3-15-12 Attended theTemple

HELLO FAMILY-

I THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO READ YOUR WHOLE DARN EMAIL TODAY!

 

THIS LAST WEEK WAS TOUGH AS EVER. PRETTY HARD. WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE YESTERDAY, WHICH BECAME OUR PDAY THIS WEEK. BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET BACK FROM THE TEMPLE UNTIL 9:30 SO I COULDN'T USE THE COMPUTER. IT WAS A GOOD TRIP, I THINK IT WAS ONLY MY SECOND TIME DOING A SESSION IN PORTUGUESE. THAT IS ONE MORE PLACE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO TOGETHER DURING YOUR VISIT HERE!

 

WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME USING OUR TIME WISELY. I FEEL LIKE WE WALK HOURS AND HOURS EVERYDAY TO GET TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES THAT AREN'T HOME OR THAT FORGOT ABOUT THE VISIT MARKED AND CAN'T ATTEND US WHEN WE GET THERE. DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY SPECIFICS TO TELL ABOUT TODAY UNFORTUNATELY.... 

 

I AM FINISHING UP JESUS THE CHRIST NOW. I AM ON PAGE 750 ABOUT CHRIST'S POST CRUCIFIXION VISIT IN AMERICA. IT IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK. I FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON REALLY [TOOK PLACE IN] THE CENTRAL AMERICA AND UPPER SOUTH AMERICA REGION, BECAUSE JAMES TALMAGE STATES IT AS FACT. UNTIL LAST NIGHT I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT LOTS OF MEMBERS THOUGHT BUT THAT IT WASN'T OFFICIAL.

 THANKS!

TCHAU

ELDER HOOKE

3-5-12 Baptism of Pedro

3-5-12
HELLO GOOD AFTERNOON MY FAMILY!

THIS LAST WEEK WAS A GOOD ONE,, I FELT LIKE WE RECEIVED SEVERAL TENDER MERCIES. THE HARDEST PART NOW IS THE ONLY PART THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE, AND THAT EVEN GOD CAN'T CHANGE--- PEOPLE'S FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE WRONG.

I GUESS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK WAS THAT I BAPTIZED A 14 YEAR OLD YOUNG MAN CALLED PEDRO ON SATURDAY. HE WAS TAUGHT BY ELDER LEDEMA AND ELDER NEU, BUT I MET HIM A LONG TIME A GO AS WELL, LONG BEFORE HE WAS TAUGHT, AND EVERY TIME I SAW HIM AT CHURCH OR ANYTHING I ALWAYS TALK WITH HIM, AND SO HE ASKED ME IF I COULD BAPTIZE HIM! HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY ON SUNDAY AS WELL AND SAID THAT THE BAPTISM WAS PROBABLY THE BEST DECISION HE HAS MADE IN HIS LIFE UNTIL NOW. I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THERE FOR HIS TESTIMONY BECAUSE I WAS HERE IN GAIBU AT OUR MEETING, WHICH ALSO WENT PRETTY WELL. 

 

WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE VERY CLOSE TO BAPTISM RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF POTENTIAL. ANTONIO JUNIOR WORKED ON SUNDAY. PAULA (THE MOTHER OF ANOTHER FAMILY WE ARE TEACHING) WAS AT CHURCH WITH HER KIDS AND LOVED IT, BUT HER HUSBAND ORLANDO STILL HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO (HE WAS OUT OF TOWN) ALTHOUGH HE WANTS TO. ANOTHER GUY, ALDAIR, THAT WE HAD GIVEN UP ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO BECAUSE HE NEVER WENT TO CHURCH, WENT YESTERDAY WITH HIS WIFE, WHO IS LESS ACTIVE, IN GAIBU AND WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED. WE HAD PASSED DURING THE WEEK AND WE EXPLAINED TO HIM CLEARLY WHY WE HAD STOPPED VISITING HIM AND LEFT A PRETTY BOLD MESSAGE INVITING HIM TO MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE HIS LIFE. 

 

LOVE YOU TOO TCHAU

ELDER HOOKE

2-27-12 Carnaval is OVER!!

2-27-12
THANK GOODNESS CARNAVAL ENDED WEDNESDAY. IT WAS TOUGH AND WE LITERALLY DIDN'T GET ANY LESSONS TAUGHT ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY (EVEN WORKING THE WHOLE DAY) BUT THE REST OF THE WEEK WENT WELL.

THIS WEEK WE DECIDED THAT FOR SEVERAL OF OUR INVESTIGATORS WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON REPENTANCE. MANY OF OUR INVESTIGATORS DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE ANYTHING OR THAT THEIR LIVES REALLY WEREN'T IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S WILL. WE HAD SEVERAL GOOD LESSONS IN WHICH WE HELPED PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE THEIR OWN SINS. IT WAS GOOD BUT STILL NOT MUCH PROGRESS IN THE AREA AS A WHOLE. THE ONLY INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH WERE CHILDREN... REALLY ANNOYING... WHY ARE CHILDREN SO MUCH MORE ACCEPTING AND EASY TO KEEP COMMITMENTS? I GUESS THAT IS WHY THE SAVIOR SAID WE NEED TO BE LIKE THE CHILDREN.

ANYWAYS WE HAD A GOOD LESSON WITH ANTONIO JUNIOR AND HIS WIFE ABOUT MARRIAGE, WHICH ANTONIO IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED. ANTONIO HAD TO WORK ON SUNDAY BUT HE TOOK HIS 2 KIDS EMILLY (11) AND JUNINHO(10) TO CHURCH AGAIN, WHICH WAS COOL.  THERE IS SOMETHING WE ARE DOING WRONG, SOMETHING WE NEED TO CHANGE TO HAVE MORE RESULTS. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS!!!!!!!


LOVE YOU TOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING]
LOVE ELDER HOOKE

2-20-12 Carnaval, not much work

HELLO FAMILY!

I DID NOT GET TRANSFERRED, I WILL STAY IN GAIBU WITH ELDER CASUCCIO.

IT IS CARNAVAL RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS THAT ALMOST NOTHING GETS DONE IN THE LORD'S WORK. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH (ALTHOUGH SOME LESS ACTIVES THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH WENT AND THAT WAS COOL...). THIS WEEK WAS PRETTY UNEVENTFUL THOUGH.

[Jon did write some other comments to the family, but this is all the news for today!]

ALRIGHT THANKS FOR ALWAYS SENDING A NICE EMAIL.

SORRY I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY TODAY (OR TOO MUCH TIME TO THINK OF OTHER THINGS TO SAY....)

LOVE YOU ALL,
ELDER HOOKE

2-13-12 "Decent" week:)

2-13-12

HELLO HOOKE FAMILY!

THIS WEEK WASN'T HIGHLY EVENTFUL, BUT IT WAS PRETTY DECENT I GUESS. THE CHURCH MEETING FOR EVERYONE WAS IN CABO, SO PLEASE PRAY THAT WE CAN FIND A PLACE TO CONTINUE THE GAIBU GROUP!

UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BAPTISMS (NOT IN THE ENTIRE ZONE), AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATES MARKED RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD SIGNS OF FUTURE SUCCESS. ANTONIO JUNIOR, A BUS DRIVER, ASKED ELDER LEDEMA FOR A BOOK OF MORMON ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO IN THE STREET. THE ONE TIME ELDER LEDEMA WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HIM WAS WHEN I WAS ON A DIVISION THERE IN CABO (WE WERE NOT WORKING IN CABO AT THE TIME), AND WE GAVE HIM A BOOK OF MORMON AND TAUGHT ABOUT IT. TURNS OUT HIS SISTER IS A STRONG MEMBER AND HIS BROTHER IN LAW IS STAKE PRESIDENT OR SOMETHING IN RIO GRANDE DO NORTE, BUT ANYWAYS WE STARTED WORKING IN CABO AND PASSED BY ANTONIO JUNIOR'S HOUSE MANY MANY TIMES BUT NEVER FOUND HIM AT HOME SO WE PRETTY MUCH GAVE UP. THEN LAST SUNDAY, FROM NOWHERE, HE SHOWED UP TO CHURCH AT 9, AND LIKED IT A LOT. WE PASSED BY THIS WEEK AND WERE ABLE TO TEACH HIM WITH HIS 2 KIDS (HIS WIFE ISN'T VERY INTERESTED AND PREFERRED TO KEEP WASHING THE CLOTHES). TURNS OUT HIS SISTER GAVE HIM THE BOOK OF MORMON ON CD AND HE'S IN 2ND NEFI! SO ANYWAYS HE WENT YESTERDAY WITH HIS 2 KIDS AND WE INVITED THEM TO BE BAPTIZED, THEY ACCEPTED, BUT WE DID NOT MARK A DATE BECAUSE, YOU GUESSED IT, HE WILL NEED TO GET MARRIED!!!! ARGG SEMPRE ASSIM.

ANYWAYS THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY WELL HERE, NEXT WEEK IS TRANSFERS AND I MAY OR MAY NOT LEAVE. I IMAGINE THAT I WILL STILL HAVE ONE MORE AREA ON THE MISSION BECAUSE NO ONE ENDS THE MISSION AS ZONE LEADER, SO I WILL HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED EVENTUALLY.

ALRIGHT. THANKS FOR THE EMAIL AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!   LOVE  ELDER HOOKE

2-6-12 Little miracles

THIS WEEK WAS PRETTY GOOD (BESIDES MONDAY NIGHT AND HALF OF TUESDAY WHICH WERE LOST WITH THE BYU APPLICATION STUFF). WE WERE ABLE TO FIND 3 FAMILIES DURING THE WEEK (IN CABO-- NOT IN GAIBU) THAT ALL SEEM PRETTY AWESOME. ONE IS ADEMAR AND MARIA, WHOSE SON IS A MEMBER. ADEMAR USED TO BE THE PREACHER AT THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD AND IS VERY CONVINCED THAT THEIR DOCTRINE IS THE RIGHT ONE, BUT WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD LESSONS WITH HIM AND HE WENT TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND LIKED IT.

WE HAD SEVERAL LITTLE MIRACLES THIS WEEK AS WELL, WHICH I REMEMBERED RIGHT NOW I NEED TO WRITE IN MY JOURNAL. I'LL TELL YOU QUICKLY ABOUT 2 OF THEM. SO WE FOUND OUT SATURDAY MORNING THAT THE SCHOOL HERE IN GAIBU WAS READY FOR US TO HAVE THE MEETING THERE SUNDAY, SO WE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY TELLING EVERYONE WHO WE HAD INVITED TO CHURCH THAT IT WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE. ANYWAYS THE THOUGHT PASSED MY MIND THAT WE SHOULD PASS BY THE GUY'S HOUSE WHO HAS THE KEYS TO THE SCHOOL TO TELL HIM, BECAUSE HE GOT HIS PHONE STOLEN AND NO ONE HAD TOLD HIM. SO WE WENT BY AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO, BUT THAT ANOTHER MAN HAD THE KEYS TOO SO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. WE WERE ABOUT TO LEAVE BUT FOR SOME REASON I DECIDED THAT I SHOULD GET THE KEYS FROM HIM ANYWAYS, SO  I ASKED FOR THEM AND  HE GAVE THEM TO ME. THAT AFTERNOON WE DID A DIVISION WIT THE CABO ELDERS SO THAT IN THE MORNING ELDER CASUCCIO COULD BE WITH OUR CABO INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH AND  I COULD BE WITH THE INVESTIGATORS IN GAIBU. ANYWAYS ME AND ELDER NEU (NEW AMERICAN IN CABO) WENT TO GET SOME PEOPLE TO GO TO CHURCH WITH THEM AND WHEN WE GOT TO THE SCHOOL EVERYONE WAS WAITING OUTSIDE (ABOUT 25 MORE PEOPLE) BECAUSE WE HAD SHOWED UP A LITTLE LATE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME PEOPLE TO CHURCH. ANYWAYS THE OTHER GUY WITH THE KEYS WAS THERE AND HE SAID THAT THE PADLOCK WAS CHANGED AND WE WOULD ALL HAVE TO GO TO CABO. ANYWAYS THE PADLOCK REALLY WAS CHANGED BUT WE DECIDED TO TRY THE KEYS THAT I HAD, AND ONE OF THEM ENDED UP OPENING THE LOCK SOMEHOW!

SO WE ENTERED IN THE SCHOOL AND FOUND IT VERY UNREADY TO HAVE A MEETING (VERY DIRTY, NO FANS, NO OUTLETS TO PUT IN THE FAN OR THE AMPLIFIER FOR SACRAMENT MEETING) . WE CLEANED UP THE CHAIRS IN A FEW ROOMS AND THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES STARTED, THEN ME AND ELDER NEU, WHO LIKE I SAID IS  NEW HERE, AND BECAUSE HE IS NEW BROUGHT A BUNCH OF USELESS STUFF ON THE DIVISION, WENT TO THE SACRAMENT MEETING ROOM. ELDER NEU ALSO HAPPENS TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT ELECTRONICS AND HE ALSO HAPPENED TO BE WITH HIS PLIERS AND A SCREW DRIVER AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE OFF SOME CAPS IN THE WALL AND CUT SOME CORDS AND PLUG IN BOTH THE AMP AND THE FAN, WHICH WE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITHOUT ELDER NEU, AND THE MEETING WOULD HAVE BEEN MISERABLE WITHOUT THE FAN AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THE TESTIMONIES WITHOUT THE AMP.

SO THAT WAS COOL.

I AM ALREADY RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND I STILL HAVE TO WRITE TO THE PRESIDENT!

1-30-12 BYU-H, BYU...

Jon wasn't able to send a newsy email today because he spent the time filling out his application for BYU-H and BYU in order to meet the Feb 1 deadline!!