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!

February 23, 2014

This morning we didn't have any power, so we finished washing our clothes and headed to town.
We had interviews with our mission President this week and an instruction from his wife and the assistants, and another senior couple; The Ivies.

Sister Shulz had us read a talk by David A. Bednar from The May conference last year. It was about the law of chastity. She covered a lot of things, especially why the law is so important. It was super powerful and made a ton of sense. Growing up, all people understand is that its bad and a very big sin. But she explained why, using the plan of salvation and a lot of other stuff. Its a sweet talk to read. The assistants to the President of the mission instructed on receiving revelation through prayer and reading the Book of Mormon. In most ways it was how we could help our investigators and members better receive answers to their personal prayers. One big thing is we need to listen after we pray. Not just get up and walk away but actually wait as if we expect an answer, then we will get a "yes" "no" or "wait".

The Ivies talked about getting members and converts to the temple to do family history work. So they can experience doing service for their own ancestors and strengthen their testimony. It was super sweet, and as we help people do temple work, they are much more likely to stay converted for the rest of their lives, which would be such a sweet blessing!!!

President Shulz interviewed me. He's a powerful guy and loves every single missionary here so much!

We've been teaching a mother named Regina. She was progressing well and super happy, but now she's somehow in the middle. Right now she is at the point of making a choice to really pray and get her answer if it is true, or she's scared of the way it will change her life and wont do it. She is so close but is just letting a few things hold her back.

We had a lot of people at church this Sunday even though some went to stake conference in Cape Coast. We had 30 people there!! There were people investigating the church and one was a random young woman who had been invited by an old guy I had no clue of that kept inviting her to church. There's really no coincidences so I'm sure it was for a reason!

The chief in a nearby village is having his funeral this week, so things should get interesting.

Love you all!

Elder Darren hodges

February 17, 2014

The days are starting to blur together and I cant believe how fast time is going by. It's rained everyday while we were in Aburah Dunkwa small and it makes it difficult to see people and get to our appointments on time. But its all been working out and we've been able to see everyone in time. The members here are super sweet. Even though there is only about 20 active members, they are still super sweet and powerful. We had a movie night with the members on Wednesday and watched a pioneer movie with everyone. It wasn't too bad! It all worked out well and we enjoyed! We dont have a chapel to worship in so we rent a Methodist school on the weekends, clean it Saturday night and then go to church there Sunday. Our Rasta guy is a big help. Hes been a member for almost a year and takes care of any problems we have with bills for the school, cause they try to overcharge us a lot.

Last nigh we went to visit our member that lives deep in the jungle. He comes to church and all the activities, even though he has a hernia, is 80 years old and lives far away in the bush with no power or water. He's such a stud! We went to visit and he showed us around the house and all of his farm land. Here, a garden is called a farm, so.. it was really just a big garden.

A lot of the work we do here since the branch is so small is helping the members in anything they have. We were teaching two sisters, Leticia and Josephine about the Book of Mormon and how it'll bless them in ways they cant even see. I told them both how I started reading it every morning the summer of my junior year and every night my senior year. And how it made a huge difference in my day. Even though things were busy and not too easy I saw how it helped a lot and made my days happier and everything just fell into place and I was able to get everything done I needed too. 

Nothing too crazy happened this week I think?.. one Rasta tried to curse me. It was really interesting. I dont think it worked cause the week has been pretty sweet! The Twi is coming small small and I'm learning it. But there is a lot to learn cause each village has its own dialect. 

I know that the things I am doing here are gonna bless the lives of the people so much and change my own while I do it. My companion is a stud and I'm learning a lot from him and the other two Africans we live with. I've never seen any body else with more charity and want to serve others. I really hope I can learn a lot from them while we are all together.

Anyways, I love you all and hope everything is going well. The church is true! Even in West Africa

Love,

 Elder Darren Hodges  

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