Week 3 in Bushwick!

I am doing great! I sure love my mission and everything about it! It is getting colder each day and more wet. I have been wearing lots of layers and have been nice and warm. We are still trying to find people to teach. We have a lot of good potential investigators, just finding a time to meet with people out here is difficult. We have been caroling a lot again and have been to a few Christmas parties and block parties this week, so our missionary efforts have slowed down a little this week. We went to a party in Broadchannel where the missionaries spent 5 weeks cleaning up the neighborhoods. The people of this town were so grateful for our help. One lady was crying as she was thanking us. Everyone loves the Mormons in this area and treats us like royalty! I really can't wait for this area to be open for proselyting. Serving other people is so important! Lives were changed out here because of the selfless act of members and missionaries forgetting themselves and loving the Lord and the people over their needs.

The NYNYS Mission has a goal to bring 1 New Investigator to church a week. That will be a tough goal to meet, but I am excited for this because it makes us missionaries work even harder out here. With this mission goal, our District has set a goal to have 6 baptisms. I feel that is something that is definitely attainable. I feel that my companion and I may be able to have 3 baptisms soon. Elder McDonald and I have been praying and studying for our investigators and have had some true inspiration about what we should teach. I am so excited to teach them and bring the atonement and the gospel into these people's lives. I also will be going to the temple with a recent convert on Saturday!! I am way excited!

I am learning so much out here! I am increasing my understanding of the gospel and am learning more about myself as I study and help other people. I love my mission. So, now for this weeks funny stories!

First off, I got shot in the head on the subway the other day. This scary looking guy dressed in heavy clothes and covered in sweat was begging for money from people. He put his hat next to me trying to get me to put some money in and I told him that I didn't have any. He then took his hand, shaped it like a gun and put it next to my head and said BANG! It seriously scared me to death! We were teaching a lady who is from Turkey and doesn't speak the best English and we were teaching her about Christmas. We were saying that Christ was born in a manger. She didn't know what that was and we were saying how it was place where animals were kept like sheep. She thought we were talking about a ship (sheep sounded like ship to her). Then she was like oh you mean a Noof! So we said yes a Noof. Later we checked her understanding of what was being taught and found out that Noof is actually Noah in her language and she thought that Jesus was born on a boat! It was soooo funny! were cracking up.

We had a cool experience on the subway again. A man named Michael asked us for a bible. He was referring to the Book of Mormon and we gave him a copy. He was saying how he wants to meet with the missionaries so bad and really needs God in his life. Unfortunately he is not in our area but isn't too far away. We gave him to some other missionaries to teach. Last night, we met an older woman who grew up Catholic. She first opened the door and knew exactly who we were because she read about missionaries recently. She has cancer and is really starting to lose faith in Christ and is getting upset since she has lived her religion to the best she could and doesn't understand why God would do this to her. She is such a great lady! I felt the spirit guide our conversation. I felt how much God loved her. She wasn't quite ready to hear our message, but I feel that the Lord is preparing her to hear us in the near future.

That is week 3! I wish I could write more, but we are going to see the Brooklyn Bridge and eat at world famous NY pizza restaurant. I sure love New York and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I got a package from the ward loved all the letters! Thank you to all who wrote to me! Merry Christmas everyone!

Love,

Elder Hooper