September 27, Last MTC Letter

Jacob heads out on Monday October 1st for McAllen Texas!

Hola Familia,

   I'd just like to ask who do you take me for??? don't you know I've watched bear gryls and am an eagle scout.... I already have a phone card and i'll have a layover in Dallas from 12 to 1ish so I'll give you guys a call if I can remember everyones phone number. hahah. And also sorry about not getting pictures to you for two months the MTC computers aren't working out for me too well. hahah. But that's exciting about homecoming and little miss homecoming queen candidate. And I'm sure dad has went all out in making sure there's a good idea for all the homecoming events. It's funny when I get letters and e-mails it reminds me of my old self and how things used to be and now it feels almost like a dream. Haha But I got a great letter from Sam and Heston this week that had some great advice and i'm very grateful for that.  But I'm feeling like I have everything and am ready to head for Texas. And don't worry I've been pushing through this last week even though it's been difficult sometimes to focus but I'm finally feeling successful and like I'm figuring stuff out. (Except for Espanol) Pero mi idioma es no horrible pero le necesite ser mejor. I want to be able to talke with Sam or Saren in spanish and maybe get a little bit of a practice in before I hit my mission. Haha

 

Alrighty well I'm sorry I am not one of many details in my letters and emails. But the MTC has been an awesome place for me to be prepared for my mission. I've understood most of the lessons in PMG and my knowledge of the scriptures have been so so so much better I am getting closer and closer to the command I want over them in my lessons. I don't know if i told you this but I've been praying specifically to be educated in my dreams so I'm not wasting time. I know this is kinda a crazy concept to pray or think about but it has kinda worked I think. For example when I wake up in the middle of the night either a scripture, PMG lesson, or spanish is on my mind. and some of the elders in my room have said I sleep talk in spanish occasionally. But the coolist experience was when I woke up and had the impression I should read D & C chapter 11 - 12. And these are now some of my favorite chapters. Through chapter 11:7 I now understand what it really means to be rich and what to consider in the future for a job. I wanna work with the church somehow..... But I can't be dreamin offf in the future just yet. But yeah the MTC has been awesome some of my best friends in the older district above us just left and it's been a rough week without them. I've ran in to a guy who knows Glen and Brent. The 3 fingered Stake pres (or Bishop) it was cool to talk to him. Also I ran into an elder from McAllen and talked to him in Spanish he had nothing but good things to say about the area. It's been an awesome adventure and I've made some really good friends and learned things that have changed my life. Mat 10 vs. 39 is my story at the MTC. Sometimes we need to be taken out of the world for a bit in order to find ourselves in it and that's what's happened to me here i'm excited for all my friends to go through the conversiion process also. (Which never ends)

 

But I'm running out of time I think they'll let us email before we leave also andIi'll also talk with you when I get to dallas. I love you and things have been great so far with our investigators we've had 2 baptisms with both Jose's and a date with Luis. I'll be excited when they are real investigators in a week. I 'm excited to leave but i'm also gonna miss this place I'll always remember how I've felt here thanks to my journaling. I'm excited to perhaps share that with you when I get home. So it's almost time to say goodbye to the mountains...... it's almost gonna be as hard as saying bye to walker and ranger. But I love you guys too. haha :) Take care I love you all have a great week and don['t forget to seek revelation through studies and also focus on christlike atributes. 

Love you all

 

Elder Hobbs

September 19

Dear Family,

 It's good to hear from everyone and to see what they're up too. And yes I'm over my sickness finally. 


But let me tell you about my great week...... All my hard work is starting to pay off and it's awesome to see my progress. I've learned so much more about spanish and about the scriptures and how to apply them and teaching skills.  The Gospel/God/Commandments are all an IF.... Then..... Statement if we do something then god's going to do something. In all cases I've seen the if.... is usually a lot less than the then....... Also I've loved my temple attendance and I've found to make the most out of my visits if I try and focus on the characteristics of Christ and god and it seems to be so much more spiritual. But me and Elder Stock had two awesome lessons this week with Jose 1 and Jose 2 both of our progressive investigators have had the same name. haah Even though it's fake it's so so real at the same time. Both lessons we started out with a hymn and it really set it off the mood and we've really found out how to teach by the spirit ask questions, and make commitments and explain why they need to make those commitments.

 But i'm excited for the field and ready to leave. haha the language isn't as bad as it was before I've learned most of it through studying in spanish PMG and BOM and it's seemed to help a lot more then anything else. Well gotta go I'm excited to serve and get out of the MTC but I'll also miss the strong spirit that I've felt here.  I love you all so much and I love the pictures you sent me it's been pretty rough keeping the pictures of Maisie, Jacee, and all the other girls from getting around the dorm. Haha love you all have a great week. I've felt your prayers and have continued to be firm in my works. MAS ALLA
Elder Hobbs

p.s. and we did get to host it was awesome.

September 13

Well,
Guess who sent me pictures this week..... Maria i'm so grateful for that so now I can start my own little shrine with all my friends and a bunch of pictures of the girls. It sounds like life back home is still pretty crazy. haha It's crazy to think that i get my travel plans in a week...... I almost feel like this is my mission rather then knocking on doors and stuff. It's good to hear about the Idahoans I actually got a dear elder from Dori and Weston it's good to hear our family is doing better. And best of luck to Heston in the dove, duck, and possibly swan hunt shoot um dead for me. haha  I've been excited to be getting letters from my friends and seeing how they're doing it's been cool to feel like I'm not forgoten. haah I never would have thought I would have enjoyed receiving dear elders and cartas in the mission as much as I do. hahah so sorry to Sam and Saren for not writing you as much as I should have... and Heston or Sam I'm banking on Ranger being a trained retriever by time I get home.  I'll tell you about my week.

     It's been pretty crazy things have flown by so fast. We had an amazing lesson with Hermano Barton and at the start we sang hymns for an hour.... I never would have guessed that I was capable of that but it was really cool and the spirit was so strong durning the songs. After we finished singing he just asked us questions.... That's it... And he probably taught the best lesson so far, and the lesson we all needed. After he was finished I realized the things that were holding me back. He was truely inspired to ask questions that pertained just to me and come to find out to the rest of the class.  But we had a really cool TRC lesson that went well I like teaching lessons there so much because it's actually real I feel like. And during one of our progressive inv. lessons "Jose" asked me if I was getting paid to serve. I answered no. then jose said well that's gotta be hard for you to give up two years and leave your family. It made me think yes, yes it is. haha but then it made me think of that cheesy quote but only it didn't sound cheesy this time and I shared it with her. A family sacrifices a missionary so other families can have eternity. And I said I want you to have the hapiness that my family has. I was thinking about that all day and all week how blessed I am and that if we all work together and endure to the end we can enjoy eternity together. It was exciting.........
         But that's about it for the week.  Love you all and don't forget family home evening and scripture study. It's just like compainonship study in the mission Sam....
 SUS Hijo

September 6

Well Hola back at you mi familia,

This week was really really robotic but I learned a ton and have continued to feel the spirit since I've been here. I've ran into Josh Lipscombe, Conner Pendergast, Patrick Fishburn, Luek Frame, Jake Nish (just left last week), Ronnie Wardleigh, Lex Skeen, Tanner Meyerhoffer, and Braden Christensen. It's been awesome to see people here that I've known before the mission and to see them going at the work along my side i've also made some really good friends with people inside our district and a lot in are zone. I've started to really like to play sand volleyball 2 vs. 2 of course and play basketball every now and then.  I've had a pretty darn good week other then i'm at that time of year where I always get a cold during football season and huck loogeys all the time. Haha ever since day one everyone in my zone's made fun of me for coughing up my lungs every morning and now that i'm sick it's throughout the whole day. haha


 Heston said that Levi had an accident I feel horrible for him he always finds a way to get injured, and what's Sam's relationship status these days? And are my dogs still stayin happy? Also my Northridge companion's tried to give me crap that Fremont is 0-4 Que pasa? I hope all is going well in the family with work and school and everything else.  I would like to challenge you guys to have a family home evening every Sunday.  Maisie and Heston need to start going under way with mission prep in order to be ready. That's one thing I wish I would have done was to know doctrine and principles a lot better. But as i've learned these things it's all started to make sense why i've done things the way i've done them my whole life.  I've really understood our whole purpose in life a lot better (Moses 1:39) The doctrine of christ and how it can help everyone come unto christ (2 Nephi 31) And why there are positives and negatives and why things aren't just handed to us (2 Nephi ch2). Also Repentance has been made better known unto me and the purpose of it. The scriptures in General have been amazing to finally understand why we need them.... the bible to see Christ's life and the atonement and the example to follow. The BoM provides the "Straight and Narrow pathway" and how we can use the atonement through repentance and why we need to be baptised and what the sacrament is for us. If I didn't have the best understanding of these things chances are Heston and Maise don't either. So teach them and I encourage everyone to seek revelation in there scripture studies and start out with a question so your looking for something to learn. 
  In Elder Kapinschke(?) of the 70's talk he said something really cool that made me come up with a quote. haha he said we can teach anything if we don't have conviction of it in our own lives. I derived the equation....."Teaching with Conviction brings Conversion." I challenge you all to find Conviction in all doctrine and principles of this great gospel. Also, another awesome lesson we had from our teacher Hermano Barton was about our purpose in life.... And before he's said a quote to us. "If the lord needed mediocre teachers then studying and living the gospel averagely would be accepted." (probably slaughtered it. haha) But I realized that that can apply to the pupose of god.... To bring to pass the immortality of man..... This is not something of  no worth and therefore will be very very hard to achieve and we will have to commit 100 % because if we don't were just telling god that his purpose for us isn't that great. So I encourage you all this week to just try to be better in any way focus on a problem and do what you can to be better. The lord only asks for our best, and through the lord our best becomes better. So Repent(change) and become closer to the spirit. I love you all and remember you and will not bear to let any of you down nor the people of Texas. I love you all have a good week. If I wasn't inviting you to come to christ I wouldn't be doing my job so sorry for getting preachy on you all.haha

August 23

That's cool to hear what's going from everyone back at home and it's cool to get the picture other than i can't print it off i'm going to need you to send it to me in the mail. Sorry to hear about the Roy Black game Heston, one of these days you'll get them perhaps in high school or jr. high. And that's also to bad about the Fremont game but from what i've heard jordan's got quite the team this year.  Quick story so me and my comp go to the weight room to lift on p-days and this last week we were in there with a world wrestler who could have competed in the olympics, a safety for university of utah, a college basketball player, DJ Nelson the kid from Logan who set a bunch of records for quaterback two other kids going to suu and usu, and are byu guard roomate Elder Mulitalo. haha it was just funny to be in a room with so many greats before the mission. And now they're just another elder with the rest of us.  We got the oppurtunity to hear from Elder Anderson of the twelve this last Tuesday devotional. it was awesome to hear from him. All he basically talked about was the prophet.  It was really neat to hear his testimnoy it reminded me of Elder Scott's back at the home ward.

    But i feel like i'm pretty well adapted to the mtc here. it's amazing to think i've almost been here for a month.  We received a new district just yesterday so were not the newbies anymore so that was great.  It's good to hear that walker and ranger are still alive and kickin if you could I'd love to get a picture of them along with our family pic.  I've got  some letters from a few more of my friends which were nice to get. It's been awesome speaking spanish i'm still not quite where i need to be but i'm understanding a lot more.  Tell heston and maisie to work on grammar a lot cuz you need to know grammar to speak spanish. I'm excited to hear about heston's schedule it'll be good for him to have some of those harder teachers. Oh and Maise's going to thte big homecoming with  Garret that'll be fun. And i'm excited to hear about Sam's almost date hahaha i wish i could have been a fly on the wall for that one.  But i've been hearing more and more about my mission lately and i'm getting more and more excited. A teacher for another district has served there and on sunday sombody taliked about our mission in his talk about a family that got converted and said that he analyzed there teaching skills and said they were the best he had come arouond, so i'll have some good trainers/trayners to help me out when i get there. I was so stoaked to here from that talk. he also asked those who were going to McAllen to raise there hand and me and my comp proudly did and he said what a wonderful mission it'll be so i'm pumped. and i also know that it'll only be wonderful if i make it that way. I'm starting to see the glass half full more often and have really started to accept and love my district. I'm starting to work on obedience with exactness so that's been one of my goals. And i feel so happy, i love going to the temple, reading and understanding doctrine, and declaring this great message, and most of all to be able to look down and see my missionary tag. I've felt your prayers and i've felt the spirit so strongly. I feel like there's moments that come by where i think how am i possibly going to feel the spirit this strong again and it happens again and again. I love it!!!  Read the scriptures and learn from the nephites. The most important thing i've attained recently from it is to pass down what we know to our next generation about the gospel, trades, blessings, and what not so that they can continue to live in righteousness. that's the best gift we can give to someone and i know it's something i've received from my family.  i can't tell you how many times something comes up and i think to my self oh mom told me about that, or dad taught me this, or sam and saren both said this will happen, or maisie and heston both did this so well, and also a lot of advice levi gave me has came up. I'm so grateful for everyting you guys have done for me and all the love you've shown me. Keep being who you are and strive for righteouness because with that lies happiness. Give it your best and through the lord your best becomes better.

Love you all Elder hobbs


AUGUST 30th

Well I'd first off apologize I keep forgetting my camera every time I come to email. But as you know i was never much of a picture guy so there's only a few thingts on there anyway. haha and Dan was right.  And life seems normal back home I remember those days getting in such a routine. But I'm excited to hear about the dogs and that dad's keeping them taken care of make sure Heston is taking them on walks at their favorite place across the street.It just barely clicked for me just yesterday during Hermano Barton's lesson, he talked about revelation through the book of mormon and the purpose of it. And how the bible works side by side with it. You see The book of mormon provides the steps we need to take in order to become like christ and come unto him which is the doctrine of christ (2nd Nephi 31). Whereas the Bible exemplifies the character of christ and his earthly ministry where he himself used the doctrine of christ in his own life.  And these two books aren't meant for us to argue over and try to prove which one is right they both have the same exact message to come unto chirist it also states in second nephi why we have both books (don't have the exact reference). But they both are for us and we need to take advantage of them the best we can so i encourgage you all to read the scriptures as often as you have time for them.

 A cool experience that we had in class was are teacher was using a story and putting us in the situation of the story. He talked of a lady who tried kicking off the missionaries because they were ministers and the missionaries said why don't you want to give us a chance.... She said how her child had passed away and she needed to be comforted and seeking out a church and the minister there told her her child was in hell and she was going there too because they she didn't get her baptised..... Then our teacher asked us what would you share in the 2 min. you have on her door step. I felt the spirit prompting me and I raised my hand..... I said I would read the BOM section that talks about infant baptism and how christ's atonement provided children with a chance... I felt overcome with the spirit and our teacher said tha'ts exactly what those missionaries did. I was overwhelmed with pure joy that the spirit gave me the oppurtunity to see what someone needed and that's exaclty how missionary work goes.... the book of mormon and bible offer so much and are so broad but we need the spirit to channel everything out and let us know what that exact thing is they need and after they see that nothing on this earth will keep them from reading, and coming unto christ but it's are job to be worthy, obedient, and filled with the spirit to be a tool for Christ to let these things be known upon the earth and it's inhabitants. I love this work and I love the scriptures and the spirit here at the MTC and i'm so excited for the opurtunity to help those in Texas whether there's a hurricane or not i'll be there.

A scripture that hit home with me was second Nephi chapter 4 i'd encourage you to read it as a family. Personal revelation is real, the Holy Ghost is real, and our cause is just. So I'd encourage you all to share the hapiness we've all had in our life with neighbor's friends and everyone else. And know the scriptures so we can assist in the holy ghost finding the scripture's someone needs. I love my family so very much and I'm proud to be representing all of you out here. But I'm more excited to represent The Savior and I know I have a long ways to go but I'm giving my best and I know through him I will be better. Mathew ch 10:39
Yo se que nuestro trabajo es por bueno de todos personas en de tierra.
Love, Elder Hobbs

August 16

Well i'll try to answer the million questions you have written for me. haha but everything is going well i am not too big of a fan of the CCM comida it's no bueno. And i could really use some better tocado papel.  But other then that those are my only complaints. i've gotten to know my district a lot better and my zone, they're all such great and funny people sometimes they help me at struggling to stay on task but it's just one of those things you gotta push through.  i'm astonished that sam hasn't had a date yet.... heston might be getting more ladies at the stomp then sam is.  But the work's been really cool the spanish is flowing. our district is full of smart people so there flying leaps and bounds over me in espanol but i'm not discouraged and i won't fear. i've been called of god to speak the language and i'll speak the language. It's crazy to think that i've been here for two weeks... it already feels like two years. i've already had to sew part of my pants and i've been doing laundry happily. i'm starting to pick up quite a few trades. But the thing i miss the most is not being able to listen to my music on my ipod and seeing the dogs...... and friends and family of course. But the spirit has continued to stay strong. We've had like close to ten lessons in spanish already and i feel like i can understand a lot better then i can speak. y mi maestro taught me a valuable lesson. i need to not worry so much about understanding what the words exactly mean but more on what the spirit feels like. focusing on the language is focusing on youself.  But i've loved being able to read the book of mormon so much i feel such a stronger testimony from them as i've found out more and more about it. Here's a scripture for heston and everyone else. Alma 13:28-31. Have heston read that. You should send me that picture of our family i could hang it up in our room. i also need to get a picture of a chica to put on the shrine of all the missionary chicas. haha it's funny how crazy 19 year olds can be. i'm glad i didn't leave a girl to wait on me. But the biggest struggle i've had in the mtc is just staying awake. i feel like my eyes are constantly tired. haha but the lord's given me plenty of strength to go about the day. I'm still focusing on charity and having patience with all those around me.  The mission's kinda opened my eyes to how much i enjoy solitude sometimes but that's something to look forward too in two years. But you'll have to have heston keep me posted on how the football season goes and maybe even my fantasy football team. and Toad's call seems perfect for him i'm hoping to hear from him in a letter soon. i hope all is going well at home and i can feel the assistance of everyone's prayers. i would just like to end with a question for everyone to ponder over the week. What do we want to be? and What does Christ want us to be?  I love you guys and i'm doing great i've loved the ability to act in the name of JesuCristo and testify of the hapiness of the gospel. Oh and have sam sing you my recently favorite song himnos 88 mi hermano canta por mi en nuestro familia. 

Love you guys

August 9

It sounds like you guys are all doing well. My p days will be on Thursday's and I encourage you to use dear elder to communicate to me and then i'll keep you posted on letters and emails. But me and my comp. taught Luis our first investigator and we had 4 lessons with him and it's crazy to think that we did the whole thing in espanol. But it's been great so far in the mtc my district and zone are so great. I've grown so much in a week in the gospel, testimony wise, and hablo en espanol. Like i said i think i learned more in 4 days then i did in 3 years of spanish class.  But as i got over confident with one of my lessons with luis i didn't prepare too much i just figured i'd use the old west weber wing it method..... I soon was humbled before the lord. The lesson didn't go very well and it kinda all fell apart. After the lesson was over i was heartbroken. Heartbroken that i was letting down my family, my grandpa's example, my friends, Joseph smith and the trials he faced in preserving the word of god through the book of mormon, and most of all the name i carry on my badge Jesus Christ. I felt like i hadn't used my time to the best of my abilities to be the best missionary i could be. I'm grateful for that learning experience because that night i made a personal covenant with the lord to remember the people who i represent and the church i represent and that i would put all my might mind and strength in the work. To learn spanish to, learn the tongue of angels, and to learn how to be the missionary the lord wants me to be..... Ever since i've felt like i've pleased the lord with my works and our lessons have went a lot better. We actually got luis to pray read the scriptures and set a date for baptism. It's been awesome even though it's a practice it feels so real. To be able to testify of this gospel... there's not a better feeling on this earth. Something cool that was shared with us by one of the president's councelors was the story of christ feeding the thousands of people. He said bring your fish and your bread which you have and give it to the saviour and let him feed thousands. he also talked about dropping our nets and going straight away and follow the saviour. It made me think of one of the last things dad told me and the spirit hit me so hard. So that's what I'm doing leaving all you behind and following the savior and his teachings and letting others know of this great gospel. I love you all and i'm striving to not let any of you down back home. I don't want to let down my savior, my ancestors,  my family, and all the people that sacrificed for the truth that we all know now. I love you all once again and i'm grateful for all the great support i've had thus far. 

Work Work Work like it all depends on you.

Pray Pray Pray like it all depends on the lord.

Love Elder Hobbs