The Fifth Epistle of Elder Hobbs

The Fifth Epistle of Elder Hobbs

To start off, I should preface this with a restriction that I have faced now that I am in the field; Unlike the MTC, I can only update my google photos on P-day. So I'll probably be adding my week's photos as you recieve this epistle.

Main Mission Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ffTdfUoqUfe9ysnD8

Sketchbook Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/gd9QLB9Et3ck3no49

Also the script I had to copy and paste emails from my spreadsheet wasn't set up quite right. So now it's fixed, but if you're missing epistles 1-4 then email me and I can forward it to you. Though I've also heard they may be posted at https://mariohobbs.com. I don't have the internet freedom to check lol.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. If any of you have wisdom, ask of God also, don't succumb to pride.

This week began on Monday the 13th, as Monday is now my P-day. I purchased a 12 string acoustic guitar with my parents money as their birthday present to me; a bit of an early one since I don't turn 19 'till the 27th, but much appreciated nonetheless.

I was thinking of bringing the 12 string my grandma gifted me this summer, but with the amount of strain that travel and Minnesota weather would put on it: I figured bringing the heirloom was a bad idea but I'll definitely be playing it as my main guitar when I get back though. After around 2 hours of playing it, I realized that it was an electric-acoustic. So it's basically a normal acoustic but it can also plug into an amp. It also has a built-in tuner, so that's awesome.

No idea how I didn't realize it was an electric-acoustic when I bought it. To be fair though 12 string guitars are kind of uncommon, so it being an electric-acoustic as well was quite unexpected.

Unfortunately my guitar playing degraded a bit after a month or so without playing, but the muscle memory is still there, so I just got to practice. My fingertips are going to be red this week as my calluses reform.

I practiced some guitar at the church and played some games with the district. I only remembered a few folk songs so I played mostly hymns of the OG hymn book, the new 1000s hymn book, and the children's hymn book.

We have 4 companionships in the district: The Mankato Spanish Elders (me), The Mankato English Elders, The Albert Lea Sisters, and The Far Bush Sisters. My trainer/companion is our district leader, though we're the only Spanish speakers in the district.

Then we began the first exchange, I was assigned in English land with Elder Freeman. We had many interests in common, such as: DnD, DougDoug, Sea Shanties, Church History, and naturally, The Book of Mormon.

On Tuesday, I did some studies with Elder Freeman and we went and did the work.

The heat wave was finally over so it was to the usual 50 degrees.

We went teaching at the university. In English land, people ignore you or simply say they're not interested in a message about Jesus Christ, compared to Spanish land where people will generally gladly hear a message if they're not too busy at the moment.

I also enjoyed a ramen graciously prepared by Elder Freeman. It had cabbage and hot sauce, and it was good. I obtained a free Home Depot sweater that Elder Lee gave me.

On Wednesday, I wore a sweater under my suit coat which was interesting. I played some guitar in the morning, then we carpooled to district council and then we returned home, wherein I ate a bowl of spaghetti O's. Then I played some more guitar for the rest of lunch block (and thoroughly destroyed my fingertips). Then, because I forgot to do so on P-day, I did my laundry. Then we went out and preached the gospel and taught some lessons.

If a preacher preached, does a teacher teached? If a teacher taught, does a preacher praught? Just some fun lines I remember from a song, English is Cuh-Ray-Zee.

Then we went to the ward, made some calls, and judged a pumpkin carving contest. I also finished the book of Alma in my personal studies.

On Thursday, I made a breakfast of off-brand Nutella toast and a root beer float. Then, my companion, who is our DL, asked if I could play the hymns: 85 - How Firm a Foundation & 136 - I know that my redeemer lives, on my 12 string for next week's district council on Wednesday. Because I seek to maintain my status as an amatuer folk singer, I naturally accepted: for playing a hymn for a group to sing is one of the oldest kinds of folk music. Then during the remainder of breakfast, and the leftover time of personal planning, I practiced the two hymns. I know that my redeemer lives is quite easy and it gave me little trouble. How Firm a Foundation has given me quite a bit of trouble, there are a lot of flat notes, so I've got to use first and fourth finger quite a bit; which is quite the difficulty since my calluses are still generally rebuilding themselves after a month or so of no guitar. The song also likes to jump around a decent bit, so I have to do some quick movements of the hand to keep up; and because I routinely fail those movements, I end up with many a false note.

Then during personal study I got to 3rd Nephi and the appearance of Christ unto the Nephites. I'll paste some exerpts I liked here:

I changed my mind while editing; my email was going to be 90 percent scripture and 10 percent thoughts. I am not going to do a repeat of the BoM Isaiah chapters. Go read the book yourself.

After personal study we had a call with my in-field preach-my-gospel trainer, who is pretty much a general tutor for preach my gospel. Then I did a bunch of required trainings via an app called Mitti. Things like avoiding scams, avoiding kidnapping, avoiding pickpockets, learning to recognize if someone is actually interested or if they just want to shout curses against Joe Smith, some social media use trainings (though our mission doesn't permit most social media they train us for), some bike safety things (though we're a car mission and don't use bikes).

After this we ate lunch with some older members from the ward at a Mexican restaurant. I had ground beef quesadillas and they were very delicious and greasy. Then for dinner I made 2 truly delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. Then we did some stop bys, then some basketball at the ward.

On Friday, eight songs for the 2027 youth album came out, but my taste in music has not yet been forgotten, thus I find the youth album's "music" to be quite unpleasant. I've remembered quite a few more songs on my guitar during this morning's practice, including:

Greensleeves, Yankee Doodle, Summertime (and the livin' is easy), Oh Susanna, The Farewell of Slavianka, Hymn to nations / Ode to Joy / Goliath Goliath, Kalinka, Tetris Theme / Korobelinki, Katyusha, The Internationale, Hymn to the Soviet Union, Step by Step, Oleanna, Count your pennies, The Preacher and the Slave / The Sweet by and by, Old time religion, Joshua fit the battle, The Ballad of Casey Jones / Casey Jones the Union Scab, I don't want your millions mister / I don't want your greenback dollar, London Bridge is falling down, If I had a Hammer, This land is your land, So long it's been good to know yuh, The Ballad of Harry Simms, Die Moorsoldaten / Peat Bog Soldiers, The Foggy Dew / The Soldiers of 22 / The Easter Marchers, Wasn't that a time? What a friend we have in congress, John Brown's Body / Battle Hymn of the Republic / Solidarity Forever / Hurry Hurry Hurry, Go tell aunt Rhody, The old woman who swallowed a fly / The young woman who swallowed a lie, Home on the range.

Then we had a meeting where we all sung the praises of preach my gospel, and several were called upon to share their favorite exerpts of the work. I then studied by Book of Mormon. By this point, I was in the Book of Mormon, chapter 8, and it has a pretty direct threat/warning, so I figured I'd share it here as well:

35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

36 And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

37 For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?

39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

40 Yea, why do ye build up your secret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads?

41 Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time soon cometh that he avengeth the blood of the saints upon you, for he will not suffer their cries any longer.

I decided to keep this excerpt because it was shorter; the excerpt I cut from the other day's was like 4 times longer.

Then during lunch we ate some delicious Mexican food with some members at a mall. Then we drove to St. Peter and did some trailer park stopbys. While at the trailer park I saw what may be the largest guinea pig I've ever seen in my life. It dwelt among tree roots and it was the size of a rabbit.

And it came to pass that I was so dang fast at reading, that I finished the Book of Mormon during dinner.

Then in the evening we had a short conversation about the zombie apocalypse with the English elders before continuing the work till bedtime.

On Saturday, we began the day with further meetings, then we did studies until lunch. Then we drove to Saint Peter and did a bunch of knocking and calling and lessons. We went to a friend's house to teach a lesson and he wasn't there, however his cute corgi was there; so I got to pet a dog which was cool.

I spoke too soon, as I was logging the contact the friend appeared and we got to teach a lesson. Only problem is that he seems to believe the sabbath is on Saturday instead of Sunday and that kinda stumped me and my comp so we had to search it up and apparently there is a whole group of Christian churches that believe in Saturday sabbath instead of Sunday.

The hard part is that we couldn't find any scriptures that seem to back up a Sunday Sabbath in the whole quad. If any of you folks are deep doctrine nerds then you should totally help on this; especially because aside from a Saturday Sabbath belief: the friend we've been teaching is great!

He prays before he sleeps and after he wakes up. He blesses any food that he eats, he repents daily, he already believes in age of accountability & baptism by immersion, he's read the bible through in English and Spanish, and we invited him to read the Book of Mormon last time and he's already in Alma 17.

I have begun to fear this epistle will be terribly boring, as it is a general record of the week's events; it naturally reflects the frequently dull and repetitive nature of the work, thus I see fit to add more of my thoughts on various subjects.

At night we did more calls, then we met with Josh, the ever great and charitable ward mission coordinator, who blessed us with a great feast of Taco Bell. I had a chicken quesadilla and a beef taco.

Then we stopped by a Mexican store, greeted the owner who was an inactive member, and I got some snacks as well.

On Sunday, we attended church, where we were gifted a half dozen unwashed eggs; and thus supposedly because of their natural coating remaining, they can last longer and supposedly are good for a few weeks unrefrigerated. We put ours in the fridge to be safe.

We also received little bags of things: Ramen, cookies, as well as a sort of rice and meat dish. When we returned home we realized we could adjust the settings on the clothes washer and dryer, so it won't take all day to do laundry tomorrow. I also watched some Book of Mormon videos. I saw one about the Book of Jacob that was pretty neat. Some preacher was preaching the Law of Moses and denying the Christ then demanded a sign from the prophet. Jacob looked to him with great wise old man sadness and told him the will of the Lord. Then the preacher fell dead.

Personal study has been a bit dull since I finished the Book of Mormon. Maybe I'll read it again.

After a dinner of 2/4ths of a sweet potato pie, we drove to le center and did some knocking, and met with some inactive members; then we drove to some student housing to meet with a friend who was actually there.

We'll probably get him a baptism date by next lesson since he's apparently good with following the word of wisdom, law of chastity, and law of tithing. So far I've noticed the inactive members are pretty helpful in the work; most haven't really fallen away and they're just too busy. But they've been fine sharing their testimonies on calls with friends, and being taught lessons.

In Elder's Quorum today a great deal was said about the inactive. There was a large focus towards treating them with Christlike love, and re-inviting them not through condemnation, but through example. So I figured I would share that. Back in Utah there's plenty of inactive folk. Speaking of Utah, I've heard rumor from some ward members that snow has fallen; if these rumors be true: Glory to God, Utah is saved! The great fires shall spare us this year!

Anyhow I've also been told this winter will be milder, but I'm already shivering in the humid cold of fall. So I'm probably going to go thrifting for some winter stuff tomorrow.

Something about humidity can make temperature affect you worse or something. I think I mighta heard that once. I've been struggling in cooking a bit since I never memorized any recipes; I usually made things that could be eyeballed (pasta, toast, grilled cheese, canned food), and everything else I would usually search up. I may need to get a cook book, or live content eating like a teenage boy (I'm a teenage [18] old man, so I'd like to avoid eating in such a childish manner).

Then we had a digital fireside with the entire mission, some of the senior missionaries shared their testimony in Spanish (very rad). And President Allred shared his experience when meeting with Elder Gilbert (an apostle) for some kind of preach my gospel review.

Elder Gilbert thought chapter 4 was the best. But when we're finished with this mission, every chapter of preach my gospel will be our favorite.

Anyhow I'm lazy, so I'll steal from the scriptures for this epistle's conclusion.

1 Thessalonians 5

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 Brethren, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.