Diamond in the rough 💎
Date
January 2, 2024
Area
Las Vegas, Nevada
Companion
Diamond in the rough 💎
One of those weeks where it feels like everything everywhere happens all at once. But it's been interesting, to say the least!
Life with two companions is pretty fun. They're a good couple of dudes, Elder Jensen and Elder Mulholland. We've had a blast so far.
Teaching is a bit strange to get used to with three of us, and it's easy to feel like a third wheel sometimes in those situations.
Our first dinner in the area, the guy got super political and wouldn't shut up the whole time. Mostly talked about himself, mentioned at least 3 times how humble he was. When I tried to politely ask if we could pray and leave (after spending way too long there out of politeness) he got so mad at me and stared daggers at me. It was kind of offensive at first, but we just laughed it off. Then I tried praying for him, and those grudges and offenses just left. If any of you are struggling to get along with someone, I highly recommend praying for them.
In this area we have a few people we're teaching, and we have one person who is supposed to get baptized this week, but he's having some reservations. So please pray for Carlos that he will progress towards baptism.
There's also Sandra, who is from Texas and has a really strong accent. She is nice and loves Jesus, but she's a little bit too into the movie the passion of the Christ. She's basically based her whole belief system on that movie pretty much. But she's cool, and she came to church!
(BTW, this zone is called South Diamond. So, hence the title).
I gave a talk on Sunday, I'll put it in at the bottom if you are interested- it's about giving Christlike service with our 'heartfelt all'
With 2 new companions, a new area and zone, two wards to cover, it's a lot to digest. But, I think that it'll be the start of a good year.
...
Besides the fact that on the first I sprained my wrist and got hit in the back. It's a good thing I don't believe in omens I guess. But, it doesn't matter where you start, it's about where you're heading.
Keep on Keepin' on
-Elder Rogers
P.s. here's the talk:
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters, its great to be here this wonderful Sunday morning! My name is Elder Rogers, one of the new missionaries in the ward. I'm from Salem Utah, and I've been on my mission for almost 15 months.
Today I've been asked to speak on giving Christlike service, and I'd like to base my talk on Elder Uchtdorf's message in the April 2022 General Conference, titled; "Our Heartfelt All".
In Elder Uchtdorf's message, he begins by sharing the story of the widow's mite. Only days before Jesus Christ gave his life for all of us, he was watching the people of Jerusalem make donations at the temple. What caught his attention was a poor, elderly widow, who gave a seemingly inconsequential amount compared to the large amount of treasures others were donating- just two mites.
To illustrate how small a mite is, I brought this replica of one that would have been used at this time.
(Raise up mite)
As you can, or probably can't see, it is very small. It's not surprising that such a donation may have not even been worth recording.
But this small donation caught the savior's attention, and impressed so that, quote;
"he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: “For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
Elder Uchtdorf uses this story to illustrate how the Lord measures our offerings to Him. The way Heaven measures things is a lot different to the way we usually measure. The Lord didn't judge the widow's offerings based on the effect it had on the treasury, but on the effect it had on the widow, who gave her 'heartfelt all'.
I now want to talk about how our own 'heartfelt all' can help us to give Christlike service.
In Omni 1:26, it says: " And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."
The Lord wants us to offer our whole souls unto him- but how is this possible when it sometimes feels as if we are stretched thin in every direction? Life can easily feel unbalanced amongst work responsibilities, church obligations, and family matters, all seeking our attention.
Elder Uchtdorf gives this advice towards finding balance- that staying balanced is all about moving forward, like how a bicycle or airplane can only work with momentum pushing it forward.
Our attention can only be in so many places at once- but if we have our purpose centered on Jesus Christ, He will be our momentum that carries us forward.
What can we do, then, to follow Jesus Christ with momentum? I believe the answer lies in the life of the Savior's ministry. Everything he did was outward, never inward. He sought to bless, uplift, and serve.
There is a well-known story from the bible, when Jesus Christ slept through an awful storm while on a boat with his Apostles. It says in Matthew 8;
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
What I wanted to share from this story, is that prior to this event, Jesus had spent many long hours ministering and helping others. It was not a supernatural power that allowed Him to sleep on the boat, it was pure exhaustion from giving HIS 'heartfelt all' to serving others.
So, how do we give Christlike service? How do we find the momentum to keep serving others the way Jesus did? The answer is "to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" by looking away from ourselves, and towards others, giving our 'heartfelt all' in our efforts.
Brothers and Sisters, I invite each of you to pray for opportunities to serve others, and to give your all in those opportunities.
As you do so, you will be fulfilling the first and greatest commandment, to Love thy God, for "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Pics:
Some pics on a mountain near where Carlos lives (I'm near nature for the first time on my mission!!! 🥲)
4 full bags of expired food we found in the apartment when I moved in
Some sunsets and pics of me and me comps
Life with two companions is pretty fun. They're a good couple of dudes, Elder Jensen and Elder Mulholland. We've had a blast so far.
Teaching is a bit strange to get used to with three of us, and it's easy to feel like a third wheel sometimes in those situations.
Our first dinner in the area, the guy got super political and wouldn't shut up the whole time. Mostly talked about himself, mentioned at least 3 times how humble he was. When I tried to politely ask if we could pray and leave (after spending way too long there out of politeness) he got so mad at me and stared daggers at me. It was kind of offensive at first, but we just laughed it off. Then I tried praying for him, and those grudges and offenses just left. If any of you are struggling to get along with someone, I highly recommend praying for them.
In this area we have a few people we're teaching, and we have one person who is supposed to get baptized this week, but he's having some reservations. So please pray for Carlos that he will progress towards baptism.
There's also Sandra, who is from Texas and has a really strong accent. She is nice and loves Jesus, but she's a little bit too into the movie the passion of the Christ. She's basically based her whole belief system on that movie pretty much. But she's cool, and she came to church!
(BTW, this zone is called South Diamond. So, hence the title).
I gave a talk on Sunday, I'll put it in at the bottom if you are interested- it's about giving Christlike service with our 'heartfelt all'
With 2 new companions, a new area and zone, two wards to cover, it's a lot to digest. But, I think that it'll be the start of a good year.
...
Besides the fact that on the first I sprained my wrist and got hit in the back. It's a good thing I don't believe in omens I guess. But, it doesn't matter where you start, it's about where you're heading.
Keep on Keepin' on
-Elder Rogers
P.s. here's the talk:
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters, its great to be here this wonderful Sunday morning! My name is Elder Rogers, one of the new missionaries in the ward. I'm from Salem Utah, and I've been on my mission for almost 15 months.
Today I've been asked to speak on giving Christlike service, and I'd like to base my talk on Elder Uchtdorf's message in the April 2022 General Conference, titled; "Our Heartfelt All".
In Elder Uchtdorf's message, he begins by sharing the story of the widow's mite. Only days before Jesus Christ gave his life for all of us, he was watching the people of Jerusalem make donations at the temple. What caught his attention was a poor, elderly widow, who gave a seemingly inconsequential amount compared to the large amount of treasures others were donating- just two mites.
To illustrate how small a mite is, I brought this replica of one that would have been used at this time.
(Raise up mite)
As you can, or probably can't see, it is very small. It's not surprising that such a donation may have not even been worth recording.
But this small donation caught the savior's attention, and impressed so that, quote;
"he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: “For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
Elder Uchtdorf uses this story to illustrate how the Lord measures our offerings to Him. The way Heaven measures things is a lot different to the way we usually measure. The Lord didn't judge the widow's offerings based on the effect it had on the treasury, but on the effect it had on the widow, who gave her 'heartfelt all'.
I now want to talk about how our own 'heartfelt all' can help us to give Christlike service.
In Omni 1:26, it says: " And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."
The Lord wants us to offer our whole souls unto him- but how is this possible when it sometimes feels as if we are stretched thin in every direction? Life can easily feel unbalanced amongst work responsibilities, church obligations, and family matters, all seeking our attention.
Elder Uchtdorf gives this advice towards finding balance- that staying balanced is all about moving forward, like how a bicycle or airplane can only work with momentum pushing it forward.
Our attention can only be in so many places at once- but if we have our purpose centered on Jesus Christ, He will be our momentum that carries us forward.
What can we do, then, to follow Jesus Christ with momentum? I believe the answer lies in the life of the Savior's ministry. Everything he did was outward, never inward. He sought to bless, uplift, and serve.
There is a well-known story from the bible, when Jesus Christ slept through an awful storm while on a boat with his Apostles. It says in Matthew 8;
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
What I wanted to share from this story, is that prior to this event, Jesus had spent many long hours ministering and helping others. It was not a supernatural power that allowed Him to sleep on the boat, it was pure exhaustion from giving HIS 'heartfelt all' to serving others.
So, how do we give Christlike service? How do we find the momentum to keep serving others the way Jesus did? The answer is "to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" by looking away from ourselves, and towards others, giving our 'heartfelt all' in our efforts.
Brothers and Sisters, I invite each of you to pray for opportunities to serve others, and to give your all in those opportunities.
As you do so, you will be fulfilling the first and greatest commandment, to Love thy God, for "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Pics:
Some pics on a mountain near where Carlos lives (I'm near nature for the first time on my mission!!! 🥲)
4 full bags of expired food we found in the apartment when I moved in
Some sunsets and pics of me and me comps
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