25 October 2007

Hello my lovely family and friends,

Yesterday I celebrated my 9 month anniversary along with 10 other sisters. The time has come and gone quickly. As I look back on all that I have learned I have seen my heart change, my relationship and confidence in my Savior have been strengthened, and I have been especially touched by the new loved ones that have come into my life. Life is good and I am so full of joy.

Some updates...

Abraham - He passed the sacrament for the first time on Sunday. He was wonderful, but he was so nervous. He has been reading Preach My Gospel faithfully and we are going to encourage him to serve a mission. He is growing in his knowledge and his testimony. We are very pleased.

Lydia - She had her first experience with paying tithing this last week. She also saw miracles with the exercise of her faith. She received an unexpected check in the mail, which has helped her with her finances. Faith precedes the miracle! She is happily making wedding plans.

Laura and Kate are also doing well. They have solid faith and are a blessing to the lives they touch. We have dinner with each of them in the coming week. It's so cute when our recent converts sign up to feed us. What a blessing!

Horace - He is a former investigator who we had to drop many weeks ago because he was not keeping his appointments. We found him again this week and he now has Tuesdays off from work. Tuesdays have become our day to see Horace. He had been taught many of the lessons and he had been reading the Book of Mormon faithfully even when he was dropped. We discussed baptism and plan to give him a baptismal date this next week. I have never met anyone so humble and so full of excitement about the gospel.

Revi - She is doing well. We are trying to help her see how she can receive answers to prayers in different ways. She desires to do God's will, but struggles with taking a leap of faith and being baptized. She is wonderful and I want her to be happy so badly! She will be fine and the Lord will bless her as He shows His hand in her life and in her decision to be baptized.

Stephanie - We taught Stephanie for the third time this week. We met her in Union Station for her lesson! How cool is that! I taught a lesson in Union Station. After her lesson she bought us ice cream and we walked up to the Capitol. It is beautiful at night and it reminded me of home and the Sacramento Capitol. A member friend of hers has been coming to her lessons. He works for a Senator who is a member and offered to get us a tour of the Capitol. Life is good. Yes we are spoiled. Stephanie was introduced to the gospel by a member friend. She is a strong Protestant and really struggles with grace and works. I am grateful for all that I am learning as I have studied specifically for Stephanie. Hopefully her heart will be softened and her mind will be opened to the truths the Lord has for her to receive if she is willing. I am grateful for agency, for without it we could not progress.

This past week we did another session at the temple. It was beautiful. This time through I focused my thoughts specifically on my Savior and how each covenant I make helps me to become more like Him. I also thought a lot about charity. Truly without charity we are nothing! I hope that the Lord will bless me with the strength to continue developing the attributes that will help me become more like Him.

Transfers are next week. Complete bliss cannot last forever...so Sister Baxter and I will probably not be companions anymore. The Lord knows what we need to help us grow. I have never felt closer to my Savior as I have felt these past two transfers. I have never felt such peace with myself. It is simply beautiful. I am grateful for Sister Baxter and her love and friendship. We will be connected as friends and sisters forever.

I hope that all is well with you. May the Lord continue to bless you as you do your best to follow Him and become more like Him.

With Love, Sister Hogge