Before Elder Taylor left
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
April 2, 2009
Hello Again,
It amazes me how fast things are going here and I bet they're going pretty fast out there as well. I am continuing to have a great time here at the MTC and whoever said they didn't like it, I don't know what you were doing. There is just so much to do here and not enough time for it.
Like i said, last week I got a new companion, Elder Sharp. As soon as I sent off my email about 10 minutes later this guy from the administration comes down and tells me elder Sharp is here. I was super excited and couldn't wait to go pick him up at the front desk. I really can't tell you how amazing of a missionary he is. He is amazing! He's been here before, but had to go home for a bit. He's back now and I couldn't have asked for a better companion. I keep telling him that I've prepared my entire life to have a bad companion on my mission, but now I don't have to worry about it. He really fit right in with the district and he continues to amaze me.
On sunday was our halfway mark for the MTC (woohoo). As me and Elder Sharp were sitting in our Leadership Training Meeting, President Curtis asked to interview us. He sat us down and said, "Elders, I want to put you to work, will you accept the calling to be Zone Leaders?" I thought it was a pretty big shock. Near the beginning of the MTC I had had the thought of maybe being zone leader, but after seeing the other zone leaders have zero time ever and having a lot of responsibility I thought to myself back then, "hey, you know what, it's cool to have leadership positions, but this one I wouldn't mind someone else having." Of course, we did accept the calling and we've been at it for a couple of days now. It really does take away your one hour of personal time at night, but it's all good. I think I feel a little like dad when he was a bishop or even now as stake president. You have so many people's problems to worry about, but the Lord really helps you bear it (Matt. 11:28-30..thanks mom!). So that's my little story for the week.
It was interesting with the timing of it all as well. Elder Taylor left wednesday morning, and then Thursday Elder Sharp came in. President Curtis told us in our interview that Elder Taylor probably wasn't ready to hold the position of Zone Leader. He said as he was asked who Elder Sharp's companion should be, he thought of me and knew then that we were going to be the zone leaders. I don't really tell that story to seem prideful or that I deserve the calling, but it was just interesting that the timing of it all really worked out so good. So I was released as district leader and Elder Leishman is now our district leader. He has really stepped up to the plate and is doing incredible. He's really changed his life around from before his mission and now he's really just doing great.
Speaking of Elder Taylor, he actually has been over to Germany for a summer and his dad is a German teacher in high school or something like that. He's off and probably teaching a ton of people over there right now. We haven't heard back from him, but hope to soon.
Thanks everybody for sending me mail this past week. Sometimes the mail is the only thing you look forward to the entire day so it's sometimes really nice to get something. Don't be afraid to send some more in the meantime though. I'm not sure how Dear Elder works. I just know that we get dear elder letters in the mailbox. sorry. They are pretty cool and they get here pretty fast so I don't really care how they get here. either way is fine. thanks though!
Mom and Dad, it's great to here all the blessings are coming because I'm serving. I've really even felt them in my own life right now. It's good to know all the welfare things in the stake and ward are kicking in. It will be interesting to see what the general authorities have to say about all of that. If you need to use any of my money in the back for food storage, I'm all for it like you know ;)
I'm sorry if there's anything else I'm forgetting. sometimes it's hard to remember everything you need to write in the emails and questions people have for me. Just keep asking them and hopefully I'll remember to answer in the future.
Have a great week! I will talk to you next week and remember to have a fun time watching conference (we get to enjoy it on the seats in the auditorium for 10 hours, yes!).
Love Ya,
Elder Joseph Hoehne
Hello Again,
It amazes me how fast things are going here and I bet they're going pretty fast out there as well. I am continuing to have a great time here at the MTC and whoever said they didn't like it, I don't know what you were doing. There is just so much to do here and not enough time for it.
Like i said, last week I got a new companion, Elder Sharp. As soon as I sent off my email about 10 minutes later this guy from the administration comes down and tells me elder Sharp is here. I was super excited and couldn't wait to go pick him up at the front desk. I really can't tell you how amazing of a missionary he is. He is amazing! He's been here before, but had to go home for a bit. He's back now and I couldn't have asked for a better companion. I keep telling him that I've prepared my entire life to have a bad companion on my mission, but now I don't have to worry about it. He really fit right in with the district and he continues to amaze me.
On sunday was our halfway mark for the MTC (woohoo). As me and Elder Sharp were sitting in our Leadership Training Meeting, President Curtis asked to interview us. He sat us down and said, "Elders, I want to put you to work, will you accept the calling to be Zone Leaders?" I thought it was a pretty big shock. Near the beginning of the MTC I had had the thought of maybe being zone leader, but after seeing the other zone leaders have zero time ever and having a lot of responsibility I thought to myself back then, "hey, you know what, it's cool to have leadership positions, but this one I wouldn't mind someone else having." Of course, we did accept the calling and we've been at it for a couple of days now. It really does take away your one hour of personal time at night, but it's all good. I think I feel a little like dad when he was a bishop or even now as stake president. You have so many people's problems to worry about, but the Lord really helps you bear it (Matt. 11:28-30..thanks mom!). So that's my little story for the week.
It was interesting with the timing of it all as well. Elder Taylor left wednesday morning, and then Thursday Elder Sharp came in. President Curtis told us in our interview that Elder Taylor probably wasn't ready to hold the position of Zone Leader. He said as he was asked who Elder Sharp's companion should be, he thought of me and knew then that we were going to be the zone leaders. I don't really tell that story to seem prideful or that I deserve the calling, but it was just interesting that the timing of it all really worked out so good. So I was released as district leader and Elder Leishman is now our district leader. He has really stepped up to the plate and is doing incredible. He's really changed his life around from before his mission and now he's really just doing great.
Speaking of Elder Taylor, he actually has been over to Germany for a summer and his dad is a German teacher in high school or something like that. He's off and probably teaching a ton of people over there right now. We haven't heard back from him, but hope to soon.
Thanks everybody for sending me mail this past week. Sometimes the mail is the only thing you look forward to the entire day so it's sometimes really nice to get something. Don't be afraid to send some more in the meantime though. I'm not sure how Dear Elder works. I just know that we get dear elder letters in the mailbox. sorry. They are pretty cool and they get here pretty fast so I don't really care how they get here. either way is fine. thanks though!
Mom and Dad, it's great to here all the blessings are coming because I'm serving. I've really even felt them in my own life right now. It's good to know all the welfare things in the stake and ward are kicking in. It will be interesting to see what the general authorities have to say about all of that. If you need to use any of my money in the back for food storage, I'm all for it like you know ;)
I'm sorry if there's anything else I'm forgetting. sometimes it's hard to remember everything you need to write in the emails and questions people have for me. Just keep asking them and hopefully I'll remember to answer in the future.
Have a great week! I will talk to you next week and remember to have a fun time watching conference (we get to enjoy it on the seats in the auditorium for 10 hours, yes!).
Love Ya,
Elder Joseph Hoehne
March 26th
Hello,
Wow, it's been a month! Can you believe it's been so fast? I don't know about you, but it has gone by so fast. Thanks for all your letters and prayers, they're really helpful.
So let me update you on some stuff that's happened this past week. Elder Taylor like I said was really good at German so he went on the fast track. He actually left yesterday morning at 4am. It's kind of sad to see him leave, but I know it's the best for him. I was assigned to be in a "dritt" with elder Leto and Ballantyne for yesterday and today. Last night they told us in class a new missionary is going to be coming into our district sometime today. He hasn't showed up yet, but I'm waiting for any moment to go to the main office and pick him up. His name is Elder Sharp(e) (I haven't met him so I don't know how it's spelled). He was here in September, but had to go home due to health reasons. He's back now and I'm really excited to get to meet him. We've been joking that by the end of my MTC experience I'm going to have had 4 companions. It's pretty cool.
That's horrible to hear about the picture cards! I'm so sorry. I guess I was trying to be frugal and save some money by just sending it through the regular mail. I did end up printing off a couple of them so I'm sending them in a little package today. So hopefully you'll be able to see our awesome district.
I really want to let you know how much I enjoyed the temple dedication. It is really such a neat temple isn't it? I want to let everybody know that the temple really is such a refuge from the storm of the world. We need to stand in holy places and that's the best place to do that! With Eternity on the line, we should be thinking about that, not so much on the cares of the world. It's only going to get worse so we really do need be at the temple as much as we can. We should also make our homes temples as well.
Thanks for all your letters. They're really helpful. It's good to know that the world is still just the same and that BYU still isn't winning any NCAA championships. It's really weird how detached from the world you are here in the MTC. You just don't have time to think about it. There's just so much to do!
There's really not a whole much else to talk about. Unfortunately I was sick these past couple of days with headache/sore throat. I really have a testimony of the power of the preisthood. I received a blessing from the missionaries in my room and I've been feeling better ever since. The MTC is really just a breeding ground for germs so they have a ton of hand sanitizer stations all around.
It's good to know everything is going well in the Stake and ward. I hope you let everybody know I love them I love you lots!
Love,
Elder Joseph Hoehne
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