Chapter
43: Los Tres Reyes (The Three Kings)
Happy
New Year!! I can´t believe we are already in 2014. I thoroughly enjoyed my
twelve grapes with a side of “champin”, and we spent it with all the
missionaries with a cute Peruvian family here. They made us rabbit (sorry Lex),
potatoes, and they said they looked it up and in America we eat homemade pizza
for New Years. So Homemade pizza it was. I was expecting a huge bash or
crashing for the New Years, but it was a very quiet celebration here in
Castellon. A few fireworks, we could hear the bell tower do the count
down, and a few shouts was about the extent of their celebration. The work....was a little slower on New Years,
but I guess that´s to be expected when everyone is sleeping the next day. Even
the members had a party in the church that went until six in the morning. So, we visited a couple members that were
awake, and then had a family home evening with some of the youth in the ward at
the church that night. I was just ready to get back to work though! We found
this wonderful Peruvian family that are just so incredible! The only thing is
they live about a half hour out of Castellón. However, we had our cita with
them, and it was the cutest thing. They were talking about how they are really
interested in our doctrine of eternal families. The husband was just like, “I
have always hated how the marriage vows always end with death; I want my family
to be eternal. If we believe in life after death, why would I want to be
separated from my loved ones?” Exactly my friend, that´s what we are here for,
I thought. Well, we were talking to him
briefly about some of the doctrines when I look over at their nine year old
son. Get this: he had a highlighter going through the Book of Mormon asking our
Mission Leader (who took us out there) for scriptures that he liked. Yes, I
think we found a future missionary. I am
really excited to keep working with them. They are really special. They wanted
to come to church, but the dad and the baby got really sick. The devil is
sneaky one.... grr.... But, speaking of eternal families, we had an incredible
cita with Cathy and Tony. They are seriously the best. They are more active
than half the ward. They are at all the activities and ready to help with anything.
We stopped the day after New Years to see how they were doing, and they said
that they had been talking with the Bishop about some things, and in particular
about the temple. I thought this was a little premature since we have only been
teaching them for about a month, but they are so incredible, I guess they can
handle it. Anyway, they looked at us and they said, “It would really mean a lot
to us if you could be in our sealing.”
What? Did
I hear that right??Yes, yes I did. I was completely shocked. In fact, I
couldn´t respond. I just stared at them for about 10 seconds probably with a
look like I had just won a million dollars (except it´s way better). I
responded, a little choked up, that I would do everything in my power to be
there. The only problem is we are still waiting on the papers here before Cathy
can go to Romania and finish her papers there, then she has to bring them back,
and then they have to submit everything here to the Spanish Government which
can take up to 2-4 months before you can get married. I´ve never been a fan of
the drive through weddings in Vegas, but all of a sudden, they are looking
quite ingenious... haha Anyway, I will be opening my Send-Hermana-Hopkins-Back-To-Spain-2015
fund reserve promptly. Just kidding, but
I am quite determined to do everything I can to at least get them to this first
wedding. They are my only investigators that I can count on being at church
every week.... As to Miguel, we still can never meet with him! He has proven to
be slippier than grabbing a bar of soap with wet hands. We found out though
from one of his friends in the church that he has a really bad drinking problem
that he is trying to get over, which would definitely explain the strange
behavior. I have seen crazier miracles though. We are working with a few
families in our area, and the work is really growing. I feel like with all the
Peruvians we´ve been finding that we might have to open a Peruvian branch. J
Saturday was
the day we receive transfer calls. It´s probably the one thing that I simply
will not miss on the mission. I am a nervous wreck all day. You just think
about if you are going to stay, are you going to go, where you could possibly go,
the goodbyes you may be saying. Ok, maybe I am just a worrier, but I can´t
stand it! So that night I practically jumped on the phone when the district
leader called. He knew I was nervous, so he made it as painful as possible...
“Hermana
Portas. You are staying in Castellón. Hermana Hopkins. Sorry, but you aren´t so
lucky...”My heart stopped. “Just kidding, you´re staying too.” So,
I will officially be spending a third of my mission in Castellón, and I
dont´mind one bit!
Yesterday
was the Three Kings Day which is the biggest holiday here in Spain. It´s the
sixth of January, but the fifth is when the three kings come (really, there are
three kings and they come in the train station) and everyone goes crazy! They
have a big parade and everything to greet them in. Then the morning of the
sixth the kids open their presents (like Christmas) and the kings go around in
cars led by police officers throwing candies in the streets and they have a big
lunch and dinner. It was really fun because we got to spend the big dinner with
one of the Spaniard families in the ward and celebrate it authentically with
all the missionaries. It was so fun. I thought I was going to have to roll home
because they fed us so much, but it was so worth it. It was definitely a
holiday season that I won´t forget! I love you all so much, and I am so
grateful for the blessings I receive from your prayers.
Les
Quiero!
Hermana
Hopkins
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