#7

Well it has been my first week in Houston and it has been awesome! First of all the climate is very different from what I thought. Picture in your mind what you think Houston is like... desert, cactus? Nope. Sooooo greeeen!! It seriously is nothing like what I expected. It is also very humid, but I have gotten used to it! It is actually pretty fun!

 

So my companions are Elder Johnson who is my trainer and Elder Brooks who is my other companion! I am in a trio so after I get my visa they can send me down right away! And things are going great with Elder Johnson! He is a great guy and a great example to me! And he speaks Spanish so I speak Portuguese to him and he speaks Spanish back and we understand each other! It is very cool! I think it will be a very good companionship with Elder Johnson. Elder Brooks, well Elder Brooks is an interesting guy. He is my companion so I really shouldn't talk bad about him... but things aren't going as smooth with him as they are with Elder Johnson. Thats all Ill say. I am definately learning how to have charity and patience though so thats a good thing right?! I am still super happy to be here in Houston!

 

So we are actually in a city called Stafford, its right outside of Houston! We are in a car area and so that rocks, but I dont get to drive becasue I am just a visa waiter! I am growing to love the people here though! Its definately not what I expected, I expected alot of cowboys, but instead a majority of the population are actually black. The area we are in is not the nicest area in the world but strangely I dont ever really feel scared Like its a bit scarier then downtown Phoenix, but I actually love it here. Yesterday we went to a guys house and the was a little heftier if you know what I mean... and he came outside without a shirt on! Haha Im like YEAH!!!! Haha but let me tell you about the people here!

 

When we came into the area there were no investigators at all, becasue the previous missionaries didn't have the greatest work ethic. But know we are teaching a few people and the work is growing! There is this one man Therron Nealy who is extremely religous but there are some things in the Bible he doesn't understand and so we have been talking with him and he told us an experience where he was meditating and the word Cumorah came to him! He didn't know what it meant until we told him the name of the hill where the golden plates were buried was named Cumorah and his mind was blown!!! He was in shock! What a miracle! We are talking with him again tonight!!!

 

Tracy and Dennis are these super nice people who we have been talking to! They are very baptist and religous and that is awesome! I love teaching religous people becasue it seems like they just want to do what it right and they normally listen to our message well! Yesterday we taught them a very powerful messatge about the restoration and they said they felt the spirit. They are praying to know if its true and they said they would be baptized if they recieved the answer it was true, which I am sure they will. I love these people. Its gotten to the point where I wouldn't mind staying here if I had to. I really love it here. I love the people we teach. Honestly, I really care about these people. I am not just spreading the gospel, Im helping my friends!

 

Speaking of friends, Elder Jarvis is in the Alief North area which is right next to mine and he is in the same ward on Sunday! So I get to see him often! Haha that kid is so funny.

 

Anyways thats about it for right now! I love our family pictures they look so good!!!!!! I miss you guys all so mucha nd I hope all is going well! My mailing adress to my apartment is 12525 South Kirkwood #302, Stafford Texas 77477! I love you all! Have a great week! Oh and I officially used yall in a sentence yesterday. And we are going to get Texas BBQ for lunch. YES.

 

P.S. Jonathan! Good luck with the wedding and everything! I wish I could be there, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Have fun!

 

-Elder Hoopes