First Email from Virginia

"WOW, WOW, WOW Virginia is awesome! Virginia is sweet. My first area is Charlottesville. It is super pretty and of course there are a bunch of trees. I have two companions, Elder Brockbank, who is my trainer and Elder Comer. They are awesome. For those of you who know Courtney Comer, Elder Comer is her cousin. Pretty small world. Elder Brockbank is from Draper and Elder Comer is from Springville. Utah is sending an army over here to Virginia. We have 200 some missionaries here in Virginia it is the most missionaries on the East Coast, the others have like 80 to 100, we make them look small.
Alright so my companions are the greatest, I', learning a bunch, we're teaching people and we're having a great time being servants of the Lord! Can't really get much better than that!
My first appointment ever is Sarah Richardson, she is engaged to Thomas Vance who is a member, an RM and things are great. She had a date to be baptized but cancelled that because of her parents, there are a lot of things going on with that so she needs more time to figure out if this is really what she wants. She has a testimony, she knows it is true and she goes to church, all 3 hours, she is soooo close. Then we met a lady named Nan Mosely who has been having the missionaries over for 25 years!!! You'd think that she'd be a member after that but it just isn't her time I guess. She goes to church sometimes but not to Sacrament because she hates the noise and she really doesn't reach out to members so we are trying to get members involved with her. Then we met a man named Marcus Thompson who is a less active member who we are trying to get him back to church but while there we met another family member. She came out with her bible and we talked with her alot. Her name is Lisa White and she doesn't have a church and I think that we could really help her. She broke down with Elder Brockbank who is totally amazing by the way.
Yesterday was my first Sunday, it was really cool, a lot of stuff goes on. There are a lot of meetings that we go to and we have two wards to cover so meetings for both wards. It's crazy how I can come to a new place and express love for the members and investigators, I thought that was going to be a problem on my mission, I don't normally just express love to everyone I see and really care for them but I really do love the people here, talking to them about the gospel is amazing. Clearly I have a lot to learn, but so far everything has been great!!
Please pray for all of our investigators. Prayer is important. I want all of you to know that you are in my prayers. I know God will look after you and will keep you safe. Do everything you can to live the commandments, study the scriptures, pray and if you need to repent of any sins, the atonement is amazing. Lets endure to the end and live for eternity with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Keep the commandments and you will have eternal life. He is bound by his word, His promise will never be broken, how amazing! Missionary work is amazing, the life of a missionary is amazing, but you don't have to be called a missionary to be a missionary, remember that members of the church are a huge influence on everything that happens.
I love you all, thank you for your support and being a part of my life, it means so much and you have all had an impact on my life and I am so grateful for that. Always remember our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father love you dearly, never forget that.
With much much love,
Elder Hopkins