Camilla and Mandi Rogers of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Written by Jill Johnson Hymas

Every year in early fall, people come to the Santa Fe area from all over New Mexico to hunt for a certain kind of nut, called a piñon, or pine nut. Last year Camilla (10) and Mandi (6) picked piñon nuts from their own tree and gave them to their relatives as Christmas gifts.

Camilla and Mandi enjoy doing things for their large family—there are eight children in the Rogers family! Camilla is the fifth child, and Mandi is the youngest. They share a bedroom, and sometimes Camilla reads to Mandi. They get along well and enjoy playing with each other. Camilla says that sometimes it’s difficult to live in a large family because her older sisters tease her.

Both girls love animals, especially cats. They have two cats named Weenzy and Fatso, a dog named Dinky, two birds named Mr. Bird and Spot, a rabbit named Ringo, a guinea pig named Pepper, and four fish. Camilla likes animals so much that she wants to be a veterinarian.

Camilla and Mandi both play the piano. Mandi hasn’t taken lessons yet; she first listens to Camilla play a tune, then tries to play it by herself. She can play part of “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven and “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, page 136). Camilla has taken lessons for two years and likes to play “Ode to Joy,” too, and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Sometimes the sisters play duets, like “Heart and Soul,” together.

Singing is another talent they share. Mandi is usually the music director for family home evening. She chooses the songs to sing and leads the music. Camilla sang “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, page 82) by herself in two sacrament meeting programs at Christmastime.

The girls also like to draw, especially cats “because they’re cute.”

Mandi’s favorite place to go to is a fast-food restaurant. Her family does not go often, but when they do, she likes to eat the food and play in the play yard there. She also likes to dance. She is learning to tap, ballet, and—her favorite—jazz dance.

Mandi is in kindergarten and knows how to read and write. Sometimes her class gets to write about their day in their journals. One time her class went on a field trip to an art gallery, where they saw water fountains and a big sculpture of a cat. Afterward, they went to a Cinderella play.

Her favorite scripture story is about when Nephi goes to the promised land and kneels and prays. Camilla also likes that story. She likes the ones about David and Goliath and about the armies of Helaman, too, because they’re exciting.

Camilla likes to cross-stitch and to make quilts. She is very creative and enjoys painting designs on T-shirts and sweatshirts and decorating cakes. She’s in fourth grade and likes art and P.E. best. Her classmates chose her as the student of the week for being a good student.

In October 1991, Camilla’s troop—she’s been a Girl Scout for five years—went to the Museum of Natural History in Albuquerque for a field trip. They got to sleep overnight in the museum, under bones of dinosaurs and other extinct creatures. Camilla got to sleep under a saber-toothed tiger!

The Rogerses enjoy going on walks together and having family home evening. Most of all, they enjoy the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ and being members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Photographed by Jill Johnson Hymas

Mandi and Camilla

Mandi, Camilla, and Jacob finding rocks in an empty riverbed

The Rogers family (the oldest brother, Tyler, is not pictured)

Jumping on the trampoline

Mandi snuggling with one of the cats

Playing a duet

Camilla and her creations

Playing with Ringo the rabbit