HEY MOM!
This week felt a nice cool down. Summer is starting to come to a close. The Japanese are very proud of the definite 4 seasons that they have here.
The Takasu area is the smallest in the mission. But that doesn't mean we can even come close to getting around everywhere by bike. :-) We have Nishi-ku (West Hiroshima) and half of Naka-ku (Central Hiroshima). And then we have a bunch of Saeki-ku (MOUNTAINS.). Haven't heard anything about the lady who accepted the Book of Mormon. I hope the sisters in Hikari are getting on that...
Well, that's pretty much the craziest thing ever that Hilary is headed off to college. It will be weird with her being in Idaho when I get back! I hope she is doing well......
On Saturday, we had what was probably my last softball conference in Japan. Kinda sad, but it was awesome! I hit three homers, played the hot corner of third base, and we won it all. There were about 20 members and 20 non-members there. What a great missionary activity!! I made lots of friends.
Yesterday, we had a high council man from Hatsukaichi come and talk about 72 hour kits for the third hour of church. Apparently if you get caught with the new swine virus, you are locked up in your house with your family for a week. So...we need week-kits! Haha. Don't worry, we are 100% virus free and healthy. Following church, we had a meal with the ward. It was rice and watermelon and pickled veggies. We got out and worked a ton, and then we had a meal at one of the member's house! It was awesome! We made our own sushi rolls with tonnns of food. And one of the sisters bought herself a Costco birthday cake and we celebrated her birthday with her! Yay!!
Everyone was amazed that a 23 dollar cake was good to feed everyone and leftovers! In Japan, the cakes cost about 30 dollars and barely feeds a family of 4. They really go for looks here. But let me tell you, Costco cake was sooo nostalgic! Haha.
This week is transfer week -- in other words, the start of my last transfer. No one will move from Takasu, so no worries. Alright, thank you for all your love and support!
Love,
Elder Hogge
P.S. I can't believe you photoshopped me in.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
10 August 2009
Hey Mom and Dad
Didn't feel the earthquake at all. I think. Haven't heard a single thing about it here, either. This next week is called "obon" here in Japan. It basically means that everyone goes to their hometown and worships their ancestors. And there are HUGE fireworks at Miyajima. We are going to go watch them with our investigators! :-) Boy, have I really come to love the investigators and members here. I don't even want to think about how it will be leaving.
So yeah, the work is sometimes pretty rough here, but we are really blessed with so many investigators and friends and strong members. I'm just trying to work with my companion a little. Bridging the culture barrier maybe.
Mom, I have never had a "Japanese watermelon." All of the watermelons here are pretty much green and pink. Just like home! Haha.
This past week was sooo exhausting! But it was great. Things went well at Zone Conference. And then I went to Kure on exchanges. There is a big submarine museum there. It is about a 2 minute walk from the Elders' apartment. Pretty cool! I got back to Takasu, then we had an FHE with the couple missionaries in our ward and 4 investigators. We played Jenga. It was really fun. Then one of the elders from Hatsukaichi came here to Takasu to work with me. He is a very big, red-headed Australian! Haha. It was great reminiscing about Hatsukaichi. Then, on Saturday, we went to the Stake Presidency meeting in the morning and talked about the missionary work in the Stake. It was intimidating, but then not at the same time. I had worked a lot with both the Stake President and President Isa before, and it was great feeling the spirit. Right after presidency meeting, we had a baptismal service for Fujita-san. Elder Takanishi performed the baptism, and I gave the talk about baptism and the Holy Ghost. The asleep-to-awake ratio of people in the congregation was pretty good. I consider that a success. :-)
On Sunday, Fujita-san was going to be confirmed. He did his best to walk up the stairs, but then gave up because of his condition and went home. Dagger! But that's okay. We already have the confirmation set up for next Sunday. That was pretty crazy...AND, to go on top of that, I had a talk in sacrament meeting! Haha. Guess what my topic was: Unifying as a Family in Prayer. It went very well. I wish I had recorded it. I talked about growing up praying with my family often and the impact it has on me now as a missionary. It really does have an impact. And, when we pray, we can unite our will to the Lord's. When we do that, we can also unite as a family or companionship. Prayer is definitely a lesson I have learned for the rest of my life. Sunday does not seem like much of a sabbath sometimes, but that's okay. It's the Lord's work. :-)
I got the postcard from Mendocino today! Thank you! The longer I have been on the mission, the more postcards like that have meant to me. I wish you could send me the smell of Mendocino. I kinda take that back. Rotting seaweed isn't that great. Okay, so maybe just the smell of camping. Haha. The mission is going by so fast. I don't know what I'm going to do! Haha. Also, I have had no time to think about a major for school. When do I need to get signed up for classes, do you think?
Thank you for everything!!! I hope Mel is doing alright. It's so weird that she left after me and now she is home before me. It's like I missed missing her! Haha. Be sure to tell her I say what's up and I want to email her sometime.
Well, as for pictures, inside and outside of house...Bradford dunking on the basketball hoop...Spencer rocking in his band or just rocking in general...photographic evidence that Mel is really home...Mari...and of course, my loving Mom and Dad. :-) Haha. Not completely necessary, but would be fun to have. :-)
So yeah, this week shouldn't be so crazy (thank goodness!) so we should be able to focus a whole lot more on our investigators. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
thank you for all your love and support. LOVE YOU!!
Elder Hogge
Didn't feel the earthquake at all. I think. Haven't heard a single thing about it here, either. This next week is called "obon" here in Japan. It basically means that everyone goes to their hometown and worships their ancestors. And there are HUGE fireworks at Miyajima. We are going to go watch them with our investigators! :-) Boy, have I really come to love the investigators and members here. I don't even want to think about how it will be leaving.
So yeah, the work is sometimes pretty rough here, but we are really blessed with so many investigators and friends and strong members. I'm just trying to work with my companion a little. Bridging the culture barrier maybe.
Mom, I have never had a "Japanese watermelon." All of the watermelons here are pretty much green and pink. Just like home! Haha.
This past week was sooo exhausting! But it was great. Things went well at Zone Conference. And then I went to Kure on exchanges. There is a big submarine museum there. It is about a 2 minute walk from the Elders' apartment. Pretty cool! I got back to Takasu, then we had an FHE with the couple missionaries in our ward and 4 investigators. We played Jenga. It was really fun. Then one of the elders from Hatsukaichi came here to Takasu to work with me. He is a very big, red-headed Australian! Haha. It was great reminiscing about Hatsukaichi. Then, on Saturday, we went to the Stake Presidency meeting in the morning and talked about the missionary work in the Stake. It was intimidating, but then not at the same time. I had worked a lot with both the Stake President and President Isa before, and it was great feeling the spirit. Right after presidency meeting, we had a baptismal service for Fujita-san. Elder Takanishi performed the baptism, and I gave the talk about baptism and the Holy Ghost. The asleep-to-awake ratio of people in the congregation was pretty good. I consider that a success. :-)
On Sunday, Fujita-san was going to be confirmed. He did his best to walk up the stairs, but then gave up because of his condition and went home. Dagger! But that's okay. We already have the confirmation set up for next Sunday. That was pretty crazy...AND, to go on top of that, I had a talk in sacrament meeting! Haha. Guess what my topic was: Unifying as a Family in Prayer. It went very well. I wish I had recorded it. I talked about growing up praying with my family often and the impact it has on me now as a missionary. It really does have an impact. And, when we pray, we can unite our will to the Lord's. When we do that, we can also unite as a family or companionship. Prayer is definitely a lesson I have learned for the rest of my life. Sunday does not seem like much of a sabbath sometimes, but that's okay. It's the Lord's work. :-)
I got the postcard from Mendocino today! Thank you! The longer I have been on the mission, the more postcards like that have meant to me. I wish you could send me the smell of Mendocino. I kinda take that back. Rotting seaweed isn't that great. Okay, so maybe just the smell of camping. Haha. The mission is going by so fast. I don't know what I'm going to do! Haha. Also, I have had no time to think about a major for school. When do I need to get signed up for classes, do you think?
Thank you for everything!!! I hope Mel is doing alright. It's so weird that she left after me and now she is home before me. It's like I missed missing her! Haha. Be sure to tell her I say what's up and I want to email her sometime.
Well, as for pictures, inside and outside of house...Bradford dunking on the basketball hoop...Spencer rocking in his band or just rocking in general...photographic evidence that Mel is really home...Mari...and of course, my loving Mom and Dad. :-) Haha. Not completely necessary, but would be fun to have. :-)
So yeah, this week shouldn't be so crazy (thank goodness!) so we should be able to focus a whole lot more on our investigators. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
thank you for all your love and support. LOVE YOU!!
Elder Hogge
Sunday, August 2, 2009
2 August 2009
Hey Mom.
The rain is finally starting to let up. Now, the intense heat comes. But thats okay. I prefer dry heat ANY DAY over pouring, wet heat. So, Im happy. :-)
This past week was pretty good. My companion finally got over the virus he caught, and now we are both healthy and working hard. Ive come to really like Elder Takanishi. We are seriously having a whole lot more fun. I have found that when we are sick or hurt or dont get out of the apartment as much for this reason or that, we arent as happy as when we are always outside. I think it is an eternal principle that work = happiness. In the Gospel Principles book, President David O. McKay has a quote: "Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success." I agree full-heartedly with that.
This past Sunday, four investigators came to church. One of them is scheduled to be baptized this next Saturday, and he asked me to do the confirmation on Sunday. Yeah, thats in Japanese. Im sure it will be fine, but I know I need to prepare myself. I have never done that ordinance, not even in English! So this will be fun. Hopefully, I will have good news to report next week.
I got a really strong desire to go to the temple this past week. I want to go to the temple sooo bad. Soooo baaaad. I want to go like once a week when I get back. At least the Saturday I get back. :-)
Well, Im glad everyone is doing well and vacationing hard. Waydago! I am healthy and happy and thankful for your love and support. Talk to you later!
Love
Elder Hogge
The rain is finally starting to let up. Now, the intense heat comes. But thats okay. I prefer dry heat ANY DAY over pouring, wet heat. So, Im happy. :-)
This past week was pretty good. My companion finally got over the virus he caught, and now we are both healthy and working hard. Ive come to really like Elder Takanishi. We are seriously having a whole lot more fun. I have found that when we are sick or hurt or dont get out of the apartment as much for this reason or that, we arent as happy as when we are always outside. I think it is an eternal principle that work = happiness. In the Gospel Principles book, President David O. McKay has a quote: "Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success." I agree full-heartedly with that.
This past Sunday, four investigators came to church. One of them is scheduled to be baptized this next Saturday, and he asked me to do the confirmation on Sunday. Yeah, thats in Japanese. Im sure it will be fine, but I know I need to prepare myself. I have never done that ordinance, not even in English! So this will be fun. Hopefully, I will have good news to report next week.
I got a really strong desire to go to the temple this past week. I want to go to the temple sooo bad. Soooo baaaad. I want to go like once a week when I get back. At least the Saturday I get back. :-)
Well, Im glad everyone is doing well and vacationing hard. Waydago! I am healthy and happy and thankful for your love and support. Talk to you later!
Love
Elder Hogge
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