November letters from Darren

3 months

November 11, 2013

Well I have beeen out for a little over three months now and it doesnt feel like it at all. I love this work and really enjoy it, but I think I miss my family more. I'm probably missing home a little cause we have transfers this week and a lot will change. I'm getting a new companion from Utah, Elder Larson. And thats all I know about him. I'm so happy to hear that the family is doing ok.  Mom, something glad I knew before I came on my mission was how to cook and prepare food... and something I wish I knew was that I could've been doing missionary work before I left and I wish I would've been more involved in the work back at home. By the way, how do you cook that spagetti oven recipe stuff? I wanna try it sometime. Uncle Bob's letters were hilarious this week! I loved them so much! Haha you can ask him about them! I really noticed a change in the way I have been eating latley, I eat pinapple for dinner every night just cause it's so dang good!!! This week our branch went to the temple in Accra which is a huge sacrifice, they enjoyed and bore some powerful testimony.

I went on splits with Elder Otieno this week. an elder from Kenya, whos has a best friend serving in the same mission as Jackson, and Jackson had seen his friend just last Sunday! 

Our investigators are doing well, its just hard to get them to church cause its a social and all day commitment, so I will help their testimony grow until they are ready to make that big change.

What day is Thanksgiving?

Also my zone leader Elder Glider is leaving, I really love that guy, hes awesome and I can just relate to him a lot, I really respect him. 

Mom and Dad, I love you so very much and am truly blessed to have such wonderful parents. I am ok, well and safe.

Love your son,

Elder Hodges

November 18, 2013

A lot happened this week! It was pretty crazy. I got my new companion this Wednesday and he is awesome! He is from the great city of Utah! Just came from Tacaradi side of the mission and this is his first time in Cape Coast! Wow, I gonna get fat with this guy, he knows how to cook and we have enjoyed so much! He loves his family, we went through family pictures and it was awesome! He was the first 18 year old in the Cape Coast mission and he's a hard worker. I'm enjoying. 

Our first day out, a miracle happened, the waffle iron came! Oh wow that was good! We had blueberry waffles and I made some monkey bread another day!

Our investigators are doing well, we have two that are preparing for baptism and the members are giving us a lot of help! I really love teaching with Elder Larsen. He has shown me the importance of being our investigators friends before we can be their teachers. I'm learning a lot from him and he loves to have fun while at the same time get the work done. He reminds me a lot of Jimmy.

I love the new change that transfers have brought, the week went by slower but I feel thats a good thing, I feel better now that im getting out of the same old motions. Not much has happened except the new companion and the fact I'm enjoying a lot more. But im sure a lot more will happen this week! 

Hey, my comp likes reeses just as much as I do! I dont know about you, but I trust they would make it here just fine. The chocolate chips weren't even melted.

Well today was sub p day. We woke up and cleaned the apartment and washed our clothes! Then we made a delicous breakfast!! We had blueberry pancakes ( Elder Larsens parents sent him some mix) Toast with jago on it and fried oats with some coconut milk! Oh wow its so good! I'm really enjoying it! 

I cant think of anything crazy that happened this week, this morning we played basketball with the zone and another one, and then frisbee on the beach!!! Wow. the beach was so nice and beautiful!! I took my shoes off and played frisbee in the sand. There was a guy washing himself on the beach with some sand and stuff. And a rasta man ( Bob Marley follower) washing his dog too! Plus there was about 100 people pulling in two huge fish nets that they had sailed out earlier the morning and we watched them bring them in! After that we changed and went to town. We emailed, well... some of us did, then we went out and got some Waakye at a lil shop on the side of the road I really love. It was so good!!! The lady was happy to see 6 bronies come to eat and she was super happy and dashed me some extra food!

Then we went to the Kota Krabba market and got all of our food, like a lot cause we had to resupply because of transfers. 

Then we came back to email... again. whoo!! We found a sweet cafe with AC and fast internet! I'm enjoying.

I felt like a stud this week when I made some deeeelicous monkey bread! i burnt myself.. that glaze is hot! I wanted to lick some to try it... But it was hot..

I got my waffle iron and almost started crying. I was so happy!!!! I love waffles. Thank you dad. I love you!!!! I hope your enjoying your nap. 

Love your son, 

Elder Hodges

PS Let Jimmy know, who the waffle king really is and why. As in, im in Africa cooking waffles over a fire.

Love your son

The Waffle King

Thanksgiving feast!

November 25, 2013

This week has flown by! Elder Larsen and I get along great and the work is progressing. We are honestly getting twice as much work done and I am enjoying it so much! Im a little worried that I'm enjoying it too much! Haha. We have been eating very well and today we had a "District Meeting" along with our zone leaders, the assistants to the presidents and President and sister Shulz! We went over to the Nkonfoa apartment this morning and fried up A LOT of chicken. Along with mash potatoes, CORN! And cookies and brownies and some ice cream! And we mad some pizzas before the President came haha. Wow, I'm stuffed. I'll be honest, I'm getting fat. If a missionary is complaining about not enough food, it's because he can't budget or cook. Either/ or. 

I met the stake patriarch, what a powerful guy! Turns out his son met grandma Karen! Crazy stuff. I'm not sure if I'll skype on christmas yet or the day before. We will see. But I will definitely call on Christmas. So send me your phone number if you wanna call from Africa. PS it wont cost you anything. It'll cost me like 10 bucks for a few hours. 

I got my birthday package yesterday! Sorry, I already opened it but won't enjoy the goodies until December. Thank you so much!!! I love it!

There is not pam here and I have no clue how to use a non stick pan. So, i put some oil in a squirt bottle and used that. We had waffles and pancakes this morning!!!!
Our investigators are doing great! We are actually teaching two families right now, and I truly believe that Elder Larsen and I are going to fix up this area. We have already seen so many miracles. I'm also learning that I need to be a friend to the people before I can be their teacher and I enjoy doing that so much more! I love you all so much! And today im thankful for my grandparents, even the one who is here in Ghana protecting me wherever I go haha. 

Love, Elder Darren Hodges

PS I cant wait to hang up the birthday banner!