49 and a half........

You know you're in Hawaii when...

-You never say "hello" you only say "Aloha"....like seriously....I think I forgot to say Hello.

-Roosters fly at your car and it's a normal occurrence.

-90% of meals you are fed include rice.

-You have a slipper(sandal) tan on your feet

-You call sandals slippers :)

-Everyone's excuse for everything is "it's the VOG"....... but really a lot of the time it is the VOG!

-A gallon of milk costs like $6.00

-Little kids call you "Auntie"

-A "shaka" works better than a turn signal to change lanes.

-All of your sentences end with "Ya?"

-You stare at blonde people like "what is wrong with that kid?! they're glowing!"

Week 49- he'll put us in the right places at the right time

Monday: we had our zone p-day activity- tree climbing for the elders then we all went bowling. it was fun!

We had exchanges on Wednesday. The sister that I went on exchanges with is such a great teacher!! she really asks great questions that get people thinking.

When we were planning Tuesday night for what we would do on exchanges, we felt like we should visit a lady named sheri who had met with the missionaries before. But we had so many other people that we needed to see Wednesday so we decided to visit her on Thursday instead. We had never gone to visit her before but we figured out where her apartment complex was and right as we pulled into the parking lot we saw a lady from our ward getting out of the car with her toddler and little baby. She asked us if we were there to visit her. She went on to explain that she was getting kicked out of her apartment and she needed help. We dropped our plans for today and got her all packed up and loaded into her car, our car and one other brother's car. We drove to the storage facility and stowed away all of her stuff. She was so grateful that we had come and were able to help her. She told us that she had been praying for help, and then we pulled up! It is so amazing to see how Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. We would never have thought to visit her. but God knew that if we went to visit "sheri" then we would be in the right place at the right time to help this other sister. We don't have to know everything, but if we are doing our best to do what is right, Heavenly Father will put us in the right place at the right time to help those in need.

We are working with this great family from chuke! It is always fun in lessons because......well.....I don't speak chukeese! but It has been fun bearing my testimony then hearing it translated.....then they respond and I smile and nod then I'm like "wait....what did they say?" It's fun though!

We got to do a service project with our ward this week. We got to paint the outside of a nearby elementary school! We loved that! We also got to help a family in our ward to put dry wall in? they are rebuilding a room in their house? or adding on or something. So we learned how to be like bob the builder!

We got to go to Laie this week to go to the temple! I love the temple! It is so peaceful there:) and it's just beautiful too!

Love you all!!

love, Sister Hodgson

WEEK 48- I am super old and we hit a horse :)

This week was fun!!! Monday, my companion decorated our house all birthday-ee . It was super cute! Then, Tuesday was my birthday and we had our missionary district meeting....which turned into a party! The elders wore party hats, we sang, had lunch and cake.....the whole deal!!!!!! Then we went to visit some people. It was a good day. Then we had dinner with a great family and they had soft tacos (YAY!!!! We never get mexican food!) and chocolate cake! haha it was a great day! Then sister Richardson and I had a balloon fight (it's way more fun than a pillow fight)! So now i'm 20.....weird! 

On Wednesday, we went to serve at Pearl Harbor. We swept this huge deck on the ship! It was awesome. Then we carried choke mattresses down into the ship for the bunks down there. they were heavy!!! We made a chain and were passing them to each other. One elder threw a mattress to the next elder and hit him in the face with the mattress and he got a nose bleed haha:) Then we went on exchanges with the sister training leaders. It is always fun to see a different area and meet new people:)

It was great to see so many people at church this week!! One family that we have been working with, who haven't been to church in a long time CAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was awesome!

We met this great Samoan family this week who just welcomed us in and let us sit down and got us so much food and were so nice!!! haha there are just such hospitable people in the world!

Also I realized this week that I don't feel comfortable in houses with my shoes on anymore haha. some one was like "oh you can leave your shoes on" and I was like "thanks" and like two minutes later my shoes were off. haha I can't stand it....it makes me feel uncomfortable:) haha

One time this week we had to call our zone leaders and they didn't pick up their phone so sister Richardson left them a message that went something like this "Hi elders....umm, we....well, we got in an accident...umm...it's a pretty interesting one- well, we...we hit a horse. And we just don't know how to fill that out on the accident report form, so if you could call us back as soon as possible....the police are waiting on us. okay, bye." hahaha I love my companion!

Easter was wonderful! I am so grateful for our Savior, who came to this earth to live for us, and to die for us. I am so grateful that He lives again. Because of Him, we can all live again. everyone watch the Easter video on LDS.org. It's fantastic!

Love you all!

love, Sister Hodgson

WEEK 47- walking and hot pockets

well this Friday we had a car fast. so everyone in the mission parked their cars for the day and walked everywhere. they told us that it was to 1.) help us appreciate our cars more and 2.) to allow us to talk to more people on the streets. I think it was also 3.) to save miles and 4.) because we all need the exercise. haha it is hawaii:) So basically we worked around our apartment area in the morning, then had lunch, then headed to our other area which was a two hour walk away. it was fun. Then we walked all over the place to visit people and talk with people and have lessons. We went into the church to get a drink and use the restroom and we found hot pockets in the fridge!!!! so we had a small snack break:) haha that was the most heavenly hot pocket i've ever eaten! we we're super hungry and out of energy. Who knew splitting a ham and cheese hot pocket would save the day.

We are getting to know the area and the members. We can finally find our way around. The VOG is still bad, as usual, and it is making my companion very sick. So we've been working through it, but she's been pretty miserable:( poor thing. She is a trooper though, and always wants to keep working.

I am loving my mission so much! it is so hard, but there are so many moments of Joy. So , here's my random analogy for the week: The atonement is not only for our sins, but also for our mistakes and weaknesses. Take typing an email for example. I don't know how to spell pneumonia, Sanhedrin, Morocco, etc. but they are spelled correctly here only because of spell check! I do the best that I can, and then spell check makes up the rest. And that's what the atonement is like. We do the best we can and the Savior correct things, makes things right, and makes up the difference. So there is my cheesy analogy for the week. but it's something to think about...

sorry this is so short, but that's our week:) next week looks to be more eventful- we get to go to pearl harbor! yay!!!

-Love, Sister Hodgson

WEEK 46- Emergency Transfer and Gray washing

Well,  I never even know where to begin these emails........  umm so i cut my wrist this week....on accident!  We were cutting glass for service and i just slipped my hand too close to it and cut my wrist....but it's healing well now:)

Sister Fonua was sick some of this week too.  Then on Thursday, we got a call from president and he said she needed to pack her bags because she would be leaving at 8:00 in the morning the next day!  So we ran around and let her say her goodbyes then we spent all night packing her up.

We got a few hours of sleep, then headed to the airport.  I dropped her off and picked up my new companion, Sister Richardson!  She is so great!  We came out to Hawaii together!  We didn't know each other in the MTC because she is a visitor center sister, and had different training than I did, but We flew over together and got to know each other a little bit during the first few days.

She got in the car and I was like "well, I hope we can find our apartment!"  I have only been here for about two week, but a large portion of that time was spent in the pad, because my companion was sick.  So some people are considering this a white wash, but we have sometimes been calling it a gray wash because I know a little bit about the area.  But regardless of that, we still have TONS to learn!  We have NO IDEA who most of the people are, and no idea how to get to their houses.   We have made a lot of u-turns this week, and spent a lot of time trying to figure out the maps.  but it has been so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  haha we just laugh a lot and sometimes we're like "AHHHHH....we don't know what we're doing!!!" but things are working out.  We keep praying for the Lord's help that we will be able to learn this area and get to know the people.  It has been such an adventure and we are starting to know our way around now. so that's exciting:)

We got a call from the assistants and we were like "what's up?"  they said that they came into the office and saw that sister Richardson's picture was by mine and they were wondering if we had changed.  haha I guess it happened pretty fast.  The assistants to the president didn't even know!

Conference was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We watched it in the stake center... . . . . . .  .   .   . at 6:00am (which meant we had to wake up at 5....).  that was the least appealing idea, but it was TOTALLY worth it because I loved conference.

I loved all of the talks! 

Elder Perry- "Too often people think obedience as a passive and thoughtless following of the orders or dictates of a higher authority. Actually, at its best, obedience is an emblem of our faith in the wisdom and power of the highest authority, even God."

Elder Holland- "You may wonder if it is worth it to take a courageous moral stand... or to strive against much in society that sometimes ridicules a life of religious devotion... Yes, it is worth it"

Elder Uchtdorf- “Everyone’s situation is different, and the details of each life are unique... Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, even joyful, and even glorious. We can be grateful.”

The whole thing was amazing!
If you haven't gotten a chance to watch it yet- watch it!!!  and if you don't know what general conference is, check it our on LDS.org   it is really neat to hear the words of the prophet.  He speaks for Heavenly Father.  and it is spiritually uplifting, no matter what your religious background is.  Share it with your friends!
Love, Sister Hodgson

WEEK 45- an uneventful week turned eventful

Well Transfers went well! Monday and Tuesday, I said goodbyes to good ol' Waimea.( 6 months and two companions later)  Then Tuesday night we drove down to stay the night at the sisters' pad in Kona. Wednesday morning, at 4:00am, I got up and got ready and we drove to the airport. Elder Painter and I were the only two missionaries flying to Oahu, so we were travel buddies. The lines were so long at the airport and we almost missed our flight, but prayers are answered and somehow it was delayed a bit and we made it on!

We made it to Oahu and sister Fonua picked me up from the airport! It was so good to see her again! ( they lived in the same room in the MTC in Provo) We drove to the tabernacle and had a short meeting. It was fun to see so many elders and sisters! There are a lot of good friends that I haven't seen in a while, so it was good to catch up. Then we drove back to our area---Mililani!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday morning Sister Fonua got super sick. The VOG here is so bad! we are right in between two volcanoes, so it's understandable. The VOG has given her really bad allergies which led too a sinus headache which has just knocked her out. We spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday inside........... all day...... I read, exercised, cut my hair, filed & painted my nails, unpacked, cleaned, tried to learn Tongan, napped, just about anything that you can think of that a missionary can do in an apartment. hours and hours and hours of time...... SO hence the pretty uneventful week.

But, as promised, it did turn eventful! So Sunday, we went to church then came home and she lied down to take a nap because her head was really hurting again. she barely made it through church. But anyway, she woke up from her nap and was like "my side really hurts" she was having severe pain and so we were like "lets call the mission nurse and see what she thinks". we got a hold of the nurse and by this time she was in so much pain, so we were like "we're going to the hospital" we got in the car and started to drive. The doctor who is in charge of all the mission nurses in like northern California and Hawaii called and asked us some questions. Sister Fonua had reclined her seat and was breathing sharply and felt super nauseated and as we answered the questions that doctor had, he told us to just go to the emergency room down in Honolulu. and let me tell you, I drove like she was going into labor! (Don't worry, for me that's like 5 over:) but we finally made it there and I dropped her off and went to park. THERE WAS NO PARKING! Finally I found a spot- and I parallel parked. That in itself is a miracle. then I went to go pay the parking meter and it was free parking because it was Sunday! blessings! So I ran to the hospital, the mission nurse was already there with her. To make a long story short, she had like every type of test and scan that they can do there and 7 hours later, she was released with some great antibiotics.

She is doing much better this morning.

 The allergies though are still making her sick...I hope she feels better.  We are so happy to be together in this lovely place!  

Well, that was our week this week.

love you all! Helaman 5:12

 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

-Sister Hodgson

 This was them back in the MTC...reminding all of us the importance of mail for missionaries!!

week 44- "I have never been so happy to see a Samoan with a Machette on my porch"

So it was 12:30ish in the morning, and my companion was like "Hodgson, come here." I got out of bed, super confused but followed her to the front room. Then I heard it- the knocking on the door. I didn't want to assume, but I figured that it was the same guy who had visited us before. My companion pulled back the curtains, and YUP it was him. He said "open the door"...........No.......... I had that much figured out. So I just told him "we're sleeping right now. This is a bad time. Sorry." and we walked back to our bedroom. He kept knocking and talking to us "Sisters, sisters! I'm a poor wayfaring man! shame on you.....shame on you......" we made it back to our room and we were both shaking violently. We called our bishop- no answer. Our 2nd councilor- no answer. The elders- no answer.......then we called the elders again and they picked up. I was like "come over to our pad right now" "what? why?" (I can imagine that he was pretty confused) "there's a guy here at our door and he won't leave." so he said that they'd be right there.When the elders got here. they called and said they were outside, so we opened the door to find the Samoan elder wielding a machete......o my goodness......they're so great! so one of the elders stayed on our porch while we locked up all the windows and the other searched all around our house and the church property and made sure that he was gone. We felt much safer after that. But we sure couldn't fall asleep for a while:)

 

 There is a lady that makes "name tags" for the missionaries.  We can't really wear them , but they are awesome!

 

 We had a meeting with some of the ward leaders to go through the ward list this week.......5 hours long!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh boy!

 We have been tracting a lot this week, trying to find people who need prayers. We met a great family who had just been going through some old stuff and found a gift from the husband's late brother, and then the brother's favorite song played on the radio, then we knocked on the door a few minutes later. We got to say a prayer with them and share a little bit about Heavenly Father's plan for us and our families. They were really appreciative. It is neat to see how Heavenly Father will prepare people to meet missionaries and to learn more about the gospel.  

 

 It has been SO RAINY here! We go out and do as much as we can, then when we get so wet that people won't let us in their house anymore, we go home and change then head back out again. It has been interesting. I am so excited to be transferring to a sunny place!

 

 

This is Bishop and Sister Harriss.  they take such good care of us!!  I Love this family!

I have been packing this week, and I'll be flying out of Kona at 6:14am on Wednesday morning. I am going to Mililani with one of my MTC roommates Hermana F.

 I have started to say some good byes...these are my KAPUNAS  (The term has been stated to be the embodiment of natural respect . . . . a practitioner of aloha (love), pono (righteousness), malama (caring), and spirituality)

 

 

 

President Warner came to visit us this week. It is always so great to have him come!

until next week-from Oahu

Sister Hodgson

 Good by to Hawaii....."big Island".......Aloha!