*CALLED TO SERVE*

Thursday, July 23, 2009

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 15

SO, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A LITTLE WARM. BUT NOTHING CLOSE TO YOU GUYS. SO,ELDER WILSON AND I ARE WORKING WITH A YOUNGER GUY WHO MOST LIKELY WILL BE BAPTIZED. HE HAD A DATE SET A WHILE AGO, BUT HIS PARENTS SAID NO, BUT NOW HE IS 18 AND ITS HIS CHOICE. SO WE WILL HOPFULLY BE HAVING SUCCESS WITH HIM SOON. HIS NAME IS OLLIE! HE IS A WAY COOL GUY AND IS WAY BIG INTO FOOTBALL, BUT GOOD NEWS IS RIGHT NOW HE IS AT EFY WITH HIS FRIENDS, AND THAT IS WAY WAY GOOD! HE WILL HAVE AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE! SO THATS GOOD. OTHER THEN THAT ITS A BIT SLOW, WITH THE WARMER WEATHER, LIKE ALL OF OKOTOKS IS CAMPING OR ON VACATION.... OUR WARDS NUMBERS RIGHT NOW ARE LIKE CLOSE TO HALF WITH ALL THE MEMBERS ON VACATION...LOL.. BUT WE ARE STAYING BUSY ENOUGH! BUT SO YOU KNOW, I SHUT MY HAND IN THE CAR DOOR AND MIGHT HAVE BROKE IT IM NOT SURE, BUT AIRBORNE CLEARED IT RIGHT UP...LOL... IM KIDDING, I DID SHUT IT IN THE DOOR, BUT IT WAS JUST A BRUISE. SO NO WORRIES . ANYWAYS. I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND IM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING GOOD BACK HOME. ALWAYS ON THE GO WITH SOCCER, PIG STUFF, AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND I PRAY FOR YOU EACH DAY. AND YES MOM I WROTE JOHNNY! :) I LOVE YOU ALL, AND IM SO HAPPY TO KNOW I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU GUYS!
LOVE,ELDER OGEN

Weekly Email-Week 14

I haven't been on the ball with this blog--this is last weeks email home. Also, to preface this email, Joey was one of the family dogs who had severe allergies and was given up to a home where he could be better taken care of. You'll get what I mean when you read ahead...

HEY THERE EVERYONE, FIRST OFF I'M NOT GOING TO LIE IT WAS HARD TO READ ABOUT JOEY , BUT I KNEW HE NEEDED TO BE HELPED! IM SORRY FOR ANY TROUBLE THAT I CAUSED ABOUT HIM, I WAS VERY SELFISH, CUZ AS YOU ALL KNOW I AM VERY ATTACHED TO MY PUPPIES! :) I KNOW WHAT YOU DID WAS THE BEST, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THE EMAILS BACK AND FORTH (from the new owner)! I KNOW HE IS DOING GOOD, AND IT CRACKED ME UP TO HEAR THAT LADY TALK ABOUT HOW HE SITS ON THE DESK AND BASICALLY SLEEPS ON TOP OF HER...LOL... SAME OLD STINKY JOEY! BUT THANK YOU, AND ALSO I ALWAYS COULD TELL MACIE FELT A LITTLE IN THE BACK, BUT I CANT WAIT TO BE AT HOME AGAIN WITH HER. WOW I FEEL LIKE A BABY, I CRIED ABOUT MY DOGS! LOL... ANYWAYS THANK YOU AGAIN! BUT ONTO MISSION NEWS, SO WE FOUND OUT TODAY HOW TRANSFERS ARE GOING, AND ELDER WILSON AND I ARE STAYING ANOTHER IN OKOTOKS TOGETHER! IT's A RELIEF CUZ I HAVE FOUND TRANSFERS TO BE A BIT STRESSFUL NOT KNOWING WhERE YOU MIGHT BE GOING OR WHO WITH, AND AFTER THIS TRANSFER I WILL PROBABLY STAY AND ELDER WILSON WILL GO! ITS CRAZY HOW FAST THIS TRANSFER WENT. AND ITS ONLY GOING TO GO FASTER! SO IM GLAD TO HEAR EVERY ONE had FUN THESE PAST WEEKS, AT GIRLS CAMP AND DAD GOING TO NEW MEXICO! SO, WE HAD A STAMPEDE BREAKFAST IN OKOTOKS ON SATURDAY, AND IT WAS AWESOME! I GOT TO PLAY A DRUM SOLO FOR THE CROWD OF PEOPLE THERE. I KNEW THE KID PLAYING THE DRUMS, AND HE CALLED ME UP OUT OF NOWHERE TO PLAY AND I HAVE TO SAY I WENT CRAZY AND PLAYED MY HEART OUT!!!LOL.. AND GET THIS, SO BROTHER CARL, A SUPER RICH RANCHER IN OUR WARD HERE BROUGHT HIS NEWEST TOY TO SHOW OFF, IT WAS THE BIG BLACK TRUCK FROM TRANSFORMERS, IRONHIDE! HE BOUGHT ONE OF SEVEN FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES!!! I GOT PICTURES WITH IT AND LET ME TELL YOU I WAS FREAKING OUT I WAS SO EXCITED. WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET BROTHER CARL TO TAKE US FOR A RIDE. IT IS PRETTY MUCH THE COOLEST THING! BUTI STILL THINK J.P.'S BAPTISM ON SUNDAY TOPPED IT! IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME TO SUPPORT HIM! AND I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE JOY I FEEL WHEN I SEE THE SMILES OF PEOPLE AS THEY ARE LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER! I CANT IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW BESIDES HELPING PEOPLE COME UNTO CHRIST! I CANT TELL YOU ALL ENOUGH HOW MUCH I LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ME SO THAT I CAN BE OUT HERE DOING THE LORDS WORK! I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF OKOTOKS! YOU GUYS ALL MEAN THE WORD TO ME AND I CANT EXPLAIN IN WORDS THE JOY IT BRINGS TO MY HEART KNOWING I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! AS MUCH AS WE ALL GET ON EACH OTHERS NERVES...LOL YOUR ALL STUCK WITH ME FOREVER....HAHAHA! :) I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU AND I PRAY FOR YOU ALL EACH DAY! I CANT TELL YOU ENOUGHT THAT I LOVE YOU! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS, AND HEAVENLY FATHER IS ALWAYS LISTENING! I LOVE YOU GUYS! LOVE,ELDER OGEN
P.S. ITS NOT GETTING WARMER HERE...:( lol

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Weekly Email-Week 13

HEY THERE EVERYONE! WOW, ITS CRAZY THATS IT JULY, I KNOW ITS ALREADY A WEEK OR SO IN, BUT TIME PASSES PRETTY FAST WHEN YOUR BUSY! BUT LIKE I SAID J.P.'S BAPTISM IS THIS SUNDAY AND IM PRETTY EXCITED FOR THAT! AND WE ARE STILL LIKE BOUNTY HUNTERS TRYING TO FIND SOME PEOPLE, BUT ITS PRETTY TOUGH CUZ EVERYONE IS EITHER CAMPING CUZ OF THE NICE WEATHER, OR OFF TO THE CALGARY SAMPEDE!ITS CRAZY HOW ON A NICE DAY, EVERYTHING IS LIKE DEAD...LOL.. CUZ EVERY ONE IS OFF DOING STUFF.. ANYWAYS, IM GLAD TO HEAR GIRLS CAMP WAS AWESOME AS ALWAYS. BUT ITS CRAZY TO THINK THAT I WASNT AROUND FOR THE 4TH, I HAVE TO SAY, IT DEFINETLY WASN'T THE SAME UP HERE...LOL... EVEN CANADA DAY,NO FIREWORKS OR ANYTHING. I MISS BEING A PYRO MANIAC ON THE 4TH... AND WATCHING ALL THE FIREWORKS FROM THE PARK. BUT IT WILL BE FASTER THEN WE KNOW IT WHEN I'LL BE HOME AGAIN SO I GOT TO KEEP IN GEAR AND STAY BUSY. SO WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY TODAY, OH YEAH, SO WE MET PRESIDENT ANS SISTER ARCHIBALDON MONDAY, I CAN TELL I'M REALLY GOING TO LIKE THEM! PRESIDENT AND SISTER PRIDAY WERE AWESOME, BUT I'M ALSO EXCITED TO GET TO KNOW THE ARCHIBALDS THROUGHOUT MY MISSION! OH AND YOU GUYS SHOULD READ THE LITTLE BIOGRAPHY ABOUT HIM AND HIS WIFE.HE OWNS LIKE 5 CAR DEALERSHIPS IN ST.GEORGE UTAH. ANYWAYS, HE IS A "TO THE POINT" KIND OF GUY, AND HE SAID HE WOULD RATHER WORK WITH US THEN HAVE TO BE OUR LEADER. AND I KNOW HE PROBABLY MEANS IT TOO! HE AND HIS WIFE ARE VERY SWEET, AND I KNOW THEY WILL DO AMAZING! I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THEY WERE CALLED OF GOD, AS I AM, TO SERVE AS MY MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE! ITS GREAT TO KNOW THE THINGS WE DO ABOUT THE GOSPEL, AND HOW IT BLESSES OUR LIVES! I CANT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THIS GOSPEL! OH OK SO FUNNY STORY, SO ONE OF THE MISSIONARIES GOING HOME TOLD ME A MEMBER GOOGLED "CANADA CALGARY MISSION" AND I GUESS MY BLOG CAME UP AS A SITE TO VISIT...LOL... GREAT...LOL... PEOPLE WILL KNOW ME BEFORE I MEET THEM.:) BUT ITS NO BIGGIE. BUT I HAVE TO SAY ITS A SUPER SWEET BLOG, AND THAT WHOEVER THAT MISSIONARY IS ON IT IS SURE A GOOD LOOKING GUY! BUT GLAD TO HEAR ALL IS STILL GOOD AT HOME AND THAT EVERY ONE IS STAYING BUSY! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I KNOW IM DOING THE WORK HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS ME TO DO, AND THAT IM STANDING IN THE PLACE OF CHRIST DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD BE DOING! I CANT EXPRESS HOW HUMBLING IT IS TO BE HONORED TO CARRY HIS NAME AND BE ENTRUSTED WITH HIS PRIESTHOOD! I LOVE THIS WORK, AND I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF CANADA! BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART, AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS EACH WEEK! I CANT WAIT FOR THE DAY TO STAND AND SAY I AM A RETURNED MISSIONARY AND HOLD MY HEAD HIGH KNOWING I DID MY BEST! I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND THINK OF YOU EVERYDAY! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS!
I LOVE YOU!
LOVE ELDER OGEN

Friday, July 3, 2009

I Love To See The Temple

I thought I would share this beautiful picture Logan drew and sent home of the Sacramento Temple. Between his poetry, sketches and magnetic personality, he's only talented guy. We are proud of him and the missionary he is becoming.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Weekly Email-Week 12

This email is a day earlier due to a closed library (a.k.a. no computer access to email) because of Canada Day tomorrow, July 1. I usually post Logan's email to our parents and the kids still at home on the blog--this email is only to Dad, because Mom and the girls are all at Girls Camp. It's really sweet to read the touching things a young missionary says to his father that I know had to make my Dad's heart melt. Such amazing men in our family---we are blessed. And now, Elder Petersen:

YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW WE HAVE A BAPTISM ON JULY 12! HIS NAME IS .P. AND HE IS A GREAT GUY! HE IS SUPER READY TO BE BAPTIZED, AND ALREADY KNOWS A TON ABOUT THE GOSPEL! ITS CRAZY, ITS LIKE WE TEACH HIM AND HE ALREADY KNOWS EVERYTHING! HE HAS A OT OF FRIENDS THAT ARE MEMBERS THAT HE HAS BEEN STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES WITH SO THAT HAS HELPED HIM ALOT! BUT OTHER THEN THAT THE WORK IS A LITTLE SLOW, BUT ITS NOT DEAD! :) WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH A OT OF LESS ACTIVE MEMBERS AS WELL! LIKE THAT COUPLE I TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, BUT THEY ARENT GETTING AWAY FROM US JUST YET...LOL AND ELDER WILSON AND I ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT, AND WE ARE REALLY LEARNING HOW TO TEACH GREAT TOGETHER! HE IS BY FAR A COMPANION I WILL REMEMBER FOR MY LIFE! OH ALSO PRESIDENT AND SISTER PRIDAY ARE OFFICIALY ON THEIR WAY HOME! AND PRESIDENT AND SISTER ARCHEBALD ARE HERE NOW! WE HAD A SURPRISE FAREWELL FIRESIDE ON SUNDAY FOR THEM AND IT WAS AN AMAZING MEETING! THE SPIRIT FILLED THE ROOM LIKE YOU WOULDNT BELIEVE. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ONLY MY MISSION PRESIDENT FOR A SHORT TIME, HE STILL MADE ME A BETTER MISSIONARY! BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO PRESIDENT ARCHEBALD! I WANT YOU TO KNOW IM WORKING HARD OUT HERE. IM PREPARING NOW FOR THE STORIES I WILL TELL MY CHILDREN! :) DAD I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE TO ME! I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU! I LOVE YOU DAD AND I MISS YOU ALL LIKE YOU WONT BELIEVE! BUT IM STAYING ON TRACK AND I CANT WAIT TO SEND PICTURES FROM THE BAPTISM! I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU! 3 DOWN 21 TO GO! :) I LOVE YOU POP!:) REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS, AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS IN MINE!

LOVE YOUR SON

ELDER OGEN

P.S. YOUR STILL MY HERO AND BEST FRIEND! :)

Friday, June 26, 2009

The past 3 months of pictures...

These are out of sequence. But there are too many to move around. He wrote captions on some of the pictures when he sent them, which I will put in quotations above the picture. I am going to caption those he sent without a description, as best I can.

Just being the Logan we all know and love.

"First off the plane."

"Presidency shot" (I'm pretty sure this is a joke.)

"To the mission home"

His bunk in Downtown Calgary.

"Everything has to say Canada on it...LOL"

"Monolopy Money...LOL" (I think he's saying here that Canadian money looks like monopoly money.

"Candy sorting service project...talk about temptation...LOL"

"Hide & Seek"

"Last shot for 2 years..." (Logan and Jonathan Carli- they've been friends since they were probably 5 or 6).

"My MTC Distric Homies: Elder Malagamalil, Me, Elder Hass. We all got to stay together in our first area."

"I'm so strong!"

Hoping for mail! :)

"Big eyes...he and I and Elder Hass all stayed together our first transfer." :)

"Elder Heder my trainer."

"I'm a good teacher! LOL"

"'Last Supper' OUr Last night in the MTC"

"Food Bank Service"

"California baby! :) It was my goal weight shirt...and I already fit into it...LOL...my XXL's are big on me now...LOL"

"Back...(of his name tag)...Got to stay true to the USA...(Don't worry I found it all ripped up)".

"Light Sabers! LOL"...This looks like his basement apartment in Downtown Calgary.

"My wall...I need a picture of Montana!" (Note from the editor--oops, this just reminded me I haven't sent him a picture of her. I need to get on that ASAP!)

"My district last night of class in the MTC. My teacher is Bro. Bradshaw. (No coat)".

"They stole our bikes"

I think Logan got a little spoiled in the MTC with all of his care packages!

"Me and Elder Lealoa. His Grandma is in Sam's Home Ward"

No caption on who the guy in the middle is (maybe someone else knows??)

Elk Grove Area Elders Petersen, Hogge and Carli.

Elder Petersen ,Elder Hogge and Elder Carli mapping out their mission.

Downtown Calgary-and his closet in his first area. They lived in the basement of a members house. (I think he sent a picture of his closet because of how clean it was- which, if you'd ever been in Logan's room at home, you'd know that this is a changed boy!)