August 27, 2012

Hello family!

Well...I'm writing you from my second area, Sonora! It's ten minutes down the road from my first area! In the same zone and everything! Which is pretty cool, seeing as how this is the most succesful zone in the mission 3 months running, and I'm now in one of the most succesful districts in that zone! No pressure, self!

My new area is pretty stinkin poor. Imagine all the war movies you've ever seen of third world countries with alleys lines with concrete houses, diseased dogs, music blaring out the windows, and REALLY loud motorcycles almost running you over. Now times it by three. That's my area. Seriously, a squad of marines could round the corner, shooting at anything that moves and my first thought would be, "Wow...it's about time you guys got here." BUT! This field is WHITE already to harvest! We are finding all SORTS of new investigators, and that is a GREAT feeling! The ward here is SUPER supportive, and we have a bunch of members willing to go out with us at the drop of a hat. It is really really really nice to have that much support! Morale of the story- HELP THE MISSIONARIES IN YOUR WARD! THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET!!!

So...remember last week when I told you that internet days are deadly? The saga continues. Last Tuesday, a 14 year old boy kicked a soccer ball into a river in my old area and jumped in after it. He didn't know how to swim. Finish the story in your head. I'm reeeeally hoping I left the curse behind in Amatitlán, cuz I don't want to have to give up emailing home!

So I had to say goodbye to all of my investigators last Tuesday...it was a sad day! But, I'm really hoping to see the Garcia family in a year in the temple! (Mom-they're the first photo.) I just love this little family! Their little girls are the ones that would always run to the door and yell, "Mormonis!" every time we walked by. I LOVE them! So that was hard to say goodbye, but...how great shall be your joy if you bring but one soul unto me!

Then I said goodbye to the Familia Ponciano. They're an awesome little family that I worked with a LOT in Amatitlán...not everyone is baptized, but we were working with them really hard, and I'm hoping to hear of their baptisms pretty soon here!

Then, on Wednesday I had to say goodbye to one of my really good friends, Elder Durfey who was headed home. He was my Zone Leader, and an AWESOME guy.
Elder....er....Hermano....er....Brother.....er....ANTHONY! I love you man! I hope you ended up buying that WRX!

Now...to explain the pictures I sent last week. The first one, to say goodbye to Elder Durfey, we went to a buffet in the zone called La Estancia. It's famous for making people...or...a person throw up from eating waaay too much. But it was a really fun morning!

The second one, which I'm almost positive my mom didn't post, but now she'll have to cuz everyone will be asking for it is Elder Durfey, Watts and I standing at what Guatemala excuses for a urinal. More of a trough lined with linoleum, but the photo opportunity was just too great. So we took it.








Oh yeah! I guess I should tell you about my new companion! His name is Elder Luna, and he's from Mexico! He's a pretty good guy. He's only got 3 months on the mission, so he's even younger than me in the mission! Also, in age...he's only 18 years old! He's a good worker, but kind of stubborn. It should be an...well...an interesting six weeks.

This week we walking into a members house cuz my comp had to use the bathroom. Good time to take a sit and relax! So I sat down on the little arm chair there, and put my arms up on the arm rests...bad idea. About five seconds later both my arms caught on FIRE! I looked down, and there were ants ALL OVER the chair! And they were FEASTING on my arms! Not sure how they got through my arm hair so fast, but they sure did!

We went to pick up a young man this week to go with us and teach. Only problem is that there was a soccer game on. It made me smile to watch dad and son watching soccer together. One was rooting for one team, the other for the other...it was like dad and I watching a Broncos game. One team scored a goal, and the son went NUTS, and dad just slumped in his chair. It was SOOO funny! I was just glad to know that father son rivalries translate into Spanish.

Well...I'm a happy camper here in Guatemala! I love you guys a ton, and I'm praying for each of you! Keep your prayers coming my way, especially this month! The mission has a goal to baptize 300 in the month of September! For perspective, we baptized something like 140 last month...granted there is one week more this month, but the mission is ramping up HUGE to get this goal! So we need all the heavenly help we can get to achieve this goal!

I love you all!

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hopper #2 (This new area has the number sign! Win!)

August 21, 2012

Hello Family!

Well...got the change information yesterday...¡ya me voy! It's been a ton of fun, Amatitlán, but Elder Hopper is off to conquer a new part of Guatemala!

Elder Loo and I had a really good week this week! We were reeeally struggling with finding new investigators until about Friday, but then Saturday and Sunday we just BLEW UP finding! It was really frustrating, cuz that's never been something I've had to worry about here, or even think about cuz we knock a door, and someone lets us in! Well...not quite like that, but news are never something I've really worried about in this area! But this last week we REALLY struggled! So I just relied on prayer. It was really the only thing we could do. We couldn't really spend more hours focused on finding...but the Lord could guide us to where we needed to be! So we were really blessed to find two families and a few single guys on Saturday and Sunday. It's interesting to see how the Lord answers our prayers like that. The two families we found were COMPLETELY guided by the Spirit. The first one, we were walking down the street and I looked at a door. We were headed to the place we had planned to contact, but I just said, mostly joking, but totally intent on actually doing it, "I think this door needs the Gospel." And for some reason the door just stood out to me. So we knocked. And they let us in! Then the exact same thing happened the next day, on Sunday with Elder Loo! He just looked at a door, and though, " We need to knock it." So we did! Family number two! It's really exciting when you KNOW the Spirit is working through you, when you're SURE you just recieved guidance directly from God. 

Annie- Do you remember that scripture that you shared in Sacrament meeting a while ago? I don't remember when, or why you were speaking, but you shared Mosiah 25:14-15. I have an investigator who is an alcoholic, and has been really struggling with it for awhile. But I shared that scripture with him, and it seemed to have helped a lot!

So...I've come to the decision that email days are deadly! Last week, one of our investigators just up and died on us! The week before that, the mom of one of our recent converts died, as you all heard that story! But this investigator who passed away was COMPLETELY unexpected! She was only like...50 years old, and in pretty good health! Turns out she had diabetes that was completely uncontrolled. Kind of puts it in perspective, though.  I have seen some sickenesses here that you would NEVER see in the states. Just from lack of over all health quality! We are SO blessed up there! You read about all of the sicknesses and weird things in the Bible and think...well it must have been REALLY gross back then, cuz that kind of thing NEVER happens nowadays...but it does! We're just incredibly blessed! But it was a pretty sad thing when we heard that she had died...we had an appointment with her that night! And she just stood us up!

.............Dark humor.

Last Saturday we were walking down the street when this car passed us making this TERRIBLE screeching sound. Which isn't TOO out of the ordinary here in Guatemala. What IS a little bit out of the ordinary is when that same car with the horrendous screeching sound screeches to an abrupt stop when it's front left wheel just up and falls off! Seriously! Want to know why?! Cuz they needed to get a new axle, so they were on the way to the shop! What was holding the old axle on?! A piece of twine! Wrapped around about 1000 times! Yaaaay Guatemala! So, what is the next logical course of action?! Call a tow truck, right? That's what you and I think! But...not here! Guess what we do? We PICK THE CAR UP, and CARRY IT to the side of the road till they can GET A NEW AXLE and just FIX IT THERE. LOGIC! Love me some Guatemala!

Dear Derek Stott, Devyn Stott, Jason Hadley, Danny Johnson, Chad Weed, Brother Henrie, and Brother Williams- This week I found in my vast collection of ties, the tie that we wore as a Priests quorom. Since then, I've worn it three times. Love you guys!

This week, I washed my sheets. Why is this making it on my email home? Cuz I took out one of my other sheets. Smelled like home. Almost cried. End of story.

Well...that's all I've got for you for this week! Next week I'll be emailing you from...well...somewhere within the mission boundaries, I hope! But I don't really know! I'll tell you all about it next week!

Keep being awesome, and remember...there is NOTHING more important in our lives than living the Gospel to it's fullest! If you need to make changes, DO IT! NOW! Whatever it is, it's not worth your ETERNAL LIFE! So...MAKE CHANGES! It's why we're here!

Muchisimo amor,
Elder Hopper #2

P.S....Elder....errrr....Hermano....errrrr....Brother....errrr....RYAN PEGRAM- Thanks for the email last week! You know what a missionary wants to hear! I love you man, and I'm praying for you! Remember what I told Elder Watts at the beginning of our change together?! Tell it to Elder.....errrr.....Hermano.....errr....Brother.....errr.....Mr. Petersen about asking that girl out! Have fun at school, and be good!

August 14, 2012

Gosh dangit. I just had a huge long letter written out on a different page and somehow it got deleted. Now I'm all annoyed. Times like these I wish Dad was here.

Well...I had a really great week! I'll tell you all about it but...rapidito now because I have no time!

We had Interviews with the President of the mission this week, and it was REALLY good. That man is INCREDIBLY inspired, and I'm really glad I'm in his mission.

We went to the zoo! I spent most of my time around the species that understands me...the monkeys! There is a sign that clearly states, "No alimente a los animales." Or...roughly translated, "Keep your filthy human food away from the monkeys, you stupid missionaries."   One of the monkeys picked out of Elder Tay's hand his mechanical pencil! We're worried about what they might do with it.

This week we were on Divisions, and I was with Elder Tays in my area. It was night time and we were headed back to the house. We were on a long, dark street with no lights that T's into a road with one light on the sidewalk on the other side of the t'd into street...read that four times so you can understand what I just said. But we were just walking along, chatting, having a good time, when all of a sudden this big white horse just walks underneath the light at the end of the street, and out of sight. It was just one of those things that you NEVER see in the states! It could have been in a movie! Maybe it wasn't so funny to anyone else, but to us it was HILARIOUS.

Got a missionary pay day today! About two weeks ago we found an inactive family of a mom, her daughter, and the daughter's three kids. The mom and the daughter are members, but the kids aren't...three free baptisms! Love it! But the mom was a little bit against coming to church, cuz she owns her own business and has to stay open on Sundays. We taught her two times, and she agreed to come. The Ward welcomed her with open arms. It was really cool to see. But today, on the way to the internet place, we walked by her store. She was inside reading her Book of Mormon! I loved it! It was so cool to see the change that just finding these people and teaching them a few times can make! I love being a missionary!

Gah I'm running out of time!

The NFL preseason started this week. Someone invited me to watch again. GET THEE HENCE, SATAN! Also...DWIGHT HOWARD GOT TRADED TO THE LAKERS?!?!?! Cruuuuuuud.

I was teaching a lesson to two of our recent converts, when someone came running out of a room just bawling her head off. The two girls we were teaching ran into the room and just started crying too! Apparently their grandma had been sick for a while, and had just died! Right then! While we were there! Apparently according to Catholic tradition (Which EVERYONE follows here, Catholic or not) you have to cry really hard when someone dies. At least that's what somone told me. Maybe I'm wrong. So I was in a room full of bawling people, and they asked me to give her a blessing. Long story short, I gave a blessing to a dead person this week.

 

This picture is of me and a kid in my ward who is going on his mission to Colombia tomorrow! Me, Elder Tays, Alejandro Orozco, Elder Watts, Elder Loo. Sorry it's all fuzzy...my camera is on it's way out.

Gotta go now! Love you all!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

August 6, 2012

Hello family!

Tomorrow we have entrevistas with the President, and on Wednesday we're going to the zoo! So this week I'm on juuuust a little bit early!

We had a really good week this week! I can't believe we're almost done with this change already, but we're in week FIVE! This change has FLEW by! And I think this will be my last week here in this area...but it wouldn't surprise me if I stayed with ELder Loo here! My entire District, and one of my zone leaders have decided that I'm doomed to go to the mountains this next change and learn Sutujil! Buuuut no one but the Lord knows at this point.

This week we have been working a lot with the familia Morales. It is a dad, mom, and a daughter. These people are the salt of the earth, and really poorer than poor. The dad got really sick about a year ago, and hasn't been able to work, while the mom has been washing and ironing clothes as much as she can. That's a pretty normal job for woman to do here if they don't have work. A lot of the more wealthy people have hired help in the homes, too. So they go to better off people and ask if they need clothes washed. But we contacted them on the street about two weeks ago, and they said that they weren't incredibly interested, but we invited them to come to church with us, and what do you know...they actually showed up! So we set a cita to come by during the week, and they wren't there. But we kept going back, and finally we were able to get a hold of them. We walked into their house, which is more like...well....it's a sheet metal roof leaning up against a wall made out of block. More like a lean-to, really. They said that they basically love everything about the Gospel. Yesterday in church for the Principles of the Gospel class, we talked about tithing. This morning we went by, and talked about church yesterday. Mom looked at me, and started to cry. She was so worried about paying tithing, because she wanted more than anything to pay it, but literally had 0 Quetzales to her name, and how she was working so hard to find work, but just couldn't find it. It was a huge lesson in humility. I've come to realize just how blessed we really are. Everything we have is just a giant blesing. We really would be NOTHING without the blessings of Heavenly Father in our lives. At the end of this lesson the mom ran and poured us both a glass of juice. I had two reactions: One-This is going to make me veeeeery sick. But then I realized how generous of an offering this really was. This literally penniless lady is giving us fresco, cuz it was a hot morning, and she was worried about US. I literally almost cried as I drank it. Awesome family. I needed something like this to humble mighty Mr. Drew. I will forever be super grateful for this family, even if they end up not getting baptized. They taught me more in ten minutes than I could ever teach them ever. Things the mission does to you, huh?

I don't know how to segue from that into my funny stories from the week, so we're just gonna jump right in.

Yesterday, a drunk guy showed up to church. Sat riiiiiight next to me, and decided to breathe his nasty beer breath on me for about an hour! It was a lot of fun! Every time one of the testimonies got up to speak and said, "Buenos dias" he would say back really loud, "Gracias! Buenos dias!" Didn't know what to do exactly. But at the end of Sacrament meeting I looked at him and said, really quick, "Well thanks for coming! We'll see you next week!" And promptly led him out the door. My greatest fear was that I was going to have to baby sit him throughout Principles of the Gospel class! But thankfully i dodged that bullet. We have a cita with him today! We'll see if he remembers. I'm betting on no.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but all of Guatemala is about 30 years behind on everything, but ESPECIALLY hair styles, and music. We decided to tract out a street on Saturday, and the entire time someone was outside washing their car BLASTING 80's music. It was great. Then,we went to one of our investigator's houses on Sunday, and he was BLASTING "Barbie world" He kept saying, "Well I don't know what the words mean, but I just love this song!" I had to work really really hard to no bust out laughing. One of the funniest experiences of my life.

So this last P day, like I think i told you...we went to Walmart to get my comp new shoes. While we were there, I took advantage of the time and bought myself some AMERICAN food! Kraft Mac N' Cheese! I think I told you about the delightful adventure last week, but I made some this week! With hot dogs! I only missed out on the apple sauce, but it was SO GOOD! As so portrayed by this lovely photo of me :

Also, we all have a lady who cooks us lunch every day! And she makes delicious food! But sometimes the meat is a liiiiittle bit...well...as Marmy likes to say, "Gristly"

So that explains these two food-based pictures.

I love you all! I must get back to the lucha now! But thank you for all of your support, and love!

Muchisimo amor,
Elder Hopper 2 (Like Elder Hopper 1's dilemma, these computers don't have number signs.)