September 23rd 2013

Here's this past weeks update from Hermana Hopkins! Don't forget to write or email her.

Mom/Family,

Oh how I love you. Oh how I love this work!

Sometimes I get grumpy and I am a sour puss to my companion. That is no fun. Today I woke up and decided to be happy! It is a decision! I didn't come to this world to sulk and to drag my feet. I didn't come to the mission to pout and to be discouraged by all those who don't keep their commitments or don't even answer the door. Today I am happy! I am full of energy and ready to go! I have strength in my arms and legs, my mind and my spirit, and I truly know that if God commanded me to do all things, I could do them!

This week we haven't taught quite as much as normal weeks. The mission has been trying to focus our efforts are finding through members... When I think about doing that I start to get discouraged... But it is possible! My companion used to say "That is hard," or "This is so hard," all the time. I got so tired of it one day that I told her to try saying "It's possible!" instead. I have found myself saying "It's possible!" a lot haha.

We found Diana last week and taught her... but we haven't been able to find her since. We went back to her house probably 4 times now but she is never there. Her mother in law, Mercedes, was there and we talked to her about her family here in eagle pass. She told us about her grandson and granddaughter that lived close so we decided to go visit them. We went to her granddaughters address and it was actually the same as someone that we had a miracle first lesson with about a month ago! The thing with her is that we were never able to find her again either... But she was there! Everyone is related to everyone in the Mexican culture. Your grandma and your aunt and your brother and your niece all live on the same street and the rest of your family lives in Mexico. That's just how it is! They love family, its the most important thing to a lot of these people. The family really is SO important. That is our base and our starting point on the board! We should be able to find peace and refuge at home, love and understanding, support and laughs, all underneath our own roof. Serving in Spanish areas has been one of the biggest blessings that our Heavenly Father has given me. I have been able to see the example of family unity so much. When a family is built on the Gospel of Jesus Christ the success and well-being is so much greater. I studied about the Abrahamic Covenant this week, we have a big responsibility to love and nurture our family members and then to share the Gospel truths with everyone else! This morning I studied about what a covenant is. It is an agreement, God makes the terms of that agreement and we choose to either accept or reject it. God will always keep His promises and is perfectly consistant. He is also perfectly patient. The blessings promised to us when we keep our end of the bargain are infintly greater than whatever we promised to do ourselves.

I am grateful that I worship my God and my Father. I am grateful that I know that he is real and he is a man of flesh and bone. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.

Why would I not want to share all of that and all the blessings I enjoy with every single other person on this planet???

Share your testimonies, invite someone you know and love to be able to enjoy that same blessings that you do.

I love you. Keep going and never never never never never leave the church!

Hermana Hopkins