Birthday in France

Happy Birthday lovely!!!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Voilà! It's been such a good, action packed week here. I had a great birthday that included cake, crepe cake, mexican food (foreign aisle), a game of ping pong and teaching an awesome lesson at the Soeur Stevine's home with her friend Kelly. Kelly is so wonderful. A mom of two beautiful little girls and is facing some real "Goliaths" in her life right now. We gave her a book of mormon with our testimonies included and our favorite scriptures highlighted. It makes me smile seeing that she's totally holding it up in our picture! No better way to spend a birthday!

Friday, we went to the chapel at St.Merri where we had a Soeur conference for all of the sister missionaries which was awesome and I got to see a lot of the other lovely soeurs that I've served with! No nails and hair being done this year around...haha. I'm sure Soeur Babin posted videos or pictures on FaceBook. 

They other day, Soeur Walker and I were walking to church when we crossed passed with a member. At first he asked if we were the sisters and I very cautiously asked, " Are you a member?" When he said "yes," the guards went down and we started talking to him. For about 10 minutes, he was telling us about his conversion story. He said that it was him who searched out the missionaries because he saw something "different." He was aetheist all his life, but somehow something inside of him just woke up when he began learning about the gospel. He told us about the opportunity he had to hear the Apostle, Elder Bednar speak and how he received the answer to a question he'd had on his mind. It was the spirit who was teaching and inspiring the meeting. I loved listening to him the whole way to the church!

When he was talking about the difference he saw, it reminded me of the lyrics to a song by Francesca Bastilli called, "Unusual." It's about living with faith and living joyfully!

"I call you Brave, Unique and Set Apart; A Masterpiece, a Work of Art; Living out What You Believe; Being Who You're Made to Be; I love to see the way that you are so unusual- I think You're Beautiful!"

What more can I say? I love you. Have a wonderful week and stay warm!

Soeur Hopkins

 Our investigator Axcelle! She is going to school and studying law and business. She is the sweetest girl from Cote D'Ivore!

Soeur Tro! With her son Nolan. We had so much fun watching him show us his judo moves haha

Elder Ireland taught our last district meeting because he's going home this week-to Canada

Our district. Timed photos are never easy..

We found this awesome ping pong table in a park that we passed by so decided to play a quick game with sticks and a bottle cap...pure fun

At Soeur Stevine's home with her friend Kelly who we got to teach! Another timed photo..

And I got to see Soeur Hansen at Soeur Conference in Paris!

Needless to say, it's been a sweet week!

And the crepe cake the Elder's made and shoved into our mailbox

Lots of love,

Melissa

A Fantastic End of an 8 Week Transfer

Emails are some of my favorite things!

Dear Family and Friends,

Life is good--oh so good. And it only gets better and sweeter every day. We are coming to an end of an 8 week transfer that has been one of the best yet.

I have been learning so much about how to do and NOT to do missionary work. How to really Help others. But so as to not make this a journal entry or a pep talk, I will only talk about amis.

 

We just started teaching this young Haitian girl named Stephanie. She has 3 small kids. Apparently Soeur Walker and Tippett had first met her and had been trying to get into contact with her for weeks. But one day, we were passing by with one of the members, and she told us to come back in 10 minutes. SHE LET US IN!! And since then, we've been seeing her 2 to 3 times a week. It. is. awesome. We had the mission president's wife call us up to come and study with us one morning in the past week. And she taught us sooo much about teaching really well. Our lessons with Stephanie have been going soooo well and she is really loving to learn. It is sweet--so sweet.

 

Beatrice is a friend of the Lukojis, our ward mission leader and his wife. Their kids go to the same school and one day while Sr. Lukoji was talking to her about a difficult situtation she was dealing with, she shared a scripture with her from the Book of Mormon. Beatrice became curious. She asked for a Book of Mormon and three other copies to give to her friends. WHAT? :) Since then she's been coming to church and practically monopolizing the gospel principles class haha. She's wonderful. And she has a gift for loving people. Whenever we see her, she just makes me feel like the BEST person in the world!

 

And then there's ward members like Soeur Stevine that make you want to get up everymorning and go share the gospel with everyone in the world, their cat and next door neighbor. She goes out with us teaching, calls amis for us, shares the gospel with her friends, invites everyone to church and activities and is all-around one of the most loving and understanding and bold people I know. And she's hilarious! If only she knew just how awesome she is. These kind of people make it all so much more worth.

 

Meanwhile, the biggest challenge of all is getting our amis to come to church! And I'm sure all of you returned missionaries know exactly what I'm talking about...I feel like I have to coordinate some fantastic circus feat trying to find people rides, help them wake up or even sometimes show up at their front door step the morning of. Help out a sista-friend, set an alarm and go to bed ontime! I could read you all the scriptures I can find, but, really, the only way to get the blessings of church and keeping the sabbath holy is to do it! Monday is our real day of rest as missionaries, actually ;)

 

Mais voilà, there is a bird's eye view of things from here in Evry.

 

Fun Fact: Elizabeth Smart served her mission here back in 2010. Her name's all over the area book and a member showed me a picture of her. Pretty cool, huh?

 

Bonne semaine à tous! Stay warm. ;)

 

Soeur Hopkins

"It snowed! And that does't usually ever happen in Paris!

The missionaries of Evry: moi, Soeur Walker, Elder Ireland, Elder Jacobsen, Elder Carson and Elder Empy. Like our classic 90's boyband stances?"

The gospel is true and Jesus is the Christ :)

Much love,

Melissa

Welcome to Africa

Sorry it has taken me so long to update the blog, school just got crazy!!!

No worries family, all is well here in Paris and we are all safe.

 

Just the bits and peices that made life flavorful this week...

 

Last week we went into Paris and visited the Chateau de Vincennes. It was the most "worth it" place I've ever visited. The grounds were huge! It was its own independant city in the days that the kings and queens lived there. We hiked all the way up to the top of the tower of the Chateau and looked out over the rest of the city and the cathedral and the rest of the fortress. It was like being at the castle from the movie Ever After (with Drew Barrymore...it's a classic.)

 

Our STLs (sister trainer leaders) came to Evry for exchanges for a day. Soeur Hoskings and Hopkins and Soeur Waite and Walker...obviously it was meant to be because our names start with the same letters, right? haha. We had an awesome exchange and I was laughing my head off by Soeur Hoskings outrageous jokes..

 

And then our heating and hot water went out this week. So we got creative, borrowed a portable heater and boiled water to pour over heads to shower. "Welcome to Africa" as Soeur Hoskings would put it.

 

Honestly, things are going so well here in Evry. I've had some absolutely incredible experiences this week teaching and I've been writing them down in my journal to hang onto. I've been finding out that I've been finding out what my talents are in the process of using them.

 

This week, we were visiting a member's home and had dinner with them. After we shared a message with them, they turned to us and asked,"Is there anything More that we can do to share the gospel with our friends?" I was totally taken back at first by their directness. I had to think about it for a moment. We told them about how they could pray for experiences and opportunities to share with their family and friends. They could serve others, reach out to a friend, invite others to family home evenings, post messages on facebook, give a friend a Book of Mormon with your testimony inside, be prepared when the moment comes to talk about a principle or aspect of the gospel that has blessed them personally. There were so many ideas!

 

As soon as we got home, I sat down and started writing down all the ideas we could come up with. But I thought about it and realized that there are so many ways to share the love and light of gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us-- and there isn't a wrong way. But I wanted to start applying these things myself. I will be praying for those opportunities to share my knowlege of the gospel with my friends, family and those right around me. I Challenge You to do that too! Because you will find that you will be filled with so much JOY and so much LIGHT and so much LOVE that you will not being able to contain it. You will want to share it with everyone. You will find solutions to the problems that you are facing in life by going back to the basics of the gospel, sharing it and LIVING the blessings.

 

That is a promise that I can guarantee you.

 

I love you all and want to share with you my love and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are events that happen all around us that are out of our control, but the our relationship with God and Jesus Christ will forever be the rock and base that fortifies us and strengthens us in moments of peril and in moments of peace. I am so blessed, so blessed to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and I am so proud to wear the name of the Savior over my heart every day during this time I have here in France. God lives and loves all of His children. It is evident that there is no way that a group of young adult missionaries as young as 18 could go to all these nations, learn to speak languages and change people's lives in the way they do-- save it were that it was actually true and that God is with them and guides them. There is a living prophet today. His name is Thomas Monson. God continues to speak to us and love us and guide us through His prophets. That is our message and that is why I am here, right now. I invite you to know for yourself.

 

I hope you all have a fantastic week and remember to be grateful for the simple things-- like peanut butter (you can't really find it here...).

 

haha. As usual and Avec Amour,

 

Soeur Hopkins

Unfortunately I can't get the pictures that Bronte sent me into a good format to put on the blog if you want to see the pictures add yourself to her email list.

lots of love,

Melissa

Joy To the World!!

There was no email last week since Bronte was moving to Every! 

Hello Friends and Family!

So one way or another, you've found yourself included in this Christmas email because you are someone that has directly or indirectly blessed my life or the life of my family. Thank you.

If you do not already know it, it has been just over six months since I've been away from home and living in France as a full-time missionary and representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It has been one of the most fulfilling and remarkable things I have done in my life to serve others, teach them about the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invite them to experience them for themselves. It's profoundly enliving.

Just a week ago, I was moved from the city of Tours (where I'd been serving for the past 6 months) to Evry, just outside of Paris. Once again, I found myself adjusting to the changes and the faster pace of life. New faces, new places, new companion, an area I don't know yet and a ward that is 3 times larger than the one I was last in. And the irony of it all is that it's Christmas week. No doubt, it's a lot different than what I would've pictured. And everything around me is so foreign to me. But the one thing that helps me to find my grounding is the fact that this is such a special moment and time of year that seems to dispel all of these differences and bring us to a stand still. In this moment there is peace.

<<For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto His people>> Mosiah 15:18, The Book of Mormon

Christ is that founder of peace. He is the good news. He is the Savior of the world who understands us personally and profoundly. God is our Father in Heaven who loves us and is aware of exactly where we stand.

In these past few weeks, I've seen this over and over again. The other day, we were on our way to visit a member and we stopped and talked to a woman named Ida. I asked her if she knew anything about our church and she hesitantly told us that she'd been there with her friends a couple of times. As we asked her about herself and bore our testimonies to her of Jesus Christ, her heart was so touched. Before we parted, we asked her if we could say a prayer with her. I asked her if we could pray for anyone that she knows and she asked, <<Please pray for my brother. He is sick with cancer and right now I'm on my way to see him in the hospital. .>> And so we did. And as we stood there praying together on behalf of Ida and her brother, I was filled with those feelings that can only come from Heavenly Father-- those feelings of peace, love and pure joy. And I know that she was too. As we parted, she stayed there for a moment and lingered long enough to smile at us and say, <<Que Dieu vous benisse.>> God bless you.

He is the good news. Through Him, we can experience the peace and power of His atonement in our lives. We can mend broken ties with a friend or family member, we can lift someone around us with words of love and encouragement, we can start over after we feel like we've made the same mistake over and over again. We can be filled with the kind of love that makes us want to share our testimony and faith in Jesus Christ with all those around us. We can become publishers of peace-- even disciples of Jesus Christ.

I wish you all the Best of Christmases full of the Spirit and Love of Christ. May God bless you this Christmas and always!

Sincerely,

Soeur Bronte Hopkins 

Bronte sent her Christmas card, but it is a pdf so I can't upload it, but know that she loves all of you and is so very happy on her mission!

Lots of love,

Melissa

I Am an Inch Worm

Some exciting news this week!!!

Drum roll please........I'm being moved to the city of Every! A city just outside of Paris. And my new companion will be Soeur Walker. Our address will be:

Les Soeurs Missionaires (just in case they haven't updated names)

11 Allée Boissy D'Anglas

91000 Every, France

So can I say that this week was absolutely incredible? Yes. Yes, I can.

Christmas is wonderful and beautiful here in France. This week, we just had a great week Christmas caroling, visiting members and setting a baptismal date with one of our amis. (See pictures for reactions..) Her name is Stephanie Moussa and if you could keep her in your prayers, that'd be awesome. She's making a huge step in her life to come unto Christ and be blessed eternally. 

I'm beginning to see that we often don't see the results of our efforts until we are getting ready to change or leave or transition. We keep thinking that because we can't see anything right away, that we are probably failing or just running on a wheel like a hamster--going no where. This week has taught me different. 

I was sitting on a park bench the other day (yes, I do that sometimes..) and Soeur Hansen and I were practice teaching our next lesson, when I saw this itty-bitty inch worm working its way along the side walk across from us. Somehow, it was the most eye-grabbing and attention-getting spectacle, so we kept looking at it. After a minute, I made the comment:"Is this how God sees us?" We just started laughing. I added,"I see a lot of parallels to this and my life. Heavenly Father's like, 'Keep Going!' and I'm thinking,'I have been!' " He sees the bigger picture. And for now, I'm the inch worm. haha.

Yesterday was my last sunday with the branch. I am so grateful for them, for their faith, for their love and for their friendship. I just can't say enough to explain how full my heart is. I'm grateful to know them individually, by name, and by their own stories and backgrounds. They are shining examples. 

Also, Soeur Bradley came for church too! She finished her mission three weeks ago and was visiting with her parents and seeing the areas where she served. I was so happy to see her! It just felt like it completed my experience here in Tours. I can look back with gratitude and look forward with excitement and faith for the future. 

I'll have to update you more this coming week and update you on the area. Until then, have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Soeur Hopkins

Last District Meeting for the transfer!!

And a picture with the branch here in Tours-- does anyone spy Soeur Autumn Bradley photobombing?( Bronte's first companion and trainer) Yes, she finished the mission and came back to France for 2 weeks with her parents--how crazy is that? And I'm not even joking!!

Bronte's Words: "Family Djemi! They are the best! I can't even begin to describe/explain all of the wonderful members in this picture. They. Are. Remarkable. And I love them"

Well until next week

Lots of love,

Melissa

Fun Fact: Ebou's are the only creature that can turn its head 180 degrees...That's one big headache

Another email!!! 

Bonjour Tout le monde! 

J'espère que vous avez passés une bonne semaine et un bon THANKSGIVING! (I hope that you had a great week and a good Thanksgiving). We had a fun celebration at our district meeting on Tuesday and again on Thursday teaching little kids how to make hand-made Thanksgiving Turkeys (where you write on the "feathers" what you're grateful for). Apparently this is one of the most original things anyone has heard of here. We were a hit!

I hope that you took the time this week to thank those around you for how they've blessed you! "Thank you" from the mouth is "I love you" from the heart. :) So, thank you.

I don't have anything too life-changing to share this week, but I hope that these pictures will make you smile. This week has been a blessing--as is every week and opportunity we have to love, strengthen, uplift and serve those around us. 

Check out the video if you haven't yet! http://www.mormon.org/christmas

Discover the Gift. Embrace the Gift. Share the Gift. The gift is the Savior, Jesus Christ and we can embrace it when we embrace His atonement and draw close to him. We share it when we serve and invite. 

What gift can we give Him this Christmas season?

I'm still thinking...no worries.

Avec amour, 

Soeur Hopkins

P.S. Feedback is welcome

Bronte and her companion went over to a member's home for a suprise birthday party!

When Anya found out that Ebou's are the only creature that can turn its head 180 degrees, she went wild with the idea! Here she is sitting on her mom with her jacket on backwards.

Soeur Taylor is the bottom left girl-- Bronte is so thrilled to be in her family photo...haha

Pictures of Bronte and the other missionaries taking pictures of their Thanksgiving FEAST at District Meeting!

Such a sweet yet silly girl!

Lots of love,

Melissa

Early Christmas?!

Let's see what the cutest red head we know is up to!!

Hellooooo!! Howdy and Bonjour!

So, this week we had an amazing, once-in-a-mission-life-time experience to go into Paris for a conference to hear one of the apostles, Elder Cook, speak to us. We had all 280 missionaries there and it was incredible! We filled up an entire stake center. 

Elder Cook made a point of having everyone of us come up and shake his and his wife's hands. It was so incredible to have him, Elder and Sister Teixera (area president) and President and Soeur Babin there! I love the Babins so much. The meeting was in the first one I've had in English for a while and I was so touched to hear Soeur Babin speak to us in a language that is not her native tongue. I can't even begin to explain all that happened and was said in that meeting, but one of the things I absolutely loved that Elder Cook said was to, "Push your doubts into a corner for a while and one by one they will be delt with." He left us with a blessing that we would come to know just how "sentinal" our work is here. He said, "You are where you need to be. You will come to understand. All those that you love and will ever love are being blessed by your service." It was absolutely beautiful.

And, on our way back to our Gare, Soeur Hansen and I had the chance to see the Tour Eiffel! It was her three month mark that day and almost my six month mark. I still can't believe just how beautiful it is for Heavenly Father to have, figuratively, taken me by the hand and led me to this beautiful place of the world where I get to learn to love these people, serve these people and see some of the most breath-takingly gorgeous things that they've made. "A Whole New World" as Aladin would say. As I stood under the base, I looked up and it seemed as if I was standing at the center of the world. Thank you God. Thank you. 

We're so excited for this coming year's churchwide Christmas initiation! If you haven't heard about it yet, there's a website and a 30 second video that will be all over YouTube the 7th of December. "He is The Gift" is the title. (A preview is available November 25th at Christmas.mormon.org. Check. It. Out!) I challenge you to share it with your friends and family on facebook, twitter email or whatever it is that you use! It will be awesome. And that means.....CHRISTMAS CAROLLING!!! I never thought I'd be so blessed to go christmas carolling for an entire month. Yes! I'm sooo excited to go house to house singing and sharing the wonderful message of the Savior this Christmas season. We are so, so blessed.

Last story for the week. We met this really neat lady named Patricia who's from Gabon. (Africa, if that's easier to find first). And we shared a Book of Mormon with her the first time we met with her. We invited her to read and when we came back, she DID! But not, like, just the intro. We asked her to tell us what she read and she started off with, "There was the prophet named Lehi who was commanded to leave Jerusalem...And his sons, Laman and, What's his name? (My reply, "Lemuel."), Yes, they began to complain about leaving..." About a minute later of her reccounting the exact storyline, my mouth was gaping wide open like a cod-fish (or whatever kind of fish that does that) and I asked her, "How Many Chapters did you READ??" She had just started and kept going! It was sooo cool to see her reading and to talk with her more about what she learned. She has such a beautiful story of healing and faith from an accident she'd been in several years ago. She knows that God loves her and that she is a walking miracle. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving this week! There's so much to be grateful for--family, life, the opportunities we have to serve each other, and the blessing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Meanwhile, we're already listening to Christmas :) Remember: "He is the Gift!"

Much love,

Soeur Hopkins

Bronte and her companions at the Tour Eiffel and on one of their adventures to pass-by a member who lives totally and completely out in the countryside!

Look what they found on the way home from church? A wagon parked out from of someone's home! Sleighride?

Bronte at the conference. Best picture she could get! There were so many people there!

And here's a picture with one of her most favorite people in the world--Soeur Taylor who's from England.

Well that's it for this week!

Lots of love,

Melissa