July 21

Dear Friends, Family, and fellow servants of the lord,

I felt today would be a good day to send out an e-mail and to describe a little bit about what my mission has ment to me. I will be ending my mission on the 30th of this month. My mission has been the greatest blessing of my entire life. I am eternally grateful for the temporal, spiritual, and eternal lessons i've learned and blessings i've received. Of the which i'd like to share some of the most important things i've learned for you to apply in your missions or life.

-Success begins with the companionship

   If you cannot love those closest to you it'll be real hard to have true love/charity for those you teach and come in contact with. As well a husband and wife dictate the success that the family will be likely to have. The companions that i've got along with the best and worked in unity with were often those that i saw the most success with. Never waste your time being ununified because it'll affect your work/stewardship.

-Making and Achieving Goals

   I've learned from Presidente Maluenda that a goal without a plan is a wish. I can have a goal to baptize 5 people in a month but if i don't have a solid plan than it's just a wish or desire. The plans need to involve all aspects of the work.... finding, teaching skills, member relations, personal obedience, receiving and contacting referrals, and teaching pool of investigators. I can as well set a goal to be a professional Pitcher in the MLB but if i don't have plans to pitch everyday, workout, get recruited by colleges, get myself known, and learn different pitches. Than it's just a desire or a wish. Goal, Plan, then MAKE IT HAPPEN! It applies to everything.

-Killer Instinct/Make it Happen attitude

   At the end of the day you just gotta put on your pants and get stuff done. A good example is Moroni in Alma 51 runs train on the realistas that wanted to have a king. Moroni didn't wait to see what would happen. He didn't have an attitude of we'll see what happens. He went and cleaned the inner cup of the Nefitas because the lamanites were coming to battle. We cannot wait around and wait for life to come to us or baptisms to come to us or baptismal doubts to solve themselves we need to go forth and make it happen and get it done!

-Having a good Attitude

 In the Truman G. Madsen discourses there's a story of Joseph Smith that talks about him telling a close friend that if the mountains of Nova Scotia were piled on top of him he would have the faith that he'd come out on top..... The world has so many downs but the nice thing is we have the chance to choose when to get back up. "Your area doesn't make your attitude, your attitude makes your area" (Revised Quote book  of Elder Hobbs).

-The Atonement is Real

  I have a testimony that our Saviour Jesus Christ Lives. And because he lives we will too after this life and we will all have the chance to live again with our families. Through the Atonement we can become clean of our sins, our short comings and errors. And all those we see on the street and road as well our entitled to those blessings as they obey the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we are called to teach.

Elders, Brothers, and Sisters the mission is like an unending well of knowledge and experiences we are the ones who decide how much water we want to bring up from the well. It requires lots of effort but you can never receive or learn enough there's always more. The only catch is a mission is a limited amount of time so aprovechenla! Take advantage of every moment you can! I love you all and look forward to seeing you all. For some sooner than others. Enjoy your missions, enjoy your lives, and always know that your Father in Heaven loves and cares deeply about everyone of you!

Elder Hobbs