Week 1: The Adventure Begins!

I made it to P-day! Let us all take this moment to celebrate that :)

Thanks everyone for sharing your week with me! Please continue to keep me updated. One of the good words of advice I´ve received while being here is to include my you in my mission experience. That came from a devotional given by Elder Ballard on Tuesday at the Provo MTC: 

       I´ve learned some important lessons and made memories already. Mi companion Hermana Cook is awesome, we´ve really been able to work and learn together. I love her. The other sisters that share our room, Hermana Singer and Hermana Dean, are also really great. We get a little too silly sometimes, but their company has made all the difference. My district is great, almost like a family away from family. 

Hermana Dean, Hermana Singer, Hermana Cook, Hermana Hogge

Hermanas Walker, Morgan, Singer, Dean, Cook, and Hogge!

      On Friday, Hermana Cook and I had the opportunity to teach our first "investigator" named Pedro. I was so nervous (they wanted me to teach already?!) but we have since taught four lessons and thing are going well. Our first two lessons, we did our best, but we didn´t really know what we were doing. Then we watched a devotional on Sunday that was given by Elder Bednar a while ago, I think it´s called "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary"  I´m pretty sure it changed my mission. One of the main lessons I learned from it was that teaching is more than talking and telling. He also quoted 1 Corinthians 2: 1 - 5. Part of that says: " And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not wiht excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God . . . That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

       Of course, the lessons here at the CCM are not in English. It´s difficutl when you want to say something but can´t find the words, but I know that the Spirit can - and has- helped me when I open my mouth. THat was another thing I learned form Elder Bednar. You have to open your mouth First. 

I could use more practice with that, but I at least have some experience now.

       We will get to go to the visiter´s center at the temple, but the temple itself is closed for renovation. I´m so happy that you all got to go to the Ogden Temple dedication, and I´m glad that it was a great experience for you. 

Anyway, today´s been interesting because I´ve been a bit sick, but I´ve been blessed to have a supportive companion and all the medicine and help I need. 

It´s weird to be in our little bubble and remember that we´re in Mexico. But it has been beautiful here. and so much fun - how many times do I get to say I played a game of ultimate frisbee with my district in the middle of Mexico City? It was really fun. 

Thank you all so much for helping me get to this point. I have felt of you love and prayers for me. And I´ve felt God´s love and I know that He is there for each and every one of us. 

At the end of Elder Bednar´s talk he said "I wish I could take you all by the hand, pull you close and say ´You can do this. He will help you.´"  I live by those words. I know they are true. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the path for all of us to gain experience and return to our Heavenly Father, having done all that He required of us here. 

I love you all! 

Love, 

Hermana Hogge