7-4-11 Nida's baptism!! [PHOTOS]

7-4-11

YEAH ELDER RÉDUA WILL COME BACK, BUT HE WILL HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR OR SO. BUT HE HAS A STRONG DESIRE TO COME BACK. I STILL AM IN A TRIO WITH JOHNSON AND BRADLEY, AND IT IS GOING GREAT. PRESIDENT EMERICK LEFT AND LANIUS ARRIVED BUT I WILL NOT MEET HIM UNTIL TOMORROW. THE OTHER DUPLA [companionship] WE LIVE WITH ALREADY MET HIM AND HE SOUNDS LIKE A VERY GOOD GUY.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS WEEK WAS DEFINITELY THE BAPTISM OF NIDA, WHICH WAS THE BEST ORGANIZED BAPTISM IVE SEEN ON MY MISSION.
 Elder Bradley, Elder Hooke, Nida, Elder Johnson

SHE HAD A LOT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THERE TO SUPPORT HER AS WELL (ALL NON MEMBERS) AND WE ARE HOPING TO START TEACHING SOME OF THEM THIS WEEK. THE MEETING WAS GREAT, AND LEFT A VERY GOOD IMPRESSION ABOUT THE CHURCH WITH EVERYONE WHO WAS THERE. NIDA WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND EVEN MADE LITTLE "PARTY BAG" TYPE THINGS TO GIVE TO EVERYONE, AND 2 BIG TORTAS [cakes]. 

 

DURING THE WEEK WE TAUGHT MORE LESSONS THAN I'VE TAUGHT IN A LONG TIME, PARTLY BECAUSE IT IS VERY EASY TO GET ONE MEMBER WITH US AND DO DIVISIONS. NIDA WAS CONFIRMED YESTERDAY TOO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE FAMILY FROM HER BAPTISM DIDN'T GO TO CHURCH YESTERDAY. 

JULIANA WENT YESTERDAY AND LOVED IT. SHE SAID SHE FELT VERY GOOD AND WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED. LINDALVA (THE MEMBER LADY WE MET ON THE BUS) IS THE BEST MEMBER MISSIONARY. SHE INVITED JULIANA TO GET BAPTIZED, LIVE THE WORD OF WISDOM, AND TOLD HER ABOUT THE LAW OF CHASTITY BEFORE WE EVEN TAUGHT HER.  ON WEDNESDAY WELL TALK TO HER WITH HER "HUSBAND" AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IDEALLY HE WOULD ALSO GET BAPTIZED (AND THEY WOULD GET MARRIED RIGHT BEFORE) OBVIOUSLY. 

WE ALSO MET THIS CRACK ADDICT GUY, M, 19, WHO IS ALSO THE FUNNIEST GUY I'VE MET HERE. SINCE THE DAY WE MET HIM AND TAUGHT HIM, HE STOPPED SMOKING CRACK (ALTHOUGH STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH EVERY OTHER COMMANDMENT), AND HE WENT TO CHURCH YESTERDAY AND LOOVED IT. I FEEL LIKE WE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HIS LIFE (EVEN IF HE DOESN'T END UP GETTING BAPTIZED). YESTERDAY WE WENT TO GET HIM IN A COMBE TO GO TO CHURCH, AND WHEN WE GOT THERE HE NEEDED TO SMOKE A CIG BEFORE ENTERING, SO WE WENT IN AND TOLD HIM WE'D COME BACK OUT TO GET HIM IN A FEW MINUTES. WHEN WE CAME BACK OUT, HE WAS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE FENCE SMOKING WITH A STRAY CAT IN HIS LAP. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I FOUND THAT VERY FUNNY.

SOMEHOW I GOT A HOLD OF THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WERE IN THE PACKAGE THAT I DIDN'T GET... YOU GUYS SENT ME A KITE? WHAT A SHAME THAT I DIDN'T GET IT! SO THE TRAINER KITE IS NOT ONE THAT YOU USE ACTUALLY SURFING RIGHT? IT’S JUST TO PRACTICE CONTROLLING ON THE SAND? 

[I told him about Libby's shower and the refreshments were brownies made from Grandma Tuttle's recipe and ice cream] AWESOME, I WANT BROWNIES FROM GMA TUTTLE AND AMERICAN ICE CREAM! SPEAKING OF AMERICA, TODAY ME AND MY 2 COMPS ARE GOING OVER TO A MEMBERS HOUSE TO MAKE HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS TO CELEBRATE 4TH OF JULY! I THINK SHE IS MAKING THEM RIGHT NOW!

[I told him that I flew a kite-surfing trainer kite and paddled a kayak around this week...both atypical things for me to do--and that maybe I'd go sky diving with him when he gets back...of course that was a big joke!]

THAT IS AWESOME MOM! I WANT TO JUMP OUT OF A PLANE WITH YOU. YOU’D LOVE IT.

YEAH I GOT THE MEXICAN CANDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I LOVED IT, SEND MORE EVERY TIME! 

I ALSO GOT CATH'S LETTER, ALTHOUGH SOMEONE HAD RIPPED OFF THE OUTSIDE ATTACHMENT AND ALL THAT REMAINED OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE WAS A RIPPED IN HALF STICKER OF JESUS. BUT I LIKED THE TALK AND THE LETTER, THANKS! MY COMPS ARE VERY IMPRESSED AT YOUR ADVENTUROUSNESS, CATH. 

THANKS FOR THE LETTERS, THE EMAILS AND PRAYERS AND THE WHAT NOTS AND WHAT HAVE YOUS AS WELL, IF YOU WILL. HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

LOVE

ELDER HOOKE