Tuesday, December 19th - Monday, December 25th

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I got to talk and video chat with my family today! 

We did some gift exchanges with the Missionaries. I ended up with a miniature pool table thing and a picture. My comp and I gave some chicks to the Elders we had. It was pretty fun!

Tuesday, December 12th - Monday, December 18th

I got Transferred to Chinandega!

 

So I guess I shall start off with the nice weekly email.

So Monday we only got a half Pday so we went and worked in the afternoon.

Tuesday we worked nice and well too.

Wednesday was the whole Christmas party for the multi zone. It was nice and dope. So we got there, chilled a bit, then had the sports competition (our zone won the Soccer Competition) and then a talent show, and then a message and we went back to our area. I had a good time with everyone. It was nice.

 

Thursday Well the same as always haha.

Friday we had divisions. I went and worked in my area with elder Bassett. We had a good time. 

 

Saturday we had a double baptism. Armindo and Bernarda. It was nice and I felt really good and positive about it.

Sunday was church and I heard I was getting transferred to Chinandega (the hottest part of the country! But I'll be with a really cool companion - Elder Santizo. I went around and said Goodbye's to the family's here and then some members also gave me a going away cake! Cake...yummy!

So yeah now I am in Chinandega. With Elder Santizo. ( he was the first companion of my MTC comp Simpson) So we shall see how things go.

 

 

Tuesday, December 5th - Monday, December 11th

Sorry for not sending out a big weekly email last week. I shall do one this week though

So starting Tuesday we had the zone meeting, and then I went on divisones and worked with Fankhauser in his area. So it was pretty dope. We worked hard but had a lot of fun. He be one chill cucumber. 

Wednesday morning I ended up taking a fotoshoot with Fankhauser Since he had to send in pictures to renew his residence card. So got the pics and sent them out. Then later on got back to my area and started working again. 

Thursday we had the plans to work with the Branch President. But he ended up having to go to the mountains to repair a broken down truck. But oh well. He told us he has a friend who wants to be baptized, so we had plans to go with him there, but we went Friday.

Friday like I said we did that. Went with the friend and he was really cool. He is gonna be preparing to be baptized this Saturday. Then we held a little activity in the house of a convert Hno Trinidad. It was nice like 10 people showed up.

Saturday we just worked like normal. Went with the branch

Sunday still pretty normal. Had a couple people show up to church (church starts at 9am) and had a good attendance at 26 so that was nice. Then got back and started working again. Not much new just the normal jazz

So this up coming week we have the Christmas party on Wednesday. They cut it down to just a multi zone party (last year it was the whole Mission together) so it will be a lot smaller, but it should still be fun! And the changes (Transfers) are in 1 week. So let's see how everything goes. I might have some news for all of you next week. I think I'm leaving. Though it could be either way.

 

Love, Elder Vogt

 

PS: So I looked in the camera and realized I didn't take any pictures. So I took some of the church here in La Trinidad - it's a really pretty place. One of the nicest chapels I've seen here (even though it's just a house we are renting out. they remodel and all but just renting). And then I was like - Hey, my dad would probably like to see what the bathroom here looks like too! so enjoy!

Tuesday, November 28th - Monday, December 4th

No Mass email to share this week...
Here's a few tidbits he shared in family emails and then some pictures

* As far as food is concerned, he usually has chicken and rice for lunch and red beans with a tortilla (and a type of cheese called cuajada) for dinner
* Today for PDay, he and his companion went shopping for shoes and a watch (both for his comp)
* Had a nice dinner with the Branch President and his family celebrating his daughters High School Graduation

Tuesday, Nov 21st - Monday, Nov. 27th

So I guess I shall start and talk a little bit about this week that we had.

So starting Tuesday we had our district meeting in Sebaco (the area of elder Espinoza and Now elder Najera (since he had emergency changes from being with the zone leaders) And then afterwards we started divisions. So Elder Najera came over to work with me in my area, and my comp went with his companion in his area. I had a really good fun day. It was nice to have a change of pace. Since elder Najera is one of my best friends here on the mission. And one of the 2 elders I have the most time in the same zone with. So we have gotten pretty close. It's funny we've done divisions like 40 days together in our missions...but this is the first time that we were alone just the 2 of us for a whole night. Which is super weird. Since when I worked with him before it was usually just for the day and not 24 hours and last change we were in a trio for like 20 days but that was us two and my companion. 

Anyways that was good. We ended that Wednesday and we began to work again like normal. 

That was kinda the same plan we had for Thursday. Not much happened. It was Thanksgiving though. So I sent a message to all the Americans in the zone being all like "Right about now our families are probably resting off that turkey coma." Stuff like that and happy thanksgivings.

Friday there was a contest thingy going on with the zone and they wanted everyone to put 7 people up for baptismal date. Unfortunately, these activities never really work. We met a lot of new people but not really any positive. In the night we held an activity in the church where we invited members and investigators and watched the Restoration video. 

Saturday. Well more work. 

Sunday - Passing for people and everyone had nice and convenient excuses why not to go. So we had that, lunch, then walking around and visiting people. And yeah now here we are today

Today. We had plans to do an activity but it got canceled. So we didn't end up doing much. Thanks everyone for reading this. See you all next week.

- Elder Vogt

Tuesday, November 14th - Monday, November 20th

So weekly email.

Hrmm how do I start this...

Well Tuesday was a nice normal day teaching, preaching, working like dawgs. Pretty nice and normal kinda thing.

So then Wednesday We had a zone meeting. So we went to Esteli for that, and then came back to visit people. It was a nice meeting, and we heard. ¨Tomorrow is the Multi Zone¨ And I was like, Dang! When did that happen? We had no idea about that, but it was welcomed news. Since I really enjoy the Multi Zone meetings haha. 

Thursday. well like the day said yesterday. We had a multi zone meeting today. They did the normal talking, lesson or two, then lunch, then the machetes. Then Chilling with everyone. I enjoyed it, it was a nice time. I got to see a lot of friends, and heard some nice uplifting words from our Mission President. then we got back to our area, sent in some numbers, and visited our investigator who was preparing to get baptized this Saturday...and well he said he doesn't want to do it anymore...he lost the desire...And that's always something hard to hear, but he said at least we could keep visiting him.

So Friday we went and worked like normal and all that. Visited the area of the sisters to help them out and know some of their people. Then got back and went to the one dude who we mentioned yesterday, and he said. Honestly I though you guys wouldn't be coming back. So that was like wow. He is a really good guy, just is going through a process of gaining a testimony. 

Saturday. Well more work like normal nothing new haha.

Sunday we went to church and brought that one fella too with us. The Bells were in church with us this day (since they work a bit in 3 areas and this is one of the 3) So elder Bell gave a talk, and then afterwards we had the whole YSA face to face activity. We were gonna watch it along with our branch, but last minute 2 other areas asked if they could come here with their people to watch it, since something happened with the computer in their chapel. SO we were like sure, since we got a smart tv here. So it was a higher turn out than we thought, so it was really nice. I really enjoyed the activity.

And today, we cleaned the house, went to Esteli, and had a water balloon fight, (with plastic bags) chilled, had pizza and now I'm here writing. thanks everyone for everything. 

See ya next week.

- Elder Vogt

Tuesday, November 7th - Monday, November 13th

So I guess I'll start out about this week

So as you all know I received my new comp Monday

Then Tuesday we had a Zone Meeting nice and early there in Esteli, and so I got to see everyone and it all went good. We had quite a long get to know ya activity like we always have. But this time it was a whole lot longer haha. But anyways. Then we came back and started to work. We got him to know some of the people better here, and yeah it all went good. Nothing too bad. Got back to the house and yeah

Wednesday morning,we helped the branch president clean the church grounds, in other words we took a machete to a bunch of weeds that were growing up all over the place. we went to an area with some of the sister missionaries to go visit some of the people there in their area then we went to work in our area again.

Thursday. Work again. Visited people like usual. and Yeah kinda just that work

Friday, it might surprise ya to hear, but it was the same. Working haha. 

Saturday we had a priesthood activity going on in the afternoon, so we helped plan that during the week and pull it off. But yeah. It was more of something to help the people get to know each other better and we invited another branch from Esteli, so they came too. It was all good, and there was food there.

And yesterday...Well we sorta had quite the experience. 

So my comp wrote it in spanish and I'll send it to ya. 

Todo comenzó mientras esperábamos a un investigador para llevarle a la iglesia, le pedi a mi compañero que llamara a otro hermano por el cual pasaríamos luego de pasar con el que estábamos, cuando mi compañero llamo al otro investigador lo único que le dijo el investigador a mi compañero fue, tenemos que salvarle la vida al perrito jajaja ( ya se imaginan por donde va jajaj).

Vamos al otro investigador y le vimos triste sentado en una piedra estaba un poquiiitoooo ebrio pues aun razonaba muy bien, el empezó a llorar  y nos dijo que habia violado las leyes de la iglesia pero que no lloraba por eso, se levanto y se dirigio hacia atras y señalo llorando hacia un perro mega flaco con sarna y con rabia en el delirio de la muerte y dijo: esa es la razon de mi dolor, jajaja  me quede en shock igual que mi compañero,  nos dijo tenemos que salvarlo es una vida, nos dijo que tendriamos que llevarlo chiniado hasta el otro lado de la ciudad, me quede viendo con mi compañero y pense que rayos vamos hacer solo falta 10 minutos para que la reunión empiece y se me ha asignado un discurso (This was for Guerra), intente consolarlo diciendole que el perro resucitaría pero el estaba resuelto ha salvarle la vida, nos dijo que le habiamos dicho que podiamos ayudarle en cualquier cosa jaja, y nos dijo o acaso eso era una mentira jajaja. intentamos darle un poco de limon jajaja segun mis hablilidades veterinarias pero no paso nada, asi que llenos de incomodidad por la situación llamamos al presidente de la rama  que si podia venir para ayudarnos por que había una vida en riesgo jaja no podiamos decirle que se trataba de un perro al final de un tiempo llego un hermano con la camioneta del presidente y nos ayudo llevamos al perro al veterinario y ahora el perro vive. jajaja una historia muy loca pude llegar para dar el discurso y la reunion empezó a las 9:30 am jaja fue super loco pero el investigador llego a la iglesia y tuvimos un a reunion muy espiritual ajajaj.

Feel free to translate it.

(translated from Google Translate...)

It all started while we were waiting for an investigator to take him to the church, I asked my companion to call another brother we would go through after we had gone through, when my companion called the other investigator the only thing the investigator told him. my partner was, we have to save the doggie life hahaha

We go to the other investigator and we saw him sitting sad on a stone and was a little drunk because he still reasoned very well, he started to cry and told us that he had violated the laws of the church but he did not cry for it, he got up and went back and pointed crying towards a skinny mega dog with scabies and rage in the delirium of death and said: that's the reason for my pain, hahaha I was shocked like my companion, he said we have to save its life, He told us that we would have to take him to the other side of the city, I was watching with my companion and I thought we were going to do just 10 minutes for the meeting to begin and I was assigned a speech (This was for Guerra), I tried to console him saying that the dog would resurrect but he was determined to save his life, he told us that we had told him that we could help him in anything haha, and he told us or maybe it was a lie hahaha. We tried to give a bit of lemon hahaha according to my veterinary skills but nothing happened, so full of discomfort for the situation I call the president of the branch that if he could come to help us because there was a life at risk haha ​​we could not tell him that it was of a dog at the end of a time a brother arrived with the president's truck and helped us take the dog to the vet and now the dog lives. hahaha a very crazy story could get to give the speech and the meeting started at 9:30 am haha ​​was super crazy but the investigator came to the church and had a very spiritual meeting hahaha.

  

And afterwards I had to carry the dog from the truck a decent ways to his house. Holding a large sickly and almost dead dirty dog before church. What a fun way to start the day. 

And I hope you all end up having a great week.

Tuesday, October 31st - Monday, November 6th

Alright so since I don't have much time left. I will try to make this go by nice and fast. 

So starting off the week. Yet again I was with elder Najera in my area. So we had a nice first few days and he went back Wednesday to his area when we had a zone meeting.

Thursday we went to Cuidad Dario another area in our district so my companion could do a interview for a baptism that the sisters will have. So we did that then got back nice and late to our area and worked a bit. Though sadly I started getting sick. Nothing bad just a cold

Friday working we were walking down the street when an old dude beckoned for us. We started to talk to him. He is a bit crazy but I think it made his day to have some nice young whippersnappers talking with him. Then later we went to the church to help the president clean it and get it ready for Sunday

Saturday to say bye to my companion we went out and ate in a Salvadorian place and had something quite nice. We were gonna go to the sister's area to help em with a baptism but it got canceled. So we worked like normal today.

Sunday was elections for all the mayors of this country so most people were with that and doing work for that. So we didn't have the best attendance there Sunday. Then after that we helped the sisters from Sebaco go to Esteli since they both ended up having changes and elders will go to their area. I found out about my changes. 

My companion went to Somotillo in the zone Chinedega, with Elder Alverez. And I shall stay here with Elder Guerra (from Honduras). So let's see how this goes. Thanks for reading everyone. Cya next week. 

- Elder Vogt

Tuesday, October 24th - Monday, October 30th

Big long mass email.

So Monday we didn't do a whole lot, just cleaned the house and wrote and such.

Tuesday worked and such. And got things ready for the morning since we were going to have interviews with the misión president. So staying up a bit late prepping for that....haha like all the missionaries do.

Wednesday starting off nice and early a zone meeting followed b interviews. It wasn't all that bad. I got my package that I've been waiting for from my parents. So I'm happy with that. Got some wonderful goodies and it's been pretty fun to have. 

Thursday more work. Nice and hard.

Friday visited the sister's áreas with one of our ZLs Elder Fankhauser. So we went around visiting and helping them out there then a bit in our own area. 

Saturday morning it was kinda funny but we sent Fankhauser alone with a member who had a car who was already gonna go to Estili so we didn't have to take buses back. Then we ended up working

Sunday we had church and how weird. For the first time in a long while I didn't have to give a talk or a class. It felt weird  but a nice Little rest.  And that was pretty much my week. Today we went to celebrate the birthday of Elder Fankhauser, so we had an activity at the church, it was fun. Anyways see ya all next week.

- Elder Vogt

Tuesday, October 17th - Monday, 23rd

So weekly letter time. Well I don't have a whole lot to put just since we were in a Trio this whole week with another elder Elder Najera. 

So Tuesday we had a district meeting, and then went out to lunch to celebrate the birthday of one of the sisters. 

Wednesday we had a multi zone meeting in Matagalpa..... they usually are in Estili...I thought once I got switched from Matagalpa to Estili I wouldn't have to travel so far to go to the meetings...I was wrong...They changed it to where I was before. But oh well. I got to go back and see some people I knew before, so that was cool. So we went there in a mini bus that was rented out by the mission for the transportation, got there and had the meeting, a 70, elder Cordon came and it was good, had dinner there in Matagalpa, and headed back.

Thursday well it was a nice normal work day, not much special

Friday we visited an investigator Hno Trinidad and he was super positive and ready for his baptism tomorrow. Saying that he was talking with some of his family and friends about this decision he has made of joining our church and how he prayed and knew this was the right thing for him. So that was really cool

So Saturday we started off nice and early. and got everything ready then we headed to Estili with the branch president and a couple people for the baptism and had a great time. IT was supposed to be a big activity with all the areas baptizing, but only us and the ZLs had for that day, but oh well it was good. Did that then headed back

Yesterday Sunday we had church and had an interesting experience in the morning. We were about to head to the church before it started but we were like nah we will go for 1 more person so we went to a house they said they coudln't go since they were sick as we were walking out a random guy we talked to once called for us (he lives in a different house) we talked briefly and then invited him to church (this was like 15 minutes before church started) and he slipped on a shirt and came with us then and there. That was cool

So that was a bit of my week. Thanks for reading.

- Elder Vogt

 

Tuesday, October 10th - Monday, October 16th

So this week has been pretty full. So what we ended up doing is we had a busy week working, had divisions Friday and milked a cow Saturday morning and hosted a mutual for the young men and women in our branch. So we did that had a nice day at church and climbed a mountain for the activity today. 
Sorry for not writing all too much but thanks for reading! 
See you all next week.
- Elder Vogt
******************************** 
Additional Info from Family Emails:

* Trinida is on date for Baptism

* He, Elder Hughes and Elder Soares milked one of Trinida's cows and then drank the milk (he said it was "alright, a bit warm but good and pretty creamy")

* Elder Najera will be staying with him and Soares until Saturday

* There is a Multi Zone Conference in Matagalpa this week

* The Branch President and his wife feed them every night

* Their Mountain Climbing activity was supposed to be a Zone Activity, but he said that 4 companionships baled. He enjoyed the people who did go - in addition to he and Elder Soares, there was Elders Hughes, Najera and Fankhauser and Sisters Amado and Lainez

* The Mountain overlooked his area of La Trinidad (La Trinidad is a smaller outlying city of Estili... he said think of Laural MT compared to Billings, MT)

* After their hike up the mountain, they went to eat at a Burger King in Estili