I am trying to accomplish all my goals.

Dear Family:

It scares me that you already have my flight plans. It makes the end all the very more real for me. The quote from Porter just made my day, but also kind of freaked me out a little.  (Note from Aaron’s mom—this was the quote:  "When Aaron comes home from his mission and gets married, he can’t move away.  Because if he moves away, who will play Legos with me?")

Life is moving even faster than before. This month already feels almost over, and I only have such little time left. It is all the more reason to work even harder, and try to leave the best impression I possibly can upon this beloved land.

We taught this man named Pavel two times this week. The sisters actually found him when they were tracting an apartment complex. He asked them what they were doing and they got into a gospel conversation. They set up a meeting with him, and we accompanied them. He is incredibly knowledgeable of the Bible, and he has many questions. Our last meeting went WAY too long because he wanted to ask another question, then ANOTHER question, and I just had to keep telling him, "Next time, we will answer those questions." He is very open, and not trying to find why our church is wrong, but just trying to find truth. He actually went on our church site and found the Articles of Faith. He asked me about them, if I knew them. "Of course I know them. I have them memorized by heart. (Even in Russian)" I was grateful that I did have them memorized, as they helped us answer his questions.

With the change in my release date, I am trying to accomplish all my goals. I WILL read the Book of Mormon 12 times before I go home. My other goal was to memorize all the things required in our Russian Language Program. President Gibbons came up with a Russian Language program that is genius. Other mission presidents are using it as well. It involves daily reading from the Book of Mormon, and memorizing key phrases and scriptures, as recommended by Preach My Gospel. This plan has helped me know exactly what to learn and prepares me to teach. I hope to have 42 scriptures memorized for each doctrinal point of the lessons in Preach my Gospel. (Bryson, this is what I am going to teach you before you leave. You are going to dominate in the language when I am through with you!) I have 27 scriptures memorized, and this goal started when I was training Elder Nichols, so I am making good progress. I am ahead in my schedule to do so, and I am glad.

We had a meeting with Nikolai as well. He just barely registered on LDS.org, and we wanted to show him the Family Search website. I am glad that I already had some experience with the program beforehand. We helped him learn how to create his family tree. While he put in the information for his father, I felt such an excitement in the lesson. It was a beginning for him to give the same blessings he received when he was baptized to his ancestors, as well as his deceased father. I even showed him my family tree, and how much work had been done. I also noticed how many holes there were, and the ordinances that had not been completed. I am grateful for family members who worked so hard to give our ancestors the blessings of eternity, but I am also grateful that I might have a chance personally to help fill those holes. I thought I didn't need to do family history, since the rest of my family already has been doing it, but there is a lot to be done, and I am going to be a part of it.

I exhort all youth to get into family history. Listen to the apostles and prophets. We are a generation that has been prepared to do this work. It is so fulfilling. Remember, this is not an old parent telling you what to do, but a fellow youth, who had the same lessons taught, and regrets the fact he didn't listen earlier. I am going to repent, and make family history an important part of my life.

In district meeting, the sister missionaries gave a spiritual thought about faith, especially the faith to find those who are ready to accept the gospel. Sister Sowards gave an awesome story of a man, who despite the warnings of a tsunami, believed that God would save him, and he would just sit home. Neighbors came to warn him, policemen came to escort him to safety, a man in a boat came to save him, and even a helicopter flew to save him as the flood waters went to the roof. The man refused, believing that God would save him. The man unfortunately drowned, and when he saw God, the man asked why He didn't save him. God said. "I gave you so many chances to be saved, and all you had to do was act, and you would be saved." How many times do we assume that God will just bless us or help us, if we don't do anything on our part.  King Lamoni understood the importance of acting according to faith. When Ammon learned from God that his brothers were in prison, Lamoni offered his help as friend of the king of that city. Lamoni knew that Ammon stopped a whole pack of bandits. He knew that Ammon was a man called of God, and could perform miracles. King Lamoni knew that God would help them, if they would try with all their resources to free their brethren. I would think that Ammon wouldn't need any help to save his brothers. He would just smite the prison in two, and they would be free. NO.  God wants us to use our agency, our abilities, and our talents which He gave to us. Then those talents can be augmented with power from on high by the means of our faith. Without that first effort, the faith can't come.

As a missionary, we will not find people to teach if we don't put some effort first. God doesn't just pick people up and place them in the font. We have to open our mouths, we have to walk the streets, we have to bear testimony. Then God intervenes and lets the Holy Ghost fill our mouths with the words needed, guide us down the correct path, and testify of truth. Even if I am having a bad day, and people are not listening, I still show my faith by talking to one more person, knocking on one more door. God knows I believe, but He still helps me in my unbelief.

I love this gospel, and I know it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Joseph Smith restored the Church upon the earth. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today.

Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)

(P.S. Tell Emily she is in my prayers, and that Heavenly Father loves her very much, just like I do.)