Week 64 - Skype on Christmas Day

Hey pops :) I was looking at the pictures I took of you and mom yesterday, and you two look so great! You don't really look like you've aged, or more wrinkles, just more gray on the both of you ;) It was great to talk to you guys, even though I had no idea what I wanted to talk about.

Today (P-day) we played soccer and went to eat peruvian food, dropped something off at President's house, and now we´re here writing.

And today President is having a open house and we're brining three recent converts. Then just office work, a leadership council on Wednesday, then I don't know what's up the rest of the week other than office work.

(I asked Brad about New Years celebrations in Bolivia and this was his response) And this country revolves around alcohol. Every possible day they drink, and you'll see the effects. Like people's faces are just torn up and stuff, it's sad.

Here is a short video clip of our call, right at the beginning.

Week 63 - Merry Christmas!

My week was really good, but it looks like your week was better ;)  Today, I went to play indoor volleyball, then Elder Padilla and I went to visit my old pensionista in Colón, and we went to visit Williams and Deysi (Brad's converts in his last area)... Deysi wasn't there, and Williams was totally drunk. That was pretty dang heartbreaking. He remembered who I was, said he knows he shouldn't be doing it, but he said it's easy to walk until there's obstacles. Well, it's a no brainer, but we only gave him encouragement, then we left, you can't teach someone who isn't sober. That is awesome what the ward did, let's do it again next year (our ward did a Christmas Service Project to feed 100 refugee families as well as some other things for people in need in the valley). That's awesome, Max beat cancer!

About Williams It really stinks, seriously. But I think little by little he will be better. The problem is the ward. Colon is such an inactive ward, all the people I worked with and brought to church aren't active anymore because the people in the ward don't fight for them. It's sad. But one day they'll have to "rendir cuentas", I think the translation is they'll have to acknowledge what they did or didn't do.

I love you all, have a Merry Christmas!

Elder Howells

Week 62

My week was good! My comp is great. We had some good lessons and I am happy with last week! I want time to start picking up more for a little bit. December is passing by pretty slow, I don't know why. We had an awesome Zone Conference with Pres. and it was great! President and the Assistants are such great guys!

Christmas is such an amazing time of the year, but trunky too... Yesterday and Saturday were good teaching days! I thoroughly enjoyed them! We talked to some great people and knew some great people, too. Today we went to the cancha, then we went and got some sketchy burritos, and now we're here (Mission Office)!  (Hopefully the sketchy burritos weren't a mistake)

Week 61 - Transfers and a new companion

We didn't hear from Brad until Wednesday this week because of transfers.  Being in the office means that he is quite busy during transfers, he takes people to and from the airport.

How are you? :) I am good. The new people came in, the old people left, the transfers are done, and now we can breathe! ;) I did not get moved, but I got a new companion from Spain named Elder Padilla, he speaks great English, like a British guy... I suppose I´ll have to get that turned around here pretty quick. Lol.

Elder Tatum (previous companion) switched secretary positions, and wards, and companionships. Elder Coronado literally comes up to me and pulls my ears, he's hilarious. He is now Elder Tatum's comp! Elder Jorgenson will go to Potosi as a ZL, so that's great! Elder Tatum will finish his mission in the offices (In February) with 5 transfers here, poor guy. Pres. said that I probably only have one more transfer in the offices, thank goodness! Elder Moss (From Tupiza, you remember him?) (He was a trainer when Brad was a greenie in the same area) is the new assistant, which is awesome!

Today we were in Pres.'s house while the new missionaries received their trainers, we presented ourselves, helped serve the food and clean up and get everyone in taxi's and to their areas, and now we're here (The office to email)! On Friday we have a zone conference/christmas devotional, which we be cool!

Love you all, have a great week!

Brad at the airport during transfer.  The lady in red (Maria) sent me the picture
She loves Brad

Week 60 - The Airport and Star Wars

We just got back from President's house; he gave us snickerdoodles! The Elder Falabella zone conference and leadership council were awesome. He probably helped the mission out a lot, but you wont see the fruits of his teachings for probably 3 months. Then they oughtta show. He taught us to find more King Lamoni's, and all that came with that conversion - Ammon didn't straight out shoot to convert the other shepherd servants of the king, rather, he knew who he wanted to get, and how he was going to get him. He served, he was patient, he was long suffering, and humble. Then, when the opportunity arrived, he went for the dad. Not the mom, the kids or the uncle, but the dad. Everything starts with the head. And then to convert our converts into missionaries - whether they be ward missionaries, free hand mercenary missionaries, or straight full time missionaries. Just like Lamoni, his wife, kids, servants, Ammon himself, a convert converted to a missionary. Ammon, as the first convert, spread the word because he wanted to, then Lamoni's wife, then Lamoni, and soon, everyone who heard the Gospel. It was a really cool conference. I still say that President Hansen is my favorite, though. Haha. 

Today we did a service for a gal who is blind, and her helper is deaf. They are both just sweethearts, and I want to learn sign language now. That would be so cool. Then we got changed, went to lunch, and then we went and picked up the packages, took some stuff to President's house, and now we are here in the offices to stay for a while!

This week should be pretty low key until Saturday, when the transfers are made and the transfer preparation begin. That'll be crazy. I'll get to go to the airport like 15 times, which is cool, because I feel like I enter the Star Wars world when I go there. I know, I'm a nerd, don't remind me ;)

I love you all, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

Love, Elder Howells