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

 

 

 

Week 60

Training!!!!!!!!!!!

I think the most exciting phone call ive gotten in my mission happened today!  We were just casually studying, and the assistants called me to tell me that I will be training this upcoming change!!!!  This week was really rough, but that call just made it all better!  So today is my official pday because on monday i will be going to recieve my little son.  Im honestly so excited, and humbled by the opportunity.

Besides that this week was kind of rough!  But its all good.   We didnt have too much success this week, and sadly one of our investigators wont be able to get baptized for a little longer, because of some past problems, and honestly that has been hard for me, but its all good, we are going to keep on working with him.  

 

Im really excited to be able to work with a new, because training always has tons of miracles, and this should be a super fun change! 

 

But thats about all, i wont be able to write until the next monday, so keep us in our prayers, i need to baptize weekly!

 

Love,

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 59

Ciudad de Café

Well one more week here in the great pueblo of coatepec.  I love it here!  Ive been having a great time here.

This week was good!  We have been working a lot more by the church building, but i feel like that area is a little overworked, but were going to keep looking around.

 

Our golden investigator carlos keeps on being golden.  We managed to contact his entire family as well.  They are all equally as weird hahaha, but theyre awesome!  The dad apparently 40 years ago took lessons with missionaries, but still isnt convinced, but he has started his search.  They are all very accepting, and so far have fulfilled their commitments, so thats always exciting.

 

On a sad note, saturday we were going to baptize, but 0 members showed up to the baptism, so instead of having a really depressing baptism, we decided to move it.  Im honestly a little upset, and just embarrased for our investigator, but he didnt seem too upset.  Its been hard for him as well to make the sacrifice for the gospel, but he is willing to keep pushing on. 

 

My invintation to everyone at home is not to be a sunday only member, and to learn that the gospel is every single day. Especially in these last days, everytime i hear whats happening with our two candidates for president, it just is a showing that the second coming is near.  And like my president says im going to the celestial kingdom, but the question is are you coming with me? So make sure youre all ready for that day.

 

Love you all!

Elder Hodson

 

 

Week 58

Conferencia de Estaca

This week was awesome!  Im finally into the position where i actually know the area, and have it set in a better way.

This week started off great!  We found 5 news on tuesday, so we put ourselves in a much better position.  We found one guy thats 25 years old, and he is the definition of what a convert will be.  He let us in, and understood everything perfect.  When he heard that we have a prophet today, he couldnt be happier, and basically was signing up to be baptized.  Hes a little bit weird, but he is excited to be able to change his life.  He went to stake conference, and our mission president was super excited to see him as well.  Im really excited for him.  The day after we taught him he went to the catholic church, and told them they were wrong, and he is never going back there!  Its gonna be fun to teach him.  He really is a huge blessing.

We also had interviews and some special changes with our assistants, so this week was a little hectic, but were back to normal.

The work is moving along now, im planning the bauticambio, i should be able to do it here.

In stake conference, the stake president talked about the requirements to live in the celestial kingdom, and they really arent easy requirements, so all of you at home, think about what youre doing today to prepare to become like god, and to live in the presence of a celestial being!

Love you all!  

Elder Hodson

 

The pic with the random stranger was a drunk guy that was telling me we were basically twins, and that i was black hahaha.  Oh we had a quick little basketball match, and the court was a little dirty.

 

 

Week 57

General Conference

This week was a hard one !  But the workis the work.  Tuesday we were getting everything set up for a pair of investigators to get married, and later that day the husbands father had a heart attack and passed away.  He has been having a rough time with that, and as a result he went back to his old ways of drinking to cover the pain. So we have to work really hard with him to get things back to normal,  I really hope we can help him to see the importance of baptism to his salvation, and the future salvation of his father.

I think the hardest part of teaching the gospel is getting people to give up traditions of man for teachings of God.

 

We also had a baptism that was set for sunday, but the joven´s parents got very upset with him, and basically locked him in the house, and lots of problems with his parents because of gossip and false doctrine about the church.  But we are going to be like alma and baptize is secret haha,he is 20 years old either way, but it was a let down this sun.

 

On a good note CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING. Lots and lots of bashing on the members haha.  Hopefully the members here took something out of it.  Something i learned was we judge people when we shouldnt. I have said "no lets not bring that member, bc ive heard he is crazy." and i am denying them the opportunity to preach the gospel.  So we are starting to visit all the members and getting their work hours to be able to bring them to lessons, and show them how unuseful itis to contact, instead of references.

 

Thats all for this week, i love it here!

Elderr Hodson

Week 56

La Gloria Celestial

 

Well one week here in Coatepec and i am absolutely in love with this area.  i swear its been everything Ive been waiting for my whole mission.  basically everything i have complained about my mission doesnt exist here haha.  It´s cold here, basically that sums up a lot.  But the work here is going real nice.  We have a baptism this sunday, and the sunday after, and hopefully we have a miracle for the 16th, we have a family for that day, but its not set completely yet, but ill talk about her in a sec.

Its been great this week though, we hit the ground running here, and im excited for that.  Its the first companion in a long time that hasnt been dead, so thats exciting.  He literally takes talk with everyone literally, and i absolutely love that!  Its something i havent been good at, but he just talks to everyone, no fear in that little man.  

 

My district is great as well,  I have the two assistents, and elder santos(my old companion), and his companion.  So its really fun.  I dont have to pressure them either which is nice, we are setting up what we called a bautidistritomes, where each of us baptizes every week of the month of octuber.  Its a huge goal of mine that i really want to work out,  so we are working super hard for that.

A really cool experience happened to me this week, i think it was thursday.  In the morning i had studied D&C 29, and it talks a lot about the plan of salvation, but verse 39 really stuck out to me in the morning and it says

 

39 And it must needs be that the devil should tempt thechildren of men, 

or they could not be agents untothemselves; for if they never should have bitter 

they could not know the sweet—

 

So I read that in the morning, really liked it, kept on studying, and yeah.  Later that day we had a lesson with someone that i had yet met, and she is great.  her husband is member, and they have two children who are yet members, but they have had some huge problems in their marriage, and she has been struggling a lot.  So we started to teach her, and I decided I would share that same scripture with her, and she really was touched by that scripture, so we invited her to know the sweet.  Still hasnt accepted baptism yet, but she came to church even though she had other plans set, and she was sitting with her husband.  I cant explain it well, but it was a huge testimony builder for me because i had yet met her, but the lord was preparing me to be a tool in his hands.

 

Besides that all is happy, im going to chilis tomorrow, so im super happy.

 

Love you all!

Elder Hodson