Hola familia,
How is everyone doing?! Thank you for ALL the
letters I got this week... you better settle down on the love...my companion
gets sad when I have a pile of 10 letters and she has none. JUST KIDDING.. keep
'em comin'!!! ;) I LOVE IT!
This past week has been a rollercoaster of
emotions. It was scary and sad, but yet beautiful and amazing all at the same
time.
I don't want to worry my sweet family back
home, but I want to tell you about something that happened recently in our
mission...just so you can keep the Ward family in your prayers. It hurts me to
say it, but one of our precious elders lost his life this week in a car
accident. His companion was driving, but we've heard that his companion is
okay. I had the privilege of knowing the elder that passed away. He was
such a sweet guy...his name is Elder Ward and he is from California. He
actually came out to the mission field with me on the same day...so we were in
the MTC together as well as in the mission home. There is no doubt in my mind
that he was needed to do missionary work beyond what he could have done here.
It has been a tragedy, a devastation really, to our whole mission. But it's
amazing, because now when we teach the Plan of Salvation to our investigators
we have someone special that we can always keep in our hearts. Elder Ward will
be missed, but the work must go on! Please keep his family in your prayers, I
can't even imagine how his mom's heart must feel...but it takes me right back
to Alma 26:27.
On a happier note...a lady in my ward, Sister
John, and I got to talking and guess what I found out?! She used to visit teach
Jenny Busby (Malcolm's wife) when she lived in Tucson! WHAT?!??! CRAZY, right?!
In the Pantana ward. Anyway...it's a small world and it's getting smaller with
every passing day.
It's so unfortunate, but Sany and LeAnna have
not yet been baptized. LeAnna is solid, but Sany is losing his confidence. We
waited and waited for him to show up to his baptism interview but he never did.
That was devastating for us as missionaries because we love him so much and we
want what is best for him! The adversary is working hard on him, but Sany is
strong and will get through it. Hebrews 10:35 reads "Cast not away
therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward".
CONFIDENCE IS KEY. Confidence in yourself, but most importantly...confidence in
your Heavenly Father.
RAIN RAIN DON'T GO AWAY.....
It has been so stormy lately...and everyone is
complaining but I just LOVE IT! Thunder like bombs..the best. The BOMB BOMB
DIGGITTTTTYYYYYY! (k how do you spell that)
ANYWHOOO.
We are meeting with LeAnna to finish her last
lesson and she is scheduled to be baptized on the 21st of this month! Keep both
her and Sany in your prayers! Sany is scheduled to be baptized on the 28th! We
are meeting with the Harmon family this week (we had to cancel our appointment
last week) so we hope to start the missionary discussions with them. Pray that
Derek's (the father's) heart will be softened. ALSO we are helping a young man in
our ward who has just been called to Peru to teach the discussions! So that's a
lot of fun! And then we are helping a man who wants to go to the temple...he is
a bitter old thing...but he's getting better and he has REALLY opened up to
Sister Gray and I. We love him.
OCCASIONALLYYYYYYY I WANNA TALK ABOUT MEEEE!
Country song, anyone? I don't know music, the missionary veil has really gotten
to me. Who are my friends again? What kind of music did I listen to? Heck...WHO
AM I?!?! Was there life before this? Who knows...I guess I'll find out in like
15 months. It's fine…tell Tor that there is a Chik-fil-A by our house and we go
there all the time and Costa Vida too. WOOT WOOT! Did I mention that I'm fat?
I almost forgot! The other day someone rolled
on into the VC and asked where I'm from and I said Mesa, AZ and then he asked
if I knew Jacob Stradling and I was like...
HOLY CAT, YES I KNOW HIM! It's a smallllllll world after all! (Becky, if you're reading this...keep your comments to yourself) ;)
HOLY CAT, YES I KNOW HIM! It's a smallllllll world after all! (Becky, if you're reading this...keep your comments to yourself) ;)
Baby Alba is just beautiful. I can't wait to
meet her and hold her for myself. Our family just keeps growing and growing and
GROWING! I love it!
I REMEMBER PIKE PLACE! I miss Washington so
much...Mom, if you love me...I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father wants you to send
me there to live with Tom & Linda ASAP. What do you think? Yes? No?
I almost didn't recognize Tristan! He looks so
old! Is he talking? I sure miss those boys...it makes me sad, yet happy each
time I think of them.
I am in the process of writing everyone back,
so expect letters this week!
Well family, I love you very much and you are
ALWAYS on my mind. Always, always, always.
I am well, and I pray you are too.
I love you, I love you, I love you....
xoxox.
Sister Rodriguez
