Thursday, October 1, 2009

From Alec: August 7, 2009

Hello everyone,

Things are going well here in Mesa. Thanks for the email, Dad. By the way - I met someone a while back who was related to Terry Hoopes, and I remember dad mentioning something about an Uncle Terry. It is a small world (especially when you're LDS). Oh and thanks Dad too for the advice. With all of those campouts, I bet you're not only happy to be back at home in a nice bed but also able to get some good rest.

We are doing well - Elder Morgan is a great missionary, it has been so awesome to serve with him. It makes you feel good to see a missionary you've served with teach with the Spirit.

Some heavy/tough things - L. had the devil trying everything to keep her from baptism [long story, ask when I'm home] (Elder Morgan and I think that with how hard Satan is trying to thwart her conversion that her son must be destined to be a general authority or something). Also M. isn't doing well, he's putting a little too much emphasis on the human intellect and not on the heart, he needs prayers right now.

Happier things;
D. called us to say he was safe in Texas, and that while he was speaking to us, two sister missionaries were walking up to the house. He is awesome, hopefully his wife's heart can be softened.

We've been trying to get this guy, A., to let us teach him and his family - and that should happen tomorrow (even though I'll be on exchanges, not cool) and then he promised that just for us he would come to church this sunday. He said he never goes to any church but he'll come at least this once. He is a great guy.

A. is doing great - though she was was sick so she missed church.

This last week we taught some great people. On Saturday, we taught T. He has come to church two weeks in a row now, and I love being in lessons with him. He seems so open and really ready to do things. All the ward members that introduce themselves to him all come back to us and say how nice of a person he is. Hopefully he can hearken to the Spirit as he keeps commitments. This gospel is really what he needs in life, of course as everyone does.

We also were able to sit down with J. and R., we watched the movie "Together Forever" with them. That movie brings such a good spirit to the home where it is playing, you could just tell their house felt different. The grandkids quieted down quite a bit too, but that probably was helped by all of the coloring books I whipped out. Still, there is peace in the Spirit. And it is kinda sad to see the things/beliefs that people are unwilling to give up, when in reality it would make them so much happier to accept the advice of our loving Heavenly Father through his ordained prophet. Doing that is the only way anything will last, even those good things in life (such as family relationships, the good feeling from accomplishing something, etc...) cannot last unless they are done according to the ways our Father in Heaven has chosen (that's why he's chosen them). But how much more amazing is it to see the penitent sacrifice their will for a higher cause, and choose happiness and eternal life. Never fear or doubt, only have faith in what Heavenly Father has revealed unto us.

Elder Hoopes

No comments: