Much newer housing conditions

Hudson called and gave me all the information he has about Lafayette.  He has lived their for six days and four of them have been confined to his apartment due to an ice storm.  The people that live there say it is the worst since 1994.  An excerpt from the paper  "If you were here during February of 1994, I know you will never forget this terrible ice storm.  Many of you went for days without electricity or heat in the cold of February, some of you even for weeks.  The temperature had dropped from near 74 degrees on February 8th to 23 on the 9th with the precipitation starting as sleet.  But it was that night that it became freezing rain, clinging to trees and powerlines, as a deep layer of warm air pushed in over the shallow  layer of sub-freezing air." 

(Sister Nickerson and Sister Forbush playing games while not being in the same apartment)

I told Hudson Heavenly father just wants him to feel at home and not missing winters in Idaho.  Since he isn't allowed to drive I asked him how bad were the roads.  He said they were nothing.  They have notices all over Facebook telling people how to drive in the snow.  It was a good thing the Elder's stopped at the grocery store on the way home from transfers.  Elder Norton told Hudson there was no food in the house.  To Hudson's delight when they got to the apartment they were actually loaded.  I told Hudson to not let his food supply dwindle so much from now on.  I know he has enough money to budget for groceries.  The branch president stopped by Wednesday morning with a box of cereal and a jug of milk just in case they were in need of breakfast.  Hudson says he is a father of 5 that have gone to college.  One is currently at BYU-I.  Since the sisters live in the apartment next door they played some games for P-day including candy land and Five Crowns.  Yes, that is Hudson listed as NE on the score sheet with a win.

Hudson was also surprised to find some familiar looking dishes at the new apartment.  The cupboards aren't too far from the color of those at home either.  He says his heater works so good, he isn't even cold at night and the floors don't squeak with every step you take.  It has carpet in the bedroom which Hudson has missed on his "tootsies".  He also has a small deck of the back.  The down sides are a broken dishwasher, no coating on the non-stick pan, the stairs going up to it are steep and the bathroom is very small with no storage.  He took me on a great tour including his car that was buried under ice.  It only has about 20,000 miles on it.  I told him to enjoy it.  He wouldn't be in something that nice on his own for a long time to come.  The house previously was lived in by sisters.  They left hand written paper signs taped to the walls everywhere with motivational sayings.  Not good for the paint.

Since the branch has only existed for two years they have no regular church building in the area.  The church is currently renting an old baptist church.  That is different!  Hudson says they have 300 members with 70 active.  About 90% of the members are converts to the church.  Most of the lessons he has taught to investigators have included a branch member sitting in on them.  Creating this repoire will hopefully help new converts feel more comfortable and a better connection to the ward.  Hudson says it is awesome to see.  In the few days he has been in the area he has taught 4-5 lessons every day.  That is unbelievable to him compared to what he was teaching in Lawrenceburg where the ward had 600 members but only 50 active and most of those active people where related.

Hudson had some strange things on his cupboard.  He tells me they are part of the stop smoking campaign the branch has.  After your meal you are to drink the grapefruit juice, rinse with cinnamon mouthwash, brush with cinnamon toothpaste and take your vitamin C tablet.  If you still are craving a cigarette you should chew a piece of cinnamon gum.  What a lesson for a non-smoking young man to learn about how hard of an addiction it is to quit.  Hudson also came in contact with some guy that was giving away hundreds of ties.  He scored a few along with some nice bowties.  He isn't allowed to wear them while being a missionary, but he has plans for when he is released.  I told him these looked like hairbows from back in Ellie's younger days!