Week 8

When in the States


Dear friendlies,

So this pday, we went to lululemon to buy some pants, and it was the
weirdest thing in the world to be in a mall while on a mission haha.
But the pants are the best things in the world. I'll put a picture in
later.

Uhh this week was good. We were supposed to have one investigator at
church, but he flaked out and went to soccer instead, which was a
little annoying.

Last week I was really bored, so I stole I think Riley's idea, and we
called every single person on the area book, and we ended up with 3
new appointments. Granted two of them flaked, but we have one new
family. All they need is to get married, so we're hopeful. We also
taught our neighbor, and he seemed to like it. He's already seen the
hand of God in his life, he just doesn't go to church. He's a cool
guy. But yeah a lot more to do this past week. We knocked one door,
and they were playing I'm a Barbie girl in the background, it was
hilarious.

My companions are still funny guys, they're getting better in some
departments, and the same in others. But we're working on it. If
anyone has some motivation ideas let me know.
I've eaten 3 chiles de Arbol this week. Super hot. My comp soto puked
when he ate one of them. It was so funny. I can handle hotter than my
companions.

Spanish is going slowly, because my comps still talk in English, but I
figure if I don't get it here, I for sure will in Mexico.
No news on my visa though.

This week was good though. Still searching for more to do though. I
did find a good scripture, it's proverbs 16:32 "32 He that is slow to
anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he
that taketh a city."

Not much else to report.

Week 7

The greenie/gringo life

 

Hello family and friendlies,

Oh before I talk about the Roseville mission, I gotta say that I saw
Benson elhert before I left the Mtc!!! It was crazy, I haven't seen
him since the good old days. He's going to Argentina which is super
cool. It was fun to talk to him, but the pictures are on my camera,
and I'm a fancy iPad missionary now.

So how does one explain the mission I'm in.

First I got two native companions, one is elder Escalante from Peru,
and the other is elder soto from Guatemala. They're both fluent in
English, so I just talk in Spanish to them and they respond in English
and we correct each other. Idk if it's better this way, but it works.
But they're both super funny, and we joke around a ton. Riddles with
them is hilarious, so if anyone has some good ones let me know.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the trainer and they're the greenies hahaha.
They're good guys though, I'll definitely have a ton of stories about
them by the time I leave here. They're like nacho and estaban from
nacho libre basically. "I am going to batize you."

So I'm pretty pampered here as well haha, so don't worry about that. I
got an iPad, which is kind of annoying cause I'll have to give it up
when I leave which is super sad. Also have a car, and like the biggest
area in the mission because we're Spanish. We drive a ton which is
kind of lame. My apartment is pretty nice, we have ac and hot water so
it's already better than Mexico haha.

For everyone wondering yes, I did get chipotle. I also got Taco Bell
on the way from the airport to the mission office, because I was with
the aps haha.

This week was kind of terrible investigator wise which sucked. We
taught like one lesson, and every single time we tried finding they
weren't home or had an excuse. It was pretty annoying. We did manage
to find one new potential investigator. She seemed pretty interested,
so hopefully it will work out. We have an appointment tomorrow with
her I think. I think we have one baptism date with a 16 year old, but
we have to move it, because he didn't come to church. He always has
soccer on Sunday's.

Spanish is hard to learn here, because everyone speaks Spanglish or
English to us, so I'm pretty excited for Mexico in that aspect, so I
can be forced to learn.

Overall a pretty good week. It's a lot of work, but nothing we can't
do. Pretty excited for this week, hopefully we get some more work than
this week.

Love you all!
Elder Hodson 2

 

 

 Sent from my iPad

A letter from Hunters Mission President

California Roseville Mission Comings and goings

Dear Missionaries and families,

 

October 2015 brought some changes to the mission.

 

These grand missionaries are now home with their families (with a couple of exceptions that will soon leave).

We will miss the spirit, the faith and the testimony that they exhibited.

We know that their work will continue long after their service is over.

 

 

Sister Grosland, Sister Teoti, Sister Rose, Sister and President Marston, Elder Avery

Sister Parks, Sister Giesbrecht, Sister Pickup, Elder Cieslak, Elder Barnes, Elder Cevering

Sister Gastaldi, Elder Giesler, Elder Zaugg, Elder Sones, Elder Vaughan

 

 

These missionaries are coming into our mission filled with hope, faith, and desires for diligence.

They come from all over and bring a zeal to missionary service.

 

Elder Winkie, Sister Sorenson, Sister Price, President and Sister Marston, Sister Johnson, Sister Smith, Sister Wall, Sister Kenney, Elder Kenney

Elder Rollman, Elder Hodson, Elder Krie, Elder Yule, Elder Tout, Elder Lewis, Elder England, Elder Stepherson, President Kenney, Elder Sarki

 

Elder Williams

 

Doctrine and Covenants 100: 4-8

 4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

 5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

 6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

 7 But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.

 8 And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.

 

Best regards,

President Michael F. Marston

California Roseville Mission

916-847-5595

re-assiged to Roseville, CA

Roseville

So I made it safe and sound to Roseville! It's awesome here, the mission presidency is all super nice, and super awesome.  President Marston is super cool, and he has a really cool story, that I'll have to tell another time, because I'm not sure how long I'm supposed to write this email for haha. 

Uhh I already got told who my companions are, one is a native from guatemala, and one is a native from peru, so I don't even have to worry about getting english spoken to me.  Which I am very grateful for.  Idk what my address is here yet, but my pday is next monday so I'll be able to say on monday. 

I"M AN IPAD MISSIONARY HAHAHA.  The joys of not having a visa right?  I also get a car which is super cool.  Idk if I get to drive, I doubt it though.  I think thats all that's really happened today.  I love it here, it's super relaxed, and I'm the only new spanish speaker.

Love you all!!

Elder Hodson 2

Week 6

Last week at the MTC


Well the time has finally come for me to leave the MTC, and boy am I excited.  It's been a long week, but a good week for the most part.

We did an In-field orientation thing, and it was super long and boring, and basically learned over a 10 hour period that we need to use members in lessons, so that's good.
 

I think Thursday on a non-spiritual level was the best day of the mtc, because guess what came in the mail... A chipotle Burrito from Natalie and Ashley, (shout out to you guys), and let me tell you it was the best food I've eaten in the mtc.  Man I'm gonna miss chipotle, especially if my area in roseville doesn't have chipotle.
 

I've learned that the best way to use tenses is to insult each other haha.  Spanish is still fun and for the most part simple, just have to memorize a half a billion things.
 

Conference last week was amazing.  I absolutely loved bednar's talk, I wish he would've talked more.  I also loved all of uchtdorf's talk.  They're all so good at talking, and truly are men of god.  Also got to watch some sweet old mtc talks from previous apostles, and I wish everyone could watch these videos.  Bednar and Holland just put it down, and it's the best.  If anyone has some connections, get one of those guys to come give a talk in my mission hahaha.
 

Got to do an early session at the temple this morning, which was super nice.  I love the temple.

We also got 4 new districts this week, and some of them are pretty shell shocked, but they'll be just fine.  I was a wreck that first weekend, so I know their pains.
 

I got to talk to Amanda's brother, and Brother Packer I think.  Packer served in Xalapa too so it was cool to talk to him. I'm super excited to question Brother Mechum about the wedding, even if he only responds in spanish.  (my mom has the picture of us too, I'd be surprised if she didn't post it.)

I hope everyone is having a good week, I'm super excited for my Brother and Amanda to get married today.  Shout out to them #goals.
 

Still nothing crazy cool has happened, still in the mtc
 

Love you all, 

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 5

It's only just begun


Well i'm almost done with the mtc which is amazing, but I've got some hard news for everyone to take.......

I'm getting reassigned to Roseville California for my first transfer.  I pretty much knew I was getting reassigned by wednesday, but I was just hoping I would get reassigned to Pocatello Idaho hahaha.  It's alright though, it's only one transfer which isn't too bad.  I don't mind.  It was like reopening my mission call a second time.  But yeah California for my first transfer, which means I get the benefits of having stateside packages for one more transfer hahahaha, sorry mom.
 

Today is still my P-day which is kind of weird, because we have to do our laundry and emailing in between sessions which is super off.  But it's all good.  It's just lame cause 2 weeks with no temple, BUT I"M SO EXCITED FOR CONFERENCE!!!!!!  Everyone better be watching conference all day today and tomorrrow.  It's gonna be so amazing, I can't wait to see who gets called.
 

This last tuesday we had claudio Costa of the 70 come and talk to us, and he was super amazing.  It was cool to see someone with an accent still get a good talk across to us, it gives me faith that even with my crap spanish I'll be able to bring some spirit across in lessons and stuff.
 

I never officially said I got made district leader, but I got made district leader haha.  it's nothing special in the mtc.
 

I also never told you about my teachers.  One is hermana anderson and she's super short and way too energetic.  She tells stories like chelsea would tell stories it's funny.  Shes good, but she has her days where she just is off.  Our other teacher is hermano wolfe, who might as well be one of the 70's.  He teaches exactly like a 70, i swear has every scripture off the top of his head, and always gives super good lessons.  He's a little bit more difficult to want to go to his class, but I always get something out of it.

I'm doing good nevertheless.  It's just every day is 12 hours of class, so i'm learning a ton.  I just started to mark my spanish scriptures, so if anyone has any good techniques lemme know.  I think I'm getting another little cold which is gay.
 

I never know what to write in main emails, the MTC is kind of super boring hahaha.  I'm just super excited to get into the field and actually start working, and having something to do, so forgive my short emails.
 

Also you all better be paying attention to conference, because it's gonna be amazing.
 

Love you all,

Elder Hodson 2

 

 

Pictures:

 

The awesome pin my grandma sent me.

 

The one and only Elder Olsen