Helena Maria Ward, Osasco - November 14, 2016 and November 21, 2016

Brazil, São Paulo West Mission
São Paulo, Brazil

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Elder Houghtaling's Email
Monday, November 14, 2016

Hi Mom! I'm on and ready to talk now.

I'm doing fine.

I'm glad about it all; the election, my ballot arriving in time... The mainstream journalism here has been pushing for Hillary. One thing I have to explain to everybody that's asking me about the election is that it's unlikely that Trump will kick all the strangers out of our country. What I've been telling people is both are bad, but Hillary is worse because she is having problems with the FBI and corruption.

Thank you for the photos that you sent, including the photos of my car.

The General Authority that was here on Friday was Elder Brent H. Neilson. He brought along a cool Christmas video that has not been released to the public yet, but it is awesome. It has the #Lighttheworld. We were in the São Paulo Stake center to hear from Elder Neilson in the afternoon until 6pm.

Before that, in the morning, we were in the Osasco Stake center for the Osasco Zone Conference. Zone conference only happens once a month. Then we walked to the train station in Osasco to get a train for Pinheros, and then we walked to the subway for Butana. The Christmas photos are of Butana. Then to arrive in the Temple we payed for the bus.

I did not purchase the blue and yellow Michigan State t-shirt that you asked me about that was in the photo I had sent you a while ago. I wish I did though. I would need permission to go back to Alphaville where the Decathlon store is because it is outside my mission.

No, I was not able to see the super moon last night. It was raining all night long. Thank you for sending me a photo of this though. I saved it. I will try to take some photos of the moon tonight.

Thanks for your concerns about my companionship and well being. I never received a call from the president. But I did receive a call from Elder A Dos Santos asking me how my companionship is, and that the president is concerned.

On Saturday, after lunch, I was waiting for my companion to finish up what he was doing with his planner. But it turned out he was waiting for me to stop waiting for him. And on Wednesday, he drew a graph on a piece of paper. Growth vs. Time on the Mission. He asked me to point to where I was when I started and where I am and where I'm going for one year. I chose. He then told me that I was wrong and I'm not growing at all. I said that I am growing and that his opinion is just his opinion.

I LOVE YOU TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Butana

Butana

Butana

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Elder Houghtaling's Email
Monday, November 21, 2016

I'm on! I'm being transferred to Jardim Bonifiglioli, in the zone (stake) of Raposo Tavares. Well, I'll tell you my new companion's name next week because I don't have the slightest idea of how to spell his name. Elder Srur, my companion before Elder Alves, is a zone leader in Raposo.

I heard that Elder Marinho is returning to Osasco (Rochdale B) and Elder Basilo is going to stay with Elder Siglin in Ibiuna. And Adão is staying in Osasco but only going to the other district in the area of Villa Yara.

I am happy and sad about this transfer. I am sad because I'm leaving behind Henlena Maria and Rose, Roni, and family.

And transfers are tomorrow. Oh. Last week I sent a package that weighs about 3.66kg. I have the tracking number but its not with me.

I have an interactive map from the church that you can use to find my ward buildings:
https://classic.lds.org/maps/?x=find&find=mission:1964631#ll=-23.497403,-46.795022&z=16&m=google.road&find=here

I'm staying warm enough now so you don't need to send the long sleeve sweaters. Because I'm returning back to the city of São Paulo I will be in a warmer area.Thank you, Mom. Please send them in a few months, like March or April. Nah, I don't need you to send me anything yet. I'm good, but I do like the pictures.

Can I recommend something? When sending photos I think it is better that you send the photo separate from the letter because the letter gets all strung out. This way I won't have to scroll left and right a thousand times just to see all the text.

I don't have anything planned for Thanksgiving. I think the only time the mission will do soemthing is when its Christmas, which is in this transfer.

I think I will miss the thought of snow but only the good parts about it. I like our new thermostat. Whose idea was it to buy it?

My current companion and John Boy do look a lot alike. Thank you, Wendi! We do look like a bunch of hitchhikers with our thumbs up! Haha, Molly!

I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!! Te amo, Mãe!

Elder Tylor Houghtaling and another missionary - Photo courtesy of Vanda Cunha

Vanda Cunha - Como é bom ir para igreja - How good it is to go to church - Photo courtesy of Vanda Cunha

John Boy from the Waltons

My companion Elder Alves looks a lot like John Boy with these glasses - Photo courtesy of Vanda Cunha

Tylor would love to hear from you: tylor.houghtaling@myldsmail.net

Helena Maria Ward, Osasco - October 31, 2016 and November 7, 2016

Brazil, São Paulo West Mission
São Paulo, Brazil

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Elder Houghtaling's Email
Monday, October 31, 2016

Olá! I'm on and ready to speak. Are you ready to speak, or are you running to your car?

Happy Halloween! Yes, this holiday is arriving here in Brazil.

No, I have not received the package that you sent me for Halloween yet. I have not received my Absentee Voter ballot yet, either, and Election day is almost one week away.

The Zone Leaders said that they will wait until this Wednesday to go to the office for stuff. One of them, an American, said that its not really important to vote because it isn't an obligation. I almost gave those zone leaders a piece of my anger, but I don't want to be like that, and also it is good to work with your leaders. I don't think one specific zone leader cares much because he will be hugging his family in a few weeks.

I might receive the ballot tomorrow because I have an interview with the Mission President then. I will talk to him tomorrow about it. Also, I could receive it on Friday during our district meeting.

I was angry like you are because of this. You mailed the ballot to me early enough so there would be time for me to vote and send the ballot back in time for the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election. You paid a lot of money to expedite it and you emailed the mission president asking for someone to be at the mission office after 5:00pm to receive the ballot because the Correios kept trying to deliver this to the mission office after 5:00pm when everyone is gone.

Only in the zone of São Paulo the zone leader delivery system work just fine; elders there have the mission office bring them packages every week.

I'm doing fine, just waiting to change companions. Nothing much is going on other than we almost get into a fight once a week. But other than that we have two people marked for baptism but they aren't progressing (keeping commitments, or coming to church).

I try to avoid conflicts. But they eventually happen because "I do not talk enough or lead lessons like a pro", even though I should because I have six months in the mission.

You asked me if I was sick last week, which you said you had heard from Rose Dantes. I was not sick. A few weeks ago I was but I am fine now, and I have not been sick since. When I was sick it was because I drank a lime juice made with tap water. I didn't know the juice was made with that type of water though. But I learned my lesson.

What else is happening? Can you explain what is going on with my car? About what RPM level was the engine running with you pressing the accelerator? The lever near the break pedal that reads, "Press to Release" is the parking brake If it's on, the brake light on the dash will be on. I don't thing a five gallon bucket will damage any car. Judging the abuse I've seen with cars here. Especially the VW Combi. When you try again to move my car in drive and it doesn't move, try again in 3, 2, or 1. Does it move in R?

What time is it there? It looks like we have a two hour time difference.

Before next week can you send more pictures of my car to me, of your car, Dad's car, and the house? You can send the photos to me because I have a flash drive with 16GB and I can print them here.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Brazil, São Paulo West Mission
São Paulo, Brazil

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Elder Houghtaling's Email
Monday, November 7, 2016

Are you ready to talk? Because of the end of Daylight Savings in the states on November 6th, we are three hours ahead of the states!

So, I received my Absentee Ballot and Halloween package at the Mission Office on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. President Thomas said I could still send my ballot back. So, I voted and then expedited my Absentee Ballot that day. Thank you to Sister Rose Dantes for helping to contact you to find out where I should send my ballot, and also give you the tracking number so you can track this package. So, you said this package cleared customs in Miami at 6:33am today? Are you seeing this on the website of USPS or Correios? The Correios site isn't updated yet.

When we were at Rose Dante's house that day, I was able to give their son and daughter some of the glow necklaces that you sent in my Halloween package. She also feeds us very well.

November 1, 2016. Elder Srur and Elder Houghtaling having Dinner with Rose Dantes, Alves Dantes, and their Children. Photo courtesy of Rose Dantes.

November 1, 2016. Elder Srur and Elder Houghtaling having Dinner with Rose Dantes, Alves Dantes, and their Children. Photo courtesy of Rose Dantes.

You asked if I would like this scriptures cover, which is made by the man in Brazil. I think it would be cool to own this and I think it will work nicely with my triple in Portuguese.

About my car, what position was the parking brake lever in? Was it close to the floor or the door? If its close to the door, it's released. If it's close to the floor it's applied. If you have other questions, the user's manual is always a good option. Also, there is a light on the dash that says BRAKE, and if it's illuminated the parking brake is on. It would also be good to have DeNooyer look at this.

There is also friction in this companionship. I believe his view is that he is a perfectionist and I'm a new missionary in the field that needs to be controlled 100% of the time. I'm just praying for this transfer to finish up. The thing is, when I try to stop a situation from boiling over, sometimes he gets angry with me because I'm not doing the little stuff like staring at him all the time when he's talking with investigators. The Preach My Gospel manual says to do this. I just have to wait out the transfer. It is good to have Elder Adão to talk to. He is a missionary that we share the apartment with. He was here when Elder Srur was my companion. He is a friend to me.

About the baptism, his name is Moises Gonsalez Do Santos. He married a less active, but is more active now, member named Joyce.

Oh... Can you stop in Harding's and ask for Brenda's address? It's 330 or 303 Idaho Ave., Portage, MI. She is a cashier normally on Lane 4 and works Wednesday 8-4, Thurs. 9-5, and Sat. 8-12. I don't know her last name.

Also, I would like more photos of our cars.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Tylor would love to hear from you: tylor.houghtaling@myldsmail.net