March 20th - March 27th

This week was a slow week, but we got lots done!

We started with a dinner on Monday with Jim and Jon and Nancy, we do service for them at a old folks home that has activities and different stuff like that, we had tacos haha

We also shared the new Easter video and shared great testimonies, unfortunately, Mainers are the worst/longest talkers ever, and Nancy talked our ears off for 2.5 hours... oh man was it bad haha but that's okay, we just went home afterwards.

We had a short lesson with Ed and Eric, some less active members. They are doing alright, Ed had a huge, something and hit his head pretty hard and was out for about 3 hours and the ambulance had to come. Not good, but now he has shingles, so his health is just going down hill, poor guy.

We went to Millnocket twice this week, on Wednesday we had a dinner with the Faulkner Family and we are teaching their daughters. They're 15 and 10.. it was a good lesson, we taught the plan of salvation and invited them to pray for a baptism date, I am teaching the kids and I don't know if they fully understand, but their grandfather is down the street and he's way active, so he will help them out.

We saw Dawn Bonsoll again, she's doing better, she was sick this whole last week so she wasn't able to work out her legs or anything, but we brought her a shamrock shake and she was really happy to see that and then we read some scriptures with her.

We had another solid lesson with Luther! We taught the stop smoking program last week and he only went about 3 days without smoking, so he's gonna take it easy and do it again soon. But we shared about how church is really important for addictions and how reading and praying are also important. Hopefully we can see him at church soon.

We went and saw a less active, sister C., who pretty much just rambled about her problems to us and how she's now working on Sundays, so we weren't to sure about her.

We had a lesson with Lisa, she's doing so so good! It was a good lesson, the only thing that would have made it better was if her 4 year old daughter wasn't climbing into and pulling her hair and being a child haha but she payed attention, she loved the new Easter video and she's trying really hard to come back to church! She's awesome.

We had a wonderful dinner with the Fugleburgs, Ashley's family was in town from Idaho and they where all like "you're from Seattle!? You can come stay at our place when you're going to school or need a break on your way home from BYUI!" So I got the hook ups 🤙 haha we had a wonderful clam chowder, which I ate a lot of (I love seafood out here) and then we shared our favorite scriptures and bore testimony. It was powerful.

We also had a wonderful dinner at the Kettles! They fed us spaghetti, and we also shared out favorite scriptures there and it turned into a huge testimony meeting. It was really something special, and to personally have a connection with brother Kettle. I love him so much, and he felt it when I shared scriptures and experiences with him and he left s wonderful quote that I added in my testimony at the end of this letter.

We also had a great lesson with the Libby's! They are so prepared, we went over and Paige's neighbor said "don't let them knock on my door!" And we went inside Paige's house and she just talked bad crap about the people that yelled at us and swore at us when we knocked the neighborhood.

There was a door last week that I knocked on and lady cussed me out and said I was soliciting and just got me fuming, but the spirit took over and I was polite and said "sorry for bothering you" clearly fuming profusely, but Paige was in the apartment and she said she was inches from hitting her with a cast iron pan and telling her to knock it off, instead, after we left, she had some words with her and defended us!! #Blessings!

Anyway, we continued with our lesson of the plan of salvation and it was a really really good lesson, they participated and they are going to pray about a baptism date! So excited!

After in Millnocket, we went to the Sushkos and my mission was changed completely, which doesn't happen to often when you're out about this long.

Here's the story.

When we go to the Sushkos, sister Sushko speaks Spanish, so there's Spanish practice (Holla!✌️) and because Grover thinks he's reincarnated and I don't want to deal with that, I teach Hermana Sushko separately. That way we are in our own little world and if my comps need me, I'm right there and I'll chime in, but anyway, I shared a favorite scripture with Hermana Sushko, I shared Alma 26:37, how God numbers his people and he has mercy over all of them, I bore a simple testimony.

She shared Alma 26:27, when Alma and the sons of Mosiah where depressed, but the lord comforted them and they went back to work.

As she shared that, she expressed how upset and hard it was to learn English, which it's hard for me to learn Spanish, and she said that she would love to, but she gave a really interesting analogy.

She said that people in warmer climates, like Columbia, are more open and warm to people, missionaries and in general, and cold climates, like New England, a lot of people don't want to meet their neighbors, other people or at all. Which is pretty true, and she told me a story of when she was home. She said that in Columbia, they go meet their neighbors, they say hi and invite them for dinner one day, get to know them and have a great time, then the next Monday for FHE they invite the family and the missionaries.

She said that led to a baptism of her best friends, a family of 10.

She expressed, crying, how she wishes she could go talk to people, she really wants to do that, but she physically can't and she goes back to that scripture every single time she gets down.

What a powerful testimony, what a powerful experience that I was able to be apart of.


My all time favorite scripture is Isaiah 41:10,13 because my last year at camp Helaman, this was the theme, and I remember when me, Jarod, Ethan, Greg, kaydin, Dallen, Gideon, Zac and Parker where all there and that last testimony meeting before we go, how it's all a huge ball fest and I remember hugging them and Greg said that this could be the last time we are all together until we return from our missions. And it's true.

Every time I read that scripture, I feel the brotherly love that comes from that distinct memory, especially when my brother Jarod hugged me. I get pretty emotional when I share that because I miss my family every single day and I miss my friends, who are embarking on their missions all over the world in Virgina, Mongolia, Italy, Argentina and now the Dominican Republic.

I'm so very grateful for a Savior that loves us so much, to call us to labor in these parts of the world to help others come closer to Christ. I'm grateful for the Atonement, that allowed me to embark on the journey and the promise in the scripture that says to never fear, because he will hold our hand when others won't, bare burdens we don't need, and bless us for beyond what we deserve.

"He'll bring you through it cuz he brought you to it" - Bro Kettle

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee

I love you all, hope you have a wonderful week! If you haven't had a change to see the new Easter video, go watch it! It's pretty awesome!


Con mucho amor deElder Vogel