Hello.

Another week just flew by and I am here to write again. How is everybody? I hope good. Okay this Tuesday I got to go back to Ajusco for intercambios with Elder Garza. I like teaching with him a lot but I´m not gonna lie, I didn´t miss Ajusco and all of her hills.  I taught Elder Garza to pray in english a little bit and he taught me to say some dialect words here. Like Popocatepetl. It´s the big volcano here. I sound legit when I say it. On Wednesday we taught a fifteen year old investigator that we have been teaching for like a month and a half the commandments. Afterwards he needed help with math so I taught him with Elder Leyva. In spanish I taught him about cubic centimeters and how to find the volume of little wooden trucks. It was tons of fun. Haha. Dad should be so proud of me. I would teach a little part and then Elder Leyva would testify of what I said was true. Haha. He´s getting an A on his next test for sure.  Afterwards we got rained on. We always do but this one is worth mentioning. Umbrellas only go so far before they can´t handle it. The streets were rivers and we were completely soaked. It was great fun.  On Tuesday we went to Ajusco and interviewed Joselín-the little girl we found through the taxi driver and walking up her street and back down and her mom yelling at us-for baptism. She passed!! Haha. And then our zone leaders came to Topilejo to interview Mauro for baptism and he passed too!  So they both got baptized on Saturday in the same service. We spent the whole day trying to get the font ready and everything which is kind of difficult here. Mauro´s whole family came and they aren´t members. His mom wants to be baptized but hadn´t been able to listen to us as much or go to church.  We showed them the church and I think we will have more success in their family. Joselín´s dad also isn´t a member and he came and should get baptized soon.  I gave a little, unprepared talk on faith and repentance to start. Elder Leyva said it was good.  Elder Leyva baptized Mauro and Elder Garza baptized Joselín. It was such a good day.  Yesterday Mauro was confirmed in church with the Holy Gost and as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints with his mom and dad to watch. It was during ward conference and the Casa de Oración was packed. People here make a big deal out of ward conferance. Allll white shirts and ties, show up on time, and they show up. It´s amazing. There are more members here than I thought, they just have to come.  So Elder Leyva always goes to this Zapatero who fixes his shoes. We have been there a ton, and the last time we contacted him. He said we could come over Sunday morning. We went and had a lesson with with his wife and daughters. Three daughters. It was about the Plan de Salvación. He told us that his daughter just had surgery and he had promised God if she lived he would get closer to Him. And he said we are his answer! It was so sweet. I´m pumped.  It´s great to find people ready for the gospel. Yesterday I fasted to know how I could recieve personal revelation better for myself and investigtors. In a meeting with the zone leaders last night I realized I need to study Preach My Gosple more and that is my answer. It is the most important tool for me as a missionary.  Last night Elder Leyva said I talk in my sleep all the time. Sometimes in english, sometimes in spanish, sometimes neither. Haha. He probably thinks I am crazy. Poor Peruano.  My knees hurt a little bit more every day. I think it´s more standing on buses than anything. And the hills don´t help. We played basketball this morning and now they don´t feel so good either.  Oh on Saturday we had La Comida and the hermana gave us a full plate of pasta, (We eat something like spagghetti-o´s before most meals), and then a full plate of rice, and then a full plate of la comida. I had to pound it down. I hate it when people think we need 50000 calories to survive! Haha. I got a letter from Tommy this week and I am so pumped to have another bro in Mexico. Tell Tommy, Ryan, Stu, Hadley, Miles, and Travis that I love them. And get ready for that mission. That´s all I got for this week. I love you!

Elder Hubbard

Hola Familia!!!

I am soooo excited. For the past two Mondays I have been able to "chat" with Tyler via email while he is writing his weekly letter. It is wonderful to know that he is sitting at the other end actually talking to me. It definitely lifts my spirits! I love technology!!

My first Cambio ended this week!! On monday we had our last Junta as a district. We played basketball (amatuer hour) and fútbol afterwards. It was a lot of fun. Cambios were on Tuesday in an area called Texqueña. An investigator gave us a ride there. We had just started leaving when he said that we didn´t have any gas. I listened and the motor wasn´t on. We cruised down the mountain for a good ten miles without any gas. I don´t care who you are, that´s impressive. I got a little scared at some points but I couldn´t stop laughing because, ¿who drives without gas? Apparently here there are no rules.  When we finally stopped Elder Leyva and I took a can and ran and got some.  After Cambios we went and helped the new missionaries move into Ajusco. They are Elder Garcia from St. George and Elder Garca from here. Afterwards we taught some lessons, one of them in the Alchoholicos Anonimo group building. There were two drunks passed out outside. Fail. The power went out that night and it was weird to see no lights anywhere. On Wednesday, we had a lesson with a nonactive Hermana. She said something about not feeling that great spiritually. During the whole lesson there was screamo music blaring in the background and I got the most horrible feeling. Right before we left I told her if she wanted to feel good she would need to shut the music off because the Holy Ghost can dwell with it. She probably hates me now but I hate to see the home being attacked from the inside out like that. Bad music is just an environment for sin.  We then had a lesson in which we helped an investigator decide to quit drinking but its gonna be tough.  When we were walking back we were in this yard that we always cut through and it was dark. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the biggest dog I have ever seen about to jump me. It was as big as a horse! Actually it was a horse. Haha. It scared me just a little bit. Dang caballos.  On Thursday we had some intercambios. Elder Garza came to Topilejo with me. He just got here on Tuesday and I got here seven weeks ago so we were two seasoned veterans going into it. We ended up having some powerful lessons about prayer. One man we taught to pray and kneeled downed and he talked to his Heavenly Father. He didn´t even know how to do it before hand but now he has a guide and comfort for the rest of his life. Elder Garza was pretty tired by the end of the day and I am pretty sure has a bad case of shin splints. Poor kid.  He was a way fun companion.  We both have an addiction to the bread here and the song Mas Cerca Dios de Ti.  We committed a man to baptism this weeked named Alvaro. He is really humble. We taught him and I bought a drink afterwards and some maybe drunk guy asked me if he could have it. I drank as much as I could and then handed it to him. Loser.  Saturday and Sunday weren´t very eventful. We had three investigators come to church. This morning we went to Estadio Azteca and bowled too. I dominated the 4 game series as a black horse. Two turkeys. The song Living the Vida Loca was playing and I felt like it was appropriate.  I started the Old Testament this week because of Elder Scotts talk and it is way interesting. I am learning so much every day. I know that this church is true. I wish everybody in the world knew it is true so they could be happy. I have to go, but I will write a better email next week!! We should have a baptism this Saturday!!

Love,

Elder Hubbard

NEW PICTURES!!

This is conference. And Hermana Lulu with her 100 plus year old mom!! Hahahah

Can I just say I absolutely LOVE getting new pictures each week. It helps me to see a truly happy Ty Hub face! Sorry these didn't come with his letter. I had a little email glitch that I need CC Communications help with. Thank you Techies!

Hellooooo!!!

How´s life? This week was so great! It seemed like we did a ton of things

other than missionary work though which is kind of depressing. I think that

happens occasionally. On Wednesday we met with the zone leaders and they

checked the house that we found in Ajusco.  They said it was great so the

new missionaries have a place to live. Afterward we showed the First Vision

video to a 10 year old named Joselin. Her mom is a member. We found them one

day walking up the street and a taxi driver (her dad, nonmember) told us to

go to their house. We walked up the entire mountain and couldn´t find it but

when we came back down we stood at the beginning of the street for a little

bit and Joselin´s mom popped her head out the window and asked if we were

looking for her! Yes we were! Haha. Joselin is going to be baptized this

saturday and the new missionaries are going to teach the dad. Oh, and I

could actually understand the video in spanish which is a plus.  On Thursday

we had quite a few lessons but there is a party all week there and it´s

sickening.  On Friday we went to the mission offices and I had an interview

with Presidente Chavez! It was actually really uninteresting and I don´t

have much to say about it. He was just checking up on me. Afterwards we

worked in Ajusco and had a great lesson with this guy named Alfredo. We got

him to commit to stop drinking. It was a sweet lesson. On Saturday we went

to San Pedro to the stake center to watch conference! I have never been so

excited for conference in my life. It was like going home for two days.

Elder Vasquez and Elder Call are both missionaries in my district from

California.  We watched Conference together in the kitchen in English.  The

time flew by and I almost cried when it was over.  I know without a doubt

that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and if we listen to the words of the

general authorities we will not go astray.  My favorite talk might have been

Elder Hale´s about waiting on the Lord.  President Monson makes me laugh.

Elder Holland lays it down. Every talk was so powerful, and I can´t wait to

get the Liahona in a month.  Elder Vasquez is such a good friend. He is

older, like 24 because he is a convert. He is such a good example and we had

a great time watching conference together.  I got so pumped when I found out

they are building a second temple in Provo! That´s so tight. I can´t wait to

go!!  We had four investigators from Topilejo come to conference and they

all enjoyed it!! People here only go to the first session on Sunday. It was

packed the first session and then nobody. Haha.  I got another haircut this

week from Hermana Lulu´s sister Hermana Taide.  Free as well.  Oh! Elder

Leyva is now the district leader and we have a district of four people. Only

us and the new missionaries in Ajusco. We don´t know who they are yet

because transfers are today. We will be staying here.  What else?? This week

somebody fed us banana mixed with white rice on a tortilla, and it was

delicious. Well, that´s all I got. I think we will have three baptisms this

week and if they happen I will telll you about them.  I love you all and

thanks for your letters!! Have a great week and remember it´s always better

to look up.

Love,

Elder Hubbard

26 Septiembre

Buenas Tardes!

I don´t even know how to spell buenas, buenes. Fail. So this week was a little bit slower.  We have some great investigators that love listening to us but they won´t keep their committments and aren´t progressing that well.  Every week we find new ones that always seem promising.  Topilejo had had like 1 baptism the whole year before we got here which should tell you a little bit about how well they listen here. One frustration is our branch.  There is almost no support for missionary work.  We watch all of these DVD´s about Preach My Gospel during companionship study and the missionaries in the states have all of these things to work with.  Members at lessons, cars, phones, ward mission leaders, bishops. It´s a little hard without all of those things.  In church yesterday I looked around and realized that the only men in the congregation were me, and two investigators. Haha.  This week we found out that we are not going to work in Ajusco any more after October 4.  Two more missionaries are going to be put there.  That will be better for us because we will spend less time traveling and less money too.   We had to find a house this week for them.  We found a perfect one it has two rooms and a bathroom.  Running water and everything.  No kitchen though.  The missionaries there might starve.  It´s pretty hard to find poptarts out here.  On Friday we had Zone Conference.  I really don´t know where that was but we took a taxi to get there.  The taxi drivers are impressive to say the least.  I think after my mission I will never get motion sick again in my life.  At Zone Conference Presidente Chavez spoke almost the entire time.  He is such a good teacher and knows the scriptures like Bruce R. McKonkie.  He was a seminary teach back in the day.  He talked a ton about how the world is getting more and more dangerous and there are Economic crisises and natural disasters.  He said he wants us to prepare to be good fathers.  He also in 20 years the church will have 100 million members.  I don´t know where that number came from but it sounds good to me.  Presidente also told us to do the right things for the right reasons.  Very important.  I love listening to him.  We will get a new mission president in June.  He rules with an iron fist but that is because a lot of elders struggle being obedient.  After Zone Conference we went to Ajusco to work the rest of the day.  It rained all day long.  We were walking to La Comida and I totally biffed it. Way hard.  But I got up and I didn´t even have mud on my suit. It was pretty crazy. I am so uncoordinated, but it might be because its always wet and my shoes are slick on the bottoms.  This week more fiestas started.  We had to quit early on Saturday.  It is a Catholic Holiday celebrating some Saint, I don´t know.  All I know is that in two days they baptized 1000 people into the Catholic church.  Only in Topilejo!! Elder Leyva and I want to go Samuel the Lamanite on them but that is frowned upon and also I value my life.  Saturday night we got to teach in the Castillo home who live right below us.  They have a man working for them who is indian.  He speaks pretty good Spanish but his wife very little.  We taught them part of the plan of salvation with as many pictures as possible.  I don´t know how much they understood but I can´t wait for the day when all of the descendents of Lehi receive the gospel in their language. You should hear them talk to each other. Que suave.   So we had two investigators at church yesterday in Topilejo.  Elder Leyva went to Ajusco.  I had to wake up this 15 year old boy to go to church.  He is such a good kid and baptism will be soon.  We gave a blessing this week to this poor mama that is suffering from depression and taught a Testigo de Jehovah.  That´s always fun.  We ate hot dogs three times this week. One with salsa verde, one with creme, and one actually on a bun!!! America is missing out on all of these ways to eat a Hot Dog. Not really.  Elder Leyva is a stud. I have never seen anybody iron jeans and a t-shirt like he can. He is from Trujillo, Peru which is like 4 blocks from the ocean.  He has told me that he will never come back to Mexico City. Haha.  Ocassionally we break out in USA chants Miracle style. He works way hard, loves the dance, likes to try to sing in english, and is really good at teaching with examples.  He has had one uncle as president of a mission in Peru and another as temple president so he has a good family.  He only has one younger sister, I think she is 17.  I am supposed to stay with him for another transfer but who knows what will happen because Ajusco is going to have other missionaries.  They might spilt us up.  The family downstairs, the Castillos, are so nice.  They are all women for some reason and all sisters and moms and grammas.  The great gramma is 100 years old, she has five daughters-Herman Lulu, Angeles, and Tibea. I don´t know the others. And then there is the daughter of Hermana Angeles who is Katea and has two kids, Paco and Fernanda.  Her husband works in San Diego.  She said to tell you high.  They love the missionaries and we can go down for breakfast, comida, or dinner whenever we want.  They never ask anything from us in return.  Really nice, loving, loud people.  Topilejo is straight ghetto.  I have never seen something so beautiful yet so ugly.  Everything has something growing green out of it but at the same time there is garbage and grafiti everywhere.  Not to mention anorexic dogs and drunk people.  Once I counted 12 ish dogs in front of us on the street.  They never come after us though. Our apartment is cold at night but I have some massive blankets and I sleep good.  My pillow is like a rock, I really want to buy a new one.  I am so thankful for your love and I always look forward to hearing from you!!! Have a great week.  This P-day was just another chill one in Topilejo.  We can´t play with our district because our district leader went to the hospital.  Alright I will stop rambling.  I love you!!

Elder Hubbard

19 Septiembre 2011

¿Que paso?

This week has flown by once again.  The time is going by so fast here.  How is everybody?? Thank you for all of your letters!! I still can´t send any hand written ones thanks to the non-existence of the US post office in Mexico.  I got some dear elders a week ago and I laughed so hard I cried.  First of all, Shayla.  Aunt Fest??? Really?  Get married already buddy. Haha. Chiste.  And I feel dad´s pain in his letters.  Forever 45...Haha. Anyways.

I´m not going to lie, nothing very exciting happened this week.  I thought the 15th of September was Independence Day.  All day long I thought this.  Until the next day I found out it was actually independence day. That was awkward.  But at the same time it, was like having two Christmases right in a row! Minus the joy and happiness.  This whole weekend was a giant party.  On Saturday night, the neighbors had a fiesta that had bumping music until 5 in the morning.  And all of the time these little kids are setting of these mini atomic bomb things.  The first time I heard them I thought somebody was dying.  We were walking one day by a Catholic church and some little kids were hiding. All of the sudden BOOM.  They set one off in the wall of the church.  This is not your average Fourth of July.

This whole week we didn´t go to Ajusco.  Only Topilejo.  We have 8 people that have said yes to baptism.  The only problem is we have to get them to stop working on sunday and come to church.  On Tuesday I ate rabbit at Andrea´s house.  It was actually way good and fresh.  It tasted a lot like chicken but had a lot more flavor.  Kentucky Fried Rabbit please. Wednesday I went to the area Cedral on intercambios again.  When I go there my companion is Elder Torres from Chiahuaha. We stay for like 2 hours at every appointment and it is not very enjoyable.  On our way back to Topilejo we fit like 35 people into an 18 passenger van.  That smelled worse that Priest´s quorum. Just kidding. But seriously.  On Thursday-day one of Mexican Independance Day- we had to get up at like 5 and go downtown to the offices.  Elder Reid, Beal, and Herman were all there.  It was so good to see them.  I love those kids.  We had to go to the consulate and sign our VISAs. I think now we are all legal.  I remember I ate 10 tacos al pastor afterwards. So good. The return trip to Toplilejo took a good 4 hours.  Presidente Chavez said we couldn´t work after mid day for our safety so we went home and I took a three hour nap. There are a lot of people here that need help.  But they don´t know that the only thing that will help them is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There are alcholics, sick people, poor people, and depressed.  The don´t realize that Heavenly Father just wants them to experiment keeping the commandments.  We just have to give Him the chance and He will bless us.  There is no other way to find peace in this live and there is no other way for eternal life in the world to come.  I get frustrated sometimes because I can´t fully express myself.  But I know that the Lord wants me to be a missionary and He wants His children to come unto Christ.  That is the only reason I am here.  We were going to baptise 3 people yesterday-a family.  But they didn´t come to church.  This week I realized that we need to baptize faithful members of the church, not inactives.  They need to have testimonies so they can go to the temple some day.   We have a lot of work to do this week.  I wish we had a car. Haha. Sorry about the no pictures this week.  I can´t get the computer to work.  Hopefully next weeks letter will be more interesting.  I have been in Mexico for four weeks! It is a ton better than the MTC.  I love you all a ton!!  If you send a package make sure to load it up with tape and Virgin Mary´s!!  Have a good week!

Chau,

Elder Hubbard  

12 Septiembre 2011

¿Qué tal familia?
I don´t have a lot of time to write this week thanks to a dumb survey that I just had to take for Predicad Mi Evangelio.  How are you??? Thank your letters. They are the best.  Don´t worry about using dear elder.  On Monday nights we always have a district meeting at 6:30.  I always write to you in a city called San Pedro.  That is where our stake center is.  My district leader is Elder Luna. He is a huge Mexican and I love the way he teaches.  This week as been really foggy and not rainy which was a good change.  When you´re out in the country the fog is creepy and the dogs get a little bit jumpy. I hate dogs.  I will never own one in my life.  So we started teaching a boy named Brian after church last Sunday.  Yesterday we baptized him!  He really liked the lessons and us and lives with members.  I got the opportunity to baptize him because they drew my name out of a hat.  I was lucky.    We helped more investigadores get to church this week.  We taught them the doctrine of keeping the Sabbath day holy and more came. Very cool.  Yesterday I had to give a talk in church! In Ajusco. It was about Charity and I think I did good.  The Presidente there is a big help to us. We eat at his house once a week.  He is really poor and such a good guy.  They give what they can.  He told me that I did great and that the gift of tongues is real. My spanish really isn´t horrible.  I can listen to most conversations and know what they are saying.   So I really have no time now after this garbage computer stopped working. Frustrating.  Elder Leyva and I cleaned our apartment all day today.  I don´t think anyone had ever done that there.  It looks brand new now.  So I promise next weeks letter will be longer and better.  Tell Tommy I say Congratulations and Viva Mexico.  The 15 de Septiembre is the Dia de Indepencia here so I hope you all eat some tacos for me.  I love you!!!
Elder Hubbard