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

April 15 - A Week Filled with Power Outages, Hitting the One Year Mark, Not Having Light/Electricity in Our House, and One of the Funniest Experiences of the Mission

Queridos Amigos e família,

I don´t have too much time to write but I will givge you a brief overview of this past week.

On Monday evening, a huge rain, thunder and lightening strom blew in, and the power went out in our entire area, so we ended up teaching Isomar and Rhulian in their completely dark house, and the lights flickered off and on as the storm raged on for about 45 minutes outside.

On Tuesday and Thursday I had the opportunity to give trainings with Elder Hobbs, to the other 12 misisonaries in our zone, in our Zone Meeting and Conference. During the zone conference I got a little nervous as President and Sister Cordon and one of the assistents sat in, but it turned out to be a great training on how we as missionaries are all examples and leaders...it doesn´t matter if you had a leadership position or not. 

On Thursday as well I hit my one year mark on the mission...it is super sad to think that the mission is already half way over, I love it here. There is no better work to do than missionary work. Thursday night we arrived home and tried to turn on our lights, but it turns out that the missionaries before us didn´t pay the light bill, so we lived in darkness until Saturday morning and took ice cold showers. I am super grateful for electricity and light after living like a bat for two nights. 

Yesterday morning, we went to pick up investigators in our school bus and when we went to pick up a family, only the 6 kids in the house wanted to go, so we ended up taking them to church without their parents. But before we got on the school bus, one of the family´s cousins told us that the couldn´t go on the bus because he had his bike. We told him he could put it on the bus and it wouldn´t be a problem, but then his other cousin, Elielton cut in and said, ``What about me, I have my horse?´´ We then told them that the horse couldn´t go on the bus so he siad they´d quickly ride home and get ready. Within seconds Elielton, shirt and shoeless, mounted and rode off the horse as his other 14 year old cousin, Hiery, pedeled quickly along side of the horse to go to their house. To saw the least it was a very funny experience. I never thought that I would have an investigator ride on his horse to get ready and go to church. 

This is a amazingly unique, blessed area of Bonsucesso.

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

Love,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

Diego, a boy preparing for a mission, Elder Hobbs and I

April 8 - The Unseen Blessings of Obedience

Querido Família e amigos,

Bonsucesso is truly a blessed area. We have had a few discouraging trials but we are enduring them and are starting to see fruits, as we are striving to obey with exactness. Two Sundays ago we arrived at lunch after church and the Irmã told us to wait in their living room and rest because lunch was being cooked and would be ready in an hour. Elder Hobbs and I looked at one another and we knew what we had to do, because of the 1 hour time limit we have to eat lunch. We asked the Irmã what time lunch would be done, and then told her we would go visit some less actives in the area and do contacts and then return at the specified time. She asked us if we were sure we wanted to leave and we told her ``Yes´´. As we left her house we began walking to the less actives´ houses. 

On our way to their houses, countless families and men were put into our path. We had so many people to talk to that we didn´t even have time to visit the less actives before lunch. However, a couple minutes before we turned back to go to lunch we stopped to talk to a man in his mid 20´s, who was cleaning his car. As we got to talking to this man we learned that his name was Rodrigo and that he grew up in the state south of Paraná in Santa Catarina. As we talked to him further we learned that his family was taught by the missionaries and all of his family was baptized, except for him because he was only 6 years old. The next year that followed his family moved to a farm in another town that didn´t have the church and his family went less active in the church. He told us that he loved the missionaries who tauught his family and wanted to be baptized into the church, but never had the opportunity after his family moved. Seeing that Rodrigo was an elect of the lord we marked an appointment with him and visited him and his ``wife´´ on Thursday night. 

As we taught Rodrigo, Bianca, his soon to be wife, and Bruna, Bianca´s 11 year old sister their was an amazing spirit that filled their small, humble house. At the end of the lesson seeing that they underdstood our message, we invited them to become members of Jesus Christ´s restored church by being baptized and they accepted with smiles on their faces. As we were leaving we could tell they thirsted for more knowledge as they asked us how they could prepare for their baptism that will happen in a couple weeks. We told them we´d return and explain. 

When we returned last night, they warmly accepted us, and we began explaining the importance of baptism. We then told them to be ready and worthy for baptism, they needed to be legally married. Bianca, with her two month baby in her arms, and Rodrigo looked at one another, and Bianca told us that she wanted to get married before their baby was born, but she said Rodrigo didn´t want to. Rodrigo then responded that he didn´t want to get married during that time because he didn´t want to get married in the Catholic church, and he didn´t feel like it was the right time. We asked them both if  they are ready for marriage now, and they both responded yes. With smiles on our faces we marked with them this week to go to the cartorio in the center of town so they can mark a wedding date. We ended the message with them by asking how they were feeling about being baptized. Rodrigo told us he feels extremely happy and gets goosebumps thinking about it and Bianca told us that she almost has a certainty that she will be baptized before the end of April. Who knew that the decision to not stay at a house for more than an hour for lunch would bring such great blessings. At least now I do, Rodrigo, Bianca and Bruna were God´s blessing to us for being obedient to even the smallest mission rules.

This is christ´s true church and I am priviledged to be a representative of it.

Obrigado por tudo, eu amo voces e sou grato pelo apoio que voces estão dando-me

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

What I do on pday- I performed my first haircut on my companion Elder Hobbs...I look professional, right? :)

This is how we watched general conference this weekend.

Our ward mission leader, Cristiano, Elder Hobbs and I watched general conference in english all by ourselves in the relief society room as the Brasilians watched in portuguese in the chapel. It was an amazing experience, and the time flew by.

April 1 - First Week in Bonsucesso- The Adventure of a Lifetime

Dear Family and Friends,

I absolutely love my new area of Bonsucesso, Ponta Grossa and my companion, Elder Hobbs. This past week was extremely tiring because we both were new to the area and had no idea where we were going or where anyone lived. However, thanks to the best ward mission leader in the mission and maybe even in the world we survived and are getting to know our area quickly. Cristiano is a single returned missionary (who´s like a giant smiling/laughing teddy bear) of 6 years. He is our ward mission leader and has the reputation in the mission for being the best WML. He truly is the best. 
Our area is super big and the freeway/highway passes right through it. To walk from one end of the area to the other it takes a little over 3 hours and is 15 km in length. Luckily we haven´t had to make that long walk yet, because Cristiano gives us rides to the farthest parts of our area and goes with us to the majority of our visits. 
Yesterday was a once in a lifetime experience. We woke up at 6 am, got ready and met a school bus at 7:20 am. This school bus every Sunday gives rides to not only the missionaries, but to the members and our investigators. We pass through everyone of our 7 neighborhoods that we care for and pick up the members and investigators by school bus. It was awesome to see a group of 6 brothers and sisters, without their parents (who were sick),  who live out in the middle of no where, board the school bus with a smile on their face. This area is very different from Guarapuava but I can tell a lot of great experiences and miracles await us in these next few weeks.

I love you all!

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson

March 25, 2013 - 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!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

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´´ 

Freezing in the Cold, Windy and Rainy Weather and Marilda´s Miracle

Querido Amigos e Família, 

Fall/Winter have officially arrived here in Guarapuava just in time for transfers this coming Monday. Thursday night as we taught our recent convert, Karina, I just about froze to death because it rained a ton, during the day and because of the super high humidity and the cold front that blew in, I was freezing. Two months ago I never thought I would say I want the heat back, but when you leave your house like we did Thursday morning thinking it would be warm, and not taking a coat or a sweater, you pray for the heat to come back. From what I hear from the locals here it will only get colder, sometimes below freezing but it very rarely snows, everyone just freezes. With transfers this next Monday maybe I´ll get transferred back to the warmth of Paranaguá. I am super excited to see where the Lord wants me. If I leave Guarapuava I´ll be super sad because I love my companion and the people here, but I know I will go where the Lord needs me most.

Friday we had a miracle happen. Marilda, a woman in her mid 50´s,  who we´ve been working with for over two months has been trying to stop drinking coffee for about two months now. However, in these past two months the longest she went without coffee was one or two days, but she returned to drink coffee everytime. She always used the excuse I am still drinking coffee, but it is only a little with almost a cup full of milk. Every time she said this we explained to her we can´t justify super big or super small sins, that fact is that coffee is a sin and no unclean thing can enter God´s presence. Throghout this whole time of teaching her we truly felt she had the desire to change but she was so caught up in this addiction that it was super hard for her to leave coffee behind. We had offered her to buy her cevada when we first taught her the word of wisdom in January, but she told us she tried it in the past and didn´t like it, so it wouldn´t do any good. After not much progress with her, this past week we felt impressioned to buy cevada for her on Friday. When we arrived Friday night at her house we arrived at just the right time with the cevada, because she was heating up the milk on the stove to make her coffee that she´s been addicted to these past 50 years. Elder Nunes, my district leader from São Paulo, then talked to her and helped respond to her duvidas and questions. When we ended the lesson and gave her the cevada as a present. She happily accepted it, and in that moment I had a prayer in my heart that the cevada we had given her would help her give up coffee. About an hour later as we talked to her sister Maria next door, Marilda entered the house to grab a few things and made the comment that she drank cevada instead of coffee and said that it was delicious and doesn´t have the desire to drink coffee anymore. As of yesterday morning she only drank cevada and not coffee. We are planning to have her baptism this weekend before transfers on Monday. I attribute this miracle with Marilda to personal revelation, and her daily prayers, reading the Book of Mormon and going to church almost every Sunday this past month. As we strive to obey the commandments the Lord will truly prepare the way for us to keep them as Nephi famously is known for saying in 1 Nephi 3:7. Put this scripture to the test and I promise you as a representative of  Jesus Christ that miracles will happen and the Lord will show you how to obey the specific commandment you are struggling with.

Tenha uma semana maravilhosa! Eu amo todos de vocês! :)

Ame,

Elder Jonathan Hokanson