Saying Goodbye to the Rays

More MTC Pictures!

MISSION/HOME SWAP: Alex is from the Detroit area (Troy) and is going to the Arizona Mesa Mission. We of course are from Arizona going to serve in Detroit. Alex is the cousin to our MTC bound grandson Elder Jonathan Nat Hoopes. They will miss each other by one day here at the MTC.

So CUTE - BOYS LOOKING FORWARD: They are already being taught Chinese by their father in preparation for their mission calls.

Maria's 3rd Cousin Brent Lee & wife Charlene: Because I had my Palm Pilot with PAF, we discovered that Christian Nielsen Lee and Inger Mogensen are our common Great Great Grandparents. His Great Grandfather is Niels Peter, the brother to Severin Nielsen. I am so happy to finally meet a Lee and discover he is a relative.
Brent and Charlene will be serving a Humanitarian Mission in the Ammon Jordon North Africa Middle East Area. See how much fun family history can be?

Also, don't you just love the quote in the background?

LONG TIME FRIENS VISIT US AT THE MTC:
Dan and Michelle Skinner
Richard and Ann Ray
Jay and Maria Hoopes

MARIA, ANN, & MICHELLE: We served in the Relief Society together in 6th ward a long time ago.

Dean and Marsha Brenchley are going to Pittsburg on their mission. Dean is a cousin to Paul Brenchley. Paul is married to Jay's cousin Linda Larson. Paul is also Caroline Curtis's father in law.

Robert (pictured in middle)is a cousin to Delwin Jones from our Shalimar Ward in Tempe.

Elma Baird and Elma M Hoopes (that's Maria - for those of you that didn't know her first name) met in Relief Society at the MTC. Elma is married to my cousin Jim Baird (John & Lorinda Phillips decendants) from Lehi who is serving as a Bishop in the MTC. Everyday is a surprise to meet family and friends at the MTC. Surrounded by the masses of dedicated servants of the Lord is a joy beyond measure.

Its Official

Its official (as if it wasn't before - wink, wink)! We have our missionary nametags! We have truly started at the MTC, already teaching discussions to investigators in roll playing settings. They treat us seniors missionaries royally here at the MTC, holding doors, smiling, watching out for ways to help us, and greeting us always as they pass by. It is an amazing and beautiful place! Here are some pictures in front of the large world map!

We look forward to seeing our grandson arrive this coming Wednesday at the MTC. Elder Hoopes is called to serve in the Paris France Mission and as another blessing, will also be in the MTC with us. We are going to do all we can to get a picture together - even though we are going to be on different schedules. We look forward to our many other grandsons who will follow in our footsteps and experience the amazing spirit here with the nearly 2,800 other missionaries. 400 new missionaries came today and of course, I shed many tears because of the spirit here and knowing that we will see our dear grandson next week.

We are not alone!

We arrived at the MTC on the same day as our long time friends Elder & Sister Ray. Though we are headed in very different directions, missionaries gather here to learn to teach the gospel, no matter where they are assigned. We feel that being in the MTC with some of our dearest friends is such a tender mercy from our Heavenly Father, who knows us each and loves us. When we started working on our mission papers to send Church Headquarters in SLC, we had no idea that the Rays were also working on their papers to submit. After weeks/months of preparing ourselves, we finally discovered they were working towards the same goals! And as it turned out, we both receive our mission calls and were told to report to the MTC on the same day!

Off to the MTC

Monday morning we left our daughter's house in Lehi for the Missionary Training Center in Provo. Some of our grandchildren were there to see us off. The others all said their goodbyes the week before in Arizona. We will sure miss them - all 23!