Ashtabula, Week 6

Wow sounds like you had an awesome Christmas day! I seriously got so many sweets and stuff its crazy!

Hello Family!

This week was crazy!... Like it was super hard cause everyone was doing holiday stuff, so it was super hard to meet with people and I got a sore throat which sucked so bad. It hurt to eat anything, but with many cough drops and stuff I conquered it like a champ! 

 Christmas was solid, we got taken care of really well and had a lot of food! it didn't even snow for Christmas #iaintevenmad. I'ts like 40s here and I couldn't be happier. I know that will change when the snow comes though! 

still killing it with the missionary work, its so awesome! if there is one thing that I've learned out here is that obedience is the key! if you are obedient then you're golden. You don't have to worry about anything cause you will be doing everything right! so its so important that we be obedient! 

 I seriously cant believe you replaced me with a dog.... like its no way near as cute as me.. its like a down grade..  but whatever.. ha ha, but I might need to send some sweets home cause I have way too many and after planning and studying I feel so sick cause I ate so much!

 Oh and I got all the Elders in the apartment to start saying chuck and bagel it's so awesome! hahahaha, but other than that, all is well and Ohio is still solid! Love and miss all of youz!

Elder Howard 

   

Astabula, week 5

Hey Family

sooooooo this week is actually a blur and I don't remember much buuuuuut it was a good week! we did some real good work with our investigators and its looking like we might have a few baptisms next month, so pray for them to work out!

 Its so awesome teaching people, I love it! i'm still super shy though and don't really talk to much unless its Gospel related and then I speak ha ha. I just realized that I'm not very good at keeping a conversation going with people about random stuff i just get really bored and impatient and zone out when people are talking.. so i need to work on that.. ha ha

 This Saturday I went on an exchange my first one! it was with Elder Korn he is one of the elders in my apartment and he is in the Ashtabula bike area, so yeah I had to bike all day Saturday and it was thee worst thing ever... we biked like 15 miles that day and I couldn't feel mt legs or butt by the end of the day.. and woke up the next morning super sore ha ha.

 Church was awesome we had 3 investigators come and they loved it! we are teaching a 10 yr old called Marcus and his less active grandma brought him a suit and he wore it to church and he was so happy ha ha, it was super cool! We actually got his Grandma to come to church with him and this was her first time coming in a long time so that was really good also!

 The district I am in is so awesome there is a kid in the district that is from Ceder city he's such a solid missionary his name is Elder Bettridge and he always makes Snow Canyon jokes at me and I give them right back ha ha I love it! between the 3 companionship in our district we taught 130 lessons last week! like no other district in the mission does that! me and the comp taught 42 last week which was the most I've taught so far! And I guess that's about it? I miss you all so much and I love you! Merry Christmas!

Elder Howard   

Ashtabula, Week 4

So this week was crazy ha ha, um we had pretty good success, but a lot of stink moments. It is actually thee worst feeling when you get cancelled on, and stuff like that, but you just gotta keep moving on, right? and that's what we did. In my area there is so much opportunities, I love it.  We now have 5 investigators with a baptism date for the coming month. I'm really praying they work out!

 We actually met this one lady called Shonda (coolest white girls name ever) we met her like 2-3 weeks ago and have been able to teach her pretty much everything, and she believes it all. She is so prepared, its insane. She has been to church the past two weeks and has loved it, also she has read like 20 chapters in the BoM and knows it is true and wants to be baptized, so that's so awesome. She is such an awesome person, and I love teaching her! 

Our other investigators with a date are just super awesome as well, but Satan is doing everything he can to stop them progressing. Like they get sick, so they cant come to church, or they have to work, or just dumb stuff like that. But its good, we had like 37 lessons this week I'm really hoping for more next week though! 

It hasn't even snowed yet!!! so sweet, I hate snow, so when it comes i'll probably cry about it everyday and my comp will probably wanna kill me... ha ha.... but that's pretty much been my week.

 The other elders in the ward had a baptism on Saturday which was awesome! we should have had like 5 investigators there but we had zero cause they all had to work or were sick... Saturday sucked for us haha but the baptism was awesome. I had to give like a 15 minuet spiel on the restoration while we waited for them to get changed, so that was interesting. 

But all in all I LOVE it out here there is really no place id rather be! cant wait for Christmas to see you guys! miss you like crazy! keep safe and remember that I Love you.

Elder Howard

Ashtabula, Week 3

Hey Family!

So, this is how my week went...... I hate typing as well, so sorry for all the grammar mistakes that are about to happen......

Right after emails I got a fresh haircut, it's pretty short but I still look good as always!! haha!

Tuesday,u we had our mission conference in the Kirtland Temple and wow it was amazing. The spirit is always so strong there and I love it! it's so sweet to have that in my mission, such a blessing and thats why I have thee best mission on the planet!

The rest of the week was pretty standard. Taught our investigators and they are making such good progress! same with the less actives- the members here are awesome as well. We taught 38 lessons this week which is one of the highest in the mission, but we should be getting like 50, so thats the goal for the next couple weeks! 

 we had our mission pres, President Vellinga come interview our investigator Chris for baptism. It was like a 2 hour interview so crazy! but she passed!  We have set a date for the end of the month! We have a couple more that we are trying to prepare for that same date! the work is really growing out here in Ashtabula! 

 It's getting cold. I hate it so much. I'm in a huge coat everywhere I go haha! I always have a bennie on too to keep my head warm cause I have no hair left haha, but it hasnt snowed yet, so thats good. But, all the members are saying its comming real soon and I'm really scared cause I hate snow! 

um, what else... so we only live like 6 miles from the church, we sometimes go play basketball in the morning and stuff... um well I guess thats all for this week! just a spiritual thought that I read in the December ensign it talks about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it is the solution to any and every problem and it really is! I know that's so true and I love teaching people about it and seeing them accept it and their lives just get so much better. 

Missionary work is the best and I love being out here! love and miss you all and I hope you wont miss me to much during Christmas! take care!

Elder Howard

I made myself lunch - Turkey and Cheese!!

Ashtabula, Week 2

HEY FAMILY,

So, Ashtabula is the furthest top right area of the mission. The weather's actually been pretty good this week. Its not been to cold, and only snowed once, which is great! 

My trainer Elder Thomander is from Declo Idaho and turns 21 on Christmas haha! He goes home in feb, so I'm his last companion!

um, so the names of my investigators that get baptized next month are Christine and Dameon. 

 My companions brother is serving in England, and he said he served in the Glenfield ward!!!! ask granny and grandpa and grandma and grandad if they knew and Elder Thomander!!! 

This week was pretty much the same, we go out see our investigators and less active members and the members, we teach and stuff.

 I had to go to Cleveland on Friday for a trainee meeting which was cool! and tomorrow we have a Christmas mission conference in Kirtland which is gonna be so sweet! 

Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament on obedience, it went really well considering I wrote it in an hour, haha! 

Thanks for the package tell jude I hung his drawing up right above my desk! I love it so much! tell aunty Jane thanks, I love the sweater and tie so much!

 um im doing so well and I don't really need anything! Rochy sent me a few packages haha shes so awesome!

 I love it here and I miss all of you so much! youre always in my prayers and I know im in yours cause im doing great. I love this gospel so much and I've just  been thinking how blessed and special we are to be chosen to receive a knowledge of this gospel, and how now we must share is with those who weren't as fortunate as us!

Elder Howard

Cleveland Browns, American Football Stadium.

Cleveland, Ohio.

Appartment ready for Christmas.