Mon, 27 Jun 2011
Mom!
It's great to hear from you! That is so cool that Jordan got the Priesthood and that he is taking it seriously! I think like a lot of the responsibilities and ordinances we take part in in the Gospel, it's given to us before we understand it's significance and duty completely. What a cool letter about the trek too! I did get your letter; thank you so much! I loved the pictures, and the Subway card will be very helpful this week.. (the end of the month we are always low on money and food). That will be fun for you and Dad to go to girls camp with Hannah's group. I will for sure pray for Megan.
This week was full of activities. Tuesday to Wednesday morning I got to go down on exchanges to Manitowoc and work down there. We did alot of good stuff! I helped the missionary I was with find a couple new people to teach, who I used to teach when I was there, and now they have three new baptism dates! April and Angela were two that Elder Lester and I worked with who were not ready to commit to change, but I guess over the last year and a half their hearts have been made softer. It's amazing to see that happen! Thursday, we had a cool experience: we went to visit a referral we received (the next door neighbor, recently moved in, to one of our members). As she answered the door, during our intitial greeting, she was analyzing our tags intently and suspiciously. It is a very common way that people who are not interested answer the door. Just as she was saying that it really wasn't a good time for us to be there, I said "okay, we just heard from your neighbor that you were recently moved in and just wanted to make sure that you had a church to go to and that you felt welcome here in the neighborhood." I don't remember ever welcoming someone to their own neighborhood before, but she was touched by our kind gesture, and she then openned up to us and started asking questions about where we were from and what we did. We ended up talking to her for more than an hour about the Gospel. The members that referred us will be having us over for dinner on Thursday, and they will be inviting her to come too!
Friday was leadership training in Oshkosh, and that was very good and spirit-filled. I have a greater desire now to look every person I meet in the eyes, non-members and even members too, and tell them sincerely what I know to be true. Because I do know it, and that testimony can have such an effect on people. Saturday, we got to help with the Family Fun Run, which is a sponsered 5k that funds scholarships and is an awesome activity that is done annually. Our church here in Green Bay always hosts it, and the announcer for it always talks up the Church like crazy throughout the event for our kindness and generosity. Elder Wonnacott and I were in charge of helping the kids stretch out and run their 1/2 mile race. We had to lead the way. I was worried about it with my bad knee and in our proselyting clothes, but I made it! It actually felt good to run. It was a really good event, a lot of people participated. Yesterday, we had two of the less-active families that we have been working with come to church (but without their non-member spouses :/) We were really excited about that. It is taking us awhile to find new people to teach that will progress! I don't remember ever having this problem my whole mission, but I guess every missionary needs to have these kind of lows. I won't be able to expect to see any baptisms here before I leave, but I can prepare them for after that. And those getting baptized in Manitowoc still bring me that great joy, and they are scheduled for the 16th of July! We are looking forward to a fun-filled P-day today!
Talk to you soon! Love,
Elder Vogan
Friday, July 1, 2011
MEETING ELDER QUNETIN L. COOK
June 20, 2011
Family,
Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday, Dad! Hopefully the family spoiled you and told you how much we all appreciate everything you do! Thank you for raising me right, and helping me to be where I am now doing the greatest thing I've ever done! I love you!
So, this week ended with one of the missions greatest meetings ever! We had five general authorities come visit the mission, and this was the first time since before I've been in the field that the whole mission gathered together for a mission conference. Presiding was Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve (with his wife), and also visiting were Elder Hallstrom (Pres. of 70), Elder Arden (newly called 70 from last conference), Bishop Edgely (Pres. Bishopric), and Elder Ward (of the 70). As all the missionaries were gathered in the chapel in Neenah, and as we become reverent before they all arrived, the Spirit was very strong. Elder and Sister Cook's plane flight was running late, so we began the meeting without them and Elder Ward, who was there to pick them up. We they walked in, we all stood, and that Spirit in the room seemed to double. It was such a testimony that he is truly who we claim him to be, a chosen Apostle of the Lord, having the same authority that Christ gave to the Apostles when He was in Jerusalem.
The meeting was amazing, and everyone got so much out of it. It was funny afterward when we got everyone together for a mission picture with all the general authorities. We had 5 or 6 levels in front of the stage. Missionaries on the ground, chairs, standing behind the chairs, sitting on the stage, standing behind them on the stage, and then standing on chairs on the stage. It was intense, and I'm excited to see how the picture turned out.
Otherwise, the work is going good! We have 2 new part-member families we've started teaching. One is from Peru, so she said our next appointment can be a dinner and she will let us help her make some authentic peruvian comida - ceviche and green spaghetti. We are excited. The non-member dad is American or else we'd have to pass them on to the Spanish elders. All the investigators we have been working with here are either progressing very slowly, or we passed them off to the Sisters, or they dropped us. The mission has its ups and downs. If we get sad or even devastated, it means we love and care about these people (like we should), but if we get discouraged, it means we are losing faith and effectiveness. It is a hard balance, but you learn it after two years!
Well I do love you! I hope everyone has a great week!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Family,
Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday, Dad! Hopefully the family spoiled you and told you how much we all appreciate everything you do! Thank you for raising me right, and helping me to be where I am now doing the greatest thing I've ever done! I love you!
So, this week ended with one of the missions greatest meetings ever! We had five general authorities come visit the mission, and this was the first time since before I've been in the field that the whole mission gathered together for a mission conference. Presiding was Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve (with his wife), and also visiting were Elder Hallstrom (Pres. of 70), Elder Arden (newly called 70 from last conference), Bishop Edgely (Pres. Bishopric), and Elder Ward (of the 70). As all the missionaries were gathered in the chapel in Neenah, and as we become reverent before they all arrived, the Spirit was very strong. Elder and Sister Cook's plane flight was running late, so we began the meeting without them and Elder Ward, who was there to pick them up. We they walked in, we all stood, and that Spirit in the room seemed to double. It was such a testimony that he is truly who we claim him to be, a chosen Apostle of the Lord, having the same authority that Christ gave to the Apostles when He was in Jerusalem.
The meeting was amazing, and everyone got so much out of it. It was funny afterward when we got everyone together for a mission picture with all the general authorities. We had 5 or 6 levels in front of the stage. Missionaries on the ground, chairs, standing behind the chairs, sitting on the stage, standing behind them on the stage, and then standing on chairs on the stage. It was intense, and I'm excited to see how the picture turned out.
Otherwise, the work is going good! We have 2 new part-member families we've started teaching. One is from Peru, so she said our next appointment can be a dinner and she will let us help her make some authentic peruvian comida - ceviche and green spaghetti. We are excited. The non-member dad is American or else we'd have to pass them on to the Spanish elders. All the investigators we have been working with here are either progressing very slowly, or we passed them off to the Sisters, or they dropped us. The mission has its ups and downs. If we get sad or even devastated, it means we love and care about these people (like we should), but if we get discouraged, it means we are losing faith and effectiveness. It is a hard balance, but you learn it after two years!
Well I do love you! I hope everyone has a great week!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
TRACTING SUCCESS, BUT REFERRALS ARE STILL BETTER
Mon. June 13, 2011
Mom,
Hope you had a great week in Mexico, and hopefully nothing crazy happened at home when you were away! I still have not got the pictures from graduation, but I assume that might be because you were gone this last week and haven't sent them yet. I had a couple questions this week: What is the recipe for making chicken pot pie? There is a family here who has a tradition for each missionary leaving the area to make them dinner. They provide the ingredients. When they found out I'd be leaving in July they are already anticipating what I'll make for them. Also, the bike Dad sent out to me to use is still at the Du Charmes home in Milwaukee.. I have used it only once or twice very early on in my mission. I am planning on calling them and figuring out something. Would you like me to box it up and send it back home? Would you like me to try and sell it? If so, what's the minimum offer? I know it was an expensive bike. Maybe I can leave it a little longer and take a road trip out here with Jordan and pick it up? (If that's okay with the Du Charmes) It costs quite a bit to ship, especially if we will just be turning around and sending it to Jordan's mission. Besides, Britney Sigman, a girl I taught and was baptized shortly after I left Rapids will be going through the temple in late July and she asked if I'd be able to come for that. So yeah, just something I've thought about.
But anyway, getting away from the "trunky" thoughts, we had a really good week this week. Elder Wonnacott and I have been working hard and are starting to see good things. There is a fresh feeling here now, with Elder Wonnacott brand new and me only here six weeks, we have new vision and fire. We have been stopping by and getting to know the members better, and between Saturday and Sunday, we received eight referrals - it was awesome! Many of which came without our solicitation. I rekindled my testimony of tracting yesterday as well. I have been much more of one to have a place to go and then just talking to everyone we pass by or see outside. I have everyone added in my gps from our area book, every member and anyone who has ever been recorded to have shown interest in the gospel. So, usually with time when we don't have appointments we would go to one of those people and then contact around where they live, giving us a reason to be in the neighborhood. Of course when we were walking somewhere we'd follow promptings to knock random doors, but I haven't been one to pick a neighborhood and straight up tract it. But, one of our referrals we received was from members who didn't want us to say they sent them. They told us they were really nice and lived the Word of Wisdom already, but the members didn't want them to feel like they "sicked" us on them. So we ended up tracting for a little while where that referral lived, and it went well! We ended up teaching the father of that family, he took a pamphlet and said he'd be interested in us coming back! The family who referred us was way happy to hear that. I came to the conclusion that even though it is shown to be one of the least effective ways for us to work, it should still be included often in the plans. It keeps the spirits up and makes you feel like a missionary. (And almost all the cool mission stories come from tracting). In the 45 minutes we were in the area, 4 people openned the door and 3 out of the 4 allowed us to teach them. 2 said we could come back. I lost interest in tracting before because although we can teach alot of lessons doing it, the people we found didn't usually progress too far. When a member refers the missionary or it's a part-member family, it's crazy how much more and faster the people progress. So, do missionary work! Hopefully this member family will jump in and invite them over for some lessons with us as they continue to learn.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Hope you all have a wonderful week! And hopefully I at least receive one email from someone before I get off the computer today..
Love,
Elder Vogan
Mom,
Hope you had a great week in Mexico, and hopefully nothing crazy happened at home when you were away! I still have not got the pictures from graduation, but I assume that might be because you were gone this last week and haven't sent them yet. I had a couple questions this week: What is the recipe for making chicken pot pie? There is a family here who has a tradition for each missionary leaving the area to make them dinner. They provide the ingredients. When they found out I'd be leaving in July they are already anticipating what I'll make for them. Also, the bike Dad sent out to me to use is still at the Du Charmes home in Milwaukee.. I have used it only once or twice very early on in my mission. I am planning on calling them and figuring out something. Would you like me to box it up and send it back home? Would you like me to try and sell it? If so, what's the minimum offer? I know it was an expensive bike. Maybe I can leave it a little longer and take a road trip out here with Jordan and pick it up? (If that's okay with the Du Charmes) It costs quite a bit to ship, especially if we will just be turning around and sending it to Jordan's mission. Besides, Britney Sigman, a girl I taught and was baptized shortly after I left Rapids will be going through the temple in late July and she asked if I'd be able to come for that. So yeah, just something I've thought about.
But anyway, getting away from the "trunky" thoughts, we had a really good week this week. Elder Wonnacott and I have been working hard and are starting to see good things. There is a fresh feeling here now, with Elder Wonnacott brand new and me only here six weeks, we have new vision and fire. We have been stopping by and getting to know the members better, and between Saturday and Sunday, we received eight referrals - it was awesome! Many of which came without our solicitation. I rekindled my testimony of tracting yesterday as well. I have been much more of one to have a place to go and then just talking to everyone we pass by or see outside. I have everyone added in my gps from our area book, every member and anyone who has ever been recorded to have shown interest in the gospel. So, usually with time when we don't have appointments we would go to one of those people and then contact around where they live, giving us a reason to be in the neighborhood. Of course when we were walking somewhere we'd follow promptings to knock random doors, but I haven't been one to pick a neighborhood and straight up tract it. But, one of our referrals we received was from members who didn't want us to say they sent them. They told us they were really nice and lived the Word of Wisdom already, but the members didn't want them to feel like they "sicked" us on them. So we ended up tracting for a little while where that referral lived, and it went well! We ended up teaching the father of that family, he took a pamphlet and said he'd be interested in us coming back! The family who referred us was way happy to hear that. I came to the conclusion that even though it is shown to be one of the least effective ways for us to work, it should still be included often in the plans. It keeps the spirits up and makes you feel like a missionary. (And almost all the cool mission stories come from tracting). In the 45 minutes we were in the area, 4 people openned the door and 3 out of the 4 allowed us to teach them. 2 said we could come back. I lost interest in tracting before because although we can teach alot of lessons doing it, the people we found didn't usually progress too far. When a member refers the missionary or it's a part-member family, it's crazy how much more and faster the people progress. So, do missionary work! Hopefully this member family will jump in and invite them over for some lessons with us as they continue to learn.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Hope you all have a wonderful week! And hopefully I at least receive one email from someone before I get off the computer today..
Love,
Elder Vogan
A NEW COMP--ELDER WANNACOTT
Mon. June 6, 2011
Hello family,
Mazatlan huh? I bet that will be a fun week for you! And hopefully things are well at home with Megan during that time! Jordan will definitely be working for his money this week. So, yeah, this week is transfers - my companion is shipping back home and going right back to heavy labor working asphalt with his dad until Fall, then he'll be at Snow College. He'll leave to Milwaukee Wednesday and flight out Thursday morning. It's been alot of fun serving with Elder Peckham; he and I will keep in touch for sure! My new companion will be Elder Wannacott. He's awesome! It's interesting, I've been his zone leader for at least a little while in every area he's served in, and now I get to train him up! He is from bountiful, UT, but he has also lived in Germany for many years because his dad is a military doctor on the base in Ramstein. He actually knew Elder Turney who was also from that base in Germany. Pretty crazy!
That's awesome to hear about your missionary efforts at home; keep it up! This week went well for us. It seemed to fly by pretty quick. We had a nice family, the Le Clouxs, come to church yesterday, and hopefully they felt the Spirit and will continue progressing. I think the mom came more to be respectful to Elder Peckham, it being his last Sunday. But the kids loved church. I'm loving the ward here more and more. We always have those families in each of the areas that really support and love us missionaries, and I have enjoyed the relationships I have out here. One family, the Robertsons, jumped right on that family missionary plan, and they will been spending alot of time with us today. They will be hanging out with us during our P-Day activities and then tonight they are puting together a bon fire activity and inviting all of their non-member friends to come and ask questions about the church. The two oldest daughters have said they'd like to serve missions, so hopefully these experiences keep encouraging that! Today will be fun though. The four or five sets of missionaries here in Green Bay will all be eating at this awesome restaurant called the Pancake Place for lunch and then playing a game called speedball or crazyball at the church(I will have to teach the youth down there when I get home, it's alot of fun).
I am not excited for Elder Peckham to leave, but I am excited for freshness and change. It's always a good time to re-evaluate and recommit our efforts and set good goals. I will let you know how it's going next week! Have fun!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Hello family,
Mazatlan huh? I bet that will be a fun week for you! And hopefully things are well at home with Megan during that time! Jordan will definitely be working for his money this week. So, yeah, this week is transfers - my companion is shipping back home and going right back to heavy labor working asphalt with his dad until Fall, then he'll be at Snow College. He'll leave to Milwaukee Wednesday and flight out Thursday morning. It's been alot of fun serving with Elder Peckham; he and I will keep in touch for sure! My new companion will be Elder Wannacott. He's awesome! It's interesting, I've been his zone leader for at least a little while in every area he's served in, and now I get to train him up! He is from bountiful, UT, but he has also lived in Germany for many years because his dad is a military doctor on the base in Ramstein. He actually knew Elder Turney who was also from that base in Germany. Pretty crazy!
That's awesome to hear about your missionary efforts at home; keep it up! This week went well for us. It seemed to fly by pretty quick. We had a nice family, the Le Clouxs, come to church yesterday, and hopefully they felt the Spirit and will continue progressing. I think the mom came more to be respectful to Elder Peckham, it being his last Sunday. But the kids loved church. I'm loving the ward here more and more. We always have those families in each of the areas that really support and love us missionaries, and I have enjoyed the relationships I have out here. One family, the Robertsons, jumped right on that family missionary plan, and they will been spending alot of time with us today. They will be hanging out with us during our P-Day activities and then tonight they are puting together a bon fire activity and inviting all of their non-member friends to come and ask questions about the church. The two oldest daughters have said they'd like to serve missions, so hopefully these experiences keep encouraging that! Today will be fun though. The four or five sets of missionaries here in Green Bay will all be eating at this awesome restaurant called the Pancake Place for lunch and then playing a game called speedball or crazyball at the church(I will have to teach the youth down there when I get home, it's alot of fun).
I am not excited for Elder Peckham to leave, but I am excited for freshness and change. It's always a good time to re-evaluate and recommit our efforts and set good goals. I will let you know how it's going next week! Have fun!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
OUR MISSIONARY PROGRAM-COOLEST THINGS EVER!
Tue, 31 May 2011
Mom,
You are such a good match maker! Haha, I can't say I remember who that girl is.. [maybe you could send a picture with the graduation pics ;)] That is awesome to hear I might not need any surgery when I get home. If not though, I am hoping my knee will heal someday. It's been almost a year and I still can't run for very long or squat too well. I am capable with all the things I need to do, but you know how much I love sports. Well congrats to Jordan for graduating high school! I look forward to seeing the pictures - I'm not sure about my address, but you can send it through the office 5651 Broad St. Ste. 1 Greendale, WI 53129. The kids out here still have another week, and they are all as excited as you sound. We had such a fun Memorial Day yesterday, probably among the most fun days of my whole mission! There is a family in the ward who has a get-together where hundreds of people go to their home every year, and they always have the missionaries. Tons of food and games and nice people. They had water balloons too, so we left a little bit wet. That is nuts that Jordan will be putting his papers in before I'm home! Hopefully things work out for Jared to have a good environment in California and keep up on his growth and missionary preparation. Hopefully things start working for Hannah to get stronger. She needs to eat some more protein and take her vitamins so she's not so fragile!
So, the week we had been anticipating since I got here happened at church on Sunday. We had our missionary program, in which we distributed the outlines for the family mission plans. They are the coolest things ever. They are less than half a page size and lamenated with magnets on the back to hang on the fridge. There is velchro on the side for a dry-erase marker to stick onto it, which came with it. It gives a place for the family to set a goal each month for what they want to do to improve their missionary efforts. The ward council is excited about it and has plans for follow up and to keep it going through home teaching and in the opening exercises of priesthood and relief society. The sacrament meeting included talks by the bishop, a recent convert couple who were just sealed in the temple last week, another recent convert, the ward mission leader, and the stake president. It went really well!
We taught so many people last week, it even surpised us as week added up our numbers on Sunday. We have been just going out and teaching everyone we meet. We have three people who have said they would be baptized, but so far only one of the three seems serious about it. We are just doing our best to be diligent and searching for those people whom God has prepared. Really though, God has been preparing everyone we talk to in different ways, but some are just more ready and willing to accept it at this time. I swear, some of the craziest people I have ever met live here in Green Bay. These Packer fans are nuts!
It's crazy that Elder Peckham is heading out to go home next week! He is doing good though not getting "trunky". I tease him a little bit though, so that probably doesn't help. We have some good plans for this last week together.
Well I hope everyone has a great week! I will have the Miller family in my prayers and fast this week. You will hear from me again next Monday!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Mom,
You are such a good match maker! Haha, I can't say I remember who that girl is.. [maybe you could send a picture with the graduation pics ;)] That is awesome to hear I might not need any surgery when I get home. If not though, I am hoping my knee will heal someday. It's been almost a year and I still can't run for very long or squat too well. I am capable with all the things I need to do, but you know how much I love sports. Well congrats to Jordan for graduating high school! I look forward to seeing the pictures - I'm not sure about my address, but you can send it through the office 5651 Broad St. Ste. 1 Greendale, WI 53129. The kids out here still have another week, and they are all as excited as you sound. We had such a fun Memorial Day yesterday, probably among the most fun days of my whole mission! There is a family in the ward who has a get-together where hundreds of people go to their home every year, and they always have the missionaries. Tons of food and games and nice people. They had water balloons too, so we left a little bit wet. That is nuts that Jordan will be putting his papers in before I'm home! Hopefully things work out for Jared to have a good environment in California and keep up on his growth and missionary preparation. Hopefully things start working for Hannah to get stronger. She needs to eat some more protein and take her vitamins so she's not so fragile!
So, the week we had been anticipating since I got here happened at church on Sunday. We had our missionary program, in which we distributed the outlines for the family mission plans. They are the coolest things ever. They are less than half a page size and lamenated with magnets on the back to hang on the fridge. There is velchro on the side for a dry-erase marker to stick onto it, which came with it. It gives a place for the family to set a goal each month for what they want to do to improve their missionary efforts. The ward council is excited about it and has plans for follow up and to keep it going through home teaching and in the opening exercises of priesthood and relief society. The sacrament meeting included talks by the bishop, a recent convert couple who were just sealed in the temple last week, another recent convert, the ward mission leader, and the stake president. It went really well!
We taught so many people last week, it even surpised us as week added up our numbers on Sunday. We have been just going out and teaching everyone we meet. We have three people who have said they would be baptized, but so far only one of the three seems serious about it. We are just doing our best to be diligent and searching for those people whom God has prepared. Really though, God has been preparing everyone we talk to in different ways, but some are just more ready and willing to accept it at this time. I swear, some of the craziest people I have ever met live here in Green Bay. These Packer fans are nuts!
It's crazy that Elder Peckham is heading out to go home next week! He is doing good though not getting "trunky". I tease him a little bit though, so that probably doesn't help. We have some good plans for this last week together.
Well I hope everyone has a great week! I will have the Miller family in my prayers and fast this week. You will hear from me again next Monday!
Love,
Elder Vogan
MIRACLES HAPPEN!!
Mon. May 23, 2011
Miracles happen! So according to my MRI, my ACL is fine, which is completely against what I or the doctor out here thought. What is torn though is my posterior meniscus (I didn't know that existed), and my patellar tendon is partially torn. I will need surgery when I return home, but it will only be a scope with a couple weeks recovery, rather than that 3+ month recovery. The doctor out here says that my patellar tendon will heal on its own. So I am really happy about that. Hopefully I can have the surgery after our trip instead of before. (Try to book it closer to the 21st.) I looked at BYU and can't see anything about tuition payments, so you don't need to worry about that.
Well enough of these "home" conversations and to the work. Things are going fairly well here. We are patiently working with our investigators, although none have a set date to be baptized at this point. We are just unleashing a new ward mission plan, which we are excited about. Some of the members in the ward council seem a bit reluctant to set goals or make plans for the missionary effort, but others are excited about it. I know that as those members start working towards their own family goals and following up with the members in their auxiliary stewardships, we will see a huge boost to the work in this area. I hope the family at home has some goals to do missionary work this summer!
I can't think of anything else specifically to tell you about this week. I love you and am grateful for your prayers!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Miracles happen! So according to my MRI, my ACL is fine, which is completely against what I or the doctor out here thought. What is torn though is my posterior meniscus (I didn't know that existed), and my patellar tendon is partially torn. I will need surgery when I return home, but it will only be a scope with a couple weeks recovery, rather than that 3+ month recovery. The doctor out here says that my patellar tendon will heal on its own. So I am really happy about that. Hopefully I can have the surgery after our trip instead of before. (Try to book it closer to the 21st.) I looked at BYU and can't see anything about tuition payments, so you don't need to worry about that.
Well enough of these "home" conversations and to the work. Things are going fairly well here. We are patiently working with our investigators, although none have a set date to be baptized at this point. We are just unleashing a new ward mission plan, which we are excited about. Some of the members in the ward council seem a bit reluctant to set goals or make plans for the missionary effort, but others are excited about it. I know that as those members start working towards their own family goals and following up with the members in their auxiliary stewardships, we will see a huge boost to the work in this area. I hope the family at home has some goals to do missionary work this summer!
I can't think of anything else specifically to tell you about this week. I love you and am grateful for your prayers!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Monday, May 16, 2011
THE SPIRIT OF TEMPLE SQUARE
Mon, 16 May 2011
Mom,
What a great email to read from you this week! Thanks for being my "wingman" Mom, that will be fun to take her on a date. It is always cool and crazy to hear the news of all the weddings happening. I didn't even know Krystina was engaged, but that's awesome to hear! I also love to hear about the people leaving for their missions and hearing about their mission calls! It's great to hear about Jordan and Taylor. They'll both be able to speak Spanish together afterward, so that will be fun. I'll have my MRI on Wednesday at noon, but I'm going to just be praying for a miracle and maybe it will reattach itself and I won't need another surgery. So you can go ahead and schedule a fun vacation, I will much rather do that, and I am completely capable. Also, I have already been registered for my classes at BYU for a month or so, so I'm good to go! That's not fun that you were sick, but I'm glad you are feeling better now! So cool about Hannah's repelling story too!
This week had it's ups and downs. We found a family to teach and two of them committed to be baptized. They were preparing, along with two other girls we were teaching, to be baptized on the 4th of June. That would have been a big day! And it would have been great for Elder Peckham to be here for that - that's his last Saturday in the mission. None of them came to church though. We will need to help them prepare for a later baptism date now to help them understand the importance of church attendance as part of that baptismal covenant. So that was disappointing. We do have a lot of good work happening. We are teaching people like crazy, and we are working on being patient in finding the prepared people we know are here. Right now, it seems the people like us and will listen to us, but they do not keep commitments or take the gospel as serious as they need to.
There is a man named Rick who we are teaching, and he is awesome. He was a very well-to-do dentist, but after many years of work and after his four children were all grown and out of the house, his license was taken from him because he refused to do mercury fillings. He ended up broke and bankrupt. Trying to make a little money for he and his wife to live on, he traveled out West to a business opportunity event in Utah. He and a group of people visited temple square, and he thought it was beautiful. As they were leaving and walking out of the gates, he felt an empty feeling. He stopped, while his friends walked ahead, and he stepped back in through the gate and felt the Spirit very strong. He stepped out again and it left. After doing that a couple times and being amazed, he went to the nice sister missionaries and asked, "Why do I feel different in here than I do out there?" Rick is very logical and analytical, but he knows what he felt. He got in touch with the missionaries out here, and they have been teaching him for quite awhile now. His hold-ups are that he has never been one to make quick decisions - likes to think things through, his wife is against him joining the church, he is a faithful usher and a big part of the church he goes to, and he feels like he will lose a lot of the close friends that he has (he has some who are anti-Mormon). He told us on Thursday, after we asked what he was waiting for, that he doesn't know why he is waiting. He says he has just been expecting things to fall into place, almost waiting for it to be an easy and comfortable choice to be baptized. We explained that nothing that is truly worth it in life comes easy and that as this is the true Church of Jesus Christ, the devil will tempt and distract him from what he should do. He sincerely rededicated himself to focusing on what the Lord wants for him to do. It's so obvious to us how much God wants Rick in His church, but we need to help him see that. He will be such an asset to the ward here, and we believe that will open up the door for his wife and family to be taught the Gospel as well.
Thank you for all your love, prayers and support! Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Vogan
Mom,
What a great email to read from you this week! Thanks for being my "wingman" Mom, that will be fun to take her on a date. It is always cool and crazy to hear the news of all the weddings happening. I didn't even know Krystina was engaged, but that's awesome to hear! I also love to hear about the people leaving for their missions and hearing about their mission calls! It's great to hear about Jordan and Taylor. They'll both be able to speak Spanish together afterward, so that will be fun. I'll have my MRI on Wednesday at noon, but I'm going to just be praying for a miracle and maybe it will reattach itself and I won't need another surgery. So you can go ahead and schedule a fun vacation, I will much rather do that, and I am completely capable. Also, I have already been registered for my classes at BYU for a month or so, so I'm good to go! That's not fun that you were sick, but I'm glad you are feeling better now! So cool about Hannah's repelling story too!
This week had it's ups and downs. We found a family to teach and two of them committed to be baptized. They were preparing, along with two other girls we were teaching, to be baptized on the 4th of June. That would have been a big day! And it would have been great for Elder Peckham to be here for that - that's his last Saturday in the mission. None of them came to church though. We will need to help them prepare for a later baptism date now to help them understand the importance of church attendance as part of that baptismal covenant. So that was disappointing. We do have a lot of good work happening. We are teaching people like crazy, and we are working on being patient in finding the prepared people we know are here. Right now, it seems the people like us and will listen to us, but they do not keep commitments or take the gospel as serious as they need to.
There is a man named Rick who we are teaching, and he is awesome. He was a very well-to-do dentist, but after many years of work and after his four children were all grown and out of the house, his license was taken from him because he refused to do mercury fillings. He ended up broke and bankrupt. Trying to make a little money for he and his wife to live on, he traveled out West to a business opportunity event in Utah. He and a group of people visited temple square, and he thought it was beautiful. As they were leaving and walking out of the gates, he felt an empty feeling. He stopped, while his friends walked ahead, and he stepped back in through the gate and felt the Spirit very strong. He stepped out again and it left. After doing that a couple times and being amazed, he went to the nice sister missionaries and asked, "Why do I feel different in here than I do out there?" Rick is very logical and analytical, but he knows what he felt. He got in touch with the missionaries out here, and they have been teaching him for quite awhile now. His hold-ups are that he has never been one to make quick decisions - likes to think things through, his wife is against him joining the church, he is a faithful usher and a big part of the church he goes to, and he feels like he will lose a lot of the close friends that he has (he has some who are anti-Mormon). He told us on Thursday, after we asked what he was waiting for, that he doesn't know why he is waiting. He says he has just been expecting things to fall into place, almost waiting for it to be an easy and comfortable choice to be baptized. We explained that nothing that is truly worth it in life comes easy and that as this is the true Church of Jesus Christ, the devil will tempt and distract him from what he should do. He sincerely rededicated himself to focusing on what the Lord wants for him to do. It's so obvious to us how much God wants Rick in His church, but we need to help him see that. He will be such an asset to the ward here, and we believe that will open up the door for his wife and family to be taught the Gospel as well.
Thank you for all your love, prayers and support! Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Vogan
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