Our son is home. It has been a crazy two years. To see the great growth and change in him is wonderful. his testimony has grown and his love for his Savior is immense. It is as a dream to have him home. the time flew by so fast for all of us. We will miss being "missionary parents" but we are excited to see what the next chapter of his life will bring. well done, Elder Matthew Vogel.

 The Lord is pleased with your efforts as a missionary. Your service in the Manchester New Hampshire Mission has been accepted as a worthy offering.

With much love and gratitude for all of you who have loved and supported our son. Thank you
John and Judy Vogel

saying good bye

more goodbyes

on the way to the temple

at the temple

the best two years with these guys

came out to the mission field together...Going home together

Elder Vogel

All of us at the temple with Pres. and Sister Blair

all of us going home

elder Vogel with president and sister Blair

at the airport in New Hampshire

time to go

last shot before they leave

Oct 30th - Nov 6th

Holy cow I’m finished. I can’t believe this!

There has been a lot I've learned on my mission. Many I won’t be able to explain because of the sheer sacredness.
I’m currently writing my last email on the plane from Detroit headed to see my wonderful family. I've been sick so it is shorter that it would have otherwise been.
I will forever miss New England. I will miss all my friends, and people I've watched change and the people that have changed me. There’s nothing quite like it on earth.
I’m still at the shock phase, I don’t think this is going to end until I see my home shortly.
I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I've had to delicate 2 years of my life to a loving Heavenly Father who loves me and you.
I’m so grateful for his love, that’s never unceasing and I’m grateful that when I finally came and said “I’m sorry, I need you” he was right there and changed my life.

21 comps, 9 areas, 2 mission presidents, 2 languages and 1 baptism.

My mission was successful because I changed.

In the MTC they told us that we are our first convert, when I became converted, everything seemed so much easier.  before my mission, I saw all the other missionaries and I said “I want that” and I found it. It was true Christlike love.


Thank you all for the best 2 years I could have ever asked for my life! I will forever miss it. Don’t wish it away, cuz it comes quick.

Love you all.

For the Last time, Elder Matthew Vogel

Oct 23rd - Oct 30th

Well, this week was not to eventful sadly.

We went on exchanges on Brewer, and Elder Sobisky and I hit the
streets baby! But sadly, I got way sick... sooo, that had to happen...
I did get to see the Thurlows from Lincoln! It was quite the treat, I
miss em!

Afterwords, elder Bassett got sick.. so, we tried numerous times to go
out and talk to people, but found ourselves being so sick, it felt
like we where getting shot in the face.. so we where in the apartment
needing to recover a lot... like the whole week..

The weather also sucked, it rained... like half the week haha it was a
“am I still at home?” Moment.

We went and helped out at Jackson’s eagle project, we build picnic
benches. Rad. Like the good old days. We got pizza afterwards.

We met a super awesome guy, his name is Tom. He lives in Oakland
“Waterville area” but he came to a dinner with the Frappier family and he
dug our brains out. It was kinda awesome, because I got to use 2 whole
years of missionary experience. It came like BAM! Awesome. He liked it
so much, we will be seeing him again in the future.

I’ve probably only gotten about 40 hours of sleep this week because if
I’m able to sleep, I sleep for about an hour or two and I wake up
choking and coughing my life away and there goes my night. But a cool
experience this week was Sunday.
Elder Bassett and I didn’t get any sleep last night, he woke up
and had a massive nose bleed, like blood everywhere, he looked like a
zombie and I thought I was dead for a second, cuz when you don’t
sleep, your mind plays tricks on you. Anyway, he cleaned up and we
tried sleeping again but it was to bad. So we stayed up, layed in bed
and yea. Long night.
But morning came and we where talking and thinking “should we even go
to church? We are way to sick” but we started getting manageable and
we decided to go for sacrament meeting. And I’m glad we did.
When we got there, I saw the Wilson family from Bar Harbor, I walked
in and saw their daughter Sadie and I thought I was dreaming and I was
back in Ellsworth, but I thought about it and the words “the Wilsons?”
Came out and sure enough, it was them! So awesome to see them again!
And for elder Bassett, the Waymouths-Cosme, and they are a family who
lived close to elder Bassett in Idaho, but then moved to Belfast a few
years back. So it was a great reunion for the both of us!

The lord blesses our efforts, no matter what they are, even being sick
all week, we still saw some tender mercies and miracles.

I also have a week left on my mission.. oh snap.. my milk expires
after me.. I’m pretty much done, Halloween will mark official 2 years
since I was set apart as a missionary.. I’ll leave the sob story for
my last week haha

Love you all! 10 days!

Elder Vogel

Oct 18th - Oct 23rd 

We had a good week, just not to eventful. Our finding efforts have failed recently, so we need to try something out different for next week. We are having a big fat 0 in all categories. 

However, we did see Dale, and we taught him about service. 

 We also where able to teach his whole family the restoration and they said “oh man, I miss that!” Way cool. 

We saw the Goforths and had a dinner with them and helped them see that church is still important. However, they didn't come to church sadly.

 Church was pretty good. We had a few great talks about the spirit and about bishops seminar with elder Bednar, really good. 

We were able to go and see Matt and Nikki, our new family we found a few weeks ago! 

We went over and Matt talked to us for a solid hour about nothing really but it was good to see him and he said we are good to see him again, so he still wants to learn! WHOOP WHOOP! 

The fall has ended. Sadly. It was a bad fall this year anyway. The colors where cool, but not super good as last years, don’t worry, (mom) I did get some pictures and videos. 

We where at the deer farm and we helped clean out some stuff then Norman calls us and says “come to the hunt park, bring your big knives. We’re going on a safari” so I strapped a knife to my side and so did elder Bassett and we went to the park. 

There where some hunters there that shot a buffalo, but, it ran off. So we all went together and hunted a buffalo! It was pretty awesome, not gonna lie. 

One of the hunters was like “stop!” And he shot a deer, it was pretty cool to see that. 

However, we sadly didn't find the buffalo, it was a smaller one, not the typical Yellowstone monster ones, but it still was big. We even had a drone in the air looking, but we must have done that for about 2 hours, my heart was pumpin' haha.

 Other than that, that was our eventful week.

 My testimony is growing in enduring to the end. This is the time where I really need to use all I've got. Most missionaries have a prosperous area, but sadly we don’t. 

So we have to be creative and use everything to find someone to teach. 

It will be a good test. 

Love you all ! 

Miss you! See you in 2 weeks

Love Elder Vogel

Autumn in Maine

Hi Elders

using my new selfie stick

more autumn in Maine

Oct 9th - Oct 16th

This week was not very successful in finding but David, our investigator came to church! It was awesome! We also spoke in church this week and it was kinda emotional. I pretty much gave my
farewell to the ward, felt like I was leaving for my mission again.

We knocked and searched and searched for new people, but we got nothing sadly.

The fall out here is BEAUTIFUL! It’s starting to bloom with colors!

We did more at the deer farm, we went and picked rocks and sticks,
which is alright, but we are helping prep for a hay field. Should be
good.
random....I was cleaning out my ears and I plugged one up, so I ran all over the
state of Maine to try and get that fixed. It was successful, I’m all
good and I can hear, my listening skills need work tho Haha

We also had a Zone PDay in Bangor, Halloween themed and we carved
pumpkins. You best believe I used my new knives! pictures were last weeks post.

We also had an exchange this week, I was with elder Lundell! It was way awesome
to see my boy again!
He’s doing good, working through some things, but he will be good. We
just talked, had s awesome heart to heart with him.

Other than that, not to much else sadly. We are working hard, trying
to see the success!
Love you all! See you in 24 Days!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

no not black ops... Halloween fun with the Zone

Zone P-day Fun.

pumpkin carving contest

Zone PDAY

The District. Elder Vogel District leader

Bison on the hunt farm

More of the herd

Oct 7th - Oct 9th

It’s all doin good here! Sorry for the shorter letter, we had several meetings we where at.

First was Zone Conference, my last one! Holy cow. All we did was get smart phones and elder Palmer, Sobisky and I gave our golden truths. Kinda nerve racking.

My golden truth that I shared was to never give up. That hard things come, but all will be well.

We had a really awesome lesson with David this week!
We where planning to see him our regular thursday evenings and he said “naw I’m not doing to well”
So we talked to him and he finally let us come see him and we had a wonderful talk about baptism and about trials. He’s been having an emotional week.
But he said he would give the smoking program another try and keep his head up!

We went to the deer farm and elder Bassett was introduced to the gang, pretty awesome.

We also had interviews, it was my last and I received some awesome council from Pres Blair. I'm going to miss him.


Love you all! Sorry it short, but nothing really happened. Slow slow week

Elder Vogel

Enviando desde me iPad

Meeting Elder Bassett

seeing friends during transfers

Sept 25th - Oct 2nd

Busy week! Well, felt like it. Idk if I a lot actually happened tho haha

We started this week with other PDay out in the woods, we went on
another hike and Jasmine came with us and we just went with the clothes in our backs. ‘Twas fun, and water never tasted so good 😂

Tuesday I drove ALL THE WAY DOWN to Manchester and got
Elder Bassett. We drove back and that was our day. I saw a couple good
friends and had a good time down there.

Wednesday was district meeting and I had a pretty special experience,
one that I haven’t really had since the MTC. It was good, and I’m
super excited for all the new missionaries in the district!


We had a meeting in Newport with other missionaries, and it kinda
drove me nuts honestly. Sister missionary acting like my mom, needless
to say, spirit wasn't there and yea.. but we are gonna role with it I
guess.

We saw Terry, he’s doing good, not much different.
We saw Dale, he is also doing good, he come out the woods and we all
there talking with him and introducing Elder Bassett and then, Dales
like “that sound is driving me nuts!” So we followed him which wasn't
such a good idea because we then found ourselves trekking through the
woods while dale was after a bear or a coyote or something 😂😂so we..
hunted? Naa, we where bystanders haha

General Conference was way good! Really loved it! The talks where
inspired and the messages where for everyone.
We will see you again Elder Hales, much love ❤️

This week was also full of meetings..
but I'm looking forward to the future! This transfer is gonna be
awesome! I’m excited to hopefully baptize someone and hang out a bunch
with elder Bassett!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

the district... elder Vogel is district leader with a bunch of sister missionaries

Manchester New Hampshire mission with Elder and Sis. Bednar.

Sept 18th - Sept 24th

Transfers! I will be staying in Skowhegan for my last transfer! I’m
super excited! Elder Rex will be going to Windam, ME and I will be
training a new district leader, elder Basset! Way pumped!

This week was awesome!
We are seeing Dale Bickford multiple times a week, because he’s a ward
focus and we are the only ones that regularly see him, we spend our
PDays with him now. Last Monday, we went on a hike up a small river to
a campground area. it’s just a pond and a nice flat area to sit and
have a fire. So we did, and we just talked about life, and also got
his story. Dale is an awesome guy, while there, he taught us some more
cool stuff with a knife, then we headed back. Great hike! I loved it,
So we are going to do that every week now haha so that’s why my
weeklies are gonna be either really early or kinda late.
But we also saw him later in the week and we talked to him for a bit
about his scripture reading and he came to church!
We also saw him when he wasn’t feeling good and we where able to help
a little bit with him and help his family.

We also saw the Goforths again and they are doing good, they fed us
and we sat and had a awesome heart to heart about life, work, and
reasons why the gospel is so much more important Im our lives.

We also went to the deer farm again, and right now until the end of
winter, they are booked full of hunters. So they had some this weekend
and we where like “well, what needs to get done?” So we fed the deer,
very carefully because they are starting to fight and roar, which is
kinda intense honestly and the Bison are less patient. Don’t worry,
we are all safe 👌
We where talking with Beth however and she was mad because the people
here now are just there to party and she didn’t like that so she
vented to us and then one of the generators broke. So me, elder Rex
and Beth went to get a new one for them, we drove all over the place
and back to the hunt park. She said “the deer are getting mean so be
careful” and we where going to see dale later that day so I strapped
my USMC bayonet to my side (Cuz I felt like a real Mainer with a real
knife in the woods) and we headed out and there where a ton of
people with a crap ton of weed. Awesome, :/ I haven’t had a contact high
since Brewer 😂😂 but we got there and we hooked up the new generator
and all was good and we all stayed and ate some food then said goodbye
to Norman and Devin, while everyone’s looking at my knife like “dude
he’s got serious piece on his side!” I felt pretty cool 😎. Beth also
put some Books of Mormon in the cabins haha 😆 she said “if they’re
high enough maybe God can sober em up!”😂

We went and visited Naomi and Terry. Kinda the same with them, not
much different but Naomi is getting ready to hear the plan of
salvation, so I think we will try and share that with her soon.

I had an awesome opportunity to give my first baptism interviews! I
got to go to Newport and interview Sam and Dalton, they are awesome
people! I think the highlight of that interview was when I was with
Dalton. His new wife Sam, was super cool and super chill with it and
she’s got a strong testimony. When I got Dalton, he came in and sat
down and it seemed like he was getting ready for a torturing haha but
we sat down, said a prayer and got right to it. Now, I know Sam and
Dalton better than they think because I was there when they where
first found and I heard all about their progression and teaching and I
didn’t tell them haha
But we proceeded and we got talking, going through some questions and
obviously listening to the spirit and the torturing became an amazing
conversation. I realized Dalton and I would have been awesome friends
if we grew up together because he was a part of the crowd I was in when
I was in high school. He’s a few months younger and we both graduated
2015, but I then was guided by the spirit to tell him that I knew him
fairly well and that I’ve followed his conversion all the way here.
He proceeded to tell me “I saw you I think at the beginning of
your mission, I think you where in Bangor, and I sat and talked with
you for a few min. You’re really different now” which was way eye
opening, because I barely remember that! Haha that was an easy way to
testify of the church and of my conversion, really got the spirit in,
and he also asked me a couple of personal questions that really set
the tone for the meeting, after that, we got talking even more and it
became one of the best interviews of my mission. He also asked me to
teach him how to play guitar and I was like “heck yes,”

What a way to end this transfer! Even when I’m struggling and seeking
even harder, Heavenly Father still provides.
Another awesome meet was David Gulnick, he’s so stupid close to
getting dunked (baptized) its almost shocking why he won’t, but we talked about
it and he was pretty set, he’s seeing an answer, so keep him in your
prayers!

Im excited for my last 6 weeks ! I don’t know what the Lord has planned, but
if my last transfer was this good, I wonder how this Last one will be!
Love you all!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

       

Saying goodbye to some members in the Bangor Stake

                                                                companion selfie



                                        
                                                  on a hike with Dale Bickford



                                               
                                                               more from the hike



                                               
                                                                  cool tunnel



                                               
                                                                       on a hike



                                   
                                                       more of the tunnel


Sept 11th - Sept 18th

Awesome week!

I'll first start off with some of the work.

We went finding a lot this week and we found a family down in Fairfield that is just awesome! We knocked on the door and this big ginger dude answers and he's like "missionaries! How are you?" And we got talking and he's got 3 little kids and they want to learn about the gospel! His name is Matt, he's a stay at home dad 👌

After, we met a guy named Rick, who's an old fart and he's like "if you're j-dubs, I'm gonna shoot ya" and we where like "naw dude, we the Mormons" and he's like "oh good, come on in here boys" and we taught him the restoration, awesome 👌

We had a lesson with the Goforths, not to much happened but it was all good. We invited them to the conference in Bangor.

We also did the same with Dale Bickford.

We went and did service at the deer farm, but we only saw Beth for a few min and we went across the street to Robin and Frank's to help with wood again, and they also had a few friends come over. So we had a whole crew!

We got working real hard and stacking and cutting wood, then she made us a wonderful lunch and we all sat on the back porch and we talked, got to know one another, then we bore testimony about our missions. It was way awesome, turns out, one of the guys is related to one of the prophets from back in the 80s! Way awesome. President Kimball.

After, we went and helped brother Goforth make a compost waste area, that was way cool and I got to talk to him for a bit and get a heart to heart.

Now, this week was a double dose of Elder David A. Bednar speaking to us. It was rad!

He first came Friday afternoon to Manchester and we had a awesome mission conference!

Before he came, it rained a little bit and we said a prayer to help the rain stop, and it did, but it jumped to about 80 degrees with 110% humidity to we where hot hot hot. Elder Bednar got out of the car and said "you're all soaked! Did it rain or something?" Haha and we took a picture and went inside.

Sister Bednar spoke first, and she talked about the power of scriptures in a conversion and in teaching. It was really quite awesome.

After, Elder Bednar spoke along with Elder and Sister Bennett.

The meeting was totally interactive, so they asked questions and we asked questions and got to be taught and enlightened from a Apostle of the Lord.

He gave us a training on the safeguards and about getting smartphones in about 2 weeks. Holy crap, so we talked a lot about that and I got to ask him a question and have a conversation with him about it! Way awesome!

After, he shared with us awesome insights about the Book of Mormon and about being strong in dark times. That's why we are being blessed with more tools, to spread the light more and faster.

Afterwards, he departed and we left for home. Awesome meeting.

Sunday was another dose! We all went to Bangor, Elder and Sister Bednar where accompanied by the De Hoyos (I think that's their names..) and they where learning English, but he was in the Quorum of the Seventy.

He spoke about paying attention and being prepared to be taught by a servant of the Lord. It was powerful, afterwards, his wife spoke and she did it in Spanish, and I understood the whole talk. There was a translator, but I understood it more in Spanish. That was pretty revelatory.

Sister Bednar also spoke about the love she had for us as a stake and as a church body. She shared experiences about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and about the nature of the spirit.

Elder Bednar spoke first to the non members and then to the members.

The non members, he spoke about the restoration, he pretty much taught all of them the first lesson, but it was powerful, it was meaningful, it was spiritual. He declared his witness, he bore testimony about Joseph Smith. I think the few people we had show up, where all being touched by him.

Then he addressed the members. He spoke of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Then called us all out. He said "if you think the atonement doesn't apply to you, you believe in Christ, but don't believe the teachings. That's unpleasing in God's eyes."

It was powerful! But he also said, getting a tad emotional "I wish I could come up to every single one of you, hold your head in my hands and have me tell you that the Atonement of Jesus Christ was all for you. It's was there for you. It's yours to use."

That was also powerful, it shed new light on me.

There was a lot more that happened, but the spirit overall this week was amazing. I can't begin to describe how grateful I am to have had the chance to be in the presence of two of the Lords anointed Apostles on my mission, and to see one, two days in a row and learn from him in different ways.

I'm also grateful for one last chance I had to see many wonderful people and families and the Bangor stake conference, I can't even express the love I have for them and for all the other families I've met on my mission. It's been a wild one, and almost done!

The church is true. I know it is, and I'm a witness of the restoration from Joseph Smith and the fullness of the gospel once again on the earth. I know Jesus Christ lives and is our Savior. I'm glad I found that on my mission and I'm grateful everyday that I get to wear His name and proclaim His gospel to the people of New England.


Love you all! See you in 7!


Con amor de Elder Vogel