October 22, 2013

Hello there family!
We had a great week this week! I never have any idea of how to begin these letters, and so they always start basically the same way. Sorry for my lack of creativity. But the point is that we get to the good stuff eventually.

 

Well, we had a serious miracle this week. We married and baptized the Lopez Sajvin family. We found them knocking doors in an aldea in our area. It was really quite a miracle, cuz I had told my comp, "Look...if we don't find anyone this time, we're not coming back to this aldea. There's no prepared people here." What faith I had, huh? But...we taught them, and it was mostly a joke cuz they didn't understand much spanish. Well...we set a return appointment, and thought about just not showing up. It sounds bad, but...it happens a lot here. Well...the next sunday, they showed up to church!!!! That was a miracle in and of itself...Well, we went back, and teaching has always been very difficult for the language, but we showed them a picture of baptism, and they got all excited about it! So...we set a date! But then the week after that, we found dad drunk out of his mind. He looked up at us from the floor and said, in an airy, amazed voice, "Vinieron!" Or, "They caaaame!" Well...we half way gave up hope, but then they came AGAIN to church! And these people don't have money to pay for the trip to church, so they walk for TWO HOURS to get there. Mom doesn't even have shoes! So...I'm all sorts of out of time now, but long story short, they got married and baptized this weekend!
Win!

 

Anywho...I love you all! have a wonderful week! 

 

Love,

Elder Hopper 2

October 15, 2013

Weeeeeeell helllllllo there! Utz' a wach?!

I just don't feel like writing today. There are days when I can't WAIT for this hour and fifteen minutes, and there are days that it's just sort of a, "Meh" kind of feeling. Today is one of those. How disappointing for the devoted reader....if there is one...

Well, we had a straight up miracle this week! We have been focusing on one little pueblo in my area, Santa Catarina. We go there about twice a week, which is quite a bit here. Well...we've been teaching this reeeeally old couple. It's quite difficult to communicate with them because the wife doesn't speak Spanish AT ALL, and the husband speaks it only with great difficulty. Well...they have now attended church four times, including once traveling a fairly good distance to Sololá to watch general conference! Normally, to be able to get to church on time, and to be able to save money, they start walking (shuffling?) at around 7:00 to get to the church building on time at 9:00. Well...we explained to them after church this week through a Kaqchiquel translator that they need to be married and baptized next week! So...we will be having two baptisms and a marriage next week! We're excited!!!! It's the same couple that, after that lesson in the church, we asked if they had any questions. I asked, "Ok...tienen alguna pregunta en cuanto a lo que va a pasar este fin de semana?" And they said, very excitedly, "SI!" I was confused for a second, but then I realized that they had no idea what I said. Oooooh the joys of communicating through a translator. We're actually going to them today, and we couldn't get a translator, so...should be interesting!

I counted this week, because I received journal number four...I have written five hundred fifty five pages of journal. 5 5 5 . That's a lot! I hope my kids...or someone...appreciates it someday. Pretty frequently as I write in it, I think..."Who on EARTH is EVER going to read this?" But...now I mostly do it for me.

Well...I come to the realization every week that I'm getting closer and closer to the end. Then I realize how much everything has changed, and how I don't want to deal with all of that when I get home. So...I think I'm just going to stay out here. I don't want to deal with how people have changed, how things are different...I just want to come home to the place I left two years ago! But it's becoming increasingly apparent that there is no way that that will ever happen. It's amazing to me how Guatemala has really become home...Everything here is just so familiar. I know what is going to happen, and how it's going to happen. I know who the people are...I feel like I know the people here better than I know some of the people I left two years ago, and sometimes even longer ago than that...it's just a weird feeling. At the beginning of my mission, there was almost nothing more that I wanted than to be at 20 months...now that I'm here...I just don't know! They told me this would happen, but I didn't ever believe them. Weird how that works.

 

Well...gonna go to the Lamanite village now. Wish me luck. Chwa´q chik!

Elder Hopper 2

October 8, 2013

HEEEELLO!!!!

First off...CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING. Seriously, this is always, hands down, the best weekend in the mission. Always. I loved the announcement that the church has gotten above fifteen million members! I can't remember who said it, but...they said that it happened about two weeks ago. You know what? I baptized two weeks ago! So...I can comfortably believe that I baptized member number 15,000,000 into the true church of Jesus Christ. Even if it's not true, I hope that you will at least humor me so that I can believe it. Win.

I also loved the story...I don't remember who it was, who talked about a dream they had had, or I think it was a dream a former prophet had had where he had arrived late to a house because he had to stop and get dressed in his white clothes, take a bath, and get ready. When he got to the house, Joseph Smith answered the door, and looked at him with a little bit of contempt and said, "You're late." The guy responded, "I may be late, but I am clean." That hit me HARD. I just LOVED it! I may be late on the mission, but I. AM. CLEAN. And that is all that really matters.

 

One last thing that really impressed me this conference was the theme of decisions. About three or four separate speakers talked about the importance of the decisions we make in daily life. How little decisions in the end can have eternal consequences. We really need to be doing our best always to make those decisions that will keep us ready and clean to be taken at ANY TIME! That one hit me hard.

I had to try this at least once before I go

Lago Atitlan

Well...all sorts of spiritual this week. One fun thing is that I got to ride in the back of a Guatemalan police truck this week. But that is another story for another day.

 

Love you all! Have a wonderful week!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

 

P.S...only a few more weeks...that spot of Elder Hopper 1 WILL BE MINE!!!!

October 1, 2013

Queridísima familia, 

 

HOOOOLA!!!
Siempre he querido hacer uno de estos en español, pero...sería mala honda, entonces no lo voy a hacer.

 



Baptism number 39!!

Well, this week was a good one! First off....GENERAL CONFERENCE IS ONLY FIVE DAYS AWAY!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Everyone needs to go and listen to the Prophets of God speak! It is going to be SO GOOD!!!! But...I just need to keep my mind focused on the next four days till the goodness comes. I am stoked out of my mind!!!! And this is my very last General Conference in the mission! Yikes!!!

 

I learned something new this week. I had no idea, and I am somewhat ashamed to say it. But...did you know that the word Zorro in spanish means fox? Doesn't that just BLOW YOUR MIND?!?! An investigator told me that this week, and...I was just speechless! It was amazing! It's crazy the things you learn on the mission, huh?



Pensativo

 

This week we were teaching a family. It's a really good family. The mom is a member, but the dad isn't. He has an awesome desire to change, and he wants to become a, "Man of God," as he always says. Well...we were in the middle of a lesson, when their three year old son started to get a little restless. He said he needed to go pee pee. Well, mom pointed him to the bathroom, which was out of the house, and in another little building, and told him to go! Well, he walked to the front porch, dropped his pants, and did his deed right there. It was hilarious. The best part? As he walked back in, dad asked, "And the bathroom?" And the little three year old said, "What do I care?!" I juuuuust about died laughing.

 

Well...I continue to feel bad about the lack of spiritual experiences I share on here. I promise that I'm having them! Maybe someday I'll get good at writing these letters...

 

Love you all!!! Enjoy conference, and watch it all! Even if you can't on Saturday, WATCH IT ALL ONLINE!!!
Love,

Elder Hopper

September 24, 2013

Guess what we did this week?




Just guess....







WE BAPTIZED!!!







For the third week in a ROW!!!!

My favorite little kids ever. 

We're seriously being blessed here, and I love it. This is supposedly, according to the rest of the missionaries in the mission, the hardest district in the mission to baptize in...LIARS!!! So...we're pretty excited about that!

I have decided why my emails are gradually getting worse and worse...it's because life here is gradually getting more and more normally to me. The things that would have reeeeally weirded me out fifteen months ago are just normal day to day activities now! For example...this Sunday, we were walking down a little tiny narrow alleyway headed to church, when about ten goats round the corner, with a guy behind them with a whip, selling fresh goat milk. Do you want to know what my thoughts were? I had two. One was, "Man...that actually sounds kind of appealing. If I weren't a missionary, I'd totally buy some." And two was, "He really shouldn't be working on Sunday..." Not at any point during this thought process did I realize that HE WAS SELLING MILK DIRECTLY FROM A GOAT. It wasn't till about fifteen minutes later that I realized how incredibly odd the situation would have appeared to me before the mission. I wonder sometimes what will be weird to me about home when I get there...

 



Giant leaf that was always in my way. I killed it. Que descanse in paz.

So, I will tell you about some of the weird things that appeared weird, even to me!

This week we went to one of our Lamanite villages in our area called Santa Catarina. There they speak a language called Cakquichel...it's a really weird one. Maybe you can find some examples of it on YouTube...it's worth a shot. Well, we took an RM from our ward who also speaks the dialect to help us out...only like...50 percent speak Spanish there, and if they do, my Spanish is better than theirs...it's a rough stretch to be able to communicate. So, we started a lesson with a family that spoke NOTHING of Spanish...the dad understands, but can't speak it, and mom...well...I don't think she's ever left Santa Catarina, or Panajachel in her something like 70 years of life. So, we start trying to teach, but we're not getting anywhere...so we turn it over to Juanito, the RM that was with us. He goes off for about twenty minutes, and I'm just in the clouds...but in the end he told us that they want to go to church and be baptized! Wow! So, on Sunday morning we went and picked them up, it's about a twenty minute back of a pickup ride to get to Panajachel..and you have to understand, these people are poor as poor can be. Like...mud house, tin roof, one bed, nothing to cook on, one pair of clothes with no shoes kind of poor, so they told us that they were going to walk the two  miles or so to Pana to go to church...riiiiight. So, we went Sunday morning, and threw down the 6 quets that it takes to get back to Pana...all of about 75 cents. Somewhere along the ride, I realized that dad was a little bit buzzed...he wasn't acting like it, but he sure as heck smelled like it. So, we get to the church and they're already singing the opening hymn. We get them in there, and I'm right in front of them...I walk straight to their seats to sit them down so they can enjoy the service. I get to the seat, and turn around to look for them only to find them kneeling, in the door, with their arms stretched towards the heavens in adoration to God......................................It provided for an awkward moment. But we quickly got them up and seated in their seats. I sat next to them,. and throughout the meeting, I kept hearing muttered, "amen señor, amen." So..we're going to have to teach them a liiiiittle about the church culture, and how it is that we worship...not to mention the word of wisdom. It's going to be an interesting one.

 

Yesterday, we were in a super touristy part of our area, when this gringo, who was getting out of a taxi looked at me and yelled, (His words, not mine.) "HOLY CRAP ELDER!! YOU GUS ARE ALL OVER THE WORLD!!" I just laughed, and told him, "You can't escape us!" It gave me a little laugh.

 

I love you guys! Thanks for all the letters, even though I don't get any...it's just customary to thank, but thank you for the prayers. Those I'm positive I do get...I love you all, and have a wonderful week!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

September 17, 2013

Siiiiiigh...I'm bored.

 

With that out of the way, it was a pretty good week! We had a baptism! And my district is baptizing like CRAZY!!! The record for this district in one month is ten baptisms...we set it in June. I want to break it this month. We've already got eight, and two more weeks to go! We need to break it! 

 

So, this week was Guatemalan independence day. Holidays are a little bit better here than in the capitol where everyone is scared to leave their houses! All week long there were fireworks going off, and parties being had. It was fun trying to get around the parades and hordes of people. The best part, though, was the parade on Sunday RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH. Trying to get people to church was a mess. The attendance that is normally about 70 or 80 was 55...and 8 of those were investigators. One of the other branches in my district that is normally about 80 attending had all of 20. Only the powerful ones. But, the parade made life interesting! Kind of hard to hear the talks...

 

I did something this week that I had always avoided doing since I got here. I contacted a tourist. I was really quite nervous when I did it, too! I started it in spanish, but when they gave the blank stare at me, I knew it was time to employ the native language. They were from New York, and guess what? They didn't want anything. It wasn't a particularly hard reject, but it was funny because the excuses were EXACTLY the same as any Guatemalan! "I don't have time," and the ever famous, "I already have a church." It was a little different in the sense that he said in the end, "Look...I'm not interested." I don't hear that one very often from the native Chapines, so it made life at least a little bit interesting! But, it is SO HARD to contact in english! I kept wanting to slip into spanish! I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to give a talk in church...it's sincerely going to be incredibly difficult.

 

Well...outta time. Love you guys. I hope you all have a great week!
love,

Elder Hopper 2

 

P.S...only a few more weeks till I can take the coveted position of Elder Hopper number ONE!! HA!!!!

 

September 10, 2013

First and foremost...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Guess what happened this week?

Go ahead. Just guess.

 

Ok...I'll tell you.

WE BAPTIZED!! Two of them! I was so happy to be able to baptize this week. We baptized a guy named Lucio, who is COMPLETELY chosen. He speaks english, which will be a HUGE help to this branch, which is like...25-50% tourist every week, who don't speak spanish at all. I'm super excited about him. I love baptizing future leadership! Also, I have a goal to baptize with every companion in my mission, and I'm right on track for it! I haven't missed a one up until today! Win! It was pretty funny, as we were taking these pictures for the baptism, someone said, "Smile! With your teeth! And that little old grandma right in front said, "But I don't have teeth!!" It might have been one of those you had to be there moments, but it was hilarious to us.

 

So, as many of you may have heard, there was a minor earthquake here on Friday. As many of you may not know, I am TERRIFIED of earthquakes. Well...we were finishing up a lesson (I was on divisions in San Lucas Toliman with my dear friend Elder Watts), and a lady was praying, when I hear the classic bumping of things together that signifies an earthquake. You really hear it before you feel it. Well...we just kept praying, and I started a little prayer in my head, hoping that it would be just a little tremble, and that would be that...but it kept going, and getting stronger. The lady stopped, I said, "En el nombre de Cristo AMEN." and you have never seen anyone bolt out of a room faster than I got OUT of there. But, about fifteen seconds later, it just stopped. I hope I never live through the big one. I just don't like it.

 

Well....por fin some fun stories. Hopefully this has been a little bit more entertaining than my last few emails. Next week I should have changes and know if I'm out or not...Kiiiiind of doubt it. I'll probably stay around here. Only two changes in one area would be waaaay too little. But, I don't really care. I just want to do what the Lord commands! Ire y hare!!

Have a wonderful week, everyone! I love you all a ton!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

September 3, 2013

Hello dear family!

It has been a good week this week! We have some people who are reeeeeeeeally close to getting baptized, and we're super excited about them. There is a stigma in the mountains, and especially in Panajachel that it's super hard to baptize. I don't believe them. We're getting wet next week, I'm sure of it! I just love baptizing!

Well...yesterday we had plans to go climb a mountain, then come back to my house and eat pizza, and just chill out with a few other missionaries in my zone, but at about 10:28 on Sunday night (I was already asleep) they called me and said, "Sorry, Elder, but...you've got to be in the capitol tomorrow at 11:30 so your companion can sign his visa." So...instead of our epically fun P day, we exchanged it for a four hour bus ride to the capitol, then a four hour bus ride home! What fun! Also, this Friday, we'll be going to the capitol AGAIN for a meeting! Yaaaay!!!! This bus yesterday was INSANE, too. I honestly thought I was going to die several times. I was just sitting there reading my patriarchal blessing thinking about all of the things I have yet to do. The best part, however, were the two drunk guys that got on in Chimaltenango, about half way ish

. Every sharp corner we took, they ate it. It was hilarious. I felt bad for them, but it was hard to keep myself from laughing. The most amazing part was how they didn't spill a single DROP of the beer they had in their hands, though. I was quite amazed. Priorities, right?

 

I don't really know what else to say. My letters have been just getting worse and worse. Sorry about that. But...maybe something fun will happen next week, and I'll be able to tell you about it! I think I'm going on divisions for three days with a really good friend, Elder Watts to be able to go to that meeting the capitol, but we'll see what happens! That should be interesting!

 

Love you all! Have a wonderful week!!!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

August 27, 2013

Heeeeeello fam bam!

Well....it has been a good week! I don't really know what to write, though. Nothing of significance really happened! But...I'll try to muster up something interesting to talk about...

We were in one of our Lamanite towns teaching a lesson, when this super old, like...80 year old lady walked into the house. The guy didn't know who she was, but she was drunk as a skunk. It was...odd...she was muttering to herself in Kaqchiquel, their language around here. The guy we were teaching kept stopping the lesson to yell at her to get out...the Spirit just wasn't there. It's just one of those things that you won't really be able to ever forget. I'm having a lot of those lately.

After Sacrament meeting this week, my companion and I were up helping take down the sacrament bread. I was about ready to throw the left over bread in the trash, when the second counselor of the branch came up to me, looking really quite distressed, telling me to stop! I asked him why, and he explained to me how I can't throw that bread away! It is sacred! We had to eat it! I just sort of looked at him with a mouth agape sort of stare. But he snatched it from my hand, and started going to town on the bread. I didn't know what to say, but I wasn't about to tell the second counselor how wrong he was, so I just let him eat it. He looked content. Silly people. The scary part? This guy was the Branch President like...two years ago! 

Well...sorry for the boring week. We should be baptizing here pretty quick, which I am excited about. I've been able to baptize with every companion I've had thus far, and I have to keep that going! I want to be able to say that I baptized with ALL of my companions! 

Love you guys. I hope everyone has a great week!
With love,

Elder Hopper

August 20, 2013

HEEEEELLLOOOOOO FAMILY!!

Well...it's been a good week! We had a lady who wanted to get baptized who didn't get baptized, which was a bummer, but...she's totally going to this next week, which I'm really excited about! Then, the best part is that last week she brought her sister to church, and she LOVED what she saw! Double baptism? I think that yes.

So, last week we were headed to a little pueblo in my area. In order to get there, we need to take a pick up truck. Well, this one went rather full, so I was off the back, standing on the bumper. We were about ten minutes into the ride, when this little kid that was sitting right in front of me got sick. Just turned and puked aaaaaalll up and down my leg. It was the coolest thing ever. I felt bad for the little kid, though. And poor mom was trying to clean everything up, including taking some toilet paper to my leg...that was...awkward, but I appreciated the intent. But the worst part was the rest of the ride. Did you know that vomit is very slippery? Cuz it is! Then, on a metal bumper...I was holding on for dear life! But everything ended well, thankfully. 

We were knocking last week, and a Guatemalan legend finally came to pass, something that I had never seen before! We knocked a door, and it is very normal here for people to send their kids to answer to door when they don't want to, so this little two or three year old came out, and asked us what we wanted. We told her to go call mom. She went, and came back and said these words exactly, "My mom says that she's not here." I had always heard of little kids saying that, but I has never actually heard it myself. Dream come true.

So, these last few weeks we've been focusing a TON on the Book of Mormon. I just have to say...I LOVE THAT BOOK. We are using it a lot in our first lessons that we have, and it has completely changed the tone of our lessons! Something that one of our sisters said in a zone training recently (Hermana Brown shout out.) is that if we use the Bible too much, we are trying to CONVINCE the people, but if we use the BoM, we are truly trying to convert them. When she said that, the Spirit yelled at me a little bit. I hadn't been using the BoM almost at all! So...I've repented, and changed my ways, and it has COMPLETELY changed how I teach! So, I invite you all to have a better study of the Book of Mormon! If you don't study it, DO IT!!! It's a great book! 

Ok...outta time! Love you all a ton! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

August 13, 2013

HEEEELLOOOO!!!!!!

Or......¡¿¡¿¡¿QUUUUUUE OOOONDA?!?!?!

This week the sisters that I entered with went home. I'm not ok with it. We just got here. It's not alright that they are HOME now! The mission NEVER ends! But, with the change, it brought more...changes...that makes sense. I am now the proud daddy of Peruvian number two, and son number three. His name is Elder Pinedo. He's 20 years old, and is pretty stinkin pilas. He's a good missionary. He's just got that missionary sense...I'm not sure if that's a thing, but you get what I mean. He's a good worker, and doesn't complain about the heat, or the cold, or the blisters, or the rejects. It's a nice change from my last two! But...I didn't say that.

So, we were sitting in the change meeting, right up front where our zone sits. What normally happens is the new missionaries walk in with their suit coats on, and sit in the first few rows, cuz they don't have a zone to sit with. Everyone who is in this mission remembers that day, so we can all sympathize with them, but it's always fun to see their faces when they walk in. New, scared, nervous, they just have no idea what's about to come! And it's great! Well...they came in and sat down. I was three from the aisle, and I was just looking at them. About twenty minutes into the meeting, one of the new missionaries, a big tall kid with SUPER blonde hair, started to lose it. He started the bob maneuver. I nudged Hermana Brown who was next to me (Que descanse en paz) and we seriously almost died laughing during one of the testimonies of one of the missionaries who was going home. But the best part was this...in between one of his bobs and weaves, a biiiiiiiig old string of drool came roooolling out of his mouth. He tried to catch it, but he didn't make it in time. Drooled allllll over his nice new suit coat. Poor guy. I had to duck my head to keep from laughing out loud. You just read an entire paragraph about drool. You'll never have those 2 minutes back. Time to reevaluate your life.

So, my new kid is a good worker. We as trainers are trained to walk SUPER fast. Just to get the newbies tired. Well, he got tired of always walking behind me around...Saturday, so he tried a new tactic. He ran about 30 feet in front of me, then walked normally till I caught up to him, then walked until he was about 30 feet behind me, then made the 60 feet dash to get in front of me again. Every about 3 minutes we did one of the awesome leapfrog moves. It had me laughing in the streets all day long. I just love training. Another good thing. On Friday, we went to the capital for a new missionaries meeting. The cap is about a four hour bus ride from our area, so we left here at 5:00 to get there for the 10:00 meeting. Well, the ride there is WINDY. It is windy and windy can be. And by windy, I mean there are a lot of curves. Not windy as in there is a lot of wind. Perhaps windey would be a better way to spell it. Well, we got to Chimaltenango, the end of the WORST curves. I thought my companion had been asleep for most of the ride, but I looked over at him, content with the ride up to this point, and he holds up this bag to show me. It looked orange, and I thought it was orange juice. I was really confused for a second, and I mouthed to him, "Que es eso?" and he put his hand to his mouth and made a throwing up kind of motion. Turns out he had puked without anyone even noticing! I was so very proud of him.

On Thursday, to get him accustomed to missionary life, I took him to that little Lamanite pueblo that is on the side of a mountain. Well, we climbed up this part of it that is STRAIGHT UP for about fifteen minutes. By the end, both of us were dying, but it was good fun! At the top we have investigators that to this point I had never visited, well...we had visited the mom, but we always chatted outside. Well, today, dad was home, so we went on in! As I walked in, I became the broom for all of the cobwebs that hadn't been touched in YEARS, I'm sure. The problem is, everyone is SO SHORT!! They stand up straight, and the ceiling is still like...2 feet away, but I'm practically crawling on my hands and knees! The roof of this house literally came up to about three inches below my shoulders. It was terrible! Then, on the way out, I CRACKED my head on the ceiling trying to get out the door...it was just a mess. I'm glad our house here is big enough for a freak like me!

I read Alma 5 this week. Verse 28 really struck me. I realized how much pride is really a stumbling block. Like...it just impedes everything we do! I need to work on that. It just stops me from learning so many things, cuz I always think I'm right! And it's so not true!!! So...that's Elder Hopper's project for the next...80 years, I suppose. I hope I can figure it out before it's too late!

Well, it's been a long one today! I hope everyone is well! Hermanas, BE GOOD!!!
Love you guys!
Love,
Elder Hopper 2

August 6, 2013

HEEEELLO FAMILY!

Well, tomorrow are changes. I just can't BELIEVE how fast this change flew! It was honestly all sorts of insane! I feel like I just got here last week, but it's already been six weeks! But now I get my new companion, and my third child here on the mission! I'm really hoping I just get someone who is willing to work, and wants to! He doesn't have to know anything, I just want him to be WILLING to hit the pavement! But...I suppose we'll see what happens tomorrow! I'll let you know!

 
 

Well, this week we had a baptism! It was more or less a miracle one. The kid had been attending church for YEARS, but his mom had never given permission for him to be baptized, so we were praying for him, but...honestly, most hope had been lost. Well, his dad is a super inactive member. Well, last week, mom finally said, "Fine! Do what you want!" So...as far as we're concerned, that was consent! And dad was all on board with it! And seeing as he actually lives with his mom, and not his dad, we didn't technically need mom's permission, but we got it! Win! But...the baptismal service was a pain in the butt. We got to the chapel at about noon to fill up the baptismal font, because this particular font takes like...TWO HOURS to fill up. So, at the same time we just decided to drop all of the baptismal clothes off at the church. Well...the font got done, and we took off, the baptismal service wasn't going to start till 7 that night anyways. Well...we got there at 7, and someone who had done the cleaning that day thought they knew better than us, and rearranged all the seats again, took down everything we had done for the baptism, and worst of all, LOCKED THE CLOTHS IN THE KITCHEN!!! It's a door that is NEVER LOCKED. Also, it's a door that NOONE has the key for! It's the same lady who gets up and bears her testimony, but it's an incredibly accusing testimony pointed directly at someone who offended her in the past month...you know the type. Well...we couldn't call her to get the key, cuz the very next day was testimony meeting, and we didn't want to be the point of her wrath, so we called the Branch President, who lives in a part of town about 30 minutes away, in a place that there is NO transportation to after 6:00...it was a mess. So, we had to call one of the two members in the branch who had a car to be able to get the keys to get into the room that had my baptismal clothes. It was just a mess. But, we got the baptism started around 8:00, and it went really quite well when we finally got the darn thing started! But, the important part is that he got baptized. And we didn't get publicly chastised by the angry lady.

 

So, this week we went to a pueblo in our area called San Antonio Palopo. I've described it to you before, it's the one the we sit in the back of a pickup truck for 30 minutes to get to. The one that is a pure Lamanite village. Well, we went, and we always have a boat load of lessons when we go there, and that day was no exception. Well, we got in the pick up to head on back. About fifteen minutes into our journey, someone had to get off, so the pickup stopped, and came to the back to charge the 5 quetzales that it costs. Well...as he charged the guy, he leaned over me. How many of you have smelled the breath of a REEEEALLY drunk guy? Well, that's what I smelled at that moment. it was...disconcerting. Flying around Guatemalan cliffs in the back of a pickup truck with a drunk guy behind the wheel. We made it back alright, but I'm POSITIVE there were some angels involved in that one. Thankfully, where we stop there is always police hanging out there. I let them know what was going on. I doubt he made the return trip.

 Sorry to scare you, Marmy!

 

 

Well...that's all I've got this week! Should be a fun week with all sorts of new missionaries quirks to tell you about next week! Stay tuned for next week!

Love you all!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

July 30, 2013

FAMILIAS!!!

Meh. That's how this entire week was. Just another meh week. Nothing fun really happened. But...we are getting really close to quite a few baptisms!

The best news I have this week came to me this morning! I'M TRAINING THIS NEXT CHANGE!!! I. AM. SO. EXCITED. I was really worried that I would just be here for one change, and be out, but now I know for SURE that I'll be staying for at LEAST one change more! I'm SO STOKED!!! And, apparently, this is the first time (Perhaps ever) that someone has trained in Pana. It is just so far, and it is such a tourist town that it makes it almost impossible to train here. But...I'm doing it! I'm so excited about it!!!

So, honestly that was about the coolest thing that happened this week. Time is FLYING here. We have changes NEXT WEEK! I honestly can't believe it, I feel like I JUST got here! And six weeks have already almost passed!

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Sorry for the lame email...I will repent next week.

Love,
Elder Hopper 2

July 23 2013

What a stinkin week we have had. It has just been a crazy one.

Well...let's start off early in the week. We had zone conference in a town called Patzicia. Well, according to the zone leaders, in order to be there in time for the 9:00 conference, we had to leave at about 4:30 in the morning. Like...we had to be on the bus at that time. So, we had a sleepover with two elders from a neighboring area so that they could get there on time too! At 3:15, my alarm rung. It was...cool. So...we got all showered, and ready, and we were waiting for the bus at 4:30 EN PUNTO. Well, we passed by where we were going to pick the ZLs up, and they...weren't there. We had no idea where we were going, too. We were depending on them to be able to get there without any problem! And they weren't there! So...we told the bus driver that we needed to get out at the second Puma gas station in Patzicia. He said ok, that he would tell us when we got there. I didn't trust him very much, though. Well...about an hour later, we pulled on up to the Puma in Patzicia. Now...for those of you who are really good at math, you will note that we got there roughly at SIX IN THE MORNING. And for those of you who are familiar with the missionary daily lifestyle, I don't wake up till six thirty! So...we had to wait around outside, in the cold, for about an hour till someone came and opened the doors to the church, then another two hours inside the church doing NOTHING. We were trying to sleep, but none of that was going to happen. But, fortunately, it was TOTALLY worth it. The conference was AMAZING. It always is. Never really disappoints. That night, though...I was so unbelievably dead...we only had 2 lessons, and I think it's because God didn't want me to teach His Gospel in my annoyed, impatient state that I was in. And all this is the ZONE LEADERS fault! But I still love them. Anywho...on the way back we had quite a surprise as well. Now...up until this last weekend I had been halfway disappointed by the busses here in Guatemala. I just remember before the mission everyone telling me that the busses are INSANE. That I was DEFINITELY going to use one as a coffin. Well...they are pretty nuts, but in the capitol, it's pretty tame, Well...then I got on one on Thursday. This one was INSANE. It was FLYING through the mountains. The best part? There was a lady sitting in there with a basket full of chickens! It really just completed the whole scene. Well...we were flying around a particularly precarious turn (I was trying to sleep during all of this...but it was nearly impossile.) when all of a sudden I hear, "BOOOOOM" and the entire bus FILLS with smoke. I thought we were about to die. My eyes were closed, and I was in a half way relaxed state, but if it's possible to jump out of your skin, I did it in that moment. Well...turns out we lost one of the tires! I will be eternally grateful that these busses have four tires in the back, or we most definitely would have gone flying off that cliff. Well...they replaced the tire with an even balder one, and off we were! There were ten missionaries on the bus, so I'm POSITIVE there were angels around it protecting us. When i got off, I literally had the desire to kiss the ground. But I refrained. Didn't want to make myself look like MORE of an idiot. 

 

I got a letter from the Bangerters this week! It was so good to hear from you guys! I'm glad to hear that Alex is doing well, and I can't wait to see him when I get home! In fact...I was reading the letter right before the fateful bus explosion!

 

This morning I had the experience of a lifetime. We got on the bus, and one of the members of my district got up to contact it, like we always do. Well...he got into his contact, and this gringo who was sitting on the front seat stood up, and basically pushed Elder Mauricio out of the way. Theeeen he started in. He started by telling the bus that the mormons are liars. That we are an American church, and that we have a ton of wives. I kindly informed him that my companion is from Ecuador, and Elder Mauricio is from Peru...not to mention the fact that we are IN Guatemala. Well...he just kept going. It was making me...well...very mad. So, I stood up, and went to stand in front of him. I just looked at him, and said, in very polite english, "Sit down. Just sit down. You need to sit down. You're making a fool of yourself. Sit down" I tried very hard not to make myself look angry. I do have that angry look that is almost always plastered on my face, after all. Well...he kept going. I just stood in front of him so that the people couldn't hear, or see him. He kept telling me to sit down. He was going off on how we need many wives to be saved in the kingdom of heaven, how we believe that Christ had many wives, and how we are just here to take their money. It just made me sad. And angry. I just stood in front of him, too. I could tell he was getting WAY mad. He looked at me, and said, "Be a man. Sit down." When I didn't, he came sooooo close to punching me. Like...I saw his fist cock back. I was just PRAYING that he would. But no such luck. Finally, some lady in the back yelled at him, "Sit down! You're scaring the people!" It was awesome. Right when we were getting off, I looked at him in the face, and said, "I KNOW this is true. I have prayed, and received an answer, and YOU CANNOT DENY THAT. Stop trying to tear people's faith down. All we're doing is building it up. You're pathetic. You're pathetic. You're pathetic." I just looked at him and stared him down as I got off the bus. Then, after district meeting, I saw him again on the way to internet. I just stared at him. He didn't even meet my gaze. It's just amazing how people can be such blatant tools of Satan. If anyone on that bus would have accepted us, but didn't because of him, HE will be condemned for that. Just amazes me how hateful in their ignorance they can be. Rejecting us is one thing, but straight up opposing us in a bus full of people is another! I hope I run into him again.

 

Well...enough of the blind hatred! It's not hatred...I don't really know what should be the word, but...enough of whatever it is! Other than those people, the work here is great! We had 10 in church last week, and we're looking for two baptisms this weekend! I just love being a missionary! And I love collecting stories like this that I will share with my great great great garndchildren!

Love you all! Have a great week!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

July 16, 2013

Well...I'm awful lazy this week! It has been a good one, though!

So, in my district we have a senior couple. I have decided that I cannot WAIT to be a senior missionary with my wife! It's all the awesome parts about a mission without all the discipline and strictness! At least that's what I see...maybe I'm completely confused, but it just looks like SO. MUCH. FUN!!! AND you get to help in the work...I can't think of anything better! When I get married, I'm going to sit down with my wife, and we're going to set a goal for a date that we can go on our first of many missions. I'm sincerely excited about it. Only a few thirty years!

So, this week we went to that area that is a pure Lamanite village. Well...we were waiting for the pickup truck that was going to take us back to Pana, and the lady that told me that she wanted to buy my babies was sitting there, so we decided to go and talk to her! She is a delightful lady, after all. Well, like all Guatemalans, she was AMAZED by my arm hair. But, after touching it, and petting my arm a few times, her eyes got really big, and she got sincerely worried about something. Then she said, "Are you married!?" I told her no. She sighed a big sigh of relief. Then she realized that someday I might GET married, and started to lament for my poor wife. She said, "That hair is going to tickle her SO MUCH at night! She'll never be able to sleep!" Then she asked if I had chest hair. I informed her that I do! Then she just got DISTRAUGHT. I almost felt bad for the lady! She was so worried for my poor future wife, and the quality of her sleep! 

I had an awesome experience this week where we saw the family of one of my converts from Amatitlan. They were visiting Panajachel. They told me how much they still talk about Elder Hopper, and how very grateful they were for me, and all that I had done. They also told me that a few more members of their family had been baptized! And that the ones that I baptized are still faithfully attending! It was SUCH a good thing to see the I am actually making a difference here. That one ten minute conversation made all of these months COMPLETELY worth it! 

Ok! That's all, folks! I love being a missionary! Thanks for all of your support and prayers! Love you all a ton!
Love,

Elder Hopper 2

July 9, 2013

Well, dearest family, I have learned some VERY interesting things this week. First and foremost, if you have small children reading this, you may want to avert their eyes. Just for this first story. But it's hilarious. I just have to share it.

So...in this area there are a LOT of gringos who want to become, "One with nature" or something weird like that. They achieve this by not shaving, bathing, wearing deodorant, shoes, or any other sort of personal hygiene. NOT sure how that achieves such purpose, but let's let them have their fun, shall we? Well...this week we were contacting in front of the church waiting for the ZLs to get there, and the church is on a street NOTORIOUS for gringos. It's where all of the people who have the market are. Well...we were contacting, and one of our, "one with nature" friends comes riding up on his bike. He sees me, notices that I'm VERY white, and probably speak English. Well...unfortunately, his assessments were correct about me. He stopped his bike, called Joseph Smith a Jew, Emma Smith a whore, and told me several times that I wouldn't be able to see it. I was BORN into it! I was under it, but I needed to get on TOP of it. He seemed very distraught that I couldn't understand what it was that he was saying. Then he told me that he was running from the cops in Guatemala, because he sold a LOT of weed. He also informed me that weed in Guatemala is much more cheap than in the states, and much easier to sell. Well, that explained a loooooot of things.  It's just interesting the things you see on the mish. Sad the reputation these gringos here give to Americans. Not sure why the weirdest decide to come here...but I guess it's better that they're away from there!

Your children may now join us again.

 

So, this week I was trying to explain to my companion some grammar things in English. Take a deep breath, cuz this is going to blow your mind. Have you ever noticed the difference in the words close and close? Think this one through...The store is going to close, and They are getting pretty close. They're pronounced COMPLETELY differently! I don't know why it has to be so complicated like that! I just feel bad for people who are trying to learned English. Those two words are written the exact same, but they mean two different things, and are pronounced completely differently! Weird.

I made a deal with a Lamanite woman this week. Every time we go to this part of our area that is about 30 minutes away in the back of a truck, I see her selling traditional clothes. It's called, "corte" It's pretty cool, and she's a nice lady, so I talk to her. All she really wants is for the rich gringo to give her money, but the last time I talked to her, she came out with another desire. She wants my firstborn. Literally. She asked to buy my firstborn child. Why, you ask? Well...she loves my hair! She wants more of it so that she can sew with it! How weird is that?! I didn't promise her anything, but I think that she is expecting a red headed baby in the next few years to show up at her door....

Well that'll be all, folks. I hope I didn't offend anybody this week with my vulgar language, but it was just a story that had to be shared. I love you guys a ton, and I hope you all had a great fourth of July, without TOO many fingers taken off! Start the plans for next year...it's gonna be a good'n

.

Love you all!
Love,
Elder Hopper 2

July 2, 2012

What. A. Week.

Well...let me start off slow, and kind of sad. On Monday night, the day that I wrote the last time, we got the changes. I found out that I was leaving the area, which wasn't much of a surprise, cuz I already had a bunch of time in that area. But...on Tuesday we went and said goodbye to all of my converts, and friends in the area. I hate saying goodbye. It was especially sad when I said goodbye to the Monzon family. I just love those guys, and I really don't know what will happen to them, but they just kept telling me not to go, and tried to delay my leaving. I've never come closer to crying saying goodbye to a family than I did with them. Lots of prayers go to them.

So...anywho. On Wednesday we got to the change meeting. It was a tense one, too, cuz this was the change where the mission was being split. If you went to Mariscal, or Nimajuyu, you would be part of the South mission. No one really wanted to go, but thankfully I got saved from that fate. I was sent to one of the farthest out areas in the entire mission. It is one of the tourist capitols of Guatemala, Panajachel, Sololá!!! I was just RELIEVED to FINALLY be out of the capitol! This is the zone that I have wanted to go to since I found out I'd be coming to Guatemala like...4 years ago!!! It's an awesome area, though. Since it is so touristy, there are a TON of Gringos here! In fact, one of our next door neighbours is from Colorado! It was REALLY weird. The first day I got to the house (Which is AWESOME, by the way. It has a fireplace and a sauna...Not sure why missionaries need a sauna, but if we do...there it is!) I just heard a bunch of people speaking English! It kind of weirded me out! But...I have a feeling that I'll be speaking English a LOT this change. We'll see.

So, part of our area is called San Antonio Palopó. It is about half an hour away in the back of a pickup truck. It is a VERY weird place. Well...not so weird...but...well...let me explain. The large majority of the population speaks a native language known as Kaqchiquel (That is painfully written...sorry), Basically, it is an old Lamanite language. The large majority speak Spanish (if they speak it at all) as a second language. It was SUPER odd. We went there the first day, and we had a lesson with a family of 8 or so. Well...about half way into the lesson, a little inter family squabble came up. They just started yelling at each other in this language. Now, the weird thing is that they have a lot of words that don't exist in their language, so they just mix in Spanish words when they need to. So, I was just trying to follow this incredibly confusing conversation, understanding ever about...thirty words, not really being able to figure out what was going on. They're all just yelling about me, cuz I heard the word, "Pelirojo" mashed in there at some point...so...it was weird. Me, the gringo red head, my Ecuadorian companion, and 8 angry Lamanites yelling about the ginger kid in their room. Juuuust a crazy site. Sometimes I wish you guys could see what I see every day.

Anyways...the branch is awesome. Our Elder Quorum president is actually a gringo. He's here with his family, and they are from Utah. It's fun to have him here, but he doesn't speak Spanish much, so I play translator for him. But he's a great guy, and has a lot of desire to work here, so it's awesome. The branch has almost 300 members, but only about 80 show up for church. We're fighting to get the second building put on the chapel, so...that's what we want! I'm SUPER stoked to be here. I just LOVE little tiny branches! It's actually the first branch I've ever been in, but I LOVE it! The only problem is that on Sunday, the building is FILLED with mosquitos...gonna have to find a solution to that one.

Well...I'm happy here! I just LOVE being a missionary! We're going to work SUPER hard here, and have a TON of success!

Love you all!
Love,
Elder Hopper 2