Ya if you can imagine from my title of my email I am not happy.  Well I am happy but also disgusted out of my mind.  So right now is rainy season and that also means grasshopper season on nseneney.  So they capture them and then fry them and eat these grasshoppers.  I have yet and will not try one.  I kind of barfed a little when someone put one close to my face.  I just will be like the Rwanda members who say that they don't eat bugs. :)  So ya they catch these things at night.  They put up big shiny tin sheets in 50 gallon drums with lights on them. So then they hit the light and fall down into the barrel.  It just doesn't look nice at night.  One day during personal study I heard something hit the window and I looked up to see a grasshopper the size of my face just sitting on the windowsill.  Oh boy did I freak out. My companion just looked at me weird but the bugs here give me the heebie jeebies.  So ya can't wait for this season to be over.  Rainy season is nice though.  

Also I found out transfer news today and guess what I'm staying here in Nsambya.  Also this transfer will just be two transfers together.  Like in 6 weeks they won't transfer anyone because the craziness of Christmas season.  Also like we have Elders leaving in 3 weeks so they all have tri-panionships.  So by Wednesday we will have 5 in our house for 3 weeks.  So it will be lots of fun.  But I will be in Nsambya for 5 transfers until the 1st of February.  That is kind of crazy but I'm so glad for that because I feel like I have barely touched the area.  

So this week was a really good week though. I went on an exchange with Elder Berghout who is from Fruit Heights or Kaysville.  He is a really good Elder and does a lot of good things.  So we when we were closing the night we were talking about mission.  And he said that we do a lot of things like tracting and street contacting and teaching to find people but we need help from the ward. But he said we do these things because "So miracles can happen."  When we do what we are supposed to and looking for people miracles happen.  Which I really made me think a lot and I would have to agree with him.  I had a good day with him.  

Then we talked to President as well because he told us what we need to do.  So Uganda currently has 1 stake.  At the end of this month we will have two.  It will be in the east in Jinja which is the source of the Nile.  But we are close enough to split the Kampala stake into two by the beginning of next year.  But we need to get some more baptisms on one side so that we for sure have enough.  So President Chatfield was in the army and so he kind of laid down the law on what would happen.  He said this isn't a maybe if we try our hardest that will be ok.  He said that we have to get the 80 baptisms in the 7 different wards by the end of the year.  It is really possible but this makes me super excited.  Uganda took 21 years to get 1 stake and then 6 years to get a 2nd.  So in 6 and half years there will be 3 stakes in Uganda.  This is just so awesome that I will be here for this.  

So because of that we are working even harder.  We have 12 investigators lined up for baptism and we believe 10 of them for sure will get baptized.  So just praying that they all do.  We did have a problem come up with one family.  There father doesn't want them to be baptized because he says they have already been baptized.  I love this family so much and have been praying so much that their dad will let them.  He is rarely home so we haven't been able to talk to them but I pray that his heart is softened and that he understands.  Just if you want to include anything in your prayers that would be appreciated.  Thanks.  Really fantastic week and going into another.  I have finished 3 transfers now.  Super crazy how time flies :)  Love you all.  .

Love Lots

Elder Brogan

Well this week was another good week.  It went by super duper fast again.  So I don't have much to talk about this week really.  Just some great lessons and just lots of packed days.  So first we taught Florence who is a refugee from Congo.  She speaks some English but we have a member there to translate some French.  But a really good lesson and at the end she talked about the Book of Mormon and how she knows it is true. I felt the spirit so much right then and started to speak and then started to cry a little. Just super powerful lesson. :)  Then also the now Recent Convert Harriet got her new wheelchair finally.  It made me so so happy.  We showed up and something looked fishy then I realized that she had a new wheelchair.  Haha so great :)  

Also me and my companion have decided that the city Kampala looks like it has had a zombie apocalypse go through it.  Another great thing is Christmas decorations are up and also we are listening to Christmas songs.  Makes me so happy:)  Ya just a great week.  

Some great things here in Uganda.  Fruit tastes so good.  I eat banannas and pineapple all the time.  Things are sweeter here in Uganda.  Also rain just makes things cool.  So I love me my rainy days.  Well just another great week ahead.  Last week of the transfer.  Love all of you

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan

Well another fast week gone by.  Just being busy and teaching the gospel.  So it has been really nice lately because we are in rainy season.  So it rains and is usually cool afterward.  This week was a great week :)

Tuesday- So we were busy and it also was just pouring rain on us most of the day.  But that was just nice.  Then also in the evening on the way to an appointment we rescued 3 puppies from the gutter.  So we did our good turn daily.  :)

Wednesday- Just one of my fav days of the week.  We had interviews with President Chatfield.  So amazing and he really told me what I needed to hear.  He talked to me about how this is the only race in my life where I can go full out the whole time.  Also he said that I'm continuing to pick up speed always because this race I have God on my side.  Then just told me what he thought I could do better. He really gave me a boost to keep going.  

Thursday- So we taught Abel a guy we ran into on the way to another appointment.  He is a refugee from Congo.  So he knows decent English and then French.  But we taught him and it went really well.  He had two kids who sat in on the lesson.  They are like 2 and 3 years old.  But they were the most quiet kids ever.  I forgot about them till the end of the lesson when Abel said something to them because they were falling asleep in their chairs.  Haha so ya we kind of put them to sleep.  Good or bad?  You tell me :)

Friday- We met a really Latter day Saint Pioneer.  Sister Deborah is the relief society president in the ward and has been a member for like 25 years.  So she was one of the first members in Kenya and pioneered the gospel there.  She is really amazing and makes really nice food ;)  She has 4 kids and 3 of them are in the states at BYU and Utah State going to school.  But ya really nice lady and super powerful.  

Saturday- We met with Judith's family.  We passed her all the time walking to church so we invited her and her family last week and they came.  So we are teaching them and they all enjoyed it.  So I'm hoping they turn out.  She has a 2 year old named precious and I have never seen a chubbier kid. She is just so cute and funny. :)

Sunday-  First off Harriet finally got confirmed.  She beat us to church this week.  So awesome that she is now an official member of the church.  Then we found out that we will be watching conference this weekend.  Like I can barely wait for it. :) Amazing week to be a missionary.  THanks for all the love and support and prayers ;)

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan 

Well ya so like I said last week I am training.  That is like going pretty well.  I realize now what I was like when I got to my mission.  I looked like a cat that had just got water dumped on it.  SCARED TO DEATH!!!! For both of us because like I never stopped praying our second day out till I walked through the apt door.  :) But Elder Foster is good.  He wants to work hard and find new people.  Like I talk to a lot of people.  But ya we would be walking and I turn around and he isn't there.  He would be stopping to talk to someone.  So he is just really good and I'm excited to be here with him.  Just ready to find some new people to meet and do what I am supposed to do.  So as well I am district leader and that is like cool I guess.  But I just plan the DDM meetings so ya but its nice.  But I don't know if you know this but since we are 9 hours difference we don't get to watch conference live or even in the same weekend.  We will see it in like 3 weekends.  I about cried like I wanted conference and I wanted it now. But ya we went over to a members for FHE yesterday and tried to watch Sunday mornings session.  But ya the internet sucked so that didn't go well.  But ya I did hear a little of Nelson's and his sounded really great.  Soon as Monson started talking though and I saw him I just said a prayer for him.  He didn't look really good.  I just love that  guy so much so he can't be leaving us till like he is 100.  But ya can't wait to watch conference.  Like it's almost like Christmas :)  Well nothing much else happened. I just am starting to feel at home here in Uganda.  I love what I'm doing and can't wait to see what the future holds.  I love all of you :) Keep up the good work

Well sounds like life just moves on when you are on mission.  For some reason I just thought that as soon as I entered the MTC that the world would just pause.  But ya that doesn't happen. :) 

So this week was another great week and it was the last week of my 2nd transfer.  I also hit my 3 month mark this last week.  It is so crazy because I feel like I just got here.  But hey time flies when your feeling the spirit. :) So ya just another great week here in Nsambya.  So we found out transfer news this morning.  I am staying here in Nsambya and training Elder Foster.  My companion Elder Hardman is being transferred to America (he is going home ).  So Elder Foster I will meet Wednesday.  He is from Paradise Utah which is like Cache County I found out today so I guess we will have some common things to talk about :).  But glad to be staying here in Nsambya.  

So the highlight of the week though was baptizing Sister Harriet.  She was the one in the wheelchair that my companion and I ran into like in the middle of last transfer.  So ya it was so so awesome that she was able to be baptized.  She has like only missed 2 Sunday's since we met her and invited her to church.  Like nobody has any excuse not to come to church if she can wheel her self up a hill that's like a mile long.  Ya she is just super powerful.  So you may be wondering though how we baptized her.  Well I was the one to baptize her because I am her "twin".  Since she's a twin and I'm a twin.  So I got in the font.  Then we had to men lift her in.  Then she rested held herself up on my neck and then we couldn't figure out for like 5 minutes how we were going to get her arm under till I said I would just go all the way in as well.  So that's what we decided to do like after 5 minutes of holding her.  Like I was a little tired but not really but all the locals were like hurry and decide he is getting tired.  He will drop her and so on.  I just would have told them I was a wreslter so I picked up people that were just as heavy as her so I was fine but they wouldn't understand.  Also I've been doing my 70 pushups every night to prepare haha.  But ya so I went pretty much fully under with her.  So I baptized like Alma did.  So I guess different story but super cool.  She was just so smiley afterward.  We also just had great help from the ward.  It was just so awesome :)

Also it rained this week and that was just super nice.  Then also this week I was just like missing the feeling of being at home. I don't know why but I just was. So we ate at members house on Thursday night and it was really good food.  We just were sitting and talking and then when I walked out to the car I felt like I was home.  Then for the rest of the week I just felt like I was at home here in Uganda.  So it was really nice and I really do feel at home here in Uganda now.  But other than that nothing much else happened. I just am excited to see what my new companion is like and also who is out there for us to find.  Love you all and thanks for the support.

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan

So this week was really good.  It went by way fast again.  So crazy how time flies when your feeling the spirit.  So I don't have anything like super exciting that happened this week.  Just like the normal week here in Nsambya.  We did have Zone Conference this week and that was just so powerful.  So it was at President Chatfields house.  We combined with another zone and that was really good.  Because I was able to meet some of my fellow brothers (missionaries who came out the same time as me)   But ya that was really good.  But what made that place and even awesome was how I felt there.  For some reason president's home felt like the caretakers home at the Joseph Smith Memorial.  Like had some of the same features and set up.  So I felt like I was there which just made me happier.  Because I remember visiting grandma and grandpa when they served their mission there.  I remember the spirit I felt there.  That is where I first gained my own personal testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I would go out and sit on the grass and just look up at the monument and think about what Joseph Smith did.  I realized that he died for a Book.  He knew that it was true and could not deny it.  So then that made me think about the Book of Mormon and really find out for myself that it was true.  So at Zone Conference we also talked about the Book of Mormon.  It was just so awesome and made my day.  I felt like I was back in Vermont thinking about it all over again. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and for the role it plays in my life.  

So ya that was just awesome. Then for church it was kind of disappointing because we only had kind of 1 investigator show up.  The investigator was someones referral who lived in our area.  But we didn't even get to talk to him.  But I still decided to be happy and it paid off.  We had 16 RC's at church.  Which is like so many.  I was so happy about that.  Then we had an FHE at a members house and we talked about Temples.  This made me like super sad because that is probably the thing I miss most while here.  Is the Temple!  I know it will just be so great to go into the house of the lord when I get back.  But I now know what it feels like for these people who have to travel to South Africa for their temple.  That would be so rough for me.  But Temples are amazing and don't take them for granted.   Also what made this week really good was that a member fed us at KFC.  Yep KFC and boy did it taste good.  Haha that member is the best member of the ward and she is pretty amazing.  It just put a cherry on top for the week.  

So also just some funny things.  Everyone thinks I am 16 here.  Like nobody believes me when I say I am 19.  Like Nobody.  Even members of the church who know what age you can come out on mission still think I am 16.  So ya it is kind of annoying because I feel and I know I do look older than I used to but you no the haters gonna hate right.  Like one of the other Elders investigators asked them who the 16 year old young kid with glasses was.  And also if he was like a real missionary like them.  So yep I apparently I am the dating age now :)  Another good week in the books.  This coming week I will hit my 3 month mark.  It is crazy how fast time has gone by already.  So ya before I know it I will be like 40 years old.  HAHA but I'll just enjoy Africa while I can.  

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan

So this week was just another amazing week and it ended even better with 3 baptisms on Sunday.  So I forgot my camera this time so I will have to send pictures next week. But I wanted to talk about the people that got baptized.  So they are Josh and Kenneth who are brothers.  Then there is sister Zulfah.  So how this all started was when a sister in the ward brought Maria and Edith to Book of Mormon class. They are Josh and Kenneth's sisters.  So then this was just before I came on mission.  So missionaries went and taught them and their family.  Then they baptized them and their mom and sister.  Then Sister Harriet their mom referred us to Zulfah and we taught her and it took a while for her to get baptized but we did it.  Then Sister Harriet referred us to Charles who got baptized last week. Then she also had us teach her two sons Josh and Kenneth.  So like so many people got baptized and brought to the gospel because one person brought someone to a church activity.  I just love chain reaction missionary work.  This is just super cool.

So this week I went on an exchange with Elder Berghout the Zone leader.  Him and his companion stay in our apartment.  But he is from Kaysville but more Farmington.  But he is super cool and just a good guy.  We had a really good time together.   Also during that exchange we were walking to a lesson and I pointed to a road where a member stayed.  So I stuck out my hand and right then a boda driver went by.  So my hand kind of smacked him in the face.  Don't worry my hand is fine but I don't know about the boda driver because he just kept on driving while holding his nose.  Ooops.  But by the way boda boda's are small motorcycles that get in the way of everything.  Also I trip on everything here.  The roads are not smooth and my feet always catch on the small rocks that are sticking up.  I just hate it sometimes.  I haven't face planted it yet but have been close a couple of times.  Just loving it here in Uganda.  We went to the beach today and we went to a different one and it was just gorgeous.  Such pretty views and the foliage around was amazing.  I will send pictures next week.  But really loving life and I'm happy to be here doing the work of the Lord.  :)  Thanks for the support love ya lots

Love Lots

Elder Brogan

Light always makes darkness disappear

Light always makes darkness disappear.  That is the same as having something really good make up for a bad day.  This week I have had a lot of those experiences.  I had one friend tell me last week a quote it says "Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  But today is a gift.  That is why we call it the present."  Well this week I have had a lot of presents.  :)

1- It finally rained.  Which made me super happy!!! If you have never experienced rain in Uganda then you have never experienced rain.  It poured on Monday for like an hour straight.  But we were at lunch so we didn't get wet at all.  But it pours then it really isn't muddy on the roads after that.  But we got a lot of rain this week but it always ended before lunch was over.  But one thing here is that everybody shuts down when it rains.  If the road is jammed pack with cars. 5 minutes later it there will be no one on the road.  People act like the rain will kill them if they get caught out in it.  It is pretty funny to watch.

2- We invited 3 investigators to baptism and they all said yes.  One of them I was pretty sure she was going to say no but she said yes and I was dumb struck.  Because missionairies had taught her before and it didn't work out.  But ya we have quite a few baptisms lined up for the next couple of weeks.  Which is super awesome. 

3- Harriet that one old lady that we helped a week ago in a wheel chair is beyond powerful.  We were planning on teaching her at her home and on the way we got a call from her.  She said she was in front of the church.  What..... She had wheeled herself 5 miles to the church up a freaking steep hill.  We couldn't believe it.  She is buff!!! She says she eats potio which is ground corn flour mixed with boiling water.  But the lesson went super well with her and she wants to be in the choir and learn to play piano.  Then she showed up to church the following day.  So great and she is powerful.

4-  Just a lot of new investigators.  We found all of them through such random ways.  Work here is really starting to improve so it is so awesome.  

So life here is pretty cool.  Also Harriet who we are teaching is a twin and comes from a family of 3 sets of twins and then we are teaching another pair of twins.  So I let the cat out of the bag and related to them that way and now everyone just acts like I'm a celebrity since I am a twin.   They even have special names for twins.  Kato- which is my name means the younger twin while Wasswa means the older one.  Then Salongo is the father of the twins and Nalongo is the mother.  Kizza means the one born after twins and Kigeongeo means older brother before twins..  Also cool facts about towns around mean Kamapla means city of hills with impala's.  Then Entebbe means chair so ya a city is called chair.  But life here is really great and I am loving it.  I saw Lake Victoria for the first time today.  We went there for P-day and swam. Haha just kidding we played v-ball on the beach.  It is very pretty and I can now say I touched the largest fresh water lake in the world.  I love this place and am really liking just small odd things.  Like the trees are so pretty and the rain is amazing.  I am gaining more patience with the people which is really good.  But yep thats pretty much it for life here in Uganda.  It really great!!!!

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan

"These are the days never to be forgotten"

"These are the days never to be forgotten" This comes from the end of Joseph Smith History when Oliver Cowdery bore his testimony.  Our teacher told us this compared to right now and our missions and I could not agree more.  This has been the best two weeks of my life.  I can't put enough emphasis on that!!!!! I have loved it here and do and don't want to leave.  But one thing that I have learned from the time I got my call to now is that God really does answer prays. He has anwsered so many prayers while I have been here and they have been about things that really don't matter towards my salvation but just make me happy.  I make a list.

1- My call:  I was so scared about where I was going but when I found out Africa I about died.

2- Amazing Companion:  Well he answered this prayer because Elder Ward is truly amazing and I am so thankful for him.

3- A companion that runs:  This made me so happy.  We talk about running all the time and how great it is.  He tells me about his brother who is like super good. We did the mile challenge here and Elder Ward was 1 second off of the record of 4:28 I ran a 5:15 which I thought was pretty good for how in shape I am.

4- Pictures with people I know:  I wanted to see and get pictures with so many people I knew.  But I never ever saw them till I asked specifically to see them then I saw them 15 to 30 minutes later.

5- Shake Elder Sitati's hand:  So Elder Sitati from the seventy spoke and he talked about Africa because he grew up in Kenya.  So afterward I really wanted to talk to him and shake his hand and he stayed afterward so I got to.

6- Sister from Uganda:  So on 4th of July they had all countries represented here take their flags around and there is a sister from Uganda. So I prayed to see here here sometime so I could talk to her.  Well he answered my prayer not 15 minutes later when her and her companion stood right behind us for fireworks.  So I learned quite a bit about Uganda and how amazing it will be.  

7- Travel Plans:  So I was praying that I would actually be leaving this week and I received my travel plans last Wednesday which totally made my day.   

8- That I would love the MTC: I don't think I really need to answer this one. :)

9-  Carrot Cake:  I just really wanted some so I said it would be super nice. Well in the cafeteria there was some and this just made the day so much better.  I almost cried.  : )

So God truly does answer prayers and I know that he does it for everyone.  All you have to do is pray to him and ask.  So one thing that I learned at the Tuesday devotional from Sister Sitati was to always have HOPE!!  I loved this because it is so true.  I have hoped for so many things and it really touched me.  They were amazing speakers.  But I love this place.  The MTC will change your life so always remember to turn outward.  

P.S. Also running is the scriptures so it is a sport of God. 3rd Nephi 12:41

I'M IN AFRICA!!!!!!!!

Jebale!!!! that is hello in Lugandan

Well Africa is just amazing I totally love it here.  I did almost have a panic attack the first day because of the smells and how I saw all the poverty and just freaking out over everything.  But when we started teaching the gospel I was fine.  So I am serving in the Nsambya area right outside of Kampala.  My companion is Elder Hardman from Morgan, Utah.  He is pretty good and has only two transfers left.  But the work is going pretty good.  Haven't had many new investigators but we focus a lot on Recent Converts and how to keep them active. We are teaching quite a few investigators but they all seem to have small problems like wanting a vision to know the gospel is true or not understanding some concept. But we will get them.  Well what can I tell you about here.  So many people we teach live in a one room house.  Very very dirty.  So don't send Grandma Williams here because she would have a literal cow!!!  So ya just open gutters and people burn there trash or leave it on the street.  It's just such a different environment.  But the people are amazing.  They are so happy and humble.  The kids are like the best thing ever.  They are so cute and are always saying "How are you" even though they don't know what it means.  So I love them and anytime we walk by.  They always chase us and yell "Mzungu, Mzungu" which means white in Lugandan.  So super funny and super cute.  I just laugh at them all the time.  So I have eaten Anjera on the first day which is a rice smashed patty thing then you dip it in a sauce with goat meat.  I about hurled because of just the smell of the air around me but it really was ok.  But ya i ate like less than a quarter of it.  Then I had Rollex which is just an egg burrito but not as good as ones at home because the eggs here are white and not as good but still pretty good.  But ya other than that nothing much I just have Mango yogurt which is drinkable yogurt for breakfast.  Ya I love it here it is hot some days and a lot of working but really good.  Also small side note it costs me like 3 US dollars for a large package if sent through the US postage.  So send all the packages you want it might cost you guys some money but I would love to get some presents. :)  Just going to try to keep working harder each and every day.  

Well it's super good but goodbye or should I say in Lungandan, sula balungi

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan

"Is it Worth it?"

The question of is it worth it has been going through my mind this whole week.  Before I answer the question let me give some background.  I have been thinking occasionally this week about my life after mission.  When I did this I wasn't enjoying being here as much and really wondered if it was worth it to be here, to be serving the Lord.  Well I had three experiences that justified to me that a mission is so worth it.  

1.  We had 3 appointments lined up with Recent Converts and 2 investigators.  All of them told us they would be there at home when we called that morning.  Well they weren't or they were late so we had to leave.  Small side not- that is something here that annoys the crap out of me.  People always showing up late or saying they are on there way but are like 30 or 40 minutes out.  If you do that to me when I get home friendships are over!!!!   Back to the gospel.  So they were all a bust and we decided to stop by and say hi to a Recent Convert.  So we said Hi to Ronnie in Kevina and then decided to go a different way back to the church.  Well because of that we met Harriet who seemed old but is probs in her 30 or 40's.  She had been coming across the gutter in her wheelchair and she came out of a small shack and down a little steep hill. So I have no idea how she did that.  But she was taking things to sell just 100 feet up the street to sell.  But she was struggling.  So my companion took some of her stuff and I pushed her wheelchair.  We then talked to her and gave her a Restoration pamphlet and invited her to church.  She was really impressed and hopefully we will see her again.  But after this I knew that things were starting to make this worth it.

2.  I had my first baptism.  It was of Amos and I got here about halfway through with teaching him.  He is 10 years old and his mom was just less active so she didn't get him baptized in time.  But watching him get baptized on Sunday was another testament to me that this mission is worth it.  He was smiling afterward which I had never seen him smile like that before.  

3.  Then one day I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants in section 15.  It said in verse 6 "...behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me.."  People always say their mission was the best two years of their life.  So this scripture really made me feel like it these will be some of the best years of my life.  But I need to focus on it now and not the future.  I have always wanted to be in Africa ever since I was little. So why should I be thinking of my future when I'll be home in America when I'm living my dream right now.  AFRICA BABY!!!

So yes this will be worth it and if anyone else chooses to serve it will be worth it if you decided to live in the moment and serve.  

So Africa is great.  The people are great if they show up on time and don't lie to you.   But the days are going by fast and I really love teaching.  We have a couple families we are teaching but they all have a problem with the gospel whether they did something that prevents them from being baptized or that they don't understand a principle.  Then we also have like 4 to 6 young single adult investigators.  Because that what are ward mainly consists of.  But we have a missionary fireside this Saturday and it's about Eternal Families.  So are goal is to have members bring friends so we can get referrals.  So that's what we are praying for.  But ya Africa's great and I'm excited for rain because I am tired of sweating so much but yep love this place.

Love lots Elder Brogan

"We are all enlisted till the conflict is over, Happy are We, Happy are We."

Sorry I haven't been very good on keeping up with the posts but i will update all the way up til now.

"We are all enlisted till the conflict is over, Happy are We, Happy are We."

Well this has been the theme for me this last week.  Because of many reasons.  

1- People are always late or tell you they are coming but are just lying to you.  It is a cultural thing so it is always happening.  But it is super frustrating. I get very annoyed at this because being late is one of my pet peeves.  

2-  People not keeping committments.   They say they will but they don't.  Agency is the worst sometimes.

3-  Rain!!!! If it ever rains and it really only did for once for like 30 minutes.  People like don't show and everyone just thinks they will die if they get rained on.  It's actually pretty funny.

Well all of this has made me really realize that I need to be happy and positive.  Things could be so much worse.  So I always just smile at people and think of how I can be better.  I'm in a good area, with a good companion and I am having a good time with the ward. Also I'm in Africa a place I have dreamed of coming to ever since I was little. So I definitely am super happy about that. So just focus on the positive so the work is better.  This applies to everyone in life.  If you say it sucks then it will suck but if you try to focus on the positive it will be much better.  But life is good here in Uganda.

Just some cool information about here.  There are schools literally every few blocks.  So many many schools and they usually start at 6:30 or 7 am and end at 5 or 6 p.m.  So it kind of sucks for them.  Also they start school at like the age of 3.  That is so young and it is really hard to believe that.  

Also there are goats and chickens everywhere.  In the middle of peoples yards, on the road, or in the gutters.  Everywhere!!!!

Well thanks for all the support and stay happy on focus on the positive things of life.

Love Lots

Elder Brogan

"These are the days never to be forgotten"

"These are the days never to be forgotten" This comes from the end of Joseph Smith History when Oliver Cowdery bore his testimony.  Our teacher told us this compared to right now and our missions and I could not agree more.  This has been the best two weeks of my life.  I can't put enough emphasis on that!!!!! I have loved it here and do and don't want to leave.  But one thing that I have learned from the time I got my call to now is that God really does answer prays. He has anwsered so many prayers while I have been here and they have been about things that really don't matter towards my salvation but just make me happy.  I make a list.

1- My call:  I was so scared about where I was going but when I found out Africa I about died.

2- Amazing Companion:  Well he answered this prayer because Elder Ward is truly amazing and I am so thankful for him.

3- A companion that runs:  This made me so happy.  We talk about running all the time and how great it is.  He tells me about his brother who is like super good. We did the mile challenge here and Elder Ward was 1 second off of the record of4:28 I ran a 5:15 which I thought was pretty good for how in shape I am.

4- Pictures with people I know:  I wanted to see and get pictures with so many people I knew.  But I never ever saw them till I asked specifically to see them then I saw them 15 to 30 minutes later.

5- Shake Elder Sitati's hand:  So Elder Sitati from the seventy spoke and he talked about Africa because he grew up in Kenya.  So afterward I really wanted to talk to him and shake his hand and he stayed afterward so I got to.

6- Sister from Uganda:  So on 4th of July they had all countries represented here take their flags around and there is a sister from Uganda. So I prayed to see her here sometime so I could talk to her.  Well he answered my prayer not 15 minutes later when her and her companion stood right behind us for fireworks.  So I learned quite a bit about Uganda and how amazing it will be.  

7- Travel Plans:  So I was praying that I would actually be leaving this week and I received my travel plans last Wednesday which totally made my day.   

8- That I would love the MTC: I don't think I really need to answer this one. :)

9-  Carrot Cake:  I just really wanted some so I said it would be super nice. Well in the cafeteria there was some and this just made the day so much better.  I almost cried.  : )

So God truly does answer prayers and I know that he does it for everyone.  All you have to do is pray to him and ask.  So one thing that I learned at the Tuesday devotional from Sister Sitati was to always have HOPE!!  I loved this because it is so true.  I have hoped for so many things and it really touched me.  They were amazing speakers.  But I love this place.  The MTC will change your life so always remember to turn outward.  

P.S. Also running is the scriptures so it is a sport of God. 3rd Nephi 12:41

Best Place on Earth

Can I just tell you that if anyone tells you that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth.  They are lieing to you.  The MTC is the happiest place on earth. I really can't stop smiling the only time I stop is when I have to go to bed and you know I love my sleep.  But really and truly it is amazing here.  My companion is totally amazing.  Elder Ward is my companion and he is from Kaysville Utah.  He ran Cross Country and is running for BYU after his mission.  I am so thankful for a companion that will run with me.  We get along super well and teach lessons with the spirit.  He is so humble and caring for others.  He is going to the Jacksonville, Florida mission.  But I love him and we both are doing awesome.  So my district has either people going to Jacksonville or Atlanta North Georgia mission.  So I'm the odd one out.  But they are all amazing and I feel the spirit so much with them.  Love them lots.  From what I know I am the only missionary going to Uganda here so I'm all alone.  I was told I would be leaving the 7th of July but I haven't got any travel plans or nothing so ya.  But I'm staying positive and I'll go where he wants me to go.  But truly I love it here.  There was a Mission President's training till today so we weren't in the main building.  We had catered food like Costa Vida and Chick Fila.  So it was pretty nice.  Sundays are totally the best here I love them.  We had a devotional from Elder Allen who's a 70 and in charge of missionaries.  So he was super funny and made us really think about how we can be better missionaries and what some of the blessings are.  He served in Guatemala and he converted a man and baptized him in the first month of his mission.  Then he called an Elder up to the stand and that Elder was that mans son.  The spirit was so strong when he told us that.  I can't wait to reap those blessings because when you bring one person to the gospel it affects their whole family.  Then we watched a talk called "Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar.  Totally amazing and if you can you need to watch it.  So he talks about how we turn inward when we are going through tough times while Christ turns outward.  When Christ was fasting for 40 days he he was tempted by Satan.  At the end though he was tired but he found out John was in Prison so he sent help for him.  So he talked about how we need to do that.  Because a mission isn't about us.  We need to serve then we will find ourselves.  Loved it Loved it Loved it.  Really look it up because it will amaze you at how much it makes you think and I have never seen Elder Bednar talk like that.  

I have seen all the fellow bearlakers Elder Keetch, Elder Waechtler, Elder Sharp , and many more.  I saw Sister Brady, Sister Crandall, Sister Young who was in my college ward and institute class.  Also lots of others from institute and Sister Hart who is my next door neighbors friends and I hung out with her over spring break.  

So I don't know when I'm leaving yet.  I might be here for 6 weeks and just be the Elder forgotten about.  

I love love this place so much and right now I don't want to leave but I really love it.  

Best Place on earth :)

Love Lots

Elder Brogan