Baptizing until the airplane ride

Hey everyone, this week as been a very special week for me. Starting last pday... after finishing writing my weekly emails to you all. We left  (and I was super stoked to have a great week, thanks for the motivation emails) and we had a special family home evening with one of our investigators, Teresa Rodriguez, (who has been investigating with us for about 3 and 1/2 months) And a great new fam we have in the ward. In this family home evening the spirit guided the lesson (given from the 3 daughters of the family, 5,7, and 10 years of age) towards baptism, making decisions, being an active person. So while in this family home evening a week ago, Teresa said "ya know, I had been thinking a lot about baptism lately. I know the elders have challenged me before, but I was unsure... BUT NOW, I KNOW I NEED TO DO IT" So as you can imagine, I (internally) screamed like a little girl and challenged her to get baptized my VERY LAST day of my mission.. she replied "why not? Yeah, I will get baptized on the 30th of November!" Everyone in the house started to give her a hug and the family really made her feel special.

And the blessings didn't stop there... the next day (Tuesday) one of our other investigators (  Anderson, who is practically already a member) comes up to elder Levi and I and says "Ive been wanting to get baptized for awhile, and I want to do it before Elder Howard goes home"... okiedokie... So it looks like I will be living the dream of every missionary... "walking on the plane with wet pants on" or in other words... baptizing to the end. I feel incredible blessed to see so many tender mercies of the Lord in my life.

Remind me when I'm there to tell you about my "goodbye" in Church... ahaha So embarrassing!

Well, I am a lot more chill that I thought I was going to be.. up until now, even though I'm not sleeping. Knowing that my Dad´s challenge to me to baptize someone else before I come home is coming true(a huge motivation booster for me), a weight off my shoulder is taken off. I have a lot of saying goodbye BBQ`s for this week. haha I love my Chilean friends and it is so gratifying to see their love that they have for me! Elder Howard is the elder most blessed and least deserving! but I am sure grateful for it!

I love you all!

Farewells

Well, another week passed by and more people coming closer to our savior. This last week was a very special week, as I was allowed to go up to Alto Hospicio(The city where I started my mission) yesterday to go make a surprise visit to my 1st converts and families that I taught. The 1st house we went to (Marlene and Carlos), when I knocked on the door, Marlene opened the door, and was confused for a second.. then said "elder Howard???" "What happened to you? you are sooo skinny, did you get sick?".... I started laughing so hard. It was a sweet reunion visiting the 1st family that I baptized. She is doing great, And Carlos was at work but I called him and talked to him for a little bit. I told them I will pass by another day when he gets back from working in the mine!

We also visited my Chilean mother, Alejandra!!! My 1st baptism! And her daughter Geraldine... When they opened the door and saw my face they started to scream! after a year and a half and limited contact, It was one of the most special moments of my mission. They couldn't hold back the hugs and kisses... it was like an alligator attacking a water buffalo. I was so happy just to sit down and talk to them for a while. I didn't get to see very many more yet, but in the next couple weeks I will get to return.

I love you all,

Elder Howard

The ship is about to sail!!!

Oh the places you go and the people you meet!

Sharing suckers and the Gospel

Peruvian Israelite Gido

I am Chilean

Yeah if you haven't noticed I have gotten really lazy at writing my weekly letter... and I'm not sending my weekly voice mails just so I can tell you the stories in person! hahah Well all is going really well. With the exception that my comp has gotten sick this week and was a little slow.. but just lots of prayers for him. Up until this time I have put off that thought of "my mission is going to end" and still it hasn't hit home.. Everyone here are counting down the days and It is impossible to escape the people that say " oh, you are going to be with your sweet family in such a short time". And now the more than I think about that, the more I realize how much I'm going to miss everything that I have here. I'm a little Chilean myself.. When I look in the mirror I feel like I look like them. I think like them, I eat like them, I am a Chilean, as a matter of fact I'm going to marry one! (hehe just kidding mom). And I love it. I will commit myself to enjoying my days as a Chilean for as long as I can. And even more important than being a Chilean, I will be the best Representative of our savior Jesus Christ... That is what is most important to me! I love you all and hope to hear from yall next week!

Elder Howard

ps. These are the pictures of the guy that walks around giving suckers to everyone inviting them to come to church! haha love it! ¡ El Chupetero!

The straight and narrow has ups and downs

Well this has been officially the 1st week in my whole mission were my companion and I have passed hunger. Well, its our fault because everyone in our house spent the money for October really quick. So we have been going through the classic hunger pains almost every night! It is so much worse because you don't get any blessings when you starve, only when you fast! We really couldn't fast because we have to take advantage of every moment that someone offered us food. In the end, many prayers were answered and I know many people were inspired and to give us a bit of food here and there. haha All of us said, No, we will not take money out from home because that is for losers. haha we made it.. Rumor has it this afternoon we get it! Lets pray! But nah it wasn't bad at all... just after 22 months you would think I could manage my money throughout the month. All is good now!

Well we had a great week. And I and putting my companion on a 6 week to Senior comp streak program. I have him taking charge in the things that are typically hard for new missionaries to do. So far so good.. It is awesome because I have seen a lot of his lazy tendencies leave. (we cant be perfect right) haha but he is on the path upward. I read something cool that I liked this week. "You know, the path to eternal life IS straight and narrow... that's how it is and it always will be like that and everyone knows. The thing that people don't realize is that just because it is straight and narrow, doesn't mean that it is flat... in fact, it rises, has ups and downs along the way. It never curves and never will, but it sure is a difficult straight hill we all need to climb!" I know that this is true. No matter where we are, we have to always continue climbing... UPWARDS!

I love you all so much.

Elder Howard

Return Date Announced

Elder Buck Howard will be returning to Utah on December 4, 2013. He will have his homecoming on December 15th at 9:00am at the Kenwood 1st Ward located at

1765 Gregerson Ave. 3080 S.

Come welcome him home!

Who's trunkie?

Warming up Ricky Martin' s Limo

The Pizza Crew

Letter to Grandma

It truly was such a spiritual conference. I felt the love of our savior very strongly! I receive lots of personal revelations as well. Holy molly grandma, I don't know how people can watch that conference and not feel that this is the ONLY true Church of the Lord. The Church is perfect... I love the pure doctrine as well. The most important revelation that I receive was "how important conference is". After my mission, i have to take is serious... its not a "week off of Church" as I had thought before. yet we should treat it as 10 hours of the best sacrament meeting we could attend. haha It was embarrassing telling all of the people of Chile that I live in Salt Lake City, but I have never been to the General Conference... as these people would do anything to go see it, I had lived there 19 years and never went. We have to set that as a goal grandma... Go to the conference together! I would LOVE that!

Good to hear that everyone is alive and well... haha I will keep working in the Lord's Vineyard! Love you grandma! Tell great grandma Howard I say Happy Birthday!

Elder Buck w. Howard

The Target is Eternity

This week has been a very special week. As we had our 2nd conference with President Dalton, I guess he is still new to all of us elders and sisters. But it was a really special conference for me personally. Other then the fact that President Dalton is known for his long wind, the spirit testified a couple things to me that really hit home. With president Bruce... the focus was BAPTIZE BAPTIZE BAPTIZE. And many times we as missionaries, we so overwhelmed with the fact the we need to baptize the world, that we kinda created a mess. Well its really hard to explain over email... but in the end the Lord has helped me understand the importance of the new vision that our mission president has right now. We are going crazy trying to do EVERYTHING in our power to help our wards and stake here in IQUIQUE and we are seeing progress. This week we had 100 people in church... a great feat here in the ward. The vision to work with members is harder and we as a mission are baptizing more then 70% LESS people already. after 3 months with the new president our baptisms have dropped... but I have the faith that his vision will take flight and we will be able to reach goals. I however, will never have to opportunity to see the great results of what we are doing right now.. he has compared us to the "forefathers" of this new mission. So my work may go unnoticed but I know I am giving my all, and I am doing in the in way and in the name of the Lord. That is what matters.. not how many baptisms one finishes their mission with. Anyways.. I will send voice messages next week.. some good funny stories have happened recently! ;)

I love you all

Elder Howard

ps. WATCH CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND...

pss. I'm going to share one of my questions with you... "Do the modern day 12 apostles walk and talk with Christ" 

Empanadas?

Mormon Message

Well this week was the famous 18th of September.. and needless to say.. a set back in the work of the Lord. The 18th of this month, Chileans celebrate their own 4th of July or Independence day. Here known as "Fiestas Patrias".. Everyone here gets work of for the whole week and spend the majority of their time eating lots of BBQ's and throwing back their classic 12 pack of cheap beer. Our sector was dead, literally felt like we were in a ghost town. But we made it through the week! Thank goodness. It would have been fine in we could have done a ward activity but last minute they said changed their minds. So we found other things to do to have fun and still try and be somewhat productive. We had family home evenings in the church, played some ping pong ect. I'm stoked to be able to start a new week though.

We just got done planning a sick activity. In some of the pictures that I have sent home there is a place called Plaza Prat.. it has some cool buildings and everything. Any who, we talked with the local government and scheduled a time for October 5th (none other than conference day) to watch Saturdays sessions of General conference in public with everyone so they can listen to a prophets voice. Lots of planning! hehe

This week we had a really cool experience. So we went to visit one of the recent converts here in our sector (Jorge) and he just got the M. priesthood like 3 weeks ago. He is the only member of his family and his wife and kids don't really support him in the whole "church thing". So he told us Saturday when we went to visit him, that earlier at work that very day, he was about to commit a sin, very serious sin. He goes on and says the temptation grew so strong that he couldn't think straight, He told us that he had the circumstances present to commit adultery and he was seriously contemplating it. He said in that moment he quickly knelt down to do a prayer. In that instant a power, and an overcoming sensation came over him telling him "DONT DO IT". And with Jorge's new found strength, he fled from the temptation and when quickly to him home to be with his family.

His story reminded me of a Mormon message... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700151909/Elder-Hollands-powerful-new-Mormon-Message-on-pornography-cautions-men-to-Watch-Your-Step.html?pg=all ... Watch your step... 

I couldn't help but commend him for making the right decision. He is such a great guy, I truly love him. I also reassured him that Satan's temptations never cease.. we just have to keep fighting his evil ways and gain the momentum that we obtain as we dedicate our lives to living the Lords commandments! The thing is, as we see the affects of looking at pornography in the video, I know that we could replace that with many other sins in its place and have very similar destructive results. As Elder Holland requests, "Watch our steps".

I love you all and look forward to your emails next week! 

Love, Elder Buck W. Howard

Weird Missionaries

Door knocker or dinner?

Hello & goodbye

Helloooo

Farewells 

Fiestas Patrias

Well this week was the famous 18th of September.. and needless to say.. a set back in the work of the Lord. The 18th of this month, Chileans celebrate their own 4th of July or Independence day. Here known as "Fiestas Patrias".. Everyone here gets work of for the whole week and spend the majority of their time eating lots of BBQ's and throwing back their classic 12 pack of cheap beer. Our sector was dead, literally felt like we were in a ghost town. But we made it through the week! Thank goodness. It would have been fine in we could have done a ward activity but last minute they said changed their minds. So we found other things to do to have fun and still try and be somewhat productive. We had family home evenings in the church, played some ping pong ect. I'm stoked to be able to start a new week though.

We just got done planning a sick activity. In some of the pictures that I have sent home there is a place called Plaza Prat.. it has some cool buildings and everything. Any who, we talked with the local government and scheduled a time for October 5th (none other than conference day) to watch Saturdays sessions of General conference in public with everyone so they can listen to a prophets voice. Lots of planning! hehe

This week we had a really cool experience. So we went to visit one of the recent converts here in our sector (Jorge) and he just got the M. priesthood like 3 weeks ago. He is the only member of his family and his wife and kids don't really support him in the whole "church thing". So he told us Saturday when we went to visit him, that earlier at work that very day, he was about to commit a sin, very serious sin. He goes on and says the temptation grew so strong that he couldn't think straight, He told us that he had the circumstances present to commit adultery and he was seriously contemplating it. He said in that moment he quickly knelt down to do a prayer. In that instant a power, and an overcoming sensation came over him telling him "DONT DO IT". And with Jorge's new found strength, he fled from the temptation and when quickly to him home to be with his family.

His story reminded me of a Mormon message... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700151909/Elder-Hollands-powerful-new-Mormon-Message-on-pornography-cautions-men-to-Watch-Your-Step.html?pg=all ... Watch your step... 

I couldn't help but commend him for making the right decision. He is such a great guy, I truly love him. I also reassured him that Satan's temptations never cease.. we just have to keep fighting his evil ways and gain the momentum that we obtain as we dedicate our lives to living the Lords commandments! The thing is, as we see the affects of looking at pornography in the video, I know that we could replace that with many other sins in its place and have very similar destructive results. As Elder Holland requests, "Watch our steps".

I love you all and look forward to your emails next week! 

Love, Elder Buck W. Howard

Hard Working Missionaries

Successful Family

Well, long and behold transfer day came along. Elder Butler is on his way to Arica. I will be staying in Iquique with my last companion Elder Levi.. He is from La Pampa, Argentina. It is a special assignment that I have been given from our mission president. When the assistants called me to advise me of my transfer they went into some detail about why I need to be his companion and some of the difficulties that he is having. I don't think I need to go into specifics but I know it will be a challenge. I don't know who he is but I am excited to be 100% obedient with him and become his new best friend. And I'm excited to have a Latin comp too.. its been practically 1 year since I've had a Latin comp. Maybe I will learn Spanish again! But, I will be missing my boy Elder Butler but he will be blessed with this new transfer. He is finally getting a Latin comp so he can get better at Spanish.. I didn't help him all that much with that one but now all is good there. He is also going as a co Sr. comp. kinda weird but good for him hehe. As far as the rest of the transfers in the mission.. all of my good mission buddies are happy throughout the mission. 

I just got done reading Elder Walker Wards last email as he will be home this Wednesday.. he said that the last part is a hard mentally. I know Its going to be a good metal battle fighting through the last stretch of the mish. With this new assignment it will test me to the max but I am prepared and don't worry at all. I give a shout out to my boy walker, and I know that he was one of the best missionaries in the world.

This week was an awesome week to finish the transfer. Sunday was such a great day. We had the baptism of Andres... We had been waiting along time for that baptism. It was partially sad because we were waiting for his older brother (Joshua) to baptize him, he just needed permission from the bishop to do it... but his girlfriend came into town from Bolivia and fell into temptation. And as a result, he wasn't able to baptize his brother. We are going to continue working with Joshua to help him stay strong in the church... It was sad to hear when he told us he wasn't going to be able to baptize his brother. And he felt even worse that day when he watched my companion baptize his brother for him. That's a lesson learned right there... ALWAYS be worthy and ready to use the priesthood.

Also, in Church Sunday we had received so many blessings! We had randomly show up one of our new investigators named Roxana, who is a single mom that wants to quit taking drugs. It was such a surprise that she really showed up after only teaching her once. Of course she showed up dressed like she just got back from the late night dance club... but that's fixing for later time. She is awesome, she stayed for the classes and participated a ton. She wanted to stand up in front of everyone and tell her experience about why she needs and wants to stop taking drugs and how she knows that this Church is the way to do it. She made tons of friends and loved the class.

Also, Gonzalo and Cindy(a really good couple that we found and are teaching) came and it was practically the same story as Roxana, they were both talking so much about how special the Church was and it was their 1st time being there. FINALLY we are finding some good investigators to be able to teach, take to church, and baptize. Things are going great..

We had a great lesson by Elder Rodriguez in the Gospel principles class. It was based on how to have a successful family. I challenge all to read the chapter that talks about the family in the Gospel principles manuel. This is the part that I want you to print and apply and always keep it in mind!

How to Have a Successful Family

• •
   What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?

President Harold B. Lee taught, “The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 134).

Satan knows how important families are to our Heavenly Father’s plan. He seeks to destroy them by keeping us from drawing near to the Lord. He will tempt us to do things that will draw our families apart.

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared, “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

All of us want to have happy, successful families. The following things will help us achieve this:

1. 1. 
    Have family prayer every night and morning (see 3 Nephi 18:21). Pray together as husband and wife.
2. 2. 
    Teach children the gospel every week in family home evening.
3. 3. 
    Study the scriptures regularly as a family.
4. 4. 
    Do things together as a family, such as work projects, outings, and decision making.
5. 5. 
    Learn to be kind, patient, long-suffering, and charitable (see Moroni 7:45–48).
6. 6. 
    Attend Church meetings regularly (see D&C 59:9–10).
7. 7. 
    Follow the counsel of the Lord in D&C 88:119: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”
8. 8. 
    Keep a family history, perform temple work together, and receive the sealing ordinances of the temple.

The family is the most important unit in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church exists to help families gain eternal blessings and exaltation. The organizations and programs within the Church are designed to strengthen us individually and help us live as families forever.

If we cant check yes on every single one of those 8 points... We know that we have something to work on!

Elder Buck

Bob Marley's Dog???

Life at the Beach

Joy and Fun

Futbol Crew

Family Castillo Arellano

Pioneers and the old guy

Well this week was a pretty sick one need to say the least. This week, our main focus was our ward Pioneer activity that we held this Friday. IT WAS DOPE.. I had so much fun. I DJ'ed the whole thing and I loved every second of it. I have definitely learned on my mission how much I love being behind a microphone! We taught everyone how to make a Banana, peach, and apple pie( I guess that is something pioneer like) not gonna lie, very few people even understand what or who the Mormon pioneers were so it was easy to do. We had a 3 legged race and we only had a few injuries.. note to self: never again do a 3 legged race on rough cement with lots of little gravel rocks. Also, the classic stick pull.. My comp is stronger than everyone so he ended up winning the competition. After that we play Hop, Step, Jump.. the kids loved that game. And the best part of it all was all the delicious pies we made. Oh my we have made like 25 pies this week. So good. OH and of course we HAD to teach them some kind of pioneer dance... so we made up our own line square dance mixed with the boot scootin boogie. It was a hit... and I've gotta give it to the Chileans, they pickup it up really quick.

It was a great sunday! We are finding tons more new investigators and taking them to Church... Its rough because we don't have any baptism dates right now but here soon we should be able to get some people committed to baptism! 

Yesterday we did a Sector attack in another ward to search for less active members... And I got to choose which of the members I wanted to leave with and so as I looked around I saw this older man and said "shoot, I wanna go see what this old guy is made off". So we were the 1st ones to leave, his name is Manuel, so we started talking and this guy tells me his life story and wow this dude is such a spiritual giant! He told me we was baptized 7 years ago in Peru.. after a life time of searching for the true Church of God, he never was satisfied with the teachings of the other religions until one day he just had to scream to 2 missionaries prancing down the street.. he started listening to them and was baptized along a short time after. He says he read the scriptures every day and stayed faithful... But is wife never got baptized. He started to work in the temple and dedicate his life to temple work, but still after all these years his wife is not a member. But as I heard this old man, as we walked in these dirty streets, I have never heard of a man with so much faith, he said"I know that it is going to be hard, but I know, I know that someday soon my father in heaven will touch my sweet little wife's heart and she will get baptized" this guys faith is rock solid. I loved this man.. and as a result (of his faith) we found an inactive family for the last 5 years that was sealed in the temple, And we found all of them and we were able to share our testimonies... This family is going to come back to Church. in the end, I had to thank "that old man" for showing me all that he was made of... because he is a true servant of our Lord with a great testimony and even greater faith in the Savior.

Elder Buck Howard

IQUIQUE

Elder Howard you are being transferred!!! You will be going to....... IQUIQUE!!!!!!!!! I am stoked outta my mind for my transfer! Iquique is the neighboring city of my 1st sector in my mission! So now I will be able to go say hi to all of my 1st converts and people up there in Alto Hospicio. So now Iquique should be my last sector in my mission.. And I am really so excited to be able to be here. I am in a great ward and have a cool companion. His name is Elder Bulter from Queen Creek, Arizona. He has like 4 months in his mission, so he is still pretty new. I am now no longer a zone leader but now a District leader again.. And I have all sister missionaries in my district! I'm stoked about it.. they should be cool! 

It was so hard though to say goodbye to everyone Sunday. I will never be able see them again, this being my last sector, so it was a day full of tears and hard goodbyes. I took about a million pictures of everyone though so I have great memories of the people in Arica. It was seriously just as hard to say goodbye to these people as it was saying goodbye to you guys. I already want to go see them all again, but that is not how it works. I am stoked however to kill it here in Iquique! I have set gnarly high goals for this time in my mission. I have to finish strongly.. I cant come home without giving my 100 percent as a missionary. I will make all the sacrifices that I can to help as many of Gods`s Children enter into his kingdom. The Lord loves me and truly blesses me... I would be a selfish disgrace if I don't give all that I am and finish the best 2 years of my life with honor!!!

Hope you guys are all well there in the states... know that I am doing really quite great! I am stoked for this sacred time in my mission!!!

I love you guys!!!

Elder Buck W. Howard

Celestial Brothers

Brothers

Ready to Baptize at Anytime!!!

Changing of the Guard

So it has been a fantastic week! I mean its really lame because President Bruce went home on Friday, and I already miss the guys face. However, I am more than thrilled that President Dalton is in the house! haha I am ready to take on all the new changes that will come with a new mission president. As I leader I feel a strong responsibility to help the other missionaries accept him over President Bruce.. even though there is nobody as big of a fan as I am of him, his time has come and president Daltons has too! Besides papi Bruce has to start preparing he apostleship acceptance speech for the next conference! I wouldn't put it passed him!

With the new coming of our new president, my comp elder Richards and I decided to take advantage of the blank sheet ever missionary gets. We re-enacted with our zone the Richboy wondering want he needs to do to obtain eternal life, as found in Matt 19. And we focused on verse 20.. and more specifically the question given, "What more do I lack?" Standing at the pulpit in the church, I was able to bare witness to the missionaries that we lack is many things and now is the time to brush off the dirt(kinda hard when we live in the desert) and get our heads back in the game of life, and the work of the Lord. We have many new great goals as a zone and most importantly as championships as we challenged all the missionaries to talk that night about that question "What more do I lack to obtain eternal life, or in other words, What more do I lack to become the best missionary that the Lord has, what more do I lack until I can baptize 150 every month, or what more do I lack until I can become a celestial missionary. It was a fun night to be with the elders.

Well at the start of every month we receive our monthly allowance of 160 dollars for all of our expenses for the month (haircut, food, gym passes, transportation ect ect.) And I would proudly like to tell you all starting the month off today being July 1ST... my companion and I both have 10 dollars left for the rest of the month. So if I don't write you guys back the next 3 weeks it is because we can afford to pay the Internet cafe guy. nah, I will still write you, but the 10 dollar thing isn't a lie. Earlier this week, at 1 o  clock we felt that we should visit Alejandra(our lovely recent convert) as we found her taking out her car, she had a sad face on and wasn't stoked outta her mind to see us as she normally is.. so it didn't take a rocket scientist to notice that something was wrong. So as we asked her what was up.. she said I have to pay a ticket  and if I don't I have to go to jail for 5 days and still pay it after... but I don't have the money so she desperately settled for the jail sentence. So we asked her, how long do you have to pay the ticket.. she said "oh 2 o clock" (it already being 1) so without thinking much my comp and I rushed to take out our money for the month to give it to her for ticket so she didn't have to go to jail. We made it just it time! thank goodness! Her face lit up and she teared up as we said a prayer with her.. I just hope her face didn't light up because she just scammed 2 innocent 20 year old kids! hahah no I trust her with my life... she said I will pay ya back as soon as I can. (hopefully this month... that would be preferred, if not elder Richards and I will be looking for employment in the morning for study time)!! Anywho, this experience made me think back to all those time my parents bailed me out of moment like this.. hahah I don't ever want to have kids!!!!

Love you all.. Elder Howard

Eating with Alejandro

Howard and Packard combo

Rocky the Mission Dog

The burning of the year & a half pants

God's Army

God's Army

Elder Richards and Elder Howard
The dynamic duo

The Lord loves me and I can testify of that love. Well I have been saying this whole weekend that this has been one of the best weeks of my mission!!!! I have been SO highly blessed lately. (ever since our wonderful Skype call) I have seen so many miracles,  unthinkable blessings and sweet events  transpire( <- I used this word in a sentence this week and my companion said that it was totally not the right use of the word, I still defend it... I hope i am right ) And these 2 pictures that are attached are a great part of this blessings. ( I will expound much much more on a voice recording) It suffices me to say that both baptisms of Feña and Alejandra went extremely well. As I just wrote to my Mission President, I have to thank the our Father constantly for that which I have. Its just a great time to be elder Howard right now.

Love Elder Howard

Companions & compadres

Elder Howard and President Bruce

Tie Exchange

The daily life of a missionary

Chile Super Zone

Pyramid of Elders in Arica Chile

Ooops

Well where to start?!? I'm stoked on life right now!! In our Zone right now we are close to reaching our goal for the month of 16 baptisms. We have 7 confirmations and 11 baptism dates for this last week of the month. I HOPE WE CAN DO IT. It will be a miracle if we do. I have the best missionaries in the whole mission here right now. The Lord is blessing us like crazy sauce!

Remember Ricardo from Copiapo.. The guy that Elder coats and I were teaching. He is the one that gets abducted by North American aliens and still follow him. Yeah, He is getting BAPTIZED NEXT MONTH!!! Elder coats tells me during sacrament meeting when they do the prayers, he kneels down in the middle of the isle. CLASSIC!!

 Well... my boy and companion of 4 weeks (this transfer was only 4 weeks long instead of 6 because they took off 2 weeks of our mission due to the rapid increase of missionaries) Elder Lastarria, just got on a 24 hour long Bus ride to Vallenar. I have loved this short time with him and I have learned a lot from him. His is one of the more humble Argentines that I have met which is really saying something (those who are familiar with Argentines knows that that is a rare quality). He is a really good people person and so that has been fun as well.  I have been blessed with the greatest companions in the world and now.... things aren't going to change. My new companion is Elder Hubler... He is from my MTC group and so I am already good buds with the guy. He is a hoot. I'm stoked outta my mind excited... We have so much potential to do great things! 

Yesterday as we were saying goodbye to some people before my comp left, we visited one of our favorite families. As we were talking the little daughter asked if we wanted Juice.. "of course" we said. she then skipped her way into the kitchen to make the Juice. The rest of the family went into a different room quickly leaving my companion and I alone. After a short time the little girl comes back to the room with 2 glasses, shaking a bottle of  deep red juice.. and it was just the juice that I thought it was. Heavens forbid it is horrible... it is some special Peruvian substance. As she poured the juice, I tasted it to confirm the rancidness of it.. and it was the same as always. So then they little girl left the room skipping once again leaving us alone.. I looked at my comp.. we both shook our heads.. and I quietly walked to the nearby bathroom to quickly dispose of the red "wine" like drink. As I enter the bathroom I pour the juice in the sink with the intention not to offend the little girl. As I do that, I look down at the ground and I screamed inside! turns out, the sink in the bathroom was disconnected and the staining red juice spilled out all over the floor!! My companion starts laughing hysterically.. I was like "oh fetch I don't know what to do". I heard voices coming back into the room so I had to hurry and shut the door. And I, panicking, oh shoot oh shoot.. I ended up disarming the sink, reorganized the bathroom, wiping everything down with 1 roll of toilet paper that had been left over. It was a mess! Elder Lastarria was laughing uncontrollably, they were asking where I was and I was in the bathroom for like 30 mins. FINALLY, I finish, it looked great. I Walked out sweating like crazy.. everyone looked at me all weird and everyone just started laughing. (they just thought I had a rough time in the bathroom...) As I leave the mom of the family walks in the bathroom. I accidentally left the glass on the toilet.. I got caught. . then everyone laughed again.

We a missionary in our zone right now that really needs your prayers also. Elder Muñoz. If you could please pray for him as we think he will be ending his mission early. We need some more help.

Love (Elder HOWARDyou) as the Chileans say.. thinking they speak English

Kool Aid Anyone?

Drinking water in Chile

Four eyes

Ready to study

P-Day Paint Ball