Monday, July 25, 2016

Well. It´s come.‏

I´m not sure to be honest if they´ll let me write next week. Just in case, we´re going to treat this like my last letter (and next week will just be a tad bit awkward at the worst) 

I´ve been here in Costa Rica for 2 whole years. Preaching the true gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to all the people I could. I´ve cried with the people, I´ve laughed with the people, I´ve been frustrated with the people, and I´ve learned to love the people of Costa Rica. I truly feel as though I´m at home here. I love Costa Rica with all my heart; the food, the culture, the people, the language... everything! But now, I must return to my other home. 

I know with all my heart that this is the true church, restored by our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that we have a prophet in our day, who speaks with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and guide us, that we may follow sound doctrine. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as Doctrine and Convenants and the Pearl of Great Price, along with all else that our Heavenly Father loving gives us through His prophets, is the very Word of Him, our God our Eternal Father. I testify that only through faith in Jesus Christ, and sincere repentance of our shortcomings, as well as baptism by the Aaronic Priesthood and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the Melquisedec Priesthood can we really return to their presence. There is no other way. I declare with all my love and with personal experience to accompany it that ¨the worth of souls is great in the sight of God¨, and any man woman or child who wishes to know if these things are true can, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Through sincere prayer we can come to know the will of our Heavenly Father, and likewise come to know of the truthfulness of the gospel. My humble prayer is that all come unto Christ, and become free of the world and from the sadness, angers, weakness, frustration, loneliness, and filth that we feel here, and that we may become even as Christ is. Let us be an example of the believers. Let us keep the faith (or start our faith, if need be) and fight the good fight. ¨If we keep the faith in the great God, we will see ourselves together further on¨(88 Placentero nos es trabajar) God be with you, ´til we meet again. 

Many thanks, and all my love,

Elder Lohberg 

Last official P-Day - was given permission to see the ocean :) Super excited to see the rest of the pictures from this trip next week :)  Randall said they had to leave at 4:15 am this morning to get there - they visited a beach that is near the Panama boarder - it took them 3 1/2 hours to get there from Turrialba!!



Monday, July 18, 2016

Give it all you´ve got‏


This week went reallly well, seems like it flew by... we were able to visit some inactives who were here when the church started in turrialba.. and we started teaching them and they were super receptive. I´ve learned to love finding the tender mercies the Lord offers us, finding people 100% chosen by the Lord and put into our pathway, our lives so that we can help them. Our current President, President Arredondo told us that he believes every single person we meet in our lives, work, church, schooling, day to day activities is there for a reason. We need to talk to them and teach them the gospel. Help them receive the truth. I believe it, let us strive our hardest to speak with all those that we can, and help them receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.


With all my love,

Elder Lohberg





Monday, July 11, 2016

Well‏

It´s all coming to and end (at least as a fulltime missionary) I´m working as hard as I can with my comp. We´re seeing a ton of success in our area still! Lots of investigators are coming to church and we´re finding many new ones as well who seem promising. I know that the Lord is in charge of this work.. all He asks is that we do our best when we participate in His work and as we try He magnifies our labors and He edifies us at the same time. I feel as though I´ve grown so much as a missionary, I still have a lot more things to get better at, and I know that God will help me as a I keep trying to improve and change. I´ve been studying a lot lately the stories in the Book of Mormon and trying to memorize scriptures. We had a lesson in elders quorum where the president explained all about why it´s important to read and learn from the scriptures and he also explained why it´s a good idea to memorize them. Memorizing scriptures can help us overcome temptation, overcome stress, sadness, and anger and can give many more opportunities to lift up and teach others. I encourage all of you to make a strong habit of reading, learning from, and memorizing scripture, that you may be a light to the world.

Love,

Elder Lohberg

P-day sight seeing with Randall to see the volcano Turrialba!



Aaron: Hi mom. This week was cool, we went today to the volcano Turrialba.. as close as they let us get and took photos. I dont want to share what president told me, its sacred;; DD maybe later on. We had 8 onvestigators i church and romario confirmed that he wants to serve a mission.. super cool
The mission phones agot turned off by a member in the church servies on accident, not all of them but just a bunch.. he was supposed to turn off a few that didnt have any missionaries using them.. but ithink he got mixed up or something and so tons of phones got turned off.. including ours... pretty rough but oh wells. 
President apparently is doing okay but they havent told us much.
}
I might need to get an ingrown toenail taken out in the states... doesnt seem like i´ll be going here just to not lose a week of work, so it seems like i´ll have to do it there.. but not really sure yet.. at least i think thats what will happen, waiting on the nurse to give me the final response.. so not sure how much that costs but i think it´ll have to happen:(
I ws kind of thinking about trying to get a cheap motorcycle inonce were in utah, I have a frieend in the mission whos from utah who bought one for 300 bucks and he said it was a great idea, he uses it to go up into the mountains and to go on shorts distances

Mom: Hey! I'm here 
the email didn't refresh so I didn't know you were on!!
So - is President back already or is the area 70 still acting as president right now?

Mom: I understand - no worries - I just was curious since you had mentioned it but then didn't expound :p
Ya - I heard the volcano area is closed off - but I'm sure you got closer than most people do :)
Was it cool or? is it still erupting?

Mom: that's weird about the phones - so are they all back on now? Randall had said he had to loan you his phone for calls a few times.  Crazy mistake eh?

Mom; Cool about Romario wanting to serve a mission - he will have to wait a year though right? So what about his girlfriend? Do you think that will cause any problems there?
Mom: you still on Aaron??

Aaron: Yeah sorry mom.. So romario has to wait a year yes, the relief society president is working hard with his girlfriend she was inactive and now she´s going really well now too.. i think he´ll make it! 
The volcano was 100% clouded over, couldn´t see anything, but it was cool to be up there, and say that I went. 
The phones still arent turned on, at least ours isnt. we´re working on getting them to fix that. Yeah its still erupting

Aaron: he 70 i herte still (I think he is saying "the 70 is here still" since President Hayes is in the states seeing a doctor - an Area 70 is filling in as the mission president at the moment), what are your thoughts on the toenail problem and the motorcycle?? 

Mom: ya I didn't see it at first - then I read it!
Yes - I can call and see if there is anyone who can see you during the time you are at home - if not - then you will have to do it in Utah - but not sure how that will work with your school stuff :/
As for the motorcycle - I had thought about that at one point but also was worried about you and accidents! So many kids out there get killed on bikes because there are so many crazy utah drivers! But - we can discuss that I guess when you are home :p

Aaron: I´m pretty sure it´s ingrown too be honest im not sure.. the pain hasnt been horrible yet.. maybe its not.. i´ve had the member here cutting and ripping at it for 8 weeks haha.. so it might just be like destroyed.. the last time was the worse.. each time it gets worse hahaa.. could just be that. But we´ll see.. i´ll probably need to have to it cut. 

He told me that he just bought a cheap bike that didnt go fast, and he only went on back roads streets and highways, he said he´d never go on a freeway and I wouldn´t either.. but he also said for short distance to get to the house and work and everything it was nice because gas was cheap and it was super easy to get his license.. he said he got it in American Fork haha.. 

Mom: ya well your apartment isn't too far from campus - I had thought about just getting a moped or something like that for you - but truly - you are taking the kia so not sure if you need anything else?? But we can discuss it.
I will call I guess and see if there is anyone who could see you that first week you are home - if not - then I will have to figure something else out I guess :/ hmmmm
Is president Hayes back in country then or is he still in the states?

Aaron: he in he states as far as I know

Mom:  were you able to see any of the pictures I sent you?? What did you think of the house layout? 

Aaron: Yeah I saw it, it´s cool. I gotta go mom, stayed on alittle long. I love you have a good week, we´ll talk next week! 

Mom: ok - I will talk to you next week

Monday, July 4, 2016

No general - but a few pictures from a friend :)

Aaron: Hi mom

Mom: I'm here! how are you?? How has your day been? What did you do? - you are on pretty late today.

Aaron: Yeah we went to San Jose and for traffic got home late.. i was buying gifts there... i found a Costa Rican chess set that they say is handmade.. i almost considered buyin it for grandpa.. i talked the guy down to 20 bucks from 32.. but grandpa hasnt wrote me or anything and its technically your money.. i think we'll go back before i leave to buy more souvenirs that are cool.. it was a good week.. lots happened.. highlight was Romario who told me he wanted to serve a mission the 20 year old soccer player and the low light was a visit with the bishop to visit joseluis who got baptized too and he had slipped into alcohol again that day... in 4 months i had never seen him drink and that day he fell.. super sad but he understood how to repent and is in the process now. Sunday he talked to he bishop

Mom: that is sad for him - hopefully he can find strength in the gospel and be able to get back on track.
Ya - don't worry about grandpa - get things you want.  If YOU want the chess set - buy it for YOU.
Did you have fun today though over all??
Anything else happening?  Any word about Pres. Hayes yet? do you need me to transfer more money into your account? oh and did you find out about the luggage at all?

Aaron: They pay for the luggage sorry. Maybe a little bit more money just in case so I don't have to ask in emergency if i find something cool for yall.. how big is the outside of the new house.. and where exactly is it?? American fork?? I'm talking to marcoss exwife trying to get is contact info so that we can transfer his records to the states.. rough stuff

Mom: ok sent you a screen shot on my other email as I couldn't get this to work in here - so the house is Northwest of Utah lake - you will see on the map I sent "Talus Ridge Edge Homes" north west side above lake - that is where we are at - on the bottom right side you will see Orem - Provo is just below that. Just to give you bearings - northeast is Salt Lake.
The house is 3 stories - from the front it will look like a 2 story - but it has a walkout basement - which we will have you help dad finish at some point :)

Aaron: The place is called talus ridge then?? 

Mom: the developer is Edge homes - they call this area Tulus Ridge - there is a street there called that.  I think our new ward will be called Sunrise Meadows 3rd ward 

Aaron: Hmmm interesting. I have 3 monutes left mom not going to write general mail because too much of a pain on tabletbut next wek i will fpr sure (I've corrected the rest of the things he wrote for the most part - because a lot of it looked like this! - the tablet he gets to write on at times is extremely hard to read from)
We are writing wih randall. 

Dad: ok sorry we didn't get to talk longer (this is dad) Mom says we love you take care of yourself.

Aaron: Love you both so much, have a good week!!! I love you.