Mission Zone

Mission Zone

Monday, June 30, 2014

Week 17

Dearest family and friends,

How is everyone doing?! Hope all is well in the states! I heard we are fighting with Russia for the north pole? How funny. Dont they know that Santa Claus is German? haha silly world we live in. 

So this week was great! A little disappointing. We were supposed to have the baptism of 3 this week, but the day before hand their parents said no. The ridiculous part is they dont live with their parents. they live with their aunt. THEY DONT EVEN KNOW THEIR PARENTS BIRTHDAY!!! It blows my mind that they can abandon their children and have nothing to do with their lives, but can stop their childs progression. But besides that, this week was great!
Tuesday we woke up at 330 and went to San Pedro, where we had a conference with Elder Ochoa, a member of the area presidency here in central america. It was really great. But i have a funny story about it. We were told to prepare a 5 to 10 minute talk about Faith and repentance. Of course I decided that sleep was more important than preparation, so I just thought of a few scriptures and went to bed. The next day, I really didnt want to lug around my heavy spanish BofM and Bible, so I just brought my english mini scriptures. As soon as we got into the meeting and sat down, I knew. I turned to my friend Elder Zhingre and said "If I talk, Im gonna need your scriptures" Lo and behold, the assistant to the president called my name to give a talk in spanish in front of a general authority, my president, and 200 of my peers. needless to say I was nervous. but the spirit helped me and all was well. I actually spoke about my little brother Hunter! I spoke about the miracle that occurred in his life and for his repentance and conversion! I cant tell you all how proud I am of my little brother Hunter. I know hes going to be an amazing missionary. Now I know that me being sent home from my mission was not just to help me but to help Hunter as well. My testimony was strengthened this week so much by my little brother, thousands of miles away! 

This week was incredibly quick and it is scary how fast the mission is flying by! My favorite experience this week came this Saturday, as we sat down with an investigator named Nicoll, who we have been teaching for 4 or 5 months. She is a SAINT!!! She was introduced to the church by her boyfriend, Ramon, and she is 16 years old. Her parents refuse to sign for her baptism, but it doesnt discourage her. She hasnt missed a sunday since Ive been in this area and right now isnt just studying the scriptures, she is FEASTING upon them! Shes in 2nd Nephi, and she made a poster of 2nd Nephi 4:28 which happens to be my mission scripture! She is noticing tiny details about the Book of Mormon that neither Elder Perdomo and I have noticed (for example; Nephi had sisters). We are trying our hardest to talk with and serve her parents, and we have faith that she will be baptized. Its hard to see someones eternal progression halted by someone else, but her faith is unwaivering and its a great lesson learned. 

The mission is wonderful, the blessings are innumerable, and the happiness is incredible.

Love always,
Elder Hodson

Photo: My home made gym. gettin swoll, Honduran style.


Week 16

Dear family and friends,

This week was scary fast. Quite frankly this week was hilarious. I had plenty of first this week. SO I have 3 funny stories this week.

1- Weve been teaching a women named Abigail for about a month. Shes hilarious. And she apparently read up to alma 47 in the Book of Mormon. Shes 31 years old I think. But this week she had the chance to have a coyote take her to the states so of course she left. But before she left she asked me to marry her when I come home from my mission. It was pretty funny. I answered politely and said that marriage if very sacred to me and I dont play around with it ahah but after that lesson it was apparent that the only thing she has wanted from us was a visa to the united states. pretty sad, because I know shes gonna end up living in the streets because shes lazy and living in the states is expensive. oh well! 

2- I have too much confidence in dogs. haha we went to a members home for dinner last night. they have a dog. they said he was friendly. so I tried to pet him. he didnt like it. My first dog bite of the mission. But dont worry hes up to date with all his shots so I dont have rabies haha I need to be more careful I know. Im not the dog whisperer I thought I was. haha

3- The power went out in basically all of Honduras for 12 hours one night this week. Went the power goes out at night we have to go back to our house. So E.Perdomo and I played 4 hours of UNO haha it really "strengthened our companionship" ;) haha 

So my favorite story this week is about a man named Yasil. Hes my age and has a baby and a wife. He prayed to know if the Book Of Mormon is true, and received and answer. Hes quite awesome. Something simple but awesome happened this week with him. Because the power went out, he didnt eat dinner the night before. nor breakfast the morning of church. Now, when something like this happens, usually the person wont go to church. But not Yasil. It didnt matter. He still went (wearing a pair of my pants, Im already starting to get rid of my things) and really enjoyed. I can feel how bright his future is in the gospel. People like him are what the work is all about. Bien vale la pena. 

This morning I read elder Hollands talk from conference. I regret not being as bold as I should have been in defending my religion before my mission. I exhort you all to read his talk again, and apply it in your life. Always love the people you talk with, but show your love for the Lord through defending righteousness.

I love the Lord. And I love my brothers and sisters here in Honduras.

Elder Hodson

Monday, June 16, 2014

Week 15

Family and Friends!

So the highlight of this week was definitely the fact that we had a baptism! My very fisrt! Her name is Milagros Vivas. Shes 15 and weve been working with her for about a month and she is quite amazing. In simple words, shes a girl of a few words and very humble. Before her baptism I really didnt know why she wanted to be baptized other than the fact that she really enjoys church and the young womens program. But now it is evident that she really knows its true, solely for the spirit she feels. She even escaped her house one sunday morning after her mom was incredibly angry with her to attend church. After her baptism she got up and bore her testimony about how she bore her testimony to her mother about how she needs to be baptized and that she knows the church is true. She also said that she knows that her mother will be baptized the next month. So yes, she isnt a scriptorian with incredible knowledge, but her humble testimony is real and it has strengthened mine so much. 

Basically the whole week was an anxiety attack getting ready for the baptism. 

A good story for you all,
We have been working with a girl named Egla, 23 years old. She was baptized a long time ago but theres no evidence of it and shes been innactive for years but is now returning to the church and will have to be baptized again. Her boyfriend sat in on a lesson with us. He used to be quite active in his evangelic congregation. It was funny how in the beginning we could tell he was looking for something to contend with us. But as we talked with Egla about purely the gospel of jesus christ he couldnt find anything to contend with. We shared a few scriptures from the Book of Mormon that he thought were from the bible, and when we told him that they were BofM scriptures he looked so confused, because what he had heard was true! He attended church with Egla this week and was interested and attentive the whole time, and is very interested in the Priesthood. It was a great testimony builder for me. I love the painting of christ knocking at the door. There are certain points of doctrine that "knock louder at the door of the heart" than others. Still, the door to our hearts can only be opened from the inside. Christ is outside waiting, knocking, but there is no door handle outside. 

A great scripture for you all 1 corithians 2:4-5. As missionaries, nobody has to believe in our words. Just in the spirit. We are not here to persuade people, we are here to speak and teach with the spirit. 

The work is great! I love the mission. "Bien vale la pena" probably my favorite phrase in spanish.

Love you!
Elder Hodson

Photos: 1 Milagro and another 8 year old who Elder Perdomo baptized. I gave Milagro the Holy Ghost at church. Nerve racking but awesome.
2  A mango the size of my head!!! haha We eat so many mangos its ridiculous.
3  The difference between my MoJo (only 4 months) and E Perdomos new mojo
4  My incredible sunburn from the beach last week. I hope this pictures brings some laughs!!! haha



Monday, June 9, 2014

Week 14

Dearest Family and Friends,

How is everyone? Hope all is well in each of your lives. I pray for all of you always!

This week. Wow. I cant tell you how wonderful it was. We worked our butts off this week and taught 30 lessons. I am tired. And I am so happy. The sweet spirit we enjoy is so worth all the sweat and tired feet. Right now we have 13 people with baptismal dates. And theyre all very firm investigators. Ill have the wonderful opportunity to be here for all of their baptisms. I hope. We got a new rule that every missionary will be in their area for at least 6 months. So Im excited to stay here for a while. 

Today was an AWESOME pday! We went to the beach this morning! Played Soccer and Volleyball with our zone. the mission is so awesome. So fun. Yeah we couldnt go swimming but it was awesome to be on the atlantic ocean for the first time in my life! And I got to play frisbee today. it was so awesome. My arm hurts. I took pictures, dont worry, (Mom ;) )

So we had an incredibly spiritual lesson this week. Our investigator, Margot, referred us to her son, Yasil, and his wife: His nephew was killed 2 months ago. They were like brothers, and before he died, he was always telling his family to seek for God. Ever since his death Yasil has been searching. Every time hes invited to a church he never feels the desire to attend. But in our lesson he stopped us to tell us this story and that He really feels the need to attend church with us and to read the Book of Mormon. My testimony keeps growing stronger and stronger that those who are searching really will find it. Then that night Elder Perdomo and I had an amazing talk about obedience. It was so spiritual. He is very obedient, he just struggles with the want to be obedient. It was amazing to help him see the real joy in obedience. He also has had a struggle with the doctrine of the plan of salvation and why God would send us to the earth if he already knew which of us he was going to lose. Weve talked on this topic almost everynight the last 2 months and finally, the spirit was able to testify to him through my words that we couldnt progress in the life before this one. That progression is why were here. Yes some of us wont live in gods presence in the next life, but that the progression we enjoy here and the presence we will enjoy in the next life were worth the risk to us in the life before this one. Our talk was incredibly spiritual and life changing.
The gospel has been restored. The plan of Salvation is perfect. I know that I am on the Lords errand. I love you all.

Elder Hodson
 


 
 
 
 

Monday, June 2, 2014

Week 13

This week has been super fast and slow and great and weird. I guess this is the life of a missionary! All the emotions in one that all equals out to pure happiness!

Its raining good and hard here right now, and it is literally raining mangos. Gerardo and Nikol, the brother and sister weve been working with forever, have a giant mango tree in their backyard with the best mangos Ive ever had! Theyre so amazing, soft mangos, not hard. You can poke a whole in the skin and drink the fruit. But as we teach lessons there we have to dodge mangos as they fall from the sky. Its fun and a little frightening when they make no noise through the tree but come down and smack the arm of your chair haha 

So life is pretty great here. We got weights in our apartment finally! NO MORE PUSH UPS!!! haha Im pumped! Working out in the morning is actually fun because I get sweaty so my ice cold shower doesnt feel so terrible. Ive forgotten what warm water feels like. Thats gonna be a weird change when I come home! haha But thats a long ways away, and its coming scarily fast. 

So E.Perdomo and I had the chance to be in the primary play program this week! It was quite fun. We were guards to the pharoah, who is one of our investigators. The boy who played moses is our other investigator. Theyre cousins and are both 11. Them and their family are progressing so fast! Their mom/aunt just wants a good church for her family to grow up in, and they love attending church! Its awesome! I have no doubts that theyll be baptized soon. 

So my testimony has grown tremendously on how the gospel really brings peace to the lives of people who have experienced trauma. An investigator named margot, lost her grandchild. Another investigator named maria, her husband was robbed. Both of them said the same thing. That as they read the Book of Mormon and listen to our message, its as if their problems never happened in the first place, and for that moment they feel real peace. I know that only the Gospel can bring real peace in this terrible world we live in. I love being able to see the peace in people eyes. It was incredible when the gospel changed my life, and now I have a chance to change the lives of others. Its as if I get the chance to feel the way I felt over and over. I love it. Im so grateful for my past trials and that Im here now. Im grateful that I was already converted to the gospel before my mission because it is helping me so much here. Im not wasting any of the Lords time. 

Lifes good here. I love you all. Share the gospel! 

Elder Riley Hodson