Week 71- ...and sometimes it rains......

Sorry for the short letter last week….we went on a hike!  This is a picture of our zone….

Except for the 4 elder son Malaki island…they skype in for meetings J

So this week has been  much better. I love President Warner! He is always so helpful whenever any of his missionaries are struggling (well he's always so helpful all of the time, but especially if you are struggling! ) I got to talk to him on the phone this week and he gave me some great help and advice.   It is still very warm here but we LOVE our island.  Lahaina ROCKS!

We have a new Senior couple the Beddards- they are awesome!! They work with Less active members of our ward and  inspect apartments and a little of everything!

So we went tracting again this week. Which is always fun because here in Hawaii people have like 4 or 6 front doors (not even kidding!) I'll have to send a picture some time. But it is expensive to live here so sometimes there are like 4 families in one home. so any ways, tracting is like you walk up to the house, knock on like 3 doors then just step back so you can see if any one answers any of them haha. it's fun! 

Also we started teaching a lady named  V........ya so that's cool because she doesn't really speak english and we don't speak Spanish. and she can only meet in the morning and the people in our ward that speak Spanish can only meet at night so we have had two lessons without a translator! haha. So we do a lot of reading. The first lesson we read the introduction to the book of Mormon then I was like "ummm......el libro de mormon ...is......from... padre celestial?....ummmmm.......it is otro tesimento de Jesu Christo.......ummmm....read it..........it will make you felice? and ummm help your familia. " she was like "si" GREAT! so "oramos?" hahaha

This is the girls : Sister Mitchel ( the greenie), me, sister Beddard , the sister on exchanges with me and sister Harris.

We have a new Senior couple the Beddards- they are awesome!! They work with Less active members of our ward and inspect apartments and a little of everything!

They took us out to lunch on Friday. they are so sweet. They gave us homemade chocolate chip cookies and pocket size scented hand sanitizer with sparkles in it... that's like all of my favorite things at the same time! it pretty much made my day.

we got to teach the sweet older lady from Persia again this week. and we helped her to clean her house afterwards......we were in our church clothes again (of course!!) but it is just always so funny to be like scrubbing floors and mopping etc in a dress....It makes me feel like Cinderella! but I try not to sing as much as her so I don’t annoy people haha.

This week we have been teaching a great sister, S. She has been reading the book of Mormon and says she always feels so good when she does. She said that she is not much of a reader but she is doing great with the book of Mormon! She came to the Womens conference on Saturday. if any one didn't get a chance to watch that, go watch it!!!!! …it was awesome!!

Also, one day this week, my comp and I came home for lunch and she took a little nap. Whenever I have time alone, it is a good opportunity for me to pray and ponder, so I was saying a little prayer and I looked up to see outside on our porch it was raining!!!!!! I love the rain and it hardly ever rains here! so I went out to the porch and just enjoyed the rain. It was a nice little reminder that Heavenly Father loves us! and he cares about us! And he always gives us reminders of is love. For me, that day, the rain was just a little reminder that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and cares about me. He loves each of us individually!

Love you familia!

-Sister Hodgson

Week 70-Sometimes life gives you a few lemons....but hey, at leastlife is sharing....so that's nice. lemons are nice... :)

So we only have like 10 minutes to email today. long story..... (other people's agency...sorry)

Some transfers are harder than others…but it always works out!

but the work is great!! I love this ward. I love the people here! this island is beautiful (and hot) I love this work. I love the Lord. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary! It is Beautiful here in Lahaina  !

 I really don't have time to say much but don't worry about me, I will be okay. I just keep telling myself,         “ some days you need to find joy in the journey” 

please keep me in your prayers. I feel your prayers already. thank you for your letters. they mean the world to me.

But really, why am I complaining! I have a roof over my head, food to eat (not like that is ever a problem in hawaii haha), and a family who loves me so much! and even though you are far away, I have my Heavenly Father to talk with every day. So. sorry for my complaints....but that's really just whats on my mind now....no use in hiding it. I have never really been shy about my emotions anyway! haha.

well, I love you so much. Sorry for this pitiful letter :) I feel much better now though:) I love you all loads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I miss you very much! but I KNOW that I am where I need to be.

love, your baby girl, Sister Hodgson

WEEK 69- Giving it to the Lord

ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHA! so this week has been crazy! Seriously!

so on Tuesday we got a call from president that sister H's new companion would be coming in on Wednesday. then I would be able to train my baby! yay!( Here in Hawaii most sisters got to the VC so to actually train a proselyting greenie is a real privilege!)

Then Wednesday night, we picked up the new sister. Then Thursday I was with my baby and we had a FANTASTIC day! Everything was splendid. We finally had some normalcy.

Then Thursday morning, we were doing our studies and we got a call from the other sisters saying that the assistants had called and wanted us to change companions. I was no longer going to be training! We were super shocked! The only reasons that a trainer and trainee get separated (that I've heard of) are 1. if the trainer is abusive (verbally or physically) and 2. if the trainer is very disobedient! And I really thought that I wasn't either one of those. ….anyway, they took my baby and gave me the other sister. They explained that my baby and I both had driver’s licenses and the other two sisters did not so they needed to have a driver for each companionship.

We spent like a day and a half in totally confusion. We were waiting to hear from president if this was really the news. Well, the zone leaders talked with president and president said that he really felt like I was supposed to train her, but that would put the other two sisters walking instead of driving....so president said the decision was up to us. So we met with the zone leaders and the other sisters late Saturday night and had a little meeting. They basically said that we were all going to discuss it and make the final decision tonight. It kind of felt like tribal council from survivor.  We discussed it then they gave us a few minutes to pray about it. We all walked out to our back patio and stood there by the beach. We took time to ponder and pray then we all gathered back again to make the final decision. It was really hard, but we came to the decision that the work would move forward more quickly with two cars. So, I chose to give up my baby. It was kind of sad. But we know that we did the right thing. It was actually a very spiritual experience for all of us. We learned a lot about sacrifice, and being willing to give anything up for the Lord and His work. I know it kind of sounds dumb, but really training is a HUGE thing in the mission. This week was hard, but I am thankful that the Lord gives up opportunities to learn how to trust in him. 

  It was really a spiritual time because I was so excited to train, and it is an honor here.  This was my only chance to full train and I got a great comp with a great desire to work hard and President said that he really felt inspired to call me as her trainer. …..but after we made the decision to give her to the other sister to train I felt really strongly that It was never intended for me to train her fully. I think that she was just given to me so that I could learn about giving up things that are really important to me, for the Lord and His work. So this was a tough thing for me( hope that does not sound silly)

So now I have another companion! She is so awesome!! I'll send pictures! We have a blast together. She’s from Tonga and she's been out 3 months.

Oh, and guess what?! Do you remember the awesome book of Mormon reader guy from my last area? Well, He got baptized!! I am so happy for Him!! He has such a solid testimony of this gospel and he lives it!!!

Love you all! Sorry this is late and short. We went on a great hike!  It is SO beautiful here!!

Ofa atu!!!

-Sister Hodgson

week 68- I have turned into a camel

BUt really....I have turned into a camel. I drink so much water here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like never before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's amazing! I don't know where it goes!!!! but it still seems like I'm always parched. well that's maui for ya!

The struggle has been real here, but we're figuring things out! We taught a LOT more this week, and we are getting to know more of the families and the roads haha. this one family that we are teaching is a  mom (not attending church) a  dad  ( who is not a member of our church) and  2 children. the daughters are memorizing scriptures, and the older one attends seminary every morning and they are working as a family to get more involved with the gospel and to get that back into their life. I is always amazing to see the changes and the joy that the gospel brings to individuals and families.

I love the people here! Everyone kisses everyone like all the time. IT's just the greeting of the culture. shaking hands is so mainland. So I am just afraid I am going to get back to the mainland and introduce myself to people by kissing them on the cheek and then I'll be totally embarrassed and they'll be confused and it will be super strange for everyone who is around.....ya....so watch out when I get back!

I met this nice old guy this week and I invited him to learn more about the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and he politely refused. So I asked him what religion that he was. he told me that he channels light. then he held his hand up by me and said "see, I channel light". then he stopped and smiled and said "You've got a lotta light lady!!!!" haha made my week! it was super cute!

sorry that this week's letter is short. I emailed a lot of individual emails this week. fam bam I'll write you a handwritten letter. I gotta let my baby get on the computer :) love you tons!!

ALOHA!

-Sister Hodgson