So here is the news from Elder Hoggan this week.
On Monday, we went to Lenta, which is a giant, Sam's club in Russia. It is about half an hour's walk from our apartment, but we take the bus. It was just an interesting time, because not two minutes from the store, the bags started ripping, and we were just thinking, what are all the other people thinking? Here are two Americans, dressed for a wedding, struggling to carry huge bags of groceries. It wasn't fun. So be grateful, you missionaries who are assigned a car. In shopping, you have to think about weight as well as price, because whatever you buy, you have to carry.
We met with Zina again, and we talked about the Sabbath day, and what it means. The Sabbath is not just church, but the whole day. Are we striving to keep the Sabbath Day holy? What are we doing after church? Do we turn on the football game, get out the waterskis, or break out the X-Box? I know for a fact that I wasn't perfect in keeping the Sabbath Day holy, but I realize how important it is. It is a time of reflection and rest. It is a time to see our past week, and see what we need to do better. That is why we partake of the sacrament on that day, so that we can repent. I can't live without sacrament meeting. A member yesterday shared how she is leaving for a few months, and there won't be a church building where she is going. She is devastated that she won't be able to take the sacrament. That was an example to me, as how serious the ordinance is. Without it, we cannot repent fully. No wonder we have it every week.
There is a member named Zina, not to be confused with our investigator, and we did some service for her. We went to the cemetery, and helped her clean up her daughter's grave. A Russian cemetery is a very pretty place. Almost every single grave is surrounded by a metal fence with a gate. There is a small table and bench nearby, so on the day of remembrance, like Memorial Day, people can sit and remember those who passed on. Some are very elegant and expensive, and others are pretty simple, but pretty much all graves have it. When we got there, we repainted the fence, and I repainted the letters on the gravestone. The grave was very well taken care of, and there were flowers and a nicely pruned tree growing. All around, there were other graves with rusty fences, and overgrown with weeds, that you couldn't see the headstones, which were about three feet tall. I saw how much this member loves her daughter, and I remembered that she just received her temple recommend, and she will be able to perform those saving ordinances for her daughter as well. At the end, we sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" and then she asked that I gave a prayer and blessing on the grave. It was a very touching and spiritual experience. I left, with a greater appreciation, and love for our Heavenly Father, who created such a perfect plan for all of us, that death is not the end of all. We left not with a feeling of sadness, but of hope, and faith, and joy.
This week, as we were about to go contacting, we planned beforehand where to go. As we left the apartment, Elder Duncan was walking the opposite way, which was the usual way we went to other parts of the city. I asked him if we were going to the street which we planned to go before, and we turned to go that direction. We took one step, and both of us stopped, feeling this strange feeling. Whatever it was, we knew that Heavenly Father was telling us to go another way. We were very careful in following the Spirit, every once in a while stopping and waiting for further guidance. We talked to a lot of people, but with no success. It was almost time for us to head back for one of our other meetings, when Elder Duncan talked to this man, and we struck up a long conversation with him. His name is Vladimir, and he was just an incredibly nice man, and we planned to meet him on Saturday. We called, and found out he was sick, but he asked where he needed to go for church. He was still sick then, so he wasn't able to meet this week. We hope to meet with him this week. I don't know what the results will be of that, but I know that we were constrained by the Spirit. It was like something had a rope around my heart, and was pulling me back. It wasn't like a dragging, but more like a safety line. I know that the Holy Ghost inspires us on what we need to do.
Yesterday, I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting about Joseph Smith, and what his vision means for us. Imagine a time when it was really dark. You try to find your way around, but you stumble, and you know that you can't find your way. You turn on the lights, and immediately you know what is in front of you, and you know where to go. That is the Gospel. It is light, and for so many years people were walking around blindly. Why else was that time called the Dark Ages? No one had the light of the gospel. Joseph, while praying, was overcome by a dark force, which bound his tongue. What released him from his bounds? A pillar of light. The gospel helps us to see what will be, and where we need to go. It is comfort in times of fear, and warmth in times of cold. If it wasn't for that one prayer, I would not be sitting here, testifying that I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that the Church and Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through him.
We were contacting yesterday, with no success, when we stopped a man, and talked to him for over half an hour. He told us about all the bad things that had happened in his life, and asked, “Why would God let those things happen?” He wasn't bitter towards God, but just sad. He wanted answers, but he felt that he had never received one. He doubted that God existed, because He didn't answer his prayers. We testified to him that in fact God lives, and that He was his Heavenly Father, who loves him so much. I could see that he wanted it to be true, but it was hard for him to believe, for his life was not an easy one. We shared the Book of Mormon, and shared Moroni's promise about how we will receive answers, through the Holy Ghost. We shared Alma's explanation as to receiving an answer to prayer, like a seed growing in the heart. He really wanted to meet, and we plan to this Saturday.
That is one of the greatest joys of missionary work. You meet people, who are burdened with the trials of life, burdened with sin, and they yearn for relief. "Where is the Balm of Gilead?" They ask, because they need healing, and they know not where to find it. We know where it is. We have the Balm of Gilead, and it is our duty and our joy to share it with these people. You see these people as Christ would. These people are in fact children of God, and He loves them so much. You begin to love these people as Christ would. I wish I could love people with His perfect love. I strive to love those I teach, and talk to. You know that the only thing that will help is the Gospel, and you rejoice in being able to share it. It is such a sweet feeling. I pray that when I return home, that my missionary service will never cease. This gospel means so much to me, because without it I have nothing. Everything in my life is thanks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please share this news, because everyone is in need of healing.
I love you all so much
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Старейшина Хогган (Сибирский Посланник)
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