Tomatoes

Hey Family

After this week I am super exhausted and ready for a good break on p day! haha We worked and we worked and we worked and we received blessings from our work! We had 26 new investigators this week with 26 dates, 2 baptisms, 7 investigators at church and I'm am exhausted! haha This is our second to last week of the transfer and so we kicked it up a gear :) It was really awesome! We got a reference from a member here and on Thursday we went to visit them and see if they wanted to hear our message. They said ya and so we went in to their house. There were 3 people sitting down and we asked if anyone else was there (which was the best question of the night!) so three more people came in, then two more then two more! So we started a lesson with 10 people and right before the opening prayer two more people came in! ha So a lesson with 12 new investigators! It was like a huge party! It was an awesome lesson and took a little longer than usual with so many people having questions... but it was so awesome! A little overwhelming at first teaching so many people but it was awesome! I felt like we were holding a mini church session and that we needed to stand on the chairs to teach haha. It was awesome! After that lesson Elder Matos and I got some pizza to celebrate! (picture with napkin) It was a great day of work!

Something cool happened this week too, we were listening to andrea bocelli in a members house and I started listening to him sing and i was starting to understand what he was singing about in italian and spanish! It was really cool! The way they pronounce words are different but a lot of words are really similar which made me pretty excited! ha

Also I dont know if I told you guys about the language of Portuguese in my area... but noone aaaactually knows how to speak correctly haha People use wrong conjugations and my comp and I have been noticing it more and more haha. And they also dont pronounce the last half of the words... like obrigado (thank you) hereis briga haha i am just trying not to take up on how the people speak Portuguese here haha

and I have a confession for mom..... I LOVE TOMATOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea what I was thinking at home never eating tomatoes but here I eat them every meal! And the little cherry tomatoes and sooooooooo good! I think of you every time and I tell everyone how proud you will be when you hear that II like tomatoes haha

That is so awreome that you guys received more snow this week! Sounds like the snow didnt do too much good for everyone though. Car wrecks and people not showing up for therapy. That is pretty funny though... people that are injured getting injured by going to therapy haha I never thought of it that way haha This is your opportunity to head to the mountains for a little snowboarding while you have snow! o ya! haha

You like our collection of animals we have? haha it is pretty crazy and we have a lot more that I have not had the chance to take pictures of. Sometime I feel like I'm in a zoo. We have cows and horses always roaming the streets and goats and chickens everywhere. and also we have a shower that is outside and during the night there are usually one or two frogs jumping around while we are taking a shower haha

I will definitely send a picture of my jersey and maybe a picture of my tan... but I am white as paper right now hhaha With time missionaries get a tie tan too just because it is darker than just the shirt haha crazy!

And for memorizing scriptures in seminary I memorized some... not all of them. I wish that I would of. But Im making up for that here. I have learned a lot of awesome scriptures and memorized them. Sometime I just want to site them and not get out the scriptures but then people think We re making up scriptures... so then we should them and its all good. But memorizing scriptures is a definite benefit.

I love you all and I might have a new comp and might be in a new area next e mail so we will see!

Love Elder HEATH!!!!!!!!

Life is a Zoo!

Hey Family of Heath!

So we just got back from an awesome P day! Sorry this e mail will be a little later than usual. We decide to head into downtown Fortaleza today and get out of the house! Downtown Fortaleza is Crazy! I don't even know how to describe how many people there were just walking around shopping. And on a Monday too! It was really cool. We went to a huge mall where there were 6 stories of just little shops that have pretty much anything you could imagine! It is so overwhelming all of the people shopping ad everyone is bartering and yelling across the place. It was definitely different than the tri cities mall! haha I didn't have much money with me and so I left it up to my bartering skills to pick something out. I had 15 R with is like 12 bucks and I really wanted a coritheans soccer jersey (they just won the national title a month ago) and so I was going into shops and looking around and I found some sweet jerseys.... that were about 27 R. haha So I had some fun talking with the lady and saying I will pay 15 for this shirt.... she kept saying how she couldn't sell it for less than20 R ... that is what she thought :) After about 5 min I got it for 15! ha it was really fun! I just want to go to stores and barter and see how cheap I can buy things for! But downtown Fortaleza has some really cool places. There was this huge catholic building that was bigger than the one in new york! It had some stain glass that was really cool! I think some people were wondering why we were walking in the catholic building... but it was really cool.

But this week We had interviews with the President and it was really fun! IT is really cool to see how much has changes in my language abilities in 3 months here. We had a conversation perfectly without any misunderstanding or anything! President Souza is a n awesome guy! he definitely has a lot of trust in me too. he said some things that really lifted my spirits, and how i have already been doing a great work here! I also receive a weekly personal e mail from Pres Souza and he said that he ``hopes to keep talking, because he has great things planned for me``. I was like.... like what?.... haha but this week was really good! we had some good hard work and we had 3 people visit church this week, and our previous baptisms are strong in the church!

So really quick Dallin! I just finished listening to one of the Brazilian cds that you made me.... and for the first time heard the Brazilian National anthem! I was like what is this! It was awesome! sure brought back some memories of the first time trying to sing that song! if anyone that is reading this has not listened to it, look it up! And try to sing along! haha

So some Brazilians know what snowboarding is, but usually I just say it is like surfing but you wear more clothes haha. I have been getting pretty tan, but I think I'm at my limit. From now I just get red and not tan. Its a miracle I have not burnt or pealed, just been red a lot. And I think I am maybe losing weight here. I eat a ton of food but I'm not getting bigger. I think its because of the 100 miles we walk everyday up and down mountains... backwards.... with rock in our backpacks.... carrying 20 Books of Mormon. haha I'm staying about the same size which is good. Ripped! I have been losing my English skills a lot. Sorry for people getting letters or reading this and for all of the words spelt wrong... and phrases are wrong. I made a goal not to write English anymore, so all my notes and journal entry's and in Portuguese. Trying to learn faster and ya English is pretty tough sometimes. I have to stop and think a while sometimes about words but that is good! haha

Dad thanks a ton for the update on the 49ers! It is awesome to hear that you are supporting while I'm gone. And that was a pretty epic game that you described! I'm just sad that I missed it. I talk about the 49ers here but no one knows anythings about football.i have been hearing that baseball is getting bit here is Brazil though. kinda interesting.

Trev thanks a ton for the pop up snow globe! That things is so sweet! It is on my desk reminding me or how cold it is there. haha It is cool how real the snow globe is! thanks a ton!

P.S. Mom and Dad there is a letter entering the mail tomorrow for you guys! Hand written already! :)

P.S.S. Tony and Cindy parabans na sua casamento! Me-enviara fotos!!!! (literal translation: congrats on the wedding, send me pictures. We think he meant engagement.)

Pictures;

1 Present in the shower

2 Present walking to an appointment

3 My comp!

I feel like the pictures this week were from the zoo haha. it was pretty crazy! I freaked out with the tarantula because it was dark and that think was huge! The size of a soccer ball! It helps that I love spiders too! The scorpion was found by Elder Hawks and was pretty small but still... Scorpion in the shower! Serious!

Happy New Year!

FELIZ Primero Semana do ano!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh boy! I feel like I need about 2 or 3 hours to be able to respond to all of the things that have been going on, the questions, and everything I wasn't to say! Thanks a ton for the letters and for the e-mails again! I love hearing about all of the crazy things my family is doing haha

SO I have to start with Grandma Miskho! ACCORDIAN SOLO!!!! WHAT??!! haha That is probably one of the coolest things that I have ever heard of! This is something that I definitely want to see! When I get back grandma is going to be skipping around the house playing the accordian! I loved this picture! IT looked like everyone was having a blast!

The Ginger bread houses were awesome too!!!!!! The girls house was awesome! All of the cookies on the roof looked so good! and the ice cream cone trees were awesome too! It is looking really professional! And the intricate design on the house with the frosting Danielle was really cool! Every year these houses are stepping it up! I'm going to need to start thinking now so I can catch up with the gang when I get back. And the MAN HOUSE!!!!! Man you have no idea how real that house is compared to the houses here! There are always little kids everywhere playing soccer, the broken glass on the top of all the fences, the fresh fruit markets on every corner, and the brightly colored houses with red bricks.... you guys nailed it spot on! Maybe I will find a house like that and send you a picture of the exact replica! haha There are a lot of really awesome ideas and whoever made the Brazilian flag was a pro! looks perfect! And also the cake that you mad Trev... SO GOOD!!!! Those roses look so awesome! I have no idea how you do it! WE have an awesomely creative family!

How has passing the sacrament been going little bro? Have you done all of the routes yet? Thanks a ton for the Christmas card! I just got it this week! The letter was so awesome! You are writing and using commas like a pro! I loved hearing from you! Ill write back soon!

Danielle thanks too for the letter that you wrote me! I was a little worried when you said that you didn't miss me at first haha you recovered with that you do now haha Thanks a ton for the picture too! IT is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! I cant wait to see the original! If you sell it for $10,000 you should take a picture for me. It is my new Book of Mormon marker! SO awesome!

DAllin thanks a ton for the letter in Portuguese! It is crazy that I could understand every word! I tell everyone here that I have a brother that speaks Portuguese too and we will talk all the time after the mish! The Brazilians also read your letter and said it was perfect! Writing in Portuguese is not a strong suit of mine yet, but ill write you a letter soon for some good practice!

Cassie thanks for the letter too! I hope you can get some energy back... I sent a picture for you on how I get energy on my mission ;) Very healthy snacks! you should try it! (last picture)

Mom and Dad thanks a ton for your letter as well! I alwys love hearing about all of the amazing things that you two are doing together! Still going on dates and being the awesome parents you are. You guys are an awesome example and I love how happy you always are in all the letters!

So Kristopher Braggster came over to visit! I miss that guy so much! Bragg you are the man! He brought over fish? was this raw fish that he caught!? There is a missionary that I live with that loves to fly fish and reminds me a lot of Kris. Thanks a ton for giving me his address, I will definitely write home this week!!!!!!!!

I love Everyone so much!!! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

Pictures

1; not enough water in baptismal font... using all the sinks in the building to get water to fill the font in time haha

2; waiting for the bus... fighting bulls

3; My energy source on the mish... oreos and peanut butter!

P.S. I vote for the BRAZILLIAN HOUSE! not bias at all ;)

Feliz Ano Novo!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved seeing the pictures of the whole family together at leavenworth! All bundled up together having a great time! That is so awesome! You found more shops in Leavenworth? I didnt know there existed more shops in that little town! That is awesome! In 2 christmas´ you can show me where they are :) You all are looking great in the picture! So how was christmas this year everyone! What did people get? How was christmas day? How was opening presents! How was new years? The party? lots of apple cider? And most importantly how was the ginger bread contest?!!!!! I need some pictures to see the craftsmanship of these houses! haha

I was to thank everyone for the cards that they sent here! It was so awesome hearing from the whole family! Seeing pictures of family, how everyone is doing! It really made my christmas a good one recieving cards from loved ones! It was awesome! Thanks a ton, and I will work on writing back!

There was one question i forgot to answer about thanksgiving... People here dont celebrate it but we taught the brazillians all about thanksgiving and we bought a ton of pizza and ate quite a bit! The brazillians liked it a lot and sadi that they would start theis tradition in Brazil too haha

So this week we had a new years party and we got to stay up till midnight together! IT was pretty awesome! We played Uno all night and ate a ton of food! It was an awesome party! And at about 11;30 is when brazil turned into a war zone! IT was crazy! haha I dont think I have ever heard so many firewors being lit off in my life! and at midnight we were getting nuked and mortered like crazy! It was an awesome day! NEw years is just a huge party for everyone in Brazil... so the missionary aspect was a little difficult becuase no one was home or everyoen was drinking but we worked hard and had some awesome lessons! I also learned how to make the best fudgecicles in the world! Ana MAria taught us the other day, and I will send the recipie home so you can try them! They are SOOOOOOO GOOD! But this week walking the streets of brazil we heard a ton of music from all the parties. It is funny when you start listnening to a song and dont recognize it becasue its in portugues but then your like wait... I know thins song! haha Danielle... There was some old brazillian man singing david artuleda ´´Im loving angels instead´´ in portugues on the street. It was hilarious!

But we are looking forward to startign this new year off with a bang and working workning working! I love you all and thank you so much for all the support that you give me on my mission!

Love Elder Heath

p.s. mom... do you like the picture of the motorcycle? :)

Here's Branden's letter from last week

Oi! FELIZ NATAL!!!!

Voces sau animado para NATAL!!!!

I cant believe that it is already Christmas time again! Ok, so really quick I will answer the phone call question. I think 3 o'clock your time and 7 o clock my time will be perfect! And we will call you, you don't have to worry about anything... I'll call ya :) when you talk with Elder Matos. I think I will have him call the home phone so more people can hear him and try to understand haha. He actually speaks really good English and we have been practicing so it should be fun:) He is pretty excited. I think he will call Christmas eve around 12 your time if we can plan on that that would be awesome :) If the home doesn't work we will call the cell.

IT will be awesome! Sounds like the family is having an awesome week before Christmas! Going to Leavenworth and watching Christmas lights and having a marry old time haha The Other day I was thinking about going to Leavenworth and you guys should take a pictures for me at Leavenworth and send it. I also want to see Trevor!!! You Passed Cassie!!!! That is crazy! You are seriously going to be taller than me when I get back! Then you and I will dominate sports together! OH YA!!!!

Well this week has been awesome and a lot of really cool things have happened that I was t to tell you about! First I have a short story for ya, on Wednesday we had a long hard day with all of our appointments falling through and no one wanting to talk to us. So we were kind of frustrated and we came home for dinner to make some food. I headed out to the bathroom which is outside... I went and started leaving when A cockroach landed on my neck! And this was not a small cockroach! haha I swiped it away and started kinda running haha It freaked me out! But after I couldn't help but to laugh :) I love it when things like that happen...

I also made my first contact on the street through guitar! I miss playing guitar and I always see people playing in the street. So I decided to start talking to someone who was playing and he let me play. So we jammed for about 5 min and then I asked him if he wanted to hear our message and he said yes! So we gave him a lesson and he came to church this last Sunday! First contact through music!!! :)

There is this new candy that I found that I will have to bring home in 2 years for you to try because it is soooo good! It is a peanut butter candy and it taste so good! I think it taste even better because I have not eaten peanut butter in 3 months! haha Here peanut butter is sacred! We had an elder receive a package with peanut butter and you should of seen the riot that started!!! haha There are good things and also some not so good things that we have eaten. I still don't know what this thing that we ate was... but it looked and tasted like a big ball of fat... that was rolled in sand. ha Or some kind of raw fish. It was NASTY!!!! It is times like that, when I am really grateful that dogs like to eat everything! Dogs are definitely a mans best friend!

This week I also had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Cornwell that lives in Richland! We both have 6 weeks here in Fortaleza and it was awesome! He came to my area and so I had the chance to lead our pack and it was awesome! Together we understood everything that was said to us and we had 8 new investigators that day! I loved the feeling of being in charge and leading us around! Elder Cornwell is a stud too! He has so many good examples and is so chill when he teaches! it was awesome!

Dad you are still a stud running! I have not had the chance to go on a run in the field here yet. Elder MAtos doesn't really like to and no one else wants to in the morning. I want to go running but it might have to wait for a different comp...

Cassie I am super proud of you and for finishing school!!! That is so awesome! That just sounds like a huge weight just got lifted off your back! haha But I am really proud of you and your the best!!!

Feliz natal family! And I will talk to you on Sunday around 3 your time and 7 my time!!!

With all the love in meu coraçao Elder Heath

P.S. Danielle thanks for the recipe!!!! Your the best! I think we might have a problem... I don't think cream cheese exists aqui. haha

Baby It's Cold Outside... not. :)

Here's a few pictures from Branden... he's looking pretty tan! I'm a little bit jealous...

OI! Meu Familia!

Man, I have to start out by saying we have a good looking family! Everyone is looking so good at home! The whole family together for thanksgiving having a good time! Cam is representing the cougars, and you guys look ready for some food in the picture :)

Congradulations to Danielle and Mom for dominating the competition that you were in! first and second place! That is so awesome! haha And in the pictures that you sent you girls are looking good!

Well dad, you guessed it, ha it is about 97 degrees today and I am sweating writing this letter! ha It is funny how I could definitelyl go for some cold weather and you want some warm hot weather :) And ya, I see dogs all over the place here in Brazil! They are mostly little dogs that just like to bark a lot which I dont like. Elder matos and I like to talk about those commercials of football players saving small dogs from burning buildings..... then punting them ha. My portuguese has really taken a leap this week. We had a mission fast and it really blessed my life! This week I went on several exchanges where other missionaries came to my area, and I was the senior comp. Leading and doing mostly all of the talking. After doing that I felt really good. IT was scarey at first not having my Brazillian Comp there to answer the questions I didnt understand... but I received a lot of help from God during those days. Understanding people is getting better.... but many times it is still difficult. But then I ask Elder Matos what they said... and he cant understand them either... haha so some peple are just impossible to understand. Its all about picking up key words :) Dad, that is so awesome that you still pray in portuguese! KEEP IT UP! I have heard so many stories of missionaries that served in brazil and after they totally forgot the language! I love Bragging about my dad to everyone here, and how you still remember you spansih! I want to be just like you and always remember portuguese! I havent had time for culture shock here ha Everyday is work work work! But honestly it didnt effect me really, I love the new Brazillian culture here and a lot of things are differnt but I love it! MY health has been PERFECT! It i s a miraclel! Becasue everyone that arrived the same time I did has gotten montazumas revenge... but I havent. I like to bragg about it haha I get lots of bug bites but that is about it... Favorite Braziilian food here is lazagna! There are some pretty creative types here. Of couse there is a layer of beans and rice, and meat... it is really good! But honeslty the desserts here are my favorite! Desserts made out of fruit are so good! Yesterday we had some funky coconut babyfood wtih chunks in it that was...different... haha but it was good! I love all the meat that is cooked here... brazillians really know how to cook meat!

Prezident Souza is not really that strict... we definitely have a lot of rules but they are for our good. I really like Prez Souza, he Emails me almost weekly asking personally about our progress and what I think about a lot of things! It is really cool getting to know him. One thing that ihe is doing for christmas is.... for setting up the call time My comp gets to call you on christmas eve and talk to you and tell you wht time to call me. haha Good luck! ha I have actually been teaching him a lot of English and we are preacticing phone calls haha It will be aweomse! Elder Matos is a stud! For this christmas we can call whatever time during the day that we want. And so if you give me a time frame... like during the morning, afternoon, night I can make a time :)

Danielle... if you remember could I get the ingrediants for your oreo little ball things? That you are pro at making?

So some things that have happened this week... Our laundry machine broke and so I have been learning how to wash clothes by hand! It is pretty interesting... but it is working so that is a plus. Im not really sure what I am doing, but scrubbing my clothes with soap has been working so that is good :) I learned how to make juice from passion fruit which was really good! Members love giving us mangos and passionfruit and so we do lots of things with fruit! I love being a missionary and everyday is a new challenge and we have new opportunities!

Love Elder Heath!!!

This weeks update.

Opa familia!

Sounds like another week the Heath family is doing great in kennewick! There were a couple of questions that Ill start off by answereing. So, on P-day we like to play ultimate frisbee a lot, but im not a huge fan. So I talked the elders into playing some volleyball this week! It seems like soccer and volleyball are the main sports here in brazil. Did I tell you about how we cant play soccer? It's kinda dumb and there is a soccer fiesld on every corner here but we kinda found out why this week. We were just walking past a soccer field this week and something happened, I think a player was trying to slide tackle and missed the ball and took out the other player. Then that started a fight on the field. These Brazilians are HARD CORE when it comes to soccer! They are soooooo good, and I want to play with them, but rules are for our safety :)

Danielle and Trevor you two want to go snowboarding! That is so SWEET! Snowboarding tis the best place on earth! If you two want to use my stuff, go for it! Danielle my green pants would look pretty sweet on you :) haha That is one thing I think I would really miss about living in brazil... all the things that you can do with snow! Snowboarding, snow cones, snow fights.... So, enjoy the snow while you have it :) And mom, dad, its never too late to strap those skiis back on :)

So this week was a week of hard work! We had a lot of poeple that we taught that loved talking to us, but dont really want to act on anything we say. It is really sad when that happenes. All the people here a re so nice and I hate seeing all of the blessings that they could have if they would try for themselves to come closer to christ. WE had an awesome lesson with a less active family that has not been to church in a little over a year. And they said they would come back to church and they said that that day was the first time in a year that they have felt the love of God in their home. It really shows the power behind the message that we share. They came to church and wanted us to come back as soon as possible, and so they invited us over for lunch! It is awesome to see them all together at church with smiles on their faces!

One of my favorite things to do in the streets as we are walking is to jump into little soccer juggling games haha Every street there are kids playing and they love the missionaries! I am nothing compared to them, but it is fun to join and play a little soccer in the streets with the kids! I love talking to them in portuguese and convincing them that I am a Brazillian haha A lot of the time they actually believe me, which boosts my day haha And there are also the kids that run up to us and say Fala ingles! (speak english) and it is all good most of the time, I like teaching them words in english... but when we are in the middle of talking to someone, making a contact and a group of 8 kids run up saying speak inglish is kida frustrating sometimes. haha but, I love the kids here! So awesome!

Mom, you were talking about how the missionaries used the example of the gosple of Jesus Christ is like a piece of plywood, and the 2 nails are the Book of Mormon and the Bible! Haha that is so funny... That is one of my favorite object lessons! I use that almost everytime explaining about the Book of Mormon! haha I like that and another one, where you and your investigator makes a fist. Your fist represents God and theirs represents them. You then move your hand and have them follow your hand which is easy when they can see your hand(God) But we cant see god so you have them close their eyes and try to follow your fist and it is really impossible. But then you take a pen which represents Prophets, and put the pen in your fist and their fist and we can follow God through prophets. BEcause prophets speak face to face with God (Exodus 33:11) and through them we can follow God with exactness. I love object lessons!

Well everything here in Brazl is awesome! I love meetong all of the members in our ward and meeting everyone else too! I still cant understand everyone and have to knodd my head sometimes but Im starting to really pick up on how to listen for key words and not focusing on everyword. It is helping a lot :) Sometimes I answer questions taht they didnt ask...ha but hey, knowing answers to more questions isnt a bad thing :)

I love you all, and I am sending a christmas letter this week, so I hope that it gets to you in time! I love you all tons!

Elder Heath

P.S. here are some pictures of my area, sitse sau juao! :) Are you getting all my pictures? Hope you like them!

Some of these pictures are from last week's e-mail... but I wasn't able to get them added until this week. Enjoy!