Elder Rodeback

Elder Rodeback

Monday, March 25, 2013

March 25, 2013

What's good guys?

It's been a crazy week here in the Jerz.  I'll be stayin' up here in Brick City.  This place is pretty boss if I do say so myself.  Even if the streets are just littered with trash and dog poop.  You ain't seen dog poop til you have walked the streets of North Newark.  We had a boss week which ended with Quilvania getting confirmed.  She was even asked to give a talk and I'll tell you what, she nailed it like a champ!  Elder Thatcher and I spent the transfer working through less actives and really trying to strengthen this area.  We have like three or four active members and a whole bunch of less actives.  We worked through that list and we did find a lot of people to teach.  Now it's time to start the smack down on finding new investigators!  It's gonna be kinda short and sweet today.  I did however just want to bear my testimony about the power of the atonement.  Quilvania, over the course of two months, changed her entire life!  I know that it was all accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit of God.  Again, I look at her and see the change and I realize that I had absolutely nothing to do with it.  I know that by the power of faith, miracles are brought about. I also know that the Gospel is meant to make bad men good, and good men better.  The Gospel is all about change and that is something I have learned while serving a mission.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to help us become more like Christ.  How do we do that?  We change the bad and absorb the good.  The Gospel helps us change our nature, to the nature of God.  Have faith in all things and the Lord will do the rest!

Peace out guys!
Elder Rodeback

Monday, March 18, 2013

March 18, 2013

What's happening guys?  Another jammin, heart felt letter from Elder Rodeback. :)

It's been one of the best weeks of my life period!  Even though it was a huge trial of faith, it really ended in two of the best ways possible.  I will start with HUGE miracles from God.  QUILVANIA IS BAPTIZED!!!!  (side note, when ever I get super stoked, there is one song that always pushes it's way in.  BANGARANG by Skrillex)  I have just been at a loss for words for the past two days.  Quilvania has struggled and gone through so much and to see her now, just being a BOSS!  She went home yesterday and started preparing for a talk she has to give next Sunday.  I am just blown away by the amount of faith this young woman has.
                                                                             Elder Thatcher, Quilvania & Elder Rodeback

We also had a less active family we have working with, come to church, which was BOMB!
Now, for the coolest part of my week, and a moment that I will never EVER forget.  Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, came and spoke to our mission.  Even cooler than that, he shook every single missionary's hand.  The whole rest of the day, I was just blown away.  Realizing that I had just shaken hands with a man who has actually seen Jesus Christ, brought me to tears.  I learned so much from him.  Probably the biggest lessons I learned was that we should truly be seeking not only the approval, but the acceptance of God, and NO ONE ELSE.  For a long time I sought the approval of others.  Then Elder Christofferson started talking about how the Twelve Apostles were so confident in the fact that God accepted them, that their humility was just amazing.  It was then that I realized, if we truly want to be humble people, we need to only seek acceptance of God.  It is the root of everything.  Confidence in ourselves and a humble countenance both come from knowing that God loves us for who we are, not where we came from or where we are going.  Hearing this Apostle's testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ, in person was one of the coolest things EVER!

Well my peeps, yalls are bomb!  Keep up the Rockin' Lives!
Elder Rodeback
p.s.  Suggested reading for this week..............D&C 121  IT IS AMAZING!

Monday, March 11, 2013

March 11, 2013

Friends, Family.........SUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPP???????
What's going on guys?  It's been another glorious, miracle filled week out here in the dirty Jerz!  Full of crazy amounts of work and miracles.  I have learned so much in the past couple of months (however long it has been) and I am blown away at how much I have changed.  I have learned how truly important it is to rely on the Lord in all things.  No matter what the circumstances.  I have also learned that when you are prompted, you better act on your feelings.  I was super sad to hear that my friend Kyson,  passed away a few weeks ago.  Although I was super sad when I heard the news, I know that he is on a mission of his own, and  I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I will see my friend again.
We had a super cool miracle last week.  We were teaching Quilvania and she stopped us mid lesson and said, "Elders, I gotta tell you something."  Well at this point I was fearing that she was going to tell us to not come back but instead she said," I have decided when I wanna get baptized.  I wanna get baptized on the 17th of March!"  I couldn't believe it!  She just set everything up for herself.  The Lord is hastening his work. Miracles are happening all over the place!


Transfers are a week from tomorrow and it blows my mind because the past couple of times, I have known where I was gonna go.  But this time, I have absolutely no idea!!  I heard from home that we have a new Bishop in the Mountainville 3rd Ward!  Bishop Mecham will be amazing!  I love him to death!!!!
It has been so crazy just being out here learning and growing.  I am so grateful for this Gospel and for the way it changes people.  If we give faith to God and give up the things we want, and truly seek him out, when we ask for answers to come, they will!  It is a promise from Jesus Christ.  In Moroni 7: 33 we are told that, " if ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."  I know this is true, with every ounce of my soul and spirit.  I promise that if we ask AND have faith, that we will receive an answer.
Shake "n" Bake Ricky Bobby!
Love you guys!
Peace.
Elder Rodeback