Monday, October 17, 2016

This week I was sick :( so it's a bit of a blur... But we got to go to the temple! 

And our investigators are making great progress! We had one investigator who had informed us that he was still smoking... So I just took his cigarettes! It was crazy! Haha his daughter ratted him out and went and got them for me. 

We got to go to the temple this week! But forgot to take a picture :( but the temple is amazing! I am always able to feel our Heavenly Fathers love there and I'm able to receive guidance. I love it! 

Kinley also went to the temple this week!

I love that girl and I'm so proud of her and everything she is doing!

As for transfers, Sister Hunt and I will be together for another 6 weeks! We took a district picture thinking someone would get transferred soon... By we are all staying! Haha 

Sorry this one is short but this week was so much of a blur :( 

I love you all so so much!

Have a great week!!

Monday, October 10, 2016

This week something really cool happened! We have an awesome investigator whose name is Bob. We went to go see him and we asked him why he kept asking us to come by. His response surprised us both. He said that the reason he kept talking to us was that he saw something in our eyes as we spoke. He knew there was truth to what we were saying so he called us and asked us to come by. He told us hat in his eyes we are perfect. I was thinking about that and I realized that it's not us. It's the spirit! We are not perfect people but the gospel is perfect! And he can see that! I thought that was really cool and it's amazing to see how people can change because of the gospel!

Another amazing change was with our investigator Chris! He told us about the changes in his life since the missionaries have been around.

His daughter Eliza (she has an awesome name) was the first to get baptized and then his mom and now he is preparing. He told us that him and his mom used to never get along and couldn't spend much time around each other. When he told us that I didn't believe him. I have never once heard them argue! And they are always together! We asked him what changed and he said "it's because of you guys!" And his eyes just lit up! And everyone in the ward has been telling us how much of a change they have seen in him. I love this gospel and the amazing things it's does for family!

We also got to go on a dam tour on Monday! Like... Of the Hoover Dam...! Haha so that was fun and we got to run around in the dam and climb around in tunnels and stuff!

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Hopper

Monday, October 3, 2016

So this was the craziest week of my life... Haha 

Tuesday we had Zone Conference which went over on time but was still amazing! 

Then I had a doctors appointment in the other mission and we got lost a couple times on our way there.. And then we had exchanges.. Wednesday we had district lunch and I didn't sleep that night because I was on exchanges with Sister

 

Vaaie and she likes to talk... And it was nice to be with her again.. I actually really missed her! 

Then we exchanged back and I GOT TO SIT IN A JEEP!!! Just sit in it... That's all missionaries can do... Haha 

Then Thursday we drove down to searchlight with a couple in our ward! We got to have dinner with the only active member down there and met her grandson who I'm pretty sure hasn't been to church in over ten years.. And we got to meet a former investigator that they dropped just because they wouldn't go down to searchlight to see her.. But she was awesome! She used to go to church with her kids and her kids even got baptized! But she never did.. And she held a calling and did visiting teaching and everything but wouldn't get baptized.. So we are going to work on that :) the only problem is that no one in searchlight wants to drive all the way to Boulder for church every Sunday... 

But then we went to dinner and there was a super weird dog there... Her name is girl and well.. I'll just show you the picture and you'll see hahah we were sharing a spiritual message and she was just so happy to feel the spirit or something and just came up and put her head on my leg... Weird dog... But yay more animal pictures!! 

Then Friday we helped a sister move and one of the movers was talking to me in Spanish a little and I was super excited because I can't practice Spanish here!!! I was so excited! But of course my Spanish sucks so that didn't go too well.. Haha but it was cool! And I got to play with her dog! I really miss dogs if you couldn't tell...

Then Saturday of course was conference and we went and helped someone else move in between sessions. 

Then Sunday I got to go back to Paradise for Jamar's baptism!!! He apparently reactivated a less active that I was working with the entire time I was in that area and he was not going anywhere for a long time.. Then Jamar meets him right before I leave and when I go back a month later this kid is at his baptism and has been going to church! Jamar is awesome! So I got to give the talk on baptism and Jamar and I both cried.. Haha I have never seen this kid cry before and I've taught him for a long time. It was really cool to see him show some emotion!

Conference was amazing and I received so much guidance and direction from it! A lot of comfort as well :) I know as time goes on we really need to be listening to our church leaders and following their council. The Book of Mormon, the temple and our families are going to be the most important things as we go through the rest of our lives.

Remember why we are here and where we are going! Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to live with him again and I know that as long as we hold on to the amazing blessings he has given us we will live with him again!

I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week!

 

Love,

Sister Eliza Hopper

I got to play with a lot of animals this week... Haha

Monday, September 26th

Sorry this one is going to be short! This week was great but a little slow.. Sister Hunt was sick so that kinda slowed things down a bit but this week should be much more exciting!

We found a couple new people to teach which is awesome because finding has been hard.. But we are encouraging the wards to work hard to find people that they can help us teach! These wards are awesome and we know there is work to be done here!

We also saw a rainbow is week! 

And there are some really cool trailer parks in our area so sister hunt took a picture of one!

I love you all and hope you have a great week! Next weeks email will be better I promise!

Sister Hopper

Monday, September 19, 2016

So Boulder City continues to be my favorite place ever! The work has been a little slow and we are working on working with members a lot to find! We have been giving all of the families we eat dinner with a commitment to find someone that they can invite into their home to have a missionary discussion with us! We have a member that just did that on her own and even though the person really wasn't interested, it was still a huge blessing! If everyone would at least try to do that we would have so many more people to teach! So I want to invite all of you to think of someone you can bring into your home and introduce the missionaries to! That means so much more than just a referral!

Other than that, we are just working on finding more people to teach and especially more solid people to teach. I love what I do! Somehow even if we aren't having a lot of success (especially after coming from an area with a lot of success) I'm still happy! Because I love doing what I do! I know it's going to be hard sometimes and in my experience the hard times are what make you the strongest. And when we are stronger we are more able to help those around us! We need to work on our own conversion always. It would be so easy for me to just give up and not work hard because we aren't finding people anyway. But I would be missing out on this amazing opportunity I have to strengthen myself so I'm ready to help others when the time comes!

That's basically what I've been thinking about this week..

We took a zone picture!

Some fun news! We have an amazing neighbor named Paul! He and his wife always make sure we are taken care of. They aren't members, but they know a lot about the church and respect it and as far as I know are not interested. But when we talk to them we often get on gospel subjects and it's amazing. One thing I've noticed on the mission is that we plant a lot of seeds.. And Paul has had a lot of seeds planted in him by a lot of missionaries. Every missionary that has come through here knows him well and they become good friends mostly through doing service. Sometimes you need to look back at your day and realize how many seeds you have planted. I know that if I didn't think positively about those moments that people say no I feel like I failed that day. But when I remember that that person will remember talking to us and will be more open to accepting the gospel someday I see it as a huge success. We INVITE people to come unto Christ by HELPING them receive the restored gospel. Sometimes inviting is all we can do and by doing that, we are helping them on the path towards baptism. And sometimes they might not accept that until the next life but I know that every contact we make with them will soften their hearts. Sorry for that little missionary work rant but I wanted to share what I've been learning! Also a scripture that has been on my mind all week that a friend shared with me last Monday:

Luke 22:32

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

 

Sister Hunt found some rocks that she turns into animals! They are so cute! 

Also back to Paul... He has a beautiful dog name Sky! Sky likes to come into our house uninvited and try to find treats.. She has been kind of our therapy dog and helps us on our hard days. She's the sweetest :)

Love you all!! Have a great week! 

Love,

Sister Hopper

Monday, September 12, 2016

Saying Goodbye to Sister Bradley!

Okay so Boulder City is my favorite place.. It's quiet and I've only heard one siren since we have been here! That's crazy! There's not as much air traffic and the main road in town is 25mph. We can walk to most of our area and the weather is cooling down so saving our miles will be a little bit easier!

It's been a crazy week of trying to find investigators and get in contact with relief society president, bishops and ward mission leaders. It's weird being back in family wards.. I haven't heard a baby cry for over 4 months and yesterday I heard many! And I loved it!

I didn't realize how much I missed children! We got to go into primary yesterday and teach the kids about missionary work and how it has blessed our lives. These kids are smart. They all love missionary work!

Sorry this is going to be short! I have to get going and today is crazy...

There are so many animals here!

Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Hopper

Monday, September 5, 2016

So... This is a hard week.... And a great week! I'm leaving Paradise and I'm headed to Boulder City!!! I leave tomorrow! Do y'all remember this beautiful girl on the right? My MTC companion Sister Hunt! We are going to be companions! Not only that but we are being double transferred into two wards in Boulder City! And our area is huge!

And also Sister Jebe (middle) will be replacing me here in the Heritage ward! It's so hard to leave this place! I love these people and I'm going to miss them so much! But I'm excited to make more amazing connections with the people in Boulder City! 

So this week we got to go to the temple with Jamar and our member Kenny! We taught Jamar the plan of salvation as we walked around the temple. There is a really cool way to teach it using the temple grounds and it's amazing what spirit the temple brings! I know that this amazing place is for families and it's the only place where a family can be sealed together forever! I love the temple and I wish we were able to go more often.. Jamar is so ready to be baptized! The only obstacle he has is coming to church.. We have been praying for him to be able to get Sunday's off but it's been a struggle. Things are looking up! It seems like hearts are being softened and things are headed in the right direction. It might take another week or two but it's going to happen soon! And I'll be coming back for it! I'm so excited!! 

We were getting a little upset with him because he would smile for the picture! So this is us trying our hardest to get him to smile more.. Haha 

And Peterson got baptized!! His family and his Girlfriends family were all there and his Girlfriends family sang for us! They are Samoan so they sang some hymns in Samoan and it was beautiful! Every lesson with him he would pray for us in Samoan and I loved it. 

Now I have to go pack everything and get ready to go to a new area! I'm excited to serve with Sister Hunt!! 

Hope everyone is doing well! I love you all!! 

Love,

Sister Hopper