November 10

Dear family

 

   Sounds like you all had such a great week. As for me we saw tons of great miracles this last week. As of the lady I told you about Gabriela Mendez.... She brought the rest of her family to church and we set baptismal dates with them for 3 weeks were going to help them get baptised on the 23 they are looking super good to do it as well. We went through a baptismal checklist of what they'd need to do to prepare and the father already threw out his drinks and smokes so they are very very prepared I'm excited for this family big time they loved church to death and sister Mendez's mom got baptised last month and her sister has been a member of around 10 years so you couldn't ask for more fellowship.

This is coming from that same lady that had the church tour with over 30 people so this family has been our workhorses.

 

   We've also found a less active family that we brought to church this last Sunday that has a 17 year old lady from Honduras that isn't a member and she also has a baptismal date we'll just need to set up some plans to get some permission from her parents somehow in order to be baptised. So we've seen tons of miracles from the big fast that our misson has had. Basically if our zone steps up and hits our goals for this month we will be able to hit our goal as a mission to hit 110.

 

   Also this last week has been our leadership training in McAllen. It was tons of fun and I learned a lot and got to meet up with a lot of familiar faces and see how all my friends throughout the mission are doing. President Maluenda brings such a strong spirit with him and I have no doubt that he is the one that is to be guiding this mission (although i still do miss Pres. Trainer alot) haha. But it was great to learn all of the great things our leaders have for us in the mission. I have already applied a lot of the trainings to our district and we have seen a lot of success from it. All I got to say is miracles! just keep counting your blessings right? Every person I've baptized on my mission has been a miracle in one way or another I truely am deservant of nothing it's all the lords work and the members work down here I'm just here to point the way for everyone. 

 I love you all have a great week

Elder Hobbs

p.s. transfers our this Tuesday to come so I'll let you know if I stay or if I go.

November 4, 2013

Dear Familia!!!!

   Well what to say for this week. MIRACLES!!!!! We had a fast to get the mission up to our intended goal of 1000 convert baptisms to end the year in December and in order to do this we need to have a big turnout for November and December so the mission has gotten together and had a fast for us to hit this goal as a mission.... And this past Sunday was awesome!! For the 2nd branch every missionary companionship (my district of 3 companionships, and the zone leaders) had at least one investigator at church! And as a zone we ended up with 16 investigadores with baptismal dates at church. So it was super awesome. Almost every companionship in the little Laredo south zone had someone there at church!!!

   We in our area also had an unexpected investigador show up with her sister and mom at church. She was a refferall of over a month ago and we've tried and tried but no one has answered we set up an appt. they weren't there and so por fin she just showed up to church loved it to death and said that she will now be attending every single sunday..... So if that's not a milagro del ayuno no se lo que seria! We also had a permagaotor 12 year old and 9 year old show up to church that we've been trying to convert the parents of. And then we had are progressing investigador Victor de la republica dominicana that showed up and he's looking really good he's just going to be having a 10 day trip to his pais so he'll be getting postponed a little but he's going to share the gospel with his family back home and all of his kids running around over there so that'll be good. But it's just been miralcle tras miracle.

   But this week i'm very excited to be headed down to the 3 day leadership training in McAllen this one is going to be President Maluenda style so it's been changed up quite a bit. I'll be getting the chance to work the 3 days with some zoneleaders in McAllen  because we cannot drive all the way home so it'll be agreat experience to learn from some great missionaries. But i've recently studied a lot on Sacrifice and also on Fasting this last little week and i've realizedthat there are some things that i need to sacrifice and put on the alter in order of things that i do or time i could spend better that will help me receive more blessings from the lord. I also this past week traded a tie to a missionary on exchange for a picture dictionary  that has been helping me learn words right and left so i've really been seeing my spanish improve a lot and get a little bit mor polished up here in Laredo or should i say (mexico,hoduras,D.R.,El salvador,cuba,etc) Man I love the culture down here!!!!

   Also this past week I had my first barbacoa tacos that I knew of at least and tongue actually tastes pretty good. I've reflected this past week on a wish Heston gave me that i'd go to a mission where I'd eat lettuce. That prophecy has been fulfilled. I've actually eaten lettuce, onions and I actually like them on my burgers. And i'm a die hard fan of Avacoados..... They are delish. Anyways love you family have a great week tenga exito

Elder Hobbs

October 28

Dear Family,

 

   Well this week was awesome. I had an interview with President Maluenda and it went really well he just basicaly asked a lot of questions on how I was doing and if I enjoyed the mission and what not but he seemed to just be able to see into my soul. haha but yeah I got the pictures, the e-mail from April, it was so good to hear from everyone else scattered throughout the world. It's good to hear that my bretheren are still bretheren in the Lord as Alma described. But this week like I said was awesome our progressing investigador didn't come to church but a recent convert brought a group of people that live in his apartment complex of a group of 4 people that crossed the border a week ago. haha so we set a b.d. with one of him and he's very very prepared said he's looking for the truth, and loves to read the bible. So we gave him the BOM So far I've taught people from all over Central America. San Salvador,Honduras,Mexico, Puerto Rico,Dominican Republic, etc. So we've been on our toes with different accents of spanish and it's awesome to know we can communicate and talk with people from all over the world. haha

 

   Our members are still los jefes o los meros meros de la obra!!! We had a noche de hogar with a recent convert she had 2 of her sisters and 1 sobrina and they were all interested and we sent off the refferalls. We got a referral from a girl that was teaching her 13 year old friends at school and she gave them the BOM we left her. A recent convert brought a group of 4 to church like I said and another member is pulling us a chapter 14 out of PME (ask if sam or saren can translate what chapter of pmg that is). And another member is helping us out with his cousin and his cousin's family. And another is helping us teach all his friends before he leaves for his mission((he doesn't want any regrets for not sharing the gospel with his friends. So basically we are just in the area to keep track of what all our members are doing. Haha there's no other way to do the work with so much success than through your members. 

 

   But one quick principle I learned this week is how important prayer is. Really it doesn't matter if I explain that baptism is a commandment, cleans our sins, we receive the gift of the holy ghost, you'll enter heaven, follow christ, etc. IF GOD SPEAKS TO HIS CHILDREN AND GIVES SPECIFIC REVELATION TO A SPECIFIC QUESTION SUCH AS "SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?" Then that trumps anything that be explained. Igual como jose smith, o la palabra de sabiduria o cualquier cosa. If god tells you than will you do it? Luke22:42

 

But love you all have a great week!

Nos juevos

Elder Hobbs

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.