From: Kyle Hudgins <kyle.hudgins@myldsmail.net>
Subject: Hello family!
Date: July 30, 2012 8:30:08 AM MDT
Hello my family. It sounds like all is going well over there in los estados unidos so thats really good to hear. Thank you for the letters every week. It always make me happy to hear from you.
Well this week was good but we were not able to reach our goal of baptism this week. Javier said that he still has problems with smoking and he didn´t feel ready. So that was a little disapointing but he is still progressing. We were able to re-put the fecha for this coming week so hopefully we can help him for this week. We shared with him Ether 12:27 and we did an extensive study of it. It was really fun and I was able to learn a lot from this little verse. I can´t remember what it says in English but in spanish it uses the word gracia. In the guia de las escrituras in the back of the spanish scriptures says that gracia is the gifts of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We used that and how you have to have faith in the atonement of Christ. We then talked about being humble and we referenced the begining of 2 Nefi 31 where is says that Christ was baptized to show that he is humble to God. So we shared that if we have faith in the atonement and we humble ourselves (by being baptized) our weaknesses will become strengths. So I think that helped him a lot and also it really helped me understand more of this little scripture.
This week we also were able to have a little fun. Our district organized an activity. It was a night of singing songs. A talent show type thing. It was really fun. All of the organizations had at least three representatives that sang songs and stuff. As missionaries we were the judges. We all had a good time. Its really fun to be part of things like that. I never really realized the importance of activities. They really help with the members. The members get animated from the activities and they always are a good way for them to invite friends. Hopefully in the future we can plan another one because they are both fun and very effective. Im sorry to say that I wasn´t able to take pictures because Rawson has exactly 0 cameras. I guess thats what happens when you shut off importation. So I haven´t bought one. Today I´m going to send it in to repair and hopefully it wont take too long.
Sorry I don´t have too much for the week. But I hope you all have a wonderfull week and you guys too could send me some pictures! As much as you guys like recieving pictures of me, I like recieving pictures of you. I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Con cariño,
Elder Kyle Hudgins
Dear Elder Hudgins,
As you may have been told, I’ve been a little jealous of the opportunities for sharing the gospel that proselyting missionaries and even the other couples get to participate in. It seemed that being in the office presented fewer chances. But, I have made quick friends of strangers, given away a lot of Pass Along cards & felt some satisfaction in that and now there have been some interesting developments as a result.
About three months ago, we were grocery shopping in a just opened supermarket, when a Lebanese woman saw that I had some ham in my cart and stopped to ask me some questions about it. She told me that she was shopping for a restaurant associated with a brand new hotel just a block off the main boulevard we live on (Trente Juin). Having already experienced how bad the average restaurant was in Kinshasa, I told her that I was very excited about this and we traded contact information (mine was written on a Pass Along card). When I was told by the other couples that it was our turn to pick a restaurant for our Friday night, I picked the Hotel Royal. When I got in touch with her, she told me she’d just come across my card that morning and thought of me. Long story, short… they gave us FREE appetizers, FREE fruit drink with our meal and kept all prices for the entrees at no more than $20 per couple. Fatima’s two sons, who run it all, took care of us and told us that she was packing to leave that night for Montreal. A bit later, she came down and rushed over to give me the 3-cheek kiss that is common here and I told her that my mother was born in Montreal, so we had some fun discussion about that. The place is lovely and clean, the service was outstanding and the food was incredibly good! So, because all of us couples raved about it so, today our Mission President & his wife (who weren’t able to go that night, went to check it out. They came back so impressed that he is going to talk to South Africa and say, “You need to stop booking folks at (the Memling). This new place is top notch and is cheaper by far.” So, if Elder Renlund agrees, I will have played a key role for Elder Jeffrey Holland, the new Presiding Bishop (Stevenson), and another General Authority to stay there when they come in September!!
The other neat happening is that, when we attended the 1st graduating class of Elder Billings’ “Construction Training Program”, I noticed a man sitting on the other side of our translator (a recently returned missionary who had worked cleaning the Mission Office when we first arrived). I recognized the man as one of the body guard/drivers who sit and wait for their employers inside our Mission walled compound. (Their employers are people who reside in the apartments which is also where Pres. & Sis. Jameson live). Anyway, I leaned over and let him know that I recognized him and said, “Hello”. He seemed very pleased that I had recognized and acknowledged him. I asked him if he knew someone graduating and he pointed to one of the non-member contractors in the pew ahead and indicated that he had come to drive him. Then, I felt impressed to ask him if he, himself, was a member of the Church. He said he was not. I looked him straight in the eyes & said, “Well, we are glad you are here. Please come back again.” A couple days later, I was standing just outside the Mission Office doors, waiting for George to park the car and come open the office, when I heard a very cheerful shout of “Hello!” I turned and smiled when I saw him and asked him how he was doing, etc. Then a few days ago, I saw him again, went over to him, greeted him and then asked him if he had been back to Church. I couldn’t fully understand his answer, but the next thing he said was, “Do you have a Bible I could have?” I smiled and said, “Let me see what I can do.” I then made sure that I put a Book of Mormon in our glove compartment so I could give it to him the next time we saw him. The next time was this morning, at our chapel, and he was talking to the two Sister Missionaries for our ward. I went up laughing and said, “Sister Ntita, Sister Banza… is THIS my friend that I see?” Then I shook hands with him and he just looked SO happy. I said, “I have a Book of Mormon for you!” Then he said, “I already now have a Book of Mormon”… (darn, diligent Sister Missionaries!!) 🙂 So, I said, “Oh, I will get you a bible then” Anyway, later, after Church, he introduced me to his wife and baby & sister-in-law who had come to Church with him. When George & I drove off from Church, he and his family were all seated with the Sister Missionaries under a shade tree, listening intently. As I took a picture of that beautiful scene, they were all bowing their heads in prayer. As a bit of a P.S. I have to tell you that he is a VERY tall, large and imposing man.. probably 6’4″. He told me today, he is Nigerian, which is why he knows English so well. Anyway, he always struck me as looking very MUCH like a body guard because of his formidable size and the dark scowl that was always on his face. NOW, you can tell that the things he is learning are making a difference in his life…he looks like a wonderful, friendly big teddy bear!
So, your Nana is happy to have some real missionary stories to tell as well!
We love your letters, Elder Hudgins, and your pictures. You look very happy and that makes all of us who love you very happy.
Love,
Nana
P.S. I’m going to send this message to the rest of the family, too. As you well know, now that you are on a mission, it’s the only way to keep so many people up to date.