Chapter 7: Adios Madrid and Hello...?

Chapter 7: Adios Madrid and Hello...?

Hola mi familia! I was so grateful that I was able to talk to you this morning! Apparently, it only worked for two other missionaries. I know you are all anxious to hear the news, but let´s start with last Saturday. It was my last time to go proselyting in the Parque Retirlo, and we were able to go with our regular companions. Yes, Hermana Benson and I are power companions. There is nothing more I can say.  The best experience of the day happened on the Metro ride to the park (no, my purse had nothing to do with it). Rewind to last week--Hermana Wirthlin and I had found this man who was semi interested, and we had both felt impressed to give him a Book of Mormon? Did we? No. We both got scared--fear is the enemy to missionary work. We kicked ourselves for the rest of the day. Fast forward to this week, and play. There we were, sitting on the Metro, and a man comes and sits by me. Yes, you guessed it. It was the same man that I had felt impressed to give the Book of Mormon to. You better believe I was not going to let that opportunity pass me up again. We actually stayed and talked to him 6 stops past the one we were supposed to get off and gave him the Book of Mormon. Always listen to spiritual promptings, but God knows we all make mistakes. So, he just had to put him back in my path once more. Our park experience was a little rough. There was a lot of Australians there (who´d guess?) and they are so anti religious! For instance, there we were talking to this older couple and we were just pulling out some small talk. Then, we started to introduce the gospel into our conversation, and they were slightly antagonistic. Did that stop us? No way. So we asked them if they believe that families could be Eternal, bore our testimonies, and what does that lady have the nerve to say? And quote, "We don`t believe in that garbage. After this life, you just slip into oblivion. Good day." Not only was that just sad, but really?? How could you want that, or believe that for your family? Well, like I said, God guides our steps; you just have to keep walking. So right around the corner is this shining family who was completely receptive to our very choppy Spanish version of our message. They even wrote down a time they wanted the missionaries to come and visit them. With these experiences, I can see why it is so important to have a firm testimony of the Gospel before you leave on your mission and not just expect to gain one once you get here. It´s hard to have someone tell you to your face that what you believe is nonsense, but at the same time, I have never seen the hand in the Lord so much in my life (and I haven´t even made it out into the field!) Funny little story from the park as well. We came across a cute little Korean woman who had a Book of Mormon from some different missionaries in the park. Well, we thought that since we sing hymns after we are done proselyting, that she might enjoy coming to hear us sing. We soon came to find that her Spanish was about as good as ours. No, actually it was worse, and it she kept on adding Korean words. haha Well, we invited her to come hear us sing, and she just starts frantically shaking her head and going "NO NO NO" and my companion and I just looked her and was like,"What did we say??" haha And seeing that I don´t have much Korean under my belt, we just left it at that... Well here is the funny part. Another companionship met us at the fountain where we sing about 3 minutes later asking which sisters asked a lady to come hear us sing. My companion and I just turned to each other and asked why. Turns out, the little Korean woman didn´t know what the conjugation of cantar that I had used meant, and from my actions thought I had asked her to sing to us. hahaha She was cute, but I don´t know how she´s going to learn very much from a Spanish Book of Mormon. The rest of the week was hectic getting packed, finishing classes, and saying goodbyes. It was really hard to say goodbye to my family at the CCM. Really Hard. I know I will have some lasting friendships though, and hopefully I will see them all the time around the Mission. The Zone leaders gave me and my companion priesthood blessings, and it brought me a lot of comfort. It makes me so grateful that wherever I am in the world, there are worthy priesthood holders. Now, the time you have all been waiting for...I have no idea where I am serving. Sorry. BUT I am in Barcelona right now!! First impressions? Way different than I thought. They have incredible buildings--much prettier than Madrid here and there. The rest of the building seem to be very Latin American influenced. So, not as European as I was expecting (the streets that I have seen that is). We took a bullet train here (that I barely made due to this morning´s phone call), and it was pretty exciting. Clumsy moment going up the escalators though. Hermana Benson was struggling with her third suitcase, and thinking that I am wonder woman decided to try and help her with them. So I took her third with me and my two other over-stuff suitcases. Well, as I took hers my big one fell over on my legs causing me to trip and drop the other two suitcases (just imagine me going up an escalators while trying to climb over my suitcases like a mountain climber with falling rocks impeding my climb). I was laughing so hard that I could barely make it up the escalators. Well, as I stumble at the top, I am met by none less than my new Mission Presidents, the Pace´s. So, I will not be surprised if I am put with a senior companion who is very athletic so I can practice my walking. It was very embarrassing, but you know how I am. I like to make a lasting first impression. We then got on a bus which took us to the top of a castle. Yes, a top of an ancient castle overlooking the Mediterranean and the City of Barcelona. Don’t worry, I have pictures. Then, we went to the mission home and had a wonderful lunch. Except any food right now is wonderful.  Ahh...it was so great to have a nice salad. Anyway, we had our interviews and then got put with temporary companions for the night. Did I mention they live about a block from the Sagrada Familia?? Yes, I stood next to that today as well. It is so incredible. So I get to stay there for the evening and then later, after emailing, we are going out to work. I have been here for less than 6 hours and I am going out to work. I hardly know any Spanish, and every one speaks Catalan. What am I doing. hahaha It´s a little, ok a lot, overwhelming, but I know with the Lord anything is possible. Also, tonight we are going to this thing in downtown called Singing with the Angels (ironic huh?) and it is where all the missionaries get together and sing hymns with the Missionaries that will be leaving tomorrow. It´s sweet. :) Then tomorrow after orientation we get put with our real companion and are assigned our areas. Am I freaking out a little? Yes. Am I praying a lot? Yes. I think that´s how it goes on the mission. I love you all and I am so excited to get out (even if it´s the scariest thing I have ever done!)

Os quiero!! 

Hermana Hopkins