Connor in California--Mission Blog: Week 75

Hi Mom!!!!!! :)

First of all, yes that struck a chord!! Thank you so much! :) I had a much better week and felt better about everything, and that just topped it off! I love especially how you related doubts to anxious thoughts - they come, it doesn't mean we're weak, and they'll go away after some time - you just have to push through them. And I really like the part of that talk you sent me!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to think about that and send me those thoughts :) And thank you for all the kind compliments!!!

President Palmer did submit my endorsement a couple weeks ago, so we should be all good! Thank you for the garments! All my other clothes are looking pretty good! As far as shoes go.... What do you mean by inexpensive? And when would you need to know by? I have a few more months left on them, I think. I'm just wondering if that means 3 months or 6.5 months, you know? :) It's just the ball of the shoes that's wearing a little thin.

I hope those pictures were good! They cover the last 2 weeks. My companion is doing great! Still adjusting, but doing wonderfully! I'm learning a lot from him. He's been a blessing to me, so I sure hope I've been one to him! Our investigators are doing quite well! We got to teach a couple investigators that had been taught in the past. My man Scottie is doing awesome! He came to a baptism on Thursday! He's still hilarious :) Yesterday we had a lesson with him, and his grandparents started kinda talking to each other. He looked at me and started to say something, but got embarrassed and was like, "Never mind." I pressed him to say it, and he said "I love you guys as family!" That was a pretty dang good moment :) I got to conduct the baptismal interview for the girl that got baptized on Thursday, and it was another super nice experience - she was so cute and already so pure, and it was a blessing to interview her and be at her baptism. On Sunday she got confirmed; we were invited to go up, and this time Elder Tiatia got ambushed! :) Our ward mission leader asked her (as we're just about to confirm her) and asked her who she wanted to do the confirmation, and she pointed at my companion :) He was SO scared but did a super good job! We've had lots of opportunities to give blessings, to members and to people at the hospital. I've now given two blessings to people in the ICU, which is a different experience than I'm used to. It's been really good to have the opportunities to exercise the priesthood, though, and it always is a testimony strengthener.

Oh! We were biking the other night, and there was a lady talking to... no one! She yelled, "Can you imagine... if a vampire!... flew across your motorcycle... and ripped your neck out?!?!" I didn't hear the rest of her story, unfortunately :)

Thank you for the prayers, for me and others!! Thank you for updating the blog :) I've praying for your job search, so I hope that works out well! Thank you so much for everything! Thanks again for the thoughts and help and support you gave me today - it helped a ton!! I love you so much, and I'm so blessed to be your son! :) I hope your week goes well! I love you!!!!!

Love,
Elder Connor Hopkin :)