Bombing Birds!!!

I am glad to hear from you again this week :) It really lifts me up when I read your emails :)

It sounds like you had a good time in Kansas :) with the kids and the open house, working on Logan's eagle project :) I bet you had a blast. :) It sound like it is a wonderful temple!!!! :) Only one endowment room? I guess I would have thought they would put more in that one but I bet it is wonderful!!! :) That is crazy that the extermination order was there for that long!!!! (1970)  So you are going to have to tell me how the open house was!!!! :) I need to hear and did the governor's of the states say anything about it??? I hope they too felt the power that is held in that building.

But as for me I am doing well :) The work is moving forward!!! :) Nothing will stop it :)

Life here in Kitale is amazing!!  I am loving it out here. :) I think if you were to come pick me up we would have to come up here. :) it is wonderful!! :)

Some cool things that happened to me this week are that I got dive bombed by a bird and it pooped right on my face! ya no joke :) we were tracting and we were at this gate and this bird just few at me and let it go. I tried to get out of the way but I was not fast enough...... so I got it right on the side of my face. Elder Lewis thought it was really funny. :) and I have to say that so did I :) we wiped it off and moved to the next house :)

Also we trackted into a white family this week to...that was crazy!!! To tell you the truth it is amazing that we did!!! like really too many things happened just right for us to get into their house. You can really see the hand of the Lord. But it will take some time with these guys see they are missionary’s for the Baptist church and he does not like to think that revelation still happens. But it will all work out. :) Plus they are going to give us tacos :) and I have missed tacos ALOT :)

So it has been a good and crazy week!!! I never thought that I would have to do so much as a ZL here. Getting people places and putting things in order... man I wish I could really tell you how crazy this week was but it would be to long of an email.  Being a Zone Leader is turning out to be really crazy. Like this week I had to organize people to come inspect a new flat that is being build, I had to get 2 elders off to Nairobi to get their fingerprints taken, then I had to get 2 other elders to go to a city called Eldoret to try get a HEP-A booster shot then also I had to get a new fridge for one of the flats here, and mind you for some reason all of this fell on 1 day. Oh and also we even had to go pay water bills and stuff. So we can say that I was kept on my toes :) but I also have to say that I really like it. I like doing things like that and watching them happen the way that I planned them too :) it gave me a good feeling :) I don’t know if that is weird or not but I like it :)

We got it all covered and the Lord was a BIG HELP :) I am happy for that.

Also we got to watch part of conference :) I was happy about that. We got to watch all of Sunday but that was it. And we got there late so we came in half way though Uchtdorf's talk. But it was a super powerful conference :) I love all the talks!!!! I Really really like Elder Andersons talk about “What does Christ think of me" I think so far that is in my top 3 :) along with Uchtdorf and Monson, keep in mind I have only seen Sunday so what about you???? What talk stood out to you???

So ya, I am a Blue with a strong yellow in there too and that is so cool that you are a blue too. :) maybe that’s where I got it from :) and you have the book?? I would love to read it when I get home. :) it is super cool that, that guy is on a mission and that I got to talk to him :) He is sooooo cool!!!!! I even got to have an interview with him and we had a fun time. I also have his email so I can talk to him if I want but I don’t want to be that creepy elder. lol :)

Kenya really has only 3 seasons it has the short rains then it has the long rains and then it has the dry season that’s it. Lol… and right now we are about to go into the long rains :) I can’t wait they are going to be so fun :) I have a good rain coat that I like to use.  I have used it only a little bit. But I bet we will get our moneys worth out of it. :) I am glad that you are having a good spring :) I bet you are all having so much fun :) I almost don’t believe that you (Bennions) got a dog … almost.  But I think I have enough faith that it will work out. :) I bet all of you are loving Abraham :) it is a boy or a girl???? And who in their right mind would name a dog kitty???? I’m glad that Abraham won :) what kind of dog is it??? I’m glad that Logan is working hard for his Eagle :) I know it will stand as a title of Honor though your whole life Logan and even Parker, keep working hard :)

 To answer some of your other questions. My new area is GREAT!!!!!!! I love it here it is so beautiful!!!!! so amazing!!!! I love the people and the weather and just everything!!! :) My comp is really cool too :) we have a fun time together :)  I bet all of those missionaries with you guys love it there too. :)

I hope you have a fun week :) I know I will :)

Know that I love you all!!!!!

You have done so much for me!!!! more than almost any other person!!! :) So thank you

SLY

Elder Hodges

Easter Week

I am so happy that you have had a great week. :) I am happy for you.

As for me :) I had a WONDERFUL week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it went by so fast!!!!!! we went to the city Eldoret for zone conference. It was great there were 3 zones that got together and had a great big get together. :) I was even the one to give the training, along with President B.  and the church psychologist it was great. :) I talked about what I call the 5 necessities of missionary work that I heard in a talk by Pres. Pinegar..

Faith is the power

Love is the motive

The Spirit is the key

Obedience is the price

and Christ is the reason

That’s what I did mine on and president did his on having a full tank telling us to fill up our tank so that we won’t run out of gas he is always really funny :)

The psychologist his name was Elder Heartmen he told us about what he made called the color code. About how we can learn more about ourselves and others and how we can use that to help the work move forward. :) it was really good. You have colors for your personality, there are 4 colors. Red, Blue, White and Yellow,  my color is Blue :) my 2nd color is yellow and if you can find his book called the color code it will tell you about it. and it is super cool and fun. :) I learned a lot about how to better talk to people. :) it worked out really well :) and we all had a lot of fun :) Also His wife made a video recording of us and she sent them to our families so you should have something there from me. :)

The area is going great. :) we are trying to bring it back alive. We didn’t really have anyone to teach. But now we have people :) we worked hard trying to find people and it is paying off. :) it’s cool to see how people come out of the wood works to learn more about the church. You can really see the hand of the Lord in people’s lives. :)

Easter :) it was nice. But to tell you the truth it didn’t really feel any different here. I'm sad to say that, but it was just like any other day. I tried to make it better by reading about Christ’s last days and those things. And it did really help :) helped me see what the real meaning of Easter is. But I am sad that I don’t understand everything as much as I want. I feel like that there is such a long road to walk down to learn simple truths about Christ and what He did. I feel like I know nothing. But for Easter dinner we had Omena, and ugali. Omena are these really little fish that taste SO BAD!!!!!! :) lol but it was funny they stair at you while you eat them :) man they are bad. lol But we were at a members house so couldn’t really say no. lol

To tell you the truth emailing here is hard. So sorry if my email kind of sucks. See so far today the power has gone out 4 times from the time we have started emailing. So we kind of have to go fast so we can get all we can in. :) the joys of Kenya power, but I should have some time.

So Robi's wedding............ first can I say HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Robi is hitched. lol… but I am super happy for her! Also a crazy story is that there is a kid in my Zone from Idaho Falls. And I asked if he knew the Redfords and he asked  “you mean Robi?” I was like holy cow!!! That’s my CUZ :) its cool his name is Elder Schnieder. He is a super missionary!!!!! :) So small world.

You got to have 3 GA's????? Man its like not fair anymore. What is this???? lol :) I'm glad that you are able to see all of these super cool guys!!! Oh and that makes me remember, did you get the rest of the Holland notes? I would love to read them. :)  

 Now to answer your questions.

1. To get to Kitale driving from Chyulu it took about 11 hours, but I did stop in Nairobi after 4 and spend the night there in the AP's flat. That was fun. Then got up and took about 7 hours on the worst road in the world. :) it was fun :)

2. Yes I did take a bus. That is the best way when inside of Kenya.

3. The Elders in the Zone we have 8 plus a couple coming the end of next month. It’s small but it’s funny because it is one of the bigger zones in the mission right now.

4. My comp is working on his 4 month mark. :) he is still a young buck. :) But this mission is super young, like it is weird; I am one of the oldest people on mission, there are not many people older than my group.

5. The hard part about our area is just how big it is, like in Chyulu we had a big area and we got bikes but here we have a HUGE area and we still get bikes but we mostly use motorbikes. :) don’t worry we don’t drive them. :) They are like a taxi. they get us around easier, also there are a lot of rumors about the church and stuff like that, but that is really all over Kenya.

6. All missionaries need to email president once a week. We need to give him a report on what we did and things like that and as leaders we need to report on what the zone or whatever is doing.

Well so you hear now that my week went well :) i am glad that yours did. :)

SLY

Your son

Elder Hodges

KITALE!!!!

I am doing super great!!! :) Thank you for asking :)
This week has been crazy for me... just with all the travel and all the things like that, but things are going to be great here :) I love this place it is so beautiful and it feels like the nicest place in Kenya that I have been :) I love it I hope I stay here for a long time!!!! :)
I am in a new area. And I have to say that it is really quite a change!!! You were right when you looked in the books :) it really is beautiful!!!  Like I was in Chyulu were everything was dying and all that but now I come to Kitale where things are always green!!!! :) plus to make it even better I got here just as the season of "long rains" starts... so it is really raining!!!!! Like I have only been here 4 days and it has rained 3 out of the 4 and when it rains it gets COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I don’t know if it is just me being used to the heat of Chyulu or its just crazy cold here. I just know that I get really really cold! In fact we saw it hail one day!!!! and not like a little bit… like HARD.  They were about pea size and they came down super hard!!! we couldn't hear each other talking. But I do have to say even if I have only been here 4 days... that if I had to come back to Kenya to live... I would have to say that Kitale would be the place for me. :) I love the people here already!! :) but also this area is HUGE like even bigger than the one I had in Chyulu. Like this place is BIG.  But that just means more walking !! :)  It will be a great thing. I am looking forward to the mud season. My shoes are going to get killed!!! :) it’s sweet!! :)
My new comp is great!! he is a super chill guy. His name is Elder Lewis he is from Salt Lake. My 2nd Mazungu comp. I never thought it would happen but he is a really good Elder that cares a lot about the work and he is just a really good missionary over all :) I am happy to be with him :) he is a u fan but I think we can work past that. lol
And ya I am the Zone Leader. To tell you the truth I don’t really like it. I just wish that I was a normal missionary, not that ZL’s are bad, it is just like you worry about other things. But I'm looking forward to the experience, it is kinda crazy right now because I have been a ZL for like 4 days and I have to plan for a Zone conference on Wednesday. I have to get ready for it but I don’t really know what to do…. but I know the Lord will help me. :)

I hope all is going well over on that side of the world.
Sorry I don’t have a lot of time anymore to email. We had to clean the flat hardcore. You would be proud!!!   I am turning into a clean freak like you dad :) lol    Is that were you got it from??? your mission ?
Sounds like conference was good :) I’m glad you got to watch it.  I can’t wait till we get to watch it!!!! We wait for the CD's and then we watch it all on Saturday and Sunday,  but it is up to the branch president.

Well I love you all!!!! :)
I am one lucky boy :)

SLY
Your son in africa :)