From Alec: March 9, 2009

Hello from Arizona,

Glad to hear from everyone. I always look forward to hearing from everyone. Mom, that activity you're talking about sounds a lot like TTI's in our mission. That's the name for street contacts: Teach, Testify, Invite. It's from PMG, but that is good you are asking the kids to do that. When you actually try and articulate your testimony, especially when you're under the clock, you really learn things - part of which is going to the very heartfelt basics of your testimony.

Well this past week was great. We had a good zone development meeting and some good and interesting lessons. We met with this guy in our area (he actually fed us dinner) and he was very curious about the church, partly because he was raised in a less-active family and remembers parts of the church. But he mentioned he has a colleague who is a bishop, and hasn't asked him questions because he doesn't feel their employer would like that. It just made me realize how we just need to do little things like get to know each other and spend time with other people - if that bishop invited him to dinner he would totally go and come with lots of questions.

A couple of investigators (both would attend the singles ward) didn't show up to church, they were doing other things but it was really dissapointing, especially because we felt we did everything we could to get them there, but everything will turn out ok if we have faith and do everything we can (which is part of faith).

I have a beginning of a cold and so that is really annoying. It's been a while since i've been sick but I'm starting to battle it so it should subside quickly.

This week ended with a little, well a lot, of a shock. We were planning Saturday night (the night transfers are announced) and our phone started ringing and I saw "Pres Bassett" on the screen. He only calls that night if someone is becomeing ZL, DL, AP, or training. My heart sunk partly because I'd hate to leave this area and have to get a new companion (again...) but president asked for "my companion". It turns out Elder Duren will be training! It will only be his 4th transfer out (like 5 months). That is pretty cool, he will do well. But it hit me hard because it means I'll be moving again - over to Papago zone (West Mesa) with Elder Sexton. I've already met him - he's one transfer older than me and was in my first zone. If you asked me how I felt about it I would say I'd rather stay with these wards and investigators. I tried hard to sink my roots into this area because I felt I only got to know some of our investigators and less-actives in the last area, and I really hoped/believed that I would be here a long time. But, I'll do my best in the next area with my new companion - there's a reason I'm going there so I'll go willingly and hopefully a Nephi-like attitude, not a murmuring Laman/Lemuel one. I love my mission and hope to be the best representative of Christ I can be.

Love you all and hope you choose happiness. I read alma 29 and it really epitomizes a lot of how I've felt on my mission. I want to be an angel and cry repentance with the sound of thunder that "there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth". But of course the reason that will not be so is stated in verses 4 and 5, that we will be given what we choose. Literally we reap what we sow, which makes sense - if you choose bad, how could Heavenly Father give you good? You chose those things, and therefore choose "life or death, joy or remorse of conscience". After remembering that I knew that was true and that I could only do so much as a missionary, but then I was reminded about how much joy that "only so much" can bring. "Perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy." which, if you remember, was one of the scriptures I chose for Alma Academy when I was one of the leaders. The theme was "instruments in the hands of God" and that is my joy - and it can be everyone's if they have desires to perform the work!

Elder Hoopes

From Mom: March 9, 2009

Dear Elder Hoopes,

Hope you are doing well. We are happy though not healthy. Last night I woke up with a throbbing ear ache so I guess I will go in to a doctor to get some antibiotics after I take a nap. I got about 3 hours of sleep. I understand why little kids with ear infections get so crabby; poor Elliott has had one this week, so he has my permission to whine and fuss as much as he wants. Sorry Laurie.

Seminary this morning was hard for the kids because of the time change with Daylight Savings. (So the students want to know why Arizona doesn't do Daylight Savings time?)

I had them do an interactive game activity called "Are you being spiritually spoon fed?" We started by reading Romans 10:13-17:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they
hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things!
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The thought was as we share the gospel we usually don't have time to lay before people a feast, we usually can answer a question, or tell them something that will pique their interest so that they might want to learn more. It's like they are being spoon fed just a bit of the gospel. The kids were seated in a circle facing a partner and they had 60 seconds to explain/quote scripture/share experience/ bear testimony of a gospel event, topic or scripture. (For example, one event was the First Vision, one topic was eternal families, one scripture was John 10:16.) Then after their 60 seconds was up, they closed their eyes and their partner rated how spiritually fed they were, by holding up one to five fingers, one meaning hungry and five meaning spiritually fed. We tallied and rotated to new partners for each round. It was a good exercise to do to see how difficult it is to coherently share just a portion of gospel truth. It was a great learning activity.

That is what you missionaries constantly do as you contact people, and what all of us need learn to do better. Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." We are so blessed to have the gospel. It's almost too good to be true: joy now, eternal joy in the world to come!!!

Well I better go take some more advil. Love you so much. We pray for you every day,

Love,
Mom

From Alec: March 3, 2009

Hello from Mesa,

It sounds like everyone is doing pretty well, I would say I definitely am as well. I got the package on Tuesday - man that was a good one! Thanks Rachel (if you had blindfolded me I could still have been able to tell they were your cookies). Oh and Happy Birthday tomorrow! Sorry I won't be able to send anything cool I don't think now, but I'll definitely have to make it up when I come home with souvenirs or something like that. Oh and do you know a Brother Larsen teaching seminary at Eagle? because he is the son of one of our bishops here.

Well this week was pretty cool - we went tracting more in this week than I have on my mission, but that is because we have the Easter Pageant flyers to hand out, and the people are alot more friendly if that's the main reason you're knocking on their door (for them probably the 5th time in the past year missionaries have knocked on their door - that's how small our area is). No miracles. but I do know we've been blessed not only with the Spirit because we were working hard to find new people, but also new people to teach. We were biking out of our apartment the other day and saw this guy walking to us, so we stopped him and chatted. He asked us if we were "heading to work" (gotta laugh when you hear that in Mesa, you know they have recently come here if they ask that) and we explained what we do, and I felt the Spirit when I teachtified (teach + testify) to him about the restoration. We asked when we could meet with him and he gave a specific time and day! That was pretty cool, and yesterday we had the chance to teach him. When we got there, he had a whole page of questions he had written down - I think most of them the general about religion ones. He was raised in the Catholic church but never really by his choice whatsoever. The lesson went pretty well I feel, and we both (Elder Duren and I) think that he will read and pray.

We also were riding to grab something from our apartment and one of our less-actives that lives across from us was sitting down and got our attention when he saw us. He talked to this guy close to him who said he was LDS and wanted to come back to church, so we went and talked to him. You could tell he missed the Spirit in his life, and we were able to teach him. Hopefully he keeps the commitments we extended, because it is only through "doing" that you keep commandments and therefore receive blessings. (He actually seemed surprised that we committed him, but I think he realized he should be reading and praying anyways).

Well we had Stake Conference yesterday and it was great to be there - especially because both President and Sister Bassett spoke there. But probably the thing that has been most manifest to me this recent week is the power of sincere testimony. When someone stops and sincerely testifies of truth that they have realized from the power of the Holy Ghost, there is a difference, a very powerful feeling of the Spirit that can do amazing things. It can touch the hearts of those who perhaps were hardened, it can lift you up and keep you going in hard times, and it can do so much more as well. I know through the power of the Spirit that Jesus Christ is our Savior, He loves us and so does our Heavenly Father and the greatest thing we can do is to first "obtain" these things, lay hold upon all good things (Moroni 7) and then, "when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." As President (Stake President here) Turk said in Stake Conference, "these things will be of the most worth unto you, to declare these things to the earth" (or however that scripture in D&C goes). Love you all and I think of you often,

Elder Hoopes

From Mom: March 2, 2009

Dear Elder Hoopes,

Hope your week is going well. We are all doing well. Rachel turns 17 tomorrow; it's hard to believe she'll be a senior next year! Dad and I will be empty nesters and you and Rachel will be at college at the same time. It doesn't seem like Monday to me because I didn't get to go to church yesterday. I was tending Jen and Merl's kids Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while Jen went to visit Merl, and poor Sidney came down with the stomach flu on Saturday morning. Fortunately I had prepared this morning's seminary class last Thursday so I was ready. Because I sure didn't have a chance to sit down and prepare over the weekend.

We have been studying the last chapters of Acts in Seminary, and I am amazed by all that happened to Paul. I started reading in Acts 20 and couldn't put it down. I felt like the grandpa in the movie "The Princess Bride" as he describes what the book is about to his skeptical grandson: "There's accidents, raisings from the dead, farewells, arrests, beatings, prisons, trials, prophecies, assassins' plots, governors, kings, visions, angels, tempests, shipwrecks, poisonous snakes, healings, miracles, and true love." Living the Gospel is the greatest adventure of all, because it is where the battle for life, love, and freedom is fought every moment of every
day.

It is such a comfort to be led by living prophets through the storms of these days. I pray for the courage and faith of Paul and our current prophets. We are so blessed to have their direction and assurances to keep on the journey, with the hope that we will arrive at last.

Love you sooooooo much!

Mom

From Alec: February 23, 2009

Hello from Mesa!

Thank you everyone for your emails (and in some cases letters). I love every bit of anything I get in the mailbox or the inbox.

That is pretty crazy that you were so close to me, Mom & Dad. Tia Rosa's (I've eaten there!) is in my 1st area, and the owners of the restaurant live in our area now. Funny thing, when I was in there I thought to myself - "Dad would absolutely love this place..."

In reference to Dad's email, I have come to realize covenants (and goals, too) are so important. It is by making and keeping covenants, such as taking upon us His name, and the other baptism, sacrament, and temple covenants, that we become like Christ and are given power to bless others, which of course blesses us immensely.

Well, this week was a pretty good one. We did have a bunch of lessons not turn out (between no-shows and cancellations) but we did everything we could and I think it showed. We did have this lesson with an eternigator (so called) that was amazing. He's only about 24 or so. His teaching record is very interesting (3 pages too!) He was taught, then set a baptismal date and his family apparently freaked out and he pulled back and said he didn't want to talk about baptism anymore (this is all on the record). But looking at the record I realized that he may have seemed like he was not progressing or an eternigator to the missionaries who were only in an area for a few weeks, yet may well have been progressing. So with some advice from the district in our district meeting, we went and taught, and it was a great lesson - he really just wants to do good things and feel his Heavenly Father's love. Too often I think we missionaries and members get too down on people and after they accomplish something good we ask then more of them, and yet we never stop to praise or reward good actions sometimes, which is oh-so important. We all want to know that what we are doing is acceptable to the Lord, and that does not mean that we are perfect. It means we are trying our hardest, and we are repenting (a long process!). Hopefully we can keep working with him and he can keep focused with the distractions of work, school, and the temptations he'll face. But especially I hope that he'll be converted unto the Lord.

I love you all, and keep doing your best and obeying the promptings of the Spirit, which is anything which enticeth to do good!

Elder Hoopes

From Mom: February 23, 2009

Dear Elder Hoopes,

Arizona winters are wonderful! The palm trees and cacti are bizarre and beautiful. We went to the botanical gardens where the ancient native canals are located and it was cool to see all the varieties of cactus and trees. I loved all the citrus trees everywhere, and the Spanish and adobe style of homes. Grandpa is like a bear in his natural habitat, and is surrounded by old friends and family where he is appreciated, admired and loved. He and Ruth Ann are comfortable and contented together. We stopped to see Grandpa's sister, Marilyn, and she mentioned that she had recognized you out of a bunch of missionaries at the Mesa Temple. She has a good memory, because she hasn't seen you since the family reunion 6 years ago in Alpine, AZ. We ate at the Landmark Restaurant that was an old converted LDS church, and at Tia Rosa's, which I believe is close to your area.

Did you get the package we sent? I'm concerned about Rachel's cookies because we packed them warm so you probably had crumbs instead of cookies at your end. We are all doing well, except I came down with a head cold which I am determined will be gone in a few days; I'll use the neti pot and take a steady stream of vitamin C. I have to go to weight train now, so I'll write a little more later,

Love,

Mom

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