WEEK 30- Thanksgving

 I've officially survived my first thanksgiving out in the field! I've decided that holidays are very weird as a missionary. All the other holidays so far haven't been too bad, but we were told not to tract or find on Thursday, but it was also made clear that it wasn't a day off. The solution? Service. It was hard to find though. Half the people are out of town, and the other half were preparing for family to arrive. It made for a day of riding bikes around and asking if we could help. In total, we helped one guy rake leaves.

That night, for dinner, we went to the T's house. J T was a missionary who served in D.C. South, and actually served here in Vienna for two weeks before his family moved in, and they banished him to Woodbridge for the rest of his mission. So, he's home now, and Sister T thought we'd all love it if we went there for dinner. It was way fun talking about missions and sharing with him and his family as they told stories from his time in the field. It was great, and there was a lot to be thankful for.

           J has been great, too, for missionary work. We took him on an exchange with us the other day, and when plans A, B, and C all fell through, he started throwing out ideas of things to do as Elder M and I were making new plans! That HARDLY ever happens with members !! haha. It was great to have a member who totally knew what work was like in this area and already knew who was here in the area.

            Mom, thanks for the package. I love the sweaters! And we're looking forward to Eggs Benedict this week. I was just thinking the other day that I wanted some, and then I suddenly had hollandaise sauce!!! haha. It was great :) Thanks. So, that package that I was supposed to send last week? I got it packaged, but we never made it to the post office. It's out of our area, so we need a ride to get there, and we didn't have one this week that had any time to spare for a post-office stop. So, I'll be sending that today :) btw, there are some "apostate" things I found at thrift stores (a couple books and a cd) all very cheap, etc. I did not partake of the apostateness, just in case worries arise...

          So, I've decided we have a doppleganger ward. We have guys in our ward who look exactly like Mitt Romney, Jeffrey R. Holland, and Zac Effron! It's pretty crazy. Our district leader was having fun with it the other day: "Man, it's a bummer Romney wasn't elected, that would have been so great! Go visit D.C. with the look-alike dude, walking around, four of us in a square around him all in suits and shades. We get phone cords and hang them over our ears just for good measure and go trompin up and down capitol hill. We would have so much fun! Walk into McDonalds, be all like: 'hey, get me a cheeseburger and make it free, I'm with Mitt!" haha. It was funny.

          So, big news of the week: I'm getting old! Tuesday, I was sent in to the eye doctor because my long-distance vision is failing. Apparently, I've grown near-sighted! haha. So, in order to keep my driving privileges, I need some glasses. I think it's some conspiracy about me not acting mature enough, so they thought glasses would help make me look mature at least... something like that... Who knows? Anyways, Tuesday I had an appointment, then I went Shopping around at a few different stores for glasses Wednesday with Elder Olson, one of our Senior missionaries, then ordered them that evening, and I go pick them up tomorrow! Sounds like fun, huh? Well, should be exciting at least, I'll be able to see road signs before I'm AT them :P

     The work in Vienna is hopping! Elder M and I are so excited!!! Neither of us has ever seen a teaching pool this big or this promising! So many people are open to the gospel right now, it's great! We're getting to teach almost as many lessons per day that I'm used to per week! It's absolutely amazing, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it :)

Vienna itself, I have found is VERY diverse. In my time here, I've seen some of the smallest homes I've ever seen, and I've seen some of the biggest buildings that can still be called homes (and some too big for that title, though they serve as a home for SOMEONE). It's crazy! Just a short bike ride is the only thing that makes a difference between the two.

So, two cute stories real quick. First one: There's this great family in the ward who signed up to have us for dinner twice this last week. The first night though, they had to cancel because their little daughter, Ellie was sick. Ellie is a very sweet girl who looks up to the missionaries a lot. My first Sunday here, I ended up handing out programs with her, and found a good friend in her (I always feel comfortable among children, go figure... more my maturity level...haha). Anyways, she wasn't feeling well, so when we were riding around on Thanksgiving, we stopped by to see how she was doing. They were off with family, so we left a note on the door that we wrote on a mormon.org card. Her mom told us yesterday that she's been  carrying that note around since. Sure enough, last night when we were there for dinner, there it was on the dinner table at her spot, not a little worn from being carried around for a few days. I always love making people's day like that. :)

Story the second: We were visiting a member family to ask them the revelation question. One little girl asked me: "Do you have any kids?" After a little laugh, I explained to her that I didn't. I asked her how she would feel if her husband were to go on a mission leaving her and her kids, and she said that "he better not." haha. I told her that I didn't want to do that to my wife, and so I didn't get married before I came out on my mission so I wouldn't make her sad. She then thinks for a second, and says: "Well, when you get home, you should have ten kids! You'll be a great dad." I laughed again and told her that ten is a lot, and that I'd have to talk to my wife, too. She just said: "Nope. Ten. Kids."

Well, that's about it for the week. This week looks like it'll be crazy busy! Lots of stuff planned. Please keep us in your prayers.

-Elder Matt

WEEK 29 - Forgiveness

Wait, wasn't this just P-Day

Well, this week has been really fast! We've been going like crazy! We're still on bikes, now a little more bundled up than we used to be (the wind chill is the worst), but it's all good! We love being out and about, and being that cold is always a good way to know you're alive. I'm somewhat reminded of when we jumped into lake Tahoe in February after walking through three feet of snow to get there. ( my partners in crime know who they are )  It's not that cold here, and we don't have snow, but man does being chilled let you know you're alive!!! Haha

This week, our ward has a group of priesthood holders going up to New York to help with cleanup... I wish I could go!!!! I want to help with that so bad.... It really has impressed me though. This group is leaving Thursday evening, cutting their thanksgiving short, then they're spending all weekend sleeping in chapels and cleaning up debris. Work, vacation, all of that is being set aside so they can go help. I'm way impressed.

The Oakton stake has been remarkable in it's response to the storm. Last week, they sent up 35,000 lbs of clothes filling over 165 feet worth of moving trucks. They also gathered $45,000 worth of gift cards for the missionaries who are working so hard so they can have some good meals to support their good service! You should see the members out here, they're going door to door, visiting complete strangers, getting their whole neighborhoods, even their whole schools involved to help collect stuff to send. It's amazing to see.

Let's see... big news this week.... There's a lot of small news... we've met with multiple of our former investigators, and things are going very well there. My planner looks completely thrashed... haha plans change so much, it's crazy! It's hard keeping up with it all, it seems like something always falls through. But each time, the Lord gives another opportunity so we have something worthwhile to do and we keep Busy serving each day.

People are home during the day more here than in Ashburn, so we're getting to do a little more tracting and daytime stuff. Many of those people who are home during the day though are home because they have no job and have used most of the money they have on drugs... It's very sad, but it's great seeing what the gospel can do for people. Elder M and I sometimes play a little game we like to call "guess what drug they're on" after the door gets closed on us. haha. Some people are really nice on drugs though! We just wonder and hope they're as receptive when they're clean and sober. We had one guy who was high as a kite: "no drugs? done. No alcohol? that's easy! No sex? man, I can totally do this!" haha. He did show an honest interest in the gospel though, so we're hoping to catch him again earlier in the day, before all of that... It was really neat. He was so gone, and so incognizant, yet the spirit was able to be so strong. We were talking about it after, and came to find that both of us the whole lesson were just imagining him with his hair cut short, his heroine marks gone and dressed in white. It's amazing how strong the spirit can be when we just see people as who they can become; as who they were meant to be.

So, Saturday was not my day.... Did anybody feel a particular need to curse my name by any chance? Because it worked! haha I've gone my whole mission on bike just fine, then suddenly I wipe out twice in 20 minutes!!!! haha. The first one, we're cruising down this stretch of road and I hit this rough patch of asphalt. Nothing too unusual, but I'm watching the road pretty closely because it's dark. Next thing I know, I look up and Elder M is turning left in front of me! haha I had no time to react, my front tire hit his back tire and I went flying. I must have looked like superman! I was up there!!!! It was crazy. I rolled out of it okay, and was back on my feet before he came to a stop, but it was freaky! Then, not 15-20 minutes later, we're riding again and we hit this spot where there's a curb you hop, then a seep downhill with road signs at the bottom. Usually it's not bad, just hop the curb, ride down and shoot the gap. Only this time, I didn't hop the curb. I kind of just rode straight into it, and next thing I know, I'm just getting rocked as my bike throws me from the saddle! Now I'm up in the air again, getting pretty comfortable up here now with all my frequent flier time, and the first thing I think is that I'm about to get impaled on a road sign! Fortunately there was an abandoned telephone pole, and somehow I managed to grab the pole with my arms and my bike with my legs! Suddenly, I find myself clinging to this pole about 8 feet above the bottom of this drop holding myself and my bike up in the air!!! It was pretty crazy.

So, this week, I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness, particularly about forgiving ourselves. I have found that oftentimes the hardest person to forgive is me. I feel like I can forgive others pretty well, but for some reason, I have so much trouble letting go of things I've done or thought, and just forgiving myself. Even when I do "forgive" myself, I can't let it go. When I forgive other people, that's usually the end of it for me. As you often hear, forgiving others seems to free you from a burden. I truly do feel free, closer to the spirit,  better when I forgive others. But, when I forgive myself, I still just can't feel that way. I don't know what it is! Even when the thing I'm forgiving myself for is past and gone, It still just digs deep. It seems to be one of the darkest ironies in life that the things which no longer threaten us often do us the greatest harm. And it's all because we just can't let it go! We've repented of those misdeeds, we've taken care of them, they no longer threaten us, yet they still just destroy us. I just don't get it. Anyways, my challenge to us all  this week - a challenge I am also taking upon myself - is to find something you haven't forgiven yourself of. Then forgive yourself! Let it go! We can't change the past, so lets use it to our advantage! Let's learn from it! Let's stop wasting our futures by vainly attempting to change the past, and lets employ our knowledge of the past to help shape our future. I know that as we do so, we will find more joy in our lives, and those things which we forgive oursleves of will stop pestering us and allow us to grow closer to our Savior Jesus Christ.

As Michael McClean put it in a song of his:

"Letting go seems to break your heart
Though it will heal it feels slow to start...
There’s so much of life that can’t be lived
If you’re holding on to hate and anger deep inside
Let it go
All that is worth saving
Is love
Love will hold you tight
Love lifts the burden
And love shines the light
Only love
Nourishes our soul
If it’s not love
Simply let it go"

I promise you that our Savior Jesus Christ offers you love. Love is what's worth saving, so drop all that extra baggage, and just love. Feel the love coming from our Savior and offer it to those around you, and when you can, learn to love yourself despite the things you've done. I testify that by doing so, we will find the capacity to forgive ourselves for those things which fester and burden us.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy watching White Christmas Friday night !

-Elder Hodgson

WEEk 28- Vienna

Well, another week has come and gone, and I have officially left my Greenie area!!!
Yes, you heard that right, I actually left....
Like, I'm not there anymore....
That's so weird! That's been my whole mission so far!
It was really sad saying goodbye to the people I've come to love, but it was also very exciting that I have the opportunity to be somewhere new. My first couple days in the new area seemed like an exchange, but I'm all settled in now and working hard!
My new companion is Elder M from Riverside (specifically Perris), California. He's been out one transfer so far, so I'm finishing his training process. So, I'm still a trainer! I love training, it's so awesome :) We're serving in the Oakton stake/zone in the Vienna ward. I thought I was getting transferred to Austria at first haha.
Funny story .... Elder C ( my last companion)  totally knows Shawn’s MTC companion!!

Alrighty, so I'm in Vienna now. It was pretty cool, I showed up just in time for a baptism they had scheduled. It was wonderful to meet this new convert and be a part of her process, even if it was just a small part. We're still on bikes here. It was a car area until I got here, haha. apparently, the sister missionaries needed a car.  It's a small area, so it's all good, it's just a little more treacherous for cyclists... busier roads, we live next to the freeway, sketchier sidewalks that provide a nice massage, etc. haha Vienna reminds me a lot of Carmichael in look and feel, except, imagine a lot more trees that are a lot bigger. (they don't call it Oak-ton zone for nothing! It's even earned the nickname O-Zone, likely because of the amount of oxygen it contributes.... or because missionaries took the first letter of the word "Oakton" and put "zone" behind it since it's a zone in the mission.... I've yet to figure it out...)
So, funny story, My first sacrament meeting here, the bishop asks me to stand up so people can get to know my face. He asks everyone to give a welcome to the new Elder Hodgson, and this lady in the back just starts waving at me like crazy with this huge smile on her face... Whaaatt theee.... THAT'S JANNA HARGADON!!! haha. The Hargadons were totally in Vienna ward last Sunday! We also have an elder here who just went home. He was serving in Vienna ward, when President got a call from his family: "We need you to transfer our son. We'll be going to a different building this Sunday, but we're moving into the Vienna ward." So, he just finished his mission, and he's home here in Vienna now, and he's a HUGE asset to work here. He served here, so he knows a lot of people we've worked with, and he's a great missionary and willing to help with anything.
The work is going sooooo well out here! Sister Riggs asked us to open up our area books and go through our former investigators. She felt very inspired that many people in that group are now ready .   She was totally right. Since I got here, we've pretty much been doing that like crazy, and we already have three new investigators who are very interesting in hearing our message. Elder M has the area organized so well in the paper trail he's created, so it's a pretty solid ship we're running right now. I've been way impressed. I'm pretty sure he came pre-trained :) He's hysterical, too. He wrote in the area book for a lesson we taught the other day: "[name omitted] may or may not have been, but definitely was, high during our lesson." haha. It was great.
Our apartment is right next to the Metro Station here in Vienna, so we're hoping for a trip or two into D.C. :) Funny story: last week when we were on our way home from that same station, we were about 100 yards down the road. We're stuck in a parking lot that's supposed to be a freeway (yes, traffic was that bad), and this guy in the van next to us looks at us, sees we're missionaries, sets a handgun on the dash in front of him and starts drumming it with his fingers!!! haha Pretty sketchy situation to be in when the traffic flow is completely stopped... :)
We're way excited too, because we're taking one of our investigators to the temple visitors center on Thursday. It's my first time taking an investigator there, so I'm excited to see how it is!      We're very excited for our investigator to feel the spirit though and to have him be a part of the fantastic experience at the visitors center.
Man, I love my mission. It's so exciting waking up every day to something new that we get to be a part of! We're literally fulfilling prophecies in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon by our service here, and it's an awesome thing to be a part of. I absolutely love it. The spirit is just so strong, and the experiences and friends we make will last a lifetime. I just don't want this to ever end. When my two years are up, I think I'll just stay.
Until next week from Vienna!
-Elder Hodgson

WEEK 27 - The Lord Prepares his servants

Well, it's been busy lately! We get our transfer calls tonight, so I'll find out whether I'm staying or going.... but, you'll have to all wait a bit longer!!! bwahahaha!

Yeah, so we're all taking guesses and stuff, it's pretty fun. Everyone seems to agree on the fact that I'm leaving, so it's probably a pretty safe bet.... I've been here 6 months, I'm finishing training and they'll want elder Cannon to lead an area, etc. Of course, now that I've said that, I'll end up staying, haha.

Mom, your voice is officially in my head.... haha Remember how you always said it would be one day? It seems I always hear you reminding to brush my teeth and stuff.... haha don't worry, you tell me you love me sometimes, too ;)

So, we went to Washington D.C. yesterday for P-Day, which was way fun! It was two of our group of four's first time, so I wasn't the only wide-eyed kid in the group :) It was cool seeing interviews going on all up and down the mall the day before the election. We were even asked to participate in one! But we had to say no because we're missionaries... it was a bummer, haha.

.

Well, I hit my six month mark this last week, which was kind of.... weird.... I don't feel like I am.  I have so much to learn still!!! What's really weird, is that some magical thing happens at six months... people think I know what I'm doing now... haha All of a sudden, I'm no longer "new" by definitions out here.... and it all happened in like a day! haha some things about mission life are very odd....

Tony had his baptism Sunday night, and it was fantastic. The spirit was so strong, I didn't want it to end! And it almost didn't, it went on for two hours! But it all seemed so short! The talks and testimonies were just so wonderful! Tony is definitely a strong convert to the gospel, it's a blessing to be a part of.

We expected to be doing a lot of service this week due to the storm. Nope, haha. There's like NO damage here! One member though was on a cruise during the storm... He showed us some videos, it was insane out there! haha. The ships pool just wouldn't stay in the same place! The water was everywhere! the cruise of 2200 people ended up only being like 550, so I guess he practically had the ship to himself, but EVERYONE was sick, and the waves out on the ocean looked like something from a movie! They were Gigantic! One girl we met in D.C. too showed us a picture of her younger brother in New York New York South. Looks like THEY have some service to do!!! haha. Tyler is definitely busy with that right now I bet....

This week, I wanted to share a bit about how the Lord prepares us for the things he needs us to do. That has always been plain to me, but it's shown up so often this week. It's all in the little things. I've earned a spot as Ashburn's bicycle repairman for the Elders who have bike problems. And, so far, every repair I've done is something I learned either on or in preparation for the tour my priest's quorum did. My dad taught me some things in the weeks prior, my leaders taught me some on the trip, and some I figured out on the side of the road, but because of that bike trip, I've known what to do to fix these bikes that are such a great asset to our work. Then, last Thursday, I ended up fixing a lawn mower... My mind was drawn back to when I was in 8th grade... I signed up for a Saturday morning/afternoon class about lawn mower engines.... and why?!? haha Why would a 13 year old kid spend a large portion of their Saturday learning about the engines in a lawn mower?! Because I thought it would be interesting, I guess.... I remember thinking to myself that day as well: "I might need to know this someday...." And I did. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but He puts us where we need to be when we need to be there so we can do what we need to do.

Another example of that has been with Tony. As we've been working with him and the Purdon family, we've been essentially a gathering of musicians talking about the gospel. Because of my background in music, I can, with the help of the spirit, explain things using musical analogies and other explanations and relate them to Tony in a way that I never could have otherwise. On top of that, the Lord has blessed me with a gift in piano performance that has proved one of my strongest tools here in the mission field. Brother Purdon said it this way: "One of the ways the spirit communicates to us is through music. Missionaries have an added measure of the spirit in all aspects of their life, so when they play music, it's as if the spirit itself were to play it and drive it home straight to our very hearts."   Bishop Smith said at Tony's baptism: "So often musicians strive for perfection in everything they do, like most artists. I have both a daughter and a son-in-law who are majoring in music performance, and I have heard some phenomenal musicians in my day, but I have not heard anything like the music we have heard tonight when beautiful music was accompanied by the Spirit of God." 

The Spirit makes all the difference.

 I have been blessed from a young age with the ability to play the piano, but I have never experienced anything like playing for investigators and for Tony's baptism. The minute I stop playing for me, or for somebody in the audience, and start playing for the Spirit and for the Lord, something happens that I can't quite explain, but is very special. It seems as if - without being perfect - the music just happens. I'm no longer playing something from the music I see in front of me, I'm playing something that I feel inside of me. The piano just seems to become a part of me responding to little things I feel prompted to make it do. It seems I have played the piano forever, but when I have the spirit with me like that, it is something special   The Lord can make it sing. He helps me bring the song of my heart into fruition. It's a beautiful thing to be a part of, and I'm always very sad when a song ends. Long story short, the Lord prepares us. He has given me the opportunities to build the skills I needed to be able to bear my testimony through my music. He has prepared us in all things, and he has prepared people for us to meet and teach that we are especially prepared for. It's a fantastic thing to be a part of.

I love you all and I'll talk to you soon! Maybe from my second area... haha

-Elder Matt

Week 26 - Frankenstorm -

Well, I think the big news of the week that most people are waiting to hear about is Hurricane Sandy, the "Frankenstorm." Lots of research and preparation went into this week, and we were WAAAYYYY ready for it. We haven't heard from other areas of the mission yet, but honestly, it was boring here in Ashburn. It was bad enough that no missionary work could be done, but not bad enough to be entertaining. A few elders and I actually put on shorts and t-shirts to go for a run before a mission-wide text went out that said: "Hope everyone is inside and safe. Beware of downed power lines." We stayed in. haha

Most of our week was wiped due to gathering supplies for 72 hour kits, setting up member homes to go to in case it gets bad enough, and filling our stores with bottled water. It was pretty crazy and we were all excited, then it decided to take it easy on us. haha.

So, we were inside for torrential downpour and 45 mph winds for a good two days, but nothing too exciting. Our power didn't even go out. I think we had one grid in the zone go down... haha. We're out and about looking for service now and can't even find one downed tree!!! It's a blessing, and somewhat of a dissappointment. I was hoping for an adventure... haha

So, we're all here now, and it's halloween!!! So, we're gathering at the Stake center tonight to eat pizza and watch Madagascar 3 and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Sounds like it's gonna be fun!

By way of missionary work, the real story is Tony. He's so amazing and a HUGE blessing. I can see very plainly the hand of the Lord in bringing him here to Ashburn. We taught him all the discussions this week every morning at 7:30. Then his baptismal interview was Sunday and he is just stoked now! His entire baptismal program to him is not a day for him, but an opportunity for him to share his new love of the Gospel and his increased fiath with the world. He's inviting EVERYBODY to his baptism and the entire program is designed with the question in mind of "how can I bring the spirit more strongly?" It's amazing. I was asked to play 2 piano solos for it, so I'm practicing up and hoping I can perpetuate the spirit there.

That's mostly it other than waiting out the storm, haha. Know that we're safe, that we're ready to serve others in the area, and we're ready to keep moving forward with the work!

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Hodgson

Week 25- after the trial of your faith...

"The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us."

Well, it's another week here in Virginia! And probably one of the most beautiful ones so far! Elder C and I have seriously spent mornings with our door wide open staring out at the scenery as we eat our meals. It's just gorgeous! I've NEVER seen autumn like this before! The leaves are all changing colors, and pretty much in Rocklin the green leaves fall in a total of a day and a half... haha Some of the bike trails are seriously covered in leaves, so it feels like we're just riding through the forest! It makes me feel like Luke Skywalker speeding through Endor on a speeder bike... except, he didn't have a message as good as the one I bring ;) haha

Quick note to sister Rachel. Mom was talking a bit about your thinking of   serving  a mission.... She said one of the reasons you  you had for “not” was that you didn't want to do "what everybody else was doing." I don't want this to make your decision in any way, but my recommendation is you cross that reason out. Years from now, IF  you decide to serve, you won't look back and say: "Wow, I did what everybody else did." Your perspective will have changed a lot. Your comment will be: "Wow, I was part of a historic group in a critical movement of the last days when I responded to our Savior's call"

So, my first testimony meeting in the field, this guy got up and bore his testimony of the miracle he witnessed to see his wife pregnant after many complications. They brought their baby to church this week.... I feel old.... in the area... haha

Yesterday in church, a woman came and introduced herself to me, asking where I was from. "California" I responded. "Where in Cali?" My typical response: "Sacramento area." (since nobody knows what/where/who Rocklin is). "No, where in Cali?" She says, then continues. "I'm from Rocklin." haha. Anybody know a Sister Hass from 4th ward? She was totally in Belmont Ridge yesterday!!! Haha

Two random, and seemingly inconsequential tidbits....

One, I found out that they have officially split the Hobbit into three parts, with the final part coming out.... ready?. .. .July 2014! Whew! barely made that one! haha,

Two.... well, this one isn't really as inconsequential... You ready for this?.... I'm in physical therapy!!!  So, we were doing service for this guy, and as I'm on my back under a treadmill I'm trying to assemble, he says: "man, I really wish I could pay you all back for this somehow. I mean, you've done so much for me, and I'm just a physical therapist..." Then Elder Coates, the Elder who organized the service project pauses..... "Well, that's actually exactly what Hodgson needs!" I tried to dismiss it, insisting I was fine, I was getting better, etc. but he really wanted to help. So, next thing I know I'm still on my back getting some muscle tests done and telling my story.... Here's what we now think happened:

So, it started back on March 17th. We were home for Blake Magda's mission farewell, and I decided to go for a run that beautiful Saturday morning. Brother Keller's best guess is that I pulled my hamstring very very very minorly on that run, like enough to not notice, nbd, etc. The next day found us spending 4-5 hours with chains on as we snailed our way through Blue Canyon and Donner pass on the way back to school. I was driving during that time, and because of conditions, I couldn't use cruise control. Long story short, I spent about 4-5 hours with constant and varying tension in my leg trying to make sure we came out safe. Jump to Monday morning. I decide to go for another run, and my leg starts screaming. Thus begins the extravaganza. If I remember right, I even pretended to smack my face on a road sign just so I could get a break from my leg without telling anyone that I was hurting. haha. So, the hamstring apparently (and this is the part I'll probably butcher) connects to the hip three times in one central place. I'm told that my muscle tests indicate I tore my hamstring right at that junction. Now, it's been healing, but then I'll do something stupid and tear it again, then it'll heal, then I'll do something stupid again. Bro. Keller says I probably have a chronic tear now. What that means is that scar tissue is now building up trying to solve the problem. So, I now have a heating pad and a series of exercises I'm supposed to do 3x a week to build the muscle back up over the scar tissue that's there. Six weeks from now, I'm supposed to be all set! Provided I don't do anything stupid.... So, this means I'll probably be writing letters today during ultimate frizbe... :( oh well, I'd rather spend some time down now than a lot later. He said that if I continue to tear it, it will probably get to the point that sometime after my mission, I'll have to get surgery to get the scar tissue removed, then have to do 3 months of physical therapy.... My decision: 6 weeks worth now :P haha.So, I've done my routine twice, and it's already improved exponentially. I'm on the mend!

(BTW: Hint. This means I don't get to participate in zone sports for the next six weeks.... Which means I'll be writing letters that whole time... Which means an influx of letters would not be frowned upon ;) ....

So, we all talk about how some days we reap, and some days we sow, right? Well, this week was one of those "reaping" weeks. If you remember, last week I talked about D, the first door I knocked on as a missionary. We met with her again this week and came to know what an amazing woman she is. She began talking about getting baptized, asked if she was still young enough to serve a mission, and even told us that she had been going around showing "The Restoration" video to family members! She has set the date to be baptized on November 14th, and is changing her availability to not work on Sundays, which is a huge leap of faith to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Then there's T. Does anyone remember The family that owns the piano store? They hired a help at the store named T  and he's been living with them. All it took was his first Sunday at church And he's  so excited about the gospel !! . He's been a searcher of the truth his entire life, and feels like he's finally found it. He and the P family  have been doing daily scripture study and discussions, and he's been coming to church every week. He even watched conference! The only thing is scheduling. …we are all soo busy.  We were at their house for dinner, and As always, Sister P sent me straight to the piano. Best "time out" I've ever been on haha. Next thing I know, T is behind me listening (he's a very accomplished musician), and he asks me at the end of one song if I would play it at his baptism!!! Well, after dinner, we finally had the discussion, which went stellar. He shared with us all the little miracles to get him where he is today here, in Virginia, in the home of the P family, investigating the church. When we invited him to be baptized, his response was: "Why else am I here? Absolutely."  So this Sunday is his baptismal interview, and the 4th is the baptism! Holy Cow! Miracles are happening everywhere! it has been such a blessing to know these people and watch the change in their lives . It's purely a blessing to witness.

To be honest, this has come at a providential time. Everyone says that missions get really hard right around this time, and they weren't kidding! I've been “growing” a lot.  This may be a little out of place, but I wanted to share something I wrote. When I'm riding my bike and thinking, then I use writing as an outlet, anything can happen, right? haha:

THIS IS A LONG EXPERT FROM HIS PERSONAL WRITINGS : ( Matthew fans I know will choose to read it , but others may know that he just has been struggling a bit and  is feeling stronger now)

"In the MTC, having the spirit is a wonderful blessing we all enjoy. It is just one of those things that is always there. Like a parachute strapped to my back as I descend from the plane. It gives me guidance and lift, preparing me for my eventual impact in the field. I know that my mission is not merely to make it down into the jungle beneath, but to thrive there. There are people in that jungle who need help. Whether because they are caught in the thicket or because they are lost and without direction, they need my help. I finally make it to the field, pumped and ready to proceed but, as is the case so often in life, the world I find myself exposed to is far different from the one I thought I saw during my approach. Rather than landing in a nice clearing, I find myself on an island, surrounded by a coursing river that flows past me relentlessly. I am so grateful to be in the field finally that I do not immediately realize the need for adjustment in my course of action. It doesn't take long to realize that I need to adapt though. Suddenly, I am yanked from my feet and dragged across this small island I am on. My parachute has caught in the flow of water, which is attempting to throw me from my purpose here. Digging my feet in and praying for strength, I catch my footing, and suddenly I am set. With a sure grip on the cords here, and strong rocks to secure my feet on, I have nothing to fear. My chute is still caught, but I am fighting the pull of it well. This is where the field begins to be more difficult. What was secured to my back as a gift to me - something I almost took for granted - is now something I must fight to keep. As the many gallons of water around me seeks to rip it from my grasp, I must fight harder and harder to keep it with me. Eventually it starts to wear. My body begins to get tired, and my resolve starts to shake. I hear movement along the shore. Digging deeper, I find a way to cling for just a few more moments. Raising my eyes to the surrounding banks of the river, I hope to see help coming. To my despair, I only see enemies. In this jungle are members of both factions. To throw in a twist real quick, there have been an estimated 110 Billion people who have lived on this earth. If the world were to end right now (which it's not), we could calculate that the third part cast from heaven to our earth is about 55 Billion souls. With 7 Billion people alive today, that means that to each soul alive, there are 8 of followers of darkness. Then eliminate anyone under the age of 8. The Savior's atonement covers them. Add more for being one of the 15 Million in the Lord's church. Add more for being a missionary. Effectively, we're facing 1to15-   or  1o to 20 odds. Looks grim, right? Only if you're one on the dark side!. As I stand here, trapped on this island, straining to maintain my grip on this parachute of the spirit, my enemies gather around me. They stand on the shore stringing their bows with malice glistening in their eyes and cruelty brimming from their demeanor. They long for my failure. They hunger for my destruction. That much is clear. Suddenly, I am accompanied by someone. This person steps up and grabs a hold of the chords I so desperately cling to. As they pull, I feel my burden lessen, and I look up to see my Savior pulling on His load. Suddenly, I find new life. Remembering whose side I'm on, I continue pulling with renewed vigor. As we pull, I call to Him that we are outnumbered. He smiles and repeats the words of one of His chosen prophets: "They who are with us are more than they that are against us." Suddenly, I look up to see one of the canibalistic devils knock an arrow and fire it at me. I close my eyes and turn my head, bracing for the piercing pain of the arrow. It never comes. I only hear a clanging sound. Opening my eyes, I see another man - the one who deflected the blow - standing beside me with a shield. I call my thanks to him, and he casually responds: "Don't thank me. Your mother prayed for that one." Now, looking around, I see more men with shields. They stand there blocking the darts sent by my foes; the foes of all righteousness. Looking back, I see a multitude of angelic guardians - more than fifty in number - pulling on ropes they have fastened to the line which my feble arms are wrapped around. I realize I am merely a part of a team in this fight. I am not alone. And thus I am today. When my focus slips, and I look through the wall of shields around me, the number and animosity of my enemies on the far shore frightens me. But, keeping my focus firmly fixed on He whom we rely on keeps fear from my mind, and keeps me intently watching the things I am meant to be doing. Now, I stand, pulling on this parachute, trying to keep the spirit with me. The river does not pull any less, but my allies and I pull more. When we look behind us, we are reminded of all those who support and encourage us. We are reminded of the powers of heaven which are forever at our backs, filling our sails and taking us forward. As Brad Wilcox put it: "The task ahead of [us] is never as great as the power behind [us]." When we keep things in the right perspective, we realize the honor it is to be standing here, aligned with the great men and women who have gone before, and who are here right now. When we keep things in the right perspective, we gain the strength we need to continue in this difficult endeavor. More than anything, when we keep things in the right perspective, we realize that, with Christ, it is never about what we can and can not do; it is about what we will or will not do. For with Him, all things are possible."

It's been a struggle. Sometimes the spirit almost feels like it's fleeing from you, we have to fight for it so hard. I've never experienced this much growth in this little time. I loved the MTC, but if I feel like there's one thing I resent about it, it's that when I came to the field, I had been trained to think I was God's gift to the mission. Then, I get here and I realize that my mission is God's gift to me, and that I am God's gift to a few people here, just like some people are more of God's gifts to me. Long story short, I'm not "the one" out here who  tries to help and save people. I'm part of a team; part of an army. It has been very humbling….

And boy has being in Ashburn helped me to realize that. In the MTC, I WANTED a rich area, because I was determined I wanted to go in and turn it around. I was going to prove that I was capable of thriving among the wealthy, even they needed to be served. Then I had to learn patience. I had to learn faith. I had to spend weeks writing down zeros in my planner after crashing into my bed every single night. Waking up the next morning, we'd hit the ground, KNOWING that "today is the day!"  we could change a life.   Then we'd come back home after a full day of work and draw more circles in the books. It wasn't until I had finally admitted that I had to rely on faith and that I honestly was okay with JUST HARD work …then,  things started happening. Now that I've started to base my success off of my satisfaction in myself, in my growth I'd had, and in my closeness to the Spirit and to the Lord, the Lord is blessing me by giving me the desire of my heart: the opportunity to show people that with enough faith comes miracles, even in Ashburn. I just needed to grow that faith first.

I'm not trying to say in any way that I've made it or that the hard times are over, but just that after the two hardest months of my life, where I've literally spent weeks saying to myself: "just make it through today," The Lord is saying in His way that He hears my prayers and that it is possible to get work done here as long as we truly rely on Him.

I love you all, and I look forward to talking to you soon.

-Elder Hodgson