Monday, December 29, 2014

Christmas Parties



Hey yall! I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone.. it was amazing talking with my family.. we had so much fun this week. it doesn't happen much as missionaries, but I do gotta say, we had fun this week and I felt the spirit a lot throughout it. 

Christmas this year has been probably one of the best ever! It was filled with a couple different family's parties.  That was a great feeling. Being around families enjoying each others company was probably my favorite memory.  We did karaoke at one family's house.  KILLED IT!!  It was awesome!  Friday was a somewhat normal day. Weekly planning and lunch at Huddle House.. it was so weird.. christmas was over like that :( oh well.. time goes on.  

On Saturday we did service for a family. It was fun! We took out a window, attempted to put a new one back in, but had the wrong size.. and then we also chopped wood and cleaned up the yard. I was rocking it in my overalls!  Service is always a good way to show your love to people. And it's easy to serve those you love. It's just true. 

Saturday night we went out to dinner with a family here, they took us out to a place called Western Sizzilin'.. It is just a more southern version of Golden Corral.. So good! The family that took us had the funniest 5 year old kid I have ever met! He was just hilarious!  He was a chubby kid and that added to it. The parents agreed! haha. such a good family.  

This Christmas season my heart was always turned back to family, cuz that is all I was surrounded by. It makes me happy to think I can see my family again soon, but also sad, because I have to leave my family down here..  

Church on Sunday was great. It seemed a spiritual day. In every meeting someone was crying.  

Just another p-day today.. nothing too exciting. Just more rain and another tornado watch. oh well! 

I hope you all have a great new years season! Its always a good time to restart and do better. 

I love you all!  
Elder Bodily

His Southern Family

His Forever Family

Monday, December 22, 2014

A Special Baptism

This week went by really quick! 

We were so excited for Saturday and the baptism of Willie Mae Simmons.  

At the church this week, we had a Relief Society dinner that we were the priesthood in the building for  on Tuesday, the ward christmas party Friday, and the baptism Saturday! it was great!  At the party Friday I was able to meet more of the ward here and make friendships!  

Saturday was one of the best days of my life.. The baptism of Willie Mae Simmons was beautiful. Elder Beckman baptized her. It was very neat to see him be able to do that so early in his mission.  During the baptism service, I felt the spirit bear testimony to me that this church is true. I mean, no other way would I be able to feel the same emotions in a room with 100 marine recruits, and then in a room with about 35 people.  Words just can't describe it.  

For dinner Saturday we went to a mexican restaurant that one of our investigators owns. It was so good! Reminds me of El Sol!  But yeah, they may have had the tv on, and the Aggies game was on!! So that was awesome to catch!! haha. GO AGGIES!!  When I got home, I threw on my new Aggie shirt that the Corbetts sent me! The light rays from the light are awesome! hahah. 

Sunday was great. It was the ward christmas program here in nashville. It was really good and then we went to the stake center for the stake christmas program. That was amazing too. I saw a couple people from one of my old areas!  Him and his band played some bluegrass versions of christmas songs and a hymn I'd never heard before, #336, School Thy Feelings. It was amazing.  

Well, times up! People are waiting!!  

I hope yall have a merry christmas! 
love,
elder bodily

Willie Mae Simmons


Thank you, Corbett Family!

Saturday, December 20, 2014

New Area: Nashville, Georgia

hey everyone!  

I was transferred back down to the good ole south georgia country!  I am now in a town called Nashville! no, not Tennessee... oh well haha. I am really excited to be here, even though it killed me to leave Beaufort...  

Our first week here didn't really feel like I was here. We had 2 big meeting on thursday and Saturday. Thursday was just a zone meeting in Tifton, and then Saturday we had a huge 4 zone Christmas conference in Macon! A Member of the 70 spoke to us for a little while on applying scriptures to our lives and being able to move forward and grow. The rest of the meeting was just a big testimony meeting from certain people.. no movie.. no ipad..boo!! oh well. we just got word this morning that we will be having a mission wide conference in January with a member of the Quorum of the 12!  That is exciting! 

A few things from this week though. Our area covers quite a big area. I'm excited. Here in Nashville, my first night, they were having a big dinner for the older ladies and single women. It was a party, we of course were invited to it, so it was a good way to kick this area off!    

On Friday, we had our weekly planning party at the house, so I got a little bit more aquainted with the area, and then after we went to Huddle House! A member owns it so yeah.. free food twice a week! We usually hit it up on mondays and fridays. While we were there, an older gentleman sat behind a glass divider parallel to us. He reached his arm around and handed us some little papers from his church.  One of them said "Are you Decieved?"  Haha, it was pretty funny. So we handed him a "He is the Gift" card.  

Later on that day, we went up to the hood here in town and played some ball with a bunch of peeps. It was pretty legit. haha. My comp is 6' 5" and he can't play basketball to save his life.. haha. he knows it too.  

In one of our towns, there is a part member family. The husband/grandpa isn't a member, he is hilarious.. the elders warned us about him.. I am excited to get to know him better. haha. 

We have one lady right now, she is 85 years old, and the missionaries met her about a month or 2 ago.. she is incredible.. probably one of the most elect ladies I have met. She is getting baptized this Saturday! She is amazing. Willie May Simmons is her name.  

Church on Sunday was great.  This ward just got a new bishopric, ward mission leader, elders quorum pres, and young mens pres. so a lot of changes, but PEC on Sunday was great. The ward is excited. They had me and Elder Hatch, the other new missionary, speak briefly. It was very powerful. as I spoke, I could feel the spirit. I knew that this is where I need to be now.. no matter how bad I miss Beaufort, Nahsville is where I have work to do now.

I love you all! here is my new address.

Elder Bodily 
504 W. Hull Ave
Nashville Ga 31639

i love you all!

Transfers and the Last Sunday With Recruits



Well, transfer calls is always a nerve racking time.  I will be leaving Beaufort this week. It has been a bittersweet time. but i wouldn't have chosen a better way to end it here. 

On Tuesday we had a great experience. We went up to an apartment complex to try one of our old contacts. He wasn't home, but as we went downstairs, Jeremy came out of his door, taking out his trash, so we stopped him and talked with him.  He wasn't really too interested, but he loved asking questions, so it was a good time. And then his neighbor came out and he told her to listen to us, it was pretty cool haha.  

On Friday we had an appointment that was set up by the sisters, it was with a guy they had met last week. They told us that he was in a wheelchair, but all there. Our lesson with him was incredible. We talked for almost an hour and a half. He has had an incredible life and so many spiritual experiences. He had a brain aneurysm when he was 7 and now he is 32. It was amazing.  

On Saturday we went out to the airport and saw our friend Jerry's plane. It was fun! He is awesome! He's been flying for 63 years. He is awesome.  





On Sunday, I was so grateful it was a fast and testimony meeting. The best way to end time in a place I call home - both for Parris Island and Beaufort.  I bore my testimony to the marine recruits about "an island that God forgot about", and how they truly found God. After I bore my testimony, one of the male recruits who is new and not a member, got up and bore his. It was amazing.  I really am going to miss those Marine Recruits so much.. as missionaries we joke about a bad lesson being one where they bring up Kolob (this'll be awkward if someone doesn't know..) anyways, in Sunday School in Parris Island we broke up into small groups to answer questions. It was great, except for the fact, the first question I got asked was "What is Kolob?"  ugh!! haha, it was funny though.  Back in Beaufort, I bore my testimony again.. It was hard on me to stand in front of my family and say goodbye to them..  So many good memories with all of them..  It sure is going to be hard to leave them.. they even threw a party for me.. except it was for the Christmas Devotional.. haha. Oh well.  



Hope you all have a good week!!  I love this gospel!
Elder Bodily

What do you drive to church?

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Lacrosse and a Cello ~

This week went by like a blur and i cant believe its december now..  so much happened this week i dont know where to begin!  

We went to rite aid one day and as we looked behind the counter, it was one of our new investigators that we met a couple weeks ago that we lost contact with! it was awesome. 

Tuesday started the wonderful week.  our early afternoon plans fell through and so we texted a member to see if he would text his friend who is a less-active that we could all meet up. Well he texted us and said they were playing lacrosse with a bunch of kids. so yeah. you already know that i was in the car driving over there!! there were about 7 guys. and an extra goalie stick.. so yeah, i jumped in. no pads, just a stick.. they didnt shoot hard, but i got hit a couple times, it felt so good haha. 


 Thanksgiving day came.. i was excited! we had a turkey bowl with a bunch of guys, some of which we met on tuesday playin lacrosse! it was so much fun! 




For thanksgiving lunch we ate at a members home, and there were like 4 families there! so much food and such good company!  



















When we got home that night our dinning room carpet was soaked wet.. so we called the company and they sent someone to look at it..  it was our old neighbor! haha. well. they couldnt figure it out, and our neighbor was gone.. so yeah.. Sunday afternoon comes around, thats 3 nights later of water running, we get home from church and our neighbor is home! apparently our upstairs neighbor's kitchen pipes got clogged and it went into our side neighbors sink and kitchen..  huge mess over there and we only got the run-off.. it smells so bad but getting better.. haha. oh well..

Sunday was once again the highlight of the week.. church on Parris island was great. we had 10 male non members there! and most of them are only on their second week.. long way to go. but some of them are so spiritually prepared. the spanish elders came out with us, so in our Sunday school class, the sisters had to leave early, we had us 4 missionaries and 25 marines around us.. and 4 of the 7 male members are return missionaries! it was great.   


In Beaufort, church was normal, nothing too big happened, except for choir practice! a member brought her cello! and so yeah.. i played during practice. it felt so good! and later that night we went over to a members and continued to play for a bit. it was great.   




Well i hope you all had as an exciting week as we did!  

i love you all! 

happy thanksgiving!

Some random pics:  (notice the price of gas!)





Monday, November 24, 2014

Another week of listening to the Spirit ~

Hey yall. 

It was a quick week here. not too much happened. on tuesday the Zone leaders came down and did exchanges with us. so one came with us, and one went with the spanish elders.  We had a really good day! crazy how that happens.. the zone leader was wanting to keep it interesting and us in good spirits so we decided to have a "crazy contact", well, a lesson with a less-active family fell through and so we decided to try the house across the cul-de-sac, and a lady answered it, and the words just flowed from my mouth, "hey ma'am, we've got an awkward question for ya.. could we use your bathroom?"  and she let us in! by the way, yes, we were being serious! the zone leader needed to. and so it led to a really nice contact of a young family. She wasnt too interested as she goes to CBC, but it was very nice of her, to be so trusting! 

Also this week, we were able to help out again at Stop Hunger Now! This time it was at the high school, and a lot smaller scale. we only packed 10,000 meals, instead of 40,000. It was fun though. A member, who is a senior, was kinda putting it on! It was real neat.  

On friday night, we had a member come out with us, Ian, he has his mission call and leaves in 20 some odd days. We had an incredible lesson with Bellinda. We started off just talking about life and stuff going on, and it fit perfectly into the Restoration and how this gospel truly blesses families. she has 4 teenagers and one of them is being difficult so we were all able to bear testimony that it gets better! all of her questions fit perfectly with the lesson. unfortunately she didnt make it to church.. sad day.  church was awesome. both sessions! haha. On Parris Island, our numbers were small. we got 4 new recruits in sneakers.. meaning first week here. 2 of them are members. one of them is originally from Russia, so lately i have been speaking in a russian accent.. ahha. its awesome!! 

In Beaufort, we got a new bishop. The ward is really excited. after church we had some good times. it was getting late, real dark and raining hard and so we went to visit a less-active family. the son wasnt there, but the mom was. she answered it and you could tell she wasnt feeling too good. but as she talked with us, my heart was touched. she said that whenver she is feeling sick or not good, the missionaries always end up showing up! and how that it always is so special to her, and then she asked us to continue to try and work with her son, who i've met before, who just recently accepted a scholarship to Coker College her in SC to play lacrosse!!  and as we stood there in the rain talking to her, we ended with a prayer and she was in tears.. I just love this gospel.  

As we were heading back towards the apartment to try some investigators, a thought came to my head to go to another less-active's house. i hadnt met him before so i was a little nervous, but we went. as we knocked, he yelled, "who's there?" and i said, "the missionaries" and when he opened the door he was trying to act tough, asking why we were out that late in the dark and that neighborhood, and all i said was, hey brother hampton.  and he changed and was like, oh hey guys, come on in! haha. it was really neat. so for the next hour, we talked with him and worked on a puzzle. 

I have grown to love listening to the spirit.. I know thats a weird saying as a missionary, cuz I should be used to it, but it never gets old! 

I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! It really is a special time. 

Mom, send pictures of the family :)

I love you all!
Elder Bodily

Monday, November 17, 2014

Send Real Letters, Please!

Hey yall. 

Mom you're making me sad with the pictures of snow! but thats okay! i love it.  the weather is starting to turn south here too.. thats alright though. i enjoy it. 

this week went by really quick. we had a couple days of meetings so that probably added to it. tuesday we had our regular interviews with President Cottle. That was fun. our ward mission leader drove us all over to Rincon (about an hour away). it was a good time. In our interview, president cottle pulled out the M word on me. Marriage.. come on! i got 5 months left! Aint nobody got time for that! but it was a good laughing time. he said i'd get more of it when i came into the mission home.. ahhh... not too excited about that. haha.  

on thursday we had our monthly zone training meeting. it was in hilton head. that was just a normal meeting except for the fact that Elder Turnbull (one of the spanish elders) and i did a skit on weekly planning using Harry Potter as our theme.. it wasn't as good as our Lord of the Rings one,, but i still enjoyed it! haha. 

on friday i learned a new trade. we helped put in a new dishwasher for a recent convert. that was really fun. it was only supposed to take about an hour.. 2 at the most.. well, 4 hours later, we got it figured out. the simple things never are that simple. always something that has to go wrong..  it was a very neat experience though. we grew close to the member helping us. that has been one of my favorite things from the mission, being able to see people as God sees them, His children. and being able to understand people's emotions and knowing how to help them..  really not much happened this week though.   

ah! the holidays are coming up.  President Cottle has asked that all holiday packages, if they are to be delivered before Christmas, need to be at the mission home by Dec 6. we have transfers Dec 9, and then Christmas conferences after that, but to be safe,, get it there early. and i dont know what is going to happen with transfers, so send it to the mission home address.. its my last christmas!! i cant believe it.. i love you all.  but if you feel so inclined to send me anything, letters would be nice, i will add our address here too. :) it was pretty funny this week, it was elder newby's birthday on saturday.. yeah he got 3 packages and like 15 letters.. it made us all feel like the dirt, even though it was his birthday hahah. 

mission home:
Elder Kevin Bodily
400 Northside Crossing
Macon GA 31210

now:
Elder Bodily
2205 Southside Blvd Apt 11B
Port Royal SC 29935
i love yall!
elder bodily

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

More with the Marines!

hey yall. as usual, words can't begin to describe how this week went. we said goodbye to the George's on Tuesday.  It was super sad.. I don't know what we are going to do now.. they helped us out so much!! definitely gunna miss them.  

Throughout the week, elder burgess and i have been working on finding more people to teach. we had quite a few good experiences with that.  On Friday we had the graduation of our now Marines.  it was so great.  as we were sitting there, a man came up to us and asked if we were the ones who had baptized Hammann, we said that we were. This man is in the Bishopric up in Wilmington, and also the father of the girlfriend, which we didn't know about!  haha. it was cool. Then he asked me if i was related to any bodily's up there, i said somehow because of the boat from South Africa, well he said, oh yes, we've heard of the boat! haha. it was cool. 




On Saturday we helped out with one of the teacher's eagle scout projects (i'll get pictures from that later.)  it was fun though! the sand gnats bit up my arms though.. it was crazy.. on 

Sunday was definitely a changing point on my mission.  As 7:30 a.m. rolled around, we were getting ready to leave for church on Parris Island, well our bishop called and said that the Mock's, who are the group leaders for the recruits, were caught behind a wreck on a bridge and had to turn around and go the long way around. so we were kinda nervous. we got over there and set everything up and I conducted the meeting. It was a humbling experience. as brother mock got there right before the sacrament, he still had me conduct. he gave the closing talk and expressed how the church is set up in such a way that a meeting can always be held by the power of the priesthood. it bore testimony to me that this church is true cuz without the priesthood power, nothing could be done correctly.  It was very powerful. 

As we ended all of church there, we went to the Beaufort ward, where President and Sister Cottle were speaking! We walked in after the sacrament, and he kind of eyed us down as we walked in and sat down.  After the meeting though, Sister Cottle came up to us and apologized that they didn't come to Parris Island!  So they did know why we were late!  haha I wasn't scared.  After church we ate dinner with them and the Clancy's. It was wonderful! Pulled pork and mac n cheese.. my two favorites..  



so yeah. this week was great.. i love you all! 
elder bodily

Friday, November 7, 2014

New Week. New Changes.

I cant believe that it is November now.. where is time going?  

On Monday we did a lot of running around and saying goodbye to people for Elder Ah Fook. It also gave me time to burn some pants finally! I cant believe that 18 months has flown by.  





Tuesday came and went. That 3 hour ride to Macon from Beaufort is so long.. haha. especially with 4, well 5 guys and 2 sets of luggage, in a tiny jeep! oh well. haha.  At transfer meeting, it was a reunion of the family. There are 5 generations now in the mission! From one man! I cant believe it. My 'father', Elder Meiling, goes home end of December, and he just got his great-great-grandson! I'm getting old..   



My new companion is Elder Burgess! He has been out about 3 months. Oh how I remember those days.. haha. so long ago. I am excited though. He is a great missionary. We have opposite teaching techniques, so it fits perfect, I talk a lot, and he will listen to the spirit and ask amazing questions or say something to bring the spirit. It's worked so well this week.  



Thursday, we had a great lesson with a lady out on her porch waiting for a ride. Patricia was very interested in the Book of Mormon and how it testifies of Jesus.  "Oh you can never have too much Jesus in your life!"   

Friday we had to be in early for Halloween. Boo.. literally.. but we were invited by a family to go over and enjoy in some chili and pumpkin carving before! It was so fun. Reminded me of home a lot! We always have chili on Halloween! But this time no bread bowls. oh well! haha. 



Sunday was amazing as always. We have 3 new people in our district. 2 elders and 1 sister. and all of us went out to Parris Island. Services with the Recruits is always a spiritual time.. We had 8 male recruits graduating this week and 2 females.  Testimony meeting was so powerful. It's amazing to see, even the nonmembers get up and talk about them coming to know God and his love for them.  The weather took a cold turn Saturday morning.. it felt so good though. It hasn't really gotten above 65. I love it! 

well, have a good week yall. 

Elder Bodily

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

A New Hair-Do and Trunk or Treat

This week was a good one to end the transfer on! We had a lot going on that kept us busy and not thinking about the Saturday Night phone call.

Friday was the ward trunk or treat party. That was an amazing activity! i did a new hairdue for it.. haha :)  a lot of investigators came out to it and enjoyed it! also a lady came that no one knew, but when someone went to buy MORE hotdogs and hamburger meat, they invited her and she showed up! but left before we could catch her again. all the missionaries were the judges for the bake-off.. so pretty much we gotta taste-test the desserts before anyone else. i gained about 5 pounds.. so much good food. i also made that orange coolwhip fruit salad that dad would always make! it was a hit. apparently they call it "orange fluff", i barely got any. the bowl was scrapped clean haha.  


 

























on saturday there was a wedding in the ward. it was a very cool experience. the ceremony was held outside and then the reception inside. it was my first time to a hispanic wedding. and it was entertaining! haha. though noone brought the booze.. most everyone was members haha.  the sand gnats are out and in force.. dang. they are annoying. they bite and leave marks.. they dont swell up like mosquito bites, but they are there, nonetheless.   





Saturday night we had the phone call and found out that Elder Ah Fook is going to be transfered and im going to stay here atleast another transfer. i am excited. 

Sunday was a good way to end the week. We had a baptism on parris island! it was amazing as always. next week, Brother Hammann is getting the priesthood and then graduating!  its always sad to see them go. 



Sunday at church was incredible. We knew that we were going to get a new bishop, and at the end of sacrament meeting, bishop gave his talk. I was sitting up on the stand behind because the ward choir (yes im singing here..) sang Called To Serve, but i was able to see everyones faces and their reactions. it was very spiritually.. he was very humble about the whole thing. he has been called to serve in the South Carolina Columbia Temple Presidency. He has been bishop here twice, for a total of 14 years. 8 years this last time.. it was very touching. 

the rest of sunday we spent saying goodbye to people for elder ah fook. it was a full day.. haha. 

ah. also this week i finished the book of mormon for the 4th time on my mission.. i cant express how powerful the book of mormon is.. i know that it is true. i love it.  

i love you all! 
elder bodily
 


im gunna send another email of some photos of the stop hunger now and also a photo shoot we all did with a member here awhile back!