Sprinting

We had a service project where we cleaned the DuPage river of
garbage! Ricardo came. Also Irving

Also us

Awesome members

More awesome mebers

Ricardo.

 As of last Thursday, I have exactly 12 weeks left to serve as a missionary here in Illinois. My plan is to sprint to the end and not waste a single second. Because of this, I want to ask you all a favor-please don't tell me about what's going to happen after I get home. Events, family reunions, vacations, people having babies, etc. the closer that end date gets, the harder it is to mentally be in the field. And I don't want to only be here physically these last 12 weeks- the Lord has asked for all my might, mind and strength. Thank you for all your prayers, emails, letters, packages, thoughts, and video chats over the past months. Every little bit has helped and strengthened me as I've tried to help the people here. I love you all
so much and I'm ready to sprint to the end so I have no regrets.

Giant pizza from members?!

What!

We made Hmna Krebs a cake for her birthday, which she spent on
exchanges with us.

Some miracles from this week:

- We taught Maricela with our recent convert Elena, and it went super well! Then Maricela came to church with her 3 daughters!
- We taught Ricardo (also with Elena, she is awesome) and had a super powerful lesson in the chapel. We had him pray right then to know if and when he should get baptized. He didn't seem to receive (or accept) an exact answer, but ever since that day he has completely changed! He listened to the Book of Mormon on his phone, he drove Irving to a service project and stayed to help, he came to a ward party and brought water bottles and lemonade, and then came to church and stayed all three hours! Well.... He left after sacrament meeting but then we called him and he came back. :) so, we are a little scared, a little excited, and are waiting to see how this all turns out. Thanks for the prayers!
-Maria and Irving brought Maria's grandson to church and he really wants to come back! He even asked us for a child's Book of Mormon. From what Maria has said, Angel's dad is becoming a lot more open to the church and would probably let us teach his son, and maybe even come himself!

I HIGHLY suggest you all read this talk: "discipleship" by  L. Tom Perry (oct 2000) I was reading it this morning and I loved it! It talks about what it takes to be a true disciple of Christ, and how to do it.

Anyways, I love you all. Every moment of life is worth living, and every day is the first day of the rest of your life. So live it!

All my love,

Hermana Hokanson

She didn't give me any notice when she took this picture so I'm

sorry I'm so awkward. (My companion is that little blur of color by my
shoulder. ) :)

we had an awesome Exchange with the Elgin sisters! This is sister
Jagielski, she's an awesome missionary! We had so much fun!

All of us

If we look completely exhausted and worn out in this picture, it's
because we are. :)