Bonjour

Well Hey everyone. Ok So this week has been fantastic!  We were so busy! We were only in Compiègne in for 2 days this week!  Just out of control!  We saw some awesome miracles and also just had a fun time this week.  I got the Christmas package from home on Friday so that was wonderful!  I also love hearing all of the fun things that are going on back home to.  Alex has one of the most interesting missions i must say.  Just thinking if family was constantly around me i would be so distracted!  He is a strong Elder!  I also think it is funny that he is teaching a girl i knew back in High School Kirstin.  If it is the one i am thinking about i had a thing with her for a little moment.  Nothing big but still who didn't want Bomber F's drummer lets be honest!  Hahaha i am totally joking but i think it is so cool that they are teaching her.  Ummm let's see, oh yes Tyler kay and Miriam that is too good!  I hope they are having fun!  It sounds like the family is going really good.  I miss everyone quite a bit.  Just make this Christmas so much fun and that brings me joy as well.  Also poor jakers.  Take care of him but don't let him suffer.  The brothers need to understand that it will be soon but at the same time it's not worth the emotional longevity.  I'll talk more about that later.  So yes....

Christmas in Compiègne is so fun actually.  Apart from the complete ignorance of God and his role in Christmas, we can fell the season rolling in.  It has been cold but only mild.  My comp thinks it is nothing. Ha but i think it is cold and it is also super rainy.  I imagine it is just like Christmas in Washington.  We are hoping and waiting patiently for snow.  I WANT ANOTHER WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!  I have to admit though seeing the newly added presents under the tree and all that is helping with the Christmas spirit.  Hunter thank you for the Boomer mask.  I think that is the funniest thing ever!  Also i will be calling at 8 in the morning your time on christmas.  I am going to try and set up skype but i am not sure if i will be able to do it.  We'll see.  Also calls need to only last one hour president said so that is to bad but in any case i think that won't be to bad.  So yeah and thank you for the recipe.  I am so excited to make that bread again!!!!!

Ok so next thing i want to tell you about the wonderful week we had.  It will be really summarized because of how much happened but i sent a ton of pictures to make up for all the ones i haven't been able to send. So monday we were in Paris for a Christmas Zone Conference and it was so much fun.  I got the letter that you had sent and it was so touching and i am so thankful for that.  They also made us a bunch of nice french Christmas treats.  I was a lot of fun.  so then because of the conference that day P-day was moved to Tuesday.  Well Elder Reed had to go to Paris on Tuesday to get registered as a resident of france.  So we were in Paris and we visited the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, the Catacombs, Champs Elyées, and we tried to see the Louvre Museum but it is closed on tuesdays so we are going today :D.  So we did all of that and it was just an absolute blast.  Then on Friday i had to do my first baptismal interview so i was in Paris again for and exchange Friday and Saturday and then on sunday we were again in Torcy, just next to paris for a Stake Conference.  So yeah it was hectic and we did so much travelling.  The interivew went really well by the way.  At stake conference Joana came all the way from Compiègne which was fantastic!  also this week we got in touch with this amis who is so busy but is just so incredibly solid and will be baptized soon i know it!  So the amis are all doing really well in any case and even though we don't have any one with a date i believe some will come soon.  I am stoked.

Well that is about it for the moment.  We need to shop and then we need to catch our train to Paris!!!!  So i will talk to you later.  I love you all and i am so thankful for all that you do for me and all the thoughts that you have towards me.  That sounds weird but thats the translation in french to english.  i don't know how to say that..... oh well.  I hope you are doing good.  I love you all 

Elder Hoopes

Catacombs

Champs Elysées

Hi i'm Boomer

Notre Sapin de Noël

Our Christmas Picture

Hello Hello HELLO!

Hi how is everyone doing.  Things Here are going really well.  This past week has been phenominal!  Great blessings, great people, great finding and great members!  But before i get to all of that, MOM HAS AN iPHONE!  that is out of control!  So cool!  I want one really bad but that'll have to wait just a little bit i guess :)  I am so glad to hear that hunter is doing more cool things with his music!  You can send me the video!  I would love to see that! Send it to my other account if it is over 8MB because i don't think that this account can support documents that big. And other than that everything else that is happening back home sounds like a lot of fun and i know that i am really going to miss you all.  Its crazy to think that we are already back in December it feels like just yesterday i was in Cherbourg with Easton and Draleau.  That is so crazy now i am older than they both were in the mission.  So crazy.  The most comforting thing is knowing that next year i will be with you all.  By the way i don't think that it will be a problem calling home at 8 in the morning.  I don't think that will be a problem.  I am not sure if we can find a place to skype.  the problem is that i don't know where we will be eating quite yet.  So i don't know who to ask or where i will call.  I will let you know as that gets closer ok.  So yeah i am glad to hear things are rocking back home.  

So out here in good 'ole compiègne things are going like i said phenominal.  Almso just to let you know i got Sister Brinton's classes letters.  They were so sweet and i sent the replies just yesterday so you should be getting that soon.  So yeah this week was huge.  We found 4 new investigators and readded Two to our ami pool.  We also had 3 investigators at church which is totally awesome.  We have been trying so hard to get people to church and this last week like i said We had the 3.  so finding is going great.  Our amis are doing so well too.  They are keeping commitments and are trying to come to a better understanding of what this is all about.  So they are progressing well and the members.  The members are doing great!!!!  Honestly, we have really just started to be more bold with them and i'll tell you what it is working.  We acknowledged that they had been doing that it was good but we also said it wasn't enough.  How do people get baptized from just giving a Book of Mormon or being an "example" for everyone around you.  Can you imagine if that is just all the missionaries around the world did for missionary work.  Very little would ever get done.  We said it is time to step it up and to invite people to take the lessons.  We said think of three people, and invite them to do one of three things, take the lessons, participate in a christmas message or come to church.  And you know out off the people we have mentioned it to they have been thinking about people and trying to invite!  I love it!  They care!  HAHAHAHAHAHA they CARE!!!  I am so happy about that!  One family was incredibly touched by our invitation.  We did role plays to practice inviting people to hear a christmas message and after that rendez-vous with them they decided to have a Christmas party, in which we, the missionaries would share a missionary message with everyone who came and then we'd eat!  How cool already they have 9 people who will be coming!  YAY!  so yeah just so wonderful.  I can't tell you everything that i'd like to in this email because of time but just know how thankful i am for the Savior and how merciful He has been to us in compiègne.  We have needed Him so badly and He is really helping us!  I love Him and i love this work.  I love serving a mission for Him.

Well good i am so happy to hear all is well and i'll talk to you next week.  Love you all!

Elder Hoopes