February 23, 2014

Thank you for the support and love. this week was better.

This week I learned that Heavenly Father is really preparing the hearts of the people here to hear our message and that we are put in places at the right time to meet certain people. 

One day we were walking and saw thins kid. He looked really young but we decided to talk to him anyway. He told us he was waiting for his mom. He then proceeded to tell us that he was 18. Man the Filipinos here look so young. I swear he looks like he is 12 years old. He invited us over and seemed really interested in our message. So last week we went to his house to teach him and his family. The spirit was there the whole time. anyone could feel it, Especially when we got to talking about Joseph smith. When I said the name he was like, wait I know that name, I have heard it before. As I recited the first vision, I just saw the light come into his eyes. We had talked about a baptismal date before hand with me and my comp for Mar 29, but for some reason I just kept thinking the 22nd. He accepted. He told us that from what he heard from us, he felt it to be true. We have high hopes for this kid and look forward to teaching him more about the gospel. Had he not been there or had we not been there that day to see him, we wouldn't have had this great experience. 

I am doing all that I can to be healthy here. I am trying to eat better so pray that that goes well. Because I gained weight in the MTC and haven't been able to get rid of it yet. Oh and my favorite fruit now is mango. LOVE THEM!!!! I eat one almost every day. 

Thank you for your words of encouragement.  This morning in my personal study for some random reason I flipped to 1 Nephi 7:17-18. Talking about Nephi asking God for strength to break the bands, and then the bands were loosened. I need to do that. I have bands that are holding me back from my potential such as insecurity, or little faith. But I know that if I ask God, He will loosen my bands, and give me strength to push on and become the best missionary I can be.

For some reason I have a weird feeling that I am going to be training next transfer....AAAHHHHH I will find out in a week or so if I really am. 

So an update on the Buencillo family. They did not come to church this week but we think she might have had their baby. We haven't been in contact the last couple of days. They have a phone but no load, like every one here in the Philippines. But Carlo is 17 and has been doing good with the word of wisdom. He relapsed once but hasn't since then. They enjoy reading the Book of Mormon too. He really likes it. He will probably be baptized before his family because his parents aren't married. Marriage here is so complicated. I guess it is like illegal to get married here so people either don't get married or if they do get married they just leave and find someone else. Weird. But they are doing good. and the youngest boy is 5 and the mom told us that every night before he goes to bed he prays and it is from our example and his older brothers. He even prayed for us the last time we went and it was the cutest prayer. 

Mom, you really have been my rock and thank you. I sent you a letter so hopefully you get that in about 2 weeks :) 

Love you so much and thank you for sending pictures.

Love, Sister Hopkins :)