11-29-10--Working hard in San Martins

YEAH THURSDAY HERE WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS THANKSGIVING TILL CÁSSIA TOLD ME THAT NIGHT, HEY ISN'T IT A HOLIDAY IN AMERICA?


I SANG BASS IN THE SAN MARTIN CHOIR (ABOUT 10 PEOPLE) AT OUR STAKE CONFERENCE YESTERDAY. IT WENT WELL. WE SANG "CAREÇO DE JESUS" AND SOME OTHER HYMN. 

ADLÁN DECIDED HE'S SERVING A MISSION!!!! ITS PRETTY AWESOME. HE HAS LOTS OF DOCTRINAL QUESTIONS. I HAVE TOLD HIM MANY TIMES THAT HE WILL KNOW WHAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW FOR A TESTIMONY.

SO EVERYTHING'S GOING MORE OR LESS ALRIGHT HERE. MY COMPANION IS GOOD, AND HE WORKS HARD AND WE ARE GETTING ALONG PRETTY WELL. I'M STARTING TO TEACH HIM ENGLISH, AND HE'S HELPING MY PORTUGUESE A LOT. THE LANGUAGE IS GOING REALLY WELL. HE TOLD ME THAT I SPEAK AS WELL AS LOTS OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE A YEAR IN BRAZIL RIGHT NOW, SO I GUESS I'M PICKING IT UP. WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD EVERY DAY, WE DON'T EVEN TAKE OUR DINNER HOUR. FROM WHAT HE TELLS ME ABOUT LOTS OF OTHER MISSIONARIES HE'S WORKED WITH, I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE WITH SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY WANTS TO WORK HARD. RIGHT NOW WE´RE WORKING WITH NEW PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE ALREADY BAPTIZED ALL OF THE GOOD INVESTIGATORS OF LAST TRANSFER, FOR THE MOST PART. WE ARE WORKING WITH CÁSSIA A LOT WITH HER FAMILY. SHE IS A FOUNTAIN OF REFERRALS, AS ELDER PRIETO SAID. ALSO A MEMBER INVITED HER FRIEND ANA TO CHURCH YESTERDAY AND WE MET HER FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND SHE SEEMS PRETTY READY. BUT YES EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL. 

 

IDK WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO SEND MORE PICTURES HOME BUT I HAVE LOTS OF BAPTISM PICTURES TO SEND NOW! I'VE BEEN WARNED BY SEVERAL ELDERS NOT TO PLUG MY CAMERA IN TO THE COMPUTERS AT LANHOUSES BECAUSE OF VIRUSES, SO WHO KNOWS WHEN I CAN SEND MORE. 

 

LOVE

ELDER HOOKE

11-22-10 FOUR Baptisms!!

11-22-10

ANYWAYS, I HAVE A NEW COMPANION. HE IS ELDER PRIETO OLIVEIRA FROM SÃO PAULO. ELDER WELLS LEFT THIS MORNING AND I WILL REMAIN HERE IN SAN MARTIN WITH ELDER PRIETO OLIVEIRA. HE HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE MISSION AS ME, AND SPEAKS NO ENGLISH. AT FIRST HE TOLD ME THAT WE ARE CO-SENIORS, BUT THEN APPARENTLY HE CALLED THE ZLS AND THEY TOLD HIM HE IS SENIOR. EITHER WAY, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I TOLD HIM IT DIDN'T MATTER MUCH TO ME-- AS LONG AS I HAVE A GOOD SENIOR THAT WANTS TO WORK HARD, I DON'T MIND BEING JUNIOR.

THIS WEEK WAS A ROLLER COASTER!!! SOME SUPER STRESSFUL THINGS HAPPENED BUT IN THE END,  EVERYTHING TURNED OUT AMAZING. YES CÁSSIA WAS BAPTIZED. AND ADLÂN, [AND ON SUNDAY I GOT TO BAPTIZE] CONCEIÇÃO, AND HER BROTHER ANDERSON!

                                                          Cassia

                                                         Elder Wells, Adlán, Elder Hooke

                               Elder Wells, Elder Hooke, Anderson & Conceição (brother & sister)
SO ELDER WELLS AND I WORKED NONSTOP THIS WEEK WITH THESE PEOPLE (AND MORE). WE LITERALLY COULDN'T EVEN EAT DINNER TILL 9:30 WHEN WE RETURNED HOME FOR THE NIGHT! SOME BAD THINGS HAPPENED WITH CÁSSIA'S FAMILY THAT WE THOUGHT FOR SURE WOULD KEEP THE BAPTISM FROM HAPPENING. BUT WE DECIDED WE'D JUST PRAY WITH HER. SHE TOLD US AFTER THE PRAYER SHE FELT MUCH MUCH MORE AT PEACE ABOUT EVERYTHING, AND THE SITUATION TURNED OUT TO BE NOT QUITE AS BAD A WE HAD THOUGHT. RIGHT AFTER THAT TEREZA (CÁSSIA'S MOM) CAME UP TO US AND TOLD US "EU VOU ME BATIZAR NA IGREJA CERTA, A IGREJA DE VOCES" (I'M GONNA GET MYSELF BAPTIZED IN THE TRUE CHURCH, YOURS). WE WERE PRETTY SURPRISED AND SO THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME. SHE WANTS TO WAIT TILL AFTER HER EYE SURGURY TO GET BAPTIZED, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS... SO YEAH CASSIA'S BAPTISM WAS SATURDAY NIGHT AND IT WAS GREAT. ELDER WELLS BAPTIZED HER, AND AFTER EVERYONE LEFT WE FOUND OUT HER NAME IS LONGER THAN WE'D THOUGHT, RITA DE CÁSSIA DE MENDONÇA [AND ON], AND SO SHE HAD TO GET BAPTIZED AGAIN, WHICH SHE WAS FINE WITH.

WE HAD A WARD TALENT SHOW AFTER AND IT WAS CRAZY! THE BISHOP AND HIS FAMILY RAN THE THING AND HAD LOTS OF GAMES, CONTESTS, AND STUFF IN BETWEEN THE ACTS. AND HE RANDOMLY TOLD EVERYONE THAT I WAS GONNA COME UP AND PLAY AND SING SOMETHING ON GUITAR BY THE BEATLES... SO I DID. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE HAD A SORE THROAT THE LAST FEW DAYS AND MY VOICE WAS TERRIBLE. BUT FORTUNATELY ANOTHER GUY, THE BISHOPS BRO IN LAW, CAME UP AND STARTED SINGING IT FOR ME. IT'S FUNNY TO HEAR BRAZILIANS SING ENGLISH SONGS THEY'VE HEARD MANY TIMES, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE SOUNDS OF THE WORDS BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. BUT IT WAS VERY FUN.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK WE WERE TEACHING CONCEIÇÃO, AND ANDERSON LISTENED IN. AFTERWARD WE MARKED HIS BAPTISM FOR THE SAME DAY AS HERS. HE HAS ALREADY QUIT SMOKING AND ALL HE NEEDED WAS TO GO TO CHURCH ONE MORE TIME. SO IT WORKED WELL. THE TWO OF THEM BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND MORE OF WHAT THIS BAPTISMAL COMMITMENT IS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE HELPING THEM. LAST NIGHT, WE WENT BY TO SAY BYE (ELDER WELLS LEFT) AND PLAYED SOME QUALITY UNO.

AND ADLÂN FINALLY GOT HIS DAD´S SIGNATURE! HE WAS BAPTIZED BY ELDER WELLS LAST NIGHT IN THE MOST SPIRITUAL BAPTISM I EVER ATTENDED. EVERYONE WAS SO HAPPY, AND HE TOLD US THAT HE IS GONNA FIND ANOTHER "ADLÂN" AND BAPTIZE HIM! WE ARE CONFIDENT HE'LL SERVE A MISSION IN A YEAR. I ALSO FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT FROM THE BISHOP THAT THE FIRST TIME HE MET ADLÂN, HE WAS MORE LIKE SAUL. HE HAD LOTS OF DOUBTS AND WAS LOOKING FOR ERRORS IN THE CHURCH. THE BISHOP BECAME VERY WORRIED FOR HIS MEMBER GIRLFRIEND, NATHALIA. ADLÂN HAD ALSO SAID, AND DONT WORRY I WOULD NEVER GET BAPTIZED FOR NATHALIA. HE ALSO TOLD ELDER WELLS THE FIRST TIME THEY MET THAT HE DIDN'T WANNA GET BAPTIZED OR ANYTHING, HE JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW WE WOULD ANSWER HIS QUESTIONS. ONE MORE AWESOME THING ABOUT HIS BAPTISM LAST NIGHT WAS THAT AFTERWARDS, HE PULLED ELDER WELLS AND I ASIDE TO ASK IF WE'D FOUND AN ANSWER TO A PARTICULAR QUESTION HE HAD. WE HADN'T FOUND A GREAT ANSWER, BUT HE SAID, BASICALLY, "DONT WORRY. I KNOW IT'S TRUE AND THAT STUFF DOESN'T MATTER TOO MUCH ANYMORE. BUT I DID FIND AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION ON MY OWN."     THEN I TOLD HIM ABOUT HOW I STILL HAVE A MILLION QUESTIONS AND THEY WILL NEVER STOP. WE TALKED ABOUT FAITH AND LOGIC. THEN WE GAVE HIM A WHITE SHIRT AND TIE. GREAT NIGHT.

[I asked him if they have anything like Thanksgiving there.] I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT HERE. THEY HAVE TONS OF RANDOM HOLIDAYS THOUGH. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE CELEBRATING, THEY JUST KNOW THEY HAVE A DAY OFF. AND YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL BECAUSE THERE IS LOUD MUSIC PLAYING ON EVERY STREET CORNER AND EVERYONE IS DRUNK.

HAVE A GOOD THANKSGIVING!

THANK YOU FOR THE EMAILS, SUPPORT, PRAYERS, MAIL, PACKAGES, AND EVERYTHING. LOVE YOU TOO

ELDER HOOKE

11-16-10 Investigator status...many progressing

11-16-10

 

Oi familia! Mãe,

 

THE WEEK WENT WELL, ALTHOUGH STILL NO BAPTISMS! ADLÁN WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE SIGNITURE FROM HIS DAD YET, BUT WE´RE ARE HOPING HE WILL BY SATURDAY SO THAT HE CAN BE BAPTIZED AT THE SAME SERVICE AS CÁSSIA AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER GIRL, CONCEIÇÃO. CÁSSIA DECREASED HER CIGARRETTES UNTIL ZERO A FEW DAYS A GO, AND IF SHE DOESN'T SMOKE ANOTHER, SHE WILL BE VERY EXCITED TO BE BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY. SHE´S AN AWESOME INVESTIGATOR, ONE OF THOSE THAT MOTIVATES THE MISSIONARIES INSTEAD OF ONE THAT THE MISSIONARIES HAVE TO SPEND LOTS OF TIME MOTIVATING. WE GO OVER THERE EVERY DAY, AND YESTERDAY SHE CAME TO A FHE WITH US AT A WARD FAM'S HOUSE, WITH PIZZA AND CAKE (AND A LESSONZINHO OF COURSE). JOÃO PEDRO IS A FUNNY KID. HE DOESNT WANNA BE BAPTIZED, AT LEAST HE DOESNT RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH TEREZA, CASSIAS MOM. I THINK SHE'LL COME AROUND ONE DAY SOON. RONALDO IS STILL IN THE SAME SITUATION--HE GOT AN ANSWER TO PRAYER, KNOWS ITS TRUE, BUT IS AFRAID TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO BE BAPTIZED BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO GROW UP LIVING THE COMMANDMENTS HERE AND HE KNOWS IT. IT WOULD BE MUCH HARDER HERE THAN CALIFORNIA. CONCEIÇÃO IS ANDERSON´S SISTER (ANDERSON UP AND QUIT SMOKING THAT ONE DAY A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT HAS STILL ONLY BEEN TO CHURCH ONCE SO HIS BAPTISMAL DATE FELL). CONCEIÇAO IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT IS VERY NICE AND BELIEVES THE CHURCH IS TRUE, BUT I WORRY THAT SHE DOESNT REALLY UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT THAT BAPTISM IS. WE´LL JUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREPARE HER AND PRAY.

 

GLAD YOU LIKED THE PICTURES. YEAH THAINARA IS REALLY CUTE--I MISS THAT FAMILY!

 

WELL MY HEALTH IS GOOD. NOTHING MUCH TO WORRY ABOUT. WE STILL HAVENT SCHEDULED THE SURGERY YET. [ I think this is classic Jon-humor...]

 

THE COMPANIONSHIP IS GOING WELL. ELDER WELLS AND I WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO REMAIN HERE NEXT TRANSFER TOGETHER, TOO, WHICH STARTS NEXT MONDAY! SO WE WILL BE SPENDING CHRISTMAS HERE WITH THE BISHOP AND STUFF, WHICH WE´RE EXCITED ABOUT. WE ARE VERY BUSY, AND GENERALLY PLAN, MAKE A SMOOTHIE AND GO TO BED AS SOON AS WE GET HOME. WE ARE TEACHING WELL TOGETHER, AND USUALLY MAKE A PRETTY EFFECTIVE TEAM. WE SOMETIMES CALL OURSELVES THE "SUPER DUPLA" HAHA.

 

I´M LEARNING ABOUT PATIENCE, ABOUT THE SPIRIT, ABOUT HOW TO HELP PEOPLE. ITS GOOD.

 

AND ONE PIECE OF ADVICE FOR EVERY MORMON GIRL: JUST CUZ A GUY WENT ON A MISSION DOES NOT MEAN HE´S A GREAT GUY.  (DONT WORRY, ITS NOT MY COMPANION TEACHING ME THIS)

[Emily's girls cross country team didn't go past CIF prelims, but the boys team will progres to CIF finals...Jon's response:] TOO BAD. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS NOW EM? ITS TRACK SEASON! AND GOOD LUCK TO THE GUYS AT FINALS NEXT WEEK!

DONT HAVE ANY NEW FOTOS FOR THIS WEEK BUT HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD ONE!

THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS FOR OUR INVESTIGATORS AND FOR US.

LOVE,

ELDER HOOKE

 

11-15-10 Busy P-day! Short and sweet...

Monday, November 15, 2010

Hi sorry I didnt email yet today. I think we will be able to tomorrow, not sure though. Things are going well though, don't worry about me!


Love

Elder Hooke

PHOTOS FROM GARANHUNS (September 22 - October 11, 2010)

 The view from the apartment Jon was in in Garanhuns

 Jon's district in Garanhuns. (His companion, Elder de Souza, is standing by President Emeric)

 Lurdinha and Marcos, who were married and baptized on the same day.

 Thainara (5), Vivianna (11), Lurdinha, Marcos, Marcones (14), Israel (12)

 Elder de Souza, Lurdinha, Marcos, Jon

 The happy couple!

 Above: Group shot outside chapel           Below: Jon with little Thainara

11-8-10 Birthday, & Baptisms Upcoming!

11-8-10

Hope your birthday was marvelous!

HAHA NOTHIN TOO SPECIAL... JUST BEANS AND RICE AND FASTING. AND ALL THE USUAL TEACHING APPOINTMENTS AND WHAT NOT. BUT THE BEST PART WAS THAT I ACTUALLY GOT YOUR PACKAGE AND LETTER THE DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY! SO I WAS ABLE TO OPEN IT ON SATURDAY MORNING, AND I WAS SO EXCITED. IT’S FUNNY HOW HAPPY I WAS TO RECEIVE A YOYO AND PADDLE BALL AND CANDY. HAHA THANK YOU SO MUCH! AND YOU ARE ALREADY GETTING PAID BACK FOR THE CAMERA CORD (IN PICTURES I SENT). THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CARD TOO. I APPRECIATED IT! IT WAS ALL THAT MADE MY B-DAY UNIQUE SO IT WAS NICE.

WELL ADLÁN SHOULD BE BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY! HE CAN’T THURSDAY BECAUSE WHEN HE FINALLY DECIDED HE WAS SURE HE WANTED BAPTISM HIS MOM SAID NO! AND HE’S 17 SO IT HAS TO GET SIGNED... BUT ON THURSDAY HE´S GOING TO TAKE A LONG BUS RIDE TO FIND HIS DAD TO SIGN THE PAPER! HE´S GOING TO BE SUCH A STRONG MEMBER, AND A MISSIONARY! SO PLEASE PRAY THAT ALL GOES WELL FOR HIM BEING BAPTIZED THE 13TH.

RONALDO, THE SMART 12 YEAR OLD KID, FINALLY RECEIVED AN ANSWER TO HIS PRAYERS. HE´S ALWAYS BEEN READING AND PRAYING AND GOING TO CHURCH BUT HADN'T REALLY FELT LIKE HIS PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED. A FEW DAYS AGO HE REALLY FELT THE HOLY GHOST CONFIRM THE TRUTH OF  THE BOOK OF MORMON! HIS MOM TOLD US HOW SHE WAS AT WORK AND HE RAN IN THE SHOP ALL EXCITED TO TELL HER ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE! HE IS SO HAPPY, BUT WE STILL HAVE NO BAPTISM DATE SET.

CÁSSIA IS AWESOME. SHE WENT TO CHURCH AGAIN AND WAS RECEIVED VERY WELL. SHE ANNOUNCED HER BAPTISM TO SOME OF HER NEW FRIENDS AT CHURCH, SCHEDULED FOR THE 20TH. TODAY WE WILL FIND OUT HOW QUITTING SMOKING IS GOING, BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TELL US BEFORE.... BUT WE GAVE HER A PRIESTHOOD BLESSING TO HELP HER OVERCOME THE ADDICTION, AND SHE HAS INCREDIBLE FAITH. AND NOW I CAN GIVE HER THAT CONFERENCE TALK YOU SENT ME ABOUT OVERCOMING ADDICTIONS. THANKS! HER MOM, TEREZA, IS STILL A LITTLE SCARED TO SET A DATE FOR BAPTISM, ALTHOUGH SHE KNOWS THAT SHE NEEDS IT AND THAT THE CHURCH IS TRUE. IT’S JUST HARD TO LEAVE THE RELIGION OF THE LAST 75 YEARS OF HER LIFE. WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH HER, AND SHE IS VERY AWESOME, AND LOVES THE TRUE CHURCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH [for keeping him in our prayers]. I AM ASKING AND PRAYING FOR ALL THE INVESTIGATORS EVERY DAY, AND OCCASIONALLY, NO, I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY USUALLY, YOU GUYS ARE IN MY PRAYERS! LOVE YOU AND HAVE A GOOD WEEK.  :)

11-1-10 Wonderful Spiritual Experiences

11-1-10

NOBODY CELEBRATED HALLOWEEN HERE, EXCEPT ELDER WELLS AND I. WE MADE CUZCUZ (BASICALLY LIKE CORN MEAL MUSH) AND ADDED REESES PIECES MNMS TO IT AND THIS PEANUT CANDY. IT WAS GOOD, AND WE HAD IT WITH OUR NEW HOMEMADE AÇAÍ SMOOTHIE RECIPE, WHICH IS AMAZING! WE JUST WATCHED THAT GUY AT THE SMOOTHIE STAND MAKE OUR SMOOTHIES AND BOUGHT ALL THE SAME INGREDIENTS HE USES AND NOW WE HAVE SMOOTHIES LIKE TWICE A DAY!

THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WITH THE WARD. WE HAD A FAMILY NIGHT WITH A FAM IN THE WARD AND ANOTHER FAMILY WHO THEY ARE FRIENDS WITH. AND ALSO WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE A FEW DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH US DURING THE WEEK TO TEACH LESSONS.

IT"S A VERY FINE BALANCE BETWEEN WORKING HARD TO PEAK WELL AND WORKING TOO HARD. THAT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU JUST WISH THAT THE HARDER YOU WORK, THE FASTER YOU'LL BE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO WORK VERY SMART FOR THAT TO BE TRUE.

SO YESTERDAY WAS AN AWESOME DAY. ONE OF THE DAYS THAT WILL ALWAYS MARK MY MISSION. I'LL JUST COPY MY JOURNAL ENTRY FROM YESTERDAY:

"TODAY WAS A DAY I'LL NEVER FORGET! I AM STOKED RIGHT NOW. ADELÁN FINALLY, AFTER LIKE 8 WEEKS OF BEING TAUGHT, HAS AN ANSWER TO HIS PRAYER AND WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!  WE WENT TO A REALLY GOOD MEETING TODAY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE WARD LIKE 16-30 YEARS OLD. THERE WERE SOME OLD PEOPLE TOO. BUT HE DESCRIBED HOW HE FELT, AND IT WAS REALLY A FEELING I KNOW. HE SAID HE REALLY JUST FELT SUPER HAPPY THERE, LAUGHING AT EVERYTHING JUST BECAUSE OF THE JOY HE FELT. (I ALREADY MENTIONED THAT HE RECEIVED A STRONG ANSWER TO PRAYER WEEKS AGO RIGHT?) I FELT THAT SAME WAY IN THE MEETING (WE HAD JUST COME FROM THE LESSON THAT I WILL WRITE ABOUT WITH TEREZA AND CASSIA.) HE TALKED ABOUT SERVING A MISSION AND HOW IT WILL BE A BIG DECISION IN HIS LIFE. AND HE SAID HE WANTS HIS WHOLE LIFE TO BE A MISSION JUST HELPING PEOPLE FOREVER. HE IS REALLY SMART, AND I AM VERY CONFIDENT HE'LL REMAIN STRONG IN THE CHURCH. HE ALSO SAID THAT DURING THE MEETING HE KEPT HAVING THIS IMAGE OF ELDER WELLS BAPTIZING HIM, SO WHEN WE TALKED TO HIM AFTER, WE WERE ALL STOKED AND EACH SAID A PRAYER TO THANK GOD, AND HE WILL BE BAPTIZED A WEEK FROM THURSDAY. SWEET.

      SIDENOTE- AT THAT MEETING, AN OLDER WARD MEMBER WHO WE ATE WITH A FEW DAYS AGO WAS THERE.  HE’S BEEN  A MEMBER FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS NOW, AND HE TOLD US ABOUT HOW LONG AGO HE DROVE AROUND DRUG TRAFFICKERS, WAS THE DRIVER IN SEVERAL DRIVE BY SHOOTINGS, AND HOW HE "HAS BROKEN MANY FACES". THEN HE TOLD US HIS CONVERSION STORY AND HOW HE IS INFINITELY HAPPIER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE, BECAUSE THIS IS ETERNAL. IT WAS PRETTY POWERFUL.

     CÁSSIA COMMITTED TO BE BAPTIZED TODAY IN A VERY POWERFUL LESSON, AND WE TALKED WITH HER AND TEREZA ABOUT ALL THE MIRACLES THAT THE GOSPEL (FULNESS OF, THAT IS. THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN STRONG CATHOLICS) HAS BROUGHT THEM. I THINK I ALREADY WROTE ABOUT HOW CÁSSIA WS PRAYING FOR DAYS BEFORE WE ARRIVED FOR GUIDANCE IN HER SON, JOÃO PEDRO’S LIFE, AND THEN HE FOUND US. AND TODAY HE WAS ANGRY BECAUSE NO ONE WOKE HIM UP TO GO TO CHURCH! I ALREADY WROTE ABOUT THE FACT THAT BOTH TEREZA AND HER HUSBAND MAURO ARE IN BETTER HEALTH THAN EITHER OF THEM HAS BEEN IN YEARS SINCE WE STARTED COMING. NOW CÁSSIA’S 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, MARIA KLARA  AND HER NIECE, MARIA LUIZA BOTH ARE LISTENING AND LOVING OUR MESSAGES. BOTH OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY READ AND PRAYED AND HAD VERY POWERFUL EXPERIENCES. BOTH OF THEM TALKED ABOUT A STRONG FEELING OF PEACE AND JOY AS THEY PRAYED.  THEN THE NEXT DAY WE WATCHED A 7 MINUTE FILM WITH THEM THAT WAS MADE BY THE SAN JOSE CA MISSION CALLED "BY SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS". IT WAS REALLY REALLY POWERFUL AND EVERYONE FELT THE SPIRIT DURING IT. CÁSSIA WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE HADN'T REALLY FELT ANYTHING SPECIAL WHILE PRAYING BUT DID DURING THE MOVIE. ONLY TEREZA AND CÁSSIA WENT TO CHURCH, BUT THEY WERE BOTH VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE WARD AND LOVED IT. I'M STOKED TO SEE WHAT IS TO COME WITH THIS FAMILY."

ANYWAYS PRAY FOR CÁSSIA BECAUSE SHE WILL HAVE TO QUIT SMOKING. AND TEREZA SAID THAT SHE WANTS TO FEEL SOMETHING STRONGER BEFORE BAPTISM. SHE WILL, IF SHE TRULY WANTS, BE READY WITHIN 2 WEEKS.

WE ARE ALSO TEACHING A PART MEMBER FAMILY, AND THE 17 YEAR OLD GUY AND MOM USED TO SMOKE. BUT THEY SET A GOAL TO STOP, JUST UP AND STOP, DURING ONE OF OUR LESSONS AND NOW IT MAKES 5 DAYS WITHOUT SMOKE! WE HAD MARKED ANDERSON'S BAPTISM FOR THE 13TH BUT THAT WILL CHANGE BECAUSE STUFF HAPPENED SUNDAY MORNING THAT KEPT THEM FROM CHURCH.

AND THE BISHOP’S NIECES WERE DROPPED. THEY HAVE A REALLY BAD FAMILY SITUATION AND I FEEL BAD FOR THEM, BUT THEY "DON'T WANNA BE BAPTIZED". I BELIEVE THAT WAS MORE OF THE WORDS OF OTHERS (WE GOT CALLED LIARS, AMERICAN JERKS, AND STONED BY ALL THEIR NEIGHBOR KIDS, I JUST GOT HIT BY ONE LITTLE ROCK IN THE CALF, BUT AT LEAST I CAN SAY I GOT STONED  :)   )

LOVE YOU TOO. BYE!