24 May 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

I have officially been serving for 4 months. Time does fly. Usually when people ask me how long I've been serving I tell them "just under 6 months". This helps me keep my focus. I'll do the same throughout my entire mission. Focus is essential as a missionary.

Things are picking up in Olney. We are beginning to teach some of the new investigators we have found. The trick now is to help them see the need to keep their commitments and to progress towards baptism. A great way to help them keep their commitments is to promise blessings. I am grateful for all of the millions of blessings our Heavenly Father gives to us when we obey and follow the steps of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We recently taught a woman named Lashell (I can't remember if I mentioned her in my last email). We have been trying to get in contact with her for over a month. We decided to stop by one day and she invited us in. She is wonderful. She has a strong faith in Christ and has attended the Baptist church with her husband and two young boys, but she needs the true church and gospel in her life. There is a difference between just believing and doing what the Lord would have us do to return to him with our families. She has many questions about the plan of salvation, which we plan to teach her today. We hope to help all of our investigators progress within the coming weeks.

Our last CDM (combined district meeting) with President and Sister Price was on Tuesday. It was wonderful. I love President and Sister Price. We will all miss them dearly. They will be leaving the end of June. Sister Price spoke about Satan's 3 main tools that he uses on missionaries: inadequacy, discouragement, and rejection. In Alma 33:16 it says, "Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son." The Atonement is for all, even missionaries! We must BELIEVE in Jesus Christ. I believe in him and I know that he is my Savior and has suffered not only my pains and afflictions, but my temptations (Alma 7:11-12). I love him. I would invite you to believe in Jesus Christ and live your life accordingly. Be happy! "May God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son" (Alma 33:23).

I am only beginning to understand what my patriarchal blessing means when it says that I have been blessed with a joyful and happy spirit. I am so happy! I love this great work. Yes, it is so difficult, but I love it. The Lord is blessing me with pure joy and happiness, even when it's hard. I hope to retain this joyful and cheerful attitude throughout my entire life. It is so important to be happy and to be positive.

President gave us much counsel and words of love. I especially enjoyed his charge to lay down your "weapons of rebellion" and do not fight against God any more. What are our weapons of rebellion? This is a wonderful story in the Book of Mormon, read it! Alma 23:7

I love this work. May the Lord bless you all with happiness and joy.

Love, Sister Hogge