Chapter 31: 7:35 p.m.

For the record, I had a big long email all typed out, ready to send, when my computer crashed! I was so sad!  I am now short on time, so this might end up being a little shorter than originally planned.  This week was a little all-over the place, quite literally. My companion had to go to Barcelona for a couple of days to get her residency card, and I had to go to Valencia to be with another Hermana. (Our companions went to Barcelona together.) So my companion and I were sent to Valencia to meet up with the other Hermanas and we arrived at 6:40 at the train station. Their train to Barcelona was supposed to leave at 7:35. So, we had plenty of time to just wait and relax in the train stations. However, knowing me, I can´t just have a simple travel time. Right? So we were supposed to meet up with the other missionaries at 7:00 to do the trade. However, 7:00 came and went and there were no signs of the other Hermanas. I thought this was really weird, but President has been really particular about not missing trains, so I decided to just get my companion checked in and just wait there by myself until the other Hermanas got there. However, the lady checking us in just looked at me with a pained expression on her face and said, “Sorry mam, this train ticket was made for the train station across town, and it would take a miracle for you to get there in time.” Not on my watch, I thought.  I just turned to my companion and only had time to half-murmur, “run”. And we took off sprinting and I had no idea where to go! Haha! I called the Hermanas and sure enough, they had accidentally sent us to the wrong train station, and we had 20 minutes to make a 40 minute trip. They all told me to just turn back and call the office, but there was no way! I asked them to give me the directions for the quickest way there which was through the metro. So there was my companion and I, sprinting through the metro station and literally diving through the metro doors. By this time it was 7:21 and we were still 20 minutes out from what everyone was telling me. Oh ye of little faith! We got out of the metro and just sprinted through town and ran into the train station at 7:33 and got her on the train at 7:34. Thank you, thank you, it truly was a miracle.  We got transfer calls this week and we’re both staying in Castellon, which wasn’t a big surprise since I am still training her. However, a couple of our Elders were leaving, so we had a farewell party for them with the JAS. One of the Elders loves to play ping pong, and he has been undefeated for his whole time here, until I came along. Being a missionary, I am afraid has definitely not taken away my extremely competitive nature, and of course, I can’t let a challenge like that just fall away! Thus commenced our ping pong tournament. I am very proud to say that out of 8 games, I won 8. haha I am just here as a humble servant of the Lord, and I am helping others be the same. Haha :) Although we had some missionary activities this week, we were working hard as well. We are always looking out for the little miracles here. Our progressing, Brazilian investigator, Aglaece is supposed to be baptized this week. However, we found out about some word of wisdom problems that we have been trying to work through. She loves the church but she has a hard time giving up her coffee! We asked her in church how it was going, and bless her heart, she told me, “Well, I have given up hot chocolate and coke, but the coffee is a little harder.” She told me that those are addicting substances as well. Oh well. I guess it´s the principle of it. So pray for her that she will be able to resist coffee. Hussan, our Muslim investigator came home for the weekend (a HUGE miracle) and called us to see if we could run him by the Book of Mormon so he could study it! So, we might only be able to meet with him every other week, but I was content that he at least has the Book of Mormon. I love it so much! It has the power to convert far more than anything I could say. So as long as he is studying it, I know he will receive an answer. Then, I was praying for one more miracle this week for my companion. I am used to disappointment on the mission, but last week really had an affect on her. So, Sunday after church the bishop pulled us into his office and said, “My Hermana Princesses (he is so great haha!) We had a member call us that lives two hours away, but she is still in our ward boundaries, and she said she felt inspired for you two to teach her daughter who is 9 years old and baptize her this week! So now we are planning a baptism for a sweet 9 year old. (After you are 9, it is a missionary baptism)! It was such a tender mercy! So we are going to meet with her over the phone and plan it for this Saturday! It´s a little rushed, but I will take it. We also had a sweet experience the other night. We lost all of our appointments (I am a little used to it by now), and so we felt impressed to pass by a member. We passed by and we started talking about his family. He told us he has been praying for us particularly to drop by because he has 4 daughters and all of them are less active and two of them are married to non-members who are interested in the church! We told him we would be delighted to work with his daughters. He told us when he went on a mission he made a covenant with God that if he served with all his heart, that he would bless his family his whole life. His family was baptized while he was serving, and he says he knows that the Lord will keep his promise by sending us to him that night! It was so great to see how just a thought to pass by a member can be an answer to prayers. I also pray that as I am working that the Lord will bless my future family to stay close to this faith that is the most important thing in my life. I love the church because it truly is the only true church of God on the earth today. Thank you so much for your prayers, I love you all! Besos y Abrazos!!
Les Quiero,
Hermana Hopkins