March 4, 2014

Well, family...It has been fun! I have seven more hours of work left. That is what I am focusing on right now. After those seven hours, I'll be able to think about what I'll be doing then. But for now, I have seven more hours to work my tail off and invite people to come unto Christ. 

 

This is what they drew me in district meeting today.

This kid gets set apart to leave for his mission today! We leave together!

I felt kind of bad taking this picture, since I shouldn't really be playing with kids...only two more days till I can hold a baby again!!!!!

Have you ever seen a volcano erupt?  I HAVE!

My Zone's baptisms!

Thank you for being with me through this journey. I remember almost four years ago, sitting in Presidente Steimle's office, him telling me I was going home. He told me, "Keep your goal getting home honorably from a mission. Don't ever forget that." Well..that has been my goal ever since then! I've kind of lost vision every once and awhile, but in the end...I'm here. I'm finishing. I am SO GRATEFUL that I came. I would never ever trade this experience and the knowledge I've gained here for anything. I have worked my tail off, and it has been worth every single second of it. As of Thursday, I will be an RM. 

 

I love you all. Talk to you on Thursday.

Love,

Elder Hopper #1

February 25, 2014

This is my compainon for the week! I entered with him and we go home together!
 

 

 

Look...I'll be honest. I have nothing good to say. This is my last week in the field, and I just want to work like a maniac. I'm in El Lago with one of my dearest friends, Elder Peterson, who also goes home with me. We're working super hard to make sure we don't put ourselves baggy! Next week when I write it will be my very last day in the field. I love you all, and I'll see you very soon.

Love,

Elder Hopper

February 18, 2014

Hello fambam!

Well, it was a good week here in Linda Vista! Things are starting to heat up here as Guatemala gets ready for it's "spring" which is really pretty much all year round, but...it gets hot in April, and then it starts to rain, so as you all enjoy the snow at home, just know that it's 80 degrees here. :) I'll enjoy it while I can. I'm sure I'll be shivering when I get home.

We had some pretty funny experiences this week. We had an appointment with a guy named Rene. It was going to be a second lesson, and the first lesson wasn't anything spectacular. Well, we knocked on the door, and mom came out who has a little preschool in her garage. She said that he wasn't here, so we stepped away and called him on our phone that the whole mission now gets to carry (We've entered into the 21st century!). Well, he answered the phone, and a split second before I heard him say, "Alo" in my earpiece, I heard him say it through his window in his front room. I asked him if he was in his house, and his answer was, "No...I'm not there! Sorry!" Then I told him that yes he was! I could hear him talking through his window! From that point on all I heard was rustling around, and he hung up. How embarasing! But I thought it was pretty funny.

We have a guy that we're teaching named Francisco. He's a really good guy, and we want to baptize him before I go, the only little thing is that he's not married! So, we took a member from the ward, a guy that is very known for being SUPER forward, and somewhat offensive about things. He's a nice guy, but juuuust a little straightforward. Well, we got into the lesson, and he took over like some members tend to do. He told the guy, "Look...we're going to talk man to man here just a little bit. I want to be completely honest. Want to know why you should get married? The reason you should get married is because until you do, your children are BASTARDS." And he said it just like that! Nice and upfront! I was SUPER worried that the guy would get really offended, but he just sort of nodded his head in agreement, and said, "you're right...I need to get married." I was just flabbergasted! I couldn't believe my ears! This guy had just called his childern bastards, and he was agreeing with him! But...I guess you can say some pretty strong things when the spirit is there!

Well, time is runing short. I love you all, and I can't wait to see you in just a few weeks! Keep praying for me that I can baptize one more time before I go home...I definitely need the extra help, and I KNOW that the prayers of you guys can make the difference!

 

Have a great week!
Elder Hopper

February 11, 2014

Hello!

Well, it was a cool week this week. All week long I was working with Elder Robinson in El Lago, the zone leader's area here in Amatitlan. This is a weird change...I'll explain it when I get home. But it was a lot of fun working with him. He is a really good teacher, and really knows how to make sure that his investigators understand what he is teaching. Not to mention it was fun to go work in another area. But the coolest thing was that I got to go back to my birth place, Amatitlán 1. We had divisions with the DL there, and I got to go! It was just an amazing experience to be able to go back and see all of my converts. One family that is super special to me, the Garcia family, was super good to see. Unfortunately, they stopped going to church, but they still gave me a reception like family. Their little four year old ran up and gave my leg a fat hug as soon as she saw me. It was a sweet experience. I talked to them about the BoM, and the importance that it has in their lives. The mom, Yeime was the most converted one in the family, and it was all because of the BoM...so I know that if she starts reading it again, she'll come right back. Then I went and sicked some members that I know are super faithful on them, so I'm hoping that they'll be back in church soon. 

 One of the biggest reasons I wanted to come back to Amatitlan to die was to see how a really strong stake works, and what I can do to help a strong stake, and more than anything, to work with the stake leaders who are here, namely President Pineda. I met him my first change here, and immediately was VERY afraid of him, but since then, I have worked with him, had FHEs in his house, and we have grown to be great friends. Last week he came into our ward counsel meeting, looked at me, and said, "EL TIGRE REGRESO!" Or, "THE TIGER CAME BACK!!!" I hopped up and gave him a big fat hug. Then, this last weekend we had counsel with all of the auxiliary and priesthood leaders. He was there, and was talking about some of the problems that this ward has had. One of them is that it hasn't baptized in over five months. That is WAAAAY too long, especially in Guatemala. He told everyone there, "Look...President Brough didn't send Elder Hopper, who is one of, if not the best missionary I know in the mission, here to NOT baptize. He sent him here to save this ward." It was a nice little kudo for being a good missionary at the very beginning of my mission when I was here. I should learn a lot from him. He's an amazing leader. If he's not a mission president someday, I'd be flabbergasted.

Anyways...Very little time left! Sorry I don't have any pictures, I really haven't taken any since I've been here! There's just nothing going on! So...sorry! Next week we should be going to Antigua, though, so...hopefully next week!!

Love you all!
Love,

Elder Hopper 

February 3, 2014

FAAAAMILY!!

Well...We didn't baptize this week. Waste of a week. Well...not entirely. We did get some people a little closer to being baptized, so...that's a win!

I have to do the shout out to all you Seahawks fans. I'm not so excited for you all as I am for the lack of a win for Denver. I knew that if Denver won, I would never hear the end of it from Dad...now that they lost...well, Dad knows that he'll never hear the end of it from me! So...Good work, Seahawks! Just...don't be as good next year! It's time for the Dolphins to take it again!!! But I've got plenty of time to worry about that in the future!

Well, this week I actually had a funny experience. Well...I had many, but I only remember one. Lately everything that I do as far as keeping a history has gone dramatically downhill. I still write in my journal every night, but normally it's just a few lines and nothing else. I just want to baptize! But...anyways. We were at an investigators house, and she had a question about hell. She doesn't want to be baptized because she says that she's already been baptized twice! Once for the Catholics, and once for the Evangelicals. Well, she wanted to know if hell was actually fire and brimstone with people screaming in agony for the rest of eternity. I can't remember what scripture we read her, but it explained how that that won't actually be the case, it will just be our own guilt and our own shame that will make it like that. She said, "So...there's no fire? No brimstone?" When we answered, "Well...not technically." And she sighed a big old sigh and said, "Ooooookay. I'm good then! I don't need to get baptized!" So...that didn't really serve the purpose we wanted it to!

Well...I'm just out of pertinent things to talk about! I've got...four weeks left! This week I go to El Lago to be with Elder Robinson for a week, and next week I'll be back in Linda Vista for two weeks again! Then I'll come back to El Lago to die with Elder Peterson, one of my best friends who I came into the mission with. Love that guy. Then, I'll be back in Linda Vista for three days until that fateful Wednesday!

Love you all. Have a wonderful week. Remember, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING more important in this life than being a faithful, CONSECRATED servant of the Lord. I want you all to look up the word consecration and learn more about it in the scriptures. It is such an amazing thought, an amazing principle. For those of you who have gone through the temple, go again, and study it in the Celestial room. I promise you will learn things you never knew before. I did that during the last Christmas activity when we went to the temple, and it was an amazing experience for me. I love being a missionary, and I am SO grateful that I have these last four weeks in my mission to become a truly consecrated, converted servant of God before I can really start my life. I wish everyone could have the experience I've had here, see the things I've seen here, and lived the things I've lived here. I guess only returned missionaries really understand the depth of gratitude that I feel for the past two years of my life, and I've got four more weeks to make it all worth it.

Love you all. Have a wonderful week. Take this week to CHANGE something. Don't let life happen to you, be the thing that changes in your life. Please pray for me, pray for my investigators, pray for the Guatemala City Central mission, that we can reach our goal of 400 people being baptized in the month of March, that we can have 800 investigators attending on the 16th of this month. There is really nothing more important in my life right now.

This is a really cheesy email, but honestly...it's what I've got in mind right now. Love you all. Have a wonderful week, and I'll talk to you soon!
Love,

Elder Hopper

January 28, 2014

Man...I just don't have anything good to talk about anymore. I'm sorry!

It's funny...this last week my companion and I were at church talking to some young men and women from our ward. My companion is in good with them, so he was doing the most of the talking, when one of the kids looked at me and asked, "Why are you so serious?" I realized that I really don't care about any of this...cuz all these kids are already members of the church!!!! They don't need to be baptized! All I think about anymore is how I'm going to baptize in my last five weeks that the Lord has given me...the whole phrase of, "It comes to an end faster than you think" is WAAAAY too true. I only have FIVE WEEKS to baptize!!! I wish I didn't have to waste my time writing on internet!!! I just want to baptize, and help the missionaries in my zone baptize!!! So...I really don't have any good stories this week! I'm just kind of boring these days! I think I know why people say that when you get relieved from being a missionary it's like there is a big weight lifted off your shoulders...it's because at the end of the mission the pressure to baptize and make a difference is INTENSE!!!

 

So...that's about my life right now!!

Oh...one cool story. So, I'm in the same building where my second ward meets. I was in this same building for church a year ago when I was in La Sonora 1, my second area. Well, this sunday I walked into the building, and I felt like a rock star. I knew EVERYONE!!! The coolest one was seeing my star convert, Tito Perez. He is now the secretary for the ward, and an amazingly faithful member. It was such a good feeling to think, "If I hadn't gone on my mission, it's possible that he wouldn't be here." A missionary pay day for sure.

 

Well...I'm going to go work to be able to baptize. Waaaay too short of a time remains to waste my time in front of a computer screen!

Love you all!
Love,

Elder Hopper 1

January 23, 2014

Well...first thing is first...We baptized this week! It was a family that we had been teaching since before I got there, and they finally decided to get married and baptized because they knew that I was leaving! So...pretty excited about that one! La Familia Montufar! He is a member since eight, but went inactive, so we gave him the priesthood and that day he baptized her! We were pretty proud of that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than that, I got out of the coast! I feel bad for those missionaries who are there their entire missions! I was only there for two changes, and that was ENOUGH FOR ME! It is SO HOT there ALL THE TIME! So...I'm excited to be in the capital again where wind blows, and it gets cold at night! My first night here i was SHIVERING! It was great! I'm back in the same zone where I started my mission, Amatitlan! My second area was the neighboring ward to where I'm at right now, Linda Vista. I served in La Sonora! It's fun, because everyone still remembers me! So...to work here in the capital once again! With big wards, and small areas! I LOVE being back.

Yesterday we had an awesome experience. We got to go and see Elder Cook! From the twelve! All the missions from the capital were there, mission central, south, and east. It was a really cool experience. There were more than 700 missionaries in the room. Elder Cook reminded us that we are less than 1 percent of ALL the missionaries in the world that were gathered in that building. Honestly, I know this sounds cheesy, but...the Spirit there was SO strong. It was just testifying to us all day long that this man really was an Apostle of God. Well...he got in, and he told us that he wanted to shake each and every one of our hands! So, he and the other four area authorities who were with him all got in a line, and I got to shake Elder Cook's hand! That is the first time I've ever shaken an Apostle's hand! All of the four area authorities spoke, and then Sister Cook, then Elder Cook. Sister Cook was awesome. She had us sing put your shoulder to the wheel, while one section chanted, "Trabajar duro" And another section chanted "con fervor" I know it sounds weird, but with 700 ish missionaries, it really worked out awesome! Elder Cook talked about the importance of loving the people, and how we really can't achieve anything till we love the people we work for, and the improtance of developing Christ like attributes, but the thing that the Spirit made me most notice was something that one of the area authorities, Elder Amado, said. He said that our prayers need to be SACRED time. We really need to work on that! So...the Spirit beat me up a little bit on that, and now I'm fixing it! 

 

Other than that, I need to get four baptisms this change in order to meet my mission goal. Toooootally going to do it. I put this goal in my very first change, and I'm getting SOOOO close! 

 

Love you all! Have a good week! And...study the lesson for Priesthood and Relief Society this week! Do it! It will be good for you!

Love,
Elder Hopper

January 14, 2014

FAAAAMILY!!!

Why hello there! So...this is my very last week in the coast that I will ever have. My last change starts in a week, and I already know where I'm going, and who I'll be with (Which is REALLY strange...this VERY rarely happens) But I will be going back to my place of birth! Amatitlán! About two months ago in interviews with President Brough, I asked him if he could ask the Lord if it would be ok if I went back to Amatitlán to die...I guess He said yes! So...next Tuesday I'll be going to Amatitlán as a zone leader to begin my very last change as a missionary! Weeeeird...

So, one thing you can look forward to in the beginning of March is your life getting a LOT louder again. In the house that I'm in right now, there are four missionaries (One of something like four houses in the entire mission that are like that) Last week, we did divisions with another set of missionaries, so I went to the other area. When I got home, the next night, all the other three missionaries kept commenting on how QUIET the house was the night before! Nothing was going on! They were all bored! So...buckle up, boys and girls...the whirlwind hasn't changed, and he's coming back home! 

 

Yesterday as a zone activity we went to Panajachel, my last area! It was SO MUCH FUN!! I got to go and see the progress that they had made on the church building that they had just begun construction on when I left, and I saw a convert, and a few investigators, and I saw my last companion, Elder Pinedo! That was a lot of fun to be able to see him again. Apparently he is a baptizing MACHINE, and as his dad, I'm pretty proud of him! But...it was just nice to go back! It is a place that I would recommend for ANYONE as a vacation place. It's seriously one of the most beautiful places on the face of the planet.



I Love this place!



Planking in Pana!

 

So, we have a road where we're somewhat famous. When we walk down this road, all of the kids from the houses run out of their houses, and call us, "Gemelos" or twins. They run after us and high five us. Well, we were walking down that street last week, when all of the kids came out again. Well...that wasn't super weird, so we started high fiving, joking around like normal. A kid got in front of me, and started walking backwards, so I high fived him, and waited for him to get out of the way so I could keep walking fast, when he wound up and socked me RIGHT where it hurts! Just out of NOWHERE!!! Well...that made me pretty upset, as you can imagine. So I grabbed him by the collar and didn't let him go. By the time we were done with that conversation, I think he understood the fact that punching perfect strangers is something that you just shouldn't do. All his friends thought it was hilarious, too...but I doubt they'll be doing that to me any time soon after seeing the yelling at his little friend got. They weren't laughing towards the end.

 

We'll be having a baptism this weekend! A guy named Eligio! He is SO pilas! We are pretty excited for him. I realized that on these emails I don't talk much about the work, so...sorry about that. This next week, the day after change meeting, we'll be having a three mission meeting with Elder Cook! We are all pretty excited about that! I don't think he speaks Spanish, so...don't know how that's going to work, but I'm excited!!! 

 

Love you all! Next time I write, it'll be from Amatitlán!
Love,

Elder Hopper

January 7, 2014

Hello my dearest family and friends.

 

This has been a great week! MUUUUCH less stressful from the last one. I've never been happier for christmas to be OVER!!!

 

So, this week on new years eve, we got home. I had to go number one, so I ran to the bathroom before we started planning. I was telling my companion about some nasty freaky health story I had heard from the mission. If you want more details...I'll tell you in a few months. Well, he said it was gross, and we kept going on with our lives. We knelt down to pray to start our planning session, and about half way through the prayer, he just passes out! Just goes head first into the floor! It was...really scary!!! Then, while he was passed out on the floor, he started making these wretching throwing up sounds! It was...REALLY SCARY!!! But, as I shook him awake, he popped his eyes open and seemed even more scared than I was..."WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" I just looked at him and said, "DUDE. YOU PASSED OUT. WHAT THE CRAP!!?!?!" He said he was just fine, but...we gave him a blessing just in case. The nurse said that he was just dehydrated, but he's positive that it was the story I had told him. So we don't share those stories anymore. But it was a good time!

 

We had a straight up miracle baptism this weekend! We've been working with this little kid named Carlitos for a while now. He's nine, and he always comes to church, but his mom never wanted him to get baptized...well, this week she gave him permission! I have had a goal since the beginning of my mission that I would be able to baptize with all of my companions, but I was worried about Elder Heartel...well...don't have to worry anymore! Baptism achieved! I only need 7 more to meet the goal I put for myself for baptisms! Two months to go!



Carlitos
 

 

Bible theology for the day brought to you by Galatians 5:9 - A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.  Now...I know what you're thinking. What does this have to do with ANYTHING?! But just think about how true the Bible is! A little leaven really DOES leaven the WHOLE lump! The WHOLE LUMP! What a blessing. I love the word of God.

 

Well, from that I'll go to a real spiritual thought. We are teaching this guy named Eligio. He's...well...lets say he's walked in the world. Pretty hard. Drugs, using and selling, LOTS of girls, killed a few people, the works. Well...he wants to change, and he has been acting like it. We have taught him all the commandments that are necessary for him to be baptized, and we were going over them again on Sunday night. I felt the need to testify about the commandments. I told him, "Look...I know what it is like to hang out in the world (Even though not quite as much as you), and one can have a LOT of fun there, but it's not the same peace that one can find doing these things that we are teaching you. I LOVE the commandments, because they are the way that God has taught us to get back to Him." And as I said that, I realized that I am REALLY grateful for the commandments! I really am! They really are the way to get back to God! The only way! At times I almost wish we had more! But if we follow the commandments we have, we WILL be happy! It's a for sure thing! Happiness! It requires a bit of discipline, but you'll be happy. I'm just so grateful for that!

Love you all. Hope you have a great week! Talk to you soon!
Love,

Elder Hopper