Aburah Dunkwa!

Well this week has been crazy! Elder Nakedi left to Fosu and I now have a new companion named Elder Tobler from Richville, Utah. He showed up in a suit to the station, he must of been so hot.. We got him to the apartment and dropped all of his stuff off, unpacked small and went to the area. We got to see tons of members and all the investigators. He is a really sweet guy. The first few days were very weird for him and he was really homesick. But now he's doing a lot better! We've been gymning every day and working hard. He's always hungry and by the time we get home he is exhausted. But I've been loving it. We got fufu the second day he was here and I don't think we've eaten anything else too weird. We made pizza and enjoyed.

Elder Baird, the guy who trained Elder Larsen is in my apartment now with Elder Bley. We cleaned everything. Elder Baird is going home at the end of the transfer and he hasn't said anything about it. He is still working really hard to not get homesick and he is awesome!

We've been doing a lot more work with the members and trying to find all of the less active members and where they live. George gave us two of his friends to teach and Regina started coming to church again!

She has two kids and is super nice. Her husband is stubborn and wont even say hello too us. But he doesn't like her going to Latter Day Saint cause he was born in Pentecost. But he hasn't been to church in two years...

We are working on it.

The week has been so sweet. Not anything too crazy has happened.

Love Elder Hodges

March 17, 2014

This week has been so sweet!

We had a mission tour this Tuesday and Elder Vincent of the 70 and his sweet wife from Australia came to see us! It was a powerful meeting. The mission President and his wife talked for about an hour about our purpose as missionaries and becoming more Christlike. Then Elder Vincent's wife gave a powerful testimony about working with members. Then Elder Vincent covered EVERYTHING and gave about a two hour instruction. Oh it was sweet!

After the meeting he interviewed me and a couple other Elders, took some pictures and went! We had to hurry back to our area to get George ready for his baptism.

That same night I was washing some of my clothes when President Shulz called and asked me to train! OH I was pumped! Ill pick him up on Wednesday! Elder Nakedi is going to Fosu and I'm staying in Aburah Dunkwa to train. Its gonna be a lot different for him to start his mission in a unit. But I'm so excited! We had the trainers meeting on Friday and it really opened my eyes about how important training is. Then I had to write a letter to his parents... who I don't even know them or their son yet.

We had a baptism for George ______ this Saturday! Oh it was nice! Now we are teaching two of his buddies he lives with and they are asking all the right questions. I really hope we can help them out and get them to church this Sunday. We really need priesthood brethren to turn the group into a branch.
We made pizza while we waited for transfer news to come! And some calzones!
It tasted good!

Sorry this email is so late. The internet has been down all day.

Love You!

Elder Darren Hodges

March 10!

This week has been sweet and a lot happened somehow.

President Shulz has been giving us a lot of work to do with the group. We are  teaching a temple prep class and getting everyone ready. The temple trip will hopefully happen next month. We have been told that we need too get all worthy men ready for the Melchizedek priesthood and all the worthy woman endowed so they can continue to progress. It's a lot of work but its been going okay. We also have to get all of their records and sort out all of the less actives in the village. But we've been getting a lot of help from those members who are powerful!  

Michael has been doing great with his drinking problem and has not had anything to drink for two weeks know! Plus it rained... a lot. So as a farmer he was very happy and is still coming to church every Sunday! 

Speaking of which, One of the counselors from Aburah Krampa came to speak and visit this Sunday and it was powerful! He use to be a pastor for the Methodist church but then came to find The Latter Day Saint Church. 

My camera got here! So I was able to take some pictures of the storm and me next to some cows. 

We had to dodge through the rain to see everyone we could one day, and a mother in the group fed us cause all the shops were closed. For some reason, people feel like when they feed missionaries, it's the one time they get to eat for the next few days. Or maybe the more they try to make us eat the more blessings they will get! Anyways the rest of the day was not easy, she fed us a lot of rice and groundnut soup! With some meat! I didnt know what it was.. I didnt ask.

We also planted some plantain trees for an investigator. Theres no shovels so you have to use a machete the whole time. It was fun.. she's so sweet and is always smiling when we come to see her! But she doesnt speak english and my fante is bad.. so one one we can talk.

I discovered a show called Nigerian Idol while visiting a member. Look it up on you tube or something and find out for yourself!

My companion and I are enjoying! Tranfers are coming next week so I dont know what will happen.

I woke up with a bump on my face this morning too. I hope its a bite cause it's not an infection.. I think.

Love you! Hope all is well.

Elder Darren Hodges

Darren and Francis. He was able to go get a hair cut from him this week.

March 3, 2014

Hey! Sorry I wont be able to write back to everyone. The internet café is really slow. But this week has been super sweet! We have been teaching a guy named George. He's been coming to church for a few weeks now and he is doing great! Yesterday during fast Sunday, he got up and bore his testimony! Oh it was so sweet! We taught him about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost... as we were explaining how the spirit communicates with us, he started crying, somehow out of nowhere. It was really powerful and he had to take a moment while we just kinda sat there and waited for him to figure out what he was feeling. He loves the church a lot and is doing great!

We have another investigator named Michael. He is old and has a drinking problem. He just cant eat without drinking a 'lil bit of alcohol first. So we taught him the word of wisdom and we are helping him get off the alcohol. He is a really sweet guy, he was honest about his problem and really wants to quit but he isn't sure if he can. But I know he can.

I got your pictures and my license! I got them a week ago and thought I already told you. I haven't got my camera yet. I'll see if its at the mission home yet. Sister Shulz also said that they were gonna add the oven into the letter to the missionaries coming out. So... dad changed the mission forever.

It was really sweet to have Pres. Shulz and his wife at sacrament meeting yesterday. They bore really simple, but powerful testimony. The spirit was super strong that Sunday, and just about everyone bore their testimony! There was only one time for a few minutes when no one got up to bare their  testimony.

I'm really sorry the camera isn't here yet. Ill call the office and see if it is there. I really feel bad not being able to send you a picture.

I had fresh cocoa for the first time! Its so good! you cut it open and the inside is white! You just suck on it and spit the seeds out! It was so good! I love all the people who farm here. Even though a farm is just a big garden here, its a lot of fun to go out and help them and learn how every thing grows here. Like how to plant cassava, pineapple... and banana trees!

I ate about 9 bananas one day.. they are so good and cheap!