June 17, 2013

G'Day!

Thanks for the great e-mail this week! I loved it as always! This past week flew by really fast and it's hard to believe that the transfer is already over! I guess first off you probably want to know the transfer news. Well it's sort of an interesting one this time, after a wonderful 6 month run here in Geelong I will be moving to a new area. At first I was very sad to be leaving because I really loved my time in Geelong and all the people that are here, but after a day and a half I've been able to accept it as the right move. Too bad I can't make it two 7 1/2 month stints in a row, haha. So I will find out tomorrow where my new area is and who my new companion is which will be exciting and hopefully will be just as great as it was in Geelong! So be looking forward to that in the next e-mail. Also, Elder Pain is moving areas as well (he'd been here 3 transfers, or 4 1/2 months) so they've moved both Geelong 'veterans' haha. He's actually going to be going to Tasmania which is exciting! And now, the reason why I said it was interesting before: Elder Malifa and Elder Bisby are both staying, but Elder Malifa is moving to the other Geelong flat and they will be in a tri-ship (3 companions in one companionship) and will be covering all of Geelong themselves! So that will be very interesting seeing as it was a pretty massive area for us already, and now it will be even larger for them. So that's the transfer news for this time, and there won't be any more transfer news for another 8 weeks since this one is an extra long transfer to make up for this 4 week transfer. Which makes me very hopeful my new situation is good since I'll be there for at least 8 weeks, but I'm sure it will be great! So anyway, on to our week. The highlight of this week was definitely the baptism of Tayah which was wonderful. Rasta was able to baptize her on Saturday and Rasta's cousin who's in the ward as well confirmed her yesterday. She looked very happy throughout the experience and so did Rasta. It was also a great opportunity for their family because through this experience it has brought a lot of the extended family back together again that live in Geelong that have been less-active for quite some time (3 families to be specific) and they were able to attend the baptismal service and then church as well. So they'll all be a wonderful addition to the ward in Geelong. Elder Malifa and I also gave talks at the baptism which was a great opportunity and an honor to be a part of the program. I'll send some pictures from the day of the baptism. Also, there was another baptism and confirmation Sunday after church for Luke McCoy (who just turned 8). The McCoys are a family from America and moved here at like the exact time that I got here, so we had gotten along really great. We went to that obviously to support their family but also because they asked me to conduct the program. That was a really great honor and I felt very humbled and blessed that they gave me that opportunity. So with two baptismal services in one weekend it was a very spiritually uplifting time. Definitely the best way I could've imagined my last weekend in Geelong to be. The Sacrament meeting program was also fantastic, which was great seeing as it was my last time meeting at Geelong chapel. There were 3 talks, all on prayer, and all the speakers did a great job and they were all the type of talks you dream of having as a missionary when your investigators attend church. When we went to see Joel and Camilla Sunday night so I could say goodbye to them, they said they really enjoyed it and Joel said it helped him a lot which was great. The rest of the week wasn't nearly as eventful as the weekend but it was really good as well. We were able to visit many of our investigators and teach quite a few lessons as well as get several new people to teach, so Elder Malifa and Elder Bisby will have their work cut out for them next transfer covering both areas. The rest of today and tomorrow will be very busy for us since Elder Pain and I will be rushing around trying to visit everyone we would like to say goodbye to and take pictures with and what not. I've certainly had a really memorable time here in Geelong even though it was difficult there at the beginning there for a while. I've definitely learned heaps about the gospel, about missionary work, and about myself since I've been here the last 6 months and can really see a big change in myself. It will certainly be interesting as well to have a new mission president now, and sad to see President and Sister Lifferth leave, but I'm sure President and Sister Maxwell will be awesome as well! Well I hope that you have a fantastic week as well this week. I had to write a bit quicker this week since today is just jam-packed with stuff to do and people to go and see. Next week I'll have heaps to tell you though! Thanks as always for your love, support and prayers that help so much! I love you very much and I'll talk to you again soon!

Love,

Elder Hopkins

In the pictures: Rasta is the one baptizing, Tayah is obviously the girl, and then the boy is RJ (Rastafari Jr.) who's Rasta and Jess's 2 year old son. And you know who we are of course!

 

 Rasta prepaares to baptize Tayah.

 Rasta, Tayah, and Rastafari, Jr.