Roger Rose

“And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if you have faith ye hope for things which are not see, which are true.”           Alma 32:21

Roger and I went to high school together and we talked from time to time. Mostly I waved at him as he ran past the pole-vaulting pit during track practice. Sadly, it was not until Roger returned from his mission that I learned he had chosen to be baptized! He volunteered to share his story.

Roger grew up going to church occasionally with his parents but did not have much of an interest in God until he read one of his dads self help books.

“It is called Way of the Peaceful Warrior. It is about a gymnast who meets this Yoda guy at a gas station. This old wise guy taught him many life lessons. I remember reading that and thinking it was cool because it taught truth about being connected with God. So I started looking into that.”

For a month after that he began going to church and praying for opportunities to come closer to God. Karina Gneck, a girl on his cross-country team, invited him to come to church, gave him a Book of Mormon, and invited him to meet with the missionaries.

“Three hours was a long time! I remember in priesthood talking about the sacrament. It was a lot of what I had learned in my church, but I found it interesting that all the kids my age knew their doctrine. I could not say what they could say; it was interesting that their members knew what they believed. That sparked some interest. Karina gave me a Book of Mormon and I didn’t read it. But after a month she asked if I had read it and I said no. So she gave me something to read. And she made sure I read it. I thought it was pretty cool and that also sparked an interest. When she asked me to talk with the missionaries I felt a little pressured but at the same time I was really open to everything. So I said why not. The lessons were really spiritual and really simple. I loved talking to them every week. I began reading the Book of Mormon and began seeing a progressive change little by little.”

Little witnesses that helped Roger to accept the gospel accompanied these little changes that Roger began seeing.

“I remember that as I would come out of lessons, I would feel so good, like I wanted to make changes in my life. I started reading the Book of Mormon more, I didn’t understand a whole lot but there was little simple parts like, “faith is something hoped for and not seen”. I would think,  “Yes, that is true.”  It never convinced me but it was little moments that kept sparking my interest. Every time I came out of church I felt like I wanted to make improvements that week. I never got that out of my church, and I always wondered why. In other churches you can find great stuff, but there was something different about this church. There were plenty of little moments but I received a big witness when I read Alma chapter 32. It taught about the seed and if it was good it will grow. I had my highlighter out and I still have that Book of Mormon, the whole page is highlighted because it was so good. I just remember that feeling of peace and happiness, it was like a light turned on all of a sudden. I though wow, this is powerful; I was happy for three days! I asked Karina what is going on? And she said, it means it is true. It was hard for me to believe it but that moment always stuck with me.”

Roger was extended the invitation to be baptized but he felt he needed to be sure before he could confidently move forward.

“They gave me a baptismal date, and I was unsure. I needed to be 100% sure. I kept wanting more and more witnesses just to be sure. But I was never ready to act on them. The impression I got was that God had already given me these answers and I could either act on them or I could ignore them.”

 This impression came when Roger decided to fast.

“When I fasted and prayed I remember getting a reminder of all the witnesses I had, and it felt like enough at that moment. I saw my life, how it had progressed in that short time with the missionaries. Then I thought about what my life would be if I just shut the door. I knew that I saw a positive change in myself over that period of time and I knew it was good. I knew that Christ would never lead me astray. I trusted him. I realized that I can either take this step and progress or not take it and go back to what things were. I didn’t want to live with that. I knew this was good, I knew enough to take that step of faith, and get baptized.”

Roger recalls of his baptismal day that it was permeated with a sense of peace and calmness. When he came out of the water he finally felt clean. Roger has continued to grow since that day.

“I wasn’t really close with my family and I had some things I was struggling with at the time. It made me want to make changes. It all started form there. I went to church every Sunday, read my scriptures every day and I wanted to do it. It was not something that I had to do but I loved doing it because I got something out of it every time. That cycles with treating people nicely, saying kind things to people. It was a positive cycle that as I kept doing those things I kept growing. When it came to serving a mission I always wanted to, but my family really wanted me to finish school. And I wanted to finish. I hesitated to leave because I wasn’t sure if I should go. I then went when I was about 20. Taking those steps of faith changes you; my mission changed me so much. Conversion is when the gospel becomes a part of you everyday. I see that as a part of me. When it comes to having an attitude, a temper or being kind to people, it comes from the spirit. Before it was easy to be mad or angry. But once you have the gospel and make those changes it starts changing your character. There is a quote saying, “first observe and then serve”. I try to see what people need. Sometimes people don’t want to hear the gospel right at that moment. They just need a friend, someone to just listen to them. So I do that. With my family, I didn’t want to shove the gospel down their throats. But I’m never afraid to talk about it with them and testify that the gospel changes you.”

Roger served a mission to Panama where he fell in love with the people and blessed many lives as he served faithfully. Roger currently serves in his Elders Quorum Presidency and actively helps fellowship and strengthen members of his ward. Rogers story highlights the principle that when we follow God he will lead us in the right direction. Roger knows personally what Alma taught about the seed of the gospel.

“It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the words is good, for it beginnieth to enlighten my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.”

 Alma 32:28.