12/1/14

So this week has been good. Thanksgiving was great. It was probably the

most food I have eaten from the time I was at the MTC, oh such a good
food. With the Preeces (yes he is the son of the Kathy Preeces in my ward!)
He is so cool, and his wife and kid are so nice. Anyways we are
still talking to our investigators. We still haven't been able to get
them to church because the mom has had legs surgery and she can't walk
there, she doesn't want them walking there by them self. But we have a
plan now of how we can get them there! There is a member that lives
close to them and he has a car that he is willing to pick them up! So
yea! We have another one that was doing well but he brought another
Jehovah whitness man there that only wanted to bible bash and tell us
how Jesus has already come and they know it was 1914... When the bible
says no one know the day or the time that the son of God will come
again not a man on earth or an angel in heaven... that’s in Mathew,
chapter 24 verses 36-40 ish. And also they could answer where the
other book of Joseph was. Man, it’s crazy sometimes and I am bad at this.

Because I want to bashed right back. I need to work on that. But I will calm down next time I promise. I like it here weather wise it been nice for Saturday and Sunday. It still freakishly cold here so much colder than Utah. It goes through all of my clothes and you put layers on just so you don't get frostbite all over. Super great man got baptized his name is Samuel, he was in the darker part of life and he decided one day to not serve the devil and to serve God. Thats when he found the missionaries (that day) and he’s super good. Read the whole book in like a week. Its so good to see the people that God has prepared. God loves his children, and will lead them, to understanding in the time he knows they will understand and follow. I would love to hear from you guys! So that’s all I can think of, Have fun!

From your 'little' Cody
Elder Hendrickson 

chicago 11/24/14

Hello! This week was good! Well it was so cold Tuesday! And Wednesday
and Thursday, Friday was good and Saturday and Sunday was warm! Like
fifty. It nice! Amm teaching wise we have a few people that are
really strong and wanting to go to church and get baptized, but I need
to find them rides, because the mom just had leg surgery. And they
live in a kind of sketchy neighborhood. And another guy that we are
just meeting, he is good man but has some deep devotion to the bible
and his church. But I got him interested in reading the Book of
Mormon! It is so cool. Because we showed him the two sticks one of
Ephraim and of Judah. It caught his eye. And he promise to read it so
we'll see.
We been haven a bit of fun too here. We when to a south part of
Chicago Saturday and walk about for a little bit waiting for the train
to go to a baptism. No collectables shops on that side sadly but I
still got some time to look up at the sky scrapers! They are so tall I
can't even to believe that people would do that! It crazy, oh the
newies and a bunch of cool shows are showing in Chicago theaters that
I wish I could see but, oh well.
Oh I got my plan tickets for Brazil a few day ago! It on the 15 of
December so ya I will be in Brazil for Christmas! Yay me, I hope I
haven't forgot a lot of what we learned in the MTC for the language.
We will see when I get there! Ha-ha. Doing well, here in Chicago and
loving and sharing the good word, and hoping they want to hear it! Oh
and I have already seen the Christmas YouTube video the church is
sending out and it is awesome! You should watch it when you can! So
good.
Here a few thing I am grateful for. My family, my friend back at home,
my companion, clean water, and the temple, the Holy Ghost, and Christ
love for all of us, I glad for people and their natural way of wanting
to be kind and talk to one another, and the people that are stronger
then me and living in places and that I could hardly images. This
time, take a moment out of your busy life to be thankful for the
little thing and the people in your life and thank god and all the
people that change your life. The church is true
your "little" Cody

First week in Chicago! 11/17/2014

Hello everyone!
So I’m in the Windy City right now and it is cold! I’ve been wearing three
layer every time I go outside! In the past week it been in the 30 for
highs and teen to single digits for lows, and it snowed a couple times
this week! So a little different then Brazil! Ha-ha oh well. I’m doing
really good here, I have an awesome companion and we have a family that
wants to get baptized by the end of December. Also we are re-activating
a few member as well in the area (it is really hard for these people to
get to church because it so far away and most people I am teaching
don't have cars.)
Something cool is I can see the Sears tower from my bed room window.
Sadly we walk and ride buses everywhere we go so we can't get very
many houses in one day. But we still can get to three of four people
in a day. This city is big! And the main downtown area is so tall!
With some awesome building and art pieces, which is out of my area
sadly. But all is well so my mission right now is the south side. I
have China town in my area and a lot of diversity in my area.
Also I do not like technology because my iPad works... But it is not
loading different aps and it is so slow! I might be getting a
different one in a few days... Oh well when I go to Brazil I won't
have to worry about that stuff. Super cool people in this area,
ya!, from "little" Cody

Nov 4 1014

Hello people of the world!

This week was pretty fun. I’m on my last week here at the MTC, it’s really weird to think that I am leaving next week. Because it feels like I have been here forever!!! And for no time at all! It’s weird. I love hosting (it is where we help the new missionary in to the MTC from the curb to his/her room) and I get to do it again this week .

My first zone leaders left this week, they were the best. They really helped us get comfortable here and helped us feel good about everything. They were awesome! They got re assigned, they will be great missionaries. 

A lot of people get there visas and flight plans to head off to their mission. It super fun seeing where everyone is flying, and how long the flights are, it’s crazy. 

Today I had a cheese bagel, I like eating cheese bagels. I Have a bagel almost every morning because the breakfast are not very good here. Though all of the meals here aren't very good. Oh well, not important.

My companion got his visa to go to Brazil. He is super excited. Actually everyone but the people going to Vitoria got their visas. But I haven’t so I got re assigned for now.

One of my roommate really hurt his ankle. It not bad enough to stop him from going to his mission right away. But it is all bruised up! It almost looks like frost bite. It’s pretty cool. He is still walking on it. 

Anyway, I have had my fun making you wait, I got re assigned to serve in the Chicago mission. I am super excited! This will be so cool, but I’m still hoping my visa to Brazil  comes soon!!

OK bye!

Your "little" Cody

Oct 28, 2014

Hello,  So I am in Brazil now, its cool here, don't understand what most people are saying, and this building is HUGE. A few days ago I was out on the streets and they were telling us how to just talk to people and give the book of Mormon. So I was trying it, this guy was talking and I really wasn't understanding... apparently he really wasn't interested... I understood that when the knife can out. I said sorry, I think in English and ran away. Just kidding I’m still in Provo, but that would be cool wouldn't it!  My visa is not here yet, its all good, maybe next week. A few more people got theirs, but I didn't check. Really, state side or Brazil, I’m happy to server were ever the lord wants me to. Other than that my week was pretty normal. It depends on the day, or even the hour if I can speak Portuguese or not. Which I would say is frustrating for my companion and me. Cool thing that happened, the  70 that spoke Portuguese at general conference,  he came to Provo and spoke to us. He spoke in English, but wasn’t good at it, which comforted me because I was being hard on myself for not speaking well yet and he was an extremely powerful speaker and still struggled with the language. So it was nice for me.  He forgot a scripture he was going to say and, then he just laughed and said, see even a general authority messes up which was super comforting.     In other news, I love the temple, it an amazing place! And in the temple the veil is super thin! I would say everyone should go there more often. Do some initiatory in the temple. I have a new friend on the other side now because of them. It was so amazing, during the speech, the temple worker stopped, because I was feeling so nice, and said, “sometime  they are allowed to come down and see there ordinances done”, and I just felt the man hug me.. It was indescribable feeling of joy! and I will never forget how happy he was to have me do work for him. oh and I love giving blessing!!! They bring the spirit so strong!! The blessing was from one of the sister missionaries. and I didn't know anything to say so I just open my mouth and the blessing came out and I had no clue what I was saying but it was said and it made me feel amazing.   All is well, or tudo bem, in Portuguese. The hard part of the MTC is making it through the days, week fly, it almost been a month I been in here and I leave 13 days under two week. Which is crazy because I fell like I just got here, and I been here for way longer, it hard to describe. Anyways, till next week.           Your "little" Cody.

Oct 21 2014

So this week has been pretty fun! Not to say there wasn't any hard times ,but over all good. Tuesday when we went to the Provo temple the funniest thing happen, we lost an elder in the temple! So we were going though and they forgot him in one of the rooms, and he just sat there for 45 minutes! Ha-ha. It was beautiful because I could sooo see this elder just sitting there completely happy twitting his thumbs!

Teaching in our language is getting easier. Today I had another first visit with an investigator and we both didn't have notes just had our scriptures. Which is super amazing! For me at least, there is a few people that is almost know Portuguese already (but there like the Italian, and elder Jones who knows French). So I proud of myself. 

On Sunday I didn't have to speak but my friends did a musical number (elder Jones can play the piano like a master, and elder Chitano can sing, he is Italian.) and it was so beautiful! In the lesson for priesthood our teacher gave us a perspective of how we small we are, and how amazing it is that God loves every single one of us. 

My ear is getting better and I can speak, sounding like a cave man, to people. I pull my teachers a side a couple time to have them explain a few thing. And that really helped me learn what I needed to do more.

Well that about it for this week, love you all. If you have question, comments, concerns, complements, quibbles or quotes you have for me send away!

From your "little" Cody 

Oct 14 Oh life is fun!!

So mom you asked a LOT of questions so I answer them first. My compenarho (companion) is named Elder Didrikson, he from Smithfield UT and he awesome! Super chill and funny. Oh so funny story, we were teaching an investigator (fake) and we both had on pink ties. So he asked us if we were gay!! We said no but then he went on to point out we live together, are wearing matching clothing and we are all way together....so yeah... he later turned out to be my new teacher. So now we have two teachers... and two new investigators. Remember that all this conversations and in Portuguese. Its slow coming for the Portuguese, or it just feels like it. I can understand it well, but it’s hard to form sentences. And spelling is almost impossible for me! 

I got the package!! It was sooo good, thank you. . No word on visa, our branch president said we should not talk about the visa, because they will come in God’s time. P-days are like Christmas every week!! Typical regular day is -wake up study, eat breakfast, lesson, then study, eat lunch, lesson then study, gym, eat dinner, study, teach the gospel in Portuguese to our investigators, study, go back to the bedroom, study, go to sleep.. Every day.  I miss home life but it’s all good, I’m having fun and loving life.

Callie and josh, I am so happy for you that you are loving Naomi!! I know she is in good hands. I miss you guyS so much. My roommate got sick of me telling them I was an uncle and showing her picture every time they started talking about families! 

Oh and Nanny, I have an Italian roommate, he is amazing man with a great conversion story. He reminds me of you nanny so much, and make my day so much happier every time I think, 'that was said like my grandmother!". 

Well that is all for now, love you guys!!!

 Your "little" Cody 

(First email) Oct 7th – we had just written him that baby Naomi was born 3 days after he left

The night before Cody left for the MTC

3 days later!

Hey guys, that is so exciting!!!!!!!! She is so beautiful! Oh I can’t wait to see her. I so happy for you Josh and Callie! You guys will be amazing parents. My time here has been hard, and I won’t lie, its hard to keep my feet under my head sometimes. In the past week I have taught two discussion in Portuguese, every day they have taught us in Portuguese for our language class. And every Sunday, we have to write a talk (3-5 min) in Portuguese for church. We might not have to give it the president just chooses in church. I have been stressed. But I have also had some times where I have been super happy and felt great. So I’m still kicking and hoping that the Lord will pull me though this. I love you all so much. Miss you mom, and dad. And I miss my big brother. But I still think this is where I need to be. It been shaky at time but the Lord gives me glimmers of hope and love for what I need to do. I miss my nanny too. We have an Italian boy living in my room! He is so funny and remind me for nanny so much with the way he says thing and the jokes that are funny to him, I miss you guys and love you so much. Tell little Naomi that her uncle loves her and is so excited to come back and see her. But I have a calling and a work to do. 

Well until next week your "little" Cody. I love you all 

P.S there is a thing called "dear elder" that you can send me emails that I will get the day you send it, I will not be about to respond.  Hint hint