Yes, it's true. I've reached 200 full days of missionary service. That's weird. To commemorate such an occasion, I took a totally real picture of me in a party hat celebrating. #nofilter

In other news, me and Elder Maxwell are having a great time! We've even got little in joke characters and stuff now! This week the work finally started picking up, and all of our hard work finally paid off! We have 3 new investigators this week. And because it's been a kind of dead area since before Elder Lock (my last companion) got here, this is a miracle. It was an absolute blast. Our first one is Ty. He loves movies and Star Wars. Like, he obsessively loves Star Wars. It's like me and Pokémon, but only with Star Wars. He's super interested in learning, and he accepted a Book of Mormon! After a long day if tracting, and lots of rejections, Ty was the very last door we tried, which I know is completely cliché, but that's how it happened so believe to achieve I guess.

The other ones include a girl with ADHD, which if you didn't know is what I have, and she's a blast! She looses focus on a dime that's been cut in half, so lessons can be a bit hard but she's really.... Wait.. What was I talking about again?

Oh yeah! Our third new investigator is named Chaz. He's like the most built 18 year old I've ever seen in my life. He could snap me in half if he wanted! But seriously though, he's super chill and I like him a lot.

I know that's not a large enough email for you though, so let me tell you something fun to end it that has to do with Japanese! Hooray!

While tracting this one lady opened the door and said, "ah, sorry, no speak english" and I asked if she spoke Japanese, and from there she said yes, but that she did not believe in Jesus, and then she slammed the door. I didn't think Japanese people slammed doors, but this one sure did! Boy was that great!

... I'm exhausted this week.

But I'll talk to you all next week with more updates! Happy trails! And here's to another 200!

-Elder Rogers

Some little creatures for your enjoyment

Dragon fruit vine with a green anole on the concrete fence post

This weeks email is as big as the ocean I'm in the middle of right now, so bear with me, and try not to get killed by that psycho carjacker guy.

So, first off, I went to the Disney resort this week. One of our members took us there for dinner because they have connections! So not only have we been to it, we've been in it! The food was so great! Disney really does know how to entertain. Also they bought out 20th Century Fox. When I find out who it was at Disney that made that happen I'm going to hurt him. Now I have to worry about Alien products showing up in Disneyland! That's awful!

So, as many of you know, my new companion is Elder Maxwell of sweet home Alabama! To tell you the truth, he's a great missionary, and I'm honored to be able to have this chance to serve along side him! We get along great, and already have our own little inside jokes and stuff! We've been tracting all week, and aside from a few potentials and a homunculus car sticker, we have not seen much success. We are both working as hard as we can though, and are united in the work despite having different interests. He's a football and sports guy, but he likes rap, so that's a thing. He's way funny too. I think we'll definitely be great friends, and like I said, we're keeping very busy out here! So busy in fact, that I collapsed from exhaustion on Sunday and had to sleep it off. I've been feeling really dead at night lately, but I'm sure it's just because I'm not used to working so hard. It's going to be such a fun transfer! Lots of good hard work in store!

In other news, I got an Akibento box! A whole slew of anime goodies came my way, but I think overall I'd prefer a loot anime box instead. I think if I ever decided to do it again I'd go for loot anime box. (I think I'll wait until I get home before I do it again, as fun as it was.)

I had a surprise visit this week from Russell and family.  It really threw me through a loop, but I loved the experience!  It was really great to get to see them.  I hadn't given a hug to a family member in six months.  That was weird.  But hey!  I got to see my cousins! It was more awesome than weird.

On exchanges with Elder Ellsworth before he left at transfers, I was able to teach a Japanese family about missionaries and what we do-IN JAPANESE! It was such a blessing to be able to use my studies to preach the gospel, and I pray I will know the joy of having similar experiences in the future!

I'm really getting to know and love the people of Hawaii, and I'm starting to love this island a lot!

Until next week, this is your favorite idiot, Elder Rogers, Signing off!

Saying goodbye to Elder Lock as he heads to Kauai

Elder Deadman

Elder Ellsworth

Surprise visit

Elder Maxwell and I with Cody, Wyatt and Hanks

Aulani

Akibento box

The adventures of Elder Rogers' continue......

So, a lot went down this week. I'm pressed for time currently so I'm going to just go through this as fast as I possibly can, so that all of the information gets to you.

So, as I'm sure you've heard, Oahu had a bit of a mishap the other day. Somebody who is really, really smart pressed the wrong button or something, and an alert was sent to phones all over the island that more or less read "Ballistic missile inbound. Take shelter. This is not a drill" which threw the island into a state of intense panic. As you know, there is no safe spot or point of refuge on this island, so in the event of a real situation like this, no shelter you could take would help you. Everyone on the island would die. A singular ballistic missile has the capacity to wipe out all of Oahu. It doesn't help that there are, like I said, no safe spots whatsoever. The point is, a warning doesn't do anything. In the event that this was real, there would be no survivors and no Oahu.

Let that sink in, and know that Hawaii is in full range of North Korean missile force.

I wasn't really so much afraid as I was just disappointed to be honest with you. I just made a video saying "if you find this here's my last will and testament, I love my family, goodbye" and waited to die. We found out it was a false alarm, but it has everyone here on island all up in arms about emergency preparedness. I don't get it though, because it doesn't matter how prepared you are, if a ballistic missile hits Oahu the entire island would be wiped out, you wouldn't need supplies because you'd already be dead. There is no place to hide and wait it out. That's like knowing a nuke is dropping on your house soon and saying "Well, we better run to Costco and get some more water! We'll hide in the basement and have a survival plan!" Food can't help you if you no longer exist because you've been obliterated. But, oh well, I guess it's good to be prepared anyway.

Like I said, it was a false alarm, but it was still pretty scary.

It kind of made me feel grateful to be alive in that respect. I never knew how pretty the dead side of the island was before. I sure am glad THAT IT IS still here! Gee whiz! It's so great that I'm not writhing in agony and horribly disfigured because of a freaking missile right now!
That's a real blessing!

So, all of that aside, this week was transfers, and I'm still here. In Makakilo. Elder Lock is going to Kauai though, so that's cool. Elder Campbell is actually returning, but not my companion. My new comp is Elder Maxwell. All I know about him is that he has the name of a Scribblenauts character, and that he's from Alabama and loves football a lot. I haven't met him yet, so I'm open and excited to see how we'll get along. Let it be known however that Elder Rogers is slightly frightened about this. I'm sure it will work out. He seems nice enough anyway, and we're already friends on Facebook, so I think I'll be fine, after the initial shock and terror of having to talk about football of course. In all seriousness I'm looking forward to it. Elder Deadman loves the guy, so he's gotta be pretty cool. That all goes into effect on Tuesday.

Now then, now that all the formalities are out of the way, let me tell you how cool it was to be a missionary this week! I spent a lot of time at the hospital this week. Not for myself, because I'm not sick anymore. Now I just get stress headaches. Not eyesight headaches anymore though, because now I have glasses. I refuse to show you a picture of me in glasses because I'm evil and enjoy keeping you in suspense. Also, I feel like I look dumb in them, and low self esteem has the final say in the matter.

That aside, this week was really monumental in that I got to use Japanese, to teach somebody.

Yes, folks, the day has come at last! It was on exchanges with elder Ellsworth.

Unfortunately, I can't write anymore right now so I will have to tell you about it next week.

Aloha!

Elder Rogers

A Machine for Pigs (18+)

Well, last week I said I would finish the Q&A from last week. Well, here we go, before I get into this week's content, and before you all get scarred for life from the imagery you're about to see, let's answer some questions! Yaaaaa-
How has your testimony grown since leaving home? What is your favorite thing about being a missionary? Least favorite?

Good question! Well, my testimony was never put under as much pressure as it has since coming out here. Whereas prior to my mission I always knew without any doubt that the gospel was true and that the Savior loved me, my mission was the first time that seriously tested that knowledge. I'm not sure if this was the case for you or if it's the case for other missionaries, but for me at least, it was and continues to be the most taxing and spiritually draining trial of faith I've ever had, because it introduced me to doubt. In case you don't know what exactly I'm getting at here, in Dragon Ball Z terminology, occasional defeat is necessary for growth. Every time a Seian looses a battle, they undergo immense pain, but they also become immensely stronger after the fact. In fact, some of the characters place themselves in trying circumstances on purpose because they know it will improve them in the long run, in a literal sense, it will make them stronger. Or as the movie Rango puts it,

'The hero cannot exist in a vacuum. What we need is a dramatic, unexpected event, that will propel the hero into CONFLICT'

With those trials of my faith, I am constantly forced to make a choice to stick with what I believe, or abandon it. This is a constant struggle, but it comes with the benefit of allowing me to constantly remind myself of what I already know. Doubts are like really easy quizzes. You already know the answer if you've studied, and if not, fear not, because life is an open note test. If you already know the answer to a test question, you don't over think it, you answer quickly and move on the next one. Just like that logic, if you start to doubt what you've always thought of as a no-brainer, don't over think it. Just circle the answer you already know, and move on. If you can't do that, either because you don't know the answer or because you've been confused by what seems to be a trick question, consult the text book (scriptures) or just ask the teacher for help. The savior is a very good teacher. And he will not let a good student fail his class. Heck He won't let a bad student fail his class. I never really thought of it in that regard before, but my mission kind of forced me too in a way I wasn't expecting. Doubts were dismissed, questions were created and answered, and in a spiritual sense, my testimony went from Vajita Saga Goku, to Cell Saga Goku in strength. So that's what's helped it grow the most, if you get where I'm coming from.

About the other, subsidiary questions, let's see....

My favorite thing about being a missionary is the knowledge that what I'm doing now is helping others to make better choices. I've always had a great desire to leave a mark on the world while I'm in it. Not only as an artist or creator, but as a person. Knowing that something I did helped others to come to more happiness that lasts longer, and that they are now faithful members of the church, touches me, and in a way, it means I've accomplished what I've set out to do since, well, 9th grade, when Mrs. Jensen, (my teacher in film genre class) asked all of us in class to decide what our mark on the world was going to be.

Least favorite thing about it is being out of touch with all of my personal interests, and being ceaselessly ridiculed for said interests. There are so many things I want to watch, read, listen too, generally study, play, etc. That I can't. I have no doubt in my mind that the first two weeks after my mission ends will be spent doing nothing but catching up on what I've missed. Because, there's a lot. Like, holy crap the world of games and movies moves fast. And it frustrates me. Anybody I could start a conversation about gaming or anime with is so far ahead of me this point that it becomes almost useless to try that approach. I feel like I'm no longer able to talk about stuff that I love with people, because I'm no longer up to date with the things that people in those communities are talking about. It sucks, and I hate it.

The other question was about how often I do my laundry and when the last time I did it was, which I'll answer even though it sounds like it was an insult about my hygiene. I did my laundry today. I do my laundry every p-day. I'm not a disgusting person. The end.

Now then, let's address the elephant in the room, shall we? I'm assuming your reaction to my title this week and the 18+ warning in the front probably worried you, and it should have, because the rest of this email is not for the faint of heart.

I'm warning you right now that if you are squeamish, easily scared, or in anyway made uncomfortable by blood, I not only urge but command you to stop reading this right now and go do something else, especially don't view the pictures this week, they will kill you. Wait till next week. Don't feel bad about it either this is about to get very graphic very quickly.

I won't give you the details, I'll save those for my journal, but look out guys. Here come the pictures.

Sorry about the bad picture quality, I'm still figuring out how to transfer files and I'm short on time. You get the idea though.

Part 2: The Japanese Miracle

So I'm guessing you couldn't handle the pig pictures, and that's fine. To keep you all in the loop, here's the non life scarring recap of the week.

Most of this week was uneventful. I don't really have much to say in that regard. We have plans for a new finding idea that should net us some new people to teach, so we're excited about that, but when we are able to go out and elder Lock or I aren't sick, nobody seems to want to listen to us, though we just received a referral from some other elders, so I'm excited to get the ball rolling again at long last. The only real interesting things that happened were the things that happened today, and didn't involve a dying pig squealing in agony.

So, what did we do? Well, together with the Makalilo elders, we did the Pillbox hike. Luckily Elder Lock and I were feeling up to it, and even though neither of us really wanted to go, we went because the Nanakuli elders wanted us to. I'm glad we went, too, because while we were there, a massive group of Japanese tourists came in. I got the amazing opportunity to speak and be an example of the church to almost all of them. It was an amazing experience, and one that I almost let pass me by. The night before I felt the need to study before I went to bed. Like, study 日本語 (Japanese) I mean. I didn't know why, and it had been an unsuccessful day, so I was tempted to blow it off and just go to bed, but when the prompting came a second time, the advice of president Monson came to mind. As we know our beloved prophet has passed away, but one thing he thought us that stands out to me, is that he taught us NEVER to ignore a spiritual prompting, no matter how small or large it may seem. So, I studied Japanese for a full hour before bed. I didn't even write in my journal! I filled that in this morning, but you get it. And then, today, on my way down the hike after completing it, I got to use Japanese for a Christlike purpose. Let me explain. After the main group, there was one person who was struggling to go on, and it appeared as though she would soon give up rather than reach the summit. On this particular hike the summit appears far away for the entire journey, all the way to the very end. I turned to her and asked as politely as I knew how where she was from, when she responded Japan I said in Japanese: "from here, it's only a little bit further, don't give up!" she looked at me and said "just a little bit?" I said "yes." she then bowed and said in English: "thank you" and then away she went, walking with renewed strength. I realized in that moment that I had, in a way, just been able to fulfill my dream of using Japanese for a Christlike purpose. Christ was a friend first, and he always helped others around him. Granted, he did it in a much more significant way than I, but the simple "thank you" in English meant so much to me, it was proof I had done something helpful as a servant of the Lord. I shared the gospel through my willingness to help someone in need, and I finally got to do it in Japanese. Needless to say, I'm glad I followed that prompting and studied up, because it was preparing me for a wonderful chance to serve others. I'm very greatful for this experience, however small it may seem. In my eyes, it was and is a miracle and a source of personal revelation that I can keep going and that I should not give up.

Remember to not give up on the hike of life purely because you can't see the top. Hikes often become the hardest just before the payoff. Remember that, because it took a while for me to learn it.

Have a great week you guys! また来週!

Elder Rogers

Elder Lock and I 

The view from the top

Pillbox Hike

 

And so it has begun....

It's been a long 5 months. Almost 6 months now. I'm almost a quarter of the way done now, and- WAIT WHAT?!

I'm almost a QUARTER of the way done now. I.... Wow. I don't know if that went by fast or if it just took its sweet time. I feel like it went by fast. Like, super fast. But look at me, talking like we're already there, and we're not. The quarter mark will get here in its own time, no reason to be all bippity bippity boo about it yet. Anyway, this past week was a real messy one. The recovery from Christmas led to some problematic situations I suppose, but whatever. It's just been one of those weeks I guess. We all know the ones right? AHEHEHE-COUGH HACK WHEEZE

...oh yeah. Also Elder Lock gave his sickness to me. So that sucks. It was slowly making its way into me up until Christmas Day, but I was determined not to let it kill me. DETERMINED. I was gonna sound SO healthy when I got to talk to my family. And I did. Unfortunately, though I've been trying my hardest to stay healthy, it's gotten me. And as of right now I'm out for the count. I'm really mad about it too. This is not a fun sickness you guys. It combines all of my least favorite symptoms, because let's face it. There are sicknesses that interrupt your life in a way you can handle, and then there are these.

I... Hate.. These....

It's like, really personally invasive. And it does things in your sleep too. So that's friggin' great.

Ugh. Jeez.

Anyway, the rest of the week was pretty uneventful for those reasons. I went to the temple on Thursday though. So that was cool. Now you can see my group kind of. But anyway, that was the week in review. Just about the only notable thing in this entire week was when we met a member named Brother Wise. He went on his mission to Japan, so there was a lot of really cool conversation that happened there. I got to use my Japanese a lot. He had us over to make something called a Malasada. In case you don't know what that is, it's a Portuguese dessert with fried bread and enough sugar to give Michael Phelps diabetes. (I am so sorry if he actually already has that by the way, I can't Google it so I have no way of knowing.) Anyway, they are super popular in Hawaii, because, well... I have no clue why, they just are. Welcome to Hawaii folks. Kamaaina as it gets. So anyway, we made a massive amount of them, and delivered them around as a way of trying to find new people to teach.

We didn't find any new people to teach.

It was still a blast though, I'd count it as a plus at least. Please pray for me to get better this sickness will kill me. This is why I wanted a gas mask. Fingers crossed for my birthday. I never told anybody before, but I've always wanted one of those. This is just one of those oddly specific situations where it would have been useful. Key word "would have" it doesn't really matter now that I'm already infected. But that's about it for this week! Yay?

Anywho, last week we had a Q&A, and only my immediate family had any questions, so let's answer them! Get ready for some enlightenment youngsters!

Q&A:

Zac-"Do you have any in jokes in your mission?"

Yes, that we do. It kind of depends where you are or who you're with, but some of my favorites include the part in the district 2 where they try to teach the law of chastity and they fail hardcore, and basically that entire scene as well as the follow up scene are joked about constantly. "he uh... Broke it" We also have a lot of Scooby-Doo related ones. Elder Elsworth says "like, SCOOB" Almost daily. But that's more of a Maka kilo thing. Mama kilo in of itself is basically one big in joke in this mission. It's also known as the 'makakingdom' and is basically famous for being extremely disobedient at all times. It's looked at like the trash bin of the mission in a way. Yeah, I don't find that one as funny anymore. But yeah, that's kind of what they are, if you were curious.

Tanner-"on average, how many dinners do you have a week? What is your favorite and least favorite thing you've eaten?"

That, is a fantastic question. You should probably have dinners every night, but that depends on how many people in the ward like you. You shouldn't have dinner with the same family very often. About once every other week usually works. If they sign up too much, the other members tend to shy away, and that's bad because you need to get to know all of your members. The other risk you run if you do that is emotional dependency. This can go one of two ways, but either way it never ends well. Either you'll become dependant on the members or vice versa. It's OK if you like to be around a family a lot, but you'd be surprised how many horror stories I've heard about it, or how many emergency transfers happen because of it, or how much time gets wasted because of it. It's a mess that sucks to clean up. But, to directly answer the question, we have anywhere from 3-4 a week on average. Sickness being the main reason why. My favorite meal has been the ward Thanksgiving festival that happened. That was pretty cool. Emu turkey is the best, and these people know what they're doing when it comes to candied yams.... Also Kailua pig is a divine masterpiece, but we don't need to get into the details or I'll get hungry. My least favorite is easy as pie. A family in my last area made Lau Lau for us once and instead of pork they put Chinese sausage into it. It was so nasty. I shutter just thinking about it. That, and poi. Poi is completely TAROble (see what I did there) and I hate it. That's all.

Mom-who is the person (in either ward) that has made the biggest difference for the missionaries and what did they do?

Fellowshipers are the ones that make the most difference. These are the people that find people for the missionaries to teach in the ward boundaries, and then help them all the way through the conversion process. And then remain close friends with them for as long as you can. These are the people who aren't in it for themselves or even for the missionaries, these are the ones that are in it for their friends. Eternally speaking.
Other than that, Curtis Zeek has made the biggest difference to me. He's a good friend, and I loved being able to meet with him. He made the difference, because he was the person who needed me, and the beacon that showed me that I was called here for a reason. That, I dont suppose can be replipcated, because it's different for every missionary.

As for the other questions, and yes I am going to answer them, those will have to wait for next week. In the mean time though, I got a really cool picture of the fireworks last night with my new Sony a3000!

Oh, and sorry for mailing so late today. I've been doing service, all day. I'll explain next week, since I ran out of time today.

Cya!

Making Malasada 

Temple trip with my district

New Years' Eve Fireworks