Crazy week this week!! But when have
I ever NOT started out an email
like that?! Haha thus is life on a
mission!! 4th of July was GREAT!!
So fun. I'll send a few more
pictures but we had a blast! Hope you all
did too. We got to go visit the Kemmers,
they're the SWEETEST “mature”
couple in our ward. Love them with
my whole heart!! But it was a great
4th :) (-FOURTH OF JULY
SHENANIGIZING! thanks for the fun package mom)
This week was a little blurry to be
honest!! Poor Sister Fletcher was
pretty sick this week :( she's such a
trooper though!! Still made it
out to works some and I got
time to go through almost the whole
ward list and map out where people
are, who to go see etc I think the Lord
knew that I needed to learn how to
love planning..(remember our lesson on loving to plan...).and I actually got super into it! Praying about the people, looking through old
records,
finding out things about these names
that we've heard about, etc.
we're super pumped to go out and try
some of these people this week!
This week with some of the quiet
time, I got some time to really dig
into the Book of Mormon more which
was so awesome! Gosh I love that
book so much. So so much. One of my
favorite talks ever is "Stay by
the Tree" by Elder Pearson of
the seventy.
Begin again to prayerfully study the
Book of Mormon and live its teachings every day, every day,
every day! I testify of the profound
power in the Book of Mormon that
will change your life and strengthen
your resolve to follow Christ.
I can testify that that promise is
true! The Book of
Mormon is a heart changer and a life
changer. I've seen it change the
lives of those who have never truly
known God. I've seen it change the
lives of those who knew God, but
have fallen away and I've definitely
felt the power and influence that it
has had in my life and the change
that has happened in me.
It was amazing to see M this week
and see her smiling face tell
us as we walk in the door
"guess what! I read the Book of Mormon!!! It
was so good!!"
When we first started meeting with
her, she mostly wore sweats, had the lights in
her house off, the door closed, only
opened it to a secret knock so
she didn't have to talk to people,
etc.( remember my maazing comp “just happened” to knick the right knock)
But then she started to know God.
She started to gain, bit by bit, a relationship with her Savior.
She started reading the Book of
Mormon, (not just her AA book like she
used to) when she needed a lift. And
this last time we came, her
lights were on, her doors and
windows were open, she was visiting with
a friend and she was smiling and
laughing. She told us she feels like
she has reasons now to live, to do
good things and to build
relationships because she knows that
there is more to this life than
just wasting time and existing. She
knows she has a purpose. THAT, my
friends, is what this gospel does
with us! Worth it? Yes. 100% yes.
One other amazing story from this
week is Jonathan. So Jonathan. He's
been doing so well! But he's been
feeling like he doesn't really have
a place in the church. He feels like
he likes different things,
doesn't know as much as other people
in the church, etc.. He just
needs to feel like he has a place
and a purpose. So last week I
mentioned we talked about doing
family history with him right?! So we
went on Tuesday. Oh my. Talk about
finding purpose. Afterwards, he was
on FIRE! He was non stop talking
about all the people he found, the
family that he connected with, the
person that he feels like he found a great purpose.
He called us that night and we had
the most tender
conversation. He sincerely thanked
us for sticking with him. For
keeping with him and guiding him to
where he wants to be. He told us
he feels like he knows what he's
doing, where he's going and who he's
becoming. And he likes it. He wants
so badly to serve others and to
help others find the same joy he
has. He already asked if he can work
in the family history library.
This man. Oh my. He's had quite the
go of it in life. He's lost some
loved ones, had some health
problems, had some tough times, traveled
all over the place, tried every
religion, every practice, every
political view possible. But he said
he keeps getting drawn back to
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints.
He knows this is where he needs to
be and he knows
who he needs to become. And that's
because he is getting to know
Christ.
Gosh this work is the best! I love
it. I love being a missionary. I
love the Book of Mormon with my
whole heart. I love serving here in
Missoula! And I love my Savior. I
love change. I love the change that
happens as we search the scriptures,
get to know Christ and become
more like Him and our Father in
Heaven. The change is so worth it!
This work is amazing. And I'm so
grateful to be just a tiny part of
it. Love you all!!! Have such a good
week!
W/<3
Sister Hodgson
Picture 3-my adorable companion with
glow sticks in her hair. Now I
can't loose her! Even in the dark.
Haha
Picture 2&3-Missoula zone!!!!
Front row(sisters)
Sister Thacker, Fredrickson, Holm,
decker, shoemaker, Dayes, Timothy,
Fletcher and me
Back row(elders)
Elder Ross, Bozue (DL), Rentfro
(ZL), Hoschouer (ZL), Girrard,
Haskins, Metcalf, Kelly.
In the last picture, Sister and
Brother Price (stake president and
wife) and president Lindsay
(counselor)
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