Week 4: Leave Your Nets

Hola friends and family! 

             This week was definitely a roller coaster of emotions. Alright, now that I am better I feel like I can tell you all how my week actually was last week. I know in my email last week, i said not much happened but i was lying for the sake of my mom hahaha. Last week i got sooooo sick. Probably the sickest i have ever been in my life. A little sickness has been going around the mtc so when I started to feel no bueno i did not think anything of it. A day went by of a little cough and sore throat until i went to bed that night. I had the worst fever ever. I was shaking all night and probably got 30 minutes of sleep that night. That morning my companion forced me to go to the infermeria and get checked out. The doctor took one look at me and then gave me 3000 pills and meds i swear. He told me i could not go to class for the entire day cause i was so sick. I was super mad that i was going to miss class but i followed the docs orders and my companion walked me home. My companion then went back to class so I was all alone in my house for the entire day. Now i am not telling you all this for pity but i want to share a few things later on how the Lord works in mysterious ways. Anyways the entire day went by and just being in my house all alone made me super homesick. Ofc i am thrilled to be on my mission but i just kinda thought how nice it would be if i was in my bed at home rn with my mom tending me with some hot soup kissing me on the forehead hahaha. Although I did not get that kind of treatment i did get something almost as great. The next morning i was feeling better so i went to class. Right when i walked in the room with my companion i could kinda see everyone start to whisper and tense up a little. Then my companion stood up in the front of the class and said something along the lines of "Elder Hobbs we are so glad you are feeling better so everyone in the district got you a little something to make you feel better." Right when he finished talking everyone got a treat out of their backpacks and put it on my desk. I guess the day before they all planned to buy me something from the tienda. /see the pic below/  It meant so much fr. It was not a kiss from my mom but it definitely got the job done. 

           Then last Sunday during a devotional i had a super spiritual experience i want to share. We watched a talk Elder Holland gave at the Provo Mtc from forever ago. I do not know if it was cause Elder Holland is sick rn or how i kinda had a tough week but the spirit touched me so hard. Before the devotional i went in with the question, "How can i completely lose myself in thy work?" I was shocked when Elder Holland started telling the story of Peter. Now i am not going to go into depth in the story becuase i am sure most of you have all heard it before. If you have not heard the story it is John chpt 21 in the New Testement. But basically Peter and the disciples went back to fishing once Jesus was crucified for that is all they know to do. One night while fishing, they could not catch anything. They then hear someone from shore say cast your nets on the right side of the boat. So they do and their nets are miraculously filled. Peter then looks again to the man on the shore and realizes it is Jesus. Peter literally throws himself out of the boat and swims to Jesus. Once he gets to Jesus, Jesus asks him "Peter do you love me?" Peter replies and says yes you know that i love you. Jesus then asks not twice more but three times. "Do you love me?" Peter again says you are the Son of God you know i love you. Jesus then replies " Then why are you back to fishing. Why are we having this same conversation? I need you to feed my sheep." Jesus tells Peter to leave his nets and fishing behind and to serve him. 

          This hit me very hard. After a tough week of being sick and being a little homesick this is exactly what i needed to hear. I love my family and friends so so much but i love my Savior more. I need to leave my nets at home and serve thee. I need to completely lose myself in the work and by doing that i need to leave my nets. 

    

          Okay okay enough about being sick. This week was so sweet. I felt 100 percent better. My Spanish came a long way this week. My companion and I had the opportunity to do something called helping others. Helping others is when the Mtc pulls people off the street or has people from a ward nearby come and let the missionaries share a little message with them. My companion and I were looking forward to this the entire week. The time came and we were sitting in a little room waiting for our mystery guest to arrive. I was expecting this old hispanic man with a thick accent, so when Gabriella, a 12 yr old little girl from a nearby ward walked in, i was super surprised. She was so great. We talked about her family and what she likes to do. I then asked her what her favorite movie was and she said Harry Potter so it was super fun to connect with her and talk a little bit about Harry Potter. This entire conversation was in spanish btw! Anyways we shared a little scripture with her then said our goodbyes. I have prayed for her everyday since that day. Well that is about all for the week. I am doing great and am loving every second here. Feel free to send me an email. I would love to hear from all of you. Until next week!  

                                                                                                                        

Elder Hobbs