Dear Family and Friends,
This past week started out a little crazy with my companion Elder Hawkes being emergency transferred out of our area of Vila Oficinas. In place of Elder Hawkes, I received as my new companion Elder Joseph Valdez of Springfiled, OR who is 100% filipino, as his parents were born in the Philippines. This past week Elder Valdez and I saw many miracles. On Monday night , our first night teaching together, we taught Eliza once again, who we encountered clapping at gates two weeks ago, and taught the word of wisdom. As we taught the Spirit was very strong and she said she already didn´t use drugs, tobaco, alcohol or black tea which are prohibited in this commandment of God. She informed us that she drinks coffee, which is another substance God prohibits to help us be healthy and keep this commandemnt, daily and has been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes. We promissed her that her health would improve if she obeyed this commandment and stopped drinking coffee and she agreed to stop drinking coffee to be healthier and keep this commandement. I was amazed to feel the Spirit strongly as we taught her this commandment and promised blessings, truly the Word of Wisdom is a true commandement of God to help us be healthy.
On Tuesday we were clapping at gates for the entire afternoon and didn´t enter into a house until about 6 pm when we encountered 16 year old, Gabriel who we taught the restoration of the gospel and church a of Christ and he informed us in the end of the lesson that we were an answer to his prayers because he had been struggling with family problems and his self worth- being somebody in the world- and said our message was the answer and help he needed.
On Wednesday Elder Valdez and I did a division with some elders from a neighborhood nearby. As Elder Calderon, of Lima Peru and I went to visit Giane, who is the granddaughter of Arilinda who was baptized two weeks ago, we encountered Giane´s mom, Giseli. As we were planning on holding Giane´s baptismal service on Sunday we passed by to confirm with Giseli that we had her support. We she attended us at the house´s main gate, she told us that Giane would´t be baptized on Sunday because she needed more time to get to know the church and its´ teachings and was too young to make a big decision that quickly. When she said this I almost gave up hope, but Elder Calderon asked if we could talk to her a little more. She accepted and we promissed a lot of blessings that Giane would gain from her baptism and the church, then we invited her to pray to confirm that her daughter should be baptized. She prayed and when she finished, we stayed in silence for a few seconds and asked her what she felt. She told us God wants her to be baptized this Sunday. We testified that she was right and Giane was baptized yesterday aftr church, with her mom, grandma and siblings present. In additionto this Alberto, the 27 year old brother of Jessica, who was marreid and baptized last month, was baptized yesterday after numerous trials of faith and trusting in the Lord that he will help him stay strong in the gospel after the baptism.
I love my new companion, I love this work and I love you all....HAVE A MIRACULOUS WEEK!!!!!!!!!! :)
Love,
Elder Jonathan Hokanson
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