Week Six 12/14/11

HELLO FAMILY AND ALL!!

This week has been so awesome. The learning has seemed to just keep increasing and Portuguese is coming more easily now... now I just have to force myself to speak it and get use to it. hahah I mean I still have a lot to learn but I can communicate with my Brazilian roommates and hold a conversation with them so it’s come a long way in these weeks.

Elder Cooper and I have really been able to work better together. He always amazes me with his insight and ability to teach our "investigators" haha and we have really seen the differance when we are teaching by the spirit and when we are not. Elder Cooper is also such a boss with the scriptures! at the end of the day like 6-8 (hhaha I know not that late) we have an hour for language and scripture study, we have been doing that just us two and we talk about what we learned in personal study in the morning and his insights are so crazy!! His growth in the past month is crazy! He just pulls all these insights out of the scriptures that I would never see; I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful companion.
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Yesterday we had a nice surprise from our teachers, we went into our room in the afternoon and they had decorated it with Christmas decorations and eve n a little tree in the coroner with some candy under it! and all over the tack boards there were pictures of Christ and temples! it was just a wonderful feeling. The love that they show us amazes me and I cannot believe all the thought and preparation they put in for us. It amazes me I wish I could show them how much I appreciate it. they are so awesome!!


This last week I finished the Book of Mormon and I was so excited to pray again and receive confirmation of its truthfulness. I had decided to read it again because I know that my testimony of its truthfulness could be stronger and should be stronger since it is the keystone of our religion. so I prayed and the last times I had prayed I had received a confirmation but it was more of a "you know it a true book." so I don’t really know what I was expecting as I prayed but as I began I didn’t really feel anything special but then I kept praying and really asking, and as I did this the distinct thought of the way to gain an unshakeable testimony of this book is by constant study of it. while it would of been nice to receive some earth quaking visit of angles I am also glad of the confirmation that I now know that if I keep studying the Book of Mormon everyday my testimony of it will become unshakable. just as strong as if angles had proclaimed it to me. I encourage all who are reading this to read the Book of Mormon and find for yourself if it is true by asking God. God cannot lie and I am not a lying. if you ask him he will answer you and you will know that the book of Mormon is the word of god. I love you all so much! And I wish you all a happy and safe week!!!

love
Elder Howe