Working Hard with Baggy Collars

Baptism of Jose Garcia - he is on the right - Jan. 27, 2013

Hey Familyyyy

Well, I’m glad that you are having a great vacation, sometimes all you gotta do is laugh, it sounds like from the moment you booked the trip, from the moment you got to the airport, from the moment you got to New York. You’ve just been having great adventures haha.  Sometimes things just work out that way.

That’s crazy about all the ward changes, I’m glad that Tuscany ward stays the same, although I’m sure it has changed a lot since I’ve been gone.

This week was good, we baptized Jose Garcia. The last member of the Garcia family to be baptized  It was a good month. The mission did not complete its goal of 350 baptisms, but I can say I did my part, we baptized every week this month, for a total of 6. But we still need to do better, and we will.

Last week Jose still wasn’t too sure about his baptism, but we were able to have a really great lesson about repentance, and he was able to decide and take the decision to be baptized.

Right now we are teaching a really pilas young couple named the familia Ramos and they are progressing well, they should be baptized on the 17th of February.

This next month is going to be a little strange because there are various dates for changes, not just one. Because of the amount of new missionaries coming in. So on the 5th of Feb there is a chance of changes, and not the 20th. I really hope that I’m not gone on the 5th, but I believe that on the 20th I’ll be going to a new area.

There are a lot of visa problems here in Guatemala too, all the missionaries that are from Guatemala that haven’t gotten visas are just staying in Guatemala, and a lot are serving in our mission. Apparently in February there are 70 new missionaries coming in, and about have of them are only going to be waiting for their visas. In about 6 months from now, 50% of the mission will only have less than 6 months of being in the mission field. There are just tons coming in.

Well, I sent you pictures of the baptism we had, also of us with a youth that always comes with us on visits, and always says high to us with this salute. He just went to another part of Guatemala to study so that was the last time I saw him. And a foto of me and a really cool cloud that formed about the volcano, and then one of the volcano and sunset, and you kinda can tell from the picture that it has been cold here, but the weather has gotten a lot better.

On Friday I did divisions with Elder Tanner, I went to Comalapa with him cuz I had to do an interview. It was really fun though, the people there hardly ever speak Spanish, they only speak Kakchiquel, but I was able to learn a few new phrases from being there.  It was a lot of fun. 

Also I got to weigh myself on a trustworthy scale yesterday, :S. I only weigh 144.4 pounds haha. I used to weigh 160, hey I try to eat, but it’s just the Guatemala effect. I weigh what I weighed in like grade 9. It’s great that I have baggy collars though, way more comfortable ha.

Well, I don’t really know what else to say. Send me some pictures of your trip next week! I’d love to see some!

I love you all, keep it real, stay classy.

From Guatemala, With Love,

E.Hops ;) xoxo

A youth that often comes on visits with us, and always says hi with his salute

A cool cloud that formed above the volcano

Baptism - took 7 tries

this is how people preach here in Guatemala, with big speakers, going around saying and screaming random obvious things about God. they pass by our house all the time.

Baptism of "D" by a member of the ward

My friend Tanner Steed's younger brother is on his mission in Guatemala. Saw him at the conference

January 22, 2013
Hey fammm.

not tooo much is new here in Guate, it was a pretty good week, we Baptised "D".

He's a youth that about 2 and a half weeks ago he told us that he didn't want anything to have to do with the church anymore, he was having some family troubles it seems, but he knows that these things are true, so he came back around, we baptized him on Saturday, we got a young man of the ward to baptize him. It took him 7 tries, poor Diego was shaking, the water was super cold, its been really cold here lately, its just warmed up.  At night i was wearing my big north face fleece, and my missionary mall jacket shell.but the weather is all good now.

sounds like a good Birthday present, yeah, these carvings are super cool, so it'll be something that i can have for the rest of my life too. thank you! I'll just have to figure out how to get it home haha.

so yeah, for the coming home thing, i was thinking that we can just stay a whole week. leave Guatemala on Wednesday. because on the wednesday i get released we wont get to do anything outside, we'll just be with President Brough and his family, which will be awesome, so well have Thursday untill Wednesday. cuz we gotta hit up my old areas, Antigua, and Panajachel. also i wanted to go to Quetzaltenango to the new temple, that will take up a good part of a day. so yeah, we can come home the 22nd, or the morning of the 23rd. that sounds the best to me.

its been good being in a trio, we all enjoy it,the house and the dished get super dirty super quick though haha. but yeah, its good.

The Conference with Elder Christofferson was great, hes quite a funny guy too, and his spanish is PERFECT, he sounds like hes from somewhere down here. gift of tongues.

at the conference i saw Elder Steed. my friend Tanner Steeds little brother. Tanner Steed was actually there when I opened my calling.

we are working with "J G" to be baptized this sunday, hes a little bit skeptical, he has a friend whose been a bad influence on him, but hopefully things will all turn out good.

thats too bad that Lincoln has to wait longer, and also sucky for Vickie, serving in Lethbridge haha, thats where she went to school.

 oh ya, i wants to see if you could make me little stickers like that i have, but with my full name, and home address and email  just to give out to people when I leave, instead of writing it out a thousand times.  thank you!

Well, i think thats it for this week, oh ya, i pooped my pants for the first time this week. ay ay ay.

>From Guatemala, with love,

Elder Hopkins

It's Twins

Baptism of the Family "G"

Gotta look good for an apostle!

Hey familyy.

This week was full of surprises, good and bad, I guess, but nothin' that impedes the Work of the Lord.

The family G- was baptized  well, part of he Family G-, that was the surprise, In the interview, J-, the oldest son, of 13 years,  he decided that he didn't want to be baptized yet. He has a new friend that is a bad influence on him i think. But we are still hoping to baptize him this month, as in this month we have the huge goal of 350 baptisms.

but it was a good service, and they are happy.

The other surprise is that I'm in a trio now. Elder Whitaker, came on Friday morning and is now in our companionshp. He entered with Elder Maldonado, so I am training him as well now. So right now I'm training two missionaries at the same time, I've got twins you should say.  Elder Whitaker is a Cowboy from Logan Utah,he's a great worker, so were workin' hard here in Chimalt.

Wow that sucks that Vicki and Erica have to start their missions in Calgary, I'm sure glad I didn't have to do that. Knocking on my friends' doors, being with people i somewhat know, ha, well, I'm glad I came straight to Guatemala.

We did have to go to the capital yesterday to fix some visa stuff with Elder Maldonado, we had to get up at 4:30 in the morning to get there on time, it kinda sucked, I was real tired from it, but I'm all good now.

So I sent you some pictures of these super cool wood carvings, that are really expensive that a member does, but they are so cool and beautiful, the huge round one of the one diagram in the book of abraham costs almost 500 dollars, but it would be something that would last a lifetime, the tree of life, costs like 250, and you can get one carved of a temple, with your last name below it, like the Calgary temple and then have Hopkins under it, kinda cool too, that's like 300 dollars, all hand carved in a hard dark wood.

I was/am kinda thinking that it would be really cool to get one of those, but let me know what you think! I dunno, I don't understand the value of dollars anymore maybe.

And also, you should send me more pictures each week, since I'm so good at sending you guys pictures, I always enjoy seeing pictures.

I got  a haircut again, and I got a picture taken this time, wow! conference with Elder Christofferson this Thursday, gotta look good for an Apostol.

What else is know... not too much, yesterday we had a lesson with a catholic priest guy that wanted to fight with us, but we just let him go, If I could give one piece of advice to someone in the mission, it would be the advice that the Lord has given me in Doctrine and Covenants 29;7, the chosen will listen to your voice, so there is no need to fight, if they don't want to accept it, they are not chosen, and there are better things you can do with your time.

Well, I love you tons, keep on keepin' on, and keep it classy,

That's also great advice that I can give, keep it classy, all ya gotta do it keep things classy, and everything will be great.

From Guatemala, with love,

Elder Hopkinsito

Semana Perfecta

Baptism of Alex

Hey Familyyyyy

It was a good week. I could even say that it was a perfect week.....

This last week was the Semana Perfecta, or perfect week in the mission, and with the help of the Lord, we were able to reach and surpass all of the goals.

We did baptise A-. It was a good little service, on the Tuesday he expressed doubts to us, and it almost seemed as if he wasn’t going to be baptised, but we kept fighting, and he’s now baptised. And during all this time, D- changed his mind, and also his parents. Last week he told us that he didn’t want anything to do with the church anymore, but it’s looking like on the 19th we're going to baptise him. Also this Sunday at one o’clock, we are going to baptise the whole family G-, that will be 4 baptisms there. We’re doing good for this month, and for this goal. We already have 6 baptisms set for this month, but I’d like to find two more. I’m hoping that well get 8.

We found a really really positive family this week, the family G-, they came to church, and we’ve even started teaching them in the house of a member. They are really young, 23 years, and have 2 baby girls. A really nice couple. He works every second Sunday, so I don’t know if he’ll be able to be baptised this month, but hopefully he will be before I leave this area, which I’m calculating to be on the 20th of February.

Also, before I forget, if you could send me the mission addresses of Tyler Johnson, and Vickie Nelson. I swore I had them somewhere, but I don’t know where, and I have two cards already written for them, I just need to put their addresses on the envelope. Gracias!

Also this 17th of January we have a conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson, and I might see my friend Tanner Steed’s little brother who is in the south mission.

Oh yes mom, don’t you worry, I’m excited to get back too and start work in the Calgary part of the vineyard.

Also I was thinking, if Christine Lyons is going to be on a mission, who is going to cut my hair? Uh oh.

Also I think me and my companion are going to start to go to the member owned gym early in the morning, I need to get into shape to. Get my beach body back for the good old beaches that don’t exist in Calgary.

Also I think we’re going to go to that Calgary couple’s house in Antigua, where they’re living, for P-day as a zone in a couple of weeks, so that’s kinda cool, it’s not certain yet though, but we’ll see.


For my birthday package, I don’t really need anything, just give me some pisto so I can buy things in Antigua. Ha ha.

Also, I still have no idea about how dad broke his hand, I’d like to know that one of these days.

Also yesterday I ate at Taco Bell, always great. I don’t know if Taco Bell just sucks in Canada, or if the Taco Bell here is just really good, but I love it Ha ha.

Tell everybody that I love them, Ricky too.

Well, there’s not too much new here in Guatemala, all is well.
From Guatemala, with Love,
Elder Hopkins

The people below us just bought a really cute baby boxer

Happy New Years - Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Thanks for the fake Santa stuff!

Constant Fireworks during the holidays

Like my magic fingers kids?  Thanks for the magic tricks mom!

Thanks for the J-Biebs t-shirt Madi!

January 1, 2013 – New Years Day!

feliz año nuevo!!
wow, you wrote it well.. ha.
Well, i hope you had a great new years, mine was alright, i was sleeping, but then i got woken up by all the dang fireworks at midnight but i just wanted to sleep ha. every night we arrive at the house so tired, but thats good, cuz if we weren't tired, we wouldn't be working hard enough.

Sounds like a good Christmas, sounds like Santa has been pretty good to all of you, that means you all must be on the nice list, which is comforting to know.

yeah, i know that band, will be a fun trip to see them in new york. i do enjoy alot of their music too, but tell madi i have no need for a shirt this time, I'm good with the Tswift and Jbeibs shirts that she's sent me haha.

The iphone 5 sounds out of this world, maybe there will be an iphone 6 when i get home that i can get haha. but I'm definitely going to feel like an old Grandpa when i get home with all this knew technology.

Thats cool that Vickie goes into the mtc this week, i thought that she was already in it, i forget what date she was leaving.
This week was alright, it looks like those two kids aren't going to be baptized this week, but while satan has been working with them, the Lord has been working with another, an 18 year old named “A”, we are planning on saturday for the baptsism, altough yesterday he expressed to us cold feet feelings, but we just gotta pray and work, and the Lord will provide the way.
The Family “G, one of my favorite families here, they are so PILAS! are going to be baptized on the 13th, the one boy get home this sunday from vacations, and we will have one week to finish preparing him.

This week is the Perfect week in the mission, and yesterday we had a good start, we had good lessons,

and found really positive investigators, we are very excited about that.

hmmm, what else is new... i got a haircut.. I'm eating Christmas candy and drinking hot chocolate continually, and I'm content.
although i realized that i have so little time in the mission left, like 4 months, i believe the hardest part of the mission, will be coming home.

last night i had a dream that i had emergency changes, and that i had to leave my area, and in my dream i was just bawling cuz i wasn't going to be there for the familia “G” baptisms.

I haven't cried once in the mission for reasons like these, but i think the first time that i really cry in the mission, will be the day that i have to leave.

not that you guys are that bad.... its going to be great to come home to you guys too!! haha,

and nobody told me about dads broken wrist! how did it happen.
I assumed skiing, but now that hes getting older I'm thinking that he just slipped on some ice on the sidewalk.
Let me know next week!
Love ya!
hope your wrist gets batter dad!

(I told him Dad emailed him but for some reason it didn't go through)

ok, yea, I only got the picture, but I like the picture i got sent of it, dads face in it, just the way that i know he would have reacted to the fact that he needs the cast made makes me laugh haha, I bet he said something like woopty doo or something similar.

but send me the email next week, my time is up..
Love you!

well, my time is short, and there are souls to save,
i best be off now.
From Guatemala, with Love,
Elder Hopkins