CHRISTMAS (Week 66)

 Hudson FINALLY made it to NASHVILLE!!!  He and Elder Asay got to go stand in front of the giving machines in front of the Raptors stadium.  The boys decided it would be the greatest experience ever if they played street music while they were there.  Unfortunately, Hudson's keyboard was not loud enough to hear more than a few feet away from him and after an hour his fingers were frozen, and he couldn't play.  I guess this will not be the new profession path for him.

Hudson mailed Gordon a Christmas card and it made it to Portugal.  He also sported a sweet Croissant shirt on Christmas day while talking to us.  He spent Christmas Eve eating chicken stew and Christmas day brought a homemade personal pizza party, both at members' homes.  Hudson was not blessed with snow this year, so far in Tennessee.  In fact, Christmas day had a high of 70 and low of 60.

Hello Spring Hill (Hudson's Podcast Week 65)

Hudson's new address is 200 Kedron PKWY Apt 232E Spring Hill, TN 37174.  Spring Hill is very clean compared to Smyrna.  There are pretty trees to look at instead of the back of bargain hunt.  Hudson appreciates the smell created by the humidity in the wet leaves.  Spring Hill, Tennessee has 45.0 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Tennessee.  Spring Hill was known nationally for the breeding of livestock, its rich pastures, agriculture and for its dedication to quality education.  Spring Hill, TN is among the safest cities in the USA with 1.91 per 1,000 residents crime rate compared to national 4.69 average. It is the 17th safest city in Tennessee among the 221 cities.

Tuesday: Was supposed to meet Shane but did not get his address.  The Elder's decided to knock on all the doors in the apartment complex, and Hudson got doors slammed in his face.  Another first for his missionary experience.  Shane had to go to the bathroom and left the Elder's sitting outside for 45 minutes.  They knocked and spoke with his wife multiple times, but they finally gave up.  The left a Book of Mormon and a note on his folding chair on his porch and accepted he did not want to talk to them.

Wednesday:  Last PDay was hectic. The Elder's took the liberty of taking the blueberry to Mt. Juliet since no one was counting miles, as the mission area was closed.  Played pickleball with the sisters.  Lesson with the Varga family got miscommunicated to the wrong address.  The large Varga dad scared the house that they showed up to.

Thursday:  Transfers!  Said goodbye to his son.  Hello to new companion Elder Noah Asay.  Dinner lesson with the James' family.  Awkward seating arraingment.  Missionary plans are to have a family home evening with a member family and a family they choose.  They were doing role playing about how to invite the non-member over, but the 6 year old snarted and the dad made a big deal about it.

Friday:  Phone call from a woman that wants to share a gospel message with the Elders?  She asked them to turn their bible to Matthew 16 and then Daniel 2 prophesying of the Latter Day Church.  It was an LDS mission call, but from the Jehovah Witness church!  Surreal experience.

Sunday:  Dinner invite at the Eye's family (which was actually lunch, the south interchanges dinner for both meals).  The Elder's thought they would go at 5:00, but the members planned on them at 1:00. Whoops

Tuesday:  Went to clean Kathy's trailer with Sister Bailey, the relief society president.  She is a small woman that picked up the Elder's in a single cab truck.  Hudson felt like Grandma Gilbert was taking him for a ride.  She warned them how bad the trailer would be with the hoarding and the dogs inside.  She told the Elder's they were to smile through their disgusted thoughts and not to breath deep.  The Elder's were pleasantly surprised as it wasn't as bad as they had envisioned.  Elder Asay had terrible stories of his time in the Illinois area of the mission.  The back room was the size of Hudson's bedroom.  He took a fishing pole and "cotton candied" up the cobwebs then threw the stuff out the back door into the truck.  Hudson feels Sister Bailey has the characters of Jesus Christ as the way she was dealing with Kathy.  They found eight boxes of fifty cassette tapes, but no vinyl.  They got through 1/4 of the room and the truck was full.  Maybe they will go back and work on it again.

Wednesday:  Christmas conference in Franklin, TN.  Nashville Tribute band said it was time to get a little bit rowdy and played a rock concert in the chapel.  He asked the missionaries to "follow after me".  He sings "Jesus is my King, he is my Lord".  No one responds as they don't know the next line.  He meant repeat after me.  The missionaries got it together after that.  Cardin McKinney who helps with the Bonfire sang with them.  She sang the Idaho and Salt Lake Valley line in the song I Was Born.  The missionaries did not sing along to their songs as they did not know them, sad.  There was lots of crying when they sang, Hardest thing I Ever Loved To Do.

Tornado hit December 10 in Hudson's mission area.  No missionaries were injured.

Farewell Gregory Mills (Hudson's Podcast Week 64)

Transfers came in and Hudson is going to Spring Hill Tennessee with Elder Noah Asay.  Spring Hill is by the temple.  There are a lot of members that live in the area, and it has some wealthy neighborhoods that might be hard to teach in.  They are combining the Smyrna areas and Elder Johnson will be staying.

Lots of lessons and the Elders are tired.  Hudson is afraid all of them will be baptized as soon as he leaves.

Wednesday:  First haircut that was not in a kitchen!  Real haircut in a barber chair, shaving cream and straight razor.  His hair has grown enough to cut it into a fade.

Thursday:  Both Hudson and Elder Johnson messaged Joey on Facebook.  He agreed if Hudson brought him a Chick-Fil-A sandwich he would listen to Hudson's five minute message.  He feels if the church has billions, Hudson should be able to spring for him a sandwich.  Elder Johnson told him missionaries are to provide for spiritual needs, not temporal needs.  A member gave them some money to go out and eat.  They ate at Mack's Hot Chicken.  Hudson of course asked for "Mack Attack."  Hot chicken is marinated in hot sauce, then fried.  It was a bit too hot, next time he will go down a level.  He also got to taste Hatty B's that one of the other Elder's bought in Nashville.

Friday:  Went to clean the church.  The other ward was having a Christmas pajama party, and Hudson got a lot of leftover breakfast foods.  Hudson realizes that he has underappreciated having a nice church house to use.

Saturday:  Used gift card at O' Charlies.  Had steak and baby back ribs for going away lunch.

Sunday:  Christina texted that she would be to church.  She came late, with her blue and red dreads She might of frightened Sister Brown a bit by asking for Hudson by name.  She then asked the Elder's to come have lunch with her after church.

Monday:  Christina called and asked Hudson to join her on New Year's Day for a Pagen Festival.  She was upset when Hudson told her no.  If Hudson tries to ask people about their beliefs, when they aren't Christian, they won't tell him anything.

Tuesday:  Lesson with Sandy on humility.  She did not do her assigned reading of Alma 32, so they did that together.  She commented that having a sign, is not faith, before she got to that part of the chapter. They all had a big laugh.  Sandy and the Varga's are making him sad to leave the area!

5 flavors of excitement (Hudson's Podcast Week 63)

 What is up FAM...sorry no podcast last week!  

Spent Thanksgiving with David Goodman and two of his friends.  Very different from last year at the Cheatwoods.  Looking forward to homecoming Thanksgiving, in a year.  Anticipating Christmas!  The mission recorded a Christmas video, which Hudson wished he had been able to be in.  Elder Myers doesn't even really play the guitar.  He just repeated these chords over and over.

Lesson with April who lives in their apartment complex.  She is laid up with a bum foot.  She has a hard time letting her dog out to the bathroom.  The first time they came, her dog "boo-boo" ran to the door when the Elder's came in.  He proceeded to pee on Hudson's foot, good thing he was wearing his boots.  Lesson with Varga family's son Aiden 11 year old adopted child they are teaching.

Gregory Mills apartment is focusing on the 5 flavor experience.  They basically add lime juice to everything they cook.  They made 5 flavor supreme mac for the potluck after district council.  They had to bake it to reheat, so it was not as good as usual.

Met Salvador in the grocery store while they were buying milk.  He is a strong Catholic who has a sister who is a member.  He tells the Elder's he will be to the LDS church at 11:00, and sure enough he showed up!  His roommate had eye surgery and the Elders were asked to give him a blessing.  He is Pentacostal.

The Elders have been having contests to see who can jump the farthest out of the swings at the apartment complex.  They leave lines in the woodchips marking their progress. 

Received Light the World hoodie.  30 missionaries are leaving next week and only 7 are coming in.

This week's joke:  What is the difference between a hippo and a zippo.  One is a little heavy and one is a little lighter...