So first of all, thank you SO much for the gift! The recorder is exactly what I desired, and it helps so much! I have been using it to keep journal entries, but also I have used it to record my voice, and hear how I speak Russian. I hope to improve my accent, so that people can understand me even more. I love the gift!
So the little blip about Russia for this week is about transportation. Today we got on the bus, and it was FILLED to the brim! We had to squish in order for all of us to fit in. It is funny, but it happens as the weather is cold now. Last week, it was really warm, and even muddy as the snow was melting. There are huge puddles, but now they are frozen solid--ice is everywhere. Everyone stuffs like sardines in transportation. Also, the tickets you get have 6 numbers on them. If you add the first three together, and the second three together, and they are the same, then the ticket is lucky! For example, 123024. 1+2+3=6, and 0+2+4=6 so it is lucky! Sometimes, people eat lucky tickets, but I just collect them.
Hey Family! It's the Birthday Boy...except he's a MAN now. Well, maybe that status won't officially happen until my next birthday when I am 21. How did I celebrate my birthday?...with a cold. It is not big at all, but I have been sniffling a little, and my voice has been a little gravely.
Right now, it is just Elder Smith and me, and we have been working like crazy! It think that is a wonderful birthday present, to help others come unto Christ. We will be picking up our new elders on Thursday, which is so soon, but so exciting! I don't know why we only stay in Russia for three months, then leave to get our Visas renewed, but I think it is because of our reason being here. As foreigners, and as religious officials, we can only have a temporary visa. I just know that in Novosibirsk they take our old passports, and send them somewhere to place new visas in them. We have two passports, one with us at all times, and the other is sent to get the new visa.
Also, we got a call from President Gibbons last night, and he wants me to play the piano for the conference on the 18th! I will also be accompanying a missionary musical number! I was so excited to be a special part of the conference, and also grateful and humble for the opportunity. I just hope that I will still be around for the forming of the stake. Could I get an extension on my mission, Mom? I don't know if you would like it.
What else? We don't really have many investigators, and it is hard to meet with them. The most progressing I think would be Nastya and her boyfriend Alexander. We have met a few times, and they came to sacrament meeting twice. Nastya was an old contact, and we met with her in a cafe, food court, and pancake restaurant. She brought her boyfriend along as well. They have a lot of questions, which is good, but I just haven't met with them a lot. We don't know if Alexander has a serious interest, but he is listening and asking questions.
We have Olecya, who is a devout Russian Orthodox member. We found her as she came to the branch building for English Club, but it wasn't going on just then, and we taught her instead. She hasn't come to church, as it conflicts with her other church schedule. We hope to meet with her and the Holmes, who really help in meetings.
We have been contacting new people, and we are hoping to get new investigators. That is the problem here, is that we don't have very many new investigators. What I hope to do is to tract the apartments which are near to us, because they are new, very nice, and they are full of families! I hope to be able to find a family as I am training, which is my goal, and our goal as a district. We have only two companionships with a senior couple, and it is our goal to 2 families to teach and baptize while we are training. I ask for your prayers as we go on this endeavor.
Yulia, the recent convert, is doing amazing. What is difficult for her is that she is the only member of the church in her family, and they are kind of против (pro-teev) which means "against" the church. She comes to Family Home evenings, and went to this youth gathering in Novosibirsk with the other youth in Barnaul, and they are really supporting her. It is hard, as many people are the only member in their families, but they support each other, and together they are strong.
Something interesting happened this week, as on Sunday it was a "working" day. Pretty much everyone had to work on this Sunday, so we held sacrament meeting at 7:00 at night. The men also got together, and we made origami flowers for all the women, as it was women's day. Unknownest to us, Brother Pertzevoi, who is the president of the priesthood quorum, sprayed all of the paper flowers with different kinds of perfume. He has his own business, selling perfume. We were all surprised because we had no idea when he did that. We read some poem verses, and gave them the flowers. They really liked it. We also sang "Ye Elders of Israel" because that is the only song we can sing that actually sounds good...but they enjoyed it nonetheless.
I love being a district leader already. I like feeling like I am leading something big, as I take charge in meetings, and that I am the link between the missionaries and the branch. I have a lot of responsibilities, and I hope to be able to fulfill them as Heavenly Father would want me to.
I love you all, and I am glad that I have been on this earth for 20 years already, and I am here at this moment. It was all thanks to you, Mom, and Dad, that I was born, and that you molded my life, so that I could be here, e-mailing you from another country, as I share the great gospel of happiness to these wonderful people. You have done amazingly, and I will be forever grateful for your choices, which have brought me here right now.
Love,
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian District Leader)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Another Finland trip...
Hey mom, I DID get my package! I didn't open it yet, because I want to wait until it is actually my birthday. Thank you so much! I will send pictures, but in another e-mail обязательно (ob-yah-za-tel-no) This means like "Committed, I will do it." Russian has wonderful words to explain a whole phrase. I also sent a package home, and I hope that it makes it there. I will get rings for all the kids really soon, and I will send them home.
Dear Family,
Finland was again cold, wet, and windy. I guess I just have had bad luck every time, but it was awesome nonetheless. We went to the Zoo, and saw some really cool things. We saw turtles fight, which is exciting, even though they are so slow! We also went to this store which has American food. I had my first root beer in over a year...and it was wonderful! We also went to this Lutheran Church, which is very beautiful. It has statues of all 12 apostles around the sides. The reason that we couldn't go to the temple was that the cleaning schedule for the temple interferes with our visa trips. The temple is closed every 6 months for cleaning, every other time we are on a visa trip. It is hard to change a schedule made for a whole country for a couple of missionaries. It is sad, but I am grateful that we can still go to the temple every six months. We actually had some pretty cool experiences while traveling. We stayed at the Hostel again, like the first time, and we talked to this guy who is from Italy, but he knows English, and we talked to him about our church. We gave him this invitation to see Mormon.org. Another time, we were on the bus, and we saw this man with his family, and they are from St. Petersburg. They were really interested, and we gave them an extra Book of Mormon we carried around. I carry a new Book of Mormon with me during visa trips, just in case, and every time I have given it to someone. There was a guy in the Moscow airport that I gave my copy to. It just shows that missionary work never stops, even when you are in Finland.
So you want to know about the culture of Russia? Well, first thing I would say is how much they love bread. Every single meal has to have bread. I have learned that bread is the staff of life, and I can't work without eating a few slices every morning. People love eating Borsch, of course with bread. They also eat Pelmini, which is these dumplings filled with meat or cabbage. There is also Vareniki, which are dumplings filled with potatoes. Some funny sayings in Russia are like тише, мыши, кот на крыше (tee-shye me-shye coat na kree-shye) Which means "Be quiet, mouse, there's a cat on the roof. There is also У матросов нет вопросов (oo mah-tro-sev nyet va-pro-sev) It means "sailors have no questions" You say that when someone asks, "Any questions?" Istead of saying, "Cheese" When taking a picture, they say раз два колбаса (raz dva kol-ba-sa) It means, "one, two, SAUSAGE!" Children go to school just like kids in America, and they learn the same things, and have homework. Everyone loves to drink tea, and just talk for a while. It is very laid back and calming. Children are taught to speak very formally to their elders. There is the form ВЫ (vee) in Russian that is a formal way of saying "you" such to a teacher. The form Ты (tee) is very loving, used between friends, relatives, and Heavenly Father. It is very important to talk properly, and people usually appreciate being informal when you are good friends.
The members in Russia are very loving and supportive with each other. They realize that they are a small group of people in a world full of different values. They find safety being close together. What is really hard for some people is the work schedules in Russia. There is no Mon.-Fri. 9-5 schedule in Russia. Many people work strange schedules, such as work all day, no work the next day, then work from evening to the morning of the next day. People really have to sacrifice to be able to come to church. We live half an hour by bus from the branch, and it would take me 5 minutes to walk to the church building back home. They know it is important, and they sacrifice. People also have troubles getting enough money. It is hard to find good work with decent pay, but people still pay tithing, because they know they will be blessed. If you have any other questions, please ask, so I can know what to specifically say.
So Yulia is doing really great! She always talks that she feels that she is not home, like she is flying. It is true, since our home in with our Heavenly Father. I remember when I was baptized, and how I felt like I was flying. Your sins no longer burden you, and you are light as a feather.
Also, the Holmes have arrived! The first Sunday that they came, it was a party for everyone! They love them so much, and I can see why. They are so strong in the gospel, and I can't believe that they are serving for their 5th time and their 3rd in Barnaul! They are over 70 years old, and still going strong! I hope to be able to do half the things they do. I thought about you, Mom and Dad, and thought where you could serve. I just thought how amazing it would be if you could serve here in the Novosibirsk Mission. The people here are amazing, and I wish I could introduce them to you. I know it would be cold, but coats are warm, and the apartments are warm as well.
I don't know anything else about my companion, except he may either be a sports nut or a very intelligent person. They had visa problems, but everything is okay now. He will be here on the 14th of March. I am just so excited to be training again, and I wonder if I will train even more...We shall see, I still have another year of my mission left.
Even though I don’t begin my responsibilities as district leader here in Barnaul quite yet, I have already been receiving revelations as to what I want to do when it's my turn to serve. I really feel that God is preparing me to do something wonderful here, and President Gibbons expressed to me my responsibility here. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. This is definitely not my work. How could a 19 soon-to-be 20 year old man organize something like this in a foreign country without any divine help? If this was a business, it would fail. No one in their right mind would send kids out to represent a business in a far part of the country. The thing is, God has in fact called us to serve, and He calls us in our weakness. As to Him, I am nothing, but with Him, I am all-powerful. "You can do anything with two people as long as the other person is God." Elder Ortner taught me that phrase.
Dear Family,
Finland was again cold, wet, and windy. I guess I just have had bad luck every time, but it was awesome nonetheless. We went to the Zoo, and saw some really cool things. We saw turtles fight, which is exciting, even though they are so slow! We also went to this store which has American food. I had my first root beer in over a year...and it was wonderful! We also went to this Lutheran Church, which is very beautiful. It has statues of all 12 apostles around the sides. The reason that we couldn't go to the temple was that the cleaning schedule for the temple interferes with our visa trips. The temple is closed every 6 months for cleaning, every other time we are on a visa trip. It is hard to change a schedule made for a whole country for a couple of missionaries. It is sad, but I am grateful that we can still go to the temple every six months. We actually had some pretty cool experiences while traveling. We stayed at the Hostel again, like the first time, and we talked to this guy who is from Italy, but he knows English, and we talked to him about our church. We gave him this invitation to see Mormon.org. Another time, we were on the bus, and we saw this man with his family, and they are from St. Petersburg. They were really interested, and we gave them an extra Book of Mormon we carried around. I carry a new Book of Mormon with me during visa trips, just in case, and every time I have given it to someone. There was a guy in the Moscow airport that I gave my copy to. It just shows that missionary work never stops, even when you are in Finland.
So you want to know about the culture of Russia? Well, first thing I would say is how much they love bread. Every single meal has to have bread. I have learned that bread is the staff of life, and I can't work without eating a few slices every morning. People love eating Borsch, of course with bread. They also eat Pelmini, which is these dumplings filled with meat or cabbage. There is also Vareniki, which are dumplings filled with potatoes. Some funny sayings in Russia are like тише, мыши, кот на крыше (tee-shye me-shye coat na kree-shye) Which means "Be quiet, mouse, there's a cat on the roof. There is also У матросов нет вопросов (oo mah-tro-sev nyet va-pro-sev) It means "sailors have no questions" You say that when someone asks, "Any questions?" Istead of saying, "Cheese" When taking a picture, they say раз два колбаса (raz dva kol-ba-sa) It means, "one, two, SAUSAGE!" Children go to school just like kids in America, and they learn the same things, and have homework. Everyone loves to drink tea, and just talk for a while. It is very laid back and calming. Children are taught to speak very formally to their elders. There is the form ВЫ (vee) in Russian that is a formal way of saying "you" such to a teacher. The form Ты (tee) is very loving, used between friends, relatives, and Heavenly Father. It is very important to talk properly, and people usually appreciate being informal when you are good friends.
The members in Russia are very loving and supportive with each other. They realize that they are a small group of people in a world full of different values. They find safety being close together. What is really hard for some people is the work schedules in Russia. There is no Mon.-Fri. 9-5 schedule in Russia. Many people work strange schedules, such as work all day, no work the next day, then work from evening to the morning of the next day. People really have to sacrifice to be able to come to church. We live half an hour by bus from the branch, and it would take me 5 minutes to walk to the church building back home. They know it is important, and they sacrifice. People also have troubles getting enough money. It is hard to find good work with decent pay, but people still pay tithing, because they know they will be blessed. If you have any other questions, please ask, so I can know what to specifically say.
So Yulia is doing really great! She always talks that she feels that she is not home, like she is flying. It is true, since our home in with our Heavenly Father. I remember when I was baptized, and how I felt like I was flying. Your sins no longer burden you, and you are light as a feather.
Also, the Holmes have arrived! The first Sunday that they came, it was a party for everyone! They love them so much, and I can see why. They are so strong in the gospel, and I can't believe that they are serving for their 5th time and their 3rd in Barnaul! They are over 70 years old, and still going strong! I hope to be able to do half the things they do. I thought about you, Mom and Dad, and thought where you could serve. I just thought how amazing it would be if you could serve here in the Novosibirsk Mission. The people here are amazing, and I wish I could introduce them to you. I know it would be cold, but coats are warm, and the apartments are warm as well.
I don't know anything else about my companion, except he may either be a sports nut or a very intelligent person. They had visa problems, but everything is okay now. He will be here on the 14th of March. I am just so excited to be training again, and I wonder if I will train even more...We shall see, I still have another year of my mission left.
Even though I don’t begin my responsibilities as district leader here in Barnaul quite yet, I have already been receiving revelations as to what I want to do when it's my turn to serve. I really feel that God is preparing me to do something wonderful here, and President Gibbons expressed to me my responsibility here. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. This is definitely not my work. How could a 19 soon-to-be 20 year old man organize something like this in a foreign country without any divine help? If this was a business, it would fail. No one in their right mind would send kids out to represent a business in a far part of the country. The thing is, God has in fact called us to serve, and He calls us in our weakness. As to Him, I am nothing, but with Him, I am all-powerful. "You can do anything with two people as long as the other person is God." Elder Ortner taught me that phrase.
Love you all,
The Siberian Messenger
Monday, February 27, 2012
Letters to all the fams.....
I wanted to reply with a little blip for all the fams:
First of all, Andy and Sarah, have you thought about a Russian name for your daughter? Maybe Olga?...No, I really like the name Tatiana, or Tanya for short. It is good that the girls want to be good sisters. Being nice is so important!
Michael and Rachelle (They will soon be a family, but better get cracking...) Michael, you stud! Rachelle, I am very glad that you will be part of our family. I wish the best for you, and a happy marriage, full of laughs, tears, and eventually dirty diapers...I hope this isn't too weird.
Emily and Ryan,
I hope the boys are doing good. I agree with Jack, that things would be a lot cooler if Nephi used a gun. Britton, still keep reading books, and I will teach you how to read Russian. It's easy!...I am just joking. I have played basketball with Russians, and it's pretty easy for me. I just have to hold the ball, and they can't reach it.
Sarah and Golden
Hope everything is fine where you are! Interesting enough, I have not seen a fire truck in Russia. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Don't worry about traffic safety. We just have to run through streets, because there are rarely street lights telling you when you can walk. It is a safety council member's nightmare!
Laura and Zack
I hope the twins are good. Everyone loves the picture you gave me of them all dirty from lunch! They all laugh. Lot of girls here in Russia love princesses, and they love playing outside. Every single apartment building has a playground (maybe not the safest) But we always see children playing on them, especially slides made out of snow and ice.
Congratulations mom on the choir! When I return, I hope to share some Russian hymns that the choir could sing. It would be awesome! Russian music is very pretty, and I hope to learn more when I am back...not for another year, though. AHHHHHHHH!!!! I have been gone for a year!...and I will be 20. I don't know about you, mom, but I feel so old now.
The Iron Rod is a safety rail between us and sin.
To everyone that is still reading about my adventures in Barnaul,
Happy Birthday, BELLE! I love you so much, and I hope you have a great birthday. You are such a big girl, and I hope you will be a big sister for your new baby sister. Little girls here in Russia LOVE princesses,especially Belle from Beauty and the Beast. S с днём Рождения! (Ss-gnome Roh-zh-den-ee-yah) That is how they say happy birthday in Russian
Well, what can I say new? That TRANSFERS came! and the verdict is....I am going to be training a new missionary, AND be district leader in Barnaul! This will be my second time training and only within a period of 1 transfer! His name is Elder Slater Duncan, which is more that I knew than when I learned I would train Elder Patton. I am really excited to be training again, and again humbled as I am just new to the area myself. I promise we will NOT get lost this next transfer.
So for Visa Trips, we all go to Novosibirsk, and the mission chauffer, President Gushin, drives us to the airport. We all get to the city by either bus or train. I will be by bus...which is not my favorite thing. My companion will be with me, and stay in Novosibirsk until I return. Then at the airport, we get on a plane to Moscow, and then transfer to another plane to Helsinki. When we are at Finland, we immediately go to the temple to get our passports with the new visas. I now have two passports, and I switch between them each visa trip. Unfortunately, the visa trip schedule conflicts with the temple schedule, so every other trip, I will not be able to go to the temple. This trip I will not be able to go, and I will only have two more opportunities... Well, what can you do? (I will be sending some things home, so wait for a package from me...but DON"T open it)
I don't know if I got a new nametag. They can only make them at the MTC, and they send them with the incoming missionaries. Maybe Elder Duncan will have mine. I haven't received my package yet, since I am a couple hours away from Novosibirsk. They just wait until a missionary visits Novosibirsk to give him all the mail. It just works out that way.
Then this week was this thing known as Salon. This activity is put on by the branch music director, who is classically trained. They had members perform songs, and they all dressed up. It was very fun. I played a song as accompaniment, and it really scared me. But it was all well, and I really enjoyed hearing this Russian Opera.
So here is an interesting holiday in Russia. The 23rd of February is "Men's Day" and it is to celebrate the manliness of men, and all they do. It is the Father's Day of Russia, and the Relief Society came during Priesthood meeting and gave all the priesthood men a picture of them, with a thank you for being a man. We were laughing, but it really was sweet. So all of you men out there, Happy Men's Day! Pretty much the holiday is an excuse for men to relax. Don't worry, there is a "Women's Day", and they get to relax then.
There was a baptism yesterday! So Yulia was baptized on Sunday, and alot of people came. It was wonderful to see this baptism. This baptism felt like seeing the baptism of a little child. Aren't we all children to a Heavenly Father? We sang the Primary Hymn I want to be Baptized, and it was very sweet.
So what I learned from Lehi's dream starts with the man in the white robe. He guides Lehi to find the tree. The man could be the Lord, the Holy Ghost, maybe an angel, but maybe even a missionary. But more importantly, when we are baptized, and especially when we are in the temple, we wear white. Those who have already partaken of the fruit are the people in white robes, and they guide others to the tree. The rod is the word of God, but what is the Word of God? It is the scriptures, yes, but what about the words at sacrament meeting? Firesides? What about the words from church leaders (Mission presidents included) or even the prophet at General Conference? These words aren't necessarily in the Bible or Book of Mormon, but they are His words. Also, the iron rod doesn't just guide us to the tree, but it is a guard rail from the filthy river, the great divide, and the great and spacious building. It is a safety rail between us and sin. We would have to jump over the rod, or jump over the word of God, in order to sin. (I think like a stumbling block) When we partake of the fruit, which is the Love of God, and I agree, it is even Christ, we take a part of Him inside of us. The Sacrament. We take emblems of His flesh and blood inside of us, and He becomes part of us. Our goal is to become like Him, and He needs to be a part of our lives. The ones who stayed fell at the tree. This could be worshipping, falling to the feet of Christ, and I even think kneeling, as kneeling at an altar in the temple. If we want to stay at the tree, these ordinances are necessary. With missionary work, we are here to call out to people, like Lehi to his family, and lead them to the tree. This journey is an individual journey, and everyone has to make the decision for themselves, but that doesn't mean we can't call out to others. Lehi called to those he loved, his family, and I have the special calling to call out to those I love, my family here in Russia. We all have a responsibility to call out to our families, to those we love, and help them partake of the fruit, through baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then stay to partake.
Pretty much, this next transfer is humbling to me, as Heavenly Father is trusting me to take care of one of His missionaries again. I am so excited for this opportunity to train again, as I feel it is the most fulfilling calling as a missionary.
I love you all, and I hope you are all well. This gospel is so true.
--
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Старейшина Хогган (Сибирский Посланник)
Happy Birthday, BELLE! I love you so much, and I hope you have a great birthday. You are such a big girl, and I hope you will be a big sister for your new baby sister. Little girls here in Russia LOVE princesses,especially Belle from Beauty and the Beast. S с днём Рождения! (Ss-gnome Roh-zh-den-ee-yah) That is how they say happy birthday in Russian
Well, what can I say new? That TRANSFERS came! and the verdict is....I am going to be training a new missionary, AND be district leader in Barnaul! This will be my second time training and only within a period of 1 transfer! His name is Elder Slater Duncan, which is more that I knew than when I learned I would train Elder Patton. I am really excited to be training again, and again humbled as I am just new to the area myself. I promise we will NOT get lost this next transfer.
So for Visa Trips, we all go to Novosibirsk, and the mission chauffer, President Gushin, drives us to the airport. We all get to the city by either bus or train. I will be by bus...which is not my favorite thing. My companion will be with me, and stay in Novosibirsk until I return. Then at the airport, we get on a plane to Moscow, and then transfer to another plane to Helsinki. When we are at Finland, we immediately go to the temple to get our passports with the new visas. I now have two passports, and I switch between them each visa trip. Unfortunately, the visa trip schedule conflicts with the temple schedule, so every other trip, I will not be able to go to the temple. This trip I will not be able to go, and I will only have two more opportunities... Well, what can you do? (I will be sending some things home, so wait for a package from me...but DON"T open it)
I don't know if I got a new nametag. They can only make them at the MTC, and they send them with the incoming missionaries. Maybe Elder Duncan will have mine. I haven't received my package yet, since I am a couple hours away from Novosibirsk. They just wait until a missionary visits Novosibirsk to give him all the mail. It just works out that way.
Then this week was this thing known as Salon. This activity is put on by the branch music director, who is classically trained. They had members perform songs, and they all dressed up. It was very fun. I played a song as accompaniment, and it really scared me. But it was all well, and I really enjoyed hearing this Russian Opera.
So here is an interesting holiday in Russia. The 23rd of February is "Men's Day" and it is to celebrate the manliness of men, and all they do. It is the Father's Day of Russia, and the Relief Society came during Priesthood meeting and gave all the priesthood men a picture of them, with a thank you for being a man. We were laughing, but it really was sweet. So all of you men out there, Happy Men's Day! Pretty much the holiday is an excuse for men to relax. Don't worry, there is a "Women's Day", and they get to relax then.
There was a baptism yesterday! So Yulia was baptized on Sunday, and alot of people came. It was wonderful to see this baptism. This baptism felt like seeing the baptism of a little child. Aren't we all children to a Heavenly Father? We sang the Primary Hymn I want to be Baptized, and it was very sweet.
So what I learned from Lehi's dream starts with the man in the white robe. He guides Lehi to find the tree. The man could be the Lord, the Holy Ghost, maybe an angel, but maybe even a missionary. But more importantly, when we are baptized, and especially when we are in the temple, we wear white. Those who have already partaken of the fruit are the people in white robes, and they guide others to the tree. The rod is the word of God, but what is the Word of God? It is the scriptures, yes, but what about the words at sacrament meeting? Firesides? What about the words from church leaders (Mission presidents included) or even the prophet at General Conference? These words aren't necessarily in the Bible or Book of Mormon, but they are His words. Also, the iron rod doesn't just guide us to the tree, but it is a guard rail from the filthy river, the great divide, and the great and spacious building. It is a safety rail between us and sin. We would have to jump over the rod, or jump over the word of God, in order to sin. (I think like a stumbling block) When we partake of the fruit, which is the Love of God, and I agree, it is even Christ, we take a part of Him inside of us. The Sacrament. We take emblems of His flesh and blood inside of us, and He becomes part of us. Our goal is to become like Him, and He needs to be a part of our lives. The ones who stayed fell at the tree. This could be worshipping, falling to the feet of Christ, and I even think kneeling, as kneeling at an altar in the temple. If we want to stay at the tree, these ordinances are necessary. With missionary work, we are here to call out to people, like Lehi to his family, and lead them to the tree. This journey is an individual journey, and everyone has to make the decision for themselves, but that doesn't mean we can't call out to others. Lehi called to those he loved, his family, and I have the special calling to call out to those I love, my family here in Russia. We all have a responsibility to call out to our families, to those we love, and help them partake of the fruit, through baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then stay to partake.
Pretty much, this next transfer is humbling to me, as Heavenly Father is trusting me to take care of one of His missionaries again. I am so excited for this opportunity to train again, as I feel it is the most fulfilling calling as a missionary.
I love you all, and I hope you are all well. This gospel is so true.
--
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Старейшина Хогган (Сибирский Посланник)
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tree of Life
Hello Family!
What happened? I was writing a letter to you, but then I switched to another letter, and all what I wrote is lost! I am so sorry, and promise to send a larger letter next time! Usually it automatically saves it as a draft, but it decided not to do that this time...sorry. It hasn't snowed a lot here, but it is crazy to see the roads, as they chip away the packed snow. You can see the layers of snow and dirt, and it looks like a cake. It can sometimes be six inches thick of packed snow. The weather is turning toward the warmer, and I shudder to think what it will be like when the snow melts...I will need need boots, pants, everything!
There has been a change in our mission. Kashakstan, or how you spell it, will be a part of the mission in the summer. The changes are due to the stake in Moscow, and the growth of the church in this area. It
will not affect the District here in Siberia, but you never know if I will be serving in Kashakstan...Don't worry mother. Oh, I will be leaving for Finland again in March 1, so I will have more Finlandish-stories to tell you.
Well, Zone Conference was amazing! The theme was the Tree of Life and its symbolism to missionary work. I wish to go in greater detail, next time, but my assignment to all of you is to read 1 Nephi 8 and tell me
something new you learned about the vision. I will tell you what I learned, and all will be edified. President Gibbons has been traveling to the branches, interviewing all of the bretheren, preparing for the District which will be organized on March 18! All of the members in the mission and missionaries are gathering in Novosibirsk for the event, and they rented out a huge room! I am so excited to hear! President Gibbons was in Barnaul, and he talked to the branch and interviewed people, perhaps to find leadership for the district. On that note, Yulia is ready to be baptized! She has had an interview and all is okay, so we will have a new member in Barnaul in the next few weeks!
President Gibbons told me as well that he visited Novokuznetsk, and that he is going to ordain a native branch president there, which is so exciting! The branch president currently there is Elder Holbrook, who was a senior couple who served here in Barnaul. He is going to be the last non-native branch president in the mission. Also, Nikolai was recently ordained to the Melchezidek priesthood by president Gibbons, which made me very happy to hear.
Something that I learned this week is that God always is looking out for us. He knows exactly where we are and what we are doing at any moment. He never glances away from us, and He is always active in our
lives. I have prayed many times for blessings, and for comfort in times of trial, and I have always felt that He is near, and that everything will be okay. Everything will be okay.
We recently met with this family, and they provided us with chicken, potatoes, and lots of food! They have two daughters about 9 and 8 years old, and when we asked to have a blessing on the meal, the oldest daughter asked if she could pray. The mother is not very religious, and she never taught her children about God or how to pray. They have come to a few activities, and they see us pray, and this just shows what an example we are. This little girl who never learned to pray, prayed for us. We talked to them about our purpose as missionaries, and how we knew that God exists and that he loves us. I told how I had to learn for myself if it was true or not, even though my family dates back to the earliest days of the church. We all need a personal witness, because the journey to the Tree of Life is an individual journey. All I can do as a missionary is call out to others to partake of the fruit, and tell them to hold onto the rod. I cannot drag them to the tree, but I can call out with love. That is why the Tree of Life is such a monumental vision, because it
is applies to everyone, in every situation. It can be viewed differently, and still be correct. The fruit is the same, the most desirable fruit of all--eternal life.
I love you all, and I wish the best for you all.
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
What happened? I was writing a letter to you, but then I switched to another letter, and all what I wrote is lost! I am so sorry, and promise to send a larger letter next time! Usually it automatically saves it as a draft, but it decided not to do that this time...sorry. It hasn't snowed a lot here, but it is crazy to see the roads, as they chip away the packed snow. You can see the layers of snow and dirt, and it looks like a cake. It can sometimes be six inches thick of packed snow. The weather is turning toward the warmer, and I shudder to think what it will be like when the snow melts...I will need need boots, pants, everything!
There has been a change in our mission. Kashakstan, or how you spell it, will be a part of the mission in the summer. The changes are due to the stake in Moscow, and the growth of the church in this area. It
will not affect the District here in Siberia, but you never know if I will be serving in Kashakstan...Don't worry mother. Oh, I will be leaving for Finland again in March 1, so I will have more Finlandish-stories to tell you.
Well, Zone Conference was amazing! The theme was the Tree of Life and its symbolism to missionary work. I wish to go in greater detail, next time, but my assignment to all of you is to read 1 Nephi 8 and tell me
something new you learned about the vision. I will tell you what I learned, and all will be edified. President Gibbons has been traveling to the branches, interviewing all of the bretheren, preparing for the District which will be organized on March 18! All of the members in the mission and missionaries are gathering in Novosibirsk for the event, and they rented out a huge room! I am so excited to hear! President Gibbons was in Barnaul, and he talked to the branch and interviewed people, perhaps to find leadership for the district. On that note, Yulia is ready to be baptized! She has had an interview and all is okay, so we will have a new member in Barnaul in the next few weeks!
 |
| Novosibirsk Zone Conf. |
Something that I learned this week is that God always is looking out for us. He knows exactly where we are and what we are doing at any moment. He never glances away from us, and He is always active in our
lives. I have prayed many times for blessings, and for comfort in times of trial, and I have always felt that He is near, and that everything will be okay. Everything will be okay.
We recently met with this family, and they provided us with chicken, potatoes, and lots of food! They have two daughters about 9 and 8 years old, and when we asked to have a blessing on the meal, the oldest daughter asked if she could pray. The mother is not very religious, and she never taught her children about God or how to pray. They have come to a few activities, and they see us pray, and this just shows what an example we are. This little girl who never learned to pray, prayed for us. We talked to them about our purpose as missionaries, and how we knew that God exists and that he loves us. I told how I had to learn for myself if it was true or not, even though my family dates back to the earliest days of the church. We all need a personal witness, because the journey to the Tree of Life is an individual journey. All I can do as a missionary is call out to others to partake of the fruit, and tell them to hold onto the rod. I cannot drag them to the tree, but I can call out with love. That is why the Tree of Life is such a monumental vision, because it
is applies to everyone, in every situation. It can be viewed differently, and still be correct. The fruit is the same, the most desirable fruit of all--eternal life.
I love you all, and I wish the best for you all.
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Monday, February 13, 2012
С Днём Святого Валентина or Happy Valentines Day
Dear Family,
Happy Valentines Day or С Днём Святого Валентина (ss-gnome- cvee-atovo- Valen-tee-na) (I hope that is the correct translation...) So They do in fact celebrate Valentine's day here in Russia, and it is pretty much the same way that we do, except I don't think they have those cute little valentines that Elementary School kids give out...I miss the sweethearts...
So what happened this week? We had a meeting with these people by the name of Maria and Alexei. Alexei, he is not really interested at all. They are about 50 years old, and Maria has some religious background with the Orthodox church here in Russia. We have had a member, by the name of Galina, come with us to their house, and she is amazing. She is over 70 years old, and she testifies so strongly that this church is true. It is amazing to see these people, who travel over half an hour to church in freezing cold weather. These people know that it is important. We tried to invite Maria to church, and we even said we would come over to go with her, but when we called, she decided it was too cold. That is the hardest thing about missionary work, is when people don't accept the things that will bless their lives. All you can do is invite others, not force them.
We met with this guy named Vitalli, who wants to become an archaeologist. He brought his girlfriend to the lesson, and we had a member Denis with us as well. We taught them the Restoration, and they were very interested, and they were willing to read and pray. The girlfriend even prayed at the end for us. We haven't been able to set up a second meeting at the moment, but we will keep in touch.
We aso met with a girl by the name of Nastia, short for Anastasia. She asked us to meet her in a bus as she went home from work, and so we met her there. It was hard for both of us to talk because we were sitting in a line and the bus was full, so Elder Ortner talked to her, and I talked to this guy next to us. He was drunk, and slurred his words, making it hard for me to understand. He was nice, but not interested. We can meet with Nastia anytime, but only on the bus, as she doesn't have any other free time. Whatever, you take what you can get.
We had a meeting with an inactive member which pretty much broke my heart. He has been a member since the church opened up in Moscow, where he lived for a time. He worked with mission presidents, been to the temple, and even met with some of the high authorities of the church, namely Elder Utchdorf. He has been inactive for many years, and he had let a lot of doubts creep into his heart, and he now can't support the Book of Mormon, and he even said he can't support the General Authority. I almost cried, because this man had partaken of the great blessings of the church, temple blessings, and met with such strong leaders of the church. I have realized that no one is safe from apostacy, and that it is SO crucial to do the Three Things (Scriptures, Pray, Church) These things will help when doubts, fear, and temptation come our way.
There was also a very fun branch activity. They had a branch family home evening where people showed their talents. Me, Elder Smith, and some of the sisters in the branch sang "Breaking Free" from Highschool Musical...I am so ashamed...no it was so much fun, and I even got to show some of my karate skills. People were very amazed, and it was just generally fun! An investigator, Olecia, came to the activity, and she really liked it.
Olecia came to the branch for English, and is wasn't happening then, and she agreed to have a meeting. We taught her the Restoration, and she was very interested. She is very faithful in her Orthodox faith, but she has a friend who is serving a mission in New York, and she has been to church, so there must be something.
Tonight, we are going to learn to make Plove. Dad, I recommend you to look up this dish, because it is so yummy. This guy from Afghanistan, Muman, who is from English, is going to teach us. (He agreed to take a Book of Mormon, and he came to church once, but we are not allowed to teach him because the church is not allowed to teach people of Israeli heritage, because of agreement we have made with them.)
I love you all, and I pray for you.
I hope all is well at home.
I am loving being a missionary, and I love these people.
Read, pray, go to church, Stand firm in the faith!
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Happy Valentines Day or С Днём Святого Валентина (ss-gnome- cvee-atovo- Valen-tee-na) (I hope that is the correct translation...) So They do in fact celebrate Valentine's day here in Russia, and it is pretty much the same way that we do, except I don't think they have those cute little valentines that Elementary School kids give out...I miss the sweethearts...
So what happened this week? We had a meeting with these people by the name of Maria and Alexei. Alexei, he is not really interested at all. They are about 50 years old, and Maria has some religious background with the Orthodox church here in Russia. We have had a member, by the name of Galina, come with us to their house, and she is amazing. She is over 70 years old, and she testifies so strongly that this church is true. It is amazing to see these people, who travel over half an hour to church in freezing cold weather. These people know that it is important. We tried to invite Maria to church, and we even said we would come over to go with her, but when we called, she decided it was too cold. That is the hardest thing about missionary work, is when people don't accept the things that will bless their lives. All you can do is invite others, not force them.
We met with this guy named Vitalli, who wants to become an archaeologist. He brought his girlfriend to the lesson, and we had a member Denis with us as well. We taught them the Restoration, and they were very interested, and they were willing to read and pray. The girlfriend even prayed at the end for us. We haven't been able to set up a second meeting at the moment, but we will keep in touch.
We aso met with a girl by the name of Nastia, short for Anastasia. She asked us to meet her in a bus as she went home from work, and so we met her there. It was hard for both of us to talk because we were sitting in a line and the bus was full, so Elder Ortner talked to her, and I talked to this guy next to us. He was drunk, and slurred his words, making it hard for me to understand. He was nice, but not interested. We can meet with Nastia anytime, but only on the bus, as she doesn't have any other free time. Whatever, you take what you can get.
We had a meeting with an inactive member which pretty much broke my heart. He has been a member since the church opened up in Moscow, where he lived for a time. He worked with mission presidents, been to the temple, and even met with some of the high authorities of the church, namely Elder Utchdorf. He has been inactive for many years, and he had let a lot of doubts creep into his heart, and he now can't support the Book of Mormon, and he even said he can't support the General Authority. I almost cried, because this man had partaken of the great blessings of the church, temple blessings, and met with such strong leaders of the church. I have realized that no one is safe from apostacy, and that it is SO crucial to do the Three Things (Scriptures, Pray, Church) These things will help when doubts, fear, and temptation come our way.
There was also a very fun branch activity. They had a branch family home evening where people showed their talents. Me, Elder Smith, and some of the sisters in the branch sang "Breaking Free" from Highschool Musical...I am so ashamed...no it was so much fun, and I even got to show some of my karate skills. People were very amazed, and it was just generally fun! An investigator, Olecia, came to the activity, and she really liked it.
Olecia came to the branch for English, and is wasn't happening then, and she agreed to have a meeting. We taught her the Restoration, and she was very interested. She is very faithful in her Orthodox faith, but she has a friend who is serving a mission in New York, and she has been to church, so there must be something.
Tonight, we are going to learn to make Plove. Dad, I recommend you to look up this dish, because it is so yummy. This guy from Afghanistan, Muman, who is from English, is going to teach us. (He agreed to take a Book of Mormon, and he came to church once, but we are not allowed to teach him because the church is not allowed to teach people of Israeli heritage, because of agreement we have made with them.)
I love you all, and I pray for you.
I hope all is well at home.
I am loving being a missionary, and I love these people.
Read, pray, go to church, Stand firm in the faith!
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Monday, February 6, 2012
What are we doing to strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Father?
Well today we went to get groceries, and we went to this place called Lenta...I have found a Russian Walmart! I have never seen so much food and other things in Russia thus far in my mission. It was HUGE!
What happened this week? Well, we met with two famous groups of people in this mission, Jehovah's witnesses and Baptists. They are famous in our mission for liking to meet and debate doctrinal differences based on the Bible. They are wonderful people and they have great faith in Christ. First of all, NEVER argue with people about the gospel, it is not how missionary work should be done. The best way to teach is share your testimony. I found many times that I would share my testimony about our Savior and people would listen intently, but then argue about some other point about the Bible or something. Our message to people is not to believe in the Book of Mormon, or to believe in Joseph Smith. Our purpose is to help people come fully unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism by His authority, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then being faithful unto the end. People can have relationships with Christ outside our church, but in order to fully come unto Christ, the only way is through His Church. No one can deny my testimony of Christ, and the Book of Mormon and the revelations of Joseph Smith only strengthen my relationship with Him.
For my study of the Book of Mormon, I have a journal which I write about every single point in every chapter a day. I now have a greater understanding as to who king Zedekiah is and what the kingdom of Judah is. This has just shown me that the Book of Mormon is true, because it has fit accurately with the Bible. There are no contradictions. I just think about Laman and Lemuel, and how their greatest disadvantage which led to their cursing was their lack of a relationship with their Heavely Father. They were commanded by Nephi and their father to pray, but they didn't pray of their own accord. Nephi even said that they did not counsel with the Lord. What lesson we learn is how we need to pray every day, constantly! Our greatest possession is our relationship with Heavenly Father. We can either strengthen it or weaken it. So, are we doing things to strengthen it, or weaken it?
Elder Ortner is such a fun, goofy guy! He is a really strong Elder. He was born in Israel as a Jew, but his family moved to Florida. Yes, he is from the tribe of Judah. His mother died of cancer 6 years ago, and it made him question whether there was a God. He became Atheist. Then he moved to Boston for school, and he had friends there who were members. He saw their shining examples and wanted that kind of life, so he investigated the church. He went to the temple grounds and prayed to know if it was true. He received that answer. His father is against it, but Elder Ortner knows it is his duty to God. That is an example to all of us.
There is this holiday in Russia, I can't remember the specific date, but they celebrate the baptism of the Savior. What do they do? They jump into freezing cold water! I didn't hear about it, until people were actually talking about it, and if we celebrated it...maybe we should...Boy Scouts Polar Bear?
Our apartment is really nice, with really open windows. I don't have a closet, so I hang my clothes on this plank that is suspended over a small cupboard. The washing machine handle is broken, so we open it with a screwdriver. It is awesome! Really I love living in Russian apartments. We really have all the comforts of home, electricity, hot water, did you know that they have pipes with hot water that are connected to the towel racks? You can have warm towels in the morning?
The branch in Barnaul is pretty big, about 50-60 people come regularly. They are actually making plans to remodel this other building to make into their new branch. They are planning to have a separate room you can reach from the outside to reach the family history center. (Could you send me any stories about our first ancestors who were part of the church?) I have seen the plans, and they are legit. The branch has two floors, and it is sometimes really cold. They have HUGE pipes with hot water flowing through them. People here use hot water to heat their apartments, and the houses usually use coal. I never knew that coal stunk when burned.
I am not really sure where the Holmes are from, but Elder Ortner says that they live in Utah. It is funny to talk about living in Utah, because so many missionaries are from there. It is more interesting to hear about a missionary from Ohio, or from Las Vegas, especially from Israel.
So really, I am really loving Barnaul. They are really nice people here, and I hope to do some good here. I love you all, and I pray for you every day. You guys are definitely worth serving a mission, even though I receive more blessings than what I sacrifice.
I love you all!
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Tell Michael, "Nothing much, you stud!" and Aaron Jones:, "Go get 'em, Siberian Tiger, thank you very much..." And about the last Eragon book, that will be the FIRST book I read when I am released, so keep it in the car when we come home from the airport...but don't think about that for at least a year!
What happened this week? Well, we met with two famous groups of people in this mission, Jehovah's witnesses and Baptists. They are famous in our mission for liking to meet and debate doctrinal differences based on the Bible. They are wonderful people and they have great faith in Christ. First of all, NEVER argue with people about the gospel, it is not how missionary work should be done. The best way to teach is share your testimony. I found many times that I would share my testimony about our Savior and people would listen intently, but then argue about some other point about the Bible or something. Our message to people is not to believe in the Book of Mormon, or to believe in Joseph Smith. Our purpose is to help people come fully unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism by His authority, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then being faithful unto the end. People can have relationships with Christ outside our church, but in order to fully come unto Christ, the only way is through His Church. No one can deny my testimony of Christ, and the Book of Mormon and the revelations of Joseph Smith only strengthen my relationship with Him.
 |
| Novosibirsk Zone Conference |
There is this holiday in Russia, I can't remember the specific date, but they celebrate the baptism of the Savior. What do they do? They jump into freezing cold water! I didn't hear about it, until people were actually talking about it, and if we celebrated it...maybe we should...Boy Scouts Polar Bear?
Our apartment is really nice, with really open windows. I don't have a closet, so I hang my clothes on this plank that is suspended over a small cupboard. The washing machine handle is broken, so we open it with a screwdriver. It is awesome! Really I love living in Russian apartments. We really have all the comforts of home, electricity, hot water, did you know that they have pipes with hot water that are connected to the towel racks? You can have warm towels in the morning?
The branch in Barnaul is pretty big, about 50-60 people come regularly. They are actually making plans to remodel this other building to make into their new branch. They are planning to have a separate room you can reach from the outside to reach the family history center. (Could you send me any stories about our first ancestors who were part of the church?) I have seen the plans, and they are legit. The branch has two floors, and it is sometimes really cold. They have HUGE pipes with hot water flowing through them. People here use hot water to heat their apartments, and the houses usually use coal. I never knew that coal stunk when burned.
I am not really sure where the Holmes are from, but Elder Ortner says that they live in Utah. It is funny to talk about living in Utah, because so many missionaries are from there. It is more interesting to hear about a missionary from Ohio, or from Las Vegas, especially from Israel.
So really, I am really loving Barnaul. They are really nice people here, and I hope to do some good here. I love you all, and I pray for you every day. You guys are definitely worth serving a mission, even though I receive more blessings than what I sacrifice.
I love you all!
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)
Tell Michael, "Nothing much, you stud!" and Aaron Jones:, "Go get 'em, Siberian Tiger, thank you very much..." And about the last Eragon book, that will be the FIRST book I read when I am released, so keep it in the car when we come home from the airport...but don't think about that for at least a year!
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