3 septiembre 2012

Hey güeros,

So my time with Elder Bunker has finished up. He will be flying home on Wednesday morning. I am going to miss him. The assistants called us with all of the transfers in the whole zone last night. I am staying here and will now have Elder Rios as my companion. I already know him a little bit because he has been a zone leader for a little while so we see each other every Monday. So we`ll go to the stake center in Taxqueña tomorrow to dump off Elder Bunker and pick up Elder Rios.  It`s about an hour and half or an hour forty five away and we  haven`t found a ride yet so somebody is going to have to come in clutch. There were a lot of transfers in our zone too and I am excited for this month. I love this area here but the only problem is that we never have any money because we have to pay for the buses so much. It`s like 5 dollars every day that we spend just in transportation.

We dominated this last week that Elder Bunker and I were together. We had Rosalìa`s baptismal service and she asked me to baptize her. She was really happy and was smiling a ton. She has made a lot of changes in her life this past month.  A lot of members attended the service too and even brought some tostadas and pastel.

We also had exchanges with the assistants this week. It is one of my favorite parts about being a zone leader because I learn so much from them. I went with Elder Bodine to his area in Coyoacàn. In one square mile, supposedly live 3 million people there in Santo Domingo. That`s nuts!!  Elder Bodine contacts a ton he is really loving. I have been able to work with him ever since I was in Leandro Valle. When I was there I did four baptismal interviews to see if the people they are teaching are ready for baptism. All of them went well and my favorite was with a young man that has cancer. He was really smart and sure of himself. While we were at the church, a lady came by trying to find out what church it was and what we believe in. I was able to give her a tour and we passed the referral along.

I also had exchanges this week with Elder Shirley from Lovelock, Nevada. Haha. I love him, he is really nice. We went to one appointment and nobody was there so we climbed a mountain to the next appointment. Elder Shirley realized that he forgot his backpack down below and we went back to get it. When we did, someday came outside that asked if we were looking for somebody and we contacted her. She accepted immediately and looks like she`s is one of the people that the Lord prepares. I have learned in my mission that things always happen for a reason.

So that`s about all that is happening right now. We are going to have to go to the airport today to figure out how Elder Bunker is going to get home since his visa expired. I am getting really good at washing my clothes by hand now. I already did it this morning.  You can just start calling me Kenmore if you want. I am really hungry too so we are going to go find some food before spending all day in the bus and airport.  Oh, I ate a fig this week. That could have been one of the best fruits that I have ever tried. Happy birthday this week Lynze!!!

Something that President Valadez said to me that I liked a lot was, that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the whole world, but it isn`t important if he isn`t my Saviour. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he lives. He has put his church on the earth once again and he will come again. I know that he suffered our pains and sins and through his stripes we are healed.

Thanks for all that you do for me!! I love you all and miss you a ton.  DF is gearing up for Independance Day on the 16th. Haha. Talk to you next week.

Elder Hubbard

p.s. I`ll send pictures next week because today I wasn`t smarter than the computer and couldn`t send them. Sorry.

28 agosto 2012

Hey familia,

First of all, when I was writing last week, I wanted to tell Bree and Shayla Happy Birthday, but I totally  spaced it.  So Happy Birthday, Shayla and Bree! I hope it was a good one. I´ll have to sing you the mañanitas when I get back. It´s what the Mexicans sing when it´s someone´s birthday.

So I had a pretty good week here in la Magdalena Contreras. Lot´s of rain and lightning. But the weather here is perfect. It is never hot or cold. I just wear the short sleeve gamer shirts every day.  I love it. But I do miss it being cold.

I am trying to remember what happened this week. On Thursday we had Ivan´s baptism. As you can tell from the pictures, he is tiny. The baptismal service didn´t go to great because the ward mission leader didn´t plan it and everything was unorganized. We also had Diego´s baptism on Saturday. I liked it a lot because his cousin came from Cuernavaca to baptize him.   Cooler than the other side of the pillow.

Before every baptism, the people have to have an interview to see if they are ready for it. I interviewed a 17 year old this week for another area in our zone. It is always cool to see how the people have changed their lives and their hearts, and have the desire to be a better person.  It still is weird that I am the one doing the interview and not the one being interviewed. Haha.

The people here are gearing up for Independence Day once again. It feels like I was just in Topilejo and had to endure that. There are going to be pachanga´s like it´s going out of style.  There will be fireworks, annoying music, and a lot of borrachos. But oh well. My new slogan is When In Rome.

Our hardest person to teach right now is Lucía. She is 82 years old and it is kind of hard to get the message of the Restored Gospel in her noggin. But she is really sweet and wants to be baptized. She goes to church even though she can´t hear a thing.    

The zone is doing pretty good. We always have problems with Elders not getting along with their companions or not wanting to follow all of the mission rules and we do what we can to help them.  This will be my last week  with my good friend Elder Bunker and then he´s going back to Chicago. I am going to miss him a lot.  So this Monday I will write to you and tell you who my new companion is.

Rosalía has her baptism this saturday!! I am really excited because she has changed a lot of things in her life. I have learned a lot about repentance while I have been a missionary. I have learned that it is really  a change in direction of our lives. Instead of always being focused on worldly problems, we turn to the Saviour and he helps us out. I know that we find peace and happiness in our lives when we follow him. One of the best ways to follow him is to pray every day. I have noticed that some people pray just because it is what we do. But we should really learn how to talk to Heavenly Father and spill our guts out to him. I am still learning how to use prayer better in my own life, and I know that he listens. I invite all of you to pay close attention to your prayers and try to get closer to God as you do. And if you don´t pray, then make it a habit.

Love you all and I am glad to hear that all is well in the motherland.

Vote for Pedro.

Elder Hubbard

 Diego´s baptism

 And his family

Ivan´s baptism

21 agosto 2012

Querida familia,
¿Cómo estaís vosotros? So just to remind you, I will be writing on the first monday of september instead of tuesday because of transfers. I don´t want to have to call an audible like I did the last time. I was Payton Manning back there.  This week was sweet. Especially right now because I am taking pills to flush all of the parasites out of me. I don´t want to go home with friends in my stomach like my friend Chavo. Haha. Probably still has those. But he deserves it because he didn´t right me today. Slacker.
When I said that this week was sweet, I meant it. Straight up miracles going on.  We taught a ton of lessons last week and they were all with people that are really interested and prepared to recieve the gospel. Rosalía has completely stopped smoking and should have her baptism this saturday. There is also another kid who is like 11 years old that is going to be baptized on sunday named Diego. He is not that same Diego that is the friend of Dora the Explorer known as Go Diego Go.  All of his family are members of the Church, but they hadn´t gone for a while. Meaning a few years. But they are now active again and Elder Bunker and his last companion taught him everything. So Elder Hubbard just has to smile and show up to the baptism enjoying the fruits of other people. Also, Ivan who we have been teaching is going to be baptized this thursday. It should be a pretty fun week.  Oh, and Tanía prayed about the Book of Mormon and the Church to know if they are everything that we say they are. She said that the first time she prayed and asked Heavenly Father if it was true, that she felt the coolest, most peaceful feeling that she has ever had in her life. She thought she was going crazy or something so she decided to ask again. The same thing happened. Heavenly Father answered her prayer and now she knows that the true church of Jesus Christ has  been restored once again to the earth and today we have a prophet and apostles.  It is something that nobody will ever be able to take away for her. I was so excited to hear that she recieved her answer. I wish everybody could do the same, including members of the church. Everybody as the right to know the truth through prayer.
Elder Bunker and I had to teach another Zone Conference this week. We talked about contacting and verifying with the members about the homework that we have given them.  President Valadez only came for a few minutes to talk but told us that he could feel the Spirit when he walked in the room. I thought it went really well too, but it could always be better. We spent most of the time doing practices. After the zone conference I went to Topilejo to work for the day. It reminded me a lot of when the hobbits all return to the Shire. It was nice but at the same time totally different. The best part was seeing Juana who is super strong in the church now. Some of her children and grandchildren are going to be baptized soon too. 
So that´s all I have time for this week!! I am feeling really good. I´m happy. I have a testimony. I am trying to be better. Life´s good.  Thanks for all of your letters. I think about you a lot, some more than others. Haha. Just kidding. Have a great week!! I love you.
Elder Hubbard
p.s. Chavo came in clutch and redeemed himself.

 la Hermana Juana that I found in Topilejo and taught. She is now a member and many of her family members are about to be baptized too.

 los dinamos with Elder Paxman y Elder Sanabria

14 Agosto 2012

Hey family!!!

How´s it going? I can´t believe I am going to have another sobrino!! I can´t wait! While I have been gone, our family has gotten huge! And counting. Felicidades Aaron and Lynze. I can´t believe you went to Monterey!! Dad, Mark, and Bree look like studs in their wet gear. Haha. I remember the last time we went there the Mexican restaurant got me really sick. That was just the beginning of things to come.  Shayla, you never told me if Jeff knows Orrin Bunn. 

This week was a lot of fun. Last tuesday, Elder Bunker and I were in a mall while Mexico was playing soccer. Every store had their TV on and a ton of people were gathered around. When Mexico scored a goal, it sounded liked we were in a stadium. People are pretty pumped here that they won.  Chilangos.

We saw a lot of progress in some of the people that we are teaching this week. One of them, Rosalía, has gone from smoking 7 cigarrettes a day, to like half of one and is already in first Nephi 17. But her sister, who was one of our best investigators, left us. She moved back in with her husband in San Pedro. We were pretty bummed about that. Another, person that we are teaching, Tanía, is the daughter in law of a member here. She is really smart, and captures everything that we teach her, and then teaches it to her husband. He doesn´t want to let her go to church but she is convincing him little by little.  She read the introduction to the Book of Mormon and was asking us about the Urim and Thummim.  We also found a new family to teach this week. I love teaching families. We were walking down the ciclopista one day and I contacted them. They accepted really easily and then we went to the appointment like a week later. The mom´s name is Monica, and she told us that she and her husband had been walking along and her husband, Genaro, said that he wanted to get closer to God. Two blocks later, and we contacted them. They think that is the answer to their prayer and we have another appointment with them to go back. The work has been harder in this area than in any of the others, and I don´t know why. Maybe it´s because we spend so much time in micros and meetings.

I have been studying and practicing spanish a lot more lately. All of the sudden it is more interesting to me. I have practiced the pronounciation a lot more and it is actually really cool. I don´t want to sound like a gavacho any more.  The Chilangos talk so funny and use some really goofy phrases. Elder Bunker and I have a lot of fun mimicking them. I´ll be bummed when he goes home in 3 weeks. 

Today we went to the Dinamos that are in our area. I don´t know if that is a word in english but it also means rapids. It is the Rio Magdalena and is in our area. It was awesome. We went with Elder Paxman and Elder Sanabria.  It was nice to get out of the city and enjoy nature. There was a path and a park along the river and we just walked around for a while and afterwards ate quesadillas. Here, if you want a quesadilla that has queso inside, you have to ask for it. Weird huh? If you just ask for a quesadilla, they won´t understand. You have to ask for a quesadilla de queso. 

So that´s about all she wrote. The zone was pretty relaxed this week, not much happening. I have been learning a lot these past few weeks, and the Ensign of this month was sweet.  It helped me a lot.  I sent Travis Marker a letter like a week ago, but I forgot he would be leaving soon. Just let him know. Bueno, I love you all a ton!! Thanks for everything and I pray for you each by name every day!! 

Elder Hubbard

7 Agosto 2012

Hellooooo family!!!

How is everybody? I had a great week here in Mexico City.  I have decided that it is sometimes like time doesn´t exist here because the weather never really changes. It´s never really hot or cold and about every other day it rains a ton. Last night I ran from the bus stop to my house  in like 20 seconds and got soaking wet.  I have decided that I love Mexico. It´s so different than the US.

One day this week I chilled in the mission offices for a while because Elder Bunker had to go sign for his VISA again. Apparently he was illegal. Haha. I waited for him for most of the day there. I helped Hermana Oillataguerre (she and her husband are a missionary couple). Most of the time I was asigning the referrals on the computers to the right area of the mission using Google Earth. I also made a map for President Valadez of all of the missions here in DF.  It was a nice change working in the offices for a day.  It reminded me of when I used to help mom out at the junior high.  The good old days.

So this week we almost didn´t teach any lessons. We dropped a ton of investigators too. But I don´t feel bad because we are working hard and we contacted a ton of really good families that accepted us. I love teaching families the most because they have the opportunity to some day go to the temple to be an eternal family.  We do have a few investigators that are going along pretty well though. One named Sol, is going to get a prothesys leg pretty soon. We taught her about priesthood blessings and at the end asked if she had any questions. She asked,"When can you give me a blessing?" Haha. We gave her one right there and I know it will help her.

I also had a cool experience on sunday. Every Sunday night Elder Bunker and I have to train the district leaders in whatever we feel like is necessary.  The district leaders also have their companions there. One of them has always had a hard time paying attention, and just acts like he doesn´t want to be there. He has some obedience problems as well. I talked to him and his companion by themselves and starting asking him some simple questions, encouraging him a lot, and showing him his strengths. We saw a complete change in him afterwards. He participated, made good comments, and thanked us at the end for the training. I felt so happy to be able to help him and feel like I have learned a lot about being a better leader this week. All you need is love.

As a zone leader, I have definitely spent less time in my area work and more time in buses and meetings, but I am still learning what the Lord wants me too. I know that here is where He can teach me what He wants me to know for the rest of my life. I love my Father in heaven and I am here to serve Him and His children. It´s really hard but a lot of fun. I have been so healthy here in Mexico too. I don´t know why I brought a whole Pharmacy of medicine because I never use it. I feel bad that Max got sick. I saw some adds for the Bourne Legacy. I think I bought that book for Mark one year. You have see it and tell me how it is. Anyways, I´ll stop rambling now. Have a good week and I love you wall. Choose the right!

Elder Hubbard

 Dominoes!

 micro that goes to Cristo

 Miguel Angel´s baptism

 tacos de carnitas

 Elder Call´s last day

Highway

31 Julio 2012

Querido familia,
How`s life?! Just to start off, I would like to ask a special favor. Mom, could you please send the letters from Tommy, Kevin, Miles, and Had, and anything interesting from the Olympics to DearElder?? It gives me a lot more time to be able to read them.  So I can`t send any pictures this week because I am not smarter than the computer that I am using so I can`t get it to work. Hate it when that happens.
This was a tough week, but now it`s over and a new one has begun.  A wise man named President Chavez once said that if we aren`t able to conquer our weaknesses here in our missions, it will be a slim chance that we will be able to conquer them afterwards. So I have been trying to find my weaknesses and and overcome then.  If anybody wants to point any of them out to me, that would be great.
The best part of this week was probably Miguel Angel`s baptism. He is a little stud. The ward helped us a lot with his baptism too. We didn`t have to fill the font, make a program, clean up afterwards, or anything. We just showed up. It was really nice. I felt really good in his baptism. Elder Bunker baptized him and I confirmed him on Sunday. I think that was my first time ever. It was a really good experience. We are now working with Miguel Angel`s cousin who needs to be baptized and reactive his family as well.
We have really been able to work with the members lately. After La Comida, we always explain, demonstrate, practice, and evaluate with the members ways that they can share the gospel.  I was on exchanges in an area named Hidalgo with Elder Poston. He told me that he hadn`t really put it into practice. He is new to his area so we went to a members house. Elder Poston is really really good, and really sincere, I love him. He told the member that we were going to leave a pamphlet on their table to give away if they felt like it. But I wanted to show Elder Poston how to work with the members so we did all of the steps right there. While I was demonstrating how to give away a Book of Mormon, the member said that as he watched, he felt that he should give the Book to his friend and is going to do it. Remember, the words of Christ explain, but the Spirit shows us what we should do. It`s the best way to teach.  We have had little miracle all week doing this with the members.
On the same exchanges, Elder Poston and I got caught in a real life traffic jam. And it wasn`t caused by Bishop Wadsworth going down the road at 5 mph on his bailer. Haha. We waited forever. But the funny thing was that it was about 6 lanes of traffic that cut our micro off from the open highway. It was right there in front but we couldn`t see it. It reminded me of something that I heard once that in life we try to follow Celestial road signs but we get stuck in Telestial traffic jams. It is so true. Sometime we try to do the best, but we aren`t perfect and we come short. I have come short a ton of times in my life.
So that`s the story for this week. I know that Christ lives and that he can make up all of our shortcomings. The thing that I like that I have learned on my mission is how to repent. I know that when we start to repent, our view on the world, ourselves, and Heavenly Father changes. It is the best. I invite all of you to particpate of the relief that repentance brings.
Love,
Elder Hubbard
I heard that the USA sent only Jimmer to play in the Olympics instead of the whole team? True or false?

23 Julio 2012

¿Qué tal familia?! Como les va?
I hope you like suprises because I forgot to tell you that my preparation
day is on Monday this week! It´s because there are transfers this week.
Every six week it will be like this as long as I am zone leader which
probably won´t be too much longer. Haha. the good news is that Elder Bunker
is going to stay here with me for another transfer!! This is his last one
before going home! We were so excited when President Valadez told us that
we were staying. Elder Bunker and I are really good friends. He is a great
missionary. I am pretty sad though because my great friend Elder Call will
be coming home on Wednesday. Don´t be suprised if he ever drops by the
house for a visit. Haha.
This week I had my first interview with President Valadez. It was really
short because he had them scheduled from 9 in the morning until 6 at night
without any breaks. He is so much different then President Chávez was but I
can really feel is love and concern for me. He asked me how I was and
showed me a few scriptures.  He told me that he loved the zone conference
that we did and that I am doing a great job. I hope he´s right.
I made a great discovery this week that I should have done about 13 months
ago!!! It´s name is Preach My Gospel. Ever heard of it?  It might be one of
the coolest books ever. I started studying from the beginning this week and
I have already seen the results as a missionary. I invite every member to
study it and think of how they can apply it to their lives. Every member
has responsibilities and in PMG they are all there.  I have especially
learned a lot from studying the lessons that we teach. I realized that this
work really is the Lord´s work. He does everything. He gives us the
prophet, he gives us the Book of Mormon because he knew all of the
confusion that was going to come, he answers are prayers, he blesses our
families when we live the gospel, and he loves us.  He really does want us
to succeed and he cries with us when we suffer. It means a lot more than I
realized to say that he is our Heavenly Father.
I am not gonna lie, the missionary work was pretty slow this week.  We
actually found some really good investigators though. In the first lessons
I made a few people cry, and don´t even know how. One of them I asked if
they were happy and the other if she wanted to get married to her
boyfriend. Instant tears. We have been in a slump for a while now with
baptisms but this saturday we are going to have the baptism of a nine year
old named Miguel Angel. We found his family that was inactive and now they
are all going to church again. Miguel Angel´s brother even got the
priesthood yesterday! They are a really poor family but love to give us
what they have. I am amazed at the love that some people have for the
missionaries.
They almost ran over my companion this week with a truck! They really need
some more of that Tommy Tompson´s driver´s ed here. He would not be too
pleased. The truck was flying down a hill in reverse and luckily I was
looking and yelled "aguas" at Elder Bunker and he got out of the way.
Aguas. Haha. It means like watch out or careful here.  But I am glad Elder
Bunker is not in the hospital. We also had to deal with a couple of Elders
that got beat up this week. That was crazy. President Valadez closed the
area that they were in.
Bueno. That´s all I got for this week. I hope that the next letter with be
more exciting.  I was thinking about all of my friends that are on missions
right now. There are a lot of us. Miles, Had, Tommy, Kevin, Mitch,
Jake, there are a bunch.  I am glad they are out here with me. I love you
all! I pray for you every day.
Elder Hubbard