This week‏

Heeeyyy. Well.. this week went really well, we had a ton of meetings haha, meeting with a stake president, leadership meeting, a little bit of everything. But it went well, I learned a lot and we get pizza from pricesmart.. (cosco) super good. Our area´s been progressing really well, we´ve finally got to the goal of 20 progressing investigators and they´ve been attending church and really like it, so we´re going to go for 25=). A lot of them have been reading their scriptures and praying for their baptismal dates that we´ve put. One man, had had problems with alcohol and cigarettes his whole life, he went to church with us 2 weeks ago and got there early and just started praying asking for help, he told us and explained to us what he felt (the Spirit) and now has almost 3 weeks without having drunk or smoked, and he´s looking forward to his baptismal date the 19th of December. Almost a Christmas baptism=). Maybe I´ll ask him if he wants to be baptized on Christmas day. He´s super great. I love being able to work in this area and meet so many good people, who want to be like their Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He came to earth, many years ago, that He died for me, and you each one of you, and I know that He was resurrected, that He lives. I have no doubt. He showed us the path to follow out of love. Oh how I wish to follow it. I hope all of you have a good week and I wish you a happy holidays! 

Love,

Elder Lohberg

Aaron: Hey! maybe a memory card for the camera?? this one is almost full but i dont want to delete stuffz just in case! I still have some chex mix =) i was saving it haha. and zone bars i have a bag still i think! I saw tylers photos.. kind of jealous.. Mexico looks so beautiful and cool 

Mom: Hey handsome!! I'm here :) Tell me about your week! haha well you have to remember that he is in Mexico City - where he is going may not look like what you are seeing there ;)  But I'm glad that he is doing well.  What size card do you have in the camera? do you know? is it a 16 or a 32?  If you think of anything else let me know.  Any thoughts of a treat I could pop in with it for your comp?

Aaron: Pues.. It was pretty good!  we got 20 progressings and have plans to go next week on Monday with a family of investigators and a recent convert to go see some old ruins and a volcano next Monday.. i will take photos! And then we had a meeting with the stake president as zone leaders.. didn't go very well because the zones kind of bad.. and then we had leadership meeting which went well, saw lots of cool missionaries. Crazy to think the change is almost already over. Also they gave us pizza in leadership, ush. But yeah.. crazy. 

but tomorrow i will SEE SOME COOL PLACES I THINK and take photos!

Mom: ok well I have another 8 gig one here I will send that - I thought that camera had a larger card in it than just 8 gig but guess not :/

That's pretty cool about 20 investigators!  You are doing great!  How many came to church yesterday?  That will be fun to go to see the volcano next Monday - do you think you will then be emailing at a different time then?  Where are you going tomorrow?

Did you learn anything interesting at leadership meeting?  Anything that is a "take away" that will help you in your ward/area?  Ya - transfers are in like 2 weeks or so?  I think it is right before Thanksgiving!  I'm sure you will stay in your area - and your comp will as well this next transfer don't you think?

Aaron: We´re working on trying to get some baptisms maybe for the last week of this month, but it´s kind of mas o menos right now, they´re not set and solid.  8 gig 

No sorry next Monday i ment

Mom: oh! I was wondering why you were going tomorrow! haha!  I'm excited to see the pictures and it hasn't even happened yet! haha!  I want you to work hard BUT I want you to also be able to experience the beauty of Costa Rica as well while you are there.  I sure hope that you will get a chance to serve in an area that you will get to see that before you leave :/

Aaron : Only 2.. we had to go to stake conference so it was a bus ride and lots of them were actually pretty sick. But we´ve been bringing like 5-6 normally. I don't know if we´ll email or at what time.. we were trying to figure that out.. the dad of the fam said we´d get back like at 4ish.. 330.. but studies start at 4-6 and if we leave early we cant study or write in the morning either.. we´ll see.. because there´s no internet in our area.. it´s like an hour away.. so it´ll be hard.. we´ll see... but if i don't write.. that´d be why.. 

I think he´ll stay too. 

Mom: ok that is good to know - so I wont panic if I don't hear from you - I will know you are experiencing something fun and cool :)

Aaron:  But.. ima try.. i have to see what time we´ll leave to be able to know how to do it.. we´ll sees.

Mom: we will be leaving the 21st for Utah - so I will be on for sure that following Monday - but the Monday after (the 30th) we will be traveling home - I will use my phone as a hotspot and will be on my ipad so we can connect - but just giving you a heads up if there are delays at all in emailing that day :/

so - you'll be there for Christmas then for sure as I think then the following transfer will be in January.  So will you be skyping from the Bishops place or where this year?  And will you skype on your birthday or actual Christmas? any thoughts on that yet?  Keep us posted!! Super excited for that!!

Aaron: Not sure.. kind of depends.. there are lots of members here who have a computer, so we´ll see! if our cook hasn´t moved houses yet probably with her.. but they´re coming to see the house today so we´ll see =( 

Mom: I saw that Elder Willis was able to return to the mission field - that took forever for him to recover.  I was thinking he might be in a threesome for a bit until transfers happen - any idea what area he is in?

I've seen a bunch of photos on facebook of Elder Toledo lately - his comp is Elder Moss and his family posts his weekly emails on a blog that i follow.  Also found a few photos of your with Elder Escarsega that I hadn't seen from his facebook page - I'm guessing his mom keeps that up - but I download those so I have them as well :)

oh - so do you think an 8 gig card will be large enough then to take you to the end of your mission?  or should I get something larger than that?

Aaron: yeah 8 gig should work i bet!  depending on how many activities i do but i think it´ll work=) What happened to Elder Willis? He´s with two zone leaders so i saw him but i didnt know he had gone home

Mom: He blew out his knee playing soccer on his mission and had to come home for surgery - that was more than 5 months ago - he just finally was able to return to the mission field.

so - just to check - have you gone through your stuff to make sure that you don't have another card with you?  I thought when I mailed that box to you at the MTC with the camera in it that it had a card in it and I sent you another card as well - but I could TOTALLY be wrong about that - that is just what I was thinking anyways.

Aaron: No, i sent you back the old camera with the 2 gig card it had. and i took the 8 gig one. I put on all the photos i could before the camera died. 

Mom:  ok - I guess I just thought dad had bought a larger card is all.  I have another 8 gig card here so that's not an issue.

hows your belt holding up?  still ok? Have enough ties? or should I send a new one? Would you like a sweater or any other clothing?  any other thoughts of things you might like?

Aaron: It´s good still .. ties yeah im good.. protecting my silk ones =P.. no i good.. sweater no because its never cold.. idk lol ima think! But hey funyans no lol.. i eat them way too fast and they take lots of space =P maybe.. like.. a cheap after shave.. i have kind of wanted one of those =P but i don't know how much it costs.. I have to be careful with the ravor because some of the metal teeth broke on it, so when you do the kneck or sideburns it can cut super easily but it works well. i cut my comps hair today and mine like 2 weeks ago

Mom: wait the razor I just sent you has broken teeth on it? Also - it's not meant to be used against the skin to shave a line (like to cut in - it's just for use with the guards or a comb) I use a finer razor when I trim your edges by the way.  That razor I sent you will for sure cut you neck if you try to use it to trim the edges.  BUT didn't you take your electric razor with you on your mission? or did you only take regular blades?  If you took your electric one - does it have a flip up trimmer you could use? OR does your eyebrow/nose hair trimmer have a cut blade on it? I was thinking it did.  If not - I could send you a fine blade trimmer to trim the edges with  - let me know

Don't forget your general email by the way :)

Aaron: yeah the trimmer works, my face trimmer doesn't have a flip up but my comps does, so i used that. No we good, we can cut them-. I will try not to forget

Mom: what can you tell me about your pictures you uploaded? There are some - I guess it's the outside of your apartment?  backyard?  neighbors yards?  What is up with that dog? Looks like he has broccoli pieces all over him haha where is that from?  

Aaron: Haha that´s the bishops dog.. he gets into like plants and they stick to her fur lol.. there was a rain storm so we decided to fill up our front steps and then open the door to flood the street lol, but it didn't flood the street. we got it up like 3 stairs. Then the bishops yard and stuff, 

Mom: that makes me sad that the teeth were broken :( I guess I didn't take a close enough look at it - cause I didn't notice that.  I just picked it up cheap at Ross (like $35) my clippers I use are MUCH more expensive - but sorry that I sent you something jacked!

Which yard his the bishops yard? the one with the trampoline?  Is that next to where you live or? Do you even have a yard where you live?

Aaron: Not all of them, just like 3.. but i think they broke in the shipping process, not sure. both of that is the bishops yard, all of that.. our house is in his yard. 

Mom: GENERAL EMAIL REMINDER  ;-)

is your place the small white building? or?  I see the red door that has the water in the well - I thought that was your front door.  But I guess I'm confused - cause I see the yellow building and the window looks like the window you have in your apartment as well so - :/ confused 

Ima gunna watch meet the mormons again and see their house :) maybe that will help me - I think they show a scene in that of their place too!

Aaron: there, I don drew that picture.

Mom: thanks!! that actually helps a lot!! that's cool! I didn't realize before that your apartment was at his place.  So... the question is...are you learning any kickboxing? :)

Aaron: no.. they´re Always gone.. he has like 3 jobs and i imagine is super rich.... But i think we have keys to the gym.. but it would take like 30 minutes running to get there.. 30 back.. not really worth it on a normal day. I was learning Taekwando in my last place with a member.

Mom: so the black doors is the garage then?

What's the bishops dog's name?

Have you taken a picture with the bishop and his family yet?

that's too bad :(

How much more time do you have? seems like it could be getting close to being time to go :/

Aaron: no.. they put the red doors in for us. because missionaries need a door it´s a rule.. and so technically we leave and enter the lot from the backside. next to the garage. The dog is named Muffin, it´s a wheenerdog. No but ima try.... like 6 minutes i think.

Mom: well do your best.  Sounds like they haven't had very good missionaries in this zone for a long time - so hopefully you can help turn that around.  You are only one - but it starts with one :)  Be the difference in the zone.  Set the example and help others to strive to do better as well.

I am so very proud of you Aaron.  You are in our daily prayers.  We love you!!  I'm happy that you will get a chance to see something cool next week - first time in 14 months!  WOOHOO!! Will look forward to seeing your pictures from your experience - but most of all ENJOY it!!

Aaron: Thanks mom, I love you and dad so much, tell him I said that too haha. Have a good week and I´ma try my hardest to be able to write next week! Even for a little bit right! Love you! 

Mom: I always do!! He loves you too!! I understand if you can't but I will keep an eye on the computer next week just in case you can :) LOVE YOU!!