Week 59 - Thanksgiving

This week was much better! I have a bunch of pictures uploading to dropbox right now so you can see what we did today! Anyway, on Saturday I baptized a kid named Abnel, who was an investigator of the sister missionaries in our ward. I also did his baptismal interview, and one other this week. And I have one more on Wednesday for Elder Crosby (Brad's MTC Companion) and his comp, so that's cool! We went on splits on Sunday so we could visit more people, I enjoyed that. Oh, that kid who got baptized, he showed up 2 hours late to his own baptism like it was nothing. We were all wigging out. I thought the sisters were going to hurt him, lol.  I threw up again on Thursday, which sucked, but I felt a lot better afterwards.  Last year we saw Elder Godoy of the 70 for Thanksgiving time, if I remember right. This week, no, the first days of next week Elder Falabella is coming to the mission. We will have zone conferences, and he will host a Leadership Council, and I'll be able to be there, which is going to be so awesome. Pres. Hansen already does such a good job, I can't imagine it with a General Authority. Elder Bednar came to the mission last last October while I was in the MTC, and he also did the Leadership Council. I can't wrap my mind around how that was. #scary. This year, I don't think we'll be doing anything for Thanksgiving. Unless Pres. takes us out to eat, which is possible.  And the place we went to for pday today is called incachaka, like the rainforest. That's the first time I've been to a jungle. So many mosquitos I think one time is enough ;)

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Howells

Week 58 - Sick

The entire Bolivian population thinks that World War III will happen because Ol'Donald is in office. They say they'll never get to the States, that he'll send fire to Bolivia. It's hilarious. They all wanted Hillary.  Today was a good day, yesterday wasn't. I was kinda sick. A lot sick.  So, I've had better ;) I am good right now, just a little weak, so I'm taking it easy. That 24 hour sickness just drained the life out of me, I could barely talk. I wanted to be taken out back and put out of my misery.  I couldn't even drink or eat anything yesterday. I would try to drink like an inch of water and I threw up 3 times. And yeah, I am taking it way easy. I ate a taco on the corner, I think that's what did it. I'm not doing that again, lol. The Bolivian people are pretty anti-American, which stinks. They don't have a clue how much better it is up north. And I think, well, I hope my investigators are good. I really couldn't tell you, which isn't good. We had a couple of lessons on Saturday, which was nice. But nothing too much. It's a bummer. But, this week oughta be better.

In two weeks Elder Falabella will come do a mission tour, which will be sweet. Me and my comp have to translate 2 of his talks to distribute to the mission. So that'll be cool.

I hope you all have a great week.

Love,

Elder Howells

Week 57

Today was a good day, we went and played indoor volleyball, went to a buffet, and now we're here at the mission offices emailing. We had 5 investigators come to church, which was awesome. A good week. I tried learning Portugese, but I stopped. Spanish and Quechua first, lol. Welp, President just called us about a minute ago and told us that someone is going home.... Sometimes I hate the offices. It's hard to hear stuff like this. This week shouldn't be anything crazy. No councils, no meetings out of the ordinary, all good :) Just regular office work.

And my scripture this week would be Alma 26:35 - Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

I love this scripture, Ammon is talking to his brothers and his brethren.

I love you all; have a great week!

Week 56 - Transfers

This week was awesome!!! It was transfer week, AND we got to have 9 lessons! So sweet. That's more lessons than we've had in any of the other 7 weeks. In Colón we would have like 35-40 easy in a week. So, 9 lessons is awesome. :) The investigators are well, but we are still trying to get a chance to surprise chat their dad. A work in progress. Today we had the SCARE BOWL. The majority of the gringos got together and we had a football game. I had two touchdowns and a pick, with some dancing that was not before know of me. I'm impressed with myself.

(I asked Brad if he was dressing up for Halloween :) and if he drives a car at all now that he's in the office) And no, I am in p day clothes if that counts. Lol. And no, the only people who drive in the mission is president and his wife, nobody else. I told president that I would drive for him, but he said no thanks with a laugh. So, that got shot down.  The fastest anyone goes, literally, would probably be less than 40 miles per hour. You literally can not go faster, the roads and the culture don't allow it. That's why it takes 18 hours to get to Tupiza, not 5 like it would back home. And they have copied halloween a little bit, they call it todos santos. It means "all saints". The South American culture is so Catholic, they worship saints a lot, so much so that they dance, drink, have week long festivals, worship, pray to the saints. And Bolivia is one of the heavier countries in that respect. So their halloween revolves around "all the saints".

I love you all!

Have a great week and Happy Halloween!