The Work is Progressing!

November 25, 2013

this week was freezing cold!!!!! like 29 was the high a couple of days! which means it was tcfh (to cold for hayes!) lol but on the bright side we had a sick week! 

i have decided that i love service! we were able to rake some leaves for Mary faith! and she wants us to come and help her rip out her carpet next week! and on top of that shes coming to church with us! :) when someone says that they want to come to church with us i want to like cry cuz no one ever wants to come to church with us! 

we finally hit Brother Brazzells heart yesterday night! he truly sounded sincere when said he will really read and pray about the Book of Mormon from now on. i was so excited! now that he's on board his family should be baptized before the end of the year! :) i am so excited for their family!  

Leashia will get baptized soon, just kinda needs to break down her wall, its like when someone gets heart broken from a relationship and they put up a wall and dont let anyone in cuz they dont wanna get hurt again, thats where she's at.. 

so today for pday we have to deep clean our apartments... no basketball and no sports.. im very sad but happy cuz now our apartment will be spotless! even though its already pretty clean.

this is what i studied this week because president gave me some scriptures to read!, i hope you like it and understand it and it can help you cuz it brought new light to me! 

the scrpitures were Isaiah 58:6-9 doctrine and covenants 121: 45 and doctrine and covenants 50:29 

so this is what i learned from the scriptures he gave me:

i learned that when im fasting that i truly need to put my heart into it and that as im fasting for repentance that i will literally feel my burdens get lighter and the chains holding me back will be lifted from me. i have already begun to feel that happening. sin covers us up from the spirit and as we repent its like the sun coming up in the morning. the difference is incredible as you feel the spirit starting to come back into your life and as we continue to live righteously we will have the spirit more fully. then the Lord forgives us fully the more sincere we are and takes us back into his presence when the Holy Ghost is willing to be with us.

sin usually begins as a thought and if we learn to control or to watch our thoughts (Mosiah 4:30) we can better keep away from sin and as we stay away from sin we will be more charitable because sin is usually a selfish desire. also as we live better we have the spirit with us and are worthy to use the priesthood which will help us be charitable because the priesthood just allows us to serve others. every aspect of the priesthood is meant for us to serve.

as we become clean and purified, we will be blessed and we can ask for whatever we need and if its in line with the will of our Father he will let it be done. so we need to be clean so that our prayers will be answered because our cleanliness allows us to have the spirit and the spirit will guide us to ask for the things the God wants us to ask for so he can bless us.

love you! 

Elder Rollins

Some Questions:

Q. How often do you get to use the car? 

You should definitely get a picture of you guys directing each other when you are backing out of a space! hahaha i always get a kick out of the missionaries having to do that! 

A. we have the car every other week! and i dont have to direct the backing up cuz im the senior companion and Elder McCurdy doesnt have driving privileges yet.

Q. How much time do you get on the computer each week?

A. im on for like a little over 2 hours. pretty much we have time to do what we need. we were told to take at least 2 hours if we need it! :)

Q. How many emails do you usually get each week? 5, 10, More?

A. ive been averaging like 35 emails a week.

Q. Where do you go to check your emails? Library? Church building?

A. we check them at the library

Q. Are you going to get a facebook?

A. we will get face book but probably not until july when President Keyes leaves.

Q. Did you get the Thanksgiving package?

If you don't eat the Pumpkin bread right away, keep it in the frige.

A. yes got it and i already ate it lol :) mail me more:) i love it and it wasnt enough!

Q. hahahaha! There is never enough pumpkin bread! lol

Did you share it? or Horde it? hahah

A. shared it lol most of it. actually 2 loaves to mccurdy, shared with elder smedley and a loaf to the sisters!

Q. if you get transferred, does that mean someone else will finish training Elder McCurdy? How is his training going?

A. no. his training ends at the end of this transfer. he wont freakin do his lessons, other than that hes an awesome missionary!

Q. Do I write too many letters?

Let me know if I am going over board!

A. nope keep sending them!

Q. Hows the ankle?

A. IDK GOING TO THE DOCTORS THIS WEEK IT HURTS HIGH UP AND ITS WEAK! .............. AHHHHHHHHHH

Q. When are your next transfers?
Should I send your Christmas presents to your apartment?
I will be mailing them the second week of December.
Will you get them?

A. send stuff to the mission office to be safe and transfers are december 19th.... i think i'll be leaving.

Transfers

November 18, 2013

TRANSFERS

so this week was transfers week, i said goodbye to two of the people that i had become really close with and im still kinda sad about it...:( 

but im sure that i will stay in contact with them! :)

this week started out super jammed packed! i messed up my foot on monday. but it has been healing decently, i should have listened to dad and taken the DMSO ;) hahah but seriously that would have helped! then we taught Jillian and Johnny! we read the Book of Mormon with them it was just really cool to see Jillian help her brother in praying and reading the scriptures! and the best part is they finally showed up to church this sunday! we are really hoping that if we get the kids excited about church then the rest of the family will start coming back too! the children, thats how you get to the family ;)

we finally got to see mariza again and shes progressing incredible! shes almost ready to be baptized now! she just has a little more to learn and hopefully she will before she moves! 

we did some more service for Mary Faith! thats the pictures you saw on facebook! lol:) 

we saw the brazzells a lot this week! all thats left is for brother brazzell to read and pray and he will be baptized. he just is hesitant about doing it! oh yeah, mom could you send me a few recipes?? we found the best way to get to them is so could you send me the crembrule french toast and the pumpkin bread recipe?? 

the chiefs lost :( it was heartbreaking for them to lose and thats like the biggest thing going down in kansas right now so its saddening... but they are still doing great! lol were praying for Andy to do well ;) hahah but seriously they are a great conversation starter with people right now!

leashia finally got to the visitors center! and it was sick! the sisters in there are incredible!!! they asked every question and hit on every point that i was hoping they would and now leashia is praying about being baptized in december!! :) it was so powerful there! we took her through God plan video. and she loved it then we took her to see some of the history presentation downstairs and next we want to take her to the liberty jail! we think it would really help her!

well i love the work its going great and i dont wanna get transferred before Christmas.... i would cry if i did ! i love it here! its like a new kind of home for me! 

love you!

Elder Rollins!

Digging the floral tie! 

Don't know where he got it, but I like It! :)

So glad we live in AZ and don't have to deal with Leaves like this! hahahaha

They found a few friends while raking leaves! LOL

Dead Bird!

Dead Possum! LOL

His companion! hahaha

A Great Week!

November 12, 2013

A GREAT WEEK!

The members here for some reason dont really like to mingle with us so our biggest thing has been gaining the trust of the members. weve been trying to do that by serving them and talking to them and trying to work with them but so far we have been seeing very little progress... it has been frustrating but the progress we have made has been very uplifting. we are working with this guy that is huge! like 6'4" and massive! he wants his daughter to get baptized so we are trying to get him and the rest of his family active and him divorced from his wife so that he can marry the lady he is living with! cuz she wants to get baptized as well but cant cuz shes breaking the law of chastity, stupid technicalities hahahah i mean they consider themselves married, its just not by law....

they are such a sick family tho! were gonna keep working with his home teachers and a lawyer in the ward and try to get the legalities taken care of!

the overland park 1st ward missionaries! OP1!

Elder McCurdy, Elder Rollins, Sister Matta & Sister Halverstadt

we did a sick service project that had to do with setting up 1000 flags for veterans day! and it was like the coolest thing ever! check it

thats me when i fell down the hill.. thats sister halverstadt laughing at me...

those are sister matta and elder McCurdy coming to help me up becasue i fell lol 

Photo disclaimer: okay so it was a steep hill and he took pictures of me the only time that i fell down lol i swear other than that i never stopped working! i was usually the one running up and down the hill getting the rebar for everyone because the sister wanted to do the pounding lol so i fell down the hill! i wasnt sitting! thats why sister Halverstadt was laughing and elder mccurdy and sister matta were coming to help me up!

but it was a sick project! we get to tear it down next week!  it was a really fun week! this week!

Hayes and I got to email back and forth today! It rarely happens because I always work on Mondays but since he emailed on Tuesday this week, I happened to catch him right at the right time! What a little tender mercy. :)

MOM: Did you get your T-Shirt Quilt?

What do you think?

Did you get the corn bags?

HAYES: yes and yes! i love them both thank you so much! we hugely appreciate it! 

MOM: I wish I could use my corn bag! It is going to be flippin 92 degrees today!!! BLAHHHHH! lol I want it to cool down so I can stop sweating and start wearing my jeans and sweaters! I saw that it is 23 degrees right now in Overland park! Are you freezing or do you love it?

HAYES: i love it! i put some thermals on and im doing good! 

MOM: I NEED you to answer this question!!!

Have you purchased warm stuff yet like gloves, scarves & hats? Do you want me to send you this stuff?

HAYES: no i havent purchased any of those things yet lol not cold enough yet... hahahha jk jk it was 19 degrees this morning! yeah actually, i did get some gloves! and if you want to send me stuff sure, if not ill take some time one day and get some stuff to keep me warm!

MOM: Oh good! I'm glad you bought some gloves. I wasn't sure about buying you gloves. Your hands are so huge!!! hahaha but I can definitely pick you out a hat and scarf! Is there a specific type of hat you would like or are beanies ok? Do you like the ones with the ear flaps?

HAYES: yes i like the ones with ear flapps! lol and i think the hats look better than beanies lol either way as long as im staying warm i do not care.

HAYES: so my pants ripped a little bit and i asked sister matta (green shirt in the pictures of the flag service project) if she would sew them back up for me and she did but she decided that itd be funny to sew her name on the front of my pants as well, that way i could never forget her... hahhahha that sounds like something haylee would do isnt it??

MOM: Yes, totally! I love it! That was so sweet of her. :) I'm so glad you have people to take care of you. 

HAYES: hahah yeah me too lol sadly she went home yesterday.. :/ yeah we plan on keeping in touch. its funny because she reminded me of mackenzie rocque quite a bit and she was super chill! and sister halverstadt reminds me a lot of kylee (his cousin)! 

HAYES: umm, i jacked up my ankle playing basket ball again, which sucked but its healing quickly! the Lord is on my side! and im doing his work so he will help me!

MOM: Hayes, That's horrible!!!!

Stop playing basketball! lol 

Preston broke his ankle and you have a jacked up ankle and Brady has to have knee surgery when he gets home! hahahah you guys need to take it easy!!

HAYES: hahah theres nothing better to do than basketball cuz im not allowed to wrestle! it hurts up high and if it hurts a few more days im supposed to go to the doctors but i dont think it will last that long. also thats what i want for Christmas. a new pair of wrestling shoes for when i get home! lol 

MOM: hahahahah! Oh my gosh! How are we supposed to pick you out wrestling shoes!? hahaha 

When will you use them? 

HAYES: ill use them when i get home! and go online and send me pictures of the shoes and ill tell you the ones i like ;)

DAD: Hayes doesn’t need new wrestling shoes. Colleges issue the shoes to their wrestlers, so we don’t need to buy him anymore. 

MOM: Oh! Speaking of wrestling, Robbie mathers is wrestling for University of Missouri! and Zack Walton moved to Oklahoma! 

HAYES: what zach moved to Oklahoma??

MOM: Yep! 

HAYES: flash drives about half full expect it in a few more weeks! oh and the chair was exactly what you thought it was! lol 

I can always expect at least one random picture from Hayes! hahaha

hahah the middle light broke in half.

Flag Project

November 11, 2013

FLAG PROJECT

We received this email from a member of the ward where Hayes is serving.

Hi,

My name is George Gille and I'm a member of the Overland Park 1st Ward where your son is currently serving. I am the priest quorum adviser and I'm writing to share with you some pictures and a little story about your missionary. 

The pictures are from a big service project/fund raiser we did yesterday where our Boy Scout troop was charged with installing over 1000 American flags on a hillside along the highway adjoining a shopping center as a Veteran's Day tribute. The shopping center there sponsors this display each year and it's quite a breath taking sight as you come upon it while traveling on the highway.  If I have some time this week, I may take a few more pics of the finished product to share.

For a project of this size, having too few volunteers show up would be disastrous. Our troop is rather small right now so we put the word out that we could use all the help we could get. Thankfully we had several people show up including your son and his companion as well as the Sister missionaries who are serving in our ward as well. It was awesome to have all four missionaries be a part of project. 

Elder Rollins in particular was awesome! He worked just as hard as anyone there and it was truly impressive. Unfortunately, I only had my camera out for a few minutes at the beginning and then around the end of the project (because I had to work installing the flags as well), so I'm hoping that one of the other brothers was able to capture more of the actual work with his camera. 

I have had your son and his companion in my home for dinner and I want you to know that he's a wonderful missionary. My son is a priest and is preparing for his mission and he enjoys interacting with your son. And my daughter just left in September and is currently serving her mission in Mesa, AZ and loving it. She was able to have some fun conversations with your son prior to her departure. 

I hope you enjoy the photos and this short note of gratitude for your son's service in this part of the vineyard. May the Lord bless you and your family. 

Bro. Gille

Elder Rollins isn't in many of the picture, which isn't surprising! lol He's a pill when it comes to taking his picture!

But I'm sure he loved the opportunity to spend the day doing service. :)

Sister Matta

Sister Halverstadt laughing at Hayes after he fell down the hill!

Short & Sweet

November 4, 2013

SHORT & SWEET

so this week was a solid week! 

we worked our tails off and it payed off! 

sadly we didnt get to see Jillian or leashia this week! normally they are our set appointments but they had to cancel and then stuff came up so that they couldnt come to church but this week we will get to see them and hopefully leashia will get to come to the visitors center on saturday! 

we worked hard and tracted a lot! and it payed off! we were tracting and got a call from one of our investigators and he started harassing us cuz he just drove passed us!  then he told us to swing by a bit later! and when we got off the phone call we had been on a corner and i looked at Elder McCurdy and was like thats a sweet corvette lets knock on this guys door! so we turned and walked to his door and knocked on it! and the door opened and this huge dog came barreling out at us! its a bull mastiff.. i almost peed my self cuz she ran right to me and stopped then looked at me and started licking me... i was so relieved lol then the guy came to the door and said hey, ive kinda been waiting for you. you came at the perfect time!

so moral of the story! work hard! be diligent and you will be blessed!!

love you!

Elder Rollins

 I guess Elder McCurdy needed to be quiet! lol

I'm kinda regretting getting Hayes his own hair cutting kit! hahaha

Random Pictures! hahaha

Hayes is a weirdo! LOL

Maybe this is the chair where he sits and receives all his personal revelation! Who knows? hahaha

4 months out!

October 28, 2013

OUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH!

ok so this week was an interesting week! we got 2 new investigators! we received a call from this old lady that needed some help doing service and so we jumped on the opportunity to actually do some physical labor! we were going to take some walpaper down but then we ended up taking a shower stall down. the whole time we were there, we both felt super weird but we kept sticking it out because for some reason we felt like we needed to be there! so while we were waiting for more work to do we saw her husband and the spirit of the situation dramatically changed! he was the reason why we were there!  While we were having dinner with mary and jac, Elder McCurdy, being a stud, just kept talking to them about being missionaries and what we do. then we ended up talking to them about our mission, our families and the communications we have with them! and they talked about their idea of families and then we gave them a family proclamation to the world! then the next day we dropped off a Living Christ to them and so far they love everything that we give them and really enjoy our company! they also give us service opportunities so were going to keep seeing them and teaching them and hopefully they'll get baptized!!

we had zone interviews which were awesome! president keyes is just a truly inspired man! so at these interviews, we have questionairs that we fill out and at the bottom theres a place where we can write down our concerns and i always try to make president laugh! so this time i wrote "why do i worry so much??" so he got to the question and just laughed and then told me Elder Rollins why do you worry so much? and i joking said i think i inherited it from my mom! we laughed a bit then he continued by saying Elder you worry because your faith isnt as strong as you wish it to be! there are 3 levels of faith.
1)  most Christians have a good understanding of the 1st level and that is having the faith that Jesus was the savior and died for us and its through him we are saved!

2) the next one most latter day saints have down and it is that its through our works, desires and through christ that we are saved!

3) the last one is where im lacking, as long as we are living our lives the best that we can, our best is good enough to be saved! i worry that my best isnt good enough but i now know that my best is all i can give and that is all that our father in heaven asks of us! He makes up the difference! so i am going to keep giving it my best and my all!

i know this church is true! i know that it is through Christ our savior and redeemer that we are saved! and i know that all we can do is give it everything we got and thats what we are asked to do! our church is a church of action. but not just of our works, its is also our desires. our true desires. we can do all we want but if we arent doing it whole heartedly, its like we are not doing things for the right reasons. check your heart before you do something and see where your heart lies. make sure your heart is for Christ and thats how we return to live with our father!

love you!

Elder Rollins!