Happy December!!! [and Baptism of Enrique Pallares!]

Hola!

Hope all is going well!

 

Well the highlight of this week was definitely the baptism of Enrique Pallares! He has progressed so much! 

 

He came to his baptismal interview fasting, and he came to his baptism having finished reading the ENTIRE Book of Mormon! I certainly had not read the entire Book of Mormon when I got baptized, ha. It was so beautiful to see how happy he was. When I asked him how he felt, he said, "Like an angel!" He won't get confirmed [a priesthood blessing bestowing on him the gift of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit] until this Sunday because we had District Conference, so keep him in your prayers so that all can go well. 

 

We are working with the branch leaders to organize visiting teachers and home teachers so that will definitely help in fellowshipping the members. 

 

Well, that is all the time I have for today, but I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

 

Love you!!

Hermana Hooke

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hello!!!

I actually forgot about that American holiday until an American elder wore a turkey tie to church yesterday, haha.

I hope you are all doing well and counting your many blessings! This week we have had so many here in Concepción! I think that when we work hard and keep the commandments we receive a fair share of blessings for our efforts, because God is just, but every once in a while we receive like a holiday bonus, because God is merciful. This week we definitely received more than our share of blessings!

Hermano Pallares attended church for the 3rd time yesterday, and he will be getting baptized this Saturday! His granddaughter attended with him too, for the first time!

We are receiving specific revelation for our investigators and helping them to progress!

We found a new family (Luna family) of a mom, a dad, and 6 kids this week, and 2 of the older daughters went to church yesterday! 

We had a zone conference with President Chaparro and we ate TACOS! (well Argentine style tacos)

We are working with a lot of people and families who have a lot of potential and our hopes are high that with the help of heaven we can help them all to progress.

I invite you all to think of all the blessings that God has given you this week, and it will surprise you what He has done! I love you all very much!

Con amor,

Hermana Hooke :)

I met Elder Cook!!!

This week was incredible! We had an ALL MISSION Conference which NEVER EVER happens because it's like 13 hours from one end of the mission to the other. But Elder and Sister Texeira, Elder and Sister Soares, and Elder and Sister Cook all came to talk to exclusively missionaries in the Argentina Salta mission, so por supuesto we all went!

Elder & Sister Teixeira 

 (From https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe2-mXl6rFZGT2Cck7CFdRZ0XnLvHl-x8TFqjFGp-Uku7vcOt748bT4cuT3uYX5pFhjBDxK_HwuBEDQoStQ5nIms2iZafGhKxE2526wJX_fAfTAxVuS_nYNljdx6ekYLFKD8dxLH0N4_W/s1600/IMG_2284.JPG)

Elder & Sister Soares 

(from https://www.lds.org/church/news/choices-shape-souls-elder-soares-taught-byu-students?lang=eng)

Elder & Sister Cook (at General Conference)

It was also so much fun to see all my old pals. I got to sing in the choir (okay it was more like they obligated me to do it because I can sing alto..haha) and when we took the photo with Elder Cook I just so happened to be like 5 inches behind his head, so I felt pretty special. [The photo didn't come through today...hopefully we'll get it next week!] Later we all shook their hands and then we had the meeting. We received a lot of good counsel on how to be "branch builders" and strengthen our branches. Elder Cook spoke last and when he shared his testimony of Jesus Christ every one of us felt the Spirit testify very strongly that he truly is an Apostle of the living Christ. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience having an apostle of the Lord speak to me specifically as a missionary and one I will always remember!

Hermano Pallares came to church for the 2nd time yesterday so if all goes well, he will get baptized the 28th of this month! Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Well that's pretty much the highlights of my week, hope you have all been doing great! Love you all!

 Hermana Hooke

Look who I saw!! Hermana Ostler!!

Hermana Barros and me

Well I just thought the brand of this hamburger was funny.

Oi !!!!

Hola!!!

Hope you're all well! 

Well this week has been a bit crazy, spent a few days in Tucuman, then a few days in Salta to pick up my new comp, then another night in Tucuman because a car crashed into our bus (don't worry everyone was fine) but finally we are here in Concepcion and working hard and happy. My new companion is Hermana Barros (she says it like Bajos) from Sao Paolo Brasil! She is super great and is training me more than I am training her...haha. We have a lot of fun playing charades and stuff but she is learning more Spanish and I am learning more Portuguese so it's all good :) Mom you asked about a special training program, yeah we study 4 hours every day instead of the normal 2.5...it's a lot. But it's good to remember a lot of the important and basic things of missionary work that I may have forgotten. 

Presidente y Hermana Chaparro, Hna Barros, Hna Hooke

Hna Hooke's new "hija" (brand new missionary) from Brasil--Hna Barros

This week Pallares went to church! He really liked it. I don't remember if I told you, but when he went back for his X Ray the tumor was gone! The doctors don't understand it, but we sure do! Well I don't remember what else has happened...all is well here. 

I am grateful to be on a mission for my Savior Jesus Christ and I know He lives. I also know that He restored His gospel and that He directs His church through living prophets, and that when we follow their counsel and the words of the scriptures, that we can live eternally as families. I am grateful for the testimony I have and for the opportunity to share it with everyone I meet.

I love you all dearly!!!! 

Until next week,

Hermana Hooke

I Have News!!

I'm with a brand new missionary!  Hermana Vargas left this morning for Santiago del Estero and I am with another hermana (from Brasil!) for a few days before going to Salta to meet my new "hija"! Que loco, no? This week we saw a crazy storm and lots of rain as well of lots of miracles!

Well enough about me, I am so happy for all the miracles and blessings that are going on back home!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON, HAPPY EXPECTANT PARENTHOOD to a BOY, LIBBY & CHRIS, and HAPPY EXPECTANT PARENTHOOD to another BOY, TOMMY & ASHLEE! :) I am proud to call you my siblings! I love you guys a lot and am grateful for the examples you give me. I am also grateful that families can be eternal, thanks to the restored gospel and priesthood authority. I know I am where I need to be, and I know that what I teach is true, and it makes me so happy to know it!
 Love you all! Hermana Hooke