Bonne Année!!!!

Haapy New years Everybody!  Holy cow it is currently 2012!  Insane. simply insane.  It certainly ended with a bang.  I am really sad to hear about what happened with Ryan and he is definately in our prayers.  I like getting updates by the way.  I am sad but at the same time comforted that he is not dead.  I realize there is nothing physically i can do so i will just pray so hard for him so that he can at least feel the love of us all spiritually.  This brings me to rememberance of how incredibly fragile life is and how at any moment it can flee from us.  Alma 34:32 "this time is time for [us] to prepare to meet God."  We never know when he will call our name so let us always be ready.  My prayers and best hopes go out to Rick and Christine's family.  let them know that i am thinking about them a ton right now.  On a brighter note the anouncement of Twins!  How incredibly fun and what a shock!  I am so excited that i will get to be home for two new babies!  I left when there was two and now i will be coming home to two.  Such a fun blessing.  Also talking about things back home, calling home was so much fun and i loved it so much.  It was the first time that i have called and felt just a little homesick afterwards because it just felt like we were all just talking again like normal.  It was fun!  We get one more of those before we can really see each other again!  crazy huh?!  I think it is so crazy how quick everything is going to pass honestly.  How ever at the same time it is kinda bitter sweet because i am going along now with an eraser and every new day will be a last at the end of the night.  So that just reminds me to not let one things pass by.  I have only 5 transfers remaining and i think it is nuts that i have finished 11 already.  I just need to keep on going without stopping.  No regrets.  I am doing well so far.  So yeah i will see you all soon.

I am so incredibly thankful for the chance i have to serve as Brussels Zone leader.  I think it is an experience that will really help me grow and give me a completely new perspective on missionary work.  We will be incharge of young adults, Two wards and also in charge of all french speaking Belgium.  It feels good that president Poznanski has trusted me and Elder Gubbay with such a big task honestly.  I am excited for sure.  I am going to miss Compiègne but to be honest leaving here hasn't been as surprising or difficult as before.  I feel like i worked my hardest here and that i did what i could.  I felt so much love and cooperation from the ward an i must admit that is something that i am so grateful for about this ward.  They showed my a ton of love and i really appreciate that.  I am ready for a new chapter however. I feel confident in leaving Elder Reed here to work with him and i feel that he will do such a great job.  they should be having a baptism here on the 14th of January.  Alors on verra bien!  This will totally be a new time for me.  

So just touching some other little things.  Thankyou so much for the package you sent for christmas. I didn't express enough about how thankful i was.  You gave me such wonderful things.  I love the Pingpong to-go packet.  That takes up no room and is totally fun for like P-day's and stuff.  However there are other things like my stocking and also and old suit i have that is to big but not ruined at all and also some other little things i need to send home.  so i will do that when i get to belgium.  Apparently there is an American Base there is brussels that we can send things home from that is U.S flat rate shipping.  SO i will try to organize that.  Also tell me how you guys feels about me leaving things behind or throwing out things here?  I am such a sentimental person and that is always difficult for me to do and especially like, if at the end of my mission you'd be like "so do you still have this thing we sent", and i'd be like no i threw it out and then it's like Oh......that's sad.  So just tell me how you feel about it.  Like for example i have no idea what to do with the christmas tree because it is so sweet and i love it but i don't necessarily need it or think that you need it so tell me your opinion.  So yeah i think that is all for the moment.  Thankyou for everything that you do for me and know that i love you all so so so so much.  Again Tell rick and Christine how much i am thinking about them and how much i am thinking and praying about Ryan.

I love you all,

Elder Hoopes