Seventh Week in the MTC

February 27, 2012

Por minha familia,

I am so very excited to hear from you as always. The Lord has taught me many things about being a missionary and about life in general. His tender mercies are plentiful. His love, infinate. Yesterday on my temple walk, I found the videos on the SD card that you had sent me. I listened to them, and I felt your love very deeply. The Lord´s love was upon me as well. You all look different! I miss you very much. However, when I watched your videos, they did not make me homesick. Although I miss you very much and want to be with you, the experience I had outside of the Lord´s house taught me this: All of His people on the earth deserve this great happiness that comes from His gospel. I saw a definition of a missionary in the health clinic that stuck out to me, and should help mom as well:

 

                  Missionary: someone who leaves their family for a short time so that others can be with their families for time and all eternity.

I love this gospel. I am thankful to God for His tender mercies, great miracles, and all else he has bestowed upon me. I am also very grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ, for walking along the long, bitter path so that we do not have to. He has taken upon Him all of our short-comings and weaknesses so that, if we but have faith in Him, and follow Him, He will make us into what we are needed to be. God is real. He does live, and He manifests Himself to us everyday by extending His merciful hand to us. He has done these many things, and asks us: "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." This is what I am doing. I am endowed with His power and protection about me. It has been promised that "[my] days are known, and they shall not be numbered less," and that if I have trials and adversities or "if the very jaws of hell shall gape open after [me], that all these things shall be for thy good." This is true for all of us. I am going to be a tool in His hands so that He may teach this truth to all of His children.

    I am so happy for all of you: Weston recieving the office of preist, Owen learning new things and enjoying church and His office of deacon, Luxana as she obtains as much education as possible, Mom for learning how to use technology to bless her life and the lives of her family. P.S. Mom, I'm sorry for bringing you down like I did. Keep it as a lesson that though man and the hurtful words of Satan rage, God has given all of us power to learn, and do all things which are good for us. You've helped me learn to only edify others. Thank you for all that you have taught me. Dad, for having great joy in me. Dad, you have taught me many things. I look at my companions, and I see that it is they who will really have the "not in Kansas anymore" experience. I have one who always complains that he hates rice. I laugh, and tell him: "good luck in Africa." One, who is going to Florida says that he will be able to teach in Disney land, "The happiest place on Earth," to which I snort and say to myself: "far from it my friend."

   I am very excited to get to Angola soon. I have my flight plans! I will leave on the 8 of March, fly from Salt Lake to Fort Worth, where I will have a 4h 45m layover. Then, I get to fly to Heathrow airport in London, where I get to ponder and preach about the gospel for 11hs, while I wait for my final flight to Luanda, Angola, where I will arrive at about 4:00 in the a.m. on March 10. I will be tired. I don't know if there are showers in the airport terminals, so I will probably be stinky. But I can not wait for it. I've bought some BOMs to try to give to people if it be according to the Lord's will.

    I did recieve Aunt Taunia's package! it is awesome, and I love the ties. I'll be writing her soon, so you don't have to forward that message. :)

    I'm also going to send you all a package soon. It will have my gloves (thank you for sending them, they were fun, but probably aren't Africa mission appropriate), as well as an SD card with pictures and videos, and another surprise that you'll have to wait for. :D

   

I love you all so much. As does God His children. I am very excited for Angola, and to see Him work many miracles among His people. I love you guys!

   -Elder Alex Hobbs