He's on the back of the Program!

This is something Riley has been looking forward to!!  One of the Canyon Gate Ward Missionaries!

Week 4

So time is moving abnormally fast. I feel as though I wrote home yesterday. So just a heads up. If you want to wrrite me. Write on sundays. That way regardless of my pday I can write back to something haha I think I got 2 emails this week haha but its not a big deal. Honestly I dont know what to write about!!! Life is great. I cant believe these latinos are already leaving. I feel like I hardly knew them compared to our first group. I cant wait to get out into the field!!! I love it here. But I think Im gonna be a million times happier in the field. Its really weird. All of our investigators in the ccm are just for practice, but I still feel so happy when they finally receive an answer! And I know its all just practice! So I cant wait to see what its like to actually teach real people who are ready to receive the true restored gospel!!! So last week we heard from the oldest member of the quorum of the 70. Elder Amado. Hes being released at general conference. Hes been a member of the 70 since 34 years old. Hes been a 70 longer than hes been alive!!!!!! Crazy! But he was awesome. He looks like hes in his 50s. Acts like hes still in his 40s. He told me I have a nice suit haha I really enjoyed his talk. It was just about getting us excited to be out in the field.

 

So Im really sad! Were losing one of our teachers this week because shes going back to vegas to see her old converts and then going up to general conference. We all love our teachers. Theyre all amazing. One of our night time teachers is only a year older than me but just got home from his mission in salt lake. Hes hilarious. Every piece of advice he gives us, he always starts by saying "If you learn this, it will change your life. And you will baptize thousands." All while holding up his pointer finger like an apostle. I think he'll end up being a general authority down here.

 

So last night, I really decided. I want to go to bed every night in the mission, 100% exhausted from working my butt off. Every morning Im gonna pop out of bed and Im going to commit to be the most dilligent missionary I can be. Im going to baptize every week on my mission.

 

So tomorrow we get to leave the CCM and go on a tour of guatemala city! Im super excited. I should be able to take pictures, so Ill send some home next week. Hopefully haha. Dont worry. I look the same. Im not losing or gaining any weight.

 

Love you all. Youre in my prayers. Share the gospel with everyone you meet. They might not accept. But who cares?

 

Elder Hodson

Week 3

Dang. Its so bittersweet. When youre working hard and are happy, things go fast. But when youre happy, you dont want them to go fast!!! Thats why Im excited about living in the eternities with our father in heaven. We'll be so happy, and we never have to worry about how much time we have left.

 

So week 3. Its been a good week. First of all hangers are the best invention. I never have to iron my shirts!!!!!!! Its awesome. We got new latino roommates this week and I miss our old ones so much. The old ones were always in bed on time, very funny, and never woke up before 615. These new ones are all good guys, but they want to wake up at 6 for no reason!!!!  haha But its all good. Theyre fun still.

 

Being Zone Leader is fun. But it feels like im babysitting most of the time. But hey. Whatre you gonna do?

 

So our teachers are turning up the heat on us as our investigators. They are really making us work and prepare and then will throw a giant curve ball into our lessons. Its good to stretch and improve and know how to handle those stressful situations before we enter the mission field. I think the hardest for me since ive been here hasnt been the language, or nervousness to talk to people (we all know I love to talk). For me, its been so difficult to learn how to ask inspired questions. Im terrible at listening to the spirit! Its definitely been humbling to figure out that I need to shut up and let the spirit talk. But finally, last night, I was able to ask an inspired question. It felt great to be able finally hear him speak to me. Im grateful to be able to have this weakness, so that later it can become a strength. Now I just wonder what my next struggle will be.

 

Elder Miklia and I are finally really close. Were constantly teasing each other. We struggle a little in lessons because Im a nervous talker and when he gets nervous he gets quiet. But we laugh all day long at the stupidest things. He got made DL when I got made ZL so we both are always super busy.

 

This week, I finally understood Christs teaching "behold the lillies". God grows the lillies, he feeds the birds, he clothes the grass, and are we not far greater than all of those things? If we put God first, and then after serving him, we work hard, he will take care of our physical needs.

 

Well. I love you all.

Elder Hodson

 

PS. I taught the elders here how to play 4square for real. And Im still the king. Ill never be stopped. hahaha

Week 2

So all the days mesh together and I feel like I just wrote you last week. I dont know what Im gonna say so this letter might be short.So the reason Im writing today is because I get to go to Walmart tomorrow and we wont have time to write. Pretty pumped about getting out of el ccm for a few hours! haha  As of tomorrow my district will be the oldest district in el CCM. All the other gringos will be leaving! I get made zone leader tomorrow, which means absolutely nothing. haha I love being a missionary! Theres nothing better! Spanish is coming along great. So today were on an english fast. Its gonna be awesome to go a whole day in espanol. I love how much we are forced to speak spanish here because all of the latinos only speak spanish so it helps a ton.

We now are teaching two investigators. the hardest thing for me as a missionary is finding peoples needs. Finding how the gospel will bless their lives. But Im getting better and better everyday. My companion is much better than I am at that. Even though we know our investigators are fake, the spirit that we feel in the lesson is entirely real and it feels so amazing to be able to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel!

So my district is amazing. Weve all grown together and laugh constantly with eachother. Which is weird because we wouldnt hang out outside of the mission. Maybe I could see 2 here or 2 there hanging out, but being a district of 7 always together, you quickly become best friends.

My companion and I got to teach our sunday school class with all the english speakers yesterday, and we didnt prepare till like 10 minutes before because we totally forgot we might be called on. But we still did really good! The spirit definitely helped us. Goes to show how much easier teaching in english is right now!!! haha but we'll get it.

 

One funny story before I go. Last week after we wrote emails we went out to the sports courts and all the Latinos were playing volleyball and basketball. So as we walked in I announced at the top of my lungs "LOS GRINGOOOOOOSSSSS" and they all cheered and welcomed us in. The latinos love joking with the gringos. haha

 

Well. Lifes good. I love it here. The spirit of the Lord is ever present. Im striving to always be willingly obedient and dilligent. I love you all.

 

Elder Hodson.

First Letter!

I breathed a sigh of relief when this email came the next day... knowing that he had arrived in Guatemala safe & sound and that he was doing well did this mom's heart good!!
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Soooooooo today has been crazy!!!! But I am super excited and I love
the Guatemala CCM!!! My flight over was absolutely terrible. Couldn't
sleep at all!!! Too uncomfortable. And plus there was a giant hispanic
bear next to me snoring haha Guatemala City is absolutely gorgeous!!!
PERFECT weather too. On the way to the CCM I saw two hilarious things,
a bus so overflowing with people they were hanging on by the windows.
Then I saw a motorcycle and the passenger was holding a pump shotgun.
I laughed really hard. Everyone rides motorcycles down here. And
theyre all crazy drivers! ha The CCM is SO nice! nice tile everywhere,
nice comfy beds, the real deal! I like it better than provo for sure.
The food is actually amazing. We had real carne asada tacos for lunch.
Super delicious. The mtc is really small, and theres only about 15
"nortes" (gringos). The MTC president is super awesome, hes got some
weird rules but hes really nice and will get to know all of us 6
weekers. They let us take an hour and a half nap after breakfast.
Super nice. My companions name is Elder Miklia. Hes 18 (Im the oldest
missionary here!) Hes pretty quiet and mellow but hes a good guy. I
think ive already offended him a little by my bluntness. Ill win him
back though. Spanish is awesome, but my portuguese is messing me up!
Ill make the change though. Ill work hard to become fluent as fast as
possible! My teacher is awesome, shes from guatemala and served in the
Las Vegas east mission. She let us play basketball to help learn the
alphabet! my district is only 7 people which is super nice. I dont
even feel like I ever left the mtc a year ago! I feel absolutely
amazing and I love being a missionary even though its only been a day.
I love you so much!
              Elder Hodson

Drop off at the Airport

Family Dinner & Goodbyes

LOVE this family of mine!!

 

Setting Apart

 

although Pres. Gutierrez gave Riley his original (Portugese) name tags (which he has on here), he actually left with Tanner's name tags.   Tanner went home & got them for him later on this evening & said they needed to & were meant to go to Honduras.  A very tender moment.

Last Minute Temple Trip with Mom & Dad

Goodbye's to Milo & Reese

One Last Adventure

Skydiving... (crazy boys)

Reinstated!