1-31-11 Greatest P-Day Ever!

THE WEEK WENT WELL. WE WERE ABLE TO TEACH MANY, MANY LESSONS, AND WE ARE GETTING TO KNOW THE WARD BETTER. 

ON SATURDAY, ELDER NAGASE GOT SICK, SO ONE PRIEST STAYED IN THE HOUSE WITH HIM, AND ANOTHER, AUGUSTO, WENT WITH ME TO ALL OF OUR APPOINTMENTS AND ALSO TO HIS FRIEND'S HOUSE TO TEACH HIM. IT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, TO TEACH BASICALLY BY MYSELF. AND TO BE WITHOUT ANOTHER GUY IN A WHITE SHIRT AND TIE! ELDER NAGASE GOT BETTER THOUGH AND ON SUNDAY WE HAD A REALLY GOOD CHURCH MEETING. THERE ARE A FEW MEN IN THE WARD WITH ACTIVE FAMILIES BUT WHO ARE NOT BAPTIZED, AND WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH THEM. IT IS REALLY HARD TO MARK AN APPOINTMENT THOUGH... LUCIANO WAS THERE, WITHOUT HIS WIFE. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN THOUGH [with them], AND THE WHOLE WARD IS WANTING TO HELP.

DEBORA IS DEFINITELY OUR TOP INVESTIGATOR RIGHT NOW. SHE ALREADY IS GAINING A TESTIMONY, SHE WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE CLASS AT CHURCH AND EVERYTHING. SHE IS EXCITED FOR HER BAPTISM WHICH IS MARKED FOR THIS SATURDAY. IT IS AWESOME TO SEE HOW DEDICATED SHE IS TO DOING WHAT SHE KNOWS IS RIGHT. SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND, AND WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH HIM TOO NOW. HE WAS BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED 10 YEARS AGO, BUT UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO HE HAD NEVER AGAIN SET FOOT IN THE TRUE CHURCH. HIS BROTHER WAS ALSO BAPTIZED IN THAT TIME, BUT HE REMAINED FIRM AND SERVED A MISSION AND EVERYTHING, AND IT WAS HIM THAT INTRODUCED DEBORA TO THE GOSPEL AND TO US. SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST SINCERE PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET, AND IS ALREADY MAKING PLANS T0 LEAVE TOWN TO ESCAPE CARNAVAL AND STUFF.

{<-- at the waterfall with Elder Nagase}

ITS A BIG CHANGE IN HER LIFE AND SHE'S STILL A LITTLE FRUSTRATED/STRESSED, BUT SHE KNOWS AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS DEFINITELY FOR THE BETTER! PRAY FOR HER, THAT SHE CAN MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS PLEASE?  I'M PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU MORE THAN USUAL THESE DAYS.

SO TODAY WAS THE BEST PDAY OF THE MISSION SO FAR! WE LEFT PONTE (WITH PERMISSION OF COURSE) TO MEET UP WITH ELDER JOHNSON AND MUSSOI IN A LITTLE COUNTRY TOWN, ESCADA. I REALLY MISSED DIRT BIKING AS I LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND SAW TONS OF PRIME RIDING LAND. BUT ANYWAYS, FROM ESCADA WE GOT IN ONE OF THOSE SPRINTER VANS, YOU KNOW THE REALLY TALL ONES. AND WE WERE THE LAST TO GET IN OF MORE OR LESS 37 PEOPLE! (I COUNTED) IT WAS RIDICULOUS AND EQUALLY CROWDED ON THE WAY BACK, BUT ANYWAYS, WHEN WE GOT TO THIS LITTLE TOWN CALLED PRIMAVEIRA, WE GOT OUT AND PAID THIS OLD GUY 10 REAIS TO GIVE US A RIDE IN THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK TO THIS WATERFALL, CACHOEIRA DO URUBU. AND AT THE BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL WE ALL HIKED AROUND, ATE LUNCH AT THIS BAR, TOOK A PICTURE HOLDING A 3-TOED SLOTH AND ALSO A QUATE (I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS IN ENGLISH). THEN WE HIKED SOME MORE TO
 {3-toed sloth}
ANOTHER WATERFALL, AND RETURNED, AND RIGHT NOW I'M EMAILING FROM ESCADA. AND I GOTTA GO PRETTY SOON BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMPROMISSO [appointment] IN PONTE AT 6 30... BUT ANYWAYS IT'S BEEN A GOOD DAY.

{<--coati mundi} 

WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRAYERS. EDNA WAS CONFIRMED YESTERDAY AND WE ARE STILL HELPING HER OFTEN.

ALANNA IS ALL GOOD, JUST THE CLASSIC HAPPY 10 YEAR OLD MORMON GIRL IN PRIMARY EVERY SUNDAY.

I AM VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT SAN MARTIN [his past area] AT THE NEXT TRANSFER MEETING IN 2 WEEKS.

I'M LEARNING MORE AND MORE CLEARLY EVERY DAY THAT HAPPINESS IN LIFE IS A RESULT OF KEEPING OUR COVENANTS WITH GOD. AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF BAD THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN LIFE ARE RESULTS OF SIN. OF COURSE THERE ARE CASES OF CANCER AND STUFF, AND I DON'T GET THAT, BUT THE GRAND MAJORITY.

ANYWAYS YEP EVERYTHING IS OK HERE, AND THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING A GREAT FAMILY. 

LOVE

ELDER HOOKE

1-24-11 Another baptism coming

 

WE WERE ABLE TO TEACH A GIRL OF 10 YEARS, ALANNA, THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS AND SHE ASKED ME TO BAPTIZE HER ON SATURDAY. SHE HAS FAMILY IN THE CHURCH AND HAS BEEN GOING ALMOST EVERY WEEK FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT DECIDED RECENTLY TO BE BAPTIZED (HER LESS ACTIVE MOM DIDN'T WANT HER TO GET BAPTIZED UNTIL SHE SHOWED INTEREST AND HAD THE DESIRE ON HER OWN). SHE'S A REALLY COOL GIRL, AND WHEN WE REVIEWED ALL THE LESSONS BEFORE BAPTISM SHE BASICALLY TOLD US ALL THE STUFF WE TEACH, IN A LOT MORE DETAIL THAN WE NORMALLY TEACH IT. HER NONMEMBER DAD WENT TO CHURCH THE NEXT DAY TO SEE HER CONFIRMATION, AND SO WE ARE HOPING TO TEACH HIM TOO THIS WEEK.
THE COMPANIONSHIP IS GOING WELL. WE GET ALONG FINE AND WE'VE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZED THAT THE SPIRIT IS HELPING US OUT. LAST NIGHT I HAD A COOL EXPERIENCE--I REMEMBERED A STORY THAT HAPPENED TO NEPHI AND IT APPLIED PERFECTLY TO THE PERSON WE WERE TEACHING. I HAD NO IDEA WHERE THE STORY WAS AND THOUGHT, I'LL JUST OPEN UP THE SCRIPTURES AND SEE IF I FIND IT. LITERALLY THE FIRST PAGE I OPENED TO, AND THE FIRST VERSE THAT I STARTED READING, WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN A LOT HERE. 

YES, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU, I GOT  THEM [the CD's we mailed him]! THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET SOME NEW SPEAKERS THOUGH... I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LISTEN MUCH. THE COMPUTER SPEAKERS I BROUGHT BROKE THE FIRST DAY I GOT TO BRAZIL WHEN ELDER STRICKLAND TOLD ME THAT I DON'T NEED TO USE THE TRANSFORMER. WHEN THEY BROKE, HE SAID, "WELL AT LEAST MY

SPEAKERS DON'T REQUIRE THE TRANSFORMER". HAHA SO I WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN.

[After reading a glowing report from a friend serving his mission in Honduras, Jon commented] THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR. WHILE I DON'T THINK MY JOY IS THAT FULL (HOPEFULLY I CAN ALWAYS GET HAPPIER AS THE MISSION GOES ALONG), I KNOW WHAT HE'S SAYING. IT'S AWESOME TO WAKE UP AND KNOW THAT MY WORRIES AND ALL THE STRESS IN MY LIFE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DO WITH MY LIFE. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN PONTE DOS CARVALHOS.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK, LOVE YOU ALL.

ELDER HOOKE

1-17-11 Busy productive week in Ponte Dos Carvalhos! Edna's baptism

HELLO FAMILY AND EVERYONE,

THE NEW AREA IS VERY GOOD. BRIDGE OF THE CARVALHOS [Ponte Dos Carvalhos] (A NAME IN THIS CASE) IS A MUCH BIGGER AREA THAN SAN MARTIN, AND A VERY NEW WARD. THE CHAPEL WAS BUILT AND THE WARD ESTABLISHED 1 YEAR AGO. THE LEADERSHIP IS VERY GOOD, ALTHOUGH WE NEED TO WORK WITH THEM MORE. MY COMP IS GOOD. I WILL HAVE TO LEARN A LOT OF THINGS WITH HIM, I CAN TELL ALREADY. THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF GOOD INVESTIGATORS. WE HAVE A COUPLE, LUCIANO AND ANTONIA, WHO WE ARE HELPING PLAN A MARRIAGE AND BAPTISM FOR FEBRUARY 12TH, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL SOME OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME. THEY BOTH HAVE TESTIMONIES ALREADY (THEY ARE EVEN PAYING TITHING ALREADY). WE ALSO FOUND A FEW NEW INVESTIGATORS THIS WEEK THAT WE HAVE MARKED BAPTISMAL DATES WITH. 

ON TUESDAY WE WENT TO TRY TO FIND AN INVESTIGATOR, EDNA, WHO ELDER NAGASE OR I HAD NEVER MET (ELDER NAGASE ARRIVED ONLY ONE WEEK BEFORE ME). WE WERE LOOKING FOR HER ADDRESS WHEN SHE PASSED US IN THE STREET AND CALLED US OVER. WE WENT TO HER FRONT PORCH AND SAT TO TEACH HER, AND BEFORE WE EVEN SAID ANYTHING, SHE TOLD US "BEFORE YOU TEACH ME A LESSON, MARK IN YOUR CALENDARS THAT I WANNA BE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!" WE WERE VERY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT SHE KNOWS EVERYONE IN THE WARD, WAS ALREADY TAUGHT BY MISSIONARIES FOR MONTHS, AND ATTENDED CHURCH AND EVEN SEMINARY SOMETIMES LAST YEAR. SHE HAD BEEN TRAVELING, BUT SHE TOLD US “I TURN 18 ON SUNDAY, AND NOW I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO SIGN MY OWN BAPTISMAL FORM.” TURNS OUT SHE WAS ALREADY GONNA BE BAPTIZED BEFORE BUT HER MOM DID NOT WANT TO SIGN THE FORM. SO WE REVIEWED ALL THE COMMANDMENTS AND EVERYTHING WITH HER, SHE WAS INTERVIEWED BY ELDER WELLS (MY LZ, WHICH IS COOL) AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING SMOOTHLY FOR HER BAPTISM YESTERDAY. WE TURNED ON THE FONT ON SATURDAY TO FILL IT UP, BUT AFTER IT FILLED ABOUT 6 INCHES, ALL THE WATER IN THE WHOLE CHURCH RAN OUT. IT WAS KINDA A DISASTER TOO, BECAUSE THERE WAS A BIG ACTIVITY GOING ON AND EVERYONE WAS THIRSTY...BUT ANYWAYS WE PLANNED ON JUST HOPING THE WATER WOULD RETURN TO THE CHURCH AND WE COULD BAPTIZE HER SUNDAY MORNING AND SHE’D BE CONFIRMED DURING SACRAMENT MEETING, BUT AT 6:30AM WE RAN OVER TO THE CHAPEL, AND STILL... NOTHING. SO SHE ARRIVED TO BE BAPTIZED ALONG WITH HER FRIENDS IN THE WARD, INCLUDING A PRIEST, WILL, WHO WOULD BAPTIZE HER, BUT THE FONT WAS STILL ALMOST EMPTY.

 

SO DURING CHURCH WE TALKED TO PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT, AND AT LAST WE TALKED TO A MEMBER WHO HAS A CEMENT WATER TANK IN HER YARD, JUST BIG ENOUGH TO BAPTIZE. SO WE WALKED OVER THERE AFTER CHURCH, SAID AN OPENING PRAYER, WILL BAPTIZED HER, SAID A CLOSING PRAYER, AND THAT WAS THAT.  IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE LORD BLESSES US, BUT STILL MAKES US WORK TO EARN THE BLESSINGS. EDNA WAS VERY HAPPY, AND AFTER MANY MONTHS OF INVESTIGATING THE CHURCH SHE IS NOW A MEMBER!

THIS NEXT WEEK WE WILL HAVE A BAPTISM OF A GIRL IN THE WARD, ALANA. IT’S BEEN YEARS THAT SHE GOES TO CHURCH EVERY WEEK WITH HER GRAMMA AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY SHE WASN’T BAPTIZED BEFORE (SHE'S 10), BUT THAT WILL BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE. SHE WILL BE BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY AT THE CHURCH (IF THE WATER TURNS ON) BY HER UNCLE, WHO IS ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER.

WE'VE BEEN TEACHING A LOT THIS WEEK TOO. I THINK WE TAUGHT MORE LESSONS THAN I HAVE SINCE I WAS IN ALABAMA, SO IT IS GOOD TO BE WORKING HARD AND STAYING BUSY DOING THE LORD’S WORK.

IT IS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR THAT EVERYTHING WENT WELL [with Grampa's funeral in Provo]. AND I WILL KEEP GRAMMA IN MY PRAYERS.

ELDER NAGASE IS FROM SÃO PAULO ALSO, HES 1/4 JAPANESE, HAS GLASSES, AND LOST 17 KG ALREADY ON THE MISSION. HE HAS THE SAME TIME ON THE MISSION AS I DO, AND ELDER PRIETO. (ALMOST 8 MONTHS). HE’S GOT A MOM, AND, YUP, HE’S GOT A DAD TOO. HE’S EVEN GOT A SISTER WHO’S 20. HE’S 23 AND DECIDED TO COME ON A MISSION BECAUSE OF HIS PATRIARCHAL BLESSING, WHICH CHANGED MANY THINGS IN HIS LIFE. HE'S NOT TOO TALKATIVE, WE WALK SILENTLY A LOT, BUT AT LEAST IT’S NOT CUZ WE'RE ANGRY AT EACH OTHER OR ANYTHING. HE TEACHES WELL. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH FLUENTLY, BUT FOR SOME REASON WE NEVER SPEAK ENGLISH. I WOULDN’T EVEN KNOW HE IS FLUENT EXCEPT THAT WHEN I TALK ON THE PHONE WITH THE LD [district leader] OR LZ [zone leader] (AMERICANS), HE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING AND STARTS SPEAKING ENGLISH TO ME. HE WENT TO FLORIDA ONCE TO GIVE TRAINING FOR A BUSINESS THAT MAKES AIRPLANE PARTS. HE WAS SENIOR COMP AND DL BEFORE, SO IT’S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE FOR ME BEING SENIOR, BECAUSE HE IS GOOD AT INITIATING CONVERSATION AND TEACHING TOGETHER AND STUFF TOO, BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT WHEN I WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE LEAVE THE HOUSE AT 10:30AM, WHICH IS A RULE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE MISSION DOES NOT FOLLOW, I CAN TELL HIM “LET’S GO” AND THERE’S A LITTLE MORE AUTHORITY THERE. HAHA THAT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT I THINK YOU GET WHAT I MEAN.

Cath wants to tell you that she loves and misses you, she sent you a letter awhile back, and she's also waiting for the letter you wrote to her around Christmas time. TELL [Cath] THAT I LOVE HER A LITTLE TOO, AND LOOK FORWARD ALWAYS TO RECEIVING MAIL FROM HER AND EVERYONE!

Lib also wants to tell you that she loves and misses you, but she hasn't sent you a letter...yet :)  She prays for you every day, thinks about you a lot, and hopes you're doing well. AWWW, THANKS. SEND A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE TO HER FROM ME TOO.

Can't get Em's attention right now because she is reading a story about dinosaurs to Cameron [cousin's little boy], but I know she loves you and misses you and prays for you, too:) HAHA BY NOW CAMERON MUST BE CATCHING UP TO EMILY'S AGE RIGHT? SEEING AS SHE REMAINS 9 YEARS OLD AND HE'S LIKE 6 OR SOMETHING NOW. [family joke that Jon always refers to Emily as a 9-year-old]

I KNOW [I have a good family].  I THINK I ALREADY TOLD YOU, BUT SEEING SOME HORRIBLE FAMILY SITUATIONS HERE REALLY MAKES ME GRATEFUL. THANKS DAD, FOR NOT DRINKING. AND FOR ONLY SPANKING ME WHEN YOU HAD A GOOD REASON TO HIT ME HAHA. ONE THING THAT I'VE LEARNED AND KNOW NOW, FOR SURE, IS THAT LIVING THE COMMANDMENTS BRINGS REAL HAPPINESS.

THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU ALL TOO. PEACE,

ELDER HOOKE

1-10-11 Grampa's passing, New comp: Elder Nagase in Ponte Dos Cavalhos

1-10-11

[Jon's paternal grandfather passed away unexpectedly yesterday, and we had to tell him in the email]

VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT GRAMPA... THAT IS VERY SAD.  I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO WRITE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THAT... BUT I'M SURE HE IS HAPPY NOW. Alma 46:39

THIS WEEK WAS EVENTFUL HERE TOO. I WENT TO THE MISSION OFFICE TO TALK WITH THE PRESIDENT. WE TALKED FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES ABOUT [a lot of things I was concerned about]. I WENT BACK WITH ELDER PRIETO TO SAN MARTIN, FINISHED UP THE WEEK THERE, AND FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT I WAS TRANSFERRED IN AN EMERGENCY TRANSFER. I DONT KNOW WHY BUT 4 ELDERS WERE TRANSFERRED AND NOW I'M IN PONTE DOS CARVALHOS, WITH ELDER NAGASE. HE HAS THE SAME TIME ON THE MISSION AS ME, AND IS FROM SÃO PAULO. HE SEEMS LIKE A GOOD GUY... HE USED TO BE SENIOR COMP BUT NOW I AM... BUT HOPEFULLY WE WORK WELL TOGETHER, I STILL DON’T KNOW MUCH. I’M REALLY TIRED TODAY AND WE’VE ONLY TALKED A LITTLE.  ONE COOL THING IS THAT ELDER WELLS  [second companion in Brazil] IS MY LZ [Zone Leader] NOW. 

IT WAS REALLY SAD TO LEAVE SAN MARTIN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE PART OF THAT WARD. LAST NIGHT WITH PRIETO I WENT TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BECAUSE WE ARE TEACHING A PRESBYTERIAN AND MADE A TRADE WITH HER, CHURCH ATTENDANCE FOR CHURCH ATTENDANCE. AND SHE WENT TO CHURCH YESTERDAY, SO WE WENT TO HERS. IT WAS INTERESTING, I LIKED IT. JUST LACKS THE COMPLETE TRUTH, THE PRIESTHOOD, AND SOME DOCTRINES ARE A LITTLE OFF. BUT AFTERWARD WE WENT TO THE HOUSES OF MANY MEMBERS SO I COULD SAY BYE (ELDER PRIETO IS STILL IN SAN MARTIN). IT WAS REALLY SAD.  SOME PEOPLE CRIED, AND I GOT SOME LETTERS FROM PEOPLE. IT IS A STRANGE FEELING. WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED? IT WAS SAD LEAVING ELDER PRIETO TOO. TODAY IN THE MISSION OFFICE I FINALLY GOT THE CHRISTMAS PACKAGE AND WAS ABLE TO GIVE ELDER PRIETO HIS PEANUT BUTTER! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE PRESENTS. THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA, COOKIE MIX. AND THE NERF GUN IS SWEET TOO. OH YEAH I ASKED THE PRESIDENT IF IT IS OK TO BUY A GUITAR, BECAUSE I NOTICED MANY MISSIONARIES HAVE GUITARS, AND HE SAID I COULD, JUST PLAY ON PDAY ONLY. SO I BOUGHT ONE. IT’S PRETTY DECENT ACTUALLY, FOR R$144.

WELL I WILL PRAY FOR YOU GUYS AND GRAMMA.
HOPE ALL GOES WELL WITH THE FUNERAL AND EVERYTHING THIS WEEK.
LOVE
ELDER HOOKE

1-3-11 Happy New Year--Still in San Martin!

  1-3-11

YES TODAY WAS TRANSFERS! BUT I STAYED WITH ELDER PRIETO IN SAN MARTIN. THE ZLS CHANGED AND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WE STAYED. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BAPTISMS AND THE WORK IS A LITTLE TOUGH HERE NOW, BUT SUNDAY WAS COOL. 2 PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ALREADY TEACHING SHOWED UP TO CHURCH, AND 4 DIFFERENT MEMBERS BROUGHT A FRIEND TO CHURCH, SO WE ARE STARTING TO HAVE MORE HELP FROM THE MEMBERS WHICH IS NICE. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TEACHING RIGHT NOW SO IT WAS REALLY AWESOME TO SEE MEMBERS BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHURCH. IT’S WAY EASIER FOR THEM, AND THE PEOPLE THEY BRING ARE WAY MORE LIKELY TO ACCEPT THE GOSPEL BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FRIEND FROM THE START. 

BUT YEAH MY COMP AND I GET ALONG WELL. HE IS SENIOR (PRETTY SURE), BUT I'M ALWAYS THE ONE WHO WAKES HIM UP (LITERALLY POURING WATER IN HIS EAR EVERY DAY, HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH WAKING UP) AND IT'S COOL BECAUSE WE TRUST EACH OTHER AND THE ONLY BOSSING AROUND IS ME IN THE MORNING, SAYING ELDER GET READY!  BUT HE WANTS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, JUST HAS A PROBLEM WITH DOING WHAT’S RIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME HAHA. 

I JUST SAW CALIFORNIA ON THE NEWS IN THIS LANHOUSE, SOME FREEWAY WITH LOTS OF SNOW.

OUR WARD NEEDS A NEW YOUNG WOMEN PRES, ALONG WITH HIGH PRIEST GROUP LEADER, ELDERS QUORUM PRES, COUNSELOR TO THE BISHOP, PRIMARY PRES, WARD SECRETARY, AND MORE AND MORE, ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY LEAVING SAN MARTIN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. IT'S REALLY RANDOM BUT EVERYONE'S LEAVING AT ONCE. THE BISHOP NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS.  I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR HIM. IN HIS LIFE ASIDE FROM BEING A BISHOP OF A DYING WARD, HE ALREADY HAS PLENTY OF PROBLEMS.

WE HELPED THIS NICE COUPLE MOVE IN NEXT DOOR TO US, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 5 MINUTES, LITERALLY.  NO ONE OWNS THINGS HERE. THE COUPLE IS PAULO AND SILENE, THEY ARE NEWLYWED, AND REALLY AWESOME. YOU'LL PROBABLY GET AN EMAIL FROM THEIR COMPUTER SOMETIME, ASKING FOR A RECIPE OR SOMETHING.

  LOVE YOU TOO, BYE

ELDER HOOKE