Week 30: February 10, 2025 Transferencias!

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a great week! This week was filled with lots of stuff and was so fun!

On Tuesday I went and stayed with some other sisters while Sister kimber went to a special meeting and then that night we had a noite familiar with some recent converts that was fun! Monday night we did that too!

Wednsday was exciting because that night, 2 new sisters on the mission came to stay with us for the week! The rest of the week was spent working and learning with them and they are so awesome! We also have transfers tomorrow and I found out I will be staying here training one of them, Sister Gomez!!

The rest of the week was filled with talking to lots of people and working hard to help people come unto Christ and on Saturday we got to go to the temple with Ivanildo for his first time which was so good!

Then, on Sunday, although we tried to get more people there, we did have one friend at church, Gabriel! He is 12 and has a big desire to be baptized and he liked church a lot, so that was cool!

That was pretty much the week for me, and each week just passes so fast! This week when I was looking for music on the church music app, I found the song "The Miracle", which I LOVE! The chorus says, Jesus is a God of miracles;

Nothing is at all impossible to Him,

But I know this: Of all His miracles,

the most incredible must be

The miracle that rescues me."

Being a missionary is awesome because I have so many opportunities to testify about the gift and miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and this week I had some special experiences of the Spirit testifying to me that these things are true as I was able to share this hope with other people. I love my Savior so much and I am so grateful for all He has done and does for me! I hope you all can think about the miracle of Jesus Christ in your life! Love you all!!

Com muito amor,

Sister Howard

Fun hosting the brand new sisters! sister Gomes and Sister Ferrari

7 months on the mission! only 11 months to go!

Week 29: February 9, 2025 Milagre de DAVI!!!

Oiii todos!! How's everyone doing?? I hope everyone is enjoying the winter weather for me because this week was nice and toasty here!! Not sure if I'll ever get used to it but that's OK, this week was so good!!

This week was filled with finding out on Tuesday that ivanildo was moving to his own house so he could be baptized, and he was (on Thursday) which was literally such a miracle because we have been trying to find him and Diegio a house so that he didn't have to live with his ex girlfriend and then also having some goals each day that we tried so hard to meet and Heavenly Father really blessed our path so that we could meet them!! We found the sweetest 12 year old boy that wants to get baptized and his mom told us she saw him reading the Book of Mormon when he was going to bed

Then yesterday,  Davi was baptized!! He is so cool and it was such a blessing that we were able to find him and teach him! And his mom came to church with him to go to the baptism which was so good!! I learned a lot from being able to help Davi be baptized and I am so grateful for this experience!

Other than that, we are just trying to keep working hard each day and find the people God is preparing for us! We have transfers next week (this transfer was 2 months!) so we'll see happens!

But a little while ago, my mission president gave is the challenge to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover in 3 transfers looking for how the Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to become like God and I just finished reading on Friday! I have read the Book of Mormon cover to cover a few times and each time is really eye opening but this was my first time doing it as a missionary and let me tell you, the Book of Mormon is so good!!! If you have never read it, I invite you to because it will change your life!! I have to come to know my Savior more and more each time that I open those scriptures and it is such a blessing in my life! I think a lot of times we think of it as extra work to read the scriptures but I want to change that mindset that I have had! It is a privilege that we have scriptures that teach us about Christ and how we can change and be better and become like Him! There's a scripture I love 2 nefi 25:26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

We can find a remission of our sins in Jesus Christ and can find so much hope in our lives because of our Savior! I love this gospel so much and I love you all! Let me know if there is anything I can pray for for you!

Love,

Sister Howard 

Celebrating Sister Kimber's 8 month mark with acai

Davi's baptism. so cool that the temple is right next to the chapel

Sister Kimber and Sister Howard working hard

Davi's baptism! Milagre!

Week 28: January 27, 2025 Confiar no Senhor

Olá todos meus amigos!! Como vocês estão? I hope everyone's week was great!! This week was a little crazy over here but let's get into it!

After last pday, we had a noite familiar planned with Vitória and she hasn't responded since the morning before but she ended up coming and it was so good! Definitely a miracle!!

We also had a conference for just the sisters in our mission that was SO AMAZING!! We learned about being resiliência and also the importance of righteousness in our power as missionaries! Then Sister Feitosa talked about diamonds and how God is turning all of us into diamonds from coal and to trust in His plan for us. Then we got to eat and talk with the sisters and it was so good.

 We have defintely been learning the importance in trusting in the Lord because we were supposed to have two baptisms yesterday and they didn't happen. Sometimes,  it's hard to understand when it feels like we are doing everything we can and being obedient and having faith, but we just have to keep having faith and also to recognize that there are still other miracles that happen. For example, Tânia came to church yesterday out of nowhere and it had been difficult to get into contact with her, but she showed up!! We also visited Ivanildo, who will be getting baptized very soon, with thr bishop and he shared how he has changed on this journey to baptism and how he really has this desire to place God first in his life. That was super awesome to hear because sometimes it doesn't feel like we're really helping people and that was a good reminder that we really are instruments in God's hands! 

Today I read Ether 12:41 and this verse always hits me that says "41 And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen." Seek this Jesus and make His Atonement a part of your lives every single day and I know that it will change your life! I love my Savior and I am so happy and grateful and privileged to be a representative of Him in Brasil! I love you all! Don't hesitate to reach out! Have the best week! Até mais!

Com amor,

Sister Howard

Week 27: January 22, 2025 Rainy Season???

Welcome back everyone to another week of miracles!! Today was our temple day of the transfer so that's why I'm waiting today! Seriously so blessed to be able to go to the temple as often as we do here!! I love the temple and always feel such a peace and calmness amidst the missionary stresses!

But per the title,  I think the rainy season has started. We have had people say it's December, or it's in January, or it's in March, but it did rain quite a bit last week and I had my first opportunity to be completely drenched in the rain and walk through the mini rivers that form in the streets because we were not prepared at all haha so that was a fun experience and luckily we had a few online lessons so that was definitely a blessing

We also had zone conference which was so good, always inspiring to be a better missionary!

VITORIA!! She is so so awesome and we are planning for her baptism to be this Sunday so please pray for that!! She was going through a hard time when she reached out to be contacted by missionaries and it has been such an incredible experience to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with her!! It is so cool to see how God works to bring such a positive thing through a hard time. We also just started teaching her daughter so fingers crossed for her too!!

Outra milagre!! We had a lesson fall through and were trying to figure out what to do because we were already at our apartment to do the lesson and it was like 8:50, so we decided to just go out and talk to the first people we passed on the street and met Davi!! He's 15 and eleito!! He came to church with us on Sunday and he wants to be baptized so we have him on date for the next week! Please pray for him too!!

Finally, last night we met Tânia. We were praying to be able to find someone to teach and God lead us to her open door where we then talked with her and invited her to be baptized! She accepted and started tearing up, which was a sweet moment!

This week in my Book of Mormon reading, I read Mórmon 9:11 and 15 which says " But behold I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are... and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles." There are a few other verses that also talk about how people just don't see miracles because they don't believe.  I have come to find that it really is a choice to see miracles. So many things happen everyday that some people might call coincidences, but I choose to believe that it is God's hand in my life because I know that this is His work and He is a God of miracles!! My invite is for all of you to look for the daily miracles in your life and choose to believe! I love you all and love hearing from you!! Have the best week! Até mais!

Love,

Sister Howard

Rainy Day!!!

Taking care of injured Sister Barbosa

Zone Temple Day

Week 26: January 13, 2025 Eai

 Oi everyone!! Tudo bem?? Another week has come and gone which is pretty crazy!!

Last week after pday we celebrated Sister Kimber's 20th birthday with a noite familiar with a message about the restoration and then cachorro quentes and cake! 

Some of the sisters from Sobral, the interior, came to stay with us for their zone conference so that was fun to see them and we got pizza! I also celebrated 6 months as a missionary with them here!

We got a little bit of rain this week that was nice to bring a little bit of frio but it was super hot before the Rain so that part wasn't the best, but I'm pretty used to just being sweaty all the time so it's ok! 

We also had interviews with president which was good to keep learning how I can be better as a missionary!

Livia accepted a date for baptism as well which is super exciting so please pray for her and also Socorro who is working on stopping smoking and is improving a lot!! We are hoping she can stop completely this week! 

I also gave a talk in church yesterday and oh something kind of funny happened is that we almost got stranded in the part of area that's far away from where we live because the uber on my phone decided not to work! But everything turned put ok because after trying to contact other missionaries to get them to call an uber for us, we ended up calling a member and she was able to give us a ride home!! God was looking out for us!

This week, I was thinking about the youth them, which is Look unto Christ. In Portuguese,  it's Buscai ao Cristo which translates to seek for Christ, which for me is a little more profound! Really seek for Jesus Christ in every aspect of your life and do not doubt or fear! With Jesus Christ, everything is possible and He is waiting and ready to stand with us and carry us as we seek Him out! I know the Christ lives and that He loves us! That's why I am here in Brasil!! Continue seeing Him in your lives! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Howard

Sister Kimber's Birthday Treat

Week 25: January 6, 2025 Ano Novooo!

Hello hello!! How's everyone doing?? Happy new year!! I ran out of time last week so the past two weeks have been filled with Christmas and New Years and lots of other good stuff!!

We celebrated Christmas first with Hadassa, a recent convert,  and then another family in the ward!! Definitely felt like rolling home after eating so much food but it was so good!! Christmas Day, we had a good day of teaching people and continuing to share the gospel of Jesus Christ so it was great!!

Last week we got to walk on the beach which was so nice and pretty!! Can't go in the water but that's OK, definitely worth it!

Then, this week we got several awesome references from social media and one of them is Vitória! She came to church yesterday and she is so awesome, so we are planning to have her baptism in a few weeks!! One thing that I've been seeing and learning a lot is that when one door closes in the missionary work, another door opens that is even better!! This is so important in life to, that really we just have to trust that God is preparing something better and just have confidence in his plans, but it has been so cool to see this here every day!! It's definitely the Lord's work!

With the new year, I listened to new years BYU devotional from Elder Holland that I highly recommend!! It is called "Remember Lot's Wife"

But in this speech, he closes with this quote,  "Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever. That is a New Year’s resolution I ask you to keep." He talks about the importance of not dwelling on the past, but instead using the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and focusing on our opportunity to change and to really reach our goals and be the people we want to be! This whole year I have thr opportunity to be a missionary and representative of Jesus Christ and I am so excited to keep learning and growing!! I love you all so much and would love to hear from you!!

Tchau tchau,

Sister Howard

Fortaleza Temple    

Lunch with friends

Fortaleza temple

Beach day in Fortaleza

Week 23: December 23, 2024 Guararapes + Natal!!

 FELIZ NATAL!! I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season!! 

This week was so good and I am also so tired but it's in a good way because we're working hard! We've been so busy the past few days and it's been fun getting to know a new area and new people!

This area is a lot more diverse so we really have the people that don't really have much,  and then also people walking out with gucci bags so definitely a variety which is good! 

This week, we found a couple with two little kids to teach and we invited then to come to church. A lot of people say they're going to come to church but we told them we would pass by at 9:20 on Sunday morning... they were getting ready to go! They walked with us the more than 30 minutes to the church carrying their little kids and they're going to come back next week using the bus!! That was a BIG miracle! 

We also have just had so many miracles that were not coincidences by following the spirit and just happening to pass by at the right time to contact people, so it has been awesome!

It's also such a special thing to be a missionary during Christmas time! Although it's a little hard to be away from family and traditions and the normal things about Christmas, it makes us really rely on and remember the reason for the season which is Jesus Christ. We just get to talk about Him all the time and it is really such an amazing feeling of joy to share Christ with others! "21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Christ saves us! He saves us from everything in this world as we turn to Him and give Him our hearts! This Christmas, I invite you all to start giving your heart to Jesus Christ and experience the joy that comes with it!! Love you all and hope you have a very merry CHRISTmas!!!

Love,

Sister Howard

Saying tchau to her first baptism friend

the Sisters

Sister Howard and Sister Kimber - first English speaking companion

Week 22: December 17, 2024: Francisco

Hello!

Another week and another transfer down!! Crazy stuff, I'm exhausted but this transfer went by so fast!!

 

To start off, FRANCISCO! He was finally baptized!! I've been teaching him since before this transfer started, so over 5 weeks, and he has had the desire to be baptized but just hasn't been feeling prepared. I was really hoping to finish the transfer with at least one baptism because we have been working so hard and we knew Francisco was ready, so we had some faith and printed out an invitation to his baptism, told the ward there would be a baptism,  and filled up the baptismal font with water. When we visited him the Saturday night before and showed him the video of when Christ was baptized,  he said ok! I'll go tomorrow!! He was really an elect person that we found knocking on a door and he really loves going to church and learning, which is so awesome! By the way,  he's 90 years old and never had religion in his life until now, which really just shows that it's never too late to change!!

This week we had several long days of lots of walking and not a lot of people home because of holiday travels, but really in every single day there are so many little miracles, like free ice cream that one of our friends gave us or kind members and through it all, just remembering that Jesus Christ is my Savior and the great joy that I have in that and that I get to share with other people. It is truly such a blessing and God is so good!

Transfer news!! I'm leaving Montese>> going to Guararapes to be comps with Sister Kimber !!! I'm sad to be leaving Montese because I have truly been able to build some special relationships with the people here and I have felt so so much love, but I am also excited to work in a new area and love the people there too!! I have learned so much here and have been so blessed!! 

I know God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take upon Him the sins and pains and trials of the world, to die for us, and to be resurrected, so that we can all return to live with God again!! This gospel is a message of joy and hope!! I love you all so much!! Have an amazing week getting ready for Christmas and eat lots of Christmas treats for me

Com muito amor,

Sister Howard 

Francisco

Baptism!

Mission zoom call

Eliza and Sister Mayor enjoying a treat on a hot day