18 months completed!

The tradition of burning pants once 18 months is up

His new suit, the liner is the material of the native dress - the corte

October 30, 2012

Hey FAmmm

Wow, sounds like you guys had an incredible week, the temple is actually finished and dedicated! woooow. i cant wait to enter in 2 years. so cool that dad got to talk to president Tommy Monson, and shake his hand. that would have been cool. thats also cool that Colin Steele will be there as an ordinance worker every tuesday as well. 

I laughed when i saw those pictures of jesse, i hardly recognized him. his beard sure has flourished. i cant wait to see what mine we be like after 2 years of shaving everyday.  incredible i hope.  one of the great blessings of serving a mission.

Well, I'll answer your question, here in Guatemala they don't do anything for halloween, apparently a few places in the capital do, but not many. The big day in the first of November, and what they do is go to the cemetery and fly big kites. I'm in Chimaltenango right now, but close by they have like the biggest kite festival in the world. also in san andres itzapa, where i was last year they have a big festival too. i bet you can find it on you tube. search ¨´Zupango Sacatepequez Kite Festival¨´ im sure you'll find something. its pretty cool.

Well, this area has been a lot more difficult, but i think things are getting better, we had stake conference at 8 on sunday, ad not many of our investigators came, but the members are super animated to work now, so we have been able to put some appointments to go out and visit with them. the people that we had as a goal for the 10th haven't come to church, i don't know whats happening to them, they work a lot, so we're going to have to postpone the date.

The weather here is pretty good its stopping to rain, but november and december are the cold months here, but i have my sweaters and all that good stuff so theres no worries.

I finally got my suit that i ordered a long time ago, its nice. i think i might order another.

also, yes, i did complete 18 months already, soo sad. if i was a girl I would be home, but as a celebration, I got to burn an old pair of my pants, fun.

well, thats about all for this week, know that I'm doing fine, i hope that you are too.

From Guatelama, with love,

Elder Hopkins

Carving "Pumpkins"

Before - a very hard "pumpkin" to carve!

After - the result

October 23, 2012

Hay Family

So last week I even wrote down to wish dad a happy birthday, but in the witting process it just didn't quite get into the email, but happy birthday dad!!!  wow, 50 years old.... i left home living with my dad, and now I'm gonna get back to live with my grandpa it seems hahahaha. just kidding! Thats great that you've got another year under your belt, . I laughed when i saw the picture of the cake cuz it looks just like dad! haha. but seriously happy birthday, i love you.

And also Happy Anniversary. Thank you for getting married so that Icould be born in a home of loving parents who love the Lord. We are teaching a part member family right now, the wife is a member, but doesn't want to get married to her husband! They have 3 kids and have been together for 7 years. We're gonna have to give them chicote. thats what we say to reprimand, or get after? i don't really know how to say it in english.

(I told Elder Hopkins that the office emailed me about details for his Christmas package and then Elder Jaramillo put in brackets at the bottom of his email  "p.s. Elder Hopkins is a stud!"

haha, Elder Jaramillo is my bud, we were in a district together, actually he was my district leader for a change. great guy.

Thats crazy that the temple is going to be done so soon! I'm excited to go when I get back.

So what happened this week... lots of interviews... one that needed the President to go interview him, one that wasn't ready for baptism, but after everything, 4 people were baptized in the District.

Right now in my area, we have 2 families that have accepted the goal of november 10th for baptism, but we're just working hard with them to go through with the goal.

This week we have stake conference here, and a member of the 70 is coming for it.

This last week we have a few more coming to church, but the people that we really wanted to come couldn't. well, one had a job pop up that he had to do, and this other family, the one that doesn't want to get married, well, one of their kids got really sick from eating food in the street, and they took him to the hospital at 3 in the morning.

Yesterday or a distict activity, we carved pumpkins, because next week we wont be able to. well they were kind of like pumpkins what we carved... i don't really know what the name is in english. but they were really hard to carve haha, but it was fun. The sisters carved a watermelon, which was a lot easier, and we could actually eat the insides of it ha. we also made enchiladas and brownies. it was great.

but yeah that was basically my weeks. it was good.

Don't be jealous of me being in a warm place, cuz its kinda cold up here in the mountains too. I always have my sweater with me, and sometimes a rain jacket as well, cuz it also rains...

Well, thats it for this week, you'll have to log on to get the pictures because they don't want to send.

From Guatemala, With Love,

Elder Hopkins

I'm enjoying life, I think I'll stay here

 

With my new companion, Elder Largaespada

Means "The hills"

October 16, 2012

Hey fam. 

haha, everything I say, whether I'm cold, or I'm hot, you worry! Don't worry about me! I'm good, it's not that cold, its just a little chillier here at night, but recently its has been a little warmer. The blanket I emailed the office for was for my companion, as he didn't have one. I'm nice and toasty warm at night.

My comps first name is Brandon.

Elder Palomera's first name is May, or something like that. He has Japanese ancestors so he has a Chinese first name.  I have it written somewhere.

The people here are harder to teach, the work is a little slower as of right now, but the people are cool. The majority are mayan people, who all wear the native dress. its cool.

The money I spent was just taking money out of my credit card, to order a cool suit from this guy. I'm going to put Corte, its called, the native fabric inside the suit. It'll be coooooool.

Yesterday for pday we had a pday as a zone, and played sports, and i got SUUUNburnt haha. It was fun. We also ate toooons of pizza that the mission paid for as a reward of completing our goal in September. 

Yes, you should include something for my companion at Christmas again, and yes me and my companion are getting along great. here's a picture of us too.

Thats awesome all the missionary work that is being done from the temple open house. what a miracle. awesome. thats cool about your callings, that will be a change, but it'll be a huge blessing.

I do know I lost weight in the coast because I went down in my belt holes. fun. but I'm here in the mountains to get fat. hooray.

So yesterday we were finally able to find this family again, the familia “S”. In fact it was the very first door we knocked on in this area. They were super excited, they're super nice too. They asked for a book of mormon, and said that they're gonna come to church this week. awesome. hopefully a baptism in november. In november we have a goal of baptizing 50 FAMILIES. awesome.

well, I'm about out of time already. Sorry, I'm real rushed today.

love ya guys tons. know that I am fine, and I'm enjoying life. I think I'll stay here. ha

From Guatemala, With Love,

Elder Hopkinsito

Volcanoes

From the Hot Hot Coast back to the Cold Cold Mountains!

Cookies sent from Grandma Rhodes

A big icecream I got Saturday between Conference sessions

My house - a lot nicer than the last one but its very cold!

I think all the windows with no window coverings would contribute to why its so cold in his house

And no insulation around the doors

We need to get a shower curtain and rod

October 9, 2012

Hello family,

Sooo yes i did have changes, and guess where I'm at, Chimaltenango. I was in this zone about a year ago, not in the same area, but I have been here tons of times before. Its a great place, its up in the mountains, and its where all the natives live, the real native people who wear native dress, (Corte), and speak dialects such as cachiquel.

My companions name is Elder Largaespada. or in english, Elder Long Sword. and yes, he is from Honduras, big surprise right?  I am training him, but am his 2nd trainer. (training lasts for 2 transfers and he has had one trainer for one term already)  I am still District Leader, just a leader of a different district now.

The weather where I'm at is..... Cold! You'd be surprised that a country like Guatemala could be so cold. its like the climate of a Cold Autunms day. But we have no heat of course. I've been wearing my sweater a lot, and have been wearing sweatpants and sweaters in the house ha.

The terrain is like a city, but poorly paved. mainly the streets are made of blocks. actually most of the streets we walk on are dirt, mud and rock.

The house is a lot better,  its fairly small, but nice. I do have a hot shower, but the air around me is cold, so actually i was warmer having a cold shower in the coast believe it or not ha ha.

yes, i am training my companion in my second change. actually my first child, Elder Palomera is now being finished trained with my old companion Elder Pineda, who I was with for 3 changes.

I think I'll be here with my comp a change more after his training, but well see.

So I think that answers your questions.

but now... how crazy is that about the age limit changes they announced! crazy! id be back home right now haha, but don't worry, not too much longer left, just 2 short years.

This also hinders my plan to achieve eternal marriage.... its looking like all the girls that are my age/slightly younger than me are going to be out in the mission field when i get back.... hmmmm.... back to the drawing board.

Thats funny that you noticed that my ring was on my ring finger... I did have it on my other hand, but then a rash type thing developed on my finger, so  i switched it to the other hand haha. but no, it doesn't mean anything, don't you worry. A lot of the married people here don't even have rings, so its not real like how it is in North America.

Well, happy thanksgiving, I'm jealous, i could go for a thanksgiving feast about now, with pumpkin pie... mmmm yumm. but don't worry, I'm still getting fed great.

oh ya, my cook in this area is the best cook in all of the mission basically. she used to be a chef at some good restaurant in the capital, and now she's here in Chimalt making my food! What a great blessing! I'll gain back the weight that I lost in the hot coast! haha.

I have seen my old comp, and he is a lot skinnier, basically everyone loses weight here, even those that don't need to!

and yeah right, our dog doesn't miss me, I bet that he's forgotten who I even am. I guess we'll see his reaction in 2 years.

hey, in my next package could you send me that super good hot chocolate that we always get from costco i think. awesome. and some moccasin slipper from walmart that they always have, size 10, the fluffy ones.

but don't send them until your next package, they are not things that I really need. just luxuries.

for your question on what to gather for the Guatemalan people.... hmmmm, I'm not too sure. toys would make kids feel good, and the jewelery for the woman would make them feel good im sure, but i dont know if that that stuff will help them progress in life, or if they'll just sell it for the money for food, i don't know. keep thinking mom, do some research or something, i donno ha.

I did get the package from Grandma on wednesday, with the delicious cookies. it was great.

also there is a small package in the mail to you guys, from me.

Well, i think thats all i got for you folks this week,

Keep on doing the things that are pleasing to the Lord.

From Guatemala, With Love,

Elder Hopkinsito

Mission Baptism Miracle - sets a new record, and leaving the hot coast

My two missionary dog companions

Eating cocoa fruit, which is what chocolate is made from, you just eat the meat around the seed, it doesn't take like chocolate just real sweet fruit

The Church in our area

Barnie and Family

October 2, 2012

(I mentioned that a sister in his mission has Dengue Fever right now from a Mosquito bite)

Well, i don't have dengue, luckily, but yes, i get mosquito bites everyday of my life down here, but we won't have to worry about it too much longer, see below!

Hey Family

Thats sounds awesome about the temple, so great that you could visit through it so often this week. I was imagining all the things you said about the temple, I bet its just so beautiful, another little bit and I'll be able to see it.

So theres been tons of confusion on this training thing between us haha.

I was assigned as a trainer, to train only ONE Missionary, for a 12 week program.

buuuuuuttt, things have changed, I am leaving my hijo, and my area, to continue training a different missionary that will also be in his 2nd change of training.

President Brough called me last week to tell me, so I am leaving the hot hot coast in Ceiba Amelia. Despite the heat, mosquitoes, tarantulas, red ants cold showers, extremely hot house... ect.... I am sad to leave this area, I would rather stay for one change more. Its sad to leave an area, converts, and your only child, (missionary I trained from the start) but, I'll have to make due. But i don't have to worry about the mosquitoes or heat anymore haha.

Its sad to leave the family of Barnie as well. But I'm not too worried about him at all, he's really awesome, super pilas, he passed the sacrament this last sunday. it was great to see.

We are going to go to his house one last time today and they said they are going to give us cake haha whooo! the last day in an area, everybody gives you food!

Also, here's the biggest news of this week. Well, you know how we had a goal of 300 baptisms this month, well, WE REACHED 314!!! The most this mission has ever baptized in one month!! A miracle! In our zone here in the coast, we were able to pass the record of baptisms by many, we had the second most in the zone here in Ceiba Amelia.

Also, i don't think you guys know what a ¨Ceiba¨ is, and thats what my area is called. Look it up on google images, its a type of tree that is absolutely GIGANTIC! there are tons of them here in Guatemala. They're super cool.

Well, tomorrow will be the change meeting where I will get my packages, also I'm going to send a package to you guys tomorrow, the one I mentioned like a month and a half ago. It will finally be on its way.

to answer your questions, yes, it has been good with my companion, no problems.

Training... well, as trainer we have to be 100 percent perfect we were told, well, that can be hard at times when I'm tired and stuff but yea, its a little tougher than normal, but its also rewarding.

Well, love ya guys tons

From Guatemala, with love,

Elder Hopkins

My District

Miracles and Baptism

Baptism of Barnie, his mom and younger brother

found big red ants all over the bathroom wall one night!

September 25, 2012

Hey family

Thats so great to hear the the open house is almost here, its going to be so great to have a temple so close to our house, I'm so excited to go see it in 2 years when I get back, I'm sure it will be finished when it needs to be, we do believe in miracles, God is a living god, and with our faith and works, a miracle will come to pass.

This week was a great week, and I did witness a miracle, the miracle of Forgiveness. Barnie and his mom and his younger brother, were all Baptized on Saturday. Even though he did live a sinful life before, he is now clean of sin, in the path that continues to Gods presence.

It was really great, even though before the baptism there wasn't any priest holders to come to be witnesses, not any worthy ones at least, so we had to make a bunch of calls, and we ended up being late, but after all of that they were baptized. they even had ordered 2 cakes and invited everybody over after to eat some cake.

by the way, there is no baptismal font in the branch, we have to travel to another town to do baptisms, and the branch didn't rent a bus t take us this time, but we just went it the normal bus. it was kinda a gong show, but they are now happy members of the church of Jesus Christ and that is what matters.

well, about what Guatemalans need... jobs, electricity, seats to sit on, food... ummm i donno.

the thing is that there are some that are soo poor that they don't even have milk for their babies, like a family that we are teaching, (we bought them milk yesterday and are going to secretly drop it off) and we sit on little cement blocks on the dirt floor when we teach them. They are a great family, they are going to be baptized, we just need to work on getting them married first, but in situations like that I don't really know what i would give them. but, little toys would make little kids happy, a little bit of jewelery would make a woman happy, but what the people really need is food and shelter, which most have to fight for in order to have it. but I'll keep thinking of ideas to help out the people.

so thats suuuuper funny that Jeremy is Danielle's District leader hahaha. I even joked around about that with some missionaries here when i told them about how they are in the same mission. theres just so much funny stuff to joke about there, and the time is short. but that is hilarious.

oh, i was able to interview that guy that i had to reject a few weeks ago, and he is now ready to be baptized. In fact tonight he will be baptized.

well theres not too much time left,

theres really nothing i need right now, i have two packages waiting in the office still, which ill get hopefully next week.

oh, also, you guys are confused, Their training program lasts 2 changes, so i will still be with the same comp, and i will still be training him. 

but yeah, i love you guys tons,

I'll be praying for the Calgary Temple Miracle as well, as well for each of you.

From Guatemala, with much love,

Elder Hopkins

Having Cake after the Baptism

Ashes and Lava!!

This is Volcano Fuego, taken a month ago.  It would let out puffs of smoke every once in a while, little did they know it was a pressure cooker brewing.  It erupted September 13 and Tanner got to watch.

This is a picture of Tanner in his 2nd area where he served right by the
Volcano Fuego (Sept/11 - Jan/12)

Volcano Fuego Erupts 40 miles from me Thurs. Sep. 13

At night we could see the lava pouring down

Time to buy a new umbrella

September 18, 2012

Buenas Dias family!!

haha I knew that you'd know about the volcano eruption already. It was pretty awesome. We were planning our day in the morning, and i got a call from the zone leaders and they told me to go out to see if we were far enough away to be able to go out and work, and i said that i thought we were, so then they called the President back and he said that my district could work. But there were many missionaries that couldn't go out for the morning. My 2nd area was super super close to that volcano, but in the area that I'm in now, I was close enough to get an awesome view, but far enough away to be able to work and far enough that the ash didn't get all the way to my little town. In the morning you could just see a huuuuuge cloud of volcanic ash coming from the volcano, and then that night, you could see lava shooting up from the volcano. Heres some pictures that i took, and some pictures of the newspaper the next day.

it was super cool, cuz since the beginning of my mission I've been saying that i want to see a volcano erupt, and what do you know, i did.

Thats cool that Vicki is going to temple square haha. but you know what they say, all the best looking missionaries go there. Thats also why they sent me as far away as they could from temple square.

so those pictures of the temple are pretty cool, looks like its just about ready to open! exciting.

and oh great, when i get back my eyes are going to hurt from seeing so many neon pants. has time been moving backwards up there since I've been in Guatemala? are we back in the 80s?

The young hip guatemala style when i got here was bright colored neon shirts with pictures of smurfs on them. right now the style is big neck neons shirts, so that one shoulder is sticking out, with elmos face on it. its so stupid haha. thank goodness i was grown in Canada.

that would be cool if you get an invitation to the temple open house over to Katy, tell her i say hi and i hope shes doing great!

So the other day my umbrella broke from the strong rain and wind, and i got SOAKED so i just had to take a picture of it ha. 

So Barney, his mom and brother are all ready for their baptism on saturday. we had to teach two lessons a day to the mom and brother since they are only here on weekends and we wanted to get them baptized asap, but they are excited, so this week I should have 3 baptisms. cool stuff. The Lord has been blessing us as we have also found 2 other families that are super PILAS! or in other words, are super AWESOME!

its looking like they will be baptized, but not until october we are planning.

well, i love you all tons, hope you are all doing great.

i know that i have 2 packages in the office waiting for me, so i just gotta wait until a conference or something, but they're there.

love ya all, choose the right!

From Guatemala, With Love,

Elder Hopkins

Newspaper Clippings - 33,000 were evacuated