I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

Hey Family,

I don't even know what to type anymore. The weeks are definitely going by quickly. We´re full of appointments, we've got a bunch of baptisms marked for NEXT WEEK, and everyone keeps talking about going home. Luckily I can say I'm not trunky. I'm ready to give it up, but not yet. Even though I got transferred less than a month ago, my bags aren't ready. Ever since I left Joinville I've been hauling around a third suitcase... another elder had left it there. Now I have stuff that fits in two bags, taking up space in three just to make packing at the transfers easier. I'm going to be happy to be home, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to leave Sao Francisco yet. It's a little branch that doesn't do a WHOLE lot of missionary work, but now I can see lots of things to do to help them help us, but not nearly enough time to do it. If it was a regular six-week transfer it might be easier to leave, but it's not, so I'll just have to deal with it.

This week was Zone Conference, which was awesome. It was kind of funny participating for the last time. I had to stand up in front of everyone to give my “last testimony”... even though I'll still have to give two more “last testimonies” before I get anywhere near a plane. This week it's just work. Friday will be a holiday, which could slow things down, but besides that it's just work. It'll be nice to focus, but so easy to get distracted.

As far as packing goes, I don't plan on bringing home a lot of clothes. Besides the clothes on my back I'll probably only bring home two long-sleeve white shirts (I think I only used one of them once) the two suits with the pants, and the winter clothing. The extra used-shirts, pants, and socks will get left or burned. I hope to have things pretty much ready by the time I email next week. I'll have to leave Sao Francisco at 9 pm next Tuesday to make it to transfers, so I'll have to be done packing before 6pm next Monday. Wish me luck.

Spring has definitely arrived down here. Everyone complains about cold and wind and I just laugh in there faces. They have no idea that it's practically summer back home and still snowing. The rain has been relentless this last week and has turned all of our pleasant dirt roads into mud. Just muck and grime everywhere we go. But that's life. We've got a cool mother-daughter combination that might be baptized this week but we need to run it by the branch president first. He's a pretty understand guy so hopefully it goes through.

I think you guys already got the itinerary, but here's a basic rundown:

Thursday May 7th : Florianopolis-Sao Paulo... 2.00-3.10
(wait for almost 7 hours)
Thursday May 7th : Sao Paulo-Dallas... 9.50-6.05
(wait for 3 and a half hours)
Friday May 8th : Dallas-Salt Lake.. 9.30-11.20
(Say goodbye to the rest of the group... and wait for 2 hours)
Friday May 8th : Salt Lake-IF... 1.40-2.37

The weather has cooled down, the rain has stopped, and I'm fine so stop worrying about me.

Eyes fixed on the work to be done,
Elder Haws(mo)

Where is MY SNOWSTORM?

Hey Family,

SNOW IN APRIL? That's what I'm talking about! Keep it coming for a couple more weeks. I'll be more than ready take care of it! We definitely aren't getting any snow down here. I showed the pictures Jenny sent of the snow to my companion, Elder Sampaio. He just stared, and then laughed. He's never seen anything that white. He even went so far as to mention that a snowstorm like that in his town would leave exactly ZERO survivors.

It's ridiculous. Our Zone has 16 missionaries and 4 of us our leaving in May. The problem being that one of them is Elder M. Cardoso, our Zone Leader in Fatima. As a Zone Leader he has unlimited minutes to any mission phone, so he occasionally calls me to tell me that he's trunky. He says he hates it, but can't help it. Every time he calls the office to ask for materials, bus tickets, or to pass the numbers the secretaries they remind him how many days he has left. It's tough. Sometimes when I meet a member for the first time I pretend to not speak Portuguese so that they won\t know I'm going yet. Every time I talk for real they say: ''Wait a second... your name tag isn't shiny... you're not new... when are you going home?'' Then they start the jokes. I think it's really amazing. When I was just starting out the mission the USA jokes, the Bush comments, the ''you guys are racists'' statements all didn't bother me. It seems as if I magically hit the point in the mission when I want to get in someone's face and show them they're wrong. The worst part is that I know it would be exactly like Bible bashing; it solves nothing and just gets everyone angry. As such I have to force myself to keep quiet and let it pass.

Speaking of Bible bashing, we're teaching a pair of sisters who belong to different churches. One is a seventh day adventist and the other is presbyterian (we went to their churches last week). This week we taught them the Plan of Salvation using only the bible. We stated our beliefs, found various scriptures to back everything up, and bore our testimonies. We went back last night, which unfortunately had given them enough time to talk to their pastors. They proceeded to inform us hat we had misinterpreted the scriptures and that our church has deceived us into believing something that isn't true. Elder Sampaio asked: ''Are you sure it's not the other way around?''. One sister replied: ''I KNOW it's not the other way'', and Elder Sampaio responded: ''Well, I KNOW that it is.'' They both got quiet and I barely kept myself from laughing. These two want to Bible bash with us REALLY BAD, but we're not up for it. The Adventist even gave me an ''Adventist Guide to Biblical Study'' so that I could prepare myself for the battle. It's gathering dust on the floor under my desk.

We've got an awesome family of three that we're currently teaching and looking to baptize. The problem is that they have to go to church two times to be baptized, and we rarely have church here in Sao Francisco. The first week was General Conference in Joinville, the second week was the recording of General Conference, yesterday I finally took the sacrament, but this weekend will be Stake Conference. Tomorrow is Zone Conference, which means one more day in Joinville. Correction, I'm actually in Joinville right now. Rather than travel in the middle of the night to get here for conference we came this morning. After Zone Conference tomorrow I'll be staying here because we'll have our divisions with the Zone Leaders. This week I'll be spending more time in Joinville than in Sao Francisco. The mission is crazy.

Just as a note, my WellsFargo card expired the first of April. It caught me by surprise, so the extra money on the card will be sitting there until I get home. I should have enough money here to get me to the end.

I'm in Joinville again, the sun is behind the clouds, and I'm fine so stop worrying about me.

Running on Fumes,
Elder Haws(mo)

"Holy" Sabbath‏

Hey Family,

Hope everyone had a good Easter, and that Greg is studying for finals. Easter was kind of a joke down here. They get Friday off as a holiday, so everyone was on the beach for three days. The streets were empty, the houses were locked up… and we didn’t even see police cars on the street. Life should be returning to normal soon, just have to keep working.

I had an interesting experience last night. In order to get an investigator to church yesterday we had to pull the old trick of “if you come to our church we’ll go to yours.” As such we got two more women to church, but we had to visit one of theirs yesterday. She said it was an Evolutionist Presbyterian, but she forgot to mention the band. We basically sat through a free hour-long hard rock concert. The band was pretty good; it’s just too bad the spirit wasn’t there at all. My companion felt so bad he couldn’t walk into the “chapel/warehouse” of the church; we just stood out in the foyer. It was a fun little experience, and really helped to strengthen our testimony of the true church.

Today we’re hanging out in Joinville. We have a member who comes to Joinville a couple times a week, so if it lands on Monday we get to come and go for free. That means some easy soccer time. Last week we were here because of General Conference, this week because of a free ride, and next week we’ll have Zone Conference on Tuesday so we’ll hang out on Monday to play ball. It’s a tough life, but somebody’s got to do it.

Give Milo a hug for me. We’ll have to be getting him his BYU gear soon. We can’t run the risk of letting a Ute into the family. We’ll have him screaming Cougar and Potato at least as well as the Brazilian Primary before too long.

There’s work to be done, “winter” is on the way, and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.

Contemplating the concert,
Elder Haws(mo)

Deja vu?

Hey Family,

Here I am, bouncing around Joinville again. It just so happens that today I’m in Itaum, my old area. We had to come yesterday morning (we woke up at 5am) to come for General Conference, and we’re staying because our Zone Leaders want to do a zone meeting tomorrow. You have to love traveling… or not.

Conference was great. We got to watch the Priesthood rebroadcast in Portuguese in the morning, and then watched the English Sunday Sessions live in the afternoon and early evening. We all cheered during Elder Perry’s talk. Last year it was Bednar who decided to talk about missionary work, this time around we got Perry. If things don’t shape up in various parts of the world we might get the Prophet next time. Go apostles.

Sao Francisco is a nice little city on the northern island of Santa Catarina. Rumor has it that there’s a bridge we cross to get there, but every time we pass by I’m asleep. Go figure. We have a little branch with around 50 active. At least, that’s what they tell me. I haven’t been to sacrament meeting yet. Elder Sampaio is from a state named BAHIA. It’s up in the northeast part of the country. He’s from the city of Ilheus. He came to the mission at the same time as Elder Hill and Elder Cook (October). He’s probably going to take over as senior companion as soon as I’m gone. He’s got a great desire to work, a creative mind, and a love for the people. Elder Sampaio was baptized 4 years ago, and since then has helped to baptize his mother, a sister, and a brother. He just needs to get home and throw his dad and older sister in the water to complete the family. He hopes that if he works extra hard the Lord might help his family “get splashed” while he’s here.

Give Uncle Doug a hug for me. He is a good, good man. Oh, if it keeps snowing around there, make sure to save a little for me. I miss the stuff. Then again, after two years of Brazil, who knows if I’m going to like it anymore? We walk around in the hot sun all day everyday, play soccer VERY frequently (we played for P-Day today, we’ll have a branch soccer activity tomorrow, and play human … foosball (?) at a missionary activity on Thursday.), etc. I hope and pray that the fluffy, cold, white snow is still appealing.

Jenny. No more false alarms. If you’re going to have the baby… have it. I’m cheering for you.

Sao Francisco is flat, Sao Francisco has breeze and I’m fine so stop worrying about me.

Wandering my old stomping ground,
Elder Haws(mo)