WEEK 26-Yes...its geting cold in Hawaii!! and we are both staying here in Waimea!

So last night we were supposed to get the infamous transfer news phone call......but instead we got a text message informing us that president and the assistants needed to make some last minute changes so we wouldn't have news till today. But we already kinda knew who was leaving because everyone just called the airlines. And today the knews was confirmed. The last minute changes didn't affect our zone. So sis p ands I are staying in Waimea!!!!

This weeks questions:

What is your exercise routine? We try to run, and do some ab workout every morning. We have about a half hour and since we live right by the church, we can run in the parking lot, so that is super nice!
what is one goal that you have set for yourself in the mission...and how are you doing with it? I set the goal to read all of the standard works. I'm doing pretty well. I'm still plugging away in the book of Mormon. I have started the Old Testament. I'm almost done with the pearl of great price, and then I will start the New Testament. I'm saving doctrine and covenants for the end.

Describe what you see out of your window? A tree!!! and dirt....our window is dirty:) and from our other windows, we see a lot of dead grass. That basically sums up Hawaii. Believe it or not there is CHOKE dead grass here!

 So this week's food situation: I ate octopus. That was fun. Also, two nights this week we had two dinners!!!!!!!! What da heck! it was crazy! One night was planned because we already had a family planning to feed us, and then we scheduled a lesson with on of our investigators, which was turned into a dinner lesson. So for that night we knew to pace ourselves But the other night was unplanned. Our dinner appointment took us out to dinner at a restaurant!!! (And i got to have pizza for only the second time on the island! boy i miss pizza!) then we were so full and they even bought us a dessert. Then we were super full and we went to our after dinner lesson and we walked in the door and the investigator said "my son made dinner for you!" oh boy! on the outside we were like "wonderful!!! That's so sweet!" and on the inside we were like "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" anyway we just ate and ate and forced ourselves to eat and we prayed a ton that we wouldn't puke during the lesson , we were both okay! prayer works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we gained 5 pounds that day but we lost it already. 

We had a musical fireside after the Saturday night session of stake conference. The missionaries did our number of "Onward Christian soldiers and Put Your Shoulder To The Wheel" Sis p was the pianist and I was the conductor again. We love to sing praises!

The zone leaders car is in the shop so they needed to borrow a car, and we we're like "oh you can have our car. we'll bike" and they we're like "no we'll get the waikoloa elders to bike" and the waikoloa elders we're like "no we don't want to bike.....make the sisters do it!" the zone leaders were like "wow elders" and we all laughed at their lack of gentleman-li-ness. Then I was like "really, we'll bike. we want to!" and the zone leaders looked me right in the eyes and said "let me make this very clear- you will not be biking!" so we didn't get to bike. It's because our area is along a highway anyway, we tried.

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 We did a zone service project this week down on a ranch! We mowed and raked an orchard! We drove to the member's ranch then we piled into the back of her truck and she drove us out (about 10 minutes) on her property. It was super hill-y property so it was like a miniature roller coaster ride but it was so much fun! and it was so beautiful! just acres and acres of rolling grass hills.

We had our pad inspection this week. (MOM-don't worry, we got 100% :) 

and we got new hats from AUNTIE June

auntie June is a sweet old lady that we have been visiting. we talked about faith and then when we were leaving she gave us chips, bananas, bread and hats. she is so cute!! she made the hats herself!

 

It has been getting pretty cold up here so we turned on the two space heaters and my little night light was on and I was walking back to get into my bed and then all of a sudden the lights went out and the heaters shut down...... we totally blew out the power.. so I guess we're meant to be cold at night. haha. just kidding, I took a bunch of clothes from my closet and laid them out on my bed and I stayed nice and warm. And this week a family from our ward is moving so they gave us a bunch of blankets and we're all good now. I know that it sounds totally dumb to complain about being cold in Hawaii, haha but it's a little bit true, because it usually so warm, so all of the houses are built with really thin walls and no insulation and the only pjs I brought are short sleeve and not warm at all. Anyway, they said we should be able to see snow on the mountains in a few weeks. we're excited!

The zone leaders car is in the shop so they needed to borrow a car, and we we're like "oh you can have our car. we'll bike" and they we're like "no we'll get the waikoloa elders to bike" and the waikoloa elders we're like "no we don't want to bike.....make the sisters do it!" the zone leaders were like "wow elders" and we all laughed at their lack of gentleman-li-ness. Then I was like "really, we'll bike. we want to!" and the zone leaders looked me right in the eyes and said "let me make this very clear- you will not be biking!" so we didn't get to bike. It's because our area is along a highway anyway, we tried.

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-Sister Hodgson

WEEK 25-Diet Coke and Stick bugs

Monday: We played volley ball and rugby. I so super love Rugby!!!!!!!!! that WAS Monday.

Tuesday: We went on exchanges again. I went down to Kohala with the sister trainer. She is so sweet. She’s almost done with her mission. I learned a lot from her and we did my first chapel tour!

Wednesday: Still on exchanges, and we got to go to her ward's bishopric meeting!? probably the first and last time I'll ever be invited to a bishopric meeting. We were just in the foyer, bishop opened the door and was like "oh hey sisters! Come in." and we were like "who? us?" we looked around and since there were no other sisters...or people for that matter.....we assumed that he was talking to us. SO we went to the bishopric meeting. And for dinner this night, the lady gave us diet cokes to drink. I was like "Oh no.... not soda....OH NO.....Not diet soda!!!" that's like spot on exactly what mom said to avoid! and it had caffeine......boy oh boy.......my body probably thinks that I hate it.....sorry tummy.

We exchanged back Wednesday night, and ALSO I slept without a night light on!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That hasn't happened in a while. I am finally getting to be okay when it's dark again. It’s been almost three months since the incident and I feel much better about it all. Blessings

Thursday: I also slept without a night light on this night! Fabulous!!!!!! Okay and I got to try LAU LAU for dinner this night  (Lau Lau - steamed boneless pork, chicken or beef salted and wrapped in taro or ti leaves, is a favorite at many Hawaiian luaus.

....me no likey.

Friday: it started to get super cold here.....well let's get real. ….Super cold here is like 60 degrees, but when you have clothes for 90 degree weather, you feel a little ill prepared.

Saturday: We cleaned the chapel and the ward members were playing what we missionaries like to call "world music"- aka anything unapproved for us to listen too.........so, Shout out to justin timberlake singing while we cleaned!

Sunday: the primary program was today! so cute! I love when all the little keiki ( Hawaiian for baby)  sing and share their testimonies! and this night we had a HUGE rainstorm!!! We got soaking wet but really really enjoyed it! It was the first rain we've had in a long time. We are so glad the drought is over. The farmers were starting to get a little worried about their animals not having enough grass to eat.

 

Okay extra stuff: Daddy! the oil that you sent with me has been used for like a bajillion blessings. There are a few elders who don't carry oil with them, and a few that had just left it in the car when the blessing was needed. SO thank you for getting me all prepared with the oil.

Oh and this morning, we woke up super early to drive up to mauna kea! but the road was closed because of the rain so we didn't get to drive up all the way to see the sunrise. SO we just waited in the parking lot til the sun came up….beautiful.  . It was pretty cold so we were all bundled up in our own blankets and stuff. at one point I was so cold that I climbed into our trunk to get warm, then and elder shut me in the trunk! I was like "hey don't shut me in the..." and BAM i got hit in the head by the little metal bar that attaches the trunk to the car. He later told me that he was like "hmmm that's weird that she stopped talking so abruptly...I hope I didn't knock her out or something" haha no...but close. I have a cute little welt on my forehead now. but it's tiny and not that noticeable

 

. oh, and the elders that we picked up to carpool with, brought their pet....wait "mascot" (because missionaries can't have pets) so we drove up to mauna kea with a stick bug in our car. yup. it totally climbed onto my head on the drive up. and i'm pretty sure it's still in the car right now...oops.

well that's about all for this week.

Ofa atu!   ( Tongan for I love you)

-Sister Hodgson

WEEK 24- Halloween a temple trip and getting lost...again

Yay holidays!!!! Halloween was fun. We went down to the Kona trunk or treat! It was at the Kona stake center right by the temple! it was neat. We handed out candy and pass along cards!! Thanks family for the streamers and pumpkin decorations- we decorated the trunks super cute! At the end this little tiny ninja kid came up and gave me a rock.....i guess he had seen everyone else giving him things and wanted to return the favor. SO CUTE! so I got a rock for halloween.

Any way, skipping back to earlier in the week: we went to the temple on Tuesday! That was wonderful!

 so then we went on exchanges, so sister p went down to Kona, and another sister came up here to Waimea. It was so great but pretty hard!!! She is a brand new FOB (fresh off the boat) from Tonga. Her English is pretty good though. She's been out for 3 weeks now, and I am not used to this area yet so it was pretty intense.... we were lost  part of the day, but we actually got a lot of work done! It was fun to hear about all of the cultural differences and I learned how to say "the church of Jesus.." in Tongan. I was trying to learn the whole thing but i didn't get very far.

When we drove down to Kona to switch back companions it was super dark outside and  we somehow missed our turn I guess so I was like "I have no idea where we are....we might be in Kona, or we might be in Hilo (which is on the opposite side of the island)" and it was all country road so there was no place to pull over and ask. Finally we found a small store and pulled in and we were like "where are we?" the lady told us that we were in kona ---good!--- then she gave us directions to the airport. We were on a road parallel to the road that we needed to be on, so we just had to drive about 5 minutes down, then we were on the right road. After a few minutes, we were driving and beginning to wonder if we hadn't understood the directions well, then we looked up and saw the temple all bright and lit up off in the distance! We were so happy to see the temple! so we just drove towards the temple (because that's where the stake center is) and somehow we made it!

Yesterday we came home to find a HUGE box of yummy food on our porch!!! there were a ton of veggies and fruit and it was just so amazing!! and we have no idea who it is from! We feel so blessed and we have prayed many prayers for whoever our wonderful food angels are.

-okay so Church is different as  a Missionary…we invite a whole bunch of people, we greet everyone and remember things about them and host a ton of conversations! we want  to say good bye to everyone after words....we have to remember a bunch of names, We try to make sure that everyone is having a good time and that everything is running smoothly( people know where classes are etc)....it's pretty crazy. Also I am starting to pronounce and spell things weird, like how they would be spelled in Hawaii....It's pretty funny.

oh and one more thing. It is super weird to fast on a mission, because the rules or cordiality dictate that if someone offers you food- you eat it!! no exceptions! It doesn't matter - you eat it. or else you offend them. So one of our investigators brought out a cup of chocolate ice cream that she had prepared for us......hahaha and yes, we ate it.... I tried not to smile to much:)  must find balance

Also, the addresses in Hawaii are ridiculous! We have someone that we are going to visit, and their address is listed like "the 17th house on the left with a blue roof and a maroon truck"......no joke….that's pretty common.

well, I love you a bunch and seriously am so excited to chat at Christmas!!

Love, SIS H

Week 23- shaving cream and fast offerings

Aloha!

Monday: we played shaving cream capture the flag for pday! it was super fun!

Tuesday: We met with choke  people ( apparently an island word meaning a LOT or a bunch , she uses it a lot )  but  I think the most fun was the lesson with L and A. the last time that we met, we taught them the word of wisdom. They took it well. They understood all the benefits and blessings that come from living this commandment. That being said, they still would have to face their addictions to smoking. So this night, some elders and our ward mission leader came to give them priesthood blessings. It is so wonderful that that extra help from heaven is available. Also, I think it was today that I discovered the importance of kneeling during prayers. I was super tired and about to just lie down in my bed and say my prayer like that, but I decided that it was important to kneel. As I was praying, I opened my eyes to see a bug crawling across my bed towards me!! I killed it and finished my prayer.....so always kneel to pray so that you don't lie on a  bug.

Wednesday: our sweet little 10 year old, C, passed her baptismal interview!! yay! Also, we met with RB who is now a recent convert!! woohoo! We mentioned that we would be getting ipads soon, and then afterwards, he said the prayer and said "please bless that the ipads will get delivered to the sisters as soon as possible, because I know they are very excited about them". We learn a lot from RB about how to be sincere in our prayers and not just repeat phrases.

Also, we went to check the mail this night. Interestingly enough, we were going to check it last night but we decided that it would be better to get home on time. Then there was a part of Wednesday that was kinda tough. that's when we went to the post office, and I got 7 letters!!!!!!!!!!!! it was exactly what I needed.  it's fun here that all of the mail goes to the mission office first and missionaries in Honolulu can check and see if they have mail when they go to the office. well, apparently, my best friend in the mission is serving in Honolulu now because he went to the office and must have been looking to see if he had any letters. He saw that I had a ton of letters and he wrote on the outside of one of the envelopes "congrats! you got choke letters!" and signed his name it was super funny!

Thursday: we started teaching a new guy named S

Friday: There was a young single adult dance at the chapel tonight. It was weird to be sitting in our pad hearing worldly music. we turned on our efy songs and hymns, but in between our songs we caught snip-its of what was playing at the dance......Justin beiber still exists....I would have been fine without the reminder. ( one of the drawbacks of living so close to  the  church  J  )

Saturday: we went service tracting. That is where you go door to door, in regular work clothes and ask people if there is anything that you can help them with (yard work, dishes, washing windows, etc.) and before you leave you offer to leave them with a prayer! It is super fun!

Sunday: We got to watch the "hastening the work of salvation" broadcast again. it is so good!!!! Everyone help out your local missionaries!

We have seen so many people helping us, especially this last week. As a missionary, we are not expected to pay tithing (because we're not earning any money) but we are expected to pay fast offerings. I was behind on paying mine, because I had "been busy", or was like "i'll pay that as soon as we get more money on our cards" but I really felt like I needed to stop making excuses and just make the donation. I grabbed some cash and filled out the form and mailed it to bishop. And wow, talk about a tried and true formula: you pay your tithing/fast offerings and you get BLESSINGS! In Malachi 3:10 it says "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Well, I can testify to you that this is a true promise of the Lord. We have been given so much food this week, we can't even eat it all before it goes bad: salmon, rice, quinoa, sausage, pasta, salad, another salad, pumpkin, granola bars, pumpkin pie, and ice cream, the list goes on! We are truly seeing the blessings that the Lord promised to us in Malachi.

So never ever ever forget/postpone/neglect to pay tithing and fast offerings. the Lord keeps His promises and He will send blessings for trusting Him enough to pay it even when it looks like we won't have enough.

Love you all!!! Happy Monday!

-Sister Hodgson