1-9-12 Moving to Cabo?

HELLO FAMILY,

SO I STILL LIVE IN GAIBU BUT PRESIDENT LANIUS CALLED US THE OTHER DAY AND TOLD US TO MOVE TO CABO. SO TODAY OR TOMORROW WE WILL BE RENTING A SLUG BUS TO MOVE OUR BEDS AND STUFF TO CABO, WHERE WE WILL SERVE THIS TRANSFER. WE WILL KEEP WORKING WITH A FEW PEOPLE HERE IN GAIBU, BUT WE WILL BE PRINCIPALLY IN CABO, SHARING THE WARD WITH ELDER LEDEMA AND HIS NEW COMP (IDK WHO, TODAY WAS TRANSFERS). WE WILL KEEP WORKING WITH A FEW PEOPLE, LIKE NETE (WHO HAD A BAPTISMAL DATE BUT IT DIDNT HAPPEN, SHE WAS AT CHURCH AGAIN YESTERDAY) AND A 12 YR OLD SON (DIOGO) OF A LESS ACTIVE MEMBER WHO WE HAVE BEEN TEACHING ALMOST EVERY DAY AND WILL PROBABLY BE BAPTIZED THIS NEXT SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH. HE IS A COOL KID AND LIKES HANGIN OUT WITH THE ELDERS A LOT.

WE WERE PRAYING TO KNOW IF WE SHOULD STAY IN GAIBU AND WONDERING IF IT WAS WORTH IT FOR US TO STAY THERE. THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ARE GONNA TRY TO GET THE STAKE PRESIDENT TO AUTHORIZE THEM TO RENT A HOUSE TO HOLD THE CHURCH MEETINGS IN, AND IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT, MISSIONARIES [WILL BE ABLE TO BE IN] GAIBU.

THIS WEEK WAS COOL CUZ WE TRAVELED 3 TIMES. WE WENT TO PALMARES TUESDAY AND SPENT THE WHOLE DAY THERE WORKING WITH THE DUPLA THERE. WE HAD A COOL EXPERIENCE KNOCKING ON DOORS- WE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OF A WOMAN WHO HAS DEPRESSION AND SHE ANSWERED THE DOOR IMMEDIATELY AND SAID THAT SHE HAD AT THAT INSTANT BEEN KNEELING DOWN ON THE FLOOR BEGGING HEAVENLY FATHER FOR HELP. 

WEDNESDAY WE WENT TO CATENDE AND FOUND AND TAUGHT LIKE 13 NEW INVESTIGATORS JUST THAT AFTERNOON, WHICH WAS REALLY A MIRACLE BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAD ABOUT 10 INVESTIGATORS BEFORE WEDNESDAY. 

FRIDAY WE WENT TO PONTE DOS CARVALHOS AND I HAD A PRETTY GOOD AFTERNOON OF WORK THERE AS WELL. I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE FAMILY OF JAILSON, WHO I BAPTIZED THERE, AND FOUND OUT THAT HE STAYED ACTIVE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND EVEN RECEIVED THE MELCHISEDEK PRIESTHOOD, BUT THEN STOPPED GOING. 

SATURDAY NIGHT WE ATE AT A PIZZA BUFFET WITH A YOUNG MAN FROM CABO, JOSÉ, FOR HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY DINNER. HE HELPS US A TON IN THE MISSIONARY WORK, AND HE GOES OUT AND TEACHES WITH US A LOT. HE ALSO WENT WITH US TO THE WATERFALL, AND LAST P DAY TO AN OLD STONE BEACH FORTRESS THAT WE WENT TO. I'LL HAVE TO SEND PICTURES OF THAT TRIP TOO.

THANK YOU LOVE YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK TO YOU TOO!

LOVE

ELDER HOOKE 

1-2-12 Happy New Year!

HELLO GOOD MORNING FAMILY! 

NEW YEARS WAS A VERY MISERABLE BUT FUN NIGHT. WE WENT TO A HOUSE ON THE PRAIA DE SUAPE AND STAYED A WHILE AT ANANDA'S (FROM PONTE DOS CARVALHOS) GRANDPARENT´S HOUSE WITH ANANDA AND HER FAM AND ALSO THE MISSIONARIES FROM PONTE DOS CARVALHOS, ELDER SCARIOT AND ELDER SKOUSEN. BUT AS MISSIONARIES WE HAD TO BE HOME AT 9:30... SO WE WENT HOME (WITH THE PONTE ELDERS TO OUR HOUSE) BUT THE LANDLORD AT OUR HOUSE WAS THROWING A BIG PARTY WITH LOUD MUSIC THAT STAYED ON UNTIL 6AM SUNDAY. SO WE PLAYED MONOPOLY THE MAJORITY OF THE NIGHT AFTER A FEW FAILED ATTEMPTS TO SLEEP. NEW YEARS DAY WAS AWFUL. ALMOST NO ONE WENT TO CHURCH AND 0 OUT THE 8 INVESTIGATORS WHO PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD BE THERE WENT. THEN THE WHOLE AFTERNOON THERE WAS NOT A LIVING SOUL WITHOUT A BEER IN HAND SO WE JUST STAYED HOME AND MOPED HAHA NOT REALLY BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T GET ANY WORK DONE.  NEXT WEEK IS TRANSFERS AND WE MIGHT CLOSE THE AREA. SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP HERE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE CABO WARD ANYWAYS, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE MEMBERS HAVE THE IDEA OF TURNING THE GROUP INTO A BRANCH OR WARD. TO THEM IT IS JUST A PLACE TO GO ON SUNDAY THAT IS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN THE CHAPEL IN CABO.

YESTERDAY WE ATE LUNCH WITH A MEMBER FAMILY AND ELDER LARSEN (CABO MISSIONARY) AND HIS EYE IS WAY BETTER ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL RED AND HAS A SCAR ON IT. HIS VISION IN THAT EYE IS COMING BACK. HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY AFTER LUNCH ABOUT THE POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD.

WELL HAVE A GOOD WEEK
LOVE ELDER HOOKE

12-26-11 Wonderful Christmas call! Elder Larsen's blessing

 IT WAS GOOD TO TALK TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL. IT WAS WEIRD WHEN I GOT OFF THE PHONE THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE ALL THAT HAD BEEN SAID WAS HI! HOW ARE YOU.... GOTTA GO. BUT OH WELL. IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR YOUR VOICES AND ESPECIALLY TO MEET BECCA OVER THE PHONE!

YESTERDAY WE GAVE ELDER LARSEN A BLESSING THAT HE WOULD BE CURED AND BE ABLE TO STAY ON THE MISSION (AND THE WHOLE ZONE IS FASTING), AND HIS COMPANION JUST CALLED ME AND SAID THAT TODAY THE DOCTOR SAID THAT THE WOUND IN HIS EYE IMPROVED A LOT AND THAT PROBABLY WONT NEED SURGERY!

YOU CAN ALWAYS GIVE ME ADVICE, A LOT OF TIMES THE ADVICE YOU GIVE IS WITH THINGS THAT I ALREADY KNOW I NEED TO IMPROVE AND/OR AM TRYING TO IMPROVE, SO IT'S SOMETIMES JUST A CONFIRMATION TO ME OF WHAT I NEED TO DO.

LOVE YOU ALL THANKS UNTIL NEXT WEEK

ELDER HOOKE 

12-19-11 Short and sweet

HEY FAMILY! SORRY FOR NOT WRITING TO YOU LAST WEEK WE HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE EXTREMELY BUSY! I WILL JUST WRITE YOU SUPER QUICKLY RIGHT NOW AND I THINK THIS AFTERNOON WE WILL RETURN TO THE LANHOUSE. I AM IN ESCADA RIGHT NOW WITH THE ELDERS FROM ESCADA (AND MY COMP) AND WE ARE GONNA VISIT THE CACHOEIRA DO URUBU AGAIN (THE WATERFALL THAT I WENT TO LIKE A YEAR AGO).

THIS LAST WEEKEND I SPENT ON A DIVISION WITH THE MISSIONARIES FROM CABO, AND YES THERE IS A WARD THERE. IT WAS GREAT WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM OUT AND WHEN I LEFT GAIBU THINGS SEEMED TO GO BETTER WITH ELDER CASUCCIO AND THE OTHER ELDER. WE WORK TOGETHER WELL BECAUSE WE SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES WELL, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME I DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS BE THE ONE WHO THINKS OF WHAT TO SAY NEXT WHEN WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY.  ESCADA IS ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM GAIBU, BUT THERE ARE MISSIONARIES IN THIS ZONE MUCH FURTHER, IN PALMARES, TAMANDARÉ, AND CATENDE, WHICH CAN TAKE LIKE 3 OR 4 HOURS TO GET TO. I STILL HAVEN'T GONE;
I'LL ANSWER THE OTHER QUESTIONS LATER---- GOTTA GO!
LOVE ELDER HOOKE

12-5-11 Gaibu, Zone Leader with Elder Casuccio

HELLO BOM DIA FAMÍLIA HOOKE! THINGS ARE GOING WELL HERE IN GAIBU (guy-BOO). THIS LAST WEEK REALLY HAS BEEN FULL OF NEW STUFF. ELDER CASUCCIO (cah ZOO chee oh) IS A GREAT GUY, THE COMPANIONSHIP IS GOING WELL. HE AND I ARE DOING WELL, WITH GOOD HEALTH. 

HE IS ALSO A ZONE LEADER, THE AREAS IN OUR ZONE INCLUDE PONTE DOS CARVALHOS. I THINK I TOLD YOU GUYS ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN ANANDA THAT I USED TO TEACH... WELL YESTERDAY I WENT TO PONTE AND TO HER HOUSE TO TEACH HER PARENTS AND MARK THEIR WEDDING AND BAPTISM! SHE WAS BAPTIZED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO AND IS DOING VERY WELL. SHE EVEN GAVE A TALK A FEW WEEKS AGO! HER BROTHER, GUILHERME, WHO HAD BEEN BAPTIZED A LITTLE BEFORE WHEN I GOT THERE, IS NOW FILLING OUT HIS PAPERS TO GO ON A MISSION.

THE GROUP HERE IN GAIBU WAS STARTED ABOUT 7-8 MONTHS AGO AND HAS ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 30. WE MEET IN A SCHOOL HOUSE THAT REMINDS ME OF THE EPIC OF TOM SAWYER. IT'S REALLY ANCIENT. SUNDAY WAS INTERESTING, IT WAS A GOOD TESTIMONY MEETING. WE HAD 3 NEW INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH, ALL OF WHICH WERE NEW INVESTIGATORS FROM THIS WEEK. WE ARE TEACHING A 19 YEAR OLD DANIEL WHO IS MARKED TO BE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK BUT IT WILL BE HARD BECAUSE HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET SUNDAYS OFF. WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB FOR HIM.

I'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT PEOPLE HERE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TIME.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

LOVE YOU ALL!

ELDER HOOKE

11-28-11 Transferred!

This week was interesting... But all in all it was good, the 3 families are doing well, and as you know I was transferred today. So Yesterday was goodbye to the families and some other members of the ward (including Roosevelt) and the bishop. We were both transferred, which doesn't make sense to me. We left the area book actualized and the area is now in the hands of 2 elders who don't even know where their house is! I was pretty sad to leave all the people I love here but happy to be able to move on with my mission- I spent a total of almost 8 months in San Martin.

I will be a zone leader now in Gaibu, a little town on the beach close to Cabo (and Ponte dos Carvalhos). The area doesn't have a ward or a branch, just a group of about 30 people who meet every Sunday. I already went to Gaibu on a division with Elder Wells once, and it is a really pretty place. My new companion is from São Paulo, Elder Casuccio, who seems to be a good guy.

I GOT SOME LETTERS TODAY, I THINK ONE FROM EM, ONE FROM LEILANI, AND ONE FROM MOM, BUT I HAVEN'T OPENED THEM YET.

[We learned through Facebook that Jon was being transferred before he wrote this letter...]

YEAH I'LL MISS SAN MARTIN BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO PASS AND VISIT THESE PEOPLE AGAIN!

[Regarding Thanksgiving: ] YUMMM I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER THAT IT WAS THANKSGIVING.... WE DIDN'T EVEN EAT DINNER THAT NIGHT. I THINK I ATE SOME WAFER COOKIES.....

LOVE YOU TOO, KEEP PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE IN SAN MARTIN AND NOW ADD TO YOUR PRAYERS THAT THE WORK IN GAIBU CAN PICK UP! (APPARENTLY IT'S NOT TOO GREAT RIGHT NOW) LOVE YOU ALL
-Elder Hooke

11-21-11 Tegu, Surprise baptism (Junior)!! Wedding of Irene & Isaque [PHOTOS]

THIS WEEK WAS PRETTY NORMAL UNTIL SATURDAY.... 

DURING THE WEEK WE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING PEOPLE TO TEACH EVERY AFTERNOON. THE NIGHTS WERE BUSY AND WE HAD SEVERAL GOOD LESSONS, ESPECIALLY WITH JUNIOR, ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T ACCEPT A BAPTISMAL DATE DURING THE WEEK, BUT WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO TEACH. SO I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT THE WEEKEND. SATURDAY MORNING THE LZS INVITED US TO GO TO CAMARAGIBE TO DO A SERVICE PROJECT, CONSTRUCTING A HOUSE. I SPENT THE MAJORITY OF THE MORNING STANDING ON THE ROOF, GETTING SUNBURNED, AND CATCHING ALL THE BRICKS THAT THE MISSIONARIES ON THE GROUND THREW TO ME. TO BUILD A SECOND STORY HERE, THEY TRANSPORT THE BRICKS BY AIR. THROWING THEM, ONE BY ONE. THE FAMILY WAS A LESS ACTIVE AND PART MEMBER FAMILY, AND THEY HAVE A PET TEGU (LIKE A MONITOR LIZARD) THAT I TOOK PICTURES WITH. 

                                                    Tegu

HE LIVES OUTSIDE IN THE YARD AND HAS A LEASH, TIED TO A TREE. THEY ALSO HAVE A POND IN THE YARD WITH 92 BIG CARNIVOROUS FISH, WHICH WE FED DOG FOOD. ANYWAYS I CLIMBED DOWN THE LADDER TO SEE IF WE HAD ANY MISSED CALLS ON THE CELL PHONE AND I READ A TEXT THAT DAHLILLA HAD SENT US THAT SAID "ELDERES, JUNIOR DECIDED TO GET BAPTIZED. CAN IT BE TOMORROW? CALL ME" SO WE GOT SUPER HAPPY AND HAD A LITTLE PARTY WITH THE LZS AND CALLED HER AND SAID OF COURSE IT CAN!!!!

THEN AFTER TAKING A SHOWER IN THE CAMARAGIBE HOUSE, WE WENT TO SÃO LOURENÇO SO I COULD DO 2 BAPTISMAL INTERVIEWS, WHICH BOTH WENT WELL, AND THE INTERVIEWEES WERE BOTH BAPTIZED YESTERDAY. FROM THERE WE TOOK THE METRÔ HOME AND RAN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR AREA HOPING THAT IRENE AND ISAQUE'S WEDDING HAD NOT YET ENDED. IT HADN'T, SO WE HAD TIME TO SNAP SOME PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS WITH THEM, AND EAT A SHRIMP AND CATUPIRY CREPE, WHICH WAS WITH CERTAINTY THE MOST DELICIOUS THING THAT I HAVE EATEN IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. AFTERWARDS WE RAN BACK TO THE CHAPEL TO MEET JUNIOR AND DAHLILLA AND THE LZS FOR THEM TO DO JUNIOR'S BAPTISM INTERVIEW. 

SUNDAY MORNING WAS JUNIOR'S BAPTISM, WHICH WAS GREAT. 

                                       Long-awaited Baptism of Junior

DURING SACRAMENT MEETING HE WAS CONFIRMED. WE DIDN'T HAVE MANY INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH (CUZ WE KEEP BAPTIZING THEM ALL HAHA) BUT THERE ARE A FEW NEW PEOPLE FOR US TO WORK WITH.

YES I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THANKSGIVING.... BUT I AM GRATEFUL FOR HAVING A LOVING FAMILY, AND A DAD (AND MOM) WHO DOESN'T DRINK.

I AM ALSO WORKING TO DEVELOP A LOVE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE HERE.

THANKS, LOVE ELDER HOOKE