Tuesday, May 23rd - Monday, May 29th

So I'll start writing about this week from the beginning.

So the changes started off, and we worked like normal Tuesday, not much special.

Wednesday, we had a zone meeting and I met all the new people in the Zone, and saw who all left. So yeah that was fun. 

Thursday we continued working here, We gave a great lesson with one of our investigators. Angela. And it was on Chastity. And she said something super surprising. Well as a backstory. People here, they don't ever wanna get married, and lots have babies at like 14 or 15. And she said she wanted to wait to date until she found someone with her same goals, and wants to get married. And wants to marry someone who would support her in her same moral goals too.And that was amazing. One in a million here. But that's advice for all of you. Always look for the people to surround yourself with that will hold your same values.

Friday so to do the baptismal interview with her, we had to go on divisions. So I went with my old companion Elder Fankhauser, and went to Matagalps. So something funny that happened. Well more or less they closed down an area, so they were moving all of their furniture into the zone leaders's all too small house. So they moved like 6 beds, 2 fridges, and 2 large closets. And I got to help move it. We were gonna do a fort that night, but got too tired so I ended up sleeping on a stack of 7 beds. All in all it was fun. Even though it kept raining on us... I've gotten so soaked over the days here.

Saturday. So we had a mother's day activity here, since mother's day is the thirtieth of May here. So we did the activity this Saturday. So we gave the message, and then had some dinner. The Branch President's son has a nice restaurant in Matagalps, so they catered for us. (well we bought from them and they put it in tin foil and someone here picked it up and brought it over) But it was nice. And in the night we had a baptism for Angela, and it was amazing. She is such a great person, and was so ready. Probably one of my favorite investigators. I hope she can stay nice and strong in the faith. That is a hard thing, to see people go inactive after baptism. Let's try our best.

Sunday. We had church, and the Stake president came to visit. And it was nice. They brought snacks for the branch haha so it was all good. 

I guess that was my week. Lots of rain, I was sick for a while, and a baptism. Thanks everyone for reading, and remember keep on doing the best you can every week. Every little difference counts.

Love, Elder Vogt

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* So Elder Baez performed Angela's baptism. She didn't know who to pick and so I flipped a coin haha. 

* Maybe you could pray that we can find new people who are positive to teach. Who will progress and are just waiting to hear the gospel.

Tuesday, May 16th - Monday, May 22nd

So let's get down and real in the day to day happenings of a Vogt!

So more or less let's start with Tuesday...

We went to Matagalpa (the city nearby that is kind of like the center of our zone, so we have meetings there) So we did a meeting there, and afterwards went back and worked like normal.

 

Wednesday we worked like normal, we didn't get permission to baptize this one person, so that fell through, but oh well. 

 

Thursday we went to Matagalpa again and did weekly planning there with some other missionaries, and we got back and when we started to work it started to rain. And oh boy did it rain hard. The streets were flooding, and we were soaked head to toe. We could take off our shoes and water would pour out of them hah. But we still kept on working. Though once we got back in the night all soaked, our neighbors who are members as well brought us over a cup of hot chocolate, so that was a really nice treat.

 

Friday, while all of our stuff was drying from the day before we headed over to Matagalpa again so my companion could do some shoe shopping. Then we came back. And worked again...In the rain again. and got soaked again. Haha.

 

So Saturday we filled up the Baptismal Font, and had a ward baptism. It was a nice time. I baptized her, so I got wet yet again haha.

 

And Yesterday we had church and planned an activity for Mother's day (since mother's day is the 30th here) and then did some more working like usual.

All in all things are going pretty normal over here. Hope you are all doing good!

love,

Elder Vogt

 

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Additional info from family emails

 

* So we are teaching this one investigator Angela, and she is super positive. She has come to the church both Sundays we have been here, went to the baptism, and said she wanted to move her baptismal date up to this Saturday. So let's see what that brings.

 

* First Transfer my whole Mission where I haven't gotten a new companion (granted, I've only been with Baez 2 weeks!) but we are still together for the next 6 weeks.

 

*  Church went well, and we planned the mother's day activity for this Saturday (mother's day here is the 30th of May) so I'm looking forward to that.

 

* I've actually been pretty cold lately, especially since I've gotten wet every day for the past 5 days. Even with protection I still manage to get wet. But oh well. It's a pretty constant slight sprinkle, but with the occasional downpour that manages to get you soaked through umbrellas, or waterproof jackets, or waterproof anything. But yeah. I guess I'll just have to get used to it. We did get plastic bags to cover the books, and we'll probably just end up getting used to being soaked.

* Those Possums I sent a picture of were freaky! It looked so much weirder since in the dark you couldn't make out as much and couldn't tell that it had 2 babies on it's back - it just looked hideous. And it somewhat broke a power line so the power pole was sparking massively that night.

 

Tuesday, May 9th - Monday, May 15th

Haha sorry this is super short, but I forgot to write my mass email and I'm like out of time.

More or less what happened is I am here in San Ramon again with elder Baez, my new companion, he is Dominican.

So we had a good week, getting to know the people and the members here in this area, we managed to have a good sized show up at church yesterday, and we had interviews with the president on Thursday.

We managed to talk Hermana Poncio into buying us lunch (the mission president's wife.) They are such good people.

And yesterday we managed to call our families for Mother's day. It was a great experience to be able to talk with all of them again. I loved it so much. but yeah so we will see how this week turns out. Since we just opened this area I don't think we will have any new baptisms for a couple weeks, but who knows we might find a miracle that we can baptize this Saturday. That's what we are trying for.

Thanks for everyone and all that you do. Keep up being amazing.

 

- Elder Vogt

 

Mothers Day Video Chat

Note: This post is written by Elder Vogt's mom

Mother's Day has always been special - but having a Missionary out amplifies that! Elder Vogt didn't know what time he'd be able to call (as he wasn't even in his new area last PDay and so wasn't able to make arrangements with anyone)... We just knew it'd be in the afternoon sometime - and we were prepared with our laptop all set up and Skpe opened! Close to 4:30 we got a Facebook message saying he was going to need to Video Chat via Facebook. So we had to get FB Messenger all installed and set up as fast as we could! And then thanks to our wonderful modern day technology - we were able to Video Chat with him!

There were a few bumps during our time together (in the form of power outages, internet troubles, frozen images and times of difficulty with the audio) BUT even with those inconveniences - we had a WONDERFUL time chatting with our Elder! Here's some of the highlights of our time together...

* He is looking great! He looked genuinely happy and confident in where he was
* He looks for the good in everyone (especially in his companions)
* He will be getting a new apartment in 2 weeks - and he's really excited to move into a much nicer one
* His Shoes are worn out
* Favorite area so far has been Managua (and he'd like to go back)
* Now that he's back in San Ramon no one is cooking meals for them - so he says he just has bags of cereal, bags of milk and eggs (but they are actively looking for someone to cook for them...so hopefully soon!)
* Same with their Laundry - they are looking for someone to hire. He also mentioned that he's had to wash his clothes by hand (if they can't find a washing machine somewhere)
* Has eaten BBQ Iguana and he liked it
* He really likes the Mission President. He said that he is always happy and smiling and he very much respects him
* Even though the country isn't all that large, it has 5 different climates throughout it (he's currently in the mountainous "cold" (if you count 80's as cold) climate and he likes that!
* Lots of Street vendors (and every other house sells food out of their home)
* Can sometimes  roll his "r's" (moreso when he's not thinking about it)
* Thinks in both English and Spanish
* They are heading into the Rainy Season
* He has yet to have to help move anyone as a service project (he says that Nicaraguans don't really move once they're in a place)
* He's still working on his piano playing skills (he can even read music now!)
* His first companion (Elder Lopez, who trained him) is already married after getting home in December!
* He's had some pretty fun times and experiences with some of the other Missionaries
* He's really happy where he's at
* His testimony is growing. He's feeling more confident and independent
* He offered the closing family prayer (which was really special to hear him pray for us!)
* He spoke lots of Spanish for us
* and of course we had to take some pictures of us all "together"

Tuesday, May 2nd - Monday, May 8th

So it's time to write about my week!

So if you all remember I'm here with the Zone Leaders in Matagalpa (a cold mountain city) So I've been working with them here. We kept taking buses to outlying areas. We worked a whole lot but also had a fun time. I got to know the Zone leaders here, Elder Mendez, and Fankhauser a lot better and they are all really chill. 

On Tuesday I went on Divisions with the District Leader, Elder Hamson, since my companions had a leader meeting in Managua, it was really fun with him. 

And like Thursday Hamson was sick, so since I was in the Trio, I stayed with him in his house, so his companion could work with a member. Man we talked so much.

So this Saturday we had a baptism, and that was really cool, and the missionaries (Hamson and his comp) who are in the ward that shares a chapel with us had a double baptism and a wedding with the two people. So we were invited out to dinner with that family, so we went there and had dinner with them and a couple other missionaries It was a good fun time.

And yesterday we went to church, and brought a family of 5 there. Super Awesome.

Though I did get some more news. I will be getting my new companion later today in the evening. I will go back to San Ramon. I'm ready to head back, but I wouldn't mind finishing this transfer with the zone leaders here. But we'll see what happens. Since we'll be opening that area back up again. We probably won't baptize this change, since there are only 2 weeks left, but we'll look for some Miracles. And who knows. We'll see what happens. But hey on the bright side, it's someone from a country I haven't had a companion from yet. He's Dominican.

Anyways Everyone thanks for reading. Have a great week you all.

Love, Elder Vogt

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Additional info from some of the family emails 

* I am keeping really busy. But it's a great type of busy. I like working hard, but also partying hard - haha - and by that I mean like chilling with the other missionaries,maybe playing a card game or something like that

* Well this week, we had a baptism! and I also became good friends with the Zone leaders, so that was good. One reminds me of August. The latino, and he is really cool. 

* We are always teaching. If we don't have like 20 good investigators we are doing something wrong here.

* We are getting an Apostle to speak here in June. Who knows it might be on my birthday!

* My new companion is Elder Baez - he arrives today. We will stay one last night here and then head to San Ramon tomorrow.

Tuesday, April 25th - Monday, May st

Yo I might as well start writing a nice weekly email about now.

So I´ll start with the first part of the week. We had to wake up at 5:30am so we could go to the hospital in the morning then we did nothing the afternoon, then we had to go again in the evening at 7. So yeah that was the first few days.

Thursday was the day for my companion to go home. So we went to a multi zone conference there in Managua and I stayed put there as my comp headed out. I was with the Zone Leaders in Bello Horizonte (like the office zone with all the office people and such) and had a good time. Everyone loved my impression of a random mother while we were doing teaching practices. Then that night I went out with elder Nonu (from Utah) and chilled the night with them there at the ¨mansion¨(assistance's and secretary and ZL house there) I really enjoyed my time there, and the people who live there (6 of em) are all really cool.

Friday I got to Matagalpa and worked with a member...... but yeah so I´m in my house now. It´s kinda small but not too bad. You have to walk up a really steep hill to get to it. But I´ll get used to it.

Saturday we had a baptism so that went well, and Sunday went to church like normal. Then they had to do numbers, and we had to help free some sisters, who forgot their keys in their house and closed the door, so were locked in like a staircase between their house and outside.

Then today we played soccer, and chilled, and we all ate out as a zone. And now writing. So yeah that's my week.

Haha yeah I know a little words compared to last week, but oh well. Love you all. Remember to keep being awesome.

 

- Elder Vogt 

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Additional info from some of the family emails:

* When asked "How are you feeling these days about your Mission and being in Nicaragua?" He replied with "The days are going good! I´m loving talking to the people and all that. It is going good. Soon it will be over and I´ll wonder where it went."

 

* Well I moved from San Ramon (in the zone Matagalpa) to Matagalpa Matagalpa. So it's the same zone, just like a 30 minute bus ride from where I was with Quinonas. San Ramon was so beautiful and if I get back there I will take some pictures! Matagalpa is nice and clean tho - so that's good.

 

* In this new area, I am fed Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner each day by people

 

* I'm in a trio with the Zone Leaders here in Matagalpa - Elders Fankhauser (from Utah) and Mendez (from Honduras). I've only been with them for 2 days but they seem pretty cool.

 

* I have a bed to sleep on but it´s on the floor haha. Their house is like the smallest zone leader house I've seen. Usually the ZL houses have room for like 5 missionaries, but they only have room for like 2 here, so we are making some ghetto stuff, like my closet is made with an extra mattress, and a fridge with a bar on top. so yeah haha. 

 

* This new area is like only mountainous. So man it's kicking my booty, since I did like 3 weeks without really any moving around at all - haha But Yeah, I'll build up the calf muscles, and burn off that hospital food!

 

* Hey sorry Mom. This computer has the problem as about half the computers here I've used. It can´t read my memory card. I don´t know why that is. But I can´t send pictures here. Maybe I´ll be able to next week if we use a different cyber. I know you enjoy your pictures, but I guess we´ll see what we can do. 

While we were bummed that no pictures were able to be sent, the Mission President posted some pictures from the Zone Conference to Facebook and we found a few with Elder Vogt in them (included below)...