Hey!‏

This week was pretty good. We went and had a ton of lessons we were expecting tons of results in the end- that tons of people would go to church... and it didn't turn up that way. We were a little disanimated.. we worked super hard and the people didn't show up. So we analyzed what went wrong, we gave everything we had, every ounce of energy. For the last two weeks we haven't had any lessons with members because there´s only 1 member in our area that can actually accompany us and he was going to the dentist and doctor every day and then he got sick and then after that he went on a trip.. so we had 2 weeks without lessons with members... (our ward is split.. we have 6 missionaries so the missionaries divided the area.. we work up in the mountains.. we only have 2 active families... and then this future missionary) so we´ve been trying to just beg the members to accompany us haha so that our investigators have friends and actually want to go to church. This week looks a little brighter, we should have more lessons with members to help us out.. so we expect better results. I know that this is the Lord´s work. That he really does expect a trial of our faith, and not just once but frequently. I´ve come to understand what is faith really, and I´ve learned that almost no one has it, which is why the Savior said that if we had faith as big as a mustard seed we could move a mountain. Faith is to put all your confidence in the Lord, do what he asks with the hope and the belief that all your needs will be met and all will work out in the end if we do what he wants. One of the saddest things I have seen in the mission is when you know what people are missing out on, and you can´t force them to accept it or force them to really have faith. They say they have faith but they wont give up working on Sunday, they say that have faith but they wont pay their tithes because they need to feed their family. I´m sorry, I know it´s hard, but that´s not faith. We had two really good lessons with two less active families about faith, about the changes they needed to make. And in the end both were crying, and they thought for a long time, and they couldn´t let go of their nets. They didn't have faith even as the apostles of old, to instantly drop their nets and follow Christ. It crushed our heart. But we´ll keep visiting them. This work is inspired and driven by love. I testify that it is true. It is the only way to return to our Heavenly Father. 

With all my love,

Elder Lohberg

**from typing back and forth:

Aaron: IMA HERREEEEE‏ Thank you for the super expensive box haha.

Mom:YIPPIE!!  Me too :)

Tell me about your week! I was so sad to miss you last week :( I stayed home today from the foodbank so that didn't happen again!!  Tell me about your week - how you've been - the things you've been up to - how things are with the ward, your comp, the investigators you are working with - and was it fun to get your package? did everything ship ok? nothing smashed or broken (like your bottle) - does it cost you to pick it up (like a customs fee?)

Aaron: My week was good.. we worked super hard we both came home exhausted and than called our district leaders every night and got ready for bed at 10;30 at night and slept like rocks. We´ve been doing Insanity.. see what happenz.. we only had 1 investigator in the church.. super disappointing. we worked super hard both weeks and only brought 1-2.. so we´re going to try and force the members to come to our area.. it´s cuz we live in the fetching mountains and they live down below and it´s expensive and time wasting for them to come help us.... that´s why we focused on the youth.. the 1 investigator.. because he can accompany us to visit after he gets baptized.. i´m not sick anymore. the ward is divided basically two, because we´re 6 missionaries in this ward.. our area is up in the mountains and the other 4 missionaries are in the city where all the members live. We have the bishop but he´s always busy and 2 other active families.. the problem is that they live even higher up than where we work so it´s super expensive to bring investigators to their houses.. so we´re working as if we were in a branch. baptizing youth so that they go visit with us and bring our investigators.. always looking for families obviously.. but it´s hard for them to go haha.. because the bus is like a dollar each.. a family of 5 is 10 dollars in a day.. that´s a lot for them... especially just to go to church it requires a lot of faith. Our investigators are pretty good.. just lots of doubts.. the evangelical church is super strong in our area... so they have tons of confusions and they get mad at what we teach... crazy people.. it was fun, we´ve already eaten all the funyuns... I´ve been hording the other stuff haha, i eat a protein bar a day.. we ate the Funyans together and I share the jerky but the protein is mine. haha. It got okay.. i´m using some of the gel implants for the shoes and they work well, the leather of my shoes is like soft now.. from all the hills so they fit a bit big on me, but it´s not too bad.. i´ve almost worn through the soles of them and then i might change the soles or just buy new shoes or use the others more often!!! no bigz. my bottle was fine all the ties were good no problemzzzz,, I haven't ever had to pay anything idk

Mom: that is super expensive for them to travel to church then - so most people don't have cars then? they use public transportation? I'm sorry people haven't been showing up for church though - did the lady come back again that came the week prior? or have you been to visit her? 

How is your money holding up then? if it's so expensive to take the bus each day  - are you getting food then? we can put money on your card so you can for sure eat.  PLEASE EAT!

I'm glad it all got there safely (nothing broken) and that it didn't cost you anything.  I never know what to send you - I thought the funyuns might be fun :)  But if you think of things (that are mailable) be sure to mention them - and I will throw in more goodies next box I send to you.  I probably will just do regular priority unless I'm in a hurry to get something to you - although it was nice to know you got it in a week vs 6 weeks :)

Any ideas about tomorrows conference? Have you heard anything?

Oh - and yes - you already know this - I'm a freak and I still haven't done your mission plaque and I can't find the scripture you want - so do you remember it or do you have a new one you want me to put on it? I know, I know - I'm being your mom!! pulling a typical mom thing!!

oh - and you are WORTH the "super expensive box" by the way :)  AND it is well worth it - if you enjoy whats in it ;)

Aaron: =) thanks mom

We tried.. she basically told us she didn't want anything.. so we´ll see, maybe she feels the spirit again! I need to take out money.. i just need to find a city bank in San Jose one of these days to take it out. We went to cosco.. so we´ve had food, at least to survive, my comp basically came without money from his old area so we used all the money i hadn't used.. i had like 100 mil still haha.. from the mission.. so i used 60 to buy food in pricesmart for us. we only have to last a week more and we and go again to pricesmart. cosco. We fry a lot of food.. bean burritos.. pancakes with hotdogs (basically cheap corndogs haha) I don't think i´ll have changes.. 

Mom: oh my goodness! Your letter this week touches my heart!  You have grown so much! I LOVE your letters!! 

Sumsions said the same thing - the LOVE your letters - Laurzia even posted on facebook (under one of the blog postings I did) how much she loves your letters home.  They are faith building! 

Isn't it just the truth though - we need to be willing to drop our nets (whatever they are) and follow Christ.

Aaron: uhm... scripture.. let me look really fast. They´re only going to move those who aren´t in the right mission.. but I feel like president is pretty good at feeling the spirit.. i´m sure he put us where we belong.. and more.. i only have 7 weeks here and my comp 2 weeks.. so if i leave he´ll hardly know the area.. i don't think it´d pass but who knows! he basically knows the area really because its just a straight line. and we only work in like 2 areas. 
I like Galatians 6:9 and Mark 1:18

Mom: Before I forget - 

So this week you got on like 10:30 my time (so 11:30 your's) so do you think that will be around the time for you each week then?

Next week  I travel - so - then do you think you will be on the same? I fly out - so just wondering if I might be able to catch you at all or if I will miss you next week  (which sucks since the conference is TOMORROW and I want the details!!)  thoughts?

Aaron: Yeah.. that´s the idea. unless we get changed or something. Because we have studies from 4-6 now, in the evening. But i´m not sure what will happen this week. All i know is that when the new president comes we obey EVERYTHING he says.. but i don't know if that means that the extra rules that president put in are kicked out or if the new president has to tell us or change them.. i´ll probably just keep going as it is, because the rules right now are stricter than the handbook puts them.. so not sure what happens. I´ll think we´ll be on at the same time.. because we write as a district. We got on at 10:50 our time.. but i was putting numbers in.. usually our plan is to get on at 10:30.. .but the sisters show up late so we have to wait or things like that

Mom: I might miss talking next week - but I will try and watch while I wait to board the plane - I will stay logged in until they tell me I have to turn off my phone - but if we don't connect - know that I love you and I will FOR SURE be on the following week come heck or high water!! :) 

I'm very proud of you Aaron.  My heart is bursting with the love I have for you and know you are doing great things!! 

Aaron: I love you mom!!! i don't know how much time I have.. because I had to put zone numbers on google drive for the mission.. so that ate some of my time.. like 25 minutes.. usually we do it before but we didn't have internet or the keys to the family history.. sooo.. next week i think it´ll be better. I love you mom have a good day and week mom, I love you!! 

Mom: LOVE YOU!! hope you have a wonderful week with tons of miracles!!