Transfer to Ridgewood

Hey family and friends,

Mom, sounds like you had a blast with your children this week! You and Joey looked so happy in that picture. Man he's 24 now. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROSEPH!! Its sad having to miss all the family celebrations on the mission, but I'll get over it haha. I guess my birthday is next. So there :p As for birffday requests, some scripture cases or covers for my spanish scriptures would be great (In spanish theres the triple and the bible separate so it would be two separate covers. And spanish scriptures are bigger than english scriptures so its a different size for the covers.)  Fir the discs, I dont need the bag thingy. Thanks tho :)

Well, Saturday night I got the call from the District Leader. I'm out of Bushwick. After only one transfer!! Well, thats a partial truth. I'm out of the Bushwick area but I've moved only one area over to Ridgewood. Just so happens I'll be staying in the same branch. Wooh! Turns out that I'm actually going to be training too. Surprise!!! The funny thing is that I was only kind of surprised. For some reason I had a feeling that I'd be training so when President Calderwood called me on wednesday morning it was cool to recieve that confirmation. So the awesome thing is that I'll be showing a new missionary the ropes. The hard thing is that we are getting blinded in. (When both missionaries in the companionship are new to the area) Sooooooo this is going to be a fantastic learning experience. I'm really looking forward to it. This transfer was super tough for me, so I'm very excited to be able to work with someone who is just as ready to work as I am. Its almost a sure thing that we will be together for two transfers. While training, we follow something called the twelve week program. Its a super cool program designed by the church to get new missionaries up to speed with missionary work as quick as possible. There have been great results in the mission so far. One of the objectives of this program is to allow new missionaries to gain enough experience as to be able to train after their own first twelve weeks. And thats actually happened in the mission already. The thing is that companionship study becomes two hours tho. So that means with personal study, comp study, language study, and lunch we sometimes wont get out of the house until 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Its pretty intense but I'm really looking forward to it.

The work has been reaaaaaaaally slow here. I feel really bad cuz I've been trying so hard but I can only do so much. This transfer the comp unity wasn't all there. I really did my best to make things work out but its super tough when people aren't willing to compromise and work things out. This has probably been the toughest six weeks of my life. Most of the time I just had a really uncomfortable anxious feeling in my chest. I really learned a lot about Charity this transfer. And its so funny cuz mindy mentioned my very thoughts in her email to me. It is sooooooo important to make your charity unconditional on the actions of others. Because of this transfer, I now understand how truly important it is that both missionaries are both diligently trying their very hardest to love each other and work hard. Thats when the purposes of God are truly accomplished. Which is why I'm so excited for this new missionary. I just know that after being stuck in the MTC he is just pumped to get out there and fearless and teach and just be awesome! Its going to be the bomb. I just really hope that the area I'm leaving can see success. Its been really hard contacting Naylynn. Lots of family problems. But we actually found a super cool investigator on saturday in brownsville. She was from Panama! The first person from panama I've met on the mission. I really hope that she accepts the gospel.

Transfer meeting is tomorrow. I find out who I will be training. I'm kinda nervous because the Lord has entrusted me with this great responsibility. But I'm beginning to recognize how good responsibility is for me. I love this work. Its so hard, but awesome! I just know that this next transfer we will begin seeing a lot of success. I love you all!!!

Elder Hogge