Well Hello from Limoges!

So i am simply gonna start out by saying that sometimes the mission field can be one of the hardest places to be.  This week has been tough but i am getting through it.  I don't know why exactly it all happened but this week has been filled will all sorts of things that has made it hard to focus and to do missionary work.  It hasn't blocked me but at the same time is has been a heavy boulder on my shoulders.  I have really had to pray for the Lord's Help and he has been helping me.  today i am feeling so much better but last week was just a dark spot that i don't want to see again. I am so thank ful for Church too beacuse sometimes that is the best medicine for spiritual drowziness....if that is how you spell it.  I dont know it can just be tough.  I think it is funny how mom could tell that things were a little tough for me this last week.  You have some serious mom vibes you know that.  

All in all however this last week was decent and was productive.  We finally got some good numbers and have increased our ami pool which was incredibly dry so on verra.  WE also met a man on Monday named frederic who was interested in the Church and so we fixed a RDV with him and then that night also fixed a Baptismal date for him!  How cool.  He needs to stop smoking big time so keep him in your prayers.  But he is a really cool guy.  He is french Vietnamesse if that is how you spell it.  Also we just got a media referal today so maybe we will go see this guy today i dont know all in all it is cool and the Lord is really blessing the people of Limoges.  I like it.  I also love the weather here.  It has been warm in fact it is exactly like Arizona right now just french and awesome.  Mom also in response to your question France is super beautiful.  The region i am in is so gorgeous.  Just forests and rolling hills except these forests and full of trees other than pine trees.  They are so legit not gonna lie!  So i can promise you that you will love this place a ton. Qlso when i came down here i did have to travel alone but i had help getting through paris and everything like that.  ummmm yeah!

So honestly that is about it for now.  I do have some questions.  One when is scouts birthday? I dont know if we have really ever celebrated it.... hahaha and yeah that is it ha.  Um oh yeah also here i watch general conference in the evening for the morning sessions and all other sessions are rebroadcasted.  I get to watch it down here with the magnificent ward here!  Anyway I need to go because my time is running out but i love you all and i am so proud of who you are to me in my life.  I love you

Elder Hoopes

Steve Nash MVP!!!

Bonjour bonjour bonjour bonjour bonjour bonjour de Limoges!!!!!

Well hi!  So some good things have happened!  It was kinda tough leaving Cherbourg and to travel 8 hours by train and haul around two really heavy suitcases but on a bright note Limoges is really COOL!!!!!  It is a 4 flower ville meaning that a board of people got together and decided how to rate a ville on its look and style tourist attractions and some other little things and 4 is the highest!  Woo hoo!  Blois and Cherbourg were also 4 flower villes!  So yeah i have been pretty lucky!  My new companion Elder Silvester is a great guy and is not how i expected.  I thought he was weird when really he was super positive and i was the weirdo because i wasn't as cheerful as him.  He has so much optimism and always stays postive and makes me feel loved.  Even though we are from really different worlds, he is only from provo but still, he is a lot like me!  So yeah it is going good already!  And the Ward is absolutely outstanding!!!!!  Goodness Gracious i love being in a ward.  I can actually see a large group of worthy worshiping members!  It is so great i can't even explain.  And the building here is so pretty!  It is just like an american building except it doesn't look like all the american ones if that makes sense.  Ha funny thing though hahaha our bishop has a funny name.  Like a really funny name and i figure i tell you now so you don't think i am swearing later.  His name is Frère Jacas, and it is pronounced EXACTLY like the swear....  It is pretty funny and i need to just get used to it but is so funny!  Also there are quite a bit of spanish members here!  I need to know the last name and the name of Rosa's branch in Catalonia!  Thanks ha!  Also mom you would be so proud of me I cook all of the meals and i have came up with some really cool recipes on my own!  They are all pretty healthy too! 

 

So work in Limoges has been really slow for a while now and i am determined as is Elder Silvester to change it around.  To many missionaries have come thrrough here with a complacent mind set and i am not going to be like that.  I want this place to turn around like Cherbourg did.  Heavenly father is helping us do our best too.  We have already given out 4 book of Mormons and have gotten 3 numbers from them in just a couple days and have set up two rendez-vous for later on today.  We'll see what happens but i think good thins are going to happen here.  We are going to be obedient and also work our best to Contact and find the people who are ready for the gospel.  Also they people here are SOOOOO much nicer than those in Normandie.  The people there are horrible i guess just vey fenced off and very fixed in their ways here people are very open and almost care free.  Maybe because it is the only city in our mission that was never a part of occupied Germany.  I don't know but i love it.  Honestly things are going good and being with a comp who is in love with Limoges helps a lot too!  He loves this area and is always striving to work his hardest!  So yeah it is pretty cool!  I live right next to a huge Cathedral and next to lots of Churchs and also the place is huge! Well compared to my other villes!  It is about the same size and looks the same as Caen in Normandie.  I love it honestly!

 

So yeah for the moment that is it.  If other things happen i will definately fill you in!  I love you all so much and look forward to hearing back from you!  See Ya.....well in a while but Talk to you later!!!!!

 

Elder Hoopes

Photographic Documentation:

Beach at Becquet

Cathedral next to my apartment

Elder Silvester and I

Epic

Last Day

Sebastian and Soeur Delangle

Strength!

The Train Station Here

WEll My last Monday in Cherbourg

So yeah I am leaving haha it is about time i get out of here.  I am very tired here but i am extremely greatful for the lessons i have learned here in Cherbourg.  To go from nothing to something great in my time here is really cool to see.  My first transfer here i taught 34 lessons.  Second Transfer i taught 35 lessons and found some people and now this transfer we taught 51 lessons!!!!!  WE have been so incredibly blessed i really can't explain in words how amazed i am that we actually pulled off this transfer so incredibly well.  I know have confidence i can go anywhere work my hardest and the blessings will follow naturally! I have no problems lending the reins over to Elder Paul.  He is a great elder and is always trying his hardest.  So we will see.  I also get to go down to Limoges which is beautiful beautiful country side and it is famous for its porcelain!  Kinda cool.  It also is much bigger.  There is close to 200,000 people opposed to Cherbourg's 95,000 people. I am happy with that also it is a beautiful building and a ward down there!!!!! YESSSS!!!!!!  I needed that so badly!  Hahaha

 

Honestly it is nice not having to deal with the stress of serving here anymore.  I love this place to death but you get my drift.  I am sad to leave my amis here but again i have just worked so hard with them and only a couple of them have actually started to progress so it isn't to tough but i will miss them.  I am going to stay in contact with them for sure.  One of the Best goodbye's was the one the football team gave me.  We all took a picture and then all the guys gave me a signed jersey they had all signed and then they also gave me the teams sticker logo!  It is so cool and i miss them already!  Ha when we come back on the mission tour we are going to come back to Cherbourg to Play football with them on the weekend!  And then you can also see how church runs with 16 people!  Woo hoo!  But one of the harder goodbye's was to franck and charlotte.  They have really been like my gaurdien angels here.  They have always helped us out at moments notice and they have always made us feel at home.  I love them and will miss them so so so so so much.  It will be hard leaving the baptismal dates to but at the same time it can be super stressful and i feel good knowing that the most important thing is that i move to limoges and that the lord will make sure that they get baptised.  I love them to death but ca va.  I am going back down to the Orleans Zone which is the zone that Blois is in!  So i might get to have some interaction there.  Also i am going to be serving in the same district and Elder Draleau again which should be really cool.  I missed him a whole lot.

 

Well really that is about it for write now.  Next week is going to be a really good email because i will be telling you about my new situation!  I love you all and wish me luck!  Jusqu'à Lundi!  Bye

 

Elder Jonathan Hoopes

Me and Wilfried

My Grandma watch (yes i wear it!)

The New and improved Team!!! My Boys!

YESSSSSS!

TRANSFER = NEW ADDRESS!

Well we received the transfer email and i will be leaving once again!  I don't know much about my companion but i am going to the lowest spot in the mission!  LIMOGES!!!!

 

My New Address:

 

Elder Hoopes

16, rue de la Cité

87000 Limoges

 

Much easier then my old address!

Alrighty well there is some of information  Love You ALL!!!!