Week 69

My week was great! We got to go and work, but on Saturday and Sunday a pretty good cold hit my comp hard and me only a little bit, so we had 1.5 sick days. But that's okay! Don't tell mom ;) My area is awesome, the sisters in our ward had a baptism, and I got to be part of the confirmation, which was wonderful. Our schedule will basically stay very similar, just with the change of the study schedule flexibility.

And I am, just a pretty good runny nose! My comp is great, he's a trunky missionary, but a great guy who still wants to work, which I love. And our investigators are doing well. They come to church and are progressing. We have 7 people with a date for the 18th of February. I feel that at least 4 will happen on time! :) One is a mother and a daughter and the other is a kid who has been coming to church for almost 2 years but never was baptized, and we have 2 sisters who both might, so maybe even 5 promising ones. We want to build good reading habits before they decide anything!

That is so true. The members are more important for retention than the missionaries are, by far. And the zone is doing well, we are working hard. No real challenges now, I just need to learn the area a little bit better so that I can go and bring the new elders and do divisions (splits). President wants all 4 missionaries (zl's and trainer and trainee) to be working in the zl's area so that the missionaries see how a model area looks like (those are president's words).

Week 68 - Zone Conference

President came to my very first zone meeting, that was rude, lol. My comp is awesome, we have been getting along super well! He played professional soccer back in the day, he tried to teach me and he quickly realized that I am far to American for the sport. Still fun though ;) We have 9 investigators, good people, with a baptism date for the 18th of February. That's so awesome! I love my area, it`s awesome, a lot people who are ready. We played soccer this morning, I played all time D, lol. Thats where I'm best, haha.  We had more interviews with President and he told me that I will most likely be here for 3 transfers and then I will finish with 3 transfers more in another area. Time is flying by, kinda scary.

I live like on the 5th floor, (that's the top) and it is awesome. A great view where you can actually see the stars sometime! I do have a pension, her name is Angelica, she is a sweetheart! She cooks simple but tasty, which I like!! Yeah she is a member, and yes, it's an apartment building, every floor is a house. And no, it's a little bit humbler (than his house in Cocha). Its kind of like Tupiza, just a lot better. And no, we don't live with Angelica. We have to take transport to get to her house! We go to her house just one time a day at about 1 oclock, and the transports are called trufis! Just google Bolivian trufis, and you should see what I use about 5-6 times a day. when we all come down here in a couple of years we'll use them and you'll see just how "fun" they are lol.

I hope you all have a great week.  Love, Elder Howells

Week 67 - New Area

Hey, how are you ? :)

Well, I'm a Zone Leader in Alamos, with Elder Cortez from Ecuador, same name as my trainer, but my trainer is from Perú. So that's cool, I think! I'm pretty happy, but it'll be weird to actually have full proselyting days for the first time in 4.5 months.

Yesterday starts the last transfer for Elder Wren (Former Comp - 2nd one), Elder Tatum (Previous comp), and Elder Cortez (my new companion; yes, I am "killing" him) (sending him home). That's gonna be weird.

My new area is not far from Cobija (previous area), probably about a 15 minute drive to the area from the offices, maybe 20. Yeah I'm staying in Cocha!! But I am in like a cattle farming area, which is pretty sweet. It's pretty green.  I know him (new comp); not great, but I know him. He seems like a really great guy! I will train my replacemenet, Elder Heaps from my group in the MTC until Thursday, and then I will go to my zone on Thursday afternoon!

I love you all.  Talk to you next week!

Elder Howells

Week 66 - Wrapping up in the office?

We are just preparing for transfers, President told me in my interview that I'll have a transfer. That stinks, because my area is awesome and it's the best ward I've had so far, but I am excited as all get out to not be in the offices anymore! I don't know where I'd go, but I hope I stay in Cochabamba. I have no desire to leave Cocha again. It's better with a little bit of modernization, I think. Yeah, I will miss him (Elder Padilla, his companion). We'll get the transfers on Sunday, but Tuesday is when the normal missionaries go to the new areas with their new comps. However, I'll need to train my new comp so I will probably go on Thursday! Well, I have to go! I love you so much and I hope you have a great week! I'll talk to you on Monday and let you know what happened!

Week 65 - Paintballing

We did get to teach this weekend, it was sweet!! Are investigators are wonderful, but they deserve more than the relatively little time we can give them. Elder Padilla is the best, we are getting along great. We had a pretty intense paintball match today. I gave em heck.

And yes, the dog was a pitbull, who is just like a bigger headed Lola called Maquiavelo. Anyways, I'm sorry time is short today, I have to go, I'm so sorry!  I will talk to you next week!

Love you all!

Elder Howells

It looks like the others gave Brad heck too!