I told my dad he was God and he called me crazy (Hudson Podcast Week 88)

 Hudson did not take many notes the last 3 weeks, so he hopes his memory is good.  He is eating a grapefruit while he records.  He has turned a year older, a transfer older and had a lot of awesome lessons.  Hudson has 4 people on date now.  He went to the library to have a lesson with James, but the library was closed.  James said they should go to the park.  They followed him for 10 minutes before they finally get there.  SUS  It all works out and they had a good lesson, but in the middle they see the angel army truck (Jacob McFadden's) pulling off into the woods.  Jacob gets out, shirtless and starts walking into the woods.  After the lesson the Elders went to talk to Jacob.  They couldn't find him, but as they walked around they found Drake's creek.  It is a contaminated pond lot's of people fish in, where Jacob caught the eel and ate it.  It's 4:00, they are prost out and they come upon Jacob fishing.  He retells his story about the vision of seeing himself in the clouds.  Jacob says, "I told my dad he was God and he called him crazy."  He says people tell him the visions aren't real since he was smoking marijuana when he had them.  Since marijuana is God's drug it should only solidify his authenticity even more.  He then offered them a beer, which they declined and then a water bottle.  Hudson was not about to take a beverage from this guy.  The Elders had a dinner with Marilyn so they couldn't stay long.  Poor Elder Thomason had quite the introduction to the area and crazy Jacob.

Portland hosts a strawberry festival.  He compares it to Idaho Days on steroids.  As a mission the goal is 30 contacts a day.  The Portland Elders set a goal for 100 contacts during the strawberry festival.  They got 750 contacts and set up lessons with 18 people.  Which is more than a month of average contact.

Another Busy Week Week 87

Hudson celebrated his second birthday in the mission field.  

The big    2  0.  

He is no longer a teenager.  A kind women in the branch named Aria made him a cake and sent me pictures.  She also fed him potatoes, which he appreciated.  It was wonderful after such a hard day thinking about him.  Grandma Nelson also sent an entire cake pan of brownies piled up in a Tupperware for him.

That morning during his usual morning deep breath of fresh air, Hudson was accosted by a bird.  He was tired of it bothering him so he punched it in the stomach.  The bird fell down in the yard and then flew away.

Hudson has had another busy week with the 3 people that he is teaching. He has also met a man who is very interested in the church.  His mom has warned him not to hang out with "those Mormons" but he isn't sure why.  He thinks the church promotes kindness especially with all of the donations they give throughout the world.  Hudson says, "I feel good about this one."  He will get to see where that goes, at least one more transfer, as he will be staying in Franklin, KY for a 3rd time.  He will be getting a new companion however as Elder Walrath is moving to Fulton, KY to be companions with Trevin Juhasz.  Sound familiar?  Yes, that is Chris Juhasz's son. He and I were cheerleaders together at Preston High and he now lives in Dayton.  Elder Walrath is truly getting the Franklin County experience out there in Tennessee.  I often have said small world.

Hudson's new companion is Daniel Thomason from Sandy, UT.  This is his last transfer in the mission field and then he will be going to Dixie State to be a wide receiver.  He was trained by Elder Norton.

Prior to transfers Hudson and the gang spent PDay in Portland fishing again.  I think he is making up for that year he didn't get to fish, at the start of his mission.  He set a goal to catch a snapping turtle in case he got transferred.  Hudson's prize catch today was a snapping turtle.  When he has talked about the turtles out there I have assumed salad plate sized turtles, but I was very wrong.  These things are massive.  He did get it take his hook, but it got off.  When it was close to the edge of the water he lassoed it around the neck and drug it up on shore.  The turtle was not happy with Hudson messing with it and it was hissing and snapping at him!  You will be happy to know after some pictures, and a wardrobe change he did let release it back in the pond, unharmed.  He had a member offer to cook one for him if he caught it, but it sounded like too much work for Hudson.
  

Elder Rammell has been trying to catch one of the 8 grass carps in the Portland pond.  Elder Rammell caught one and fought for 10 minutes, then passed it to Hudson for 10 minutes.  Then it got close to the bank, but they couldn't get it in.  Elder Rammell jumped in the water to bulldog it on the bank.  Hudson says what was out of the water was as tall as Elder Rammell.  Mind you he is a small man, but still that is a big fish.  The line snaps during the wrestling match and he swims away.  Hudson knows what he is trying for next time.

Hudson had to call while he was fishing as He and Elder Walrath were driving to the temple to go with Lydia as she took out her endowments.  Lydia is from Lawrenceburg and the first baptism Hudson had in the mission field.  It was a cool experience to go from sitting in her living room teaching her to sitting in the celestial room talking with her.  She had many questions after the session.  Her friend Karina that was a member in the ward is pregnant!  Hudson is so excited for her and her husband who was a Sunday school teacher down there.

Mother's Day #2 in the mission field Week 86

Sunday, May 8:  MOTHER'S DAY #2 in the mission field.  Hudson called at 4:00 so we could get this photo and we talked for about 30 minutes before he went to a member's home for a pork roast dinner.  Imagine my surprise when he called back at 8:30 and we got a whole hour of extra conversation this week!  I also got to hear him speak in sacrament through the Franklin KY Branch zoom link.  He has not lost his ability to speak in public.  He then posted a picture of the two of us on his Facebook story and got several comments.  I think he might even have been using it to lure people in to talk to him?  Whatever works...I'm happy to be exploited if it helps the missionary efforts.  He tells me President Weaver is going to mess with the transfer dates again.  This time he will shorten to five weeks first so they can have exchanges the week before he leaves the mission. Then maybe Galland will extend the next to seven.  As long as he is home in time to fly to New York I will not stress. 

The prodigy (Hudson Podcast Week 85)

 Thursday, April 28: Zone Conference in Hoptown.  Sister Christensen had a musical number.  At the end of zone conference, they open it to a testimony meeting.  Hudson says the greenies (those in the first or second transfer) always share their feelings. Mostly they talk about how different the mission is then what they expected.  However, one elder professed his man crush for his ZL Elder Cranney.  He says he always feel better after talking to him.  Another compared the relief of going to the bathroom to feeling the spirit.  President and Sister Weaver were appalled!  All Elders from the three zones had a separate meeting.  

Hudson and Elder Walrath have become the page admins and are getting around 300 hundred posts instead of the usual 30.  Feeling good about all the reach they are having.

Judy:  Older lady who has had cancer and is suffering from Bell's Palsy on the right side of her face.  Hudson found her on Facebook and she loves coming to church.  She walks like a bowling ball going down the lane, hitting the bumpers side to side.  She almost fell walking out of the church, but was caught by Sister Stoor.

Samantha:  Single mom with 1 year old daughter Stephanie that Hudson says is very distracting to the lessons as she is so cute to watch.  She came to church and climbed on every ones lap then got down.  Hudson has started bringing a member to play with Stephanie so Samantha can focus.  She is on date for June 5!

Sheila:  Widowed a few years ago.  Hudson feels the veil is thin given the knowledge she shares.  She in on date for June 19.  She is taking the baptism covenants very serious and wants to make the right commitment.

Jacob:  Teaching a family in Woodburn.  Dad named AJ who went to school with and used to work for Jacob.  Jacob McFadden is the man Hudson came across on Facebook who believes he is God?  He invited Hudson to join his angel army.  Hudson proceeded to watch a live video of him branding himself with a cross.  AJ says he has a multi million dollar pole barn business and that he was normal until his wife cheated on him.  He then caught an eel in Drake's Creek which had a chemical spill (a contaminated pond) and ate it.  Not sure which caused the mental problem.  Turns out he is a former that the missionaries have taught before.  He brought notes to his previous lessons about how he is the creator of the Universe.  Of course the Elder's invite him to church.  He then asks if there are any hot women at church?  He doesn't show up after the first invitation, but he does the next week.  He shows up to fast and testimony meeting.  The Elders warn President Alley of some of the things he might say if he gets up.  President Alley walks over to the wall and starts hitting his head against it.  He shows up during the sacrament while Hudson is passing.  Then he is gone?  At first Hudson thinks he is hallucinating.  Elder Reese and Walrath saw him too, good.  The Elders search the church, concerned about what he is doing wandering around the church.  They finally find him in the bathroom.  Hudson says he was very quiet and didn't make any ruckus.  He proceeds to send Hudson 24 messages on messenger.  Some are a whole page long.  He tells Hudson some people get scared when he shares his beliefs, that was why he was so quiet.  He asks Hudson if he is the Prophet Nelson that they are talking about in church.  Hudson politely tells him no.  He tells Hudson if he pushes to get a big enough following, he could be.  WHOA