First Email from Brazil!!

IN BRASIL! MY FIRST AREA- MOSSORÓ
Oppa! whats up everybody! i made it to brasil safely, dont worry and i havnt been attacked by any wild animals.

Nossa! oh my goodness where to begin! well lets start with the longest connections of flights i have ever experienced in my life.
so pretty much i spent a total of 30 plus hours awake in traveling, that was fun. luckily i did it all with 10 other elders and sisters all together.
that was a real blessing becuase one of my other elder amigos had to do that whole thing by himself and i felt really bad because he
is really bad with directions. haha he made it safely dont worry. well turns out i only have six minutes left to write becuase i apparently spent most of my time writing to my amazing mission president hall. im so sorry i would of written a book full of the things i have experienced so far but the things that i want to point out is having humility and diligence.  i hope all of you had the opportunity to watch conference this weekend and listened intently becuase i was so grateful when i found out i was able to watch it in english becuase before i thought i was going to get nothing out of it. the advising words of the general authoreties are so priceless and i know they were all inspired of our heavenly father to say what they had to say. the people here are as kind as ever, especially the members, their charity has no bounds, i cant express to you how open their hearts are to service for the missionaries, they have very little to offer in terms of food, but they offer it all happily to prepare meals for us which basically what i have eaten is the famous rice and beans. food here is called comida and that means initially rice and beans but it is some of the best rice and beans i have ever eaten. i have also had some other very interesting foods that were also suberb that i dont know how to desribe, one is called saie and its this fruit thats frozen and mixed into some sort of ice cream, at first i thought it was chocolate ice cream, boy was i wrong, anyways on to more important things sorry i got sidetracked becuase im really hungry right now. anyways i arrived here in mossoro thursday morning at 3 and let me tell you first impression of this town was that i feared for my life, but in the morning when the sun came out this town transformed into the most charming town i have ever been in. what a metaphor i thought. my new companion is name elder g. costa and he is a brasilero and speaks no english really, the only thing he knows how to say is i like your tie. haha its difficult but im so grateful for this opportunity i have to listen intentally and learn portugues because i really have to haha. he is from belem here in brasil. my president and all the elders i have met and the people are truly inspiring and i cant tell you how happy and excited i am to get to work. please always remember read the scriptures everyday and pray intentally. follow our saviors example. i love you all very much and miss you but am very anxious to get to work! UNTIL  next week!
LOVE, elder howell
p.s. i will try to upload pics next week and write more

Here is a map of Andy's mission...his first area is in the northwest part of it:

Last snail mail from the MTC...and pictures!

Marzo 25, 2011

E Ai Todo Mundo!!  (What's up everybody!)

How is everything going?  Everything here is going super!  This is probably the last time I will be writing from the laundry room of the MTC and I'm not going to miss it at all!  The laundry room of course, I'm definitely going to miss the MTC.  Looking back at my experience here I couldn't be more grateful for everything that I have learned and the Spirit I have felt.  From the firesides to the devotionals, I hope I apply the things I have learned into my heart and work it 100% in the field and be 100% obedient.  I can't tell you how excited I am to get out of here!  haha don't get me wrong, I have loved the MTC, but there is only so much time you can spend here before you start to forget that there is an outside world beyond the MTC.  I see why two months is the max more or less because there is only so much time before you are dying to apply and put to the test the things you have learned here and your desire to share this message can't be contained!

I can testify to you that our Heavenly Father does answer our prayers.  Prayer can be such a profoundly faith building experience that we can do everyday.  It is our direct line to our Heavenly Father and the way we can build a very strong relationship to Him.  Prayer means so much to me throughout my life.  It is probably the main reason I'm still active in this church.  I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is always there for me in times of trouble, not only there in times of trouble, but always and we should always pray to Him in thanks when life is going good.  This church was restored through the power of prayer.  Joseph Smith was at a very troubled time in his life and then he took his trouble to the Lord and look what happened.  Heavenly Father answers our prayers in many different ways, but He always answers them in what's best for us.  Do not take for granted the opportunity to pray, but always pray in the sincerest way, with all thine heart. 

For my last week at the MTC I struggled to understand where the Lord needed me the most.  I was going to be reassigned because my visa had not yet arrived.  I prayed a lot to be understanding and be happy and willing to serve wherever I was assigned to.  Turns out the people of Brasil need me there the most to be helped with the Lord's hands through me.  My visa is on its way!!  I should be in Brasil the next week!  I'm so excited to get out into the field!  Anyways, my prayers were answered truly in a way I didn't expect. 

I love you guys, thank you for the amazing package you made at Youth Conference!  Pray always and remember your testimonies and never be ashamed to stand up for what's right.  I'm going to be doing a lot of that soon...

BTW I hope you like the pics...

Love,
Elder Howell

Tanner and Andy together again!!

Andy and Elder Estados

Our District, minus one, Elder Harston

who left a long time ago.

One of the sister's in our District, Sister Myer's mom made us these awesome

cakes on a stick and they had the Brazil flag on them!  It was the most

delicious cake/pop I have ever eaten.

One of our teachers Irmao Cannon and the Elders.

Andy gets word about his visa and gets to call home!!

Some excerpts from his email from Friday the 25th:

I was so taken away in the spirit in the past couple days becuase of all the mixed feelings of my last week in the MTC and being re-assigned and thinking of the mission field. For the past couple days I have prayed a lot to know and accept the Lord's plan for me whole-heartly be it where ever i would be re-assigned to. I fasted the last couple days to for the people of Japan and for you guys and for the missionaries who need their visas but mostly to receive an answer on wherever  i would be needed most. Thursday evening just yesterday the time was closing for the Travel office and for me to know that I would be needed more in Brazil or in S. Dakota...right before my thoughts were concluded on S. Dakota, I was called to the Travel Office for news of my Visa! It was one long walk to the travel office i will tell you that and I still have not yet actually recieved my visa but i should in the next couple days I will let you know as soon as i know when Im leaving and please continue to pray for visas for the other missionaries.

 

It was so wonderful to hear your voice yesterday as well and what crazy timing that I was able to talk to you right when you were getting home. Im sorry it was a very short conversation but that was all the time i was givin. I will call you guys again when i get to the airport!

 

Im so excited that i cant really put it into words to describe how excited I am to get out to the field in Brazil but Ill will be sad to be closer to Brian and Jeanne than to you guys when im there...it will be hard not recieving things as soon as i do now, but I know that when Im losing myself in the work, my worries will be swept away becuase i will be worrying too much for the people.

Fun email from Friday the 18th

Hi Dana!

 

I never get sick of receiving letters from you, they brighten up my day so much everytime I recieve one. Also give Madison a big hug for me for her sweet letter and I loved hearing about her testimony on music and hearing the lyrics from that song, plus also the lyrics from that new song you love. Its really hard not to be allowed to listen to our own music here in our residence halls (they had a problem with noise disturbence) because I love music so much but no worries becuase I will be able to listen to music real soon when Im out in the field!!! Also give Madison another big hug for the awesome letter I recieved from the ladies of S2 Ward. That was really cute and it meant a lot to me to hear from them. Tell them all a real big thanks from me. My Dad sounds like he has been really stressed out by his big presentation but yeah I know he is really blessed to have a wierdo accountant like you! haha I know he will be blessed by all the preparation he has done. He has done his part so now the rest is in the Lord's hands. I hope the two of you have the most splendid time in Hawaii and a safe flight. Im very happy you got to experience the majesty of the Portland temple a while ago and Im very jealous you will get to go to the Laie Temple. I know the two of you will have a great time even if the presentation doesnt turn out the best nonetheless. Re-assignments next week for me!? I cant believe how fast time has flown by here. Who knows when my visa will come but its all good, but I do pray that Elder Paxman's plan will work out! haha I was so happy to see him wed! I was hosting new missionaries and welcoming them in like you know the Elders that took me off when I first got to the MTC, I was one of them and anyways suddenly when I was smiling and waving at cars Tanner drove by and I just freaked out and didnt recognize him at first. I was speaking Portugles ( a mix between portugues and english i was so excited) becuase i couldnt think straight. haha Three of the people in my district left for Sao Paulo yesterday and it was really bittersweet to see them go, more visas have been coming in, in waves. The suspense is killing me and it will be a real bittersweet moment to get my visa becuase then i will be so far away. So to answer your question, Yes, honestly I have been a little Home sick but I think i will be alright, Im never alone...plus daylight savings time hasnt effected me at all really, I feel really blessed! 

I miss you guys and wish you a pleasant week!   

love you, Elder Howell