Yesterday afternoon was one
of the most humbling and emotionally draining days yet on the mission.
At about 12:15 pm, 45 minutes after church ended, Elder Kakuschke and I
received a phone call from our zone leaders to tell us the transfers
that would be happening. When they said, ´´Elder Hokanson, Are you
ready?`` I nervously responded, ´´Yes``, they then responded ´´Are you
really ready?`` Once again i exclaimed, ``Yes...just give me the
transfers already!`` They then responded, ´´ELDER HOKANSON...YOU WILL BE
LEAVING GUARAPUAVA...YOU WILL BE A ZONE LEADER IN PONTA GROSSA, YOUR
COMPANION IS ELDER HOBBS, EX-ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT CORDON, AND YOU WILL
BE OPENING THE AREA OF BONSUCESSO!!!´´ When they said this I was left
speechless, I was filled with the urge to cry and I felt a huge
responsibilty come upon me. However, as the time passed I felt a peace
come upon me, letting me know that it is the will of the Lord that I
have this opportunity to serve as a zone leader with an amazing
companion Elder Jake Hobbs from Heber, Utah. I feel right now just as
any other church leader who receives a calling of great responsibility
and they feel inadequate and humble. I know however that by relying in
the Lord, he will make me the best Ponta Grossa zone leader possible.
However the news that Elder Kakushcke received next is what shocked
me even more. They continued by asking, ``Elder Kakuschke, Are you
ready?`` He responded, ``Yes`` They replied, ``Elder Kakuschke, you
leave as well, you will serve in Curitiba with Elder Dos Santos and your
area of Guarapuava will be replaced with sister missionaries.´´ When I
heard our area was going to be ``white washed´´ with sisters I couldn´t
believe it because we prepared 4 people to be baptized this coming
weekend and it is extremely hard on the investigators to be taught by
one different missionary, let alone two.
Before the mission I never thought it would be so hard to leave an
area/ city, but I can testify that it is extremely hard because you fall
in love with the people and the city in where you serve. I never have
cried so much on the mission as I did yesterday, saying goodbye to the
people I helped encounter the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I left a
part of my heart and my family in Guarapuava, but my new area here in
Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa is a more humble part of town, the people are
super open to the gospel and the rumor here is that the members do the
teaching of the investigators and the missionaries do the baptizing. I
am excited for this opportunity and the trust and confidence the Lord
and President Cordon have put in me. Pray for me that I can fulfill my
new calling because, I will need all the prayers I can get. :)
Thank you all for the love and support.
Ame,
Elder Jonathan Hokanson or as the Brasilians say now ``Hawkinson´´
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