On Monday we had a quick email to arrange Skype details...

Cant wait to talk and maybe see you guys! IF we dont SEE each other tomorrow, we will just have to wait one more month...I love you! I hope you guys have a splendid Christmas Eve! Im having a really hard time believing that its the end of the year...This has truly been the Fastest year of my life...As my last Christmas as a representative of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ its a little tough not to get sentimental...Im not sure if im happy our sad...Im sad that i will not be able to invite people to come unto Christ  everyday in the year to come but im happy to know that truly my mission doesnt end and i will be able to invite people to come unto HIM through my example...Until TOM!!! Love. Elder ANdy

Then on Christmas we were blessed to have a great time on Skype with Andy...he got emotional as we asked him how he was feeling about it being his last month in the field...he is so sweet.  Then he and a member who was there with him sang "The First Noel" in Portuguese for us!  Andy bore his testimony in Portuguese too..then we signed off...only to see him in a month!!!

Baptism of Willians!

Special Zone Conference for Christmas!

LAST transfer day! Andy staying put...to wrap it up!

Andy's note to us this week was very short and mostly just some personal stuff and arrangements to talk on Christmas (woo hoo!) but here are some things we gleaned from his note to President Hall, along with some cute pics!

• He took some members/investigators to Stake Conference on a bus that broke down and caused a little delay but overall everyone was good.
• He is not transferring or changing companions...he'll finish his mission out where his is and he seems happy!
• A new Elder came into their District with this transfer.

Bus ride to Stake Conference!



Andy and Elder Elverton who he hadn't seen in 4 months.



The parents with their children,
the youngest duckling of the group, Elder E. Souza! 
Elder Gomez was made a trainer!





Andy and his pink camera
(his old one broke and he
bought this one a while ago)

Andy has the Spirit of Aloha!

Oi Dana!!!

Feliz Aniversário!!! Parabéns!!! Happy Birthday!!!  I hope you had a great sunday birthday! I sure had a great sunday yesterday! I baptized a young man named Felipe whose 16 years old. He´s Cristovão´s neighbor, literally right beside his house, like their houses are glued together. Felipe looks like a rebellious one but he is a real down to earth guy, really sees the importance the gospel can have in his life. The Book of Mormon and Cristóvão played a huge role in his conversion...We taught Felipe mostly with Cristóvão and it was just so cool hearing Cristóvão testify of the truth! They both LOVE to play guitar and they are serious fans of Classic Rock! There is a member here named Will who is a guitar teacher who has become a big friend of theirs...Felipe is going to feel right at home with the guys here...lots of them play guitar. I have high hopes for him...We had a great week! As i mentioned in my email to the President, Felipe brought a friend (Sárvio) to church and i believe that Sarvio liked it a lot. Im so happy to see how the Gospel is influencing their lives  and how they are sharing it already! I beared my testimony yesterday and i realized that it was my second to last time as a missionary...I cant describe how i feel...I know that im going to just pass the next testimony meeting crying...haha Anyways...Last email i said that this decision to where to go to college was going to be the hardest of my life...well i lied...Hawaii!!! Here I COME!!! I thought and prayed a bunch...I just feel good about Hawaii and every way possible...not just because its Hawaii...but i just feel like its the place for me....My planner even before i knew i was acepted is decked out hawaiin style...I put one of  those temple cards you sent me on the front... SO go ahead and sign me up for Hawaii!!! :) Who knows...maybe after a transfer over there ill go to Idaho....I know my friends are not going to like me for this and its a big sacrifice of fun and good times i know i would have with them, but there are plenty of new people to get to know.

Love, Elder ANdy

 

Felipe's Baptism!

Cristóvão - Andy has this young man doing a painting

that he's bringing home for a gift for the family!

Andy is re-gifting a banner we sent him back in Sept!!

 

Great week...great pics!

Oi!!! meus queridos!

This week was splendid! Yesterday really just put the cherry on top! and why you might ask??? because yesterday was sunday which is my favorite day of the week and becuase of two things that happened at church yesterday!  First Lucas came to church all dressed up in a white shirt and tie and i didnt recongnize him at first. It was so great and funny to see him all dressed up. Sadly i didnt have my camera with me so ill take a picture with him next week! Secondly was the baptism of  our buddy Cristóvão!!! His baptism was really nice because he said it has been sometime that he has been needing guidance or ``Equilibrium`` as he would say in his life and im so glad to have experienced the moment of a ``new beginning`` for him. His story is interesting as he was born here in Patos but grew up mostly in Rio de Janeiro then moved back here when his parents seperated. His mom is a member there in Rio and he has had a lot of contact with the church but never arrived to point of seriously thinking about being baptized. The time was right for him when we first met him one afternoon looking for another address from a man we ended up never finding. It was a really nice baptismal meeting and was especially sweet for Elder Villela being it his first baptism in the mission! I know that this Church is true and that it provides true happiness in this life. I love you all and have a great week! Elder ANdy M. Howell

Cristovao's Baptism!!



The District of the Almighty Ducks!!

 

Ping Pong anyone??

Hi, my name is Elder!

Excited for Parker, happy for his Lucas!

Òla Dana! 

Oh my goodness!!! Im so excited for Parker!!!!!! We will have to give him a suprise visit someday in St. George because I will not go 4 years without seeing my goofy goon!!! Gosh thats so exciting! I hope hes excited!

 

Im doing great here just super really. Super content and full of thanks to our Heavenly Father for having blessed me so much these past two years...Lucas our latest convert is doing stupendous and will be a great light unto his family. Things are way complicated in his family but thanks to the Gospel everyone is having a huge change of heart. I just cant tell you how amazing it is to see the change in someone. His mom Alexandra whom we are starting to teach with her ``husband`` Valtair, she has the strong desire to be baptized but she is not married. So we will do all we can to teach according to God´s will that Valtair will see the importance of marriage and how much his family can be blessed. Their names on the temple roll will do miracles...Alexandra, Valtair, Willians and Deusilita and Laurencio...Lucas is excited to go tracting with us this week! I love this Gospel so much! Elder Villela and I are super excited to be working together and are ready to be molded in the Lord´s hands. We are roasting are bodies trying to invite others unto Christ. We have two families possible to marry and Cristovão also who is just one of the coolest guys  i have met in my mission that is preparing to be baptized the 18th! Plz put him on the roll as well. I love you and wish everyone a splendid week! 

Love, Elder Andy

 

 

Transfers...Andy gets a new Son!!

Oxente!!! Olá meus queridos!

WOW!!! this week was super! The top two highlights of this week were that Lucas a young boy who's 12 years old was baptized last Sat. and it was just a fabulous batismal meeting! Mainly becuause most of his family came to watch and were really touched. We will continue to teach his family so that one day they will recieve the great blessing of the Gospel as a family. THats what the gospel is really all about. Lucas is an awesome energetic spastic kid! I love him. He was confirmed Sunday and given the aaronic preisthood already! He passed the sacrament last sunday. When he passed the sacrament to me he gave me a big ol smile. It was so great! GOsh then monday morning around 11ish i got call telling me that im a ``father`` again!!! What a a trip it was that evening racing to joao pessoa to attend the tuesday morning training. My new ``son`` Elder Villela seems like a serious worker and im just super excited to work with him. He is from Sao Paulo! Another great news is that i got an unexpected letter from Jefferson´s Brother Joao Marcos who is doing great!!! He is also preparing to serve a mission two years from now!!! Gossh! This week was good! I know that through service we can truly feel charity which is the tru love of Christ. I love you all and have a splendid week! Elder Andy

Lucas and his family

Andy and Elder Machada da Silva

Andy and Elder Broad

Andy and his new son,

Elder Villela

Father and Son bonding!

Mostly just a note to the fam...some other good stuff though!

Hey Fam!

I would like to thank sincerely My Greatest Fan Dana for all the love that she has sent to me...i will miss the ``babbling`` haha written down to me in various  colors of enjoyment but i will not miss having to imagine her babbling to me when i will be able to hear this babbling in person...I want to thank you Papa for the Japanese goodies!!! I made my buddies Elder M. Machado and Elder Gomes a Argentino eat seaweed for the first time in thier lives! ELder Gomes loved it! but Elder M. Machado ran to the trash can to spit it out! haha Not everyone has fine taste...The sweet bean jelly is also a new one for them! Im seriously cherishing these goodies as its been WAY to long since ive had a good munch of some good ol japonese food...My companion Elder Arne is thailandesa so he loves weird food as well. Im loving it here in Ducks. Its hot as heck but Im used to being soaked in sweat. I sincerely apologize for not having written you guys. I hope my emails to the President give you an idea of whats going on with the peeps were teaching. About the letters Dana, they take about 2 weeks to  a month or so....so around the end of December will be the end of the Snail trail...Just to let you guys know that im planning on buying some really nice leather covers for my scriptures and preach my gospel and it will be around 130 reais....I was thinking about buying some for you guys as they are leather covers with whatever image of art you would like from the scriputers carved into them. they are really beautiful just i dont think they make covers for the english versions of scriptures sadly....One of our investigators named Kristauv is a serious artist and is painting a painting of the last supper with the 12 apostles and Jesus Christ thats turning out seriouly cool and is fairly large if you guys dont mind if i buy you a present for 500 reais...i dont know just thinking about it....Anyways I think that This will be my last area and ill probably will be getting a new compaion next week as Elder Arne has been here for almost 6 months and it his first area. I learned this week that truly Christ had the world on his shoulders and all the power in the world to relieve the burdens of others and for Himself but HE has a sound understanding of the purpose of trials in our lives and a love so imcompreehendable that He let himself suffer for others. Its good to lift the burdens of others being a friend in need, but sometimes people have to learn for themselves the hard way...I know the CHrist lives and loves us...and I hope that we express our love and appreciation for what He did through our own actions. I hope you guys have a great week... Love Elder Andy

Andy and Elder Arne

From Sister Hall - Andy's Zone

Oi meus queridos familiares...

Minha nossa senhora!!! yesterday i received an unexpected phone call from Sister Hall expecting who knows what because generally she only calls if you called her being sick, or if your companion is sick so i had no idea what to expect...she told me she had some news for me and then passed the phone over to someone i was not expecting to hear...It was GOIABA! Jefferson! He is going to the Salvador Mission and leaves the 14th of October already! Geez that made my day and my mission! He  was in Natal receiving his patriachal blessing and happened to run into Sister Hall!? She was nice enough to let him call me!!! I just cant believe this is happening now...I had this dream for him a year ago but seeing it happen now is just like a `dream...I know that this decision he has made will bless him eternally...as much as he dedicates himself in being a worthy representative of the Lord he will be blessed profoundly more than he can compreehend trying to bless the lives of others...funny how that works...As much as i thank the Lord for the things i have learned on my mission...as much as i love my misson....Im truly having the hardest time saying that i would like to stay longer...I cant stay anytime longer away from the people that i have taken for granted for in my life...I just want you guys to know in you guys i mean you Papa, Dana, Madison, Morgan and you too Marcus how much I love you...I know that the Lord has been showering his blessings upon us through the gospel and i know that this is just the beginning....I know how much i owe to the Lord for these blessing and this helps me continue on...I know that all the blessings, the people that i have known and that are being blessed  from the gospel, so due to the simplicity of applying the simple truths... I Love being a missionary and its going to be the definition of bittersweet when i end because i Love my family as well....I hope you guys have a great week and sorry that this email isnt full of details about my area and is really mushy but i just want you guys to know how im feeling.... Elder. Andy 

 

 

The new crew! 

My new District!

Elder Arnè, me , Elder Gomes (argentino!) e Elder M. Machado!

One year of use!  Bye!

Well worn!

Kicking stones!

 

Short email and a bunch of pics...

After a couple days in the new area....

Hey!!!

Glad you guys are safe and sound at home now! Im loving it here in Ducks! Its super hot but ive been through worse! sorry this computer i grabbed was really bad....I uploaded

a bunch of photos!!! I love you guys. Have a great week!  Elder Andy

Andy turns 21!

Elder Arne and Me!