Week 103 July 5, 2008

Family,

That’s so awesome that you were able to hear Elder Hales at church. That must have been a great experience. I’m so amazed at the spirituality of the apostles and general authorities. It’s too bad I wasn’t able to hear Chris’s homecoming talk but I guess it’s fair since I was able to hear his farewell talk.

These last few weeks the mission office has been reformed and yesterday we moved back in for the first time. It is really really nice. Me and Elder M. Lopes have our own room to work in and it’s a lot of fun. It’s too bad that I only have a couple more times to be in the office though.

This week was another really amazing week for me. It was definitely more laid back than the last few weeks. We didn’t have any trainings to give to missionaries and we didn’t have any conferences. We went to a city called Cruz Alta- if I remember right, Uncle Jesse served there. We did a division with some missionaries for 3 days. I did a division with Elder Ball! He was one of my companions in Livramento and it was me and him the found the family of Elton and Eliara. It was so awesome to be with him again. He’s doing really great and already has almost a year his mission.

One of the greatest parts was that me and Elder Ball called Elton and Eliara to say to their family. Eliara started crying immediately. The day before, Elder Santiago (also one of my old companions in Livramento) did a division with some of the elders in Livramento and ate a dinner and Elton and Eliara’s house. It was Elder Ball, me and Elder Santiago who were in the area to see their conversion and this family has a big love for us three. It has been a little while now since all three of us have been transferred and this last week, all three of us have been able to see this family again or talk on the phone.

This last week of the mission will be really interesting. I’m very very excited because on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be doing divisions with the Zone Leaders in Livramento and I’ll be able to see Elton and Eliara one more time. They’ve already planned a dinner for us and I’m so excited to see them. I’m going to give them a cheesecake mix and bottle of maple.

Here at the end of my mission I definitely have a lot of mixed feelings. It will be really hard to leave Brazil and say goodbye to these wonderful people. Leaving Santa Maria won’t be that hard though because I haven’t really been here that long and I’m always traveling or doing divisions so no one really knows me that well. I don’t feel like I’m actually close to going home and at the same time I don’t feel like I’m going to stay here on the mission. It’s kind of weird I know. I’m going to try to take advantage of every minute I have left this next week and a half.

I’m very very excited to see you at the airport and give you a huge hug. I’ll be arriving at the airport together with Elder Crose and Elder Blackhurst. Elder Crose is Dan’s friend and Elder Blackhurst lives in Centerville. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and I’ll talk to you next week for the last time here on the mission. I love you all!!!

Thanks for everything.

I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler