Heeeeeello my dear family!Wow! What a WEEK we have had!!! I am sad to report that there are ZERO winners for the "What quote will Elder Hopper put on the back of his new agenda" game because there were ZERO entries. What a shame! I'm beginning to think that no one reads my emails home! Ok...I know at least Mom does...so maybe I should just direct this entire email to her!
Hey mom! How's it going?!?! I had a great week this week! We worked HARD and saw a TON of blessings for it! I don't want to be the missionary who writes home about his dats, but I broke some records, so I'm going to glory in my blessings for a little bit! We had FORTY NINE lessons this week! We tried SO hard to break the fifty mark, but we just couldn't do it! So close! I guess we have our goal for this week...And my record for most lessons taught in one day...10? BROKEN! We got 11 on Saturday! What blessings! It's been a great week!
I've been putting a lot of thought into this week of what makes the difference between a good missionary, one that everyone just kind of remembers, and that AWESOME missionary who everyone talks about for years because he worked his little TAIL off every single day! And I realized that that is really the key! It's just getting out there and working! When I hear stories about lazy missionaries (And trust me...there are a lot) I just think...what do they DO all day!? I would be so bored! I just don't understand it! So I decided that I will be that missionary! Every single day I will wake up and decide that today I'll be an awesome missionary! I'll work hard, and I'll wait for the blessings to come! I don't know how to explain what I'm thinking adequately...but I've decided that that's the key! Just get out and work! Really hard! Drive yourself into the ground every day! That's my plan! And then on P-day...sleep! All day long! :)
Yesterday for P-day we decided against sleeping, instead we decided to go abuse
our bodies by climbing up a mountain in Palin, Guatemala! It was one of my
companion's old areas, so we also went to say goodbye to some of his old
convert families, which was fun. But these are the pictures from that...it was
a lot of fun! We had to wear our missionary clothes out of our area so we could
ride the bus (and contact it...have I ever mentioned I love doing that?) and
still be missionary like. So we went and changed in the forest! I'm glad no one
walked along while we were doing that! What a weird site to see! Four gringoes
changing their clothes in the middle of the Guatemalan rainforest! The third picture is of me and my new awesome sticker! I want you to pass this one along to Jon! We taught a super awesome family this week who owns a sticker shop! At the end of the lesson I asked how much it would be to print out a Subaru sticker, and they told me they'd just do it for free! So now I have an awesome Subaru sticker on the back of my journal! Speaking of journals...I'm writing a TON in mine, and I'm going to need at least two more before the end of my mission! I feel like I'm writing to my future wife and kids! It's so much fun for me!
Ok...so that dumb picture won't load...
but the one with me and my companion in
front of the GIANT tree is the biggest tree in Guatemala! It's kind of famous
here, so we had to take a picture in front of it, naturally!
And the last picture, Elder Petersen had left me an umbrella that he was using for awhile before we became companions...so it was kind of old. And I gave my old one to my new companion. This week that poor umbrella gave up the ghost. At about 2:30, which means we wouldn't be going back to the house for about 6 and a half hours! And it rained ALL day that day! So...I had my first wet day. You just eventually get to a point where you don't care anymore. It's very liberating. It's when you start splashing through puddles and getting your comp wet, and he gets mad at you! Life is just one big game!
Well...I must be going now! WRITE ME YOUR FAVORITE QUOTES AND I'LL PICK A WINNER! Please. :)
Love you all! Have a great week!
Muchisimo amor,
Elder Hopper 2
Elder Hopper,
ReplyDeleteI,for one, eagerly look forward to your mission posts. I have been well acquainted with both of your parents families for many years. Here is a quote that comes from my grandfather written to his daughter, my aunt. He saw heavy action in many battles of the Civil War including Gettysburg. "I wish I could say something to influence you for good both for time and for eternity. Be truthful. Be sincere. Consider well before decision. Be obedient to superiors and respectful to all. Remember that life is short, improve the moments as they pass."
Victor Pettijohn