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
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