July 29, 2013 - Hightstown, New Jersey!

People!  SUUUUUPPPPP?

Man, it has been a ridiculously crazy week!  I got transferred once again......still blows my mind!  I am now in Hightstown, serving in the Princeton Ward.  Man, I walked into church yesterday and was dumbfounded!  One, there was almost as many people in church as there was in the Utah wards, and two, it was JUST AS NOISY!  I was a little shocked in the beginning because I haven't been in a ward like this in over a year.  The people are AWESOME though and I am so excited to be able to serve in a super solid, family ward!!!!  My new companion is Elder Bell and I keep telling him that we are the goofiest companionship in the mission!  I am like 5'10" or 5'11" and Elder Bell is 6'9"!  He is almost a full foot taller than me!  It's hilarious.  WE have been working hard this week, living the dream of being missionaries.  Side note - his last companion was my BOY, ELDER HAFOKA!  HOLLA!  We will send pictures soon!
Last week I brought up a video that I had watched and we had the opportunity to use it while teaching a young man about the power of faith and prayer.  Needless to say, the Spirit flooded the room. Thanks again Sister Ricker, it was inspired!  It was amazing to be able to see that and not have a single doubt about God's Plan for ALL OF HIS CHILDREN.
I don't know how many of you have taken the challenge to use the prayer pattern, but each time I use it there is some bit of revelation that is given to me.  The Book of Mormon really does change lives.  It changes people, and the very nature of our souls.  AHHH I can't even describe the power that this Book, this Divinely written Book, contains.
Something that I have really been learning about is the importance of family.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but the thing that I did not take advantage of as much as I should have, was BEING family.  I learn and see everyday how much different peoples lives could be if they would simply do things as a family.  Even just reading the Book of Mormon and saying family prayer will drastically change everything.
You guys ROCK!  Thanks for all of the support!  I LOVE YOU!

Elder Rodeback

                                                                  Elder Gittins is going home!

                                                                                        Bubble guns!

July 21, 2013

Friends, Family.......SUPPPPPPPP?

It has been a straight up glorious week out here!  Every time people ask me what it is like to be a missionary, I tell them, "It is the best thing in the ENTIRE world and I would not trade this experience for ANYTHING!"  Amazingly, it is transfers again and AGAIN, I am being transferred!  I swear that I just got to Scotch Plains and I am now leaving.  I don't know where I am going yet, but I will find out soon!  I received a call from President Jeppson last night and I have been called as a Zone Leader!
We had some awesome things happen and I know that it was all based on the Lord.  If you pray for miracles, miracles will come.  Just look for them.  We have to look for the answers to our prayers.  We can't just sit on our rear and expect God to send us some random blessing because we are lazy and don't do anything.
I wanna just bear my testimony on how the Lord provides a way for ALL THINGS.  Christ said, "if ye will have faith in me, ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."  If we have faith in Christ we can overcome the world.  I know that to be true.  I know that by going out and doing, we receive miracles.  We are blessed with power. My mom suggested that I watch a video on lds.org today called "Endure with Faith".  I can't even tell you how much that strengthened my testimony.  It also made me cry a little bit, but my pride will just say it was allergies. ;)   Brother and Sister Ricker, you are a perfect example of courage and faith.
Every day, we are at war.  Every single day, we enter the war zone.  WE NEED TO GET UP AND FIGHT EVERYDAY.  When your feet hit the floor, Satan had better be screaming in misery because he knows that you are up and he isn't going to win!  I know that with God on our side we can do all things!  Let's do this!

Love you,
Elder Rodeback

Also, every one get on the Bible videos on LDS.org and watch the "Peter and John Continue Preaching" and look at the way Peter reacts throughout the video.  Peter is my hero and I want to be able to bear witness of Christ just like he does.  He knew it was war and he FOUGHT!  Back up, or get in!!!

July 15, 2013

GOOD MORNING UTAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been another glorious week here in the Dirty Jerz and man it has been straight up WET!  It rains almost every day.  It has been so crazy!  I wouldn't be surprised if we are hit again with another hurricane.  Elder Corbridge and I have been working hard together, trying to be the best missionaries we can.  We have this investigator named Brother Loyo who we have been trying to get baptized.  It has been a process!  HaHa! He is awesome and knows everything is true, he just won't come to church!  We had an awesome experience while on exchanges last week where we found a man that had been taught by missionaries for TWO AND A HALF YEARS!  Is that ridiculous or what?????  He lives with his daughter here in Scotch Plains now and he is amazing.  We taught him about baptism and he was very reluctant at first but by the end of the lesson he committed to get baptized.  He is one of the prepared.  All I can say is, "I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!"  The biggest way that missionary work has helped me is that I am learning to internalize the doctrines and they are becoming a part of who I am.  It is amazing what the Book of Mormon can do!  The Book of Mormon is the key to EVERYTHING!  If the Book is not true, then every single thing that we believe is wrong.  If it is true, then God the Father and Jesus Christ really did show themselves to Joseph Smith.  I honestly cannot describe the love that I have for the Book of Mormon.  READ THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERYDAY!!!  Give it five minutes and it will give you happiness all day!  That's all I have time for today guys.  Sorry I missed last week.  TOO MUCH stuff going on.  Also, SISTER TAYLOR JEFFERY, if you are reading this blog, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MISSION CALL!!!!!!!  WHOOP WHOOP HOLLLLLLA!!!!  You are gonna rock the house down in Mexico!

Love you guys!
Elder Rodeback

P.S.
Here is a study pattern to use when you read the Book of Mormon.  It rocks!
Pray, Read, Write, Pray, Read, Write, Pray
Pray about a question or something you want to know
Read in the Scriptures
Write down impressions and things that stick out to you
Pray and confirm what you have been taught is true, and thank God for it
Read some more
Write some more
Pray and confirm some more

July 1, 2013

Hey my Peeeeps!  Wass up, wass up????

It has been another glorious week here in the NJMM.  HOLLA ATCHA BOIIIII!!!  We had a whole lotta fun last week at the All Mission cOnFeReNcE!  We played some sweet games, did skits that were ridiculously hilarious.  Big props to my boy Elder Hernandez for putting down a zombie apocalypse missionary skit!  LOL! It was sweet!  Then we had the wonderful opportunity to hear from the Manhattan Temple President and man, did he share some pretty sweet stuff about the temple.  Elder Gittins and I went on exchanges!  (Yes, Elder Gittins and I have been reunited and we are lovin it!)  We were able to have a pretty productive day which ended with us throwing together a mission plan that we are hoping is going to change the missionary work in the Scotch Plains 2nd Ward forever.  We ran out of miles on our car last week so we had to go back to walking, and man did it feel GOOD!  I absolutely love the walking areas!  You have the opportunity to talk to so many people.  It is THE BEST!
Something I have learned in the last week is something super important.  My testimony was strengthened on when we put God and his will first, ALL things are possible.  I was reading in Alma 2 & 3 and man, they are some powerful scriptures.  In that section of Alma, it talks about Amlici and how he wanted to take away the liberty of the people and be a King like Noah or like Nehor.  So, he gathers up his followers and rebels against the Nephites and eventually it comes to a point where Alma and Amlici are fighting.  It gets to the point where Alma says something very profound, "Alma cried out, Lord have mercy on my soul that I may continue to be a tool in thy hands and preserve this people."  That is the part that really struck me.  He doesn't ask the Lord to save him so that he can do more of the things he wanted to do.  He asked the Lord to save him so that he could be a tool in the Lord's hands and serve his people.  He knew that if he had died that the people of Nephi would have fallen and would have been slain.  He wanted to live for their sake, not his own.  He truly sought God's will.  Our first and main priority should be to seek His will.  Not only that, but to improve our relationship with him.  Those two things should always take priority over anything.  I know and can promise EVERYONE that as we put these two things first, our entire lives will change DRASTICALLY!  As is says in Malachi 2 "Prove me now here with."  I DARE YOU TO PROVE ME WRONG!
I love you guys!  Keep it frosty out there!
Elder Rodeback

p.s.
Please do your missionary work!  Do your hometeaching.  Go on team-ups with the Elders and Sisters ALOT!!!!  And invite them over for dinner with a non member or less active member!!!  PLEASE!!!!!

                                                     Elder Velazquez's Farewell (next to Elder Rodeback in the white shirt)

                                                             Saying good-bye to  Brother Edmond Nzapa-Yeke

                                                                        Saying good-bye to Sister Sartore

                                                                              Manhattan Temple Trip

                                                           Burning the countdown calendar my mom sent - 1 YEAR!

                                                                                        All Mission Conference

June 17, 2013 - Transferred to Scotch Plains!

People of the West!  Gather round and lend me your ears!

First off, I have to say, I don't understand why, but every email I got today made me cry!!!  (thanks mama)  I started reading the letter I got from her last week talking about Dyl Weed's Birthday.  It just sunk in that he is 15.  It just blows me away at how much has happened in the couple of months I have been out.  (Side note from mom.....IN 10 DAYS IT WILL BE A YEAR!)   Then I read Dad's email about my other Grandpa's Birthday and I remembered being there last year!  Then Mama emailed me AGAIN and talked about Dylan getting his Patriarchal Blessing and I was like WHAT??????  It's crazy!
Well, I am sure that Mom told everyone where I am.  Scotch Plains is pretty boss, I am not gonna lie.  North Newark will always be No. 1 though. :)  We had a baptism on Saturday which was pretty BOSS!  I had only taught her once, but there is just something about being part of a blessing.  ESPECIALLY when it is a part member family.  Her name is Sofia and she is 9 years old.  She was so excited that she only slept for 2 hours the night before.  It was an awesome day!
Man, there was so many AWESOME things that happened last week and so many things that I learned.  The biggest thing that I learned that stuck out to me was this, GOD CHASTENS THE RIGHTEOUS!  I was thinking to myself last week, "Why do I gotta leave?  Why can't I just serve my entire mission in North Newark?"  Obviously, I accepted God's will.  It wasn't until today that I read something that made it all click.  In Mosiah 23, there is a verse that says the Lord chastens his people to try their faith and strengthen them.  Then I remembered the "God's Will" video.  "I am the gardener here.  I know what I want you to be."  I realized that and was like, "That's it, I am done.  No more will I question ANYTHING.  I will go where you want me to go."  I know that things don't really work out the way we want them to all of the time, but it is for our own good.
Back in Newark, there was an awesome experience that helped out a dear friend of mine.  This person lost their phone and really could not find it ANYWHERE!  I looked at them and asked, "Have you prayed yet?" When they answered no, I told them to go pray.  They then dropped to their knees, in the middle of the hall and prayed.  The phone was found within 5 minutes.  I know that as we show faith and love for God, miracles happen!

Be safe guys!
Love you!
Elder Rodeback

June 10, 2013 - TRANSFERRED!

Bon Dia!  (Bone-JEE-UH)  todo bein voce? (toodoo-bane voe-se)

WASS UP????  It has been a glorious week out here in North Newark and I am SAD to say, it will be my last week here in North Newark.  That's right, I have been transferred once again.  NOOOOOOOO!  I am super bummed to be heading out, but excited to be headin' to a new place to be able to learn and grow some more.  We had an awesome week last week.  We worked our tails off and got some work done!  Had a lot of less actives at church yesterday.  Also, Elder Thatcher will be follow-up training Elder McEwan.  He is super stoked and I am excited for him.  We continue to try and see Sister Estevez, but to no avail. Hopefully we can find her soon.
I learned some really cool stuff this week.  I had a really awesome experience yesterday that strengthened my testimony of prayer.  I was really down yesterday.  I have known for a little while that I would be leaving this transfer and it finally hit me yesterday.  All day I had been saying a prayer that some how, some way, I could stay and be comforted.  At about six o'clock yesterday, I had just finished saying one of these little prayers in my mind and all of the sudden a song popped into my mind.  It's a song from "The Works" and the lyrics go, "Children go where I send thee."  Right then I knew it was from Heavenly Father.  I knew that He was aware of me and even though I want to stay with every ounce of my heart, this time is not about me.  I realized that God has a place prepared for me.  He has a way for me to go that I need to follow and it's up to me to do that.  I know that will all of my heart, He hears and loves us.  He wants what is best for us, and like that country song goes, "sometimes the answer is no."

Love you all!
Elder Rodeback

June 3, 2013

Guys SUP????????????????

There is nothing worse than getting Strep Throat......HATE IT!  There was a dumb rain storm last week and I didn't wear a coat cuz it was warm and now, here we are!  I worked through it as best I could but yesterday it slapped me in the face HARD!  We have been seeing some amazing stuff happen in our area the past month.  I know that it is all because of the hard work we are throwin' down.  We had some of the less active people we have been working with show up which was pretty awesome.  We have really been trying to get them there.  Now we just have one family that needs to quit being so lazy! hahaha!
This past week has just straight up been hotter than Hades!  The second I walk out the door I am DRENCHED!  It is just ridiculous!
The biggest lesson I have learned this week is how a love for God changes us as human beings.  President Boyd K. Packer taught "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.  The study of the doctrines of the Gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."  Even though I have probably used this quote before, I continue to climb mountains and change my life with it.  A love for God brings a stronger desire to learn doctrine and learn the Gospel.  Just as that quote says, learning and using Gospel principles will change behavior faster than studying behavior.  A huge lesson that I have learned is that if we want to change our lives and feel God's presence more fully in our lives, study the Gospel.  Learn what God has done for you and then apply what you learn.  It is easy for us to change behavior, but pretty soon the old behavior comes back.  The only person that can truly change our nature is God and I know that comes by simply learning and applying Gospel principles.

Alright guys, peace out.....gotta run!

Love you guys,
Elder Rodeback