Talk About March Madness

Well, it was a good week! I discovered a couple of things. First off, I realized how much I don't know about taking care of sick people. Sister LeFevre caught a bug and was out a couple of days with the flu. This is my knowledge of what to do when you have the flu: sleep and maybe eat toast if you feel up to it. I went a step further and gave her come medicine since she had a fever- ibuprofen, cause it says fever reducer on the bottle! Bro Curry, my ward mission leader, called to check up on us and informed me that ibuprofen was not good enough, I needed Tylenol or Motrin. And I needed to be on alert day and night so that when Sis LeFevre woke up I could make sure that she drank LOTS of fluids and took the prescribed medicine. So, I did. I may have gone a little mother-bear on her when she would wake up in the middle of the night, pointing my unseen finger at her in the dark, demanding that she take Tylenol and drink lots of water.

 

It also brought up a lot of free time in our apartment. Without internet and literally only 4 different books to read plus scriptures and church magazines, I chose to de-clutter the house and I got lots of good Book of Mormon reading time in. It was super.....not too exciting.

Another realization I made was that it's March Madness! Not cause I realized it's March, but cause everyone and their dog likes to keep us informed on how Kentucky is doing in the tournament. I may have already been waiting to hear how they would do against Wichita State and may have overheard lots of cheering when they beat the undefeated team! I can only imagine what Thursday is going to be like when they go against Louisville! Oh man. Seriously, it's going to be a mad house in the state of Kentucky. Talk about rivals.

Anyways, it's been a great week in the wonderful state of Kentucky! Hope y'all have a good one!

Sister Hodges

Kentucky In March

There’s a verse in the Book of Mormon that has taught me a lot this week. Alma 57:25 “And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.”

 Back up story: So, this verse is talking about the 2,000 Stripling Warriors. Young men who had chosen to fight for the liberty of their families in place of their fathers since their fathers had made an oath with God to never fight again. These young men are some of the greatest examples of faith over fear, and trusting in God. Alma 57:25 gives the status of these young men after a battle. The verses I usually reference to when reading about these Warriors is in earlier chapters after their first battle, when not one of these young men were slain. This verse is a later battle where it states that none of them were slain again despite their many wounds and loss of blood. The connection an Elder had made with this verse was that these warriors could have easily emphasized the fact that everyone had been wounded, some even fainting at the loss of blood, but they chose to see the greater miracle, that everyone had survived. Missions and life can be a lot like that. We can easily get caught up in what seems to be major set-backs and miss the great miracles that God has blessed us with.

On another note, Sister LeFevre and I had a great week! We got a few good days of nice weather, till yesterday when it decided to sleet and eventually snow. Hello Kentucky in March.

Another thing we always forget to take into consideration when Sister LeFevre and I are knocking doors that comes with March is the UK basketball schedule. Let's just say people do not have time for missionaries knocking at their door when the games on!

On one of the nice days, we met a guy named Lucas outside of the library. Turns out he'd been taught by missionaries before in another town in Kentucky! He told us that he already knew that the Book of Mormon was true. We got to meet with him again yesterday and he told us that the happiest he had ever been was when he had been going to church before. We're excited to meet with him more and help him start learning from us again.

 

Sister LaFevre and me

 

Us with the Winchester sisters

(Sister Airmet, 2nd from left, was one of her previous companions!)

 

Delicious Philipino food Sis LeFevre made me :)

 

 

 

Back to College

Life has been crazy! I got transferred from Olney, IL to Morehead, KY! You would think it would be easier after doing this for the third time now, but a piece of your heart always seems to stay where you served. Sometimes I hadn't even realized how much I had grown to love an area until I have to leave it. But If there's one thing I've learned here it's that change is always for the better when it's something the Lord wants or needs you to do. And that's proven right this time. My new companion has taught me so much! Sister LeFevre (Le-fever) is a awesome missionary! She's only been out for 3 months but if no had told me that I would have guessed she'd been out longer than me. She's a convert who was baptized 6 years ago. We've had a lot of different life experiences but we're still almost like the same person. We have SO much in common! It's crazy sometimes. Like even the fact that we both like just butter on our waffles. With that, it's been pretty great being companions with her. 

Morehead, KY is a nice little college town. It's been a little weird having so many people my age everywhere and being around college life again. We are teaching a few college students, which is also different since their lives are so busy and crazy. Talking to college students on the street is interesting too. At that age you don't know if your going to get someone at a point in there life looking for something or someone not interested at all in spiritual things. It's an adventure. The other day we ran into someone who was one of the people that seemed like he was looking. He was nice chill guy who, when we asked if he had a belief in Jesus Christ, replied that he was trying. We shared a scripture from Alma 32 that expounds on faith and how if we can have "no more than a desire to believe let this desire work in you even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words." He seemed to really like that scripture and hopefully we'll be meeting with him soon. 

Have a great week! 

Sister Hodges 

March 4, 2014

Dear Mom,

 

I get the whole snow thing in March! It's snowed like crazy here on Monday! Hence the me not e-mailing since the libraries were closed. I can't wait for spring! But I do enjoy the whole not having a million bug bites and sweating all the time, so I can live with the vice. That's so awesome that a member of the 70 was at the ward today! Those men are awesome. Sounds like there were some good talks given! Bridgette's play sounds super good! And Randy is still tearing it up it sounds like! Alma are some good chapters to be in in the Book of Mormon! Rene, the lady who was baptized while I was in Olney, LOVED Alma! We came to her house one day and when we asked how her reading was she had read like a bajillion chapter a.k.a. like over half Alma and was almost in Helaman! It was crazy, but she just soaked it all up! She said she couldn't put it down! The Book of Mormon is so awesome!

 

And I LOVE that quote you sent me! Bro Curry aske me when we first met what the most important thing I had learned on my mission so far and at the top of my head I said my priorities and that quote goes to perfectly with it!

 

This past week has been really good! It's nice to be in the area a little longer. I still can't belive it's already been 2 weeks! Time is flying! I've been able to meet more of our investigators and got to know some better. And I've gotten to know some ward members better too which is really nice. There are some really good people here. We've had dinner at a young couples house, the Jex's, twice now. They're super nice and Brother Jex like to tell stories from his mission that he served in Pocatello, ID. He loved it. Almost as much as he loves talking about it. They're really funny, and his wife is super nice and cute and they have the most adorable daughter named Hazel. She just turned one.

I also got to go back to Jessamine this week! This is the second time I've gone back to an area I've been to before so it wasn't as weird this time. It was cool to be back in the Nicholl's house! I even saw Momo, the cow dog. I got to teach a couple of people I've taught before. I got to speak to Sister Siletta on the phone. She was a recent convert when I was in the area and I LOVE that lady!! She is wonderful. Her family is wonderful. It felt so good to hear from them. It was nice to have that day to be back. I also got to spend the day with a sister I'd never met before, Sister Bayles. She's awesome! It was fun to get to know her and spend the day with her in Jessamine.

 

So, nothing too exciting happened this week, but it's been a good one. I'm trying to focus on relying on the spirit more this transfer. We watched a video about feeling the Holy Ghost and it quoted Elder Bednar saying "We should remember... that the covanent promise is that we may always have His spirit to be with us." I love that "always". And it's true. It's just about how well we're listening and following it's promptings. Sometimes it's hard. Especially when I think I have it all together and I realize that it's not about how refined my skills become as a missionary, I always need to be relying on the spirit and be willing to say what I'm prompted to. That's when I know that I'm saying what the Savior would. And that's what touches people's heart's and brings true lasting conversion. "It's not about convincing people's heads, it's about converting their hearts."

 

I love you mom! I will be forever grateful that I was blessed to have you as my mom, which sounds cheesy, but it's true. You're amazing.

 

Love love love you!

 

Love,

Sister Hodges

February 24, 2014

Mom!
Well, it's been quite the week. A LOT of adjusting. It was pretty hard the first couple of days. I thought I would have it down by now, transferring and all, but I guess not. But, it's okay cause change is hard and hard times build you up, so it's really been a blessing. Heavenly Father has helped me through it. Like when you and dad sent me pizza, OH MY, talk about an answer to prayer!!!! I was feeling SO overwhelmed and so out of place! And I prayed for strength so that I wouldn't break down and then the doorbell rang! And we were REALLY confused and I was like let's just answer it and it was manna from heaven!!! In a strangers hand in the form of pizza. It was like that story that Pres Monson told at the relief society broadcast about the woman really wanting homemade bread and receiving it. THANK YOU. It meant so much to feel that love and support from you and dad and awareness from Heavenly Father.

After being here for a week I feel great here. Sister LeFevre and I have gotten to know each other a lot better and we have so much in common! Like we were both setters, captains, play basketball, love food, want to go to Greece, etc. It's awesome. And she's such a wonderful missionary. She's only been out three months but she works really hard and is really dedicated and focused which is awesome. She has a bachelor's degree in communication and she is wonderful at socializing. She's awesome.
That's cool that Bro Curry got a hold of you! He's nice. He said that you and dad talked me up a lot so I have a lot to live up to haha. I can tell that he really loved his mission. I've heard a missionary story without fail every time I've seen him. He went to Rick's and dad said the two of them get along which is nice.
I saw the pictures of Miss Quincy Grace!! She is beautiful :) I can't believe Sam and Kelly officially have a baby!! Crazy, I forget sometimes and then remember and I'm like WHOA!
Sister Airmet is in my district now!!!!! Whoooo!!!! Did you know that Sister Airmet's mom sent me a card, candy and subway card for my birthday?! She's like the nicest lady ever and I've never met her!!! I need to send her a thank you card for sure.
Anyways, sounds like Randy is a bomb.com wrestler!!! What a stud. I'm happy seminary is going good too!
Well Mom, I sure do love you and you're support and love means the world! I love you so much!
Love,
Sister Hodges

"Manna" 

Janna with Rene

With Sister Ellsworth and the Thaxton's