More Random Happenings from Nicaragua

I guess some highlights of this week were. I saw a pig. But not just any ordinary pig. This pig was massive!!! It was probably a good 7 or 8 feet long, and easily weighed at least 700 pounds. I took a picture of it, but in the picture it looks tiny.....So yeah. Anyways with that one of the members took a photo of my photos and made them into a meme. So I took a photo of his photo with words of my photo.

Then Later in the week since Elder López's sister is going to the Nicaragua South Mission, and she arrived in country this week, and since Elder Lopez goes home in 2 weeks, we got permission from the mission president to go see her at their Stake Center. So that was fun we got to see here, and I also met an Elder Black who is from my stake back home in Montana. So I have met all the Nicaraguan Elders from my stake (Elder Lund is in the North Mission with me and is also currently serving in Managua so I see him weekly). So that was really sweet. 

Then these past 2 days have been Stake Conference here. So most of our time this week other than lessons has been giving members and investigators invitations to stake conference, and reminding them, and bringing them. It's a big undertaking. But I enjoyed it and had a good time. Yesterday our Mission President and his wife spoke in the Conference, so it was cool to see them and talk to them again. 

Anyways, a couple more random things, A drunk guy one night came up to me and started talking, speaking really good English for a drunk Nicaraguan. But said many things, like he wants our gospel, he loves me, he wants my life, and he wants my pants. He wanted me to take off my pants and give them to him. So naturally I said I needed my pants, and he left.

And this morning while waiting for the other missionaries to arrive to the church for Soccer, we were waiting (I was getting a hair cut, but the place was closed until 9 in the morning, so we were a bit early to the church, at like 7:45) But he gave me like a 1 hour long speech no joke. Again in English. About many many many many things. But in it he said that the doctors said the drugs like cocaine and meth messed with his organs, but through the glory of Jesus he was healed. Something was a bit off about him, but he was nice and friendly enough. 

Anyways those are just a couple things that happen in my life here.

 

Elder Vogt

 

Additional Thoughts for Week 3

* I talk in every lesson, I teach parts, and testify of others. But Elder Lopez does most of the teaching at this point.

* I am still eating primarily beans, rice and bananas - but we have varieties every once in a while. Some of the food is good, others I don't like so much. But I discovered I had a new talent in the MTC. I can swallow food whole. So if there is something I don't like or can't stomach. I swallow it whole as fast as I can. (I learned by having a contest with elder Simpson who could eat a pack of M&Ms the fastest. I could swallow the whole pack (single serving) instantly

* We have a baptism set for Saturday and several more scheduled for 2 weeks

* My companion/trainer leaves to go back home to Honduras in 3 weeks so I will be getting a new companion on December 6th

* Typically we spend most mornings in the apartment doing companion study and personal study. We go outside to get lunch and then leave straight from lunch to our appointments. We are out from 1-9pm.

* We teach the Gospel Doctrine class at church on Sundays (Lopez does most of the teaching for this)

* We do door-to-door tracting each day but most of our teaching time are referrals or set appointments

* It rains most days but it's not bad, even just walking in downpours isn't bad. Since we are used to always being wet. So it's a blessing.

* The people here are all really friendly and most are willing to listen, but not all are interested.

* I hear it's supposed to snow in Montana this week - Lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want snow so much 

* Once I get back home, everything is going to seem so luxurious in the states, I'll be so grateful for everything. Even small things we don't think about like running water always available. We only have running water for 1 hour in the mornings. We have a large tub that we put under the shower and fill it up and usually have bucket showers with that. But probably a 75 gallon drum. So we fill that up and use that to flush too. It's cold water and we shower in the morning. But I kinda wish it was more room temperature. It's not bad though. 

*  Everyone here can make do with so little, and still be so nice and friendly. So complaining about stuff like slow internet, or having to drive 15 minutes to get into a near town to be able to buy something seems ridiculous. We are so blessed with what we have!

* I feel safe here - and actually we have 3 layers of protection, bars over our door, a small front patio with bars, and a courtyard with bars. I feel safe, and even when walking out late at night in the dark I feel safe. I heard from one of the members, like 10 years ago this was a dangerous area with gangs and everything but now it's one of the safest in Managua (my particular neighborhood of Reparto Schick)

* It is so Super hot and humid, but it'll make me appreciate the cold even more.

* There are 10 zones in the Nicaragua North mission. Most of them are a city (except for  Managua and Chinedega - they each have 2 zones). Each zone has 2 or possibly 3 Districts. Ours has 2 districts, and my District has 8 Missionaries. So we do a zone meeting every week. I heard once a month, but it has been every week. So we meet up at the stake center and do a little instructional thing then report numbers to our District. Elder Najera, (Na hair a) is our District Leader and I like him a lot. His companion has been here 9 weeks - Elder Menezes and he's from Brazil.

* In our apartment we have a stove and a microwave (the stove gets plugged in) but if we are hungry we usually just buy something from the store right across the street. There are little shops everywhere.

* Today I tried Nicaraguan Ice cream. It's like shaved ice with various thick syrups. It was pretty good. So imagine like a slushie with a thicker syrup

* Something weird here in this country is even though most people have like 20 year old tvs, most of them (even the poor ones) have really nice sound systems.

* And most everyone here has a smart phone. So it's just different. Like they make less money here. I think it was like 4 dollars a day. But things are a whole lot cheaper. We went to a restaurant and I got a meal that would probably cost like 8 dollars in the states and it was only around 2.50 here. 

* They like to feed you a lot here. Like for the bean soup we've had twice it's served in like giant dog bowl sized bowls.

* I must be one of the tallest people in the entire country. I don't think I've seen anyone taller than me so far. Most people are about a head or so shorter than I am, but I am getting used to having to duck a whole lot, so I don't hit my head on their doors or barbed wire.

Week 3 and a Mass Exorcism

Okay week happenings. 

So more or less this week has been better than last week. It feels like hardly any time has passed since last Pday, but then again at the same time it has felt like a whole month. Just I guess time is skewed as a missionary.

I don't remember much from Tuesday or Wednesday, just that we probably did the same old normal schedule as we usually do. Though on Thursday was a meeting for all of the new missionaries in the mission. So we went to the other stake center in the other zone in Managua, and I got to see the other members from my District who went to Nicaragua also. So it was really good, and it helped lift my spirits a lot. It was great getting to see the others and speak English! 

Most of the time it has been just normal, we have been visiting people, and teaching the gospel, and today we helped get some stuff ready for a wedding in 2 weeks. 

And alright it's story time!

Okay so on like every other corner are churches. They usually are just 1 big room, and usually have a small stage, with a keyboard, drums, microphone, etc. So there is one across the street from J's house,  I heard a lot of yelling through the speakers, and talking from the crowd. So I looked, and saw most of them standing with their arms up and forward, swaying back and forth chanting/singing, while the preacher was yelling at them individually. So this goes on for a while. And he is yelling at them in a near death metal voice. I ask J what happened/is happening, and he said thery're doing exorcisms for all of the sins of the people in the crowd. And that he's yelling at them like saying"Repent! Repent of your sins! Do it right now and be saved!!!" Individually to everyone, it was really strange.

So I told J (he knows both Spanish and English) I'll give you 5 dollars if you walk right in there and yell "HALLELUJAH!!!" right there during the group exorcism/yelling/chanting/singing. And he busted up laughing. He didn't do it though.  But it would have been too perfect.

Anyways that happened last night. Just another day in the life of a missionary.

Elder Vogt

Week 2 in the Land Without Cold

Okay time for the second week here. 

Since the elections here are going on (they actually happened yesterday) this past week and this week we have to return to our apartments by 7:30 at night instead of the normal 9 or 9:30. So that was different but kind of nice. 

We spend the time like normal throughout the week, going and teaching lessons, visiting members, and less active people. So not much new going on here. On Friday I went on exchanges with an elder Menezes and went over to his area while Elder Najera came over here with elder López. 

Elder Menezes has been here for 2 months, and is from Brazil. 

So went over there with him, but it was actually nice, because we managed to have full on conversations. Since Spanish was neither of our first languages, it was really cool. So it helped a lot. Then Fast Sunday. It wasn't that hard for me, because here I really don't get hungry. People constantly want to feed me, but honesty having lunch I don't get hungry till lunch the next day. The hard part was no liquids. Since we drink so much water and Soda here. It was difficult. 

I guess for random things that have happened. I've been teaching my companion (from Hondurus) random English phrases like What's shakin' bacon. And things of that sort. And am trying to talk more. It's a bit hard because I sort of space out and my mind wanders. Since I don't know what's going on that's why my mind just sort of wanders. But then it makes it even harder to get what's happening. So yeah. 

But I am starting to get used to the heat and humidity, so that's a plus. I just need to remember that the lord has a plan for each of us, and even though this has probably been the most difficult thing that I've had to do, many others have been able to do it to, and I can too with His help.

-Elder Vogt (or "Boat" as they pronounce it here)

Q & A in Nicaragua

1.  As I sat in church today, I couldn't help but wonder how your first Sunday in Nicaragua was!! Were the members friendly and welcoming? How many wards are in Managua? How many are you assigned to?
Yes friendly and welcoming, but I can't understand most of them. I don't know the ward numbers. Just that We had about 80 people on Sunday. 

2. How are you and Elder Lopez getting along? 

Fine, but we don't talk all too much. If we have questions we will, but we don't make much small talk.

3. Since you're in the "big city" do you have a car for traveling? or just walk everywhere? How large of an area do you guys cover? 

Nope, walk. And I don't know the area size. Most of the places are really close by, but a couple I've had to travel for a while on foot. I sent more about some transportation in the email to dad.

4. Grandma Vogt has been concerned with the weather there - she is hopeful you have AC! Do you?

Nope No AC, like no where does, but most people have fans that you plug in, so I have one. It's nice. Though it's hot and humid here always. It's alright though.

5. Do the members feed you dinners or are you on your own for dinners? What sort of things are you eating?
Rice and beans and bananas. That's what it mainly is. But we get fed dinner and lunches. (lunches always by the same person) and we buy breakfasts every morning.

6. What's the thing you liked best about this week? 
I think having a baptism was really cool! I got to baptize a member. Ooooh also, I knew this one goat while it was alive, saw it while it was being cut up, and ate it after it was dead. The circle of life.

7. What was the hardest thing about/from this week? 

The heat and humidity, not falling asleep due to it in lessons. And the language.

8. Is it just you and Lopez in the apartment (or is there another set of Missionaries with you?) and is your apartment pretty western and comparable to what we'd see here in the states?

Just us. I have pics I'll be sending to show you.

9. I know it's your first Pday but what do you have planned for today? Do you do your own laundry? go grocery shopping? Are you at an internet cafe or where do you have internet access to write to us? How long are you allotted to email?

No laundry on our own, yes shopping. Internet Cafe. and we only have 1 hour.  And we played games at the stake center with other missionaries earlier today.

10. What's been your impression of Managua (of the city and the people) this first week in the country? 
Hot and humid, very dirty, but so much green. There are plants everywhere.


11. What does it smell like? As a guy who has been in 12 countries, every place has a different smell.
It depends on the house. It smell kinda just dusty and stuff like that, humid, but some places you can really smell their bathrooms.

12. What is something that really stands out about the country? I remember being surprised about all of the eucalyptus trees in Iraq where we lived.
I was really surprised about the humidity. Like wow. It was intense the first day or so. Also just how green it is. But I think the biggest thing is every single house and building has bars, and gates, and fences over their windows, doors, just everything. Some of the walls are sheet metal, others concrete. Just depends. But all the bars, and spikes, and barbed wire on top was the strangest.

13. How are things going with Elder Lopéz? Is he a patient companion? What can you tell us about him? We want to know all about him
It's going okay, but it's difficult. Because he doesn't really understand English, it's hard at times. I don't talk all too much. But I'm learning more every day, and I can hear more every day. So that's good. He is patient, and we have a similar taste in music. Like he likes Metallica, iron maiden, rammstein, and lots of similar stuff. Also tell Ben, they say Turn Down For What a whole lot here..

14. What is the food like? Is there anything you have tried there that you really like that is Nicaraguan?
Nah, just mainly Beans, Rice, and Bananas. That's been about it. There was this one thing, that I'm not sure what it was. But it was kind of a mix between oatmeal, and icecream. But I enjoyed it. Also the soda here is really good. Same types and flavors. But it's better. Not sure if it is better, or it is just in contrast with everything bland here. But there are stores on every corner where people will just buy soda or breakfast or whatever. We have one 3 doors down from us and across the street.

15. How was your first time teaching someone? We're you nervous? Scared? Totally confident?
I had no idea what was going on and the heat puts me to sleep. So I like the night time. Since geographically we are like south of Georgia it gets light here a lot earlier, and dark here around 4:30. So we do most of our teaching at night.

16. Is there anything you would like us to send you? Also, if it is something you can get there in country, we are more than happy to just put more money in your account? We can get most anything here, and I don't think I need anything. We have enough money each 15 days from the mission fund. Thanks though

17. Do you carry pocket sand? You never know when it might come handy ;) So I was thinking about the Swiss army knife and then thought. Hey that's probably what they sent me. So I opened it Saturday and carry that around just in case. But it's really safe here.

18. Are you wishing you had a messenger bag or whatever it is that they are calling it instead of the backpack? I like having the backpack, plus most people around here are using the backpack. But I haven't used the camel back. I just fill my water bottle with the filter.

19. Are you guys on foot all of the time? Do you ever get rides? How are the feet holding up in the hush puppies?Yeah foot most of the time unless going far, then we take the bus or use these almost motorcycle taxis. They hold 6 and are everywhere, but very sketchy. Feet are holding up good, but my shoes are always dirty. There is no place in this country that is not covered in dirt. 

First Week In Nicaragua

Alright well I don't have much time left (since I answered so many questions this week for my family). So I'll just send a quick message. 

Nicaragua is nice. It's really hot and humid though. But the people are all great. 

So this week we had 2 baptisms and a marriage, and we got 4 people on date. Which is really cool since my companion (who only speaks Spanish) said it was 3 months before his first baptism. 

So I guess a weird story for here. The people who got married had this goat. (also here people live with their animals in their yards, since everyone has fences and gates, or walls). But anyways they live with their animals. And this one family had a goat. We went there the day of their wedding/baptism, to help them finish getting ready, and Moises is there with some other guy butchering this goat. It was kinda strange to watch (since the goat was whole when we got there), but it wasn't bad and the cabra tasted good. So yeah. 

Not many people know much English other than like Wazzup, but that's similar to English, where people know Hola and Como Esta. But yeah. A couple know more and I can have conversations with them in both Spanish and English so that's nice. Anyways bye everyone and Thanks for all the support.

Elder Vogt

1st Pictures - shared by the Mission President