9-12-11 Ruan's baptism, Independence Day activities, General Authority coming

THE WEEK WENT PRETTY WELL. WE WERE ABLE TO TEACH RUAN ALL THE LESSONS BEFORE SATURDAY AND HAVE A GREAT BAPTISMAL MEETING ON SATURDAY NIGHT. I THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO SAY THAT HE (11 YEARS OLD) IS PRETTY MUCH THE SMARTEST PERSON THAT I'VE TAUGHT IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. HE DECIDED TO GET BAPTIZED BEFORE WE EVEN KNEW HE WASN'T A MEMBER, BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY TEACH EVERYTHING DURING THE WEEK AND ALSO WE WILL TRY TO START TEACHING A FEW OTHER PEOPLE HE LIVES WITH. HIS MOM AND STEP DAD ARE NOT MEMBERS, BUT THEY ALSO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WARD. RUAN STAYS AT HIS AUNT'S HOUSE ON THE WEEKENDS, AND SHE IS A MEMBER, SO THAT IS HOW HE'S BEEN GOING TO CHURCH.  RUAN WAS CONFIRMED YESTERDAY.

TOMORROW I WILL DO A DIVISION IN CAMARAGIBE TO (TRY TO) HELP THEIR AREA OUT A LITTLE BIT. 

THIS THURSDAY A GENERAL AUTHORITY IS COMING (IDK WHO) TO TALK TO THE MISSION.

ELDER ALBUQUERQUE'S DOING WELL, HE'S LEARNED LOTS OF WAYS TO TEACH AND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AS A MISSIONARY, AND HOW TO CLEAN UP AFTER HIMSELF HAHA. I'M LEARNING THAT IT IS MUCH BETTER TO HAVE FAITH THAN DOUBT.

AND TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVITY ON 7 DE SETEMBRO, WHICH IS INDEPENDENCE DAY. AT THE CHAPEL THE ENTIRE DAY THE WARD HAD AN ACTIVITY INCLUDING BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND SNACKS IN THE EVENING. EVERYONE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY PLAYING SOCCER, VOLLEY, DODGEBALL (I DOMINATED THANKS TO THE SINGLES WARD WEEKLY TRAINING), UNO, BOARD GAMES, PLAYSTATION 3, JUMPING ON A TRAMPOLINE, EATING AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER. IT WAS GREAT FOR THE MISSIONARY WORK TOO BECAUSE WE TALKED TO 11 NEW PEOPLE JUST THAT DAY THAT WE ARE NOW, OR WILL SOON BE (HOPEFULLY) TEACHING. YEAH BUT NONE WENT TO CHURCH SUNDAY...

THE ONLY INVESTIGATOR AT CHURCH WAS MONICA, WHO IS SLOWLY BUT SURELY PROGRESSING. 

WE HAVE LOTS OF INVESTIGATORS BUT NO ONE THAT IS REALLY PROGRESSING (EXCEPT MONICA). WE TAUGHT DARLLY, WHICH WENT REALLY WELL AND SHE ACCEPTED  AND UNDERSTOOD VERY WELL THE INVITE TO READ AND PRAY, BUT THEN SHE DIDN'T GET UP FOR CHURCH SUNDAY.

THE MAJORITY OF THE LESS ACTIVE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA HAVE ONE OF 2 PROBLEMS: THEY HAVE A REAL DIFFICULTY THAT IMPEDES THEM FROM GOING TO CHURCH SUNDAY, OR THEY WERE OFFENDED AT A CERTAIN POINT AND NEVER WANT TO GO BACK.  THERE ARE A FEW THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, LIKE HEITOR'S MOM, WHO IS GOING EVERY SUNDAY NOW AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE. 

THANK YOU LOVE YOU TOO

HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

ELDER HOOKE