Hey‏

Well, this week went well, we were able to listen to our new President, President Hayes in the leadership meeting. It went really well, he´s a very loving and intelligent man. Something I learned this week, despite the challenges and difficulties we had, is that the strongest way to the share the gospel, the most effective way, the most impacting way, is a heartfelt testimony guided by the Spirit. There is no more successful way to share the gospel than with your testimony and the Spirit. I testify that this is the Lord´s kingdom, the Church of Jesus Christ himself, that he directs it, guides it, and has reestablished it or restored it in these Latter Days, before his second coming. I know it´s true because I have felt the Spirit testify of the truthfulness of this restoration. The Church of Jesus Christ is the same as it was in old days, directed by Jesus Christ and his chosen servants, who speak to him face to face and receive the revelation we need in this crumbling society and world. I´m so thankful for the knowledge that my loving Heavenly Father has given me. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or of being part of his church. I encourage you all to share the gospel, speak up with your friends, share your testimony. Speak what you feel, you never know what might have a lasting impact. 

Love, Elder Aaron Lohberg

San Jose Costa Rica East Mission

Hermana & President Hayes

Zone Toyopan

Aaron: hi mom‏
Dad:  I'm here!! how are things with you this week?
Mom: I'm on here too Aaron - in California :)  So does making a report for the stake president eat up your computer time? I hope not.  Tell me about your week! 

Aaron: Usually no.. but i´m trying to verify that I get the miracles from our missionaries.. because they don't listen.. 

Dad: Hey sorry my work email is not working for some reason. I sent you a few emails and didn't get anything back.

Hope this week went really well for you and your companion, we lost Elder Tempest (he went ZL) and the new elder is pretty unique (from UT, go figure) We still have Elder Knight (from Australia) and he's pretty gungho. This mission is weird though cause if the investigators aren't progressing the missionaries just drop them. Not sure if that is a mission thing or just this set of elders?

Aaron: Depends. Some elders drop tons here.. usually if they don't progress they leave them.. it just depends on the people. Sorry i was reading. I have to make a report for the stake president so i´m trying to make sure our missionaries sent us their miracles from this month.. 

Dad: its sad you have to use you personal email time to do work stuff too. Oh wells. I figured you were reading, just didn't think it was work stuff. Hope you get lots of personal emails each week to keep you in the know. We are doing good here. Its been hot and I mean Costa Rica hot. Mid 80s each day. Been too hot to get much done around the house. I get off work and its so hot I just relax by the fan. I know I'm lazy. Mowed the lawn last week and probably sweat a gallon of water off easy.

Aaron: (answering questions from my email to him) I wanted to see how it went.. and save money.. so ma gave us a razor and i cut it and then i used scissors for the part on top.  We´re okay.. our area is super hard.. we only had 1 in church this time... so we´re trying to make that better. Yeah im good with money.. i took out 100 bucks. The guy that makes the scripture cases is in our ward.. super expensive.. the basic ones are $70 for 1, like to do the Book of Mormon would be $70 and then 70 more for the bible. elder Escarcega says they do them in mexico for like a third of the cost.. lol.. better off just visiting him and elder contreras and buying them there.

Mom: well - if you LIKE what this guy does - then buy them there! That would be  better for "memories" :)  We can put more money in for you to have enough to do that if you want to.  Didn't you say he did like pictures or something on them and they are made out of leather?

Aaron: Yeah. it´s a brown leather. let me see if i can find you a picture and send it.

Dad: How are you and your new comp working out? Sounded pretty good from the last email. Did you bring a lot of families to church this Sunday? hope it didn't cost you another taxi if you did.

Aaron: We get along well.. some of our sisters told us last week that they don't feel like we care about them.. that was like.. fetch for me.. because I don't know.. i do.. but i also don´t.. idk.. too many things that bother me. So we´re working on that right now.. that the sisters can stop having stupid feelings=). We brought 1 person. and we did pay taxi because we have to go fetching bring them because they lie and they start to get ready super late and we miss the bus so we take a taxi. 

I never want to be a Primary Teacher.. I feel like that´s what we are right now. 

Mom: sorry to hear that people aren't just "coming to church" on their own! That is dumb!!  but you will be blessed for your efforts :P

As for the sisters - what is their problem?  Why do they feel like you don't care about them? Like what is their complaint?

Have you met the new mission pres. yet then?  I just read from sister Wilkinson they will be using the same office for a year or so until they get a new one built for the west mission.  Interesting.

where is your church building? is it up on the hill you are on? what is the ward called?

Mom: so back to the haircut - how did your comps hair turn out? :) 

Aaron: I think it´d be better buy them in Mexico or something, they´re not cheap here haha.. because of the prices. 

idk more or less.. let me see if i have a photo

Aaron's haircut he did on his comp :)

Dad: Nah you want to be a primary teacher, just for the little kids. Its the teenagers that are the problem, and since I've done that I can relate to what you are saying. The investigators aren't motivated to change so they don't put any extra effort into things. I feel for you, its hard to get someone to motivate themselves to make a life change. It will bring them so much more happiness but until the Spirit works on them until they have a burning desire its hard.

Mom: I agree - the Spirit is what will motivate them to act - so they need to feel that  and then the actions should follow suit.

You will be a primary teacher at some  point - but you will be MUCH older I'm sure if and when that happens. :)

Aaron: yah the photo is on dropbox. but he likes it. so idk.

Dad: I'm with Mom on that. Memories are priceless, if you want them get them! we'll take care of the cost.

Aaron: Nono.

Better that I get them in Mexico! Is it costly to go to mexico? no right? 

FETCH WHEN KARA WROTE ABOUT BOOKS I FREAKED OUT. I WANT TO READ THE FREAKING STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE AND ALL THE BOOKS BY HIM. 

Dad: Think of it this way. How good do they look? how much time does it take him to make them? is it helping him to take care of his life expenses? Then its worth it. Some things you do because of service others you do because they are artists and their time / crafting is worth it.  The other thing is this, If investigators see that you treasure your scriptures they might be more interested in the message your sharing. Then again, you don't want to be a target for thieves either, so be careful

Aaron: There´s another member in Los Yoses where my comp came from that does cheap cases like of just colors, like red and black for 10 mil for all of them, 20 bucks.. better off with that.. just to protect the scriptures and then Mexico

Mom: so ya - it might cost more in mexico for your scripture covers BUT you didn't serve in Mexico - so get them in Costa Rica - paying the extra is worth it - memories Aaron!! memories!!

Aaron: PFFFTTTTTTTTT

Dad: He teaches at BYU I think. If so you should make it a point to take one of his classes if you are able when you get back. I'm so happy you are almost to hump day. I can start counting backwards, it will be so cool

Aaron: Yeah President Hayes taught at BYU Idaho, not byu utah i think. but he´s super awesome! Haha counting backwards, like what? 

Aaron: No, you give him any photo.. he rates them on difficulty and different difficulties cost more. A case with an easy picture back and front is 48 mil, with difficult it´s 64 mil 

This one person gave him a family photo.. which is really hard for him.. it looked okay

Dad: wow sounds like he's really talented then. He is worth the money if that is the case. He probably only does certain pictures, does he have a portfolio to show you or will he do anything you ask for?

Dad: get the cheap ones and the nice ones, put the nice ones in your suitcase and the cheap ones on your scriptures. Problem solved.

Aaron: THAT´S LIKE 150 dollars. the base price for easy pictures, pictures on both sides it 72 dollars each forros, each case. He rates the difficulty of the pictures.. but I cant think of what pictures to do, everyone does the same ones lol

Mom: listen - don't be a butthead about it :)

Getting the cool looking ones with the Captain Moroni (I think you said he did that once) is cool!  So you might go to Mexico one day but you are THERE now! And getting covers made in Costa Rica while serving there will be a lifetime memory every time you see / use them.

I'm with Dad too on this as - you are helping the livelyhood of this guy and his family.

As for books - I can't remember if I ever told you that i finally started reading the Ranger Apprentice series - finished book one and I have book 2 here with me in California  to read.  I have 3 pages left of "the Giver" (which I saw that movie - and that is helping me to understand - visualize the book)

Aaron: Everyone buys from him.. im sure he´s rolling in money. AWESOME! I would take a class form BRandon Sanderson, that´d be awesomeisimo. 

Dad: the reason everyone buys from him is he is good!, so what if he is rolling in money. He's an artist, he gets paid for his skills.  Mom is right, get them in Costa Rica or you will regret it later I promise you.

Mom: well - you will want to do the Doctrine & Covenants count down - that is when you have like 4 months left I think - you just read it from the back to the front - one section a day until you get to 1.  So - what is that 138 sections plus the 2 declarations? 140 days out from the end of your mission you do that?

I saw a ton of elders and 1 sister leaving for home when I was flying down here - I couldn't believe how many of them I recognized just from serving at the food bank - a couple of them remembered you too were serving and they asked how you were doing.  Elder Tempest always included you in his prayer when he was at our house - it meant a lot to me.

Aaron: Haha mom encourages me to be trunky hahahah. yeah I met him, that´s why i said he´s awesome. we had a leadership meeting and nobody got their head cut off lol.. but he´s new! They say because we never talk to them really..We work on the mountain the church building is down in the city.  the ward is called Purral 

Mom: don't forget your general email - just a quick service reminder :)

Kara is here with me - so if you want to chat with her I can give her a bit on the keyboard :)

Dad: I have to get back to work. I love you bud. Know that we pray for you and your companion daily. Stay safe and work hard, (I know you will anyways) Love Dad

Aaron: Love you too dad! 

Aaron: That reminds me, I don't think we have to wear suits at all anymore!! The church posted a post saying a ton of missions that don't use suits anymore for the climate, as a rule

Mom: a I saw that! It was posted on facebook about how your mission is a no suit mission! 

I'm sorry - how did I make your trunky? or how was I encouraging you to become trunky? Was it the count down thing? if so I'm sorry - I didn't mean to do that! I was butting into the conversation about being half way - which I guess was also started by me ;P sorry!!

Aaron: lolol

Mom: I was reading a couple of blog posts from other elders from President Wilkinson's last meeting with y'all where he said "if I've told you something is black and the new president tells you it's white then it is white to you!" and then I saw posted the 7 things he said would keep you strong in the gospel or something like that - looks like he gave good council to everyone - is there anything  that stood out to you?

Aaron: Uh... not really.. I´d already heard the whole white and black thing like 9 times in leadership meetings.. to prepare our zones. I also had heard about the 7 goals for when you finish the mission because I´ve killed two missionaries, they finished so.. I know the basics.. but he did teach us a doctrinal principle.. that Melchizedek was a president, I cant remember of what, but he had 2 counselors. 

Mom: this is hard having dad typing on my account too! haha - I get confused as to who typed what and then he looks at the emails before I get to and responds and then I don't realize it was new! but I think I'm caught up now! 

So - you met the new president - he is new - so he is still getting his feet wet and all - but will be interesting to get to know him and his teaching style I would think

Aaron: yeah haha. Tomorrow we have interviews, our whole zone. with him. but they´re limited to 10 minutes

Mom: well that's good I guess - not much time but I'm sure he is busy right now.  

How much more time do you have? you haven't written a general letter yet

Mom: hmm...maybe you got off already - no general email this week then.  Sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you :(  Love you!! hopeful that you will have a better week this up coming week! 

Aaron: kk done=)

Mom: i LOVE reading your general emails -they are short but they are powerful in testimony!   Love you!! hope you have a great week Aaron! Hope things pick up and that people feel the Spirit and are moved to act on it :)