Hey Family,
Winter is coming to a close. Who would have thought it? Life is good but it’s getting hot and I’ll probably be sun burnt tomorrow. This morning we went to Itajai for P-Day. The idea is that we’d be hanging out with both Itajai groups, but Elder Bateman and Elder Farias didn’t show up. But lucky Michael was there. Kind of. The Brazilain people have stolen the name “Michael”, but are incapable of spelling. In order for it to sound like “Michael” they have to spell it “Myckon” “Micon” or “Mikon”. Anyways, “Michael” is a 20-something year-old high counselor in the stake. Yeah. Figure that one out. He’s fluent in English so its fun to hang out with him. We played random little games of soccer and a 3-on-2 “racist” game of basketball. Elder Harmon and I managed to beat Elder Stephanou, Elder da Rocha, and Michael by a score of 7-3. The hoops were around 9 feet tall any thought of a jump shot was a complete joke. Just to show whose country invented the sport we made sure to end it with a dunk. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
We will be having a few baptisms this week so I hope to have some pictures in the email next week. We’ll be baptizing two sons from a recently re-activated family. One is 11 and the other is 8 so only one will really be a baptism for the Brazil Florianopolis Mission. Then we’ll be baptizing a 13 year old girl who is best friends with a member and has been attending church for the past month. After baptizing her we’ll start working with her two sisters, her parents, and we’ve already started teaching other kids on her street. Elder da Rocha and I started counting yesterday and it looks like I’ll leave over 10 people (water ready) if I get transferred next week. No one likes that part but it’s no good to complain to the president.
I think Ramos (pronounced Hamos) will be calling you guys this week. A lady from the ward down here needs some medication that it seems you can only get in the US. Ramos will be calling (or already called) to see if you guys can help. He speaks English pretty well bust as a solid accent. Be good to him. He plays basketball.
This weekend is going to be D-Day in Barra Velha. Barra Velha is a little city about an hour north of Navegantes. During the summer it’s a busy vacationing spot for thousands, but the rest of the year it’s almost a ghost town. Let’s see what happens with 16 missionaries knocking doors. Wish us luck.
Thanks for everything. The sun is raging, the font is filling, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
One eye on the font, one eye on the sunscreen,
Elder Haws(mo)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
It's the Conference Spectacular
Hey Family,
P-Day on Tuesday. This sensation has become a little unfamiliar to me. We always did this in Concordia, but it’s become a little rarer here in Navegantes. We’ll have to improvise a little today to fill up our time, but we’ll probably be heading to Itajaí next week.
Zone Conference/Interviews was great. We used to have them on different days throughout the transfer, but for training purposes we’re lumping them all together until the end of the year. We left here Sunday night to stay in Itajai. Good times, little parties, and some sleeping. Yesterday we got up, got dressed, and got to the chapel at 8:15 so that we could be seated and ready to start at 8:30. At about 8:50 the assistants called the zone leaders and told them that they hadn’t even left the island yet. That being said, we abandoned the thought of sitting all pretty waiting for the president. Elders threw their coats off, the kicked their high heels off, and we scattered. I left the football with the rest of the elders as I took a small group to a local bakery to get some breakfast. We got back and I started playing catch while talking with Elder Larson. Time passed and we were sitting in the parking lot playing catch when the President, his wife, the assistants, and the president’s father showed up. We ran inside and got the meeting started at around 10:15. Only an hour and fifteen minutes late.
The regular Conference schedule got thrown out the window as we had a mini-MTC. President Queiroz and the assistants taught us some valuable techniques for utilizing the spirit, inviting people to baptism, and teaching the first two lessons. Now we’ve got the flipbooks back, only this time their Queiroz-style. President Queiroz’s dad was both mission president and temple president in Porto Alegre a while back. He taught us how to do contacts and first visits in people’s houses differently. Using 5-10 stories that blew everyone’s minds, he explained that these same techniques (that focus on our authority as missionaries) turned the Porto Alegre mission around. When he arrived the mission had 100 missionaries and was baptizing 50-60 people a month. Each of the 3 years he served as mission president the mission baptized hundreds of people each month. He promised us that if we have faith, we will see enormous numbers of people come to a sure knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel.
Well, how are you guys? Is Buffalo looking ready for the season? Is Warren nervous about grad school? Does Bentley love 1st grade? Is Max ready for kindergarten? Jonah excited to be the man of the house while his brothers are at school? Jake comes home next month? That’s not fair. Is it Mandy Burton that’s serving in Europe, or a different Burton girl? I’m worried about Derek’s health/weight if he doesn’t get out of the MTC soon. If Mexico doesn’t decide to let him in he’ll end up losing his Christmas phone call. No one is allowed to call from the MTC.
Life is good, there’s work to be done, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
The Father of an Angel,
Elder Haws(mo)
P-Day on Tuesday. This sensation has become a little unfamiliar to me. We always did this in Concordia, but it’s become a little rarer here in Navegantes. We’ll have to improvise a little today to fill up our time, but we’ll probably be heading to Itajaí next week.
Zone Conference/Interviews was great. We used to have them on different days throughout the transfer, but for training purposes we’re lumping them all together until the end of the year. We left here Sunday night to stay in Itajai. Good times, little parties, and some sleeping. Yesterday we got up, got dressed, and got to the chapel at 8:15 so that we could be seated and ready to start at 8:30. At about 8:50 the assistants called the zone leaders and told them that they hadn’t even left the island yet. That being said, we abandoned the thought of sitting all pretty waiting for the president. Elders threw their coats off, the kicked their high heels off, and we scattered. I left the football with the rest of the elders as I took a small group to a local bakery to get some breakfast. We got back and I started playing catch while talking with Elder Larson. Time passed and we were sitting in the parking lot playing catch when the President, his wife, the assistants, and the president’s father showed up. We ran inside and got the meeting started at around 10:15. Only an hour and fifteen minutes late.
The regular Conference schedule got thrown out the window as we had a mini-MTC. President Queiroz and the assistants taught us some valuable techniques for utilizing the spirit, inviting people to baptism, and teaching the first two lessons. Now we’ve got the flipbooks back, only this time their Queiroz-style. President Queiroz’s dad was both mission president and temple president in Porto Alegre a while back. He taught us how to do contacts and first visits in people’s houses differently. Using 5-10 stories that blew everyone’s minds, he explained that these same techniques (that focus on our authority as missionaries) turned the Porto Alegre mission around. When he arrived the mission had 100 missionaries and was baptizing 50-60 people a month. Each of the 3 years he served as mission president the mission baptized hundreds of people each month. He promised us that if we have faith, we will see enormous numbers of people come to a sure knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel.
Well, how are you guys? Is Buffalo looking ready for the season? Is Warren nervous about grad school? Does Bentley love 1st grade? Is Max ready for kindergarten? Jonah excited to be the man of the house while his brothers are at school? Jake comes home next month? That’s not fair. Is it Mandy Burton that’s serving in Europe, or a different Burton girl? I’m worried about Derek’s health/weight if he doesn’t get out of the MTC soon. If Mexico doesn’t decide to let him in he’ll end up losing his Christmas phone call. No one is allowed to call from the MTC.
Life is good, there’s work to be done, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
The Father of an Angel,
Elder Haws(mo)
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Day After Father´s Day (Brazilian Style)
Hey Family,
Half of this transfer is already over. The transfer had been crawling by until this last week which seemed to be over in 3 days. My perception of time is incredibly unreliable these days. Do you suppose that’s because I’m an old missionary, or because I’ve taken a little too much sun?
Next Monday will be Interviews/Zone Conference so don’t be expecting an email that day. I haven’t yet heard which day will officially be our P-Day so just relax next week if the email doesn’t come on Tuesday. Our style for doing contacts, giving the lessons, marking baptisms, and everything else we do will all officially change next Monday. President Queiroz has brought a new system/program/spirit to the mission field. Our Zone Leaders already talked about the change in contacts last week, but the rest will still be a mystery. If everything works out as planned I’ll be having a lot more reasons to send pictures home. Keep your fingers crossed!
Since we now have the keys to the locked cabinets at the chapel, we can start mixing up our morning exercises. For example, this morning we went to the church and played basketball and soccer. I played basketball and Elder da Rocha played soccer. Good times. I still feel like an idiot every time I pick up the ball, the shots weren’t falling like I want them to, but it’s much better exercise than I have been getting everyday.
Besides that, life keeps going. It rained all week, so we had to work a little more creative to get our contacts but it all worked out alright. Everyone is complaining about it being cold these days but I’m still working every day in short sleeves. Some people are starting to think that I’m crazy, but what else is new?
If you’re putting a package together I could use some new heads for my razor. Gillette Fusion. It still doesn’t exist in Brazil. And I could use some common medications. Allergy meds, Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol (chewable). Nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary. If there is any more room in the box toss in some more American candy.
Life is good, the sun is back, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
Happy Holidays,
Elder Haws(mo)
Half of this transfer is already over. The transfer had been crawling by until this last week which seemed to be over in 3 days. My perception of time is incredibly unreliable these days. Do you suppose that’s because I’m an old missionary, or because I’ve taken a little too much sun?
Next Monday will be Interviews/Zone Conference so don’t be expecting an email that day. I haven’t yet heard which day will officially be our P-Day so just relax next week if the email doesn’t come on Tuesday. Our style for doing contacts, giving the lessons, marking baptisms, and everything else we do will all officially change next Monday. President Queiroz has brought a new system/program/spirit to the mission field. Our Zone Leaders already talked about the change in contacts last week, but the rest will still be a mystery. If everything works out as planned I’ll be having a lot more reasons to send pictures home. Keep your fingers crossed!
Since we now have the keys to the locked cabinets at the chapel, we can start mixing up our morning exercises. For example, this morning we went to the church and played basketball and soccer. I played basketball and Elder da Rocha played soccer. Good times. I still feel like an idiot every time I pick up the ball, the shots weren’t falling like I want them to, but it’s much better exercise than I have been getting everyday.
Besides that, life keeps going. It rained all week, so we had to work a little more creative to get our contacts but it all worked out alright. Everyone is complaining about it being cold these days but I’m still working every day in short sleeves. Some people are starting to think that I’m crazy, but what else is new?
If you’re putting a package together I could use some new heads for my razor. Gillette Fusion. It still doesn’t exist in Brazil. And I could use some common medications. Allergy meds, Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol (chewable). Nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary. If there is any more room in the box toss in some more American candy.
Life is good, the sun is back, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
Happy Holidays,
Elder Haws(mo)
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Long Lost Jumpshot
Hey Family,
Good times here in Itajaí. This morning we got a bunch of elders together and played some basketball. I was teamed up with Elder Bateman and Elder Larson (from Meridian, ID) so we dominated anything and everything. We have the duty to represent our country well on the streses of Itajai. Now we just have to hope that our boys come home with the golds. Everyone down here keeps telling me that the Chinese are going to end up beating us in medals. What do you guys think? I’m kind of “out” of the sports conversations (except Cougar Sports) so I have no way of responding to them. Oh well. Life is good and it will keep coming. Oh, we also played a little soccer this morning. I really am not a huge fan of the sport. The only thing I can do with my feet is walk. Soccer was completely humnilihating, but everyone was nice enough to let me score a goal.
Elder Jackson is still hanging out in the Idaho Falls Stake? He is a great man. Trained 2 assistants? I’ve only put one in the office so far. Everyone thougt Elder da Rocha was going to become a secretary, but in the end he stayed put with me. With transfers coming up I‘m probably going to get moved but that’s ok. It’s probably someone else’s turn to soak up the blessings in Navegantes. We won’t be having any baptisms this week (and probably not the next week) but here in about a month two elders are going to be baptizing far more than they deserve.
Thanks again for the potato head doll. Luiza freaked out when she opened it. Good times. I’ve got almost all the rest of the stuff delivered so far. I just need to get the hymnbook on its way to Elder Lacerda. Hey, is it possible for you guys to get another bottle of contact solution in the mail to me? The bottle I’ve got now is only going to last about another month. I’ve also heard that seagull book sells rubber CTR rings. Basically the same thing as the Livestrong bracelets, only as rings for little kids. Rumor has it that they’re cheap and the little brazilians love them.
Well I better get running. Life is good, basketball always calms the nerves, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
Wishing I Could Make a 3-Pointer,
Elder Haws(mo)
Good times here in Itajaí. This morning we got a bunch of elders together and played some basketball. I was teamed up with Elder Bateman and Elder Larson (from Meridian, ID) so we dominated anything and everything. We have the duty to represent our country well on the streses of Itajai. Now we just have to hope that our boys come home with the golds. Everyone down here keeps telling me that the Chinese are going to end up beating us in medals. What do you guys think? I’m kind of “out” of the sports conversations (except Cougar Sports) so I have no way of responding to them. Oh well. Life is good and it will keep coming. Oh, we also played a little soccer this morning. I really am not a huge fan of the sport. The only thing I can do with my feet is walk. Soccer was completely humnilihating, but everyone was nice enough to let me score a goal.
Elder Jackson is still hanging out in the Idaho Falls Stake? He is a great man. Trained 2 assistants? I’ve only put one in the office so far. Everyone thougt Elder da Rocha was going to become a secretary, but in the end he stayed put with me. With transfers coming up I‘m probably going to get moved but that’s ok. It’s probably someone else’s turn to soak up the blessings in Navegantes. We won’t be having any baptisms this week (and probably not the next week) but here in about a month two elders are going to be baptizing far more than they deserve.
Thanks again for the potato head doll. Luiza freaked out when she opened it. Good times. I’ve got almost all the rest of the stuff delivered so far. I just need to get the hymnbook on its way to Elder Lacerda. Hey, is it possible for you guys to get another bottle of contact solution in the mail to me? The bottle I’ve got now is only going to last about another month. I’ve also heard that seagull book sells rubber CTR rings. Basically the same thing as the Livestrong bracelets, only as rings for little kids. Rumor has it that they’re cheap and the little brazilians love them.
Well I better get running. Life is good, basketball always calms the nerves, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.
Wishing I Could Make a 3-Pointer,
Elder Haws(mo)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)