March 24, 2014 The Last Email of the Mission - Sergio's Miracle

My dearest family and friends,

The End has come...I will see you all next week, but before then we will help a man named Sergio, who has known the church and the missionaries over 30 years enter the waters of baptism this coming Saturday. I will tell his miraculous story next week in person :) I love you all have a great week. SEE YOU SOON!!!!!! ;) :)                                                                                                                                                                                          Com  muito amor,                                                                                                                             Elder Jonathan Hokanson

March 17 - Helping a Catholic Padre and Israel's Baptism

Meus Queridos Amigos e Familiares,

What a crazy past week it has been, filled with a once in a lifetime experience and a great baptismal service on Saturday.

You all are probably wondering what the once in a lifetime experience I had was...so I´ll write about it first before my time runs out.

This past Friday just after our lunch appointment with a family of members Elder Carvalho and I began to descend one of the main roads in our area. As we walked down the road, we felt the heat and humidity as the sun was shining down on Elder Carvalho and I. As we approached and began to walk past one of the catholic cathedrals that are in our area, we saw an elderly man crawling on his hands and knees up the stairs on the side of the cathedral When I looked closer I could tell this man looked like one the the catholic padres, that we frequently passed in the road while doing proselyting, and that a red liquid was streaming from the top of his head down his face. I thought to myself that the padre was playing a joke on someone or they were filming a terror movie for the church However, as we looked closer the red liquid that we thought was fake blood was real blood. Within seconds of realizing this Elder Carvalho and I and another woman nearby ran inside the catholic church grounds to rescue and help this man, who had lost his balance, rolled down the stairs and banged his head on the last concrete step. As we helped this 70 year old catolic padre sit down I remembered vaguely of the first aid merit badge I did in boy scouts and I quickly gave my handkercheif to the padre and told him to put it on the cut on is head with a little pressure, as his head was bleeding quite a lot. After we called the paramedics and saw everything was under control we left. The next day we heard that in the mass the night before they announced the padre´s fall and that ``os mórmons´´ helped rescue him. Never in my life did I think we would help rescue a catholic padre in the front of his church.

To end the week, we helped 9 year old , Israel, a  member reference, be baptized and confirmed.

I love you all and can´t wait to see you all in a little over two weeks!!!!!!!!!

Com muito amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

March 10th - A Bitter Sweet Tri-zone Mission Conference and Receiving a Referral from a Member of a 15 Year Old Elect of the Lord

Dear family and friends throughout the world, 

I bore my testimony in my last mission conference as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this past Thursday afternoon. It was a very bitter sweet moment to look at over 70 missionaries and realize that the majority I served as a leader or a companion. In the following foto are 5 of my last 10 companions in the mission field. In order in the picture from right to left (in order from my oldest companion to actual companion): Elder Kakuschke of Wisconsin, Elder Valles of Peru, Elder Ramos of Maceio, Brazil, Elder Parra of Bolivia, Elder Carvalho of Pelotas, Brazil and I.

I love every single one of the companions that the Lord has given to me throughout my mission, each and everyone has a different personality, testimony and story and the Lord put me with each one to build my testimony and stregthen me in the moments of difficulty and trial. The Lord has a plan and purpose in all things, it is our resposibility to be patient and faithful to undersatnd and accept his plan.  

On Tuesday we taught a family after lunch that Irmã Sandra of our ward referred us to. They are an incredible family. And to make this reference even greater, this family was taught over 3 years ago by one of my teachers in the Provo MTC, Elder Groesbeck. When we visited the 15 year old son of this referell on Saturday and asked him if a genie appeared to him and gave him 3 wishes what they would be. He replied, 1. Salvation 2. Remission of my sins and 3. Health for my family. Truly this 15 year old, Denilson, is an elect of the Lord. We passed by yesterday evening and are helping him prepare for his baptism this next Saturday. I know the Lord´s elect exist and the members of the Lord´s church have the ability and reponsibility to help the missionaries find and teach them just as Irmã Sandra did this past week.

I love you all, have a great week!

Com amor,

Elder Hokanson

March 5 - Curitiba Bus Strike and Miraculous Wednesday!

Dearest family and friends,

What a long, crazy yet miraculous 9 days it has been since I last wrote. I didn´t write on Monday because President Monteiro moved our preparation day to today (wednesday) to take advantage of the week of carnaval... the translation is ``Party of the Flesh´´ where the majority of people are at home or are on the coast partying and breaking the commandments. 

This last Wednesday, all the business owners of the buses here in Curitiba went on strike and are still on strike up until to the present moment. Because this strike occurred, the city practically shut down the whole day on Wednesday because the bus is the major form of transport in the city. The rest of the week up until today, only about 40% of the buses are running, but luckliy 100% of the Lord´s missionaries and miracles are running. Elder Carvalho and I took advantage of the majority of people being at home on Wednesday and we visited a less active couple, Elcio and Rozi, that we encontered the day before. While visiting them we learned their 15 year old son Gabriel was never baptized, we explained the doctrine of baptism, he understood and accepted the invite to be baptized Saturday night. Miraculously 4 days after meeting Gabriel, I had the priviledge of baptizing him and Elder Carvalho confirmed him following the baptism. 

The Lord has a plan for eachone of us, we need to study the scriptures and pray daily so we can know of this plan and have the Spirit to work miracles.

I love you all, have an amazing week!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Elder Carvalho, 15 year old Gabriel and I

March 4th - Return of Elder Hokanson

Email we recieved

Dear Family of Elder Hokanson,

We would like to inform you of Elder Hokanson´s return home from the mission.  Please see the attached letter and flight information.  If you have any questions or worries, don´t hesitate to call us or send us an email.

Warm Regards,

Elder Larson

Secretário da Missão – Mission Secretary

+55 (41) 3010-3476

+55 (41) 8821-9071

2011816@ldschurch.org

February 24, 2014 A Wonderful Birthday and Transfers Week

Dearest family and friends,

In case you were wondering the Curitibans here in my area of Boa Vista treated me exceptionally well this past week for my birthday.

On the eve of my birthday and transfers Elder Parra and I  were in a trio with Elder Shaw, of Springfiled, OR as his companion returned home on Monday after an honorable two year mission. I was treated to a chicken strogonoff dinner and a chocolate birthday cake for dessert at the house of Karina, the daughter of Rosi (our  recent convert who was confirmed yesterday). To make the eve of my birthday even better Rosi and her son Lucas gave me birthday presents of a nice light blue tie and a package of gourmet brasilian chocolate. 

The day of my birthday was even better as we ate lunch at the stake Patriarch´s house and they sang ``Parabens´´- the Brasilan Happy Birthday song to me. The Patriarch´s wife cooked fettucine alfredo and chicken for me with fresh pineapple juice...it was amazing. To end my birthday I said goodbye to Elder Parra and received my new companheiro, Elder Leo Carvalho of Rio Grande do Sul. We are a great combo..he is the fire in our companionship and I am the ice...I will send you pictures and more information next week!

I love you all... be like the sons of Mosiah this week and fear and shake at the thought of your neighbors and family living in endless torment. Open your mouth and share the restored gospel! :)

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

February 10 - A Week of More Heat ...Work, Blessing, Work, Trial, Work, Blessing, Sacrifice, Miracle

Dearest family and friends around the world,

The extreme heat here in Curitiba continued this week. The locals are always letting us know that this summer is abnormal because of the extreme heat which rised up to 38 degrees Celsius...I don´t know what that is in farenheit on the top of my head...but it´s super hot especially with humidity. However, Elder Parra and I are making the most of the heat and taking of the advantage of knocking/clapping at a lot of houses to ask for water to drink and as we drink water we talk to them about the gospel and Jesus Christ´s church that he organized in New testament times and restored today. 

This week consisted of a lot of work, blessings, sacrifice and a miracle to end the week. We taught the gospel of Christ to the mom, Rose, and brother, Lucas, of a member this past Monday in a family home evening. They liked the lesson a lot and agreed that they need to be baptized in Christ´s restored church. On Wednesday unfortunately Gabriel didn´t feel right being baptized on Thursday and said he wants more time to think and prepare, so we are letting him prepare in his own time. Just about every day this week we taught 23 year old Jessica, who is 1/2 Japonese 1/2 Polaka. Jessica is one of the most elect woman I have ever met. Each lesson we teach, she asks us questions and makes commentaries that only a member of the church would make. Up until now she already has read several chapters in the Book of Mormon, watched the 50 minute devotional from the YSA transmission of President Tad Callister, and read several general conference talks. Our plan is to commit her to be baptized this Saturday, along with Rose and Lucas. I know that with hard work, sacrifice, 100% obedience, and faith these miracles will happen, just as the miracles of Lucas and Jessica going to an institiute party on Saturday was a miracle. Yet another miracle happened Sunday morning, when we called to Jessica and she told us that she was feeling sick and could hardly walk and wouldn´t be able to go to church, I persisted on the phone for her to go but she rejected the offer saying she was too sick. After I ended this call, a few minutes later Elder Parra told me to call her again, I felt confused, but let Elder Parra call her again. When he called her he said to her, ``We will pass by and pick you up at 10 to assist the sacrament meeting and will give you a blessing of health at church, she accepted, and at 10 am we picked her up, gave her a blessing and miraculously watched the entire sacrament meeting and left saying she already felt a little better. The priesthood is real and blessings have power!

I love you all, have a blessed week!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

An Early Birthday Present and Elder Parra is Getting Transferred Tomorrow

Well Family and Friends I now have a testimony that the Lord likes to give us birthday presents. I know this because this past week we had a great miracle occur. Last Monday night we had a very faith proving and spiritually guided family home evening with a couple that are members, Eder and Karina, and Karina´s mom, Rosi, and Karina´s 19 year old brother, Lucas. At the beginning of the lesson we reviewed everything that we had taught to them and they told us that they understood and didn´t have any questions. We then read a few verses of Mosiah 18 and invited them to be baptized on Saturday. The two of them were reluctant and said they needed to prepare more and receive a spiritual confirmation. We spent the next 20-30 minutes or so bearing testimony and using scriptures to help them but we didn´t see much progress. Then I felt the spirit very strong tell me to compare my decision to serve a mission with the decision they are taking to be baptized, since I couldn´t relate to them being baptized as an adult since I was baptized when I was 8. I followed the spirit and  I bore a heartfelt testimony and told them of the uncertainty I had of my future when I decided to serve a mission, and the pressure I felt from my family and friends to set an example for others to follow. As soon as I finished Rosi said that she hadn´t been touched by the Spirit the whole evening like she was touched when I bore my testimony, she said it was exactly what she needed to hear. To make a long story short the Lord gave me an early birthday present when I had the opportunity to baptize Rosi yestertday and she left the waters of baptism shedding tears of happiness. The Spirit works miracles.

On another note I will receive a birthday present tomorrow as we have transfers and Elder Parra will be transferred, so I will finish my mission in the Boa Vista ward with a new comp that I will meettomorrow.

I love you all!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

February 3

One kilo of bananas for about $.45...the cheapest bananas I have ever bought. They were so cheap that I bought 2.5 kilos of bananas for me to eat this next week

Thanks mom for the Christmas presents. My companion likes the snowmen and said thank you.

 

Melting Like a Popsicle in the Heat and Humidity

Dear family and friends,

While the United States feels like a giant freezer, here in Curitiba Brasil it feels like a giant oven/sauna. These past weeks it has been been super hot, and according to the Curitibanos, this summer has been one of the hottest in the history, with little rain and extreme heat day after day.

As the weather has been hot, Elder Parra and I´s teaching group has been growing and heating up too. In this past week we taught more interested, accepting families than I have in my entire mission. I leanred from this that truly the Lord blesses us as we endure to the end...the end of the hour, the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month or the end of the mission. The scripture in 2nd Nephi 31 is true when Heavenly father says, He that endureth to the end, shall receive eternal life. I know it is not easy to endure to the end, but I know it will all be worth it as we shall live with God and our families forever in a celestial state. 

On another note, I felt incredible joy these past couple Sundays as Cesar, who we helped baptized 3 weeks ago, received the Aaronic priesthood, ordained Willian, his son who was baptized on the same day as him, and yesterday blessed the sacramernt in front of all the members of the ward, who doubted him for so long.

I love you all, thanks for the love and support...stay warm up there!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

January 20th - The Perfect Battalion

Dear Family and Friends,

For those of you that didn´t have the time or patience this last week to translate or read my last email I will let you know where my new companion is from. The majority of people, including me, that look at my new companion before he talks thinks he is from Japan or China. However, when he begins talking to others it becomes apparent that he is from Latin America. My new companion is Elder Parra, Jhordy Parra Claure, and he is from Bolivia, Cochabamba. I like him a lot because he always likes to joke around and put a smile on my face when the times are hard. Also, he is teaching me to be very polite, an attribute that not too many Curtibanos have.  It is incredible at how well Elder Parra speaks, I can tell that truly the Lord is accelerating this work of salvation because just this last week our mission helped 48 of God´s children enter the waters of baptism. Last July when President Monteiro arrived we helped just over 50 souls receive the first ordinance of the gospel, baptism. What we did one month last year, we are almost doing in one week. Truly the field is white already to harvest and we as members and missionaries have the opportunity to be a part of Christ´s perfectly organized church.

This past Saturday Elder Parra and I clapped at gates (knocked on doors) for several hours with little success in entering in a house to teach. However at about 7 pm I had the thought to knock at a house, where a couple we had talked to in the past lived. Elder Parra and I were extremely relieved when this couple´s son, Fernando- of about 20 years, warmly accepted us in to his house. As we got to know him, we learned that he has served the past 3 years in the army. As I have learned since the beginning of my mission the importance of teaching the investigator, in accordance with his needs, instead of just teaching a  normal lesson, I had the inspiration to compare The Church of Jesus Christ with the perfect army batallion. It was incredible how interested and well Fernando understood as we compared Christ´s church to a perfect army batallion. Just as the church of Jesus Christ needs 12 apostles and 1 prophet, the perfect army batallion needs to have soldiers and a commander. If either the church or the batallion lacks one of these elements, perfection is lost. As we explained this I felt the Spirit testify to me that truly we are part of the Lord´s perfect batallion. The Savior lives and loves us and gives us trials for our learning.

I love you all, have a great week!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Mom,

 

Please pass this email to David Morgan, I came across one of his short term companions, Elder Carvalho, who served in my district and zone this last transfer. Elder Carvalho wants David to write him at this email...

leo.carvalho@myldsmail.net

 

Thanks mom, I love you!

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Hokanson

January 13th - The Great Miracle of Sacrifice and Faith- O Batismo de Cesar e Willian

Dear family and friends,

I have received my new companion and you will never guess where he is from (attached is a photo of his face) ... I will make you search for his name and where he is from in this email I wrote to my mission president in Portuguese. I do not have much team so I will let you put this email into google translate to hear about one of the biggest miracles (that my companions and I were a part of) this que ward of Boa Vista and I have ever seen.

Hebrews 11:1 I know to be true:

Now ^a faith is the ^b substance of things ^c hoped for, the ^d evidence of things not seen.

Study Hebrews 11 and 12 to see Ether que truly God works miracles According to our faith. I know the President Uchtdorf has said, `` we need to doubt our doubts (and the doubts of others) before we doubt our faith.'' Miarcles and baptisms happen because of our faith, sacrifice and 100% obedience.

I know without doubt that miracles are real that they believe, have steadfast faith and sacrifice much, as this last week when I was bitten more than 20 times by fleas caught in the house Some NTMS. To realize the miracles that happen every day has to be humble and pay attention to see the Lord's hand in our lives. Since I arrived in the ward most members talked over a ntm named Cesar, who was attending church regularly with his wife and 3 children who are members of the church makes a little more than two years. However instead of talking about it in a good way, most people had no faith in him or the fact that he would win the various vices that he had since youth. A little more than a year ago he was cured of alcoholism and drug principelmente through reading the book mormon daily. In the past two months the eldest son, William, who was not a church member, moved to the beach with his girlfriend and began to live with Cesar and his family. Me and my old mate does not run behind because they were not certain people in the past month. However they have made certain people hetrazada Sunday when Cesar confronted me saying, `` You (elders) need to go to my house and teach my oldest son!'' I answered, `` All right.'' Soon after I talked with Willian , the son of Cesar, and he told me that his girlfriend left the house and away from him with plans not to return. The moment Willian said that to me, I felt that we would baptize him and maybe help the father to take a step of faith to drop the little coffee and cigarettes which he still wore. We spent Sunday teach the plan of salvation. I returned with my new companion, Elder jhordy Parra Claure Cochabamba, Bolivia on Tuesday with great faith that we would baptize not only Willian but his father too. I did not comment anything about the bad comments that members made about this brother, and only talked to Elder Parra that this brother is ready to be baptized, have all been taught in church and was several times. Elder Parra got very excited and I also because we play all the bads comments about these men out and saw them as they pudiam be. Our visit on Tuesday asked the question for Cesar and Willian, `` If you died today would you be ready to meet God and live with your family forever?'' Both They replied `` No''. We asked, `` What is missing?'' Inspiringly they replied, `` Baptism.'' Once they said that, we only received the agreement that they should be baptized and they agreed. The great miracle happened on Wednesday. We entered the house of Cesar, sat on sofa, look for Cesar and William, and Cesar told us, `` You can now schedule my baptism for this Saturday.'' In shock I said, `` You can repitir what you just to say.'' He again answered, `` Yes, you can mark my baptism and the baptism of my son for Saturday, we decided ... we want to be born again and let our sins / vices ago.'' After more than 5 years members and missionaries working with this brother, Cesar and his son entered the waters of baptism a Saturday night and were confirmed on Sunday morning. We complete this family of 6 persons with these two baptisms. Played before baptism, with members that Cesar was baptizing would be such a miracle as Christ making the water wine. Maybe it was not so great, but I know without a doubt that many miracles happened this week that a father and son could baptize together and receive a saving ordinance. These two baptisms were one of the greatest miracles that have happened here in this ward and I know that the hand of the Lord is here with his spirit because of our sacrifices and desire to be 100% obedient to the commandments and mission rules.

I know Christ lives and loves us. I love my new companion and I am learning from his south american culture to always say please, thank you and ask for forgiveness.

I love you all, Have a miraculous week!

With love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Fotos de December

The family of Andrea and Celio where we ate a Christmas eve feast, and my new brazilian flip flops they gave me as a present.

December 30th - 2013- A Year of Faith, Enduring to the End and Miracles

My beloved family and friends,

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you all are contemplating on this 2013 that is coming to an end to see the miracles the Lord worked in your lives this year and the lessons that were learned from both choosing the right and choosing the wrong.

I can easily say that 2013 has been the most faith proving and testimony building year of the past 20 years of my life.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned on my mission these past 20 months is that the Lord has a grand plan of salvation for the few that choose to follow and that the enemy of all righteousness has a great plan of destruction. I read this passaage in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 9: 28-29.

 

28 O that cunning ^aplan of the evil one! O the ^bvainness, and the frailties, and the ^cfoolishness of men! When they are ^dlearned they think they are ^ewise, and they ^fhearken not unto the ^gcounsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their ^hwisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

 29 But to be ^alearned is good if they ^bhearken unto the ^ccounsels of God.

 

As a representative of Jesus Christ I challenge all who read this to choose the plan of salvation, give counsel to the Spirit and words of God. I learned this past week that the natural man only understands and believes the things he sees, but the follower of Christ relies more on the Lord and the Holy Ghost because they are all knowing and are all powerful. I also had my testimony strengthened that the phrase from Ulysses S. Soares from the October general conference ``Only the humble can recognize answers to prayers´´ is 100% true.

Missionary work is the Lord´s work and the work of salvation, Elder Ramos and I are doing great and are learning more than one can imagine of the Savior´s love and miraculous power. Pray for missionary opportunites every day amd receive!

 

I love you, thank you for your prayers, faith, emails, cards, packages and support this year of 2013.

 

Have a safe and happy New Year!!!

Sorria sempre :)

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Jonathan Jared Hokanson

 

PS- Attached is a photo of Elder Ramos and I after our prized zone´s temple sesssion with President and Sister Monteiro because we won the ``gincana´´ of the Brasil Curitiba mission.

December 16th - The Mission Christmas

Dear family and friends,

 

As you can all tell since the begginning of mission, my time to email is short. This past Friday was one of the most miraculous days of my life, but for lack of time I  will tell my family about it in my call home on Christmas, and you can ask them about it. :) I am doing great here in Boa Vista, I love my companion and the ward. HAVE A VERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

I love you all!

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

 

PS Included in this email are some pictures from this past week and month

(Pictures wouldn't download)

December 9, 2013 - The Best Weekend of the Mission- The Da Silva Family Baptism

Dear family and friends,

 

I don´t know if I have already said this, but I love the mission with all its´ trails and triumphs. This past week and weekend was by far one of the most miraculous and fulfilling that I have had yet on the mission. Why is that, you may wonder... Don´t worry I will tell you why. These past couple weeks since I have been here in Boa Vista, Elder Ramos and I have been teaching the Da Silva family. Truly this family was prepared by the Lord. Viviane, the mom of the family, was the most prepared of all. As we taught her on various occasions she let us know that our message and presence came in the moment that she needed most, because she lost her grandma a few months ago and it has been very tough for her as she dealt with depression. However, she said that the plan of salvation that we explained to her gave her a new found hope. Every lesson we shared Viviane and her 5 children (Evelyn 16, Kevin 13, Alex 11, Kimberly 8 and Emily 6) payed attention and accepted the commandments and our invites with very little reluctance and as a result they put their faith and trust in the Lord and yesterday after sacrament meeting Viviane and her 4 children entered the waters of baptism, in what turned out to be the largest group baptized in over 3 years. I know the Lord is aware of us and is ready to answer our prayers and bring us true celestial happiness as the Da Siva family experienced yesterday. The Lord lives, loves us and wants all of his children to have the correct baptism as the Da Silva family had (Luke 12:50).

 

I love you all!

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Hokanson 

December 5th Baptism of Family of Five

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I was officially transferred this past Tuesday to the North of Curitiba in one of the largest and strongest wards in the Brasil, Curitiba mission. I am now serving in the Boa Vista ward in the Boa Vista stake. My new area has a lot of higher class neighborhoods and a ton of apartments...more than I have seen my whole mission. My new companion, Elder Ramos of Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil, and I live in a large apartment complex and it is a lot nicer than the old wooden house where I lived the past 5 1/2 months. I love Elder Ramos he is super funny and sarcastic and has a sweet north eastern brasilian accent.

I had the wonderful opportunity on Saturday and Sunday to help the sisters in my zone interview a family of 5 for their baptisms on Sunday. This family that I interviewed were some of the most elect people I have met up until now on my mission. They met the sisters a little over 3 weeks ago, went to church only two times and decided they wanted to be baptized after their second time at church. Attached is the picture of this family that I helped baptize yesterday. They are an amazing elect family of the Lord.

 

I hope you all had a wondeful Thanksgiving. Thank you all for the Love and support! :)

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Hokanson

December 2, 2013 New Area, New Companion and New Junk Food From the United States Arriving in Super Markets in Brasil

While my new companion, Elder Ramos of Maceió, Brasil, and I were in BIG, a supermarket like Walmart, we encountered a little piece of heaven for an american missionary serving in a foreign country. Attached is a photo of what we found. :) 

Dear Family and Friends,

I was officially transferred this past Tuesday to the North of Curitiba in one of the largest and strongest wards in the Brasil, Curitiba mission. I am now serving in the Boa Vista ward in the Boa Vista stake. My new area has a lot of higher class neighborhoods and a ton of apartments...more than I have seen my whole mission. My new companion, Elder Ramos of Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil, and I live in a large apartment complex and it is a lot nicer than the old wooden house where I lived the past 5 1/2 months. I love Elder Ramos he is super funny and sarcastic and has a sweet north eastern brasilian accent.

I had the wonderful opportunity on Saturday and Sunday to help the sisters in my zone interview a family of 5 for their baptisms on Sunday. This family that I interviewed were some of the most elect people I have met up until now on my mission. They met the sisters a little over 3 weeks ago, went to church only two times and decided they wanted to be baptized after their second time at church. Attached is the picture of this family that I helped baptize yesterday. They are an amazing elect family of the Lord.

I hope you all had a wondeful Thanksgiving. Thank you all for the Love and support! :)

Com amor,

Elder Hokanson

Christmas 2013 Mission Photo

November 25, 2013 - Thanksgiving Mixup and Time to Be Transferred

Querido Family and Friends,

 

When you are in a foreign country during the holidays, some times you mix up the dates of holidays. Elder Farr and I thought Thanksgiving was this past Thursday, so a very kind member in our ward made us a delicious Brazilian/American thanksgiving to make us feel at home. We enjoyed eating, turkey, mashed potatoes, rice, and vegetables and apple pie for dessert.  However as I read my emails from home today I learned that Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday. Truly as a missionary you are in the world but not of it, and as a result you mix up the date of Thanksgiving, which would never happen before the mission...you got to love being a missionary. :)

Yesterday after eating lunch with a family and all their relatives after church, I had the amazing opportunity to receive divine revelation through the Spirit. While talking with some of this family´s relatives I began talking to two men in their early 20´s. I soon learned that they had been baptized and received the priesthood, but had fallen away from activity in the church some time. I asked them when the last time they read the Book of Mormon and they responded that it had been a really long time. As we finished the lunch by sharing a spiritual thought with this family and their relatives, I felt prompted to challenge these two men to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon. I thought of various common chapters that we invite our investigators to read, but none of them seemed right. Then the thought ``3 Nephi 18´´ came clearly into my mind, without hesitating I told them to read 3 Nephi 18, a chapter never on my mission I had assigned someone to read. Just after I challenged them, the mom of one of these men looked at us amazed and said, ``we are reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover and we left on 3 Nephi 18.´´ Elder Farr looked at me and said pointing to me, ``He received revelation.´´ Truly I testify that the Lord revealed to me what these less active men needed to read. The Lord know us and loves us.

I received a phone call on Saturday night and I will be transferred, after almost 6 months in the Vila Oficinas Ward, to a new area tomorrow evening with a new companion.

 

I love you all. Have a great Thanksgiving week! :)

 

Com amor,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson  

November 18th, 2013 - Don´t Let the Bed Bugs ``Mosquitos´´ Bite

Well Family and Friends I learned a valuable lesson this past week while on a division in Pinhais, a neighboring city near Curitiba. The lesson I learned was to never sleep with the window open while sleeping. As it was unbearably hot and humid on Friday night I decided to open the window before we slept to not feel as hot. However, that was a huge mistake because away from sleeping on a rock hard bed, I woke up several times during the night to the sound of mosquitos buzzing in my ears and when I woke up in the morning I realized that it wasn´t just one or two mosquitos that had enter the house, but several and as I analyzed the damage they had done I realized that the mosquitos and other bugs had bitten me over 20 times all over my arms and legs. To say the least I will never open the windows again to sleep cooler unless I put on bug spray before.

This week is the last week of the six week transfer so next week on Tuesday I could be going to a new area and could be receiving a new companion...which is very likely as I have been in this area of Vila Oficinas as a zone leader since the beginning of June. I feel like I will be transferred which will be a sad as I have grown to love my companion Elder Farr, and all the members of the church and people in this area, but I know I will be called tro serve next week where ther Lord needs me most. This past week I learned a lot from Elder Farr...The main lesson I learned from him was the importance of bearing testimony and declaring repentance by using the scriptures. We had been teaching a man named Edimilson, his wife and three kids for over two weeks and were investing a lot of time, just about every day, with this family to help Edimilson stop drinking and keep his family together. However, Edimilson, his wife and kids hardened their hearts against us and would not commit to go to church, which we knew would help them with their problems. After denying our invitations numerous times we opened up the scriptures and declared repentance to Edimilson and I felt like Abinidi in the Book of Mormon declaring repentance to the wicked King Noah. We read Alma 34:32-35 and he heardened his heart even more. As we left we felt the Spirit testify to us we had done everything we could to save this family . I learned that the scriptures have the true power to declare repentance.

I love you all....HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Com amor,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson 

November 4, 2013 - The Lord Answers Prayers Part II- Errolflin´s Baptism of Faith

Dear Family and Friends,

For those of you who don´t know the Lord is hastening missionary work here on the earth. So as a missionary and leader there is more pressure and work to do than ever before. I felt this great pressure a couple weeks ago as the Lord and President Monteiro expect us to help one of God´s children enter the waters of baptism each week. As our area was heading on two weeks without a baptism, I was pretty stressed out because as a leader I need to show the rest of the missionaries in my zone how to help God´s children enter the waters of baptism each week. On the night of Saturday the 26th of October, I looked at our teaching group and realized that we needed a miracle to happen if we wanted to set the example for our missionaries and baptize someone before the end of the month. I then said a prayer, asking Heavenly Father to perform a miracle and let someone with a testimony of the restored gospel arrive at church that was already taught by the missionaries in the past with a desire to be baptized.

On the 27th Sunday morning we went to pick up various investigators that said they would go to church and to our dismay, none of them came with us to church, due to various excuses. When we arrived at church with no investigators (a missionary´s worst nightmare) and an hour passed by our faith was pretty dim that we would help one of God´s children be baptized. However to my great surprise, just as our faith was running out, a clean shaven man in a suit walked in and I recognized him as an ex-investigator that had been taught numerous times by the missionaries in the past, starting in the 1980´s with his first contact with the church. When he asked where to go for the church meetings, I walked with him to show him where to go. As we walked I recognized that this man, Errolflin was the answer to the prayer I had said the night before. I asked him if he had been baptized before, he responded no. Then I asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he responded yes, I have had a desire for a while now and I finally made the decision to come back to church. I then asked him if he had faith and he responded yes. I told him to use his faith and enter the waters of baptism on Tuesday night...he accepted. 

Tuesday night we helped Errolflin enter the waters of baptism and I truly learned that the Lord knows and loves his children and when we ask in prayer specifically, the Lord responds out of love and responds in accordance with his will.

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

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson    

Temple Trip

Elder Valdez and I at the Curitiba temple

Elder Farr and I Celebrating with Pizza - October 29, 2013

Photos of the Miracle Baptism of Errolflin on Tuesday 29/10/2013

October 28, 2013 - The Lord Answers Prayers

Dear family and friends,

This past week Elder Farr and I clapped at more gates, or as americans would say ``knocked on more doors´´, than I ever have before on my mission. We got a little sunburnt at the beginning of the week when we forgot to put on sunscreen before we left our house, but learned our lesson and put on sunscreen the rest of the week.

On Wednesday morning our zone had a meeting and a great training given by President Monteiro and his assistents. I learned that as I missionary when committing people to go to church or be baptized I am not just asking them to agree with me that they will do what I am asking, but I am commiting them to carry out what I am asking. I learned that people are truly committed when they understand the doctrine, or the Why?, of what I am asking them to do. Just as a little kid asks why? when commanded to do a task, investigators and those we come in contact with are no different, everyone needs to understand ``the why´´ if one truly wants to have success on the mission or in life. President also taught  us that repentence means Metanoia, which means broken down, Meta- Change and noia- mind. When one truly repents a change happens in the mind and the old thought and mind are left in the past.

That same day on Wednesday night Elder Farr and I truly were led by the Spirit to some of God´s daughters who were really needing our message. After spending the entire afternoon clapping at gates and contacting people, we had nothing to show for our work. However as the sun was setting, I had the thought, ``Leave this main busy road and go to a small side street.´´ When we followed this prompting we clapped at the gate of Eliane and her relatives. As we asked them how they were they told us that they were have a super hard time as their mom passed away unexpectedly a few weeks earlier. We then asked them if they would like to know where their mom, who had passed away, was. They warmly responded that they wanted nothing more than to be comforted in knowing where their mom was and how they could live with her agian as an eternal family. As we taught them that their mom was in the spirit world being taught the gospel, resting and out of pain, they were extremely comforted and said that we were an answer to their prayers and that God was watching over them. We then taught them that families can be together forever through the temples of God that are on the earth, and after hearing this they were filled with even more peace and happiness. As we retruned home on Wednesday night I realized that the Lord truly leads us to those in need, by the Spirit as we humble ourselves, and trust in Lord with a prayer always in our heart. 

Jesus Christ is our Savior, the Lord is always by our side to help strengthen the weak points in our lives and the Spirit will always be our guide as we keep the commandments. 

I love you all, Have a great halloween, keep safe and eat lots of american candy for me. 

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

October 21, 2013 - The heat and humidity have arrived in curitiba

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Yet another transfer started this past week and yet again the Lord kept me here in the same area of Vila Oficinas, where I have been the since the beginning of June. I received a new companion as Elder Valdez finished his mission and returned to his home in Springfield and Elder Guimarães, my companion for a week was transferred to the center of Curitiba.

My new companion is Elder David Blake Farr, of Wilmington North Carolina (Included is a foto of us right before we left our house today to use email.)

I am out of time to write as I have been called yet again as a lone zone leader of 19 elders and 2 sisters. I know the Lord has a plan in all things and miracles take place as we do our best and let the Lord do the rest.

I love you all and thank you for your love and support.

 

Ame,

 

Elder Jonathan Hokanson 

October 14 - My first ever baptism of a Haitian- Johnny enters the Waters of Baptism

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week was super crazy as Elder Valdez and I worked with two Elders in Jardim Mercúrio, a neighboring area in our zone and our own area of Vila Oficinas. Elder Valdez worked with Elder Calderon, of Peru, one day in our area of Vila Oficinas and the next day in Jardim Mercúrio and I worked with Elder Guimarães, of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso de Sul, one day in Jardim Mercúrio and then the next day I wroked with him in our area of Vila Oficinas. To say the least I am mentally, spiritually and physically tired from all the changes that we made this past week. 

In the midst of all this area changing this past week. Elder Valdez and I witnessed a miracle occur as Johnny, a 24 year old from Haiti, that watched general conference two weekends ago, decided on Wendesday that he wanted to be baptized on Sunday. He commented to us that he wanted to be just like us, so Elder Valdez on Friday night gave him one of his white shirts and on Sunday morning I gave him one of my ties so he could fulfill his desire of being like us. However to our great surprise, Johnny, this humble man who works as an electrician and lives in a small one room apartment with a small bathroom, bought a nice suit in the center of Curitiba to go to church on Sunday and be baptized. I was amazed to see the dedication Johnny showed to look his best, even with little money, to go to the Lord´s church and be baptized (Included is a picture of Johnny before his baptism). I love how this gospel moves people for the better and I know that this gospel of Jesus Christ is humbling me more than ever before in my life to recognize my sins and weaknesses, repent and sacrifice whatever is necessary to have eternal life and live with my family forever.

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

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

October 7 - An inspiring general conference weekend...and yet another new companion

Dear family and friends,

This past weekend was an amazing spiritual experience as I had the opportunity to watch four seesions of general conference in english on a small tv in the relief society room of our chapel with Elder Valdez and Elder Shaw (both of Eugene/Springfield, OR)

I will include some of my favorite quotes that I hope each and everyone of you can apply in your every day life.

``God is perfect, his doctrine is pure, but we are his instruments and are imperfect...if we arrive in Christ´s perfect church- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- and expect to find perfect people, we will be disappointed, because no one is perfect on this earth.``

``Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.´´ - President Dieter F Uchtdorf

``Righteousness is more powerful than wickendness.´´ - President Boyd K Packer

``After all that has been said the most important duty is that of preaching the gospel.´´ - Joseph Smith

``If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it!´´ - Elder Jeffery R Holland

``It is possible to have a testimony and not live it.´´ - Bonnie L Oscarson

``Your testimony, like your body, needs to be in shape to endure.´´

``You must be the rock that the river cannot wash away.´´

``The gospel does not give us immunity over death, but victory over it.´´ -Richard J. Maynes

``When the Lord talks about weaknesses, he always has mercy.´´-Richard G Scott

``The teacher is always the student...you know you are teaching by the spirit when you learn something new from what you taught.´´ - Davis M McConkie

I know that President Thomas S, Monson is the Lord´s prophet on the earth today, if you don´t know this already you should  listen to him speak, put into practice the counsel he gives and I know that when you pray to God and ask him to confirm that President Monson is the prophet of God on the earth today you will receive a confirmation from the Holy Ghost that he is and that we are also blessed to have 12 apostles living on the earth as well. 

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to work for 4 hours alongside Elder Azevedo, the assistent to President Monterio. I had a great time and learned from him that these two years of missionary service are extremely short so I need to use my time teach the elect of the Lord and I don´t have time to waste with people that are indecisive and aren´t willing to change right now. 

Last night, Sunday night, I got the sad news that this last week of this transfer Elder Valdez and I will not be companions any more because of two elders in our zone that weren´t working too well with eachother so we had an emergency transfer, yet again- 2nd time in these last 4 weeks. For this next week I will be companions with Elder Guimarães of Matto Grosso do Sul, Brasil. I am sad that one of my best friends of the mission, Elder Valdez, will no longer be my companion, but I know the Lord has a plan in all the events of life, and that I just need to be humble to learn from these events.

I love you all, thank you for the love, support, prayers, emails and letters. Have a great week!!!! :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

September 29 - Miracles and Baptisms

Advertisements Mission

2013	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Total Month
January	22	13	23	27	-	85
February	27	18	37	5	-	87
March	17	29	22	34	20	122
April	16	27	29	30	-	102
May	9	20	18	28	10	85
June	33	16	15	10	-	74
July	8	17	21	12	-	58
August	25	17	22	23	9	96
September	13	11	30	21	36	111
October
November
December
Total of the Year 2012						1109

District / Area	B	C	E	H	AA	D1
Village Workshops	4	4	5	0	10	1
Autodromo	4	4	4	1	7	0
Emiliano Perneta	3	2	3	1	10	0
Ward 2	1	0	0	0	8	0
Ward 4	1	0	2	1	2	2
Campo Largo	0	0	0	0	4	0
Verona Garden	2	7	2	0	12	0
New Hope	5	5	5	1	10	0
Alm Tamandare	3	0	2	1	5	0
Bom Retiro	0	0	0	0	9	0
Tanguá	4	1	3	0	10	0
Rio Verde	4	1	4	0	8	0
Four Bars	0	1	0	0	2	0
Ward 2	3	2	6	0	9

Here is a picture of the baptism that our área of vila oficinas had of Rosalina, she is the second on the right. Natali, the second on the left, is from a neighboring área, Capão da Imbuia, and was taught by Elder Valles, my ex companion, and Elder Galdino, of Fortaleza. I interviewed Natali for her baptism two Saturdays ago and because she likes americans, chose me to baptize her, even though I never officially taught her. She was the first person I have ever baptized that was not in my assigned área, and it was great to see the happieness that baptism brought to her.  

Family and Friends,

This past week in our area we helped one of God´s daughters enter the waters of baptism after more than 15 years knowing the church. Rosalina had going to church off and on for the past 15 years, but never was baptized because she wasn´t legally married to her husband and never had a burning desire to be baptized. However, all this changed two Sunday´s ago when we passed in front of her house after eating lunch at a member´s house who lived close by. As we passed in front of her house I had the feeling, ``Go to Rosalina´s house and ask her if she has the desire to be baptized this coming weekend.´´ We followed this feeling that I had and miraculously she answered the the clap at her gate. When we asked her how she was she told us that she had decided she didn´t wanrt anything to do with her husband, who she wasn´t legally married to, and that she had a great desire to be baptized and enter the temple. We invited her to be baptized on saturday and as tears filled her eyes and with a smile on her face she quickly replied, ``Yes, I would love to, it´s been my dream for the past few years. On Saturday night Rosalina entered the waters of baptism and on Sunday was confirmed a member of the church, receiving the gift of the holy ghost. I am loving working in the lord´s vineyard here in Curitiba, it is sad to see the time flying by, but I kow that as I serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength the Lord will pour out blessings, the spirit and miracles in this work. 

I love you all. Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

PS- Here is a picture of Rosalina at her baptism