The Pass of Eagles... Still here in Eagle Pass!

Here's this past weeks update from Hermana Hopkins!!

So transfer calls were yesterday and I'll be staying in Eagle Pass for another six weeks at least! Sister Salisbury is heading out though! I am going to be a junior companion and my new companion will be a Sister Training Leader again! Sis Alfaro was a Sister Training Leader too. I am excited to be a junior companion haha, Sis Salisbury questions me a lot and I don't like feeling like I have to stand up for my ideas all the time so it will be nice to just be able to support a senior companions ideas and learn from her. I'll find out who she is when she gets here on Wednesday! I thought I would like being a senior companion better but it is a lot of pressure, the newer missionary is watching everything that you do... I think its a psychological thing... By the way, I don't think I'll be continuing that as my major when I return. I don't know what I will do, but I don't think I want to do that anymore haha. 

So I still speak Spanish everyday, so fun! There are so many different accents though, a woman spoke in church yesterday and I couldn't understand a word she said... but then her husband spoke after her and I understood perfectly. The different states in Mexico have different cultures and accents so your ear just has to get used to the different accents in order to understand haha.

None of our investigators came to church this week. Or conference last week. Or the baptism that was on Saturday. I am learning that the numbers don't alwas mean that I am an unsucessful missionary but it still feels like it sometimes. We are trying to work more with members but since the two branches are so small and there are 4 sets of missionaries that cover the two branches it can be pretty rough. There are only two active families from the Spanish branch in our area (one being the branch president) and about 4 or 5 in the English branch (one being the other branch president). We are working hard though.

Well, It's time to go again, but here is a picture or two for you all to enjoy! I hope all is well back at home. I would love to receive any and all of your conversion stories and how you came to know that the church was true. Also I would love to know who would like me to write them a letter! I am behind but I am catching up! So if you haven't gotten a letter from me you should be receiving one soon, if not, let me know and I will write you one as soon as I can!

I love you all!

Hermana Hopkins

Busy Times

So I'm a bit behind with Hermana Hopkins's Emails. This is last weeks letter

 A family was baptized yesterday that the Elders have been teaching and it was so awesome. I got to help them go down into the font and watch the baptism from there since there was a mom and a daughter. It was so special.

With Conference coming up we have been starting a lot of conversations with how we have a living Prophet. Yesterday a man opened the door, looked at us as though we were the strangest creatures, and then when we mentioned a living prophet he said he didn't believe that it was possible and closed the door. As we walked away I was reminded of how grateful I am for the knowledge that we have that our Heavenly Father STILL loves us, just like in ancient times, and that He STILL reveals His secrets to His servants. I am grateful for a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I am so excited to hear him and the twelve apostles speak this weekend! I encourage all of you to take good notes and write down a question before hand that you have for our Father in Heaven. I know that He will answer you.

Thank you for your prayers. I have been very healthy all week :) Although my clothes seem to be shrinking... ;) I just hold on to the hope that when my mission is finished that this extra weight will be lost again haha.

I received all your wonderful letters :D I will be doing my best to write you back today. Being a missionary is a miraculous thing. My body somehow has the energy to be very busy all day without falling over but when it comes to 10:30 I'm out like a light. I get 8 hours of sleep every night. I know just from that proof alone that anything is possible when we give our all to God.

Sylvia and Bianca came to church yesterday!! Wow, I was so happy... Sylvia said a week ago that she wanted to come to our church and bring her granddaughters (Kayli and Chloe) but that she doesn't want us to baptize her. Haha I just kind of laughed and told her she is always welcome. We taught Sylvia and Bianca about following the prophet on Saturday after a month of not being able to teach them (Sarah got kicked out for drinking again and wrecking Sylvia's car, and Bianca had moved to Udessa (wherever that is)). They committed to come to church and actually followed through this time! We have another lesson with them tonight and I am excited.

I hope you all know that I am grateful for you. When I feel like giving up I think first of what God might think of me and then of all that you have done to help me be here. I not only don't want to disappoint my Father in Heaven but also I don't want to waste your hard work and support. Thank you for all that you do.

Hermana Hopkins