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.