October 21

Dear Family,

   Well where do I start we had another baptism this last Sunday with a guy named Roy from Honduras. He just was waiting on some special details and he got them and then he got baptized.  So I'm sending you some of the pics I've been having  problems lately with the compurters here in Laredo.

   But things are going very well we've had a lot of great miracles coming from our member work. We've been working alot throught our members that know a lot of people like our 16 to 18 year old members and they've been hooking us up with some awesome refferals and we've had plenty of people to teach. As of right now Elder Hobbs goal is to find a family to baptize. I've had success with singles I've loved all the people that I've been teaching but I'm just looking for that special family to help our our spanish branch and I think we've found it. I've taught a couple families I just haven't got them to there special day. But that's the plan so be praying for that para mi.

But my companion's name is Elder Jeppesen. He's from Brigham City utah. He's about 6 ft 4ish and very skinny loves to hunt and fish and the outdoors. We've been getting along real well and having some good success together. All the kids love him because he does a special handshake with them all so we're the favorite companionship in the branch as of right now. haha jk but I got another companero de la fabrica. Es lo que tenemos aqui en el sur de tejas muchos misioneros de la fabrica. Quiero unos mexicanos aqui! chiste.

My shirts are holding up well I haven't opened any of the ones you've sent yet and a tie would always be nice. But whatever is en la corazon de mi mama. De la mama osa! Have a great week I love you all and seek missionary oppurtunites and support and pray for the missionaries in the stake.

Elder Hobbs

October 14

Dear Family,

  

   This week we had the baptism of V S R !!! He's an awesome guy that will be for sure getting the melchezdic priesthood soon if he stays on track and stays here in Laredo he's got such a strong testimony and knack for learning the gospel. Also he's been studying a lot of English and he's been talking us into starting some English classes so I'm pretty sure within the next 2 weeks Elder Hobbs is going to  be teaching an english class. (that is once I learn proper English myself). But everything went super well I got the chance to confirm him and a member baptized him. We will also be having a baptism coming up this next Sunday with a guy that had investigated the church about a year ago but got deported and now he's back and going to church again and already has a strong testimony so he will be able to help out the branch a ton too.

   We've also had a miracle with a recent convert member named A. she was baptized about 5 months ago with her family and her x husband has seen a lot of changes in her through the gospel so he is interested and has  been meeting with us here and there and accepted a baptismal date but he's been real busy and we've finally gotten into teaching him the restoration and he's loved everything so far just very willing to learn and go to church. He even came to the baptismal service of S.  We've also been teaching a lot of other people and working on finding people's real intent and if  it's not there we've been dropping them. Our time is too precious to spend with people that aren't prepared. And just looking back to all of the baptisms we've had or have lined up all of them have came through the members so they've continued to support us well and feed us and help us have success. Member Missionary Work it's the best way to go because it's the Lord's way to do the work. But I love you all i hope you have a great week and have success in school and sports and life.

Elder Hobbs

October 7

Dear Family,

 

   Where do I start for this week!!!!! Transfers are tomorrow I'm staying but I'm getting a new companion and taking over the area. We had a super good turn out for general conference we had a goal to bring 12 people as a district of 3 companionships and we brought 13! Tons of conference miracles. During the week we had an event where we had a planned fhe with a family at the chapel and made plans for each of their friends and family members to go and we had a huge turn out. A family of 4 had 30 people there!!!! Of which are now about 10 people to follow up with in our area. We got 2 golden refferals this week from Mexico and Honduras. A guy crossed the border 2 weeks ago that was taught everything just needs to be baptized so we'll have a baptism this Saturday with him( speaking of which i think he's coming from Sam's mission he said that President Marin was his branch president it was the Tampico Stake, he'd visited the temple down there, and he wrote izucar de matamoros. He said it was a little pueblito so quien sabe) And the other was a guy that just needed permission from first presidency and he got it and then he was deported. The permission arrived but he was gone and now he's back and already shared his testimony with us so here we go October Miracles here we come!

  

 We've also been teaching a guy that has been telling us all these crazy dreams and prophecying of things that are happening to us. haha like just little things like a sprained ankle and he told us that one of us would be transfered before we even explained what they were. haha this guy bought a suit, and dress shoes, and a white shirt and pants and got a haircut in preperation for conference. He's bought a phone so he can be in communication with us and he's also now looking to buy a car so he doesn't have to borrow his mom's truck. He's been very very prepared and he actually knew we were coming the first day we showed up he answered the door as we were walking up. I'd easily say I'm at the busiest point of my mission there are so many things to do and follow up and people to teach and members to support-you gotta love Laredo!!! Speaking of which our zone is getting split in half. Tons of things to juggle up in the air and now everyone in the family to e-mail back. Mama Bear Hobbs must have rounded up her cubs to e-mail me. haha But it's so good to hear from you all. Thanks for all the love and support that you continue to show me. The lord is hastening his work so keep it up and pray for those missionary oppurtunites as the old qb from BYU had said follow his instructions. There are miracles as everyone works together in sharing the gospel just as I shared we had 30 people from a family of 4 for a church tour which means a family of 7-2=5 should bring at least 35 for some sister missionaries in Utah. (btw I forgot to tell you everyone brought a friend in the family the son,the mom, and the daughter, and father everyone hit their goals I wished I would've taken a picture of all of us there)

 

   But as for conference I loved the first session I just felt a sense of urgency with every speaker. And I loved President Monson's talk on the 3rd session. But one of my favorite things was Elder Dube's talk the black guy that spoke about focusing on the future and the lessson he learned from his mom and most especially a line he said "It's not important to the lord where we've been, but where we are willing to go" I felt like it kinda spiritually jacked me about thinking of home here and there  and of Brownsville and kinda was a kick to the pants to say hey your right in the middle of everything so go to work. Kinda as a running back gets out of the thicket of defenders and everyone is behind him he still needs to run as hard as he can so no one will catch him. Or next thing you know a defender from the Kaysville little league team will catch up to him and punch the ball out of his hands because he wasn't carrying the ball as well as he should "he let up" so the lesson I learned is there is NO letting up in the work of the lord it's all going forward. So here I go onward christian soldier!!! 

 Have a great week and enjoy the talks a scrip. I shared in my contacts this last week to talk up general conference was Eph 3:5 to talk about the things that were revealed to Paul were things not previously revealed just like in our days the prophet and apostles still have things to reveal to us that were never revealed. Even though the bible and the book of mormon have ends god does not and therefore his revelation will continue to come. Como dice la escritura. "Porque no hara nada jehova sin que revele sus secretos a sus siervos los profetas"

 

Elder Hobbs

September 30

That's super exciting about the farewell of Tayson he's going to be a great missionary I know it.

 

Something cool that I'd like to share we had a sweet experience. We've tried to improve our contacts to not be robotic or sound repetitive and about 80 % of the people say I'm busy or not to day come by another time.... So we were thinking about it a bit and we decided to try out an idea to always have a bible/BOM on hand and to offer to just share one scripture with peeps. Whatever comes to mind or ask them what they'd be interested in and we've seen tons of success it helps open peoples hearts to the scriptures and also to us. 

One experience we had a guy was busy working on his car and we talked to him a bit he said it was his day off and didn't really want to waste it so he was messing with his car. So I offered just one scripture it'll take 2 min. I shared John 16:33 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have ^apeace. In the ^bworld ye shall have ^ctribulation: but be of good ^dcheer; I have ^eovercome the world." Then I explained how the world is nasty but through Christ we can find peace and we asked if we could share a quick message to find out how to find that peace. After 15 to 20 mins. he said a prayer and accepted a baptismal date. When we went by the next day he wasn't there but we talked to his wife. She said he was super excited, he said he was going to be baptized, and gonna go to church.... She also said she wanted her kids baptized by us....(1 and 6 ).......... But next funny part of the story so we go by in the morning before church to check that all is well and he's asleep and couldn't get up (he's a trucker) but their roof was leaking (estaba leakeando como dicen en tejas) and they were going to put a mat on the roof to stop the leaking so they had a ladder there so I just grabbed it and took it up and put it on there. I've learned not to ask to serve people on the mission everyone you ask will tell you no. But she said she was going to come to church but was a no show. They had some family roll in and had a little Sunday afternoon carne asada. But well get them next week.

 

But that's about it we're teaching a few families here and there and some cool guys but we just are having struggles getting them to progress and come to church.

 l love you all have a great week.