Week 43 June 15 First week in the Azores

Wow first off sounds like everyone is staying super busy and that you
are all getting a running start going on your summer.

So I do not know the mailing address that you can use yet.  The
mission office is still where I would send packages and stuff becase I
dont know what would happen if they seised it if you send it directly
to me.  But as far as letteres I will try and get the address to our
house figured out.  But also with all the changes in the mission there
will be some people going back and forth from the continente that
could get letters for me more or less quickly right about now.

Today for P day we went fishing with one of our crazy members here in
the ocean which was super fun.  I of course caught the biggest fish
and I put the pictures in the drop box to prove it.

The bull runs with that rope around the bull are crazy and we are
always hearing the cannon go off letting everyone know that it is
starting.

So this week we were teaching a lesson to several of the newer members
here in a FHE at the chapel and we were talking about the reason that
we need to always forgive people and why that is such an important
christlike attribute to give people forgiveness.  (there is a big
gossip interbranch relationships mess here)  I was thinking about how
it would be if Christ just decited that he didnt want to forgive us
for our offenses and how horriblely hopeless that would be.  I know
that if we are really preparing to recieve all of God's blessings we
need to be atleast able to let stupid things go and not hold grudges
against people.

In the branch here it is really different what the people are  used to
then it was in alverca.  They just kindof do their own thing and let
the missionaries do thier thing and then wonder why the people that
get baptised end up dissapearing.  So we are going to change that
which I have already basically started giving traingings to the
leadership here as to how things are supposed to go and stuff. It is a
new experience and I am grateful for the blessing of knowing how
things should work so that I cam help them go that way here too.
Ola Presidente
Well we came in this week to a basically dry pool of investigators so
we have been working this week to get to know the area and finding
someone to teach.  We have also been working so that we can develop
good relationships with our members so that we can start working
together here and get things running smoothly so that we can begin to
see growth here though baptisms that stay.  We have been working a lot
with trying to find some of the many menos activos that we have here
and through that we have found new people to teach including some part
member families that are interested.  This area has lots of potential
and I am excited to be able to work with these people so that we can
see this branch be strenthened and come together in this great work.
com amor
elder Hobson

One last thought.  The young women here are raising money like crazy
so that they can go to the temple for the first time.  I think it is
easy to forget how special that is and how privilaged we are to have
temples in our back yards.  I hope that we all take advantage of that
enormous blessing becuase these girls have been fundraising all year
long selling cupcakes door to door and doing all sorts of other things
as well.

Thats all the time I have this week love you all!!
Elder Hobson