Ch. 62: The name's Hopkins, Hermana Hopkins

Chapter 62: The name´s Hopkins, Hermana Hopkins

I often feel like a secret agent or detective. I have my list of people that I am given by the bishop, and I am supposed to go see if they are still alive. Ok, that´s not my only objective.

You see, the ward lists here in Spain seem as if they haven´t been updated since the first missionaries came into Spain. (That´s not even being sarcastic) So lately, the missionaries have been given the task to hunt down the people that nobody knows who they are on the ward list. We have done a pretty good job at cleaning out the list, until we got down to a few pesky names that we could not confirm if they still lived where it said they lived. We passed by, and no one was home. We passed by their neighbors, and they didn´t know the name of the people who lived next to them. Wow, friendly neighbors. Haha My entire time here in Vilafranca we have been working on this little list of people and slowly but surely we have been eliminating, until the final name.

Antonio. 

We passed by and passed by and nothing!! Finally, on Friday night our last cita cancelled on us. It 9:30, and we only had a half an hour until we had to get back to piso. I had this feeling come over me that we should go back and try knocking on the door (that we had already knocked on earlier in the day). I went back and forth questioning if it was really a prompting, or if it was me just trying to come up with something to do for the last 20 minutes of the day. We decided to go. We rang the bell....and waited....and waited....and I was just opening my mouth to say, “It´s time to go,” When a voice came over the speaker, “Hola?” I jumped straight up and told him we were looking for Antonio. He said that it was him, and he let us in. We couldn´t stay long since we had to go home, but we asked if we could come back the next day. He said yes!! Right before he left he asked me for my name, “Hooopkeenz.....Jopkinss.....”

I quickly replied, “Hopkins, Hermana Hopkins.”

I really felt like I need the 007 theme song in the background in this moment. We had successfully found our missing man! When we came back the next day, I saw hope in reviving this fallen soldier (sorry I really am into this secret agent thing). He told us that he still reads the Book of Mormon when he can, he just stopped going to church about 4 years after getting baptized because of work, and now that he doesn´t have any work, he just feels like it´s been so long since he has been “practicing religion” that he doesn´t know if he can go back. Well, that´s where we step in! I am really excited to see how it goes with him. I think we can help him get back on the path.

We also met with Bryan´s brother, Eric this week. His is a very interesting case...he too investigated the church about 3 years ago, and he was almost baptized with his friend who actually was baptized (who is now the ward missionary). When his friend who was recently baptized left for Perú, he randomly went and got baptized in the Pentecostal church. It didn´t make any sense. Anyway, so we retaught him the Restoration, and he said that he never realized before that our church had the same organization that the church Christ established had. (Way to go past missionaries....just kidding...sort of …) And that he said he would pray about it, and he would tell us this week what his answer is. I see a lot of potential in him as well!! Of course, we had a cita with Marlon this week, and he just tries to complicate everything! Haha Every little thing he tries to come up with some philosophical explanation! He said that every night he gets on his knees and he really feels like he is going to receive an answer to prayer, but as he begins to open his mouth to pray, his mind just keeps telling him all the feelings he could feel based on chemical reactions in his brain, and he stops praying. AHHH!! I don´t really know how to get through to him. We have really spiritual lessons with him every time, but he just refuses to accept it. It could just be that it´s not his time...but I have a really hard time accepting that as a missionary. I think I have had a hard time with that my whole mission! However, even though I am Hopkins, Hermana Hopkins; I know that God´s timing is a whole lot better than my timing. I have had that witnessed to me over and over and over again. I know that this is His work. I think about Albertha, our cute little Africana who the missionaries first found over 8 years ago, and she was prepared right when I got here to Vilafranca. She told us a cute experience this week she said, “Hermanas, the other night I woke up really sick. And I mean really sick. I didn´t want to feel like this while being pregnant, because being pregnant is hard enough. I woke up and I said, `God. I need you to heal me. I am going to go back to bed, and you can heal me during the night, ok??' When I woke up the next day, I felt fine. God healed me! God is wonderful, isn´t he. Yes, God is wonderful.” It just put a smile on my face and she said, “No, it´s true! He is just wonderful. Sometimes, when I sit down to pray, I pat the couch next to me and I say, 'God you can come sit down. I need to talk. It´s going to be a long talk.' Then, I tell him all of my problems, all of my worries, and we go through them together, and he helps it all work out. Yes, God is wonderful.” It just was such a faith booster to me that when we have faith in God, He really does step in, and He loves us so much! God truly is wonderful.

Hermana Hopkins, over and out.

Les quiero!

Hermana Hopkins  

Ch. 61: "God, are you there?"

Chapter 61: "God, are you there?"

 “God, if you´re there....please let me know.”
Silence.
More awkward silence.
Nothing...
All of us were anxiously waiting for what would surely be the world´s biggest answer to prayer. Not once, not twice, but three times I heard this exact phrase with three different investigators. And not three times, not twice, not even once was the sweet spirit that was felt after the prayer sufficient for the person offering it. We have got a lot of work on our hands. I feel like I had the exact same lesson with our three boys that are questioning their faith in God. Marlon, Josep, and Bryan all had such powerful lessons, and are all seeking an answer, and none seem to be getting it. However, I know at the same time that they aren´t doing all they could to get their answers. It´s so frustrating! We were in our cita with Marlon, and he said, “If everyone is telling you about 'feeling' something like the Holy Ghost, I feel like psychologically, you would eventually make yourself believe you are feeling something. For example, if there is a cup on a table, but I paid everyone that passed by and said there was no cup on the table 100 dollars, eventually people would question if there was really a cup on the table.”
I just kind of looked at him, and thought, “Really, are you serious?” but I replied, “But if there was three witnesses that there is a cup at the table that don´t fail, it makes it more credible, no? That´s the role of the scriptures. Have you been reading the Book of Mormon?” He sheepishly looked up and said, “Um....a few verses....when I have time.” If you don´t read the Book of Mormon, then how are you supposed to know it is all true??
The lesson with Josep turned into a showdown at his dining room table. “Josep, how are you supposed to know if God exists if you don´t pray and ask him if he is there?”
“God doesn´t listen to me. He doesn´t want to listen to me. And you know what, if God does exist, why do people pass through such hard times. Just so they can grow and learn' examples just doesn´t cut it for me.” When we finally got down to his real concerns, he jumped up from the table and went and got us a five course meal to keep us quiet.....Not that I don´t love food, but it could have waited!
The last example was with Bryan. We had a super powerful lesson with him about prayer and the Book of Mormon in receiving our answers. He just kept saying, “I get it. I finally get it now.” we were just like, “That´s great! So will you come to church tomorrow?” “No I can´t, I am going to be tired.”
What. Are you serious.
With all three of these situations, they are all expecting God to show Himself to them, but they aren´t willing to come to Him. I suppose with time...
At least to brighten our week we had a really powerful lesson with actually, an active family in the ward. We have been advised to go teach the Restoration to active families, and it was a really sweet experience. It was one of the most powerful lessons that we had done of the Restoration in a long time. We found out afterwards, that the 16 year old son was praying the night before about exactly what we talked about. Although he was already a member, our purpose as missionaries is to invite all to come unto Christ—not just people who are unfamiliar with the church. It was a beautiful sight to see the Dad wipe the tears from his eyes as he testified of Christ and Joseph Smith to his son. It really strengthened my testimony that all the doctrines of the church help strengthen the family. We also were able to go do a big service project on the mountainside next to our little town here. We went and picked up glass for three hours as we talked with the ward members, and afterwards had a big paella. I am going to miss the paella here. Haha I really just got a big love for the ward here, these members are great, and I am so blessed to be here. We contacted some potential investigators this week, and we are excited to meet with them. I have been feeling a little, maybe forsaken here for a while. I could feel a little bit of empathy for the investigators that were crying out for God, and not receiving answers. So, I looked over what I needed to do and decided I just needed to be myself more! God wants me to be me, and that´s why I am here. The morning I decided that, we contacted this man that is a writer and musician. God answers prayers. His name is Juan and he even said that he would hook me up with his publisher in Barcelona if I wanted. I don´t think he understands that I don´t have a lot of free time on my hand to write novels on the mission. Hahaha But, he has a lot of potential, and I am excited to meet with him. I know that God really does answer prayers, but sometimes, we put our own pavilion over our heads!
Les Quiero!
Hermana Hopkins  

Chapter 60: Fishing for Fishermen

Chapter 60: Fishing for Fishermen

This week proved to be a little bit of a testing week. I think the Lord wanted my companion and I to be tried together as well since He kept us together for another transfer. Yes, we are going on our third transfer together. I rarely hear about that, but it will be nice not having to adjust to any changes. My companion was sick again this week, so a couple of days were spent in piso.... This week on Wednesday we had our Sister Training Leader come, so of course we filled our day with our citas that never cancel. We started off in the morning, and our first cita that we had called us-out of breath and got out, “Hermanas, I had to get out of the country.” WHAT?? “ Yes, my father is sick, and I had to leave asap.” Phew....ok. I thought we had like a convict on our hands....haha but the rest of the day kind of followed suit. All of our invincible citas were cancelled left and right. Of course it would be like that when we have someone there that is practically grading us.  Luckily we had some plan Ds that we were able to go visit. (A, B, and C cancelled.) But overall, it was an ok day. Actually, something really great did happen this week. Often, I have felt in my mission that some of my biggest miracles have come through my friendships with the members. This week, our friend José Luis, he was baptized last year and we visit his family a lot and he comes with us almost every day to citas, told us he decided to go on a mission!! He said that he has really been debating back and forth on it, and his answer I thought was so simple and sweet he told us, “Hermanas, I have been thinking about what you told me about praying for a mission. And so I knelt down to pray and ask God if I should go, and my prayer was answered before I even started it. I thought to myself, 'Is God really going to tell me to not go on a mission?'. So that is when I knew I was going to go.” I thought that was such a simple answer, God really does want us here!! I just have thought that sometimes as missionaries we get discouraged when we are going fishing, but we overlook when we are able to help gather a few fishermen. We were so excited! We did a family home evening in his house over the weekend. He is the only member in his family, and he wants more than anything to be united with his other family members. There was a really sweet spirit there, and I hope it was something they could feel as well. I really love that family. The mom is going to Perú for the next month, so that was kind of a let down,but maybe it will give her some time to ponder everything we have taught her. Then I got to talk to my wonderful family Sunday, and it was just the boost I needed. Thank you :) That night, we received a text from the Stake President inviting us to a family home evening with him and his family with an investigator that he was going to bring. Wow! So we went, and had a wonderful time. I never realized how powerful family home evenings were before the mission. I would say that it really is what marks the difference between strong families here in Spain, and well, not so strong families. It was a really powerful lesson of Joseph Smith, and hopefully this girl was able to feel it as well. She is from England, so the lesson was half in English, half in Spanish. It was really a fun time. I love working with the members—we really are here to build up the fishermen, as well as catch a few fish along the way. I love you all, and thanks for your support!!

Les Quiero!!

Hermana Hopkins

Chapter 59: Just Love 'em

Chapter 59: Just love 'em

 This week, I learned a very important lesson the hard way. Last Monday night, we were teaching Marlon, our golden atheist the Restoration. We were really excited to teach him this lesson, because we thought that it would help everything just “click”. However, as the lesson progressed, it soon turned into something....different. I don´t really even know how to explain what happened. He just started getting very defensive about philosophy, and how it was a better way to understand life than religion, and much more that I don´t even remember. And as much as we tried to convince him there was a God, the more he rejected it. What happened? We finally just decided to let it go, and end with a prayer, and try to save a little bit of the spirit. We told him we were all going to kneel down and say a prayer, but that after the prayer we were going to sit and wait, and not immediately jump up—that this is the way to receive an answer from God. He said the prayer, and it was sincere enough, and we sat and waited, and waited, and waited. I peaked open one of my eyes afterwards.....and saw everyone still had their eyes closed, and we sat in a kind of an awkward silence. He finally opened his eyes and said, “I don´t feel any different than I did ten minutes ago.” I was slightly frustrated, but I assured him that it was ok, and that he should just keep doing it with his nightly scripture study (he´s almost done with 1 Nephi). After the cita, I just kind of stood there asking myself, “Why on earth could he not feel the spirit??” As I sat there and meditated a minute, I thought honestly, “Well, I didn´t either. I didn´t feel anything after that prayer either.” It really struck me that I honestly had not felt the spirit...so that night as I was on my knees praying for direction a scripture came to my mind. It´s John 15: 16-17 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

That was it!! I can honestly say, I was not feeling very much love during that lesson. I wanted more to throw the doctrines at him than really love him and desire his understanding. It was a big awakening moment for me. Truly, the most important part of this work is love. When we have a true love for the people we are serving, that is when we see the miracles. If I want my investigators to repent and come unto Christ, I have to do the same myself. It´s a constant process. So, I have really been working on just loving the people this week, and we definitely were blessed with some miracles. All the young men were on a campout this week, and two of them are recent converts and only members in their families. So, while they were gone, we arranged girl nights with their mom and sisters. The first one went fantastically! The mother and the sister had both investigated the church in the past. In fact, the daughter even had a baptismal date planned and everything, but right before I got here, it fell through, and she didn´t want much to do with the church. So, we planned this lesson on the blessings and joy that comes from the gospel, and we talked about the church strengthening the family. They were both in tears at the end of the lesson, hugging, and promising they would come to church. (However, they disappeared when Sunday came, and we haven´t seen them...but we did our job in making sure they had a spiritual experience). Then, on Saturday night, we met with Josep. Our Catalan, Catalan!! Anyway, we had been trying to have him understand our relationship that we have with God, and then we thought of this video called...ummm translation I think would be Earthly Father, Heavenly Father. It´s a Mormon Message that we all really like here. Anyway, we showed it to him, and it really struck his heart. (He even shared it on Facebook afterwards) However, he is really “manly” and doesn´t like to show his emotions, so when he gets touched, he runs out of the room and changes the subject. Every time. It´s really hard to teach him! He has been taught since like December, and no one has ever been able to even bring up the prospect of being baptized. We have been planning on inviting him to be baptized for weeks now, and it just always gets interrupted. This time the interruption was even more tempting. He brought out two big plates of fresh paella. Yum. But, we had planned that we were going to talk about it, and we weren´t going to let this delicious plate of food get in our way! So my companion and I looked at each other and stuffed it down as fast as we could. We got back on the subject, and invited him to be baptized. He still had doubts if God even answers prayers, but we knew that we had to give him something to ask Him about. If he wants to know if God answers prayers, he´s got to ask Him a specific question, right? So to our complete and utter shock, he said he would pray about being baptized in a few weeks. What??? We have been struggling to get him to pray just on his own, let alone inviting him to be baptized. And another miracle happened in this cita as well. His 11 year old daughter finally prayed as well! I think that it will be through her that will be the key for everything. They are very close and do everything together. I just pray that he will be able to receive his answer. We also had a really powerful lesson with the mother of another recent convert. Well, technically he was baptized exactly a year ago, so not exactly recent convert, but still. We have wanted more than anything than to unite this family in the church. The mom is so sweet. She is our little Peruvian madre. She always has us over at night and gives us food, and is just so great. She is like a dry Mormon! (just needs a little water...) We talked about the tree of life, and then had José Luis bear his testimony. It brought in such a sweet spirit, and then we decided to talk about temples. And how a lot of people believe they will just be together forever if they are baptized, or hope for the best better put, but really there are actual ordinances that you can do to secure this eternal relationship. It was so sweet, but she still said she would have to pray and read. Of course! The sad thing is, she is going to Peru for the next month and half, so we won´t be able to meet with her for a while. She took us out to get Chinese food today to say goodbye with transfers next week as well. We´re going to miss her. It was also Mothers´Day this last week here in Spain, so we decided we were going to deliver goodies and cards to all the mothers that live in our area. My feet hurt so bad at the end of the day! There were a lot more members than we thought. Hahaha It took us all afternoon, but at least all the women had a little treat from us missionaries. :) I am so grateful to have a loving madre especially during this week. Just a little shout out Mom :) I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Hopkins