Long time no si

Josh on Mother's Day!

Hey,
Bye.


Jk happy Moms day to all the whimsically wonderful women in my life!
But fortunately, I have only 1 mommy! And she's the best! So much so
that I have decided to write a poem for her for lack of things to talk
about! 

For those who are not my mother and are curious about my
current life, this week was a lot of rescheduling but we did catch
George and Carolina! They are doing well! And finally progressing!


Well, without further ado, we will now begin!

Ahem....

I'm right here" she says with a sob,
"I know mom, I see you" I try to reply,
But all that comes out was a small baby cry,
She hushes me and snuggles me, kissing my face.
That's when I knew I was in the right place.

"I'm right here" she says arms outspread,
Step after step I stumble and fall,
A smile still present, she lets my tears stall,
Over and over I try and I fail,
"It's alright my baby you'll be great I can tell"

"I'm right here!" She shouts from the stands
"Hi mom!" I yell, from the field down below,
The ball starts coming I see where to go,
I kick and I miss, the timer runs down,
I still get a hug "soccer players don't frown"

"I'm right here" she beckons from inside the van,
I sprint to the car as fast as can be!
"Mommy mommy guess what happened to me!"
I tell her about the wonderful day,
She smiles and laughs in her best way,

'Im right here" she calls hand held high,
I walk really slow, I have to be cool,
I try to look tough while inside the school,
"How was your day? I hope it was good!"
I grunt in reply and put on my hood.

"I'm right here" she waves standing up
I roll my eyes and pretend not to look,
I thought she was home reading a book,
I try to ignore my mom being here,
After all it is my sophomore year,

"I'm right here" she whispers so lovingly,
"You can't help me mom, my life is done,
I am still surprised you'd call me your son,"
"I'll always claim you, you are a prince,"
I try to disguise my heart wrenching wince,

"I'm right here" I can almost hear her say,
I search the crowd, the gowns and the caps,
She sees me first, and I hear loud claps,
"I did it I did it! I knew that I could!"
"I know, my young man, I knew that you would!"

"I'm right here" she cries wiping her tears
I don't want to let go, she fixes my clothes,
"I love you" I whisper as tears fall from my nose,
I try not to look back, or let my shoulders sag,
I feel in a daze, and then I look down and see a black tag,

"I'm right here" my new companion yells,
My thoughts turn to her, does she miss me at all?
I hold back the tears, and try not to fall.
Mile upon mile, I struggle to go,
We try and try, hearing nothing but "no",

Nobody's there, I feel so alone,
I toss in my bed, with a creak and a groan,
Then I remember, what she always would say,
I roll out of bed, and begin to pray,

"Father", I say,
"I've had a bad day,
My faith is shaking,
My bones are aching,
But, Father, the very worst part,
Is the large hole Ive found in my heart,
My mother's not here,
She was from the first year,
Oh Father please save me,
Oh please can't you see?
I just can't keep it up, this is much too hard,
I wish that at least one soul would take my offered card,
Father, I need mother,
Someone to help me live another,
Please Father, I really hope you care,
But I think I've lost my testimony that I'm called to bare,

I close and wait, hoping she'll appear,
I wait for near eternity fore I succumb to fear,
I wearily crawl into bed, my aching soul now shattered,
I knew this whole two year thing never really mattered,
The tears now soak my pillow, my bitterness run dry,
When finally, I hear a Voice, that forces me to cry,

"I'm right here" is all I hear, My eyes roam all around,
But I simply cannot find the source of that glorious sound,
I can feel my mother, but more importantly my Lord,
It was His infinite love that struck that wondrous chord,

Suddenly the voice is back, giving me my hope,
It's like I have my mother here, helping me to cope,
I will praise my Savior, for every coming year,
For letting me have access to His Atonement dear,

"I have been there from day one, always by your side,
I was even present, when your grandpa died,
I saw you struggle up through life, and pulled you all along,
I sent your angel mother, to build you to be strong,

You are a son of God, a king you soon will be,
You will someday make it back to dwell here with Me,
Know I'll always love you, I'll be right by your side,
I have given you my spirit, to be your constant guide,

Now go and represent Me well,
Make all hearts around you swell,
Never let things make you blue,
And your Mother says she loves you."

Sorry if there are some typos or any other mistakes! I just wrote it
as fast as I could!
Love you ma!
Elder Rollins

All Good in the Hood

Hello everybody! 

So this week was the week of reschedules, on starting on Tuesday, every appointment we had was pushed back to yesterday. The problem was it was done day by day, always starting with us calling to confirm and then a thousand frantic explanations then a reschedule, so we end up trying to visit less actives and active members all day in the hot sun, Friday was especially good because I eventually ran out of short sleeved shirts. Hooray, and to put the cherry on top of that delicious sundae, my shifter on my bike broke 99% off, I considered repairing it by sending it to the glorious bike shop in the sky, but apparently bikes don't get heaven, so it looks like the other direction for my faithful steed. So I decided that today, I shall save the only companion who hasn't left me! (Other than the Holy Ghost of course)  Poor bike. But I'm not bitter. 

Well amidst the trails there is always something to laugh about because I am still me, therefore hilarious. Well this week on exchanges we were biking, (before my steed threw its shoe and the rest of its wardrobe) and the other Elder stopped and was talking to someone and I was putting my bike against a wall, and my Gadianton fingers united in their secret combinations and I dropped about everything I took off, starting with the helmet, nice awkward crash, followed by my man satchel which made a slapping noise, and then the lock with keys quickly followed by keys alone, by this point I figured I couldn't introduce myself to this person by my title or my family name, so I decide that I would just introduce myself as "late" and that is what I did, I shook their hands and said "Hi, I'm late" I have never seen faces so confused, then I realized they didn't speak English very well, they spoke some middle eastern language. My companion however, nearly exploded, so there was an awkward silence as we were trying not to laugh and they were trying to leave.  We just gave them cards and they left, and we laughed pretty hard. Then two ladies were walking towards each other and we were right in the middle, so we decided to split them, the other lady got to us first and he started talking to her in Spanish, the lady coming towards me looked at me like "I'll kill you if you speak" to which I responded "do you speak Spanish?" She very snappily said "no" and I said "yea me neither".  Then she laughed and then she looked super mad, hopefully at herself. She reluctantly took a card while repeatedly telling me she wasn't interested. So that's the story for this week. Kind of boring week, but remember, you only had to read it. 

But on Sunday, there was a fantastic tender mercy, first of all Elder Taylor, my comp, and Sister Argueta, one of the sister Missionaries bore their testimonies in church and sister Argueta talked about how lots of people say no and that it's hard but she still knows it's true and all that stuff, and after Matthew and I were just chatting and the Sisters were walking buy and Matthew stopped them and this is what he said:

"Hey! thank you for sharing your testimony. You know it really made me think. I don't know how many times he was said no too that day they talked to me (gesturing at me), probably like 500 but they didn't quit and they finally got to me, and i needed it, so please on behalf of your next yes, don't quit!" 

Sister Argueta was stunned and thanked him and told him that was very encouraging, I was so darn proud of my little boy! He is growing up so fast! So that fixed the week. Likewise to you I also say, on behalf of your next person who's week was rough, thank you for being Christlike, it is much appreciated, and you may not know you cannot tell, what affect you will have on some poor wayfaring man of bike grief! So stick to your guns, there is no quitting, there is no neutral ground either your on the Lords side or the Devils, don't lie to yoursel,  If you're good, good! Get better! If you're bad, not good, get better! B E A U tiful that little formula. Oh and Mom,happy Mother's Day, we won't be able to make calls so I guess I'll just make it public! 

No just kidding, we do, I just wanted to give you a heart attack because you love me. But mostly because you can't ground me right now. Okidokey! Love yall! Yall the best! Eat vegetables and not cookie dough. That's probably the best advice I can give you from personal experience, ok now bye bye! 

One more thing! Our Savior lives with His Father, they love us and have given us a way to get back to live with them happily ever after!! So you want to be happy, do as they say. 

We all good in the hood! 

Elder Rollins

How was your week? Good

How are Carolina and George and their family? Doing well!

Did they come to church this week? No

How are you and Elder  Taylor getting along? Good!

What did you teach in District Meeting this week?Talked about a meeting that I got to go to be a better leader

Are you still a district leader? yes

Do you get released from that ever? no idea

Were you able to teach more this week? no

Do you know how much we love you? yes

Do you know how much your Heavenly Father loves you? yes

Answer the Mother's Day phone call questions. I can call after my church. 2ish

Book of Rollins Chapter 1 v. 2

And now behold, I Rollins do make an account of the week, and behold I did not desire to type to the end of days for behold my fingers would become weary, and it came to pass that we did have much tribulation and yea there was much laughing and gnashing of teeth, and behold we did name our days "the struggle bus" and behold all were aboard the struggle bus, yea bikes did break, therefore our minds were much troubled and we did lose them and know not where to find them, wherefore we did press forward with much diligence and more silliness and behold we did watch our brother Slade pack for many days and nights. And I make an end of this account.

Yes, I believe that verse about sums it up, if you get a chance to read the book of Rollins avoid at all costs.

Hope all is well!!!

So some happy birthdays! Megan and Isaac! Happy birthday to you! I hope you get lots of cake! Also a happy birthday to the uncle of Andrew, don't get too old now, I have to beat you at ball when I get back. And of course last but absolutely not least Grandma Carter, I think that she is officially at grandma level super hero.

So this week we taught George and Carolina and they both came to church with their kids, so we are excited for them, so this week was better because of that, also we had a service thing where the stake gathered food for food pantries and we got to wear the Mormons helping hands shirts, but all they had was a triple x for me, it was great,
and we had fun with that.

He says with a XXL shirt he fits right in where he is.  I guess they wear baggy clothes. 

Also there is an amazing young squire his name is John and he has special needs and he is the greatest, his dad was a mission president so he loves missionaries and he always says "Elders! Wassup!?" And President Huff (his dad) says that he was for sure the most popular person in their mission. He is amazing, but this week I wanted to talk about him because he was asked to say a pray, nothing out of the ordinary, and he stood up and started to pray, and I couldn't understand anything he said, but he was really having a conversation. And I have never felt the spirit more during a prayer. So that is my thing today, pray for real.

So next week is probably going to be a long email so be prepared! I don't know why just got that feeling, hopefully full of good news!

Church is true!

Elder Rollins



So did Elder Slade get off?   Yep he gone! 
How are you and Elder Taylor getting along? Yep!
Any progress with Carolina and George? Si, they came to choich.
How is Matthew?  Has he blessed the sacrament? Good he hasn't yet.
How is your attitude? Good,
Do you love the people of PAsadena yet? Working on it  
How is your patience?  Are you learning a lot about it?  Doing much better! Oh yes,
How did District meeting go this week? What did you teach about? Went really well, revelation through the Book of Mormon.

It's All Good in the Hood!

So transfers were today and we got a third companion since Elder Slade is leaving a week from today, Elder Taylor he came out with me so it will be cool. Anyways, this week was absolutely terrible! Everything that could go wrong went wrong, lessons canceled on a daily, crazy people that won't stop calling, it was rough, but I survived! And looking back on the week we did get to visit a lot of active members who were very appreciative of what we shared, so I feel a little bit better, but of course like usual going through the storm things always look dim, that's what happens in a storm, the clouds cover the sun, it gets dark and looks like it won't end, but when it does, the air even feels cleaner, I think of it as being like drain-o. 

Anyway I wanted to share something cool I learned, so the Nephites temples were steep right? So they actually have found that they built iron rods  to help them get up to the temple, I hope you caught the parallel but if not, let me tell you READ THE SCRIPTURES!!!!!! I know, sounds to easy, but so was looking at a snake on a stick. So how about we cut the drama and just do it. Some of us want to live forever but not actually do anything and that isn't how it works. I have a quote that I just had to share cause it's my job!

From the priesthood manual chapter 8 a talk by Ezra Taft Benson

Oh, my brethren, let us not treat lightly the great things we have received from the hand of the Lord! His word is one of the most valuable gifts He has given us. I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings. Read them in your families and teach your children to love and treasure them. Then prayerfully and in counsel with others, seek every way possible to encourage the members of the Church to follow your example. If you do so, you will find, as Alma did, that “the word [has] a great tendency to lead people to do that which [is] just--yea, it [has] more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which [has] happened unto them.”

Well that is my shenanigans for the week! 

Love you, see you, miss you!

Elder Rollins

How are Carolina and George doing?  Doing well, they ditched us for church but called us and apologized profusely.
Did you find anyone else to talk to?  No
Are you healthy?  Yes
Are you being obedient?  Yes
(Back story: A woman from Pasadena called me this week and asked for a recipe of Josh's favorite dessert.) Did anyone make you your favorite cookies? Yes, scared me to death, she brought them out and I was like "Hey those look just like the ones I would make back home, and she was like "So I've heard, and you like pretzels and Nutella and I was like sorceress how didst thou know?  Her name is Sister Stringham and she and her husband have been married seven years and don't have kids.
Is your bike all fixed after your accident? Well it was, then a spoke broke.....
Do you need anything from us? Not currently!
How was Matthew's first week as a Priest? Good, he is a good man. No worries for him!

Don't Worry Mom,  It's All Good in the Hood

Crazy as Usual

Hey hey hey!
This week was much much better! We picked up two new investigators named Carolina and George! They have a family who we haven't met yet but they were a referral from some members and we are stoked to have them! So that was really exciting!

Also we had some weird experiences, like a man calling his two year old son bro over and over again. And a lady told us she saw Jesus last week. So we had some interesting contacts, but my favorite part of the week was Sunday, Matthew was ordained a priest! Ya whooooo! It was a good week! Struggles of course, but that comes with the job! But it's all good in the hood! Elder Slade got his visa so it looks like I will still be in Pasadena!

Well, I don't have anything to rant about this time.. Sorry.

But I do get to tell you the church is true! And that families can be together forever.

Ps. We had to take a members dog to the vet to be put down. Sad.

Elder Rollins

Tell me how you feel about being a missionary.   It's the best!

Tell me something you love about your companion   He is a goofball!

Tel me something you love about your Mission President   He is probably the kindest man I've ever met!

Tell me something you love about your zone leaders and  That they are obedient

Tell me something you love about the people in Pasadena They are actually more akin to serve than to be served

Did you feel the earthquakes on Sunday in LA? I didn't

Aaaahhh. Finally P-hours. (Shorter than a whole day)

Well, it's the week of joe joes birthday! Happy birthday kiddo! You're super old!

This week was good because of conference! We mostly watched conference at the church except one of east Pasadenas investigators did have us over for a huge breakfast, and that was way fun.  We did have one crazy crazy lesson this week.

So first of all we tried calling this lady lots of times and her mom would answer and yell at us about how she was a troubled child and she didn't know us yada yada yada,.Anyway we finally get a hold of her and she invites us over in an hour and a half. So we bike on up and knock at the door, her entire family has smoker voices and we hear "who is it?" We tell them who we are and then Sandra comes around the corner, we shake hands and she crawls onto this big chair on her porch really weird. She precedes to tell us she knows all about the Mormons, when we ask her how she says she has already been baptized.  We ask when, she says billions of years ago, we rolled with it and asked what we could do to help her.  She then tells us that she needs a "Book of Mormons", a "black Book of Mormons", and a "black translation book" to understand the Book of Mormons. (Yes she was black) Now I was just lost and trying really hard to understand what she was talking about. We ended pretty quickly and left but not before she asked us to bring her an avocado and a plum. Very specific. I was a bit confused. But it was good!

Conference was wonderful, except for the sustaining vote, now I'm going to tell you that I KNOW that those men are inspired servants and witnesses of our Savior, they are led by Him and I know that as we
heed their council we will be safe. When I heard those apostates yelling their "Opposed" my heart broke, those men give 100% of their time to us. Then we precede to try to tell them what the Lord "should" be saying. It is absolutely ridiculous.  If you have let satan blind you with your own pride, please take a different perspective, stop
looking for what is in it for you or what is good for you. This Church will not change because you think it should be run your way, this is His church, Christ's church, our King, our Redeemer, take your complaints up with him. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. Satan is out there. You are vulnerable. That is a fact. But we have a Brother who will never leave the ledge, and will grab our wrists as soon as we jump with faith. Do not be fooled into thinking that you will survive the drop, YOU WILL NOT, there is only one way and that is by Christ.  And Christ reveals His gospel through the Prophets! Those men will and do die for us. Show some respect at least. Ask God if what they say is true. Don't try to get attention. My favorite part of conference is how none of the general authorities said anything about it, I was for sure Elder Bednar would throw down, but they ignored them like flies, They are Christs Apostles and we should treat them as such. Never doubt that.

I love you all! You are the best! Keep making the world go round and be a light!
Smile.
Laugh.
Do a dance.


Elder Rollins

How many sessions did you get to see?   All

How went the teaching this week?   It was alright,

When did you laugh?  All day every day!

When did you feel discouraged?  All day every day!

How was your Easter?  I didn't get my package, so it was sad. In my defense it was there on Wednesday he just didn't pick it up!

Did you go somewhere for dinner? Yes to a members house for a "Utah" dinner. Meaning jello 

Do you work with less actives in your ward? Yes

Hey!

Hello! Hope this week was a good one!

We went to the temple which is the reason for the delay, sorry, but not really cause temple.

Also happy bday to Grandma and Con-man! Ya'll the bestest!

Well this was another tough one, seems there is a pattern. But alas I survived, but of course great things come from trials, Satan just didn't want me to go to the temple. We got a member to take us to Costco, out of all things, Costco made me the most trunky on my mission so far... Weird. But I got lots of food. So 'twas a good week.

On a less happy note I got 2 flat tires within thirty seconds of each other, while I was pumping them up. Not a happy camper.

But now for the real best part, I figured out, while in a unhappy moment, that math is of the devil. I always knew it, and they all doubted! Muahahahaha!!! See because when Satan was tempting Eve, he said that if they wanted to MULTIPLY they would have to eat the fruit!   Therefore of the devil. Ok, done.

But on a serious note, while going to the temple, I realized that we practically have the house of the Lord on our doorstep, but we do not go enough. And we use the excuse that we are busy, but Christ wasn't too busy to take your name through the temple of Gethsemane, so maybe we should, take more time to visit his house. Just a commandment.

Well, I'm sorry nothing to exciting has happened recently but something will come up. It always does.

Love you all! Return with Honor! Remember who you are!

Elder Rollins

Who went to the temple today?   Zone

Did you see Sister bell yet?     Nope

How is Matthew doing?       Really Good.

How is your comp holding up?   He's still smiling.

Where will you watch General Conference?  The Stake Center

Why did Costco make you trunky?  And how long were you down?  I don't know, maybe the familiar food.  About 5 minutes.

Did you laugh this week?  When? Jes  when my tires popped, oh and I forgot to mention that my lights

got stolen, I tried to forget about it. I laughed then too, also can I
get like 40$ for bike lights, just As a side note.

Did you get your bike fixed? Sort of, until it broke this week.

Have you seen the new church video "Because of Him"? Yes, I love that video! 

Rumor has it you aren't allowed on facebook anymore.  True or False? For the time being, we are supposed to get it back.

 

All recovered from your bike accident? Of course!

When did you feel the spirit this week? When we bore testimony after watching the Because He lives Video.

Do you know that you are so loved and supported here at home? Yes

View of LA from the Temple

The Temple

Me and My Boss

These Thug Shorts have lions and flowers

The District Band: Elder Slade, Elder Blair, Elder Me, Elder Pixton