3 April 2008

Happy April!!

We began our April and Spring celebration yesterday by going to downtown DC for the National Cherry Blossom Festival! I have never seen anything like it! It was absolutely beautiful! We went with one of our senior couples, the Woodheads. It was their first time in DC as missionaries. We also went with two other companionships, Sisters Baxter, Lanthier, McEwan, and Sisters Snelson and Bonderanko. We were somewhat surprised by how windy and chilly it was, but throughout the day it warmed up nicely. We walked the Tidal Basin by the Jefferson and on the Potomac River...the most beautiful cherry blossoms are there! We also walked to the Washington Monument and the Jefferson and then headed to the War Memorials and the Lincoln Memorial. It was a day of monuments, memorials, and cherry blossoms. I wouldn't be surprised if we walked 5 miles! We ended our day with a pizza lunch from the refreshments stand along the Mall and sat on some benches watching a huge group of missionaries play ultimate frisbee in the grass. The perfect day! Missionaries were pretty popular in DC yesterday. About half of the mission enjoyed a day in the city. We kept seeing very excited members from all over the country. I guess now is about the time when the members begin to come to DC for spring and summer vacations. It felt good to be so loved. I felt like an old missionary yesterday because all the other missionaries kept asking me for directions and where certain things were, etc. It was weird! I can't believe how much I've come to know DC. It's become my home away from home. I got a big of a tan/sunburn. It's been a LONG time since my skin has seen the sun, and surprisingly I'm completely okay with that! I always enjoy my time in DC. Hopefully we'll go to the Holocaust Museum next...guess we'll see. It was Sister Mukhlaash's first time in the city and she LOVED it!

The humidity is coming already! There was one day the other week that brought back great memories from the humidity last summer. I never thought I would enjoy humidity. I think I like it just for the memories it brings and nothing else!

Last Sunday all the missionaries in our ward spoke during sacrament meeting. Elder Jeppeson gave a talk on faith, I gave my talk on repentance, Sister Mulford gave her talk on baptism, Sister Mukhlaash gave a talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Elder Johnsen was enduring to the end. It was a wonderful sacrament meeting and the spirit was very strong. I felt such a deep love for the Quince Orchard members as I looked out at the congregation on the stand. Just when you don't think you could love a ward or an area like the last one, your heart expands and is filled with love for the next ward and area. I love serving these people! We have the best job in the world, full-time service! I was grateful to speak about repentace. I love teaching about repentance, that program of progress, as Elder Maxwell would say. We are so blessed to be given a way to return to Heavenly Father and to have Jesus Christ as our Savior and Exemplar. Speaking in sacrament meeting really developed our relationships with the members.

We gave a baptismal date to Brooke Ripely this week. She was somewhat hesitant to commit, but we will prepare her and she will be fine. She will be baptized April 26th. She is the most beautiful 9 year old I have met. She wants to do whats right, but is nervous to do so. The Lord will touch her heart and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost will help her in her struggles as a teen. She needs the Holy Ghost! I love her and I love her parents.

Miracle of the week: There was a baptism two weeks ago. The French elders had been teaching a lady from Haiti for over a month. We saw her every week at church and at first I thought I recognized her, but just brushed the thought aside. About two months ago Sister Mulford and I were checking on a potential investigator, Maria. When we got to the home Maria wasn't home, but Maria's sister was there. We began talking to her when we realized that she couldn't speak any English. So, we got her information and referred her to the French elders. This last Sunday we were in Maria's area again. When we saw Maria's sister again and realized that it was the lady who had just been baptized in our ward! I couldn't believe it, everything came together. This truly is the Lord's work and when we understand that we, as missionaries and members, can be united in the work to bring many souls back to Him.

Well, I am so happy and I'm grateful for agency. I am learning how important it is to choose to be happy. It really is a choice. We are SO EXCITED for General Conference this weekend. Every time I think about it I get butterflies in my stomach. I feel like a little girl on Christmas Eve. I feel that it's time to receive a spiritual boost and to hear from our beloved prophet, apostles and other leaders of the church. Today I was thinking about how I know that these are men called of God. I know because when I live their teachings I feel the peace and joy from the spirit when I see the good changes in my life. I hope that we will all take this time to seriously evaluate our relationship with our Heavenly Father and our Savior and write down questions of which we WILL receive answers to this weekend.

I love you all, I love serving. I can't imagine my life without this time to serve. I know Jesus is the Christ and that He lives and loves us all.

Love, Sister Hogge