Tuesday, February 20th - Monday, February 26th

So I guess it's time to start writing about my week and how it went. 

So starting off on Tuesday. We had interviews with the Mission President. So we got there nice and early, and had our meeting then we had lunch then went in for the interviews. It was probably the easiest one that I've seen this whole time I've been here. I think it's since his daughter just went out on the mission and maybe he is thinking "I want her president to be nice to her so I'll take it easy on the missionaries today." But it was nice I enjoyed it. I played a joke on Sister Poncio (president's wife)... so we went out to grab some some snacks and  I asked if she wanted something. She said "Sure, something rico (good tasting)" and I said okay. So we went to the place and I saw some vegetable oil that was the brand Rico so I bought one and pulled it out saying you said you wanted something rico, and here is the rico. But I also got something for real and gave it to her. Then in the evening there was a meeting between the stake pres and mission pres and they invited my companion and 1 other to be in there, so I left with a couple other missionaries in the zone to work a short while. Then afterwards a transformer blew up a short distance from where we were standing and out went the power for the whole city for a bit over an hour.

Wednesday. Well today was pretty uneventful. Didn't end up doing all too much. Just some of the normal visits, and yeah.

Thursday So today we visited around and I guess not much to tell about. 

Friday We had a good day, ended up doing a family home evening for some less active members, and invited a couple families over there, so it turned out nicely. I gave the lesson about Prayer there and how prayers can be answered. Then we played a game. Went to have dinner, then night time.

Saturday starting the day off nice and early we met up with some of the other missionaries and headed off to one of the areas of the sisters of Tonala. So we went there supposedly to do a service project, but in reality we just kinda hung out. Played baseball and some other games. And helped set up for an activity that they were doing. Had lunch and a spiritual message. I know that we didn't end up doing much, but I had a fun time and enjoyed it, even though it was blazing hot out and the sun was a killer. Though we got back and in the evening went out for smoothies with some of the other areas. Mmmm smoothies. There is a nice place at the corner near our house that sells good smoothies at a low price.

Sunday we had church and did the normal routine, but in the evening there was a leader meeting for the stake in the church, so we went to that. So we went then headed to dinner, and had our DL with us since he was gonna stay the night since we live near the market and the buses go there, and we had to wake up super early today. So we chilled in the house and the ZLs invited us to chill at their place so we went there till midnight then headed back to the house and slept. Waking up at 3:50 AM Monday, but the guide didn't know what he was talking about and yeah we waited a couple hours for a bus but it never came. so we went back to sleep. Then we played soccer in the church and a couple other games, and went out for lunch, chilled at the house with some of the newer missionaries, and yeah now we are here. Thanks everyone for reading see you all next week.

- Elder Vogt

 

Tuesday, February 6th - Monday, February 12th

So I guess since it was a pretty eventful week I'll have a lot to write about. So just bear with me. 

So starting off Tuesday we had our Zone meeting so we did that and then went for lunch. After lunch we left with some of the youth to go visit a couple of their friends, so they showed us where they lived then we went to the church to go in divisions with some of the young men. So we did that, I went to visit that one guy who was gonna be baptized a couple weeks ago, but he wasn't there, but oh well. So yeah Tuesday was really busy we had a lot of appointments but it wasn't bad.

Wednesday it was pretty event filled as well in the evening we left with the Relief society people and visited a bit, then left with another sister who wanted to show us someone else, so we went there and the lesson took a while, so by the time it was over then she wanted us to walk her home even though we were super close to where we would have had dinner, but we did that and by the time we got back the dinner people had all closed up. But oh well hah.

Thursday so we had weekly planning as a zone in the stake center so we went there, and then afterwards we were going to go on Divisions. So we went and I brought something called mineral ice. And if you know me well you know what that means. Got a couple more victims. 

So after that we went on divisions, I went with elder Caceres who is in his second change. He's a really chill guy, we worked a lot and had a ton of appointments since his companion and trainer is a zone leader, but it was all good. (In the house of the ZLs there are 2 companionships and both were in divisions) and the comp of the other ZL had his birthday so we went and bought some soda and snack food for the night. So in the evening after dinner a motorcycle with 3 people on it sped by down a dirt path near the house we were eating at, and right behind them came speeding the police. 

And we got to the house and yeah I didn't end up sleeping till like 3 AM so I had fun but boy was I tired the next day.

So Friday we had our Multi Zone meeting in Chinandega. So we went nice and early in the morning and had the meeting it was good, got to see a lot of people so that was dope. In the evening we had the baptismal interview for our investigator Daniel and he will get baptized Tomorrow. (Tuesday) So that was nice.

Saturday we did some of our nice early visits. Got permission for the baptism, then went around visiting. In the afternoon went to the church for a elder's quorum activity, and they gave us food, then the young women of the other word for their mutual activity made a dinner, gave us some, then we went to our dinner cita and we were dying stuffed. 

Sunday was just kinda the normal, except in the morning there was a baptism of the 2nd counselor's daughter since it was also her 8th birthday.

And now we are here. Thanks everyone for reading. Cya all next week!

- Elder Vogt

 

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Additional tidbits from family emails

 

Questions:

 

1. Any spiritual experiences to share?

Well we had some good experiences with the person who will be baptized tomorrow. Like for example, he had his baptismal interview Friday, and just hearing his testimony how he has changed over the past few weeks due to the gospel was really touching.

 

2. Any times you felt extra happy or uplifted?

I really had a fun time Thursday - we went on divisions, and I got to work with someone a bit newer (it's his second change) and at night it was a really fun since we had to stay the night with the Zone Leaders.

 

3. What did you feel best about doing this week?

I think the best I feel about this week, well just doing the Lords work is always great. 

 

Tuesday, January 30th - Monday, February 5th

Well I guess I should start writing about what all happened this week.

So Tuesday we started the day off by having lunch. Isn't it wonderful when that happens? Mmm food. Then we went to the Bishop's house to present my companion to him. So we went around in his truck and showed my companion the boundaries of the area. Then afterwards we went to visit a few new members and investigators. Pretty low key just showing him around.

Wednesday it was pretty similar to yesterday. Just showing him around the area. Though in the evening we had a family home evening with the people who give us lunch the Saturdays. Since their family has a lot of less active people. So we did that there to help motivate the family, and to the FHE came a few more families to help out, in all there were around 20 people. It was a fun activity.

Thursday We had our zone meeting in the morning. My zone seems alright. I have had cooler, but it could be worse. then in the evening we had ward council. 

Friday in the evening we went out with a bunch of members to visit a couple different families. So that was nice. Went with the relief society, and the elders, to different appointments. 

Saturday we had lunch then we were going to get smoothies near our house before starting our fast. So on the way there we heard someone calling for us and it was the sister missionaries (since our house is in their area) and they were going over there too so they joined us. I ordered a Mint Lemonade smoothie...I don't know what I was thinking. Like imagine brushing your teeth and 15 minutes later drinking a lemonade. It wasn't as strong as that, but pretty much that. Could have been worse though.

Sunday we had church, and then in the afternoon we had a training for our ward missionaries. It reminded me a whole lot of the MTC bringing back a whole lot of memories. Oh how much we all have grown these past year and few months.

Well that was my week. I hope everyone has a good week too. 

 

- Elder Vogt

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Additional tidbits from Family Emails:

 

* His new companion, Elder Herrera is very cheerful and happy

* Coca-Cola has now been banned in their mission due to one of the Missionaries getting a Kidney Stone

* Had two dinners on the same night. The first one was beans, with kinda like a quesadilla and the second was a ton of gallo pinto (beans mixed with rice) and some meat. At the 2nd dinner there lives a young woman and she and her friend made some churros like an hour earlier so that was dessert.

* The Nicaragua Managua North Mission is split up into 3 multi zone groups. 1 Managua, 2 the coastal, and 3 the north (mountains). He is in the Coastal Zone.

* At their Multi Zones, they get together, listen to a presentation or 2, get some direction from the leaders, listen to people machete others,  do a practice and have lunch. He enjoys them.

* Says the sun is really strong, but he's used to the weather and the heat/humidity don't really bother him at all