April 16, 2018

Heya Fam,

This week has been an emotional one. We've worked so hard to baptize this kid. He was on date for saturday. Then wednesday night he drank more coffee. we called up our mission president after we'd prayed about it, and he said if we felt strongly he needed to be baptized this weekend we could still do it.

thursday night we came by, and everything fell apart. denilson said he didnt want to be baptized because he'd already been baptized catholic in honduras, and he felt like it would be breaking his promise to the catholic church. 

earlier that morning, we had felt a distinct prompting to show him the video Joaquin Costa, from the april 17 general conference, entitle to the friends and investigators of the church.

just when the lesson was starting to reach the point of no return, we turned that on. the entire mood changed. and he was in tears.

we knew that was then that we needed to act. I said, just like I'd watched my trainer do a year ago. Denilson, its time to ask God right now if all this is really true. Lets pray about it.

we all knelt down. and after about a minute, Denilson got control of his emotions enough to start the prayer. but he didnt even get all the way through before he lost the ability to talk again. the spirit was as strong as i'd ever felt it in my whole life. it washed over us like a wave, again and again. and we just sat there in awe. Denilson had received his answer.

finally, after the longest time, denilson got up. and all he could say was, wow. wow wow wow.

thats all any of us could say.

then the night before the baptism, friday night, we had the baptismal interview. (we had to translate it for our district leader because he doesnt know spanish and denilson does not know english) and denilson passed with flying colors. but then he said something unexpected.

before i knew it was true, i wasnt planning on getting baptized, he confessed. but now that i know it is true, this sunday just seems very soon. i'm sorry he said. i'm sorry, but can we do it next sunday?

i'll admit i was a little upset. frustrated. tired. exhausted. we'd been trying so hard for so long to get this kid baptized. but after we realized he was resolute in his decision. we decided not to push him. we agreed.

so now here we are waiting. waiting waiting waiting. and anxious out of our minds for this kid to be baptized. all three of us, garcia torrico and i have poured our hearts into getting this kid baptized and confirmed a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. and we are so close to helping him get there. we have fasted and prayed and fasted and prayed some more. and let me tell you, Satan does NOT want this kid to get wet!

please please please pray for Denilson this week. We are working our hearts out, and we need your prayers.

Love you all.

Have the best week.

Elder Hakala

April 9, 2018

okay. so our goal for this transfer is six baptisms

we had three at church

denilson committed to quit coffe. we had a super spiritual lesson with him and went over the distinctive differences of how our church was different from any other. he had a lot of questions and the concern about being baptized twice. he's already been baptized into another christian church in honduras. but we testified strongly that what we were teaching is true. we were super bold and told him to pray about receiving an answer if this was god's church. and we promised him he would know if it was true if he would pray about it that night. that was yesterday. so we are going to go back tonight to follow up. and the suspense is killing me!

please pray that Denilson will know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias) is true and has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and that we have a Prophet that leads and guides this work today, that the priesthood really has been restored, just like Christ's church was back in the days when he was on the earth, and that the proper authority exists in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Please please please pray for him. We need all the help we can get!

I also got a surprise second companion for transfers, so now we are a threesome. Its now me, Elder Josh Garcia, and Elder Alvin Torrico. And we have a baptismal goal of 6, for this transfer, that we know we are gonna hit, because we are going to do our best to do our duty to God to seek out our brothers and sisters and find the elect!!! (And because the watac is the best mission in the world. eat it all you haters)

The Power of True Conversion and Testimony:

I am called to speak after this manner, according to the holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come. And ...Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

~Alma 5:45

Have a wonderful week! Love you all

les quiero

Elder Hakalalakakakalalakakakaka