Hola!!

This is my last email that I get to write to you in the MTC!! I am so excited to get out of here even though I am so greatful for everything that has happened to me here.  It seems like years ago when I last emailed you.  As a zone leader this week I have had tons of opportunities to help serve the missionaries here.  I had tons of talks with random missionaries in our zone just trying to help them get over a road block that they have.  Here, the smallest things can be magnified because there are so many forces that want to stop us from going on missions.  As I have been here I have learned the most from Elder Beutler.  My favorite parts of the MTC was when I had interviews with him.  He is my District Leader and I am his zone leader so we can both help each other out.  He is so Christ like and a friend to everyone.  I try to be more like that all of the time because I can see the joy that one friendly person can bring into people's lives. 

On Saturday Elder Herman and I taught our best lesson ever in TRC.  It was to a returned missionary who served in Mexico and is from Mexico.  We taught him how he could get better answers to his prayers and committed him to doing some simple things.  I asked him to bear his testimony and he told us a story about prayer on his mission.  It was such a good experience.

We hosted missionaries again on Wednesday.  I took one of Jacob Baird's friends from back home which was random and then another one of my friends from college.  It was good to see him.  I don't think you know who he is.  Our last class was on Thursday with Hermana Cannon and on Wednesday with Hermano Stoddard.  He got married on Wednesday and has only been home since June.  They were both great teachers and I learned a ton from them.  It has been so hard for our district to focus this week because the end is so close.

On Wednesday we also got a new district.  This one is not as ready to go as our last one was and way quiet.  One of the missionaries is having a really hard time.  He asked us to take him to talk to the Branch President on Wednesday night and afterwards told me all about his family.  His mom got diagnosed with cancer a few months ago and only with live for a couple more.  It is so sad and hard for this missionary.  He asked me to give him a blessing that night and I had no idea what to say but I must have said something. I have been talking to him a lot since doing all I can to help.  I got him to promise to stay until at least Sunday which is a good start.  It is crazy how hard of challenges some people have to deal with.  I have learned that whenever I have challenges to focus on helping other people and then you will forget about yours and things will work out. 

Today we did not have P-day.  We are having an In-Field orientation where we are learning about finding people to teach, having faith, using members, and all sorts of stuff.  I am writing this during dinner.  We have it till 9:30 tonight.  My Spanish has probably gotten worse this week because of all of the stuff we have had to do.  I feel comfortable going with how much I know though.  And it will come so much faster once I finally get there.  Tomorrow I will have to pack and do everything I need to to get ready.  I'll send a ton of pictures home and probably some other things too.  Don't write any dear elders tomorrow because I won't get them before I leave.  I will call you when I can, I got the phone card.  Thank you so much for all that you have done for me.  I love you and I hope I can make you proud in Mexico.  Please pray for the people there.

Love,

Elder Hubbard

Hey Family!!!

I am almost done at the MTC! Next week my P-day will be on Saturday because I will have in-field orientation and some devotionals all weekend. 

This has been another crazy week and it was a little different than the others here.  On Sunday Elder Herman and I started our job as zone leaders.  We taught a lesson in District meeting about laws and ordinances that was way good.  Not because of us but because our district had such good comments.  We have to give up a bunch of our personal study time and just personal time to check on other missionaries and other random responsibilities.  That night the oldest district left to go to Texas so we are now the oldest district.  It seems like we just got here. On Monday one of the missionaries from the newest district went home for medical problems.  Elder Herman and I went to talk with him and his district and we had a prayer with them.  It really hurts missionaries here to see their friends go home.  That night one of the Elders in my district asked us to give him a blessing.  I love when our whole district helps with this.  I did the annointing again.  I love how the priesthood gives us opportunities to serve our friends. 

On Wednesday we finally got to Host.  So now mom and dad can be happy and not worry about that anymore! Haha.  It was fun to see all of the families and the scared missionaries there.  I only hosted two people because that's how much I had time for.  I was so tired afterwards.  They were both going to Brasil and one was from Alaska and the other Connecticut.  After hosting we took a little trip to Salt Lake City.  Just us that our going to MEX South.  We went to the Mexican Consulate and signed and took some pictures for our VISAs.  They said they were going to make us take a language test but they just thought they were being funny.  Haha.   We tried our hardest to make our driver let us stop somewhere and get some food.  Driving by all of the restaraunts in Provo made me pretty hungry.  But he didn't stop and we ate in the cafeteria for dinner.  That whole trip took us about 4 hours on Wednesday.

On Thursday we always have service in the mornings.  Ours is just to clean the building that we live in.  I was just chilling vacuuming the hall when some random companionship came up to me.  They asked if I would help give one of them a blessing for the sick so I did.  It was nice to be able to help a random person just because I have the priesthood.  After dinner we got our travel plans!  We are leaving August 22 (Happy Birthday Shubs) and we have to meet at the travel office at 6 am.  Our flight leaves around 9:55 am and we are flying straight to D.F. and will get there at around 3 in the afternoon.  I am not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous for this whole thing so throw some prayers in this direction.  Sorry this is a short letter, but they should be getting more interesting within the next few weeks.  I would think.  Ummm there was some stuff I needed too.  The bottoms of my tennis shoes are falling off so if you could just send me my old pair of nike frees that would be great. Could I also have my patriarchal blessing, some more dried mangos and trailmix too!  Thank you so much for everything that you do for me.  I know that you love me and I love you too.  I know that this church is true and I can't wait to share my glad message with the world.  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hubbard

Mark and Bree's wedding!! Oliver's baby blessing!

Just had to interrupt Hub's mission one more time. On Sunday, August 7 our family grew by one more member. Mark was married to Miss Bree Sutton at Rancho San Raphael Park in Reno. It was a nice ceremony and we are so happy to have her as part of our family!! We love Bree!! We also had the sacred experience of Aaron giving Oliver a baby blessing on Sunday morning. He did a wonderful job. It was very tender and heartfelt. You could hear how much he loves that little boy in his voice. I am so grateful for my family. It was good to be together. Hubs was definitely missed.

Qué tal?

Another week just flew by! It seems like I was just writing to you yesterday.  A ton has happened this week.  So much that it´s hard to remember much of it. Haha.

I remember I got a haircut last Friday.  It is pretty goofy looking but let´s be honest, I´m a goofy looking kid.  I have to get one more five days before I leave the Centro Capatación de Misioneros...the MTC.  We taught a girl on Friday...a fifteen year old...from la Ciudad de México.  She moved here like 8 years ago but it was cool to be able to teach a legit Mexican. 

On Sunday, Elder Herman and I got called in for an interview with President Hansen.  I thought it was just a normal companionship interview.  He asked to be the new zone leaders starting this Sunday.  I feel really humbled and I know that I need to work ever harder.  The zone leaders are in charge of our zone obviously, and we have around 60 missionaries in our zone. So are job is to make sure they are obedient, not homesick, don´t have any other problems, feel loved, and anything else we can do.  I am really grateful for the oppurtunity to serve these missionaries and I don´t want to let their mothers down.  On Wednesday night we got a new district and Elder Herman and I met them and introduced them to some of the MTC stuff.  Four of them are going to Mexico City South!  So they could be future companions.  Last night Elder Herman and I helped give them a tour around the MTC because that is part of our jobs too.  They are a great district.  One of them played for Utah State basketball for four years named Elder Green.  He shot lights out against BYU. 

On Tuesday Gerald N. Lund came to our devotional.  He taught it more like a class or a seminar which I did not like as much but I still learned a ton.  One of the things he said was...Will you act on hope or do you demand truth?  The whole discussion was about faith.  Everything in this life and eternity comes after the trial of our faith.  It would be great if it was the other way around but it´s not.

I have now memorized the First Vision and Moroni 10 3 to 5 memorized in spanish.  The language is going well, I just need to get a larger vocab and be able to use all grammar when I speak.

Elder Leblanc left to Madagascar and Elder Cousineau to Culiachan this week.  We ate lunch together on monday.  I have a friend in my district named Elder McAlister who is a stud.  He is also really good at trading ties.  He took some of the ones that I wanted to get rid of and got some sweet ones.  I don´t really approve of the tie trading business on the mission  though.  It´s not what we should be focused on.

I have learned a ton about the gospel this week.  I have learned that it is impossible to learn the gospel by studying.  We have to learn it by living it and through the Holy Ghost.  We can´t understand anything without the Holy Ghost.  I realized that I am no better than any other person in the world.  We are all children of God and even the dust of the earth is better than me.  I wish I could be as exactly obedient as the dust of the earth.  We can never repay Heavenly Father by being obedient because when we are he just blesses us more and more.  Sometimes I wonder how He can love us so much! But He does.

Thank you for the package and all of the letters!  Perhaps this week or before I leave you could send me my patriarchal blessing, a new belt...mine is already falling apart, and whatever else you show your love with! Haha.  I am getting so weird here at the MTC.  I hope Mark and Bree´s wedding is perfect this weekend and the family has a fun time being together.  I love you all and miss you a ton.

Con cariño,

Elder Hubbard

Julio 29, 2011 Hola familia!

¿Cómo estáis vosotros? That is not a question that I will ever use in México unless I wanted to look stupid.  This has been another great week and I can´t believe that it is already Friday again and I only have about three weeks left here! Our flight itinerary should come within the next two weeks.  I can´t wait to find out when we are leaving.  I´m not gonna lie, I might be kind of sad when the time comes to leave the CCM.  I have learned so much while I have been here and grown a ton spiritually.

Last Friday, after P Day was over and we had class, we watched part of Elder Holland´s talk, None Were With Him.  You should send me a copy of this talk, it is one of the greats.  Christ walked that long path of the Atonement all by himself and now we don´t have to.  He will walk with us the entire way.

On Saturday morning, we had TRC which is the Teaching Resource Center.  Elder Herman and I taught three all spanish lessons.  These were to other missionaries acting like themselves and we had to teach them how to get personal revelation through the Book of Mormon.  Elder Herman and I used Moroni 7 about how if any thing is good it comes from Christ.  Many people have a hard time discerning between their own thoughts and the Spirit.  I believe as long as a thought persuades you to do good then it is inspired.

Sunday was pioneer day and I didn´t even realize it until it was about half way through. Haha.  Elder Herman and I had to demonstrate in priesthood meeting how to consecrate oil and administer to the sick.  I said the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting too.  It is getting normal to pray in Spanish and I do it by habit in my personal prayers too now.  A Gutamalen in the lunch room told me this week, Sí quiere hablar con el hombre, hable íngles pero sí quiere hablar con Dios, hable español.  If you don´t understand that use google translator or ask Chavo.  We had a sweet fireside Sunday night by President Stephen B. Allen who helped make a ton of the Church commercials.  We watched and talked about these commercials.  My favorite one was, When everything else tells you that you can´t, believe in that part of you that tells you that you can.  Afterwards I talked to Elder Special K for like an hour and half.  He is doing really good and I am glad he is here with me.  He is so normal.

Elder Beutler is now our new district leader and I am now the Junior companion.  It switches half way through.  We got another new district in our zone this week.  Districts come in together and leave together so we will never have new missionaries in our district.  I think we have five districts in our zone.  We just got a new 3rd Counselour in our Branch Presidency this week named Brother McDonald.  He was realeased a month ago as the mission president of Eugene, Oregon.  Spiritual giant.  He talked to us on Tuesday and said some really cool things.  One of them was Time flies so be the pilot.  We just let life pass us by sometimes.

On Tuesday an Elder in our district asked Elder Herman and I to give him a blessing.  I did the annointing and Herman the sealing.  He asked us to bless his eyes to be healed so he could do the work better once he gets to Mexico.  I could feel the love our district has for each other as we gave this blessing.  I have the best district in the CCM.  On Tuesday Elder Herman and I just finished up our last baptismal committment too! Finally. 

This morning we were able to go to the temple for the first time in a month. I was so happy.  It is so calm and peaceful there and I could feel the love of the Savior.  Afterwards we ate breakfast in the cafeteria again and I pounded down biscuits and gravy, an omelet, hashbrown, and bacon. Stud.  I love being here at the CCM being able to study the gospel one hundred percent of the time.  It is the best thing in the world.  I have no other worries.

Yesterday during personal study I read about Ammon again.  He is really the perfect example of what I need to do as a missionary.  It seems like they based preached my gospel on his example.

I am sorry that nothing is going on in the sports world right now.  July is like the apostasy of sports but football season will be here soon!  Thanks for the letters and the package this week.  I am demolishing the bread.  If you would like to send me more food I like trail mix, and dried mangos, and bread.  Oh and send me that ugly donut tie too please! I think I could get a good trade out of it.  I have been sick the last couple of days.  It is the same thing I had like a week and a half ago.  Just a bad cough and it´s hard to sleep with it.  Tuesday was the first time I got dear elders since friday.  So I had a ton of them.  Haha.  We don´t get them ever on Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry I am just rambling but I think of all these things to tell you through out the week and then I´m under pressure to get them all out in time.

I love you all.  It sounded like so much fun to have been together as a family this week or last or whenever it is.  I hope you are doing great.

Love,

Elder Hubbard

Julio 22, 2011

I can't believe I have been here for a month already!  The MTC is a place like I have never been before.  People are always learning, improving and becoming more Christ like.  I wish I could have come here before for like a week to see how I could get better prepared for it.  I think I would have read Preach My Gospel a lot more, but I did alright in the Book of Mormon category.  My BYU classes helped me a ton. I feel like I have learned how to study so much better here.

So this week flew by so it doesn't even feel like I have anything to write about.  We have taught a ton of lessons this week.  We have the same investigators every time that are progressing so it is pretty realistic.  With one of them we went through the 10 commandments and asked him to follow everyone of them.  I realized how hard it is for people to change their habits and soften their hearts, but repentance is a happy thing, and never sad.  It means you are going to be closer to our Heavenly Father.  Elder Herman and I have started singing at the beginning of our lessons to are investigators.  It is kind of comical, I know.  We were in the middle of singing "Mas Cerca Dios a Ti" when Elder Herman's voice cracked and he laughed the rest of the song.  I had to finish it solo style. Haha, good thing I have so many years of musical ability.

Our Zone leaders left on Monday. Elder Marshall was a really good friend of mine.  He is going to Philly, Pennsylvania.  We had their farewell ceremony in our room.  It was like one hundred degrees in there complete with body odor, but it was a good experience.  They gave us their fan so it is not as hot sleeping anymore.  I always wake up at like 5:30 or 5:45 and can't go back to sleep.  It is kind of annoying. 

Another one of our lessons this week started off with our investigator telling us his wife died that morning.  We felt so bad for him and we taught him the last half of the plan of salvation.  Eternal families are a great blessing.  Thank you mom and dad, for being such great examples to me and loving each other.  It means everything to me.  We committed the man to baptism so that is four out of five!

The gym opened back up this week which I needed very badly.  Our zone still plays Wednesday night soccer.  It is our zone against any one else that dares to compete.  We have a pretty athletic group of kids.  We always mop up the zone going to the Philipines and our celebrations after goals are excessive. Haha.  Most of my district at some point calls me Hubbs.  Even though we are trying to say Elder all the time.  I don't know why everybody ends up calling me Hubbs, but I guess it is who I am. Haha. 

Every Thursday morning we have service for an hour.  Our assignment always to clean our building.  Yesterday we did showers with a power washer and goggles.  It could have been the grossest thing that I have ever seen.  And it smelt like a hamster cage.  I got my typhoid and twinrix immunizations yesterday.  They were $154, so if you could take that out of my savings and onto my credit card that would be great.  Yesterday after dinner some random guy came up to me and asked if I was Hubbard's little brother.  I said of course.  It was Chance Dahl.  I thought that was pretty cool.  He wanted me to tell Mark high.  You can never get away from good old Fallon, Nevada.

It sounds like you guys are having a ton of fun.  I wish I could hold little Oliver just once.  Even though I would be scared out of my mind.

I have a great testimony of this Church.  You need to read the Book of Mormon every day personally, as well as a family.  When you do this, you will never lose your testimony or be lead astray.  I love you so much and miss you.

Thank you for the dictionary and pictures.  They were perfect.  If you want to send me anything this week, I like the cinnamon bread from costco.  Haha.  You are the best!

 

Love,

Elder Hubbard

Las Vegas Trip!!

Had to share a few pictures from our trip this week to Las Vegas. We had a great time with our children and GRANDSON! We just love him!! He is three weeks old and now weighs a little over 8 lbs and has grown 1/4 of an inch!