March 26

Hello everyone,

I hope y’all had a good week.

Ours was another solid week, keeping busy.

I feel kinda bad because I am kind of running out of things to say. So I guess if you have any suggestions to put in my weekly, go ahead and send them to me.  I’m not really a big writer so I’ve been trying to go above and beyond but it takes so much time and I don’t know what people actually want to hear… haha. 

Yup. This is the only picture this week. The DollyWood sign.

My companion and I get along great and we have a good district, too.  In our interviews with the President he basically told me I’m going to be transferred this upcoming transfer, which is like April 11th I think, so that should be cool.

Thanks for all the awesome support and love!

Elder Roden

Another good week

Well, another good week.  It was a pretty slow week for missionary work, though.  But we were able to still see some success.  We had an awesome lesson teaching one of our investigators, Maricela. She only speaks Spanish, so we went over there with the sisters and they and Elder Sessions taught while  I sat there and smiled wide, haha. I chipped in here and there but I mostly just listened.  She is so solid and she wants to get baptized so badly, but her work is keeping her from coming to church.  She is a single mother of 3 kids, I think. I really hope she will be able to progress further.

     Also, this week we went on exchanges with the Maryville Elders. I was with Elder Heninger in Maryville.  We met with one of their investigators who is an Elvis impersonator.  He has the whole nine yards; side burns, jumpsuits, and a lotta guitars. He also does some Johnny Cash too. We had an awesome visit with him and he had heard I played the guitar from Heninger and he wanted me to play for him.  I won’t turn that down, haha. We had a real good time. He is also a huge fan of the Osmonds, and he just started playing all of these videos he had of the Osmonds in the 70's.  It was pretty funny.

     Sunday was Elder Sessions’ 21st birthday and his mom had sent us both 20 dollar bills. So on Saturday we decided we would go cash out at Texas Roadhouse. It was so good.  It was also crazy because Tennessee basketball was playing while we were there. We probably shouldn’t have, but we got to watch like the last few minutes of the game… whoops.  Everyone was going nuts and then they lost on a crazy last second shot... then the whole restaurant just got really quiet and awkward, haha. Oh well, Go Vols,  I guess.

     I am extremely grateful to be able to put on a nametag every day and go out into the unknown!  My great  uncle, Michael Treseder, wrote me a letter a while back and one line reads, "if you receive 300 rejections in one day, that would be tremendous". I have found that to be true.

Elder Roden

Almost 4 months

   We had another solid work week this week.  It is so cool to see this area starting to flourish a little bit. The one thing I really want to focus on throughout my mission is leaving every area better than I found it. Thus far my companions and I have been able to see that, and it is the best.  God does amazing things and I'm so grateful to be able to witness His work first hand.

   This past week we had a mission tour and we were privileged to hear and learn from Elder Sitati, of the quorum of the seventy, and his wife.  They are an amazing couple from Kenya. That meeting was very long, like 9:30 to 4:00, but it was an incredible spiritual experience to be able to shake the hand of and learn from one of the Lord's called special witnesses. 

When in Tennessee...

   Other than that there’s not too much to report on. We were walking back to our apartment on Saturday and this big white van pulls up behind us and two guys get out and come over and try and bash with us! Haha.  After they were done with their rant, Elder Sessions and I looked at each other like, "man, we could really shut these guys up". Haha, but we didn’t. Contention does not bring anything positive.  Instead, I just offered to pray for them as we parted ways. 

Elders Roden and Haynes

   Also, I got to see one of my good friends, Elder Haynes, from the MTC. He is in Blairsville, Georgia right now.  But they were passing through so we met them for about an hour.  It’s always a good time with him.

Haynes and Roden reunited

   It is weird to think that I have been out for almost 4 months. It feels like 4 days still.  I still have so much to learn, which is something that I have realized I struggle with.  It just simply takes me a lot longer to understand scriptures and even the things I teach people. But that learning process is something that I know I can improve and be strong in if I involve the Lord. It’s the same for all of you.  No matter what you might struggle with, or any problems you may have, involve the Lord.  We often feel like we can do it on our own, which may be true, but, man, we have our savior standing with us at all times yearning to help us.  Jesus doesn’t have elbows,  his hands are always outreached.

   Tennessee is sweet, I love it.

Elder Roden

New Comp!

 Well it was a really good week here in TN.  Transfers were on Wednesday so Tuesday was just a lot of running around to a bunch of people and places so Elder Martin could say his goodbyes and that kind of thing.  He has served a total of 10 and 1/2 months here I think.  And Sister Rodriguez (one of the sisters serving in the ward with us) had been here for 7 and 1/2 months and she is leaving. So now I am the most experienced in the area, which is weird.  The sisters in our ward are Sister Huffaker, who has been out as long as I have but has only been here one transfer, and Sister Bennett, who is fresh out of the MTC. 

Rain swollen river

   My new companion is Elder Sessions, who is from Aurora, Colorado. He has been out for about 13 months and is a really cool guy.  We have had a really good time together so far.  We both like to have fun and work, so we make the work fun, haha. I'm really excited for this next transfer.  Our district also changed quite a bit as well so it’ll be fun to get to know the new faces. 

Elder Sessions and Elder Roden in front, Elders Donahoo and Heninger in back

   One funny thing that happened this week was when we were driving in some really slow traffic and in the car behind us were the Mintons, a really awesome member family.  So we just waved to them, but then next thing you know Brother Minton is knocking on the window of our car in the middle of the street.  So I roll it down and in his thick southern accent he just goes "here’s lunch", then gives us a couple Arby’s sandwiches and walks away. Haha! We thought it was pretty funny but, dang, the blessings are real!
   As for the work, it is still progressing nicely.  Right now we have 2 people lined up to be baptized in April so we are pretty excited for that, and we are still working with a good teaching pool that are all doing pretty well.  Our goal is to get 4 people baptized this transfer. That is a stretch for this area but I think we can do it.
Sessions and I are getting along really well and this week has been a ball.  Tennessee is such an awesome place to be, and I’m loving the South! It’s bringin’ the Hillbilly outta me. Yee yee.
Elder Roden