Week 65 - Off the island - back to Lisbon

Well I am officially being transferred off of the island. I am
honestly really sad. We have had such an amazing week and I am really
going to miss working with these members and the Brodericks, plus this
beautiful island is going to be hard to say goodbye to.

This week I we had just day after day filled with miracles. We were
able to get all sorts of lessons taught to the point where we were
just running around town the entire day trying to get all of ouf stuff
done. I didnt want to have to teach alone, neither did I want to have
Elder Pickrell lieing to people anymore telling them that he believes
something that he really dosent anymore so basically I always had
Elder Broderick with me or a different member so that I could have a
good comp to teach with and Elder Pickrell could stare at the wall or
pick his nose or whatever. And I really had a really amazingly
spiritual week because of that decision. I worked really hard and we
actually were able to set up two investigators with baptismal dates.

That lesson that we were looking forward to last monday night went
really well, and the friend named Lisandra really was interested in
the church and is planning on being baptized. But I was right to be
really cautious of Debora the member because she ended up really
throwing herself at me and I heard that it is not the first time that
she has created problems. Anyways lisandra seems like she is
genuinely interested and the Brodericks will continue to follow up
with her so that there is no chance that she will get mixed up with
some more of the confusion from Debora and elders.

The other investigator that is planning on being baptized is Cátia.
she is someone that we have been trying for for quite some time now
and we just barely were able to go and teach her for the first time.
But after that we have been able to teach her several times and she is
really beginning to make the commitment of baptism. She was very
comfortable and active in the classes in church and everything. She
is planning on being baptised on the day after christmas hopefully
that will stay strong and she will be baptized on that day. I will
call the Brodericks to see if they are able to get it done. 

 Ola presidente,
Sendo que não consigamos fazer email ontem com os transferências e
temos muito pouco tempo para gastar enquanto pudéssemos estar a
conhecer nosso área vou ser breve hoje. Sou muito feliz com os novos
desafios que o Senhor tem me dado neste momento na missão, dos
missionários no distrito que já consigui conhecer parecem ter muito
desejo para baptizar e trabalhar com o espírito. Sei que teremos
sucesso nesta área com estes missionários. 


On the flight out we had a girl that has never left the acores with us
and we were able to help her around a little in the Lisbon airport
which was really fun. It made me think about how different everyone's
reality is. she had never been in a place where you can drive for
more then an hour in one direction and not run into the ocean and had
also never gotten out of super humidity. Talk about an eye opener
getting off the plane in Lisbon. I will definatly not miss that
humidity and it is still pretty stinkin humid in lisbon. But it is a
little better. 

 Well I am in my new area now. And I am really excited to get to work
with the missionaries in this district. I am the district leader now
and it is going to be interesting because my comp is also new in this
area so we are totally lost out here in the middle of lisbon. I am
serving in Cacem and we live in massama I think. haha it is going to
be interesting to try and learn this area together. Elder Pickrell was
sent to be babysat at the office, so hopefully he will be able to get
it figured out there before long. when missionaries get sent to just
sit in the office it is not a good sign for their "life expectancy" in
the mission, so hopefully the many prayers for him will help. I am
serving with Elder Collette, he is from new mexico and until now he
has only ever served with Elder Beeton my comp from the MTC. So far
he is awesome and a really fun guy, we have a lot in common and he has
a ton of desire to work and be obedient which is such a blessing. I
am really happy with the missionaries that I have in my district after
getting to meet most of them this morning I can see that despite the
various weaknesses that they may have they all really want to work and
will be great missionaries. I have one from Brasil and two from
Portugal and the rest are Americans. Should be all sorts of fun. 

 So far we have met a member here that is 94 and has two Persian cats
that are ridiculously furry pure breads and everything. I got covered
in hair but I have to say they were some pretty sweet cats. He is a
really energetic dude for 94 years old. Anyways I plan to be pretty
lost for the rest of the week trying to get used to the apartment
building jungle again. Time to really trust in the lord to protect us
and lead us where he wants us! Have a great week! And this
thanksgiving be thankful that you know where you are :) It is the
small things that count. 

 Com amor 
Elder Hobson