What a Week

Elder Hoggan just had another awesome week filled with exciting experiences :) He asked for responses as to how he has changed on his mission and really appreciates all of the emails sent his way. He is learning a ton of new things and hopes to be who the Lord wants him to be. He's learning a lot about his potential as a Son of God and the potential each of us has as children of God. Elder Hoggan knows that prayer isn't one-way communication, but it is a conversation. God talks back! And He's always talking if we are willing to listen.

Alex finally had an interview with the Branch President in regards to him receiving the priesthood!! Things look awesome :) They will meet again in the coming weeks. It's been so awesome to see how Alex has grown!

A cool miracle occurred on Thursday. Elders Hoggan and Harvey were at the store and ran into a guy they knew. As they talked, he told them that there are two members of the church that just moved in! They live super close to the church, but have been out of town in Munich. The missionaries are excited to meet them upon their return to Kaufbeuren and look forward to two more members there :) Coincidences don't just happen!

Saturday was the highlight of the week! During a previous weekly planning session, the topic of referrals was discussed and how to get more of them. A prayer was said, when usually that subject would've been passed by and mentioned briefly. The Elders prayed to receive a referral of some sort which didn't come that week, but it did this week :) Inside the mailbox, was a referral! Heavenly Father has blessings that He wants to give. We just need to ask. The Lord will answer our prayers, in His own way, in His own time, but he will answer :)

They stopped by on the Familie Bossa, the referral, got to the door and Frau Bossa answered. "No, no, no, not interested!" But the Elders said, "Wait!!!! Wait!!!!!" Luckily, she did :) An introduction was made with an explanation of how a friend, a missionary from Chicago, wanted this referral to happen. Frau Bossa changed her attitude :) Her next appointment will be Friday and hopefully, all will go well :)

Saturday brought a meeting with Aaron, an investigator from Senegal, who is super nice. He lived in Spain for ten years and his French is only okay. He understands Spanish and watched the Restoration DVD about Joseph Smith, understood it perfectly, and loved it! He was then taught about baptism, but the language barrier is pretty huge. Elder Hoggan can't remember his Spanish very well, but google translate helped a lot and a baptismal date has been set for the 6th of September!!! 

Aaron understood through the Spirit what the Elders had been trying to teach him.  He is a unique situation, because he was never taught to read. Thank goodness for technology! Aaron has the Gospel Library app and that reads the scriptures out loud to him! How awesome is that? :) Skype will probably be used in the future so Aaron can speak Spanish to others and learn more lessons in his language. It's an awesome time to be a missionary!

Elder Hoggan looks forward to this week and to more miracles :)