From Alec: April 5, 2010

Picture from D.'s Baptism
Hello everyone,

I am writing this on Monday because it worked better for Elder Hadley and I to do our preparations today rather than tomorrow. Normally it will still be on Tuesday.

We had a lesson this week with R. - this slightly autistic 12 year old kid. Our Bishop had an interview and said he feels he's mature enough to be baptized, so it'll probably happen in May. We went to the Easter pageant every night Wednesday through Saturday. Pretty crazy; either we were there bringing somebody or we were greeting people. I liked the Easter pageant just as much as last year - you can just feel the Spirit there so much as the Savior's life and victory is celebrated with so much love. We've gotten 3 referrals from it, none have we taught yet but it is still possible.

General conference was amazing too - We were able to watch all of it except for the last half of Priesthood session (we had to run to the Easter Pageant). The messages shared were all so inspired. President Monson's talk was EXACTLY what this recent convert in our area needed. She got baptized last September, and after a little bit got a job working on Sundays and has not been to church since. She is very awesome, but also her husband died and it has been hard on her and her kids (he was in his 40's). She talked with Elder Hadley Thursday and expressed a couple concerns that President Monson hit right on the head - we hope she watched it, and if not we are going to look it up on the internet and watch it with her.

Also this weekend, because of some words said in conference, I received some priceless, almost crazily specific revelation that will be a great strength to me if I am obedient and keep it in remembrance. The Lord loves us all so much - I have felt his love, understanding, and deep desire to bless me and all of his children many times. I think I have come to know the Savior and our Father in Heaven more on my mission than at any other time. My guess as to why is because I am a participant in His work and glory. I am called to do what He would do if He was here - and so he blesses us missionaries with the spiritual knowledge of His desires for all of His children. In that way we come to know Him and who He really is. Satan tries so hard to convince everyone that because we cannot see God, or hear His physical voice, that He is not really there. You see that so much in the world today. But He lives.

Here's a great quote by President Ezra Taft Benson, quoted by Brother Eyring, May 1991 Ensign:
"Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us.”

Love you all,

Elder Hoopes