Logan Badalona - Week 3

Thanks Mom and Jess for your letter this week!

Well my email was just lost, you ve got to love that! I will give you a review of what I said.

We haven’t had hot water or a stove since Thursday and we won’t be getting it fixed until this Thursday. We have enjoyed the cold showers and cold food. President laughed about it when I told him so I don’t know what that means. I think it means just deal with it.

2nd we went to an eating cita and while we were trying to hide the pig skin they were giving us Elder York coughed it onto his plate later forgetting and then giving to another missionary Elder Monks who it was then eaten by. After we walked out of the cita we all realized it and had a good laugh/gauge session. Two elders were able to sneak out the pig skin safely in their pocket wrapped in a napkin.

3rd we took a trip to the city of Girona which is near France and it was amazing. I fell in love with the city. We left Sunday night and didn’t give Elder Petersen the option of coming. We packed his bag for him and then we ran to the train station barley catching the train. He was glad he came after all.

4th Our Bolivian kids we have been teaching are still getting baptized this Saturday. They went to stake conference and I introduced the family to President and now President is coming to the baptism. Everything else is going well I have no more time.

I love you all.
Love,
Elder G
And the zone is doing great we are currently leading the mission in Baptisms!

Logan Badalona - Week 2

Thanks Hepworths, Mom, and Sisters for the letters and the great package that came this morning. I was so happy to get it and I was out of food!

Today it is so cold I can hardly type! We are already using heaters and I know this winter is going to be a cold one but no worries.

Last week we had an activity in the church for the 40th year anniversary of the church here in Spain. It was a neat experience and was fun to be able to see the pioneers of the church here in Spain. They bore testimony and talked by name about the missionaries that taught them so long ago. I felt the spirit and felt and do feel grateful to be apart of such a great work. The old pioneers told some stories of when they first started the church, and they didn't know how things really went. Sometimes after priest quorum they would go buy churros and chocolate on Sunday and then if there was a parade, they would pause sacrament to run out and watch it lol. Things have changed a lot.

Last p-day we went to the Colon statue and went to the very top of it. We had a great view of the harbour and all of Barcelona. We then went to the Cathedral de Barcelona and it was one I have been wanting to go to forever. Inside was absolutely gorgeous. We were able to go onto the roof and see a great view of the Ocean as well. It is the Cathedral where Columbus reported to after returning from the Americas. We also saw a baptismal font where they baptized some of the lamanites they brought back. It was interesting to read a quote by Columbus and see that he was clearly guided by the holy ghost to the Americas.

Dad- I loved the conference talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. I liked it so much I burned it and we used it in one of our Zone meetings. It was amazing to feel the spirit so strong while he spoke.

This week I have been traveling a lot due to intercambios. I feel like the missionaries in the south were a little bit more on top of it but I imagine that we can help raise the level here. I went on cambios to one piso and it was filthy. I spent most the time cleaning and then told them to stay in one morning and clean. They don't understand how important it is. The spirit was not there and we have to have the spirit to plan and study. Those things determine how well and effective we work in the streets. They are like the backbone and its crucial.

I also did cambios with the APs (assistants to the president) and that was way fun because I got to sit down with President for an hour and just talk to him about the Zone of Badalona and hear some stories from his mission. I told him about cambios to the dirty piso and he said hopefully they heeded your counsel because I will be doing surprise interviews there next week. We also talked about another missionary in the Zone who does not seem to want to be here. It makes me sad and I have been praying to know what to do. He is serving with Elder Monks and I also worry for him because he is a newer missionary. I hope he can stand up to the challenge. We will be doing intercambios with them this week after conference to try and help. I have never seen a missionary ike this with such a bad attitude. It seems like he is here to just get it off his check list.

Good news is that our area is exploding. We have found 15 some people to teach since I've been here and 2 of them are going to be baptized the 31st. They are two kids from Bolivia and there parents were less active. Well now the whole fam is coming to church and doing much better. The whole zone is doing well and we are seeing a ton of miracles. We should see a lot of baptisms. I also talked to President about the decrease in Missionaries we are seeing here and he said we might change the Badalona Zone boundaries and add 10 more companionships. We don't know whats going to happen for sure but Elder York and I won't be companions next transfer which I am sad about. I hope to become District leader because I enjoyed that a lot and would like to be in my area more time to focus on the people. It seems like I'm hardly here. Well all is well, thanks so much for the package. Another Christmas idea is Muddy Buddies! I love those things. You could even just send the chex mix and I could make them. I need the recipe as well. Love you all have a great week!

Elder Gogarty

Logan Badalona - Week 1

Thanks Mom and Jenny for your letters! I got them my last day in Murcia. If any other letters arive in Murcia Elder Flores will foward them to me so no worries.

This week has been crazy and I dont know where to start. I am loving Badalona minus the huge hills. My butt will most defiently be well toned along with my legs upon arrival in the US. It has to be worse than San Fransico. We have to literally climb some of them, but I am thankful for the workout and the good night sleep. The piso is a little run down but I am going to paint it and fix it up a little bit. The view is absouletly incredible. I see a lot of the Mediterranean sea and some famous sites in Barcelona like pickle building and La Sagrada Familia.

We actually found a exersice bike this week and carried it a mile across the city over and down the hills to put it on our balcony. Now I can work out while watching sailboats on the ocean and the sun rising and setting. Its very beautiful. I have also enjoyed living with such great people: Elders York, Petersen, and Close. Elder Close is actually a nephew of the President. Things are going well with all of them and it has been a pleasure living with them.

Oh there is an Elder Burton here who I met at a Zone leader meeting and he said his cousin is in your guy's ward, Do you know and Elder Burton?

It was great this week for Concillio meeting with all the zone leaders. We talked about what we want to change and add or quitar de la mission. Elder York and I dominated the counsel and we made some changes that I have always wanted. I have thought about better ways to do things the whole time I ve been here and we were able to dicuss and vote, hopefully bettering the mission as an end result. Elder York and I led the whole meeting and got exactly what we wanted. I am somewhat sad I want be here long to enjoy some of the changes but also happy I was able to participate and change some of the things I couldnt understand before. For example the jacket rule has been changed and each set of Zone leaders are in charge of when they go on and off. There were many changes and they are great changes.

On Sautrday Anotio the Spanish man's baptism that I missed called me and said how well his baptism went and expressed thanks. It was super good to get the call and made missing the baptism ok. The work here is going well and I am excited to see all the succuess that will occur. We are working with alot of people and since I've gotten here we have found 8 new people to teach/baptize. The ward is super great as well and I know that the converts will be comfortable and be able to plant their roots in the rich soil. The Bishop is on top of it and the members as well.

Everything is going well and I am enjoying the north. They speak Catlan here which is quite different. I can understand but I am going to study a little bit so I can carry on a conversation. It's an instant acces to the Spanish people's hearts. Today we are going to the staute of Colon (or Colombus) to celebrate Colombus day. I will send pictures next week.

Love you all

Elder G

Buisness
Please send address labels. I would also like to apply to a few school for next fall so I have options open. I was thinking ASU, CSU, BYU P and UNR university of neveda Reno what do you think dad?

¡Bautismo!‏

Hey we had the baptism tonight and it went very well. It was short and we were able to focus on the importance of the ordinance and not get carried away in all that other garbage.

I'm headed north!

Hey I´ll be catching an early train to Badalona which is right next to Barcelona. There I will probly finish the mish.
My new address will be

Elder Gogarty
C/ Pau Picasso
10-12,9,1
08914 Badalona (España)

Dont think you can just wait till I get home to talk to me. I still lack 5 months! Love you all!

Logan - Murcia Week 12

10.6.2009
Hey thanks Sarah for finally writing me and Mom for your letters!

A lot has happened as always this week. The biggest news is that I am getting transferred. I was shocked at where I am going and who I'll be with. It's almost too good to be true. I will be going to Badalona tomorrow at 6 my train leaves. Badalona is located a little bit North of Barcelona. From our piso you can see the ocean. I stayed there when we went up to a meet a few weeks ago and sent a picture of the sunset. I will be living with Elder Petersen which I am really excited about because we are good friends. My Comp will Be Elder York from California who is 26 almost 27. He already has his masters and is a great kid. We came in together at the same time and got along really well. We even joked about serving as Zone Leaders together. I cant believe its happening. We will have a super mature piso and thats exactly what I need.

The other good news is that Elder Monks my hijo will be moving to the same zone so we will be able to do intercambios and stuff still. He will be riding up with me tomorrow. I got special permission to leave tomorrow because Armando our Spanish friend is getting baptized tonight! He has asked me to baptize him so I asked if I could stay an extra day with Elder Monks. I am super happy to see him make such a huge step. I was worried because in church the ward mission leader came up to me and said "I can't even come to the baptism because of work. I feel like hes just going to get wet and go inactive"... and a bunch of other tontarias (silly or dumb things) as we say in Spanish. I felt bothered and annoyed and realized that he doesn't know the kid as well as I do and its not my fault he doesn't know him. He hasnt talked to him when he's come to church or come with us to citas and so I can see why it just looks like he is getting baptized out of nowhere. Anyway I was worried about the whole thing but I said a prayer asking God to let me know if he was ready and if this was the day. I talked to Armando very boldly and had him promise me he was going to do his hardest to live the commandments and come to church every Sunday. He said yes and did great on the interview and that's when the spirit confirmed to me that he was ready. I am very excited and there will only be me my comp a counselor form the bishopric and Amandos gf who is a member at the baptism. He is very timid and didn't want anyone there. I am excited for him.

The hardest part about leaving is that Anotonio our other Spanish friend will be getting baptized the 10 the and I am going to miss it. He is so ready and has been the best convert I have ever worked with. I am sad I will miss his baptism but excited that hes doing it. His programs and everything are already made. He will be a leader in the church here in Spain.

I was feeling it was about time for me to go here this whole week so I had been doing laundry and getting ready. I ve been in the south too long. I even have there thick accent. The members say I speak like a murciano which is not necessarily a good thing. They like it but I had no choice it has just rubbed off on me. I tend to cut my ssss and blend my D´s and O´s even. I am also going to really miss all the Elders and Hermanas in this zone. I have grown really close to all them and its sad I have to leave now. One Elder was impressed I knew his family and gfs name etc after only visiting with him one time and its something I learned from Dad, caring about someone enough to remember names. They really notice the difference. I loved conference and had specific questions beforehand that were each answered. I had also recently studied the majority of scriptures used and felt very prepared. I love the talk my Russell M. Ballard about the sons and Fathers. I was sad I was sitting with you dad but realized I will be home for next conference. Many other amazing things have happened this week but there is no time to explain them. Dad I am super happy to hear about the surfboards in California that is great news and saves so much money. I cant believe how many times you guys have been to cali in the last two years! Ridiculous! Love you all, Elder G