Hey!
So, for the good news: Im going to be in Hatsukaichi longer!!! YAY!!! For the bad news: my favorite Elder Mourao is transfering out...on Christmas Day!!! Wow! The Lords work has no holiday. And so, Elder Goto will be coming here. He is a magnificent Japanese young elder. I guess I need to brush up more on my Japanese! Haha.
Thank you all so much for the Christmas package! I have been listening to the Christmas guitar CD a lot, and I must say, I want to try and learn some of it when I return. But yeah.
This past week was crazy! We had our Christmas Concert under the Hiroshima Train Station last Tuesday, and it was big! A lot of members and investigators and English class students came from Hatsukaichi! It was awesome. Even though I messed up pretty bad playing Oh Holy Night, no one really seemed to notice or care.
Then, on Wednesday, we had our mission-wide conference!!! It was awesome, as well. They allowed the use of cell phones! It was a big shocker. So now, I have a cell phone in my pocket, and it is straight up weird! I cant believe that something like that was normal to me before. It will sure come in handy when trying to get a hold of people. So, in the past 3 months, we have gotten email and cell phones! Me and Elder Mourao figure that the next step is a car. Haha, if only...
I had a quick question: did Paul Hansen serve in Hatsukaichi? If so, does he know a Yamamoto-san? It is a friend of one of the members who is a former investigator that we found the other day. She says that the first missionary she met was an Elder Hansen, who was one of the brightest people she had ever met! I was very curious...
Elder Mourao says thanks for the Christmas present!
Well, I guess you would like to know about the phone call.... 10 AM on Christmas my time would work the best. And, I would appreciate if you called (0829) 32-1338.
I love you all, and am grateful for your love and sacrifice. Its hard, but its worth it. Ill talk to you all later!!! :-D
Elder Hogge (Hogge Choro)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
16 December 2008
Haldo.
The Hiroshima Mission is having preparation day on Tuesday this week in preparation for the Mission wide Christmas conference tomorrow. Hence, the email is late.
Tonight, we are having a HUGE Christmas concert in the Hiroshima train station. I am going to be playing a Sally Deford version of Oh Holy Night on the piano with Sister Isa (the Mission Presidents wife) playing flute. Its a really hard piece, but no worries!
Oh yeah, before I forget, we are going to have to figure out Christmas phone call. Transfer calls are next Monday, and then we transfer on our December 25th. I have no clue if I will still be in Hatsukaichi, so we cant set it up for sure. If I dont transfer, that morning would be fine. And I think it would be okay to do the call on my December 26th (like last year?) too. So, I dont have any time to do the time difference math, but if you could pick about 3 times to do the call and let me know by next Monday (for me), then we could figure out what will work the best. And again, I will give you my phone number so you could call.
So, yes. I am still breathing, still sacrificing, still improving. Im really convinced that the things I learn and apply to my life here on the mission are going to stick with me, in the long run. (shoot that sentence past Hilly, and see if she laughs :-) ) But seriously, I am grateful for the opportunity to force myself to put the gospel and Christ`s church in first priority. I know that that is how it HAS to be in order to be `built upon the rock.` I am thankful for worthy parents who have shown me that example and the strength of that foundation. Oh man! Im so excited for this life in the gospel! It is so sweet.
Well, I love y`all. I think you are all quite dandy. Ill keep praying for Mindy, and now add Mom to the list! Let Spence know Ill be front row to hear his band when I get back, and let Willy know hes da man!
Good bye for a time!
Elder Hogge
The Hiroshima Mission is having preparation day on Tuesday this week in preparation for the Mission wide Christmas conference tomorrow. Hence, the email is late.
Tonight, we are having a HUGE Christmas concert in the Hiroshima train station. I am going to be playing a Sally Deford version of Oh Holy Night on the piano with Sister Isa (the Mission Presidents wife) playing flute. Its a really hard piece, but no worries!
Oh yeah, before I forget, we are going to have to figure out Christmas phone call. Transfer calls are next Monday, and then we transfer on our December 25th. I have no clue if I will still be in Hatsukaichi, so we cant set it up for sure. If I dont transfer, that morning would be fine. And I think it would be okay to do the call on my December 26th (like last year?) too. So, I dont have any time to do the time difference math, but if you could pick about 3 times to do the call and let me know by next Monday (for me), then we could figure out what will work the best. And again, I will give you my phone number so you could call.
So, yes. I am still breathing, still sacrificing, still improving. Im really convinced that the things I learn and apply to my life here on the mission are going to stick with me, in the long run. (shoot that sentence past Hilly, and see if she laughs :-) ) But seriously, I am grateful for the opportunity to force myself to put the gospel and Christ`s church in first priority. I know that that is how it HAS to be in order to be `built upon the rock.` I am thankful for worthy parents who have shown me that example and the strength of that foundation. Oh man! Im so excited for this life in the gospel! It is so sweet.
Well, I love y`all. I think you are all quite dandy. Ill keep praying for Mindy, and now add Mom to the list! Let Spence know Ill be front row to hear his band when I get back, and let Willy know hes da man!
Good bye for a time!
Elder Hogge
Sunday, December 7, 2008
7 December 2008
Hello Mom, Dad, Mindy, Sarah, Aaron, Hil, Spence, Willie, and Mari!
It feels so great to be in December! We are having an absolutely awesome time here in Japan. So far on the Christmas tree, I have put up Dad, Hil, Maris ornaments. Sweet! I busted up laughing when I opened Dads...now I have a face staring at me when I sleep! haha.
This past week at English class, we made.......EGG NOG!! You really should have been there...people gave us the biggest looks of terror when they saw us put nutmeg into the drink! Apparently, the Japanese put nutmeg into their hamburgers, so when they drank it, they said `ahh! burgers!` Haha. But there were a couple of people who really liked it. All in all, a really fun night.
Is Mindy doing all right? I will keep you in my prayers, Mind.
Hey Mindy, do you remember that packet of uplifting letters and papers you sent me when I was at home preparing for the mission? On one of them, it talked about purification, and doing a 40-day purification fast. Me and Elder Mourao focused our fasts on figuring out ways to purify ourselves and become more obedient, and then we committed to fast from `outside the ideal missionary` things.
In the process, I have just begun to learn about sacrifice. My Biology/Book of Mormon professor (Dr. Booth) at BYU once taught that `sacrifice brings sanctification.` We have really taken that meaning to heart. I am personally sacrificing many little and a couple big things during this 40 day fast. I have already noticed a change in myself, my companion, and how often the Spirit abides with us. Its all just part of trying to see success -- start from within yourself.
So, thank you Mindy for sending that idea to me when I was preparing for serving. Sure, its something that probably I could have just figured out from the scriptures, but its nice to have some thing that flat out says what to do. :-)
So, in conclusion, I love the Lord. I love the work. I love sacrifice, because I love feeling the Spirit. I know everyone else can feel the Spirit more strongly in their lives if they find if but one more thing to sacrifice in order to turn more single-eyed to the Lord.
Ill keep on keepin on! Its always my pleasure to keep in touch with everyone. :-)
Always,
Elder Hogge
P.S. Hil -- good luck with shows! I promise I will watch when I get back. Im rooting for you!!!!!!!!!!
It feels so great to be in December! We are having an absolutely awesome time here in Japan. So far on the Christmas tree, I have put up Dad, Hil, Maris ornaments. Sweet! I busted up laughing when I opened Dads...now I have a face staring at me when I sleep! haha.
This past week at English class, we made.......EGG NOG!! You really should have been there...people gave us the biggest looks of terror when they saw us put nutmeg into the drink! Apparently, the Japanese put nutmeg into their hamburgers, so when they drank it, they said `ahh! burgers!` Haha. But there were a couple of people who really liked it. All in all, a really fun night.
Is Mindy doing all right? I will keep you in my prayers, Mind.
Hey Mindy, do you remember that packet of uplifting letters and papers you sent me when I was at home preparing for the mission? On one of them, it talked about purification, and doing a 40-day purification fast. Me and Elder Mourao focused our fasts on figuring out ways to purify ourselves and become more obedient, and then we committed to fast from `outside the ideal missionary` things.
In the process, I have just begun to learn about sacrifice. My Biology/Book of Mormon professor (Dr. Booth) at BYU once taught that `sacrifice brings sanctification.` We have really taken that meaning to heart. I am personally sacrificing many little and a couple big things during this 40 day fast. I have already noticed a change in myself, my companion, and how often the Spirit abides with us. Its all just part of trying to see success -- start from within yourself.
So, thank you Mindy for sending that idea to me when I was preparing for serving. Sure, its something that probably I could have just figured out from the scriptures, but its nice to have some thing that flat out says what to do. :-)
So, in conclusion, I love the Lord. I love the work. I love sacrifice, because I love feeling the Spirit. I know everyone else can feel the Spirit more strongly in their lives if they find if but one more thing to sacrifice in order to turn more single-eyed to the Lord.
Ill keep on keepin on! Its always my pleasure to keep in touch with everyone. :-)
Always,
Elder Hogge
P.S. Hil -- good luck with shows! I promise I will watch when I get back. Im rooting for you!!!!!!!!!!
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