From Alec: Happy (after) President's Day

Hello everybody!

Glad to hear from all of you, it sounds like things are going well for everyone the most part. I did receive the Valentine's Day package from you, Mom - thanks so much! Oh and a little fact that will probably weird you out is that Grandpa lives no more than 5 minutes from me I am pretty sure, if he's on the road I think he is from his letter he sent me in the MTC then yeah. Whatever "info" you have that you think I should read I am totally fine with that - Karene has sent some awesome talks from general authorities and stuff that I really appreciate.

Well, this week wasn't as good as it could have been - we weren't as diligent as we should have been to try and reach the goals and standards we set last week with our amazing effort, but I already feel like we're picking up this week too. I guess part of it might be that we got to go to the temple yesterday - that was really nice of course.

I don't really have any certain thing I feel like talking about today - so I'll be brief and I guess talk about our area.

We live in a two-bedroom apartment (pretty roomy for 2 missionaries) at the north end of our area. We've only got at the most 1 1/2 square miles as our area (the 1/2 maybe because we technically cover Mountain View High School). We cover 4 wards, and one is the stake singles ward. There are amazing members who help us out so much, when we actually get (and it happens) investigators who really "get" how things are, the wards do an amazing job to just welcome them in. It makes our job 100% easier. I really don't know how you could improve an area without the ward's help. You could maybe baptize a few people, or a lot really, but only a few really solid ones would stay if the ward in the area didn't help us. I bet Jon, Karene, Ben, and Dad have experiences that relate.

We do a lot of work with less-actives and some recent converts, because like I said our investigator pool is only the size of a hot-tub. But I never feel like I am wasting my time because the keys and authority we carry are almost tangible at times, and they bless the lives of non-members and members alike.

We've had a hard time getting a hold of two of what used to be our solid investigators in the singles ward,so that is a little saddening. Delay is one of Satan's biggest and most used tools; we say we'll do it next week and then we get busy and eventually forget about spiritual things when we don't nurture our spirits. But then how amazing is it when you think of how many people come into the church every day, triumphing over the temptations of the devil and choosing happiness! Man, that just gets you going as a missionary!

I love you all and hope you choose happiness as well!!!!

Elder Hoopes