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!

WEEK 43- Priesthood blessings

Mommy Questinos:
are their trials or things you learned when you are younger that you use now in the mission field.?

yes. just anything that I ever went through that was hard prepared me for now. In fact, I even think the easier stuff prepared me: everything that I have experienced up till this point has shaped me and made me more able to handle the struggles of life. And the things that I haven't learned yet, I am having to start  learning now. but something that I am learning is when we are experiencing something difficult, we can pray and ask Heavenly Father what He wants us to be learning from this.

tell us about your zones: ...it's a big island so we hardly see each other. but we have AWESOME zone leaders!!! Like Moroni/ Nephi status!

This week was good but tiring.

My companion is still feeling sick:( headaches, etc.

We went around and visited a lot of ward members with one of the sisters on the ward council, so that has been fun.

We even did some service in the rain.  A lady was sick and needed to weed the taro field...soooo...yeah getting some service can make you smile!!

It has been really cold here! But we have our heaters and blankets, so we're okay.

We went to go visit one lady this week and she just hugged me so tightly and said that she was feeling so sick. She can hardly breathe! I think she has asthma and allergies and used to smoke so her lungs are not working properly. We sat down on the couch and then she slid down to the floor and just laid her head in my lap and cried. She felt that my feet were cold, so she pulled my foot into her lap and warmed my foot up. she kept holding my legs and kissing my knees and crying. I was embarrassed at first. but I knew that the didn't want to hold my feet because of anything that I , Rachel, had done, but she wanted to hold my feet because I was a missionary. It was a really humbling experience. the people here are so humble and loving. we called and some brothers in the ward came over to give her a blessing. It was really neat. by the time they got there, she was coughing nonstop. literally. she couldn't even talk anymore. but as they gave her the blessing, she was able to breathe, and by the end, she could say "thank you brothers."

AS I thought
back about that experience, I realized that I am so grateful for the Priesthood, so that people can be given blessings. and I love the humble people of Hawaii!

sorry this week's letter is so short! love you all! Transfers next week....????

-Sister Hodgson

 

PS mom thanks for the new outfit...new clothes are fun , you start to get pretty tired of the "same old same old"

Week 42- the book of Hodson

The book of Hodgson

-An account of SIster Hodgson. Her journeys in her days of preaching amongst the people of the isles of the sea.-

Chapter 1

Sister Hodgson journeys to the land of Kona. She Finds strength in the Lord. She is joyful in her labors in the land of Kona. She humbles herself and returns to Waimea.

1Now behold, it came to pass that there began to be much contentions and disentions amongst the sisters of the kona zone, wherefore it became expedient for the leaders of the zone to organize an emergency exchange.

2And it came to pass that on the morrow, behold the exchange did commence and I did make her journey to the land of Kona, to proclaim the gospel there with Sister Lebaron.

3And behold, I did find great joy and gladness in the work of the Lord in the land of Kona. For behold, the work did prosper amongst the people there. For the sisters who had gone before did work with much dilligence, and with exceeding faith.

4And when the time that was beforehand determined for the exchange to end, behold, the leaders did find it expedient to continue the exchange. And I did remain in the land of Kona all the next day.

5And it was the evening of the second day since I took my journey to the land of Kona, when the leaders of the zone sent out a proclamations amongst all of the missionaries in the land that there would be another exchange which would commence that evening.

6Now behold, this did gladen my heart, yea, verily, I did proceed to shout for joy at these glad tidings. For behold, I had found great joy in the work of the Lord in the land of Kona.

7And it came to pass that Sister Uasila'a-vaha returned to her home land of Kona, and verily, she was exceedingly confused at the things which had transpired over the past two days.

8For behold, she had been in another land, and did not know of all the things which did come to pass in the land of Kona. Therefore, it became expedient for me to account all of the things that sister LeBaron and I had seen and heard in this land. And Behold, I was also exceedingly confused, because I was not well aquianted with the land of Kona.

9But we did rely on the Lord to strengthen us in accomplishing His work. And behold, we did see much success in the land, and found much Joy in the Lord our God.

10And we did sing praises unto Him all the day long.

11And when the time came for my journey back to the land of Waimea, my heart was exceedingly sorrowful. For I had grown to love the people of Kona, having spent four of my last eight days in this beautiful land.

12But behold, I knew that I must return to the land of my residence, to fulfil all that the Lord should require me to do there. Therefore, I did find need to humble myself, and put forth my trust in the Lord. For He had hitherto shown unto me that His ways were higher than my ways. Therefore, I did make my journey back to the land of Waimea.

haha that was so much fun!!!

So I love Kona to pieces! it is warm there and the sister there work so hard- like no luch break status!!!!!!!!!!! it was fantistic!!!!! I learned a lot on the exchanges. Our sister training leaders are awesome! Oh, also we got to go running down ALI'I drive which was fantastic!!! I haven't been running in forever. Sister Willis is still sick, but she went to the doctor this week and got some help. SO that's the gist of this week.

Love,

Sister Hodgson

week 41- Boxes

This week went by very quickly!!!

On Tuesday, we had district meeting. For the motivational activity before the district meeting started, some elders had set up a game of "water pong" ......it was actually super fun! haha

 sis willis and I won.!!!

..... it was nice because I got us all rehydrated......then during the closing song a few people had to get up to use the restroom:) fun stuff.

Then on Friday, we had Zone conference!!! and finally, on Friday, our shower got fixed!!!! Yay no more cup showers!!!!!!! President talked about how we are all in this "box" of missionary work. we can move around as freely as we want inside the box, but we can't go outside of the box- break the rules. He talked about how we all slip outside of it a little bit here and there, and what we need to do is get back inside. But when we get Way outside of the rules and do something crazy, then we get put in the "not trusted" box....and he drew a little tiny box. He said that is where he puts you with a companion that he knows will watch you closely, and you get "babysat". He talked about how we can repent and change and eventually get back into the big box- the trusted box. But it we're not willing to do that or if we are still being crazy, then we get into another little box....and he drew an airplane on the chalk board. That's for when people get sent home. So we all laughed, but it really was a good point. It is a special opportunity to be out here and we don't want to blow it by breaking all of the rules. Rules are there to keep us safe. Heavenly Father gives us commandments so that He can bless us as we keep them, and so we can be happy.

 

here is a picture of our DL and sister Willis and I :)   ( being happy :)

Saturday was exchanges! I went down to Kona with sister UV. It was really fun! She is such a happy and positive person! I love being around happy people. it just makes me......happy!!!! So that was fun- and hot. Kona's hot.

Sister Willis has been pretty sick these past couple of days. She has been really good at just pushing through it, but yesterday she was exhausted! So our day consisted of ward council meeting, church, a lunch appointment, then coming back home. She needed a  nap. Then we went to see three little girls' baptism, then we went back home and she napped a little bit more. poor thing has just been so sick! we did our studies then had dinner and went to bed. We are going to take her into the doctor tomorrow. They think part of it might be that our house is old and moldy....so we'll have to see!

Aloha loa

-Sister Hodgson

WEEK 40 - a broken shower and starving people

First she freaked me out by sending this...we thought she had cut her hair!   just trying to cool off by pulling her pony tail up!

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This week we had some good teaching opportunities! First of all, one of the young women invited her friend to an activity with all of the girls, then she introduced her friend to us. Her friend has been reading the book of mormon and is in Alma. (that's pretty far in!) So we will get to talk with her more this week and teach her a little bit more about the gospel!

Also, we went tracting last week and met a nice lady named  R. We set up a time to come back and when we came back we got to talk to her and her husband. It turns out that some elders had helped them to build their house years ago. So they know some things about the church. We talked about how God has always called prophets, and how we have a prophet on the earth today who holds the priesthood just like the apostles when Christ was on the earth, just like Noah and Moses and Abraham. They really were interested. We asked them to pray and ask Heavenly Father if all the things that we talked about are true. I love that so much, that everyone gets to find out for themselves- they don't have to take our word for it, but they can ask God and get an answer directly from Him!

Well, we found out that I am the designated driver now, so that has been fun!

I get teased for driving the speed limit by most,  but its the sacred tithing that pays for these cars ....I would rather error on the side of caution.

oh, and our shower is broken! so no water will come out of the shower head...only out of the faucet.....For the past couple of days we have been filling up a cup with water and just pouring it on our heads repeatedly...it has been fun and cold. but I think they are coming to fix it today! YAY!

We had a lesson with a guy named J. We talked about how after the death of the Savior and His apostles the true gospel of Jesus Christ, in it's fullness was not on the earth. We talked about how the world was in an apostasy. "Behold the days come...that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and [people] shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." -Amos 8:11-12. We talked about how the people were hungry for the gospel. They were thirsty for guidance and truth. He said that he felt like that a lot in His life. We know that this gospel, the church of Jesus Christ is what fills that hunger.

We had an opportunity to fast this week, and there was a time when someone was eating in front of us. I can tell you, that that lasagna looked yummier than any lasagna I'd ever seen! And I thought to myself that the way I felt about that lasagna way a type of how people feel when they don't have the gospel in their lives. There are people all around us who are spiritually starving. some of them don't even know what they are hungry for- but it we can give them something to "eat", I know that they would be so thankful. How is it that we never forget to feed ourselves each day, but we forget to feed ourselves and  others spiritually all the time. I am guilty of it too. But brothers and sisters- we have the lasagna!! We have what fills that hunger. And there are many good, wonderful people who are "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it". We aren't here to force anything on anyone, but we are here to offer and to share what has blessed our lives so much. So share what you know and love! Live what you believe! and invite people to learn more about Jesus Christ-

Love you all! Our Savior lives, and our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us!

Aloha

-Sister Hodgson

PS We love the Kona temple!

week 39- no one is home and the Lord loves us!!

MOMMY QUESTIONS:
The most memorable thing that I have eaten is called Laho, or Lahos.........it's basically........I don't know how to say this in the most politically correct way......... Cow testicals......yup... just fried. freshly cut from that morning.

one of the most memorable things that I have done is still hiking Pali lookout at night on the fourth of july with our zone. We kept losing our shoes! and the blind elder tripped/slipped less than I did haha. it was a steep, muddy hike! The view at the top was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you could see kaneohe and the road to honolulu. It was awesome!

What I have learned from having companions is when you are both concerned for the happiness of the other, and are willing to make sacrifices for each other than you will be able to get along. I have also learned that as we pray to the Lord, and ask for charity, He will bless us to be able to love ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have also learned that the people that I enjoy being around are the ones who encourage me to be my best self, and I want to be that for others too.

Aloha!!!!!!!!!!!!  So this week we got sister P all packed up and went around so she could say her goodbyes, then we drove down to Kona to stay the night.  The night before sister p and I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep because of packing.  Then Tuesday night, the sister training leader and I got like 4 hours of sleep, and the others got about a half hour..... then we drove to the airport. We got everybody off then we had more cars than companionships staying on the island so like four of us had to drive cars by ourselves and then there were a few who had companions. It was a crazy early morning, then we drove up to Waimea and I got my new companion.

She just came over from the other side of the island.   She didn't even have to fly, but she made it here!  She and I love to quote movies together, and we are learning a lot from each other!  She is from Alabama and she said I have a good fake southern accent! haha, but we keep practicing just for fun.  ( she is the one in the EATING pictures )

This weekend like 90% of the people we went to visit were not home!!!!  It was less than exciting, but we are hoping and praying for more success this week.  

Well, I have been learning a lot about charity this week. I love in Moroni chapter 7, verses 45-47 it says:

 "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."  

I have been trying to take the attributes listed here one at a time and work on developing them in my life.  It has been fun to see how Heavenly Father gives me opportunities to work on each one.  Heavenly Father is so interested and involved in our progression.   As we come to Him with our weaknesses, He will bless us to be able to make huge strides of progression.  He can make more out of us than we could ever make of ourselves.    I love this poem, I don't remember exactly how it goes or who it is by, but this is the gist of it:

"my life is just a weaving between my Lord and me.  I cannot chose the colors- He weaves so skillfully.  Sometimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.  Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly will God unroll the Pattern and reveal the reasons why.  The dark threads are as needful in the weaver's skillful hands as the strings of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."    

It is something like that.  But I love the concept.  He knows who He wants us to become, who we can become and what He needs us to experience.  He will bless us and help us along this journey.

I know it!

Love, Sister Hodgson