December 17, 2012

Dear Family,

     Well Christmas came early for me here in San Benito.... I found out on last Friday I will be being TRANSFERED!!! to the country club area in Brownsville and I'll be breaking in my bike I've only been riding on Saturday's. haha and honestly I've felt the last two weeks that I would be being transfered for some odd reason.  But it's been a great 2 transfers at Sanny B and I haven't made it two transfers with any of my companions yet and I am actually going to be put with an elder who's either on his last or second to last transfer so I may only get one with him too.

 

     This last week has been pretty sad to say so many goodbye's to so many people I love. Some day I hope to return to my birth place here in Texas and to see how far the branch has sky rocketed. I'll be leaving 3 part members and a family of 3 on track to be baptized in January..... So it's selfish of me to say I don't want to leave because I want to be there for the people I've found and started to teach. I know it's what the lord wants and I've done what I could for this area and it's time to start a new chapter in my mission over in Brownsville and maybe hit a few tie bodegas when the tie fast gets lifted up. Haha but let me tell you what has made my mission up to this point.

 

     When I first got here the branch president wanted me and Elder Smith to go over to one of the part member families and start teaching the father who is not baptized and the plan was for the gringo who can't speak spanish to ask him why he wasn't baptized and win over his heart for not being able to speak. haha I thought I did a pretty good job at giving him quite a bit to laugh at as I tried teaching and talking with him. haha but me and Elder Smith taught him quite a bit and me and Elder Carling have taught him here and there and he just would say "No siento listo" (I don't feel ready) and just kept saying that everytime we brought up baptism with him and the first approach me and Elder Smith took with him was to explain the book of Mormon simply through the Introduction so we did and he said thanks elders I'm glad you explained it to me or what not and we hadn't talked with him for about a week or two and next thing you know he's asking us questions about the vision in the book of Jacob. Haha but long story short we were at the branch cookout with all the families there and he was there with his family (this is on Saturday). I came over and told him I was leaving and that I was going to miss him a ton and I'll never forget the look in his eyes and what he said whether I understood every single word he said to me or not.... He said Hermano I did what you said I've prayed and I feel ready. He said "My wife's birthday is on the 20th of December and I'm going to tell her I want to be baptized" I about started crying and I hugged brother Rosas and Said Hermano no puedo explicar como yo siento ahorita en espanol y si usted puede entender ingles todavia no puedo explicar and gave him a hug. That made my mission to hear that and to see the look on his face and to imagine how happy his family is going to be to hear this news. They are all so active and just missing one thing a father who has the priesthood and that's going to be the best Christmas gift they'll ever receive.... He also thanked me for the love and patience we showed him and the things we taught. He is the first person I want to see when I come back to san Benito someday.... You may now know why I don't want to leave but I'm not the first missionary to suffer a heart breaking transfer and I won't be the last. it's time to move on and take what I learned here and take it to Brownsville. That's all life is when it comes down to it..... Leaving..... and going somewhere else whether it's physically or spiritually. As I've went around in the car the last couple of days it has felt the same as my last couple of rides around West Weber and I've come to realize I'm leaving home again.

 

But I love you guys hope all is well sounds like everyone's got so many things going on and tell Alli I said Congrats. And tell Levi he doesn't have his good luck mate on the boat with him. haha but love you guys and I'll be calling Christmas night from 7  Texas time or later so whatever time that is in Utah. And it could so happen to be on  Christmas Eve depending on what my new comp wants to do. and please answer your phone mama. haha love you guys a ton. estoy animado para comunicar con mi hermano y hermana y no make fun de mi tex mex. por favor. And I got my package.

Elder Hobbs