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

always being goofy

goofy at zone conference

Sept 4 - Sept 11th

Not to busy of a week, I got really sick so we did very little, but!

We went to Brewer for exchanges and elder Sobisky and I where hangin' in Brewer together again! Way awesome, it's always nice to be with a really good friend when you need him.

We worked pretty hard, we stopped by a few people and had a few lessons. I also got to use some Spanish!

The Brewer elders got a referral from the Waterville sisters, and the referral said there is a Spanish family and only one of them speaks English, so elder Sobisky and I went over Tuesday night and tried to see them.

A lady named Rosa, answered the door and we said hello and asked if Jesse was home, and she had a look on her face that said "What the heck are you saying" so I started speaking to her in Spanish and she came outside and we talked a lot! She asked some really good questions and I really had to self ponder them.

That little experience brought me right back to Lincoln when I was with Hermana Sushko.

Rosa asked me how I live the teachings of Jesus Christ, and I said to her, with some help from elder Sobisky digging into my head of a few words that I know, I said that we express the same love that Jesus Christ expressed to his people when he was alive. And she agreed and I said we also read from the Book of Mormon and the Bible, and together it's the complete gospel. And she accepted, she also accepted an invite to church and said she would make it! Don't know if she actually did tho.

Once we got back to Skowhegan, we had district meeting, I was too sick to teach to the Zone Leaders came and taught, the taught on organization and for a role play, we went outside and did a mini blitz, and the Farmington sisters, as we watched, talk to someone literally right across the street from church, got inside and had a solid 20 min lesson and referral for us. Amazing 👏👏

The rest of the week we had Coordination meeting with brother Chapman and helped him see his role as a mission leader, then we planned and also had a lesson with Naomi and she talked to us about her life and her struggles. But also, she's getting ready for more and we need to jump on those and teach her the Plan of Salvation.

We also saw Dale Bickford and the Goforth family. Dale has been super busy, but we managed to sit with him for a few min then talked to his family and set up a day where he can beat up elder Rex and I on Monday 😂😂 it's gonna be fun!

Goforths came to church and they are also doing really well. They are getting along with their neighbors again and they reunited with some other members that missed em.

Brother Thwing fed us Wednesday and his dad was also there by surprise and said "I decided to stay an extra day to have one more meal with you guys" which was super awesome and touching! He will be driving back to Indiana and slowly making his way down to Texas.

Not super busy week, but we did get some stuff done and hopefully more to come!

Love you all, 8 more weeks! See you soon!


Con amor de Elder Vogel

Spanish, English French and Swahili
all in the Manchester New Hampshire mission

Labor Day Lobster feast

Cooking the Lobster.
A bottom layer of Seaweed covered with burlap.
 add the lobster...

then add the clams and muscles...

all in and ready to cook...

add more burlap and a top layer of seaweed

ready to eat

lobster, clams, pork and venison served with boiled potatoes

p-day fun e-mailing our families

Zone conference ...love these guys.

August 28th - Sept 4th

This week, we had a super awesome lesson with David Gulnick!

We had asked him if we are still good to see him and we didn't hear anything until about 30 min before, and he's like "come on over, I'll make you dinner and we can just hang out" so we went over!

We sat down, just started talking about life and he's like "I've been feeling the spirit all freaking week man!" So we jumped right into baptism, had a super awesome lesson. He's gonna be praying about baptism and he will tell us his answer next time we see him, super awesome!

We also saw Norman and Beth twice this week!

We went over to help out at the farm. We went through the hunt farm again and fixed fences, then we moved a trailer and filled it with grain for the pigs. After, we saw jack, the family pet deer, and we fed him and helped move a few other things.

Sunday, we went to their Labor Day feast! They roasted a baby pig and a half deer and Norman went and got about 120 lobsters! I ate 4 of them 😅 it was way good! Must have been about 200 people there and we even got a few return appointments with some people! There's a guy named Skip who is a professional singer, and he's got albums out and he said that he wants to write a song with me! Awesome!

Norman had set up this contraption to cook all the lobsters, like a makeshift metal table and he just filled it with lobsters and muscles and clams. Way good, David Gulnick even came and he was talking with everyone and having an awesome time! It was good.

We also went on exchanges in Newport, I was with elder Palmer again! It was more of an exchange to just talk to each other, about the mission and about life in general. It was also good, we went and contacted a potential who got 4 years of missionary experience right in her face! Haha she was pulling all these questions and we pulled out our spirit swords and just took it by the horns haha she's a new investigator now. ;)

It was still pretty good day.

We also went up north and saw the Goforths, we went and saw him and he's like "I just beat someone up. I sprained my wrist" so we talked to him about that and had a decent discussion about talking things out haha

We went over to Naomi's again and saw her sister Gema for the last time, she leaves to New Hampshire and then she's said to pass away before Halloween, so that was pretty hard. I made a bracelet for her and she said "I'm gonna be cremated with this" so I assume it was a complement haha

We also got another call that a member died. So bishops got his plate full.

Also went to Zone Conference, all about social media pretty much haha and how to use it, also to be better leaders. It was quite interesting and preparing for elder Bednar in a few weeks! Super excited!

Update on Ryan, his surgery was successful, he went for radiation on his head and got the cancer out and now he goes back next week to have some skin from his leg grafted into his head. So he's busy.


Other than that, it was a good week.

Thanks! Love you all!


Con amor de Elder Vogel