Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Lord protects his Servants! We were blessed!

February 26, 2013

Hey fammmm.

yeahhh we had a meeting about the mission splits, so we knew about it before it was officially announced. also the stuff about the pope and the meteoroids i knew about too haha, i think the meteoroids from another missionary, and the pope thing was being talked about everywhere, but yeah, crazzy hey.  Thomas is the man, he would never give it up for health problems.

well this week was great, tons of lessons, alot of new, we have tons of investigators right now that are showing alot of interest, we just gotta put some fechas with them and get them baptized, thats our focus in the zone this week. we gotta complete the goals for march and april, 204 confirmations in each month. Today we're starting a program of 2 day divisions with the rest of the missionaries in the zone, its going to be weird, cuz for most of the week, for like 4 weeks, we wont be together in our area. we'll see how it goes.

so i was talking to a member who works in tourism, and he was telling me that from the capital we can take a little plane up to coban in the morning, see all the ruins and things, eat lunch and stuff, and then get back at like 600 at night. he said that its 350 dollars a person, but just look into it you guys, see if that something that you want to do, go see the biggest ruins in Guatemala, I've heard that its really cool, but i donno.

also to answer your question, both my comps grandmas are mexican or something, so he has a little mexican in him. he studies a little spanish before the mission, but not much, but he speaks really well.

I hope sams interview goes well, I'm sure it will.
i hope madis talk goes well, and i hope she's doing well in the gospel, doing things that will help her progress.

When I think of the really special experiences I've had while in the Mission, I think of the one where the Lord provided a way for us to get home on time when 10 seconds to spare, a taxi shows up with the member driver who just had surgery on his foot and wasn't supposed to be driving, also, the one about the "M" kids, when I was in san andres itzapa, about the power of fasting.
The story of Barnie, just the way that the gospel can completely turn around someones life.

The other day something kind of cool happened.  We were working and we stopped near an intersection to think for like 5 minutes maybe, about who we could visit.   We then decided we would walk up this one street and we found a family that was really positive, and we taught them. During the lesson we hear something that sounded like firecrackers right, well, it was gunshots.  We finished a really good lesson, and leave. We turn the corner and right where were were previously standing, there were ambulances police officers, army men, and a huge crowd of people.  Someone had shot someone standing right where we were standing shortly before.   I know that the lord protects his servants, if we are obedient we have that promise. you don’t ever have to worry about me, the Lord has my back.

oh, what i really want you to send me, if we still have it. is the magic bullet. That little blender thing where you just have the little cups that fit on the tin base. that would be awesome. were starting to work out and drink protein shakes, so it would me nice to add fruit in there or something. i think its hidden away in the cupboards in the laundry room.
if we don’t have it anymore, don't worry, i can find a cheap blender here probably. let me know!
i bought protein, so if you take my debit money to pay off my credit card bill por favor.
Also if you could send me a little bit of lotion, like banana boat, just in a smaller container, i don't need a whole bottle. thanks!

oh yeah, this area is cool, we're on, or near by to the base of volcan pacaya, a very active volcano, the one that erupted before i got to guate. well, there's a river in my area, its so dirty, but on the other side of it, all the water that comes out of the taps and faucets is really hot, just from the volcano, its cool. there's also a big natural spa here that alot of tourists go to, too bad i cant go ha.

also i went to walmart yesterday, i felt like i was in the USA, its all the same stuff, it was cool. didnt buy too much though cuz its all pretty expensive, and i have food already ha. i had to go to the immigration office yesterday to sign a paper, so we had to get up at like 4 40 in the morning it sucked.

well, i havent really taken any pictures this week, so im not sending any today, sorryy.

well, all is good in Amatitlán, time is ticking, and there's lots of work to do in the short time that I'm left with.
Stay classy, stay on the path.
Love eternally, From Guatemala,
Elder Hopkins.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Busy and Happy


Older picture but shows his new Companion on the right



Hey fammmm.

I’m doing great, just workin here in my new area.I am in an area called El Lago. It’s in a town called Amatitlan, just out 
of the capital, its right on the lake. It’s in between the capital and the coast, so it’s kinda hot, but not as hot as the actual coast. the members here are super pilas, they work hard and are super willing. My companion in Elder Jaramillo, from Las Vegas, so were both super stoked about that, cuz we’ve been pretty good friends since the beginning of the mission, he came in 6 weeks after me. Actually I have sent some pictures home of me and him, there’s one where I am in my Calgary Flames sweater. I am now a zone leader in the zone and stake of Amatitlan. President Brough is using the zone for a pilot program for divisions. This change we have to do divisions with every elder in the zone, but each division will be two days. It’s going to be a little tough to do, especially with our investigators, because for like half the change we won’t even be together. Also about the mission split, I did not know, all I know is that President told us he had some news for us, and so on Friday we have a zone leader meeting. I imagine that he will talk to us about the split.

But yea, there are tons and tons of missionaries that are coming in, that’s why I was training two, cuz there are just too many!

About the malaria thing, I don’t think you'll need to worry about it, just wear bug spray, I’m pretty sure I never got any malaria shot, and I hardly even wore bug spray in the coast, only in the house, and I was fine.
 
I did get your package, it’s awesome, I just quickly went though it this morning, as I've had no time, also we are getting settled in to a new house, I'm still not unpacked and we have to do 5 phone calls every night to all the district leaders, so it’s a little tough, I’m very short on time ha.

But I am very happy with the changes, and I’m just loving life.

Also last weekend, RR was baptized, it was great, his wife still isn't sure on the whole baptism things, but she'll be baptized soon enough. It was a good service, a member baptized him, since we taught them in his house. The taller one is RR, the convert.

Also in my area, there is a Wal-Mart! I haven't been to a Wal-Mart in almost 2 years, so that will be nice, also me and Elder Jaramillo are planning on getting ripped this change, so I'm gonna buy some protein powder at a GNC that there is in this area, I gotta gain back the 15 pounds that I lost!!

I hope that dad’s hand gets better, it was nice to hear from him.

Sounds like you’re all doing great, I’m glad.
 
Just got the picture of the school, that sucks, I liked having the big open field.

The pictures I sent are of me and Elder tanner, who goes home today, me and my two last comps, the baptism, and a goofy picture of us with the familia G-.

Love you all so much, stay safe and stay classy.

From Guatemala, with love,
Elder Hopkins xoxoxo

Elder Tanner that goes home today

Me with my last 2 companions I trained

Baptism of RR, he is the taller one

Being Silly with the Familia G

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

11 baptisms as a zone, 9 are from my district!

My District


February 12, 2013

Hey heyyy.

wow, flights are already being booked. puchis.
yeah, sounds good to me. book em

Its always so great to hear from my awesome loving family.

This month we have the goal to have a great retencion rate, or that all the recent converts go to church, so yesterday we went with  some members and had a family home evening with a family that needs more friendship and a pick me up, it was great. Made me miss our awesome Family home evenings, sitting out there in the garage, all on the couch, watching 24, eating popcorn, pickles, and whatever. great times. Maybe they weren't always the most spiritual family home evenings, but i sure enjoyed them.

Thanks for signing me up for a run,ha. looks like I'm going to have to start training? maybe i'll have to go running in the morning. The other week i did divisions with Elder Tanner, and we got up early and ran about 1.5 K. but man, i was dying. I know im walking about 10-20 k a day, mas o menos, but man, running sure in different. i need to get into running shape haha. but it sounds like it'll be fun. what is the date of this run?

Well, this last week was really hard to be honest, but don't you worry, we're safe and healthy and we've already started a new better week. The one great thing about last week is that we put a for sure baptismal date with "RR". his wife didn't want to accept it, but we'll see what happens. This sunday will be his Baptism, and it will be my last sunday in this area its looking like. Changes are in one week.

We had interviews with President Brough this morning, they were good, he said that i wasn't going to be in a trio anymore, but i really have no idea where i will be going and what I'll be doing. Next week I'll tell ya. I think we will be writing on Wednesday next week.

Oh ya, i wanted to ask you guys i you've ever heard of the company Pull&Bear. Ive been seeing tons of it here, they always make knock offs of cool companies here, but i've never heard of this one before.

So yeah, happy valentines day this week, i wont be doing anything special for it,thats for sure. maybe next year, if my luck is good.

I had a dream about parker steele the other night haha. it was funny. but the scary thing is that i could possibly be married before he gets home, well, at least thats the next step i gotta take, but we'll see, i hear you've gatta have a girlfriend before the marriage thing, so it might be a little bit difficult for me.

so is the baptism record you set at the temple, a record for the temple, for alberta, for  canada, or for the world?? fill me in on that. it doesn't quite do it for me just calling it a record.

so the picture i sent you is of me and my district. were doing great right now as a district. There are five districts in the zone, and of the 11 baptismal dates as a zone, 9 of them are from my district. Pilasssssss

so yeah i don't really know what else to tell you guys, keep classy, be obedient, God protects the obedient.

oh yeah, so we taught a pastor this week, we had alot of encounters with pastors this week, but it was funny cuz he was trying to preach to us during the lesson and were just like, por favor, were teaching here. and we were talking about authority, and then i shared with his in Acts 16 or 6 i think it is, where Esteban, or steven in english? receives the priesthood for the laying on of hands, and then we explained it really well, and then he just sat there quiet the rest of the lesson, yeah, we confused the wicked, it was funny, but then i asked him to say the last prayer, which was super funny, we knelt down, and he was also with two ladies who were from his church, but they all just started to yell and shout, Jesus, forgive us, Lord Jesus, you are the greatest, and just random stuff like that, but they were so intense into it, i was just dying laughing with my head in my lap. evangelicals just pray like that here, they yell and scream, and they even cry and are bawling in their prayers, all at the same time, and just say random things. and there were some girls in the backroom who were like what the heck is happening, and they ran and were peeking through the door, and i saw them and just put my finger to my lips and whispered, be quiet, we're praying. it was soooo funny, we just left dying of laughter.

fun experiences. and more that i'll tell you about after the mish ha.

Well, I love you all.
From Guatemala, with love,
Elder Hopkins xoxoxoxo

Friday, February 8, 2013

Is that a dead chicken in your pocket?

The work never stops

A typical meal when I have to cook
So tired after a long day of work

Companion one also tired


Companion two also tired


Feb 5, 2013

Hello my loving familyyy.

well, I'll get right to answering the questions.
There were changes yesterday, but there were just mini changes to accommodate the temporary missionaries, on the 19th there will be changes again, which I believe will affect me, i think im out to one last area in the mission. but on tuesday the 19th I wont be writing either I don't think, not until the wednesday. but next tuesday I will be writing on tuesday.

I think a good time to go back home from picking me up will be on the thursday morning. Cuz then i can get home at in the afternoonish and still be able to enjoy that last wednesday here. The wednesday that you see me will all be taken up with the mission home stuff. you wont see me until the late afternoon on the wednesday. Antigua is about 1.5 to 2 hours away from the capital where we will be at, so maybe the first night we should stay in the capital. Then go to Antigua. Antigua is pretty central, but I did want to go to panajachel, and we might want to stay a night there, cuz i want to drive up to Quetzaltenango to the new temple one morning, and panajachal is a lot closer to it than Antigua, like maybe 3 hours closer. But we are going to be waking up early every morning anyways so we could wake up extra early to make the longer drive. I'm used to waking up at like 4 to get to places early haha. but yes, rent a car, that will be the only way to do it. You guys might just want to fly in on wednesday morning, Cuz i dont want to guys doing too much without me there, especially if your going to be in the capital.

The Guatemala temple picture gift you will make for my converts sounds good, yeah, like 20 will probably be good. Families are Forever is spanish is (Las Familias Son Eternas) that would make a good little gift.

So I neglected to wish you a Happy birthday last week, right after i left the internet I thought, OH NOOO! I forgot to wish mama happy birthday!, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! from the pictures you sent me you are looking younger than ever. Also I like madi's brown jacket, maybe I'll have to steal it when i get home, like how she steals my clothes haha. but yeah, all you guys are looking great.
I received that envelope with pictures that you sent me as well, everyones looking buenísimo. jaja

Things are all good here in chimaltenango, all three of us here are getting along great.
we are working with a family named the family “R”, that are a really young hip couple, they are really cool and nice, we are pushing for them to be baptized on the 17th, but they feel that it it rushed, but hopefully it will go through. i want to baptize again before I leave this area.

We contacted this really old typical guatemala native the other day, he hardly even spoke spanish, but he had a dead baby chicken in is hand, and we were like what the heck, what are you doing with that, he said he was going to throw it out, but then he put it in his pants pocket. hahaha, we were all laughing after, he actually put a dead chicken in his pocket. it was funny.
you'll have to meet some old guatemalan natives here one day, they're so funny haha, just so out of the loop.

oh ya, so for that last package, just like some facial wash and clearasil, and what ever good stuff you see. I donno, and q tips maybe. surprise me.

and wow, only 14 weeks left. time flies. Elder Tanner is in my district and he goes home in 2 though. so we always talk about baggy things together, what we're going to do when we get back home and stuff. we're going to hang out next time I go to Arizona.

but yeah, these next two changes I'm telling myself that I'm going to workout good every morning, and maybe I'll buy some protien powder or something, and get some of that muscle mass back.
that reminds me, if you guys can pay off my credit card that would be great, i took money out cuz i ordered another suit., and just to have some spare money if i need it.

I think thats all i got this week. Sure love you guys. Take care, and be wise.
From Guatemala, With Love,
Elder Hopkins xoxoxoxo 
The buses we ride