Week 31: Los Cerros

        Holaaa!! Hope everyone is doing great. My first few days here in Tomé have been wonderful. But first thing I'm gonna say is that the hills (cerros) are killing me. My area is right on top of a hill so we are literally climbing to get to our lessons haha. But the view makes it all worth it. My other area in Talcahuano was a lot nicer and felt more like I was in the states cause I was in the city. But here in Tomé it's like a little home grown town. All the members here own their own little tiendas and bread shops. They are all bakers and chefs and gardeners haha so let's just say I'll be eating good for the next little while. 

       Also had my first Sunday here in the ward and I love the people already. Super humble christ like people. But sadly I had to reject a bunch of kisses from the old Chileno ladies:(

      I've already had a super spiritual experience here. To start I introduced my self in sacrament meeting to the ward on Sunday. Basically just presented myself and shared my testimony. That same day we had lunch with the members. With a great young family... la familia Torres. First off it was the most I've felt like home since I've been on the mission. I just felt super good with this family. After we finished eating lunch we shared a little message with them. We watched a video called la musica del Evangelio. This video relates music and dancing to the holy ghost and joy of the gospel. It talks about if we are dancing without music eventually we are gonna get bored and stop dancing. We related it to our lives as members. Some people only go to church or read their scriptures cause they know their parents tell them to or know it's the right thing to do. But without hearing the music or feeling the spirit in this case, they end up stop doing it. I then shared with this family a little bit of my experience with this. I told them when I was a Junior in high-school I was not feeling the spirit much. I was going to church and doing everything I was supposed to just cause everyone around me was doing it. I then shared that after a few hard months I put some effort into trying to hear and feel the spirit. And after a lot of prayers and scripture studies I eventually felt the spirit again and found the joy of the gospel. 

      I didn't know it at the time but apparently this touched the family. After lunch the parents drove us back to our house in their car. The mom turned around to me and just said thank you. I had no clue why she was thanking me but she just kept saying it over and over again. She then told me that their son Lucas( He's like 20 years old). Is in the exact same spot that I was in. That he goes to church just cause they tell him to and he's slowly and slowly leaving the church. She said that morning she prayed for something or someone to help her son. Then she said when she saw me up at the font she felt like I was an answer to her pray. 

       I know missionaries are sent to the people not a place. I love the gospel and experiences like this remind me of how true it really is. I'm excited for my next few months here in this sector! I love you all and would love to hear from some of you! God lives.

-Elder Hobbs