lived on both sides of the spectrum and it's much better to be on the happy side.

I love you all so much, Strive to find yourself on the right side of the spectrum always.

Love Elder Rody

And always a little bit of soccer to end the week right.

Week # 73 (of posting on the blog) "Family Life" (week 96 he has been in Mexico City)

So this week was a really good week! We are finding a ton of new people to teach and it is awesome:) Me and my companion are destroying it in this area its awesome. We brought 14 people to church this week. We have found 6 new people who want to get baptized and all will be able to within 2 or 3 weeks so that's super cool. I love to see and feel the Lords hand in my daily life. He is always putting people in my path and the Spirit is always there to give the words so they can come to know the joy the gospel brings into our lives.

This week we found a lady that told us if we can heal her soul she will convert to the church. We talked with her the day after we found her, and she just bawled to us for like an hour and just explained her whole life story. She's an huérfano (idk) how to say that in English. And her kids are nuts and she just doesn't know why she cant forgive anyone. It's just a really sad thing to watch so we gave her a Book of Mormon with like 50 scriptures marked inside about forgiveness and charity and other things. Then after we left we saw her in the street, and she was crying saying she read the book and it was so beautiful and that she knows its a true book. It was so cool to see a change happen in just 1 DAY!!!!

And then last night we had our meeting with the ward mission leader and he told us he doesn't want to be the ward mission leader. He doesn't want to go to church, and he wants to leave his wife and 2 little girls. It was nuts and I wasn't gunna say anything, but then I got a prompting from the spirit super strong, and to be honest I ignored it, then it came back even stronger and I opened my mouth and the words just came spewing out and idk what I said but we all ended up crying and the ward mission leader says he is going to keep trying with his calling, and especially with his wife and family. It was so cool to see the spirit working though me to help the members. 

It's so easy to forget how hard life really is when your here in the mission, because literally I'm in a bubble and super close to my Savior. I´m protected by the rules I have, and I live off the money that I get from the church. I don't have a worry in the world. I'm sure that after the mission it will be harder than ever, BUT, I know more now than ever what it takes to keep a family together and how to check myself to see if what I'm doing is right or wrong. I will always follow the rules of the church because it is my protection, and its not going to be easy and I'm sure I will fall short sometimes, but it will protect me and it will always help me to keep my priorities straight and protect me and my family.

Choose the right always. 

Love Your Elder Rody

Week # 72 Pics are worth a thousand words (week 95)

Super busy week this week. I'm doing super good. Don't have a lot of time but church attendance has already grown, almost doubled since I got here in two weeks.


My companion is super siick. He loves soccer as much as I do. He likes to have fun and we both love to work really hard. We talk to a ton of people about soccer and it leads them in to talk about the gospel.

He is probs one of my favorite companions. We had 7 new investigators at church a 5 less active families. I'm feeling good about my mission.

Love,
Elder Rodabough

Week # 71 Taking time to smell the flowers here in Rosas (pun) (really week 94)

So this week was super good. It was raining like crazy here everyday, and we are working super hard. President sent me here to pic this ward up cause it is like self-destructing to be honest. It was at like 80 people in church like 2 months ago and now only like 45 people are going weekly... President usually just sends me to hard ward to get people hyped and loving the gospel again.

My comp is sick we are seriously just joking around all day long in the street. And all the people in the streets that sell tacos or tortas all know us cause we talk to EVERYONE. We played soccer the other day and contacted 30 kids that literally love us now. 

We baptized a 85 year old lady that is seriously thee funniest lady ever haha. She had to get baptized face first cause she is so old she can't bend over it was awesome. She hugged me for like 5 minutes after telling me that she had a miracle cause she couldn't bend her legs, and she had a raging headache and when she entered the water she felt like she was way younger again. It was awesome. When she was confirmed she cried for like 10 minutes straight in front of the whole congregation. So cool.

We had a mission conference with Elder Christensen and Elder Piper. SO many amazing answers to my prayers. I don't have my journal so I can't write exactly everything but I will include them in the next weeks email.

Oh and yeah we took a selfie on my camera (foto cred. Graham) and it turned out sick.

And the baptism of Amparo.

See you guys next week Elder Rody

Week # 70 I love MOTHERS but I miss Elder Graham....

(Side Note From Mom; if I would have started his blog right when he left he would be at 91 weeks!)

SO today was changes and I finally finished my ministry here in Coacalco. I had 7 1/2 months there and I'm sad I finally left. I baptized 9 people there and its always super sad leaving your converts and members when you change areas. But, the good thing is that my comp and I are already hommies. He was in my district for a long time, and we are already getting along super great. It will be super sick to end my mission with him though. We are gunna kill it together haha.

Talking to the family was too amazing. It is just amazing to me how much the mission has changed me (and my brothers voice) it has just really put into perspective that family and the gospel are the most important things in my life and that's how it should be. I never get sick of talking to my family. I seriously love them so much I have the best family ever. It will be dope to start my own family some day.

Got to talk to the Graham family and they are super cool, and really nice. Graham got moved to assistant and he totally deserves it, he has helped me a lot personally and is a great example for me. And just a really good buddy. gunna miss the crap out of him not being in my area.

Had a couple of super powerful experiences this week but my words don't do it justice so you need to ask me about them when I get home...(another side note from mom: he tried on mothers day to tell us about these experiences and was so choked up, spirit so strong he couldn't even share them)

Pics: Daniella was baptized!!!!!!!!!!, And our selfie with the bishop haha, and the family I baptized like 20 months ago.

Love you all!

Elder Rody

Week # 69 Crazy Quince años! y Kimberly

   So this week was super fun lots of photos. I think this will be my 2nd to last week in this area. We went to a 15 year brithday party. So here the 15th birhtday is like nuts, they go hard, the godfather and godmothers here throw the parties and they make it awesome.

We were only allowed to go for like an hour, but it was just nuts like i cant explain. Elder Graham wanted to take pictures, so we like went in front of like 200 people to take a picture with this girl Daniella, SO AWKWARD. Just like 4 missionaries taking pictures in front of like 200 people just awkward as heck. Daniella is going to get baptized either this week or next:) so she loves the gospel a lot. She is going to be such a strong convert!

 I love the ward here and we are finding so many new investigators. We played soccer the other day and found 12 new investigators in 1 hour it was nuts:) I love soccer more than ever to be honest. I love the gospel more though, for sure. This weeks district meetings topic was humility. So I dressed up as a hobo and taught the class in my hobo suit. It was dope I will send pictures on Monday:)

I just love the mission the more the months go along. 

      Que tengan bonita semana todos! 

     Elder Rody

(side note from mom, he is a DL now) 

       

     

       

    

   

     

Week # 68 I love banda, I'm Mexican.

 

So yesterday in the sacrament meeting this homeless guy just comes in the church, and is just standing up in the middle of the meeting. He was in the middle of the isle, and nobody wanted to say anything so I was across the room and went over and sat by him... He smelled so bad, it was the hardest thing ever to stop me from gagging in the meeting... But after ward he followed me around and everyone in the church like hated me cause they thought he was my invesigator even though I have never seen this guy in my life. Good times. 

I destroyed everyone in volleyball today with the help of Elder Graham. We found a bunch of new investigators, and we got free cake from them on the daily. It rocks. Also, we had a bunch of other invesigators in church and I feel bad because of the stench of this homeless man. But we are working super hard! And I got my flight plans and I'm nervous cause it is all coming to a close and I'm super sad.

 Lifes good. 

And yes I also do service projects. And this guy is a super funny guy from Tijuana, and he is always drinking liqour. I call him El Jefe.

And the bird pooped on my hand...

Love Elder Rody