March 25

Dear Family,

 

   Well sorry if you haven't received the details that you'd like. But as for the package you could just wait for my birthday and i'll let you suprise me with something. Haha I'm not an any immediate need of anything. It's good to hear how everything's going and exciting to hear a new call coming up. And also something that i'd like for my birthday... is for you to try and remember what happened at my baptism and maybe even ask grandma Hancock  i remember she had spoke.... And also could you send me her e-mail. Also I was wondering what's been going on with Trav is he feeling health now??? And make sure Mark gets me a wedding invite.

 

   Well where to start for the week..... This week was a great one we had our confirmation with little M. and it went really well. Directly after the bishop confirmed him he jumped off the chair and marched down the aisle and sat with his family. He was very very exicited. This last Sunday I also got the oppurtunity to bless the sacrament twice en spanish. We go on exchanges with the other elders that live with us and it was my turn to go and I got to take a greeny to the little casalinda branch for the first time. So I got to bless the sacrament there also it reminded me a lot of old West Weber and blessing the sacrament each week. But it was a very big confidence builder going on that exchange and being with someone who spoke very little spanish and just made me think of how far I've really come with my spanish. Not fluent yet but getting closer and closer each day.

 

   But we did well with finding we'll have some new people to start working with. We're working with an awesome family that invited us over for dinner on the first lesson and also a lady that couldn't get baptized in the past due to her husband holding her back so were trying to soften his heart and help her make that covenant with the lord. Also a divorced lady that is very open with us that is super super nice and has two little fat pugs that are super cute. And we also have a Mason that has been really interested with the priesthood and wants to come check out the church. I love the diversity of people down here you never know who your going to talk to and whether they speak spanish or english... or tex-mex. haha And we also found a bunch of less active part members to go work on so my list of part members is around 30 now.

 

   But I got a funny story for you this week. We had an exchange on Thursday and I got to go with an elder from Idaho with that had a graduating class of 14 and was a bit sheltered growing up.... (so it makes the story even better). Well all of our plans fell through and I ask him well elder where do you feel like we should knock. He points to a door and says that ones already open. And as soon as he says that a lady walks out and starts yelling at us to come over. So as a missionary I naturaly got excited and was thinking oh this lady is prepared or needs some service we can offer to her. Haha And we go up there and first thing I notice is there's 15 mujeres ranging from 40 to 90 that are playing mexican bingo in there. And this lady is like trying to grab us to pull us in and I ask her is there a man in the house and she says yes and points to her friend with short hair and then laughs and I finally get the point across to her we can't come in. (by the way this was in spanish) and she then says"where's the birthday girl..... The Strippers are here". And I had no clue what to do after that..... haha and then I explained that we were missionarys and not strippers and next thing you know me and elder Tew are sitting on the porch eating chorizo, barbocoa, and beans with tortillas. haha discussing with this lady where we're from and what we do and we quickly won over her heart and she apologized and admitted that she just wanted to play a joke on her sister (and right then and there i thought of Joanne and Valorie. haha). And then her cousin comes out that was christian and started asking a bunch of doctrinal questions and Maria (the lady,, whose catholic) just starts defending us like we were her sons and got mad at her cousin. haha and then she joined the conversation and turned out to be nice as well. We then reached the time to go and I asked if we could say a prayer before we left and she said oh yes. and went and rounded up everyone and I got to pray with 15 old ladies on the porch. haha the things you do as missionaries. haha we then spoke a bit more with the group and then I asked if I could get anyone's address to send missionaries over and that's when I lost the crowd. haha except for my newly made friend Maria that told us we needed to write down this experience in our journals. haha So we did and sadly we didn't get any refferals for any other missonarys and the lady didn't live there either.  But that was just another average lunch appointment in south texas. haha

 

   Hope that was enough deets for yuh this week madre y espero que lo disfrutes. Que tengan una buena semana y siempre buscen opportunidades de compartir el evangelio con sus amigos y vecinos y maise invite garret por un noche de hogar el lunes con la familia. Les Amo

 

Con Amor, Elder Hobbs

March 18

Dear Family,

     This week was a great one!  We got the chance to take part in a baptism with M a 10 year old that we've been working with for the last couple of weeks. The service went really well and the ward took them under their wings and showed them so much love. The home teacher of the family ended up doing the baptism for him and everyone was in attendance the bishop shared a strong testimony and it all ran smooth. The only problem is before the baptism our newly sustained ward mission leader started the font really early and didn't know that you need to fill most of the water up with hot water..... So as we checked it after sacrament it was about as high as it could go and very very cold. My comp and I (plus the zone leaders) called an audible to drain it a bit and fill it up with some hotter water. So as being the youngest missionary I got to go in and pull the plug so everyone else guarded the doors and I went for a swim and pulled the plug. haha anything for the salvation of others is my motto. haha but the baptism was so great and so spiritual it's so worth it to go through so many people to find those people who are preapred and so ready and willing to listen to the gospel. So start on that list of people that you've been feeling are being prepared huh???

     The Zone of Brownsville has been on fire this last week we are looking like we will be hitting our goal of 14 baptisms and even hitting above that goal. The Stake president has a goal for us to be up to 28.... So we have a lot of work to do. Me and Elder Stewart are back to starting from scratch for finding we don't have too many in our teaching pool. but we've discussed it a lot and will be planning our eternal family that we'll be baptizing together and we're very excited for that. I ran into a member that knows good ole President Hancock up in Austin you'll have to ask him if he knows brother Bradshaw. It's funny to have so many little missionary connections. Love you all and continue to stive to do member missionary work and diligintly read as a family as you have time. And remember your spiritual CPR (church prayer Read) Love you all and send me that rap Sam had. 

Love you Y que tengan una buena semana viene!

Con amor,

Elder Hobbs

March 11

Dear Family,

 

   Pues this week has been super crazy the mission has been going through a lot of changes....... And luckily Elder Hobbs didn't have to take one of those changes. I'm still with Elder Stewart here in Brownsville. But there's been a new Assistant called and 6 new zone leaders all at once. So the mission has a lot of new faces as leaders so it'll be really exciting. And also the tie fast was lifted up so we can now buy and trade ties and the news I'm sure you'll love to hear the most is that we now have an hour to e-mail...

 

   But this week was great. We had an open house for the ward to invite friends and we ended up with a couple people there that will now be becoming investigators. All the missionary's we're in charge of the entire program we all had the chance to sing Joseph Smith's first prayer in spanish to the Come Thou Font song and it was awesome we sang the first 3 verses to the organ and the organ player accidentally thought that there was only 3 verses because they had the english version or something so we ended up singing the last one Accapella Elder Hobbs style and it ended up sounding amazing the members really loved it and want us to sing more often to them. Haha I don't know if it was any different in Mexico or Argentina but in the spanish units here in South Texas the singing isn't exactly the strength of the members. Haha but on the brightside there cooking is! We have a dinner appointment everyday this week i'm super excited for the week to come. But back to the song.... it was one of the most spiritual moments of my mission so far it was such a testimony builder to me and how strong the spirtit can be felt through the power of Himns. I can think back to the day when we went to church with Grandma and Grandpa Hobbs up in Star Valley and Sam kept trying to shove the hymn book in my hands and we created a little scene up there all because I didn't feel like singing. It's taking me a couple years but I've repented. I love hymns and praying through song!

  

   We had our interview come up for M our 10 year old part member family we've been working with and he's still super excited about his big day next week and the members have really started ralllying around this family to help fellowship them and it's been awesome to see. The last thing anyone wants is to have the people we've worked with turn around and go less active so i'm praying the family will continue to remain active. But I'm super excited for the kid we've had a great time teaching him and having FHE with him. Haha But this week we've found a little bit more people we have a young family that we have a return appointment with and they've been firing off great questions right and left and we found this super prepared lady she just is going out of town for spring break. Padre Islands will be packed for spring break and the hermanas aren't going to be working all week. haha but life's great and I hope you all made that list like I talked about last week those sisters will need some help in the pink wash and maybe.

Love you all And congrats to the family and to the in-laws for surviving the Hancock party. 

Love you all

Elder Hobbs

March 4

Querrido Familia,

 

     Pues.... I could be writing you from anywhere in Southern Texas next week transfers are coming up this week. And no I haven't made it to Rudy's yet and it's in my AREA. haha you don't really eat out to much while your on the mission but I'll see what I can do about getting there.... especially if I end up getting transfered. I've really like being with Elder Stewart he's another older missionary with 2 more transfers after this one and we've gotten along ok and been working hard together and finally gotten to know most the members and built up our relationships. Hopefully the lord will let me be with him for 2 transfers. haha TRANSFERS what an adventure... And also I'd love if you could update me with Lloyd's blog or what not and also if you could get me Jacee's address I wrote her in the mtc but now that she's gone I won't be able to keep up with her. And so far i haven't had one flat on my bike those flat protector's have worked miracles for me. haha And you oughta tell uncle Brian that he needs to sign me up for one of those marathon's. I just about got my bike legs where i can go full speed everywhere.

 

     This week has been a little slow. We didn't find too well but we talked to a lot of people. That's the interesting thing is you can work your butt off but it's down to coming across those people that are prepared. We are still working with a less active family and there son who's 10 they've made it to church twice and he's coming up on his interview. I've been making a list of part members for the area and also trimming up the ward roster with who's moved or what not and so far we have over 25 part member families...... Crazy right??? And we';ve been getting fed well from the members so you have no need to worry about your little precious in South Texas. Just today for our p-day activity I ate a jabanero peppper the whole thing. So i'm definitly going to be fluent now. Soy un Nativo!!!!

 

     But I'd like to talk a bit on member missionary work with you now that the stake will be receiving sister missionary's. I'd like to first off commit you all to come up with a list of 5 names of friends that you can share the gospel with and invite the sisters over for dinner and discuss this list. And avoid changing the subject to things that do not involve missionary work! Help the missionaries live there purpose. As missionaries we sometimes fall into discussing things that don't pertain to our purpose with members. So keep them on topic!... And i'd also like to commit maisie to share mormon messages on facebook (especially with garret((maybe there's a lead for a name maisie)) Often times as members we seem a bit timid to share the gospel with our friends and family. We feel like if we push others to hear the message that they may think less of us or may not appreciate the gesture. But as members of the church we know of all the blessings that we are entitled to when we keep our covenants. For example when we keep our baptismal coventant we have the spirit to be with us at all times. (Sacarament Prayer) Think of all the blessing that we've had in our family of following the guidance of the holy ghost. Also 2Ne 9:21 no one can inherit the kingdom of heaven if they have not been baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority. If we really have love for those around us then we will give the best thing we have to offer them "lasting meat" and water or in other words the gospel. So share the joy of the gospel with those whom you want to see in heaven with us. I promise that as you do that you'll see the joy of missionary work and you'll feel real joy and that you can give someone something that they've been waiting for there whole lives. Some people just need the knowledge in order to repent... So share that KNOWLEDGE

 

But have a great week love you all!!

 

Elder Hobbs