Week 3 - A Little More of the Same

I´m doing well. This week was good, very similar to last week. Nothing major happened, unfortunately. But it was still good. The new group of latinos are really competetive at soccer, and my game is really starting to improve. No rugby balls anywhere in this country I've decided, but I have had the opportunity to teach the Latinos real football, and they aren't very good but they love it and ask about it every day.

I can understand more and more every day, but I feel as if I´m coming to a plateau that I will only be able to conquer with a Latino companion once I get to Bolivia. I can teach a lesson, albeit a simple lesson in Spanish on any of the doctrinal principles. Even better if I have one of the foilletos. But this week has been good. We watched a live stream of Neil A. Anderson last night from Provo MTC, that was good.

I havent had homesickness to bad at all, thank goodness. Seriously the hardest part is not seeing the stars and no real mountains. I am having a good time, hard to stay awake during study time. Can´t wait to actually be able to get to Bolivia. The latinos either love or hate bolivian food, no in between

In Lima the sky is orange, literally, at night from all of the light polution. Crazy stuff. I'm jealous I didn't get to go to yellowstone with you guys last week. Everyone here is yuppie and know seriously nothing about hunting or mountains or animals or anything. It´s really stressful when they talk about it because they make themselves look like darned fools. lol

I have to go. I love you, have a great week, I will make sure to do something interesting this week so that I have something to send next week!! I love you; have a great week!!

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Week 2 Down. What a place!

I can not express what it is like here. The food is either good or it's quite the struggle to keep it down. But mostly good. A lot of the Elders spend a tremendous amount of time in the baño, if you know what I mean... But I have been blessed, thank goodness. The Latino elders are still just the absolute best, I love them to death. It is complete language immersion here, hardly any English is spoken, a blessing and a curse. Telling the lunch ladies what I want to eat is a monumental struggle at times. They just laugh and throw whatever they want on the plate, but that's okay. My companion and I have had opportunities to teach several mock lessons with fake investigators, that we didn't know were fake before hand, as well as some actual investigators. I had the opportunity to invite a guy named Yonni to baptism yesterday, it was quite the experience. I can understand most of a gospel related discussion in Spanish, and I manage to get broken sentences out while still being able to express myself fairly well. I´ll only be getting better.

I´m thrilled to hear that my UTES are doing well, also thrilled to hear that the team down south isn't doing so well. Just kidding, kind of.

I love you guys, I look forward to writing you again next week.

This picture is from the Temple this morning.

From left to right: Elder Horan from California, Elder Heaps, Elder Van Skyhawk, Elder Crosby (my companion), Elder Wirth from Dallas, he's 6 foot 4 and 260, and me.

Week 1 - Peru is Crazy!

Peru is crazy. We left Tuesday morning, got in at about 3 am Wednesday morning. They let us sleep in until 7. There are about 30% of us who speak English; that means total immersion except for in the dormitories. The Latino people who dominate the CCM are the best people I have ever met. I love them to death. So happy, so willing to help us learn Spanish even when it takes me 10 minutes to figure out the word for running from them. They are amazing people. My companion is a kid from Alpine, Utah. His name is Elder Crosby. We have gotten along very well so far. My district has 4 kids from Utah, one from Dallas and one from California. 5 of the 6 are going to Cochabamba, Texas is going to Peru.

The language is coming along well. I went from understanding about nothing with hardly any language in school to being able to understand about 20% of an actual conversation with the Latinos in one week. It's nuts. The desserts are kind of goopy, not a huge fan of them. Rice is in EVERY lunch and dinner, without fail. We play soccer with the Latino elders every day, and they rally the gringos. They are all so saucy with their footwork even though they are a foot shorter and slower than us. It is so much fun. I love it so far, but I can not wait to get out in the field and

actually do work.

Elder Howells

Pictures:

The foggy Lima sky

      Elder Crosby
Elder Quispe is in the chair (He is Brad’s favorite so far)

He made it!

I made it safely. The flight was long but it was good. I don´t have a
lot of time here, I´m sorry. Next Wednesday I will be able to talk
more. I hope you have a great week. 
I love and miss you all!!

October 6, 2015 - Airport

Elder Howells is on his way to the MTC in Lima, Peru for the next 6 weeks and then he will be on his way to Cochabamba!  We are so grateful for his desire and willingness to serve the Lord.  He will be a great missionary!

Love you Brad!