5-13-2019 - Happy Mother's Day

Hey everyone, 

Happy Mothers day to all of the Mommas out there. It was great to be able to talk to my beautiful mom and grandma's yesterday. 

This week was good. It has been pretty tough whitewashing into the new area and starting over. We've spent a lot of time this week just getting to know lots of the members and trying by lots of the old people that they have taught in the past. We had a little bit of success and we set a baptism for June 8th with a 18 year old we are teaching. His name is Jordan Cogburn. Other than that we have just been trying to find 24/7 those that are ready to accept the Restored gospel. We found about 5 new people this week that we have return appointments with. And hoping that it all works with them! 

Sorry for the short one this week. If you want more details ask my fam.😅 

Love yall have a good week

Pics

1. Elder Van Tassell and I

2. The Kelly's from 2nd ward

3.The great and abominable building

4. Elder Jensen

5. Elder Bauer

6.  Eastman's❤

7.  The Smith's

5-6-19 ~ Whose your Daddy?

Hey family and friends,

I'm gonna skip right to the juicy stuff. Last night we got our transfer call and I found out that I will be going and whitewashing into the Abilene 3rd ward area and the YSA branch area. I will also be training a new missionary( Elder Van Tassel).  And I will also be the District leader. I am very very sad to leave Abilene 2nd ward because of the many people that I love and care about here, but I am excited for these upcoming transfers for the challenge of everything. 

This week was good. I have been feeling lots better than last. We were able to get out and visit lots of people and be able to share the good news. We were able do have an amazing baptism for the Smith family. Definitely one of the spiritual highlights of my mission. The service was so powerful. We had about 120 people there and an undeniable witness of the spirit there. I have been so grateful and my testimony has truly been strengthened by seeing the power of Jesus Christ's Atonement lift, heal, and bind the Smith family closer together. 

The Church is true. The Book of Mormon is true. If you doubt that, pray about it because God will answer your prayer. 

Love y'all and hope y'all are good. Also feel free to send me some goodies😏 here's my address! 

-Elder Rose❤

 750 N Judge Ely Blvd #216 

Abilene, TX  79601

Pic

1. James Avery

2. Lil snake

3. Smith's baptism

4. After sports with the Abilene boys

4-29-2019

What a week. 

Monday after I emailed y'all last I started getting pretty sick to my stomach and having some intense cramps. But it kinda just came and left throughout the day until we were in a lesson later that night and it hit me like a train. I felt TERRIBLE. Ha so we went home and I just tried to lay down and go to bed, but instead of sleeping that night I was in and out of the bathroom throwing up and felt like I was giving birth cause my stomach just hurt so bad and especially my lower right side on my stomach. I immediately thought it could be appendicitis but then I thought that I could just have the flu since Elder Craner had it last week. So that was a long painful night.

But the next morning we had to go to district council meeting, so me not wanting to be a "wuss" got up and toughed it out through the meeting and lunch still just miserable because of my pain. But eventually we went to the ER. Spent a good amount of time in there (6 hours) and eventually they ruled out that I some acute appendicitis. So they gave me a nice little gown, threw me on an operating table, I called my momma, they pumped me full of drugs, and then I spent the night in the hospital, and spent all week bored in the apartment trying to recover from my surgery.  So it has been one of the longest weeks of my mission. But hopefully everything gets better this week. 

But on the positive note the Smith's will still be getting baptized this weekend. 

Love y'all thanks for the prayers. Have a good week.

-Elder Rose

4-23-2019 and 4-24-2019 - Surprise Surgery!

Monday afternoon, 4/22/2019, Elder Rose began to feel sick to his stomach, and he began to think that he had caught the stomach flu that his companion, Elder Craner had dealt with all last week. As the night continued, he felt worse and worse. It is my understanding, as his mom, that he called the mission nurse Tuesday morning and expressed that he was very sick. She, at first dismissed the worry, and told him that he and his companion had shared the bug. But, she told me later, that she had another thought, so she called The Church of Jesus Christ's of Latter-Day Saints Mission Medical Team in Salt Lake City. Between her feeling and what they had discussed on the phone, she talked to our Elder Rose again, and after having him do some tests while she was on the phone with him, she sent him to the E.R. around 3pm, Texas time. They originally weren't sure what was going on, because his white count was perfectly normal. 

After doing a CT scan, they discovered that his appendix was the source of the problem, and the appendix needed to be removed! So, Elder Rose called home around 6pm, Idaho time, after he got the ok from President Hales to call. Elder Rose's dad was on the phone with the mission nurse at the very same time. We were told that he would be having surgery because of appendicitis, and that we would be updated as soon as things were complete. What a nerve rattling phone call!

Many tender mercies occurred throughout the evening: Elder Craner keep me (Mom) in the loop with lots of pictures and texts. Sister Bergeson also was updating Dad. Then, a Brother from Elder Rose's ward in Abilene just happened to be his anesthesiologist, and he sent me (Mom) a text while they were in the operating room, and then he called me while Elder Rose was in the recovery room too! What a blessing!! I couldn't thank him enough, and I sure don't remember the whole conversation, but I do recall him telling me that Elder Rose was doing very well, and that the surgery was quick. I thanked him over and over, and he said, "That is what we do. We take care of each other."

Lots of tender mercies... The Lord is aware of us, individually, and wants to bless us. And it is through others that He does this. I believe this with all of my heart.

Dad and Mom, Ta'Lee and Ryan and Stockton all gathered together that evening, and after hearing the news that the surgery went well, we knelt in prayer as a family and gave thanks to our Loving Heavenly Father for the many blessings He has given to our family, and to our dear Elder Rose.

The last picture is from Saturday, 4/27/2019, and Elder Rose felt good enough to attend the ward party that was planned for Saturday evening, and the Abilene ward's Bishop's wife sent this picture to us through text to let us know that he was feeling better and looking better too. I'm sure that this has been a very long week for him, and I know that he was telling Sister Bergeson that he was feeling quite stir crazy. So, I am certain that getting out and about to do the missionary work that our Elder Rose has been loving to do was a breath of fresh air for him.

I'm so grateful to those that have kept us, as Elder Rose's parents and family, in the loop of his improvement. We can't thank those around him enough for all that they have been doing to love and care for our son. Many loved ones that we have never met.......

BUT are angels on earth.