New Years Eve!

DECEMBER 31ST, 2012

Ola Minha Familia!

Feliz Ano NOVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't describe to you all how happy I was after the phone call on Christmas! I couldn't sleep I was sooooo happy! I laid in my bed thinking about all of you and all the Christmas memories! It is really interesting to see the different traditions that families have. All the missionaries in our house, Elder Cetraro, Hodson, and Reynolds all open pjs on Christmas eve too!!!!!!!!!!! how crazy is that! Elder Reynolds also has a talent show like us! Did you talk to his family yet? they are awesome!

I think i could trade the weather with you all too! This week has been soooooooooooo hot!!!! I have Sun Screen that looks like mayonnaise and it doesn't block the sun! ha

We had an amazing Christmas night after the phone call too. The whole branch was together and we all read Lucas 1 and 2 about the birth of Christ. Then we sang tons of Christmas music! Could you all hear the song we sand well? We were all standing on a roof while we were singing to you all. It is fine with one person but us four were on top and the roof and a member told us to move. So we were singing the song and moving together to get off of the roof! It was a pretty amazing But I had a very merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

Today we all had a BBQ for lunch at a members house and we are going to have a new years party at a members house too. It is a little difficult to teach today because everyone is drinking in the streets! There are tons of fireworks already too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I sent the essays to Cassie and mom, they are pictures scanned. But Cassie if you could correct my English and make any corrections you want that would be awesome! And send off the application!!!! I cant wait to hear if I got accepted.

And this week we are going to Fortaleza so we will get the packages!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

Talking To Branden on Christmas!

DECEMBER 24TH & 25TH

Christmas Eve:

On Christmas Eve, we all gathered around to Skype with Branden in Brazil.  We made him this sign (Feliz Natal) to wish him a Merry Christmas in Portuguese. The business that was going to let him Skype did not work.  We were disappointed that we did not get to see his handsome face.  However, we had fun singing Christmas carols, dancing around the room, chatting and playing with Kylie (Cassie's daughter).  We did get to say hi to Branden for a quick minute but just to find out we would get to talk to him on Christmas Day the following day!

Christmas Day:

Branden called in the early afternoon on Christmas Day!  He has a heavy Portuguese accent but sounds really good.  He is enjoying his missionary companion and were he is living right now.  He is in rural area close to the jungle.  They have lots of monkeys and other creatures close by.  It is still really hot...he says it feels like 120 degrees.  He sweats all the time.  

We got to listen to him talk Portuguese to Dallin (Cassie's husband).  They talked really fast and it was really wonderful to hear how fluent Branden has become with the Portuguese language.  Branden and a bunch of the Elders sang "O Holy Night" in Portuguese to end the call.  It sounded like a men's choir.  It was awesome!

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!!!