The Elders Howell

Monday, April 2, 2012

McKay is Still Breathing!

Hey ya'll!

I was called by the mission office and rebuked for not writing home, so I guess they're either tracking my email usage or Mom must have called them. Anyhow, they told me that it is in the rules that I have to write every week now. Lol, and the handbook tells me not to be preoccupied with communicating back home...they need to work out some consistency here! Haha, anyway, the past few weeks have been pretty fun. We've made friends with the neighborhood geese and turkey ducks and got two of them to come inside; we visited Fort Fremont and goofed around a few P-days back; we hit up the beach (as close as we could without getting on the sand) and took pictures by the ocean; went "Batman-ing" (ie. hanging upside down from doors, ledges, balconies, etc by your feet); and recreated various Star Wars scenes! The elders here are convinced that my birthday is in March, so we celebrated a joint birthday with Elder Bishop and they gave me a toy lightsaber - it's been a blast and I practice my dueling every night after planning is through! =)

Oh yeah, I think we've also been preaching the gospel a little bit too! Elder Cancel and I have a baptism scheduled for Easter Sunday and Elder Craynor and I have been super busy out on Parris Island. This last week, one of our investigating recruits stood up in the Marine service and shared an awesome testimony and said that he will be baptized when he leaves boot camp! Woot! Apparently God has really gotten hold on him since he's been in training and reading the Book of Mormon in his spare time. Too bad E. Craynor and I can't be there for his baptism, but we're excited for him all the same. And I've already found him on Facebook to make sure it happens!

Our one new investigator who kept the commitment to come to general conference was blown away by the tabernacle choir on Sunday morning. Probably because she also used to be heavily involved in school choirs, but she really enjoyed it and wants us to keep visiting her, so apparently something struck a chord.

Alyssa and Bryce look pretty happy - I wish them the best. Isn't she too young to be getting married though? Maybe I'm just getting old; I still have all of the cousins in my mind as quite young/teens so it seems weird when I get an announcement like that. Then again, Grandma and Grandpa found success right out of high school, so who am I to say what's too young... =P

Gabe, way to rock the biking! Maybe we can go back and hit up some slickrock trails after our epic backpacking excursion through Columbia Gorge, eh? I think you probably have a better tan than me. We're out in the sun all day, but for some reason, I haven't really gotten tan this year or last. Perhaps it's the humidity in the air blocking all the UV rays or something. No epic missionary collar tan for me though. Jaclyn, sorry to hear that the kids are sick. Hopefully, Teyah isn't repeating Dino's frequent health disasters!

Hey, thanks for the new tie! I got several compliments on it from the female recruits at PI, so Gabe and Joe must have had good taste in picking it out! I was a bit surprised to get a package that came from China from a name that I didn't recognize, but then I recognized the home phone number on the order slip and realized you must have sent it. Your last email confirmed that. I also received the CTR rings and have several kids in mind already that I can give them to. They'll be muchly appreciated! Some of them are even glow in the dark...

We continue to see God's goodness and minor miracles every day. My brain was fried after watching all 5 sessions of conference in a row, but it was a good conference and I came away with some insights from Saturday and Priesthood on how to change a bit more. Cool thing about the gospel is that it applies to all - I get to repent just as well as my investigators do. Favorite quote: "Why should you judge me for sinning differently than you do?" So true; we're all sinners/imperfect in some way.

Well, time runs thin. So much to do on P-days. Love ya!

Elder M.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Ben's First Week in Auburn

La Familia,

Ok, so the first week in Auburn has come and gone. This area could be a little interesting and a little difficult (of course all areas have their own little challenges). Auburn most likely has the highest population of Hispanic people in all of the mission. Literally, they are everywhere (which is great for us), and makes finding people who speak Spanish really easy. The bad part is that it is ALL lower income people, and just when you thought hispanic people couldn't work any harder and have crazier job hours--well you come to Auburn. Right now we are only meeting with 3 people/families on a regular basis. Another obstacle is that since we are only a group right now and an attachment to an English ward, everything has to be translated in sacrament and priesthood. So any investigators that do start to come to church and like it are sometimes inclined to drive to the next city (Kent) were they have a Spanish branch. Kind of a different area but the experience has been a good one so far.

Mom, yes we are only about 5 miles from the water, but my area doesn't go over that far. We go a little bit more inland. Seattle at times can be a little crazy to navigate, but we get around. I'm not really sure about a raceway around here. I guess I haven't seen it yet. We do have an indian reservation that one of our investigators lives on. Based on the casinos on every corner, I think that was the big thing in the reservation.

YAHOOOOO!!! Another good thing is we saw the sun this past week for 2 days in a row! I was so pumped. Sounds like the weather in Manti is as crazy as every spring for you guys. Keep me updated on Gabe's soccer games....and Joe's height (it would be really weird if he ended up being the tallest).

Well not too much to report this week. Love ya all!!

Elder B. Howell

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Ben Transfer

Hey Family,

Well, transfer calls came on Sunday night, and to my surprise, I found out that I would be leaving Renton. After only 4 months of being there, it was a little weird to think about leaving. I am now on the far south side of our mission in the town of Auburn. The spanish group here isnt very big yet and the members/missionaries are still trying to get a branch started. We are combined with an English ward, and the only thing in Spanish is the gospel principles class. Should be a fun challenge to try and start a branch. I just moved this morning, and other than that, really have no idea of what to expect of this area so far. I did find out that I have the best zone leader in the world though...his name is Elder Kinere, and he flew out here to the mission field on the same plane as I did. We served together in Seattle for 4 and a half months. He is from the Marshall Islands, and I honestly haven't met very many missionaries that are so dedicated to the work. It was crazy to hear that he was made a zone leader...before he even was a senior companion. :) My new companion is Elder Dickenson from Lewiston, Idaho (I think). I have been on a few exchanges with him in the past, and he seems like a great guy. He is definitely a calm and mellow guy, which is a little different than any of my past companions, who are way talkative and energetic. He hasn't been in Auburn very long either, but I think we will manage things pretty well.

This past week was pretty sad. It was the first time since I have been out in the mission field that we have had missionaries in the Spanish program finish their missions and go home. We lost an Elder and two Hermanas. Kind of crazy to think of anyone going home, maybe because it has never happened before. It does put the Spanish Elders at an even number now (8) and so things may be a little easier without one missionary bouncing in and out of trios.

Last week in Renton we didn't have the baptism. I guess he (the investigator) just doesn't feel ready, even though he has been thinking about being baptized since December. The elders there will continue on working with him to prepare him.

Nothing too crazy or interesting happened this past week. I'm sure I will have some new experiences here and should have more to write about next week.

Love ya,

Elder B. Howell

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Wedding and Inspiration in Seattle

First off a HAPPY BITRTHDAY to Grandpa Kimzey! Yes, I know it is a little late, but I totally missed putting it in my last email. I hope the day was great for you. It looks like it was with a lot of family celebrating with you.

I am still waiting for any signs of spring here in Seattle. It is still pretty cold and rains everyday. Maybe by the end of next transfer I am hoping to see some warm weather.

Wow, weird of you to mention Judy Gubler in your email, Mom, because I was going to write her a quick note today. I think it would be fantastic if Vlada came back to finish up college in Utah. Last I heard from her, she was going to try but hadn't really started to save money or anything. Writing a letter to Ukraine and then receiving a response can sometimes be a long time.

Mom, I loved the photos that you sent. I was very surprised to see the picture of Daniel. I'm not sure what was more impressive -- the fact that you got a picture of him or the fact that there was a girl in the photo with him :) haha Wish you luck down in AZ this next week, brother. I guess I only saw you run once in college also...and that was because I lived 5 minutes away from the track in Logan.

Mom, how are you planning on transporting a wedding cake up to Washington? It sounds like a hard task. I received your letter with all the tax stuff on Saturday. I will put them in the mail today. I will think about the knee thing mom.

Gabe and Joe, I am all for McKay's idea of a week backpacking trip next year. The thing is that I have no idea if I will be able to do a week long trip when I get back. Gabe, maybe you can whip me back into shape when I get home. I loved the story about the mountain lion around the house and how Gabe pulled a prank on Joe. Sure, it may have been a little bit exaggerated, but it was great. I LOVE the Howell pranking. It seems like there isn't a day that goes by (or did when I was living at home and with the 3 other brothers) that something absolutely crazy/funny would happen. I think it may have carried to the mission. The Hermanas here have a quote wall of crazy things me and my companion say. I think they may remember more things that I say than I do. hahah

So this week several interesting things happened. First off, the wedding was great on Saturday!!! We were there on Friday night helping set up. I guess being a wedding decorator comes with being a missionary. I actually really enjoyed decorating, which included streaming lights from the ceiling and tying bows around chairs. For some odd reason I was pretty good at tying bows (not sure how because I have no practice at all) and the women at the end were asking me to tie them all. We are not sure if the baptism will be this week as planned, but we think in the near future. We will have to wait and see.

This past week and the week before that we had a great lessons with Santos (another investigator). He has been coming to church and all the activities for a long time but still wants to be better in his life before baptism. Three weeks ago, I had the impression in a lesson with him that he could be ready for baptism, but needed to let the atonement take affect in his life. I even had the words put into my mind of what I could say to him to make him understand. I pushed it aside (really dumb as a missionary) thinking that he himself would know when he was ready and we ended the lesson and left his house. A week later (two weeks ago) we had splits, so I was with a member and we went to his house. Had a great lesson and once again I was prompted to share with him what was put in my mind the week before (thank goodness for second chances). I did so this time and almost immediately noticed something different about him. Like something clicked with in him. We left shortly after, and I wasn't able to see the whole effect of what had happened until this week when we went back. I started a lesson about faith and was no more then 3 sentences into the lesson when he stopped me and told me he knew about faith and baptism and wanted to be baptized on April 13th! He put himself on date for baptism! A couple minutes later he thanked me for serving a mission and the words that I spoke last lesson and said there was power in them. It had nothing to do with me at all, but I don't think he understood that. I was given almost word for word what to tell him and how he could really change his life. The experience was absolutely amazing!

McKay, I loved how you brought up the King Benjamin talk in Mosiah in your email this week. Those have become some of my favorite chapters and I actually have been reading them that last couple of days.

Mom, Eliza can only meet with us once a week because she is so busy. We have a lesson with her tonight and I will let you know how it goes next week. The bad thing is she in moving out of our zone to be closer to college, and we may have to stop teaching her and pass her to other missionaries.

Well that was my week.

Love ya,

Elder B. Howell

Spring in South Carolina

Well Mom, you're right, we've been celebrating spring for several
weeks now, and the gnats are certainly back in force. There are a few
good things to be said for cold weather (ie. no bugs), but biking
around these Lowcountry islands is very pleasant right now. It almost
makes me want to live here someday...

Wow! Kariann, Leisl, and Cami all home within a week?! I'd forgotten
that they all left that close to each other. Thanks for the
addresses. I'll see if I can jot in a few quick notes to them today.
Hahaha, and yes, Eli, I have only been gone a year. Don't make time
fly faster than it already is! I'm glad to hear that Corey got his
mission underway! How long will he spend in the MTC? 8 weeks?

I had not yet seen a photo of Daniel with his new flame, so I'm glad
you sent one, Mom! I got a chuckle when I opened the file - the first
thing I noticed was a very large belt buckle! Yep! Definitely a girl
for Daniel! Way to go, little brother! (Hmmm, I suppose I can't
really call you 'little' anymore....) By the way, I loved your
inspired idea of writing "USU" somewhere on Alyssa's cake! It would
have been genius! True Blue, all the way! None of this BYU stuff!
=P Good luck in Tuscon this week. I regret only having seen you run
once in your entire collegiate career. Say hello to the Milnes for me
when you see them this week! Congrats to Brady!

Gabe and Joe, it sounds like I need to teach you what camping is all
about next spring! Be prepared for a week-long backpacking trip!!!
And no bringing the gameboy and iPod with you! ....perhaps we can
even track some mountain lions while we're out on the mountain.... =D
Hahaha, thanks for sharing, Mom, I loved the tale!

Well, this week marks halfway through the 12 week training process. A
new transfer begins, and I've just realized that I have now spent more
time here in Beaufort than in any other area of my mission. I'm
suspecting that President will leave me here one more transfer after
Elder Cancel is finished training, so that would make 6 months in one
place. Unheard of for me! I really love it here though, so I don't
mind at all. I'm afraid I don't have any miracle stories for you this
week. It was very quiet compared to the last few weeks with a lot of
dropped appointments and people not home, but we continue to work
hard. We did discover a whole colony of people that live on the very
southern tip of St. Helena island and I keep Elder Cancel on his toes
by threatening a day where we bike out and back - a round trip of 40
miles or so. Lol, he's got a lot more endurance now than a few weeks
ago and we can go over the bridges and things now without walking -
I'm proud of him.

God humbled me this weekend by opening my eyes to a lot of my own
weaknesses. King Benjamin speaks of our "nothingness, and your
worthless and fallen state" and calls us "unworthy creatures" (Mosiah
4:5,11) - I think I felt somewhat of the reality of those verses over
the past few days. Moses said something similar (Moses 1:10) after
being confronted with the glory and perfection of God. Hopefully now,
I'll be able to use this understanding of my own in-sufficiency to use
the Atonement more fully and become more of what He would have me be.

Elder Bishop and I were privileged to give a disabled man a blessing
this week at his request. We both felt very strongly that it is the
Lord's will to heal him in the near future and we are uniting our
faith to hopefully see that miracle happen during our ministry here.

I love you all. Seek the Lord.

Elder M.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Two Baptism Dates in Seattle

Hey Fam,

Well, I was also surprised to see Brady's wedding invitation. I guess it is that time of year again. I just received Alyssa's in the mail today.

I am emailing super late because we had our temple trip today! When that happens, pday gets switched to Tuesdays. We woke up this morning to snow on the ground, and it snowing pretty heavily. We were thinking that the cars were going to have to be parked for the day, but after about an hour and half of snowing, it all of a sudden stopped. Not too much snow was on the roads, so we were allowed to drive to Bellevue (where the temple is). By the time we got out of the temple, is was way sunny and all the snow had melted. It was great to see the sun though. I think that was the second time in 2 months that we have seen it.

So something pretty cool happened this week. A guy in our branch just got his mission call this week. He is going to Salt Lake City (Spanish speaking) in April. He has been out with us doing mission work when he can and is very excited to start. This makes the second guy from the branch to ever serve a mission, with the other one serving right now in Portland, OR. The branch is pretty pumped.

Yes, we still have a wedding that will be happening this Saturday! They just passed out all of the invitations this last week. He is still on date for baptism on the , we are looking forward to that as well.

So I think the highlight of our week happened yesterday night. We had our first lesson with Eliza (pronounced Alyssa), a member referral in the house of the member. She has attended church several times in the past and the most recent time two weeks ago. We actually meet her in January when the snow storm came through here and we went to shovel snow at this member's house. Last night we decided to watch the movie Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration and then go over The Book of Mormon after. The movie was powerful, and when we talked of The Book of Mormon, the spirit was definitely in the room. She ended up accepting a baptismal date for the 6th of April! Unfortunately, she is really busy with work and college so we can only see her once a week, so we are hoping that she can be ready by then.

Well I think that is about it for this week! Chow.

Elder Howell

Funeral and Baptism in SC

Brady's getting married?! Wow, that did kind of catch me off guard.
Lol, I suppose I've been out of the loop for quite some time
though....

Daniel, like Benji said: you're a stud. A second and a half away
from the record. You're the man!

Well, we had a funeral this weekend for Justin. Chris was completely
unharmed and doesn't have so much as a scratch from the whole incident
even though they were walking right next to each other. I think I
have been to more funerals and hospitals in the last 12 months than I
ever bargained for. It's almost like death and injury are a natural
part of life.... =P

On the bright side, we had an amazing baptism out on Parris Island
yesterday! Cheyanne (can't use last names) was baptized right after
Sunday School while the rest of the platoon waited outside with the
drill instructors yelling at them. She was super happy though and
graduates from boot camp this Friday.

We had another recruit that had a very tragic injury this week. She
had 16 hours left in the Crucible, which is the last/worst part of
boot camp here at Parris Is, and she broke her arm. Under military
policy, they can't go home unless they finish boot camp or quit, so if
she wants to be a Marine she has to stay in boot camp for another 3
months while her arm heals before she can finish and graduate. Yikes!
Hopefully there is a reason for it though - she was the one who
brought Cheyanne to church with her a few weeks ago and now we see the
results of that.

This week, Elder Cancel and I had a miracle experience that definitely
made it to our journals. We were out knocking doors and decided at
the end of the night to drop by the home of Sister Washington, an
inactive member that we'd never met before. We knock on her door and
her jaw just drops in surprise when she sees us. It turns out, she
had been praying for guidance that evening and had just finished her
prayer when here we are at the doorstep. We pulled up some chairs and
started talking with her and the Spirit came down very strongly on all
of us. By the time we left, she was crying and said "I know this is
what God wants for me". It turns out she has been with the Jehovah's
Witnesses for 20+ years and had only had a short stint of a few weeks
with the LDS church years ago, before returning to the JW. However,
she's not satisfied or fulfilled with anything they are doing anymore
and that's why she was praying for guidance. We directed her to the
Book of Mormon and we're confident the Spirit will teach her the rest
- like He always does. However, my faith was built that the Lord does
use us and that He does place the people in our paths that we're meant
to see.

I hope ya'll are doing well. Much love!
--
Elder M. Howell
http://mormon.org/me/4DS5/
www.facebook.com/elderhowell