G'day!
Happy
New Year! Crazy to think it's 2014, time flies! As always thank you for
the e-mail and I'm very glad to hear about all that's going on. We've
done the opposite of you here in the Mooroolbark ward and switched from 1
pm church to 9 am church. As a missionary, all church times are
basically the same since we have the same schedule regardless haha. And
I'm glad to hear you get to feed the missionaries again this week. And
regarding having investigators to teach, if you haven't seen the
church's 'Work of Salvation' site you should definitely look on there.
If you go on LDS.org and look down at the left hand side column there
should be a link for it. It has heaps of great videos that motivate and
give ideas of ways we all can be involved in missionary work, and not
necessarily needed to provide people for missionaries to teach (although
that is always an opportunity we should be prepared for). So this past
week turned out to be a massive miracle week and probably the best New
Year's Day ever! So as I mentioned last week Simone and Jack weren't
ready to be baptized yet on this past Saturday, and then when we went to
their house on Tuesday Simone actually told us she had no more interest
at all in the church and that she felt it wasn't true. As we talked to
her we found out again that her sister (the less-active member who
doesn't have a belief in God anymore) had told her more really deep
stuff mixed in with false accusations (only after Simone's continuous
asking) and which really discouraged her from wanting to be involved in
the church. After talking with her though we answered most of her
questions and reminded her of the answers she's already received and she
and Jack agreed to fast with us that night on whether the things we've
taught them were true and if baptism into the church is what God wants
for them. We also set up a lesson for the following night and a dinner
so we would break our fast together. So the next day we had exchanges
and I was with a missionary in another area and Elder Lau was in
Mooroolbark with another missionary as well. We originally had
fellowship set up to come with us that night but they actually suggested
to us that it might be better if we asked Bishop to come. So we
followed up on that counsel and asked Bishop if he was available, and
even though it was New Years Day he agreed to come out with us, which
was a miracle in itself. So they went on to have a lesson with Simone
and Jack that evening and she brought out those concerns again and
Bishop just spoke by the power of the Spirit (according to Elder Lau, he
and the other missionary practically sat there and listened as well
because Bishop just had heaps of inspiration coming through) and
answered all of their concerns well and the Spirit testified to them of
the things they already knew. Bishop's words combined with the Spirit
did so much to help them that just before the closing prayer Jack paused
them and said, "After hearing what Bishop said I've decided I really
want to be baptized this Saturday." They were all almost speechless and
overjoyed and when they called us that night, the other missionary and
I were so overjoyed as well! It was truly an answer to our prayers and
fasting! Simone also said once she is living the word of wisdom she will
be baptized as well. So long story short, Jack was baptized and
confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
this past weekend! Elder Afele was blessed to get permission to come
back to the baptism as well and he performed the actual baptism (his
first one he's ever done) and there were a total of 14 missionaries at
the baptism haha. They had great support there at the baptism and even
Simone's sister and her husband came to support Jack and also her sister
came to church too! So that was definitely one of the best miracles of
the mission so far and Jack after the baptism told his mom (who told us
after) that he felt like a big joyful feeling that he couldn't really
describe but was different than anything he's felt before. So he will be
a really great member of the church and soon Priesthood holder. I've
certainly gained a huge testimony of the power of fasting on the
mission, probably more so than any other principle of the Gospel, so I
love it! Also on Sunday the Stake President was in our ward too and met
Simone, her sister, and Jack, as well as our other investigators there
(we had 5 non-members there in total which was wonderful) so it was
great for those investigators to talk to him and hopefully feel the
strong spirit. They all loved the meeting and want to continue to
come, two of them was the Burmese investigator Zaza that I mentioned
last week and her sister. One of the investigators that was at church as
well was one who we hadn't been able to contact for a month and a half
but finally caught up with him on Saturday after the baptism and he was
keen to come to church the next morning and pick up where we left
off. The Sister missionaries are also doing great as well and had
several investigators at church too, so Mooroolbark is in the process of
exploding with success! There were also like 3 new families that moved
into the ward as well that seem very strong in the Gospel, one of them
being from Salt Lake City! So the ward is being greatly blessed by
the Lord right now. So it was a wonderful New Year's week and a
miraculous start to 2014 and we look forward to many miracles and
blessings ahead. Thanks as always for your love, support and prayers.
I'm grateful for the Gospel and the opportunity it gives us to improve
each day through Christ's Atonement and repentance and as we do the Lord
opens the windows of Heaven for us. Love you heaps and have a wonderful
week! Talk to you again soon.
Love,
Elder Hopkins
P.S. In the picture: Elder Wood, Elder Hopkins, Jack, Elder Afele, Elder Lau
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