Dallas Letters 3/28/16

Howdy,

   

Thank you for all the pictures you have sent! You all are so beautiful and handsome! Sorry for how vague last weeks letter was. The reason for that was helping Sister Greeff prepare to go home this week. It's weird to think that tomorrow my companion will be home. I am staying in Wildomar but my new companion is Sister Pielstick!!!!! My MTC companion! She is an STL now (sister training leader) which means that when they are on exchanges with the other sisters, I will be going to Spanish land more often.

   

This week was so much fun going out and talking to everyone outside about Christ. Probably the weirdest contact of this week was that we were given a tour of an old RV being remodel by an older couple. When you are a missionary you get in the most awkward and weird situations but they sure make us laugh afterwards. I found a cool house this week that has all these military cars and I thought of you guys! Easter was like a normal day (since everyday is centered on Christ by doing His work) but for dinner we had steaks!!!!! They were not like dad's but they were super good! Based on the emails I received, your Easter was amazing! Happy Late Birthday Aysha again!

   

Samaniego Family who had us over for Easter!

Now I have heard many different opinions but what did you guys think of the new  Batman/ Superman movie? Just curious! I have to go help Sister Greeff leave but I want to tell you guys that I love you and pray for you guys everyday! This next transfer is going to be fun with Sister Pielstick and I am so excited to be out here doing the Lord's Work!

Love Sister Ogden

Mom,

   

I am glad that the picture that was sent to you was good! I was not able to see if it met my standards. Wow I will keep Papa in my prayers and can you please tell him and granny that I love them. 

 

I actually have been thinking the same thing of what it would be like to meet the Savior. I think I will remember what it was like to know Him before here and I think that when I return I will remember all the times He has been with me here. In Relief of Society last week we had a lesson on the Atonement. She said something that I loved which was that "Everyone meets Christ in Gethsemane" (Sister Dalebout) which is true! Then Women Conference was super good! It was cool how the main theme was about service and Christ like Love. I definitely needed to listen to those speakers because I can do this work with Christ's love and be willing to serve everyone on the mission. 

 

Sister Greeff is leaving today which is weird! I am sad because she has taught me so much about the Gospel but also of myself. I think He sent me to be with her so that I could learn and grow. This week a fellow sister was having knee problems to the point she was sent home. Since I had my experience with knees, I was able to give her advice which definitely helped. There is a reason for everything because God is not random. He has a plan for everything!  The work here is kinda slow all our investigators are not progressing or they are moving a snails pace. Only time can tell but Bear from my last area is going to be baptized which I am excited to go back for! I love you mom and pray for you and the family everyday! Love you to pieces

Barnett family

Love

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 3/21/16

Hey Ogdens,

                            

Happy Early Easter!

 

This week has been crazy! We picked up two new investigators named Nick and Vivian! They are super cool and I cannot wait to share the Gospel with them! Then we went to this Persian restaurant called Kin Kabob that we have been eyeing since we got out here. More me then Sister Greeff! I got lamb which was weird to Sister Greeff but I converted her. After it had rained last week, there were these gorgeous purple flowers everywhere which makes it feel more springish then desert. Sorry that this is short but my time was shorten because of playing beach volleyball! Love you guys so much!

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

   

Happy Birthday my little sister (Aysha)! You are growing into a beautiful soccer player and a beautiful daughter of God! I am sending this early so that you can read now and especially on your birthday. I love you so much and wish that I could be there but I will. I will be there through the sunshine or rain (I don't know which) but I will be there. (I don't which country song that I am trying to copy but you know it) Keep climbing higher in everything you do and never look back! Shoot for the stars and to God!

Happy Birthday again!

Love Sister Ogden  

Dallas Letter 3/14/16

Hey family,

   

This week has been tough but awesome! Every other day it is raining here which makes it fun and interesting to do the Lord's work. We having been tracking on the days it rains! Then to add on the adventure of the rain, we have experienced close calls with mean looking dogs. We have been saved by knights of UPS and a random lady. They distracted the dogs from eating us. Probably more me since I have more meat to me! God protects me in the weirdest ways but He does.

   

The work was slow but we were able to work with less actives a lot this week, one of them being Brother ___. Brother ___ and his wife suffer many health problems that prevent them from coming to church. We both felt prompted to go and stop by which was good that we did. He was at a very low point and need to know that God knows what he is going through. The spirit was so strong to the point that on Sunday he came to church. The spirit is real and when the spirit is within us, it strengthens us to do the things God would have us do! Follow the spirit no matter how weird or random it is because God is giving you an opportunity to do his work.

Love you guys and have fun for the rest of your break!

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 3/7/16

Hey Family,

 

This week has been everywhere and I don't know how I can tell all the cool things that have happened. First was that President Mullen told us this week that "we are never there for no reason, God sends us to places for a reason". We were able to see that twice and we were blessed to find two new investigators! The first was that the appointment we had was not there, so we decided to go walk and talk to people outside. Daniel was outside and latter was taught the Restoration! Then we were suppose to meet another investigator but instead met Carlos. God works in mysteries way!

 

God may be using you right now for some reason that you may not know! Just pray that you can see it and pray to know what you need to do.

 

We were able to see the NEW EASTER VIDEO!!!! Oh my goodness it is soooo good and I cannot wait for you guys to see it! The video is called Hallelujah and it comes out on March 13! I am so excited to share it with everyone because it touched my heart so much. All I want to do is sing Hallelujah! Another thing that we as a mission are doing, in preparation for Easter, was to read 20 chapters that Elder Holland picked out about the Atonement. 

   

One of the things that I have learned from reading some of the chapters was that Christ can never forget us. We may feel that we are alone but because of the sacrifice that He did, He knows everything. He knows how best to lift us up and carry us back to our Heavenly Father. I LOVE THE ATONEMENT!

   

Then Sister Greeff and I walked to Lake Elsinore for our exercise one morning. It was so much fun and I even got to touch it! That is what the pictures are about because it is a tradition to touch the lake. Now it's mine to if I stay to carry on the tradition. 

Love you bunches

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 2/29/16

Dear Family

This week has been crazy which it also sounds like you had one too! This week consist of my 5 month mark, Temple trip, and many touching spiritual experiences. The first is that I hit my 5 month mark on Tuesday which is soooooo weird! I don't feel that old but maybe if you look closely in the pictures I send you will see my missionary wrinkles. Another weird thing because of it is that everyone is guessing that I may be a trainer next transfer!!! Yikes I pray not because I barely know what I am doing. 

Then this week we were able to go to the TEMPLE! First cool about the trip was that we were able to stop at Barnes and Noble for a new journal since mine is near the end. I took all my strength not to pick up a single book but it was fun. Going to the temple was amazing but what is even cooler was that President Mullen was at our session and even took me through to the Celestial room. I needed to go for the extra strength and spirit that can only come from the temple. Here is a quote that describes how I feel about the temple:

"As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart. We will grasp the true meaning of the Savior when He said 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (President Monson, April 2015)
 

A miracle of the week was right after the temple. We came out of the session to a text message of a paused (aka dropped) investigator who wants to continue!!!! We almost shouted for joy but that would have given a heart attack to the older couple we were with. A tender mercy was that last night we met a less active lady named Kay (Changed name). Her husband is so anti Mormon that she is really struggling but we gave DC 121: 7-9 and prayed with her. The weird thing was that when we were about to pray, I asked her if she wanted too which shocked her. She said yes after sobbing that no one has asked her to pray. God works in weird ways to touch the hearts of his children.

Love you guys so much!

Love Sister Ogden

Dad,

I love the song you gave me but I am not sure what Disney tune you did it to? It sounds that everything is going crazy but in a good way! T What type of virus did Paisley get because it sounds like what the plague has been affecting both missionaries and everyone we try? What is a Hardie Board?o answer your questions I will do them one by one:

• Are you asked to speak very often? No not really but I think when I get farther down the road they will probably will. Sister Greeff had to give one this Sunday but that was because the Bishop wanted to have her speak before she goes home.
• Have you gotten the discussions down? I guess I kinda have it changes each time but the message is the same. That is one thing I like about PMG (Preach My Gospel manual) is that you can mold the lesson to the investigators needs. But I am not as scared to share the lessons as before!
•   Are you comfortable with the door approach? Yes and no the extent of our door approaches is to contact a referral or to come share a message with an investigator/ members.
• Do you do much tracting? We do not tract here because there are so many gates that if we did, we would find no one. What we do is talk to all those we see outside.
•  How are you investigators doing? Most of the investigators we did have are on pause (aka dropped) but we were able to find so many people this week, so that great. Time will tell!
•   Are you writing every name you can remember in your journal? Are you keeping up on your journal? Yep I am writing everyone names even though some may be spelt wrong but I have written every day since being out on the mission! I love writing in it because it of course helps me to remember but it's very therapeutic. Even writing emails are that way for me. I just feel sorry for who has to read them after I am gone! 

Love you so much Dad!

Love Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 2/22/16

Howdy,

This week has been full of crazy things! First things first is that I am drug and infection free!!! It is amazing now because if something goes weird or wrong then I can at least smell the roses. Then for p-day, we played softball which I was the only Sister on a team! Dad you would be proud because I got everyone out on first base the whole time.

Another crazy thing was that again Sister Greeff was sick! I swear that somewhere between the lines of my call letter is that I am called to be a nurse for my companions. It's okay, It was a great movie day for me and Sister Greeeff. The movies we were able to watch like 20 times was Legacy and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas both made by the Church.

Legacy is about how much Faith that the early saints had to have to overcome the many challenges that they face. Their legacy of Faith is what we need to have and to share it from generation to generation.

One of the songs from the Christmas concert has been our main theme song this whole week. The song is from Prince of Egypt called "Through Heavens Eyes" which talks about that the only way you can find your worth is by looking up to heaven. It's been fun listening to the song over and over again which I am grateful that Sister Greeff lets me do that.

The coolest thing that happened this week was visiting a family from the ward (Name left out). They are an older couple who are less active because of health and depression problems. We have been trying over and over again to meet them but the only thing we seem to get is a quick hi and loads of eggs. This week we were able to come in and talk to them about life. It was truly a tender miracle, even though there were chickens everywhere.  It defines the complex example of missionary work. Missionary work is not just baptizing people but it is to help people "Come unto Christ"! It can be from a simple smile to helping them turn to Jesus Christ by acknowledging Him. 

Dad always remember that Faith is powerful and can help us everyday. Don't let fear or doubt enter into your mind because Faith cannot stay when fear and doubt surrounds it.

Love ya!

Sister Ogden