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