February 10, 2014

This week has been crazy! All week I was saying goodbye to my first area. I already told you how I cried so I won't go there. I spent my last day in Green Hill saying bye to everyone and visited Emmanuel, Isaac and Nicolas last. It was not easy. I was excited to leave and have some change but also sad to leave home.

I got to my new apartment with Elder Nakedi my new companion from South Africa. Elder Nwojo And Blay also stay there. So.. I haven't seen a white man in about 5 days. When I first got there, unpacking sucked and I got homesick for my old area and home. but after a couple days I was back to normal.

I'm serving in Aburah Dunkwa, a small village that only has a unit under a branch. About 22 members were at church yesterday and they are some amazing people. We have one investigator that is absolutely sweet! Regina, she came to church for the first time yesterday and sat next to Alexander! Hes a rasta man. Or a guy with Bob Marley hair. Hes such a stud!

The area is doing pretty well and Nakedi is happy I'm here cause he was with a branch missionary for the last transfer and it wasn't easy. He was going to train someone but he didnt come on his mission..

We take a tro tro ride to the area every day because it's too far to walk from the apartment.

We went to visit a member yesterday who lives in deep bush! We walked there as it was getting dark, past more than a few graveyards and finally reached this old guys house in the middle of the jungle. Hes 76 and living all alone with no power or running water and a hernia he's had for a couple years. (sounds like Grandpa Veral)

But these people are sweet and I'm excited to serve here. I'm learning twee small small but it takes study and is not easy. But it'll come.

Love you!

Elder Darren Hodges

Last Letters from Darren in Cape Coast, Green Hill Area....He's getting transfered

February 3, 2014

(Special thanks to Elder Larsen's mom Michele for all the pictures!! We are so grateful!)

This week was pretty weird while we were waiting for transfer news but it was still sweet! Emmanuel and his two friends are still doing really well and coming to church and helping us teach their referrals. All week we were trying to get a baptismal interview set up for Alberta and Elder Beck our zone leader had to come in while on splits to get it done. But it all worked out and Alberta Teche and her daughter Karly were baptized yesterday after church! They'll be confirmed next Sunday. 

Oh yeah, I had to bear my testimony at sacrament cause I'm being transferred to Aberdunkwa over in the Yammeransa zone to serve with Elder Nakedi! He is a stud missionary from south Africa! I'll go there on wednesday morning. 

So I bore my testimony in fast and testimony meeting after Brother Lokko invited me up and announced I was going. I cried the whole time.. I'm such a baby. But I really love this branch and area so much. The members, the investigators, my companion and the lady who sells some bomb fried rice right next to Tetteh's ( francis) shop. 

I talked about how much I loved the last 6 months I spent here and how it really was the best 6 months of my life! Sorry if that offends anyone but its so true. I've loved it here so much.

Sister Taylor, Vivica and Maame Araba all were giving me a hard time at church cause I cried! Man those girls are not serious! After church we had a baptism and we had a young priest do the baptisms! Gideon Sabbah. It took a couple times to try it but he got it and everything went smoothly! 

We got a ride home after church from Brother Lokko and then went to visit sister Rose Ofori, a recent convert. She pounded us fufu and light soup, with crab, fish and some goat meat. Oh it was so good! But it was a lot.. we almost were not able to finish it. And then after we had to go to sister sabbahs for dinner! We talked her into letting us "take it home to eat" we'll probably just eat it later.

We finally got home and were able to relax small until we went tho the Branch Presidents house for family home evening. It was a lot of fun, games and stuff. Then we took some pictures and just visited for a while. Then went home and slept!

This morning I've just been packing and getting ready to go. It sucks. But we had some chocolate chip pancakes, took a nap and came to email. Tomorrow will be lots of goodbyes and I'll probably cry some more.

That's it. Love you! 

Elder Hodges

January 27, 2014

This week went by too fast! It's just crazy. We were teaching tons all week, getting home late because of appointments and then we had a meeting with Pres. Shulz this week! It was powerful! He talked about being a consecrated missionary, how to be one, and how it will force the mission to change us. Not just change habits and behavior, but our nature and who we are. It's so cool how the atonement has the power to not only erase sin but to change people for the better. Its so sweet! So, me and my companion have been working hard on it and doing our best. It won't happen in one week, but small small.

We taught Emmanuel about baptisms for the dead and what eternal families mean to us. We talked about the temple but focused on baptisms for the dead. He has a sister who took care of him all of his life. And she passed away a few years ago. He loved her so much and has always wanted to pay her back for all she did for him. It's so amazing how perfect the Lords plan is for everyone. We are sure that this was the plan, for his sister to take care of him till he could find the gospel and give her the gift of doing her temple work. It brought so much joy to him!

A couple days ago, we were teaching Francis and his brother brought in a baby to hold. It wouldn't stop crying so Elder Larsen wanted to hold her. He blew in her face to get her to stop crying, and then... she peed all over him! It was so hilarious!!! Oh man I was crying. So after he got cleaned up somehow we continued on with the day cause that was only our first lesson for the day.

Today we had lunch at the Senior couple missionaries apartment today, The Crittidens. It was sweet! We made a Kenyan dish and enjoyed some brownies that were sent from Elder Larsens date.

We watched a movie about some African saints.

The people are so boss!

It sounds like everyone is doing great. Sorry I don't have more tim to email today but I love you tons! Elder Larsen is uploading pics into dropbox too!

Love you!

Elder Darren Hodges

January 20, 2014

Emmanuel and his two friends are doing so great! This week we taught all of their dates and it went really well. The investigators class at church yesterday was a lot of fun cause everyone was joking around with each other and enjoying the hour they had together. There was a lesson taught too, but I didnt understand all of it. Isaac, one of the boys even taught the word of wisdom to his friend and he stopped drinking! Nickolas, the other guy, used to have a nickname around the area for how much he could drink. And even before we taught the word of wisdom he stopped drinking because we had taught him once.

Those tools came in handy, we had to change the outlet to the light bulb and it was pretty messed up, so, sweating working on that for an hour after a late night was... eh not too bad.

This morning we played basketball with another couple elders from Nkanfoa and then went back to our apartment for breakfast. We made Biscuits! Dads recipe. It was delicious!! 

We had another health walk on Saturday with the branch. So we woke up at 4 and went jogging with the branch's men to the chapel and cleaned it then had some porrige together. We cleaned the baptism font for a couple elders baptism too. It was pretty dirty.

After church yesterday we played frisbee with our boys in the street! It fell in the gutter a couple times, wiped it off and kept going. Elder Larsen threw a high one and it hit a naked old man who was bathing!! Haha it was so hilarious!!!

Our recent convert Rose even fed us some fufu! She is so sweet! I love her! Then sister sabbah fed us plantain and beans... I felt sick after. Too much food. But we had to eat all so we didnt offend her.

Times flying by and I'm loving evey second of it! I'll be at six months in February.

Love You!

Elder Darren Hodges

January 13, 2014

It's a good thing all the houses are made of bricks cause termites are thriving here. My bed is held up by some wood pallets and my companion and I were always confused why there was always dust under my bed. Well just last night around 2am I got up to get a drink of water and my bed broke and sunk down in one spot! It happened in two other spots the same night  so I slept in the corner of the bed where my feet usually are! Turns out the termites got to and ate through the boards before the apartment was sprayed. But that's that.

Other than that we are doing great. Things are slow now because we had to move our baptisms to february and I dont know if I'll be here for it. Sad thing. Emmanuel is such an amazing guy and I can see him influencing and helping Isaac (his younger brother) and nicolas (worker) so much. I love theses guys so much. We even got to play soccer on the beach with 30 other guys this week on the beach! It was so much fun!!

Emman just gets it. He understands right and wrong and even the will of God. It's the only way I can describe it. He just understands things so well and is super smart. I love him and his brother and nicolas so much!

These guys are so sweet.

The week was normal this week except that I made cinnamon rolls! First time and it went great! They were so good! We made too much so we took them to the zone leaders apartment and a members home to share.

I love you so much and wish you the best. I'm writing letters in the mail too and try to get the sent tomorrow.

Love you!

Elder Darren Hodges

January 6, 2014

(Explanation before you read this letter, Jerry has a Ford pick up that Darren wants--Our friend Alexis parked it in front of her house and took a picture of her in the truck waving to the camera and sent it to Darren. He thinks we sold the truck to Alexis.....)

Did Dad really sell his truck!? I cant sleep at night. Please let me know.

So to celebrate new years out ward had a party in the chapels parking lot. I got to pop the sparkling cider at my table and I had to do it fast to keep up with everyone and it popped off easier than I expected and almost hit the guy in front of me haha. But we danced, ate rice and chicken, played games, and couldn't get home till 10.. launched fireworks (had a little girl do it for us so we didn't break the rules, they just sell em on the side of the street) had icecream! And I kissed some random girl at midnight!

Just kidding. That would've been bad. I didn't kiss anyone.

So did dad really sell his truck?

I got your Christmas package with the taffy on Tuesday, it's almost gone.. but thank you so much! It was so good!!!

Francis my first convert, gave me a haircut yesterday! He did amazing! Well.. for a Ghanaian. I was really impressed.

This week almost all of our investigators except one or two came to church yesterday! Emmanuel Sago and his two friends came, it was such a great day! Even though I was falling asleep cause Fast Sunday was not easy. But I enjoyed the testimonies so much.

Every Sunday we go to Check on Emmanuel Sago he's always BLASTING old Country music by Dolly and singing along. It is so hilarious!!! He wanted to see a picture of me before mission so I showed him the pics on the flash drive and he copied them all... haha

Shake it off.

I love and miss you all! My time is about to expire so this letter kinda sucks. But I love you and pray for you every night

Love ELder Hodges

Did dad really sell his truck to Alexis? Feel free to call the Mission Pres. and let him know to pass the info down.

December 30, 2013

Well we already talked a lot this week so I don’t have to much to write about.  We had a big dinner with jollaf rice and fufu at the sabbahs this week with a couple member familys and some investigators. It was so sweet! Emmanuel Sago is an investigator that is doing very well right now. We gave him a baptismal date and he is just a big stud! At church a couple weeks ago he heard a talk on missionary work and he has been giving us referrals! A lot! So we are also teaching his brother and a couple friends. Man, even yesterday we were visiting before church. And at times he would start to play his computer game, get zoned in and sing along with the super old country music he was listening too! It was hilarious! It sounded like what Grandpa Scooter listens too haha.

I got a huge package from the Robinsons without warning! Holy cow! I wrote them back a letter of Freaking Thank you!!! I also got the relief societys cookies they sent me? Somehow. And a Piece of bread. Haha. Please tell them I said thank you!!! The Robinsons and the Relief society!

Mom I was wondering if you could send me a jump rope. A good weighted one please. And the family calendar. That would be so so so so  sweet!!!!

And the Mission president wants me to get my international license. Some new church policy. The website is

www.Idlservice.com

Just  let me know what I need to do to get it done as soon as possible.

About my mission, I didn’t not feel any pressure from anyone to go at 18 at all. When the prophet announced it, the first thing I did was think how soon I could start my papers and what plans I would need to change. I'm so grateful I was able to go at 18 and I haven’t regretted it one bit. Mostly cause I'll get home at 20! And it just so much better than anything else I've experienced. I hope, just like Janna, I can become better and better. It's been hard lately to find motivation to work hard after all the excitement has died down. So I started looking at pics more of home to remind me of why I'm here. Not cause I'm homesick but because I know that my mission is best for my family now, and my future family. I love you so very much and hope everything is okay!

Love Elder Darren Hodges

Merry Christmas! Somehow.

I guess I'll start out with some spiritual goodness since it is Christmas time. My companion’s mom sent us a two books, and everyday we read one story from it during companion study to invite and learn some more good stuff about the Christmas spirit. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday because theres snow, it's cold, the presents are always a plus and I get to spend one big happy week with all of my family, then go over to grannies some years and have a big paper ball fight after presents. But as we read these stories, and after I realized I wouldn’t have any of that this year I saw that just because I'm in Africa where it's super hot, doesn’t mean that the Christmas spirit cant still be here. So this week my companion and I looked at the things that we could give and to help people with. There is an old crippled  member who has trouble walking. So for Christmas we fixed his wheelchair!!! He used it to come to church this week and he was super happy! We’ve also been visiting him every day this week to keep him company. (The wheelchair broke… we’ll fix it again.)

While on splits last week it rained and my companion was at an investigators home, when the rain came, they had to put buckets EVERYWHERE to catch the rain because of the leaks! (They live in a little 10x10 house). So we payed a carpenter to fix the roof and he did a great job. It even rained again and there was no leak!

Christmas is really all about giving. Ways we can invite the Christmas spirit is by giving things to other people, like dropping something at the porch and running away!!! And singing.. But I'm not a good singer. I love all of you so very much and wanna wish you a merry Christmas!!

We had splits last week which were super fun! We were in a threesome for a night and half a day. We had scones about the size of my head.. whoops. That same night after splits we got hungry. In our attempt to get a snack we got frustrated with all the ice in the freezer! So we cleaned it out, had some frost stuff and built a snowman about a foot tall! Whoo! We took a picture with it next to  our 4 dolar Christmas tree that we bought! Frosty melted in about 3 minutes… Ya, it's hot here.

We had a baptism this Sunday for Rose and her daughter Sarah! It was so wonderful! The font water… lets just say I couldn’t see my feet. But the spirit was strong and I was super pumped afterwards!

The Christmas devoitional was sweet! My zone rocked the talent show! That’s whats up.

I love you all tons!

Sending you some Christmas love all the way from Africa!

Love Elder Darren Hodges

Here is Darren and Elder Larsen's Thanksgiving chicken masterpiece.

Pictures! December 2 & 9

We were thrilled to receive some pictures from Sister Shulz at Thanksgiving time.  Up to this time we had only received one picture from Darren since he arrived in Africa.  (His camera was stollen and he is still waiting for the replacement.) So to date, we have received 6 pictures from Sister Shulz and 1 from Darren.  Lol.

Elder Hodges showing President Shulz his oven. 

Eating ice cream right out of the container.

The Thanksgiving Feast that the Elders prepared in the Nkafoa District. Their guests included President and Sister Shulz.

This is Elder Hodges and he is showing his AWESOME oven.  The missionaries don’t have ovens so his very smart father had him bring this oven along when he came.  I think all missionaries are envious of him! (The caption for this picture was taken from Sister Shulz blog.)

El Pollo de Loco

December 2, 2013

On a spiritual note, Pres. Shulz reminded me to share spiritual experiences and all that garbage when I write home. Well, this week I actually have a lot of spiritual and uplifting stuff that happened. It's not garbage. At District meeting, our new district leader Elder Caveness gave an amazing instruction on charity. Ya it's the pure love of Christ and all, but it was so much deeper. He truly loves these people here in Ghana more than I can imagine, the love he has is even contagious and makes me want to love the people even more. I could definitely tell as I went around this week, I loved the people so much more and it makes the work so much sweeter! I love the people so much! All you have to do is talk to them, way better than the people in America. Everyone is so loving!! 

We carried up buckets of water up a hill for an investigator family and it was a workout! Holy cow I was tired, my shoulders were sore and I spilled a 'lil cause i was carrying it on my head. But I enjoyed it! i Also got pretty sick on the day before Thanksgiving and had to ask for a blessing from my companion. I really do love that guy and all the fun that we are having. Don't worry, we are getting our work done as well but I just enjoy it so much more! And yes the blessing helped a lot, we were able to get a full day of proselyting done easily, after butchering our Thanksgiving chicken. But thats for later.

His super sweet mother also sent us a 25 days of Christmas book, and we read one story everyday in December up until Christmas! I love it! It's getting that sweet Christmas spirit going strong!! I need an idea for a present for my companion. Any ideas?

On a less spiritual note....

We went to the market on Tuesday and bought a live chicken we named Lokko. El pollo de Locco!!!!! 

The guy just tied him up, threw him in a bag, and we carried him home and in a taxi. Pretty sweet. It was all good till we took some pics and he pooped on my shoe.. Dumb chicken. We kept him in a laundry basket with a bucket over the top in a room in our apartment over night. He didnt make any noise, so that was nice. We tied him up and butchered and cleaned him the next morning. That was an adventure. My companion (still thinking the chicken was tied up) threw him outta the basket thinking he would just plop there, and Lokko took off into the bush! In our attempt to help him a random Ghanain guy helped us catch him and plucked off a feather. When i asked what for, he simply said to clean out his ears, with the feather he plucked out. So then we got him ready and had him marinate in Coca Cola All night. The next morning for Thanksgiving we baked him in the oven! It was so good!

I also found some pepsi while i was on splits in Nkanfoa, that was a delicious drink! 

We made some cookies today, oatmeal. They were great! The bottoms kept burning cause the pan would get too hot, so I just flipped the cookies halfway through and it worked! With some coconut milk it was great! 

I got my birthday package! The car was sweet! And I hung up the banner this morning!!

Oh ya, we also had a baptism yesterday! That was pretty sweet! The water was dirty and the baptisimal clothes our investigators had to use were ancient and one size fits all, it was still a sweet bapstism!

The family we carried water for even came to church last Sunday and we are preparing another part member, less active family for December!

Love your son

Elder Darren Hodges

Drumroll please------- we FINALLY GOT SOME PICTURES FROM DARREN!!

This is the chicken we ate for Thanksgiving.

Serious Elders at the beach.

Cape Coast Ghana

December 9, 2013

Well the birthday was great! We made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and pizza for lunch ! Wow, it was crazy delicious!! This week was a lot of fun, super hard cause I was really tired, but I endured. I got to see Maame __________ when I went on splits with the zone leaders this past week. In my first month on mission I went on splits with Elder Brown there and taught this woman the first lesson about the restoration. It was powerful and she started to cry as she felt the spirit. 3 months later, and through that time ; she has dodged the missionaries, lost her husband, taken the lessons and been baptized. WhenI saw her she looked completely different. Her entire countenance had changed and she was glowing. I'm so happy for her and the amazing change that this gospel brings into peoples lives.

 I'm sorry it's so cold in Washington. Its hot here, thats all I'll say about that haha.

Today we went over to the Nkonfoa apartment and made some cookies, then over to the mission home to get haircuts from a senior couple serving in the mission. What a tender mercy! While we were getting haircuts we played futball and football in the yard of the mission home barefooted! It was crabgrass or something, but better than dirt. Sister Shulz took some pics and we went inside to hang out with her and watch a couple videos she took of a river? Check the blog for some pics.

I enjoyed this week a lot. Im loving my companion and all the fun we are having. 

I hope all of you are doing well at home.

Elder Darren Hodges

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! 

Whole Lotta Soup and Goats/General Conference!

October 28, 2013

A Whole Lotta Soup and Goats

This week was a lot different! Our branch celebrated its one year anniversary. Which was an entire weekend celebration. It was hard to get a lot of proselyting in because we did service all Friday, movie night Friday, and all day Saturday was Mbarima Kwon! Which means man soup. We did a service project in Ola for a guy named Dan Edwudzie. Turns out, he was and is a pioneer member!! He is in the movie we watched Friday called Finding Faith in Ghana. Which is all about how the church came to Ghana and some of the amazing things that happened! We helped build his house, and he was the fourth member in Ghana baptized! The first baptisms also happened at baptism beach, which is in my area. Its such a beautiful place when the tide is high. On Saturday, we woke up at like 4 am to go on a health walk with the men of the branch. We met them a little bit before the chapel and turns out it was a jog. So we jogged in our shirt and tie a couple minutes to the chapel, chanting and stuff with them. It looked good on video haha. Then we all cleaned the church. After that we went back to our area and helped slaughter the goat for the man soup. While still in shirt and tie. Then helped make the soup and participate in the fun! But we left as soon as we could cause we wanted to go to our appointments. This lady that we taught, had seen the missionaries before. She told us this on the second visit. I asked if she had prayed about the church and Joseph Smith. She said yes, because the Elders that were first in that area had asked her to too. So she did... At midnight? But then she had a dream about me and Elder Hansen, who she hadn't met before cause we were on splits the first time I taught her and she dreamed about us laying hands on her. Wow. So now we are working on getting her to church cause she says she has to go to decide if its true. That's what's been going on in Africa! By the way, Janna, that quote is true. Africa is awesome.

Love Elder Darren Hodges

November 3, 2013
General Conference!

This week was a lot of fun! We watched General conference at church yesterday and it was in English! We watched both sessions and it was good! It was hard to listen because I was tired from fasting and I was sitting in the back of the chapel hall. The played it on a 32 inch TV and put a microphone up to it so that we could listen! It was great! During one of the closing songs, the missionaries, 6 of us, ran outside to watch the solar eclipse! It was great! Not as beautiful and amazing as I thought it would be, but it was still cool! Then we went back inside in time to hear the prophet speak! that guy is so awesome!

Last Monday was Combined Branch Family Home Evening. It was a lot of fun to be there! But they made the missionaries sing.. so we sang Called To Serve cause that's just easy. Everyone was happy with our performance! After a lesson we went down to have dinner. It was pot luck... I didn't know they had that kinda dinner here and it was interesting. You have to be careful what you eat here, because the next day you may be sick, as I chose my dinner among the table of different things I felt like Indiana Jones, trying to pick the Holy Grail! I chose wisely. The next morning, I felt like the knight who said, after the Nazi was killed, "He chose poorly." Because the next morning, my companion was in the bathroom for a couple hours. He chose, poorly..

It didn't feel like Halloween here at all. So I bought a bunch of candy off the side of the road to celebrate! that kinda helped. But it was still a great day!

We also made a cake for Elder Otieno and his birthday! it was so good! Then we went on splits that day too! I went with my Zone leader elder Glider in my area. It was great! I loved it so much! The way that we taught invited the spirit a lot. I especially liked talking and really testifying of the atonement. It was so powerful and amazing. I really do love teaching by the spirit cause its how the work gets done and its when I really feel like a missionary!

That's my week here in Ghana! I'll find out tomorrow if I am training or not next transfer and I'm excited to now! It would be sweet to train.

I hope all is still well at home. Love you!

Elder Hodges

 

 

A Few Weeks of Darren

I Got Robbed, But I'm OK

September 29, 2013

Well this week flew by! I went on splits with Elder Brown on Tuesday. I learned so much! He taught me I'm only a greeny as long as I say I am. I learned to teach with the spirit which is kinda important and that when we teach with love and the Spirit it's easy and amazing! I love it! 

I did get Randy's letter! That was the best! I get a Dear Elder from Uncle Bob every week haha but Randy's was my first real letter from my home! I loved it so much!!!! By the way is Bob getting my letters? I ate some Fante Kenkey again last night and a meat pie. I don't know exactly what it was but we had fried fish with the kenkey! you just eat it whole..

This kid being brave slapped the back of my head, I took a step towards him and his friends to scare them, they ran away and then tripped! There were 3 kids, the two in the front had backpacks. There bags fell off and tripped the 2nd and third child. They fell flat on the road. I felt horrible! my companion only saw them fall and he just laughed.. Then this lady started yelling at them in Fante haha. I begged forgiveness from her and she said it was the fault of the child or something  like that in fante and tchwee. 

How do I fry onions? 

I love you two so much!! Stay awesome and don't worry! I am okay. I'm a missionary and I am being watched over as if a shield around me made by my guardian angels chosen from my ancestry. Maybe even grandpa Veral. Patriarchal blessing.

Love your son

Elder Hodges

***This is now Joey, Darren's Mom.  Darren's apartment got robbed while they were out the day of this letter that he wrote.  Don't you love the title? And then NO information about being robbed? 

Here is what happened:

While they were out, someone broke into their apartment and took his shoe shine kit, toiletry bag, CD player, camera, backpack and wallet.  

Soon after a girl found his and his companions wallet and got it to the branch president.  We canceled his card and sent the replacement items.  The mission president's wife let Jerry know through FB that they have (that day) already replaced the lock on their apartment with a better one. 

It was a little nerve wracking for Jerry to receive a call from Darren at midnight on the day he wrote--He said he had permission to call and he was ok but that his apartment had been robbed.  They spoke for about 4 minutes.  Darren was mostly shook up over the fact that they took the shoe shine kit, which is the one Jerry took with him on his mission to Venezuela.  But as Jerry told Darren, "It is just stuff.  And I have way too much stuff.  Don't worry about it!" 

Of course the first thing Jerry asked on the phone was, "Did they take your oven?" And the one question I had was, "Did they take your oils?"  Lol.  We are glad he is ok and the stuff has been replaced.  Darren knows there is something to learn from the experience.  And we are glad he is ok!

October 14, 2013

Mom and Dad! 

    Im really ok. I know the stuff is replaceable and I really don't want you to worry! My patriarchal blessing has really been helping me. During all of personal study, I just needed something that said God loves me.. Then boom! It says it a lot in the blessing! haha. I also started using dads pancake recipe with a tablespoon of cocoa! It is the best! with some groundnut paste jago and home made syrup! I'm gonna get fat but I'll get rid of that later. If you can send the ensign general conference talks, just do it when you can. I'll watch it in English or Fante in a few weeks. I'm not sure. And put a family pic on the flash drive!  I can get a member to cut paste and frame them. Its sweet. Its all done from scratch. Ill send a pic when I can... 

"Our heaven is a little more than a projection of our home into eternity."

Elder L. Tom Perry

October 21, 2013

Well, This week flew by! its weird. I was fanning a fire and stirring some banku with the Sabbah family when I realized that it was already Sunday night!! Crazy how time flies on a mission. PEC was of course hilarious. We had to tell the President NOT to announce investigators names over the pulpit! Then they said one time they announced an old lady's name who was investigating, and she stood up, walked to the microphone and bore her testimony!! Haha fun stuff.

It turns out that Ghanains hate snakes. That they are deathly scared of them and everyone nearby will stop what their doing and try to kill it outta fear haha. That's why I've only seen a few snakes. Janna might like it here. 

One sweet thing was, I saw a John Deer Tractor going down the street!! It was still in good shape! It was like an 1800 or something but it made my day! This week we had a combined Zone meeting. Pres. Shulz talked about how sweet the Book of Mormon is and some other sweet stuff about faith and the three witnesses. The whole reason they really changed the missionary teaching program from memorization was because the Missionaries were fallin less active when they got home! So walla, PMG was born. Sister Shulz talked about as we ourselves strive to be more Christlike and come closer to him, we will grow closer to our companion because we are united in the work! 

The cookies were delicious! I took them to the district activity. Everyone got a couple. I'm saving the chocolate chips though! I'm not sure for what. Maybe chocolate chip pancakes or some good cookies. If you do send anything for Christmas, surprise me. Along with some taffy from Leavenworth? its up too you! I honestly already feel like that is asking for a lot. 

Our investigator, Francis is enjoying church! As I am growing closer to the branch, the members are willing to help so much more! I love it. The prophet is right, the work actually works when we get members involved. Its by them that missionary work can be successful. Even here in West Africa. 

We only got our wallets with our cards. Nothing else was there. I hope you are doing well. I really do worry about you and love you a lot!!!

Love, Your son

Elder Darren Hodges