October 29th

Well sounds like life in Utah is amazing almost as good as it is in Texas. I'm excited to hear everyone is getting work done and being active. It's crazy to think back to my old life and how lazy I was and how I feel now like I didn't accomplish anything before the mission. haha But Halloween's just around the corner it's crazy to think this'll be my first halloween out of Utah but hey it's all about the adventure. We actually will be done working at 6:30 so we'll get the oppurtunity to study some spanish for 3 hours in our apartment. Man I'm stoaked for Josh and Jorge I'm excited for them to be able to participate in the lord's work there's nothing as rewarding in life as a mission I've come to realize. 

 

But let me share a quick experience with you all you'll have to forgive me I'm a little short on time and I couldn't get the picture to go through. This last week I had my first BAPTISM with JM and it was the coolest thing ever. I got to baptize him too his mom felt like I needed to be broken in.  But the ordinance you know flew by like a flash I kinda wished it woulda lasted a little longer and would have been one of those breath taking spirtual events so I was a little disappointed that I couldn't feel the spirit as strong as I woulda liked. But after the baptism when the president of the branch was welcoming him into  the ward he asked him what's next........ he answered "I get the Holy Ghost, then pres asked then what........."I get the priesthood" again....... "I get to go on a mission" Man when I heard those words I about cried to think our teachings have given him the desires to do what we are doing and to bless other peoples lives I felt like I got a glimpse of a future that I helped someone shape it was amazing. Also another thing that made me about cry was something his mom said. She was sharing a comment to the Pres. she said "I know God and Jesus Christ are the most loving people to turn to and help you out  but the missionary's come next." And man it was everything that I've pictured a mission to be and I feel like my mission could be complete if I came home tommorrow (But don't worry i'm not!! haha).

 

It's just awesome to see the fruits of our labors here in San Benito and to see the effect we have as missionaries and as representitives of christ. As missionaries in some occasion we are HIM to THEM and that's the concept that sometimes blows my mind. To hear people's problems and to hear what they have to say sometimes shatters my soul. To hear them say What do I do or where do I go? and they expect a 19 year old kid to tell them the answer but I'll tell you what it's not the 19 year old answering those questions it's the master of whom he represents so Josh and Jorge and LLoyd and whoever is preparing for the mission realize this is not about you it's about whom you represent and start focusing your time now and giving time to the lord in order to shape your back and to be able to listen to the promptings of the spirit in order to do what christ would do or to say what Christ would say if He was in North Carolina, or in Paris or whomever your called too bring back to the fold.

 

It's been a great week I love you all and have another great week and remember whose name you bear as members of the Church of "......." Who? Remember that name in all places and remember people's eyes are on you

 

Elder Hobbs

October 22

Looks like a party back at home. It's awesome to see Tucker living the football dream at Air Force in his pads and great to see Sam and mom enjoying the weekend in Colorado. It has been so exciting to see that all my friends are working on papers and starting to receive calls it's an exciting time in the church.

   

It's been an awesome week here in Sanny B and Rudy's BBQ is just outside of our area. But mi espanol is getting better still a little rough and probably will be for the first bit because I'm not 100 percent immersed but I'm grateful for my area some of the new elders are in area's where there's almost no spanish at all so I'm grateful the stumbling block is at the first of my mission. Most people's spanish has slowed down a bit so I can actually pick out the words they're saying now it's just extending my vocabulary and fluency. But I'll do it I know i can.

So far we've had a lot of B.D.'s and also a lot of people drop us. There are a lot a lot of Catholic's in the area and they just say my dad and his dad and his dad are catholic I don't want to change. It kinda reminds me of the dog throwing up parable. But even though they say no most everyone is very loving and kind about it we've only had a few encounters that were unpleasant most people just say they're happy what were doing but don't want to change. But we've kinda ran into some problems with a family that can't be baptised and it's sad to see but it is what it is. But we got J still onboard for the 28th of October and he's been reading and loving the Book of Mormon he's excited and his mom is very very happy with the change he's going through. He lives in a part member family and the Dad is not to open to us but he likes us coming by to talk with his kids and wife hopefully he'll have a change of heart. That's about it. It's almost out of the high 90's and low 100's. Haha it's crazy that it's almost halloween people here go all out with the decorations.

Well have a great week and I love you all. Hope Trav gets feeling better and stuff gets figured out for him and Maisie...... Read the Book of Mormon for your studies for the ACT. I hope everyone's making time to show god they have love for him by reading the scriptures. Have a great week I love you all. I'm still getting used to the e-mail thing. haha

Elder Hobbs

October 15, 2012

The  week has been awesome I'm finally starting to figure things out with the work, being a good companion, and how to deal with people through lessons.  I heard about Austin he sent me an e-mail and I feel bad that I cannot e-mail him back...... It's better to be obedient so sorry Austin I'll write you a letter. haha and also just to let you know we only have a half an hour to e-mail home on Monday's so I don't know if I can get the novel's rolling each week just to warn you.

But let's talk about the week. I got to extend my first two baptismal invites in english this week. One was with the zone leader's on a split and she accepted it on the condition of if she felt that it was true. The other was with a 17 year old kid named D. He's kinda a gangster that's got into a lot of bad stuff we contacted him trying to find a former and he turned out to be the son of the former but the dad wasn't there he said he wanted to come closer to jesus christ and thus we were there in order to help him do so. But we shared the story of Alma the younger in alm 36 and talked about how he can be forgiven of his sins and not have anymore pains or afflictions and vs 17-21 did well when we related it to him so he's our 5th B.D. and I'm excited to work with him cuz he's the first one that I will have started with.  But M and R are still figuring stuff out were praying for a miracle. But R's sister has accepted the date on the 11th of November. And we got J on the 28th of Oct. But the field is definitely ripe down here there's a lot of success to be had and the members are few.... But they are so very strong and generousl. I've already made a few ins. haha so you don't have to worry about me eating the members are great. I've had some darn good enchiladas and some pasoly (a weird corn soup that's not to bad) and that's about as crazy as the food has been so far. But it's been great and I'm excited to be here in San Benito y poder a hablar en espanol. Aunque me Espanol is still bad. haha but there's 3 languages spoke here, English, Spanish and Tex-Mex and you nunca know cuando una person will be usando cual language so Era really interesting. haha but the language is coming slow but it's coming with practice.

But that's exciting to hear from you all I got my two letters of our family and Heston's and also i was curious why you took my knives out of the backpack..... Those are mission approved by the Hancock's and also my pancho was in there too. But it's been awesome everything's been holding up great and I just wish I was a better cook and it'd be paradise down here. haha But man I hope you let Austin, Sam, and Whitey know how excited I am for them. They won't know what they're getting into for some time. hahaha but tell them to go forward with faith trusting in the lord and they'll do great. I'm excited for them keep me posted. Por favor

Con Amor, Su hijo Elder Hobbs

p.s. I love seeing spanish speakers pernounce mi nombre. haha Let me know how the reading of the BoM is going with the family. And ponder the question why god would want us to read. Have a good week everybody love you guys.

October 10, 2012

Well,

I don't know where to start with your questions and also with what I want to say. My companion is from Idaho Falls, and doesn't know any of our fam up there.  My apartment is not amazingly nice but it's well equipped and it's clean and will be cleaner after my first transfer. And yes I've eaten some food here and there. Haha no it's been great the members are so friendly and patient with me for being a Texas gringo. haha And man that's exciting to hear about all our friends getting their calls I'm so excited for all of them. And CONFERENCE..... in the other side of heaven movie when the guy tells the girl when we look at the moon at night we'll be connected.... That's how I felt with the world during conference. haha it was awesome to think that you guys were watching the same thing that I was. And also I'm so excited for the age to be lowered so now some of mi amigos can put their papers in right away.

Well let's talk about San Benito....... I still haven't really seen it on the map but I do know it's on the border because i've driven by the fence a couple times. haha and yes we are in a car zone... I kinda wish I could ride my bike more often but we really only ride it on Saturdays and when I go on splits in a couple of weeks when I go with the other baby in my apartment. But it's pretty crazy it's been a reality check since I've been here that it's actually real now that I'm actually talking to real people and it's so weird. But we have 3 progressing inv. Minerva y Ramiro and Joey. Minerva and Ramiro aren't married and are working on doing this in order to be baptized. And some other issues..... But M is such a great lady she's already in 2nd Nefi and has loved the book of mormon and R doesn't read much but he pretty much does anything his wife tells him too. And J is 11 and lives in a part member home. His family is so crazy they have a little red neck in them I love it!!! So there's our 3 B.D. for October 28th and were struggling on getting new investigators but we have a few leads. Oh and j is in english and the others are in spanish. The area is so crazy because you never know when someone is going to speak spanish or english. We've talked with mexicans that only speak english and whites that only speak spanish but my area is about 75 percent spanish speaking. I'm just about over that mountain of talking to random strangers about the gospel. haha but I have faith I can do it and I have done it here and there I just need to get out of my comfort zone. But the people here are all sorts of religions it's great. I'm so excited about my area and my companion and my situation. I just wish i could use a bike a little bit more but count your many blessings right. Love you guys Valla con Dios.

Elder Hobbs

p.s. let me know who all puts their papers in and what not. I hope Cooper and Willie and Lloyd all put in together that'd be such a cool thing!

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