Our New Whip 2017 Ford Escape

It's snowing already...

A little girl at a family we visited...I promise i'm not that fat!

my dear friend is giving some lip...Only in Maine!

Hanover New Hampshire/Vermont, Manchester New Hampshire and Dover Fox-Croft Maine all in one week

Oct 21st - Oct 31st

My new address is 58 Autumn Ave APT 1 Dover Foxcroft ME 04426

Monday - We had a p-day full of cleaning, packing and hanging out haha loved it, loved talking to my friends! Missed them! After p-day, we went to the... well dang I forgot their name haha! Whoops, wait! Their names are the Banks!! thats what happens when i'm in area for 4 days lol, afterwards we went to bed after language study.

Tuesday - We got up bright and early to make 2 trips to the Manchester chapel for exchanges where I saw so may friends!!! I love them!! Elder Iverson and I hit the road to Dover Fox-croft!! We where running pretty late, We didn't get home until about 10pm.. but, we had a dinner with the Moon family! They are a nice couple and I love them! They totally hooked us up with their gym. We gonna get wrecked! Haha after, we went and unpacked a little and went to bed.

Wednesday - We had district meeting and it was awesome! Loved it! Elder Kulkarni is in my district with Elder Morgan, Sisters Mortimer, Turley and the Zone Leaders Elders Timothy and..   I forgot his name.. dang.. afterwards we went and met our investigator Derrik Merrill, he's pretty awesome! He was busy, but we set a time for Friday to see him, pretty awesome! We then went to help the bishop.. wait, i'm in a branch... Branch Pres, move some stuff and then went to Scott's house. Scott's a cool dude! He fed us dinner and we had a chance to talk to him about his concerns and had a wonderful time! Afterwards we went to try and find a few more less actives, but we couldn't find their houses, darn.. but thats okay!

Thursday - We started the day out with doing service at a museum... which we are not doing again lol that was so unproductive we where doing everything accept the service hahah she left us alone and we where like "The heck is this" so we where paying jokes on her haha so fun, afterwards we went and helped a guy named Jim out and Jim speaks Spanish! But its very bad Spanish lol he called us and asked us to help him rake up leaves. We then had a lesson with him and he went on to tell us he's pretty much crazy.. he's a member of the Mexican Mofia and was in the Texas crazy asylum for like.. 8 years... he says he "Fights Demons" but ok haha we said a prayer and headed to see Jim Drinkwater, an older guy and wife, he seems cool, but not to interested, but we will keep teaching and see what happens. We then, after some more finding, we went to the Atwaters for Dinner, we sat down and had a HUGE pot of chicken soup which was BOMB!!! Loved it!! Then we had coordination with Brother Bessell with the Sisters. Love serving with sisters again!!

Friday - We had a apartment inspection, which we passed, then we headed to do weekly planning.. also, IT SNOWED HERE!!!!!!! I'm so not happy. Its not even Halloween yet and we had snow.. I'm not excited for this winter, which I will probably be spending up here in the 100 plus ft of snow.. but anyways, after, we went to see the Andrade family and we set a time to come see them again and then we talked to a member across the hallway named Danielle, a recent convert of about 2 years. We talked to her for a while and she said she would be at church, pretty cool! After we had a lesson with Derrik, it was so awesome!! We talked to him about a bunch of different things and we taught him with music, he works a bunch and we told him to look up songs and listen to the message, it was awesome!! After, we called it a day.

Saturday - We have a bunch of families everywhere, with the same name, so the whole day we chose 3 family names to go meet all their kids. This ward is like a crazy family story of kids moving out having more kids and keep doing that, crazy. Anyway, after seeing a couple families and talking to them, we went to the trunk of treat and met more people and had a great time! After, we called it.


Sunday - Sunday we had a informative sacrament meeting. It was interesting, we then went to Ryan to see Jim but he didn't show, so we came home and had studies and pretty much stayed inside the rest of the day.. it was aight tho

Dover is awesome!! So may miracles! I love it! Its going to be different, but I like different, haven't used much Spanish, but i'm still looking hard for those chances to use it! The members are different, I am in Maine, but thats okay, I'm gonna have so much fun! Love you all and thanks for all you do!

Love as always,  Elder Vogel

Oct 17th - Oct 24th

So I don't quite remember all that happened this week.. but I'll d my best

Monday - we had a great PDay having a nerf war with the district then we went to go see Sharon. Where we taught the word of wisdom.

Tuesday - we don't have the car so we walked all day today with no luck and it rained on us. Kinda sucks. But we managed to go to the Bettweisers and talk and have a great time there, we received our transfer calls also.

Elder Espinoza is going to Lawrence, Mass. and I will be going to Dover Fox-Croft Maine with Elder Iverson!!

We where told we have to be packed and ready to go on Saturday and to not tell the district until Friday night. Elder Espinoza had a meeting in Lawrence and I will be going to Manchester for the weekend.

Wednesday - we had district meeting about charity and comp unity. We then went to the haven then out to dinner with brother Roderick and stopped by Vince Williams house to see how he is doing.

Friday - we did more walking and lots of packing. We then had a ward Halloween party

And said goodbye to the brown family and the rest of the ward. Super sad.


Saturday - we woke up and hit the road bright and early and I was with Elders Kulkarni, Nielson and Owens. Elder Owens and I hit the streets of Manchester and talked to Spanish people while Kulkarni and Nielson went to appointments. It was cool, we then had a dinner with the Banks family, they are a little off the wall, but full of love. After that we called it a night .

Sunday - I am here in the Manchester chapel, speaking more Spanish then I thought I would, it was so fun!! After church, we split and headed home to study and wait for Elder Nielson to pack. After, we had another dinner with the banks family then waited for elder Owens to get back.


So this week has been difficult and interesting. Sorry its so short but I will tell you why this is different. We have had many changes, elder Espinoza wrote me and this is what he said.

" He told us that all the Lawrence elders had a meeting with president on Saturday and that we would be picked up by the assistants to take me down to Lawrence. So we prepared. The assistants picked us up and we got back down to Lawrence for a meeting with president at 2. There were 8 of us in the room all Spanish speakers except for Elder Sealy who is our district leader down here for the moment. As we had the opening prayer that Sister Blair offered (our mission presidents wife) she was crying and we all realized that something was weird. President then proceeded to tell us how Lawrence and Methuen were being put into a new stake called the Northshore, Massachusetts stake and Lawrence and Methuen would be a part of this stake. The stake however is in the Boston Mission... so to make this a little bit shorter all 8 of us Elder Bills, Elder Strong, Me(elder Espinoza), Elder Miller, Elder Richens, Elder Stephens, Elder Hall, and Elder Sealy are being transferred to the Boston Mission!"




Long story short, the Lawrence ward doesn't exist in the mission anymore, and neither does a Spanish area in the mission.... which changes SO MUCH!! Portsmouth is now the designated "Spanish Area" now. In Dover Maine, where I'm going, there used to be Spanish elders that got lots done, so now I'll have to work super super hard. And some of my best friends are now in the Boston mission, and I have no hope of being "immersed" in the Spanish area... I need all prayers and advice, I'm using it loads. I'll keep going.


I love you all, thanks for all you do!!
Con mucho amor de

Serving.. stacking 700 bales of  Hay...can you say allergy attack!!

Love this, Elder Liljenquist is in the coral shirt next to Matt. they are great freinds

Oct 10th - Oct 17th


Monday - we went on exchanges and elder Liljenquist and I went to see a lady named Amanda who seems super solid. We also got to meet the Hoyt's who, sister Hoyt went to school with brother sergeant in Exeter!! Super stoked to talk to her and talk about those people! Awesome.

Tuesday - we went and did service all day. We went to a investigators named Tom, who, is an old fogy and is a self employed carpenter. He was building a roof and he asked for our help, which was way fun. Then, we went to a thrift store and I met some awesomely cool people who made it way fun. Afterwords we went to see some members then back home for the night.

Wednesday/Thursday - we went and had district meeting and afterwards we went to a Barn in Plainfield to Stack hay bales! It was so fun! We stacked about 700 bales and felt like body builders after, but the hay must have been grown weird and we all had bad allergic reactions.

I had it way bad, it felt like I had severe asthma and I was choking, but I later felt better after getting some fresh air. But we stayed in because we all got sick.
Stayed home Thursday all day and then went to a lesson with Nancy Hanger, who was also sick so it was chill haha we had a great discussion about 3 Nephi. It was good

Friday - we tried finding all day but no luck, we missed weekly planning and dinner because we went up north. No luck

Saturday - we tried going again up north to find some people because we lose the car soon, so we went and stopped by some members and other formers with no luck

Sunday - we had a great Sabbath, the messages where good and we saw Gladis and talked to her a bit.

We had lunch at Dartmouth with the students and I met a girl named Valentina from Puerto Rico. She speaks fluent Spanish and English, but we talked English because she was more comfortable with that, but she was really nice. Invited her to church and she said she would come. Awesome, after we had a great discussion with the Schwarz family. A less active family that wants to get sealed. When we got there, we set expectations and they have some stuff to think about, awesome.

Not alot this week, transfers are next week. we will hear Saturday if I stay or get transferred.

Con mucho amor de  Elder Vogel

Oct 3rd - Oct 10th

Monday - we had a pretty chill PDay, nothing to crazy, but we did however go tracting, then we called it a night. We did come in contact with a guy named Cierran, who is a hotel owner. He seems pretty interested and we set a time to see him next week.

Tuesday - we went up north and tried to see Deb Anderson, which she wasn't there sadly, all the way out in Woodsville.. we then went to the Brigham's and had a wonderful time seeing them and sharing a scripture. We then went to have lunch, then to see Nancy Hanger. We went to her bookstore in Bradford and had a very long conversation with someone in her store... who was kinda on the odd side haha but afterword, we went to try and find more people but had no luck. We then went to Vince Williams and had a great time seeing him and his sons! They are pretty awesome! I played guitar with him, we talked about his mission and shared a spiritual thought and made it in time to teach Sharon the Word of Wisdom again. She's so awesome, she's reading and praying despite of all this hardship.

After we had language study.

Wednesday/Thursday - after district meeting we went on exchanges in Laconia with the Zone Leaders Elder Birch and Summers. I was with Elder Birch, we went and saw some less actives, but no luck. After some talking, we went street contacting and ran into this dude who was listening to some music, we where able to talk to him and give him some encouragement and a Book of Mormon. He then said "thank you for talking to me, I really needed it"

On Thursday we went to see a investigator who was a no show, so we talked to sister Emmory, we shared a scripture and her granddaughter again, was flirting with me... winking and all that awakward stuff.. haha after, we went and saw Auto, who gave me a replica knife of the joker in the dark night rises and a butterfly knife! Awesome dude! After that we went to try and see some other potentials and formers, who where nice. We met a guy named Chandler, who's son is a farmer and loves Missionaries, so we chatted and got to know him a little better and left with a prayer and a new investigator! After, we talked some more and went to try and see some more people and we then headed back to Hanover.


Friday - we had a busy day full of planning and studies. We then went to Gladys's, who is from Buenos Aires Argentina and speaks no English... she is a Nanny and we met her boss and their family. It was fun, but my head got slaughtered. I was so lost and listening so hard, I totally missed when she asked me how old I was and if I was learning Spanish... I know those questions and how to respond to those, but I lost it, dang!! That's okay, the family was chill with us coming over and teaching the lessons in Spanish. I talked to the kids in Spanish, THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!!! 8 and 6 year old girls, so nice! It was easy to talk to them because that's about where my Spanish is at lol. after my headache, we went to Jen Smiths and shared a message and called it a night, then we went to Camp Jospeh next to the JSM and listened to a discourse from Pres and sister Blair and the rest of the district was over and it was so much fun, we had some families show up and it was a nice activity.



Saturday - we went to Grantham and tried to see a potential the sisters gave us, the record says to have Hanover Elders contact, but she wasn't home. So huge waste of miles. After, we tried stopping by a lot of people, we saw Will Hillard and talked to him about his new project and offered to help with anything, then we left. We then met the Preston Family, who live in... not healthy circumstances.. and we offered to help stack their wood and they are chill with us coming and teaching them. Awesome! After we kept trying to find people but no luck. So we called it a day.


Sunday - it was a good fast Sunday. After, we went to the Shwarz's in Fairlee and we talked to them, they where so happy to see us! They love Missionaries. A less active family who want to try and progress more, awesome, we visited with them for a while then headed off to Hunters and we met his family and talked more about our beliefs and helped guide him to find out his answers on his own because we can't and won't do it for him. After that we had a crazy crazy dinner with the Zimnicks family. Then called it a night.



Sharing the love and praying for all of you, works moving, we see miracles!



Con mucho amor deElder Vogel

goofing with the sisters on p-day

smelling the cows

beautiful scenery

 more beautiful scenery

english and spanish tags

elder thorpe

opening his birthday box. Favorite cars calendar

Card from Aunt Jen and uncle Tom

feliz Cumpleanos  Elder Vogel

not liking the wig so much

misionero mexicano

Hi

Just Chillin'

Sept 26th - Oct 3rd


Monday - We didn't really do much for p day, but we had a dinner with brother Roderick at a Japanese steakhouse with a habatchi grill table. WAY COOL! It was really entertaining haha after, we went to Vince Williams to say hi and meet his kids.


Tuesday - We had a power hour and we went tracting down by Hanover. We met a dude named Hunter who was really interested in the gospel, We taught the restoration and he was interested in learning more, so we got his info and are planning to see him next week. We then tracted into a guy straight outta Japan. Speaks no English, read my Spanish name tag and probably said what the heck. We left a English pamphlet with him and left. haha Then we went to go to the Kings. Sister Kings father is from Guatemala and we shared a message in Spanish and headed off with some dinner and called it a day. The Ascutney elders came for exchange after we spend dinner at 5 Guys.


Wednesday - Elder Thorpe and I headed to Matt's house, Matt is a new investigator and we taught the plan of salvation. Elder Thorpe is. Greenie! He has only 2 weeks in the field!! Lol, so weird having a fresh MTC trainee as a companion, it was way fun tho! We went to Woodsville and tried to contact a referral named Deb. Deb said to come back next Tuesday so we planned that and moved on. I talked to a guy that had a rocking, 2012 ZR1 Corvette and he took a book of Mormon and said to try him next week. We then went walking around, hopping to find people, which we didn't haha but we took some sweet pictures of the view we had and we headed off to the Brigham's. They are doing awesome, they spoiled elder Thorpe and we all had a wonderful time there. Then we went into Bradford and taught sister Bailey, which was kinda.. odd today, but after we where going to go see more, but I didn't plan in 12 Week.(a new missionary guide). so we went home and did that and I did language study and we called it a day. Way cool experience.


Thursday - we had Zone Interviews all day. The interview went great, short, sweet, simple and we moved to Zone Meeting. We exercised how to have better unity with members and how to interact like normal people haha it was awesome. Later, we traveled home with Ascutney.


Friday - after weekly planning all we did is go and find, we tried seeing potentials but none worked out. We did however get to see Rosío. We gave her El plan de salvación pamphlet and continued to walk, but no luck sadly.

Saturday/Sunday - we had the wonderful opportunity to watch conference in the chapel. I love the leaders of the church, so inspired and dedicated to our work. That's really all we did this last few days, but i love how it was mostly centered around prayer. Prayer is so important for anything, when I shook Elder Rasbands hand at our mission conference a few months ago,  he told us we where 1 hand shake away from the prophet. When I was listening to a talk about prayer, we are 1 simple, innocent prayer away from our Heavenly Father. I think that was an eye opener, not so much the importance of prayer, but how close he really is to us. We really have no clue how close he is. He loves us, he knows us and he wants us to be happy. That's why we have the commandments and the other rules as a guideline, not to restrain us, but to show us the way to pure, godly joy in this earth life. 

Love you all, stay fresh, hope to talk to you all soon!

Con mucho amor deElder Vogel