Final email from Elder Roe, as a missionary 07/08/13

Family, We had a pretty good past week. Rather slow with the holiday but went well. We went to the temple to do baptisms this past Friday with a recent convert and it was an amazing experience for him and us. We got to be apart of it all. He had a couple ward friends there with him so it was a great time for everyone. We also went to our Mission President's Devotional at the Independence Visitor's Center last night with a different convert. It was pretty sweet. Time sure has been flying by. As this is my last email before I get home, I would like to write my last testimony as a set apart representative of Christ: I bear testimony that this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ restored this church through Joseph Smith and that we have a prophet today, Thomas S Monson, to lead and guide us. I know that Christ has suffered for us all and that through His atonement people can change. I have seen many times on my mission changes people have made. My mission has been the best experience for me and I have learned a lot and I have let my mission change me. It has been a long, tough 2 years but I am eternally grateful for it. I love the people of Kansas and Missouri. I know how important missionary work is and I am grateful for the choice to serve because it was a huge learning experience for me that I can not get anywhere else. I am grateful for all the love and support my family and others have shown for my mission. Thanks for everything. I encourage everyone to go on a mission and see the change it can have with you is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen. Elder Roe

Email 07/01/13

Family, We had an awesome week. On Wednesday we got to go to the temple as a whole mission for zone conference. It was a sweet experience. It was great to be there as a whole mission. The new Missouri Independence mission as our mission was split and the just created the Kansas Wichita mission last week. Great stuff. Then on Saturday we had a baptism. It went great. She is 20 and getting married this weekend to a member that lives in Colorado. Her parents came to the baptism and we hope to teach the parents when they get back from the trip. Elder Andrus baptized her and I got to confirm her. It was a great experience and awesome miracle to find, teach, baptize, and confirm her. Her mom was with her the whole time and has a great spirit so we hope to teach her more and that she would continue to come to church even though her daughter will have moved to Colorado here soon. Good stuff going on here. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Love, Elder Roe

Email 06/24/13

Family, We have had a busy week of planning visiting with people. We have a baptism this weekend of a young lady who is getting married to a member that lives in Colorado. She had a desire to be baptized with the support of her mom who is learning from us, before her wedding so we are having the baptismal service this weekend. Exciting for them both. It was truly a miracle to find them so I was really happy to be here to see it all. I was also happy to hear that a spanish guy I taught for some time in Marshall, MO and baptized/reactivated his family finally made the choice to be baptized and was baptized this past Saturday in Utah. Very exciting time. We had an amazing missionary broadcast yesterday. Very awesome, historical announcements. Kinda sad that I finish my mission relatively soon and won't get to see some of the announcements take place in our mission but exciting nonetheless. I loved the broadcast. I looked but didn't notice Sister Ryder in the audience. Exciting time to be a missionary now. I appreciate all the love and support I have had so far on my mission. Thanks for all you do. Love, ELder Roe

Email 06/17/13

Family, We had a great week of miracles. All because we are working hard and trying to help the area more. We were at dinner Wednesday night when we got a phone call from a sister working at the family history center that night and said 2 ladies walked in, live in our area, want to have missionary discussions and 1 of them wants to be baptized. It was a great miracle. We are now teaching them and helping them progress well. Then we were out with a guy in the ward for a teaching appointment, already running a couple mins late when he stops and is like "You elders want to go to sonic and get a shake?" We cant pass that up so we are in the drive thru when this worker takes trash out stares and asks, "Are you Mormon elders?" We said yes and he responds, "I've been looking for you guys!" He was baptized a member in 2008 and hadn't been to church since and recently moved to Leavenworth and has a renewed desire to come back to church but didn't know where to find it. So it was a great blessing. He came to church with us yesterday for the first time in years. He told us that he wasn't even supposed to take out the trash but did anyway, just as we weren't really expecting to be at sonic, already late for an appt. God's hand was in all that happened that night. Great to see those inspirations help others. We are doing great here and enjoying my time here. Thanks for all you do! Love, Elder Roe

Email 06/10/13

Family, We are doing pretty good here. We had a pretty productive week and got to teach quite a few people. We have a couple people that are doing good but mostly a lot of people that are struggling to commit to things. It's been a tough one to get people to read the scriptures but the times they do it, is always rewarding for them. I'm pretty excited about the coming weeks. We are looking to find more people to teach and Elder Andrus is learning the area pretty fast. We will have a zone conference sometime soon which I am excited about. Good stuff coming soon. I am finishing strong and that makes me feel pretty good. Mission has been great so far. Thanks for all you do. Love, Elder Roe

Email 06/03/13

Family We had transfers this past week. My companion left and I am now serving with Elder Andrus from Anchorage, Alaska. It is pretty funny because he knows my MTC comp. So funny to serve with someone from Alaska again. We are doing good stuff though. I am enjoying my mission. We are working and focusing on the ward to build it up. When Elder Quentin L Cook came to the mission, he had told us that we are having a successful mission if the ward is doing better and leave it better than when we got here. So as I come to the latter part of my mission, I am trying hard to help the ward as much as possible. Really exciting time. Thanks for all you do. Love, Elder Roe

Email 05/28/13

Family, We had a decent past week. We are working good stuff with the ward and we are doing good. We have great people to teach and looking to find more. It is just great to see the gospel work with people to help them change and turn 180 in their life. We have great ward members to help those we are teaching too. It is great to get the fellowship that we have had. We also had a good memorial day here. It is a big thing around here with the large military population. We went to a ceremony on base here and it was a great experience. It is really cool to see the love of the troops here. We also took a tour here of the fort and that was really cool. We have transfers this week but don't know what could be happening. Things are doing great here tho. Thanks for everything! Love Elder Roe