Week 66

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Its kind of hard to remember that sunday is going to be christmas when its always hot outside, but were trying to get into the christmas spirit by serving and working as hard as we can, and of course baptizing!

This week was once again slammed, on monday we had to send some missionaries to xalapa at 4 in the morning, and babysit some other missionaries for a few hours, tuesday we were in the bus station from 5 am until about 3,  wednesday I got a random trip to xalapa and back for my visa, thursday we had to take care of the assistants, friday we had our zone christmas conference, and saturday we finally had a day to work hahahah!  But after so much stuff saturday we were kind of worn out.  But even though we had about 2 days of working hours, we  still ending up having better results than almost the whole zone!  We are trying to learn to get rid of excuses in our zone, excuses are just a lack of faith.

 

This week we were also able to baptize!  Argelia was able to get baptized, as well as a little girl named Allyson, but she counted for the ward because she is only 8 and her mother is member.  But it was a great baptism, and we had tons of support from our ward.  This family was inactive for about 15 years, and the missionaries before me found them, and started to reactivate them, and Argelia´s husband was able to recieve the priesthood and was able to baptize his wife.  The family has changed 100% since they got back to the church, and its a great blessing to be able to be a part of that change.
In this christmas week I just want to invite you all to learn what true christmas spirit is... Serving your fellow being!  For those who have yet to see this years christmas video from the church, go see it on Mormon.org!  Follow the ideas that come from each day in these last days before christmas.  Do everything you can to be able to serve someone else, Make Christmas great again.. 

Love you all and merry christmas!

 

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 65

Consejo y TRABAJO

Well this week was a weird one.  On Monday we went to xalapa from here (about 6 hours), then had whats called consejo with our president and the assistants and all the other zone leaders, and we got to talk about the goals, achievements, and plans for the mission.  We talked about a talk that Elder Bednar gave in Conferenced called "ye knew me not" and its a great talk.  Talks about if we really know christ, or if we are just coming to know more about Christ.

Then on Wednesday we gave our zone class, and so about half of our working week was taken up in those things.  My companion told me that consejo makes it really hard to work, and I definitely saw that, but either way we just kept on working, and we had one of the worst weeks numbers wise, but For the sacrifice of those few days heavenly father made up for it, and we had a great day in church on sunday.  We have a few familes progressing, and a baptism set for next sunday, and the sunday after, and theres a little miracle in there for the week after.  Exciting stuff.  

 

Ive also learned that being a zone leader sometimes is just being "chief Morale Officer" as my dad would call it.  But its honestly really fun, you learn a ton when you have other missionaries to take care of.  I feel like this is how parents have to feel when their kids wont do the right thing.  Or how God feels when we dont keep his commandments.

 

Besides that all is good.  We played jeopardy as a zone in the morning, and we went to a teleton hospital, where they take care of kids that have physical and mental problems, and we were able to serve there and help them out.  I love service.  For those who havent seen it yet, go to Mormon.org, and watch the video, and check out the ideas to become more like christ.  It´s nice to have a daily plan for these days before christmas!

 

oh also i have the coolest grandma in the world.

 

Love you all!

Elder Hodson

 

The couch pic was a collection of things we found in our house, and an ugly sweater someone gave to me.

We also saw my first converts, and they are officially missionaries in the stake center, and they have nametags and everything.

 

 

Week 64

Poza York

Well this was my first week as zone leader here in poza rica, and dang the learning curve of being a missionary hits hard as a zone leader.  Its honestly been a huge testimony builder for me to see how much of a difference the little things, and obedience in the little things make a huge change and a huge difference in the work. Its just the question of how can we help the rest of our missionaries see that and comprehend that.

But Im loving it here in poza rica.  Its hot as all death again, but im across the street from my first area here, so i feel at home haha.  My companion is awesome as well, his name is Elder Dominguez, hes got a really cool story.  Hes fairly new in the mission as well, he only has 8 months, but he has been a great missionary.  His Family got baptized about a year ago, but he has the light of someone thats been a member his whole life.  Aparrently his mom a few years back met his now step dad on facebook.  His dad lived in utah, but was working in the airforce on a base here in mexico.  Somehow they ended up dating, and after a short while getting married, and his mom and his sister got baptized first.  He was rebellious, and didnt want to join in on the fun, so he didnt get baptized.  His family started to pray and fast for him, and prayed that he might be humbled, and he was humbled, and humbled very well according to him, and took the missionary lessons, and was baptized.  He had a full conversion, and after a year, and lots of preparation hes here in the mission!  Its fun being with him, and we have lots of work, but lots of desires for this zone, and we are going to have the best zone in the mission.

I got here and thanks to the work of other missionaries, we had two baptisms!  They had been in teaching for about 4 months, and are really good people.  But ill include the pictures in the end. 

Besides that all is well, i love the mission, and Im having tons of fun.

 

Love 

Elder Hodson

 

 

Facebook finds!!

I love to find random pics of my boy on the Mexico Xalapa Mission facebook page!  Cute missionary!

Week 63

Zone Leader !

So this week was a combination of crazy stuff!  We finally got this area working on its on, and we have a few families in teaching, and I already fell in love with this area, and i got a call last night from our assistants, and its something i knew was going to happen, but i got called to be zone leader in the zone where i started my mission!  Its the ward thats in the same building where i went to when i was just a little greenie haha.  But im nervous, but excited!  Im humbled to be a zone leader, but happy that the lord trusts me enough to serve in this assignment.  The exciting part is ill be able to see all my converts and my old couple!

Besides that i spent 2 days dying in home, then on thursday i felt 100 times better and we could work!  And we basically made up for all the work we lost in those days, and we worked our butts off! 

 

Im sad to be leaving my son, but he is more than ready to go out on his own haha, hes been amazing, and is a great missionary, so im stoked for him.  

 

Besides that the work goes on i guess haha, every area is awesome, and im excited to be able to keep working.

 

Love you all!

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 62

Puercoespinos y Antorchistas

I think this has been one of the funniest weeks of my mission just because Donald Trump won.  But thats another story.

Well this week was another fun one, we worked a ton, and weve seen some good fruits.  On sunday there was a mexico wide conference, and one of our investigators dads was able to go with us, and he has had a huge change in heart.  Hes a biologist and has done some huge things here in mexico, and he said on sunday "i need to change my life and start seeing things with a spiritual eye instead of a science eye".  So were going to keep working with him.

We also have been having a little bit more success in a little pueblo, its really fun in pueblos, and even more when there are members to help, because everyone is happier in a pueblo.  

Still on my antihaircut as well,  im going for the thor look.  Or until i find a haircut i can actually use without my mission presidents wife getting upset with me haha.

 

On saturday we went to a random little place, and its a colony of antorchistas, or people that basically nag the government and hold rallies until the government gives in and gives them things.  Pretty interesting little place, it was in the middle of nowhere as well.

 

Also in another pueblo some investigators had a little porcupine, but i didnt grab him because he has lots of spines.

 

Ive been learning a ton lately.  I love learning about the gospel..  I love trying to figure out the things that dont make any sense and questions that are difficult to explain.  My teaching as well i feel like has progressed a lot, and my son is learning a ton.  Hes very humble, and easy to teach.  Theres another new missionary here in the other area, but he is still very very prideful, so we are "breaking his heart" in a scriptural sense.  I think one of the most important things ive learned in the mission is the importance of being humble when it comes to learning.  Becoming like a child.

 

Alls well in the promised land

Love you all

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 61

Mi Hijo Amado

Well this week was my first week with my beloved son, and let me tell you, training is the best in the mission.  Its so fun to be able to start over, and just learn everything from 0 all over.  It really helps us to be able to forget the things that dont work, and remember how to work like a newbie.

Its also really fun, and funny to have a new companion, just seeing what they say.  The other day an investigator asked my son "and whats your name?" and my companion responded, "joohn.... digo elder Morales." and got super red.  It was pretty funny.  But hes awesome, and and has great desires to work and baptize.  Its a giant responsibilty, and im tired as all tired can be, but working in the lords vineyard is the best job in the world. 

 

This sunday we only had two people in church, but the father of one of our investigators went to church!  He hasnt gone to a church in about 20 years, and i think he loved it a ton, but third hour one of those rough members went in the class and starting preaching about tithing, and abstract things, so its gonna be a little difficult to get him to not have a bad image about church.

 

It´s always awesome when members help out as well, this sunday we did divisions with members, and I think i found the new amulek.  He took us to the pueblo where he lives, and just started introducing us to everyone!  He really wants to build a branch where he lives, so were gonna help him out!

 

Oh also my hair is really long, because the mission presidents wife told me not to cut it.  Im going for the pantene look.

 

Alls well in the mission! Love you all

 

Elder Hodson