Week 9

Oi Tudo Bom? (Hi, All Good?)
I was going to send a few pictures today but I forgot my cable and so can't copy them onto the computer :( There's always next week though! So much has happened in the first two weeks in the field. I'm in Bauru now, it's in the state of Sao Paulo and not Parana like most the rest of the mission. It's a city of about 300,000 people and there are five wards here. It's a really hard area to teach. There are lots of rich areas that are pretty nice but the people don't want to hear our message and then there is the edge of the city: it's a whole different world! There's tons of homeless people and lots of houses that are falling over. They build their houses out of this red brick thing and cement but always mix too much sand into the cement so that it's cheaper but then it's crumbly and washes away a little bit with each rainstorm. It's first and third world in the same place. They can't even have a decent house but they spend money on a car. All some of them want is the instant gratification but not any responsibility that it takes to have a nice house and stuff. Some people have horses they ride around the streets. It's really weird to see. The people drink a lot and smoke lots of weed. It's sad to see but they think they have nothing better to do since a lot of them don't have jobs. But there's a lot of good people out in that area too! The neighborhood is called Jardim Jaragua and is about an hour and fifteen min walk from our house. We take the bus sometimes and it's only about 30 minutes but we need to get our increased funds request approved before we will have enough to ride the bus twice a day to there and back.
There is a guy named Jose Carlos, he's probably 45, who is starting his own church and we started teaching him. He's reading the Book of Mormon now but doesn't quite see the connection that there is only one completely true church on the earth. We need to do better and try to help him understand this.
Also, there is Everton, he's 26 and still lives with his family, like most people here do. We met him on the street and got his address and then said we would stop by sometime that week. We ended up walking right next to him later that day and then a huge crazy rainstorm started and so we all ran into his house to get out of it. We took the opportunity to teach him the first lesson and he was really receptive. He isn't a member of any church but believes in God and has had prayers answered before, he prayed with us in his room. The rain was pounding hard on the corrugated steel roof making hard to hear, a fan going to try and get rid of some of the gross humidity and tacky air in the little room but none of that mattered, you could feel in the room the Love of God, the Spirit was so strong, testifying to him that Joseph Smith was a prophet! It was such a great experience! We haven't been able to meet with him again yet bu we'll keep going to his house.
There's a little girl named Maria Eduarda that we have been teaching too. Her mom is already a member and her brother, Vitor, just got baptized two months ago. They are both super great kids! She just doesn't know if she wants to get baptized yet. I really hope she makes up her mind but we just have to wait and see.
There's also a lot of snakes, they always want you to speak English and sometimes travel in packs...herds..I am not sure what a group of snakes is called. They are also in the church, which is weird cause they are all giggly and annoying. One time one tried tickling me and it got super awkward super fast cause she poked me int he side and I almost didn't turn around because I wanted her to go away but then I did and just kinda stared at her...so she left! It was my first awkward experience with a girl on the mission! Hopefully I don't have many more. The other one I had was at a Christmas lunch some members invited us to, I'll have to write about it next week though!
I pray everyday and say thank you for adjusting to the heat so quickly! I wouldn't believe tI'd ever be happy that it's in the 80's..but here it feels nice, especially with a breeze! Better than the usual 90's and 100's!
I hope you are all doing well and know that you're all in my prayers! Merry late Christmas and Happy New year's Eve! I can't believe it's already going to be 2013! The world was suppose to end on the 21st of this year! My companion, Elder Phillipy, has really enjoyed saying that I don't get to go home this year..or next year..but finally the year after that! As of tomorrow I'll be home next year. Time has actually seemed to go by quite quickly! Which is a good and a bad thing!
I've learned something about goal setting, and I'll share it since I assume some of you will be setting new year's resolutions. Don't just make goals for the year. Set some that can be accomplished in the year but set some smaller ones that will get you there. Set some monthly and even weekly goals! I have to set goals every single day and it makes a difference when you have a big goal for the week and you know exactly what you have to do each day to get that done. Like we want to have 20 contatadas this week, which means we need 2.86 (3 every day)! I hope that helps somebody :)
Well I'm out of time!! Have an awesome week!
Tchau,
Elder Haws

Week 8: O Campo Missionario

Well I'm finally out here in the field! My area is in Bauru. It's actually kinda close to Sao Paulo and was another five hour bus ride after I flew from Sao Paulo to Londrina.


The mission home was way nice and we had lunch and some orientation when we arrived and then took another bus ride that was almost two hours to the other side of Londrina where me and my companion, Elder Phillipy, stayed the night. The next day, we had to ride all the way back to the bus station for the fiveish hour bus ride to Bauru. It's sooo hard to try and speak Portuguese ALL the time!


I'm so glad I have an american companion so that I can still get help with my Portuguese. Bauru is a crap place. So many people live in literally shacks and stuff they build out of garbage. But the center of town is first world. It is so weird to have first and third world in exactly the same place.



 I'll send a few more pictures in another email. A few of these are from the CTM and then others from the field. It is about 30 to 33 degrees everyday here..so it doesn't quite hit 100 degrees every day, luckily we each get our own fan now instead of 1 per room like at the CTM. We've got 14 people that we are teaching right now. People have to go to church at least twice before they can get baptized, so we won't get any baptisms this week but maybe next week! The people are so receptive to the Gospel here! Unfortunately, I only get 40 minutes for emailing in the field, it's better than 30 but not by much, alright, Chau! I'll have lots more to say in the next email.

Elder Haws

Week 8

Dear Family of Elder Haws

We are writing to inform you that on the 18th of December, Elder Haws arrived very well in the Brazil Londrina Mission field. We are very happy to meet him and to know that from now on he is part of this great and wonderful army oft he Savior. After a long wait and much preparation, he along other missionaries arrive at the mission home afely and very excited. They had lunch, and after a great testimony meeting. The Brazil Londrina Mission is a blessed land where the people are hearing and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ in such a joyous way. It is an honos for us to be able to receive your son in this area, and we know that this is possible only because you have so lovingly taught, guided and cared for him until he could arrive here. We want you to know that we will look to fulfill all his needs, and will take care of him as he were our own son. Thank you for trusting us with your son for this short, however, fundamental period of time in his life!

We are at your diposition to clear up or help in any way during this time.

With gratefulness and love,

President and Sister Tavares

Week 7

Hello! To say Hi/Hello in portuguese we usually say "oi" or "olá" but we also say "tudo bem?" and the proper response is "tudo bem!" and then you ask it back by saying "tudo bem?" and they reply "tude bem!" It's really repetitivie and doesn't translate back into english because it means 'all good' but oh well!

I went proselyting yesterday! It was super hot (almost 100) and sunny with absolutly no wind! and I just cut my hair again so I was afraid I would get completely fried, but I didn't!! The best part about the day was that I could actually understand what all the people were saying to me! Elder Gregory and I gave out five Livros de Mórmon, and made sure they knew how to contact the missionaries that are actually teaching in this area of São Paulo. Its crazy to see how I am adjusting to the heat, now when we go into our class room that is like 75 degrees feels so nice and cool! Next Tuesday (12/18) I leave for Londrina and I don't know exactly when I get to email again, so I'd like to wish you all a very heppy holiday season! Feliz natal! Enjoy the snow and hot chocolate and I'll catch some sun for each of you.

Tchau!

Elder Haws

Week 6

Elder Haws wrote us a short letter, mostly with informational information. Here you go!

Make sure you let everybody know that letters now should go to the mission home and not the CTM because by the time they get here I will be out there already! Its crazy that I will be 20 this week! I feel so old! But not really. Souds like good food, I can't wait until I get out of the CTM and can eat real Brazilian food. As long as I don't drink the water. Cause then i would get super sick haha. I love you and miss you so much, sorry i dn't have time for a big email to everyone this week but there's nothing to say anyway.

Tchau,
Elder Haws

Week 5

Once Again! I have so much to say and no time to say it! Actually there isn't that much to say...every day is almost the exact same thing. It is helping me a lot though. I can't believe I've already been here for a month. In one more month I will be out in the field teaching real people! That thought terrifies me! I feel in no way qualified to do that but I know the Lord will help me when the time comes. Learning the language is coming along great. I learn 100 words per day! Unfortunately, I forget about 98 of them cause I forget just as fast I learn! haha just kidding! The language is actually coming along really well and I'm getting a lot more confident in my ability to teach now! One of the hardest things to deal with is the books they gave us. They are terrible. They are suppose to be teaching English speakers how to speak Portuguese but the English part is full of typos and the Portuguese is Spanish half the time, so the books are practically useless without an instructor there to tell you which parts aren't actually Portuguese! I'm definitely more used to the weather down here! I don't particularly love it but I can handle it now haha I love you all! Write me, I love hearing news from you all!

Tchau,
Elder Haws

Week 4

Week four here already! At the end of this week I'll already have been here for a whole month! That's crazy! I guess time really has started to speed up. Its been raining here like crazy! It's rained for the past four days and they tell us it's supposed to keep raining for four more. It makes it really humid but also a lot cooler since the sun isn't shining so brightly on everything. The air conditioning doesn't work half the time so they fix it but it's broken the next day again, I don't know how it's even possible to break that often. I don't know if I put in my last email that I had caught a virus or something down here that gave me a super sore throat and a cough and stuff but it's gone now! I still can't bend my toe! I was hoping it would heal quickly but it hasn't. The kinda docter guy here has looked at it and says it seems to be healing correctly so I'll just keep waiting. I'm getting real good at walking and jumping and stuff without bending it! One day a week we have TRC which is when we teach a pretend investigator and they video and audio record it and then give us feedback. It went soooo much better this week than last even though we had to teach native Brazilians and couldn't fall back on English if we didn't know a word. This week we have kind of become part of the "older group" here and we now will be the investigators instead of the missionaries. It should be a lot of fun. I'm out of time! I love you all!!

Tchau
Elder Haws!

Temple Visit

This is an email we received from President and Sister Degn:

Dear Family,

We are pleased to be able to send you a picture of your missionary's recent visit to the Sao Paulo temple. The morning they enter as a group is a very sacred experience for them, and it is an experience that is always anticipated with much excitement. We know they will treasure this remembrance.

 

It is a great honor to serve with each of these fine young people and to watch their growth as they learn more about their sacred calling of a missionary. WE have a great love and respect for each one of them. Thank you for your support for them. They love to receive emails and letters from you, and feel of your love. We know that your familly will fell the blessings of their service.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Degn

Week 2: All About the P-Day

Hey Everybody!

I apologize if I sounded negative at all in my last email! It was a very hard day and also almost 100 degrees outside plus humidity! The heat is just not my cup of tea. Anyways, things are going a lot better now! I can't believe it's already my second p-day and at the same time I can't believe it's only my second p-day! Days feel like they could be weeks here and I haven't been here nearly long enough for the weeks to seem like days. I like p-days a lot though. We wake up at six and then take a bus ride for like 40 minutes to the temple. It's always exciting. The roads are tiny, there are millions of people and cars and they all want to be the first one to wherever they are going. Motorcycles drive in between the lanes and have to honk all the time so people know they are passing. It's so dangerous! I've seen them bump into cars but manage to stay balanced and keep going. When we get back from the temple, at about 12, we eat lunch and then can go walk around the CTM and go to the shops and stuff. We have about a two block area we are allowed to go. It still looks so weird to me that there are walls all along the street and everything everywhere has bars, you'll see when I send some pictures exactly what I'm talking about. I'm out of time!! Weird things here are that the toilet paper is already in sheets instead of rolls, kinda like Kleenex and at night the sky just turns a hazy yellow or orange because of all the exhaust and lights. It's weird. Talk to you all next week!

Elder Haws

Getting the Hang of Things

Week 1:

Hey thanks I made it safe! The flight was terribly long and very boring. The plane was all stuffy and crowded but when I finally got off...it was just more humid air than the plane and about 20 degrees hotter...I don't think I've stopped sweating since I got here!!

The language is...coming along. I'm at the point where I can talk in full sentences in Portuguese already but I have a really hard time understanding them when they reply to me. I've already been teaching two 'investigators' com meu companheiro Elder Gregory and things are actually going...pretty bad unfortunately. haha They are both interested in the church but they are hard to understand and I don't have the vocabulary yet to explain things to them. But anyways...I'm picking things up faster than I thought I would.

It's hotter than hot. Today it's almost 100 and I don't even know what the humidity level is. I can't stand it. I try and end my shower with cold water so I don't start sweating again as soon as I get out but unfortunately my room is on the top floor of the building and is always extra hot. On the bright side though, my room is on the top floor of the building and has an AMAZING view of the city. It's so big I can't even comprehend it; the closest border of the city is over 50 miles away and the furthest is something like 100 miles, they told me. I can't wait until some pictures are on Facebook for you all to see. Unfortunately, my room is on the sixth floor which means I have to run up 108 steps every time I need something from my room.. :p But it helps me stay fit if the sweating doesn't already!

I have sent you a really long letter today and I sent it priority so you should hopefully be getting it in like two weeks! There are also letters for others that you can just give to Koty. It was a lot cheaper to send them that way.

I love and miss you all so much! This is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do! The Temple in Sao Paulo was absolutely amazing today! The entrance has an awesome 30 foot stained glass window that is broken up into two or three foot sections of the visit of Christ to the Americas. It has a guy that looks like the one in the church movie where he goes blind in a storm the night before Jesus comes and then he gets healed by Him.  I don't know if you know what I'm talking about but hopefully you do.

I am almost out of time and I feel like I haven't said anything yet! hopefully you get my 'missionary ties' thing and can send me lots of stuff through that! Mail is the most exciting thing ever around here! Our district did make a rule that every letter you get means you have to do 50 push ups though, so try and make them one big or every day or whatever and not three small ones!

Also could you maybe log into my credit card account and see if I ever paid off the last 40 or so dollars? I can't remember if I did or not. I'm out of time! Love you lots and you'll hear from me in a week! But I hope I hear from you sooner!!

Elder Haws

The First Hand Written Letter

Day 1:

Dear Mother and Father and Sister and Sister and whomever else it may concern, such as Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and Non-Existent nieces and nephews,

I only have one page to write on so I'll try not to waste space. It's about 5:30 on Wednesday night. I haven't really slept much since I woke up at 5:30 am Tuesday morning. i'm exhausted. I did finally get to shower during a short break at 3 today. They've kept us pretty busy. I arrived at the MTC, though here it is called the CMT, at about 11 this morning. The flight took FOREVER and it was hard to get any sleep. The drive through Sao Paulo was really cool though. It's unbelievable how big the city is! I took some cool pictures though, so you'll be able to get a small glimpse of it. I haven't stopped sweating since I got off the plane. It felt like i walked into a locker room after lots of people had showered and has smelt kind of like it too. i am in a room on the top floor of the CMT, the seventh floor. The view is great but the stairs are ridiculous to go up and down so much. There are suppose to be six people to a room but mine only has four of us right now.

It's crazy how different everything here is. I'll send you pictures but everywhere is just walls and gates and then cars and houses inside. Lots of people have electric wires on top of their walls too. The traffic is terrible and people always ask you for money, not cause they need it but just cause they want to take advantage of you. the money is 1.89 Real to a US Dollar but you pronounce it hi-yah and plural is hi-yah-s.

They spend 20 minutes tonight teaching us how to speak Portuguese and are expecting us to speak it as much as possible now. AND don't plan on teach us too much more, just requiring us to use it and grow our vocabulary. it's incredibly frustrating but it's been a long day and I'll work on it more tomorrow.

These shipping instructions (I've updated the side of the blog) should be much more helpful than the ones in my packet. Basically, I can't have packages until I get into the field.

You can use Dear Elder to write me quick and that will be lots better than e-mail. I don't know when my p-day is yet but it will be Tuesday or Wednesday.

The food has been alright, some great, some terrible.

My two other room companions are Brazilian and don't speak English. This is going to be interesting!

Love you all!

Elder Haws

Safe and Sound at the MTC

We received an email from the Brazil MTC and Elder Haws has arrived safe and sound. YAY!! Here's the picture. We'll know his Preparation Day once we receive his first email. The MTC encouraged everyone to write handwritten letters. The addresses are on the side panel of this page. They also said not to send packages to the MTC. Let me know if you have any questions. We're just happy these wonderful missionaries arrived safely.

The Journey Has Begun

This morning our family said, "see ya later" to our dear brother and son. At the airport we met a few missionaries he was traveling with, in Detroit he met a few more and there ended up being about 10 missionaries traveling to the Sao Paulo Brazil MTC today. This is a picture of him in Detroit. They should arrive in Brazil around 8am Wednesday morning. We are anxiously awaiting the email/picture/call that he has arrived safely in Brazil. Elder Haws is a great example to us all and we will keep track of his journey here. Any comments you post, we will get in a letter to him if desired. Enjoy!