Traveling out of State!

DECEMBER 18, 2012

Hello family!!!!!!!!!!!

Just one more week and I will hear all of your wonderful voices!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited! We are searching in every possible place here in Juazeiro for Skype. Until now we have not found any place, but we will not stop the search. Next Sunday I will have my companion Elder Reynolds call you around three to four your time. He will set everything up! I will call first 521-6781 because I don't remember the house number.... haha that is pretty sad I think it is 374-1040 but we will see :) Dad, if you are not too busy... I would also like to apply for scholarships to BYU. If you could look up how I can do that, it would be awesome! I'm almost done with the four questions and I will probably send them to you next week!

This week Elder Reynolds and I had an amazing Experience. We traveled out of the state again to Trinidad. It is a Branch that is two years old, so basically everyone there is a recent convert and we are helping it grow. The missionaries there received a reference to a country city that is about forty min away from the church. So we went there to help them with these families. We started to walk, which would of been a two hour walk and a man picked up in his new Chevy truck! He told us to get in and air conditioning car.... so we didn't refuse ha. This man was going to church in Sao Paoulo and wanted to keep going to church but didn't know where to find the church. So that was the first miracle that happened. His whole family went to church yesterday!!! Then we arrived in the country city called IPUBI. And We meet some miracle families. There is one family that is very very very poor. A family of 6. But they are the nicest family in the world. They had the Book of Momon three days and were already past 2 Nephi! We invited them to be married, their responses were, if that is what we need to be baptized we will. Then we invited them to go to church, the mom responded I NEED TO GO TO CHURCH! Then we invited them to be baptized and this is what they said. Heavenly Father Already told us we need to be baptized in this church! It was incredible. I Really gained a testimony how Heavenly Father is always preparing Families to enter His church.

I love being a missionary!

One more week and we can talk!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

The last 2 weeks of missionary updates :)

December 3rd, 2012

Online Chat with Elder Heath!!

Branden: Good morning mom and dad! This week my keyboard has a question mark!!! ??? ha How is everyone?

Dad: Good Morning, We are wonderful.  I will go gather mom and Trevor.  Dad

Branden:  Awesome! Sorry it took a little long for us to get to the lan house. We did a deep clean of our house this morning. President Souza is coming to our house this week!  And I am trying to start a habit of exercises so I jumped rope and did some arm workouts! 

Dad and Mom:  Mom and I are here now.  How has your week been?  Have you read our original e-mail?  Will you be able to print the essay questions or will you need to write them down?  What is the Ian House?  Do other missionaries live there?  Or is it an internet cafe type place?  Good job with the exercising.  Are you having a zone conference with Pres. Souza?  How long do you have to be on the computer?

Branden:  My morning has been awesome! Thanks a ton for the essay questions! I will be able to print them out to work on them. The questions are a little different this year with the choice of 5 characteristics  And yes I read the e mail! Sounds like Tony´s  ordination was awesome! He even blessed the sacrament! I really cant wait to see tony again and see the difference in him. It almost doesn't seem real that he is so active! I wish I could give him a huge hug! Did Cameron enjoy it? Did you tell him hi for me?

Mom:  I told Cameron that you are excited to see him when you get home.  I guess that is kind of like telling him hi!  He looks really good and seems to be happy.  He was excited to have the gluten free bread and cookies I made.  Alex was too.  They are both really doing well.

Branden:  Ya, it is a internet cafe. ha We have one hour to be on the computer, and ya, we have our Christmas conference with Pres. Souza this week! Together with a talent show that will take place!  This week will be packed! On Tuesday we are traveling to Fortaleza on the bus, then Friday we are giving the zone conference, with the trainings and everything. Then on Sunday we have district conference! It will be a busy week!

Mom:Are you participating in the talent show? It sounds like life as a zone leader is quite different for you.  Are you still going out and visiting investigators?

Branden:  I will play a song on the guitar.. or a melody of four songs. Two in Portuguese and two in English put together! Ya, Life as a zone leader is different. We work in our area still! Oh ya! But lots of times we need to put others in priority

Branden:  So we do lots of divisions to help the other areas. Our area is very strong and is ready to become a ward. We have all the men active and enough people at church, but the other areas in our zone are needing a little more to become a ward. And then we can make a STAKE here in JUAZEIRO!!!!!!!!

Dad:  Putting others first is a good lesson to be learning.  Will you get to be on a nice bus for the ride to Fortaleza or a not so nice bus?  Then will Pres. Souza come back with you to your area?  

Branden:  Oh ya, we get the luxury bus!!!! Our seats are practicably beds! and there is Air conditioning! We will come back by bus. It would be nice to come with Presidente Souza, but they fly. So we will leave before them and arrive after them! haha is everyone there?

Dad:  Sounds like you are doing great work to make the members stronger.  Do you have any baptisms coming up?  How much are you teaching or talking at these zone and district conferences?  How is the Portuguese?  Are you feeling fluent?  There was a question on the application about other languages spoken and we will need to indicate that you are proficient in Portuguese.

Dad:  Just mom and I.  Trevor wanted to get up, but he is growing and needs alot of sleep.  His alarm has gone off but he is still in bed.  Danielle was up until 3 a.m. working on English literature homework.

Dad:  I am going to let mom take over so I can go get showered and ready for work.  I love you and look forward to talking to you on Christmas.  Keep up the great work and remember even though you are busy to do the important things like praying and studying your scriptures.  We are very proud of you and the valiant missionary you are.

Branden:  We had one baptism this last week, and we have two men that will be baptized this week. we are very blessed here in our area. at the conferences we give the training to the missionaries and so it is usually two hours hat we talk. I am getting better and better in Portuguese every day, but I am fluent. That would be awesome to put that I speak two languages. 

Branden:  Thanks! Good luck at work! My time is just about out too.... 

Mom:  How awesome to be baptizing future priesthood holders.  Do you like being a leader and being up in front of everyone teaching others?  I would imagine you do like it. 

Branden:  I love it. But not because I am in front of others, but you learn so much more when you have the opportunity to teach. You really find out what you are capable of. And it is very satisfying to see others apply what you taught, and have it work! Its awesome!

Mom:  So, are we ok with "talking" to you on the computer? We aren't breaking any rules are we?

Branden:  no, I already asked Presidente. Don't worry. But my time is out! I love you all and I hope you have the best week ever!

Mom:  It sounds like you are a natural leader!  You are a lot like your dad in that way!  He has a very natural ability to know what to say and how to say it.

Branden:  Give a big hug to everyone for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are all the best! three weeks and we will talk!

Mom: I love you too!!!

December 10th, 2012 

Hello family!

First off, I am sending one of the questions that I answered for Cassie to look at. There probably are spelling errors, but its good!!!

And Sister Reynolds wants to get in contact with mom, and maybe when they go to the temple visit everyone! That is my companions family! They are really awesome and you will love them!!! He is one of my favorite companions and so I know you all will love his family!

Early this morning we got up to go on an adventure! We grabbed a trail and ran up it! It was sooooo steep it was a crazy workout. But there is a man ( Padre Cicero) That created the city juazeiro. So there is a statue of him at the top of a mountain that we visited. It is a hard hike, and people believe that if you hike up the hill, and walk around the statue three times you are cured. I don't believe that but if you walk up the mountain everyday you sure would be in good shape! There were tons of beautiful flowers and jungle on the way! I love Brazilian trees! The best thin too, is we got to the top and I bought tons of coconut water that was really cheap, and we chugged it all1!!! oh ya!!!!!!

We came back down that grabbed the best açai I have eaten in my life!!! It is made with the actual fruit, so it is really fresh!

In our branch we don't do everything but we have to teach lesson sometimes because someone forgot. Or give talks because someone forgot but it is pretty normal.

Yes we passed with flying colors our clean inspection! Our house was super clean! We are applying a Japanese organization called 5-S that works really well.

And we will spend time with members on Christmas night at a FHE. It should be really fun! We are going to a family that we re activated!!!!

This week we had a family of 6 come to church! They loved it and they got to know the members really well!!!!! We then had an awesome baptismal meeting after the meetings. Two couples were baptised and a man that is looking to get married! I love baptismal services that are big!!!! 

We had a Christmas conference that was awesome too! Presidente and Sister Souza told us lots of stories of their christmas´ and I was stuck in the thoughts of home for a bit! remembering all of the wonderful times we have had during the seasons! I love Christmas sooooo much!!!!!

So the talk of skype came up in a meeting with presidente, so skype might be possible. I will let everyone know next week! What time is best for everyone to talk? If we use skype it will be on the 24th. By phone will be 25th. So if you all could send me the best times for everyone on these two dates that would be great!

I love you all and wish you all a MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

Internet Chat

November 19th, 2012

YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That man, father, Irmao Urangy went to church with his wife and his daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a miracle to see him walk in those front doors! And it gets better!!!!!!!!! He was singing loud and proud in the sacrament meeting and smiling from ear to ear! After the meetings got over he found an investigator (another man) and shared his testimony about the church, and said.... It's been a while sense I have been to church but I'm coming back now. He said he would be there a hundred percent this next Sunday too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was sooooooooooooo happy!!!!!

I also have a new companion!!!! We had transfers and I am staying as a zone leader and I have a new companion!!!! He is a stud!!!! And he is from TOPPANISH Washington! His Name is ELDER REYNOLDS! So he lives like 45 min from our house! He was our mission secretary and now I'm training him to be a zone leader! He is an awesome missionary! And dad, he plays tennis with his dad a ton! So we got ourselves a match for after the mission!!!! haha he also plays basketball really well!!!!

I wanted to tell you all about a miracle that has happened this last month. Elder Queiroz and I did a contact with a drunken man on the street...  because we felt like it was right. Weird start right? This was a Friday afternoon. We invited him to church and that first Sunday who was at church thirty min early? Wilson and Fabiana this couple!!!!!!!!!!! I could hardly believe it! They loved it and received and answer really fast about the church. We started to teach them and we made a baptismal date with them and the accepted really fast. The Saturday before their baptism we got a phone call.... Irmao WIlson fell and cut open his finger with 14 stitches!!!!!!!!!!!! So the doctor said he couldn't enter the water for 48 hours. So his baptism wouldn't work out. We made a date for the next week and we found out that they had a fight the next Saturday night and neither of them wanted to go. Wilson was actually packing his bags to leave. He was about out the door when we arrived. We talked to them and helped them resolve their problems and their fights. Then we fasted for them this week and the miracle happened. They read the book of mormon everyday, and they said they didn't have the urge to fight and that praying together has magically resolved the problems. They were baptised yesterday and it was a very special meeting. They are really converted and they are so happy together. Irmao Wilson came to play Basketball with us today and his wife fabiana came to cheer him on! HOW CUTE! She also brought cake!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo

I know this church is true. I have no doubts a bout that. I know that fasting is a tool we have to help others and is something we can turn to when we don't know what else to do. I know that Baptism brings a remission of our sins, and open the door to our salvation.

I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

poto 

1Urangy and his family (man that returned to church)

2 Wilson fabiana, and my new comp!

3 Ana Clara We reactivated her mom in the church and she was baptised this last week too! She is ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 26, 2012 (this was a chat between mom, dad and Branden)

Branden at 10:16 a.m (Brazil time)…..hello! Good morning! Is someone online

Dad at 5:18 a.m…. Good morning. Yes your good old dad is here. I will go get everyone up so they can talk to you. (this is when Dad woke up Mom and tried to wake up Trevor…Trevor didn’t make it up.
Branden at 10:19 a.m…. BOM DIA! Sorry everyone for waking you up. but how is everyone one this fine monday morning.. so my keyboard doesnt have a question mark button... strange....who all is there

Dad at 5:22 a.m…. Mom and Trevor will be coming shortly. We are doing terrific. How are you? We should probably give you a few minutes to read our email from last night.
Branden at 10:22 a.m… that is awesome! what time is it right now. how was thanksgiving! Ill read your e mail really fast :)

Dad at 5:27 a.m.. It is 5:27 a.m. We had a wonderful, laid back, Thanksgiving. You will read about it in our email. Did you celebrate Thanksgiving at all?

Branden at 10:38 a.m… we had planned to celebrate thanksgiving because we have four americans in our house. So first out thanksgiving lunch was at a members house that always makes delicious food! We were pumped to go there.... but that didnt really work out. We arrived and no one was there..... that thanksgiving surprise went away. So we went and got these things called little hotties. Its a plate of food ready to go. Brazillian fast food with rice, beans, and chicken. But it was good. We bought a pineapple to make it better. At night we had an interview to do in another city, so we didnt have time to make anything, but we grabbed a burger on the way home that was DELICIOUS!!!! and it was only 1.50! Burger with meat, hotdog, bacon, and an egg! It was our Thanksgiving dinner! with guava juice! haha Sounds like your thanksgiving was awesome! too!

Mom at 5:41 a.m… Cool! This is Mom...Good Morning. How are you and your new companion getting along?

Mom at 5:45 a.m… I would love to be able to give you a hug through the computer so maybe you can give yourself one from me (and your dad).

Branden at 10:50 a.m… Man, I felt that warm hug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks! here is a hug back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am loving my new companion Elder Reynolds. He has 1 year and 4 months, just one more transfer than me. He plays basketball and tennis!!!!!!! I think we were at the Boise meet at the same time several years ago! He is a very powerful missionary and he has a huge heart for the people here. We are getting along really well! He is very clean too..... so he is helping me be a cleaner person!

Branden at 10:51 a.m… we are also planning a reunion after the mission of our two families because we live so close. So sometime you all can meet Elder Reynolds and his family :)

Mom at 5:51 a.m… It sounds like you are getting along well! That is great! Did you get the essay questions in the mail yet? We were wondering if you had been able to work on them yet?

Mom at 5:55 a.m… Dad and I are sitting on the couch here in the family room watching the computer screen...waiting for the responses to come in. Trevor wanted to get up but he didn't make it. He was up last week though. He was very anxious to hear from you too. Danielle would of loved to be up too but she was studying really late last night for a test that she had today. She knew that she wouldn't be able to make it up this morning. It is dark here right now. What is your companion doing right now?

Branden at 10:57 a.m… not yet. Because I am in Juazeiro, I only get letters every six weeks. So here in three weeks I will get letters again. It is a little far away from fortaleza. Is there a way to e mail the questions:

Mom at 5:58 a.m… We would love to meet Elder Reynolds and his family. That would be fun! Have you had any crazy experiences with bugs or wild animals lately since you are in a more country/jungle setting?

Branden at 11:00 a.m… that is a nice picture... mom and dad on the computer all snuggled up! haha My companion is writing his family by my side right now. He is freaking out because his brother is going to get married and he is super excited! How was the ordination with tony! I wish I could of been there! I am so happy for him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what month of the yeardo they want to get married in the temple: will I be home:

Mom & Dad at 6:02 a.m… We will e-mail the questions to you next week. Dad will copy them from the website and include them in the email. One of the questions wants you to describe one of your hardest experiences in your life. Another one wants you to explain why you want to transfer to BYU.

Branden at 11:02 a.m… here every sunday if you look out the window of the sacrament meeting there are monkeys in the trees which is pretty cool. There was an injured monkey on the ground the other day that was pretty cool to look at up close. There are HUGE SPIDERS AND SCORPIONS here. Bu t luckily I have only seen a couple.

Mom at 6:07 a.m… Tony will be ordained this next Saturday, Dec 1st. Mike is coming from Arizona to be here to ordain him. It will be awesome. Tony has changed a lot over the last 6 months. He is playing the piano in priesthood for his calling and has stopped riding motorcycles on Sunday. He attends church (all 3 meetings) each Sunday now. It is really wonderful. Cindy has a calling too. She helps with the relief society newsletter. They have a goal to get sealed in the temple in April of 2013 sometime. Unless that date gets moved back, you will unfortunately not be home yet.

Branden at 11:10 a.m… That is sooooo awesome! I cant wait o see Tony and Cindy again! I am going to have to hold back the tears! How is cameron: Any signs of him following in his dads footprints. I have sent him some letters but I never got responses. Its all good. As long as they get married in the temple, I dont need to be there

Mom at 6:11 a.m… I can't imagine having monkeys in the trees!! Are the monkeys afraid of people? Do you still have tons of mosquitoes there? I remember you saying that you had to use a fan at night to keep them off your face.. We have a few pesky gnats in the house that drive me crazy. That is all we have in the way of bugs bothering us. Nothing big and scary here:)

Mom at 6:14 a.m… Tony just visited Cameron about two weeks ago. It was a father/son weekend (at college). I guess it went well. Tony is setting a really good example for both of his children but I haven't heard about them changing anything yet. I am sure at some point that the good example they see in both Tony and Cindy will pay off! Tony said he had a really good time with Cameron.

Branden at 11:16 a.m… all the monkeys that I have tried to hold run away, so I believe they are afraid of humans. Ya, I use mosquito repellent and it is a rule for the missionaries have a fan on us because there are lots of missionaries getting very sick because of the mosquitos. but im all good.

Mom at 6:19 a.m… Oh wow! You look like you are keeping pretty tan. Are you used to the heat and the humidity now? It is hard to believe that you are still having really warm weather or should I say hot? It is getting colder here now...down to freezing at night. What is the temperature there in the daytime?

Branden at 11:19 a.m… That is awesome about tony. His good example definately will effect Cam. I cant wait to hang out with Cameron after the mish! But take a picture of Tonys ordination and send it to me! I want to see him! Hey, my time is running out. but is there something you guys would life form brazil for christmas:

Branden at 11:22 a.m… here its about 120 during the day, and the sun is strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha I miss the cold weather. But I am used to the hot weather now. Im starting to carry a towel to wipe the sweat off my face in the day so my shirts dont get so dirty.

Mom at 6:22 a.m… The only thing we want from Brazil for Christmas is to hear your voice. You don't need to buy anything for us! We are really excited to get to talk to you!!!!! That will definitely be the highlight for Christmas. Cassie, Dallin and Kylie are planning on being here this time for sure! Woo Hoo!

Mom at 6:23 a.m…Do you have to change your shirt more than once a day?

Mom at 6:26 a.m… I know you are about out of time! This has been a lot of fun! This was a very special time. Please let your mission president know how much we appreciate him letting us get to talk to you through email. We will be so excited to actually talk to you on Christmas day! Keep up the good work you are doing!! We are so proud of all the good you are doing on your mission. We can really feel your strong testimony through your e-mails.

Mom at 6:26 a.m… We Love you so much!!!!!!!!hugs and kisses from both Dad and I:)

Branden at 6:29 a.m… usually one shirt a day, but it is drenched at the end of the day. I love you all and thanks a ton for getting up early and talking to me! It was awesome! I will be on next week at 10 if you want to wake up too. but you dont have to :) I love you all and have a wonderful week! HUGS AND KISSES!!!

Mom at 6:30 a.m… We will be here to talk again! Talk to you then!:)

Bottom of the 9th...

November 12th, 2012

 

Hello family!

 

Thanks for all the updates and news back on the main land. I'm going to start off just responding questions to not forget :) This week I didn't have to travel... I just stayed put in juazeiro. It was the last week of my 9th transfer!!!!!! Today is starting my 10th! In our zone we have sixteen missionaries and five sister missionaries! Its a handful... but here in juazeiro we have the best of the best! We have former zone leaders, and trainers, just powerful missionaries! We got eight new missionaries this morning at 4! Presidente it really wanting to turn this place into a stake! As far as the heat... I sweat non stop.... but it doesn't bother me to tier me.... but it sure is hot!  My all time favorite drink right now......... is called a lime rickey! It is grape juice with limes in it! It is so delicious! You should all try it! ;) I love Guarana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is soooooo delicious!!!!!! I am cutting back the pop though. Just one glass per day. (Somedays I use bigger cups than other days ;0) I sent a picture of the zone shirt!!! It is a little hard to see... but has the baptism symbol on the front that says just o it! (nike) Then on the back has all our names and says eu faço ( I do it) An it has an addidas look. And ya, we do our own laundry on pay. But we have a machine, so its not too much trouble. Just scrub the shirt a bit then throw in oin the machine. I have been writing Dakota, but I haven't heard from Kenton in a while! Dakota is a zone leader because he is a stud!!! Yes, I got a package this week without paying for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo! it works! I am loving the pop tarts with oreos on top smothered in peanut butter!!!!!!! thanks!!!!!!!!!! Also, next week I will be at the computer here at 10 in the morning. And I talked to presidente souza, if you guys want to get on at the same time you can. Its a little early, but maybe I can respond a little clearer with a conversation ;)

 

This week we had a miracle happen!!!!!!!!!!! We have a mother and a daughter we are helping come back to the church right now. They have other sons that served missions, even one that is in Provo studying. But their dad has been inactive for a while! He already had stake callings but something happened for him to leave the church. We have been meeting with them and we planned their daughters baptism this last week, and her parents came!!! WE also called ( with permission) To her brother in Provo to record his testimony and send it to us. The baptismal meeting was awesome! we have a musical number ( I sang with the primary) and then the baptism. After we passed her brothers testimony which was very special. I looked up at her had and he was wiping away the tears. It was very spiritual. I know they felt the spirit, I couldn't deny it. Then the dad invited us to his house, and he will make lunch for us on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!! This is a special family!

 

I love you all soooo much

 

Do you want anything special from Brazil???

 

P.S. sorry to naggg, but could you send details about how the miskho and heath side were converted. through the missionaries.... friends.... or how it happened. I'm really interested.

 

Congrats Tony and Cindy too for everything you are doing! I'm very happy to hear all the stories!!

 

Elder Heath

Food Cravings

Hola family!

 

Thanks for the wonderful letter! I love you all soooooo much!!!!!

 

And thanks for the bolded underlined question mom! haha My shirts are still white and my pants are all in tact!!!! Can you believe it? The wrinkle free didn't last too long but everything is great! There is one thing i am craving to eat!!!!!!!! MAPLE!!!!!!!!!! If you could send me a bottle of maple extract that would be awesome! I am wanting to make lots of pancakes! And one more thing. RASPBERRIES!!!! Canned, or fresh doesn't matter raspberries!!!! haha I could also use some more ties to trade with missionaries.

 

I'm going to let you all in on a secret too... When people say that we serve missions for two years.... they really mean one year,eleven months and two weeks! So I will be coming home a little earlier. I will be returning about august 20th! So i think 3rd of September will work out!

 

Thins last week was amazing. We traveled to Fortaleza again for another training... i drank almost a liter of passion fruit that makes you sleepy and I slept like a baby! With the new signs of the second coming (age of missionaries) Our misschanging too. Instead of sixteen new investigators a week, we are going to start twenty five a week. So we can spread our message with more people. We learned about how leaders need to know the limits of their missionaries. We need to learn what they are capable of achieving, and we need to push them to pass that limit. It was very interesting. So we are making goals individually with all of our missionaries now!!! This week we also made a t shirt of the zone! It has a sweet Adidas look to it! Ill sen a picture next week!

 

I had a special experience this week at church. We were welcoming everyone at the doors of the church an all the sudden people I have never seen came in. About fifteen. We welcomed them and started to converse. They all live in the interior, about four hours away. And here in Juazeiro is the closest church to them. One lady already is a member and she found that we had church here. She didn't have enough money to come alone on the trip, and so she turned into a missionary! She started sharing with her friends about he church and got everyone excited to do a visit! She got 14 others and was able to make it to church. To hear her testimony was very powerful! The sacrifice that she made was incredible. But she said that it was all worth it, and she will be here next week too!!!

 

I know this church is the Church of Jesus Christ. I know this is a church of sacrifice to test our faith. I know that when we make sacrifices in our lives we stand shoulder to shoulder with Jesus Christ.

 

Elder Heath

 

If you could send me the story of how our ancestors became members that would be awesome!!!

A few weeks of updates

October 15th, 2012

 

Hey hey hey!

 

Thanks about the glasses. I was worried that you would all laugh at me. :) I have to admit to mom... you were right. I should of got glasses before the mission! I am loving them! And because I moved areas, everyone here thinks that I have worn glasses my entire life, and people think I look weird without them haha.

 

But yes I am very ready to start college life and hit the books after the mission. I have really learned the importance to study and how to study effectively. The only thing I am worried about is my spelling and grammar in English. as you all have seen there are lots of misspelled words...  I am actually forgetting English. But I am sure that the Lord will bless me to remember English after the mission.

 

So the bus experience almost killed me last week and we are doing it again this week! Last week we were on high class buses that pretty much turned into beds (in one of the pictures) But this week we are on school buses for 6 hours heading there and 6 hours coming back! We are going to visit some missionaries in our zone that live in a place called Trinidade. We are traveling outside of Ceara! We are headed there Wednesday and we are going to teach and help them for a day, and then we are going to head back at 4 in the morning Thursday! I'm super excited! The missionaries said that we will see lots of armadillos and vultures! In my area now... we have lots of vultures that fly in circles! They are huge! Their wing span is bigger than mine! These birds are enormous! The take dogs, cats, chickens. I will try to snap a picture close to one this week.

 

In our zone our challenge is to baptize men. We are not allowed to baptise women without men, or children without their fathers! Because here the missionaries have baptised so many that we have members sufficient to make several wards. But we don't have enough priesthood holders. So that is our focal! We are getting testimonies from all the missionaries that have baptised men and we are doing a little news paper of our zone and posting these stories to get everyone excited!

 

This week we had a miracle happen. We went to a house that we found in our area book and what happened.... the house doesn't even exist! so we kept on going and we felt that we needed to talk with a man in the street. we went to him and he turned around with a huge bottle of beer and we hesitated a little but followed the feeling. We talked to him and he invited us to his house to talk with him and his wife. We went and left a short message with them and invited the to go to church. They accepted and what do you know.... they showed up to church before us! They came thirty min early on Sunday and they loved the meeting. The wife cried the whole time and told us she had never felt so good in her entire life. And we had two babies blessed, and the husband loved that. They told us that there was nothing stopping them from coming back next week! It was very special, to see the power of an invite. It is so simple but can change lives.

 

We had two other men at church too, and one will be baptised this next Sunday!

 

I am loving Juazeiro, and I am loving being able to serve others! It is incredible, this week we spent 3 of our 6 work days in other areas helping other missionaries. And working just three days we had seven investigators and we have baptisms set up for next week! The lord is really helping us with all we need!

 

The Church is True

 

Elder Heath

 

P.S. Here in Juazeiro we only get packages and letters at transfers.... so I hope here in 4 weeks the package gets here. I will let you know ;)

 

October 23rd, 2012

 

Hey familia!

My testimony is a burning bonfire!!! and everyday that passes wood gets added to the fire!
I am loving this new area! This week was a traveling week for me too! I traveled to three different cities to do divisions! Crato, Barbalha, and Pirija. It was pretty crazy! I got to interview some amazing people and see some amazing stories. It is incredible the miricals that happen every day! There is a father of a family that drank everyday without stopping and he was smoking tons! He prayed and the urge to drink and smoke went away! We also had a mirical happen in our area. We were preparing Bruno for baptism yesterday and then we had two emergency divisions where we had to leave our area. So we had only taught the restoration and the book of mormon to him and we saw him saturday night!!!!!! We got there thinking we would have to move his baptism back a week for him to learn and apply the commandments. We taught the commandments and he was already living all of them!!! He was not even drinking coffee!!! IT is crazy! We were truly blessed in our area. I am learning a lot about sacrifice. When we sacrifice ourselves for others the Lord will always take care of us in any situation.

So we had an amazing baptism and the spirit was so strong! I love so much seeing the conversion of someone that really has changed. We had 9 men reactivated or baptized in our zone this week! These missionaries are awesome!!!!!!!!

So a little more about Zuazeiro.... I thought Fortaleza was hot.... no way!!!! Here is 120, 125 degrees easy!!!! And there is absolutely no wind!!! When we are walking to appointments after lunch we have vultures flying about us, just waiting for one of us to faint. ha There is lots of jungle, and that means spiders! Also on the telephone wires there are monkeys!!! Little foot tall monkeys! The city of Juaeiro worships a man called Padre Cicero. He is everywhere! There are lots of exotic fruits like ATA and Jaka here! Basically I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is one of my favorite areas to serve!

I love you all and I can't explain how much all of you mean to me! Thanks for everything!

Elder Heath!!!

p.s. Ask Trev bout the fish eye we ate!!! haha the last picture shows our trip.. Fortaleza to Juazeiro!!! 

October 29th, 2012

 

This week we had a special visit form President Souza! He traveled all the way to Juazeiro to talk with all of us! IT was really cool! I felt very special because Elder Queiroz and I were his tour guides here. So we got to spend the whole weekend with President and Sister Souza. I really got to know them and see a different less serious side :) We went to lunch together and President Souza was cracking jokes and everyone was laughing, It was awesome! He also shared some information with us about the growth of missionaries! One month ago, there were about six hundred missionaries applying for missions every week, and now this last month has grown to seven thousand per week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The mission field is growing!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you so much dad for the research that you did! My priorities are BYU and then BYU-Idaho and BYU Hawaii too. Maybe hit up some waves in between classes :) Here we are only allowed one hour a week on the computer, and so I think it would be better for you to send the questions to me and I will write them on paper. Because I don't want to miss a week of your e mails! ;) I would die! I have been practicing with Elder Queiroz, English, and so hopefully I will start picking it up faster. I have difficulties talking fast, everything is in slow mo. Thanks for the English lesson on how to spell miracle! I'm needing it!

 

I think I would like to live on campus at Provo. Where Cassie lived was on campus right? I just know I want to be close to campus and I want a kitchen!  I think that is on campus. Are the new Heritage halls nice?

 

I was thinking this week. That usually there are tons and tons of people applying for BYU Provo but with the number of people applying for missions, maybe this is the right time for me to apply! :) Don't worry... if you want to eat beans and rice everyday, I have mastered how to make delicious BEANS AND RICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will want to eat beans and rice every day!!!!!!!! ;)

But I will definitely work while I an going to School, and so don't worry too much about beans and rice.

 

You all are looking so young in these pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! The pictures you sent and in the family letter, everyone is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! Mom, you are the youngest looking grandma in the world! I looked at that picture you sent, and you are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kylie is too ;) And dad, you looking awesome! You are motivating me to start push ups, because your arms are three times the size of mine! Trevor is going to be taller than me here in no time, and he looks faster than wind! And Danielle, when did you start modeling? Because your senior pictures are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to see the rest! You are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I showed your picture to my president and he didn't believe me that you are not modeling! and if you are, I wouldn't be surprised! Cassie too! You had a baby two months ago??? You are so fit, and so beautiful! I love seeing pictures with Cassie and Kylie, you two are sooooo adorable! I think you two should get some matching clothes or something! And Dallin.... ummmm......you are..... Ò cara! Eu estou muito feliz ver sua familia Hague. Voce è forte, amoroso, e meu Irmao! È ótimo que nos podemos falar portugues e ninguem entende!!!!!!

 

I love you all!!!!

 

Yours, Elder Heath

 

P.S. Could you tell me the story about how we became members of the church? Who was out first ancestor to be baptised? How? When?

Glasses

Hey hey hey!!!!!!

The weather is beautiful and I am surrounded by tons and tons of land! I am loving my new area where I am serving! When I imagined Brasil, where I am now is more like it!

That is awesome dad! You ran that FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is crazy! I am glad that you had a good race! I think that it is a miracle how you can run solo far! I tell everyone here that my dad runs marathons! Now when I tell them your time they are going to be even more impressed! That is one of my goals when I get home from the mission. I will complete a marathon in the first year when I am home. I also want to complete an Iron man in the next couple years... we can train together! :)

But the 11 hour bus ride on Sunday was just the start this week! We gave training to our zone on Tuesday and then we went to work! I got to know my area a little bit.... We took a bus for an hour and we didn’t even cover half of our area! IT IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! While we were coming back.... our bus broke down..... We got back to our next appointment after 6! haha Then Wednesday night Elder Queiroz and I get on another bus to head back to Fortaleza! 11 hours again!!!!! We have a Zone meeting with Presidente Souza! We arrived at 7 in the morning had the meeting at 8. We had an awesome meeting and I learned a ton! Then that night we jumped on the 11 hour bus ride again! And we got here in our area and we were dead! But that didn’t phase us. We took a shower ate lunch and went to work! We had to do a division to help some other missionaries and so I jumped on a bus and for 2 hours to go to a city called Barbalha. Came home the next day and to my relief...... General Conference! I loved every word that was said at conference! It helped my relieve some stress too!  I loved the talks by Elder Eyring and Elder Holland! And Elder Bednar... and The Prophet... :) I am loving being a Zone leader, and having the opportunity to serve the other missionaries here. My vision has opened up a lot just this week!

Sorry, I am trying to send pictures of my glasses, companion, and new beautiful area but this dumb machine isn’t working... Oh well, maybe next week!

I love you all and I want you to know that I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. I know that he lives. I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith restored the keys to our salvation almost two hundred years ago. I know that the power of our Heavenly Father is here on the earth again.

Elder Heath