Nope, havent tried the octopus yet. I will though, you can have no doubt about that!
Sorry Ive been slacking on the snail mail thing...Time flies soooooo fast! Like, yeah...anyways...
My `dwelling` is at:
Abanekuseru 4-101
Miyaura 5-28-20
Mihara-shi, Hiroshima-ken
723-0051
and it is soooo nice! Oh my goodness...there weren`t even missionaries in Mihara for a while up until last May, so the apartment is brand-spankin new. And I intend to keep it looking that way!!! Haha. But yeah, Mihara has had just amazing missionaries (and especially seniors) up until now! I learned a lot this past week from our investigators. Yeah, I learn from them. They are so awesome!
This past week was a little hard mentally for me. Im pretty sure I tried thinking too hard and feeling too little. Dad`s letter about following the spirit and becoming an angel hit me at just the right time. Thanks. Pretty sure that was inspired.
Thank you sooo much for the package (again). I was thrilled to see some of my old `package snack` favorites, along with a couple of new additions. Stil havent broken into the pancakes, but it wont be too long! :-) My companion was also a little suprised that I immediately split everything up with him. Thank you for helping to supply us. haha.
Valentines (aka Singles Awareness) Day was good. Dont worry, I know that Im the Lords right now, but it was just interesting to go through the day as a missionary! More gratitude for a locked heart. :-) Well, Im going to try really really really hard to get a snail mail letter sent off, so Ill end here. Thank you! And Love You! My parents and family have been an amazing strength and support to me.
Always,
Elder Hogge
Because Elder Muraoka is a cook, I am getting fat.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
9 February 2009
Hey Mom and Dad.
I didnt want to, but I transfered from Hatsukaichi! I dont know how you guessed it so well. When I got the call I was very very shocked. I did not even guess I would be headed there. Mihara is east of the Hiroshima city and part of the Okayama stake. I had been a part of the Hiroshima stake for almost a year, so it was really really hard to leave. Its tough when you dont know if you will ever see any of your friends again. But, Im going to send everyone mail in Hatsukaichi.
Oh yeah, let me say thanks ahead of time for the package. I got the package slip in the mail, and me and my new comp are going to go pick it up after this.
Speaking of new comp, its Elder Muraoka! He is from Okinawa (the Hawaii of Japan) and hes 25! He will be my 4th junior companion, but not really junior, if you know what i mean! Every one of my junior companions have been older than me. I dont know if i will ever be with anyone younger than me! Haha. But im just fine with that. Hes fun. Hes much more of a soft spoken guy...probably wisened with old age! Haha. But, we are already friends. He is really cool. Not hyper tension. Way relax.
Speaking of way relaxed, MIHARA! This is by far the smallest area I have been in population-wise on my mission, but I can already see how fruitful it will become. About 20 members come to church every week, with 3 investigators who come as well! There are tonssss of investigators! And many many of them are really really close to baptism. Basically, members have been telling us to just ask them about baptism they are so close. One of them is named Momoko. She is 19 and going to college. She wants to get baptized pretty bad, but her folks are telling her to wait till she graduates college (3 years from now) to get baptized so that she can focus on her studies. Its funny, because she already comes to church and all the activities. She is basically a member, but her parents just wont letter her enter the church yet. They live in another area in the mission, so we cant really visit and talk to them. Im considering writing a letter, but we still havent really met with Momoko san, so I dont know. Any advice?
Incredibly, the situation in Mihara is soooo much more relaxed than Hatsukaichi. I know, I dont get it. But Im looking forward to seeing miracles here.
However, there will always be a part of me in Hatsukaichi. I have sooo many letters to write! I will definitely keep in touch with Ito san.
I love you all, and Im doing great. Its a lot more easy to be happy these days. Well, take care!
Elder Hogge
I didnt want to, but I transfered from Hatsukaichi! I dont know how you guessed it so well. When I got the call I was very very shocked. I did not even guess I would be headed there. Mihara is east of the Hiroshima city and part of the Okayama stake. I had been a part of the Hiroshima stake for almost a year, so it was really really hard to leave. Its tough when you dont know if you will ever see any of your friends again. But, Im going to send everyone mail in Hatsukaichi.
Oh yeah, let me say thanks ahead of time for the package. I got the package slip in the mail, and me and my new comp are going to go pick it up after this.
Speaking of new comp, its Elder Muraoka! He is from Okinawa (the Hawaii of Japan) and hes 25! He will be my 4th junior companion, but not really junior, if you know what i mean! Every one of my junior companions have been older than me. I dont know if i will ever be with anyone younger than me! Haha. But im just fine with that. Hes fun. Hes much more of a soft spoken guy...probably wisened with old age! Haha. But, we are already friends. He is really cool. Not hyper tension. Way relax.
Speaking of way relaxed, MIHARA! This is by far the smallest area I have been in population-wise on my mission, but I can already see how fruitful it will become. About 20 members come to church every week, with 3 investigators who come as well! There are tonssss of investigators! And many many of them are really really close to baptism. Basically, members have been telling us to just ask them about baptism they are so close. One of them is named Momoko. She is 19 and going to college. She wants to get baptized pretty bad, but her folks are telling her to wait till she graduates college (3 years from now) to get baptized so that she can focus on her studies. Its funny, because she already comes to church and all the activities. She is basically a member, but her parents just wont letter her enter the church yet. They live in another area in the mission, so we cant really visit and talk to them. Im considering writing a letter, but we still havent really met with Momoko san, so I dont know. Any advice?
Incredibly, the situation in Mihara is soooo much more relaxed than Hatsukaichi. I know, I dont get it. But Im looking forward to seeing miracles here.
However, there will always be a part of me in Hatsukaichi. I have sooo many letters to write! I will definitely keep in touch with Ito san.
I love you all, and Im doing great. Its a lot more easy to be happy these days. Well, take care!
Elder Hogge
Monday, February 2, 2009
2 February 2009
Hey, the computer just erased my whole email, so this will have to be a little short...sorry!
I dont know absolutely anything about transfers. I suggest sending the package to the mission office. :-) Thanks, I really appreciate and feel the love.
This past week, we met with Ito san twice, which was quite a treat! He is a genius at understanding gospel principles. He wants to get baptized, but because Saturday and Sunday are his busiest days (leave home at 7, get back around 10!) the Sabbath day and coming to church are both very hard. Smoking is also a problem. I think because of the stress of his job, he feels he needs cigarettes. He is pretty high up on the corporate chain of a really big house construction company in Japan. I was wondering if you have any great experiences that we could share with him about the Sabbath day or the Word of Wisdom. He particularly likes me because I have been with him from the beginning! Me and Elder Packer found him 6 months ago raking weeds from a field near his workplace. I walked up and said `hey! that looks rough...are you okay?` and that night, we were able to teach him about the restoration on the spot. It really was a miracle. I am convinced that he is someone that I was supposed to meet in Japan. so right now, we are trying to help him overcome his problems (which are connected to his work). He has a wife and 2 very small children, so it would be really hard to ask him to quit his job...so, we are up to suggestions. He knows what we want him to do, its just he doesnt know for sure if it is right. So, if you had any suggestions or stories, I would greatly appreciate it.
This past week was stake conference, and elder Che from Korea came. It was nice to hear a talk in English again! He was soooo funny...its kinda funny how different Korean and Japanese culture are...the Japanese dont really show their emotion, and are very very straight up and proper (which makes teaching difficult!), while Elder Che just said things how they were, and shared some great and funny stories! Quite refreshing.
Thanks!
LOVE YOU!!!!
Elder Hogge
I dont know absolutely anything about transfers. I suggest sending the package to the mission office. :-) Thanks, I really appreciate and feel the love.
This past week, we met with Ito san twice, which was quite a treat! He is a genius at understanding gospel principles. He wants to get baptized, but because Saturday and Sunday are his busiest days (leave home at 7, get back around 10!) the Sabbath day and coming to church are both very hard. Smoking is also a problem. I think because of the stress of his job, he feels he needs cigarettes. He is pretty high up on the corporate chain of a really big house construction company in Japan. I was wondering if you have any great experiences that we could share with him about the Sabbath day or the Word of Wisdom. He particularly likes me because I have been with him from the beginning! Me and Elder Packer found him 6 months ago raking weeds from a field near his workplace. I walked up and said `hey! that looks rough...are you okay?` and that night, we were able to teach him about the restoration on the spot. It really was a miracle. I am convinced that he is someone that I was supposed to meet in Japan. so right now, we are trying to help him overcome his problems (which are connected to his work). He has a wife and 2 very small children, so it would be really hard to ask him to quit his job...so, we are up to suggestions. He knows what we want him to do, its just he doesnt know for sure if it is right. So, if you had any suggestions or stories, I would greatly appreciate it.
This past week was stake conference, and elder Che from Korea came. It was nice to hear a talk in English again! He was soooo funny...its kinda funny how different Korean and Japanese culture are...the Japanese dont really show their emotion, and are very very straight up and proper (which makes teaching difficult!), while Elder Che just said things how they were, and shared some great and funny stories! Quite refreshing.
Thanks!
LOVE YOU!!!!
Elder Hogge
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