soup kitchen family

more from the deer farm

August 21st - August 28th

This week was pretty slow again, we've been having some slow weeks lately.

We started this week out with a lot of finding, and no success. Elder Rex and I made it a goal to talk to 15 new people a day, but we haven't been able to do that.

We did, however have a dinner with sister Eunsen and sister Michaud, love them both!

She made us this weird vegetarian dinner, not much of a fan, but it was alright haha. We then went and saw Terry and Butch, but they rescheduled with us because it was a bad time.

Wednesday we had district meeting and not much later, both lunch and dinner fell through, sadly. So we went and tried to find some other people and talk to our current investigators, with no luck.

We did however, see Dale Bickford, he's doing pretty well. He is on another downward due to his meds being changed again, but we all gathered around a campfire for the night, it was awesome seeing him, his parents and his sister there. They talked to us about home and about the mission and had an overall great visit.

We had zone leadership counsel, where the district, zone and sister Training leaders all get together and discuss the needs and set goals for the month. It was a very good meeting, probably one of the better ones I've been to in my mission, very productive and inspiring.

We also went and did service at the soup kitchen at the Catholic Church, same ol stuff, don't know how much longer we are going to do that because it's getting a little overwhelming for us.

We where able to see the Goforths again and have s little dinner with them, we talked about the spirit and the Book of Mormon and how we can come closer through it.

We had service on the deer farm, like always, and we started our day off with going next door and helping their neighbors split wood. Their names are Frank and Robin.

They both are so awesome! Robin is from Texas, so she's got a awesome southern accent! She and Frank met and then got hitched and came out to Maine, where Frank, every year, goes and walks the whole Appalachian trail, and he's in is 80s...

We talked to Robin for a little bit about the church, she knows that some of her friends are Mormon, but she's a hard liberal, so that was fun haha but it was a good conversation about the Book of Mormon. Later, they took us on a tour through their house, that they built, and talked to us about their grandkids and all that fun stuff, it was really nice talking to them. Not new investigators yet, next time they will be! Haha We then went to Norman and Beth's to see that they had some family and friends over for a few weeks!

We helped them get ready to go and hay a field, then we didn't really have much to do so we talked with them.

I was with Beth's brother in law and he's a master farmer and mechanic, so he shared some wisdom with me and kinda took me under his wing for the day haha way fun! He's a classic, old man, who swears and knows a lot and knows he knows a lot haha. but I rode with him everywhere and we talked about church, then he talked to me about mechanics, then I related mechanics to the gospel and he says "that's some awesome sh** kid, you're an old fart with this aye? " haha! Yup.

After we talked and he shared with me more about his family and how to butcher and clean out animals, we headed to the hay field, where elder Rex and I picked up square bales, bout 150 of them. That's an awesome workout! I could do that all day! But I totally felt Mexican so I don't know. haha

When we where getting ready to wrap up, Norman invited us to his annual labor day feast, they will be roasting a half deer and he said he'll get about 150-200 lobsters ready, with a bunch of other goodies and a grand ol time! Haha and the best part, was this. "Bring a bunch of your stuff because you can set it out and talk to people about the Mormon faith if you'd like, I'm sure many people would like to talk to you boys" AWESOME! I think we've officially hit that point that they kinda adopted us as family members haha which is awesome! I love them!


Overall, this week was about a 7. Could have been better but it was good.

We also got word that we will be having a mission conference in Manchester Sep 15th and a special stake conference sep 17th, where Elder David A Bednar will be coming to address the missionaries and be speaking in Bangor. HOW FLIPPING COOL IS THAT! So stoked for the next few weeks! I'm excited because we get to be in an apostles presence again, but scared because we also get social media released to us shortly after he comes. He's also head of the missionary department, so I feel that he's gonna throw down hard on us about being obedient with this.

Presidant Blair told the zone leaders, sister Training leaders and assistants "many of you will be going home due to this change coming up. And when you can't handle it, you will be sent home to get your act together, then come back"

So if he's saying that to the leaders of the mission, he means business.

Love you all! Thanks for all our do!

Con amor de Elder Vogel

Beth and Norman. Deer Farm Owners 

Miles to anywhere

Deer on the farm

Baby Bison

More Deer

August 14th - August 21st

This week was pretty busy.

First off, my new comp Elder Rex, he's from Boise Idaho and he's dork haha I love him tho! Don't get me wrong, he's ready to teach and to learn and to baptize! He's only been out about 6 months and he talks a lot about his girlfriend at home.. I see what Pres. Blair is trying to do haha sneaky man.

Anyway, we had a home teaching visit with brother Griffith and Bishop, so we went on splits right when Elder Red got here.

Elder Rex stayed with Brother Firmage and Griffith and this is how it all started hah

First off, just a bit of background, brother Griffith is your average stereotype Mainer, loves his guns, swearing and his American rights and he's less active. He just got a tattoo in Arabic on his forearm that says "American Infidel" so he's very opinionated haha


Griffith - "how old are you"
Rex - "I'm 22 sir haha"
"Did you vote"
"I didn't"
"Who would you have voted for"
"I can't tell, it was a hard choice"
"Oh yea.. that's some tough sh**"

And it just went from there haha I later told elder Rex to just give the missionary excuse of why we can't vote, after that I left haha .

The Blooms visit was very good, we ended up teaching brother Frappier how to be a teacher, cuz he doesn't really know. But that's okay, everyone's at different places in the gospel.

Wednesday was awesome! We went and had a awesome district meeting, I didn't have much time to prepare, but it came out alright haha, but afterwards, we went to Solon and saw Isaac again, he was there and we got to meet his wife Ashley. Super awesome! We talked for about an hour and invited them to a movie night at the church!

They didn't come. Boo

But after we went to brother Thwings for dinner with him and his dad, we talked about the spirit and about how he can guide us in this world. Also about how little things can make the biggest difference, it was awesome.

We had another visit with Dale Bickford this week, this time elder Rex was introduced to his knife family, a lot like what Elder Slaugh and I had, accept elder Slaugh and I have a few of his knives now 😂 it was awesome, I talked to his girl, Jasmine and we met her family, awesome people, really down to earth.

We also had a phone call with Cheryl Parker about her brother Ryan who wants to be baptized.

Ryan is doing good, he had some of the tumor removed from his head already, he goes in tomorrow to remove the rest and some of it had gotten to his brain, but it was on a part that didn't effect him I guess, so all is good there. He said he wants to meet up with us next week at Cheryl's house to start the discussions! I'm way pumped!

We also had another visit with the Goforths, we did twice this week actually haha one with elder Palmer and I and another with Elder Rex, it was good. We related racing to the gospel 👌 ''twas pretty awesome. He liked it, and we met his landlord and talked to him for a few min

We went to the deer farm again this week and we stacked wood for Norman and Beth, they where down in New Hampshire with their daughter for a surgery and asked us to do that. So we did and we waited for them and we had a nice conversation, they miss elder Slaugh, but they will get use to elder Rex, I hope 😅

We also had a awesome chat with David again! David is going through girl props too I guess and elder Vogel said "dude you need to chill with the chicas" "Yeah, I know, I'll do that so I can focus on God a little more"

So all is good with him! And David and his neighbor Josh came to the movie night Saturday night! We watched UP, totally worth it 👌

We also had a awesome chat with Naomi, and her sister from Ireland. Her sister has cancer and was given until December before she dies, and she said "I got some other stupid Mormon boy all uptight with the stuff I asked him" and I gladly accepted to help her and this is where it got real.

She had some little questions which kinda set the ground for what was coming and then she let it go wild.

I've heard Naomi's story a few times, but her sister went through so much more. She told me how her and Naomi met and how they became sisters and all that, then her abusive life. And a fallen faith in God.

I just bore testimony of a loving God and that sometimes, things happen that we can't control, but everything we go through is the path to help us to find God and seek his love. As I continued, she started to cry and started to ask the true concerns on her heart and I continued to relate those to my own life, my mission and the scriptures. It was a powerful moment and Naomi later told me that she felt the spirit a little bit. And no one has ever been able to do that for her.

Powerful moment.


That's pretty much it for this week. Good things to come, thanks for the prayers and all you do! Hope you have an awesome week!

Btw, the weather is awesome! 60s- 70s, i love it!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

August 7th - August 14th


We went on exchanges to Newport, I was with elder Carlson and we had a great time! It was mostly him saying goodbye to the people and contacting a few others, but that was it.

We taught s few people and had a couple others invited to baptism, good day.

Wednesday we had district meeting, it was pretty good, we then headed north to see the Goforths and watch the other side of heaven with them, it was pretty cool! Afterwards, we went even farther north to go see a guy named Issac who was a sponsored, athletic archer dude. "That's what he said" and he showed us some bows and it was way cool! Told us stories and we shared a little message with him!

After we had another Dinner with the Thwings, we had dinner with Ricky and Jazzy and he little brother, can't remember his name haha but it was awesome! Afterwards, we went to Dales, and missed him so we talked to his dad instead.

We also had another adventure at the deer farm! We helped change the brake pads on Normans truck, and then we went and fed the animals, ran a few errands and delivered some hay, then we went through a 4 wheeler tour through the hunt farm! It was pretty awesome, I have videos and pics on my mission iCloud.

We saw jack, the befriended borderline Elk. He's fat, he's a trophy. He's gonna die. Haha

We spent a lot of time this week finding, not to much success but we found some people that might be interested.

We found a guy in Walmart and he was like "yo Jesus boys, come here" so we did and we had about an hour long conversation about.. well.. nothing really, just a bunch of garbage, so we gave him a Book of Mormon and called it good haha

We also talked to another neighbor. His name is Rae, he's from Detroit. He's a black dude, and a cool dude.

He came out when we where doing laundry and we just started chatting him up and seeing what he's doing out here, it was a good contact. I he's a cool guy, can't wait to try and teach him!

So we got transfers and I will be staying here in Skowhegan and elder Slaugh will go down to Acton Massachusetts. I'm way excited for him! It's gonna be good. I'm receiving Elder Rex

Love you all, thanks so much!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

August 1st - August 7th

This week wasn't to crazy. But fun!

I went to Brewer with Elder Sobisky, AGAIN! Freaking love that guy, and today's his birfday, what an old foggie. #buds4life

We went and tried to find some old formers that I taught, but no luck, we just missed Genaro by maybe a few min.

We also went and had an awesome dinner with a family, the husband is from Japan or something like that and we knelt down at one of those sweet short tables and had authentic chicken salads and stuff like that, way awesome! Saw Bishop Frost and tried desperately to see Bernatches, but couldn't make it happen sadly.

District meeting was pretty awesome, the Bangor sisters, Stegall and Franson, taught us about missionary work with members and involving them, and we had a pretty spiritual meeting. Some people where really struck by it.

We had a couple great discussions with Dales dad, we talked about just random stuff and had some pretty good talk about he gospel. Dales mom also, talked about some things that we addressed.

We also gave a blessing to someone, who is a non member and his sister was a member, so we gave him the blessing and he was like "I want to be baptized" AWESOME! His name is Ryan.

Works going ever so slowly, but we are working hard! Weathers awesome, highest is about 75, I like it haha

Love you all! Miss ya, be home in 3 months!

We also went to the deer farm again and got chased my buffalo! videos...Awesome.

Con amor de Elder Vogel