Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Hi! Thanks for writing me! I hope you both are doing great! I've been having an amazing time at the MTC so far and I know that my experience is just going to keep getting better and better! My companion's name is Elder Smith and he's from Gilbert, Arizona. He and I have gotten along really well and I know we'll end up being great friends! The food here is actually surprisingly really good! I can definitely see why most people say they gain a lot of wait while they're in the MTC! I'll have to cherish the all-you-can-eat while I can because once I get out to Australia I probably won't get to eat as much food as I have been. I miss you both very much but I know serving a mission is a decision I'll never regret! I'm glad that the pets are doing well, i miss seeing them too! I think I'll just use a payphone at the airport because I don't want you to pay for a phone I'll use once. My visa hasn't come in yet so hopefully within the next few days it'll come in! That's very generous of John and Rose to send that money!! Tell them thanks a bunch!
 
Now some about me. Those first 4 days here at the MTC were the longest days of my life!!! I have learned a TON so far though and the days are starting to fly by. I feel like I'm a completely different person already and it's only been 1 week! I've seen a lot of friends here which is great and helps me feel a little more relaxed knowing that I'm not the only one that's going to be gone for the next 2 years! I've really grown to love the scriptures while I'm here and I get more excited to go out and teach with every passing day. Something cool is that all the missionaries in my District (or group of ten of us) are all going to Australia, which usually is not the case that all are going to the same place. Five of us are going to Melbourne and the other 5 to Adalade (if that's how it's spelled). Our teachers, Brother Warner and Sister Evans, are some of the most powerful and knowledgeable people I've ever met. Also they have us do role-plays with our companions where we teach them as they pretend to be an investigator that they taught on their missions. So those experiences have been really cool and I've wrote about them more detailed in the journal you gave me so you can read all about it when I get back! We also go and teach some other 'investigators' like 4 days of the week so they are definitely preparing us well! Last night we had a devotional from Elder W. Craig Zwick of the seventy, and that was really good! It was on the power of the Book of Mormon in teaching. While at the MTC you feel the Spirit quite a bit and it is a great place to be! I've had a little bit of a cold the past 2 days but I've taken a bunch of medicine so let's hope it goes away quickly!
 
Well hopefully as time goes on I'll have a lot more stories to tell but there aren't too many experiences to talk about in the MTC as a lot of our time is spent in class and reading, which surprisingly has been really enjoyable! I can't upload pictures onto the MTC computers either so once I get into the field I'll start sending you some! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that God loves all of us! Love you both and I look forward to talking to you again soon!
 
Love,
Elder Hopkins

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