13 August 2008

Dear family and friends,

I just finished a session at the temple with all of the other "dying missionaries" and their companions. It was amazing! There were over 40 missionaries there. President and Sister Mansell also came and at the end of the session they greeted us into the Celestial Room. It brought back memories when the entire mission went to the temple just before President and Sister Price left. Before the session today only those of us leaving were able to go to a special meeting with President Banks, one of the temple presidency. After he told us to get married when we return home he shared some beautiful insights about the temple and he allowed us to ask him questions. The phrase that kept going through my mind as he spoke was, "Go to the temple, go to the temple...if you want to stay close to the Lord, if you want to be happy, if you want to receive answers to prayers and direction for your life, go to the temple!" So, basically I have made a new goal to go to the temple every week. As I sat in the Celestial Room thinking about all of the wonderful things I had just learned and thinking about life after the mission I felt so much peace! I was grateful that I felt so calm and happy. I am excited for this new phase of life and I know that the Lord will pour out blessings.

This week has been great! Recently I received a blessing from one of our wonderful elderly senior couples. I have been feeling really weak and fatigued. I feel like the Lord is just squeezing out every drop of energy I have until I leave the field. It's a great and yet exhausting feeling. Danella and David are doing well. David left town for a while, so he won't be prepared to get baptized this Sunday, but as long as he gets baptized that's all that matters. I am grateful that I have had the blessing of being a part of his conversion. Danella is still scheduled to be baptized this Sunday the 17th or next Sunday the 24th. Either or I will be able to be there! The work continues to move forward and I'm so grateful!

A few fun events from this last week...I went to the White House. It was a self-guided tour. The Assistants put it together and I went with another "dying missionary" Sister Hodson. My favorite room was the red room, of course. We had a car wash as a finding activity with our zone this last Saturday! It was awesome! Our job as the sisters was to bring in all the cars with our signs and by screaming, "FREE car wash!" Only sister could bring in 25 to 30 cars! Yeah that's right! Elders knew that we could get 'em comin' and the elders washed the cars and taught the people. We ended up with lots of referrals and it was a perfect, beautiful day for a car wash. Speaking of beautiful days, the weather has been absolutely fantastic lately! Sunny, a little overcast, with a cool breeze. I'm just praying that it stays this way for the next two weeks. Some fun news...it's official! Laura a girl that we baptized in DC 2nd is getting married November 22nd in the Bountiful temple! She came into the VC to invite me to the sealing. I'm soooo happy for her! The joys of this work are so sweet and so precious.

The work continues. I'll be writing one more email before I return home. I love you all and I love serving my Heavenly Father as a representative of His Son, Jesus Christ. I have never felt such pure joy and love. I feel humbled and privileged to have had the opportunity to serve. I know that what we teach is true! The heavens are not closed, God still speaks to us, and I know that He wants all of us to return to Him. May the Lord bless each of you and you strive to continually serve Him.

All my love, Sister Hogge