October 14, 2013

Well the last week passed by so quickly, and we saw some more miracles. In a very simple way we found a loophole in the judicial system so instead of having to wait 30 days to marry Cledson and Socorro we could do it in 1 day. Me and elder cooper were super excited because that meant that we would be able to marry them and baptize them that last Saturday. The only down side was that when we presented the idea to them they told us that they wanted a celebration and everything, so it was kind of a sad moment for us but I know that they will continue and maybe I didn’t get to stay for her baptism I am grateful that I got to play a part in the beginning of their eternal family. 

Ze and Lucelia were interviewed and everything was ready for their baptism on Saturday, but near the end of the week we and Ze realized that he was not quite ready for baptism, and Luceila did not want to be baptized alone. They are an awesome family who just needs a bit more time for their baptism, sometimes I wish me and elder cooper had 12 weeks instead of 6… that would have been perfect.

Diana, was not sure about her baptism on Saturday, but after a follow up interview from elder Lied she took courage and was baptized! Elder Cooper and I were so happy! It was a truly great way to spend our last Saturday! Her mother even came to support her in her decision. It was great.

One of the best parts was that our last Saturday the branch had a BBQ to celebrate the service Elder Cooper and I gave. It was the first activity that the branch was in charge of. And it went so well! I was so happy to see all the people with whom we had served together having a fun time and truly just being happy.  One of my favorite memories is that Zezito and Nete who we helped reactivate were holding hands as we took pictures with them, this is the same Woman who told us that just 6 weeks ago she was ready to pack her bags and move out. It is so wonderful to see the changes that can occur as we live the gospel and allow it to make changes in our lives.

Well I am super excited for the arrival of Mom Dad and Erica as we will go around to some of my old areas and visit. Love you all!!    

October 7, 2013

Well this is strange... this will be my last e-mail as a missionary. NEXT MONDAY I'LL GO GET MY PARENTS AT THE AIRPORT IN TERESINA!!! I’m so excited.

We had a good weekend,  actually it was super busy, like we don’t have time to do all that we want to... or even need to, I kind of wish that we had had 12 weeks here instead of 6. But you have to work with what you got. So we had some baptisms this week, we completed the family of the branch president (see photo) and also the family of the 1st consular in the branch presidency, it was awesome. 

This week now we are going to need some mericales well really just one, we are going to have to get a family married this week so that this Saturday we can baptize 2 families! That would be awesome to end the mission on a 2 family baptism. So pray that we can get it worked out! 

Well not too much else I’ll see you all soon! Have a good, awesome week and I’ll do the same.

September 30, 2013

1 pic: A GIANT GRASSHOPPER

2nd: My comps sock is a bit worn out ha-ha

3rd: motorcycle

We had some more success this week. So last week after our sacrament mtg in our jammed packed house we decided we needed to find a bigger space, so we called some friends and we got hooked up. We had sacrament mtg in the town hall!  (I don’t really know the translation) but it was so awesome. We were very happy with that and also the rest of the branch presidency was called. It’s awesome to see the beginning of the branch here.

We also got the chance to help out a member here. He works as a construction worker. And he is currently building a house... so we helped out... let’s just say I have a greater reason to keep on studying ha-ha. But it was cool a neat experience. The miracle of this week is actually with this member’s daughter... Iana. She is 12 years old and when we first got here we found out that she is the ONLYT one of the family who is not baptized. So I and elder cooper taught her... after the lesson I knew why she hadn’t been baptized... she didn’t want to... AT ALL. And she made that very clear. So Elder Cooper and I would just pass by mostly to strengthen the family and joke around. Then this week we were walking and talking about all the mericals that were happening and our phone rang... it was Iana and she said she wanted to be baptized on the 5th! Ha-ha we went to her house and talked with her a bit that night and confirmed the date. She passed the interview and is all good to go for the 5th, a true miracle. 

We also worked more with those families this week and 2 are really progressing for their date on the 12th. On Sunday we had a BBQ at their house... it was awesome!! I have never eaten so much in my life... I couldn’t walk... I had to roll out of there. 

I hope you are all getting ready for conf. I will probs only watch the Sunday afternoon session, me and elder cooper are just wanting to work... hahaha I have to get caught up when I get home. 

Well I love you all HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!  

 

--
-Elder Howe

September 23, 2013

Well this was another historic week. Elder Cooper and I are getting home DEAD tired every night. Ha-ha it’s a great feeling. 

So we have been working with this family that was baptized in another city like 15 years ago. The husband has been going to church every Sunday, and the mom started going these past 2 weeks. We are teaching their 16 yr. old daughter who will be baptized here soon, but the best part is that they have 2 older children who were baptized when they were like 12 and 10 yrs. old... they now have their own families.  We met one of their sons Cledson who recently got Re-baptized in the Catholic Church.  Meeting him and his wife Socorro turned out to be the best thing EVER!!!  We went and taught them about the family and the importance of it and she loved it... like L O V E D it.  She hasn't stopped talking to her family (brothers, sisters, parents and neighbors) about it.  We literally began to teach her whole family (which is really easy because they all live right next door to one another).  And then we even began to meet like the families of her brother-in-law and it just hasn't stopped. Elder Cooper and I said a specific prayer about a week ago, to find a HUGE family that will make a difference in the branch... looks like we found it.

So story time: We had a meeting in Teresina this week on Thursday. me and elder cooper were not too excited to go to it... we wanted to stay and work in our area, but at the request of the zone leaders we went... when the meeting started our mission president greeted us and then asked " Why are you two here?" ha-ha he wasn't expecting us to come to the meeting, he thought we would stay and work in our area... so we participated in the meeting and everything and then we ate lunch as a zone.  I got to see my old comps the elders I trained (oh cool fact elder De'Olivetti the 2nd one I trained is now my zone leader) it is so cool.  Then as the meat of the meeting was about to start for the afternoon our president said to us, " you guys can go back to your area and work if you would like." me and Elder Cooper jumped from our seats grabbed our bags and left, (we left so fast I forgot my bible hahaha) We then began the journey back to our area, a long taxi ride and even longer and hotter cramped van ride got back in our area... at 6pm we had marked with Socorro (the one in the previous paragraph to meet) so we left to go there. We arrived and she said I would really like you to meet my sister... she took us to her sisters house Lucieila and Ribomar. WHAT AN ELECT FAMILY!!! they are married (a real miracle just like Socorro and Cledson) and they don't go to any church so we began to teach them and another family (ribomar´s brother in law showed up with his wife (another family that is Married) like the fact that we had 3 married families in the same room is a HUGE miracle... it's like when you order a 4pc. nugget and you end up with not just a 5th, or 6th, nugget but a 7th!!! like seriously CRAZY!  We then watched the film Together Forever and tied it with a Gospel focus on BAPTISM!! As we finished teaching about baptism my heart was in my throat, because I knew it was time to invite, as elder cooper invited them one by one they accepted, they all accepted to be baptized! Then we invited them it be baptized on the 12th...and they all accepted!!!  As we finished the lesson and walked home Elder Cooper and me were shocked that we had just managed to mark 3 families for baptism before we leave!!!  What joy and happiness. That was just one of the stories from this week.

Another is that we decided to rent a van to go around the city before sacrament meeting to help members and investigators go to church... last week we had a frequency of 37, that is including the stake leaders who were visiting and teaching the classes... this week the lord helped us get 69 people jammed into our little house. Ha-ha it was so crazy!!  Everyone was there the only thing was there was no organization... the branch was not quite ready to have a frequency that high, so we rounded everyone up and did a giant Sunday School Class then sacrament mtg... Only 2 hours of church. The thing that amazes me is that even though it was crammed and hot and the most un-organized I have ever seen our church, THEY ALL LOVED IT!!! The only answer is that this truly is the church of Jesus Christ. We are going to rent out a school for next week and also have meetings with our branch president to help get things more organized for next week.

Elder Cooper and I are having a ball here. Never have I seen so much success in such a short amount of time.  The lord is truly amazing and his work is full of miracles.   

September 16, 2013

WHAT A WEEK!! So 1st off I’m kind of mad because I am not able to up load any photos... ARGGGG I also have a bunch of videos. One day I’ll get them uploaded.

This week me and Elder Cooper did work. We got a bunch of people marked for some dates and our plan is to baptize them all before we leave. We have been running from appointment to appointment. It’s been quite crazy.

During the week we met a preacher from a different church here in Caxias and we made a friendship with him. He then told us about an English class he was teaching in a "city" like an hour away from here that would be happening on Saturday. He told us it would be from 6:30am until 9pm... We told him we would not be able to help because of the HUGE time commitment. but then Friday night he showed up to our house telling us the English teacher had ditched him and was not going to go he asked us if we could go and said that he would be able to get us home by 6pm. we accepted 1st because he is a preacher and will really help the church here when he is baptized, and 2nd ITS A CITY THAT NO ELDER HAS EVER GONE TO! Who wouldn’t want to go!? So we went ha-ha and it was awesome. At the end of one of the English classes we gave autographs... it was so cool. One cool thing was lunch, we ate in the house of this family that we had never met... they had a well in the back yard and explained that running water had arrived like a few months ago... CRAZY!! Ha-ha I LOVE BRAZIL!!!

Then Saturday night we had a ward activity... and since our house in the only church location in the city it was basically a BBQ in OUR HOUSE!!! hahahah. Isn’t that crazy a ward BBQ at the elders house... I never would have imagined. One more reason I love Brazil. We are also planning on having a ward dance... IN OUR HOUSE!!! hahahha. 

We talked to the president this week about Códo, (a city like 60 miles from here that has a member family living there) he told us he went and visited them this week in preparation to open the city and they are preparing their friends and family to be baptized... he said next week it’s for us to go there they are just figuring out the details of renting a house and all that good stuff. Me and elder cooper are SUPER PUMPED!!! 

Well I miss you all and hope the week goes well....

Only 4 more weeks!!! SO CRAZY!!!

September 9, 2013

Bom DIA!!!!

NOSSA QUE SEMANA!!!

So Caxias is AWESOME!!! Sunday the first Branch was organized. For these 2 years that the elders have been here the meetings have been held in THE ELDERS HOME!!! ha-ha but now that it’s no longer a group but a branch we will be able to rent a space and have the meetings in a much better location.

On Sunday we got a van to Timon (a city here close that has a chapel) and had the Ward conference where the branch was organized. I was surprised that so many members came even though the van left at 7 am. Most arrived on foot. The faith of these new members is a great example to me.

The people here in the city are super open! I never had such easiness in finding new investigators. I and Elder Cooper are so excited and the member are also pumped. We have some great plans, and are expecting miracles. 
There are 4 elders here, and the house is very united. We still don’t have a lunch calendar so every day we make lunch together... luckily Elder Leid (our district leader) is super good at cooking and he is even teaching us some stuff so maybe at home I’ll be able to make some Brazilian food.

Well I love you guys and miss you!!! Have a good week!

September 2, 2013

So I’m going to a city called Caxias. It is in the same state that I am currently in. I’ll board the bus tonight at 7pm. My companion will be Elder Cooper (my companion from the MTC) so we will finish the mission together!!! I am so PUMPED!!! We are going to destroy!! 

So anyways this week we had a bunch of meetings and planning that we barely worked, it will be really nice to not have a zone to worry about or even a district. I will simply be a senior companion!!  THANK HEAVENS!!!  

Well I can’t believe it’s only six weeks till the end... crazy!! 

Well I love you all!!!

August 26, 2013

Well well well, it seems that another week has passed by.  It’s just so crazy to think that I am already at the end of my mission... like what happened to all those 2 years!!?? Any who this week:

We went to Araguaia to do a division we left Monday night and got back wed morning. It was good because I got to see some members from there and say some good-byes.  I took some pictures of a house a member is building and the giant hole with a chicken in the bottom hahaha. Then that night we bought a HUGE PIZZA!!! Like literally HUGE. But we 6 elders destroyed it in like 10 min. hahah.

We worked in our area only 3 days this week so there was not too much progress with our investigators. The best part was probably when we just knocked doors.... it was the first time in my mission that I like knocked doors. We just took a street and went at it... it was actually quite successful. We just asked people if we could bless their homes and the let us in... We gave a quick lesson and a prayer. We found a woman who went the church in 1992 and really liked it and her son speaks English. We will go back and visit them. We also found a man who visits lots of churches and was interested in the plan of salvation. Maybe I’ll have to knock more doors.

Saturday was crazy. we went to lunch and Lunch was AMAZING so amazing that I dint want to stop eating, the only problem is that after lunch we had to walk to get a van to go to another city to do an interview.  After that lunch my belly was so full that it was hard. We then left on a 40 min walk in the Brazilian sun at 1:15 in the afternoon.  Man I was sweating so much! I almost asked my comp to just roll me the rest of the way. hahah but we got there and we got the interview on time... the only problem was that the person to be interviewed didn’t show up... and we had to get back to our baptism which started at 7pm. so we waited till 4:30 for the interview and no show so we walked back to the van and got back to our city at 6:30 got a taxi and went to our house got the stuff for the baptism and ran to the church. In the end all went well and she was baptized!  But none the less we didn’t get to teach any one that day.

Sunday, President came into town and we had a meeting with the stake President and the bishops. It got me really excited because now the bishops will be on the same page as us and know what we are trying to accomplish. It was a really good meeting and a lot of what was talked about there we will pass tomorrow for the elders in our meeting with the zone. But I think the highlight was when president told me about the transfers saying that next week I would be transferred to OPEN A NEW AREA!!! So in my last 6 week I will be opening an area. That is all he said but tomorrow I have my interview with him so next week I’ll have more information... like a whole lot more! 

Well I hope you all have a fantastic week!!! 

--
-Elder Howe

August 19, 2013

This week was really crazy. I and Elder Rais have called it "Semana Alternativa" or alternative week, because EVERYTHING FELL! At the beginning of the week we had all our nights full of lessons and family nights and then as the week went on they all fell and we ended up teaching the Alternative plans. For example, yesterday we had marked 3 lessons. All of which we had markdown Saturday... and guess what, All 3 of the lessons fell. HAHAHa. So I will just chalk it up as a test of faith. Because this week will be like 100x better!!!

There was one like awesome thing that happened. We found a 17 year old boy knocking doors. In the first lesson we invited him to be baptized on the 31st, he accepted explaining that he had never been baptized. We finished the lesson and said a prayer as we were leaving he asked, “But like my baptism will be on the 31st right? Like I can invite my uncle?" we told him yeah as long as you go to church and keep on doing what we invite you to do you will be baptized on the 31st.  He seemed very happy. haha we took him to church on Sunday.   This kid is good.

We also had a 19 yr. old girl who passed the interview, but she will be baptized in the other ward this Sunday, so me and Elder Rais did all the work and the other elders will get the credit... but we are in the same zone so it’s all good.

In the city this week a gas station blew up... that’s what the photo of smoke is all about. No one died... but we were a half mile away and could see flames from the fire.  But we are all safe.

That’s all for this week!