Reaching Goals & Making Progress

Sending our sister Ally a
HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Honduras!

This week has been full of a lot of blessings. I´m grateful to be here - there was a rumor suposedly that I got sick and went home - I don´t know how that happened. My old companion Hermana Araujo told me. But, nope. I´m healthy and, thankfully, still here. 
         This time is exciting because we feel that we´re getting closer to reaching many of our goals. We have investigators that are progressing toward baptism and we hope we will see some this month. There are always challenges, but in the end that can make the conversion more lasting. Hermano Pablo went to church on Sunday. We´re grateful to have other members of the ward to help us teach him.One is Hermano Ismael, also a grandfatherly age (but he still climbs mountains better than both of us). He´s great because he makes sure the hermanas get home safely. 

          On Thursday we had an interesting experience. We were walking, an appointment had fallen through, and we were hoping to be able to contact people in the street. Suddenly we see a woman carrying a heavy bag and a load of grass (for horses). We offered our help, and when we got to her house she invited us in. We began talking to her, thinking she could be a positive investigator, but then - surprise - she told us she was already a member. She´d been living here for a few months but doesn´t know where the church is. That was an interesting surprise, but we believe Heavenly Father helped us find her. There was also a little girl there (a niece I think), about 11 years old, who told us that she goes to an evangelical church, but wants to be a nun, and also wanted to go with the hermana to our church ...  So that was interesting. We didn´t really know what to say (congratulations?) But I suppose it´s good that she has desires to serve the Lord at such a young age. 

           This Sunday was very spiritual. I was surprised and saddened by the news about Elder Perry. I know we´ll all miss him, and we can follow his example of service and sacrifice. On Sunday we also had a very good lesson about the Sabbath Day. It´s something I´m learning more and more about - we´d shared from Doctrine and Covenants 59 before with investigators and members, but I didn´t understand it as well as I should have. But I understand now that as our Father in Heaven is our example and Creator, even He rested on the seventh day, and we can have the goal to do the same. I have a few things I need to change. But it´s been a good lesson to learn. 

        Today we were talking to our investigator who is the daughter of hermano Eugenio y hermana Mirta - she has a son who has also been coming to church, and apparantly Meet the Mormons is in theaters here and he wants to go. I´m really happy with the progress we have been blessed to see in this family. I know that they are working to be an eternal family. 

         I love all of you very much!! We are so blessed to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. I know that it´s true, and there isn´t anything more important than finding that out for ourselves and following Jesus Christ. I love the Book of Mormon and I testify that if we read it we will feel closer to our Heavenly Father.   

Celebrating the 2 month mark of Hermana Platero

         Keep being amazing!! 

         Love,

          Hermana Hogge

A Good Week

This last week was a good one, which a lot of opportunity to reflect on the things I´ve learned. 

We had a good family home evening with a member family on Thursday night and we were able to invite Hermano Pablo, our investigator. He´s progressing a lot, and I hope he continues to progress. I know there´s a time for everyone. We have a lot of hope for him. There are always challenges, but I like something that my companion often says, that we are here to be tested, to see how obedient we are (like it says in Abraham 3)

On Friday we went to one of the neighborhoods in our area and were blessed to find some people - some less active members and an old investigator that we hope can progress. She had been reading the book of mormon, which is always a good sign :) She´s a very giving person - she even gave me a pair of shoes (they´re like crocs so I don´t use them to go out but they´re great for in the house).  That night was also interesting because the power went out in Santa Lucia.  Thankfully we were the four of us together and had flashlights, and then we also had to plan by flashlight. It was interesting, but kind of fun. 

Changes are coming up this week, but it´s not likely that I or Hermana Platero will leave - but one never knows. There are always greater plans that we can´t see. 

I´d like to share a scripture that I found in Alma 18:35 And a portion of htat Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also pwoer according to my faith and desires which are in God. 

I´d like to share my testimony that we can find strength in the scriptures and in the experiences we have. 

I know Heavenly Father puts people in our path. Today for example, I suggested to my companion that I show her a part of our area where it´s nice to take pictures. She agreed and we climbed up the stairs. We talked to an elderly man - but he didn´t really want to talk to us. But, later we met some young adults who were visiting Santa Lucia. They were interested in what we had to share and even though they live in Tegucigalpa, we can be a small part in their journey of knowing more about the gospel. 

There´s a lot I still have to learn, but what I´ve been learning over and over here is the need to follow the Spirit. Without that gift, we can do nothing. It is essential in conversion becasue it is only through the power of the Spirit that hearts can be changed. I testify that power is real, and changes lives. I love you all and thank you for your prayers and support. You are all so important to me. 

We went to an hermana´s house today for lunch, also to say goodbye to one hermana that will be leaving. These are most of the hermanas in our zone and Hermana Sonia (the hermana in purple) and her niece and daughter.

Hermana Platero y la cruz‏

Love,

Hermana Hogge

Singing on the Bus

So this week was normal, with some dissapointments, but that means we just have to learn something from it.

One of the most exciting things that happened was that on Thursday after our district meeting, we four hermanas decided to do something that we hadn´t ever done before, something that Elder Ochoa had invited us to do.. We sang on the bus. 

In front of everyone, it might have been a bit scary, but I wanted to do it because we want to find people. We didn´t get any references from it, and people couldn´t really hear us very well, but that´s ok. It won´t  be the last time we do it. I hope we can find more people in the future. We´re always trying to find the lost sheep, as my companion always says. Lucas15 is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, all parables about finding that which was lost - and rejoicing. 

We also learned a good lesson from Mark 10: 17 - 22. It´s the tale of the rich yong ruler. Isn´t it intersting that he doesn´t have a name? An hermana shared that lesson with us, and asked us to think about what we might be lacking - not to make us sad, like the rich young ruler was, but to help us to follow the Savior.

I wish you all a good week! I love you family! you´re so important to me. 

Oh, and Mom, I got a haircut, just so you know my hair is healthy. Love you so much !

The other hermanas surprised me with a little happy 8 months! Feels kind of weird,
but it´s been a good ride!

Love,

Hermana Hogge

Happy Mothers Day!

Mothers Day Skype call 05.10.2015

First of all, it was such a wonderful blessing to get to talk to my wonderful family yesterday! I love you all so much. But I have to say it was a good thing we said goodbye when we did. Two minutes later the power went out here and the other hermanas lost their connection. We think it was Heavenly Father telling us He gave us our time and we needed to wrap it up :) 

        Here in Santa Lucia we keep on working. The whole mission is working harder and we hope that we will be able to find the poeple that are ready for us and help them to be baptized soon. Speaking of which, Heidy was able to attend church for the first time yesterday! It was fun - we passed by for her and swapped scary stories on the way to the church . . . maybe a different way of approaching it, but it was fun.  Our branch had a cute little mother´s day celebration after church with music and a little food. We had to warn the investigators that not every Sunday was like this, but the Spirit is always the same. 

         It is interesting how the Spirit works. In the morning, I pray for specific blessings -  I´ve noticed how the Savior has counceled us to pray that we can be able to resist temptations. It doesn't matter where or who we are, temptations will always come, and when we pray for help, it will be given. And we´ll realize we can be braver, more humble, more patient, more loving, and more faithful than we were before. Little by little, we´ll see a change. But it only comes through prayers and constantly trying to be worthy of and follow the Spirit. Even now sometimes it´s still harder to talk to people on the street or on the bus, but it´s never impossible. 

          We had divisions this week on tuesday and wednesday and that was really great (where one of the sister training leaders comes here and one of us leaves for their area for a day). So I got to know the area La Esperanza in Tegucigalpa for a day. Its´funny because both of the hermanas have the last name Garcia and I was with the one that trained my companion from the CCM (MTC). I learned a lot from her, including about the authority that we as missionaries have.It´s really amazing, when you understand it. 

          Funny story time. The other day we were teaching one of our investigators - our good old friend Pablo. He´s always willing to say the closing prayer, he´s given up coffee and promised to pay his tithing. But either It´s still hard for people to understand my Spanish, or he`s getting a little deaf becuase as we wrapped up the lesson the other day and I asked how his personal prayers we`re coming along - he took off his hat and started to pray then and there. Hermana Plater and I were struggling not to laugh the whole time! It was funny. We hope that we can see his baptism this coming June. 

           Overall, the language is coming along. Sometimes there are words that still trip me up - and it´s interesting because with every companion I almost feel like I have to learn a whole new vocabulary, because ever culture has different words for things. Hermana Platero has to practically play catch phrase with me so I can understand what she´s saying - if the first word doesn´t do it, I can get it on the third or fourth. 

           But, whenever discouraged about the language or anythign else, we can always sing a hymn or have a race up the hills of Santa Lucia. Sometimes we laugh if we´re riding on the bus and accidentily catch oursleves humming to the tune of a popular song, look at each other, and then switch to singing I am a Child of God.  But it´s true, songs help a lot. And remembering who we are, and who the people around us are, will help us be better people. 

           Though a little far from all of you, my testimony about eternal families has grown. I couldn´t help yesterday but feel very excited for the spirit in Heaven that will join our family soon, and he or she couldn´t ask for better parents - Congratulations Bryan and Annette and all the family!  

             I love you all so so much!

             Love,

             Hermana Hogge

The Rainy Season

This last week was very interesting as the rainy season has officially begun for pretty much all of Honduras as far as I know. Before the rainy season so many people burn garbage and there have been many fires (nothing too close, but there was a lot of smoke) so I`m glad that`s over. Now the weather and the air is cleaner and cooler. And we might have gotten wet a few times. Just a little. 

         This week we have been trying to put more in practice what we learned from Elder Ochoa. It hasn't been easy but we've found a few people that look positive. Heidy continues to progress, but there's a small problem that her parents don't really want her to be baptized. So that's a bit difficult. Prayers for Heidy please! We know everything will turn out alright if we just have faith. We don't know when, but blessings always come. 

          It's like the storm we walked home in the other day. Seriously it was a downpour and we walked home in a river up to our ankles. But, at least its not that cold, we had fun, and in the morning, it was all sunny and pretty. 

           Elder Ochoa (form the 70 that spoke to us the other week) challenged us to look up scriptures of faith that inspire us and I`d like to share one that has helped me this week that is from Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"  That and the class on Sunday helped me understand that to have faith, we need to be visionary. We need to put in practice the ability to imagine the things we cannot yet see - physically. Faith is a universal power. With faith, all things were created, because everything was created spiritually before it was created physically. 

Remembering that I try to imagine the people we talk to in the street and waiting for buses entering the temple one day. I received some news from Hermana Arango that one investigator that we had was baptized and preparing to receive the priesthood. It was hard to teach him for the majority of our time there because we taught him in the house of a friend, and he had work. But everything paid off. Testimonies can really make a difference. 

           The testimonies of this week in sacrament meeting really touched me. Every week we are blessed, but fast and testimony meetings can be something really special. We strengthen each other through our testimonies. Also something really speacial this week was that Hermano Eugenio was able to bless the sacrament. I almost cried. 

             Well, getting to the part that`s important to know next week. We will be skyping in our mission leader`s house at 6 here. Which would be five for you all (I think, right?) Anyway. He should have enough computers or other divices for the four of us but if not I`ll let you know and we`ll be talking 40 minutes later. Sound good? Ok.  I love you all and I hope everyone is doing well. Congratulations Ally on your graduation!!!! I hope it was something special. I`m so proud of you. 

           I love you all and hope this week is a good one.  I just want to extend one challenge to look up a scripture that strengthens your faith. I know it helps. 

          Love, Hermana Hogge 

Eating Gringos

Buenas Tardes, Amigos y Familia,

Well, we´re still here in Santa Lucia, getting used to all of the rock climbing (almost) that we´re doing, because Santa Lucia is full of hills. I´ve been really grateful to be training Hermana Platero. We laugh a lot when we´re slipping and sliding down the hills. Of course, a lot of things are still new, but she´s been an example to me. She´s often been the one in the lesson to invite people to be baptized, which makes me proud :) It hasn´t been easy, but I´ve really loved training. 

         The other day (can´t remember which) we were with a member family, and the hermana had a recipe book. There´s a type of food called a gringo, which also happens to be the nickname for north americans. (in my case gringa) The family was laughing about eating the gringa. I was like, I´m out of here. No, they´re a good family. It´s the family of the hermana Suyapa that we baptized the other week. She´s still doing well, and the whole family is going to church. 

         It´s a good branch here. Maybe we don´t get a ton of references but there are some people willing to work with us. One that I admire a lot teaches the principles of the gospel class for the investigators and recent converts. He knows a lot and has a gift of teaching. He´s also the hermano that baptized Hermano Eugenio and Hermana Mirta. 

        Their family is doing fine too. The gospel is growing and more of their family is attending church. But we´re still trying to help them be baptized. 

         One of the most amazing oportunities that we had this week is one that I hope I won´t ever forget. Elder Ochoa, the first counselor of the presidency of the area Central America, came and spoke to us on Thursday the 23rd of April.  We got to shake his hand and meet his wife and hear both of them and President and Hermana Bowler speak. It was a really great experience and I learned a lot about the things that I need to be doing better. Especially, have more faith. 

        Despite all the hills and the people that try to contend and the members that want to eat me, I love this area. This last week we were teaching a Señor and a girl, his neighbor, entered. The interesting thing was that she stayed, when we were there to teach the elderly man. We had talked to this girl before, but I didn´t know much about her except that she lived on the same street and is 13 years old. But, as we taught she sat down and stayed to listen, so we involved her in the lesson. We found out that she had been listening to the elders before but when the elders were taken out of the area no other missionaries came back. Her name is Heidi and I´m really happy we were able to find her. 

        One thing I learned from Elder Ochoa is that when we don´t invite people to be baptized, when we don´t share the gospel, we´re taking away the oportunity for other people to choose. We take away their agency. Heavenly Father´s plan is for us is for us to be able to use our agency to choose good. As we understand and follow Heavenly Father´s plan, we understand that we need to share the gospel to help others use their agency. 

        Ok, I think that´s it for now. Congrats and Good Luck to all that have exams, are graduating!!, have birthdays, etc. I´ll let you know more next week at what time I´ll be skyping for mother´s day. It will be Sunday in the afternoon - what time do you all have church?? We have church in the morning. 

         Have a good week everyone. God Lives and He Loves You. 

          Hermana Hogge

Cambios... (Changes)

Dearest Friends and Family, 

So, we had changes this week. We weren´t really surprised when they called us Tuesday morning and told us that Hermana Araujo would be leaving Santa Lucia, because she´s been here for almost five months. But, I was surprised when they told us I would be training. 

So, a little nervous, we went to transfers on Wednesday with a large group of missionaries in Tegus. I always like how we do it all together, almost everyone who has changes. Only four hermanas came this change to the mission, and I knew I would soon be showing one of them around Santa Lucia, but I didn´t know which. We greeted them, and, though I wasn´t sure, I felt that one of the hermanas, Hermana Platero, would be my companion. 

And I was right. 

So. Hermana Platero is from El Salvador (So don´t guess that she´s from Guatemala, she doesn´t like that). She´s really sweet, and brings a special spirit to the lessons and area. We´ve been able to find new people and though some are more positive than others, we have hope. 

The influence of Hermano Eugenio y Hermana Mirta continues to grow in their family, with their children. Yesterday we shared a video about the first vision with them and even though the graphics weren´t that great (what can we say, it´s like from the 80s) it was still a successful lesson and two of their daughters are starting to read the Book of Mormon. 

I love the Book of Mormon and try to read from it every day, even if it´s just a little.

I´ve had a lot of responsibilities this last week, but everything is going fine - still healthy, still smililng, still working. 

Love you all so much! 

Hermana Hogge