Dear Hoopes Family,

Sister Franco and I are pleased to inform you that Elder Hoopes arrived in La Gran Misión Argentina Resistencia this evening.  We welcomed him to the mission, ate lunch and let him rest. Today we had a small briefing of the fun facts and necessary information about the mission.  After that he met his new companion, Elder Higuera, and they headed off for their area called Centenario III in the province of Formosa.               

A mission is a wonderful experience filled with challenges and successes that strengthens the testimony of each missionary.  A great support that you as a family can give your son during his mission is uplifting letters.  In addition to using email, you can send letters to the office address:

Élder Hoopes

Misión Argentina Resistencia

Entre Ríos 435

Resistencia Chaco CP 3500

Argentina

 You may also send letters (and only letters taped shut; no envelopes) via the ¨pouch¨:

                                              

                                                               Élder Connor Smith Hoopes

                                                               Misión Argentina Resistencia

                                                               POB 30150

                                                               Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

We encourage each of our missionaries to email their parents each week. Please let me know if a reminder to him is needed. 

It will be our privilege to work closely with Elder Hoopes here in Argentina.  We are blessed to have him join us in this mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for sharing your son with us. 

Sincerely,

President Rodolfo C. Franco

Misión Argentina Resistencia

I finally get to leave the MTC!

So I finally get to leave the MTC. I'm so excited. It will be three long legs but It'll be so cool to go out into the real world. It'll be like a 4 hour flight to atlanta, 11 hours or so to buenos aires, then 7 hours or so by bus. maybe not 11 hours but it'll seem that long. Esta todo Macanudo.  

So it may seem like an awkward subject title perro, es la verdad. Since my first week here, mi companiero y yo have gotten to clean the main bathrooms EVERY week. but since we leave before service day, we don't have to clean it anymore!!!!! It's hard to explain how terrible it was. It a stinky job. (pun inteded) SO I['m so excited to leave. yo soy animado. 

Life is pretty chill here. I'm just so excited to leave and finally go out to argentina. we finally get to leave before the english speakers. It's weird to think I'm 1/24th through my mission. 

So about this week. I finished the Book of Mormon. So it was cool to be able to finish in the MTC. It was so moving to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I know it is true because I read it and prayed about it. It doesn't replace the Bible, but compliments it in its sacred duty to witness and testify of Jesus Christ. This Book is so important. To all my math nerds out there, without the Book of Mormon, the Gospel of Jesus Christ would not be able to exist in this day because without it, the straight line that is made from the two points, The Bible and Book of Mormon, could not exist. So I just love the book of mormon. I know that if you read the Book of Mormon, and prayer with real intent, God WILL answer your prayer. I want everyone to read it and know for themselves. So everyone at least try to read a little, experiment with with pray, and I know God will bless you for your faith trying. You will receive and answer. 

I know that through the Book of Mormon we can come to know Christ. I'm excited to leave. So till I email again. here's an awesome photo of my brothers and I, who are all going to Argentina, In our sandy kingdom where we destroy all opposition

Well the schedule never changes

So this last week has been pretty interesting. It's the same day everyday and it becomes long. But There is 3 weeks down and 3 left before I leave. The fourth of July made the week interesting. We had 3 devotionals within 24 hours and then we got to watch the fireworks. so things are kinda heatin up. So I'll put pictures of that in another email. 

So sorry i haven't really talked about my district. My companion Elder Christensen is kinda like Gabe from the office. Just not as creepy. Then there is the Elders Holtry And Elder Steele. Holtry is like Hunter. super goofy, awkward, just like Hunter. Then elder Steele is like Jerry from Parks and rec mixed with like a Kevin Malone from the office. Elder Sargent and Elder Hardcastle are polar opposites. The hardcastle is hardcore thespian. Drama Music Arts just everything Flamboyant. then Sargent is the huge stag. College baseball catcher. huge stern and everything macho. Then we have like three average sisters. They have been pretty moody lately so I'd rather not talk about them. 

The biggest thing that was interesting this week was the usual Sunday Night Devotional. So the speaker was from the Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Condie spoke about the prophet Joseph Smith. It was an incredible testimony of the prophet. He said, "If you really want to know whether God appeared to the young Joseph Smith, Ask God, He was there." This along with fervor in which he reaccounted the first vision brought the spirit to my heart and strengthen my testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. His talk was able to be bear witness to me of the truthfulness of the first vision, We then sang the hymn, Joseph Smith's first prayer. It was so amazing how strong the spirit was felt after his testimony was born and all the elders and sisters sang. The power and strength of the spirit was felt in that room. There is no denying it. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God who saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. I know because I have felt the confirming, sweet, strong, burning witness of the Holy Ghost in my heart. I know that if anyone doubts that this could have happened, they can pray to God to know. He will answer. I know that because he has answered my prayers. 

So everything is good here. I miss everyone. but hey, i'm out here to serve the Lord so it doesn't matter. 

Love Elder Hoopes.

P.s. the picture is drawn by Elder holtry's sister while the Christus is My companions and then everything else is mine.

Well I only have 98% left to be productive

So this last week at the MTC has been the mission president training and some pretty awesome experiences came out of it.

So first off, because of training, the cafeteria was only being used for apostles and presidents, so we were displaced into the gym to eat.So we were expecting to be pretty lame but, no, it was really cool! They obviously couldn't cater to all the missions, so we got Taco Bell, Chick Fl A, Costa Vida, Dominos and some other cool places. So the training was pretty beneficial for us.

Next, becuase of training we got a new mission president to come in and teach us. Well the hiccup was, he was from Peru and didn't know any english. So it was nice that when we sat down we where at his eye level. I mean he was maybe 4' 11". But despite his size, he was a spiritual giant. The spirit was so strong. I mean we maybe understood maybe 19% of what he said, but the spiritual insights we gained from that were incredible. Its awesome how when you listen with the spirit you can still learn even if the migit speaks faster than a machine gun. so that was cool. The spirit in the room was an awesome experience. 

While I'm talking about spiritual giants, I saw the prophet!!!!!!! We knew he would be here. but the entire complex was always guarded so we could never see the raining. But one day we were jogging back from Gym and crossed the road when we saw an Audi A6 L (really nice Car) parked right in front of our class room which was next to the main building. SO by the number of security guards and the quality of care, we knew something was going down. So my companero y I decided to "go to our classroom." The security said we couldn't go in. but eventually i persuaded the fine Gents. the had the first floor windows blocked so we sluethly got to the second floor. We where right above the car. And then, the door opened, and out came president Monson. It was incredible. I literally knew right then and there that he was a true prophet a God. It was awesome. I know that he is prophet whom God called to lead his church. So that happened.

Anyway. The MTC  is good. I've been really homesick but its whatever. I'm 2% through my mission though. But I'm so glad that I'm here. And sister Boynton, I found her soon. Brother Bingham, I found your student who is going to Oslo Norway. and I ran into Kyler this week. SO thats me. I'll send Pictures in another email. 

Love 

Elder Hoopes

 mi companero y yo