I hope we can strive to be more like the Savior.

Dear Family:

By golly, it has gotten so cold the last week! It has gotten about -27 degrees Celsius this last week. Don't worry, I have a really nice coat and hat, and scarf. I have not even felt frozen, not just because of the warm clothes, but also the warmth that the gospel brings in life.

I hope you like the picture of our district. They are so amazing, and I love them all. From left to right, we have Elder Turley who is our faithful district leader. He is one transfer older than me, which scares me, because I only have 5 months left...Next is Elder Harrison, who is the amazing singer of the mission. Then is Elder Nichols, the basketball champ, and Sister Sowards, who got her call in Taiwan. She was a humanitarian worker there, and taught an English class for little children. Then there is Sister Sanford. Did I tell you that she trained two sets of sisters (She served in a threesome) twice? I was so excited to hear that she was serving here in my beloved city, because she is awesome. Our district is strong, and we are finding people ready to hear the gospel.

Elder Turley, Elder Harrison, Elder Nichols, Elder Hoggan, Sister Sowards, Sister Sanford

One of our investigators, Luba, is amazing. She is the mother of a member, and she has a solid testimony of the Gospel. In sacrament meeting, she bore her testimony, her first time ever, about how she knows the gospel is true. She should be baptized any time. We are just waiting for when she feels ready, when it is the right time.

We also met with my friend Nikolai. I had the impression to share these verses about the people of Alma, who were in bondage, and were forbidden to pray. When God answered their prayers, he said that he would give them strength, so that they could bear their burdens. He didn't say that He would get rid of their burdens, though. I told Nikolai that in times of trial, God doesn't change the circumstances. He changes the person. I have seen how I shouldn't ask for Heavenly Father to get rid of a trial in my life, just make everything better, but rather I ask for strength. Trials are a time of growth and development, and God wouldn't deny us a time to grow. Heavenly Father changes us, not the circumstance. Like Nephi, he didn't ask for God to remove his bounds, but to give him strength to break the binds. I testify that God helps in trial, that He gives us the necessary strength. Nikolai really took to heart those verses when he read them. He wrote down the reference, so he could read it again. It really testified to me that the Spirit tells us what we need to teach in order to help people.

Another person is Valeri. He came to church last week on an invite. We met him on the street, gave him a Book of Mormon, and invited him to church. He came, and then he came again this last Sunday. We will be meeting with him later this week. When I asked him what he thought about church. He said that he felt "peaceful, and comfortable." I testified to him that it was indeed the truth, that the Holy Ghost testifies to us through peaceful feelings. He plans to come more often, which is a sure sign of conversion, and desire to accept the gospel. It was just a miracle that we met him, and then invited him to church.

President Gibbons has given us a charge to use the Book of Mormon in our finding efforts, and I have seen the fruits of it. One man, Yuri, we met on the street, and talked to him about the Book of Mormon. At first he was very critical, and very agnostic. He asked for evidence of its truthfulness. Usually, we use the Book of Mormon as evidence of the truthfulness of our message, but evidence for the evidence? I felt the need to open up to Moroni 10:3-5, which every single missionary knows. I read him the passage, and testified that I received that answer for myself. I felt the spirit then, and I saw a change in the man's countenance. He was happy. I could tell that the Holy Ghost had impressed on this man of the truthfulness of our message. We didn't get his contact information, but we planted a seed. I was reading in the Bible, and Christ says that there are some sent to plant, and some are sent to harvest. There are some who harvest where others plant. So the seeds of faith we plant in others, in investigators, might not be harvested ourselves, but maybe by other missionaries. A perfect example is Pavel. I taught him, but it wasn't for another year before he accepted the gospel. My companion and I planted the seed, but other missionaries harvested. Both are necessary to gather the fruit, and both are important. No effort is wasted, as it says in Preach My Gospel.

We also met with another Pavel. What is interesting is that Kirill knows the man, since they both were in the same Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. Kirill was just in shock. This man seems to have real intent, as he actually prayed about the Book of Mormon after the lesson. It is so difficult to get an investigator to pray, and especially have them ask questions. It amazed me, and we will be meeting later this week.

I love this gospel, and I know it is true with all my heart. I love the scriptures. I have read the Book of Mormon 7 times already, and every time I read it I feel my testimony of its truthfulness grow. I know that the church has been restored by Joseph Smith, and that the church is run by a living prophet. I love you all, and I pray for you. I hope that in this time of the Savior's Birth, we can strive to be like Him even more. I love my Savior, and I know He lives. He Atoned for our sins, he Atoned for my sins. He saved me, and he saves me every day. Every time I feel like I can't go on, He is there to carry me those next steps.

I love you all.

Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)

P.S. I got the name tag, and I will try to send it to you, when we are in Novosibirsk next week. Also, I had the idea to record my testimony, in Russian and in English, so that you can hear it. I thought that you might want to hear it.