Cooking Tacos for lunch with the Zone.
Ben's Food Creations!
Elder Hoglund's Presentation
Hello my wonderful family!
Wow, October is flying by! Let me fill you in on what has been happening here in Argentina this week. One morning me and my companion were going to leave the pench and found it to be much colder than we had originally thought it was going to be. We left the pench in short sleeves, turned, looked at each other and decided wisely that coats would be necessary. However, now the sun is out and spring and summer are creeping in.
This week was incredible! A little disappointing that our investigators didn`t make it to church, but I know they have their agency and that I have done all I can do get them to come to church. I know they will be blessed if they do it, they just have to take the first step! That first step is sometimes the most difficult.
We visited with Sebastian on Sunday night and he said that he was going to get married to his girlfriend because he wants to get baptized so bad. The news he gave us was that is was going to happen in December and he wanted us to be there for the wedding. He then asked if he was still good for his baptism in about two weeks. We hadn`t quite explained yet that in order to be baptized you can`t be living together with someone (coviviendo o juntado...I can`t remember what it is in English). We explained that to him and he took it well. He said he would talk to his wife to be and then get back to us. He is so special. He has such a rock solid testimony of the church and wants to get baptized. I remember when we asked him about Joseph Smith when we asked him if he thought he was a prophet. He said...it makes sense. It does make sense, this whole gospel just makes sense and I love it. Sebastian is progressing along and he`ll come along.
With the Sosa family, they are having their doubts. The mother is really having doubts and doesn’t want to make the commitment to come to church. We`ll see what happens this week. Her spouse and kids are coming along and have tons of questions. We had a lesson with them during the week about the entire plan of Salvation with the little drawings and everything. They absolutely loved it and were asking questions about where we go after this life and were laughing and rejoicing in their new knowledge and unity their finding as a family. Javier, the husband, is a stud, he`s just a humble guy who works painting cars and every time we walk by their house we hear and smell him working away (the paint smell is pretty obvious.)
This week was incredible! A little disappointing that our investigators didn`t make it to church, but I know they have their agency and that I have done all I can do get them to come to church. I know they will be blessed if they do it, they just have to take the first step! That first step is sometimes the most difficult.
We visited with Sebastian on Sunday night and he said that he was going to get married to his girlfriend because he wants to get baptized so bad. The news he gave us was that is was going to happen in December and he wanted us to be there for the wedding. He then asked if he was still good for his baptism in about two weeks. We hadn`t quite explained yet that in order to be baptized you can`t be living together with someone (coviviendo o juntado...I can`t remember what it is in English). We explained that to him and he took it well. He said he would talk to his wife to be and then get back to us. He is so special. He has such a rock solid testimony of the church and wants to get baptized. I remember when we asked him about Joseph Smith when we asked him if he thought he was a prophet. He said...it makes sense. It does make sense, this whole gospel just makes sense and I love it. Sebastian is progressing along and he`ll come along.
With the Sosa family, they are having their doubts. The mother is really having doubts and doesn’t want to make the commitment to come to church. We`ll see what happens this week. Her spouse and kids are coming along and have tons of questions. We had a lesson with them during the week about the entire plan of Salvation with the little drawings and everything. They absolutely loved it and were asking questions about where we go after this life and were laughing and rejoicing in their new knowledge and unity their finding as a family. Javier, the husband, is a stud, he`s just a humble guy who works painting cars and every time we walk by their house we hear and smell him working away (the paint smell is pretty obvious.)
This week Elder Quebbeman and I sang in church and had the primary program. Ok, we didn`t have the primary program, but we watched it. Those little kids re so cute.
To share a little bit about what I`ve been learning this week. I have learned this week basically about agency. That the Lord wants us to make our own choices and live with the consequences of our choices. The Lord had given us the biggest possible gift that could possibly be given to us, the ability to choose. We are in this earthly crucible (good word :) ) to learn how to use this gift the way the Lord has given us. The instruction booklet to this gift is the scriptures. They teach us what we should do the potential that all of us have when we use this gift correctly. One thing that stood out to me as I was reading the Pearl of Great Price the other day . The Lord is talking with Enoch in heaven and Enoch sees that the Lord is crying. He is very confused as to how the God of the whole universe could cry. Enoch asks the Lord how it is possible. The Lord then says the following.:
32. The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;
33. And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;
To share a little bit about what I`ve been learning this week. I have learned this week basically about agency. That the Lord wants us to make our own choices and live with the consequences of our choices. The Lord had given us the biggest possible gift that could possibly be given to us, the ability to choose. We are in this earthly crucible (good word :) ) to learn how to use this gift the way the Lord has given us. The instruction booklet to this gift is the scriptures. They teach us what we should do the potential that all of us have when we use this gift correctly. One thing that stood out to me as I was reading the Pearl of Great Price the other day . The Lord is talking with Enoch in heaven and Enoch sees that the Lord is crying. He is very confused as to how the God of the whole universe could cry. Enoch asks the Lord how it is possible. The Lord then says the following.:
32. The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;
33. And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;
Basically the Lord is sad because of the way His children used His grand gift of agency. The Lord was the perfect parent and yet even before the world began, one-third of his children fell away and were lost, never to have the opportunity and chance to return and live with Him again. Many many more will be lost on this earth, just because He was willing to give man their agency. This gift is so important and I am learning how to use it better and better every day, I pray that we can all use this gift of agency in the way the Lord wants us to use it so He can bless us and help us all reach our ultimate goal, which is living with our Heavenly Father again.
I love each of you so much and feel very strongly that each and every one of you need to read this message. I challenge you to read and act upon it. I know that as you so do you will experience the security and peace that comes from following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Thanks for all you do and I love you!
Now for some short, funny experiences to wrap things up, then we`re done.
Brady, I remember that you used to talk about how cool it would be to have a motor on your bicycle so you didn`t have to pedal. Guess what I have seen a lot of here in this area that I haven’t told you about until now...Motor Bicycles. They are normal bikes, but oh they are not so normal. They have an incredible motor attached to the back that allows the user to pedal with leisure. When the motor doesn't`t work as well as you want it to, which happens frequently, feel free to pedal. In fact, you`d better pedal anyway, your legs will probably take you a whole lot further than that motor will.
Mom, I saw a peluquero canino the other day in the street (a person who will go to your house to cut your dog’s hair). There was a man on his moto (a small motorcycle similar to a moped) with a big box on the back (I assume it was to carry dogs) that said peluquero canino. It was incredible and I think Moki and Skooter could use it.
I love you all and thank you for everything that you do. It`s been a few weeks since I`ve heard from some of you. Please send me e-mails, I love e-mails and it makes me feel more attached to the world at home I know someday I will have to return to. Anything and everything you have to share is important to me. I love you and keep working hard!
Now for some short, funny experiences to wrap things up, then we`re done.
Brady, I remember that you used to talk about how cool it would be to have a motor on your bicycle so you didn`t have to pedal. Guess what I have seen a lot of here in this area that I haven’t told you about until now...Motor Bicycles. They are normal bikes, but oh they are not so normal. They have an incredible motor attached to the back that allows the user to pedal with leisure. When the motor doesn't`t work as well as you want it to, which happens frequently, feel free to pedal. In fact, you`d better pedal anyway, your legs will probably take you a whole lot further than that motor will.
Mom, I saw a peluquero canino the other day in the street (a person who will go to your house to cut your dog’s hair). There was a man on his moto (a small motorcycle similar to a moped) with a big box on the back (I assume it was to carry dogs) that said peluquero canino. It was incredible and I think Moki and Skooter could use it.
I love you all and thank you for everything that you do. It`s been a few weeks since I`ve heard from some of you. Please send me e-mails, I love e-mails and it makes me feel more attached to the world at home I know someday I will have to return to. Anything and everything you have to share is important to me. I love you and keep working hard!
Love,
Elder Hoglund
P.S. The pictures are some of my food creations I have made in the last little while. We also made tacos today as a Zone, I cooked all the meat and really have gained a love for cooking here in the mission. It`s so fun to create stuff and then eat it.) I`ve never felt better health wise in my whole life than what I feel right now in the mission. I love it!
Elder Hoglund
P.S. The pictures are some of my food creations I have made in the last little while. We also made tacos today as a Zone, I cooked all the meat and really have gained a love for cooking here in the mission. It`s so fun to create stuff and then eat it.) I`ve never felt better health wise in my whole life than what I feel right now in the mission. I love it!
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