A month in...

FAMILY!!!!

I love hearing from you all each week.  I can't wait until I get to Floripa where I'll have more time to talk to all of you!  My fingers cramp up from how fast I get typing! haha

This week went really great!  I love it here now!  I have met so many cool kids!  One is named Elder Jensen and me and him want to live together up at USU.  We'll get back at about the same time, different missions tho.  I got his email so we could stay in touch.  Its crazy how many connections I have with people here.  Such a small world.

So sunday was fast and testimony meeting.  It was an excellent meeting.  I had no desire to get up, but then immediately I got a feeling to get up and bear my testimony.  So I did.  It went really well.  I talked about the quote, "Missionaries leave their families for two years so other families can be together for eternity."  Such a powerful quote.  It really helps me put into perspective the things I can do in the field.  I can't wait to bring souls unto Christ, even if it is just one.  This church is so true!

So this week my teacher demonstrated teaching, and he had me be the investigator.  It was all in Portugues.  It was in basic words and sentences, but I was able to understand a lot of it.  I replied with broken sentences, but he knew what I was saying.  Portugues is tough, but it is coming along.  We teach a lot of fake investigators here as practice, and it's all in Portugues.  Me and my companion never take in a script, and we can teach 30 minute lessons.  It's all just basic words and stuff, but it works for now.  Dont think I'm fluent tho, cuz I'm far from it! hahah

We got knew Brazilian roommates this week.  They are sick kids.  We have room prayer everynight together.  We say ours in Portugues, and they pray in English.  It is super cool to practice with them.  One of them has nice flowing hair, so we call him Rico Suave.  The other looks like The President, so we call him Elder Obama, or El Presidente! haha they like that! 

My personal prayers are almost all in Portugues now.  They sound great!  I'm able to say just about all that I want to say in Portugues!  It is a cool experience, and I know the Lord is helping me every step of the way.  I also found a newfound love of the BOM.  Holy cow it is a cool book!  I now read the words and relate them to my life.  No matter what it is, I relate it to myself and it makes it so much more meaningful!  Austin and Hayden, read the book of mormon often.  Relate it to yourself.  Don;t just read over the words. Mom, dad Lauren and Cody, you guys too.  It has all the answers you will ever need in life!

The food at the CTM is getting better.  Still sucky tho.  Mystery meat in a pot with beans.  We asked the Brazilians, and this food is nothing like what they have outside.  So today we tried a Brazilian BBQ place, just like Tucanos.  It was AMAZING! haha. and really cheap too for all you can eat.  More than half the price of Tucanos.  This was authentic Brazilian food, and it was great!  I also like rice and beans a lot... haha I have it with every meal.  I never thought I would like it. 

My nose is still a little stuffy.  I thought it would be a bigger change than this.  But it hasn't bled at all, so the surgery was definitely worth it.  I loved all your emails!  Austin you sound like a scoring machine!!!  KJeep it up!  When is homecoming?  Haydz keep killin on the field too!  I love you all so much!  I am so grateful for all your prayers and emails.  I can't believe Braden Cousin is going on a mission!  I got so excited when I read that!  And Dawson putting in his papers so soon!  It is awesome!  Tell them I am so proud of both of them.  Tell Jake to email me too.  I haven't heard from him in forever.

I love you all!  Keep up with the emails.  I love it here and can't believe I've been gone a month!  It's insane.  But I know this is where I;m supposed to be.  Austin and Hayden, it's never to early to prepare for a mission.  Prepare now. And don't play too much XBOX. :)  love you all.  I'll write you next week!

Elder Howard