The Final Epistle of Elder Hopkins to the North Carolinians

It is with mixed emotions that I sit down to compose this, the final epistle of my missionary service in Boise. First of all, I thank God for each and every one of you who have shown your support over these past two years as I've been in Boise, whether by letters, e-mails, cards or other, unwritten and intangible ways. I know that the prayers which have been offered for me were not few in number, neither were they tethered to any specific religion or faith. I can truly rejoice, knowing the goodness in the hearts of the people I am privileged enough to call friends. "I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:29)

The thought on my mind now - and I'm sure many of your minds - is: "Now what?"

I may not be able to lay out the course of the rest of my life or be certain of where I will graduate, who I will marry, how many children I have or where I will work and live in the future. However, I do have the tools to know that my future will be exactly what my Heavenly Father knows it can be. As Luke put it, the scriptures were written "that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed." (Luke 1:4) Through study of the scriptures, prayer and attending Church, I have confidence that God will lead me to where I need to go, who I need to meet and what I need to do.

Jeffrey R Holland said, "God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go." I really like that sentiment. We've all made mistakes. I'm not even talking about sins at this point, but just mistakes. I'll name a few of mine so you can get an idea of what I mean.

I did not study as hard in college as I could have, or take it as seriously as I should have. I am willing to change that. I was not as physically active as I could have been. I am willing to change that. I did not tell my family often enough how much I love them. I am willing to change that.

Hopefully from those few illustrations, you can see what I'm trying to get at. The Atonement of Jesus Christ was not ONLY to take away our sins. And it isn't ONLY sins that we can repent of. This was a fallacy I had in my mind before my mission. The Atonement - that is, Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary - is not solely for mending things of a spiritual nature. The everyday, the secular, the ordinary things are also included - probably more often - in that all-encompassing act of forgiveness and compassion. Repentance includes small, seemingly insignificant changes we make to be better people, and consequently, better disciples of Christ. They may seem like little things today, but they could end up being, over time, large problems that seem difficult to handle. "The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken" said Samuel Johnson. So we need to learn to repent and change even the little things in our lives to be better.

Our future depends on it.

The last remark I want to make has to do with having hope. As Ether said in the Book of Mormon, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." (Ether 12:4)

The future is all about faith and hope. We have to have confidence that God will keep His promises. That when we pray, He will dedicate our performance to the welfare of our souls (See 2 Nephi 32:9). I know He will. There is no other way to express it. Faith is not blind, that much I know. It may not be seen, but it is felt.

As President Thomas S. Monson, the living Prophet on the Earth today, said in April of 2009, "My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."

I may need sunglasses.

With all the gratitude I posses,

Elder Mike Hopkins

Mid-Abdominal Miracle

So a few nights ago, I was really really sick in my stomach, having pains and cramps that I've never experienced before or since. I got to sleep and felt a little better the next morning. As the day went on, however, I started to have pain again, apexing that night at about 11. I had had a blessing, said a bunch of prayers and talked to a few families and it seemed like everyone would ask "Do you think maybe it's appendicitis?" to which I would reply that I didn't think so, because I was too scared that I was just psyching myself out and didn't want to go to the hospital and waste money just to be told I would be ok.

I called Sister Cannon and asked her what she thought I should do and she and President agreed that it would be better safe than sorry and encouraged me to go to the hospital. I remember President saying "You'll have to drink some pretty gross stuff for the CT Scan, which might make you sick to begin with." I did not want to drink that stuff.

I hesitated and pondered but finally decided to go, all the time dreading the "CT Drink." I got dressed and was tying my shoes when I realized that I wasn't really in pain anymore. I froze. I didn't know if the only reason I didn't hurt was just because I was sitting a certain way. Slowly, tentatively, I laid down. No pain. I sat in a chair. No pain.

I stood. I walked. I bent over. Nothing.

Still in disbelief, I called Sister Cannon and told her the pain was gone and that I wasn't going to go after all. She said "Wow. Really? that's interesting because we just finished saying a prayer for you."

I slept like a rock and woke up the next morning feeling great, albeit a bit hungry.

It's humbling to know that God really does watch over us, especially so when we're in His service. It was a miracle, to be sure.

-Elder Hopkins

PS - Maybe I was just feeling sympathy pains for my sister's pregnancy. (It's going to be a boy!)

The Official Countdown

Elder Hopkins will officially arrive at the RDU Airport at 7:03 pm EST on July 14th, 2011. He'd love to see you there if you can make it! :)

The Best Books

Well, my friends, it certainly has been a while.

I am still here in the Boise South Zone, but my new companion isn't new at all. It's one of my all-time favorite companions from way back in Rupert! It's Elder Juan Diego Henao Cifuentes! (a.k.a. Elder Henao) He is a great missionary, and it will be wonderful not only to serve with someone I know, but also a hard worker for my last transfer.

Also of note, I will soon be the Uncle of a NEPHEW in October! I wish the Internet was a better canvas to display excitement on, but all I have is words, which are not wholly adequate to contain my happiness!

Something I've thought a great deal about recently has been the blessing and the importance of the Scriptures in my life. There are so many times when they have helped me to be a better person. Sometimes, what I'm reading is not as relevant as the feeling that comes from opening and just reading the first thing you see. The Scriptures are a powerful force for good and they help us in the best of times and the worst of times. They are the Balm of Gilead and are the words of God, even "the word which healeth the wounded soul" as Jacob testified (Jacob 2:8).

I once heard someone say that the word "Bible" is an acronym for "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." I like that. I think that also applies to the Book of Mormon. The Scriptures help us know what we should do in this life and how we should act. Most importantly, they teach us of the Savior, who is the ultimate example. As the current Prophet, Thomas S. Monson said, "He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. His life is a legacy of love."

The records that are the most sacred are those of the life and ministry of Christ Himself, found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament and much of 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. These accounts help us not only read and live what the Savior taught, but see the way He lived, the way He interacted with others and most importantly, the love He had, and continues to have, for each of us. There are so many things He taught us, and yet, the accounts that we have only include small instances in His life.

I'm reminded of the words of John the Beloved in the conclusion of his account of Jesus' life: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written...But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." ( John 21:25 & John 20:31)

Nephi, whose ancestors would see Christ and make record of his appearance in the Americas, wrote at the end of his life, "And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. (2 Nephi 33:10)

When all is said and done, the Scriptures are here for us to testify that Jesus is the Christ and that by and through His name we can receive eternal life. I add my testimony to those ancient prophets whose diligent efforts allowed us to have the Scriptures today, that Jesus Christ lives and He truly does love us. And because He loves us, we can do all things that he requires of us, no matter how difficult they may seem.

I love you all, and thanks for all your support!

Always,

- Elder Hopkins

Not So Much About a Bunny

Amidst goodbyes and good times, I embarked to the Boise South Zone to serve with Elder Dustin Bitter from Cypress, TX. The Boise South Zone is the zone I began my mission in (although I began in the Boise South Stake and now I'm in the Boise East and Boise Young Single Adult Stakes) and will be the area I end in. It's a mixed shroud of emotions when you come to realize that you've just been transferred for the last time; when you think, The next time I open this suitcase, it'll be in Raleigh.

Weird.

An interesting contrast is that of my experience in this Zone 18-21 months ago and now. Before, I was a greenie, very inexperienced, totally lost and without a clear purpose or direction. Now, I can think back on those mistakes or confusing times and smile, knowing that it was a refining process. Life itself is a process similar to that, as are many of it's major experiences. We begin very disoriented, perhaps even afraid. But as we press on with a hope that God will help us make it to the other side and that we're passing through trials or periods of uncertainty for a reason and not just by happenstance, we always will eventually emerge victorious, better individuals at the end than we were at the start.

Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. … All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.”

As one contemplates trials and suffering, one cannot but help to think of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The scope of His suffering in this life, specifically in the Garden of Gethsemane, evade human understanding. He lived a perfect life, yet suffered for us. Not only the best of us, but even the vilest of sinners. His was a vicarious sacrifice for all of the children of God who would ever be born of man. He did it because His Father had asked it of Him. He did it because it was His responsibility as the Savior and Redeemer of the world. But, incomprehensibly, he did it primarily out of love for us.

We, who are terse and unloving to our fellowman. We, who are selfish, stubborn and disobedient. We, who all too often forget Him and His Father and everything They've done for for us.

I'd like to leave you with a brief summary of thoughts from Jeffery R Holland, one of the Apostles of the Church, on Easter and why Christ would do what He did. His comments help me more fully understand my Savior's love for me and I hope it can do the same for you.


(If you can't see the video, click this link to watch: CLICK HERE)

Always,

Elder Hopkins

1 Cor. 13:8 - Charity Never Faileth

So, the main big news of this week is that I have a new companion: Elder Philip Dela Cruz from Honolulu Hawaii! Elder Threet is getting the Big Transfer back to Arizona. It's going to be good to have a new companion to help me in the Meridian North area. Elder Dela Cruz is a good teacher and is really bold, which is good. We hope to find a lot more people to teach this transfer. In fact, the whole mission does. We had a mission-wide fast to help us find new investigators this past Sunday. So far, we've already seen the hand of the Lord bless us with new families to teach. What a blessing.

One thing I've really enjoyed studying lately is the doctrine of charity, or the pure love of Christ. In the New Testament, we are taught that the two great commandments are "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27) These two commandments pretty much sum up every other commandment we are to live by. If we truly love the Savior we will keep his commandments (John 14:15) and if we truly love our fellow men, we will strive to serve and help them in any capacity we can, overlooking their inadequacies as God overlooks ours.

A scripture I really like is 1st Peter 4:8 which reads: "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Another translation reads "...for charity preventeth a multitude of sins." I love that. Having love for others not only helps us, but prevents sins from happening. If we loved our neighbor, we would never envy the things that they have to the point of stealing, because we respect them too much to do so. If we loved our neighbor, we would not want to say an unkind remark about them, whether in their presence our without their knowledge. If we loved our neighbor, as Peter writes, a multitude of sins could be avoided.

Want a guide to self-improvement? Try substituting your name for the word "charity" in these verses from 1st Corinthians 13:

4 Elder Hopkins suffereth long, and is kind; Elder Hopkins envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not [his] own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Do all those characteristics match up to your traits? Probably not. Me neither. But that's ok, because that's what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. We realize we're not perfect and we can't be without some help. In fact, in this life, we will never be. But because our Savior gave up His life for us on the cross and suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, he fills in those imperfect gaps we all have in our lives through his grace and love. As the ancient prophet Moroni said:

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ (Moroni 10:32)

I know I have flaws. I know there are PLENTY of things in my life I've done wrong and regret. But through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be cleansed from sins and return to live with my Heavenly Father again someday. Because of what Christ did, I can be with my family forever. I know God and the Savior love us despite all of our mistakes and because of that, I try harder to love other people as much as God would. To truly see them as brothers and sisters. To see them as children of God.

Thanks to all of you who still care about me despite my frailties and mistakes. You mean more than you realize. Hope all is going well in your part of the globe!

Until next time,

Elder Hopkins

Letter - 3/1/11

We had some interesting stuff happen this week, a lot of which had to do with new investigators. We've been praying a lot for new investigators, and Heavenly Father sure delivered. We had two this past week and have about 3-5 more we'll be contacting soon as well as plenty of member referrals! Good stuff.

One of these new people interested in learning about the Church is named Maxx Brown. We met with him and he asked what he had to do to be baptized right off the bat! When we were talking about the Book of Mormon and told him he could read and pray to know if it was true we said

"You can read and..."

"I'll read the whole thing!"

It was pretty funny that he just busted in and said he'd read it all. We told him that was awesome, but he didn't necessarily have to read all of it before he prayed to know if it was true. We've since seen him again and he's well on the road to conversion.

Another funny thing that happened this last week happened on Thursday night. We had an appointment with Paula Edmonds and JP, her son. We had planned to have the Crawfords - a dad and his son - come with us to the lesson since we can't go in where there's no adult male. About ten minutes before the lesson, they cancel. So we call our Ward Mission leader. He's not home. So we call the other setof missionaries serving in our Stake. They don't answer. About this time, we're desperate because we don't want to give up our appointment. Just then, we drove by the Seminary building at Centennial High and there were lights on. So I hit the brakes, we flipped a U and parked on the side of the road and ran inside.

We get in the classroom and realize it's an Institute class. We walk up to the front of the room and the teacher asks "Elders! What can I do for you?" We explained our situation and asked if anyone would go with us to a lesson. Of course, we thought, we'll get plenty of volunteers. Wrong! No one raised their hand. After a second, a guy in the middle of the room got up and said he's go. His name was Clint.

Clint went with us to our lesson and did an awesome job and saved the day. He lives in a different area off Boise than where we serve, so I doubt we'll ever see him again. So, wherever you are: Thanks Clint!

As a last note, check out this crazy story my companion forwarded me from his parents:

Read The Caption on the first photo ....then look at the second photo

Look at the picture above, and you can see where this driver broke through the guardrail, on the right side of the culvert, where people are standing on the road, pointing.

The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph, from right to left, when it crashed through the guardrail.

It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet, and landed right-side-up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling.

The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt, except for minor cuts and bruises. Just outside Flagstaff , AZ on U.S. Hwy 100.

Now, look at the second picture below . . .

If this guy didn't believe in God before, do you suppose he believes now?

Thanks for reading and thanks for all your support!

-Elder Hopkins

Errand of the Lord - 1/25/2011

So, transfers were yesterday and Elder Landeen took off to Twin Falls. My new companion's name is Elder D'Jay Threet, From Gilbert, AZ. And no, he isn't black, he's a little white guy, just like me. We actually served right next to each other in Rupert. I was in the Rupert West area while he was in the Rupert area. Since our district had only our two companionships, we saw each other all the time. So, it's pretty cool to be with someone who I know and am friends with. He's been out 22 months, so he goes home way soon. He's hilarious. It'll be good times for these next six weeks. Knowing that he leaves after this transfer means that I'll be here for 3 more months. I love this area, so that's more than fine with me. We've only been comps for a day or so, but we already had a crazy experience.

Today, we went to go e-mail at a library in Boise while there was a meeting for missionaries who are going to be training greenies. Unfortunately, we drove all the way to this library and ALL the computers were taken. We started searching the upper floor looking for some when I see this guy that I SWEAR was a member I knew from a previous area. He locks eyes with me and smiles, so now I'm even more sure. I give him a big smile and handshake and make fun of the hoodie he's wearing by saying "Man! You're brave for wearing that [Oregon] Ducks hoodie here in [BSU] Bronco territory!" He laughed and then said, "Yeah, you're right! So, hey I've heard a lot about your church and I really want to know more. I bought this old journal one day at a thrift store and it had these scripture references that I'd never seen before, so I figured out where they were from and now I know that the Book of Mormon is true."

Needless to say, we about passed out right there on the spot. I got a Mormon.org pass-along card and gave it to him with the missionaries' number for that area. He name was Shawn. I wish so much now that I had given him my e-mail so I'd know when he meets with the missionaries. Hopefully I'll be able to know when something happens.

That situation made me think of a scripture "there are many yet on the earth...who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." Shawn had been trying to find people to help him know what he needed to do to continue to learn about the Gospel. Heavenly Father made Elder Threet and I to decide to go e-mail at a library neither of us had ever before been to, that was 3 miles out of our way and that we'd end up on the 3rd floor looking for a computer. It's amazing how that works. We left that library not having e-mailed, but having done what God had sent us to that library to do.

Now, some people may say "Eh, that's just a coincidence." I know better than that. I've seen too many things happen in these past 18 months that are just too miraculous to be mere coincidence. I'd encourage each of you to look for the Lord's hand in your lives. At the small, everyday miracles, yes, MIRACLES, that happen all around you as you go about your routine. I can promise as you look for them, you'll find them and find increased happiness along with it.

Once again, thanks to all my friends who support me in everything. Thanks to my Mom and Dad who help encourage me and have always been my heroes as well as great examples. Also a big thanks to my sister, who not only makes this blog possible by posting what I e-mail her (You can still thank her for it, though!) but also is an example of hard work, love and charity. My family is awesome.

Thanks again,

Elder Hops

Letter - 1/18/2011

This weekend I had more baptisms in a day than I ever have before. My last most being the Pollock family in Star (3). But this weekend we had four! The Searles family was baptized, as well as Caiden LaMantia, who was baptized by his father, Rich, who JUST got the priesthood.

The LaMantia boy's baptism was amazing and was also a first for me. I have never baptized or witnessed the baptism of or HEARD of someone being baptized with a cast on. After consulting a physician, we applied a layer of Glad Press 'n Seal™ and then put on a plastic bag and THEN duct taped the junk out of his arm where bag meets skin. It must've hurt to take that sucker off. But, all was successful, his arm stayed dry and he is now the newest member of the Banbury ward.

The Searles baptism was also one of the best baptisms I think I've ever been to (but it seems like every successive baptism is one of the best I've ever been to...) It was cool to see Josh and his two boys, Cane and Camryn, enter into the water and covenant with God that they're going to try their best to follow Jesus Christ's example. The mom, Amber, is going to be baptized shortly, she had a few things she had to work through first. But what's cool is that Josh will be able to baptize her! It was a really cool service, with a lot of emotional points. I was talking to Josh beforehand and he told me he didn't sleep the night before because he was so excited. I said, "It's kind of like Christmas, eh?"

"Yeah, but...a little better." He answered.

That's why you go on a mission. When you meet people like Josh Searles or Rich LaMantia who have had plenty of things go on in their lives that have put them through the ringer and see their lives improve and change through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...there's just no substitute for seeing that change. And no adequate words. Seeing how scriptures bring comfort to those who thought there was no turning back, no forgiveness is indescribable.

Passages like "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more." or "...saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Healing and hope is the message Jesus Christ's Gospel has for all of us. If we repent by turning away from our sins and trying our best to forsake them and replace them with better habits, Heavenly Father will bless us, every time.

Thanks everyone, for your support! See you in the summer!


Forever thankful,

- Elder Hops

Happy Hollerdays! 12/28/2010

So, yesterday, I cleaned a goose.
Now that I've got that out of the way, I can tell you about the rest of the week.

Christmas was awesome, due in large part to all of you who sent me ornaments, letters and other miscellaneous goodies. I am very indebted to all of you for your support and love. It's the fuel that makes this marathon a lot easier to run. I'm going to upload the pictures of all the ornaments very soon, I just don't have to time to do it right now.

But again, thank you.

Most of Christmas Day was spent going around to different families and just crashing...I mean, joining their celebrations. There were a lot of different traditions. It's neat to see what so many different families do so that one day, when I have a family, I can draw from those experiences for my own traditions. They ranged from eating on the floor to playing a series of "Minute to Win It" games (which, as most of YOU probably know, is some kind of game show) to playing Christmas carols on handmade chimes.
I did, of course, miss my own family's traditions, such as singing Silent Night on Christmas Eve in front of our nativity scene and then singing Joy to the World on Christmas Morning and placing baby Jesus in the manger. I also, on a side note, really missed the Rosser's famous Christmas Eve Breakfast. No country ham this year!

Bottom line: Christmas is awesome, families are awesome and my Grandaddy's trash is awesome (it's a Hopkins thing).

Just another day in the perfect place. And if you don't believe me, read the sign:
I hope everyone else's Christmas was equally as wonderful.

Until next time!

- ZDT Hops

The Light of the World - 12/21/2010

We all know Christmas is a time of celebration. A time where we celebrate as an entire world, whether our beliefs are Christian or not. Whether we get lost in the commercialization of the season or recognize the true meaning isn't really what's pertinent. The fact is: it's Christmas, and everybody knows it. Some look at this holiday as a time of giving and sharing and selflessness. Others look at it as a time of rebirth and new beginnings as another year comes to a close. But this year, I'm looking at Christmas in a different light. In fact, light is exactly what this season is all about for me.

As He is often referred to, Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. I've kept that in mind a lot this past month as I've read scriptures concerning His coming and His birth. The first scripture I ran into was the testimony of Simeon in Luke's account of the Savior's life. Simeon had been promised by God that "he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ."(Luke 2:26) When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple, Simeon at once knew, through the power of the Holy Ghost, that their Baby was that promised Messiah.

As Luke states: "Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 'Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.'" (Luke 2:28-32, emphasis added)

So, even in His infancy, Christ was known as a light to the world. I pondered this more as I read of the account in Matthew of the Three Wise Men who came to Herod, the king, asking "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matt. 2:2) Herod, thinking only of his throne, told the Magi to find the Child and then return to tell him, under the false pretense that he, too, wished to worship this new King. In reality, Herod thought only of protecting his crown and sought to destroy this King of which they had spoken. We find in the scriptures later, however, that these Wise Men were warned through divine intervention not to return, and the life of Jesus was spared. Continues Matthew: "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Matt. 2:9-10)

The Christmas Star. It plays a larger role than many people know. As we already have seen, men from a distant land in the East were told of Christ's birth through the sign of the star. But they were not the only ones who recieved this sign.

Across an ocean, in the Americas, prophets had prophecied of the coming of a Messiah, even Jesus Christ. These prophecies are recorded in an ancient record of scripture called The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. One of the prophets who testified of Christ's coming was named Samuel. Five years prior to the Savior's birth, Samuel stood on a city wall and prophecied of his coming.

The historian Helaman records: "And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy...unto them: 'Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.

'And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.

'Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.

'And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.'" (Helaman 14:1-5)

Again, the sign of the Christmas Star, as prophecied by other prophets, in addition to those in the Old World.

The believers who lived on the American continent held fast to the words spoken by Samuel, looking forward to that day with great anticipation. After five years had past, those who did not believe hatched a plan to rid themselves of what they felt were a race of people blinded by foolish beliefs and the traditions of their fathers, even the believers of Christ.

"Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet." (3 Nephi 1:9)

The leader of the church, named Nephi, heard of these plans and, as you can imagine, was grieved for the plight of the people of Christ. He went and prayed unto the Lord all day and pleaded with Him on behalf of His people, asking for deliverance from this awful fate the unbelievers had put upon them. As he prayed, the voice of the Lord came unto him saying:

"Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets." (3 Nephi 1:13)

As the time approached that the wicked had set apart and they began to approach the believers, to put them to death, a miraculous thing occured.

"It came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.

And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.

And it had come to pass, yea, all things, every whit, according to the words of the prophets.

And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word." (3 Nephi 1:15,19-21, emphasis added)

The Lord fulfilled His promise to His people, saving them from their imminent death and changing their apprehensions to rejoicings. The Star had been shone. The sign had been given. The Redeemer had entered the world.

How appropriate was the sign of His coming: The lack of nighttime. The vanquishing of darkness. Christ, as that light, proves that darkness cannot prevail where He is. This was also emphasized in the sign the people of the Americas were given of His death:

"But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead." (Helaman 14:20)

When Christ died, darkness came for three days. The people of this continent were in terrible anguish, not able to see anything, stars, moon or sun, for three long days. It seemed that darkness had prevailed. Evil had triumphed. The Savior was dead. But, after that three day period that He was in the tomb, He rose again! The Easter Ressurection occured. Light came back to the Earth. Jesus Christ had conquered death. He had overcome the world. No longer would light ever have power over darkness again.

I know that Jesus Christ is that light. He can make difficult things easy. He can make burdens light. In the words of Isaiah: "Surely, he hath bourne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...he was wounded for our trangressions, bruised for our iniquities...and with his stripes, we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5) We can always turn to Christ.

I love this symbolism of light. The light of his birth, the darkness of His death and then, finally, the triumph of everlasting light that is Jesus Christ. We will never be alone. Satan and his legions can never triumph. In the words of Paul: "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37) Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father love us. As John 3:16 states: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." We CAN have everlasting life through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Through Him, our families can be together forever.

That we remember the true meaning of Christmas is my hope this season.

Thank you all so much for your love and support.

Always,

- ZDT Hops

A (Missionary) Child is Born! 12/14/2010

Lots of news here today! First things first! ELDER LANDEEN AND I HAVE A GREENIE! His name is Elder Jacob Morris from Palmdale, California!
We got a call last week from President telling us he was going to try having Zone Leaders train new missionaries and we're one of the first. This means I am now a Zone Leader/District Leader/Trainer. Or ZDT Hops. Haha it's awesome. We literally got Elder Morris an hour ago, so we don't know too much about him, but I can tell he's going to be the MAN!

Next in line: IDAHO JUST GOT IT'S FIRST CHICK-FIL-A! So OF COURSE I had to buy a gallon of Chick-Fil-A Lemonade. It is THE BEST EVER. I can't tell everyone how excited I am at this development. There is a lack of good chicken out here. People think KFC is good. I know, they're severely misguided, but we'll forgive them for their ignorance.

So, lately, there has been something happening in Boise and the surrounding area that sounds a lot like a 1950s horror movie. It's...the Inversion! The Inversion is essentially when the clouds go from above the city to IN the city. It's pretty much foggy all the time. It's actually really cool. I feel like I live in Russia or something because we haven't seen the sun in a week or so. Which is lame, because now I can't wear any of my 15 pairs of fake Ray-Bans. Weak.

This past week, we met a family named the Searles. Josh (Dad), Amber (Mom), Cain (11), Cameron (9) and their little, crazy red-headed girl, Jasmine (2). They asked us to come over because Josh had recently been injured at work and wanted a blessing. He heard from one of his LDS friends that the missionaries gave blessings so he called us. Turns out, it was no minor accident; he had been working on concrete with a concrete chainsaw and it flipped up and hit him in the chest. AND HE LIVED. He told us he felt like God was trying to tell him to go to church, which I thought was an awesome observation to get out of taking a chainsaw to the chest. So, we taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then invited them to go to church and be baptized. They said yes on both accounts, although mom was a little skeptical about coming to church (she has agoraphobia...and if you don't know what that is, look it up...and listen to the song by the same name by Incubus.) But Sunday rolled around and they ALL came. It was amazing. Jasmine, who had never really been apart from her mommy, went to Nursery with NO complaints, the boys ran off down the hall trying to find the classrooms they'd be in for Primary Sunday School and Josh and Amber had a great time in Gospel Principles, the Sunday School for people who are just being introduced to church for the first time. They even participated in the discussions in class and attended the 3rd Hour meetings. So awesome.

I don't have a lot of time right now, so I'm going to save my Christmas message for next week. Know that I love you all and appreciate everything you do for me and that nothing brightens my day and eases my burdens more than receiving letters from folks back home. I try to respond when I get time, so don't think I don't try, but know that even if I can't, I appreciate it very much.

Until next week!

- ZDT Hops

Turkey Lurkey (11/23/2010)

So, before anything else, know that it snowed a bunch here in Meridian! I don't know the actual amount that's fallen, but it's been under 30 all day today, which I LOVE. It's way icy all over the roads and I'm just glad I have a Utah native to drive the car, because driving last winter in Rupert in snowy weather was a harrowing experience, to be sure. But it's winter again. Almost too soon, it seems. I feel like just yesterday Elder Henao and I were walking around snowy Rupert and spending Christmas in Christmas City, USA. Time flies, man.

We drove to Cascade, ID this past week to meet up with the Elders up there and do an interview with someone who wanted to be baptized. It's about a 2 hour drive on some twisty, winding roads on the edge of a river; a way fun drive. Elder Landeen and I took the trip with Elder Anderson and had such a good time just talking, listening to some of the addresses given from the past General Conference on CD and stopping to take pictures along the way. Elder Anderson, at a gas station on the way home, decided to get some ice cream. They charge for the cone and say there's "no limit" on the ice cream amount. Apparently they didn't (and neither did I) know that Elder Anderson is the undisputed ice cream cone-making KING. He put SO much ice cream on that little cone, I couldn't believe it. Here's a picture:This past Sunday, I had the occasion of speaking in church in one of the wards we cover. I was asked to speak on...surprise!...Thanksgiving. After giving much thought, and studying the scriptures and recent talks given in Conference (like on the way to Cascade) I decided my talk would have a main theme, which was: Life's Not Fair.

See, I figured it all out. Sometimes bad things are going to happen to good people. sometimes tragedy strikes when we're not ready. And sometimes we have a raincloud that hovers only over us. But what I realized is that usually, more than we give credit for, GOOD things happen. More often than not, good things happen to good people. More often than not, blessings are bestowed upon us when we least expect it. And more often than not, the sun shines happily upon our daily routine. The message I want to share with whoever reads these posts (all three of you :P) is that life's NOT fair; we have it WAY too good to think that it is. If life was fair, we'd probably be miserable a lot more than we would be happy.

So this season, give thanks. Thank God for family and friends who stand by you and support you when knees are weak and arms are heavy. Thank God for food on tables, roofs overhead and clothing on backs. Thank God that life's not fair. He loves us. I know it. And I know that as we realize the many blessings He's given us day to day, we'll come to know that love more fully. I'll leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Know that I am thankful for each and every one of you. Please take time this holiday to count your many blessings "and it will surprise you what the Lords has done."

With all possible gratitude,

- ZL Hops

Mer[ID]ian (11/16/2010)

So, I just realized this city has the state's abbreviation in it. Go figure. Another thing I noticed this week is that Elder Landeen says "Sandy" like Danny Zuko from Grease!. It's actually pretty funny. He and I get along splendidly. It's also cool how we came out at the same time, so we can relate to each other in aspects pertaining to that.

For example, in the same vein as last letter's comment about Christmas, every six months, the Church has what's called General Conference. During Conference weekend, the Prophet and the Apostles of the church prepare talks on different subjects that they feel the world needs to hear about. It's a pretty special thing since it isn't just for members of the Church, but anyone who wants to watch and listen. Anyway, like I said, it happens every six months; in April and October. We were driving some Elders in our Zone around (which, if you haven't already gathered, is a major theme of our time/conversations) and they commented on how cool it was to see Conference on their missions. For one, this was his first; the other, his second. Elder Landeen and I both noticed how we had only one more to go before going home.

Don't worry, we don't sit around all day thinking about home and griping or anything. Just, every so often, someone will say something and you'll realize how much is behind you and how seemingly little you have before you. In all reality, it helps motivate you to stay focused for the time you have left.

Today, we played dodgeball for 3 hours. As I sit here and type this, my whole body aches, but it's such a good feeling. There's something about dodgeball that's different than most games. I think it's the nearly constant flow of adrenaline for the duration of every game. You're either dodging, ducking, dipping, diving or...dodging. If you're not doing one of those things, you're usually out. I think another aspect that makes it so great is the balls you use. Whatever sport you're using them for, you always feel like a kid back on the playground. Think about it: foursquare (my favorite), kickball, dodgeball, etc. They're all awesome!

To finish, I'd like to share a quote from James E. Faust. It's a really inspiring video and if you have time, please watch it:



In a world so quick to change, it's good to know the Gospel is something we can hold on to. I know Jesus Christ lives and I know He and our Heavenly Father love us more than we realize.I love you all very much and appreciate your continual support!

Yours 'til Niagra Falls,

ZL Hops

Lead, Kindly Light (11/9/2010)

So, I transferred late Tuesday night into the great city of Meridian, Idaho! It has around 50,000 people and is one of the wealthier areas of Idaho. I love it here. It's like Star. I know we didn't live in a rich neighborhood or anything, but being around people who are in the upper middle class is just more my thing. Probably why I wasn't called to Argentina. (Also, I don't know if you guys know the company Scentsy, but the owner/founder lives in one of our wards and is an AWESOME fellowship-er. He brought a whole family to church on Sunday!)

Elder Landeen is from Sandy, Utah (Like Elder Henao!) and was initially called to serve in Mongolia. Since then, the communists took over and told the church they'd have to pay to have visas for missionaries over there. Of course, the Church won't be subject to extortion, so they had to pull out all non-Mongolian missionaries. Elder Landeen came out July 8th, 2009, which may sound like a familiar date since it's the day I came out! We get along really well. Probably better than any other companion I've had. He's definitely a good friend already, like Elders Henao and Arnoczky are. We live with the Bearss family (pronounced like the alcoholic beverage) in Garden City, a small suburb of Meridian...which is a suburb of Boise...it's complicated haha.

So, as some of you may or may not know, I was recently called to be a Zone Leader. That means I'm now in charge, along with Elder Landeen, of about 25 missionaries serving from Meridian all the way to McCall, Idaho, about 2-3 hours north. We attend all of their District Meetings and help them out whenever they require assistance, while STILL keeping missionary work going in our own Stake. We cover five wards right now. I am also serving as the District Leader of the Eagle District, which means I have to provide a two-hour training meeting every week for those Elders and Sister, like I did in Twin Falls.

Being at 16 months is weird. To me, it's the last pure month before home starts seeming close. 17 months seems too close to 18 months, which means I only have 6 months. Haha, that sounds really stupid, but it makes sense in my head. 16 months is also the two-thirds mark of the mission, for those of you who aren't gifted in math, but it still doesn't seem like I've been out that long. It's funny, today Elder Landeen and I were talking to some Elders from our zone we were driving somewhere and they were talking about how strange it was going to be to have Christmas away from home. It hit us that this would be our second, and thereby last, Christmas on the mission. That was a weird feeling.

We also have had Elder Begg, a good friend of mine that I served around in Rupert, serving with us for a few days before he gets the Big Transfer. He'll be reassigned to his home in Odessa, FL. It's funny, I met him when I was but 3 months old in Rupert and now he's going home. There's certainly an odd vibe about him as he's excited/sad/nervous about going home. I feel that way in tiny bits from time to time, knowing that this is all going to end in 8 months. I'm excited, of course, to be reunited with friends and family once again, but seeing the change that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to people's lives on a daily basis is an experience comparable to almost nothing else. It is truly a privilege to be called of God to serve Him and help others see the goodness He has in store for them. It brings to mind one of my new favorite scriptures from the Old Testament: Nahum 1:7. "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."

I know the Lord DOES know those that trust in Him. In the analogy of a great friend, if we'll be trust in Him, have faith, hope and charity, and let Him drive the motorcycle while we sit in the sidecar, we can never go wrong. He will direct us into paths of righteousness and happiness. This much I know.

Until next time, my friends,

ZL Hops

Letter 9/21/10 - Food Service

Hello Folks,

So, a few weeks ago, I went to the Twin Falls County Fair. Scratch that. A few weeks ago I WORKED the Twin Falls County Fair. There's a local restaurant called Papa Kelsey's that sells subs and pizzas and they had a stand at the fair. Because the Kelsey family houses a pair of the missionaries, we all agreed to work for free during the week.

Thus was my introduction to the food service industry.

We arrived around 9 in the morning, ready to work. I'll admit, I was a bit apprehensive to be working in food services, as I never had previously done so. Nevertheless, I was willing and ready to do whatever it took to do my best and make the Kelsey family name continue to shine in the Twin Falls community. Plus, if I'm ever going to live in New York, I'm going to have to learn how to work in food. That's literally a requirement to live there.

Upon arrival, Alec Baldwin greeted us and told us the responsibilities we would be in charge of. We could either work in the kitchen or register. I didn't really feel like being in charge of money, math and standing in one place, so I said I'd man the kitchen. Alec said that would be a good idea (Ok, so it wasn't REALLY Alec Baldiwin, it was one of the Kelsey Sons, but he looks JUST like him!)

So, he lead me back into the little trailer/kitchen thing and introduced me to Lincoln, which was the giant sandwich oven. I will, from this point on, refer to it as Lincoln. So, my job was to assemble each sub, feed it to Lincoln and then wrap it in foil afterwards. Then, I would mark the foil as to what sandwich I had made. The code was as follows:

P = Pizza Sub
H/C = Ham and Cheese
T = Turkey
3M = Three Meat
IC = Italian Combo

After each wrapper was marked, I would then put a smiley face at the end, because everyone needs a smile. We also made little personal pizzas; cheese pepperoni and combos. Here are some photos of me and Lincoln tearing it up:


A tradition I started once we started getting a good flow of customers was that everytime we'd get a sale, when the register "binged" we would all yell "HEY!" at the top of our lungs. It made working seem a little more fun. Also, we were allowed to have free food and drinks the whole time we worked. Nothing better. By the time 5 o'clock rolled around and our shift ended, I was a bit bummed. It had been fun working the Papa Kelsey's stand and I eally didn't want to go. It seemed odd to me that I had so much fun doing what other people wouldn't do unless they got paid. But hey, now I know what food service is like, and you know what?

I can't wait to do it again.


Yours in pizza subs,

DL Hops

Nuh-VAH-duh

Dearest People In the Normal World,

Recently, I have done some fun things. I went to Nevada, learned to play pinochle and tried my hand at the food service industry. Over the next three weeks, I will explain these things, one event at a time.

So, one lazy Friday afternoon, Elder Mitchell and I had nothing doing. We had contacted most of the people we had set to see, and most people were out of town on account of the Twin Falls Fair in Filer, ID. (Yes, the Twin Falls Fair is not in Twin Falls. See also: Raleigh, NC Temple) Twin was empty I mean, it was DEAD. No cars or anything ANYWHERE. Labor Day and the Fair made the townspeople disappear faster than folks do on the Twilight Zone. So, we called the other Elders serving in Twin (Elder Wall and Elder Gossling) and invited them to join us in going to lunch.

In Jackpot, Nevada.

Jackpot is somewhat of Mission legend, in that it is the southernmost part of the mission and the only part of our mission in Nevada. It just so happens to be in my district, too. Missionaries often speak of Jackpot and how it is an oasis in the midst of the desert. Only an elect few have been there, according to the stories, and if you are fortunate enough to go, you won't be disappointed. So they say.

I'm here to tell you what Jackpot is REALLY like.

We drove about an hour and saw literally nothing, except a rad Camero and a horse staring into a house, which was pretty funny/creepy. I've included photos for reference. Enjoy.

But, when I say we saw nothing, I mean it. I even got Elder Wall to be a second witness to the lack of interesting things on the way to Nevada. Here is his opinion:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

From:Matthew David Wall matthew.wall@myldsmail.net
To:Mike Hopkins mike.hopkins@myldsmail.net

Date: Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 4:21 PM

"the drive to jackpot neveda sucked. there was nothing to look at other than a champed up camero from the 80s. and jackpot was pretty wack. nothing to do there unless you gamble... and even that doesnt seem like too much fun to do there"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

It is the tiniest town ever. Ok, maybe not ever, but still. And it's so isolated from everything else that if you were to go to GoogleMaps, type in Jackpot, NV and then click "Find Nearby..." Google would laugh at you. It's hardly an oasis. It's an oasis in the way spilling your water bottle in the middle of the Sahara is an oasis.
But, we finally got there and went to the Four Jacks Casino, where the missionaries get food for free. YEAH. Gratís! We got to the state line and got pictures and then went to the Four Jacks, which was located in what looked like (and practically was) a strip mall. Ok, maybe I'm the only one who expected this but, the name of this town is Jackpot. To me, that means all it's about is casinos. Which is true. But these casinos are PATHETIC. I mean, the arcade in the back of a Cici's Pizza showed this place up. We get there and the waitress comes up and it is soon made very clear that she knows next to no English. She goes in the back to get someone who does and the smallest, meanest Hispanic I've ever seen in a greasy beater and asks, very abrasively I might add, what we want. We tell him food. He snarls and goes back to the kitchen. We sit around for about 10 minutes and start to wonder if we're ever going to have our orders taken. The waitress finally shows up and we order. I got a buffalo burger (♫Buffalo burger.♪.in my belly.♪.talking 'bout the buffalo burger.♫.in Jackpot Nevada♫ (Little Bob Marley throwback there.)) and it was actually pretty good.
Elder Wall and I then went to go to the bathroom, and when we went to wash our hands, the soap dispensers didn't work because someone had removed the handles of them. On our way out of the bathroom, a sketchy guy passed us and in his hands were the handles for the soap. Go figure.

We all got up and left, and as we did, I snapped a picture of the interior of the Four Jacks. This is it in all it's glory. One tiny little room. Although they did have my favorite machine "Betty the Yetti" (Yes, Yeti with two "Ts") for only a penny. WHAT A STEAL!

Well, moral of the story: don't go to Jackpot. People will tell you it's a hit, but it's really a bust.

Happily yours,

DL Hops

Letter - 8/24/2010

Helloooo people of Earth!

I feel like I haven't written in five evers! I am now in Twin Falls, Idaho, the largest city in Idaho's Magic Valley region. Sadly, there are no warlocks, trolls or any other magical things around. Just farms, oh and an IHOP! You know that if there's an IHOP nearby, I'm happy. Things have been really great. We live with a family named the Vippermans along with their daughter and son-in-law Ari and Derek as well as THEIR son, Brody. It is a fantastic place to live and I absolutely love it. It's fun to have people around to talk to in the morning or when we come in at night.

We've been biking a lot lately; actually, every day since I got here. Our car is in the shop. One of the missionaries who was here before me thought it would be a good idea to throw the car in park going 30. Yeah, brilliant, I know. So we've been biking anywhere between 12-20 miles a day, which I LOVE, because now I don't have to worry quite as much about what I eat since we're burning the calories. Yay, clear conscience! Also, one of my Zone Leaders was a Fitness major (or whatever major you would be in to be a personal trainer) and is making me a workout plan that requires no weights or anything, since I have none. I don't know about everyone else, but for me, the combination of eating right and doing some kind of exercise really makes me feel 100%. It doesn't mean I'm going to be ripped or anything (I mean, this is ME we're talking about) but you just feel better about yourself overall. You should try it.

So, apart from biking and also learning all sorts of songs for the uke, hings have been really busy. I'm now a District Leader, which sounds a lot more important than it really is (apart from the fact that I now have the sweet nickname of DL Hops.) I'm in charge of a weekly two hour meeting for my district, which consists of four companionships. Essentially, I just try and teach them how to be better missionaries after doing a lot of study on the same subject myself. Kind of weird, since I don't feel like I should be telling ANYone ANYthing about how to be better.

We've been meeting with a lot of different families and pretty much every hour of the day is filled with helping people overcome all sorts of personal problems such as alcoholism, family disagreements, loneliness, unemployment and a plethora of other things through Jesus Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how people's problems can be solved when and if they swallow their pride and ask for help from God and Jesus Christ. The way I always put it to people is like this: God is sitting up there with a giant, Santa-like bag full of blessings, just waiting for us to ask Him for help so he can give them to us. It may not necessarily be exactly like that, but I know that God is perfect and He is our loving Heavenly Father, and if He's perfect, then He loves us with a perfect love. All of us. Equally. He only wants what is best for us. I know that, and I know that you can know it as well if you sincerely pray and ask Him for help. He'll be there every time.

Ok, enough soapboxing for now, I hope everyone is doing well. I also (for any of you who I haven't already talked to about it) started writing part of the book I've always wanted to write. I typed up a synopsis, but it's really hard to explain exactly what I want on a page or two. that's why I'll be writing a book and not an essay or short story. But, I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. I've always been scared to try and write a book because it seems so daunting, but I'm going to do it to prove to myself that I can. See you on the New York Times Best Seller list haha

Lastly, if you've written me a letter recently and I haven't gotten back to you, please forgive me I'm trying to find time to write, so know I haven't forgotten about you, I'm just super busy. That's a poor excuse, but an excuse nonetheless.

Thanks for all your support!

Consistently yours,

DL Hops

Baptism by Fire

We had a crazy thing happen this past weekend. We had a baptism. That's not the crazy part though. We went about two hours before hand, as we often do, to fill the font before the actual baptism. So, most font controls have four parts: a handle controlling water flow to the font, two other handles controlling the ratio of hot and cold water and a gauge telling you how hot the water is. The thing about the font we used this past weekend is that it DID have the water flow control valve, but did NOT have controls for the temperature. It did however, have the gauge to show us the temperature.


So, Elder Kraus, who was with me at the time, and I start filling the font and go to set up chairs, returning about 10 minutes later to check on everything. Steam pours out of the door as we open the font entrance and we know something's wrong. I run in and check the gauge.


105. Not good.

I run into the kitchen in the church, looking for bags of ice that so often frequent the freezers of the church, only to find a half-empty bag mocking me, the ripped plastic forming some sort of sadistic grin knowing it will be on no service. I threw it in anyway.

Upon return to the kitchen, I found a large (I mean LARGE) pot that Elder Kraus and I immediately began filling with cold tap water with pitchers, since it didn't fit in the sink. Once full, we dumped it in the font, making lovely wakes and quite a ruckus. We looked at one another, grinned, high-fived and ran back to the kitchen. Sadly, we realized the pitcher-fill method was far too slow, so we set about finding a more effective way to move water to pot. Elder Kraus picked up a nearby cafeteria-style tray and angled it as to redirect the water into the large metal container we had used. It worked...but was very messy. Being missionaries, we would only settle for effectiveness, plus we needed something to where we could "Set it and forget it" so we could finish setting up chairs.

Atop the fridge rested a utility drawer for the freezer. I snatched it up and rested it on an upturned bowl on top of the tray and it cascaded down the drawer into the bucket nearly flawlessly. Nearly. Residual water sprayed on the floor, but not enough to reformulate a plan, so we rushed back to the room to set up the chairs. We arrived back in the kitchen just in time to stop the pot from overflowing, took it to the font, heaved it in (it was very heavy) made a wake, grinned, high fived and went back to set it up again.
It then dawned upon me to use the mass amount of pitchers in the church kitchen's arsenal to make giant ice cubes (ok, they weren't cubes, they were pitcher-shaped, but what else am I supposed to call them?) to chuck in the font as a last ditch cooling effort. We stuffed 7 pitchers in the freezer and began the long process of fill, heave, wake, grin, high five, repeat.

Finally, an hour and a half later, the font was filled by 105 degree water and cold tap water via my and Elder Kraus' heaving. Becky (the young lady we were baptizing) shows up just as we're removing the pitchers from the freezer to add the ice. She looked at us, 50% shocked, 50% frightened and 100% confused and asked "just what we thought we were doing." We looked at Becky, looked at one another, then, with Kraus' solemn comment "It's for your own good," we let fall the ice into the font.

It took less than five minutes to melt.

Letter - 6/22/10

Hello Blog Readers!

So, some crazy things have happened since I last wrote. I now have a new companion, Elder Eging, who is ALSO from Ohio. Elder Arnoczky went to Middleton. He's a big boy now. They grow up so fast! But I'm confident in him and it's been interesting to see him learn the ropes and how much he's grown.

Ok, so on to the big news. First of all, I went over to Emmett, ID with Elder Kraus for a day and the people who fed us dinners fed us quite a delicacy in these parts. They're known as Rocky Mountain Oysters. If you don't know what they are, Google it or something. Do that now. Ok, are you done? Yeah, hopefully you still respect me. They tasted...interesting. Not really what you expect, but then again what DO you expect when you go to eat something like that? I will say this though: they were a lot smaller than I pictured them. haha So gross. But hey, I have a cool story now, eh?

We also had three people get baptized the weekend before last. It was a dad and two of his kids. The Pollock family. Jason (dad), Breanna (Daughter) and Jalen (Son). It was a really powerful experience to see a family join together in the Gospel like that. It's experiences like this that help me remember why I came out on a mission. For those of you who don't know (and hopefully I haven't mentioned this before) my parents are converts to the Church. One day, some missionaries knocked on the door a few months after my parents were married and my Mom answered and let them talk to her about the Gospel. I know that my life has been better because the Gospel was in it. I don't know (nor really, do I want to) where I'd be without the Church in my life. I realize a little more now the changes people have to make as a family in order to come closer unto the Savior and it's really inspiring to see them all do it together.

Much thanks to everyone who sends me letters or packages or e-mails. It means a lot to know that you're thinking about me, because I know that I think about you all quite a bit. Never forget how much Heavenly Father and Christ love each of us!!


Don't Eat Rocky Mountain Oysters,

Elder Hops