Bugs, Bruises, & Bikes

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Subject:	Bugs, Bruises, & Bikes
Date:	Mon, 28 May 2018 14:39:04 -0500
From:	Brett Hogg

Well it's been a hot one!

This week has been in the 90°s and humid as ever! Biking is fun, I've kind of just reached a point where I've just accepted it and it doesn't affect me anymore, I just step outside in the morning and say "this is my life now." We'll see how 100°+ feels this week! 

Investigator wise, not much progress. We did get to visit a girl named Allie, she's awesome. She is like 20 something, and in the hospital with some kind of crazy bone or lung cancer thing and lupas, and crazy tumor things all in her. Anyway, she wants to get baptized but shes physically cant! There's a bunch of tubes in her that can't get wet and stuff. Anyway she's awesome, she was taught by missionaries a while back, but they kind of lost contact because she got more sick, but recently our Ward Mission Leader was able to get back in contact with her. Anyway, we're going to see what we can do for her. 

And chiggers are back in season! My legs are pretty well bit up. I also kind of crashed my bike? Not really, I was checking the phone for an address and turned kind of weird and braked and my bike freaked out, I never fell, I landed on my feet, but the bike kind of smashed against my legs, and fell. So now I've got some bruises going on them too haha. It's better news than Elder Tornow's bike. Elder Tornow's crank (I think that's the name of the part that hold the to pedal arms together through the frame). Luckily a member is letting him borrow his super expensive mountain bike, and another member is looking into it and trying to fix it. We'll see. It looks like it found be pretty expensive. The member here are truly awesome. And there's so many of them! I bet I don't know 10% of their names (3 large wards, probably 150 each, compared to Lufkin, 25 people lol). When it broke we looked up the closest member, called 'em up, and they were there less than 10 minutes later to give us a ride! No wonder they're so well off/blessed, because they are so willing to serve! 

Anyway, not much else to report on, please read the Book of Mormon, it will change your life! A good verse Elder Nelson always shared Alma 7:11-14, and was good passage I came across again this week.

Anyways

Love ya guys!

Elder Hogg 👱🏾‍♂️

Bruises!

Chigger Bites!

Note from Mom: Being from Wisconsin - I didn't know what Chiggers were... so I had to look them up!!  I've since bought some DeepWoods OFF for his legs and it's in the next box on the way this week.  Ouch!

Voice Recording from Frisco this week! & PICTURES

 

Mom:  I sent him a cat pancake pan and mix.. they finally made them!  haha.. Too funny.

Elder Hogg must have met up with Elder Rodriguez (one of the missionaries he trained... so it's his "son"!!)

While we were in a meeting on Wednesday night, the YW wrapped our bikes. They also did a couple cars with loving notes on them, as part of their activity that night i guess lol

While we were helping move we found a pink escalade haha

Mother's Day Skype!

From Mom:

Twice a year, we get to skype with Brett.  This is my 3rd Mother's Day skype (since he was out before cancer during that time. And, consequently, he will only be gone for 1 Christmas.. he'll be home by Christmas this year.... I hope! haha)

We talked about all sorts of things... just filled in on what he's been doing.. and how he's enjoyed different people in Texas.  He really REALLY loves his mission - even when the work is hard, or when there is nothing to do (which is even harder).

Enjoy Brett's testimony in Espanol - and some crazy pictures I captured during the call (sorry for the audio being poor.. I should have figured out how to record the session rather than record it on my phone from the computer.)

The Frisco Burger From Hardee's

Subject:	The Frisco Burger From Hardee's
Date:	Mon, 7 May 2018 14:51:13 -0500
From:	Brett Hogg

(That's what Frisco makes me think about)

Well here I am in Frisco!

It's different up here for sure! First of all, Frisco is one big housing development that accidentally became a city. Every single neighborhood here has at least manor, heights, park or villas in its name. Everything here is super new, all new money. Elder Hyatt and I got sworn at. He was like, "hey can you read this sign?!" 

It almost like mini Utah, there are so many members here. We cover 3 wards! It's a stark contrast to my last area in which we averaged about 25 people in sacrament meeting. I have hopes of starting a spanish group here in Frisco, but all of the Hispanics are very dispersed and very hard to find. There are however, a plethora of Indians (India). We want to try and teach them, but it will be a challenge as they are all Hindu. 

The members are all awesome here though. They all want to help and they're all stinkin' successful!! Yet humble.  I went on exchanges with an uppity-up in Lexus (Toyota just barely moved their headquarters here). We went out in a Lexus that doesn't technically exist yet. They inside was a little plastic-y because it was a lot 3d printed stuff. It was pretty neat. we visited this awesome lady that had talked to missionaries before but has a hang up with prophets. Her husband was a total character. Awesome guy from california (and sounds like he's from there as well) and was hanging out in the garage that had writing and spray paint all over the garage. It was a scene for sure. Awesome family. They're feeding us dinner this week even even. 

My companion Elder Tornow is awesome, hes from New Mexico! He's a hard worker, and creams me on the bike.

Oh yeah! Also, this area is #bikelife!!!! I'm dying here, I am not used to bikes at all. My thighs are going to be buff as heck by the time I get back. I'm looking forward to the summer. It's particularly fun biking on major roads, under highways, and through one billion small neighborhood roads that do NOT connect at all. It's a challenge, for sure, but it's alllll worth it. 

As you already saw, I met a cousin I didn't know I had! She's in one of my wards and said her maiden name was Hogg and she's technically dad's cousin. She told me all about my great grandparents and I told her about us and dad's side of the family. It was pretty legit!

I love the work and I love The Lord!

Con Amor, 

Elder Hogg

From Mom:  I received a text from Eric's cousin (Eric's dad and her dad are brothers).  Small world!  

Other general pictures were sent - but I haven't received them yet!  Check back!