From Alec: July 16, 2009

Hi

This is Elder Hoopes reporting from 112-degrees-land. For transfer news - both Elder Morgan and I are staying. So this will be our third transfer together. That is really surprising considering that is the first time I've had a companion for more than one transfer...again. Also after this transfer I'll have been in this area for 4 transfers, which is as much as I've been anywhere else (this is the beginning of my 8th transfer). The people here are great and there is lots and lots of potential for people to teach. At the beginning of last transfer I got one of those odometers for my bike - and so we went 410.38 miles these 6 weeks. We biked about 15 miles in a normal day - sometimes more, lots less on Sunday and prep day.

So TY is set to be baptized this Saturday, he had his interview and the building is scheduled so all is well! It will be a great experience for Miles, a recent convert himself, to baptize him. We'll be trying to set a date with Lisa tomorrow, but we were able to set one with this girl named Amber. She is working at DI and is coming to church regularly, and really likes doing it. So we set hers for the 15 of August.

Good to hear that Gramps is doing good - I apologize to him because I didn't send him anything for Father's Day, but I didn't have his address. And I did get the package - thanks so much! Rachel: when I took out the French beret I thought to myself - "Oh man, I will never wear that". But then I put it on and that thing is legit wool, so it might become my skiing cap because it holds the heat in like a lid for my melon!

Well something has come up a few times recently that I feel good about - I think I've mentioned it but I'll talk about it again. Our Father in Heaven loves us sooo much and desires so much to bless us with everything he has - all of his love and goodness. But of course none of us are perfect and so we do not open ourselves up to blessings many times. But when we simply try our best to keep the commandments, He will immediately bless us with so much happiness/blessings that seem so great in comparison to the truly small amount of personal sacrifice we performed in the obeying of the commandment(s). The exchange really seems lopsided because of His tender mercies. One story as an example - Sunday night we were riding around just before we needed to head back home and there was this guy smoking, standing on his doorstep. I decided to stop and try and talk with him and he was awesome and seemed totally alright with us coming by and sharing a message - all that I needed was the right attitude (serve the Lord with all mind/might/strength and that I'd fear God more than man) and to just go and talk with everyone. Just a small example - well, I love you all

Elder Hoopes