Meet: John and Nancy Hopkins
John E. and Nancy M. Hopkins reside in Bucks County, Pennsylvania (just north of Philadelphia). They received their Bachelor of Arts degrees in Elementary Education with John continuing on to The Ohio 
State University where he received his Masters and Ph.D. degrees.
John taught and served as principal in several elementary schools in Columbus, Ohio and later became a central office administrator. Following the completion of his graduate degrees he was employed as an Assistant Dean in the School of Education at Indiana University, Bloomington. From IU, John was hired to work for a non-profit educational research laboratory in Philadelphia, Research for Better Schools, where he served as the Executive Director for 20 years prior to his retirement in 1996.
Nancy has been a homemaker and mother to five children during the 50-plus years of their marriage, while also serving in a variety of positions within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their children are: Kim Griesemer, Terri Clawson, Christopher Hopkins, Patrick Hopkins, and Jennifer Asplund.
John and Nancy have served two missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first as humanitarian missionaries in Mongolia in 1997-1998. During this period, they coordinated the English project and John served as country director for humanitarian service couples and
activities in Mongolia. Nancy taught English as an International Language (EIL) in several universities and the Ministry of Justice for Mongolia. Their second mission in 1999-2001 was served in the Asia Area Office in
Hong Kong as Area Welfare Agents. During this period they managed church
welfare programs in the countries of China, Taiwan, Laos, Vietnam,
Mongolia, and Hong Kong. After nineteen months in Hong Kong (January
2001), they were transferred back to Mongolia and served another nine
months creating employment programs for returned missionaries and
unemployed members. They returned home in late October 2001.
John now serves as Patriarch for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Stake of
the Church, and Nancy is his typist.
Nancy Hopkins had always been told by her mother that if she misbehaved she would be sent to Outer Mongolia. Imagine her surprise when,upon receiving their mission assignment for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she and her husband John were informed they would be sent to Mongolia! They quickly learned that being sent to Mongolia was no longer a punishment, but a wonderful blessing.
Their book, Mongolia: The circle in the clouds: The missionary adventures of John and Nancy Hopkins, follows the Hopkinses through their humanitarian service mission to Mongolia. Follow the Hopkinses as they explore the ever-changing world of Mongolia. To purchase, click the ad in the right hand green column on this page.
