These last 48 hours have been a little crazy. We had transfers today, and we always find out the Saturday before, so just this last Saturday, the 4th. We found out that we both were going to stay in Plátanos. I was very pleased, because we have a number of invitations to Christmas get-togethers from some awesome members. And, there are two investigators there that are on the brink of getting baptized, that I have come to really love. So, on Sunday, we told everyone that we were both staying, and that we would be able to spend Christmas in what I consider my Home Ward now. On Sunday night at about 9:45, we were in the pension making plans for the wonderful things we were going to accomplish this transfer when we got a call from the Assistants to the President. They told us that there was a last minute change, and that I was leaving to go to an area called Los Hornos, or, being translated, The Ovens. It is a suburb of a main city, La Plata. My new companion is Elder Mortenson, from St. George, Utah. It seems I´m meant to be with St. Georgians. It is an interesting area, because it is one of the only areas in the mission that uses bikes. The bikes just stay with the area. They are pretty old-school. I will send you a picture next week. I will also include one with Elder Mortenson, seeing as we didn´t have time today. This area is about 45 minutes by train and bus from Plátanos. After getting the call, I had to pack in a few hours what we normally have a day and a half for. I finally went to sleep all packed at about 3 in the morning. Right now, I am very tired, but very excited for this transfer. Even though I had to leave my beloved Plátanos, I think that this transfer is going to be great. We already have a goal of 5 baptisms, and we both realize that we are going to have to do things we have never done before to reach that.
Now, I have a few HUGE thank-you´s to give. The first is to Hermana Montes. Cuando yo recibí su paquete, yo casi grité por emoción. jaja. Yo no pude resister la tentación a abrirlo, aun que estabamos en las oficinas, y tuvimos que irnos. Al abrirlo, yo pude sentir el amor derramando de adentro mixlado con el olor divino de las postres dulces. Yo todavía no estoy completamente seguro quien de aquellas Hermanas hizo cual cosa, y tampoco dónde viven, ni quienes son exactamente, pero ellas son ángeles y ya las amo. También a usted, Hermana Montes. Es un ángel y una amiga muy buena. Yo siento muy bendecido a tenerle y su familia como amigos, como ya he dicho. Les amo muchísimo, y muchísimas gracias.
The second is to the Young Women and Young Men of the Summit Ward. I got your package today (with a little extra from Aunt Julie, I think) that was full of the best little Christmas presents. I actually just ran out of razors, and they sent me about 5 new ones! Plus candy, and lotion, and chapstick, and a bunch of other awesome things. Like a shirt, and a tie! It was awesome. And the stocking is priceless. I will send a picture of that next week to, because it is so cool! It looks like a shirt and tie with a suit coat, but it´s a stocking. You´ll see when I send it. I want to thank you all so much. It´s not very long ago that I was a Youth too, and most of you are my good friends. The others probably would be too, but I haven´t met you! It doesn´t matter, you´re all my friends anyway. I want you to know that your gift was tremendously appreciated, and I will savor each part! Thank you as well to all the wonderful members of the Summit Ward. There are so many of you that are examples to me. So many of you helped me on my way to being a missionary. I was never without example, counsel or a helping hand in all my years in that ward. Thank you all so much, and keep up the good work!
If, as I suspect, the vitamins were added from Aunt Julie and Uncle Tom, thank you guys so much. If not, thank you anyway, and I love you both!
Right now I am hungry and tired, and I know I am forgetting a lot of things I wanted to write about. I´ll just finish by repeating what I have said many times. I love you all and am grateful for each and every one of you. Each of you has had your own impact on my life, be it small or large. I value each relationship with each of you in it´s own uniqueness. Just think, in the eternities, we are going to be able to spend as much time with each one of our friends and family that we could ever want! And more! I love you, y ahora me voy.
--Elder Stobbe
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