1/25/98
Dear Dad,
I think I’m going to be fat, I keep getting care packages and they feed us 3 buffet style meals a day.
Thanks for your letter and sharing your missionary journal with me. I have written in mine everyday. That’s about all I have time for at the end of the day is to quickly write in my journal and jump in bed before 10:30 p.m.
I really enjoy Sundays here at the MTC. It was a nice day today and we went for a walk around the temple and back. Also we have some good speakers and a fireside later tonight. It is nice not to have to go to class today.
I’m working hard on trying to learn the language, to strengthen my testimony, and to be a good missionary. I am very tired at the end of each day and barely fall asleep when the alarm goes off in the morning. I also attended my first temple session in Provo yesterday afternoon to end P-day. P-day goes from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. when I have class.
The celestial room in the Provo Temple is very beautiful, and as we came out , the sun was setting and it too was beautiful. We just stopped there on the front steps for about 10 min. enjoying the view, the freedom, and the lingering feelings of the temple.
We had a good church today. I gave the opening prayer and my companion gave a 5 minute talk. Pres. Jex our Branch Pres. gave a really good talk. He started out with Exodus 4 and Moses’s feelings of inability for his call and then ended with Doctrine and Covenants 50:24. The more obedient and working hard we are the more light we will receive as missionaries, It was a great pep talk for all of us.
They encourage us to write goals about our mission and what we want to accomplish here. I wrote an MTC list of goals in the front of my missionary handbook and a two year list in the back. I also wrote down a good scripture : Mosiah 4:27.
I really like this scripture and especially the part about ” being diligent that I might win the prize!”
Thanks for the letters Dad I enjoy hearing from you and your advise and encouragement.
Tell everyone I love them.
Take Care,
Elder J. Clinton Rogers
1/31/98
Dear Rogers Kromkruasaa,
How is everyone?
Thanks for the care package and letters and for sending my Cambodian Scriptures. We are getting serious about learning how to read Cambodian script.
First let me tell you a little about my week. Monday was a normal day of study. Tuesday was very special as we were visited by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve. Most of my district was able to get a seat in the gym where he spoke. Lots of missionaries sat in the other rooms and watched it on TV It was great! Sister Ballard spoke first and talked about how neat it was to see all of these missionaries and then said I know each of you have a good Mom who is home praying for you. She then took a couple of minutes and described how a mother prays for their missionary. I know I feel a lot of love and support from home. Especially from you Mom. Thanks, I love you!
Elder Ballard then gave the best missionary pump up talk I have ever heard! He talked about how important it was as a missionary to give the Lord your best each day and then report in with prayer each night. He made some great promises about how the Lord would use us and how it would prepare us for the rest of our lives if we gave it our best for two years. This week I have really tried to put that into practice. I came away from the meeting with a strong desire to be a better missionary and was amazed at what a powerful man Elder Ballard is. At the end of the meeting he had us raise our right hand in the air and then shake it. “There you can all say that you shook hands with me tonight.” It was cool!! Rumor has it the Prophet is coming to the MTC in May.
The next major thing that happened was within my own district. Elder Fairbanks has what I think is called a degenerative heart valve. He has had open heart surgery once or twice and now they are worried that he has out grown the valve. He left the MTC Thursday afternoon for a doctor’s appointment at the Uof U Med. Center. He is really worried that he won’t be able to complete his mission and he doesn’t want to have surgery again. We met Wed. night as a district and gave him a blessing. Elder Mihu his companion gave the blessing and all nine of us bunched up and participated. It was powerful and brought us together as a district. He came back Thursday evening and reports that he is staying until Feb. 10th. He then has to go in and have the wire run up from his leg into the heart to test the pressure in his heart and see how the value is. The decision will them be made about surgery or staying on in the mission. It is a sad thing and we are really trying to support him. I am thankful for my own good health. Health problems are scary. We put his name on the temple prayer role earlier today and as tomorrow is Fast Sunday , we are going to have a special fast.
I have had a good day today. Today is P-day, and it is just as busy as a normal day. I got my laundry done first thing and then went and played ball at the gym from 9:00a.m.-10:15a.m. It is fun. I especially like to hoop it up after a long day of study. Service was at 10:30 a.m. Last week Elder Hoare and I dumped all the trash from the 4- floor dorm. This week I swept out each bathroom on the 4 floors. It’s work, but it is a nice break from sitting on a chair all week. Then up to the temple for the 1:30 session. It was clear full and I set on the back roll. The lady at the desk on the way out said that they had done work for 2200 names already and the last session was at 6:00 p.m. It is busy. From 3:30-5-30p.m., I have free time, then dinner at 5:30 p.m. and class from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Bed at 10:30 p.m. Then Sunday my favorite day of the week to wake up to.
I am doing good. I feel good. I’m tired at the end of each day and sleep feels like it lasts ten minutes. My health is good, no problems. I also hit the weights a little after playing ball each gym time. My companion and I are having fun and working hard. I like his Auzie accent and daily we find words or things with different names, that we say different. Like: trash can in U.S. = rubbish bin in Auzie land.
Candy = lolly. It is funny. I try to use them when I can, my companion and Elder Williams get a kick out of it and so do I. I think I missed the outgoing mail so I will continue.
2/1/98
Wow!, Sundays are great! I have been in a MTC mission conference meeting this morning. There were some great speakers and some good songs. We sang ”Faith in Every Footstep” and “Army of Helaman”
it was awesome. There were some talks from the MTC leadership, and they even called 3 missionaries from the crowd to come up and bear their testimony. They have these mission conferences every Fast Sunday. MTC Pres. Williams said something really interesting. The entire missionary division of the church met on Tuesday under the direction of the Prophet. NEWSFLASH: Starting soon all newly baptized members of the church must be confirmed in a sacrament meeting. This is to help with member retention. So if you don’t know this already Dad it is coming soon. I thank it is a good thing and that it will help.
My most favorite talk was about the importance of dreams. Dream about what you want to accomplish out of life and then go and do what is required. I have many dreams and many goals and desires that I want to accomplish. I dream almost every night here at the MTC. I wonder if it is because I concentrate so hard that my body is exhausted and my head is still going 100 MPH . Dreaming is important but then the kicker is to work hard, be obedient, and learn from the example of others. Also nothing that is worthwhile is accomplished easily.
Thanks so much for your love and support. I love all of you and think about you each night as I look at the family picture hanging up and write in my journal. Keep up the good work.
Your missionary, son, and brother,
Elder J. Clinton Rogers