Miracles

Here's this past weeks update from Hermana Hopkins!

This week has been another week of pure miracles. Jorge, our investigator in my last area in Austin, was baptized and confirmed this last weekend. I am sad that I missed it but Sis Alfaro will be sending me pictures that I will send to you when I receive them.

We received a referral from the Elders of a man named Joey. We went to his house and parked the car across the street. I saw a little boy in the yard of the house we parked in front of and he saw me. He looked at us confused, wondering who we were and why we had just parked in front of his house. We said our prayer that we always say before we leave the car and when we opened our eyes the boy had gone to get his mother. His mom was stainding on the porch looking at us, trying to figure out who we were. We got out and said hello and we joined her on her porch. She invited us to sit down and we taught her about the Restoration... We invited her to baptism and she accepted. Her name is Mercedes and she expressed to us that she has been asking God where He wants her to go and what He wants her to do. She said she knew that we were sent from Him.

The next day we returned to the house of a woman who we had met a few days earlier who had invited us in when we knocked on her door. Her name is Lety. We brought a member, Sis Olivares, and when we got there we found out that they actually work together. That was definitely not a coincidence. We taught Lety the Restoration and invited her and she too accepted to be baptized on September 7th. She said that when we walked up to her door the first day she knew that she had to let us in. She wants to share this with her family and she is so excited to have us back. She also had gone to the store and bought us each a small rose bush, she is so sweet.

That night we went over to Sarah's house again. We taught her and her sister, Bianca, and her mom, Sylvia, th message of the Restoration. We invited them to baptism as well. They accepted. All but Sylvia anyway, she believes firmly in the Virgin Mary. But she still likes to sit in on the lessons. Lest night we returned and taught Bianca and Sarah again, this time about the Plan of Salvation. They both said that they prayed about what we had said the time before and that they are still waiting to receive their answers, but that they really are praying about it. I love to hear when people are praying about what we have taught because it is a sign of true desire to know. Also it shows me that they have faith in their Heavenly Father and in prayer.

I know that this week will be filled with miracles as well. Our schedule is already full of lessons back to back for today, tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. We sometimes forget to add in time to eat! I love the Lord's work and I know I am privelegded to be here serving our Heavenly Father's children and learning so much.

Thank you for your prayers, I can feel the power and the Spirit that comes from so many praying for me. I know that this Church is true and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Repentance is real and it works. I know that our Savior lived, suffered, died, and lives again, all for US. I know that families can be together forever. I know that Thomas S Monson is the Prophet today and that the Priesthood really is God's power and authority and that we have it here on the earth today.

Stay true, stay faithful.

Love, 

Hermana Hopkins

August 8th 2013

Here's another update from Hermana Hopkins! Looks like she's included some pictures this time as well!

Have you been to the temple recently? You ought to go, I wish I could go so badly... It's so peaceful there.

I cut my bangs, but thats it. You should be very very happy with me because all this long hair in the hottest time of the year in southern Texas is like showering in your own sweat with a fur coat on haha. I have been having the greatest experiences :)

My companion is so wonderful. She is happy and honest and kind. She is a great example to me.

This area has been rough to be honest. The missionaries before me were not exactly obedient and it has been awkward to tell members that we can't do things that they used to do... Like giving members rides even if they can drive, chatting instead of teaching while at the homes of others, or teaching people outside our assigned area. The Lord has organized his work in his way for his purposes. These things have been outlined by the Mission President as well but the missionaries before me had their own way of doing things. A couple members have gotten annoyed with how we are trying to follow the rules and how I am not like the really cool and fun missionary that they had before me. But I keep holding on to what I have learned over and over during these 6 months of my mission. Obedience brings blessings, but EXACT obedience brings MIRACLES. This area needs MIRACLES. All the doors have been knocked before. Everyone seems to have heard already and doesn't want to hear it again. I would say "That's fine, we will just work with less actives and strengthen the branches here," but there is a set of missionaries here that is specifically over all the less actives. Our job is to find, teach, and baptize. So, with that, we have to find people. That isn't going to come through blessings alone, these people need miracles. These two small branches need miracles. And the way I see it is if I will be liked less or not thought of as "the cool missionary" then so be it. I have been learning a lot about Christ lately. I started "Jesus the Christ" this morning and have committed to read that in any small amount of spare time that I may have as I still will be focusing on the Scriptures and Preach my Gospel. But I want to get to know my Savior better.

We taught a woman named Gabby but she feels like all we talk about is Joseph Smith. I looked down at the table while she said that to us the other day and looked at the puzzle that we had brought... it was compiled of only pictures of the Savior. I couldn't understand how she could think that we were focusing on Joseph Smith when all the pictures right there in front of her were of Christ. It was rather bothersome for me and that is what made me want to study more about the Savior. How would the Savior teach Gabby? How would the Savior treat her? What would he say to her to help her believe and have her faith grow?

I often think about what I can do better to be a better missionary or what the Lord expects of me in this new area. I am sure I will continue to learn and grow. I never stop learning. 

I love you all. More than you know.

Hermana Hopkins

July 29th 2013

Here's this past weeks letter. I just got it so sorry for the late post >.< Make sure to write Ally at her new address!

I am here on the border now! I got into the car and left from Austin to go to San Antonio on Wednesday for a training meeting, since I am training a new missionary, and I was in the training meeting for literally 5 minutes when the Elders from the Border came in saying it was time to go! The mission President said to me, "Well, good luck Sister! The Lord has a lot of trust in you, and so do I." I then got in the van with the rest of the missionaries (about 9 total from the entire San Antonio Mission) to head down a few hours to do the border. In the van they let us know where we were going and who our companions would be. My companion is Sister Salisbury from a little town called Fishers, Indiana. I am in Eagle Pass, Texas! Mexico is literally only 2 short miles from our apartment. We drove to one of our less active member's houses and on the way we drove past a street where you simply looked down and saw center of the Mexican city called Piedras Niegras. How cool is that!

For any letters, our address is...

2295 Veterans Blvd #9

Eagle Pass, TX 78852

This area is an English/Spanish area so instead of only teaching Spanish speakers like in my last area, we get to teach both. It was rather strange to be in Sacrament in English yesterday because I haven't been to English sacrament in almost 5 months! We cover two branches, the English and the Spanish branch, and they are both pretty small. There was about 7 sisters in Relief Society in the English branch yesterday... There area lot of members but most are inactive or less active. It makes me really sad to hear why people don't come to church or have fallen away. I know that we have to stay faithful and endure to the end. Not only have faith but have hope. Without hope there is only despair.

Yesterday we got out of our car to visit a less active member and her neighbor was outside. My companion approached her and asked if we could talk to her for a moment. To my great surprise the woman said "Sure" and invited us into her home. We sat down and got to know her and her grand kids a little bit. Her daughter came out and sat down as well... I was surprised because usually people don't let us talk to them, let alone invite us inside, and they especially don't all gather around to listen. I was in awe as we spoke with them and let the Spirit guide this time that we had with them. The daughter, Sarah, is a heroin addict. She and her two daughters live with her mother and are Catholic. We are going back tonight to teach them about the Restoration. This first lesson with them was completely guided by the Spirit and I know that they felt it. I love seeing the Spirit work in others and touch their hearts, testifying that we are sent from God to help and serve them.

I love you all.