CHRISTMAS DAY SKYPE!!

Hi all - there is no letter this time... but we were able to Skype with Elder Hogg for about an hour and a half!  He then sent us pictures (see below).

For those unfamiliar with our church missionary program - we only get to talk to our missionary on Christmas Day and Mother's Day (some exceptions if Father's Day is more appropriate for some missionaries).  We email once a week.  No contact in between (no texting or calling, etc.).  If we have any issues or instances that our son should be aware of (if we are hospitalized and it's serious, etc), we contact the mission office and go from there depending on the situation.  So this was a BIG DAY!!!  We hadn't talked to him since Mother's Day (225 days!!!)

 Some highlights:
*Lufkin is about 3 hours southeast of Dallas - and the area they cover is about the same as the whole Dallas area! (He included a map below!)
*The Spanish branch only has about 20 people! He can't imagine how the members will feed them dinners every night - so they might cross over to be fed by the English ward, as well?  (I'm going to send some food and walmart gift cards just in case!)
*It's VERY RURAL!  They are the only missionaries in the Texas Dallas mission with a 4-wheel drive truck.  They've already helped with baling hay and also with a bull that got out! haha!!
*He's still COLD (which made me laugh).. The highs this week are "only" in the 40s and 50s. (He's going to be freezing when he gets home next fall!)
*He is SUPER SUPER SUPER GRATEFUL for the letters, emails and packages.
*Elder Hogg had very limited time in his last area to reply to emails.. so he hopes that he will have more time now to respond individually, rather than just the "big blog" email! 
*He misses snow!  

But most of all..
*Brett bore his testimony of the home teaching program. Missionaries are often asked to do what Home Teachers should do.... (All families should be assigned a home teacher.) 
*Missionary work is inspired... miracles happen... and lives are changed... it's something hard to describe!  
*We need more understanding between people (all over - in and out of church).. more compassion!! 
*He loves what he's doing... he loves the people... and enjoys even the tough moments, actually!
*He shared some perspective on the Church itself.. the organization and wisdom of how things are set up and what he's witnessed, etc.

He was able to say HI to all of his Wisconsin cousins and his Uncle Nathan - some he hasn't seen in a few years!  We kept him busy and we also got a little time to speak just with us. 

Cousins Meagan, Bethany, Jenni - Brother Scott
And Bethany's older daughter, Evelyn
pictured with Scott!

Brett is feeling good (except for being cold -haha) and doing really well!  He has great energy and hasn't been sick. He already feels like he's "running out of time".. and doesn't want it to end yet.  (He doesn't come home until September/October 2018..lol.)  

He misses all of us, but wants to be where he is... and doing what he's doing!  He loves meeting people all over.. helping people... talking to people.. and just getting to know everyone!!!

If anyone would like Elder Hogg's mailing address in Lufkin, or his email address - just comment to this post or call/email me!

-Brett's Mom, Sue Hogg

Baptism in Oak Cliff!!

Zoom in.. it's a picture of Brett's long-time apartment in Oak Cliff. His desk is below the Texas flag.

Goodbye to Elder Rodriguez. :'(

In Lufkin - time to stack the hay!! 

Opening packages after transfer!

A gnome from Aunt Lisa!

A Bob Ross doll from Aunt Lisa!! Too funny! 

TIES from Aunt Lisa! ♥ (Unknown Sister missionary photo bomb)

GRANDMA DEBBIE'S CHRISTMAS COOKIES! YUMMY!
♥♥♥
(Unknown sister.. haha.. I think she wanted some!)

Klement's Summer Sausage from Mom (or Grandma Debbie - I can't remember)! 

Spicy Wheat Thins from Grandma Debbie! ♥

Wisconsin Hat from Grandma Debbie!

Homemade Christmas Card from Mom!! ♥

Lufkin ward boundaries (see the related size of the city of Dallas! Wow!! They are covering a lot!)

Transferred to Lufkin!

http://www.visitlufkin.com/index.php

Another voice e-mail from Brett this week!! He is being transferred to East Texas, the small city of Lufkin.  He sounds bummed because he loves Oak Cliff so much - and had to say good-bye to great people!  But I think he'll love his new adventure!  The weather is MILD - highs in 60s and 70s this week!   Next week we get to Skype for Christmas and we'll hear more about Lufkin!  ~Mom 

Subject:	Voice
Date:	Mon, 18 Dec 2017 19:06:03 -0600
From:	Brett Hogg

Audio Email! (Everything is Super Cool)

This week is a treat - because we received a VOICE email from Brett!  SO good to hear his voice... and only 2 weeks till we get to Skype on Christmas Day!  

Enjoy...
Mom

Subject:	Audio Email!
Date:	Mon, 11 Dec 2017 18:11:42 -0600
From:	Brett Hogg

Wow, what a week.

Date:	Mon, 4 Dec 2017 17:40:49 -0600
From:	Brett Hogg

Wow, what a week.

First we had a 70 come visit us, Elder Pearson! He thoroughly rebuked us, it was awesome. He was very bold and talked about a lot of different things. He talked about D&C 50:14-21, faith and what happens when we we have/don't have it, and how to get it, planning, finding, helping people, discover their divine identity and how it relates to prayer (Bible Dictionary: Prayer), and even how to give talks! There was so much that he threw at us. It's a lot, and kind of deep to be able to write it out, you really had to be there. A couple things I wrote down:

"Everyone you meet knows the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you can't have a physical body, and not know the gospel is true"

"There's no one leaving the church that is reading the Book of Mormon everyday"

"Faith is a spiritual gift from God" (like the gift of tongues)

And some other stuff, there was so much. It was super good. 

We also had two baptisms! The one kid who ordered a Book of Mormon and the other girl who recently moved into the Ward. It was awesome. Elder Rodriguez baptized the kid, and I baptized the girl. It was super cool and spiritual. I got to do hers in Spanish! She's learning Spanish, and her husband is from Mexico City originally, and even served a mission in Mexico. He's been inactive for a long while, and she grew up in an inactive family and never got baptized. It really worked out because the kids mom only speaks Spanish, and the Hermanas from the other Spanish branch invited their investigators. It was a really cool experience.

Anyway, awesome week,

Love,

Elder Hogg