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September 2 - Edil´s Miraculous Baptism, Being Called to Serve the Next 6 Weeks As a Zone Leader Alone

Querido Família e Amigos,

As I am short on time once again due to my slow typing skills and my various responsibilites as zone leader, I am copying and pasting my letter I sent to the President in portuguese and I hope you can understand when you put into google translator. 

Querido Presidente,
Eu sou muito grato pelo conselho que você deu para nos e sou ainda mais grato pelo Espírito do Senhor nesse trabalho. Como eu comentei para você em minha entrevista, seguimos os sussurros do espírito e encontramos na terça-feira anoite, em Capão da Imbuia, Edil, quem foi na igreja no domingo retrasada com a mai, que é um membro e trabalha no templo. Edil primeiro conheceu os missionários em Ponta Grossa mais que 30 anos atras mas não ficou interessada em ser batizada porque a família dela tinha raízes bem forte na igreja católica. Porem, ela continuou de receber visitas dos missionários de vez em quando, a mai dela batizou-se, a irmã e varias outras parentes batizarem-se nos anos que seguirem, mas ainda Edil não teve interesse. Isso foi até nós fomos guiados pelo Espírito até a casa dela na terça anoite quando ensinamos ela pela primeira vez sobre a restauração e batismo. Perguntamos ela o que estava impedindo ela de ser batizada e ela respondeu que não sabia. Convidamos ela a ser batizada no sábado, ela aceitou e disse, ``Não sei se vou estar pronto, mas eu vou preparar-me.´´ Nós passamos todos os dias na casa dela, ajudamos ela a parar de beber o pouco de café que ela acostumou-se de beber e foi batizada no sábado e confirmada no domingo. Essa obra é uma obra de Deus, de Salvação e de milagres quando vivermos dignos, eu sei disso. Estou muito animado pela confiança o Senhor tem em mim para liderar essa zona sozinha como líder de zona e sei que muitos milagres e batismos acontecerão este mês de Setembro.

Tenha uma semana milagrosa, obrigado por tudo, eu amo você e sua família.

  

If you didn´t understand that letter in Portuguese, to make a long story short. We were led by the Spirit Tuesday night to the house of Edil, who went to church a week ago. As she had already been taught on and off for the past 30 years, without any real desire to be baptized, we invited her to be baptized, she accepted and with a ton of family support was baptized Saturday evening. 

Last night I got the news Elder Valles would be transferred to Capão da Imbuia the old area of the district leader and that the district leader who served there, Elder Joseph R Hawkes of Twin Falls Idaho, who would be my companion, and continue to be the district leader. I was called last night to serve as a lone zone leader of the 22 missionaries in my zone. I accepted the call and I am excited to see the miracles that will happen this month of Setember.

I love you all, thanks for the love and support!!!!!!!!!! :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

August 26 - Move to Inbox More 69 of about 129 Why this ad? UNC - MBA @ UNC - Top-ranked UNC Kenan-Flagler offers an MBA online to fit your lifestyle. Expand all Print all In new window Elder De Magalhães Last Week in the Mission Field, Teaching Haitians and Having Difficulty Talking in English when a Man from Israel asked me for directions

Dear Family and Friends,

 

What a week it has been. After being in a trio of missionaries for a little over a month with Elder Valles, of Peru, and Elder De Magalhães, of Recife, I am back in a normal missionary companionship as Elder De Magalhães completed an honorable 2 year mission on Friday morning. I am feeling even more burdened down and resposible as now up until September 2nd I will be the zone leader of 21 other missionaries by myself. However, I have faith that all will work out and the Lord and his angels will support me. I have learned that on my feet alone I am super weak and the natural man is strong, but as I am on my knees praying, the natural man is weak and I am strong witht the Spirit on my side.

On Tuseday night we had our third visit with a couple, Judith and Renel, that moved to Brasil from Haiti two years ago after the massive earthquake. In order to help them understand our message completely we watched the Dvd the Restoration in French. Although I didn´t understand the majority of what was said in french I felt the Spirit testify to me that Judith and Renel felt the truthfullness of our message and the restoration becasue they heard it in their native tounge. 

Lastly on Thursday, when we were going to the mission office to pick up Elder De Maghalhães, I aw a man in the bus tube who looked like he was amish. I thought to myself, he must be from that amish town in Pennsylvania. Just after I thought that, he approached me and asked me if I spoke a little english. I told him yes, and he told me that he arrived in Brasil two days earlier from his home in Israel and was lost, as he was trying to go to a Hebrew school. As we continued talking, he asked me how I spoke such good English and I told him I was American. He was like, ``Well that makes sense.´´ I then helped him find the hebrew school her was going to. As I helped him I realized I mixed my English and Portuguese a lot. I guess that´s what happens when you are in a foreign country for over a year. I know kust as Alma 5:38 states, ``I as a representative of Christ, am one of his shepards that has the responsibilty of call to repentence all of the ``sheep´´ or people that I meet. This is the work of the Lord, for the first time in a long time, a increasing number of God´s children are hearing the sheperds voice, repenting and entering the waters of baptism here in the Brasil Curitiba mission. 

 

I love you all, thanks for the love and support. Have a great last week of summer break...all you oregonians! :)

 

Ame,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson  

August 19 - Jessica and Diego´s Wedding and Jessica´s Baptism

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, it is truly amazing to see how fast time flies. I feel like I was just writing an email to you all yesterday, but it is already a new week. The time truly flew by this week as we helped marry Jessica and Diego in the Cartorio, here in Curitiba. Jessica and Diego were first contacted at the end of March. Diego had been inactive from the church for almost 10 years and had been living with his ``wife´´, Jessica,  for about the same amount of time. The two had a son together, Andre- 7 years old, and they had the custom of smoking drinking coffee. The missionaries that first arrived helped them save their marriage, which was falling a part and they helped them stop smoking and drinking. When I arrived in the beginning og June, Jessica and Diego, finally gained the desire to get married legally with the government. The process to help them get all the paperwork for the marriage was long.

 After two months of waiting on the cartorios, Diego and Jessica were married this past Wednesday and Jessica entered the chilly waters of baptism, as the water heater didn´t work too well because we filled up the baptismal font an hour and a half before the baptism, on Saturday night, and was confirmed a member on Sunday, thus fulfilling a long awaited dream of Jessica. One year from now, there goal is to enter the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity. 

I love this work and I know that the fulfillment of the commandments, brings only happiness and peace to the soul.

I love you all, thanks for the love and support.

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Aug 12 - A Testimony Building Week and A New Found Love for the Savior

Dear Family and Friends,

 

This past week was by far one of the most faith testing and testimony building weeks of my life. I never felt Satan´s influence so powerful in my life and I never felt the Spirit and the Savior´s love so strong as well. After a week of trials, I gained a testimony yesterday evening that I am on my mission, not to be perfect but to become a little (a lot) more perfect than I was before my mission. My mission president shared with me the following scriptures to help me learn this principle, and I challenge you to read them as well and think how it applies in your personal life. Read Luke 5: 27-32 and next week I will explain a little more in detail how President Monteiro interpreted to me. The supermarket is calling to us to do our weekly grocery shopping and our house is asking to be cleaned, so I will leave you with my testimony. I know with certainty that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Reedemer. He suffered for all our pains, sins and sicknesses. I know that the Savior lets us struggle to teach us, humble us and increase our faith. Lastly I know that having faith, leads to trials of our faith, thus leading to even more faith.

 

Thank each and everyone of you for the emails, letters (Which I really love getting ;) ), prayers on my behalf, love and support.

 

Have a faith and testimony building week this week, I love you all. :)

 

Ame,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Aug 5 - The Baptism of Thiago-The Quickest Baptism Yet on the Mission and Isabelle´s Mom Enter the Waters of Baptism

Dear Family and Friends,

 

This past Monday night we had the experience of enountering and teaching Thiago, a 12 year old young man whose mom is an active member and dad is inactive for more than 10 years, for the first time.  Everyone in the ward thought Thiago was a member as both of his parents were baptized over ten years ago, but as we ate lunch a couple weeks ago at the relief Society´s President´s house we asked for referrals and they referred us to Thiago because they said he was baptized when he was 8 years old, but never was confirmed a member of the church and never received the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the baptism of the Spirit explained in John 3:5. As we knew that no one can enter the kingdom of God without the baptism of the water and of the Spirit, we encountered Thiago, for the first time with this new information, and his Mom Monday night at thier home and reviewed the qualifiactions for baptism and he met all the requirements. We then marked his baptismal interview for the following day, Tuesday night, he passed that interview and was baptized and confirmed a member of the church, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost on Thursday night. Two nights later Isabelle, who was baptized two weeks ago, watched her mom enter the waters of baptism, thus capping off a week of miracles. I know that the Holy Ghost that one gains after baptism is the most powerful tool that we have to face the challenges and temptations of life. I learned that for the Holy Ghost to accompany us in this life we need to always live worthily and pray to always have his presence with us.

 

Thank you all for the love and support. 

 

Ame,

 

Elder Hokanson  

July 29 - New Companion, Elder Valles and Getting Freshened Up with my Spanish Speaking Abilities

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Once again I am super short on time as my responsibilities as a missionary zone leader and trainer took up the majority of my email time.

This past week was super busy as we had transfers and we helped the missionaries, that were living with us in our house, move to a new house closer to their area. On Tuesday afternoon, Elder De Magalhães and I received our new missionary companion that we will train, Elder Valles of Tarapoto, Peru. I can tell that we will get along great, as he is from the country I fell in love with 3 years ago when I spent two weeks doing humanitarian service. He is super humble and always is laughing and smiling, partly because he doesn´t understand everything and he told us that he laughs and smiles when he doen´t understand what others are saying...to say the least we've heard him laugh the majority of this past week.

Saturday night I had a very unique and spiritual experience as I interviewed a woman from Haiti, who only spoke creole and french, as I don´t know either we asked a member who was recently baptized to be the translator in the baptismal interview. As this member was from Haiti as well and only spoke creole, French and Spanish I did the interview in a broken spanish mixed with portuguese and I saw the Spirit work in the interview as the translator understood everything I said. I know that the Spirit works miracles and is the common language between everyone in the world.

 

Have a great week...thank you all for the love and support.

 

Ame,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson 

July 22 Isabelle´s Baptism and a New Responsibiity as Zone Leader

Dear Family and Friends,

I am short on time as I have a training for missionary trainers in just over an hour. You might ask why I am I going to a traing for missionary trainers as a zone leader. To answer your question...Elder De MAgalhães and I have been called to train a new missionary starting tomorrow and continue our usual duties as zone leaders, to say the least we will stay extremely busy with hardly any time to eat and sleep, but I would have my life no other way. I love responsibility and staying busy in the service of the Lord, I know the Lord is pleased with the work we are doing especially after we helped 15 year old Isabelle enter the waters of baptism yesterday, becoming the second member of her family. Her sister was baptized in a different city a year ago and is planning on serving a mission in the coming months. It was great to see Isabelle, Jennifer, her sister, and Rita, her mom, shed tears of joy at the baptismal service yesterday as the Spirit was extremely strong. Anyway I got to go, keep Elder De Magalhães, our new missionary companion ``son´´ and I in your prayers.

Remember that we forget the guilt and weight of our past sins, but we stay with a vivid remembrance of our past sins, after we have repented and been forgiven, just as the scars in Jesus Christ´s hands, feet and side stayed with him as a remembrance of the sacrifice and suffering that had been felt in the past, so the same mistake or sin is never made again.


I love you all, thanks for the love and support. Have a busy, blessed week. 

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson    


I love you all, thanks for the love and support. Have a busy, blessed week. 

July 15 A Week of Sleep Deprivation

Dear family and friends,

This past week Elder De Magalhães and I had our 8 hours of  sleep ( which is essential for a full time missionary who works 16 hours a day) cut short almost every single day. On Tuesday morning we woke up at 4:30 am to get ready and ride the bus an hour to the chapel in Baragui where we had a zone leader training and mission conference with 70 of the 100 or so missionaries that are in the Brasil Curitiba mission. Wednesday we woke up at 6 am to finish preparing our 2 and half hour zone conference training that we gave to our zone of 20 missionaries. Thursday and Friday we woke up at 6:15 am to put in practice what we learned from President Monteiro on Tuesday. We learned that we know we are giving our maximum if we do more than what is asked of us. He then counseled us to give our maximum with the missionary schedule and said instead of getting up at 6:30 am as stated in the mission rules, wake up earlier to give your maximum. To end our week of sleep deprivation, I woke up at 6:10 am to finish a division we did with the missionaries in Pinhais, a neighboring city.

Tuesday afternoon I had a unique experience. While in a house of a new family we were teaching I had a 91 year old woman hit on me. She entered the room, where we were teaching, near the end of our message and greeted my companion normally and when she gave me a hand shake she looked into my eyes and said, ``Well aren´t you good looking.´´ I awkwardly said thanks and we continued with our lesson. As we finished our message she commented again, ``Has anyone ever told you that you are really good looking...because you are.´´ She then grabbed my hand and asked me to say a prayer for her and her headache, when she said this Elder De Magalhães and I just about died laughing. Before we had a laughing attack in front of the family, we quickly said goodbye and ran out the door to let out our laughter in the road away from the family.

This work is amazing and it is quite funny at times. I learned the importance of laughing and smiling this week, if you don´t laugh or smile, life gets pretty boring and depressing.

Have a great week. I love you all.

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson 

July 8 A New Week, New President, New Rules

Dear Family and Friends, 

My time is super short, but I will update you on a few new happenings in the missionary world...

As of this past Thursday, we as missionaries can no longer use backpacks while proselyting to avoid assaults, back, neck and knee injuries.

We can no longer play any kind of sport on preperation day.

We can no longer leave our proselyting area to go sight seeing or meet with other missionaries, and 

We can no longer use pins or tie tacks on our suits.

I know that these new rules will help me and all the other missionaries in the world focus on our purpose of teaching and baptizing God´s children into Christ´s restored Church.

I learned this past week that we should never not feel the need to pray. Others may offend and hurt us, but I know that through Christ´s atoning sacrifice he will clean and cure our wounds. When life seems uncertain and we are lost in life´s journey, seek the Lord´s counsel because he has the map that will lead us to have eternal life. 

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

June 24 Falling in Love with Missionary Work

Dear Family and Friends,

After watching the leadership fireside I realized, I have fallen in love with the work and people here...I think I might just marry missionary work and stay a missionary for the rest of my life and for the eternities. We are doing fairly well in teaching whole familes the gospel. I´ve learned to never put a limit or a cap on the work because I can always improve. Right now we are preparing 2 cousins and an uncle,(Danielson, Casio and Marcleide) from Northern Brasil, the state of Piaui, for baptism this coming month, they are giving up smoking and drinking so we are being patient in their conversion process. Also we are preparing to marry a less active man, Diego, (who´s returned to activity) and his ``wife´´, Jessica, who will be baptized this coming month as well. In total I think 70% of our teaching group of investigators are couples, parts of a family or complete families. Working with  families that not all members are members of the church is the key to success, the majority of my baptisms up to this point have been NTM´s.

To turn this zone around we started this morning planning divisions every day this week with our 4 district leaders and one other area that is struggling a lot. We are putting the focus on contacting 140 people in the street or at home per week, getting 70 addresses to pass by the contact´s house in the following days/weeks and teach 21 ``true´´ lessons per week, which means the spirit can be felt, and prayers are said to open and close the message. 

Elder De Magalhães is an awesome companion and we will do divisions and interviews in all the district leader´s areas to help them be more animated and obedient.

The work here is accelerating at an amazing speed and this week will be a week of miracles.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!

Ame seu amigo e missionário,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

June 17 A Whole Different Life and Approach to Missionary Work Here in the Big City of Curitiba

Queridos amigos e família,

This past week was one of the toughest yet on the mission, and at times this week as we did contacts and visited investigators I asked myself why couldn´t have I just stayed in Bonsucesso, it was a lot easier there and the people were a lot more accepting. After pondering on my purpose I realized that I am here the the Tarumã zone because it is where the Lord is in need of me right now. I also realized that I have a lot more growing and maturing to do, and this new area, and companion will help me fulfill my true potential. I can tell this transfer will be a trial of faith and patience and I know that I have a lot to do in this area to find the elect of the lord and be the example for my companion and my zone.

This area of Vila Oficinas and the Tarumã zone (one of two zones here in Curitiba that borders the Brasil Curitiba South mission...this means that I barely missed being put in the Brasil Curitiba South Mission) are great. It is a lot different than Bonsucesso, but it is a more traditional ward/area and I feel more at home here, as the chapel is one of the most newly renovated and sheeky chapels here in the misison, a huge improvement from the old supermarket which turned a chapel in Bonsucesso. The members are great and this week Elder De Magalhães and I will do our best to use the maximum number of members in our lessons so that our investigators can be more integrated. I have learned here on the mission, that the more friends in the church an investigator or recent convert has the stronger testimony he´ll have and the more active he´ll stay in the church.

Elder De Magalhães is an awersome companion and example, he is helping me be 100% obedient and he is helping me always have a smile on my face with his sense of humor. Although only one week has passed since the beginning of the transfer, and can already tell that these next few weeks we are together will be full of hard work, fun and miracles. 

This past Saturday afternoon my testimony was strengthened and I felt the Spirit super strong, while in a division with Elder Torres, a recently arrived elder from Natal. As we delivered a church dvd titled ``The Lamb of God´´ to a reference we received, the man who let us in began attacking the Book of Mormon and the church. While Elder Torres got a little upset and tried attacking back, I felt I just needed to bear my testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. I testify that a simple testimony changes a brutal enviroment into a calm, Spirit filled enviroment. As I bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to this man, his countenance changed and he stopped attacking, we peacefully said a prayer and left his house. Although he did not want to accept our message I learned from this expereince, once again as I have learned so many times through the Spirit that the Book of Mormon is true and Christ´s true church is on the earth today.

I love you all, thanks for the love, support and prayers. Have an amazing week, full of opportunities to share your testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. :) 

Ame,

Elder  Jonathan Hokanson

June 10 A new Companion and the Big City

Dear Family and Friends, 

The time has finally come...After entering the mission field here in Curitiba 12 months ago, I finally am serving in the city of Curitiba. Late Saturday night at about 10 pm, Elder Hobbs and I got a phone call from one of President Cordon´s Assistents with news of the misisonaries that would be transferred to different areas and the new Brasil, Curitiba South Mission. Surprisingly for one of the first times on my mission, I wasn´t nervous to hear where I would go. I was super calm and relaxed because I knew that if it was the will of the Lord, I would stay in Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa and if not I would be sent to an area/zone where there are people that are need of my testimony and help. As Elder Schmidt, President Cordon´s Assistent, announced that I would be transferred, I was a little in shock and saddened because I had grown to love the ward members, recent converts, investigators and most of all my amazing companion, Elder Hobbs. However an overwhelming peace came over me as Elder Schmidt told me that I would serve in the Taraumã zone, the same zone I served in for two days last August, I would continue my responsibility as zone leader and be companions with one of the ex secretaries to President Cordon, Elder De Magalhães of Recife Brasil. 

I spent practically all day yesterday saying goodbye and taking pictures with the members, recent converts and investigators that I had grown to love, then I stayed up until about 1 in the morning packing my bags and reflecting on the 11 miraculous weeks I had in Bonsucesso. Then this morning I woke up at 4:10 am, got ready, ate breakfast, went to the bus station at 5:40 am to help other missionaries catch their buses to their new areas, and at 7 am I took the 2 hour bus ride to Curitiba. I arrived in the Curitiba bus terminal and had a great reunion with my new companion, Elder De Magalhães , who served with me in my district for a little over a month in Ponta Grossa. 

I am super excited to serve here in the Vila Oficinas Ward in the Taraumã Stake in the Curitiba Brasil mission. These next 6 weeks will be full of hard work and miracles.

Thank you all for the love and support. 

Love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

June 3 Marco's Miracle

Dear Family and Friends,

Yet another week has flown by here in Ponta Grossa, Brasil. I feel like this is a common phrase in almost all my emails, but I decided to say it again, because it is so true. 

This week started off on a high note, on Tuesday, when we visited for just the second time a big, black, tatooed man named Marco, who´s addicted to smoking, on average one pack a day- 20 cigarettes. Elder Hobbs talked to his wife, Adriane, in the road one evening a little over a week ago, and scheduled a day to pass by. The first time we taught them, Marco and his two sons, Richard and Cristian, easily accepted the invitation to be baptized in Christ´s true church. His wife accepted, but a little more reluctlently as she is a active member of the Baptist church. Two Sundays ago, we passed by in the church school bus and Marco and his friend, Alex, came aboard and attended the three hours of church. When we passed by Tuesday night, Marco and his two sons were at home, and they warmly accepted us. As we entered his house, Marco sat us down, and boldly exclaimed, ``I loved going to church yesterday, I will continue going to church with you all´´. We then shared with him our testimonies and taught the commandement, the Word of Wisdom which explains 5 substances (cigarettes, coffee, tea, drugs and alcohol) that we should avoid to stay healthy and free of sin. He then said, ``Let me tell you something... I know that the church you two represent is true because for the first time in my life I entered a church and had no desire to go outside the building and smoke, during the meetings. Which is a desire I have had every time I have gone to various churches, these past 21 years in which I have smoked´´. When he said this I couldn´t help but think ``Amen brother´´. It is incredible to feel the Spirit of an investigator or recent convert share their testiomony as Marco did. We then set a few goals with him to stop smoking by Sunday and he agreed to it. Then we passed by his house on Wednesday night he said, ``I smoked the last 10 cigarettes in my pack today``, which was way more than the goal of 5 cigarettes a day he could smoke. He then said, ``I smoked those last 10 cigarettes today and I will not smoke anymore!´´ When he said this I was super astonished and happy at how the Spirit had been working a miracle in Marco. As we followed up the following day he still hadn´t smoked another cigarette, but on Friday night we called him, only to find out that he had to go to the hospital due to a massive headache, and uncontrollable shaking, due to lack of nicotine and coffee, which he stopped drinking. When we followed up with Marco ontem he said that he is taking medication and returned to smoke only 2 cigarettes to help get his body back under control. Marco is an amazingly strong, will powered man, that we are planning on helping him stop smoking this week, so he can be baptized on June 23rd. 

I love this work and I know miracles, like the miracles that Marco is experiencing, are possible as we rely on the Lord, read the Book of Mormon and pray every day and go to church each Sunday. Put the Lord to the test this week and I promise that the miracles will happen in your lives and the lives of your family.

I love you all! Until next week :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

PS- Attached is a picture of me and President and Sister Cordon on Friday, at the end of their last leadership council before they return home at the beginning of next month.

May 27 - Caio and Jeovane Preparing to Be Baptized, Being Guided by the Spirit

Queridos amigos e família,

This week was a super busy week of miracles and trials, like always. I love the scripture 2 Nephi 27:23 because Elder Hobbs and I are putting them to the test. We know that God is the same in all dispensations, and he will always work miracles, we just need to live worthily and work hard to have the faith to perform the miracles that God has in store. The majority of the miracles I have realized are small and simple and if one doesn´t pay attention the miracles will slip right by without you even noticing them. Truly the greatest miracle we have is the knowledge that even as natural men, always sinning, the Savior will redeem us from our sins and will grant us eternal life if we endure to the end. 

This area of Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa continues to be a blessing and I feel that the Lord is satisfied with the work here. However, I know Elder Hobbs and I can do a lot more, because the blessings and miracles of the Lord are waiting, we just have to discover where they are. This weekend we are planning on baptizing a pair of 13 year old twins, Caio and Jeovane, who we´ve been teaching for 3 weeks or so. It is awesome to see them grow in their faith and testimonies. Two weeks ago they went to church for the first time and Caio and Jeovane left the sacrament meeting with a big smile on their faces. Caio told us as he was leaving, ``I want to be baptized in this church, it is a lot less boring than the church that my mom has been making us attend.´´ Truly the Church of Jesus Christ is God´s perfect church here on the earth today, and beacause it is perfect it is a lot less boring.

This past Monday afternoon, we as a zone hiked to the waterfall in our area that Elder Hobbs and I hiked to over a month ago with another companionship. Attached is a picture of the zone before the hike in front of a member´s house near the waterfall. The zone loved the hike and many missionaries said it was the best p- day yet. 

Friday afternoon was pretty gloomy and uneventful  because the majority of our appointments fell through. However, we continued with our heads up that our marked appointment at 7 pm would be with an elect man, who we talked to in the road, and his family. However as we searched for his house with the address that he gave us, in a neigborhood that we hardly work in, we didn´t find the address. Then we tried calling the cell phone numbert he gave us, only to have someone on the other end tell us we had the wrong number. Not knowing what else to do, Elder Hobbs and I prayed, and when the prayer ended I opened my eyes and felt that if we visited the house on the corner they would let us in and accept our message. Following the whispering of the spirit, we clapped our hands to call attention to the family that lived there. Miraculously, João and Terezinha, who lived in the house and their two granddaughters let enter their house, one of the first houses we had entered all day, and told us they were Catholic but they had a desire to know if their truly existed the one true church of Christ on the earth today. We responded that it existed, shared the message of the restoration of Christ´s church, gave them a book of mormon, and explained that it is a proof that Christ´s one and only true church is on the earth today. They gladly accepted and said they would read and pray. As we left this kind, humble family  had a smile on their faces, and I learned the Spirit truly does lead us to those who are seeking the truth. 

Yesterday João came to church and afterwards, a few ward members were talking to him, and it turns out his daughter was a member of the ward a few years ago, but they lost contact with her and her family when she moved south to Santa Catarina.

I love the Brasilian people and this missionary work, it truly is a work of miracles as we use and put our faith to the test.

Have a great memorial day and week. I love you all! :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

 

 

June 3 - Marco's Miracle

Dear Family and Friends,

Yet another week has flown by here in Ponta Grossa, Brasil. I feel like this is a common phrase in almost all my emails, but I decided to say it again, because it is so true. 

This week started off on a high note, on Tuesday, when we visited for just the second time a big, black, tatooed man named Marco, who´s addicted to smoking, on average one pack a day- 20 cigarettes. Elder Hobbs talked to his wife, Adriane, in the road one evening a little over a week ago, and scheduled a day to pass by. The first time we taught them, Marco and his two sons, Richard and Cristian, easily accepted the invitation to be baptized in Christ´s true church. His wife accepted, but a little more reluctlently as she is a active member of the Baptist church. Two Sundays ago, we passed by in the church school bus and Marco and his friend, Alex, came aboard and attended the three hours of church. When we passed by Tuesday night, Marco and his two sons were at home, and they warmly accepted us. As we entered his house, Marco sat us down, and boldly exclaimed, ``I loved going to church yesterday, I will continue going to church with you all´´. We then shared with him our testimonies and taught the commandement, the Word of Wisdom which explains 5 substances (cigarettes, coffee, tea, drugs and alcohol) that we should avoid to stay healthy and free of sin. He then said, ``Let me tell you something... I know that the church you two represent is true because for the first time in my life I entered a church and had no desire to go outside the building and smoke, during the meetings. Which is a desire I have had every time I have gone to various churches, these past 21 years in which I have smoked´´. When he said this I couldn´t help but think ``Amen brother´´. It is incredible to feel the Spirit of an investigator or recent convert share their testiomony as Marco did. We then set a few goals with him to stop smoking by Sunday and he agreed to it. Then we passed by his house on Wednesday night he said, ``I smoked the last 10 cigarettes in my pack today``, which was way more than the goal of 5 cigarettes a day he could smoke. He then said, ``I smoked those last 10 cigarettes today and I will not smoke anymore!´´ When he said this I was super astonished and happy at how the Spirit had been working a miracle in Marco. As we followed up the following day he still hadn´t smoked another cigarette, but on Friday night we called him, only to find out that he had to go to the hospital due to a massive headache, and uncontrollable shaking, due to lack of nicotine and coffee, which he stopped drinking. When we followed up with Marco ontem he said that he is taking medication and returned to smoke only 2 cigarettes to help get his body back under control. Marco is an amazingly strong, will powered man, that we are planning on helping him stop smoking this week, so he can be baptized on June 23rd. 

I love this work and I know miracles, like the miracles that Marco is experiencing, are possible as we rely on the Lord, read the Book of Mormon and pray every day and go to church each Sunday. Put the Lord to the test this week and I promise that the miracles will happen in your lives and the lives of your family.

I love you all! Until next week :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

PS- Attached is a picture of me and President and Sister Cordon on Friday, at the end of their last leadership council before they return home at the beginning of next month.

June 10 - Change! I am in the Big City Now!

Dear Family and Friends,

The time has finally come...After entering the mission field here in Curitiba 12 months ago, I finally am serving in the city of Curitiba. Late Saturday night at about 10 pm, Elder Hobbs and I got a phone call from one of President Cordon´s Assistents with news of the misisonaries that would be transferred to different areas and the new Brasil, Curitiba South Mission. Surprisingly for one of the first times on my mission, I wasn´t nervous to hear where I would go. I was super calm and relaxed because I knew that if it was the will of the Lord, I would stay in Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa and if not I would be sent to an area/zone where there are people that are need of my testimony and help. As Elder Schmidt, President Cordon´s Assistent, announced that I would be transferred, I was a little in shock and saddened because I had grown to love the ward members, recent converts, investigators and most of all my amazing companion, Elder Hobbs. However an overwhelming peace came over me as Elder Schmidt told me that I would serve in the Taraumã zone, the same zone I served in for two days last August, I would continue my responsibility as zone leader and be companions with one of the ex secretaries to President Cordon, Elder De Magalhães of Recife Brasil. 

I spent practically all day yesterday saying goodbye and taking pictures with the members, recent converts and investigators that I had grown to love, then I stayed up until about 1 in the morning packing my bags and reflecting on the 11 miraculous weeks I had in Bonsucesso. Then this morning I woke up at 4:10 am, got ready, ate breakfast, went to the bus station at 5:40 am to help other missionaries catch their buses to their new areas, and at 7 am I took the 2 hour bus ride to Curitiba. I arrived in the Curitiba bus terminal and had a great reunion with my new companion, Elder De Magalhães , who served with me in my district for a little over a month in Ponta Grossa. 

I am super excited to serve here in the Vila Oficinas Ward in the Taraumã Stake in the Curitiba Brasil mission. These next 6 weeks will be full of hard work and miracles.

Thank you all for the love and support. 

Love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

May 20, 2013 A Mighty Change of Heart in Luiz, Harvesting Oranges and Shoveling Rubble at Cristiano´​s House, Klaus Being Baptized

Dear Family and Friends,

 

What an amazing past week it was. We had the opportunity to be a part of and watch a child of God (Klaus) enter the waters of baptism and three of God´s children (Katiane, Douglas and Klaus) become official members of the church by being confirmed, receiving the Holy Ghost. Also I participated in my first ever reconfirmation of Kaoane who I confirmed last week. I was advised after the sacrament meeting by Elder Hobbs and Crisitiano, our ward mission leader, that I only confirmed her as a ``member of the Church of Jesus Christ´´ and so I reconfirmed her yesterday as a ``member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints´´, because the wording has to be exact to be valid.  We went to her house after lunch yesterday to redo her confirmation as a member of the church, and right before we were about to confirm her, one of her drunk uncles entered the house and announced that he was drunk and he would like to sing a song for us. As Elder Hobbs and I looked at him, with a confused look on our faces, he began singing at the top of his lungs a evangelical song and playing his guitar about the Savior on a capsizing boat in the sea. it was quite amusing, Elder Hobbs and I couldn´t help but laugh as the nieces and nephews of this drunken man were laughing and plugging the ears as their uncle belted out this evangelical song. At last he left and we reconfirmed Kaoane, as her uncle continued playing his guitar and singing right outside the house. Away from this interesting experience at Kaoane´s house, this past week we saw the Spirit and the gospel move the heart of a man I met earlier this month. 

A week and a half ago I talked with a one legged man and owner of a bar, named Luiz, in the road. When I presented myself as a missionary and began to talk about our message as missionaries, he rudely replied back to me that churches do no good and that man has created churches with the sole purpose of gaining money, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was no different. He then told me that he didn´t want anything to do with me or the church. However, when he said this I saw it as an excellent opportunity to correct him and teach him how the Church and how not one of the leaders earn money to serve in the church. When he heard this, and when Elder Hobbs and I promised him that through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the church he can return to live with his wife and kids who separted from him a while ago, he took our challenge and went to church on the 12th for sunday school. We passed by this past week and saw a new light in his eyes and he accepted the invitation to be baptized in June. Then yesterday he went to all 3 hours of church and left after the last meeting with a smile on his face, something I never thought I would see when he angerily talked to me a couple weeks ago in the road.

I know that the spirit and restored gospel will move your life for the better and put a smile on your face, just as it has with Luiz. Remember the knowledge of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ doesn´t do any good, if you don´t live it.

I love you all thanks for your love and support. Have a great week and smile :) !

 

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson  

Jonathan and Elder Ribero at Ice Cream Social.
Last photo together before Elder Ribero goes home in two weeks.

PS: Attached is a picture of yesterday´s baptism of Klaus. A 9 year old son of less active members, who are returning to activity.

April 29, 2013 - A Miraculous Week Full of Trials, Triumphs...Ending The Week By Helping 5 Children of God Enter the Waters of Baptism

Queridos Amigos e Família,

   I can´t even begin to describe how busy, stressful, and satisfying this past week was. To say the least it  was a roller coaster of emotions this past week. Elder Hobbs and I set a goal to help at least eight of God´s children enter the waters of baptism this month of April, and when this month started it looked very probable that we would meet our goal. However as the middle of the month arrived, not too many of the investigators that we had were progressing, but we didn´t give up hope. In order to help our investigators progress and be baptized, Elder Hobbs and I decided  to obey the mission rules and schedule with even more exactness than before. As we began obeying with even more exactness, and prayed every morning and night to be able to help 8 of God´s children enter the waters of baptism, it seemed as though everything started going right. 
   Miraculously this past Tuesday two of our investigators who we´ve been working with for about a month received permission from their reluctant mom to be baptized. These two investigators Kaoane, 8 years old, and her older sister, Katiane, 9 years old, stopped drinking coffee, learned to pray (something they never knew how to do a month ago) and  gained a great desire to be baptized. Their older brother José, 12 years old, was baptized a few years, fell away from the church, and now he is in the process of being reactivated to activity in the church with a few of his cousins, who fell away from the church as well. 

   Yet another miracle occured a little less than two weeks ago as we were teaching Ana Claudia, a 23 year old single mom of 3 kids (6, 4 and 2 years old), and her parents. Her older sister Viviane, 31 year old mom of 4 kids (13, 8, 4 and 3 years old) and Viviane´s daughter, Amanda (13 years old), sat in on one of our lessons and in that very lesson we invited them to be baptized. We taught them practically every day from that day on, taught them the Word of Wisdom on Tuesday night and they gave us their four bags of coffee to throw away and decided to not drink coffee anymore. As the week progressed, Ana Caludia, Viviane and Amanda gained a desire to be baptized as well. 

   With all this said, Sunday arrived and after a 2 hour stake conference, Kaoane, Katiane, Ana Claudia, Viviane and Amanda entered the waters of baptism, and a new light and spirit entered their lives. I know miracles are real and that these 5 children of god are fruits of hard work, exact obedience and the hand of God in this work.

Thank you all for your love and support...Have faith in miracles beacause they happen, and not just in the life of a missionary.

Ame,

Elder Hokanson

PS- Attached is a picture of yesterday´s baptism. In White from left to right (Elder Hokanson, Kaoane, Katiane, Elder Hobbs, Amanda, Ana Claudia and Viviane)

April 22 - An Email a Little Different- A Week of Pictures

Dear Family and Friends,

I decided this week to be a little different in my email to you all this week, so this is why I sent 5 different emails with pictures, so you all can see that I am loving life here in Brasil...Helping Souls Come Unto Christ through Baptism is one of my favorite things to do here...speaking of which we have several baptisms planned for this next weekend which I am super excited for. It is truly amazing to see the maracle the Church of Jesus Christ and the fulness of the gospel make in the lives of others. I also love the scenery here in Paraná, especially in my area of Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa. I hope you all have a wonderful week and you enjoy the photos I have included.

Thanks for the love and support!

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Pic #1- Me at the base of the waterfall
Pic #2- Some livestock we came across returning to civilization after being in the forest
PIc #3/4- Elielton, the shirtless, shoeless young man who I talked about in my last email riding home before church to get ready, and his faithful horse.   

Pic #1, #2 Elder Hobbs and I playing basketball at the stake center with a few other missionaries at the beginning of the month
Pic #3- A Frog that was sitting on the grass outside of an investigator´s house after a rain storm at the beginning of the month.

Pic 1- The neighborhood we started out from. Picture Taken half way to the waterfall
Pic 2- Nature of Paraná- The arucaria- a tree only found in Paraná
Pic 3- Me in the middle of the soy field, super tired and out of breath. I realized from this hike that as a missionary I have gotten super out of shape, but luckily I haven´t gained any weight

Pic #1- First glimspe of the waterfall
Pic #2- Our hiking group at the base of the waterfall
Pic #3- Me being the new brasilian soccer model for the 2014 World Cup in Rio
Pic #4- Doing an ab workout in a small cave near the waterfall